Work Text:
***
Smoke billowed in the air, cloaking the summer sky in black soot. Sirens wailed throughout the city, and scared little fingers curled around Suga's shirt as he gathered them close.
"There's a fire," Mia whispered, speaking their fear into existence. Suga fought the urge to shudder.
"Yes, dearest, and our firefighters are trying to put it out."
"I'm scared."
So am I , Suga thought to himself. Instead of speaking for fear of his voice cracking, he reached out and wrapped his arms around the group, making sure they were all able to feel him.
"We'll be alright. And anyway, the fire is down the block, it's far enough."
Maybe if he pretended like the fear isn’t real, that the threat is near enough to touch them, it would all be alright. For the children, at least.
Suga managed to finish his class for the day.
The sirens were still wailing, but as he walked back to the faculty room, whispers down the hall say that the fire had been put out. A student just called out to him to say goodbye when he heard a piece of news that made his heart stop.
“There was an old woman stuck in the building, but a firefighter got her out. The firefighter was injured though.”
“Was it serious?”
“I think the ambulance that just drove by was for him.”
Suga felt his knees knock against each other. He reached out to brace a hand on the wall for support. His stomach churned, threatening to dispel his lunch. There was a high-pitched ringing in his ears as his mind went completely blank.
An injured firefighter. Had to be taken by an ambulance.
“Sugawara?”
It took him an entire minute to realize that someone was calling out to him. He looked up to see a very concerned Iwaizumi.
“Are you alright?”
Suga shook his head to regain his composure. “I… Yes. I’m sorry, it’s the heat. I’m feeling a little light-headed.”
“You need to head home? I can tell the department head.”
“I’m alright.”
“Suga.”
Suga stopped when he felt Iwaizumi’s hand on his elbow. His clear green eyes pierced him and there really wasn’t much he could hide from one of his closest friends. His hands started shaking again.
Iwaizumi’s voice was softer when it came. “Hey. He’s alright.”
“We don’t know that.” Suga didn’t realize that he was whispering. “One of them was injured. What if -”
“Hey.” The grip on Suga’s elbow tightened. “Head home. Text him. I’ll cover for you.”
Suga lowered his gaze as his fingers curled into fists. After a moment, he said, “Okay. Thank you.”
“Do you want me to ask Oikawa to walk you? I would, but I have a meeting in a while.”
“No, no. It’s alright. Thank you.”
“Take care, then.”
Suga plugged earphones in. The sirens were gone, but he could still see gawkers lingering where the fire had happened.
It was a nearby office building, the clear granite now blackened with soot. Some of the glass windows were busted, and the power seemed to be out. But Suga didn’t let himself see any more. He tightened his hold on his bag strap and walked away at a brisk pace.
He didn’t open his phone until he was across the threshold of their shared apartment. The lights were all out, the way Suga had left them when he went to work in the morning.
He wasn’t home.
Which is normal, Suga told himself. He has been on duty since the beginning of the month, although it was supposed to end in a few hours. There hasn’t been an incident in almost two weeks, and despite himself, Suga wondered why it had to happen on the last day of his duty.
His phone was still devoid of messages or calls, which was to be expected. Daichi doesn’t text or call him before 8pm, when he knows that Suga is already eating dinner. They would call, and Daichi would watch Suga prepare for bed until he went to sleep.
It was only half past 6. There’s still time yet. Suga went about his usual tasks of cleaning the house, taking a shower, and preparing dinner to quell the voices in his head. By the time he was set on the dinner table with food for two, it was pushing 8pm.
There were still no calls. Not even a text. Suga clutched his phone in his hands like a lifeline.
That’s alright. He’ll be home by 9pm. I can wait.
Midnight rolled in.
Suga had stowed the food away in the fridge. He didn’t have the stomach to eat a bite. Instead, he changed into his sleep clothes and was sitting on the couch with his phone still in hand.
Not a single message had come in.
His heart has been beating erratically in the past six hours. Blood ran cold in his veins despite the humid summer evening. Ultimately, he let his brain imagine the worst of possibilities, each one more terrible than the last.
So when he heard the knock on the door, his panicked heart all but dropped to his feet.
I don’t want to open it. What if -
He stood stiffly, his feet contradicting his thoughts. Step by agonizing step, he made his way to the front door. His hands touched the cold doorknob to twist it open. And felt a ten-ton weight drop and lift from his shoulders simultaneously when he saw the man standing outside the door.
“Suga! Thank goodness you’re still awake, I must have forgotten my keys -”
But Suga didn’t have the strength to retort. A short breath rushed out of his lips in a pathetic little yelp. His knees buckled from under him and he sank bonelessly to the floor, sobs and shudders wracking his body in terrible shakes.
“Oh, my love. Oh, no.”
Daichi immediately knelt in front of him and gathered Suga’s broken form into his arms. Suga didn’t move at all to reciprocate the embrace. His hands were shaking too violently. His chest was unbelievably tight as his heart raced beyond his control.
Instead of helping him up, Daichi unloaded his things right by the open front door and took Suga in his arms as if he weighed no more than a doll. He walked them through the house and into the living room, where he gingerly put Suga down on the couch.
Daichi placed a firm, tender kiss onto Suga’s forehead, which the latter all but melted into. “I’ll get my things, okay? I’m here, baby. I’m here.”
He was gone no more than five seconds, and then he was kneeling in front of Suga once again. The sobs have receded to quiet tears running down his face, and the trembling hands were folded into thicker, more calloused ones.
“I’m sorry, baby. I should have called, or texted you at least. There were so many things to settle in the station, with Terushima getting rushed to the hospital on top of it all. I was so busy and I forgot that you’d be worried. I’m so sorry.”
Daichi lifted Suga’s hands to his lips - chapped lips, Suga finally saw. He looked up at Daichi, whose face still had spots of black even when his hair was damp, probably from a quick shower.
Suga’s bottom lip trembled when he tried to speak. His voice came out small. “I thought I’d lost you.”
Daichi’s eyes softened and he placed another kiss on Suga’s knuckles. “No, baby. Never.”
“You can’t say that.”
The bulkier man sighed, resigned. It was true, they both knew it. His was the more dangerous work, and it wasn’t the first time Suga was worried out of his mind wondering if Daichi would ever make it home.
“Will you ask me to leave my job?” Again, he must have wanted to say. But Suga heard it anyway.
Daichi’s voice was quiet, almost as if he feared that Suga would say yes. They’ve argued about it before, in brighter days and with louder voices. Daichi never backed down from the argument in those times, but it’s nights like these where he wavers the most. It’s when Suga is breaking down and shaking so badly he couldn’t stand that Daichi is half-convinced to take a safer occupation.
And Suga knew that. He wanted Daichi safe - that was all. But he also knew that it’s in this sort of job - helping people, being of service to the community - that Daichi feels the most satisfied. The way Suga is with teaching and learning.
He knew he couldn’t just take that satisfaction away from him; it wouldn't be fair. Even if he knew that Daichi would, for him.
"Will you promise me something?" he asked instead.
The grip on his hands tightened. "Anything, my love."
"Always come home to me. Be safe and come home to me. No matter what."
Daichi's gaze was the softest, happiest that Suga ever saw, and he knew he made the right choice.
There will be dangers; accidents happen, and no one can do anything about them. But with this, Suga knew that if something did happen (God forbid, of course), he'd know that Daichi did his best to come home.
"Always," came the whispered promise, and Suga lifted his hands to brush away the soot on Daichi's jaw. His man leaned into his touch.
"You reek."
Daichi blinked, then broke out in a rumbling chuckle. "I would've showered first thing, but this always takes precedence." He paused, kissing Suga’s palm against his cheek. “You always take precedence.”
"Take one now while I heat up dinner. You must be starving."
Instead of getting up, Daichi leaned forward and nuzzled his face against Suga's neck. Despite the sweat and the grime, Suga let him. He was warm and big and steady - some of the things Suga loves the most about him.
"I've showered, you know."
Daichi hummed. "Shower again."
"Why waste water?"
"Shower with me then."
"I thought you were tired."
"Never for you."
Suga chuckled. Daichi can be such a big sap when he starts winding down from the stress of work. Suga patted his shoulder.
"Go shower, eat some dinner, and then we'll see if you're still up for… something."
Daichi smiled lazily, but before getting up, he placed another firm kiss on Suga's forehead. When he heard the shower spray, Suga stood up from the couch.
All is well , Suga thought as he made his way to the kitchen. He moved with an ease and lightness that was absent just a mere ten minutes past. All is well, now.
There will be more days of the same thing, to be sure, and of other stressful times as well. But if it came down to it, he would rather weather all the stresses of the world with the man he loves than live a life of bliss on his own.
***