Chapter Text
It takes a few days to get Buck moved out of the loft and into the Diaz house. They end up combining households, swapping Eddie’s bed for Buck’s once Eddie makes it clear that Buck will not be sleeping on the couch. Buck also has better cookware, so most of that gets brought over too, as well as his dresser, since it’s bigger than Eddie’s. Everything else gets donated, and then they spend a day making space in the master bedroom for Buck’s clothes and personal effects, since they’re going to be sharing it from this point forward.
As predicted, Chris is ecstatic to hear that his Buck is going to be moving in, although there is a little bit of a breakdown when he learns that he’s sick, rooted in his fear of being left, but Buck promises that he’s going to do everything he can to make sure he gets better, and that appeases the young boy for the most part.
He’s a little clingy, but his psychiatrist assures them that it’s to be expected and not something to worry about just yet, that it’ll get better once Buck settles in, and the arrangement doesn’t feel so precarious.
He’s right, of course.
They mostly go back to normal after a couple weeks, though Chris does make sure he gets in some extra cuddle time on the days where the cancer seems to take it out of Buck, and he can barely move from his spot on the couch after treatment.
He does end up shaving his head after losing so much of his hair from the chemo, and he cries about it, letting Eddie hold him close and rock him gently.
They haven’t crossed any lines yet, more focused on getting Buck healthy than anything else. Plus, they know what it is, what they’re working towards, and they know that it’s always going to be there.
Eddie is sent to therapy with the rest of the station, but he decides to keep it up after experiencing how much it helps to drain the anger about the situation. Once he can figure out why he’s so angry, it’s easier to process the underlying issues.
He’s always wanted to set a good example for his son, but he has to give Chris props, since his bravery in therapy gave Eddie the push he needed to keep up with his.
Since both Diazes were in it, they also talked Buck into signing up. Of course, that led to the confession about what happened after Buck’s first loss, and a very serious discussion of what actually happened there.
He lodged an anonymous complaint against that therapist, and it was discovered that Buck wasn’t the only person she’d assaulted, resulting in her termination from the department and the loss of her license.
Buck signed up for virtual therapy and thrived with having somebody to talk to and lay everything out with.
As for the 118, Buck was more consumed with getting better than he was with reaching out to anybody, which means that Hen is the only one he still talks to, since she’s the only one that reached out to check on him after the lawsuit and made sure that he knew she still loved him, regardless of the fact that she wouldn’t see him everyday anymore.
Buck understood why he didn’t hear from Bobby and Chimney, knowing that Bobby was either ashamed of his behavior, or was holding a grudge about being called out and suspended, and that Chimney was listening to Maddie and her own annoyance at Buck’s actions, but Eddie couldn’t make the same concessions for them. Buck always was the most forgiving out of the two of them.
When they all went back to work after being cleared, he stuck mostly to Hen, remaining perfectly professional with the others, but not sharing his personal life anymore. Thankfully, Chris’ friendship with Denny and Harry didn’t change, thanks to Athena and the Wilson’s. They would get together at the parks or at one of the houses when they had the time.
Buck would tag along on good days, and there were definitely tears shed when the women learned what was going on, practically smothering the man in the affection he’d been missing from everyone except Eddie.
As for Eddie, getting to go to bed beside Buck and wake up next to him each morning that he wasn’t on shift only continued to drive home exactly how much he loved the other man. Spurred on from their individual therapies, they sat down and really got into everything, both about the events that surrounded the lawsuit period, but even further back too, each man metaphorically sharing any skeletons in their closet.
They saw each other’s worst, all the things that they hated about themselves and the things they wish they could change and were amazed by the way the other didn’t seem to hesitate before accepting them, reassuring that they weren’t scared away, that they still wanted to be there.
When Buck finished the treatment and received the all-clear from his oncologist, Eddie celebrated by pulling the blonde into a joyous kiss, an excited press of the lips that very quickly grew heated, hands roaming and moans escaping.
Eddie briefly has time to be thankful that Chris is at school and the doctor called them on a day that they didn’t have plans before Buck’s tongue in his mouth and big hands pulling his shirt up over his head distracts him from any other thoughts.
Much later, as they lay spent, side-by-side, Eddie turns his head enough to meet Buck’s eyes. “Marry me.” He requests quietly, watching as those blue eyes he loves so much widen in surprise.
When Buck just stares at him in shock, he leans up on an elbow and hovers over him. “Marry me. I love you, and you love me. We already live together; we’ve been through some awful shit and came out with a stronger relationship. We have the tools for a successful relationship, and I want to wake up next to you for the rest of my life. Marry me and let me make you a Diaz.” He says again, laughing gleefully when Buck pushes himself up to tackle him back to the bed, capturing his lips.
“Yes! Oh my god, Eddie. Yes, of course I’ll marry you. Waking up next to you is the best way to start my day. I love you.” He murmurs in between kisses, still nude bodies rubbing together in their excitement.
It’s a good thing Chris is in school until 3, Eddie thinks as he gets his hands on Buck’s warm, soft skin.
They have a small ceremony in the park, with the LA Diaz’s, the Wilson’s, the kids and Athena present. Buck doesn’t have any hard feelings for the rest of the 118 anymore, but there hasn’t been any effort made - on either side - to maintain the relationships, and they’ve drifted away, Maddie included in that.
Buck’s sad about that, but he lived without his big sister for years. Plus, he knows that she’s safe and happy with Chim, and that’s all he wanted for her when she was with Doug.
Shortly after their wedding, Buck enrolls in school to be a teacher, putting his love of children and knowledge to good use, with Eddie’s full support.
As he walks into his first day of school, Buck can’t help but reflect. The day he got the diagnosis, he really thought that was it, that was how he was going to go out. Now, he’s officially in remission, he has an amazing husband and a wonderful son, and a supportive extended family.
It’s not what he imagined his life would look like, never could have predicted the paths he would have to walk to get here, but this is the happiness he’s always wanted, and he wouldn’t change a single thing that it took to get here.