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Eddie rolls his shoulders, having just dumped his bag on the ground. Hen and Chim are getting the fire started in the middle of the camp ground. Cap had insisted that they take a trip. Team building, he'd said.
Speaking of Cap, he's setting up a tent. Eddie is just about to walk over there, when his brain stops working. You see the thing is, Eddie has decided that the universe hates him. Like truly hates him. It's not a sight that caught his attention, it was a sound. It's the sound of word splitting.
Yep the universe hates Eddie Diaz, because what he does see is Buck chopping wood. In a tank top, because why not. Eddie will never forgive Buck for bulking up last year, because the way his arms are flexing, when he brings the axe up and then down. Buck has just split a block, when he sees Eddie.
The smile on his face is wide, and Eddie pretends like his heart doesn't skip beat as if it's using a jump rope. "Eddie, you made it. Chris get to Abuela's okay?"
"Yeah, and I swear he had candy in his hand, before I even made it to the car." Buck just laughs with him. He knows Abuela well enough to know the truth of that statement. She even does it with Buck sometimes, he loves it though he would never admit it.
Buck gestures to a tent to Eddie's right. "You can put your things in there." Eddie doesn't even look at the tent, because he gets distracted by Buck's bicep flexing. It does not help Eddie's current lack of brain capacity, when Buck steps closer. "We're sharing."
"Oh." Eddie says stupidly.
Buck rubs the back of his neck, something he only does, when he's worried he's overstepping or taking up space he shouldn't. "Yeah, Hen and Chim took a tent, before I had put my bag down, and Cap is sleeping alone. So..." He finally meets Eddie's eyes.
Eddie blinks his brain back into a functioning state. "Of course they did." He says gesturing to Hen and Chim. They give him a quick wave, before returning to the fire. "Well, I'll be warm then that's for sure." He gives Buck a wink, when the man rolls his eyes at him.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm a human furnace." Buck gives Eddie a slight push, before walking back over to the wood blocks.
Eddie walks over to the tent with a stupidly happy smile on his face. It falters when he opens the tent and promptly realises just how tight a fit it will be. The tent would cause two normally sized people to be laying close, but him and Buck. Yeah tight fit might be understating it.
He decides that will be a problem for later Eddie. So he just goes back to the others. It's a good afternoon and a pleasent night. It's all easy conversation and good fun. Cap turns in first, Hen and Chim following soon after.
So it's just Buck and Eddie. They are sitting side by side, pressed in close. For warmth, of course. Buck is smiling up at the sky. "I've missed this."
Eddie can't take his eyes off Buck, not when he looks this happy, relaxed, unguarded. "Missed what?"
"The stars." Buck looks over at Eddie, still smiling but it turns softer, somehow. "When I worked at that ranch, I'd see the stars every night." He looks back up, leaning into Eddie. "You can never see them in LA, not like this."
Eddie looks up at them too, letting his head fall to rest on Buck's shoulder. Before Eddie can panic, he feels the weight of Buck's head on top of his own. "It's one of the few things I miss about El Paso. Chris and I used to watch them, when he couldn't sleep."
Buck chuckles quietly. "So that's where the obsession with space comes from." Eddie laughs with him.
"Yeah, that or all the times you've taken him to the planetarium." Eddie feels the way Buck's face scrunches up, because of the obviously fake acusatory tone in Eddie's voice.
"Or that." Buck yawns. It makes Eddie yawn too. "We should turn in. Pretty sure Cap was serious about that hike tomorrow."
Eddie just nods as Buck pulls him to his feet. They take turns getting changed, because there is no chance in hell they could do it at the same time. Now they are stretched out side by side, Eddie doing everything he can not to touch Buck, despite the two sleeping bags already seperating them.
Eddie has almost fallen asleep, when he hears it. A small sniffle. The kind where you can tell the other person is trying not to be heard. Eddie rolls over, so he's facing Buck in the dark. "What's up?" He doesn't know why he whispers, but he can't bring himself to raise his voice.
Buck sniffles again. "Sorry, it's stupid."
"I highly doubt that."
Buck rolls to face Eddie. It's getting easier to see now, so Eddie sees the tears filling Bucks eyes, not falling just yet. "You know, my parents are in town right?"
"Yeah." Eddie breathes the word, because even if Buck doesn't tell him, Eddie knows. "Do you wanna talk about it?" Then after a beat. "You don't have too."
Buck takes a shaky breath. "It's okay. It wasn't something special or even different. It was all just the same as usual." Eddie can't stop himself, Buck just sounds so sad. So he reaches out and cups Buck's jaw. Buck's eyes close and a few tears fall down his face. "I don't know why it hits me right now. I told you it was stupid."
"Hey." Eddie tightens his fingers on Buck's face, his thumb moving under his chin to force Buck to look at him. Buck sniffles again, but he does meet Eddie's eyes. "It is not stupid, okay. Okay?" Eddie emphasizes. Buck gives him a small nod in return. "I'm sorry they are like that."
"I'm used to it." He sounds so dejected, it actually makes Eddie's heart break.
"Doesn't make it okay, Buck."
"I know, Eds. I know." He starts crying more persistently now.
Eddie shallows past the lump in his throat. "Is there anything I can do? Anything that'll make you feel better?"
Buck just shakes his head. "I can't ask that of you. I-"
"Buck there is nothing I won't do for you. You know that, cariño." Eddie's moved in even closer without even realising it. He just needs to be closer.
Buck searches his face for a few seconds, before he moves. He pushes gently on Eddie's shoulder, so he's on his back. Eddie holds his breath, as Buck moves to rest his head on Eddie's chest.
It only takes a moment for Eddie to let a breath out and put his arms around Buck, holding him tighter to him. His hand makes its way to Buck's unruly curls. Buck groans low when Eddie starts scratching his head. He also can't help but chuckle when he feels Buck's leg twitch against his. "Like that perrito?"
"Oh fuck off." There is nothing serious in his words and he snuggles in closer. And he starts drifting off after a few minutes.
Remember how the universe hates Eddie. He would like to change that to the universe despises him. Because here he is, holding the man he has loved, since he meet him. This will be a long night, but if this is all Eddie ever gets from Buck, he will cherish it.
Sunlight makes the tent warm, but so does the human furnace spread out on top of Eddie. At some time during the night Buck's wiggled out of his sleeping bag enough that his entire torso is exposed. He is holding on tight to Eddie, just as tight as Eddie holds on to him.
He's mumbling in his sleep, but Eddie can't make it out. Not untill he realises that it is not a good dream. It chills him to the bone, when Buck all but whimpers. "No, no Eddie please. Please don't go."
Eddie shakes Buck slightly, wanting to make it stop. "Buck, hey, hey. I'm here. Buck."
Buck jumps up, shaking as he looks around. His eyes are still a little hazy, like he isn't really awake yet. When he sees Eddie, he sags, still shaking. Eddie just grabs his arm and pulls Buck back into his arms. Buck goes, folding himself into Eddie's embrace. "It's okay, cariño. I'm here, I'm right here."
Eddie keeps whispering words, trying to comfort and calm Buck down. It works after a while. Buck lifts his head and looks at Eddie with tear tracks down his face. Eyes red and swollen. "I'm sorry, Eds." His voice trembles.
"It's okay." Buck just nods and rests his chin on Eddie's chest. "Do you just want to stay like this, or do you want to talk about it?" Buck chuckles a little. "Ha ha, I know I'm a broken record. But seriously though." Eddie's smiling softly down at Buck. He could get a little too used to this, having Buck this close.
"I don't know. You were leaving." Buck's voice breaks on the last word and Eddie's heart does the same. "You were leaving me."
Eddie pushes them up into a sitting position and takes Buck's face between his hands. "Listen to me. I will never leave you, Buck. And if I ever do, I will have been fighting tooth and nail to stay. You hear me. I'm not leaving you, cariño. Ever."
Buck's lower lip starts trembling just before he falls forward and into Eddie chest. "I know, Eds."
They stay there for a while, before Buck pulls back and looks at Eddie. It's like he's looking for something, but Eddie has no idea what.
The only warning Eddie gets is a shaky inhale, and then Buck's lips are on his. Eddie pulls back in shock. Which is a decision he hates the moment he makes it. The look in Buck's eyes will haunt Eddie for the rest of his life. He's still holding Buck's face, so he feels the second Buck pulls away from him.
He doesn't get far, before Eddie pulls him back. With a little too much force, because they loose their balance. Eddie recovers quick, rolling them over, so Buck is on his back, never taking his lips of him.
It's filthy from the moment Buck is under him. Buck's hands fist in Eddie's hair, just the right side of painfull. When Eddie nips at Buck's lower lip, he groans. Eddie just smiles at him and starts kissing down Buck's neck.
"Eddie." The way Buck breaths it, god Eddie's never thought he name sounded that good. "I love you."
Eddie freezes for a second. Then he groans into the side of Buck's neck, collapsing on top of Buck. "Ay dios mío." He leaves one more kiss, before he moves up on his elbow to look down at Buck, who is smiling up at him. Eddie leans down and gives him a short kiss. "I-" kiss "love-" kiss "you" kiss "too." Buck doesn't let him go this time, when he kisses him again.
Eddie would very much like to amend his statement that the universe hates him. If this gets to be his reality, and it definately feels like it will be, then the universe loves him. How could it be anything else, when he gets to kiss the love of his life, morning breath and all.
"Are you two done making out, so we can get on with the day?" Hen shouts right outside their tent. Buck laughs loudly, as Eddie hides his face in the crook of Buck's neck.
Which is where his next words are directed. "Go away, Henrietta."
"Just get a move on, I'm hungry and Cap won't let us eat without you two." It's Chim this time, and nothing gets between Chim and his breakfast.
"We'll be right there." Buck calls out. You can hear the smile in his voice.
Eddie sits up and looks for a hoodie. "I love you, Eddie." Buck looks so small, like he's somehow worried, he's misread the situation.
Crawling out of his sleeping bag, Eddie straddles Buck's legs and takes his face in his hands again. "I love you, Buck." Eddie kisses him again. "You know what Chimney can wait a few more minutes, don't you think." Buck chuckles, but he doesn't get a chance to kiss him again.
"No I absolutely cannot."
Buck rolls his eyes and says. "Later, Eds. I promise."
"Later."