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Putting on his maroon hoodie, Buck checked himself one last time in the mirror, running a hand through his loosely jelled curls.
It was a crisp fall morning, leaves swirling around in the wind as Buck made for his jeep, taking off to the coffee shop. He didn’t really need the caffeine, already jittery from the days planned activities, but he wanted to surprise his two favorite boys. Eddie and him were taking Chris to the pumpkin patch, one that also included a corn maze and hay rides.
They had planned it out together after Chris had seen some add for it on the tv, begging them to take him. It was nice to feel so easily included in the Diaz’ lives; Buck didn’t know how he’d gotten so lucky.
As he pulled into the Starbucks parking lot, he smiled to himself, eager to get the day going. He had plenty of time to swing by, grab drinks, and make it home before Eddie and Chris arrived to pick him up.
Stepping into the coffee shop, Buck was immediately met with the savory aroma of coffee littered with cocoa and various spices, the place buzzing with people. He made his way to the line, swiftly avoiding running into all those littered around waiting for their own orders. Pumpkin spice this and that was placed around on all the signs, full bags of the flavor on sale at the little kiosks; Buck wasn’t a fan, but he knew Eddie liked to secretly divulge in it from time to time.
When he finally reached the counter, Buck placed his order, smiling to himself as he did so; he couldn’t wait to surprise them. For himself he got a Frappuccino, complete with whipped cream and chocolate drizzle—who was he kidding; he’d be hyped all day either way—getting Chris the same, without the coffee of course; Chris loved to match his Bucky. As for Eddie, Buck got him a pumpkin spice latte, knowing his best friend would roll his eyes, though graciously accept it; the man was nothing but predictable in Bucks eyes.
He went to stand off to the side to wait for his order, people bustling all around him. Buck took out his phone, checking through all of his notifications, everything around him turning to white noise as he did so. It wasn’t until he heard the familiar voices that he finally came back to the present, blues searching all around.
Just as his eyes landed on a mop of curls, glasses sticking out just underneath them, he caught part of their conversation.
“Dad, do you love Buck?”
Buck all but choked on the air, noting as Eddie did almost the same. They weren’t quite facing him, so the two hadn’t spotted Buck yet, Buck feeling as though he was intruding on some private conversation.
Eddie looked down to his son, laughing a little nervously.
“Uh, um, of course, I uh, I do love him. He’s my best friend.”
Chris shook his head. “No dad, like love him.”
Buck’s entire face heated up as he looked away, barely able to listen as their conversation carried on.
Eddie cleared his throat, trying again.
“Why uh, why do you ask buddy?”
Buck turned just a tinge, catching Chris make a quick shrug of his shoulders.
“You know his favorite drink, and you made us get up early just to get it for him.”
Before Buck could eavesdrop further, the barista hollered out his name.
“Buckley!”
Buck quickly adverted his attention, moving to grab his tray of drinks. When he turned around, he nearly ran right into his two favorite boys, Chris smiling brightly up to him. He gave a shy ‘hi’ and a nervous laugh, his eyes connecting with Eddie’s as Chris attached himself to Bucks’ waist.
Eddie eyed him keenly, all while Buck pretended he didn’t just overhear some life altering conversation. Chris pulled away then, looking up to Buck once more.
“You love dad too!”
Buck’s eyes widened in full, Eddie’s hand coming to rest over his son’s mouth as he pulled him in close, laughing in that adorably nervous way once more. “Someone’s had too much sugar today.”
Buck laughed along, deciding not to acknowledge the elephant in the room.
“What ah, what’re you guys doing here?”
Chris started to blurt something else out, only getting as far as ‘Dad wanted to get you—’ before the barista was cutting them off once more, calling out Eddie’s order.
Once Eddie arrived back with his own tray, it quickly became evident that they’d gotten the exact same combination of drinks. Chris was ecstatic to have two drinks, Buck smiling over to Eddie for knowing him so well. Eddie reached over to Bucks carrier, twisting the hot drink his way, his nose scrunching just a twinge.
“You got me pumpkin spice?” It was said in awe, rather than in feigned disgust like Buck would’ve assumed, Eddie touched that Buck knew him so well.
Buck could only nod, smiling softly over to his best friend; how was he ever going to survive the day if they hadn’t even made it to their destination yet?
~
They ended up leaving Buck’s jeep at the coffee shop, all six of their drinks in Eddie’s truck with them; Buck could tell Eddie was already regretting the sugary decision.
The pumpkin patch was buzzing with people as well, though neither of them seemed to notice as Chris walked between them in awe, eyes lighting up at all the sights.
Colorful leaves blew through the place, the light breeze flowing through Chris’ curls, the ones Buck kept reaching down to ruffle. Orange, green, yellow, and white pumpkins were littered all about, the corn maze standing tall against everything else. The path they walked on was one of dirt, the fallen leaves crunching under their feet, Chris’ crutches stomping them as he went.
They decided to pick pumpkins last, neither he nor Eddie wanting to carry them around the entire time—Chris had picked the biggest one last time—so they decided on the hay ride first.
Eddie climbed up onto the truck first, taking Chris’ crutches before grasping onto his hands, Buck standing behind for extra support. They all settled onto the hay bales, Chris tucked safely between the two of them. Buck looked over to Eddie, observing the other man was already looking to him, shy smiles splaying over both their faces; when he looked away, his face still felt heated, and not from the sun that was just starting to poke through the clouds.
They could see the entirety of the patch from their seats, the driver pointing out where certain things were planted or made; it was all fascinating.
Once the hay ride was over, Chris deemed it time to wander the corn maze, the three of them making their way over to it. Buck’s height made it easy for him to maneuver them through the tall stocks, Buck all but able to see right over them. Chris looked back to him at one point, brows furrowed.
“You’re-you’re cheating…. you’ve been here before!”
Buck and Eddie leaned into each other, both trying to stifle their laughter; Christopher was not amused.
After finally making it out of the maze, Buck tried to keep his hints to a minimum, their stomachs decided it was time for lunch. In true fall fashion, all the vendors seemed to be selling some variation of apple or pumpkin this, the three of them delighting in the place that was selling pizza, the peperoni kind.
They found a bench to sit on, Buck and Eddie straddling the seat while Chris sat facing forward, the two of them gazing over to each other in between bites. Once finished, Chris asked if he could go look at the pumpkins across the way, Eddie nodding to let his son get a head start.
Buck and Eddie watched fondly as Chris looked to all the pumpkins, contemplating each one before moving on to the next.
Buck let out a chuckle. “We’re gonna need a wagon if he finds one bigger than last year.”
Eddie turned his attention to Buck, nodding in agreement. “Let’s just hope he finds a cute little one this year.”
“And uh, who’s going to tell him no when it’s three times the size of last years?”
Eddie sighed, scrubbing a hand over his temple. “Why is parenting so hard?”
They both burst into laughter, hopping off the bench to check on Christopher, hoping they could stop him before any decisions had been made.
As Eddie wandered off on his own, Buck was left in charge of Chris, watching as the boy stopped at a particularly big one. Leaning down, Buck found an averaged sized pumpkin, holding up the orange squash to show Chris.
“Hey buddy, how about this one? It’s perfectly shaped for a jack-o-lantern.”
Chris looked over to him, shaking his head. “No, too small.”
Buck sighed, scratching at the side of his head; he all but gave up after several more failed attempts—they were all ‘too small’ for Chris’ liking.
“C’mon bud, let’s just pick one. It doesn’t have to be the biggest one to be special.”
It was Chris who sighed this time, looking down to the ground with frustration.
“But then you won’t stay as long.”
Huh?
“What ah, what’re you talking about buddy?”
Chris looked up to him dejectedly. “If we get a small pumpkin then you won’t stay as long to help.”
Oh.
Buck bent down to pull Chris in for a hug, squeezing him a little extra.
“Chris, I can stay over as long as you want, ok? No matter what sized pumpkin we get.”
Chris pulled away to look up at him, eyes shinning brightly again.
“Really?”
Buck stuck out his pinky finger, Chris placing his out as well, Buck linking them together.
“Promise.”
By the time Eddie fell into step with them, Buck had convinced Chris to pick a reasonably sized one, one that was much smaller than the previous years. Eddie gave them a quizzical look, Buck shrugging his shoulders innocently; he could tell Eddie later, much, much later.
~
That night, after they’d read Chris a bedtime story, Buck made his way back to the living room so Eddie could get in his final snuggles.
Buck pulled at the sleeves of his sweatshirt, bringing them over his hands as he shivered from the cool breeze blowing in through the open front door. His legs were warm from the sweats Eddie had let him borrow, socks covering his feet. He was all but burrowing into the couch when Eddie came back out, dressed much the same, smiling fondly as he moved to close the door.
“Cold?”
Buck nodded, smiling sheepishly over to his best friend.
He watched as Eddie made for the hall cupboard, coming back with Buck’s favorite fluffy blanket, the one he always borrowed whenever he stayed over. Eddie plopped onto the couch next to him, Buck holding open half the blanket to let Eddie in. When their thighs pressed together, Buck shivered again, though not from being cold.
As Buck picked mindlessly at the blanket, he felt Eddie watching him, looking up to meet brown.
“So, just how did you convince our son to get such a small pumpkin?”
Buck blushed, still not used to Eddie sharing Chris so openly; the will had really put things into perspective for them.
“Um-he just—well he was afraid I wouldn’t stay as long otherwise.”
Eddie furrowed his brows together, waiting for Buck to elaborate.
Twisting the blanket between his fingers, Buck let the truth slip out.
“He was uh, he was worried that if he didn’t have a big pumpkin that I would leave earlier, and that we’d have less time together, when we carve them, I mean.”
Eddie nodded while pulling in his bottom lip.
“He really loves you, you know?”
Buck smiled softly, mumbling under his breath.
“Almost as much as you do.”
Eddie’s head whipped his direction, mouth all but falling open.
Buck sighed lightly, turning to face Eddie.
“I uh, I might’ve overheard some of your guy’s conversation earlier…at Starbucks.”
Eddie nodded once, not quite meeting Buck.
“Yea, I um, I wondered how much of that you heard.”
When Eddie didn’t say anything else, Buck knocked their knees together, Eddie looking over to fully meet him.
“So um, are you…in love with me I mean?”
Eddie broke into a full-blown smile, shaking his head a little exasperated; Buck was definitely getting mixed signals.
“Isn’t it obvious?”
Buck arched a brow. “Uh, no?”
Eddie closed his eyes as he took in a deep breath, turning to face Buck so his knees were digging into Bucks thigh. He took Buck’s hands in his, squeezing softly.
“Buck, my kid wanted to get a bigger pumpkin just to keep you here longer, I made you his legal guardian, and this house honestly feels empty without you in it. I—of course I’m in love with you. How could I not be?”
Buck would be blaming his seasonal allergies for the tears that slipped out; Eddie just made him really soft and mushy inside, ok?
“Eds I—I look at you and Chris, and I’m home.”
Eddie rolled his eyes; Buck just confessed his undying love, and Eddie Rolled. His. Eyes.
“A Finding Nemo quote, really?”
Buck couldn’t help the smile that trickled across his face; it was his and Chris favorite movie, and he really meant it.
“Well, I’m surprised you even knew what that was from. Plus, I was being romantic Eds. Jeeze.”
A low chuckle slipped out of Eddie as he shook his head fondly.
“How could I not know the movie? You two have only watched it a hundred thousand times.”
Buck began to feign offence, going off onto an entire monologue about how he knows Eddie loves the movie just as much. He was really getting into it when Eddie used their linked hands to pull him in closer, calling out to him.
“Buck.”
“Yea?”
“Shut up so I can kiss you.”
And so, Buck did just that, closing his eyes as Eddie leaned in, pressing the softest of kisses over his lips.
The kiss quickly turned heated, Eddie pressing Buck down onto the couch as he climbed into his lap, Buck gladly welcoming the weight. Eddie was all over him, completely surrounding him, Buck never feeling so warmed in his life.
When they pulled away to catch their breath, Eddie smiled down to Buck.
“Still cold?”
Buck slid his hands under Eddie’s sweatshirt, tugging him closer.
“Not anymore.”
They fell asleep wrapped in each other, Buck never letting Eddie go for a second; Eddie was a willing participant.
In the morning, Chris was ecstatic to see his Bucky was still there, the joy only carrying on when Buck made them pumpkin chocolate chip pancakes, the next flavor on their list of fall recipes; the first had been apple cinnamon.
Chris sat at the table happily eating his share while Buck stood at the stove finishing up the rest, Eddie closely tucked azt his side. With Chris zoned in on his pancakes, Buck leaned over, pressing a chaste kiss to Eddie’s lips.
“Hey Eds?”
“Yea Ev?”
Buck smiled a little mischievously, leaning in closer.
“I think I’m like an autumn leaf.”
Eddie nodded. “Ok, and uh, why is that?”
Pressing in further, Buck whispered into Eddie’s ear.
“Because I keep on falling for you.”
Eddie groaned aloud, only making Buck giggle in delight.
“Hey Buck?”
“Yea Eddie?”
Buck was tugged in close, Eddie wrapping his arms tightly around him.
“I love you.”
“I love you too, more than the biggest pumpkin in the patch.”