[C] Get that Beach Body

"You look you're gonna give yourself wrinkles before I ever give myself any."

He reached up, pressing his thumb against the crease in Dick's brow and stroking it gently, as if he was trying to smooth out the furrows.

His muscles relaxed and he let out a soft laugh.

"Trust me, I will still have a baby face ten years from now. Not a wrinkle in sight."

He kept his tone light, but it bothered him. Having people constantly look down on him because of the age he looked irked him. Especially considering he was around before they were even born. With the exception of older supernatural beings, of course.

He almost wishes he was turned when he was older.

"I should hope so. You'll be, what, thirty? You'd have to live a rough life to get wrinkles at thirty."

Fleck leaned back, supporting himself with his arms.

His thumb rubbed over the smooth metal of his ring.

"Yeah, I guess."

He should probably really explain that he has lived to thirty eighteen times and counting. But this wasn't the time or the place. he decided to ignore the fact he is going to outlive Fleck a little while longer.

"How old are you exactly anyway?"

It was a question he never brought up.

That was a very unenthused answer, but Fleck didn't want to dredge any shit up, so he let the dog lie.

"Twenty one."

He was young. Younger than he looked. With the way he was built and good genetics, he looked closer to twenty four or five.

"Twenty-one?"

He turned and looked at Fleck, studying his features.

"No way are you twenty-one! You look about twenty-five."

He didn't take any time considering if his words were offensive or not. The age revelation took by surprise.

Fleck threw his head back and laughed, a full laugh.

"If I got a euro for every time I heard that!" He'd be rich. How many times had someone balked at him when he'd told them that he was so young? Too many to count.

Hearing Fleck laugh made him laugh too. Still didn't stop him feeling like he should go straight to Fleck's house and apologize to his Mother and Farther.

"At least I am not the only one that thinks that."

He turned so he leaned on one arm.

"Imagine what you will look like when you are actually twenty-five," he teased.

"Probably the same. It's in the genetics," he admitted.

"Chrys and Mattie were the same. They both looked like they were thirty when they were like, twenty and stayed that way for like ten years. But who knows? I end up like my mother's family and end up bald and fat."

Though he highly doubted it.

"You never know, that may be true. I was supposed to be tall, all my other siblings were."

He waved his hand up and down himself.

"Yet this is what I get."

He was still a respectable height, especially back in the first few centuries. He still couldn't help but be bitter, wondering if he was changed a little later he may have been taller then Fleck.

"Were?"

He could hardly imagine Dick being tall. But he had picked up on Dick using past tense.

Well Fuck. He could't exactly go back on that.

He hesitated for a moment before nodding.

"Yeah, were."

Time to drop this conversation drop like a lead balloon.

"Fancy a drink?"

yet he was already turning to the bag to get himself and Fleck one.

"M'sorry."

Fleck was glad for the subject change, too. It was an awkward conversation for anyone.

"Sure. I'll never say no to another cider."

He passed Fleck a cider with the lid on.

"Make sure you don't spill it this time," he teased.

He took a sip from his wine, very much appreciating it. Although, at this very moment, he wished it was a little bit stronger. Like vodka.

"When is your birthday then?"

He cracked the lid with his ring and took a sip.

"I'll try."

He took another sip then turned his gaze back to Dick. "April. Few months to go yet. Yours?"

He smiled at Fleck. That was good. He had plenty of time to think of a gift for him.

"... It's August."

Which meant they have missed it and it was one more birthday spent not celebrated. He had enough birthdays that they are not exactly exciting anymore. They has been a number of years were he didn't even realised he had his birthday until a week later.

"You're kidding?!"

He looked at Dick with horror in his eyes. He truly looked anguished. He'd missed his boyfriend's birthday. What sort of shitty partner actually did that?

"Babe, I'm so sorry!"

Dick couldn't help but laugh at the horror on Fleck's face. It was almost comical.

"Fleck, it's fine."

He patted Fleck's shin what he hoped was reassuring.

"I didn't bring it up, so it is my fault. Besides, I am not too bothered about my own birthday anyway."

Yet he has touched that Fleck cared.

"Well, I'm not standing for that shit. Birthdays are important. We gotta celebrate."

Birthdays were perhaps the most important thing besides the family members themselves.

"Next year we're celebrating, so don't you dare think about not telling me about it."

He grinned.

"Okay okay, I promise."

Suddenly his birthday was a little more exciting.

"What do you normally do then? For your birthday?"

"Depends how tight we are. Sometimes we'll go out for a meal, or throw a home party, or just sit at home and have a movie night."

A soft smile came to his lips.

"No matter what, we're all together. Birthdays and holidays are really the only times we all get together."

His grin formed a soft smile.

"That sounds lovely. It is nice to hear that your family are so close."

As daunting as it was, he was very wanted to be part of it.

He supposed he had found a very weird and dysfunctional family in Gia and all those who boarded the ship. But it wasn't the same. You shouldn't feel like you should be constantly looking over your shoulder.

And the mansion? It was probably his own anti-social fault that he hasn't found even friends there.

Close wasn't really the right word.

They were... family. That was really the only word strong enough to describe what they were.

"I don't know what I'd be without them."

Dick squeezed Fleck's knee gently.

It really warmed Dick's heart up.

"I am still going to assume drama."

As far as Dick was aware, there was always drama. probably not quite to the extent of his family's drama - but still.

Fleck snorted.

"With Chai in the family? Of course there's drama."

There was always drama right around the corner. It always was like that when you had a family so big.

It kept things interesting though.