Varric and Rahne, backdated to 3/25/16
Mar. 25th, 2016 08:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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om_mainAn evening on the beach sets the scene for Varric to finally make up his mind about his relationship situation, and tell Rahne everything about it. Fortunately, Varric is good at salvaging social situations, and he decides to finally ask her something important.
It was nearing the end of their trip, and Varric still hadn't really manned up about the whole Bianca thing. But he figured tonight was as good as a night as it could be. It was already dark out, and the moon was high over the sea. It was a beautiful night.
Would have made a good night to ask her out. Not so much a good night to tell her about an ex-girlfriend.
Or sort-of-ex.
Damn, his life was complicated sometimes.
It had him in a bit of a mood. Varric's moods were, unfortunately, very easy to see, sometimes. He was sitting in the sand, farther away from the vacation home. He figured Rahne might come out to take a look at the nice, full moon they were having. Which was maybe just a bit presumptuous, and when he thought about it, maybe just a touch unkind. But it was a beautiful sight, he thought. He imagined she felt the same.
Rahne, restless, found herself on the beach. She was going to miss the ocean when they left. The sea was obsidian with a silver path carved through its gentle waves. She felt almost as if she could walk across it, and find peace on the other side.
Instead, she found Varric.
She stood over him, looking out across the water. "It's a full moon. I feel like I ought to turn into a wolf," she joked in her mild voice.
Varric couldn't help but chuckle. "I prefer you as you are, at least for now," he said, giving the sand next to him a pat. "Wanna hear a story?" he asked.
She carefully tucked her skirt beneath her as she sat. "You always tell the best stories."
"Well, Rosie, let's start at the beginning. That's always a good place to start, I guess," he chuckled.
"Not too long ago, there were... two princes," he began. "The older prince was the heir to the kingdom, of course. He studied all the things you'd want to learn to be a good ruler. The younger prince, left to his own devices, studied the arts, instead. He became well-liked by his people, who weren't so fond of the stiffer, stodgier heir to the throne," he explained. "The older prince didn't like his younger brother, obviously. And they were like that from the time they could find a difference between them. But it didn't start to get bad until the younger prince found a girl he was smitten with. A princess from another kingdom, a prosperous kingdom. She fancied the younger prince as well, and they hit it off. The older prince was furious about it."
Sure, it was a shit metaphor, and he figured Rahne would see right through it. But it made it easier for him.
Rahne scrunched her nose, trying to follow. "The younger prince is you," she guessed. "And your brother, and your..." She grasped a handful of sand. "Girlfriend."
"There's more to it than that, Rosie. You see, my brother figured there must be something special about me. He outed me as a mutant when he took a blood sample from me. Bribed a Red Cross guy to set some aside while I was donating. Got it analyzed, and I was slapped with a restraining order. Turns out Bianca's family doesn't like the idea of mutants. And neither did she," Varric grumbled. "Last I saw her, she was in her room, lookin' out the window at me. Like she didn't even know me anymore."
"So, what? You're Romeo and Juliet?" Rahne was choking back anger. She couldn't believe this was happening again. "Do you want help from me or something?"
"No, Rosie. I'm moving on from her. She hasn't made a move yet, and I'm not going to sit around wasting my youth for someone who's ready to split with me just because of something special buried in my genes," Varric explained, soothing. "I don't expect an answer now, Rosie. It's fine if you never do. But ... somewhere down the line, either ten seconds away from now or, y'know, a whole year... I think I'd like it a lot to be your boyfriend, if you'd like that."
She froze, staring.
"You don't know everything about me," she blurted out.
"Is that necessary for dating?" Varric asked, chuckling.
"I'm...broken. I can't believe you'd actually want me if you knew anything."
"I'd hazard to say not a one of us is as whole as they day we came into this world, Rosie," Varric replied to her, softly.
Her hand inched closer to his on the sand. "I'm religious," she warned him.
"And I'm a Christmas and Easter Episcopalian," Varric returned, as warning, grinning just a bit.
"But seriously....I'm religious," she emphasized, hoping he would get the point.
"And I respect that," Varric replied, sincerely. "I don't mind it. Just don't think you'll make a convert out of me," he chuckled softly.
"I've been working on learning...tolerance."
"We should always work on improving ourselves," Varric opined in reply.
Rahne stared out at the water for a moment. "I think we've gotten off track."
"Is that so bad, though?" Varric asked, looking at the water as well. "There's no need to rush, Rosie. I'm here. I plan on being here and available. For you," he said, sincerely.
"Really?" The whole thing was starting to sink in. Tears were welling up.
"I heard about you and that Daken boy. Doesn't sound like something someone gets over easy. And me? Can't say my situation's much different. But I think I can move on. If you can, too." He shifted where he sat. "You caught my eye from the start, Rosie. When you jogged past in the woods, that one day, I thought to myself 'don't let her just run on by, Varric.' I don't know why. But just... something about you... can't put my finger on it. But I don't really feel the need to figure it out. Maybe it's nothing particular. Maybe it's just ... you."
Her hands were sandy, so she wiped at her eyes with her forearm. "I hope it's me."
"Like I said, I'm just happy with you. Happy around you. I have no need to puzzle out why I like you so much, Rosie," Varric said, simply. "Some things you don't need to think about so hard."
"I'm happy when I'm around you, too. The happiest I've been since coming to this country." Her eyes were still wet, but she smiled at him.
"I'm glad." He smiled back at her. "And to be fair, I have more I should probably warn you about, before you decide whether or not you want a relationship with me," he said. "But it can wait. It's nothing serious. Just... things I'm concerned about, regarding my family's reaction to you, is all."
Rahne snorted. "After my childhood, I don't think anyone's family can upset me."
"They can be cruel people. Condescending. They'll think of any way they can to bring up the fact that you're not from a wealthy family. They'll try to make you think that I'm too good for you, or that you're not good enough for me." He sighed. "But I don't care about how much money you have. You're a good person, Rosie. A better person than my mother, father, and brother put together."
"Remember how I said you don't know everything about me?" Rahne sighed and leaned over, resting her head on his shoulder. "Mostly, that was about my dad. He was so bad, I'm sure it will make your family seem like lovely folks."
He reached up behind her to stroke her hair, gently. "I'm sorry you had to grow up like that," Varric said, sincerely. "Girl like you doesn't deserve that. But I'm glad you turned out like you are in spite of it. Would've made a cruel person of someone weaker."
"That's good to hear. That's really, really good to hear." She would have liked a reception like that when she had first arrived.
"It's the truth, Rosie," Varric replied, his voice gentle. "You grow up in the moneyed world, you find not a lot of people are as beautiful as they look on the outside. You're different, Rosie. You're a beautiful girl, and you've got the beautiful heart to match." And here he was, waxing poetic. "I hope you don't mind me getting all sappy. It's kind of a secret, but I'm a bit of a hopeless romantic."
"We can keep your secret together," she said, smiling. "That's what I want. To be together with you."
"Convenient; that's what I want, too," he chuckled softly. "So that's what we're doing?" he asked. "Being boyfriend and girlfriend? Are you sure that you want that, and you're ready for that?" he asked, just wanting to make sure her mind was made up.
"Yes." Maybe it was foolish, but just then Rahne felt it so strongly.
It was a relief, hearing that. He scooted just a bit closer to her, and put his arm around her shoulder, gently. "Then here's to a healthy, happy relationship, eh?" he said, smirking at her.
"Cheers," she said, snuggling into him. She looked up at the stars. What a perfect night.
It was nearing the end of their trip, and Varric still hadn't really manned up about the whole Bianca thing. But he figured tonight was as good as a night as it could be. It was already dark out, and the moon was high over the sea. It was a beautiful night.
Would have made a good night to ask her out. Not so much a good night to tell her about an ex-girlfriend.
Or sort-of-ex.
Damn, his life was complicated sometimes.
It had him in a bit of a mood. Varric's moods were, unfortunately, very easy to see, sometimes. He was sitting in the sand, farther away from the vacation home. He figured Rahne might come out to take a look at the nice, full moon they were having. Which was maybe just a bit presumptuous, and when he thought about it, maybe just a touch unkind. But it was a beautiful sight, he thought. He imagined she felt the same.
Rahne, restless, found herself on the beach. She was going to miss the ocean when they left. The sea was obsidian with a silver path carved through its gentle waves. She felt almost as if she could walk across it, and find peace on the other side.
Instead, she found Varric.
She stood over him, looking out across the water. "It's a full moon. I feel like I ought to turn into a wolf," she joked in her mild voice.
Varric couldn't help but chuckle. "I prefer you as you are, at least for now," he said, giving the sand next to him a pat. "Wanna hear a story?" he asked.
She carefully tucked her skirt beneath her as she sat. "You always tell the best stories."
"Well, Rosie, let's start at the beginning. That's always a good place to start, I guess," he chuckled.
"Not too long ago, there were... two princes," he began. "The older prince was the heir to the kingdom, of course. He studied all the things you'd want to learn to be a good ruler. The younger prince, left to his own devices, studied the arts, instead. He became well-liked by his people, who weren't so fond of the stiffer, stodgier heir to the throne," he explained. "The older prince didn't like his younger brother, obviously. And they were like that from the time they could find a difference between them. But it didn't start to get bad until the younger prince found a girl he was smitten with. A princess from another kingdom, a prosperous kingdom. She fancied the younger prince as well, and they hit it off. The older prince was furious about it."
Sure, it was a shit metaphor, and he figured Rahne would see right through it. But it made it easier for him.
Rahne scrunched her nose, trying to follow. "The younger prince is you," she guessed. "And your brother, and your..." She grasped a handful of sand. "Girlfriend."
"There's more to it than that, Rosie. You see, my brother figured there must be something special about me. He outed me as a mutant when he took a blood sample from me. Bribed a Red Cross guy to set some aside while I was donating. Got it analyzed, and I was slapped with a restraining order. Turns out Bianca's family doesn't like the idea of mutants. And neither did she," Varric grumbled. "Last I saw her, she was in her room, lookin' out the window at me. Like she didn't even know me anymore."
"So, what? You're Romeo and Juliet?" Rahne was choking back anger. She couldn't believe this was happening again. "Do you want help from me or something?"
"No, Rosie. I'm moving on from her. She hasn't made a move yet, and I'm not going to sit around wasting my youth for someone who's ready to split with me just because of something special buried in my genes," Varric explained, soothing. "I don't expect an answer now, Rosie. It's fine if you never do. But ... somewhere down the line, either ten seconds away from now or, y'know, a whole year... I think I'd like it a lot to be your boyfriend, if you'd like that."
She froze, staring.
"You don't know everything about me," she blurted out.
"Is that necessary for dating?" Varric asked, chuckling.
"I'm...broken. I can't believe you'd actually want me if you knew anything."
"I'd hazard to say not a one of us is as whole as they day we came into this world, Rosie," Varric replied to her, softly.
Her hand inched closer to his on the sand. "I'm religious," she warned him.
"And I'm a Christmas and Easter Episcopalian," Varric returned, as warning, grinning just a bit.
"But seriously....I'm religious," she emphasized, hoping he would get the point.
"And I respect that," Varric replied, sincerely. "I don't mind it. Just don't think you'll make a convert out of me," he chuckled softly.
"I've been working on learning...tolerance."
"We should always work on improving ourselves," Varric opined in reply.
Rahne stared out at the water for a moment. "I think we've gotten off track."
"Is that so bad, though?" Varric asked, looking at the water as well. "There's no need to rush, Rosie. I'm here. I plan on being here and available. For you," he said, sincerely.
"Really?" The whole thing was starting to sink in. Tears were welling up.
"I heard about you and that Daken boy. Doesn't sound like something someone gets over easy. And me? Can't say my situation's much different. But I think I can move on. If you can, too." He shifted where he sat. "You caught my eye from the start, Rosie. When you jogged past in the woods, that one day, I thought to myself 'don't let her just run on by, Varric.' I don't know why. But just... something about you... can't put my finger on it. But I don't really feel the need to figure it out. Maybe it's nothing particular. Maybe it's just ... you."
Her hands were sandy, so she wiped at her eyes with her forearm. "I hope it's me."
"Like I said, I'm just happy with you. Happy around you. I have no need to puzzle out why I like you so much, Rosie," Varric said, simply. "Some things you don't need to think about so hard."
"I'm happy when I'm around you, too. The happiest I've been since coming to this country." Her eyes were still wet, but she smiled at him.
"I'm glad." He smiled back at her. "And to be fair, I have more I should probably warn you about, before you decide whether or not you want a relationship with me," he said. "But it can wait. It's nothing serious. Just... things I'm concerned about, regarding my family's reaction to you, is all."
Rahne snorted. "After my childhood, I don't think anyone's family can upset me."
"They can be cruel people. Condescending. They'll think of any way they can to bring up the fact that you're not from a wealthy family. They'll try to make you think that I'm too good for you, or that you're not good enough for me." He sighed. "But I don't care about how much money you have. You're a good person, Rosie. A better person than my mother, father, and brother put together."
"Remember how I said you don't know everything about me?" Rahne sighed and leaned over, resting her head on his shoulder. "Mostly, that was about my dad. He was so bad, I'm sure it will make your family seem like lovely folks."
He reached up behind her to stroke her hair, gently. "I'm sorry you had to grow up like that," Varric said, sincerely. "Girl like you doesn't deserve that. But I'm glad you turned out like you are in spite of it. Would've made a cruel person of someone weaker."
"That's good to hear. That's really, really good to hear." She would have liked a reception like that when she had first arrived.
"It's the truth, Rosie," Varric replied, his voice gentle. "You grow up in the moneyed world, you find not a lot of people are as beautiful as they look on the outside. You're different, Rosie. You're a beautiful girl, and you've got the beautiful heart to match." And here he was, waxing poetic. "I hope you don't mind me getting all sappy. It's kind of a secret, but I'm a bit of a hopeless romantic."
"We can keep your secret together," she said, smiling. "That's what I want. To be together with you."
"Convenient; that's what I want, too," he chuckled softly. "So that's what we're doing?" he asked. "Being boyfriend and girlfriend? Are you sure that you want that, and you're ready for that?" he asked, just wanting to make sure her mind was made up.
"Yes." Maybe it was foolish, but just then Rahne felt it so strongly.
It was a relief, hearing that. He scooted just a bit closer to her, and put his arm around her shoulder, gently. "Then here's to a healthy, happy relationship, eh?" he said, smirking at her.
"Cheers," she said, snuggling into him. She looked up at the stars. What a perfect night.
