Archive of Our Own

Nicky was baking cookies when his burner phone rang.

Nicky: "Topo, how are you, sweet girl?"

Nile loved to talk with Nicky because she loved all the nicknames he gave her.

Nile: "Is it so that I can stay with you for a day or two? I just need to sleep in a decent bed, have a hot shower, and have a good meal before returning to the last bit of my mission. You know the one with the slimy eel."

Nicky: "You're always welcome. But just a warning. Joe is going through an art phase at the moment."

Nile: "It can't be as bad as he went through his purple phase where he only wore purple clothes, painted everything in purple, and ate purple food."

Nicky: "When you get here you can judge if it's worse than the purple phase."

The day after Nile arrived just before midnight at Joe and Nicky's safe house, which was lit up only by candles and in the living room, Joe was lying on the platform on a homemade scaffolding painting the ceiling.

Joe: "Oh hi Nile. What do you think of my latest artwork?"

Nile bent her head back to have a look at the painting and admired the night sky Joe had painted.

Nile: "It's beautiful. Is it based on your old sketch of the night sky in the desert? "

Joe: "Yes, can't believe you remembered it."

Nile: "The reason why I remembered the sketch is that it was one of the first you showed a long time ago. And it's still a favourite of mine."

Joe: "When I'm done painting the ceiling, I'll frame the sketch for you so you can hang it on your wall."

Nile: "Thanks. I would love that. Hi, Nicky."

Nicky hugged Nile.

Joe: "Give her a hug from me too."

Nicky did it.

Nicky looked up at Joe: "How long are you planning to stay up there?"

Joe: "When the last candle is burned down. Is it ok?"

Nicky: "More than fine. When you're done I promise to massage your neck."

Joe: "Thanks, Babe. Just like in the old times."

They exchanged a smile before Nicky took Nile with him into the kitchen where he placed a big plate of stew in front of her.

Nile: "Thanks, it smells amazing as always, and tastes just as good."

Nicky: "There are more where it comes from and there're also cookies."

Nicky placed a big glass of milk in front of Nile before sitting down on a chair with a cup of tea.

Nile: "Was that what you meant with an art phase? Joe lying on the scaffolding."

Nicky: "Yes, Joe wanted to relive making art as he did during the Renaissance when we visit The Sistine Chapel last week."

Joe, who could hear them in the living room: "But without the plague."

Nile: "So are you saying, you knew Michelangelo?"

Joe: "Yes, we agreed on the art, but he was a bit too interested in my muse, offering him constantly presents, money, and other things."

Nile: "And the muse were you?"

Nicky nodded with a smile.

Nicky: "I think if we hadn't left when we did, Joe might have painted the ceiling in The Sistine Chapel white back in 1514."

Joe: "Aren't you forgetting what Michelangelo did to the statue I made of you?"

Nicky: "I haven't forgotten that it was destroyed during a party, but you still don't have any proof that it was Michelangelo who destroyed your statue."

Joe: "We still disagree about that."

Nicky just knew that Joe was rolling his eyes.

Nicky: "Joe and Michelangelo were actually very good friends despite of Michelangelo's interest in me."

Joe: "No we weren't."

Nicky: "If you weren't good friends, how come you're lying on a scaffolding painting just like Michelangelo did?"

Joe didn't say anything but Nicky knew Joe was smiling over his long-dead friend and the fun they had. Joe did miss the art discussion he had with Michelangelo.

Nile: "I still think it is crazy you knew all these famous people."

Nicky: "It was easier back then because the internet wasn't invented so the risk of us being discovered was smaller. Something I wished you could have experienced because despite the plague it was a fun time sneaking into parties or know famous people."

Nile: "I also sometimes wish I could have seen what you have seen because of the crazy stories you keep on telling me."

Nicky: "Well that's Joe in a nutshell. He sometimes gets things mixed up but that doesn't mean his stories aren't good."

Joe: "Hold on, I'm always telling the stories as they happened."

Nicky: "How they happened according to you."

Nile smiled as she took a cookie. She had missed the sound of Joe and Nicky arguing.