How Green Becomes Wood

"Hey habibi," Daizi said, coming downstairs, "I heard you would be. Ivy is napping... I just finished cleaning Neith's enclosure. Are you okay?" Despite having told Xander he was responsible for telling Daizi, but he did call her to give a brief warning: Xander was suspended, he is going to tell you why, everything is okay.
 
"Yeah, I'm alright. Just got some bruises on my knuckles, and Cooger took me to his job to help him out with hanging wallpaper, so now I smell." He wanted to go flop onto a chair but figured he should probably change first. He stood awkwardly instead. "So, he called and told you about what happened?"
 
"He didn't give me details, only that there was an incident and you were suspended. But he wasn't seething, so I guessed it wasn't a miscarriage of justice and you haven't done something horrendous." She replied calmly, "and by what you've said, I can guess there has been a fight. Feel free to shower and change before telling me what happened. You'll be in real trouble if you get glue on the couch."
 
Xander rubbed the back of his neck, getting glue there instead of the couch. "It's pretty simple. I caught a couple of dudes saying some shi-stuff," he corrected, glancing at Ivy, "that they shouldn't have been saying about a friend of mine and about people of a certain... perspective in their love lives. I wanted to make sure they knew in no uncertain terms that they couldn't say stuff like that consequence-free."
 
"Pretty much," Xander told her. "I could have used my words, but I used my fists instead. If they'd been footballers, they'd have shrugged it off, but instead, parents were called and stuff. Don't think anything will happen to them, but they got some bruises to remind them to watch what they say."
 
Daizi smiled a little, scratching the back of her head as she thought through Xander's story, "It was a very noble plan of yours, habibi... But very, very dumb. I'm proud you wanted to stand up for your friend, don't misunderstand me. Your intentions were good, and I have nothing against punching a homophobe in theory... but do you think they learned not to say those things, or do you think they just learned to be quieter about it? Do you think their opinions were changed at all?"
 
"I doubt their opinions changed, but I'll be satisfied if they at least insult quieter," Xander said bluntly. "You can't get rid of stupid in this world, but you can ask it to be less in-your-face."
 
"Yes," She agreed, her tone still relaxed and not judgemental, just expressing a different opinion, "but I'm not someone who is able to ever solve problems with my fists, so I have a bit of a different perspective. Now they just think you're some crazy asshole, and they can claim to be victims. How does your friend feel about it?"
 
"I dunno. Haven't told them, and I'd prefer if they never heard about it," Xander said, a little surprised by Daizi language. He hardly ever heard her swear. "I guess you're right about them, but I was mad, and I don't think words would have helped. They don't think like that."
 
"Words might not have helped, but you'll never know now." She pointed out, "You could be right, and the only way for them to learn was your way, but even so, you still could have tried words first. If you're right, if you can still throw a punch. But if you're wrong..." Shrugging, she sat forward, resting her elbows on her knees, "and because you didn't talk to your friend at all, you don't even know if it's the kind of defense they would have wanted or needed. I'm not saying you should have ran and shared with them people were saying hateful things, I probably would have kept it to myself too, unless they were people my friend thought they could trust, it might be helpful to know how your friend feels about that sort of escalation."
 
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"What I meant was if whoever was saying those things claimed to be your friend's friends. That's when I would definitely let them know. Otherwise, I probably would also keep it from them. I think, anyway. But I've also been the friend someone fought for." Daizi admitted, and then spoke plainly with her son, "I'm not saying to play nice. And I'm not saying they deserve respect or kindness or humility, because people should get back what they put out. But Xander, habibi, at least be subtle enough into provoking them to attack you first, okay? Try talking first, and if it really does not work, make them hit you first and claim self defense. It won't work in court but will work in high school."

This bit of advice she only partially meant. Like Dark, she believed in never hitting first except for in the most dire of circumstances, so urging him to at least wait for that moment seemed... average. But ideally, if he kept it in mind, he may be more willing to try other avenues of conflict resolution, "If your response keeps being to start fights, one day you might pick one you can't win. Or one where whoever you're fighting doesn't fight fair, and I don't want anything to happen to you."
 
That was not the sort of advice he expected to hear from Daizi, but he supposed it made sense. At least, the making them hit first part. Getting into fights he couldn't win? He was used to losing. It wasn't until recently that he'd even had a chance of winning. It was a nice change of pace, really, but he understood where she was coming from. At least this time it hadn't been a blind rage that led him into getting into a fight. He just hoped it didn't get back to Sloan.

"I should go shower," he said, changing the subject. "Then I think my guardians are supposed to come up with an appropriate punishment for me, so I'll go to my room and do what homework I've got until the other half of my guardianship gets home."
 
"Alright," She said, not forcing him to stay, hoping he really heard her. "Thank you for being honest with me."

Not too long after Xander went upstairs, Ivy woke up from her nap, so she went from focusing on one of her children to another, waiting until the end of the day when Dark came home. Hopefully he'd have some good ideas for a punishment, because she certainly didn't. How do you punish a kid who so willingly took over chores for months?
 
Alec could barely wait to get home. He'd done well at school, if a bit distracted, and managed to survive the day. He waited eagerly for the bus to stop, and then he ran. He ran all the way down the block, slowing only a little as he neared the house to note a change at the house next door. Then he dashed up to the door.

"I'm home!" he wheezed, holding onto the door to catch his breath. "Is anyone else home?"
 
"We're home," Daizi said, still in the living room with Ivy. She had set up a mirror and was in front of it with Ivy, who was absolutely thrilled with the sight of this 'other baby,' and they were practicing sitting, "How was school? Besides the obvious."
 
"School was the usual. Pretty dull, and the usual," Alec explained in a rush as he tried to take off his shoes and touch the salt at the same time. "How was home life?"

Xander came down the stairs, one hand in his pocket. "Hey."

"Xander!" Alec threw himself at his brother. "It was so lonely without you!"

Xander snickered and hugged his brother, practically holding him up. "Yep, I'm sure it was."
 
"Oh, life remains more or less constant here," Daizi said, not unhappily, "I've been showing Ivy her hair, and nose, and eyes..." Briefly she wondered if she should be sadder about how boring her life had become, but then Ivy laughed at her own reflection and she knew this was exactly where she wanted to be. Her days may not be thrilling, but they were fun, and rewarding. And she got to be here when Xander came home. Which was nice.

"You act like he's been lost at sea," Daizi lovingly teased.
 
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"I was lost in a sea of people." Alec angled so he could see Ivy without letting go of Xander. "What does she think of herself?"

"Quite a lot from what I can hear upstairs," Xander grunted, tolerating his brother's clinginess for now.
 
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