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Buck would like it known that he was not intentionally being reckless—he just missed things sometimes. Admittedly, his job was one of the few where a lack of awareness of his surroundings could literally get him killed, but he was doing his best. Besides, he had been a little distracted trying to make sure the civilian he was helping didn't fall, considering the woman could barely walk with her most likely broken ankle.
They were nearly out of the building when it happened. Some beam fell—Buck hadn't noticed in time to move out of the way, so it hit him. Hard. In the shoulder, specifically. Hot pain immediately flooded the suddenly loose joint, and Buck knew without a doubt he'd just dislocated his shoulder. But he carried on, continuing to pull the woman out with him before getting her passed off to Hen and Chimney.
Buck stumbled to the side, not even trying to move his injured arm yet as he used his other to rip off his helmet and mask. His hair was stuck to his forehead, damp with sweat, so he was quick to push his curls back. It was hard to focus on anything other than the fact that his shoulder currently felt like molten lava, but he glanced around the scene to make sure everyone else was out okay as the building started to give up completely. They were. Evidently, he had been the last one out.
"You alright, Buck?" Eddie asked, his sudden appearance at Buck's side startling him just slightly.
"You got a sixth sense or something?" Buck shot back with a grin that he couldn't help. His playful tone just earned him an eye roll.
"You're holding yourself weird and only using one hand," Eddie pointed out without missing a beat. Buck's grin turned wry as he tilted his head slightly and squinted a bit at Eddie with undeniable fondness. "Don't give me that look, you're easy to read."
"I am not," Buck denied, using one hand to start undoing his turnouts. Eddie apparently got annoyed with his slow speed, as he quickly batted his hand away and reached out to do it for him. "I'm pretty sure I dislocated my shoulder. Got clipped by a beam."
They got his turnout coat off and Buck dropped it to the ground carelessly, on top of his helmet and mask. They were to the side, tucked back beside the ambulance, so he didn't worry much about being in the way. "You're bleeding," Eddie commented as he looked at Buck's injured shoulder. "It's soaking through your shirt."
"Guess it scratched me too," Buck muttered absently as he started to undo the buttons of his uniform shirt. Except Eddie was quick to help him with that too, and Buck felt warm all over in a way that had nothing to do with emerging from a fire less than ten minutes ago. "Hard to notice the sting with how my shoulder hurts." He chose to ignore the unsteadiness to his voice, knowing Eddie would write it off as pain.
Eddie just hummed in acknowledgment, finishing with his unbuttoning and helping Buck peel off his shirt. Buck couldn't help but wince as the fabric was pulled off the gashes on his shoulder, as well as the sharp jolt of pain when his shoulder was jostled a little. It felt weirdly loose and heavy, in addition to the ache that he felt deep throughout his bone and muscles. He'd dislocated his shoulder before, but it still wasn't a feeling that he thought he'd ever get used to. Buck groaned, quiet and low in his throat, as he felt Eddie gently poking around the shoulder, trying to feel out the damage.
"I can get Hen, we'll go—"
"Can you just pop it back into place?" Buck interrupted. He knew it wasn't advisable, if it was anyone else he'd be told to go to the hospital and let it be handled by a doctor. But he just wanted it done with already, and he trusted Eddie. He was basically a paramedic, considering his army medic training. He was like seventy percent sure Eddie had done this before, anyway.
"You sure?" Eddie checked, sounding like he was doubting Buck's choice. Buck knew Eddie didn't doubt he could do it, because he could. He was just doubting if Buck really wanted him to.
Buck took a deep breath and nodded. He stepped closer to the ambulance, bracing his good arm against the side and pressing his face into the crook of his elbow. This was gonna suck. A lot. "Yeah, get it over with."
Eddie gave no warning, adjusting his hands that were warm on Buck's already heated skin. Buck could picture his blood staining those calloused fingers and why was that image so— Eddie suddenly pushed his shoulder back into place and Buck let out a yelp that was muffled by his arm. "Sorry," Eddie murmured, rubbing his thumb back and forth for a beat in a comforting motion that seemed absentminded. Buck just shook his head to dismiss the apology, though he didn't move from where his face was pressed into the crook of his elbow. The pain had dulled down, but he still ached. "I'm gonna get some stuff and patch you up."
The loss of Eddie's hands on his skin almost felt worse than the throb of his shoulder and the pain of the cuts he could notice a bit more now. But the other man was back a moment later, and Buck hissed through his teeth at the sting of alcohol wipes as Eddie cleaned the gashes that he'd somehow managed to get even through his turnouts. He didn't even get the chance to complain before Eddie spoke.
"Consider this your punishment for not paying more attention, Buckley," he said, fondness under his faux-sharp tone. "Seriously. You've been doing this for how many years and you still managed to get hit by a falling beam?"
"Shut up," Buck grumbled, even as the corners of his lips twitched up into a small grin. "I was a little busy being a hero, obviously."
"Obviously," Eddie echoed, sounding amused. "Certainly didn't have anything to do with your inability to focus on your surroundings, I'm sure."
"You're so annoying," Buck complained, but he knew Eddie could hear the smile in his voice just as much as Buck could hear the smile in his. He also knew the comment was basically an admission of defeat, because he couldn't even argue with Eddie's point. But that was fine, he didn't mind losing to Eddie. He didn't even mind the ache and sting in his shoulder, not when it meant feeling Eddie's hands on him.