Chapter Text
It would be a total understatement to say that hospital staff were surprised once they saw them.
They were all in disbelief.
The moment they got wheeled through the glass doors of the ER, the air shifted almost immediately, the collective intake of breath was palpable. People were freezing mid-step, their eyes locking to the grotesque rebar that bounded the two men together like some sick sculpture.
Nico felt himself wanting to squirm at the weight of their stares, but he didn’t—couldn’t.
Not only because it would fucking hurt to have another fresh wave of agony shoot through him but because Lewis’s hand was gripping his, rubbing his knuckles so tenderly it was overwhelming.
He blinked rapidly a few times, trying not to crumble under the wave of emotion surging through his chest.
The stretcher stopped moving eventually and soon a swarm of doctors were being called to them, their voices overlapping as Daniel and—partly—Max gave a rundown on the situation and how exactly they ended up like this.
Nico zoned out a bit, or maybe he’s losing so much blood that he’s briefly passing out, he isn’t exactly sure. But the sounds and the lights begin to blend into a surreal haze of sorts. He blinks a few times to keep his vision somewhat focused.
The only thing he’s hyper aware of is Lewis’s grip still on his hand and the way his thumb is gently rubbing circles into the back of his hand. It was grounding in a way, helping keep Nico tethered to reality.
Before he knew it, there was a nurse coming over and clipping an identification bracelet onto his and Lewis’s wrists, after that they were quickly moved onto another gurney.
Though this time it hurt much more than the first time, most of the adrenaline in their bodies had run dry, leaving their nerves raw and exposed.
The pain was so agonizing that by the time they were set back down, both their throats were raw from screaming.
They both breath heavily, jaws clenched so hard their teeth might shatter. Nico blinked through his tears, his chest heaving, trying to gather himself.
Through the blur he can partly see Max approaching them, though his eyes are so full of spots he can’t be for sure.
But it gets confirmed when the young Dutchman lays a shaking hand on the gurney, his knuckles going white. Nico feels bad for the kid, he’s sure this incident is going to stick with him for weeks, hell, maybe even years.
Max swallowed a few times before speaking, “We got to fill out paperwork…” he said, voice tight, like he was forcing through a lump in his throat.
Nico hated the guilt that continued to stab at him.
“We’ll come to check on you guys in a bit?” Max added as he gestured to Daniel who was writing frantically on a clipboard.
The injured pair nodded as a few doctors and a nurse nudged Max aside. The gurney started moving again, the glaring overhead lights rushing past in streaks. Each bump in the corridor felt like a fresh assault to their wounds, making the pair clench their jaws until they ached.
They get wheeled into one of the ER rooms—if Nico had to guess probably in the intensive care unit—where there was a doctor waiting there for them, then the chaos resumed again.
IVs were inserted, wires were getting attached, and medical jargon flew between the doctors and nurses.
The pain meds took a bit to kick in but eventually it dulled the edges of their agony, though it did little to stop Nico’s spiraling thoughts.
They’d then endure a few x-rays, ultrasounds and other tests Nico couldn’t name but Lewis probably could, and now they were waiting for the results.
The weight of the unknown was unbearable.
The longer they waited the more alarmed Lewis began to grow and in turn made Nico’s anxiety skyrocket to the highest he thinks it’s ever been.
The sound of the heart monitors and the occasional inflation of the blood pressure cuff does not ease his mind, eventually he can’t hold in his worries and the air feels too thick to breath.
“Why are they taking so long—?” Nico finally asked, his sentence shaking towards the end as the unease made its way into his voice.
As if summoned, the doctor returns through the glass doorway, his face drawn, lips pressed into a grim line as he flicks through the papers on his clipboard.
Nico can feel his heart plummet.
“Gentlemen, I’m afraid I have some bad news…” He began, letting the papers he flickered through fall back onto the clipboard. His gaze then landed on Nico, “The rebar seems to have pinched your aorta.” He paused, shifting his eyes to Lewis “And your vena cava.”
The words hit like a punch to the gut.
Nico’s medical knowledge is pretty limited compared to Lewis’s but even he knew enough to understand the gravity of this.
When he flickered his eyes towards Lewis, the terror in those deep brown eyes confirmed exactly what he was afraid of:
This was as bad as it could possibly be.
The doctor approaches their gurney, leaning over to inspect the twisted metal binding them together. “If we were to remove it as it is, the risk of fatal hemorrhaging is incredibly high. You’d bleed out before we even get a chance to stop it,” The doctor informs, taking a step back to glance at their vital monitor.
Lewis takes a shaky inhale. “So you’ll have to cut the rebar between us and…”
“And slide one of you away from the other yes…” The doctor trailed off.
Nico looks between the two with an alarmed expression, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out how bad that could go, they’re both high risk right now, and whoever is being moved will have a lesser chance at making it. And fuck he’s so terrified right now, he can feel his hands start to shake in Lewis’s grip.
The doctor lets out a heavy sigh, “The risk of survival for the one who is moved is… significantly low…”
“Move me then,” Lewis said without hesitation, like it was the easiest decision of his life.
Nico craned his head towards him, so fast he jostled his body and a flash of pain shot through him, though not as bad as before, he still clenched his jaw as a whine escaped his lips. He attempts to conjure up a furious glare as he looks into Lewis’s eyes, “What the fuck Lew! You can’t—“
“Yes I can and I will,” Lewis interrupted, his voice rising before shifting into something pleading “…for you I will,”
Nico’s breath dies in his throat, his eyes widening as he catches the raw emotion in Lewis’s gaze.
The doctor clears his throat, seemingly sensing the newfound tension between the two. “I’ll leave you to decide. But please, be quick, we don't know how much time we have.” He exited quietly, leaving them alone in a charged silence.
“Lewis, no, are you fucking stupid?” Nico began almost immediately, his voice breaking, “I’m the one that was goin to fall first, i should—“
Lewis shook his head vehemently,”No, Nico, please, let me do this for you, “ Lewis pleaded, he’s got that determined look in his eye that Nico used to love to see, but now it only filled his stomach with dread. “I’ve wronged you so many times, let me make things right by doing this-“
“No, stop, you don’t have to-to fucking die to earn my trust back Lewis!” Nico shot back, a few stray tears spring free from his eyes.
“You- this isn’t like bringing me dinner or inviting me to be your teammate for a stupid treasure hunt— This- you, Fuck!” Nico takes a few shaky breaths trying to calm down but he can’t, his mind is in a wave panic and he can’t stop himself from getting caught in the current of it.
“I know i’ve been a dick lately even though you’re trying so hard to fix things but i’ve lived a life without you in it and it was horrible, sure you hurt me but now that things are better i— i can’t let you do this, i can’t stand the thought of living without you again,”
He can feel the tears beginning to spill out like a flood and Lewis is staring at him with wide, glassy eyes.
Then, Lewis raises a trembling hand to Nico’s face, brushing back a stray strand from his forehead. His touch lingered before cradling his jaw gently. The motion is so tender, so caring, Nico has to bite back a sob that threatens to escape his throat.
Lewis’s eyes are so warm as he gazes at him. “I don’t either, okay?” Lewis whispered, his own voice starting to break. “But I want—need to give you a fighting chance, please, let me do this” Lewis pleaded and Nico shook his head looking back at their intertwined hands.
He can’t, he won’t allow Lewis to do this, to sacrifice himself for him. He can’t let that happen, he won’t survive the loss or the weight of knowing Lewis died for him.
“Hey, look at me.” Lewis asked, tipping Nico’s face so they can lock gazes again “They didn’t say it was fatal,”
While that is technically true, the interpretation that it could be still lingered which is why this comment from Lewis didn’t change how Nico felt whatsoever.
In fact it made his dread worse.
Lewis gives him a soft smile, one that Nico hasn’t gotten directed at him in so long. The ones they used to exchange when they were stupid kids with a dream, before any of the hookup bullshit, before all the hurt.
“I’ll just have to hold onto life a little tighter,”
Lewis’s words hung between them, heavy and unyielding and he isn’t sure if he should be mad or scared of that.
Nico goes to argue but stops himself, as he stared into Lewis’s warm brown eyes, he found that there were no cracks in his determination, not a single tear that would indicate that he isn’t sure about this.
For the first time, Nico decides he's going to admit defeat in an argument against Lewis.
He has to, they don’t have much time and if they continue they’ll probably both bleed out before any decision actually gets made.
So with a stern expression on his face, Nico keeps his blue eyes locked with Lewis’s brown ones.
“Then you better hold it fucking tightly.” he demanded, his voice thick with tears. He’s aware he’s asking for something that isn’t guaranteed, but he doesn’t fucking care at this point.
The only thing he wants is Lewis to still be breathing by the time this is all over.
Lewis squeezes his hand tightly, a shaky smile on his face. “I already am.”
It’s at that moment that the doctor returned, flanked by a team of nurses.
“Have we made a decision?” He asks, flicking his gaze between the two. Lewis gives Nico another look, one full of promise and something else.
“I’ll move,” Lewis declared, his voice unwavering.
The doctor nodded, “I promise my team will make sure to do everything we can to save you both,” he said sincerely and soon preparation began for the OR, the air buzzing with tension.
As the gurney was wheeled towards the operating theater, Lewis turned his head, his voice soft but urgent.
“Nico,” he began, his words spilling out in a rush. “ I know right now is shitty to say this but i have to, just in case—“
“What is—“
“I love you,” Lewis whispered, his eyes shimmering with tears. “ I'm sorry it took me so long to say it to your face but I do, I always have and I always will.” he confessed, the breath from his lips ghost Nico’s own.
The confession unraveled Nico completely.
He doesn’t even think, honestly, anything that came to Lewis he doesn’t think he ever really does.
He craned his neck forward, ignoring the sharp protests of his body and pressed his lips to Lewis’s
The kiss was fleeting but electric, a spark of life and love in the midst of chaos. The feeling something Lewis had missed so much, something he’d craved all these years apart.
It was filled with all the things Lewis relished in secretly during their seemingly meaningless hookups all those years ago and now he finally has it during this cruel moment, where the future isn’t certain for Nico and certainly not himself.
But if things go wrong or if things go right Lewis would be okay with that he realizes, because whether it be in a few hours or in the next lifetime he just hopes that they’ll be able to get it right next time.
Waking up was slow, like he was dragging himself through quicksand or something.
Nico’s head was foggy, his thoughts sluggish and the world around him kept going in and out of focus .
He blinked a few times in an attempt to clear the fog, though it didn't really help, the haze of anesthesia continued to linger.
When he attempts to sit up, a sharp jolt of pain shot through his torso. It wasn’t excruciating but definitely not just a light sting.
He curses shakily under his breath between gritted teeth.
“Nico?”
The sound of a familiar female voice pulled him out of his fog. It was tentative, soft and laced with concern. The tone filled his body with a calmness that washed away the ache in his torso.
He turned his gaze towards the source of the sound and though his vision was still slightly blurred, he could just make out the shape of her face.
“Britta?” His voice cracked, weak and uncertain. He squinted his eyes a bit, her figure is slightly fuzzy, but the edges sharpen bit by bit.
It was definitely her. She’s sitting in a chair beside him, hair pulled back into a neat ponytail with a steaming coffee in hand.
“Hey,” she said softly, leaning forward. Her voice was calm but the worry was evident on her face. “Just relax, the emergency surgery went well,”
Surgery.
The word echoed through his mind like a gunshot.
Slowly the pieces began to fall back into place.
He and Lewis- oh, fuck, Lewis.
The memories hit him like a freight train: the rebar, the blood, the decision that had his soul tearing in half.
His heart immediately sinks as panic overtakes him. His gaze darted frantically around the sterile hospital room, searching for something—someone.
He suddenly realizes he can’t breath and there’s a faint beeping noise but he can't really hear it, he just can’t—
His heart continued to thunder, the monitors beeping frantically, their rhythm matching the erratic pounding in his ears.
He can’t fucking —
He can’t breath—
He—Lewis?
Where's Lewis?
Is he—?
“Nico!” Britta’s sharp tone cut through his gaze. Her hand gripped his shoulder, steady and firm. “Breath. Look at me,”
His eyes darted straight towards the person who’s hand was on him. His frantic gaze locking onto hers.
A growing dread is filling his heart and his soul, his chest feels tight and he can’t—no, Lewis he-
“He—No…please—“ His voice was raw, words tumbling out in a panic as his gasps became more and more raggad.
“Hey, no, no,” Britta coaxed softly, “Nico listen to me.” She asks, voice softening as she squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. “He’s fine, hes okay too”
Those few simple words hit him like a tidal wave crashing over the storm inside him.
His breathing slowed, though his chest still heaved with the effort of calming down. His hands were shaking as they clutched the bedsheets
“He’s in the room across the hall, he’s under a bit more observation than you but he’s going to be alright Nico” Britta comforts, though her expression is slightly grim, it’s nowhere near as terrifying as the look from earlier when he woke up on the verge of a panic attack.
As he feels himself finally get a grip on his emotions and quiets his panicked thoughts, he looks back at his friend. “What happened?”
Britta sighs, she looks like she’s debating if she should really tell him. But one sad and pleading look was all it took before she gave in.
“They lost his pulse a few times, but he always came back,”
Nico’s eyes widened.
Lewis ended up keeping the promise to hold on and he did
It was for him.
He always came back for Nico.
Nico doesn’t even realize he’s started crying, salty tears running down his cheeks and landing on the corners of his mouth. The relief coursed through his veins so intensely, it left him almost light headed.
“Thank god,” he murmured, his voice cracking with emotion.
For a while, a silence settled over the room.
It wasn’t uncomfortable but it was heavy with unspoken thoughts, mainly from Britta. So he waits patiently, knowing that if he just lets her sit on it and think, the truth will come out soon.
He let his mind wander for a bit as his breathing steadied, the constant beeping of the heart monitor becoming a soothing rhythm in the background.
Finally, Britta broke the silence.
“You really scared me there you idiot,” Her tone was light, but the end of her sentence shook with barely contained emotion.
Nico glanced at her, the corner of his mouth twitching up at the light remark. “Sorry,”
Britta shook her head, exhaling sharply. “When Captain Wolff called I feared the worst had happened,”
The vulnerability and confession from her had his small smile dropping away immediately.
“I’m sorry,” Nico whispered as a weight of guilt began to form in his stomach.
She waved him off, brushing the apology away with a flick of her wrist. “It’s not your fault, these things happen in your line of work,” She sighs, but soon her face has a giant smile planted on it, the mood suddenly feeling much more lively. “I’m just so fucking glad you’re alright,” She says as she lightly pats his arm.
Nico huffed out a weak laugh, “Yeah well, you can mostly thank Lewis for that,” he says, his heart filling with warmth for the man in a way it hasn’t in a long time.
Her expression faltered slightly, her eyes narrowing. “I will,” she said, voice sharp. “Though I still hate his guts for what he did to you,” She scowled, the memories of a younger Nico pleading to be left alone, along with the sound of his sorrows still lingering in her mind.
Nico sighed as he runs a hand through his messy hair. The motion pulled at his stitches, making him wince but he pushed through the discomfort. “He’s been trying to fix it.”
Britta gave him a flat look.
“As you’ve said,” She replies with an eye roll before her expression turns more serious. “But…Nico, are you sure that’s a good idea? The last time-“
“He’s changed,” Nico defended immediately, and it’s true.
From the second he met Lewis again he knew he changed. Even if at first he was absolutely infuriated at the way he just popped back into Nico’s life, he knew that the Brit had changed for the better.
Nico just refused to admit it to himself then.
“Has he, though?” Britta questions her eyes filled with skepticism, and Nico almost laughs at that.
He’s asked himself that exact question plenty of times, and each time he’s come to the same conclusion.
“Yes, he has,” Nico stated firmly. “He’s been going above and beyond for me even if I made it hard for him, he really does want to try again and…” He hesitated, swallowing hard.
“And?” Britta pressed.
Nico licked his lips, he hadn’t been able to admit this out loud yet, honestly he himself still hasn’t wanted to admit this next part.
But it’s the truth and the only thing he and Britta have ever said to one another is the truth.
“And…I think I'm willing to give him a chance now…” Nico confessed in a low tone.
Britta seems to freeze for a second, her face blank and calculating. Her gaze kept flickering from Nico to the floor. So he sits there for an awkward moment, shifting slightly, though that does send a jolt of pain through his torso again.
Finally, she lets out a long defeated sigh.
“If that’s what you think then alright, I won’t change your mind,” she tells him, before her lips curled into a mischievous grin. “But just know, if he does hurt you again I'm going to become wanted for murder,” .
Nico lets out a loud laugh at that, though there’s still a horrible pain radiating from his wound but he could care less right now. The warmth of the moment, the bond he shared with Britta, was definitely worth the slight discomfort.
After all, pain is only temporary.
But moments like these?
They were forever.
It took four months for them to fully recover fully and be allowed back at work.
The recovery period was grueling in Nico’s opinion, those four months felt like an eternity. It was grueling, painful and he was riddled with frustration but…it had its ups.
In those four months he and Lewis talked…a lot.
Like, really talked.
At first it was awkward, the conversations halting as they circled around their past like a fire that neither of them had the strength to extinguish.
But eventually, they started with unpacking the drunken hookups…then the sober ones.
They talked about that dreadful night at the bar again and Lewis confessed in a voice so strained it almost cracked, how much he still regrets it. So much so that the memory makes him feel sick to his stomach everytime he remembers his cruelty.
They then shared stories about their time at the 446th, all the good, the bad and the occasional downright batshit moments. Even though their relationship had been strained, there had been moments that they both still treasured deeply.
Nico opened up about his time after Lewis transferred, about the dark pit that he couldn’t seem to claw out of. He described his suffocating misery, with a trembling voice.
The memories of his agony had him sniffling, a few quiet tears falling down his face. On the other end of this facetime call, Lewis listened silently, his expression riddled with guilt.
Lewis, in turn, talked about his time at the 623rd.
He described how he wasn't at ease there, how out of place he felt. He spoke about how for months he’d turn looking for Nico only to realize he wasn't there. He confessed to spending nights curled up on the cold bathroom floor, his stomach twisting over the things he’d done to Nico.
He said that if it wasn’t for the rookie of the station—George—for helping him find his path again, Lewis might’ve truly become lost.
It was a lot to digest for Nico, for Lewis even. They both shed quite a lot of tears the night they talked of that. The emotions were so raw and punctuated by long silences and unsteady breaths. Though it was painful, it almost felt healing in a way.
They then spoke of their surprise reunion.
The one that left Nico so scared and so angry. Lewis' face looked heartbroken to hear that, to know that Nico had been scared of him.
Lewis shared that he’d been in disbelief when he saw the blond walk through the door. He confessed that his mind was running all kinds of apologies that he wanted to voice.
But when Nico ran away, all he felt was a sinking in his heart that signified that he’d well and truly fucked things up.
Then came the conversation about Lewis’s apology.
How Lewis spent days practicing a speech for Nico only to forget most of it and start winging it during their talk in the blonds kitchen.
He even confessed to making sure he got Nico’s favorite food because he wanted to show he was serious, even before having said a word.
The rest of the conversations were more of waking down memory lane.
How they sorta became acquaintances again and about how sometimes things would be fine but then instantly get awkward again.
Nico confessed that whenever they got close again he’d pull away out of fear, he didn’t want to get hurt again.
Lewis understood that, he apologized again, even said that he’d pull away sometimes too because he was worried about hurting Nico.
They both huffed a little at that, what idiots they are.
But all of it had been leading to one question, a single moment of reckoning:
What were they now?
“…ico…”
It was a question that had Nico up all night thinking about, ever since Lewis asked him Nico still hasn’t been able to give him a solid answer.
A couple of months ago, he was so sure of what he wanted. But now that he’s healed up and not fogged by painkillers and relief, he’s starting to second guess himself.
“Brittney!” a name shouted and Nico snapped out of his daze. He blinked a few times at the hand that’s waving in front of his face.
“What?” Nico asked, a bit irritated at the nickname.
“You alright? Been calling you for like five minutes mate,” Jenson commented as he walked into the locker room. He took a seat next to Nico on the bench.
“Fine just…thinking,”
Though his gaze betrays him as he spots Lewis walking through the bay, the Brit catches his eye and gives him a charming smile and a wave before continuing to wherever he was going.
He could feel a blush rushing up from under his skin, he looked away, his eyes then finding Jenson’s shit eating grin.
“More pining troubles?” Jenson teased with a groan. “I'm a genius matchmaker y'know, so lay the drama on me yeah?”
Nico shoots him an unimpressed look. “I think Mark and Fernando would say otherwise,”
“Rude! I got them together at some point, even if the plan was a bit unorthodox.” Jenson said with a mock pout, crossing his arms dramatically.
Nico rolled his eyes fondly at his friend.
“Fine,” Nico relented with a sigh, “During my recovery I had dinner with Lewis—“
“A date?”
“What? No! Just dinner.” Nico snapped, a bit too defensive at that, though the flush flooding his face is definitely betraying his nerves.
Jenson hummed knowingly, his grin somehow growing wider.
“Anyways, he asked what we were and I still haven't been able to answer him.” Nico ran a hand through his hair, sighing deeply.
It’s getting way too long, he thinks as he tugs at a strand. Maybe he should cut it short for once?
He shakes his head to rid that thought and to get back on topic.
“During our recovery I was sure I knew...”
“Well, what changed?” Jenson promoted, his teasing tone now replaced with curiosity.
Nico opens his mouth to say something, but he finds himself closing it because…he actually doesn’t have a clue.
“I don’t know,” Nico admitted, his brows knitting together. “Nothing I guess…or maybe…”
“Are you sure that isn’t the reason?”
Nico turned his head, puzzled.
“What?”
Jenson looked at him with a leveled expression, no sign of the joking sparkle he had earlier.
“I meant, is the idea of change the reason you’re backtracking?” .
Nico’s froze, Jenson’s words hitting him like a bolt of—sorry Mark—lighting
Is that it?
Is the idea of a change in his relationship with Lewis the reason he’s delaying himself from answering?
Is the idea that they will be going into an actual relationship , not one built up on bad communication and casual sex, but something that’s built on love and trust?
But why would he not like the idea of something he’d wanted for years?
“Or is it the fact that you’re scared of that change?” Jenson asked, his sentence cut through the air and smacked Nico straight in the face.
Oh
Maybe he still is scared.
Jenson watched his face carefully, his expression is softer in a way, like he knows he’s struck the right cord with that question.
“It’s fine to be scared yknow? We’re all scared of something, even us adrenaline junky fire fighters,”
Nico huffed out a dry laugh, “If only it was that simple…” His voice was quieter, like he was coming to terms with what he’s truly feeling now, finally understanding all that was runnin through his mind.
“If I say we’re together, then…it becomes real. And if it’s real, how do I know it won’t fall apart? A label on a relationship can’t stop that from happening again.”
It goes quiet for a moment, the words hanging in the air.
Jenson breaks the tense silence, “Look, I'm not going to sit here and say it’ll all be sunshine and rainbows or whatever. Relationships are messy, and you twos? One of the messiest I've EVER seen, but I think if Lewis is serious and you’re serious…all that shit from the past and all the shit that will come in the future will be worth it.”
Nico leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees as he rubbed his palms over his face, while that is true…there is one more small tug in the back of his mind, one that’s still preventing him from going through with this decision.
“But…what if this is just another way for him to string me along and eventually break my heart?” he whispered out, his voice waving ever so slightly.
Jenson tilted his head a bit, “Do you really think he’d do that?” .
Nico let out a bitter laugh, “It wouldn’t be the first time he’s done it to me,”
Jenson shook his head, “No I mean the Lewis of now, not the one from years ago.”.
Nico stayed silent, his gaze now staring at the floor as he took his hands off his face.
Jenson sighed, “I think you’re overthinking this mate. If he wasn’t actually serious he wouldn’t have brought it up right? He doesn’t do things half heartedly anymore. You two have been dancing around each other ever since you two talked it out, you already know how you both feel. The real question is whether you're brave enough to turn into something more.”
Nico bit the inside of his cheek as Jenson’s words settled over his mind.
He knew the Brit was right, even if he didn’t really want to admit that.
He had spent so long keeping Lewis at arms length—even when they agreed to be more civil again—and now that he knows they could be more…
The sound of laughter echoed from the garage bay and Nico’s eyes glanced up.
Lewis was leaning against one of the fire trucks, talking animatedly with Daniel and Max. His smile was brighter than the sun, and for a split second Nico couldn’t breath.
Jenson nudged his rib with his elbow, Nico looked up to see that stupid grin back on his face. “Stop making yourself miserable and go for it mate, you deserve to be happy too.”
Nico sighed as a smile began to grace his face, “I guess old age is finally making you wise huh?” the German jokes.
“Hey! I’m only 5 years older than you!” Jenson shot back as he stood up, stretching his arms above his head.
Before anymore could be said, the bell rings, and Nico sighs as he stands from the bench.
His thoughts are still whirling a bit as he grabs his turnout gear, he knows he can’t keep Lewis hanging in uncertainty, even if a darker, unhealed part of his heart says he should, he won’t.
That just isn’t who he is anymore.
Before he jumps into the truck his gaze locks with Lewis’s.
Those warm brown eyes sparkled with an unspoken affection, it did something to him, filled him with a newfound clarity.
Maybe it was time to stop being scared.
It’s then that Nico finally made up his mind.
Later that night, as the station settled into a rare sense of quiet, Nico found himself sitting beside Lewis on the cold laminated stairs.
The bay was dimly lit, the towering shadows of the trucks stretching and shifting in the soft ambient glow. Outside the hum of the city barely intruded, leaving the space draped in a stillness.
Lewis leaned back against the step, his posture relaxed—or at least Nico thinks it’s relaxed—though his eyes do betray a hint of curiosity as they lingered on Nico.
“You alright?” Lewis asked, his voice cautious but soft, each word careful to not shatter the fragile balance that hung between them.
Nico could feel his nerves begin to eat at his stomach.
This was the moment, the one that had loomed on him all day, pressing against his mind like a weight he couldn't shake.
He inhaled deeply, steadying himself, his gaze flickering to Lewis, who was patiently waiting, his expression unreadable but open.
Nico thought of Jenson’s advice, Brittas skepticism, and most of all, Lewis’s smile from earlier—bright, hopeful and so heartbreakingly real.
“It’s about us,” Nico finally said, his voice quiet but resolute. He turned to meet Lewis’s gaze, catching the brief flicker of surprise in the Brits' features.
But just as quickly as it came it disappeared, his expression softening into something akin to attentiveness.
“Okay…”Lewis replied, his tone steady, though there was a faint touch of tension, like he was bracing himself for something.
Nico swallowed hard, his heart beating so fast it might burst out his chest.
The words had already formed in his head, but saying them felt like stepping off the edge of a cliff.
But regardless of the anxiety, he pushed forward.
“Together,” Nico said finally, his voice was trembling but firm. “That’s my answer. I want us to be…together. I want to be something, for real this time.”
Lewis blinked, stunned for a moment.
But Nico could see a sparkle begin to ignite in his eye, one that he’d really missed being on the receiving end of.
Then a slow, radiate smile spread across his face, smoothing the tension Nico hadn't even realized was there.
“You—seriously? You really mean that?” Lewis asked, voice a mix of disbelief and cautious joy.
“I—Yeah, I do,” Nico said, the words feeling freer as they left his tongue.
For the first time in what felt like forever, the weight of all his doubts and all his fears lifted, leaving him lighter than he could ever recall.
Lewis shifted to sit up straighter before scooting over a bit to close the gap between them.
His hand hovered hesitantly before resting gently on top of Nico’s.
The touch didn’t burn like it did when they reunited all those years ago. It didn’t send a surge of anger ,heartbreak or frustration through him like it used to.
No, now it was warm, like sunlight hitting his skin on a cold winter day. It was grounding and everything he’d been craving for as long as he could remember.
“I know we still have some work to do between us,” Lewis murmured, his voice steady but laced with emotion. “But I promise I won't let you down again,”
His breath was close enough to ghost across Nico’s skin, and it was then that the blond wondered when he got so close.
Yet instead of retreating like he would’ve years—maybe even months ago, this closeness, it filled him with something he hadn’t felt in forever: hope.
A genuine smile spread across Nico’s face, unbidden and unguarded, something he hasn’t directed at Lewis in a long while. “I know,” he said softly.
Then with a sudden surge of courage, he closed the remaining distance.
The kiss was firm—electric, a collision of passion, warmth, and years of unspoken feelings and in that quiet moment it had felt like everything they had ever needed.
It was perfect.
Or at least, it was until—
“Oh shit,” Max’s voice rang out, loud and unmistakable.
“Fuck! I owe Kimi a hundred bucks!” Jenson groaned, throwing his hands in the air.
“Shit, me too!” Daniel added, his tone heavy with regret.
“Don’t forget you owe me fifty,” Sebastian chimed in, a smirk evident in his voice.
“Enough all of you,” The Captain's exasperated voice cut through the commotion. “Let them have their moment, but yes you all owe me money too.“
Nico and Lewis broke apart instantly, their heads snapping toward the top of the stairs where their coworkers stood, all wearing the same shit eating grins.
“Seriously?” Lewis asked, his voice tinged with disappointment but there was a slight edge of amusement as he sent a glare to his coworkers.
“What, you guys had a betting pool about us too?!” Nico shot back, his tone a mix of irritation and disbelief.
“Uh no?” Daniel tried, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.
“Congratulations, you two,” Toto interjected as he shot Daniel a pointed look.
“Yeah congrats!” Max added with a grin, only to start, “I gotta say I'm surprised you got together before Seb and Ki—“
Before he could finish, Jenson slapped a hand over Max’s mouth, his eyes wide with panic.
Kimi and Sebastian exchanged a look, the weird telepathic one they do—where they seem to have a conversation without actually saying anything—before turning back to the group with an odd look in their eyes.
“Right…thanks, guys,” Lewis said, his tone dry as he shook his head.
“Yeah, Thanks,” Nico echoed, the sarcasm in his tone was hard to miss.
Before anyone could say more, the sharp shrill sound of the bell reverberated through the bay.
The call to action snapping them back into reality, the teasing smiles replaced by a steely focus.
Nico glanced at Lewis, catching the quick, reassuring smile the Brit shot him before they moved to tug on their turnouts.
Even as they rushed to the truck and ambulance, Nico’s mind lingered back to that moment they shared.
It wasn’t exactly perfect.
It definitely wasn’t uninterrupted.
But it was real.
And that’s something he wouldn’t trade for the world.