Guiding Light

Chapter 8: Broken Man

Chapter 8: Broken Man

Nico Kim felt like he was a simple man, really. Born in New York City where he lived until he was 10, then moved to Seoul for 8 years when his father was offered a high-paying job in a local hospital.

He doesn't really know when the first time was when he realised he was gay. Maybe it was by the sandbox in the Bronx when Brian Davis offered to share his toys with him after the other kids refused to play with someone who did not look like them. Or maybe it was in Seoul in high school, when Sang-Hoon Jeong's shoulder accidentally brushed against his in gym class. Or maybe it was when a nerdy intern by the name of Levi Schmitt eagerly answered his kiss in an elevator at a hospital in Seattle. Actually, it was probably all three and about a hundred more similar instances during his time on this planet.

He obviously knew something was up when he was not interested in the potential wives his family was trying to set him up with, or when the girls in his class would giggle as he walked by, or when he'd had his first kiss behind the school building his second week of high school with his lab partner. It did not help his situation that his parents were incredibly critical of him every step of his life, and the fact that he was an only child only made the pressure that much more excruciating. He had to be a straight A student, he had to want to become either a lawyer or a doctor, he had to marry from a good family and raise 3 to 4 beautiful kids who he was expected to lay these same values to from day one.

To be honest, all this was perhaps the main reason he had decided to leave Korea and become a doctor in the United States. He was not interested in pretending for his entire life, and had he stayed, that's exactly what he would have needed to do. It had made things easier that he was an American citizen having been born here, and his parents could not have been prouder to be able to tell every relative, friend, the friend's mother and postman how their son was a big-shot surgeon in America.

So, maybe not such a simple man, after all.

All though, Nico had never had any grand dreams or goals other than succeeding as an orthopaedic surgeon. His dreams had been pretty mundane, to be honest. He had never particularly dreamed of having a husband, or a wedding, or children. He had been content working and meeting random guys to satisfy his natural urges, but to be able to commit to one person had always been a difficult idea because it brought with it a lot of drama - which Nico did not enjoy one bit - such as having to tell his parents or having to tell his partner about the shame surrounding who he really was.

On this night in early June, though, Nico had taken the step he thought he never would. Levi Schmitt had literally stolen his heart from day one, and made him reconsider everything. All of a sudden having a husband, a wedding and children with Levi's beautiful eyes or his own strong facial features did not sound so crazy. In fact, it sounded quite nice. He had tried to fight it, but the other man had a way about him and a talent for getting under his skin in all the right ways. Or all the wrong ways, if you asked Nico's parents, of course.

And now he was here. His heart pounding in his ears, palms a bit clammy, so unlike his usual calm demeanour. But as always, he did not let that show on his face. He stared at the eyes of the man in front of him, waiting for an answer to the most important question he has ever asked.

"I-, I'm sorry?" Levi said, his voice squeaky from surprise. Nico couldn't help but smile at that. Knowing Levi, he did not trust his own ears just then and had to confirm he had indeed heard him correctly.

"Will you marry me?" Nico asks, realising he hadn't actually implied a question earlier.

Levi's mouth is hanging slightly open, his eyebrows raised just a bit. He seems to show about ten different expressions in a matter of a few seconds, but then settles to a happy smile. Nico smiles back at him, knowing Levi now trusted his ears did work.