How Green Becomes Wood

"A bunny rabbit!" Daizi exclaimed happily at first, before her eyes going wide and scooping up her daughter, "Ivy! Did you point at the bunny!? How clever! You're such a clever baby girl!"
 
"Clever girl," Xander said quietly, imitating a famous way of saying that phrase. "Looks like bun-bun there is eating your plants. Want me to move it along or let it be? What's a bunny doing around here anyway?"
 
"Goose," Daizi said, turning her head towards Dark, "Ivy pointed!"

"Did she really?" Dark called back, standing to try and get an angle to see it better.

"Yes!" She said, attacking her baby with kisses, and then sighed at the existence of the rabbit, "You can try to shoo them. They can squeeze through the slats in our fence, or burrow under them, but land-based predators can't, and our yard is full of rabbit foods, so... They like to make an appearance."
 
The bunny quickly hopped off, and Ivy laughed and tried to go after it, but was quickly stopped, "Ivy-Qadira," Daizi playfully chided, "You are much too young to go go Wonderland! Come on, darling, let's play with your toys."
 
"I forgot that started with a rabbit," Xander mused as he came back. "I know, kind of a big detail to forget, but the only thing that stuck in my mind was the red lady screaming about beheading everyone and something about a dodo bird."
 
"I believe the King of Hearts pardoned nearly everyone she tried to execute." Dark commented idly.

"That would be cute for a Halloween. I can be the Queen of Hearts, you can be the Mad Hatter, and Ivy can be Alice." Daizi suggested.

"No, I think Alec would be the better Mad Hatter."

"But then who would you be?"

"The Caterpillar," Dark replied easily, "Xander would be the March Hare." He glancec at his son, "It is nothing against you, it is only because the March Hare is close friends to the Mad Hatter."
 
"I don't even remember who the March Hare is, but, sure, I guess?" Xander shrugged. "Haven't really done Halloween, but I guess it's kind of important for you guys, so... guess we could give it a try. I do remember the Mad Hatter, and Alec would go bonkers over that. But if she's the queen, why aren't you the king?"
 
"Because the King is a sad little man." Daizi suggested.

"Read the Caterpillar chapter sometime, you would understand," Dark advised Xander, and then, looking at his wife said, "I think she should be the Cheshire Cat, though, rather than the Queen of Hearts."
 
"Well, no---" Daizi said, feeling a sense of dread creep in. She knew she had changed, she had to have, but... The idea of being 'tame' felt like a complete deviation from her concept of self. "That's not fair, because I had to go through a lot of physical healing, you can't expect... And how am I supposed to prank any of you? When we've all dealt with so much?"
 
"Don't ask me. I'm the March Hare, whatever that means, but the Mad Hatter might have some ideas," Xander suggested. He nodded toward the house. "I think I'm going to head inside. I found an old lemonade recipe I want to try, so I picked up some lemons and oranges. According to the recipe, it's supposed to taste better the next day or at least a few hours later."
 
"Okay," Daizi said quietly, going to stop Ivy from harming her plants, but it felt less fun, now. After the front door had shut, she quietly asked, "Goose?"

"I think you are just as wild as you have ever been," Dark answered, standing and walking to sit with her, "He just does not understand. You went through a lot, you are recovering just like he is."

"I don't want to lose myself," She said, bouncing Ivy on her knee, "I don't want my identity to only be mother."

Dark kissed her temple, "It is not, I promise." She opened her mouth to ask a question, and he made a small exasperated sound to shush her, "Do not talk as if I did not have to chase you down on the beach only a few weeks ago."
 
Xander finished making the lemonade, which was part lemon and part orange, and stuck it in the fridge. Since he was there, he made a cold dessert and put it in the freezer for later. Since Saturday was his unofficial day off, he spent it lounging and relaxing until it was time to go pick up Alec from work. He had no idea the drama he'd caused with Daizi. Sure, she was still fun-loving, and pretty vibrant, but she'd definitely toned it down a lot in his books. She was a mom. A mom who was happy to be a mom and never wanted to leave her baby. If that was what made her happy, then he was fine with it. She'd been through a lot. She deserved to be happy. He had a feeling sticking so tight to Ivy wouldn't ultimately bring her happiness, but what did he know? So, he figured she knew best and accepted the "tamer" version of Daizi.
 
Last edited:
Daizi sat slightly slumped, holding Ivy in her lap for a few moments longer before passing her off. She loved her daughter, she loved experiencing her have new experiences, and learn new things. But now sitting there with her made her feel like she had given up on something she didn't know, which made her feel guilty, and she wanted to play with Ivy, because she liked playing with Ivy, she had waited over a decade for someone like Ivy, she didn't want to miss it. But she still wanted to be the person she considered herself to be.

"Spider," Dark murmured, seeing the storm brewing over her, "He was here for not even a full three months before you became pregnant. And then you were sick, and they were struggling for most of last year, and then you gave birth, early, and were healing, and we were dealing with harassment, and then the three of us were assaulted, and then..." He shrugged, feeling he didn't need to go on, "He doesn't know how you are when we're secure like I do. You do not have a thing to worry about."

"How was I supposed to prank them?" She asked meekly, "When they were going through what they were? Or you? I'm not mean. I..."

"I know, darling," He told her, considering if he should talk to Xander, "but do not dwell on it. He probably did not think much of it, anyway."

She promised not to dwell on it and move on, but for the rest of the day, all she could do was dwell on it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top