Spooky Scary Skeletons [C]

The soft squeeze was comforting and he gently squeezed his back.

"It's good to see you too."

He was going to apologise again, but he held his tongue. It seemed all was forgiven when they left them at the beach. Besides, he didn't want to bring it up again at a party.

"We haven't scared you off yet, have we?" Chrys asked. His eyes flickered to Fleck from behind his mask. "Perhaps such a busy event wasn't the best choice for throwing you into the family spirit."

Fleck gave a half shrug. "Like a bandaid," he explained. "Get the first terrible meeting over quickly then he'll be fine meeting the smaller groups in average situations."

Dick smiled.

"Not yet."

He looked up and raised an eyebrow at Fleck.

"It's not that terrible," he tried to reassure. Although walking around in spandex meeting everyone was not his first choice.

"Not yet, it isn't." The night was still very young.

Chrys' lips quirked upwards. "Perhaps you should-"

"Chrysanthemum!" Both Fleck and Chrys turned to the source of the voice. The source was a woman of about seventy, strong and frighteningly clear-eyed despite the wrinkles folding her skin. "Hank!"

"Let's go meet the parents," Fleck murmured to Dick as he led the man forwards, following behind Chrys.

Both men leant down to press a kiss to their mother's cheek when they were close enough.

"Ma, this is Dick. Dick, this is my mother."

Dick was startled by the voice. The voice of someone he felt should not be messed with. Dick turned with with the other two men only the b faced with Fleck's mother. She looked just as intimidating as she sounded.

Too wrapped up in dread he didn't pick up on Fleck's name.

He followed them both towards her then hovered as they kissed their mother on her cheek.

He forced a shaky smile as he was introduced. Even the mask wasn't making him feel comfortable now.

He debated with how he should greet her. Just because his Italian was flawless, doesn't mean his knowledge on Italian culture was. It didn't feel right to kiss her on the cheek as Fleck and his brother did. But not greeting her at all felt rude.

He reached out his hand to shake hers.

"It's lovely to meet you."

Chrys sloped behind his mother, taking up the familiar spot between the handles of her wheelchair.

The woman smiled and reached forwards to grip his hand in return. She didn't shake it, though. Rather, she gave it a quick yank overbalancing him and sending him sprawling forwards.

Fleck anticipated his mother's antics and steadied Dick before he could headbutt his mother, but not before those strong arms wrapped around him.

Trisola squeezed her arms around Dick firmly, holding him in a warm hug. "Welcome home, Dick."

And this was home. If Dick was dating any of her children or grandchildren (though not quite great grandchidlren - they were all still far too young to think of such) then he was welcome at her home any time.

Relief washed over Dick as she took his hand. It would have been horribly awkward if she didn't.

He didn't expect to be dragged down. In a blur, he had Fleck steadying him and his Ma's arms wrapped around him and this owns hands steadied himself on the arms of her wheel chair.

Dick froze. Out of everything she could have said and done, this is what he least expected. It was the best thing she could have said to him.

Eyes stinging he returned the hug.

"Thank you," he murmured softly to her. He broke the hug, not before pressing a kiss on her cheek as Fleck and Chry's did.

His smile towards her was a lot more easy and comfortable now.

"And look at you, wearing my Jay's costume." She lifted his cape a little, letting it run over her fingers.

"You and Hank make quite a pair, two renegade Robins still on the side of good. Though, I would be very careful, Red Robin, not all of us are part of the Justice League." She dropped Dick a little wink.

Fleck and Chrys laughed.

"C'mon, Tim, let's run before Huntress gets us," Fleck joked, pulling Dick back. "I'm sure we can find refuge with the Flash. See ya later, ma."

Hank?

He glanced up at Fleck in confusion. Then it clicked. His smile widened.

"I will do," he said. even if he didn't quite understand what she was on about.

His arm wrapped back around Fleck.

"I was lovely meeting you."

Fleck's eyes flickered away when Dick grinned up at him.

Busted.

He had hoped that he could go just a little longer without Dick finding out his real name.

"And you, Dick," Trisola replied. "Don't you be a stranger."

Fleck raised his hand to wave bye as he led Dick away, heading further into the garden. Their garden was massive, and sectioned off into parts by large bushes and trees.

He was following his ears to find his dad now.

"I won't be," he promised. As Fleck lead him away he offered one last smile.

"I like your Ma. Even if it did feel she was about to rip me apart," he said when they were finally out of earshot. Despite his first impressions, she was full of warmth.

"Will meeting your Dad go as well as that?"

"She was in the army, what do you expect? She still has that scary 'I'm going to force you to do drills then eat you alive after' vibe, even as a great grandmother that turns into mush with a baby in her arms."

She could be a very scary woman.

"Oh yeah. Ma's the scary one."

"Remind me not to get on her bad side then."

He was relieved to hear that. Hopefully meeting Fleck's Dad will go down even better. he felt a little less nervous now, relaxed under Fleck's arm.

"So how come you don't go by Hank?"

It was a nice name. Fleck was still Fleck to him, but Hank did suit him.

"Fleck was just a nickname that started off as a bit of a joke, but stuck. It just got used so often that I hardly register if someone calls out Hank."

His shoulders rolled under the tight spandex.

"I think I prefer Fleck, anyhow."

It wasn't quite as exciting or interesting as Dick expected.

"They are both nice names." He squeezed Fleck's side. "You're still Fleck to me. Although, it is nice to know my boyfriend's real name."

His cheeks really need to stop turning pink whenever he uses that word.

"And it only took you a couple of weeks to figure it out."

Fleck grinned, eyes flashing mischievously, as he advanced on Dick, backing him into a well-manicured hedge. He boxed Dick in against the hedge with arms on either side of the man's face.

"I suppose I should give you a reward, hmm?"

"To be honest-" he inhaled sharply, butterflies in his stomach and heat rising to his cheeks. For the second time tonight he found himself trapped.

"Fleck," he hissed, trying to glance over Fleck's shoulder to see if there was anybody about. It was a little quieter here, but it was still hard to pinpoint where everything is coming from with the amount of noise coming from the house.

"I don't think this is the time for rewards."

"Well, I'm making it time for rewards."

His head dipped and he pressed lingering kisses to Dick's neck, letting his teeth brush against the skin and nudging the high collar of his suit down just a little.

His lips encircled a little patch of skin and he sucked firmly, tonguing over the skin. His lips quirked upwards when he pulled back. Dick's skin had a nice red mark, just high enough that part of it could be seen over the collar of the suit, even if Dick tried to pull the collar upwards.

He kissed upwards, over Dick's neck and cheek, to give him a long, slow kiss.

"Fleck." Dick's voice was low in warning. But when Fleck's lips touched his neck his whole body betrayed him. His head tilting a little more to the side, his knees felt weak and his arms wrapped around Fleck's neck.

A small moan erupted from the back of his throat as Fleck pulled away. When Fleck's lips met his he was more than willing to kiss back. His hands trailed down from the back of his neck, over his shoulders, down the front of chest, over his to rest on his hips.

Heat pooled a little lower in his stomach and he gasped, pulling away from Fleck.

"I think that is enough of a reward today."

"Yeah?"

He stole two more quick kisses before pulling back.

"I can hear the kids. C'mon, dad'll be there." He pulled Dick away from the hedge and carried on. Turning around another big tree had them greeting an adorable scene.

A man wearing a Batman suit with the cowl down, had a Kid Flash on his back, giving him a piggy back. Another kid, dressed as Impulse, hung off Batman's neck.

Kid Flash noticed the duo first. "Uncle Fleck!!"

They've gone from making out to meeting Fleck's Dad and nephews. It felt horribly inappropriate. He hoped there were no tell-tale signs.

He squinted as they were greeted by a man and some kids. Was that Fleck's dad? He seemed a little younger then Fleck's Ma - but it was hard to tell with the man's mask down.

In the presence of kids it didn't feel right holding Fleck's hand. Especially after that. He let his grip go slack.

Dick letting his grip go slack just had Fleck tightening his grip on Dick's hand.

He led Dick forwards.

Then someone tapped on Dick's shoulder firmly from behind.

He gave Fleck a sideways glances. His hand tightened again.

He let Fleck led him forwards.

Then it was a blur.

A hand landed heavily on Dick's. He jerked and turned in surprise. Elbow out in defence... Which was dragging Fleck along the way. The weight threw him off. Rather then hitting whoever it was behind him he was pulling Fleck towards. He stumbled, grunting as he hit the floor.

"Whoa!"

Fleck went down hard when Dick pulled him, not expecting the sheer strength in Dick's movement. He could feel his arm and shoulder hit the ground heavily. That was likely gonna bruise.

"Aw, dad!" Fleck groaned, not bothering to move from his place on the ground.

Stood above the two was a tall man in his late sixties, arms wrapped around his middle as he laughed.

Dick looked over at to the man who took him by surprised and groaned. He could of almost shattered that mans ribs. He could of almost shattered Fleck's dad's ribs.

"I am so sorry," he said to Fleck. He looked okay from the whole ordeal. He was very thankful for how sturdy his boyfriend was.