How Green Becomes Wood

Ivy chirped, squirming between her father and brother. "You are getting better," Dark agreed, letting go of Alec and going to plate the toast for Xander, who he presumed was starving, "You are a better cook than your sister, though."

"She just wanted to help!" Daizi chuckled, defending Ivy ardently, "I bet in a month or two she'll be able to manage it."
 
Alec bounced with Ivy and took her on a little dance around the kitchen, singing a nonsense song to her about French toast and eggs.

Xander laughed at that, eying the plate hopefully. "Yeah, she'll make a great sous chef. Is that for me?"
 
"One day she will be," Daizi agreed, pouring a cup of orange juice.

"I figured you were hungry and needed to be satiated while breakfast was prepared for everyone else," Dark nodded, handing it over. "I know by now yours always needs to be finished first."
 
"Yum. Thanks, I'm starving!" Xander said, confirming Dark's assumptions. He took the plate and started eating happily as he watched Daizi and Dark. "Good stuff, this. Nice."
 
"I am glad you enjoy it," Dark replied, satisfied, going back to the counter to make the next batch. "I would be disappointed if this were the year you decided you no longer liked French Toast, I would need to invent a new breakfast for you."

"Alec, habibi, do you want yours next? We'd have more ready all at once but... The egg disaster." Daizi asked, bringing the juice to their breakfast bar.
 
"I would start with something Iraqi or Egyptian and go from there. Maybe, maybe I would try pancakes." Dark replied, adding the ingredients to the mixture but only slightly mixing it, "Okay, Ivy, do you want to help Baba stir?"

"If we wash her hands first, I bet we can also have her put the bread into the mixture," Daizi suggested."
 
Dark fetched Ivy and brought her to the bowl. Holding it steady with one hand, he said, "Would one of you like to demonstrate for your sister how to stir? I cannot do it while also holding her."
 
Ivy watched him and when she was handed the spoon, she looked at it for a few moments and then, with her father's further urging, did her best to stir it too. She wasn't great at it, her ability to completely incorporate the ingredients was lacking and she splashed the mixture a bit, but she did technically stir it.

"Good girl, Ivy-Qadira!" Dark praised, "You are stirring it so well!"
 
When Xander stopped stirring, Ivy clapped.

A glimmer of amusement in Dark's eyes, he said, "Good job, Xander, you stirred it so well!" It wasn't really to tease Xander, moreso to reinforce for Ivy what she should be doing.
 
"In a few years, she'll be helping you cook a full meal," Daizi said warmly, enjoying the thought of Xander helping Ivy to cook. Meanwhile, Dark brought Ivy to the sink and helped her to wash her hands before returning to the batter and teaching her to put the slices of bread in.

This, too, was a bit messy, but she was able to do it perfectly, so after all the remaining batter was covering the slices of bread, Dark handed her back off, giving her ample praise, and returned her to Alec while he finished cooking up.
 
Alec happily held Ivy and fed her bits of toast while Xander snuck another piece for himself as soon as it finished. It was a warm, happy morning for them both. So very far from how they'd arrived two years before.
 
Ivy enjoyed her little piece of toast very much, and soon enough her parents joined her with their own servings. Needing protein to sustain the state of him, Dark also cooked up eggs to go with the toast.

Daizi smiled, enjoying the peace of the morning, and leaned against her husband, pressing her cheek to his shoulder. "Despite everything which has happened, this has been a great two years."
 
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