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‘Don’t get up,’ Joe throws at Booker who is currently bleeding on the floor from the cut on his eyebrow. The new immortal is stubborn and hotheaded and it doesn’t take long for him to end up in a sparring with no less hotheaded Joe, and neither Andy nor Nicky are surprised when the two of them end up settling on a hand to hand.
‘Lets see what you are made of,’ Andy smiles at the new guy. Nicky just chuckles and sit by her side, making space for the two combatants.
Booker definitely knows how to hold his own in a fight, but it is pretty obvious that he is no match for Joe about two minutes in. He misses just one heavy punch and it throws him to the ground. The cut on his brow is bleeding all over his face, yet he stubbornly raises to his feet and wipes it off with his sleeve.
‘You’re not getting out of this that easily,’ Booker chuckles, and Nicky can swear Andy chuckles in approval.
The two men in front of them go for another round. Booker manages to land a few punches, but Joe has centuries of experience on him and it shows. He dodges and spins out of Booker’s way like he can read his mind and knows exactly where Booker is going to move before he is even trying to. Nicky doesn’t care much about technique, he knows his husband has a flawless one, instead he watches Joe’s face, searching for the signs that it’s time to stop them.
Joe swings and Booker notices his fluid movement a little too late to block it or evade. He is sent stumbling back, yet manages to keep himself upright, but Joe lunges again and tackles him to the ground. They struggle for a moment. Booker manages to punch Joe in the face and his head tilts back enough fo rNicky to meet his eyes. There’s a flash in them, something primal, old and way too angry for a friendly match, something Nicky has been searching for. It flickers momentarily, just like an ache in Nicky’s heart at the sight of his caro’s bleeding face, but it’s there and Nicky knows he’s the only one who notices it.
‘Okay, that’s enough,’ he prompts casually. ‘
Basta,
boys.’
‘Let them have some fun, Nicky.’ Andy waves him off. She’s watching the fight but for a whole different set of reasons. She marks Booker’s flaws as a fighter and Nicky can practically see her brain spinning, searching for solutions for them.
Joe punches Booker in the face and this time he doesn’t hold back. Nicky flinches as Booker grunts and tries to throw Joe off, but the latter hits him again. And again. And again.
‘Joe!’ Andy jumps to her feet, but Nicky beats her to it and crosses the distance in two steps. His hand is on Joe’s shoulder and the man freezes immediately, his hand still raised up to throw another punch.
Booker coughs, whipping blood from his mouth.
‘Basta, caro,’ Nicky says softly but sternly. ‘You proved your point.’ When Joe looks up at him, his eyes are dazed as if he’s drunk , and Nicky presses his palm to his cheek. ‘Dai, torna da me. [Come on, come back to me.]’ he whispers and a flash later Joe gains a somewhat sobering look. He gets up and pulls Nikcy close, colliding their foreheads together for a breath. ‘Grazie,’ before pulling back and turning to Booker. The new one is a bloody mess, yet he is already trying to gain his footing, but falls to one knee and Joe offers himself as a support.
‘Sorry about that.’ he says with a sad smile. ‘I sometimes get carried away.’
‘Hey, no hard feelings.’ Booker shakes his head and immediately flinches. ‘Looks like I’m gonna need a great deal of practice, ay, Boss?’
Andy throws a worried look at Joe before taking his place by Booker’s side: ‘That you sure will. But first let's get you cleaned up.’
By the time Joe overtakes the kitchen, Booker is already healed up, yet Nicky can see guilt stirring in Joe still.
‘My turn,’ he says to Nicky as he takes the pot from his hands and for a moment Nicky wants to argue, but doesn’t. Joe needs a distruction , so Nicky lets him. He barely listens to the talk around, consumed by watching Joe, throwing a phrase or two into Andy’s and Booker’s banter about army stuff. And when the two get up to practice some moves he shoos them to the living room, telling them that the kitchen is too small for that. It is, but Nicky also wants to have a moment alone. It’s been a while since he managed to sneak up on Joe, but when his hand wraps around his waist Joe flinches ever so slightly, before his body recognises Nicky’s touch and leans into it.
‘Stai bene, amore?’ Nicky whispers.
Joe nodds. His hand on a spoon trembles a little and Nicky’s keen eyes caches that too, as well as the stiffness of Joe’s shoulders. ‘Don’t do that, don’t pretend with me.’ He says, his voice a little more raw than he would’ve liked.
Joe flinches again and turns to him. ‘I’m sorry, caro. I didn’t mean to…’
‘Of course.’ Nicky knows he didn’t. He knows Joe wouldn’t hurt his friend purposely.
‘I got carried away, Nicolo,’ Joe sighs. ‘I would never…’
‘I know. We all know.’ Being immortal is hard.
Joe’s eyes look like those of a beat up puppy and Nicky feels it tear his heart apart. He pulls him in for a soft kiss, just a brush of his lips over Joe’s forehead, before their heads touch again.
‘Thank you for pulling me back.’ Joe whispers almost into Nicky’s lips. Nicky signs. There’s no need to say anything back, he and Joe pull each other back from centuries ago every once in a while. They are the only thing keeping each other sane when the weight of the ages seem to take over. ‘Sono sempre qui per te, you know this.’ he smiles.
‘My lifeline,’ Joe smiles back.