Category: Gen
Setting: Pre-series
Characters/Pairings: Sebastian Black, Cameron Black, Jonathan Black
Rating/Warnings: K+
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Summary: It started as a game. Their father had never bothered to learn to tell them apart, and so it was a simple matter for Cameron to pretend to be Jonathan and vice-versa.
Author's Note: This is set long before the series and is my personal headcanon for how their father got the idea to have them masquerade as one person. I do apologize because I am not very good at writing children's dialogue, but I do know that most four-year-olds tend to have difficulty with the letters "L" and "R", so I replaced those letters with "W"s but did not even attempt anything beyond that. I hope you enjoy the story!
The First Trick
It started as a game. Their father had never bothered to learn to tell them apart, and so it was a simple matter for Cameron to pretend to be Jonathan and vice-versa. It was fun, something that challenged them, and it soon became a contest to see who could imitate who better. Sebastian Black barely paid attention to his four-year-old sons as it was, so it came as no surprise that it took him nearly two months to realize that something was off.
Sebastian did not realize the boy's deception on his own. He had noticed something off about the boys almost from the beginning, but he had convinced himself that it was simply the stress of designing a new show. By the end of two months, the feeling remained but Sebastian was no closer to figuring out what it was. Until he happened to be passing by the boy's playroom and overheard their laughter. Curious, he opened the door enough to see inside without his son's hearing him.
One of the twins—he realized with a pang that he wasn't quite sure which one—stood atop a makeshift stage of couch cushions while the other sat on the cushion-less couch and watched his brother expectantly. The twin standing grinned widely before dramatically swinging a black jacket by the arms until it was draped across his shoulders like a cloak. Still grinning, the boy—Cameron, Sebastian decided, judging by the over-the-top enthusiasm—took a step forward and raised arms.
"Wadies and gentewmen!" he greeted the crowd of one. "My name is Camwen Bwack and this is my magic show!"
On the last word, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a deck of playing cards which he promptly threw into the air, eliciting giggles from his brothers. As the cards snowed down around him, the young magician bent down and scooped one up at a random. Grinning victoriously, he proudly showed off the seven of hearts.
"Is this your card?"
"Johnny!" his twin admonished, still laughing. "I have to pick a card fiwst!"
"But I'm pwetending to be you, Cammy." The other reminded with a pout. "And you always fowget that part!"
"Do not!" Cameron denied, standing and putting his hands on his hips.
"You did yesterday!" Johnny accused, mimicking his brother by putting his hands on his hips as well.
"Because I was acting like you!" Cameron argued. "You fowgot, not me!"
From his spot at the door, Sebastian listened to the arguing, stunned as the pieces began to fall into place. Though that feeling he had had for over a month now made sense, he couldn't help but wonder how long his sons had been pretending to be one another without him realizing. Determined to answer that question, he opened the door fully and stepped inside the room. Instantly, the arguing ceased and the two brothers jumped apart in surprise and whirled around to face their father.
"Cameron. Jonathan." He greeted roughly.
"Hi Dad." The two muttered simultaneously.
Sebastian took in the scene, either not noticing or ignoring how uncomfortable his presence made his children. Both boys looked down guiltily, eyeing the cards surrounding them. Cameron—no, Jonathan, Sebastian reminded himself—still had the jacket draped across his shoulders. Looking at them side-by-side, it struck Sebastian how remarkably alike the two looked.
"How long have you two been pretending to be each other?" he asked.
The twins looked at each other, clearly surprised that they had actually been found out. Cameron started to reply, but a look from Jonathan stopped him. The two boys remained silent, staring at the floor instead of looking their father in the eyes. Sebastian simply crossed his arms and drew himself up straighter.
"How long?" he repeated, his tone making it clear that he would get an answer.
"Two months?" Cameron admitted questioningly, honestly not entirely sure of the exact length.
That caught Sebastian off guard. He searched the boys for signs of a lie, but there was none. Blinking, an idea began to form in his mind and he studied the two carefully for the first time since his wife died. Jonathan was half an inch taller, he finally decided, and Cameron's hair was slightly lighter, but beyond that the two were completely identical.
"Are you angry?" Cameron asked nervously, shaking Sebastian out of his thoughts.
"Angry?" he repeated before offering a rare smile. "No, not at all. In fact, I'm impressed!"
The boys looked at each other, not believing what they were hearing. As far as they could remember, their father had never been impressed with them. To tell the truth, he had never really paid much attention to them except when they were in his way.
"Weally?" Jonathan asked hesitantly.
"Really." Sebastian nodded and bent down to meet the boy's eyes. "In fact, how would you two like to help me out in the show I'm preparing?"
Both boy's eyes lit up and this time they looked at each other in excitement. For months they had been begging their father to let them help, but each time he had turned them down. They each nodded eagerly, both practically bouncing in excitement. Sebastian grinned, already preparing the trick in his mind.
"Excellent!" he exclaimed and clapped a hand on both boy's shoulders. "Now, what do you say I teach you two a card trick? Pick up these cards and I'll teach you the first trick my father taught me."
As the twins excitedly began picking up the playing cards and whispering to each other, Sebastian began to plan it all out. He had been planning to send the boys away to boarding school the following year, but if he homeschooled them instead—hired a tutor, perhaps. Yes, the fewer people who knew that he had twin boys the better. If they could fool him—their own father—for nearly two months at four years old, then there was no telling how long they could fool the world.
He took the cards from Jonathan with a satisfied grin and sat down on the cushion-less couch. The two boys pressed in close, eagerly watching his every move. Shuffling the cards, he began the lesson.
"I call this trick the disappearing Jack."