How Green Becomes Wood

"I bet I could find them with a bit of time," Alec said.

"How about Alec and I go looking for fatayer after a quick bite here?" Xander suggested. "Don't worry. I won't let him out of my sight."
 
"That's a good idea!" Alec agreed quickly. "Food, family, then more exploring!"

"Together with someone who can find their way back," Xander said sternly.

"Together with someone who can find their way back," Alec repeated meekly.
 
"With someone who won't lose his phone, either," Dark replied.

"And in the worst case, the music is loud enough, you can just follow it," Daizi teased.

After they all decided what they wanted to eat and went through the lines to get it, Dark spotted a clear picnic table for them to sit and eat at.
 
Alec grinned and shook his hips. The scarf belt was doing its job! He was getting a few curious and odd looks because of it as it was traditionally considered to be a woman's belly dancing scarf, but it was doing its job! And it was so cheery.

Xander ended up finding a place that did fatayer near them, and he got some for himself and Daizi while Alec got Shwarma. The twins stole bites off of each other's food and lightly quarreled about stealing those bites, but it was all in good fun.

After eating, the twins took off from their parents, promising to stay together and to occasionally check their phones. There was no way they could hear a text tone or even call in this din, so they'd have to remember to check to see if there were any attempts to contact them. Xander broke down and got Sloan and Milo both yashmaghs because it just seemed right. Sloan's matched the last colors he remembered hearing about her leotard because he thought it'd be kind of funny, and Milo's was primarily purple. He also picked up a gorgeous Arabic calligraphy set for Milo. It was different from the type normally seen, not a pen, but a set of ten dried reeds known as Qalam, a bottle of ink, and a little ink well all wrapped up in a very simple but nice leather cloth for a carrying case. He wasn't sure what Milo would make of it, but calligraphy had always seemed like a meditative hobby. Maybe Milo would enjoy something calming that he could do anywhere and was not tied to the hobbies Xander usually supported, like photography and music.

Alec was attempting to retrace his steps back to the "totally awesome" thing he'd found for Dark, and as they wandered around, they came across some pottery, handmade, of course, and with flowing Arabic script imprinted within the vase, making the letters tactile. After some debate, the twins agreed to go halves on a reasonably sized pot, black, with the word for strength and beauty imprinted in it for their mother. They also found a gorgeous oversized shawl that was a blue so dark it was almost black with gold Egyptian writing on it. They weren't certain what all it said, but they were certain it fit their mother's aesthetic, and one could never have too many shawls and scarves! Alec then found a tiny white pot with the word for beautiful written around the rim in dark blue, along with several blue flowers. He tried to resist, but it was very small, only a little bigger than a bud vase, so he bought it for Claire. Pink was probably more her style, he thought, but she had worn blue! And he was sure she would like flowers. And she didn't need to know what the word meant to find it pretty. Right?

Finally, they found their way to the stall Alec had been trying to find. Xander had to admit, it was a pretty epic gift. They went back and forth and back and forth until there was almost no time left, but, finally, they decided to buy the gift. This would be a difficult thing to find. Far more difficult than a pot! The only good thing about Daizi being blind was the fact that they didn't have to hide her gifts. In fact, they ended up putting everything into her pot and using it to carry the smaller items. Dark's gift they wrapped up in both of their yashmaghs to hide it as best as they could. It wasn't particularly effective. Not to mention, awkward to carry for Alec since Xander couldn't help much. Awkwardly but proudly, they made their way back to the stage.
 
Last edited:
In the time Dark, Daizi, and Ivy were separated from their sons, they found a few vendors who were selling toys, so Ivy could look at a few things she actually cared about. Then, finding Khalil's stall, they stopped to chat with him, which took up a good portion of the time they were slated to be separate.

He then indicated they go visit a stall where someone was selling candies from across the Middle East, and to Dark's shock and delight, he found a candy he had loved as a child but had not had in twenty five years. Given his upbringing, it was a rare treat, and one he often either stole or was pitied enough to be given. After buying probably too much of it, he looked at Daizi and said, "I am going to make myself sick, and it will be wonderful."

"Don't do that, Goose," Daizi laughed, taking his arm.

"I will," He promised, putting his hand over his heart.

"You don't even like sweet foods," She reminded him.

"No, but I like this, or I did many years ago," He told her.

When the twins returned, he, Daizi, and Ivy were all eating one, and he looked them over, "You have been busy, I see."
 
"Oooo, candy!" Alec panted, setting the pot down near Dark. "How come the guy who doesn't like sweets found the candy? We didn't see any candy at all! Or things Ivy would like. I did look, but there wasn't much." He caught Dark's eye, pointed to the pot, and made a shushing motion.

"What did you three get up to?" Xander asked, sitting down tiredly and stretching out his legs.
 
Dark raised an eyebrow, but did not say a word about a pot, "We found a booth selling little crocheted animals, and we bought Ivy a little Chukkar, since she has been do good," He answered, eating another piece of candy intent on fulfilling his promise, "Then we found Khalil, so we spoke with him, and he directed us to the candy."

"Your father has decided to eat himself sick on it today," Daizi informed them.
 
"Is that a candy from when you were a kid? May I try a piece?" Alec asked curiously.

"Sick before or after you drive us home?" Xander questioned. "I can drive us, I guess."
 
Alec took the piece and considered it carefully as he nibbled. "Mmm, I approve! A very good candy," he said stoutly. "Very nice."

"A little bit of everything," Xander told her. "Except for food and toys. Somehow, we missed all of those. Except for some nuts. We did get some nuts. Those are good stuff."
 
"I am glad you like it, but hope you do not like it too much." Dark told him, eating another piece, glad to be an adult. Thankfully, Ivy was distracted by her new toy and did not have time to feel distressed over this blatant unfairness.

"We didn't find the nuts, so that goes to show how big this festival is," Daizi commented, "I wish I had, though, I love them."
 
"Not enough to steal yours," Alec assured him. "Very good, and I might have bought my own if I'd seen them, but I won't steal yours."

Xander went looking through the random bits and bobs they'd gotten until he located the bag of toasted nuts they'd bought. "I have... fancy spiced ones, zaatar and sumac, and sweet nuts. Which ones would you like? I'll trade you a handful for one candy."
 
"I can show you where I bought them if you wanted some of your own," Dark replied.

"Zaatar and sumac would be lovely," Daizi replied, taking some candy from her own bag, which was a mix of Egyptian, Moroccan, and Lebanese candies, and handing it to him. Secretly, she had another bag of Dark's to reveal a month or so from now, since it was shelf stable enough to still be good then.
 
"Hmm, maybe," Alec said thoughtfully. "It'd be fun to get a variety and share them around at school!"

Xander made the trade and tried one of the candies. "Huh. This is different," he remarked thoughtfully. "I think I like it. I need more time with it."

"What's next on the agenda?" Alec asked happily.
 
Alec practically whipped around. "Face painting? Ivy, you want to get our faces painted? Let's go get our faces painted! Mama, let's do face paintings together!" he exclaimed excitedly.

Xander rolled his eyes skyward. "The things he gets excited about..."
 
Alec cackled. "Baba does not have to have his face painted if he does not want to. Even though it would bring Mama joy. And me. And Ivy."

"It would not bring me joy," Xander stated.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top