Work Text:
Eddie really, really hates the way people treat Buck sometimes.
No one ever really sees him for all that he is. They look at him and see a pretty face and a beautiful body, and they assume that’s all there is to him. It doesn’t matter that he’s unbelievably kind, and fiercely loyal, and way smarter than he lets on, and all around the most genuine and good person Eddie’s ever fucking known. They decide with one snap judgment that he’s just a dumb, shallow pretty boy, and they treat him accordingly. It makes Eddie sick.
And, look. Eddie knows that Buck’s not some fucking damsel in distress, that he doesn’t need Eddie to swoop in and save him every time someone’s mean to him. He knows that Buck’s perfectly capable of standing up for himself.
The thing is, though, he never does. He just plasters on a smile and acts like nothing’s wrong. And it may be convincing enough to everyone else, but not to Eddie. He can see the way Buck shrinks in on himself like he’s trying to make himself smaller, like he thinks they’re right. Like he actually believes that he’s worthless and unremarkable.
So yes, sometimes Eddie steps in and sets them straight. He’s not sorry, either. Maybe he should be, because he’ll be the first to admit it’s pretty toxic alpha male behavior (something May has schooled him on in the past), but he isn’t. When someone underestimates Buck, he reacts the same way he does when someone underestimates Christopher; his entire body lights up with rage and the only thought in his mind is protecting him.
Buck gets hit on a lot — several times a day, by men and women alike — and it’s not like Eddie butts in and runs his mouth every single time. He couldn’t; it’d be a full time job, and he doesn’t have enough hours in the day as it is.
Most of the time, it’s fine. People are decent enough, and Buck makes polite conversation for a few minutes before letting them down easy and respectfully, because that’s the kind of guy he is. Usually, he tells them he’s still hung up on someone; Eddie doesn’t know who, because Abby is over and done and he’s pretty sure he’s moved on from Ali, too. But maybe he’s wrong, or maybe it’s just something Buck says to soften the blow.
Sometimes, though, people are pushy and entitled and absolute goddamn assholes, and Buck just takes it all like he thinks he deserves it. That’s when Eddie sees red, when it takes a significant effort to keep himself from throwing punches.
Tonight is one of those nights. They’d stopped at a bar after their shift, because Chris is staying at Abuela’s and they both could use the chance to unwind. Things are good — they’re sitting on the same side of the booth, shoulders brushing and knees knocking together as Buck makes him laugh harder than he has in a long time. It almost feels like a date, and for a few moments while Buck smiles at him in that way that makes him feel like he’s the only person in the universe, Eddie allows himself to pretend.
Buck goes to the bar to get them another round, and almost immediately, Eddie sees a girl follow, sidling right up next to Buck and shooting him a smile. Eddie gets a bad vibe from her right away, with the way she’s stalking him like prey, but he downs the rest of his beer and watches it play out.
Their table isn’t far from the bar, so Eddie can hear them as they make their introductions. Buck takes a step back, trying to put some space between them, but she just leans in closer, resting a hand on his arm like she’s staking a claim.
Buck is visibly uncomfortable, but he talks to her anyway, always so desperately craving approval from the people around him. He’s asking her questions about herself when she cuts him off suddenly.
“Look, no offense, sweetheart, but I didn’t come over here to talk. I chose you because you’re gorgeous and you seem like the perfect kind of guy to fuck and forget.”
She gives him a pointed look that’s probably supposed to be enticing, but really just looks predatory, and slides her hand down to Buck’s thigh. He looks like he wants to crawl out of his skin, but also like he’s seriously considering hooking up with her just so he doesn’t disappoint her, and Eddie is up and heading toward them before he even realizes it’s happening.
“Get your hands off of him,” he snaps, stepping between her and Buck. Buck looks surprised, but he curls a hand around Eddie’s hip protectively, and fuck, that’s as grounding as it is distracting.
“Is that really supposed to make him want you? Telling him how forgettable he is?” Eddie continues, because he’s not done with her yet. “If that’s the best you can do, it’s no wonder you’re so miserable. You should really work on your game, sweetheart.”
She’s looking at him incredulously, and Eddie can tell she’s about a second from stomping off, so he decides to wrap it up even though he could easily spend another solid hour ranting at her.
“And for the record, if you were lucky enough to actually get to know him, I promise, you’d never forget him. Now leave us alone, please, thanks.”
She huffs as she turns on her heel and walks away, and then it’s just him and Buck, who’s staring at him with wide eyes, like he can’t believe that actually happened.
Eddie takes one of the fresh beers from Buck and chugs it, suddenly feeling entirely too sober.
Eddie’s dealt with his fair share of girls (and guys) like that since he took on the self-appointed role of defending Buck, but he hates Taylor Kelly the most.
He hates the way she acts like they have some sort of connection when, as far as Eddie knows, she’s never bothered to have a real conversation with Buck.
He hates the way Buck’s nothing more than a booty call to her. She only ever reaches out annoyingly late at night, a lot of times when he’s already at Eddie’s, sprawled out on the couch with him as they watch a movie.
Most of all, he hates the way Buck actually goes. It’d be one thing if he wanted to — Eddie still wouldn’t like it, because he’s a jealous fuck, but Buck’s an adult and he can screw whoever he wants — but every time, without fail, he explicitly tells Eddie he’s really not into it. And then he goes anyway; he leaves Eddie and Christopher, leaves his home to run off to her like he thinks he doesn’t deserve any better.
They run into her one night while they’re on a call her station is covering. Eddie doesn’t realize she’s there until everything’s said and done, and it makes his already shitty mood that much worse. It’s been a long shift and all he wants to do is go home, kiss his kid, and go to sleep, but now he gets a front row seat to Taylor making his best friend feel used and insignificant.
He watches warily as she backs Buck against the news van and presses in close.
“Why don’t we get out of here?” she asks, batting her eyelashes at him.
Buck’s not having it tonight. He’s as tired as Eddie is, and he puts up more of a fight than he usually does with her.
“Sorry, I can’t. I have to go back to the station.”
Taylor just shrugs, undeterred. “Fine. Meet me at my place in an hour.”
Eddie’s staring daggers at her, going for proof that looks can, in fact, kill, but no such luck.
“I’m tired, Taylor,” Buck tells her with a sigh. “It’s been a hard day and I really just wanna go home.”
Taylor leans in to kiss him, like that will solve everything, and Eddie’s hands clench into fists of their own accord. Buck doesn’t reciprocate, but she’s more than enthusiastic enough for the both of them.
“Come on, Buck. You and I both know you don’t have anything waiting for you at home but an empty apartment. So why don’t you stick with me and do what you do best?” she asks, smiling sweetly at him.
Jesus, there are so many things wrong with that statement Eddie can’t see straight. He’s seething as he walks up to them, pulling Buck to the side and taking his place in front of Taylor.
“This may come as a shock to you, but believe it or not, Buck has better things to do than have subpar sex with you,” Eddie says, giving the same condescending smile right back to her. “Just because you’re pathetic and lonely doesn’t mean you have to drag him down with you. He’s better than that.”
He takes a breath, willing himself to stop shaking in anger, and looks to Buck. “Come home with me. You can hang out with Chris, I’ll make dinner,” he says.
Buck doesn’t seem mad in the slightest about Eddie blowing up the closest thing he’s had to a relationship in months, which Eddie takes as a victory.
“You’re gonna make dinner?” Buck asks skeptically, lips quirking into a smile as he raises a brow at Eddie.
Eddie rolls his eyes, but it’s fond. “Fine, I’ll order pizza.”
“Deal,” Buck agrees, grinning.
He follows Eddie back to the truck without so much as a second glance at Taylor.
The times the patronizing comments hurt Buck the most, though, are when they come from the squad.
Eddie knows they all love Buck and they don’t mean anything by it, but he hates watching Buck’s face fall when they crack a joke about his intelligence or his sexual escapades as Buck 1.0. More than that, he hates that they don’t even seem to notice when they upset him.
They’re all at the table eating lunch when Buck excitedly announces that their usual bar is having a Trivia Night tonight and invites them all to go. Everyone agrees easily, and then they start discussing who’s going to team up with who.
“You and me, Chim, what do you say? Some future brother bonding time?” Buck asks, nudging Chimney with his elbow.
“You know I love you, Buckaroo, but I also love winning. I’d be all over it if it was a modeling contest, though,” Chim teases. “Eddie, be my partner?”
Eddie glances at Buck and sees his enthusiasm disappear in a flash, staring dejectedly at his plate.
He takes a deep breath and swallows his rage, because this is his workplace and these are his friends. He can’t just go off like he does with strangers; he needs to be careful here.
“That’s a mistake. Buck’s a hell of a lot smarter than I am, especially with trivia,” he says, calm but firm. “I want that incredible brain of his on my team.”
Buck smiles at him, but it’s half-hearted, and a couple minutes later he excuses himself to take a nap in the bunks.
Eddie sighs, and as soon as Buck’s out of the room, he’s shooting a thoroughly pissed glare at Chim.
“You guys have got to stop making shitty comments like that about Buck,” he says, looking from Chim to Hen and back again. “You’re supposed to be his friends. How can you not see how much it bothers him?”
“What are you talking about?” Hen asks, voice full of genuine concern.
“People are constantly writing him off as just a pretty face with no substance. How do you think he feels when the people he loves most in the world joke about him being not smart enough, not good enough?”
“Shit,” Chimney sighs.
“We didn’t realize,” Hen echoes.
“Now you do,” Eddie says with a shrug. “So start treating him with the respect he deserves.”
They give Buck his space, but once he wanders back into the kitchen, Hen and Chim are all over him with apologies and hugs and promises that they love him and think the world of him.
Buck looks surprised, albeit pleasantly so, and even though he can’t know for sure, he still shoots a knowing look at Eddie like he knows exactly what happened.
Buck’s parents come to town when Maddie’s baby is born, and it takes all of five minutes in a room with them for Eddie to see exactly why Buck’s self-doubt and insecurities run as deep as they do.
They’re awful. For the most part, they ignore Buck entirely, but when they do acknowledge him, they treat him like a five-year-old and an inconvenience. Every word they direct at him is condescending and belittling and Eddie has never hated anyone as much as he hates the two of them.
Buck’s taking it in stride — at least, he’s trying to — but Eddie can see it’s getting to him. He keeps most of his attention on his niece, though, and Eddie would be lying if he said seeing Buck with a baby didn’t make his heart swell in his chest.
He’s cooing down at her and pulling silly faces as he talks about all the baby books he’s been reading since the second he found out Maddie was pregnant. Eddie gets caught up in a daydream about Buck dancing their own baby girl around their living room, kissing Eddie and Christopher as he goes, and he almost forgets his parents are even there.
Until they start running their stupid fucking mouths, that is.
His mom huffs a patronizing laugh and rolls her eyes. “I don’t think anyone should take parenting advice from you, Evan. You’re practically still a child yourself.”
Buck, who’s been an unbelievably good sport thus far, cracks at that. He visibly deflates, slumping his shoulders and biting his lip like he’s trying not to cry. Eddie feels the anger boiling up inside of him.
“Buck’s actually amazing with kids,” he cuts in, using every ounce of energy he has trying to be respectful. “My son loves him almost as much as he loves me. Probably more, actually.”
“That’s because he fits right in with him. He’s like a best friend, not a parent,” his mom says, waving a hand like she’s dismissing him.
“He’s both,” Eddie argues fiercely. “That’s what makes him so good at it. There’s no one else I’d rather have as a father to my kid.”
He doesn’t look at Buck. That was a little too honest, and he’s afraid of what he’ll find if he does.
“So you two are playing house, then?” Buck’s dad raises a brow and looks at Eddie. “Careful, spend enough time with him and you’ll realize he’s more effort than he’s worth.”
The words echo in Eddie’s head on a loop, along with his own you’re exhausting, and he’s suddenly filled with a fury stronger than anything he’s ever known.
It’s all-consuming. He can’t rein it in, and honestly, he doesn’t want to. He hates them for what they’ve put Buck through, and all he can think about is making them suffer even a fraction as much as he has because of them.
It’s not even a conscious decision, really; it’s pure instinct as he crosses the room and punches Buck’s dad with everything he has.
It feels unbelievably satisfying while he’s doing it, but as soon as it’s over, the guilt and shame rush in. He just hit Buck’s father in front of his newborn grandson, for god’s sake, what the fuck is wrong with him?
“Sorry,” Eddie says, eyes fixed firmly on the floor. “I’m so sorry, Maddie, I’m gonna go.”
He flees so fast it’s almost laughable. He’s already halfway down the hall when he hears Maddie’s door open and Buck calls out “Eddie, wait.”
Eddie wants to ignore him and keep running, but he can never deny Buck anything. He turns back to him with wide eyes.
“I’m so sorry, Buck,” he says, and he’s never meant anything more in his life. “That was so inappropriate, and I have no excuse for it. Fuck, I’m sorry.”
“I’m not mad, Eds. I’ve wanted to do that my whole life,” Buck says with a careful laugh.
He reaches a hand out, and Eddie grabs it like a lifeline. He doesn’t know what to say.
“No one’s ever stood up for me like that before,” Buck continues quietly, almost reverent. “You always do, though. Every time, no matter who it is.”
“Of course I do, Buck. I always will,” Eddie tells him easily. “You’re so much more than people give you credit for. I probably should’ve said that to you sooner, but it’s true.”
“You said it in your own way. Throwing down with anyone that fucks with me is how you show love, apparently,” Buck says, chuckling as he takes a step closer to Eddie.
“You know I’m not good with words,” Eddie says with a sheepish smile.
Buck just shrugs. “I don’t mind. I love you anyway.”
“You do?” Eddie asks, hope blooming in his chest.
“Obviously, Eddie. And people think I’m the dumb one,” Buck teases.
Eddie grins, amazed at the fact that Buck can actually joke about it now. That’s gotta be progress, right?
“Yeah, whatever, smartass. Why don’t you shut up and kiss me now?”
“Bossy,” Buck quips, but he does it anyway.