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Okay, so, he has no idea how it happened.
Since his last disastrous attempt at dating someone he met out on a call, he'd set a firm boundary against doing that sort of thing. Since then, he's made good on that, even tapping into his own queerness he'd never paid much attention to with Tommy Kinard. While short, he had genuinely liked Tommy, but there were a few things they hadn't agreed on, so they parted ways amicably.
He'd met this man on a call, a fire gone wrong in his friend's kitchen. Of course, Buck has never been too pop culture-savvy considering his upbringing and subsequent search for what he wanted that didn't leave a lot of room for anything like that, but Richie Tozier is far from an unknown person. From his voice roles alone, Buck knows a few kids that could recognize him. Of course, it was usually the adults that knew about his live action roles, Buck being the one that had sat through the most. Sure, stoner comedies weren't always something he'd go for, but Richie did have a few roles in various other things, and he's good at acting.
Meeting him, the first thing Buck notices is the way he talks; fast, like he has to get every word out before something happens. It's a little different that the interviews he's in, his words sounding more controlled. Though, Buck knows he's the same way. Richie's jokes are funny, too, if a bit too explicit for his usual taste, but there's still something there that has him hanging on. The real thing that gets Buck, though, is Richie's impression of his friend as they seem to joke around on the sidelines.
It's honestly impressive, like he was just moving his lips to whatever his friend decided to say. Buck says this much to Eddie, who glances over at them, eyes lingering for a few moments, before nodding.
"Yeah. That's Richie Tozier, right?" Eddie's eyes are on him now, and for some reason, Buck feels himself blush. "Chris was talking about seeing that new movie with him in it. Something about animated squirrels?" Buck nods along, knowing exactly what he's referencing, since Chris has been talking about it for a few weeks now.
"Is is weird to think that he's hot?" Buck tries, his first joke about it to Eddie since coming out to the man. A chuckle bursts out of his mouth. "I mean, he's definitely, probably straight, but... I don't know."
Buck catches Eddie's amused face and blushes harder as Eddie claps his shoulder. "You should say hi."
And suddenly Richie is looking at him and it feels like too much attention, nervousness seeping into him. Eddie left him, and it seems like Richie's friend is talking to Bobby.
"Uh, hi." Immediately Buck wants to cringe. Fortunately, Richie doesn't seem to mind the awkward introduction because he looks Buck over before nodding in approval. Buck holds out a hand. "Evan Buckley, but people usually call me Buck." His hands feel a little too sweaty, but Richie's grip is firm.
"Why, lovely to meet you, good sir. Richard 'Richie' Tozier at your service." After a moment he seems to think about it before adding on, "Or- You're at mine, technically. Y'know, being a firefighter and all. Say, are you a fan of puppets at all?"
By now, Richie's friend is walking back over, eyeing Richie like he doesn't trust him.
Buck feels his eyebrows draw together in confusion. "Puppets? I mean, I took my friend's son to a farmer's market once and they had handmade puppets that were pretty cool." The memory was a nice one, and it was a fun day out he got with Chris while also getting a little shopping done.
Had his right eye always been that blue? he thinks idly, and he hopes his face isn't too red.
"Please tell me you're not asking-" Richie cuts his friend off mid-sentence, but already, Buck can tell the other guy is mostly playing at being exasperated.
"You know the Muppets, right?"
Buck nods, and he tells himself he's still getting used to accepting himself when his stomach swoops as Richie grins. "My niece watches them." Fondness rolls over him at the thought of Jee. A few feet away, he locks eyes with Chim, who looks thoroughly confused but is definitely eavesdropping. Catching his eye, Buck shrugs, earning raised eyebrows back.
"Okay, yeah, they're puppets, right? Do you ever think they wonder why there's a hand up their ass, or do they just not care?"
His friend mutters under his breath in exaggerated annoyance, and to be completely honest, the question throws Buck off quite a bit. "Do... Do they know they're puppets?" he finds himself asking, feeding into it because something about Richie Tozier just draws him in. A good response as Richie seems to light up, and the passing thought of he's adorable passes in one side and out the other before he can process it.
"So, we know humans exist alongside muppets, and that the muppets know the difference-"
"Buck!"
Buck's head turns, meeting Bobby's eyes, and he feels disappointed about not finishing this conversation. Bobby gives him a look, and Buck turns back to Richie and his friend. "I really want to hear what you're about to say but-"
Richie waves him off with another smile. He shoves a small scrap of paper in Buck's hand and gently pushes him towards the truck.
"Duty calls, Captain America! If you're not totally against coffee, that's my personal. Don't give it out, Eds here might kill you." Eds, who is fixing Buck with an intense look, nods.
"Stay safe out there," are his only words.
Stupidly, he does a mock salute as he backs towards the truck, a smile forming on his face. He hears you really aren't a very good wing-man, you know once he turns, and it makes his face feel on fire. He feels giddy all the way back to the station, and if he saves the number in his phone under some funny nickname, then that's just his business.