Work Text:
It’s been a relatively peaceful day when the alarms go off in the 118 firehouse and Buck runs for the truck, jumping into his normal seat next to Lena. Ravi, the probie, is opposite, in between Hen and Chim, Bobby upfront getting the information about the call that’s just come in.
“It’s a house fire,” he calls out. “Two adults and one child involved, not sure yet if they’re inside or out.”
“Do we know the address, cap?” Lena asks.
“Yeah,” Bobby reads it out and Buck’s blood runs cold at the words. Because he’s almost entirely sure that the address is that of his boyfriend, whom no one at the station actually knows about yet.
Eddie Diaz, who he met at the gym around a year ago, who he now works out with and runs with. Who has the most adorable son in the world. Who is a teacher at the local school and who regales Buck with tales of what the students he teaches get up to - it’s usually the craziest, funniest stories. Buck enjoys spending time with him and he’s never had anyone who he can just text before about anything. Plus, he’s lovely and beautiful and he’s a great dad.
And now his house is on fire and if there's adults and children involved it’s probably him and Christopher. No one knows about his relationship with Eddie, and he doesn’t want to tell anyone yet because he needs to be the one to help if Eddie’s hurt and he knows that Bobby will pull him from the call. And at the same time, he’s frightened, the only thing he can compare it to is when Maddie was missing and hurt, because this is his boyfriend, the person he may be in love with, and he doesn’t want Eddie to be hurt in any way shape or form.
Hen looks at him closely as they’re driving there, “are you alright, Buckaroo?” she asks and he nods, trying to pretend that everything is fine.
“Just thinking of plans,” he says and she nods and leaves him alone, even though her eyes are still concerned as she looks over at him.
They turn the corner and its mayhem, flames leaping out of the single level building, neighbours, loads of cars gaggling around the house, the flash of red and blue lighting up the sky next to the roar of the fire. It’s big and it’s bad and Buck’s heart is in his mouth.
Bobby takes the lead as they pull to a stop and jump out, doing his triage as the rest of the crew grab hoses and gear from the back. Someone’s calling to them, next to a pile of clothes on the floor and Buck moves closer to see as Bobby runs over and then turns and gestures for them. On the floor in a heap are two people Buck knows, Carla, who is the carer for the other person there, and Christopher, Eddie’s son. They’re huddling together, Christopher is crying, his head pressed against Carla’s shoulder, which at least means he can’t see and recognise Buck because he’s desperate to be inside and helping and he knows if Bobby finds out how involved he is, he’ll be off the team. Hen drops to the ground next to them, listens to Christopher’s chest, Chim looks over Carla and Buck makes sure he’s out of sight, especially when he hears Carla’s hoarse voice from the smoke. “Christopher’s dad is inside still,” she manages to say.
“Dad went back in for our cat,” Christopher sobs and Buck’s moving almost before Bobby finished giving out directions for him, Lena and Ravi to follow.
It’s like something almost feral has taken over him, a feeling he’s never had before when attempting a rescue and Buck’s only thought is Eddie, Eddie, Eddie. Lena nods at him as they enter through the front door, the hallway alight with smoke climbing and Buck has to push the tendrils of worry scared fear down because although it’s difficult to think that Eddie’s in here still, he has a job to do and someone to save.
Even if that someone means more to him than he’s ever been able to put into words.
They find him, curled into a ball in the kitchen, as low as he can get and he’s holding a cat, grey with fluffy fur, in his hands. There’s a second where Buck’s heart just stops and the world grows silent, because the figure is not moving at all, but Lena is dropping to her knees and it’s like the noise just comes rushing back in when she motions with her hand that he’s alive. Buck wastes no more time, grabbing Eddie’s knees and back as he hoists him over his shoulder, Lena grabbing the cat that would have fallen out of his hands and they get out of the house quickly.
Hen has moved Christopher and Carla into another ambulance so Buck lies Eddie on the grass, aware that Chim is running over to them but desperate to help. He rips his mask off, checks Eddie’s airways and when he finds he’s unconscious but breathing it’s like the weight of the entire world falls off his shoulders. Chim takes over with a hand to his shoulder and Buck tries to stop the trembling from erupting through his entire body. He’s not sure what to do as Chim gets Eddie onto a board, grabbing the feet end as they load him into their ambulance and Chim hooks him up to oxygen. Should he stay? Should he go and pretend he doesn’t know him? Does he hold his hand or stroke his hair back from his forehead? Does he…
His spiral is halted by the hacking cough Eddie gives as he comes to, and it’s Buck his eyes land on first. Chim’s working on something but Eddie claws at his mask until he can choke out in a voice roughened with smoke, “Chris,” and Buck gives into his need to touch, to feel the warmth and know he’s alive.
“He’s ok, going to be checked out with you,” is what he says and he ignores the way Chim’s eyebrows raise as he rubs his thumb over Eddie’s knuckles.
“Go with, please,” Eddie manages to get out before Chim firmly fixes the mask back onto his face and forces him to slump back onto the cot, more out of it again than before. He’s just been in a fire with no oxygen after all. There’s nothing more Buck wants to do than stay with him, but he knows he can’t, not when Eddie’s explicitly asked him to go with Christopher and now the burning need to check he’s alive has faded, Buck gets it. Because Christopher is the light of Eddie’s life and he has to be there for him too.
He nods at Chim, rather jerkily, knowing that this will not have gone unnoticed and then jumps out the ambulance before he does something stupid like kiss Eddie or declare his love for him. He sprints to the other ambulance and almost falls onto Hen as he scrambles into it but it’s worth it for the way Christopher gasps out an almost sob and then he’s in Buck’s arms, his head pressed into his neck and his hands linked around Buck’s shoulders. He’s shaking and he’s cold and he’s crying, but he’s alive. Hen stares too, but blinks at him and becomes professional quicker than anyone else would have, when faced with her friend and colleague being hugged by a child that must obviously know and trust him.
“Christopher is ok,” she says, “a bit of smoke inhalation maybe but his dad got him and Carla out quickly so I don’t think there’s any problems. We’re going to take you to the same hospital as your dad so you can see him and check you out right, Chris?”
“Is dad ok?” Christopher pulls back to ask and Buck wipes his tears away with a careful finger and then kisses his forehead.
“He’s being looked after by the best,” he says, ignoring the painful thud of his heart as he thinks about how close Eddie got to not being ok. “He sent me to look after you, Superman. And Carla too, of course.”
Christopher sniffs a little and Hen’s mouth drops open but she says nothing about what’s going on in front of her, instead, makes a comment about Buck’s statement. “The best? I have you know, Christopher, that you have the best from the 118 in here,” that has Christopher giggling and Buck thanking her with wide eyes. She shakes her head, a sign he knows means he’s going to get the third degree later on, but she says nothing, merely bangs on the ambulance so they can start the transport to the hospital.
Buck’s sitting in the waiting room, on one of the uncomfortable hospital chairs whilst he waits for news on Eddie. Carla has already been checked over and gone home, taking the cat with her, Christopher is on his lap after being declared ok too. Now it’s just Eddie and even though Buck knows Chim says he’s fine, he’s still worried until he can see him with his own eyes. He and Christopher have spoken about the sleep over they can have at Buck’s loft, about how Maddie has gone out to buy some clothes and pajamas for them and he considered taking Christopher home, but they both wanted to stay to see how Eddie was, if he was coming out of hospital or staying overnight and so they’re cuddling on one of the chairs, letting the bustle of the hospital happen around their little bubble. Christopher is falling asleep, his breath snuffling against Buck’s collarbone. Everything is quiet, until out of the corner of his eye, Buck spots Hen coming towards him. She presses her hand to his shoulder and then sits next to him, knocking their knees together, keeping her voice low because of Christopher.
“What’s going on then, Buckaroo?” she asks and Buck shuffles his arms around to keep Christopher safe as he looks over to her. She’s one of his closest friends, he trusts her and he needs someone to talk to whilst his boyfriend is hurt.
“He’s my boyfriend and this is his son,” he says and he sees the way Hen’s face settles into the softest smile possible.
“Your boyfriend? You kept that one quiet.”
“I didn’t want to cause any fuss, and I enjoyed having something that was just for me,” Buck admits, not sure if she’ll understand, but by the way she nods, he knows she gets him. “But I love him, Hen, so much, and I almost lost him and I don’t know how to deal with that.”
“You didn’t lose him, either of them,” she says, resting her hand on his arm and squeezing it lightly. “Looks like they both made sure they were going to fight for each other and you.”
Buck looks down, at the curly head tucked under his chin and breathes out deeply. “Yeah.”
“Tell me about him?”
That’s easier, and Buck can pass any amount of time talking about the man who claimed his heart over coffee and gym and school stories. At least he has less time to worry when he’s telling Hen about how they met and fell in love, seeing the way her face lights up the longer he talks.
It’s a few hours later when he gets the go ahead to see Eddie and he jostles Christopher in his arms carefully as he stands up. He’s still asleep, and Buck carries him into the room like the precious cargo he is. Eddie’s in the bed, his eyes shut, his eyelashes resting against his cheeks and he looks pale and small against the stark white sheets. Buck breathes out shakily as he sits down, balancing Christopher back onto his lap and then reaches out with a hand and curls it around Eddie’s.
It’s like the touch has woken him up, because the minute his hand touches Eddie’s, his fingers squeeze against Buck’s and his eyelashes flutter and then he’s blinking open the warm brown eyes that Buck loves so very much. “Hey,” he whispers and he sees how Eddie’s eyes drop over him, still in his work uniform, probably smelling of smoke, with Christopher asleep in his arms and he can only imagine what his face must look like.
“Evan,” Eddie breathes out, his voice still smoke roughened. “Oh, god, Evan.”
Buck tightens his hand around Eddie, wanting to get him into his arms but unwilling to hurt him. “It’s ok,” he says, trying to keep his voice light. “It’s ok, Chris is ok, your damn cat is ok, Carla is ok, you got them out. You’re ok, you’re going to be ok. And your house, it’s just material things, you can replace them.”
“The kids work,” Eddie groans and shuts his eyes. “That’s not replaceable.”
“But neither are you,” Buck points out and he can’t hide how his voice breaks on the last word.
Eddie opens his eyes again and then gestures for Buck to come closer, getting him to lie Christopher on the bed next to him and then pulling him in until their foreheads touch and they’re sharing the same air. “You saved me,” he whispers as he tilts his head up for a kiss, finally settling Buck’s heart in his chest.
“I was doing my job,” is all Buck says but Eddie shakes his head.
“No, you saved me, in more ways than you probably realize.”
They’re quiet for a moment, relishing in the closeness and nearness of each other until Eddie heaves a sigh. “I don’t know where we’re going to go…”
“You’re staying with me,” Buck says, firmly. “My loft isn’t too far from your school and Chris loves spending time there, so you’re staying with me. Like I’d let you go anywhere else right now. Even the damn cat can come.”
“Your crew?”
“They all know about us now anyway,” Buck admits. “And they can’t wait to meet you when you’re up and well.”
Eddie stays with him when he gets released from the hospital, the three of them and the cat together in Buck’s loft but he wouldn’t have it any other way. And when the cheque from Eddie’s insurance comes through, they look for a house for their family, together.