How Green Becomes Wood

Daizi chuckled and then sighed softly, tapping her foot along to the beat. Dark, meanwhile, watched as other attendees gained the courage to join in until the dance finally ended. Looking down at Ivy in her stroller, he said, "I am sure she will awaken to find a blue smudge on her cheek, look how hard she is sleeping."
 
Dark bent to gently brush Ivy's hair from her face, but then stopped himself, instead choosing to take a picture of her first. "We will have to make sure we watch to see if she accidentally drops her toy."

"We could've done it now, but you sided against it," Daizi pointed out again, standing up and getting the diaper bag.
 
"I didn't want to detract from the professionals," Alec stated. "Not to mention, Xander couldn't join. Now that I know how it works, I'm more confident in joining. Next time! Because there will absolutely be a next time."

Xander rolled his eyes and helped to gather up the items they'd bought before hopping off.
 
"It was really nice," Daizi agreed, lightly touching her husband's forearm.

Once they were back at the car, Daizi carefully transferred Ivy to her carseat. Thankfully, she stayed sleeping, which made her and Dark breathe a heavy sigh of relief. Then Dark took the stroller to the trunk, keeping it open for the twins to put their purchases into.
 
The twins carefully tucked their items into the trunk and climbed into the car. They talked quietly to keep from waking Ivy, Xander letting slip that he enjoyed the event a lot more than he'd let on while there. They soon both fell quiet, exhausted and sun-drenched. Both had kept topped up on their sunscreen, so they weren't burnt, but they were sunned out. It was nice to be in a car away from the noise, the sun, and the people. They nearly dozed off with Ivy.

When they arrived home, the twins shook themselves awake and got out to help carry everything inside. They took their personal gifts to their rooms, but then brought Daizi's and Dark's gifts to the living room, waiting until they'd put Ivy down for her nap to give them the gifts.
 
Ivy was usually a very good, easy-going toddler. She had her tantrums, to be sure, but overall she wasn't difficult to manage, as far as children her age went. Her greatest flaw, if her parents could ever admit to her having flaws, was transferring her from one place to another while she was sleeping was like defusing a bomb. And although they got her into the car fine, taking her back out led to rather immediate screaming, wailing, and gnashing of her very few teeth.

Dark took her upstairs to try to settle her, while Daizi, with a stretch, instead went to give Enkidu a quick walk since he had been inside all day.

Once both tasks were completed, they reconvened, finding their sons waiting for them.
 
"We got something for you, Mama," Alec said, leading her to sit down. "We had to decide on it together, which was not an easy task, let me tell you. Anyway, we thought you might like it."

It was a larger pot, though not ridiculously big, handmade, black, with reddish clay revealed within the letters. The flowing script on the pot red, "Beauty" and "Strength." They'd left the shawl draped around the short neck for her to find. It was a massive shawl, flowy and beautiful, in such a dark blue it was nearly black, and with golden Egyptian writing. They weren't certain what all it said, but it was a beautiful fashion piece.
 
"You didn't have to get me anything," Daizi replied, more than a little shocked, "It's not my birthday or mother's day or anything!" She couldn't deny the pot and the shawl were both lovely, and she thanked them heartily for it---the shawl especially was something she knew she'd wear a lot--- but it seemed like so much for no reason!
 
"I know, but you're special. We wanted to get you something special just because," Alec told her.

Xander added, "if there's one thing we've learned from the two of you, it's that it doesn't have to be a special occasion to celebrate a special someone."
 
"You've rubbed off," Xander told her.

"You're next, Ba!" Alec said, grinning. He reached down and pulled something out from under the couch. It was a walking stick still wrapped in their yashmaghs. Alec placed it in Dark's lap and backed up while he unwrapped it. It was a wooden, hand-carved walking stick, much longer than most so that Dark could use it even with his extra tall frame, and there was even an optional little wrist strap that could be attached in case of dropping the cane.. It was a reddish wood, or it might have been stained or dyed (they'd forgotten to ask the seller what the wood type was), and while the solid base looked like a normal enough walking stick, the head of the cane was something else. The entire top bit was carved into an elegant swoop upward into the wide handle, and at the front, like a head on the prow of a ship, was a grinning skull.
 
"I know you're more of a silver Death's Head cane kind of guy, but I thought this might be good in case you ever hurt your knee or foot or anything like that," Alec explained. "It should be able to support you better than a thin stick, and still look epic."

"Plus, the craftsmanship seemed like something you'd enjoy," Xander agreed. "And if you ever went hiking."
 
"I'm glad you like it!" Alec told him with a smile, though he felt he'd just been told, "Thanks, but I could make it myself better." He knew that couldn't possibly be what Dark meant, but it was what it felt like. He chose to believe he was being ridiculous, reminded himself that Dark was rarely an emotive man, and shook it off.

"We thought you might like it," Xander said. Then he stood and stretched carefully. "I need a shower. Crutching in the sun really makes you break out in a sweat."
 
It was true Dark believed he could make it, but he wasn't intending to be dismissive. Instead, he was closely examining the details, considering how he believed everything was done.

"I'm looking forward to taking one later," Daizi told Xander, before asking Dark to pass over the walking stick.
 
Using the furniture and walls as support, Xander started making his way to the stairs. "I hope they have another festival like that next year."

Alec hopped up and went to help. "If the art festival is going to be anything like this one, we're in for a wild ride!"
 
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