Work Text:
When Joe came into the living room dripping wet and only wearing a very small towel that barely covered his private parts, Nicky disappeared behind his book with a serious blush on his face and a giggle like a schoolgirl.
Nile: "Serious, Joe?"
Nile held up her iPad in an attempt to cover her eyes.
Nile: "This is a common area, not your bedroom, so why are you naked?"
Joe looked over at Nicky with a smile while Nicky was peeking at Joe from behind his book.
Joe with a smirk: "I'm not naked. I'm wearing a towel."
Nile: "What you're wearing can't be called a towel. Why are you naked?"
Joe still with a smirk: "Oh, I'm testing if I still got it. Are you coming, Nicky or am I to scrub my back alone?"
Nicky closed his book and stood up before he walked over to Joe, where Nicky, without looking at Joe, took his hand, and they left.
Andy: "It used to be worse with those two."
Nile looked over at Andy, who was lying on the sofa and cleaning her gun. Nile had learned a long time ago not to question the way Andy maintained her weapons.
Nile: "What do you mean?"
Andy: "Back when they were young and hadn't figured things out, whenever Joe pulled the stunt you saw before, Nicky used to either jump out of the window or run away."
Nile: "Really? I mean, I thought they figured things out fast after they stopped killing each other."
Andy: "No, it took them over a century to figure things out. It was great fun to watch them most of the time. In a way, it can best be described as one of your TV shows, Nile."
Nile: "So, what I just saw was yet an episode of the ongoing saga of Joe and Nicky?"
Andy: "You can say that. The trick is to stay around when things are fun to watch and..."
A noise coming from the bathroom made Andy stand up.
Andy: "Leave when they get too noisy. You need to sleep at night without nightmares. Are you coming?"
Nile: "Not tonight. I don't mind the noise. It kinda reminds me of being back at the base again. People also used to sneak off to the shower together."
Andy: "Well, it's your choice. I have been around them long enough to know that they will get louder soon."
Nile: "Andy, not to sound rude, but shouldn't it be Joe and Nicky who should leave instead of you? It's them who are in a relationship."
Andy placed a hand on Nile's shoulder with a warm smile.
Andy: "That is the point, Nile, their relationship."
Nile: "I don't get it. What do you mean?"
Andy: "Remember that the boys fell in love during a time when you could end up being killed for loving someone of the same gender in most of the world. That is one of the reasons why we have safe houses in abandoned places because it's a safe place to love the one you love without any prejudices. Something Quynh and I also appreciated just as much as Joe and Nicky still do. Yes, sometimes we were discovered, but most of the time, a safe house was and still is a safe space."
Nile: "I think I understand. So, what do you do when you leave Joe and Nicky alone?"
Andy: "Back then, whenever we all were together, I used to keep an eye on the safe house until I saw Joe and Nicky in the kitchen or somewhere else in the safe house. Something I still do if we're south of Spain or other places where you can end up being killed for being gay."
Nile: "Very big sister of you. Do Joe and Nicky know it?"
Andy: "They did the same thing for us. We always look after each other."
Nile nodded.
Nile: "Andy, why don't you take a night off from being a big sister? I promise to keep Joe and Nicky safe for you."
Andy thought if Nile were ready for the job.
Andy: "Fine. Have fun."
Nile: "Thanks for the trust. I won't let you down."
Andy took her jacket and left without a word, while Nile decided to make popcorn before returning to her series. When Andy stood outside the safe house, she decided to stay nearby just in case there was trouble.