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It had been a long week at the station, the kind that left Tommy’s shoulders tense and Buck’s energy a little more subdued than usual. When Buck had proposed a quiet evening at home, Tommy was more than ready to agree. He hadn’t, however, anticipated his boyfriend showing up at his door with a mischievous grin and a bag full of surprises.
“What’s in the bag?” Tommy asked, his curiosity piqued as the other man set it down on the counter.
“Patience,” Buck replied with a smirk, pulling out a bottle of sparkling cider, a container of strawberries, and a small jar of chocolate fondue. Then, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, he held up a bottle of bubble bath.
Tommy raised an eyebrow. “Bubble bath?”
“Yup,” Buck said cheerfully. “You, me, and the most relaxing bath you’ve ever had. I figured we could both use it after this week.”
Tommy chuckled, his skepticism softening into fondness. “You’re full of surprises, aren’t you?”
“You’ve got no idea,” Buck said, leaning in to steal a quick kiss.
Fifteen minutes later, Tommy found himself sinking into the warm water of his oversized bathtub, the surface shimmering with bubbles that carried the scent of lavender and thyme. Buck climbed in after him, settling behind Tommy and wrapping his arms around his boyfriend’s waist.
“This is ridiculous,” the pilot said, though there was no heat in his voice.
“This is genius,” Buck corrected, resting his chin on Tommy’s shoulder. “Admit it, you’re already feeling more relaxed.”
He let out a hum of agreement as Buck’s hands began to trace lazy circles on his chest. The warmth of the water combined with his boyfriend's touch was doing wonders for his frayed nerves.
“You know,” Buck began, his voice light, “bubbles are pretty fascinating.”
Tommy huffed a laugh. “Of course you’ve got bubble facts. Lay it on me, genius.”
“Well,” he said, clearly delighted by the invitation, “did you know bubbles always form into a sphere because that’s the shape with the least surface area? Basically, nature’s way of being efficient.”
Tommy tilted his head slightly to glance at Buck. “Efficient, huh? I think nature might’ve gone a little overboard with this one.” He gestured to the mound of bubbles floating around them.
“Overboard?” Buck feigned offense. “You’re sitting in a masterpiece, Thomas Kinard. A bubbly, relaxing masterpiece.”
Tommy chuckled, reaching up to brush a stray bubble off the younger man's nose. “You’re ridiculous.”
“And you love it,” Buck replied, grinning.
As the water lapped gently around them, Buck leaned back against the edge of the tub, pulling Tommy with him. They sat in comfortable silence for a while, the occasional pop of a bubble punctuating the quiet.
“You know what’s funny?” Tommy said after a while, his voice soft.
“What’s that?”
“I don’t think I’ve done anything like this since I was a kid,” Tommy admitted. “Bubble baths, silly little indulgences like this… I don’t think I ever let myself just enjoy something so simple.”
Buck’s arms tightened around him. “Well, you’re making up for lost time now,” he said. “And for the record, I think you deserve all the silly little indulgences in the world.”
Tommy turned slightly to meet Buck’s eyes, his expression a mix of affection and gratitude. “You always know exactly what to say, don’t you Evan?”
“It’s a gift,” the man teased, leaning in to press a kiss to Tommy’s temple.
The evening continued with more banter and stolen kisses, the tension from their week slowly melting away. At one point, Buck scooped up a handful of bubbles and plopped them unceremoniously on the pilot's head, earning an exaggerated groan and an eye roll.
“You’re a menace,” Tommy said, though his laughter betrayed him.
“And yet, you love me,” Buck replied cheekily.
Tommy smiled, his heart full as he leaned back into Buck’s embrace. “Yeah, I do.”
By the time they climbed out of the tub, the water had cooled, and the bubbles had mostly dissipated. Wrapping themselves in fluffy towels, they made their way to the couch, where the sparkling cider and strawberries awaited them. Buck had set up a cozy blanket, draped over the arm of the couch, and dimmed the lights, leaving the room softly illuminated by the glow of the Christmas tree in the corner.
Tommy flopped down first, pulling the blanket over his lap, and Buck joined him, tucking himself close under the shared warmth. The bottle of cider gave a satisfying pop as he opened it, pouring them each a glass and handing one to Tommy.
“To surviving the week,” Buck said with a playful grin, holding up his glass.
Tommy clinked it lightly against his own. “And to bubble baths.”
Buck laughed, the sound warm and infectious, and they each took a sip. The curly haired man reached for a strawberry, dipping it into the jar of melted chocolate before offering it to Tommy.
“Here, try this,” Buck said, holding the strawberry just out of Tommy’s reach with a mischievous glint in his eye.
Tommy rolled his eyes but leaned forward to take a bite, his lips brushing Buck’s fingers in the process. “You’re ridiculous,” he said, chewing thoughtfully. “But okay, that’s pretty good.”
Buck smirked, popping the remaining bit of strawberry into his own mouth. “Told you. I’ve got excellent taste.”
“Oh, yeah? Is that why you’re sitting here with me, Evan?” Tommy teased, nudging his boyfriend gently with his elbow.
“Obviously,” Buck replied, leaning in to steal a quick kiss before dipping another strawberry into the chocolate. “Now it’s your turn.”
Tommy raised an eyebrow but played along, taking the strawberry from Buck’s hand and holding it up. Instead of leaning forward to take a bite, Buck leaned sideways and chomped dramatically, making an exaggerated sound effect that sent Tommy into a fit of laughter.
“You’re such a dork,” Tommy said between chuckles, shaking his head.
“But I'm your dork and you’re stuck with me,” he shot back, grinning.
As the chocolate and strawberries dwindled, they turned their attention to the TV, where Buck had queued up a random holiday rom-com. The movie played in the background, but their focus stayed mostly on each other, their conversation weaving in and out of playful banter and quiet moments.
At one point, Tommy absentmindedly reached for a piece of chocolate covered strawberry to feed to Buck, only to realize he’d misjudged the angle and smudged some on his boyfriend’s cheek.
“Hold still,” Tommy said, leaning in with a smile to brush the chocolate away with his thumb before licking it clean.
Buck’s cheeks flushed slightly, but he leaned into the attention, his lips curling into a soft smile. “You missed a spot,” he teased, pointing to the corner of his mouth.
Tommy rolled his eyes but indulged him, leaning in to press a slow, deliberate kiss to the corner of Buck’s lips. “There. Better?”
“Much,” Buck replied, his voice soft, as he gazed at Tommy with a warmth that made Tommy’s chest tighten in the best possible way.
The room settled into a peaceful quiet, the sound of the movie blending with the occasional crackle of the Christmas tree lights. They stayed close, legs tangled under the blanket, feeding each other the last few strawberries and sipping the sparkling cider until the bottle was empty.
Tommy glanced at Buck, who was now leaning his head against his shoulder, his eyes heavy with contentment. Tommy’s fingers found their way into his curls, absentmindedly brushing through the soft strands.
“Hey, Evan.” Tommy murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.
Buck tilted his head slightly to look up at him. “Yeah?”
“Thanks for tonight,” Tommy said, his voice full of sincerity. “I didn’t know I needed this, but… I really did.”
Buck’s smile was soft and understanding. “Me too,” he replied, leaning up to press a kiss to Tommy’s jaw. “This is the best way to end the week—just you, me, and some bubbles.”
Tommy chuckled, resting his cheek against his soft hair. “You really are something else, Evan Buckley.”
“And you love me for it,” Buck said, his tone teasing but his expression tender.
Tommy tightened his arm around his boyfriend and pulled him closer. “Yeah,” he said quietly, kissing the top of Buck’s head. “I really do.”