Imprints in Stone [AU]

[GamesMaster]

They get to work; Carver declines the offer to stay, but agrees to clean up the mess before he goes out back for his daily conditioning. Which is early. For some reason.

Lunchtime comes before either of them are aware of it; when Carver asks if Don wants to stay, Don starts to respectfully decline. "I wouldn't want to be in the way or anything," he says, rubbing the back of his head.

[Bethany]

Reaching over to rest a hand on Don's arm, Bethany smiles. "Stay. We'd like you to. No sense in making you stop at a cart on the way home or whatnot. And... And Sunny loves company. Merrill- new nickname," she explains in an aside.

[GamesMaster]

"Right, right. Is she... doing better, then?" he asks, hesitantly. "I don't mean to pry or..."

[Carver Amell]

"I'll uh, I'll go let them know you're staying," Carver mumbles, backing away again. Unable to look at Don.

[Bethany]

Wuss! Bethany rolls her eyes as her brother, then sobers. "She's... stable. She..." Hoo boy. How should... best to just say it out. "First, she's paralyzed from the waist down. No movement at all and sensation is... dimmed. Second... second, she doesn't remember anything since her arrival to Nyra or any of us. Except Carver. And even then, her memories are... cloudy on the details." Probably to edit us out.

[GamesMaster]

Don nods, swallowing. "I'm sorry to hear that," he says quietly. "She is a good, kind person. She deserves better."

He takes a deep breath, then. "I... was there for part of what happened that night. I don't know the rest of it, but, after you left with her, Miki came and got me..." 

[Bethany]

"And you found Carver. Yeah. We've... talked about that. About what he did- and didn't- do. It's... settled. Mostly. But.." She licks her lips. "Two things? Quietly?" she murmurs, switching to catfolk. "My twin is forbidding himself from drinking. Help him stick to that? And maybe, if you can, get him to talk a bit about... anything important. He needs more people to reach out to."

[GamesMaster]

Don nods, replying in Catfolk as well. "I've had a talk with Mikael," he says, the name a low growl. "He knows, now, what to look for. What tolerances are like. All the Bandannas have been spoken to about drinking. I've been away too much; they've gotten careless. Or maybe I've forgotten they're only boys. This won't happen again. We won't lose anyone, not this way."

[Bethany]

Bethany move to hug him tightly. "You're far too good for this world," she murmurs into his shoulder.

[GamesMaster]

He holds her, shivering. "If we'd lost Carver," he says, his voice thick. "I can't, Beth. That's why I've always worked so hard, fought so hard. I can't watch any more of my friends die."

[Bethany]

"Ugggg," Bethany says with a groan, pulling away from him. "You are far too tempting, Adonis Naodi of the Tribe," she complains with a smile. Curves and fur. Who knew? She takes a deep breath to steady herself. "I'm glad. That you care so much. And... and I'm glad I can help a little."

[GamesMaster]

"If this is a little, I don't want to see a lot," he laughs. "I don't think I'd survive it." 

[Bethany]

"Not until your hea-" Bethany cuts off, coughing a bit. "Um."

[GamesMaster]

He blinks, then smirks. "Next month," he promises with a wink.

[Bethany]

Really? That soon? Fuck, I need to... okay. I can't wait for Zevran to be free, I need to.. maybe the Twilight Twins? Ugh, Zevran and Isabela are still my best chance but... I need to talk to them. Tonight. "Lunch. We were- lunch. Umm. Focusing. Sunny. Wheelchair, never met you before. She's aware though. I mean that she lost her memories. But not why yet. So."