How Green Becomes Wood

"You are right about that," Cooger said, bending and lifting up his niece, "And you, miss thing, might just be the only person here who I can't be annoyed at over what you just did. I must really like you," He moved his head to dodge her ladle as she babbled at him. Then, grinning at her, he hugged her in close, and pressing his cheek against hers turned to Lex, "She ain't never said my name before."
 
"Hasn't she? That's a really special moment!" Lex grinned, truly delighted. "Oogie. It suits you. Ivy, will you let me have the spoon? Before you smack your uncle up the side of the head with it."
 
"I've been called much worse, haven't I?" Cooger said, completely okay with being Oogie for the rest of his life, despite it never being something he would've otherwise wanted to be called, "You're very good at birthday presents, Kitten." Ivy grinned at him and continue to wave her spoon. "Can we give the spoon to your Auntie Lex now?"

"No!" She grinned.

Blinking in surprise at her, Cooger asked, "Why not?"

"Baba," Ivy replied, having a clear understanding of what she meant.

"What about your Baba?"

"Vee!" Ivy answered seriously, holding up her spoon again.
 
"How about if we take Ivy and her spoon to her father?" Lex asked, trying not to crack up. "Ivy, let's find Baba! Where did he go? He was pretty da-" she caught herself, "darned impressive on that box, and you did a great death scene."
 
"I think it woke something in him, and now we'll never be free. I didn't intend to die, and I still need to find who killed me. Honestly, I was going to let you try and expose him as a fraud, had Daizi not stepped in to save his a... butt." He looked at Ivy, "You have no chance of being normal, Kitten, I'm so sorry."

He was about to go to Dark when he came walking up the steps to them, "Ivy-Qadira, are you being good? I should apologize for her."
 
"I guess maybe Xander could guide her in the general direction of normal? And Alec show her a different style?" Lex suggested doubtfully. She smiled at Dark. "She's alright, other than trying to smack her newly-dubbed 'Oogie' with your ladle. Nice show, by the way."
 
"I dunno," Cooger said, looking at his niece, "She's got me as an Uncle."

"Oogie?" Dark raised an eyebrow, amused and rather pleased that his daughter finally said a name for his brother, "That suits you. And thank you, I am glad I had the chance to prove the efficacy of my product."

"Baba!" Ivy said, holding out her ladle.

"I see, Ivy!" Dark told her, "Are you helping Baba bring the Elixir inside? Come on, come help Baba!"

When Ivy squirmed in his arms, Cooger set her down and helped open the door for Dark since his hands were full. Ivy gladly trotted in after her father, truly looking like his gosling.
 
"Yeah, she's real cute," Cooger agreed. "It's weird to see her because she's like an actual person now. And damn, I didn't expect I'd ever feel this way, but it's cute to see how they do her hair. I don't know how they get her to sit still for it."
 
"I'm a lucky man," Cooger told her, squeezing her hand. Then, he took a second and poked his head inside the house. Seeing Dark was currently holding Ivy so she could put the ladle in the punch while praising her for being such a good helper, he shut the door, and then lovingly took Lex's face in his calloused hands and kissed her. When he pulled away he said, "I was gonna do that earlier. Wanted to make sure nobody would interrupt us again."
 
Lex had truly not expected him to return for a kiss, but she leaned in willingly when he did, kissing him back tenderly. "We should dress up as cow people more often if this is what happens," she said with a happy sigh. Her arms slid around him, holding him close. "I gotta say, those jeans do things to you that I shouldn't talk about in public."
 
Cooger held her tenderly, wrapping one of her curls around his finger again, taking a quiet moment to admire just how damn pretty she was. But with the way she was talking it didn't seem right to just call her pretty. It was such a simple little word, but he didn't have a better one. "I did say you could stay over," He told her.
 
Lex smiled, genuine love behind her usual teasing. "I will, if you let me, and I want to tell you all about how much I love you, and exactly how handsome you are, Sherrif," she told him with a true smile, her eyes sparkling.
 
"I love you too," Cooger said, meaning every word, "You're always welcome to stay over. Whenever you want." He brushed his thumb against her cheek and then hesitated, shutting his eyes, before asking, "Does Toby have a way home if you stay?"
 
"He can drive himself home," she told him. "He can drive, he just doesn't like to drive." She turned her face and kissed his palm tenderly. "I'll figure out my own way home later. There's always a way." She smiled at him sweetly, her curls framing her face perfectly.
 
Lex melted into Cooger. He had that ability to melt her whenever he so chose. Most of the time, she was sassy, strong-willed, happy, determined, and often single-minded. Sometimes, it was a mask to hide behind, a touch of prickliness or being a little "too much" for people to keep them from getting too close. To keep them from breaching the walls and accessing anything that truly mattered. Cooger's quiet, calm, solid mannerisms broke through it all practically without trying. A tiny part of her was afraid of that. If Cooger ever wanted to hurt her, she'd be like a hermit crab without a shell. She knew he never would, though at times she had to remind the primal, fearful parts of her brain. Cooger would never do anything but help her and protect her. He would practically be her shell if she needed him to be. He never put up any pretenses, never tried to be anything he wasn't, and never gave her so much as a second to doubt him. It was simply who he was, and she loved that about him.

"I'm glad I'm here, too," she murmured softly. "Happy Birthday, Babe."
 
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