Imprints in Stone [AU]

[Helene Dakesh]

"A... safe house?"

[Varric]

"A hidden place you can hide away or retreat to if trouble comes around?"

[Helene Dakesh]

"Ah!" They brighten. "Then, yes. I was in my safehouse."

[Varric]

Which is totally also your regular house too (temple housing aside). "Free to stay for dinner? Wouldn't mind talking over this new reagent Deep Thought's just released, a synthetic chromatic dragon blood..."

[Carver Amell]

It's the barking that announces his presence first: Carver races toward the house at a dead run, a broad smile across his face, but it's Hunter's barking for his person, and his sister, that betrays them. Silence, true to her name, doesn't bark back, but she puts on extra speed, easily passing Carver in her eagerness to get to Beth.

Then the door opens, and his twin is there, and she's in his arms, and she smells so good, soft and warm and... "Beth," he groans, holding her tightly, like he never wants to let go. "Beth."

[Isabela]

Isabela stops a little ways back, holding Zevran's hand. "Well. I suppose we may as well head on to the Shiny Cat, let them catch up," she begins. 

[Bethany]

"Ma'win," Beth sigh, pressing her face into the crook of his neck.  Did he get even taller? And his shoulders... were they always this broad? "It's really good to have you back."

[Tethras Clan]

"Carver!" With a wild yelp, Merrill joins the reunion by way of slamming them both to the ground via tackle.

[Varric]

In his office, Varric smiles, the feel of something clicking back into place recognized but not noticed, exactly. Eh, I'll let them go for a minute or two before I welcome (my son) him back.

[Carver Amell]

"Merrill!" he yelps, laughing as he shifts Beth easily to one side so he can free up an arm for her. "Gods above, it's good to be home," he says, giddy, both his girls cuddled up to him. There's nothing better in the whole wide world than this.

[Helene Dakesh]

The best place to find Beth is often the Shiny Cat; when looking for her, Helene had checked three or four places before ending up there for their chat about the catfolk. Beth had promised to ask Don about Helene, assuring the samsaran that it was unlikely they had done anything wrong but still wanting to make sure it was okay to make introductions and let Helene make their case for being able to access the records. 

As the pair walk out of the building, Helene pauses, hearing the last thing they would expect from a brothel: what sounds like an academic lecture. Notebook at the ready, they creep toward the lounge, listening to the Merikosi speak to the workers. 

Before long, they're seated in back, taking furious notes with a small blush. They don't dare ask questions, but they carefully dictate his words, circling several of them to look up later.

[Tethras Clan]

"So yes, there is such a thing as 'implied consent' but it's as worthless as a tin crown in the vast majority of cases. A long-term lover- as in years- engaging in a sex act that all parties have enthusiastically consented to in multiple previous occasions, then one can assume they have consent. But the second you get any kind of hint- indirect, direct, implied, overt- you stop. Consent is never irrecoverable," Zevran concludes with a slight flourishing gesture.

He takes a quick bow, the movement playful and very much not serious. There's a scattering of like-minded applause, then the apparent merikos elf makes a terrible mistake. "Anyone have any questions?"

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene's hand shoots up before they can quite stop themself. 

[Tethras Clan]

"Ah, yes, in the back... I can't say I recall your name?" Zevran says, a smile on his lips but a question in his eyes. "Your question?"

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene puts their hand down. "This one is Seeker Helene. How enthusiastic must consent be? How does this concept interface with the 'reluctant virgin' in media? What is the duration of a relationship required to imply consent? How does one revoke previously given consent? Does the presence of a financial transaction carry weight with regards to consent?" Seeker, time is required to answer questions. Most prefer them one at a time. "Ah! This one will allow responses," they add, blushing.