Work Text:
Hi
I miss tou
Eddie is getting ready for bed when he gets the texts from Buck.
Hi?
Helko efds
I live you
Live
Love
And i midd yku
Moss
Miss
Fuck
Eddie starts to reconsider getting ready for bed. The way this conversation (if you can call it that) is going, he might need to be grabbing his keys and heading to The Lion soon.
You're cute when you're drunk
They always balance on this line of flirting, but when one – or both – of them is drunk, the game changes.
Yir cute always
Who's Yir?
Fucj
Edds no
Yoi
You
I'm fucking with you, Buckley
Oh
Ok
Good
Rlly good
Soery if im being annoyingly Dr bk
Drunk
The guy at the bar told me not to thunk im being annoying but im not sure of i trust him
And oh, no, Eddie does not like that.
Listen, Eddie knows that he can be a bit... possessive. And that's on a good day. He knows it's archaic, but he can't stand the idea of this vulnerable version of Buck being around anyone without Eddie there.
What guy?
Jyst this old dide
Dude
He's in stem or somethubf
I dont renebber
Bjf he's fun
I like him
Not thr way i like you though
Right…
You're at The Lion, right? Can I come pick you up?
What? No.
Wait, what the fuck does that mean? Buck's not planning on going home with someone tonight, is he? He's fucking plastered. Before Eddie can articulate his response, Buck is messaging again.
The lion is OUR bar efds
I dont go there withiut you
Im at that cowbiy place
Yk with the cow thing
No, no Eddie does not know. Instead, he flips over to the location app that the entire 118 and their families use (when you're around emergencies so often, you like to pick up extra safety measures).
Eddie had no idea about The Blue Lasso, and he's sure as hell Buck is going to tease him for that tomorrow.
If he can function tomorrow.
Yeah, i know the place
Coming to pick you up
Be there in 15
Eddie knocks lightly on Christopher's door, waiting for a response before stepping in. "I'm gonna go rescue Buck real fast, I'll be back in 30 minutes, okay? You good?"
Listen, Eddie knows that his kid is 13, and that 13 is a very reasonable age to leave a kid alone for an hour. Hell, Eddie and his sisters were latchkey kids when they were under 10. He still gets nervous every time, though.
"Yes, dad. Go take care of our Buck."
That's something Eddie hopes will never change. Chris has been growing up in every possible way, but he still calls Buck his Buck and our Buck and that's fucking adorable.
"Will do, kid. Call if you need anything.*
Eddie slips on his shoes and grabs his keys, heading for the door when he gets another text.
Where arr youuuu
I niss you edds
Im sorru if I'm annoting thiugh
Eddie has never been able to get Buck to wrap his mind around the fact that he is not annoying when drunk. But Buck's anxieties seem to be set in stone. Maybe someday, Eddie will have the chance to change that.
Eddie arrives at the bar and cuts the engine. After hopping out and entering, he scans his eyes for Buck and finds him sitting at the bar next to someone who is graciously listening to him talk.
Eddie walks up behind Buck, lightly placing a hand on Buck's shoulder. Buck swings around, hugging Eddie with Lennie-tight grip.
"Hi Edds!"
Eddie chuckles, patting his hand on Buck's head and flagging down the bartender. "Can we close out his tab?"
"So you're the Eddie, huh?"
The voice catches Eddie off guard. He turns to the side and notices the guy Buck had been sitting with, some dude in his mid forties, who is definitely not as drunk as Buck is.
"Ha," Eddie chuckles, "yeah, I guess I am."
"So you're what? Dating? He kinda talks about you like a schoolgirl with a crush."
Eddie chuckles, knowing Buck well enough to know that it's an accurate description. "I wish," he mutters.
But Eddie forgot himself. Buck's head is squished in his chest, but he's still there.
"You wish?!" His head shoots up and he looks Eddie in the eye, framing his cheeks roughly with his hands. "I wish too, Edds."
"That makes two of us. Now come on, let's go."
Eddie takes a twenty out of his wallet after doing a decent amount of math – Buck must have spent about $100 here to get this particular level of drunk, always tip 20% when there's booze – and leaves it on the counter for the bartender.
He bids a goodbye to the man next to them as he helps Buck up, the man stumbling even with Eddie's help.
"Let's get you home, yeah?"
Eddie helps Buck down to his boxer briefs and gathers some remedies for the morning. NSAIDs, water, a plastic sack in case he gets nauseous.
"Drink this, small sips," Eddie encourages, holding a bottle of water up to Buck's mouth.
"Thanks Eddie. Love ya."
"Love you too."
Eddie crawls in bed beside Buck, sacrificing his body to the cuddly monster Buck becomes when he's drunk.
He wonders, as Buck is falling asleep while humming, why they're doing this.
He says so, in the morning.
" Fuck," Buck grumbles. "What did I do last night?"
"You know damn well what you did, Buck." Eddie laughs, quietly, before reaching for a bottle of water and a sleeve of crackers from the bedside table. "Here, eat these so you can take the aspirin."
Buck groans something that's meant to be a complaint and sits up on his elbow, just enough to do what he was told.
After draining the bottle and taking the medicine, Buck lays back down on Eddie's chest, pushing his face into Eddie's shirt.
"Why are we doing this?" Eddie cuts to the point.
Buck stiffens. "Wh- I mean, I can go to the cou-"
"No, dumbass. Why are we pretending that nothing's here?"
Buck sighs. "I'm too hungover for this." Eddie doesn't make any moves to accept that answer, so Buck continues after a minute. "I don't know. I guess I've always just followed your lead. I get that doesn’t make sense, but. I dunno. Words hard, feelings hard.” Buck’s voice trails off and his breathing becomes heavier as his weight falls fully down.
“Can we talk when you wake up?”
“On’y if there’s om’lets,” Buck slurs, already falling back asleep.
A couple of hours later, the doorbell rings with their breakfast delivery. Eddie tries to pry Buck off of him, but to no avail.
“I’ve gotta get the food, love.” Eddie doesn’t mean for the name to slip out, but he doesn’t really care that it did, either.
Buck perks up at the mention of food. He rolls over and Eddie allows himself a moment to adore Buck as he slowly sits up and rubs his eyes.
“Can we talk now?” Christopher’s finished his breakfast and has gone back to his room to play some online games with his friends.
“Can we move to the couch?”
Eddie chuckles at Buck’s question and gets up, clearing their takeout containers and grabbing a throw blanket for them. Once they’re settled, pressed together and under the blanket, Eddie’s arm thrown over Buck’s shoulders, Buck’s head resting on Eddie’s shoulder, Eddie repeats his question. “Can we talk now?”
“Yeah, yeah we can talk, Eddie.”
“Can you go first?”
Eddie may have the nuts to initiate the conversation, but he’s still horrible at talking about his feelings. Buck knows that, though, so he takes pity.
“Fuck it, let’s go out.”
“Yeah?” Eddie can feel his face stretching with the force of his smile.
“Yeah.”
“What else?”
“Let’s go out on dates…” Buck starts, his voice taking on a daydreaming type of tone. “Let’s go see movies and go to arcades, I wanna beat your ass in laser tag–”
“You really think you could beat my ass in laser tag? I have a silver star.”
“Yes, but, if I’m your boyfriend you’re obligated to let me win.”
“Boyfriend,” Eddie hums with approval. “I like that.”
“Boyfriend, partner,” Buck’s voice continues with a decrescendo the longer his list gets. “Fiancé, Husband, even.”
“I’d like that.” Eddie turns his head enough to kiss the crown of Buck’s head.
“Me too,” Buck whispers.
“Laser tag, Eddie?” They’re two years into their relationship. The time flew by insanely fast because of how little actually changed between them. Eddie has been meaning to do this for at least a year. Probably more.
“You complaining, Buckley? You love laser tag.”
“I do,” Buck admits. “But you made this date sound all special.”
Eddie does his best to act mildly offended. “Who says this isn’t special?”
“You’re right,” Buck softly smiles. “I’m sorry. Let’s go in.”
After securing their vests and going through the safety procedures, they enter the dark room.
“Shit,” Eddie nudges Buck with his elbow. “My vest is acting weird. I’ll be right back.”
Eddie nonchalantly makes his way out into the lobby, finding the teenage clerk. “We’re all good?”
“Yep!”
Eddie hands the teenager $100 for their troubles. They decline it at first, but Eddie argues, “if all goes right, this will be one of the best days of my life. You’re a part of that. So take the damn Benjamin so I can get back in there, yeah?”
Eddie makes his way back into the room and looks for Buck, who can’t be found anywhere.
“Babe? Are you hiding?”
“No.” Buck’s whisper comes from the distance.
“Come on, no need to be weak. Real men don’t hide from their boyfriends during laser tag,” Eddie teases.
Of course, that has Buck sputtering and coming out into the open, gun in hand. He stops when he realizes Eddie’s gun is stuck under his arm, instead of being held. Eddie approaches Buck and grabs his gun, aiming it towards himself.
Neither of them laugh when Eddie’s vest blinks and Buck’s gun makes the futuristic sound. Buck is staring at Eddie, confused, but taking his lead.
Then Eddie reaches into his pocket and pulls out a satin box. The strobing lights in the room come to a halt and the music changes to Frank Sinatra.
Buck blinks, his lips parting.
“As your boyfriend, I’m obligated to let you win.”
Buck’s breath hitches. Sure, it’s a general rule that they continue to live by, but Buck still seems shocked when he says, “you remember that?”
Instead of answering, Eddie encroaches on Buck, reaching his free hand out to hold Buck’s wrist. “So, boyfriend, partner, fiancé. Husband, even. This is my promise to always let you win. If you want it, that is.” Eddie opens the box to reveal a simple silver band.
Buck can’t see it now, but he’ll soon see the inscription on the inside.
You can have my back any day.