How Green Becomes Wood

Dark nearly pointed out that skateboards were less dangerous than cars, but after the events of last week, decided against it. Instead, he wished Alec luck and leaned against the wall. "It is impressive he is daring to try something new, although I am not sure if he would have, had he been given an option to avoid it. In a way, he was swindled into it."
 
"I dunno. Looks like he's enjoying himself," Xander said, watching as Numbers caught Alec before he could fall too hard and helped him chase the lost board. "I bet it's not going to be a new obsession or anything, but it's cool to see him doing something like that. OH, there's another competition over there. Skaters. Nice." He indicated the two women with rollerblades at another part of the concrete park.
 
"He seems to be, yes," Dark agreed, only glancing quickly at the rollerbladers, giving more attention to Alec, "but I wonder if he would have dared to had he been given more of a way out. I suppose we will never know. But I am always impressed when either of you step outside of where you are most comfortable."
 
Xander shrugged. "Toby's like a puppy dog. He won't push it if you say no, but he's got the sad eyes, you know? I figured that for once I could say yes. I think he just figures this makes him happy, so he wants to make other people happy by sharing it."

Alec landed on his butt again with the board rolling off without him. One of the other skaters brought it back to him and waved away his apology. Toby helped him back up on the board and coaxed him through a very simple trick, celebrating when he got it right.
 
"He does seem to be a very positive person. I still never know what to do with that." Dark crossed his arms as he leaned against the rail, "I am forced to be positive lately. It is unnatural for me. I suppose it is good some people are."
 
"That is why I have Daizi." He said, a tiny smile pulling at his mouth. Nothing could dim his adoration of her.

At home, Daizi did manage to make plans with one of her other friends, but they wouldn't be until later. So, after spending a bit of time in her garden, she got up, washed some of her extra berries, and after wrapping Ivy into her carrier, walked next door and knocked lightly on Lex's door.
 
Xander smirked at Dark's smile but didn't say anything, used to it by now. He wondered if Dark even knew he did that. "The skater world is weird," he commented, watching as Toby and Numbers helped Alec ride his board. "It's so two-faced."

~~~~

Lex opened the front door after a bit, her puzzled expression switching to pleased when she saw who it was. "Daizi and Ivy! How's it going?"
 
"Is it?" Dark asked, nodding towards the trio and then glancing over at the storm brewing elsewhere, "Or is it full of many people, who never promised they would hold to the same morals?"

~~

Since she got dressed after Dark and the boys had left, she didn't realize she had worn a top which displayed much of her bruise, but she smiled at Lex when she answered, "Hello! Sorry, I hope we aren't interrupting, we just wanted to stop by to offer you some berries from my garden. We grow way too many to eat all of, and I thought you and Toby might like some of the extras."
 
"Maybe that," Xander shrugged. "But that guy, Numbers? From what I've seen and heard, he's basically the boss around here. Never let's folk fight too much. Shuffles, but no real fights. Until the lights go out at night. Then it's a free for all, and he's the local dealer there under the the hood there. But in the day, he's the loving teacher who is all for teaching the new kids. The stories didn't warn me about people like that growing up."

~~~~

Lex's eyes brightened even more. "Berries? Nice! We'd love those! Thanks!" She stepped back and opened the door wider. "Come on in." She noted the bruise curiosly but didn't bring it up. She might not have had the best manners, but she knew better than to bring up stuff like that on the front stoop.
 
"That explains the name." Dark murmured, "Do not come here at night. But you and I both know sometimes people do things to survive they otherwise would not ordinarily do. And sometimes people get stuck in a position they never wanted to be in, and by the time they are aware of it, it is second nature."

~~

"We have blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries. I'm afraid you missed the strawberries and currants. It turns out Ivy loves strawberries, so she had more than her fair share, I fear." She stepped inside cautiously, not having a firm grasp on the layout, but she nuzzled her face against Ivy's as she stepped in. Her hands were too full to prevent Ivy from grabbing at her face, so she decided there was no harm in playing into it.
 
"Only been here once since moving in with you," Xander told him. "I guess this makes twice. But, yeah, sometimes things happen. It's just weird to see the two-faced... the dual nature, I guess Alec would call it, of some people."

~~~

"Nothing beats fresh berries," Lex said happily. "Back in New Jersey, sometimes I'd treat myself to some from the farm stands. Do you want to sit? I've got a couch, a comfy chair, or a kitchen table."
 
"Good. I do not want you around that. I think we should both count ourselves fortunate to not have ended up in those enviornments." Dark said, remembering moments from various stages in his youth. "It is life, unfortunately. You can never truly know what somebody is capable of."

~~

"Only if you're not busy. I know we just dropped in." Daizi said, but nonetheless sat where she was ushered to, "Dark and the boys are at Toby's skating event. They thought it was probably for the best Ivy and I stay behind."
 
Xander grunted. "Everyone has a price, and everyone has a tipping point. Everyone." He continued leaning on the rail, watching as Alec successfully managed to push himself forward into a smooth roll and even weave around a couple of obstacles. "I didn't think it'd be so volotile here."

~~

"Nah, I'm currently between jobs and projects. A dangerous place to stay, but nice to visit," Lex told her, taking the berries to the kitchen. "I've got more time than I know what to do with right now, meaning I might trap you here! Oh, if you give me just a minute, I can pick up the floor for Ivy. It's not dirty, but I remember kids that age stick everything in their mouths. Is she crawling yet?"
 
"At this skatepark?" Dark asked, "Or this town? Daizi, Cooger, and I spent years in New York City. When we moved here, everybody wanted to know if if we were relieved and if we had been scared living there. I always found that question difficult to answer."

~~

"I know how you feel..." Daizi murmured softly, trying not to fixate too badly on the fact she was, once again, left home. After all, she had told both Dark and Alec to go without her. "She is crawling. It's been a few weeks of it, it's been... an adjustment. We put bells on all of her clothes so we don't lose her. I think it's sweet hearing her jingle around the place. I'm not sure I like how quickly she's growing. You didn't get to meet her when she was brand new, she didn't even weigh five pounds."
 
"Here in the skatepark," Xander told him. "I didn't think it'd be this wild."

~~~

Lex chuckled as she came back with a water that she handed to Daizi. "I get it. Part of you can't wait to see how they're going to grow up and develop, and part of you wants to put them in your pocket forever. I had that even when I was not exactly the best mom." She moved about making absolutely certain there was nothing on the floor or couch that Ivy could grab. "Alright, I think it's safe, and I'll keep an eye on her."
 
"That is why people have negative opinions of skateparks, I believe. Daizi used to be friends with this person who once admitted she was terrified of them as a kid, because she was told the only sorts of people who go to them are criminals and gang members. That is only one extreme, but..." He shrugged, "One place can be a million things, good and bad. And people who do not know it wonder how you could miss such an awful place, how you ever could have loved it. But they do not know the good there."

~~

"She was so tiny," Daizi said, kissing Ivy's head before setting her down on the ground, "Everyone was surprised she was able to breathe on her own. She couldn't keep warm, and she would faint--it is horrible, your baby fainting in your arms--but I'd just hold her all day. It was so hard, but she was so sweet. And she fit in Dark's two hands. It's hard to imagine that now." Daizi listened to Ivy's babbling while she crawled around this unfamiliar space, although she never went too far away from her mom. "She still loves to cuddle, though. It's like when you throw a ball for a dog, and he wants to play catch, but also doesn't want to give you the ball. Ivy wants to crawl around, but she doesn't want you to put her down. And now she's dealing with separation anxiety." She bent over to touch her baby's hair when she felt her brush against her leg, "I'm sorry, I know other people aren't generally that interested in what someone else's baby is doing to that detail."
 
"You're not talking about skate parks, are you?" Xander asked mildly. "You're talking about your old home. I can see the connection."

~~

"I can't imagine," Lex said quietly. "Toby had some problems when he was born thanks to my... issues, but it wasn't anything like that. Just hearing about that is like a dagger to my heart imagining it happening to my own baby." She sat on the edge of her chair and watched Ivy. "I don't mind. It's not something I can really relate to, but I don't mind." She considered for a few minutes before finally stating, "That's some bruise you have on your shoulder."
 
Dark stared at the skaters but stared through them and spoke only a half-truth, "I do not know where I am talking about. It is only that places are always more complicated than we imagine them to be, and always more meaningful to those in them. For good or ill."

~~

"Having a premature baby is so much more emotionally taxing than people realize. Dark came home from the store, once, the twins were off at one of their various activities, and he just held her. He had met a baby who seemed to be about her age, but when he got to talking with the baby's mom, learned he was born the same week as Ivy, but born full term, so he could do so much more. We know better than to compare, but sometimes it's hard not to." Maybe Lex would understand that, but she didn't want to ask questions and put her into an uncomfortable situation. Moving her hand over her bruise, she took a quick breath and said, "I guess it must look worse than it feels. It doesn't hurt." That wasn't exactly true. It didn't hurt when she was just sitting there, but when something, or some wiggly 18 pound little girl, hit it, it was still fairly painful. But it was getting better, it was already yellowing around the edges.
 
Xander glanced at him. Then he gave Dark's elbow a light bump with his own. He didn't say anything, he didn't even try, but he thought he understood it a little, and sometimes there wasn't anything to say.

~~

"Mmm," Lex said, raising a brow. "I've had a lot of bruises in my day. That one looks like it's right about at the level to hurt when someone smacks it. So. What's the fun story behind it?"
 
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