How Green Becomes Wood

"You would be, if you put that idea in her head," Daizi replied with a grin which faded almost immediately, and she slid off the couch to join them on the floor, "No, I'd still get up. I'd need to."
 
"Well, if it was my fault, it would only make sense that we siblings would hang out together, wouldn't it, Ivy?" Alec asked her. Then he looked at his mother. "I've got Ivy if you want to spend time with Baba and help him with dinner. I can clean up after!"
 
Ivy squeaked at him and then set about trying to eat his shirt.

"I'd just feel bad, if I heard her crying but stayed in bed. I really can't do it, unless I'm that exhausted." Daizi replied with a shrug, standing, "I'll go and help your father, I'm sure he'll appreciate it. Just, if she needs anything, if you have a problem, come and get one of us. I know you know that, but--"
 
"Mama, you're in the next room," Alec reminded her patiently. "You're starting to make me feel like you don't trust me with her even though I know that's not true. Go have some fun!" I promise to get you if there's any problems."
 
"No, I know, I'm sorry," Daizi replied, dropping her shoulders, "I trust you, I just... I have to say it." She bent down to touch Ivy's back before joining her husband in the kitchen.
 
Alec waited until he was absolutely positively certain Daizi could not hear him before murmuring as quietly as possible, "Needing to say it kind of implies the lack of trust." He sighed and stretched. "Mama needs a break, eh, Ivy? But for now, it's you and me. Want to cuddle on the couch and enjoy some quiet time before bed time?"
 
"Oh, you want to stay on the floor, huh? Okay." Alec pulled a small pillow off the couch and used it behind his head. "How about storytime? Once upon a time, there was a prince. A lovely, caring, kind prince who was kept locked in a tower because he had a secret power..."

Xander came down a little later with his still-damp hair sticking up in random spikes like some kind of punk style. He glanced into the kitchen to check on Dark and Daizi before going to sit on the end of the couch and listen to Alec tell Ivy his story.
 
Ivy snuggled in, watching him intently and frequently interrupting his story with squeaks, screeches, and babbling, if not by grabbing his face, hair, or clothes, the lattermost she often tried to eat.

In the kitchen, Dark and Daizi were chatting with each other while they worked. Near the end of Alec's story, Daizi laughed in the way only her husband could elicit.
 
Alec took Ivy's interruptions seriously, nodding and pretending to take her suggestions. He continued, telling her about the strong lady-knight who went to save the prince and all the trials she faced along the way. He didn't mind her trying to eat his clothes even if it did make them a little wet, and there was nothing she could pull off or really choke herself with. Baby drool wouldn't do too much harm.

He paused in his story and glanced toward the kitchen at Daizi's laugh. He and Xander glanced at each other and shared a satisfied nod. Better! Then he went back to his story and finished it up for Ivy.
 
Ivy also looked towards towards the sound and laughed because her Mama was laughing, so it must have been funny.

Then, from the kitchen, Daizi's laughter was interrupted by a clatter, swearing, and more of her laughter.
 
Xander and Alec both looked toward the kitchen silently.

"Do I want to know what is happening in there?" Xander asked blandly.

"Probably not," Alec told him. "At least there's laughter! That's a good thing. I do wonder if there's ever going to be dinner at this rate."

Xander sighed and looked at Ivy. "At least you get to eat on time."
 
Whatever happened, dinner was only a little bit later than usual, and Dark came out a bit earlier to get Ivy to start feeding her, since her schedule needed to remain more regimented. There was flour on his cheek conspicuously shaped like the palm of Daizi's hand with a tinier smudge which might have been a fingertip, and he was fully unaware of it. But dinner itself was fine and all other evidence of what catastrophe may have transpired while they cooked had been removed.
 
The twins said nothing about the handprint, knowing that he'd eventually see it in the mirror, and they weren't going anywhere, so they might as well let him carry it around with him until he spotted it. They instead praised the dinner and happily gulped it down. It was good stuff! Xander told them a little bit more about his time at the horse barn - mostly about the horses and things around it, not the actual therapy itself. Alec explained more about what they were doing with the Cyr wheel and what he had to do now to keep up with the exercise. He'd also gotten a lead on a used Cyr wheel that seemed promising. He could almost afford it, and Xander agreed that if Alec could pay 75% of the wheel, he'd cover the 25% and Alec could pay him back later.
 
Both adults asked questions with genuine interest, and they also pointed out they would be more than willing to help cover the cost of the wheel. They also pointed out Christmas was in roughly four months, and although they knew Alec didn't want to wait that long, it was still coming up.

"A lot is coming up," Dark commented, letting Ivy try a spoonful of their dinner, since they knew she could have everything in it and it wasn't something she was likely to struggle with, "Next week she is ten months old."
 
"I'm glad it won't arrive earlier than anticipated this year," Daizi said, taking a sip of water, "It was very stressful and rude of you, Hummingbird, to not let your Mama plan properly."
 
"She was just following in the tradition of joining the family unexpectedly," Dark said, moving his chair back so he could bend down and be eye level with his daughter.

"Conceiving her was enough of a surprise," Daizi retorted with a wry smile, "but my sweet girl, if you wanted to come so early, it would've been kind to have not taken over twenty four hours to actually greet us."
 
Xander shifted uncomfortably as the conversation shifted into territory he wasn't entirely thrilled with, but he was trying to keep it to himself. He knew his discomfort made Daizi unhappy.

"Oh well, I think it was worth it," Alec said cheerfully. "She's pretty fabulous."
 
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