Blood from Stone [AU]

[Bethany]

Beth sobers a bit, eyes showing concern. "Hey, what's wrong? Talk to me, ma'win?"

[Carver Amell]

He winces. "You're not the only one with a sharp tongue sometimes, Beth. That's all."

[Bethany]

That gets a flinch. "I... sorry. I only meant to tease. You... I don't think of you that way. N-" She winces. You'd looked rather pretty wearing Liz's hat. Then again, you looked a lot like me and Liz mixed but bigger. So. Just keeping talking. "You're too... big and hard. Physically I mean. Aveline is barely on the edge of, ah, interesting. I like.. softer lines. Curves and not so much taller than me."

[Carver Amell]

So in other words, your identical twin. Now he blanches, looking out the window. "Sorry to disappoint," he says, trying for jovial and failing.

[Bethany]

"Carver, no." Closing the already short gap between them, she lowers her voice, though it fills with intensity. "There's plenty of curvy ladies, lithe men and intriguing what-have-yous in the world. But only one twin of me. I've only ever wanted you as you, Carver. As my twin."

[Carver Amell]

"But you'd prefer if me meant..." 

[Bethany]

"No!" She sounds angry now, which is supported by her jabbing him sharply in the chest. "Damnit Carver, just because I think I'm attractive doesn't mean I would want to- to- torture you for some damned eye candy. Stop taking every little thing and assuming it means your loved ones having been lying about something huge. Please. I love you, as my brother. I would have loved you as a sister I'm sure, but you're not."

[Carver Amell]

He winces, taking half a step back. "I-- I know, Beth," he says quietly. "But... it's okay to wish sometimes I was your sister. I mean, I sometimes used wish Marian was my big brother. Some of the boys had a big brother and I was jealous. It doesn't mean I want to torture her, just... just..."

[Bethany]

Beth takes a deep breath. "Not really, no. I had Marian. I had a big sis. I mean.. an idle though about being able to share dresses or the like but... that's it really.  I guess... I guess I remembered you changing more than I realized and... it was too important. Carver is a boy, now a man. It's too apart of you in my head to think about you otherwise with any seriousness."

[Carver Amell]

He nods, then. "I keep wondering... I was so jealous, after Marian died," he says quietly. "I keep wondering if we'd have been closer if I was your sister. That's mostly what I wondered, if, if you wondered that too. If some part of you regrets that I'm a boy. Not in that way, just, overall. So, so thank you for telling me." And I hope it was the truth.

[Bethany]

"No. I was only closer to Marian for that one afternoon. After that... is hurt something between us. Having to keep it secret and..." Beth shivers, head shaking rapidly. "No. I would never- could never- really want something that could do that to us. I... I like teasing you, about sex. For once, it's funny, to watch you sputter and blush. But also... I guess..." 

She sighs, combing her fingers through her hair. "I don't like having something we can't talk about, espcially something so... significant. I shouldn't do that, I should respect your boundary on the subject but I can't help myself sometimes. Sorry?"

[Carver Amell]

"I just... Look, if I explain, can you not judge me?" At Beth's nod, he glances away, steeling himself, and goes on. "I'm not good with words," he warns her. "And I know it's not... right... to feel this way. But, but part of me keeps saying that like... like, sex, it's kind of like wolves are. How there's the Alpha wolf that leads the pack, and he gets to fuck the lady wolves, but nobody else can or it's a challenge. Like, he owns them, because he gets to fuck them and knock them up. And, and when they rut, it's, he pins her down and proves he's the top dog, right, like, it's a power thing. Like, when the Alpha fucks his bitch, it's showing that he's the most masculine, and he's got power over her. And by letting herself be caught, she's not as badass. You know? And, and you keep saying it's not really like that, and I try not to let it seep into my mouth like that, but the dog part of me says that wanting you to have good sex is, is degrading, is saying you're not as amazing and capable as you are, and thinking about Don like... well, like Miki, honestly, it just feels insulting to you. So I don't want to think about you having sex, not with Don and not with anyone. And I guess I should try harder to get over that, if it bothers you, but..."

[Bethany]

"I... yes. I do wish you didn't have that rot in your brain. I know you love and respect me but it... worries me that I have to be your sister to be worth that love and respect. I am proud that you realize it's wrong and are working on it already." She takes a slow breath then, trying to measure her words and not finding any more she can give voice to at the moment.

[Jassinth]

That is... Just no. "Apologies for stepping in but... Where did you get those ideas? For one, that is not at all how wolves mate or pair.*

[Carver Amell]

"What? Yes it is -- Wilding Miyax wrote a whole book about it," he says, shifting a little uncomfortably. "And I mean it's not just you, I mean... all the women I know are great," he adds, shrugging a little. "But I don't... I've only been with whores, so I don't know what... They keep saying sex changes things."