How Green Becomes Wood

"That's good, then, I suppose," Alec said uneasily. He followed Milo and Becky, wishing he wasn't quite so skiddish at times. He thought he was over his need for Xander to always be there, his dependency on his brother, but having him called away so abruptly was reviving a lot of those old feelings. They would not die that easily.

~~~

Xander followed him into the classroom. When Mr. Dawson gestured to the chair in front of his desk, Xander plunked down and waited. What was all this about?

Mr. Dawson frowned as he sat down in his own chair behind the desk and folded his hands. "Xander, some serious issues have come up regarding your schoolwork in multiple subjects, but particularly in mathematics."

"Issues?" Xander asked, now thoroughly confused. "What issues?"

"Xander, I have had you your entire teenage life, and I know some of your elementary teachers as well as the transcripts," Mr. Dawson said. "We both know that while you have potential to do very well, you have never shown this level of... computational competence before." He turned the papers on his desk toward Xander, revealing that they were all test scores. All of them 100%.

Xander scanned the papers before looking back at Mr. Dawson. "So, what you're saying is that you don't think I earned those grades?"

"Not by your own skills, no," Mr. Dawson said. "I have been very pleased with your improvements this year in being calmer in class, paying more attention, and not making trouble with the other students. You've really been maturing! However, I think we both know that something like this," he tapped the papers, "is not possible overnight."

"No, I think you know that, or think that. I think I know that I've finally decided to quit screwing around and really 'applying' myself," Xander said, making quotes around the word. "You think I don't deserve the grades you gave me?"

"I think that if you would just admit to what you've done, tell me how you worked the system, and if you've been working with anyone else, that this would go a lot easier for you," Mr. Dawson said calmly.

"Easier for me," Xander repeated bluntly.

"I'll let you redo the assignments for half-credit, which is better than no credit, which is what you'll get for cheating, especially on tests."

Xander saw red but took several deep breaths, trying to stay calm. "I busted my a** for those scores. Some of those tests, you proctored. You really think I snuck stuff in under your nose?"

"There are thirty students and one me. Things happen sometimes," Mr. Dawson said. He studied Xander for a minute and then heaved a sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Very well. You can go, now."

Xander didn't move. "Wait. That's it? You're going to accuse me of cheating and then kick me out? No."

"Yes," Mr. Dawson said sternly. "If you are not going to be honest with me-"

"I am being honest!" Xander cut him off. "It's not my fault you don't believe that a guy can choose one day to bust his ***** for something and find out he's actually not awful at it. No. I did not cheat."

"I have no proof that you didn't other than suspicious scores," Mr. Dawson said sternly.

"You have no proof that I did other than suspicious scores," Xander shot back.

"Mr. Cunningham-"

"Still not my name."

"- I think it's time you return to your class. I have grades to amend."

Xander pointed at the tests on his desk. "You think I cheated? Fine. Give me one of those again, stand at my shoulder and watch me work through every damn problem!"

"I am not doing that. I have over a hundred papers to grade and classes to plan. I am not wasting my time watching you try to prove yourself," Mr. Dawson seethed. "Now. Please leave my classroom."

Xander glared at him. Finally, he stood and walked out, but he didn't go to class. Instead, he called his father. Someone might spot him standing in the hallway on his phone when he should be in class, but it was unlikely they would care since the day was almost over, and even if they did bring it up, he didn't care.
 
When Xander called, Dark was in the middle of changing Ivy's diaper, so it took him a few rings before he made it to his phone. As soon as he saw the caller ID, however, he answered immediately, holding Ivy on one hip, "Xander? What is going on, are you alright?"
 
"I didn't do it, Professor," Xander stated, too focused to even think of assuring Dark nothing was physically wrong. His voice cracked from anger, hurt, and frutration. "I didn't do it, and nothing's going to make me say that I did! Even at my worst, I never did it, so why should I now? I'm not going to say I did it, not even if they kick me out of school, and it's not fair to take my grades for it!"
 
Xander paused and took a deep breath and let it out slowly. A touch more calmly, though still angrily, he said, "Mr. Dawson thinks I've cheated my way through the last year of school. He doesn't believe me. He said I could redo stuff for half-credit, and he doesn't have time to sit and moniter one kid when I told him he could give me any test he likes and I'd do it."
 
Dark listened carefully and then said, "I will call your teacher, alright? I will see if I can get it sorted. I have seen how hard you have been working this year and you deserve to get credit for it."
 
"Okay. Thanks." Xander took a ragged breath. Then he swore. "He never wrote me the note for being late to class!" He huffed in annoyance and started walking. "Guess I should get to class. Talk later?"
 
"Yes, we will talk. Take some deep breaths, it will be okay, my son. Go to class." Dark told him, "I love you, Alharis."

Then, Dark hung up, took a deep breath, and went into the living room. After setting Ivy down on the floor, he went through his contacts and dialed Mr. Dawson's number.
 
"Thanks, Ba." Xander hung up and pocketed his phone, secure in the knowledge that he'd called for backup, and backup had responded. He slipped into class as unobtrusively as possible - which wasn't very - and slid into his seat. "Later," he mumbled to Alec at his brother's inquiring glance.

Mr. Dawson picked up the phone after a couple of rings. "Jace Dawson," he said distractedly.
 
"Mr. Dawson," Dark said calmly with his usual emotion or lack thereof, "I received a call stating you have some concerns about Xander's academic integrity? I was wondering if we could schedule a time to discuss this."
 
"If that is something you would wish to do, then, yes, I suppose we can do that," Mr. Dawson agreed heavily. A meeting with an offended parent. Yay. The kid couldn't even make it home before complaining. "My office hours are," he gave the hours. "When would you like to get together?"
 
"I will see you then." Dark replied and hung up. Then he sent a quick text to Xander explaining the situation. Then he looked at Ivy, who was busy crawling around after Enkidu, and said, "Habibti, you will not like it, but I need to ruin your game so we can go talk to Mama."
 
After class had ended, Xander explained to Alec what had happened as they gathered their things.

"What? But you've never cheated. Not once!" Alec protested. "You don't cheat you just..."

"Start fights?" Xander suggested.

"And slack off, but that's what you used to do while I tried to do homework," Alec replied. "I'm now more relaxed than you. That's so unfair!"

"Ba's coming to have a meeting. I figure we can stick around for that. I don't know if I'm required to be there," Xander said, shouldering his backpack.
 
Before leaving the house, Dark changed into a proper suit. He still preferred to dress fully, vest, tie, handkerchief, and all, but it was just too inconvenient when he spent most of the day chasing after a thirteen month old. But he certainly would not be attending a meeting with one of his children's teachers dressed casually---even if casual did still mean a dress shirt and dress pants.

"You should let me go," Daizi said stoutly, "I'd get it settled and have that teacher begging for forgiveness."

"You would just," Dark replied, kissing her goodbye, "But I speak this language and it is better that way. Although if we had someone to watch Ivy, I would bring you along. Ivy-Qadira, will you be good for Mama?"

Once he arrived at the school, he signed in, and had barely made it into the hall before he was swarmed by Art Major. The head secretary was his nemesis in the very best of ways where, despite claiming to despise one another, immediately called him to say someone had stopped by.

"And what on earth do we owe this pleasure?" He said brightly, hurrying along to keep up with Dark's long strides, "What a surprise! What a delight! Had I known, why, I'd have strung up balloons!"

"It is not a social call, Art."

Stopping immediately, Art frowned as deeply as he could, "No, no, it never is with you. Us, your long suffering friends, forgotten, abandoned."

"I invited you to my vow renewal less than a month ago."

"Nearly a month ago," Art argued, once more practically running after Dark, "Why are you here?"

"I have a conference with Mr. Dawson."

"With Jace? Whatever for?"

This time, Dark stopped and squinted down at his friend, "I do not know if I can answer that because I do not know if you are asking in a professional or friendly capacity."

"Oh, as a friend, always as a friend, my dear gruff man," Art huffed, "You know I never pry."

"No, I certainly do not know that."

"Well you know I'd never gossip about my students, at least not like that."

"That I do know," Dark agreed as he approached Mr. Dawson's classroom, "Are you escorting me the entire way?"

"Well you don't work here, I'd hate for you to get lost."
 
The twins waited outside the math classroom door, Alec sitting cross-legged on the ground and getting a little homework done. Xander stood leaning against the wall, his arms crossed. Both straightened when their father and art teacher approached.

"Hi, Ba," Alec greeted with a little smile. "I bet you thought you were rid of this place, but it keeps pulling you back!"

Xander rolled his eyes.

The door to the classroom stood propped open, and the teacher's desk was visible with Mr. Dawson studiously grading papers, his brow furrowed in concentration.
 
"After next year, I will have a nice break from it," Dark told Alec while Art cried out in agony, clutching his heart.

"The unyielding cruelty!"

"Art, I am going to your gallery next week."

"Well I still suffer."

"What a beautiful gift I have given to your art." Dark said dryly and, while Art attempted to determine if he should accept the creative win or continue to bemoan how cold his friend was, knocked lightly on the slightly open door, "Mr. Dawson?"
 
Alec bit his lip to keep from laughing, delighted by the exchange. How could he not be? Xander was still fuming about his grades and didn't bother with a reaction.

Mr. Dawson looked up from the papers and stood. "Ah, Mr. Dark. Come on in!" He gestured to the chair in front of his desk. It was the largest one he could find, but it was still a school chair. "Have a seat."
 
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