Chapter Text
Buck doesn’t want to be here.
He doesn’t want to see his parents.
At least not right now. His life is going pretty freaking great right now and his parents are going to ruin it all.
He doesn’t want to believe that it’s true. But it is. They always do.
He opens the door to the Buckley-Han household and is immediately welcomed by his niece.
“Uncle Buck!” She exclaims running over to him.
Buck slides his jacket off his arms, lays it down on the table, walks over to Jee, squats down, and picks her up, smiling the whole time.
“Well, hi,” Buck kisses her hair, and talks in his baby voice. “How’s my favorite niece?”
“I drew something for you!”
Buck grins and fake gasps, “For me?”
She nods, smiling, “Mhm. Wanna see?”
“Of course I do!” He bounces her in his arms. She giggles. “Where is this art that I’m so very excited to see?”
“There!” She points to the dining table, giddy with excitement.
Buck walks over to the table, sets Jee down gently on the dining chair so she’s standing on it, at the end of the table, with markers and many pieces of paper, some blank, some colorful with her drawings, lying on it.
He squats down to her level.
“For you, Uncle Buck.” She hands him a piece of paper with three figures on it.
“It’s you, Uncle Eddie, and Cousin Chris!”
And Buck can very easily see that. He can see the figure that is supposed to be him. It’s gone yellow-blonde curly hair and bright blue eyes. The one that’s Eddie has dark eyes and brown floppy hair. And the third figure, anyone can see that it’s Chris. Down to the glasses and the crutches.
“Do you like it, Uncle Buck?”
He looks up at her smiling wide. “I love it! It’s amazing! I can’t wait to show Uncle Eddie and Chris!”
She chuckles. “Yeee!”
“I’m going to set this by my jacket so I can’t forget it.”
She grins as he stands. Then he walks over to where his jacket lies and places the art on top.
When he turns around to walk over to Jee, she’s gotten down from the chair and is standing on the floor giving him a challenging look that says she’s about to run and he’s going to have to chase after her.
So he lowers down, ready for the chase, then Margaret walks into the room, ruining the moment.
“Hello, Evan!” She surprisingly looks happy to see him.
He stands up straight, “Hi, mom,” he says awkwardly.
What are you supposed to say to your parents who don’t really care about you and have ignored you for almost your whole life?
Yeah, he doesn’t know either. ‘Hi’ was the first thing that came to mind.
“How are you, Evan?” She asks as she walks closer to him, her arms extended for a hug.
He says, as he pulls her in for a hug, “Great. I’m great, mom.” I’m engaged to the love of my life, in case you wanted to know…or cared.
“That’s good, Evan.” They pull back from the hug.
She eyes him up and down and the smile that was on her face fades almost instantly and she tenses up.
The tension fades a little though when Phillip walks up behind Margaret, and places his hand on her lower back.
“You look…different.” Is all she offers to him, the tension returning.
“I-uh,” Buck clears his throat before continuing, “I’ve been bulking up for work.”
“Is that what it’s called?” Phillip asks, his tone is a bit bitchy. “It just looks like you’ve gained weight.” He eyes Buck up and down. “A lot of weight…”
Buck swallows, unable to say anything.
“Dad!” Maddie exclaims, walking into the room holding six-month-old Kevin Buckley-Han. Who looks more and more like Chimney every day.
“It’s just an observation, Maddie,” Margaret says.
Maddie was going to say something like: watch how you word it next time. But she doesn’t want to start anything. Not this early into the evening.
Kevin makes some cute baby noises in Maddie’s arms, reaching for Uncle Buck.
Buck looks at him and can’t help but smile. “Hi, Kevin.” He waves cutely, then walks over to them.
Kevin gets restless in Maddie’s arms when Buck walks closer.
“Someone’s excited to see you,” Maddie giggles as she hands Kevin over into Buck’s open arms.
“Not as much as I am to see him!” Buck holds Kevin up and plants kisses all over his face, causing Kevin to laugh very loudly. It’s absolutely adorable.
Maddie beams at him. “It’s about time for little Kevin to sleep. So don’t hog him all night.” She chuckles, patting Buck on his broad shoulders.
“Don’t worry, Mads, I got him. I’ll take care of him.”
“I know.” She beams at him.
Buck walks with little Kevin towards his room. Kevin can barely keep his eyes open anymore.
“Seems it’s sleepy time for you, little guy.” Buck lifts him, plants kisses all over his face again then lowers him down into his cot.
Kevin’s always been a sound sleeper, other than the very very beginning. So once Buck sees him visibly fall asleep, he knows Kevin will be out for a while.
He quietly walks out of the room, closes the door gently behind him, and wonders back into the dining room, where everyone still is.
“Mom, stop.” Maddie sounds pissed about something.
Buck’s brows furrow as he walks into the room.
“We’re just trying to look out for him. He looks unhealthy.”
Buck's heart hits the fucking floor.
“What?” Everyone turns to him, they didn't realize he could hear them. “You not only practically call me overweight to my face, you do it behind my back too.” Buck looks his parents dead in the eyes. "I did it to be able to help out more on the job. I can lift more and do so much more than I could before. That's why I did it. And not only that, I like how I look.”
"Right." Margaret starts, "You aren't getting any younger, Evan, you should be thinking about your future. A lot of people are probably not into all of…that."
Buck blinks rapidly, unable to say any words to her.
"Mom," Maddie starts but gets cut off by Buck.
"No, Mads, it's okay." She gives him a look that says No, it is not. He gives her a look that says I know, it's okay.
"Does your, uh, boyfriend, Jim...Tim...Tom...like it? This look?" Phillip stutters out, clearly uncomfortable.
"I'm not with him anymore. We broke up almost a year ago."
"Oh, sorry, Evan." Margaret provides.
"It's fine. He was kinda horrible to me anyway." Plus I'm engaged to the love of my life now. And he loves me. ALL of me.
Awkward silence.
"You really should lose this extra weight, Evan. Then maybe you won't be single anymore. You're not getting any younger, you know. You can find a nice girl and have some kids before it's too late."
If they looked at his left hand, they’d see the golden band on his finger and see that he is most definitely not single. And he never will be again. And he doesn’t want to. Eddie’s his soulmate. He can't imagine his life without having Eddie in this way. In every way. (And neither can Eddie).
Buck wants to fucking cry right now.
"Mom!" Maddie shouts.
"What?"
"Why would you say that to him?! He's fine with how he looks, I think it suits him." She smiles at him. Then looks back at Margaret. "And I know a lot of people who have no problem with his look. Especially one person.”
Eddie.
Yeah, Eddie is very much into this look. He never has any complaints.
Buck makes a face at Maddie. She gives him one right back.
"Well, how are we supposed to know what to say and what not to say? We had no idea about him liking men ...how are we supposed to react to it when we never even got a warning?"
"So, I was supposed to warn you about the fact that I just very recently—at the time—discovered I was Bi, at the wedding? That's not how that works, Mom! And any reaction would've been better than flat-out ignoring me and not talking to me until today!"
"Sorry, Evan, I, we just didn't know what to say."
"You could've at least tried to make conversation. Instead of avoiding me like the damn plague."
The oven dings.
"I'll get it," Chim says getting up from the floor because he's playing with Jee. Keeping her away from the Buckley parents.
"No, I got it, Chim. Go, play with Jee. I got it, relax, okay?" Buck offers walking into the kitchen. Where Maddie is as well.
"I'm so sorry, Buck.”
"It's not your fault, Mads. I know they will react badly to the whole ‘I’m engaged not even past the six-month mark’ with Eddie. This just...just hurts on a whole different level."
Maddie’s heart breaks for her baby brother. "Wait...where is Eddie anyway?” Her brows furrow. “Howie and I figured you would have him over." Since you two are even more inseparable now that you’ve gotten your heads out of your asses.
"No, I don't want him to have to deal with this mess. Plus, he needed a night to himself. The wedding and the house hunt have been stressing us out. He deserves a night to relax."
"You do too."
"I know and I will. When I get home, to the love of my life. But that's not the point." Her eyes soften at that. They are both so down bad for each other. They’ve been together for nearly six months and the honeymoon stage is showing no signs of ever ending.
“Okay, and if it gets bad Buck, just go home. Got it?” He nods at her as he sets the pan of food down on the island. “Good. And I’ll do what I can to keep them from pestering you about your look. Which is fine by the way, don’t listen to a word they say.”
He smiles. “Thanks, Mads. If Eddie was here he would’ve blown up in their faces and said some very embarrassing things.” He blushes a little, he can imagine exactly what Eddie would say, something about him being incredibly sexy like this. He also would’ve said to them that it doesn’t matter what other people think, it only matters what Buck thinks. And the fact he’s incredibly sexy like this. Especially with his little stomach that sticks out that Eddie loves very, very, very much.
She chuckles. “Yeah, I can just picture it now.”
“Yeah, he’s really the best thing to ever happen to me.”
“He really is. And next time, invite his ass over, our parents be damned, okay?”
He nods, then they seal it with a picky promise. “Deal.”
“Alright, now that that’s settled, let’s get the food out there, I’m starving.”
"Yeah, me too."
Dinner is very normal once the Buckley siblings walk back into the dining room with the food. Everyone is seated at the table, engaging in what seems to be a pleasant conversation.
Buck takes that as a good sign. Especially with Jee here they should back off with the whole weight thing.
Boy, he was wrong.
When he got up to get seconds for himself, and Jee—because she asked so nicely—they started again.
He sat for about 0.02 seconds when Margaret inputs, “You should lay off the seconds, Evan. Your plate was full from the start. You don’t need another.”
Buck swallows a bite of casserole, trying not to choke on it.
“He’s a growing boy! Needs to eat up!” Chim smacks Buck’s shoulder, jokingly.
Which gets Buck to smile at him and forget about his parents for a few seconds.
“I agree. But, maybe in smaller portions.” Margaret defends.
Oh, Jesus.
They aren’t letting up on this.
“Mom,” Maddie drags the word out.
Jee yawns, finishing her food.
“Alright, Jee, time for bed.” Chim gets up from his chair and walks over to his daughter to get her ready for bed. “Say goodnight to everyone.”
She does, sleepily, giving Uncle Buck the biggest hug out of them all.
“Night, Jee,” Buck says, sweetly.
“Nighty-night, Uncle Buck,” she giggles.
Chim carries her out of the room, she’s practically asleep in his arms already.
Buck looks at his parents and sees that they’re about to say something, which they do.
“You know we care about you son, but-”
Buck cuts Philip off.
He jumps up from his chair. “You two seem to be the only ones with a problem about this! And I don’t know why.” He takes a breath. “Maddie doesn’t have a problem with it, my team has no problem with it…my fiancé has no damn problem with it.”
“Fiancé?” Philip asks, shocked.
“You broke up with what’s his name not even a year ago! Why are you in a new relationship, and engaged already?”
“Because we love each other. And we have been together for five and a half months, engaged for one and a half of that. You wanna know something? He loves me for me. And I love him more than I thought I ever could love someone, if you, you know, cared.”
“Evan, why are you making this mistake? Getting engaged to someone so quickly. It’s reckless.” Margaret snaps.
“Oh, so now I’m making a mistake? And now it’s reckless to be engaged, very soon to be married to the love of my life? Because if you really cared about me, you would’ve said something if you just looked at my hand.” He holds his left hand up. “Or, I don’t know, when you asked how I was and said my life is going great, you could’ve asked if there was anything new going on in my life. But you didn’t. And you could’ve heard how incredible he is and how I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with him.”
“Evan, I—“
“And if you really, really cared, you would’ve asked for his name.”
“Evan,” Philip says.
“Save it,” He hisses. “I don’t care. I’m going home, where I live with my fiancé and our son. Thanks for the invite Maddie, see you soon. Tell Jee and Kevin I love them.” He walks over to the door, grabs his jacket and Jee’s drawing, and then is out the door, but before he closes it, he says, looking back at everyone, “His name is Eddie by the way. You know, in case you do actually care.”