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“Is it weird?” Eddie breaks the silence hanging across the station loft. He avoids Buck’s line of sight as he asks the open question, instead fidgeting with the book in his lap.
The silence is encompassing. Outside of the soft hum of equipment and overhead lights, the station is stagnant in time. It’s two am, everyone else is trying to sleep for some part of their 24- hour shift.
Eddie feels Buck’s bleary yet analysing gaze on the top of his head and feels swallowed by it.
“Is what weird?” Buck pulls himself up into a sitting position, sits poised on the edge of the sofa across from Eddie.
“Us.” Eddie builds up the courage. The vibrato of silence hums on again for a beat.
Buck is locked in now, still searching to catch Eddie’s avoidant eyes.
“You and me, Us?” Buck clarifies.
“Yes. Is what you and I have weird?” Eddie closes the book and leans forward to set it on the coffee table between them. He feels Buck tracking his every movement and tries to feel comfort in it as he always does. The presence of stability and fierce loyalty of Buck even in the dimly lit blue of the early morning.
“I think you need to finish the thought Eddie, before I can answer that.”
Eddie finally lifts his head and faces the man across from him.
All precedence is lost.
“I’ve been thinking about it. We’re partners. You have my back, everyday, in all things. In spite of and probably because of everything we’ve been through.” Eddie is speaking at such a pace, that when he stops to look at Buck, his face is unreadable. But, the dam has broken and the force of water is unrelenting. Eddie must find the end of this.
He is levelled.
“If you were a woman, I think I would’ve married you by now.”
Buck’s mouth actually drops open, almost comically. A barely audible “Oh” is spoken and Buck leans back like he’s been reeled in against the couch behind him.
“That’s weird.” Eddie adds.
“I- don’t. A- What exactly are you saying Eddie?”
“This-“ Eddie gestures between them across the table. “Is weird. Because if I’m right - God, if the Preist is right. I-“ Bucks eyes are wide and absorbent as Eddie stands and moves to sit in front of Buck on the coffee table. He cannot stand to have this conversation across a room. He moves to sit between Bucks knees and rests his hands on his own in front of him, close enough Buck can feel the heat of his fingers brush his knee caps.
“Buck, I think I may have been in love with you since I met you.” Eddie says like it’s a question.
“You think?” Buck asks softly, slowly and gently.
“Don’t you?” Another beat passes.
“Do I think that you have been in love with me since we met? Six years ago?” Buck’s voice cracks softly over the number of years.
“Do you need the date and time?” Eddie has a levity to his voice, a small smirk is playing his lips.
“Ah-no.” Bucks shock is amplified by the absurdity of the conversation. “What- how did we get to this point again?”
“I was asking you if it was weird? Our relationship?” Eddie stated calmly. “Which I think we’ve arrived at ‘yes’, all things considered.” A comfortable and tentative smile building on his face.
“Eddie, I don’t need a replay. You’re in love with me?” Bucks inch’s forward away from the security and solidity of the sofa cushions behind him and into the radius of Eddies next shaking exhale.
“Yes.” Eddie says it like it’s the most simple statement he has ever made.
Buck honest to god giggles and closes the distance between them to drop his head onto Eddie’s shoulder and laugh into it. They both shake with breathless silent laughter.
“God- what took you so long?” Bucks voice rumbles accross Eddies chest. Buck raises a hand to playfully push at Eddie’s chest. “You were the one who said ‘this changes nothing between us.’”
“Mhm.” Eddie’s hand lands on Buck’s back. “Had to workout a few logistics.” Eddie states plainly into Buck’s hair as his hand trails up to rest on the back of Buck’s neck, an anchor.
“Logistics, huh?” Buck pulls back to look Eddie in the eye once more, but much closer in distance.
“Hey, I’m not the only one who took this long to realise I like men.” Eddie reasons.
“But, you love me?”
“I’m in love with you, Evan.”
The water has returned to sea again. Buck leans forward to rest his forehead against Eddie’s, their breaths mingling.
“Well, that’s not weird at all.” He all but whispers before he nudges away the small amount of space between them to tentatively brush his lips with Eddie’s. The kiss is almost frozen in its surety, tender and sweet and testing before all reservations drop. Buck hums softly as Eddie pushes into him and deepens the kiss. The hand in Buck’s curls splays and as Eddie’s other hand grips Buck’s thigh. Their smiles break the kiss a few times, knocking teeth and grazing lips but never parting.
Buck’s own hands are on either side of Eddie’s face and neck enveloping his face like the world between his two hands.
They finally break with a soft laugh to breathe when the sound of door opening downstairs bursts their bubble.
“I’m in love with you too, if that wasn’t clear.” Buck says near a whisper, suddenly aware they may be overheard.
“I know. But I think I might need to hear it several more times before it sinks in.” Eddie says with a squeeze of Buck’s knee.
“I think I can manage that.” Buck beams. He tugs Eddie’s hand, pulling him up and onto the sofa next to him. Eddie looks back at him expectantly.
“I love you.” Buck whispers, just for him. Eddie lays his head on Buck’s shoulder comfortably.
They sit in silence for several minutes, revelling in their peace. Buck thinks maybe Eddie has fallen asleep on his shoulder when he cuts into the silence again.
“You would’ve married me by now, huh?” Buck laces his hand with Eddie’s.
“I better get on that.” Eddie breathes, his tone is completely unconvincing of the joke.
“We should maybe tell Chris and the team before you do.”
“Tell us what?” Bobby’s voice cuts in behind them as both of their heads snap up to meet their captain.
“Hey Cap, we might need to fill out some paperwork.” Eddie says simply.
Bobby looks between them and his shoulders visibly drop in relief.
“Oh- thank God, finally.”