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After his morning shower Buck felt a light twing in his stomache. This stomache bug had annoyed him since yesterday afternoon, but also hadn't worsen throughout the night.
So he didn’t call in sick, instead he just took some medicine and ignored it.
He grabbed his car keys and made his way down to his car, there he saw himself in the review mirror. Shocked by his looks he needed a few second before starting the engine.
He was sickly pale. Hopefully nobody would notice, he didn’t need to be send home.
The drive was eventless but somehow his body temperature went up. Probably a fever setting in. Why did he have to get sick now? He had plans for the weekend.
Eddie, Chris and him wanted to watch a movie in the cinema. And after that they wanted to eat at a restaurant Chris had wanted to try for a while now.
Arriving at the station went smoothly, he had already put on his uniform at home so he took the stairs up the loft and greeted the others.
He smelled the breakfast Bobby was making. And immediately nausea grew in his throat.
Though, he didn't know why.
Maybe he had eaten something wrong? He had sushi two days ago, that could have been the reason.
Buck shoved the feeling down, the fatigue and fogginess.
And went on with his day.
Four hours into his shift Buck’s condition got worse.
He sat on the couch, a hot tea in front of him, untouched. His stomache ache hurt far more than it did in the morning. And his nausea was undeniable by now.
The soft cusion of the couch lulled him into a light sleep, slightly helping him calm down.
This, however, was destroyed by Chim scaring him awake by coming up from behind and shouting, “Hey, Buckeroo, sleeping on the job?”
The younger one just mumbled something inaudible and turned away from the voice.
Now more concerned, Chimney got a bit lower with his voice, “Buck, are you not feeling well?”
The latter just shrugged his shoulders and very quietly confessed, “Stomache bug”. Symphatically Chim winced, “Do you want something against the pain?”
A shook from Buck’s head denied that request so Chim decided to leave him alone.
Eddie, who had heard everything from that dialog, stepped up now.
He sat down next to his boyfriend and put his hand on his shoulder, “You sure you don't need anything. You barely drank or ate anything, and that’s understandable but you also look really pale”, he worriedly said.
Buck turned around once more, facing Eddie now, “I’m fine, it’s not too bad”.
Understandably, Eddie didn’t believe him for one second but he dropped it and just brushed through Buck’s hair.
Another two hours went by with luckily no calls that were really difficult or dangerous.
Still, this didn’t mean that Buck was feeling better.
Not even in the slightest.
After their last call he had gone to the bunk room and had laid down, with no sleep in sight though.
He tossed and turned, his stomache being in much more pain than before. It travelled to his back, making any position completely uncomfortable.
Just as Eddie entered the bunk room he felt the bile rose. He shoot up from his bed and ran out of the room.
Totally taken aback Eddie froze, not really comprehending what had just happened. After a few seconds his brain catched up and he followed his partner.
Buck shoved open the door to the bathroom, running to the next available stall and emptied his stomache inside the toilet.
He heaved, getting every ounce of food he had eaten, which wasn’t much, out.
He didn’t even realise Eddie getting behind him, softly rubbing his back. Only when he finally relaxed and didn’t have to throw up more, he looked up at him.
“I’m… not good”, he confessed.
Eddie nodded in understandment and guided him to the sink, there he cleaned Buck’s mouth and then quickly flushed the toilet.
Afterwards he helped him outside and informed Bobby that he would bring him home.
“You will stay at mine until you’re better, no murring!”, Eddie decided on the drive.
Buck couldn’t say no, he was feeling like shit. And Eddie was the only one he trusted with his vulnerable state.
Eddie made a quick stop at the pharmacy, picking up some pain meds and electrolytes.
When he got back to the car Buck had finally fallen asleep, but Eddie couldn't stop worrying. For now he left him as he was. The drive wasn’t long anyways.
He parked his car in the driveway and gently nudged Buck’s arm, “Hey, we’re here. You can sleep more inside”.
Buck blinked his eyes open, struggeling to stay awake but the returning pain helped with that.
He stumbled out of the car and into the house, Eddie close behind him.
He made a bee-line for the couch but Eddie grabbed his hand and rerouted him to his bedroom. Hesitantly Buck lowered himself into the cusion, rolling into a tiny ball.
In that moment Eddie thought, how such a huge man could look this small.
Eddie gattered a glass of water and then put everything on the bedside table, “Here, you should try a tablet”.
But Buck just shook his head and somehow looked weirdly relaxed, “I think it’s over…”
Eddie remained silent, his brain searching for a reason how in one moment Buck was vomiting out his whole stomache and in the second he was feeling completely fine.
“I’m sorry for the fuz—”, Buck started to apologized before a loud, heartwrenching scream was ripped from him.
And that’s when it clicked.
Eddie scrambled to unlock his phone, dialing 911.
“9-1-1, what’s your emergency?”, the dispatchers voice sounded from the other side.
“I have a 30-year old male with… uhm i think a ruptured appendix. Mostly responsive but in critical condition”, he explained and gave his adress through.
The paramedics arrived just a few minutes later but having to watch Buck in such pain was the worst thing ever.
They were quick with their work, all while Eddie felt himself slip away from reality.
Logically spoken, the chances of dying from an appendicitis, even when it ruptured, are low.
But Eddie still couldn’t sit still the whole time he waited for Buck to get out of surgery.
And of course he made it, it’s Buck after all.
Eddie sat beside his bed, softly stroking his hand and waiting for his lover to wake up.
When the blonde stirred, Eddie straightened his back and greeted him with a smile, “Hey there, mi amor”.
Buck returned the smile happily, “I feel so much better”, he starts.
Eddie huffs out a laugh and kisses Buck’s forehead, “You idiot, don’t scare me like this again”.
“Sorry, wasn’t my intention…”, he mumbled.
Eddie interfered immediately, “No, i know. This was a hundred percent not your fault. So don’t apologize”.
Buck nodded slightly, “Okay…”, he grabbed Eddie’s hand tighter, “Thank you for saving me, again”.
“Everytime”, his eyes were filled with adoration and love.
Just pure, unconditonal love.