Lewis used to not mind birthdays. It was so tiring when he was a kid; all of those people - he barely could point out who they were or what they were doing there - all of them gathered around him, speaking loud, doing obnoxious noises while trying to entertain him with baby voices and wet and noisy kisses on his rosy cheeks, saying how much he had grown and how they had known him since he was a little baby and asking him if he remembered any of that. At the same time , the bigger kids destroyed his balloons with loud explosions and malicious laughter , completely disregarding the birthday boy's feelings; the smaller ones - unable to speak or to play with Nix in any ruled game - ran around the cake table as in a especially interesting game only they knew the fun in. Meanw hile he liked to be kept apart, quietly observing the others going around. Bored as to why he had to keep sat and receiving that whole amount of annoying and repetitive comments about how much of his life he spent before that event.

This was until he reached his 12th birthday and got a dog as his folks' present in a way to address his teacher's complaints that the boy was at times too hyperactive, at others too absent-minded to pay any real attention to the lessons. He, though, did good use of his own resourcefulness and his parents' present to escape his family during these so-called meetings, running away to the huge garden downstairs to just scamper and disappear under the bushes as he played with his only and most present friend, like a brother who lived under the same roof and thus was always there, while his parents were busy enough with social duties so they wouldn't think to look out for him themselves.

It wasn't like Nix had no friends. He just was picky, and his social circle was pretty much small and full of the same kind of people; besides his mom, who was a nightmare trying to make everything as much perfect as she could and couldn't imagine it, selecting the people from Nix's circles that she found more appropriate to walk with her son and thus only accepting at their home these so-called excellent and appropriate companies - at least for her, and he hardly agreed with her; especially when it came to what perfection meant for any of them.

He had two best friends though, Harry Welsh and Dick Winters. Neither boy was all that loud, although Harry was not shy . N either of them were rich kids or were interested in Nix for being rich, nor did they care when they got dirty on the ground or wet by the rain; actually, every time they could get themselves dirty they would laugh out to each other as if they had done something extraordinary - something they shouldn't, right? - feeling older and free for breaking the rules that were set by sometimes too-worried parents. Even Dick, who was a pretty much tidy kid used to laugh with them, even when a little lower. He would not escape the happiness and excitement the two other boys felt in acting freely, rolling in the mud if it was too hot and all they could have was an unique shower at the end of the day. Lewis loved them both a lot.

Still, Nix was not really a guy who looked forward his birthday, especially the huge parties his family had to throw every year. Because richness was something which needed to be shown constantly, as much as possible, especially on the faces of people who looked down on them for being heirs or were especially jealous and envious in a such pretty petty way, to the point where they'd try to do something against them or just make bitter, malicious comments towards them, especially in social meetings where his family could not choose the guests.

On Lewis' 30th birthday, though, his house was suspiciously as quiet as a house in a distant neighborhood in the suburbs or even a farm after everybody'd had lunch in a hot summer afternoon. All of the people probably sleepily shaking themselves on a hammock or a rocking chair, feeling their stomachs so heavy they could feel like fainting under the so hot weather of the middle day - although they probably had to work after that. Dick probably had this imagery more fresh than him, Nix thought, staring lazily at the roof as if resting his eyes.

He then, as if it was the best way to spend one's birthday, closed his eyes and laid down on a couch, one of his arms over his eyes as if the sunlight was coming to them - though it wasn't - he sighed, relaxing one by one the muscles of his back and shoulders. It was indeed hot though, so the sensation of the sunlight was there anyway. He smiled, feeling a little of fresh air entering the barely open window of the living room.

It was odd and a little bit too different from what he normally had, but he was glad that nobody had taken the time to annoy him with more noise, more people and more social duties than he normally had with the family he was born with. He breathed deeply and suddenly he felt like he was on Dick's farm, being lazy as a good urban boy passing a time in the country during summer break.

He loved to think Dick's house was probably a little noisy sometimes, but a noisy that was familiar and affectionate and heartwarming. Sometimes he felt jealous of the thought that Dick had a good and warm family but at the same time he had Dick. His kind family was part of his life too, through him. Dick was his family, as well as Harry and the snobby Nixons themselves. Nix's mom was not always bad either, she was just too obsessed with perfection.

Walking slowly and softly towards him was Dick Winters. Nix smirked at him without opening his eyes. It was good to see him - that is, have him around. The man he most loved in the world, his rock and his family. He didn't have the time to say anything before Dick had talked, since he seemed a little bit more anxious than he normally was.

"Enjoying life?"

Nixon chuckled, snorting. Of course he was, when it was his, he was. When life was his to enjoy, when life was just a couple of winds, some sunlight and the scent of fresh grass - maybe even the whistle of birds - of course he was enjoying life as much as he could, as much as it lasted. Dick had something in his face, Nix could not see but he felt it. He opened his eyes out of curiosity.

"What?" He asked, a tiny smirk on the curve of his lips.

Dick was a little red: he was hiding something.

"Tell me…" And Nixon was quite sure it wasn't a bad thing, but something in the way Dick looked at him, so shy and unexpectedly vulnerable, called his attention and made him a little at attention, as a dog seeing something new, with its ears perked up to hear better. Nothing from Dick could be that bad for Nix to feel anything but slight annoyance towards him.

"I did something for you," he answered, soft and short. He was a bit insecure, Nix could see it, because of course everybody knew Nix was tired of having parties and celebrating his years of life as if they meant anything other than that he was nearer to getting more pains and more diseases, because that's what everybody talks about when they are old.

Nothing though suggested something bad or loud or annoying. Nix went on his ass and blinked.

"Come on! Tell me already." Nix whined, making a puppy face as if trying to show some lightness and warmth although he was getting increasingly curious to know what Dick had done and what he should expect.

Dick just made a gesture for Nix to wait and so he did. What would he not do for Dick Winters if he asked nicely? Actually, he did so many things for Dick without the man asking or saying anything to him. Nix couldn't really say that he needed Dick to point out things so he would do stuff. He was getting quite absorbed into his thoughts when Dick showed up with a treat on his hands.

"Better wash your hands, don't you think?"

Nix was intrigued and curious, frowning but still showing a little smirk curled on the corner of his lips, so he shrugged and again did as he was told. It was just like when they were in the Army, under some kind of commander, they being Sobel or Sink, awful leaders or good managers of a whole battalion. Coming back, now directly to the table, he looked suspicious at the covered treat.

"Gonna show me or…"

Dick then took the cloth off it and Nix grinned at the sight. How in hell did Dick know about this? He wasn't sure of an answer for that. He could have talked to his mom or his old nanny, maybe. Was Dick going that deep, though, to satisfy Lewis Nixon who was always satisfied to be back at the states with Dick beside him?

"You didn't need to…"

"But I wanted to." Dick said in a shot.

Yeah, Dick wouldn't give a damn for humbleness when he wanted something righteous or worth it, stubborn and decided as he was. Nix couldn't help but admire Dick's action and the way his face covered itself with heat and colour despite trying to not to. Soon Nix's eyes dropped to the plate and so he smiled at the meal and took a generous slice of the strawberry pie for himself. He hummed feeling the scent taking up his mind as the smell and the heat took over all his senses filling his nostrils as a whole. It looked delicious. He had never seen Dick cook such a dish.

He took the first bite into his mouth and hummed again but louder this time as the scent turned into taste and then turned into them both. It was probably how birthdays should end, with a delicious dish and a smile of someone you loved all that much. Dick didn't know how much he loved him, but seeing they sharing smiles made Nix's heart swell. If he could have asked, he wouldn't probably say the right words or choose the right wish, but this was exactly what he wanted: Dick and him, a good home with him.

Dick looked at him, sat in front of him at a much smaller round table and living room than his parents' ones or any of the hotels they had been to. He probably wasn't aware, but he had an elbow on the table while his face was held in his hand. He looked curious and had a small smile trying to escape to the rest of his face. Nix couldn't help but love the proximity and how close they looked.

"That's really good." Nix spoke, chewing his pie and taking more of it from his saucer.

After a time trying to fight his own urge to smile, Dick replied shyly:

"You shouldn't chew with your mouth open."

Nix just rolled his eyes, taking more of the pie into his mouth as a dare for Dick say something more and roll his eyes for him.

"It's not that hard…" Dick said, a little annoyed, although a smile insistently showed up on his lips as he leaned to clean Lewis' lip instinctively with his index finger , although exchanging the index for the thumb as he went nearer. Nix reacted pretending to go for a bite and Dick retreated a little with a pursing of lips just to go back and try to reach Nix again.

Nix pretended again to go for a bite and this time he nibbled Dick's finger and after a couple of seconds he nibbled a little more the length playfully until he came back and kissed the fingertip, so delicately that he knew Dick'd realize what that meant.

Dick startled, looked like he had just been punched on the face or seen something really odd. That made Nix a little shy, but he tried to pretend he was just playing as he went back to his own saucer again with his eyes.

Still he could feel Dick's static wide eyes on him, his slightly parted lips showing his confusion and his stopped and opened hand hovering over the table, showing his speechlessness.

Nix took the last three bites in a utterly awkward silence. He feared he had broken something inside Dick, as if he had shown too much of himself or surpassed some invisible line that had been settled a long time ago, but when he looked up, Dick was watching him with a peaceful, unreadable expression.

Lew pursed his lips looking at him, soon parting them as in slight confusion or surprised expression. Should he say something? To apologize, even? Dick then took his thumb again to Lewis' front and this time, slowly he let his digit brush along side the lower lip of his best friend until he got the opportunity to curl the other four fingers under Lewis' chin.

The brunette's eyebrows went up his forehead in a shot and Nix went himself speechless. That was the time Dick took the opportunity and brought his face to Nix who went to him instinctively, almost unconsciously - just like when he said he would follow Dick anywhere, and he mostly had never broken the promise.

They shared a kiss directed by Dick's fingers, just a soft but intense press of lips. Then the redhead pulled away a bit, opening his eyes so to know if it was ok for him to continue, and as Nix didn't even open his, his parted lips looking like a clear invitation, Dick proceeded to give the man another kiss, kissing Nix longer and affectionately that time.

When Nix lost his breathe, he chuckled softly over Dick's lips and joked:

"That's the best birthday party ever, sir."