Work Text:
The 118 is having a Q-Day. It has been a while since they had one, so Bobby has decided to take it as a chance to deal with all the little things that are usually overlooked.
While he closes himself in his office to deal with the much-dreaded paperwork, he has the crew do inventory, clean their storage, ensure all the supplies are up to code, and do all the rest of the chores.
—
As they clean and polish the engine, everyone’s mind is somewhere else.
Hen is thinking about the meeting that they have next with the lawyer. Each day, it feels as if they are getting closer to getting Mara back.
Chimney is imagining going on a second honeymoon with Maddie after Hen and Karen get Mara back.
Eddie is ruminating about what his therapist told him last session. He has been working hard on, well, working on himself and his issues. He needs to show Chris that he is dealing with things, and trying to get better.
All of their thoughts get interrupted once they hear Buck start singing absent-mindedly to what is apparently the song playing on his earpods.
“Ain't no sunshine when he's gone
Only darkness every day
Ain't no sunshine when he's gone
And this house just ain't no home
Anytime he goes aw ay…”
They all look at each other in exasperation but fondness as well.
Eddie rolls his eyes and goes back to his rumination. Hen notices that Buck changed the pronoun of the song and shakes her head with a smile. Chimney sighs, thinking about texting Tommy later to ask him when he’s coming back to visit his Army friend.
—
Buck gets the short end of the stick, and he is the one chosen to clean up the bathrooms.
Grumpily and complaining all the way, he enters the bathroom, leaving the rest to do other tasks.
It doesn’t take long for Hen and Chimney, who are doing an inventory of the ambulance, and Eddie, who is moping the floor, to hear Buck begin to sing a song. A different one this time.
“Don't waste your time on me, you're already
The voice inside my head… I miss you, I miss you
Don't waste your time on me, you're already
The voice inside my head… I miss you, I miss you”
The three of them share another look and decide to ignore it.
Buck’s got it bad, and they are happy for him.
—
A couple of hours later, they are all upstairs in the loft. Bobby and Buck are cooking while the rest set the table.
Adding some spices to the sauce, Bobby notices Buck, who is chopping some vegetables, muttering to himself. He focuses on hearing better, trying to decipher what he is saying.
His effort is not needed, since just at that moment Buck gets louder.
“Now as I lie in pieces, await for your return
The sun upon my forehead, it burns baby, burns baby burns…”
Confused, Bobby turns to look at the others, who don’t seem surprised or even curious by Buck randomly singing a song.
“'Cause all I need is you
I just nee d you…”
And suddenly Bobby understands what this is about.
Buck had arrived at work on Monday morning, sulking and looking like a sad puppy. His fatherly instinct had immediately started tingling, and Bobby had taken Buck to his office to ask him what was wrong and to see how he could help. That’s when Bobby found out that one of Tommy’s army friend had invited him to his place in Austin, so Tommy was going to be away for some days.
Bobby looks at the others again, wanting to confirm if the singing is because Buck is missing Tommy, and he gets that confirmation from the rest of them.
Sighing, Bobby shakes his head, smiling fondly at Buck. He is happy that he has finally found the right person for him, the person who loves him and makes him happy. Bobby couldn’t ask for anyone better.
—
Sometime after they finished lunch, they are now all hanging out upstairs, waiting for a call.
To pass the time, Bobby, Hen, Chimney, and Eddie are playing a card game on the table. Buck couldn’t be bothered to play, so he is half lying on the sofa, his head resting on the arm of it and his legs fully extended.
Buck keeps checking and re-checking his phone to see if Tommy has sent him a message. The last message he got was half an hour ago, so Buck is restraining himself from sending Tommy one, not wanting to be a bother.
Thinking the hell with it, he shrugs his shoulders and types a simple message, “I miss you.”
Buck sighs and lets his arm fall to the side, his hand clutching his phone.
He hears the others talking and teasing each other, and he can’t help but wish that Tommy were here. He knows it doesn’t make sense since Tommy unfortunately doesn’t work with them but still. If it were up to Buck, Tommy would be with him all the time.
Feeling blue, he starts to softly sing one of the songs in his specially curated playlist that he created after he found out about Tommy going away.
“You have only been gone ten days
But already I'm wasting away…
I know I'll see you again, whether far or soon
But I need you to know
That I care and I miss you”
Buck sighs again and immediately hears a huff from the table.
“Seriously Buck? Don’t you think you’re being a little too…” Hen starts saying.
“Annoying,” Chimney chimes in.
“Dramatic,” Hen finishes, narrowing her eyes at Chimney, who just laughs.
Sitting down and turning to face them completely, Buck says, “I don’t think I’m being dramatic. I just really…”
“Miss him,” they all say in unison.
“Yes, we got that, buddy,” Eddie adds.
Buck pouts and crosses his arms in annoyance.
“How long has it been now?” Bobby asks sympathetically. “It shouldn’t be long until he comes back, right?”
“It’s been 10 days… he should be back next Thursday, but he told me that he has been invited to stay another week more. He hasn’t decided yet,” Buck says, voice getting sadder with each word.
“It hasn’t been that long then,” Chimney replies. “If you think how much time you spend without him in your life, 10 days or more, is nothing.”
“That’s different,” Buck complains. “Besides, none of you get to say anything since all your significant others aren’t miles and miles away.”
Eddie opens his mouth, but Buck doesn’t let him say anything.
“No, Chris doesn’t count. I said significant other, you’re single.”
Eddie looks offended but ends up conceding the point.
“Ok, fine. You might be right about that, but I still think you’re being dramatic. The less you think about it, the faster the time will pass and then it will be time for you to see him again,” Hen offers.
Before Buck can reply, his phone vibrates. In his haste to see the message, he almost drops the phone and he can hear the rest laughing at him.
Buck ignores them and opens the message eagerly.
“I miss you too. So much. I wish you were here, baby. Can’t wait to see you and have you in my arms again. I’ll be back soon, I promise. In the meantime, know that I’m thinking about you all the time.”
Feeling butterflies in his stomach, Buck gets all giddy reading the message. With a huge and loving smile painted on his face, he can’t help but think about how in love he is with Tommy.
Buck is so busy re-reading the message that he misses the fond smiles sent his way by the rest.
The sound of the alarm startles them all, making them leave their cards on the table and run to the engine. Buck sends quickly a heart emoji and runs after the rest.
As Buck sits in the engine, he thinks about how many days there are left until he sees Tommy again. He can’t wait for Tommy to return to him, and he is already planning to spend at least an entire day on bed with him.