How Green Becomes Wood

"Never promised to trust you," Cooger replied as he climbed up. While the three of them worked, Dark did his best not to be an absolutely controlling taskmaster, but it was something he genuinely cared deeply about and took seriously.

About an hour into the time Lex was helping, Daizi came outside with a pitcher of mint-and-lavender lemonade (with the modifications Xander had suggested) and Ivy on her hip.

After Cooger climbed down the later and Ivy saw him, she squealed excitedly and reached out for him, since out of all her extended relations, she knew him best.

"Aw, hey Kitten!" Cooger said happily, taking her from her mother and lifting her up, "Glad someone's happy to see me."

"Do I not seem happy to see you?" Dark replied, with his typical mannerisms and affectation.
 
"Well, you did imply that he's not all that important to you. It's fine if he falls off the roof as long as he gets the job done first," Lex remarked as she took a cup. "Thanks, Daizi! What is this? Smells good."
 
"He spends half his week on a ladder," Dark replied coolly, his arms crossed over his chest as he walked over to Daizi. Then he stooped, kissed his wife on the cheek, and thanked her for the lemonade.

"It's lemonade with mint and lavender," Daizi replied, "I didn't realize you were going to help, I was surprised when I heard your voice out here."
 
Lex shrugged and sipped. "Oh, that's good. I like this. My mother used to make lemonade with lemons and oranges. I couldn't help myself watching these two run up and down the ladder, and apparently critiquing the strand placement gets you holding the ladder."
 
"I suppose there's some sort of idiom for that," Daizi chuckled, "I help to put up the grave stones, but that's the last step. It's quite the process."

"I do think the extra help has sped things along somewhat, so I thank you," Dark said, taking a sip of lemonade and watching how Cooger played with Ivy.
 
Last edited:
"You're welcome!" She said cheerfully. She sipped her drink and watched Cooger as well because who didn't love watching a burly bearded man tenderly teasing an infant, and then returned her empty cup. "I haven't even thought about decorating for Halloween. I'm not even sure where to start, to be honest. I can't see myself committing to this level or passion and artistry, but it might be nice to have something up. Do you get many kids trick or treating around here?"
 
"We do, yes," Daizi said, excitement shining in her face, "and I think that's part of why we commit to this extent. We already have a haunted house, in aesthetics anyway, it's our job as good neighbors to give the kids a proper fright. Other neighbors have said after our house went up, the amount of trick-or-treaters in the neighborhood increased, because if word gets out about an extra spooky house, kids want to see it. We're sort of infamous, in that way."

Dark scratched his beard, "If you watch out the window on Halloween, you can catch kids daring their friends or siblings to go up and knock on our door. Sometimes it happens during the rest of the year, often during October, but especially on Halloween. We always do our best to give them the fright they are after."

"It was really sad last year when we couldn't participate," Daizi sighed, "We had our decorations up by the time Ivy made her appearance, but we couldn't do trick-or-treating, we had only just made it back from the hospital with her by a few days. So this year we need to be even bigger than we have been before, to welcome everyone back. It's silly but I feel terrible for how disappointed some of those kids must have been."
 
"Nah, I get it!" Lex assured her. "We didn't do a lot of trick or treating, but there were always those things you look forward to as a kid, and they're a big deal when you're a kid. Heck, even as an adult! It sucks when something you're looking forward to something that doesn't happen."
 
"It's nice to be part of the community in that way, and I'm excited for when Ivy is a bit older and we can see the other side of things." Daizi said, sitting down on the stoop.

"Unfortunately for her, she will not get to look forward to visiting here, because to her it will be normal." Dark pointed out, but there were worse things than that in the world.
 
"Most of what is left I can do alone, it is only the high places." He pointed up, "In some places, I can access it from balconies, so they are safe for now, also. But everything comes down to lights and webbing in high places."

Cooger, meanwhile, sat down on the sidewalk and stood Ivy on her feet, telling her she had to stop holding on so tightly, because she'd otherwise never stand on her own.
 
"Putting Dark on my shoulders?" Cooger asked, shaking his head with a little chuckle, "Not to shame the man, but I think that'd throw out my back. He's got about thirty pounds on me."

"Thank you." Dark said blandly.

"You look great, but you're heavy as s***," Cooger replied with a teasing smirk, "Bet you don't even float in water. I could move you if I had to, but I ain't doing that for fun."
 
Last edited:
Lex laughed. "Backwards, you two. I meant Cooger on Dark's shoulders. I figure you can reach better than me on anyone's shoulders unless I stand. And I wasn't in cheer, unlike my sister."
 
Last edited:
"That would be more manageable," Dark agreed, finishing his lemonade and collecting the rest of the glasses, "But I fear he would throw me off balance."

"Isn't he a jerk?" Cooger laughed before spluttering because a certain infant decided to put her hand in his mouth. Considering her hands were often in her own mouth, the feeling was unpleasant. "Kitten, promise me two things: that you never do that to me again, and that you don't turn out like your Baba. Be like your Mama, not like Baba."

"Ah"

Cooger looked up at Daizi, "I got no clue how to translate that."

"If she takes after me, you'll never be able to," Daizi told him, "I'm an agent of chaos."

"Don't I know it. Kid, I don't know who you best turn out like to cause me the least bit of grief."
 
Lex laughed again and said, "I should get going." She walked over to Cooger and leaned down to ruffle Ivy's hair. "Take care, kid!" She then ruffled Cooger's hair. "You too. Don't fall off any ladders."
 
Ivy went back to gurgling and chewing on her fist. With her other hand, she was petting Cooger's beard the same way she'd pet Enkidu. When Lex ruffled his hair, he froze and looked up at her. It had been years--- years--- since someone had done that. "Yeah," He chuckled, bewildered, "See ya. If you hear a crash, call an ambulance, would ya?"

He watched after her as she walked off, until a great, looming shadow passed over him.

"Oh, would you shut up!?"

"I did not say anything," Dark replied coolly.

"I'm ain't even looking at you and I can hear you smirking."
 
The twins' day at school went well. Xander decided to spend lunchtime under the bleachers with Milo, and Alec focused on his own friends. Other than that, the twins stuck together for the day. It was a quiet day without even any bullying, and they headed home at the usual time. The home they returned to was not the home they left.

"Wow," Alec said as he hopped out of the van and walked up to the house.

"Wow is right," Xander agreed, trying to take it all in.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top