Chapter Text
It was first in the ambulance that Nicky remembered he was still mad at Joe for breaking up this morning.
"On a scale from 1-10," The paramedic said. "How is the pain?"
"I don't know," Nicky replied. "But I can tell you it hurts like hell to breathe."
"I say a 7 then," The paramedic replied. "This will help with the pain."
The paramedic gave Nicky some drugs, which made him very sleepy, but the pain was almost gone.
At the hospital, Nicky got an X-ray, and while waiting for the results, he thought about why Joe had kissed him in public. It was something Joe had never done in their time together. Nicky still remembered the first time he tried to kiss Joe in public. They had been grocery shopping when Nicky wanted to give Joe a kiss as a reward for finding a glass of honey, but Joe had pulled his head away, saying not here. When they got back to Nicky's flat, they had their first fight, resulting in them breaking up after Joe said they were done. They agreed it was a stupid fight a week later and made it up again.
"Good news, nothing broken," The Doctor said. "The bad news is you'll be sore for a week or two."
"Okay," Nicky replied. "When can I resume work?"
"I say stay in bed until you can breathe without pain," The Doctor replied. "Any more questions?"
"Not really," Nicky replied. "Unless you know what to do with an idiotic boyfriend?"
"Sadly, no," The Doctor replied. "You can go home when the nurse has told you what to do with your ribs."
While waiting for the nurse, Nicky looked at his phone. Still no news from Sonny, the rest of his teammates or Joe. He really wanted to know who won the football match.
"Hi, Nicky," The Nurse said. "How are you doing?"
"As good as it can be with sore ribs," Nicky replied. "Can I have a new icepack?"
"Of course," The Nurse replied. "You'll get one as soon as I have helped you."
Sonny showed up just as the nurse was helping Nicky into his shirt.
"We bloody won, Nicky," Sonny said. "We bloody won over Booker's team that no one said could be beaten."
Sonny held up the trophy with a big smile.
"Fantastic, wow," Nicky said as he held onto his ribs while standing up. "How did you do it? How many goals did we win with?"
"Keane's goal was cancelled because of what he did to you," Sonny replied. "And Otto, he kept our goal clean while the rest of us did the rest. We scored two goals."
"Wait, what?" Nicky asked. "Otto was the goalkeeper? Does he have a skill he hasn't told us about, because as I recall it, all he wants is to score the goals?"
"Beats me; you have to ask Otto," Sonny replied. "But we won, Nicky. We won. Can you believe it?"
Sonny hugged Nicky, who groaned when the pain hit him.
"Sorry, mate," Sonny said. "I forgot your ribs. Are you okay? Can you celebrate with us?"
"All forgiven," Nicky replied. "And of course, I can celebrate with you. As long as I can lie down."
Sonny helped Nicky to the pub, where Nicky was placed on one of the couches. Even though Nicky couldn't drink because of the painkillers, it was a fantastic party.
"Otto," Nicky said. "Have you been keeping secrets for us?"
"You mean the goalkeeper thingy?" Otto asked, and Nicky nodded. "Yeah, you know I told you how my Father never got over not being drafted to one of the big football clubs? Well, when he got sons, he made damn sure to turn us into strikers, saying that being a goalkeeper was for the sissies and gays, who were afraid of doing the hard work themselves. When I moved here ten years ago, I played as a goalkeeper for a year before I gave up on that."
Otto drank the rest of his beer, but before he could get up, Nicky pulled him down again.
"Otto, listen," Nicky said. "Don't know if you can use this advice for anything, but don't listen to your Father because he is wrong. My Father also tried to mould me into something I wasn't when I told him I was gay. It was only when I told my Father that I could never be what he wanted me to be, but that he had to accept me for who I am, that I became happy. Sometimes, we must be brutally honest with those we love the most."
"I give it a thought," Otto replied. "Do you and your Father still talk together?"
"It has taken a long time," Nicky replied. "But we aren't shouting at each other anymore and can be in the same room without breaking my Mother's heart."
Because all his teammates were drunk, Marge, one of the bartenders, was kind enough to help Nicky home.
"Thanks for the help, Marge," Nicky said. "I owe you big."
"Bake a birthday cake for my kid, and we're even," Marge replied. "Something with dinosaurs, Spiderman, strawberries and chocolate."
"Deal," Nicky replied as he stopped and looked at the building he was living in. "And now I regret living in a building without an elevator and on the second floor."
"You're welcome to sleep on my sofa," Marge offered. "I'm sure Willy doesn't mind."
Nicky looked over Marge's shoulder and saw Joe standing under a lamppost, looking so guilty.
"Thanks, Marge. I really appreciate your offer," Nicky replied. "But someone over there owes me a big apology so that he can help me home."
"Fair enough, Sweetie," Marge replied. "Call you tomorrow about the cake. Danny made a drawing of it."
Nicky hugged Marge before saying goodnight.
"I'm telling you this only once, Joe," Marge warned. "If you break this sweet boy's heart once again, I'll forget my manners."
Marge smiled at Joe before she left, while Joe walked over to Nicky.
"I don't fancy another fight on the streets," Nicky said. "So, help me up, and then we can talk."
"I understand," Joe replied. "May I place my arm around your shoulder? As support."
Nicky nodded and did what Joe wanted. Then they made their way up the stairs.
"How did Booker take it?" Nicky asked. "Losing the football match."
"Better than I thought. He is actually more mad at Keane for ruining it all with his dick move against you," Joe replied. "Is anything broken?"
"No, the Doctor said I'll be sore for a couple of weeks," Nicky replied. "My luck is that I can still do book reviews from the bed or couch."
"I know you love your work, Nicky," Joe replied. "But couldn't you take a couple of days off? Just until you feel better."
"That was the plan," Nicky replied. "Let me open the front door."
Nicky opened the front door, and Joe helped Nicky inside. After placing Nicky on the couch, Joe helped Nicky with his boots before Nicky lay down with a groan. It took a moment to get comfortable. When Joe returned, he handed Nicky a bottle of water.
"I owe you an explanation for a lot of things," Joe said. "Where do you want to start?"
Nicky thought for a moment.
"Kissing," Nicky replied. "I don't get why you won't kiss me or let me kiss you in public."
"It has nothing to do with that I don't like kissing you," Joe replied. "I think it has to do with that. I'm still struggling with what happened in High School and don't want it to happen again."
Joe had told Nicky how he and his then-boyfriend had been assaulted by a group of students from their High School when they sat down on a bench to share a kiss. Joe and his boyfriend were left with bruises, and even though the students were put on trial and sent to jail, Joe couldn't salvage his relationship. The boyfriend left town after the trial and hasn't been seen since, but Joe knew he was happy somewhere in Germany.
"I should have known it, Joe, that you still were struggling with the events from High School," Nicky said. "And I'm so sorry that I tried to push you to do something you aren't ready for."
"Don't be sorry because this is just as much my fault for not telling you," Joe replied. "Instead, I let all my anger hit you about what happened back then. Something you didn't deserve, so if anyone should be sorry, it's me."
Nicky reached out his hand, and Joe took it.
"Admitting a problem is a start," Nicky said. "And if you let me, I'll try to help you. You can even have the number of the therapist I used back when I came out. She helped me, so maybe she can help you too. If you want to go alone, I respect that, but if you want me to go with you, I will do that."
"I would love you to go with me because I'm scared, so scared," Joe replied. "And you being there will help me."
"Then we'll call her tomorrow," Nicky replied. "Okay?"
Joe nodded.
"One last question before bedtime," Nicky said. "You being afraid has that to do with the fact that you don't want me to go with you to your parents' silver anniversary?"
"Yes, very much. Some family members are still finding it hard that I'm Muslim and gay," Joe replied. "That is why I'm finding the idea of taking you with me as my plus one so hard. I'm not in the right headspace for it at the moment."
"I understand what you're saying," Nicky replied, telling Joe what he had told Otto earlier. "So, I won't push. When you're ready, we'll start with something simple like lunch with your parents or mine at my place or yours. Is that okay?"
"I like that idea," Joe replied. "Thanks again for being so understanding. It's nice."
Nicky smiled at Joe.
"We still got a lot to talk about, but it has to wait until I have slept," Nicky said. "Now, do what you're an expert in. Undress me and get me to bed, but no sex. My ribs are still sore."
"Okay, I can do that," Joe replied. "And once you're ready, you can have victory sex."
"Can't wait," Nicky replied. "Oh, and we might need to make a stop at the bathroom. My bladder is killing me."
Twenty minutes later, Joe had gotten Nicky to bed and stood beside it, not knowing what to do next.
"Joe," Nicky said. "Are you planning on standing up and sleeping or joining me in bed?"
"Uhmm," Joe replied. "Didn't we break up so..."
"You're still an idiot, but my idiot," Nicky cut in. "And as the cute idiot you are, please come to bed unless you have found another boyfriend."
"No, no, not at all," Joe replied as he quickly got out of the clothes. "You're the only man I want to date for the rest of my life."
Joe lay down next to Nicky, and after some manoeuvring, they found a position that made Nicky lie as comfortably as possible with his sore ribs. Joe simply lay on his side with Nicky's back pressed against him. Joe placed his hand on Nicky's hip.
"You know what, Joe," Nicky said. "In a way, you're already working on kissing in public. Do you remember what happened when I got hurt?"
"Oh, yeah," Joe replied. "But I think it was because I was so happy you were still alive."
"You're not getting rid of me that easy," Nicky replied. "You're stuck on me forever."
"And I don't mind," Joe replied. "I like that idea."
When Nicky looked over his shoulder, he saw that Joe was already sleeping. Nicky's last thought before sleeping was that they were finally on the right path, and the future looked bright as long as they stuck together and worked through the problems together as all couples.