fic: lessons exquisitely crafted (joe/nicky)

[kaydeefalls]

lessons exquisitely crafted (42968 words) by kaydeefalls
Chapters: 9/9
Fandom: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolo di Genova, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Andy | Andromache of Scythia/Quynh | Noriko
Characters: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani, Nicky | Nicolo di Genova, Quynh | Noriko, Andy | Andromache of Scythia, Original Characters
Additional Tags: Pre-Canon, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, Crusades Era Joe | Yusuf al-Kaysani & Nicky | Nicolo di Genova, Mutual Pining, Origin Story, Canon-Typical Violence, Temporary Character Death, as per canon, discussions about faith, Canon Queer Character of Color, Canon Queer Relationship, Sharing a Bed, Romance, working through your own shit before you can start a healthy relationship, Falling In Love
Summary:

"Do you think we'll dream of each other, now?" Nicolò asks unexpectedly. "Like we do those two women?"

It startles a real laugh out of Yusuf. "Who knows? Sometimes, Nicolò, I think I must have dreamed you entirely."

After escaping the fall of Jerusalem together, Yusuf walks away from Nicolò in order to return home and move on with his life. It works for a while. Fifteen years later, Nicolò shows up in his dreams of the two immortal women.

(In which Yusuf needs time to come to terms with destiny, and Nicolò to make peace with himself, before they can meet on equal ground.)