How Green Becomes Wood

"I miss it too. It's just hard to find time where we both have a break where we can play together." She said, a bit of regret seeping in at the corners of her voice. Really, she did her best to find chances to spend one-on-one time with Alec, but she didn't even play music much on her own anymore, muchless time when they were both free. Working from home and parenting an infant felt like two full time jobs, it was tough to find time for hobbies, and the time she did have she preferred to dedicate to her garden, which needed more consistent attention.

"You are welcome," Dark nodded as they strolled along, "Sometimes I wish I could have that manner of confidence. I cannot imagine ever being comfortable singing in front of a crowd like you both do."
 
"We'll find time," Alec promised, making a promise to himself to seek out more time to be with her.

"Eh," Xander shrugged. "You just need to find someone wrapped in rainbows who can hypnotize you with words, and one day you end up on stage wondering what happened and how you got there."

"That is not how it worked!" Alec protested.

"Sure feels like it some days!" Xander retorted, smirking.

Alec stuck his tongue out at him before laughing and hurrying off to see the next street performer.

They enjoyed the rest of their time on the boardwalk, doing everything they could think of in the area before heading off to the next thing. Xander did insist that they spend at least some time in the water, but he didn't care how deep or when that happened.
 
"There are not many people I have found who are able to hypnotize me with words." Dark replied simply, and Daizi pressed against him, knowing she was one of the few who could. She agreed with Xander about wanting to spend time in the ocean that day, and after lunch they headed back that way for it. Ivy still adored her swan float and was thrilled to be back in the water, before Dark brought her back to shore and let her sleep on his chest. Daizi took that time to swim in deeper water, where she wouldn't dare bring her baby, although she needed a bit of guidance to make it back to shore when she was finished. The whole time Dark knew he should probably take Ivy inside, but it was a beautiful day, so instead he set up Daizi's parasol and stayed beneath the shade.

This got more looks than he had in his silly t-shirt, because now he was not only an attractive, tattooed man lying on a beach, he was an attractive, tattooed man with a baby lying on the beach, and a certain demographic of beach goers quietly lost their mind when they passed him, which he promptly ignored. When one person actually approached him to try to shoot their shot, his response was an immediate, "I am married," which he repeated variations of until they walked away. Never once did he apologize.

After dinner, they went to the Ferris wheel. The carts were designed to fit four people, so they were able to all ride together. Daizi sat snuggled up under Dark's arm, eyes shut, while he traced idle circles on her arm and watched the evening colours spread out over the water. It had really been a perfect vacation, there was nothing he'd change about it. Daizi, while listening to the steady beat of his heart, had a name come to her mind all at once, and a smile crossed her face.
 
The twins milked every bit of enjoyment the could out of their last day on the beach, including making another, much smaller, sandcastle. Alec still refused to go any deeper in the water than his hips, but since Xander wasn't a good swimmer, he figured that was safer anyway. So, the pair of them splashed about and dunked each other in the shallower water instead.

When they went on the Ferris wheel, they leaned against each other in silence, taking in the view as if they'd never see it again. It was lovely! Alec felt as if he missed it already, which he supposed was the perfect way to end a vacation.

Their last day had to come to an end eventually, but the twins delayed bed as long as possible until they finally passed out on their bed.
 
That evening, Dark and Daizi both stayed up a bit later than they should have, sitting together. This had been a great idea. It may have been the last true day of their vacation, but it felt like everything was really just beginning. Nobody had warned them about that part of parenthood, how so much felt like things were only just beginning. Even with a predilection towards morbid inclinations reminding him one day would be the last day they were all together, Dark was able to enjoy the fact they did get to be all together now, and would have many years of it. Just that once, there wasn't a quiet, unless to his thoughts.

Come morning, they had to come back down to earth and start packing the car after breakfast. They had another long drive ahead of them, and now it was a bit cramped. After putting her own belongings into the car, Daizi took Ivy to try to tire her out for the trip, and as they played on the floor, one of the straps of her tanktop slid off her shoulder, revealing just how tan she had gotten over the past five days. Dark, also, had needed to switch the concealer he used, but he had been prepared for it, having had a lifetime of winter versus summer shades.

"Do you know," Daizi commented idly, from where she sat on the floor, making Ivy crawl to her, "when we're back home, Dark's curls are going to straighten out more, since he won't have the benefit of the salt water. Ivy's, too."
 
"So, what you are saying is to say goodbye to the curls?" Alec asked deliberately. He glanced at Xander who was already staring at Dark's head from a "safe" distance.

Xander didn't say anything. Just stared. He had more or less gotten over the staring over the past few days, but now this was the last day.
 
"At least for now," Daizi nodded, stopping to praise Ivy for reaching her and then moving back again, leaving her daughter unsure if this was a fun game or a futile exercise, but nonetheless she crawled ahead. "The humidity brings them out somewhat, but not like the ocean does."

Dark was not paying close attention to what anyone was saying, too focused on placing the bags where they fit best and were most convenient and making sure nothing had been forgotten.
 
"I still think you should still ask for permission," She had no choice but to advise, "but I think you should go for it. Who knows when we'll next be at the ocean? And you never know, he could go bald by then!"

This, Dark scoffed at, revealing he had been listening to an extent, just not saying anything.
 
"Of course I'll ask permission first," Alec said, mildly offended she thought he wouldn't. He stood and walked over to Dark. "Baba, may I please pet your lovely curls?"

Xander watched with narrowed eyes.
 
Dark turned, squinting down at him. Despite knowing the question was coming, it was an odd way to phrase it, certainly, but he knew this had been coming all week, "You may." The awkward part was bending so that Alec could reach his head, he felt a kinship to camels at a petting zoo.
 
Alec couldn't remember ever actually touching Dark's hair before - it wasn't exactly something he did with people - so he had nothing to compare it to, but he couldn't help a small amount of excitement as he reached up and ran his hands through Dark's curly hair. "Oooo so soft! It feels amazing! You take good care of your hair," Alec told him.
 
"Yes, yes he does!" Alec said matter of factly, taking another brush through with his fingers before stepping back. "Thank you very much!"

Xander slowly edged closer to Dark, not looking at him. He muttered quietly for a bit before finally asking quietly, "May I... touch...your hair?"
 
It seemed very evident from actually being able to touch Dark's hair that Daizi's comment about him going bald before they returned to the beach was about as likely as him getting a tattoo lasered off, and when Xander slunk over to him, he replied, looking at the ground to not make it more awkward for Xander, "Of course you may."
 
Xander looked up just enough to see where he was reaching and put his hand lightly on Dark's hair. Though he wasn't looking at Dark, his eyes lit up. Very gently, he patted Dark's curls, feeling the bounce. He cooed ever so slightly in absolute delight as he stroked the curls. Then he got ahold of himself and stepped back. He cleared his throat before saying gruffly, "Thanks."
 
Because of how he had to bend, Dark couldn't look at Xander even if he had wanted to, but he wouldn't have, because that would be weird. That said, it wasn't lost on him how this definitely signified a development in him, because it seemed unlikely the Xander from a year ago would've wanted to touch his hair, it was still touching someone, even if it wasn't skin contact.

"It was no problem." Dark answered, straightening up and brushing wrinkles out of his clothes. Too make it less awkward, hopefully, he asked, "I hope I am not greying terribly where I cannot see."
 
"Nope. You're good," Xander assured him, shoving his hands deep into his pockets. His request surprised even him. He didn't know what came over him, but the curls were just so... shiny and bouncy and curly! It was weird. So weird. But he'd finally gotten it out of his system. "So. Is that everything?"

Alec knelt next to Daizi but a couple of feet away and called to Ivy. "Ivy! Who do you want to crawl to more? Me or Mama?"
 
Having no interest in making Xander feel more awkward or embarrassed than he already was, Dark answered, "I think so. I think we should all do one more sweep of the rental to make sure we did not forget anything, and then all that is left to do is load Ivy into the car."

"You're putting her into a very unfair situation," Daizi drawled, but still crouched down lower and said, "Come here, habibti! Come to Mama!" Ivy sat back and looked confused at both her mother and brother, not quite knowing what the expectations were.
 
"'Kay. I got our room and bath first, then I'll do the bedroom," Xander agreed. He headed inside, walking around Ivy carefully after a curious glance at Daizi and Alec. What were they doing? He shook his head and went to dig through every corner of the room, coming away with a handful of change, one of Alec's necklaces, and a sock. He wasn't sure who's sock it was and decided to blame Alec. The living room produced similar results with change, a small carnival prize Alec had won (from sympathy, Xander was sure), and a comb.

"Come on, Ivy! Come to your brother!" Alec called coaxingly, holding his hands out.
 
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