How Green Becomes Wood

"Hey, I'm just saying," She laughed, fully this time, "If you ever decided to give normalcy a shot, I'd support you. I wouldn't understand it, but I would go to dinner at Chili's with you nonetheless."

~~

"You should see Tarot's garden sometime. It's a little less pristine than it used to be, 'cause she's got a baby who takes up most of her time, but you can still tell she knows exactly what she's doing. When spring really comes, you won't even need to see it to know, when the breeze is right you can smell her flowers down most of the street. I'm just hoping her little apple tree starts bearing fruit, soon."
 
Xander snorted. "And if you ever have a middle-aged crisis and suddenly decide you want to be 'normal,' I'll wear a button-up shirt for you now and then, like for your PTA functions and stuff."

~~

"I'm hoping for something low maintenance but nice," Lex admitted. "I've caught glimpses of their garden through gaps in the fence, and it's gorgeous, but it doesn't feel me, you know? I love to look at it, but it's not my backyard." She paused. "Then again, considering this is the first backyard I've ever had after the dirt postage stamp that was my parents' backyard, I guess I don't know what 'my backyard' means yet. I don't really have a vision." She glanced at him. "Didn't you say something about having cats and some kind of bird?"
 
"You've got yourself a deal," Daizi laughed, and would have shook his hand, had he been comfortable with physical touch. She settled down for a moment, but then widened her eyes and turned to Xander, "Hey. Do you want to really freak your dad out?"

~~

"What I like about is is even though it's carefully maintained, it still feels... I don't know. Wild. You can tell it's maintained, but it doesn't feel stifiling. But I agree, it doesn't really fit for here. You seem like you'd really like a cactus, to me. But I don't think they'd survive the snow." Cooger remarked, "I don't really know a whole lot about gardens or design. And yeah, I foster cats, except for Hank, he's mine, he's not a foster, and I've got a goose and some chickens."
 
Xander tipped his head, shifting to face her more. "I'm listening," he invited.

~~

Lex snapped her fingers. "Chickens! That's the one I was thinking of. I was second-guessing if that's what you'd said or not. I gotta admit, chickens would be really cool. I know some places let you have a few, but I haven't looked into the rules yet. I'm kind of a one-thing-at-a-time type, for better and worse. I think up a thousand ideas, write them in a list, and get to them when I get to them rather than, I don't know, making some calls in the evening after working on the house instead of waiting until the house is done to do it."
 
"I've still got the clothes from my occasional serious meetings, and I'm sure you've got a button-down shirt of some kind. We could dress and make ourselves 'look normal,' and make him think something has gone terribly wrong when he comes home."

~~

"I don't know the HOA rules here," Cooger said, "but chickens are cool, if you can care for 'em right. Loud sometimes, but yours would be more protected than mine are. But I bet things'll settle for you once this place is totally livable. And you're one step closer now, right," He lifted his glass to cheers with her, "And we'll pretend we ain't toasting to a toilet."
 
Xander rubbed his chin. "Hmm, I like that idea. Not a half bad idea. I think I could stand wearing a suit like that for a short time for that. Might even be able to pull off acting normal, too."

~~

That earned a startled laugh from Lex, and she saluted him in return. "I've toasted worse. I'll take what I can get!" She took a swig and shook her head. "I didn't expect to find people like you and your brother here. It's a pleasant surprise, I'll tell you."
 
"I don't know how you normally style your hair, but I bet you could make it look preppy, too. To fully commit. And when Dark comes home, I can tell him I want to be a stay-at-home mom, and you can tell him you want to join football. It's up to you to decide which kind of football you want to joke about. And we can play... I don't know... Taylor Swift, when he walks in."

~~

"I can't tell you how glad I am you aren't like the woman who used to live here," Cooger told her, "I'm not the one to tell you that story, but I'll tell you: I've never hated someone I never met more."
 
"I think saying I want to join Mathletes might shock him even more, or how about golf?" Xander suggested. "And you've been talking interior decorating with Mrs. Applebaum and want to implement some of her ideas."

~~

Lex let out a low whistle as she stared at Cooger. "Now you've got my curiosity way up. If you're not the person to tell, then who is?"
 
"Mathletes is perfect," Daizi laughed, leaning in lightly, "although he may appreciate that at least it's academic. And I absolutely agree with Mrs. Appelbaum that beige is so in, and really, we should stop dressing Ivy in colours because they're so garish and not in-style at all."

~~

"Tarot, I think. Dark is more tight-lipped, but I know she's... Well, she's at home with the baby all day, and I know she's desperate for more adult company." Cooger told her, because it seemed more respectful of her privacy than, 'she still rants about it and hasn't been shy about telling the other neighbors what kind of woman that expletive is.'
 
"I think we're going to scare Alec so bad he's going to lose a couple of years of life when we tell him no colors," Xander snickered. "I'm looking forward to seeing their faces. You want me to help you pick out the most boring-looking outfit for Ivy?"

~~

Lex raised her brows but nodded. "Alright. Next time I see her over the fence, I'll try striking up a conversation. I'll just have to think up a better opener than, 'Can I borrow a cup of sugar? By the way, I heard you hate the old neighbor with every fiber of your being. What gives?'"
 
"Oh, yes please. I'm not sure if she has anything that's too boring, from what I understand Dark works hard to pick clothes that don't force her into our style but also aren't... dissimilar from what he likes, because he doesn't want to hate what she wears." Daizi replied, "but I probably have a boring tablecloth somewhere we can put over the dining room table."

~~

"It's probably not right for me to coach you in how best to extract information from one of my friends. But even if you can't get her to tell you that story, she's still a good person to know. She's a great woman, and most people consider her to be more fun than her husband."
 
"It's not like she'd really care if she was wearing unicorns or hyenas right now, anyway," Xander remarked. "I'm sure there's something in that massive stash of hers that'll do the trick. Just don't let Mrs. Applebaum see you or her looking so boring. She'll take it as a sign."

~~

"I totally believe you, but seeing as you're friends with each other, don't you have to say things about how good a person she is?" Lex pointed out in amusement, teasing him lightly. "You're not going to be friends with an a******, are you?" She paused, reconsidering. "Then again, I think a couple of my friends are a******s, but the loveable type, so... I rescind the question."
 
"That's true, but he doesn't want people to look at her and think we view her as essentially a doll. You know how he overthinks." She commented, "and I think if Mrs. Appelbaum sees us dressed like that, she'll either throw a parade or call her rabbi because we've either finally come to our senses, or the world is ending. Or both. Honestly, I feel bad for her children, I'm not sure how they cope."

~~

"I've got lovable a*****e friends too, believe me," Cooger told her, leaning forward a bit to get a look at his friends' home, "But she's not one of them. Well. She's not above a practical joke, but she's very careful to make sure they're never cruel pranks and she shows up at your place with soup when you're sick."
 
"Badly," Xander said dryly. He pushed himself around to sit on the edge of the bed with Daizi. "Wanna get started? It'll be a while before he gets home, but we need some time to find stuff like boring tablecloths. Maybe hide some of the easier decor around here to really sell it."

~~

"I think we'll get along fantastically," Lex grinned. She eyed him for a moment. "I'm guessing you're thinking of that soup now and heading over there for a bowlful? What kind of soup is it? Magic soup?"
 
"We probably should. If they catch us in the middle of it, it'll ruin the entire joke. What colour button up shirts do you have? I may have a cardigan that you can tie around your shoulders like Fred from Scooby-Doo." Daizi said, standing and stretching, "and we have to work around Ivy's schedule, she's bound to wake up soon, and it will affect how quickly we can work."

~~

"It is magic soup." He agreed, dreadfully serious, then he chuckled and tipped back in his chair, "It looks gross as all hell, it's green, and goopy, and nothing like what you'd find here, and she only makes it when someone she cares about is sick, and you've gotta be sick the first time you eat it, otherwise you're forbidden from having even a taste. She won't tell anyone how to make it, and it doesn't matter how much you plead, she only makes it if someone is unwell. And it makes us all into terrible people, because once you have it a single time, and realize how great it is, every time someone gets sick, you get that little voice in the back of your head that's just a tiny bit glad anytime someone deemed soup-worthy is unwell, because you know what it means for you."

Cooger looked over at her and then shook his head, set down his cup, and rested his head against his hands, "But if I hold out, I'll probably be invited to stay for dinner, and then also have some packed up to send home with me. If I go over now, I'll only get the one bowl."
 
"I think I have a black one and a white one, but Alec has a regular blue one that I think I can still fit into," Xander said. "I know I have a pair of slacks because somebody thought every guy should have a pair, but I'll have to dig them out."

~~

"Alright, then, I guess I'll just have to wait until I'm sick as a dog. Unfortunately for me, I have a pretty good immune system. Probably the only reason I'm still alive," Lex chuckled, impressed. "And I like your foreplanning. Very clever."
 
"I can't advise you on what colours would work the best." Daizi commented with a shrug, getting up and opening the door. When she was about to step outside, she remembered the tray with the remains of Xander's meal, which she fetched to bring downstairs and wash, or at least load into the dishwasher, "The most important part is making us look 'normal,' so I suppose we should change first. I'll put my hair up, do you have a comb that's good for parting hair?"

~~

"Ah, you've gotta get welcomed into the inner circle, first," He pointed out with a raised eyebrow, "she's not making it for just anyone. Right now you're the neighbor. To them, anyway. You've gotta become their friend for soup."
 
"Yep, I have one," Xander said. "I'll get changed real quick and then come to help you out."

~~

Lex smiled and held up a hand. "I was just fooling around. I didn't intend to get ahead of myself. I'm not sure if we even see each other as neighbors yet, not after one conversation, but I do look forward to maybe making a few friends here."
 
"Great, I'll get dressed to," She said, and went quickly to her bedroom to pull out the stiff, unworn business attire and forced herself into it. Most of her clothes from before Ivy fit again, which may have been helped slightly by her preference for loose, flowing clothing. This outfit, though, being purchased for other purposes, was still a bit tight, but not to an extent that it really bothered her, and she wondered a little bit if it had just always fit like this, and she had forgotten because she hadn't worn it for so long. Then she quickly put her hair up into a bun, and applied a little bit of cream blush, since she was able to trust how to apply it without sight. When she went back into the hall and met Xander she said, "I wish I had one of those frilly aprons and a 1950s dress. I really let myself down by not planning this years ago."

~~

"I just don't want you to get sick and expect immediate soup-age," Cooger replied, "I think you're obligated to see each other as neighbors when you live next door to each other. But she, at least, is easy to be friends with. Dark is a little bit more prickly."
 
"You look pretty good, if not like you," Xander assured her. "A frilly apron would really be a cherry." He'd put on black slacks, a white business shirt, a belt, and suspenders. He'd looked up a few pictures for reference and found several of them wore suspenders and a belt. He could not find a bow tie, Alec really let him down there, but he did locate a navy blue tie with tiny white dots that may have either just ben dots or some kind of shape. He didn't look close enough to tell for certain. His red hair was parted just off center and forced into submission by way of comb, water, and a bit of product. He felt like an idiot, especially wearing argyle socks, but it was worth it for the reaction they were bound to get. He went around and took the most obviously gothic decorations and carefully set them just out of immediate sight. Anyone looking too close would spot things like a skull hiding behind the curtains, but it would do for a short joke.

~~

Lex shrugged. "Still waters run deep and all that. He looks like the type with a few secrets, and I respect that. I did manage to have a short conversation with them both at that... party? I guess it was a party. The get together at the other neighbor's house. They strike me as good people. Toby has Mr. Dark as his teacher, and he likes him, which speaks volumes. Not every teacher has the patience for Toby."
 
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