How Green Becomes Wood

Dark noticed both of those looks and passed his hands briefly over his face before standing up and pushing in his chair, excusing himself temporarily to see if Ivy needed a changing. He doubted she did, but it was an easy excuse to leave the room for a few moments while Daizi took a deep breath, put on a smile, and said they'd have dessert in just a little while.

In the kitchen, Noor turned on the sink so she could begin actually washing the dishes, rather than just bringing them all to the sink, bouncing one leg in irritation.
 
Neither Alec nor Xander said anything as they worked around Noor. They cleaned off plates, put away leftovers, and started wiping down counters and the table as space cleared up. When Noor started washing, Xander stepped in to rinse and dry and Alec put away the clean dishes. Alec felt like he should say something, that he should make conversation, but he couldn't think of anything, so he stayed quiet.
 
"On Saturday--" Noor had just begun to say when her brother bounded into the room cheerfully.

"My dad said if you're able to get a soccer ball, he'll play with us, and then we'd have even numbers, but also if we have even numbers, do you think your dad would feel left out?" He said brightly.

"Hassan."

"Sorry, I just," He shook his head, "I don't want to, you know, take advantage, or anything. Noor was telling me I'm not being gracious. I'm not trying to not be gracious, I just want to do all the cool stuff."
 
Xander glanced toward Noor, wondering what was on Saturday, but he turned his attention to Hassan. "Yeah, we have a ball. Or will in a second. Give me a second." He handed Hassan the drying cloth and went to the front door. It took him a second to locate the ball, but when he did, he brought it in for Hasson. "One black and white sphere."

"I'm fine not playing," Alec said quietly. "I can watch if Ba wants to play."
 
"Oh, you sure?" Hassan asked, thanking Xander and taking the ball from him, noting it was a bit flat, but workable under short notice, "I can ask, I just, I don't know where he's got to. And, um." He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"He's scared of him." Noor said, drying her hands and folding her arms over her chest.

"Am not!"

"Okay, go ask him then."
 
"How about we go together?" Alec suggested with a faint smile. "He might say yes because you asked."

Xander took the drying cloth back and waved it at him. "Go on. Noor, you don't kick around a ball?"
 
"I'd show you my room, but since Amty Zeinab is staying there, I don't want to intrude," Alec said with a smile. He paused outside the nursery and tapped on the door. "Ba? Alec and Hassan."

"Okay. Do you need to be to play in a backyard? Hope not since I think I've kicked a ball, like, twice," Xander asked. If she didn't want to, he didn't care and was fine with it, but if she wanted to and didn't want to look awkward, he wanted her to know she wouldn't be the only one.
 
"You can come in," Dark called from inside the door, "I am just in here with Ivy." After the door opened, Hassan awkwardly followed in after Alec, somehow shocked to see this room wasn't as spooky as everything else, and he looked down at his uncle sitting with Ivy in his lap holding a toy turtle up in the air.

"It helps," She replied, leaning against the counter, "And I generally try avoid running at all costs."
 
Alec smiled at Ivy. "Hi, Ivy. Are you learning the joys of the flying turtle? Ba, Hassan has a question to ask you." He stepped aside for Hassan.

Xander shrugged, not questioning that. "Alright. This is pretty much done here if you want to go hang out with the family or something."
 
"Oh?" Dark asked, looking up at Hassan, whose mouth went dry once that expressionless face turned towards him.

"I um." Immediately his mind forgot all English, so he continued in Arabic, "We were going to kick the soccer ball around. We were wondering if, um, maybe, you wanted to. If you aren't busy."

"If I am not busy?" Dark asked, rising to his feet.

"It's okay if you are, it's not a big deal."

Earnestly, Dark wasn't all that interested in playing soccer at that moment, but he was so seldomly asked to play by Daizi's younger relatives, so he decided to answer, "I suppose I could, if you need a player, and you are certain no harm will come to my wife's flowers."

"i promise." Hassan murmured, lacking the courage to assert his skill to Dark like he had to the twins.

Downstairs, Noor side-eyed Xander, "I don't really think anyone wants to hang out with their family, but I'll do what I must. That's why we flew all the way here, right?"
 
"The flowers will be safe!" Alec assured Dark in English, able to follow the conversation even if he didn't understand every word. "Hassan is very good. We could very much need you for the game! I can watch Ivy. Or any number of her aunts could, as well."

Xander returned the side-eye. "I have no idea. I just live here and wait to see what happens next. But if you don't want to kick around ball or look at flowers, I'm not sure what other options you have. I've never entertained a kind-of relative before."
 
"I am certain her aunts will want her back." Dark said, looking down at his daughter, "Actually, her mother may need her for a moments, but then her aunts, as she winds down for the evening."

"I'm not a jerk," Noor said dryly, "I like Amty Daizi a lot, that doesn't mean I like family gatherings. Saladin's a dick everytime I see him, someone inevitably makes a comment on how I look, and I have to pretend like I'm nice. I'm just trying to stay out of the way and avoid as much as I can."
 
"Alright, we'll meet you out back," Alec said cheerfully. He shooed Hassan out ahead of him. "Let's go out back so you can get a feeling for the space."

"That's nice, but it doesn't tell me what I'm supposed to do with you. I guess you want me to ignore you, then?" Xander asked mildly.
 
"Okay," Hassan said, following him out to the yard while Dark went down and handed Ivy off to Daizi. Once outside, Hassan juggled the ball for a bit before dribbling it a bit between his feet. True to his word, he had impressive control over it, and he looked impatient while he waited for all the other players to join them.

"I don't know. It's your house." Noor replied, "In a roundabout way, I'm the most honest person here. Unless you'd rather I pretend to be someone I'm not."
 
Alec hung out on the edges watching appreciatively but making no effort to join in.

Xander shrugged. "I wouldn't know the difference. I don't know you." He turned and walked away. "I'm going to go see what the fuss is about with kicking a sphere of air. You can do whatever you want."
 
When Marwan came out, he gladly walked over to his son, trying to get the ball from him, "So how are we doing these teams? Kids against adults, father and son, or...?"

Noor scowled but followed after Xander, figuring it'd be less awkward than sitting around with all of the adults.
 
Alec moved to sit on the swing to make certain he was well out of the way, and when he saw Noor coming out after Xander, he smiled and waved enthusiastically for her to join him.

Xander shrugged. "I have no idea how to play, so I'll do whatever you want. Ba will be out in a minute."
 
Despite her general dislike of being here, Noor did go and sit beside Alec. His enthusiasm was exhausting, but she was genuinely not trying to be a jerk, so. The swing it was.

Hassan stared shocked at Xander, "You've never played football before? Ever? I mean, I see onlinr people say American schools don't teach anything, but do you not have a gym class? Or do they only teach you American football?"

"Hassan." Marwan whispered, and replying in the same tone, Hassan said, speaking in Arabic:

"Baba, he doesn't know how to play football."

"Then teach him."

Still looking absolutely horrified, Hassan turned back to Xander, "You can't touch it with your hands. I mean, if we had an actual goalie, they'd be able to, but we aren't playing a real game. Don't use your toes to kick it though."
 
Alec smiled at her and considered making conversation, but she still looked grumpy, so he settled back and left her in peace. He tucked one foot under himself and watched the others down on the grass.

"I don't know how to play American Football, either, and hey don't teach it in our gym class," Xander said, amused by Hassan's horror. "Or if they did, I skipped that day. I didn't care much for gym. No, I don't skip gym anymore, Baba." He listened to Hassan's instructions and tucked his fingers into his pocket. "No hands. Cool." He shifted back and forth, pretending to kick the ball. "Feet only, or can I use other body parts?"
 
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