SUNSWORD

When he heard about the fire, he’d felt his heart begin to beat faster and faster than it ever had before and had dug out his phone from the pocket of his lab coat as he kept half of his attention on what the tall firefighter was telling them they should do in terms of evacuating. Nico wasn’t too worried as he shuffled to the back of the crowd like Link had done in order to make a phone call, he just had just needed to make sure that Levi had already left the skills lab he’d been studying in. 

The first call to Levi had rung out, in the same way the second, the third and the fourth had. Each missed call made the knot in his stomach tighten as Link stood behind him, relief evident in his tone once he’d quickly gotten through to Amelia. and heard that she was safe The fifth call that went ignored though, that was the one that forced his hand. Nico knew that straying from a group during an evacuation was probably one of the most idiotic things he had ever done, right up there with trying to kick a steel door when the car crashed into Joe’s bar, but his judgement was clouded by the fear that Levi wasn’t okay.

Levi Schmitt had somehow become the most important part of Nico’s life, more important than surgery and sports which Nico had vowed would keep him satisfied for life before he’d met and fallen in love with Levi, Nico was not going to let them become yet another couple in the Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital hall of tragedy and heartache. Looking back his decision could have considered selfish, running off to find Levi to save himself from feeling that loss or pain but in the moment? Nico was acting out of nothing but love.

“Fuck” he hissed, pulling his hand off the handle of the door that had seered his skin. He knew it was going to end up blistering badly and that whoever would have to bandage him up would likely berate him for his stupidity. He paused for a moment wishing he could take a deep breath to calm himself, it w as impossible though as the closer he got to the west wing of the hospital the heavier the air became with smoke. Nico blinked back the tears of pain and terror that were threatening to fall, he had to be strong.

He dialed Levi’s number once again, willing the other man to answer and tell him everything was okay, and when Levi didn’t answer he threw it to the ground in frustration not caring for a even a second about the damaged screen. He was just about to venture further down the hallway towards the staircase when he into something, well someone. He mumbled an apology and tried to push past the pair who stood guard.

“Sir, this area was evacuated earlier. All civilians are supposed to be outside in the parking lot” the woman said kindly, while fixing him with a hard glare from behind her oxygen mask as if daring him to try and argue with her.

“I know but my boyfriend, he’s not answering his phone and I really have to get to him” Nico explained, once again being blocked when he tried to push past them. They didn’t understand, couldn’t understand the fear he felt, he wouldn’t be okay until he had Levi in his arms.

“What is with the doctors here always wanting to run towards the fire?” the man muttered, clearly fed up with how this conversation was going before addressing Nico “We’ve got a full headcount for those who were up here and everyone is out, you really need to join them and get checked out for injuries okay? Your boyfriend is probably out there scared out of his mind right now”

“You’re probably right” Nico nodded, not yet willing to go off his terror. “Are you sure everyone is out?”

“Everyone but you” the woman replied “Come on, let’s get you downstairs and find that boyfriend of yours. He must be something special if you’re willing to run into fire for him”

Nico didn’t get a chance to breath fresh air into his lungs once he was outside before he was pulled into a bone crushingly tight hug. He melted into the touch as he wrapped his own arms around Levi, a cooling rush of serenity pouring over him as he let his tears fall “You weren’t answering your phone.I was so scared”

“I’m sorry” Levi replied, knowing it probably wasn’t the appropriate time to start lecturing Nico on straying from the group he’d been apart of. Levi didn’t think he had ever been as terrified as he was when Link admitted to him that he had no idea where Nico was. Terrible images of Nico in pain and crying out for help had been flashing through his mind ever since and he would be lying if he said that he’d not thought about trying to run back into the burning building just to find his boyfriend. Love made people do crazy things.