Chapter Text
Droplets of water fell from his face as Eddie rose from the water, grabbing up his board as he went. He shook his head, water flinging all around, the warm summer air catching his face as the wind blew through. It was the perfect kind of day.
Reaching behind him, Eddie slid the zipper down, pulling his wetsuit down his body so that his chest was exposed, letting the sun further warm him. He trudged up the beach then, the sand becoming wet beneath his toes, sticking right to him. It was a feeling he was so used to, one that put him completely at ease.
It was still early in the morning, Eddie knowing just when to catch the best waves, and when to practically have the beach to himself—one of the many perks of living so close. It was too early for any of the tourists to be around, the shop not opening for another couple of hours still. Even so, Eddie spotted the blond unruly curls as he approached, followed quickly by the silver jeep.
“Hi baby.”
Buck turned to him with that bashful smile of his, blues lingering over Eddie’s bare chest.
“Uh, hi babe.”
Eddie huffed out a laugh, stepping closer to his boyfriend. Boyfriend. It was still new for them, the two of them only making it official a few weeks ago now.
Their lips met in the middle, Eddie pressing a soft kiss to those lips of Buck’s he’d come to know all too well.
When they parted, Eddie smiled wholly, nodding to the door.
“Why didn’t you let yourself in?”
Buck shrugged, pulling in his lower lip for a moment.
“Uh, it’s locked?”
Right.
Eddie simply gave another smile before taking the shop key from around his neck. It was a spare key, one he kept for surfing so that he could keep it close to him without having to worry about all of his other keys.
Unlocking the door, Eddie pushed it open, beckoning Buck inside before following in after him.
“So, what do you have planned for today?” He asked Buck while making his way to the back storeroom where he always kept extra clothes.
“Well, it’s my day off, so I thought I’d take you to lunch or something? Maybe Scoops after?” Buck called out as he followed behind.
“You just wanna woo me with lunch so I’ll take you for ice-cream later.” He twisted to look at Buck, his boyfriends cheeky smile not denying it for a minute.
As Eddie began to slide his wetsuit further down, Buck was right there with a towel, insisting on helping him dry off. Eddie didn’t mind.
Once Eddie was all dressed for the day, he turned to give Buck a proper kiss, his boyfriend melting right into it.
“How about,” kiss. “You run some errands with me,” kiss. “Then we can get lunch and dessert.” Eddie sealed it off with one last kiss, Buck easily agreeing.
“Yea ok, I could be talked into that. But uh, what kind of dessert are we talking?” Buck gave a playful raise of his brows, Eddie rolling his eyes as he all but pushed his boyfriend out of the shop, locking it up behind them.
“You said you wanted ice-cream, remember?”
Buck pouted a little for it, though he grabbed up Eddie’s hand, guiding them towards the jeep.
“Fine, but I’m driving.”
That was perfectly fine with Eddie. He was more than happy to sit shotgun while his handsome boyfriend toted him around town. He always got the best views that way.
Buck, the gentleman that he sometimes was, opened up the door for him, making sure Eddie was safely inside before bending to kiss him just under his beauty mark, closing the door behind him. It was so easy, effortless. The way they seamlessly fit into each other’s lives never ceased to amaze him.
~
Buck drove them down the coastline, the jeep top down, warm summer breeze blowing through. Eddie watched as those loose blond curls of his ruffled in the wind, his fingers longing to run through them. He could do that now, he reminded himself, but he’d wait until later, when they were laid on the couch, rested together.
For now, he grabbed Buck’s hand in his, lacing their fingers together, placing them over his thigh.
They stopped for lunch first at their favorite sandwich place, each of them getting their fill before moving onto the next errand.
Even though Buck’s leg was healed now, the man still got pains and aches every now and again, Eddie always keeping a keen eye on him, making sure Buck wasn’t over exerting himself or anything. They walked hand in hand through the shops, eventually landing in the hardware store.
Eddie needed to get some more supplies for their adaptable surfing equipment. There was a line for the department he needed, Buck wandering off to who knows where. Eddie shook his head. Taking him and Chris together to the grocery store was a nightmare at times.
Once he got the tools needed, Eddie wandered around in search of Buck, stopping when something caught his eye. His hands reached on instinct to the key rested over his heart, Eddie pondering.
It was a split-second decision, one Eddie didn’t have to give much thought, if any; he knew where his heart lied.
Eventually, he spotted Buck, the man helping an elderly woman reach something off the top shelf. Eddie watched as his shirt rode up, displaying that toned skin, the one Eddie’s fingers had come to know so well. He shivered just for the thought.
Those blue eyes connected with his on an instinct, Buck smiling softly to the woman before wandering over, instantly tangling their hands together.
“I swear I need to tie you to me when we go out shopping.”
Buck raised his brows with that sly smile of his.
“I think we can find something for that on aisle ten babe.”
Eddie rolled his eyes, ignoring the heat that was soaring through him, using their grip to drag Buck forward and out the exit.
“Ok, anywhere else we need to go?”
Buck shook his head. “I’m all yours love, wherever the tide takes us.”
His boyfriend was such a sap sometimes; Eddie definitely did not swoon for it.
They made their way back down the coastline, Eddie’s hand constantly itching to reach into his pocket. He could just give it to him now, but he was afraid the man would wreck the car; Buck could be quite sentimental at times.
Buck pulled into his spot in front of the shop, the two of them hopping out, quickly joining hands once more. They walked across the wood boarding, the pink and white sign for Scoops right in sight.
The all too familiar jingle greeted them as they entered, Buck holding the door for him. There was quite a crowd today, neither of them surprised; this place had some of the best damn ice-cream. The service wasn’t too bad either.
Buck wrapped Eddie up from behind, Eddie letting himself fall into his boyfriends hold, intertwining their fingers in front of him. When they finally reached the front, Ravi greeted them with that cheery smile of his.
“Hey. How are my two favorite lovebirds doing?”
Eddie rolled his eyes, Buck soaking it all in. Ravi was always there to remind them that he’d seen their love coming from a million miles away. In fairness, Eddie’s love for Buck knew no bounds.
“We’re good man,” Buck answered, easily as ever. “The big test is tomorrow, yea?”
Ravi nodded, taking in a nervous breath.
“Yea. If all goes well, I’ll be ice-cream scooper turned firefighter in less than twenty-four hours.”
Buck reassured the kid that he would do just fine, neither of them having to order, Ravi already knowing their orders by heart.
They didn’t get too much time to chat with the ever-growing line, Eddie slipping in an extra tip when Ravi wasn’t looking before they made their way out to their favorite table.
Buck’s lips were blue in seconds, the blue bubblegum ice-cream always leaving a trail of blue in its wake.
“What else do you need to do today?” Buck asked around another bite of ice-cream, licking his lips after. It was distracting to say the least.
“Uh, I need to put out all the new stock and do some inventory.”
“Ok, then I’ll help you.”
Eddie shook his head, pausing from his next bite.
“No, you don’t have to, really. It’s your day off. You should go relax at the house.”
“Eds, my leg’s fine. Walking around some stores is nothing compared to what I do every day at work.”
Eddie hoped for one day when Buck wouldn’t constantly be on the defense.
“Yea, well that’s why you need your rest days.”
Buck frowned around his bit of bubblegum.
“But if I’m at the house, I can’t be with you.”
Well, who was Eddie to argue with that?
“Ok, fine. But you have to sit and man the counter while I do everything else.”
Eddie could all but feel the argument coming, Buck opening and closing his mouth a few times, before finally settling with, “fine. But I get to pick our next activity.” It was said with a wink, Eddie rolling his eyes, a knowing smile creeping up his lips.
With their ice-cream finished, they wandered back down the board, Eddie stopping to push Buck back against the railing, thankful no one else was around. He dove for Buck’s mouth, tasting that sweet and sugary bubblegum, tangling Buck’s blue tongue with his own. Buck didn’t seem opposed, hands wrapping around Eddie’s waist to pull him in close.
When they finally parted, Buck’s blues were darkened, Eddie giving him a wink, a promise of more later.
“Not uh, not that I’m complaining, but what was that for?”
Eddie only shrugged his shoulders.
“Can’t I just make out with my boyfriend before we have to get to work?”
Buck couldn’t seem to argue with his logic, taking Eddie’s hand in his and bringing it up to those blue stained lips, pressing kisses over Eddie’s knuckles.
“Well alright then. Let’s get to work babe.”
They made the short distance back to the shop, Buck letting Eddie take the lead. He reached for the chain on his neck on instinct, hand covering over the doorknob. Stopping himself, Eddie took in a sharp breath, pausing.
“Uh, you forget your key again?”
Eddie turned to face Buck, those blues so bright, so full of love. That birthmark of his stood out against the golden sun, curls a mess on his head. His look was soft, that adorable confused frown in place. There really wasn’t anything more Eddie could ask for. Buck had dove right into his life, the two constantly drifting toward the same wave.
“Eds?”
Right. Eddie shook his head, reaching out to brush his thumb over Buck’s forearm to reassure him.
“Is everything ok?”
“Yea, yea everything’s fine. I just—well I thought you could open up the shop today?”
Buck raised another brow in confusion, Eddie reaching up on instinct to smooth it over.
“Ok, but uh, you have the key?”
Eddie smiled with a soft laugh, his hand reaching into his pocket, clutching the metal trinket. He pulled it out, displaying it in his open hand, Buck’s blues going wide.
“I thought this way you wouldn’t have to wait for me when I’m out surfing, or when you like to come here late at night.”
Buck had taken Eddie’s key a few times, apologizing after, even though Eddie never minded. He loved that Buck felt safe enough in the shop to want to clear his head there.
“Eds I—are you sure?”
There were few things in life Eddie was surer of.
Taking the chain attached to the key, Eddie held it open, beckoning for Buck to duck his head. Gently, he slid it over Buck’s head, fitting the chain into place, patting the key over his chest. The key was simple, etched into a heart at the top, a small surfboard keychain hanging off it, the ‘high tide’ engraved into it.
“Buck, there’s nothing in this world I’m surer of. You already own the key to my heart, so why not the one to my shop too?”
Those blues filled with moisture, Eddie reaching to brush the droplets away.
“Eds.” Buck’s voice was but a plea, Eddie silently waiting for the love of his life to gather his thoughts.
Eddie moved his own hand, Buck’s coming to rest over the key, fingers running over it, tracing the heart at the top.
“I—this means so much to me. No one’s ever trusted me like you do.” His fingers fiddled with the key a little more, Eddie watching with such fondness. “I’m never gonna take it off. It’ll stay close to my heart so I can always have a piece of you with me.”
Eddie did not get teary eyed over that; the wind was just—blowing shit in his eyes, ok?
Their lips met in the middle, more passion than before, Eddie soaking in every ounce his boyfriend had to give. Buck backed him against the door, Eddie easily letting his boyfriend box him in.
“You know,” Eddie said between kisses. “This would be much better inside, where we have countertops…and a storage room.” He was already breathless, Buck pulling away, lips kiss bitten.
Eddie watched as Buck reached to his neck with shaky fingers, pulling the chain from around it, placing the key into the lock. Buck looked back to him, Eddie only nodding reassuringly.
The lock clicked as it opened, Buck pushing the door back and guiding them in.
They made good use of the countertops before moving things to the back room, the two of them completely breathless after, high on each other.
“So much for me relaxing, huh?”
Eddie swatted his boyfriend playfully before helping him up. They shared another kiss, Eddie pushing Buck to the seat behind the camera while he got started on the rest of the shop.
Karen came to drop Chris off a few hours later, both of them stopping what they were doing to wrap him in a tight hug. It was getting late, Eddie supposing it was time to get Chris to bed. He’d already had dinner with the Wilsons, Eddie deciding he could order a pizza for him and Buck to indulge on.
Looking back to Buck, Eddie smiled. “Ready to go home?”
Buck looked around thoughtfully. “Um, can I meet you up there in a bit?”
Eddie knew when Buck was hurting, and when he was simply overwhelmed, needing a few extra minutes to himself to process his emotions.
Leaning forward, Eddie pressed a kiss to his birthmark, squeezing his hand reassuringly.
“Sure thing love. Just make sure you lock up after, yea?”
Buck smiled bashfully, ducking his head down, reaching a hand up to the key rested over his heart.
“You got it babe.”
With that, Eddie guided Chris up to the house, helping him bathe before getting him ready for bed and tucking him in. He read another chapter in their story, removing Chris’ glasses and placing them on the nightstand after Chris had fallen asleep. “Love you buddy.” Placing a kiss to Chris head, Eddie tucked the covers around him more securely before exiting the room.
As he made his way back to the living room, Buck was just walking in, pizza in hand, no doubt intercepting the delivery person on his way in.
Buck held it out to him, raising those brows of his playfully.
“Pizza my heart?”
Eddie shook his head with a roll of his eyes, moving to tug his boyfriend in close.
“Nah, you can have the whole thing.”
Buck flushed a little for his words, the two gathering plates and beers before making their way to the living room.
Later found them in bed, Buck hovering over him, Eddie using the key to reel him in close.
There was a lock to every key, Eddie not sure which of them opened the other up, only that they both held the one that slid right into place. Like an ocean to a wave, they pulled together, lining right up, sailing straight ahead. Buck was the key to his heart, his everything. Sometimes, things just fit right into place.