Work Text:
"Hey, what do you think they're talking about?" Eddie nods his head in direction of Buck and Bobby, who are talking. Buck looks tense and a little angry, but Bobby is talking to him patiently.
Hen looks over just as Buck holds up his hands and walks towards the bunk room. She shrugs and says, "Probably just about the well. Bobby doesn't think Buck is okay yet."
Eddie looks at where Buck disappeared and then at Hen, truly confused. "What do you mean Buck isn't okay yet?" Eddie scoffs, shaking his head and fighting off the chills that comes with the memories of that night. "I mean, I'm the one who got buried."
Hen puts the rag down she's been using to clean the truck, placing a hand on Eddie's arm. The look of pity in her eyes makes Eddie drop his gaze to the rag he's fidgeting with. Her voice is soft, so soft Eddie feels like crying from it, "He hasn't told you, has he," it's not even a question.
"Told me what?"
She sighs and squeezes his arm, before she goes back to cleaning the truck. "Honestly, I think it's better if you see it." When Eddie just raises an eyebrow at her, she continues, "There's news footage of what happened after it collapsed, but Eddie... you should be prepared, it's not pretty."
Eddie doesn't know what else to say so he just nods and goes back to work, but her words stay with him for the rest of the shift.
Later that night Eddie is sitting on his bed with his laptop, YouTube open and his fingers hovering over the keys. He's been sitting like this for the last half hour. Buck is currently snoring on his couch, where he has been sleeping every night since the well. Or almost every night. For the first week or so Eddie had woken up to Buck either asleep in the chair in the corner or the floor or sitting against the wall. But it's not only been that, Eddie has caught Buck watching him constantly ever since he got home from the hospital, has felt how Buck has stayed closer than normal even on calls.
Eddie closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. It's easy enough to find what he's looking for. Biting on his thumbnail Eddie presses play.
The lightning strikes and the crane falls. He sees Buck push Bobby out of the way and then... Eddie turns up the sound, his headphones on so he doesn't wake anyone else. He rewinds a little, trying to tune out the chaos in the background.
It's so easy to find Buck, but this? This breaks Eddie's heart. "EDDIE! EDDIE! EDDIE! EDDIE! EDDIE! EDDIE!" Buck cries out, digging into the ground with his bare hands, until Bobby pulls him back. Tears fall down Eddie's face when he sees how Buck collapses. He slams the screen shut, tearing off his headphones.
Eddie rubs at his chest trying to ease the pressure building there. It doesn't work. Throwing the laptop aside, Eddie jumps out of bed and runs to the bathroom.
As he's dry heaving leaned over the toilet, a hand rubs up and down his back. Eddie sits down, leaning against the tub. Buck is crouched in front of him, looking extremely worried. "Nightmare?" Eddie just shakes his head, then proceeds to drop it in the space between his knees and chest. "What's wrong? Did you eat something bad? Did-"
"Stop, please," Eddie says, still not lifting his head. He's not entirely sure he can look Buck in the eye yet.
"Is there anything I can do?" God, of course Buck is trying to do anything to make it better.
Eddie runs his hands through his hair and pulls at his shoulders when he drops his head back, staring at the ceiling. "Can you get me a glass of water?"
"Of course," Buck says and walks out. Neither of them say anything, as Buck hands him a glass of water. Which Eddie drinks still not looking at Buck, even as the man sits down next to him.
Eddie puts the glass down and then says, staring ahead of him, "Why didn't you tell me?"
"What?" Buck's eyes are on him, Eddie feels it even if he doesn't look at him.
He feels tears stinging in his eyes. "Why didn't you tell me what happened that night?" Eddie finally looks at Buck, whose eyes have gone wide. "I saw the video, Buck."
Buck takes a shaky inhale. "Who told you?"
"No one did, I saw you talk to Bobby, asked Hen what it was about and she said..." he stops. Eddie knows that Buck will hate knowing that everyone is worried about him. So, "She told me to watch the video, so I did." Eddie has to breathe around another wave of nausea. "What were you thinking, Buck? Were you going to dig forty feet into the ground with your bare hands?"
"Yeah," Buck says a little more loudly than Eddie expected, "I was." Buck looks away, pulling at his fingers.
Eddie's heart breaks all over again. He closes his eyes and whispers, "What were you thinking?"
"I wasn't, obviously." Buck's staring at his hands, when Eddie looks at him again. "I guess everything I was thinking came out of my mouth," Buck gestures in front of him.
Eddie just keeps staring at him. There are so many feelings running through him he can't even figure out what to do with them. He's still nauseous, but he also feels awed by Buck. It's not the most prominent feeling though. No, that would be love, because not only does he feel so in love with Buck it's almost unbearable, but he also feels loved. How could he not, his best friend just admitted that he was going to dig forty feet into the ground with his bare hands.
"How much did you see?" Buck still doesn't look at him.
Tears start falling down Eddie face again, but he doesn't bother wiping them away. "I stopped after Bobby pulled you back." Buck bites his lips as he nods. "You really were going to dig me out like that, weren't you."
Buck lets out a huff of humorless laugh and wipes his cheek with such intensity that the skin is a little red after. "Yeah, well the most important person in my life was trapped, so yeah... I was." The air catches in Eddie's chest.
"Most important?" his words sound so small, Eddie wouldn't believe he'd said them, if Buck's head hadn't snapped toward him. His eyes are wide, his breathing shallow.
Buck gives him the tiniest of nods. "Wasn't that obvious?"
Eddie closes the distance between them, so he can lean his head on Buck's shoulder. He can feel how tense Buck is. "I wish you'd told me," Eddie whispers, as he feels more tears gather in his eyes. "How many times have you gone to check on me?"
"What do you think?" Buck lets his head lean down to rest on Eddie's.
Eddie puts a hand on Buck's thigh, where his legs are stretched out in front of them. "I did the same thing after the tsunami, every time I had a nightmare. I'd go check on Chris... and you when you were here. I just needed to know you were safe, alive."
"I thought you were going to kick me out, when you found me on the floor that night," Buck laughs a little sadly. "For that first week I just needed to see your chest move, to know you were okay."
Eddie lifts his head, forcing Buck to look at him, "Even if I hadn't gotten myself out, I know you wouldn't have given up on me." A soft smile pulls at the corner of Eddie's lips, as he looks at Buck and knows the truth of his words. "It's one of the many things I love about you." Buck gulps loudly.
No sounds comes out when Buck speaks, but Eddie reads it clear as day anyway, You love me?
Not knowing what to say, Eddie just leans in and pauses, giving Buck a chance to pull back. He doesn't. Buck licks his lips and leans in the rest of the way.
The kiss is short and soft, but it's not enough for Eddie, so when Buck pulls back, Eddie follows him. Buck hums and cups Eddie's cheek. But it's still not enough for Eddie. Something pops into his mind and he pulls back. Buck looks at him confused. Eddie just holds up a hand and stands. When Eddie starts brushing his teeth, Buck starts laughing.
Buck stands too and wraps his arms around Eddie from behind, pressing small kisses to the back of his neck. The entire time Eddie can see him smile, can see the happiness in his eyes. It does wonders for the breaks Eddie's heart has been through tonight. Eddie turns in Buck's arms, so he can finally kiss him properly. He gets a groan in return, even as Buck stumbles backwards.
Once they're in Eddie's bed, Buck just watches him. There's something in his eyes, something that makes Eddie takes his hand and place it over his heart. "I'm here, Buck. Alive."
"I know, sorry. I didn't mean to ruin the mood."
Eddie chuckles, "Idiot." Then he moves in and kisses Buck's forehead, then the apples of his cheeks, his nose and finally his lips. This time it's Buck's turn to follow Eddie when he pulls back. "We have time, right now I'd rather know what it's like to sleep in your arms." Even in the dark Eddie can see it when Buck blushes.
Eddie turns to lie on his back, opening his arms to Buck, who comes easily. His head on Eddie's chest. Eddie feel how Buck relaxes with his exhale. "I love you, Eds."
"I love you, mi amor," Eddie smiles, even as he feels the body on top of him get heavy. "I love you."