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Buck and Eddie have become BuckandEddie almost immediately at the end of their first shift, speedrunning their way to becoming friends and solidifying themselves as a team during the earthquake.
The 118 is happy to see the two get along so well. They’re all family, but having a partner in the field that you are that close with is a good way to stay alive, something both can use, since they’re prone to running into danger. At least now they’re doing it with backup.
They also know that their friendship extends out the firehouse. All of them see each other off the clock with family dinners and big hangs out being organized regularly, but much like Hen hangs out with Chimney and Athena separately, Buck and Eddie hang out alone too. It’s impossible not to know that, despite Eddie’s reserved nature, because Buck will tell everyone what he’s been doing at any given point in time, no matter how embarrassing or unasked for.
Not that the 118 will ever ask him to stop, Buck oversharing is one of the foundational pieces of them as a team. Everyone knows that. Even Eddie, who always looks over fondly when Buck recounts movie night or what he and Chris did that weekend. It keeps them all sane, fills the silence and ensures they keep going.
So, yeah, all of them know how close Buck and Eddie are, how close Buck is with Christopher. The three of them are a little unit, despite of what else might be happening in their lives.
However, because Buck shares everything and Eddie lets him, even when whatever story Buck is telling embarrasses or implicates him as well, it comes as a shock when it seems that there is more to the Buckley-Diaz connection than they’ve been privy too.
It starts with Buck bringing a bunch of cookies to the firehouse. That in itself is a little unusual, but no one is going to question baked treats.
Well, no one was going to question baked treats, until Buck starts grilling them about them, asking them which they liked best and which one looked the best and, hey, these are the same but a day old, do they still taste good, or bad, or better?
“Okay, what is happening?” Hen asks when Buck is practically taking notes on her answers.
Surprisingly – or unsurprisingly really now that they think about it – it’s Eddie who answers. “Chris has a bake sale next week, this idiot made us sign up to provide cookies to sell. He and Chris have turned it into a whole mission.”
“You can’t show up at a bake sale with store bought cookies, Eddie. Everybody knows that,” Buck huffs in a way that indicates this is not the first time they’ve had this argument.
“No one is going to care, they know we’re busy as firefighters and don’t always have time,” Eddie argues.
“Yes, which is why it’s extra important to do this right,” Buck points out. “With our schedules we can’t promise being available for anything else, but this can be done in advance. Your parent participation standing is very low with the PTA, you can use the boost this gives you.”
“Okay, if it is for Eddie’s social standing with the other parents, why are you baking cookies?” Chimney asks, taking another bite from his cookie.
“Have you seen this man in a kitchen?” Buck scoffs. “He can’t cook or bake to save his life.”
“Hey, I can cook,” Eddie protests, though it’s more a token protest that dies out pretty soon after Buck gives him a disbelieving look.
“I think it’s sweet that you’re helping,” Hen says. “God know how difficult parent participation can be, I don’t know where I’d be without Karen.”
None of them catch the implication of comparing Buck to Karen, the partnership of BuckandEddie too normal for them to do so. Instead, Buck just crows: “See, I told you.”
“I know, I just think you’re doing a lot and it’s sweet, but don’t feel obligated,” Eddie humpfs, partially giving away what he really feels; guilt.
Naturally, Buck catches on immediately, sending him a big smile as he says: “Hey, I’m not doing anything I don’t want to. Baking is fun. I’m actually teaching Chris so he might survive on his own when he ever moves out.”
“Oh god, don’t talk about Chris moving out,” Eddie replies, sounding horrified at the thought of his son being old enough to fly the nest.
Everyone laughs at him and continues to rib him for becoming old. The whole incident partially forgotten until the next one occurs a few weeks later.
Both Buck and Eddie are requesting the same night off, leaving it a hassle to get the right shifts switched around to make it happen. Chimney complains: “The A shift without you two is going to be so boring and the whole dynamic is going to be thrown off. What are you guys even doing that’s so important anyway?”
“It’s parent-teacher night at Chris’s school,” Buck explains easily.
“And you need time off for that because…?” Chimney asks.
“Well, tía Pepa is watching Chris and last time Carla went with him, but she already has a thing then, so I’m going as backup instead. Two remember more than one,” Buck answers, like it’s the most natural thing in the world. “I already know some of the teachers from pick-up. Plus, we helped at the bake sale. It’s not like I’m a new face.”
“You can do that?” Chimney sounds surprised. “Just bring whoever?”
“I mean, they’re going to ask who you are and judge you about it, yeah, but it’s not illegal to bring someone if they have a connection to the child,” Buck shrugs.
It says a lot about who they are that Chimney doesn’t even think to question whether or not Buck has a connection to the child and whether or not Buck will get a negative judgment when introduced or that it’ll be a weird introduction. He’s Buck, of course it’s normal for him to go to parent-teacher night.
In fact, Chimney doesn’t even question it until the shift is there and the people from the B shift that are filling in ask where the two usuals are, giving Chim a weird look when he relays the information.
Still, they don’t actively start questioning it, until the third time it happens. Eddie is working out, while Chimney and Hen are restocking the ambulance, when Buck, who is helping Bobby with dinner, suddenly appears at the banister and calls down : “Hey, Eddie! It’s gonna be just us today, Chris is hanging out with his friends, he’s eating dinner with the Walters tonight.”
Eddie just nods and calls back: “We should get burgers then.”
Buck throws his head back as he laughs, before grinning down: “At some point he’s gonna figure out we eat unhealthy when he’s not there, you know.”
“But until then…?” Eddie asks with a mischievous look.
“Until then we’re definitely getting burgers,” Buck replies matching his look.
“Okay, what’s happening?” Hen asks, poking her head out from the ambulance, sharing a confused look with Chimney that seemingly flies over both Buck’s and Eddie’s head.
“Oh, Eddie is a dumbass,” “Oi!” “who leaves his phone upstairs when he works out. I saw it was Chris calling, so I picked up and told him he could go.”
“And you’re okay with that?” Hen asks Eddie, eyebrows raised. She knows very well that no one other than Karen could ever give Denny permission to go anywhere and there’d be hell to pay for anyone who tried. Even if it were Chim.
However, Eddie doesn’t seem to share that apprehension, giving her a weird look as he says: “Of course. He’s Buck. He knows what Chris is and isn’t allowed.”
He’s Buck.
He’s Buck.
The phrasing of that sticks to Hen’s brain as she nods as if she gets it and in a way, she does. He’s Buck, he’s Eddie’s Buck. The Buck of BuckandEddie. They’ve always been close, Buck has always been close to Christopher too. The three are a unit. Hen almost feels silly for questioning it, then she starts questioning why that is.
With Hen questioning it, Chimney also starts questioning it. The two gossip like it’s their job and theorizing about it is half the fun. So, when they’re in the ambulance together, checking everything, she asks: “Do you think anything is up with Buck and Eddie?”
“Yes!” Chimney bursts out, relieved that she brought it up first so he can talk about it. “I mean, Chris is a good kid and I’ll babysit him if Eddie asks, but Buck… Buck seems…”
Chimney trails off and Hen finishes for him: “Overly involved?”
“So, it’s not just me,” Chimney sighs relieved. “I know I don’t have a kid, so I couldn’t tell if that is a normal thing to do, but you never asked me to any of that with Denny, but you had Karen and then that got me thinking.”
“Because Buck is kind of Eddie’s Karen,” Hen nods, summarizing what Chim said, because they’re on the same page as always.
“Exactly,” Chimney nods back.
“Think they’re secretly dating?” Hen asks.
“I don’t know. If it were anyone but them I would’ve said yes, but I don’t think Buck could keep that a secret to save his life.”
“No, but Eddie could and Buck would probably do anything for him.”
“True.”
They both fall silent for a second, thinking. Chimney is the one that breaks it, asking: “Do you think they’re in love?”
“Probably, but if they are, they don’t know it,” Hen responds. “Hell, I don’t think they even know they’re co-parenting Christopher.”
Chimney’s eyes light up and he says: “30 dollars Eddie knows.” Hen gives him a look and he says: “Oh come on, he’s Chris’s parent, he has parented with someone else before. There is no way he doesn’t know what’s happening.”
“I don’t know, he has a lot of people that help with Christopher, he might not realize,” Hen says. “Plus, it’s not as if Buck has shared custody of Christopher. All we’ve seen are weirdly close, but nothing too big. I say, neither of them realize.”
“Willing to put money on that, Henrietta?” Chim asks mischievously, quirking his brows.
“Don’t call me Henrietta and, yes, I’ll match your 30,” Hen says, before pushing him away.
Now that they have a bet going on, the right to interfere has been revoked, but their need to observe has grown tenfold. And boy, do they observe.
Not even three days later Buck comes into work, casually bumping his hip against Eddie’s, who is pouring him a coffee, as he says: “I got the supplies for Chris’s science fair project, so we can start after we get off shift.”
“Chris is really excited, hasn’t been able to shut up about it all week,” Eddie snorts. “I’m glad you’re willing to do it with him.”
“Course, I’ll never pass a chance to hang out with my little man, especially when he’s doing something fun,” Buck grins, eyes crinkling. Neither notice the possessive claim he stakes on Chris, both of them allowing it as normal.
Eddie laughs again: “I should’ve known, you’re just as excited as he is, aren’t you?”
“What can I say, volcanoes are cool,” Buck enthuses. “Did you know there are 10 tot 20 volcanic eruptions per day on earth. Most of them are under the sea. That’s pretty cool!”
“Yeah, Buck, that is pretty cool,” Eddie agrees fondly, before the conversation drifts to other topics, while Chimney and Hen share a look in the background.
Then later, they’re on a call. No one is seriously hurt, but people are trapped and Eddie drew the short stick, so he’s in the sewer wading through god knows what, while Buck mans the wench, calling out encouragements with a shit-eating grin, as Eddie grumbles and Chimney waits so he can check over the people that are brought up.
However, Buck is distracted by his phone ringing. He takes a quick glance at the screen, frowning when he sees, who it is, he quickly calls Chim to take over and swiftly picking up: “Hi, Evan Buckley speaking. Is Chris okay?”
This catches all their attention, not just because Buck never picks up with his full name, but also because he mentions Chris. How did he know the call was about him before he even picked up?
They watch as Buck listens to whatever is being said on the other side of the line, shoulders relaxing slightly as the person on the other side of the line talks. He nods along, then says: “Yeah, of course Chris can go. His permission slip is supposed to be in the yellow folder.”
A beat, then an amused huff as Buck’s voice raises a pitch: “ Oh, r eally ?” Then he continues normally: “Well, of course he’s allowed to go. Eddie probably forgot to pack it, I probably should’ve told Chris where I put it instead of him,” he laughs, then says his goodbyes.
Soon after Eddie returns with one of the victims, attaching her to the rope Chimney lowers, before turning to take off again.
However, before he can, Buck calls out: “Hey, Eddie, think you forgot something this morning?”
Eddie looks confused as he frowns up at Buck. “No, I didn’t forget anything,” he answers, full confidence. A beat passes and the a little less secure in that answer, he asks: “Did I?”
“Chris’s yellow folder,” Buck reminds him. “With the permission slip?”
Understanding dawns on Eddie’s face and he curses. “Fuck, that’s today, isn’t it. Shit, Chris is gonna be pissed.”
“Nah,” Buck assures him before he can spiral. “School just called, I told them he can go. He’ll probably bully you for it when you get home, though.”
“Better than getting the cold shoulder,” Eddie grins back. “I am not looking forward to those teen years, let me tell you.”
And with that, he takes off again, pretending he isn’t laughing when Buck yells after: “Can’t be more shitty than this.”
As Eddie disappears from view, Chimney fails at a conversational tone as he asks: “I take it that was Chris’s school?”
Buck doesn’t appear to notice as he answers: “Yeah, Eddie forgot to pack Chris’s permission slip for the field trip today, so they called to check it’s okay. Eddie clearly can’t answer right now, so they called me.”
“And that is normal?” Chimney calls.
“Well, yeah, it’s nice to have a backup in case a parent doesn’t pick up,” Buck says.
Chimney sends Hen a look for confirmation, who is just finishing checking over the woman Eddie rescued earlier. Hen points out: “I mean, yeah, they always call Karen first, because with my job I can’t always pick up, but you and Eddie are almost always busy at the same times. You work the same shifts.”
“Yeah, course, but seven times out of ten if Eddie doesn’t pick up it’s because he forgot his phone, like a dumbass, but if we’re truly busy they’ll call Carla,” Buck shrugs, switching back in with Chim so two paramedics are available for the next people.
“Oh, so Carla is number 3 on the list,” Hen repeats in a tone that signals to Chimney that that is interesting. Because it is. Carla has literally been hired to take care of Chris when Eddie can’t due to work. It’s her job. But she isn’t number 2, no that is Buck. It somehow does and doesn’t make any sense.
Oblivious to it all, Buck nods enthusiastically: “Yeah. Works out best this way. I hope Chris has fun, they’re going to the aquarium. I really wanted to chaperon, but I guess we’re gonna have to go to the aquarium together some other day. Maybe Chris learns some things that aren’t on the signs from a tour guide and he’ll tell me.”
He looks so excited about it that they don’t even have the heart to tease him about being a big kid himself. Hen sometimes thinks he is living a second, better childhood through caring for Christopher and trying to imagine why he’d need to do so makes her heart ache. So, she lets him be excited and focuses on checking the next patient Eddie brings her way.
When they have a call a few weeks later that involves a squid and Buck has a bunch of fish and c ephalopod facts ready to go, everyone knows it’s because he took Chris to the aquarium. Eddie even informs them off it when Buck starts.
After that, they watch as Buck and Eddie coordinate pick ups when their schedules are thrown out of whack for a few weeks due to a big emergency, as well as them dividing getting supplies for projects and arguing how best to help Chris with his homework.
Hen and Chim keep trying to figure out if they know what they’re doing, but Buck just keeps calling Chris his best friend, nothing else, and Eddie is no help in the opening up department.
It’s all so domestic and they want to tear their hair out, because while the bet is about the parenting, neither can forget about how they thought they were maybe dating and definitely in love.
All their interactions are so fond, so familiar. They’re a family – part of the bigger 118 family of course, but a unit in their own right – and both deserve having that so much. However, it doesn’t seem like they know that and they want to push, to meddle, but Hen knows how scary it can be, especially if you aren’t out (and neither Buck nor Eddie ever mentioned being into men) and she doesn’t want that fear for them, knows you can’t rush that. So, they just have to watch it happen.
They have to watch as Buck picks up his phone with a big smile, grinning: “Hey, Superman. What’s this all about? Miss me already?”
Chris – because there is only one person Buck can be talking to after that greeting – must say something particular, because Buck’s eyebrows are creeping towards his hairline. In a voice that mixes surprise and amusement, he asks: “Oh, and are you going to tell me what you did, or are you just informing me of that?”
“And by some you mean all, don’t you?” Buck says fondly when Chris explains further.
“Of course,” he snorts at whatever Chris replied to that, before adding: “So, can I ask why you’re calling me to tell me about it?”
“Oh, I see how it is, Mister,” Buck laughs, eyes twinkling with amusement. “You’re trying to get yourself out of trouble, is that it?”
They can’t make out what Christopher says, but they can hear traces of his giggles coming out of the speaker.
It’s just Hen and Chimney who are there with Buck. Bobby is working on dinner and Eddie is catching up on some sleep downstairs, while they’re all hanging around on the couch. As they watch Buck talk with Chris, they keep sending each other looks, both trying to piece together what the conversation is about.
At Chris’s reply, Buck puffs up, even when the other can’t see him. Playing at magnanimous Buck answers: “Well, luckily for you, I am in a helping mood. So, if you promise to do all your homework before your dad gets home, I’ll try and work out a deal for you. How does that sound?”
Hen and Chimney can tell him how that sounds, it sounds parental. However, they can’t discern if Buck also knows it. Neither of them have bet on Buck knowing, but they can’t help but squint their eyes at him, wondering if he does know and isn’t as oblivious as he seems.
That wondering is exacerbated when Buck hangs up with a happy: “I’m glad you think so, Superman. Now be good and expect a call from dad, yeah?”
Once he has hung up, Chimney jumps on it first, asking: “So, what was that about?”
“Chris is trying to get out of trouble and has apparently learned the skill calling in a favor,” Buck explains.
“I hope you know you’re the one who taught him that with all your negotiating,” Eddie suddenly speaks up behind them, having only caught the tail end of the conversation. He looks sleep rumpled, but awake. Likely set an alarm for lunch.
Hen raises her eyebrows at Eddie’s comment, unable to help herself. Mentally, she grudgingly gives a point to Chimney, that does sound like Eddie knows.
She is now also truly lost about whether Buck realizes when he guffaws offendedly: “Excuse you, I don’t hear you complaining when he actually gets in bed on time during movie night.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever. It’s only because you’re the good cop,” Eddie complains.
“That’s the benefit of being Buck instead of being dad,” Buck grins and Eddie doesn’t protest the statement. Okay, so neither of them know. Probably. Right?
“I guess,” Eddie pouts, shrouding the situation in doubt again. “Just tell me why he was calling in a favor with you. Or is it a secret?”
“Nah, our little man decided to eat a bunch of ice cream while Carla was taking a call,” Buck says, neither of them noting the ‘our’ there, while Chimney and Hen definitely do.
“What?” Eddie exclaims with a frown. “Oh, he’s in trouble.”
“And he knows that,” Buck says. “Hence the call. I’m here to negotiate on Chris’s behalf. He has promised to do all his homework before you get home and he has acknowledged that what he did was against the rules and fessed up. So, he deserves some credit there.”
Eddie frowns more, crossing his arms now too. He doesn’t look pleased at all.
When he doesn’t say anything, Buck continues: “Come on, Eddie. I know it’s not healthy and Carla is probably regretting taking her eyes of him with that sugar high, but it’s normal for kids to do naughty things sometimes, to break the rules.”
“Sure, this was a harmless one, overall,” Eddie agrees. “But what if next time it’s a more dangerous thing he does. A rule that’s there to keep him safe, instead of just preventing a sugar rush and cavities? He needs to know it’s not okay, that the rules are there for a reason.”
Buck looks thoughtful at that, trying to come up with a reply. Hen is about to offer her advice as a parent – having gone unacknowledged thus far – when Buck does it first. “Then tell him that.”
“What?”
“Just tell him,” Buck shrugs. “Chris is a smart kid. You can explain that this rule is to keep him healthy, but other rules are there to keep him safe and it is important that he follows those rules, because they’re not there to be annoying, but to protect him. I’m sure he’ll get it. Then maybe no ice cream for a week or something as punishment, I don’t know.”
Eddie pauses for a second, then grins: “That’s actually good advice. When did you get so wise, man?”
Buck blushes and doesn’t meet their eyes, muttering: “It might have been what Bobby did to me after I was being a dumbass during my probie time,” causing everyone to laugh a little at his expense, which he takes graciously.
The conversation as a whole sticks with Chimney and Hen, who argue about it relentlessly, trying to figure out what it means and who is right. Chimney is perfectly ready to accept his winnings, but Hen refuses to give him the satisfaction of being right and has enough arguments to back herself up to not feel too petty about it.
Before they can settle it, they get their answers.
Eddie gets a call from school saying that Chris got in trouble and gets permission to go from Bobby so he can settle this. While he’s gone, Buck paces a little, wondering how Chris got in trouble, because he’s usually such a good student and he loves school and he knows all of the teachers like him. Well, all of them except Mrs. Smith, who sucks.
Soon Eddie returns to the station alongside Chris, because they have to wait until Carla can come pick him up. Eddie looks a little dazed, but Chris looks angry, a little storm cloud above his head.
Buck has been waiting anxiously for them the entire time, so he’s there in no time. “Hey, Superman, what got you all upset?”
Chris’s face is puffed up in indignant upset and anger, it’s kind of cute, but no one is going to tell him that when he exclaims: “Mrs. Smith told me off for lying even though I totally wasn’t and for calling Mike an asshole even though he totally was. And dad didn’t back me up for any of it.”
That gives all of them a pause. Eddie might not back Chris calling anyone an asshole, no matter how deserved, but he would always back Chris if he is falsely accused of lying.
They look over to Eddie, who is standing there, looking a bit helpless and out of his depth, as if he has no clue what he is supposed to do now. When he meets Buck’s questioning gaze, he flushes and looks away, making Buck frown. Hen and Chimney decide to stay in the background, see how this plays out and if they can finally settle that bet.
Buck seems uncertain, especially with Eddie avoids his gaze, so he is cautious when he asks: “And what makes you say that? Your dad wouldn’t just leave you hanging, you know that, Chris.”
“I know, but we had to give a presentation about our families and I told them I have two dads and Mrs. Smith told me off in front of everyone and then Mike call you a bad word, so I called him an asshole and then she send me to the principle’s office and it’s not fair,” Chris says loudly.
All the adults there become very still at those words. After so long the unspoken has become spoken.
Chris is oblivious to it, continuing his rant: “And then dad came in and he backed them . They told him to explain to me to avoid confusion, like I’m stupid. I’m not stupid! I know you and dad don’t do the gross stuff like kissing or holding hands, but you’re still my dad. You cook for us, you help me with the homework and you went to parent-teacher night. I wasn’t lying and Mike had no right to call you that word. He should be suspended for a day too.”
Buck looks as if he’s been slapped, yet as if it’s the best day in his life at the same time. He is clearly at a loss for words and equally overwhelmed as Eddie. He just gapes at Chris, before his eyes flick between Eddie and Chris, searching for something that Eddie doesn’t appear capable of giving him right now.
When both stay silent, Chris draws back slightly from where he’d been orbiting in Buck’s space, voice hurt as he asks: “I mean, you’re also my dad, right, Buck?”
Jolted into action by Chris’s tone, Buck goes down on a knee to be at his level, pulling him into a hug as he says: “I’ll always be your Buck. I’m here for you and I won’t go.” Then he pulls away slightly, cupping Chris’s cheek in a manner similar to how Eddie does. “But you already have a dad, I don’t want to push into that space, yeah. It’s not up to me.”
“But Denny has two moms and Harry has three dads, why do they get to have more parents and I don’t?” Chris cries, his upset growing more.
Eddie is also moving, crouching down on Chris’s other side and carding a hand through his hair and pulling him close: “Oh, mijo, I’m sorry. I- I didn’t mean to pick their side.” He looks over Chris’s head at Buck, eyes wide as if to try and silently communicate about what to do.
Buck returns his gaze with equally wide eyes, before swallowing thickly. He nods at Chris, then looks down at himself, before giving Eddie an apologetic grimace.
Eddie glares at him, frowning as he shakes his head, before nodding sharply at Buck, then at Chris.
Now Buck’s eyes grow wide again, this time in joyous disbelief, which turns into an ‘are you sure?’-expression.
At that Eddie gives him a flat look. However, before the silent conversation can continue, Chris sadly says: “But you did pick their side.”
Immediately Eddie’s attention is on his son entirely, taking over from Buck, so he can cup his face and have Chris look in his eyes, so he knows he means it: “And I’m very sorry for that, Chris. You were right to stand up for your friend and you do have a dad in Buck.” He sends over an insecure look to Buck at the last part, voice a little softer, as if he hopes Buck won’t hear him.
Fortunately, he doesn’t have to worry, because at the confirmation Buck’s face lights up in the brightest smile they’ve seen from him yet.
Chris also smiles at that, before he frowns: “Why didn’t you tell Mrs. Smith or the Principal that? Now they think they’re right.”
The others might not know this, but Buck is the one that talks to Chris, so when Eddie flounders again, he starts up easily. “Well, Superman, your dad was probably a little confused, because often having two parents, means those two parents do all the gross stuff like kissing and holding hands and that’s what Mrs. Smith and the Principal thought you meant, so your dad agreed with them that that isn’t true.”
Right now Chris is standing between the two, looking at Buck while Buck looks at him. Neither notice Eddie, who is looking at both with an incredibly fond yet heartbroken look on his face.
If Hen dared to do more than breathe in that moment, she would’ve bet a lot of money that he only now realized what he could have, right as Buck is apparently ripping it up in front of his face. By the lord, both of them are a little stupid.
Buck continues on: “It was just a misunderstanding between everyone, because usually when a kid has an extra parent they’re not related to, it’s because that person is dating a parent the kid is related to. Now I’m bi so I like more genders, so also men, but you dad doesn’t, so-”
“Who said I don’t,” Eddie interrupts, looking as if he did not intent to blurt that out.
“You do?” Buck asks, surprised, gaze turning to Eddie.
Eddie is flushed bright red and he looks away, muttering: “Uhm, yeah, I’m- I’m gay.” By the way he says it, nervous and voice small, Hen guesses he hasn’t come out often. Not surprising, since he is ex-military.
Buck seems dumbstruck by the revelation and Hen can quickly see this go south. So, she steps in, giving Eddie a quick side hug, pulling him into her stomach, since he’s still on the ground. She says: “I’m so proud of you, Eddie.”
Then she holds out a hand for Chris to take as she says: “I think your dads need to figure this all out for a moment, get on the same page. Why don’t we go and ask Cap if he can make you some more of those grilled cheese sandwiches you liked so much last time.”
“Okay,” Chris agrees, easily swayed by the promise of grilled cheese sandwiches and a nod from one of his dads.
As she leads him away, she sends Chim a look that clearly says ‘you better stay here and report back on all developments’. Going off the look he returns, the message gets across.
Bobby can indeed be convinced to make Chris some grilled cheese sandwiches, though he demands that Hen softly fills him in on what’s happening. He claims to be above gossip, but Hen knows better, she sees right through him.
When Chris is happily munching on his grilled cheese, Chimney comes up the stairs. There is no Buck or Eddie behind him and both Bobby and Hen give him a questioning look, but it is Chris, who asks: “Where are dad and Buck?”
“They’re, uhm,” Chimney clears his throat, “continuing their conversation for a bit more. Enthusiastically.” He ruffles Chris’s hair and says: “I think your dads are gonna do gross stuff like kissing and holding hands from now on, kiddo.”
“Iew,” Chris complains, before he perks up and asks: “Does that mean Buck will have more sleep overs now?” which makes everyone laugh.
Hen smiles: ‘It probably does, Chris, it probably does,” before holding out her hand to Chimney, who begrudgingly hands her her 30 dollars.