Dinner Date [c]

"Coffee now sounds good... And I don't think she likes me."

He stared at the cat and she stared at him. He couldn't help but feel a little disappointed the one of Fleck's pets didn't like him. Then again, if someone was staring at him he wouldn't be too keen either. He would go up and try to make friends but it looked like she would rip his hands off.

"Come around a few more times and she'll be okay. She's protective over mama. Anyone new is on her shitlist until she decides they're okay."

Rosa was more protective than the dogs at times.

"Really, don't worry about her," he assured, reaching out to gesture for Dick to follow him into the kitchen.

"At least it is not something I have done."

He eyed her as he followed Fleck into the kitchen. His attention turned to everything but the half naked man in the room. Honestly, he was probably the only vampire his age that got worked up about a torso.

"How come everyone is out tonight?"

Fleck moved over to the coffee machine, turning it on to start the water boiling, then pulled a pan from within the oven.

He flitted around the kitchen, taking the milk from the fridge, and two mugs from the cupboard. He set the milk boiling on the stove then turned to Dick, leaning back against the counter and bracing his hands on the top. The muscles of his stomach and chest rippled and clenched with the movement.

"Preference? I'm no barista but I can try anything."

Dick took a seat at the long table. With Fleck's back to him his eyes wondered to the man, taking in the muscle under tanned flesh. It definitely wasn't a sight he was going to forget. One he would probably take to his showers.

As soon as Fleck turned around he feigned interest in his nails. He hoped Fleck hadn't noticed his wondering eyes, or his flushed face.

"Black please. As strong as you can get it."

Fleck had noticed his wondering eyes, and he really didn't mind. They were in the very beginnings of dating each other; attraction was natural. He'd definitely eyed Dick up more than once.

"Ah, an easy order is what I like to hear."

He could manage a plain black coffee.

He was going to treat himself to a hot chocolate, though.

He grinned at Fleck, eyes flicking up to his and back to his eyes.

"Actually, I will change my order to a sugar free hazelnut latte with soy milk and an extra shot of coffee."

Honestly, he hated those orders himself when he worked in the cafe. What it wrong with a good black coffee? You can't even taste the coffee in some of the orders he made.

"Ah, we don't give bullshit coffee orders in this house, hipster chick."

Fleck winked as he waved a spoon at Dick. "You'll get your coffee black and you'll like it."

He poured the boiling water into both mugs, stirred Dick's vigorously, then carried the mug to the man. "Here you are, sugar. Tip your waitress, hmm?"

He laughed as Fleck handed him the mug of coffee. With him so close it was difficult to see anything but flesh and muscle.

"What type of cafe have I walked into?"

He gave out a nervous laugh before leaning up to leave and very light and brief kiss on Fleck's cheek. He smiled into his coffee mug, blushing furiously.

"The best you'll ever be in." Fleck grinned when Dick gave his cheek a quick smooch.

He pulled the milk off the stove and began to make up his hot chocolate.

He was almost through when the cat flap opened. The cat flap was a strange thing, not connecting to the back door, but the door to the livingroom.

From the cat flap waddled a large grey parrot. "Munch munch munch munch," crowed the parrot loudly.

"Are you not in bed yet, Munchies?" Fleck asked with an arched brow down at the parrot as if he was talking to a misbehaving child rather than a bird.

"Munch munch munch munch."

He took a sip from the coffee. He very much needed that.

Hearing the cat flap opened, he stretched to see the cat that walked in that... wasn't a cat.

"This cafe is getting stranger and stranger. What do you put in you coffee?"

He couldn't keep the eyes off the parrot. It wasn't that he hadn't seen one before. He had his life time supply when he was sailing with Gia and the others. It was the fact a parrot used a cat flap?!

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

Fleck clucked his tongue against his palate and held his arm out. Munchies swooped across the room and perched on Fleck's outstretched fingers.

He curled his fingers around Munchies' talons and tilted the bird upside down, cradling him carefully to his chest like a baby. "What are you doing up so late, huh?" he crooned, stroking the birds feathery soft cheek.

He picked up his mug and moved over to the table, sitting down next to Dick. "Can you pass me the peanut bowl?"

Even if the situation was strange to Dick it was still cute - like how Fleck treated Duke earlier.

"The peanut bowl?"

He looked around be spotting it on the far side of the table. He leaned over to reach for it before placing it down in front of Fleck.

"Thanks."

He reached for the bowl, hooking a finger in it and drawing it closer.

"Do you deserve a peanut?" Munchies gave a loud squawk and wiggled in the cradle of Fleck's arm. "Is that a no, Munchies?"

The parrot cried again. "Munch munch munch munch."

He rested his cheek on his hand and watched the pair in amusement.

"You are being very mean. I think he deserves it." He smiled.

"Is he called Munchies because he says munch, or does he say munch because he is called Munchies."

"We used to call him little brother, from Mulan? Then Jay taught him to say munch for food and thats pretty much all he says now. SO he's called Munchies because he says munch."

With a little flick of his wrist, Fleck got the bird up to pernch on his hand again. "You have to impress Dick before you get a peanut. Give him a big smooch, huh?"

Munchies squawked and hopped off Fleck's hand, waddling across the table to get to Dick. He pressed his beak to the man's cheek and made a loud 'kissing' noise, then looked back at Fleck expectantly.

Dick smiled in amusement at the story.

He let out a delighted laugh as the bird press a 'kiss' against his cheek.

"He defiantly deserves a treat now."

"Is my bird wooing you better than I am?" Fleck huffed with a pout as he held out a peanut.

Munchies was quick to steal it from Fleck's fingers and shell it.

"Do I have competition now?" he asked, scratching the top of Munchies' head.

"I am afraid so, he is very charming."

Although sitting their half naked with that pout on his face he was doing a perfectly fine job.

Dick took a another sip of coffee to divert his attention again. It would of been a gulp if it wasn't to hot.

"Can he charm me any more?"

"It's past his bed time," Fleck replied. "And he's had his late night snack, so he needs to go back to Miguel, huh, Munchies?"

He just got a chorus of 'munch munch munch munch' in response.

"Okay, feather butt, really bed time now." He held up his hand and Munchies reluctantly hopped up onto it.

He held out his hand towards Dick and the bird whistled. "Sweet dreams," Munchies crowed, then 'kissed' Dick's cheek again.

"Good boy." Fleck picked up a few peanuts then stood. "I'll be right back," he promised.

He smiled in delight again as the parrot wished him sweet dreams and kissed his cheek again.

"Sweet dreams." He replied back to the parrot.

"No problem. I will just be here, drinking my coffee."

From the livingroom there was a thud and a quiet curse, then utter silence.

A minute later, a grumpy looking Fleck stepped back into the kitchen, fussing with his hair. Tangled in his hair was a wriggling little creature about the size of a hamster.

"Yes, yes, I get it, you're ow stuck. Struggling isn't going to help," he grumbled to the creature as he attempted to untangle it from his hair. A strange almost barking sound came from the tangled mess of Fleck's hair.

When he heard the thud and curse he was going to to check on Fleck. He was half way out of his chair when Fleck walked back in.

"Another one?"

He grinned. This house was feeling a lot like the mansion: unpredictable with something always going on - just a whole lot cuter.

He stood out of his chair to see what had now joined them in the kitchen.

"Do you wan't some help?"

"Two," Fleck corrected. "There's another little terror clinging to my ass."

These two, while still dearly loved, were probably Fleck's least favourite of the pets in the house. They were Chai's pets, and were a total nightmare when they decided they wanted to cause Fleck trouble.

"Please." He dropped his hands from his hair and plucked the creature from the back of his jeans, holding it carefully as it began chewing on his thumb. He sat on the floor in front of Dick's chair and leaned forwards a little so the mop of his hair, complete with sugar glider accessory was on show.

Dick peered at the top Fleck's head. He cooed softly at the rodent in Fleck's hair.

"They are very cute little terrors."

He curled a couple finger under the rodent, feeling it's little heartbeat race under his fingers. He his ignored a bites at his fingers as he pried it carefully out of blonds hair - more care not hurting the rodent then pulling at Fleck's hair. Finally freeing it he cupped it in his hand and sat back down in his chair.

"What are they?"