How Green Becomes Wood

With a heavy sigh, Sloan pushed herself up, and walked after Xander, wrapping her arms around herself as she followed. Jesus, it was only Wednesday. Maybe she'd fake being sick tomorrow or something... Or she would on Friday, get a three day weekend... but her mom would be suspicious if she did that. Not that she faked being sick often. But what if her absence made people ask questions?

"Not much has changed," Daizi said. That afternoon she was sitting on the couch with Ivy. She had been reading her, although Ivy was looking more at her mother than she was at the thick, cardboard pages. "School will get easier. Now you only have a week before Xander is back, if you don't count the weekends, but the weekends are the easy part."
 
"Text me if you need anything. If you wanna talk to Alec since he's better at the talking thing, I'll make sure he actually has his phone," Xander said when they were about halfway back.

Alec walked over and joined them on the couch, leaning against Daizi. "I like people, but sometimes I wish I was homeschooled."
 
"Do you realize how many times I've offered that to you compared to how many times you've actually taken me up on the offer?" Sloan asked, sounding tired.

Setting the book down, Daizi adjusted how she supported Ivy and then wrapped one arm around Alec, "If only you knew how common a sentiment that was. Are you sure today was fine? It's okay if it wasn't."
 
"Yep, fully aware," Xander nodded. "I repeat the bit about me not being good at talking." He glanced at her. "Sometimes... it's just knowing someone's there. That's enough. For some of us."

Alec considered, but he didn't know how to explain about the lunch time issue without telling her about Sloan. In all, he decided, it was a decent day with one hiccup. "Yes, it was alright. I just miss having Xander to soften the blow of life as a teen."
 
"I've never been that great at it either." Sloan admitted after a pause, "I mean, not at times when it really matters. But my mom has always expected me to be perfect."

Daizi sighed and nudged him slightly, "I don't miss that age. But soon it'll be back to normal for you, and before you know it you'll be my age... But I know that doesn't help you now."
 
"You are perfect." Xander shot her a quick smirk. "Perfectly imperfect with a side of perfectly peachy."

Alec smiled slightly. "That's alright." He closed his eyes and savored the hug for a bit before slowly straightening and pulling out of Daizi's grip. "But what am I thinking! I didn't say hello to you." He reached out and tapped Ivy's nose. "Boop!"
 
She rolled her eyes, sticking her hands into her pockets now, "Try telling that to my mom."

Ivy smiled her wide toothless grin and flailed her hands, excitedly cooing. She had been chattering the whole time, but now that she was, finally, the center of attention, she was absolutely thrilled.

"I'm sure she's been absolutely raging over this oversight," Daizi teased, shifting Ivy to her other arm so she was closer to Alec while Ivy attempted, and failed, to touch Alec's nose like he had touched hers.
 
"Alright." Xander changed his course and started walking toward Sloan's house as if he intended to do just that.

Alec chuckled and caught Ivy's hand. He leaned closer and guided her hand so she could touch his nose. "Boop!" he exclaimed. Then he gently bent her arm so she tapped herself on the nose. "Boooop!"
 
"No, what are you doing?" Sloan asked, hurrying after him, wiping her face as she did so.

Ivy giggled and then giggled again when Alec had her boop herself, and tried to grab his hand. When she managed to catch him, she looked very intently at it, moving his hand around a little bit, fascinated.
 
Xander paused and hooked his thumb toward her house. "Telling your mom how awesome you are. That's what you want, right?" He didn't quite smile, but his eyes had the squinty teasing look he got sometimes. "Or I guess I could just head home. You can come if you want. I'll make you pudding."

Alec grinned, letting her look all she wanted. "She's pretty cute, alright," he told Daizi. "I bet she'll be... a doctor! Or maybe something else that requires super intense study."
 
Seeing that look, she took a breath and grumbled down her initial worry he would actually knock on their door demanding to speak to her mom. It would be far too much to have to explain to her, and she'd never hear the end of it, "I don't even know how long it takes to make pudding."

"She really is," Daizi sighed, her face glowing, "she can't put weight on her feet yet, it's supposed to be about half of all babies who can, and she's not that half, but not all babies can handle being propped up to sit, either." She stroked Ivy's downy hair, "Maybe she'll be an artist, she's preparing for all the still-lives she'll draw. But, Hummingbird, be a sculptor not a painter! Mama wants to see what her baby makes!"
 
"From a box? Like, ten minutes max, no matter what kind you make," Xander said, turning back toward his house. "From scratch, it depends on what kind you want. I think we got the stuff for chocolate pudding. I could whip that up in, like, fifteen-twenty minutes. If you want."

"I'll teach her to sculpt and make it as fun as possible so she only thinks of good things when doing it. Then she'll totally be a sculptor!" Alec said cheerfully.
 
"I mean... I guess," She said, looking across the street at her house. There was a big part of her that just wanted to go home and lock herself away in her bedroom and mope, but she also knew going inside would require dealing with her parents, and she wasn't really sure she wanted that right now, "I can stay for a little bit. Then I have to go home so I can do my homework."

"Perfect," Daizi laughed, and then leaned against Alec, settling back on the couch and holding Ivy close against her, "Isn't it amazing it was only October when you could practically fit her into just your two hands? And now she does so much. But I guess October is further away than it feels."
 
"Stay as long as you like, leave when you need," Xander told her, letting her know she wasn't expected to commit to anything. He led the way to the front door and let them inside. "We're back!" Deftly, he kicked off his shoes and touched the salt, casually letting Sloan see as a reminder in case she forgot. She wasn't here very often, after all.

"It's so very far away," Alec said. "Mostly for better, right, Ivy?" He smiled then jumped a little when he heard the front door. "Xander's back!" He stood up carefully so Daizi could adjust and hurried to the front door, slowing when he saw they had company. "Oh, hi, Sloan. What's up?"

"I'm going to make some pudding," Xander said, already moving toward the kitchen. "Could you let Mum know?"
 
Sloan followed, almost forgetting the rules of the house but after seeing Xander demonstrate she quickly followed. On the couch, when Alec leapt up, Daizi thought, amused, about how his reaction to his brother was rather similar to Enkidu's reaction, but she wasn't going to say that. "Hey, Alec," Sloan said, clearing her throat. "Not much. Um. I know." She awkwardly rubbed the top of her foot against the back of her opposite calf.

"Is Sloan here?" Daizi called from the couch, sitting up and wondering if she should get up and greet them, "If I had known, I would've changed my shirt."

"Hi. No, it's okay, I'm just stopping by."
 
"You know..." Alec started, confused by her statement. Then his eyes widened as he caught her meaning. "Oh. Right." He shifted awkwardly. "Sorry," he whispered. He turned back toward Daizi. "You look fine, Mama. Don't worry! And Xander said he is going to make pudding."

"Vanilla, chocolate, butterscotch, or banana?" Xander called from the kitchen. "Your choice, Slo."
 
"Alright, well, I'll leave you to it," Daizi said, and then, more quietly to Ivy she could be heard saying, "Don't worry, baby, we're looking really hard to get friends for you, too. Yes we are, we are!"

"Umm... butterscotch, I guess?" Sloan said, following him into the kitchen, "Whatever is easiest, I guess."
 
Alec hesitated, chewing on his lip. He decided to return to Daizi for now. "She'll make a lot of friends once she's a little older and can sit on her own. She'll be the star of the city!"

"It's all the same to me," Xander told her. He indicated a kitchen chair, inviting her to sit down if she wanted and started digging out all the needed ingredients. He didn't say anything beyond that, giving Sloan as much space as she wanted.
 
"We've been looking at playgroups. She's reaching an age where it might be helpful for her, but it's hard to find a good group for her." Daizi explained, and lifted Ivy up above her head, "Well, for us. Yes, Ivy?" She brought her back down and kissed her, "Ideally we'll find an Arab group so she has more language learning."

"Alright..." Sloan said, looking around at the decor, "I feel like I'm in Dracula's castle. Or I guess, like... the House of Usher."
 
"There's quite a few people like that around, so I guess it should be easy," Alec commented. He glanced toward the kitchen. "I'm going to go help Xander and Sloan out, I think."

"Who's Usher?" Xander asked, not really paying attention as he slowly brought the milk up to the right heat. "They like their goth alright. And then they get a metal and leather head and a kid who practically eats rainbows. Not exactly the right aesthetic."
 
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