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Every straight/cis/allo/perisex person thinks coming out is this one big moment in life, a big bang erupting and then the world is rainbow coloured at best and a total disaster at worst. Buck thought so, too. He didn’t consider the possibility that he would have to come out, again and again, for the rest of his life. At least if he and Eddie stay happy together.
—
The first person Buck comes out to is Maddie. “I think I might be bi,” he says as they're sitting on the couch, watching an episode of The X-files. Maddie nearly chokes on her popcorn.
“Okay.” It is part question/part acknowledgement.
“Yeah,” Buck says, rubbing a hand over his neck. “I always thought Mulder was hot. Just as hot as Scully.”
“No wonder you’re binging this old show,” Maddie teases him, and that is it.
—
The next one is Eddie. He comes out in return and after a few months of secret dating, they tell Chris. He's surprised, but simply happy to officially have two dads now. Buck can’t help laughing when he says that. Such a perfect boy. His perfect boy.
—
At work, they drop the bomb on a calm day – no, no one used the Q word – telling the team that they're together and coming out in one go. It goes over as smoothly as expected. Hen gives them a knowing smile and a crushing hug, Cap congratulates them, and Chimney mumbles something sounding like “about time”. Their family accepts them, and that's the end of it. Only the gentle teasing every newly coupled person in the team has to endure floods over them. They take it in stride.
—
The nurse looks at Buck's questionnaire before the blood donation and dismisses him with a down-tick of her lips.
“What’s the problem?” Buck asks.
“You’re gay,” she replies.
“Bi, actually,” he says, smirking. Flirting has always been in his nature. He doesn’t mean to, but something about her reaction makes him defensive.
“Man who had sex with men in the last three months can’t donate,” she says brusquely and turns away. It hurts. That was the first time someone looked differently at him after coming out. Buck gets the feeling he’s been very lucky so far.
—
"Will you bring a plus one?" Taylor asks as they talk about a mutual friend's birthday party.
"Yeah," Buck replies and winces a little. "My... boyfriend."
"Oh," comes over the phone. "Didn't know... cool."
—
“Are you sure, Evan?” Phillip asks, looking over at Margaret. Buck bites his bottom lip to hold in a groan.
“Why would I come out to you if I wasn’t?” he asks.
His parents both shrug.
“Are you using protection?” Philip asks.
Buck sighs. “You didn’t ask me that when I slept with women,” he grinds out. They don’t talk about it after that, but his parents slowly warm up to their future son-in-law.
—
Coming out never stops. It’s okay, Buck supposes. He wishes he wouldn’t need to, though.