How Green Becomes Wood

"Hi! Look at that," Claire said, looking down at her bubble-gum pink top, cut to show off just a bit of her middle, "I have to say, it's a great colour. It always makes me feel a bit like a Barbie."

"Yeah dude the Cranberries rock," Sloan replied, returning the fist bump.
 
"Barbie is awesome! She has soooo many careers! Does that make me Ken?" Alec asked, trying to stand taller and more masculine. He had a decent amount of muscle thanks to his dance and work with the cyr wheel, but in a regular shirt, it tended to hide that and make him look slender and lithe instead of muscular.

Xander considered and then nodded. "Fair. So. Ready to go show off and look awesome in the one arena where I'm definitely not going to be able to kick your butt?" He was pretty muscular and reasonably flexible thanks to his work at Judo, but Judo did not really teach acrobatics. He could land a decent flip and do some handstands, but that was about it.
 
Alec paused to think about that as he followed Claire. "You know, I was never quite clear on that. I guess they are sometimes? He just always seems like the best friend and the cheerleader!"

"Ego, self-confidence, tomato..." Xander shrugged, walking after Claire and Alec.
 
"I think he's generally accepted to be her boyfriend," Claire mused, "At least, in the Barbie movies, the animated ones, Ken always plays the boy the character Barbie plays ends up with."

"Well I'll just say, I can absolutely beat you in more arenas than you realize." Sloan replied, "Call that self-confidence. Or just fact."
 
"Huh. Oh well. Maybe I can be, what's his name, wasn't there an Allen or something?" Alec asked, paying for his ticket. "I'll be the plucky side support to your Barbie!"

Xander snorted. "You wish," he smirked, playing it up a little. "But for now, let's stick to seeing just how good you are on bouncy surfaces."
 
Claire laughed lightly as she got her ticket, "You can be Allen. I think Sloan's Teresa. We actually have a picture of us from when we were kids, we dressed up as Princess Annelise and Erika from Princess and the Pauper."

"I'm the best at bouncy surfaces," Sloan told Xander.

"Hey! That's not fair, Sloan!" Claire whined, intentionally pretending to be more hurt than she felt.
 
"That would be so cute to see!" Alec told her before she got distracted with Sloan's statement.

Xander glanced between Sloan and Claire. "Look here. Looks like you've got some real competition. How are you going to handle that?"

"This is going to be great!" Alec grinned, half bouncing through the door. "How does this work?"
 
"Hey, Claire and I are a team," Sloan said, putting her arm around her friend's shoulders.

"At least for a little while longer," Claire replied, "You're about to qualify. And I guess once you do, I can't fuss about you claiming to be better, 'cause you'll literally be a higher level."

"I was supposed to qualify over winter break, but the meet was cancelled due to snow," Sloan groaned, "Anyway, you just put on the little socks they give you and bounce. I'm going to rent a locker, though, so I have somewhere to put my jacket."
 
"You keep the socks," Sloan told him, "So I hope you enjoy a pair of neon grippy socks in your drawer from now on."

"You can," Claire said, "if you think someone is likely to steal them. And probably your phone, if you don't have pockets."
 
"Are the lockers big enough to share?" Xander asked. "I don't care if he has pockets, he's emptying them into a locker."

Alec made a face. "You're so bossy and paranoid. I'm fine!"

Xander gave him a look. "Where are your house keys right now?"

"In my pocket!" Alec announced, reaching into his pocket to get them. He hesitated. He tried a different pocket.

Xander pulled them out of his pocket and held them up. "You left them on the van seat."

"I'll put my stuff in a locker," Alec agreed meekly.
 
Sloan and Claire sat on the bench by the lockers and took off their shoes to put on the obligate neon socks. They were both fairly certain they'd only work for Alec, even for Claire they were a bit silly.

"What do you think, Xander? Are you excited for the most stylish things you've ever worn?" Sloan asked.
 
Alec grinned at the bright pink socks he'd scored and held up one foot to wiggle his toes. "This is awesome! I can't wait to wear these around the house."

Xander held up the neon green ones he had and heaved a sigh. "I guess it's just feet," he said morosely. He pulled them on, feeling a bit loony as he did so. They were quite effective though. "Quick. Distract me so I forget what I'm wearing."
 
Xander matched Sloan's pace, hands half in his pockets. "I think that at pretty much every outing with my dear bro, but it usually turns out okay. Maybe Claire will wear him out. Like a pair of puppies."

Alec made his way cautiously onto an empty trampoline and gave a few test bounces. "Nice and tight!"
 
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