How Green Becomes Wood

"If the food is poorly cooked, of course I will not order it," Dark replied simply, "If the lamb is dripping with grease, then it is poorly cooked, and I am no longer interested in it."
 
"Lamb has a higher fat content than other meats, so before you begin cooking it, you need remove some of the fat, otherwise it ends up oily, and it makes the meat unappetizing. I really do not know if it can be made greasy like those burgers were and be well cooked." Dark replied. Daizi only chuckled to herself and rubbed the back of his neck as he drove.
 
Alec watched out the window as they drove, commenting occasionally on things he saw. When they parked, he clambered out on the passenger side and opened the door for Daizi since he was right there. "It's such a humble little restaurant, isn't it?"
 
"I always trust restaurants like this," Dark replied, parking and going around to open Daizi's door for her, "Whenever I go into an Arab restaurant in particular, and they yell the orders to the back, that is when I know I am going to get good food."
 
When Dark made it to Daizi's side of the car and saw, once again, one of his sons had beat him to it, he nodded, impressed, and then went to open the door to the restaurant to let the rest of them inside before being seated, "The pottery was really interesting. It was certainly a different experience to be able to rebuild the vessel if I accidentally cut too deeply."
 
"It was a lot of fun," Alec agreed, still sticking close to Dark on the opposite side of Daizi. "If I did a design I didn't like, I could rub it away. Within reason, but it was so much more forgiving than anything else I've worked with. It was annoying to get out from under my nails, and my nails are short!"
 
"I enjoyed it," Daizi replied, "It's interesting. I don't get to do a lot of art, so it was enjoyable to get to try it. I found it a little bit stressful, but mostly it was fun---although it's still so embarrassing that I stabbed the instructor."

"It was not that bad," Dark promised.

"I stabbed the instructor!"
 
"But I'll remember!" Daizi exclaimed, rubbing her face, "Imagine you're doing something for the very first time, and you stab someone!"

With a chuckle, Dark reached across the table to squeeze her hand, "I promise you it was not your fault, Spider. If it helps, I will stab someone the next time we are out, and then you don't need to be embarrassed anymore."
 
"What are you going to stab someone with? And why?" Alec laughed.

The server came then with a chipper smile and a notepad. Alec asked for water but didn't want an appetizers.
 
"I will use whatever sharp implement is nearest to me, and I will do it so Daizi is not the only one amongst us who has stabbed an unexpecting stranger," Dark replied with a shrug, "Obviously."

This Daizi did laugh at, shaking her head, "You would stab someone for me, too."

"I would." He brought her knuckles to his lips, then let her go as the server walked up. Dark and Daizi both ordered water, since Alec did, and since he didn't want an appetizer, they ordered their meals just then.

"Are you more of a dessert person?" Daizi asked Alec as the server walked away.
 
"You and your brother are so alike," Dark replied, smirking down at the tabletop, "There are desserts I like, but sometimes there is too much sugar. Often there is too much sugar. I like what Daizi bakes."
 
"No, I do, but I always make sure it is balanced. That's why, or part of why, my lemonades typically include other flavors than merely lemon, sugar, and water. I also just like experimenting. But I make sure nothing I bake just tastes sweet." Daizi explained.
 
"I think a lot of things taste more than just sweet, but maybe it's because I'm used to sugar. However, your lemonades are, indeed, the best," Alec agreed, nodding. "You are excellent at balance."
 
Dark smoothed his beard with one hand, thinking about it, "I do not like when after eating something, you can feel the sugar on your teeth. I also generally," He tugged lightly on his beard, furrowing his eyebrows slightly before sitting back and drinking a sip of water, "worry about sugar damaging my teeth."
 
I don't think I've ever felt that except in a couple of rare instances where things were, indeed, too sugary," Alec said with a slight frown.

The food arrived, and Alec happily helped himself to his pita sandwich. It was a good deal different from what Xander had requested.
 
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