16 Unicorn Street, Monday afternoon (after the construction shift)

[needsaparrot]

Xander led the way into the house, pointing out a couple of new features as he waited for one of its owners to follow. "Deadbolt's brass, but it's got a silver base. Those take protection spells well, at least according to my BFF."

__
[OOC: for demons_death]

Comments

[needsaparrot]

"Thanks. Woodwork's more my thing than metal, but as long as you don't need it to be art, I think it'll get the job done."

[demons-death.livejournal.com]

"Don't sell yourself short." John closed the cover again. "You can't even tell it's there when it's closed."

[needsaparrot]

Xander nodded. "That's the idea." He stood and pointed to the nearest windowsill. "Same thing there, except you've got a little extra room to play with. Space to hide something else, if you need to."

[demons-death.livejournal.com]

"Good," John said, nodding approvingly. "Did you get a chance to check the wiring?"

[needsaparrot]

"I replaced a few of your fuses," Xander answered, flicking the switch for the main light fixture in the living room by way of example. "You want to start powering a secret missile base or giving people shock treatments, you'll want to get the system updated, but other than that, I'd say you're good to go."

[demons-death.livejournal.com]

"Good," John said, shoulders relaxing in relief. He knew that the wiring wasn't responsible for the fire in Lawrence no matter what the official report said, but he didn't want to give a chance for his life to become that ironic. "That sums up the safety changes I guess. So that just leaves..."

[needsaparrot]

"The fun stuff?" Xander asked with a small grin. "Though actually working on those windowboxes was kinda nifty." He pointed towards the master bedroom, then headed that way. "Patio doors are finished; just gave 'em a last coat of paint on Saturday, so the room should be, uh, unstinky by now."

[demons-death.livejournal.com]

"Excellent," John said as they walked. "Zoe's become more sensitive to stinkiness."

[needsaparrot]

Xander gave him a nervous look. Which was fake. Maybe. "And the last thing we want is a stink-offended pregnant lady who has the key to the weapons locker."

[demons-death.livejournal.com]

John chuckled. "Who says she needs a weapons locker?"

[needsaparrot]

"....Point." Xander's eye widened as he moved into the bedroom and pointed to the French doors. He sniffed the air. "Safely unstinked."

[demons-death.livejournal.com]

John crossed the room to get a better look at the new doors. It was an excellent job; they looked like they had always been part of the room. "These are perfect," he said.

[needsaparrot]

Xander smiled. "Nah, perfect would be if they were designed to withstand a full assault squadron or a pissed-off woman with or without a gun. I'd have had to go with steel for that, though, and wood's prettier." Also he could hang a steel door, but make one? Ahahaha.

[demons-death.livejournal.com]

"It is." John looked over his shoulder at Xander. "I know a few tricks to hopefully make them a little more resilient. They'll do fine."

[needsaparrot]

"Glad you like 'em, then." Xander pointed towards the doorway back to the rest of the house. "And then there's the baby's room, right?"

[demons-death.livejournal.com]

John's smile might have turned just a little sappy. Just a little. "Yes."

[needsaparrot]

The expression didn't escape Xander's notice. He grinned. "You look like you can't wait much longer to put it to use."

[demons-death.livejournal.com]

"About six more weeks, give or take," John said. "Although I think Zoe wouldn't be that upset if it was less."

[needsaparrot]

"I can imagine." Only in theory, though. Despite most of Xander's friends being girls, they were all single, and most of them, like him, were only-children. Or at least they had been until somebody inserted a 14 year old sister into their lives.

He opened the door to the nursery. Just inside sat a wooden rocking chair, carved, stained, and varnished. "I, um. Might've gone a little overboard."

[demons-death.livejournal.com]

John walked over and reverently put a hand on the back of the chair, feeling how smooth the wood was. "You know what you were saying earlier about not making art?"

[needsaparrot]

Xander smiled slightly, glancing at the floor. "I don't know about art. But like I said, I'm better with wood."

He walked over to the corner behind the chair where a low, sheet-draped oblong stood. Pulling the sheet off revealed a simple cradle made out of the same wood, with similar rockers. "That's what I meant by overboard."