And it's the stars, the stars that lie to you.

[neverheardofhim]

[This week, Varric opted to take a page from Vanille’s book. Gathering everyone together after the roller-coaster that the first trial had been proved to be somewhat cathartic for himself. He hoped that it would prove to do the same for the others.]

[He wasn’t alone, of course, having found himself blessed with the most ragtag team of chefs and party-planners. He might have had words for and thoughts on Elda and Kimbley, Mikazuki was welcome company, and he wasn’t about to turn away potential allies, even in a fight as simple as cooking dinner.]

[Once everyone’s set to a task, baking a cake, brewing tea, or stirring stew (the only task Varric could think to assign Elda to), Varric excused himself to his room. His first task was writing up cards, each personally titled and signed by Varric.]

Food in the Library. 5 p.m. Don’t spend the night alone.

[Each note was slid under a door and accompanied by a single rap on the wood.]

[With his tasks completed, Varric returned to the kitchen to put out any potential fires and, with luck, set the food out. A table in the library would be adorned with plenty of tea, cake, pancakes courtesy of Viktor, and stew thanks mostly to Varric (sorry, Elda).]

Comments

[oyashiromama]

[If anything, anything at all could get her to even kind of smile-

she can't help it, Silver can. She gently shakes her head and demonstrates, her palms together in prayer and her arms straight out.]

Like this. [Does Weavile need help too?]

[feistytrader]

Thanks.

[He'll start playing, but he's a little distracted; he does decently enough anyway, but soon speaks up.]

...Are you doing okay? Everyone was pushing you pretty hard.

2/3 actually ROFL FUCK ME

[matchbreaker]

[ She- ]

I'll never be a human's friend or lover or whatever you want from me. [ It's said with hateful, bitter malice ] They've taken too much from me to ever forgive them.

[quadruples]

Nope! He doesn't have any cool powers, unless you count having mastered the art of begging for food. It's so difficult to resist him when he looks at my food like I would look at a winning lottery ticket.

[matchbreaker]

But... [ Inhale, exhale, and her look and tone both become softer ] You were more helpful to me than I proved worth, this time.

... Thank you.

[ravagers]

[ The people here are so kind... Vanille always marvels at that, even when she's a crying mess. She nods but doesn't lift her head much more. ]

N-none of this is right...

[feistytrader]

[Yes. Of course they did. They haven't eaten all day, and absolutely pounced on that stuff.

...He stands up and grabs onto Watanuki's hand.]

Nope. Come on, let's get something together.

[Watanuki is now being dragged along to get some food, whether he likes it or not.]

[firstaid]

[She just nods at the mention about them being close. She honestly wouldn't understand and she knows it. So for now she just makes her way into the center of the room and kneels there. Her dress flows around her like she were a flower petal.]

A story? Sure, I can tell you one of my favorites. It's called "The Tale of the Jade Planet." In this book, there's a man called the Amber Knight who goes out to save the world. He's quite incredible. Oh, but he's not a main character...! However, I greatly admire him. What he does to help his people and his country as well as his best friend. It's admirable.

[Someone has a crush on a fictional character...]

[sportadork]

[just. sighs...

...] I'm sorry, what were we doing?

[sportadork]

Good! [claps hands. still wearing mitts. looks kinda silly.] If you need anything else, all you have to do is ask!

[matchbreaker]

I looked guilty.

[ She replies quickly, as if that dismissed everything.

She's watching him play btw ]

[ravagers]

[ Vanille joins her, though she sits with her legs to the side. ]

Sounds like a real interesting guy. And it sounds like you like him a lot.

[ ... she might be teasing her just a little bit. ]

[feistytrader]

Just because there was a reason to ask you twenty questions doesn't mean that it sucked any less.

[iaspis]

It came out of the machine broken?

[She tries it out, looking it over carefully. Surprisingly, it fits in her hand, it just looks comically small.]

Maybe all weapons come out of it not working.

[deofoled]

[ He opens the door, unsure of who it is this time. He's had a veritable delivery of food at this point, so he was expecting another dash and go but- oh.]

Jasper? No, I've been eating.

[ At least by this point he seems a lot more mellow than he was at the end of trial, even if he's still trying to avoid everyone and failing.]

his room

[oyashiromama]

[It's right next to hers. His room, that is. Hanyuu can't ignore it open, and...after the trial, she...

Very lightly, she knocks on his door.]

A- aah... Watanuki?

[neverheardofhim]

[Varric let out a long sigh. For a handful of moments, stretching into what he assumed were minutes, he was silent and caught up in his thoughts. The only sign of his lack of condemnation was the fact that he still held her close, still worked comforting circles against her back.]

[In truth, he wasn't sure where to begin. He didn't hold it against Vanille by any means. But then, he wasn't sure what was bothering her -- the fact that her friend had acted, that she had acted alone, or that it had happened in general.]

[He figured he could start with the first, start with a feeling he knew all too well.]

My... friend blew up a church. Killed a lot of innocent people because he believed it was the only way to achieve peace. Some sentiment -- violence as a means of achieving that. But he did it. And for a long time, I blamed myself for not seeing what he was going to do.

The thing is... for all of the Wordsmith's bullshit about being accountable for our actions, it shouldn't have to extend to our companions. You and I aren't what our friends do.

Like my friend, I don't think what your friend did was right, either. But I think they both had a noble goal in mind. I'd... do a lot of things to protect the people I care about. I'd do a lot of things to protect you, kid. But... I don't think it makes you a bad person to have not helped her, or for it to have happened anyway. You did what you could, and in the end you were brave enough to sacrifice yourself for the sake of those lives.

And in the end, it isn't your fault that you had to make that choice. Blame fate, the gods... whatever the hell makes a nice woman like yourself have to make a choice like that.

[foundfate]

Hey-

[He's verbally protesting, but he is letting himself get dragged along. Partially because he actually is a little hungry, and partially because he doesn't have the energy to fight it.]

I can get my own food, you know.

[feistytrader]

[...He can manage that. Weavile can't, however; it's not for a lack of trying. His paws just don't bend that way. That doesn't stop him from doing his best, however.]

And then, uh... Something about the Bluemother, right?

[ravagers]

[ Silly, but it makes her giggle again. ]

Thanks. And... same goes for you, okay?

[stepout]

Mm. [ She'll take hers then, whichever it is, and stare at it before she tucks it into her arm—she'll read it in a second, promise. ] ...I'm sorry.

[ That's the other important thing on her list. ]

I still think it's good for you to offer an ear to people who need it, but I'm sorry that not everyone's going to take it. [ ...There's no better way to word that, but she's not trying to be mean about it at all. ]

[matchbreaker]

Oh yeah, you got a broken one too?

[oyashiromama]

[It's...some time before it dies down enough for her to speak? But if Mercy is content with it...]

I- I told her... I would be there...for her. I-I told her...she could talk to me.

[matchbreaker]

You were prying into my past and going to prove you're wort telling.

[deofoled]

[ He hasn't really thought about how she acted towards Alani. When he finally does, it's likely he'll feel indifferent-- it's not like he hated the monk who took Christo's life, he just wanted to kill her withi his bare hands. There were no complicated emotions involved, just a desire for vengeance.

Still, it's probably better that she decided to give him space for tonight at least.]