How Green Becomes Wood

"How arrogant," Sally scoffed. "If there was no agreement that you would pay him back, then it was a gift. Gifts cannot be held hostage." She tapped her fingers against the glass and said nothing for nearly a full minute. "I have a proposal. Your instinct will be to say no, but I would like for you to consider it and talk it over with Dark, or at the very least hold it as an option if this continues to be an issue or has been an issue for long enough: I can pay your father. I have the money and ability to do it in one lump sum. You may pay me back at your leisure, and I will not charge interest. We would make it nice and official with a contract. Again, I know you wish to say no, but I would like for you to sit with the idea for at least a day and consider it an option to remove a thorn."
 
"No, but he thinks he does. If you can pay it back, perhaps that will cut a tie he has been abusing. If you do not think that will work, I understand, but I want you to know the offer is there." She smiled slightly. "What is the point of having an ecess of something if you cannot use it to bless your friends?"
 
"I think playing his game would be letting him pull imagined rank that he could not be kicked out. You could see this as concluding the game," Sally suggested. "If you truly do not want this, I shan't force it on you, but please consider it as an option and discuss it with Dark."
 
"I understand," Sally assured her. She hesitated and asked, "How were the twins with your father's... display? I know Xander is fairly prone to, shall we say, protective gestures."
 
"When we really started arguing, my father and I, Dark handed Ivy to Alec and indicated for them to leave. I guess they took Enkidu and crossed the street to their friend's house so they'd be fully away from all of it, which was a clever move on their part. Dark's talked to them about it a little bit, I haven't, yet." She sighed, pushing her hair back, "I know I should."
 
"I'm glad they didn't stay either. I don't think it would've been good for them to hear Dark as angry as he got after I walked away from the conversation." Daizi said, "I'm sure he did get it handled, but I can't help but worry. Those boys love hiding their true feelings."
 
"They mimic their parents well," Sally teased lightly. "I won't tell you not to worry because that is what mothers do, but I will say I am sure it is not as bad as we might fear. They have grown quite a bit in your care."
 
"They're closer to him," Daizi replied, once more shifting slightly away, "That's something I always knew. There's a lot of reasons why. It's okay, I expected it. But they've always been more open with him."
 
"That does not exactly sound like trust," Sally said slowly. "I could be wrong, but it sounds like boys being drawn to the wisdom of an exemplary man. Don't they come to you with things they do not talk to him about?"
 
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