Cooking By The Book [c]

Their day off together was going to be a lazy, movie-watching kind of day where they could appreciate each others company and enjoy having their feet up. His shifts at the cafe had doubled for the summer, and Fleck was busy with his own work. So it would have been nice to relax with his boyfriend.

Instead, they were babysitting.

Chrys needed someone to look over the twins last minute and Fleck was the only one able to. Consequently, that meant Dick was baby sitting them, too.

He didn't mind too much. He had come to love Fleck's family and he liked to think he was better with the kids. It was just looking after two hyper active eight-year-olds was exhausting.

And out of all the activities they wanted to do today, they wanted to bake.

He just hoped Fleck's cooking skills cancelled out his terrible, awful, life-threatening cooking skills.

"So, what are you all going to make again?" He asked, eyeing the equipment that was being set out on the table.

Fleck had equally been looking forward to a day spent alone. With their work both calling them in for extra time over the summer, and more people wanting his artistic skill, there had been little time for them to just get together and enjoy each other.

Then Chrys' wife had had a family emergency that both she and Chrys had to jet off for back in Greece, which would go by much better if the two munchkins Chrys had spawned weren't around for. So the two of them had been dropped off at Grandma's house for a few days.

Today Fleck was unlucky enough that everyone else in the house was busy and couldn't look after the two of them.

Gabriele had expressed a burning need to bake something, a task that would be messy as fuck, Fleck knew, and the reluctantly babysitting uncle had resigned himself to it as they began finding out the ingredients and equipment.

Theresa was busying herself with browsing youtube, sat at the table and ignoring everyone. Something she would do until the batter had been made, and she could steal away the bowl to lick the excess.

"Cannoli poke cake," Fleck answered as he compared the expiry dates on a couple cans of condensed milk.

Dick nodded with a pleased hum. A tasty and easy cake, he assumed, if a kid could help out and cook it.

"Well, I am putting it out there I'm going to resign myself as washer-upper and taste-tester." He paused, and then with a playful grin, he tacked on: "Chef."

He had been caving a lot recently when it comes to eating and just suffering the repercussions. Much to Fleck's dismay, it was only for sugary sweet food he was shoving into his mouth.

"You don't get any until you eat dinner. Same with you two."

Both twins paused what they were doing, Gabriele was sifting through the different cake pans to see which one he wanted to use, while Theresa was watching a YouTube video of her father's student tripping as he left the rink (a video of her own creation), to whine at their uncle.

He whined right back, loud and obnoxious. "You think your papa's gonna let me live if I feed you cake before food?" He shook his head. "No, he won't, and he's bigger than me, so you guys are eating actual food before cake. It wont even be ready for a good four hours anyway. You have to be patient."

Queue another wave of whines that Fleck ignored as he weighed four eggs.

He shook his head with a fond smile. Really, he felt like a parent, scolding everyone in the room (even his ancient boyfriend) to behave. Most people looked at him and thought he was the badboy rebel, with his bleached hair and piercings. If those people could see him now.

"Gabriele, come, bring me the flour."

While he didn't whine like the kids, he did give his boyfriend a look of dismay. Even though he did enjoy eating a lot more lately he could still only manage so much, and he didn't want to waste limited space on food that wouldn't give him possible cavities.

He couldn't even argue the fact he didn't need food in front of the kids or use a worn out excuse he had already eaten today. Not without leaving a bad impression.

So he sulked as he sat down next to Theresa, out of their way, eyes turning to the video she had playing. His brows knitted together. That guy sliding across an ice rink looked familiar.

"Whose that?"

Theresa's disinterested green eyes slid up to Dick for a second before returning to the screen.

"An idiot," she replied simply, tapping the next video - another of the same idiot tripping over his own feet. This video, though, was clearly in an important setting. The man was dressed up fancy, just out of a show. The tripping was filmed beautifully.

Fleck and Gabriele worked together to make the cake, and it was mixed up and in the oven in minutes.

Theresa held her hand out for the bowl, and her brother bought it to her without a fight, leaning over her to laugh at the idiot, and give her a hug before disappearing back to his uncle to help clean up what they had used, and set up for the rest.

Theresa swiped her finger through the batter and sucked it off.

"An idiot," Dick repeated. That was apparent. He couldn't help but snort at one of the more spectacular falls. But that answer didn't explain why he found him so familiar.

His wondering was quickly dismissed when the bowl arrived. Was it sad to be envious of an eight-year-old? He couldn't just snatch it off her.

He turned his attention back to Fleck.

"I did offer to wash up. I also offered to taste-test but it seems that role has also been stolen."

He tilted his head to indicate to the girl next to him.

Theresa nodded. An idiot.


Perhaps the biggest idiot.

There was no perhaps. He was the biggest idiot. Period.

"You're welcome to try and get the bowl off her if you want," Fleck laughed, as he leaned against the counter, watching Gabriele wash the measuring cups in the sink. The family had a dishwasher, but making the kids clean up after they had been baking was almost tradition. It taught them that sometimes hard work was better than letting something else do the job.

Fleck picked up a damp cloth, and tossed it to Dick. "Could you wipe down the counter?"

"I like my hands," he joked. Besides, he wasn't about to argue and fight with an eight-year-old over some batter. Even if she was making look incredibly delicious.

"Sure."

Catching the damp cloth he stood up and began wiping down the sides, eyes on Fleck and Gabrielle. He smiled, warmth spreading through his chest.

"Good choice," came a quiet voice behind him. Theresa didn't even look up as she swiped her finger through the batter again. A smile played at her lips when she watched Ciro fall flat on his face again.

Fleck smiled his thanks as Dick began to clean the surface, then leaned over to ruffle Gabriele's hair and gesture to the wooden spoon that he hadn't cleaned properly.

Gabriele huffed but set to scrubbing again, determined to do a good job.

His smile grew as Fleck ruffled Gabriele's hair. He will never get over how sweet it was seeing Fleck with his nieces and nephews.

And he could never shake off the rather embarrassing, and pretty unrealistic fantasies after.

Sides clean he made his way over to the sink and placed his hand on Fleck's hip.

"Do any of you want a drink?"

Fleck smiled down at his boyfriend, leaning forwards to steal a sweet, short kiss after Dick asked them all.

Gabriele looked up when the question was asked, and pulled a face, grossed out by the PDA going on in front of them. "Gross." He was at the age where any affection was gross as hell. He didn't want to see it.

"Hot chocolate," Theresa called out her order, again refusing the drag her gaze from the screen.

The smile still on his face, his cheeks warmed from the sweet, short kiss. Then they darkened further from Gabrielle's opinion on it.

He turned to stare at Theresa, who in turn was still looking at the screen.

Did she ever get off that thing?

He raised an eyebrow.

"Hot chocolate?"

While he wouldn't scold the kids, seeing it as Fleck's families duty, plus he didn't want to over step his boundaries, he did remind them about their manners.

"Made with milk. One sugar," she clarified in her even tone, fingers playing over the screen as she started up a game.

Fleck gave a little amused huff as he watched the two.

Dick was new with dealing with Theresa. He'd learn.

His eyes turned to Fleck as he heard the amused huff and then back to Theresa.

A part of him was just going to let it slide and make them all a drink, but no. He was going to get some sort of manners out of her.

"Uhuh, anything else you want to add?"

Her dark eyes turned up and regarded the vampire for a moment before turning to her uncle. "Uncle Fleck, do we have mini marshmallows?"

Fleck gave a nod in response, lips pressed together to try and stop a burst of laughter.

"Thank you." Her gaze turned back to Dick. "A handful of mini marshmallows on top," she added to her order, gaze dropping back down to her phone.

Fleck snorted, and besides him, Gabriele giggled.

Dick looked back and forth between the dismissive girl and the giggling boys.

No. He wasn't going to start an argument with her. He wasn't going to start an argument with an eight year old. Even though she infuriatingly used manners with Fleck and not him.

Letting go of a breath, he threw his hands up in the air.

"Fine! A hot chocolate with milk, one sugar and a handful of marshmallows coming up."

She knew how to press buttons, and he wasn't going to push this any further. His temper only stretched so far.

"I am guessing the same for you two, too?"

Gabriele reigned in his giggles enough to nod eagerly. "Yes, pleas, Uncle Dick."

Fleck nodded through his laughed. "Please, babe."

Dick would soon learn that the less you pushed Theresa, the easier things were for you. Fleck had learned that quickly. He was always the chill uncle that didn't push too much. Theresa was like a cat. Push and she pushes back.

Hearing himself being referred to as uncle was still strange but it also warmed his heart. It was things like that which made him realise again and again how welcomed he was in the family.

He made his way around the kitchen easily, brewing himself some coffee while he went about making them all a hot chocolate.

"So you said baking the cake was going to take four hours, do you really need to be in the kitchen for that long?"

"The cake doesn't stay in the oven for all that time, dear," Fleck responded with a patient smile.

This was why Dick wasn't allowed to cook, he was sure.

"When we soak the cake, we have to leave it alone for a few hours before we ice it."

His gaze flickered down to the oven. "We can probably take it out in a few minutes."

"Oh... I knew that."

He didn't know that.

His skills only went as far as warming something in a pan. Whether that was milk or blood.

"So we have a few hours spare then?"

"You guy do. I planned to make lasagna for dinner."

It was an easy dish to make, but it wasn't all that quick.

And both Gabriele and Theresa perked up at the suggestion. "Your lasagna is the best, Uncle Fleck!" Gabriele complimented, very nearly vibrating with excitement. His uncles lasagna for dinner!

Dick raised an eyebrow and both of the kid's visible excitement. It was a sentiment he couldn't share with them.

"I'm guessing that is a rather popular choice."

Maybe he will try some to see what the fuss is about. Especially if it made Theresa look up from her tablet.

"I make it the best in the family." The statement wasn't bragging in any way.

"Only 'cause he stole Rafaella's family recipe," Theresa commented, and Fleck's cheeks warmed slightly.

So what if that was true? He still made the best lasagna in the family, even if it wasn't his family's recipe.

Dick drummed his fingers on the counter as he watched his boyfriend's cheeks turn red. In any other context, he would have been thrilled.

"I'm sure he's probably made it even better."

He offered Fleck a smile.

"Besides, people have been stealing each other's recipes from each other for centuries."