Archive of Our Own

Eddie sighed as another lemon loaf was placed before him. Wrapped so nearly in brown paper and even tied up with a string.

“Still, huh?” He asked as Buck sat down across from him. He rested his chin in his hands and watched Eddie expectantly.

“Whatever” Buck said, brushing him off as Eddie frowned at him. “Try it and tell me what you think! I’m open to constructive criticism”

Eddie was already reaching for the parcel when he paused and raised an eyebrow at him. “No you’re not” he stated.

Buck huffed and rolled his eyes. He leant his torso back in Eddie’s squeaky dining room chair and shook his head.

“What Chim said wasn’t constructive! He ate a blueberry muffin and told me to put less blueberries in it! A blueberry muffin!” Buck exclaimed, he held out his hands in a display of exasperation that made Eddie snort. “Why would he eat it if he didn’t like blueberries?!”

“I’m pretty sure that wasn’t what he said Buck” Eddie compromised with a teasing tilt of his head.

“I was there Eddie” Buck countered and rolled his eyes again for good measure.

Then he pouted and Eddie had to hold himself together. Because whilst he may be strong physically he’s not always strong mentally, and the urge to reach across the table and kiss Buck was growing stronger by the day.

Buck tilted his head as Eddie continued to stare at him. All golden wonder and bright blue. His mouth opened with a question but snapped shut as Eddie finally reached for the lemon loaf again. Begging for some sort of moisture to return to his mouth as he eyed his glass of water that Buck had poured him as a ‘palette cleanser’.

Eddie proceeded to gently pry away the paper. He tried hard to not think of Buck wrapping it delicately just for Eddie, with his tongue poking out as he folded the corners. Christ.

Buck scrambled to grab him a knife and a plate before Eddie could even ask. He grabbed them from the right cupboard and drawer since he knew Eddie’s kitchen like his own. Eddie felt something warm settle in his chest and curl around his lungs, maybe he would die like this? Not knowing what it would be like to see that every day.

“This is my favourite plate” Eddie said, staring down at the crockery placed before him blankly, and back at Buck who was buzzing with anticipation at Eddie trying the cake. Always two steps ahead even when he made a crazy decision on a call.

“I know” Buck said and when Eddie obviously pulled a questioning look, added hastily: “you uh, always use it, but it’s also the one you always offer me”

Eddie’s skin felt too tight as Buck looked at him, slightly bashfully, his lips pursed as though he had said too much. He prayed he wasn’t blushing, but the heat suddenly in the room suggested otherwise.

“Uh, right” he said and cleared his throat. “Let’s try this then!”

Buck smiled, soft and warm as Eddie looked down at the loaf. Golden brown and topped with white frosting, with homemade candied lemon peel, lemon curd drizzled across it in lines and (in very Buck fashion) complete with tiny lemon sprinkles.

Smiling to himself at that, Eddie reached for the knife and slowly cut off the end bit. He looked up at Buck to silently ask if he wanted a piece too, but Buck shook his head.

“It’s not my cheat day” Buck shrugged as Eddie frowned at him.

“What, you do all this baking and don’t eat it?” Eddie asked, his fork hovering over his slice as he stared at Buck incredulously.

“Eh, here and there. But honestly I like that something I’ve made as a result of avoiding something not good for me, turns into something good that I can share with my family” he smiled and shrugged. “I made bright purple cupcakes for Jee the other day and she loved them. Now hush and eat your cake, I’m dying here”

Eddie huffed a laugh, rolled his eyes and then mock saluted him.

“Yes sir!” He added and dug his fork into his slice, humming in delight as the flavours hit his tongue.

“Buck this is…wow” he said around his bite, covering his mouth with his fist as he continued to chew. Swallowed, and said: “truly maybe you should start a side hustle or something”

Buck flushed with the praise: “really?” He prompted, high pitched.

“Yeah! And you know I-“

“Love lemon” Buck finished, nodding and appearing more flushed. “Uh huh, I know”

Eddie dug his fork into the cake and offered it to Buck, with a raise his eyebrows and begged with his eyes.

“You should have some too. Please, just one bite?” he pleaded, pouting himself and wiggling the fork at him.

Buck sighed and rolled his eyes affectionately.

“Alright” he smiled “if you really insist”.

But then instead of taking the fork from Eddie, he leant forward and put his mouth around the fork as Eddie held it out in front of him. He held eye contact with Eddie for a second, before his eyes flickered close at the taste.

Eddie flushed hot and felt his stomach jolt. He swallowed audibly at the sight, but Buck didn’t seem to notice as he leant back in his chair, away from the fork that Eddie still held up. He chewed, his forehead scrunched in thought.

Eddie cleared his throat and placed the fork down carefully on yeah, his favourite plate.

“Well?” He said, voice on 50% less squeaky than he would have hoped.

Buck hummed and screwed up the side of his mouth in thought. “It’s alright, next time I think I’d use lemon glaze instead of lemon curd. But also I think it bizarrely could do with less lemon? I don’t know” he opened up his notes app, typing down his thoughts.

“Less lemon?” Eddie repeated, leaning forward to look at what Buck was writing “surely not”

“Your vote doesn’t count in that respect, Lemon Loverboy” Buck teased, grinning at him.

Eddie felt himself blush again at the new nickname. Then tried to scoff and brush it off.

God he was so screwed. He needed to find a way to get over this new thing he’d been feeling and experiencing around Buck, fast.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

The solution presented itself to Eddie, as if often did, at the firehouse. Only a few days later on a particularly slow shift.

Eddie sat next to Chim, watching a YouTube video on how to crochet (after Jee had apparently expressed the desire to have a blanket in a specific pattern like one from a tv show she loved) when Buck appeared.

He marched across the firehouse loft toward them, face scrunched up and almost angry, a container under his arm. Eddie barely had time to reach across and pause Chim’s video when Buck slammed the container down in front of them.

“Blondies, cinnamon buns and red velvet cupcakes” he announced flatly, collapsing down into the chair opposite them.

Chim and Eddie glanced at each other as Buck stared at the ceiling. His limbs deflated across the chair like a balloon dog that had lost its air. Chim raised an eyebrow at Eddie as if to say ‘he’s your bestfriend’ and Eddie glared at him as if to say ‘you married his sister’. But in the end, Eddie rolled his eyes and scooted closer to Buck.

“Did you uh, nearly text him again?” He asked slightly strained. Buck’s head snapped back down from the ceiling and he looked straight at him. Chim slowly inched his hand towards the container and pulled it towards him as the two stared at each other.

“I nearly called him” Buck explained, moving his elbows onto his knees so he could put his face into his hands. “I found his headphones under my bed, the ones he wears to the gym. Nearly called him over it, so I baked the blondies. Decided I’d be mature and just go down to the hangar to hand them in to his superiors or something. But guess who was there? Lucy fucking Donato”

Eddie and Chim winced.

“Yeah exactly, that was a real barrel of laughs. So then I went home and baked the cinnamon buns, thinking about how the two of them could realistically work together all the time and how he didn’t even think to mention that because maybe I never came up in conversation. Then I was thinking about the whole Abby thing again, since he knows Lucy and then I turned on the tv only to see Taylor fucking Kelly too! So then I made the red velvet cupcakes, thinking about all of them. It was like my greatest or worst hits all in one hit”

“Jesus Buck” Eddie said, reaching forward to rub at his shoulder comfortingly. “That’s a lot for anyone, let alone someone with your uh…history”

Buck cracked an eye open at him and glared at him.

Chim was tucking into a cinnamon bun, but watched Buck carefully. No doubt taking mental notes for Maddie unless Eddie got there first.

“So uh, do you think you bake to get over them? Or uh, Tommy specifically?” Eddie asked, leading.

Buck let his hands fall to his sides and leant back in his chair again. All long strewn out limbs and taking up a lot of physical space. The new girl from C shift reached around him to pick up the cardigan on the arm of his chair.

“Well it was mostly to make my hands do anything other than call or text him. But…yeah I guess it’s that too, like overall…uh generally” he nodded. He glanced at the girl hovering next to him and shifted slightly so she could pull her cardigan’s arm out from under him. “Oh sorry Stacy”

Stacy smiled at him, perfectly friendly and professional, but still Eddie watched her carefully. Rein it in Diaz, now is not the time.

“Huh” Eddie said, thinking about how he had felt in the kitchen a few days ago and how he felt now that Stacy was batting her eyelashes at Buck in his head. “Interesting”

He got up then, grabbing a red velvet  cupcake for the road and cuffed Buck on the shoulder again.

“You’re better than all of them put together Buck” he said, with a firm nod. Then started to walk away. Buck frowned at him.

“Where are you going?” Chim called after him. “I thought you were gonna help me with this?” He gestured to the paused video he’d brought back up on his screen.

Eddie, who was already typing into google easy baking recipes for beginners as he walked away, called back over his shoulder:

“Ask Buck!” And continued into the bunk room to scroll and make a grocery list.

If Buck could bake to help him get over Tommy etc, then Eddie sure as hell could bake to get over Buck….or whatever.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

The kitchen was already covered in flour and cocoa powder the next day when Chris called. Eddie figured there was no time like the present and had started baking chocolate cookies as a fail-safe starting point to see how he got on with it.

He wiped his hands vicariously on his jeans and answered the call, with only seconds to try and get at the flour smeared across his cheek.

“Hey Dad” Chris said waving at him from the video “I was wondering if…oh”

“Hey bud!” Eddie greeted, smiling wide despite the hollow aching feeling suddenly in his chest. “How are you?”

“Good…um, how are you?” He implored, tilting his head.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re baking. Are you alright?”

Eddie looked around the kitchen, chaotic and messy and haphazard, he winced at the camera. Pushing more flour into his hair as he pushed a hand through it.

“Uhh…”

“I was gonna ask you about a math question but…I gotta text Buck about this, you’re evidently having a breakdown”

“Chris, no!”

The call dropped off and Eddie frowned at the black screen. Then scrambled to put on do not disturb on all his devices to prevent the onslaught of text messages that he expected to get from Buck. Knowing his parents would just push through the notification and that on a good day Buck would respect his boundaries.

Soon the kitchen smelt warm and gooey and Eddie smiled at his labour, dipping each cookie in melted chocolate.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

“Morning guys!” Eddie greeted, walking over to where Chim was attempting to still crochet Jee’s blanket and Hen was doing a crossword. “I made cookies!”

“You” Chim stated with a smirk “made cookies?”

“Uh yeah” Eddie said with a quick smile as he placed the tin before them and took off the lid. “Surprise!”

Hen glanced at Chim who was peering at her over the edge of his multicoloured knotted crochet hem and then down at the tin. She took off her glasses, rubbed them, and then put them back on.

“Just checking I’m seeing this right” she said, grinning at Eddie who rolled his eyes.

Curiously, Chim and Hen both reached for a cookie. Chim’s a milk chip half dipped in white chocolate and Hen’s a white choc chip half dipped in dark.

“Cheers” Chim mumbled.

“Bottoms up” Hen grinned as they bumped their cookies together.

They both took a bite and Eddie watched curiously for their reaction. He wasn’t as eager as Buck had been the other day, but he was still interested in what they’d think of his extremely mediocre baking .

“Holy shit” Hen said around crumbs, staring at the cookie in her hand and up at Eddie. Eyebrows raised and mouth parted I. Shock.

“I refuse to believe you made these, Eddie Diaz” Chim accused, his eyes wide as he took another bite.

“Wait, are they good?” Eddie questioned, genuinely surprised.

Loud heavy footsteps on the stairs announced Buck’s arrival before he raced across the firehouse loft. His was hair wild and somehow curlier than usual and he panted as he looked around the room and zoned in on them.

“Holy fucking shit” he breathed, staring at the cookies that lay between them, almost horrified at sight like it was one of Athena’s crime scenes. “So it’s true”

“Huh?” Chim said around his second cookie. Eyes glazed over slightly as he savoured the taste and raised it at Eddie in approval.

Hen glanced at Eddie, cookie momentarily forgotten as she done in on how Buck was looking at him. Eddie shrugged at her, just as unsure.

“You traitor! Chris texted that you were baking and I couldn’t believe it” he pointed a firm finger at Eddie and shook his head, a slow smile growing across his face.

“A challenger enters the arena” Chim boomed in a deep voice, wiggling his eyebrows.

Buck snatched a cookie, white choc chip with dark chocolate half dip and took a bite.

“Huh” he said, inspecting the cookie. “Not bad Diaz, not bad”

Eddie rolled his eyes again. “Whatever, it’s not a big deal”

Buck went to take a seat and then froze. Chim quite literally clutched his knitting (read: crochet) to his chest and Hen put both hands over her crossword. Eddie took a heavy step back and braced. Dramatic reactions from some of LAFD’s finest maybe, but with Buck? Anything was possible.

“Wait a second” he said, blinking at Eddie as realisation dawned on him. “You asked me the other day if I baked to help me get over Tommy”

Hen and Chim both groaned, Chim’s second cookie falling with a thud onto the table and just missing his mess of crochet in his lap.

“Ugh” Chim exclaimed. “I was enjoying that, thanks a lot Buck”

Buck glanced at Chim and tried to hide his growing smile. Then looked back at Eddie, eyes wide and smile teasing.

“Well?!”

“Uh yeah, I guess I did” Eddie shrugged, feeling like Athena’s fake cookie crime scene has just gained an interrogation light.

“What the fuck Eddie, who are you getting over?!” He exclaimed, running around the table and shaking the man by the shoulders. Eddie huffed and tried to squirm out of his hold.

Hen glanced between the two men and then over at Chim. Chim frowned at her and looked down at his crochet like it had all the answers of the universe.

Before Eddie could pull together some half-assed answer, Bobby appeared. His face serious and his arms folded as he walked calmly towards his team.

“What’s all this commotion about?” Bobby addressed in his best captain voice over Buck’s questioning and Eddie’s stuttering.

“I made cookies” Eddie said somewhat hysterically, gesturing at the tin still sat between the four of them on the little table.

Bobby glanced down at the cookies and smiled.

“That’s nice Eddie, may I try one?”

“Uh, yeah. Of course!”

Buck stuttered and squealed. “Cap! Don’t you see?! Eddie’s baking. He’s getting over someone”

Bobby looked at Buck like he was seriously concerned for his health (again) and over at Eddie.

“Good luck with that Eddie”

“Thanks Cap” Eddie said, smirking at the twinkle in Bobby’s eye as he took a bite.

“What?! That’s not denial-I… guys?! ” He looked at Hen and Chim who shook their heads.

“Not getting involved” Chim stated, leaning back in his chair. “More baking please, from both of you”

Hen hummed in agreement.

“But!” Buck complained.

“I concur” Bobby agreed, raising the cookie and nodding at Eddie in approval. “Excellent chocolate to sugar ratio Eddie, well done, thank you for bringing these in”

Eddie beamed in pride and rolled his shoulders back to stand slightly prouder. He glanced at Buck and smirked at him.

“Thanks Cap” he said, holding Buck’s eyes and feeling victorious.

“Hold on a second! Can we all just take a minute to-“

Buck tried to return to his point when the bell blared loudly from across the firehouse. The five of them jumping into action. Eddie swiftly putting the lid on the tin after Bobby plucked another one out.

Buck watched Eddie make for the stairs, Eddie turned and grinned at him with a wink. Buzzing with the whole interaction. Buck just gaped at him.

“You coming cowboy? We’ve got fires to fight” Eddie teased.

Glaring at him, Buck chased after him down the stairs. Eddie laughed loudly as he ran.

Maybe this in fact was the joy Father Brian wanted him to experience. And maybe Eddie could partake, if even only a little, for curiosity’s sake?

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

Eddie was watching tv on the couch, with snicker doodles baking in the oven and a coconut pound cake cooling on the rack that same night, when his phone pinged on the coffee table.

118+ (no exceptions except Athena and Maddie!)

Athena: Lovely cookies Eddie! I’m not sure if you and Buck baking is a good thing or not, but I’m sure not complaining!

Athena (2): Also that pound cake looks amazing and snickerdoodles are Bobby’s favourite.

Athena (3): However…I may be persuaded by Buck’s caramel cheesecake

Eddie smiled and hearted her messages. He went to clear his Notification Centre only to find two unread texts from Buck sent 10 minutes ago when Eddie was still in the kitchen.

Buck: Don’t think you can fool me with your snickerdoodles Diaz

Buck (2) : SnickerDiaz

Buck (3): No I still prefer lemon loverboy

Buck (4): ANYWAY

Buck (5): DONT THINK YOU CAN HIDE FROM ME I KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE AND I HAVE A KEY

Grinning, Eddie typed out a reply.

Eddie: wtf

Buck: WHO IS IT

Eddie: Who is what

Buck: Who are you getting over?

Buck (2): I swear I won’t tell

Buck (3): Is it Lindsey from C shift?

Buck (4): omfg is it Cathy from dispatch

Eddie fell back on his cough, giggling at his screen like a teenager with their first crush

Eddie: Alright, I’ll tell you

Eddie (2): But you have to promise you won’t tell anyone

Buck :Omg 😱

Buck (2): I promise I won’t tell🫡🤞

Eddie: Paul Hollywood

Buck: I hate you 🫠 I’m gonna run you over with Bobby’s captain car

Eddie: big threats there Buckley, I might have to call HR

Buck: EDDIE PLS

Eddie: 🤫

Buck: Fine keep your secrets 🤨

Buck (2): But I’m onto you Diaz

Eddie:🤠

As Eddie beamed at the ceiling, the smell of his snickerdoodles making him feel light and cozy, blushing with his heart beating steadily. Eddie realised he was just so utterly fucked.

Even for joy’s sake.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

The next shift Eddie bought chocolate cake and Buck bought carrot cake. Becky from B shift asked Buck why he was honest to god putting vegetables in cake. Eddie laughed so hard Chim ran over mistaking it for choking.

Not so many days later, Buck turned up with a whole olive and rosemary twisty thing. Everyone seemed to love it until Eddie announced he had made shortbread that they could have for desert. Bobby had actually patted him on the back for that one.

And then when Chim was craving cookies, Eddie made some right there in the kitchen. The following shift Buck made fancy brown sugar cookies, and yeah Eddie couldn’t really argue with how good they were. Even if Buck was completely smug about it.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

“Eddie, come on. Give it up” Buck said as Eddie placed his container of cupcakes and brownies beside Buck’s of cookies and Viennese whirls.

Eddie eyed the Viennese whirl he had picked up for himself in his hand curiously, tracing his finger over the twist in the midddle as he raised his gaze curiously at Buck.

“Huh?”

“The baking Eddie” Buck stated, nodding at the brownie in Chim’s hand. “We can’t both bake”

Chim made a noise of complaint.

“I agree with Chim, you absolutely can. We work too hard to be denied sugar!” Ravi added hastily. He grabbed for one of Buck’s cookies in one hand and one of Eddie’s cupcakes in the other.

“To be fair Buck” Eddie began, his smile growing rapidly as he eyed his best friend. “You’ve been baking for ages, maybe it’s time for me to steal your thunder”

“Or lighting” Ravi laughed, eyes going wide as the three of them stared at him.

“Too soon” Chim said with a shake of his head.

“Sorry” Ravi squeaked.

“Anyway” Buck said, side glancing at Ravi. “This is my thing!”

“You’re literally the only one here complaining Buck” Hen said as she walked over to inspect Chim’s steadily growing crochet blanket and stealing a cupcake from Ravi’s hand as she passed.

“But he’s only doing this to get over someone!” Buck complained, pointing at Eddie with his large hands. Focus Eddie, Jesus.

“So are you” Eddie pointed out. He finally bit into the whirl and groaned.

“Holy shit Buck, this is so good”

Buck flushed a deep red, his mouth falling open. Hen and Chim glanced at each other, bemused. Ravi frowned.

“T-thanks” he stuttered, then shook his head. “You’re still not denying it!”

Eddie opened his mouth to try and come up with some whitty comeback to wiggle his way out of this conversation yet again . When Buck’s eyes tracked to the crumb Eddie felt clinging to his bottom lip, his tongue darted out after it and he took another bite, holding eye contact.

Huh .

Bobby rounded the corner into the kitchen then, advancing towards them with his briefing notes.

“I’m starting to think that both of you baking is causing too much noise around here” he said, watching amused as Ravi tried to gently peel his newly acquired cupcake case off.

“See!” Buck’s head whipped around to the others. “Bobby agrees!”

“I actually think you’re the one causing all the noise around this Buck” Bobby continued, tilting his head at him as Buck spluttered.

“ Bobby agrees ” Eddie mocked, grinning at him.

“And you need to stop provoking him Eddie” Bobby pointed out with a firm finger pointing his way.

“ What? ! Cap come on I-“ he trailed off as Bobby gave him his signature captain disapproval look.

Cap brushed past the close knit group and gestured for them all to gather around. He ran them through recent statistics, budget cuts, who was retiring, predicted problem area hot spots, checking off a clipboard that looked vaguely familiar.

“Anyway, this brings me to my final point” he looked up at where Buck and Eddie were sharing the arm of the sofa, despite their playful spat. “This whole baking thing ”

“Cap-“ Buck and Eddie began to say at the same time and glanced at each other. Bobby silenced them by holding up a single finger to the sky, almost like he was asking god for strength or something.

“For decades first responders have bonded over healthy competition. Police precincts have bonded over baseball games, doctors over a healthy game of darts, nurses over bowling leagues. But at this firehouse, apparently we’ve picked baking”

Hen raised her hand, Bobby nodded at her.

“With all due respect Cap, there’s only two of us baking here”

The others all murmured in agreement, Eddie rolled his eyes and Buck smiled sheepishly.

“Yes, thank you Hen, precisely. I’ve decided, there’s only one way to settle this. We need to have our own mini bake off”

Buck and Eddie glanced at each other.

“You do have something quite Paul Hollywood about you, Cap” Chim said, Buck grinned at Eddie who shuddered at the call back.

“I’m going to give you a month. Each week you will bake something for a predefined day of the week and Chim and Hen will decide who wins, if they can’t decide then I’ll have the captain’s deciding vote. Whoever wins will be allowed to bake consistently, but I am hoping you’ll both get over whatever or whomever you need to uh, get over”

“Nah” Buck said “there has to be more to it than that” he glanced at Eddie “name your terms”

“You first” Eddie challenged, eyes glinting.

“If you win, I’ll move out of my loft, like you’re always saying I should” Buck said, swagger to his stride as he inched closer to Eddie. Too close really.

“You drive a hard bargain”

“Why, scared you’ll loose?” Buck murmured, eyes searching his.   

Chim cleared his throat but neither of them looked away from the other.

“Alright. If you win, I won’t move to Texas and I’ll figure something else out” Eddie said and the room fell silent.

People from B shift who were slowly trickling out whispered to each other as Buck and Eddie stared at each other.

“Lord help us all” Hen murmured.

“Fine” Buck said, voice hollow.

“Fine” Eddie repeated.

“Guys-“ Ravi started, looking concerned but Hen shushed him. Glancing at Bobby whose mouth quirked in a smile, like he knew something neither of them knew.

“Alright boys, shake on it”

They did, eyes heavy on the other, and then the bell rang.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

Two weeks in and they had a win each, Hen and Chim agreeing unanimously each time.

As Buck whooped at his win in the second week after Eddie had one the first, he grinned at Eddie over his shoulder. Eddie clapped and nodded at him.

“Fair play” he nodded. “Very nice execution, you make an excellent component”

Buck spun then to look at him, hands on his hips.

“Seems your beginners luck has worn off Buck” he fake pouted.

“Hm yeah. I’m fairly new to baking though, unlike some people I know” he teased, walking around Buck and heading towards his lemon meringue pie. “You know I love lemon”

“Ah yes, Lemon Loverboy”

Hen nearly choked on her piece, Chim slammed her on the back, eyebrows raised in concern.

“ Lover boy?! ” Chim exclaimed before Hen had the chance.

Buck went slightly pink, glancing at Eddie for help, Eddie just raised his eyebrows and smirked at him, raising up his fork of pie.

“Lemon Loverboy. Eddie loves lemons!” He explained quickly, gesturing across the loft at where Eddie was still tucking in.

“Cookie Cowboy” Eddie said after he finished his bite, winking at him.

Maybe baking was actually making things worse, since when was Eddie such a flirt?

Eddie shrugged, smiling at his plate, knowing Buck had once again backed himself into a corner.

Hen glanced at Chimney, her mouth open slightly. Chim firmly shook his head, his eyes wide and glanced down at the crochet.

They glanced at Bobby, who was neatly wrapping up a slide for Athena. He glanced at them, then to Buck and Eddie who were bickering again, and back to them with a small smile. He zipped his lips and shook his head.

Chim opened his mouth, eyes wide. Hen stomped on his foot.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

In hopes to secure Chim’s vote before the third week of the competition, Eddie found himself outside of the dispatch building. Rolling his eyes at the buzzer.

“Josh I swear to god, I’ll give you nothing if you leave me hanging out here” he said into the intercom as the security guy analysed him. “I’m going to drop this if I don’t put it down soon” he groaned, staring down at the box.

Sue piped up then, bright and affectionate over the receivers. “That better be Eddie Diaz!”

“The very same, hey Sue!” He grinned.

Josh groaned, the sound buzzing through the intercom.

“Fine. Come on up”

The security guy took pity on him then, holding the door open for him which Eddie smiled at gratefully.

“No way, Diaz?!” One of the security guards on reception laughed as he walked towards the elevator. “You’re back?”

“Hey Sim, nah just here visiting” Eddie nodded. “I hope your wife is well!”

“I’m sure you do” he said, eyes following him.

Well actually… he wanted to say, but he just grinned and struggled to press the right button.

The doors pinged open on the right floor and Eddie was immediately greeted by Sue and Josh.

“Hi Eddie!” Sue beamed. “How are you?”

“Hey both. I’m alright” he said, stepping out of the lift. “How are you guys?”

“I was doing fine” Josh said, smiling at him and taking the box so Sue could tackle Eddie into a firm hug. “I can’t believe you shaved it off” he gestured at Eddie’s hare top lip.

Eddie shrugged. “I was tired of hiding”

Josh side eyed him, turning already towards the break room “oh I bet”

“Come on in Eddie” Sue smiled as Eddie glared after Josh. “Maddie should be with us in a minute”

Josh put the box down on their lunch table and poured out a coffee which Eddie gratuitously expected.

“Never thought I’d see you here willingly Eddie” Sue quipped “not that we haven’t missed you, but the LAFD updates guy isn’t the same”

Eddie smiled and patted her on the shoulder.

“I’m sure some cherry chocolate fudge cake will make you feel better” he smiled, moving to lift the lid off of the box.

Maddie appeared in the door then, eyes wide.

“Did someone say chocolate fudge cake?”

“Cherry chocolate fudge cake” Eddie smiled.

“I love cherry!” Maddie exclaimed, running over to squeeze Eddie. “And I love you , Eddie and I don’t think I tell you that enough”

Eddie smiled at her, her enthusiasm and mannerisms suddenly feeling very familiar. He handed her the knife.

“Do the honours?” He smiled.

She glanced at him then and narrowed her eyes, smirking.

“This doesn’t have anything to do with this baking competition my brother’s been going on about, does it?”

Eddie felt himself flush, Maddie’s eyes searching his.

“Maybe” he admitted, raising his hands. “If you’re trying to use this to your advantage on winning Howie over this week, it’s definitely working” she laughed.

As they’ll sat at the table to dig in and Maddie looked at Eddie in amazement, she reassured him:

“Don’t worry Eddie, I’ll gush all about this to Howie and take a slice for him. You’ve got this” she smiled.

“Right” Sue said, getting to her feet. “We gotta get back guys, lines won’t man themselves”

Josh and Maddie got up and followed her back out to the calling area.

“Be seeing you Diaz” Josh smiled, walking back to his desk.

“Lovely seeing you Eddie!” Sue said, pulling him for another hug.

Maddie turned to him then, chewing on her lip. She pulled him to a more secluded corner.

“I want to help you win, really I do. Buck baking has been pretty exhausting and it’s bordering on unhealthy at this point so if I can do anything in my power to make him pull back on it, I’ll support it.” She frowned and searched Eddie’s face, looking for something. “It’s just that…at the same time, I really don’t want you to move to Texas Eddie. I can’t imagine living in a different state to my daughter these days, and I did that for a bit so I know what it’s like…but I came back with Chim for my family…maybe you should think about the uh, people you’re leaving behind”

Eddie felt his heart beating wild in his chest, but he slowly smiled at her.

“Don’t worry Maddie, I have a plan”

She smiled small, still searching his face.

“A plan that will uh…benefit all of us”

She hugged him then, delicate with her baby bump.

“I know you’ll do what’s right…for all of us”

She walked him to the elevator and waited whilst the car travelled up.

“Oh, and don’t tell Buck I was here” he said, grinning at her.

She smirked, winked and tapped her her nose.

“Chim’s the word” she affirmed.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

“What the hell Eddie?!” Buck exclaimed through the Bluetooth connected phone call as Eddie drove home that same afternoon. “You bribed Maddie for Chim’s vote?”

Eddie rolled his eyes and smiled affectionately. “That’s a pretty wild accusation, Buck”

“It’s true though, no?! Since when do you hang out at dispatch? With my sister? Who is married to one of the judges of the baking competition?”

Eddie huffed a laugh, but pressed his lips together to hold it in.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about”

“Eddie, I can literally see you driving away from Maddie’s dot on find my friends” Buck huffed.

“Why were you looking at my dot?” He said, trying to keep the smile out of his voice as he tried to focus on the road.

“It’s not important!” Buck floundered and Eddie had to bite his lip to surprise his smile. “What’s important is you’re intentionally trying to influence the results”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, can’t a guy go to his old place of work anymore? Visit his ex colleagues? And his best friend’s sister whilst he’s at it?”

“No! At least not right now, the timing is all wrong ” Buck argued, Eddie could imagine him pacing, pushing his hands through his hair

“Why do you even think I baked something for them?”

“Maddie posted a cherry chocolate cake on her instagram story. Her favourite. I’m onto you Diaz”

God I hope so.  Eddie though somewhat deliriously.

“Maybe Josh has taken up baking too. Maybe Sue wanted to see her favourite member of the 118. Maybe May sent me to keep an eye on the place. You have no proof Buck”

Buck grumbled incoherently then cut himself off. Eddie glanced at the caller Id to make sure he was even still there for a sec before Buck said:

“Is it at least helping?”

“With what?”

“Getting over this… person” Buck mumbled, strained.

“No” Eddie said, mouth suddenly like cotton wool as he coughed. “Not at all” then: “you?”

“Uh ditto” Buck mumbled.

“Ah” Eddie said, focusing on the traffic again as the silence drew on. He glanced at the caller Id every few seconds and pressed his lips together anxiously.

“Are you busy?” Buck asked.

“Nope. Driving home, like you said”

“Wanna come over?”

Eddie smiled. “Yeah, sounds good”

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

Eddie was mixing ingredients together for a carrot cake when his phone buzzed.

Diaz disasters

Adriana : omg!!!!

Sophia:  thank Buck for us! This is so sweet.

Frowning, Eddie hit the video call button and his grinning sisters filled the screen.

Sophia clutched a very familiar looking brown paper package and Adriana held up cookies. Decorated with lemon sprinkles.

“This is so sweet of him! What’s the occasion?” Adriana cooed, grinning mischievously at Eddie and shaking the cookies.

“What?” Eddie replied, blinking at the cookies.

“Buck sent us cookies! Don’t tell me you didn’t know?” Sophia pressed, frowning at him. She flipped around the tag so he could squint and make out Buck’s hand writing.

“Oh. Uh, that’s nice!” Eddie said, frowning down at his own mixture.

“Wait. Are you baking too? Woah, do you guys actually do any firefighting?” Adriana teased. Tilting her head.

“It’s a really long story” Eddie winced as Sophia narrowed her eyes.

“They’re baking together” she said to her sister. “How touching”

“Very sweet” Adriana cooed, smirking at Eddie.

“Very… romantic ” they said at the same time and burst into giggles.

Eddie felt himself flush and opened his mouth to defend himself when Chris’ voice cut across the call.

“Is that Dad? Does he know about Buck’s cookies?” Then the sound of his crutches across his parents kitchen floor before his curly head popped into frame “Hey Dad, nice of Buck to send us cookies, he told me you two have been baking”

“Did he now?” Eddie said flatly.

“And they’re lemon! Your favourite!” Chris grinned just as teasingly and oh god Eddie was going to die. “Maybe when I come home next month he can bake them for us? In our kitchen?” He raised his eyebrows, glancing at his Aunts who beamed at him and laughed.

“You need to spend less time with your Tías” Eddie groaned. “But sure bud, I’m…uh…working on it”

The three of them cooed and Chris started making kissy faces at the camera.

“Okay goodbye now! ” Eddie rushed, shutting off the call as they laughed. Eddie's face felt as hot as the oven he was prewarming in the corner.

When the cake batter was in the oven, and Eddie had changed his floury clothes, he texted Buck.

Eddie: how did you even get my parent’s address?

And as usual, Buck immediately responded:

Buck : hehehe 🤠 guess

Eddie: Chris

Buck: obviously 😉

Eddie: obviously. Uh huh right.

Buck: to be fair I made it very clear on the box that it was for your sisters, very much not your folks

Eddie: they don’t deserve cookies

Buck: no I didn’t think so either

Eddie: thanks tho, I know you did I it to get back at me for going to see Maddie but I think they appreciated it and I do too 💫

Buck: you’re welcome 🫶

Eddie smiled and put his phone down, then frowned and picked it back up again.

Eddie: wait a second.

Eddie (2): How is sending cookies to my sister’s going to influence your result this week?

Buck: it isn’t. I just felt like repaying the favour.

Feeling brave, Eddie said:

Eddie: trying to get in their good books or something?

Buck: something like that

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

Taking a deep breath, Eddie stepped out of his truck and closed the door behind him with his foot. Banana loaf firmly in hand, he ascended down the path.

He probably should have knocked, but with no hands available he used his shoulder to push the door open and walked into the church.

Father Brian sat a few pews in, eyes closed, head bowed in prayer. Eddie took a few steps forward before he spotted him, he ground to a stop and waited patiently.

But in the vast emptiness of a church on a random Monday afternoon, Father Brian had heard Eddie come in whether he liked it or not. He turned his head, smiled and got to his feet.

“Eddie” Father Brian greeted warmly, “how are you? You seem a lot more brighter in yourself”

Eddie smiled and held up the banana loaf. It was bright in the church and distantly smelt like incense.

“I’m better thank you, my son is coming home next month and there’s been some uh…developments in my life” he held up the loaf again for good measure.

Father Brian glanced at the loaf questioning, but smiled nonetheless.

“Shall we sit?” He gestured. And Eddie nodded, joining him at a nearby pew.

Eddie smiled and handed the banana loaf to  the priest, who accepted it with a smile.

“Thank you Eddie, that’s very kind. I want to star by saying how pleased I am to hear things are better with your son”

“Thank you, Father” Eddie nodded.

“But I am assuming this banana loaf may be related to why you’re here?”

Eddie tipped his head back and sighed, folding his legs in front of him like he was on his own sofa. Father Brian glanced at him worriedly, his face lit up with coloured rainbow light from the sun spilling through the stained glass window. How ironic.

“Does it ever get annoying when you’re right all the time?” Eddie sighed, smiling at Father Brian who laughed and shook his head.

“Those who seek guidance usually enter the church head first with their problems Eddie. Like you did today with your banana bread”

“Huh, that’s interesting”

“Quite. So, in your own time”

Eddie smiled and glanced up at the stained glass window across from them, admiring the light and how bright everything looked and felt.

“Buck and I have entered a baking competition”

“Buck being…your best friend, right?”

Eddie glanced at the priest who was smiling at him in the same way that Maddie, Sophia and Adriana had done.

“Yes” he nodded and it felt like mostly to himself. “We’ve been baking to get over people”

“Oh…?”

“He has been baking to get over his ex boyfriend, and I’m baking now to well…”

He trailed off and turned to the expectant man beside him.

“To get over him I guess…Is that okay?”

Eddie’s hands were shaking. Father Brian smiled at him reassuringly.

“Yes, Eddie. That’s okay” and then “do you want to get over him?”

“Are we just going to breeze over the whole ‘ him ’ of this?”

“If you want to, yes. I might be a man of the cloth but that does not mean I get to strip others of what brings them joy”

Eddie swallowed, tears pricking the back of his eyes. His throat like cotton wool, he cleared it and steadied himself before he continued:

“I don’t know if I’m ready to label myself yet. But…no I don’t think I do want to get over him, and I don’t think he wants that either”

“Oh?”

“He originally claimed he was baking to get over his ex. But he hasn’t said his name once lately. He’s intrigued in why I’m baking too. He said if I win the competition he’ll move out of his loft hut didn’t say where he’d move to, and I said if he wins I won’t move to Texas. But I’ve not actually told him that was never my plan, Chris is going to come home and I…I want us to all live together. No loft, no Texas, just us together”

Father Brian sniffed and Eddie snapped his head up from his shaking hands to see tears in Father Brian’s eyes.

“That’s a beautiful vision Eddie. I think if you have to morph the truth and have fun baking in this fun inbetween period then that’s okay. Because ultimately it sounds like you know what you want and that Buck maybe does too”

Eddie nodded, head heavy with it all. His lip was trembling so he pressed his teeth into it slightly.

“God loves you for exactly who you are Eddie. You’re a good man, a good person and you deserve this joy you picture”

“Thank you” Eddie said, his voice trembling as he shut his eyes against the tears that gathered there.

“Now then, do you want to talk more about this or shall I make us some coffee and we can cut this banana loaf? Choice is yours”

Eddie smiled at him.

“Second one sounds great” he murmured.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

Eddie knocked on Buck’s door, arms ladened with ingredients. The two of them remained neck and neck with Eddie just securing his second win.

The final was next week Eddie knew Buck was nervous about it, hell Eddie was nervous about it too. But probably for different reasons than Buck. On that particular Wednesday they had decided to do some baking together, to level the playing field a bit.

Eddie was in the midst of wondering if he should just come clean about the Texas thing, when the door swung open.

“Hey!” Buck grinned, all sunshine and happiness. “Did you forget your key?”

“My hands are full” he huffed in amusement, glancing down at his arms laden with ingredients. “The sweet old lady in the foyer had to press a button for me”

Buck huffed and rolled his eyes fondly, moving back to let Eddie in and pushing the door shut behind him.

“Was it Gladys? Bet she loved that” he muttered, taking the multiple bags of ingredients out of Eddie’s arms.

Eddie glanced at the counter where a cake box was standing tall. Ignoring Buck’s grumbles about Gladys he advanced towards it.

“Before you take a peek and think you’ve got the upper hand, it’s for Jee. Chim’s nearly done with his cardigan and wants to like make a whole thing out of giving it to her. I think because of how hard things have been for the three of them lately, yanno? So I said I’d make a cake” he smiled softly and Eddie’s heart might as well have melted out of his chest.

“That’s so sweet Buck” Eddie said, lifting the lid to see copious amounts of sprinkles. “Wow, I didn’t know that many types of sprinkles even existed”

“That’s nothing” Buck smiled, flushing slightly but proud. “Jee and I have been building a whole collection”

He opened a cabinet that Eddie knew once held Tommy’s shitty protein powder that he always needed for 'easy on the go access'. And now was pilled high with various pots and containers of sprinkles in various colours, shapes and sizes.

What caught Eddie’s eye the most was the three different types of lemon sprinkles slotted neatly side by side. Lemon shaped ones that he had seen on Adrianna and Sophia’s cookies and on his own lemon loaf, but also small circular lemon flavoured ones and a sparkly yellow type simply labelled ‘Eddie’.

Eddie felt his mouth drop open, but he shut it before Buck could see. Listening to the very man move around in the depths of his loft somewhere.

“This is seriously impressive, I’ll have to really up my game”

He turned just as Buck was returning with another large box, placing it on the counter and grinning at Eddie.

“Uh huh, and I’ll let you in on who my secret supplier is if you wear this” he pointed at the box and wiggled his eyebrows.

Eddie couldn’t lie, his mind automatically went to some pretty heated places. But in the afternoon light of Buck’s kitchen with all the ingredients set out, surely not.

Eddie opened the package curiously, he glanced up at Buck who nodded at him to keep going as he pushed away several layers of tissue paper.

There in a light yellow fabric with a white trim was a neatly folded apron, embroidered with the words ‘Lemon Loverboy’ with a tiny lemon.

“Oh wow Buck, I don’t know what to say” Eddie said, wide eyed, stunned with his heart beating fast in his chest.

“Well I thought it would be nice for the final and if you move to Texas and keep baking” he smiled, small this time. His eyes were unreadable as he turned towards the ingredients.

“Buck-“ Eddie started.

“Come on put it on! These cookies aren’t going to bake themselves” he said, back to him as he reached for his scales.

Eddie pressed his mouth together and slipped the material over his head. He reached back tie it at the back and watching Buck do the same with his standard apron.

Buck glanced back and eyed him for a second before he smiled wide again.

“Cute! Suits you” his eyes moved up and down slightly before he cleared his throat and said: “uh so what flavour did you decide from what I suggested?”

They set about mixing the ingredients together for the fancy cookies that Buck had been inspired by on Pinterest. Buck had a key precision with baking, whereas Eddie was a bit of a mess, spilling flour when Buck said they’d measured enough, whilst Buck cut the butter into little cubes before letting it soften for efficiency.

When they mixed all the base dough together and added the multi chocolate chips and the several types of sprinkles to melt in the oven in the dough. Buck turned around to grab some flour to sprinkle on his surface when he stopped and smiled.

“Oh” he murmured and smiled softly at Eddie. “You’ve got a little-“ he pointed at Eddie’s cheek.

Eddie tried to swipe at it but Buck shook his head and directed him around his face for a bit. When he kept missing, Buck huffed a laugh and stepped forward into Eddie’s space.

“Here, let me” he chuckled affectionately.

He reached up and dragged his thumb across his cheek smiling warmly at him and shaking his head. Eddie simply stared at him, frozen to the spot. Seemingly not in control of his own limbs, Eddie reached out and grabbed the crook of Buck’s elbow to stop him pulling away.

Buck’s eyes went wide, searching Eddie’s somewhat frantically. Eddie could hear his own breathing, short and shallow.

“Eddie-“ he began to whisper.

“Shh” Eddie replied, scared to let the moment pass.

Buck’s fingers sprawled and curled around Eddie’s jaw, he moved in closer still, waiting for Eddie to back out or shake his head. Eddie gave the smallest of nods and Buck began to lean in, his own breath hot on Eddie’s mouth and chin. Eddie let his eyes flutter shut in preparation.

Buck’s phone blared across the space between them and they jumped apart from each other. Eyes comically wide again, Buck glanced down at his phone on the counter beside them, displaying a picture of Bobby in a party hat with Bobby 🧛🏻‍♂️ displayed across the screen.

Frantically, Buck answered it and put the phone to his ear. He still stared at Eddie who stared right back, the distance between them had never felt bigger as Eddie gripped the counter behind him and tried to steady his breath.

“Hey Bobby…yes…uh huh” Buck begun to rub his forehead, his eyes dropped to the floor and suddenly stressed. “Yeah, he’s with me” eyes up and on him again like a brand. “Okay we’ll be there as soon as we can”

He hung up and Eddie tilted his head in question, Buck was already pulling off his apron and reaching for his coat, gesturing for him to do the same.

“There’s a huge multi warehouse fire down on 4th that they need more units for. Most of the local houses are already there”

“Right” Eddie said, shoving the bowl of dough into Buck’s fridge and untying his around. And accepting the coat that Buck thrust his way. “Uh…I’ll drive”

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

In the end, the final of their completion got postponed because of how many hours they all ended up working around the warehouse situation.

The final therefore took place on a Friday pretty late at night, when they were getting to the end of their shift.

Eddie walked into the station with his final bake under his arm. Things had been kinda weird with Buck since the not-kiss in Buck’s loft. The multi warehouse fire had kept them in work mode long enough for Eddie not to freak out about it, but something had still been wrong. He avoided eye contact, spoke only when necessary, they didn’t even say goodbye to each other.

Over their two days off, Eddie expected maybe to hear from Buck. A text, a meme, even a movie night with a couple of beers, avoiding the obvious like they always did. But no, nada.

Then again, Eddie didn’t reach out to him either. As far as Buck was concerned, Eddie was straight and heavily considering moving to Texas. Huh, maybe he’d taken this just a little too far under the mirage of buttercream frosting, fancy baking and sprinkles.

He was shaken out of his thoughts by Hen literally grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him. Damn, he hadn’t even heard her coming. Why was everyone shaking him lately?

“Eddie” she hissed, eyes narrowed. “Is it true?”

“Is what true?!” He hissed back as she continued to shake him, his duffel bag falling to the floor at his feet, but gripping his prized final bake still somehow.

She looked right and left before bodily dragging him across the bay, reaching out to pull his duffel bag along with them. She pressed him behind a pillar and lent back with a perfect eyebrow arched and arms folded.

“You tried to kiss Buck?” She whispered.

Eddie blanched, stuttering as she simply stared at him.

“Well actually, it was the more the other way around…?”

“But there was almost a kiss?”

“Yes”

“And you would have let it happen?”

“Yes”

“So you’re not straight?”

“Yes”

“And the person you’ve been trying to get over is Buck?”

“Yes”

“So you’re in love with him?”

“Yes”

“And I take it you want him to move out of his loft and move in with you?”

“Yes”

“And maybe moving to Texas is not actually on your agenda anymore?”

“Yes”

“And so you’ve been pandering to some stupid baking competition with a heavy side of sexual tension and angst to…what, make the rest of us suffer?”

“Uh….well yeah”

Hen closed her eyes and sighed, rubbing at the bridge of her nose with one hand and placing the other on her hip.

“Jesus Eddie, your life” she sighed, baffled with a shake of her head.

“I know” he winced, clinging to the pillar behind him.

“I hope you know what you’re doing because a) Buck’s a bit of a wreck about you and b) the stress is affecting Chim’s crochet pattern”

Eddie nodded firmly. “I have a plan”

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

Buck and Eddie stood side by side behind their final bakes as Hen and Chim tasted and judged each one.

Hen and Chim had decorated the loft with gold star bunting and picnic cloth-esque triangle bunting. A makeshift trophy was created out of an old broken firefighter helmet spray painted gold and was placed on a ratty cushion by Ravi. Bobby sipped his coffee, watching Buck and Eddie intensely over the rim and Chim clutched his crochet blanket to his chest like the very vibes of the room were going to affect it.

Eddie had made a key lime pie inspired cake, simple white and elegant with homemade candied limes on the top and lime curd layered with fresh cream in the middle. Whereas Buck had made some sort of sticky tart with walnuts pressed into the top and a spun sugar cage smashed over the top.

Eddie glanced at Buck, watching Buck frown and stare straight ahead.

Shit.

“May the best man win huh?” He attempted with a smile. His voice slightly squeaky and like his own.

“Mhm” Buck simply mumbled.

Double shit .

Luckily for Eddie, Hen and Chim seemed to have come to a decision. Both of them turning to nod at each other.

They motioned Buck and Eddie forward. Hen gave Eddie a pointed look as she went to stand beside Chim and next to Ravi.

“We have come to a decision” she said. “Following the fact that you are currently tieing, this person would be the true winner both in terms of fairness and quality”

“Both were different but excellent in both taste and presentation” Chim said in a fake posh accent, Jee’s blanket slung over his arm like a matredee.

“The winner is” Hen begun, looking at Buck who also who waited patiently. Chim raised his eyebrows at Eddie, Eddie tried to read his mind somehow.

“Both of you” they announced together.

“What?” Buck said, looking at Eddie for the first time that day.

“A tie?” Eddie frowned.

“Yup” Hen said popping the p with a shrug. “Guess you’re gonna have to suck it up boys” she glanced at Eddie. Even Chim raised an eyebrow at him, implying that Hen had shared what she had learnt in the last hour or so.

Buck and Eddie glanced at Bobby, he nodded. “A draw’s a draw. I’m in agreement. Both were excellent bakes”

“Guess you’ll have to meet halfway then in terms of what you promised each other if you won” Chim said to Eddie, then winked at him.

Oh . Right, Eddie could work with that.

Eddie smiled and Buck looked between the three of them confused.

“Huh? Have I missed something?” He asked, glancing at Bobby who raised his eyebrows and continued to sip his coffee.

“Yeah, have I missed something too?” Ravi cut in between them, moving the cushion in his hands as if to emphasises his point. “Is it time to uh give you the trophy or…?”

Buck glanced at Eddie, trying to read him with narrowed eyes and bright blue eyes. Eddie could do nothing but smile, drawn to him always.

“Shall we talk? Roof?” Eddie suggested, grinning at him as Buck’s frown only deepened. He looked so cute that Eddie was half tempted to kiss him right there in the middle of the loft, but words needs to be exchanged first. Eddie just hoped he could find them.

Eddie glanced at Bobby who nodded and said: “I'll give you 15”

Eddie gently took Buck by the hand. Buck’s eyes went comically wide and he inhaled a heavy breath, Eddie pulled him towards the steps up to the roof.

They walked hand in hand up the two flights of stairs and out into the LA night. The traffic was busy down below and there was a slight chill in the air. The sky was pitch black and cloudless so the moon shone bright in a crescent shape.

Buck folded his arms and stared at Eddie expectantly, a hint of anxiety to his form picked up by the tapping of his foot.

“What’s going on?” He asked suspiciously.

“You’re the person I’ve been trying to get over” Eddi admitted into the space between them. “Chris comes home next month, I was never going to move to Texas and I’m now hoping you’ll move out of the loft and move in with us instead? Oh also, I’m in love with you so uh yeah, I think that covers everything” he rushed clumsily, scratching the back of his neck.

Buck stared at him again, stunned this time. The breeze pushed at his hair and pushed it slightly over his eyes. Eddie wanted to reach for him and fix it, but he made himself wait.

“Eddie…that’s a lot to process”

“Yeah I can imagine”

Buck exhaled and watched his breath dance in front of him in the chilled air. He closed his eyes and nodded to himself.

“Okay. My turn. I got over Tommy weeks ago and continued baking because you were doing it too. I can’t believe Chris is actually coming home and whilst it’s crazy to agree to move in with you when we haven’t even kissed yet and you are supposed to be straight, I love you too so stranger things have happened for us” Buck said, then slowly smiled as his eyes crinkled at the side.

“So…yeah?” Eddie checked, beaming at him. A warmth so small in his chest had begun to slowly grow again.

“Yeah, very much yeah” Buck laughed and reached for him “I need to kiss you now”

“Okay…wait, you’re not mad?”

“Nah” Buck shook his head “giving mixed signals and giving me false information, only to make me fall more in love with you, is very Eddie Diaz of you”

Eddie huffed a laugh, cradling Buck’s jaw and swiping his fingers over his shoulder blade.

“If you’re in love with me I’ll take that as a compliment”  he giggled.

Buck just lowered his head and kissed him in response. Warm and slow like the treacle he tasted of. And if Eddie got a bit teary then that was between him and the god he wasn’t even sure real.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

Definitely longer than 15 minutes later, Buck and Eddie returned slightly flushed and frazzled to receive their trophy. Smiling as Ravi handed it to them, Hen and Chim whooped and Bobby took pictures on his disposal camera and on Hen’s iPhone.

When Chris came back and Buck moved in, the trophy was slotted onto the top of their new bookshelf full of Buck’s Knick knacks and Eddie’s favourite books.

They continued to bake mostly for special occasions, rivalling the crochet pieces that Chim now confidently also dished out when the bakes were handed out.

And when Eddie finally got Buck a matching customised apron with ‘Cookie Cowboy’ on it, Chris only complained about how gross it was for a second before Buck handed him a fresh batch of blueberry muffins.