Work Text:
They had a plan, but as usual, it went out of the window the moment they started improvising. And they wouldn't have been caught if the explosion hadn't knocked Booker out and Joe shooting a Nazi or two in an attempt to get them out of there. The result of all the mess was that they were thrown into a cellar with their hands tied up. Nothing they hadn't tried before, so there was no need to panic.
"Brother?" Joe asked when the Nazis had left. "Are you still with me?"
"Oui," Booker replied as he rolled over on his back with a groan. "Oui."
When a Nazi passed by the cell, Booker closed his eyes to pretend that he was unconscious.
"You know what?" Booker asked. "This is not our finest hour."
"True," Joe replied, laughing. "But at least we did some damage."
"I doubt that Andy and Nicky will look at it like that," Booker replied before he also laughed. "You do know we're gonna be in so much trouble with them."
"As we always are," Joe replied. "But you're gonna have it a lot easier with begging Andy for forgiveness than I have with Nicky."
"Hmm," Booker replied. "Why do you think that?"
"We're in a wine cellar; I can feel the bottles pressing against my back," Joe replied. "Close your eyes."
Booker did it, and a Captain said something to two other Nazis before they disappeared again.
"Let me guess," Joe said. His German wasn't the best, but he could guess the context from how the Captain shouted. "We have just been sentenced to death by a firing squad without seeing a judge first."
"They won't shoot us before they have tortured us," Booker replied. "They will pick you up in a couple of minutes while they want to try to patch me together before it's my turn."
"That's nice of them," Joe replied. "Should we think of an escape plan?"
"We have tried to think today," Booker replied sarcastically. "Maybe we should wing it?"
"If we start to wing it," Joe replied. "We will only be in even more trouble than we already are."
"They will forgive us as always," Booker replied. "But why not? Maybe we got more luck the second time."
Joe looked at his brother and his healed leg, already dreading what he had to do next.
"It's okay, brother," Booker said when he saw the look on Joe's face. "It will heal again."
"I still hate it," Joe admitted, sounding sad as he moved closer to Booker. "Please forgive me."
"Always," Booker replied. "It's the right leg."
Booker nodded, and Joe looked sorry at Booker before Joe broke Booker's leg with a hard kick while Booker bit his lips to prevent screaming.
"Are you loose from the ropes?" Booker asked. "They're getting back."
"Yes," Joe replied as they heard boots getting closer. "Ready?"
Booker nodded as he closed his eyes before the cellar was flooded with Nazis, and they were dragged out of it. In the living room, they were separated and Joe saw over his shoulders that Booker gave him a wink before closing his eyes.
Joe was dragged into the kitchen that was filled with Nazis and henchmen. Joe was thrown down on the floor, and as he lay there, he tried to assess his options when he saw a familiar face, and he smiled to himself. Joe was then yanked up from the floor and placed on a kitchen chair, but when one of the Nazis wanted to punch Joe in the stomach, he dropped dead to the floor, scatting all the people who ran for cover.
"Hey, Boss," Joe said as he got hold of a gun. "Missed me?"
"Yusuf," Andy said, more irritated than angry. "Didn't I tell you two to wait?"
"It wasn't our fault," Joe replied. "They were about to execute the resistance members who got away in the chaos."
"Yeah, by getting you both blown up," Andy replied. "Where's Book?"
"They dragged him off in another direction," Joe replied. "If I had to guess, I would say the barn."
As they left the kitchen, they ran out into the courtyard.
"Nicolò!" Joe said with a big smile. "I'm glad to see you."
"Don't" Nicky said as he held up a finger while looking angry at Joe. "Don't."
"But.." Joe replied. "I am here...."
"Save it for later," Andy cut in. "We need to find Book."
It didn't take long before they found Booker, who had been chained to a wall.
"Hey, Boss," Booker said. "Missed me?"
"Don't," Andy replied in the same way as Nicky had done moments before. "Don't."
"What if I told you that there is a wine cellar?" Booker asked. "And it isn't empty."
"Then I might forgive you," Andy replied as she got Booker loose from the rope. "This time."
Joe helped Booker up, and they shared a look that said that things were still okay between them.
"Nicky," Andy said, "Find us a car or something."
Nicky nodded before he left. Booker placed a hand on Joe's shoulders.
"Go and say sorry," Booker said with a smile. "He'll forgive you."
Joe almost ran after Nicky.
"Let's take a closer look at that wine cellar," Andy said. "And if there isn't wine in the bottles, then you'll be in real trouble."
Nicky looked at the different vehicles in the courtyard and settled on a truck from a local firm.
"Nicolò?" Joe asked. "Can we talk?"
Nicky didn't look at Joe.
"Make yourself useful," Nicky said as he checked the tyres. "Check if there's any gas on the truck."
Joe did what he was told because he knew Nicky needed a moment to process today's events.
"It has gas," Joe said and started the engine. "And it works."
"Good," Nicky replied. "And about today. Please don't do that again. Not before in a long while."
Joe took around Nicky and leaned his forehead against Nicky's.
"I'll do my best," Joe promised. "But this war is so different from any other war we have fought in. It has forced us to do things we wouldn't have done before."
"I know," Nicky replied. "I just wanted to hear your promise me that you will do your best not to get yourself killed."
They kissed when Andy and Booker joined them.
"Looks like you two are friends again," Andy said as she jumped up on the cargo bed. "That will make the drive more tolerable."
Booker placed one of the crates on the ground.
"Just so you know it," Booker said. "Friends don't plunge their tongues into each other."
"We're not quite friends yet," Nicky replied. "Joe has agreed to take the night shift next week as a punishment for the stunt he pulled before all alone so he can think about his actions."
Considering that Nicky once, back in the 17th century, punished Joe with no art for an entire month when Joe had done something similar to what he did today, Joe knew it was a lighter punishment, so he accepted it without any complaints.
"We better get going," Booker said as they heard noise from vehicles getting closer. "The Nazis are getting back and in numbers."
Nicky looked at Joe.
"You drive," Nicky said. "And try to avoid the bumps in the road. I want to have a nap."
"I promise," Joe replied. "So, Boss, where are we going?"
"Germany," Andy replied. "The war is getting to an end."
The rest knew when Andy said it like that it was true so they drove towards Germany to help where they could.