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Buck shifted in the familiar chair across from Frank, looking around at the same quiet, understated decor he’d seen too many times. Somehow, he always felt like he was starting from square one in this room, no matter how many sessions he’d been to.
Frank waited patiently. “You don’t look thrilled to be here, Buck.”
Buck let out a breathy laugh. “You can tell?”
“Only because you haven’t stopped fidgeting since you walked in.”
Buck leaned back, forcing himself to go still, though his jaw clenched instinctively. “Yeah, well… everyone’s been telling me this is where I need to be. Bobby, Maddie, Chim—they all think I need therapy like it’s a magic fix.”
“Do you think it’s a magic fix?”
Buck sighed, fingers tracing lines on the arm of the chair. “I dunno. Sometimes I just… feel like I’m broken. Or… maybe like I’m supposed to be broken, you know?” He looked up.
Frank’s eyes softened, understanding settling in. “Feeling like you’re supposed to be broken isn’t the same as actually being broken. That’s just a story you tell yourself, Buck.”
Buck’s lips quirked up, just barely. “Then why do I feel like everyone around me thinks I’m… I don’t know, like I’m fragile or something?”
“Maybe they’re trying to protect you because they care,” Frank said, leaning forward. “ They want to be there for you as much as you’ve been there for them.”
Buck’s gaze dropped again.
Frank’s voice cut into his thoughts. “Buck, you’ve had to rebuild yourself more times than anyone should have to. And the way you’ve done that—it’s remarkable. But that doesn’t mean you have to keep doing it alone.”
Buck swallowed, the words striking deeper than he expected. “I guess… I just don’t want to be the guy everyone has to save.”
Frank tilted his head. “You think being cared for makes you weak?”
“I don’t know,” Buck admitted. “I guess… yeah. I feel like I should be able to handle everything, like I shouldn’t need anyone’s help.”
Frank nodded, taking a beat. “So maybe the real strength here isn’t about doing everything alone. Maybe it’s in letting people support you without feeling less capable. Because when it comes down to it, needing support doesn’t make you fragile, Buck. It just makes you human.”
The words hung in the air, settling into Buck’s mind. He didn’t respond right away, but he didn’t need to. For the first time in a long time, the silence between him and Frank wasn’t heavy. It was just… calm.
Frank gave him an encouraging nod. “Take it one step at a time. You’re already stronger than you think, Buck.”
Buck looked up, feeling a faint smile.