How Green Becomes Wood

Dark came home at his usual time, pretty much unaware of what had been going on. The broad strokes he knew, and he had learned a bit of the details between Sloan and Crystal's history back when it was all happening, but the intricacies of how it was really affecting them all hadn't made its way to him during the school day, "Hello," he said, as he always did, and seeing Xander in the living room he went over to great him, "How was school?"
 
Xander looked up, relieved to see Dark but quickly hiding it. "It was alright. Kind of weird. You know. High school. I have to try to memorize like fifteen names for history, and half of them start with the letter J. Not cool. How was work?"
 
"Very similar. I have to teach about fifteen or so names for history, and I would estimate fifty percent of them begin with the letter J." It wasn't accurate, but he felt comfortable enough with the twins to not be able to resist making the joke. Sitting near Xander, because he didn't want to come home and immediately start cooking he said, "I do the mirror image of what you and your brother do. But I do not miss being on your side of it."
 
Xander snorted. "I don't know which is worse. Trying to learn something you don't care about even when you try, or trying to teach something important and getting whose that don't care to learn." He set down his pencil and stretched back. "I get that it's important, but it's so boring! Why are the dates and exact names so important? And why do we only learn about the big shots? Why can't we learn about the guy who is famous today as being the earliest conman we know about because he kept all of his hate mail? That sounds a lot more interesting than some king sitting on his tush!"
 
"I still get paid regardless of if my students learn or not. So it is probably worse for you, although on the other hand, I still have to make an effort, I cannot just sneak a nap in the back of the classroom." He replied, attempting to be fair to both sides of the equation, "And we focus on major events in History class, because it gives you a feel for the periods of history. If a period interests you, and you start learning more, that is when you look things up on your own and find the actually fun details. In class you talk about Napoleon Bonaparte, and you will discuss how he attempted to invade Russia in Winter, which was stupid, or about how he was exiled, twice, or maybe talk about Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace or about now Bonaparte was not technically French. And then if that caught your attention enough, you can do research on your own to find out we still have his embalmed penis, because after death it was cut off and sent to a priest," Dark shrugged, "Or if you are more interested in the Middle Ages you can learn that one of the men who frequently rode with and saved Joan of Arc's life also is a convicted serial child murderer. But you do not know to look for those things unless you are aware of the bigger events happening at the time."
 
"His embalmed penis?" Xander repeated quietly, staring at Dark as if unsure if he believed what he just heard. He shook himself. "I guess that makes sense, but in our class, we don't talk about it with any kind of interest. It's like Professor Binns' class in Harry Potter. Just... boring numbers and statistics." He shook his head. "Your class was way more interesting even when it was still boring. At least now you don't have to worry about having me in your class and making trouble. Anyway, what's for dinner? Can I help?"
 
"The man who ended up buying it in the 70s also helped on JFK's autopsy," Dark replied, glad to see he had correctly predicted Xander's reaction to that little fact, "I will take that compliment. I know your teacher, obviously, and I might have warned you about what you were in for, but I thought it would make it worse. But it may frighten you to learn I've had worse professors. I took a class on American in the mid-1800s when I was in college, taught by a man who looked like he lived through it, and we spent about a month on the intricacies of whaling, which I have promptly forgotten, and the day we spoke about the Essex was the only moment the entire semester I felt like my brain was not melting."

When Xander asked about dinner, Dark sighed and checked his watch, seeing it was probably about time to get started, and after telling Xander what the plan was, said, "Yes, you can help. Come on,"
 
Xander started picking up his books and putting them away. "You know, history should be interesting. It's got all the makings of a billion really good stories. I mean, you've got people getting chucked out of windows and getting beheaded! That should be interesting. Instead, it's like they try to make it as boring as they possibly can." He tucked his books into a corner and followed Dark into the kitchen. "No offense, but I don't want your job. I'd start throwing things at the kids, and you don't get paid enough to care."
 
"History is interesting," Dark countered, "you just need to find what aspects of it interest you. Personally, I find war history extremely boring. It is all numbers and, 'the terrain was this big, which bad for that side because the other side had this number of this thing and this many people died,' but I have met many people who are only interested in that history and plan entire vacations based around what battle sites they can visit. They are all just fields. I met one man, once, who got angry about an Emmett Till movie that was about to be released because 'they should really be making more movies about the world wars.' Although that man was also racist. But, you are right, I do not get paid enough, which is why I am very excited to get to go on leave for a few months."
 
"How can we know history is interesting if it isn't made even remotely interesting while being taught?" Xander countered. "If I only had Binns as a teacher, I'd never be interested in any aspect of history at all to dig into it myself. It's only because of you i care even a smidgen. It's one of those halfway, both, kind of things, isn't it?"
 
"No, I agree. And I appreciate that you care enough about me to want to try even at all. But that is why I try to make my class more enjoyable than a lobotomy. But not everybody wants to put in the effort, especially if you've been working somewhere for as long as your teacher has. But I've heard talk they're retiring soon, which is good news for me."
 
"Makes sense. Sad, though." Xander glanced at Dark. "Why is that good news for you, though?" He handed Dark the measuring cups. "Does that give you a raise or something? Take over their class? Become Lord and Master of all History in the school?"
 
"They are head of the history department. And they are not retiring until the end of the school year, so I will be back from leave, perfectly placed to, essentially, yes, become Lord and Master of all history--oh, thank you--in the school. And then I would also get a raise, because I would have more responsibility. " Dark began premeasuring what he could for the first steps, and then let Xander know what he could get started on. By then, the two of them had been cooking together for long enough, though, that the amount of direction he needed to give Xander had significantly dwindled.
 
"Smooth ladder climbing," Xander approved.

After a while of focusing on cooking, he built up the courage to ask a question. "So... what happens with the mini and all that... after your leave is up?"
 
"I go back to work and Daizi stays home with her," Dark replied, "she is going on leave, too. And after hers is over, she is going to transition to remote working until the baby is weaned, or is at least a year old, if she is weaned earlier. We do not want to put her into day care too early, and we do not have much family stateside who can watch her during the day. Cooger will take her when he can, but if he has a job, it is not really a safe environment for a baby. But the museum has a day care for employees, so Daizi will take her into the city with her, and she'll probably go to pre-school and kindergarten there, since both of those are only part of the day, and that brings us to five years old or so, which means we have a good few years before we need to decide if she is going to go to grade school here or there."
 
"Why don't one of you stay home instead of put her into daycare?" Xander asked. "I mean, I guess not everyone has a choice, and different places are different, but the few memories I have of daycare when we were four... miserable."

"Because they couldn't afford that, even as expensive as daycare is, probably," Alec said, coming in, "and she would go absolutely insane without mental stimulation from her work. Right?" He looked at Dark. "Welcome home."
 
"We probably could afford it," Dark said, turning to greet Alec with his little barely-there smile, "but Daizi would never be happy as a stay-at-home mom, and it would be very difficult for her, since she cannot drive. I do not think either of us have thought much about being a stay-at-home parent, I suppose. I do not talk about my work as much as Daizi does, but even though students do not appreciate it, I do enjoy what I do. I think there is meaning in it, and it has let me help kids the way I was never really helped." He shrugged, "Not just you two. I have had hundreds of students in my ten years. It is good to see you, Alec, how was school?"
 
"What, we aren't the only shining stars in the night sky of your career? I'm jealous," Xander smirked.

"Quite poetic," Alec remarked. "School was alright. Do you need any help?"

"Nah, I think we got everything here, but you could set the table and make sure the flowers are still nice," Xander suggested.

Alec nodded and moved to do that.
 
Dark kept his eye on Alec as he went about setting the table, leaving his own task aside for a few moments. It was obvious something wasn't right with him. He could feel the weight of it, and the weight of the silence between them, because Alec didn't mention it at all. It was odd from the moment he came home that Alec, who normally showed the enthusiasm of their dog, did not come to say hello when he had come home. Sure, generally speaking, he wasn't as excited to see his foster-father as he was to see his foster-mother, but Dark was never confounded by that. Who wouldn't be happier to see Daizi than they would be to see him? She was a goddess. But the fact he had only just slunk in and spoke sparingly... He would need to catch him alone to talk to him.

But for the moment, he said, "I think Daizi and I are going to go out Friday night, are you both okay with handling dinner? We are both very okay with delaying it a week if it would be easier on you both."
 
Alec looked up and smiled at Dark. "That sounds lovely! We don't mind. We can easily handle things, right, Xander?"

"Sure, the one who can actually burn water makes the promises," Xander said dryly. "Yeah, that's fine," he told Dark with a nod. "We can handle things fine. Oh, I forgot, there was a package on the front steps. It didn't look special, so I don't think it's the... seven-month celebration thingy, but I put it on the table in the living room."
 
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