#copley still hurt the people joe loves and that's not just gonna go away

[wingodex]

a lot of people write about joe's anger being bright and intense but short lived, and there are lots of reasons for that. joe's very expressive, and you get to see his emotions and the change in his emotions fairly frequently throughout the movie. it's easy to imagine him getting angry and then moving on to something else once that anger has run its course. this kind of anger is easier to write too, because anger is a complicated emotion and it often feels like characters cant move forward until theyre done being angry. it might also be a way to avoid portraying joe as being angrier than everyone else so one doesnt feed into negative stereotypes and that's legit!! all of these are valid reasons! i think this interpretation of joe is fine, i just don't love it and i especially don't love it when it has to do with booker's betrayal. even if joe's anger is typically gone quickly, i don't think it would be in this particular case because the fear that sparked that anger in the first place isn't going to go away.

i really like this post which talks about how joe's anger is always in response to fear, and a lot of my thoughts about this have to do with the way that those two emotions are clearly linked. fear is another difficult emotion, because fear lingers. just because the immediate danger is gone, that doesn't necessarily get rid of the fear. it can be really hard to stop being afraid, even when you know it's an illogical response. it's especially hard to stop being afraid when the situation warrants that fear. so when all of his hopes for escape are dashed, and andy's mortal and also andy just got shot and is maybe dying, of course joe's terrified. that fear isn't suddenly going to go away. joe's not suddenly going to stop being afraid of andy dying now that she's mortal just because they're not in immediate danger. he's not going to stop being afraid of being captured and imprisoned for an eternity. he's not going to stop being afraid about being separated from nicky or worrying about nicky dying. of course joe's pissed off and he has the right to be. and i think he'll be angry at booker for a really long time. he loves booker, and i think he'll miss him, but i don't think he'll stop being angry or stop being afraid to be around him. obviously i think that at some point joe will forgive booker, because joe is kind and forgiving, and he loves booker, and they will be able to move past this, but i also think that will be a long process for him and i think it will be really hard for both of them. because how do you stop being afraid to be around someone who has shown to you that they do not care about the safety and comfort of the people you love most? how do you stop being afraid when you know someone's capacity for harm because you have directly suffered as a result of it? booker can apologize, he can feel remorse, he can even feel horrified by his own actions (as shown with andy), and he can try to repent, but how does that stop joe from being afraid when booker knows where he is, where andy is, and where nicky is because he's set them up before, he can do it again, right? even if he knows, knows for certain that booker won't do that again, it'll be hard to shake the fear completely. building back trust is hard, and it's a process. you can see the two of them taking those first few steps when booker accepts his punishment at the end. they're going to be okay, eventually. joe knows this and believes this. that doesn't mean he has to stop being angry. that's okay too

#tog blogging #mehhhh i dont really wanna put this in any of the main tags #obviously i think joe will go through the whole range of emotions wrt booker #he'll pity him he'll wonder if there was something more he could have done he'll sympathize #but he doesnt have to stop being angry to do those things you know? #i also think joe will never really warm up to copley and i think that's fine too! #while i do think the situation with copley is different than with booker #copley still hurt the people joe loves and that's not just gonna go away #anyway i love joe so much he's just so loving and devoted and everything he does is motivated by love #and that's why i think he's gonna to put in the effort into overcoming his fear and anger towards booker #because he loves him you know? and it'll be worth it even if it is hard #joe contains multitudes!!!! he deserves it!!!!!

[harrynightingales]

the old guard @ eurovision (a crack mix)

the playlist equivalent of a shitpost: i.e. what i get after far too many hours spent listening to eurovision songs

this exists mostly because hearing “hasta la vista” and thinking of joe @ booker made me laugh, and i decided it warranted the most ridiculous playlist i’ve ever made. its pretty much chronological following pre-canon, the events of the movie, and post-canon. hope it gives you a laugh! songs and lyric snippets under the cut. 

heroes - måns zelmerlöw (the team / “this is what we do”)

We are the heroes of our time But we're dancing with the demons in our minds

invincible - carola (andy/quynh, the original power couple / “they ran through the world together, fought thousands of battles side by side”)

Invincible – one love supreme Unbreakable – one land of dreams Two hearts unite – insatiable This love tonight – invincible

playing with fire - ovi & paula seling (the enemies to lovers speedrun pt. 1: enemies / “we killed each other” / “many times”)

Boy, boy, boy, if you're mean I will start a fight tonight You and me, can't you see, We're playing with fire Tell me now, Do you feel this burning desire?

miracle  - ovi & paula seling (the enemies to lovers speedrun pt. 2: lovers / “my blessing isn’t that i get an eternal life. my blessing is i found you.”)

All the things I see I think I see them too All for you and me It's like a dream come true It's so beautiful No one will ever know It's a miracle

if love was a crime - poli genova (andy/quynh + joe/nicky giving homophobia a big fuck you over the centuries)

If love was a crime then we would be criminals Locked up for life but I'll do the time

Together we're untouchable You and me against the world Together we're invincible They will never break us down

always - aysel & arash (andy/quynh + joe/nicky living their best gay lives; the happy years)

Always on my mind Always in my dreams I wanna hold you close with me Always all the time

sound of silence - dami im (quynh under the water / “she kept fighting and she kept drowning”)

Getting hard to break through the madness You're not here it never makes sense Tidal waves of tears are crashing No one here to save me drowning 'Cause baby you're not here with me And I keep calling calling

undo - sanna nielsen (booker losing his family / “just because we keep living doesn’t mean we stop hurting”)

Undo my sad Undo what hurts so bad Undo my pain

alcohol is free - koza mostra (booker and andy’s unhealthy coping mechanisms)

Alcohol, alcohol, alcohol is free Alcohol, alcohol, alcohol is free

rise up - freaky fortune (kill floor)

Come on and rise up jump out of what keeps you down, Get high and rise up fly get your feet of the ground, Come on and rise up rise up rise up rise up rise rise rise...

alive - vincent bueno (nile discovering her immortality)

All I need is a little spark To light this whole world up Prepare for fire shots Only you can make me feel alive again, alive again

never forget - greta salome & jonsi (andy remembering quynh / “i lost a soldier”)

She mourns beneath the moonlit sky

Remembering when they said goodbye

Cause I still believe that you’ll remember me

grande amore - il volo (the van scene / “he’s all and more”)

Now you know

You are my only, great love

too late for love - john lundvik (the potential for nile/booker / the cave scene)

Say, am I wrong To wonder if it could be you and me? Is it too late for love? Hmm Is it too late for love? I wanna know Is it too late for love? I can't take no more Is it?

warrior - nina sublatti (andy & nile / “you come from warriors”)

World's gonna listen to me Violence, set it free Wings are gonna spread up

World's gonna get up and see I'm a warrior

every minute - eric saade (joe and nicky reminiscing about their malta sexcation / “oh, THAT time in malta...”)

We couldn't sleep, so we were up all night Making each other blush, and that's all right

I love it in the morning  I love it in the evening  I love it every weekend I want it all, every minute

proud - tamara todevska (nile making her own choices / “i’m not doing this”)

Tell them Raise your voice and say it loudly Show them what it means to stand up proudly

what about my dreams - kati wolf (copley realizing merrick’s true colours & helping nile / “he only cares about her immortality, not what she’s done with it”)

What about how I feel? What about my needs? I can't hold back, I can't go back I must be free What about how I feel?

its my time - jade ewen (nile in the elevator / “good luck, ms. freeman”) *note: not on spotify

It's my time now I'll break through I've made my move And my faith is strong now I've got the heart To reach the heights To show you it's my time tonight

hasta la vista - ruslan alehno (joe @ booker post-betrayal / “you selfish piece of shit”)

You've cast me away to a desert shore You've shattered my heart, now you keep the score

Hasta la vista, baby I'm gonna miss you, maybe

(i would) die for you - antique (the found family fighting together / “cover andy”)

'Cause I would die for you Look into my eyes and see it's true Really I could never lie to you Just to make you see that No one else could ever love you Like the way I do

say yay! - barei (andy regaining hope / “you reminded me that there are people worth fighting for”)

I feel alive  I wanna fight Won’t fix by running Come on and raise your battle cry You are the one who never dies

a new tomorrow - a friend in london (copley’s board)

Come on boys, come on girls In this crazy, crazy world You're the diamonds you're the pearls Let's make a new tomorrow

this is our night - sakis rouvas (the immortal squad with a new mission and new purpose / “let’s get to work”)

Time has come, so make a stand On your own, and take command Beat the odds, you will survive Stronger now, you feel alive This is our night, fly to the top baby Yes we can do it, just wait and see

rise like a phoenix - conchita wurst (post-credits: quynh returning / “hello, booker”)

Out of the ashes seeking rather than vengeance Retribution you were warned Once I'm transformed Once I'm reborn You know I will rise like a phoenix

edit: unlikely that anyone would notice, but i’ve made some slight changes, mostly reordering! also if anyone is curious about which countries are represented, the highest number of songs are from sweden (5), greece (4), austria, romania and bulgaria tied (2) and then azerbaijan, australia, iceland, italy, georiga, north macedonia, hungary, spain and denmark all have 1. 

also, songs that didn’t make the cut, in case anyone wants more:

drama queen - joe and nicky hanging out with drag queens and punching nazis in 1930s berlin

cake to bake - the baklava scene

not alone - eventual post-canon booker forgiveness

#the old guard #kaysanova #andromaquynh #everyone else out here making serious content and then there's me #could i interest you in another silly playlist?? #also full disclosure these are all bops #don't @ me about any of them #except maybe how including the eric saade song is cheating bc its not technically a eurovision song #could be though?? #we'll see at the melodifestivalen final #close enough though

[randomingoftherandomness]

For the prompt! 1 or maybe 8? If you’re feeling up to it!

A/N: Thanks for the prompt! I’m gonna go 8. A has always liked B and it’s hard for them to see B falling in love with C, not knowing that C actually has a thing for them

--

James gives him a familiar look that is equal parts frustrated and incredulity, and Booker knows he deserves it. “Don’t, just,” He swallows, waving his hand. “Just don’t, okay? Not tonight.”

The man may not be his best friend but he is certainly showing Booker why he should take that top spot when he merely uncaps the nearest bottle of beer and holds it out to Booker. “Thanks,” Booker huffs. 

“Still think you’re an idiot, though,” James says, clinking the neck of their bottles together. Good to know what he’ll have to look forward to when they head off on their week-long road trip to help James’ sister move her things out from their home state.

It’s Andy and Quynh’s engagement party but no one’s expecting him to be the life of the party and that suits him quite well. Any minute now, James will be swept up into a conversation and leave him to his little corner by the radiator and the window. Booker plans to stay the respectable amount of an hour before making up some excuse, a deadline due midnight perhaps, and escaping the almost oppressive happiness. 

The lovely couple is in the thick of things, holding court amongst their well-wishers and despite the determined cloud of misery that hangs over him, Booker finds himself feeling happy for them. Andy and Quynh are some of the best people he knows and he can only be happy for that unique joy of finding the person you would want to walk the ages of this earth with. If anyone should find it, he is glad it’s them.

James nudges him in the ribs and he doesn’t need to turn to know why.

The music changes just as he hears Andy’s laughter and Joe’s playful growl in greeting. He can’t see the entryway from here, too many bodies, but he can picture it in his mind. That bodily hug, picking Andy up in his arms. It’s how they’ve always greeted each other ever since they started up this friendship and it’s honestly endearing.

Booker’s heart gives an unpleasant lurch at the way Joe opens out an arm to wrap around Nicky’s waist. The gesture was comfortable, familiar like they’ve done it a million times before when Booker knows that they’d only begun to put a name to that unspoken attraction between them just a few weeks ago. It’s a thing so new that it still hurts him to see it.

Joe and himself had had a thing back in uni that fizzled out into a deep and meaningful friendship, and if Booker still harboured some lingering affection for the man, that he had hoped they could one day figure out a way they could work, he thinks he hides it well enough that it doesn’t show. Nicky was someone that entered the picture when they’d dined at his little restaurant and Joe had gone speechless at the sight of him over his Minestrone.

Booker isn’t blind. He knows love at first sight when he sees it and the thing between the two of them was just that. He’d been the one that nudged them along this path, being their touchstone in those early days and even now for the things that frustrated them. Booker was the first person Joe had called when they’d gone on what was their first date and he was the one Nicky came the night before what would be their first kiss. 

It was stupid to be this involved when his heart breaks whenever he sees them both together, but he thinks he can never truly be divorced from them, so a fool he will just have to be.

James sighs from beside him and takes his beer bottle, stealing his attention back to the present. “Do you need to go?” He asks, frowning before shaking his head. “No, wait. Do you want to go?” Damn, Booker can’t help thinking fondly, he is really vying with Joe for that best friend position.

He parts his lips to speak, leaning in to say that it’s ok, that he’ll go in a moment when he sees James’ eyes flick up somewhere behind him.

“Hey,” Joe greets them, bending down to wrap his arms around Booker in a tight hug. The inflection of his voice sits wrong with him, though, and it takes him a minute to pinpoint that this was the same voice he uses when there’s something wrong and he is trying to hide it.

“Why are you guys hiding in this corner?” Nicky asks, eyeing up the way that they’re pressed knee to hip, to shoulder on the narrow seat. Booker doesn’t know what to make of the guarded way those pale eyes regard him and he wants to say that it is nothing, when James wraps a strong hand around his wrist, squeezing tight.

“We’re talking about the trip we’re taking. Next weekend, just the two of us,” James says, the words pouring out of him like silken butter. Booker can’t help but gape back at Joe and Nicky when they turn to him. 

Something almost like cold fury crosses Joe’s warm brown eyes but when he blinks, it’s gone. “Oh? What’s the occasion?”

James laughs, throwing an arm around Booker’s shoulder. “Nothing much. Just plan on showing this guy just how special he is. A lot of people overlook that. I don’t intend to.”

“James...”

“He’s a very special person,” Nicky agrees with a soft laugh that doesn’t meet his smile. “Very lovely.”

Booker’s stomach coils uncomfortably and he thinks he feels heat creep up his neck at the praise. Joe cuts in, physically angling his body towards him and the insistent press of his presence has him breathless for a moment. 

“Can we speak to you? Just for a minute?”

“Y-yeah, of course,” Booker croaks. Turning to raise his eyebrows at James, he waits until Joe and Nicky have made their way towards the balcony to hiss, “What the bleeding fuck, James!”

In reply, the man merely claps him on the shoulders and cups his cheeks with bottle cooled hands. “Listen. If this goes the way I think it’s gonna go, you owe me beers for a year and you tell them not to cut my throat in my sleep, okay?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Booker whines, clawing out for him as he darts quickly away and towards Andy and Quynh.

Sighing, he hauls himself to his feet, following Joe and Nicky out to the balcony. “Is something the matter? Are you guys ok?”

Joe frowns at him, stepping closer to him to push the sliding doors shut. Out here, there’s nothing but the sound of the city and the muffled voices of the party behind them. 

“Are we okay? Shouldn’t we be asking you that? When did you and Copley get together? Why didn’t you tell me?” Joe starts, only to pause when Nicky grabs him by the arm.

“What Joe is saying in his uncharacteristically ineloquent way, is that we’re surprised, that’s all. Seems to have come out of nowhere,” Nicky gently enunciates.

Booker folds his arms in front of him, feeling defensive for some reason. “We’re not together.”

“What?”

“We’re not together,” Booker repeats. “We’re just friends.”

Nicky shakes his head, propelling himself forward to grip Booker by the shoulder. “But he said-”

“I’ll be going out of town with him for a week to help his sister move from their home state, that’s all,” Booker shrugs. “I was going to tell you guys tonight.”

“But the way he said it made it sound like you were together?”

Taking a half step back, Booker hides his discomfort by ducking his head. “Yeah, he can be a dick like that.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing.” 

He tries to make his way back into the party when Joe’s hand curls itself to his elbow. “Booker? Booker, I’m going to try something and you can punch me if I’m wrong, but I really hope that I’m right about this.”

Booker keeps his eyes on Joe’s, hardly daring to breathe lest he breaks whatever spell that has been spun between one breath and the next when he feels himself being pulled into a kiss. It’s a featherlight touch, that he arches into with heart-aching familiarity, barely lasting a second before his mind catches up to him and he pushes Joe back in horror. He turns to Nicky, an apology on his lips that sticks in the back of his throat when he sees that there is no anger there, nothing but quiet anticipation that makes his eyes almost glimmer in the city lights.

“We’ve been meaning to talk to you about this, Booker, but you always seem to give us the slip.”

Fingers card through his hair and settle at his nape, drawing his eyes back to Joe. “I never got over you, Basti. I know, at least I hope I know, that you didn’t either.”

“But, Nicky...”

“Nicky was well aware that he loved you when he got into this relationship with him. It was one of the first things we talked about on our first date,” Nicky laughs, closing the distance between them to wrap an arm around Booker’s waist. “Then when we kissed, we knew.”

“Knew what?” Booker stumbles over the syllables, heart racing a million miles per hour at the slow smile that stretches Nicky’s face.

“Knew that we wanted to try this, but only with you. Think you’d be okay with that?”

Joe nuzzles a kiss to his temple, even as he feels his mind short-circuiting at the words. “You don’t have to say anything. We can take this slow-”

“Yes,” Booker breathes, hand over Joe’s heart and the other pulling Nicky in. “Yes, a million times yes. Please.”

He buries his face in the crook of Nicky’s neck. The vibrations of their laughter and their words are lost to him, and he can’t bring himself to care. Whatever comes next will come and he will tackle them as they do. For now, there is just them, on this balcony, and the infinite happiness that fills his chest with liquid gold.

[send me an ot3 prompt]

#booker x joe x nicky #the old guard fic #gab writes stuff #thanks for the prompt!

[caffeinatedbraincell]

A TOG fic inspired by that one post by @oldguardsaidthat

Read on AO3

“I wasn’t that drunk last night,” Joe insisted. The look on Booker’s and Nile’s faces told him that this was a lost battle, but he had to try.

“You were flirting with Nicky,” Andy retorted from the kitchen, noisily slurping a coffee. Joe quickly swallowed a bite of his scrambled eggs before turning over his shoulder.

“So? He’s my husband!”

“You asked him if he was single. Then cried when he said he wasn’t.”

As if on cue, Nicky walked out of their bedroom. His hair was still damp from the shower, poking out from beneath the hood of a large, comfy pullover.

“That’s my hoodie,” Joe and Nile said at the same time. Joe turned to glare at her.

“It’s a men’s hoodie, Nile. Booker got it for me.”

“No, it’s a unisex one from Costco and it was in the bag of shopping with my name on it. Right, Book?”

Booker looked back and forth between them, trying to decide who he wanted to get into a fight with less. He sighed. “It’s clearly Nicky’s.”

Nicky grinned, pausing next to the table to scoop more breakfast potatoes onto Booker’s plate. “You tell them, Booker.” He went into the kitchen to join Andy by the coffee bar. “What were you saying, boss? Who was crying?”

“Your husband. Last night.”

Nicky laughed out loud. Joe tried really, really hard to be mad.

“He remembered nothing this morning, if you’ll believe it. I didn’t even know we could get hangovers that bad.”

“Yeah, well. You know how he gets. He missed you.”

Andy’s voice had softened, and Joe could almost see the look of fondness that was no doubt settling itself across Nicky’s face. He decided to lighten the moment by stomping into the kitchen and angrily washing his plate.

“I’m right here, you know! I can hear you.”

Andy smirked a little evilly. “Don’t you want to know what happened last night, Joe?”

“No.”

Booker walked in with his and Nile’s plates, sliding them into the soapy water and shrinking back when Joe gently waved off his offer to help. Nile hopped up onto a stool on the other side of the counter. She leaned forward excitedly.

“Are you sure? Because it’s a good story. We’d love to tell it.”

“Of course you would,” Joe muttered with ire that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “You’d all jump to speak of my humiliation, wouldn’t you?”

“Of your all-encompassing love, hayati.” Nicky set his cup down and stepped next to him, pressing against his hip and shoulder as he reached for a dish cloth to start drying. “Of your sweetness. Your utter sincerity. Which of these sounds even remotely like humiliation?”

“Bold words for someone who refuses to delete the video of me slipping in the rain and landing butt-first in a puddle of mud.”

“It was funny, Joe!”

“You showed Nile,” he grumbled, but he felt his lips quirk up in a smile despite himself.

“She is part of our family now, is she not?”

“Of course. Which is why I’m taking her to the art history museum in Malta next time we all visit. The human anatomy exhibit, specifically.”

Nicky turned a lovely shade of pink and made a point of shaking the next wet dish directly over Joe’s head.

“What’s in the human anatomy exhibit?” Nile perked up. Joe opened his mouth to speak, but Nicky quickly cut in.

“Andy! Why don’t you tell Joe how he managed to get wasted before Booker and I even showed up last night?”

___

Andy slapped $200 onto the table. Nile raised a judgmental eyebrow as she chewed on a piece of fried chicken.

“Andy. I’m 27. I don’t have $200 lying around to throw in on a bet.”

“That’s fine. Put in how much ever you want. Winner takes all. Joe, you want in?”

Joe looked up from where his head had been resting against his hands on the table. “I refuse,” he began indignantly, “to go around flirting with people just to get their numbers. It’s unethical. What if you break someone’s heart?”

Andy rolled her eyes. “No one’s gonna lose their heart to someone they met a few minutes ago at a club. Most of the numbers are fake, anyway. It’s just for fun.”

“Nicky’s not here.”

“Booker texted me. They’re delayed because Copley told them to stop by the bank and withdraw some cash. He’s going on vacation and wants us to stay under the radar for a few days.”

Joe shook his head. “You two play. I think I’m going to sit at the bar and drink for a bit.”

“Suit yourself. Nile, come on.”

___

“Wait, wait, wait,” Nile interjected. “Let me tell this next part, ‘cuz you’ll tell it wrong.”

“Look, the fact that you had three more numbers when Nicky and Booker arrived is immaterial. If we’d continued the game like we were supposed to, I’d have won.”

“You’re a sore loser, Andy.”

“Hey, I paid you, didn’t I?”

The group made their way back to the dining table. Nicky sat back and ran a hand through his hair exasperatedly.

“Madre de dio, you guys. I’ll tell it.”

___

Nicky and Booker walked into the club, quickly locating Andy as she chatted with another woman animatedly.

“Andy!”

Andy looked up and smiled, extracting herself effortlessly from the conversation.

“Finally. The bank give you any trouble?”

“Tried to,” Nicky answered, “but nothing a quick call to Copley didn’t fix.”

“Where’s Nile and Joe?” Booker asked. “We should go home.”

“Oh? No drinks tonight, Book?”

“We have better alcohol in the kitchen cabinet.”

“That’s true. Nile should be around here somewhere, shoot her a text. Nicky and I’ll go find Joe.”

“Bet.”

They walked toward the bar and spotted Joe scooting what was obviously the latest of several $10 bills at a bartender. She spared him a concerned glance over her shoulder as she poured him another drink. Joe gulped it down in a matter of seconds.

Nicky shook his head despairingly. “This insane man.”

“He was missing you.”

“That’s no reason to drink the bar dry!”

“The alcohol can’t hurt him, Nicky.”

“I know, I know. Give me a couple minutes, I’ll get him.”

Nicky walked up and slid onto the stool next to Joe, leaning forward to ask the bartender for a glass of water. He turned to his husband. Before he could say anything, Joe glanced at him out of the corner of his eye and whispered,

“Beautiful company tonight.”

Nicky froze. Was his husband hitting on him?

Joe winked.

Nicky’s jaw dropped. He was going to slap this man. He didn’t even want to know how much alcohol it took for an immortal to get this much out of their own mind.

“Are you single?” Joe’s words cut through his thoughts. Nicky looked at his wide, sparkling brown eyes, alive and surprisingly alert compared to a few moments ago. Joe kept his hands to himself, but leaned forward almost unconsciously, as if taking comfort in breathing the air around Nicky. His voice and body were a study in longing.

“No,” Nicky replied honestly. He held up his left hand. “I’m married.”

For a minute, neither of them spoke. Then Joe turned back to the bar and rested his chin on his hands, looking away.

“Oh,” he said in a tiny voice.

Nicolo rested a hand on the back of his neck and brought the glass of water to his lips. “Here, drink this. You’ll feel better.”

As he returned the glass, Nicky heard Joe give a small sniffle. Then another. He whipped around just in time to see a large, unhappy tear trickle down his beloved’s face.

Nicky’s heart abruptly broke.

“Hayati,” he breathed, surging forward to take Joe’s face in his hands. “Joe, look at me, my love. Please.”

“I’m not, though. Your love.” Joe hiccupped sadly. “You’re already married.”

“To you, you absolute fool. Here, I’ll show you. See?” Nicky held up his husband’s hand, clinking their matching rings together. “You’re my husband, Yusuf. The love of my every life.”

Joe looked at their joined hands disbelievingly. “I’m… yours?”

“Yes. Of course. And I’m yours. For as long as you want.”

“Promise?”

If Nicky had to endure one more second of doubt in those wide, teary eyes, he would explode. So he leaned forward and captured Joe’s lips with his, trying to pour 900 years of tenderness and devotion into the kiss.

“Nicky!” Nicky pulled back just far enough to shout a quick, “Yes, boss?” over his shoulder. Not that Joe found even that small distance acceptable, with the way he clung to Nicky’s neck.

“Get your ass in the car. Joe’s, too. You two can continue there. The rest of us want to go home.”

“I call shotgun!” Booker yelled.

“Oh, that’s not fair at all,” Nile grumbled. “Andy, can I drive?”

“No.”

___

Joe buried his face in his palms and groaned, a blush creeping up his neck as the others laughed. “Please tell me I at least behaved on the drive back.”

“If you call whispering ‘ti amo’ repeatedly until you fell asleep in Nicky’s lap behaving, then sure.”

The others burst out laughing at Nile’s retort, and Joe flushed even deeper.

“Hey, it could have been worse,” Andy smirked.

“Anyway,” Joe interjected. “I guess I owe you all an apology.”

Every single one of them opened their mouths to assure him that no such thing was necessary, but Andy got there first.

“For what? Being an absolutely precious human being? Never.”

#the old guard #joe x nicky #kaysanova #the whole found family gang #fanfiction #tog fanfic #kavi writes #feedback so welcome I cannot even emphasize how welcome #it's been a wild week #I just needed to get out of my head for a bit #so I wrote fluff! #10/10 lots of fun will probably write fluff again

[munsonsduchess]

So, I re-watched The Old Guard, again. Just like my Mag 7 re-watch I made some notes, six pages of them to be exact which is why I’m gonna drop them under the cut so I don’t clutter up anyone’s dash with my mildest of observations and all my feelings for a sad alcoholic Frenchman. 

I love how we’re introduced to everyone, Andy walking alone through Marrakesh and Booker speeding through the narrow streets on his bike. Are we supposed to think they’re strangers or do they know each other

Bookers little smile when he catches up to Andy like he’s so happy to see her again and Andy’s face lighting up to see him again too

Andy spent a fortune on a book because she knew Booker would like it. “First edition Don Quixote, that wouldn’t come cheap” “it didn’t”

“What brings you to Marrakech?” // “Family'' leave me alone I’m already sobbing

Andy honey they’ll still be able to see that picture in deleted photos but you tried and that’s what matters

Nicky and Joe!

Nicky is so happy to see Andy. That little smile. It’s adorable

“You look good” “you look ok” gentle family teasing is the best ok

“Boss”

It’s been a year since they saw one and other and they just love each other so much. No one touch me.

Nicky and Booker betting on the baklava and Joe just sitting there like “let him lose his money it’s fine, he won’t learn and it’s funny”

Everyone teasing Nicky for loosing and he’s just stood there like “no it’s fine ”

These are the best people for the job and Copley knows it and doesn’t care how much it will cost him. He has faith

Copley knowing Nicky is there and the little wave

Andy taking her axe with her. I love that axe

Just a group of immortals walking through the desert with swords and guns nothing to see here

“Peace be with you” those catholic teachings never quite leave

“It’s a trap!”

That has got to hurt. Those guys emptied full clips into them. Like I get the need to do a job and do it well but come on guys that’s overkill

This is what women want. Andy and her axe

Nicky still having faith there are girls

The picture on Copley’s desk. Like if you knew why did you have to go through this bullshit?

Andy has lived too long and seen too much

Like I know now that Booker knew what was happening or maybe he didn’t know the extent of it but him saying sorry did feel genuine

Andy is just all kinds of done. She didn’t want to do the job in the first place

Nile proving that yes you can be in a strange place and you can serve your country but you don’t have to be a dick about it

“Keep it respectful”

She made an effort to learn the language and learn the customs which goes a long way to establish trust

How traumatic must this have been for Nile? She always knew there was a possibility of being injured in combat or worse never coming home but to be injured so fatally and have your friend hold your life in their hands only to come back and be rejected because you’re an anomaly. A freak

Goes a long way to explain Booker’s feelings too

Nicky and Joe sleeping in the train car is something that is obviously so normal for couples and goes such a long way to show people how ‘normal’ queer people are

“What did you see?” “Part of a name tag” thanks Booker that’s helpful

“I felt her die”

“Everything happens for a reason boss”

Booker didn’t want to go after Nile. He didn’t want her involved

Nicky pushing for them to go after Nile. The emotional centre of the group, appealing to their own experiences and feelings from their first times

Andy is not happy and I can understand how she feels. Given their current situation bringing an unknown element into the mix is only going to complicate everything

“I know I saw her die”

No scarring. Nothing to suggest that anything happened to Nile

The seeds of doubt already growing amongst Nike’s friends and allies

Merrick looks like he should have been a doctor who villain who got his shit kicked in by Donna

Copley you asshole what did you think was gonna happen? They were just gonna get clips emptied into their bodies and let the mercs walk away? Use your big boy brain

Nile trying to come to terms with what happened to her. Everyone around her looking at her with suspicion. Even her Sargent who’s sending her away from more tests

The hostility in the barracks. The fact that her things are already packed.

Everyone knows what happened. Nile has never been more alone just like Nicky said

Trying to drown out the noise of the world and decompress and understand what happened“

But you can call me Andy”

Just casually steals a military transport. Nbd

MA’AM PLEASE I AM ALREADY GAY. Riding around in a tank top and shades like that is not helping

“These damn kids” 

Zero hesitation in shooting Nile. This is a woman who has run out of every kind of fuck

“Why does it always have to be so goddamn slow the first couple of times?”

“You shot me” “yes honey now back in the car

”Andy might think she’s cold and heartless and only here to do a job but you can see how much she already cares about what happens to Nile

Soldiers. Fighters. Family

You know what I’m really glad they didn’t make Andy’s tank top skin tight or moulded to show off her body. That isn’t how she rolls

Andy is so proud that Nile stabbed her. Look at that smile

!Nile already having the makings of a plan within minutes of stepping onto the plane

Andy just like “god isn’t real, I’m real though and people thought I was god”

I wonder how many nights the group sat up until the wee hours discussing things like theology. Andy who was worshiped as a god. Nicky and Joe who fought in a holy war for their beliefs and Booker who probably had his own feelings on the subject 

Andy being so chill about the crash. The best poker face

It was a good try Nile and look Andy is proud of you!

The smile on Andy’s face when she’s fighting with Nile gives me so much serotonin

Soft Andy. Who had to be tough to teach a lesson

Poor Nile. Coming to terms with what she is and the fact that she might never see her family again

Family dinner time!

Awkward family dinner time

Nicky and Joe staring at each each other with their puppy dog eyes “we’re meant to find each other”

Then Booker and Andy like “misery loves company”

Everyone’s just like “awh Nicky and Joe are so cute”

Andy reliving the people she’s fought with and lost

Booker knows just how much ‘help’ talking to ones family about the situation is

Booker do not put your finger on the trigger of your gun when it’s still in your trousers! You might be immortal but that’s gonna hurt a lot more

Oh no. Quynh.

Andy’s face. I can’t

Joe in tears telling the story“

Before me and Nicky it was just the two of them”

Booker knowing exactly how it feels to hang there for hours and not die or dying and coming back time and time again. Knowing how Quynh and Andy must have felt

I cannot imagine what it must have been like for Andy. To be with someone for so long. The only other person who understands you. To be ripped apart like that

“Why do you blame yourself” that’s not a nice question to ask people

The big emotional talk with Andy and Nile in the churchyard being interrupted by the gunfire

Andy being so afraid Booker wouldn’t come back and delegating to Nile who just accepts her orders

“Welcome back asshole” / “it feels like someone was dancing on my chest”

The banter

Nicky being banished to the table in the corner after 2006 is my favourite headcanon

“Wait for my signal” Andy is more pissed than ever at the people coming after her family

“Big wounds take longer to heal” Nile as a millennial presses x to doubt

The sheer emotion in Andy’s eyes as she fights. The tears. She’s doing this for her family.

Will I ever stop harping on about found family in this show? No I will not“

How can you even tell what the signal is?” One explosion later “oh wait nvm”

The wound on Andy’s shoulder probably doesn’t even feel like anything with the amount of adrenaline

The van. These two“

What is he your boyfriend?” Stanzas of Arabic poetry later, “he’s not my boyfriend he’s all and he’s more”

Nicky and Joe Horny on Main all day every day

These cocky little shits “can you remove the chains? no? ok”“

There’s a TV Joe!” “Champagne?” it’s not a field trip boys

“I used to keep my stuff here” in an abandoned mine she found in the 1150s or that’s when she thinks she found it

Nile being amazed by Andy’s ‘stuff’

Booker meanwhile makes a joke at the expense of his sister

Merrick really should have been a doctor who villain honestly. The grand gesturing the weird mood swings. He could have been great in a two part episode and then had to reckon with Donna

Donna Noble is my favourite companion don’t @ me

Copley beginning to have second thoughts on everything

Andy realising only now that she hasn’t healed from the fight in the church“

Just because we keep living doesn’t mean we stop hurting” I have a lot of Booker feelings ok“

I thought you were the brains of this outfit” oh honey no

Bookers family. Oh no.

No but really how hard must it have been for Booker. To know that his son, his baby was suffering from cancer such an awful disease all the whole cursing his father for being selfish, uncaring, cursing Booker and Booker can’t do anything about it. He’s immortal, he heals, disease will never ravage his body, but he can’t share it with his son. He can only sit and watch as death claims everyone he’s ever loved. Living with the fact that his family despised him at the end of their lives because they didn’t understand that his immortality is a curse.

I have a lot of Booker feels don’t @ me

The pharmacy girl though. Helping just because she could

Reaffirming the reason why Andy started to help people in the first place

A selfless act. A purely good deed. Nothing expected in return. An unselfish act

Andy’s wound and Lykon’s death causing Andy to come to terms with her own mortality

Merrick “prosperity data” and Copley “I’m sorry those are people not objects”

Nicky is not here for your bullshit

Malta Sex Vacation ™

HORNY JAIL

Family bonding time with Nile and Andy

Andy “whatever it takes” and Nile “not on my watch”

So what I want to know is obviously Booker was in on it from the beginning but did actively derail Andy looking into Copley after Joe and Nicky were taken or was he just genuinely having a hard time

Nile prioritising her flesh and blood family and Andy totally understanding because she’s doing this for family too“

You and me Book. Now and always” my heart can’t cope

Nile finding the empty clip. Realising what’s about to happen and going back for her new family because as much as she loves her flesh and blood family this one matters to her as well

Meanwhile Copley I guess got a tip off from Booker (?) and knew this was all going down

The conspiracy wall

Booker you bastard why did you shoot her in the back?

I love this man but god damn

Booker wanting to be ‘normal’ because the memory of being rejected is still so raw

Suicidal tendencies in a 200 year old man

They’re both so upset by the whole thing. The betrayal

Book loves this woman with all his heart and soul. This is the woman who saved him and now she isn’t healing. She’s dying

Booker putting up so much of a fight so they wouldn’t take Andy

“I’m sorry Andy I’m sorry”

You might disagree with me but in my mind Booker never meant to hurt anyone. He didn’t want to be a lab rat. Didn’t want anyone else to be a lab rat. He just wanted to be ‘normal’“

All things die”

“Your time is coming” // “As is yours” Nicky is gonna fuck someone up

“I’m new” says Nile after shooting herself in the foot to make a point

Copley’s conspiracy wall or his fanboy wall for all the good Andy, Booker, Joe and Nicky have done

Copley’s grief at losing his wife being the driving factor for handing the group over to Merrick is tragic and heart breaking and just goes to show how much of a human story this really is

Nile said no guns Copley

Nile is here to save her family

“Those three men in there and I we’ll keep you safe” // Nile coming in guns blazing for them instead

Joe is going to kill Booker himself

“You and Nicky always had each other. All we had was our grief”

Everyone being so surprised to see Nile like “what the fuck?”“

Just leave me here” // “No man left behind”

Meanwhile Joe is fine with just leaving Booker right there to be the last lab rat

The groups concern for Andy who’s always been so strong

The concern. The subtle little head nods Andy does to let them know she’s ok

Andy spies an axe

Joe being so concerned for Nicky and making sure he comes back ok

Nicky immediately scrambling to his feet to go and help Andy

“What happened in 1934?” // “1834”

“Wait for the signal” “like the last one?” “Go big or go home!”

Arguing over who goes first and Andy just “if it doesn’t work our next time you can go first”

And there’s your signal

“You shot Nicky” Joe is not messing around when it comes to his other half“

You ok?” // “Everything hurts”

Andy has been immortal for so long she’s lost all sense of feeling human. Then Nile shows up to do just that. Remind her

Merrick calling Nile selfish like I’m sorry you entitled little shit what did you say“

Do you think he speaks Russian?”

YEET!

That one must have hurt

Nicky and Joe just like “wow the new girl is hardcore”

“Faster than the elevator”

Gotta save Andy’s axe

Nicky sits in the middle which is the actual worst place to sit in a car

Do you think they al rocked up to a hotel covered in blood like “don’t ask just give us a room and a shower”

Joe still seething at Booker through the pub window

Nile having to live with the fact that her family will never know what really happened to her. That they’ll all think she was KIA and whatever body they send back won’t be hers

The 100 year naughty step

I love that Nile was gonna let Booker off with an apology like “he didn’t mean it he’s just a sad alcoholic”

Nobody look at me. Ok. Andy and Booker saying goodbye on the shore. I can’t. This is it. This is the scene that breaks me

“I won’t see you again” // “Have a little faith Book”

Joe really wants to hit Booker. Probably did in the interim

The big picture“

Maybe this is the why Andy”

Andy laying down the law and Joe in the background like “yeah this isn’t a request”

Meanwhile in Paris. Booker is tired and just wants a drink

I am a fan of the scruff though

If that’s water Quynh definitely brought it in herself for The Drama ™

QUYNH THOUGH

#the old guard #long post #disjoined thoughts #i have a lot of booker feelings #i am not apologising for what he did #i just have a lot of feelings about the why #in which my fave is the traitor of the group #why you ask? wish i knew mate #duchess.txt