Pairings: Viktor/Yuuri
Warnings: AU Universe. Non-canon. Brief mentions of real life disasters. More confident Yuuri. Older characters.
Disclaimer: I do not own Yuri on Ice or any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me
Chapter Four: Crisis
Yuuri groaned as he woke up the next morning, already feeling like jackhammers were jabbing at his head. Did anyone note down the number of the truck that ran him over?
Woof.
"Not now, Vicchan." Yuuri mumbled, even as a brown blob appeared in his blurry vision even as he tried to get over his splitting headache. "It's too early—" He cut himself off as he realised that the excited poodle in front of him is way too big to be Vicchan. "You're not Vicchan."
The poodle barked again, even as Yuuri sat up, slightly confused to find that he is still in his clothes from yesterday. He looked around, only now realising that this is not his room at the studio apartment that he shared with Phichit.
"Her name is Makkachin," said a smooth voice. Yuuri looked towards the source of the voice as the poodle—Makkachin barked excitedly and bounded towards the owner. A silver-haired man that Yuuri is familiar with, seeing as how he'd only met him the day before.
"Aren't you…Viktor?" Yuuri said slowly. The fire-fighter that had protected him from being squashed.
Viktor nodded with a smile. "Do you remember what happened last night?" The silver-haired man asked carefully. With how much that Yuuri had drank last night and then being drugged, there is always the possibility that the younger wouldn't remember…
"Well… I remember going to the club with Phichit and the rest." Yuuri said slowly, screwing his forehead in concentration as he tried to sort through the haze that is his mind. "And…"
"Didn't anyone ever warn you not to take your eyes off your drink?"
Yuuri's eyes widened.
He then quickly looked down at himself, relieved to find that he is currently fully clothed. But… Did anything happen last night? What happened after he was…uh…knocked out?
Viktor smiled sadly at Yuuri, realising that he must have remembered the bastard from last night. Hopefully, this raven haired beauty was already unconscious when Viktor had punched that bastard until he's unconscious. Though thinking back on it, Viktor should have made sure that that bastard is dead instead.
"Nothing happened." Viktor said quickly. Makkachin quickly went to Yuuri, putting her front paws up on his legs and licking at his cheek—a gesture that made Yuuri laugh. Viktor smiled—pleased that his poodle had made an attempt to cheer his crush up. He made a mental note to buy some treats for his loyal companion after his shift today. "I was at the club last night too. I stopped it before it went too far."
Yuuri was relieved upon hearing that. "I thought that I'd heard your voice, but I thought it was just my mind playing tricks on me," he muttered with a flush. He looked up at Viktor. "What time is it now?"
"Huh? Oh. It's nearly eight in the morning." Viktor answered, glancing at the wall clock in a corner. He then blinked, realising what Yuuri might be concerned about if his personality is how he pegged the younger to be. "Are you on the morning shift?" Viktor asked.
Yuuri was taken back for a moment before he shook his head. "No. I'm on the afternoon shift," he explained. "I might need to go back home for a shower or something though—"
Yuuri's cellphone rang just then, and two pairs of eyes went towards the phone with the poodle case on the bedside table. Not even a moment later, Viktor's very distinctive ringtone could be heard from the sitting room where he'd slept last night.
"Sorry, I'll be right back." Viktor apologised before disappearing into the sitting room to pick up his call.
With a frown, Yuuri noted that the name being reflected on the LCD screen of his phone is Celestino's.
"Hello?"
"Yuuri?" Celestino sounded breathless. "I apologise for calling this early in the morning, and I realise that you and your team are scheduled for the afternoon shift today; but I need you to come in now."
"What?" Yuuri was confused. Are they really that short-handed? True, he realise that with the current political state of Michigan, both the EMS and the Fire Departments were really stretched thin. Yuuri himself had lost count of the number of times he'd filled in for a colleague or two because they were overworked to the point that they've fallen ill.
He distinctly remembered the unit leader of Unit Five mentioning once during a meeting that one of his teammates wasn't able to even go to the hospital despite his wife having her baby.
"Have you seen the news?"
"N-No, I've just woken up." Yuuri answered, confused, not mentioning the part where he'd woken up in someone else's house.
"Check the news now." Celestino sounded distracted for a moment before he started shouting at someone on the other end of the line. "Contact the Third Unit! Tell them we need them on site now!" Celestino returned his attention to Yuuri who by then had already wandered out to the sitting room where Viktor currently had his phone pressed to his ear, and was watching the news on the television with a grim expression. Yuuri understood why Celestino needed his team on site when he saw there is a severe car collision and pile up in the middle of the city area. "Yuuri, we need you on site. I've already contacted the rest of your team."
"…I'll be right there." Yuuri promised before hanging up.
Viktor meanwhile was also done with his phone call and he smiled grimly at Yuuri. "I'm assuming you've been called in too?" he questioned, and Yuuri nodded, already pulling up the Uber app to hail for a ride to the EMS Department as soon as possible—never mind he'll likely be sacrificing at least a quarter of his pay for the ride alone. "I'll give you a lift. I'll take you as close to the EMS headquarters as I could."
Yuuri was speechless for a moment before he nodded. At this point, he needs to get to headquarters as fast as he could. Countless lives are on the line here. Yuuri made a mental note to get his driving license soon—maybe a motorbike, as the roads of Michigan are nearly impossible to navigate with a car, especially if you're in a hurry!
"I'll appreciate that."
XXXXXX
The Second Unit was already prepping the ambulance—ready to ride out when Yuuri came rushing into the garage, breathless, as he'd ran all the way here when Viktor had dropped him off at the entrance before speeding off towards the direction of the Fire Department.
"Yuuri!"
"How are we doing on time?" Yuuri barked at a stressed Emil who is normally assigned as the driver.
"We need to move out now! All equipment and medications are in order!" Thankfully, Phichit came to the rescue, throwing Yuuri his equipment bag as well as his uniform. Clearly, his best friend had already looted his locker for his uniform before coming down to the garage. "Third Unit has already gone out there, but Alexander said they'll need backup as soon as possible. First Unit is handling another case, but they said they'll be there as soon as they could."
Yuuri glanced at his team—all who looked grim faced and ready to face the horrors that are soon to come with a car collision like what is reported on the news. "Let's move out," he ordered. "Mickey, inform the hospitals in Michigan to expect emergency patients."
"Roger that." Mickey nodded grimly, already getting into the side passenger seat as the others piled in the back.
Yuuri was already stripping out of his clothes and changing into his navy blue paramedic uniform even as the ambulance pulled out of headquarters, with the sirens above their heads wailing loudly as they did.
"Let's hope we make it in time." Leo murmured with creased brows, making a show of examining the equipment they have in the back, worried for a moment that they wouldn't have enough medication.
Yuuri and Phichit exchanged looks, with the former straightening his collar after folding his clothes and placing it in one of the sterile plastic bags they have in the ambulance.
With the current political state of Michigan and the issues with safety hazards lately, Leo's concern isn't unfounded.
"Let's hope so." Phichit said, worried.
All three in the back almost jumped a foot in the air just then as Emil honked loudly and angrily, scowling fiercely. "Damn it, get out of the way! We have lives on the line here!" Mickey was cussing next to Emil.
"What's wrong?" Yuuri got to his feet and stuck his head through the window that separates the back from the driver's seat.
"We got a massive traffic jam ahead of us." Emil scowled, gesturing towards the long line of cars in front of them, honking at the cars once again even as Mickey started speaking into the walkie-talkie on his side, requesting for police assistance to clear the road. "We're not going to be able to make it in time!"
Yuuri frowned, looking at the GPS device on Emil's side. They're still some distance away from the site. But if they don't make it there in time…
Scenes of the disaster that had originally inspired Yuuri to be a paramedic flashed through his mind, and he shook it away.
"Damn." Yuuri scowled before turning back to Leo and Phichit in the back who were staring at him to await further instructions. "Phichit-kun. Leo-kun. Get your equipment bags and a stretcher. We're going to need to head the rest of the way on foot. There are people waiting for us."
"Got that."
"Roger."
"Mickey, contact headquarters and request for further assistance." Yuuri instructed, already hefting his pack over one shoulder. "Then join us at the site. Emil, if you could, ride the ambulance on the people only pavement if you need to. There are people we need to get to the hospital as soon as we could."
"I'm requesting for emergency airlift." Mickey told Yuuri, already taking the walkie-talkie in hand and switching radio channels. "Go! I'll join you there as soon as I could!"
Yuuri nodded before the three in the back then left the ambulance via the back, surprising several of the civilians currently on the pavement who were all gaping at the massive traffic jam in front of them. A few of the youngsters even had their phones out, much to Yuuri's annoyance.
"Let's go!" Phichit said, determined, adjusting the strap over his shoulder even as Leo closed the doors of the ambulance behind them.
XXXXXX
Viktor had seen lots of disaster scenes as a fire-fighter.
But this has to be one of the worst, if not the worst.
Screams and cries could be heard all around him as the fire-fighters battled the fires caused from explosions in the collision, along with trying to get out as many people as they could—or those that they could move at least to not worsen the conditions any further.
The paramedics already on the scene were clearly overwhelmed; with the leader of the unit already radioing for further assistance and for emergency airlifts from the nearby hospitals, as with the massive traffic jam surrounding them on the roads, there is no way that the ambulances will be able to get the emergency patients to the hospitals in time.
Already, there were several dead from the car collision that the paramedics couldn't save, and have already covered their bodies with white cloths before turning their attention back to the people they could save.
"Alexei!" The unit leader of the paramedic unit currently on the scene—Alexander or something, approached Alexei, looking extremely stressed. There were several bloodstains on his navy blue uniform—visible despite the dark colours of the uniform. The surgical gloves on Alexander's hands were also stained with blood. "I'm sorry. But we really need to get the extreme cases we have to the hospital as soon as we could! We can't delay here any longer or they'll die!"
"Where are the backup teams?" Alexei, the unit leader of Viktor's fire-fighter unit demanded, currently battling the flames licking at the car.
"Second Unit is on their way! But First Unit is currently handling another case at the local high school. They'll get here as soon as they could! We've already radioed for emergency airlift, so hopefully, they'll get here soon!"
"Alexander!"
Alexei and Alexander both turned towards the source of the voice; and much to both men's relief, they saw three paramedics in their navy blue uniforms rushing towards them with their medic packs and a folded up stretcher currently held by the tallest of the trio.
"Yuuri!" Alexander both looked and sounded very relieved. At the sound of the name, Viktor looked up, startled; before he turned his attention back to the wailing little girl he is currently carrying out of the half-wrecked car; with the little girl crying for her mother. "Where are the rest of your team?"
"Stuck on the roads." Yuuri answered grimly. "Mickey will join us as soon as he could. We just got word from First Unit as well. They'll be here in thirty minutes at best. Units Four and Five are currently handling another emergency right on the other end of Michigan. I don't think we can expect backup from them in time. Emergency airlift has already been arranged; but it'll be at least fifteen minutes before one would get here!"
Alexei nodded. "I'll get the cops to clear enough space for them to land," he answered. He looked at Chris who is next to him, looking extremely dirty and stressed. "You heard that, Giacometti? I don't care what you do. Clear a space large enough for the heli to land."
"On it." Chris nodded grimly before hurrying over to the cops who are currently blocking off the civilians from approaching the rescue site.
"We still have at least twenty people stuck in the cars." Alexander meanwhile was filling Yuuri in on the current situation while Phichit was setting up the IVs and emergency medication as Leo was already tending to the screaming little girl that was just rescued. "I'm taking three of the worst cases with me to the nearest hospital. Do what you can for those here still, Yuuri! All that we can do is to buy them time until we can get them to the hospital!" He gripped Yuuri's shoulder. They've been through the same training together, and he knew of Yuuri's tendency to blame himself for every emergency case that he couldn't save. "Do you understand me, Yuuri? Save those that could still be saved. That is also a paramedic's duty." He held Yuuri's brown eyes with his own blue ones, and Yuuri nodded grimly. He understood that by now.
He is no longer a trainee. He is a fully-fledged paramedic—a unit leader. He had his own responsibilities to the people whom they could still save.
Alexei's face was pale as he listened to the rather grim conversation going on between the two unit leaders. "A-Are we really that short-handed?"
"Yes!" Alexander finally blew. All paramedics have been furious with the management of Michigan for months now; especially since there were so many lives lost that they could have saved if only the roads and streets doesn't pose such a danger hazard, and if only they could have just made it there in time! "And you can thank your mayor for that!"
"Alexander, go!" Yuuri said firmly, interrupting the angry man. "We'll do what we can here."
Alexander nodded grimly. He had faith in Yuuri's abilities as a paramedic, and knew that the man is as good as a certified nurse by now. He is particularly skilled when it comes to disaster zones like this, with his experience with warzones. "We'll head back as soon as we could." Alexander promised before rushing towards the nearby ambulance, already hollering for his team to get in.
"Hey, we need some help here!" Georgi Popovich was screaming—having just used a metal cutter to cut the door of a car. The collision had practically wrecked the door so much that they can't even open it.
Yuuri was quick to get to Georgi's side. If he hadn't seen worse when he had volunteered for a time in Israel when he had just finished his training, he would have thrown up at the sight that greeted him.
The driver and the one in the side passenger seat were done for—Yuuri knew that much even without examining them, as large glass shrapnels have gone through the head and throat of the driver. The one in the passenger seat had its head nearly severed, and was burned so badly that Yuuri couldn't even tell if it's a man or a woman.
There is a young man in the back. He is badly burned, but Yuuri knew that he is still alive, though his right arm and left leg are at odd angles.
"Excuse me." Yuuri was quick to move, half kneeling on the car seat and examining the one he could still save—checking if it's all right to move him. Though at this point, even if it would potentially paralyse the victims, they have to move them if they could still save their lives. Better they become paralysed for the rest of their lives than die there.
"Hey, get down! The car is about to blow!"
Viktor almost tore the door off the car that he had been handling, his face grim. Inwardly, he is cussing the management and the mayor of Michigan to kingdom come. How many have died now? And all because of the danger hazards that the roads pose, and because the EMS and Fire Departments were severely short-handed and overwhelmed!
It doesn't help when the locations of their individual headquarters were located on opposite ends of each other; and they were barely able to make it in time when answering emergency calls.
"Hey, we need a paramedic here!" Viktor called out, letting the door fall with a clatter to the ground. He glanced in the car—already immune to the sights of the accident victims, as he'd seen so many over the past hour. He grimaced when he saw the severed head of the driver on the dashboard.
"I'll handle it from here." The grumpy looking paramedic—Viktor glanced at his nametag only to see the name 'Michele Crispino'. "Help the others please." He added to Viktor, barely glancing in his direction, already working to check on the teenager in the back who is groaning in pain.
Viktor glanced around to see where he could help. He saw Georgi struggling with the car seats not far away; with Yuuri currently busy with an emergency patient in the backseat. His blue eyes widened when he saw the telltale signs of the car about to blow—with sparks already sparking from the backend of the car.
"Hey, get down! The car is about to blow!" Viktor screamed, hoping that he'll make it in time.
Phichit's face was grim, performing emergency CPR on the old man that he'd barely managed to get out of the car even as Leo was fixing a drip and an IV line to the arm, already injecting Epinephrine into the IV after seeing on his medical card that the old man had a history of asthma and cardiac problems.
"We need to get him to the hospital." Phichit concluded. "There's only so much we can do here."
And not to mention the man is advanced in age. He's more liable to die from this than any of the other accident victims who are young and might still be able to pull through this. Phichit glanced at Yuuri only to see that he's busy with trying to get an emergency patient out of the car. This had to be one of the worst car collisions he had ever seen since he had came to the States.
And as Phichit had volunteered with Yuuri and Emil at Israel right after they'd finished their training, he had seen war and lots of ugly sights. Even the time spent in Israel isn't as emotionally draining, as they knew they could send any patients to the hospital to get further help than they could give.
"The ambulance won't be able to make it here with the damn traffic jam!" Leo was almost in tears as he moved onto the next accident victim who is already long motionless. There are too many accident victims and not enough paramedics. The fire fighters were trying to help by using the basic emergency knowledge they had from that crash course just the day before; but to no avail. "Emil can't make it through with the traffic in the current state it is! Even the backup teams won't be able to make it here in time! We have to do what we can for them!"
"Hey, get down! The car is about to blow!"
Phichit was nearly knocked over from the blast as there was the sound of a loud explosion and the heat went up as a nearby car went up in flames. "Yuuri!" Phichit screamed, even as he shielded his patient from the heat of the blast. That is where Yuuri had been, right?
Oh God Almighty Above. Great Brahma, Protector of All, please keep Yuuri safe…
XXXXXX
Yuuri coughed as he sprawled on the pavement; with the larger body covering his—with both barely managing to escape from the explosion of the car, taking the young man who he had been trying to get out of the car earlier.
"Are you all right, Yuuri?" Viktor urged as both of them sat up, with Yuuri trying to catch back his breath.
"I'm fine." Yuuri smiled weakly, glancing at the inferno that is the car even as the fire-fighters tried to put out the fire before it spread to the other cars. He remembered Alexander's words to him earlier—'save those that could still be saved. That is also a paramedic's duty.'
That's right.
His duty is to save those who could still be saved. Even paramedics and doctors are human. They are no match for the being called Death.
Yuuri coughed as he got to his feet shakily, still shaken up from his close shave with death from being burned alive if Viktor hadn't gotten to him in time. He glanced at the fire-fighter who had assisted him earlier—Georgi or something, and was relieved to see that he's fine as well, except for a piece of shrapnel having grazed him on the forehead.
Chris is currently fixating a piece of bandage on Georgi's wound—as the latter is quite adamant at returning to the task at hand.
"We're too overwhelmed here, Viktor." Yuuri said with a shaking voice, looking at the scene of the disaster and the number of dead bodies already lined up on the pavement. They're also running low on the EMS drugs, with the number of victims there are. "We need to get them to the hospital somehow, or everyone is going to die! Even those that could still be saved!"
Viktor bit on his lower lip. He knew that Yuuri is right. But last that he'd heard, Alexei is still screaming at the government official in Michigan responsible for flights in Michigan airspace to get the clearance for the emergency airlifts.
It's like to those higher ups, this isn't an emergency at all!
"I'll check with my unit leader once more—"
The sounds of a helicopter cut Viktor off from whatever that he is about to say, and both paramedic and fire-fighter looked up—along with everyone else present at the scene. A helicopter bearing a red cross was coming down carefully, heading towards a landing space where a cop was waving his baton to direct them.
"Yuuri!" Yuuri was taken aback as he shielded his eyes from the sun only to see Alexander half hanging out of the helicopter, a grim smile on his face as he waved to Yuuri. Behind in the distance, Yuuri could see three more helicopters approaching. "We've come as you asked!"
"A heli-carrier." Yuuri breathed, clenching at Viktor's arm unconsciously before releasing his grip. A relieved smile spread across Yuuri's face. "We're saved."
A/N: Sorry for the long wait! And Merry Christmas to everyone! Here's to a good year ahead! I hope that you like this chapter and please read and review! Reviews give me inspiration to update!