Chapter Text
Twenty-four hours.
Twenty-four hour shifts aren't that bad in Eddie's mind, so long as he goes home straight after and gets an appropriate amount of sleep. His only concern would be Christopher, but his Tía Pepa had promised him she would take Christopher if ever needed. Eddie tries not to ask her too often, no matter how enthusiastic she is to take care of the young boy.
"Great job earlier, Eddie," Bobby says with a soft yet firm tap on Eddie's shoulder, earning a weary smile in return. "Go home and get some rest."
"Will do, Cap."
With that, Eddie places his helmet in his cubby and turns around to leave, bumping straight into Buck. They both take a step back, tired eyes suddenly filled with energy.
"Leaving already?" Buck asks tauntingly. His blue eyes shine under the fluorescent light, something Eddie secretly takes pleasure in observing. He smirks, playfully, and Eddie wants to roll his eyes.
"You say that like I didn't see you clock out the second we got back," Eddie says, which makes Buck's smirk disappear. "No shame, though. Just be sure to tell Bobby you can't do twenty-four hours next time." Though he's only teasing Buck, Eddie feels he sounds harsh, and wants to backtrack, but Buck still looks cheerful.
"You're so funny. I could do these shifts in my sleep!" Buck is too proud when he says that, and Eddie can't help but laugh, if only for a second.
"Not sure that's how it works, Buck."
Buck scoffs. Eddie holds back a smile. Buck shakes his head, as if he's shaking off Eddie's comment, and this time he looks serious. "Do you want to get a drink with me?" he asks, leaning against the firetruck behind him.
Eddie pauses. "Do I want to get a drink with you?" he echoes, his eyebrows furrowing. Is he hearing correctly? Is Buck asking him to go for a drink? With him? Together? As in....? They'd spent the last year or so co-parenting Christopher so this should be expected, only.. it isn't. And Eddie isn't sure how to feel, or how to react. So he does his best to keep a pokerface as he looks at Buck.
"Yeah, man. I could honestly go for a drink right now, and who better to get drunk with than my best friend?" Buck's words are casual, and they send relief through Eddie's body.
"I'll drive," is all Eddie says in response. He has too many different thoughts on his mind, and he hopes getting drunk will relax his thoughts.
His hopes aren't strong enough.
•
"Come on, come on. Teach me, please," Buck pleads, batting his eyelashes and sticking out his lower lip at Eddie, who can't help but simply melt on the spot.
"Okay, fine." Eddie pushes his empty glass aside and clasps his hands together, clearing his throat to prepare himself. "I want you to repeat after me, okay, as clearly as possible. Can you do that?"
Buck nods, still pouting.
"Me llamo Bombero Buckley." Eddie says this slowly, doing his best to enunciate the words despite his creeping buzz.
"Me yoyo sombrero Buckley!" Buck shouts happily. This causes Eddie to erupt into a fit of laughter, and Buck frowns. He grabs his lime slice and chucks it at Eddie, who stops abruptly, like a child being scolded in a classroom.
"I think we'd better try again sober," Eddie says, his face hot from laughing.
Buck, still frowning, only nods in agreement. He knows Eddie is right, but the only Spanish he knows was taught in high school, and he wants to learn more. Though trying to learn Spanish while drinking is a terrible idea. "I know a curse word," he says, which definitely catches Eddie's attention.
"Which word?"
"Chingate," Buck says, emphasizing the accent.
Eddie nearly chokes. He wasn't expecting that. He figured maybe Buck knew puto, or cabrón, or maybe even just a dumb insult like baboso. The last thing he expected Buck to say was chingate, a phrase he'd heard his father say, under his breath, of course, to his white boss a little too often.
"Who the hell taught you that?"
Buck's face falls. He thought Eddie would be proud. Instead, Eddie looks mildly irritated. "No one actually taught me it, so I don't know what it means. I heard it on a podcast." Buck lowers his eyes, feeling embarrassed.
Eddie looks around for a waitress and spots one, waving his arm to get her attention. "Buck, you just told me to go fuck myself," he says quietly, making sure the bright-eyed waitress doesn't hear him as she walks over to their table.
Buck's jaw drops and he can't find the words to apologize, but he's already distracted by Eddie ordering them another round, this time asking for a bottle.
"Didn't know you wanted to get wasted," Buck says, grinning. He wasn't going to object.
"What's the worst that could happen?" Eddie says with a shrug, trying to ignore just how attractive Buck is beginning to look.
•
Buck had left to use the restroom ten minutes ago, and Eddie is beginning to worry. He's almost positive Buck said he only needed to pee. Eddie waits another two minutes, then he gets up and goes looking for him. He's surprised when he sees Buck leaning over a blonde woman, appearing deep in conversation. Surprised, and annoyed.
How dare Buck invite him to drink, then ditch him for someone else? Eddie scowls and walks up behind Buck, shoving him a little too roughly. Buck turns around with an angry look on his face, but it softens as soon as he sees Eddie.
"Eddie! Reena, this is Eddie!" Buck points at the woman, who waves at Eddie, looking as drunk as he feels. Forgetting his anger, Eddie awkwardly waves back, then looks at Buck.
"We should go, Buck. Stuff is starting to spin," Eddie says, rubbing his temples. The last time he was drunk was years ago, but he's certain he wasn't as drunk then as he is now. He knows they should stop before something happens, something that shouldn't happen.
"Nah, Eddie, we should get married!"
Something like that.
Before Eddie can speak, Buck keeps going. "We should get married before we file taxes this year, so they can be cheaper!" Buck shouts this like it's the answer to every question in the world, and Eddie is nodding along like it makes sense. Well, of course it makes sense. It can be easier on him and Christopher, and he can even add Buck to their insurance plan!
Eddie grabs Buck by the shoulders and stares at him, mentally unable to comprehend how smart that is. "Buck, you're a genius."
"Yeah, I get called that a lot," Buck says shyly.
"A genius?"
"No, Buck."
They both laugh until their sides hurt before remembering the blonde woman to their left, and Buck bows to her while Eddie watches, still laughing.
"We're gonna get married," Buck whispers to her, very loudly, and Eddie just nods.
"Come on, Buck, I'll order an Uber while you find a place."
It takes them all of thirty-seven minutes to get an Uber and find a chapel, and it takes an additional twenty-two minutes to get the correct paperwork in order.
"Why is getting married so much work?" Buck whines, signing his name for what seems like the billionth time. He leans against Eddie, who chuckles to himself.
"Buck, it took Shannon and me a month to get married," Eddie says, to which Buck stiffens and sits up straight. Eddie doesn't notice.
Once they finish, Eddie takes the paperwork to the desk clerk, who smiles at him in a way that makes him slightly uncomfortable.
"Do you have a witness?" The clerk asks, tapping her nails on the desk.
"Um.." Eddie glances around and notices a guy in the lobby, who looks on the verge of passing out. "Yeah, him." Eddie points at him and the clerk nods.
"Come, come." She motions for Eddie and Buck to follow her, and she leads them to an abnormally large room, where a minister stands at the altar, looking too bored for Eddie's liking. The guy should be happy he's marrying people! Maybe he isn't marrying people who are as smart as himself and Buck, and that's why he isn't happy. That's the only explanation that makes sense to Eddie.
"Eddie," Buck whispers, grabbing Eddie's arm and stopping him. Eddie looks at Buck, who has a stupid grin on his face. "We don't have any rings."
"We don't have tuxes either, Buck."
They laugh, again, until their sides hurt and Buck almost falls backward, but Eddie grabs his hand to steady him.
They walk down the makeshift aisle, painfully yet blissfully unaware that neither of them bothered to let go of the other's hand.
The minister looks at them for a moment then clears his throat, ready to begin. "Dearly b-"
"Can you skip all that?" Eddie asks, and Buck nods in agreement. "Just get to the fun part."
The minister takes a deep breath, readjusting his collar. "Names?" He motions to Buck, who stands tall and proud, like a child who wants to be Superman for Halloween.
"Sir Evan Buckley."
The minister turns to Eddie.
"Edmundo Diaz."
"Do you, Sir Evan Buckley, take Edmundo Diaz to be your lawfully wedded partner?"
Buck gasps. "Did you say awfully?" He says, appearing offended. Eddie snorts, stifling his laugh.
The minister leans forward, his eyes showing a hint of amusement. "Lawfully, son, not awfully."
Buck's mouth forms a small "o" and he giggles to himself before standing tall once more. "I yabba dabba do, Your Excellency." He salutes the minister, who looks ready to quit his job.
The minister turns to Eddie with an expression that begs for Eddie to be the normal one. "And do you, Edmundo Diaz, take Sir Evan Buckley to be your lawfully wedded partner?"
"Awfully," Buck whispers with another soft giggle.
"I do," Eddie says, now trying to ignore Buck repeatedly poking at his ear.
"Are you sure?" The minister asks, and Buck gasps again. Eddie nods enthusiastically and the minister shrugs, he's seen weirder couples. "I now pronounce you husbands, you may kiss."
Without wanting to give it a second thought, Eddie gives Buck a quick kiss on the cheek, then checks his watch for the time. "Buck, it's almost four in the morning, we should go," he says, giving a silent 'thank you' to the minister as he drags a stunned Buck out of the chapel to their waiting Uber.
"How was the wedding, gentlemen?" The driver asks as they climb inside, his smile so genuine that Buck can only smile back.
"Greatest day ever," Buck says with sincerity, glancing at Eddie, who's already too preoccupied with his phone to notice either of them.
"You will never forget it!" The driver exclaims.
Buck mumbles something in agreement as he yawns and leans against Eddie, who wraps his arm around his best friend. And husband.
Best friends. And Husbands.
Husbands.
Titles they're both too drunk to remember after tonight.