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Nile and Joe were doing the dishwashing when a loud noise, followed by swearing in Latin, was heard throughout the safe house.
Nile: "What was that noise?"
Joe: "That was my man who lost the fight with gravity once again."
Nile looked confused at Joe.
Joe: "I'll explain once I'm back in five minutes."
Nile: "Hi, you're not leaving me alone with this stack of dirty dishes so you can go snug your hubby."
Joe threw the teatowel on the table with a severe mime.
Joe: "Take a break, okay? This is important to me because I need to check if Nicky is alive."
Joe left the kitchen in a hurry, and Nile sat down on a chair until Joe returned again five minutes later.
Joe: "Sorry about before. I had to kiss an ouchie."
Nile rolled her eyes.
Nile: "Wanna tell me what that was about?"
Joe: "You have seen Nicky with his sword, other weapon or books. The grace there is when he moves around with them in his hands."
Nile nodded.
Joe: "Well, that grace is often gone when he doesn't have anything in his hands, which means he trips over his own feet. And when he falls, he often hits items with his body - luckily, he hasn't killed himself so far."
Joe looked up at the ceiling, and if you asked Nile, it looked like Joe was thanking the universe for still having a husband who was alive.
Nile: "Okay, thanks for explaining. Let's do the rest of the dishwashing."
An hour later, Joe was taking a shower, so Nile knocked on Joe and Nicky's bedroom door. Nicky was reading in bed.
Nicky: "Hi, Nile. Do you need anything?"
Nile leaned up against the door frame with her arm crossed and a look on her face that reminded Nicky about the cat who had gotten the cream.
Nicky: "Why are you looking like that?"
Nile: "Oh, just because I'm onto you and your little secret."
Nicky: "What little secret?"
Nile: "Am I wrong about that the reason why you trip over your own feet has to do with you want some attention from Joe and maybe even a kiss?"
Nicky looked gobsmacked at Nile.
Nile: "That tells me I'm right."
Nicky: "What gave me away?"
Nile: "That you didn't break an arm or worse because you would never make Joe worry too much about you since you're also an idiot in love."
Nicky: "Please don't tell Joe."
Nile: "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me as long as you do me a favour one day."
Nicky: "What kind of favour are we talking about?"
Nile: "Nothing illegal, I promise. No, I was thinking that the next time I'm going shopping, you could go with me and carry all my purchases. I promise to keep it to under twenty bags."
Nicky: "Fair enough. Thanks for keeping my secret."
Nile: "It's safe with me, and I can't wait to figure out more of your small secrets."
Nile looked over her shoulder.
Nile: "Hi, Joe. Is there more hot water left?"
Joe: "Plenty, since Nicky didn't join me."
Nile: "Too much information. Night, guys."
Nile left them with a small wave.
Joe: "What's with her?"
Nicky: "She just asked me to spend an afternoon with her. Is that okay with you?"
Joe: "I don't see a problem with that. I could use the time with finishing my latest sketch of you."
Joe dropped the towel with a smirk, so he was standing naked as the day he was born.
Joe: "Now, are you done with your chapter because I got big plans with you."
Nicky disappeared behind his book with a schoolgirl giggle, which told Joe that he was right about that Nicky was done reading for tonight.