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Buck’s always cold.
Eddie knows this, has known this for a while since before they started dating. It’s adorable, he’s always thought it adorable, seeing how Buck steals blankets and snuggles in to whoever is sitting closer to him, but being the main recipient of Buck’s need for warmth is even better. It’s now Eddie who gets to hug Buck to warm him up, it’s Eddie who he snuggles up to on the sofa, it’s Eddie who gets to drape over him at night.
He likes it, being able to warm Buck up with hands, touches and kisses. He likes how Buck turns to him and asks for physical contact without words, his face open and alight whenever Eddie is close. He likes how he slips his hands below Eddie’s shirt to warm them up on his back, he even likes how he steals his hoodies and sweaters. There’s nothing more amazing than seeing his boyfriend squeezed into his clothes, a fact that Eddie didn’t realise he was possessive over until it actually started happening.
But Buck also is pouty and complains about the cold whenever Eddie isn’t around to be his own personal heated blanket. Eddie comes home from work when Buck has had the day off to find him cocooned in many blankets on the sofa, turning a disgruntled face to Eddie when he dares to bend down and press a kiss hello to the soft halo of curls.
“You left me and I’m cold,” Buck complains as he tilts his face upwards for a proper kiss and Eddie cups his face and just about refrains from rolling his eyes at the dramatic greeting he’s been given.
“I’m here now,” is all he says and Buck makes a happy noise and bundles him onto the couch, getting as close as he can. He dips his nose into Eddie’s collarbone and breathes out contentedly.
It’s adorable, but unsustainable. Eddie can’t spend all his days cuddling Buck, can he? He needs a different idea that will help Buck keep warm when he’s not around.
It takes him a while to think of a solution and it comes to him in the most mundane of places. They’re doing their weekly shop, Buck has taken the list off him mumbling something about finding the correct ingredients or else the meals will be ruined, Eds, can’t you tell the difference between cheddar and pepperjack cheese? And so Eddie and Christopher are browsing the aisles, Christopher sneaking in snacks when he thinks Eddie’s not looking and Eddie removing them when he’s distracted by the next display. He does allow some of the nice biscuits they both like and they sneak in some chocolate with nuts that Christopher loves and mabe a packet or two of chips, but that’s nothing too bad, surely.
And then they turn a corner and find a display in the middle of the store, with Christmas themed clothing. Right in the middle of the display is a shelf full of fluffy cabin socks.
Eddie stops and stares, and when Christopher sees what he’s looking at he moves closer and strokes the socks, his fingers clutching into the woolen lining. “Dad, you should feel them, they’re so warm,” he says and when Eddie finally gets his legs moving and he touches them too he almost swoons.
They’re perfect, just what will work to keep Buck warm and more than that, they’re a symbol that he’s home, that he’s living with them and that he loves them and Eddie can’t quite believe he’s soppy enough to be getting emotional over socks, but he has to blink back the tears in his eyes anyway.
He hides a pair and gets Christopher to distract Buck whilst he pays and squirrels the bag into his jacket pocket so Buck has no idea what he’s just brought him.
He’s not at work until the following Monday evening, and he keeps the socks hidden until then, in his jacket pocket so Buck won’t find them. As Monday goes on, Buck gets grumpier and grumpier. He’s been working over the weekend, he came back cold on Sunday evening but they had all night to snuggle and keep each other warm. And now he knows Eddie is on shift and they won’t see each other until Buck joins him for the last twelve hours on Tuesday once he’s taken Chris to school, he’s starting to pout.
“You’re going to miss me that much?” Eddie asks, teasing him lightly as he changes for work, after a shower that they’d shared and Buck had spent most of the time with him pressed against the wall rather than cleaning off. They’re both flushed now, warm and Buck’s cheeks are pink as he sits on the bed and watches as Eddie gets dressed.
“I always miss you,” Buck says, sweetly as he pulls Eddie in for another kiss and then releases him. “Well, your warmth anyway. I’m always cold when you’re not around, baby.”
It’s clear he was going for a return tease, but the sincerity of his words strikes Eddie in the heart, he loves this man so much it hurts sometimes. Instead of saying anything else, he reaches for his jacket and pulls the bag of socks out of it, handing it to Buck with a press of his lips against the soft curls crowning his head.
He carries on getting ready, sliding his shirt on, so he doesn’t see as Buck slides the bag open, but he hears the gasp and when he looks up, Buck’s gazing at him with the biggest heart eyes he’s ever seen directed at him and an almost shy smile on his face. “Eds,” he says, his voice low and sweet and slightly raspy. “Eds.”
“They’re just socks,” Eddie begins to say, but he’s bowled over by Buck, who shoots to his feet and slides his arms around Eddie’s waist, pulling him in close.
“They’re not just anything,” Buck vows as he looks into Eddie’s eyes. “Thank you.”
Buck wears the socks constantly. He wears them around the house, over the tiles of the kitchen floor, in bed. And whenever Eddie isn’t there, he’s always got them on. He hides them in Eddie’s drawer when they’ve been washed, until they smell like Eddie and they’re always close to hand. It takes Eddie a while to realise just what they represent to Buck. Buck’s always felt like he’s the one left behind, that he has no one that has wanted to stay around for him. The socks represent the fact that Eddie is there and that he is never going to go, that Buck is part of his family and even though they’re just piles of wool and thread, the love they share is knitted into each and every stitch.
It makes Eddie’s heart fill with love, every time he sees Buck wear the socks, even when he takes them out of the drawer and strokes them, his eyes darting to Eddie when he thinks he’s being subtle. He’d give him every single sock in the world if it made Buck realise just how adored he is by both Eddie and Christopher.
And then there's the day when Eddie is ill, a head cold that catches him unaware. They’d been out on a call for a long time, heading out at night to save some kids from a party boat that had started sinking. Eddie had dived into the black water and even though everyone had been saved, he’d been cold for the rest of the shift, not even Buck’s arms in the bunk room had warmed him up. Then he wakes up the next day, his nose blocked, coughing so hard his chest hurts and Buck takes one look at him, takes his temperature and then shoos him back to bed.
Eddie goes, with not too much grumbling. He’s always had to be the one in control in his life, and it’s so nice to have someone else who looks after him for once. It took him a while to let Buck in but as soon as he did, he became so appreciative of him. He can hear Buck talking to Christopher, their voices low as they get ready for school, and then he can hear the sound of Bobby through the phone and then the bed dips as Buck sits next to him, his hand against Eddie’s forehead.
“I rang you in sick,” he says, his voice low and comforting. “I’ve bought you water and Tylenol, and Carla will come and check on you later on. I'm just a phone call away if you need me and I bribed Bobby to finish early so I can be back to help with dinner for Chris after school.” He pauses, brushes some of Eddie’s hair out of his eyes and then kisses his forehead. “How are you feeling, baby?”
“Cold,” Eddie croaks out and Buck frowns as he feels his forehead again. He guesses he must be warm to the touch.
Buck kisses him once more then moves away, and then he opens their drawers and pulls out the fluffy socks from his side. He gently helps Eddie to sit up and pulls them on and his eyes are so soft and warm as he rearranges him under the covers. “Call me, baby, please. I’ll be home soon,” is all he says but Eddie reaches for his wrist and tries to show just how much he loves him. The fact that he’s now wearing the socks, the socks that show their love for each other makes him feel better than any medicine.
The house grows quiet and Eddie dozes, safe and warm in the knowledge that Buck has left a piece of his heart with him.