Imprints in Stone [AU]

[Bethany]

"How? What- who told you this? What did you see?" A broken breath, shuddering and rough. "Why are you punishing me?"

[Carver Amell]

"Not everything is about you, Bethany!" he snarls, turning to glare at her. "I just can't!"

[Bethany]

"How is never having you in my life not about me too?" Bethany demands shrilly. She presses a hand to her stomach, then glares at him. "I need a Calm before I hurl, back up if you don't want to be affected," she growls, beginning to cast.

[Carver Amell]

Carver stumbles backward, turning away from her again. "Why don't you want me to be happy?! I offered you everything, and you turned me down, over and over, and when I need something, you're all, 'what about me'? Fuck you, that's what!"

[Bethany]

A sense of dull bliss washes over her and Bethany takes a long, slow breath. "I'm sorry. I'm panicking because the thought of losing you rips my heart out. You're drunk and hurting and it's scaring me, especially coming on the heels of you going missing. Can you explain what it is that you're deciding?"

[Carver Amell]

"I'm leaving town. I'm going to be an adventurer. Maybe I'll come back but I just need to be my own fucking person, away from the lies and bullshit for a while."

[Bethany]

Bethany hesitates a moment. "Alone?" she asks carefully.

[Carver Amell]

"Without family."

[Bethany]

Bethany takes a deep breath. "It's dangerous by yourself. Would you be willing to take Merrill?" Wait, shouldn't she be here? "Or what about Zevran and Isabela? Would you be willing to travel with them for a while?"

[Carver Amell]

"Merrill's family," he snaps. "I'm not letting you plan this for me. Go home, be with Merrill. I'll figure out my plans when I'm sober."

[Bethany]

Merrill. "She's not at home. She came here, an hour ago," Bethany says slowly. "Carver... did you... did you say this to her?"

[Carver Amell]

"Yes," he growls. "I told her to go and she did. Hunter's with her."

[Bethany]

Bethany stares at him. "Gods, I hope she's still alive," she says simply before running for the door. "Si!" She doesn't bother finishing, the mabari already tracking down the scent of Soft Kind Elf and her littermate.

[Carver Amell]

Carver slowly sinks back down, burying his face in his hands for a long moment. When Miki comes over to place a paw on his shoulder, he jerks away. "Get more," he grunts, fishing in his belt pouch. "A lot more."

[Marian Hawke]

He had it all planned out -- he was going to sneak into Varric's office, pick the lock on the back door, leave a note on the desk, and be away again, abandoning the Liz face forever. Abandoning Nyra if he has to, though he doesn't think he should. But Varric is there, and he feels so small, so shaky and lost, so vulnerable, he can't, he just can't... 

So he hides in the privy, shuddering and gasping, his arms clasped tight around his legs. Despite the face he wears, despite being Eli, he can't seem to shake off Liz's troubles, Liz's panic. Just a little longer. he'll leave for the day, then I can... can... it's getting harder and harder to remember the plan the longer he huddles in place, the more his skin becomes cold and clammy.