[C] Buon Natale

Dick watched as the hierarchy of what Fleck loved was shuffled in that instant.

He thanked Chai as he took the bacon sandwich, and planned to just slide it Fleck one he finished his. Coffee just did it for him.

Which he still desperately needed.

"Is there any fresh coffee?"

Fleck was eager to bite into the sandwich. The salty taste of bacon touched his tongue and he was in heaven. This was perhaps the only time meat entered the house, and he was always excited for Christmas breakfast. Actual meat.

"Maybe there is." Chai arched a brow at Dick, and grinned, dark eyes flashing. "What's in it for me if I get you a mug?"

Around then a few people let out quiet tittering laughs, a little interested to see exactly what Chai would get from Dick.

There was the temptation to get up to investigate himself. But that meant getting out of his comfy position; curled up next to Fleck in his dressing gown. There was no guarantee he would be this comfy sitting back down, that, or, someone would steal his spot.

He hummed.

"The joy of making me happy?"

But he figured that wouldn't be enough for her.

"What do you want?"

Chai snorted and made a 'buzzer' sound. "Nope try again."

The joy of making him happy? Yeah fucking right. Like that was happening.

Oh, now that was a question she wanted to hear. What did she want?

"Do everything I say for an entire week."

Dick raised an eyebrow.

"A week? For one mug of coffee? No."

That simply didn't add up. But he really, really didn't want to move.

He shifted a little, straightening.

"I would to yes just an hour."

"Sweetheart, you've never tasted my coffee."

Her hands found her his and one brow arched in a very classing 'bitch please' expression. 

"A week."

Even Fleck was joining in the quiet laughing between siblings now.

"Bring me some and I can find out."

No coffee was worth a week. None.

Plus, he didn't trust doing whatever Chai wants all week.

"A day," he offered.

"A week," she insisted.

It was like an unstoppable for meeting an immovable object. They were both stubborn, and they certainly weren't giving up.

There was silence in the room as everyone waited for this to pan out. Some prayed for Dick to win so he wasn't subjected to Chai for a week. Some waited with malicious glee for Chai to win and see what trouble Dick was in store for.

Dick hummed, tapping his fingers.

"No. But, who about this; we gamble? If I get the highest role on dice, you get me coffee for free. If you win, I'll do whatever you want for a day."

Everyone was tempted by a gamble. Even himself.

Chai clucked her tongue, and turned around with a shake of her head.

She disappeared into the kitchen, returning a few minutes later, holding two mugs.

Chai sipped at one, and gave an exaggerated moan of pleasure, then saluted Dick with the other mug. There was a spicy burst of smell that came from the mug she had in her hand. Clearly this wasn't just your average coffee.

"M-mm. Anyone want a coffee?" she asked, hloding up the mug she hadn't sipped from. It was in Dick's mug.

Dick narrowed his eyes at Chai as she waltzed back in, unavoidably breathing in the fresh smell of coffee. It smelt amazing. Mouthwatering.

He was internally frothing at the mouth the way Fleck was at the bacon sandwich. His tired mind wanted nothing more right then.

"I'm right here," he said airily. It took an ounce of his strength not to look desperate.

Her dark eyes turned to Dick at his comment.

She took another sip of her coffee, and savoured the proper chai masala spices that peeked through the strong coffee taste, as her eyes turned over him slowly.

"A week."

"A day."

There was no way that was worth a week. Not if he was going to be bossed around Chai, anyway.

"Besides, I have work for most of the week." He was lying. He was only working for two days. The cafe wasn't very busy over the winter.

Chai's gaze flickered up to Fleck, who shook his head minutely.

He was sort of on Chai's side for this one. He wanted to see what she would do. Sorry Dick.

"I call bullshit. A week, or I'm drinking this myself and banning you from drinking coffee for the week." Chai gave a bright smile. She would enforce the ban, too.

Dick saw her make eyes with Fleck and frowned as she began to speak. He nudged Fleck in the ribs. Wasn't he supposed to be on his side?

"You can't just enforce a ban on me drinking coffee. What are you going to do? Police the kitchen?"

If she did he would find a way around it.

Years of pirating and not being the most honest at card games had to come in handy at some point in this modern era.

Fleck squeezed his arms around Dick's waist when he was elbowed.

Busted.

Chai's brows arched in another 'bitch please' look. "Try me, kid. No coffee for you."

Around the room, people winced and murmured. Clearly they had every faith in Chais ability to cold turkey Dick on caffeine.

The line between his brow deepened. Even if he was the age he said he was, there wasn't that much between them. She had no right to call him a kid.

The murmur didn't sound promising. But Dick was confident in being able to smuggle some in if it comes down to not getting it from the kitchen.

"A day. Or I will just take that coffee off you."

There was a low 'ooooh' that broke out.

Chai stood straighter, her chin raising.

"Come at me, bro." The challenge was thrown in English, and accompanied by a smirk.

Dick's lips turned thin.

She was challenging him to this own threat, but he wanted to remain stubbornly seated. It was why he tried to make her get him a coffee in the first place.

Besides, fighting over a mug of hot coffee in a fairly cramped space full of kids didn't seem like the best of ideas. Plus, any stains would be a pain to get out.

Yet at the same time honour was on the line. He was the one to dish the threat.

Shrugging the dressing gown off, he stood, still frowning, trying to work out how he could snatch it off her. Without injury.

Chai was all ready to squabble over a cup of coffee.

But as soon as Dick stood up, Fleck's hand curled in the back of his shirt, and he tugged. "Sit down," he ordered around a mouthful of bacon.

There was going to be no squabbling between Dick and Chai.

"Now," he prompted.

Dick's cheeks flared red. Both shocked and embarrassed by the tone of Fleck' voice directed at him. In front of his family. At Christmas.

Awkwardly, he sat back down.

Fleck wiped his mouth of crumbs, then leaned forward to kiss Dick's cheek, wrapping himself around his boyfriend again.

"Thank you."

He nuzzled against Dick's cheek. "It wont be as good, but Ill make you a coffee in a minute. Okay?"

End of the fight.

"I- Sure," he muttered as Fleck nuzzled his cheek. There was the temptation to gawn at his fingers.

"I'm going to get my own," he said not a minute later and stood back up again out of Fleck's arms. Without a second look at Chai, he ducked out of the living room to the kitchen, to grab some air.

"Ah, Christmas," Fleck muttered as Dick disappeared form the room. "What a wonderful time of the year."

Fleck stood, picking up both their plates and following Dick into the kitchen as Chai pouted and whined.

He stopped in the doorway, though, when Chrys dropped a hand on Dick's shoulder, almost fatherly in his worry.

"What happened?" the blond questioned his boyfriend.

Fleck ducked back out of the room. It was good for someone else to comfort DIck once in a while.

"Nothing, nothing," he insisted, too haphazardly to be nothing.

He could smell the lingering stench of a cigarette. He toyed with the rings on his fingers.

"Do you have a straw?"

He needed to get out. Have some air. Have a smoke.