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If Buck was being completely honest, he wasn’t sure why he was standing on Eddie’s doorstep at nine in the morning on his day off. Sure, Eddie had been his best friend for god knows how long, and they always showed up at each other’s places on their days off, but it felt different this time. Nothing about the house looked different, Buck hadn’t grown a second head overnight, he was dating Tommy, and Eddie was his best friend. Just a normal day. Something still tugged inside Buck’s chest that drew him to the house, though. Drew him to Eddie.
He just couldn’t explain what.
Unlocking the door with his key, Buck made his way inside the house and noticed the deafening silence that enveloped him. Normally he’d be welcomed with the sound of dishes clattering in the sink or even just the gentle hum of the television on low volume while Eddie was pattering around the house.
This time, there was nothing.
“Eddie?” Buck called out, closing the door behind him. “You home, man?” No response. Buck frowned and tossed his key into the bowl by the door, right next to Eddie’s set. So he was definitely home somewhere. “Eds?”
“Bathroom,” a weak voice called out.
Buck sighed with relief, shuffling down the hallway. He noticed that the bathroom door was ajar, so he pushed it open to see why Eddie was hiding.
“I probably should’ve called before coming over but—”
Buck stopped in his tracks when his eyes settled on Eddie – perched on the counter, hunched over in what seemed to be pain, with a small towel trying to cover up a massive gash trailing up his forearm, streaks of red pooling on his skin and dripping into the sink. Buck gasped in horror. “Oh, my God, Eddie!”
“It’s nothing, Buck. Don’t worry,” Eddie dismissed, grunting slightly as he pressed the towel against his arm.
“You’re bleeding! Don’t tell me it’s nothing!”
Eddie shook his head. “The bleeding stopped, it’s—”
“It’s not okay!” Buck shrieked. “J-Just stay there. I’m gonna help you clean it, okay?”
“Buck, I—”
“Please,” Buck pleaded softly. His eyes settled on Eddie, who was sitting there so calmly, oddly at peace despite having blood dripping down his arm. Pain still blossomed in his eyes, and Buck hated seeing Eddie in pain. It was too tortuous.
Buck wasn’t backing down. Although Eddie tried to fight it, he squeezed his eyes shut in an attempt to block out the pain he was evidently feeling and nodded.
Well, this certainly wasn’t Buck’s plan when choosing to visit Eddie and spend their day off together.
Panicked, Buck bolted to the kitchen, searching for the first aid kit he knew Eddie hid in one of the cupboards. Too many injuries between the two Diaz boys created a need for all kinds of medical supplies to heal simple cuts and scratches around the house. Eddie always looked out for Chris and mended his wounds from papercuts and simple falls in the backyard. Not that Chris was around right now. He was all the way in Texas all while Eddie was alone in the silence. Facing injuries and having to bandage them up himself.
An ache formed in Buck’s chest. He sighed, grabbed the medical kit, and hurried back to the bathroom. A small smile played on Eddie’s lips as Buck closed the door behind him and held the kit up. Because Buck was always there to help. He always wanted to be there for Eddie. Even when Eddie claimed he didn’t need the help, Buck knew he was appreciative of it.
“How did this happen?” Buck asked, approaching Eddie and sitting on the counter with him.
Eddie’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Was clearing out the dresser in my room. Turns out there was a hidden nail in the back corner. Managed to snag my arm on it and…” He held his arm up carefully. Shamefully, even.
“Shit, Eds. It got you good.” Buck frowned.
“You’d think I’d notice something like that after how many years.” Eddie laughed humourlessly.
A weak chuckle left Buck’s mouth. Slowly, he reached out to touch Eddie’s arm, where he continued to press the white towel against the wound. With silent permission in his eyes, Eddie allowed him to remove it. As the fabric peeled away from his skin, Eddie winced, a small whimper in the back of his throat. Red blossomed across the towel in dark splotches and lines like lightning strikes. A shiver ran up Buck’s spine as he recalled the last time he sensed Eddie’s blood on a white fabric – his own shirt after a single gunshot.
“Fuck,” Buck muttered under his breath as he analysed the nasty work the nail had done. Frantic, he turned the tap on and guided Eddie’s arm to the stream of water, slowly cleaning the blood away from around the wound.
“So, what are you doing in my house instead of going out for breakfast with Tommy?” Eddie questioned, a hint of amusement in his voice that challenged the pain that was wavering under it all.
Buck huffed, the morning’s events before spontaneously driving to Eddie’s house resurfacing. “Well, it turns out Tommy had a shift today and decided to text me as I was getting in the car to drive to the cafe.”
“How thoughtful of him,” Eddie retorted.
“I’m used to it,” Buck mumbled. His quiet remark made Eddie’s expression falter, a twinge of pity settling from his brows to the curve of his lips.
“How did that bring you here?” Eddie let his arm be tilted by Buck’s hands under the water.
“I’m always finding my way back here without even thinking about it,” Buck said honestly. There was a beat of silence, minus the trickle of the tap in the background, and Buck felt the heaviness of his words settle between him and Eddie. Charged and electric. “Something in my subconscious, I guess,” he continued.
Eddie didn’t say anything back. There was a subtle twitch of a smile at the corner of his mouth, however.
Buck began to clean Eddie’s skin with soap, keeping sharp focus on the bubbles that were decorating his best friend’s tanned skin rather than the big brown eyes that were boring into his skull.
“Buck, you really don’t have to do this.”
“I insist.” Buck continued to rinse the soap away. “What kind of person would I be to leave you bleeding out after letting myself into your home?”
Eddie chuckled lightly. “Fair.”
Completely void of bubbles, Buck turned the tap off and gently began to pat down Eddie’s skin with a non-bloody towel. Every movement was careful and tender. A cautious dance to prevent any further pain to Eddie’s arm. The little winces and twitches whenever Buck made contact with Eddie with the towel were not unnoticed. Seeing Eddie so helpless and in pain was shattering Buck into a million pieces.
“Besides,” Buck started, trying to lighten the mood, “shouldn’t you know better to be careful with things like nails as a paramedic yourself?”
He smirked, eyes flicking up to Eddie as he finished up with the towel. Only to be met with a glare paired with a smile that just couldn’t be hidden.
“God, you’re annoying,” Eddie said with a smile.
Buck grinned. “You love it.”
Something flickered in Eddie’s eyes. He swallowed and dipped his head. “Yeah.”
One word made Buck inhale sharply. Certain thoughts he had spent months trying to suppress were fighting to resurface. He blinked several times, kicking them back down to the grave before something dangerous happened.
Buck retrieved the ointment from the medical kit in silence. He shuffled closer, the sink no longer a roadblock between them, and settled right next to Eddie. As he started to apply it to the gash, Eddie cried out in pain, his body doubling over in retaliation and his head falling to rest on Buck’s shoulder for support.
Time froze.
Buck’s entire body stilled as the warmth of Eddie’s head against his shoulder began to bleed through his shirt and spread everywhere in his body like wildfire. An innocent touch, a response to pain from an injury, but a connection that ignited something inside of Buck.
He gasped softly, masked by the soft panting and whimpering escaping Eddie’s lips as he burrowed his face against Buck, seeking refuge in his body. Buck looked down at his best friend through his lashes, met with the soft strands of Eddie’s ungelled hair and the curve of his back as he leant forward into him. Although he couldn’t see his face, Buck trembled at the beauty of Eddie’s figure crowding his space.
How much he enjoyed Eddie being so close to him.
Feelings from a past time were escaping the grave he’d formed in his heart the moment Tommy kissed him all those months ago. The grave of the feelings Buck had felt for Eddie and knew he could never act on because Eddie would never want him like that. Tommy was his distraction. His rebound. A replacement for the love he yearned for with Eddie for years.
His longings had been locked away in a vault, safe and secure as he pursued Tommy in an attempt to forget love with Eddie. He thought the key had been tossed away so the vault couldn’t be opened again. But as Eddie rested against his shoulder, writhing in pain and seeking refuge in his touch, Buck feared the key to his love for Eddie had always been tucked away in his pocket and at an arm’s reach from opening the vault again.
Shaking his head to himself, Buck finished up with the ointment and tossed it aside. “You’re okay. It’s just a scratch, right?”
“Yeah,” Eddie whispered.
Buck’s breath began to shake as he felt Eddie’s breath wash over his skin – curse the warm weather for making him wear a t-shirt so he’d have to feel the ghost of Eddie’s words directly.
He retrieved a bandage from the bag next to him and gently placed it over the gash, closing up Eddie’s pain from the world. Eddie jumped slightly at the touch but nestled into Buck further instead of shying away. Fingers glided smoothly up Eddie’s arm, sticking the final parts of the bandage down and securing it in place. His warm, soft skin under his fingertips was like magic. Buck bit his lip at the sensation he hadn’t felt with anyone else in his life.
“There. All better,” Buck said softly. Eddie made a wounded sound in the back of his throat, killing Buck inside. Without even thinking, Buck brought his hand up to cup the back of Eddie’s head, running his fingers through his hair to comfort him. “It’s okay.”
In an instant, Eddie relaxed under his touch. He felt weightless against Buck’s shoulder, sighing into him and allowing fingers to play with the hair at the nape of his neck. Buck’s heart skipped a beat as Eddie’s uninjured arm inched closer between them, his hand resting on Buck’s thigh.
He doesn’t love you like that, Buck. You have Tommy, and that should be enough.
Was it minutes or hours they sat like that in their own private bubble? Buck wasn’t sure, but deep down, he could’ve stayed there forever. Massaging Eddie’s scalp with his fingers. Eddie’s hand, large and firm against his thigh. Comforting his best friend as he recovered. All in a completely platonic way.
Eventually, Eddie slowly began to pull away, dropping his hand and discarding himself from Buck’s shoulder. But he didn’t stray far. Only tilted his head to look up at Buck. Hand falling away from his hair to rest on the counter, Buck felt his breath getting shallow as he met Eddie’s gaze. Only centimetres separated them, breaths sweeping over skin and touching lips. Buck guiltily glanced down at Eddie’s mouth once or twice, left with a sense of wondering.
A wondering of what would happen if he leant in.
“Thank you,” Eddie said, blinking in a drunken haze.
Buck was speechless. All he could manage was a slight nod, whispering breathlessly, “Sure.”
Sunlight was seeping through the bathroom window, bathing Eddie’s skin and making him shine. His chocolate brown eyes flickered with gold from the light, glowing. Buck felt an urge to brush away the loose strands of hair that fell in Eddie’s eyes but kept his hand still, a fist against the counter.
Eyes darted down to pink lips, slightly parted and damp. If he leant forward, he could kiss Eddie. Buck’s breath trembled for the millionth time. When Buck dragged his eyes from Eddie’s mouth and looked back into his eyes, he tracked the movement of Eddie looking down at his lips – a call and response to Buck’s actions.
Something Buck was all too familiar with. Something he and Eddie danced around for years but never acted on. Because up until recently, Eddie was always his straight best friend. So nothing could happen between them. But Buck never missed the subtle touches and glances. He never missed the way Eddie would crowd his space more than a friend should. Eddie was the one who always initiated the little things between them. All the things Buck had yearned for but could never have.
Now at a pinpoint in Eddie’s bathroom – where Eddie was opening his heart to Buck. All while Buck had a boyfriend he’d come home to at the end of the day and who would give him all the things Eddie had shied away from.
Could things be different now? Could Buck finally be with Eddie? The one he pined over for years and dreamt about when lying at Tommy’s side at night? All with a single kiss?
“Buck?” Eddie asked suddenly.
He snapped out of his internal daydream and focused on the physical daydream before him. “Yeah?”
“I think I need a drink,” Eddie said. His eyes darted to Buck’s lips again.
Buck’s eyebrows raised subtly, all while he snuck a glance at Eddie’s lips. “Not irresponsible drinks, right?”
“Right.”
Silence. Neither of them moved. Just a silent dance of gazing into one another’s eyes and sparing glances at parted lips, silently asking a question but scared to jump into the opportunity before them. The tension bubbling between them felt like a drug that Buck could get stuck on. Eddie was a drug – an addiction. No matter how hard he tried to fight it and suppress the desire for his best friend, it would always come back. Especially while Eddie was seconds away from kissing him.
Buck inched closer daringly. His eyes fluttered, falling faster and faster the closer Eddie got to him. Eddie was leaning forward too, eyes closing. Buck held his breath in anticipation, practically begging for Eddie to meet him in the middle.
But Eddie wasn’t going to kiss him.
With a soft grunt of pain, Eddie’s face diverted to the side, landing on Buck’s shoulder again for support right as Buck went to try and kiss him. Buck exhaled shakily, allowing Eddie to fall into him as he turned away and looked around the room helplessly. He had tried to kiss his best friend. His best friend who just needed a best friend. Buck was taken. He loved Tommy, not Eddie, right?
Right?
Under his weight, Buck could feel Eddie beginning to stand up. Unwilling to tear apart their physical connection, he rose with Eddie, giving him support to rest against.
“Not dizzy or anything?” Buck placed a gentle hand on Eddie’s back, fingers jolting with electricity as he brushed over the thin fabric of his shirt and rested against the curve of his spine.
“I’m okay.” Eddie nodded against his shoulder. Then he reached out and gently curled his fingers around Buck’s hand limp at his side. “Yeah.”
Buck held his breath as Eddie relaxed into him, allowing their fingers to brush over each other as another anchor point in their embrace. This was toeing the line between friends and something more, but Buck didn’t pull away. There was no desire to end what was happening between them.
Eddie eventually lifted his head up, hazily looking up at Buck and smiling softly. “You want a drink too?”
Buck could get drunk on that smile. He smiled back. “Yeah, I’ll take one.”
Eddie squeezed his hand. “Cool.”
And just like that, Eddie was pulling away from him, hands falling away from each other and ending whatever was circulating between them. One last glance was spared before Eddie turned to open the door and retreat to the hallway, leaving Buck alone.
Footsteps padded softly through the house. When they came to a standstill in the kitchen, Buck collapsed back onto the counter in shock, staring at the empty space where Eddie once stood.
What just happened? What did I almost do? Buck thought to himself.
The ghost of Eddie haunted him. Without even realising it, Buck’s hand had come up to touch his shoulder. Right where Eddie’s head lay seconds ago. Memorising the feeling of his weight against him. Dying to relive that sensation again.
Buck almost kissed Eddie. His best friend. The one he told himself he could never have. The one he swore himself off when entering his relationship with Tommy.
He believed he and Tommy could be together forever, and Eddie would remain as his best friend. All his love for Eddie that was bottled up inside his chest would wash away with the tide, and he could move on for good. But as his heart begged for Eddie to come back and kiss him senseless, he realised that wasn’t possible.
Ever since Buck started dating Tommy, Eddie backed away from him a little bit. Not stepping on the toes of Buck in his new and first relationship with a man. But it didn’t take long for them to fall back in tandem. Their stupid little game of forbidden actions.
Eddie was the one to almost sit in his lap with his face buried into Buck’s neck at Chimney’s bachelor party. Eddie was the one to shoot him curious eyes of what could’ve been after Buck confessed his sexuality to him. Eddie was the one to call him late at night just to hear Buck’s voice when he was feeling lonely now that Chris was gone. Eddie was the one to wipe away the remnants of juice that had trickled onto Buck’s chin in the loft of the firehouse while everyone was watching.
And now, Buck was the one to almost kiss Eddie.
All throughout his relationship with Tommy, Buck tried to brush it all off, thinking Eddie was just messing with him and that he felt nothing towards those actions anymore.
It all felt very hard to deny now.
Swallowing the fear that was rising in his body and threatening to spill out, Buck finally stood up and left the bathroom, finding Eddie in the kitchen with his back towards him. Two glasses sat on the counter, a carton of orange juice by their side. Buck watched as Eddie picked the juice up, ready to pour it into the glasses. But he didn’t fail to notice the shake in Eddie’s arm as he decided to do it all with his injured arm that he definitely should have been resting.
“Here,” Buck interjected, rushing to Eddie’s side. “Let me.”
Eddie stilled as Buck took the carton from him. Fingers brushed and trembled as they made contact, but neither jumped away in retaliation.
“Thanks.” Eddie swallowed, taking one of the glasses that Buck had filled up in the silence.
Buck tossed the finished juice carton in the trash and retrieved the second glass, drinking the juice in silence. Peering over the rim of his glass, he watched Eddie do the same, eyes darting around the room at everything but Buck. Oddly, Buck’s chest ached when he noticed that. All he wanted was for Eddie to look at him again. Like he was about to risk it all.
When he eventually did, their gazes connected and felt as fresh and electric as the sun beating down on a warm summer’s day.
Was Buck supposed to acknowledge what just happened? How he almost kissed Eddie? But did Eddie even notice? Or was he in too much pain and distress to even notice Buck leaning in like that? If he didn’t, was there really anything to acknowledge? Perhaps silence was the key.
The sound of Eddie placing his finished glass down drew Buck from his thoughts. In the quiet, Eddie began to pick at the edge of the bandage, grimacing slightly when it wouldn’t budge. His eyebrows creased, and his bottom lip caught between his teeth in frustration. Buck found it oddly endearing.
“You okay?” Buck asked him, placing his juice glass down and stepping closer.
Eddie tore his gaze from his arm to look up at him. “Yeah.”
“The bandage is too tight, isn’t it?”
Eddie pressed his lips into a thin line, guilty. “A little.”
Buck chuckled softly to himself and stood in front of the man, waiting for his permission to help him out. Wordlessly, Eddie held his bandaged-up arm out to him, asking with his eyes to do what he must to ease his discomfort.
The energy that was left in the bathroom had followed them both into the kitchen, vibrating between them as Buck slowly took Eddie’s arm in his hand again, holding it delicately and carefully. Eddie watched as Buck began to undo the edge of the bandage, sticking it back down to his skin a bit looser than before. Under his fingertips, he could already feel some of Eddie’s pain evaporating.
The further he moved down Eddie’s arm to continue unsticking and sticking the bandage back down, the more dizzy Buck felt with desire. He knew Eddie’s eyes weren’t on his hands anymore. They were looking directly at his face. Like he was searching for his gaze. Laser beams begging for his attention. As Buck stopped at Eddie’s wrist, thumb brushing over the skin gently, Buck felt the shiver from his touch.
It pulled Buck out of his lovesick Eddie daze. What on earth was he doing? He couldn’t be touching Eddie like this when he already had a boyfriend. Although his want for Eddie was stronger than any force in the universe, he shouldn’t be acting on it. But naturally, something about Eddie Diaz made the world stop around him, and they were the only two people in this moment.
Guiltily, Buck went to let go of Eddie, stepping away from temptation. To his surprise, however, Eddie grabbed his hand and reeled him back in one swift motion. Buck’s breath hitched as they hovered closer than ever, hands interlocked and foreheads leaning in to touch. Connected piece by piece.
Eddie’s thumbs ran over the back of Buck’s hands. Their bodies swayed side to side. The warm breeze crept through the kitchen window. Buck trembled, unable to pull away. Rooted to the ground and glued to the man he wanted the most.
In his ears, Buck could hear his heart pounding. Was it possible for Eddie to kill him this way? From being so devastatingly beautiful and showing Buck that he wanted him? His mind said ‘yes’ as Eddie’s free hand crept up to rest over Buck’s chest, palm splayed out to feel his heartbeat accelerating a million miles per hour. Eddie leant in closer, their noses bumping.
“Tell me to stop,” he whispered.
Why would I want to stop? I’ve wanted you for as long as I’ve known you. You’re it for me.
Buck whispered back, “I can’t.”
Before Eddie had a chance to respond, Buck closed the gap and kissed him.
There was zero hesitation. Eddie kissed him back in an instant, with equal desire and passion and want. Buck let go of Eddie to sneak his hands around his waist and pull him closer, eager to get his hands on the man he had loved for so long. Love. This is what was coursing through Buck’s veins and finally getting its happy ending. It felt perfect.
The kiss deepened as Eddie cupped Buck’s face, tilting his head to give them both more access. Fingers ran through Buck’s curls and tugged on every little strand possible. The fine cotton of Eddie’s shirt was soft under Buck’s touch, bundled in his hands as he tried to feel Eddie even more. To be consumed by Eddie as he kissed Buck open-mouthed, teeth and tongues clashing, orange juice on their lips. Both of them yearning to taste every part of each other they’d missed out on for so long. To make up for so much lost time.
Buck moaned softly, falling apart under the touch of Eddie’s mouth as they kissed like the world was crashing down around them. He gasped as Eddie backed him into the counter, unwilling to part even to catch a breath. Bodies pressed together, every ridge and line. It was more powerful than a drug. Buck daringly slipped a hand under Eddie’s shirt, tracing the defined muscles of his back and burning up from the warmth of the body pressed up against him. Eddie shivered at the touch, lips dragging away from Buck’s to kiss along his jaw. With surprise, Buck threw his head back, whispering Eddie’s name like a prayer as his mouth kissed down to his neck.
“Break up with him,” Eddie mumbled between kisses.
Buck couldn’t help but moan from vibrations of Eddie’s voice dancing across his skin. “What?”
“Tommy. Break up with him,” Eddie growled. Growled. With possession. Buck felt the wind get knocked out of him. His grip tightened on Eddie, overpowered with desire in the pit of his stomach.
Then Eddie’s words really hit him.
Oh, I have a boyfriend who isn’t Eddie.
Buck couldn’t stand the thought of not having Eddie forever as he sucked and bit down on his neck with his little canines that always poked out when he smiled. He wanted to feel this euphoric and in love forever. Not bound down to a man he never even wanted in the first place. All he wanted was Eddie.
Buck wrapped an arm fully around Eddie’s waist to hold him close as he pulled his phone out of his pocket with his now free hand.
Eddie tracked the movement and nestled into Buck, burying his face into his shoulder. “What are you doing?”
Buck dialled the number, knowing straight away it would go to voicemail. He hugged Eddie closer as he let the phone ring out. When nobody picked up, he evilly grinned as he prepared for his voicemail.
“Hey, Tommy. It’s Buck,” he said very cheerfully into the phone. “You’ll probably only hear this after your shift, but I just wanted to let you know that we’re over. I’m breaking up with you ‘cause this is not working out anymore. Oh, and Eddie says ‘hi’, by the way.”
Then he hung up and dumped his phone on the counter, free from the shackles of Tommy Kinard.
“What the fuck?” Eddie shrieked.
Buck looked down at him and smiled sheepishly. “Was that okay?”
“More than okay,” Eddie said breathlessly, eyes softening and cheeks turning pink.
Never had Buck seen Eddie so endeared before. His adorable expression paired with his clinginess was enough to make Buck feel smitten all over again. Like falling in love for the very first time. Grinning, Buck leant in and pressed his lips against Eddie’s, kissing him softly and sweetly. Something full of love instead of lust.
As they broke apart, Eddie nuzzled against Buck, humming with satisfaction to himself. He whimpered slightly as he bumped his injured arm awkwardly while trying to wind his arms around Buck’s waist. Buck just smiled and kissed Eddie’s forehead with sympathy. As they held each other, Eddie stifled a soft yawn, blushing even more than before with slight embarrassment.
“I think you need a nap. You’ve had a big day,” Buck said with a smile.
Eddie sighed into his neck. “Do I have to?”
“I’m not the one with a massive gash in my arm and forcing someone to break up with their boyfriend after making out with them in the kitchen.”
Eddie lifted his head from Buck’s shoulder to raise an eyebrow at him. “Blame the nail in my drawer.”
“Eh.” Buck shrugged his shoulders. “At least I can do this now.”
He kissed Eddie once. Twice. Three times. The fourth time, Eddie held him in place. Buck couldn’t complain.
Just to piss Eddie off ever so slightly, Buck pulled away with an innocent smile.
“Nap time. Now,” he ordered.
“Only if you join me,” Eddie countered.
Buck pretended to think about it. “Fine,” he said dismissively.
And then he let go of Eddie to pick him up – which earned a surprised shriek in his ear – and carried him bridal style to the bedroom. Of course, he had to take care of his patient. What kind of man would he be to make Eddie do all the hard work while he was wounded?
As they made it into the bedroom, Buck placed Eddie carefully on the bed, kissing the top of his head for good measure. He shuffled around to the other side of the bed, jumping onto it and curling up into Eddie’s side, ready to be the big spoon. But Eddie had other plans, grinning as he pushed Buck onto his back with a single shove to his chest. Eddie wrapped an arm around his waist and hooked a leg over him, trapping Buck like a clingy octopus.
“Can I ask you something?” Eddie asked once comfortable. Buck wrapped an arm around Eddie’s shoulder and nodded, listening intently. “Why were you so quick to break up with Tommy? I mean, you had been with him for, like, months, and just like that, you ended it all after kissing me.”
Again, Buck almost forgot about Tommy completely. Not even ten minutes ago, Tommy was his boyfriend and Eddie was just his best friend. A sudden change came from such a small act, but when Buck felt his love for Eddie and only Eddie beat louder and louder as soon as they were both on the same page, it was too hard to deny it.
“Well, can I confess something?” Buck leant in close and whispered, “It’s always been you, Eddie.” As the words left his lips, he couldn’t help but smile and squeeze Eddie’s shoulder. “I never thought I had a chance with you. I’ve been in love with you for ages and—”
“You love me?” Eddie interrupted.
Whoops.
“Oh, I – I, yeah.” Buck laughed awkwardly. His face scrunched up. “Too soon?”
Eddie shook his head and shuffled closer, bringing their foreheads together. “I love you too.” Then he gave Buck a chaste kiss. “Anyway, continue.”
Buck blushed profusely but continued as instructed. “You came out before Halloween, and all my feelings for you that I’d suppressed started to come back to me. I pushed them down again out of complete denial that we might’ve had a chance together. Regardless, it made me remember why I was with Tommy in the first place. He was filling the void. The void I wanted you to fill from the very start. He was interested, and I thought you weren’t – even though I’m pretty sure you’ve been flirting with me for quite a while now – so I dated him to try and forget you.”
“And then I had to get my arm massacred by a set of drawers for you to find out that I’ve been in love with you this whole time without even realising it,” Eddie said, grinning ear to ear.
Buck glanced at the set of drawers across the room and silently thanked them.
He met Eddie’s gaze again. “When did you realise?”
“After you came out to me, I had a few realisations myself. And a lot of jealousy inside of me that got worse the longer I had to watch you and him together.”
“You should’ve said something.”
“I thought you were happy with him.”
“Not as happy as I am with you.”
Eddie’s nose scrunched up. “Cringe.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” Buck rolled his eyes. He brought a hand up to cradle Eddie’s jaw, pulling him up to kiss him. It was lazy and carefree, but it was right. As Eddie began to smile into the kiss, Buck kissed his teeth by accident and giggled. Then he kissed the tip of Eddie’s nose. Then his cheek. Then the other cheek. The corner of his mouth. Down to his jaw and neck. The curve of his collarbone.
Carefully, Buck left a trail of more kisses across his shoulder and down to his arm. As his lips grazed the edge of the bandage, he looked up at Eddie.
Eddie watched with awe, eyes sparkling in the sunlight through the curtains. He was so beautiful, and Buck couldn’t get enough of him. All because of a single injury, they were wrapped up together like this. Finally acknowledging what was meant to be.
Buck kissed the injured spot of Eddie’s arm a couple of times as a gentle reminder of what brought their love together. Eddie’s fingers found their way into Buck’s curls again, holding him in place as he played with his hair. One final kiss was placed on Eddie’s wrist, the end of a love letter written by Buck.
With the sun shining on them, Eddie brought his hand to Buck’s chin, guiding him back to bring their lips together. Buck sighed into the kiss, tired but madly in love. He could definitely get used to this forever.
“I love you, Buck,” Eddie whispered into the kiss.
Yeah, he could definitely get used to this.
“I love you, too, Eds,” Buck whispered against his lips.
Sleep eventually took over, with Buck holding Eddie in his arms like he were to disappear for good. But as they woke up when day had turned into night, still holding onto each other tightly, they knew that this was real and enduring. That their love would always be real, forever.
