Work Text:
It's not that Eddie never knew this day would come. Realistically, he did. But he always thought he'd have more time. That he would have years to prepare for this moment.
And he has.
It's just that the years have been going by far too quickly. One moment Christopher was seven years old, and Eddie was still tucking him into bed and reading him a story. The next he's fifteen, and Eddie's watching from the door as he stands in front of his mirror fixing his hair.
Because he has a date.
His son is a teenager now and is dating .
And yeah, Eddie is panicking just a little bit.
"Do you need help?" Eddie asks him for what feels like the hundredth time.
It must feel like that to Christopher, too, because he rolls his eyes before meeting Eddie's gaze in the mirror. "I've got it, Dad."
"Right," Eddie says. He clears his throat and gives him a tight smile. "I'll leave you to it."
He walks down the hall to the kitchen, where Buck is pacing around the room, muttering to himself. He stops and spins to face Eddie when he walks in.
"Is he…?"
"Still doing his hair," Eddie says.
Buck nods, "If he doesn't hurry, he'll be late." He stops and tilts his head. "Or maybe that's a good thing."
"You want him to be late?"
"If he's going to be late, he might as well not go, right?" Buck asks. "And then that'll save us the stress, and him the heartache later on. God, Eddie. Is he even old enough to date?"
"He's fifteen," Eddie says. "Plenty of people go on dates before that."
"But it feels too soon," Buck says, his voice rising. "First it's dating, and then it's sex, and then he's going off to college and getting married and having kids of his own, and he barely wants to talk to us."
"Evan! " Eddie runs a shaking hand down his face. If he was worried before, he's definitely panicking now. Buck's voiced every single one of his worries, bringing them to the forefront of his mind. "I'm not ready to lose him."
Buck crosses the room and wraps his arms around Eddie. "I'm not either."
"How are we supposed to do this?" Eddie asks.
"I don't know," Buck says. "But if we don't let him, then he will resent us for it, and we will lose him."
Eddie knows he's right. He has enough experience with his parents' strict rules and the resentment that followed. He's not about to make that mistake with Christopher, even if he is terrified.
"Uhh Dad? Pop?" Eddie turns at the sound of Christopher’s voice to see him standing in the doorway, watching them. "Are you okay?"
Buck lets go of Eddie in favor of quickly crossing the room and pulling Christopher in for a hug. Christopher pats his back and looks at Eddie. "What's up with you two?"
"You're growing up too fast," Eddie says, joining Buck at Christopher’s side.
"It's just a date," Christopher says.
"That's where it all begins," Buck says.
"I guess we're just worried that soon you won't need us anymore," Eddie says.
Christopher looks between them, understanding washing over him. "I'll always need you. You're my dad's."
Eddie smiles and rests a hand on his shoulder. He's almost as tall as he is now. "We're always going to be here for you."
"I know."
Eddie kisses the side of his face, and Christopher doesn't pull away. Instead, he wraps his free arm around Eddie. "I love you both," Christopher says.
"We love you too," Eddie says.
"So much," Buck agrees.
"There is something you can help me with," Christopher says.
Eddie pulls back enough to look at him, "What's that?"
"My tie," Christopher says. "I tried to get it but couldn't."
"Well, I am hopeless at tying ties," Eddie admits. "But lucky for you, Buck happens to be good at it."
"Really?"
Buck looks at Eddie with wide eyes. There's a question in them. Eddie smiles. "Yeah."
"Come on, Buck," Christopher says, already tugging on Buck's hand and pulling him towards his room.
"I'll be right there," Buck says.
As Christopher walks away, Buck moves towards Eddie and takes his face in his hands, kissing him soundly. "Thank you," he murmurs against his lips.
Eddie just smiles and pecks his lips, "Go help our son while I get the camera."
There's still an edge of fear in Eddie as he grabs the camera of the bookshelf and heads down the hall to Christopher’s room. It eases a bit as he stands in the doorway, watching as Buck helps Christopher with his tie. He snaps a few photos as Buck works and then some of Christopher in the doorway before they leave.
Buck takes the camera from him and ushers him over to Christopher, "Your turn."
Eddie steps up next to his son and places a hand on his shoulder as they both pose for the camera.
"We need you in here, Pop," Christopher tells Buck.
Buck smiles a little at that, as if even after six years together he still doubts his place here. Eddie can't have that.
"Get in here, Dad," Eddie says. "We need one as a family."
Buck nods quickly and presses a few buttons on the camera before hurrying over to Christopher’s other side, where he belongs.
"Alright," Eddie says, clapping his hands together. "You ready?"
Christopher nods and looks up at him, "Are you?"
Eddie knows he might never be ready for his son to grow up. But it's happening either way. He's going to have to accept that.
"Yeah," Eddie says. "I am. Let's get you to your date."
He looks at Buck, who gives him a reassuring smile. He knows no matter what happens, he's not in this alone. Buck's going to be right by his side.