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

[sportadork]

... Could you not use nails? [are you allergic or. surely there is something better than tape that could be used here.]

[matchbreaker]

There weren't nails for a while. [ or at least, she didn't find them... ] Besides, there's some under the tape.

[sportadork]

[just. sighs...

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

[matchbreaker]

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

[sportadork]

... Oh, right!

[so he takes off his hat.

the hat hair is pretty bad, and he seems more concerned about mussing up the blond curls so they're fluffy again? but the actual important thing here is the distinct, sharp tips of his ears.]

[matchbreaker]

[ Initially, she's uncomprehending, unimpressed. ... Then she finally notices the ears. She narrows her eyes at them, walking closer to lean up and get a bit of a better look. She hums, and ]

So you hide them.

[sportadork]

It is... a little bit harder to be a role model when they know. The children.

[he fiddles with the hat in his hands.]

Does this actually change how much you're willing to tell me?

[matchbreaker]

What are you?

[ Honestly though, yes. ]

[sportadork]

An elf.

[matchbreaker]

[ . . . ]

What? Like those fairies?

[sportadork]

A little bit. Not nearly as small.

[matchbreaker]

The kids don't like elves?

[sportadork]

Kids love elves! [INSISTENT ON THAT] It's only... "Can Sportacus do those amazing things because he has worked very hard, and so we can do them too, or can he only do them because he's magic and we shouldn't even try?"

[looks, like. slightly pained by the sheer thought of it.]

So, I wear a hat.

1/3

[matchbreaker]

[ What. ]

[matchbreaker]

[ What?! ]

[matchbreaker]

That's-! [ Stupid??? Really sweat???

Both??? ] You really love kids, don't you?!

[sportadork]

[he laughs, and nods.] Everything I do is for them... Including surviving this place. I have a little pink-haired girl who has invited me to protect her town; I cannot disappoint her.

[matchbreaker]

[ That....

she can't refute.

She sighs, and sits cross-legged at her desk ]

So what did you want to know?

[sportadork]

[he crosses his arms, quite serious once more.]

Whatever it was that made you consider killing somebody this week. What event you wanted to make not happen.

[matchbreaker]

Do elves normally ask a lady their worst life experience?

[ . . . But fine, he revealed his secret, as stupid as it was, she can... ]

Two hundred years ago, vampires were forced to flee Europe. [ She says this in a haughty tone, factual, like it's something to brag about, mostly to mask her own emotions on the subject ] The inquisition and the church turned on us, and the humans found our manors and burned them to the ground. Everyone who didn't make it onto that boat died.

[sportadork]

[he nods, frowning. clearly affected by the thought.]

You wanted to save innocent lives. [like Alani had] People can choose to do bad things for very good reasons.

... I am very glad you didn't make that choice. I hope you know it was a brave one.

[matchbreaker]

[ Brave... ]

... What's brave about it?

[sportadork]

Not doing something that will get you what you really, really want, because you know that something is wrong.

1/3

[matchbreaker]

It wasn't for that.

[ She quickly tells herself that. Even if it might've been. ]

Who knows if Wordsmith can do it. And more importantly, if you guys found me out and I failed like Alani did... I can't leave my Ja--

[matchbreaker]

[ She chokes on the word.

James.

Her heart is suddenly in her throat. Tears are at the corners of her eyes. And... ]