Chapter Text
Hours passed as Eddie and Maddie sat vigilantly at Buck’s side. After the first hour, they began to swap stories. Maddie began telling Eddie of Buck's childhood while Eddie told her of outings with Buck and Christopher. Eddie quickly found himself enjoying her presence, at least as much as he could in their situation. It only added onto the guilt of not getting closer with her beforehand.
A few hours in, Chimney had done his best to convince Maddie to go home to shower and sleep. She only agreed when Eddie promised he’d call the moment Buck woke up, no matter what the time was. When Bobby tried to do the same to Eddie, he refused claiming “I have to be here when he wakes up. He can’t wake up alone.” Bobby didn’t fight after that but he did manage to get Eddie to change into a clean set of clothes that the man had brought.
The rest of the 118 filtered in and out of the room. Athena sat and prayed over Buck’s feet, Bobby clutching rosary in his hands next to her. Hen brought Eddie coffee and snacks from the hospital vending machines but to be truthful all Eddie tasted was ash. The same ash he’d tasted when the building collapsed on the love of his life.
By hour 5, Eddie was the only one left. It was approaching hour 7 when Buck began to stir. It was nearly 4 in the morning and Eddie hadn’t slept a wink since waking up in his own hospital bed. Buck’s groan had Eddie jumping from his seat. He leaned over the man, taking one hand in his own.
“Buck?” Eddie questioned softly.
Buck groaned again, slowly blinking his eyes open. A wave of relief washed over Eddie at the sight of blue. Right at that moment, Eddie decided blue was his favorite color.
“Hi,” Buck whispers.
Eddie lets out a disbelieving laugh. “Hey. Hey, mi amor. How do you feel?”
“Tired. Thirsty,” Buck responds.
Eddie releases Bucks hand to reach for the glass of water sitting on the side table. Putting the cup in Buck's hand, he helps guide the straw to his mouth. Buck takes a long drink, his gulps the only thing filling the silence. Once satisfied he relinquishes the cup back to Eddie. Already, Buck was looking more alive.
“God, what happened? I remember- I remember everything falling and then-,” he doesn’t finish the sentence. A look of realization crosses his face. “Did I ask you..?”
“Yes,” Eddie answers the unfinished question.
Buck blinks and swallows thickly. “Well, that's not very romantic is it?” he jokes. Eddie can hear the underlying nervousness in his voice. His eyebrows furrow. Did he not remember Eddie saying yes? Buck had to know just how much Eddie wanted this too.
He grabbed Buck’s hand with his once more. “Buck, you could ask me while we’re neck deep in sewage and it would still be the most beautiful experience I’d ever have,” he admits. It didn’t matter to Eddie where or how it happened. As long as Buck was the one asking, then it would automatically be perfect.
Bucks eyes water but he doesn't reply. He just stares at Eddie with a disbelieving look. Eddie grabs his other hand so he’s holding both. “Ask me now,” he demands.
“Eddie-”
“Ask me, Evan.”
Buck’s breath shudders and he looks away. After a breath he returns his gaze back to Eddie and opens his mouth. “Eddie. I love you in a way words can describe. The day you first started at the 118 I could tell you were important. At first I thought you were there to replace me but that wasn’t it. You were there to complete me. You and Christopher. That’s all I want for the rest of my life.” Buck’s voice was shaky and wet. He was gripping Eddie’s hands tightly. “Will you marry me?”
Eddie’s crying by the time Buck finishes. “Yes. God, yes,” he exclaims before leaning over and kissing the man. Buck graciously returns the kiss. Eddie pours all the emotion he can into it. He almost lost this. Almost lost the only person that came close to the love he felt for Christopher.
Buck’s crying too when Eddie finally pulls away. Eddie lifts a hand to wipe away a tear. Buck leans into the touch. “I love you,” he whispers.
Eddie laughs wetly. “I love you, too.”
After a few more moments of silently holding each other and a few more kisses, Eddie reluctantly pulls away. “I need to call Maddie. I promised I’d tell her when you were awake,” he explains.
Buck nods. He opens his mouth to speak before closing it again. Eddie knows what he’s wondering.
“She knows. Pretty sure everyone does after you proposed over an open channel,” he teases. Buck groans and covers his face with his hands.
“You’re never gonna let me live this down, are you?”
Eddie smiles brightly. “Not a chance, babe,” he confirmed as he pulled out his phone.
Maddie picked up immediately. “Buck’s awake,” Eddie said, not even saying hello.
“We’re on our way,” was all Maddie responded with before hanging up the phone.
Within an hour Maddie and Chim were arriving at the hospital. Eddie filled Buck in on the fuzzy details of their publicized exchange while they waited.
“Evan!” Maddie exclaimed as her and Chim walked into the room. She practically threw herself at Buck. Tears were streaming down her face. It was as if all the worry and grief she’d been holding in burst out the moment she saw Buck awake.
“It’s okay. I’m okay. Mads,” Buck quietly assured Maddie as he hugged her tightly. Eddie smiled at the sight. It made him think of his own sisters. They used to be so close until Eddie enlisted. He forgot just how much he missed them. Good thing Eddie had the perfect excuse to call them. He already knew they’d love Buck.
“I called Bobby,” Chim announced from where he stood beside Eddie. “He’s on his way too.”
Eddie nodded. Chim rested a hand on Eddie’s shoulder. “You should head home. Check on Christopher and then get some rest,” he suggested.
“Yeah, we’ll stay with him,” Maddie added from where she was perched on the end of Buck’s bed, his hand clasped in her own.
Before Eddie could open his mouth to protest, Buck was speaking. “Go, Eddie. Please. You look bone tired and I’d prefer it if my fiancé didn’t die from exhaustion.” He said the last bit with a smirk. Maddie and Chim wore matching expressions.
Eddie’s face immediately grew warm. Fiancé. He was Buck’s fiancé.
“Fine. But I'm coming back here the moment I wake up. Chris too,” Eddie declared, standing up.
“Of course,” Buck agreed, looking at him with a smile bright on his face.
Eddie didn’t deny the urge to lean down and kiss him. Buck lifted a hand to Eddie’s cheek, his thumb caressing the skin as they pulled apart.
“I love you,” Eddie whispered.
“I love you too. Now go home,” Buck replied as he gently pushed Eddie away.
A smile remained on Eddie’s face as he exited the room. For the first time in the past 24 hours, there wasn’t a trace of worry in his body.