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It’s Eddie’s first day back with the 118 since he and Chris moved back from Texas. Even though he was excited to go back to firefighting, he was glad to have a slow shift.
Everything was back to normal, or at least as normal as it could be without Bobby.
But Eddie tried to focus on the good thing.
Chris is happy in LA, and his friendship with Buck is stronger than ever.
It’s about 11 a.m. Buck was standing in the kitchen making lunch for the team, standing across from where Eddie was sitting and Captain Han was on the couch reading a book.
Eddie and Buck were talking about Chris having a date for his homecoming dance coming up.
"Hey Eds, can you try the sauce for the lasagna I’m making?“ Buck asks from the kitchen.
Eddie stands up and walks over to Buck. "Yeah, sure.“
As Eddie was walking over, Hen just came up the stairs, watching them with a confused look.
Eddie expected a spoon of some sort, but Buck just held out his finger for Eddie to lick, which he did without any thought about it.
That’s normal for best friends. Right?
Over by the couch, Eddie noticed how Chim sat there, astounded by what just happened while shooting glances at Hen. Eddie didn’t give it much of a thought, so he refocused on Buck.
"It’s great!“ Eddie answered. It was true, but if he’s being honest, everything Buck cooked tasted great.
"Oh come on, something is missing.“
"I mean, it could use a little bit of salt.“
"I knew it.“ Buck stated.
Buck turned around to grab the salt and put some in.
Eddie was just about to say something about Chris’s homecoming dance when he heard Chim almost yelling at them, "Oh, come on!“ He said.
"Chim, don’t,“ Hen interrupted.
"No! They’ll never figure it out unless someone finally tells them!“ he said before standing up and walking towards Buck and Eddie.
Eddie cleared his throat before speaking, "Cap, what are you trying to tell us?“
"You seriously have no idea?“ He asked.
"No, we have no idea.“ Buck seemed to be as confused as Eddie was.
"What you’re doing is not 'normal friendship behavior‘! You talk about your son’s date; you literally live together, and Eddie just licked your fucking finger.“
"But he just tasted the sauce. I still don’t know what you’re getting at.“ Buck insisted.
Hen stepped up next to Chim and laid her hand on his shoulder to calm him down while she tried to continue the explanation, "He means that you are kind of acting like a c-“ but before she could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by the bell.
*
It was already late at night when Eddie lay in his bed, wide awake thinking about what Chimney and Hen tried to say.
Was Hen about to say they act like a couple?
Eddie couldn’t deny it. He and Buck do spend a lot of time together, and they were both (especially Buck) attractive men.
Eddie thought back on all of their moments together over the past few years…
"You can have my back any day.“
"You want to go for the title?“
"No one will ever fight for my son as hard as you.“
"Because, Evan…“
…and as he lies there, he thinks about how he might not be as straight as he thought, and even more to his surprise, he’s okay with that. Buck has always been in his and Christopher's life. Honestly, Eddie doesn’t remember a time when he wasn’t in love with that man.
In the corner of his eye he sees how someone turned on some sort of a light. It’s coming from Buck’s bunk, and it’s not a light; it’s his phone.
Eddie takes his own from his nightstand as he decides to text Buck.
Eddie: Can’t sleep either?
Buck: No, not really. Want to go upstairs and maybe get some tea or hot chocolate?
Eddie: Yeah, sure.
*
They left the bunkroom, went upstairs, and sat on the couch with tea.
Eddie couldn’t stop thinking about Buck. Every time he looked over to where Buck was sitting, he felt his whole body turn upside down. He caught Buck’s attention when he put his warm mug down on the table and fully turned to the man next to him.
"You do know Chimney and Hen said that we’re acting like we’re in a relationship. Right?“ Eddie asked,"
Buck sat upright again and cleared his throat before answering,
"Yeah, about that… I’m sorry if it made you feel uncomfortable or anything. I tried to shut Cap down, but he didn’t stop, and I just couldn’t risk that he’d tell you—“
Buck stopped. He was probably speaking so fast that he didn’t even realize what he was saying.
"That he’d tell me what, Buck?“
Buck didn’t respond at first. He took a deep breath and left Eddie confused until Buck eventually spoke again.
„That he’d tell you that I’m… in love with you.“
Eddie looked at Buck. In his eyes were already tears beginning to form, which made Eddie realize that he hadn’t said anything yet, but instead of saying something, he laid his hand on Buck’s neck and pulled him into a deep and emotional kiss. It only lasted a few seconds before Eddie pulled away again and finally said,
"I love you too, and I think the problem why it never worked out with anyone else is because I have been loving you for a long time now. I honestly don’t remember a time when I didn’t love you; it just took me being yelled at by our captain to realize it.“
Without saying something, Buck closed the gap between them again because how Buck kissed Eddie didn’t need any words.