Fills Post
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NEW HERE: Needs of the Other 21C/21
Date: 2020-12-30 06:58 pm (UTC)———————————————-
Part 21C
———————————————-
(Nicolo)
Outside of Morocco, 13th century
He hastened his steps when he heard Yusuf’s voice.
“...was a brave animal. Carried us through many battles...”
Nicolo hesitated on the top of the hill and its path that led down to the little house that faced the waters. Once, it was a half-burned dwelling that faced the slopes of green and a far away sea. But it also had a working well in the back and a stream that was not too far away.
Now it stood white and gray like the dried tree husks they came across in their many travels; pieces of resilience in a harsh land. Each time Nicolo saw their small house, he thought of the other abandoned dwellings they had rebuilt and left behind for others to use. And they made him smile at the thought of him and Yusuf leaving their mark, a hint of their intertwined lives among repaired and well-cared homes.
“You came from a good line, Hamdi, your great, great—“
Nicolo chuckled when Yusuf yelped. He was certain Hamdi, like its ancestor, tried to bite Yusuf. Again.
“Bah, you really are exactly like your great, great—hm, how many greats?“
“Four,” Nicolo called out as he slid down the rest of the grassy slope. The chestnut horse with its white markings on its narrow forehead whinnied in greeting. Next to it and an upturned stool was Yusuf. And he was...
“Why are you wet?” Nicolo chuckled. But he already knew the answer from the empty bucket rolling around by Yusuf’s feet. “I said I would be happy to bathe Hamdi for you. This happens every time.”
“And with every horse you insist on naming Hamdi,” Nicolo added. He smiled at Yusuf’s scowl.
“Fine,” Yusuf grumbled to the horse. “Be filthy. When you scratch the fleas that besiege you, you can jump into the sea for all I care. Your ancestor would be embarrassed. He did not allow himself to appear so unruly.”
“You remember Hamdi quite differently,” Nicolo remarked as he set down his sword and his pack by the scroll on the table. They decided to build a large table under the shade of an Argan tree to enjoy the warming star-filled nights.
"with each generation, your memory of Hamdi grew more flattering. Will you be elevating him to a deity to his next generation? You once complained about him."
Yusuf grunted. “The mares liked him.”
Nicolo scoffed. He reached up at a light green bud that hung low from the tree. The teardrop shaped fruits have started to form. Soon, it would rain. Hopefully, the fruit would swell fat and fall ripe onto the waiting baskets.
“They liked him so much I am sure the desert is mostly filled with his descendants thanks to him.”
Yusuf waggled his eyebrows at Nicolo. “There is something about a night under the moon in the desert. Do you not agree?”
Nicolo tossed a small sack at Yusuf. It bounced off Yusuf’s brow. Yusuf caught the item with both hands.
“Eh, what is this? You no longer wish to fight me with swords? You have resorted to throwing...” Yusuf’s eyes widened in delight. “Honeyed figs!”
Nicolo’s lips curled as he observed Yusuf plucking one out of the little cloth sack. He took a bite, humming happily before giving the rest to Hamdi.
“Ingrate,” Yusuf grumbled when the horse nipped his fingers as well.
“It is because you only offered half,” Nicolo said as he unwrapped his pack. “I also have mishmish.”
“Ack, a hundred and sixty years and you still pronounce words like a strangled cat.”
Yusuf snickered when Nicolo tossed the bag of stewed apricots at him as well.
“Very well, my ears do not hurt as much as before. Tell me, how did you come about these wondrous treats? Has our modest village a market at last?”
“A caravan stopped by yesterday. They were still there when I arrived to help rebuild the village well.”
“Anyone we should be concerned with?” Yusuf’s voice turned serious.
Nicolo shook his head. Nicolo went by the horse and patted the soft nose. Hamdi nickered, nudging Nicolo's shoulder.
“They left shortly after. I followed them afar for a short way to be sure. They were harmless. Just full of things to trade and stories to share.”
Yusuf tracked Nicolo as he entered the house for bowls. He smiled as he fed Nicolo a piece of fig when Nicolo walked back to the table.
“I wondered why you took longer this time. You nearly missed the evening meal,” Yusuf murmured. “I thought I best clean Hamdi in case we need to come searching. You know how I dislike eating alone.”
“I would have returned before then,” Nicolo said lightly as he set the bowls around one side of the table. He stayed clear of the papers and ink on the other side of the table. “It would have taken you days to get Hamdi to agree to a bath.”
Nicolo yelped when something brown and fluffy flew towards him. He caught it and gaped at the ruffled brown mound of feathers and tiny bright eyes.
Yusuf burst out laughing, but he stopped to avoid the snapping teeth coming towards his ass.
“When did we get a chicken?” Nicolo said blankly. He hefted the hen in his hands. It was a young bird, calmer now and chirping.
“I finished Fela’s scroll this morning. Her father picked it up. He left us a basket of eggs and a young hen in exchange.”
Nicolo frowned. “That is too much. And we are not here long enough to raise chickens again.” Still, he stroked the bird. It sat in his hands, content with its brown head tucked under a wing.
“He said he would gladly take her back when we travel again,” Yusuf assured him. “Besides, we do not expect to leave until the crops are ready. I think you are right, it will be plentiful this year.”
“Good,” Nicolo said. When they came upon the village last year, tribal wars and drought left the people half-starved. With rule far away within the walls of New Fez, there was no hope of settling disputes other than among themselves. The promise of a generous Argan bounty and trade from its oil would do much to settle peace within the village.
Nicolo nudged a stone higher when a corner of the scroll started to curl. “I thought this was Fela’s scroll.” It was to be a wedding gift from her father.
“This is something else,” Yusuf said. He stayed where he was for some reason. He stared at Nicolo, his face expectant. “Go have a look.”
Eyebrow arching, Nicolo peered down at the scroll. He blinked.
“I thought we lost this,” Nicolo murmured. He followed the scroll work along the borders with his eyes. “I have not seen this since we sailed to the isles. I feared it burned with the ship.”
“It did.” Yusuf smiled faintly. “I drew another.”
Nicolo’s finger hovered over the band of leaves and vines, lingering on the falcon hidden at the corner.
“You still did not put in a happy ending,” Nicolo murmured.
“I thought we decided we would create one together, hobi.”
Nicolo lifted his eyes. He studied Yusuf's expression. He felt greedy, he always have, as he absorbed the marvel of Yusuf's face turned towards him with such favor. He memorized the shape of Yusuf's half-smiling mouth and the crinkles at the corners of his eyes.
Nicolo looked down at the scroll again. He thought of the carefully rolled and wrapped constellations manuscript. He had tucked in an empty plain looking scabbard to hide it from greedy hands. And he realized why almost a century later, Yusuf thought of the falcon scroll.
“Then you did dream about the women last night,” Nicolo murmured. Yusuf made no mention this morning.
“As did you,” Yusuf said. He nodded towards the table.
Nicolo gazed down. He flushed. He set down four bowls and cups without realizing it.
“They are close,” Nicolo murmured. “I recognize the rock they rode past.”
“It is the oasis where you and I...” Yusuf wrapped his arms around Nicolo from behind. He pressed his mouth to the crook of Nicolo’s shoulder. “It is a night I will remember in all our centuries.”
Nicolo flushed. “I did not have a feather bed to offer you.”
“Bah. The desert sand was silk on our backs. The moon shone above us. And you...”
Yusuf kissed up to the back of Nicolo’s ear.
“It was perfect. It was you.”
Nicolo exhaled. He carefully set down the hen and turned around in Yusuf’s arms. He buried his nose into the opened neckline of Yusuf's tunic. It was still damp, clinging to the shape of Yusuf's chest. Nicolo pressed his lips on the outline of the pendant under the tunic. Yusuf never took it off. He refused to even when they found a proper chain for it thirty years ago. Yusuf looped it around and wore both chains with it until the older one finally fell apart.
"Oh, hello, my heart," Yusuf murmured. He rubbed his beard along the side of Nicolo's face. He dropped a kiss on the mark on Nicolo's jaw. He said it was on Nicolo's face to remind Yusuf to kiss that spot and often.
"I am not worried," Nicolo muttered into Yusuf's chest. "I did not say because you looked worried when you woke up this morning."
Yusuf threaded his fingers into the back of Nicolo's hair.
"Were we not done with keeping secrets from each other?" Yusuf kissed Nicolo's temples. "I was worried you were worried."
Nicolo huffed against Yusuf's shoulder.
"You are an old fool," Nicolo exhaled. He twitched when Yusuf pinched his ass.
"I am only a few years older," Yusuf chided. "How does that make me an old fool?"
"You do silly things and talk nonsense to me and forget about your horse."
Nicolo tilted his head higher to catching Yusuf's gaze. His breath caught when once again, Yusuf was already looking at him.
"But then you track down your horse's descendants and give one his name so you would always remember him. You copy pages of interesting stories so I could read them. You draw beautiful art whenever you fear I am living under shadow. You forgave me of all my sins..."
Nicolo could not finish. He could not meet Yusuf's eyes. He dropped his forehead into the strong crook of Yusuf's shoulder. He breathed out slowly. Now he was the one who felt like an old fool.
"Hobi," Yusuf murmured. "It is good you love old fools, yea?"
"Just one," Nicolo muttered. He straightened up and smiled faintly at Yusuf. He patted Yusuf's chest, his hand lingering on the shape of the pendant under Yusuf's shirt.
"You need a bath," Nicolo told Yusuf. He narrowed his eyes when Yusuf perked up. "Not that kind of bath. Our meal will get cold. Again."
Yusuf sighed. "Very well, I shall bathe alone by the well."
Nicolo's mouth went dry as Yusuf started undressing as he walked towards the back of the house where the well stood. "You...you are not going to the stream?"
Yusuf shrugged as he stepped out of his trousers. His back muscle rippled as he stretched his arms above his head.
Nicolo's throat worked as his eyes drifted lower and watched how Yusuf's buttocks clenched as he padded to the well, his clothes folded over a bent elbow.
Next to Nicolo, the horse snorted. It stared at Nicolo. Its ears twitched.
Nicolo blinked down at the scroll drying on the table. He looked about his surroundings at the tree, their house and the brown hen dozing on the gnarled roots of an argan tree.
Muttering to himself, Nicolo hurried.
"I thought you feared dinner would get cold," Yusuf said, delighted as Nicolo joined him by the well with their small bottle of oil.
"It will, but you can warm it up later."
"Mm, let me warm something else up first, hobi."
------------------------
I made the mistake of starting to clean up this story a few days ago. Between work and abject mortification of all the errors, I was late with this post. Sorry! Last part tomorrow!
In the meantime, I started posting the cleaned up version here:
https://archiveofourown.org/works/27808345
Keep in mind, this story was 342K (OMG). I'm desperately trying to clean it up and post as fast as I can. I originally hoped to get it all out by New Year's, but ack, 342K.
Re: NEW HERE: Needs of the Other 21C/21
Date: 2020-12-30 11:09 pm (UTC)Re: NEW HERE: Needs of the Other 21C/21
Date: 2020-12-31 02:22 pm (UTC)