Archive of Our Own

Eddie can’t remember the last time he was this nervous.

It’s not that it’s his first Pride Month since coming out. It’s also not the fact that he’s currently walking down Main Street hand-in-hand with his boyfriend. 

Really, it’s all the fault of the heavy, burning presence pressing against his thigh.

It's crazy, really.

But…is it?

He's been going back and forth about it ever since the idea popped into his head, ever since Buck secured tickets for them for Pride Night at Disneyland.

Sometimes, it seems like the perfect plan. Sometimes, he thinks he's completely lost his mind.

Mostly, he really wants his brain to stop spiraling so he can enjoy this night with his boyfriend.

"So you've really never been here for a Pride Nite before?" Eddie asks, just so he can focus on literally anything other than the crushing weight in his pocket.

"Nope! They're pretty new, and tickets are hard to come by." Buck squeezes Eddie's hand. "Plus, I didn't really have anyone I wanted to go with before."

Eddie takes in Buck's shy smile, the way his tongue pokes out behind his teeth, how his bright blue eyes squint against the midday sun.

He's so gorgeous it makes Eddie's head spin.

"Well, if all goes well, maybe we can do this every year."

"Yeah?" Buck's eyes widen with hope, and Eddie's heart melts.

"Yeah."

Buck leans over and presses a quick peck to Eddie's cheek. It's simple, something they've done hundreds of times by now, and yet—even after months together—it sparks something deep inside Eddie, a flutter of butterflies that warms him from the inside.

Gently, Buck guides Eddie into the Emporium, and the burst of air conditioning is a welcome reprieve from the burning sun outside.

They'd spent a good portion of the downtime during their last shift roughly planning their day. Sure, they have annual passes now, so they go to Disneyland all the time, but they still wanted to have a plan so they could make the most out of their first special event together.

First on the agenda was to take a look at the Pride Nite merchandise in the shops on Main Street while the crowds that aren't staying for the event trickle out.

Buck leads Eddie over to the Pride merchandise—a careful arrangement of shirts, hats, mugs, and pins all adorned with bright rainbows and vibrant patterns.

Eddie watches as Buck immediately zeros in on a baseball hat. It's simple—black, with the word "LOVE" written across it in big, bold letters. The "O", though, is a rainbow Mickey.

"You should get that."

Buck looks up at Eddie with wide eyes, as if he wasn't expecting him to say anything.

"Yeah?" he asks, turning back to the hat in front of him.

"Yeah," Eddie confirms. "It suits you."

"Y'know…" Buck straightens and puts the hat on—backwards, for some reason. "I used to rock this look a lot."

"Oh did you?"

"Mhm." The smug smile gracing Buck's face is, unfortunately, incredibly endearing. "Back in my Buck 1.0 days."

"Y'know…" Eddie should stop himself. He shouldn't say what he's thinking; they're in a very public place. A family-friendly public place. He leans in to whisper in Buck's ear anyway. "I've heard an awful lot about this Buck 1.0. And yet…I never got the chance to see him in action. Shame."

When he leans back, he has the satisfaction of witnessing Buck's eyes darken and cheeks flush a beautiful shade of pink. Eddie likes to think he's gotten pretty good at uno-reversing on Buck when he finds himself flustered by him.

Because really, it's not fair.

Buck just goes around looking like that and Eddie has to deal with it.

"Get the hat, Buck."

Buck loops the hat onto his finger and turns back to the stand of merchandise next to them, very pointedly not looking at Eddie.

Satisfied, Eddie peruses the items himself, seeing if anything stands out to him.

"You gonna get the ears?" Buck asks after a few minutes, watching as Eddie rifles through the rack of rainbow ears in front of him.

Normally, he would. In fact, it has sort of become a tradition for him to get a pair of ears to mark special occasions and wear them around the parks. So far, he's garnered a pretty impressive collection that he treasures very dearly.

But he doesn't want ears today.

Or at least, not right now. Not yet.

He'll definitely want some at some point, what with this being their first Pride Nite at Disneyland, but he spent so long making sure his hair looked just right before they left, perfecting it for…reasons. He doesn't want to mess it up.

And he can't exactly explain that to Buck.

"Hmm." He makes a show of contemplating whether or not he wants the ears in front of him. "I'm not sure. Like, I'm not sure these are the ones, ya know?"

Buck does know, actually; he's seen first-hand just how particular Eddie is about his ears.

"There might be different ones in other stores," he suggests. "We can always check those out at some point."

"Yeah?" Eddie turns to look at him, to make sure he really means it, that it's not just something he's saying. The sincerity is written all over his face.

"Yeah, of course. We've got plenty of time."

Buck has no idea how badly Eddie hopes that's true.

Eddie can't stop looking at Buck.

They're walking through the castle, it's golden hour, and yet…he only has eyes for Buck.

The way his blue eyes sparkle in the setting sun, his unruly curls poking out from beneath his backwards cap (which should look objectively ridiculous but instead is just incredibly hot to Eddie)—there's nothing in this world that he'd rather look at right now.

Which does indeed mean he almost runs into a small child while they make their way to their first ride of the evening. He doesn't, but it's a close call. Disneyland really isn't a great place to lose track of your surroundings.

They don't usually go on the carousel, considering there are so many other things to do while at Disneyland, but the line is short, and they agree that it'd be a good way to pass some time while the crowds thin out before the pride event starts.

They hop on, choosing to sit on one of the benches so they're side-by-side and can talk while they're slowly moving around in a circle on a ride that definitely never makes either of them nauseous. Eddie laces their fingers together between them, and Buck leans in so they're pressed together. It may be warm, considering it's the middle of June in Southern California, but Eddie wouldn't have it any other way.

"I'm so glad we decided to do this."

Eddie hums in agreement, his mind wandering elsewhere. The carousel keeps spinning, and the music playing through the speakers is soothing as he leans his head against Buck's shoulder, content to stay like this for as long as he can.

"Do you ever think about the future?"

Eddie's stomach swoops and he blinks. Oh boy, does he.

He doesn't want to assume he knows what Buck's talking about, though.

"Sometimes, yeah," Eddie admits. "Why? What do you think about?"

Buck makes a small noise and rubs his thumb back and forth across the back of Eddie's hand.

"I think about us, and Chris…" He trails off, trying to sound casual, but Eddie can tell there's something more he's not saying.

"What else?"

"I dunno…"

"Yeah, you do, Buck. Tell me," Eddie pleads softly. He gives Buck's hand a soft, reassuring squeeze, making sure the weight of his head on his shoulder is an anchoring presence. They've always been able to tell each other anything, and he wants Buck to remember that.

"Do you…" Buck clears his throat. "Do you ever think that Chris is like…maybe…lonely? As an only child?"

Eddie blinks. That's not where he thought this conversation was heading. That's also not something he's thought about in a while, really. Years, even.

Does he think Chris is lonely? No, not really. He has a lot of friends, and his social calendar is always full. But also…

"I mean…I definitely don't think he'd mind a younger brother or sister, if that's what you're thinking about," Eddie states casually, as if he's commenting on the weather.

Buck shifts on the bench next to him, and Eddie picks his head up off his shoulder, turning to look at the man next to him. He's greeted by sparkling, wide blue eyes filled with hope and love. The expression on Buck's face makes Eddie's heart squeeze in his chest.

"Really? You think so?"

"Yeah, really."

The ride slows down to a stop, and Buck presses a quick kiss to Eddie's hand before they walk off the carousel, hands remaining intertwined.

Eddie secretly hopes that this is only the first important conversation they have tonight and not the last.

They walk hand-in-hand through the crowds making their way out of the park much like fish swimming upstream, going further into the park towards their next ride. An all-too-familiar tune reaches Eddie's ears, and he can't help the smirk that crosses his face.

He points a thumb over his shoulder as they pass Buck's old nemesis.

"How about we ride the teacups?"

Buck groans, rolling his eyes lightheartedly. "You say that every time. You're never gonna let me live that down, are you?"

Eddie bumps his shoulder into Bucks as they continue walking together, passing by the dreaded ride. "Nope," he admits with a shit-eating grin. "One of the highlights of my life, actually."

"You're the worst," Buck grumbles.

"Eh, but you love me," Eddie retorts with another nudge to Buck's shoulder.

"Yeah I do, for some reason."

Eddie gives Buck a playful shove, unable to stop the smile breaking out across his face, and is rewarded with the beautiful sound of Buck's laughter and a gentle kiss on the cheek.

They take their time meandering around the park while the sun sets and the crowds thin before the Pride Nite event starts, snagging a few rides now while the lines are dwindling.

First, they head into Toontown to go on Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway. They take their time walking through the decorated queue, taking silly pictures as they go. Then, they go on 'it's a small world', content to take it easy and just enjoy each other's presence. At one point, Buck has them smile and take a selfie that he sends off to Maddie. In turn, Eddie has them make silly faces to send to Chris, which gets a prompt, super enthusiastic "thumbs up."

Chris knows about his plan for the evening, seeing as Eddie had cleared it with him on multiple occasions, just to make sure he was truly okay with it and how things might change. There's no way he could plan something like this and not make sure Chris was 100% on-board with it before moving forward. He, of course, after getting an enthusiastic response the first time, was treated to typical teenage sass the four hundred twelve other times he asked Chris if he was okay with it. Eddie figures the thumbs-up non-response is Chris's way of being subtly encouraging. Maybe.

Or maybe he's just being a teenager.

There are about thirty minutes left until the event officially starts, and Buck suggests they grab something to eat.

It's amazing, really, how he just knows. Eddie was really trying to hide it, to not be his typical hangry self. In fact, he thought his anxiety was doing a pretty good job of masking it.

Of course, though, Buck noticed. Buck always notices. He can tell by the tiniest tick of Eddie's jaw when he's gone just a bit too long without food and is beginning to let the crankiness set in.

When he feels like being a little shit, he'll point it out.

But otherwise, like now, he'll be subtle about it. Suggest they grab something to eat for some sort of practical reason, or because he's hungry (as if Buck is ever not hungry), rather than telling Eddie to eat something before he snaps at a cloud for being too fluffy.

"Let me look up what's around us, just so we can grab something quick before the different events start." Buck pulls out his phone and immediately starts scrolling, letting Eddie be his eyes and guide him down the street as they pass by a souvenir stand, a delightful mixture of sweet and salty scents swirling around them from a nearby cart selling pretzels and cotton candy.

"I'm good with whatever, just maybe not that cheesy pretzel garlic bread that we always get."

Eddie takes one step, two steps forward, and is abruptly yanked back by the force of a Buck that is still holding his hand but very much not moving forward with him. He turns back, a question on his lips, only to be met with the widest, bluest eyes that he knows he'll never in his entire life be able to say no to.

"Okay, but like…they have this thing. It's a Pride Nite exclusive…" Buck trails off, a sheepish look crossing his face as he bites his lower lip in an entirely unfairly adorable way.

Eddie fights back a smile, so incredibly endeared by this man.

"What is it?"

Buck takes a step forward so he's once again next to Eddie and shows him his phone screen, eyes lighting up like Eddie's just told him they can get a new puppy.

"See, they have a spicy bratwurst cheesy pretzel over there," he nods in the direction of the food stand across from the Matterhorn, "that's basically our favorite snack but with a spicy sausage in the middle. Eddie." Buck waggles his eyebrows in a way that's categorically ridiculous and yet makes Eddie's heart flutter. "Will you share a spicy sausage with me?"

Listen, Eddie loves Buck. He really, really does. No matter what his breath smells like. And Eddie knows that Buck loves him regardless of stinky garlic breath as well. They've kissed about a million times at this point, with everything ranging from rancid morning breath to deliciously minty fresh just-brushed breath.

But Eddie really, really doesn't want to be worrying about garlic breath tonight. He needs everything to be perfect, and that does not include the lingering stench of garlic every time he opens his mouth.

And, of course, Eddie didn't bring mints with him today.

And he can't exactly justify spending an exorbitant amount of money on theme park mints without giving Buck some sort of reasoning for his emergency purchase.

And of course he can't explain why he doesn't want garlic breath to Buck, who would smother him with kisses even if Eddie's breath smelled like the inside of a dumpster on a hot summer day.

But those eyes.

Eddie can't say no to those eyes.

He doesn't want to disappoint Buck more than he doesn't want to have garlic breath, apparently. Luckily, he quickly comes up with a solution. Well, somewhat of a solution.

"I'd love to share a spicy sausage with you," Eddie responds with a smirk. He then continues, "But, I'm gonna need us to get something sweet after."

"Deal."

They get in line for their garlic sausage thingy, and Eddie takes Buck's phone out of his hand to search for what their shared dessert will be. He scrolls through the list of pictures and descriptions of the various Pride Nite exclusive food items, and what he stumbles upon is…ridiculous. Tooth-rotting. Disgusting, even.

He wants it.

He shows it to Buck.

"That?" Buck asks with a raised eyebrow. "You want us to try that?" Eddie looks up at him with a self-satisfied smile.

"Yup," he confirms, popping the 'p' for emphasis.

Buck shakes his head good-naturedly. "You and your sweet treats, man. I swear I don't understand how you don't have multiple cavities in every tooth."

"Good genetics."

It's true. Well, that and not allowing himself to embrace the joys of all the sweet things he loves so much for the first thirty or so years of his life. Details.

"I'm not sure I know anyone else who would see a—" Buck squints his eyes at his phone to re-read the description. Eddie's pretty sure he needs glasses. "—cream cheese stuffed pretzel covered in pink white chocolate and marshmallow-flavored frosting with rainbow sprinkles, and thinks that sounds like something they want to consume. Well, other than Chris."

Eddie shrugs. "Proof that I raised him right."

"Sure."

In the end, Buck concedes to Eddie's request, because of course he does—despite his protests, Eddie knows that Buck secretly wants to try the sugar bomb monstrosity. Plus, Buck has never been able to say no to Eddie asking for a sweet treat; it's one of the many, many things Eddie loves about that man.

They share their spicy sausage on the garlic pretzel bread—which, yes, is just as good as it sounds—and then wander over to Tomorrowland to get diabetes in the form of a soft pretzel. Buck only manages to eat a couple of bites of the pink frosted treat, which leaves Eddie to finish the rest of it himself.

A tragedy, really.

It's definitely not absurdly delicious. Also definitely doesn't energize Eddie in all the right ways, like a kid who's been left to their own devices in a candy shop.

Since they're right next to it and the wait is so short, Buck and Eddie decide to squeeze in a ride on Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters before the Pride Nite events start.

As always, Eddie wins, and Buck is once again stumped because he's had years of practice over Eddie, and yet…always, without a doubt, Eddie manages to outrank Buck on this one particular interactive ride. Eddie finds it incredibly adorable how flustered Buck still gets about it, endlessly endeared by the way he can see the gears in Buck's head turning to try to figure out a better strategy for next time so he can win.

It never works.

By the time they get out, night has fallen, and the Pride Nite events have begun. Buck and Eddie sit on a bench to go over their plans for the evening one more time, the sounds of the dance party happening behind them already at full-blast.

Unfortunately for Buck, Eddie has a suggestion. A suggestion that does not align with the plan they're currently discussing.

"I know we were planning on doing it later, but would you mind if we go do the line dancing first? It seems like a lot of fun, and I don't want us to miss it. Besides," Eddie nudges Buck's shoulder playfully and gives him a wink, "I gotta show you how a real Texan does it."

And, listen—Eddie doesn't like messing with Buck's carefully curated plans. But there's a reason. A very important reason. He'd been formulating his own plan for weeks now, months even, ever since they purchased their special event tickets. And part of that may have included letting Buck come up with a plan and suggesting a change-up last minute. The element of surprise is important.

Eddie's honestly too nervous to feel too bad about it in this moment. He really thinks it'll all be worth it, though.

At least, he hopes so.

"Um," Buck checks the time, "y—yeah, we can do that. B—but then we've gotta make sure we get back to Main Street in time for the fireworks."

For some reason, Buck seems nervous.

He's seemed perfectly normal all day, exuding his usual excited puppy energy.

But now he's started stammering and his cheeks are flushed and Eddie swears he sees the tiniest bead of sweat forming at his temple.

Maybe it's just because Eddie's thrown a wrench into his plans. Of course, though, Eddie will do whatever he can to reassure Buck.

"Of course, I wouldn't dream of missing the fireworks. I don't think you'll be able to handle more than a few minutes of me line dancing anyway. Not sure if you'll be able to keep up," Eddie teases.

A small bit of tension eases from Buck's shoulders.

"I'll have you know that I've done my fair share of line dancing, and I'm actually quite good."

"Oh yeah?" Eddie leans in so his face is less than an inch from Buck's. "Then I guess you'll have to show me."

He closes the gap to press a solid, confident kiss against Buck's lips. With the tiniest teasing nibble to his lower lip, Eddie pulls back, satisfied by the dazed look on Buck's face.

He's also incredibly relieved that there's not a trace of garlic breath that he could detect on either of them, for the record. He'll take the sickly sweet marshmallow taste they've got going on over stinky garlic any day.

"Yeah, okay." Buck smiles at Eddie with his signature goofy grin, and the smile Eddie responds with is automatic.

Unfortunately, it does nothing to quell the horde of butterflies fluttering around from the bottom of his stomach to the top of his throat.

They make their way out of Tomorrowland and start heading across the park hand-in-hand, various structures and rides illuminated by an array of rainbow lights.

Eddie hopes Buck doesn't notice how sweaty his hand is getting.

If he does, maybe he can chalk it up to the unbearable summer heat. Even though it's nighttime now and has cooled down to an incredibly comfortable temperature.

Eddie's so in his head, so focused on trying to play out what he wants to happen—what he hopes will happen—that he almost misses it.

Almost.

Just in time, though, he catches the little alcove he wants to walk down and gently tugs Buck in that direction.

"Hey, do you remember the first time we came here?"

Eddie tries his best to sound casual. He prays to whatever God may or may not be out there that he sounds super casual and nonchalant and not at all like he's about to throw up.

If Buck notices the waver in his voice, he doesn't say anything.

"Eddie, I remember every single detail of that trip."

The butterflies that have decided Eddie's stomach is their new home calm—for just a moment—before the wishing well comes into view and they resume their fluttering with renewed vigor.

"Right." Eddie leads Buck right up to the edge of the wishing well, takes a deep breath in through his nose and out through his mouth. He stands behind Buck, wrapping his arms around his stomach and resting his chin on his shoulder, despite having to crane his neck a bit to do so.

There's no way Buck has gotten taller, somehow, right?

Not important right now.

"Back then, you had me make a wish. Since that wish came true, I guess I can probably tell you…" Eddie presses a gentle kiss against Buck's shoulder, and Buck leans back into his touch, letting out a soft sigh. "I wished for the courage to let myself feel what I felt for you—truly, deeply, without hesitation—and to go after what brings me joy." Eddie kisses Buck again, this time on his neck, a gesture of love and comfort and reassurance. "You, and Chris, and the life that we've built together…that's what brings me joy. And I'm so grateful every day that I made that wish."

"Eddie, you didn't have to make a wish for any of that. I've always been here, for you and for Christopher, and I'll continue to stick around for as long as you'll let me."

"I know," Eddie says simply. Because it is simple, really. Buck has always been here, a constant presence in his life. Buck shows up for him, has his back—always. He gives Buck a gentle squeeze, nuzzling into his neck and giving him another kiss. "You make me believe in Disney magic, though. So I figured it couldn't hurt."

Eddie reaches a hand into his pocket, fingers brushing against the small velvet box before closing around the round metal object he was searching for. He pulls it out and presents the coin to Buck.

"Make a wish, cariño," he whispers before taking a step back, letting Buck have the wishing well all to himself.

He takes a deep breath, pulls the tiny black box out of his pocket, and gets down on one knee. He watches as Buck holds the coin in his hand for a moment before flipping it into the wishing well in front of him.

And then—

Buck turns around.

Eddie notices everything in that moment, files every last minute detail into his permanent memories. The widening of Buck's eyes, shimmering under the moonlight. The quick inhale that parts his pink lips slightly when he notices Eddie's position. The slight spasm of his fingers, as if he doesn't quite know what to do with his hands in this moment.

"Eddie…"

Buck's voice is so soft, so gentle, Eddie can barely hear it over the relentless pounding of his heart.

"Buck, I know we haven't been together for even a year yet," Eddie starts, trying to concentrate on the words he's practiced in his head a million times and not on the altogether distracting look of—well, some combination of joy, shock, and love—overwhelming emotion on Buck's face, "but let's face it—we've been a family for almost eight years now. However, I would love nothing more than to make it official—for me, for you, for us, for Chris. So," Eddie opens the box in his hand to reveal a simple charcoal band, light flecks of silver and blue shimmering throughout, "Evan Buckley, will you marry me?"

A beat passes, and Eddie truly thinks he's going to die.

There are no sounds, just weight, and a moment that stretches on for an eternity and then some.

And then a tear slips down Buck's cheek and his lower lip begins to tremble.

"This isn't—this isn't fair."

His voice cracks, another tear falls, his lips twist into some sort of half-pout half-smile, and Eddie is confused.

Out of all the possible responses he thought he might receive…this wasn't even on the list.

Does Buck…not want this? Is he upset because he thought things were going well between them and didn't want anything to change? And it's not fair because he doesn't actually want to marry Eddie and just wanted to…for some reason, just keep dating until the end of time?

That doesn't make a lot of sense. Eddie recognizes that. On some level. Somewhere in the rational section of his brain that has been reduced to the size of a raisin and is currently being shoved into the deep, dark depths of his skull, he understands that doesn't really make sense.

So did he just…do it wrong? Say the wrong things? Ask in the wrong place? Does Buck not like the ring?

"Wh—what isn't—"

Before he can even muster up a full sentence, Buck cuts him off.

"I had this plan, Eddie!" Tears are streaming down Buck's face fairly steadily, but he oddly doesn't actually look upset. In fact, if Eddie had to put a name to the expression on Buck's face currently, he'd say he's…beaming. Crying, certainly, but with a wide smile. "I—I was gonna ask you during the fireworks, and I had this whole speech about how we had our first kiss during the fireworks, which of course were bright and loud and beautiful, and yet when we kissed, all that faded away, and there was just you and me, and I wanted to capture that forever, and—"

Buck cuts himself off this time, wiping his cheeks with a sniffle.

"You…" Eddie shifts his weight as best he can while still staying on one knee. He should probably move. Stand up or something. He doesn't. "You were gonna propose to me. Tonight."

He just wants to clarify the current situation, really. A lot has happened in his brain in the past 120 seconds.

"Yes," Buck says with a soft chuckle.

"Oh. So do you want me to un-propose, or…"

Buck lets out a wet laugh and pulls Eddie up by the hand.

"Don't you dare," he warns, voice thick with emotion, cheeks flushed a beautiful rosy pink.

Finally, Eddie lets himself smile, a wave of relief crashing over him that, of course, they're on the same page. Somehow, they always are. Still, he has to check.

"So, is that a yes, or…?"

Buck tips his head back and lets out the most melodic laugh Eddie has ever heard—actual, literal music to his ears.

"Yes, of course it's a yes, you stupid, perfect, beautiful idiot."

Eddie barely has enough time to slip the ring on Buck's finger before Buck is taking his head in both hands and pulling him in for a searing kiss.

A smattering of applause sounds around them, a reminder that they're in a public place, and Eddie pulls back before anything can get too heated. He whips his head around to see they've attracted a bit of an audience. He gives a gracious nod in their general direction before turning back to Buck.

"So," he says.

"So," Buck echoes.

"Fiances, huh?"

"Hell yeah." Eddie gets a flash of Buck's dazzling, toothy smile for just a moment before he's pulled in for another kiss.

They do eventually make their way over to the Golden Horseshoe across the park for a bit of line dancing.

It's difficult, though—for Eddie to keep his hands off Buck, that is.

And vice versa, not that he's complaining.

Line dancing isn't exactly a contact sport, so to speak, and yet Buck and Eddie seem to be trying their hardest to make it one.

At first, Buck just watches Eddie with hearts in his eyes. The moves come back to Eddie naturally, as if this is something he's done every day of his life rather than something he hasn't even thought about for years. He finds that he enjoys being watched, actually—by Buck, specifically. The piercing blue eyes tracking his every move make the blood coursing through his veins feel like molten lava in the best possible way.

And then, when he's decided he's seen enough to figure out the basics, Buck joins in.

Really, though, it's clear after about forty seconds that it's just an excuse for Buck to get close to Eddie.

He doesn't mind one bit.

Mr. Can't Walk Straight is, predictably, awful at line dancing. But that doesn't matter. He doesn't get the moves right, he's constantly bumping into Eddie—sometimes intentionally, sometimes not—and he has a smile on his face the entire time.

At one point, Eddie reaches his hand out to Buck and hooks their pinkies together. It's not conducive to line dancing in the slightest, especially when they turn, and Eddie's now in front of Buck instead of beside him, but Eddie doesn't care, and he doesn't let go.

Eventually, they leave the Golden Horseshoe as it begins to get crowded and the air inside starts to get stiflingly warm.

They don't get too far, though.

"Okay, I can admit I wasn't great at that," Buck says as he leads Eddie over to an area with flashing rainbow lights and fast-paced music blaring through speakers, bass so loud Eddie can feel it in his throat. "But this is where I do my best work."

Eddie rolls his eyes with a wide smile on his face, letting himself be dragged into the crowd of dancing bodies and not minding one bit.

He's well aware of Buck's best work.

Eddie's sure he knows the song that's pumping through the speakers as they start dancing, but the name escapes him as the world narrows down to the man in front of him.

His fiancé.

Even just thinking that word makes Eddie feel like he's floating on a cloud.

He drapes his arms over Buck's shoulders while Buck's large hands settle around his waist, swaying back and forth as they move in time with the music. He lets Buck take the lead, guiding him into whatever moves best fit the music. It's electric, the space between them as they dance, filled with love and desire and heat.

Eddie bites his lip as he drags his eyes up Buck's body, over the large expanse of his chest and the taught muscles of his neck. He traces the sharp curve of his jaw, his soft, slightly parted lips that change color with the flashing lights above them, over the flared nostrils and long bridge of his nose, until he reaches his eyes.

God, his eyes.

Buck's eyes are piercing, pupils blown and staring into Eddie's soul. It's like there's nothing in the world for Buck other than Eddie.

Looking at him is too much.

Eddie flips himself around so his back is to Buck, leaving one hand tangled in the curls at the back of his neck while using the other to guide Buck's hands across his stomach and pull him in tight.

Buck falters for a moment, his moves stuttering out of sync. He quickly gets with the program, though, pulling Eddie in flush against him and swaying their bodies to the beat of whatever new song is now playing that Eddie can't identify.

Eddie can feel Buck everywhere, from his hot breath panting along his neck to the arms wrapped tightly around his middle to the long, thick legs bracketing his. There's fire coursing through his veins, burning in the best possible way, and he feels a bead of sweat drip down his neck to where Buck is plastered against his back.

He tips his head back and closes his eyes, letting the rhythm of the music flow through him as he grinds back against Buck.

A shaky breath ghosts against his cheek, prefacing an even shakier whisper from Buck.

"E—Eddie."

"Mmm?" he hums in response.

"Eds." Buck balls up a fistful of Eddie's shirt, seemingly torn between wanting to pull him in even more impossibly closer and push him away. "I don't—if you don't get your ass out of my crotch—" he lets out a breathy chuckle as Eddie circles his hips and presses said ass once more into said crotch, just to see what happens, "—I may end up doing something that gets us kicked out of here."

As if for emphasis, he attaches his lips to Eddie's neck, nipping hard enough to ride that line between pain and pleasure before rolling his hips forward once. And then again.

And yeah, that's—that's not exactly family-friendly. Eddie can feel him, and it's doing things that turn his brain all fuzzy.

With a sigh and more restraint than he honestly thought he could ever exhibit, Eddie turns back to face Buck and, while he keeps his arms around his neck, he makes sure there's at least an inch of space between their hips; he doesn't exactly want to get kicked out for dry-humping in the middle of Disneyland like a couple of horny teenagers.

Eddie tips his head forward, resting his forehead against Buck's.

"Sorry, sorry," he apologizes. "Maybe we should get out of here."

He's not entirely serious, but he's also not entirely opposed to the idea.

Buck shuts that down immediately.

"No no," he mutters, pressing a light peck to the bridge of Eddie's nose. "We have the rest of our lives for that. Let's enjoy tonight."

Eddie's heart swells at the idea of the rest of their lives because—wow, it still really hasn't sunk in yet that Buck agreed to that. They're going to get married and spend the rest of their lives together.

Eddie, and Buck, and Chris…and anyone else they might want to add to their little family.

The sudden burn of tears behind his eyes sneaks up on Eddie, and he quickly blinks them back. All his life, something was nagging in the back of his mind that he was wrong or that he didn't deserve happiness or that he always had to put others before himself. But when he finally plucked up the courage to embrace joy, he found a new level of happiness that he didn't even know was possible.

"I love you," Eddie whispers, voice full of emotion as he stares deep into Buck's eyes.

"I love you, too."

Eddie leans in and pours all his love into a single, simple kiss.

They eventually pull themselves away from the dance party and find their spot on Main Street for the fireworks. They sit on the curb, legs pressed together, watching the special Pride Nite cavalcade of characters make their way past them. Their special Pride outfits are so whimsical and colorful, every character wearing something that uniquely fits their personality.

(Eddie's favorite is Goofy.)

(Not that anybody asked.)

(That's a lie. Buck did.)

During the lull between the end of the Cavalcade and the beginning of the fireworks, Eddie checks his phone.

"You tell Chris yet?" Buck asks, glancing at the phone in Eddie's hand.

"Yup." Eddie looks at Buck with a soft smile that quickly turns into a frown when he notices the worried expression on Buck's face.

"And…how does he feel about it? About us, I mean. Being engaged."

Eddie lets out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. He reaches between them and laces his fingers with Buck's, giving his hand a light, reassuring squeeze.

"Buck, he's thrilled. Well, as thrilled as a teenager can be about anything that's not video games or junk food. When I talked to him about it before looking for rings, he actually asked me why we weren't already engaged since we're not allowed to break up anyway." That gets a chuckle out of Buck, the tension releasing from his shoulders. "He even helped me figure out where and when to do it."

"He did?" Buck's eyes widen, sparkling under the colorful lights along Main Street.

Eddie squeezes his hand once more. "Buck, of course he did. I knew he'd be on board, but I obviously asked him just to make sure, so he'd know I'd never do anything he wasn't okay with. He loves you, and, to be honest, he may or may not have threatened me if I do anything to ever make you leave. So."

That gets a genuine laugh out of Buck, only cut off by the announcement over the speakers that the fireworks would begin in five minutes.

Buck stands, offering his hand to help Eddie up.

Does he need the help getting off the ground? No. Does Eddie take his hand anyway? Yes.

Once they're both standing, Buck pulls Eddie in close and presses a kiss to his forehead.

"You could never, ever do anything to make me leave. You're stuck with me forever."

Somehow, Eddie believes him.

"Good, because you're stuck with me, too," he replies.

They pivot so they're facing the castle, making sure they have a good view so they can experience the full show. Buck stands behind Eddie, wrapping his arms around him and resting his chin on Eddie's shoulder.

And then, with a little introduction by the iconic Mickey Mouse, the fireworks begin.

This fireworks show is exclusive to the Pride Nite event, one that they've never seen before. It's beautiful, and wholesome, and breathtaking, and fun.

Eddie's taking it all in, enjoying the perfectly orchestrated combination of projections and pyrotechnics to go along with the music, when Buck leans in and presses a kiss to his temple.

"So…" he begins, just loud enough for Eddie to hear over the chaotic booms of the fireworks and the music spilling from the speakers around them, "I kinda had this whole speech planned. But then somebody stole my thunder."

Eddie tilts his head back a bit, just enough so his voice goes in Buck's general direction.

"Hey, I asked if you wanted me to take it back."

"And I absolutely do not want that."

Buck reaches into his pocket and holds a ring box out in front of Eddie.

"But now I don't know what to do with this."

Eddie knows Buck had been planning to propose during the fireworks; Buck literally told him that earlier. And yet, when he sees the proof of it in a maroon ring box right in front of him, his heart starts pounding, and his palms begin to sweat. It's just further, tangible proof that he and Buck are on the same page, that they want to be together forever.

It makes his knees weak.

Eddie swallows thickly before answering.

"I know what you can do with it." He holds up his left hand. "Tie me down, Buckley."

He feels the soft breath of Buck's chuckle on the back of his neck.

"Gladly," he murmurs, a low rumbling that Eddie feels vibrate against his back. With a click, he opens the box and reveals a simple gold band. Eddie's mesmerized by the way tiny red sparkles seem to be dusted throughout the ring. It's something that could look silly or cheap, but in actuality is perfectly elegant and unique. Buck slides it easily on Eddie's ring finger before pocketing the box.

"The perfect fit," Eddie comments, wiggling his fingers for emphasis.

"Couldn't agree more."

"What do we think?"

Eddie turns to Buck, pointing at his head. He's got on a pair of Minnie ears, complete with a large, sparkly, rainbow bow.

"They're ridiculous. They're perfect," Buck answers with a grin.

"Ridiculous feels fitting; I'm not exactly looking for subtle."

They're back in the Emporium after the fireworks ended, standing in front of the Pride Nite merchandise. There are two options he can choose from for Pride-themed ears, but he's leaning towards buying the more obvious, slightly obnoxious ones.

Because he's embracing whimsy.

Because Buck's his fiancé.

Because why the hell not?

Eddie looks in the tiny sliver of a mirror on the end of the stand one more time and nods to himself.

"I'm getting them," he decides.

He takes them off his head and walks over to the cash register to get rung up. He's just paid for his ears when Buck chimes in, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"Oh!" he addresses the cashier. "Do you guys have buttons here, or do we have to go to Town Hall for those?"

"Um, let me see what we have left here," the cast member—Eddie notices her nametag says Jenna (she/her)—so Jenna says before ducking behind the counter.

She pops back up a moment later with a small box full of buttons.

"Is there a particular one you were looking for?" she asks.

"Well, yes!" Buck grabs Eddie's hand and also holds his own out in front of Jenna, showing off their rings. "We just got engaged. Proposed to each other, actually. So maybe an 'I'm celebrating' or something like that?"

Jenna beams at them, eyes crinkling in the corners.

"Congratulations!" She digs around the box and pulls out two round, purple buttons. "How about these? I can write the date on them for you."

Eddie studies the pins in front of him. They have gold Mickey ears on them and say "Happily Ever After."

"They're perfect," he says softly with a smile.

Jenna writes the date on them and hands them over. Buck pins one to Eddie's shirt, and then Eddie pins one to Buck's shirt.

"Looking good! Congrats again, you two make an adorable couple."

"Thanks so much, Jenna," Eddie ___.

"Yeah, thanks!" Buck chimes in.

They give her a friendly wave as they walk out of the store and back onto Main Street.

The streets have cleared out somewhat; quite a few people left right after the fireworks, even though there are still about 30 minutes left of the event.

Eddie's always found the park extra magical at night, and the rainbow lights projected onto the surrounding buildings add an extra layer of beauty.

"There's just one more thing I wanted to get before we leave," Buck says, "and I'm pretty sure you'll like it."

"Lead the way." Eddie gestures forward with one hand and holds the other out for Buck to take.

Buck leads him through the sparse smattering of people still mingling about, eventually landing at the Mint Julep Bar in New Orleans Square. He orders them the Pride Nite exclusive beignets, something Eddie is shocked he didn't notice on the special menu that he was looking at earlier in the day.

Honestly, they look a little ridiculous. They're heart-shaped beignets drizzled with some sort of red sauce and a smattering of freeze-dried Skittles thrown on top. So, cute, but ridiculous.

Buck holds one out, and Eddie takes a healthy bite of it. The beignet is slightly warm still and seemingly melts on Eddie's tongue. It's sickly sweet, slightly fruity, and the Skittle gives it a little crunch. It's nice, but not his favorite. Doesn't mean that's going to stop him from finishing his share.

"Pretty good," he comments after another bite. "Think I like the original Mickey-shaped beignets a bit better, though."

Buck nods, chewing on his own bite of the sweet dough. "Me, too," he utters around a mouthful of food. A small puff of powdered sugar releases from his lips as he speaks, and Eddie's heart stutters as he remembers, once again, that this silly, goofy, perfect man agreed to be his forever. He said yes. In fact, they both said yes—to forever, with each other.

Eddie reaches over once Buck finishes his last beignet and wipes a thumb across the corner of his lip to catch a rogue streak of red frosting that wandered off at some point. Before he can bring his thumb up to his own lips to lick it off, Buck catches his wrist, locks eyes with Eddie, and then slowly sucks the frosting-covered thumb into his mouth, taking his time to ensure he's cleaned off every last speck of the sweet substance.

It definitely doesn't have an immediate effect on Eddie.

Nope.

Not one bit.

"You ready to go home?" he breathes. Definitely still cool as a cucumber. Absolutely not flustered beyond belief.

Buck smirks before tossing their garbage into the trash can next to them.

"Let's go."

Eddie stands up, belly satisfied and heart full, grabs Buck's hand, and practically drags him out of the park.

An announcement overhead signaling that the event is over barely registers through the pounding in Eddie's ears as they walk down the middle of Main Street once more.

He slows them down enough to wave at the characters that line the street to bid them farewell. He desperately wants to get home, yes, but he also wants to remember this moment forever.

Walking hand-in-hand down Main Street with the love of his life, his fiancé, ready to begin their happily ever after.