Work Text:
It was the fifth time that day a car was close to running Nile over, and she was getting frustrated.
Nile: "And I who thought people in Chicago drove like crazy."
Nile looked at Joe, who was holding onto Nicky's collar, because he had his nose in a book.
Nile: "Don't people in Rome know the traffic rules?"
Joe chuckled.
Joe: "Okay, I think it's about time I tell you about how to survive the traffic in Rome."
Nile sighed.
Nile: "Please don't turn it into a big lecture, okay."
Joe: "I don't have the time for a big lecture right now, so you don't have to worry about that."
Nile: "Just out of curiosity, why don't you have the time for a big lecture?"
Joe: "Nicky is almost done reading his book, and when that happens, he'll demand food, and when that happens, you want to be near a place that serves food."
They watched Nicky turn another page in his book.
Joe: "Okay, back to the traffic in Rome and how to survive it."
Nile nodded, still hoping Joe wouldn't hold a big lecture.
Joe: "The trick to survival is that, whenever you want to cross the road, you should do it with a nun or a group of them."
Nile: "I don't follow."
Joe: "The drivers might have no respect for traffic rules, but they do respect a nun. Nicky can explain to you why that is the case if you want to know it."
Nile nodded again.
Nile: "I'll keep that in mind. So, wanna demonstrate what you just told me?"
Joe: "With pleasure."
Joe looked around and saw a nun with a group of schoolchildren, and he quickly joined them, with Nicky in tow. Seconds later, Nile watched as all the traffic users slammed on their brakes when they saw the nun and the schoolchildren, and Joe was able to get him and Nicky safely across the street. It took a minute before Nile was able to do the same thing that Joe and Nicky had just done.
Nile: "I'll remember that advice forever. Thanks, Joe."
Joe: "You're welcome."
Joe looked at Nicky, who again turned a page in his book.
Joe: "We're going to one of our favourite fish restaurants. Wanna come?"
Nile: "I wish I could, but I'm allergic to shellfish, and the last thing I want is to deal with hives while I'm in Rome."
Joe: "You're forgetting something, Nile."
Nile: "And that's?"
Joe: "You can't die or you can one day, but I'm pretty sure it won't be due to eating shellfish."
Nile: "Oh, I forgot that little detail, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to try it out."
Nicky closed his book and looked at them.
Nicky: "I'm hungry. When is lunch?"
Joe: "Soon, my little Hobbit."
Nile still didn't know what a Hobbit was or if it was another nickname Joe had given Nicky.
Joe: "I'm trying to convince Nile to come with us and try out shellfish."
Nicky looked at Nile.
Nicky: "Don't you like shellfish?"
Nile: "It's more about the fact that the shellfish don't like me. I'm allergic to them, or used to be, according to Joe."
Nicky: "You can trust him on that."
Nile: "How come?"
Nicky: "Until this long life of ours, Joe had a problem with drinking milk or what we today would call lactose intolerance."
Joe: "I still remember all the side effects of that, and it wasn't funny."
Nicky gave Joe a sympathetic smile.
Nile: "And how did you know that drinking milk wasn't a problem any more?"
Joe: "Long story short. One day, I mistook two glasses and drank the milk instead of the coconut water."
Nicky moved a bit closer to Nile.
Nicky whispering to Nile: "It happened after he ate a bunch of chillies. He was literally on fire."
Nile and Nicky giggled.
Joe: "After the incident, I expected to spend an entire day on the toilet, but nothing happened. And then..."
Nicky kissed Joe.
Nicky: "I love it whenever you tell a great story, but could it wait until after we have eaten?"
Joe: "Of course, Love."
Joe kissed Nicky.
Joe: "Nile, are you coming or not?"
Nile: "Coming."
Fifteen minutes later, they sat at a table in the restaurant.
Nicky: "I remember when this place used to be a brothel."
Joe: "And I remember when we blew up this place back in 1942."
They looked at Nile.
Nicky: "That's two different stories, Nile."
Nile: "Okay. What can you recommend?"
Nicky: "Their seafood is the best."
Nile: "I'm sure it's, but I'm not ready to risk it all yet. Hope you understand."
Joe: "We do, yes. I would recommend trying their roasted tomato, basil and parmesan quiche. It's a great vegetarian dish."
Nicky: "I agree."
They ordered food and plenty of wine before settling in for an afternoon with lots of talk and laughter, something they all needed after their last mission.