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This man is more to me than you can dream.
Nicky lies in bed, his hand in Joe’s, the other man’s ear pressed to his chest.
He’s the moon when I’m lost in darkness-
Nicky had been so scared in the lab, he hadn’t been able to show it, for Joe’s sake, but he ha been. The idea of them being separated terrifies him. When one of the tests had killed Joe, his Yusuf, he had wanted to scream. He doesn’t know how he’d find his way without his love.
-and warmth when I shiver in cold.
The thought of losing Joe could kill him. Actually losing Joe would kill him, immortality be damned. If they hadn’t hurt Joe he might have tried to talk down Booker’s exile to decades instead of a century.
His kiss still thrills me, even after a millennia.
He hugs Joe closer and kisses his head, pressing his face into the dark mass of curls, breathing in the scent of citrus and spice from Joe’s shampoo. Joe wraps his arms tighter around Nicky’s chest in response.
His heart overflows with the kindness of which this world is not worthy of.
Nicky closes his eyes and breathes deeply, feels Joe breathing in time with him. He doesn’t think he can do anything else in this moment, he needs this too deeply. His body and soul ache for Joe’s touch, who is he to say no, not when he can tell Joe aches for it too.
I love this man beyond measure and reason.
Joe had told the men who took them what Nicky means to him. Nicky wishes he was a poet sometimes so he could say such beautiful words in return, could take the feeling Joe inspires in him and translate them into one of the many languages they both speak—
He’s not my boyfriend.
—but Joe said it for the pair of them. Every word from Joe’s mouth in that van could have been taken from Nicky’s heart, even if he could never phrase it so lyrically, so perfectly. No, Nicky’s displays are far more in action, touches and holding close and kissing lips and cheeks.
Nicky gently tugs a curl to get Joe to turn his head and look at him. He presses a gentle kiss to Joe’s lips.
He’s all and he’s more.
“I will not leave you, amore mio , I swear it.” Nicky, Nicholas, Niccolò whispers.
“Until forever, hobi .” Joe, Joeseph, Yusuf replies.