How Green Becomes Wood

When the twins sat down, she did her best to find and tug on Xander's sleeve without touching him and then squeezed Alec's hand tightly. More than anything, she wanted her family with her.

"I don't know whose present to start with," Daizi admitted with a shy laugh to the crowd of guests gathered to watch. She had never done something like this before, and in adulthood, she never opened presents in front of parties of this size.
 
Sally stepped forward at a pause and indicated the gift pile. "I'll hand you the gifts, shall I? I do so enjoy handing them out." She gestured lightly to Peter and murmured to him to write down who gave them what. Then she took quick stock of the gifts and mentally made a slight list of which ones to give out to try to spread out the givers. "The first one is from Eman."

She handed out the gifts, giving out two from Daizi's family, one from their friends, and then two from Daizi's family. Ciara's gift was first from the States friends and family, and she gave them a gift box of small toys and a matching dishcloths in neutral tones. It was a very nice gift, but one put together by someone who clearly had no idea what to give a baby on their first birthday.
 
It was obvious whose gifts came from older family members and whose came from younger family members, because Daizi's cousins all gave cuter, more modern baby toys, clothes, or books (and Marwan included one or two things for Daizi and Dark, knowing they deserved a reward for surviving the ordeal) whereas Zeinab, Fadia, Neha, Rashid, and Saladin gave jewelry much too nice for a baby and other more traditional items.

It may have been obvious Ciara's gift was not given by someone who knew what to gift a baby, but Dark and Daizi thanked her earnestly none the less, and to her credit---Ivy immediately showed immense interest in one of the toys included.

Cooger's gift were two baby dresses--which immensely surprised Dark. It was difficult for him to imagine his friend scrolling online through children's clothing retailers. The first was a lavender colour similar to the birthday decorations decorated with flowers... and Mothman. The second was black and decorated with white stars, moons, a bright, colourful rainbow... and Mothman. And Bigfoot. And a green alien. Along with the two dresses, he gave two stuffed toys: One of Bigfoot. And one of Mothman.
 
Xander tried not to laugh at Cooger's gift while Alec promptly demanded to know if there were any shirts for men at the shop Cooger got the dresses from.

Sally's gift was from the family as a whole. Jack had captured and had printed on glass a beautiful picture of a native hummingbird. The picture was wrapped in a large blanket that had images of butterflies and hummingbirds in raised texture from Peter, and Sally had tucked along the back edge of the frame several gift cards to stores she thought they might like so they could get what they really needed and wanted in their style.

Tristan had also given a gift that was more adult oriented in three vases of differing sizes all in an obre of deep, ritch purple and black with raised, ornate designs on them. They looked like regular flowers of butterflies until one looked closer - or felt them - and found the more macarbe images like skulls hidden in the design.
 
Daizi spent a lot of time feeling the raised details on the blanket and on the vases, thanking everyone sincerely. Dark was more restrained, feeling a bit awkward with everyone looking at them, so he focused more on showing things to Ivy and making comments about how she liked them. It didn't make him feel much less awkward, but it helped somewhat. Anyway, someone needed to keep Ivy entertained, because unless she was being presented a toy, she wasn't all that interested in the gifts. She would look curiously at things she was presented with, but mostly just tried to eat one of the toys Ciara gave her and show it off.
 
Peter stood near the present table and dutifully kept notes on every gift given and by whom, his writing neat and organized. Alec and Xander commented on each gift, trying to come up with something positive for each one, and then took the job of finding a spot to neatly organize them out of the way.
 
Of course, Mittz and Spencer gave a joint gift, but judging by the happy colours it was clear it wasn't Spencer who had picked out the gift. It wasn't too over the top, but true to what Spencer had been saying earlier, it was very Care Bears core (one day, Mittz promised she would give Ivy an actual Care Bear, but it was of the utmost importance Ivy had a choice in it)

Then Daizi nudged her shoulder against Alec's, "Do you two have a gift for her?"
 
Alec glanced at Xander. "We do. I thought it was on the table?"

"I... tucked it kind of back," Xander admitted. Then he started blushing.

Sally stooped over and spotted the gift. "There it is! Found it." She fetched it out from under the table and brought it over. It was a larger box with a bit of weight to it, though not too heavy, and wrapped in brown butcher block paper with pink and black bats carefully drawn all over it. "Here we are. Who wants it?"

Inside the box were five individually wrapped items with the smallest on top. The first two were handmade leather elbow pads stitched with the thinnest leather Xander could find and padded with soft fabric on the inside. The next two were kneepads made the same. Finally, a little helmet that fit just right and had a bit of extra padding and a thicker leather. Ivy's fully name had been carefully painted across the front of the helmet in a flowing calligraphy, and on the back in tiny letters was the block-printed word "Mini." Tiny flowers were painted on each of the pads, though it was questionable how long they'd last.
 
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Daizi took a long time feeling the different items while Dark looked over them, "Xander..." Daizi breathed, "Did you make these? They're beautiful. Hummingbird, look what your brother made you!"

It was clear to those who knew to see it this gift was no less impactful for Dark than it was for Daizi, but he also knew it'd kill Xander if he was overwhelmed with praise in front of so many people, so instead he asked, "When did you have time to measure her?"
 
Xander cleared his throat, not quiet looking at Dark and instead choosing to look at the items they were holding. "Actually, I had Alec do it."

"It was surprisingly easy, especially if you don't use a measuring tape, just random bits of string," Alec said happily, smiling broadly as he watched them. It was also easier if one parent couldn't see what you were doing.

"Yeah," Xander said with a nod. "He collected the data, and I worked on it whenever I could. Checking the fit was a lot harder, but I made it with a lot of room to grow. And if it doesn't fit, or anything's wrong with it, I can fix them. Start from scratch if they're awful."
 
"Not much of a surprise for you, then, Hummingbird, is it?" Daizi asked, kissing Ivy's cheek, "It's a good thing you only know two words."

"They are not awful," Dark promised him, setting the helmet on Ivy's head to get a look at it on her, "You look very pretty, Ivy-Qadira." After only a moment or two he took it off again, wishing was old enough to be taught to ride a bike, or at least a tricycle.
 
"That's some quality work," Jack said, leaning forward to get a good look. "Nicely done."

Alec smiled and squeezed Xander's hand. "You did a really good job. It's going to last her to bike riding age!"
 
"I am really excited to teach her how to ride a bike," Dark said softly, rubbing his thumb down the back of Ivy's hair, his eyes softening when she looked up at him with her big smile, "Are you having a happy birthday, my daughter?"

"Of course she is," Daizi replied warmly, believing with her whole heart nothing could make this day better. So much of her family had gathered, along with all of her friends, she was sitting between her sons and daughter, and all of them were celebrating her daughter's first birthday. Even though the day was, admittedly, more emotionally raw than she expected... God she was happy. She was so happy. The hope of maybe, potentially, being past all of the rough patches had become such a terrifying hope to harbor, because every time the thought came into her mind, horrible things followed, but today everything was perfect. The unexpected pain had been squeezing at her since the night before, but it was almost entirely washed out by the joy of all of it. Not for the first time that day did she hit the verge of crying and it wasn't something she could disguise like her husband could, but she didn't tip over the edge into it. Alec was beside her, so she squeezed his hand and with her other arm pulled Ivy in tight to her side.

"Dark," Cooger said, wanting to move things along to hopefully distract his friend so she didn't start to cry, "Do we get to see what you and Daizi gave to Ivy for her birthday?"

Freezing a bit shyly, Dark shrugged his shoulders, "We should go through all of the generous gifts you all brought first, I think."
 
Everyone else shook their heads to indicate they didn't have a gift hiding--Sloan had brought a copy of Oh The Places You'll Go and Milo, feeling embarrassed, brought nothing. He had figured all of the pictures he was taking would be the gift, since Dark would be too busy to remember to photograph the day.

"Come on, Goose," Daizi murmured gently, not understanding why he was suddenly embarrassed when the night before he had been so proud, "Go show Ivy what you made her."

If he were honest, he didn't know why he felt shy about it, either. It was just that he had suddenly found himself wondering if he had, perhaps, been a bit extravagant. Maybe excitement had gotten the better of him. He'd still give it to her, certainly, but this was a big crowd.

Rising to his feet, Dark explained, "It is in our linen closet, I will go fetch it."

"It was my idea, actually," Daizi said truthfully, "Months ago I had said Ivy should have something like it, and Dark's such an artist, he ran with it."
 
The twins glanced at each other, confused. What could he have made for her that would be extravagant yet fit in the linen closet?

Jack offered to help.Dark fetch it if he wanted while the others waited.
 
Promising Jack he could manage on his own, Dark went upstairs to the linen closet Xander had locked him inside, once upon a time, which he had partially emptied to store his creation for this, so it was being stored in a linen closet large enough to house a hunched over 6'8 man. Although he didn't understand why he hadn't just kept it in his shed.

With only mild difficulties, he removed it from where it was stored and then carried downstairs a sturdy, wooden rocking horse carved to look like a carousel horse, complete with a gold, swirling pole to support it. Given how tiny he typically worked, it shouldn't have been a surprise the detail work was immaculate, all the way down to the flowers and vines carved along the saddle and saddle blanket and the details of the bridle's buckle. The horse, itself, was white, but the decorations were all in gentle, pretty colours proper for a little child, because this was not for him and he didn't need to paint it in accordance with his own aesthetic---although maybe the exact shades of blue, purple, and pink were dustier than someone else may have chosen.

Because it was a present, and not one he could ever have wrapped easily, he had out of respect tied a red bow around the neck.
 
Everyone stared in awe at the rocking chair. Little gasps and whispers of awe ran through them as they studied the wooden work of art.

Lex was the first to break the silence. "That is the most amazing little horse I've ever seen. It looks like one of those at the fair that go round and round. What are they called?"

"A carousel horse," Alec answered. "They are so magical! And this one..."

"Even more so," Xander finished.
 
Saladin fell silent, looking at the result of what was clearly months of work. It was a difficult thing for him to make sense of in his mind, given his enduring hatred of his daughter's husband. How that man built this...? Then again--the time Dark must have spent building this was time he could've spent with his grandchild or providing. How many hours must he have spent alone instead of taking care of his family to make this?

Zeinab clapped her hands together and scurried over to Dark, forcing him to bed down so she could pinch his cheek, "Zalmi, look at you! Such an artist!"

"Well, it was Daizi's idea," Dark said shyly, too proud of his work to accept compliments on it, "She helped decide what should go on it."

"Ivy-Qadira," Daizi murmured, kissing her baby's head, "Do you want to go see what Baba made for you?"

"Let the kid have a go on it," Cooger said, knowing it was what everyone wanted to see.
 
"Yes, Ba!" Alec agreed eagerly. "Please, let her sit on it!"

"Cameras at the ready, everyone," Jack said cheerfully. He spotted Milo and gestured to him. "You stand here on this side and I'll take the other side, and we'll have all the best angles covered, right?"
 
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