Chapter Text
Buck didn't think much of it when Eddie invited him to the Santa visit.
It was obvious, Eddie said, like it was normal for Buck to be included in those things. Like it made sense.
And it did. Kind of.
They were a trio by now, weren’t they? Chris had just turned those big eyes on Buck and said, “You’re coming with us to see Santa, right?” Buck had barely managed a nod before Chris grinned and bounced away.
So yeah, maybe it was normal.
They went to the mall and waited in line for about twenty minutes, while a speaker above their heads cycled through Christmas covers. The decorations were pretty enough—twinkling lights, a few giant candy canes, some foam snow on the ground.
Chris leaned against his crutches, humming along to the music. Eddie listened with a quiet smile.
Buck didn’t say much, just watched them both, so full of... something.
They were close to the front when Chris turned, a short distance from the roped entrance.
“I wanna do it alone” he said, puffing up his chest a little.
Eddie blinked “You sure, mijo?”
Chris nodded solemnly. “I’m a big kid. I don’t need help to talk to Santa.” and just to drive the point home, he shooed them both off with a wave of his hand. “Go sit or something. I got this.”
Buck grinned, exchanging a glance with Eddie, who shrugged like What can you do? They obeyed, stepping away from the line to sit by a small marble fountain near the Santa set’s exit. From there, they had a perfect view as Chris confidently made his way to the jolly man in red, crutches tapping rhythmically against the floor.
Buck took a quick photo as Chris reached Santa, just in time to catch him high-fiving the guy before carefully settling onto the bench beside him. The elf in the red vest leaned down to help arrange the crutches beside the chair while Chris leaned in to whisper his Christmas wishes.
“He really wanted this,” Eddie said softly.
Buck nodded and for a while, they just watched.
A few minutes later, the elf reappeared with Chris at her side, carefully guiding him out. Chris was grinning again—a little more secretive this time. When he reached them, Eddie stood to help.
“Well?” Buck asked, standing too. “What’d you ask for?”
Chris shook his head with a mischievous glint in his eye. “Not telling.”
“Oh, come on—” Buck started, but Eddie just laughed and swept Chris up into his arms.
“If I tell you, it won’t come true,” Eddie just nodded bumping his nose against Chris’s cheek.
Chris giggled and Buck just… watched.
He stood there, frozen in the soft glow of Christmas lights, smiling so wide his face hurt. Everything felt still for a moment, like a snow globe right before you shake it. Just quiet joy. His chest ached with it.
And then
“You two have an adorable son”
The elf lady said brightly.
Buck blinked, startled. She was still smiling, clearly meaning it as a passing compliment. She turned to help the next kid out of the Santa area before he could even respond.
He looked over at Eddie and Chris again—Chris half-asleep already in Eddie’s arms, him murmuring something only they could hear—and Buck felt his mouth stretch into something softer.
“…Thanks,” he said finally, almost under his breath, and took a few steps to catch up with them.
They hadn’t gone far, just a few paces ahead toward the exit, but Buck suddenly felt like he’d been left behind—not in a bad way, just… like he’d stepped out of a dream for a second and needed to catch up to it.
The words stuck with him:
You two have an adorable son.
He knew it wasn’t true. Not the way she meant it.
But God sometimes, he wished it was.
So when Chris fell asleep in the backseat, warm and safe and tucked into his hoodie like a little cub, Buck looked at him and felt something ache so deep in his chest.
And to be fully honest he didn’t know what to do with that.
Not yet.