How Green Becomes Wood

"I do not have a-" Dark began, but hushed when Daizi nudged him underneath the table to remind him they were only teasing and he didn't need to stress himself unfairly. After taking a moment to look at her, he took a breath and said, "So. Alec: Now both of us are here. Now you can tell us what you want to do as a career, yes?"
 
Alec brighted. "You're right! I can!" He stood up and spread his hands wide. "I have officially chosen my career path! I know precisely what I want to do!"

Xander rested his cheek on his hand. "So, are you going to tell us? Or are we going to die of old age first?"

Aled scowled at him. "Normally, I'd refuse to tell you after that, but since this doesn't just involve you..." He grinned at Dark and Daisi. "I have decided that I want to be a professional Cyr Wheel performer! And a pole dancer!"

Xander stared, too shocked to even make a snarky comment.
 
There are a number of times where Dark's natural inclination towards being unexpressive was a problem for him: When he met new people, he knew he was at risk of intimidating them because of it, especially when the new person was a child. People who didn't know him well often thought he wasn't having a good time, and a few times he had been told to look more grateful when opening a present.

This was not one of those times.

Beside him, Daizi chewed her food slower than usual, and after she swallowed, asked, "What's Cyr Wheel?"
 
"It's like a really big hula-hoop, but it's heavy," Alec told her. "Performers use them to... well, I suppose the easiest definition is to say they do expressive dance with them and perform amazing tricks by sometimes riding inside the wheel, spinning it around their bodies, stepping on and through them, and things like that."

Xander still hadn't said anything, sitting and staring at his brother. Had his brother just admitted to wanting to be a stripper or something?
 
"Oh! Well, that is very interesting." Daizi replied, "I wish it is something I'd be able to see."

"It is performed at some circuses," Dark mentioned.

"You should remake his Carnival figure, then, it sounds like something you'd put on the main stage."

Dark nodded at this idea, knowing he probably would go ahead and make one. It seemed... unlikely... that this was a plan Alec would stick to, and if he did pivot away from it, it would be an amusing memory, and if he kept with it, it would be cherished. "Both of those require a lot of physical strength and flexibility, you will have to start exercising like we do." He gestured to himself and Xander.
 
Alec nodded, taking Dark seriously. "Oh, I know. It's not going to be the fun part at all, but I know I'm going to have to really bulk up!" He reconsidered. "Well, maybe 'bulk up' is not quite right. They both require more of a sleek or 'sleeper' build than you two, but I figure I should be able to learn a lot from you two!"

"Pole? Wheel?" Xander mumbled, bewildered at this turn of events. "Where did you get this idea?"

"I saw some videos some time ago, and they stuck in my mind, and then when we were talking to Milo, it all clicked together!" Alec said happily.
 
"Bodyweight exercises will help," Dark said. If this is what Alec wanted to do, at least for the moment, then he felt sort of obligated to help him follow through with it. "So will adjusting your diet somewhat, because protein helps build strength."

"I've heard a lot of people find pole really empowering. But I also know you have to be pretty exposed to do it, because fabric slips against the pole." Daizi commented. Whereas Dark immediately tried to be practical about it, she was more stunned, and as a result, was attempting to think of anything she knew about pole dancing. It really... didn't seem like something he'd be comfortable with. "What about it appeals to you?"
 
"Lots of meat and eggs and things, I guess. Good thing I'm not vegetarian or it would be so much harder!" Alec said cheerfully. "I look forward to learning more. I expect there's a lot I can learn and do for myself long before I see either a wheel or a pole." Turning to Daizi, he said, "I think it depends on what kind of tricks and things you want to do on the pole. I saw a few videos where they were fully dressed, but they weren't doing as flashy of tricks as the ones with less clothing."

"Where were you seeing these videos?" Xander demanded, scared of the answer.

"Oh, there's this one fellow who's a total nerd, and he uses the pole to do cool tricks with a bow and arrow! And that led me to another one where the fellow was showing tricks to help strengthen your core muscles. And another lady also used them with a bow and arrow-"

Xander held up a hand. "I get it, I get it."
 
"It sounds like you're interested in archery," Daizi commented mildly, "Since you've seen multiple videos of people using a bow."

"Rose--the music teacher, Ms. McGann--knows archery." Dark mentioned, not intentionally shifting the conversation away, but if Daizi was at all correct, and Alec was interested in archery, it could be a good additional focus.

"Really? That and music?"

"She said something about wanting to be a ranger-bard," Dark told her, "She would have been a good match for Cooger, if it were not for the immediate issue."

Apparently, Daizi knew what was meant by this, so rather than continuing that diversion, she said, "I think you'd have to give up sequins for the pole, at the very least. But you could save them for the wheel."
 
"Nope, not archery, though that might be kind of cool to learn later," Alec said, accepting the slight shift. "Archery is really awesome, particularly trick shots, but, no, I'm more interested in the pole and the wheel. I hope you can learn them together. I haven't looked into that yet. If I had to pick, I'd choose the wheel."
 
"I think the wheel is more interesting," Dark admitted, now being truly serious and genuine, "and has more opportunities. You can do wheel tricks on nearly every well-built stage, or even on flat ground, and you have the same options as you would in any other venue, but with a pole, you are more or less limited to venues where there are already poles, or have to install one yourself, and if it is meant to be temporary, I am sure the tricks you can perform on it are hindered somewhat."
 
"Probably, yes," Alec admitted. "I'll have to do more research, but for now, it seems that the wheel is the best choice. And I wish you could see it, Mama! It's so much fun!" He held out his arms and started spinning slowly around the room, his legs wide. "You can go round and round and dance and all sorts of things!"
 
Even not being able to see him, the sounds of his footsteps through the room made Daizi grin. He was just so... youthful, and excited, and since the rest of them ranged from tired to cynical to pessimistic, there was something deeply endearing about her sunburst son she couldn't help but adore, even if the dream he had settled on for the moment was beyond unexpected. "I wish I could see it too," she said, "I don't know what sparkles look like, but I bet I can imagine how it would feel like."
 
"Sparkles feel like a refreshing mist of water droplets on a hot day, but for my eyes," Alec told her, giggling as he still spun slowly.

"They feel more like little spikes in mine," Xander grumbled.

Alec staggered to a stop near Daizi and shrugged. "Clearly, it's suggestive."

Xander reached out and gave him a gentle smack on the arm. "You mean 'subjective,' Mr. Spinning top."

"That's what I said, subjective," Alec grinned, undeterred and slightly dizzy. "You're just jealous you haven't decided on your career path yet and seen all your life's goals laid out before you like a golden path!"

"Don't know what to say to that, so I say nothing," Xander said, pushing away from the table. He started picking up the dishes.
 
"I always thought they'd be brighter and louder than mist, and less aggressive than spikes," Daizi told them, laughing lightly at Alec's use of an incorrect word as she stood to help clean up. "And it's okay to not know your career path yet, it's really common to not know, or to know now and change your mind later. People can work the same job for a decade and wake up one morning realizing they want something different." It was something she had said before, but not something she would ever decide to leave unsaid because of that particular fact. If people needed to be reminded of it, they needed to be reminded.

"You should let us clean up," Dark said, also standing to help clean, "You cooked, and I am sure you are tired."
 
"Very true," Alec agreed, leaning over to give Daizi a hug. "Maybe I'll change my mind, but I so want to give this a try! It looks like so much fun! And would make people happy, too. But maybe I'll decide to work at a fast food restaurant instead. I hear that if you can deal with the nonsense, it's an excellent career for the money-inclined."

"Nah, it's alright," Xander assured Dark. "It's not that hard. Won't say no if you want to help, though."
 
Daizi squeezed Alec back, lightly kissing the top of his head, "As long as your plans are performer or fast-food employee, you sound set for life. But don't stress too much about the money, at least not yet. You've always got a place to go back to, right? So it's okay to take risks."

He didn't need to be told anything else and just helped to clean up because he said he would, and because Xander seemed a little irritated and taking some stress off of his plate was worthwhile. "Besides his skittishness, did you enjoy your time at Milo's?"
 
Alec smiled and leaned into Daizi. "I know. I just wish..." His smile faded just a little for the first time. Then he shook his head and smiled. "We should have a dance party this weekend!"

Xander considered the question and nodded. "Yeah. He's kind of... interesting. He's kind of exhausting but nice enough. Plays bass."
 
"A dance party?" She asked with a grin, "One would guess you're trying to torture your father and brother. I'm not sure a dance party is either of their scenes."

"He may learn to be less exhausting. It is curious he plays the bass, I would have thought, considering his other behaviours, he would not be interested in playing instruments. It seems like more attention than he prefers."
 
"Then after the dance party, we can have a sit still and quietly contemplate life. Possibly while working on something with our hands like carving, puzzles, or art," he said practically.

"Doesn't sound like he does it outside of his room." Xander fell silent for a moment as he rinsed the dishes. "I don't think it's going to work out."
 
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