#technically feat. an eddielucy (leddie? luddie???) kiss

[burnthatbridge]

the winner takes it all (the loser has to fall)

buddie | T | 4k | absolute shenanigans Buck and Lucy compete to see who's the better kisser. Eddie somehow finds himself the judge.

The thing is, Eddie likes Lucy.

It’s not surprising. Eddie might not necessarily let anyone close easy, but, when he does, he forms strong bonds. And he’s fine with causal friendships, good at working relationships. He’s not known for disliking people.

(That anyone who had seen him interact with Taylor would disagree is an outlier, and he feels justified in it. And he thinks, given the context, that the tone he took when he spoke about Abby can be forgiven. Also, there’s no such thing as mind-reading, so no one can know the less than fair thoughts he’s had about Ali. So, yeah, anyway–)

Eddie’s good at getting on with people, better at it still in the context of 118 gatherings, surrounded by his favorite people. And he likes Lucy.

She’s good at her job, a great firefighter; she’s funny, especially when her and Ravi are paired up, bouncing off one another; she’s excellent company, has kept up a stream of entertaining conversation this evening. Even if it has been punctuated by whatever the next game in this strange competition her and Buck seem to have going is.

Eddie likes Lucy. He does.

It’s just, that’s hard for him to remember, to maintain, when Buck’s next proposed superiority to her is: “Well, I’m a better kisser.”

Eddie’s not sure how this got started, thinks he missed the inciting incident when he was at the bar getting drinks. Unless this is merely a continuation of the various duels they’ve done at work. It’s been established that Buck can take the pole faster, but Lucy can get into her gear in a time that challenges even Chim’s. That Buck can polish the rims on the engine like no one else, but Lucy can restock supplies like each drawer becomes Mary Poppins’ bag in her hands. That Buck makes better eggs, but Lucy’s sandwiches are superior.

Lucy’s been a firefighter for ten years, so it’s not a surprise that she’s got Buck beat on number of five-alarm fires extinguished, rope rescues completed, and sexcapades-gone-wrong responded to. It’s actually worrying that Buck has her beat on injuries when he’s been in the job for barely more than half the time she has.

Tonight, at their usual karaoke bar, all of their bouts have been silly fun — who can build the tallest tower of beer mats (Lucy), who can eat the most peanuts in 30 seconds (Buck), who can best flirt their way to a free drink from the bartender (Lucy) — none of the results making a sick sensation settle in Eddie’s gut like it did when Buck was ticking off near-death — and actual death — experiences on his fingers, blowing past Lucy’s tally.

It’s not exactly the same, but he feels a bit of that nausea creep in now, Buck turned away from him in the booth, head and shoulders twisted around to look at Lucy on his left, as she raises a skeptical brow.

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