How Green Becomes Wood

After Daizi hung up, she did as promised and went around the family to share Ciara and Tristan's thanksgiving well wishes and suggested the twins should text them if they hadn't.

Cooger was glad to hear from Lex, telling her he missed her and did his best to set up another date while he, too, was trying not to fall asleep. It was a big, busy day with his family and the only reason why he was still awake when she called was because he had just finished up giving the cats their Thanksgiving meal. Of course, he gave her an update about the kittens, who had settled in nicely.
 
Alec and Xander both thanked Daizi and did as she suggested. Xander did a very basic Happy Thanksgiving. Alec did a much longer text telling all about what they'd done that day and how he looked forward to seeing them both again for the next holiday.

Lex was happy to hear about the kittens and thanked Cooger - twice - for keeping her updated. When she almost drifted off the third time, she called it quits and told Cooger she looked forward to seeing him again soon before ringing off to pass out.
 
After everything was settled, and everyone was in for the night, Daizi made sure the door was locked and then went upstairs to fall asleep beside her husband. For once, because of how both exhausting and easy the day was, Dark was able to get a full night's rest for the first time in at least a week, but even before this trouble with Alec he hadn't been sleeping. And he had been in desperate, desperate need of it.

Come morning, once again Daizi let him sleep while she otherwise prepared breakfast and took care of Ivy. Alec's appointment with his new therapist was today, and she was doing her best to not think of exclusively that and how desperately she wanted it to go well.
 
Xander came from the living room in his pajama pants and an oversized shirt without much stretch left in the neck, yawning and rubbing one hand through his unbrushed hair. "Morning," he greeted her sleepily. "What's for breakfast?"

Alec came down several minutes later, caught in a confusing conundrum of hunger and anxiety.
 
"Like a stuffed bird," Xander told her. He walked over and flopped into his chair for a bit. "Do you want me to start coffee for Ba?"

"Is a stuffed bird a good thing or a bad?" Alec asked softly.

Xander shrugged. "Good thing. I think."

Alec sat down as well, but he had his phone in hand texting Emma. She wasn't happy that he hadn't texted her or called her on Thanksgiving, or the (unintentional) silent treatement she'd gotten over the last couple of days. So, Alec was doing damage control.
 
"When I woke up he was sleeping hard. When he does finally sleep, you know how impossible it is to wake him, so I wouldn't bother making coffee until he makes an appearance. No sense brewing it if he ends up not shambling downstairs until noon." Daizi replied, sitting down to join them after giving Ivy some cut up fruit, "Remember you have your appointment today, Alec."
 
"Okay," Alec mumbled. What was he going to do for the rest of the day? How was he going to function with this appointment looming over him? This was missary. Worse than being deliberately punished.

Xander yawned again and stretched. "I'm going to finish that bilby today. I'll show it to you as soon as I've finished."
 
"It's been a challenge. I hate it and love it equally," Xander admitted. He gulped down his breakfast, eating a little less than usual as Daizi predicted, and then headed out to try to finish making a leather Australian mammal.
 
"I know how that feels," Daizi replied, cleaning up the kitchen as they all left to start their days. About two hours later, Dark shambled downstairs, surprised as anyone that he had actually gotten some sleep.
 
Alec went back to his room to fret over the upcoming therapy appointment. He tried to be productive, but mostly failed.

Xander came in about half an hour after Dark rose from his bed, holding his latest achievement proudly. "I. Have. Finished!" he announced dramatically. He held up the bilby, which he'd posed to be sitting on its long hind legs, little front legs dangling cutely, and its long tail curled around to give it better stability. He'd put a wire and some sand in the bottom quarter to give it a good, solid base and a bit of structural support, but the entire outer shell was made up of leather worked into tiny, intricate details. He'd added some markings here and there and used different colored leathers to make a darker back and lighter underside, tail, and ears. There were a few flaws mostly hidden here and there, but it was very clearly a bilby and very steardily made.
 
When Xander came in, Dark was still a bit groggy, but was finishing his first cup of coffee so he was gradually coming back online. Turning his head towards his son, thinking about how much Xander seemed like his brother with that announcement, he said, "That looks great. May I hold it?"
 
"Absolutely," Xander agreed gravely. "And I promised Mama she could see it, too." He handed over the leather structure with more care than was needed. It was built to be a doorstop. Handing it around a couple of times was not going to hurt it. It was reasonably heavy, about the size and weight of a smaller but heavier built cat.
 
Dark took it into his hands carefully and turned it over, not only examining the shape but the craftsmanship, "You did a really great job on this, Xander. I am sure your client will adore it."
 
"Thanks," Xander said, trying to play it cool, but the praise of his father still hit deep for him. "The tail, the ears, and the nose were the hardest part. Or the eyes. It was hard not to make it look like some kind of insane Frankenstein project."
 
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