Chapter Text
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They've been travelling now for almost 2 years together and Yusef would now begrudgingly admit that he considers Nicolo a friend. Not that he'd tell anyone that. Especially not Nicolo.
This part of their journey has been long and hard, the sun relentlessly beating down on their backs as they ride. To make matters worse Yusef's horse died a few days ago from a snake bite and now he is forced to walk whilst Nicolo trots ahead, both their supplies strapped to his horse's back.
Being Nicolo he insists on letting Yusef ride the horse for part of the day whilst he wanders alongside, being Nicolo he also insists that they let the horse have a break from carrying them so for a few hours they trudge along side by side, Nicolo's hands tangled in the reins and he mumbles to her in his Ligurian.
Of course after 2 years of travel together they share a language now but at the start Yusef refused to learn Nicolo's, the hate inside him then was still dark and bitter, instead he forced Nicolo to learn Arabic which is how they converse now. Nicolo's words are often halted and jumbled and his accent strong, in fact Yusef is convinced he already knows more Ligurian from Nicolo's mumbles, but he does appreciate the effort.
Upon coming across a town they waste no time finding the inn, Nicolo lingers outside with a hood over his white skin and pale eyes whilst Yusef enters and bargains out the price of a single room.
With Nicolo's horse settled in the stables, Yusef leads Nicolo up through the back entrance to the inn and straight to their room, sighing in relief when they meet nobody. Already there is a bowl of steaming water and a cloth ready for him, well them, to wash with but Nicolo gestures to it and says, "You first."
"I don't know if I'd rather you bathe first. You're the one I have to smell for days on end." Yusef mutters and Nicolo just meets his eyes with a cheeky smile, he's finally begun to pick up on humour.
"Why do you think I want you to bathe first?" Yusef flicks some water from the top of the bowl at him and Nicolo laughs, leaping away and then seating himself on the floor, his back against the bed as he rifles through his bag for the tattered book he found at a market they visited.
Yusef remembers Nicolo finding that book and hearing his exclamation of joy because it was in his own language, he also remembers watching his companions face fall as he looked through his coin purse and placed the book down again, mumbling something about, 'Not practical.' The stubborn proud side of Yusef wasn't pleased about going back and buying that book later but even he could admit the joy on Nicolo's face later was worth it. Now the book is worn and tattered because no matter how many times he has turned the pages, Nicolo always starts from the beginning once he reaches the end. Yusef is largely just curious as to what it is about.
Paying Nicolo no mind, Yusef undresses and washes the cloth over his skin, they haven't died in recent times so no blood mars his skin, just dirt and sweat.
He grimaces at the state of the water when he places the cloth down then glances at Nicolo who is calmly reading, his face relaxed and calm as those blue eyes dance over the page. "I'll get someone to bring up more water."
"Would that be..." Nicolo pauses then finds the word he was searching for, "Suspicious?"
"I'll make it believable."
Yusef takes slightly longer than he intended because the pretty wife of the innkeeper flirts with him for several minutes, offering to help him wash up but eventually he escapes her advances and returns to Nicolo who has not moved.
"Here, water, wash please." Nicolo offers him a slightly forced but good natured smile as he gets up, tossing the book onto the bed and undressing easily whilst Yusef follows the direction of the book and picks it up, looking over the well worn cover. "What is it about? You love it so much."
"It is a love story." Nicolo replies and Yusef scoffs,
"Aren't you celibate? What do you care about love?"
"Just because I cannot have love does not mean I don't wish for it." Nicolo snaps back, "And I am not celibate I am not a priest anymore."
"Interesting- and nobody tempts your eye I'm sure we could-"
"I cannot have love." Nicolo snaps again and Yusef places the book back on the bed, choosing to push no further because he can see the tensed muscles of Nicolo's bare back.
With a bang the door swings open, hitting the wall and Nicolo jumps, staggering back slightly and Yusef can't help but notice that he chooses to move in the direction towards him. The innkeeper's wife who flirted with him not 10 minutes ago eyes between them and Yusef jumps up, his hands held out in surrender as he says, "Please I can explain. We can pay more-"
Already the woman is shouting down the stairs and hastily Yusef passes Nicolo his trousers to put on, "I will attempt to resolve this-"
Four men barge up the stairs just as Nicolo has thankfully dressed his lower half and Yusef stands between them and his companion. "Listen- he's just a traveller. A merchant, I met him whilst trading."
"He's a Frank. A murderous Frank look at his nose. He'll kill us all in our sleep."
Yusef eyes his sword which rests on the wall. He's not going to kill these people he thinks firmly. He is however going to have to save him. Eventually.
"Yusef?" Nicolo asks, almost innocently at first as the man pushes past Yusef and grabs Nicolo's arm. "Yusef?" His voice contains more panic now as he struggles to wrench his arm from the man's grip when one of the other's grabs him from the other side. "Aiuto Yusef!"
Help me.
"Say goodbye to your friend." One sneers and Yusef can't look at Nicolo as he mutters,
"He's not my friend."
"Yusef?"
As soon as the door slams closed behind them Yusef bursts into motion collecting both their bags and swords then grabbing Nicolo's book and packing it safely away before bolting down the stairs.
He can hear a crowd gathering in the village square, shouts and yelling that he knows is directed at Nicolo. Not the time yet. He thinks as he saddles up their horse and then hastily leads her through the empty streets towards the noise.
They're throwing rocks at him and given the state of the blood on Nicolo's head he's already died once. Now the man just has to stay down.
He sees as Nicolo comes back to life and thankfully he has enough to stay still as a few more rocks pelt off him before there is silence which is when Yusef snakes his way through the crowd. "Please allow me to dispose of him. I brought him here after all."
Nobody stops him as he flops Nicolo's 'body' over the saddle then quietly guides the horse away and out of the village.
As soon as the rooftops are out of sight Nicolo pushes himself from the saddle, landing with a thump and then getting up and pulling his bag from where it rests before shouldering it and walking away. "Nicolo where are you going?"
"Keep the horse I don't care. Goodbye Yusef."
"Nicolo."
Yusef sighs, coaxing the horse into a trot as he runs after Nicolo who is storming across the sand. "Nicolo."
"Go! Go back to your home and your people and your life!" Yusef jumps, slightly startled but sighs,
"I don't have that life anymore. I have you."
Nicolo scoffs, "I heard you. I'm not your friend. You let them take me, you let them hurt me and kill me."
"I wasn't going to kill them. They're not exactly charming characters but they don't deserve to die. Especially not for the life of a man who can't die. I'm sorry I didn't mean to let you think I don't care for you. I do."
Nicky doesn't reply but he does return his bag to the saddle then fall into step beside Yusef, his eyes stubbornly never leaving the ground until Yusef says, "You're not my friend." With a clenched jaw Nicolo glares up at Yusef, hurt and anger in his eyes. "You're... All I have now. You're more than my friend." Meeting Nicolo's eyes at last he smiles, "You're everything I suppose."