#I KNOW Eddie is just as embarrassing as Buck he just hides it better

[extasiswings]

Okay but I don’t think we’re talking enough about Tommy’s parting shot of “please call Eddie, it’s a good time, he’s on pain pills.” Because Tommy had fully read this situation before Buck even opened the door, and he was the one to take Eddie to the doctor and home, and I cannot imagine that period was full of anything but Eddie talking about his own big feelings about the Incident and Buck generally…anyway, Tommy, tell me your secrets, what do you know—

[eddieheart]

OLD WORLD

Fandom: 911

Pairings: NONE

Words: 771

Description: Buck is hiding something, he didn’t go to high school

It had been years now and still some days there were things that shocked and surprised him. The same things he'd seen for years now, still amazed him.

The alarm at the firehouse, the fire trucks themselves, cell phones, TVs, alarm systems, airplains that can carry water, all the normal things people around him had seen for years and yet they still brought him unimaginable joy.

Buck was 19 when he left home, his parents had tried to keep him, not let him go on rumspringa after what happened with Maddie. He'd begged and pleaded, secretly stashed away money in a jar in the neighbour's barn.

He'd snuck away in the night, packed a bag of all his important things; photos his parents would've beaten him for even looking at, Maddie's old doll that he'd kept in secret in fear of retribution from his parents, a blanket his Oma had made him, other knickknacks from his friends.

All wrapped up in a leather satchel with all the money he'd ever made. A measly 400 dollars, it had seemed like more than enough before he'd realized he had no place to stay and no easy way to get there.

He'd traveled all over the world, working his way from Pennsylvania down to South America, Asia, Europe and back. Itching to see the world and all the things he'd missed. Buck had seen the world, but all he really wanted was his family, a family.

His parents weren't blessed with fertility like the others in their community, they only had three children, Evan, Daniel and Maddie. Daniel dying at such a young age meant that the later was the only parental figure Buck had ever known, until she left for Doug that is.

Yearning for a purpose Buck joined the Seals, who'd helped him get his GED and given him a home for the time being. But it turned out the structure was too rigid for him after just barely escaping his parents and their iron grip on his life. So he'd moved on to greener pastures and become a firefighter.

It was a dream come true, the family he's always wanted coupled with the new experiences he yearned for. Things only got better when Maddie found him.

If only it stayed that way.

The team didn't know about his or Maddie's childhood, about the sibling they'd lost, arranged marriages or daily chores. About how Buck had only seen a cell phone for the first time seven years ago.

Nor did they know about his GED or the Seals, until now that is.

"High school was the worst time of my life, I got bullied everyday, had no friends..  except for Mr. Mayhew the janitor." Chimney said with a chuckle.

"You think your high school was bad, I was a black lesbian in Inglewood." Hen replied with the same air of humour.

The group let out a loud laugh, Buck along with them. He didn't understand but he couldn't help but feel awkward and left out of the conversation.

"C'mon look at us, I don't think any of us had a good high school experience. Except maybe for Buck that is, handsome, jock like yourself."Eddie said with a smirk.

"Yeah Buckley, what was your high school like?" Chimney asked.

Buck bit his lip and swallowed thickly. It wasn't that difficult of a question, why was he feeling like this? Maybe just the thought of the life he left behind was enough to send him into a panic.

"I didn't go to high school." He replied, looking down at his lap, a slight tone of embarrassments his voice.

"What do you mean? You need a diploma to be an member of the LAFD." Eddie asked, leaning forward, placing his shoulders on his knees inquisitively.

"I um... I have a GED, so an equivalent. Um... I needed one to joint the Seals so they got me into a.. what did he call it um.. GED plus program, y'know to help pay and stuff." Buck wrung his hands together and leaned back in his chair, worry creeping up his spine.

"I didn't know you were in the seals." Eddie replied, an emotion Buck didn't recognize in his voice.

"Yeah and I didn't know you didn't go to high school. Why not anyway?" Chimney asked.

His throat felt like it was closing in on him, he stood up quickly bringing the dirty plate in front of him to the sink.

"I don't want to talk about it." He mumbled out.

The group looked at each other in question, they'd never seen Buck act like this.

Part 2:

@buggylad

[after-nine-at-the-oasis]

Aww hey y'all :)

Idk why I'm smiling there I don't want him to get with her xD but eh whatever

Okay but mood (to the wine bit) XDD

The nice lady there lol

I-

OPE SLDLGJDHDHKGLS

DID I JUST HEAR TAYLOR KELLEY???

I DID XDDD

Oh my gosh slflgjdhks LOL

She's specifyingggg xDD

Nahh is she gonna say something more specific xD she is ain't she

L O L YUPPPP XDD

Aaaand she gets that xD

Gosh this poor girl lol

Ahh okay so we're explaining it xD

Who is he talking to lol?

AHH (awh not aah) the insurance lady lol xD

YAYY lol xD

How long has this lady been listening to this story lol

He's gonna ask her if she should propose isn't he

SLFKGHDJKLSJHDKS YEP

Well basically xD

This poor lady lol

XDDD I'm so glad he's not stopping lol

C'mon ask her ask her

YESSS

Sorry lol I just really wanted him to xD

C'mon Gina respond 🥺😭❤️

XDD

YAYY

Oooh that's a good response :o o.o

Oh dang two divorces

I'm sorry Gina :(

Oh noo Chim 😭 c'mon don't doubt

AAAHHHHHHH Y E S S GINA!!!

You don't regret trying :'DDD

Awww :')) 🥰🥰🥰

Themm :))

Lol xD yes they're just some guy and his insurance adjuster, shush xD

Anyway

AAAHHHHH YESSS thank you Gina :DD

Gina's the goat 😌😌😌

XDD I love her she's my favorite character lol

Love you Gina <33!!

Anyway lol xD

Oh hey Hen :))

Ope who is that?

Ope is it Maddie o.o

YUP o.o

Hmm but she's hiding the ring this time XDD

OOHHH she said it though :O :D

Ayy Hen has the exact same reaction as Buck lol xDD like "namely, how???" type XDD

Ope o.o

Yeah she kinda knows now xdd

LOVE Maddie defending herself :D

Like I truly believe Hen wasn't trying to downplay anything she just wasn't thinking great besides knowing Chimney needed to be sure but still xD Maddie doesn't have to take no crap

Also love how Hen immediately knew it was Buck

Okay but let's not Y'ALL argue though ಠ⁠_⁠ಠ didn't think I had to worry about you two xD

Yesss though she wanted him to take a breath

Yeah please let's not escalate this any further xdd

YESS GO OFF HEN

Telling her not to be embarrassed I mean

But yeah why haven't you told him xD

Ahh yeah

But I don't think she's gonna back out of (more like back away from, since it snot a commitment she already made lol) it :')) I think she's ready

YESS he's not him 😭 :'))

YESSS and you're not her :'DD

Hen is SLAYING in this conversation :D

They both are :))

LOL yeah back to the ring being stuck xD

Awww 🥰🥰🥰 y'all :'DD

I love them <333 🥰🥰❤️❤️

Oh dang he told her everything o.o??

Or like all of them I mean lol

Dang xD aight well done then Buck I guess lol

And she's cool with it! Good for her xD

I mean she can't exactly blame you for having exes but you know lol

Ope 👀😳 are y'all about to kiss

They ARREEEE

But c'mon y'all buddie 😭😭 drop herrr you have Eddie xD

OPE LOL SLDKFHDGJKLS

Who is it though xD like Maddie or somebody maybe?

Nope!

But kinda "Nope?" because I don't know who this lady is xD

OHH is it his college friend's wife :O

Or his high school friend or whatever he was lol

Ahhh yeah I think it is

Oof girl xdd you okay?

😬😬 Natalia is nooot liking that

(the only reason I know her name is because I'm from the future and he says it in a minute xD)

Girl a place to STAY?? It's that bad DD: :(?

Poor girl :((

I think y'all can work it out though xd

Uhh ohhh

UHH OHHH

O o f it looks like she's leaving xdd

Yeepp xdd 😬😬 :((

I'm sorry Buck :(( DD:

My poor boy 😭💔❤️

But hey now you have EDDIEEE-!!!

XDD

I want both a cut off and !!! so yeah xD

I swear Buck better not get with his friend's wife xD

Like sir are you

Because if you are

Stop xdd

XDD

[hoediaz]

hiiiiii zoe “in my defense, i really wanted to” <33333 if it sparks inspiration!!

"In my defence," Eddie says, his arms folded across his chest and his chin raised stubbornly, "I really wanted to."

Buck can still feel the weight of Eddie's mouth against his own, burning like a brand. He presses cold fingers to the edge of his mouth, blinks dumbly.

The kitchen is quiet and dark, mostly everyone asleep in the privacy of the bunk room. At this time of night it's only Buck and Eddie, teasing and laughing quietly as they pick through the cupboards for the snacks Chimney hides behind Bobby's spices.

Buck doesn't remember what they were joking about — maybe the call from earlier, when Ravi slipped in mud and took Chimney down with him, or maybe the book Buck's been reading, a domestic thriller that doesn't make any sense — only that one second they were laughing, shushing each other, their shoulders knocking together, and the next Eddie's eyes were lingering over the curve of mouth, Eddie's hand was curling in the front of his uniform, Eddie's mouth was sliding over his.

He's been kissed a lot in his lifetime, by a lot of different people in a lot of different places, but not a single one of them comes close to this: the press of Eddie's body so familiar he could recognize it half-dead, the fire house so familiar he can navigate it in the dark.

"In your defence?" Buck repeats, incredulous. And then: "You really wanted to?"

"Yes," Eddie huffs, his shoulders shifting in a way that pulls the short sleeves of his uniform over his biceps. He's been wearing the short sleeves more and more since finally coming back to the 118, and at first Buck thought it was some kind of symbolic gesture about starting over, like the haircut, but now he thinks it was just to torture him. "Did you hit your head?"

"No, I didn't — you want to kiss me? On purpose?"

"On purp— no, Buck, I wanted to trip and fall on your mouth. Yes, on purpose."

He knows Eddie, knows him better than maybe anyone on the planet, so he knows that he's only being snappish because he's embarrassed, because he put himself on the line to kiss Buck and now they're standing in the kitchen arguing about it.

But Eddie knows Buck, too, knows him right down to the very marrow of his bones, so that snappish defence only lasts a second before he's tilting his head, his eyes softening. "Buck," he says, "I always want you on purpose. Today, and yesterday, and tomorrow, it's just — I just look at you and want you. You can't blame me for that."

And Buck thinks he might cry in his place of work at four thirty in the morning with the borrowed taste of Chimney's Scooby Doo gummies on his lips.

"I think," he says, and has to clear his throat when his voice cracks, desperate and breaking open. He licks his lips, watches Eddie's eyes trace the movement. "I think I might need some more convincing. You know. Just to be sure."

Eddie blinks, and then a grin blooms across his expression, brightening the dark of the kitchen. "Well," he says, taking a step closer, his hands reaching up to frame Buck's face between slightly sweaty palms, "I guess. But only because I really want to."

Buck grins into the kiss, twisting a hand in Eddie's uniform that tugs it gently loose from his pants. It's a horrible, terrible idea, making out lazily against the fridge in the middle of a shift when they should be sleeping soundly in separate bunks, but they do it anyway. It's been too long since they've let themselves indulge in something just because they want it; months for Buck, maybe a lifetime for Eddie.

But it's a bad idea nonetheless, proven so when the kitchen light flicks on, casting a spotlight on where Buck has one hand halfway up Eddie's shirt, where Eddie has both hands twisted in his hair, their lips kiss-swollen and grinning too wide for having been caught.

"Just so you know," Chimney says from the other side of the island, holding onto the recently open box of his gummies that Eddie stole from, "this is literally my worst nightmare and I'm telling everyone."

Eddie only laughs, bright and joyous and half-muffled by Buck's shoulder, and Buck is warm, wanted.

send me a prompt if u would like

[littlespoonevan]

come back to me, baby, i’ll come back to you

evidently i care Way Too Much about what buck and eddie were talking about in the background shot at the hospital in 5x16 askaskjdfh

title: comeback - the jonas brothers

-

Buck frowns as he watches Taylor approach Lucy and he has the thought, I should probably deal with that.

But then Eddie’s shifting closer in his peripheral vision and, well, he gets distracted.

“You doin’ okay?” Eddie asks softly when he looks back to him. He’s still covered in the remnants of the fire – soot on his brow, a thin sheen of dried sweat across his forehead – but he looks lighter than he has in weeks and something in Buck thrums at the sight of it.

“I should be asking you that,” he quips, just as soft, fist connecting with Eddie’s chest in a way that’s too gentle to even be considered a friendly punch. “First time out on the field in a while.”

Eddie huffs a laugh and he’s happy, Buck can tell. He’s pretty sure his own happiness shouldn’t be this tethered to Eddie but he’s also pretty sure Eddie’s been personally responsible for at least seventy-five percent of his happiness for about four years now.

“It felt good,” Eddie admits, almost shy like he’s embarrassed to want it when it’s all Buck has longed to hear from him for the past three months.

“Yeah, well. It felt good working with you again,” he says, eyes fixed on the strap of Eddie’s suspenders instead of his face. He can’t help glancing up at the last second though. “I sort of missed having my partner around.”

Eddie’s expression melts into some combination of understanding and affection that has Buck ducking his head to hide the blush quickly colouring his cheeks.

“Same,” he murmurs and Buck has the ridiculous urge to catch Eddie’s hand where it’s hanging by his side and just- not let go.

He doesn’t because at least some part of his brain is still functioning but once he has the thought it’s hard to shake it away

“Are you seriously okay though?” Eddie asks then and Buck finally drags his eyes back up to look at him properly. “I mean with Cap and everything. I know it was-“

Fucking terrifying?

One of Buck’s worst fears come to life?

Yeah.

“I’m okay,” he says, the slight wobble in his voice betraying him. Eddie’s mouth tilts in sympathy. “It’s- he’ll be okay.”

“Of course he will,” Eddie says because he loves Bobby too and Buck knows he’s just as worried even if he’s better at hiding it. “It’s Bobby.”

Buck nods, tries for a smile that becomes a little more real when Eddie returns it.

“You uh- when we’re finished up here, wanna come back to mine? Decompress?”

It’s what they’d usually do after a heavy call – when Buck couldn’t face going back to the loft alone, when Eddie would be quieter than usual in the back of the ladder truck – Buck would silently follow Eddie home. They’d have a beer neither of them would really drink and sit on the couch pressed shoulder to shoulder watching some dumb sitcom until the day finally felt like a memory instead of something they were both stuck reliving.

Buck’s been at the Diaz house more than his own loft in the past month but still, the urge to go, to claim back a little part of their routine that they’d lost twists longingly in his chest.

“Yeah,” he says, something like comfort burrowing beneath his skin. “Let’s do that.”

Eddie nods – resolute, content – and brushes his knuckles so quickly against Buck’s side Buck almost thinks he imagines it. “I’m gonna ask Hen for an update.”

Buck watches him go and knows, for the first time in a long time, that Eddie’s coming back.

-

[mr-and-mr-diaz]

I just. I just thought about Eddie holding baby Jee-Yun? And singing to her while she clutches at his finger with her tiny meaty baby hand??

Maybe Buck freaked out a little because she was being fussy and wouldn't settle, and its probably nothing but hey, who better to call than Eddie, who conveniently has the day off and cuts off Buck's panicked rambling with a soothing;

"Its okay, Buck. Give me ten minutes, okay? You're doing great. She's probably just restless."

Eddie gets there and sends Buck off to cook dinner or shower or take a nap, scooping Jee-Yun out of her travel crib and making sure she's changed, warm, fed and content. And its been so long since Christopher was this tiny, but holding Jee-Yun makes him think back to that tiny, wriggly little bundle in his arms for the first time, back before it all went to shit.

Eddie pacing slowly around the lower loft, singing quietly, tickling her little chin, grinning when she giggles and gurgles at him. And he can see so much of Maddie and Chimney in her already. She's got Maddie's eyes and Chimney's lopsided grin.

(And for a little crack, maybe Buck catches this scene and is so overwhelmed he just blurts out; "put a baby in me!" And Eddie is like; "... What?" 👁👄👁 Which cues a hilariously awkward but heartfelt confession of feelings on both sides.)

Hey hey! So I like I told you I started this a while ago and then got SEVERE AND DEBILITATING writers block, and it sat waiting for new life. And then 5x03 happened, so Hello, new life! I hope you love it!

With You, My Life, I Will Get Married

Warning: mild spoilers for 9-1-1 season 5 episode 3.

Chimney was out searching for Maddie.

After shifts, on weekends, whenever he had a second, he was either spending time with Jee or out searching for her mom.

In times when he was on the search everyone at the 118 was making time to watch Jee Yun. Mrs. Lee was doing what she could, but couldn't always be available, and when that happened, Jee would spend some time at Bobby and Athena's or by Hen and Karen. And when they had too much going on, or when either of the uncles felt like they weren't getting enough time with their beautiful niece, she would spend time at her Uncle Buck's or Uncle Albert's.

Uncle Buck got lucky this time.

Eight hours in and everything had gone wrong. Buck shoulders were damp with spit-up, baby drool, and snot and all Jee seemed capable of doing was crying, crying, crying.

"I'm so sorry! I don't know what I did wrong, and, and now--just, Jee, please, it's okay, I'm here--!"

She continued to yell and Buck got more and more panicked. "Your Uncle Albert's gonna be here in like 5 minutes, Jee, okay? And then, maybe, maybe he's better with you? And will make you happy, and then--Oh God, what have I done wrong--"

A knocking at the door sent him back on his feet, swaying toward the loft entrance. It opened before he could get there, however, and he stopped where he was, a furious Jee Yun screaming in his ears as Eddie Diaz, not Albert Han, walked in.

"You look like you're having fun." Eddie's eyebrow was raised and his mouth quirked in a teasing smile.

"Eddie...?" Buck's momentary shock was interrupted as Jee let out another wail. "Um, sorry, this isn't the best time at the moment, but Albert--"

"--has a date tonight and sent me as his relief." Eddie reached out and plucked Jee Yun from Buck's arms. "And you have a date with your shower and a few hours' sleep."

"I--no, it's okay, I know you just got off shift--"

"Buck." Eddie shifted Jee to one arm, and the other rested on Buck's chest, over his pattering heartbeat. He met Buck's eyes, his own calm despite the bundle of adorable chaos still screaming bloody murder into his shoulder. "Go shower."

"...Yeah, okay."

***

She truly was one of the cutest babies, even when she was liable to wake up the neighborhood with her noise, Eddie thought with a smile as he re-seated her over one shoulder and began to firmly but gently tap her back.

"Your Tio Eddie is going to assume this is a gas issue, okay, chiquita? Christopher used to have this all the time, and he would scream and cry." Eddie huffed ruefully. "I was useless at it then, but Shannon showed me what to do." He kept tapping at her back. "Good set of lungs means a healthy baby, good job, Jee. Now, let's see if we can't get this gas out of you so you can calm down and you and your Tio Buck can get some sleep, okay?"

Eddie started circling the room, the sun beginning to set as he heard he shower turn on.

"There you go, see? Your Buck is going to get all showered since you drooled all over him, and then you both can get some sleep, how's that sound?"

He was answered with a burp far louder than Jee's small body should be capable of making. Then a sweet gurgling sound as she nestled her chin into his shoulder.

"There, feel better, mi princesa?" Eddie whispered against her soft, downy hair. "When I was small and got upset, and my parents got annoyed with my sulking, they'd send me to Abuela. And she would sit me down on her lap, just like this," he sat down on Buck's couch, and settled Jee Yun against his broad chest, rubbing her small back with a large warm hand. "And she would hug me until I forgot what I was so upset about. All I could think about was the smell of her perfume and how much I wanted to be like her one day.

"Then Pepa would come out and yell at both of us that it's about damn time we came into the house, dinner doesn't make itself." Eddie laughed at the memory. Jee made a small discontented noise and Eddie stood up again, walking toward the kitchen, where he saw the half-formed works of bottle making on the counter. "Shhh, princesa, Tio Eddie's gonna make you a bottle." With Jee over his shoulder, sounding more and more on the edge of hunger-panic, Eddie quickly assembled a bottle then leaned back against the kitchen island and cradled Jee Yun in his arms, pressing the nipple to her mouth, which she accepted gratefully.

"Better, yeah? Where was I...? Oh." Eddie smiled. "Once we were inside, Pepa, Abuela and I would make arroz con leche. Abuella would wash the rice, Pepa would be tutting the whole time about too much sugar, but she would always wink at me and add just a bit more before the cinnamon." Eddie couldn't help the smile that stole over his face as he remembered Abuela's warm kitchen in her El Paso ranch house before she and Pepa relocated to LA. In winter, the windows would fog over from the heat of whatever was on the stove. When she left, a lot of Eddie's heart left with her.

"They used to sing me the song too, you know?" Jee gurgled around her dinner and Eddie smiled again. "Well, I wasn't planning to sing it, but you drive a hard bargain." Eddie's poked Jee's soft cheek with a finger and began to sing.

Arroz con leche se quiere casar con una viudita de la capital, que sepa tejer, que sepa bordar, que ponga la aguja en su campanal.

(English translation: Rice with milk (rice pudding) Wishes to get married With a little widow from the capital. Who knows how to weave (or knit), Who knows how to embroider, Who puts the church steeple in the bell tower.)

***

Eddie was no American Idol contestant, but his voice was soothing and good. Strong. Listening to him sing from his seat on the stairs, Buck almost felt like he was where Jee currently snuggled, right against Eddie's chest, as his bass voice sung the gentle Spanish lyrics, harmonized by the occasional happy noise from Jee Yun.

Yo soy la viudita la hija del rey. Me quiero casar y no sé con quien. Contigo sí, contigo no, Contigo mi vida me casaré yo.

(English translation: I am the widow The daughter of the king, I want to get married and I don’t know with whom. With you, yes. With you, no. With you, my life, I will get married.)

Buck's head knocked lightly against the banister, body relaxing. He wasn't wearing a shirt, just the softest sweatpants he owned with a towel draped over his shoulders to catch water from the mess of wet curls on his head.

Eddie's so hard on himself all the time. I don't get it. He's such a good dad.

Dazedly, Buck's eyes fixed on Eddie's mouth as he repeated the verses again. Then Eddie sighed.

"Afterward Pepa would ask me who I want to marry and Abuela would laugh at me, and I'd always complain--" Jee gurgled again. "Like that, yes. But honestly, it was nice... Even though between you and me, Pepa can't sing very well at all." Eddie's lips quirked again in a smile. "Kind of like your Uncle Buck."

Buck startled at his name and looked up at Eddie's eyes. They twinkled back at him in the dying last light of the day, Eddie's golden skin lit by the last rays of the sun. Buck felt his face heat with a blush, knew there was nothing to do about it.

"Sorry, I should've--"

"Feel better after your shower?"

Buck sighed and smiled. "Yeah. World's better." He stood, stretching out his long legs as he descended the stairs. It was full dark now, but Buck didn't feel like turning on a light. "I can take her now."

"Nope." Eddie met him midway, hand on Buck's shoulder turning him around. "You're both getting some sleep now." One hand on Buck's shoulder, the other holding a drowsy Jee Yun, Eddie guided him back up the stairs, and pressed Buck down until he was sitting on his bed.

"Eddie, are you sure--"

"Shhh." Eddie deposited Jee into Buck's arms, then sat down behind him. "You can hold her for now." Eddie's hands skimmed up Buck's warm back then pulled the towel off Buck's shoulders, laying it on top of Buck's head, where a corner flopped over his eyes.

"Eddie?"

"Hold still, Buck."

Eddie's strong hands curled into the towel and Buck's hair, rubbing vigorously to get it dry. "Seriously, anyone who has ever seen your hair at work would marvel at how different it looks before you comb and gel all the life out of it." He rubbed vigorously, and Buck felt himself relaxing back against Eddie's chest. Tomorrow, he might look back at this and feel embarrassed. He might have to apologize. Tomorrow, he would go back to hiding how much he felt for the man who was drying his hair, still absent-mindedly humming the Arroz con leche tune under his breath. But for now, Eddie was too near and too warm and too... Eddie. And Buck found that he couldn't deny himself Eddie right now.

Buck cleared his throat and made himself focus on their conversation. "I used to wear my hair naturally, but people said it looked floppy. Made me look like a puppy."

"People are stupid sometimes, Buck. You know this." Eddie's thumb traced the shell of Buck's ear. "And if you think slicking back your hair makes you look less like a puppy, you really shouldn't be bothering." He snickered as Buck tried to shoulder his chest and Jee made a noise of complaint.

"So I just look like a puppy all the time, huh?"

The towel dropped. Eddie's arms came around, holding onto Buck and Jee Yun both. "I think you're a beautiful man, Buck."

The air in Buck's chest hiccupped out of his mouth. His heart picked up speed as the places where Eddie's hands rested on his stomach seemed to heat from within. "Y... Eddie?"

"Shhh. Sleep now. Jee's asleep, but who knows for how long." Eddie's voice was gruff, embarrassed. "I'll just--"

"Stay?" It came out too high, too soft. Buck cleared his throat and tried again. "I mean, if it isn't any trouble, and--"

"I can stay." Eddie's arms tightened around Buck again and he pulled him backwards until Buck could lay out flat on his back, before pressing Buck's head down on his pillow. Then Eddie pulled Jee from Buck's arms and sat back against the headrest, legs folded together, Buck's niece cuddled again against his chest. "Sleep now."

"Okay." There was so much Buck wanted to know. To say. It all got stopped in his throat as fear tamped it all down to squirm in his chest.

"Eddie?" The word found its way out.

"Hm?"

"...Nothing."

A sigh. Then, "Come here."

Buck didn't hesitate, moving his head off the pillow and onto Eddie's lap. Eddie's spare hand found its way back into his curls and tugged lightly before stroking through them, gently, so gently.

"Sleep now."

"Okay. But," Buck's jaw cracked around a large yawn. "Before... you have to know..."

"Hm?"

"You are... so beautiful... Eddie Diaz."

Buck felt Eddie's hand tighten in his hair again, before releasing, fingers wandering down to trace his eyebrows, his nose, his lips.

"Sleep, querido."

As Buck's eyes slipped closed, and awareness almost dropped away, he swore he could feel lips press lightly right above his eye, on his birth mark.

"Contigo mi vida me casaré yo."

[moonstonediaz]

although it’s been said many times, many ways…

word count: 5.1k, on ao3

summary: A notification pings on Eddie's phone reminding him of the romantic mountain getaway he had planned in an abandoned attempt to strengthen his relationship with Ana. It's months later and paid for in full so he figures inviting Buck along couldn't hurt.

Eddie sighs and rests his head on his forearms where they’re crossed against the railing of the loft. They’re in the middle of a twelve-hour shift and they had been on calls almost non-stop. It hadn’t been their longest shift, but it had certainly felt like it.

Eddie takes a deep breath and fantasizes about his upcoming weekend. His abuela would be in El Paso for Christmas so Chris was going to stay over the weekend before. Eddie would have the house to himself this weekend and he had a few interior design shows lined up to binge all by himself.

He’s so caught up in which snacks he should stock up on that he almost misses the reminder notification coming through on his phone. Putting a pin in his daydream, he straightens and pulls out his phone.

Eddie reads the notification. Then he reads it again, staring in sudden horror.

Mountain Comfort—A view for 2! Arrival Information Inside.

He’s suddenly slammed back to ten months ago when he made the reservation. Also known as, the actual reason Chris was spending the weekend with his abuela. The trip was an attempt to grasp harder onto what he thought he should want. The special weekend getaway was going to be a surprise for Ana for their first Christmas together.

His stomach plummets, and it’s not because of the breakup. It’s because it’s non-refundable and paid in full.

He shouldn’t have gotten so attached to his binge party for one.

“Oh, fuck,” he breathes out, drawing out the words. It should have been silent, but Buck always seems to have his ears finely tuned to all things Eddie.

“What’s up?” Buck asks, sliding up next to Eddie, bumping their shoulders together and resting his forearms against the railing.

“It’s just, uh–” Eddie tilts his phone so Buck has a better view of the screen. “I had planned a surprise trip months ago to the mountains. For Ana.”

A sleek grin spreads across Buck’s face. “Ahh, and you completely forgot about it? It’s a romantic cabin for two, it’s non-refundable, and it’s this weekend?”

Eddie rolls his eyes with a smile and pockets his phone. “Yes, so you see my problem.”

“Eddie, you don’t have to go. It’s not mandatory.”

“I kind of feel like I have to since it’s paid in full. Might as well get my money’s worth.” And then, quickly before he can shove his fist into his mouth, he blurts, “You should come, too.”

He could have kicked himself for letting the words stumble past his lips. Buck’s shocked face only adds to the embarrassment he’s fighting to keep at bay. But he holds steady, meeting Buck’s wild eyes with a solid gaze, his bottom lip buried between his teeth.

“Oh, uh… this weekend?” Buck rubs the back of his neck and stares at his feet.

Well, Eddie thinks, it’s too late to back out now. Might as well go all-in.

“Yeah, why not? I know you don’t have plans.” Buck’s never been able to deny Eddie so he knows he’s got him. He playfully bumps into his shoulder as he walks past, suddenly eager to busy himself with work. “It’ll be fun.”

“Yeah, but–”

“Don’t overthink it! When was the last time you took a spontaneous road trip?” Eddie throws a smirk over his shoulder as he descends the stairs and he sees the exact moment Buck folds; his shoulders drop and he rolls his eyes to the ceiling. His smile pulls hard to the right deepening Eddie’s favorite dimple. He hustles quickly down the stairs so he can hide the blush blooming over his cheeks.

Okay, Eddie thinks. A whole weekend with his best friend that he’s stupidly in love with. Alone in a snowy mountain cabin. There’s no way this would be absolute torture.

read the rest on ao3

[pupandangelscoffee]

Three makes a family

Eddie Diaz x Evan "Buck" Buckley x Female reader

Genre: mostly fluff, slight angst in the middle

TW: mentions of alcohol, arguing

Word count: slightly over 3K

Taglist: @enterprise-medical

Buck really loved Carla and he knew that Eddie did too, especially since Chris always seemed to happy around her. That is why he did not understand why Eddie chose to hire a babysitter for Chris, clearly Carla could do the babysitting. Eddie tried explaining that he wanted Carla to be able to have some days off, too. After all, it can be exhausting to babysit a very energetic kid all day.

Even if Buck does not understand Eddie’s motivations, he is now sitting in the older male’s living room and waiting for the doorbell to ring, already painting a picture of the babysitter in his head. She probably looks like an evil witch with gray hair and lots of wrinkles on her face, making her seem friendly despite her secretly scaring children by telling them she would eat them. Though as soon as the doorbell rings, Chris starts racing his dad to the door, leaving a very confused Buck behind. “Why did his little buddy seem so excited to see the new babysitter? Why was his little buddy more excited to see his babysitter than he was when Buck came over earlier?? This just feels unfair!” Buck concludes in his head, getting up and walking to the kitchen to grab himself a drink. From his place he can hear the excited yells from Chris, a small smile immediately creeping on his face though dropping almost instantly when he remembers that he wasn’t the one making Chris that happy.

After taking another deep breath, he makes his way over to the living room very steadily, ready to assess you. However, as soon as he lays eyes on you, he chokes up and trips over his own feet, crashing into the small table on the side and dropping his glass. Startled by the sound, Chris, Eddie and you turn around to face him, you immediately jumping up and helping the young firefighter with the broken glass. “You didn’t tell me that I have to babysit two kids, Eds” you state, earning laughter from Chris and Eddie and an embarrassed look from Buck. “You must be Buck, right? Chris has told me a lot about you” you tell the embarrassed man, who is still in shock from seeing your beauty up close. Chuckling softly, you grab the shards of broken glass from his hands before heading to the kitchen to get a towel and throw the shards away.

“So, what do you think?” Eddie asks Buck softly while you are out of the room, however, he does not get a response as Buck simply continues staring at the spot you were sitting a moment ago. Chris slowly gets up and hugs Buck, thinking that the firefighter got hurt when he tripped, though Eddie quickly understood what was going on and shakes his head. Seems like Buck 1.0 still existed somewhere in his younger friend, despite everyone telling him that Buck was no longer like that. Perhaps he should talk to Maddie about this, needing someone’s opinion, that actually knew Buck as well as he did. Though before he has the chance to excuse himself, you are back in the living room and making your way over to Chris. “Ready for a fun day, Chris?” you ask him with a smile playing on your lips to which Chris eagerly nods and allows you to pick him up. “I will bring him home at 8 tonight, alright Eds?” you state, turning to look at the older male. “Yeah, 8 sounds perfect. I will see you tonight.” He replies, smiling at you and walking over to press a kiss goodbye onto Chris’s forehead.

As soon as you and Chris are gone, he gets another cup of water and pours it over Buck’s head, successfully pulling him out of his trance. “Do not even think about sleeping with Y/N, Evan.” He states lowly, giving the younger firefighter a glare while Buck just looks up at him sheepishly. “In my defense, you forgot to mention that the new babysitter was smoking hot. A warning would have been nice.” He grumbles as he shakes his head, sending water droplets flying everywhere before getting up and dropping on to the couch with a small groan. The response left Eddie frowning, sure, he was aware that you were attractive and he would be lying if he said that he wasn’t attracted to you, especially after seeing how much Chris adores you. However, that did not lessen the blow of Buck’s blunt response. Perhaps that was why he was fearing that Buck 1.0 was back, he didn’t want you to be scared off purely because his best friend was incapable of keeping his dick in his pants. “Just try not to fuck her immediately when you get her alone, please. Chris really likes her.” Eddie nearly begs, deciding it was better that he doesn’t add that he likes you too. Buck sighs and nods, pouting a bit. Though for his little buddy, he would definitely try not to get into her pants. After all, he didn’t want Chris to hate him, especially if it was because he couldn’t control himself around you. However, this wasn’t going to stop him from teasing Eddie by flirting with you, because despite the older man trying to hide it, he could tell that Eddie had a thing for you as well.

8 comes quicker than the two males expect and they are slightly startled from their cuddled position when they hear the door opening. Glancing out into the hallway, they spot you carrying a sleeping Chris into his room, unknowingly causing both of the males to smile. Soon enough, you walk into the living room and whisper “he is asleep now and probably won’t be waking up any time soon. We had a lot of fun” before grabbing your bag that you placed on the table in the hallway on your way in. It was clear that you were about to leave, so Buck jumps up and grabs your hand, putting on his best kicked puppy expression. “Why don’t you stay for a bit longer? We have some wine in the fridge and I will drop you off at your place later, I wouldn’t feel right letting a pretty lady like yourself be outside all by yourself.” He states softly, pouting a bit in hopes that it would convince you to stay. You glance between him and his friend, who was eagerly nodding, before sighing and setting down your bag. “Fine, I’ll stay for a bit. But only if you have anything to eat that isn’t almost pure sugar.” You agree, your request causing the older male to jump into motion and quickly rushing into the kitchen to put a pizza in the oven for you. Meanwhile, Buck leads you back to the couch, not letting go of your hand until you pull it away.

Somehow you end up being squished between the two men, a glass of wine in your hand and the pizza on the table. After some small arguing, they decided to just let you choose the movie, so now they had to suffer through one of your favorite horror movies. While you sit there not even flinching, Buck is absolutely terrified and unsure whether he should feel impressed by the fact that you do not mind horror movies or scared that you clearly do not cringe at the big amounts of blood spattering all over the screen. On the other side, Eddie has managed to wrap his arm around your shoulder, with the excuse that he feels safer if he knows that you and Buck are safe and within his reach. He is definitely impressed by your ability to keep a straight face at the movie, though definitely not as surprised as Buck, especially because he knew about your background.

Soon enough the first movie is finished, then a second one, then a third and the next thing you know, you wake up to the smell of bacon in a bed that was most certainly not yours. Looking down at yourself, you realize that the shirt you are wearing is also not yours, leaving you confused for a moment because you do not recall getting changed the previous night. Sighing, you quickly come to the conclusion that one of the two men must have changed you. Rubbing the sleep out of your eyes, you make your way into the kitchen, where you are greeted by the sight of a small family breakfast with Buck, Eddie and Chris. Deep inside your heart, you wish to wake up to that small family every morning, though that wish quickly gets locked up and hidden from the world as you make your way to the coffee machine to get a cup. Chris is the first of the three to react to your presence, calling out your nickname before grinning brightly at you. “Good morning, little one. Did you help make breakfast?” You ask, sitting down on the counter to smile at the nodding boy. “Yeah!! Daddy gave me instructions!” He explains with an excited tone before glancing at the clock and frowning. “Can you convince dad to let me stay at home today?” He asks you with a hushed tone, causing you to giggle and shake your head, whispering back “sorry, but I am sure that the captain would not enjoy you missing your big day in school. Or how else is your group supposed to present the fantastic poem you wrote?”. Chris tilts his head before thinking for a moment. “Fair after school?” he tries to negotiate, causing you to giggle again before nodding. “Sure thing, buddy. Now go brush your teeth and I will drive you to school, okay?” “Okay, mommy!” Chris replies before rushing off to brush his teeth, leaving an uncomfortable silence behind as his words sink into all of you.

Eddie and Buck are watching your interaction with Chris, the sound of your giggles making the smile without realizing it. Surely, you must have noticed that they changed you into something more comfortable last night after you had fallen asleep on Eddie’s chest. However, it just felt natural to the two males to take care of you and make you breakfast, Chris being a bit help. Though when Chris calls you mommy, they freeze and Buck even chokes on his piece of the pancake. They certainly did not expect that Chris was that fond of you, though Eddie is slightly less surprised than Buck, thinking about the countless times that Chris had asked for you to come over. Still, the sudden name caused his movement to halt as well, his brain going haywire, trying to figure out if Chris had somehow found out about his attraction for you and that is why he felt so comfortable with calling you mommy. Or perhaps it was simply because the men had decided to pull one of Eddie’s shirt on you yesterday and that is what made it seem like you two were dating. Or was it the couple of times he had invited you out with Chris and him for dinner? His train of thought is quickly broken though, when Chris appears in the kitchen and says goodbye to the two men, calling Buck dad and Eddie daddy before rushing off to your car. Once again you three are left alone in the kitchen, the silence deafening. “Drive safely, okay?” Buck manages to mutter out, making you nod. Glancing between the two men, you decide to peck their cheeks before rushing out after Chris, grabbing your bag in the process to drive him to the school.

When you return to Eddie’s house, you can already hear the yelling from the outside. Slowly making your way into the house, you can finally understand what the two were arguing about. You. From what you gathered, Eddie was upset with Buck for flirting with you while Buck was countering that obviously Eddie was too chicken to do something about his feelings for you. Avoiding nearly being hit by a vase that comes flying your way, you clear your throat causing the fight to die down and both men to turn to you. “I- uh…” Eddie starts, though you raise your hand to silence him before grabbing the stuff you had left on the couch. “Once you two grow up and handle this like actual adults, then you can call me.” You state before walking out of the house and slamming the door shut behind you, leaving the two men dumbfounded and broken.

Two months. It takes two months of Chris sulking, Bobby scolding them and roughly 5 meetings with Maddie before they can finally face each other again. Yet whenever they stare at your number, they chicken out, too afraid to call you. You had been right, they were acting like two children throwing tantrums, build on the unspoken feelings between them. But now that they were dating steadily and currently curled up together on the couch, they finally decide to call you up. However, much to their distaste, a man answers your phone and for a moment they believe they lost any chance with you, if there even was one to begin with. “Hello? Are you still there?” The man on the phone asks, causing Eddie to nod and reply with a small “yeah”. A hum is heard from the other side of the line before they hear “what do you want from my sister?”. Never in their life did the duo think that hearing such a question would be such a relief. Buck reacts quicker than Eddie and explains the situation, what has happened and why they were calling now. Another hum is audible before some commotion can be heard and then they hear your voice, a sense of happiness washing over them. For whatever reason, you actually agree to meet with them after your work, giving them the address of your workplace.

Your shift ends in 10 minutes when Buck and Eddie walk into the club where you were working, quickly spotting you behind the bar, deciding that your outfit was definitely too short for their liking. Holding on to Eddie’s hand tightly, Buck weasels his way through the crowd and stops right before you at the bar, smiling softly as you smile back. Though he can’t help but look you over once more, the small shirt definitely compliments your chest yet does not leave a lot to the imagination and your shorts are barely allowed to be titled shorts by how short they are. Eddie notices what the younger firefighter is doing and quickly elbows his ribs, earning a grunt and a displeased look from the other before smiling at you. “Three of your favorites, nena.” Eddie yells over the music to you and watches as you get to work, mixing three shot glasses filled with some purpelish looking liquor before sliding them over to him. “What would you like, Evan?” You ask softly before adding “a blowjob?” with a smirk, causing the young male to choke on his own spit, believing he did not hear you correctly. “I am talking about the drink, dumbass.” You explain with a small laugh, preparing one before setting it down before Buck, who still looks like a puppy which just got caught destroying your favorite pair of shoes. “T-Thanks,” he finally mutters out, grabbing the drink and mentally kicking himself for sounding like a schoolgirl that was talking to her first crush. You three fall into an easy conversation, barely paying attention to the time, not noticing that your shift was over until your coworker walks up behind you and tells you to start leaving. You nod and lead the two firefighters to the back room that usually only employees are allowed to enter before grabbing a shirt from your bag and pulling it on before looking at the two men. “Before you ask, yes, it is your shirt, Eds. It is just very comfy.” You state, grabbing the rest of your belongings before smiling at the boys and leading them out of the back door.

A warm ball of cuddles and limbs, that is how you would describe the three of you on Eddie’s bed right now. After you left your workplace, the boys started bombarding you with questions and you answered them all honestly, about how you chose this job in hopes that you would forget the two men that made your days so much brighter, about how you missed Chris and a bunch of other things that they wanted to know. On the way back to Eddie’s place, they stopped at some restaurant that was still open and grabbed the food. Once you were all at his place, you ate and then proceeded to talk about the three of you, about the feelings the duo had for each other and for you and how they wished for you to be a part of the small family they had created. First you jokingly denied them, teasing them that you did not have any feelings for them, but after seeing the hurt flash on their faces, you quickly explained how you returned their feelings and that you missed them a lot within the past two months, even if Carla had kept you up to date with their wellbeing. So now you were all cuddling and just enjoying the presence, because even if tomorrow was not given, if tomorrow everything could fall apart, right now you three were a happy family and you would not change that for anything in this world.

Chris’s reaction the next morning when he walks into the kitchen and sees you sitting on the counter, sipping your coffee while Buck is standing between your legs is priceless. You did not know that the kid could even hit such a high note, but he manages to do so when he screams your name and scrambles over to you, pouting at Buck standing in his way. That was most definitely not what he had in his mind when his dad told him that there was a surprise waiting for him in the kitchen. Though you quickly push Buck to the side, earning a whine from the male about how mean you are, before jumping off the counter and hugging Chris tightly, excited to spend the rest of your mornings with those three.

[datleggy]

Buddie prompt: aggressively pro-buddie Helena and Ramon Diaz, who are ecstatic when Eddie tells them he's dating, and then utterly befuddled when he introduces Ana. But they decide to bite their tongues about it (Buck, their future son in law, has talked to them about respecting Eddie's decisions, however dumb, after all), until Ana (unwittingly? Innocently? No matter) makes a comment about Buck, and then all bets are off.

Hope this inspires you!

Helena is so relieved that Eddie finally feels comfortable enough to come out to them, that she could cry. She feels awful that it took her so long to realize it. 

It had been on Eddie’s last visit to Texas, when he and his crew had been fighting wildfires, that Ramon--her dense as can be when it comes to matters of the heart husband of all people--had noticed that their son was in love. 

Helena still remembers saying goodbye to her son and his two teammates, remembers Ramon closing the door, waiting exactly all of five seconds before turning to her and saying, “I’m happy for him. He’s so stubborn, I didn’t know if he’d ever let himself get that close to someone again.” 

And Helena had been confused at first, and then even chuckled when Ramon had explained calmly that clearly their son was dating his coworker Buck, until she’d stopped to really give it a moment’s thought. It had hit her all at once, how obvious those two were, and she couldn’t help but wonder how long it had been since they’d started dating and why Eddie hadn’t said anything yet. 

She’s seen the photos on Instagram, Helena thinks, as their plane lands. Buck smiling next to her grandbaby after helping her son build him a skateboard he could safely ride in the park. Buck standing shoulder to shoulder with Eddie behind Tia and Christopher in that Christmas photo at the station. The selfie Eddie posted of him and Buck with the giant cast still on his leg the day of the ceremony for when he was no longer a probationary firefighter with the 118. 

Really, she should’ve figured it out months ago. 

When Eddie had called and told her he’d started dating again and that the next time they came to visit he’d make an introduction Helena had been thrilled! 

Ramon drives them from the airport to their son’s place in their rental and Helena rambles on about how she hopes Buck isn’t too nervous to see them again, now that the cat’s out of the bag. 

When they arrive Eddie greets them at the door with a big hug and ushers his parents inside and Helena is so ready to step into the living room and welcome Buck into the family with open arms, to show her son that there was nothing to be afraid of, that they love him and nothing in the world would change that--

Only to be met with....not Buck? 

“Oh,” Helena stops dead in her tracks and Ramon stands beside her looking about as confused as she feels. “Hello.” she smiles politely enough. 

The woman sitting next to Christopher on the couch stands up and she’s absolutely stunning, her curls bouncing on her shoulders when she stands up to exchange hello’s. “It’s so nice to meet you both. My name is Ana.” 

The rest of the afternoon goes by just fine, but Eddie can tell something is amiss the entire time, though he does a good job of hiding it from Ana, who’s her usual charming self through out lunch. 

She has to take a work call at some point and excuses herself to another room and that’s when Eddie turns to his parents and half-whispers. “Ok, I know those looks. What’s wrong?” 

Helena shakes her head, feigning ignorance. “I don’t know what you mean.” 

Eddie sighs, rolling his eyes. “Seriously, what is it? Ana is perfect. She’s incredibly smart, she’s funny, she’s got a great job, good head on her shoulders, and Christopher loves her--so again, I ask, what’s wrong?” 

Ramon follows his wife’s lead. “Mijo, really, it’s nothing. She’s great. We’re happy for you. I think we’re just a little tired from the flight, that’s all.” 

Eddie narrows his eyes slightly but decides there isn’t much sleuthing that can be done at the moment, so all he can do is take them at their word for now. “Fine, if you say so.” 

They’re in the middle of watching Nemo when Buck's name comes up.

"When the tsunami happened Buck and I sang 'just keep swimming' like Dory." Christopher grins up at his dad and Eddie ruffles the curls on his head playfully. It helps Christopher to be able to openly talk about what he went through that day, the good and the bad.

"You never told me Buck was there that day." Ana comments off handedly.

Eddie nods, "Huh, I thought I mentioned it? Buck took him to the pier that morning."

"It was scary but Buck saved me." Christopher tells his grandma, who reaches across the couch to squeeze his arm. Helena had been horrified to hear what had happened at the time; it still gives her anxiety just thinking about it.

"That's right." She says softly.

"I thought some woman you didn't know carried him to one of the tents, and that's how you two were reunited, no?" Ana asks.

"Yeah, but before that, during the initial impact Buck was with Christopher, he managed to get him up to this firetruck in the middle of everything. It was after he dove back into the water to save someone that a second wave came and swept Christopher right off and they got separated from there." Eddie recalls solemnly.

There had been blood running down the dirty wet bandage on his arm, he'd been soaked to the bone, exhausted and barely standing upright. It wasn't until Christopher had been found that Buck had allowed himself to collapse.

"Oh..." Ana frowns.

Ramon puts a hand over his heart and sighs. "It's a miracle, really."

Ana doesn't mean to say it outloud, but the words comes tumbling out of her mouth without warning. "And you're still friends with him?"

Eddie blinks. "What?"

"I'm sorry, really, it's just--I don't understand." Ana rubs her shoulder self consciously, fully aware of the fact that everyone is looking at her. "Look, Edmundo, you nearly bit my head off when Christopher got a skinned knee under my watch but you're still best friends with the man who lost your son for God only knows how long? It doesn't make any sense to me."

Ana knows how overprotective Eddie is of his son, and in fact, that's one of the reasons she likes him so much; she admires that about him and this? It doesn't track with the man she knows.

Helena wants to open her mouth and she say something in defense of Buck--he's a good man, after all. But she knows better than to get between a couple in an argument, especially given how bias she is towards her future son in law...

Instead, she clears her throat and looks at Christopher, "Honey, how about you help me and Grandpa unpack? I bought a lot of fun things from Texas for you."

Christopher doesn't want to go. His Dad looks upset. Ana looks upset. He wants to stay and help. If Ana met Buck she would understand, Christopher's sure of it. But his grandparents are already leading him down the hall and to the guest room.

Christopher hangs out with his grandparents for a few minutes before fibbing and telling them he needs to use the bathroom. They both offer to help him but he insists that he can do it himself, promising to call out if he needs them.

He sneaks the home phone into the bathroom with him and dials a number he knows by heart at this point. He waits a couple of rings before the call connects.

"Hey, what's up?" Buck's voice comes through the other end. He sounds distracted.

"Bucky? Can you come get me?" He whispers into the phone.

He hears a small commotion and then a stifled 'ow!' and then: "Chris? Are you ok? You're home, right? What's wrong? Where's Eddie?"

"I'm home. I'm ok. But--" there's a knock on the door and it startles Christopher into accidentally hanging up the phone before he can explain the situation in it's entirety.

"It was a tsunami." Eddie sighs, "It wouldn't be fair to hold something like that over his head. And look, you weren't there. You didn't see the look on his face, you don't know how many hours he spent crying out Christopher's name at the top of his lungs, injured and looking nonstop through the rubble for him--"

"Yeah, which he wouldn't have had to do if he hadn't lost him in the first place. It sounds like he was too busy playing hero for strangers to watch your son." Ana folds her arms across her chest. "I don't want to fight. Especially not with your parents here. Honestly, I'm just confused? We don't have to talk about this right now. I can go. I just want to apologize to your parents and Christopher first, before I leave, for," she sighs, embarrassed, "well, for causing a scene. This is not the way I'd pictured meeting your parents."

"You know, if you just met Buck I really think you would--"

A cacophony of knocks at the door make the both of them jump. Ana looks at Eddie. "Were you expecting anyone else?"

"Christopher!? Christopher I'm here, open up!"

Eddie gapes. "...Buck?"

"Did you...call him over?" Ana didn't even see him reach for his phone.

"What? No, of course not." Eddie starts towards the door--the knocking has gotten so boisterous he's pretty sure Buck's about to break down his door--but Ana beats him to it.

At this point Eddie's parents and Christopher are in the hallway wondering what all that racket is.

Ana lets the door swing open, and if she's being entirely honest she's not sure what she's planning on saying to the man who's essentially at the center of her first real argument with her boyfriend, but whatever it was, it goes up in smoke when she takes in the sight of him.

Buck is taller than she'd pictured but that's not what's got her speechless.

He's standing at the doorway, chest heaving, clearly having rushed out of his house, where he was very obviously in the middle of shaving, if the shaving cream still smeared on a third of his face is any indication. He's in sweatpants and a white undershirt that's got little drops of blood on the front from where he must have cut himself while shaving. There's a bright red cut running down the underside of his chin.

"Um." Ana can't do much except stare, wide eyed.

Buck blinks at her, "Uh...Ana?" He suddenly realizes all the people in the house behind her are looking at him in a kind of stupor.

She nods slowly. "Buck?"

Buck nods sheepishly, "Uh... So, I am clearly interrupting something here."

"You came!" Christopher moves past all of the adults in the corridor and throws himself at Buck's legs.

Buck lifts the kid up easily enough, crutches and all, "Yeah, about that," he gently pinches his cheek, eliciting a giggle out of Christopher, "What was that phone call all about? You nearly gave me a heart attack, bud."

Eddie groans. "Christopher, did you call Buck to come all the way over here in the middle of the day?" He walks over and uses the cuff of his shirt sleeve to wipe away the rest of the shaving cream on the side of Buck's face. The look on his face is fond as he does so. "What did this little menace say to get you over here in such a rush?"

Christopher pouts. "I just told him to come get me. I thought if Miss Ana met my Bucky she'd know how come you're still best friends." He grips at Buck's t shirt tightly. "You can't stop being friends, Dad. I love Buck. He's my friend too."

Buck frowns. "Umm..."

Eddie gives him an apologetic look. "Sorry, it's not--it's complicated. I promise to explain everything later. Right now isn't really a great time--"

Ana interrupts hesitantly. "Actually, now is probably good. I need to get home soon, it's getting pretty late, so I should get going." She turns to Helena and Ramon. "It was very nice to meet you both." She scoohches past Buck and Christopher and practically sprints to where she parked her car, aware of the fact that Eddie is calling out her name and only half a step behind her.

It's not until they're several blocks down the street that she swivels around and he nearly topples into her in his haste. "Ana, please, I don't want you to leave like this. I really didn't call him over." He reaches into his back pocket and shows her his phone. "See?"

Ana takes the phone and presses her lips together thinly. "He called you like twenty times on his way over."

Eddie frowns. His phone must have been on silent. It's no wonder Buck rushed over like he did. "He was just worried about Christopher--"

Ana sighs resignedly. "No, I know. It's obvious, how much your best friend cares about your son. I can see why he's still in your life. And I think I can also see why that means you don't really have any room for me in it..."

Eddie shakes his head. "What? Why would you say that?"

Ana looks him in the eye, intent as can be on reading him. Eddie had smiled so warmly, creating such an unintentionally intimate moment when all he'd done was swipe at the other mans face with his sleeve...

"You don't even know, do you?"

"Know what?"

"I think this is something you and Buck need to sort out yourselves. Goodbye Edmundo."

Eddie closes the door behind him as he steps inside, a little heartbroken and a lot confused.

There's noise coming from the kitchen and so Eddie follows it to the source. Ramon is telling Buck about how to sear the perfect steak by the stove while Helena and Christopher set the table.

"Is everything alright?" Helena asks, when she notices him by the entryway.

Eddie nods, lying when he says. "Yeah, all good Mom."

She gives him a knowing look but keeps her mouth shut. "Honey, take Buck here to your room, let him borrow one of your shirts. And maybe a razor?"

Buck chuckles shyly. "It's fine, really. I should probably get going too--"

Ramon shushes him. "Nonsense. Go, go, get changed and get your butt back into this kitchen. Scoot."

Eddie takes Buck by the shoulders and drags him to his room, where he finds a worn gray Henley for him. "Here."

Buck thanks him before stripping out of his white undershirt and throwing on the clean shirt.

Eddie plops himself down on his bed with a sigh. "Hey, I'm sorry about all this mess. And on your one day off, too."

Buck sits down beside him, bumping their shoulders together. "I don't really know what's going on but, are you doing ok?"

"I don't know," Eddie makes a face. "I think I got broken up with today."

Buck cringes. "Shit, I'm sorry, what happened?"

That's a good question. Eddie ponders that a moment. Ana had said it herself: she understood perfectly why Eddie didn't blame Buck for what happened during the tsunami and she had seen first hand how much Buck cares for Christopher for herself today.

So, why?

"She said that there wasn't any room for her in my life?" Eddie scratches the back of his head. "Maybe I'm just not cut out for this dating stuff anymore."

"Aw, c'mon man," Buck pats him on the back. "You fall off the bike you gotta get right back on." He turns his body all the way around so that he's facing Eddie fully. "Dude, you're a catch. You're a handsome, badass firefighter, you've got the best kid, and hey--you got me." Buck grins toothily.

Eddie rolls his eyes, though he can't help but smile. "So what I'm hearing here is that I'm stuck with you?"

"Oh yeah, for sure." Buck laughs.

Eddie leans back on his arms and looks up at his best friend, pensive. "Promise?"

Buck extends his pinky and wiggles it in front of Eddie, who smiles as he wraps his pinky around Buck's. "Promise."

.

[queerdiaz]

Eddie falling asleep with his head in Buck's lap or on his thigh as maybe Buck's looking down at him-? I don't know take it from pls. there

A/N: I know you completely forgotten about this prompt but I'm still sorry it's taken me so long lol.

That being said, thank you so much for the prompt anyways :)

ao3 version here

----

"Are you okay?" Buck asked as Eddie wiggled ever so slightly in his seat for what felt like the millionth time. 

"I'm fine." Eddie answered also for the millionth time. 

The blond rolled his eyes. This was getting out of hand. 

"Eddie." He gave his best friend, who was stubbornly staring ahead and pretending to watch the cartoon that Christopher had enthusiastically picked, a pointed look before sofly kicking his ankle. 

The other man jerked and swivelled his head to meet Buck's gaze. "Hey, what was that for?"

"Eds, you're hurting." 

Eddie huffed a quick, "I'm fine." 

Before he could protest Christopher chimed in from his current spot on the floor against the couch that he moved to earlier after being tired of bumping into his dad whenever they moved at the same time. "Daaaaad." He started to say before letting out an exasperated sigh that made him seem like an actual teenager and not just a pre-teen. "You're hurt."

Eddie opened his mouth to protest but then closed it before letting out a sigh of defeat. "My shoulder is just aching a little from sitting on the couch for too long. It's not that big of a deal."

Both Buck and Chris shared a long-suffering look, used to the older Diaz's stubbornness but still a little exasperated from having to deal with it more frequently the past few weeks. Although, they'd didn't complained because as long as Eddie was still alive that was all that mattered. 

"Eds," Buck began to tell him in a soft voice, "do you need to lay down?"

It was Eddie's turn to roll his eyes. "I'm fine." He repeated with emphasis. "I've been in that damn bed enough these past few weeks to last a lifetime."

"Eddie." Buck told him sternly, knowing that if Eddie was showing discomfort and talking about his shoulder bothering him then it must've really been hurting him and he didn't want his best friend to exasperate the wound and hurt even more.

"Buck." Eddie mocked.

"Donkey!" Christopher exclaimed, breaking the tension. 

The two men blinked at each other, looked at the ten year old who started to giggle, then looked back at each other before starting to laugh as well. 

After a few moments of laughter, Buck let out a soft sigh. "Eddie, I'm serious. If you need to, I can help you to bed."

His best friend gave him a fond smile which wasn't until recently that Buck had realized the full effect it had on him. "I know. And thank you for caring, like you always do. But it's almost Chris' bedtime anyways and I want to spend as much time with you guys out here as possible."

Buck sighed, always ending up giving in to Eddie. It had taken his best friend getting shot for him to realize exactly why he had that effect on Buck. "I know you do." He said ever so softly. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be so overbearing. It's just..." He paused. 

"We worry about you." Christopher finished for him, patting his father's leg as he gave him a serious look. 

Eddie smiled down at his son. "I don't want you to worry, Mijo. That's my job."

"But dad, we do worry. It's what family does."

Eddie's smile brightened. "Well when you put it that way..." He then began to tickle his son, who's giggles echoed happily throughout the living room. 

However, the older Diaz could only tickle for a second or so before wincing in pain, although he did a pretty good job of hiding it. But Buck could tell how much his best friend was hurting. He always could. 

"Okay, that's it." Buck announced, moving closer to the end of the couch until his left side hit the arm. He then patted his thigh. "Come on."

Eddie's eyes widened ever so slightly, making Buck realize the innuendos that motion caused. 

He then cleared his throat. "Lay your head on my lap." 

Yeah that didn't sound quite better either. 

Buck then quickly added. "So you can finish the movie with me and Chris and be at least somewhat more comfortable."

Eddie gave him that small yet fond smile once more, eyes slightly widened as he looked at him in what seemed to be in awe. 

The blond shifted in his seat. "What?"

His best friend cleared his throat. "Nothing." His eyes then fell toward Buck's lap before travelling back to meet his gaze. "Are you sure?"

Buck rolled his eyes before patting his thigh again. "Of course. Come on, we're missing all the good parts."

Eddie's smile widened as he proceeded to lay down on the couch, his back against the cushions as his head tilted slightly to see the movie. 

Trying to help him be as comfortable as possible, Buck went to delicately rest his arm around Eddie's side so his bad shoulder could have more support. 

They surprisingly got settled in comfortable positions rather quickly as Christopher gave them a bright smile before turning his attention back on the tv and proceeding to rewind the little bit that they missed.

They watched the cartoon in a peaceful silence besides the laughter coming from all three of them at different points. It didn't take long for Buck to subconsciously begin to to rub small, soothing circles on Eddie's arm with one hand and softly run his fingers through Eddie's hair in the other. 

His best friend hitched a breath at first at the touch, which made Buck about to stop his small movements. But before he could, Eddie sunk further in the blond's hold, and let out a moan of contentment. 

"Hmmm. That's nice." He muttered, shifting his head ever so slightly so he could softly rub his nose against Buck's thigh, like a cat who was enjoying a head rub. 

And wow, okay. This was new. 

Though Buck could add it up to the list of small yet new and slightly alarming - but in a good way - things that Eddie had done since coming home from the hospital.

For a man who had gotten shot in broad daylight and almost… died, Eddie had surprisingly been... lighter in a way.

Even while he was struggling with dealing with having to only use one arm and needing other's help since Eddie always had a hard time asking for help. But at least with Buck he had been more open about it, more willing to tell the blond what he needed. Even though there were still plenty of times where Buck had to guess and not be told Eddie's needs, like just a few minutes prior. 

But, whenever Eddie would ask Buck for help and the blond immediately said "Of course" or when Buck gave him exactly what he needed at the moment without being asked, no matter what Eddie would always give him that fond smile. 

Buck had noticed it before that fateful day, but there was something about those fond looks that sorta...grew afterwards. A certain openness that always took his breath away. 

And then of course there were those lingering touches that Eddie had given him countless of times as well. 

Sure, Buck had been helping him with his PT exercises so of course they'd be touching a lot. But it wasn't just then. Like whenever Buck would hand Eddie something and their fingers would graze each other. Or whenever Eddie needed to walk pass Buck and his hand would press on his back for a moment. It was used to be where the touch would only last a milisecond but now it'd just linger there for a few secondw too long. In fact, whenever they'd accidentally touch - and that had been happening a lot in these past few weeks - Eddie would always just… linger there. And whenever he'd finally move away, he didn't look bashful or embarrassed or anything like that. No. He'd just give Buck this lingering, secretive smile that always made his stomach flutter, before going back to what he was doing and acting like he didn't just almost give Buck a heart attack with all of the palpitations that he caused. 

However, Buck would just try to tell himself that he was just overreacting and that it was just because his feelings for his best friend had been present more than ever and hard to keep in since the incident. That Eddie had always acted like that because they were best friends and close and that was what they did. Nothing changed except Buck temporarily moving in to help out which made everything seem more intimate than it really was. 

That was it. Nothing less. Nothing more. 

Well...besides the fact that Eddie had apparently put Buck in his will as Christopher's guardian if something were to happen to him. A fact that Eddie had kept to himself for a year. Something that Buck may or may not still be reeling from during these past few weeks. Especially as he and the Diaz boys had fallen into this somewhat domestic bubble that Buck kept trying to convince himself that it was just temporary as Eddie recovered. 

And it worked. For the most part. 

However, it had been more and more difficult for Buck to convince himself of it when it came to moments like his current one. 

With the way Eddie didn't second guess to lay on Buck's lap after getting the okay and proceeding to sink further into the touch. Eddie's little moans and noises of contentment as Buck continued his gentle movements. 

And...did Eddie's lips just gently graze the skin on Buck's thigh where his shorts rode up?

That...that had to be a mistake right? 

Because, sure, there had been moments here and there where it really felt like they were gonna kiss before one or both of them pulled away. But, again, this was all mostly likely in Buck's head. 

Right?

Daring to look down at Eddie, he noticed how his eyes were now closed as his breathing had gotten more even. It seemed like Eddie had fallen asleep, looking more peaceful than Buck had seen him in a long time. 

His heart was beating loudly in his chest, as his stomach tightened while every fiber in his being lightened up like they were on fire. Buck hitched a breath. He couldn't take it. His love for his best friend encompassed him. 

Every night he had nightmares of that day. Of the absolutely devastating fear of losing Eddie. Buck had never been more terrified in his life. But it were moments like this current one where Buck thanked the universe with everything he had that Eddie was here. That he was alive and breathing. That even after getting shot and dealing with the traumatizing struggle of his recovery, Eddie still seemed lighter. More open and sure of himself in a certain vulnerability that Buck had never seen on him before. Like a certain puzzle piece had clicked. And even when there were days where Eddie had been frustrated and angry and just flat out stubborn with his recovery, that lightness had still somehow been there, keeping him grounded. 

Eddie was alive. Eddie was getting better. And as he did, Buck was going to continue to be with him as much as possible. 

And even though his recovery was going to take a long time between the physical therapy and his therapy for his PTSD, and it was still gonna be a long and hard road, there were still moments where Eddie was happy. Happier than Buck had seen him in a long time even. 

Moments like these where it was just Eddie, Buck, and Christopher, being together. 

And Buck? Buck could live in these moments forever. As long as he had Eddie and Christopher then he'd be okay. 

At that thought he looked away from the sleeping man in his lap to check on Chris. The kid was now laying on the soft carpet, head on one of the couch pillows, now fast asleep just like his dad. 

His two Diaz boys. Who had both gone through so much more than anyone should in a lifetime and now were both sleeping happily, with small smiles both on their faces. 

Buck's heart clenched in his chest.

Now this? This was what pure happiness felt like. 

He then looked back down at the soft expression on Eddie's face as his best friend slept soundly. 

Buck couldn't take it anymore. 

Sure this was a very bad idea, but his heart felt like it was going to rip out of his chest. His love for the best friend he'll ever have was just too much. 

And so, in a moment of weakness, Buck leaned his head down and kissed Eddie's forehead, lingering there for a few seconds or so before whispering in a hushed tone, "I love you."

Eddie's head shifted ever so slightly which made Buck immediately rip his hand away. 

His best friend's eyes slowly fluttered open before meeting his gaze. 

And there it was. That fond look yet again. But this time it was brighter than Buck had ever seen it before.

Eddie smiled up at him, "I love you too."

And just like that Buck finally knew what that missing puzzle piece Eddie had seemed to find. Because he was now feeling it too as everything fell into place.

Not being able to contain himself anymore, Buck leaned down and placed a small yet emotional-filled kiss on Eddie's lips. His best friend returned the kiss with as much vigor. 

After Buck lifted his head up ever so slightly, he placed his forehead against Eddie's as they smiled softly at each other. 

Yeah, he could get used to this.

[princessfbi]

soooo maybe some uhhhh Touch 17 - holding the other’s chin up? 🥺 for buddie of course. i’ll throw in my heart as a bonus payment if you can add someone with silent tears but you do what you’re gonna do fav ✨

holding the other’s chin up? With tears! Hot off the press!

God...

God, he was so embarrassed. The kind of embarrassed where the humiliation burned hot on his skin like a sunburn until he was red all over and his eyes burned at the corners.

He wasn't going to cry. He wasn't going to cry.

It didn't matter. It shouldn't matter.

Buck had been planning on breaking things off with Craig anyway. He was too much of an asshole and not in the charming kind of way. The sex was good and he had his moments where he genuinely made Buck feel like he was on top of the world but Buck always ended up leaving their dates feeling worse than if he'd just spent the night alone in his loft with nothing more than a beer and the silence of his own thoughts. The fighting was getting to the point of tripping up red flags and every time Buck didn't so much as glance at his phone, whether it was because he was on shift or not, he would have to grovel for forgiveness. It was getting toxic and Buck deserved better.

He knew he deserved better.

He was working on knowing that he deserved better.

So, he'd planned on breaking things off with Craig.

That didn't make seeing him out and about with someone else any easier.

And fuck it had been at a scene too. Where everyone on the team saw.

It would've been one thing if they'd just played it cool. Buck could've swallowed the heartbreak and done his job had Craig and his date not made eye contact with Buck while he was trying to sweep up pieces of the Honda's bumper as fast as humanly possible. But Craig had come over and Hen had recognized him and it was just...

God, it was humiliating.

No one was saying anything but Buck knew what they were thinking. It was playing on repeat in his head right along with the, "What did you expect, babe? That I just wait around for when you come begging me to pay attention to you? You can't be gone for twenty-four hours and be as needy as you are, Buck." That Craig had so lazily spat out.

Buck had never felt more like a piece of dirt than in that very moment.

The truck engine roared in the silence that was heavy in the cab and Buck swallowed past the knot in his throat as they came up on the firehouse. Buck blinked past the hot press of control behind his eyes as he waited patiently for the trucks to back up into the bay. Buck coughed past the hitch in his breath beneath the cover of the hiss of the brakes squeaking into place.

And as soon as the wheels rocked back, he was out of the truck and running walking away from his team before anyone could saying anything or worse:

Before he started crying in front of everyone.

It was stupid. Craig was stupid. The fact that Buck was upset was stupid.

But the thing is? Buck felt stupid too. Stupid for letting a jerk like Craig get so close to him that he could get under his skin that way. Stupid for opening himself up in a way to someone was able to see all those deep, dark unattractive parts about himself that Buck was finding it harder and harder to cover.

"Don't be stupid, Evan."

That wasn't the first time he heard his mom say that to him that late afternoon in the driveway when Maddie had uprooted his whole world. But Buck was finding that it was playing on repeat in his head now along with the laugh that got stuck in Craig's nose when he saw that he'd been caught.

It was playing like a whirlpool beneath his feet and no matter how tight Buck was gripping his knees, it felt like it was going to suck him under again.

Buck tucked his chin down when he heard the quiet scuffle of Eddie's boots on the tiled floor. Of course, it was Eddie. He knew Eddie's footsteps like he knew his own name. Just like he knew that it would be Eddie that would eventually come drag him out of his miserable wallowing feelings and push forward again.

In hindsight, maybe he should've found a better hiding place than in the showers.

It's just... Buck wasn't ready for the tough love approach. Not yet. Not when the sting was still a burn on his skin.

God, even Eddie saw. Eddie, who got a front row view to Buck's love life crash and burn twice now.

Buck sniffed and shoved the heel of his palm against his eyes.

"I'll be out in a minute. I'm just---"

Buck's brain refused to give him any sort of excuse that would make any sense as to why he was hiding in the bathroom and crying like an idiot. Literally anything would've been fine because Buck knew Eddie would let it slide.

Eddie didn't say anything and the silence was almost as unbearable as having to stay for another second on that scene while Craig and his date watch Buck pretend like he wasn't sweeping up his heart along with the pieces of that stupid Honda.

"I'm fine, Eddie. I just---"

Warm fingers curled under his jaw and pressed into his chin. Pressed into his skin so that all his attention was focused on those fingertips; on those long sturdy fingers that Buck could watch all day. It startled the sting from him, banishing it away, and making Buck suck in a shuddering inhale that was too unstable to be a gasp.

Eddie lifted Buck's face up and stared down at him, pinning him to the spot with those deep, serious eyes that were always so surprising in their sweet gentility.

"That asshole isn't worth a single one of your tears," Eddie said, strong and quiet and fierce in his surety. "Not one."

And it wasn't much but it was enough to make Buck feel like he wasn't pieces on the pavement. The press of the fingers on his jaw, of Eddie's fingers, reminded him of what it was like feel whole.

Eddie's thumb moved, small and subtle that Buck almost missed it if it weren't for the way it seared into his skin. A caress and a flash in his eyes.

"Cry over someone who deserves them. Not someone who demanded them in payment," Eddie said. "But that prick doesn't get any of them. Okay?"

Buck bit down on his lip to keep the tears in check and nodded.

Okay.

[buckleysjareau]

this has been living rent free in my head pls go crazy with it

eddie trying to patch up buck’s wounds after he’s slightly injured on a call and buck saying he can do it himself, maybe eddie saying “well i’m willing to take care of you, i want to” at some point

unconditional, unadulterated / 1.8k  you did tell me to go crazy... 

It happens just as there’s a flashover. Buck just barely makes it out the front entrance of what used to be a two story home when the flashover happens and thanks to the adrenaline, there’s only a dull pain in his calf from landing on it rough during his escape. Even as Hen asks if he’s hurt anywhere, the ache— he wouldn’t even call it a pain— wasn’t even enough to mention. 

As the adrenaline wears off, though, he realizes that it’s a little more than just an ache. It starts to hurt a touch more even as it’s resting on top of his turnout coat placed on the floor of the truck. It sucks but it’s manageable, nothing he hasn’t dealt with before. He only has to finish out the last hour of his shift then he can go home and ice it. 

His optimism is dulled when the instant he puts pressure on it to walk he has to bite his tongue to keep from screaming at the pain that shoots up from his ankle to his knee. He swallows any more noises of discomfort as he tries not to noticeably limp to his gear rack, already knowing he’s not in the mood for Bobby to scold him for hiding an injury. 

Which he’s not. He doesn’t think there’s any reason to say anything because he wasn’t injured. He was told that he’d might have pain flare ups for the rest of his life, this wasn’t new to him. 

Except for the fact that it wasn’t a random flare up. He’d irritated an old injury by landing on it hard and there was a possibility, a small one, but still a possibility that it was injured. Finding even the thought of going to the hospital right now less than desirable is what’s keeping him from speaking up about the possibility. 

“You alright, man?” Eddie’s voice pulls him out his head and it’s only then he realizes just how rough his breathing is as he tries to toe off the other boot. 

He forces a smile that he hopes doesn’t resemble the grimace he thinks it does. “Yeah, never better. Tired though, that one took a lot out of me.” 

Luck must be on his side tonight because Eddie doesn’t push him. There’s a little bit of disbelief in his eyes but he doesn’t push it. 

Thankfully there’s no calls in the last hour of his shift and he didn’t have to move his leg until it was time to clock out. The desire to be home, in his bed, with his leg iced and elevated was almost immeasurable. He’d spent the last hour of his shift internalizing the worry that something could be hurt and if this shift alone wasn’t enough to fully drain him, the overthinking definitely helped. 

He looked around him to see if anyone was around to catch him letting his guard down enough to limp and breathed out a sigh of relief when the only two people down there were people coming in from B shift. As he gets dressed into his civvies, he takes advantage of the empty locker room to openly wince and hiss whenever he’d put pressure on his leg. 

He grits his teeth mid groan when Eddie walks in. 

Please don’t say anything please don’t say anything please don’t say anything

“Hey, do you wanna follow me back to my place? Christopher has been dying to show you his new video game.” Eddie pauses before he smirks. “Well, I think what he said was more along the lines of he’s dying to crush you at his new video game.”

He wants to say yes, more than anything, but he just didn’t have the energy to pretend his leg wasn’t on fire the rest of the night. 

Buck sighs. “Any other night I would, you know that, but I really think I just need my bed tonight.”

Something flashes in Eddie’s eyes but disappears quick enough for Buck to decipher it. “If there was something wrong, you’d tell me, right?” 

Buck tries to reason with the guilt that comes when he promises Eddie that he absolutely would tell him if there was something wrong because it wasn’t a lie. Nothing was wrong, he was just in a little bit of pain. Like he kept telling himself, it wasn’t anything he hasn’t dealt with before. 

The effort it took not to limp or cry out in pain as Eddie walked out with him was enough to drain him for the rest of the week. 

And even as he wants to just cut off his own leg at that point, he can’t stop his heart from fluttering or his cheeks from reddening when Eddie waves at him as he drives away. 

He focuses on the way Eddie makes him feel soft as he drives home instead of how bad it’s going to feel to walk up the stairs to his bed. It’s enough to get him home but by the time he’s unlocking his door, he’s out of breath from the walk from the elevator to his door. 

He’s four steps up when the pain just becomes too much and he yells out as he collapses on his stairs. 

As he squeezes his leg in hopes the pressure will help ease the pain he wishes he’d told someone he was hurt. He regrets not telling Bobby when he’d noticed it was more than an ache.

What if it’s another clot? It could very well be a blood clot, he’s been off of the blood thinners for a few months. Oh my God, Maddie is going to be so pissed. 

He vows to never hide an injury again if he lives through this. 

Then he realizes that the pain lessens just a little and he thinks maybe he can calm down because the pain that came with blood clots didn’t tend to simmer. Maybe he’s not dying and maybe the worst of the pain was over. 

He’s too focused on massaging the pain away to hear the door open or the footsteps that made their way to him. 

“I knew something wasn’t right.” 

Buck startles, head snapping up at the sound of his best friend’s voice. When did he get here?

“Eddie? Why are you here?”

The brunette shakes his head, paces twice, then kneels in front of Buck. “I knew you were acting weird after that call. I saw the way you landed on your leg.”

“I’m,” a painful jolt that shoots up his leg cuts him off. “I’m fine, Eds.” 

Eddie scoffs. “Yeah, you look real fine.” 

“Not fake fine?” He can’t help himself from replying, grinning at the exasperated look on Eddie’s face.

He rolls his eyes before he stands and grabs onto Buck’s elbow. “C’mon, up you go!” 

“No, no, Eddie… I can’t walk on it. Not like this.” 

“You don’t have to. You’re gonna lean on me, okay? I won’t let it touch the floor.” He holds out his pinkie and Buck can’t stop the blush rushing to his cheeks at the treatment. He braces himself as he uses his upper body strength and Eddie as leverage to stand. Eddie threw his arm over his shoulder and gripped his side to keep him upright. 

“Good?” 

“Good.”

The journey to get from the stairs to his couch is a bit rocky at first but Eddie keeps his promise to not let it touch the floor. 

“Now, do you have any pain medication you still take in case of flare ups?” 

“Uh, no, not anymore. I just use Tiger Balm usually but we’re shit out of luck there. I ran out the last time this happened.” 

Eddie’s expression softens, a grin adorning his face as he pulls something out of his jacket pocket. “Maybe not.” 

He holds up a thing of Tiger Balm and if Buck wasn’t already in love with Eddie Diaz, that sight alone would have done it. 

Eddie picks up on Buck’s expression before he can even ask the question. “Like I said, I knew something was off after the way you landed on that call so I stopped at the drugstore before I came here.”

Don’t tear up don’t tear up don’t tear up 

Instead of handing it to Buck like he expected him to, Eddie is careful as he sits on the couch next to him and motions for him to move his leg towards him. 

Buck scoots back and carefully moves his bad leg to rest on the couch instead of his coffee table. Eddie takes special care not to hurt him more than he was already hurting, whispering apologies whenever Buck winces. By the time he’s done maneuvering his leg it’s bent at the knee and the area where he feels the most pain is closest to Eddie. 

“Does this feel any worse?” 

Buck just shakes his head. 

Between the soft look on Eddie’s face, his tender touches, and being so attentively cared for, Buck is left speechless. 

“Eddie… you don’t have to do this. I can do this myself.” Buck has to stop himself from moaning when he massages a certain spot. “You should be home with Christopher.”

“I don’t have to, but I want to, okay?” 

The way he says it is so tender and Buck’s heart flutters in his chest. 

“Eds, that’s sweet, but you really don’t have to do this.”

Buck tenses when Eddie’s hand finds his and rubs a thumb over his knuckles that completely relaxes him. 

“Buck, I’m willing to take care of you. This isn’t a hardship for me, okay? I want to do this, I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t. You always take care of me and it’s about time I return the favor so… let me help you?” 

No amount of yelling at himself not to tear up stops the tears from blurring his vision. He’s so used to taking care of himself, he’s so used to dealing with the all encompassing pain alone and he never let himself feel the want of someone to care for him so he didn’t have to. Not until now, not until Eddie. 

Eddie abruptly stops rubbing his leg and Buck whines at the loss of contact. “Hey, what’s wrong? Did I hurt you?” 

Buck shakes his head. “No one’s ever cared for me like this before. No one but you.”

He doesn’t flinch when a hand cups his cheek using their thumb to wipe away Buck’s tears. 

“No one.” 

“Well you better get used to it, Buck, because I care about you. So much. You don’t have to suffer alone anymore, okay? Just say the word.” 

“I love you.” He blurts out. 

Even with his eyes screwed shut from embarrassment Buck can hear the sincerity in Eddie’s voice as he repeats the sentiment. 

His leg is long forgotten, the pain back to a dull ache. 

The only things Buck feels are Eddie’s lips on his and unconditional, unadulterated love.   

[littlespoonevan]

75 76 bucky ?? 🛏

ok i'm guessing this is supposed to be buddie, right??? but aksjdhfa talk about my bread and butter of prompts lmao let's go!!!

75. Bed Sharing + 76. Did They or Didn’t They?

okay so the 118 have a tradition that no matter what else is happening in their lives they always go out at least one friday or saturday night every month

sometimes it's just buck, eddie, hen and chimney

sometimes bobby will join them too

sometimes everyone's partners come along too if they can all get sitters/aren't working

this particular night everyone is there - maddie, athena and karen included - and it's been a while since it's been the whole group so they maybe go a little hard with the drinks

mainly because every time someone goes to the bar they buy a round for everyone else

and the thing is, buck's a clingy drunk

or well, more specifically he's a cuddly drunk

he's aware of this fact and quite frankly he's not ashamed he has it on good authority that he gives great hugs

and y’know, if bobby and athena are sitting together, and maddie and chimney are sitting together, and hen and karen are sitting together then Of Course he and eddie are sitting together

so they're squashed into the booth, thigh to thigh and shoulder to shoulder, and buck's just on the right side of tipsy and eddie's just really warm, y'know?

so ofc he's gonna snuggle into him bc eddie feels nice and he also gives great hugs

eddie, for his part, is much better at hiding when he's drunk

so he may look like he’s still firing on all cylinders but really his head is a mess of buck’s arm around his waist and buck’s knee pressed against his and buck’s face tucked against shoulder

eddie is only a man, how is he supposed to handle that?????

everyone else is very obviously amused but he’s too far gone to feel embarrassed 

and eventually when buck’s stopped contributing to the conversation and more or less falling asleep on eddie’s shoulder, eddie suggests they go home

and the uber is supposed to take them to their respective places of residence but eddie in his drunken state can only just about manage to type in his own address

but it’s fine!!! buck sleeps over all the time!!!!

(usually on the couch but still lmao)

and they both intend on getting changed but honestly getting out of their clothes in the first place is such an ordeal and y’know the bed’ll be warmer with both of them in it so they can just sleep in their boxers they’re bros, it’s all good!!!

but again, buck is a cuddly drunk so of course he’s not gonna pass up on the opportunity to cuddle eddie. eddie always looks like he needs a really long cuddle, in buck’s opinion

(eddie agrees as long as buck’s the one cuddling him but he doesn’t say that out loud)

anyway fast forward to the morning and they wake up in a tangle of limbs, wrapped around each other so tightly it’s not immediately obvious how to separate

eddie wakes first, head pounding but also v comfortable and warm in buck’s arms and it’s nice

until he realises that’s his skin against buck’s skin and jesus christ they’re practically naked

their clothes are scattered all over the floor!!!!! what the fuck!!!!

buck wakes when he feels eddie freezing against him and any contentment he might derive from waking up with eddie in his arms is immediately overshadowed by the fact that eddie very much looks like he’s silently freaking out

he huffs, reluctantly removing his arms from around eddie’s waist and mumbles out a ‘you okay?’ still not totally awake

but then eddie turns over to face him and looks, quite frankly, like he’s about to be marched to his death and is like ‘did we um- do you remember if we-”

and oh shit, oh shit there’s no way buck slept with eddie and doesn’t remember

‘no’ he says immediately bc they couldn’t have, right????? he’d remember that. but he also doesn’t remember getting home last night. ‘i don’t think so at least’

eddie huffs, still looking anxious and buck says, ‘i would’ve remembered’

which shouldn’t sound sweet but eddie feels oddly touched????

still ‘how can we be sure though?’ bc they can’t really know and the fact there’s no condom wrapper in sight doesn’t exactly reassure him

and maybe buck’s still feeling the after effects of the night before bc ofc the obvious solution is ‘we could kiss? and see if it jogs our memory?’

eddie’s also clearly losing his mind bc that logic almost sounds...reasonable??

so he agrees and buck just- kisses him

and it’s a good kiss - thorough and languid and spine-tingling even with the morning breath - and well, “we’ve never done that before,” he says when they pull apart

‘nope,’ buck agrees, looking mildly panicked before a beat before he says ‘we could do it again though?’

and really, who’s eddie to argue with that?

[luv-eddiediaz]

Buddie Drabble: Part Three

K, yea, this kinda became a fic - sorry!

Part One here: https://luv-eddiediaz.tumblr.com/post/657345791303811072/buddie-drabble-part-one

Part Two here: https://luv-eddiediaz.tumblr.com/post/657348777513992192/buddie-drabble-part-two

Eddie wanted to do this date right. He could have put on his suit, told Buck to do the same, and taken him to a nice restaurant, and it would have been nice, maybe even magical, but he thinks both he and Buck have that kind of date too many times, and he wants to do something different, something better.

"I can't believe you took me bowling," Buck shouts over the music blaring through the speakers.

"Cosmic bowling," Eddie corrects as if it wasn't obvious by the black-light lit neon walls.

"Even better!" Buck beams.

They pick up their shoes and go to their assigned lane.

"Pizza or nachos?" Eddie asks.

"Definitely a greasy pizza."

"I'll be right back then."

"I can get it."

"I got it. You put our names in." Eddie thinks he winks as he walks away, and if Buck's laugh is anything to go by, he definitely did.

He's been buzzing for days leading up to this night, and that shot of tequila he took before leaving the house isn't doing anything to calm his nerves. Neither is telling himself that it's just like any other night they've hung out because it isn't. Eddie asked Buck out on a date, and dates have expectations. They're already both dressed a little better than usual, and Eddie's never smelled Buck's plummy vanilla cologne before. He's trying his best to be normal, but his heart is beating out of his chest because he never stopped to think what it means that actually are where they are.

"Should be just a few minutes," he says of the food when he's back at their lane.

"Should we bowl then?" Buck asks, "I put us in alphabetical order, so I'm first."

"Hmm, technically, shouldn't I be first, then?"

"Not by last name, Diaz," Buck teases, and Eddie watches him walk away to pick out a ball.

"I know what you're doing," Buck says as he's bent down to check the weight on the bottom rack.

"What am I doing?"

"Checking out my ass."

Eddie blushes, and if he wasn't already hot in this windowless death trap, he sure is burning up now.

"I, um- I," he stutters.

Buck, ball in hand, stops just inches from Eddie's face, "It's alright. I'm gonna check yours out too." He glides away and exaggeratedly cranes his neck back to look at Eddie's ass before effortlessly rolling the ball down the lane and picking up a strike.

This is what Eddie wanted, what he was afraid would be lost under the pretense of a label, but that ease of being with Buck is still there, more so now that he doesn't have to hide all those thoughts and feelings he'd thought were wrong for so long, because Buck has them too.

They eat their pizza, drink their pitcher of beer, and discover that Buck is an outstanding bowler, and Eddie is not.

"You're not standing right, Eds."

"I'm standing just like you do."

"Put your shoulder lower, and swing your arm way back, so far you think you're going to toss it backward, and then pop your right leg behind you when you let go."

"Or, here's an idea," Eddie spreads his legs apart and tosses the ball down the lane with two hands.

Buck covers his eyes when it rolls into the gutter and laughs at him. Eddie comes to stand in front of where Buck is sitting and pries his fingers away.

"I think you won," he says.

"I think so too."

"O for three, or do you wanna call it a night?"

"I'm not sure I'm ready to be done with you yet," Buck says, and Eddie immediately sees his face turn a bright shade of pink, and the most adorable, embarrassed laugh escapes from the back of his throat, "I mean, wow- that wasn't supposed to sound dirty like that."

Eddie laughs. He doesn't tell Buck he likes how dirty it sounds.

"There's a diner next door. We could get some pie."

"Do you think they have sugar-free cherry?"

"Maybe."

"Cause I hate apple."

"I know you do, Buck."

They replace the rented shoes with their own and step out into the cool September night. They're halfway to the diner when Buck stops Eddie underneath a streetlight with a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Wait a minute," Buck says, and Eddie's head starts to spin because he thought this was good, that they were both enjoying themselves, but now Buck is looking at him in that serious way he sometimes does.

"What's wrong?" Eddie asks.

"Nothing. Just, in case I forget to tell you later, I had a really good time tonight."

"Oh," Eddie lets out a relieved sigh, "so did I."

"And also, in case I forget to do this later," Buck leans down the two and a half inches that separate their height and kisses him. Eddie's fingers snake up the back of Buck's head and into his hair. He could have imagined kissing Buck a million times, but nothing was ever going to be as good as the real thing.

"No way in hell I would have let you forget that," Eddie says when they break away to catch their breath, foreheads pressed together.

Buck laughs, and Eddie finds their hands are clasped together down at their sides, and nothing has ever felt more right than holding Buck's hand in the middle of a parking lot, except maybe kissing him in one.

"Are we still getting pie?" Buck asks

"Yea, we're still getting pie. Cause I'm not ready to be done with you yet."

Both their eyebrows raise, the corner of their mouths turn up in a smirk, and with hands still together, they walk the rest of the way to the diner.

And yes, they do have sugar-free cherry pie.

[remorsefulkittens]

Taste Test

Evan “Buck” Buckley/Eddie Diaz (Buddie)

Rating: Teen

Status: Complete (1247 words)

Summary: Eddie is good at giving his son what he needs, but sometimes he would like to give him what he wants instead. BINGO square "You've got something on your lip, here let me"

Read on Ao3

Eddie loved his son, and because his son hardly asked for anything, when he did, Eddie liked to give it to him. So, when Christopher mentioned that Ruthie, the girl who sat next to him at lunch, brought homemade cookies every day, Eddie felt terrible. Especially when Christopher went on to say that Ruthie’s mom baked her cookies with love, and he wondered if that’s why they tasted so good. Suddenly store bought, boxed snacks, seemed woefully inadequate.

It was because of that conversation that Eddie found himself in the kitchen, on his day off, Carla’s recipe in hand, mixing chocolate chip cookie dough that seemed…not quite right. He was sure it should be thicker, possibly less oily, but he had no clue what he'd done wrong, or how to fix it. Maybe he should have accepted Carla’s offer to help, he had been sorely tempted, but he was pretty sure for this to work, it had to be his love mixed into the batter. After all, he doubted that Ruthie’s mom needed any back up when she baked.

With a sigh, Eddie gave the mess a last, half hearted stir, before deciding it wasn’t going to get any better. He could throw it out and start again…definitely an option…instead he opted to maintain the optimistic expectation that the cookies would come out golden brown and perfect, in spite of their humble beginning.

Eddie was just finishing carefully spooning the questionable dough, onto his parchment covered cookie sheet, when Buck came charging through the door. Eddie looked up at the clock and realized that if it took Ruthie’s mom this long to make one batch of cookies, it must be her full-time job, and called out to Buck to join him. He heard the sound as Buck dropped his bag, and tossed his keys, already starting in on the description of his day, enthusiasm not at all dampened by the double shift he was coming off of.

“Eddie, you are never going to believe what happened! It was the last hour of my shift and we got swamped when the 133 engine broke down, so I-" Buck’s recount was cut short as he descended on the kitchen, taking in the mess, and drawing his own conclusion. “Wow, you didn’t have to cook for me, man. I thought we were going out.” The last is said with enough humor that Eddie knows Buck is amused by his culinary efforts.

Eddie raised an eyebrow, accepted Buck’s peck on the cheek, and allowed the other man to sidle up close behind him.

“Funny,” Eddie said, scraping dough off his spoon. “They’re cookies. For Chris.”

Buck’s breath on Eddie’s neck was entirely too distracting, and Buck knew it. “Are they? Chocolate chip is my favourite too, though.”

Dropping his spoon into the mixing bowl, Eddie turned to wrap his arms around Buck’s waist. He was wearing a shit eating grin, and Eddie had to smile because Buck always had that effect on him. No matter Eddie’s mood, or what might be wrong, Buck was always right. He was Eddie’s biggest strength, and greatest weakness, all at the same time.

“Are they cookies? Or are they for Chris?” Eddie asked wryly. “Don’t worry, there will enough for both of my favorite guys.” Eddie told him breathily, with a wink and a quick kiss on the lips. “Made with plenty of love.”

Buck grinned, and forced Eddie back against the counter, with a thrust of his hips. “That, sounds really nice.” He said, nuzzling Eddie’s shoulder, and trying to work a hand up under his shirt…then suddenly, he paused.

“Is this about Ruthie’s mom?”

And people thought Buck was clueless. Embarrassed, Eddie squirmed away from Buck’s probing hand, gave him a light shove, and turned back to his baking sheets. He needed to hide how invested he was because, really, he shouldn’t be. Not everyone needed to produce perfectly baked goods. That’s why there were Oreo’s.

“Can’t a guy bake without being harassed?” Eddie muttered, moving around Buck to slide the cookies into the oven and set a timer. “Now, do me a favor and take those out when it beeps? I’ll grab a shower and we can head out to eat.”

Eddie turned to walk away but admonished with a backward glance.

“And no sampling yet, Buck!”

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

Eddie was quick to shower and get dressed because Buck was untrustworthy with treats. The whole endeavor would be for nothing if there were no cookies left for Chris when he got home. The smell in the house was promising when Eddie left the bedroom, but when he arrived in the kitchen he was disappointed.

“What happened?” He asked Buck, who was poking at the hot tray on the island in front of him.

“Well,” Buck mumbled, around a mouthful, “they look kinda weird...but they taste pretty ok.”

“They’re flat.” Eddie observed, stepping to Buck’s side. “And…” he frowned down at the large, melted mess, “they don’t look like cookies.”

Buck swallowed and wiped the crumbs from his hands, on his pants. His eyebrows knit together, contemplating. “Did you cream the butter while it was cold? Bobby says you have to.” He shrugged. “Meh, Christopher won’t mind.”

Maybe, but Eddie minded. He was sure Ruthie’s mom baked perfectly round, evenly sized cookies, that were the ideal blend of soft and crunchy. He was sure she knew not to melt the butter, or overmix the dough, and she probably never second guessed herself. He sighed at his thoughts, then Buck was beside him giving his shoulder a squeeze. One look at his partner and Eddie couldn’t help a brief smile, even through his feelings of failure.

“Dude, how many did you eat?” He reached up to brush at a chocolate smear on Buck's cheek, turning fully to look at the man. “You’ve got something on your lip, too,” he said, squinting. “Here, let me…Buck, are you wearing lip gloss?”

Buck stepped back with an affronted look, but he couldn’t hide his blush. “No, I’m not! Geez, Eddie.”

Eddie reached out again, curiously, and Buck backed away from his hand.

“Why are your lips so shiny then?” Eddie laughed, but not unkindly. “And sticky?” Buck was always surprising him.

Buck folded his arms, shoulders back, drawn up to his full height. “It’s chap stick if you must know. It’s for men, Ed. Ones that want soft… unchapped lips.”

Eddie bit his cheek, trying to suppress anymore merriment. He didn’t want to hurt Buck's feelings.

“Of course,” Eddie said, slyly, stepping back into Buck’s space. “And your lips,” Eddie stretched up to lick at the corner of Buck’s mouth, “are by far the softest,” Eddie probed with his tongue until Buck yielded, “I’ve ever kissed.”

Eddie hooked his fingers into Buck’s waistband, holding tight, and letting his boyfriend back him into the island. Boosting him up, Buck growled, grappling with clothing that was simply in the way now.

“It's cherry vanilla. I hope you like the taste.” Buck rasped in his partner’s ear, edging between Eddie’s spread thighs, arms tight around him, fingers clawing at his back. It was possessive, primal, and unbelievably hot.

Eddie fell back on the counter top, and there was a loud crash, as he knocked the tray and all its cookies flying. On one hand, Eddie knew he was going to have to start all over again…on the other, he knew it would be worth it.

[calliecat-cc]

Taste Test

Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (Buddie)

Rating: Teen

Summary: Eddie is good at giving his son what he needs, but sometimes he would like to give him what he wants instead.

BINGO square "You've got something on your lip, here let me"

Read on Ao3

Taste Test

Eddie loved his son, and because his son hardly asked for anything, when he did, Eddie liked to give it to him. So, when Christopher mentioned that Ruthie, the girl who sat next to him at lunch, brought homemade cookies every day, Eddie felt terrible. Especially when Christopher went on to say that Ruthie’s mom baked her cookies with love, and he wondered if that’s why they tasted so good. Suddenly store bought, boxed snacks, seemed woefully inadequate.

It was because of that conversation that Eddie found himself in the kitchen, on his day off, Carla’s recipe in hand, mixing chocolate chip cookie dough that seemed…not quite right. He was sure it should be thicker, possibly less oily, but he had no clue what he'd done wrong, or how to fix it. Maybe he should have accepted Carla’s offer to help, he had been sorely tempted, but he was pretty sure for this to work, it had to be his love mixed into the batter. After all, he doubted that Ruthie’s mom needed any back up when she baked.

With a sigh, Eddie gave the mess a last, half hearted stir, before deciding it wasn’t going to get any better. He could throw it out and start again…definitely an option…instead he opted to maintain the optimistic expectation that the cookies would come out golden brown and perfect, in spite of their humble beginning.

Eddie was just finishing carefully spooning the questionable dough, onto his parchment covered cookie sheet, when Buck came charging through the door. Eddie looked up at the clock and realized that if it took Ruthie’s mom this long to make one batch of cookies, it must be her full-time job, and called out to Buck to join him. He heard the sound as Buck dropped his bag, and tossed his keys, already starting in on the description of his day, enthusiasm not at all dampened by the double shift he was coming off of.

“Eddie, you are never going to believe what happened! It was the last hour of my shift and we got swamped when the 133 engine broke down, so I-" Buck’s recount was cut short as he descended on the kitchen, taking in the mess, and drawing his own conclusion. “Wow, you didn’t have to cook for me, man. I thought we were going out.” The last is said with enough humor that Eddie knows Buck is amused by his culinary efforts.

Eddie raised an eyebrow, accepted Buck’s peck on the cheek, and allowed the other man to sidle up close behind him.

“Funny,” Eddie said, scraping dough off his spoon. “They’re cookies. For Chris.”

Buck’s breath on Eddie’s neck was entirely too distracting, and Buck knew it. “Are they? Chocolate chip is my favourite too, though.”

Dropping his spoon into the mixing bowl, Eddie turned to wrap his arms around Buck’s waist. He was wearing a shit eating grin, and Eddie had to smile because Buck always had that effect on him. No matter Eddie’s mood, or what might be wrong, Buck was always right. He was Eddie’s biggest strength, and greatest weakness, all at the same time.

“Are they cookies? Or are they for Chris?” Eddie asked wryly. “Don’t worry, there will enough for both of my favorite guys.” Eddie told him breathily, with a wink and a quick kiss on the lips. “Made with plenty of love.”

Buck grinned, and forced Eddie back against the counter, with a thrust of his hips. “That, sounds really nice.” He said, nuzzling Eddie’s shoulder, and trying to work a hand up under his shirt…then suddenly, he paused.

“Is this about Ruthie’s mom?”

And people thought Buck was clueless. Embarrassed, Eddie squirmed away from Buck’s probing hand, gave him a light shove, and turned back to his baking sheets. He needed to hide how invested he was because, really, he shouldn’t be. Not everyone needed to produce perfectly baked goods. That’s why there were Oreo’s.

“Can’t a guy bake without being harassed?” Eddie muttered, moving around Buck to slide the cookies into the oven and set a timer. “Now, do me a favor and take those out when it beeps? I’ll grab a shower and we can head out to eat.”

Eddie turned to walk away but admonished with a backward glance.

“And no sampling yet, Buck!”

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

Eddie was quick to shower and get dressed because Buck was untrustworthy with treats. The whole endeavor would be for nothing if there were no cookies left for Chris when he got home. The smell in the house was promising when Eddie left the bedroom, but when he arrived in the kitchen he was disappointed.

“What happened?” He asked Buck, who was poking at the hot tray on the island in front of him.

“Well,” Buck mumbled, around a mouthful, “they look kinda weird...but they taste pretty ok.”

“They’re flat.” Eddie observed, stepping to Buck’s side. “And…” he frowned down at the large, melted mess, “they don’t look like cookies.”

Buck swallowed and wiped the crumbs from his hands, on his pants. His eyebrows knit together, contemplating. “Did you cream the butter while it was cold? Bobby says you have to.” He shrugged. “Meh, Christopher won’t mind.”

Maybe, but Eddie minded. He was sure Ruthie’s mom baked perfectly round, evenly sized cookies, that were the ideal blend of soft and crunchy. He was sure she knew not to melt the butter, or overmix the dough, and she probably never second guessed herself. He sighed at his thoughts, then Buck was beside him giving his shoulder a squeeze. One look at his partner and Eddie couldn’t help a brief smile, even through his feelings of failure.

“Dude, how many did you eat?” He reached up to brush at a chocolate smear on Buck's cheek, turning fully to look at the man. “You’ve got something on your lip, too,” he said, squinting. “Here, let me…Buck, are you wearing lip gloss?”

Buck stepped back with an affronted look, but he couldn’t hide his blush. “No, I’m not! Geez, Eddie.”

Eddie reached out again, curiously, and Buck backed away from his hand.

“Why are your lips so shiny then?” Eddie laughed, but not unkindly. “And sticky?” Buck was always surprising him.

Buck folded his arms, shoulders back, drawn up to his full height. “It’s chap stick if you must know. It’s for men, Ed. Ones that want soft… unchapped lips.”

Eddie bit his cheek, trying to suppress anymore merriment. He didn’t want to hurt Buck's feelings.

“Of course,” Eddie said, slyly, stepping back into Buck’s space. “And your lips,” Eddie stretched up to lick at the corner of Buck’s mouth, “are by far the softest,” Eddie probed with his tongue until Buck yielded, “I’ve ever kissed.”

Eddie hooked his fingers into Buck’s waistband, holding tight, and letting his boyfriend back him into the island. Boosting him up, Buck growled, grappling with clothing that was simply in the way now.

“It's cherry vanilla. I hope you like the taste.” Buck rasped in his partner’s ear, edging between Eddie’s spread thighs, arms tight around him, fingers clawing at his back. It was possessive, primal, and unbelievably hot.

Eddie fell back on the counter top, and there was a loud crash, as he knocked the tray and all its cookies flying. On one hand, Eddie knew he was going to have to start all over again…on the other, he knew it would be worth it.