Work Text:
"Buck! Where are you?"
Buck's radio crackles back to life with the stressed sounding voice of one of the assistants. "You're needed on set."
He furtively glances once more over the table of food, and places his plate down with a sigh.
"Thanks Rav," Buck answers as he drags himself away from craft services, and hopes there will be at least one slice of Bobby's delicious chocolate cake left after he wraps his part of the scene. "I'm on my way back now."
"Great," Ravi replies with relief. "Oh and if you're not already wearing them, don't forget to collect your turnouts from wardrobe. It was decided that it would hide your body shape easier if you had the thicker uniform."
"Thanks for the reminder," Buck replies and tries not to take his frustration out on Ravi as it's not his fault that Buck is being forced into further layers. He was already wearing the long sleeved version of the navy LAFD top to cover his tattoos, and that was warm enough even on this night shoot. "I'll quickly head over to see Chim now."
Buck thinks if he cannot go directly to set, he can at least take the route around on the upper level that gives him a glimpse of everything below him. Which, he hopes, includes his favorite cameraman. He waits until he makes eye contact with Eddie before waving his radio in his direction in the hope that Eddie can talk.
He gets a nod in return, and Buck quickly switches over to channel two - the one they use only to talk to each other, and laments "I didn't get to have any cake."
"Poor baby," Eddie whispers as Buck continues his walk around to wardrobe. "I'd offer to get you some, but I think we will definitely get into trouble if there's chocolate on the costumes."
"I could take it off first?" Buck suggests as he grins at the realization Eddie knew exactly what he was talking about.
"I think maybe we should save that for after we wrap the scene," Eddie utters with a chuckle. "But uh - there's a shower in my trailer if you do get messy."
Buck enters the wardrobe department and instantly ducks into one of the set closets as he tries to hide the blush that has spread across his face.
"And to think I was just going to ask you out for a margarita after work," Buck admits with more confidence than he is feeling. "But, yeah, I like your idea much more."
"Mhm, I thought you might," Eddie murmurs, before he loudly clears his throat "Yes. Everything is set up," he confirms louder and more distant as Buck realizes Eddie has switched to talking to someone that's present on set without turning off his radio.
Buck turns off his microphone, but he decides to leave on Eddie's side of the connection so that he can hear him as he looks around for Chim.
"We've got the freeform camera for the close up shots. And yes…"
"Buckaroo!" Chim loudly greets him. "How is my favorite stuntman this fine evening?"
"Late," Buck replies. "So I hope you can help me out. Got the spare uniform ready?"
"Indeed I do," Chim confirms. "So, how is your sister?"
"I think you have seen her more than I have recently," Buck laughs. "So much so, I should be asking you that question."
"I don't kiss and tell, Buckaroo."
"We just established that's my sister," Buck groans as he watches Chim pull a large LAFD uniform from the rack. "I don't want to know."
"I'm a perfect gentleman, do not worry," Chim adds. "Right, do you need help getting into this thing?"
"No, I think I'm good," Buck states as he steps into the large boots that will help him get into character, and pulls up the trousers and suspenders. He knows he is the stunt man, and not the actor, but he needs to at least know something about who he is playing, and what they could potentially be thinking. And even if it makes him grumble a little having to wear it, he cannot deny it definitely will make him look the part.
"I don't know if you're still there, but how does midnight sound?"
"Uh, that sounds great," Buck replies to Eddie before remembering that he had turned off his microphone.
"What sounds great?" Chim asks with a confused expression on his face as he stands in front of him with a helmet.
"The uniform," Buck quickly utters as he puts on the jacket. "The uniform is a great fit."
"I should hope so," Chim scoffs as he ensures everything is fastened correctly. He taps the front of the costume. "Okay, you're good to go."
"Not sure if you're talking to me or the uniform, but thank you!" Buck hurries back towards the set. "See you later!"
"And it's just as we practiced, okay?" the assistant director shouts into the fire truck. "Buck, you're the lead here. Following the explosion, we have the truck set up to flip over after you have been launched from your seat. We only have one shot at this so I need you to hit your marker, understood?"
Buck nods. They rehearsed it multiple times, and he doesn't envision any problems.
"Just land on the brown outer marker before the truck crashes, and we will do the rest."
Buck shares a glance with the other stuntman - Holloway - sitting next to him. This is a trailer shot. They both know the importance of getting this right.
"Let's do this," Buck utters.
"Okay, we're all go on stunts," the assistant director authoritatively speaks into their radio. "Primary cast in position please, cameras rolling, quiet on set."
Buck breathes in deeply. These are the moments he lives for.
Complete silence settles over proceedings.
There is a beat; the calm before the storm.
The hidden radio stashed at the front of the ladder truck crackles to life. Static hiss is replaced with the sounds of the director "three, two, one and action."
A loud explosion echoes across the soundstage.
Buck tries to keep the grin from his face as he launches through the air, and lands perfectly; his body hides the brown mark from sight. He thinks about Eddie watching him through the camera. He hopes he got to capture the moment and that he enjoyed it as much as he did.
He hides his face in the way he was taught to help with post production, but realizes as he does that there is a second separate brown marker higher up than where he landed.
Before he has a chance to panic that he is in the wrong position, the fire truck crashes to the ground. Glass and metal scatters all around him.
Somebody screams.
It takes Buck a moment to realize that it came from him, and that his left leg is pinned down. He cannot move.
Buck doesn't know what went wrong, he looks around and nobody is coming to his aide. He wonders if they all think this is part of the shot.
He's glad his head is covered as he does something the stunt team normally never do - he lets the tears roll down his face.
"I don't care I need to get to him. Now!"
Buck doesn't know where Eddie is. He knows he can't lift his head or the shot will be ruined. He pretends this is just part of the process and lies as still as he can.
"Keep rolling," the director instructs. "He doesn't need a cameraman, Diaz, but I do. You do your job and lets see if we can keep any of this footage. Let the medic do their job."
Buck whimpers as he sees Hen's face above him dressed in LAFD uniform.
"Oh, Buck," Hen murmurs. "We've got you."
"It - it hurts," Buck mutters. "Tell - tell him…"
"Shush now, Buck," Hen states soothingly as she touches his neck. "You can tell them later okay, just stay with me Buck, stay with me."
Everything starts blurring together. A multitude of overlapping sounds washes over him.
"Ravi, take over."
"His vitals are dropping."
"Buck!"
"Give me your jacket, quick."
"Still with us, Buck?"
Buck blinks in and out of consciousness. He feels something against his hand. It's warm and comforting.
"Okay, we need to move this."
"On three, lift!"
The pressure briefly subsides against his leg, before the pain, and the screams, return.
"We need more people."
"Lift!"
The pressure on his leg disappears completely as the pain hits him with full force as he is dragged across the ground and out of the ladder truck's range. He tries to hold in the agony, but it's no use and he screams until his throat gives out.
"Alright, we got him."
"Someone get a gurney."
"Buck, I'm here baby, I'm here."
"Get him in the ambulance."
"Stay awake for me."
Buck coughs awake. He groans and slowly glances around. The fluorescent lights hurt his eyes as he tries to keep them open long enough to work out where he is.
"Welcome back," a familiar voice utters with relief. "How you feeling, kid?"
Buck follows the sound of the voice to his right, and is surprised to see Bobby standing by his bedside.
"Bobby?" Buck manages to croak out, his throat painful, dry and scratchy. "You're here?"
"Of course I am," Bobby states. "My friend is hit with a ladder truck on my set, you couldn't keep me away."
"I got hit?" Buck asks, as he starts to fidget on the bed as the memories start to return, and he realizes he cannot move his legs.
"Yeah, you did," Bobby confirms. "You gave us quite a fright."
Buck tries to keep his emotions hidden, but Bobby sees straight through him.
"Okay, Buck. It's all right. You're all right. You take your time."
"I need to know how the surgery went." Buck tries to sit up, but Bobby guides him back down onto the pillow. "At least tell me what- what did the doctor say?"
"You were in surgery for a long time, but the main thing is - it went well," Bobby assures him. "You now have one titanium rod, four cobalt-chromed screws and a whole new story to share at the next stuntman meeting."
"We don't have a meeting," Buck grumbles back at Bobby as he tries to process this new information. Bobby raises his eyebrow at him. "Gossiping whilst fighting over the last slice of your cake doesn't count. And you know it," Buck retorts with borrowed energy he knows he will be paying for later.
Bobby chuckles "okay, we'll agree to disagree on this one."
"How about Holloway?" Buck looks around to see if there were any other people in the room. "Did he get hurt?"
"A few cuts and scrapes from the glass that wasn't meant to shatter like that, but otherwise he's fine. Just worried about you like the rest of us."
Knowing he has a friend next to him if he needs it, Buck finally lets himself look at his injured left leg. It's wrapped up and elevated, and Buck can't do anything but stare.
"What is it, Buck? Does it hurt?" Bobby asks. "Do I need to call the nurse?"
"No- uh, just before they wheeled me in, the surgeon, uh, he said he didn't know how it was gonna go," Buck explains.
"You don't have to think about that now, Buck. You'll be walking in no time, don't you worry."
"He was pretty confident about me walking again, but he didn't know if I would ever work again."
"There's always danger in this job, you know that," Bobby utters. "I'm not going to give you false promises and empty hope. We don't know how your recovery is going to go, but you will recover. We're all behind you in support." Bobby pauses. "Don't forget that okay?"
Bobby waits for Buck to respond, but he must realize Buck doesn't know what to say as he sits back in the chair and stares him down.
"Now did I ever tell you about why I stopped doing stunt work?"
Buck has heard this story before, all about Bobby's broken back, but he shakes his head no as he just wants to hear his friend's voice drown out all of the worry and doubt in his own head.
"Well, there were three of us doing stunts, it wasn't as streamlined and professional as it is today, but it was ours."
Buck closes his eyes and listens.
"Eddie seems nice," Bobby states with a chuckle as Buck opens his eyes not realizing he had fallen asleep. "I don't think he will be very happy to know you woke up after he left. Twice!"
"Eddie was here?" Buck asks more excitedly than he should have, both for his current health and predicament and because they had been trying to keep their relationship a secret on set.
"Of course he was," Bobby confirms. "He's very worried about you. I'm not sure I've ever seen him this distressed. Let me go and get him?" Bobby offers, as he starts to get out of the chair. "I think he's just gone to get a drink."
"Wait, Bobby," Buck murmurs. "Before you do, I just wanted to say thank you for being here."
"Nowhere else I would rather be," Bobby admits, even though Buck still cannot quite believe it. "I don't say it often enough, but you're the best stuntman I have ever had the privilege to work with and I still thank you for saving me." Bobby taps him on the arm. "Now let me do the same for you. And I think we should start by putting your man out of his misery."
"My- my man?" Buck splutters out, before he starts to cough.
"Look, your secret is safe with me, Buck, but - maybe remind Eddie of that."
Buck stares at his friend, "what- why- what has Eddie done?"
Bobby laughs good naturedly. "Oh nothing much, just acting like a very worried spouse."
Buck coughs again, "oh we're not engaged."
"Not yet," Bobby teases. "Maybe get yourself recovered first, hmm?"
"Yeah, okay, I see what you're doing. Something to aim for and all that."
"Just reminding you that there is more to life than stunt work, should you want it, however surprising that may seem right now."
Buck nods and takes the message to heart, it's definitely something he has thought about. "Just maybe don't mention that to Eddie."
"Buck! You're awake!" Eddie exclaims as he walks through the door, with the brightest smile on his face, the one only reserved especially for Buck. "And what didn't you want to mention to me?"
Eddie hovers by the edge of the bed, and Buck wants to pull him down into a kiss. He assesses the room and Bobby has already confessed to knowing, and Buck thinks maybe he should just do what he wants.
"Hi Eddie," Buck utters, and lifts himself ever so slightly off the bed, and lifts his face towards Eddie hoping he gets the hint.
Eddie looks towards Bobby, and leans down and kisses Buck on his forehead.
"Oh, it's so good to see you awake, ba- Buck," Eddie murmurs.
"It's okay Bobby knows," Buck admits.
"He does, and he is also leaving," Bobby responds. "I'll go and let the nurse know you're awake, once I've had a drink and stretched my legs. But I don't think I will be able to stall them for long so don't get too carried away boys."
"Not possible with my leg like this," Buck mutters under his breath.
"We wont," Eddie replies for the both of them, a blush covering his whole face.
Bobby chuckles in response, and leaves the room.
"Come here, Eddie," Buck whines.
Eddie nods and leans over the bed being careful not to touch any of the equipment or his injuries. He holds Buck's cheek with reverence and breathes out shakily, like he has been waiting forever for this moment - like he couldn't believe Buck was alive until he got to hold him for himself.
Or maybe that was just how it was for Buck.
The conversation with Bobby could have been a dream; it could have been a conversation held with one his greatest friends, his mentor, conducted entirely whilst he slept.
But this was different.
This moment Buck knew was definitely real.
He would feel embarrassed admitting this out loud, but the smell of Eddie's shower gel reminds him of stolen moments in his trailer. It felt like Buck could breathe again, and he was also glad that it overpowered the smell of the hospital.
Buck stares into Eddie's brown eyes and sees love and concern staring back at him.
"I thought you were going to kiss me?"
"I don't want to hurt you."
"You won't."
Eddie nods, and leans the rest of the way forward and kisses Buck, keeping the pace tender and slow. He presses their foreheads together before sitting down on the edge of the bed.
"Oh you worried me baby," Eddie confesses as he threads his fingers into Buck's. "I thought you had left me."
A memory slowly comes back to Buck. "Did you hold my hand when it happened?"
"Yeah." Eddie nods. "I may have also called you baby while we were getting you into the ambulance, so- uh, it might be more than just Bobby knowing about us now."
"That's okay," Buck replies and realizes he means it. "I can't even remember why we were keeping it a secret in the first place."
"Maybe, try and tell your sister as soon as she gets here, if you want her to hear it from you. I'll distract Chim."
"Chim is here?" Buck feels more surprised by this than with Eddie.
"Well he's going to be your brother in law, and anyway they care about you. We all do. Hen and Ravi are here too, they're in the waiting room wanting an update."
Buck doesn't know what to say. He wasn't expecting anyone to be here with him.
"And I need to let Christopher know how you're doing." Eddie nods over to a table in the corner. "He drew you a card."
Buck looks over at the things he hasn't noticed before.
There are sunflowers, a bag of skittles, a bear plush, a metal container, a happy birthday balloon - which makes Buck laugh - and the happiest hand drawn card Buck has ever seen. The front reads "get well soon bff" and he starts to feel tears well up at the thought of Christopher making it for him.
"Quick, kiss me again," Buck pleads.
"Are you sure?" Eddie asks.
"Absolutely."
Eddie leans down and whispers "okay Buckley" before gently pressing their lips together. It's more caring than Buck was expecting, but Buck is just grateful that he didn't ask any questions.
"Properly, Diaz," Buck murmurs. "Forget where I am and what happened and my recovery and everything else and kiss me."
Eddie readjusts his position on the bed and still avoiding all the wires and equipment, he leans over Buck and presses their lips together. It's harder this time - there's still just as much care and love as before, but there's also want and desire.
His hands grip the hospital bed sheets and Buck moans with the feeling.
Unfortunately it's short lived as Buck has to admit defeat - his whole body aches and wants him to rest. Plus he knows that the nurse will be in the room shortly, and so he begrudgingly pulls back.
"Perfect," Buck utters.
"As soon as you're home, we need to repeat that," Eddie states as he smooths some hair off Buck's face.
"Agreed."
"And actually, why don't we make it our home. Move in with us?"
"What? Move in with you and Christopher?" Buck repeats in surprise.
"Yes! Let us look after you. And there can be margaritas if you like. And Bobby's chocolate cake."
"Does Bobby know about this?" Buck asks with a grin on his face.
"I'm sure he won't mind. And I can't smuggle alcohol in here but how about some cake as soon as the nurse says you're allowed to eat," Eddie suggests as he jumps off the bed and waves the metal container at him.
"Oh, I love you," Buck exclaims automatically.
"Are you talking to me or the cake?" Eddie laughs.
"Yes," Buck replies with a grin. "Yes, to it all."