How Green Becomes Wood

"Indeed," Xander said, straight-faced. "It was epic."

"It really was very good, Mama," Alec assured her.

"And now, we have school stuff and things to do," Xander said, turning to head inside.

Alec pouted, but Xander was correct.
 
Daizi frowned, having hoped to get Xander to commit to a cartwheel too, but she knew she and Dark had come to an agreement about their homework, so she said nothing. Dark, meanwhile, was relieved, because ultimately he feared if Xander did agree to do one, then they'd try to force him to try. Although he did make a point to work flexibility for his health, and he did work on having usable muscles... He still wasn't sure he'd be able to do a cartwheel, doubted the ability to be spotted, and, although he felt mostly fine (except for the usual aches and pains of being 40), Daizi sometimes stressed him out about his joints... all of which was to say he had no desire to make an attempt.
 
The twins headed inside, Alec sending mournful goodbyes to them and to Ivy as he was "dragged" away to attend to his duties. The pair did their homework at the coffee table in the living room since everyone else was outside, and there was more space to spread out. When the others were inside, they normally stuck with doing their work in Alec's room, which worked perfectly well now that he kept it clean and organized, but it could get crowded, and he didn't have a low table to sit at, just the high one he used for his projects.

After they finished, Xander went downstairs to his room for a bit, and Alec went upstairs. When Xander went to find him, Alec was standing on his bed and stretching up as high as he could with a thin piece of wooden molding. One other piece was already stuck to the ceiling.

"What are you doing?" Xander asked, completely confused.

Alec wobbled. "Gah! Don't sneak up on me. I'm trying to frame the rainbow."

Xander looked up at the ceiling. "This might be a dumb question, but why are you trying to put a frame around a painted rainbow?"

Alec managed to press the second piece to the ceiling. "This is just temporary stick stuff. I'm experimenting with whether or not I like it. I'm going to put another one there on the wall with the rainbow, and over there on that part of the ceiling. Then I'm going to sit with it a few days and see how I feel about it."

"Is this about painting your room?" Xander asked, handing him up another piece of trim. "Where did you get this, anyway?"

"Dumpster diving behind that one craft store that does custom framing," Alec said. "There were a bunch of pieces that just needed a bit of fixing up, and I thought it'd be a perfect way to test things out. I have some ideas for the colors I want in the room, finally, so I'm going to stick some swatches under the frames to hold them up where I can look."

"Cool. What colors?" Alec pointed, so Xander went and picked up the large pieces of paper Alec had painted solid colors. Midnight blue, a nice green with a blue undertone, yellow, and a sort of dusky orange. "Absolutely not to the yellow. You'll wake up and feel like your eyes are immediately burning."

"Fair point," Alec admitted as he attached the last piece. "I just find it so cheery! Maybe I can work it in as an accent color."

Xander shrugged and set the colors aside. "I think shades of yellow will work with pretty much any of those other colors. Stars in a sky for the dark blue, spring with the green, and... I don't know, dessert with the orange. Not sure about the orange, but at least it's toned down a bit."

"That's what I thought," Alec agreed. He dropped to sit on his bed next to Kiki. "Did you need something?"

"I was going to ask if you wanted to help me out with some tarts, but you look busy," Xander said.

"Oooo, yes! Colors and frames can always wait for tarts!" Alec chirped. He bounced up and went to follow Xander. Then he stopped himself and went back to carefully put everything neatly to the side. It was still an active project that he thought he could finish tonight, so he didn't want to put it away completely, but it still needed to be neat. Then he went with Xander down to the kitchen to explore the world of tarts.

Later, as Alec and Xander were arguing over the positioning of the cut fruits on top of a baked tart, Daizi's phone rang. It was Ciara calling.
 
While the twins were doing their homework, Dark and Daizi stayed outside, but once Dark spotted them leave the living room, they brought Ivy inside, since the temperature was falling. She already had taken her nap that day, but she was a bit tired from playing so hard outside that she just sat on the couch between her parents while they took turns reading stories with her.

By the time Ciara called, Daizi had been lingering just outside the kitchen, enjoying the sounds of their conversation and occasionally interjecting with a comment, until her phone began to ring, at which point she walked into another room, "Hello, Ciara! How are you doing?"
 
"Good evening, Daizi," Ciara greeted her. "I wanted to inform you that I have obtained new lodgings and have fully moved in. I wondered if it would be appropriate to invite your family for a house warming. I have not yet created any plans for this, I am merely asking."
 
Ciara named the area that was in their town. On the other side of town, but still in town. "When would be a good time for you?" She asked, actually sounding a little pleased.
 
"You're that close now?" Daizi replied, "That's wonderful news!" After giving Ciara their availability, she added, "I'll warn you, though, Dark has a horrible black eye at the moment, so don't be surprised when you see him."
 
"In that case... He was playing with Ivy, then she suddenly sat upright and slammed her head into his eye socket," Daizi replied, "It's not particularly glorious, but that's the story."
 
"Ah. I can see why it would desireous to make a slightly more embellished version of the story, then," she said, amused. Then, businesslike once more, she asked Daizi about a date she felt would work for them both. "Perhaps in the later afternoon? Or would that be too late for Ivy?"
 
"It was a very stressful afternoon," Daizi chuckled, and falling into step with Ciara answered with Ivy's usual naptime and said, "So long as it is before for after then, it is no trouble at all. Otherwise we would have to put you out of your way to find somewhere to lay her down or head home early."
 
"That sounds perfect! I'll let all the boys know. They'll be delighted." She promised Ciara, and then after a moment added, "I'm delighted. It's really wonderful you decided to move closer. It'll make visiting each other easier."
 
"Yes, I thought it might be better to be a little more reachable. In case of an emergency, of course. And it is helpful to be closer to family," Ciara said, hedging around her real feelings a bit. "I will look forward to seeing you then. I should go now."
 
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