How Green Becomes Wood

Dark pushed the stroller back to the car and Daizi carried Ivy, not seeing much of a point in putting her back in it for such a short trip. After buckling her into her car seat, both she and Dark got into the front seats and sat for a few quiet moments.

"Okay," Dark said as he buckled his seatbelt, "Are you ready to go home?"
 
Dark didn't ask many more questions and began the drive home. Daizi lightly ran her nails along the back of his neck and his arm as they drove, feeling just as glad as he was they had gone, as emotionally taxing as it was, because who knew what might've happened or what Xander might've said if his parents weren't right there.

Immediately upon arriving home, Dark noticed Xander's car was there and squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. Maybe he went the long way around. He'd give it a minute. But he couldn't help but be annoyed that after all of that, it seemed just as likely Xander went somewhere else without communicating it. But he didn't say anything until he took Ivy out of her carseat and spoke to her, although she was getting sleepy after the big day out.
 
Alec followed them inside and stood hesitantly in the foyer, looking out at the driveway and back inside a couple of times before closing the door. He finally closed the door and walked in the rest of the way. It hadn't occurred to him that Xander wouldn't be home and they could make up. He thought they'd be able to get things right. He felt unsettled and unhappy. Things weren't right.

After a bit, he went cautiously to Daizi. "Um, Mama?" he asked softly.
 
"Yes, baby?" Daizi asked, turning towards Alec while Dark went upstairs to lie Ivy down for a nap. He wasn't planning to give Xander more than ten minutes, at the absolute most, before asking where he was.
 
Daizi smiled a bit sadly and kissed Alec on the forehead, "I'm never too busy for you." Then she rubbed her thumb across his cheekbone and said, "Let's sit down, It'll be more comfortable than standing around in the middle of the room."
 
Alec managed a slight smile and walked over to the couch get more comfortable. "Thank you, Mama. I'm sorry this went all pear shaped. It wasn't supposed to go like this."
 
"It's okay," Daizi promised, wrapping her arms tightly around Alec and pulling him close, "It's not your fault, and regardless of anything else that happened today, I am still very, very proud of you."
 
Alec nestled into Daizi and closed his eyes. "Thank you, Mama. That means a lot," he whispered.

Xander was not home in ten minutes. He was still out staring at junkyard dogs and avoiding, well, everything. His phone chimed a reminder, and he glanced at it. Oh yeah. Judo day. He tucked his phone away. He was going to that tonight. If he did, he'd likely get into trouble for hitting someone.
 
"I love you, habibi," Daizi murmured, letting go of Alec with one arm so she could pull a throw blanket around the pair of them, "Everything will turn out fine. It always has before, hasn't it? Even when it's felt impossible?"

At exactly ten minutes, Dark sent Xander a text: Where are you? and knew if he didn't respond, he was going to call.
 
"You're right. You've been right before, like with Xander and Milo's friendship," Alec pointed out. "That came out perfectly."

Xander heard his text tone go off but ignored it. He didn't think it'd be anyone important. They were all mad at him anyway, so why text him?
 
"My cards said it would. They've never been wrong before." She rested her cheek against his hair and said, "We'll be alright. It may be hard for a bit, but we'll come through it, just like we always do."

Dark frowned at his phone, and after a few moments dialed Xander's phone number.
 
"Thanks, Mama," Alec whispered. He closed his eyes and savored her comfort for several moments before slowly sitting up. "I should go do something. Thank you for the hug."

Xander scowled when he heard his phone ring. He nearly let it go to voicemail before changing his mind. He picked it up on the last ring. "Yeah?"
 
"What do you have to do? If you're ready to go, I won't stop you, but if you just feel like you should be productive... It's not a problem if you wait a little while longer." Daizi told him, although she did let him go.

"Xander," Dark said, his voice calm and controlled, "Where are you?"
 
Alec considered. "I do have to get some laundry done," he admitted, "but I guess I don't have to get it done right now. I could stay if you wanted me to."

Xander sighed and pulled the phone away from his ear long enough to rub his face. Then he returned his phone to his ear. "Out. Does it matter? I'll be back later."
 
"It's up to you," Daizi told him, "I just want to make sure you have the support you need."

"Yes it matters. If you go missing what do I tell the police?" Even over the phone it was clear he was not joking around, "I think I treat you fairly enough for you to tell me where you are, who if anyone you are with, and when you will be home, in case something goes wrong. I understand if you need time to decompress, but you cannot decide to simply vanish."
 
Alec leaned in for one more hug before getting up. "I think I'm good for now. Maybe tomorrow we can have a music session, and if there's time, you can tell me everything I need to know about plants!"

"It's been like fifteen minutes!" Xander protested. "What the hell? That's not vanishing, that's... bad traffic. I'm fine. I needed space. I'm headed home in a minute."
 
"I would love that," Daizi told him, squeezing his hand for a moment before letting him go, truly grateful for having had that moment with him.

"Ba, I am going to the park, I want to be alone for a little bit, I will be home before dark," Dark said flatly, "It would take you less than a minute to text. Then I know where you are, nobody needs to be concerned. Instead I had to ask where you are, and you choose to be as vague as possible. We all expected you to be home. You were not home. I texted before I called."
 
"I didn't hear," Xander said, which was a lie, but he didn't care in the moment. "I'll text you that next time. Right now, I'm by a junkyard watching a dog lick its butt. Thrilling stuff." He pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling as if his head was going to explode. Why did it feel like he'd been here before? Why did it feel like he'd already had this argument? "Degen vew hurts," he mumbled without realizing he'd spoken out loud or that he'd seriously butchered déjà vu.
 
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