How Green Becomes Wood

"Everything is too small for me," He sighed, crossing his arms, "you should see me in standard public pools. Most are only about 5 feet deep in the deep end. Can you imagine? I have had nothing but waist-deep water."

He glanced beyond the machines at Xander and Declan, relieved to see they seemed to be having a decent time and then, leaning against the machine, asked, "How are you doing, Alec? Has today been good? Has... he been good?"
 
Alec turned his attention to the song list and started pushing the arrow to make it scroll without actually looking at the names. He didn't really care, but it was something to do. "I don't think I like arcades, but they are alright. I wouldn't mind coming if Xander wanted to come back." He glanced toward his brother once more. "He seems to get along with Xander. That's nice. He's not a father, but he's... alright. I suppose."
 
"I do not really like arcades either," Dark replied, still watching the other two from a distance, "I like carnival games, but I am not sure how I feel about loud enclosed spaces like this. They make me itchy. Or maybe I am just distracted. It is good he and Xander get along, although..." No, it wasn't right to express his concerns to the kids, he shouldn't put those ideas into his head, "I am glad he is trying to engage you. I suppose things could be worse, he seems sort of like a fun uncle, sort of like Cooger in the way he approaches you both, but not really. Cooger likes arcades, though. But Cooger likes almost anything."
 
Alec stopped scrolling through the songs and glanced about as if to make certain someone hadn't managed to miraculously appear next to them in the last few seconds. "To tell the truth... I think I'd rather be here with Cooger," he admitted. It was not a secret that he and Cooger were not exactly bosom buddies, at least not yet. Alec tended to hang back and stay out of Cooger's way while Xander tried to pick fights with him, usually in a friendly way, or tried to pick his brain about this or that strange thing. Maybe Xander actually liked Cooger, or maybe he was just a distraction Alec could hide behind.
 
"He would be glad to hear that. Cooger likes you, both of you. He has never wanted to be a father himself, but he has always loved kids. He calls you 'the sage,' did you know that? He started calling Xander 'the gladiator' after he was suspended, and he felt bad he did not have a good nickname for you, and figured if gladiators are loud and rush into battle, then since you seem more pensive and cautious he needed to pick an archetype which fit that. I have never met someone who loves nicknames more," He smiled slightly, "He is who first christened her 'Tarot,' by the way."
 
"I'm a sage?" Alec smiled to himself. "A sage. I like that. A lot. I don't think I've ever had a nickname before. Other than 'Alexander,' but I don't think that counts since people call Xander that sometimes, too. Who gave Cooger his nickname? Or is Cooger his real name?"
 
"Cooger is his surname. He played sports growing up, where you are only ever called by your surname. His full name is Jasper Caleb Cooger, but he thinks 'Jasper,' does not fit him. He is not like me, he does not mind people using his first name. I think most people call him Cooger, some people call him, 'J.C.,' and I have met at least once person who calls him 'Jaz,'" Dark explained, knowing his friend well enough to know it wouldn't be an issue to share that information. Then, after double checking there was no way for Declan to overhear him said, "You will sort of get a nickname once the baby is old enough to start talking--she will not be able to say 'Alec' right away, so she will find some version of it she will end up calling you for at least a year."
 
Last edited:
Alec smiled. "I hope it's not Al. I don't like the name Al, but if that's all she can say for a while, I can stand it. Hopefully she'll think of a really good nickname for me."

Declan and Xander's game ended, and they came over to Dark and Alec. "There you two are!" Declan grinned. "How goes the dancing?"

"Really well!" Alec smiled. He held up his long string of tickets proudly.

"Hey, little man, very nice!" Declan said, holding up a hand for a high five.

Alec hesitated only a moment before giving him one. "How did you do?"

"I think the game's broken," Xander said, looking a little bewildered as he held up the ridiculously long string that had to be doubled over to hold it properly. "I didn't think it was possible to get this many."

Declan cackled. "It is if you know how to game the game!"
 
"I hope she does not call you Al either, but we will see what she comes up with. And it will be funny to hear what she does with Xander." He exhaled sharply, amused, and then faded back down when Xander and Declan came back.

Dark was about to make a comment about how they must have played really well to earn so many tickets when Declan made his comment about gaming the system, then he frowned, "This is a locally owned and operated arcade, not one of those massive franchises."
 
Declan shrugged, amused. "It's not like I hacked into it or anything. Just showed the kid how the gun sight has a list to the left. Dunno if it's on purpose or just happens over time, but you gotta aim more to the left if you want to hit your actual target."

Xander nodded quickly. "It was nothing serious, Professor. Just a couple of tweaks. I bet if we could tell the manager he'd get the sight thing sorted out or leave a note on the machine."

"Exactly," Declan agreed. "Or a note for whoever plays next. Just to make sure it's fair." He turned away and said, "Hey, who's ready for pizza? I'm starving!"
 
He still didn't like it, but agreed to let it go, momentarily wishing he could take a drink every time he silently agreed to let something go, although not seriously, "Okay, we can go eat. I will pay." He was glad Xander and Alec were having a good time, but he wanted to go home. He was, at his core, an introvert, and this was a lot of engagement with someone he didn't like very much.

At the same time, he tried to remind himself, Declan was being okay. He was getting to know at least one of the twins he had sired, so he couldn't be too critical. It was what it was. And Xander was at least honest enough to consider telling the manager--it wasn't like they were going to be destroyed by one afternoon.
 
"Nah, man, I can pay," Declan said as they walked. "No worries, I got this."

"I'm getting pineapple on mine if I can," Alec told Xander.

"You never eat the pineapple," Xander pointed out.

"No, but I like the flavor it leaves," Alec said.

The pizza was reasonably priced with slices or whole pizzas on option with several premade and waiting to be picked from. The more specialty ones had to be made from scratch. Xander just wanted a pepperoni slice, and Alec was able to get his pineapple piece but with ham. He readily accepted the ham. Declan got the supreme and the largest soda option they had.
 
"No, I insist," Dark replied, a bit firmly. As soon as he was able to start affording to pay for others, the only time he allowed someone to pay was if they beat him to the check, and this was no exception. Anyway, he was certain his family income was higher than Declan's, but that actually had nothing to do with it.

He ordered two slices of sausage and pepper pizza, knowing perfectly well only two slices would leave him a bit hungry, but he didn't want to eat his full necessary amount around someone he did not know well. While they waited for their food, he turned to the twins and said, "You should count how many tickets you have for when you go to select your prizes again. It looks like you have a lot."
 
They set to it, carefully counting out their tickets and messing each other up constantly. Declan counted his out, too, and broke off several of them, dividing them between the twins.

"Here, I really only want the shirt," he told them. "You guys should take the extras."

"Are you sure?" Alec asked, wide-eyed.

"Of course! I can't get a lot of extra baggage because of how I travel," Declan assured them. "It'd be annoying more than fun, but if you guys want to have it and think it'll be fun, you should get it."

"I want to get a lava lamp and that giant slinky," Alec decided.

"That leaves you with a ton leftover," Xander pointed out. "I'm going to get that weird bulldog toy and a giant snake for Daizi. I think it'll crack her up. Or maybe something else she'd like."

"We still have some left," Alec said.

"Candy?" Xander suggested.

Alec smiled. "Candy!"

Xander turned to Dark. "Are you sure you don't want anything and spare us the sugar high?"
 
Dark's eyes slightly crinkled at the corners hearing Xander's intention to get something for Daizi, "I am sure she would love the snake. And..." It was difficult, because he did think that stuffed deer would be nice in the nursery, and her certainly didn't love the idea of them eating that much candy, but it was a fine line to walk, considering who else was at the table, so, choosing his words carefully he said, "you are welcome to bring home as much candy as you like, although it may hasten your next trip to the dentist. There is an item which might... go nicely in the room we are renovating, but... We have not started anything yet, and I am sure I could find it, or something similar, elsewhere."
 
"Which one?" both twins asked instantly, their eyes on him.

Declan gave Dark an odd look but didn't say anything as their pizza arrived at the table.

Once the waitress left, Alec asked, "Was it one of those little owl plushies?"

"Maybe the bat," Xander guessed.
 
"The deer. Daizi already has the bat." He said, rubbing the back of his neck and then fiddling with his wedding ring, "You know how... Enkidu, our dog, is not particularly destructive and likes to cuddle. I thought he might like it. He is always stealing Daizi's."

Dark knew his wife, after being informed of this lie, was going to both find it amusing and also never let him live it down. To Declan, he doubled down and said, "We have a German shepherd, and we thought it might be nice to set up one of the rooms explicitly for him. He has issues with thunder, so we were talking and decided on a nice, safe space." Eventually they would need to tell Declan the truth, if he remained in their lives, but not yet. They didn't owe him that truth, or anything.
 
Xander frowned and started to say something, but Alec gave a twitch, and Xander's mouth snapped shut.

"The deer would be perfect!" Alec agreed.

"A whole room for a dog? I guess you do have the space for it, so, why not?" Declan agreed then bit into his pizza.

Alec smiled angelically, though Xander still looked a little puzzled. The puzzlement disappeared as he started eating his slice, and for a moment, everything was quiet. Even the bleeps and blips of the machines were muffled and far away. Alec was the first to speak, first patting his mouth neatly with his napkin.

"Declan, how were you with our mother?" he asked.

Declan choked and coughed for a moment, grabbing a drink from his soda.
 
"Well, we also have some pet rats who have been crammed into a different room, so we figure, why not expand there space too." He gave a quick look to the twins to make sure they wouldn't share the secret, and seeing Xander's confusion, tried to signal that he would explain later.

Then Alec asked his question, and Dark slightly pressed his lips together, knowing he no longer needed to worry about his secret getting out, and instead turned to look at Declan to wait for his response. For his part, he wasn't particularly unnerved by it, and was mostly just impressed that Alec had the guts to ask.
 
"Wow, going for the jugular right out of the gate," Declan said hoarsely as he caught his breath. "Here I was thinking Xander was the cheeky one." He cleared his throat and sat up a bit more. "It's not something I like talking about, but I guess you guys have a right to know."

"I'd say of all the people in the world, we've got the most right," Xander said dryly.

Declan sighed, looking down at the table. "Well, I've got a lot of hindsight to benefit me now, and I can say we shouldn't have been together. We weren't good together. We were on again and off again boyfriend and girlfriend basically since the start of junior year, and we fought a lot. I do mean a lot. Looking back, we should have stayed split apart, but I guess I just couldn't take the idea of, I don't know, losing, I guess."

"Losing what?" Xander frowned.

"Good question. I've got no effing idea," Declan admitted. "Teens are just stupid that way, I guess, no offense."

The twins shrugged. No one needed to tell them how stupid teens could be.

"Anyway, we kept talking ourselves into trying again. And again. And again. I think our friends ran bets on how long our status would last each time. She was kind of obsessed, and I didn't want to give up, but we were awful together. We had some good times, too, but most of it was fighting about the most random of shit. She broke up with me once because of the shirt I was wearing."
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top