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It had been a good day - a great one, even. Eddie felt content, maybe for the first time since he had seen Kim on that call. Maybe, for the first time since he heard Shannon say “I’m late” 15 years ago.
So, yeah, it was a great day.
-
Eddie wakes up to the smell of coffee brewing. He glances at the clock - 6:13 - before he throws the blankets lazily across his bed and follows his nose to the kitchen, where he is intercepted by Buck placing a mug on the kitchen table. He hums thankfully as he sits down in a chair he didn’t notice was already pulled out. They sit and banter quietly together while the sun comes up.
They make breakfast together, eggs and hash browns, while waiting for Chris to wake up. It’s simple, normal, them. Making breakfast for Chris, like they had a hundred times. They’re both getting restless, both missing Chris, but not about to admit it. They are, however, honest to god discussing their plan to scare him awake when they finally hear the door to his bedroom creak open.
Eddie feels drunk on the sight of his son padding into the dining room, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, hair crumpled on the top of his head, and sticking out of the back. His heart hadn’t recovered from how badly he missed these moments while Chris was in El Paso, he thought it might genuinely eat him alive. He craves it every morning now, and this morning, it was just as good as the first night Chris came back to LA.
“Hey, bud!” Buck boasts before Eddie can form words, happy, smiling, wide and unabashed, while he’s loading scrambled eggs onto three plates. Eddie just watches them both, a disgustingly sweet and sappy grin on his face. This is the way it should be.
He grabs the plate Buck made for Chris and brings it to set in front of him where he had claimed his seat at the table, wrapping his arms around his son's shoulders in a tight hug and nuzzling his face into his hair. It’s his son, okay? He can do whatever he wants.
“Dad.” Chris groans, trying to wiggle out
“Hm?” Eddie hums into the top of his head, pretending he has no idea what Chris is complaining about. After a few more giggles and wiggles, he lets him go with a big, loud kiss to the crown of his curls.
They eat together, previewing the day with big smiles and food in their teeth. They’re going to the pier, because they are all so brave and don’t let disasters faze them, five years later. Then, later, Buck had somehow gotten them invited to the pre-screening of a new movie Chris had not shut up about.
Perks of living in LA, or maybe the perks of knowing Buck. Whichever.
All Eddie knows is that Chris is buzzing, and Buck is smiling, and he feels so good.
Buck grabs all of their plates and tells them both to go get ready before he heads back to the kitchen. Eddie rushes through getting ready before he heads into the laundry room, expecting to trade off cleaning duties, but finds Buck already there, folding clothes from the dryer. Fully dressed sans his shoes. Suddenly, Eddie can’t remember the last time he touched the washer or a dirty dish.
The pier is awesome, Chris wins too many prizes, Buck carries them. The weather is sunny, but Buck brought sunscreen and a hat for Chris. It’s normal for Buck to always have a solution. It’s easy doing things with Buck; he’s always one step ahead of you.
Eddie feels so good today, even lets himself have half of the funnel cake Buck orders for himself, but keeps pushing closer to Eddie across the table like he won’t notice. Honestly, he doesn’t notice. He thinks he's getting away with stealing quick bites, apologizing when he realizes he ‘stole’ more than he intended.
The movie premiere is just as good, better even. Chris smiles the entire time, happily rambling speculations up at Buck as they get seated. Eddie watches from behind them as Buck listens to every word while he situates the snacks he pre-ordered from the theatre while they were waiting for Chris to finish the ring toss game. He hadn’t asked what they wanted, but somehow it’s Chris’s favorite - mini reeces and popcorn with the gross ranch seasoning, and Eddie’s favorite - gummy worms and a Diet Coke. It’s funny, really, he wouldn’t have ordered it for himself.
Eddie tries to watch the movie; he does. But he ends up watching Chris, switching between leaning against Eddie, then Buck, during the showing. Wondering when he got so big, so grown.
Once the movie ends, Buck seems to notice it’s been a long day, and Chris is starting to look tired. Buck had been hovering, casually handing Chris water and food all day, but today had been fun, and long, and it was late. Before anyone can ask, he pulls the crutches from under their seat under his arm and drops down to one knee in front of Chris, motioning for him to grab around his neck.
Chris is too old and too big to be carried. Truthfully. But he must be really tired because he accepts the ride. Something in Eddie’s chest pulls right as he watches his son collapse against Buck's back, hand catching his opposite wrist to secure himself before Buck stood back up and cocked his head towards the exit to signal Eddie to start moving.
Eddie glitches for a second, not quite ready to lose this moment. This view he’s seen a hundred times. Buck is carrying his whole heart. For a second, he can see the baby he brought to LA all those years ago.
He had no idea the kind of life he would be able to provide for Chris once they got there. He remembers thinking about kids bullying him at school, or if he’d be able to visit the fire station he ended up at, or if he’d find a partner to help him parent. If Shannon would come back. He imagined a lot of scenarios on the drive to LA.
Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined this; that it would be this good.
A voice in his head tells him he didn’t do a thing. It was all Buck.
He agrees, but pushes it away.
Chris is too busy talking a mile a minute into Buck’s ear about the movie to notice his Dad lost in thought, but Buck does. He doesn’t say anything, just smiles at him and says, “Ready?”
Eddie nods, then turns to lead them out.
Chris falls asleep in the car while they drive home, and Eddie watches him in the rearview. He notices the blanket he has tucked between his head and the window. It’s not his, but he recognizes it. It’s a throw he’d seen in Buck’s loft before. The one he’d always find Chris curled up with when he picked him up. How did it get in his car? Had it always been there? He wants to ask, but he doesn’t.
He’s shaken from his thoughts by a huge arm suddenly blocking his view in the mirror. When he looks over, he realizes it’s Buck, reaching behind with his phone camera open to take a picture of Chris sleeping. He doesn’t say a word, but as soon as Buck settles back in his seat, Eddie feels his phone buzz in his pocket.
It was a good day.