Chapter Text
Evan Buckley has never been shy about wanting to be wanted. What he has learned, though, is to keep quiet about his desire to be a dad. Yes, he’s scared he might end up like his parents, and yes, he has a lot to work through but he’s always wanted to be a dad— even when he denied it to himself.
When his high school girlfriend told him she might be pregnant, he got excited for a second—really excited. But then she broke him, saying it was "probably" his, so he had to help her. The "probably" hit him hard, but he’s always been a fixer, so he did what she asked. He took his dad’s car and drove her to another town so she could be sure. In the end, she wasn’t pregnant- the drive back was awkward and yes he got an earful from his parents but at the end it was worth it.
He wants a family. He wants a kid, a dog, the white picket fence—sue him. He’s always been great with kids. Well, except when they’re scared; then he just tries too hard to calm them down, often making it worse. But really, drop your kid with him for an afternoon, and when you come back, neither of them will want to let go.
So, when he met Eddie and later Chris, he was ecstatic. He liked kids and really enjoyed talking with them. Like, who else would ask him his second favorite color (brown) or whether he’d choose to fly, but only if it meant he had to grow wings? (the answer was yes but only if he could some how hide them), those were the important questions. So anytime he was off shift and Eddie asked if he wanted to hang out with him and Chris, he’d say yes. After a while, he felt so at home with them that they just fell into sync.
They worked 24 hours on Mondays, so he’d grab coffee on his way to work as a treat for Eddie. At the end of the shift, he’d head to the loft, shower, change, and depending on how hard the shift was, he’d either sleep or go over to Eddie’s to start lunch. Carla would drop off Chris, and the three of them would eat. He or Eddie would help Chris with his homework—both of them, let’s be honest, especially with math. After homework, they’d go to the park, play video games, or run errands. And, let’s be honest, most of the week looked pretty much the same. The weekends, though, were a bit different. If they had time off, they’d have a movie night, and Saturdays were always a going-out day. Where? Anywhere, really—the nice park 30 minutes away, the zoo, the aquarium, some new restaurant, or wherever Chris wanted to go.
So, when Eddie asked if he wanted to go see Santa with them, he said yes.