Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Bobby was sick. He was on the other side of the glass, and he was sick. 

“I love you, kid.”

But if he really loved him, then why was he not fighting? What happened to ‘ there is not a locked room anywhere that enough time and the right tools, you can’t break into ’? Was he just going to leave them? Leave him? Just like that? Buck thought he was doing better, maybe not. He knew that Athena was coming, would Bobby let her watch her husband die? Suddenly, Buck felt empty. If Bobby didn’t want to fight for himself, then Buck would.

“Fine,” he said with a calm tone that surprised Bobby and himself, too. “You don’t want to fight?”

Bobby looked at him, sadness and resolution in his eyes. “Buck, there’s no time.”

“BULLSHIT!” His scream made Bibby jump. “No time? You still have time, you’re not as advanced as Chim! So either you open this fucking door, or I’ll make you!” He ended his sentence, slamming his fist against the glass.

“Buck-”

“No! Don’t. You don’t have the right to use your captain's voice.” Buck took a shaky breath. “So what, you tell me to help them grieve, that you love me, and that’s it.” His voice was breaking, his breath shallow. “That’s fucking bullshit!”

“You can’t come into the room, Buck.” And Buck wanted to shake his captain. “Listen to my last order.”

Buck chuckled bitterly. “You know that I have a problem with authority.” He shook his head. “I know that I can’t come into the room. But, if the virus is airborne,” he paused, took his mask off, took a deep breath, and stared at his captain in the eyes. “Then I might have caught it now.”

Bobby took a step back, worry all over his face, and Buck could already see his captain forming a plan. “Kid-”

But he was cut by Athena as she came into the room. “Buck?” She stopped suddenly, and her voice shifted to her ‘Sergeant Grant’ voice. “What is happening here?”

Buck looked at Bobby, daring him to say anything, but it looked like Buck’s impulsiveness was winning once again. The youngest one sighed. “Hey, Thena. Nothing, just trying to save your husband.”

Athena walked toward him and put a hand on his cheek. “By risking your life?”

And Buck couldn’t look at her. It was easy to confront his captain, not as easy to confront Athena. Suddenly, he was aware of everything that could go wrong. So he turned away from Athena, steeled his face, and faced Bobby again.

“You know me, always putting myself in danger.” He paused, sending a prayer for his plan to work. “We have Moira, we have the lab rat, we have Chim, hell, we have your super blood cap.” He knew that he was crying now, shaking, but maybe it would work. “So please, let us try. Because if you die, if you let yourself die, then I’ll go with you.”

By the horrified look on Bobby’s face, Buck knew that his plan was working, at least the first part. “Buck, kid-”

“No. I just need an answer. But-” his voice was barely a whisper now, “But Bobby, please, I can’t lose you, not again. So please, Pops, fight.”

Bobby was crying, a horrible mix of tears and blood that will probably haunt Buck for the rest of his life. But the captaiçn closed his eyes and nodded, so Buck smiled lightly.  “Well, one more visit on our hospital fidelity card.” He heard Athena’s wet chuckle. “I’ll give you a moment, I’ll call the team, and Maddie. She’s going to kill me.”

Athena stopped him when he passed her. She had her serious and worried mom look. The one that made Buck confess everything, even if he didn’t do it. It was not the same as his mother's serious and exasperated look. When Athena gave him this look, she knew he was going to be in trouble soon, but she would still be here for him. 

“We’ll talk about this later, Buck.”

See, trouble. He nodded, gave them a semblance of privacy, and called for Ravi and the rest of their team. Then he switched to dispatch. 

“Buckey for dispatch.”

“Buck? Is everything okay?” 

Maddie’s voice always felt like an angel’s voice. And hearing it, he just remembered everything that he could lose because of his stupid decision. 

“Look, Mads, you’re going to be so mad at me. But I did something stupid.”

“ What did you do? ” he could hear anxiety in her voice. God, he hated making his sister cry.

“Bobby was infected, but he didn’t tell us. He didn’t want to fight. So I gave him a reason.”

He heard his sister take a big, shaky breath. “ Evan. What. Did. You. Do? ”

Oh, he was going to be in so much trouble after this. “ Itookoffmymask .”

“ You did WHAT? ” He winced at her sister’s scream. “ What the hell, Buck? Why did you do -”

“Maddie! Mads!” He coughed, and that stopped his sister short. “Can we leave the lecture for after? I promise, if I survive, you can be mad at me as much as you want. But if I don’t…. Just later. Please .”

“ Yeah .” Maddie choked on her tears. “ When you wake up, I’ll probably kill you .”

Buck laughed weakly. “I’m sure you will.” He could hear his team coming, he needed to do something, to pass a message. “Mads, I know this is recorded, can you pass this to the others, just in case?”

He heard Maddie's sobs, pretty sure she tried to say something, so he took it as a yes. Just in case . 

“Hen, I know you’re going to be mad at me. Hell, if it were possible, you’ll probably resuscitate me, just to kill me again for being so stupid. I’m sorry about that. You’re such a great big sister and a good mom, I love you so much. I’ll miss you, Denny, and Karen. You’ll be a great captain one day. I wish I were here to see it.”

He stopped to clear his throat. 

“Chim, even before you started dating my sister, you were like a brother. Please don’t feel guilty, please don’t be mad. You’re the best husband Maddie could have had, and the best father to Jee and Buck Jr, just in case you’re still looking for a name.” He heard Maddie laugh, it was like light in all that darkness. “I love you, brother, take care of our beautiful family, but don’t drown in your feelings.”

He coughed. “Rav. I’m sorry I’ve been a bad friend, I’m sorry I stopped you from quitting, but I really hope this won’t make you leave. You are an amazing firefighter and a great human being. You’ll be a great mentor one day, kid. Trust yourself. Thank you for having my back. I know it wasn’t easy. I really like you, Ravi, I admire you .”

“Thena. I’m sorry, I tried. I promised I did my best. If Bobby survived, but I didn’t, please look after him, because he’ll feel guilty as hell. I’ll probably feel guilty too. If he didn’t, I’m sorry, because it means that you lost two people, and that wasn’t my plan. Actually, until you came into the lab, dying wasn’t in my plan at all. Thank you for loving me . Thank you for being such a good mother figure. Say hi to the kids for me. It’s been a while since I saw them, guess this is what happens when they grow up. I love you, Athena. Thank you for everything. Please don't be too mad at us.”

The team was almost there, he motioned to Bobby. He just needed a little bit more time. “Maddie. I love you so much. You’re the best sister and mother a child could ask for. Thank you for being there for me, for jeeping my postal cards, for coming back into my life, for Jee too. Goosh, I love you so much, Mads, I’m so sorry if I make you lose another brother. Please, keep telling Jee and my adorable nephew cool stories about their cool Uncle Buck.” 

He could hear Maddie, full-on sobbing now, then suddenly she seemed far away. Maybe she took her headset off, maybe someone else took the call. 

“Bobby, if you survive this but I don’t.” He choked on tears, “I’m so sorry. Trust me, all I ever wanted was to save you. I really can’t lose you. Gosh, Bobby, I love you so much. I know we never spoke about it, but I love you like I should love a dad. I might have a father, but Bobby, you’re my dad. Please, if this happens, don’t drink. You have Athena, you have May, Harry, and the team. I’m sure they can survive without me, but without you? I don’t know, or maybe I’m just projecting. God, Ravi. Please check on him, too. He wanted to quit after the baby was in the car. I’m sure this will affect him. I love you, Pops. Thank you for everything. ”

And now it was time for the hardest part. Buck knew that they would be able to hear him cry, so he gave up on not crying.

“Hey, Superman. I’m sorry I didn’t keep my promise of never leaving you. I miss you so much, but I was never mad at you for leaving. I could never be mad at you. I was mad at her for coming to your house after your dad cut things off. I was mad at myself for not being able to fix this and make you stay. I might be mad at your grandparents, but that’s adult business. Please, try to communicate with your dad. I know he made a mistake, but he loves you so much. I love you too. If I had a kid, I wished for them to be you.”

He coughed some more, and made a sign saying ‘j ust two minutes, guys’ , and the others gave him some space.

“Hey Eds. So, if you’re listening to this… Look, I’m sorry. I am so sorry because I won’t be able to have your back in the future. But please, don’t feel guilty, don’t close yourself off. Please, come back to L.A. with Chris, be with your family, our family. Lean on each other. And please, don’t be angry, and don't go fighting. Also, maybe you should go to therapy. You deserve so much, Eddie. Let yourself be happy, let yourself feel joy. Don’t do what people expect of you.” 

He took a long breath. “Look, maybe I shouldn’t tell you this, but you know me, always making things about me, uh?” He chuckled sadly, “But if this is my last chance, then I should tell you this. I love you, Eddie Diaz . I know you’re straight, but you should know that you deserve love and that people love you. Okay, I have to go now. Buckley, over and out.”

After this, things passed in a blur for Buck. And maybe it was the crash of adrenaline, maybe it was because of the virus, or a mix of everything, but Buck felt like he just couldn’t move, couldn’t talk. A little part of his brain provided the useful information that he was in shock, but the other part was just blank. And quickly, darkness claimed him.

***

When Buck came back to consciousness he flet like shit. There was no other word. His body weighed as much as a fire truck, and he knew what he was talking about; he couldn’t move and was aching. He heard voices, but they felt so far, too far away. So he slipped back to the darkness. The second time he woke up, he felt a bit better. His body was still aching, but a bit less. He opened his eyes slowly and was met with hospital lights. The fact that he could recognize hospital light so easily was kind of disturbing. He blinked a few times, trying to remember what happened. The lab, the explosion, Chim, Hen, and Bobby. Bobby was infected. He felt panic rise in his chest, his heart monitor going crazy. Suddenly, two hands were on his shoulders. 

“Deep breath, Buck. Deep breath.”

Athena. It was Athena. She was here, with him. Why was she not with Bobby? 

“Buck, look at me, honey.” His gaze finally focused on her, she looked calm. “Come on, follow my lead. Breath in. Breath out. Good. Again, breathe in. Breath out.”

And he kept doing what she said until he felt calmer, and the beeping stopped. Athena sat back on the chair, a hand cradling his hair, and a soft smile on her face. 

“How are you feeling?”

“Bobby?” His voice was hoarse, and the single thought of Bobby made him want to cry. He was already starting to tear up. 

“He’s okay. Roz and other scientists were able to recreate the antiviral.” Athena started, all the while she served him a glass of water. “He’s doing some test right now because he was exposed longer, but if everything’s good, then you’ll have a roommate.” 

“Oh.” He did it. His stupid, reckless plan worked. “Did I…”

Athena sighed, but she kept her hand in his hair. “Yes. But you passed out before the end of the incubation period from exhaustion and adrenaline crash.”

There was a pause. The silence was not uncomfortable, but heavy. Buck knew what was coming. Athena stopped cradling his hair instead, she held his hand. 

“That was stupid.”

Buck looked down at his knees. “I know.”

“You could have died.”

“I know Athena. Trust me, I know.” He looked at the wall, bit his lower lip to stop the sob threatening to escape. “But the other solution was worse.”

He heard Athena sigh, “Buck, look at me.” Her voice was so soft, but he couldn’t face her; he was scared to see disappointment. He blinked rapidly to chase away the tears. Athena squeezed his hand, “Buck, please . Look at me.”

He slowly turned his attention toward Athena, who had tears in her eyes, and her hands were holding his tightly. Buck felt his tears falling. Seeing Athena vulnerable made him vulnerable. She put her other hand on his cheek, such a motherly movement. 

“I can understand why you did it. But what if you had both died? It would have destroyed all of us. Thank you for doing this, but please, don’t do this ever again.”

Buck nodded. Athena wasn’t mad, and right now, he felt safe and good with her. “I won’t do this ever again. I don’t want to die, I was so scared.” And he broke down, ugly crying. 

“Oh, baby.” She stood up and sat on his bed, holding him. “It’s okay. Everyone is safe. You are safe, Bobby is safe. Chim is safe. Hen is safe.”

And she held him during the entirety of his breakdown. When he calmed down, she kissed the top of his head. And normally, maybe he would feel awkward, but right now, he just needed it. 

“Sorry.” He mumbled, lying back down on the bed, feeling exhausted once again. 

Athena smiled, “It’s okay. It was a difficult day.”

Buck frowned. “Wait, how long was I out?”

“Almost a day. Maddie was here with you, but I had Josh dragging her to her home once we knew that you were going to be okay,” she smiled, a real smile. “It’s so rare to have someone standing up to me. Even my threat to cuff her to a bed didn’t work.” 

Buck laughed. He felt good and light for the first time in a long time. “Yeah, she can be as scary as you.” 

Athena hummed, and her face was serious once again. “You know, I listened to your message. I knew that you’d probably just act like you didn’t say anything when you thought you could die. I love you, too, Buck. You’re a great kid, who is so easy to love, but has a hard time expressing things, and believing that people can love him. But I do, and everyone in our family does.”

Buck smiled. He opened his mouth to speak, but just yawned. 

“Just sleep, Buckaroo. You need to rest before Maddie barges in and fusses over you.”

“Thank you, Thena.”

And as he drifted to sleep, he felt Athena kissing the top of his head.

Chapter Text

Buck was feeling good, less tired. The hospital wanted to keep him for a day just to make sure they hadn’t missed anything, but otherwise, he was ready to go home. Still, if he were honest, Buck would stay in the hospital for as long as he could; he wouldn’t leave before he could see Bobby. And he didn’t want to go back to an empty home. Not yet. But he hadn’t thought about one thing. His team. They made sure to use his time stuck in a hospital bed to give him an earful. 

First, it was Maddie. As soon as she came back, she stopped at his room. And to say that Maddie was pissed was an understatement. She barged into his room like a woman on a mission, her gaze fixed on her brother, who was awake and eating jello. Seeing the state of the younger woman, Athena offered a sympathetic smile to Buck and left the room. 

“Mads -” started Buck tentatively.

“Don’t you dare, Evan.”

Okay, she was really pissed. And maybe he did deserve it. Additionally, it was a lot of stress for his pregnant sister. She got closer, her eyes reflecting her anger and her sadness. 

“Do you know how terrified I was?” Maddie’s voice was trembling, her eyes filled with unshed tears. “What if you had died. What would I have done without my little brother? What would have Jee done without her favorite uncle? And Chim?” 

Maddie choked on a sob, “Don’t ever do something like that again.”

And the next second, his arms were full of his sister. She was sobbing, and Buck was crying too. He held onto her tightly and never wanted to let go. He buried his face in her hair, guilt overwhelming him. 

“I’m so sorry, Mads. Trust me, I didn’t want to die. I honestly just wanted to save Bobby. I didn’t think, and I will never do something so stupid. I was so scared of losing everyone. But, I was more scared of losing Bobby.”

Maddie took a deep breath and untangled herself from her baby brother. She was now seated on the edge of the bed. She cupped his face and offered him a sad smile. “I know Buck. I know.  And even if it was stupid, reckless, and scary, you did great.”

Buck smiled softly, “I love you so much, Maddie.”

“I love you, too, Evan.” Then her smile turned into a mischievous grin. “For your information, Chim wants to strangle you.”

Buck groaned, and Maddie let out a laugh. It sounded real, carefree. It was beautiful. 

Then the door burst open, making the two siblings jump. In the entrance stood a frantic Ravi. he studied Buck for two seconds and ran to embrace him.

“Oh, thank God you are okay.” Said the youngest of the 118.

Maddie slid out of the bed as she watched, with a smile, her brother being crushed by his friend. Once he got out of his stupor, Buck hugged Ravi back.

“I am Ravi. I’m fine, don’t worry.” 

Ravi pushed Buck back, looking at him like he just grew a second head. “Fine? Don’t worry?” Said the younger man with a mocking voice. “Are you fucking kidding me right now?”

And Buck was too stunned to speak. Ravi, who was normally the calmest of their group, was just losing it, making frenetic gestures. “You did something so stupid. I knew you could do stupid things, but this? It’s a whole new level. Even for you, Buckley.”

Ravi stopped, took a deep breath to steady and calm himself. “Sorry. Got carried away.” He sighed, “But seriously, you can’t die. I need someone to terrorize me, and to be a pain in my ass.”

That made Buck and Maddie chuckle. Ravi’s voice was wavering, but he did not let his tears fall. “But thank you, Buck. For saving Bobby, for training me when I was a probie, for convincing me not to quit, and for everything you said. Even if you needed to be scared to die, to be honest.”

Buck’s breath hitched. Damn, this kid was such a great person. “Just so you know. Even if you were annoying after Eddie left, you’re still a good friend. I like you and admire you too, Buck.”

Buck had to blink multiple times not to cry, so he did the only thing he could: he pulled Ravi in another hug. 

“Thank you, Rav.” He whispered. 

And then Ravi yawned, Buck pushed him a little to study him. Suspicious, he narrowed his eyes. “Ravi? When was the last time you had a complete night of sleep?”

Ravi looked away. He looked at Maddie, who just shrugged; she was not helping him here. So he sighed. “The night before the car crash.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Both siblings said at the same time. 

Ravi took a step back and raised his hands defensively. “I just couldn’t sleep, and then the lab, and then I couldn’t sleep until I saw that everyone was going to be okay.”

Buck sighed but didn’t say anything because he would have done the same. 

“You should go home. Sleep a little.”

Ravi ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah, you’re right. I’m exhausted.”

“Do you need a ride?” Asked Maddie.

“No, no. Don’t worry. My roommate is in the waiting room.”

Both Buckley nodded, then Ravi smiled and turned to leave. He stopped at the door. “Oh, Athena is with Bobby. We should be able to see him soon.” Then, leaving, he mumbled, “I sure have some things to tell him.” 

Then, the door closed, and Buck and Maddie were together.

“So,” Maddie started, “since you’re Jee’s favorite uncle. I think you should announce to her that she’s not having a sister, but a brother. Maybe you won’t break her heart.”

***

Maddie stayed for a few hours until a soft knock sounded. They both turned their heads toward the door to see Karen pushing a tired-looking but still smiling Hen. Maddie smiled at the couple. She got up, kissed Buck’s forehead, and left, saying that she was going to see Chimney. 

Karen pushed her wife into the room and sat on the chair next to her. Both women looked at Buck with looks he had seen way too much in his life. Karen had her ‘ fond but exasperated ’ look, and Hen had her ‘ you did good, but you did something so stupid, I don’t know if I should be mad or not ’ look. 

“How are you feeling, Hen?” 

Hen raised an eyebrow, looked at her wife, who shrugged, then turned back to him, sighing. Okay, maybe the lecture won’t be the worst one he's had today. 

She smiled, softly, “Tired but fine.” Then her smile turned into a frown. “What about you, Buckaroo?”

Buck sighed. How did he feel? He felt good. But as soon as he thought about it, well, it was more complicated. Once again, he almost died, once again he almost lost his family, another close call, and he was tired. He also felt angry because Bobby almost gave up. 

“Fine. Or I’ll be fine once I’m able to see Chim and Bobby.”

“Mmh.” Hen studied him. “Speaking of Bobby.”

Buck sighed but didn’t argue; after all, he deserved it. He knew that he deserved it, but it didn’t mean that he would accept all the sermon with a smile. 

“Athena saw him, and trust me, she was mad. And I know everyone, or almost everyone, came to see you. So you know how I feel about what you did.”

Buck looked at his friend and only saw love. He nodded, not trusting himself to speak. 

“Good. So I guess you won’t do it ever again.” 

“Hell no. I don’t want to die. I want to stay with you all.”

Hen smiled, and Karen too. The former patted his knee. “Good to hear. Because you were right, I would resuscitate you just to kill you.” 

Buck and Karen laughed. Hen grabbed his hand. “I love you so much. And trust me, the team won’t be able to work without you. We saw how it was two years ago; it was impossible. You are too important to us.”

Once again, Buck was speechless. So he just nodded, ignoring the tears falling down his face. Then, Hen yawned.

“Sorry.”

Karen chuckled. Buck, too, “Don’t worry. Go rest. It’s time for me to complain to a nurse anyway.”

Both women laughed. Karen kissed his forehead, promised him a wine night soon, and they left. And just like that, he was alone, for the first time since he woke up. He suddenly felt overwhelmed, but he also loved. Still, he needed to see his brother-in-law and his Captain. He needed to see Bobby with his own two eyes, to feel his heartbeat by himself.  

***

He wasn’t alone for long, though. Around ten minutes later, Athena came back with a doctor so he could pass some tests. If the results were good, then he would be able to see Chim and maybe Bobby the next day. This is how, two hours later, he found himself knocking at Chim’s door. Maddie smiled as she left the room to give them some privacy. 

“Hey bro,” smiled Chimney. “So, you pulled out a Buck?”

Buck laughed. Yes, Chim was good. Or at least way better, as he didn’t look dead. 

“You’re the one to talk, Chim.” He retorted, sitting on the chair next to the bed. 

Chimney laughed shortly, but regained his seriousness quickly. And damn, it was bad if Chim was serious. 

“You know I want to be so mad at you, Buckaroo. But at the same time, if Bobby had died, I would have never forgiven myself, and the guilt would have probably killed me anyway.”

Buck opened his mouth to speak, but Chim held his hand up to stop him. 

“No. I know that: Survivor's guilt. And I know you know how horrible it is. Hell, I already felt it twice. Once with Kevin, and once with you.” Chim looked away just to regain some composure before looking Buck in the eyes. “Buck, you’ve been my brother since your probationary year. I didn’t want to, but I grew attached to you. I know how it feels to lose you. Hell, last time it happened, it should have been me. And now, Bobby almost died, but you almost died too , all because of me.”

“Chim. No, it’s not-”

“Buck. Stop. Just accept it. Thank you. But please, promise me, find another solution next time.” Chim sighed, “You saved everyone, you could have gone to jail, or died. You saved me, and you saved Bobby because he refused to be saved. So, thank you. And trust me, I am so mad at Bobby.”

Buck was crying… again . But something settled in his chest. Yes, he was right, survivor's guilt is horrible. He felt it with Eddie when he got shot, and he felt it during those long hours when he lost Christopher in a Tsunami. And he didn’t want to make anyone feel like that ever again. 

“You’re right.” He paused when his voice broke. He got up to hug his brother. “I love you, Chim.”

Chim held him tight. “Me too, Buck. Me too.” When they broke their embrace, Chim added. “We are not naming our baby Buck Jr.”

Buck laughed, his first real loud laugh since… a while now. “Oh, come on, man.”

***

Around forty minutes later, he was back in his room. Athena kept him company while he signed the release forms. 

“Do you have anyone to drive you home?” Asked the nurse.

Home?

“I’m not going home. I’m staying here.”

He looked at Athena for help, but she had her ‘ try me’ face. 

“Buck, honey, you are going home. You will sleep tonight, take a shower, and come back tomorrow. Bobby will be allowed to have visitors tomorrow.”

“But -”

Athena placed a hand on his, her voice softened as she spoke. “Go home, Buckaroo. If anything happens, I’ll call you. I promise.”

And Buck couldn’t argue. He needed to eat real food, sleep in his bed, and have a good, long, and hot shower. But he didn’t want to go back to an empty house.

“It’s just…” His voice broke. “I don’t want to be alone.”

“Who said you’re going home alone?”

It couldn’t be. This voice made him drop all the paperwork he was holding. He turned his head slowly, afraid that he was just suffering from hallucinations. But no, just there, against the door frame, was the man he missed so much. 

“Eddie?”

“Hi, Buck!” Chimed Chris as he appeared next to his dad.

Chapter Text

Eddie Diaz liked to think that he was cool under pressure. He was a single dad, had served in the army, and was a firefighter. So he had to keep his calm a lot. And yet, there are a few moments when he failed. Or ran away. Or just screw up his life. And today? Well, today was one of those days. 

The day had started great. He and Chris were packing; they planned to go back to L.A. at the end of the week. His sisters were helping him, Adriana was showing interest in leaving Texas with him this time, and he had stood up to his parents. Things were going well. That was until Chris got a notification on his phone, and he saw his son’s face going from happy to worried sick. 

“Chris? You’re okay?”

Chris didn’t answer; he just turned the TV on and changed the channel until Taylor Kelly’s face appeared. 

“ Following today’s events, most of the firefighters who were stuck in the lab are now out. We know that the station involved in the explosion was the 118. At least four firefighters are going to the hospital. We don’t know all the details for now, but we know that Moira Blake, a past scientist, started the fire that caused the explosion in a lab where they worked on dangerous viruses. ”

Eddie’s head started spinning. Without thinking, he got his phone out and called Buck, who didn’t answer. Then he called Bobby, then Hen, then Athena, then Maddie, Ravi, and Chim. Nobody answered their phone.

“Dad?”

“I’m trying to reach them.”

He was becoming more and more desperate. He felt his sisters by his side, trying to comfort him. Then, finally, someone answered.

“ Eddie !” The young woman sounded worried.

“May? Thank god. I just saw what happened on the news.”

He heard her swear, he heard a door open and close, then the sound of a vehicle starting. 

“ Look. I’m heading to the hospital now. It’s already late here. I don’t know if I’ll be able to have more information, but I’ll keep you updated .”

Eddie looked at his watch, and indeed, it was already past 11 PM in L.A.

“Okay, but what do you know for now?”

May sighed and paused; she was gathering her thoughts, and the pit in his stomach grew.

“ I don’t know a lot. All I know is that Hen got hurt in the explosion, Chim and Bobby got infected, and… ” He sensed her hesitation, and he knew what she was going to say. “ Eddie, Buck might be infected, too. ”

It felt like the ground opened under his feet. He had to sit down because either way, he knew he was going to fall.

“ Eddie?” May sounded even more worried than when she picked up the phone. 

“I-” he cleared his throat. “I’m here.”

“ Look. Don’t panic, nothing is sure. For most of the day, Buck was with Mom. Just let me call you back, okay?”

“Yeah. Okay.”

“ Take care, Eddie .”

Eddie mumbled a thank you, and the call ended. Suddenly, Eddie couldn’t breathe. He was supposed to go back home, to L.A., and tell Buck how much he loved him. And now? Well, now Buck might die, and Eddie was in El Paso and not having his back like he was supposed to. He heard someone talking to him, but he just couldn’t understand what they were saying. Then Sophia’s face appeared in front of him, and she put one of his hands on her chest so he could feel how she was breathing. Slowly, his earring returned, and then he could breathe normally again. 

Adriana, Sophia, and Christopher were looking at him, and he could see their concern easily. 

“We need to go to L.A.” 

He started getting up, but four hands stopped him and pushed him back in his chair.

“Hold on, Eddie.” Said Sophia, using her mom’s voice, “Tell us what is going on.”

Right, he couldn’t just rush into decisions now. He was past that; he needed to think before he acted. So he took a deep, steadying breath to collect himself and looked at his son before speaking. They will take this decision together.

“Bobby, Hen, Chim, and Buck are in the hospital. Hen got hurt in the explosion, Bobby and Chim were infected, and Buck might be too.” 

He saw Chris’ eyes widen, and so he shook his sister’s grip off so he could sit next to his son, and try to reassure him. 

“May doesn’t know more. But she’s going to call me as soon as she can.”

Chris nodded. The room fell silent, a deep and heavy silence. He saw the tears forming in his son’s eyes, and he rushed to hug him, and Chris let him. 

“You’re right, Dad.” Chris’s voice was tiny; it broke Eddie’s heart. “We need to go. They need us.”

He studied Chris's expression, and all he saw was conviction. So that was it. They were going back to their family.

“Well, I guess it’s a good thing I found three tickets for L.A. at twelve then.” Said Sophia.

“Wait, Soph? You didn’t have to -”

“Oh, don’t worry, Edmundo. I’m using your card, not mine.”

And Eddie laughed. He laughed because he was going home with his son and his sister, too, apparently.

“Wait, Adri, you’re coming too?”

She shrugged like it wasn’t a big decision, “Might as well leave with you before Mom and Dad try to change my mind.”

She was right. But, “But what about our things? Our clothes, the house? What about-”

Sophia raised her finger to shush him. “You already sold the house, your furniture? I’ll take care of it and send them to you. Yours too, Adri. And before you say anything, don’t worry about the money, you’ll pay me back when you can.”

Oh. It was so good being taken care of by his sisters. He wanted to cry, maybe he was going to cry.

“Thank you.” He said softly.

“Eddie, you spent your childhood taking care of us. Let us take care of you when we can.” 

And then, he was hugged by both of his little sisters, and he let himself cry. Not tears of sadness, but of relief. He got his sisters back, stood up to his parents, and his son was with him again.

“Now, you three, you’re going to try to sleep a bit. I’ll wake you up at nine so you can pack. I’ll drive you to the airport.” Declared Sophia, leaving no room for arguments, but then his phone rang, and it was May.

“May?”

“ They’re okay. ” Her voice was shaky; she had been crying. “ At least as much as they can be. I couldn’t see them, but Mom updated me. ”

“Thank god.” He chuckled weakly, “The 118 and their nine lives.”

He heard May’s wet chuckle, “Yeah. They need to stop doing this, though.”

“I hear you.” He paused. “Uh, look. Can you come pick us up tomorrow at the airport? Around two in the afternoon?”

May was silent for a bit, and it was deafening. 

“ I’m sorry, what? ”

And Eddie laughed again, because May was so much like her mom that it was hard to make her speechless. “Come pick us up, please? Or someone else?”

“ Us? L.A.? ” She sighed, “ Eddie, what? ”

“ We’re coming home. Me, Chris, and Adriana, my sister? ”

She mumbled something under her breath that sounded like “ Buck should have gotten hurt sooner ”, but he didn’t say anything.

“ Okay. I’ll be there. Should I tell anyone? ”

“No! I want to surprise him. I mean them.”

“ Eddie Diaz, you are such a drama queen. ” She laughed. “ Try to sleep a bit, you have a big day tomorrow .”

“Yeah, okay. See you tomorrow, May.”

“ Night , Eddie .” And she hung up.

Eddie sighed, relieved, and he smiled at his son. “They’re going to be okay.”

Chris cheered, and Eddie saw his little boy, not the broody teenagers that was too cool for any emotions except boredom. 

“Let’s try to sleep a little, guys.” He ruffled his son’s hair, headed toward his room, but paused. “Wait, am I a drama queen?”

Chris, Adriana, and Sophia avoided his eyes. “Come on, I’m not a drama queen.”

***

Eddie had a lot of things to do in L.A., but the first and most important was to find May in the sea of people. The young woman spotted him first and hugged him tightly.

“We missed you so much.” She said softly. “Thank god, you’re back, Buck was becoming desperate.”

Eddie did his best to hide his blush, but by the snort his sister let out, he wasn’t doing a good job. 

“Hey, Chris.” She ruffled his son’s hair, “We missed you here.”

Chris smiled, not complaining about the gesture, “I missed home, too.”

Eddie’s heart warmed at the comment. Math turned toward the last person and extended her hand.

“You must be Eddie’s sister. Adriana?”

Adriana blushed before composing herself and winked at May.

“And you must be the wonderful May, right?”

May raised an eyebrow, Eddie looked at his sister like she had grown another head. Wonderful? Wait, was his sister flirting? In a time like this? But then May blushed too. 

“Anyway,” he interrupted whatever was going on, Chris rolled his eyes. “How are they?”

May’s blush grew, “Right!” she cleared her throat. “I’ll catch you up in the car.”

And she turned away to leave the airport, Eddie followed behind her, helping Chris, and Adriana was behind them, grinning ear to ear. 

Once they were out of the parking lot and on the freeway, May glanced at Eddie, who was sitting next to her. “Okay, so, they answered a call in a lab. One of the employees caused a fire because she was fired in the morning. She also stole whatever was needed to heal the virus; she transformed into a super-virus.”

Eddie hummed, showing that he was listening.

“The 118 got called, but an explosion happened with Ravi, Hen, Chim, and Bobby still inside.” Her voice shook a bit.

“Wait, Buck wasn’t in the lab?”

May sighed an exasperated sigh, one that showed that she didn’t like being interrupted, and Eddie heard Chris and Adriana snort in the back.

“I told you yesterday that he was with Mom. Just let me talk, Diaz.”

“Sorry,” he mumbled, making the ones in the back laugh even more.

“Chim got infected in the explosion when his mask broke. Hen, she was hurt badly, collapsed lung.”

They both heard Chris gasp, May smiled softly in the review mirror, and Eddie wanted to cry. He knew that they were okay, but he wasn’t there to help them.

“Bobby had to do the surgery to save Hen. During that time, Mom and Buck went to find the antiviral from that scientist. Anyway, they found it, and thank god because Chim, it was bad.” 

May coughed to hide the way her voice was shaking again. Eddie placed a hand on her shoulder, and she turned to smile at him. 

“Problem, Bobby was infected. He didn’t tell anyone because he’s Bobby. He waited for everyone to leave and locked himself in front of Buck.” 

They were stopped in traffic, and she turned fully to look at him in the eyes. Eddie’s brain took a few seconds to understand what she had just said.

“Oh.” That was all he said. Because what could he say? It must have fucked his best friend so much. 

“Yeah. Oh.” And he swore he could hear some bitterness in his voice. “Trust me, when I see him tomorrow…” She paused, “I’m so mad right now. He was going to die. He’s my dad, and he was about to leave me. And Harry. And mom.”

Since they were not moving, and she was now fully crying, Eddie leaned as much as he could, and she leaned too. She didn’t cry for long, but it made her feel good. She smiled, and when he asked, she told him that she could drive because it made her do things, and she needed that. There was a silence. Long enough for Eddie to put in place the pieces of the puzzle.

“Buck.”

May laughed, a tired laugh. “Yup. Buck.”

“What did he do?” asked Adriana, and Eddie jumped; he had forgotten about the other passengers as if May and he were in their own bubble.

“He did a Buck,” Chris answered, like it was so obvious. And it was to people who knew the man.

“Bingo.” Said May, looking at Chris in the mirror.

“He called mom, and since Bobby didn’t want to lift the quarantine, he took his mask off, risking getting contaminated too. He knew that if they were both in danger, Bobby would never have let that happen.”  She shook her head and smiled. “Especially to Buck.” 

Eddie laughed, “You’re right. But still, he… he…” Eddie switched into Spanish and swore a lot, making the other passengers laugh. He turned to his son. “Don’t ever repeat all of that.” 

Chris nodded, but the mischief grin he was wearing told him otherwise. Hopefully, he won’t ever repeat that in class or school. Or worse, in front of Peppa. For a while, the car was silent, everyone thinking about what had happened. Even Adriana had that serious look on her face. She didn’t know Buck very well. She had seen him only twice in person, the first time after Shannon had died, and then when they went to Texas with Hen. But Eddie knew that they sometimes messaged on Instagram. Buck could become friends with anyone. 

Buck, who had almost died because he couldn’t live without Bobby. Buck had told him what had happened to their captain in his coma dream, and how it had felt like he was dying in it. Eddie had seen how desperate when Bobby ended up in the hospital a year ago, he had also heard about Tommy’s comment on his daddy’s issues and had wanted to punch the man. He knew that if Bobby had died in that lab, Buck, not being able to do anything, it would have destroyed him.

But still. He was mad at Buck. Mad at him for risking his life, mad at him because he could have died. Mad, because Buck would have left Chris and him alone. He would have lost the love of his life without ever having the chance to do anything about it. Maybe he needed to do another speech about how Buck wasn’t expendable. 

The car stopped, and May cut the contact. She turned enough so she could look at Eddie and Chris. Eddie looked outside the car, and they weren’t at the hospital.

“Why are we at dispatch?”

May bit her lower lip, thinking about how to formulate what she was about to say. Right now, she looked so young. She looked her age, just like Adriana, and Eddie wanted to hug her again; he wanted to protect her. But May didn’t need to be protected; she had lived more than most 24-year-olds did at this age.

“Buck, he…” She sighed and passed a hand through her hair. “In case his plan didn’t work, he left messages for the team. One for Maddie, one for Chim, one for Hen, one for Bobby, one for Athena.” She turned her attention fully on Chris, “One for you.”

She looked back at Eddie, “And one for you.”

Both Diaz didn’t speak. Too stunned.

“I know that he is alive, but everyone had listened to theirs because you all know Buck. He’s gonna act like everything is fine in a few days. Especially in front the both of you. So I suggest you listen to them.”

Eddie turned to look at his son, who had tears in his eyes but still nodded.

“Okay,” Eddie said, voice unsure.

“Okay.” Echoed May, voice small. “I already texted Josh and Sue. They’re waiting for you.”

“Thank you, May.”

They all got out of the car. Eddie took a deep breath and put a hand on Chris’ shoulder. The gesture was to reassure both of them. Before passing the doors, he heard his sister.

“So, want to grab a coffee while we wait for them?”

***

Chris wanted to listen to his message first, before he got scared and changed his mind. When Eddie told him that if he didn’t want to, he didn’t have to. But his son looked back at him with determination. So Eddie started to back down to give his son some privacy, but the teenager grabbed his hand. He looked at him, his expression so childlike and unsure.

“Can you stay?”

“Of course, Mijo.”

And so, Eddie sat next to Chris, and the teen leaned on his side. They pressed play.

“ Hey, Superman. I’m sorry I didn’t keep my promise of never leaving you.” Chris gasped. Eddie felt tears on his shirt. Eddie’s heart sank when he heard how much his best friend sounded.

“ I miss you so much, but I was never mad at you for leaving. I could never be mad at you. ” Chris was crying silently, but clinging as much as he could to Eddie. Of course, Buck would never be mad at Chris. Buck loved him so much. 

“ I was mad at her for coming to your house after your dad cut things off. I was mad at myself for not being able to fix this and make you stay. I might be mad at your grandparents, but that’s adult business. ” Oh. Buck had never said that, not even to Eddie. 

“ Please, try to communicate with your dad. I know he made a mistake, but he loves you so much. I love you, too. ”  Chris was sobbing, and Eddie was silently crying too. Even when he didn’t know if he would live, he thought of them and their relationship. 

“If I had a kid, I wished for them to be you.” 

“Oh, Buck.” Whispered Eddie. Because, while he was in Texas, he had some realisations, and some discussions, and Buck was already Chris's other parent, other dad. Even if his feelings for Eddie weren’t the same, even if they weren’t together. He was Chris's other dad.

Eddie hugged his son tighter. “He’s okay. We’re going to see him.”

Chris's sobs stopped, and he stayed in his father’s embrace for a little bit before breaking their embrace. He wiped his tears and smiled.

“I know. It’s just…”

“A lot?” Eddie offered when Chris didn’t finish his sentence. And Chris nodded, before hugging him quickly.

“Yes.”

Eddie kissed his head before Chris climbed down from the couch. “Can I go with Tia and May?” 

Eddie nodded, wanting some privacy for his message. Chris stopped at the door. “I love you, Dad.” And he left before Eddie could even answer.

Eddie stared at the laptop in front of him, screaming at his body to move, but he couldn’t. He was scared of. What if, Buck told him that he wanted him to be his best man at his and Tommy’s wedding. Like Tommy? He would rather that Buck marry Taylor. 

Eddie shook his head to clear it, he took a deep breath, and pressed play.

“ Hey Eds, ” Tears were already falling freely on his face.

“ So, if you’re listening to this… Look, I’m sorry. I am so sorry because I won’t be able to have your back in the future. But please, don’t feel guilty, don’t close yourself off. ” Of course, he thought about Eddie’s feelings in this moment. And Eddie wanted to hate him for this, but he could never hate Buck. 

“ Please, come back to L.A. with Chris, be with your family, our family. Lean on each other. ” 

“We’re here, Buck.” He whispered. 

“ And please, don’t be angry, and don't go fighting. Also, maybe you should go to therapy. ” Eddie laughed, a sad laugh, because if he ever lost Buck, no amount of therapy or fights could heal him..

“ You deserve so much, Eddie. Let yourself be happy, let yourself feel joy. Don’t do what people expect of you. ” If only Buck knew. Eddie was done with that. He was done with people’s expectations.

“ Look, maybe I shouldn’t tell you this, but you know me, always making things about me, uh? ” He heard Buck chuckle sadly, and Eddie wanted to kick anyone who ever told him that. And that included Eddie himself. 

“ But if this is my last chance, then I should tell you this. I love you, Eddie Diaz .” Eddie’s breath caught. Buck loves him. 

“ I know you’re straight, but you should know that you deserve love and that people love you. Okay, I have to go now. Buckley, over and out. ”

A heavy silence fell in the room. Eddie let himself cry. He was ready. He was going to tell Buck how much he loves him and that all he wants is to build a home together.

Chapter Text

The car ride was… Weird. Not bad, but definitely weird. They had cried in the hospital, Buck probably more than the Diaz boys, honestly, and now the three of them were in the car, Eddie was driving, Chris was telling him the events of the day and how they got there, and Buck? Buck was overwhelmed by joy and love, and as hard as he tried, it was hard for him to register everything that Chris was saying.

His boys were back. They were back for good. They were back home for them. For him. He looked at Eddie, who seemed deep in his thoughts, and after five minutes without any sound, he turned to Chris, who was now deep asleep. 

“He looks like he’s eight again,” Buck said softly. 

Eddie looked in the mirror and smiled. “Yeah. Doesn’t look like a teenager right now.”

Buck looked at Eddie and felt himself blush. “Thank you. For being back.”

Eddie glanced at him before turning his attention back to the road. “Of course.”

And all Buck wanted to do was to cry again. Because Eddie said, of course, like it was the most normal thing. And maybe it was.

They spent the rest of the ride in silence. Buck’s emotions were wild in his brain, every alarm blaring high. It took everything in him not just to blurt his love to Eddie. Thankfully, ten minutes later, they were parking in front of Eddie’s, Buck’s. No, their house. 

“Want to take him to bed?” Eddie asked, gesturing to Chris.

Buck nodded, not trusting himself to talk; warmth filled his body. He got out of the car, opened Chris’s door, and crouched down. He shook the boy lightly.

“Hey, Superman. We’re here, time to go to bed.”

“Mmmh. You do it.” Chris replied, still half asleep.

Buck chuckled softly. That’s what he had hoped for, but he still wanted Chris to ask; it needed to be Chris’s decision.

“Okay, let’s go then.”

He did his best to carry the teenager out of the car, then inside the house; thankfully, Eddie had already opened the door. He went to Chris’s room and opened it, carrying the boy on the bed. 

“Come on, I’ll help you with your shoes. You can sleep in your clothes for tonight.”

Chris’s gaze scanned the room. “You didn’t touch it?” 

Buck looked at it and smiled. “I couldn’t. It’s yours and always will be. It was just waiting for you.”

Chris smiled too, and Buck saw the tears in his eyes.

“You were waiting too?”

Buck sighed, “Yes, I was.” He took Chris’s face in his hands, “But you’re here now.”

Chris nodded, eyes full of tears and sleep. “I am. And I’m not leaving until college.”

That made Buck laugh, a big and deep laugh. “Of course.”

Chris surprised him by hugging him again. “I love you so much, Buck. Sorry for leaving, I missed you.”

Buck hugged the boy back, burying his face in his hair. “I love you, too, Chris. I missed you, but I get it.”

“I know. But still.” Chris replied, his face still in Buck’s neck.

Chris yawned, and Buck laughed a bit. “Come on, kid. Go to sleep, and I’ll make you some pancakes tomorrow.”

Chris smiled, “Can’t wait.”

And as his head barely touched the pillow, he was already asleep. Buck stood at the door, just watching the kid sleep, a soft smile on his lips. Then, slowly, he closed the door and, with a big breath to build up his bravery, he joined Eddie in the kitchen. 

His best friend was sitting at the table, holding a mug, and another one in front of the other chair. Buck’s chair. 

“I made some tea.” Eddie started, “The one that calms you. Or at least from what you say.”

Buck can’t help but chuckle as he sits across from his best friend, the love of his life. And as happy as Buck was, he started to feel pretty stressed. Because here they were, Buck and Eddie, in the kitchen, in the house that could only be a home with all of them. Eddie took his time drinking his cup, looking at Buck with something in his eyes that Buck couldn’t decipher. Buck opened his mouth to talk, but closed it, not really knowing what to say. 

“So, you’re back?” Wow, great job, Buckley,  his mind supplied. 

Eddie smiled, something close to amusement in his eyes. “We’re back.” 

“How? Why?” Buck stopped himself, “I mean, I’m so glad that you’re both here, but… Wow.”

Eddie laughed gently, and Buck’s heart just skipped a beat because this was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard, and will ever hear in his whole damn life. It was like the angels were singing in his ears. 

“Yeah. I knew that Chris's rambles might be too much to register.” Eddie tilted his head, making sure they were making eye contact. “You might be a bit overwhelmed.”

Buck couldn’t answer, so he just sipped his tea and avoided Eddie’s piercing gaze, the one that could just read his soul like it was an open book. That, of course, didn’t stop Eddie. Nothing could stop Eddie when he wanted Buck to listen. And Buck might be a weak man, because when Eddie spoke, he had to listen. It was like he was a bug, and Eddie’s voice was light.

“We were already planning to come back. Me, Chris, and Adri. But then, we saw the news.” Something changed in Eddie’s eyes, something became sad and far away. “I tried to call everyone, but none of you were answering. Then I finally reached May and-”

Eddie cut himself, and Buck could see how tired he was, too. The day must have cost him. He was 800 miles away, not being able to reach anyone on the team, just worried about them and not being able to do anything. 

“God, I wasn’t there. I could have lost all of you, and I wasn’t there.” Eddie’s voice broke, and it was on instinct that Buck moved his chair closer to his best friend. “I -”

When Eddie didn’t keep going, Buck got a bit closer. Their arms were touching now. They always had been touchy people, both of them. Knees touching each other when they were in the engine, shoulders bumping when they were walking, fist bumps,... Always. But now, it felt different. 

“Eddie,” Buck started quietly, “If you had been there, you could have died too. And I couldn’t survive without you.”

Buck was being fully honest right now; he was giving his beating heart to Eddie, hoping the other man wouldn’t let it fall. Eddie’s breath itched, and he turned his attention back fully on Buck, his gaze scrutinizing.

“Like you can’t live without Bobby?”

Buck jumped a bit; he had not expected that. “Eddie I-”

“No.” Eddie cut him, but it wasn’t harsh. He got up and leaned into the counter. “Buck…” 

The older man pinched his lips and tilted his head a bit, a movement Buck knew meant that Eddie was overwhelmed by his emotions. Buck got up and stood closer to him, next to him, trying not to corner his best friend. He waited for Eddie to face him again, and his patience paid off. 

“Buck, you can’t just do this.” Eddie took a deep breath, “You told me not to be angry, not to close myself to others. You told me to feel joy and to let myself be happy. But Buck, I can’t do this if you are not here.”

Buck was sure that now his heart had stopped beating, and his capacity to breathe too. He knew that Eddie had listened to his message; he wasn’t stupid, but a tiny part of him had hoped that they wouldn’t talk about it. But now, looking at Eddie, he felt raw as his best friend opened himself with full sincerity. 

“Because,” ‘ Because Evan’ echoed in Buck’s mind. “Because, Buck, if we were coming back, it was for you. I had half of my heart back with me, but I needed to go back to the other part.”

Buck was breathless. Eddie’s voice had been soft but firm. Honesty dripping out of each word, and Buck could only just stare at the other man because he never thought that this could be possible. That he could have this. That he could have Eddie.

“I love you, Evan Buckley.” Eddie stated, “I need you, I want you, I chose you . I want to love you, I want us to be a family. Hell, we were already a family, but I want us to finally acknowledge that. I want to live with you and have your back every day of our lives. I want to marry you, I want to have more kids with you, I want to grow old with you.”

Eddie paused and cupped his face. “Because this?” He gestured between the two of them, “We made it. You are my joy. You and Christopher. So you can’t die, because I need you.”

“Eddie-” 

But Buck couldn’t find the right words; he had said so much in his recording, and now Eddie had just told him what he thought he would never hear in his life. Someone just chose him. Eddie chose him. Eddie loves him. And Buck was overcome by joy and love. So he didn’t talk. He closed the distance between them, grabbed Eddie’s neck, and slowly kissed him. It was soft, gentle.  It didn’t feel like fireworks. It felt like this was the most normal thing to do. It felt like home. It was home, it was everything .

They broke the kiss because they needed air. Buck giggled because he never felt so good, so in sync with the universe. Because Eddie Diaz was the center of his universe.

“I love you so much, Eddie.” He smiled like he hadn’t smiled in ages. “I love you so much I can’t express it.” 

Eddie smirked, “Trust me, darlin’, you did.” 

And yep, Buck was a weak man, because Eddie’s Texan drawl made him weak in the knees, and he suddenly wanted to bring Eddie to bed, maybe with some cord and a cowboy hat. But he couldn’t because Chris was in the house, and they were both really tired. So he closed the distance again and hungrily captured his lover’s lips, letting a small yelp escape when he felt Eddie carry him onto the counter. 

***

Buck woke up the next morning, the bed next to him empty, but noises coming from the kitchen. He felt good and rested. Eddie and he had spent some time talking the night before. About Texas, about what happened in the lab, about their expectation, about their family. And sure, they might need more talk, but for now, it was enough. 

With a yawn, Buck grabbed his phone and almost dropped it on his face when he saw that he had slept for almost twelve hours. A text was waiting for him.

Athena: Bobby’s up for visitors. He’s been asking for you.

Buck’s heart clenched a bit. Of course, he knew that Bobby was okay and out of the woods, and it helped, but he couldn’t wait to see him. He was stressed, yes, but if he could, he would run right to the hospital. But his stomach made him understand that it wasn’t an option. So he answered Athena and went to the kitchen.

“Hey, Carino.” Eddie greeted him as he flipped a pancake.

“Hey, babe.” Buck smiled and kissed him. “Slept well?”

Eddie hummed. Buck enjoyed the silence and admired Eddie while the other man cooked, a small smile not leaving his face.

“Can you grab me something to drink, please?”

Buck got up and opened the fridge. He looked at Eddie and then back in the fridge. There were not many options: juice and water. So he grabbed the juice and poured two glasses before handing one to Eddie, who looked at it before chuckling.

“What?” 

“Nothing.” Eddie smiled at him and kissed him quickly on the lips. “You know, I love you, right?”

And Buck just melted, “I love you, too.”