Chapter Text
As soon as Buck’s knuckles made contact with the door, it swung open and suddenly there was a child wrapped around his waist. Laughing, he passed the bag of chocolates he was holding over Christopher’s head for Eddie to take and then put his arms around the boy to return the enthusiastic hug.
“I knew it!” Christopher exclaimed, his arms squeezing as tightly as he could. “Now we get to be a proper family!”
Resisting the urge to squeeze Chris back with all of his strength as well, Buck opted instead to lift the boy up and gently swing him around in a circle as he entered the house and nudged the door shut behind him.
“Thank god for you, kid,” Buck said once he’d put the giggling child back down.
“That’ll do,” Eddie said with a fond sigh and roll of his eyes. “It’s already gone to his head. He thinks he’s the cat's pyjamas.”
“I am the cat’s pyjamas!” Chris shouted proudly.
His eyes finally catching sight of the bag full of chocolate, he proceeded to snatch it from Eddie’s hand and tip the contents all over the couch, sifting through it all excitedly.
“Hey!” Eddie said quickly. “Only one now. You can have another after dinner.”
“Yes, Dad,” Chris said absently, a look of intense concentration appearing on his face as he tried to decide which chocolate he should have first.
Heart full, Buck turned to Eddie and gave the man a warm smile. He felt a shiver run down his spine when it was returned and Eddie took a step towards him so there was only a small gap between them.
“Hey,” Eddie said.
“Hey,” Buck replied, wetting his lips nervously and feeling giddy when Eddie’s eyes flicked down to follow the movement.
“You didn’t leave the ring in that bag with the chocolate, did you?” Eddie asked, raising an eyebrow and twitching his head in Christopher’s direction.
“No,” Buck assured him with a grin, reaching into his pocket to pull out the strawberry candy ring still in its plastic wrapping. He felt suddenly nervous, his fingers fumbling and slipping as he tried to tear the plastic.
Reaching out, Eddie gently helped him get the plastic off and then let it fall to the floor to be dealt with later. Buck gripped the plastic ring at the base of the huge diamond candy and met Eddie’s eyes, breathless.
“You know, you don’t have to…” Eddie trailed off as Buck slid down to one knee in front of him, holding the candy ring between them with one hand and tenderly taking one of Eddie’s hands with his other.
“Edmundo Diaz,” Buck said, feeling embarrassed as his eyes immediately began to fill with tears – although thankfully Eddie appeared as moved as he was, so he pushed the embarrassment away and continued. “Will you make me the happiest man in the world and become my husband?”
“Yes,” Eddie croaked, tugging on Buck’s hand to make him stand and reaching for his face. “Of course I will.”
Pulled close, Buck found himself being kissed thoroughly and eagerly wrapped his arms around Eddie’s neck to kiss him back just as passionately – while making sure he didn’t get the candy ring in Eddie’s hair. He felt a tear slide down his cheek and his heart felt like it was going to burst from how happy he was.
He wasn’t sure how long they kissed for, but thought faintly that he was glad Chris was busy with the bag of chocolate instead of making comments and telling them to cut it out.
When they finally pulled back to breathe, they both stared at each other with teary eyes full of love and affection.
Buck’s phone buzzed a few times in his pocket, but he ignored it.
“We’re fiances now,” he whispered, taking Eddie’s left hand in his and carefully sliding the plastic ring onto his finger. Eddie stared down at it fondly before leaning in to kiss him again.
Bzz. Bzz.
“I love you,” Eddie murmured.
“I love you too,” Buck replied, cheeks sore from how much he was smiling.
Bzz. Bzz. Bzz.
“Ugh, hold on,” Buck groaned, pulling his phone out of his pocket to see who was so persistently texting him.
Messages of congratulations filled the screen, from Chimney and Hen and Bobby and Ravi. Frowning, he unlocked his phone and was met with a video that had been posted in the 118 group chat. “Oh my…” His voice trailed off in disbelief as he clicked play.
“What is it?” Eddie asked.
Looking up from the screen, which showed him being pulled up from one knee to kiss Eddie, Buck numbly tilted the phone so the other man could see it as well.
The video had been sent from Eddie’s phone.
“What the–” Eddie grabbed Buck’s phone firmly to get a better look and suddenly there was a shriek of laughter followed by the uncoordinated thumping of feet running down the hall.
Buck and Eddie turned in the direction Christopher had gone, eyes wide and mouths open in stunned silence. The chocolate was gone from the couch. Eddie’s phone lay discarded on one of the cushions. A door slammed down the hall, muffling the sounds of joyous giggling.
Christopher had filmed Buck proposing and sent it to their friends.
Turning back to meet Eddie’s gaze, Buck noticed his face had gone red from shock or anger or embarrassment – or some combination of all three. Eddie opened his mouth to speak, but before he could get any words out, Buck slid a hand behind his neck and tugged him forward for another kiss.
Eddie fought against it for a pitiful half a second before melting against Buck contentedly.
A moment later, Buck released him.
“Hey,” he said quietly, resting their foreheads together. “At least now we don’t have to worry about how we’re gonna announce it. And we have that moment recorded forever, despite the minimal planning.”
Eddie shook his head, fighting against a smile. “Christopher’s gonna be insufferable from now on.”
“Do you think he’s eating all the chocolate already?” Buck asked, grinning.
“Nah,” Eddie said. “He’ll probably hide it and pretend he’s eaten it all just to get a rise out of me, but he won’t actually eat more than one since I told him not to. He’s too well behaved.”
“He has a fantastic father,” Buck purred, sliding his fingers down Eddie’s chest flirtatiously.
“Oh yeah?” Eddie smirked. “You think I’m fantastic?”
With a cheeky twinkle in his eye, Buck said, “I think you’re the cat’s pyjamas.”
"You are so lucky you’re cute,” Eddie deadpanned.
Beaming, Buck lifted Eddie’s left hand so that the ring was on display between them. Keeping his eyes fixed on Eddie’s, he stretched out his tongue and licked a stripe up the side of the huge candy diamond.
Eddie gulped.
“How long do you think Chris will stay shut in his bedroom?” Buck asked suggestively, his eyes half-lidded.
In place of an answer, Eddie dragged Buck down the hall and unceremoniously pushed him onto his bed. Then, with Buck’s wanton gaze watching him, Eddie very deliberately closed the door.