How Green Becomes Wood

"I don't know where Mama came in," Daizi admitted, "Colonialism, I guess, but it's what my family used. It's somewhat common in Egypt and more in North Africa than elsewhere."

Dark poured himself a glass of orange juice, "In a lot of Arab countries we use Ommi."
 
"Ommi?" Alec repeated curiously. He helped himself to some toast. "What does that mean?"

Xander already had a plate full and pocked up some fruit. "Baba," he muttered to himself, smirking. "It's what a sheep says, too. Baa baa. Baba. Abab. Abba?"
 
"It just means mother. Well, 'Omm' is mother, 'Ommi' is the cuter version." Dark explained, reaching over and taking Ivy to let Daizi eat before him.

Daizi made a face at Xander, "Abba is a band. Anyway, in Arabic we say sheeps go meh, not baa. With how strange English is, maybe you're battling the wrong language, habibi."
 
"Ommi is really cute," Alec agreed. "I like it."

Xander shrugged. "Not battling, just having fun with. If I was told that twin was like a broom, I'd totally call him my broomstick. And isn't Abba, like an ah, not an A, father in Hebrew?"

"He would call me a broomstick, too," Alec said, making a face.
 
"It might be," Daizi replied with a shrug.

Dark looked down at Ivy and forced himself to give her the big, unnatural smile he would give her, trying to teach her normal expressions, "What do you think, Hummingbird? Do you like Ommi?" His fake smile faded into a very genuine, tiny, real one, "She is making eye contact for longer than she used to. And soon you are going to start showing off your pretty smile, right? You are not going to make us wait another month? Only three weeks, promise."
 
"I bet we are going to see it," Alec agreed. He ate a second piece of toast. "I'm glad our anniversary of being here is better than our arrival. Remember? It was snowing early, and I twisted my ankle."

"You were a proper English orphan waif collapsing at their doorstep," Xander snickered.
 
"I forced you to read my book on Mothman," Daizi said, "You were trapped in bed and couldn't escape. And Xander," she laughed, "You didn't realize I was blind!"

"And you were still a little bit feral." Dark added, remembering how combative Xander was at the time, "Actually, Spider, I do not know if I told you this, but when I drove them home, the only rule I gave them was to not be mean to you."
 
"Mothman wasn't bad," Alec mused.

Xander pointed his fork at Daizi. "Shouldn't you take that as a compliment, then? It meant you were that darn smooth and graceful and stuff."

"I think we accomplished the not being mean bit," Alec said happily.

"Is that taking your weird speech about her being pretty into account?" Xander mumbled around a bite of toast.

Alec blushed at that.
 
"I was never offended, it was just funny. It had never happened before... But I guess, lots of things happened this year that hadn't before," Daizi replied, realizing only as she spoke how everything that happened those first few days was a sign of all the great and complicated things to come.

"Xander did argue with her over the salt," Dark pointed out, "and I forgot about that speech. I thought you had developed a crush on her."
 
"I did?" Xander asked, having completely forgotten about it. "Well... At least it was just salt. Not her worldview."

Alec sniffed, pretending to be offended. "I would never desire to steal another man's wife! Unless she was really unhappy and wanted to be stolen, in which case, is it really stealing? Anyway, no, I did not have a crush. I merely had no idea how to properly handle certain beliefs and emotions.
 
"Well you did try to tell me my marriage was doomed to fail, if it hadn't already," Daizi remarked, not offended by the old remark, at least not anymore. A year ago she had, admittedly, been a bit upset by it. Although it did beg the question she hadn't asked in a long while, "Do you still think all marriages are doomed to fail?"

Dark nodded, adjusting how he held his daughter, who was the only person at the table whose arrival was more surprising than the twins', and who was watching his face as intently as someone her age could, "No, of course. Although if you were that person, I assure you, your attempts would have failed."
 
"Now I'd ask to define failure," Xander shrugged, not really wanting to talk about that. "But I'd say yours is doing pretty good now. You've even got an heir to the throne!" He indicated Ivy with a syrupy finger.

"Of that, I have no doubt," Alec giggled. "There's no way Daizi would ever leave you, and I don't think you'd ever leave her. If for no other reason than you wouldn't want to give her father the satisfaction." He winked at Dark and helped himself to some fruit.
 
Daizi hummed in response, getting up to wash her hands before taking Ivy back from Dark, so he, finally, could eat his breakfast, "We do, and let it be known, three is enough. I love her, and I loved much about bringing her here, but never again."

"Never again," Dark agreed easily, "and if Daizi and I ever left each other, we would probably just begin a secret affair all over again."

"Well that just sounds like a good time." Daizi laughed, "You should open your presents. They're from me."
 
"Ugh, no, please, you two are too old for a secret affair," Xander groaned.

"Unless you wanted to pretend like your marriage was on the rocks to your friends while you secretly took each other on dates and such," Alec mused.

When Daizi suggested the presents, both twins hurried to wash their hands before picking up the packages. They sat down again, looking them over curiously before carefully unwrapping them.
 
"You are never too old for a secret affair," Dark said solemnly.

"The only reason why we can't do it now is because we have kids, and it'd be hard on the three of you if we seperated just to run around with each other," Daizi said with a sigh, "Otherwise it's just dramatic fun. And the tax break we would get if we pretended to be divorced and filed seperately..." She bumped against Dark's shoulder, and he leaned down to kiss her head while the twins opened their presents. He had gotten them something, too, although it was different, and probably not as impressive of what Daizi had done. But he had taken special time out of his schedule while they were at school for it.
 
"A scarf!" Alec grinned, gently pulling out the multi-colored fabric out of the box and holding it up. "Oh, it's so colorful!" He looked over the design curiously, trying to figure out the pattern. It seemed like the colors were random, but it felt like there was some kind of pattern. If he could just figure it out. Other than the puzzling pattern, it was incredibly soft and warm. He pulled it around his neck and stroked one of the ends.

"Huh. A coat," Xander said holding up his. He ran his hands over the fine leather, marveling at the level of craftsmanship of the article of clothing. He stood up and pulled it on, testing it cautiously. It felt sturdy and really warm, like a hug. A bit stiff, but that would change as he used it. He did it up and stood for a moment moving about with a pleased expression as he tested his mobility.
 
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"It's a temperature scarf," Daizi explained, glad to hear the excitement in his voice, "every colour represents what temperature it was every day you were here for the entire first year. And now, Xander, you don't have an excuse for not wearing something warm when you go outside."

"It looks nice on you, Xander. It makes you look older," Dark commented, pulling a bit on his sleeve, "the gold thread on the scarf seperates the months."

"I love that detail, because I'm able to feel that change! I can't tell the difference in the colours, but the gold feels different from the rest."
 
"Oh! A temperature scarf!" Alec breathed, understanding dawning. He looked over the scarf again, humbled by the effort that must have gone into the making of this scarf. "It's beautiful," he whispered, tears welling up in his eyes. "Beautiful, and so personal. Thank you, Daizi. It's... it's beyond perfect. I might never take it off."

Xander flushed faintly and turned, trying to see himself and how it looked. It felt... different. It felt right. And he couldn't escape the idea that it felt like a hug, like an actual hug. Yet it didn't feel bad. It felt strangely good. Good and very warm inside, so he pulled it off reluctantly, and in doing so, something caught his eye. "What's this?"
 
"I'm glad you like it. And now the two of you will never have to show up waif-like on anyone's doorsteps again, because you'll be able to keep warm." Daizi smiled, so thrilled the gifts went over well, "I had a horse embroidered onto it. I can't buy you an actual one, so it seemed close enough. It's just little so it won't be too dramatic for you. And the arrows beside it are supposed to represent security, like, safety."
 
Xander nodded in approval as he eyed the horse and the arrows, almost uncomfortable with how perfect the gift was. He wished he had something to give them in return. "Thanks. It's really good," he finally said. He folded it up with great care and set it aside so it wouldn't get dirty. It would take him quite a lot of effort to actually wear this coat. What if something happened to it? But not wearing it might be construed as an insult or that he didn't like it. He liked it more than he'd ever be able to say.

Alec, meanwhile, was happily swishing the end of his scarf around and loving it.
 
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