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Buck could admit that he’s… been a little uncertain over the last year of being a parent. He never expected to get custody of the bio-son he shared with Kameron. Always intending to be a bit more hands off – he’s Connor’s son, not his – and stay Uncle Buck, but things happened, chaos ensued and somehow, he became a dad.
A dad to a wonderful chaotic and fun little boy. A little boy that looks so much like him that everyone jokes he’s clearly a mini-Buck.
It was a world-wind decision to end up with Theo, but he couldn’t let him go to strangers.
And thankfully, he had his own pseudo-dad to help him out.
“Are you ready to learn a new family tradition?” Bobby questions, as he nudges Buck away from staring at Theo, who’s happily playing with Jee and Kevin in the yard. He had volunteered to watch them today to give Theo a chance to play with his cousins, forgetting about his and Bobby’s plans for the day.
Luckily, Athena had been more than happy to watch over them, while they’re distracted. Since she clearly knew that whatever Bobby had planned for the two of them wouldn’t easily allow for them to keep an eye on the kids.
The smirk on her face when she showed up with Bobby had him, admittedly, curious and a little bit concerned, but Bobby was smiling, so he knows that at the very least it’ll make him happy.
“Yes, but I’m still not sure what the tradition could possibly be. Haven’t I learned all of your family recipes?” Buck teases, even though he knows that Bobby’s got multiple books of family recipes that he hasn’t come close to learning.
“Not even close and for once it doesn’t have to do with cooking,” Bobby offers as he gestures for him to sit on his own couch, in his own house.
Then, he brings out a gift bag when Buck looks at him, expectantly.
“Uh, it’s not my birthday,” Buck says as Bobby hands it to him.
“Yes, but it’s been one year since you took in Theo, and while usually it’s on the baby’s first birthday, this family tradition can apply here, too,” Bobby tells him. “Open it.”
Buck gives him a look but opens the present. Inside is an easel, a canvas and paints.
“Uh, I’m … not a painter?” Buck asks, slowly. He can’t imagine why Bobby would gift him this.
Bobby laughs. “You weren’t a cook when we met either.”
Buck makes a face. “You’re going to teach me how to paint? In a day?”
“No. The tradition is for you to make a complete mess of a family portrait – in this case, of you and Theo, and then, every year after, you make another portrait and eventually get better,” Bobby says, with a teasing grin that suggests that if he’s been doing this that it wasn’t nearly as good as he’s pretending it is.
Buck laughs. “Have you been doing the same with May and Harry and Athena?”
Bobby shakes his head, pulling up something on his phone. “No, but the first year after we met, after I realized that I … looked at you as more like my son than I probably should have.”
He offers his phone which has portraits of Bobby and Buck that Bobby’s clearly painted… poorly.
They haven’t gotten terribly better, but there is a slight improvement. Still, despite this, there’s a warmth that spreads through his belly at the thought that Bobby’s been doing this of them because he considers them family.
It’s even better than the family recipes, even if the paintings suck.
Buck laughs and shakes his head. “And this is something your dad did?”
“Believe it or not, he wasn’t always a drunk that didn’t really care. For years, he was a decent father,” Bobby offers. “At least he was better than Philip.”
“Anyone’s better than Philip,” Buck retorts, but the point was made. Clearly, this is something Bobby really wants for them. A family tradition of painting. “Alright, I will give it a try.”
“Good. Then, let’s get started.”
***
There’s laughter that draws their attention when he’s nearly finished with his rather pitiful painting.
“Athena!” Bobby hisses, giving her a look that does nothing to quell her laughter.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I know I wasn’t supposed to peek, but wow, that’s on your level, Bobby,” Athena offers, causing Buck to huff.
“I’ve never painted before, and I wasn’t expecting this,” Buck counters. “It’s one thing to learn how to cook, but I clearly have no artistic talent.”
Bobby gives Athena an annoyed look before he says, “No, kid, look. Cooking is kind of artistic. You just need time. Every year, you’ll get better, I promise.”
“I don’t know if I wanna do this every year when I suck at it,” Buck retorts.
“It’s tradition,” Bobby counters. “And believe me, you’ll be good at it in no time.”
“I doubt it.”
“Just wait, you’ll see.”
***
It takes the better part of five years of secretly painting so that Buck wasn’t just doing it once a year (practice makes perfect after all), but by the time he’s celebrating Theo’s tenth birthday, he’s gotten pretty good at painting.
And Bobby’s pretty damn proud of him.
He smiles as he sees Buck’s most recent family portrait of him and Theo.
“See, I knew you could do it,” Bobby says, proudly.
Buck hums, smiling back at his portrait which is a thousand times better than it had been the first time.
“Thanks, Bobby, I’m glad you like it.”
“I’d like it even if it was as bad as my paintings,” Bobby offers with a teasing grin.
Buck laughs. “Well, I couldn’t suck it up that bad, but your belief in me certainly helps.”
“I’ll always believe in you, kid.”
“Good.”
He gives him a hug and kisses the top of his head. “Come on, it’s time to put on dinner. You and me – another family tradition?”
“Sounds great to me.”
“Good.”