How Green Becomes Wood

Although Dark had offered to pick her up from the train station, Daizi insisted she just take a cab home. It was easier, and although sometimes she loved getting to be picked up, it was too much of a burden on his, and Ivy's, daily life to have to stop what they were doing every single day to retrieve her.

When she returned home, she took a deep breath as she touched the salt and slipped out of her shoes. For the first time in ages, she really took a moment to appreciate the smells and sounds of her home as she felt the grains between her finger tips. It had changed somewhat, with the introduction of Ivy and her boys, but it still, predominately, smelled of incense and spices. And whatever someone was cooking in the kitchen. And she heard their voices, and the sound of four paws running up to her. Bending down, she ran her fingers through Enkidu's long, soft fur and felt him wiggle excitedly against her as she hugged him and whispered in his ear what a good boy he was.

"Ivy-Qadira," Came her husband's rich, deep voice, "Look who is home? Who is that?"

Then, a much, much higher voice screeched and yelled, "Mama!!!" so, as the sound of bells and little footsteps came rapidly towards her, she released Enkidu and, still kneeling, held out her arms to her toddler, hugging her as tightly as she safely could as soon as she felt Ivy's arms around her neck.
 
"Hi, Mama! Welcome home!" Alec cheered, coming in to greet her. "You have been missed."

"Hey, Mama," Xander called from the kitchen. "Food's almost ready. Did you have a good train ride? All good? No one hastled you?"
 
Standing upright while still hugging her baby close, Daizi greeted her sons, hugging Alec with one arm, "I've missed you too. It was a very long day, but a good day. And nobody bothered me on the train, I actually had a really nice conversation with an older woman who sat besides me on the way home."

"I am so glad," Dark told her, standing back to give her time to greet her children.
 
Alec happily hugged her back. "Really? What did you talk about?"

"Good," Xander said bluntly with a satisfied nod. He wasn't sure what he'd have done if she had been bothered. Be very annoyed on her behalf, he supposed.
 
"Mostly we talked about how hard it is to go back to work. I was glad to be back, but like I said, it was a long day," Daizi said, holding out one hand to her husband and trusting he'd take it. When he did, she stretched upwards and kissed him, "I missed you too, Goose."

"I always miss you when you are not around," He told her, wanting to remember the way she smiled at him forever. It was such a relief she came home smiling.
 
Alec let go and walked toward the kitchen. "Dinner is almost ready, I think! Snacks are definitely ready."

Xander used an oven mitt to gently smack him. "Not for you."

"Spoil sport," Alec said, sticking his tongue out at Xander.
 
"Snacks are good. Tasty. Makes sure you get through the day clear-headed," Xander said almost but not quite defensively as he let Daizi smell one of the two he'd made with her in mind. "You can take some to work. If you stick them in a container, you can store them in your desk for a while."
 
"Yes, I drank enough water," Daizi chuckled, "I even set my water in office back up, so I don't even need to walk to the fountain. About a quarter of my day was spent just refamiliarizing myself with my office."

"How are your plants?" Dark asked.

"They're okay, actually," Daizi said, "and I'm very relieved. One is a little rough, but my coworkers remembered to take care of them all this time."
 
"That's the best news," Alec said. "That was very kind of them."

"Dinner's ready," Xander reported to Dark. "Ready to set up for food?"

"I'm ready!" Alec chirped. "Mama, you and Ivy should sit and get comfy. Or as comfortable as one can be at a kitchen table."
 
"Ivy, are you hungry," Daizi asked, rubbing Ivy's back. When Ivy only shook her head in response, Daizi said, "I bet you are, habibti."

"No," Ivy grumbled, holding Daizi tighter.

Daizi knew she should probably disentagle herself and set Ivy down in her high chair anyway, but she couldn't bring herself too. Ivy had missed her so much, and she wasn't asking for much, so after a moment, Daizi sat down in her usual chair and said, "That's okay, you can sit with Mama. And if you get hungry, you can eat with Mama, too."
 
The twins set the table and helped get all of the food out and ready to eat. They chatted about school, which was a short topic, and then asked Daizi all the usual questions about work. They were pleased Daizi had had such a good first day back!
 
Daizi enjoyed talking with them, feeling incredibly grateful that she was able to come home from her job to find such a loving family waiting for her. Eventually, Ivy began to eat her food too, although she stayed firmly in her mother's lap. The fact everyone else was acting like it was fine helped a little, but she was still stressed from it. It was too long ago for her to remember when her Baba left every day, but now she knew, and it made her uneasy.

After dinner, Daizi took her upstairs for a little bit of 1-on-1 time before giving her her bath and getting her ready for bed. Dark, meanwhile, cleaned up the kitchen, telling Xander, "Many times before, you have told me if I cook, you clean it up, and tonight you cooked," as he refused all help from him. Fair is fair.
 
"Thanks, Ba," Xander said and after a single attempt to help, left him to it.

Alec helped clean up since he hadn't made dinner, and he managed not to make a bigger mess. Constant dance and Cyr Wheel practice had significantly helped his clumsiness.
 
Dark didn't argue against Alec helping him at all. Since Ivy was upstairs and out of earshot, he thanked him for helping with her. There had been some stressful moments during the day, so being able to share her after Alec had come home helped him as much as it had helped prevent Daizi from coming home to a crying baby.
 
Alec and Xander wandered upstairs to Alec's room to give Dark, Daizi, and Ivy some time alone. They kept their door open, listening to the sounds of life and Daizi's happy tone when talking to her husband and baby.
 
After Ivy went to bed, if the twins were still around, Daizi went downstairs, wanting to make a cup of tea before she got ready for bed herself. As she was getting it ready, while Dark crept around the corner looking to sneak-hug her from behind, she took out her phone and used voice-to-text to send Sally, It's been awhile since we've spent time together, would you like to come over tomorrow?
 
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