How Green Becomes Wood

"Before her party. That way she doesn't have to try to juggle them all day, but now that you mention it, maybe I could give her like a single rose bud, and she'll think thats it only to be surprised by a bouquet later!" Alec grinned.
 
"I think her gymnastics team, but they don't really talk to me casually, so I was going to keep an eye on it and make sure it gets done," Alec told him. "And I don't mean anything bad by saying the gymnasts don't talk to me. We just move in different circles."
 
Dark nodded, satisfied. Since Sloan had started high school, he had seen her go out of her way to decorate her friends' lockers on their birthdays, never missing one, so he wanted to make sure that his sons didn't drop the ball, in case none of her other friends did. But, since it was covered, there was no concern, "Good. Well, I hope she has a nice birthday tomorrow."
 
Alec glanced at Xander. "That means we do need to get there early."

"I got you covered," Xander agreed. "Just make sure you have all your art stuff ready to go."

Alec nodded. "Can do!"
 
"Well, there's your chance to use glitter!" Daizi pointed out, "for a happy, respectful purpose!"

"Oh god the glitter." Dark passed a hand over his face, "just... do not... fill her locker with glitter. There was... this one year..."

Daizi put her hand over her mouth, trying to stifle a laugh, "Oh god, I forgot about that!"
 
"What about the one year? What about it?" Alec asked eagerly.

"Glitter exploded from the locker and buried everyone alive. It was called the great glitter catastrophe from then on," Xander said blandly. "Every single person died. One of the kids who was there told me so."

Alec almost bought it for half a second. Then he scowled at Xander. "How could they tell you if they all died."

"Ghost powers," Xander whispered.
 
Daizi chuckled, "Nobody died."

"Except for my will to live," Dark said blandly, but then paused, considering what he had said and if the twins would take well to him joking about how he wasn't sure if his will to live could die, because he didn't know if he had ever had one. Sitting up a bit straighter while stretching out one leg, he chose not to mention it, "It was six or seven years ago. They filled the locker with glitter, and when it was open, now the hallway was filled with glitter, which meant the school was filled with glitter. I came home looking like Elton John for the next month, regardless of how hard I attempted to avoid it. Bright, hot pink glitter."
 
"Is that why the carpet looks almost sparkly in some spots? It got ground into the carpet," Alec mused. "It makes for a fun pattern! But don't worry. I wouldn't do that to Sloan. Her mom would likely have an absolute fit. I'll just do a bit on the outside."
 
"Would not do that to Sloan?" Dark asked incredulously, "Do not do that to me, I have spent the better part of a decade finally clearing our home of all residual traces of the incident. I am sure she would love torturing Blair with it, it would not be her fault."
 
Alec glanced at Dark, and a slow smile crept over his features. "Okay," he smirked. "I shall ensure not to purposefully ever do anything like that to you. Anyway! I didn't have to work today, and tomorrow I took off for Sloan, so that means I have even more time for working on posters and locker decorations! I better get to it!" He hopped up and sauntered away.

Xander glanced at Dark. "I still pick glitter and sequins off my clothes even after you gave us separate storage options. Why should you get spared?"
 
Dark looked directly at Xander, blank-faced but with a subtle glint in his eyes, "Because I am deeply mentally ill and can only increase my medication so high."

Snorting at her husband's joke, Daizi lightly smacked his upper arm, "That is horrible, babe."

"I sometimes need to prioritize myself," He replied solemnly with one hand over his heart.
 
"Wow," Xander said, drawing out the word as long as he could. "Way to play that card. Alright, fine, you're spared," he sighed, getting up from the table. "Just remember: I know where Alec hides the glitter. He thinks I don't know, but I know where it is and how to use it."
 
In mock offense, Dark said, "I cannot believe you would go so far as to accuse me of using my mental illness as a card. And the fact you would then threaten me with what I have already expressed would exasperate my conditions is truly ableist of you."
 
Xander shrugged. "More like... using my resources and preparing for the future." He smirked at Dark and headed for the stairs. "But if you take us snack shopping before Sunday, I'm sure I can forget all about glitter and where it's hidden."
 
"After everything I have done for you, and you are blackmailing me." Dark replied flatly, "We can discuss going snack shopping."

Daizi chuckled lightly, "I promise you will have all the snacks you want for taking care of this little goblin on Sunday."
 
"Nice doing business with you," Xander called back down. Then he trotted up the stairs quickly before Dark could get in any more parting shots about blackmail, smirking the whole way.

Upstairs, Alec was on the floor of their room with a roll of Christmas wrapping paper. "Hey, how long do you think the school lockers are?"

"Um." Xander gave him the approximate dimensions. "I thought her other friends were doing something."

"I think so, but I'm not positive, so I thought I should make a backup just in case," Alec told him, rolling out the paper. "If we decorate this, we can put it in the back of the van nice and safe. If someone else decorates, no problem! But if everyone thinks someone else is decorating, we'll have this ready to go."

Xander agreed to Alec's logic and knelt down to help him figure out the most weight wrapping paper could hold before it started tearing. They should have been working on posters and schoolwork, but this was more important.
 
After cleaning up the kitchen and dining room, they spent a little more time playing with Ivy before it was time to put her down to sleep. Afterwards, with both boys occupied upstairs and their infant sleeping, Dark and Daizi decided to steal some much alone and went to snuggle on their side porch. Often, especially when Dark was tired, despite how strange it looked to outsiders, when they cuddled on the couch, Daizi would be the big spoon, because it was nice to hold Dark to her chest and make him feel totally loved and protected, and she liked how it felt when his weight was pressed against her. There was not, in her estimation, a better weighted blanket in the world. But that night, it was her turn to snuggle in and disappear as they lay out in the late-summer air. Just getting to hear his heartbeat was a wonderful way to welcome the night.

Thankfully, Ivy actually did sleep through that night, so when they were finally ready to go to bed, they were able to do so easily and slept deeply. Come morning, they were both awake and Daizi, at least, was in a pretty pleasant mood. Even after a peaceful night, Dark was not a morning person, and he wondered, not for the first time, if they moved Ivy's bedtime back if she would sleep in, and he wouldn't need to wake up ungodly early anymore.
 
The twins were in better moods when they came down earlier than usual, being careful with the carefully folded wrapping paper. They took the paper straight out to the van so nothing would happen to it, and then they came in to eat breakfast. They chatted lightly with Daizi as they ate, Alec packed their lunches, and then they were ready to head out.

They got to the school right about the time they used to when Dark would give them a ride on his way to work. The halls were quiet, and Alec went straight to Sloan's locker to see if anyone had decorated it yet.
 
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