[C] Unchained Melody

Fleck snorted and shook his head at Ti and Amrs antics. Really they were trying to convince Dick to get a phone, not make him swear off them.

"Think about it." There was no real rush to get one if he did decide he wanted one.

"I vote Dick goes on stage next. He hasnt sung."

"No."

He was drunk, but on,y enough to block out the god-awful singing. He wasn't prepared to make a fool of himself.

"After the performance your boyfriend did?" Amr tutted. "I saw some swooning going on in here at that. Pretty sure they will all happily sing a song for Fleck."

Dick's arm slid around Fleck's waist, blue eyes flicking for a second at the song book.

"Not happening."

Fleck leaned forwards, chin resting on Dicks shoulder.

"Not even for me?" He wanted to hear his boyfriwnd sing for him. It was something he hasnt heard before. Very occasionally hed catch him humming, but that was it.

"Please?"

Dick hesitated.

"...Fine."

How Fleck so good at convincing him to do things?

Amr cheered as Dick clamoured over to his boyfriend and made his way to the DJ. There was a song that stuck out to him when he peered over Fleck's shoulder earlier. He spoke to the DJ, then waited. Toying with his rings while a girl to finished her (surprisingly good) cover of a song he has been hearing a lot lately.

Licking his top lip he made his way up on stage, hands still lacing and twisting together. He scanned the crowd of drunken faces. Some were paying attention, other couldn't give a shit.

He caught Fleck's eye.

"I'm a sap," he said into the mirophone before the music started.

"Wise men say only fools rush in
But I can't help falling in love with you
Oh, shall I stay, would it be a sin
Oh, if I can't help falling in love with you?"

He sang clearly but softly. The wine only gave him so much Dutch courage.

Ah. He was singing in English. He didnt kniw why hw had expected any different. Dick was English after all.

His brows drew together into a frown of intense conversation as he tried to focus on the words Dick was singing. Though if Dick didnt know his expression well hed probably think that Fleck didbt like the music.

Even without the wine in his system, Dick wouldn't of recognised the look. They rarely spoke English to each other. The only times they did was when they were around Fleck's dad.

Anxiety crept in. This was a terrible, horrible, awful idea. He shouldn't of come up on stage. He shouldn't of chose this song. He was making an idiot if himself. To him, it was clear as day that Fleck didn't like it. Why else would he be frowning?

His voice cracked, but he pushed through. He tried to focus on on something; the audience, the bar, his feet. Anywhere but Fleck's displeased look.

Fleck's frown deepened when he caught Dick's voice cracking just slightly. This frown was an unhappy one. Dick was clearly uncomfortable, and now he felt bad. He had pushed Dick to go up there even though he clearly didn't want to.

He stood when Dick finished, hovering at their booth, but ready to meet Dick when he got back to their booth.

He couldn't help it; he looked up. Right at Fleck's unhappy face. He felt his heart drop.

As soon as the song finished he hastily passed the mic to the next person and out of the corner of his eye he spotted Fleck standing. He couldn't face him. It made him sick to the stomach.

He needed air.

Darting outside he took a seat on one if the benches and just breathed. He toyed the the rings on his finger, resisting all urges to just run. Straight back up to the mansion and never have to face Fleck again. All because of some stupid karaoke and a stupid song choice.

He frowned again when Dick darted off, and followed after him.

He hesitated when he got outside, wondering whether Dick wanted to be bugged when he was so clearly nervous. One of nieces had anxiety and the worst thing you could do when she was in a tizz was to talk to her.

But Dick had never mentioned having anxiety, and he'd hope that it was something that he'd tell him, after all this time.

So he stepped forwards, leaning against the wall besides the bench Dick was sat on.

"You sang the song beautifully."

Dick twisted around towards Fleck, frowning. Confused and hurt. He didn't look like someone who was enjoying his singing. Why was he lying?

Words formed in his head but his mouth felt like sand paper. It took him a moment. Lips twitching and his tongue running over them before just croaking out: "Right."

He turned back around to face the street. He didn't know if Fleck being here was making it worst or not. Normally, like this, it was only Fleck and one other person who grounded him. But right now, it was only Fleck - the stem if this problem. His breathing was controlled, at least. There was still a tremor in his hand as he rolled the ring around his finger. He was sure he was still going to be sick, too.

"Sweetheart, if you didn't want to sing, you could have told me no."

He moved to sit down on the bench, his thigh pressed to Dick's, looking out onto the street.

"But thank you for singing for me. I think... think... I understood the majority of the song." He didn't sound too certain about that, though. It was a slow song, so it was easier to understand than some songs, but he hadn't been able to translate all of the song.

Dick's frown deepened. Sure, he was nervous about going up on stage, but a part of him wanted to. He wanted to sing for Fleck, as horribly embarrassing and cheesy as it was. And it all just blew up in his face.

He felt Fleck thigh press against him. Blue eyes dropped down to his hands, watching his silver ring glinting as he moved it.

He gnawed on his lip. Nothing that Fleck was saying was making sense. He looked so unhappy in there. He understood the majority of the song and and was just... unhappy. Now he was thanking him? For singing for him? It didn't make sense.

"If you really didn't like it, you can tell me."

"Didn't like? What the fuck are you talking about?"

He probably would have worded that far more delicately if he wasn't a few drinks into the night.

He looked genuinely confused.

Dick thought he didn't like the song?

"You know exactly what I am on about," He snapped.

He was still jittery, upset and drunk. The not so gently put words just sparked up another emotion as he got defensive.

Why wasn't Fleck just being honest with him?

"Yes, clearly," came his dry response.

Sarcasm was high when he didn't have the buffer of being sober.

"What in the world makes you think I didn't lie it?" He really didn't understand why Dick was getting so defensive, and thought that he didn't like it.

What had made him think that?

"It was all over your face."

He tore his eyes up to scowl at Fleck.

"All over you fucking-" He huffed.

Did Fleck really take him for an idiot?

He stood up. He needed to move, too much jittery energy pent up to sit still.

"All over my-"

And clarification hit him in the face.

"Oh, babe..." He watched Dick stand. "Dick, I was concentrating on translating. You were singing a song to me. I didn't want to just half understand it like I have been with every other song I've heard tonight. I wanted to understand every word of it."

He stood up and stepped in front of Dick, cupping his cheeks and making him look up at him. "I loved it, Dick." His thumbs stroked the apples of his cheeks gently.

Dick listened to Fleck speak. Every part of him telling him that Fleck was just making it up. He was just trying to make him feel better. He didn't really like it.

Blue eyes spotted Fleck's shoes, then Dick felt his head be gently tilted back to force him to look up at Fleck. His frown softened, anger washing away. Fleck's face showed pure sincerity.

Dick was overcome embarrassment and shame, feeling even more of an idiot.

"... You did?"

"Of course I did."

He leaned down to press a firm kiss to Dick's lips.

"You'll have to sing it for me again some time, and help me translate it word for word, so I know exactly what you sing for me."

Perhaps he should make a point of working on being able to listen to and translate songs quicker.

He nodded, then pressed his forehead against Fleck's shoulder. His hands trapped between their chests - still twitching. He fell into silence, listening to Fleck's heart beat. Sped up from the alcohol inside him.

God, if he just stopped to think he would have realised. Fleck said at the start of their evening that he struggled with English songs. If he had remembered that before he sang he wouldn't have just made an absolute twat of himself.

Very quietly, he said: "I'm sorry."

His hands moved, one resting on the back of Dick's head, and the other taking perch between his shoulder blades.

"It's okay."

He pressed a kiss to the top of Dick's head.

"We should probably get back, before Amr and Ti get arrested for indecent exposure, or something."

There was still tension in his shoulders under Fleck's hand. He nodded.

"Probably."

But he didn't move. Not yet. Moving meant breaking Fleck's hold on him. So he stayed still for another minute or two. Anchoring himself with Fleck's heartbeat until he felt some of the tension ease up in his shoulders.

With a steady inhale in and exhale out he took a step back. He ripped his own hands apart to intertwine one of them with Fleck's hand.

He didnt move either. He was quite content to stand holding him for as long as they needed.

When Dick took a step back, he laced their hands together, and took a second to press a kiss to his temple before they began walking.

Amr met them at the booth at the booth, another round of drinks in his hand. For himself, Ti and Fleck (Dick still had a bottle of wine to go through). He gave them both an easy smile and set down the drinks on the table. He slid into the booth and gave his boyfriend a little kiss just under the ear.

"I've got you something that you will actually like."

He passed Ti the cider with a little "ta-da!"

Dick, greatful for Amr's unquestioning easy smile, slid in and tugged at Fleck to follow so he could tuck himself back under his large arm.

"Thank you." He leaned against Amr's side as he accepted the cider.

He was thankful that Dick had bought him a dink, but he couldn't stomach the taste of beer unless it was on his boyfriend's tongue, and still only just then.

Fleck followed Dick into the booth and quite happily rested his arm around Dick's shoulders.

"Oh, hey some decent music," Fleck chirped when a familiar guitar tune sounded. He couldn't help singing along.

"The room has little light
And its more narrow than I imagined"

Ti lit up, and joined in.

"I thought her always alone
I wonder why what right (power?)
Sit down
What do you want to drink?
What you have, provided it's strong
Back in a moment"