Work Text:
Buck loved the aquarium.
You’d think that at his grown age he’d have outgrown the thrill of watching fish loop lazy circles behind a sheet of glass, but no—Buck absolutely adored the place.
There was something peaceful about it. All those colourful fish just… existing. Living their tiny lives in their tiny world, drifting around without a single worry. It was oddly therapeutic.
But Buck also loved the aquarium because Chris used to love the aquarium. Back before he decided he was “too cool” to hang out with Buck and his dad, it had been their thing—an entire era of Saturday mornings spent wandering from tank to tank, Chris narrating facts he’d memorised and Buck pretending he didn’t already know them.
So the aquarium wasn’t just a place Buck enjoyed; it was a place that reminded him of the first kid who ever had his heart. And even if Chris wasn’t all that interested in staring at aquatic creatures for hours anymore, Buck still loved him to pieces. That part had never changed.
Now, though, Buck had another kid he loved to pieces. Someone to share the aquarium with again. Not instead of Chris—never instead of. Just… in addition to.
Buck had Theo.
Little, curious Theo. Theo, who found everything interesting. Seriously—once, he spent ten full minutes staring at a single leaf in the backyard, asking question after question, each one more earnest than the last.
So Buck was overjoyed at the chance to take Theo to the aquarium. Honestly, overjoyed didn’t even cover it. He’d been waiting for an excuse—any excuse—to share this place with him, to watch that little face light up at the sight of glowing jellyfish and massive stingrays. And when Chris announced he wanted to come along too? Buck had nearly short‑circuited from sheer delight.
It still felt surreal. One minute Buck had been at the Diaz house, leaning against the kitchen counter and casually telling Eddie about his weekend plans, and the next Chris was looking up from his homework and saying, “I wanna go.” Just like that. No hesitation. No teenage shrug. Just a simple request that hit Buck right in the chest.
And Buck wasn’t about to say no. Not when Chris choosing to spend one-on-one time with him in public felt like a rare comet sighting these days.
Then, of course, Eddie had declared that he “couldn’t possibly be left out,” which Buck pretended to roll his eyes at, even though his heart was doing somersaults. Because suddenly it wasn’t just a fun outing with Theo. It was all four of them. His people. His little almost‑family that he still didn’t quite know how to name.
And that was how they found themselves standing in the parking lot of the best aquarium Southern California had to offer.
“Okay, Theo,” Buck began, using his best serious adult voice to get the kid’s attention. “You need to stay close. In sight of Eddie or me at all times, okay?”
“Okay, Buck!” Theo chirped—already bouncing on the balls of his feet. Buck had absolutely zero faith that a single word had sunk in.
Eddie climbed out of the passenger seat, stretching like he’d just completed a long-haul flight instead of twenty minutes of being a very dramatic passenger princess.
“Chris, you got your jacket?”
“Yes, Dad,” Chris replied, dragging out the words with the full weight of teenage suffering. He tugged the zipper up with a sigh that suggested this was the greatest burden he’d ever known.
Weren’t teenagers a joy?
Buck clapped his hands once. “Right. Okay, let’s go.”
Which, of course, to Theo naturally sounded like: You are now cleared to run off.
He bolted across the parking lot with zero hesitation.
Buck’s soul briefly left his body.
Luckily, Eddie reacted fast. He swooped in, scooping Theo up mid‑sprint and flipping him upside down like it was all part of the plan. Theo shrieked with delighted giggles, kicking his little legs in the air.
Buck pressed a hand to his chest, waiting for his heart to restart. Once it did, he couldn’t help smiling at the sight—Eddie holding Theo like a wriggling upside‑down backpack, Theo laughing like chaos incarnate.
“What did your Buck say, Mr. Theo?” Eddie asked, raising an eyebrow at the tiny gremlin dangling from his arms.
“To stay close,” Theo answered, wearing the world’s cutest I know I messed up but look how adorable I am grin.
“Then let’s stay close, shall we?”
“Okay, Eddie!”
Eddie set him upright, and Theo immediately grabbed Eddie’s hand like he hadn’t just tried to sprint into traffic.
Buck exhaled. “One day, he’s going to give me grey hair.”
Eddie smirked. “One day? You sure it’s not today?”
Chris snorted behind them, hoodie up, pretending he wasn’t amused.
— — —
By the time they made it to the entrance, Buck felt like he’d lived an entire lifetime.
Theo had somehow collected three pieces of litter—a bottle cap, a shiny gum wrapper, and what Buck really hoped wasn’t part of a used straw—and declared them “treasures.” He’d also nearly been run over by two separate strollers and had almost taken Chris out at the knees by barreling straight into his crutches.
It was going to be a long day. A happy, chaotic, memory‑making day. But a long day nonetheless.
The lady working the front desk looked up from the register with a polite smile.
“How many people today?”
Her name tag read Blair, and Buck blinked at it, a little jolt of recognition sparking in his brain. She looked familiar in that I’ve-seen-you-somewhere-but-I-can’t-place-it way. Maybe she’d been working here during one of his many past visits. He had been here a lot. Enough that the sea otters probably recognised him by now.
“Four, please,” Eddie answered before Buck could even open his mouth. Theo was perched on Eddie’s hip now, a strategic move to prevent further escape attempts.
Buck stayed half a step back, still trying to figure out why Blair’s face tugged at his memory. Maybe she’d been the one who’d once watched him spend twenty minutes talking to a stingray. Or maybe she’d been there the time he’d accidentally set off the hand-sanitiser dispenser and drenched himself. It was hard to say. He’d been here a lot.
“Of course,” Blair said. “We’ll set you up with the family package.”
That word—family—hit Buck right in the chest. His pulse did something traitorous, a little stutter he pretended not to notice. Because wasn’t that the dream? Dream being the important word, of course.
He shoved the thought aside. Or tried to, anyway. He liked to think he was quite successful.
Unfortunately, while he was busy not spiralling, Eddie had already paid for all four tickets.
“Eds, you didn’t need to do that,” Buck said, stepping forward. “Come on, I’ll pay you half.”
“You don’t owe me anything, Buck.” Eddie’s smile was soft. “I can treat my family to a day out. A firefighter’s wage isn’t that bad.”
There it was again. Family.
Buck was going to die. Right there. In front of the aquarium. Cause of death: Eddie Diaz casually using the most basic English word like it didn’t mean everything to Buck.
Eddie, fortunately, wasn’t privy to Buck’s internal dilemma. He just took the tickets from Blair with an easy smile and started herding the boys toward the entrance.
“You two have an adorable family,” Blair added with a warm smile.
Buck froze. A wave of déjà vu washed over him—like he’d stood in a similar spot to this, heard this exact sentence, lived this exact moment before. He let it slide. He must have been imagining things
“Ummm… thank you.”
Because what else was he supposed to say?
They aren’t actually my family. Not in the way you think. Not in the way I want. But in every way that counts. I love all three of them with my whole heart, and I’m too chicken shit to say anything.
He’d get over himself later. Maybe. Probably not.
For now, he had to catch up with his boys.
— — —
When Buck finally caught up, the sight that greeted him was… well, it was everything. He genuinely had to pinch himself to make sure he wasn’t dreaming.
Theo was perched on Eddie’s shoulders, tiny hands gripping Eddie’s hair for balance as he leaned forward to stare—wide‑eyed and awestruck—at a bright, neon‑coloured fish gliding lazily through the top tank of the first exhibit. Chris stood beside his dad, head tilted up as he watched the same fish with a quiet, genuine interest he’d never admit to out loud.
Buck stopped in his tracks.
His heart did that stupid little jump it always did when he saw the three of them together. He ignored it, because he was getting good at doing that, and lifted his phone.
One picture.
Then another.
Then one more, because Eddie had just glanced up at Theo with the softest smile, and Buck was only human.
And because he was Buck—because he never learned—he opened Instagram and posted the best one to his story with the caption:
a day at the aquarium with my boys
He hit post before he could think too hard about it.
If anyone asked, he’d just say it was a typo. He meant the boys, obviously. Not my boys. Easy. Totally believable. No emotional crisis here.
He tucked his phone away and jogged to catch up, because the three of them were already moving toward the next tank, and Buck wasn’t about to miss a second of this day.
“Buck, look!” Theo shouted from Eddie’s shoulders. “A giant fishy!”
“It’s not that big,” Chris argued.
“Yes it is!”
“No it’s not.”
“It is too!”
“No, you’re just tiny. The fish is normal size.”
“Nuh‑uh, poophead!”
“You’re the poophead.”
Eddie didn’t even blink. “Hey. Both of you. Cut it out. No one is a poophead. The fish is normal fish size, and we’re moving on. Let’s go.”
“Sorry, Dad,” Chris muttered.
“Yeah, sorry, Eddie,” Theo echoed, patting Eddie’s head in apology.
“It’s not me you need to apologise to,” Eddie said. “Say sorry to each other.”
Chris sighed. “Sorry, Theo. You’re not a poophead.”
“Sorry, Chris.”
Theo immediately started squirming, clearly done being on Eddie’s shoulders. Eddie set him down, and he and Chris took off toward the shark exhibit like they hadn’t been verbally mauling each other thirty seconds ago.
Buck drifted up beside Eddie. “How’d you do that?”
“Practice.”
“But you’ve only known Theo for a few months. He and Chris don’t argue that much.”
“No,” Eddie agreed, “but I’ve known you for eight years. He’s basically a mini Buck, and I’ve read the Buck Manual cover to cover.” He shrugged. “Plus, I grew up mediating my sisters’ fights. All siblings argue. That’s just how it goes. You get used to it.”
Buck’s brain promptly short‑circuited.
Siblings.
Eddie had said siblings. Right? He wasn’t imagining that.
Chris and Theo weren’t siblings. Not technically. Not legally. Not in any way that made sense outside of Buck’s own hopeless little heart. Chris was Eddie’s son. Theo was Buck’s foster son. That was it. Two best friends taking their kids on an outing. Perfectly normal. Perfectly platonic.
But if Eddie wanted to pretend they were siblings? Buck wasn’t going to stop him. That wouldn’t be fair.
So really, if you thought about it, this was all Eddie’s fault. Buck was just going with the flow. Very chill. Extremely casual. Totally fine.
“Come on,” Eddie said, wrapping a hand around Buck’s wrist and tugging him along. “We better catch up before Theo somehow releases the sharks from their enclosure.”
And, well.
That got Buck moving because that did sound like something Theo could and absolutely would do.
— — —
“Hey, Buck,” Chris said when they reached them. “Did you know sharks are actually older than dinosaurs?”
“I did, actually,” Buck said, slipping easily back into their old rhythm. “They’re over 450 million years old.”
“That’s almost as old as Dad,” Chris deadpanned.
The delivery was so sharp, so unexpected, that Buck barked out a laugh that was so loud and sudden he almost startled himself. He doubled over, wiping tears from his eyes.
When he finally straightened, Eddie was watching him with a soft, warm look that made Buck’s stomach do something deeply unhelpful.
“What?” Buck asked.
“Nothing,” Eddie said, shrugging lightly. “I just like your laugh, that’s all.”
He said it so casually, so effortlessly, that Buck’s entire system crashed. Eddie said it like it was no big deal. Like telling your best friend you liked the sound of their laugh was a completely regular weekend activity.
Words left him. Thoughts left him. He was pretty sure his face had gone completely blank.
Somewhere to his left, Chris muttered, “Jesus Christ. Get a room already.”
Buck ignored him.
“I don’t think you’re old, Eddie,” Theo announced instead, apparently deciding that was the more pressing issue. He tightened his hold around Eddie’s leg.
“Thank you, Theo,” Eddie said, dropping a kiss to the top of his head like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Buck remained… nonfunctional.
Chris looked at him, sighed like someone carrying the weight of the world, and nudged him forward.
“Let’s go, Buck.”
Buck looked at him blankly.
Chris shook his head.
“You can have your crisis later.”
And Buck, because apparently he no longer had independent thoughts, just followed Chris obediently while somewhere behind him Eddie laughed.
Which really wasn’t helping.
— — —
When they reached the tunnel, Buck finally felt like he had control of his limbs again. Chris was a few steps ahead, recording a long voice memo for one of his friends—complete with photos of the fish and, apparently, a running commentary of embarrassing Buck stories.
Buck and Eddie had Theo between them, each holding one of his hands and swinging him forward every few steps. Theo was absolutely delighted, his giggles echoing off the curved glass walls.
“Hey, Buck?” Theo asked mid‑swing.
“Yeah, kiddo?”
“Do you think fish know they’re fish?”
The question threw Buck completely off balance, but Eddie just let out a soft, amazed laugh and beamed at Theo like he’d just asked the meaning of life. Buck had no idea why Eddie was smiling so much over that question—but Eddie looked so warm and bright when he smiled that Buck wasn’t about to question it.
“I’m not sure,” Buck admitted. He really hadn’t thought about it before. And now he had a brand-new topic to overthink at three in the morning.
Surely fish knew they were fish… right? Like humans knew they were humans. Was there that much of a difference in brain function? Probably. Maybe. He was already getting a headache.
Thankfully, Theo had already moved on, pressing his face to the glass to watch the fish glide overhead.
The tunnel really was one of Buck’s favourite places—soft light, shimmering water, the quiet hum of people whispering in awe. And if one of his photos happened to frame Eddie perfectly in the centre of the tunnel… well, that was purely accidental. And if that photo ended up on Buck’s Instagram? Slip of the finger. Eddie was beautiful, the tunnel was magical, and Buck was only human. Sue him.
A pair of women nearby must have noticed him taking pictures, because one stepped forward with a smile.
“Would you like us to take a photo?” she asked. “So you can be in one with your kids and husband.”
Buck tried—he really did—to be normal. But husband? Seriously? Was the universe trying to end him today?
“That would be lovely, thank you,” Eddie said before Buck could even breathe. He didn’t correct them. Surely Eddie didn’t forget the fact that they weren’t actually married. He knew that, didn’t he?
The four of them gathered under the glow of the tanks—Theo between Eddie’s legs, Chris standing beside Buck. Buck tried very hard not to think about Eddie’s hand settling around his waist, and he was completely normal about placing his own hand around Eddie’s in return.
When the woman handed the phone back, Buck scrolled through the photos—and his heart nearly burst.
They really did look like a family.
There were a few outtakes—Theo looking the wrong way, Chris with his eyes closed, Eddie mid‑blink. The one where all four of them were smiling at the camera.
And then… the last one.
Eddie wasn’t looking at the camera. He was looking at Buck.
And the expression on his face was pure adoration. Almost full of love. Surely Eddie didn’t actually look at Buck like that. Right? It must have just been a trick of the camera.
Before he could spiral any further, Buck saved the photo to his favourites and locked his phone.
“Can you send me those?” Eddie asked casually, already guiding the boys toward the exit of the tunnel.
The truth was that Buck would give Eddie anything.
And maybe that was the cause of all his problems.
— — —
Lunchtime found them squeezed into a corner of the play area, the air thick with noisy kids and the distant echo of whale sounds. Eddie—ever the responsible parent—unpacked the lunch he’d prepared: sandwiches, fruit, a couple of snacks. Simple stuff, that even he—the horrible cook he was—couldn’t mess up.
Theo didn’t even wait for the food to be fully laid out before announcing, “Eddie, you have to sit next to me!” He was already scrambling into place.
“Fine with me,” Chris said, dropping down on the other side without a hint of protest. “You can have him. Buck is cooler anyway.”
Buck felt his heart do that embarrassing little skip. Chris still thought he was cool.
“Nuh uh,” Theo shot back immediately. “Eddie is the coolest.”
And Buck honestly didn’t know whether to feel wounded or wholeheartedly agree. Because sure—technically he was the one legally looking after Theo. And he hoped Theo would find him cool. But Eddie… Eddie was cool. Eddie was steady and warm and quietly extraordinary. In Buck’s eyes, Eddie was amazing. Maybe Theo had just inherited Buck’s taste in people.
Chris rolled his eyes. “You only think he’s cool because he lets you climb him like a tree.”
“Okay, boys, that's enough,” Eddie reprimanded. “Eat your lunch.”
Theo took a massive bite of his sandwich, crumbs immediately decorating his shirt. “After lunch, can we see the sharks again? The big one winked at me.”
“It didn’t wink,” Chris said, stealing a chip from Buck’s container. “It blinked.”
“It winked,” Theo insisted. “At me.”
Chris nudged Theo’s knee. Theo nudged back. Chris stole a grape. Theo stole two.
Eddie just sat there, calm in the storm, handing out napkins and cutting apple slices.
And Buck just enjoyed it. He sat there and enjoyed the company of his three favourite people in the world.
And he dreamed.
He dreamed of a world where he got this every day. Where he woke up in a house with two kids. With the man of his dreams. Where he got to make them pancakes and pack them lunches and kiss them goodbye on the way to work.
He dreamed of marrying Eddie. Of officially staking a claim to the man who took up his every waking thought, and sometimes his dreams too. Of adopting Chris and Theo. Becoming a real family. One on paper and one in his heart.
He was dragged out of his daydream by Eddie nudging his shoulder.
“You okay?” Eddie asked softly. “Where’d you go?”
“Hmm?”
“You looked like you were thinking too hard about something.” Eddie’s brow creased, still checking in. “You okay?”
“Yeah, Eds, I’m okay.” And he was. “I’m really happy, actually. It’s been a great day.”
“Yeah,” Eddie said, a look of quiet awe settling over his face. “It has, hasn’t it?”
Buck didn’t know how long they stared at each other after that. To an outsider, it probably looked weird—two grown men frozen mid‑lunch, eyes locked like they were in a romcom movie. Buck didn’t care. Eddie was nice to look at.
“This feels a little inappropriate with children present,” Chris announced, breaking the spell with all the subtlety of a foghorn.
Eddie jolted. “Jesus, Chris.”
“What? I’m just trying to save innocent eyes from whatever weird flirting you two are doing.” Chris shrugged, unimpressed. “I might be used to it, but others are not.”
Buck went speechless.
Was he that obvious?
God, he hoped Eddie didn’t realise. The last thing he wanted was to ruin the day—or their friendship—by blurting out feelings he had no business confessing.
“Chris,” Eddie said sharply, “eat your chips.”
“Whatever.”
Ah, teenagers. You gotta love them.
They only sat for a few more minutes—Theo was getting antsy, bouncing in place like he had springs in his shoes. Buck made a mental note to get him tested for ADHD, then helped pack up the lunch containers.
Eddie suggested they go find the sea otters next, and Theo agreed with such enthusiastic force that Buck had to laugh. Though honestly, Eddie could suggest eating only vegetables for the rest of their lives, and Theo would probably nod just as eagerly. The kid absolutely adored Eddie—worshipped the ground he walked on.
Like father, like son, or whatever the saying was.
But Buck wasn’t complaining because the sea otters were easily one of Buck’s favourite animals in the entire aquarium. Sure, they were smart and adorable, but really, he loved them because they held hands when they slept. A tiny, perfect fact that warmed his heart every single time he thought about it.
When they arrived at the enclosure, Eddie took Theo to the front to listen to the staff presentation. Buck and Chris had heard it so many times they could probably deliver it themselves, so they hung back, watching two particular otters tumble and splash together.
“Buck,” Chris said, breaking through Buck’s soft little daydream.
“Yeah, kiddo?”
“I think you should tell Dad.”
Buck blinked. “Tell him what?”
Maybe this was about the ice cream Buck had eaten last night and absolutely not replaced.
“That you’re in love with him.”
Buck choked on his own saliva. Hard.
How the hell did Chris know that?
“What—what do you mean? In love? Pshh. No. Not me.”
“Buck, come on. It’s me.” Chris sounded exhausted in the way only a teenager could. “You don’t have to lie.”
Buck swallowed. “How did you know?”
“You’re not exactly subtle.” Chris shrugged. “I see the way you look at him. I’ve grown up with you around. I know how you act.”
“Well, we’re best friends, bud.”
“Yeah, but I don’t act like that with my best friends.”
Buck winced. Fair point.
“Look, Chris… it’s complicated.”
Complicated in the sense that Buck was head‑over‑heels in love with Eddie, and Eddie absolutely did not feel the same way. There was no universe where he did.
“Not really,” Chris said, undeterred. “You love Dad. Dad loves you. Why don’t you just say something?”
“You don’t know that your dad feels the same way,” Buck whispered, terrified Eddie might somehow hear them from across the exhibit. “It’s scary, buddy. I don’t want to lose him by starting something that might not be reciprocated.”
“But Dad does love you,” Chris insisted, firm and certain. “I can see it.”
“Chris…”
“Promise me you’ll at least think about it.”
Buck could do that. He thought about that almost every day anyway.
“I promise.”
“Good. Because I think we could all be really happy together. You, me, Theo, Dad. A big family.”
And yeah… Buck thought that too. More than he should.
“What brought this on, buddy?” Buck asked, genuinely curious.
“The otters.”
“The otters?”
“Yeah. They always reminded me of you and Dad.”
Buck wasn’t sure whether to be flattered or mildly offended. Did he really look like an otter?
“Yeah,” Chris continued, nodding toward the pair floating paw‑in‑paw. “They hold hands so they don’t get lost. They’ve got each other’s backs, even when they’re asleep. Just like you guys.”
Buck felt his throat tighten.
“Yeah, I guess they do.”
He was seconds away from crying in front of the sea otters at the aquarium. Which was absolutely mortifying.
But also… God, he loved those little creatures even more now.
“Come on,” Buck said gently, clearing his throat. “Let’s go catch up to the others.”
Maybe he would tell Eddie. Maybe he could be brave. For Christopher. For the sea otters. And for himself.
— — —
The day ended the way all good days at the aquarium do: with a very long, very expensive trip to the gift shop.
Buck bought Theo two shark plushies—because the kid couldn’t decide and Buck was weak—and he grabbed Chris a sea otter keychain. He picked up a couple of magnets for Eddie too. And if he bought one for himself to match… well, that was between him and God.
He kind of wished he’d gotten the sea otter plushie he’d been eyeing. It was soft and stupidly cute, and he’d stood there holding it for a full minute before putting it back. It was a little out of his budget, and honestly, he felt ridiculous buying a stuffed animal for himself at his age. Even if he wanted it. Even if it reminded him of the conversation with Chris. Even if it reminded him of Eddie.
The drive back to the Diaz house was quiet in that peaceful, end‑of‑a‑big‑day way. Theo fell asleep almost instantly, his new sharks clutched to his chest. Chris texted quietly in the backseat. And Buck… Buck tried to focus on the road and not on the way the sunset framed Eddie’s face in the passenger seat, turning him gold and soft and unfairly beautiful.
When they finally pulled into the driveway, Buck moved slowly, carefully, transferring Theo from the car to the couch. He wasn’t planning on staying the night, but waking Theo up now and trying to get him back down later? He’d have better luck defusing an actual explosive. And he didn’t think Eddie would mind anyway.
Buck found himself in the kitchen under the faint glow of the refrigerator light. He was trying to decide whether he could be bothered to make a smoothie. He was leaning towards no.
He wasn’t alone for long, though. Eddie had shown up, his hands suspiciously behind his back.
“Hey.”
“Hey,” Buck said, eyeing him carefully. “What are you hiding?”
“Nothing.”
“Doesn’t look like nothing, Eds.” Buck was curious. “Come on, show me.”
“Okay.”
Eddie removed his hands from behind his back, and Buck saw it—the sea otter plushie he’d seen earlier. The cute little guy that reminded him of Eddie.
“Eddie, what?”
“I bought him for you. I saw you looking at him, and you bought gifts for everyone but yourself. I figured you deserved something too.” Eddie looked shy.
Buck was holding back tears. Because Eddie had noticed. Eddie had noticed Buck noticing the otter, and he had bought it. He had bought Buck a present for no other reason than just ’cause.
Buck reached out to take the otter from Eddie’s hands.
“Eds…” he was still speechless. “Thank you. Oh my God. I love him.”
Buck gave the otter a squeeze. Then, because he was only human, he pulled Eddie into a hug too.
“Thank you, seriously. You didn’t have to get me anything.”
“I know. I wanted to.” Eddie was blushing. “I like spoiling you. You deserve it.”
“Well, now I feel bad. I didn’t get you anything.” Buck was still cuddling his otter.
“Well, first of all, you did. I can see three new magnets on my fridge.”
Buck just shrugged.
“But I could think of something else you could give me.” The words came out shyly, but they had an effect on Buck either way.
Eddie was closing in on Buck’s space. Buck didn’t mind at all, but his heart was beating out of his chest.
“Oh yeah? And what would that be?” Because Buck was a flirt and Eddie was ridiculously adorable, and he couldn’t help it.
“Kiss me?” Eddie asked. And it was adorably shy.
Buck’s brain went completely blank. He froze on the spot. Because what? Surely he was hallucinating. Eddie Diaz did not just ask Buck to kiss him.
“Or not. It’s okay if you don’t want to. I—I might have misread things. And that’s totally okay—we can just pretend I didn’t say anything,” Eddie rambled.
Eddie’s panic must have rebooted Buck’s brain. Because there was no way he was going to let this opportunity pass.
“Shut up,” he said fondly before grabbing Eddie’s hips and pulling him closer. He barely gave Eddie any time to take a breath before his lips were on him.
Eddie gasped, like even though he was the one to suggest it, he still didn’t expect it.
His lips were soft and warm, and Buck was in heaven. He’d always suspected Eddie would be a good kisser, but actually experiencing it was something else entirely.
Eddie’s hands finally caught up with what was happening and slid up to Buck’s neck, one hand cupping the side of his face.
The kiss was sweet. It was everything Buck had dreamed about and more.
At one point, Buck felt Eddie smile into the kiss and, well, Buck couldn’t help but smile back.
Unfortunately, kissing while smiling is kinda hard, so they both pulled back for air, their foreheads coming to rest together.
“Wow,” was all Buck could come up with.
“Yeah, wow,” Eddie whispered softly.
Eddie placed another small peck on Buck’s lips, and Buck’s heart proceeded to melt.
“I love you, Evan Buckley,” Eddie whispered, eyes not straying from Buck’s. “And I’m sorry it’s taken me this long to say something, but you’re it for me. I never have and never will love someone the way I love you.”
“Eddie…” Buck was struggling for words for the umpteenth time before he realised his response was rather simple. “I love you too.”
“You do?”
“Yeah, of course I do,” Buck said, him placing a small peck on Eddie’s lips this time. “I was worried you didn’t feel the same way.”
“I do. I absolutely do.”
“What made you tell me now?”
“Uh, Theo actually.”
“Theo?”
“Yeah, he told me some things today. When you were busy with Chris.”
“Oh, did he now?”
“Yeah. It was cute, actually. He basically said that he wanted us to be a family, and that I should just say that I love you to your face and it will all be okay. Something about being sick of seeing goo‑goo eyes. Whatever that means. I do believe the word pathetic was thrown around at one point, too.”
“Where did he even learn those things?”
“Chris,” they both said at the same time.
“It’s funny you mention that,” Buck said. “Chris spoke to me today too. Told me something similar. Basically said to get over myself and spit it out already.”
“You think they planned it?” Eddie asked.
“God, probably,” Buck said, dropping his forehead to Eddie’s shoulder. Eddie just wrapped his arms tighter around Buck’s waist. “They are already ganging up on us.”
Eddie just chuckled.
“Hey,” he said, lifting Buck’s chin so they were eye level again. “I really love you.”
“I really love you too.”
And all of a sudden they were kissing again.
Buck slid one hand into Eddie’s hair, and Eddie made this quiet sound against his mouth that nearly killed him on the spot.
“Jesus,” Buck murmured, not even sure if he meant to say it out loud.
Buck’s heartbeat was absolutely out of control. Every place Eddie touched felt warm, electric. Eddie’s thumb brushed along the underside of his jaw while Buck kissed him harder without even realising he was doing it.
And Eddie kissed him right back.
There was nothing hesitant about him anymore.
His hands slid from Buck’s waist up under the hem of his shirt just enough for warm fingertips to brush skin, and Buck inhaled sharply into Eddie’s mouth.
“Buck,” Eddie breathed. He sounded wrecked, and they hadn’t even done much.
Buck licked into Eddie’s mouth like he couldn’t help himself, and Eddie made this soft, wrecked noise that went straight through him.
God.
Buck was done for.
Eddie’s back hit the kitchen counter with a quiet thud as Buck crowded closer, hands gripping Eddie’s waist like he was afraid he might disappear if he let go for even a second. Eddie immediately hooked a leg around Buck’s thigh to pull him nearer, and Buck’s brain practically short-circuited.
Eddie’s fingers slid into Buck’s hair, tugging just enough to make Buck gasp into his mouth. Eddie swallowed the sound with another kiss, deeper this time.
Buck couldn’t think.
All he could process was Eddie.
What finally broke them apart wasn’t the need for air. Though he was in desperate need of that.
It was a very unimpressed voice.
“Seriously?”
Buck pulled back just enough to see Chris standing in the doorway, arms crossed, expression flat.
Eddie jerked away like he’d been caught doing something illegal. “Chris—”
“No, don’t ‘Chris’ me,” he said, stepping fully into the kitchen. “I leave you two alone for five minutes, and you’re already making out next to the fridge.”
Buck’s face went hot. “We weren’t— I mean, we were, but—”
Chris held up a hand. “Please. Spare me the details. I’m already emotionally scarred.”
Eddie groaned. “Oh, my God.”
“I mean, I’m happy for you,” Chris continued, shrugging. “Finally. Took you long enough. Proud of you both and all that. But maybe don’t suck each other’s faces where I get water?”
Eddie buried his face in his hands. Buck tried not to laugh and failed miserably.
Chris paused in the doorway and looked back at them. “Also, Dad? Buck?”
“Yeah?” they both answered.
“Don’t be weird about it now. You’re both disasters when you overthink. I’m really happy, so don’t mess it up.”
Then he disappeared down the hall, leaving them stunned and blushing and trying not to laugh too loudly.
“Wanna go to bed?” Eddie asked once the moment finally settled around them.
“You propositioning me, Diaz?” Buck teased.
“I mean, I just meant to sleep. There are too many little ears around for me to do the things I want to do to you.” Eddie’s blush was instant and deep, and it made Buck’s heart melt in that helpless way it always did.
Buck laughed softly and pressed a kiss to Eddie’s forehead.
“Yeah, okay. That sounds perfect.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.” Buck took Eddie’s wrist and tugged him gently toward the hallway. “I’ll even hold your hand while we sleep.”
“So I don’t drift away?”
“So you don’t drift away.”
Buck laced their fingers together, grabbed his sea otter plushie with his free hand, and let Eddie lead him toward the bedroom—toward his future. One with the man he loved and the family he’d always wanted.