How Green Becomes Wood

"I wish I could say he would be gracious enough to not gloat about it or to say you shouldn't have any favourites, but he'd be delighted." Daizi smiled, "He was ready to be your uncle before we were ready to be your parents."
 
"The way he tells it, the moment we called him and mention this arrangement, he knew it would become permanent and had simply been waiting for us to recognize it." Dark said, raising his head, "At the time, I told him he was being absurd and dramatic."
 
"I wouldn't be surprised if he has the sight to some degree," Daizi mused, "His third eye certainly isn't fully shut."

"It always frustrates me when he is correct. He said I should do the interview."
 
Looking down at the table for a few moments he said, "I still do not know. I am running out of time to decide."

"Why do you think it's a good idea, Xander?" Daizi asked, hoping his explanation would help assuage some of the worries she knew her husband had about saying yes.
 
Xander washed a couple of plates, deciding his words, before answering. "I think if he doesn't do it, he'll regret it. Prbably feel relief at first, but then start wondering all the ifs and stuff. You know, if he had done it, what might it have done for good and whatever. If he does do it, it'll hurt like hell, probably worse than any pain I know, but it'll be kind of like lancing an abscess. You gotta do it sometimes."
 
"Like lancing an abscess." Dark said dryly.

"You know what he means," Daizi said delicately.

He did, but he wasn't sure it was comforting. "I do not want people I know to read it and then regret it."
 
"Yeah, but if they come up and tell you to your face they regret it, they aren't worth knowing," Xander said.

Alec spoke up, then, quiet and slow. "It's a valid concern, I guess, but what about the people like you? Ones with similar stories. Maybe not the same. Maybe not Arab. But stories that resonate with yours. What would they think about reading it and learning there are other people out there who understood what they went through or are going through?"
 
But if he lived with them and saw the regret on their faces, what then?

"I am not the only one with a story like mine," He replied quietly, "and I am not the only one they want to speak with. I do not wish to ruin how I am perceived."
 
Xander turned to look at him with a frown. "Your past is already you, whether you talk about it or not. You're you. That's that. Doesn't matter what you might have seen or done. It's already a part of you. It might be rough - nah, it will be rough learning about the stuff you don't talk about, but you're still you at your core."

"A loving father, a dedicated husband, a passionate artist of many media, a good dog walker, a lover of the gym, a discerning friend," Alec counted off.
 
Dark swallowed, not really knowing what to say to that. They were trying to tell him that it'd be okay, that they'd be okay, but he wasn't quite sure if he believed them as much as he wanted to. It wasn't even that he doubted they meant what they said, he was sure they believed it now. Silently, Daizi reached out and rubbed his back wordlessly reminding him she knew and it didn't change how she felt about him. Learning those truths only made him admire him more.

"I apologize," He said at last, "I do not mean to bring these concerns today. This is meant to be a good day."
 
Xander shot him a smirk. "Oh yeah, and a lover of the Gothic, feeder of ravens..."

"Embodiment of the portent of doom in the best way possible," Alec added. "Hater of sweet deserts!"

"Wearer of epic Victorian vampire clothes."

"Masted of Dark humor."
 
"We only have crows here," Dark said softly.

Daizi kept her hand on his back, wanting to say so much but not wanting to push him too far. It was hard enough for him to hear how much they loved him.
 
"No, we cannot." Dark agreed, not knowing quite how to process everything they had said about him.

"It's only just after lunch," Daizi said, leaning in to hug him gently, her heart pinching a bit, "Your daughter is getting restless, I'm going to take her to the living room, okay?"
 
"I think I'm going to head up to my room and work on a project," Alec said. "Xander, do you want to come see what I've been working on?"

Xander considered the question and then nodded. "Yeah, alright." He followed Alec put, heading up to the room they used to share. It was an awkward time, he felt. Not much to do until a very important event. It felt a bit like bouncing in limbo.
 
Once the twins went upstairs, Daizi hugged her husband completely, kissing his temple and pulling him in tight. "They love you so much, Ghalib."

Dark nodded, slumping his shoulders and letting her hold him. "I know."

"I know you're nervous, but if you do talk about it, it'll just make them learn how strong you really are." She promised, running her fingers through his hair, "It won't lessen how they feel about you. You're their father." She kissed his head and fell silent, relaxing as he felt his arms snake around her waist. After a few moments, she told him, "And I love you, Ghalib. You have told me everything you have suffered and survived, and it only made me love you more."

When they parted, Daizi cupped his face in her hands, rubbing her thumbs against his beard, "I'm going to take your daughter to play. Do you want to join us or do you want to go take a bit of time to yourself?"

Dark watched Ivy as he considered it. It was his daughter, and he didn't like to ignore her, but after that conversation, "I think I will go lie down for bit to settle myself, but I will join you when I can."

About an hour later, he did come downstairs to join them, feeling much more collected, and not too long after he cooked a lovely dinner. He intentionally chose the twin's favorite Middle Eastern dish which he matched with an American side dish he and Daizi both liked. They didn't go perfectly together, but they went well enough for it to not be weird, and he liked the symbology of it.

Then, after dinner, it was time for the ceremony.
 
Alec and Xander stood by the table with the candles, trying not to show how nervous they were. They both had the paper for what they were supposed to say written out in front of them although both had nearly memorized the whole thing.

"Um. How do we start?" Alec asked softly.
 
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