Blood from Stone [AU]

[Carver Amell]

"Yeah," he whispers. "Yeah. But I can't... I can't face Dad right now. I just can't imagine what he's thinking. So... so I... I yelled at Aveline some too, I need to talk to her, but... I don't know. Maybe I should wait until all this is resolved."

[Tethras Clan]

"What did you argue with Aveline about?" Merrill asks curiously, her body nearly boneless as she drapes over him. 

[Jassinth]

A bit movement to his left is what alerts him that Jass is awake and moving a second before the merikos drow slumps onto the sofa next to them. "Your dog is evil." And he is hungover, badly.

[Carver Amell]

"Merrill has tonics," he informs him. 

[Tethras Clan]

"Merrill has two tonics left, sorry." Still, she digs in her bag and offers them to Jass, thoughtfully uncorking them partially to make it easier on him to take. "Aveline, fight.

[Carver Amell]

"Liz," he sighs. "She started this whole episode off by being cruel to her."

[Tethras Clan]

"What? Why?"

[Carver Amell]

"Because she... it's complicated," he admits. "But basically, because she's not getting better fast enough. Aveline thinks she's holding back, coasting."

[Tethras Clan]

Merrill tilts her head, then nods against his shoulder. "I think she is. It's... easier, to be broken, sometimes. People take care of broken people. You don't have to be a person. That can be.. safer."

[Carver Amell]

"How can you..." He sighs. "Even if it were true, which I don't think it is-- not seeing her this week -- you can't just say that. It feeds into... she'll think we don't love her, that she's not good enough for us."

[Tethras Clan]

"...because that's that how I used to think about myself," Merrill whispers. "It was so easy to let you and Dad and Elder Marethari decide things for me. Fight my battles and coddle me. It's harder now but... I think it's better. Being... an adult, I guess. Mostly."

[Carver Amell]

"And look what..."

He sighs, lowering his head. "I don't want her to suffer like you did, Merr. And you didn't get hurt like that until I was mean to you."

Then he winces. "Specifically, I said the one thing you thought would be the end of the world. I'm an asshole, aren't I?"

[Tethras Clan]

"...you're getting better?" she offers weakly. "Most of the time you're great, you just... you get very worked up when you're... worked up."

[Carver Amell]

"No, I think I get it -- it doesn't matter if it's best for her, I said the thing she's afraid of. But I tried, really. I said to Dad she might need a sedative, I didn't want to say Summerhill until she'd had one, but he pushed me on it and I had to explain what I meant and then she panicked and..." He groans. 

[Jassinth]

"It sounds as if you had..." Jass pauses to burp, the blanches at the taste in his mouth. "Root and branch that's... sorry. Your intentions were good, but your... your..."