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“Remind me why I have to be here, again?” Buck groans.
“Because. It’s my bachelorette party! You don’t want to miss that, do you?” Maddie raises a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at her baby brother.
They’re sat in a corner booth in a random nightclub, the bass pounding loudly. It’s not their usual scene, at all, but Maddie was intent on letting her hair down one last time, in one last homage to her youth before making an honest man out of Chimney.
“May I remind you that it’s usually custom for the brother of the bride to attend the bachelor’s party instead. It’s meant to be an all girls night, remember?” Buck snarks back.
“You and Josh are honorary girls.” Hen chimes in as she places down a tray of brightly coloured cocktails.
“Here here.” Taylor raises hers with a wink, toasting with Hen, Maddie, Karen, Athena, Josh and a constipated looking Ana.
It’s certainly a… mixed crowd, Buck thinks.
Although they aren’t together - thanks to her finding out about his massive, all consuming and pathetically unrequited crush on his best friend - Taylor and him have remained close friends. She gets on well with the rest of the 118 and spouses too, and has become a part of their ragtag family. But the biggest shock was the fact that her and Maddie got on like a house on fire. They even get together most weekends for wine nights. Buck and Chimney make themselves scarce on those nights.
As for Ana being there? They’d been at a big family party for Athena and Bobby’s anniversary when May had accidentally brought it up in front of the woman, talking about babysitting arrangements. She’s looked a little put out at being left out of the plans, so Maddie had immediately invited her. Which was weird enough, as Maddie isn’t the biggest fan of Ana, thanks to Buck.
Things have been… frosty between the two of them since Eddie’s recovery began. Apparently, Buck being the one to stay at the Diaz residence to help out had touched a nerve with the teacher. And she’d had no issues with voicing her opinions.
At first, it was just a little dig here and there. An ‘Well I’m here now, so you can go home, Evan.’ when she’d shown up uninvited one night at dinner time. Christopher had nipped that in the bud before any of the adults could form a reply, stating that he needed help with his science project, and Buck was the only one allowed to do so.
Then it was ‘Well Edmundo is nearly healed up now. So there’s no point in you still being here, is there?’ that Eddie had shot down in an instant. His shoulder was still stiff and he still needed help with bathing Christopher and himself (and wasn’t that fun, seeing your best friend/love of your life naked in the shower and having to help scrub them down?)
Buck was good at ignoring them. And Ana seemed to notice this, because she soon upped the ante.
Just last month, at the aforementioned party, she’d cornered Buck by the bathroom, away from prying ears and hissed at him to ‘Back away from Edmundo and Christopher. You need to accept that they are mine, not yours.’
Buck had wanted to argue, to point out that Eddie and Christopher weren’t objects that could be owned by anyone, but he was getting tired. Tired of constantly having to justify his presence in Eddie and Christopher’s lives and home around the woman. Tired of having to constantly listen to Ana subtly but harshly criticise him (Why would Edmundo let Christopher go to the park with you by yourself? Didn’t you lose Christopher the last time you took him out?) Tired of having to compete with the woman for Eddie and Christopher’s attention whenever she was around.
So he’d gracefully bowed out. He stopped going around to see the Diaz’s when he knew she would be there (read; all the time) and reduced his time with Christopher to once a week, while Eddie and Ana were out on a date.
He knew Eddie knew there was something wrong, and was constantly asking Buck to tell him, but Buck refused to budge. It doesn’t matter how much he dislikes Ana. It doesn’t matter how much she dislikes (read - hates) him and it doesn’t matter that Buck’s heart breaks more and more everyday as he watches Eddie fall more and more in love with her. What matters most to Buck is Eddie’s happiness. And if he’s happy with Ana, then Buck will not ruin that.
“Get your head in the game, Buckley!”
Buck is brought out of his head just as a wad of napkins hits his face, courtesy of one Henrietta Wilson, who’s grinning at him - with a tint of sympathy - from across their booth. She is the first (and only) person Buck confided in about everything that had been going on between him and Ana. Her eyebrows had pinched into a frown for a split second, before smoothing out, and listened as he spoke, her face impassive. She’d promised Buck that his secret was safe with her after he’d practically begged her not to tell Eddie how much he and Ana disliked one another. He couldn’t bare the thought of Eddie being forced to chose between him and Ana. He knows, deep down, that there is a bigger chance of Eddie choosing him over Ana, but he doesn’t want that. He doesn’t want Eddie to put his first serious relationship since Shannon’s death on the back burner just for him.
’But isn’t that exactly what you’re doing for him?’ A voice that sounds suspiciously like his sister whispers in the back of his mind.
Buck shakes his head to clear it.
“My head is very much in the game, I’ll have you know.” He winks at Hen and takes a sip of his cocktail.
The obnoxiously bright pink concoction tastes just like fruit punch, and Buck finishes the entire glass in just three large gulps. His table mates - excluding Ana, because of course - cheer for him, and Buck finally feels his shoulders relax. He can do this. He can be here, in the same room as Ana and have a good time. If not for himself, then for his sister.
-
It’s three hours into the night, and Buck is… fucked.
Whenever he finishes a cocktail, another is magically in his hands. He must had upwards of 15 already, including countless shots and bombs and glasses of complimentary champagne.
He stumbles away from the dance floor and slumps down at heir booth, that’s tucked away in a corner and relatively quiet, despite the pounding music. Everyone else is still on their feet and dancing and having a good time. His head is spinning, and he really needs some water.
A tall glass appears in front of him, holding a bottle of water out for him.
“Eddie?” Buck slurs.
“Hey Buck.” Eddies voice chimes over the sound of whatever godawful pop song is playing.
“What are you doing here?” Buck asks. Well. Aims to ask, anyway. It probably comes out as something close to ‘Whir you donger?’
Eddie snorts in laughter. “Apparently, Chimney can’t go one night without seeing Maddie.”
“Well duh! My sister is amazing!” Buck proclaims.
“She sure is bud.” Eddie nods empathetically.
“Eddie! When did you get here?” Maddie is suddenly there and asking the man.
Buck tunes out their conversation as he downs the water Eddie had handed to him. He tips his head back and closes his eyes to get the last dregs of the blissfully cold water, and when he reopens them, their entire group is crammed back into the booth with him, along with Eddie, Bobby, Chimney, Albert and Ravi.
“Hey guys!” He grins over the the members of Chimney’s stag do.
“How much has he drunk?” Bobby asks Athena, his tone a mixture of amusement and genuine concern.
“Only… a lot.” Athena shrugs.
“You know what we should do?’ Taylor suddenly gasps, gaining everyones attention. ‘We should do karaoke!”
Everyone at the table agrees enthusiastically, other than Ana. When her disapproval is ignored, she purses her lips and sits back in her seat with her arms crossed over her chest. Buck snorts at the sight.
“Buck and I will go first!” Hen announces, and she’s suddenly there and heaving Buck to his feet with a deceptively strong tug of his arm.
Buck happily follows the woman over to the the stage, stumbling as he goes. He lets Hen pick the song and dutifully takes the microphone the woman hands him as they take centre stage. A very familiar song begins playing over the speakers, and Buck squints at the screen for the lyrics.
“Am I green or blue?” He asks into the mic.
“Blue!’ Hens laughing voice hollers back, before singing the first line. 'Baby can’t you see, I’m calling?
A girl like you should wear a warning
It's dangerous, he’s falling.'
Buck frowns. He might be drunk out of his mind, but he knows they aren’t the actual lyrics.
’There's no escape, I can't wait
I need a hit, baby, give me it
It's dangerous, I’m loving it.'
Buck pushes his thought aside as it comes to his turn to sing. He brings the mic to his lips, and gives it his best shot.
’Too high, can't come down
Losing my head, spinning round and round
Do you feel me now?'
Hen joins in for the chorus, and leans against Buck heavily, making it so that her lyrics can be heard clearer than Buck's.
’With the taste of your lips he’s on a ride
You're toxic, he’s slipping under
With a taste of a poison paradise
He’s addicted to you, don't you know that you're toxic?
And he loves what you do, don't you know that you're toxic?'
Buck is thoroughly confused. Who is she singing about? He doesn’t have time to think into it too much, however, as it comes to his turn to sing the solo.
’It's getting late, to give you up
I took a sip, from my devil's cup
It's slowly, it's taking over me.’
Like before, Hen joins in for the bridge and chorus, but sings the lyrics correctly this time.
’Too high, can't come down
It's in the air and it's all around
Do you feel me now?
With the taste of your lips I'm on a ride
You're toxic, I'm slipping under
With the taste of a poison paradise
I'm addicted to you, don't you know that you're toxic?
And I love what you do, don't you know that you're toxic?’
As they come to the instrumental bit, Buck pulls Hen in close so he can talk in her ear over the sounds of the bar cheering them on and the loud music.
“What was with the lyric changes?”
“You’ll see.” Hen tells him cryptically, and pulls away with a smirk. Buck tries not to dwell on it too much as they continue their performance.
’With the taste of your lips I'm on a ride
You’re toxic, I’m slipping under
With the taste of poison paradise
I’m addicted to you, don’t you know that you’re toxic?
With the taste of your lips I'm on a ride
You’re toxic, I’m slipping under
With the taste of poison paradise
I’m addicted to you, don’t you know that you’re toxic?
Intoxicate me now
With your loving now
I think I'm ready now
Intoxicate me now
With your loving now
I think I'm ready now.’
The room of drunk patrons goes wild for Hen and him once the song is over, though none are louder than their family. But Buck can’t focus on that. Because he’s still so confused. The music stops, and that’s when Hen brings the mic back up to her lips and clears it up a little for him.
“We want to dedicate that song to our friend, who’s girlfriend is toxic as fuck! Eddie!’ Hen gets the mans full attention on her. ‘Ana is fucking toxic. You need to get out now.”
With that, she drops the mic and drags Buck off the stage. Buck literally trips over his own two feet in shock. The two of them come to a halting stop at their booth, and all eyes are on them. Eddie looks about as shocked as Buck feels, Bobby looks contemplative, Ana looks shellshocked and pissed off all at once while the rest of them all look smug.
“What the hell is going on?” Buck hears himself ask.
“We’ve all noticed how much Eddie has changed over the last few months of dating Ana. He’s like a crappy store bought version of himself, as opposed to the wonderful, homemade version we’re so used to.” Karen starts.
“Cool analogy.” Taylor compliments.
“Thank you!” Karen beams back.
“Back on track.’ Hen smiles and kisses her wife cheek sweetly. ‘You’re a compete different person around her, and she’s a complete different person around you. Do you know what she says to Buck behind your back?”
An otherwise silent Eddie snaps his eyes up to Hen and frowns. “No? What?”
“Nothing!” Ana’s rushes to say, her tone pitched high.
“She puts him down constantly. Tells him he’s to blame for losing Christopher in the tsunami. Tells him he’s a leach who mooches off of you and Christopher. Tells him his relationship with Christopher is wrong. Tells him that he means nothing and that you won’t want him around anymore. Tells him that there’s no space for him in your life anymore because she’s there. Tells him he’ll be alone forever because he’s unlovable.” Hen rants.
“He’s lying!” Ana screeches.
“That’s not even anything Buck has told me you’ve said. That’s just what I’ve personally heard when you thought you were being discreet.” Hen snaps back and Ana gulps, paling a little.
Taylor leans forward and places a manicured hand on a trembling Buck’s shoulder. Then she stands and gets her face as close to Ana’s as physically possible, her sharp eyes narrowed and bright red lips pulled into a snarl.
“You are a godawful bitch who doesn’t know the first thing about Buck or Eddie or Buck and Eddie. They are a package deal, two peas in a pod. You want to date Eddie? You get used to Buck being a huge part of Eddie and Christopher’s lives. Can’t deal with it? Back off before it backfires in your face.”
Bobby’s hand on Taylor’s shoulder prevents her for doing or saying anything more, but the man doesn’t actually move her away. She does so of her own accord in order to let Maddie get to her.
“I have had to sit back and watch as you constantly put my baby brother down, constantly criticise and berate him, verbally and even physically abuse him.’ Ana’s mouth falls open to argue but Maddie holds her hand up, silently stopping her. ‘We all saw you shove him last weekend. My brother is a gentle person who wouldn’t even hurt a fly, let alone a woman, but I am not so inclined. If you so much as look in Buck’s direction again, I will unleash a side of me that would shock even Buck. I have raised that man from the day he was born, and I love him like he’s my son. And you can bet your ass I’ll protect him like a mother would her child.”
“We’ve all been collecting evidence of your abuse towards a member of our family for a while now, and honestly, there might be grounds for some legal actions against you if we really push it.” Athena warns, her dark eyes almost black with anger.
“I’ve heard enough.’ Eddie finally speaks up again, his eyes trained on Ana. ‘Honestly, I’d heard enough the second Hen told me that you put Buck down constantly. The rest was just fuel to a fire. I cannot believe I’ve been so blinded to your sickening actions towards one of the most important people in my life. I knew there was a reason my best friend was pulling away from me but I never imagined you would be the cause. How dare you? How fucking dare you make my friend think any of those things? Who the hell do you think you are?”
“I am your girlfriend-“
“Not anymore you’re not. I was willing to look past a lot of things to be with you, but Buck is non negotiable. He is a permanent fixture in my life, in my sons life, in my whole families lives. Who all love him like their own. Go home Ana. Go home and delete my number because we are done. I never want to see you again.”
Ana’s lips tremble, her eyes fill and overflow with tears but - to her credit - she seems to realise she’s not going to change Eddie’s mind. She simply nods, gathers her purse and coat before all but running from the bar.
Buck is still stood still in shock. “What just happened?”
“That was family protecting their own. You really thought we didn’t notice the way you’ve changed since she’s been around?” Athena scoffs.
“Thought we didn’t know the amount of shit she spoke to you? Or about you?” Chimney tacks on.
“Thought we didn’t notice the way you were pulling away from Eddie and Chris, even if it was making all three of you miserable?” Maddie adds.
“Thought we didn’t realise how much she was hurting you? No Buck. We noticed and decided to call her out on her bullshit and open Eddie’s eyes.” Hen finishes.
“And my eyes are finally fully open. Thanks guys.” Eddie mumbles, looking a little embarrassed.
“Always here to give you the kick you in the ass you need.’ Chimney nods, then claps his hands together. ‘Now the dirty work is over - let’s party!”
The sombre mood is instantly lifted, and most of their group heads to the bar in search of a well needed drink but Buck is still rooted to the ground. As is Eddie.
Maddie and Bobby - the only other two to stay - give Eddie a not so unsubtle nudge in Buck’s direction and leave the two alone. Eddie gingerly takes Buck’s hand in his, and those baby blues snap up from the floor to focus on him.
“Let’s go somewhere more private to talk properly.” Eddie urges.
He gently pulls Buck in the direction of the smoking area which is, thankfully, void of any party goers currently. He leads them to a secluded corner and sets Buck down on one of the metal chairs. He settles down on the seat opposite his best friend, still holding his hand in his, stroking his thumb over the top of it soothingly. Unconsciously. Instinctively.
“Why didn’t you tell me Buck?” He asks softly. Non accusatory. Just genuinely curious.
Buck shakes his head. “I wasn’t going to get in the way of your happiness.”
“Buck. I meant what I said in there. You are a huge, huge part of my life. Your happiness is my happiness. I could never be truly happy in a relationship with someone who doesn’t see how much you mean to me. With someone who actively tries to make you miserable. Who tries to hurt you with untrue words and actions.”
Buck still refuses to look at him, and Eddie can’t have that. He reaches out and gently places his finger under Buck’s wobbling chin, lifting his head up so he can see those wet blue eyes.
“You know nothing of what she said to you is true, right?”
Buck lets out a little sob, suddenly feeling stone cold sober. “I-I wanted to. To not believe them but… her words mixed with everything my parents have ever said to me and… I-I couldn’t drown them all out.”
Eddie’s heart breaks, and he leans forwards to gather the younger man in his arms as sobs begin wracking his body. He hushes him, soothes him with spews of comforting words and gentle hands. Buck clings back to him just as tightly, if not more. They sit in silence for a long while, the only noises heard are Buck’s sniffles and Eddie’s comforting words and shushing.
“I mean it Buck.’ Eddie finally says once the lull in conversation goes on for a little while. ‘Absolutely nothing she said is true. Nothing your parents have ever said is true. You are a beautiful person, inside and out, who is capable of loving and being loved in return. Who deserves to be loved in return. Who deserves the whole world. You’re the most amazing person I know, Buck, and I feel so lucky every single day I get to spend with you. And you will always, always have place in my life, in Christopher’s life.”
“You think I’m beautiful?” Buck asks slyly, still resting his forehead against Eddie’s shoulder.
“Really?’ Eddie scoffs playfully. ‘That’s what you got out of all of that? I just actually used my words for you and all you wanna do is talk about how pretty I think you are?”
Buck finally pulls away, changing the hold Eddie still has on his hand to interlock their fingers, and looks up at Eddie beneath his wet lashes.
“You think I’m pretty?” He grins cheekily. Boyish.
Eddie falls a little more in love, and that thought doesn’t scare him as much as he thought it would. Everything with Buck just feels… right. Natural. Perfect.
“You’re the most beautiful person in the world, to me. And I love you. I love you so damn much, and I’m sorry it took our family verbally beating down my ex girlfriend to get me to notice what I was doing to you, to myself. I made us both miserable because I thought Christopher needed a mother. But he doesn’t. He has a Buck, and that’s better than any mother I can give him.”
Buck’s crying again, but Eddie’s 99% sure they’re happy tears. Judging by the grin plastered across Buck’s ridiculously beautiful face, they are.
“I love you so damn much too, Eddie. And I’m sorry I never told you what was going on. I’m sorry it took our family verbally beating down your ex girlfriend for things to come to light, but I’m also not. I’m glad you saw that side of her. I’m glad you chose me over her. I want to be selfish and have you all to myself. I have done for a while now, I just never thought you’d be mine to take.”
“I’m yours. I’m all yours and I always have been. So take me. Take me and never fucking let go.”
“Never fucking let go.” Buck promises and seals his lips over Eddie’s in a long overdue kiss.
It’s nothing more than a press of lips, but the weight of it, the weight of what it means takes the air from Eddie’s lungs just the same. Because this is a promise. This is the beginning of their forever. Toxic girlfriends are a thing of the past now, and his future is filled with Buck. Eddie’s not sure he’s ever been happier.