In Need

Working in Starbucks was terrible. It was even more terrible when you were the shortest barista in all of Thedas and needed a box to stand on to even see the clients, never mind making coffee.

And, to add insult to injury, there was his boss. Not Lavellan, no; she was constantly somewhere else, doing something (probably) important. When he thought about his boss, it was the manager that popped up in his mind. She was tall, Nevarran, and he was pretty convinced that she gained pleasure from bossing him around the place like it was some goddamn McDonald's.

Cassandra-a-whole-lot-of-names-Pentaghast.

He heard somewhere that she has so many names because she is one of the descendants of Nevarra's royal family, but how the heck would such a person find herself in a Starbucks in Ferelden?

Well, never mind. It's not like he is going to ask her.

He looked at the clock. Another half an hour and they can close the shop; and he convinced Sparkler to do him a favor and do the cleaning in his place. That way, he would have a little more time to write.

Or, as he was doing it for the past three months, stare blankly at the computer screen and pretending that his actually writing something.

"Varric!" He flinched at the sound of his name in all-too-familiar accent. He turned his head; it was, of course, Cassandra, glancing at him mercilessly. He counted all of his sins, but he had a good shift today; even customers seemed to be nicer.

"Yes, Seeker?" She hated the nickname he gave her, and he could see her jaw clench. Immediately he could see it was a bad move, something has obviously pissed her off.

He could've called her manager, well, too late for that now.

"The dishes aren't going to wash themselves, Varric." Cassandra said.

"I figured that much." Varric grumbled. But he could never stop when he needed too; especially not when it came to Cassandra. "You know it's not that hard. Turning the dishwasher on, I mean. I'm sure you would get it right. Give it a try someday."

"Don't cross me today, dwarf. Do your job." With those words she left. Probably to pester someone else, Varric thought as he made his way to the dishwasher.

Soon. Soon he will finish his shift and go home, and maybe someday he will have enough money to just give it up and just write, as he always wanted. But for now, he needed money. He needed it desperately.

Half an hour later he took his coat, and checking if Cassandra isn't anywhere near the exit, he left the shop. She lived in his neighborhood, so there was still a chance she can see him somewhere, but Varric was so experienced in evading her, it was embarrassing.

He went outside, and it was already getting dark. Winter was too come soon; Varric sighted, already thinking about all the snow he will have to endure. Dwarfs weren't built for cold temperatures. Or for warm temperatures. Or for outdoors, for that matter.

He made his way down the street and turned left, entering a small alley. It wasn't a shortest way home, but it was the safest, and he needed to pass the main road only once. There was a lot of accidents there lately, and Varric always agreed with "better safe than sorry".

He almost crossed the main road when he heard a voice, calling him.

"Varric!" Shit, it was the Seeker. Varric turned around and saw that he was trying to catch up to him, but before she did…

A car suddenly appeared from a one-way road and hit her.

Varric didn't even have time to blink. Some women on the other side of the road screamed in terror, and the car was long gone.

Fucking hit-and-run. Varric's body finally caught up to his brain and he run towards Cassandra, now appearing lifeless on the ground.

He didn't remember much of it after. He knows he must've called 911, he must've checked if she was breathing, but in his memory it was all hazed and uncertain. The ambulance appeared quickly and they took her, first asking him if he was her kin; he could only shake his head in reply.

After they took her, he saw a shining object on the ground. Did Seeker drop it? He couldn't remember. But after he walked up to inspect it, he felt a cold shiver running through him.

It was his phone.

He picked it up. It was still working. Did he forget to take it from work? If she was trying to give it back to him then…

Varric swallowed, guilt washing over him. Fuck. It was all his fault. But before he could think about it, the police came. Two men got out of the car and started to ask questions, searching for witnesses. When the approached him, he tried to describe the accident as accurately as he could, but it was hard. For a moment, he wasn't even sure what color was the car he saw. He also told them all he knew about Caassandra.

"So you're acquainted with the victim?" Asked one of the officers.

"Yeah, she works with me." Varric confirmed.

"Thank you, sir, that would be all. If we will need to question you again, you will be notified." After that, they moved on to another witness.

Suddenly, he was left with nothing to do and was just… standing there. The weight of what happened just minutes ago hit him. What happened to Cassandra? How bad were her injuries? What hospital was she taken to? He did not know answer to any of those questions.

It was killing him. He felt the need to do something. He decided to go home and call Josephine and Cullen on the way. As far as he knew, they were her best friends. Well, there was also Leliana, but he didn't have her phone number. And, of course, he'll need to call Lavellan.

And the day has gone to shit, thought Varric as he dialed Curly's phone number.

As it turned out, Cassandra's injuries were serious, but not fatal. She had a broken arm, leg and a few ribs, and was therefore unable to move for a while. Varric heard she also had internal bleeding, but the doctor's were able to fix that.

She hasn't even woken up from an induced coma yet, when they came to visit her. It was even worse, Varric thought, as the phone-the reason that she was on that street in the first place-was getting heavier and heavier in his pocket.

They were never friends, but Varric never wished for anything bad to happen to her. Now she was going to be in pain and it was his fault.

His heart clutched.

"Guys, I think she's waking up." Said Lavellan suddenly.

Immediately, all the people in the room gathered around the bed. Varric also, reluctantly, came closer. It looked like Lavellan was right; Cassandra slowly opened her eyes and blinked a few times. She tried to speak, but her voice was dry.

"We need to tell the doctor." Josephine said.

"I'll go." Varric volunteered quickly, thankful for a chance to get out of the room. "Good to see you're holding up, See-, I mean, Cassandra. I hope you'll get better soon."

"Wait-"Josephine started, but he was already out the door. He found the doctor, told him that Cassandra woke up, and left the hospital as soon as he could.

He should've known he was being too suspicious.

Two weeks later, when he casually served some customers coffee, Dorian appeared out of nowhere.

"So" He started."What's the deal with you and Cassandra, hmm?"

"There is no deal Sparkler, so bug off."

"Oh really" Dorian smirked. "So it wouldn't be a problem for you to give this…" he shook the bag he held in his hand. "…to Cassandra after work, right?"

"Can't you do it, Sparkler? I'm busy." Varric tried to shrug him off.

"With what, exactly? Not with writing, that's for sure." Varric wanted to argue with him, but he knew he was right. "Come on, help me a little. I have a date tonight."

Varric sighed. He wanted to apologize to Cassandra, but he wasn't sure he could do it. But anyway, he can't evade her for the rest of his life, can he?

"Alright, I'll go." He knew he was going to regret it. "What's in it anyway?"

Dorian shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. Lavellan told me to deliver it, so it's probably some food. Or elven medicine. Or both."

Varric said nothing in reply, taking care of customers instead.

After a few hours, he was standing in front of doors to Cassandra's room in hospital. He was right. He did regret it.

There was no way back now. Varric raised his fist and knocked at the door.

"Yes?" He heard Cassandra's voice, so he opened the door. She was lying on the bed, but she was wide awake. Well, Varric thought, no one is able to recover from a car accident that fast, even the Seeker. "Oh, hello Varric. Is something the matter?"

"No, I mean… Lavellan wanted us to give this to you." He came closer and put the bag next to her right, unbroken hand. She raised her head a little and tried to sit, but immediately hissed with pain, and laid back.

"Take it easy, Seeker." Varric tried not to sound too worried.

"I asked chief to bring me some necessary things from my apartment." She grumbled. "Could you help me open it?"

"Sure thing." He opened the bag. Mostly, there were clothes in it, also some sweets (because there was no way Lavellan wouldn't put sweets in there), a hairbrush and so forth. But one thing caught Varric's attention.

It was a book. A book that he knew too well, probably because he written every word in it.

Even if Varric wanted, he couldn't stop the grin that appeared on his face. Seeker read his book, possibly even more than one of his books, and she was kipping it a secret from him.

"What?" Cassandra's question brought him back to reality.

"Why, Seeker, I'm flattered. If you wanted my autograph, you could've just said so!" He teased her. Cassandra's eyes widened in surprise.

"That Lavellan…!" She hissed, trying to take the bag away from him, before lying back down with pained expression. Varric raised his both hands in a gesture of good will, but the grin did not leave his face. "Not a word, dwarf!"

"Come on, Seeker, let me have it. It's the first time I'm actually meeting someone who have read my books." Varric joked, even if it was not exactly true… mainly because his friends read his book. He never suspected that Cassandra even knew he was writing.

"Really?" She stopped glaring at him for a while, clearly interested.

"Well, Hawke read them too, but that doesn't really count. And even she didn't face both chapters of Swords&Shields." Varric said, holding Cassandra's copy in his hands. It looked worn out, like it was read many times. She actually liked this crap?

„Are you going to write more?" Cassandra asked.

"What?" Write more of his worst series? Why would he do that? But when he looked at her and the hopeful expression, well…

"Maybe. I don't know. My publisher also has a say in this, you know." He tried to excuse himself. Cassandra let out a disappointed sigh, and he felt a little bad.

"I have a little of a writer's block, right now." He shouldn't be telling her that. He did not tell what happened to some of his actual friends, and this was the Seeker. She did not care.

(But he wanted her to care.)

The realization was sudden; causing Varric to stand up immediately. He shoved the book back into the bag and went to the door.

"I should go, I have a lot to do." He said to Cassandra. It came out a lot harsher than he intended too. He opened a door, stopped, for just a second, and whispered: "I'm sorry."

He couldn't hear if she replied, as he was already out on the corridor.

"Damn, it got really complicated really fast. " He told himself as he went back home.