Chapter Text
Joe and Nicky entered the empty diner at 2.54 AM on a Monday morning, where Joe had an arm around Nicky's neck, who was laughing at one of Joe's terrible jokes.
"Just a moment," A female voice from the kitchen said. "Or two."
When the waitress came out from the kitchen, Joe was kissing Nicky.
"Behave," Nicky said when Joe wanted to French kiss him. "We aren't in Paris anymore."
"Oh, I forgot that," Joe replied. "Where are we now?"
"New York," Nicky replied. "It was your idea to go here."
"Yes, you are right," Joe replied. "Do you know how they kiss in New York?"
"No, but it isn't like they do in Paris," Nicky replied as he looked at the waitress after reading her nametag. "Hi, Molly. My Beloved..."
Joe smiled even brighter when he heard Nicky call him his Beloved.
"Promised me a diner experience once we got to New York," Nicky said. "Can we get it here?"
"Yes, you can," Molly replied. "Pick a table and I will bring over the menu cards. How do you want your coffee?"
Before Joe could answer, Nicky elbowed him.
"Whatever you do, please don't pour coffee on my husband, because it is the equivalent of pouring gasoline on the fire," Nicky replied. "So, he will have a milkshake."
Molly laughed.
"I understand," Molly said. "Please sit down."
Joe looked around before he pointed at a table that would hide Nicky if anyone looked inside the diner or came through the front door, but the spot also gave Nicky a full view over the diner.
"Here is the menu card. We still have some leftover strawberry pie if you are interested," Molly said. "I will be back in five minutes."
Molly handed them the menu cards which they took before she left them.
"Please tell me," Joe said. "Why is it I can't have coffee at this hour?"
"Oh, you want reasons," Nicky replied. Joe nodded. "Okay, there was that time in Munich when you drank coffee at 3 AM, resulting in you riding around town almost naked like Lady Godiva did. Or what about London? Because you decided to drink coffee at what hour, I don't remember, but I do remember it was at night, and it resulted in that I had to bail you out of jail because you absolutely wanted to prove to everyone that the world is round. Should I carry on?"
"Okay, okay," Joe replied. "No coffee at night. I promise."
Joe kissed Nicky's hands. Not long after, Molly returned to take their orders.
"Can I have some French fries and the chicken?" Joe asked. "And a vanilla milkshake plus the chocolate cake and some fruit."
"Of course," Molly replied. "And you?"
"I will have a cheeseburger, the peach iced tea and the strawberry pie," Nicky replied. "Oh, and make his plate of French fries a big one. We like to share."
"I knew you would say that," Molly replied. "It should take fifteen minutes to cook the food."
"Take the time you need," Joe replied. "We aren't going anywhere soon."
Molly smiled.
"You are welcome to stay as long as you eat and drink. That is the house rules, if you want to call it that," Molly said. "I will be over with your beverages soon."
When Molly left, Joe merged his fingers with Nicky.
"You know what?" Joe asked. Nicky shook his head. "After spending four months in Iran, it is so nice that I can do this with you again. Go out and show the world that I am in love with the most beautiful man in the world."
"I know what you mean," Nicky replied. "But I thought we agreed that I was only the second most beautiful man because you are the most beautiful man in the world."
"I thought it was the other way around," Joe replied. "Maybe we should find someone who can make an official document declaring that you are the most beautiful man in the world."
"Before we even consider making an official document, we should reach an agreement about who is the most beautiful of us," Nicky replied. "Because we will never agree on that subject."
Molly placed the beverages on the table.
"Maybe we need a third opinion," Joe suggested. "Maybe we should ask Molly what she thinks."
Joe looked at Molly.
"I have a policy about staying out of other people's love lives," Molly said. "And you are both grown men who will figure things out."
"Not if you ask our youngest friend," Nicky replied. "She told us we were like teenagers left home alone."
Joe and Nicky still remembered the day Nile first said that. It happened thirty-eight days after the events in London, when Nile caught them on the sofa half-naked.
"Just enjoy being in love," Molly said. "It is not everyone who gets to experience what you have."
"That is actually a very good advice," Joe replied. "Thanks, Molly."
"I agree," Nicky added. "Thank you."
"Glad I could help," Molly replied. "Food will be here soon."
Molly gave them a smile before leaving them alone. After a kiss, they tasted their beverages.
"This is so good," Joe said. "I love whipped cream."
"I know that," Nicky replied with a smile. "Most of all because you love licking it off my body."
Joe took some whipped cream on his finger before he smeared it over Nicky's lips. Then Joe leaned over the table so he could kiss Nicky. While they kissed, Joe sucked on Nicky's lips making him moan.
"Still got it," Joe smirked. It made Nicky blush. "If we didn't have any other plans, I would drag you over to the motel on the other side of the street."
Nicky looked over at the motel.
"Well, that motel couldn't be as terrible as the one back in the 1960s," Nicky said. "I still have nightmares about the yellow wall-to-wall carpet and how dirty that was. And don't get me started on the bed."
"You mean the water bed without water?" Joe asked. Nicky nodded. "I do remember that. It was indeed a terrible place because it killed the mood."
Nicky laughed while Molly placed the food on the table.
"Thanks, Molly," Joe said. "The food smells amazing."
"I agree," Nicky replied. "The smell makes me even more hungry than I thought I was."
"Thanks," Molly replied. "Call if you need anything."
They promised, and Molly left them alone. After eating some of the French fries, Joe reached for the ketchup.
"Don't shake it too much," Nicky said. "We didn't bring any spare clothes."
"I hate to admit it, but you are right," Joe replied. "Let us talk about something else than me not being naked with you right now."
"I will make it up to you once we reach Malta," Nicky promised. "Speaking of Malta. Do you remember if you remembered to order housekeeping?"
"I don't know," Joe replied. "Why are you asking?"
"Because we haven't been there in years," Nicky replied. "And I refuse to get naked with you for the first time in almost a year if our house is dirty."
Joe stopped dunking his French fries in the ketchup. If you asked Nicky, it made Joe look very adorable.
"I need to make a call," Joe said. "Excuse me."
Joe ate the French fries before he made a call.
"Housekeeping is ordered," Joe said. "So now you don't have any excuses not to get naked."
"Are you sure of that?" Nicky asked. Joe scratched his beard while thinking. "I mean, we also need to eat, and if we have to make a stop first to do grocery shopping, it will take longer for me to get naked."
Nicky took a bite of his cheeseburger.
"Damn it," Joe said. "Before I make the call, is there anything else I have forgotten?"
Nicky swallowed the food in his mouth.
"Not on top of my mind," Nicky replied. "We prefer to do the personal shopping ourselves."
"That is true," Joe replied. "Was it you or me who should book that meeting with Miss Veronica?"
Miss Veronica was the woman they went to in this decade whenever they needed stuff for a fun time in the bedroom.
"I talked with Miss Veronica," Nicky replied. "And agreed that we will meet with her in Basal right after New Year's Eve. It should give us time enough to tie up the loose ends."
"Good," Joe replied. "I will call housekeeping again. Excuse me."
Joe made the call, and two minutes later, he was back eating his French fries.
"I also ordered flowers," Joe said. "In all kinds of colours and shapes."
"Thanks," Nicky replied. "Can I have a French fry?"
"You can have as many as you want," Joe replied. "Open up."
Joe knew Nicky wasn't a fan of ketchup unless it came with a burger, so he took the French fries from the pile he had made for Nicky.
"I love your smile," Joe said. "So, what made you smile this time?"
"I just thought about that time we had the entire French army after us," Nicky replied. "It happened after Napoleon caught us feeding each other grapes in his tent."
"I do remember that night," Joe replied. "We were asked to create a distraction, and we surely did that. If you ask me, it was one of the most fun nights we ever had."
"I can only agree," Nicky replied. "And things didn't get any better when someone decided to steal Napoleon's second favourite horse."
"You can't blame the horse on me," Joe replied. "Because it wasn't my fault the horse decided to run away with all the other horses when I released them."
They both laughed.
"That is true," Nicky replied. "Let us promise each other a new fun adventure as soon as possible."
Joe kissed Nicky.
"I promise you all the fun adventures in the world," Joe said. "Do you have anything in mind?"
"Not at the moment, but as soon as things have settled down, we will come up with something," Nicky replied. "As we always do."
Joe agreed, and they kept ordering beverages and snacks for the next many hours while talking about other fun adventures they had.
"Yusuf," Nicky said in Arabic in a low voice. "He is here."
Joe nodded, and when he looked at Nicky, he also looked disappointed that their fun time was about to end.
"Nicolò," Joe said also in Arabic in a low voice. "We will have more nights like this. You know it just as well as I do."
Nicky smiled before he kissed Joe. Then, Nicky raised his hand, and Molly came over to them.
"While I pay the bill," Nicky said. "Why don't you get the car?"
"Sounds like a plan," Joe replied. "See you outside."
Joe kissed Nicky before he stood up.
"Please remember to give Molly tips for excellent service," Joe said. "She deserves it."
"I was thinking the same," Nicky replied. "Get going."
Joe took his jacket before he left.
"Molly," Nicky said. "Why don't you sit down a moment while I find my wallet? You must be tired after standing up the entire night."
"You are right," Molly replied as she sat down. "It is good that the night shift is soon over."
"Does that mean you usually don't work at night?" Nicky asked. "Sorry if I asked you something I shouldn't have asked about?"
"You didn't do anything wrong," Molly replied. "No, I am covering for a friend who is ill. That's all."
Nicky looked outside on the street and saw Joe in the car. When they made eye contact, Joe held up his thumb.
"Your friend is lucky to have you," Nicky said. "I'd better get going. My husband is waiting for me."
Nicky placed 300 dollars on the table.
"That is too much even with tips," Molly said. "Half would do."
"Half of the money is from my husband, so you got paid from us both for excellent service," Nicky replied. "Take care, Molly."
Nicky smiled before he left with his jacket in his hand. Before getting into the car, he saw Molly cry.
"Please tell me no one saw you," Nicky said. "I don't want any trouble."
"Copley promised me that all the cameras facing the diner have been running on a loop ever since we went inside," Joe replied. "And he knows what happens if he lies to us again."
Nicky nodded, and they drove to the airstrip where Copley was waiting.