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Eddie’s parents were in town. They missed their son and grandson, apparently. Eddie’s sisters also decided to visit. They wanted to meet their new nephew. Eddie had tried explaining that Theo wasn’t his son (officially), just Bucks, and the reason there were so many photos of Theo and Buck on his Instagram was that Eddie and Buck were best friends.
If Eddie had butterflies when his sisters asked why he’d gotten married and kept it to himself, that was his business. It did break his heart a little to say no; Theo was not his. To say Buck was just his friend, his best friend, not his boyfriend or husband. “But, Eddie, those eyes. The eyes never lie, Eddito,” was followed by a “Shut up, Adri. His eyes look normal.”
Maddie had fucked up with their parents, again. Although Buck couldn’t completely fault her this time. He hadn’t told her he was hiding Theo from them. He wasn’t; he was just not telling them he was fostering the kid born out of his sperm donation. Maddie felt bad, but that didn’t fix anything. His parents were still coming to LA to meet their grandson. Even divorced, they were teaming up to bring chaos into his life.
“Thank you, Hen,” Eddie says after they’ve decorated the Bucks' patio. They’d decided to just throw a big party and hope the combination of the 118 family and the dispatch family would counteract the chaos of the Diazs and Buckleys.
“Any excuse for a party.” Hen replies, smiling. “I miss it a little.” Hen admits to watching Theo run past them inside. “You know when your kid loves you and acts like you hung the moon?” She says. “Denny spends most of his time playing video games or doing homework. I miss the little kid who wanted to play with me.”
“I know what you mean,” Eddie says. “I came back from a 48-hour, and Chris didn’t even come out of his room to see me till two hours later. He used to run into my arms.” Eddie complains. Hen laughs. “Mara still does from time to time.”
“I think I annoy Buck with how much time I spend with Theo. I wasn’t a big part of Chris’s life when he was that age. I think I was on my second tour.” Eddie admits. “But Buck says he enjoys having me around. Said Theo loves me.” Eddie smiles, thinking about.
“Lucky.” Hen murmurs. “I’ll ask Buck to have you babysit.” Eddie offers. “Please tell your husband to let me steal his child for a few hours.” Hen mock begs. Eddie forces out a laugh. It wasn’t the first time someone had referred to him and Buck as husbands. The joke started when Buck adopted Theo, and Eddie started helping out.
So close to his family's visit. Right after Adriana had talked about Buck's eyes. It hit different. Eddie knew he had feelings for Buck, but he had hoped they would go away since they weren’t returned; however, everyone around him seemed focused on growing them.
“Eddie!” Eddie smiles,s catching Theo as he runs into him. “Hi, Ms.Hen,” Theo says,s smiling at Hen. “Hello, Mr.Theo.” She replies, smiling at him. Theo bursts into giggles at being called Mr and then requests to be put down and runs off to play with Jee.
—
“Mami.” Eddie smiles, hugging his mother. “Dad.” He says a little more formally, shaking his father's hand. “Edmundo.” His mother smiles, kissing his cheek, while his father just nods. “Where is mi nieto?” His mother asks.
“Christopher is in the back with his friend,” Eddie answers, and just like that, he’s forgotten, and his parents walk off to talk to Christopher. “Mr. & Mrs. Buckley.” He smiles, greeting the pair. “It’s Margaret.” Buck's mother says. “Yeah, Philip.” Buck's dad says before walking past him to say hi to his daughter and son-in-law.
“Why, you’re the man in Evans photos,” Margaret says, smiling. “Are you Evans's boyfriend?” She asks. “Evan?” Eddie asks. “You mean Buck? Uh, no, not his boyfriend.” Eddie answers. Margret nods thoughtfully before joining her ex-husband with her daughter and son-in-law.
“See, I’m not the only one,” Adriana says, walking in. “Did you guys come in a fucking clown car?” Eddie questions. “All at once.” He mutters as his sister hugs him. “Cálmate, Eddito.” She murmurs.
“Where’s bluey?” She asks. “The dog?” Eddie questions. “You’re not my boyfriend. The boy with the blue eyes.” She replies with an eye roll. “Buck is chasing down Theo somewhere.” He tells her. “He’s with mi sobrino?” She asks, curiously looking around.
“Chris is outside,” Eddie replies. “I mean Theo.” She says. “Theo isn’t my son,” Eddie says, closing the door. “But you want him to be.” She says. “He’s not,” Eddie repeats. Does Eddie wish Theo were his? Yeah, a little bit. But he had Christopher; he’d never want to take Theo from Buck.
Adriana gives him a look as Buck walks over. “Eddie!” Theo cheers. Eddie smiles, picking him up and putting him on his shoulders. Buck was too tall to do that inside the house. They risked Theo hitting his head on the hanging lamps. That was also due to the Bucks' lack of attention to the world.
“Adriana, Edmundos sister.” She introduces, holding a hand out to Buck. “Evan Buckley, call me Buck.” He replies, shaking her hand. “Eddie, I want ice cream.” Theo all but demands. “I’ll take you. Eddie is talking to his sister.” Buck says, taking Theo from Eddie. “Chris hasn’t eaten yet,” Buck says, tapping Eddie's side. “I’ll check on him, thanks. Make sure Theo eats some of the green beans.” Eddie adds, squeezing Buck's shoulder.
Buck nods, giving Adriana a smile before walking off with Theo. “You two are so in love you act like a married couple.” She comments. “I agree,” Sophia says, walking over. “When did you get here?” Eddie questions his sister. “When you’re not, son ran over. Pay attention, Edmundo.” She teases. “Buck is not in love with me.” He tells both his sisters.
“The eyes, Chico. They never lie.” Sophia replies. “Can we stop it about Bucks' eyes?” Eddie questions. “He’s whipped for you, Edmundo. Snatch him up before someone else does.” Adriana replies before going to look for their parents.
“You’re in love with him,” Sophia says. Eddie had always been closer to Sophia. Adriana was the baby; she needed to be protected. Sophia was still his baby sister, but she understood his troubles more. She could read him better. “Could your comments about my love life wait till we’re not surrounded?” He questions.
“You didn’t deny it.” She smirks. Eddie looks around before leaning down. “Because it’s true. I love him, but there is so much going on right now that it is not a good time. So drop it.” Eddie snaps. She raises her hands. “Okay. Just remember you’re allowed to be happy, Eddie.” She says, brushing her thumb over his cheek.
Sophia never called him Eddie. Always Edmundo, Eddito, or mi hermano. Eddie was reserved for special moments. Like when she eloped and asked Eddie to walk her down the aisle. Or when she was in labor with her first kid and terrified and just wanted her big brother to tell her she would be okay. She should not be calling him Eddie when they were talking about Buck.
“You good?” Buck asks, walking over. “Peachy,” Eddie mutters. “Nothing, just my sisters.” He waves Buck off. “Okay,” Buck says skeptically.
—
“So you and Edmundo help each other?” Margret asks when all the adults are sitting or standing by the fire. “Yes,” Buck answers. “We’re both single dads, so we try to support each other,” Eddie explains. “Why not live together like that TV show?” Helena asks. “What was it, Adriana? Ah, Full House.” She says. “Maddie loved that show,” Margaret says.
“We both own separate houses.” Eddie shrugs. “So sell one and move in together, you can help each other better,” Margaret says. Eddie just shrugs and sips his beer. He could sell the house. He had money leftover from selling his El Paso house. If he sold the LA one, Buck could build the add-on he was talking about, and they would have five bedrooms. One for each kid, and he and Buck would have their own rooms, and they’d still have a guest room.
But living with Buck. Being domestic wasn’t good for Eddie's heart. But his heart was fine; in fact, his breathing was fine. He remembered having panic attacks at the idea of him and Ana being a family, but the idea of Buck…his heart fluttered.
Buck was bumping their knees together and squeezing their thigh. Come to think of it, Buck had been more affectionate than usual. Squeezes on his sides. Leaning over his shoulder. Arms around his shoulder. Maybe Buck was just in need of some grounding with all the people. That was it.
—
“What if I sold my house?” Eddie asks. Everyone had left. Chris was asleep in the guest room, and Theo was asleep in his room. “What?” Buck asks. “With the money I’d make, we could build that add-on, and it would work perfectly.” Eddie shrugs.
“Why would we get an add-on?” Buck asks. “Well, a) you keep talking about it. b) it lets everyone have a room, and there’s still a guest room.” Eddie shrugs. “Eddie, I know people say you’re blind, deaf, and dumb when you fall in love, but I didn’t think you’d be this dumb.” Buck laughs.
“Dumb?” Eddie questions. “Sweetheart, if you move, the only place you’re moving to is my bed,” Buck tells him. After dropping that bomb, Buck kisses his cheek and heads to his bedroom. “Your bed?” Eddie whispers to himself. Fucking Sophia, he curses.
Buck had been so quick to his side after Sophia left. He’d been touchy afterwards, too. Eddie goes to Buck's bedroom. “You heard you, little shit.” He accuses. Buck raises an eyebrow while taking off his shirt to get into bed.
“Heard what?” He asks. Eddie just stares at Buck in his shirtless glory. He was also only in his boxers. How was this legal? “Eddie? What did I supposedly hear?” Buck repeats, not noticing Eddie's gaze.
“Sophia and I.” Eddie supplies more softly than he planned. “Oh, where she told you my eyes don’t lie, and I am in love with you, and how you said you loved me, but I didn’t love you?” Buck clarifies. Eddie nods slowly. Why wasn’t Buck freaking out and throwing Eddie out of his house?
“You’re wrong. I do love you now, check on our boys and then join me in bed.” Buck says, getting into his bed. “Our boys?” Eddie asks. “Our two sons who are currently sleeping?” Buck tells him. Eddie nods, still in a trance, and slowly walks to the two bedrooms. Our boys. Our two sons. Buck had said that.
Eddie kisses both of them on the forehead before going back to Bucks' room. Buck is under the covers, so Eddie just slowly strips before you join him. “We can talk about selling your house tomorrow.” Buck offers.
“You’re a jerk. Confessing to me like this.” Eddie replies. “You love me.” Buck shrugs. Eddie smiles. “Yeah.” He smiles at Buck. “Are they asleep?” Buck asks. Eddie nods. “So then what are you doing?’ Buck questions.
“Going to sleep?” Eddie asks.
“I think you should be on top of me, kissing me.”
“Oh.”
“Do you want to kiss me?”
“Yeah.”
“Then do it.”
—
Buck learns not to rile up his boyfriend when he has to explain his limp to their crew the next day.
“I just slept wrong.”
“More like slept with someone.”
“Hen!”
Eddie smirks. Buck sends him a glare. Eddie blows him a kiss.
“It was Eddie?”
“Yes, Chim!” Everyone echoes.
It was Eddie, it was always going to be Eddie. Looking back, Tommy was right. Bucks' last would never be him because that title belonged to Edmundo Diaz. Eddie was the love of Buck's life. It was Eddie. Buck spared a small glance at his boyfriend, who was smiling at him fondly.
The eyes, Chico. They never lie.