Imprints in Stone [AU]

[Bethany]

"I'm not sure," Beth confesses after a moment, voice slow and measured as she tries to think past her exhaustion. "I mean... it seems right, on the surface, but it might be a dumb risk. Still, I think it's worth it."

[Carver Amell]

"...Do you think we should tell V-- tell Dad about it?" he asks, even quieter. 

[Bethany]

Beth shakes her head. "What? Why would we tell him we're coming home? You think he won't notice?" She blinks. "Wait, you called him Dad?"

[Carver Amell]

"Not that! The brothel," he says, choosing to focus on that part of her statements. 

[Bethany]

"You think we should have stayed at the brothel?" Beth asks, even more confused. "But I thought-"

[Carver Amell]

"I mean, do we tell Dad about the brothel? He's real smart, he can fix this I bet, or, or make it so this won't happen again."

[Bethany]

"You did call him Dad!" Beth says with delight. "Wait, what? You want to tell him- about the brothel? And- and tonight?"

[Carver Amell]

He scowls. "So it turns out in Nyra a man can have two fathers. And, and Dwarves adopt anyway. So I can have a Father and a Dad both. Don't make it weird, okay!" He looks away, cheeks flaming crimson. "And-- and, I don't know, maybe. I mean, he's smarter than us, right? And like... maybe he can tell us where we went wrong."

[Bethany]

Beth licks her lips, trying to work out the angles but... "I'm too exhausted to think. I... He can't ever know I was... I'm underaged, still. He can't be involved in... in that. If... if we tell him, I have to stop. And probably... entirely stop, not even healing them. Carver... I can't..." Her faces scrunches up. "I... can it wait? Do- you're more alert right now, I can't focus well. Do we need to tell him tonight or can it wait?"

[Carver Amell]

Carver hesitates, arguing with himself.

She'd stop whoring.

She'd never forgive me.

She'd be safer.

She'd never forgive me.

"I-- I'm tired too, Beth. Let's sneak in, and we'll talk about it in the morning," he concludes glumly.

[Bethany]

"Alright," Beth says softly, resting her head against him for a moment. "We can talk tomorrow. Maybe... maybe slip off to the brothel and see what's happened. Should ask their opinnins- opinions, before we decide. They depend on us." She yawns again.

[Carver Amell]

He flinches. "We'll talk tomorrow, Beth." No way am I letting the whores vote. They don't know Varric. They're going to say no.


In his dreams, Varric isn't mad. He's disappointed.


Carver stares up at the ceiling, feeling Beth stir under his arm. Should move her back to her bed, he thinks, without getting up.

[Varric]

"What happened?" Varric asks very quietly from the doorway. She hasn't sleep in the same bed as him (thank all the gods they're still dressed) since the first month we go to Nyra. 

[Carver Amell]

He shakes his head. "I can't," he says, softly but mournfully. "I promised. You know she comes first."

[Varric]

"Is she in danger? Are you in danger?"