How Green Becomes Wood

"It was all I could do, but it worked," Daizi replied, "After that was when I started carrying pepper gel, which I also had to use a few times."

Dark nodded, "When I was nine. There was a pretty bad outbreak in Baghdad."
 
"No, it's better," Daizi said, "Pepper gel has a much, much lower chance at blowing back into your own face and incapacitating you."

"That is why I always wash and peel our vegetables," Dark said grimly, "That was the sickest I have ever been. When I was in the refugee camp I fell fairly ill, but it paled in comparison."
 
"I meant horrific for the person getting sprayed, not the sprayer," Alec said dryly. "As someone who was sprayed once and never wants to be again."

"Makes sense," Xander agreed with a shrug.
 
"I still can't believe you think cholera was worse than TB," Daizi told Dark.

"I still think since you have only had one of the two, I am more qualified to speak on it," Dark pointed out, "I was sick much longer with TB, but I'll take the high fever and the painful cough over..." He waved one hand, "and I was fortunate to get away with very minimal lasting effects, which I recognize was not the case for you. Also, my opinion might be different had I not received hospital treatment for TB, because I have the memories of being treated kindly during it."

Daizi thought about this for a moment and said, "That makes sense. I'm still really sorry nobody was there for you, if I were a time traveler I'd go back and bring you soup."

"Thank you," Dark replied. This resolved, both adults turned to their younger son, "You have been pepper sprayed?"
 
The twins looked back and forth between Dark and Daizi like they were at the strangest tennis match. Neither had any idea what to make of all of this, or what to say about it. They had their own stories of being miserably sick and even a couple of hospital visits, but nothing compared to what their parents had gone through. It made them both feel a combination of awkward and grateful while feeling guilty for feeling grateful that they'd never gone through something like that and likely never would.

Alec accepted the slight change in topic. "It's a weird story. We were out late, the pair of us, and we were sneaking back into the trailer through our bedroom window. Unfortunately, our mum's boyfriend at the time had a... what was she called?"

"A side piece," Xander supplied.

Alec nodded. "Right. Anyway, she was over, and he'd told her to stay in our room when our mum got home. Only, she was drunk or tipsy, so while waiting for Mum to be either distracted or go to sleep, she fell asleep in our bed, which was under our window."
 
"It gave us both quite a fright, that's for sure!" Alec snorted. "Xander boosted me up first through the window, and I nearly fell on her."

"You did fall on her," Xander reminded him. "At least, on her legs."

Alec winced. "True. Then we both screamed, and then I was screaming worse when I got a face full of pepper spray. Then Xander came bounding through the window to try to help me."

"I only got a passing wiff, and that was bad enough," Xander stated.

"Of course, with all that yelling, Mum came in."

"Then there was a hell of a lot more yelling."

"And her boyfriend and his 'side piece' got chucked out. We all got a round of hot chocolate after that."

"And we still got in trouble," Xander sighed.

Alec shrugged. "We were out way past bedtime."
 
"That is awful," Daizi winced, "I can't exactly blame her for that reaction, but also it wouldn't have happened if she hadn't been there."

"You know..." Dark began, his eyebrows furrowed. But then he shook his head, "No, never mind. That is not the point of the story."
 
"No, it is nothing, it is inappropriate," Dark said, waving his hand, but then, after a moment, said, "I just. I cannot help but think this boyfriend of your mother's was intending to be caught, although I presume not in that way. In my days of cheating, I had my share of times hiding in, or telling someone else to hide, in a closet, but a bedroom of a third party? Loyal to the person being cheated on? Being found out was inevitable."
 
"I hadn't thought of it that way," Alec mused. "I suppose that does make sense." He nodded. "It was not exactly a large space."

"If she'd been thinking, she should have just climbed out the window right away, but I guess they thought our Mum would have heard. Which she would have," Xander remarked. "He was pretty lame. It was nice because he'd keep his nose out of our business, but he was pretty lame."
 
"Some people are too cowardly to just break up," Daizi said, and then after a moment of self-reflection said, "...not me, though, I definitely... needed to just run out on my wedding..."
 
Alec reached over and patted her arm. "It's okay. You had a lot more pressure than just a boyfriend there."

Xander shook his head. "I'm just going to skip out on all of that altogether. Friends are trouble enough, thank you."

Alec looked at Xander. "My room for continuing our planning?"
 
"That is true," Daizi agreed before asking, "What are you planning for?"

"Mother's Day, so it is very secretive," Dark replied, before glancing at Xander with his quiet glint of mischievousness in his eyes, "Would you like to hear about Xander's biggest plan?"
 
"Thank you very much, Ba, for giving that away," Alec sniffed, offendedly. "As it happens, we were going upstairs because Xander agreed to help me plan for the future painting of my bedroom. Kiki is going to help."

Kiki, down at his feet, obliged with a mew.

"Not to mention," Xander drawled, "we kind of need Ba to help us plan for any actual Mother's day things, so how could we do any of that when he's down here with a sleeping Mini and you?"
 
Dark would've held up both his hands were he not holding his sleeping daughter, "I did not know the mere fact you were thinking about Mother's Day was a secret, I apologize. Although, me not being available did not stop you from planning your mud wrestling event."
 
"You are so lucky you are holding a baby," Xander said cooly.

Alec laughed and grabbed his arm, dragging him away. "We'll let you know when we have some other ideas for you to shoot down, Ba!"

As Xander allowed Alec to drag him away, he gave Dark the two finger sign that said, "I'm watching you."
 
"...Mud wrestling?" Daizi asked.

"Allow me to explain once they are out of earshot," Dark teased, leaning in to kiss her cheek, "Otherwise, I fear retribution, even if I am holding Ivy."
 
Xander grumbled his way up the stairs with Alec pulling him up and Kiki hopping along behind. Once they reached Alec's room, they laughed about it, quietly, and then came up with a sneaky prank for Dark at a later date. It would take some planning and good timing to pull off.

Once they'd settled down, they did a little more spitballing of ideas for Daizi's Mother's Day surprise and came up with three actually good ideas that they'd run by Dark later. Then Xander helped Alec finalize what he wanted for his room. Alec stuck swatches of his chosen color up around his room where they'd stay so he could sit with the idea for a little longer before committing, but he felt certain he wanted this change. Hopefully, he thought, seeing how seriously he was taking this would convince Dark that Alec wouldn't be changing his room every year or so. He wondered if he might be able to get a loft bed. If he got a metal one in a kit, then Dark wouldn't have to do the work, at least. It was a thought!
 
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