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Tommy has had the best 9 months that he has had in a long time, and he knows that all the credit goes to his personal ray of sunshine, Evan. It’s surreal being so happy, feeling so safe, so cared for, and wooed like it's no big deal. The thing is being with Evan is easy, once he found his footing it was mostly smooth sailing… well for the most part.
It goes without saying that being a firefighter comes with extreme risk for your physical and mental well-being, it’s not like Tommy was unaware of what he was getting into, he just didn’t realize how much of a danger magnet the 118 has been since he left. It seemed like anytime a crazy call came over the radio it was for the 118, and Evan just took every crazy call in stride. Or he did until he came home to Tommy, or when Tommy finally got home. Some nights the conversations regarding their shift were as simple as “ it was slow” or “You will never believe what happened”. Other nights were spent seeking comfort and reassurance because sometimes the outcomes were just too much to handle on their own.
Tonight was supposed to be date night and then they would enjoy the next 24 hours together since their schedules matched up perfectly this week. However, when Tommy saw Evan walk through the door with tears falling down his face plans went by the wayside. Without hesitation, Tommy wrapped Evan in a bone-crushing hug, the way Evan prefers it on bad days, and just held him until Evan pulled back.
Tommy doesn’t bother asking questions immediately, it never helps either of them to be pushed to talk about it immediately. Instead, he helped him get undressed and into the shower, being as gentle as Evan needed when he was this vulnerable. Tommy would join even in mere moments providing his body to lean on but also to scrub the day away from Evan’s hair and skin while murmuring sweet nothings. Letting Evan know that he was loved and that Tommy would always be there for him.
After their shower they dried off and landed in bed for cuddles, allowing Evan to decompress further before Tommy would get up to make dinner. Moments later Evan moved so he was looking down at Tommy’s face, exhaling shakily before he launched into the story of his awful call.
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Buck knows that every first responder has their horror stories about calls they have been on, hell the scars on his leg are a constant reminder of just one of his own. Today’s call wasn’t even his worst call but something about it just broke him. They responded to a four-car pile-up, Most victims had minor abrasions, one had a broken collar bone, and another was concussed. But the final car had a new young family, two dads, and an infant daughter. The driver broke his arm, his husband had a few scratches and thankfully their daughter was unharmed. A simple call, right? Well, that was until Buck’s anxiety decided to be completely unhelpful and supply him with all the awful what-ifs.
"What if it was Tommy in one of those cars?"
"What if something so awful happened they never got to live out their future together? Never got married… Never had that family that they talk about?"
"What if Tommy died never knowing just how much he was loved?"
These thoughts scared him, he knew it was just his anxiety leading him to this spiral, but these fears were not necessarily far-fetched in their line of work. It may not be a simple injury the next time either of them ends up in a dangerous situation.
He was beyond thankful that his shift was over when they got back to the station, he just needed to get home and see Tommy. He needed to see Tommy safe and uninjured hoping that would quell his anxieties, and it did. He explained to Tommy that those tears were mostly due to the overwhelming relief that came with knowing that Tommy was ok, he was safe, and he was right where he promised to be.
“This is gonna sound crazy, but hear me out” Buck says as he searches Tommy’s face for confirmation to continue. Tommy nods, indicating that he is free to continue without interruption.
“We both know, more than most do that tomorrow is not promised. We see it day after day that horrible tragedies can happen even during the most mundane tasks. I love you so much that I don’t think I would ever be able to forgive myself if something were to happen to you before I got the opportunity to take your last name. I know it's only been 9 wonderful months, but I am more than ready to make you my forever. I want to spend the rest of our lives making sure you know just how much I love you, and if you forget I will do everything to remind you that you are loved, you are cherished, and you are my forever. I don’t have a ring, I didn’t plan on doing this today, but I have to ask… Tommy, Will you marry me?”
The silence was terrifying, it couldn’t have lasted more than 10 seconds but Buck’s anxiety was more than willing to start turning its gears. Before his brain can spiral too far, before he gets the chance to look away out of fear of rejection and embarrassment, Tommy crashes their lips together in the most passionate and gentle yet starving kiss they have ever shared. Breathless, Tommy pulls away and enthusiastically says “I will happily marry you Baby… You don’t have to worry about getting rings though” with a wink.
Before Buck's brain fully logs back online Tommy is digging in his nightstand to produce a ring box, matching silver rings each engraved with “Buckley-Kinard” on the inside. They are simple and everything Buck has ever wanted.
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“Evan, Baby, you and I both know I already said yes. However, that’s not gonna stop me from asking you the same. So, Evan, Baby, will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?”
Tommy asks with the biggest grin on his face that only grows bigger as he watches the blush spread across Buck’s face.
“I would love nothing more than to marry you, my handsome pilot”, Buck says with a short, sweet, chaste kiss.
They lay in bed for a short while in silence, admiring the rings on their fingers before Buck just had to ask “So when were you planning to propose to me, considering you already had the rings you must have had something up your sleeve, right?”
Without skipping a beat Tommy rolls over on top of Buck, pinning him to the mattress with a shit-eating grin on his face “Well if you must know I was going to propose tomorrow, but you beat me to it by hours. I was going to take you to our favorite hiking trail, stop at our favorite view, and pop the question. I had an entire speech planned for you Baby, but I’m more than ok with this turn of events”.
“Well, you might not be proposing tomorrow, but I think we have some celebrating to do tomorrow, however I think we are gonna start celebrating now,” Buck says as he rolls Tommy off of him onto his back.
“Wrestle to see who tops first?” Tommy says with a wink, playfully putting up a fight but he is more than happy to let Evan do as he pleases first.