Chapter Text
Tommy wasn't even supposed to be here.
Of course, everybody was perfectly polite, but her personality just clashed with most firefighters at the 118. Originally, she wasn't even on A-shift. Jones is out on maternity leave (her wife just had the cutest baby), and somehow Tommy ended up filling in. Unfortunately, someone needed to move to B-shift temporarily, something about needing the schedule for some event, and Tommy volunteered to switch for the time being.
So now, A-shift was stuck with Tommy. It wasn't all bad, maybe a little pettiness here and there, a snide comment in Buck's direction that ended with Hen and Chim clenching their jaws, but they were withholding anyways because according to Buck, “You can't blame her, being stuck on shift with your ex isn't exactly fun.”
Personally, they thought that was way too kind of her, but whatever. They just dealt with it, because they are professionals and will act as such.
It's a bright day in Los Angeles, and thus far no storms, or natural disasters, or people with dubious intentions towards firefighters today. It's a good day, if you had asked. She called Eddie on her way into work, got to say hi to Chistopher, traffic wasn't as bad as it usually was, and they were 7 hours in and they had only responded to three calls. Pretty okay shift so far, if it wasn't for Buck very clearly trying to avoid Tommy, who was noticeably trying to talk to Buck an odd amount.
Ravi leaned over the edge of the balcony, Hen and Chimney right by his side, and they watched as Buck, who was talking to a very nice lady they had helped a few days ago, was approached by Tommy for the third time in an hour. And for the third time in an hour, they watched as the second Tommy came into her view, Buck smoothly introduced her to the woman, who looked ecstatic to talk to another firefighter, and Buck slipped away.
Hen scoffed, and Ravi turned his head. “How many times do you think it'll take for her to take the hint?”
“My guess?” Chim squinted. “Five times too many,” he mused. Ravi turned back and huffed a laugh, watching Tommy try to back away, but the old woman kept on going, oblivious to Tommy's plastered smile and glances in the direction Buck went.
They all turned at the sound of the stairs, and Buck comes over, still cringing to herself. “Please tell you you guys did not see that.”
“If by did not see that, you mean watched you pass Tommy off to the poor old lady before she even got a word out, then yeah, we didn't see it,” Hen snickered, leaning back on the railing with her arms crossed.
Buck groaned, and kept her voice down as she said, “I understand that I need to work with her–and I'm a professional, I can do that!” Buck began gesturing wildly, emphasizing his frustration. “But does she really need to try to talk to me every 5 seconds? You would think she would keep her distance, isn't it weird?” Buck looked between them.
They just looked between each other, and shrugged. Buck rolled her eyes, and went to turn towards the kitchen when Tommy came bounding up the steps.
“Hey Evelyn, you have a second?”
Buck's eyes went wide and she stuttered a moment, and blurted out, “I mean sure, don't we all,” she awkwardly laughed. “Y’know, since it's been awful-” Hen knew what the next words out of her mouth were going to be, but she was powerless to stop it. She could only let the smile drop from her face as Buck finished, “quiet today.”
It was utterly silent for a moment, as if no one could believe that a firefighter who had been on the job as long as Buck would knowingly say that sentence.
Tommy looked confused, but also slightly annoyed. “Why would you-”
“Sh!” Chim immediately flung an arm out, a panicked look on his face. “Don't rub it in, maybe the dispatch gods didn't hear it.”
Everyone is silent for a moment, Ravi looks to the ceiling, almost as if looking for an emergency call. Nothing happened, and Buck almost wished that something would have.
After a borderline sigh of relief, Tommy put her focus back onto Buck, eyebrows furrowed, “Anyways-”
The alarm blares, and an announcement sounds out for a fire in a residence neighborhood. Ravi and Chim start shouting and throw their hands up while Tommy rolls her eyes, and they jog off for their gear.
Hen shoots Buck a look, who looks back nervously. They take off as well, with Hen saying, “I understand not wanting to talk, but don't you ever knowingly jinx us like that again.” Buck starts to protest, but Hen doesn't let her finish. “I don't care, figure it out.”
And off they go.
The engine's brakes squeak to a stop, and one-by-one they pull themself out. Everyone is covered in soot and moods are not the best.
What should have been a simple kitchen fire, turned into a three-house bonfire. Somehow in the time between the alarm sounding and the 118s actual arrival–an incredibly impressive 3 minutes and 43 seconds thanks to the proximity, the fire spread from the kitchen to a gas line, which proceeded to explode just outside the house and then set the bushes on fire, and in turn the next door neighbors porch on one side, and the other neighbors lawn decor, which then spread to that porch and vines that crawled across the entire backside of the house, and it was just all a big shit-show. From arrival to the fire being out was a not-so-impressive 18 minutes and 12 seconds.
Nobody is in a particularly enjoyable mood, and somehow everyone heard of Bucks slip of tongue earlier, so a few are grumbling about that. “Sorry guys, that's my bad.”
She starts taking her braid out to redo, and Hen is next to her in the mirror, wiping the soot off her face. “Yes Buck, it is your bad.”
Buck pouts, but doesnt respond. Despite her joking remark, Buck's face doesn't exactly look happy. Hen studies her for a moment in the mirror. It's quiet, only the sounds of their breathing and shouting from the boys cleaning the engine in the distance.
“Is there something you want to talk about Buck?” She startles, and looks at Hen for a moment. Hen is patient, just resumes adjusting her appearance, making sure she got all the grime off. In her thought, Buck finishes off the braid, a few curls framing her face, and takes a deep breath.
“I don't know, I just hate that Tommy is here.” Seemingly surprised by the words coming out of her own mouth, she backtracks, turning to Hen. “Okay, that came out wrong! I didn't mean it like that, it's just that her being here brings up everything that was said between us, and while it's definitely all in the past now, it wasn't exactly… pleasant.” Buck starts moving her hands again, and Hen has to lean back to avoid being wacked.
“We both said some mean things. I mean I told her-” she stops and looks at Hen eyes considering. Hen doesn't know why she stopped, what she was about to confess, but Buck stops her movement and closes her eyes, taking a deep breath. “Nevermind, I don't wanna dump all this on you, it's just not fun that she's all up in my business while she's here.”
Hen is looking at her with pity that Buck doesn't like, doesn't feel she deserves. There's a pause, and Buck turns to go. “Sorry, I'll just-” There's a hand on her arm, and Hen and pulling her back to her spot.
“Look Buck, I want you to know you can talk to me. How about we go into an office and you can vent all you need, okay?”
Buck looks conflicted for a moment, and Hen shakes her a little and gives an encouraging smile. “Okay,” she whispers, and Hen gestures to her to follow.
They make their way upstairs, and yet again Tommy is there as soon as they are up the stairs. At this point it's starting to genuinely annoy Hen, not just on Bucks behalf. “Hey Buck.”
Hen rolls her eyes. “We're busy, Tommy. Go find someone else to-” she hesitates, deciding if the bitch in her wants to make an appearance. She decides for Buck's sake that the answer is no, “talk with right now, sorry man.”
She can hear Buck snicker behind her, who shrugs at Tommy as they walk past. They walk past into Bobby's office, where he is decidedly not. The door shuts with a quiet click, and Hen takes a seat on the bench against the glass wall.
Buck sits in the chair across from Bobby's desk, and looks to Hen who is looking expectantly.
“Alright, out with it. I promise not to judge, just tell me what's going on. A friendly ear.”
She gives out a long sigh. “Okay so, a few weeks ago, we were at a bar. Ravi left us to talk, and-”
Hen interrupts, already confused. “Wait, who's we?” Buck gives her an incredulous look, and she apologizes and gestures for her to continue. “I can figure it out.”
“Anyways, we ended up going home and hooking up again, and, I don't know, it felt good.” Buck looks up at her. “Like I didn't regret it.”
“And is that a recurring issue?
Buck looks uncomfortable, but Hen knows it's not because of her. “I'm just trying to help Buck.”
Buck deflates a little. “Yeah I know.” She hesitates, before saying, “It used to be. You know, Buck 1.0 and everything. I was trying to fill a void, and this didn't feel like that! Looking back I think it's because it succeeded in filling the void, even if it was only for a while.
“But the next morning, we were talking and I asked if she was giving me another chance, and why. She said yes, but then she made this comment. I guess it stuck with me, and it made me say something I didn't mean. Although now that I think about it, maybe I did mean it.” Buck sighs, and puts her head in her hands.
Eyeing her, Hen waits for her to continue, but there is only silence. “We got this far, Buck. What did she say.”
Buck peaks up between her fingers, and Hen can't help but think of Denny, peeking between his hands when he's in trouble. Hen gives a soft smile, and says, ”Whatever it is, and whatever you said, I'm just listening. No judgments.” She gestures.
With a heavy sigh, Buck admits, “She said she's glad the competition’s out of the way.”
And Hen understands immediately. Because she has eyes. She's worked with Buck for years, has spent countless shifts with her, thousands of hours observing. She knows Buck, she's seen her. Of course she knows who the competition is.
But she's not going to say anything. She's going to let Buck work this out for herself. “And you said?”
“Well I was confused, obviously. She tried to brush it off, but I asked what she meant, and she said I know what she means. So I sat there and thought for a moment, and realized she meant Eddie! Which is insane, right?”
Looking expectant, Buck throws her hand in Hens direction, but Hen just shrugs and raises an eyebrow for her to continue. She's going to let Buck figure this out.
Buck looks at her before her eyes sink to the floor. “So I ask if she means Eddie, and she just… gives me this look. She talked about how I live in her house–which it isn't even her house by the way–and when I pointed that out, along with the fact that she's my best friend, and straight might I add, she just scoffed.” Buck looks at Hen, and Hen can't wipe the look off her face fast enough.
“Wait that– what's that look for?” Hen looks a little caught, but settles.
“Buck, do you want my honest opinion?” Buck squints at Hen as she thinks.
She settles on, “Let me finish first.” Hen shrugs and leans back. “Then I said the thing that I might regret. Or maybe not, I haven't decided yet. “
She takes a breath. She needs to calm herself a little, because there is no reason to be getting worked up, but she can't help it.
“I said, and I quote, I don't have to sleep with everyone I have feelings for, and I don't have to have feelings for everyone I sleep with.” Buck cringes to herself, her birthmark shifting with the look. It was harsh on Tommy, especially after she looked so happy to “have Buck to herself”. She exhales, and peers at Hen to gauge her reaction, and it is not at all what she expected.
Hen looks taken aback, like Buck said something shocking. She knows what she said was a little mean, but she didn't think it would be enough to shake Hen, of all people. Buck furrows her eyebrows.
“What?”
Hen opens her mouth to speak, before prompt shutting it again, pressing her lips into a thin line. A moment later, she tries again.
“So let me get this straight. You slept with your ex,” Hen starts listing off, counting on her fingers. “And then the next morning when she said she wanted to try again, and again, this is the person you had a relationship with and just slept with, and she simply mentioned competition, Eddie was the person who came to mind?” Buck paled.
“Woah, woah, that's not-” Hen held a hand up and Bucks mouth snapped shut.
“Not only that, but that you proceeded to imply that not only did you have feelings for aforementioned best friend, but that you specifically did not have feelings for Tommy? Like, to her face?”
Buck looked a little speechless. Hen knows she said she would let Buck figure this one out, but this was not at all where she expected this to go.
“I-” Buck looks to the side, thinking. Her face drops, and suddenly she looks even more upset than before.
“Oh, Buck.” She curled in on herself in her chair. Tears threatened to well up, but Buck wouldn't let them.
“I dont- Thats not-” She sniffed, and straightened out. “Hen, do I?”
“Do you what Buck?” Hen couldn't help the pity in her voice. She knew what Buck meant, but they were this far, so she needed Buck to ask herself.
“Do I,” the words were stuck on her tongue.
“Do I have feelings for Eddie?”