The Amell Legacy: Transgressions

[Varric]

Ne can feel very tightly controlled tremors now that ne is touching him, ones ne couldn't even get a hint of from just looking. "I can't... I can't," he repeats, eyes locked on something in the distance.

[Helene Dakesh]

"Can't?" ne repeats, in a questioning tone.

[Varric]

"Can't," he confirms, jaw clenching. At his side, the hand further from nir own starts to tap silently against his leg in a rapid flurry.

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene's eyes fall on his hand; ne murmurs, to nemself, "quiet hands," but shakes nir head, not meaning it as a rebuke. "Reminders that someone cares," ne repeats, and a finger traces a familiar symbol on his ankle: the lemniscate, the heart. 

[Varric]

Varric once again surprises nem- he blushes. It's faint, but his cheeks redden.

[Helene Dakesh]

Ne smiles to see it, blushing faintly nemself. The message clearly delivered, ne releases Varric's ankle, shifting to make nemself more comfortable in nir spot. If Varric cannot go inside -- ne will be with him, reminding him. Loving him, as the moons love the earth, as Vangal loves Astea.

[Varric]

Varric stand still for a moment, wondering why he feels so much colder all of a sudden. "Helene..." He goes silent again, not sure how to continue. "I... I don't..." Who else? If not nem, then... and if not anyone, then... "Can- ward? Can you... cast a privacy ward?" 

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene straightens, surprised. When ne casts, a moment later, the spell incantation comes out perfectly smooth and even -- though, on second thought, that's not very surprising, given ne can repeat things easily like this.

[Varric]

Varric nods his thanks, though he doesn't say anything immediately afterwards. Instead, he turns back to his brew, then hisses in annoyance. Yellow. Mustard yellow (should be butter). Well damn. With a sigh, he begins the work of defusing the now unstable mix of reagents. Which is handy in a way, as it gives him something to occupy most of this brain. "Can't," he says once more, the word slow and poisonous. "Can't... inside. Can't... explain."

[Helene Dakesh]

Helene is quiet for a long moment. Finally, ne manages to come up with some of the words: "Fear is powerful." Then, with a rueful grin, "Varric is powerful." 

[Varric]

Varric snorts with disgust. "If I was powerful, could have-" He swallows. "Arm. Hurt. T-trapped. Wrong."

[Helene Dakesh]

"Fear," repeats Helene softly. Knowingly.

Something bothers nem, however, and ne frowns. With nir good right arm, ne reaches to touch the bruised place on nir left. "Seeker Helene," ne says, firmly. 

[Varric]

Varric glances at nem, head cocked to the side. "Not tracking,"  he admits. 

[Helene Dakesh]

"Seeker Helene," ne says again, then, frowning, manages to come up with "fault. Seeker Helene fault. Not Varric fault."

[Varric]

Now that gets him to turn to face nem entirely. "How the fuck do you get that sum?"