How Green Becomes Wood

After letting Xander know he was there, Dark moved closer to him again, although not as close as he had been, "I do not know... and no I absolutely do not, but, you just... Went somewhere. It is okay, and I will not pry." He shrugged, but didn't move further away. If Xander wanted to leave, he would let him, but Dark was going to stay right there, even if Xander didn't want to say anything.

Daizi swayed with him, slightly, and when the song end she didn't immediately pull away, "Thank you for singing with me," she said, after a few moments had passed. She wanted to help him off the table, but didn't want to end the moment too soon. It was special, and she knew she'd never forget it. She loved him, and his brother, so much. Once more, she reached up to fix his hair, and she just beamed at him. Both she and Dark had more or less entirely forgotten about Declan.
 
Xander looked down, tense, but didn't move away from Dark. He didn't know what to say or how to respond. He wasn't even sure he knew what Dark meant. No, he was pretty sure he knew. He just didn't want to know. He didn't want to talk about it. Or think about it. Or feel it. Thankfully, the song ended before he could dwell too much on what he didn't want to think about. He looked up and almost applauded out of habit, but no one else was, so he stopped himself.

Alec leaned down and hugged Daizi gently. "Thank you, Daizi," he whispered, and he meant for more than just the song. He pulled away gently and hopped down.

"That was a good song," Declan said, reminding everyone he was there. "You're both good singers, too, but damn was that melancholy."
 
When Alec thanked her, Daizi refused to accept a gentle hug, and instead squeezed him tightly, "Of course."

Dark kept his eyes lightly on Xander, but made sure to occasionally look away so it didn't feel like he was staring holes into the kid. When Declan called the song melancholy, at last Dark perceived him again, and said, not argumentatively, "I thought it was sweet."

Daizi went and sat by him, knowing he had changed places because he spoke, "Okay, somebody else has to sing now, I think I'm a bit worn out. How much time do we have left?"
 
Declan checked his watch. "We have about forty-five minutes until it's time to pack it in."

"I'll sing!" Alec said eagerly, taking the song list. "What should I sing?"

"Sing a happy tune, would you?" Xander grumbled.

"How about Don't Stop Believing?" Declan grinned. "That's always a fun one."

Alec instantly cued up the requested song and started singing earnestly and heartily, enjoying every note. Declan hummed along, leaned back with his drink and waving a finger along to the tune. Xander was aware of Dark watching him but did nothing about it. He was already starting to relax as he watched his brother's antics. This place wasn't so bad. At least no one was making him sing anymore.
 
"Be sure to drink some water. You do not want to dry out your throat," Dark said. He wasn't a singer, but his job was basically just talking all day, so he had learned the importance of hydration long ago. He backed off on watching Xander quite so closely after noticing him relax.

Instead, he turned back towards his wife and settled back into her arms. She really was lovely, and watching her sing with Alec was beautiful. Eventually Daizi would get up and sing another song so that it wasn't just Alec performing for them all night. She found it particularly amusing to sing "Take on Me" and joking about what Dark's deep voice would sound like if he went for the high note, and in response he joked that puberty actually raised his voice. Respecting his dignity, Daizi didn't mention how vividly she remembered some of his voice cracks, although by the time they met, his voice had already deepened significantly.

Neither of them knew about Xander's relief that coming here would mean less talking, but they certainly agreed with his sentiment. They got to sit together and eat finger food, Daizi and Alec got to have fun singing... All in all, it was a pretty nice day back. And also Declan was there too, they supposed.
 
Declan eventually took another crack at singing, doing a rather decent version of "Sultan's of Swing," which was thankfully shortened for the purposes of karaoke, and after Alec had had one last crack with "Piano Man." Then it was time to close up and be done.

Alec was practically bouncing as they moved toward the door. "Thank you very much for this. This was awesome!" he crowed to Declan.

Declan grinned at Alec. "Sure, short stuff. That was pretty cool, wasn't it? And you!" He turned his attention to Xander. "You had a pretty good time, right? You got a decent voice."

Xander glanced at Declan, making sure he was out of patting range. "Yeah, it was pretty cool."

"Maybe we should do something different, like maybe a shooting range," Declan suggested. "I don't have a gun, but it's good to keep your hand in."

"I really don't like guns," Alec said.

"What about you?" Declan asked Xander, barely glancing toward Alec.

Xander shrugged. "Not my thing. Too loud, too pointless unless you live somewhere with wild animals."

"Fair enough," Declan chuckled. "Well, we'll think of something else soon. For now, time to head back to the motel. See you all later!"
 
Dark was visibly relieved when they didn't want to go to a shooting range. He couldn't be around guns, and it wasn't like Daizi could be much use at a shooting range--with the hearing protection and her blindness, there wouldn't be much point of her being there at all. He wasn't sure what he would have done if they had wanted to go. Send Cooger with, he supposed, because there was no way he could survive walking into a shooting range.

His own temporary concerns about Declan taking them shooting was not enough to make Dark miss how Declan had so quickly overlooked Alec. Daizi, although she couldn't see him, heard how quickly he had asked Xander instead, but she just smiled and said, "Well, I'm sure we'll find something. Until next time, Declan," and then as they headed to their car she sighed happily and said, "Babe will you turn on the heated seat when we're in the car? My back is sore. You know," She turned towards the twins, "You two were really something special tonight. I'm so glad you had fun."
 
"Us? You were fabulous!" Alec grinned, leaning forward in his seat.

"That was exhausting," Xander groaned, slumping in his seat. "Can we not do that again soon?"

Alec giggled. "You did really well, Xander. Thank you."

Xander lapsed into a quiet bout of grumbling to himself but didn't seem quite as annoyed.

Alec leaned forward and touched Daizi's shoulder lightly. "Have you thought about massage for your back? I've seen some spas advertising for pregnancy massages. That might make you feel better."
 
"I agree it was exhausting," Daizi chuckled, sinking into her seat and for the first time in three hours touching her bump, "the baby liked it when I sang. Everytime it was cartwheels... and I'm so proud of you, Goose, you were so brave."

Dark glanced at her, and wasn't entirely sure how to reply, so he just softly mumbled, "I hope not to be asked to sing again... and I do not like it when he calls me 'Big Guy.'"

"I love you," She whispered before turning around towards Alec, "Dark will rub my back when we get home, and I know of those kinds of places, but I'll probably hold off for a little while. I'll only be getting bigger, so I can't run to a spa everytime my back hurts or else I'd be there daily," She laughed.

"You should go before we go away for the weekend," Dark suggested as he reached over to also lay a hand on her middle. In response, she put her hand over his, and moved it over to where the baby was lingering, but it was too soon for him to feel anything, much to his disappointment.
 
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"I don't see much wrong with being at a spa daily," Alec grinned, settling back in his seat.

Xander grunted. "Weird smells and people touching you over and over. It does not sound like fun to me."

Alec yawned. "That's because you never relax. Not really," he said tiredly, but still happy. Now that the adrenaline was wearing off, he was crashing hard. He nestled back into the seat. "You relax more."

Xander grunted and, unable to help himself, yawned after Alec. In no time at all, they were both keeled over and sound asleep.
 
Not too long in the drive home, Dark glanced over at his wife, and then back at his twins, and saw that all three were asleep. It wasn't particularly unexpected. He turned the music down low and drove home in the quiet, doing his best to avoid every little pothole and bump so as to not wake any of them.

When he parked at home, he had an issue. There were three of them. He knew at the very least he could carry Daizi inside without waking her up, and it'd be no problem to then return for the twins... but he wasn't sure if it would be weird. He was strong enough to carry them, certainly, but he didn't know how deeply they slept, and either way they'd wake up in the morning knowing they had been moved. Alec probably wouldn't mind, but Xander would.

Dark flipped off the button that turned the lights in the car on when someone opened a door, and then quietly exited the car and opened Xander's door. He squatted down, so that Xander wouldn't wake up to a shadowy figure staring down at him, and said softly, without touching the teen, "Hey... Xander... we are home."
 
Xander jolted like he'd been electrocuted, twisting and jerking away from the touch before his eyes were even open. His seatbelt constricted around his chest. He was tied! Why was he- oh. Car. He blinked blearily, heart thundering in his chest, and peered at Dark. "Huh? Oh. Home." He rubbed his hands over his face and stretched with a mighty yawn, still a little shaky from the sudden rush of adrenaline, but calmer now.

"Who?" Alec mumbled fuzzily, stirring at Xander's thrashing.

"Home," Xander told him, his voice low.

"Okay." Alec waited until Xander stiffly exited the car then crawled across the seats after him. They hadn't even been asleep that long, but it was enough to feel disoriented and fuzzy-headed. They stood in the driveway for a moment before starting for the house.
 
Dark stood, brushing off his pants, and closed the car door after the twins. Then he went around to the front passenger side door and reached in, unbuckling Daizi's seatbelt and just carried her inside, knowing she would stir slightly, but knowing who she was with, would let herself fall back asleep. One day, Daizi knew, her husband would get old and wouldn't be able to carry her anymore, but then he was still strong and capable, so she was going to make the most of it.

Dark never thought about the future when he went and scooped her up. He just knew he was able to carry her, so he would. They had fed and walked Enkidu before going out, so he was able to just lay her in bed, take off her shoes and unhook her bra, before getting ready for bed himself.

Then, come morning, she was both well rested and grateful. At breakfast, she came happily down the stairs, dressed for her appointment, excited for how big of a day it was.
 
The twins came down a short while later. Xander had been dressing a little nicer the past month or so - nicer for him translating only the knees of his jeans were ripped and his shirts sometimes had sleeves - but today he had reverted a little to his old style of tatters held together by lightweight chains and large safety pins. He hadn't done anything with his shaggy, ear-length hair, meaning it was all over the place. Alec, on the other hand, had dressed up in layers of colors that actually went together - it was a blue and red theme today - including purple eyeliner, and he'd somehow managed to gel his hair so it spiked downward.

"Professor! How did I do?" he asked Dark, going over and indicating the eyeliner. It was slightly smudgy, but a good deal better than he used to be able to do.

Xander slouched into his chair. "You look like you belong on an episode of Teletubbies featuring Greenday," he grumbled.

"You look like a metal detector's worst nightmare crossed with Oscar the Grouch," Alec shot back before looking up at Dark.
 
"Play nice," Daizi laughed into her tea. She was in a cotton pinafore dress Dark had recently bought her, without telling her it was from a maternity store, over a simple white shirt, so it would be easy to partially undress for the ultrasound later. It was good to hear the twins bicker slightly.

Dark bent down to check Alec's eyeliner, and hummed in approval, "I think that is the best you have ever done," He could go in with a cotton swab and clean it up a bit, Dark thought, but it wasn't definitely necessary and wanted Alec to feel good, "I have been meaning to ask, have you two been cutting your own hair? Would you like me to take you somewhere professional?"
 
Alec glowed with pride at Dark's compliment. He had done well! Then, at Dark's question, he reached up and touched one of the spiky tips curiously. It nearly reached his shoulder. "I haven't cut my hair in a long time," he admitted.

"I slice and dice mine when it gets in my eyes," Xander said. "I guess it could look better. Should it?"

"It's for health, not just looks," Alec replied. "Right, Professor?" He bounced over to Daizi and gave her a quick hug before sliding into his usual seat. "It's so-" His voice cracked suddenly, and Alec stopped in shock. What had just happened?
 
"Well, health in that if you hack at it with blunt scissors you get split ends which over time will make your hair look fuzzy, but if you are content then--" Dark also stopped at the sound of Alec's voice crack and Daizi squeaked, biting her lip to keep from laughing.

Standing up, she went to her electric kettle, "Here, let me make you some tea, habibi, you probably just sang more than just your heart out last night."

For his part, Dark wasn't entirely sure what to say. Alec was fifteen, and Dark hadn't really inquired into... certain aspects of health, since that time he asked if they were shaving yet, so he wasn't sure what the cause of the voice crack was, or what sort of questions he should ask.
 
Xander just snickered and ran a hand through his hair, making it even more frizzy and spiky.

"Tea sounds delicious," Alec said, pronouncing the words with great caution. He didn't want to even think about what would happen if he lost his voice. Because that must be what was happening, right? He just figured all the boys around him constantly had cracking and breaking voices because no one in the lower end of high school seemed to know how to talk without SCREAMING all the time. It could not be good on the voice.

"Why can't you play barber?" Xander asked Dark suddenly.
 
"Because I am not a cosmetologist?" Dark replied, confused by the question, "If you had a beard I could help with that, and when you start growing facial hair I will have to--although I hope I can without shaving mine--but I do not cut my own hair, I go every eight weeks to my barber."

"I get my hair cut twice a year, Dark keeps trying to get me to go more often," Daizi said, bringing Alec chamomile tea she had stirred honey into.

Dark leaned against the counter and looked at her, "That is because it is insane how infrequently you cut your hair. The fact it took me years to convince you to go more than once a year is absurd."
 
"Why would you need to go more than once a year if you want your hair long?" Alec asked, confused. "I think Daizi's hair is possibly her best feature."

Xander huffed and leaned back in his chair. "If it's just a trim, then how hard can it be to get a pair of really sharp scissors and just nip the ends a bit until you get the length you want? And the split bits off."
 
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