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Even after a year in the Maghreb, Nicolò was still not used to the sweltering hot summer days. And even though Nicolò lied about doing fine, Yusuf could tell that it took its toll on Nicolò being out in the heat all day, because Nicolò moved slower than usual and needed more breaks.
When they passed by a well, Nicolò stuck his head under the water, enjoying the cold water on his skin. After drinking some water, Yusuf found his purse.
Yusuf: "Stay here at the well. I will be back soon."
Nicolò: "Where are you going?"
Yusuf: "To find you something that will help you deal with the summer heat."
Nicolò: "I can go with you."
Yusuf placed a hand on his newfound friend's shoulder.
Yusuf: "Rest, my Friend. You'll need your strength for later."
Yusuf gave Nicolò one of those reassuring smiles he had come to love during their time together.
Nicolò: "Okay. I'll stay. Please hurry back."
Yusuf: "I promise. Oh, one more thing. Don't be scared if a herd of wild camels shows up. They are friendly enough if you leave them alone."
Nicolò: "I'll remember that."
Nicolò looked at the horizon until Yusuf disappeared. It was there that Nicolò realised how much he hated being alone, now that Yusuf was in his life. Yusuf had become the friend, Nicolò always wished he had when he was a child growing up all alone.
Nicolò shook his head because thinking of his terrible childhood was something he didn't like to do. So instead, he took the book with children's stories Yusuf had given him as a way to learn Arabic. Nicolò didn't know how long he had been reading when he heard a noise behind him. After placing the book on the ground, Nicolò reached for the dagger he had on him before standing up, but instead of a person, he came face to face with a camel calf. When Nicolò looked at the camel calf, it was clear that a predator of some sort had attacked it, because it was bleeding.
Nicolò: "Hi. I'm Nicolò."
Nicolò placed the dagger in his belt before he raised his hands as a way to show the camel calf he wasn't a threat to it.
Nicolò: "I just want to help you. Will you let me?"
Nicolò turned his head away as he approached the camel calf with a raised hand. When he stood in front of the camel calf, he waited until it came to him.
Nicolò: "Good..."
Nicolò quickly checked the sex of the camel calf.
Nicolò: "Boy. Should we start with a drink? Sorry that all I have to offer is water."
Nicolò guided the camel calf over to the well and placed its muzzle in the water. While the camel calf was drinking the water, Nicolò checked all the wounds.
Nicolò: "Good news, my friend. Your wounds only need cleaning, and then time will heal them."
Nicolò cleaned the wounds as best he could, using a blouse he no longer used.
Nicolò: "I don't know where your family is, but you are welcome to stay if..."
The camel calf looked once at Nicolò with a look on its face that he thought said: "thank you" before it ran off, which he thought was the best thing. After drinking some more water, Nicolò returned to reading and didn't move until Yusuf returned a few hours later.
Yusuf: "So, did anything exciting happen while I was gone?"
Nicolò told Yusuf of the camel calf.
Nicolò: "I hope it finds its way home."
Yusuf loved that Nicolò both loved and worried about humans and creatures.
Yusuf: "You gave it a fighting chance, Nicolò. And I think it will do fine, thanks to your love and care."
Nicolò nodded while looking at what Yusuf was unpacking.
Yusuf: "I have bought you new clothes."
Nicolò looked down at himself.
Nicolò: "What's wrong with the clothes I'm wearing? It's the newest I have."
Yusuf: "I know, but your clothes are made out of wool and not linen, which means it is... How do I explain it to you?"
Yusuf made that funny face Nicolò loved whenever he thought about something.
Yusuf: "I wish my Imma were here. She is better at explaining stuff than I am."
Nicolò knew how much Yusuf missed his Mother, and he also knew it took everything in Yusuf not to go home.
Yusuf: "Okay, try to feel the difference in the clothes."
Yusuf handed the blue tunic to Nicolò, who did as Yusuf suggested.
Nicolò: "This tunic. It feels less dense than the one I am wearing."
Yusuf: "I think it will do you good to wear something that isn't so dense as the wool shirt you're wearing right now."
Nicolò: "It's worth a try."
They exchanged a smile between them.
Yusuf: "I also got you new pants and shoes."
Yusuf handed Nicolò the rest of the clothes, which he took. Then, Nicolò quickly got out of his old clothes and into the new clothes.
Yusuf: "So, how do you feel?"
Nicolò: "Better than before. But..."
Nicolò looked down at himself and the new clothes.
Yusuf: "But what, my Friend?"
Nicolò: "Please don't think I don't appreciate you buying me new clothes, Yusuf, but these clothes are too fine for a man of my class."
Yusuf: "I don't follow. What do you mean?"
Nicolò: "You know where I come from and what I did before I joined the Crusades."
Yusuf still felt sad for Nicolò and the way he grew up, which was so different from his own childhood. And because Yusuf knew that, he also knew why Nicolò reacted the way he did.
Yusuf: "Listen, Nicolò. I know you find it hard to accept gifts."
Nicolò looked with panic at Yusuf.
Nicolò: "I am not being ungrateful. Please believe me, Yusuf."
Yusuf took Nicolò's hands in his. To both of them, it felt good to hold each other's hands.
Yusuf: "I believe you, Nicolò, I do. But listen to me. I bought you these clothes because I fear that my new best Friend will succumb to the heat, and I don't want that. Once we have found a place to stay, you can change back to your old clothes or buy something you find fitting for you."
Nicolò: "Okay. Sorry that I panicked."
Yusuf leaned his forehead against Nicolò's. It was the first time they had done that, and it felt just as good as holding each other's hands.
Yusuf: "You don't ever have to say sorry to me. Okay?"
Nicolò smiled one of those smiles Yusuf was sure he was the only one who had ever seen.
Nicolò: "Okay. I'll remember that. And I can only say the same thing as you did."
Yusuf wanted so badly to kiss Nicolò, but knew he couldn't because he was so sure Nicolò only liked women, and the last thing he wanted was to break the truce between them. What Yusuf didn't know was that Nicolò was having precisely the same thoughts as he was having.
Nicolò: "Thanks for the new clothes."
Yusuf: "Don't mention it. I also bought something else. Wanna see it?"
Nicolò: "Yes, please."
They sat down in the sand next to each other, and as usual, their knees touched each other. Nicolò couldn't believe his eyes when Yusuf showed him a big, green, round thing. Seeing the look on Nicolò's face made Yusuf chuckle.
Yusuf: "By the look on your face, I would say you have never seen one of these before. Or am I wrong?"
Nicolò: "No, you aren't."
Nicolò had grown to love discovering new things from the world Yusuf came from. And Yusuf loved showing Nicolò new stuff he didn't know.
Yusuf: "Here. Have a look."
Yusuf handed Nicolò the green thing.
Nicolò: "Wow, it's heavy. What's it?"
Yusuf chuckled again when Nicolò started to turn and twist the item in his hand while studying it.
Yusuf: "Try tapping on it."
Nicolò did it.
Nicolò: "It's hollow. Please tell me what it is called."
Yusuf: "A watermelon. Let me show you how to open it."
Nicolò watched with interest while Yusuf split the watermelon into many pieces.
Yusuf: "Here. Try it. I promise it tastes so good."
Yusuf handed Nicolò a piece of the watermelon.
Yusuf: "Don't eat the green part, only the red part."
Nicolò nodded before he took a bite.
Nicolò: "This tastes so good, Yusuf. I have never tasted anything like this before, and I love it."
Yusuf: "Glad to hear it."
Yusuf saw Nicolò almost inhale the last part of the watermelon.
Nicolò: "Sorry, I forgot my manners."
Yusuf: "Don't be. You aren't the only one who eats watermelon like that."
They ate as much of the watermelon as they could.
Yusuf: "Once we have our own place, I promise to make the watermelon juice my Imma always used to make in the summer."
Nicolò licked his fingers while nodding. If you asked Yusuf, Nicolò was looking very cute.
Nicolò: "I can't wait to taste it."
Yusuf smiled at Nicolò before looking up at the sky.
Yusuf: "It's too late to move on. I think we should stay here."
Nicolò: "I can only agree with you. And..."
Yusuf stood up.
Nicolò: "Where are you going? I thought we were staying here."
Yusuf: "We are. I just want to get a bit higher up. I promise it will be worth it."
Nicolò followed Yusuf, and they crawled up on a small ledge. After setting camp, they ate dinner and the rest of the watermelon.
Yusuf: "Come join me, Nicolò."
Yusuf was lying on his stomach at the edge of the ledge on his bedroll. After taking his own bedroll, Nicolò joined Yusuf.
Nicolò: "If you want to look at the stars, we are facing the wrong way."
Yusuf chuckled as he quickly kicked some soil over the fire to extinguish it.
Yusuf: "I know."
One of the first things they had discovered they had in common was watching the stars.
Yusuf: "But tonight I want to show you something else. It shouldn't take long now that it is dark."
Nicolò soon found out what Yusuf meant when the first animals showed up at the well to have a drink of the water.
Yusuf: "Watching the wild animals was one of the best things I did with my siblings when I grew up, and we camped near a well."
Nicolò took Yusuf's hand in his.
Nicolò: "I can understand that. Thanks for sharing this with me."
Yusuf: "Always."
When Nicolò leaned his head against Yusuf's shoulder for the first time, they both knew they had to talk about all the hand holding, leaning their foreheads together, and now the shoulder lean, but they also knew that this wasn't the time for it, so instead, they watched all the wild animals at the well.