How Green Becomes Wood

"No, not really. I'd like to spend time with the two of you, but we didn't, like... schedule anything. There didn't seem a need," She smiled at him, "Whatever you want to do."

Dark was in the nursery, still awake, but he looked like he was probably in the process of falling asleep. Still, he was very softly singing to her, as if she was the only other person alive.
 
"It's probably hard to really do much of anything with a tiny baby, so... I dunno. I guess we could watch a movie together and maybe play some games?" Xander suggested uncertainly. He still wasn't very good with this "family time" thing. He wanted to try to meet Daizi and Dark half way, but he wasn't sure how. So, he finished washing the dishes, dried them, and put them away.

Alec hesitated just outside the doorway of the nursery. Watching Dark, he was torn. If he did as Daizi asked, he would wake Dark up. If he didn't, then Dark might think he was left out and forgotten. But Dark needed his rest, even if it wasn't a full sleep. Daizi would understand that. But the cookie was still warm! Still, maybe he should leave Dark for now. But he didn't want Dark to think he'd been forgotten.
 
"I know she makes a lot of things difficult," Daizi admitted, and was surprised to find saying so didn't make her feel ashamed, "a movie would be nice. You wouldn't guess it, but Dark has been dying to show the two of you The Lord of the Rings. It doesn't really seem like his kind of movie, but he really enjoys it."

Dark yawned, not immediately noticing Alec had peeked in, he was very focused on his baby. It looked like he was fighting sleep, because everytime he would start to nod off he would shake himself awake again, but it wasn't stubbornness. He knew it was dangerous to fall asleep holding a baby--what if he dropped her?--but the thought of getting up to lay her down sounded terrible when he was just so tired and actually in a comfortable position.
 
"I'm not into that nerdy stuff, but I guess I could give it a try," Xander agreed with a shrug. It was a special day, so why not? "Will that be around dinner time?"

Alec finally made a decision and tiptoes into the room. "Here, let me lay her down," he said softly as he set the cookie aside. "She can sleep next to you." He looked around for a blanket but didn't pick it up yet, figuring he could cover Dark when Ivy was down.
 
"I guess so. Maybe a bit earlier, it is a four hour movie," She said casually, as if it were not a shockingly long film, "but you're on Winter break and it's a Saturday even if you weren't, so if you like it we have time to finish the trilogy."

When Alec walked in, Dark's tired eyes lit up and he stopped the song he was singing, "Marhaba," he murmured, and then as he processed what Alec had said, hesitated only briefly, "Be careful, I do not want to risk waking her."
 
Xander nearly dropped the spatula he was holding. "Four hours?" he blurted in disbelief. "Seriously?! I thought only documentaries were that long! Or maybe they only feel that long." He shook his head and finished putting things away. "I guess watching it will be an event."

"I will," Alec promised, keeping his voice low. Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward and gently scooped Ivy out of Dark's arms. He laid her down and left his hand resting on her for a moment before backing up to retrieve the blanket for Dark.
 
"I know, it was a shock to me too. But at the same time, it's hard to cut them down because so much happens in the books. Some people try to watch all three in one day, but that sounds miserable," She chuckled, "It's not too bad for me, because I can lay however I want and get the same experience, you all have to contend with comfort versus maintaining sight of the screen."

Ivy moved slightly in the transfer, and for a moment or two seemed like she was about to cry after being set down, but miraculously stayed sleeping. Dark breathed a sigh of relief and rocked back in his chair, shutting his eyes. It might have seen like he had fallen asleep immediately, but after Alec lay the blanket over him, Dark gently caught his wrist, forcing the teen to linger for just a moment. "Thank you, Alec," he breathed, "You are a great son."
 
"I guess I could just close my eyes and listen like you," Xander said. He came to sit across from her, checking to make sure the table didn't have any crumbs. "Unless it's got cool action scenes."

Alec jumped a little when Dark caught his wrist, having thought Dark was asleep, and blushed deeply at his foster father's words. "You're welcome," he whispered back with a little smile. "You are a great father."
 
"It's the Lord of the Rings," Daizi replied simply, "of course it's got cool action scenes. Or so I'm told, I just hear sword clinks and grunting. Dark swears there's a moment where Aragorn deflects a dagger with his sword, and that the actor did it for real."

Dark nodded, setting down and releasing Alec, and mumbled, 'I love you, little owl' in Arabic before falling asleep.
 
Xander almost made a remark about how he didn't know how much he could trust a blind person's judgment about fight scenes but decided not to. Instead, he said, "Well, I guess I'll have to watch it and see for myself. I've sat through worse, so why not a four-hour movie? I think Alec will want to watch it, too."

Alec hesitated a long moment before whispering back, in English, "I love you, too, Baba." Then he slipped out and returned to the kitchen.
 
"It is a very famous film," Daizi pointed out, "so I think you can at least trust it to be good, even if it may not be entirely to your taste."

Hearing one set of footsteps behind her, and ones definitely not heavy enough to be her husband, Daizi turned slightly, "Hey, habibi. We were talking about watching The Lord of the Rings together tonight. How's Dark?"
 
"There are a lot of very famous films that are not good," Xander pointed out dryly. "Sometimes famous because they aren't very good."

"Oh, that sounds like fun!" Alec chirped, sliding into his chair. "I like the sound of that. He's fine. Better than fine, actually. I think he's sleeping! And so is Ivy, but in her bassinet."
 
"Okay, well, they're famous films, not infamous ones, does that help?" She asked, teasing him, but her face lit up when she heard Dark was actually asleep. It had been so difficult for him, Daizi had been worried, "Good. Finally. I'm probably the only woman alive who is more worried about getting her husband to sleep than she is about her baby. Maybe we should bring Ivy down here so there's nothing up there to wake him up..." She turned towards the stairs, uncertain if it was a good idea, "He deserves a good long rest."
 
"Moving Ivy might wake him up, though, or her," Alec pointed out worriedly. "Maybe we should give them both at least half of an hour to really settle into sleep and then fetch Ivy."

"Could work," Xander said, getting up. He went to the fridge and hunted up some carrot sticks. "But no matter where they are, I bet he'll wake up when he hears the crying," Xander said around crunching orange sticks.
 
"Yeah, that's a good idea," Daizi agreed, turning back to the rest of them, "they both need sleep. I need sleep, but I'm more rested than he is, and she has a lifetime of growing to get to. And it's true, Xander, trying to keep him asleep is probably futile, but it's worth a shot."
 
"Well, unless anyone needs me, I'm going to head to my shed," Xander said, snagging a few more carrots and a final cookie. "Let me know when it's time for the movie."

"And there he goes, vanishing from life," Alec sighed.
 
"I was going to ask him why he's hesitant to rejoin the band," Daizi commented, "but we got to talking about what to do today and I forgot." She stood up, "Well, next time. I'm going to go relax in the living room, if you want to join me. I don't want to leave you all by yourself."
 
"I'll go get a book and join you," Alec assured her. He hurried up to his room and soon came back with the latest book he was reading, "The Last Unicorn." He hadn't gotten very far yet, but he was enjoying it.
 
"Take your time," She said, stretching as she walked to the living room. It was a rare quiet moment in the house, and as Daizi reclined on the couch, it occurred to her how frequent these quiets moments used to be and how rare they were now. She lay on her back and touched one hand to her belly, appreciating the fact she was able to be in that position again without risking two people's health. But she was still different to the touch. Softer. Closer to last year than a few months ago, though.

Daizi hadn't brought a book with her, or any activity, really. Instead she was content to lie back with her eyes shut, and enjoy one of these new, quiet moments in this new life of hers.

When Alec came back, she made sure there was enough room for him on the couch, and sat up just enough to find a blanket she could drape over the two of them.
 
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