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The first time it happens is in the morning.
It's the weekend and Chris is at a two days long camp with his friends from school, that means Buck and Eddie have the house to them for the whole weekend.
It's their day off, so they get up late— Eddie wakes Buck up with tiny kisses all over his face starting from his jaw. Their little make out session turns into a mind blowing sex because they hadn't gotten a chance to do anything other than a couple of quickies for the whole week. They take a shower together and then Eddie brews a fresh coffee while Buck prepares the breakfast while a soft tune from Eddie's phone plays in the background.
It feels good. Eddie wishes Chris was here, too, but he knows Chris is happy with his friends right now, and it's been a while since Eddie had spent some alone time with his boyfriend, so he is not complaining or jinxing anything.
He doesn't.
But then, it happens.
They are sitting on the couch with Eddie's arm thrown over Buck's shoulder and pulling him close, Buck resting the back of his head against Eddie's arm, watching the rerun episode of their favorite baking show.
"He needs to lose." Buck groans at the screen with an unamused look.
Eddie frowns, taken aback. " What? Did you see the dessert he made?"
"Yes, I did." Buck deadpans. "It looks like shit."
Eddie's brows wrinkle as he snorts. "Oh, fuck you." He pokes Buck's bicep. "You would devour that in less than 1 second."
Buck pulls away just a little to look at Eddie. A funny smile tugs at his lips. "Maybe, but it still looks like shit."
Eddie stares at Buck with his squinted eyes and his fake frown, but as he keeps staring, his frown slowly softens and turns into something else. Something warm. It's what happens whenever he sees Buck smiling and messing around, being playful like a kid. Eddie loves it. It makes him feel funny inside.
So he can't stop himself from wrapping his fingers around the collar of Buck's hoodie and yanking him in for a tender kiss, taking his time as his lips brush against Buck's.
"What was that for?" Buck asks after they pull away.
Eddie shrugs his shoulder. "You were being a little shit."
Buck ducks his head with a breathy, shy chuckle. "Okay."
"But that also means you will get up to bring the snacks." Eddie's voice is sly.
Buck rolls his eyes. "Fine, you old man."
Buck gets up on his feet and takes a few steps towards the kitchen and Eddie keeps his eyes on the screen, but his head snaps to Buck's side when he hears a loud crash sound.
His world stops when Eddie sees his boyfriend on the ground on his back, his body twitching and convulsing all over like it doesn't belong to him.
"Buck!" Eddie runs towards Buck and drops on his knees next to him.
Buck keeps seizing and convulsing on the floor, his eyes closed and like he's being jolted by a live wire and all Eddie can do is to place his palm under Buck's head to prevent him from hitting his head too harshly because he can't touch him, he can't hold him down or move him, it's too risky and it may harm him, so he just watches in shock, his heart beating out of his chest and his worry surrounding every inch of his fibers.
As the back of Buck's head keeps hitting his palm and convulsions run through his body from head to toe, shaking him like a rag doll, Eddie prays for the seizure to stop before it becomes too much.
Just when he takes his phone out of his pocket to dial 911— he is getting too scared and worried, Buck stops moving. His convulsions stop and his arms and legs go slack on the floor, his whole body slowly relaxing completely and coming down from the seizure.
Eddie holds Buck's one arm and leg and gently turns him over for a recovery position with his hand resting under his head and his knee bent. He keeps his one hand on Buck's shoulder blade, not squeezing, just keeping it there, and works on calming himself down until Buck wakes up.
What the hell just happened? Buck doesn't have epilepsy, he isn't on any medication, their shifts weren't extremely exhausting— not more than usual, so why the fuck did Buck just had a full blown seizure?
His mind is racing with never-ending questions and multiple possible outcomes, but he can't let himself drown in them so he shakes his head to shake them out of his mind and that's when Buck's eyes slowly start to crack open.
Eddie keeps his hand rested on Buck's back and watches Buck as he opens his eyes and a frown finds his face, his brows knitting and a confusion shining through his ocean blues. He looks disoriented, which is to be expected.
Buck's frown deepens and he lifts his eyes, another wave of confusion and a pinch of panic painting his face as he looks at Eddie, a muffled groan behind his pursed lips. He closes his eyes briefly and opens them again, his voice a little out of it when he speaks. "Wh' happened?"
Eddie starts rubbing tiny circles over Buck's back and keeps his tone calm. "You had a seizure." He brings his hand up to lightly massage the nape of Buck's back. "Do you know where you are?"
Buck keeps staring around, looking distressed. "Why am I on the floor?"
"You had a seizure." Eddie says again. "Can you tell me your name?"
Buck lets out a sigh and licks his lips. "Evan Buckley."
"Do you know where you are?"
Buck nods with his eyes closed.
Eddie's fingers run through Buck's curls. "I need an answer, baby."
"Home."
"Good, that's good." Eddie smiles, his worry easing just one bit. At least Buck knows his surroundings. "How are you feeling?"
"I don't know." Buck groans. "Weird."
"How about we sit on the couch, yeah? Do you feel like moving?"
After Buck gives him a nod, Eddie wraps his arms around Buck and helps him get up to sit on the couch.
He quickly gets him a glass of water and sits next to him. "We should go to a hospital."
Buck runs a hand down his face, letting out a deep breath through his nose. "Maybe it's a one time thing."
"Buck." Eddie's voice gets thinner. As much as he knows Buck despises hospitals, this isn't something that can be brushed off. He is worried. "This isn't normal. What if something's wrong?"
"We had a long week." Buck protests, his brows arching. "It can be just because of exhaustion or—"
"Or something more serious." Eddie cuts him off.
"We'll go if it happens again, okay? I promise." Buck insists. He looks tired and already done with it.
Eddie knows he doesn't have a chance against Buck, at least not right now, not when Buck looks tired and tense, but he isn't willing to let this go either, so he gives way and decides to try again after Buck feels better. Maybe he'll tell Bobby if Buck still refuses to go. "Okay."
Throughout the whole day, Eddie keeps his eyes on Buck without making him feel cornered, watching his movements, trying to notice beforehand if something happens.
Luckily, nothing happens.
Not until the evening.
And this time when it happens, it happens before Eddie's eyes.
They have their dinner and go outside for a short walk around the park, come back home and take a shower before spending some time until it's time for bed.
"See? I told you it was a one time thing." Buck smiles at Eddie as he follows Eddie to their bedroom.
Eddie shrugs. "I still think we should go."
"Babe." Buck wraps his fingers around Eddie's wrist and pulls him, taking a step closer when Eddie turns around. He places both his hands on Eddie's neck, caressing his cheeks with his thumbs. "I'm fine. See?" Buck's lips brush against Eddie's. "Stop worrying."
Eddie sighs loudly and drops his head on Buck's shoulder, hugging Buck from his waist.
And it happens again.
Eddie pulls away to see Buck's eyes rolling behind and fluttering close as he blacks out and collapses on the floor like a dead weight. He starts seizing, more violently than he did this morning, his unconscious body convulsing and jerking everywhere and the worst is that Eddie can't do anything to stop it. He hates every second of it because he is useless, he just sits next to Buck on the floor and waits for him to stop seizing, every passing second feeling like an eternity and stabbing him all over.
It takes longer for the seizure to stop this time, it takes longer for Buck's violent twitches to slow down and subside completely, only then Eddie maneuvers his boyfriend to recovery position. He keeps his eyes fixed on Buck and waits for him to regain consciousness, his stomach twisting and the weight on his chest growing for every minute Buck stays still, but then Buck's eyes slowly open.
This time, it takes a while for Buck to speak. He frowns and his eyes wander around, briefly looks at Eddie with a scared look on his face then his frown deepens, and he closes his eyes with a quiet whimper coming from his mouth.
"Buck?" Eddie's voice is low and still, trying his best to ignore the rising worry inside. "Can you hear me?"
Buck nods his head and slowly opens his eyes, staring with a confused reflection on his face.
"You had another seizure." Eddie rubs his hand up and down over Buck's bicep lightly.
"Huh?" Buck breathes out.
Eddie brushes Buck's curls away from his forehead. "You had another seizure." It's the same questions, same thing over again.
He waits for Buck to react, but Buck doesn't answer, his confused and scared frown still painting his face. Eddie leans forward just a little to face Buck and rests his hand on the back of Buck's head, scratching his scalp lightly.
Buck's eyes land on Eddie's— looking at Eddie like he is having some struggle processing, he stares at Eddie with a fragile look and his lips slightly open to speak, but his mind is probably still too foggy and wiped out because he starts to mumble something that Eddie doesn't understand what and cuts his own mumble with a groan.
"Take your time." Eddie calms him down with soothing words and soft touches.
Buck stretches his hand only an inch, trying to reach Eddie and Eddie immediately takes Buck's hand in his and kisses his knuckles.
His thumb brushes the pale and cold skin back and forth as he whispers. "I'm here."
It takes a while for Buck to come around— he doesn't return to his 'normal' state that much, still looking woozy and a little disoriented but Eddie takes it as a win considering the fact that he was on the floor minutes ago. At least he is talking and moving now. After they move to their bed and Eddie assesses him, they end up going to a hospital. Not only because Eddie wouldn't have it other way, but also this time Buck doesn't protest, either.
The nurses make Buck go through some tests and screenings to rule out the possibilities and draw a few tubes of blood afterwards to see his values, and by the time they are done with the tests and wait for the results to come out, Buck looks drained. He was already tired and tense to begin with, but he became more and more weak and jaded as the procedures dragged and seeing him that scattered suffocates Eddie.
Thankfully, now that they are alone in the room, Eddie can convince Buck to get some rest and get rest himself as well.
Eddie is half sitting on the bed with his back resting against the mattress and his one leg dangling off the bed, he has one arm folded under and around Buck while Buck lays on his side and uses the side of Eddie's chest as a pillow, his temple pressed against Eddie's collarbone. He has his one arm trapped between their bodies and his other arm resting on Eddie's chest, relaxed. But he isn't sleeping. Eddie knows Buck isn't sleeping because Buck's long eyelashes drag against his neck as he blinks slowly.
"What if something's wrong?" Buck asks him. He sounds minutes away from falling asleep.
Eddie nuzzles his nose into Buck's curls and kisses the top of his head. "We'll figure it out. Get some sleep, okay?"
" 'kay." Buck doesn't fight, he closes his eyes and his breaths even out in a matter of seconds.
Eddie rests his head on the pillow and lets himself drift off until the results come out.
Eddie's eyes snap open at the feeling of the bed moving. It feels like something— some one next to him moving and shaking— jerking restlessly and poking Eddie. For a second his sleep-riddled mind can't understand where the jerks are coming from, but then he witnesses the arm resting on Eddie's chest slightly jerking and convulsing. Then he feels a knee poking his leg with visible twitches, and the head under his chin shaking every so slightly.
Eddie looks down to see Buck is having a seizure. In his sleep.
In the only state where he should be getting some rest.
And it feels cruel. It feels so unfair and cruel.
It isn't a full blown seizure like the other two, but still it causes Buck's limbs to twitch and jerk and Eddie can hear the gnashing of Buck's teeth because of the way he is clenching his jaw so hard. Eddie loosens his hold around Buck enough to give him more space but not disentangling himself completely, and Buck's fingers fist Eddie's shirt and let go while he keeps grinding and clenching his teeth. Small twitches run along Buck's already worn down body until it finally stops and Buck wakes up with a jerk.
Buck props himself up on one elbow and lifts his head to look around as he gathers his brows, completely lost and unaware of what just happened; his tired eyes fall on Eddie and stare at him, scared and confused.
Eddie brings his other hand to cup Buck's cheek. "You're okay." He reassures him softly and brushes his boyfriend's curls back.
Buck slowly lowers himself and sags against Eddie. He buries his face into Eddie's neck and lays on his stomach with his half resting on his boyfriend, half on the bed.
Buck whimpers quietly before he mumbles, voice barely audible and unclear. "Hurts everywhere."
It wasn't something Eddie wasn't expecting to happen eventually, but it doesn't make him feel less sad anyway. Buck had three seizures in one day— Eddie couldn't do anything in either of them, and of course his muscles and bones have had enough. Of course he is hurting.
Eddie lets out a deep breath and folds his arms around Buck. He starts to massage Buck's strained muscles starting from his back to his shoulders to his arms, kneading his every aching part without putting too much pressure.
For the first time today, Eddie feels the tiniest of prides when he feels Buck relaxing and slumping deeper into his neck.
"Go back to sleep." Eddie whispers as he keeps massaging Buck's sore form.
Buck sleeps without an interruption once he dozes off, putting his weight on Eddie with his face buried into his neck and his arm resting against Eddie's shoulder while Eddie has his arm wrapped around Buck and tracing along Buck's back with his fingers, combing his curls back with his other hand. The sleep doesn't find him, not that he isn't sleepy— he is, but because he is dreading every passing second in the fear of another potential seizure and he has to stay awake and keep his eyes on Buck. The steady huffs of air tickling his neck and the even rise and fall of Buck's chest are a good sign but Eddie can't bring himself to take them for granted and let them ease his mind. It's been a little more than an hour since the nurses did some tests on Buck, so the results should be here any minute now but the thing is, Eddie doesn't know if he wants to know the results or not. There is a small portion of his brain that keeps creating the worst case scenarios and telling him anything is possible, and it won't shut up. Maybe for the first time in such a long time, he feels desperate. Without even noticing, Eddie tightens his hold around Buck.
As if on cue, a nurse quietly knocks on their door and comes near them with a file in her hand.
"Mr. Buckley's results are out." She says, keeping her voice low when she sees Buck.
Eddie looks at Buck before looking back at the nurse, his heart skipping a beat. "And?"
"His blood results showed he has very low sodium levels, which can cause seizures." She explains. "Extreme dehydration or loss of fluids can be a reason."
As she explains, Eddie keeps listening to her almost in awe and he feels a huge huge weight being lifted from him.
Buck isn't ill. He's gonna be fine with only a couple of infusions.
He has nothing wrong that may turn into a lifelong disease. He is gonna be fine.
"We're gonna draw an IV for the infusion and keep him here tonight, but I believe he can be discharged tomorrow."
"Can you— uhm…" Eddie lowers his voice and stares at her hesitantly. "Can you not wake him up and try to draw the line while he's sleeping?" He doesn't know if the nurse will say yes, and it is a weird request and he doesn't even know if Buck will stay asleep, but Buck just fell asleep and he really doesn't want him to wake him up and destroy that little rest he is getting.
A kind smile tugs at the nurse's lips. "Of course."
Thankfully, Buck doesn't wake up while the nurse inserts the needle on the back of his hand that's resting on Eddie and even though it was what Eddie was hoping for, he still finds himself surprised considering the fact that Buck is a restless sleeper, but that just means he must be extremely knocked out from the exhaustion to even stir, and Eddie can't feel happy because of that; if anything, it just makes his heart ache.
The nurse hangs the fluid bag and leaves them alone, and now that everything is settled, Eddie watches Buck sleeping safe and sound.
A few hours later, Eddie sees Buck's eye cracking open. He stares at the cannula that's taped on his hand with a frown on his face but Eddie doesn't let him panic and leans forward to plant a kiss on top of his head.
"It's nothing bad, you're okay." Eddie whispers, squeezing Buck's arm lightly.
Buck raises his eyes to look at Eddie. He still looks confused and scared, and a little tired. "What's going on?"
"Your test results came back when you were sleeping." Eddie strokes Buck's cheekbone. "You were severely dehydrated. You're gonna be fine."
Buck's eyes widen, shining with slowly dwelling tears. He lightly grasps Eddie's shirt— probably to ground himself without even knowing "That's it? Just dehydrated?"
Eddie smiles and strokes Buck's face with his thumb. "That's it. We just have to stay the night."
Buck lets out a relieved sigh before a light breathy chuckle leaves his lips and he buries himself deeper into Eddie's arms. "Okay."
"How are you feeling?"
Buck shrugs. "Sore. Still weird."
"You can sleep more." Eddie rubs tiny circles behind Buck's back.
After Buck's breaths even out, he lets himself get some rest, too, this time knowing everything will be okay.