Work Text:
Nahyuta would describe themself, if asked, as someone of many talents. Fluent in multiple different languages, good with a variety of blades, excellent in hand-to-hand combat. A pretty good cook if given the opportunity to do such.
Nahyuta would not, however, describe themself as particularly skilled with anything to do with water. Fishing, sure. It was a necessary skill to have growing up, especially when trips to marketplaces were dangerous after rebel activity. They’ve waded through low rivers, hidden amongst reeds to try to spy at the dead of night, have survived summer monsoons that release without warning.
Swimming, though?
No.
The thought of being in open water makes their blood run cold. They can’t swim, haven’t been able to since they were a child and almost drowned with Apollo. Their brother has a much larger aversion to water, understandably. Nahyuta can manage just fine, but once it’s past waist level, they’re done for.
This is something they consider as they’re pushed off of a bridge.
Before this, though, it is not anything they consider.
Specifically, an hour before being pushed off said bridge, they’re en route to a crime scene. Ema’s driving, as per usual.
“So, basically, we’re here for… what reason again?” she asks as she turns the radio down.
“Assisting an investigation- you’re turning left up ahead, by the way.”
“Why do we even need to help out with it?” Ema grumbles as she turns.
“Because you’re great with forensics, and the suspect has been spotted in the area. Another unit is already trying to track him down, and I’d like to assist in that.”
“So… you’re bribing me so that you can make sure your beau doesn’t get a knife between the ribs.”
“He’s not my beau, and I have skills that can assist,” they huff.
“Bite me, if it quacks like a duck then it’s a damn duck.”
“I’d rather not.”
(Nahyuta wishes they were back in the car, as the bridge flies away from them.)
She’s sent off her way once the two park, and Nahyuta is recruited into searching for the man in question. Simon isn’t there- Nahyuta tries to ask about him, because they saw his detective, but nobody knows for sure. Probably out tracking is the best they can get, and that makes sense. Simon’s sheer mass isn’t for show; he’s strong and fast, and has enough brainpower to outwit even the smuggest of criminals who think they’re above the efforts of psychology. Plus, his bond with Taka means that he’s got an extra set of eyes that others don’t, and that just means there’s one more set of eyes not restricted by ground movement on the lookout.
There’s not much they can do without a long, unoccupied trek, so they’ve been assigned bridge duty while others track the suspect in question down. It’s a lot of quiet pacing and looking anxiously at the radio they’ve been given. Occasionally it crackles to life with teams reporting their findings.
Honestly, it’s been incredibly calm-
“Bank team, he’s on the move, heading south,” someone shouts suddenly. “Get ready, he’s quick.”
South? Nahyuta is south, they’re near the bank team.
Sure enough, they catch movement at the corner of their eye from the bank team as the group bursts into action, immediately scrambling up the bank to get to the bridge.
Despite the fact that they’ve been assigned to stay put, and that the bridge is very much crossing a river, Nahyuta sprints down the bridge. If they can stop the guy, or even slow him down, that gives people time to get the guy stuck. Only two exits on the path, after all.
It’s an impressive attempt, they think, and it ends with the man stalled mid-bridge, unable to get around them. Nahyuta stands their ground, forces themself to keep their eyes straight ahead. Either side of them is rather open, and the water below looks… aggressive.
The man moves suddenly. Nahyuta braces for an impact wound, is shouldered through and brushed aside. A hand is thrown out, grabbing the man’s shirt. Nahyuta’s too off-balance, if they can just steady their footing, they can chase him down and-
They’re pushed.
They’re pushed, and their lower back hits the railing and then they’re upside down, watching the bridge fall away from their vision.
There’s a moment of realization that the river is below them and rapidly approaching, and then they’re underwater and their brain is submerged in panic.
They surface, too scrambled to process little more than the fact that they can’t touch the bottom of the river. This is something far removed from lazy days at the pool at Simon’s apartment, or the few times Athena’s dragged them both to the beach. The water is a lot faster than either of those.
Nahyuta doesn’t know exactly how far down they get, just that they somehow manage to catch themself on something and they hold on as best they can.
It’s similar to the river, when they were little. Truthfully, they don’t remember much of it beyond being terrified or getting sucked under, and then being dragged out of the water. Such is the nature of childhood trauma, they’ve been told. Dhurke at least had the foresight to get Nahyuta comfortable with water as they got older. So, they’re better off than Apollo, but not great.
Doesn’t mean Nahyuta doesn’t avoid swimming most of the time. They’ve been persuaded to float, provided Simon is very nearby, and they’ve waded in shallow beach water. Something about “healthy engagement as an adult” that Athena has been particularly keen on.
Submerging themself is a no-go, though, has been every time it’s been designated “hey let’s get Nahyuta in the water” time. Once the water creeps up their spine, it feels like desperate hands pulling them down.
Someone is shouting. Nahyuta’s eyes drift over- there’s a slightly open area to their left, complete with Simon and Ema trying to catch their attention.
Whatever Simon is trying to tell them, it’s all noise. The water is too loud for anything clear to carry over, and Nahyuta can’t process much anyways. Simon seems to recognize that- he sheds his jinbaori and his vest, pulls his shoes off, and gets in the river.
It could be hours, or maybe seconds, but Simon manages to get to them, and they cling to him in response. His shirt slides in their grip, which makes them scramble, but there’s a firm arm around them and they’re being moved closer to dry land, thank gods.
Ema asks questions that Nahyuta doesn’t know how to answer, only knows they’re questions by how her voice dips and the worry on her face. Simon responds to her and she darts off. When she returns, it’s with an ambulance and a few medical professionals who ask Nahyuta questions they don’t understand.
The noise of everything becomes distant, fuzzy, too loud and too quiet all at once. Reading lips doesn’t help them, not with tones that should be understood and faces that are equal parts concerned and annoyed. They huddle in on themself, vision blurring as the noise becomes unintelligible.
“Are you hurt?”
Nahyuta almost cries as the question cuts through the tidal wave of noise. One of the women in the ambulance has their attention, puts herself in their view with slow, intentional movements. The other people crowding them seem to realize that she’s the go to, because the flurry of questions is directed towards her instead. They’re given a towel, flashlights are shined in their eyes, and all while a stranger does her best to translate. She explains, between pokes and prods, that she’s first generation American after her grandparents brought her father over when he was a baby, apologizes for the anglicized accent and pauses in speech as she tries to recall a language she only ever heard them speak to each other, never to her. Nahyuta is thankful nonetheless, happy to have someone who is at least intelligible without thought.
It’s an hour or so before things settle down and Nahyuta is able to have a moment to themself. Everyone is still on the scene of the crime- there are reports to be filled out, of course, and a man to be arrested, and a Simon who’s less-than-pleasant as said man is shoved into the back of a cruiser and sent on his way.
Nahyuta’s throat feels thick the entire time, their limbs heavy. From what they’ve gleaned, it’s anxiety and the aftermath of a panic attack. It sounds right, given that they could barely answer questions without words getting caught in their throat in the language they were born into, but it’s still—
“I can see you thinking,” Simon says as he rubs their shoulder. The hand leaves them entirely as he turns them to face him, sentence swapped for signing instead of speaking. “Do you want to talk about it?”
Right, sign. Nahyuta knows that. They also know that he probably doesn’t mean talking about their unplanned dip into the water- he sat with them while the impromptu-interpreter went back-and-forth with an officer, getting down Nahyuta’s account of events.
“Feel bad,” they respond shakily.
“I bet. You’ve done a lot today.”
“I just wanted to stop him.”
“He got caught. You didn’t realize he’d push you.”
Nahyuta doesn’t even ask for it, but Simon wraps them in a hug anyways.
“Ema was who told me about it, when it happened. She caught me, said that you’d fallen off and that they hadn’t sent someone after you.”
“Why would they? It was a sizeable fall, and they had bigger concerns,” they mumble into his shoulder. Somehow, despite being similarly drenched, he’s already dry and warm.
“You’re still important,” he huffs in response.
Nahyuta finds themself smiling, feeling the way Simon puffs up in annoyance. It’s similar to how Taka ruffles his feathers when he feels slighted, and the man he’s closest with acts similarly.
“It’s going in my report, at any rate. Just because there was a valuable target doesn’t mean that we can go around ignoring people who may be in distress.”
“I slowed him down, at least,” they half-joke.
“That isn’t something to brag about, given your current state.”
Ema has two officers looking guilty as she tears them to shreds across the road. She’s just too far away to make out specifics, but Nahyuta doesn’t envy the pair in the slightest.
“Can we go back to yours? After everything wraps up?”
“You thought I would let you go home alone?”
Fair point, Nahyuta thinks as they slide their eyes shut.
“You were brave today, even if you did get your coattails wet,” Simon hums as he presses a quick kiss to the top of their head.
“If being brave feels this bad, I don’t mind dying a coward,” Nahyuta attempts to joke.
“Thismay be a controversial opinion, but I’d rather you didn’t?”
“Oh, a true shame. Whatever will I do with my Thursday evening now that my plans have been dashed?”
“Nahyuta,” Simon warns.
“Oh alright, I’ll stick around,” they mock-huff. “I suppose I’ll allow you to take me to dinner, then.”
“Am I taking you out?”
“If you’re not letting me expire, then yes. Something has to fill my plans.”
“Not the weirdest way I’ve ever been asked on a date, but I suppose I’ll give you a pass on account of today’s events.”