How Green Becomes Wood

"It is," Daizi agreed willingly, "but in all the classes I took in my decade or so of higher education don't help me explicitly. The classes I took on primate behavior and human evolution don't exactly help me--I don't do anything with non-human primates and my work doesn't even touch Neanderthals, much less any australopith. But I don't regret those classes because they helped me to understand the world we live in better. And, Alec, if you go to community college first and then transfer to a four-year institution, you won't even have to live in a dorm, you have a lot of options."

Really, Xander's willingness to have a different path than Alec impressed her, even though she knew Alec was still struggling with that option.
 
Alec bit his lip, not liking that thought, and he wasn't sure how he felt about Xander's agreement that he could go by himself, but he felt Xander was trying to push him forward to better things than he felt he could achieve for himself. He shook off the thoughts and glanced at Dark. "What was your college experience like? The actual academic side."
 
When tigers wake up from a nap, their third eyelid opens last, and that was the most apt comparison to when Dark touched back down to earth. He felt Daizi's hand on his arm before he heard what anyone said, and it was only when he blinked for a second time that he seemed like he was back.

"I... apologize," He said, squeezing one hand into a fist to feel his nails against his palm and then looking down at it, "I was... lost in thought. What were you talking about?"

"College," Daizi told him.
 
Both twins stared at him, unnerved, but glad that he seemed to be doing okay.

"Xander thinks College is a waste, and I think it might be good, and we wondered what your experience was on the academic side," Alec summarized meekly.

"I didn't say a waste, I said not as needed," Xander protested.
 
Dark nodded, rubbing his fingers against Ivy's arm, trying to reassert to himself he was, in fact, within his own body, "I did not like all of the classes I was required to take when I was working on my teaching license, but I enjoyed what I learned when pursuing my... history degree." He took a breath, the hair on the back of his neck standing up, "But I also think if you truly have no idea what you might want to study, you should not go straight to college."
 
"Yes," He answered, "I am just. Distracted. I am sorry. I think I might lie down, it has been a stressful day. Thank you for ordering pizza for us." He held Ivy up higher, "Can you sit with your mama for me, Hummingbird?"

"Do you need anything, Goose?" Daizi asked, taking Ivy from him and knowing more than she let on.

"No, I just am tired. That is all." He stood up and bent to kiss Daizi's forehead, "On a calmer day we can talk about college."
 
"Night," Alec called after him cheerfully.

Xander sat back with a frown, looking after him. Why did he feel like Dark was lying? Yes, it had been a stressful and exhausting day, but it felt like something more. He waited until Dark was gone before standing up. "I have a lot of stuff to get done. I think I'll take a couple of slices with me and go work on it."

"What do you need, Mama?" Alec asked. "I can help you."
 
"I'll be up once Ivy is asleep for the night," Daizi promised her husband and let it go, because she had no choice but to let it go. She wasn't going to force him to have a conversation about it in front of their kids, but she was certainly going to pay close attention to him after that. Closer attention, that wasn't the first time she had been around him in moments like that within these past few weeks. "I just need this sweet girl to stay calm for the rest of the night, it makes me sad how much her poor mouth has been hurting her."
 
"Okay. I'll bring my homework down here so I can give you a hand if you need anything," Alec promised. "I don't think I can make her mouth not hurt - I wish I could - but I can get you things and hold her if your arms get tired."
 
Thankfully, with all of the various interventions they had used, the rest of the evening Ivy was only a little bit grumpy, only beginning to cry again once, but when that happened, she handed her off to Alec, washed her hands, and then came back to gently massage Ivy's poor hurt gums, which was enough to settle her.

It was a little bit more difficult to get her to sleep that night, but that, too, was managed, and after saying goodnight to Alec and Xander, she went to her bedroom, only to find Dark lying face down in their bed, his arms folded underneath him, taking slow breaths which, occasionally, he failed to keep controlled.

"Oh, Goose," With a quiet sigh, Daizi walked to his side of the bed and sat down beside him, rubbing his back, "We're going to need to talk about this." Yet, she knew he couldn't then, so she pulled their blanket over him, and stayed by his side until he was calm enough to go to sleep before joining him.
 
Xander ended up passing out almost the moment his head hit the pillow. He had a lot on his mind, a lot to think about and figure out, but his body overrode his brain. He was still technically healing and would be for a while, so however busy his mind might want to be, his body wouldn't let him have it.

Alec, for his part, was not healing from any particular injury, so his mind was going everywhere. He slipped out of Xander's bed and moved to sit on his own, finding his phone under his pillow. After checking the time to make certain it wasn't absurdly late, he texted Sloan. Are you up? If you are but ar busy or just about to go to bed, you can ignore this.
 
Alec debated, tapping his pillow lightly as he agonized over whether or not to actually take Sloan up on her offers to help or advice. Mostly okay. I kind of need to talk something out. I was going to text Becky instead, but then I remembered her parents took her phone for finals week.
 
Sorry. It seemed like something she might have "opinons" on. Anyway, firstly, Ivy's teething, which isn't great, but Ba is acting very odd. I don't even know how to describe it, but it's weirding me out. It's like he's lost in thought, but really, really lost in thought. I don't think he wants to worry us, which is making me more worried.
 
That is kinda weird, Sloan agreed, although she quickly mediated it with, but idk, his baby is teething and his teenagers were assaulted two weeks ago, I guess it makes sense that he would have a lot on his mind? But like I understand why that's making you anxious, he doesn't really seem like the type to have an issue like that.
 
Alec shifted to lean against the wall, considering. You're right, that does make sense. I'm sure he'll be alright after a while, and he does have Mama to help him. It'll be okay. After a pause, he continued, But there's something else bugging me. It's weirder.
 
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