[C] Black Dragon

He felt himself laugh as he watched Fleck write out Mandarin. That was completely unexpected.

"Shame you can't talk at the moment, otherwise I would have asked for a demonstration," he said while tapping the last language on the list.

Fleck shook his head.

Fleck was all about using the tongue to change the sound of the noise you made. That wasn't happening for a long time, even when he could speak again, his tongue would be too sore to try it.

Dick could deal without listening to him butcher Asian languages.

Dick let out a small laugh again as Fleck shook his head. He wouldn't mind hearing him butcher the Asian language - better then he could.

He leaned over and to pick up the coffee Fleck brought up for him, cupping it in his hands. Taking a long sip, his eyes were on the paper as he waited to see if Fleck had anymore questions for him; he was normally bursting with them.

Dick was waiting for him to throw more questions. That was new. Dick was very closed lipped.

What did Ti mean about healing earlier?

That was something that had been on his mind for a while. Clearly Dick hadn't wanted the conversation to be continued, if the way Ti had covered up was anything to go by.

But he was curious.

Dick almost choked on his coffee.

H expected more questions on languages or what it was like on the ship. Not this. He had hoped he managed to brush it under the carpet earlier and Fleck then would forget all about it.

He settled the mug back down next to him and shuffled so he was facing Fleck, legs crossed. His fingers found his silver ring as he hesitated, thinking over what he could say.

After keeping what he was from Fleck for so long, he didn't want to lie to Fleck again. Yet he didn't want to explain each and every detail about being a vampire either. Especially when it came to the detail of drinking blood.

"Well..." Cheeks red he shrugged. To surprised to think of anything to dodge the question.

Fleck sat back, his steady gaze of Dick as he waited.

He really was curious about this, and he'd be as patient as it took for Dick to give him an answer.

Did Vampires have healing powers or something?

Dick licked his lips. Thoughts swirling in his head on what he could say, how he could dodge the question - without lying. His eyes on his hands for a solid minute.

Then he sighed.

"Well," he began again, "when we give blood, we don't just turn humans. We can heal, too."

He still couldn't quite look Fleck in the eye.

Like in True Blood. That was pretty cool.

Did sharing blood make them aroused like in True Blood? God, were Vampires like those in True Blood? Had media actually got something right?

No. No, Dick had never gotten the Bleeds.

Oh media. Couldn't get anything right.

Okay

Dick's eyes flickered to the written word and the tension in his shoulders left. He was glad it wasn't questioning. Or pushy or just simply look of disgust from Fleck - even though he knew that wasn't in his nature.

Finally, he turned his eyes up to the human. Hands still laced together, but a little more willing to talk.

"I've never done that before, though."

It sounds pretty intimate

Feeding your blood to someone. He couldn't directly relate to that, obviously, but it sounded like you gave an important part of yourself to someone. Dick was a very personal man. He doubted Dick would want to give a part of himself to many people.

And he wouldn't dare push.

Dick nodded, cheeks stained red. A little in disbelief he was having this conversation with Fleck.

"It is... Both taking and giving."

And he was always tried to take the intimacy out of it.

Fleck nodded.

So he was right. It was intimate. Like sex, sort of? Something you only gave to a very select few people in your life, for some.

Do you still mess up with standardisation when you write? You learned before standardisation was, well standard

He'd got his answer. There was no need to push any more. Back to learning more things about Dick.

Dick blinked for a moment at the question, a little confused. Then realizing Fleck changed the subject.

"Oh, yeah. I do."

The corners of his lips curled up.

"Language is forever changing. It is hard to keep up."

How often do people complain about your spelling?

His lips kicked up into a little smirk.

He couldn't imagine poor spelling. Sometimes it made things difficult to understand, and sometimes it made them just plain awkward. Imagine spelling a word just that little bit wrong and getting a totally different and completely inappropriate word?

He'd done that once or twice in Spanish.

He'd never forget having to apologise to that poor girl.

He the corner of his lips quirked and he scratched the back oh his neck.

"Not so much now."

A hundred years ago? He was terrible for it. It was difficult to break a habit. Even now.

So you can teach an old dog new tricks

He winked at his boyfriend, grinning teasingly. He didn't mean anything mean by the comment. He never did when he was jibing like this.

Just then the door banged open. "Show me, show me!" Jay stormed in, heading straight for Fleck. "I can't believe you got piercings. Show me!"

Fleck rolled his eyes skywards and turned to face his brother.

"They look sore. And the one in your nose is crooked as hell." Jay leaned closer to take a look at the nose ring. "Makes you look like a bull."

He gave Fleck a light playful slap on the leg for that, just as Jay barged in.

He turned as well, shifting out of the way so Jay could have a better look. A little bit of relief settled in that all they were currently doing was talking.

A line was brought between his brows.

"It doesn't make him look like a bull," he said defensively, looking Fleck once over. He cocked his head to the side.

Okay, maybe it did make him look a little bit like a bull.

"Is there anything red around here? I've always wanted to try my hand at being a matador."

Fleck lashed out, kicking his brother and rolling his eyes playfully.

"That's not very nice! you're lucky you're fragile with those piercings or I would hit you back."

Fleck arched a brow.

And Jay's grin widened. "Mom was right. You can't talk!" Jay giggled gleefully.

As annoying as it was Jay barging in on them, he couldn't help but smile at the siblings.

"Don't worry, we found a way around it that will do for now."

He moved so he was sat side by side with Fleck. He grinned up at him.

"But I am willing to bet money he will make up for lost time when he can talk again."

Fleck groaned and laid back again.

He was hating not talking. He didn't need Jay reminding him that he couldn't do it.

"Oh, this is too good!"

Fleck raised a hand, giving his brother a one fingered salute.

Dick snorted as Fleck flipped his brother off.

"Is there anything else you wanted?" He asked Jay.

It made him a little bit uncomfortable how easily people came in and out of Fleck's room.

"Nope."

He didn't move, though. He was too busy basking in the fact that Fleck couldn't speak. That wasn't going to happen often. He was going to enjoy it while he could.

Fleck rolled his eyes again, then grunted as Sollew shifted to lay on his chest. Great, now his cat was trying to crush his chest.

He stared at Jay, almost hoping to will him to go. He didn't.

Dick wasn't like Fleck. He couldn't fill the air with conversation, and he was a little unsure of what to say to Fleck's sibling. Most of the time he just sat there to watch the banter between them - chipping in occasionally.

"This is great. None of your grating voice. No sloppy make out sounds. I love it."

Jay threw his arms out, then laughed as he caught a pillow that was tossed his way.

"Missed!"

Fleck gave an all suffering sigh, and shifted Sollew onto Dick's lap.

Jay was already half way down the hallway by the time Fleck took two steps away from the bed.

Fleck shook his head and closed his door, reaching up to slide a bolt in the top corner of the door locked. He very rarely used the lock, but he had it there for times when he really just wanted some privacy.

As he made his way back to the bed, he slid the band out of his hair. When he got to the bed, he pushed Dick backwards so he landed flat on his back and laid down, resting the side of his face against Dick's chest. He couldn't lay out over him and use his stomach as a pillow with Sollew in his lap, so this would have to do.

Dick took Sollew, red-faced from Jay's comment. He watched as he shot off, relief coming over him as Fleck locked the door.

He allowed himself to be pushed down. Arm raise to let Fleck press closer to him. His fingers found a few long blond strands to toy with and wrap themselves around.

He let a silent moment pass between them. Eyes slipped closed, his hands in Sollew's fur and his boyfriend lying against him.

"Is it bothering you that you can't talk?"