How Green Becomes Wood

[pandakatiefominz]

"Uh-oh!" Daizi exclaimed, "Where did Ivy-Qadira go?"

Finding herself covered in the blanket was such a shock, Ivy stopped crying and sat there beneath the blanket attempting to figure out what had occurred.

 

[BookKnight]

"Oh no! Ivy-Qadira is gone!" Alec grinned. "Wherever could she have gone?"

 

[pandakatiefominz]

Ivy lifted the blanket off of her and looked at the rest of them.

"There is Ivy!" Dark said, holding his hands out to her. Seeing this, Ivy dropped the blanket over her head again.

 

[BookKnight]

"Bye, Mini," Xander called. "See you later."

Alec laughed. "Where did she go?"

 

[pandakatiefominz]

Again, she dropped the blanket, this time with a tiny smile on her face.

 

[BookKnight]

Alec clapped. "Yay, Ivy! Hi!"

"Sup, Mini?" Xander greeted.

 

[pandakatiefominz]

Again, she covered herself, and when Dark reached in shock about her disappearing, she revealed herself, this time laughing.

Her job done, Daizi smiled proudly to herself and returned to her soup.

 

[BookKnight]

Alec clapped again dutifully and cheered.

Kiki decided to join in the fun and attacked the edge of the blanket, batting at it with her paws.

 

[pandakatiefominz]

Ivy revealed her face again and continued the game until she grew bored, at which point she went back to other toys, once again emotionally regulated.

Eventually, Daizi returned to the kitchen and said, "Dinner is ready. Should we try to eat it in here?"

 

[BookKnight]

"Yes! That would be fun," Alec agreed immediately.

Xander shook his head. "Nah. It's more comfortable for you guys in the dining room."

"But then you'll be all alone. That's sad," Alec pointed out.

"Ivy needs her chair."

 

[pandakatiefominz]

"She's not getting soup," Daizi replied, "She has to be sick the first time she has it, and she hasn't been sick enough to need it, mashallah. I just have chicken nuggets for her."

"She does often eat her lunch on the floor," Dark said.

 

[BookKnight]

Xander threw his hands up in defeat.

Alec grinned. "Picnic time!" He trotted into the kitchen to help gather what was needed.

 

[pandakatiefominz]

Daizi went to the kitchen to prepare the soup on a tray, while Dark followed to pour drinks for everyone. Although he was trying to play it cool, he was absolutely thrilled to get to have his favourite food that evening. To help, he did carry the tray himself to the living room since it was heavy and handed Ivy her tray of dinosaur chicken nuggets, green beans, and star-shaped tater tots. Even she, with the family she was raised in, sometimes was fed simple, easy, toddler-friendly food and she was so delighted by it, she didn't even notice the rest of her family was enjoying something else.

 

[BookKnight]

Alec and Xander both smirked at the sight of the "American" food, but chose not to make a deal of it. This was a special meal, after all. A truly special event. It took Xander a few awkward moments to figure out what to do with his foot, but once he had it in place, he was more than ready to receive his soup. While not quite as wild about it as Dark, both twins were more than enamoured by the deceptively simple meal.

 

[pandakatiefominz]

It didn't take more than a few spoonfuls before Dark leaned slightly against Daizi and murmured to her about how he loved and appreciated her.

"I love you too, Goose," Daizi replied, able to relish in the joy her food brought to her family.

 

[BookKnight]

The twins, sitting side by side, said nothing, but the occasional happy sigh said more than words. They leaned into each other a little, enjoying the warmth and comfort that the soup brought. If asked, Xander would say it was because he was distracted, but in the moment, he thought for certain the soup was easing the discomfort in his ankle to a deeper level that not even the drugs touched. It was amazing.