How Green Becomes Wood

"Yeah but I could've gotten it on my own," Cooger countered, "Y'all ain't the ones who did the work to get the free ice cream benefit."

"I'm sure it'd work on some people," Daizi mused, "Not me, or anyone I know, but someone. Surely."
 
Xander finished wiping off his hands. "Puppies. Puppies would work more than cats."

"Uncle Cooger! Xander is talking blasphemy again!" Alec pretended to whine as they prepared to leave.
 
"Your brother is a blasphmer." Cooger told Alec, "A sorry blasphmer. But I shouldn't be surprised, he was raised by blasphmers."

"I am proud to be one," Dark replied sardonically.

"I don't think it's the cats that are the problem," Daizi said, thinking about it, "More so the random nephew running about. I love spending time with Alec, but I can't say he's who I want around if I were going on a date."
 
Alec gasped in mock shock. "You mean you'd rather take Xander than me? What's he got that I don't?"

"I'm'a dunk your head in the first puddle I see," Xander promised.

"It's not raining and hasn't for a long time," Alec shot back with a smirk.
 
"I didn't say I'd want him there either," Daizi laughed, "Or Ivy. Sometimes, places are not for children."

"The last place I want to see a child, especially someone else's, is while I am on a date," Dark agreed.
 
"Doesn't seem to hold you back much at home," Alec remarked. And then made a mad dash for the car.

"Yes it does, and it'd better, and you get back here!" Xander yelled, chasing him.
 
"Well that's not fair," Daizi pouted, "I can't chase after them, and I can't yell after them because she's sleeping in my arms."

"They took advantage. They retreated from an unwinnable position." Dark commented, standing and lifting the diaper bag over his shoulder. "Come, we have a party to get to."

Cooger stood, waving to the ice cream workers as they left, "Can you believe it? I'll be at a party on time for once."

"You will still find a way to be late," Dark teased, slapping his friend on the back, "You always do."

"Not a chance, I'm heading out at the same time as you. We'll get there at the same time."

"You may continue to delude yourself."

"Twenty bucks says I'll get there within five minutes of you, if not faster."

Dark looked at his friend with a slightly raised eyebrow and stuck out his hand, "Deal."

After shaking on their bet, they went to their individual vehicles. Daizi cautiously lay Ivy in her carseat, hoping it didn't wake her. Then she sat down in her own side and as she buckled, Dark glannced behind him at the twins, and in one smooth gesture flipped on the child-safety lock feature.

"If you must know," He said, now that the twins had no escape, "We do hold back at home, which is why you really would not like to tag along on our date."
 
"Noooo!" Xander moaned, leaning against the door. "Not this conversation!"

"Are you really out in public being worse than you are at home, you must get all sorts of nasty looks from older women," Alec teased.

"No, make it stop!" Xander protested.
 
"When have I ever wanted to do anything like that?" Xander demanded.

"Maybe, but you go to all the cool places. But I'd still rather not tag along with you. Maybe Cooger, but not you," Alec stated.

Xander raised his eyes heavenward. "Why am I being punished like this? Did I offend some diety?"
 
"A lot tamer because he's not you," Alec replied promptly. "Not to mention, he often likes to do stuff out in the open or something other people can either join in or wander off."

Xander stared at Alec. "How do you know about his dating preferences? No, you know what? I really don't want to know. In fact, I really would rather walk home from here."
 
"Like run along the beach and splash through the surf? And walk through the flowers of the indoor gardens?" Alec teased.

"This has to be illegal somehow, someway," Xander scowled, tapping at the lock.
 
"You don't know what we get up to because you're not invited," Daizi huffed, tipping her head back like she was offended.

With a shake of his head, Dark argued Xander's point, "Certainly not, no. In fact, it is an option manufacturers include because of moments just like this: so children do not open the doors of moving vehicles. It is for safety."
 
"I have a pretty good idea considering what you are like when you are home. Out on a romantic date? All restrictions are off!" Alec chuckled.

Xander tapped uselessly at the lock again. "So that parents and siblings can have horrifically uncomfortable discussions that kids can't escape? So not cool."
 
"I would take it out on him, but I figure in the back seat of a moving vehicle is not the best place to do something like that," Xander pointed out. He waited, staring at the lock, until it disengaged. Then he burst out of the back and trotted a few steps away before stretching. "We are never, ever going on a family road trip!"

"You're so easy," Alec snickered, climbing out after him.

Meanwhile, Lex called Cooger's phone.
 
"We already have gone on a family road trip!" Daizi laughed, getting out of the car and carefully picking Ivy up. Unfortunately, this time she was unsuccessful with not waking her, so she hurried inside trying to soothe her back to sleep.

"Hey, this is J.C. Cooger," Cooger answered, simce he had to put the call on Bluetooth since he was still driving, "What can I do for ya?"
 
"A second one. They seem to be getting worse," Xander grumbled, though he doubted anyone heard him. He sauntered into the house after Alec and headed upstairs to wash up and get himself sorted out for the party soon. He kicked Alec out of the bathroom so he could use it first, then he went and laid on his bed with his eyes closed while Alec primped and preened in the bathroom.

~~

"Hey, Coog, it's Lex," she greeted him. "Toby and I were planning on going bowling tonight. Want to come along? You can bring one of your nephews or a friend so we can do two teams."
 
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