How Green Becomes Wood

"Archery, but also music, dancing, light, and healing," Daizi replied, "That's what I think of more, when I think about him. The music and the poetry. I forget sometimes Artemis isn't technically the goddess of archery, only goddess of the hunt, because I associate the bow more with her than I do her twin. Apollo is also generally considered the younger twin, so, you have that in common."
 
"One thing I have been told before, and I think it has merit, is that no man is a hero to himself," Daizi told him gently, "But I do think you are full of light. And I know you love music and dance. So that's who I see you as most of all."
 
"You're welcome, habibi," Daizi replied, squeezing him tight because it seemed like he needed it. "Now I have to play, for the sake of the spirits. Normally Dark drums for me, but you are welcome to try it."
 
Daizi strummed on her hand harp and began to sing:

Walk between the worlds, bravely down the candle road
The light will lead you deep into your core
Move into the center, add your sorrow to the coals
With incense rising, steady as a prayer
Though the heart is heavy as the dance is burning down
May you raise your eyes and never bow your head
We are not alone

The twins wouldn't recognize it, due to the chaos of the year before preventing it, but it was a song she sang every Samhain eve, the way other people would sing their favourite Christmas songs on the 24th of December.
 
Xander came to sit near and listen to the song, intrigued. It was an appropriately spooky song, he thought.

Alec kept the beat perfectly, focused too much on not messing up his part to pay too much attention to the song. His mother had entrusted this very important task to him. He wasn't going to let her down.
 
Dark and Cooger also sat with them, and after Daizi had sang a few relevant tunes. Then they went outside to start the bonfire. Although they didn't get too loud, out at the bonfire, there was still music and merriment to be had. Dark had brought out strips of paper so they could write things down they wanted to let go of without sharing them aloud and burn them in the fire to let them go.
 
Both twins had a lot of fun with the merriment, and they struggled to keep it down, but they loved it! When Dark handed out the strips, though, both sat down to think long and hard about what they wanted to burn, taking it seriously. Finally, they both picked something, wrote it down, and slipped it into the fire. They didn't tell anyone else what it was, not even each other. As they watched the strips of paper burn, they couldn't help feeling a sense of relief. Things would be better now, right? They had to be better now.
 
Dark and Cooger didn't share what they wrote either. Daizi wasn't sure if hers counted as really writing on the paper or not, because it wasn't at all legible, but she knew it was the intention which counted, and so she burned it and after taking steps away from the bonfire for her own safety, danced around the flames with her arms up in the air, completely free on the most important holiday in her religious practice.
 
Alec almost joined her, but then he held back. He felt like it might have been a bit hypocritical to join in just in the thing he liked with no heart or feeling behind it. He knew Daizi didn't mind, but he minded. He didn't believe in any of this, so why should he get to enjoy just the bits and pieces he liked? It felt wrong. Dark was fine with it. Maybe Alec was overthinking things. He wasn't sure. For now, though, he stayed back to give her plenty of room and clapped along to show his support. It would be another year before this came around again. He could sort out his feelings by then.

Xander clapped as well, hoping that dancing was not a requirement. He didn't mind dancing, and he was pretty good at it, but it wasn't something he liked being called upon to do. It was organic. Then again, so was Daizi's dancing. Maybe it would come in time.
 
Dark just stood back and watched his wife. He wasn't sure if there was ever a time he had been as free as she was. As he watched, his phone vibrated in his pocket, and he took it out, "That is midnight. It is the first." Immediately his phone was back in is pocket and he went walking across the yard to his wife. "It is midnight," He repeated, placing his hands on her waist, "Happy Anniversary."

Except, when he leaned in to kiss her, her eyes widened and she held her hand up to stop him, "Wait."

"what?"

"Until after our vows, wait for then."

Dark stared at her blankly and then inhaled deeply and let go to respect her wishes, to his absolute agony.
 
Alec giggled as he watched them, reaching over to grab Xander's hand. "They are hilarious."

"That's one word for it," Xander snorted, amused if still mildly disgusted by all the open displays of affection. So much gushy stuff! But they were doing a good job of restraining themselves, far better than he would have expected.
 
Although Dark typically followed Cooger out, he was occupied with putting out the fire so he didn't accidentally burn down the neighborhood, and more importantly, his wife's garden.

At the door, Cooger picked up his things and said, "As ready as I'll ever be. I ain't much of a public speaker, but I'll do anything for them two."
 
"I don't doubt that," Xander said. "I bet you'll do great. See you tomorrow."

"Good luck!" Alec assured Cooger, opening the door for him.
 
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