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“Hi, Buck,” He hears milliseconds after opening his front door, a weight crashing into his body. He brushes off a wince as Christopher’s crutches catch him in the shin, the boy momentarily forgetting to keep track of them in his overexcited greeting. “I’ve missed you.”
“Hey, buddy, I’ve missed you too.” Buck melts, hugging the boy back with a fond smile as he glances to Eddie and sees him watching his son with a fond look of his own, the boy’s backpack in one hand and his own gym/gear bag in the other. Once Chris pulls away from the hug, Buck directs him to the living room – although the boy has been to his apartment enough times by now to know his way around without help – before turning back to Eddie and waving the older male to come inside as he steps out of the way. “Good morning, Eddie – what brings you two here on this charming LA Saturday morning? At half 7, may I point out? I thought you said you were going to take him to the park later today.”
Eddie nods, dropping his bag by the front door before placing his son’s backpack on Buck’s dining room table. “I was, but-“
“What happened?” Buck jumps in before the older male can continue. “Is everyone okay?”
“Woah,” Eddie holds his hands up, motioning for Buck to calm down. “Everyone is fine – but one of the guys at the station, Williams, has called in the favour I owe him so I have to go in and cover his shift.”
“Why’s he missing shift?” Buck frowns, offering Eddie a cup of coffee as he pours himself one, preparing a cup the way he knows Eddie likes when the older man nods.
“His wife started going into labour so he’s not going to make it in today,” Eddie explains patiently, more than used to dealing with curious personalities thanks to his own son’s love of questioning everything. “Given that he covered for me when I had to leave my shift early because Carla had a family emergency and couldn’t pick Chris up from school, I kind of owe him.”
Buck makes a noise of confirmation as he sips his drink, opening his fridge to survey its contents. “Have you both already eaten?”
He closes the refrigerator and turns around in time to see the other male nod before glancing over at his son who has made himself comfortable on Buck’s coffee table, watching cartoons.
“So… what time does your shift start?” Buck prompts, gaining Eddie’s attention again.
The other male checks his watch before cursing under his breath in Spanish, making Buck raise his eyebrows at the colourful choice of words, downing the coffee Buck made for him before motioning to Christopher’s bag. “In just over an hour – but I need to leave soon because of the damn traffic.” Eddie then points to Chris’ bag. “I asked him to pack everything he thought he’d need while he’s here so I hope he hasn’t just packed Lego. But, I can give you some money for him if you end up taking him out or need to go out and buy anything for him.”
Buck waves off Eddie’s attempt to get his wallet out to give him cash. “I don’t need your money; he’s a sensible kid so I doubt he’s going to ask for anything that expensive if I do end up taking him out.”
Eddie eyes him for a moment before nodding. “Okay, sure – text me if you need me.”
“Chill out, we’ll be fine.” Buck moves towards the older male, placing his hands on the shorter man’s shoulders, his thumbs subtly rubbing against the warm skin above the neckline of Eddie’s Henley. “Stay safe out there, and we’ll be here, waiting for you when your shift ends.”
He sees Eddie bite back a smile, ducking his head. “I will.”
“Side note – when should I expect you to steal back my buddy?”
Eddie looks up as he thinks before glancing at the clock in Buck’s kitchen. “If no call’s come in to mess with timing, I should be ending my shift at 7, so I could pick up dinner on the way here and we can eat together?”
“Good, sounds like a plan, now say goodbye to Chris and get moving before you’re late – it’s not much of a returned favour if you don't turn up on time.” Buck jokes, nudging the older man towards where Chris has turned to look at them, probably having heard Buck telling his dad to say goodbye to him.
While Eddie is saying goodbye to Chris, Buck cleans up their coffee cups, leaving them on the draining board to dry for now, and takes a look in Christopher’s bag to see what the boy actually did pack, raising an eyebrow when he sees the pack of coloured card and felt-tips alongside the Lego’s Eddie had warned him about. He shuts the flap of the bag in time for Eddie to make his way back over, hugging Buck quickly and rolling his eyes on the way out of the door as Buck call’s out a teasing goodbye like a housewife saying goodbye to their husband, meeting Buck’s eyes one last time in time to see the younger male wink at him before shutting the front door and finally leaving for his shift.
With nothing else left to clean up and Eddie finally on his way to work, Buck turns to the younger Diaz who has been watching him since his father said goodbye to them both.
“So, tell me, what’s the art supplies for?” Buck smiles when Christopher grins, unconsciously mirroring the boy’s happiness.
-
Buck looks up from where he’s preparing them both lunch, seeing the boy still colouring the picture on the front of the card he’s been working on. Christopher grows more independent each day, and Buck finds himself thankful for the small moments that Chris still allows for himself or Eddie to help him with something – even if it’s something as simple as perfectly folding a piece of card.
“You know, Chris,” Buck speaks up, getting the boy’s attention as he brings their food over to where the boy is sat at his dining room table. “You still haven’t told me what this all-important card is for? Is it someone’s birthday coming up?”
He frowns when Chris immediately shakes his head. Instead, the boy gives him a mildly offended look. "It's for dad, for Father's Day. He's not allowed to see it until then."
"That sure came around fast," Buck mutters to himself, before taking a bite out of the sandwich he made for his own lunch while watching Christopher pick at his food while, once again, colouring the picture he's drawn on the front of his card, sticking his tongue out in concentration as he works hard to stay inside the lines. Buck wipes his mouth, taking a sip of his water to wash the mouthful of food down, before speaking to Chris again. "Don't they give you time to make them at school anymore?"
Chris nods, "But I wanted to work on it here, with you."
Buck tries not to physically melt in his seat as he takes in what Chris just said. "Thank you, Christopher - that means a lot."
He gets a beaming smile from the boy in return before Chris turns his full attention to his lunch, content to leave his drawing as it is for the moment in favour of eating the food Buck prepared specifically for him.
-
Once lunch is taken care of and cleaned up, Buck joins Christopher at the table again, happy to help Christopher by handing him whatever colour he requests next and assisting him with the message he writes inside - not minding one bit when Chris asks him to spell out a word or two for him when he's unsure and doesn't want to ruin his dad's card.
After working on the card for most of the day, Chris finally announces that he's done around 3 o'clock and carefully puts the finished product in his bag, hidden inside a reading book he's got in there - a requirement of his class this year is to bring a book to school with them that they can read during a scheduled time to work on their reading skills. He then takes out the Legos, some of which Buck recognises as belonging to a couple of different sets that he, himself. brought for Chris, taking them into the living room and putting them on the coffee table. Buck doesn't need to ask Chris what he's doing since he already knows; they now have their own little activity together when Chris spends time at his place that consists of putting a movie on and building Legos together - it's not elaborate but it's something they enjoy doing together. Buck rues the day Christopher decides he's too old to do things like that with him.
While Chris sets up his Legos, Buck starts to clear up the card and felt-tips that are still strewn across his dining room table. Chris is generally not a messy kid, but sometimes he does forget to clean up after himself in his excitement to start the next activity they have planned, not that Buck minds the added task.
Buck pauses when he sees Chris look up and frown upon noticing him packing up the card and pens. "What's wrong, buddy?"
"Aren't you going to make a card for your dad?"
Buck glances between the supplies left on the table and the boy in his living room before coming to a realisation. He sighs, putting the stuff neatly down and joining Christopher in the living room. He sits on the couch and pats the seat next to him to motion for Chris to join him.
"I appreciate your offer to use your art supplies but – my dad and I aren't close like you and yours. He was never a big fan of drawings or pictures, he didn't love receiving them as much as your dad does." Buck tries to gently explain, not wanting to get into any details with the 8-year-old. "I think I might be too old to make my dad a Father's Day card anyway, buddy."
Chris shakes his head immediately. "That's not what dad says."
Buck smiles, raising a fond eyebrow at the boy's strong denial. "Oh yeah, what does your dad say then?"
"He says that you're never too old to tell the people you love that you care about them."
"Those do sound like some wise words," Buck agrees, smiling. "Your dad is a smart guy, so if he says that then it can't be wrong."
Chris nods, before glancing over at the table where the art supplies are still sitting. "Are you going to make your card now?"
"My dad lives far away, buddy, I don't think it would get there in time." Buck points out.
"But, Bucky…" Chris pouts, fiddling with the top of his crutches before seeming to light up as he gets an idea. "I know! You can make one for dad, too!"
Buck's eyes widen, glancing between the grinning boy and the card and pens on the table. "But, he's not my dad."
Chris shrugs, "I can share - you love him too, right?"
Buck hesitates before nodding, deciding that he has nothing to lose by admitting that to an 8-year-old - even if that 8-year-old just happens to be the son of the person he's admitting to loving.
"Then you have to make one too." The boy insists, glancing between Buck and table again with a wide smile, radiating pure happiness.
Buck follows the boy's gaze to the art supplies on the table before wrapping an arm around him and hugging him to his side. "Maybe later-"
"Promise?" Christopher cuts him off
"I promise". Buck sighs, deciding to just go with it. "But, for now, what I really want to do is build Legos with you. Plus, it's your turn to pick the film too, so what shall we watch?"
Chris pretends to think for a moment before excitedly announcing his choice. "Spiderman."
Buck holds back a grimace, knowing exactly what film Chris means since they've seen it multiple times in the last month alone.
"Again?"
When Chris nods excitedly, Buck picks up his remote control and begins finding the film.
"Okay, Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse it is," He remarks, smiling slightly when Chris cheers. "Again." He finishes the sentence under his breath, not wanting to put a dampener on Christopher's happiness.
With the film chosen and the Legos close by, they settle in and begin building their first mini-masterpiece of the day together with the Legos they have available to them. However, Buck still has to agree that Eddie's point from several months ago remains as he watches Chris pile Lego bricks on left and right, the boy is still yet to build anything that looks like much of anything but it's the happiness he gets from doing it that counts.
-
Buck ducks his head with a smile as Eddie pulls back from their hug, flicking his gaze up to meet Eddie's with a shy smile before crouching down to hug Chris goodbye. Once Eddie arrived back from his shift, letting himself in with his key, the three ate the pizza he brought with him together in front of the TV while another movie of Christopher's choice played in the background. Now that it's later in the evening, and Chris is noticeably starting to flag, the pair have decided to call it a night.
"Goodnight, buddy - I'll see you tomorrow at Bobby and Athena's for Sunday lunch." Buck winks at the boy before standing to his full height again.
Eddie groans, "Damn it, I forgot all about that – that just proves my point that we definitely need to get some sleep or I'm going to look like a zombie at the dinner table tomorrow. That’ll just put everyone off their food, seeing me falling asleep in mine."
Buck laughs, patting Eddie's bicep before leaving his hand there as he speaks. “I’ll pick you two up on the way there - it'll save you from stressing over at least one thing in the morning."
"Thank you, Buck." Eddie meets his gaze easily, either not noticing or not minding the lingering touch. "I'll text you when we get home?"
Buck pulls back with a jolt as if leaving a trance, nodding in acknowledgement. "You better - I'll be waiting for that notification."
Eddie gives him a genuine, happy smile in response before stooping to pick up Christopher and turning to leave. As they leave, Chris waves over Eddie's shoulder, which Buck returns straight away.
"Bye, Bucky." He hears Chris' voice call out.
"See you tomorrow, buddy." He calls back before the front door shuts behind the pair, returning his apartment to the deafening silence that always seems to linger once the pair leave him alone again.
He turns to survey the apartment, to see what needs clearing up immediately and what can wait for tomorrow morning, but pauses when his gaze lands on the pieces of card and colouring pens still lying on his dining room table. As he walks closer, he sees a scrap bit of paper placed on top with Christopher's wonky handwriting on.
'"So you don't forget to make your card. I left my favorit colors becose theyre the best and lots of card in case you make a mistak. Love, Christopher."'
Buck lets out a fond sigh as he re-reads the note a couple of times, finding the spelling mistakes more endearing with each reread, taking a seat at the table and eyeing the pens and card. Glancing at the note one more time, Buck decides to just go for it and picks up a piece of card to fold before he can overthink himself out of it. He tells himself that he's just doing it to pass the time while he waits for Eddie's text, it doesn't have to mean anything.
-
Buck pulls the keys out of the ignition after parking in front of Bobby and Athena's house, taking his seatbelt off and stepping out of the vehicle as Eddie quickly does the same before moving to help his son out of the vehicle next - getting in and out of vehicles still being something Chris has yet to get the hang of. Buck lets them walk ahead of him as he locks his car, putting his car keys in his jacket pocket before reaching into his jacket and fingering the edge of the envelopes hidden in the inside pocket, nervous beyond belief about handing them over to the recipients.
"Come on, Buck. Hurry up - lunch is almost served." The sound of Chimney's voice catches his attention, making him aware of the fact that the older man had been the one to answer the door for them. Eddie has already stepped inside, but he seems to be hanging back from following Christopher deeper into the house and is, instead, looking at Buck with a slight concern - probably because he spaced out for a second, lost in thought.
The younger male rolls his eyes, moving the short distance left before slipping past Chim and entering the house. "Yeah, yeah. Wouldn't want you to eat it all, anyway." He teases his sister's boyfriend.
"Ha. Ha." Is the sarcastic reply he gets in return as he and Eddie follow their teammate towards where everyone has gathered after dropping off their jackets on the coat hooks by the front door.
“Look who finally decided to turn up,” Hen calls as the pair come into view behind their teammate. "We were starting to think you'd ditched us for other plans."
Eddie shakes his head, "It's my fault; we had a hectic morning because I woke up late."
It's a lie, not that anyone other than Buck or Christopher (if he had been paying attention) would know, but the younger male appreciates Eddie's attempt to cover for their slightly later than planned arrival. The rest seem to believe the story and motion for the pair to properly join them.
-
Buck looks over at the sound of Christopher's crutches making their way closer to where all the adults, and May, have congregated on the back patio, making the most of the comfortably warm weather and the free time to spend together as one big family. He smiles when he sees all the boys have come out together and all seem to be carrying cards - other than Christopher who's card is being held by Denny.
"What are you three up to?" Hen asks, raising a suspicious eyebrow as all the adults pause their conversations to watch the boys in interest, sharing Hen's suspiciousness.
Denny hands Chris the card he made at Buck's once the boy has made it over to his father. With a thank you to his friend, Chris then turns his attention to Eddie.
"Happy Father's Day, dad!"
Eddie takes the card carefully, placing it down briefly to lean over and hug Chris, before opening it to see the message inside. Since Buck helped Chris write it, he knows what it says, so he's not surprised when he sees Eddie tear up but smile happily at his son.
"Thank you so much, mijo," Eddie hugs Chris again, kissing his head. "I love it so much. I love you so much."
"Love you too, Dad." Everyone smiles fondly at Chris' reply.
Harry and Denny then hand out their cards, each having made two cards. Harry made one for both Michael and Bobby, and Denny made one for both his mums so they wouldn't get left out of celebrating. May also ducks inside to retrieve her cards, again two of them, and the gifts she brought for both the dads in her life.
Once all the kids have handed out their cards and gifts, watched fondly by those without children of their own, the boys seem to unanimously decide that they’ve had enough time being loved on by their parents for the sweet display and start to edge away to go back inside. However, Buck frowns when he notices Christopher stop and his usually bright smile dimming as he looks around the table again before his gaze lands on Buck. The boy turns around, coming back over to the table and stopping next to Buck.
“Bucky,” The boy frowns, tugging on the male’s top even though the man’s full attention is already on him.
“What’s up, buddy?” He unconsciously reaches out to steady the boy as he leans against the male’s side, noting that Eddie does the same from the other side of his son.
“You promised.” The boy states.
Buck gulps, not needing Chris to say any more since he had a feeling that the boy would not have forgotten, before looking around and seeing the confusion on everyone else’s faces. Looking back at the boy, and noting that his expression turning more into betrayal the longer it takes Buck to answer, he knows that he can’t lie or let the boy down. So, gathering all the courage he can, he nods in agreement.
“I know – and I didn’t break that promise.” He takes a deep breath as he surveys the group around him before looking back at the boy. “But, I need help.”
Christopher nods immediately, tugging on Buck’s shirt again. “I can help.”
Buck smiles, getting up from his chair and picking up the boy, making sure he doesn’t cause Christopher to hit anyone with his crutches. “Good, because I especially need your help, superman.”
He ignores the confusion on the faces of everyone else and, instead, focuses on the boy in his arms as they move inside the house; having Christopher in his arms gives him slightly more courage to go through with the whole thing, if only because it’ll make the boy happy.
He puts Chris down when they reach the coat hooks, getting his own down and finding the cards he hid in the inside pocket of his jacket. He holds up the two cards for Christopher to view, to prove that he did go through with his promise to the boy, before asking the boy to hold them for him while he puts his coat back. Both are enclosed in envelopes and clearly labelled so there is no chance that the wrong person will get each card.
“Are you okay, Bucky?” Chris’ voice breaks him out of the rabbit hole of thoughts he was about to let himself slip into as his nerves get the best of him for a moment.
Buck nods, not trusting his voice not to give away the fact that he’s nervous as hell right now and completely unsure how this is going to go. He either gets begrudgingly accepted since he's "doing it to appease Christopher", laughed at by everyone, or flat out rejected. Or all of the above.
“You’re going to be okay, kid."
He falters at Christopher's words, still remembering all too clearly the last time the boy uttered those words. He picks the boy up, kissing his forehead and smiling as he notes how careful Chris is being to not crumple the cards in his hands.
"I hope so, Chris." His reply is quiet but he knows the boy hears him, without a doubt.
The two move back outside to join everyone again, Buck noticing how everyone is eyeing the cards in Christopher's hands as soon as the pair are in view again, no doubt wondering what they are since Chris has already given Eddie the card he made for him. Even Harry and Denny are still outside waiting for them to come back. He sets the boy down next to his father, helping him get onto Eddie's lap with additional help from the man himself, before taking the cards out of Chris' hands.
"What have you got there, Buck?" Bobby is the first to speak once the younger man sits down again.
Buck keeps his eyes on the cards that he's placed facedown with his hands over. "You guys are probably going to laugh at me, but I promised Chris I would do it, so-"
He cuts himself off, picking up one of the cards and handing it to Eddie after checking it's the right one. The other man takes it from him with a confused look.
"Open it, Dad!" Chris insists, clapping his hands excitedly.
The older man smiles fondly at his son before opening the envelope and carefully pulling out the card. On the front is a hand-drawn, black and white picture of him and Chris laughing together at the aquarium from one of the trips the three took together when they were trying to help Chris get over his aversion to water - the sea, in particular - after the tsunami, drawn entirely from memory. Eddie gives him a wide-eyed look, knowing already about Buck's love to draw but he's never seen any of his work, until now. Buck shoots him a shy smile, ignoring the surprised gasps from the others as they notice the artwork on the front of the card, before motioning for Eddie to open the card as Chris vocalises the demand too. Inside is a long, multi-paragraph message about how much Buck admires Eddie for being an amazing father to such a special little boy, and how much he inspires Buck to want to be the kind of father he is one day. There's so much more Buck had wanted to write, and going by the look on Eddie's face he knows it too, but the younger male decided to just stick to the actual theme of being a father for the message in the card and to tell Eddie the rest another time.
"That drawing is amazing," Maddie smiles. "I didn't think you still drew."
Buck gives her an awkward smile, shrugging. "I don't - not so much anymore - but I wanted to make them special."
Her understanding expression says it all, probably having figured out why these cards are so special now. Not that she's going to say anything to the others about it, which Buck is eternally grateful for.
The others make similar comments about the drawing which Buck reacts to with a shy smile before he turns his attention to the man by his side, seeing him rereading the card again, before reaching over and dragging Buck into a hug that the younger male is barely prepared for.
"We love you too," Eddie murmurs, the message for Buck only. Buck smiles hugging back, his smile widening as the sound of Christopher's happy giggles from where he is wrapped up in both of their arms reaches his ears. "You make a pretty amazing father too - just ask Chris."
The boy, obviously hearing his father, voices his enthusiastic agreement which makes everyone laugh fondly. Buck pulls back from the hug, kissing Chris' head before sitting back in his chair properly.
"What about that card?" Chim points to the other envelope still resting on the table in front of Buck, making a wounded noise when someone that Buck strongly suspects was his sister elbows the man in the side.
Buck bites his lip, a nervous habit he picked up from spending too much time with Eddie, before holding out the envelope to Bobby. When the older man takes it from him with a surprised look, he motions for him to wait before opening it because he has something to say first.
"Bobby - I know we've always joked about the calling you 'pops' thing but, for me, it stopped being a joke a long time ago. I don't talk about my dad to anyone - and I doubt Maddie does either - because when I think about what a good dad should be, he's not the type of person that comes to mind. But you are." He pauses, feeling Maddie reach across the table and grip his hand in support. "I barely knew my father, but I knew enough to know that he wasn't a good dad. He was barely ever there, and he treated us like we didn't exist when he was home. I hated him for never being there, for never being our dad when we needed him." He looks at the children at the table. "I am so glad that none of these children have ever had to know that feeling." He remarks - knowing that Eddie felt like Christopher would be able to relate to that for a long time but, after some convincing from Buck, he's finally accepted that his son is far from in the same position as Buck was all those years ago - before looking to Bobby once more and seeing the impact his words are having on the man by his glassy eyes and his tight grip on his wife's hand. "When you came into my life, when you started to teach me how to cook and be a proper, functioning adult, I knew that you were the kind of man I always wished my dad was. You built this team into a family, always supporting us just like a father, and I am grateful for the chance to be part of this family, to finally feel what it's like to be part of a family. You might not be the father I ended up with, but you're the only man in my life that I trust to be that father figure in my life - to not destroy me, abandon me, reject me, or lead me astray. So, as it's the one day of the year that we come together to celebrate our fathers, I am celebrating the only man in my life that deserves that title. You." As he wraps up what he wants to say, he gestures for Bobby to open his envelope.
The older man takes a second before doing so. The team gasp as the card is revealed. Across the front, back, and one of the inside faces of the card are multiple, detailed, hand-drawn snapshots of moments that Buck - and the others in the team - have shared with their captain. The card is completed with a short message inside about some of the more personal things Buck didn't say out loud, about how much Buck has learnt from the man to the fact that Bobby taught him what a father should be like - a teacher in life that loves you unconditionally even when you make mistakes.
Buck watches with bated breath as Bobby takes it all in before letting it out as the older man gestures for him to move to where he is. Once Buck is close enough, Bobby stands and hugs him tightly as Buck hears the others making comments as they pass the card around to look at all the drawings - taking it in with surprise much like they did with the drawing on Eddie's card.
"I love you too, kid," Bobby says as he pulls away from the hug, placing his hands on Buck's shoulders. "For what it's worth, I see you like an actual son to me too; and I'm proud of you, of the man you've become."
"Thank you." Buck whispers, wiping his eyes as the sentiment behind the words brings tears to his eyes. His pseudo father is proud of him and that's more than his actual father has ever expressed to him.
They both return to their seats, Bobby taking his card back from Hen and Chim and looking at all the pictures again as Buck settles next to Eddie and Chris, the latter of which is studying the picture on the front of his dad's card with great interest. As Buck looks around at his family gathered around the table, he admits to himself that maybe there was an unforeseen outcome - pure, wholehearted acceptance.