Chapter Text
They were sitting, having breakfast. It was Sunday and Buck and him had the day off.
The night before both of them had gone to Eddie’s place after their shift, to have dinner with Chris, who missed Buck –even though it had been like three days since he had seen him last- and as it became late, Eddie told Buck he should just stay over. Which he did, so here they were, all three of them having breakfast. “As a family” his brain supplied, and that was a recurring thought these days. He was looking over at Buck and wondering if he had ever thought anything along those lines, when the doorbell rang. Buck and him shared a frown. They weren’t expecting anyone.
When he opened the door, standing there, were none other that his own parents.
“Papá, mamá, what are you doing here?”
“What, we can’t come visit our son and grandson?”
“You did say that we should visit more often, seeing as you didn’t want to come back home.”
“I am home,” he sighed, “Come in, we were just having breakfast.” he took a deep breath while his parents walked inside.
When he caught up with them, they were standing under the door-frame of the kitchen, looking in. Chris and Buck were laughing about something, both of them sitting at the table, shoulders bumping with their laugh.
“Who is that?” and at his mother’s voice Buck seemed to notice them and turn around in his chair. It seemed he was about to ask the same question, before he was interrupted by Chris.
“Abuela, abuelo!” exclaimed as he got up from the chair and went to greet his grandparents, who met him halfway.
“Hello, mijo, how are you?” said Ramón Diaz while his wife hugged Chris.
Meanwhile, Buck had gotten up from his chair, eyebrows high on his forehead while he looked at Eddie, as if asking if he knew about this. Eddie just shook his head.
“Hi,” Buck said to the couple with a smile, “I’m Evan Buckley, but everyone just calls me Buck,” while he shook both their hands.
“Are you always here this early in the morning?” Ramón asked and everyone in the room, minus Chris, knew what he was actually asking.
“Papá,” Eddie said, in a warning voice.
“Sometimes,” and Buck’s reply shook them both off their staring. Eddie turned to stare at him. Buck had an innocent look on his face that Eddie knew was full of bullshit. He almost laughed at his father’s expression.
“Anyway,” his mom interrupted, “we just come to make sure everything was okay.”
“Why wouldn’t it be?” Eddie replied looking affronted.
“Well,” his father began and Eddie already didn’t like what he was going to say, “we know things must be difficult for you, son.”
“Why would they be?” asked Eddie while clenching his teeth. Buck was looking at him, and Eddie could see he was asking with his eyes if he needed him to do anything.
“We know raising a child alone is hard, Eddie, and we know you are not one to ask for help, so here we are, bringing help to you.” his mom finished, as if looking proud of themselves.
“I didn’t ask you to come, and I certainly didn’t ask for your help,” he was trying to keep calm for Christopher.
“Well, yes, but you clearly need it,” his father said. Silence fell in the room.
And then, Buck snapped.
“That’s enough!” Eddie couldn’t remember the last time he had seen Buck look this livid. He knew this was going to get ugly.
“Mijo, can you go to your room, please?” he offered Chris a smile to reassure him, even though he too, was looking at Buck in shock, seeing him like this for the first time.
As Christopher walked to his room, his parents seemed to shake off the initial shock.
“Who do you think you are to speak to us in that way?” and now his father was angry, and this was getting out of control real fast.
“Who do you think you are, to say that to Eddie?”
“I’m his father!”
“And that gives you the right to belittle him?! To call him a bad father to his face? In front of his kid?” his harsh voice rang around the room.
His father looked chastised.
“I didn’t mean t-” he couldn’t finish, because Buck started speaking again.
“He is a great father, for your information,” voice cutting, “Maybe if you got off your damn high horse and paid attention instead, you’d realize Christopher is being taken care of. He goes to a wonderful school where they pay attention to him instead of him being just another head in a crowd. He’s looked after by Carla who, if you met her, you’ll love just as Chris and we do. Eddie knows our team at the fire station have his back if he ever needs them. He is definitely not alone,” and if Eddie thought he was done, he was wrong. Because then Buck added just as fiercely, “And he has me. I would do anything for Eddie or Christopher, anything, including kicking out two judgy parents out of this home before they upset, even more, anyone in this family.”
It was deadly quiet for what felt like minutes, but had to be only seconds. Then his mother voice was heard.
“I see,” she said, “well, maybe we could all have breakfast together now that we’re here and stop arguing, if that’s okay with everybody?” tension dissolved around the room.
Both Eddie and Buck nodded, and Buck motioned with his head at Chris’ room.
“Go,” replied Eddie.
As Eddie and his parents watched him go, his mother spoke again.
“You have quite the fighter by your side, son.”
Eddie couldn’t help the small smile showed on his face.
“Yes, I know,” he answered just as softly.
When Buck returned with Chris both of them laughing again while they sat on their chairs, Eddie couldn’t help but stare at Buck throughout the whole meal. He knew Buck noticed.
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After breakfast, his parents offered to take Chris to the park. When the door closed after them, Eddie turned around, and saw Buck washing the dirty dishes.
He walked out to him and hugged him from behind, putting his head in the crook of Buck’s neck. Evan seemed to tense up in surprise but relaxed as soon as he realized who it was.
“Thank you,” it wasn’t enough to convey what Eddie was feeling right now, but it was a good start. Buck turned around in his arms so that he could hug Eddie back. Much better, he thought.
He didn’t think twice about it, he leaned back a bit, just enough so that he could press his lips softly to Buck’s. When he leaned back again, Evan was already looking at him with a blinding smile. He was about to blurt something, probably, “I love you”. He didn’t get to because Buck kissed him again.
It was a nice feeling, being taken care of.