topino | (no subject)

[Nicky's knees threaten to give out on him, so he grabs at Joe's waist to steady himself and hold on, making sure that he's nice and secure, happy as he grabs him.

And then, Joe has to go and talk about real weddings.]

Well, if I am taking your actual name, maybe it would be good to have an actual wedding.

[It's logical and all.]

We would need very secure identities for that.

[ And maybe some part of Joe is reluctant to have one when Booker can't be there. It should be their whole family... even if he's still pissed at the bastard.

He nudges Nicky's head back so he can gently wash out the soap. ]

It's a bit harder to disappear if we have records in a municipal court.

Or a very good faked death. Fires, they happen all the time, it would be such a shame to lose a married couple like that, but...

[Nicky is not about to let details stop him from getting what he wants. He tips his head back, closing his eyes and stretching out his neck to give Joe the best access, humming softly as he thinks about Joe in a very nice suit.]

One day, when we are like Andy, it is the first thing I want to do.

They have ways of figuring out those are staged now. Better to get lost at sea.

[ He is ruthless, his Nicky. Joe leans in and kisses him softly. ]

We will. We will finally settle down and live out our days in quiet peace. [ They're relatively young. Even when their immortality runs out they should have a long time together. ]

Ah, yes, a yachting trip, perhaps.

[Nicky tips his head down to kiss him, softer than before, enjoying the way that he can take his time. The hour is getting late, but he is not tired, not yet (well, not entirely, but he suspects once he is clean and curled up with Joe in clean clothes, he will be instantly asleep).]

I will marry you properly and take your name, we will do whatever we want. And I will not let one ounce of harm come to you.

Hm. We'll be someone's favorite internet mystery.

[ Joe chuckles softly against Nicky's lips. Just a few more minutes in the shower and the water will get cold. Then they can get out. ]

Like you've always done. My guard dog. So fierce and loyal. [ He brushes his thumbs along Nicky's cheeks. ] It will be paradise.

[Nicky moves his lips to the side of Joe's.] So very much like something you want to pet.

[Because he knows his Joe. Shivering, the water begins to turn, and he knows it will only get worse from here. He leans forward and scrubs any residual shampoo out of his hair, getting the water over Joe to wash off the soap, nodding to the side.]

I'll get a towel, and then we can slip into something warm and enjoy the last of the wine.

And love forever.

[ He moves out of the way so that Nicky can slip past him. Joe shoves his head under the spray so he can just quickly wash his curls. Which will only get more curly when they dry. ]

Per me va bene. That wine is delicious.

[ He won't be far behind Nicky. There's really no reason to stay once the water turns cold and his lover leaves him all alone to shiver. ]

[Nicky drags the towel over his hair, then wraps Joe's waist in it, giving him the opportunity to kiss him again, dragging his fingers down Joe's chest before fetching the other towel (which is too small) and wrapping it a little before realizing it leaves most of his hips and half his ass exposed.]

Well, I hope Nile is not up.

[Andy has already seen it, given how many years they've been around one another.]

I think it's a great look for you.

[ And he will shamelessly admire those hips and ass. Nicky looks very good right now. This is a look. ]

She'll have to get used to it eventually. [ He opens the door and checks the corners like they're entering an enemy base. He doesn't see Nile but he does see a little light coming from under her door. ] You're clear but she probably heard us.

[That gets a snorting laugh out of Nicky, which definitely is enough to wake anyone who's still up, and he's tempted to take off the towel and smack Joe with it, but he doesn't.

Only just. He is somewhat mature, still.

Once he ducks into the room, he shakes his head and digs into their bags for something to wear, finding one of Joe's shirts that he intends to keep and a comfortable pair of sweatpants that he intends to wear without underwear.] Even more reason for them to want to send us off.

It's a good reason as any other.

[ He smiles warmly as Nicky pulls on his shirt. That's a good look too.

Joe rubs at his hair one more time before he grabs a pair of boxer briefs to sleep in along with a random tank top that could be his or Nicky's, hard to say when their clothes are all kept together. ]

Do you really think they'll deny us? You still seem worried.

[Nicky's smile goes extra wide for the fact that he's pretty sure Joe is wearing his top. He crawls back onto the bed, but sits up this time, reaching for the wine to top them up, handing it properly to Joe as he considers the question.]

It's not them I worry about. It's my own guilt and how it might change depending on their reaction.

[As much as he needs the break, the thought of losing time with Andy stings bitterly.]

Nicky, none of what happened is your fault.

[ He settles next to him shoulder to shoulder. No funny stuff he just wants to be close like always. ]

Why would you feel guilty?

Because every minute now with Andy is finite. Her time is coming.

[He leans over to hand the wine to Joe, knowing that the subject will stop them from getting up to too much, even as his brow furrows.]

I feel guilty taking even the time I need when we are in this situation.

We all knew it would.

[ Still, he doesn't feel that accepting of it. He sips at his wine, trying to think of what the right thing to say is. ]

She won't be far. We will have our phones. We can call her. We can even invite her and Nile to visit for a few days if we truly start to miss them.

[ He lays his free hand gently on Nicky's thigh. ]

If something does happen we can be by her side in a day or less. We aren't abandoning her.

[Nicky drinks the wine a little like it's water, but then, his body will repair any damage. He gives a small noise of acknowledgement, because Joe is right. Of course he's right. It still feels selfish, even if he needs the time with Joe to remind himself they aren't lab rats, not anymore.

Turning to Joe, his eyes are still haunted.]

It still feels like it, even if I'm sure she will shove us out the door once we ask. Will I regret it, then? When she is gone?

We will regret because she will be gone and we will be grieving.

[ There's a heavy sadness in his voice. Joe knows neither of them will be ready when Andy does pass away. It wouldn't matter if they spent all her last years together or not. ]

And after we've grieved and after we've healed, we will remember her and celebrate the time we had. We won't regret it.

[Grieving for Andy and worrying about when it will be their turn, Nicky doesn't say, but he knows is the truth. Losing Andy is only one piece of it, but maybe they can focus on Nile and eventually Booker.

Though, Nicky is still too mad to even think about Booker.]

No, never.

[He finishes the wine and sets it on the bedside, leaning back and draping an arm behind his head to stare at the ceiling.] What do you think she would want us to do, when she is gone? I know I want to keep doing good, but maybe there are things we can do to carry on her name.

[ Booker is an entirely different issue they'll talk about another night. ]

Perhaps... we look for Quyhn. A few decades with modern technology maybe we can finally find her. [ Joe slides down and rests his head in Nicky's lap. ] We could pretend to be historians and publish some correct history about her past. We'll keep doing good in her name, of course, but we will also find little ways to help that remind us for her.

[Booker is going to remain off-limits until Nicky's ice towards him has thawed. He's grateful he got out, but he'd rather not talk about him, to him, or around him anytime soon.

Absently, Nicky begins to pet Joe's curls, trying to tame some of the curls as they dry, a pang in his heart at the thought of Quynh.]

I want so badly to find her. [Speaking of guilt.] I know there was no way for us to find her before, but how can we look her in the eye if we ever do find her, knowing how many centuries it's been?

We try and make it right by spending more centuries looking out for her after we find her.

[ He feels the guilt too. They had tried everything and failed. Even as technology improved they hadn't tried again. It's a hard thing to come to terms with. ]

We'd have to start all over from the beginning. Look at shipping records or maybe some museum has diaries or journals. We never did narrow it down. After our vacation, love, we'll mention it to Andy and see if she wants to try again.

[ Because if they feel guilty Andy's guilt must be ten times worse. Those women loved each other. Joe could not imagine how he would be if it was Nicky at the bottom of the ocean. ]

[Nicky can't imagine what it was like for either of them, and he tightens his hold on Joe a little more.]

We could always cash in some investments and buy the right equipment, contract a university and offer them a grant to find it.

[Joe's right. After the vacation. Right now, the lab had been bad enough, even if they had been in that cage together. Still, only days and it had been torture to see them torture Joe like that, and do nothing about it.]

Mio caro, what will you do, then? During our vacation? Apart from eating all my wonderful food.

That's a brilliant idea. Contact a university. One that has found objects lost at sea before.

[ He takes Nicky's hand, brings it to his lips, and kisses his knuckles. He can feel how tense he is. ]

I will sketch and maybe paint. Sleep until noon. Catch up on some reading. Cook for you when you'll let me.

[ Back to planning their escape, then, so Nicky can relax again and sleep well. ]

They have sonar and submarines these days, I'm sure someone would take our money to find it.

[And it can't be too far. If it sank, then they would know where it was, roughly, because Nicky doubts they would have waited long to rid themselves of their problem. He is, though, as ever, grateful it had not been him and Joe.]

You can cook me breakfasts as you like, and sketch me first thing and watch as I lounge in nothing at all. I want to find an apartment where clothes can be optional