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Buck had always struggled when it came to reading and writing, especially when he got to kindergarten.
His parents always rolled their eyes as he struggled to read by himself, not really caring to see that their son was suffering, until a teacher had Buck tested for dyslexia.
His parents scoffed at the teacher like she was crazy, but once the teacher threatened CPS, they gave in, and he was diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD, but his parents refused to help him.
He hid it well.
In school, as he got older, he was good enough at math and science to offset his struggles with English and language arts. He could scrape by with his homework and grades since Maddie could help him read. It got easy for him with her there, but once she left, the struggle returned. But he managed, he learned, and adapted all on his own.
But words and letters didn’t look right to him. Associating words and sounds had always been hard. Luckily, his job didn’t require a lot of that.
It was his strength. Helping people, lifting heavy things, and performing heroic acts on a daily basis.
Paperwork was always difficult for him, but he only told one person about his dyslexia, other than Maddie. Bobby knew and would always help him with his paperwork.
Buck was too embarrassed to tell anyone else, too afraid of pity looks and the mocking that was sure to come.
But now Bobby is retired after the almost fatal lab accident, and Chimney is the captain now, and for once, Buck has to fill out forms by himself.
And any relationship disclosure forms for his relationship with Eddie, Eddie filled out his parts, and Buck couldn't even ask Eddie for help when it was time for his part, as Eddie didn’t even know.
Buck was so good at masking his disability that his own boyfriend didn’t even notice.
Until now…
~~~~~~~~~~~
Buck sat at the kitchen table happily munching on his club sandwich as he finished filling the form, trying his best to spot any mistakes before turning to see Ravi and Eddie arguing over the best date night movie. He rolled his eyes before looking at the form anxiously, before Chimney took the form.
“Sweet, are you finished?”
Buck looks at his hands nervously, “Y..yes.”
Chimney raises his brow curiously before reading over form, laughing.
Buck blushed brightly, fidgeting with his fingers, avoiding Chimney’s knowing gaze.
“Hey, guys, check this out, Buck can’t spell!!!”
Buck paled as his anxiety spiked.
“What, let me see that,” Harry says, snatching the paper, reading over it, and laughing.
Hen just looks at the paper, confused, before briefly reading it, shaking her head with a chuckle, but otherwise stays qu–silent.
“You didn’t spell firefighter correctly, it’s firefighter, not firfigter. Buck, are you stupid or something?!” Harry mocks with a loud laugh.
“You think I’m stupid?” Buck questions as Chimney just laughs.
“Obviously, if you can’t even spell firefighter correctly, like come on, Buck. It’s not that hard.”
“Look, I get that you dropped out of college, but I thought you were at least smart, Buck,” Harry comments.
Hen looks at Buck, concerned, noticing him clenching his fist.
“Guys, stop,” Hen pleads, voice firm.
“Why should we, Hen? He is clearly stupid,” Chimney replies.
Eddie and Ravi step next to Buck, concerned.
“Seriously, Chimney, stop it,” Eddie demands, voice dripping with anger.
“Why should I?” Chimney asks jokingly.
“I am dyslexic. That’s why I spelled it wrong,” Buckmumbled.
Only Eddie, Ravi, and Hen heard him.
“What did you say, stupid?” Harry mocks teasingly.
“I am fucking dyslexic!” Buck yells out, finally hitting his breaking point.
All at once, the room went silent.
“What?” Chimney says in disbelief, freezing in place.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Eddie asks, his voice soft, dripping with concern.
“I don’t tell people I’m dyslexic unless I have to. I had a hard time learning to read. Words don’t make sense to me. Maddie read me all of my homework; that’s the only reason I scraped by, and I didn’t accept any help until high school, and the first time I actually asked for help, it was Bobby, who helped me after seeing me struggling so hard to fill out the paperwork, so I know I’m stupid, I'm constantly feeling like a failure to my parents. Cause here is a kid who is too stupid to spell his name or even read. I was told that over and over again, and I didn't need to hear from you guys, too. I know that I'm stupid, okay? Laugh it up. I am just one stupid idiot who can’t spell a simple fucking word like firefighter!”
Buck yells, all of his pent-up anger and frustration finally coming out as he stared daggers at Chimney and Harry, who remained scarily silent.
“Buck, you’re not stupid,” Hen says softly, breaking the strong tension in the room.
“No? “Buck questions.
Hen shakes her head, her voice soft and gentle. “No, Buck, you're not.”
Buck scoffs, not believing her. He shakes his head, eyes tearing up, looking away from everyone, too afraid to see their reactions to the truth.
“I can’t do this. I’ll fix the papers later, Chimney. I am so sorry,” Buck says, getting up, abandoning his half-eaten club sandwich, and running down the stairs.
As everyone turns to Chimney and Harry with absolutely disgusted expressions.
“I’ll go check on him,” Eddie says, needing to get away from them before he punches them in the face.
Ravi just shakes his head, following Eddie downstairs, but not before turning to Harry angrily, “I'm telling May.”
Harry pales, “Shit,” he whispers to himself.
Hen scoffs. “You deserve that, and don’t think that Eddie won’t be telling Maddie about this, Howard.”
Chimney pales at the mention of his wife and full name. “ I fucked up,” he mutters.
“You think?!!” Hen shouted angrily, turning away from the two of them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eddie found Buck in the locker room, crying silently to himself.
Eddie quickly rushes to wrap his arms around Buck tightly, Buck instantly clinging to him, sobbing in his arms.
“I'm so embarrassed I didn’t want you to know.”
“It’s nothing to be embarrassed about, Cariño. Your brain is wired differently, that’s not your fault.”
Buck thinks about how he felt in school, even after he found out he was dyslexic, he still wouldn’t get help, too afraid, but being here with Eddie, he's not afraid.
Buck melts into Eddie’s loving touch as Eddie pecks his lips.
“ I love you so much, Cariño.”
“Even though I’m dyslexic?”
Eddie chuckles. “You're still my Buck, this doesn’t define you, baby. I love you so much.”
“I love you too, Eds.”
Ravi walks into the locker room, seeing Eddie kiss Buck’s forehead tenderly, smiling at the two, he knocks softly so as not to startle the pair.
Eddie looks up, ready to fight for Buck if need be, only to see that it’s Ravi.
“Is he okay?”
Eddie looks down at Buck, seeing him resting peacefully in his arms.
“Yeah, I think he will be.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Later that night, Buck was embraced heavily by his sisters, Maddie and May, who came bearing gifts.
“I yelled at Howard.”
“Maddie, you didn’t have to do that.”
“ Like hell I didn’t. He embarrassed you in front of your family and coworkers. Of course, I lost it on him. Nobody hurts my baby brother and gets away with it.”
Buck just hugs her again, tears in his eyes.
“I love you, Buck. You were my first baby. I’m always here for you. No matter what.”
“I love you too, Mads.”
Eddie watches the two softly as May joins him, smiling at her older siblings, “I am glad he has you.”
That made Eddie chuckle, “I'm just glad he’s okay. I really wanted to punch your brother and my captain for the things they said.” Eddie shakes his head, pissed.
May rolls her eyes. “I yelled at Harry, and then mom found out, and all hell broke loose.”
“What did Athena and Bobby do?” Eddie asked, knowing just how protective Athena and Bobby could be over their eldest.
“Let’s just say Harry won’t be driving anywhere anytime soon; Mom and Bobby will be taking him places from now on.”
Eddie couldn’t help but laugh.
“He deserves it,” May adds with a shrug.
“Very true, I’ll drink to that,” Eddie agrees, clicking his wine with hers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was two days later that Buck returned to work, after his forty-eight hours off.
His anxiety was riding extra high at the thought of having to face both Chimney and Harry.
He stares at the bay doors as he leaves his Jeep, freezing in place.
Eddie notices Buck’s nervousness and grabs his hand, kissing it softly. “It’ll be okay, Cariño. I’ll be right here with you the whole time.”
“You promise?”
Eddie nods. “I promise.”
Buck nods. “Okay,” he says as he takes a deep breath before walking in, Eddie’s hand in his, as they go up to the loft. Buck could feel his heart pounding loudly in his chest.
“Buck,” Harry calls, walking over Buck slowly while Eddie glares daggers in Harry’s direction.
“Harry?” Buck asks, voice low.
“I just want to say that I am sorry. I never should have spoken to you like that, man. You’re my big brother, Buck. I truly am sorry.”
Buck sighs, seeing how scared and worried Harry truly is. It melted Buck’s heart slightly. Harry is just a kid; he was following his captain’s lead.
“You really hurt me, Harry,” Buck confesses, Eddie squeezing his hand reassuringly.
Harry sighs, looking down, ashamed. “I know.”
“But I forgive because that’s what families do, and I love you, little brother, okay?”
Harry tears up as Buck pulls him into a tight embrace.
“Just don’t do it again,” Buck teasingly threatens.
“ I love you too, Buck, and I won’t, I promise you.”
Buck pulls away from the hug, wiping away his tears.
“Good, now I think you need to get to work, probie, “Buck half-jokes as Harry nods, scurrying off.
Eddie just strokes Buck's hand softly, “One down, one to go, Cariño.”
Buck nods nervously.
“Baby, it’ll be okay,” Eddie says to him comfortingly.
Buck sighs as they head into the locker room, trying to calm down his racing heart as Chimney walks in looking like a zombie.
“Hi, Buck,” he greets.
Buck freezes for a moment before turning to Chimney sharply.
“Hi, chimney,” Buck greets in a monotone voice.
Chimney is taken aback by Buck’s tone. “Buck, I am sorry—”
Buck cuts him off.
“DON’T!” He yells.
Eddie walks over to Chimney, staring angrily into Chimney's soul as if waiting for Chimney to choke on his own breath and die.
“From Harry, I expect that. But not from you, Chim. He’s your brother-in-law; you’ve known him for such a long time. How the hell could you treat him like that?”
Chimney looks down, ashamed of himself, too stunned to try to speak.
“Now you have nothing to say?!” Eddie shouts.
“Eddie, it’s okay, this is just how Chimney is,” Buck cuts in.
“No, buck it’s not, it’s really not. Yes, he’s our captain, he's our coworker, and your brother-in-law.”
“He's right, Buck. I did not behave like your captain; I behaved like a school bully. Hell, Hen and Maddie pointed it out to me that I have done that to you for years, and nobody told me or stopped me.”
Buck looks down.
“I really am sorry, Buck.”
Eddie scoffs and rolls his eyes.
Buck grabs Eddie’s hand, squeezing it softly. “Eds, it’s okay.”
Buck looks at Chimney, seeing the devastation written all over his face. “Just how badly did Maddie rip you a new one?”
“I am sleeping on the couch until further notice,” Chimney admits.
Eddie winces, feeling slightly sorry for him. But only slightly.
“You hurt me, Chim. Very, very badly, and usually I can take it, but you went too far this time, Chim.”
“I didn’t know Buck,” Chim defends.
Buck shakes his head, annoyed.
“Just because you didn’t know doesn’t mean you get to treat him like shit,” Eddie hisses.
“I am so so sorry, Buck.”
Buck sighs. “I know you are, Chim, and I forgive you.”
“Really?!” Chimney and Eddie ask, shocked.
Buck chuckles.
“Yes, really. Look, you hurt me, but you're still family.”
Chimney hugs Buck tightly.
As they let go, Eddie stares daggers at Chimney before quickly pulling him aside.
“He may forgive you, but I don’t. If you ever, and I mean ever, hurt him again, it won’t be pretty, understand?”
Chimney pales. “Understood.”
Eddie smiles, “Good.”
Buck smiles at Eddie. He loves seeing his boyfriend all protective, it’s kinda hot—they will be revisiting that later.
The alarm suddenly blares.
“Alright, team, gear up !!!” Chimney shouts
Eddie turns to Buck, “ are okay, Cariño?”
“Absolutely perfect, Eds,” Buck says, jumping into the engine with Eddie holding his hand.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Later that night, when they got back from a call from hell— it truly has been one of the worst shifts of their lives, apparently, Harry said the Q-word, stupid probie—Buck was cuddled next to Eddie on the loft sofa as the TV played softly in the background.
“I love you,” Buck said in a tired voice.
Eddie chuckles lightly, stroking Buck's hair.
“I love you too, dyslexia and all,” Eddie says as he kisses Buck gently before turning off the TV and falling asleep with the man he loves in his arms.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hen walked in an hour later, finding the two cuddled next to each other on the couch, passed out asleep, dead to the world.
She took a picture of the two, smiling happily to herself.
Hen: All is calm on the Western Front.
[image attached]
Guess Harry and Chim apologizing tired them out.
Hen chuckles, shaking her head at the messages she sent before shutting off her phone and going back to bed. As her phone buzzed, she smiled as she read the message and turned it back off again.
Bobby: Good. I’m glad all the yelling worked for them two to fix it. -Bobby Nash