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It’s longer than Eddie had hoped when Buck finally Facetimes him. 4 days longer to be exact, but who’s counting. It’s not waiting by the phone if the phone is a tiny computer everyone has on their person at all times. And Christoper might text him. He tries not to be embarrassed by the fact that he picks up on the first ring.
“Hey, Eddie!”
“Hey, Buck.” Eddie smiles as he plops down on the couch.
“Sorry, I’ve been so…just been a crazy time over here…you hear from Chris yet?”
“He’s still warming up, but we’ve been out a couple of times. He’s expressed interest in the new place, I think maybe next week he might be up for a tour. Speaking of…”
“You wanna see how I’ve massacred your home.”
“Bingo.”
Buck grins and starts to walk around the house. Okay, well, I know you weren’t always super into this wall art, but I think right here with the sun hitting it…” Buck takes Eddie through his old house. Eddie feels a familiar pang of homesickness, unsure of whether it’s the sight of the floorboards or Buck or both. Everything is just so Buck , yet it’s so intensely familiar. “And I decided to spring for the new mattress after all, achy firefighter joints and all…”
A thought nags at Eddie. “Showing that mattress to any lucky ladies…or dudes!” he adds quickly, his smile suddenly hurting.
Buck’s face contorts into something Eddie can’t quite read. “Yeah, uh…but it didn’t really work out.”
“Nothing wrong with a one-night stand, brother.” Brother?
Buck inhales. “Yeah, but it gets a little more complicated when it’s with your ex.”
“Oh, god. Taylor? Natalia?”
“I wish…no, I don’t, I don’t wish…just probably would’ve been an easier goodbye than the conversation I had with Tommy in the morning…”
Eddie steadies himself on the armrest with his free hand. “Tommy, huh?” he chokes out, impressed with how neutral he keeps his voice. He’s not sure why he’s so impressed with his own neutrality.
“We ran into each other at the bar I was at with Ravi. You know, I think Ravi’s warming up to me. Anyway, we reconnected, one thing led to another, and we reconnected .” Buck flushes and Eddie clears his throat. “You didn’t have to stop talking to Tommy, by the way. He mentioned you did.”
“Of course, I did. I was practically swimming in bread - I didn’t have enough room to reach my phone and call him up.” Eddie remembers when Buck showed up to his house. How the news of his breakup made Eddie feel somehow even lighter. “So, uh…the next morning?”
“Oh, that, yeah. He…uh…I told him I didn’t have feelings for him anymore.”
“Ouch,” and there it is, a hint of that same lightness. It’s darkened by the news that Tommy was in his house, in his room. Unless they didn’t make it…or the shower…Eddie feels hotter than the usual Texas spring should allow and doesn’t want to decode what else is warming him up aside from the anger.
Buck has one of those looks where Eddie knows he has more to say but won’t say it unless Eddie probes, and Eddie can’t today, he just can’t. Usually, he loves to probe - Buck looks at him with those big blue eyes and he can’t resist. But today, something’s stopping him.
“Oh, hey, bud, uh Chris is calling me,” Eddie lies but Buck softens and gives an understanding nod.
“Of course - send him my love!”
Eddie finds himself stiffening again. “I will,” he says. Buck disappears from his screen and he flops onto the couch. The only thing keeping him from throwing his phone at the wall during his descent is the recent memory of his post-move credit card statement.
Buck is a bachelor , Eddie knew that when he agreed to take over his lease. He knew that meant Buck would be bringing home hot babes of all genders all the time - he was a hot guy! But something about Tommy . And yeah, of course he stopped talking to Tommy as soon as they broke up. He could’ve done it sooner. Sure, they guy had sweet ticket hookups, but he didn’t know how to handle Buck the way Eddie did. He couldn’t handle Buck at his fake illness spiral, how the hell could he deserve him at his best, vibrant, caring, funny, brave, loudmouth, loyal…he just…he doesn’t deserve him.
But, Eddie reminds himself, Tommy’s out of the picture. He relaxes a bit at that. Maybe Buck could settle down with someone who could appreciate him the way he needed to be appreciated. Someone who gets him. Someone Buck could laugh with. Someone Buck could take care of. Maybe someone with a kid, god, Buck is so good with kids.
And the more he thinks about it, the more he imagines himself there. Cheering Buck and his mystery partner on! Buck giving his mystery kid a kiss good night. Buck closing the door and jumping into bed with his mystery partner. Buck taking his shirt off…Buck reaching for the hem of Eddie’s shirt as he leans in…
Eddie sits as upright as another part of him has gradually become.
Oh.