Imprints in Stone [AU]

[Varric]

I... there might be something to that idea. Most of it is the helping thing but... "Leandra... she hurt Beth more than you realize, I think. More than I did, or at least more than I remember until she does something that brings it back up. Beth... you're right, I think, about her needing to misbehave, as you put it. She needs to do things that prove to herself that she can be who she wants, not what anyone- Leandra- make her. Hopefully that dulls over time but... Walk me through it. Who said what and in what order?"

[Carver Amell]

Carver makes a face. "I told her I can't let Merrill be a whore. She doesn't know what she's doing, she doesn't know how to protect herself, and if Beth wants to make dangerous choices fine, but I can't let Merrill get dragged into it. She reminded me that... that she was almost... that she almost got hurt. And I wasn't there. I can't, I can't think about that without needing to hit someone."

[Varric]

"...can't say I'd turn you down if you wanted to spar a bit right now," Varric says in that too even, too calm voice. "Want some advice about... not having this sort of fight?"

[Carver Amell]

Carver nods. "I get that she can't let me hold her back. But Merrill needs me to protect her while she gets her feet under her. So how do I... balance that?"

[Varric]

"Don't forbid either of them from doing something. Sure, no rule is absolute- stop them from setting off a trap, stop them from doing an immediate action that's clearly dangerous, sure. But you tell most people that they're not allowed to do something and it makes them want to do it even more. Even if they didn't especially want to do it in the first place." Varric shrugs. "Start with explaining why first. Explain you're worried, explain why you're worried, then go from there."

[Carver Amell]

"But it doesn't matter what I say about why -- Beth just says I'm wrong and dumb and then does it anyway. I can't let her get Merrill hurt."

[Varric]

"Beth calls you dumb," Varric repeats with a tone of clear disbelief. 

[Carver Amell]

"Not in so many words," he admits, shoulders slumping. "But she clearly thinks I don't know what I'm talking about."

[Varric]

That makes more sense. "She is allowed to disagree. Her life and all that. So is Merrill. All we can do is advise. And decide if going around them to protect them is worth breaking their trust," he admits. "Why does Sunshine even want to... do this anyway?"

[Carver Amell]

"Because she wants to help. Merrill's good that way. But Beth will have her believe it's safe as houses, and it's not. It's dangerous."

[Varric]

"That... Beth would probably downplay it, a little, but you don't think she'd lie and put Sunshine in danger, do you?" Varric asks dubiously. She does have that need to act out (rebel), but she wouldn't get someone she likes (mostly, some jealousy there, I think) hurt, I don't think.

[Carver Amell]

"She doesn't..."

He frowns, looking at his hands. "I can't... I can't just say, Mother was always horrible. She wasn't, and I love her, and I can't see it that way. But Beth does. I think... the same way, Beth can't see that it's dangerous, can't admit that there's any reason we're not all rushing out to become whores tomorrow. If it's wrong for Merrill, how is it right for her? So she has to think it's fine for Merrill and it'll all work out well and nobody ever gets hurt."

[Varric]

"So it's more that you think she's lying to herself to make her worldview function, and it might impact Merrill by way of" collateral damage "friendly fire mishap. I could see it," Varric admits. "But we should probably all talk this over." Yay, more sex talk. Why did I agree to be a parent (glad I did) exactly? Wait... something is niggling at me about this... something... "Wait a damn minute, Merrill is only forty-nine."

[Carver Amell]

"Forty-- WHAT?!"

[Varric]

Varric jerks his head back, startled. "...forty-nine," he repeats carefully. "Did you... not know that?"