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The air was still and soft as Buck stepped through the front door, the weight of the long shift beginning to settle into his bones. His gear bag thudded against the hardwood floor, and he exhaled with a deep, content sigh. Behind him, Eddie locked the door, tossing his keys into the bowl by the entryway like it was muscle memory.
“Smells like Carla cooked something again,” Eddie said as he toed off his boots.
Buck smiled faintly. “Hope she left leftovers. I’m starving.”
Carla emerged from the kitchen, her purse over her shoulder and that warm smile on her face that never failed to ease whatever tension lingered after their calls.
“Hey, you two,” she greeted. “There’s chicken casserole in the fridge. Chris asked me to save you some before he fell asleep.”
Buck’s brows lifted. “He’s asleep already?”
Carla nodded. “Knocked out on the couch before I could even read the second page of his book. School wore him out today.”
Eddie smiled, soft and proud. “He work on his presentation?”
“Finished it,” she confirmed, “and made me do a fake audience review. He gave me homework.”
Buck laughed as he leaned against the doorframe. “That sounds like him.”
Carla glanced between them. “You both look dead on your feet. Eat if you want, but honestly, just rest. I got the kitchen cleaned already.”
“You’re an angel,” Buck said sincerely.
“Yeah, yeah,” she teased, giving Eddie a pat on the shoulder. “I’m out. Call me if you need anything.”
“Night, Carla,” Eddie called after her.
As the front door closed quietly behind her, the silence in the house turned peaceful, rather than empty.
“I’m gonna go see him for a second,” Eddie said, already walking toward the couch where Chris was curled up under a blanket. “Why don’t you go wash up?”
Buck nodded, stretching his arms high over his head. “God, yes. A shower sounds perfect.”
He shuffled down the hallway, stripped out of his uniform the moment he reached the bathroom, and stepped into the hot spray with a sigh. The water beat against his back, washing away the grime of the shift, the smoke, the sweat, the stress. He let his head fall forward, steam curling around his face as he closed his eyes.
It was a good day.
A really good day.
Nothing had gone wrong. No lingering nightmares. No sharp memories.
And Eddie had smiled at him with that warm, patient look he always gave Buck now. The one that said: I know everything, and I still choose you.
It still made Buck ache a little inside. But it was the kind of ache he welcomed now.
After toweling off, he pulled on a pair of boxers, sweatpants, and one of Eddie’s looser sweatshirts that had been folded in their dresser. It was too big on him, the sleeves reaching his wrists and the hem falling low on his hips. He liked it that way. It smelled like home.
He padded into the bedroom, flicking the lamp on beside the bed before climbing under the blanket. He stretched out, arm flung across Eddie’s side of the bed, his eyes fixed on the ceiling.
He wasn’t sure how long he laid there, not really thinking, just breathing.
He heard the door creak open.
Eddie stepped inside, his hair slightly damp from checking on Chris. His voice was soft. “He’s completely out. Looks peaceful.”
Buck smiled a little. “School did him in.”
“I’m gonna rinse off,” Eddie said, already pulling his shirt over his head.
“Okay.” Buck let his eyes drift shut for a moment.
The sound of the shower started again a minute later. Buck let the white noise soothe him. This was the part of the day he had learned to treasure. After everything, the quiet evenings with Eddie, the nights where nothing bad happened—he’d learned to hold onto those with both hands.
He wasn’t perfect. The scars of his past still bled sometimes. But he wasn’t alone anymore.
When the bathroom door opened again, steam billowed out. Eddie walked in, drying his hair with a towel, wearing just his sweatpants. Buck opened his eyes and looked over, smiling sleepily.
“You should walk around shirtless more often,” Buck said. “It’s good for morale.”
Eddie laughed and tossed the towel into the hamper. “Then maybe you should walk around in my clothes more often. That sweatshirt looks better on you than me.”
Buck smirked, holding the edge of the sleeve up. “You mean this old thing?”
Eddie shook his head fondly as he climbed into bed beside him. The mattress shifted, then stilled as Eddie scooted close, sliding an arm around Buck’s waist.
“Comfortable?” Eddie murmured as he settled in.
“Very.”
Buck turned into him, nuzzling Eddie’s chest as one leg slipped over Eddie’s. Eddie’s body was warm, still slightly damp, and so familiar. Buck curled into him like gravity was pulling him there.
Eddie’s hand smoothed up Buck’s back, under the sweatshirt, brushing along bare skin.
“You doing okay today?” he asked quietly.
Buck nodded against him. “Yeah. I actually am.”
Eddie kissed the top of his head. “Good. You’ve looked… lighter lately. Brighter.”
Buck exhaled slowly, his breath brushing Eddie’s chest. “I feel that way too. Not every day. But most.”
“That’s all I want for you.”
Buck tilted his head and looked up at him. “You help.”
Eddie smiled. “You help me too.”
Their lips met slowly, gently, like it was second nature. Buck kissed him soft at first, then deeper. Eddie’s hand came up to cradle the back of his head, guiding him closer, letting Buck take what he needed.
When they finally pulled apart, Buck let his forehead rest against Eddie’s.
“I love you,” Buck whispered.
“I love you more,” Eddie whispered back.
Buck let himself relax again, shifting until his head was resting in the crook of Eddie’s shoulder, his arm draped over his waist.
Eddie tugged the blanket up a little higher and held Buck close.
Outside, the wind moved softly against the windows. The world felt still.
Safe.
Eddie ran his fingers through Buck’s curls until Buck’s breathing slowed into something steady and soft.
And when Buck’s eyes began to drift closed, he smiled into Eddie’s chest, feeling warm and held.
The last thing he heard before sleep pulled him under was Eddie’s voice, barely a whisper.
“I’ve got you. Always.”