How Green Becomes Wood

"I didn't say I'm unharmed. I was terrified when it happened, I won't lie to you about that." Daizi told him, "and I'm still working through that. But I'm okay, because it's not... all encompassing. I don't know. It's hard to explain. I suppose I'm okay because I know I will be. It's just hard now."
 
"I'm not sure if I understand, but I'm glad you are okay. Or that you're getting okay," Xander said slowly. "I'd just... want you to be okay and want to help you be okay."
 
"I will be okay, I promise," Daizi vowed to him before falling quiet again, the wrinkle between her eyebrows betraying she was deeply considering something. "Honestly, Xander? I just need you to learn how to apologize. You're getting better at it, but you can explain, and explain, and explain... Get comfortable learning how to say, 'I'm sorry.' Everybody does or says things they don't mean, and sometimes even when we feel pretty certain what we are about to say won't do harm, it does. So you have to learn to say those words, even if it's hard. And sometimes things will matter more to someone else than they do to you. So you have to learn when to let go, too."
 
"Okay," Xander said immediately. He knew he still had to work on his apologies, but now he was confused. Was there something he hadn't apologized for? He'd apologized for what had happened out back, right? And the running off. And for what had happened after, he thought. Was there something he hadn't apologized for? Should he ask or just beware for the future?
 
After a long silence, Xander finally said, "I was told saying the word 'sorry' was weak. Maybe some kind of apology was okay, but never actually say sorry or people would take advantage."
 
Xander shrugged. "'Cause they'd see me as weak, see me as a push over, or just not take me seriously, I guess. Things like that. I dunno. I never thought twice about it before."
 
"Weak people do not admit when they were wrong." Daizi told him seriously, "It's important to know when not to apologize, but it takes a lot of strength to own up to something you did."
 
"I'm learning that," Xander agreed. He let go of her sleeve, but he didn't move away from her. His fingers were getting tired of holding it, and he was afraid of messing up the fabric as he kept messing with it.
 
Xander smiled a little, pleased to have survived this type of conversation without messing up entirely, and looked out the window. "I wonder when those two will be back."
 
"I believe he is going to the Market today," Daizi sighed in amusement, "so they may be awhile. He and Mr. Al-Attar have become friends, and Alec may be standing around for awhile as they reminisce."
 
"Yeah? Good for them," Xander said with a little nod. "Very good for them." He stood and pulled his shirt. "I'm going to leave you to yourself now so you can have a bit of a break. Glad we talked, though."
 
After Xander lsft her be, Daizi slid down against the couch, unsure what to do with herself. She was fairly certain that she didn't have enough time to go back to sleep before Ivy woke up again, and she had been so... busy these past nine, almost ten, months that it was like she had forgotten what relaxation was like. Despite considering taking Enkidu on a walk, Daizi decided she wasn't comfortable leaving Xander alone with Ivy, so she just took the baby monitor outside and brushed him on their porch.

Around that time, Dark paused in his seemingly never ending conversation and turned, unsure of where his son had gone to. When he finally spotted the teen, he furrowed his brows and asked, "What are you doing? Yalla, we need to head home. Put down the rash cream." He turned to the shopkeeper, "I do not know where his head goes."
 
Alec looked up from attempting to read the words on the bottle and stared at Dark, caught between confusion and amusement. Where was his head at? What about Dark's? And why was he acting like Alec was the one holding them here? He put the rash cream down and hurried to join Dark, biting back a smile as he went. "I'm here and ready to go! Sorry, I got distracted."
 
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