How Green Becomes Wood

Daizi cooed happily to a still crying Ivy, "Are you hungry, habibti? Oh, you seem hungry." Daizi turned slightly before bringing Ivy to her breast, which quickly settled the child.

Dark shifted when Daizi did, and peered over her shoulder, smiling lightly at the sliver of Ivy's face he could see, then he kissed Daizi's cheek and stretched, "Was I asleep for a long time?"

"Oh yeah, you were out almost the entire time she was," Daizi replied in a soft tone, trying not to disturb her baby from her meal, "You needed it, though."
 
Xander and Alec didn't say anything. Once Alec gave Ivy over to Daizi, he stood next to Xander. The pair quietly studied the wall together, lost in their own thoughts as things happened behind them.
 
Dark watched as Daizi nursed, hoping it didn't feel voyeuristic. He just found it beautiful beyond words to see his wife feed his child from her body. And they both looked so at peace and so connected. Ivy's eyes kept shutting and reopening as she nursed, but when they were open, she wasn't looking anywhere except directly at her mother's face with one hand curled up against Daizi's chest. Occasionally Daizi would adjust how she held Ivy to stroke the back of his hand.

When Ivy was full, Daizi fixed her shirt and asked, "Was that good, Ivy? Baby Ivy-Qadira? Yeah, really good?" Daizi grinned and kissed all over on Ivy's head, "Mama loves you, Hummingbird. Mama loves you so so so so much! Uh-huh! Yes she does!" She kissed Ivy a few more times before moving to burp her.

Dark glanced up at the twins, who were beginning to learn the wall was made out of wall, and said, "Hey, they are finished, now."
 
Last edited:
Alec shook himself out of a daydream and turned. "Hmm? Oh, good, that's good," he nodded happily. "It sounds successful." He was referring to Ivy's burping.

Xander rolled his eyes. "That's something I'm supposed to say."

"Your mannerisms are rubbing off on me, what can I say?"
 
"She always eats well," Daizi murmured, "That's why she's doing so great. Right, habibti?" She rubbed Ivy's back, "I never want to set her down, she's so sweet."

Dark sat back, "I am glad she is gaining weight well. She will be at five pounds before we know it."
 
"Maybe even tomorrow," Alec smiled. "What's the first thing you are going to do when you get her home?"

"Sleep in your own bed," Xander snickered. "The one you can both fit in."
 
Daizi thought about it for a moment, and then said with absolutely certainty, "I'm going to lay Ivy down in the cradle Dark made for her and then spend however long it takes for her to need me petting Enkidu. I miss my dog."

Dark leaned against her shoulder, "He misses you too."

"What are you going to do first?"

It took Dark longer to answer, and finally he said, "I think I am going to give her a tour of her home."
 
"Please sleep," the wins said simultaneously to Dark.

"Then tour," Xander continued.

"After you've rested enough to give her a coherent tour," Alec agreed.

"Besides, her first car trip is probably going to be exhausting."

"She'll need her rest, too, which she can do while Enkidu gets his pets."

"So then you can sleep while she's asleep."

"On a bed that fits you."
 
"I slept today," Dark said, smoothing his hair, "You saw me sleeping."

"Yeah, but it's true, you've rarely slept these days," Daizi pointed out.

"I have been trying to," Dark sounded almost irritated.

Daizi sighed, "I know that, Goose. But there's still nothing wrong with sleeping first when we go home. Just for the amount of time when she naps."

"Okay but it is not like I am choosing not to sleep, it is not in my control."

"I know that."
 
"We'll make you some nice relaxing tea so you can at least rest even if you don't sleep. That's better than nothing," Alec offered cheerfully.

"And put on some emo music from the dark ages," Xander added.
 
"Yes. Thank you." Dark said, trying to not seem like a jerk about it. He just... He didn't need them all telling him what he should be doing, or how he should be doing it, and he knew it was just because they cared, he knew that, but at the same time, it felt like they were all refusing to understand the fact it was not his fault. He was not being obstinate, he was not being stubborn: It was hard for him to fall asleep, and when he did sleep, it was hard for him to stay asleep. It was a stressful time. He was stressed. He'd sleep if he could, but he couldn't, and he just wished they would drop it.

Daizi put one hand on his shoulder, sensing his frustration, and softly said, "It's okay if you want to show her our home first. I need more rest than I've been getting too, but I'm still going to play with our dog first."
 
"If we ever.get to go home," Xander mumbled under his breath. It felt like they'd been here for a month!

"She'll like her new home," Alec said, talking over Xander. "It's far less intrusive."
 
"It's not her new home," Daizi said seriously, "it's always been her home. This place," she gestured at the walls, "is where she lives, but it isn't her home any more than it's mine. And you two get to go home every day."
 
Daizi stopped, and bent to give Ivy another tiny kiss. After a few moments she said, "Yeah. I was..." She rubbed Ivy's back, "I don't know if she broke her lease or if I evicted her."

Dark frowned, and moved closer to Daizi, wrapping both of his arms around her, "I think she just loved having you as a landlord so much she decided she wanted to hurry up and be your roommate." He leaned forward to kiss her shoulder, "You did nothing wrong. And all five of us will be home soon." He knew that they all knew everyone had been saying that since the thirteenth, but he also knew that, although progress seemed slow, Ivy had been getting bigger and stronger, and it did seem like they were closer to the end.
 
The twins didn't spend much longer at the hospital that day before heading home. Alec was beginning to worry Enkidu would forget about Daizi since she hadn't been home for so long. He brought the dog a couple of items Daizi was known to wear and let him sniff them while reassuring him that Daizi would be home soon. He hoped. It couldn't be too much longer, right?

Xander scoffed a little but secretly worried the same thing. What kind of memory did dogs have for their owners? He had no idea since they'd never had a dog before. He just hoped Enkidu would remember a little longer and Dark's sporadic visits would help.

More days ticked by as they continued to try to keep to a schedule. School. Housework. Play with dog. Homework. Leatherwork. Art. Music practice. One day at a time.
 
The next little while went on the same for Dark and Daizi. Nothing ever seemed to change in the hospital. Ivy's blood pressure was better, and she was putting on weight, which meant she was better at keeping herself warm, but for the most part it felt like nothing had really changed. When Ivy finally made it to a full five pounds, they celebrated, sure. All of those achievements were huge, and each one mattered to them. But it still felt like the goal was miles away.

There was one day when a nurse asked them to bring their carseat in so they could test how well Ivy did in it, but nobody ever told them if she had actually passed the test or not.

Then, seemingly out of the blue, on the Friday before Halloween, the start of her third week, Ivy's doctor came in and shared the news they had been hoping for: They were finally discharging her.
 
Thanks to Cooger, Alec and Xander got home early. They raced about eagerly, quickly getting everything set up and cleaning everything that needed it and a few things that didn't. Poor Enkidu got shut out in the back, but Xander slipped him a massive new bone to chew to hopefully make up for it. Then they worked together to set up a small table of treats, food, and drink to offer. Lastly, they put on Daizi's favorite music and turned it low. They almost put on Dark's favorite, but Daizi's typically lent itself better to background music. Every light on the house was on in case Dark wanted to give her a tour, and then they waited.
 
The discharge took longer than Dark and Daizi expected. There was the packing, sure, but then the paperwork and and the discussions with the doctor for post-discharge care took time, all while Daizi sat on the edge of the bed, cradling her baby and anxiously bouncing one leg. She just wanted to go.

Then they were, they actually were. Finally. Daizi's hands shook as she buckled Ivy into her carseat for the first time and Dark had to take a deep breath before starting the car because the prospect of driving with his infant in the backseat.

Whenever the twins and Cooger weren't there, they only spoke in Arabic to Ivy, so the entire drive home they kept repeating, "Nahn dhahibun 'iilaa almanzil, habibti," We're going home.

Like always, Dark and Daizi took off their shoes and touched the salt, except this time, Daizi carefully held Ivy up, and took her tiny hand to help her touch it too. And she was home.
 
"Welcome home!" the twins cried, coming forward to greet them. Neither moved forward to hug in greeting, but Xander did step forward to help Dark with the random stuff he had carried in.

"You're finally home!" Alec squeaked, bouncing up and down, looking between Dark and Daizi. It was only an afterthought when he glanced toward Ivy. He was glad she was here and no longer in the hospital, but it was Daizi and Dark he was truly happy to see. It was Dark and Daizi who made this house their home, not Ivy. She might eventually, but not just yet.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top