[c] Coffee and Sketchbooks

Fleck grimaced.

"Yeah, I've heard sea sickness is a real bitch. My cousin joined the navy. Man, the stories he'd tell about people getting sea sick."

People being found collapsed in a pool of their own vomit, being rushed to the med bay to be hooked up to IVs, suffering like that for weeks...

"I was never really a boat person myself. You're braver than I am."

Dick pulled his face into a grimace.

"It is."

He chuckled over the idea of him on a boat being brave.

"I wasn't really willing going on it. My friend told me we were going on a boat and that was that."

It was either follow Gia onto or be alone with no idea what he was doing for the rest of his life. He really owed his life to her.

"You never been on one then?"

"You friend sounds like a 'get his way' type."

Sounded like the type that would tell people to jump and expect to hear 'how high, sir?'

"Nothing bigger than a ferry boat." Just for an afternoon.

He'd never been on a proper boat for any prolonged period of time.

Dick shrugged.

"Probably."

Gia was a complicated vampire. In all the time he has known her he still felt as if he didn't know her at all.

"You know, in all the time I have lived here I have never been on a ferry boat. What was it like?"

Another possible date idea? He always meant to go on one of those tourist boats, but he never had the chance or someone to go with.

Probably?

That made it seem like Dick didn't know if his friend was a 'get his way' type of person or not. It was a pretty simple thing to figure out about a person most the time.

"Pretty boring. I spent most of it napping while we waited to get to English soil."

"You've been to England then? On a ferry boat."

He knew there where mini cruises to England (they sounded pretty nice and he wouldn't mind going on one one day) by he hadn't heard of ferries to England.

"From France. We had a road trip to see some of dad's side of the family in Plymouth."

His gaze turned upwards. "It was a struggle getting us all a spot in one of the cars, I'm telling you."

Between them all there were a dozen of them on that trip. "I was caught between my uncle and Jay. If you ever want to go crazy, sit between them on a road trip."

Dick's stomach churned at the idea.

"Just the thought of a road trip sounds horrible. I hate being in a car by myself for more then a hour, let a lone with a bunch of people for hours on end."

Besides not only did he get sea sick, he also gets motion sickness in long car journeys.

"Do you see your dad's side often?"

"No, thank god!"

Fleck heaved an all-suffering sigh. "Every time I go there, I think 'if I hear one more racist Italian joke' more than I think 'yay family'."

He smiled, though. Going there was torture, yes, but they were his family and at the end of the day he was pleased to see them most the time.

Dick squeezed Fleck's hand.

"There are bad-eggs in every family."

Some eggs were more rotten then others.

He would of asked: 'Why didn't they fly? Wouldn't it be cheaper?' But with a family as big a Fleck's he suspected it wasn't.

"They're not bad eggs," he denied easily. "They're just English flavoured. Our humour's different. That's all it is."

The jokes were hurtful, but they weren't meant that way. It was just how his aunt's family were. He didn't blame them for it. He didn't think any of his family did.

To end the conversation here, he hip-bumped Dick, nudging him further into the water.

"Hey!" He laughed. "You got my trousers wet!"

He rolled the hem up when he took his shoes off mid shin. They would of remain perfectly dry if it wasn't for Fleck's pushing him and making him splash water all over himself.

"And I am telling you, karma is out to get you."

He pulled Fleck in from of him to force him into the water.

Fleck laughed when Dick did and took a step back when Dick reached out to him.

Not fast enough, though, as he found himself splashing through the water, getting his fatigues wet as he did so.

"Oh, eww."

Wet pants. Wonderful feeling.

Dick covered his mouth as he laughed. He couldn't feel even a little bit bad even if he tried.

"Serves you right."

He let go of Fleck hand and kept his distance. He didn't wan't Fleck to follow through what he said earlier.

"Okay, that's it. Screw being nice."

Fleck pounced, a wide grin on his face. He swept his leg out, knocking Dick's out from under him, catching him bridal style before Dick hit the ground.

He grinned down at the blond in his grasp as he took a few leaping steps, then just let his legs fall out from under him, dropping both him and Dick in the water, laughing all the way.

He tried to avoid Fleck but he misjudged him. Then he was falling and then he was in Fleck's arms. It was all a blur.

Dick wiggled his legs legs as he tried to squirm his way out of Fleck's.

"Fleck, don't you dare. Fleck... Fleck!"

He pulled himself close to Fleck as they fell. One hand pinching his nose and his eyes squeezed shut. It felt like they were submerged for an eternity. As soon as they were above water level he playfully splashed Fleck in the face.

"You dick."

He was laughing though.

Even though they were not falling he still clung to Fleck neck. He didn't want to test how deep the water was.

With hair plastered to his cheeks, Fleck gave the Vampire an innocent look.

"I thought you were Dick?"

The innocent look cracked and he laughed, holding Dick close as he leant over him.

He didn't care right now that he stunk of sea water. He was happy.

He splashed some more water in Fleck's face as he laughed at him.

"Oh, that's original."

Despite he teasing his body was shaking with laughter too.

"I am so going to get you back later. One way or another."

He wasn't the biggest prankster in the world, but if he saw the opportunity with Fleck he will seize it.

"I pride myself on being highly original. Has anyone ever said that sat in the sea with you on their lap?"

He arched a brow, a proud smirk curling his lips. He already knew the answer was no.

"If that's not original, I don't know what is."

He laughed and prodded the back of Dick's knee with his thumb. "I look forward to it."

Dick flushed and he knew that Fleck knew the answer. His heart raced at the smirk that crossed Fleck's face. He hated and loved it.

He kicked Fleck's thigh the best he could underwater with the back of his heel as he was prodded. It sent a jolt up his thigh.

"No you won't. It will be worst then the seashell."

His hand encircled Dick's ankle when he was kicked, holding it captive.

"Well, karma's known to be nice to me occasionally."

He shook his head, and water droplets flicked off his nose and chin.

"Maybe you'll be nice, too?"

Another jolting sensation shot up his leg as the hand wrapped around his ankle. He could of kicked free if he wanted to, but he didn't. He wanted to play along.

He jerked his head away are droplets flicked into his face. He couldn't help the slight giggle.

"I think I will stay nasty. It will be more fun and satisfying."

He was grinning. Both of his hands found there way to grip onto Fleck's shoulders.

"Well, that's just mean."

His hand slid from around Dick's ankle and his fingers danced over the sole of his foot.

Being in the water would probably dampen the effect at least a little, but he was hoping for at least a little reaction.

Dick jumped and yelped, kicking out. He should of expected it, but he didn't.

"Okay, forget nasty. I am going to be down right cruel."

One hand shot out to tickle Fleck's sides. He would of used both if he didn't want to drown.

Fleck gasped out loudly when his side was tickled and his body almost convulsed.

Fleck was extremely ticklish.

After a second of being tortured, he swept Dick aside, spinning around and leaning over the man. He grappled for Dick's wrists in an attempt to pin them by his head in the wet sand.

Waves lapped at Dick's shoulders, but didn't go any further than his neck.