Chapter Text
It wasn’t some grand, cinematic moment. No explosions, no near-death experiences, no teary-eyed confessions in the middle of chaos. It was a Thursday—an unremarkable, run-of-the-mill Thursday. Eddie’s house was quiet, Christopher was at school, and they both had the day off. Somehow, Buck had convinced Eddie to watch Love Is Blind on Netflix, citing the internet buzz and claiming he’d been meaning to catch up.
Eddie had agreed, mostly because Buck asked, and well, there wasn’t much Eddie wouldn’t do for him. He’d grumbled about it a little, but secretly, he was enjoying watching Buck get way too invested in the whole experiment.
“So, wait,” Buck said, sitting cross-legged on the couch, a pillow half-hugged to his chest as he gestured at the TV. “They don’t even see each other until after they propose? That’s wild.”
Eddie smirked, reclining on the opposite end of the couch with his arm draped over the back. “Yeah, wild. Or insane. Take your pick.”
Buck huffed. “I think it’s kind of romantic.”
“Romantic?” Eddie snorted, shaking his head. “Come on, Buck. You’re telling me you’d sign up for something like that?”
Buck tilted his head thoughtfully. “I mean… yeah, maybe. Why not? It’s an experiment. Could be fun. And who knows? Maybe I’d find the one.”
Eddie turned to look at him, his smirk fading as Buck’s words settled in. His brow furrowed slightly, and he chewed his cheek for a moment, mulling over what he wanted to say. But ultimately, he stayed quiet, deciding it wasn’t the right time—or maybe he just didn’t know how to voice the sudden, gnawing feeling in his chest.
The sound of the oven timer broke the silence, its cheerful ding announcing that lunch was ready.
“That’s the quiche!” Buck exclaimed, springing up from the couch with the kind of energy only Buck could summon for baked goods. “Be right back.”
Eddie watched him disappear into the kitchen, the space feeling oddly empty without him. He leaned his head back against the couch, staring at the ceiling. Find the one, Buck had said. The words echoed in his head, twisting his stomach into knots he didn’t fully understand—or maybe he did, but wasn’t ready to admit it.
When Buck returned, he was balancing two plates, each with a generous slice of quiche and a small side salad. He placed one plate in front of Eddie with a flourish. “Bon appétit.”
Eddie eyed the quiche skeptically for all of two seconds before cutting into it with his fork. The first bite was warm, fluffy, and bursting with flavor. He let out an involuntary moan of appreciation.
“God, Buck,” Eddie said after swallowing. “You’ve outdone yourself this time. This is amazing.”
Buck blushed, his eyes flickering down to his plate as he poked at his salad. “Thanks,” he mumbled, his usual confidence suddenly subdued.
Eddie loved making Buck blush. He loved it even more when Buck was bashful like this—so earnest, so unassuming. There was something about it that made Eddie’s chest ache in the best way.
They ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes, the sounds of the Netflix show filling the room. Buck occasionally commented on the drama unfolding on-screen, while Eddie listened with half an ear, his attention mostly on the man sitting beside him.
When they finished eating, Buck leaned back against the couch, stretching his legs out and letting out a satisfied sigh. “Okay, seriously,” he said, turning to Eddie, “if you ever want me to make that quiche again, just say the word. I think I’ve perfected it.”
Eddie smirked. “Don’t worry, I’ll hold you to that.”
Buck grinned, and for a moment, their eyes met. The smile faded slightly from Buck’s lips as the air shifted again, the moment charged with something neither of them could name—or maybe they could, but were too scared to.
“You’re really something, you know that?” Eddie said, his voice quieter now, more serious.
Buck tilted his head, confused. “What do you mean?”
Eddie hesitated, but then decided to just go for it. He set his plate down on the coffee table and turned fully to face Buck. “I mean… you’re kind of amazing, Buck. The way you care about people, the way you’re always trying to make things better. You don’t have to try so hard, you know. You’re already… enough. More than enough.”
Buck blinked, his cheeks pinking again as he ducked his head. “Wow, uh… thanks, Eddie. That’s… really nice of you to say.”
“It’s not just nice,” Eddie said, his voice firm. “It’s the truth.”
For a moment, Buck didn’t know what to say. He stared down at his hands, twisting his fingers together nervously. “You make it sound like I’m some kind of superhero,” he said with a self-deprecating laugh.
Eddie shook his head. “You don’t need to be a superhero. You’re already… everything.”
The words hung in the air, heavier than either of them had expected. Buck looked up at Eddie, his blue eyes wide and searching, as if trying to figure out if he’d heard him right.
“Eddie…” Buck started, but his voice faltered.
Eddie leaned forward slightly, his heart pounding in his chest. “Look, I know this might be coming out of nowhere,” he said, his voice softer now. “But I’ve been thinking about it for a while, and I just… I need you to know how much you mean to me.”
Buck swallowed hard, his throat bobbing as he tried to process what was happening. “You mean a lot to me too, Eddie,” he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper.
“No,” Eddie said, shaking his head. “Not like that. I mean… you mean everything to me, Buck. You’re my person. You’re the one I trust the most, the one I want to see at the end of every day. And I think… I think I’ve been feeling this way for a while, but I didn’t realize it until recently.”
Buck stared at him, his heart racing as a thousand emotions crashed over him at once. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.
Eddie smiled nervously, running a hand through his hair. “You don’t have to say anything,” he said quickly. “I just… I wanted you to know.”
For a moment, there was nothing but silence between them, the sounds of the Netflix show fading into the background. Then, Buck reached out, placing a hand on Eddie’s knee.
“I’m glad you told me,” Buck said softly, his voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside him. “Because, if I’m being honest… I think I’ve been feeling the same way.”
Eddie’s breath caught, his eyes searching Buck’s for any sign that he might be joking. But there was nothing but sincerity in Buck’s gaze, and it made Eddie’s chest feel like it might burst.
Buck’s lips curved into a small, shy smile. “So… does this mean we’re gonna stop pretending we don’t feel this way about each other?”
Eddie chuckled, his hand coming up to rub the back of his neck. “Yeah, I think we’re done pretending.”
A small smut:
Eddie leaned in, his breath mingling with Buck’s as his gaze flickered between Buck’s lips and the tantalizing swipe of his tongue. His voice dropped to a low, hesitant murmur. “Can I?”
Buck could only manage a nod, his throat working around words he couldn’t seem to form. His silence was answer enough for Eddie, whose hand slid into Buck’s hair, fingers threading through soft locks as he pulled him closer.
The kiss was supposed to be gentle—just a taste, a test of this unspoken thing blooming between them. But the moment their lips met, it was as if a dam burst, years of suppressed longing pouring out in a tidal wave of heat. Eddie groaned against Buck’s mouth, the sound rumbling low and needy, and Buck responded in kind, a desperate sound slipping free before he could stop it. Eddie’s hand tightened in Buck’s hair, pulling him impossibly closer. Not close enough. Never close enough.
The thought slipped from Eddie’s lips before he could catch it, low and rough: “Not close enough.”
Buck gasped, wide-eyed, and Eddie barely gave him time to process before his hands slid down to Buck’s hips, gripping him firmly and tugging him forward. Buck straddled Eddie’s lap without hesitation, their bodies fitting together perfectly as if they’d been made for this. Eddie’s lips moved to Buck’s neck, finding the sensitive skin beneath his ear. Buck moaned loud, unrestrained, his hands clutching at Eddie’s shoulders.
Eddie pulled back just enough to look at him, his lips quirking in a playful smirk between featherlight kisses along Buck’s jaw. “I knew you wouldn’t be quiet.” He chuckled, the sound rich and teasing, his warm breath ghosting over Buck’s skin.
Buck flushed deep, his face burning under Eddie’s gaze, but when Eddie bit down gently at the pulse point in his neck, Buck’s moan was louder, more desperate. His voice came out breathless, teasing. “You love it.”
Eddie groaned, low and guttural, the sound sending a shiver through Buck. “Yeah,” he rasped, pulling Buck into another searing kiss, one that left them both gasping. His hands found their way under Buck’s T-shirt, palms gliding over warm skin. Blue. Eddie loved that shirt. It made Buck’s eyes even brighter, even more stunning. He thought, fleetingly, about the blue sheets he’d bought recently—sheets chosen just because they reminded him of Buck’s eyes. God, Buck would look good wrapped up in them.
Their movements turned more frenzied, lips and hands and gasps tangling together, their voices hitching in unison as they pressed against each other. Eddie thought about how they hadn’t even made it off the couch yet, and he didn’t care. Not when Buck was here, like this, trembling and flushed and—
Then the alarm went off.
The shrill sound cut through the haze, and Eddie groaned, pulling back reluctantly. His lips were still brushing Buck’s as he murmured, “I have to pick up Chris.” His voice was apologetic, his reluctance clear.
It took Buck a moment to catch up, his head still spinning, his lips swollen and parted as he blinked at Eddie. “What?” He shook his head, gripping Eddie’s shoulders as if he could physically stop him from leaving. “No,” he whimpered, shaking his head again, his breath hitching. “No, stay.”
Eddie froze, transfixed by the sight in front of him. Buck was a mess—his hair tousled from Eddie’s hands, his lips red and kiss-bruised, his voice needy and wrecked. He did that. Eddie had made Buck like this. No one else. A dark, possessive feeling stirred in his chest, unfamiliar but not unwelcome. His hands moved to Buck’s hips, gripping firmly, his thumbs pressing into soft skin. If he pressed just a little harder, he’d leave marks. He wanted to. The thought made his eyes darken.
“You know I have to go,” Eddie said, though his voice was low and strained, filled with barely restrained hunger.
Buck groaned, his head tipping forward against Eddie’s shoulder. “Pick up Chris,” he muttered, his voice rough. “I’ll just… I’ll just take care of this while you’re gone.” He glanced down pointedly, his cheeks flushing further at the blatant admission.
Eddie’s eyes followed Buck’s gaze, and something inside him snapped. His grip tightened, keeping Buck firmly in place as he growled, “No.” Just one word, firm and final.
Buck’s eyes widened, his breath catching. “No? But I—school, and I—”
“No,” Eddie repeated, his tone brooking no argument. His dark eyes locked onto Buck’s, intense and commanding. “You’re not going to take care of what’s mine.”
Buck stilled, his lips parting in shock, his pupils blown wide. “Yours?” he breathed, his voice barely audible.
Eddie nodded, his gaze unwavering. “You’re mine,” he said, the words rough and possessive, and something in Buck melted at the declaration. “And you’re going to be a good boy and do exactly what I tell you. Do you understand?”
Buck blinked up at him, his chest heaving as he tried to process the words. The haze in his eyes grew heavier, unfocused, but there was trust there too. Eddie leaned in, his voice softer but no less firm. “Do you understand?” he repeated.
“Yes,” Buck choked out, nodding quickly, his voice breaking. “Yes, I’ll be a good boy. For you.”
Eddie’s hand slid back into Buck’s hair, petting him gently, soothing the trembling that had started in Buck’s shoulders. “Good,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to Buck’s temple. “I’m going to pick up Chris, drop him off at Chess Club, and Carla will take him after that. Then we’ll have the rest of the day to ourselves. Okay?”
Buck nodded again, his face buried in Eddie’s neck, but Eddie wasn’t done. He leaned closer, his voice a warm whisper against Buck’s ear. “And you’re going to go to your loft.”
Buck frowned, lifting his head. “My loft? I don’t—”
Eddie cut him off with a look. “You’re going to your loft. You’re going to take off your clothes, lie down in bed, and wait for me like the good boy I know you want to be.”
Buck whimpered, his breath hitching again as he blinked up at Eddie. “Can you do that?” Eddie asked, his voice soft but commanding. “Can you be a good boy for me?”
Buck’s nod was frantic, his need clear in the way his hands clung to Eddie’s shoulders.
“Say it,” Eddie coaxed, his lips brushing Buck’s ear. “Say you want to be my good boy.”
Buck sucked in a shaky breath, his voice barely above a whisper. “I want to be your good boy. For you.”
Eddie chuckled, low and satisfied, his hand cupping Buck’s jaw as he pressed another kiss to his lips. God, he loved when Buck blushed like that, all shy and vulnerable and entirely his. It made walking away almost impossible.
But he had to. For now.
The End