Imprints in Stone [AU]

[Varric]

"Carver, your sister thought Merrill convinced you to commit suicide. That's a hell of a lot of something," Varric points out. "How would you feel about... say, me, if I'd convinced Beth of that?"

[Carver Amell]

He shudders, violently, pulling away from Varric to pace. 

[Varric]

"Yeah, that's about what I thought. She was wrong. She panicked and made a bad judgement call which lead to her overreacting. That was bad, yes, but kind of understandable if you assume the- err, if you start with that misunderstanding, the rest makes a sort of sense." Varric rubs his forehead, paying close attention to Carver. "She's realized she messed up too, and is working to fix it. Make up for it."

[Carver Amell]

"I couldn't do that to Merrill. Even if I thought she'd take Beth away. I can't. Not after Mother. Not after--"

He shudders, again, burying his face in his hands. "I did everything," he whispers. "I did everything I could think of. But Mother wouldn't listen to me."

[Varric]

"...I knew you still visited but... I gather it's worse than I'd thought?" Varric asks gently.

[Carver Amell]

"I don't. Still visit. Not since you were in jail. But before then, it was, I was-- I tried everything. I even begged."

[Varric]

"Sometimes... sometimes people just don't want to be helped. You can't really make someone be a better person. Hard to not want to but can't. That you tried, and for so long, is to your incredible credit." 

[Carver Amell]

"Beth doesn't listen either." He takes a deep breath. "If I leave, will you look after Merrill?"

[Varric]

"Be too busy getting you back, sorry," Varric says without apology. "Also, Beth listens. You remember her good news this morning, right?"

[Carver Amell]

"She listens to Don. Not me. Why can't I leave?"

[Varric]

"You really think it was just whatever Don't said that convinced her?" Varric snorts with disbelief. "She said that it was about consent and such. Well, sounds like the reason she can't consent is because it hurts you, at least a big part of it."

[Carver Amell]

He winces, hanging his head. "I.. should go. I'm not good for her."

[Varric]

"Carver, that wasn't supposed to be a bad thing," Varric says tiredly.

[Carver Amell]

"She doesn't stop because she's worried about her safety. She stops because of me. She resents me. She... She'd be better without me. She'd make mistakes and get hurt but you won't let her get too hurt and maybe she'll stop making mistakes if I don't protect her but I can't just let her get hurt like that."

[Varric]

"If worrying about you stops her from getting hurt... Then good. And you do realize you're almost the exact same, right?"