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Buck's eyes opened blearily into the strong light. With a groan he tried to sit up, disoriented, but someone's hands slowly and carefully pushed him back onto the bed.
"It's okay, Evan," a calm voice said. Tommy.
Buck attempted to open his eyes once again, only this time instead of looking at the bright ceiling, he focused them on the man standing next to him.
"Tommy?" he asked, hating how weak his voice sounded.
"Yeah, Evan, it's me. You're okay. You're in the hospital." The 'again' was left unsaid.
"What happened?"
"Eddie called me. He said a building collapsed under you. So, obviously I came to see you."
"Oh." And after a few seconds: "Sorry."
"What are you sorry for?" Tommy asked softly and only now Buck noticed that his hand is feeling warm. When he looked at his hand, he saw a bit bigger hand covering his. This sight made him feel all sorts of giddy even though his body hurt like hell.
He turned his hand around, so that their fingers could intertwine.
"That you had to come here. I know you just finished your shift."
Tommy chuckled quietly and shook his head. "Nonsense, Evan. As long as you'll have me here, I am exactly where I want to be."
Buck felt a sting in his eyes and forced them to close. He didn't want to appear even weaker in front of Tommy.
The two of them have been hanging out for a few weeks now. For an amazing few weeks. And Buck, knowing his luck in dating, kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. For Tommy to get tired and leave.
But the other man never did. And slowly, oh so slowly, Buck started to believe, that maybe this time it could work out.
"Where's everyone?" Buck asked.
"We took turns," Tommy said. "Maddie just left a few minutes ago because she had to take care of Jee and Eddie with Chris are coming tomorrow to take you home."
"You're not taking me home?" Buck asked, frowning. "I want to go home," he said quietly. "I hate hospitals."
"I know, baby," Tommy said, the nickname slipping out. And then, there was a big hand in Buck's hair, brushing through the curls. "I know, but they need to check that you are alright. And I have shift tomorrow, so I can't take you home. But I promise I'll come right after, okay?"
"I want to go home now. I'm fine," Buck whined but he started feeling sleepy again.
Tommy tilted his head and raised his eyebrows. "Sure you are," he said amused.
Buck looked at Tommy and let himself look. It has been so easy to get lost in Tommy's eyes. Or wander over to his chin cleft. Sometimes, on rare occasions, when Tommy didn't have time to gel his hair, it would be even curlier than Buck's.
Buck raised his free hand toward Tommy's hair. "I like your curls," he whispered as he felt his eyes closing and drifted off to a kiss being pressed into his hair.
***
Finally, they were letting Buck go home. He checked his phone and fiddled nervously with it. Eddie was meant to be here a few minutes ago. Buck contemplated calling him, but he figured he would be driving and would not pick up his phone anyway.
He really wanted nothing else than for his boyfriend to come and pick him up and drive him home, where he would cuddle him until he felt much better, but Tommy had shift.
But at least he's sure that Eddie made him his favourite soup. And maybe, if Chris comes with him, he'll have something to do while he is supposed to be resting. They will probably watch some new documentary about animals, or Chris will tell him news from school.
A heavy steps sounded through the hospital hall and Buck looked up. To his surprise they did not belong to Eddie but to Tommy.
Tommy.
Tommy who was supposed to be on shift. And is now in a hospital.
Buck frowned. "Tommy! What are you doing here?" he asked as soon as Tommy was withing hearing distance.
"Hey Evan," Tommy said a bit breathlessly. "Sorry about the delay. The shift ended early and the captain sent me home, so I figured I could drive you home," Tommy smiled at him and Buck couldn't help but smile back.
"Yeah? You didn't have to."
"I told you, Evan. As long as you want me here, I am more than happy to be here. Shall we?"
"Wait, did you tell Eddie that you're picking me up?"
Tommy smiled. "Yes, Evan. Don't worry, everything is taken care of."
Buck felt like there was something more that Tommy wasn't telling him, but right now he just wanted to get out of the hospital and home to his bed, so he didn't ask.
***
Tommy being the gentleman he is, held the door open for Buck. He quickly disposed of the bag he has been holding in his other hand onto the kitchen island and lead Buck over to the couch they have bought together a few days ago.
He sat his boyfriend down and made sure he's not hurting.
"Okay, stay here, Evan. Don't go anywhere."
Buck groaned as he finally let himself relax. "Oh, don't worry, I'm not going anywhere," he said, leaning against the back of the couch.
Tommy watched him for a few seconds with that soft smile of his, before he remembered that his boyfriend is hurt and quickly rushed to the kitchen.
Buck heard paper rustling and then quiet mumbling as if Tommy has been reading something. Soon after he heard Tommy opening different cabinets and taking out things. He heard the faucet running as Tommy filled a glass of water for him and soon his boyfriend came back to the couch.
"Evan?" Tommy spoke softly as he kneeled in front of him. Buck forced his eyes open and smiled at Tommy.
"Here," he handed him the glass of water and some pills. "Painkillers, so that you feel better. Okay?"
Buck took them and swallowed them, drinking the water.
"Good boy," Tommy smiled at him and patted his knees. Then he rested his hands on Buck's thighs and used it to push himself up. He pressed a kiss into Buck's hair and walked back into the kitchen.
"Okay, okay, okay," Buck heard Tommy in the kitchen, moving around, opening other cabinets and pulling out bowls.
Buck moved around the couch until he was comfortable and could see Tommy in his kitchen. It hit Buck suddenly, how unreal this felt. Tommy moving around his kitchen with an ease. Taking care of Buck.
Usually it has been Eddie with Chris who would look after him every time he got hurt. Or Bobby would bring the soup that Buck loved so much. But to be honest, he liked - no, he loved, having his boyfriend here, taking care of him.
"Oh!" Tommy exclaimed, looking at something in his hand. He looked at Buck and returned to the couch. "You feeling okay?" he asked him.
"Well, you could always kiss it better," Buck grinned.
Tommy scoffed but obliged him, leaning down to kiss him. "Here. Better?"
"Yeah, definitely."
"Good. Now, blanket," Tommy said suddenly, pulling away. "They said you keep it somewhere," Tommy mumbled to himself, looking down at the paper he held in his hand.
He looked around the room until he noticed the bundle of fabric that has been Buck's comfy blanket. He took it and walked back to Buck, burying him in the comfortable material.
"Good?" he asked again.
Buck only nodded.
"Good," Tommy smiled. He looked at the paper again and crossed something on it.
"What's that?" Buck asked, tightening the blanket around himself. The warmth made him sleepy.
"Oh, it's nothing," Tommy chuckled. "When I told Eddie that I'm taking you home, he and Chris insisted on giving me a list."
"A list?" Buck frowned.
"Yeah. A list. Chris said that since it's them who usually take care of you, I have to do right. So he wrote me a list of things to do to make you feel better. Well, Eddie helped as well."
Buck wanted to cry. Chris and Eddie always took care of him. And now Tommy is there. And he's doing his best. To take care of Buck.
"Oh," was the only thing that Buck managed to say.
"Yeah, they really care about you," Tommy said softly. "I'm glad you have friends like that. Who take care of you. And oh," he looked down at the paper.
"Chris wants to watch you this new documentary on Netflix. He said he really liked it." Tommy picked up the remote control and turned on the TV. After a few moments of searching, he probably found what he was looking for and a documentary started.
Tommy then turned to look at Buck, who's eyes were by now without a doubt glassy.
"You okay, baby?" Tommy asked softly, walking to Buck. He brushed his fingers through Buck's curls and kissed him in the hair.
Buck didn't trust his voice and so he merely nodded.
"Okay. I'll bring you your tea soon." With that Tommy disappeared in the kitchen.
Buck really wanted to focus on the documentary, so that he could share with Chris later, what his favourite parts were, but instead he found himself watching his boyfriend.
He knew that Eddie and Chris would always watch after him. That anytime he needed they would be there. But now there was Tommy as well. Tommy, who just got off 24 hour shift and instead of going home to get some sleep he drove straight to the hospital to take care of Buck.
And he somehow acquired a list from Chris, following it step by step to make sure that Buck was being properly taken care of.
This, them, felt like home. Like something Buck wanted to have for a long time, if not forever. He could get used to it. Coming home from a difficult shift and find comfort in Tommy's strong arms as they would cuddle in the bed. He could imagine being sick and Tommy by his side, making him tea and soup and making sure Buck is feeling better. He could imagine having this kind of love forever.
"Evan?" soft calling of his name broke him from his dreaming. He must have drifted off for a while, because Tommy once again was kneeling in front of him, holding a tea in his hand.
"Where did you go?" Tommy asked him.
Buck turned to him. "I was just thinking how I could get used to this. You. Taking care of me."
Tommy smiled at him. "I could too."
With another smile Buck took the tea from him. "Thank you."
"Anytime."
Before Tommy could leave him, Buck spoke up again.
"What's next?"
"Hm?"
"On the list. What's next?"
"Oh." Tommy tooked the paper out of his pocket and opened it. "I did this. I did this too. Well, Chris said that I should hug you better."
"You know you don't have to do this, right?" Buck said.
"Well Chris said, or wrote, that I have to sign down here after I have done everything and he'll check."
"I can tell him you did. You don't have to worry."
"No," Tommy said. "I want to be here. With you. For you. Let me take care of you, Evan."
"Okay," Buck said. He opened his arms and happily watched as Tommy carefully climbed onto the couch next to him and soon he has been embraced in a very warm hug.
"You good?" Tommy asked after a few minutes.
"Yep. Never want to move again."
Tommy laughed. "I'm sorry, but you'll have to let me go, because I have a soup that needs to get heated."
"What?" Buck pulled away slightly from Tommy to look at him.
"I got your soup from Bobby. That's why I was late. I had to detour to pick it up."
If Buck wasn't so exhausted, he could cry right there. It's so easy to love you, Buck thought to himself. I love you.
"I don't deserve you," was what came out of him instead.
"You do," Tommy assured him. "And you deserve so much more as well." He kissed him softly and walked to the kitchen to heat Bobby's soup for him.
Then, as he put it in the microwave, he stood near the TV, where the documentary still played on low volume.
"What's next?" Buck asked. He was now curious what else Chris has written down.
"Chris wants me to tell you jokes, so that you feel better."
"Oh. We can skip that one if you want," Buck said.
"No. No, I came prepared," Tommy said with a chuckle. He pulled out his phone from his pocket. "I prepared some jokes."
"Okay, you ready?" he asked Buck who nodded.
"Why did the lobster blush?"
Buck raised his eyebrows and shrugged.
Tommy looked at his phone for the answer and chuckled to himself before even reading it out loud. Buck could already feel himself smiling.
"Because it saw the ocean's bottom," Tommy said, chuckling even more now.
Buck groaned in his hands, but couldn't stop the smile.
"God, you're such a dad," he said. "I should have known you'd love dad jokes."
"You know," Tommy continued. "I have always hated facial hair, but then it grew on me."
Buck stared at him, groaning again. "Oh my god, please stop," he begged him, hiding under the blanket as Tommy laughed.
"Knock knock," Tommy said.
"Go away," mumbled Buck from under the blanket, even though he was smiling.
"Knock knock," Tommy repeated.
"No," Buck laughed. "Go away old man. And take your dad jokes with you." He finally submerged from under the blanket to look at Tommy.
"Knock knock, Evan," Tommy said and look at Buck. And hey. How is Buck supposed to refuse his boyfriend anything when he says his name LIKE THAT and looks at him LIKE THAT.
Groaning, he resigned. Still smiling he said: "Who's there?"
"Police."
"Police who?"
"Police tell me I'm your type."
Buck burst out laughing. "Oh my god this is so stupid."
Tommy laughed as well, his nose doing that cute scrunch that Buck loved seeing so much."
"Okay, I've got another one."
"No. Please stop. I can't listen to those awful jokes. I'm begging you."
But this didn't seem to discourage Tommy from continuing. If anything, it had the exactly opposite effect.
"I told you, Evan. I came prepared."
Buck couldn't think of anything to say to that and Tommy took it as an opportunity to continue. Damn him, for taking Buck's breath away every time he said his name (LIKE THAT).
"You know what happened to the firefighter who wasn't doing his job well?"
"What?"
"He got fired," Tommy chuckled, clearly proud of this joke.
Buck scoffed before he started chuckling as well. "Oh god, I hate you. It hurts to laugh."
Tommy continued chuckling, while scrolling on his phone for next joke.
"Can I borrow you phone?" Buck said before Tommy could speak up. He didn't wait for Tommy to hand it to him. "I need to call God and tell him I’ve found his missing angel."
Tommy stared at him dumbfounded.
"Okaaay, Evan," he said and he was looking at him with such a heat in his eyes that Buck was sure he was blushing. Tommy's eyes darkened and he looked as if contemplating whether he should jump Buck right this moment or stay away because he has just gotten out of the hospital.
Fortunately for them, it was at this moment, that the microwave made a loud song in the suddenly quiet room and both of them were broken from their haze.
"Soup," Tommy said. He pointed his finger at Buck and shook his head. "Goddammit, Evan. You'll be the death of me. So adorable. God."
"No, it's me, Buck. But thanks," Buck teased him. Tommy groaned and quickly left to the kitchen.
When he came back with the bowl of hot soup and one spoon, he lay the bowl on the table and nervously looked around.
"Well, I have done everything on the list now," he said. "I probably should go, right? I'm sure you want some piece and quiet."
"Actually," Buck spoke up. "Could you please add another point to the list?"
Tommy chuckled softly and went for the paper. When he came back, he sat down on the couch, next to Buck, so that their sides were pressed firmly next to each other.
"Okay."
"Next point: eat soup with Buck. And right after: help Buck into bed, because he for sure can't walk up the stairs before landing in the hospital again."
Tommy chuckled, writing it down. "Anything else?"
"Would it be too daring to ask for a goodnight kiss as well?"
"Sure. Noted. Something else?" Tommy asked and looked at him.
"Would you stay with me?" Buck asked quietly.
"I would love to," Tommy said and leaned forward to kiss him. "As long as you'll have me."
They ate Bobby's soup together, talking about Tommy's shift. Buck explained what happened on theirs and by the time they finished the soup, Buck has been yawning and half asleep.
"Come on, baby," Tommy nudged him. "Let's go to bed." He helped him stand up. "You okay, Evan?"
"I like it when you call me that," Buck said.
"Hm? Evan? Or baby?"
"Both," buck said dreamily and Tommy chuckled.
"Okay, baby Evan."
"Oh fuck off."
Tommy only laughed. He helped Buck climb up the stairs and into the bed.
"You sure you want me to stay?" Tommy asked him.
"Like forever, but tonight will be good as well," Buck said, already half asleep.
Tommy chuckled. Buck could hear him undressing and soon, Tommy joined him under the covers. He put his arms around Buck and kissed him on the back of his neck.
"Get some sleep, Evan," Tommy whispered softly and Buck did.
***
The next morning Buck woke up, his back against Tommy's chest. Tommy had his arms around Buck and Buck? Buck has never felt more safe and comfortable in his life.
Slowly, as to not wake Tommy up, Buck turned around in his embrace, so that he could look at Tommy.
He always looked so soft when he slept. Buck raised his hand toward Tommy's face and his fingers slowly brushed along his cheek, down to the chin cleft that Buck loves so much.
"Forever," he whispered into the space between them. "I want to keep you forever."
Later, when both of them finally decided to get up from the bed and Buck climbed down the stairs with the help of Tommy, who joked about not wanting to go to the hospital again, Buck noticed the folded paper on the countertop.
Tommy has been preparing them tea, while he forced Buck to sit down and rest. Buck reacher for the paper and unfolded it, reading the list.
First 5 items were written in Chris' handwriting, the next 3 in Eddie's. The last 3 were Tommy's handwriting.
And then, at the bottom of the paper, as Tommy mentioned yesterday, has been Tommy's signature confirming that he had done all the tasks. On the right of his signature, Tommy added a small heart.
Buck smiled softly at the list and then walked to his fridge, pining the paper there.
Chris' list of how to properly take care of my Buck:
1. Make sure he sits down and don't let him help you help him
2. Turn on his favourite documentary (tell him that I recommend Life in Colour)
3. Make him a blanket burrito
4. Hug him (Buck loves hugs so hug him a lot)
5. Tell him jokes so that he feels better
6. Make him drink glass of water with some painkillers so that he can get some sleep
7. Make him black tea with a spoon of honey
8. Heat him Bobby's soup
9. Eat soup with Evan
10. Help Evan into his bed so that we don't have to make another trip to the hospital
11. Kiss him goodnight
Sign here after completing all tasks: Tommy ❤️