Chapter Text
April 21th
118🚒 - Chimney, Hen, Eddie, Buck, Ravi, Harry
Chimney: Remember that we have performance reviews today. Throughout the day, I will be calling each of you into my office one by one to give you your review. You will also be required to give me a review of my performance as your captain.
Buck: Ugh I miss Bobby’s morning speeches.
You have no whimsy.
118 (old) - Bobby, Chimney, Hen, Eddie, Buck, Ravi
Buck: Bobby
Can you teach Chimney how to give better speeches?
Him and his fuckass speeches need to improve my mood in the morning not make me want to crawl into a hole.
Bobby: Buck, Chimney is your captain now, so suck it up. -BN
Buck: 😦
118🚒
Chimney: Buck you can’t keep complaining to Bobby about my morning speeches.
Buck: Says who?
Chimney: Says me who can make you man behind for the shift.
Buck: 😦
You wouldn’t!
Chimney: I so would.
Fire & Fam - Bobby, Athena, Chimney, Maddie, Hen, Karen, Ravi, May, Harry, Buck, Eddie
Buck: Maddiieeeee
Your husband is being mean to me.
Maddie: What did you do Buck?
Buck: Why are you just assuming its my fault??
Eddie: Because it usually is.
Buck: 😦
Betrayal
Eddie: 🙄
Buck: Chimney threatened to make me man behind today.
For absolutely no reason.
Maddie: I’m like 99.9% sure Chim would have a great reason.
Buck: He doesn’t.
Chimney: He went and complained to Bobby about my captaining skills.
Buck: I did not!
All I said was that he should teach you how to give better speeches in the morning.
Nothing about your skills as a captain.
You’ll hear all my complaints about that in the performance review.
Bobby: Everything makes sense now. It’s performance review day. -BN
Chimney: That has nothing to do with the price of chicken in China.
Buck: Im pretty sure its the price of eggs in China.
Hen: No it’s definitely the price of tea in China.
Eddie: How is any of this relevant?
Chimney: Exactly my point.
The performance reviews are not relevant to what is happening.
Buck: I think it is very relevant.
Chimney: Speaking of performance reviews, remember when Eddie spent one of his talking about how he didn't want to go on a date with a girl?
Then after he said he felt like he had to perform in his relationships and didn't realise he was gay?
Eddie: First of all how do you know that?
Second of all why are you coming at me? What did I do?
Bobby: I may have told Athena.
Eddie: Ah that makes sense.
Chimney: If I insult you, I insult Buck.
You two share a brain cell.
Eddie: Are you saying that being gay is insulting?
Wow homophobia.
Buck: Howard 😦
Are you a homophobe?
Ravi: have you been secretly hating on all of us this entire time?
Karen: After all these years 😔
Harry: what kind of team have I joined?
Buck: Bobby I think you need to come back and be our captain again.
Maddie: Howie…
I think we need to talk.
Chimney: You guys serious right now?
Hen: Homophobia is very serious Chim.
Chimney: I’m done guys. I can still tank all of your review scores.
Karen: That doesn’t work on me, homophobe.
Chimney: Yeah well you have a wife whose job scores I can tank.
May: Well it doesnt work for me.
Chimney: You have a brother.
May: You think I care about his scores?
Harry: wow
really feeling the love
Chimney: Hmmmm
There is someone else's scores that I can tank.
May: What are you talking about?
Chimney: I think you know what I’m talking about.
May: I dont trust you.
Chimney: 🤭
118🚒
Chimney: Buckley, come to my office for your performance review.
Buck: A please would be nice.
Chimney: Fine.
Buckley, would you please come to my office for your performance review?
Buck: Sure cap!
On my way!
Wait lemme change that real quick.
Chimney: Just hurry up and come to my office.
Ravi: hes changing the autocorrect.
Buck: Omw cap!
Buck and Eddie [Private Messages]
Buck: Chims window is coming up soon right?
Eddie: His window starts on the 26th.
Why?
Buck: Hes definitely meddling.
Eddie: Oh?
What did he do?
Buck: Youll find out soon enough.
I think hes about to call you in.
Eddie: Well wish me luck then.
Buck: Luck!
Love you 🩵
Eddie: Love you too ❤️
118🚒
Chimney: Diaz, come to my office for your performance review.
Buck: A please would be nice.
Chimney: Is your name Diaz?
Buck: Not yet.
Its just manners Chim.
Chimney: Diaz, would you please come to my office for your performance review?
Diaz: Coming now.
Buck and Eddie [Private Messages]
Eddie: Okay you were right.
He’s definitely meddling.
Buck: Right!
Eddie: We should do something.
Buck: Yeah we definitely should.
Eddie: Lets just subtly let the others know what he said to us.
If we act clueless about what he was implying, not only will Chim probably get in trouble, but they will all get incredibly annoyed with us.
Buck: Its perfect.
Gosh I love my evil boyfriend.
Fire & Fam
Buck: Im so boorrreeddddd
Maddie: Have you had your review yet?
Buck: Yeah.
I think Hen’s in there now.
Eddie: (sent a photo)
{Buck lying face down on the couch with his arms by his side}
This was mere moments before he picked his phone up.
Athena: Oh Buck.
Buck: Wow Eds.
Do you just go round taking pictures of everyone?
Eddie: No not everyone 🙃
Buddie Watch
Ravi: do we think that Eddie has a folder in his camera roll that is filled with photos of Buck?
Maddie: He does.
Karen: I bet he probably does too
Maddie: No he actually does have one.
Well 2 actually.
One with just Buck and then one with both Buck and Chris.
Ravi: how do you have this information?
Maddie: I sent Eddie a photo of Buck when he was in Texas.
Buck was yapping my ear off about an unfortunate situation that was actually brought on by you, Ravi.
Ravi: 😗
ok in my defence…
no i dont have any more defence
Maddie: Anyways
I asked Buck if it would be so crazy if he was in love with Eddie and he got a teeny bit annoyed at me so I took a photo of him.
Karen: Do you always take photos of him when he’s annoyed at you?
Maddie: If it’s not about anything serious, then yeah. Most of the time.
May: I do the same thing lol
Maddie: I thought Buck looked cute so I sent the photo to Eddie.
He replied saying he was going to add it to his collection and then he explained the folders when I asked him what that meant.
Karen: We should probably go back to the other group chat.
Buck and Eddie [Private Messages]
Buck: Do you think they are talking about us?
Eddie: Considering that Harry and Ravi are both looking at their phones, I would say it’s highly likely.
Fire & Fam
Buck: Hellooooo??
Where did everyone go??
Eddie: I’m still here.
Buck: Yes but arent you also bored?
Eddie: … yeah
Maddie: Sorry I was just talking to Josh.
Eddie: Ew
Maddie: Will never understand the Josh hate with you.
May: You just had to be there.
It got intense.
Maddie: I forgot to ask, how was the performance review?
Buck: Twas ok.
A bit weird though.
Eddie: Wait really?
Mine was too.
Hen: Mine was normal.
Ravi: same
Harry: I think mine was normal?
Karen: You think?
Harry: well this is my first one sooo…
Maddie: In what way was it weird?
Buck: Chim kept asking me about everyone else.
Actually mainly Eddie.
He said that he was asking for a peer review but Bobby never did that.
Hen: Hmmm
That IS weird.
Eddie: Chimney kept asking what I was doing tonight.
And tomorrow night.
And the upcoming week.
Then he started recommending some restaurants to me that he and Maddie had apparently eaten at before.
Ravi: huh
Eddie: It seemed like he needed to talk idk
Maddie: Is he nearly finished with all the reviews?
Buck: He should be finished in a few minutes.
Whys that?
Maddie: I just need to ask him something.
Buck: Oh ok.
Im just gonna go take a nap in the bunks if anyone needs me
Buddie Watch
Maddie: Howard Han!
Ravi: ooh full named
Chimney: What’s going on?
Hen: You’re breaking rules!
Chimney: Breaking rules? Me? Never
Hen: You spent Buck’s meeting talking about Eddie and Eddie’s talking about places he could take Buck.
Chimney: Untrue.
I spent Buck’s talking about everyone and Eddie’s talking about some places I’ve gone to with my wife that I quite enjoyed.
Hen: We know what you meant.
This is grounds for disqualification.
Bobby: I agree. -BN
Chimney: Bobby?!
Bobby: 🤷🏼♂️-BN
Chimney: Maddie why are you on Hen’s side?!
If I win then we win.
Maddie: I’m not?
We just can’t win if you get disqualified.
Chimney: Fair enough.
But I shouldn’t be disqualified because I didn’t break any rules.
Harry: you meddled
Chimney: I will admit I may have meddled, but my window hasn’t started yet.
Karen: You still meddled.
Chimney: Your wife’s rules stated that we couldn’t meddle DURING our windows, but alas, mine has yet to start.
Hen: …he’s not wrong.
May: Surely this cannot be allowed
Karen: I say he should still be disqualified.
Athena: Why don’t we leave the decision up to Bobby since his window has passed?
Ravi: his window may have passed but yours hasn’t Athena
Athena: 🤨
Ravi: sorry Athena for the sudden outburst
Bobby: I think he should still be in, since he did not really break any rules, but a new rule should be added. -BN
Chimney: Fair ruling.
Ravi: of course you would think that
Chimney: Regretting putting your date so late Ravioli?
Ravi: at least I dont need to cheat
Chimney: If I cheated I would’ve been disqualified.
Harry: guys.
where did Buck and Eddie go?
Maddie: Buck said he was going to go take a nap.
Maybe Eddie went with him?
Harry: Buck and Eddie in the bunk room together?
alone?
Hen: They like to nap together.
It’s surprisingly not unusual.
Harry: oh
Chimney: Yeah they are just napping.
Ravi: are they in the same bed?
Chimney: Unfortunately not.
Buck and Eddie [Private Messages]
Eddie: That was fun.
Buck: So whenever we want to hook up at the station we just need to act like we like each other and they get distracted enough?
Nice!
April 26th
Buddie Watch
Chimney: Oh what a great day to be alive.
The sky is blue.
The grass is green.
Eddie is gay.
And I’m winning this bet.
Ravi: wtf r u doing up so early?
Maddie: He’s just excited.
And we have a crying baby.
Karen: Chim, you’re not winning.
Chimney: We’ll see.
Hen: Chim you ruined my introduction.
Chimney: Sorry Hen. Do proceed.
Hen: Howard, your window has officially begun.
If Buck and Eddie get together within the next 5 days, you will be $2000 richer.
Chimney: Hell yeah!
Maddie we are about to be $2000 richer.
Maddie: Hell yeah!
May: So cocky. It aint happening.
Chimney: We’ll see.
Buck and Eddie [Private Messages]
Buck: Does Chimney’s window start today?
Eddie: It sure does!
I’m so excited!
Buck: You excited to stir shit up?
Eddie: Yes.
Exactly.
Buck: Oh how I love my evil boyfriend.
Eddie: We need to discuss how Chim is gonna “find out”
Buck: As much as I wanna get the fun started, we probably should just tell him.
Eddie: 🥺
Buck: No I know baby.
Im sorry.
Its just that hes our captain and we need to fill out the paperwork.
Eddie: You’re right.
I hate it but you’re right.
Buck: Our biggest problem is going to be making sure Chim doesnt spill the beans.
Eddie: We just have to lay on the guilt heavy.
If we emphasise the fact that he cannot tell anyone because we just desperately need the time to figure everything out.
Buck: Guilt trip him.
I like it.
Eddie: He definitely wouldn’t tell anyone, and we can also watch as he trips over any sentence that we are both mentioned in.
Buck: Is the prospect of Chim freaking out about not telling people the part that makes you the most excited?
Eddie: Perhaps.
Buck: 🥰
Buddie Watch
Chimney: Let’s just recap the day.
Buck and Eddie are being extra smiley.
Buck tripped over, landed on Eddie, then they giggled about it for about a minute without getting off each other.
They fell asleep on the couch together, CUDDLING
I’m pretty sure I saw them holding hands at one point.
I’m so winning this bet.
Hen: Hate to say it but this isn't the first time any of this has happened.
They are usually smiley after a 48 off. We all are.
They are like two little kids who have a crush on each other. Giggling when they touch each other. This exact situation has happened about 10 times now anyway.
Falling asleep on the couch cuddling happens most shifts now, and has been happening since New Mexico.
Again, them holding hands has become a new normal for them since New Mexico.
So I rest my case. Nothing has happened.
Chimney: Well fuck you too.
April 27th
Buck and Eddie [Private Messages]
Buck: I have a devious idea.
Eddie: I’m intrigued.
Go on sweetheart.
Buck: Ooh I like that one.
I mean not as much as your Spanish ones but still.
Eddie: Okay cariño.
Do go on.
Buck: Its literally just to send a message to Chim and pretend I didnt mean to send it to him.
Im thinking something like “I love you” which is something that I send a lot but if I add a heart or a “so much” to it, and mixed with me freaking out about sending it to him and the fact that he is probably over analysing everything he will definitely think we are together.
Eddie: I love it.
I can see the appeal of an evil boyfriend. It’s sexy.
Buck: Ugh you get me.
I love you.
Buck and Chimney [Private Messages]
Buck: Didnt get the chance to say I love you before you left 🩵
Chimney: Buckaroo I’m flattered but I’m already married to your sister.
Buck: (deleted a message)
Shit that was not meant for you.
Just forget you saw that please.
Chimney: Who was that meant for?
Buck: No one. Just leave it alone.
Chimney: 🤨
Okay then.
Buddie Watch
Chimney: GUYSSSSSSSSS
SOMETHING HAS DEFINITELY HAPPENED
Hen: Do you have proof?
Chimney: …
No…
Ravi: im sensing a lie
Chimney: No no.
Look at this.
(Sent a screenshot)
Buck: (Deleted message)
Chimney: Buckaroo I’m flattered but I’m already married to your sister.
Shit that was not meant for you.
Just forget you saw that please.
Chimney: Who was that meant for?
Buck: No one. Just leave it alone.
Chimney: 🤨
Okay then.
Harry: what was the deleted message?
Chimney: “Didn't get the chance to say I love you before you left”
And he added a heart.
Karen: That is slightly weird.
Maddie: Not really.
I’ve received a few messages like that from Buck.
He thinks that if he leaves without telling me he loves me I’ll forget or something
Chimney: Then why did he delete it and freak out?
Ravi: cause hes dramatic
we all know this
Chimney: You all have no faith.
April 28th
Buddie Watch
Karen: Any updates today? 🤭
Chimney: Fuck you
April 29th
Buck and Chimney [Private Messages]
Buck: Do you think that Eddie and I could talk to you at the start of shift tomorrow?
Chimney: Of course Buck.
Is everything alright?
Buck: Oh yeah.
Its nothing important.
Chimney: Well I’ll see you at the start of shift then.
Buddie Watch
Chimney: Buck asked if he and Eddie could talk to me at the start of shift tomorrow.
SHIT IS HAPPENING GUYS!
I’M ABOUT TO WIN THIS THING
Hen: Could be about literally anything.
May: I dont know guys.
What else could it possibly be about?
Ravi: could be about chim harassing them during their reviews
May: True
Chimney: When they come to my office tomorrow to fill out paperwork, I get to tell you all I told you so.
Bobby: Hate to say it, Chim, those two came into my office together all the time. I think it was an emotional support kind of thing. -BN
Chimney: Seriously Bobby?
You’ve already lost. Just let me have this.
April 30th
Buddie Watch
Hen: Today’s the last day Chim.
Ready to lose?
Chimney: Don’t be so sure Hen.
Remember they do have something to tell me.
Maddie: Remember to update us if anything happens.
Chimney: Yes. I’ll update you all when I win this thing.
Buck and Eddie [Private Messages]
Eddie: Did you get Christopher to school alright?
Buck: Yeah. He went straight to Leah.
Eddie: Okay good.
She’s a sweet girl.
Buck: You at the station?
Eddie: Yeah. You?
Buck: In the parking lot.
Ill be there in a minute.
Love you xx
Eddie: Love you more xoxo
Buck: Impossible
Chimney is not sure what to expect. He is hoping that they are coming to tell him that they are in love, but he is not hopeful. Everyone is getting in his head too much.
Buck walks in first, with Eddie trailing just behind, closing the door behind them.
At first glance, everything seems normal with them, but upon further viewing, they look… nervous.
Buck’s leg is restlessly bopping up and down, and does not stop until Eddie reaches his hand out and places it on Buck’s thigh.
“W-we need to talk to you about something,” Buck says.
“Everything alright?” Chimney asks them.
They both look at each other before nodding.
“Look, Chim,” Eddie says, his face serious. “We need Captain Han right now, not brother-in-law Chim, okay?”
Chimney nods. “Of course. Do I need to be concerned?”
Either Buck and Eddie are about to ask for relationship disclosure forms, or Buck has relapsed, but the latter option is highly unlikely considering the circumstances.
“We- uhh… we are kind of dating,” Buck says.
“Kind of dating?”
A small smile quirks at the side of Eddie’s lips. “No, we’re definitely dating. One hundred percent dating.”
“But Chim, you cannot tell anyone, okay?” Buck sits forward in his seat. “This is still extremely new, and we really do not need anyone saying anything to us right now.”
Chimney can barely repress his glee. He and Maddie are potentially about to be two thousand dollars richer.
“Okay, let me get the paperwork out, and you can sign them in here so no one else sees them,” Chimney says as he opens the drawers to look for the papers.
He finds them within seconds, at the top of the draw, like they were already ready to go. He grabs the papers and passes them over to the two firefighters sitting in front of him.
“Seems like Bobby had them waiting in here for you guys.”
They share a fond look before smiling.
“I guess he had faith in us,” Buck says.
Both Buck and Eddie sign the papers before passing them back to Chimney.
“So I cannot tell anyone?” Chimney asks. “Even my wife?”
“Especially your wife, Chim,” Eddie replies.
“I would like to tell her myself, but this is really new, so we just need a little more time,” Buck continues.
Chimney decides this is the perfect moment to at least get some clarity on how much money he is about to win.
“How new, exactly?
“Only a few days, but it feels like longer,” Eddie replies.
“How did it happen?” Chimney asks. He needs a definitive answer.
Buck’s smile grows wide. “On Sunday, Chris was out with his friends, and I was just making lunch.”
“I saw him in the kitchen and decided I was done waiting,” Eddie continues.
“Oh,” Chimney says. It is a little anticlimactic, but still sweet. “Was that all?”
Eddie smirks. “You wanna hear about how Buck did this thing with his tongue-”
“Okay, you two can go now,” Chimney interrupts loudly before he can hear anything else about what his two friends do in their alone time.
They are both laughing as they stand up and walk out the door.
As soon as the door closes behind them, Chimney lets his happiness out. He is out of his chair, dancing around in glee.
He is rich!
Buddie Watch
Maddie: Chimney are you done yet?
Harry: Buck and Eddie have come out but Cap has yet to
Maddie: How do Buck and Eddie look?
Ravi: they are currently sitting as far apart as they possibly can
Karen: What could have possibly happened?
Maddie: And where the hell is my husband?
Hen: Ravi is being dramatic.
They are both sitting next to each other on the couch.
Ravi: there is enough room for someone to sit between them
this is the furthest apart they can possibly get from each other
Bobby: Maybe Chimney is not saying anything because it was something private. -BN
Chimney: Yeah unfortunately Bobby is correct.
Buck just needed to talk to me about something and he needed his emotional support Eddie.
Maddie: Is he alright?
Chimney: He’s completely fine.
I on the other hand am not.
Hen: Aww he’s upset he lost the bet.
Maddie: It’s okay honey. We still have my window.
Three Braincells - Chimney, Buck, Eddie
Chimney: If you two want me to keep your secrets then you cannot keep acting like that.
Buck: Like what?
This is completely normal.
Chimney: Nothing is normal about anything you two do.
How long are you two going to wait before telling Maddie?
Eddie: We just need a couple of months to settle into this.
Buck: And we need to tell Chris before as well.
Chimney: You haven’t told Chris yet?
Buck: We just need a bit of time and we need to make sure he is going to be alright with everything.
Eddie: Can’t have him run off to Texas again.
Buck: Eds…
I promise you that wont happen.
Eddie: Yeah ik.
Chimney: Okay please don’t flirt in front of me.
Do that in your own time and in your own private messages.
Eddie: Okay we’ll just go to the storage closet and have sex.
Chimney: EDDIE?!
Eddie: Gay Eddie is very forward.
Chimney: Gay Eddie can stay away from me then 🤢🤮
Buck: Howard Han: Never escaping the homophobia allegations.
Chimney: 😒
Maddie and Chimney [Private Messages]
Maddie: Are you sure Buck is okay?
Chimney: He is perfectly fine.
I promise honey.
Maddie: Okay I love you xoxo
Chimney: Love you too xoxo