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June 26, 2026 11:59 pm
“It’s your turn, what’re you gonna wish for?” Eddie licks frosting off the base of his ‘4’ candle, replacing it with a fresh ‘5.’
“He can’t say or it won’t come true!” Theo juts in, reaching forward on a mission to swipe his fingers through the frosting.
Buck grabs his wrist just in time, narrowly avoiding a sticky mess. “Exacty, Theo, thank you, it’s a secret.” He playfully narrows his eyes at Eddie from across the table. The warm smile Eddie gives in response is made even warmer by the birthday candles’ light flickering across his face.
“Okay, okay, it’s midnight, you boys ready to sing?” Eddie slides the cake over in front of him. Buck tightens his grip on Theo’s hands.
Chris, Eddie, and Theo do their best to sing in unison. They are, honest to god, trying their very hardest. And that’s what makes it all the more endearing how absolutely awful they are. They’re off-key and off-pace, and Eddie is progressively trying to raise his voice to bring the boys back on track. It’s objectively awful. Buck wouldn’t have it any other way.
It’s perfect. Everything is perfect.
And it’s for that reason, the relative perfectness of his current situation, that Buck has no idea what he’s going to wish for. What more could he possibly want?
But the birthday song is nearing an end and he doesn’t know what he’s going to wish for. And then the song is over and he still doesn’t know. And there Eddie is, smiling wide, gesturing for him to blow out the candles and–
I wish Eddie would love me back.
He blows out the candles.
It’s stupid. It’s stupid and it’s selfish and it’s wrong. Birthday wishes aren’t even real. Thank god. Eddie is straight. And Buck just wished for–
He’s the worst friend ever.
He’s been doing so well, he had thought, at keeping a handle over his emotions, at pushing down the feelings that threaten to blow up this perfect life he’s made for himself.
But these feelings always find a way of bubbling up. When Eddie helps Theo tie his shoes, when Eddie brings his morning coffee at work, and when Buck is faced with the existential question: what do you wish for? It’s Eddie; it’s always going to be Eddie.
Eddie, who is serving Buck a piece of birthday cake. Even when it comes to their birthday cake their lives are intertwined – chocolate cake (Buck’s favorite) with funfetti frosting (Eddie’s favorite).
Buck snaps back into focus, “Not too big a slice, it’s midnight.” Buck widens his eyes, gesturing down to where Theo sits in his lap.
“Come on, it’s our birthday. There are no rules on your birthday,” Eddie smiles, cutting Theo a full-size piece of cake.
As soon as his piece is within reach, Theo dives in with his hands, squealing with delight. Buck resigns himself to an in-depth handwashing before bedtime.
“Wait, I want us to try ours together,” Eddie stops Buck, grabbing his arm where it had been halfway through delivering a bite to his mouth.
“Like at the same time?” Buck asks.
“No, like let’s link arms. It will be fun.” Eddie slides a large bite of cake onto his fork. “To celebrate!”
If Buck had cake in his mouth, he would have choked. “You mean like at a wedding?”
“I mean, I guess,” Eddie shrugs. “Come on, it will be fun!”
Eddie links his arm around where Buck’s is hanging in the air, frozen mid-bite. Eddie nods at him for them to take their bites. In unison. Like at a wedding.
And what choice does Buck have but to comply? “Mmm,” Buck exaggerates his reaction, playing into Eddie’s charade.
Eddie, on the other hand, moans when he takes his bite. “Oh my god, Buck. This cake is insane, your best cake yet. Wow.”
This time Buck does choke a little bit on his cake. “Thanks,” he coughs.
“Dad, can I have more?” Chris asks, already having polished off his piece. It’s approximately 12:03 am.
“It’s late, you can have more tomorrow. It’s not going anywhere overnight.”
“Okay,” Chris groans, pushing his chair out from the table. “I’m gonna go get ready for bed. Happy birthday, Buck. Happy birthday, Dad, from yesterday.”
“Goodnight, Chris, love you,” Eddie calls after as Chris makes his way down the hallway.
Buck turns his attention to Theo, “How’s your cake, buddy?”
“Sooooo yummy,” Theo says through a wide smile that exposes a mouthful of chocolate and rainbow sprinkles.
“It really is delicious, Buck,” Eddie reaches out to touch his forearm. The touch startles him, but Eddie grabs harder, holding him in place and looking in his eye as he continues to layer on compliments. “It’s gotta be the best thing you’ve made so far. I mean, everything you’ve made has been delicious, but this is a whole ‘nother level.” He shoves another bite in his mouth as he speaks.
“Thanks.” Buck doesn’t know what else to say. Ninety percent of his brain capacity is currently wondering why Eddie needs to be gripping his arm to deliver this positive cake feedback.
“No, Buck, thank you,” Eddie’s face turns more serious. “I had a really amazing birthday. Thank you. The dinner you made was incredible. There’s nobody I’d rather spend it with, so thank you for making the time.”
“Yeah, Eddie, of course.” Buck is a bit confused why Eddie is lavishing on such over-the-top thanks when family dinner together is nothing out of the ordinary for them. He doesn’t get much of a chance to ponder because then Theo’s fork is clattering to the floor.
“All done with your cake?” Buck checks in. Theo nods yes, if the plate licked clean in front of him isn’t already answer enough.
Buck gets up from the table, lifting Theo into his arms with an exaggerated grunt. “Alright, let’s get you to bed.”
“I’ll get this picked up,” Eddie gestures to the table, and to the chocolate crumbs surrounding Theo’s plate. “Buck sure did make a mess, huh?” He ruffles Theo’s hair, giving Buck an effortless wink.
‘Thank you,’ Buck mouths back. Eddie simply shrugs.
Buck turns to where Theo is snuggling close in his arms, tired from the late night, “Theo, tell Eddie good night and happy birthday.”
“Happy birthday, Eddie! Good night!” He squeaks. Buck’s heart might melt.
June 27, 2026 12:43 am
Buck tiptoes back into the kitchen, Theo settled in for the night in Chris’ trundle bed. He speaks in a low voice, “You didn’t have to do all the dishes, man, you could have saved some for me.”
“Come on, it’s nothing,” Eddie brushes off the thanks. “Plus it’s your birthday, you shouldn’t have to do dishes on your birthday.”
“You did dishes yesterday on your birthday.”
“Yeah, you cooked.” Eddie places the last dish in the rack, turning to lean his back against the counter.
“It was still your birthday, I could have done them.”
“Well, I wanted to do them. And it was my birthday so I get to do what I want.” Eddie’s eyes glimmer mischievously in the low light of the kitchen.
“Okay, well then now it’s my birthday and I insist on setting up the couch by myself. But you can keep me company while I do.” Buck compromises. They’ve found themselves in some kind of competition to be the most courteous and Buck is going to win, goddamnit.
“Or,” Eddie pauses, swallowing. He breathes for a moment, clenching and unclenching his fist, “why don’t you just share the bed with me? It’s your birthday, I don’t want you sleeping on the couch.”
“Okay,” Buck says after only a short moment of hesitation. Because who is he to turn down the offer of a real bed for the night? He loves Eddie’s couch, but it’s not built for a six-foot-tall man to spend eight horizontal hours on.
“Yeah?” Eddie asks, voice laden with disbelief, and maybe hope.
“Yeah,” Buck nods. “It’s going to be a lot of walking tomorrow at the zoo; I don't need the neck pain.”
“Okay, good,” Eddie smiles, breathing out.
June 27, 2026 1:02 am
“I can feel how tense you are from all the way over here. You need to relax, man,” Eddie rolls over in the bed, turning to face Buck.
“Sorry, I just didn’t want to disturb you.” He rolls over too, to face Eddie in the middle of the bed. The moonlight filters in through the blinds, illuminating them in alternating slats.
Eddie sighs with a bit of a frown, “Bother me? I invited you to be here. I want you to be comfortable.”
“Okay, sorry,” Buck breathes out, finally letting himself relax.
The silence hangs between them, comfortable and routine, as if there could be nothing more natural than falling asleep while staring into Eddie’s eyes.
“Your eyes look really really pretty right now,” Eddie whispers, as if saying it too loud might break something.
“My– what?” Buck doesn't know how he’s supposed to respond.
Eddie looks back at him, eyes wide and earnest. “Just– in the moonlight. I’ve never really seen them like this, or this close.”
Buck swallows, still unsure, “Thanks?”
“I guess I’ve always noticed them, but I never really thought to say anything about it before. But you are– or– they are. They’re really pretty; they’re so blue. I especially notice them in the sun, they look all clear and shiny, like glass,” Eddie muses. “I guess they look good in the moon too.”
“Uh, um– thanks, Eddie,” Buck stumbles over his words. “Yours too.”
At that, Eddie cracks a smile, wide and warm, reaching out to run a hand down Buck’s arm, “good night, man, happy birthday.”
Eddie closes his eyes, settling in to go to bed. He doesn't roll back over. Neither does Buck.
June 27, 2026 8:17 am
Buck wakes up to soft sunlight beaming in through the blinds, and to a warm press on his back, and his side, and his neck, and his front. He slowly realizes – in a bizarre combination of wonder and abject horror – that the warmth is Eddie. And that Eddie is spooning him. Currently.
Shit.
He sucks in a sharp breath, then freezes – the sudden change in breathing pattern might wake Eddie. He lets the breath out very slowly, carefully controlling his movement while he thinks about the best course of action.
Eddie’s embrace is like one of those anxiety vests people give their dogs during thunderstorms. Buck would probably be brave enough to face anything, if only Eddie would hold him like this.
But, as cozy as the Eddie-cocoon is, Buck needs to make a plan to extricate himself ASAP. If Eddie were to wake up and discover the position they had drifted into last night, he would be mortified. Eddie might worry that he had made Buck uncomfortable, or that Buck would get the wrong idea. Or even worse, Eddie would be uncomfortable himself. Eddie is straight. The last thing he wants is to wake up cuddling with another man.
Buck has a plan, starting with slowly peeling off the arm that’s slung around his waist. Holding his breath, he moves like a snail, lifting Eddie’s arm as slow as he can manage.
With a few more inches of lifting, he’ll have the clearance to move his body. Just as he’s about to slip free, Eddie stirs.
Eddie drops his arm back down onto Buck, splaying his palm across his chest and pulling him in close, even closer than before. He adjusts his head too, doing what can only be described as nuzzling himself into Buck’s neck. Like a cat.
Buck stills, body going tense. He shifts his position slightly as he breathes out, trying to regain some of the wiggle room he had before.
But this movement must be too much, too sudden, because Eddie shifts again. This time with intention; Buck can feel it. He feels Eddie’s head lift up off the crook of his neck, looking around the room and talking stock of their position.
Eddie sighs, laying his head back down and tightening his embrace once more – just for a moment – before pushing back off on Buck and sitting himself up in the bed.
“Good morning, Buck,” Eddie’s voice is a bit scratchy. There’s something warm and intimate to it, that these are the first words he’s said today. That his voice hasn’t had the chance to warm up yet. That, at least for today, Buck is the only one who gets to hear Eddie like this.
Buck is the only one who gets to see Eddie like this too. And what a sight it is to behold, Buck takes in the view as he, now free to move at will, props himself up, turning to face Eddie. His hair is messier than he ever allows it to be during the day. It’s a lighter brown than usual – if that's even possible. His eyes are so soft, his expression content. Peaceful. That’s how he would describe this Eddie.
Eddie looks so peaceful. It’s unfair that the stress of life strips Eddie of this peace. Eddie deserves to always have this much peace. Buck rues that he is so rarely able to look at this version of Eddie. He’s trying not to blink, doing his best to maximize his time spent in this moment.
Eddie tips his lips into a slight smile, looking down towards Buck, “Sorry. If you were uncomfortable waking up like that.”
“No no no, not at all,” Buck rushes to correct. “I mean, we were asleep, so it doesn’t really mean anything. Don’t worry, I didn’t mind.”
“Good,” Eddie’s smile deepens. He drops his hand onto Buck’s shoulder and, just, lets it rest there, his thumb lightly rubbing back and forth across his skin.
And, it’s not that this isn’t nice. This moment with Eddie is precious. He doesn’t want to do anything to disturb it; if the glass shatters, he may never be able to get this back. But. It’s just. Buck isn’t quite sure what is happening to him. Or why this is happening to him.
He thought for sure that Eddie waking up to them cuddling in bed would induce some sort of mood-ruining gay panic, but it seems rather the opposite. Eddie seems to be almost reveling in this moment.
Buck looks back up into Eddie’s eyes. Eddie doesn’t seem to be blinking either.
“Okay!” Eddie claps his hands together. “The giraffes aren’t going to feed themselves.”
June 27, 2026 11:34 am
“Look!” Theo’s call is loud enough to catch the attention of everyone in the pavilion. “He licked my hand!”
“He sure did! Do you want to give him another one?” Eddie grabs another piece of lettuce out of the bucket, passing it to Theo where he rests in his arms.
“That’s super cool, Theo!” Buck adds, snapping a million photos that will take up all of his phone storage but that he will never delete, ever.
“Buck, take one of me with this one!” Chris calls from over Buck’s shoulder. He turns around just in time to get the money shot of the giraffe’s long blue tongue reaching out to wrap around the lettuce Chris is offering.
Chris smiles wide, reaching to grab another leaf. Buck can’t imagine any better way to spend his birthday.
“How old are they?” Theo, ever-curious, asks Eddie. Buck turns back around to take in the adorable scene playing out.
“Hmm, I don’t know, how about we ask–,” Eddie narrows his eyes, reading the zookeeper’s nametag, “Blair!”
Eddie directs his attention to the zookeeper, “Blair, how old is this giraffe here?”
“Zainabu here is 14, and over there your brother is feeding Phillip, he’s also around 14 years old,” Blair the zookeeper points Theo’s attention over to where Chris is still feeding his giraffe.
“Wow! That’s super cool, Theo. These giraffes are older than you! Can you believe that?” Eddie smiles at Blair as he asks.
“This one is my favorite!” Theo points his finger out towards Zainabu.
“Zainabu is one of my favorites too, but don’t tell the others,” Blair lowers her voice to a whisper. “Her and Phillip are the parents to two of our younger calves here.”
“That’s so cool, Theo, why don’t you tell the friendly zookeeper thank you for her help,” Eddie turns his hip so Theo is facing towards Blair.
“Thank you!” Theo and Eddie speak in unison.
“You two have such a beautiful family,” Blair turns to include Buck in the conversation.
It’s like a record scratch in his brain. Buck steps closer, ‘oh no, it’s not like that’ on the tip of his tongue, but Eddie beats him to the punch.
“Thank you,” he doesn’t miss a beat, smiling. He extends an arm to wrap around Buck’s waist, pulling him closer. “We’re very lucky.”
And Buck, well he probably looks pretty crazy right now. Jaw slack, body tense, his brain is buffering as it tries to process what just happened in front of him. Eddie pinches him where his hand is resting on his hip.
“Thank you!” Buck blurts unceremoniously.
Blair simply smiles. “Well, I hope you four have a great rest of your day here at the zoo. And happy birthday.” She gestures down to the LA Zoo branded ‘It’s My Birthday!’ pin clipped onto Buck’s shirt, before turning around to help another guest refill their lettuce.
“Dad, can we go see the elephants next?” Chris' voice cuts through the noise still bouncing around in his head.
“Elephants!” Theo agrees.
Eddie sets Theo down and Theo runs over to Chris, the two of them leading the way to the elephant exhibit as Buck and Eddie follow from behind. (Well, Chris is the one leading the way. The kid knows the zoo like the back of his hand. Theo, on the other hand, is following Chris’ every step. To Theo, Chris is the coolest person ever.)
Once they’re alone, Buck is quick to turn to Eddie, “You didn’t need to say that back there to the zookeeper.”
“Huh?” Eddie seems genuinely confused about what Buck is getting at.
“Saying we’re a couple,” Buck clarifies. “You don’t need to say that. You could have told her we’re just friends or whatever.”
“Well, first of all, we’re best friends,” Eddie pokes him in the bicep. “Don’t discredit me. But also,” Eddie continues, “it’s just easier, I don’t mind.”
“Yeah, but Eddie, you’re straight,” Buck helpfully reminds. “I’m sure you don’t want people getting the wrong idea.”
Eddie sighs, his mouth dropping into what could almost be a frown. He looks over to make direct eye contact as he continues, “I mean it, Buck, I don't mind. It’s just easier. I mean, look at the four of us, what would anyone think? It’s not a big deal. It’s just what makes sense.”
“You seriously don’t care if people assume we’re a couple?”
“Seriously,” Eddie nods. “But what I don’t understand is why you’re so against it. You’d think someone would be flattered if the world thought they could pull me.” Eddie flexes his biceps, posing like an exaggerated body builder.
“Fuck you, I’m hot too,” Buck rolls his eyes, smiling.
“Yeah. You are,” Eddie’s tone is far too genuine for the moment. “That’s why it’s a pleasure for people to think you’re my boyfriend. We’d look good together.”
Buck’s mouth goes dry. He really regrets not buying that $6 bottle of water at the pretzel stand. He coughs.
Eddie hits him on the back to help with the cough, and, after a moment or two, sliding to wrap around his shoulder and rub for a moment before dropping back down to his side.
“Dad, look how many elephants are out right now! They’re all over there in the water!” Chris yells out from ahead, breaking the silence that hung in the air between Buck and Eddie.
They catch up to where the boys are clinging to the railing, leaning forwards to get as good a look as they can at the group of elephants.
“In all the times we’ve gone to the zoo, I don’t think I’ve ever seen them this active,” Eddie muses. “Buck, let’s take a picture!”
Before he can even process what’s happening, Eddie is pulling Buck to his side and wrapping his arm tight around his shoulder, pressing their faces together as he angles the camera to take a selfie with the elephants. Eddie snaps several photos with his thumb before removing his arm from Buck to review the results.
“Ugh no, we need to retake them,” Eddie complains, plopping his phone in his pocket as he spins Buck so they’re standing face to face, mere inches apart. “Your hair was covering your birthmark,” he pouts, reaching forward to swipe the offending hair out of the way.
Eddie leans forward, focusing his attention on Buck’s birthmark; his lips are directly in his eyeline. Buck can’t help but look at the scar that adorns his bottom lip. It’s hard to notice from afar, but this close, it’s all that Buck can see. He notices the way it moves as Eddie presses his lips together in determination. The urge comes over him to reach out and swipe his thumb over it, to feel it for himself (the type of urge he’s become well-versed in suppressing).
“Okay, good.” Eddie drops off of his tiptoes, adjusting to look at Buck straight-on. “You look perfect,” Eddie nods.
Buck stares into Eddie’s eyes as they rove all over his face, stopping at each eye, taking extra time to admire his now-visible birthmark, and then dropping to his lips. Wait, no. He must have imagined that one. Because now Eddie is looking back into his eyes. Not that that’s any better for Buck’s rapidly increasing heart rate.
Right eye, left eye, extra pause at the birthmark, lips. This time it’s undeniable. Eddie’s gaze rests… there. For three, four, five seconds before he shakes his head, as if he were attempting to knock a thought loose.
“Okay, pictures,” Eddie declares, pulling Buck back into the same pose, quickly taking a few more pictures, then pocketing his phone and turning his attention to the boys.
Buck is frozen in place, head spinning. Because why the fuck was Eddie just looking at his lips? Or saying they would look good together as a couple. And that’s only what’s happened at the zoo. Buck still hasn’t even begun to unpack them sharing Eddie’s bed last night, or how they woke up. And what’s with all the compliments? All the touching?
If Buck didn’t know better, he would think Eddie was flirting with him. But Eddie is straight, so that isn’t possible. And they’re just friends. Best friends. Maybe it’s just the joy of celebrating their birthdays that has Eddie acting so… different.
“Look, it’s one of the elephant’s birthdays today too! Buck, you and Billy have the same birthday!” Chris excitedly points to the plaque on the railing.
“We should have brought him some of our leftover cake, he probably feels so left out,” Eddie moves closer to the railing to observe the elephants for himself.
“Woah!” Theo squeals when one of the elephants blows water out of its trunk, spraying itself with water.
“With those big trunks, an elephant could probably blow out like a thousand candles at once, what do you think?” Eddie crouches down, asking Theo.
“Actually, elephants’ trunks are primarily for inhaling water,” Buck jumps in. It’s important that Theo knows the truth. He is not going to raise a kid on elephant misinformation.
Eddie looks up to meet Buck’s eye, smile spreading across his face as he stands up with a warm sigh. “I love you, man,” Eddie knocks their shoulders before turning to help lift Theo up to see over the railing.
Buck is about to have a medical emergency. If the constant flirting not-flirting wasn’t disorienting enough, now Eddie is saying he loves him before turning around and carrying on like normal. Like he didn’t just say he loves Buck. And Buck loves him too, of course he does. But it’s not something they ever say. And for some reason, Eddie has chosen now, at the elephant exhibit of the LA zoo, to break their eight year streak of unspoken understanding.
Through the noise, he hears Eddie’s voice, “So I guess that means elephants only get one birthday wish, just like us.”
Oh no.
The birthday wish.
In a moment of weakness, Buck had wished for Eddie to love him back. Romantically. (He hadn’t included that part in the wish, but it was well implied.)
And ever since then, Eddie has been complimenting his eyes and spooning him and looking at his lips and telling him he loves him.
The evidence is clear. There is only one logical conclusion: the birthday wish turned Eddie gay.
Fuck.
June 27, 2026 4:07 pm
Buck is distracted. Understandably so.
From the passenger seat of the car, he continues to scour the internet for tips on how to undo a birthday wish. He hasn’t found much yet, but at lunch he did bookmark one promising psychic in Studio City he plans to follow up on when they get home.
He’s currently way too deep into a Reddit thread on undoing hexes. He’s not confident that wishes follow the same rules as hexes, but he’s still in the information gathering phase. He’s so absorbed in his phone that he doesn’t notice that Eddie is driving the wrong way home.
He does notice, however, when Eddie parks the car in front of the wrong house – Hen and Karen’s house.
“Eddie? Why are we here?” Buck looks around in confusion.
“Chris and Theo are going to hang out with Denny and Mara tonight, aren’t you?” Eddie directs his answer to the backseat of the car, ducking his head to wave at Karen through the passenger seat window.
She makes her way to the car, leaning through the passenger window. “Hi boys! Ready for movie night?” She asks.
Chris and Theo smile and greet Karen as they unclip their seatbelts and make their way out and onto the lawn.
Karen hangs back for a moment as Hen welcomes the boys inside, waving from the porch. “Have a nice dinner, you two. Happy birthday, Buck. You too, Eddie.” She looks between them, smiling before turning back to head inside.
“Thanks,” Buck says, far too quiet for Karen to hear from halfway across the lawn. He’s still about thirty seconds behind on what’s currently happening.
“Okay, let’s go home and change,” Eddie puts the car in reverse, pulling out. He says it casually, as if Buck has any idea what the hell he is referring to.
“Eddie, what are you talking about, change for what?”
Eddie rests his hand on Buck’s forearm. “For dinner. The restaurant is a surprise, though. Happy birthday, Buck.” Eddie gives his arm a quick squeeze before returning his hand to the wheel.
June 27, 2026 7:53 pm
Dinner, all things considered, is relatively normal. The conversation is easy, the silences are comfortable, and Buck is basking in having Eddie’s full and complete attention. It’s not much different than any other meal they share together. This one is just considerably fancier and more expensive.
Eddie surprised him with the tasting menu at Laboratoire. Buck has been dying to try this place for ages, ever since they put out that kitchen fire here last November. But at $150 per person, he could never really justify eating here.
Eddie brushes off Buck’s concerns about the price, though, even insisting that they both get the accompanying wine pairings because ‘I’m paying. It’s your birthday and I want to celebrate you.’
Buck secretly plans to pay Eddie back for the entire meal, however. As if the words of affirmation and physical touch weren’t overwhelming enough, the effects of the wish have now expanded into Eddie gifting Buck lavish dinners. And it’s not fair to let his best friend go broke because of some magical wish-spell.
(Distantly, Buck remembers that reservations fill up for this restaurant weeks in advance.)
Buck is trying to keep things casual, platonic, but the wish-magic that is working over Eddie seems to only be getting stronger as the night goes on. Buck wonders if the alcohol is worsening the effects of the wish. He didn’t read anything about alcohol exacerbating magic during his research today, but that’s the type of thing that just makes sense. He might have to make his own post on r/spells about this new discovery.
They’re three courses in. Two remain.
Eddie keeps inching his hand closer to where Buck’s rests on the table. Buck keeps inching his back.
“So!” Buck blurts, hoping his sudden interjection might halt Eddie’s approach. “I was thinking, maybe tomorrow we go get a crystal cleanse? It’s supposed to be good for you, you know? It removes any impure energy that may be impairing you. It would be nice to get a reset for our birthdays. Fresh start, right?”
Eddie’s eyebrows raise over the rim of his sauvignon blanc. “Crystal cleanse? I mean, you can go, sure, but I think I’ll sit this one out. Plus, my energy feels pretty pure these days,” he shrugs.
“Are you sure?” Buck fires back. “Sometimes it can be hard to tell. You could be cursed and not even realize. Better safe than sorry!”
“Curse? You know I don’t believe in that stuff Buck. What’s going on?”
“Nothing, I just thought it could be fun!” Buck lies. “Eddie, I really think–”
The arrival of their next course cuts off his opportunity to argue his point further. He’ll have to circle back to this.
Eddie eagerly dives into his next course. “Oh my god,” he moans around his fork, nudging his plate across the table. “You need to try this.”
Buck complies, spearing a bite of Chilean sea bass. It really is delicious. The whole meal has been fantastic. He swallows, pushing his lamb towards Eddie, “Try some of mine too.”
Eddie smiles, cutting himself a piece.
The sommelier, Mariah, comes by with their next wine. “For your sea bass, a white burgundy chardonnay, 2018 vintage,” she pours Eddie’s glass. Uncorking the second bottle, she turns to Buck, “And for your lamb chop, we have our pinot noir, also from Burgundy, a 2020 vintage.”
Buck brings the glass to his lips, tasting the deep red liquid. “Wow,” he turns to Mariah, “This is incredible.”
“Yes, this pinot noir is actually my favorite wine we offer here.” Redirecting her attention towards Eddie, she continues, “It really is fantastic, you should ask your boyfriend for a sip.”
Eddie smiles, opening his mouth to respond, but Buck is faster, "Actually we aren’t together.” Before he can stop himself, “Eddie is straight.”
“Oh. I’m so sorry, my apologies,” Mariah grabs the bottles before hastily scurrying away from their table.
Eddie turns to him with a frown, “What was that for?”
“I didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable having to lie again, Eddie.”
“Yeah, but I told you earlier that it doesn’t make me uncomfortable. You’re the one who just made it weird,” Eddie’s pout deepens.
“It’s wrong of her to assume that type of stuff; she could easily be making someone uncomfortable,” Buck defends.
“Does it make you uncomfortable?” His voice wavers. “The idea of us being together?”
“What?” Buck is taken aback, “Eddie, no, it’s not like that at all. I just didn’t want anyone getting the wrong idea.”
“Because you’ve been acting weird since the zoo, ever since I didn’t correct the zookeeper,” Eddie speaks quickly, like his train of thought might fall apart if he stops to take a breath. “You’ve been distant all afternoon.”
Buck tries to shake his head no, to insist that Eddie could not be more wrong, but Eddie barrels on, voice dropping to a whisper, “Have I been making you uncomfortable?”
“Eddie, no,” Buck reaches forward, grabbing Eddie’s hand where it rests in the middle of the table. “This has been the best birthday ever. And I mean that. Spending the day with you, Chris, and Theo is the best birthday I have ever had. Ever. Thank you for all that you did to make it so special.” He punctuates the thought with a squeeze, continuing, “And I’m sorry I was weird to the sommelier. I just didn’t want you to feel like you had to lie for my sake.”
Eddie smiles, repositioning his hand so he can squeeze back. “Okay, I’m sorry I got in my head. I’ve just been having a really great time with you today, and I really wanted it to be a good day for you too. I’m glad it has been. Happy birthday.”
There’s something about the way Eddie wishes him a happy birthday, the way he’s been doing all day. Usually ‘happy birthday’ feels like no more than a limited-time-only variation of ‘good morning,’ but today, when Eddie says it, it feels a lot more like ‘I love you.’
Which– shit– reminds him. “Thanks, Eddie,” Buck pulls back his hand, grabbing his wine glass for another sip. “Did you see that church across the street when we were getting dropped off here? Maybe after dinner we could go splash some holy water on ourselves.”
Eddie barks out a laugh in disbelief, before looking up to meet Buck’s eyes and– “Holy shit, you're serious.”
Buck nods in response.
“No, I do not want to do that, Buck. No, I do not want to end this perfect day by going to a church and splashing holy water on myself. Why do you even want to do that?” Eddie laughs. “I would do anything for you, man, but you’ve been asking for some weird stuff tonight.”
“Okay, maybe another night,” Buck concedes. And after meeting Eddie’s intimidating eye, revises: “Okay, maybe never.”
(If Buck plans to return to the church tomorrow and fill a vial with holy water, well, what he plans to do with that water is nobody’s business.)
The rest of dinner continues without much fanfare. They each get a scoop of pistachio gelato for dessert, and split a sticky date cake brought over for Buck’s birthday (that, regrettably, does not come with a candle – thwarting his plans of a takesies-backsies wish).
June 27, 2026 9:12 pm
The door locks behind them with a thud, the house dark and cool in contrast to the heat that still lingers outside as night settles in.
Eddie makes his way into the kitchen; Buck follows.
Eddie opens the tupperware on the counter, slicing himself a piece of cake.
“Dude, I have no idea how you could possibly have room for cake right now. I am so stuffed from that dinner.”
“Not even a little piece? Your birthday is almost over,” Eddie argues. “It’s your last chance to celebrate.”
“No way,” Buck shakes his head. “But I’ll watch you eat yours.”
The silence is comfortable, peaceful. Eddie eats his slice of cake.
Buck scrolls through his phone, smiling at the memories of the day. Chris feeding a giraffe. Theo with a massive ice cream cone that only half made it into his stomach (the other half covering his face and hands). The two of them sticking their faces into those of two meerkats in one of those posters-with-a-head-cut-out at the zoo. (Do those things have an official name? He’ll have to look it up later.)
Eddie’s plate clinks as he sets it in the sink. Buck puts away his phone.
“I had a great time with you today,” Eddie breaks the silence, speaking slowly, carefully. “I really hope you had as good a day as I did. I hope you had a great birthday.”
“I did, it was a great day,” Buck responds.
“Good. You deserve it,” Eddie takes a step closer, then another, halving the distance between them.
“I hope your birthday was good too,” Buck’s voice feels small, this moment between them feels huge.
“It was a great birthday, I loved the lasagna you made,” he takes another step closer. “But do you want to know a secret?”
“What?” Buck’s voice is barely audible. Eddie definitely just glanced down at his lips. Not even just a glance – he lingered.
“I enjoyed your birthday more, because I got to spend the whole day with you,” one more step forward.
They couldn’t be more than a foot apart now. And Eddie is looking at his lips again and Buck can feel him shift on his feet as he starts to lean–
“Eddie, stop!” Buck steps to the left, putting distance between the two of them
“Buck–” Eddie starts, eyes wide.
“Eddie, you need to stop, you don’t know what you’re doing.”
Eddie laughs – it’s a wet, weak thing, “Come on, Buck, I’m not that drunk.”
“No, not that.” Buck swallows, “the curse.”
“The curse?” Eddie takes a step back in confusion. “What are you talking about?”
“Okay, it’s not really a curse,” Buck scrambles, searching for a way to explain. “Eddie, this is so embarrassing.” He buries his face in his hands.
“Buck, come on,” Eddie steps forward, pulling his hands away, “Just tell me.”
Well, here goes the rest of Buck’s dignity. “Last night, when I blew out my birthday candle, and I made a wish?”
Eddie nods, waiting for him to continue.
“Well, and this is so stupid and I’m sorry, and I wasn’t thinking. But I didn’t know what to wish for and I panicked. And, well, I saw you across the table, and I wished for you to love me back.” Eddie’s eyes widen, but Buck just barrels on, determined to finish his thought before he loses the nerve. “And it was just stupid and I didn’t think anything of it but then all day you were touching me and complimenting me and buying me dinner and now you’re trying to kiss me! Eddie, I feel so awful; my wish turned you gay!”
Eddie opens his mouth, but Buck continues, “I’m so so sorry because I know you’re straight and I know it’s fucked up but I did a lot of research and I think I know how to undo it if you just let me try. I can undo it. I’m so sorry, Eddie, please don’t hate me.”
Buck takes a big breath in, then exhaling, choosing to inspect the coffee maker rather than face his fate in Eddie’s eyes.
“Buck,” Eddie brings a hand to his shoulder, waiting for Buck to meet his eyes before continuing, “I don’t hate you. I could never hate you.”
“But my wish, I made you gay. I basically manipulated you in–”
“Buck, stop,” Eddie instructs, “Breathe.”
Once Buck’s breath returns to a more steady pace, he continues.
“Wishes aren’t real.”
“But–” Buck protests.
“Your wish didn’t ‘turn me gay.’”
“But all day, the flirting,” Buck argues. “Eddie, you were about to kiss me! That’s not very straight!”
“Buck, your wish didn’t turn me gay. Because I was already gay.” Eddie nods, eyes wide in anticipation.
“Eddie, what? No… you’re straight.”
“I’m really not, Buck. I’ve been gay… since always, I guess,” Eddie reflects. “But it took me a while to realize it, and then to come to terms with it. But, I’m telling you now: I’m gay.”
“But if you were already gay, why did you only start flirting with me today, after my wish?” The facts of the story still aren’t quite adding up, “What did you wish for?”
Eddie takes a deep breath, letting his hand slide down Buck’s arm, taking his hand in his, “I wished to be braver, to stop hiding how I felt. About my sexuality.” Eddie sucks in a breath, “And about being in love with you.”
Buck’s breath hitches, “Eddie, what do you mean?”
“I love you, Buck. And I’m tired of pretending like I’m not, so I wished that I would stop pretending, and that I would stop hiding from myself. I didn’t want to live another year in fear of who I am and how I feel.”
Eddie loves Buck. Eddie is in love with Buck. If he thinks about the fact that Eddie just confessed his love for him, Buck is going to pass out. So, instead, he considers, “That’s not really a wish, though, that’s more of a resolution.”
Eddie laughs, piercing the tension that hangs between them, “Do you really want to debate the semantics right now, or do you want to kiss me?”
And to that, Buck doesn’t answer, he just moves.
Their lips meet in the middle, immediately parting to make space for the other.
The kiss is overwhelmingly sweet. Eddie tastes like vanilla frosting and kisses like Buck is something precious.
His hands track up and down Buck’s sides, slightly shaking as they settle on his hips. Buck lets his left hand rake through Eddie’s hair, breaking through the gel Eddie had so carefully applied. His right hand rests on Eddie’s neck, thumb caressing his jaw as their lips slide together.
They pull back for a moment, resting their foreheads against one another as they breathe.
“I love you too, you know?” Buck whispers into the air between them.
“I know,” Buck can feel his smile as he leans back in to resume the kiss.
This kiss is just as gentle, just as caring, but far more intense. Buck parts his lips with a moan as Eddie slips his tongue between them. Eddie snakes his arms further around Buck’s waist, pulling their bodies flush together. Eddie walks him backwards until he’s leaning against the counter, holding him in place as he continues to press into him.
They move together slowly, just kissing for the sake of kissing, unhurried and without any agenda.
After an indeterminate amount of time, Eddie pulls away from the kiss, leaving Buck with a peck on the corner of his mouth.
He checks his watch, “We have an hour until the kids get dropped off, if you want to watch the next episode of that sea turtle documentary?”
And Buck, kiss drunk and head-over-heels in love, has no choice but to nod yes, and let Eddie lead him by his hand to the couch.
They settle on the couch next to each other, and as Buck pulls up the documentary, Eddie curls into his side, resting his head over his shoulder.
As the documentary starts, Eddie pulls Buck’s arm over to rest around his shoulders, turning his head to press a kiss into his palm and whispering another ‘I love you’ and ‘happy birthday.’
Relaxing on the couch like this, with his arm around Eddie’s shoulder and Eddie tucked into his side, well, Buck can’t think of a more perfect way to end this perfect day.
Ten minutes into the episode, when Eddie climbs into his lap, runs his hands through his hair, and they make out for the rest of the hour, Buck revises his answer on the most perfect ending for his birthday.