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Buck hesitates outside Bobby's office, hand hovering above a knock. He's not sure he should do this.
Logically, it shouldn't cause any problems. Bobby's used his powers on him before, and sure not in this way, and sure he's been hesitant to use his powers in general but—
It should... be fine?
Buck bites his lip, hand moving away from the door.
Maybe this is a bad idea.
Embarrassing nonetheless. Buck's a grown ass adult. He shouldn't have to ask for someone to help him sleep, let alone his boss.
It had just been a moment of very sleep deprived weakness. Buck can go to the store and pick up some melatonin for next shift (he ignores the fact that melatonin has stopped working for him years ago).
"You okay there, kid?" Bobby's voice reaches him right as he's about to turn away and he jumps.
"Uhh yeah. Yeah, I am Cap." Buck says, and he thinks that's going to be it but then—
"C'mere kid." Bobby says, and okay if he's being invited…
Buck enters his office, standing a bit sheepishly and hovering in front of his desk.
"What's wrong, Buck?" Bobby asks, and his full attention is on Buck, a stack of unfinished paperwork lying forgotten in front of him.
Buck feels bad. It looks like he has a lot to do. He really shouldn't be taking up his time.
“What is it, Evan?” His dad asked him, eyes staying on the page in front of him as Evan stood outside his office.
Evan had just woken up from a nightmare, and he found it hard to speak, throat tight from his crying.
Evan swallowed, trying his best to push past that. “I…”
“Evan, I'm rather busy, so if you could—” His dad looked up from his work, but instead of noticing his tears, he noticed the time on the clock. “What are you doing awake? Good God, you should be in bed. Evan, go back to your room.”
Evan found he couldn't get any words out, so he did what he was told and found that if he cried hard enough, it would make the monsters go away.
Buck blinks and Bobby's still looking at him, expectant.
"It's stupid."
"Buck,” Bobby says with a frown, and Buck fidgets with a loose thread on his shirt. “I'm sure whatever you have to say is not stupid. I value your opinion. All of them. If you're worried about something, I want to know. I'm here to listen. No matter how stupid you may think it is.”
"I was just—" Buck cuts himself off, looking away and sighing harshly. It's stupid. This was a mistake. He doesn't know why he came here.
"You were just..." Bobby repeats, voice steady and encouraging, and Buck looks back to see his expression open and kind.
There's just something about it that looks so… Bobby.
The same Bobby who patiently walked Buck through learning his powers, even when Buck got frustrated and tried quitting. The same Bobby who listened to all of his fun facts and rambles and actually seemed interested in them. The same Bobby who has never raised his voice at him, even when he fired him.
Bobby isn’t his dad.
Bobby’s…
"I was just going to ask if you could help me sleep,” Buck says quietly under his breath. He keeps his gaze averted apprehensively. “I'm sorry, I don't wanna overstep. I just-It's been hours and I'm exhausted and-I don’t know. I-I know our powers can help with sleep, so I… I figured I’d ask. But-But it’s weird. I know. You don’t have to—”
"Oh,” Bobby replies simply. Buck’s face burns and he has the urge to shove it into his palms and never show it again.
He doesn’t however, opting to just stare at the ground instead, hands tapping his legs as he anxiously waits.
He doesn’t know what Bobby’s thinking and the distance between them feels so much larger in the silence that falls. His hands itch to reach out to Bobby, to have his powers tell him what he’s thinking, but Buck stays in place. He’d already made things awkward, he is not about to make it more so.
“Okay,” Bobby finally answers and Buck whips his head upward.
"Wait, really?” Buck asks before his brain can catch up to his mouth.
Bobby looks at him with a gentle sort of sadness, eyes heavy with an emotion that Buck's not even sure his powers could help him identify.
But then he's smiling, hand outstretched towards Buck and when Buck takes it, all he feels is warmth. “Yeah.”
Buck sends his gratitude back and takes a deep breath, nerves settling as Bobby's powers instinctively reach out to soothe.
“Okay. Let's go to the bunks?” Bobby asks, and Buck's eyes open—he hadn't even realised they'd closed—doubt and anxiety returning once more.
“I don't know… Uhm, I could sleep here? Maybe? I don’t want to take up too much of your time. I know you're busy.” Buck suggests, wincing at how unsteady his voice is.
Bobby softens, reassurance making its way over to him along with the steady stream of warmth. “You’re not being a bother at all, Buck. I was thinking about taking a break anyway. There's this book that I've been meaning to crack open.”
Buck watches as Bobby opens a drawer in his desk and takes out a paperback novel. He then stands up and makes his way to the door of the office, pausing when Buck still hasn't moved. “You coming, kid?”
Buck blinks, before standing up. “Y-yep!”
When they make it to the bunks (it's empty save for Metson in the back corner), Buck takes his normal spot, lying down with restlessness in his bones.
This is weird. This is weird, right? Why did he ask his Captain to help him sleep? He should've just done it on his own.
Bobby puts his hand on Buck's arm and the warmth returns, his nerves calming as Bobby takes an exaggerated breath. "Okay, breathe with me Buck. Just relax and go to sleep. I got you, kid."
Buck follows Bobby's breathing, body slowly relaxing as Bobby's powers take hold. “It's okay. Go to sleep, Buck, just go to sleep.”
Buck closes his eyes, a part of him is surprised at how fast Bobby's powers are working, but mostly just grateful.
One of Bobby's hands moves to Buck's head and starts doing gentle ministrations. Buck lets out a sigh without even meaning to, pressing further into Bobby's hand.
“Thanks Bobby,” Buck mumbles into the pillow and then he's out before he can even hear Bobby's reply.
"(っ- ‸ - ς)ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁
“You're welcome, kid,” Bobby responds, hands continuing to card through Buck's hair even after he's fallen asleep.
It's muscle memory.
Bobby remembers many late nights with his kids, sending them one last gentle boost with his powers with his goodnight kiss, as he tucked them into bed.
He remembers Brook waking up from a nightmare and crawling into bed and refusing to sleep unless either him or Marcy were next to her.
Even Marcy asked Bobby to use his powers every once in a while.
He’d been happy to use his powers to help his loved ones, though careful to not have them become dependent on it.
That changed after the apartment fire.
After the fire, Bobby resolved to never use his powers that way again.
And he'd been good—not having anyone close in your life helped with that—but the moment Buck asked…
Bobby hadn't been able to say no.
Especially since it's clear Buck hasn't slept for a while.
Bobby knows what kinds of things your brain can do to you after you lose someone on a call.
Bobby doesn't think he could live with himself if he stranded Buck alone with his thoughts when he knows he can help.
Even if… it brings back grief stricken memories.
He watches Buck sleep, his chest rising and falling steadily, and God, he looks so young.
Bobby once again wonders where his parents are. The kid hasn't mentioned them once and Bobby can't help but worry about who's looking after him when he's not at work.
Bobby feels a sense of protectiveness curl in his chest at the thought of that.
Which he instantly tries to fight off, because Buck isn't his kid. He's just some probie who Bobby is trying to help get settled with his powers before he ultimately finishes his book.
At that thought, he pulls away from Buck, ignoring how his heart pangs at the frown that comes from Buck's expression even in sleep.
He relents, sending one last wave of warmth via a pat on the shoulder, settling Buck back into a restful slumber, before he pulls up the novel he'd brought with him.
He doesn't move too far from the kid, still making sure he's within reach should anything change, but he gives them some distance, forcing himself not to hover.
As he continues to read however, he can't help but pause occasionally to watch over Buck, something in him feeling settled as he sees the kid finally relaxed.
He tries to tell himself it's just the worries of a Captain, of wanting all of his team to be working to the best of their ability.
The thoughts that say otherwise, the thoughts that couldn't help but notice Buck hasn't called him Pops once since he got rehired—Bobby shoves those down.
For now, Bobby simply lets himself have this moment.