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“Dad, I really don’t think this is a good idea.”
Eddie looks up at Chris, sending him a look of utter betrayal. He was supposed to back him up!
“C’mon, man, it’ll be fun! We’ll all laugh about it after,” Eddie smirks, taking Chris’s plate and putting it into the sink. The faint sound of Buck humming a tune in the shower echoes through the room. Perfect. Eddie still has a few minutes to plan this prank out—not that there’s much to plan, anyway.
Chris rolls his eyes, an unfortunate byproduct of the rebellious teenager phase all parents dread. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you…”
“I will take full responsibility,” Eddie vows, raising his palms in surrender. “Now, could you help me set up the camera?”
Chris sighs but acquiesces anyway, propping his phone up against the sink and hiding it behind a soap bottle.
After a few moments, Buck steps out of the bathroom, drying his hair with a towel. He grins as he walks over to the two, pecking Eddie on the cheek and kissing the top of Chris’s head.
“Did you guys enjoy the breakfast?” Buck asked, in that eager way that makes Eddie fold every time—like a golden retriever waiting for his owner to praise him.
Usually, Eddie would. Without a second thought. But today? He was determined to show Chris that this prank was, in fact, a good idea.
“¿En serio? Claro que lo disfruté. Al fin y al cabo, lo lograste.” (Are you kidding me? Of course I enjoyed it. You made it, after all.)
Now, this response would’ve been perfectly normal—except for two very important factors.
- Buck doesn’t understand Spanish.
- Eddie’s saying these words with harshest, angriest tone known to mankind.
Eddie’s facing away from Buck—he wouldn’t be able to hold back his laughter otherwise. It’s not an issue, though; Chris is getting it all on video. He’ll be able to see Buck’s reaction after.
“W-What? Eddie, I don’t—“
“Te quiero muchísimo. Cada día me despierto y me pregunto cómo tuve tanta suerte. Eres una cocinera increíble, una amiga increíble y una amante increíble,” (I love you so much. I wake up everyday and wonder how I got so lucky. You’re an amazing cook, an amazing friend, and an amazing lover.)
“E-Eds, I can remake it if you want…” Buck trails off, his voice shaky and timid. That should’ve been the sign. Eddie should’ve stopped here. But he didn’t.
Eddie sighs, praying that he can stay composed enough to let the prank run its course. He has the biggest grin on his face; thank God Buck isn’t facing him.
“¿Estás loco? Esto es lo mejor que he comido esta semana. Estás perfecto, Buck.” (Are you insane? This is the best thing I’ve eaten this week. You’re perfect, Buck.)
The room falls silent for a moment. Eddie suspects it’s because Buck’s trying to figure out what he’s saying. He probably heard perfecto and is slowly putting the pieces together; the juxtaposition of that word and the tone ringing alarm bells in his mind.
Just as Eddie opens his mouth to speak again, Chris beats him to it.
“Uh, dad? I told you so.”
Chris’s statement was punctuated by a small sniffle—almost unnoticeable, if not for the fact that Eddie had spidey-senses when it came to Buck.
He whipped his head around, and the image before him made his heart sink.
Buck’s joyful grin has been replaced with that of a quivering frown—a hallmark sign he’s trying to hold back tears. His eyes were glassy and red-rimmed, a single tear streak staining his cheek.
Oh God.
Eddie stood up instantly, rushing over to his boyfriend. In a flash, he wraps his arms around Buck, rubbing soothing circles on the latter’s back. God, he should really listen to Chris more.
Buck breaks down in sobs, burying his face in the crook of Eddie’s neck. The poor man was shaking like a leaf—and this is all Eddie’s fault. Buck feels like water in his hands, and he doesn’t know what else to do.
“H-Hey, Buck, cariño, I’m so sorry, this was all a stupid prank, I—“ Eddie stutters, heart shattering as Buck sobs even harder upon hearing his words.
Eddie turned to Chris for help, sending a silent dad-to-son SOS signal. Chris just rolled his eyes, mouthing, “I told you so.”
“B-Buck, I wasn’t scolding you; I wasn’t mad. I—I saw this prank online, where this girlfriend pretended to scold her husband in Spanish, w-when in reality she was praising him, but because he couldn’t understand her, he thought he was being scolded, and I saw that and I thought—I thought it would’ve been funny. God, I’m so dumb, I should’ve listened to Chris,” Eddie rambles, feeling Buck’s sobs slowly die down after the explanation.
They just stand there for a moment, Buck’s sobs fading into the occasional sniffle. Eventually, he pulls away, and the look on his face just makes Eddie want to hold him tight to his chest and never let go.
“I-I thought you were mad,” Buck starts, his voice gravelly from the sobbing. “I was r-ready to start packing my bags. I… I felt like a kid again, not understanding w-why my parents were yelling.”
Eddie feels like a jerk. Scratch that, Eddie is a jerk.
“Oh, cariño, I’m so so sorry,” Eddie apologises, holding Buck’s face in his hands and wiping the tears away. “I wasn’t thinking clearly, and I didn’t even consider how you’d react.”
Buck closes his eyes, nuzzling into the warmth of Eddie’s palms. “S’okay. I know you didn’t mean to hurt me. J-Just… don’t do it again, please.”
“Yes, yes. Never again, I-I’m so sorry, Buck.” Eddie pulls Buck in for yet another hug, smiling softly as Buck hugs back.
Chris stands from his seat, joining the hug. “For the record, I told him so,” he whispers, loud enough for both of them to hear.
Buck chuckles, moving his arm to ruffle Chris’s hair. “You’re a real one. I think you’re my new favourite person on this earth!”
Eddie shoots Buck a scandalised look, and Buck levels him with a teasing glare.
“After the sad excuse of a prank you pulled today, I think you’ve got to earn back your title.”
“I think I know just the way to do that,” Eddie smirks, revelling in the way Buck’s face flushes.
“Ew, guys, get a room!” Chris exclaims, immediately detaching himself from the hug.
Eddie laughs, letting himself get swept away in Buck’s blue eyes. God, he loves this man. How could he ever have thought that it’d be a good idea to prank the human equivalent of a small puppy?
“I’ll hold you to it,” Buck grind, pecking Eddie on the lips.
Well, Eddie will work hard to gain Buck’s forgiveness.