antivanrogue:

hawke is different than the way varric remembers her. older.

not old, mind you, but… well. varric used to be the one doling out advice, back when hawke first came to kirkwall. she walked like she knew where she was going, picked up the slang faster than anyone he’d ever seen, blended in to hide the loss behind her eyes. but he was the one at her side catching her if she ever faltered.

and now, as they do in any good story, the tables have turned. he’s lost and bitter and hawke is miraculously there to catch his eye and bring a smile to his face. her confidence is genuine. she even moves more easily than she used to.

but she’s just as stubborn as always, and as soon as they make it past the nightmare, varric knows. he’s always known.

one way or another, hawke was always going to break his heart.