Blood from Stone [AU]

[Bethany]

Sort, warm arms wrap around him, his twin's familiar, comforting scent accompanying it. "Hey. It's alright. I'm here, ma'win," she murmurs. "It's okay."

[Carver Amell]

Most of the anger goes out of him, and he turns, pressing his face to her shoulder. "'msorry," he mumbles, shuddering. "I just.. I just wanted a minute to calm down."

[Bethany]

"That's okay," she croons, running her fingers through his hair. "It's okay. Talk to me?" she asks gently, voice low and soft.

[Carver Amell]

"I can't," he moans. "I just, I just want to forget about it. I just need it to go away. That's all."

[Bethany]

"...Carver, you know better than that," she murmurs, a hint of reproof in her voice. "When has running away ever brought anyone in this family any good?"

[Carver Amell]

He shivers again, pulling back, and when he meets her eyes, there's a bleak look in them. "Please," he whispers. "Just drop it. Okay?"

[Bethany]

Bethany's eyes are damp, filled with deep and still growing concern. "Carver, please, you''re really starting to scare me. What's wrong?"

[Carver Amell]

"Nothing. Nothing's wrong," he urges. "Really, it's not. Nothing happened. This is just... just... I don't know. It'll go away. I swear."

[Jassinth]

"And will that be before or after you finally decide whether you wish to send me away?" Jass bites off, looking a bit ashamed at his words given Carver's condition but... also needing an answer.

[Carver Amell]

A hurt look flashes over Carver's face, and he turns to look at Jass, mouth slightly open in shock. "I-- I-- what? I don't, I won't send you away, I just-- I just can't-- why would you think that?"

[Jassinth]

"I don't know! Most of the time you are fine, but then- you get this look in your eyes, dark and pained, and you act as if- as if I am-" his voice cracks and he finally spits out in elven, "unclean."

[Carver Amell]

"No," he swears, passionately, beginning to tremble. "No, no. Never. You're not -- you're never -- there's nothing wrong with you," he says, swallowing hard. He pulls free of Beth entirely, backing toward the door. "You're perfect," he whispers, wrapping his arms around himself. "I-- I--"

Of course, the side effect of turning, of pulling away from Beth, is that the whole room can now see his distress: the bleak look in his eyes, the way he's trembling just a bit, the way he's trying to keep from being ill.

[Tethras Clan]

Malcolm is staring at Carver, a great many things starting to come together. That look in his eyes... oh gods. "Carver- son," he says firmly. "Look at me, lad. Look at me."

[Carver Amell]

Carver turns his head toward his father, looking past him as he swallows again. "I'm fine," he whispers.

[Tethras Clan]

"That's not what your eyes are saying, son," Malcolm says gently, swallowing. "Are- do you need... a healer?" As Beth opens her mouth, eyes narrowing, he adds quickly, "I mean, a uh, a druid healer? It's not supposed to-  I mean, it should be permanent, Dau said, but-"