How Green Becomes Wood

"Oh, we went on one of those bus tours. The jokes were a bit annoying, but it was a nice way to see the city," Zeinab replied, beginning to hand out the bags she had brought home Xander, Alec, Daizi, and Dark respectively, although Daizi she handed two, "The littler one is for Ivy."
 
"Thank you, Amty, for thinking of us," Xander said gravely as he took his bag.

"That sounds fun," Alec said. He sat on the floor next to the coffee table and started carefully opening his bag. Xander copied him and did the same.
 
Dark and Daizi both opened theirs. Inside all five bags, including the little one for Ivy, was a set of matching blue pajamas with white stars. His expression as guarded as ever, Dark looked at the blue pajama top. And at Daizi's. And Ivy's. And Alec's. And Xander's. And had absolutely no idea what to say.

"Are these pajamas, Amty?" Daizi asked, unaware every set looked identical.

"Matching ones for all of you," Zeinab smiled, thoroughly pleased with herself, "Even Ivy-Qadira. Because I simply could not cope with you sleeping in those outfits of yours, habibti, you are going to catch your death. You needed something suitable. I couldn't find a matching bandana for your dog."
 
"These look so cozy! Thank you, Amty!" Alec cheered, holding his up. "You got my size, too. Thank you!"

Xander stared at his with a confused expression. Pajamas were pajams, he'd never paid much attention to what he wore at night as long as it was comfy, but these were not something he would have picked on his own. "Thank you, Amty," he said automatically, his tone calm. They look comfortable."
 
"I am surprised they had my size." Dark asked, holding up the shirt and turning it around, genuinely shocked it looked like it'd fit him.

"Oh, they didn't," Zeinab chuckled, "So I grabbed the largest one I could find when I was out the last time and brought them to be altered so you wouldn't be swimming in them. I stole one of your suits to give the tailor your measurements." Raising his eyebrows, Dark couldn't help but be impressed at the effort she went into. "Now go, you should all try them on! I want to see you wearing them together!"
 
Xander stared at his before glancing at Zeinab. "All of us?"

"A pajama party!" Alec squealed happily. He grabbed Xander's hand and dragged him to their room. "Come on!"
 
"Yes all of you," Zeinab huffed, shooing them off, "I am a very old woman, I could die any day now. I know we had a long talk about not being forced to dress unlike ourselves but you aren't going into public dressed like this and I could die any day now, so why would you choose to rob me of this?"
 
"No, ma'am! I would never deny you!" Alec assured her.

Xander sighed heavily but agreed and went to change. It turned out the pajamas were quite comfortable.

The twins came down to the living room looking quite twin-like in their new gift.
 
Dark was little more pleased than Xander, but Daizi found it amusing enough to scoop up her baby, "Amty Zeinab bought you new pajamas, Hummingbird! Isn't that so special? Can you say thank you?" Ivy only gurgled, feeling sleepy and snuggly. Humming lightly, Daizi nuzzled her baby and brought her upstairs to change her before changing himself.

Despite Zeinab's efforts, the pajama pants were still a bit short at Dark's wrists and elbows, but it was close. They were, admittedly, comfortable, even though Dark didn't love how he looked in the blue. It suited him fine, it just looked really bright to his eyes. When he was changed, Daizi passed Ivy over, because at this time of night, if they dared set her down, she'd take hours to settle back down.

Then Daizi changed into hers, finding them way too restrictive for normal sleeping, but wearing them for her aunt. Gently she took her daughter back and then the three of them returned back downstairs, perfectly matching Alec and Xander.

"Oh my goodness," Amty Zeinab cooed, "Aren't the five of you so sweet looking! Like a perfect little family!"
 
"We are a delightfully perfect family," Alec durably. "Like a constellation!" He looked at Dark in his blue pajamas. It hadn't taken much to gather him in his new clothes. Then again, it was Amty Zeinab. How could anyone say no to her?

"We are something," Xander agreed drably.
 
To Dark, the difference was they were in private. He did feel like he was making a fook of himself, but he wasn't making a fool of himself in public. He also wasn't being expected to wear something absurd and embarrassing when speaking with the professionals who, and he could not emphasize this enough, saved Ivy's life. For him, the trip to the NICU had been a solemn event.

These pajamas made him uncomfortable, but he put them on for the satisfaction of an old woman in the privacy of his own house. It was different. And he still was not going to actually sleep in them, he never slept with a shirt on.

"Oh smile, Xander, you look adorable!" Zeinab cooed, "And look at Qadira, she's so sweet, she loves them!" Quickly getting up and clearing the bags away, "You should all sit down together! Go go, sit! Oh Zalmi, it's not a funeral."
 
Xander tried to crank his face into a smile and almost got there, but it was a failed attempt. He felt silly parading around in matching jammies for all the- well, only those inside the house to see. He did it, but he was not happy about it.

Alec gleefully posed with his family feeling truly matching and amazing in his comfy, starry pajamas! He was loving this.
 
Dark didn't bother attempting a smile, although Zeinab accepted his eye roll as a sufficient enough response. Alright knowing her plan for these pajamas, Daizi played the game and patiently waited for the inevitable trade she'd make with her husband. Ivy did seem to like them though and, yes, she was already sleepy, but they certainly made her look extra cozy. And who could deny how adorable it was to see her matching her big brothers? And how adorable it was to see her matching her Mama? And her Baba? It didn't matter who held her, it was the most 'Mini' she had ever looked as she was curled up, held snug against her Mama.

Watching the group of them, Zeinab only grinned, "Please can I take a picture of you all?"
 
Alec started to answer but stopped and looked at Xander.

Xander heaved a sigh. "It's going to be just for you, right? It's not... going anywhere or going to be shared a lot?"
 
"Who else would it be for?" Amty Zeinab asked, "I'm not like those kids you see today, scrolling all day on Facebook or that---" she waved her hand, "What is it? The one that is for the fans."

Dark looked slowly at his wife and then slowly back at Zeinab, and then just said, "I am not on much social media either, Amty."

"Good, because it rots your brain. All day, people scroll and like and live on their phones."
 
"Oh, I don't know. I just hear so much about it, how people are asked, 'when are you starting your fans account.' I don't know why people without fans would expect to get out of it," Zeinab huffed while Daizi bit her tongue. "Now, let's see," She squinted, moving her phone a bit back from her face, "You all sit still. Ya allah, but the screens are tiny."

"Do you need help, Amty?" Dark asked, moving so get up for her but she ordered him to sit, eventually figuring it out and after ordering everyone to sit still and smile, she took pictures until there was one she liked.

"There!" She exclaimed triumphantly, walking over and showing the photograph to them, "Look how cute you all are!"
 
Xander just sighed and nodded. "Yes, Amty."

"Amty, we are adorable! You have such amazing taste," Alec cheered, looking at the picture. "You even managed to get Ba to not look miserable."
 
Zeinab grinned, a completely satisfied picture of Daizi's future, "And now you will all sleep so much better now that you have proper clothing."

"I'm sure we will," Daizi replied, bouncing Ivy, "She certainly seems to like them."
 
"Thank you for being so concerned for us, Amty," Xander said gravely but sincerely. "These are very nice."

Meanwhile, Tristan had been home doing his own version of calming down and hitting a punching bag. Punching bag events were not his chosen method of letting out twisting, pent-up emotions, but he had his own way. After taking time to calm down, feed himself, and take a shower, Tristan tried to move past the events of that afternoon, but it was no good. It still followed him. Beyond that, he had to figure out where things landed with Alec's parents. This was not the first time he'd lost his temper around another person, but it was the first time around an employee, and an underage employee at that. And a part of the family, sort of. Was he supposed to talk to the parents? The kids who worked at fast food joints likely didn't have their bosses talking to their parents, but they weren't related to their employees. Should he contact Dark and Daizi or wait to see if they would contact him first? He really wasn't sure how to deal with this.

At last, he decided to call Daizi. At the very least, he did really want to know how Alec was doing. Alec was resilient, but also tender. So, he called Dazi's number to check in on Alec, and if he walked into a scolding, so be it.
 
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