Work Text:
He exits the Han's front door in a hurry, thinking he's going to have to catch Buck before he pulls away in his Jeep, but nearly trips over him sitting on the front step, arms wrapped around himself in the late November chill.
They had all been razzing him a few moments earlier, gentle teasing and disapproval when Buck had mentioned running into Tommy on a recent grocery run, that he had looked like he wasn't doing too well with the break up. ("Oh were you on the hunt for cat laxatives again?" Chim had questioned, dripping fond sarcastic sympathy.) He'd taken it with his customary good humor, until, on his tentative suggestion that it'd been long enough for them to talk and see if it was worth trying again, Eddie had responded with a loud raspberry and thumbs down.
Such a look of frustration had crossed his face that Eddie's levity had melted away in an instant, the hard pebble of mean satisfaction that had been hiding in the center dropping through his stomach with a sickening swoop. The surprise of it had stunned him into inaction for a silent beat before he went rushing after Buck.
Now, he releases his sharp concern with a long breath and drops down to sit next to him, shoulder to shoulder, knee to knee. He can't have done much damage; Buck would be gone already.
"Sorry," he murmurs, with a gentle nudge. Buck shrugs. "I gotta be honest though, I'm not a hundred percent sure what about that hit so hard."
Buck shrugs again. Instead of answering directly he says, "You really didn't like him, huh?"
Eddie's eyebrows shoot up. "Tommy? Uh, no, Buck. I liked him fine. I just, you know, I don't want you to hurt yourself chasing afte-"
"T-that's not it!" Buck is getting heated now, leaning away and twisting to look him square in the face. "No, because you've never tried to stop me before, even when you were mad I risked my life for Abby. You've always let me make my choices."
"I- "
"Is it because he's a dude?"
"No! Of course not!"
"Because you said you didn't have a problem, Eddie!"
"I don't! Buck!"
"But you have been really getting on my case about Tommy! What. What is so different about this one, huh?"
"I haven't-
"In the beginning, I thought, you know, I- I- I shouldn't chase. That I was clinging again, and if I gave in and called him, it'd be a mistake. And you know me, so I figured, as annoying as it was, you were just looking out for me. Helping me stick to my own rule. But you weren't Iistening to me in there! He misses me! I really think I can fix this."
"Really, because-"
"Why do you hate the idea of me getting back together with him so much?"
"Because it should be me!"
For an unbearably long moment they stare at each other, eyes wide. When it comes, Buck's voice is a wavering whisper, but Eddie, always tuned to his frequency, hears it clearly even over the blood rushing in his ears. "Do you mean that? Because you look as surprised as I am."
"I don't know," Eddie says carefully, and it's the truth.
Buck is studying his hands now, lost in thought. "Tommy made me laugh," he says finally. "He was... he was always goofier than I expected him to be, and he cared, so much. He let me take care of him, too. He made me honest to god swoon, sometimes. I had fun, with him. I'm going to see if maybe it's not too late to try again. And if you ever figure it out, you let me know. Okay?"
Eddie nods numbly.
In a move Eddie has made dozens of times with Chris, Buck palms the back of his head, drops a kiss on his crown. He gets up, pulling at Eddie's hand. "Come on. Let's go inside."
Eddie follows his crooked smile back to their friends and family, heart beat finally slowing, dazed but weirdly unafraid. He has time.