How Green Becomes Wood

Getting Ivy out of the water may have been a battle, but thankfully Daizi was clever and timed bathtime for when Dark was getting home, and the sound of Baba downstairs made Ivy completely forget to be angry about leaving the tub. Then, the miracle was getting Ivy wrapped up and dried in the towel. When she was completely covered and decent, and the frog hood was pulled over her wet hair, she turned Ivy around to face Alec, "We have to take her downstairs to see her Baba, but isn't she so cute fresh out of the bath? She smells so nice."
 
"She is a very special frog," Daizi grinned, kissing Ivy on her cheek as she stood in her soaking wet clothes. God, she loved being a mother. So much of it was difficult, but holding her wiggly baby fresh out of her bath, there was something special about it, because she knew it wouldn't last.

Downstairs, Dark stepped inside, took off his shoes, touched the salt, and remarked to himself how odd it was to be coming home from work again, blissfully unaware of the delicate petals stuck in his dark hair like clouds in the evening sky.
 
Alec smiled as he watched Daizi. "You're really pretty when you love something that hard," he said. "All love is pretty, but you look extra pretty when you love Ivy that hard."

Xander looked up from his homework and looked Dark over. He spotted the petals but said nothing about them. "Mama and Ivy are upstairs," he reported. "Did you hit your head on any flower baskets?"
 
Daizi turned her face away, ruffling Ivy's hair beneath the towel to dry it. "Stop," She said lightly, making her self sound almost like she was teasing, but it did still bother her. Despite knowing what he meant, she still didn't feel... She knew what pretty meant, and she knew who she was.

Dark exhaled through his nose, "No, I was not hitting my head on flower baskets... I was destroyed my back bending in half all day. The shop is built like a doll house."
 
Alec frowned at her and shook his head. For being so open-minded in many other ways, she sure was closed-minded about other things. "Ba is home," he said instead. He started down the stairs. "Ivh is going to be delighted."

"Don't know why you went," Xander commented. "It's just more pain for you."
 
"I heard," Daizi replied, "and so did she. That's why she was willing to get out so soon. Come on, sweetheart, let's go put you back in a diaper and then go see Baba, yeah? Does that sound good?"

Dark shrugged his shoulders, "I do not know. Daizi wanted me to. So I went, and he was having some minor troubles. So I stayed. I am not in control of my own life."
 
"Oh I was planning on it," Daizi promised, heading back to the nursery, because a completely naked baby was a ticking time bomb.

"It really was not so bad, though. It is probably for the best I occasionally speak with people not in my immediate circle. I do not enjoy speaking to people, but we all must make sacrifices for our health."
 
Alec headed downstairs while Daizi dressed Ivy.

Xander grunted and closed up his homework. "I don't know why. I'm quite happy never speaking to anyone outside of my circle."

"Hi, Ba. How did it go?" Alec asked timidly.
 
"I am happy without doing so, yet you have before teased me for only having one friend." Dark replied with a mild glint in his eyes, "It went well. It's probably ultimately a good thing I was able to help him."
 
"Yeah, but you're easy to tease," Xander remarked as he finished picking up his books.

"Thank you for going to help him. I didn't expect it," Alec said quietly. "I hope he's not upset with me."
 
"Oh, good. I'm sorry to have made extra work for you both," Alec said quietly.

Xander gave a little snort but quickly silenced himself. He stood up and looked only at Dark as he said, "I'm putting this stuff away." He turned and headed upstairs, careful to not look at Alec as he passed.
 
Although his initial inclination was to wave off Alec's concern, Dark knew he was being punished for a reason, and therefore said, "His buisness is okay, but I hope it stops you from doing it again."

Daizi drifted downstairs, "Look! There's Baba! I know, you've missed him so much!"

Turning, Dark turned, delighted by the sight of his frog daughter, "Did someone have a little bath?"
 
"Yes, sir," Alec said meekly. Then he smiled at Dark's reaction. "No, she had a big bath. And so did Mama, and so did the bathroom."

Xander paused and came back down the stairs long enough to murmur to Daizi, "Flowers in the hair." Then he headed upstairs to put his stuff away.
 
"I can see that," Dark mused, seeing how soaked the front of Daizi's clothes were. It was... a little endearing the way the damp fabric clung to her. But there were children around, so he tried not to focus on it. Anyway, he needed to hold Ivy and give her the big hug she deserved, "Was it fun, my darling girl? It was? How special!"

Daizi grinned, delighted to know Dark came home with flowers in his hair. As Dark said hello to his baby, Daizi quietly reached up and ran her fingers through his hair, seeking them.
 
Alec watched them for a bit, feeling awkward, but he didn't really want to go to his room. It looked like Daizi was about to play "find the flower petals" with Dark's hair, though, so he finally turned and went into the kitchen. Might as well give them some space, and it was time for dinner, anyway.
 
Daizi teased her husband as she plucked out every last petal from his hair, and he argued weakly against it as though he did not adore her fussing over and mocking him. After she deemed him free to leave, Daizi let him spend some time with Ivy while she left to cook dinner.
 
Alec eagerly helped Daizi with dinner. Business kept his mind off of other things and kept him from spiraling into anxiety and depression. It wouldn't last forever, but at least for now things could pretend to be better. They'd get better in time with work.
 
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