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“Buck, you’re not allowed to date my dad.”
He looks at Christopher through the rear view mirror, for … context , maybe? But all he finds is a very intense face staring him down from the back seat.
“ Christopher!” Eddie — because, horrifically, Eddie is also in the car — whips around in his seat to look at his son.
They’re about halfway through a 4 hour road trip, which many would say is maybe the worst possible time for an opening sentence like that.
“I - - what?” He responds, because no one is adding any additional information that would make that sentence make sense. Eddie is very straight, and very much does not reciprocate his very inconvenient feelings.
Christopher lets out a long-suffering sigh so exasperated it could only come from a teenager’s mouth. “Dad told me you broke up with your boyfriend. So I just wanted to tell you that you aren’t allowed to date my dad.”
Buck’s grip on the steering wheel tightens, he hears Eddie awkwardly clear his throat. He very pointedly doesn’t look at him.
“Okay, Chris. This is not appropriate - -“ Eddie tries.
Buck cuts him off.
“It’s alright, buddy. Your dad only dates women, so you’re safe.”
It feels, strangely, like the wrong thing to say. The energy of the car is suddenly sucked up into a tight, tense thing, leaving nothing behind but a very loud silence.
He thinks back to what he just said to cause this, and feels something clawing its way out of his chest and lodging itself in his throat.
“Sorry, dad,” Christopher whispers. “I didn’t mean to..”
“Chris.” Eddie sighs. “It’s fine, I was meaning to - - Buck, it turns out I’m actually very much not straight. Gay, probably. I told Chris in Texas. Hence, whatever is happening here.”
Buck looks over at him, then. He’s scratching the back of his neck, looking out the window.
“I’m really sorry dad, I thought he knew.”
Buck flicks his attention to Christopher. Even through the rear view mirror he’s radiating guilt.
He can only process one of these things at a time, and holy shit Eddie just came out to him.
“Eddie. Eddie. God. I’m so proud of you. That’s - - I’m so happy for you.”
He’s trying to focus on the road and not killing his precious cargo, but he can’t help but look back over at Eddie. He’s looking back at him this time, a small, pleased smile on his face.
“But don’t date him, okay?” Christopher pipes up again from behind.
The journey Eddie’s face takes would be hilarious if it wasn’t for how delicate this conversation feels.
“ Christopher!” Eddie repeats . “What is going on with you?”
He’s fully turned around in his seat now, probably glaring at his kid, if Buck had to guess.
“You told me that we were going to talk about things now! That if I had something to say, I should always tell you.”
Buck doesn’t even have to be looking at him to notice the way the annoyance drains out of Eddie as he takes in Chris’s words.
“I - - yeah - - but I,” he starts, turning back around in his seat to face the front. “I meant - - I meant more you and me , and in a room we’re not all trapped in, but I see your point. Go on.”
Buck tries and fails to stifle a laugh. Eddie glares at him.
“ Thank you,” Christopher says, with all the sass of a Diaz who is also 14. “You’re just - - you’re going to start dating! And then you’ll ruin it! And Buck will leave! Everyone always leaves, but you’re not allowed to leave, Buck. So you’re not allowed to date my dad.”
Eddie is silent, and he looks like someone just slapped him across the face. Actually, he looks like his 14 year old just slapped him across the face and he doesn’t quite know what to do with it.
But, weirdly, this feels like a test for Buck more than a test for Eddie. Buck didn’t know there was going to be any tests today, there are, apparently, a lot of things Buck didn’t know before today.
Good thing he’s nothing if not prepared for a prove-you-love-this-Diaz quiz — any time, anywhere.
He takes a steadying breath. “Oh..kay. Okay. Alright. Chris. Firstly, I will never leave you. Never, ever, no matter what. If I have any say in it, I will be making you pancakes until we’re both old and grey. Even if your dad and I got into the worst fight in the world, and never spoke again, I would still see you. I would still love you. I will always be here for you. Always. Right, Eddie?”
Eddie blinks out of his shell-shocked state just in time for a smooth-ish recovery.
“Right. Yes. Chris, I’d never stop you from seeing Buck. Even if I was really mad, or he was really mad. And you’re old enough now to have your own relationship that I’m not a part of — so — and, again, not that I ever would — but I couldn’t stop you anyway,” Eddie assures.
And it’s true. Chris had texted with Buck the entire time he was in Texas. They had inside jokes now, things that were just for them.
“You promise?” Christopher asks.
“Yes,” they both answer at the exact same time.
Christopher nods, before letting out a resigned sigh. “Okay. Fine. You can date each other then.”
Eddie chokes on air. Which is, interesting.
Buck takes one for the team.
“It doesn’t really work like that, bud,” he tries.
Christopher sighs. “Yes it does, if you both stop being dumb.”
Eddie rubs a hand over his face, hiding the blush that has crept onto his cheeks. (Not before Buck noticed the shit out of it, though.)
“Okay, thank you Chris. That’s quite enough from you today.”
Buck leans over enough to poke Eddie with his elbow.
“Your son is trying to be your gay-awakening wingman,” he stage-whispers.
Eddie’s eyes fall shut as he nods. “I’m painfully aware.”
Buck smiles at him. He can’t help but smile at him. He looks like he’s going to crawl out of his skin, and Buck is so proud of him.
He’s not sure if it’s the right thing to say, but if Eddie can be brave, so can Buck.
“He might be onto something,” he says. Casual. Normal. Very normal and calm and casual.
Eddie’s head snaps towards Buck. He looks at him, takes him in, and smiles. “Mm. He usually is.”
“Just so you both know, this sexual tension is unbearable to those around you.”
“Christopher!”
Buck can’t help the giggle that escapes him.
“What, dad? It’s true.”
“We need to have a chat about inside thoughts.”
“I’m just helping!”
“You’re meddling .”
“I wouldn’t have to if you made a move.”
Eddie looks genuinely horrified as he finally meets Buck’s eyes.
“Buck, I am so sorry,” he says, waving in the general direction of the backseat.
Buck laughs — all glee and delight. “I’m actually having a great time. This is hilarious.”
“You’re no better, Buck. You could make a move too,” Christopher — who he thought was on his team, chimes in with.
“Hey! I didn’t even know he was an option until 5 minutes ago, cut me some slack!”
Christopher snorts, Eddie kind of chokes again.
“So you will? Make a move?” Christopher prods.
“I might.”
“You so will. Gross.”
“You’re really sending me mixed signals here, bud,” Buck laughs.
“He’s still my dad! It’s not my fault you could have anyone and you pick my dad. ”
“Hey!” Eddie protests.
Buck looks over at him and he’s beautiful. Bathed in golden sunlight and happy. He looks settled in his skin in a way Buck can’t really remember ever seeing before.
He’s so proud of him.
“I happen to think your dad is pretty great.”
Christopher groans. “I know. It makes no sense, but I guess it’s fine. You make each other happy, and I get pancakes,” he shrugs.
Eddie looks back and forth between the two of them, bewildered.
“What is happening .”
Buck pats at Eddie’s thigh. “Don’t worry about it, Chris and I have it all figured out. You just sit there and look pretty.”
“Ew.” Christopher protests.
“I feel like I should get some kind of say in this?” Eddie says, but the way he’s smiling down at the hand still resting on his thigh gives him away.
“You get to have your say when I make my official move.”
“Don’t mess it up, dad!”
“I’m not gonna mess it up,” he grumbles.
•
They stop for the restroom and a snack refuel at the next gas station they see. Christopher pointedly keeps his distance, opting to wait in the car while they pay for the snacks.
Buck grabs a bag of Reese’s minis — Chris’s favorite — while they wait in line to pay.
Eddie notices, likely recalling the conversation he just had where he told Chris he wasn’t buying him anymore road trip candy, and raises an eyebrow.
Buck ignores him, and instead says: “So hey, do you actually have any interest in me making you guys pancakes every morning for the rest of our lives?”
Eddie blinks at him.
“That’s your move?”
“Yeah, that’s my move.”
The line moves, they step forward with it.
“That sounded like a proposal,” Eddie accuses, a smile very clearly tugging at the corners of his mouth. He’s trying a mostly failing to stop it.
“I mean it can be if you want?” Buck shrugs. He knows that’s where this is heading. If they’re doing this, there’s only one way it goes.
Eddie does smile now. Bashful, beautiful, bright. “No,” he shakes his head. “I want to be the one to propose to you. I will accept your move and decline your proposal.”
It’s their turn to pay and the cashier is looking between them like they’ve both got three heads each. Buck throws down his pile of snacks and pulls out his credit card.
He turns his attention back to Eddie. “Rude. But fine.”
•
Chris is eyeing them suspiciously as soon as they get back into the car. Buck turns and throws the bag of candy at him.
“This is a bribe. Shut your eyes and count to 30.”
Christopher makes a disgusted face, squeezing his eyes shut and scrambling to cover his ears. “Oh god ew!”
Buck leans over, grabs at the fabric of Eddie’s shirt, and pulls him in. Eddie’s laughing, which makes Buck laugh too, so it’s objectively not a very good kiss, except that it’s the best kiss of his life. Eddie brings his hands up to frame Buck’s face and the mood changes to something sweeter. Clashing teeth and giggles turn into warm lips and sweeping tongues.
“YOU HAVE THREE SECONDS AND I’M OPENING MY EYES,” Christopher warns.
Eddie pulls back and looks at him, grinning. He glances back at Christopher, seems to count to three, then starts pressing kisses all over Buck’s face. His cheeks, his nose, a big sloppy smooch in the middle of his forehead.
“Ugh, dad! Gross!”