How Green Becomes Wood

"If you say so," Xander said, fully not believing Dark, figuring Dark was being an adult and underestimating him. Not in a bad way. That was just how adults and teens usually faced off. Adults underestimating teens, and teens overestimating themselves.

Alec mostly believed. "Well, I'm looking forward to being taken as seriously as an adult!"
 
"I do," Dark replied, as their food arrived, "and I know because at seventeen I had no parents and almost no supervision, and yet, when I look back, I was still very young."

More willing to compromise, Daizi added, "Eighteen isn't a magic number, though, to be fair, so a seventeen year old can be just as or more mature as am eighteen year old, even if to someone a decade or more older may find both of them hardly adults."
 
"We can't control when the server comes," Daizi sighed, "Be patient, habibi."

Thankfully for Xander, though, and for Ivy who was growing restless, soon enough their food did arrive and they could finally have their lunch after discussing it for so long.
 
After opening her mouth to speak, she shut it again, running her finger along the rim of her glass, "I know what I would wish, for something unrestrained by reality, but it's not a happy wish, so I don't know if it's what you mean."
 
As soon as Alec had asked the question about wishes, Dark knew what Daizi's answer was and had his hand on her knee without recognizing it.

"I would wish for Omar to be alive," Daizi answered, "I would not mind if he came alive as a newborn or if he came to me at six, like he would be now if had lived. Failing that, I would wish my brother Omar to be alive again. That is my outlandish, wild, impossible wish."
 
"I know, I'm sorry," Daizi replied, lightly rubbing the back of her neck, "I warned you it wasn't a happy wish."

"It is okay," Dark told her empathetically, moving his hand from her knee to her shoulder. Then, repeating Xander's question he asked, "What is your realistic wish?"

"That's harder to think of," Daizi replied, turning towards him, "I have so much of what I used to only dream about."
 
"I suppose so," Daizi agreed, "I'd like to go back to Egypt... I'd like to have a better relationship with my father, but I have you three, and I have Dark, and friends. I get to perform a little show this summer, and it's honestly a rather self-indulgent act, and I also get to enjoy my career. It's nice to just feel content."
 
Alec smiled at her. "I'm glad you're happy, Mama. Really glad!"

"I'd drink to that, except I'm not sure you're supposed to do that with lemonade," Xander said.
 
Back
Top