How Green Becomes Wood

"She is absolutely exhausted," Daizi smiled softly, rubbing Ivy's back and swaying her, "It's very hard work, being one year old. I'm doing wonderfully, it's been a great party, all for her. I couldn't be happier."

~~

"It's worth a try, I guess. Better to know than not," Milo said, "If you hate it, you'll never have to do it again. Better than never trying something you'd love."

~~

Cooger pulled back just long enough to look at her, allowing one of his hands to lower, then he pulled her back in.
 
"I hope she sleeps like the proverbial log tonight for you," Sally said with a gentle smile. "Speaking of tired, I would love for us to get together this week. I was think maybe brunch? Something small just to get us both out of the house - and away from work - for a bit. Do you think you will have recovered enough for something like that later this week?"

~~

Xander glanced at Milo sideways. That didn't sound like the kind of advice someone like him would give, more like given to him, but it wasn't bad advice. "You're right about that."

~~

Lex allowed herself to take her time enjoying Cooger. She'd wanted this for some time but hadn't wanted to pressure him or rush him. Now she had what she wanted, and it was everything she'd hoped for! Her hands lightly stroked him, exploring his body lightly outside his clothes and tasting his lips.

Finally, she pulled away, panting, her eyes on fire and her cheeks pink. "Cooger," she rasped throatily. She took his face in her hands. "Damn it, man, if you don't leave now, I might not let you with your clothes intact."
 
"I bet she will, the bigger question if I'll have the strength to set her down and enjoy it. Last night... Dark had to pull me away. I just couldn't believe we had made it to a year, I was just sitting in the rocking chair holding her, feeling so incredibly blessed to know her, and... I don't know, somehow very aware that one day will be the last time I lay her down like that." Daizi turned her face to kiss Ivy's head, "It feels like she's been here for longer than a year but she's still growing up too quickly." Delicately adjusting strands of Ivy's hair, she turned back towards Sally, "I'd love to do something with you, though. Brunch sounds divine---as happy as I am to have my family here, it's more than a little stressful."

~~

He only shrugged, resting his arms on the railing of the porch, looking quietly out at the garden. "It's something my dad used to tell me."

~~

Even now, Cooger was more cautious with his hands, not wanting to presume he could touch too much, but very much wanting to. He wanted her closer, daring to press her body against his own, finding pleasure in the curve of her spine and the way her hips moved against him. What a wonderful thing it was, to be desired like this, to be wanted like this. And god, he wanted her.

When Lex pulled back and looked at him like that, he nearly decided it wasn't worth returning to the party. "Then I guess I better get gone," He breathed, not letting go of her just yet, "'Cause these are my good clothes. Be a shame to destroy 'em." He shut his eyes for a moment, then shook his head and kissed her one last time, to savor it.

Then, swearing under his breath, he stood, looking down at where she sat flushed and beautiful, "I'll call you," he breathed, smoothing his hair with one hand.
 
"Oh, what a bittersweet moment it is to realize just how the little ones have grown," Sally sighed wistfully. "The days seem to stretch on forever, and then you blink. It's their first birthday. Their first day of kindergarten. Their first fight with a friend. You miss what was, sometimes painfully so, but then what you have is a new adventure. Every single new stage of life is so brand new! An adventure with a faded map that only vaguely tells you what to do." She sighed again and shook herself. "Anyway, brunch sounds perfect. I was thinking maybe... Wednesday? Or Thursday or Friday? What would work best for you for a little getaway?"

~~

Xander mirrored Milo's position. "Do you take it much? The advice?"

~~

When Cooger kissed her that last time, she almost pulled him against her again, but she forced herself to only kiss him, giving him something to miss, and let him go. "You better," she warned, rising to walk him to the door. "You can't go teasing a girl like that and then let her hang like a loose thread." She looked up at him and smiled, tender for a moment, and brushed her hand against his cheek. "Enjoy the party. Keep that brother of yours in line." Then she opened the door to let him out.
 
"Friday is probably better for me," Daizi said, still swaying to keep Ivy soothed, "I have so much family visiting, I don't want to stretch myself too thin with people who live near until they've begun to leave. I'm already getting lunch with Ciara on Tuesday, and that alone seems won with great difficulty."

~~

"I try to remind myself of it," Milo said, "but... no, not really, I guess. That doesn't mean I don't recognize it's value. It's just hard."

~~

"I will," he promised, placing his hand over hers. Had he been like Dark, he'd have kissed her palm, but that wasn't a move he knew. "That's why I'm going over there, someone's got to keep him on the straight and narrow." He stole one last glance at her and then went back to the party, trying to not make an absolute giddy fool of himself as he left.
 
"She agreed to get lunch with you? That's wonderful!" Sally said, surprised but pleased. "She has always seemed like a lovely person, just... ah, standoffish. I do hope she can relax a little into your family. Friday it is. Shall I pick you up? We can set a time later."

~~

"It is frickin' hard," Xander agreed. "Worth trying, usually, but frickin' hard to do." He paused for a moment and then added, "It gets a little bit easier each time. Not like a ton, but, you know, a sliver." He glanced at Milo. "Anything you want to do?"

~~

Lex watched him go before shutting the door. Then she turned and leaned against the door, fanning herself a little. After taking a second to remind herself she was a thirty-six-year-old woman with a son and not a sixteen-year old anymore, she laughed at herself and went to take a shower.
 
"I think she's never been given freedom to be human and flawed before," Daizi said compassionately, "That's why I want so badly to spend more time with her. It'd be a big help if you picked me up, thank you."

~~

"Honestly?" Milo asked, looking over at Xander, "Not really. Not that I can think of, anyway. I mean. Nothing doable."

~~

The fresh air helped Cooger calm down and catch his breath. When he stepped inside, he tried to play it cool, but the moment Dark spotted him they only looked at each other for a moment before Dark took his arm and politely dragged him upstairs for the details.
 
"Poor thing," Sally said sympathetically. "I understand how that is. If anyone can bring her she'll, it will be you."

~~

"Well, if you ever find something you want to do but can't quite make yourself do it, lemme know," Xander said. He glanced back at the house. No one seemed to be missing him yet. He turned back to the garden and settled in.
 
"I don't want to change her, necessarily... but I want her to know none of us are going to judge her. We all deserve that much." Daizi replied, shifting how she held Ivy.

~~

"I will, but right now... just trying to survive it all, I guess." Milo said, rubbing but not scratching his arm, "The party seems to be winding down."

~~

Unlike before, Dark had brought Cooger into his bedroom, but none the less spoke in a whisper, "What happened?"

"I kissed her, we kissed," Cooger blurted out before realizing he probably should've played more coy about it. But, jesus, it had actually happened.

"******* finally." Dark replied, gesturing as if a prayer was answered, "What kind of kiss?"

"I don't know if I should be telling you that..." Cooger said, admittedly a bit pleased to see how excited his friend was about this development. In response, Dark pointed at him.

"Do not play with me, now, I have been masterminding trying to get you to actually go for it, and you finally do--on my daughter's birthday, by the way, which is a weird motivation, but we can talk about that later--was it brief? Did you go inside?" He looked over Cooger's face, "Allah, it was not brief."

"She wanted me to stay longer, but knew I had to get back here."

Dark looked at him, nodding, "What are you going to do next?"

"Call her when I get home?"

"No---after that, fool, after that. Come on, you are too great a man to have an experience like that with a woman and then go back to," he waved one hand, "whatever it was you have been doing for months. This is when you move forward. What are you going to do next?"
 
"I agree," Sally said softly. "It should never be a desire to change a person, but only to help them improve themselves. You are very good at that, darling."

~~

"Sometimes surviving is the hard thing you need the courage to do even when you might not want to," Xander said so quietly Milo might not have been able to hear him. He turned around and leaned against the railing, crossing his arms loosely. "Looks like it is. Do you need a ride home? They won't mind if I leave for a bit to get you home. Not much can be done until everyone clears out, anyhow."
 
She shrugged, "I like to think I'm so openly myself, at whatever cost, it makes it easier. What am I going to do? Judge you for slouching?"

~~

If Milo did hear what Xander said, he didn't react, "It'd probably help my grandparents if I got a ride home... thanks."
 
"Darling, you wouldn't be able to see if I was slouching," Sally pointed out teasingly.

~~

"Let me go find at least one of my folks to tell them what's going on." Xander glanced at him. "If you are ready to go. Don't want to rush you."
 
"Are you trying to imply I can't hear it in your voice?" Daizi teased, "But really, that's the point, isn't it? I'm not going to judge a person for how they look, or if they break arbitrary social rules because I break arbitrary social rules."

~~

"I can stay a bit longer," Milo said, raising his head, "It looks like your cousin is breaking free. We'll see what happens."
 
"Indeed," Sally chuckled. "As long as we keep some arbitrary rules intact. Afterall, arbitrary rules are what make up a society, and better a broken society than none at all in my opinion. Anarchy is not fun on a wide scale."

~~

"It's about time," Xander said as he pushed off the rail. "Hey, Hassan, are we going to dribble a bag of air around the yard, or should I take down the goals?" More quietly he added, "And where did my brother get off to? He loves this stuff."
 
"That's a risky conversation to initiate with an anthropologist," Daizi warned with a smile, "You don't want me to start talking about habitus or the dynamics of power in creating norms."

~~

"Yes! I really want to!" Hassan said quickly, hurrying over, "I just, I kept trying to find time after we ate, but some relative kept trying to talk to me."
 
Sally laughed. "Yes, I suppose you are correct, but as far as blanket statements go, I think we can agree. By the way, where did your husband get himself off to, do you know? Last I saw him, he was dragging off Cooger again. I hope they are not due for a second woodshop visit."

~~

"Darn relatives," Xander said blandly. He spotted Alec talking with Peter and one of the other relatives and gave a little wave.

"Oh, is it soccer- I mean, football time?" Alec asked, trotting over.
 
"No, I'm not sure where he is," Daizi asked, turning her head, "I haven't been around him since I went to take pictures with the women in my family."

As they said this, Dark and Cooger came down the steps together, chatting as they did.

~~

"Yes, finally," Hassan said, "Peter can be on my team."
 
"Ah, there he is. It looks as though I worried about woodsheds for nothing," Sally said, spotting them.

~~

"Okay," Peter agreed easily. He walked out to the grass. "Who else is playing?"

"Us, two," Xander said as he and Alec joined them. "Anyone else?"
 
"It's Ivy's birthday, so he can't commit too many crimes," Daizi laughed, "Why were you looking for him?"

~~

"We're even with us four, but if we got two more we could also have goalies," Hassan said, looking around, "But Noor won't play, and Saif wouldn't either. I can ask my dad."
 
"I thought I'd let him know that I was stealing his wife away and maybe attempt to plant the idea in his mind that maybe he could use a similar getaway at some point. I doubt it would work, I know he treasures his time at home, but it's worth a try. Jack could use some time out that's not at work," Sally replied.

~~

"Sloan's around. She'd likely play," Alec volunteered. "I'll go find her!" He headed inside to look for her.

"If Sloan joins, your dad could make the third," Xander said.
 
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