Chapter Text
Both Buck and Eddie were walking on the familiar route to home from school. Though Eddie lived in a different house, their houses were only about a block from each other.
Buck was babbling about some random stuff he'd learnt in science class that day, and Eddie was staring at him like a lovestruck fool, while also listening and asking questions.
"See you tomorrow two p.m?" Buck says, stopping in front of his house.
"Yeah, sure. Don't forget, or ill personally come knock on your door." Eddie said, laughing and playfully punching him.
"Alright, see you tomorrow." Buck would say, waving and walking up to his house. He stood there on the front porch, watching Eddie walk away, like it would be the last time seeing him.
His mother, Margaret cleared her throat, making herself known, and Buck jumped lightly.
"Evan, how about you come inside? Your father and I have something to talk about." Margaret said, coldly.
"Uhm.. Y-Yeah." Buck would say insecurely, walking in with his mother.
His father was clearly drunk, probably a bottle of whiskey in front of him half gone. God knows what happened now.
"Hey dad." Buck would say, staring at him.
"So, Evan. Care to explain why your bringing home A- and not A+?" His father would say, his words slightly slurring.
If he's drunk, he would hit.. Buck thought, then his face dropped.
"Sorry, I was getting a bit distracted at school.. I'll try harder next time, I promise." Buck would say, standing still, staring at his father.
His father got up, walking toward him. Buck looked around, no Margaret in sight. Buck's eyes were wide in mild fear, and terror. What'd his father do this time?
All he got was a punch to the jaw, as he stumbled backwards slightly before his father backed off, and walked toward the kitchen, stumbling slightly.
Buck quietly ran upstairs, into his room, with tears in his eyes. This was definitely not the first time his father had hit him. His name is Phillip.
He fell asleep, forgetting to do homework, and awoke later, at around 4:30am. He got up, and started working on his homework that was due by Monday.. Which was 2 days away.
At 6, he went out for a run until 6:30am. He made it back just in time to cool down before his parents woke up.
******
After breakfast, and some other things, Buck walked to Eddie's house, clearly forgetting of the bruise he had on his jaw.
Eddie's house was like a second family too him. They were kind, and accepting, and sometimes they allowed him to stay for a couple days on term until his parents got worried.
He went up to the front porch, and knocked on the door.
Ramon, he learnt what Eddie's father's name was, answered the door, and seeing him, he welcomed him, letting him in.
Walking up to Eddie's room, he knocked twice then once before entering.
"Hello there.. I think its 2pm? Give or take." Buck said, cheerfully but Eddie's eyebrows were furrowed.
"Why do you have a bruise on the side of your face?" Eddie questioned, walking up to Buck.
Buck felt his face drop, before coming up with a fake explanation.
"Oh, um, I accidentally hit the side of my face on something. No big deal right?" Buck said, smiling slightly.
"No, I know that's an excuse. What actually happened?" Eddie asked, out of concern.
"Please don't tell anyone? Promise?" Buck would say, holding out a pinky. Eddie linked his pinkie finger with Buck's and then let go.
"Okay so.. My dad was drunk.. You know-"
"What? Your dad did this too you?" Eddie would exclaim, though quietly.
Buck nodded slightly, and for whatever reason his hands where slightly shaking.
"Wait- How often does he?" Eddie asked him again.
"Uhm.. Often? Why? Is that like a bad thing or?" Buck would say, oblivious too the fact that this was not normal.
"No, it is. It is a bad thing. That shouldn't even be happening.." Eddie said, slightly angered but calm.
"Okay, what were we going to do anyway? Talk shit behind your aunts back?" Eddie said, chuckling slightly.
"Oh yeah, that old lady. I swear, you could take a look at her and you would hate her. She looks exactly like my mother." Buck said, walking over and sitting on Eddie's bed. Eddie had sat beside him, both on opposite sides of the bed.
"You shown me a picture of her before, I swear, she is literally so fucking old. She looks ninety in that photo!" Eddie said, whilst laughing, Buck laughing too now.
"And how olds your mother? Like, sixty then?" Eddie added on, making them both laugh even harder.
"Maybe she is, I don't know. What if she is?" Buck said, still laughing.
"Whew, anyway. You got anyone to talk shit about?" Buck asked Eddie, smiling at him.
"Oh, my sister Sophia. She has a boyfriend now, and when she's like on a call? With him, she's always SO loud, it's annoying!" Eddie would say, over-exaggerating his hatred toward his sister.
"Oh my god, that's when like Maddie had her boyfriend! She was always so annoying, and he was around soso much. I think they got engaged and their in Boston now." Buck would casually drop, and Eddie didn't even know Buck had a sister.
"Why are you looking at me with that confused look?.. Oh! You didn't know I had a sister?!" Buck would say, finally realizing.
"I thought I told you! Fuck, I'm stupid. Sorry. Yeah, Maddie is my older sister, like 9 years older than me. Which I find weird why they waited so long to have another kid. " Buck finished, grinning eye to eye.
"Your not stupid, hah. I didn't know, but that's cool! We both have sisters!" Eddie would exclaim happily, with a smile.
"Y'know I think I'm gay." Buck slipped out randomly, before his eyes widened in fear. Buck hadn't realized he had said it out loud until he saw Eddie looking at him with raised eyebrows.
"Shit, sorry I didn't mean to say that-"
"No, no, it's okay. I don't know what that means- but-"
"No, fuck! I'm serious I didn't mean to say that I swear. Shit!" Buck would almost yell, completely freaking out eyes darting toward the door multiple times.
"Evan, it's okay! I-I think I know what it means? I support you, it's okay." Eddie said, attempting to console, and help Buck calm down a bit.
After a couple of minutes Buck had finally calmed down, knowing there wasn't any immediate threat of danger.
"I-I should probably go. I was supposed to be back at five, that's what I promised my mom. Bye." Buck would say, before rushing out of the house as it was 4:58pm.
Buck was practically running back home before he was late, and he made it.. At 5:04pm. His shoe fell off on the way there after he got to the corner of the block that Eddie was on.
He rushed inside, panting. His dad was standing at the front door, arms crossed and a look of anger in his eyes. He abruptly stopped in front of him, backpack hanging off of one arm, and shoes on incorrectly, and also messed up hair as he had pulled on it a bit after his freak out with Eddie before he left.
He walked inside, his father slamming the door shut, and Buck physically flinched, biting his lip to stifle the whimper in his throat.
"What the fuck were you doing at your friends house?" His father yelled from behind him, and he turned around to face his father.
"Just talking! Why?" Buck sure as hell knew why his father had thought to ask him, because of how he looked.
"Because it sure as hell looks like you were doing different things! How is it so hard to explain, that it can't get through that fucking head of yours?!" Phillip would yell again, before he grabbed Buck by his shoulders, and pinned him against the wall with the look of absolute rage in his eyes.
"Tell me the fucking truth Evan! Or I swear to fucking god your going to be left in that basement for the rest of the day again!" Phillip yelled, and Buck went wide-eyed, shaking his head.
"We just talked and did homework! My homework is-is in my bag if your so unsure!" Buck yelled back, and his father slapped him across the face, hands digging harder into his shoulders.
"And what were you doing walking around with that fucking bruise there!?"
"I forgot it was there! Okay?! I forget those things so easily for some reason! Why do you pressure me so fucking much?" Buck finished, angrily.
Phillip grumbled something, before kneeing him in the stomach hard, and letting him drop to the floor, walking away angrily, and slamming the front door. He had just walked out, leaving Buck gasping for breath on the ground in a ball, wide-eyed.
A door cautiously opened, and he heard Eddie's footsteps. What the fuck was Eddie doing here? Did his father forget to lock the door.
"Hey, hey, you with me?" Eddie asked, suddenly appearing in front of him, making Buck flinch, and frantically try and scoot away, before realizing it was Eddie and calming down.
"Can I- Can we go? Please?" Buck practically begged, and Eddie nodded, helping Buck up carefully, and jogging to his house, closing the front door behind them.
Eddie walked inside, Ramon clearly confused as to why Buck looked like he was about to cry, but didn't question it, seeing as his son was already concerned enough.
Eddie walked him up to his room, closing the bedroom door, and sitting down on the bed beside Buck.
Buck was still shaking next to Eddie, but the familiar scent of Eddie's house had helped him stay calmed down and grounded in the moment.
"Evan?" Eddie said, softly, and Buck whipped his head around toward Eddie, but relaxing slightly, his head tilting in question.
"Do you.. Need a hug?" Eddie asked, even though it sounded slightly cheesy, Buck nodded, tears still in his eyes.
Eddie slowly pulled him in for a hug, and Buck hugged back, face hiding in Eddie's shoulder as he was silently crying, though small sobs could be heard.
After a couple of minutes, Buck was shuffled slightly downward, but it'd had appeared that Buck had cried himself to sleep. On Eddie..
Eddie scooted a bit, and laid back on the almost hundreds of pillows he had, and he heard his mother walking in. She was about to speak, when Eddie shushed her.
"Shh, he fell asleep.. Cried himself too sleep at least.. Ill talk later." Eddie said, quietly, and Helena nodded, leaving the room and silently closing the door.
Eddie thought about it for a moment, staring at him, before carding his fingers through his hair, and maybe scratching his scalp a bit. The weight of Buck on top of him felt nice.
Eddie fell asleep shortly after, not knowing if Buck would wake up at all or not, but he looked bone-dead tired.
Eddie fell asleep with his hand in Buck's hair.
Helena had peeked her head in slightly, and seeing both of them asleep, she smiled, before closing the door all the way.