How Green Becomes Wood

"My job?" Dark asked, not immediately understanding Xander's compliment. He was officially unemployed, but was a stay-at-home father, so... He presumed that was what his son meant. It was sort of backwards, but hoping he had it right, he nodded a bit and replied, "Thank you."
 
Xander could tell Dark didn't fully get it, but he didn't bother to explain. He just smirked a little and headed inside to take off Enkidu's leash, his shoes, and touch the salt. "Is Tristan coming to Ivy's birthday party?" he asked as he headed for the stairs. Time for a shower.

Alec hadn't surrendered Ivy yet, though he'd set her down and was now on the floor playing with her. He looked up as everyone came in, instantly more settled now that Xander was in the house.
 
"I asked him, but he has not given a firm answer yet," Dark replied, also going to the stairs since he needed a shower too, "I rented the ramp for that day, just in case. I would rather cancel it and eat the fee than risk him struggling to come into our home."

Daizi had joined her children on the floor and Ivy was crawling around the living room, investigating as she went about and babbling loudly.
 
"What about Friday?" Xander asked, heading up. "And woudn't it be easier to make a temporary ramp with a bit of wood? Then you can disassemble it and use it for something else later."

"What have you got now?" Alec asked Ivy, lightly chasing her.
 
"He will be here on Friday, and I do have the ramp rented for that," Dark replied, and after a moment said, "Theoretically, I think I could build a temporary ramp, but I would need to do measuring to make sure it had the correct slope, and build it to be certain it could support Tristan's weight, and his chair's weight, in addition to anyone else who may walk on it, and I am not sure I could build it quickly, safely, and also let it be easily taken apart."

Ivy giggled, trying to crawl away from him, but she still had trouble escaping while holding an object--at that particular moment, she had found one of Enkidu's toys, and was quite pleased to have it because it squeaked.
 
"Guess that makes sense," Xander agreed. He turned toward "his" bathroom, giving Dark a salute as they parted ways. It'd be a quick shower so he wouldn't be late for dinner.

"Come here, you!" Alec play growled, crawling after her. "What's that, huh? What's that, you goof?"
 
Dark nodded and went his way too.

Ivy giggled, tumbling over accidentally as she tried to get away, and when she did, she landed on the ball which squeaked. At the sound, Enkidu came hurrying into the room, and then stood confused when he didn't immediately see where it was.

"Do you have Enkidu's ball, Ivy?" Daizi grinned.
 
When Alec began to tickle her, Ivy squealed and squirmed, loudly. Quickly forgetting about the ball, Enkidu hurried over and picked it up, but only squeaked it once or twice before lying down, tired from his big run. Daizi moved over to her dog so she could pet him.
 
When Alec freed her, she sat up and then, crawling nearer, grabbed onto her brother and used him to pull herself up to standing. Now close to his face, she screeched excitedly, and then flopped against him.
 
"What was that about?" Alec laughed in surprise, catching her. "What are you doing, your wiggly little thing? Do you want help walking around, or are you trying to tackle me to the floor?"
 
Alec grinned at Ivy and scooped her up, wrapping her in the biggest hug he could manage while simultaneously rolling onto his back. Once on his back, he lifted Ivy up, holding her suspended in the air. "Wee! You're hovering! Is it as good as flying?"
 
When Ivy was hoisted into the air, she squealed in absolute delight.

"What is going on down there?" Dark asked, coming downstairs after his shower, and peering into the living room smiled to see such a happy, peaceful moment between his family members.
 
"Lifting weights!" Alec called back. He lowered Ivy down so he could blow a raspberry on her belly then lifted her back up again. "Two!" He lowered her down and pretended to eat her arm gently and then lifted her up again. "Three!"
 
"I can see that," Dark answered, coming into the room and sitting down next to Daizi and Enkidu instead of going to set the table. They could linger a little longer here. "It is not a bad work out, she weighs a little over twenty pounds."

There may not have been a lot Ivy could do, but she really seemed like she was having the time of her life playing with her brother. When he brought her down, she tried to grab at his face.
 
"She's really getting heavy!" Alec laughed, barely avoiding her grab. On his sixth lift, he lowered her down and let her grab his face. "You're a sturdy baby, aren't you? So big and strong and healthy!"
 
"Yeah," Daizi murmured, resting her head on her husband's shoulder, "She is. She's really, really healthy."

Dark shifted to wrap an arm around her, seeing by the lines in her face where her mind went. "She is the closest thing anyone could have to the perfect baby. And in eleven days, she will be a year old."

After grabbing curiously at Alec's face, Ivy crawled off of them, and went jingling about the room again.
 
"Ow," Alec winced. "You have sharp knees, Ivy!"

"What's happening?" Xander asked, coming down the stairs. He'd changed into something loose-fitting and comfortable, but still black.
 
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