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“Explain why I let you talk me into this.” There is a tone in Athena’s voice that Bobby can’t quiet decipher when Bobby moves to stand beside his wife, her eyes glued to the Buckley parents with so much dislike. Sighing, Bobby wraps an arm around the woman’s waist and presses a kiss to her cheek because he himself follows her gaze, to where Phillip and Margaret were conversing with Maddie and Chimney. “Because at least here Buck and Maddie are surrounded by their loved ones if anything goes wrong.” Was the response that Athena had been given, and that was honestly the only answer that she had needed as he moves her eyes to find Buck in the ground of people gathered in her backyard. She finds him, of course with Eddie glued to his side, as the young man speaks to Ramon and Helena with an easy smile on his face. Christopher is standing in between his father and Buck, both of the Diaz’s have refused to leave Buck alone the moment that his parents had arrived.
“Evan, join us.” That had been Phillip’s voice that had called out above the mindless chatter that had taken over the atmosphere and no one misses how Buck seems to talk a calming breath before nodding his head. “Sorry, excuse me.” He politely said to Helena and Ramon, who just smiled at him in an understanding manner before they watch Buck walk away from them; taking the moment to take in the Buckley parents.
“Why didn’t you tell us you were seeing someone?” Margaret questions, the tone in her voice making it clear that she was annoyed that she had to find out from someone who wasn’t Buck. Frowning, Buck looks over at Maddie who looks so apologetic that the young firefighter can’t find himself being mad at her, he understands when things just slip out. So he shakes his head at his older sister and smiles, to let her know wordlessly that she hadn’t done anything that she needs to be apologetic for.
“Because honestly it was none of your business.” Simply says Buck, and Eddie has to pretend to cough when the snort that he lets out was a little louder than intended. With a fond yet exasperated look in her eyes, Helena reaches over and gently slaps Eddie on the back of the head while shaking her head good naturally. Buck also seems to have heard the sound, because he gives Eddie a look before rolling his eyes and turning back to his parents who stand before him unhappily. “Neither of you are really in my life, so I didn’t feel the need to share anything.” And it really was as simple as that, he doesn’t have that much to do with his own parents so he never thought to tell them that he had found himself in a relationship with his best friend.
“Evan Buckley, we are your parents and deserve to know what goes on in your life.” Phillip is obviously angry, and he says it loud enough that everyone seems to fall silent as they turn their attention to the Buckley family with concern in their eyes. It was like they were all waiting for the moment when everything would go south side and hit the fan; ready to jump in if Buck and Maddie need them to jump to their defence. But instead Buck snorts as he shakes his head, because he’s in a good mood and doesn’t want anything; even his parents, to ruin his day nor make a scene in front of his friends and family. “Yeah sure, okay.” Buck responds as he moves away from his parents, obviously done with this conversation already, as he makes his way back to Eddie and Christopher’s side so he can just take a calming breath.
“You okay, Evan?” That was Helena who had spoken when Buck joins them once again, and she watches as the firefighter shoots her a beaming smile and nod his head. “Yeah, I’m good.” Was all that Buck has to say, briefly looking over to see his parents looking at him with barely hidden annoyance at how they had been spoken to by their son. Buck shares that same beaming smile down at Christopher and kneels in front of him when the young boy tugs on his shirt to get his attention. “What’s up, kiddo.” He patiently asks, Christopher doesn’t say anything and instead moves forward so that he is in Buck’s arms receiving a huge hug from one of his favourite people. “Nothing, just wanted a hug.” Buck can’t help but laugh loudly as he shakes his head, a fond expression on his face as he looks down at the kid he loves as his own. “All you had to do was ask, bud.”
“He’s going to be a great dad one day.” Karen, who had been watching the scene, whispers to her wife with a fond smile gracing her face and Hen chuckles lowly before she responds. “Oh he already is a dad, babe.” Was what she had responded with and Karen is confused for a split second before she realises that Hen is talking about Christopher and, yeah, he really is that kids second parent. While speaking, Nia begins to struggle in Hen’s arms, obviously wanting to be let go and Hen does what is asked of her and watches as her daughter marches her way over to Buck. “Hey, Buckaroo? Someone wants your hugs too!”
Buck looks up just in time to see Nia crash heavily into his side, and he laughs as he is knocked onto his butt and then found himself with a lapful, Nia happily giggling as she buries herself against the older man’s chest. “Hi, baby!” Buck happily says, leaning down and kissing the little girl on the top of her head; running a hand up and down her back for a moment. The adults watching them go unnoticed as Buck blows a raspberry at Nia, who squeals a laughter and does one right back; Buck unable to help the beyond happy laugh that escapes his lips.
“So this is what you do, delude yourself by playing house?”
For a blissful moment, Buck had completely forgot that his parents were here and was only reminded when he heard the sound of his father’s voice demanding attention. Sighing, Buck takes a deep breath as he pushes himself to his feet with Nia still in his arms as the toddler leans against his chest; unaware of the tension shifting around her. “Can we please not do this here?” Because Buck really doesn’t want to be the reason that the carefree and happy environment turns sour and harsh; nor does he want to have an argument in front of the kids. Phillip stands strong and silent as he looks at his son, then at each of the other people looking between the both of them; and for now he relents.
And Buck will take that as a win for now.
Bobby moves over and claps Buck on the shoulder as he passes the younger man, wondering into the house to do something that no one was really bothered about. Buck smiles at his Captain as he disappears into the house. “Hey Bucky?” That was Christopher once against demanding for the attention of the older man, and who was Buck to deny the child that he loved something so simple? “Yeah, kiddo?” Once more, Buck finds himself moving towards the floor and he kneels in front of Christopher; knowing that the kid like to be eye level with the adults that he talks to.
“When we get home, can we have a movie night?” The request was so damn simple, and Buck can’t help but think about the number of times his own parents shot him down when he asked for anything just as simple. “Hm, did you do your homework from Friday?” The adult questions, but it doesn’t matter because he knows that he will cave and say yes to anything that the kid will ask of him; those damn puppy dog eyes of his. “Yep!” Was the excited announcement that he had got back in return and for a moment Buck can’t help but chuckle as he looks at Christopher with nothing but love and fondness clear in his eyes. “Well then, of course we can buddy.”
Ramon and Helena exchanged a look that held nothing but acceptance, Eddie catching onto it and unable to help smiling to himself. His parents adore Buck, have since they met back over a year ago. “Yay, you should also totally make us cupcakes.” Christopher adds on, almost as if it was nothing more than an afterthought. “Not today, bud. Maybe another day though.” Buck promises, ruffling Christopher’s hair before he pushes himself up to his feet and brushes the dust or dirt on his knees. That whole time, Buck still has Nia against his hip as if the extra weight didn’t affect him at all; holding onto her so naturally and Eddie can’t help how much his heart swells.
Parenthood suits Buck.
“You know, Evan.” Once again any light feelings and happiness feels as though it’s been drained completely out of him when Buck hears his mother’s voice sound up again. “Mum, don’t.” Maddie hisses, but all she gets is a blank look from her mother before her attention is shifted to Buck, who stands and faces her with a small frown. “Oh great, here we go.” Buck mumbles under his breath, Nia looking up at the sound of his voice and blinking at him before she lays her head once more on his chest.
“If I had a partner who was playing house with another man, and his son I would be upset.”
“Oh my f-“ Buck was going to swear when he remembered that he had a child in his arms and another standing right beside him who didn’t hesitate in repeating anything that he said. “We’re really going to do this here.” He scoffed, Eddie feeling so bad for Buck because every time he’s having a good time something always seems to go wrong and not in his favour. “Hey May, can you take the kids inside, please?” Buck knows that they were not going to avoid this discussion and argument, so the most that Buck can do is make sure that the kids don’t have to do this.
“Course, I can.” May says, not hesitating in taking Nia from Buck’s arms and resting the toddler on her hips and then grabbing Christopher’s hand for a moment in support. “Come on, bud. Let’s make those cupcakes.” Buck smiles tightly at her, making a mental note to return the favour for May whenever she needs one next. “You are a saint.” He whispers to her when she passes him, and she throws a wink over her shoulder before she goes inside the house at the same time that Bobby walks out, having no idea what had happened while he was gone.
“Ed?” Buck questions quickly, because what he is about to say will have to decide on what Eddie’s answer will be to his one word question. “Go for it, I’m good.” Is the response that Buck was hoping he would get, and he nods his head as he turns his back to his partner and faces his parents.
“I am seeing someone, I’m in a relationship with Eddie. I’m not playing house with another man.” Buck said, everything was out in the open with his parents and he can’t help but wish that he never opened his mouth. He had no idea what his parents were going to say, but it was too late to take them back now that they had been said.
And the mere seconds that pass feel like hours, everything silent that a pin drop would have been as loud as an explosion in Buck’s ears. He sees his mother look at him with wide eyes, looking at her son as if it were the first time that she had ever seen him. And his father just looks angrier then he had before, something that Buck hadn’t really thought was possible until this moment. “I thought you were over this little rebellion of yours, Evan.” Margaret had said with a sigh as she had lowered her head and pinched the bridge of her nose. Clenching his jaw, Buck remains silent after what his mother had said while anger fills his body quicker than he ever thought would have been possible for him. But he’s pissed off, and this was something that he hated.
Buck wasn’t someone that liked to feel anger, because once the anger was gone it left him drained to the bone like no other emotion could do.
“You ruined one family, Evan. You really want to do that to another?”
Now that is something that Buck had not expected to hear, and he couldn’t help but step back from the words as if they were a physical threat to him. His grown grows deeper as he feels that anger drain from him just as quickly as it had built up. He feels Eddie move to his side, an arm being placed around his waist in support and Buck looks at his boyfriend; who hasn’t hesitated in moving to his side the moment that Buck had stumbled back.
“Excuse me?!” Both Eddie and Buck’s head whipped around at the sound of Helena’s voice calling out, demanding for all the attention as she steps away from her husband’s side and on the other side of Buck. Both her son and probably-future-son-in-law, both looked confused. It was known to both of them that Ramon and Helena preferred to stay out of other’s businesses, so neither of them had been expecting either of Eddie’s parents to jump into Buck’s defence. “N-No, Helena. It’s okay, it’s fine.” Buck quickly says, pushing down any emotions that he’s feeling as he looks at the older woman with a pleading expression, he really doesn’t want to be the reason that this day ends in an argument.
“It’s not fine, Evan. They have no right to speak to you the way that they had.” It was Ramon who spoke up this time, but not moving from where he stood just behind the group; and Buck turns slightly to look at him with an expression that he can’t put into words. “Buck never ruined anything, mum! How dare you say that to him?” Maddie butts in, looking well beyond pissed off as she looked at her parents, the anger that she was feeling so clearly visible on her face for all to see. Philip is quick to shut down his daughter, holding his hand up in front of his face, and Buck doesn’t miss how Chimney looked more than tempted to slap that hand away from his partner. “Do not butt in, Maddie. This does not concern you.” Philip says harshly, and Buck had opened his mouth to jump to his sister’s defence, because no one can talk down to his sister in such a way and think that it’s okay.
“Don’t you dare fucking do that to me.” But Maddie hadn’t given him the chance when she slapped her own father’s hand away, and Buck doesn’t deny that there was so much pride that swells up inside of him when his sister speaks. “I’m grabbing your coats, and both of you are leaving. Neither of you are wanted here.” Chimney is quick to follow Maddie as she waddles off into the house, no doubt trying to calm her down as they leave. “Oh look what you’ve done, Evan.” Phillip hisses, once again unable to take the blame that is solely his and Margaret’s, and placing it on Buck who hasn’t done a single thing wrong. Buck scoffs as he rolls his eyes, having no fight left within him as he ignores as best as he can what his father had just said to him. He really doesn’t want to deal with this anymore.
“It’s so amazing to me that you’re son ended up as wonderful as he is when you both raised him.”
It seemed like Helena wasn’t done though as he speaks up once more, the protectiveness and anger written so clearly on her face that not even a blind man would have been able to miss it. She’s angry and she doesn’t want these people to leave before she can give them a peace of her mind. “It’s astounding, actually. You’re children are wonderful despite how cold and cruel the two of you are.” The woman adds on, and Buck can feel how his eyes widen at how easily and quickly Helena has come to his defence over something that she didn’t need to put herself into. “Who the hell do you think you are?” Phillip is left stunned for a moment before he finds his words, confused as to who the hell this woman thought she was to butt into something that didn’t concern her at all.
“Well hopefully, Evan’s mother-in-law one day.” She responds over her shoulder, giving Eddie a pointed look who rolls his eyes in response. “You’re seriously okay with your son dating another man? Are you not worried about your grandson?”
“Wow, we love good old homophobia.” Buck mumbles as he rolls his eyes for the hundredth time that day at what had been said by his parents; Eddie lighting tapping his shoulder as if to tell him off for what he said. “At first? No, I wasn’t okay with it. In fact I watched them to break up.” Helena isn’t ashamed to admit what she had originally thought of the relationship when they had been told, because she learnt from everything that happened.
“But as a parent all I want is my son to be happy, and Edmundo has never been happier than with Evan.” She adds on, hoping that maybe anything that she said today could help the Buckley parents to understand that who their son dates should never be their concern. “And for Christopher? Evan loves that kid like his own, would protect him even at the cost of his own life.” Helena thinks back to the tsunami when she says that, knowing that Buck had done everything that he had in him to try and find Christopher after they got separated.
“I wouldn’t exactly class Buck as the parenting type.” Margaret obviously thought that she was being quiet, but with the silence that was surrounding them everyone heard what she had to say. And saying that none of them were impressed with what they heard would have been so much more than an understatement.
“It isn’t like Buck has a reference for what good parenting actually is.” Eddie angrily hisses, he really just can’t stand here and allow anyone to talk about Buck when they didn’t know him what so ever. “But Buck is a fucking amazing father, I’ll have you know.” The dark haired firefighter continues, because he’s seen time and time again how amazing Buck is when it comes to looking after Christopher. “So Buck never ruined my family, because he adds so much to it instead.” Buck can see how annoyed and angry Eddie was getting, he hates it when people diss his family and think that they can get away from it.
“We’re gonna be back in a moment, I think someone needs at Christopher hug.” Buck excuses himself and Eddie, wanting to give his boyfriend the moment he needed to regain his thoughts and talk to his son. Nothing will ever sooth more than having a huge hug from his adorable son.
By the time that they’re gone, Maddie is back and throws the coats at Margaret and Phillip, there are tears burning in her eyes but she looks much calmer than before. “I’ll show you out.” Maddie’s voice is clipped and rough when she speaks, and she doesn’t give either of her parents any time to respond before she tells them to hurry up; urging them to the door. She throws the door open angrily and holds it, watching with eyes so cold as ice until her parents are out of the door.
“Oh by the way!” Maddie calls out, a small and barely noticeable smirk on her face when her parents turn around to face their daughter. Maddie is leaning against the doorframe, a hand on her belly when she speaks again. “Now is a great time to let you know that I’m bisexual.” She admits, something that she had dreaded for so long in doing seeming easy, because no matter what they think she has a family who will support and love her no matter what. A brother and a partner who love her unconditionally, people who will always watch her back. And when her father opens his mouth, that angered look back on his face does Maddie slam the door with a smile.
She turns around with that same smile on her face, only to jump back in freight and slap a hand over her chest when she sees Buck standing there with arms crossed over his chest and a smile on his face. “I thought you wanted to wait to tell them?” He questions, and Maddie can only find herself shrugging her shoulders with a sigh as he moves and pulls her brother into a tight hug that he easily returns. “I did, but then I thought fuck it. Might as well.” It was simple to Maddie really, because as long as she had her brother and Chimney by her side she wasn’t scared of what her parents would do or say anymore.