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Eddie comes back to LA and brings Chris. Chris wanted to be at the funeral, after all.
It's a tearful reunion, Buck going to Chris first, trying to ask how he's doing but unable to stop his voice from breaking as he sweeps the boy into a hug. Chris can't even attempt his moody teenager routine, torn up by both his utter joy at seeing Buck again and the horrible circumstances that brought them back together. Chris didn't know Bobby like his father did, certainly not like Buck did, but he remembers him in flashes, in snapshots in his memory, remembers an encouraging, loving smile and kind words. He feels the grief of his father and Buck, and cries.
Eddie lets Buck and Chris hold each other for a moment before he's striding over, bringing them both into his arms. There's no point in trying to hold himself together, tears springing into his eyes from the sound of Buck's noisy sobs, the sight of Chris's shoulders trembling. He holds them both and rocks them gently. Despite the tears trailing down his cheeks, despite the fact that his boys are sobbing in his arms, Eddie can't help but be glad that they're all together again, that they all still have each other, even after all this time.
Chris goes easily to bed and is out like a light the moment he settles in. Eddie shuts the door to his room and looks at Buck from where he's leaning against the door frame.
There's that look in Buck's eyes, like he's gonna flee. He looks like he's about to head straight for the couch, and Eddie doesn't want Buck to be alone, fuck, Eddie doesn't want to be alone—
It's settled with a tug to Buck's sleeve and Eddie's imploring eyes, both men making their way to the bedroom. They get ready in silence, going through the motions, but with the quiet reassurance of the other by their side. They hug one more time before they climb into bed, together.
They wake up with the other still in bed, hands having tangled together in their sleep. Eddie lets himself stare at Buck's sleeping face, no longer red and splotchy. Buck wakes up to the sight of a gentle smile. It’s the first time that he thinks he can live through this.
The days go like that for a while. Grief builds up over hours spent silent. It's like there's nothing else to talk about except for the obvious, but no one is strong enough to say anything. Buck and Eddie go home together and crumble into each other's arms, before settling down for sleep.
The funeral is— a whirlwind, really. Eddie lets his grief show through while Buck keeps his face impassive, as if even a shred of emotion shining through will cause him to collapse in on himself.
And then Maddie's phone rings.
---
It takes hours of drinking in Bobby's safe, living face before Buck is able to leave the hospital room, as if letting the man drift out of his sight will cause him to disappear. He looks to Athena and knows she feels the same. They hug before he leaves.
Eddie left earlier, having taken Buck's jeep back to the house so he could put Chris to bed. Buck steps out of the hospital doors and Eddie is back, waiting for him by the entrance. Something blooms in his chest, at the thought of Eddie knowing that visiting hours were over and Buck would need a ride home. That Eddie showed back up without needing buck to ask him.
On the ride back, Eddie tells him about tucking Chris in, how Chris let Eddie do it without protest. Must've been tired. Buck doesn't blame him.
That night, their routine is much the same, but they've traded their devastated stares and sad eyes for disbelieving grins and hope. And— y'know, it only makes sense that they're both sharing the bed still, even though the grief has passed and bobby is still alive. It's a big change, one they're both a little shaky from. They fall back into bed together.
Buck wakes up first this time, which is rather uncommon, given Eddie's ability to wake up with the sunrise even if he went to bed less than three hours earlier. Buck's sprawled on his back, clutching Eddie to his chest. It fills his heart with glee seeing Eddie's sleeping face, the stubble on his jaw. Buck lets himself soak it in.
Eddie has to go back to Texas, after all. Chris has a month of his school year left, and all of his stuff, as well as Eddie's, is still in El Paso. But Chris whines and groans at the thought of going back, and it makes Eddie and Buck so happy that they honestly don't know what to do with themselves. Eddie can't believe that it's now him convincing Chris to go back to El Paso, even if it's only for the purpose of finishing school and preparing to move properly.
But that's for later. Right now, Buck lets a hand stroke down Eddie's back and imagines that this is forever.