How Green Becomes Wood

"Oh," Milo murmured, scrolling through the pictures, visibly impressed with what he was seeing, "I think, some of these, I've seen before, maybe. Wow." He could have stood there for hours looking at the pictures but knew he had to hand Jack's phone back when it was time to eat. "Cool. Um. Thank you." He swallowed hard, suddenly feeling much more awkward once he wasn't looking at pictures anymore and walked after Xander like he was his shadow.

~~

"Just let your hair be it's natural texture," Sloan said, following after Peter, "We'd all be a lot happier."

~~

When everyone came in, Daizi was already setting Ivy down in her high chair and Dark was waiting for everyone else to be at their places before he sat. They had to bring out extra chairs, so they weren't all a perfect match, but nobody was left with an ugly folding chair, only ones which hadn't quite been so meticulously worked on.
 
"It was good talking to you," Jack told him jovially before going to join his wife.

Tristan cautiously rolled up to the end of the table where it was easiest for him and his chair to sit. The table was high for him, even when compared to standard tables, but he was used to working around that. Sally and Jack sat across from each other on either side of Tristan. Peter sat next to Sally, Becky sat between Sally and Alec. Ciara sat next to Alec, leaving an open space for Milo next to her. Across the table, Tom sat next to Jack, and Xander sat next to Tom and more or less across from Alec.
 
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Ivy in her high chair was sat at the head of the table, because she was easiest to help from that position, and Daizi sat at her left. Dark stood just behind them, watching all of these people file in. They had to extend their table to fit everyone. That itself wasn't new, their Halloween parties were crowded affairs, but this wasn't like that. This table was full of those who attended to celebrate the completion of his family. Dimly lit in his mind's eye were silent and tense meals, hunched like starved feral dogs. Only his family had looked like that, the others he had known then had glowed. Now in front of him was a table of light.

Cooger came up beside him and sharing a knowing look with his friend, squeezed Dark on the shoulder before they took their seats side-by-side, with Dark across from Daizi, able to sneak some time to talk for the first time since their guests began arriving.

Milo scurried into the only into the only open seat, completing their circle, and finding himself between Daizi and Ciara. He stole a quick anxious look at them both, noted how their scents seemed from different universes altogether, and then stared straight down at the table, wide-eyed."
 
Ciara gave Milo a little nod of greeting but made no attempt to start a conversation.

Once everyone was seated and had a moment to get settled, Jack cleared his throat. "I hope you don't think it improper of me, but I would like to propose a toast," he stated. He raised his glass. "To one of the finest, spookiest, cleverest, most kind-hearted families I have ever had the privilege to meet, the Wahid-Dark family! Long may their lineage stand, and long may their happiness last!"

The others responded with varying degrees of clumsiness or smoothness depending on how used to toasts they were, but once their glasses were raised, they were enthusiastic to call out, "To the Wahid-Darks!"

"To Xander and Alec!" Becky cheered happily.
 
"To Dark and Tarot," Cooger added more quietly, raising his cup with the fervor of a warrior in Heorot. Grinning brightly, Daizi held up her cup while across from her, Dark held his with solemn pride like a wise ancient king. Between them, Ivy watched everyone raise her hands cooed excitedly. She didn't know what everyone was doing, but they looked excited! So she was excited!

"Well done, Ivy-Qadira," Dark murmured to her, smoothing her hair with one hand, "It is exciting."

"Clever baby," Daizi added, clinking her glass against Ivy's sippy cup before initiating clinking glasses with everyone else at the table.

"Mmm!!!"
 
Those sitting next to the twins teased them briefly as they clinked glasses, but soon everything settled down to eat. Compliments flew around the table as those who'd brought something tried to compliment the others. All the food was amazing, truly magnificent, and it was difficult to talk while eating. Occasionally, someone would come up for air and initiate a conversation, but they never lasted long.
 
As Daizi had told Ciara, Dark was absolutely delighted to get to enjoy lamb at dinner and murmured a quiet compliment to Ciara. Being such a large man, he found it a bit uncomfortable eating around people, out of a likely baseless anxiety about people commenting on it, so he remained reserved as he ate, chatting quietly with Daizi and Ivy, and to an extent with Cooger, who showed much less decorum.

Milo poked somewhat helplessly at his dinner. He was eating it, and enjoying it, but he felt awkward and out of place, especially with who he was seated between. Shouldn't the twins be closer to their parents? Was this okay? He took a quick awkward glance up at Ciara, remembered who she was and looked away once more.
 
Jack and Sally at the other end of the table were talking to Tristan and slowly learning more about him, and him about them. They were loosening up rather quickly and getting to know each other surprisingly easily. Sally had that talent with strangers, and Jack was a good wingman in that regard.

The twins in the middle were talking and laughing with their friends, and Xander was quizzing Sloan on random questions like where turtles would go to school if they actually had to contend with rabbits and other ridiculous things.

Ciara had a small portion she was eating with utter refinement, elbows tucked in at her sides. She noticed Milo glancing at her and felt that was an indication she was supposed to make conversation. What did one talk about with an unknown teen? "The weather out has been cooling rather drastically, but I believe there are still some good weather days ahead," she remarked.
 
Occasionally Cooger leaned over to joke with the teenagers, being more than comfortable at the "kid's" portion of the table.

Milo nodded, not able to make eye contact, "I prefer the cold."
 
The teens were more than happy to include Cooger, treating and teasing him as one of their own even if Becky and Tom called him - jokingly - "Old Man Coog" and then "Old Man" for short.

"Indeed? It is not often you hear that opinion," Ciara remarked, her eyes primarily on her plate. "I believe later fall is my preferred seasonal temperature, but winter is not so unkind as some would say."
 
When they teased him, Cooger teased them right back. Once in awhile, Dark would chime in purely to chide his friend before turning away again.

"I like." He swallowed, bouncing his leg, "how snow glitters. And, um, seeing my breath. You know?"
 
"I had never thought about seeing my breath, but the snow is beautiful," she agreed. "I am afraid I am not fond of ice, but snow is beautiful. I like to listen to the way it falls."
 
"You should try sometime. It must be large flakes, and I find it easiest to hear either early morning or in the evening, but it is a lovely sound," Ciara said with a nod.
 
"Yeah. Maybe." Milo replied, having another bite of food. It was really nice. He had questions, because of course he did. His mind was never quiet, but he also was always too afraid to ask any questions, so he allowed the conversation to fall back into silence. It was easier, anyway. And, you know, at least he had managed to have a simple short conversation with two strangers. That was really good.
 
Ciara allowed the silence to stretch out, feeling no need to fill it. He was a nice boy. It was good to see her nephews had surrounded themselves with all sorts of friends. Some, like Tom and Becky, were too wild and stereotypical teen for her tastes, but Sloan was respectful, as was Peter, while being active and bright. And then Milo here was quiet and good company. He did not seem to feel the need to prattle, nor was he ignoring her. This was not a terrible situation.
 
Near the end of dinner, Daizi brought Ivy upstairs to give her the rest of her meal. Meanwhile, after he felt certain everyone was finished eating, Dark began to clean the table to allow the rest of the guests to mingle. Eventually, they'd bring out dessert, but as much as Dark yearned for the end of the party, they never liked rushing them along.
 
The teens all moved to the living room and started discussing what sort of game to play. Xander resisted the idea of any games. Alec suggested charades. Becky offered truth-or-dare. Tom liked the idea of charades. Peter leaned more to Xander's suggestion but was willing to join in to whatever the others decided.

Sally and Jack offered to help clean up the dining room and kitchen while Ciara and Tristan moved to the living room and finding a couple of quiet places to sit.
 
Milo shuffled after the rest of the teenagers mostly because he felt like he ought to, but really just hung around on the outskirts and continued taking pictures.

Dark assured Sally and Jack he was alright cleaning up on his own. Cooger refused to take no for an answer, though

When dessert was served, it was the type which didn't need to be eaten at a table, and Dark did return to Tristan to ask, "Did you have time to see Ivy's high chair?"
 
Jack and Sally ended up sitting in the living room watching the teens and acting as judges or referees to whatever game they chose to play. They weren't "one of the gang" like Cooger, but they were fairly cool for adults.

"Yes, I'd love to!" Tristan said instantly, pushing his chair to follow Dark. "I could only see it a bit from where I was."
 
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