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Eddie used the palm of his hand to scrub over his eyes, yawning as he did so. He checked the time on his watch, noting his shift would be over soon.
Picking up his clipboard, Eddie filed through the papers, checking over everything before he went to make his final rounds.
“Diaz! Need you in room 18.”
Eddie let out a sigh, knowing it was too good to be true. Since he was still in his first year, he always got stuck with the last-minute patients.
Glancing to his coworker Hen, she gave him a sympathetic look, patting his shoulder as she stepped closer.
“Should be an easy on at least. I promise it gets easier after the first year.”
It sure didn’t seem like it, but Eddie wasn’t ready to give up; he’d worked too hard to get where he was. He was just going to have to fight a little harder for a while longer.
Eddie nodded to the entryway paperwork in her hands.
“Alright, give it to me. What’re we looking at?”
Hen glanced down to the paper momentarily before giving Eddie the play by play.
“Twenty-one-year-old male, motorcycle accident. Possible broken arm and probably stitches.”
Eddie took the paperwork as she handed it out, looking it over for himself.
“Just another reckless kid, huh?”
She gave him another pat on the shoulder before she was called away, Eddie glancing down to the paperwork once more.
At twenty-three, Eddie was still quite young himself, though he’d had to grow up at a fairly young age, taking care of his mom and sisters while his dad was away at work. Then he’d joined the army at eighteen, losing more of his youth than he’d ever even known he’d had. Having a kid at twenty years old had certainly helped him grow up as well.
Sometimes, Eddie wished he could be the reckless guy riding around on motorcycles late at night, avoiding responsibilities. He’d never been given the option though, and after spending a year working in the emergency room, well, he wasn’t so sure he was missing out on anything.
Eddie tapped on the door before entering, introducing himself to the patient.
“Mr. Buckley, I’m nurse Diaz. Let’s see what we’ve got going on here.”
When Eddie looked up to meet the patient, he nearly dropped his clipboard, two pools of ocean blues looking up to him through tear-stained lashes. Loose blonde curls flopped all over the man’s head, some of the strands coated in blood. There was a pink and blotchy looking mark sitting above his left eye, a long gash sitting in the middle of it, along with several cuts lining the guy’s chin, drifting underneath and down to his neck.
The man was cradling his right arm close to him, Eddie spying the awkward and jagged look of it, noting that it was no doubt broken.
What Eddie had expected to see was a douchey frat guy already high on painkillers, though what he saw instead was someone who looked hurt, scared. There was a brokenness laced within his baby blues.
“I—I’m sorry.”
The guy didn’t introduce himself, didn’t ask how long it was going to take, when he could get pills, or even how bad it looked. Eddie had an urge to wrap the guy in his arms and never let go.
Stepping a little closer, Eddie looked the guy over carefully.
“Hey it’s ok, I’m here to help you.”
He watched as the guy pulled in his lower lip, all but trembling.
“I-I fucked up. Again. I—they’re gonna hate me.” The next words out of the guy’s mouth were but a whisper, Eddie just barely making them out. “More than they already do.”
Eddie couldn’t imagine looking at this guy and hating anything about him. It was crazy to say, Eddie knew; he hadn’t even known the guy for more than five minutes.
The man’s head was down now, Eddie setting his clipboard to the side before stepping closer and dropping down to the man’s level. He tried to gain the guy’s attention, finally bringing his hand up to rest over the blonds shoulder, willing him to meet Eddie’s stare. The blond flinched a moment before looking straight into Eddie, relaxing into his touch.
With their eyes locked, Eddie squeezed the man’s shoulder reassuringly.
“You’re in good hands, promise. Let’s check you over and see what we’re working with, yea?”
A short nod came, Eddie taking that as the only answer he was going to get.
Stepping away for a moment, Eddie went to grab the blood pressure machine along with the pulse oximeter, sliding them along with him.
“So, Evan, do you wanna tell me how this happened?”
This was more a question for the doctor, but Chimney never minded much when Eddie asked such things of the patients.
“Buck.”
When the man didn’t clarify, Eddie tried again.
“Ok, Buck, can you tell me what happened to you?”
Buck bit at his bottom lip once more, Eddie refraining from reaching out to pull it free.
He started by taking Buck’s temperature, noting that it was normal before asking for his arm, wrapping the cuff around it. Placing the pulse oximeter on Buck’s finger, he laid the guy’s arm over his leg.
“Just try and relax, ok?”
Buck nodded, though he seemed anything but.
The cuff tightened around Buck’s arm, Eddie trying to keep him as calm as possible. His eyes wandered over the other man’s face, wishing he could wipe all the blood and bruises away.
Eddie eyed the pink bruising above Buck’s left eye, nodding towards it.
“That a birthmark?”
Buck seemed surprised for the question.
“Uh yea. Most-most people think it’s a bruise.”
Eddie refrained from reaching up to brush over it, focusing his attention back on the task at hand as the machine beeped.
“Is that bad?” Buck asked, gritting his teeth toward the numbers on the device.
Eddie grabbed his board to write the numbers down, looking to Buck sincerely.
“They could be a little better, I won’t lie, but I’m also sure you’re in a lot of pain.” Eddie didn’t mention that Buck was undoubtably terrified for whatever reason, not wanting to startle the guy any more than he already was.
Grabbing for the stethoscope around his neck, Eddie placed the earpieces into his ears, holding up the drum as he looked to Buck, those blues all but piercing through him.
He held it to Buck’s chest, instructing him when to take a deep breath.
“Good. Another deep breath. Good.”
Buck seemed to relax with his touch and praise, Eddie trying not to think too hard about that.
Placing the stethoscope back around his neck, Eddie grabbed a fresh pair of gloves, sliding them over his hands.
“I’m just gonna take a look at some of these cuts you have, ok?”
As he reached for Buck’s chin, shaky fingers came to rest over his wrist, Eddie pausing. Frightened blues looked up to him, all but pleading.
“Hey, it’s ok. I promise I’ll be as quick and gentle as possible.”
When those wide blues just stared to him, Eddie tried a different technique.
“Can you give me another deep breath?”
Buck fixed him with a look for a moment before doing as asked, Eddie repeating the question a few times over. Slowly, Buck released Eddies wrist, letting his good arm fall back to the bed.
Starting with the cuts on Buck’s chin, Eddie worked to clean them as gently as he could, reassuring Buck every time the man winced or tried to pull back. When Eddie got to the cut above his left eye, the one that slashed through his birthmark, Buck tensed. It was a deep cut, one that was going to require stitches.
Before that happened, Eddie checked Buck for a concussion, noting that he might have a slight one, though was probably tired and overwhelmed in general.
“Ok Buck, let me get set up for stitches, and then the doctor can come and take a look at your arm.”
He knew the guy had to be in agony, even with whatever the paramedics had given him on the ride over.
“Are you—you’re not leaving, are you?”
There was terror in those blues once more, Eddie desperately wishing he could take the black out of those clouded pools.
“I’ll be right back, promise.” In some ridiculous notion, Eddie held out his pinky, beckoning Buck to take it with his own. Buck stared at him with something that could only be described as awe and shock. Eddie thought he’d done something wrong until Buck’s pinky linked with his, the brightest smile Eddie had ever seen lighting up the man’s face.
“Promise.”
Eddie took Buck’s single word with him as he exited the room, making quick work of gathering his supplies.
Doctor Han came from another room, bloodied gloves held high. “Hey Diaz, this one’s gonna be a bit. Can you handle the kid in 18?”
Eddie held up the gauze and other supplies. “On it Chim.”
Chimney nodded to him before disappearing behind the doors once more, Eddie gathering his tools before heading back in the direction of Buck’s room.
Buck looked a little calmer than he had before, Eddie pulling up his chair so he could sit level with the man.
“I’m just going to use this needle to numb the area so I can stitch you up, ok?”
Buck flinched at the needle, Eddie seeing there was some deep-rooted fear there, one that had probably started years ago.
Eddie looked into those glistening blues, Buck meeting him wholly.
“I’ll be fast. Promise.”
Buck held up his pinky, Eddie huffing out a laugh before taking it with his own.
“Promise.”
Carefully, Eddie lifted the syringe to Buck’s head, watching those blues disappear, Buck flinching a tinge as the needle went in, relaxing as Eddie’s finger brushed over the incision soothingly.
Once Eddie was sure the numbing medicine had taken effect, he threaded the needle, holding it up to Buck’s head, the man ducking a bit to give Eddie easier access.
“My sister’s a nurse.” There was a pause before Buck added, “I um, I don’t know what hospital she works at though.”
“Were you hoping to find her here?”
Buck shrugged, Eddie taking that as enough of an answer.
“Are you guys close?”
That got Buck talking, the man telling Eddie all about his older sister, the one whom sounded like she practically raised him.
“She’s uh, she’s the one who taught me the pinky promise. It was—our thing.”
Suddenly, Eddie understood why it had elicited such an emotion from him before.
“Sorry if I butted in on your special thing, I didn’t mean to—”
Buck’s hand came over his arm, the guy shaking his head.
“No. I um, I thought it was sweet. It was sort of-sort of like she was here.”
If Eddie had to guess, he’d say that Buck hadn’t seen his sister for a while, and not by his choice.
With Buck’s cut all stitched up, Eddie placed some steri strips over it, instructing Buck on how to care for it; something told him the guy was going to forget all of that the instant he walked out the hospital doors.
“Well Buck, you’re all set. Dr. Han will be in shortly to take a look at your arm and get it all casted up for you.”
There was immediate panic in those blues, Buck trying to stand from the bed, wincing as it twisted his already broken arm. Eddie was at his side in an instant.
“Hey, hey, it’s ok. You’re in good hands with Dr. Han.”
Buck’s breath hitched, the man finally pushing out a few timid words.
“I-I don’t want you to go.”
And well, what was Eddie supposed to do with that?
Chimney came into the room then, introducing himself.
“Hello, Mr. Buckley. Let’s take a look at that arm of yours, shall we?”
Buck immediately tensed, looking so much smaller than he was, curling up his legs that seemed to stretch on for miles.
Chimney caught Eddie’s gaze, nodding toward Buck. Eddie racked his brain, thinking on his feet.
“Hey Chim, I was thinking—I haven’t done a cast setting yet. Maybe I could help assist you?”
Chimney got a puzzled look for a moment before finally catching on, nodding his head.
“You know what Eddie, I think that’s a great idea!”
They worked together to gather the needed supplies, Buck easing back from the bed a little once he realized Eddie wasn’t going to leave him.
First, they took x-rays to see how bad the break was, then they set readied to set his arm into a cast
Looking to make sure everything was just right, Chimney looked up to Buck, tutting his tongue. “So kid, what color are you thinking?”
Buck shrugged, the guy looking in too much pain to care. Their eyes met, those blues radiating.
“How about blue one?” Eddie suggested, Buck’s face flushing a little red for it.
Chimney nodded in agreement, grabbing for the blue casting, the one that all but matched Buck’s baby blues.
Once the cast was in place, Chimney instructed Eddie to place it in a sling before moving onto his next patient.
Carefully, Eddie wrapped Buck’s injured arm in the sling, clipping one strap to the front of it before wrapping it around Buck and clipping it to the other side. Eddie looked it over to make sure everything was in place, patting Buck’s shoulder for good measure.
“Well, you’re all set. Let me just get the aftercare and discharge papers and then I can send you on your way.”
Buck opened his mouth like he wanted to say something, rolling his bottom lip between his teeth instead. Eddie gave a simple nod of his head before exiting the room, leaning against the desk across the way as he waited for the papers to finish printing.
“Got a tough one in there?”
Eddie looked up at Bobby’s voice, their CEO raising his brows over to him.
Eddie shook his head. “No, it’s not—” He couldn’t quite find the words, Bobby looking him over curiously.
“Well, you’re off shift after this. You could always invite the guy to coffee,” Hen said with a smirk as she came whizzing by. Bobby’s brows raised higher, Chimney giving his two cents as he stopped to grab some supplies.
“Cap, those two couldn’t keep their eyes off each other the whole time I was in there. Felt like a third wheel in my own hospital.”
Eddie rolled his eyes with a heavy sigh; he hated his friends sometimes. Hated that they were right.
Waving them all off, Eddie grabbed the paperwork and headed back into the room, Buck now stood in the middle of it, looking more lost than ever.
Their eyes connected in an instant, those blues on the verge of tears once more.
“I-I thought maybe you weren’t coming back.”
Eddie handed out the paperwork, stepping closer to the other man.
“I wouldn’t just leave you here.”
Eddie wasn’t sure exactly what he meant by his own words, Buck seeming startled for them as well.
As Buck took the paperwork from him, their fingers brushed together, Eddie wishing he could tangle his own with Buck’s.
“Thanks, for um—” Buck gestured to his self, noting everything Eddie had taken care of for him.
Instead of telling Buck it was no big deal or to have a good night, Eddie asked something different, something that had been bothering him from the moment he’d laid eyes on Buck.
“Is there someone I can call, to come get you, or that could stay with you?”
Buck ducked his head, refusing to meet Eddie’s gaze.
“No, I—I’ll be fine.”
“Buck, it’s late. You really—you probably shouldn’t be alone right now.”
Buck had a slight concussion at least, Eddie not wanting the guy to be alone. If Eddie had it his way, Buck would never have to feel alone again. He couldn’t imagine anyone not instantly falling for him. A few hours, and Eddie already wanted to protect him with everything he had.
“It’s ok. I can just uh, hitch a ride or something.”
Nope. Absolutely not.
“I’m off shift now. If you don’t mind waiting a few, I could give you a ride?”
Buck looked up to him incredulously.
“You don’t, I—I couldn’t ask you to do that.”
“You didn’t. I offered. Besides, a promise is a promise.”
A smile curved at the edges of Buck’s face, Eddie taking it as a win.
“Why don’t you wait right outside here and I’ll meet you here in ten?”
Buck shook his head in answer, the two making their way out. His coworkers didn’t say anything, but their cheeky looks were enough, Eddie glaring over to all of them.
Looking down to where Buck had dropped himself onto the bench, Eddie held his phone out, Buck looking up to it warily.
“In case there’s anyone you want to call or whatever.”
“You just—you’re just gonna give me your phone?”
Eddie shrugged. “I don’t know how to work half the shit on there anyway, so there’s not much on there.”
“Guys a total technophobe,” Chim shouted from across the room, Eddie glowering over to him.
Buck took the phone in his good hand, Eddie letting him look it over while he made to grab his stuff. He ignored his coworkers’ comments as he passed the desk, making his way back over to Buck. There was a strange look on the guy’s face, one Eddie couldn’t quite read; it was the first time that had happened since he’d met the man.
Eddie led Buck out to his truck, helping him into it, pulling the seatbelt safely across Buck’s lap before strapping him in. He tried to ignore the way Buck’s breathing sped up for it as well as his own.
Taking his seat, Eddie fired the truck up, looking over to Buck.
“So, where to?” When Buck didn’t say anything right away, Eddie added, “I would offer to take you to get your bike, but I’m sure impound doesn’t open until the morning.”
“I don’t want it back. I—I never wanted it to begin with.”
There was a story there, one Eddie didn’t want to push for.
“Are you hungry?”
Buck looked to him, furrowing those brows as much as he could with the stitches cutting into one of them.
“Um, I don’t, I—”
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
Eddie didn’t let Buck do anymore stuttering or debating before he took off, not stopping until they’d reached his favorite little diner, the one he, Chim, Hen, and Bobby often met at after or between shifts.
When Buck didn’t get out, Eddie stepped around to his side, opening the door and reaching over to unbuckle him. A bewildered Buck followed him into the restaurant, a familiar waitress telling him to sit wherever. Eddie chose a booth toward the back, the two sitting across from one another. He slid one of the menus across to Buck, mentioning a couple of his favorites.
“You can never go wrong with the French toast, or even the club sandwich.”
Eddie looked over the menu for himself, Buck eventually breaking the silence.
“You have a kid.”
Well, that certainly wasn’t on the menu.
Eddie suddenly remembered the screen savers on his phone, Buck sliding the device across the table.
“Chris. He’s almost four. Pretty much my whole world.”
“Super adorable too.”
Those blues lit up with the admission, Eddie finding himself pulling up a few more pictures for Buck to see. They eventually ordered, Buck taking Eddie’s suggestion of the French toast, the two settling into their seats.
He could tell Buck was in pain, but also a little nervous, the man constantly fidgeting from side to side, playing with the bowl of creamers on the table.
“Chris and I always see how high we can stack them.”
Buck looked up to him a bit confused, Eddie nodding to the creamers in his hand.
“Why haven’t you gotten rid of me yet?”
Eddie studied Buck for a moment, the question completely throwing him off; who would ever want to do such a thing?
“Why would I want to do that?”
Buck sagged further into the seat, dropping the creamers back into the bowl.
“Because I’m a burden, I’m—needy. All I ever do is fuck up.”
Eddie instantly hated whoever had told Buck any of those things. He’d known the man for barely a few hours, and already he knew those things to be untrue. There was so much hurt and honesty laced within those blues of his.
“Say’s who?” Eddie challenged.
There was a long exhale before Buck answered.
“Everyone. My-my parents.”
There it was. It was something Eddie understood all too well.
Eddie dared to reach across the table, placing his hand over Buck’s, the man tensing a moment before relaxing into his touch.
“Well, I think they’re wrong.”
Buck huffed out a sarcastic laugh.
“How would you know? You don’t even know me man.”
Eddie squeezed Buck’s hand, willing the man to hear his next words.
“Then show me. Tell me about the real you, the one your parents have clearly never taken the time to see.”
There was wonder in those blues, Buck’s eyes not leaving his. Their food arrived then, Eddie keeping one hand over Buck’s as he dug into his sandwich, nodding over to Buck’s food. “Better eat before it gets cold.”
“I can’t.”
Eddie pursed his lips, Buck looking over to their interlocked hands.
Oh.
With one last squeeze, Eddie reluctantly pulled his hand from Buck’s, the blond hesitating a moment before finally picking up his silverware and digging into his own plate.
“I think I wanna be a firefighter. Do you—is that stupid?”
Eddie shook his head. “I think it’s brave.”
Buck told him all about some movie he’d seen that made him want to be a firefighter, along with the Wikipedia page on firefighting that he’d apparently memorized.
“You know that firefighters have less than two minutes to get dressed?”
Eddie huffed out a laugh, watching as those blues lit up from across the table.
“I did not. What else?”
Buck continued on, telling Eddie fact after fact about firefighters, Eddie listening to it all, inquiring more as Buck went on.
Eddie was completely lost on the man in front of him, caught up in a blue haze.
“Anyone ever tell you you’ve got the prettiest eyes in the world.”
Buck’s fork clattered onto his plate, those blues of his doe-eyed, big and beautiful as they looked right into Eddie.
“I um, not-not like that.”
The check came then, Eddie waving off Buck when he offered to pay, the two of them exiting the booth after and making their way back out to the truck.
They stopped just under the awning, Eddie turning toward Buck.
“Do you have anywhere to stay, becau—”
Eddie was cut off with the press of Buck’s lips to his own, the kiss all but bruising, Eddie pressing his lips right back. Buck’s good hand came to rest over Eddie’s neck while Eddie placed his on Buck’s hips, reeling him in close.
Their kisses were heated, tongues slipping into the others mouth as they pulled each other impossibly closer. Buck winced as their foreheads knocked together, hitting the stiches above his eye.
Eddie pulled back a tinge, those blues looking frightened for a moment, the guy no doubt thinking he’d done something wrong. Eddie couldn’t have him thinking that.
Buck ducked his head a tinge as Eddie leaned in, pressing his lips just above the stitching, right over Buck’s blotchy birthmark. Buck’s breathing was labored, the man relaxing into Eddie’s touch.
“I don’t.”
Eddie pulled away a tinge, confused at Buck’s words.
Buck pulled his bottom lip between his teeth, Eddie reaching a thumb up to pull it free.
“Have anywhere to stay I mean. I um—well I fucked up…again.”
Eddie looked Buck over, letting those blues pierce right through him.
“Sure you do. You can stay with me.”
“Eddie I, you can’t, I—what about your kid?”
“I’m sure he’d be happy to meet you and hear all about your cool firefighting facts.”
Buck looked like he was going to argue, but Eddie wasn’t having any of it. He tugged Buck back to him, slotting their lips together once more.
“If you’re gonna fuck up, at least don’t do it alone, ok?”
Buck let out a weighted breath into the space between them, finally nodding into Eddie.
“Yea. Yea ok.”
He led Buck back to the truck then, helping him buckle in before taking his seat behind the wheel. The drive home was quiet, Buck surprising Eddie by reaching for his free hand and lacing their fingers together.
They refused to let the other sleep on the couch, falling into the others arms instead, Eddie sleeping more soundly than he’d ever remembered before.
As expected, Buck and Chris hit it off in an instant, Chris immediately making all sorts of plans for the future, Eddie simply giving a shrug of his shoulders when Buck looked over to him.
By the time Buck was all heeled, he’d become a permanent part of their life, Chris and Eddie holding onto him tightly.
No matter how many years passed, Eddie always found those blues lingering, piercing through him as bright as the day they met.
Aa they were laid in bed a few years later, limbs tangled below, looking into one another, Eddie reached over to brush a stray curl out of Buck’s face, the man leaning into his touch.
“Anyone ever tell you you’ve got the prettiest eyes in the world?”
Buck preened at the praise, pushing further into Eddie’s space.
“Only my favorite person in the world,” Buck whispered, pressing his lips to Eddie’s.
Coincidence or not, Eddie was grateful Buck had crashed into his life that night. His life had been a little dull before those blues came around and lit things up, Eddie never having seen a world so bright.