How Green Becomes Wood

Dark shrugged, "I do not avoid it. There just have not been many moments where I want to dance where you have also been around. I am not like Daizi who will dance while I cook or get ready in the morning, but I like dancing with her. We used to take partner classes."
 
"I know Daizi and I danced together at the carnival we went to last year, although she was late enough in her pregnancy we were a bit limited." A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he pulled onto their street. There was a lot that was difficult for them both when Daizi was pregnant, and a lot they couldn't do together. Not only "adult activities" but... they couldn't cuddle in some of the ways they liked to, and she got tired more easily so they couldn't go on as long of walks or stay up as late together, there were foods they liked to share which she couldn't eat, and that wasn't even getting into how the hormones and stress affected her, and all of it put stress on their relationship. But he loved, and frankly missed, being able to wake up beside her, spend some time dreaming about who their baby would be with her, and watching her handle all of it with, in his opinion, grace. It made him feel close to her to do little things like stand up and reach her shoelaces, and he knew she hated needing that help, but he also knew she loved the sorts of intimate moments you can only have with a partner during pregnancy. "It is easy to not be shy when you are doing something you love with someone you love. When I am forced to sing, I have to look at a crowd. When we dance together, I get to look at her. It is very different."
 
"You really are a big romantic," Alec smiled quietly. "I didn't think a relationship like yours existed outside of movies and books. Fantasy worlds."

Lance texted Daizi, letting her know that Tristan, the twins' uncle, had been notified that they had his number and was awaiting their call.
 
"I am romantic," He agreed, "I think you have to be. I do not see much of a point in being in love with someone if you do not allow yourself to really relish in it. I love putting together surprises for her, and it makes me feel as though I cannot stand when she surprises me," he thought of their first night together after Ivy was born, and how struck through he was when he stepped inside, "and she is my best friend, so I want to spend time with her. Because she is delightful, and understanding, and when I bring her home flowers she smiles like I had woven starlight for her. How could anyone not be romantic when someone smiles at you like that?"

Daizi thanked him, said they would let him know what they decided after speaking with this stranger, but then set her phone aside, knowing perfectly well they were going to wait until Xander came home, so he and Alec could listen in.
 
Alec smiled and rested against the car door. "Xander would be gagging, but I think it's beautiful. It's strange, but I mean strange as in the unfamiliar definition, not the more modern definition where it's closer to being weird. It's strange because... I don't think I have ever seen that before. Not once. A couple of our mum's boyfriends romanced her, I guess, but it was always short-lived and when they wanted something. Not because they just wanted to. It took me a while to see the difference between you and Daizie and them. Xander thought it was just a show for the longest time, and I did too." He paused before adding, "I'm sorry for that now."
 
"I would not believe it if I was not fortunate enough to live it." Dark replied as he parked in their driveway and looked up at their house, a monument to who they were together, "Daizi always says it is not luck, it is fate. We were always meant to be together, she says, but if it was not this life time, it would be the next, or one further in the future, so it isn't... something we cannot lose. I do not know if I believe in any of that, but... I know I love her as if I had loved her forever. I think a lot of people believe it has to be for show, so I cannot blame either of you, especially not with what you have experienced. I am glad you do not feel that way anymore, though." He got out of the car and took a deep breath--the breeze carried the scent of Daizi's garden to the front of the house, "Nothing I feel about Daizi is pretend or exaggerated. It is downplayed, if anything. We work very hard to make sure Xander is not gagging for half of the day."
 
Alec giggled as he followed Dark out of the car and stretched his aching muscles. "Well, he's not here, so I guess you don't have to downplay it for now! Unless you're worried about what Ivy will think." He smiled and moved over to gently tug on Dark's sleeve. "Thank you for your openness. It still takes me by surprise sometimes, but I like it even when it makes me uncomfortable." He dashed forward so he could open the door for Dark and held it with a flourish.
 
"Ah, but, see, now that you have given me permission, everything I do will seem performative," Dark replied, teasing his son, before thanking him and walking inside. He wasn't really sure how to respond to Alec thanking him for being open, because he didn't really feel like he had done anything... special. It was harder for him to not talk about his love for his wife. After taking off his shoes and touching the salt, when Daizi came up to greet them, he nonetheless said hello by kissing the back of her hand as he pulled her in closer so he could kiss her lips, which made Daizi blush lightly and stumble a bit over her words.

"What was that for?" Daizi asked.

"I missed you," He replied which made her laugh softly.

"You weren't gone very long."

"I still missed you."

"I missed you too," She told him, and after a beat, disentangled herself to ask Alec, "How was practice today? Oh, and Lance texted--we're able to call Tristan as soon as Xander gets home. If it's not too late in the day, it might be easier to wait until tomorrow, only because I don't want to interrupt his evening. But then again, if we call during the day, he'll probably be at work."
 
Alec bit his lip to keep from smiling or laughing at Dark's reaction to his wife. A part of him kind of hoped he'd have something like that one day, but another part of him thought that what Dark and Daizi had was too unique to ever be captured by anyone else ever again. Still, it was a hope. Maybe.

"Practice was good. I think I might have bruised my shoulder, but only a little bit," Alec said, rubbing his shoulder. "I'm okay with calling him tonight once Xander gets home. Or tomorrow. Whichever. You're right about him possibly being at work."
 
"Get an ice pack if you need it," Daizi told him, knowing he knew where they were, "I'd like to call him tonight, it really just depends on when he gets home and how much energy he has. It should be fine to call tonight."
 
Alec checked the time. "He should be home in about an hour, I think, and then need a shower. Speaking of, I could use a shower. I think I'll go take one real quick, but I should be fine without the ice pack." He gave her a quick hug and then scampered upstairs for his shower.

About half an hour later, Xander pulled up in his van. He sat for a minute, thinking. There were no words to his thoughts, just feelings as he remembered all that had happened. It had been a short lessons, but impactful. Finally, he got out and headed inside, leaving his shoes outside again.

"You're home!" Alec chirped when he heard the door open. "You're early."

"It was short today," Xander said, touching salt. "Anybody need to tell me any earth-shattering news before I go wash the stink of horse off of myself?"
 
"Nothing you don't already know," Daizi said, "We were planning to call Tristan tonight, if you have the energy for it. Otherwise we'll wait until tomorrow. I hope your time at the ranch went well."
 
"Yeah, alright. We can call tonight right after my shower. I stink to myself," Xander said, heading for the stairs. He didn't exactly answer Daizi's comment about the ranch because he wasn't sure how to. Technically, it did go well, he supposed, but he didn't really want to talk about it. "I'll be back in fifteen."
 
"Take your time," Dark told him, and then went with Daizi to the living room to wait to have a conversation neither he nor Daizi really knew how to have, but they were going to have it anyway.
 
"This is going to be weird, isn't it?" Alec asked. He didn't really expect an answer. He knew the answer.

Seventeen minutes later, Xander returned dressed but still trying to dry his hair. "Okay, I'm here. Let's get it over with," he said grimly.

"It's a phone call that we don't even have to take part in, not a battle. I'm sure it'll be fine," Alec assured him as they sat side by side across from Dark and Daizi.
 
"Probably," Daizi agreed. She was holding Ivy in her lap and had given her a pacifier to keep her quiet. Typically, they only gave them to her at night, because they lowered the risk of SIDs, and even then they had mostly weaned her off of them, but if anything counted as an extenuating circumstance, this did.

Dark dialed the number in his phone, but before he called, he asked, "Do you want us to let him know you're listening in?" and told them, "If you want to step out at any point, feel free to."

Then, after they answered, he hit call.
 
"No," Xander answered immediately.

"Not yet," Alec agreed softly.

They held their breath and gripped each other's hands as they watched the phone so intently an outsider might think they expected the person on the other end to physically come through it.

After three rings, someone picked up. "Hello, this is Tristan Walsh," said a calm, regulated voice. It was light and almost gentle, yet with the professional undertone of one used to conducting business over the phone.
 
"Hello," Dark answered, his voice as steady, rich, and deep as it ever was. He was too controlled for it to be otherwise, "my name is G.M. Dark and my wife, Daizi Wahid, is with me."

"Hello," Daizi spoke up, rocking Ivy in her lap, more for herself, ultimately.

"I believe Mr. Lance Corporal told you to expect our call?"
 
"Oh." There was a brief pause. Then the voice returned with a bit more warmth, but still professional. "Hello, Mr... Dark, you said? And your wife? Thank you for calling me. I know it is a little out of the blue, but I was told that you are currently the foster parents of two boys, Alec and Xander Cunningham?"
 
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