Chapter Text
Parent Teacher Conference night was typically something Eddie hadn't done? At least they were voluntary and not mandatory to see his son's progression in school. Today Durand School was very insistent on seeing Eddie, it made sense for a Private school like this. High bills and accommodations for his son... not to mention he had to inform the school of Shanon's passing which was a whole ordeal that he had to assure them Christopher was fine, and in counseling and no his money wouldn't be at risk just because his wife was dead. He is still totally capable of paying the bills of his house, his insurance, and of course: paying Carla.
Eddie had a list of his son's classes with each teacher he was meant to meet with personally, he was looking over the first one and he was instantly already lost.
"Looking for room 203..." He mumbled and looked up from the paper. "Didn't it just go from 201 to 205...?" Eddie stopped in the middle of the hallway, completely turned around.
"Ohh, it's the next one on the left." Carla pointed. "Lab classrooms have a different layout." She concluded easily.
Carla the saint that she was saved Eddie's life when it came to balancing his and Christopher's. Recommended to him by a friend of a friend, Eddie's personal life was the topic of the 118 so Chimney said he made a call to a friend who knew about a caretaker and she showed up on Eddie's doorstep one day. Her first month already pre-paid for. Which was... weird. Because Chimney said he never paid Carla in advanced, his girlfriend's brother might've though - since he's the one who knew of Carla.
It was a weird situation but regardless he owed Carla and that mysterious stranger so much.
"Of course they do." Eddie sighed and kept walking, Carla by his side, if not taking the lead a bit. "Thank you again for coming. Don't know if I'd be able to navigate the confusing waters of parent-teacher night without you."
Carla just laughed: "Well, knowing these things is sorta my job." She suddenly stopped as they arrived at room 203, putting a hand on Eddie's arm like she was bracing him. "Okay, follow my lead. Try to ignore these teacher's corny jokes." She walked in first and Eddie didn't.
"What jokes?"
... Turns out, corny jokes meant bad jokes. Math teacher, music teacher, even the science teacher let one rip. Thankfully the English was both sparing and yet attractive which Carla made a comment about but Eddie didn't really find himself interested in dating right now - at least that was the answer he gave her.
"You weren't kidding about the jokes." Eddie sighed.
"Well hopefully Chris's history teacher has a better shtick." Carla sat down, adjusting the ring on her finger. Eddie stared at it thoughtfully, it had been long enough now where any normal person who just lost their wife they weren't close to in the first place would start thinking about trying again.
But right now, all Eddie can think about is his son.
Speaking of his son, Christopher constantly speaks highly of his history teacher every time Eddie asks about his day. It's always 'we did this in history' or 'Mr. Buck let us watch a movie' there was one time he apparently brought donuts to class for the kids. He sounded like a fantastic teacher and Eddie couldn't personally wait to meet the guy who made his son's career path potentially change from astro-physics to teaching.
The door clicked as it opened, similar entrance to the English teacher from earlier except this time Eddie actually couldn't look away from the man.
"Alright, let's get talking about my favorite student!" His voice was somewhat gruff where it sounded like he had been yelling a lot recently but it was soft with excitement that may match how your typical elementary schooler would move. He was wearing a soft bright green sweater over a white button up and some plain dark blue jeans. Eddie tried not to stare too hard at the muscles that were practically fighting against the tight clothing.
Carla laughed again, "I bet you've said that to all the parents tonight."
The teacher shrugged, his eyes catching onto Carla's and something like familiarity sparked behind them. He grinned like he was talking to any old friend: "Well, doesn't hurt being honest." He sat down and made eye contact with Eddie. "You must be Christopher's father." Now Eddie was suspecting there actually was some truth about the favorite student line. Not that he was doubting it before.. Christopher's everyone's favorite. Who couldn't love the kid?
Carla nudged Eddie with her elbow and he realized he had been asked a question. "Ah, uh, yep. That's me." He stood up straight and out his hand. "Please.. call me Eddie... it's uh short for Edmundo Diaz."
The teacher looked just as star-struck, but chuckled and took Eddie's hand anyway, standing up as well. Eddie wasn't sure why Carla remained seated. "Evan Buckley, but the students just call me Mr. Buck. Or just Buck."
"So you must be the fun teacher." Carla teased, noticing the two had yet to let go of each other's hands. "You already know me." She eyed Eddie who was taken with that sentence because he suddenly let go, really looking at Carla now.
"You two know each other?"
"Yes I do." Carla grinned. "Buck and I go way back."
Not really an explanation but Eddie nodded anyway, figuring he'll press after this is over, in the car, turning to look back at Mr. Buckley. "Alright, well, obviously Christopher is one of my best students, he's been keeping up well in class with assignments and surprise pop quizzes. He was actually the only student who understood what was wrong with the "Declaration of Independence" by John Trumbull." Mr. Buckley spoke matter-of-factly.
Eddie and Carla were silent.
"Thomas Jefferson is stepping on James Madison's foot in the painting - but anyways, great listener he doesn't ask that many questions but with his grades I'm not surprise he doesn't." Mr. Buckley sorts through some papers on his desk, a bright red file with Christopher's name on it in his handwriting with doodles on the cover. Most of them were kind of scientific and anatomically correct except for one big heart with a smiley face on it.
"Christopher drew that?" Eddie pointed out with a small smile on his face.
"Huh?" Mr. Buckley briefly closed to the file and looked at it. "Oh yeah! I let the kids draw on their folders that I use for assignments and grades... uh," Buck coughed, tapping the heart with his index finger. "That one is actually mine." He confessed, blushing with embarrassment. "...He uh.. insisted I draw something too."
Eddie didn't know what to say to that, just gave this teacher a ridiculous look while Carla giggled quietly.
"Uh, anyway, Chris is amazing to have in class - kind of a class clown, he's a very sassy kid."
"Sassy?" Eddie knew Chris on the rare occasion to be teasing of him when they're playing and it's just them. "He's sassy to you?" Eddie inquired.
"Oh yeah... you know how kids are they like to ask about you and sometimes they have invasive questions you typically brush off but it may or may not have been revealed I do not currently possess a couch and he roasted me about that for a few minutes straight."
"... You.. don't have a couch?" Eddie wanted to laugh, now that he thinks about it - Chris might've mentioned that before.
Carla just shook her head as the teacher adjusted his collar. "No offenses taken by the way, it was funny. Chris is hilarious." Mr. Buckley stopped and looked Eddie in the eye. "He's got a great father."
"Thank you." Eddie spoke softly.
When the stairs were barely visible with the lights of the city in the distance, Eddie took in a deep breath of the nighttime air. Carla spared him no second of peace from having to sit up straight and nod. "Mm, we gonna talk about that?"
Eddie shut the door behind her as she began walking to the car. "That I'm basically raising a funny, popular, young genius?" Eddie sauntered up beside her, feeling really good about the feedback he received.
Carla chuckled, "That's a handsome young thing for an History teacher."
Eddie kind of stopped, his face turning into a confused expression. "Was he handsome? I don't really notice that kind of thing when it comes to guys--"
"Oh, I'm sorry." Carla stopped as well, looking him dead in the eye. "I must have you confused with someone who couldn't stop gazing into Mr. Buckley's big brown eyes."
Eddie corrected her quickly: "They were blue."
"And you're right." Carla caught him just as fast. "Too bad you didn't notice." She laughed and made her way over to the car.
Eddie lowered his head, nodding to himself, as he approached the car with her.
"Hey, uh, I meant to ask how do you and Mr. Buckley know each other?" Eddie asked, briefly turning to look at Carla as he drove her to her house.
"Oh, well that's a funny story." Carla laughed. "I met him when he was dating the daughter of a patient of mine." Carla began, "Her mother had Alzheimer and hired me to take care of her mom so she can live her life with this man she met on her job... eventually when my job was done I had met that man at the funeral and a few times when he showed up to help around the house because he just wanted to help fix things." Carla sighed fondly. "They broke up a bit after she left to explore but he and I still kept in touch." Carla looked over at Eddie. "Can you guess who the man was?"
Eddie was... kind of impressed. "So you met him through his ex because he would.. show up to help?"
"Showed up when her mom went missing, to the funeral, to clean her house, sometimes just to stop by and keep her company. Mostly in passing until the funeral when we got really acquainted then... Buck certainly is one of a kind."
"That's.. incredible." Eddie mumbled. Buck is incredible.
But he pushed that thought aside for now.
... Christopher was asleep when they left and when Eddie got back he was still asleep. He checked on his son before turning in for the night himself, luckily his shift wasn't crazy early in the morning so he got to drive Christopher to school the next day and spend his time at the house waiting for him to come home.
Only, he didn't have to wait.
Because Carla called, saying Christopher got injured at school.
And Eddie was out of the door instantly.
Carla was there first, she was speaking with the English teacher.
"Carla, what the hell happened?" He briefly scanned the space for Christopher.
"I told you Christopher is fine. You didn't have to come down here, it's just some scrapes and bruises." She assured like it was nothing - but when it's his kid it's never nothing.
"He hurt himself? How?" Eddie put his hands on his hips, now looking at Ms. Flores.
"Well, it turns out Christopher and skateboards don't get along very well." Carla tried to joke, to make light of the situation, but Eddie's eyes went wide.
"You let him skateboard?" He immediately accused Ana.
"I am so sorry, Mr. Diaz." She apologized, not good enough. "We didn't know one of the kids had brought a skateboard to."
"You didn't know? He could've broken his neck."
"I know, and I feel terrible... the other kids were showing him how to ride it, they didn't know--"
"Didn't they?" Eddie became defensive. "No, let's push the kid with CP around on a skateboard for fun. You let them make a fool out of my son."
"Eddie." Carla snapped.
"I- I promise you that's not what happened. Mr. Buckley and I--"
"Mr. Buckley?" Eddie stopped. "He was there?"
"Yes, when we found out he ran to get Christopher and-"
The door suddenly opened, two familiar faces appeared as Christopher grunted as he walked out of the nurses office, his history teacher's hand on his back. "And you're absolutely sure there's no pain anywhere?" He heard Mr. Buckley whispering with urgency like... like Christopher's health was actually a concern.
"I'm fine." Christopher mumbled before making eye contact with Eddie.
"Christopher. Hey." Eddie quickly knelt down in front of the boy, noticing the dried blood around his ripped pants at the knee and some bandaids covering his elbows. "Oh my god.. are you okay?"
"Yeah, I had them wipe off some of the blood but uh.. the clothes we can't do anything about." Mr. Buckley spoke apologetically, briefly glancing at Ana with a downcast expression.
"I'm sorry about my clothes." Christopher replied.
"No, don't worry about that." Eddie stopped and looked up at Mr. Buckley. "You were there?"
"Yeah, I uh... didn't quite make it in time but what could've been a nastier fall wasn't. So."
"Yeah, Mr. Buck caught me..." That's when Eddie notices just a few blood stains on Mr. Buckley's sweater sleeve.
"I can run to the house and get some clean clothes for him to change into." Carla supplied with a smooth voice but as thankful for Mr. Buckley as Eddie was, he couldn't stand to look at any of the teachers.
"No. We're done for the day." Eddie lifted up Christopher, hoisting his son on his hip. "Come on. We're leaving."
"But school isn't over." Christopher whined but Eddie shook his head.
"It is now." His gaze of disapproval lingered on both teachers before he took his son home.
The next few days went about as well as he could have anticipated. After calling the principal to get skateboard kid some discipline he finds out it was Christopher's idea to actually get on the skateboard by himself - his son called him a liar.
He then had a crisis about that to Carla and his coworkers back at the 118 LA Fire Department, had to explain to his kid that he cannot do everything, not because of his CP but because no one can do anything that's not possible, while also telling Christopher - reminding him - that he can still try to do everything. As long as it's together.
And that he's so smart, kind, talented, everything.
He's not just any kid - he's Eddie's kid.
When he knew classes were over, Eddie stepped into Ms. Flores office to formally apologize for taking most of his anger out onto her. When that was done, and all was well between the two of them... he then he knocked on the door to Mr. Buckley's classroom.
"Just a second!" Was shouted from the other side of the door.
Eddie waited and Mr. Buckley opened his door, his sweater off for this time and his sleeve rolled up to his elbows. He had some crumbs on his face and Eddie noticed he was eating a sandwich as his desk. "Eddie," He breathed out, brushing his hands off on his dress-pants. "Is um, is Christopher okay?"
His first question being about Christopher made Eddie's heart squeeze in some way that he couldn't place.
"He's doing just fine, thanks to you."
"But he couldn't have been, thanks to me. Ana and I were too busy talking than actually supervising recess when I saw him zooming by and I barely managed to catch him in time." Mr. Buckley explained and as his hands were moving with his explanation Eddie saw a few colorful dinosaur themed bandages on Buck's hands. Buck noticed Eddie's eyes and quickly clasped his hands together. "That was uh, one of my kids... gave me some bandaids to get better."
"That's nice..." Eddie looked up and past Buck into the classroom. He was just in there the other day but only now was he taking in the warm environment from just outside the door.
"Oh, you know what, do you wanna come in and look around? I know not a lot of parents get to see their kid's classroom and whatever I can do to make you feel comfortable with me as Chris's teacher I'm fine with--"
"It's fine, Buck-" Eddie caught himself. "Mr. Buckley."
But the smile on the teacher's face was enough to shut him up. "Buck is fine with me, if I get to call you Eddie."
Eddie was speechless, Buck stepped aside gesturing his arms out for Eddie to enter, and he did so. Now without the stress of how his kid is doing in the classroom and talking to other teachers, and it being so late... Eddie spun in a circle as he looked around.
Drawings of all kinds covering every exposed part of the wall with some historical and probably mandatory wall decor like timelines and the list of presidents... there were so many drawings from each and every kid in Buck's classroom - some duplicates - and most of them being by Chris. "You really are his favorite teacher." Eddie said, with his back turned. Missing how Buck's eyes lit up brightly.
"Re- really?"
Eddie nodded. "He speaks fondly of you in the car and at the house... you even saved him from a rogue skateboard."
Buck laughed. "Just trying to do my job, and keep him safe."
"I thought your job was to teach him U.S history?"
"That too. But I try to keep all my kids safe." Buck moved back towards his desk, a bit of a limp in his step as he sat down. There were some trinkets aligned along his desk with post-it notes of even smaller drawings, cat erasers, small animal critters, and a few rocks with goggly eyes and painted on eyes. "I like to think it comes with the job."
"You're a really good teacher." Eddie spoke without thinking.
Buck's face blushed a soft pink as he awkwardly thanked him.
The two stood staring at each other awkwardly before Eddie remembered to excuse himself, just as he opened the door Buck stopped him. "Oh! Hey can you do me a favor and bring Chris to the skateboard after school? Meet me at the gate. I got a surprise."
Eddie quirked a brow. "A surprise? For my son?" Buck nodded. "A good surprise?"
"Is there any other kind?"
"... Is it something I'm gonna like?"
"Well, I can tell you don't like surprises." Buck teased and Eddie laughed. "Why don't you help me out with it?" Buck offered. "It's almost done, let me show you." Completing abandoning his food, Buck limped again out the door and down the hallway, leading Eddie into the gymnasium closet where there was duct tape, a skateboard, and some screws laying about.
Eddie squinted suspiciously. "What's this?"
"I uh, I knew Chris was kinda bummed when we were in the nurses office about the skateboard and before I kind of tackled him off of it he seemed to really be enjoying himself so I am... kid-proofing it?"
Eddie was in awe as Buck knelt down carefully to test how stable the handles surrounding it were. "You..." He started but he couldn't bring out the words right. "You built an accessible skateboard for my son?"
Buck looked back up at Eddie, taking in his emotions painted on his face, answering with a careful and sweet; "Of course."
Eddie had to put aside the overwhelming joy and honestly wholesomeness he was feeling and knelt down beside Buck, "What needs finished?" He asked after a second of collecting himself.
. . . The next day, Eddie took Christopher a bit after school, as promised, to the skatepark. And while Chris was a little suspicious and somewhat downcast: "Dad, I don't wanna be here."
"Trust me, it'll be fun."
"Hey Chris!" Buck and Carla both screamed at once, ripping off the tarp to reveal their homemade and accessible skateboard. "Surprise!" Buck cackled as he gestured wildly to it.
"What's that?" Christopher asked, grinning ear to ear.
"Remember when I told you if we try something new, we should try it together?"
"Yeah."
"Let's trying skateboarding."
"Okay!"
Eddie helped Christopher onto the board while Buck stabilized it, he harnessed Christopher onto it guaranteeing he wouldn't fall.
"You ready?" Buck asked.
"Ready!"
"Here we go!" And on that signal Buck and Eddie started jogging, picking up speed as they pushed Christopher on this skateboard contraption of their's. Carla running with them, filming the entire thing.
"When did you make this?"
"Just after my last class, last night."
Eddie look down at Christopher's smiling face, he looked back up laughing and cheering as they did twists and turns.
"You stayed late for Chris?"
"Of course, I like seeing him happy."
He turned his attention to Buck who was focused primarily on the road before them but was checking in with Christopher every second, trying to read his face for any signs of distress or discomfort.
"...You're.. I know I've said this earlier but you're a great teacher to my son."
"... Just doing my job, Eddie."
And then the two gazed into each other's eyes, Buck's baby blue's piercing into Eddie's like he was trying to read him too, like Buck was right there in Eddie's head with him. Meanwhile Eddie just couldn't get enough of Buck's face - bright with an open mouth smile. Almost as happy to be here as Christopher. His joy was contagious, because Eddie began smiling and laughing too.