Chapter Text
A few months had passed since that night. All of the moments now felt like distant memories on a path to a new reality.
Buck had come a long way. His bruises had disappeared and he had finally gotten his last cast removed. He was also much more confident slipping in and out of littlespace and actually staying out of it for longer.
And Bobby noticed the more he did, the more he had a shadow in the kitchen.
He smiled without looking up from his stirring. He knew those eyes. "You can come in."
"I-I know."
Captain Nash turned his smile over his shoulder. "You want to cut the veggies again?"
Footsteps padded closer. ". . . C-can I add the spices this time?"
"If you want to."
Buck's shy smile grew. He reached out for the containers lined up along the counter. "Are there measurements?"
"Nope." Bobby tapped the top of the garlic powder. "We add with the heart."
The blonde's brows furrowed. "But what if I accidentally add too much or too little?"
"We can taste test and add more after or add other things to even it out." Again, Captain Nash tapped the garlic powder. "But that's how you learn."
Carefully, Buck lifted the container of seasoning and gave it a few soft shakes, sprinkling the top with a few flakes of garlic. ". . . I-is that good?"
Bobby shrugged, his warm smile growing. "If you think it is."
Buck's furrow deepened as he looked back to the container. He then gave another few more confident shakes. "No. We need more."
Once he set the container down, Bobby stirred the sauce then set the spoon to the side. His hand then came over to tap a container labeled Italian Seasoning. Fresh was usually better, but they were out and couldn't make a trip to the store until tomorrow.
Buck picked it up and paused. His face had told the fire captain he wanted to say something, but was hesitating to do so.
Bobby let him take a second to gather his thoughts and courage before blue eyes turned to him.
Buck's gaze darted to the side before lifting back up to Bobby. He shyly turtled and practically whispered, "C-can I call you something?"
Captain Nash raised his brows, his head tipping to the side. "What do you want to call me? Cap?"
Buck shook his head. "I-I won't get to call you that until after."
Bobby's smile grew into a grin. After one day visiting Harry at the Academy, Buck had asked that night if he could be a firefighter too while they were getting ready for bed. He wanted to work with the half of his family at the 118.
Captain Nash stirred the sauce again after Buck paused his short conversation to give the Italian Seasoning a few good shakes. "So not Cap. What else would you like to call me?"
Another pause until finally Buck got out his next explanation. "M-Margaret a-and Philip never wanted me to call them by anything other than their names . . . Th-they wouldn't tell me why, but me being a little and never knowing m-makes a lot more sense."
Bobby tapped the top of the Oregano container. The mix he used never had enough in his opinion. "They didn't want you to slip."
"No." Buck's gaze turned dejectedly away. "They didn't."
Bobby's movements paused again.
"They wanted to make me him," Buck tearsely got out. "M-Maddie told me what she remembered of him a-and I can see it now."
Captain Nash's heart nearly broke in two when those blue eyes filled with tears.
"I was made to rescue him a-and when I couldn't do that . . . They tried to make me fit a mold. To replace what they had lost."
Bobby's hand came up to squeeze Buck's shoulder.
"I couldn't do that for them either," the blonde whispered. "S-so they tried to kill me for it . . . T-to let any memory of Daniel 'rest in peace' once and for all."
The room went tense. Buck's words filling it and hanging heavy around the duo.
Without missing a beat, Bobby turned off both burners before wrapping Buck up in a hug. "You are not a replacement Daniel. You are Buck."
"I don't even know who that is."
Captain Nash's smile slowly returned. "Well, you're in a place now where you can figure that out."
Buck pulled back, his own smile returning. "Soon to be."
"You don't need a finished adoption process to do it." Bobby clapped his shoulder. "You can start that whenever you feel ready."
Again, Buck paused. His mouth clamped shut as he returned to his hesitant look.
Bobby's brows furrowed. "Is there more you want to say?"
Another pause then Buck nodded.
"What is it?"
"I-I want to call you something."
"That's right." Captain Nash's hand went back to squeezing the blonde's shoulder. "You didn't tell me what it was."
After pulling a breath in through his nose then letting it out through his mouth, Buck blurted out, "I want to call you Pops."
Bobby went still. His jaw went slack as he blinked to catch up with what with being said.
"I-I know the adoption won't finish for another month," Buck rattled on. "B-but it doesn't feel right calling you Bobby or Robert o-or anything like that."
Bobby still needed a second.
So Buck went on. "Philip didn't want that title from me a-and I never wanted to give it to him, but I want to give it to you . . . I-is that okay?"
Finally, Bobby's brain started working again. "Of course it's okay kid."
The blonde's eyes went wide. "R-really?"
"You can call me whatever you'd like," Bobby confirmed as he pulled Buck in for another hug. "I'll love it no matter what."
Buck went stiff at the contact like he hadn't been expecting it. He honestly didn't know what he had been expecting. He just knew this was something he wanted and needed to voice.
Chimney's voice popped up in his brain. Good job Chattermax.
A grin finally broke through the shock and his arms finally came up to return Bobby's hug. "Thank you."
"We love you kid."
"I-I love you too . . . D-does this mean Athena might be okay with me calling her Mama."
"I'd think she'd love it," Captain Nash pulled back to look him in the eye. "But you have to ask her yourself when she comes home."
Buck's grin took on a teasing look, like he was mirroring Chimney or Eddie or maybe even Ravi for a second. "Aw, you can't do it for me?"
Bobby barked out a laugh. He gave Buck's curls a quick ruffle, pulling back when he saw the slight turtle the little did into his shoulders. "Nope. That's all you kid."
A small bout of giggles slipped out of the younger. He really was adorable even when he was being a stinker.
"Alright Giggles." Captain Nash plucked up the Oregano and handed it to him. "You going to help me finish the food before Mama gets home or you just going to stand there laughing at me?"
Buck took the container, his eyes still shining brightly with happiness.
They slowly took on their more reserved, shy quality as Bobby clicked the stove back on. ". . . P-pos?"
"Yes?" Captain Nash responded.
". . . Th-thanks for not leaving me behind."
"Not in this family." Bobby tapped the top of the container again. "Told you you'd love it here."
"It just might take a while," Buck finished.
With matching smiles on their faces, the two went back to their cooking.
None of them would have it any other way.