"You didn't tell me about your husband until after the wedding."
Who: Helen and Varric, and introducing Varric's sister What: A show for Helen's birthday (part duex!) When: August 27 Where: New York Status: Complete! Rating: PG-13, standard varric warning. Especially when Bartrand comes up.
Varric had taken Helen to an off-broadway production. It had been an entertaining show, with a rowdy sense of humor and a smart plot. He loitered a bit, after the show was over, then took Helen backstage to meet the lead actress. She was a tall woman with striking red hair, and features very familiar. Particularly the nose.
"Varric!"
She gave him a Tethras smile, "What brings my big brother all the way to New York?"
Helen stayed close, typically keeping a hand on his arm at a minimum. She had always been incredibly tactile, but more than that, she enjoyed being able to show their relationship in even that simple way. Now, though, she tightened her fingers around his arm ever so slightly.
"To see you of course," He replied good naturedly. "And for Helen's birthday." He gestured at the woman on his arm, "This is my girlfriend, Helen. Helen, this is my sister, Varnesca."
Varric was keen to know if either of his siblings, Bartrand or Varnesca were dreaming about Kirkwall or their lives as dwarves. He hadn't spoken to Bartrand in years - he'd been betrayed here as well as there, but he'd maintained a close relationship with his sister.
She was tall for a dwarf there, too.
Varnesca smiled and held out her hand, "It's nice to meet the woman who can take Varric's eye from the page."
She released his arm to take the woman’s hand; she didn’t want to seem clingy. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
The tall woman had a strong grip. She was still dressed in the period costume that she'd been wearing in her role, "I'll bet he didn't tell you who wrote this play."
“No. He didn’t.” Oh yes, now he was going to have to tell her. “Should he have?”
"Oh he should have," His sister replied, giving her brother a scolding look. She picked up a screen play and held it out. Under the title were the words "Varric Tethras".
She took the screenplay, lightly running her thumb over his name before claiming his hand, no longer so concerned about how clingy she might seem. Had they been alone, she would have kissed his knuckles, instead she settles for leaning into him slightly.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Varric chuckled, squeezing her hand. Had they been alone he would have kissed her. He shrugged a shoulder, "I wanted to see your unbiased reaction to the show. A bit selfish, I know, but the purest reactions come when you don't really know."
Rolling her eyes, Varnesca shot her brother a look.
Smiling, she shook her head. “Not selfish at all.”
"Except for our brother, creativity tends to run in the family," Varnesca explained. "Writing, acting. Our mother was a painter. Father's art was more businesslike, and that's where Bartrand found his calling."
"Learning to rip us off," Varric replied, a little bitterly. "He got what was coming to him."
She did wonder why he hadn’t shared this with her, but then, there was still a great deal she hadn’t shared with him either. That comment drew her full attention back to him, however, fingers tightening around his. For a moment, she was torn between pressing for more details and waiting until it was just the two of them, finally deciding on the latter.
“Inherited talent, then?”
"I suppose you could say that," Varric replied.
"He's being modest, written word has always been unique to him in our family."
"And good actors are hard to find," He retorted.
His sister laughed, "Our entire family are master thespians and liars."
“He’s always modest.”
And then she was at a loss again, attention shifting between the siblings, feeling she was missing something.
Picking up on this, Varric slipped an arm around her, the motion easy and familiar, "It's an old joke. To be an actor means to live out lies, while a writer places the lies on the page. We don't lie where it matters, generally."
"It's a rule," Varnesca agreed. She shared her brother's easy smile, though her eyes were generally more mischievous.
She relaxed easily into his hold, instantly feeling safer, less uncertain. “A rule I trust you won’t break.”
She still wasn’t certain what to make of his sister, in part afraid this was a test and she would fail.
“You put on an excellent show.” An honest compliment seemed as good a start as any.
She laughed, a gentle note that rang through the room, "Thank you! I can't take all the credit. Just most of it."
"She's being modest," Varric explained, his tone deadpan and his expression neutral. "After all, what credit do the rest of the cast, the stage crew, the lighting crew, the set designers and so on deserve?" A smile crept onto his lips and he glanced at Helen and winked.
"You know I'm joking, short stuff!"
“It would seem creativity isn’t the only trait that runs in the family.”
"I resemble that remark,” They replied in unison.
"You wouldn't know it, but we're actually twins," Varric joked.
“You two seem close.”
"A product of a long and bitter rivalry with our older brother," Varnesca said, grinning good naturedly. "It was stand together or fall apart, and we chose to stand together."
"It helps we see eye to eye on most things," Varric added.
She hummed faintly in acknowledgement, leaning against him. “And how is it you found yourselves living so far apart?”
"She wanted to be on broadway, and I had business needs out west. I'm no longer gainfully employed now, though. I remain out of habit and love for the area."
“It’s good you’ve kept in touch.” Her tone held a hint of regret, recalling her own failure to stay close to those she loved.
Varnesca smiled, "Well he's been keeping certain secrets from me, but having met you I can see why. I'd want to keep you secret, myself."
Laughing, Varric replied, "You didn't tell me about your husband until after the wedding."
"I was afraid you'd write some horrible fiction!"
“He does enjoy his secrets.” She gave him a pointed look. “But they certainly make for interesting surprises.”
She watched them a moment longer before she found his hand, covering it with her own. “You really are very much alike.”
"I'm happy he's found someone. He was always such a loner when it came to romance, despite writing such amazing stories." There was probably a story about that but Varnesca was leaving that up to Varric.
"I just write what comes naturally. And I act what comes naturally." He glanced at Helen, turning his hand to thread his fingers through hers.
And it was a story she had faith she would learn one day. Until then, she would be patient. “Perhaps we’re better matched than I thought.”
It would be one he'd tell, some day, when he felt it was time to tell it. That wouldn't be today, or probably not tomorrow. But someday.
His sister thought they were adorable. She wanted to give them a hug but had the impression Helen wasn't comfortable with public displays of affection, "How much longer are you in town?"
There was very little Helen was comfortable with in social settings, though that was slowly changing.
“A few days.”
If she had known of his plans earlier, she might have suggested they stay longer. She was in no particular rush to return to her office.
Some day, Varric might get her completely relaxed in social settings! That seemed to be something he was angling for. For both her, and himself.
"Do you think you have time to come over for dinner with me and my husband?"
Varric nodded his head, "Tomorrow night, perhaps?" He glanced at Helen.
She smiled, squeezing his hand. “That sounds lovely.”
"It's a date!" His sister kissed him on the cheek, "Now get out of here, we have to clean up for the 10 o clock show."
"I get it, you just want to get rid of us," Varric replied, jokingly.
“It was lovely meeting you.”
"No, it was lovely meeting you." She waved at them as Varric took Helen's hand and led her out from behind the stage.
"Well, that was pleasant. She even behaved!"
“She’s lovely.” There was a brief pause before she squeezed his hand again, adding softly, “I’m glad you brought me here.”
Varric leaned up and kissed her, "I'm glad you were happy to join me."
She smiled against his lips, not quite ready to pull away. “Always.”