Chapter Text
TK: How are things going since Eddie stopped working at the firehouse?
Buck: It's weird. When I come in every day, I expect to see him there and the first thing I do is call him to see how Chris is doing at school and how work is going.
TK: It sounds like you miss him.
Buck: Of course I miss him. Two months ago we were spending all our time together, in and out of work. Now it seems like we only see each other when it has to do with Chris.
TK: You sound like a couple who just got divorced and have split custody of the child.
Buck: That's not funny, TK. It's fucked up to lose the best person in your life after three years of spending most of my time with him.
TK: I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... Shit, I'm sorry.
Buck: It's okay. Ever since Eddie left the team at Christmas I don't see him much. It's like... He doesn't seem to have time for us or even want to see us.
TK: A lot has changed in his life lately. You told me he broke up with… What was her name?
Buck: Ana. Yeah, first it was that, then the kids we saved in the hospital. I think Eddie figured it could have been Chris, and then he left the fire department because of Chris's fear of something happening to his dad. I'm selfish, aren't I?
TK: Why, because you miss your best friend? Don't be silly. I saw you two were very close when I first met you. Did I ever tell you that I thought there was something more between you?
Buck: Something more? What do you mean?
TK: I don't know, I also thought you were hitting on me.
Buck: We've already made it clear that didn't happen.
TK: Okay, okay. But from the way you're talking it sounds like you feel differently about Eddie.
Buck:
Of course I feel differently. He's my best friend, more than that actually, and then there's Chris. You know he's made me his legal guardian if anything happens to him?
***
Carlos rolled over in bed and wrapped his arms around TK's waist as he opened his eyes.
"Are you still awake?"
"I'm talking to Buck. He's having a hard time with Eddie."
Carlos sat up in bed and picked up his boyfriend's cell phone.
"But it's three in the morning and you start your shift at ten. You should get some sleep and rest."
"Just a minute. Can you believe they still haven't realized they're crazy about each other?"
"Mhmm." Carlos kissed TK, first on the lips, then on the neck as he set the phone down on the nightstand. "Well, I'm crazy about you and we agreed that you'd let me take care of you after your last hospital stay."
"And I am, but I feel terrible for them."
Carlos pulled him to lay him down and settled on his chest caressing his side.
"It's time to sleep, Ty."
***
Eddie couldn't sleep.
Since the world he knew had exploded, he hadn't gotten much rest.
Finding work hadn't been hard; there was always a need for people in construction and similar jobs. Chris was finally much calmer after Christmas, the nightmares of the last few months were gone, as were the little panic attacks he had suffered.
His little family’s life seemed to be back to normal.
His own situation, on the other hand, was a very different matter.
Leaving the 118 had been the biggest change in his life. After three years of being part of a family that seemed to love and respect him more than his own parents, leaving them and taking a new path had been a huge personal blow from which he had not yet recovered.
Nor had it been easy to be apart from Buck on a day-to-day basis. Especially when he had wasted almost three years dwelling on how he felt about his best friend.
How easy it would have been to just accept his feelings when he'd first realized they were there!
They were two grown men, they each had their own problems. It was true. But his only fear when it came to imagining starting a relationship with someone—that they didn't like kids or wouldn't accept a child with Chris's needs—wasn’t a problem with Buck.
Because Buck adored Chris.
He got up to prepare the special breakfast for Sunday, taking advantage of the fact that he had the day off. He wanted to enjoy as much of the day as possible with his son.
As the toaster warmed up, his phone rang on the counter and he smiled when he saw it was Buck.
"Tell me you haven't made plans for today yet."
"It's eight in the morning on a Sunday, Buck. I'm not in that much of a hurry to make plans."
"Perfect, then you can't say no to taking Chris to the amusement park. Then, dinner's on me."
"You're already thinking about dinner?"
"I've thought of everything, Eddie. I've got the whole day scheduled. I'll pick you up at eleven. I'm going to go get ready. I'll see you in a little while."
"Buck..."
Before Eddie could finish speaking Buck had cut off the conversation. He smiled, he really missed his best friend and was certainly looking forward to spending Sunday with Buck.
What a surprise Chris was going to get when he saw him arrive.
Buck arrived on time and Chris jumped on his neck, laughing, while the hug Buck gave Eddie was awkward to say the least. He broke away a second later and burst out laughing, as he made his way to the wheel of the jeep.
"Buck, are you all right?"
"Why do you ask?" Buck said, nervous again. "I didn't get much sleep last night, I got off shift late. I think I slept..." Buck leaned over the steering wheel. "Three hours, maybe."
"You should have stayed home then, you're working again tomorrow, aren't you?"
"Never mind, I want to spend the day with my-with you guys." Buck choked on his words and concentrated on getting the car in gear while he waited for Eddie and Christopher to get in. "Come on, if we take too long, there'll be a huge line for the rides."
"What about tickets?" asked Eddie. Buck reached into the glove compartment and pulled out a sheet of paper. "When did you become so organized?"
Buck smiled at him and was about to answer, but a notification on his phone made him turn away. He picked up the phone and smiled again. Eddie knew that smile well enough to know it wasn't directed at him.
***
Carlos leaned against TK's back, wrapped both hands around his chest and kissed him on the cheek. He put down the bag of food he had brought to the firehouse and placed two cans of soda in front of him.
"Don't tell me you're still hell-bent on doing it."
"I just want to try. What’s the worst that could happen?"
"Let's see, let me think what might happen if you create a fake profile on Tinder to try to find out if what Buck feels for Eddie is love."
Carlos held a moment of silence, thus giving TK a chance to reconsider his words.
When his boyfriend turned around and stopped looking at the phone where the main screen of the dating app was showing, he gave him a kiss on the head.
"You'd have to listen to how Buck talks. He's completely in love with Eddie and doesn't seem to have noticed."
"Maybe he hasn't noticed, it can happen, tiger. But personally I think it's best to stay out of the way. Plus, it certainly strikes me as an idea that could get you in trouble."
TK laughed and pulled Carlos to sit next to him.
The cop reached out and grabbed TK's phone without taking his eyes off it.
" Lightmyfire ? That's your username?"
"You don't like it?"
"I like it too much and I'm afraid of the pictures you're going to post. I wouldn't be happy if you started getting messages from people trying to hit on you."
"Don't worry about the picture, I wasn't planning on using mine, because Buck would recognize me right away. But I wanted to ask you..."
" Ay madre. .."
"If I could use a picture of your sister and her boyfriend. Then Buck wouldn't know if I was a man or a woman."
Carlos put two fingers to the bridge of his nose and exhaled a worried sigh.
"I already said I think it's a terrible idea, didn't I?"
"It'll work, you'll see. If Buck and Eddie aren't able to see how they feel about each other, we'll have to give them a hand."
***
Lightmyfire: Plans for Sunday?
Buck118: Amusement park with a friend and his son.
Lightmyfire: A friend ? Gee, I guess I've stepped in where I shouldn't have then.
Buck118: Don't worry. It's nothing.
Lightmyfire: It's nothing... yet? Or is it nothing -nothing?
Buck118: It's complicated, let's leave it at that. What about you? Anyone in your sights?
Lightmyfire: Something like that, but I don't want to close doors for myself. Even if they're a little far away like you. Your friend is very lucky to have you around, do you know that?
Buck118: Lucky?
Lightmyfire: You've worked all night, barely slept, and now you're taking him and his son to the amusement park. He's very lucky and he should know.
"Buck. Shall we go or are you going to keep flirting with-whatever their name is?"
Buck looked up from his cell phone and tucked it back in his pants.
It hadn't escaped Eddie's notice that Buck was on Tinder and that he was talking to someone whose picture had two people in it, too small to see well, but they were a man and a woman.
"Sorry, I was..."
"I don't need any explanation, but you said if it takes us too long to get to the amusement park there will be a long line."
Eddie was annoyed and wasn't bothering to hide it too much.
He sat down next to him and turned to Christopher.
"Are you okay back there?"
"Chris has always been fine and the seat is adjusted for him," Buck replied, noticing his friend's inquisitive tone. "Eddie, is everything all right?"
"Peachy, although you know I hate lines and crowds."
Eddie turned back to the window and Buck waited a moment to see if his friend had anything more to say to him.
He didn't, not even when Buck's phone vibrated again.
This time he didn't pick it up—he didn't want to bother Eddie any more.
You could say Chris was the happiest kid in the world that day. He had certainly missed that dynamic with them and each other. It seemed that whatever friction or problems existed just disappeared that day.
They were extremely good at putting aside their personal problems, their stories, and keeping them away from Chris. When they were with him, the day was his and his alone. That day was roller coaster day, because Buck was always in the mood for adrenaline, and Chris was old enough and tall enough to ride more daring things.
It was cotton candy day, because Eddie wouldn't admit it out loud but cotton candy was his guilty pleasure, and it was the day to not worry about eating healthy and to enjoy some greasy hamburgers.
It was also the day neither of them talked about the 118, and, for the first time in many days, Buck didn't ask Eddie if he missed his life in the firehouse.
Eddie assumed he wasn't asking because Christopher was there and he had been the reason why Eddie left. But he didn't say anything.
"Shall we go to the Ferris wheel? You can see the whole city from up there," Christopher said and grabbed Buck's hand.
Buck himself wondered if the boy had made a mistake and wanted to hold his father's hand, and had instead inadvertently taken his. But he let himself get carried away, because he hadn't seen him in days.
He turned back to Eddie, to find him looking at them, smiling, but as soon as Buck's gaze met his, he became serious and tense and started walking toward them.
A new message vibrated in his pocket. When they reached the Ferris wheel queue, he picked it up to see if there had been an emergency at work or if maybe Maddie and Chim needed something with their daughter.
Lightmyfire: I have a question for you. Would you go out with me or does the complicated relationship with your friend not allow it?
Buck118: The complicated relationship is too complicated for me.
Lightmyfire: Do you want to tell him how you feel about him?
"Really, Buck?"
Eddie bumped his shoulder into him as he walked past.
The people in front of him and Chris had already advanced a few steps and the couple behind them waiting to get on the Ferris wheel were annoyed.
Eddie took Chris's hand and they moved forward.
"You came to the amusement park with us, for Chris, and you're flirting with-who is she supposed to be? Are you going to meet her? She seems very interested in you. If you want to see someone today, don't worry about us, we'll take a cab home."
Buck fell into step with them and said nothing as the man in charge of the Ferris wheel let them sit in a booth.
They both looked at Chris.
The boy didn't seem to have noticed their argument and was absorbed in looking out the window as they began to rise above the city.
"Eddie, I'm sorry," Buck said quietly. "I didn't mean to..."
"What did you want, to flirt while Chris wants to spend the day with you?"
"I'm not flirting, I'm just getting to know this person."
"Look, Dad. You can see our house."
Chris turned to them and they both walked over to the window. The boy pointed in the direction he was telling them. Neither could be sure that it was really their house that the boy was pointing to, but they both agreed with him.
"Are you coming home with us today, Buck?"
They shot each other a quick glance, at the same time Buck's phone in his pocket vibrated again. For a moment he wanted to throw it out the window of the Ferris wheel, but instead decided to let it be.
"Well, Buck?" Eddie urged him, "Are you coming home with us or do you have more important and interesting plans tonight?"
"Of course I'm coming to your house. Your dad tells me you've made a very cool model of the solar system, will you show it to me?"
"Sure!" Chris said and returned his gaze to the window of the Ferris wheel.