How Green Becomes Wood

Ivy giggled and once more started hunting around the room, lifting things up and finding her toys. There was so much to search for, she didn't even know what to prioritize! There was so much to find and she was so busy and having just the best time!
 
"Go, Ivy!" Alec cheered, congratulating her with each find. He followed her a little more than Dark or Xander did, but he did attempt to stay back and not interfere with her search. He just wanted to be a cheerleader.

Xander, meanwhile, sat patiently under the blanket, if a bit bored, waiting for Ivy to find him. Maybe he should have brought his homework under here... he really did need to get homework done... and work-work. This was supposed to be the day he prioritized his job, yet here he was sitting under a blanket for a toddler. Oh well. He could always work a little later. Work could wait until after dinner.
 
When Ivy got to Xander, she stood up and lifted the blanket. When she was able to see Xander's face, she broke out into a huge grin and giggled like she had achieved a major task and was absolutely delighted by it.
 
"Ivy, you did it!" Alec cheered, catching her and lifting her up, in part to celebrate and congratulate her, but also in part to make sure she didn't flop onto Xander.

"Good job, Mini!" Xander told her, standing up and grinning at her. "You found me! Good job!" He half-folded the blanket and tossed it onto the couch. "Dinner should be ready soon. We should probably pick up a little bit."

"Good idea," Alec agreed. He blew a raspberry on Ivy's belly and set her down. "Well done, Ivy! Let's take a second to enjoy this moment, and then we'll clean up."
 
Ivy babbled at Alec, her plan to hug her brother thoroughly thwarted, but enjoyed the game nonetheless. It had been a very good day to be a baby, and as soon as she was set down, she just crawled off again, this time just picking up her favourite stuffed rabbit whose ears already had seen better days with how much she chewed on them.
 
Alec and Xander gave her a minute, not hiding anything or really interacting. It was a rough minute for Alec. Then they started cleaning up, Alec singing a happy clean-up song and making clean-up look fun, but not asking Ivy to help. Xander followed his lead, not sure if this was the right thing, but, hey, fewer toys for people to step on was always a bonus no matter how it was done!

When they finished, Alec lifted Ivy up into his arms, and they went to check on Baba and, more importantly, the food.
 
When Ivy saw her brothers cleaning up, she watched curiously and occasionally managed to put a toy in the box, but she was just as likely to fuss and take some back out again.

Just as the twins were going to check on dinner, Daizi was coming down stairs, stretching deeply, after finishing up her phone call, "It sounded like you all had fun down here."
 
"Yep!" Alec said cheerfully, turning Ivy toward Daizi. "We had a really good time."

"Yeah, it wasn't bad," Xander agreed, wandering into the kitchen to see what was what.

"How about you?" Alec asked Daizi.
 
"I'm glad," Daizi smiled, "and it sounds like she will sleep well tonight with how tired you must have all made her. And I'm alright, I've been having a big group phone call with my friends, so it was nice."
 
"Really?" Alec asked, walking with Ivy to the kitchen, somewhat surprised but pleased that she didn't make a big fuss about going to her mother. He was chosen! At least, for now he was.
 
"Oh, that sounds nice," Alec said, finding a seat. "That you were there to console them, not that they went through a breakup. That part is very unfortunate."

"How do you go through a 'bit' of a breakup?" Xander asked, mystified.
 
"They have been sort of... off-and-on before," Daizi said delicately.

"With the regularity of a light switch," Dark said dryly.

"But I think it will be permanent this time, it just has not happened quite yet. D'Arcy hasn't quite committed."
 
"That sounds exhausting," Xander said bluntly.

"Poor D'Arcy!" Alec sympathized, bouncing Ivy lightly on his knee. "He must be quite fellow for them to stick around like that."
 
"He is the man of dreams," Dark said, bringing dinner to the table, "in that we can all only dream he is one of a kind so we do not need to dread meeting another one like him."

Daizi sighed in both amusement and exasperation at her husband, "Ultimately, it's for the best. We're all trying to pretend like we aren't thrilled about it for D'Arcy's sake, because they're devastated, but once they realize how free they are, we will all have a blast being able to share all the things we've refrained from saying out of respect. Like your father alluded to... The man is proof sexuality is not a choice, he once said he can't be the one to hold the umbrella because people will think he's submissive and 'that's just not aligned with the music of his inner spirit.'"
 
Alec and Xander both turned to stare at Daizi blankly.

"I have absolutely no idea what any of that means," Alec finally admitted. He got up and put Ivy in her highchair and made sure she was settled in. "I hope D'Arcy recovers quickly and enjoys her newfound freedom!"

Xander snorted softly. "Wild ride, man."
 
"It means some people weaponize spirituality and intellectualism are exhausting," Daizi replied, "Putting on a pearl necklace and reading the Times doesn't mean you can't also be the worst. Although," She paused, and then swore, "Goose, we never got his Sangria recipe."
 
"I certainly hope not, considering I'm pretty sure Mrs. Hollis does both," Alec whispered to Xander, who snickered.

"Can you get it from D'Arcy when they're feeling better?" Xander suggested.
 
"It was the only positive part of having him at a party," Dark said almost morosely as he started to prepare Ivy's dinner.

"It was the best thing about him." Daizi agreed, "I'm not sure if they know it either, but once things settle I can always ask."
 
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