Work Text:
“Oh man, I wanted this so bad when I was a kid!” Buck announces as he and Eddie walk down the Lego aisle at Target. They’re shopping for Christopher, who recently decided he was coming home for Christmas, and Eddie has gone all out with the gifts–more than usual. Christopher has specifically asked for the Bonsai Tree Lego set, one of the cheaper sets on his list. Buck had tossed him the keys as he bolted out the front door, and they both rushed to the car.
Buck is pointing at a Harry Potter Lego set. He looks at what Buck is pointing at and sees a Harry Potter Lego set. It’s the Hogwarts Castle Lego set, and it looks extremely complicated. It’s also one of the more expensive Lego sets he’s seen, he has to hold back a gasp when he looks at the price tag underneath it, but he says nothing as he listens to Buck.
“They never let me have Legos, said they didn’t want to step on a piece, deal with the mess, or the emotions if a piece was missing or something. They also didn’t get the concept of me wanting to make my present, they just wanted something ready-made so they could show the family what they got me when they came over,” Buck’s eyes completely widened as he grabbed the box to run his hands over it. “Me and Maddie loved Harry Potter, obviously not now, but I asked for this every year.”
Eddie watches as Buck’s lips turn down slightly. He sets the box back down on its shelf, his hands lingering for a moment before he steps back to look for the Bonsai Tree set. His hands seem to linger before he steps back to look for the bonsai tree they’re here for, and Eddie turns to look back at the Lego set he’s just sat back down. There are a couple of them left, which he quickly takes notice of. It’s getting close to Christmas so he needs to come back and get it soon if he wants one. He keeps this in the back of his mind as he shoves the cart forward so Buck can place the bonsai tree in it.
“Do you think he needs the set of tiny plants too?” Buck asks, then immediately answers his question, “Never mind, don’t answer. I’m getting them!” The tiny plants are added to the cart, and Buck is smiling to himself. “Hopefully he asks me to help build them,” Buck whispers to himself and Eddie rolls his eyes fondly as they turn down the next aisle. The whole rest of the time they're in Target, Eddie wishes the gift was small enough so he could sneak it while Buck was with him, but he can't sneak a Lego set out to the car. Buck would hear it and easily see it since Eddie would never be able to find a hiding spot fast enough, especially since Buck had been staying at his house the past week. He just needs to come back later this week to get it.
-
Eddie finally gets a chance to get it a couple of days later. However, when he gets to the Lego section, the place on the shelf where it was is now empty. The whole Lego aisle is practically empty now, and Eddie just stands there waiting for one to magically appear. He's looking behind the ones there to see if someone hid one, or if it’s been misplaced. But, he’s looked in every Lego aisle and endcap and it isn’t here. He walks out defeated from the Target and looks up the directions to the next closest one.
Every Target seems to be a bust. The second one had none, the third one had it sitting there but a mom picked it up before he could grab it, and then the fourth didn’t have any. Eddie had even resorted to asking the Target employees if they had it in the back even though that’s something he usually tries to avoid doing. But, they all shake their head sadly, look at the stock on their machine, and tell him it’s sold out and likely won’t be restocked until after Christmas. He even looks at the actual Lego site, but it will be on backorder for two months, and he’s not going to gift Buck a printed piece of paper with an order number, that would be awful.
He’s at the last Target that is within a reasonable distance of his house and is crossing every bone in his body that he’s going to see the Hogwarts Castle on the shelf. He’s actually crossing his fingers as he walks down the Lego aisle. He’s carefully looking at each shelf to make sure he doesn’t miss it and almost jumps for joy when he spots one left behind a different Lego set. He grabs it without a second thought and immediately makes his way to checkout.
-
They’re at Maddie and Chimney’s place for the 26th of this year. They all usually do a gathering either before or after Christmas to do their Secret Santa, and Eddie is beaming as he and Christopher walk in together. Everyone swarms Christopher as he makes his way into the house, and Eddie’s chest swells as he sees Christopher smiling brightly as he makes his way to where Denny, Mara, and Jee are.
“Jesus Eddie, what the hell did you bring?” Chimney is asking as he sets down the wrapped-up Lego set underneath the tree. There’s a whole collection of gifts underneath the tree, but his gift is easily the biggest. Eddie was able to cheat the system just a bit to justify this purchase. He was lucky enough to pull Buck for his Secret Santa, so he was able to combine his regular budget for Buck with the Secret Santa, even though the Secret Santa budget barely made a dent in the price. He knows even if he wasn’t Buck’s Secret Santa, Buck would be unwrapping this present anyway.
“Oh my god, of course you got Buck,” Chimney places his hands on his hips as he reads the nametag on the gift. He quickly looks around to see if Buck somehow heard that, but Chimney is already answering that question, “He’s in the kitchen with Maddie. They’re making that TikTok famous mac and cheese. I don’t think it’s going well,” He shakes his head mournfully.
“Does Bobby know that?” Eddie asks as they make way their way towards the kitchen. Bobby is usually the one to make the mac and cheese, and if he isn’t the one making it, it’s always his recipe being used.
“No, and don’t tell him!” Chimney states as they walk into them making the mac n cheese.
“Maddie, don’t burn the roux! That’s how it gets ruined,” Buck pushes her out of the way as he takes hold of the wooden spoon. Chimney turns to look at Eddie with a ‘see?’ look. Eddie just laughs, which has Buck quickly turning around as he shoves the wooden spoon back at Maddie.
“Eddie!” He smiles as he makes his way over to him in a way that Eddie still isn’t used to quite yet. He greets him with a quick kiss on the lips, and he tastes of shredded cheese that he must have snuck while shredding it. They didn’t get to see each other yesterday, Buck had selflessly picked up a shift while Eddie had to host his parents before they started the drive back to Texas. He’s almost smiling too big to kiss him, but he makes it work as he wraps his arm around Buck’s waist.
“Disgusting,” Chimney interrupts as Maddie hands him the wooden spoon now as she makes her way to Eddie.
“Merry Christmas, Eddie!” She says as she wraps her arms around him. He smiles and says it back as hugs her back.
“Maddie, please, I don’t know how to cook this,” Chimney panics as she takes too long to greet him. She rolls her eyes and makes her way back to him, which gives Buck and Eddie a chance to sneak out of the kitchen. He’s pushing him into the hallway that’s out of sight from everyone, and pressing another kiss in greeting. Eddie lets himself bask in the attention and grips Buck’s shirt to keep him where he is as he continues to try to ignore the cheese taste on Buck’s tongue.
“Merry Christmas to me,” Buck breathes out as he pulls back, and Eddie rolls his eyes as he smiles. “How was it yesterday?” Buck asks as he presses a kiss against Eddie’s cheek.
“It was,” Eddie tries to find the right word. “It was fine, a little tense.” He could tell his parents were hesitant about leaving both California and Christopher, but he eventually pushed them out the door this morning before he and Christopher left to come here. He doesn’t have a word strong enough to describe the emotions felt, but Buck nods in understanding anyway. “I’m happy to be here,” Eddie states. He’s way happier to be here around people who understand him more and celebrate without having to impress anyone.
“Yeah? Me too” Buck says, smoothing out the lapel of Eddie’s button-up shirt. “Okay, I have to go finish the mac and cheese. Sit in the kitchen with us?”
Eddie is already following him there before Buck even finishes the question.
-
They eat dinner before they do the presents. No one wants to be hungry and annoyed while everyone is opening their presents from their Secret Santa and waiting for dinner to be served. Eddie isn’t a big fan of the mac and cheese, but he eats two plates of it when Buck asks him if he likes it. He smiles as Eddie goes for another serving, and leans into him to show how happy he is.
Waiting for everyone to finish dinner leaves Eddie sitting there anxiously waiting for Buck to open the present underneath the tree. He hasn’t had the time to think about how Buck is going to react to the present, but he has plenty of it as he sits at the table watching everyone eat. What if Buck hates the gift? The last thing he wants to do is remind Buck of his childhood when he didn’t get the Lego set, but now he’s thinking that’s exactly what it’s going to do. But, Buck deserves nice things, and this is something he’s wanted. He should’ve gotten it when he was a kid, so he deserves it now.
“Alright, let's do presents!” Maddie announces as everyone migrates over to the living room. Bobby starts pulling extra chairs for everyone to find a spot to sit, and Eddie nervously sits in the one next to Buck.
The kids go first, as usual. They can’t sit there waiting for their perfectly wrapped presents under the tree. It’s smaller presents since the limit is supposed to be $20, but they’re all happy with their presents. It has them sitting there distracted while the rest of them get to go.
“Okay, oldest first!” Which has Athena glaring at all of them while she grabs the gift wrapped with her name on it. It’s quickly replaced with a grateful smile when she unwraps it, and she then has to guess who got it. It’s in quick succession, and of course, Buck and Eddie are last. Buck is older, but his gift is the biggest so they make Eddie go. His hands are sweating just a bit as he grabs the present with his name on it next to Buck’s. Buck being the last is a lot of pressure, and everyone is going to know Eddie is his Secret Santa. He shakes the present as he grabs it, and puts on a little show to waste some time before Buck opens up his. He tries to ignore the nerves as he unwraps his present as slowly as possible, just to take up a little bit more time.
“Oh wow, thanks Chimney!” Eddie smiles as he unwraps the Spurs t-shirt. Chimney shoots him a thumbs up, and says “I’m never buying Spurs shit again.”
“Does that mean you got me, Eddie?” Buck jumps up from his seat as he makes his way over to the gift. He’s smiling as he rubs his hands together before starting to tear open the wrapping paper. He’s barely ripped it open before he pauses, and Eddie feels like he’s fucked this all up. Buck slowly pulls back more wrapping paper and can hear the intake of breath from Maddie who’s behind him.
“That is way over the price limit,” Chimney whispers to Hen, followed by a light slap and a quick “Ow!” Eddie is completely focused on Buck who has sat down on the floor as he continues to unwrap the present. He’s looking in awe as he runs his hands over it, and Eddie can see the tears forming in his eyes as he takes it in. Eddie feels an arm wrap around him from behind, and Maddie is whispering in his ear, “Thank you.” Then, she nudges his shoulder so he can get up to where Buck is. He’s barely out of his chair before Buck pulls him into a bone-crushing hug. He hugs back just as a tight even though he’s still adjusting to the surprise force.
“Fuck, I love you so much,” Buck is whispering in his ear, and it should feel big since this is the first time Buck has told him this, but Eddie thinks it’s exactly what he told him when he put that gift underneath the tree. Eddie can feel the tears falling from Buck’s eyes as he presses himself into Eddie’s neck.
“Buck, we’re going to build this together, right?” Christopher asks as the kids make their way over to figure out why everyone is quiet all of a sudden. Buck is pulling back and turning around to where he’s looking at the Lego set.
“Yeah, bud, of course! As long as I get to help you build those tiny plants I got you!” Buck is smiling as he shows Christopher the Lego set. They’re all looking at the Lego set when Maddie makes her way back over to Eddie. He hugs her before she even has the chance to hug him, and she’s squeezing him just as tight as Buck did.
“He asked for that every year Eddie,” Eddie doesn’t know if she means the Lego set or the love behind it. He thinks she probably means a little bit of both, so he just hugs her tighter before letting her go. He makes his over to where Buck is smiling brightly as he names all the mini figures he gets with the set. Eddie sits in the empty spot next to him and listens to him talk about how many pieces there are, and Christopher complains that it’s going to take forever to build.
“Forever with you? No complaints here,” Buck turns around to whisper in Eddie’s ear, making his cheeks flush as he tries to hide his smile.