Work Text:
1)
They are in the middle of an intense call, a multiple car pileup on the freeway. The team hadn’t seen casualties like this in years. It was taking a toll on them for sure. Suddenly a car bursts into flames, another car catches fire next to it, so on and so on. Buck and Hen jump back as the flames reach the car they were working on. The rest of the team turns their heads from where they are helping victims by the ambulance.
“Fall back. It’s too dangerous!” Chimney’s voice is muffled coming through the walkie talkies.
“We can’t. Hen, the woman is still inside.”
“There’s nothing we can do, we need to listen to them.”
“You go then, I need to get her out.” Buck grabs his walkie talkie, “Chim, I’m staying.”
“Buck, don’t be stupid!” Chim responds.
“I can’t leave her.” Hen is grabbing Buck but she’s not strong enough. Buck is committed. Chimney turns to Eddie.
“You gotta tell him to come back. He won’t listen to anyone else, you know that.” Eddie shakes his head as if in disbelief. Do his friends really think this? Buck is an adult if he wants to do something stupid Eddie isn’t going to be able to get in the way of that. It shouldn’t be different from Ravi or Chim saying something. But he tries anyway.
“Buck, she’s gone. Come back.” Eddie’s voice says, ringing in Buck’s ears. Defeat runs through Buck’s spine as finds himself walking towards the group. “Are you okay?” Eddie asks when Buck and Hen reach the team. Buck doesn’t answer and Eddie is okay with that, at least Buck listened for long enough to get out of the danger.
2)
“Buck, can you help with the plates?” Maddie asks as she and Eddie finish making dinner. Buck opted out of cooking for the first time in months so that he could play video games with Chris who he hadn’t seen in a while. Theo, surprisingly, had fallen asleep next to Jee-yun on Maddie and Chim’s bed about half an hour ago. Chim was on his way to wake them up.
“Give us a minute, I’m about to beat Chris.”
“No you’re not, you stink at video games.” Chris retorts, making Eddie laugh. Maddie taps Eddie's shoulder with her own and gives him a look. He rolls his eyes.
“Buck, I need your help in here.”
“Okay.” Buck turns the game off and walks to the kitchen ignoring Christopher's complaints.
“Chris, if you really are so bored, you can also help.” Eddie teases, to which Chris ignores.
“Chris.” Buck says and Chris gets up immediately.
“I hate that you can always do that.” Eddie glares at his best friend. Maddie walks past him and whispers,
“Just like I hate that you’re the only one that can boss Buck around. It seems only fair that your son can ignore you and not Buck.”
“Whatever.” Eddie groans as they finish getting dinner ready. Jee-yun and Theo come barreling around the corner with Chim chasing on their tails.
“Yummy!” Theo says as he reaches the kitchen. He motions for Buck to pick him up, which he does happily as they all sit down and enjoy a relaxing family dinner.
3)
“Look, it’s a 30 minute documentary, it will be interesting, I promise!”
“We don’t know how much downtime we will have before the next call, I am not wasting it on a documentary.” Hen explains.
“Guys-”
“No, Buck! We don’t want to hear about the dinosaurs again. Save it for your kids.” Chimney groans before realizing what he said.
“I mean not your kids, just like the kids. Chris and Theo.”
“I think we should put it on.”
“It’s like arguing with a toddler with you, Buck.” Chim complains, leaning his head against the couch.
“And you know toddlers always win.” Buck grins.
“That’s what you're going to take from that comment?” Hen judges.
“Please guys!” Buck begs.
“Buck, we’re watching fast and furious.” Eddie says as he sits down with a bowl of popcorn.
“Fine.”
“Hallelujah!” Chimney cheers. Eddie leans into Buck’s ear.
“We’ll watch it after work once we pick Chris and Theo up from school.” Buck smiles widely as he snuggles into his spot and presses play.
4)
The next time the team uses Eddie to get Buck under control is at the station after a few what some might say, goofy, calls. The team is exhausted as they’d been on shift for 36 hours. Unfortunately for them, Buck is extra energized, talking happily and all but jumping around the room.
“Buck, focus.” Hen tells him. But Buck doesn’t seem to notice, he is lost in his own world.
“But did you see that? I’ve never seen someone get their hand stuck in that before. I’m impressed. Oh! That reminds me of this time-”
“Buck, take a breath.” Buck shoots Ravi a glare before continuing. The team looks to Eddie. Eddie rolls his eyes before reaching out to Buck’s shoulder.
“Eds, can you believe that? That was before I was even a firefighter, I couldn’t believe I could do that!”
“I can’t believe it either. You know, I’m pretty tired though, I was going to sit on the couch and read. Join me?”
“Yeah.” Buck says, smiling happily as he quietly waits for Eddie to reappear with both their books.
“He’s magical.” Harry teases.
“No, he’s just got Buck wrapped around his finger.
“As if it isn’t the same for Eddie.” Hen laughs.
“What do you mean?”
“You haven’t noticed that Eddie follows Buck around like a dog? Yes, we joke that Buck will listen to whatever Eddie says but you’re blind if you don’t see it goes both ways.”
5)
The team is out for drinks together with their significant others enjoying some much needed quiet time. They even enlisted two of May’s friends to watch all their kids.
“This is nice.” Maddie smiles, taking a sip of her wine.
“I wish we could do this more often.” Hen agrees. Buck, on the other hand, is nervously checking his phone every two minutes.
“Buck?” Eddie furrows his brows in worry.
“It’s fine. I’m just stressed about leaving Theo tonight. You saw him before we left, he was in a mood. I feel bad leaving him like that and making May’s friends deal with it.”
“He will be okay, Buck. I promise. Let’s have fun.”
“Okay.”
That lasts for about 20 minutes before Buck is back to checking his phone.
“I think I’m going to go.” Buck mutters to Eddie and Maddie.
“Nooo! The party is just getting started.” Maddie cheers. Buck gives her a look. “Buck, Theo is fine, you can’t live in constant fear about him. You don’t want to become a helicopter dad, do you?”
Buck turns to Eddie, the two have a silent conversation with their eyes.
“I think we’re gonna head out.” Eddie finally says after a deep sigh. Buck grins as if he just won a secret battle. The two say goodbye and head out, Eddie’s arm around Buck, platonically, of course.
“Wow.” Harry laughs. “You weren’t kidding.” Hen nods in agreement.
“Eddie is the definition of ‘being walked like a dog.’ I don’t think I realized how down bad he was for Buck.” Ravi explains.
“Yep. Everyday for the last 8 years we have endured this and somehow they are now raising two kids together but still think they are just ‘best bros’.”
“I hate them both.” Chimney mumbles as Maddie laughs next to him.
+1
“Theo, it’s time for dinner. Can you come sit down?” Buck asks as he joins the table.
“No.” Theo responds as he continues pushing his toy car across the room.
“Theo, listen to Buck. You don’t want your food to get cold.” Athena adds in. Theo ignores her. Athena looks to Chimney for backup. Chim nods and walks over to Theo.
“Hey, Buddy. Why don’t you put your car away for a little bit and come sit with us?”
“I want to play.” Is his response before he turns back to the car, adding in vroom noises this time. Maddie and Eddie walk in at that moment and take in the scene. They can both tell Buck is getting stressed. Maddie puts on her mom hat and starts walking to the little boy but Eddie stops her and instead he is the one to move towards the living room.
“Theo, buddy, come sit down for dinner.” Eddie says.
“Okay.” Theo responds, setting his car down and walking to the dinner table. Eddie’s jaw drops slightly in shock. He looks to Buck who has a mirrored reaction.
“Wow, he really is Buck’s kid.” Chim jokes to which earns him a napkin thrown at his face by Buck.
“That was impressive.” Buck tells Eddie when he sits down next to Buck, Theo on the other side.
“That was weird.” Eddie looks to Theo. “Hey, Theo, can you go wash your hands before dinner?”
“Okay.” Theo leaves for the bathroom.
“Unbelievable. Can’t even get my own kid to listen to me-”
“Chris listens to you more than he does me. This is just payback from the universe.” Buck glares at him.
“You don’t believe in the universe.” Buck counters. Theo comes back, smiling proudly at Eddie.
“This is kinda fun.” Eddie grins before turning back to Theo and giving him a high five.