How Green Becomes Wood

Dark sighed, and whispered back, "I know. We have spoken about it." She was a little bit stubborn, a little bit prideful, a little bit scared, and a lotta bit stressed about finding time. But they did speak about it.

As she walked with them to the car, Daizi struggled to have any thought at all. Somewhere in her mind she thought about Ivy, but after confessing about how her now-husband's past suicide attempt left her terrified about her sons emptied her out of most things. Still, as they reached the car, she stopped suddenly, and caught Alec's sleeve. Normally she only tugged on Xander's, but unable to really get to speaking, she first tugged his sleeve to make sure she had the right twin before loosely grabbing his arm.
 
"Mama?" Alec asked, confused and startled. "Mama, are you alright?" He didn't pull away or move toward her, instead holding still as he tried to figure out what she was doing.

Xander stood close, watching anxiously.
 
Daioz just held his arm for a few moments, and when he didn't pull away, she pulled him into a hug. The whole time he had been silent during therapy, she had wanted to check in on him, but because of where they were seated, she couldn't. "Bahibak, habibi," she murmured into his hair, hoping he didn't immediately get overwhelmed and pull away.
 
Alec tensed at first, mostly because he was surprised, and then relaxed into the hug. He squeezed her tight, holding onto her as if gripping a life line. "I love you, too, Mama," he whispered back. "I'm sorry I scare you. I'm sorry I worry you more by trying not to worry you. I'm sorry I get so tangled in my own brain."
 
"It's okay," She whispered, pressing her cheek against his hair, "It's not your fault." Squeezing him in tight for a moment, she tried, maybe, to take just a little bit of what she so often tried to give when they hugged each other like this, and she didn't know, ultimately, if it worked, but eventually she knew she had to pull away and tugged Xander's sleeve, but didn't grab his arm, because she knew better.
 
Alec let go reluctantly, knowing they'd need to eventually, and went in search of a tissue so he could clean his face.

Xander let Daizi pull his sleeve. Then he put his hand on her arm over her sleeve and squeezed lightly. It was all he could give at the moment, but he wanted to give her something more than the usual. SOmething to perhaps bolster her spirit a little.
 
Daizi gave a frail and fleeting smile, knowing that he tried, and she hoped he knew she appreciated his effort. Then, with a little breath, she got into the car while Dark, who had been watching them silently, went around to his side and got in. It had been... awhile... since he last saw his wife so low. Before starting the car, he looked at her for a few moments before taking her hand in his and, after squeezing it, brought it to his lips. Then, finally, it was time to go home.

The car was quiet, because normally Daizi was who broke it, but she was just too worn out. Part way through the drive, he did ask, "Xander, are you able to help cook tonight? Or is it better we order in?"
 
"Off the top of mt head, I am not sure. Whatever we have, I suppose." Really, he just needed to make sure dinner was settled, so that they didn't need to worry about it. And if Xander was helping, it'd make it easier for him to keep Ivy occupied, so Daizi didn't have to worry about anything, and neither did Alec. He knew Xander wasn't exactly perfectly okay after all of that, but he seemed more settled.
 
"Yeah, alright, I can do that," Xander agreed before looking out the window again. He wasn't fully okay, but moving and focusing on something outside of his own head, something that required a certain amount of concentration would be good. It was easier then to let the thoughts flow if he only needed partial concentration.
 
When they got home, Dark parked and went around the car to help Daizi out, and she drifted into the house after him, taking a bit longer than usual to touch the salt.

When the door opened, Enkidu came bounding up to them, and from the living room, Cooger asked, "Who's that?" So shortly after, Ivy came crawling up to them. Seeing all of her family, she began to squeak and squeal ecstatically, a bright smile on her tiny face, and she went straight to her mother.

"Hi baby," Daizi breathed, scooping Ivy up and holding her close, "I missed you." When Ivy flopped forward to give her mother her best sloppy, inelegant, open-mouthed kiss and the biggest hug her little arms could manage, Daizi very nearly burst into tears right there in the front hall.

With one hand placed on the small of her back, Dark began to guide the pair of them further into the house, but stopped when Cooger came up to them. It was clear he initially intended to greet them in his normal way, but seeing the sorry lot of them, he stuck one hand in his pocket, gave them a solemn nod, squeezed Dark on the shoulder and said, "Ah... She's all clean and dry. Fresh up from her nap. Dog is fed and walked. Do you want me to pick up a pizza or something before I head home?"
 
The twins waited their turn, giving Dark and Daizi plenty of space while they got in the door. Alec touched the salt last and managed to give Cooger a smile. Ivy's excitement never failed to bring at least a small amount of joy to his heart, and he watched her for a minute before heading upstairs. He moved slow, not running or bouncing in his usual way. like Daizi remembering she'd have to contact Ciara, he wondered if he'd remembered to tell Tristan he couldn't work that evening. He'd have to check his texts.

Xander gave Cooger a nod but didn't answer as he headed for the kitchen. He washed his hands a little more thoroughly than strictly needed and then started sorting out what was what. What was available? Lots of staples. There was some defrosted chicken, rice, and cans of soup. It looked like he had everything for a warm chicken and rice dinner. Yes, that would be good. It wasn't a favorite of anyone's that he knew of or particularly familiar, but it was warm and comforting and quick to assemble. He could add in some Mediterranean flavors for Dark and Daizi. It was a pretty forgiving dish. He started getting everything out but didn't start cooking yet in case Dark disagreed with his choice.
 
Daizi followed up the stairs, with her daughter, not long after Alec, waiting downstairs just long enough to let Cooger squeeze her in a one-armed hug. He may not know what was going on, but he saw that look on her face. Then, he and Dark had a very brief, hushed conversation in the front hall, and the only words heard from it were, Call me if you need anything, before Cooger left.

Dark looked over the ingredients spread out and nodded, it'd do fine, and he washed his hands and quickly got to work, at first only speaking what was strictly necessary so they didn't step over each other. Eventually, though, he said, "I am plotting to steal Ivy back from Daizi. I just have not figured out how to do so yet."
 
Xander shrugged as he worked on the chicken. "I've got this handled. If you want to go get her now, I'm good. You could tell her you want to, I dunno, give Ivy a drink. Or that you need a little bit of Ivy time. She'd never say no to that."
 
Dark glanced at him, less certain she'd give her up that easily, "I would like to give her time to really rest this evening. After that. I have a plan, I thought of it as we drove home. I did not anticipate Ivy crawling directly to her, the traitor."
 
"Plase," Dark chuckled, "Imagine how Daizi would react if I did intercept her. She would have my head, you know." He paused, frowning, "And Enkidu got in my way."

Glancing over at Xander, he said, "You already are helping. If I can successfully kidnap my daughter, it will be easier to cook while holding her, and then I can trust she will fall asleep. She will wake up in time for dinner, which I can bring her in bed, unless she would prefer to eat here, and while she nurses, I can sneak to the bathroom and draw her the perfect bath."
 
"No, I suppose I did not." He answered, looking down at what he was doing for a few moments and running his tongue over his teeth, "It was not easy to hear that part of my past come up. I had known, but..." With a sigh, he shook his head and said, "The worst part of it was seeing her like that, especially because it was of something I did, regardless of how many years ago it was. So my version of a nice bath, tonight, is giving her a hot bath and taking care of her, because she always takes care of me. And tomorrow, if she is feeling more settled, she may well return the favor. I suspect she will, if she is. Because that is who she is. And that is who I am."

He looked at Xander once more, "Do not worry, or try to say it is not enough. Ivy goes to bed earlier than we do, you know. And after dinner, most nights, you and your brother keep to yourselves. So while Daizi is in the bath, and Ivy is asleep, I have all of that time to do whatever it is I would like to do, or whatever it is I need to do."
 
Xander studied Dark for a minute before turning back to what he was doing. "Nah, I'm not going to argue with you. I don't get it, but it seems to work for you, so more power to you." He got out a pan for the chicken. "Go grab your kid and hug your kid for a bit. Nothing is going to burst into flames here."
 
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