Blood from Stone [AU]

[Carver Amell]

"No!" he says, sharply, closing his eyes. "No. I'm fine. It's fine. I-- it's fine. I'm still.. I'm still me. I just-- I was talking to Dad and-- Jass mentioned something and it-- I-- I just, I just need time. It'll go away. I can forget about it. I can be..."

[Bethany]

Bethany frowns, studying Carver as something nags at her. "Carver... what is this..." She frowns deeper, eyes narrowing as she tries to... recall... "Is this... about that trip to the Oak you made? When we were really young?" What was that about? I know this... I.... I remember talking about it, a few years later, with Marian...

[Jassinth]

Jass has fallen silent as he realizes that whatever this is that's happening is about something trouble in Carver's past, not his heritage. Not his blood. Silent, he watches, face tight and arms wrapped around his stomach. 

[Carver Amell]

"Please," he whispers, shuddering, glancing to Aveline. "Don't, I don't want to-- nobody needs to know about that. Nobody ever needs to know about that."

[Bethany]

Not know about... about... A memory comes then, just faded words. Her sister explaining why Car- Car?- had gone away with Daddy on his trip alone. It was the first time she'd been separated form her twin for more than a few hours and she'd been livid at the time. 'He was sick' had sufficed at the time, Beth being worried about her twin 'going away for long and long' but... a few years later, she'd asked Marian instead of her parents. And Marian had said... had said...

'Carver was so impatient to be born, so's he could be there to make sure it was safe for you to be born, that he forgot something. Dad took him to the Oak so the healers there could attach it. It's fine now.'

"Oh," Bethany says softly, eyes opening wide as she remembers. She blinks rapidly, refocusing on Carver.

[Tethras Clan]

"I can leave if you... need to talk to your family," Aveline offers gently.

[Carver Amell]

"Nobody needs to talk about anything!" Carver's voice is a hoarse squeak. "It's fine! Nothing's even wrong!"

[Bethany]

"Carver," Bethany whispers, reaching out to put her hands on both sides of his head. "Hey. Look at me? Ignore everyone else, look at me."

[Carver Amell]

He glances at her, but he has to glance away almost as fast. Would we have been identical? If I hadn't changed? Would I have looked like Beth?

[Bethany]

Bethany is quiet, patient. Waits for him. Behind her, all three people start to speak and fall silent, feeling like any word, no matter how kind or wise, would be a trespass. 

[Carver Amell]

Carver take a deep breath. Then another. He looks at his feet, hands shaking. Finally, quietly, he says, "It's not about Jass. I just... I just... on top of everything... I was going to ask Jass out but... but it feels like...  Gods. Gods. If I just say it will you all leave me alone?"

[Bethany]

"Would you like me to say it, brother?" Bethany asks softly.

[Carver Amell]

"No," he whispers. "No. I... this is... I was... When we were born, we were identical twins. Now we're not. THat's, that's it. Okay? That's all."

[Bethany]

"No we weren't," Bethany says firmly. "You were always male. Always. You just... moved too fast to be born, so you could go forth and make sure it was safe for me. My big, overprotective brother from the start. So you needed a little help to set things to how they should be." She leans in to gently kiss him on the lips, then rests her forehead against his. "Stupid boy. As if this would change how any of your family feels about you."

[Tethras Clan]

"That's... interesting?" Aveline says slowly. "I mean- thank you for... trusting us with something that's... difficult for you to speak about?" I didn't realize that this kind of... body-sex confusion thing was so common. Well. Two or three people out of how many people I know isn't really common. Then again... I didn't know Carver had been through this so... who knows how many others... "Doesn't get you out of your patrol tomorrow. Or our spar after our shift, caseload permitting." 

Malcolm slowly relaxings, pride in his daughter almost a match for the relief he feels that his son is... probably okay? Gods willing.