How Green Becomes Wood

"I'm not sure if she'd take kindly to a prank like that," Daizi replied with a snicker, "but if we ever do actually need a sitter, and all the better options are unavailable, I'll be sure you're around when we ask. I suspect she'll offer to just hire someone for us."
 
"Probably," Xander smirked, "but it's a fun idea. Plus, pranks are a part of being part of this family. Not saying we should do it often, but at least once." He leaned back, watching Ivy. "Alec wouldn't mind watching for her for an hour or two, I bet."
 
Daizi thought it through, idyly twirling Ivy's hair around her finger, "An hour, certainly. If we change her right before we leave, and she needs a changing then. I still worry about if there's an emergency. Some things are impossible to predict completely..." She sighed, and allowed herself to admit to Xander, "I'm very anxious about leaving her under anyone's care, anyone who isn't myself or Dark. I find it hard to even imagine going out with him and leaving her behind. I know I'll have to eventually, but... We've hardly been separated. For seven months, tomorrow, I've been her only source of food. But it's something I have to learn to cope with, because it just about killed me when you all went to the doctor's on Wednesday and I wasn't there to hold Dark's hand."
 
"It's rough, but it's good for you both. Just... ease into it," Xander suggested. "Maybe start with sticking close to the house, like doing gardening and stuff, for like half an hour with someone looking after Ivy in here. Something like that. Might be easier on you both than waiting until you're going back to work and are going to be gone for hours on end."
 
"I do spend time away with her when we're home, it's just that when we spend time apart, she's normally watched by her father, or one of you two, but with us close enough that if she did have an emergency, we'd be right there." Daizi replied, scooping up Ivy to stop her from rolling off the couch and setting her in her lap so that they were facing each other, "I haven't even thought about when I'll be back in the office all day without her..." She ran her thumbs over Ivy's cheek and nose, gently and slowly feeling all of Ivy's features all over again, "I don't know how Dark does it. I know he doesn't enjoy leaving her, but he still manages to. But I guess I'm there, it's easier to imagine leaving her if I know he's with her. And that makes going out just as a couple really difficult."
 
"I guess that's why people say mums can't be good, present mums and career women at the same time," Xander shrugged. "Seems like it applies to guys, too, but I guess we've gotten so used to expecting them to be absent, it's weird when they actually want to be around. Society is two-faced and weird. But you don't have to worry about that now. Now you get all the snuggles you want."
 
"...Yeah." Daizi shifted, standing Ivy up on her lap, feeling a bit uncomfortable with that comment. She could be a good mom and still be successful in her career, certainly. And Dark was being a good father despite working full-time. He was a great father. "I think it has to do with having a strong support system, and making use of the time you do have. Right, Ivy? Oh, you're such a big girl!" She turned her face towards Xander, "She doesn't understand her Baba is hurt, she keeps accidentally hitting his face and side."
 
Xander raised a finger and lightly poked it in Ivy's face. "You. You have to learn to be more careful. What's with all this flailing about and smacking everything and everyone, eh? Come on, you. You are several months old now. That's plenty old enough to be standing on your own two feet and know better than to randomly smack people. Or kick them. So no more of that, right?"
 
Ivy make a little gurgle noise, and with a toothless grin, she grabbed onto Xander's hand.

"It's her knees!" Daizi chuckled, "And her kisses! She's so squirmy and is just learning how to use her hands! Isn't that right, habiti! Say, 'I'm just learning!'" Ivy babbled, and Daizi nodded, repeating herself, "She's just learning."
 
"Oh, yeah? What an excuse," Xander said, gently shaking his hand as if trying to get away, but he was just playing with Ivy, making her shake lightly and teasing her. "How dare you not instantly know how to do everything instantly, huh? How could you?"
 
She squealed at him, holding his hand tightly (or, as tightly as she could, which wasn't all that tight).

"Hummingbird, say, 'because if I knew everything, then I wouldn't be half as much fun!'" Daizi said, her grin almost as big as her daughter's.
 
Xander snickered even though he did wince a little at the high-pitched noise. He shifted, turning his left ear toward her. He still had a hard time with that ear, so hopefully that would help to dampen the sound and the pain. "Oh, come on. There's no way she'd be any less fun. Right, Mouse?"
 
"Oh, that's a good point," Daizi had to agree, resisting her very strong urge to tickle Ivy's sides because she didn't want to hurt Xander, "but I think part of what makes her so cute is getting to experience her learn to do everything for the very first time. If she was born knowing everything, we wouldn't be able to watch her grow!"
 
"Point," Xander agreed. "And this is her first Mother's Day. Oi, Mouse, did you tell your mother how glad you are that she's your mum? I mean, Mama? Huh? Tell your Mama how much your love her."
 
Ivy babbled, only able to stand because of her mother supporting her upright, and she held a fistful of Daizi's hair in one hand.

"Oh, I think she's told me," Daizi said happily, pressing her cheek against her daughter's, "She's given me a lot of her special kisses, right, sweet girl? She has been very, very sweet. But you are always very sweet."

"Yes, she is," Dark said, stepping into the room with the rest of them, "Lunch is ready."
 
Xander stood and made sure Daizi was okay standing before heading upstairs to fetch the first of Daizi's presents. He set it off to the side where she wouldn't accidentally brush it and feel that it was there.

Alec grinned in excitement when he saw what Xander had done, and the pair joined Daizi and Dark at the table. "This looks and smells fantastic!"
 
"Thank you," Dark said. He had also set his, Ivy's, and a third gift to the side, and he brought the food he had specifically plated for his wife to her.

"Thank you, Goose," Daizi said, passing Ivy to him once all of the food was served and everyone was seated. There were a few moments of awkward silence as both Dark and Daizi tried to figure out what to do next, if they were going to wait until after eating to open presents or if they were doing presents first or what the smoothest course of action was. Then, she waved her hands and said, "I'm sorry, I just have to... I know it's mother's day, but I actually had Dark make the two of you a present. Well, not you two, exactly, but you're the ones who I would give it to."
 
Alec and Xander looked at Daizi in confusion and then Dark. Alec decided to go first. "You have a present that's for us, but not for us?" he asked cautiously.

"I guess you wouldn't be a mother without us, so I suppose it's only right to give us- Ow! Alec kicked me!" Xander complained.

"'Cause you're ruining a moment," Alec huffed.

"I was joking. And you ruined the moment by kicking me!"

"It wasn't that hard."

"It's still a kick."

"You're still ruining a moment."

"Fine. You stop."

"You stop."
 
Daizi listened to their exchange with a little laugh while Dark picked up a small present he had wrapped, which he gave to Daizi, who then handed it to the twins. "I just, I had thought... Tara deserves a mother's day gift too. But she's not here to open it, but you both are."

Inside the box was a simple, pretty, wooden bird feeder engraved with Tara's first and last name, and the words, Like the sky, spread over everything engraved on it, part of a larger quote, and it was built so it could, if they wanted, be hung outside their window, but it didn't have to be.

"I had wanted to plant something," She explained, "but I didn't know if you would want that, or what plant she'd like."
 
The twins stared at the bird feeder, their former goofing off fading away. Xander carefully picked it up out of box and held it up. Alec reached out and ran his fingers over the engraved words. Xander didn't say anything, his jaw clenching a little from the rush of emotions. Good and sad emotions that threatened to overwhelm him.

"She'd love it," Alec whispered. "She'd really, really love it. Thank you for thinking of her. It's... thank you."

Xander nodded, still not ready to speak. He set the feeder down with great care, looking at how to hang it. They'd definitely be putting it up outside their window.
 
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