How Green Becomes Wood

"I wouldn't mind stopping in, at least for a little while, but if we dally for too long, we won't have the time to get ice cream." Daizi said, "and we put our lives in great peril. Don't we deserve to sneak a bit of ice cream before we're back with the rest of the family? I won't tell." She turned her head towards him, "As for the mustache tattoo... It's hard to say. I was never really in that scene, because I wasn't a hipster, I was, and am, alt, which isn't the same thing. Cooger would know more, he was an actual hipster. So much so he even brewed kombucha for awhile. It was awful."

~~

"Oh, twenty minutes, excuse me, then." Dark scoffed, "Come on. Where do you want to get ice cream?"
 
"That sounds disgusting," Xander said, making a face. He had no idea what kombucha was, but it didn't sound like anything he wanted to taste. "Never mind, let's just head on, yeah?"

~~

"Well, if your ancient knees can hold up, I did see this cute little cozy place yesterday while Xander and I were out exploring," Alec mused, watching Dark with a teasing twinkle in his eye. "How about there?"
 
Daizi walked along with Xander towards the ice cream shop, telling him about simple things and asking him questions as they went. When they made it to the shop, after clarifying she was, in fact, at the correct door, she held the door open for her son and then followed him inside.

~~

"Oh, my ancient knees?" Dark asked with eyes like a hunter's, "If I was not pushing a sleeping baby in her stroller, I would be able to outrun you. That is a guarantee." Then, indignantly, he looked straight ahead, "That place sounds great, we can go there."
 
There was a short line inside, which was a good thing since there was only enough for four little tables, each one with two chairs each, and a counter to order ice cream. It was small, but brightly lit and friendly feeling with just enough tchotchkes to remind the patrons that they were on a beach in Virginia, but not so many as to seem tacky. The line gave Xander a chance to read off the menu to Daizi. They had ice cream combos, soda combos, and soda and ice cream combos, or you could order just a simple flavor. The combos all had ridiculous names, but sounded good as he read off what was in them.

~~

"Awesome, we'll go there then if your knees, I mean, the wheels of the stroller will be all right," Alec said as innocently as he could manage.
 
Daizi was grateful to Xander for reading the menu with her and then ordered a raspberry sorbet in a waffle cone, requesting they add a chocolate drizzle to it. She expressed how desperately she wanted to have their praline flavour, but she thought, with the heat, its richness may not be as refreshing as she wanted. So, she went with the sorbet, but said, one night, when it was cooler out, they'd have to come back. Then, after they had received their ice cream, she suggested they sit down somewhere inside so they could enjoy the air conditioning for a little while.

~~

"I think we can all successfully complete this walk," Dark rolled his eyes, following Alec to the ice cream shop. When they stepped inside, his eyes almost immediately went to one of the back tables, and running his teeth over his tongue, he said, "I believe we have been beaten here."
 
Xander picked cookies and creme, nice and simple, and while he wanted to try out some of the soda options, he decided not to try to pair soda with ice cream. That just sounded like a strange combination despite the number of ice cream floats advertised around them. He led the way to a table and helped Daizi find her seat before sitting down himself. He glanced toward the door and swore quietly. "You'll never believe it," he said dryly.

~~

Alec followed his gaze and grinned. "Well. I guess we aren't the only ones getting sly ice cream." He glanced at Dark. "We could pretend not to see them and continue our individual dates before rejoining," he suggested for fun.
 
"What?" Daizi asked, sitting up straighter to try to pick up on what might be happening, but over the hum of the machines and the few other people inside, it was too hard to make anything out.

~~

"We could," Dark agreed slowly, but then looked down at the stroller, "If she wakes up, she will blow our cover. She could cry anywhere within a five mile radius of Daizi, and she would hear it."
 
"Someone we know just walked into the ice cream parlor." Xander heaved a sigh. "Of all the ice cream parlors, they had to pick this one."

~~

"Does it seem likely she'll wake up?" Alec asked, moving forward with the line. He looked up at the list of ice creams. "Oh, wow! That's a lot of options for such a tiny place."
 
"Someone we know?" Daizi asked, a sly grin crossing her face, knowing perfectly well the only people in the world that could feasibly be. "Why do you sound disappointed?"

~~

Looking down at his baby's sleeping face again, Dark scratched one eyebrow, "Not particularly." Then he looked back up at the menu, trying not to sneak glances at his wife. Her shoulders were tan. "But how likely do you think it is I can go unnoticed? It is not a big establishment."
 
"Eh, it was kind of nice hanging," Xander admitted with a shrug. "Oh well. It was nearly time to rejoin, anyway."

~~

"Think small," Alec suggested. Then he pointed to the menu board. "How about the dreamsicle combo with an orange Fanta? That's what I want!"
 
Leaning forward slightly, Daizi tapped the table near to him, since she didn't know if he had sleeves she could tug on, and in a quieter voice told him, "We can hang out just us whenever you want to. Even when we're back home."

~~

"I thought think in lighter colours, too," Dark teased, folding his arms over his chest, "You should get it, then. I think I will get the praline ice cream in the waffle cone bowl."
 
"Sure, I know," Xander said. "It's just different out here, you know?" And he knew that once they got home, things would be different again. Eventually, Daizi would be back at work, and until then, Ivy would take precedence. He didn't mind. He just didn't know how to suggest things for the pair of them. This time had been so organic and smooth. He didn't know how to replicate that back home.

~~

"That sounds intense," Alec told him. "But waffle cones are the best! I used to think sugar cones, but now I think waffle cones are the best cones."
 
"Well..." Daizi said slowly, hearing something in his tone, "Is there a back door?"

~~

"I never liked sugar cones," Dark told him, moving up to the counter when it was their turn to order, and in that moment, his back was turned towards Daizi and Xander.
 
Xander blinked. "Seriously?" He glanced around. "No, but there's no one blocking the front door, and their backs are to us while they're ordering. We could easily make it out without causing a ruckus."

~~

"I still like them, but not as much," Alec said. He greeted the young man behind the counter cheerfully and placed his order. The man did not seem at all phased by Dark's massive size or tattoos, and he took their orders smoothly.
 
"Why not?" Daizi replied, standing up and holding her folded cane out to him so he could more subtly lead her out without taking her hand, "Let's go, and let's hurry, it sounds like they're ordering."

~~

Since the man at the counter was unphased, Dark was, too, and he ordered his own ice cream before moving off to the side to wait for both to be finished, bending down to look at Ivy in her stroller. With a little frown, he knelt down to open up the diaper bag and place a thin blanket over her, deciding she looked a bit cold.
 
Xander offered no further argument as he took hold of Daizi's cane and quickly led the way, moving as fast as he dared with someone relying on him for their sight. It took only seconds to slip out the front door, ad he guided Daizi down the street a little farther. "There. Now we're not even in front of the windows," he told her triumphantly. "I'd call that a smooth escape!"

~~

Alec smiled as he watched Dark, but then his attention was captured by the ice cream people working their magic. How did they get such beautiful rolls? They were so smooth and curly! He watched that for a bit before turning to glance at Daizi and Xander. They weren't there. He turned slowly. "Huh. They vanished."
 
"Very subtle," Daizi agreed, pressing her back against the nearest building, "and if anybody asks, I didn't see them." She chuckled, turning her head to the side, "I'm not sure if I've ever snuck away from my husband. Where do you want to go now? The music store?"

~~

Dark stood slowly, looking at where his wife and other son had been sitting only moments before. "So they have." He inhaled, "That is rather like Daizi. Although typically if she sneaks off, she brings me along, and nobody else."
 
Xander snorted at her joke about sneaking away from her husband. "Not unless it was to get a tattoo. Anyway, we usually do what I pick. What do you wanna do? Music store? Sit in the ocean? Purposefully feed seagulls?"

~~

"I guess she's found a new partner in crime," Alec said cheerfully. Their orders were up, and he selected his. "Want to sit inside so Ivy's out of the sun?"
 
"Technically, I did not sneak off, he knew I was leaving and when I'd be back. I just did not include all of my plans. Not inviting someone somewhere is not the same as not inviting them," She lightly squeezed the tattooed part of her finger. Neither she nor Dark had been wearing their wedding rings, not even on chains, because they didn't want the ocean to damage them or, worse, steal them. She had a tattooed line, he had an untattooed gap. "I always let you choose because I want you to have the most fun, and I don't know what you have planned to do with Alec. But, if you want me to choose: How about we go and search for seashells and tide pools?"

~~

"I do not know if I should be offended or pleased." Dark replied sardonically, "Yes, I think it is better if we eat inside. The ice cream will take longer to melt that way, too."
 
"Fair enough," Xander agreed. "Sure. Seashells and tidepools are cool. I haven't really looked into tidepools much yet."

~~

"Agreed!" Alec said happily. "Their table is still empty. Let's go steal it!" He led the way over and first helped Dark make sure Ivy was situated and out of the way before sitting down, himself. He took a bit and whistled, his face pinching. "Oh, that's cold! And so good!"
 
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