Chapter Text
After almost two years their relationship was made official.
The proposal
It was an early Sunday morning. The kind where the sky was still yawning, barely tinted blue. The roads were empty, and the world felt quiet like it was waiting for something. Buck had spent the entire night tossing and turning, rehearsing different ways this could go wrong, and yet somehow still showed up at Bobby and Athena’s with coffee for everyone and a folder full of potential ideas.
He had convoked everyone, which, as Athena pointed out the second he stepped inside, was not a word that should be used before 9 a.m.
“You called this a mandatory emergency breakfast,” she said, raising an eyebrow as she sipped her coffee. “I assumed the house was on fire.”
“That would’ve been less alarming,” Bobby added dryly, setting out plates of eggs and toast like the calm before a Buckstorm.
Everyone was there—Hen and Karen, Maddie and Chimney, Ravi too, holding a box of donuts awkwardly like he wasn’t sure if he was invited or summoned.
Everyone except Eddie.
“Okay, what are we doing here?” Hen asked in that very Hen way—eyebrows high, arms crossed, already suspicious.
“And why are we doing it in my house?” Athena added, flatly. “I could be sleeping.”
“And where’s Eddie?” Chimney chimed in, squinting toward the door like he half-expected him to walk in and solve the mystery.
Buck swallowed, tugging at the collar of his hoodie. “Eddie’s with Chris. I... I asked Chris to distract him this morning.”
Karen raised an eyebrow. “You asked the kid to run interference?”
“Bold,” Hen said.
“Buck,” Maddie leaned forward, concern softening her voice. “What’s going on?”
Buck inhaled sharply. “I need your help.”
Chimney leaned back. “This better not be about assembling IKEA furniture again—”
“No, no,” Buck cut in quickly. “It’s... I want to propose. I want Eddie to be my husband.”
There was a collective pause. For about three full seconds, no one spoke.
Then Hen broke the silence with a grin. “Finally.”
“I mean, we were starting to think you’d need a nudge,” Karen added.
“Okay, I’m truly happy for you, Buck,” Bobby said, smiling. “But why the secret gathering?”
“Because you’re all already married!” Buck said, throwing his hands up. “Except Ravi—”
“I’m not!” Ravi perked up, waving one hand.
“Yeah, I didn’t want to leave you out,” Buck said with a shrug. “It didn’t feel fair.”
Athena blinked. “So you brought us here to... what? Workshop your proposal?”
“I just—” Buck paced a little, voice getting faster. “I want to do it on Valentine’s Day, but I don’t know how or where. I want it to be just us—because it’s Eddie and he hates public attention—but I still want it to be perfect. I don’t want him to feel pressured or cornered, but I want him to know how serious I am. And what if—what if he says no? What if he’s not ready? What if he never wants to get married again and I just ruin everything—?”
“Buck,” Bobby said gently. “Breathe.”
He stopped mid-spiral and exhaled.
“Have you two talked about it before?” Bobby asked.
Buck shifted on his feet. “Kind of? I mean, not officially. He’s never said he doesn’t want to get married. But we’ve never sat down and really talked about it. Do you think we should? Would that ruin the surprise?”
Hen leaned forward. “Buck, the surprise isn’t the proposal. The surprise is how you do it. Trust me—Eddie’s not going anywhere.”
“Exactly,” Karen added. “You want it quiet and meaningful? Then make it yours. Write him something. Take him somewhere important. Remind him why he said yes to you long before you even asked.”
“I like that,” Athena said. “And let Chris help. That kid would move heaven and earth to make sure you two are happy.”
Ravi nodded, holding out a donut. “And I’ll make a playlist?”
Buck smiled, eyes glassy. “Okay. Yeah. Thanks. I—I really needed this.”
***
“Okay, what do you think?”
Chris didn’t answer. He was staring down at the ring tray like it held the secrets of the universe. Eddie tilted his head, trying to catch his son’s eye.
“Chris?”
Still no answer. That furrow between his brows was deep.
“Chris, I need you to talk to me. If you don’t want me to ask Buck, that’s okay. I won’t.”
Chris finally looked up. “No, Dad. I’m good with it.”
“So what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
Eddie folded his arms. “Chris, I made you. I know you. Tell me what’s going on.”
“I can’t tell you.”
“Christopher Diaz.” Eddie leaned forward, voice dropping into dad-mode. “This is one of the most important things I’ll ever do in my life. And I need to know if something’s wrong.”
Chris groaned. “Dad.”
“Chris.”
“Fine! But you have to promise you won’t tell him you found out from me.”
“What?”
“Just promise, Dad.”
“Okay, okay—I promise.”
Chris lowered his voice, glancing around the jewelry store. “It’s Buck. He told me he was gonna propose to you. On Valentine’s Day.”
Eddie froze. “Valentine’s Day is in three months.”
“I know.”
“And wait—he charged you to distract me?”
“Yeah.”
“I thought we were a team!” Eddie said, feigning betrayal. “You’re not supposed to betray me like that.”
Chris gave him a look. “He said the same thing about you. How am I supposed to be on both your teams when you’re both being dramatic?”
Eddie sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“Okay. Fine. But now we need a plan. I have to propose first.”
Chris groaned again. “Dad, come on.”
“I’m serious, Christopher. This matters.”
“Why? Why can’t you just let him do it?”
“Because...” Eddie hesitated. Then, softer: “Because he needs it. He doesn’t know it, but he does.”
A young shop assistant walked up then, beaming. “Hi! Can I help you with something today?”
“Uh—just give us one more moment, thank you,” Eddie said politely.
The woman smiled and backed off.
Eddie turned to face Chris again.
“Sometimes Buck still thinks he doesn’t deserve this. He doesn’t always believe people stay. I need to be the one to propose, because I need him to know I want this. I want him. As much as he wants me.”
Chris looked at him, and after a long moment, nodded slowly. “Yeah. Okay. That makes sense.”
“Okay,” Eddie said, straightening. “So... can we pick a ring now?”
Chris pointed to one with a simple but elegant band. “This one’s pretty cool.”
Eddie smiled. “Yeah. I think so too.”
He waved the assistant back over, and together, they chose the ring.
As they paid and walked back out into the morning sun, Eddie nudged Chris gently. “And not a word to Buck. You swore.”
“Dad, don’t make me say it again.”
“Say it.”
Chris sighed. “I swear.”
Eddie grinned, pocketing the ring box. “Good. Now, time to plan the perfect proposal.”
Chris muttered, “You guys are so much,” but he was smiling too.
And Eddie knew, in that moment, that whatever came next—it was going to be perfect.
***
Buck was pacing Maddie’s living room like a man on the verge of spontaneous combustion. His hands were flying through the air mid-sentence, his socks were sliding across the hardwood, and his face looked like it had been caught between excitement and existential crisis.
“Maddie, do you think I should wait until Valentine’s Day to propose?” he asked for what had to be the sixth time. “I mean, what if something happens before then? What if he figures it out? What if the moment isn’t right? Or what if—oh my god, what if he says no because I waited too long and he thinks I was overthinking it—?”
“Buck, please,” Maddie groaned from the couch, where she was trying to fold baby clothes with one hand and keep her son from eating a sock with the other. “Stop spiraling.”
“But Madd—”
“Buck.” She cut him off with that tone. The one. The big sister one. The one she reserved for when Buck was being very... Buck.
He stilled mid-step, arms suspended like he’d frozen mid-flight. He blinked at her, eyes wide and brimming with panic.
“If you don’t want to wait,” Maddie said gently, folding a tiny hoodie and setting it aside, “then don’t. Just do it. You don’t need permission to be happy.”
Buck let out a shaky breath and sat down hard next to her, elbows on his knees, fingers laced together like a prayer.
“I want it to be perfect,” he said, quieter this time. “Not like... fancy perfect, not fireworks or flash mobs or anything. I just want him to feel like I see him. Like I know him. And I want him to remember the moment forever and know that I didn’t propose because I thought it was expected or because it was time. I want him to know I asked because I choose him. Every day. And I will, every day after.”
Maddie softened. Her fingers found his and gave them a squeeze. “It will be perfect, Buck. Not because of how or when or where you do it. It’ll be perfect because it’s you. Because you love him. And because he loves you back.”
Buck’s throat tightened. He nodded slowly, blinking rapidly.
“Okay,” he said, barely above a whisper. “Okay. Yeah. I’m gonna do it.”
“Tonight?” she asked.
He hesitated, then smiled with a sudden, breathless laugh. “Friday night.”
***
Eddie’s phone buzzed in the middle of a report he was finishing up.
Chris [1:16 PM]: EMERGENCY MEETING. NOW.
Eddie frowned. He texted back immediately.
Eddie [1:16 PM]: What’s going on?
Chris [1:16 PM]: Just pick me up from school tonight
Eddie [1:17 PM]: Buck was supposed to.
Chris [1:17 PM]: DAD. JUST TELL HIM YOU ARE
Eddie sighed, staring at his phone like it had personally betrayed him.
Eddie [1:17 PM]: Okay fine.
That evening, he pulled up in front of the school, watching Chris jog toward the car with his backpack bouncing.
As soon as the door shut, Eddie looked over at him. “Okay. Spill. I’ve been waiting all day.”
Chris clicked his seatbelt and said, “Buck’s going to propose.”
“I already knew that.”
“No, Dad. Buck’s gonna propose soon. Like... before Valentine’s Day.”
Eddie froze halfway through pulling out of the parking spot. “What?”
“Yeah,” Chris said, digging into a granola bar like he hadn’t just dropped a bomb. “He told me he couldn’t wait anymore.”
“Oh fu—freaking hell,” Eddie muttered, gripping the steering wheel with both hands.
“You know you can swear, right? I’m grown.”
“Just don’t,” Eddie mumbled. His brain was spiraling faster than his tires on gravel. “Buck’s gonna propose.”
“Yup,” Chris said through a mouthful of granola. “But I don’t know exactly when.”
“I do.”
Chris turned his head slowly, suspicious. “What?”
“He booked a restaurant for tomorrow night. Fancy place. He asked Athena where to go. I overheard.”
Chris’s eyes widened. “Oh. So... Dad...”
“It’s tomorrow. Tomorrow.” Eddie looked like he was going to pass out. “I have to propose tonight.”
“We have to propose,” Chris corrected, already seeing where this was going. “Apparently I’m a package deal.”
“You are a package,” Eddie shot back, pulling into the driveway. “But one that talks a lot of back.”
Chris sighed the sigh of a child too wise for his age. “We’re so dramatic.”
Eddie pulled the keys from the ignition. “Yeah. We are. But we’ve got one night to do this, mijo.”
Chris raised an eyebrow. “So what’s the plan?”
“I have... absolutely no idea.”
Chris smiled, the exact same way his father did when he was about to jump into chaos head-first. “Then we better get started.”
***
Buck came home Thursday night later than usual, arms full—takeout bag balanced on one side, his phone stuck between his ear and shoulder, and that little candle he’d bought earlier carefully tucked under his arm like it might shatter if he breathed too hard.
He was ready.
Tomorrow night was it. His big plan. A fancy dinner. Soft music. Dessert with the ring hidden in that stupid lava cake Eddie liked more than he admitted. He’d rehearsed what he wanted to say in the car on the way back from Maddie’s. Had been thinking about this moment for months. Valentine’s Day was the original goal, but after his freakout and half the 118 talking him down, he decided Friday night was the perfect compromise.
Not too far away. Not too cliché. Just... them.
And tomorrow, Eddie was off early. Chris was sleeping over at Jee’s. Everything was lined up.
Buck walked through the front door with a little whistle, kicking it shut behind him—and stopped.
There were candles.
His candles. Lit.
There were flower petals on the floor. He blinked down at them, confused. His heart stuttered, then sped up.
“Hello?”
No answer. Just the soft hum of a playlist coming from the living room. He knew that song—Eddie's sleepy playlist. The one Buck had made him as a joke and that Eddie secretly never deleted.
His stomach flipped.
He rounded the corner.
Eddie was standing there in the middle of the room. Dressed up. Nervous. Holding a box.
A ring box.
“No,” Buck said, breathless.
Eddie’s brow furrowed. “No?”
“You can’t—no, you can’t do this.”
“Buck—”
“I had plans! I was going to do it tomorrow night! I booked a table! I bought a candle!” Buck held it up dramatically like that proved something. “There was going to be cake. Lava cake, Eddie!”
“You bought a candle?” Eddie asked, trying not to laugh.
“I had a system! Chris was sleeping over, I had the playlist, the mood, the whole speech—Eddie!” Buck dropped the bag of food on the counter and paced three quick steps like it’d help him process what was happening. “You stole my moment.”
Chris’s voice came from down the hallway, deadpan: “Technically, you both stole my Thursday night, so...”
“Not now, Christopher!” Eddie and Buck said at the same time.
Chris snorted and disappeared again.
Buck ran a hand down his face. Eddie hadn’t moved. He was still holding the little box, still looking at him with that soft, stubborn, Diaz expression like this wasn’t a disaster.
“You’re proposing tonight?” Buck asked again, voice too high.
Eddie stepped forward. “Yeah.”
“But why?”
“Because I knew you were going to do it tomorrow.”
“How?”
“Chris.”
“Christopher!”
“Not his fault,” Eddie said quickly. “I cornered him.”
Buck was still frozen, trying to recalibrate his entire internal GPS. “So wait—you knew I was going to ask, and your solution was to beat me to it?”
“I panicked!”
“You panicked?!”
“I love you!”
Buck blinked.
Eddie took a breath and moved in closer. “I love you so much it scares me sometimes. And I know you were going to make it special and sweet and maybe cry a little—”
“I wasn’t gonna cry.”
Eddie gave him a look.
“Okay. Maybe a little.”
Eddie smiled. “But I needed to ask you first. Because I wanted you to know I choose you. Not just in the quiet moments, not just when we’re raising Chris, or during the hard stuff. I choose you here, like this. In love. All in.”
Buck’s throat went tight.
Eddie opened the ring box.
“Evan Buckley, will you marry me?”
There was a full second where the only thing Buck could hear was the buzz in his ears.
Then he let out a wild laugh, full and soft and everything in between. “You unbelievable bastard.”
“Is that a yes?”
Buck nodded, teary-eyed and grinning. “Yeah. It’s a yes.”
Eddie exhaled like he’d been holding his breath for hours. Buck launched himself forward, pulled him into a kiss so full of relief and joy and just them it made his knees weak.
When they broke apart, Buck rested his forehead against Eddie’s.
“I can’t believe you beat me to it.”
“Technically, we both won.”
“That’s such an Eddie thing to say.”
“Still true.”
They were laughing, still tangled in each other, when Chris appeared in the hallway again.
“Can I come out now or do I have to stay in exile forever?”
“You can come out,” Buck said, waving him over with a soft smile.
Chris grinned and jogged in, launching himself between them for a hug.
“You said yes, right?”
“Yeah, buddy,” Buck said. “I said yes.”
“Cool,” Chris said, like it wasn’t the most important thing in the world. “Can we eat now? I smelled tacos.”
But Buck didn’t move. He looked at Eddie, still a little dazed, still flushed and beaming, and then suddenly turned and grabbed his jacket off the back of the couch. He dug into the inner pocket with shaking hands, heart hammering in his chest again like it hadn’t already gone through enough tonight.
He pulled out his ring box.
“Wait,” he said, stepping back in front of Eddie. “I still gotta do this.”
Eddie blinked. “Buck—”
Buck popped the box open and held it out, crooked smile tugging at his lips, eyes shining a little too brightly. “Just to be sure it’s happening. Just so it’s both of us.”
Eddie looked down at the ring—his ring, the one Buck had picked, had stared at for way too long under the too-bright lights of that tiny shop.
Then he looked back up, and Buck saw everything written in his eyes before Eddie even answered.
“Yeah,” Eddie whispered. “It’s happening.”
Buck smiled like he couldn’t hold it in. “So... you wanna marry me?”
“I already proposed to you,” Eddie said, pretending to roll his eyes even though he was obviously melting.
Buck stepped closer, slipping the ring onto Eddie’s finger next to the one Eddie had just given him. “Doesn’t mean I didn’t wanna ask.”
Eddie stared down at the band for a second, then grabbed Buck by the shirt and kissed him like the world had ended and started all over again.
From the couch, Chris muttered, “You guys are so dramatic.”
Buck pulled back, laughing, forehead still pressed to Eddie’s. “Takes one to know one, kid.”
***
Eddie was starting to regret inviting everyone to their house at the same time.
“I feel like we should’ve staggered them,” he whispered to Buck, who was standing in the kitchen trying to get the cap off a bottle of wine like it was a boss battle. “You know, let them trickle in instead of unleashing the whole pack at once.”
Buck just grinned at him like it was his favorite kind of chaos. “Too late now. Besides, they’re family. They love us.”
“Yeah,” Eddie muttered, glancing into the living room where Jee and Denny were already halfway through turning the couch cushions into a fort and Mara was arguing with Chris about the playlist. “That’s the problem.”
The doorbell rang again.
Buck wiped his hands and went to answer it. Eddie followed, and opened the door to Hen, Karen, and Athena—who all had their “I know something is up” faces on.
“Okay,” Hen said immediately, “why did you say this was an ‘important family night’ but wouldn’t give any details?”
“You’re not sick, right?” Athena asked, already in mom mode. “Because if this is one of those ‘gather everyone for a dramatic health reveal’ kind of nights, I swear I’ll—”
“No one’s dying,” Buck laughed. “Come in. Relax. Eat food. It’s good news.”
Karen raised a brow. “Better be. I canceled a massage appointment for this.”
Eddie moved out of the way so they could come in, exchanging a look with Buck that said get ready.
The doorbell rang again, and Eddie groaned under his breath. “We need to install a revolving door.”
It was Bobby and Ravi this time, Ravi carrying a cake box like it might explode if tipped.
“I brought pie,” he said, carefully handing it to Buck. “I didn’t know what this was for, so I panicked and bought five kinds.”
“You’re a gem, Ravi,” Buck said, already peeking in the box. “Apple? My guy.”
“You’re welcome,” Ravi said, stepping inside and already getting pulled into Chris and Mara’s music debate.
Bobby, of course, walked in like he already knew everything. “You’re glowing, Buck. And you look like you’ve been bracing for an earthquake, Eddie.”
“I’m not glowing,” Buck mumbled, cheeks turning red. Eddie just snorted.
Once everyone was finally inside and mostly settled—Karen on the arm of the couch sipping wine, Athena carefully extracting a Lego from under her shoe, Hen was trying to keep Jee from putting glitter on Ravi—who didn’t seem to mind—which meant it was definitely time.
Buck nudged Eddie. “You or me?”
Eddie sighed. “If I don’t do it now, I might explode.”
He stood up and clapped his hands like a very reluctant camp counselor. “Okay. Everyone. Can I get, like, thirty seconds of your attention before someone ends up covered in glue or glitter or both?”
“We’re listening,” Hen said, one eyebrow up.
Chris gave him a thumbs up and a mischievous grin from the floor. He definitely knew what was coming.
Eddie looked around at all of them—this big, messy, loud, beautiful family. Buck was next to him, shoulder warm and close, looking at him like he was still surprised Eddie had said yes.
“I know we’re not usually the kind of people who make a big deal out of stuff—”
Buck coughed.
“Okay, I’m not,” Eddie corrected. “But this is... well. It’s big. So... we wanted to tell you all together that—”
“OH MY GOD,” Hen cut in, pointing between them. “You’re getting married.”
Athena gasped. “No way.”
Ravi dropped a grape.
Karen almost fell off the arm of the couch. “What?!”
Chris whispered, “Told you.”
Buck laughed and held up both their hands, showing off the rings. “He proposed first, if you can believe that.”
“You beat Buck to it?” Bobby said, grinning like a proud dad.
“I had intel,” Eddie said, deadpan. “Chris is a snitch.”
“Hey!” Chris said, throwing a pillow.
“Tactical advantage,” Eddie corrected, catching it.
Hen jumped up and immediately wrapped them both in a hug. “I knew it. I knew something was up. I’m so happy for you guys.”
Athena was next. “Finally. I’ve only been waiting years for this.”
Karen wiped at her eyes. “This is the good kind of dramatic. This is rom-com level.”
Ravi blinked at them. “Wait, you both proposed? Is that legal?”
“Emotionally, yes,” Buck said. “And I got to do the second one, so I still got my moment.”
“Who cried?” Bobby asked.
“Everyone,” Chris said.
It took almost an hour before the chaos calmed enough to eat. The announcement turned into stories—Hen teasing Buck about the time he asked for relationship advice while half-asleep on her couch, Athena bringing up Eddie’s flirty smile phase, Chim telling way too much about Buck’s proposal panic planning.
Someone put music on. Jee dragged everyone into a conga line. Ravi got a glitter crown. Mara braided Chris’s hair.
And Buck kept sneaking looks at Eddie like he couldn’t believe this was real.
Later, when the house was finally quiet and the last bits of pie had been devoured, Eddie found Buck leaning against the doorframe of the living room, watching the lights dim and flicker across the photos on the wall.
“Still with me?” Eddie asked, stepping beside him.
Buck looked over, eyes soft. “Always.”
Eddie slipped a hand into his. “I think we did good.”
Buck smiled. “Yeah. We really did.”
***
Two Days Before the Wedding
Buck twisted awkwardly in front of the mirror, tugging at the sleeve of his jacket like it had personally offended him.
“Stop fidgeting,” Maddie said, voice full of fond exasperation as she smoothed a wrinkle on his shoulder. “You’re gonna mess it up.”
“I’m not fidgeting,” Buck said, then immediately adjusted the collar again. “Okay, maybe a little. But are we sure this is the one? I look like I’m going to prom.”
“You’re getting married, Evan. You’re supposed to look a little over-the-top.”
He sighed, blowing out a breath as he faced her. “You really think it looks good?”
Maddie smiled, stepping back to take him in with a critical big-sister eye. “I think you look perfect. And very hot. In a respectable way. Eddie’s gonna lose his mind.”
Buck grinned, ducking his head. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
There was a long beat, quiet except for the soft shuffle of fabric and the low hum of the shop’s playlist.
Then Buck looked at her, something tender and uncertain flickering in his eyes. “You’re really gonna stand up there with me?”
“Of course,” Maddie said immediately. “You asked me. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
Buck blinked a few times too quickly and turned back to the mirror like it owed him an explanation.
Maddie softened, stepping up behind him. “Hey. You okay?”
He nodded, then shrugged. “I just... I didn’t think I’d get this. You know? All of it. The guy. The family. You, still here. Me, still here.”
She wrapped her arms around him from behind, resting her chin on his shoulder like they used to when they were kids hiding from thunderstorms under a blanket fort. “You earned all of it, Buck. Every messy, beautiful piece. And Eddie—he’s lucky too. He’s getting the best version of you.”
Buck let out a small, shaky laugh. “The best version still cries during Pixar movies and once locked himself out of his apartment in his underwear.”
“Sure. But you also love Jee and her brother like They’re yours, raise Chris like he’s your own blood, and somehow made it through everything life threw at you without losing the soft parts.” Maddie squeezed him. “I’m proud of you.”
He turned slightly so he could see her, his voice suddenly thick. “You’re not gonna cry during the ceremony, right?”
“I make no promises.”
They stood like that for a minute, just the two of them in the quiet moment between chaos and vows.
“Hey,” Buck said suddenly, his smile returning. “You’re really sure the suit doesn’t make me look like a boy band reject?”
“Only in the best possible way,” Maddie deadpanned. “Now shut up and let me take a picture before you ruin it with emotions.”
***
The Wedding Day
Eddie stood in front of the mirror, trying to fix his tie for the third time, and still managing to mess it up like his fingers forgot how to function. Chris was sitting on the bench behind him, watching him like he was studying for a test.
“You know you’re not supposed to strangle yourself before the ceremony, right?” Chris said with a smirk.
Eddie huffed. “Remind me again why I made you my man of honor.”
“Because I’m smart, stylish, and your favorite person in the world?”
Eddie turned, finally letting go of the tie with a groan. “Fine. Come here, smart guy.”
Chris stood up and took over like he’d been waiting for this exact moment. His hands were careful but confident, and Eddie blinked at him, a little overwhelmed.
“Since when do you know how to tie a tie?”
“I Googled it this morning,” Chris said simply. “You were gonna stress yourself into passing out.”
Eddie laughed, but there was a tightness in his chest that wasn’t loosening. Not yet.
A knock came on the door, and Bobby peeked in.
“Can I come in?”
“Yeah,” Eddie said, and Bobby stepped in, wearing a dark suit and the softest smile. He looked calm—exactly the kind of calm Eddie needed right now.
Chris stepped back with a little bow. “Your turn,” he told Bobby. “Don’t let him freak out.”
Bobby chuckled and closed the door behind him. “How are you doing?”
“Fine,” Eddie said, too fast. Then sighed. “I’m not fine.”
Bobby walked over and fixed the crooked lapel on Eddie’s jacket like it was nothing. Like he’d done it a hundred times. “You’re allowed to be nervous.”
“I thought I’d be more... chill,” Eddie admitted, rubbing his palms on his pants. “I’ve seen Buck in burning buildings. I’ve fought guys twice my size. But this? This is terrifying.”
Bobby nodded like he got it. “Because it matters. Because you love him.”
Eddie looked down, then up at Bobby again. “Thanks for walking with me.”
Bobby squeezed his shoulder. “I’m honored. Always.”
A knock came again, and one of the coordinators poked her head in. “We’re ready when you are.”
Bobby looked at Eddie. “You ready?”
Eddie nodded slowly, then turned to Chris. “You good?”
Chris grinned. “Yeah, I got the rings in my pocket. I triple checked.”
“Of course you did,” Eddie smiled.
They stepped outside, and the light hit him all at once—blue sky stretching out wide, golden sunlight painting the ranch in warmth. It was beautiful. Natural and simple and full of love. A gentle breeze rustled the flowers that lined the chairs. Someone had started playing soft guitar music.
People were already seated. Hen and Karen with their arms looped together, Jee squirming between them. Athena was dabbing her eyes even though nothing had started yet. Chim and Ravi were whispering and laughing. Ravi waved when he saw Eddie.
And then—Eddie’s breath caught.
His family.
His sisters, dressed in soft spring colors. His aunts, fussing with the flowers. And his parents. Sitting quietly but present. His dad nodded when Eddie’s eyes found his, and his mom—his mom smiled.
It wasn’t perfect. Not everything had been said, not everything had been healed. But they were here. That was what mattered.
They had shown up.
Eddie blinked hard and looked forward again, his chest rising and falling like he’d just run up a hill.
“Hey,” Bobby said gently, beside him. “You okay?”
Eddie nodded. “Yeah. I’m good.”
“I’ll go get your guy,” Bobby said, and turned back toward the house with a soft squeeze of his arm.
Eddie stood at the altar, Chris by his side—his man of honor, taller now, shoulders squared, a quiet strength in the way he stood proud and still. The guitar music shifted.
And Eddie turned his head.
The doors opened again.
And Buck stepped into the sunlight.
***
Buck stood in front of the mirror in the little room off the ranch house, fingers twitching as he tried to smooth down the same wrinkle in his shirt for the fifth time.
“Buck,” Maddie said gently from the chair behind him. “It’s been flat for twenty minutes. You look perfect.”
He turned to her, heart racing, voice almost cracking. “Maddie, I think I’m gonna pass out.”
She stood, walked over, and fixed the collar of his jacket with steady hands. “You’re not. You’re just in love. And you’re getting married in five minutes. That’s a lot for a Thursday.”
He huffed out a nervous laugh, grabbing her hand briefly. “Thank you for doing this with me. For always being here.”
“Always,” she said, leaning up to kiss his cheek. “And hey, Buck?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t trip walking down the aisle. Or I will laugh. And then cry.”
Before he could reply, there was a soft knock, and Bobby stepped inside, already in his suit, calm and steady like always.
“You ready?” he asked, voice low.
Buck turned to him and nodded once, then stopped. “No. I mean, yes. I mean—God, I’ve never wanted anything more in my life and I still feel like I’m about to throw up.”
Bobby chuckled, clapped a hand on his shoulder. “You’re about to marry the love of your life. That’s supposed to feel big.”
Buck smiled at that. “Can you believe it?”
“I can,” Bobby said. “You earned this, Buck. Every second of it.”
Buck swallowed hard, heart thudding, and let Bobby lead him out. The sunlight was warm and golden, like the sky knew what today meant. A soft breeze drifted through, carrying the smell of flowers and the quiet hum of the guests outside.
And then—he stepped out.
There were so many people. Everyone he loved. Hen waved at him. Athena was already holding a tissue. Chim was whispering something to Karen that made her smile. Jee and Denny were holding tiny confetti packets with serious faces.
And then his eyes landed on them—his parents.
And for the first time in a long time, they looked happy. Not just there, not just present—but proud. His mom had her hand to her heart, and his dad gave a small, shaky nod when Buck looked their way.
Tears burned hot in his eyes, fast and sudden.
Bobby leaned close. “Deep breath, kid.”
Buck did. One, two, and then—
He looked up.
And Eddie was there.
At the altar. Waiting for him.
And it hit him like it always did when he looked at Eddie: home.
Eddie, standing tall, hand linked with Chris’s, who looked way too grown up in his suit, both of them shining under the sunlight like they were painted there on purpose.
Maddie squeezed his hand one more time and stepped aside.
And Buck walked forward.
His steps were slow. Sure. Each one closer to the life he had built and the love that made it real.
When he reached the altar, Eddie leaned just slightly, his voice low and warm.
“Don’t cry before the vows, love.”
Buck laughed, blinking quickly. “Too late.”
They turned toward each other, and the officiant said something—Buck wasn’t even sure what. His heart was pounding too loudly. The moment was too big.
Then it was time.
Eddie spoke first.
“Buck,” Eddie said, voice steady even though his eyes shimmered, “Evan Buckley, I’ve loved you in a hundred different ways before I ever said the words out loud. You made our house feel like home. You made Chris feel safe. You made me believe in things I thought I’d lost. You made me realize I deserve happiness—fully, without restraint. You are my happiness. You always were.”
He paused, breath catching, eyes locked on Buck’s.
“In crashing buildings, in fire and in loss, in the worst days and the best—you’ve always been the sunshine. The one who stayed, the one who kept showing up. The one who brought light even when everything felt dark.”
Buck’s breath hitched, and Chris chuckled behind Eddie as he continued.
“I love your Wikipedia crash-outs at 2AM and your nerdy vinyl collection. I love the way you wear your apron like a badge of honor while cooking pancakes in weird, lopsided shapes. I love the way you talk to Chris like he’s the most important person in the room—because he is. I love the way you love us.”
Chris gave Buck a teasing little look, but his smile was full of something bigger. Pride. Joy.
“I love you, Buck. I never thought I could love and want someone this much in my lifetime. You’re everything I ever wanted, and everything I never dared to hope I could have. You changed my life.”
Eddie’s voice wavered now, just a bit.
“I promise to love you—fiercely, gently, unconditionally. I promise to show up, to fight for us, to keep choosing you every single day. I promise to hold your hand when the world feels like too much, and to dance with you in the kitchen when it all feels just right. I promise that no matter what comes, you’ll never face it alone. Not ever again.”
He reached out and took Buck’s hands.
“Forever, Evan. I choose you. Forever.”
Buck’s eyes were full of tears now, but he didn’t care.
Then it was his turn.
“Eddie,” Buck said, his voice shaking. He reached into the inside pocket of his vest and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. Eddie chuckled softly at the sight—it looked like it had survived a small disaster.
The words were barely legible, but Buck didn’t need to read them. Not really.
“You were home before I even knew what that word meant,” he began. “You loved me through every mess I made of myself. You gave me a family when I didn’t think I could ever have one. You made me want to be better—every day, in every way.”
He paused, taking a breath, eyes locked on Eddie.
“Edmundo Diaz, I love you like I’ve never loved anyone before. And I feel loved by you in a way I never thought I deserved. You made me see myself. Be proud of myself. You never once cast a shadow over my weird thoughts or my overthinking or my spiraling brain.”
Eddie smiled, eyes shining, and Buck smiled back.
“You let me be beside you—and I see you. I see the man you’ve fought to become. And I’m so damn grateful you chose to stand by me today. That you’ve stood by me for the past decade, and that you’ll stand by me for all the decades to come, till we go down swinging.”
Chris let out a quiet laugh behind Eddie again, and Buck glanced his way with a soft smile before turning back to the man in front of him.
“I love you, Eddie. Every part of you. The loud parts, the quiet parts, even the ones you think no one can understand. I do. I promise to be your safe place. Your loudest cheerleader. Your calm in every storm.”
His voice cracked, and Maddie reached out to steady him without saying a word.
“I promise to love you more with every sunrise. I promise to stand with you in joy, in grief, in fire, in life. I promise to never stop choosing you. Every day. For the rest of my life.”
“Forever,” Buck finished, his voice barely a whisper.
The officiant smiled through misty eyes.
“Do you, Evan Buckley, take Edmundo Diaz to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
“I do,” Buck whispered, his voice full of breathless joy.
“And do you, Edmundo Diaz, take Evan Buckley to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
“I do,” Eddie said, grinning in a way that could stop time. That grin—the one that Buck would never stop falling for, again and again, every day.
Chris stepped forward between them, grinning as wide as Buck had ever seen him. He opened his palm with exaggerated ceremony, the two wedding bands gleaming in the sunlight.
“Okay, lovebirds,” he said. “Don’t mess this up.”
Buck laughed, and Eddie muttered a teasing, “We got it, Captain,” as they each took a ring.
Eddie slid the band onto Buck’s finger, his hand steady and sure.
Buck followed, slipping the ring onto Eddie’s with a soft breath, like he was sealing something sacred.
The officiant nodded, her voice warm and trembling with the weight of the moment.
“Then by the power vested in me… I now pronounce you husband and husband.”
Then—Buck barely waited.
He reached out, cupped Eddie’s face in both hands, thumbs brushing against stubbled cheeks, and kissed him.
It wasn’t rushed or nervous or unsure.
It was the kind of kiss that melted everything around them. Like the whole world had narrowed down to this one perfect point in time—sunlight drenching their skin, wind ruffling the edges of Buck’s suit, Eddie’s warm hands on his back, grounding him, anchoring him.
It was soft at first, but it deepened, as if they were finally letting the weight of everything go. Ten years of being almost, and then everything, and then this—forever.
People were cheering. Loudly.
Jee threw confetti into the air with wild joy.
Chris yelled, “FINALLY!” so loud even the cows on the edge of the ranch probably heard him.
Chim choked up somewhere behind them.
Athena was full-on crying, hugging Maddie so tightly her dress wrinkled.
Karen shouted, “About damn time!” and Hen just laughed, wiping a tear.
And Buck?
Buck pulled back just enough to press his forehead to Eddie’s, both of them breathless, eyes shining.
He was smiling so wide his cheeks hurt.
And Eddie whispered, just for him, “You’re mine forever now.”
Buck nodded, holding onto the moment, holding onto him.
“Yeah,” he breathed. “And you’re mine.”
***
They didn’t even hear the announcement for the first dance. Someone—probably Athena or Maddie—had to physically nudge them out of the little bubble they’d built around each other after the ceremony.
“Go,” Maddie whispered, eyes bright. “It’s your moment.”
The music started soft, the kind of song that had lived in the background of so many quiet mornings and road trip playlists. Something warm, slow, theirs.
Buck took his hand like they hadn’t just vowed to love each other forever—like it was the most natural thing in the world, like they’d been dancing this whole time.
“You nervous?” Buck asked as they swayed together on the makeshift dance floor under a string of lights and wide open sky.
Eddie laughed, soft into Buck’s neck. “I just married the love of my life. Think I’m good.”
“Yeah?” Buck’s hands settled on Eddie’s waist, and Eddie's fingers locked behind his neck. “You did look pretty confident up there.”
“Had to,” Eddie smirked. “Can’t let you outshine me completely.”
Buck snorted, pulling him a little closer. “Too late.”
Eddie rested his forehead against Buck’s. “You’re such a dork.”
“And you love me.”
“I really do,” Eddie whispered.
They didn’t really dance so much as hold each other and sway like the music wasn’t even necessary. People were watching, sure. But it didn’t feel like it. Not when Buck was looking at him like that—like Eddie was every reason, every answer, every home.
“God, I’m so happy,” Buck said, a little breathless.
“Me too,” Eddie replied, closing his eyes. “Don’t ever stop choosing me.”
“Never.”
After the dancing—and after Buck had almost stepped on Eddie’s foot three separate times while insisting he was “extremely graceful for a guy with zero rhythm”—Bobby clinked a fork against a glass and called the room to order.
“Speeches!” he announced, grinning when the entire 118 whooped like they were on shift.
Buck and Eddie slid into their seats at the head table, hands still laced under the linen like they’d forgotten how to be untangled. Chris perched beside them, beaming.
Hen rose first, champagne flute in hand, posture straight and fearless as ever. She cleared her throat.
“Okay, so… I had a whole thing prepared,” she said, waving a neatly folded sheet of paper. “It was poetic, moving, the kind of toast that wins awards—”
“Hen,” Chimney stage‑whispered from his chair, “you sobbed halfway through it in the kitchen yesterday. The paper still has tear stains.”
Hen shot him a look that could have melted bunker gear. “Thank you, Chimney, for your unsolicited commentary. As I was saying—before someone interrupted—I did have a speech. Then I read it out loud and ugly‑cried on Karen’s shoulder for an hour, so the paper looks like it survived a small flood. I decided Eddie and Buck have survived plenty of water events already. I’m winging it.”
The room rippled with laughter. Buck’s shoulders shook, and Eddie felt the tremor through their joined hands.
Hen turned back to the newlyweds. “I’ve watched these two idiots go from probation partners, to best friends, to co‑parents, to the ‘will‑they‑won’t‑they’ sitcom no one asked for—sorry, Bobby—and now to husbands.”
She paused, emotion thickening her voice. “It wasn’t always graceful. Buck once tried to fix Eddie’s garbage disposal with a salad fork, and Eddie nearly murdered him with a glare. But every misstep was real. Every choice was deliberate. And that’s love, right? Choosing each other every single day—especially on the days it would be easier to walk away.”
She took a breath, eyes shining. “Buck, you taught Eddie it’s okay to be loud with your heart. Eddie, you taught Buck it’s okay to let someone catch you when you fall. Together you taught the rest of us that family isn’t just blood or paperwork—it’s the people who run toward your fire and never leave.”
Hen pointed her flute at him. “Zip it, Chim. You’ll get your turn.” She faced the crowd again. “To Eddie and Buck—may your days be full of laughter, your nights full of love, and your house always keep at least three fire extinguishers… because I know you two.”
The room exploded in applause. Bobby lifted his glass with a rueful nod—he’d already ordered the extra extinguishers as a wedding gift.
Hen sat, dabbing at her eyes. Chimney popped up, wiping his palms theatrically on his jacket. “Alright, tough act to follow. Unlike Hen, I never cry in public—”
“Lies!” Maddie and Jee chorused. Chim rolled his eyes.
“Rarely cry in public,” he amended, earning a knowing laugh from the whole table. “And I definitely didn’t write anything down—because if I stop talking you all know I get emotional—so this is off the cuff.”
He cleared his throat, adopting a fake‑serious news‑anchor voice. “Breaking story: after the slowest burn in Los Angeles history, Firefighter Evan ‘Buck’ Buckley and Firefighter Edmundo ‘Eddie’ Diaz have finally realized what the rest of us knew somewhere around the LAFD charity calendar shoot—namely, that they were hopelessly in love.”
Buck snorted. Eddie covered his face.
Chim pressed on. “I mean, come on—co‑parenting, doing each other’s laundry, nearly dying for one another on multiple occasions? If that’s not romance, I don’t know what is. You two are basically a Nicholas Sparks novel with more turnout gear.”
Hen elbowed him as she passed her glass. “Wrap it up, Hallmark.”
“Fine, fine.” Chim softened, voice earnest. “Buck, you’re my brother. Eddie, you’re the steady heartbeat of our crew. Seeing you both this happy—seeing Chris know this is forever—is the best thing in the world. Thanks for letting all of us tag along for the ride.”
He lifted his glass. “To Buck and Eddie—may your life together have more laughter than alarms, more kisses than close calls, and may your kid never catch you making out in the kitchen again.”
Chris threw his hands up. “Thank you!”
Everyone burst into cheers, clinking glasses while confetti Hen had secretly stashed rained over the table.
Buck leaned in, eyes shining. “Think we can live up to all that hype?”
Eddie squeezed his hand, grin lazy and sure. “I don’t know—feel like we should conduct extensive… nightly research.”
And somewhere down the table, Chim was already scribbling “Nicolas Sparks—but with axes” in a notebook, because some jokes were destined to last as long as the Buckley‑Diaz marriage itself—forever.
Then came the cake.
It started so innocently.
Buck sliced them a perfect piece of the three-tier vanilla-raspberry madness Karen had helped design. Eddie was ready to feed him a bite, all sweet smiles and tradition—
Until Buck smirked.
And Eddie knew.
“Don’t you dare,” Eddie warned.
“I would never,” Buck said sweetly. And then he swiped frosting on Eddie’s nose.
The guests howled.
Eddie narrowed his eyes. “You really wanna start this?”
Too late. Eddie got him back—frosting on Buck’s cheek.
“Okay,” Buck said, “gloves off, Diaz.”
The next thirty seconds were a blur of giggles, cake smudges, Chris yelling “GET HIM, DAD!” and Jee running around with a rogue cupcake. Hen was laughing so hard she had to sit down. Chim was filming the whole thing. Maddie pretended to be horrified but was grinning ear to ear.
By the end, Eddie had frosting in his hair, Buck’s suit jacket had a pink smudge, and neither of them had ever looked happier.
They kissed again, right there by the cake table, laughter still spilling from both of them.
“Worth it?” Buck asked, licking sugar off his thumb.
Eddie nodded. “Completely.”
And in the middle of all that chaos and love, Eddie thought—
This is it. This is the life I waited for. The one I built. The one we chose. Together.
***
The music was softer now, the stars a little brighter.
Most of the guests had started to say their goodbyes—hugs, cheek kisses, last-minute selfies taken under the string lights. The ranch looked like the last act of a perfect movie. Eddie had disappeared for a few minutes, probably getting Chris situated with the rest of the family. Buck stood off to the side, drink forgotten in his hand, just soaking it in.
It was almost over. The day they’d dreamed about, fought for, built with every laugh and scar and quiet conversation over late-night beers—it had happened. It was real.
And he’d never felt more whole.
“Hey, newlywed,” Bobby’s voice came from behind, warm and steady.
Buck turned, smiling instantly. “Hey.”
Bobby didn’t say anything right away. He just looked at Buck like he had back when he first took him in—when Buck was still all mess and energy and barely held together. There was pride in his eyes now. Maybe a little mist too.
“You did good,” Bobby said, pulling him into a hug.
Buck closed his eyes and held on tight. “You did too. You made me believe I could get here.”
Athena joined them, looping an arm around both of their shoulders like she was corralling two of her favorite people. “I’m not crying,” she announced, clearly lying. “It’s just ranch air.”
Buck laughed into her shoulder. “I love you guys.”
“We love you too, baby,” she said, kissing his cheek.
“You’re one of ours,” Bobby added. “Always.”
Buck wiped at his face, which was definitely leaking now. “You sure you’re not gonna miss me when I’m gone?”
Athena snorted. “You’ll be gone for, what, five days? We’ll survive.”
“Barely,” Bobby teased.
Just then, Buck saw Chris coming up to them.
“Dad’s looking for you,” Chris said, slightly breathless.
Buck crouched to his level. “You okay, buddy?”
Chris nodded, then surprised him with a quick hug. “Best day ever.”
“Yeah,” Buck whispered. “It really was.”
Eddie walked over a moment later, just as Chris waved goodbye and ran back to join his Tía Sofia. His hand found Buck’s like it always did—sure and steady.
“You ready?” Eddie asked, his eyes warm with something that definitely wasn’t exhaustion.
Buck swallowed hard. “So ready.”
They said their final goodbyes under the stars, hand in hand, glowing from the inside out. Maddie slipped a folded note into Buck’s jacket ("Just in case you forget how lucky you are, dumbass.") and Chim promised not to call unless the firehouse was literally burning down.
They climbed into the car with bags packed, hearts still racing, and a destination that neither of them cared much about because honestly—
They knew they weren’t leaving that hotel room.
“I booked the suite with the hot tub,” Buck said casually, once they were on the road.
Eddie looked over at him, grin already dangerous. “Did you now?”
“Uh-huh,” Buck nodded. “And room service. And a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign that’s going up the second we walk in.”
Eddie’s hand landed on Buck’s thigh, just a little too high to be innocent.
Buck swallowed. “We’re definitely not gonna see any of the city, huh?”
“Only the ceiling. Maybe the headboard. Depends how flexible you’re feeling.”
Buck let out a breath that was mostly a moan.
“Oh, I’m gonna marry the hell out of you tonight, again,” Eddie muttered.
Buck laughed, flushed and already undone, his heart beating fast. “Good. I was hoping for a repeat.”
And as the city lights faded behind them and the night wrapped around their car like a promise, Buck leaned back, eyes locked on his husband’s profile, and thought—
Forever. It’s really happening.
***
The Honeymoon
The door clicked shut behind them.
It was way past midnight, closer to morning than anything else. Their suitcases sat untouched near the window, the bottle of champagne Maddie had arranged was sweating on ice, and the lights were low—dimmed by Buck the second they walked in, his hand warm against Eddie’s spine, lips brushing a promise to his temple.
“Champagne?” Buck had asked, eyes dancing, still high off the night—off them.
Eddie had smiled, slow and sure. “Later,” he murmured. “I’ve got something sweeter to taste first.”
He pulled Buck into a kiss—wet, hot, tasting like cake and wine and something dangerously addictive. Their tongues clashed and slid, a little desperate already, and Buck pulled Eddie closer by the hips, moaning into his mouth like he needed him right then and there.
Eddie broke the kiss with a breathless laugh, guiding Buck back until his shoulders hit the wall. “Easy, cowboy. We’ve got five days ahead of us. Let’s take it slow.”
“I don’t want slow,” Buck said, panting. “I want you now.”
“Slow is what makes it good, Buck.” Eddie leaned in, kissed along his neck, bit lightly at his earlobe before murmuring, “Be a good boy for me, would you?”
He felt Buck tremble, a sound catching in his throat as his hands tightened around the back of Eddie’s neck like he needed something to hold onto.
“Yeah—Eddie.”
“Say it for me, Buckley.”
Buck’s breath came out shaky. “I’ll be a good boy for you, Eddie.”
Eddie smirked against his skin, letting Buck’s vest fall from his shoulders and drop to the floor. Then he began to undo his shirt, slow and deliberate.
His fingers worked each button like he had nowhere else to be, dragging knuckles lightly against Buck’s chest. The shirt was soft and warm from Buck’s body, creased from the night’s chaos. He took his time, brushing over skin with every flick, loving the way Buck shivered beneath him, breath catching each time a new inch of skin was revealed.
“You’re shaking,” Eddie whispered, kissing the corner of his mouth, fingers trailing lower still.
Buck barely managed to smile. “You’re the one making me shiver.”
“Good.”
The last button slipped free. He peeled the shirt open, slow, letting it fall off Buck’s shoulders. The fabric hit the floor with a hush, and Buck stood there—bare-chested, flushed, his heart beating visibly in his throat.
Eddie stepped back a little, taking him in.
His own tie was still hanging loose around his neck, his shirt untucked and halfway unbuttoned, vest long gone. He looked at Buck like he was trying to memorize him, burn the image into his brain—the way his husband looked right now, needy and half-undone, waiting.
“Pants, Buck,” Eddie said, voice low.
Buck’s fingers went immediately to his belt, working it open, unzipping with a little too much urgency.
Eddie caught his wrist. “Slow.”
Buck swallowed hard, nodding. “Sorry.”
Eddie stepped in again, replacing Buck’s hands with his own. He knelt, kissed the skin just above Buck’s waistband, and whispered, “I want to unwrap you like a gift. Let me.”
Buck whimpered, eyes closing.
Eddie tugged the pants down inch by inch, kissing along the way—hipbone, then thigh, teeth grazing the inside. When Buck finally stepped out of them, Eddie didn’t hesitate, letting his mouth hover just above the thin fabric of Buck’s briefs, not touching, just breathing warm and close.
Buck’s hands twisted in the edge of Eddie’s undone shirt.
“Eddie,” he gasped, “please—”
“Shhh,” Eddie hushed him, rising again, their chests brushing. He cupped Buck’s jaw and kissed him deep, then guided him back slowly, step by step until the back of Buck’s knees hit the mattress.
“Lie down.”
Buck obeyed, crawling back until he was stretched out across the hotel bed, arms above his head, legs slightly apart, hair a little wild from Eddie’s fingers.
Eddie stood at the foot of the bed, watching him, undoing the buttons of his own shirt, slow and teasing. Buck’s eyes followed every move like he couldn’t look away.
“You look like a fucking sin,” Eddie said, voice full of heat.
Buck smiled, dazed. “You married me, so that makes you the sinner.”
Eddie, climbed onto the bed, one knee between Buck’s legs. His tie was still loose around his neck, and Buck reached up for it—Eddie caught his wrist.
“Good boys wait,” he murmured against Buck’s lips.
Buck let his hand fall back down, chest heaving.
“Good,” Eddie whispered, kissing him again, deeper this time, letting his hands roam over Buck’s chest, his stomach, the curve of his waist. “Now let me take my time with you.”
Eddie stood over Buck for a moment, his hands resting lightly on Buck’s hips. Slowly, deliberately, he began to pull down the waistband of Buck’s boxers, easing them over his hips and down his legs. He paused for a moment, taking in the sight of Buck beneath him. Then, with a small smile, Eddie gently slid the boxers all the way off and tossed them aside, stepping back from the bed to take in the full view of his husband, now completely exposed to him.
Buck was naked, his eyes pleading for Eddie to touch him.
And Eddie—fully dressed still—stood at the foot of the bed, watching the man he loved stretch out across crisp hotel sheets like he was posing for a Renaissance painting. Like he belonged in a museum. Or maybe a chapel.
“Jesus,” Eddie muttered, breath caught somewhere behind his teeth.
Buck grinned up at him, cocky but flushed, one arm slung behind his head, the other lazily dragging fingertips over his bare stomach. “Like what you see, husband?”
Eddie hummed, slow and thoughtful. “Yeah. Might frame this.”
Buck’s laugh was warm and easy, but there was a tension in his body too. A want, just under the surface. He looked like he’d expected Eddie to crawl into bed with him the second his boxers were off.
Instead, Eddie stayed exactly where he was.
He just…looked at him. Took his time. Traced every inch with his eyes. The broad chest he’d laid his head on a hundred nights, the curve of his hips, the pink flush blooming under his skin the longer he waited.
“You’re making me nervous,” Buck joked, voice lower now.
Eddie raised a brow. “Am I?”
“You’re just—standing there.”
Eddie stepped closer, slow. Deliberate. “Yeah. I am.”
“Why?”
Eddie tilted his head. “Because I can.”
Buck sucked in a breath. “Okay.”
“Okay?” Eddie echoed, coming to the side of the bed but not touching him yet.
Buck nodded. “Yeah.”
“You good?”
Buck nodded again. “Yes.”
Eddie smiled, eyes soft but sure. “Say it.”
“I want this,” Buck whispered. “I want you.”
That was all it took.
Eddie’s hand came to Buck’s ankle, slow and firm, sliding up his calf, his thigh, the edge of his hip. Just fingertips. Just enough to tease.
Buck’s breath hitched. “Eddie—”
“Shhh,” Eddie said gently, climbing onto the bed without fully settling on top of him. “I’ve got you.”
His lips met Buck’s shoulder, then lower, dragging open-mouth kisses across his chest, pausing to flick his tongue over the little freckle under Buck’s collarbone.
Buck whimpered.
“You’re so—fuck,” Eddie muttered, leaning in to press a kiss right over Buck’s racing heart. “You’re beautiful. Do you know that?”
Buck blinked up at him, wide-eyed and vulnerable. “I do when you say it like that.”
Eddie pressed another kiss to his stomach. “You deserve to be worshipped.”
“You planning on doing that?”
Eddie’s smile turned wicked. “Absolutely.”
He took his time. Mapped every inch with lips and hands. He let Buck tug at his shirt—finally, finally peeling it off—but stayed in control, guiding the pace, checking in every time Buck arched or whimpered or laughed.
“Still good?” Eddie murmured as he nipped at the skin just below Buck’s ear.
Buck nodded, dazed. “So good. I—Eds, please.”
Eddie caught his chin, made him look at him. “Tell me what you need, baby.”
“You. I just—want you.”
Eddie hovered over him, heart pounding in his chest like the echo of something sacred. Buck looked up at him with wide, glassy eyes, lips parted and cheeks flushed. His body was already trembling with anticipation, his fingers white-knuckled in the sheets. He hadn’t touched himself—hadn’t dared. He was waiting. For him.
Eddie leaned down and brushed his lips across Buck’s jaw. “You sure?” he asked, voice low, rough with restraint. “You still want this?”
Buck didn’t hesitate. “I want you,” he breathed. “I want you to fuck me, Eddie. Please.”
Something in Eddie twisted at those words—need, love, hunger all tangled into one impossible knot. He pulled back just far enough to rummage through the side pocket of his bag, fingers finding the bottle of lube he knew he packed. When he turned back, the sight nearly undid him.
Buck lay there, spread out against the stark white hotel sheets, golden in the dim light. His cock rested against his stomach, flushed and slick, but untouched. His hands were still tangled in the linens, like it was the only way to keep from falling apart.
“God, look at you,” Eddie murmured, crawling back over him.
He kissed his way up Buck’s thigh, taking in every tremor and breathy hitch, then nudged one of his legs up, slowly placing it over his shoulder, then the other. Buck let him, pliant, trusting—eyes locked on Eddie’s like he was something holy.
“You’re so good for me,” Eddie said, settling between his legs, voice thick with praise and promise. “So fucking good.”
He put some lubes in his hand, then Eddie slicked his fingers inside Buck, warm and slow, and let his hand drift lower, pressing gently until Buck gasped, back arching, lips parted in a shaky exhale.
“Easy,” Eddie whispered. “Just breathe. I’ve got you.”
He worked him open slowly, taking his time, watching every twitch and shift in Buck’s expression, asking with his eyes, his touch. Stretching him gently, thoroughly—too slow if Buck’s quiet whimpers were anything to go by.
Eddie’s own need was pulsing through him like wildfire, hard and aching beneath the fabric of his pants, but he stayed focused. Controlled. This wasn’t about his urgency. It was about them—about making Buck fall apart for him, under him.
“Touch yourself, baby,” Eddie said, voice nearly a growl now. “Rub your nipples for me. Take your cock in your hand.”
Buck obeyed without question, one hand sliding to his chest, the other wrapping around himself with a moan that shot straight through Eddie’s spine. He was so responsive, so desperate, body arching with every slow stroke of Eddie’s fingers inside him.
“Please,” Buck gasped. “Eddie—please, I’m ready. I need you.”
Eddie leaned in close, lips brushing his temple. “You sure?”
Buck nodded, frantic, eyes glazed. “Yes. Yes, I’m sure. I want you hard inside me.”
Eddie moaned low in his throat, quickly shedding his pants and boxers. He grabbed the lube, slicking his cock with a few quick strokes, his hand moving up and down, watching Buck’s pleading eyes, the desperation in them making his pulse race.
He took a deep breath, steadying himself before guiding the head of his cock to Buck’s entrance. With a quiet groan, he pushed forward—slow and steady, inching in until they were completely connected, both of them breathing in unison, their hearts beating as one.
Buck cried out, his head falling back against the pillow, hands fisting again in the sheets.
Eddie caught his chin, made him look at him. “Tell me what you need, baby.”
“You,” Buck said, wrecked and beautiful. “I just—want you.”
Eddie kissed him then, deep and anchoring, one hand braced beside Buck’s head, the other gripping his waist as they found their rhythm—slow and consuming, like a song only they knew the words to.
They moved together like they were written in the same language. Every shift of Buck’s hips beneath him, every low moan or whispered plea—it was a line of poetry Eddie knew by heart. And every beat of it whispered the same thing: forever.
“Eddie.”
Eddie’s body ached with love, with want, with the overwhelming swell of everything he felt. Not just the heat of Buck’s skin or the tight, perfect way he held him—but the trust, the surrender, the way Buck looked at him like he was everything.
“Look at me,” Eddie whispered, his forehead pressing against Buck’s, their breath mingling in the narrow space between. “I want to see you.”
Buck did. And God, Eddie almost lost it right there.
His eyes were blown wide, shimmering with unshed tears and need, mouth parted around the softest breath. He looked wrecked. Beautiful. So vulnerable it made Eddie’s chest ache, because this wasn’t about sex. It never was. This was about all the versions of Buck he’d ever known, every crack and scar and smile, trusting him enough to let go.
“Don’t stop,” Buck whispered, breath catching as Eddie rocked into him again, slow and deep.
“Never,” Eddie promised, voice rough, throat tight. “Never.”
He kissed him then—soft and deep and unhurried, like he was sealing every word he couldn’t say with his lips. His hands mapped Buck’s body again and again, thumb brushing over his ribs, down his sides, until he found his place again—hips cradled between Buck’s legs, moving in a rhythm that was more reverence than need.
It was slow. It was worship. Just like Eddie had said.
Every kiss was a vow.
Every thrust a promise.
I choose you. I love you. You’re mine.
Eddie could feel Buck getting close, the way his body trembled beneath him, the hitch in his breath, the way he clenched tighter with every slow, perfect roll of Eddie’s hips.
“Not yet,” Eddie murmured against his jaw, pulling back enough to see him. “You’re gonna wait for me, okay?”
Buck moaned, a desperate little sound, but nodded. “Okay… okay.”
Eddie slowed even more, just enough to keep Buck hovering there—caught in that sharp, glittering edge of pleasure. His fingers reached for Buck’s hands, weaving them together above his head, pinning him gently to the sheets.
“You feel so good,” Eddie whispered, hips rolling again, pushing in deep and steady. “You’re perfect. You’re everything.”
Buck whimpered, his body trembling. “Eddie…”
“I know, baby. I know.” He bent down, pressed a kiss to Buck’s temple, his cheek, the corner of his mouth. “You’re doing so good for me. Just a little longer.”
Eddie’s heart was pounding, sweat dripping down his spine, every muscle straining with the effort to keep his control. But it was worth it—for this. For the way Buck looked under him, flushed and wrecked and his.
He let one of Buck’s legs fall from his shoulder so he could cradle him closer, chest to chest, his mouth dragging down Buck’s throat as he moved harder now, deeper. Still steady, still gentle—but no longer teasing.
Buck’s fingers twisted in the sheets again, his breath catching, broken sounds leaving his mouth.
“I love you,” Eddie whispered. “You’re everything I ever needed, you know that?”
Buck nodded, words lost somewhere in a choked noise of pleasure. He was close again. So was Eddie.
“Okay,” Eddie breathed. “Now.”
“Eddie.”
And Buck came with a cry of his name, like it tore from his soul—one hand fisting the sheets, the other tangled in Eddie’s hair as he shuddered beneath him.
Eddie followed seconds later, gasping as he pressed deep, burying himself in the warmth of Buck’s body, in the safety of his arms, his face hidden in the curve of Buck’s neck.
“I love you,” he murmured, over and over like a prayer, like a truth carved into his bones. “I love you, I love you.”
Buck's hands slid down to Eddie’s back, holding him close, grounding him as they both trembled through the aftershocks. Their skin was slick with sweat and cum between them, hearts beating out a wild, matching rhythm. Still connected, still breathing each other in like it was the only thing that mattered.
Because it was.
And Eddie knew, without a shadow of a doubt—this was forever.
They lay there in the dark afterward, tangled together, breathing slowly, finding their rhythm again.
Buck brushed a hand through Eddie’s hair, his fingers grazing over his scalp, soft and tender.
“I’m yours, you know,” Buck whispered, voice low and thick with contentment, like he was trying to make it real in the quiet of the room. “Your husband. I’m yours forever.”
Eddie smiled, that deep, quiet smile only Buck got to see. “And I’m yours, Buck. Always have been.”
Buck chuckled softly, his fingers tracing the curve of Eddie’s jaw, teasing. “Yeah, but now you have to call me ‘husband’ every time you want something.”
Eddie raised an eyebrow, amusement flickering across his face. “You’re gonna regret that when I start asking you to do stuff just to say it.”
Buck grinned. “I don’t think I’ll ever regret doing what you ask Eddie.”
They lay there for a while longer, their bodies pressed close, the sound of their breathing the only thing in the room. The weight of the night, of the vows, of everything they had just shared, settled into a peaceful silence between them.
Eddie pressed one last kiss to Buck’s chest, his lips lingering against warm skin. He was already half-asleep, but a smile lingered on his face.
“Goodnight, husband,” he whispered.
Buck’s response was soft, sleepy, and full of love. “Goodnight, Eddie.”
And with that, they drifted into a quiet, contented sleep—together.
The End