How Green Becomes Wood

"It can stay for about a week," Daizi said, "because then it's nice to enjoy hot chocolate and annoy your father by hanging off of him for every second of the day because it's cold. Any longer than that... I just hate the cold. Some people absolutely love it, but I am not one."
 
"I'm not a fan," Xander agreed, remembering purple fingers and toes that had lost feeling. Heat was not always an option in the winter as small children. He shook off the thoughts. "Fall's pretty fun, though. Shame it gets ended in extra cold, but it's got a lot going for it."
 
"I do love the autumn," Daizi said with a little smile, "but I'm from the desert. I need the sun. At least this year it'll be fun introducing Ivy to the snow, she was too little last year."
 
"Probably. We have a big warm coat for her, the question is if she'll fight us when she wears it. You know how she fights when we put shoes on her." She thought about it, "If she were rational, she'd understand her frustration about not being allowed outside are resolved by putting on a coat and hat, but babies are less rational than teenagers."
 
"She'll do great if she can sit with someone," Xander agreed. "It'll be just like in the wagon." He started picking up his tools and putting things away. "We should probably head inside now, don't you think?"
 
"She loved the wagon," Daizi sighed, "You're probably right. It's approaching dinner time, I'll bet. Thank you for talking with me."

Over the course of the weekend, Dark remained largely unable to sleep and spent the nights wandering the house and looking out the windows at the empty streets, frosted grass, and cold, distant stars. In the morning, he did his best to disguise his feelings while both he and Daizi consistently tried to extend an olive branch to Alec without seeming pushy about it. At least once a day they'd try to check in, and at mealtimes they continued to address him, even if he still refused to speak to them.
 
Xander mostly tried to remain neutral and avoid everything happening. It didn't work great since they shared a room, and tensions were rising between the pair, but he was trying, really trying, not to tell his brother to get his act together and not act so ridiculous. He knew that would kind of be the pot calling the kettle black, but this whole thing was so stupid! And he really didn't know what to make of Alec constantly arguing with Dark. None of it made any sense.

Alec steadfastly ignored his parents. Oh, he knew he was dragging it out, but if he ended his silence, that would mean giving in. Giving in would mean accepting their point of view. It would mean apologizing, and he was not ready for that yet. He was still upset over what he saw as Dark's contradictory nature and actions. Daizi was more like an accomplice, and he did ease up on his silence with her by the end of Saturday, but not completely. He wanted his way this time. Just this once, he wanted his way even if it meant going against his parents. On Saturday, after work, he did meet up with Emma for an hour and just spent some time with her. He didn't tell her much other than that he was annoyed by some of the rules his parents were enforcing. She agreed with him that rules could be really annoying, especially parental rules, but he had the strong feeling that she'd be on Dark and Daizi's side if he told her the full truth of what had happened. So, he told her only a small amount, enjoyed the brief amount of whining they shared, and then relaxed with her as she told him about some of the projects she'd been working on at home regarding indoor plants.

Monday was almost a relief when they went to school and returned to a routine that enforced acting "normal." It was classes, friends, and lunch. The day seemed to fly by, and then they were headed back home before they knew it. Alec had to go to his therapy session, something he seemed less than enthusiastic about it. Xander took him and dropped him off before heading back home.

Normally, Xander would have gone straight out to his shed, but today, he did something he hadn't done in a long time: He dug out his chessboard and plunked it down on the coffee table in front of Dark.
 
In a way, Daizi was glad Alec had eased up a bit on her by the end of Saturday, and she took the chance to prove she was receptive to the minor change in mood without seeming like she was groveling, but at the same time, she felt just awful for her husband, who was such a kind, loving, patient man. Even after he explained to her why Alec was so upset, she couldn't help but feel like he was being unfair to his father. It was okay to be frustrated, but nothing he had said made it seem like Dark deserved this. He did his best. But, teenagers were irrational, so they just had to wait until their once effusively loving son relaxed enough for them to work through it. Although Dark didn't say it aloud, he continued to beat himself up over it, regardless of how hard he tried not to.

When Xander set the chessboard down in front of him, he looked up in surprise, "Did you decide you are interested in losing today?"
 
Xander gave Dark a narrow-eyed look as he sat down across from him. "I've been practicing, Professor. I have a good feeling that today is the day. Unless you're scared I might actually beat you for once?"
 
Xander smirked and set up the board as taught. He'd actually only been practicing recently, it wasn't at all a long-standing habit of his, but he felt he had done enough to at least give Dark a worthy opponant. He gave Dark the white and waved his hand. "Your move."
 
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