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Eyeing the drink Buck pressed into his hand, Eddie gave it some unimpressed consideration. “Why is it pink, Buck?”
“Just, trust me ,” Buck grinned. “Try it.”
Eddie gave the drink another stare, then sighed and raised the glass to his mouth. The lip was rimmed in some kind of flavoured salt, and it contrasted bitterly with the concoction Buck had ordered for him.
“Oh my god,” Buck spat, screwing his face up as he swallowed. “Okay, this person has no idea how to mix a good drink. This is not what it should taste like.”
“It’s not great,” Eddie agreed, then tipped the glass up and downed the contents in one long, shuddering gulp. “At least it’s gone now.”
“Okay, well, you’re gonna want to try–”
“How about a beer, Buck?” Eddie interrupted, raising his brows slightly.
“Oh, come on. When I was a mixologist, I used to get raves about these drinks.”
“You may not have noticed, but you’re not mixing the drinks,” Eddie said, a hint of impatience touching his words.
Buck took another sip of his own cocktail and grimaced again. Swallowing hard, he conceded. “Yeah, okay. Beer it is. But then – you gotta come and dance with me.”
Eddie gave him a very direct stare. “I don’t dance.”
“You do tonight,” Buck said, grinning as he gestured for the bartender again.
They had all gone out for a night of celebration after a particularly gruelling week. It had, of course, been Buck’s idea to go to a dance club, and Eddie had been very surprised when everyone else agreed to it, with varying levels of reluctance. It made him feel as though he couldn’t say no – he didn’t want to miss out, or be the one to spoil everyone else’s excitement.
So, on a crowded Friday night, he found himself crushed amongst a swarm of twenty-somethings and his friends, as a pounding bassline shook the floor beneath his feet and an electronic beat swerved through the air.
And while Eddie wasn’t much for dancing himself, there had been no way he was going to pass up the opportunity to see Buck on the dance floor, in his wonderfully white, fitted tank top and jeans.
Hen and Chimney were already dancing, looking as though they were having the time of their lives. Bobby and Athena were ignoring the music as they swayed together in each other’s arms. Other members of the station were scattered through the mass of strange bodies.
And Eddie was standing by the wall, Buck feeding him disgusting drinks and keeping him company, despite how badly he wanted to dance. Eddie could see the energy crackling through him, desperate to move with the music.
“You don’t need to stay with me,” Eddie said when Buck finished his beer. He tipped his chin towards the dance floor. “Go on, have fun.”
Buck gave him a soft, sad look. “But what about you?”
“I’ll be fine,” Eddie said. “It’s enough for me to just be here, okay?”
“You could join me,” Buck said. He gave Eddie a hopeful smile. “I’d like you to.”
“Maybe later,” Eddie lied. He tipped his chin towards the crowd of bodies. “You go.”
Buck took a slow breath and gave him a lopsided smile. “If you change your mind, you’ll know where to find me.”
“ Go .”
And Buck went.
Eddie was left alone, standing by a dank wall in a dim corner.
He sipped his beer, let his eyes roam the club. They landed briefly on each of his friends as he spotted them, darted across a few pretty girls, then scoped back towards Buck.
Eddie’s breath snagged low in his chest.
Buck could dance .
Eddie didn’t know what he had expected, but it wasn’t this. Buck’s body beat a perfect match to the rhythm of the music pulsing around him, his hips and legs and arms moving like water – fluid, coursing, powerful as a flood. His abs flexed beneath his top, drew Eddie’s eyes.
Part of him wanted to touch, and the other part wanted to stay as far away as he could get.
Noticing Buck was an increasingly common occurrence that Eddie didn’t quite know what to do with.
For a moment, he ducked his head and looked away – but only for the space of a single breath, before his eyes pulled back to Buck.
Eddie had never seen him move like this. When they worked together, Buck was quick and agile, powerful … but this was a different kind of power, raw and magnetic. He swayed to the music, pulled the beat into his bones and resonated with it.
Trying not to stare, Eddie nonetheless found himself entranced.
Buck seemed to know every song, a ripple of excitement going through him as one track merged into another, and he bounced like a happy puppy with every new offering the DJ gave. He was tireless, weaving through the crowd so that even hypnotically watching, Eddie lost sight of him several times.
A gaggle of hopeful girls began to circle ever closer, and Eddie smiled to himself. Any girl who got to dance with Buck would be a lucky woman. He was happy, happy for Buck getting some good attention.
Oblivious to them, Buck just kept dancing alone.
Bobby and Athena interrupted Eddie’s gazing, coming to join him as the music dove into a Latin pop song he vaguely recognised. But before either of them could say something, Buck hurtled off the dance floor, snatched Eddie’s elbows and yanked him forwards.
“You have to dance to this one!” he hollered over the music.
A thin panic zipped down Eddie’s spine as Buck hauled him towards the dance floor, into the crush of people. “No, Buck – I really don’t dance.”
“You do now!” Buck grinned, but his eyes were soft. His hands flexed around Eddie’s forearms. “I’ll show you. Please? I wanna dance at least one song with you. Dance this one with me.”
Unable to breathe, Eddie gazed at him, tension pinching between his eyes. But Buck looked so earnest he couldn’t say no. He trusted Buck. Hell, it might even be fun. Buck was certainly enjoying himself.
‘This is your boy Qwote…’
Forcing a tight smile, Eddie nodded. Buck beamed, his eyes sparkling beneath the strobing lights. He took a small step nearer, hands easing their eager grip.
‘Mr Worldwide…’
Buck flung both arms into the air, perfectly timed to the lyrics. His hips curved forwards, and Eddie swallowed hard as his eyes flashed downwards, stuck on Buck’s waistband as he shook his arse side-to-side.
‘Baby do that kuduro…’
Swaying, Buck twisted low, dropping towards the floor before smoothly arching upright. His hands went up again, one fist beating the air.
‘Oi, oi, oi, oi, do that kuduro…’
Befuddled, Eddie just stood perfectly still and stared as Buck moved around him. He knew the song well, each movement perfectly timed to the lyrics – dropping real low, winding, spinning, getting down… and then he stretched his long body out, arms flashing up again as he circled his torso, top creeping up his belly slightly. A strip of skin appeared.
Eddie wanted to put his fingers there, to feel the warmth of Buck’s body as he danced, to feel the shift of his firm muscles.
A moment later, Buck’s arms dropped and he stilled. “Eddie.”
Caught, horrified, Eddie snapped his eyes up. “I wasn’t.”
“What?”
“What?”
Buck blinked, a confused furrow creasing his brow. Then it smoothed out again as an indulgent smile tipped across his mouth. “Eddie, you’re supposed to be dancing .”
‘We can work it out now…’
Relieved heat flooded Eddie’s body; Buck didn’t seem to recognise the cause of his distraction. He pasted a smile onto numb lips. “I told you, Buck. I don’t dance.”
“You do tonight,” Buck grinned, reaching for him. “It’s easy, I’ll show you.”
Before Eddie knew what was happening, Buck had closed the space between them and placed both hands on Eddie’s shoulders. Sliding them down, he caught Eddie’s hands and guided them up, stretching both arms above his head.
His breath caught in the base of his throat.
‘Just go crazy, back it up on me…’
Planting one foot forwards, Buck pressed his hip towards Eddie, encouraging movement. But he didn’t know what to do, and stumbled slightly as Buck knocked against him. Immediately, Buck’s hands flashed down, caught his waist to steady him. Fingers dug into his shirt, held him safe.
“Relax,” Buck said, laughter in his voice as Eddie lowered his arms, feeling foolish. Buck’s hands smoothed across his flanks, pressed him to one side, then the other. “Just relax into it.”
“Buck…”
‘Sexy let me see you kuduro now…’
Shifting towards him, Buck moved into the dance again, using his body to guide Eddie. But Eddie’s own muscles felt like concrete – dense and immovable, cracking when pressured. Patiently, Buck reached for his hands again, arms crossed … he tugged gently, pulling Eddie in a circle.
‘Sexy turn it around…’
Clumsily, Eddie turned, breathless as he found himself back to Buck, the heat of his chest radiating through his t-shirt. He wanted, madly, to lean back and be supported by Buck’s strength, to close the small space that still existed between them.Twitching, Eddie brushed the idea away.
Then Buck leaned into him again and Eddie’s brain short-circuited. A haze of white static flooded his mind, made him dizzy as Buck’s hands drifted to his hips and urged him to copy the dance moves … sway forwards, side, back, belly and hips and legs all working in a beautiful flow. Despite himself, Eddie began to match it.
His body picked up cues from Buck’s, the subtle shifts in his every movement that guided him to move as well – before he could fully appreciate what was happening, he was dancing.
“There ya go!” Buck yelped excitedly in his ear, his breath warm. “You can dance!”
‘ Ya llego el mounstro de la fiesta…’
One of Buck’s hands was on Eddie’s hip, guiding him, pressing him low, letting him rise again. The other slid across his chest, almost absently, and settled against his heart.
Eddie let his breath out on a sudden sigh, and leaned back. Buck’s chest pressed into him. He felt safe – wildly out of his comfort zone, and yet safer than he could remember feeling for the longest time. Buck would always have his back.
‘Yo me quedo en la barra con mi gente…’
“You just gotta,” Buck leaned in close to say, “let the music into you, you know? Feel it. Vibe with it!”
Letting his mind switch off, Eddie vibed. The music soaked into him, and he followed the shifts in Buck’s movements to fuel his own. Buck’s thumb hooked into Eddie’s waistband, and Eddie pressed his palm over the back of Buck’s hand to keep it there.
He’d been close to Buck before, but this was different. He didn’t know if Buck felt it too, but Eddie realised in a heartbeat that he could never let it go. Not if he had the choice.
Buck whirled away from him, spinning on the spot, but their hands stayed tangled. They pulled back together, facing each other. A vibrant grin illuminated Buck’s face, and he squeezed Eddie’s fingers. “This is fun, right?” he called across the music.
‘Throw it up in the air…’
Eddie slid one arm around Buck’s back and pulled him into an awkward, swaying hug. Buck’s laugh echoed around him and he caught Eddie in return, squeezing him roughly as he continued to dance, pulling Eddie into step with him.
Bowing forwards, Eddie pressed his face against Buck’s neck. Bare skin rested beneath his lips, a sweaty clavicle that still hovered with the scent of day-old cologne. Eddie sighed and closed his mouth on it, teeth gently catching the bone.
‘Baby do that kuduro…’
Buck started, shock rocketing through his body, entirely different to the easiness of dancing. Turning his face, Eddie slid his mouth up Buck’s neck, and without pausing, hooked one hand around the back of Buck’s head and pulled him down.
Their lips met, and Eddie kissed him deep, registering with a dim surprise that Buck immediately softened and opened to him, returned his kiss with more than simple polite affection. Eager, desirous, Buck clung to him like a drowning man and met the kiss with desperate passion.
Eddie was dizzy again, reeling as he turned his head and pressed closer. His chest was flush with Buck’s, their hips touching. Buck’s hand crushed Eddie’s fingers.
‘We can work it out now…’
Urging Buck nearer, Eddie parted his lips and touched his tongue to Buck’s mouth. He tasted beer, and the faraway tint of the hideous pink cocktail. He chased after it, arching closer and stumbling as he tipped himself off balance.
Buck steadied him, his arm curling around Eddie’s shoulders.
‘Oi oi oi oi…’
Gently, Buck drew back.
Stunned, Eddie stared up at him with parted lips. The strobe lights dazzled him, and all he could see was Buck’s shocked, hopeful face. “Eddie, what the fuck?”
“I don’t know,” Eddie replied, barely recognising his own voice. “But it feels right, doesn’t it?”
Buck’s eyes went wide. “ Right ? Damn, Eddie … it feels amazing. I’ve … been hoping this would happen. For years.”
Eddie raked his hand through Buck’s hair. He cleared his throat, and offered Buck a small grin. “So have I.”
‘Oi oi oi…’
They didn’t waste time with more words. There was plenty to be said, but it didn’t need to be said then. Instead, they drew towards each other in the centre of the dance floor, where everyone could see them, where their friends were probably watching, and Eddie pulled Buck down so he could kiss him again.
The music bled away, a crackle of background noise made up with footfalls and strangers’ voices. But there was nobody there but the two of them, sharing the heat of the club. Eddie knew he would never let go.
“Hey, Eddie?” Buck drew back, breathed against his lips.
“Mm?”
“I’m really glad I made you dance with me.”
Eddie paused, then grinned slowly. “So am I, Buck.”