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Sinking down onto the couch beside Eddie, Buck reached for a plate and began piling food onto it. They were at Maddie and Chimney's place, joining in on Buff Friday while Hen and Karen looked after all the kids – they'd said something about missing having heaps of foster's to look after the other day, and Chim and Eddie had immediately jumped on the opportunity for some free babysitting.
"Are you even gonna be able to eat all that?" Eddie asked teasingly as Buck stacked some hot chips on top of his already full plate of fried rice, two slices of pizza, and a hot dog.
"Shut up," Buck said fondly around a mouthful.
Eddie rolled his eyes and turned back to his own plate, which despite his teasing was also stacked high.
Maddie and Chimney had settled on the couch opposite them and for a few minutes they were all quiet as they focused on eating. Once they were about halfway through, conversation slowly picked up and they began discussing various different topics.
Using the last bit of a pizza slice to scoop up the remaining food bits on his plate, Buck then stuffed it all into his mouth and set his empty plate down on the coffee table. He glanced over at Eddie, who was nodding at something Chimney was saying, and noticed he had ketchup on his cheek.
Nudging Eddie's knee to get his attention, Buck pointed at his face and then tapped the same spot on his own cheek to give a clear indication of where the ketchup was.
Then, to Buck's utter surprise, Eddie leaned over and pressed a kiss to where his finger had just been.
Buck stared at him. Eddie smiled back.
Slowly, Eddie's eyes widened and he suddenly slapped a hand to his face, feeling the ketchup there and turning away to get a napkin and wipe it off. He hunched forward as he did so, hiding his face from the three pairs of eyes that were staring at him.
Buck managed to swallow the last of his food without choking, but it was a near thing. He reached a hand towards Eddie, but just as he did so Eddie shot up from the couch, muttered something about needing some air, and sped down the hall to the bathroom.
Buck now found himself being stared at.
"Evan!" Maddie hissed, eyes popping. "Go after him!"
"Go… Maddie, he's in the bathroom!" Buck hissed back.
"He just kissed you!" Maddie replied. "He's hiding! Go talk to him!"
"He kissed my cheek!" Buck retorted, feeling his face flush with embarrassment and – not that he would admit this – pleasure. "It didn't mean anything!"
Maddie's face went through the five stages of grief and then she turned to Chimney, throwing her hands up helplessly.
"If it didn't mean anything," Chimney whispered. "Why did he run away?"
Oh.
In a flash, Buck was on his feet and heading down the hall. He banged on the bathroom door loudly, then rocked back on his heels and wondered if he should've gone for a softer approach.
"I'll be out in a minute," Eddie called, his voice sounding weird.
"No," Buck said firmly.
"'No'?" Eddie repeated, sounding flabbergasted.
"That's what I said." Buck jiggled the door handle uselessly. "Let me in."
There was silence for a moment, and then Buck heard the lock click. He immediately turned the handle again, opening the door and letting himself into the bathroom.
Eddie was looking at him hesitantly, shoulders hunched and arms crossed protectively.
"Why did you run away?" Buck asked softly.
Eddie swallowed and said nothing.
"Cause it meant something, right?" Buck continued. "You thought I was asking you to kiss my cheek, and you just did it. Cause that's who we are. We're the kind of people who kiss each other's cheeks."
Looking slightly pained, Eddie shook his head. "That's not it, Buck."
"Then what is?"
With a sigh and a glance to the heavens like he was saying a silent prayer, Eddie murmured:
"I'm in love with you."
Buck crossed the short distance between them in one step and brought his hands up to cup Eddie's face.
"I'm in love with you too, idiot," he said.
And kissed him on the mouth.