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Theo giggles as Eddie looks around the kitchen, his arms up as he takes a careful step towards the cupboard. He tiptoes, each of his steps followed by Theo. Eddie stops at the sudden opening of a door down the hall. Theo bumps into his legs, almost falling. Eddie’s lifts him up and sits him on his hip.
“You okay?” He whispers.
“Yeah.” Theo tries to whisper back, it comes out breathy and loud instead. Eddie would normally be against the after midnight sneaking around, but Theo had another nightmare, not unlike the ones Chris used to have after the tsunami. It wasn’t the first, he remembers Buck’s frantic phone call the night after Theo was allowed to come home with him, how Theo couldn’t even verbalize it. He could only sob and cling to Buck’s chest. This time, when Eddie checked in on him and Chris, Theo didn’t hide his tears, just said yes when Eddie offered to spend time with him until he felt okay again.
“What kind of cookie did you want?” Theo swings his legs gently as he thinks, Eddie grabs a few plates, the ceramic scraping ever so slightly. He grimaces and waits. Soft snores still come from his bedroom. He puts Theo down and puts his finger to his mouth again, Theo copying him. He takes a cookie from one of the racks and bites into it, the sweet and salty notes of toffee and chocolate chips hitting his tongue. He breaks a small piece and hands it to Theo as he eats the rest.
“What are you two doing?” Chris whispers from behind Theo, voice raspy with sleep.
He turns to Chris, his face warming as his son’s eyes dart to the crumbs on the edge of his mouth and the many batches of fresh cookies cooling on the rack on the back counter.
“Don’t tell Buck…” He mumbles. He swipes his tongue over his lip, the sweetness of the melted chocolate cut by the sea salt flakes caught on the corner of his mouth.
Chris gapes at him, a small burst of laughter coming out of him.
“You’re sneaking cookies now? Dad, it’s like one in the morning.”
Eddie looks down at Theo.
“I told you he’d catch us.”
Chris turns to Theo, his hand on the wall for support.
“I won’t tell if you don’t.”
Theo nods, his eyes glistening as he smiles and turns to Eddie.
“I want the doodle one.”
“The snickerdoodle?”
“Mhmm.”
“Chris?”
Chris nods as he pulls on the table chairs, letting Theo sit before him, and rubs at his eyes.
“Can we get milk?”
Eddie shakes his head as he places a few cookies on a plate for them.
“You want the Fairlife stuff he bought for you guys or oat milk?”
Theo perks up and answers before Chris can recover from his latest yawn.
“The blue one!”
“Fairlife it is.”
He places the plates on the table and goes to open the fridge. On the center shelf is a tray of freshly made tiramisu cupcakes. Buck has mentioned wanting to make a new kind of dessert and those cupcakes and the coquito trés leches cake next to it had been their day long project while the kids made far too many cookies. He grabs one of the cupcakes and sets it on his own plate, grabbing the carton of milk before letting the fridge close on its own.
“Okay, we eat these, then we try to get back to bed. Sound good?”
Chris nods, pulling the chair to sit down next to Theo, who’s already chewing through his first bite of snickerdoodle. He grabs three cups and pours milk into each, handing Theo his cup first and watching as he drinks carefully. He finally sits and unwraps the cupcake. He’s about to take a bite…
“Can I try?” Theo’s wide eyes stare into his.
Eddie bites down on the cupcake and flashes him a smile, the frosting covering part of his lips. Theo matches with a smile of his own, a small milk mustache forming at the top of his lip.
“Not tonight bud.”
“Why?”
Chris clears his throat, Theo turns to him.
“Coffee isn’t the best for us.”
“Why?”
“You know how dad and Buck have some before work?”
Theo watches Eddie, another bite of the cupcake gone. He probably could’ve had Theo try it, they don’t work tomorrow, they’re both off of school, it would’ve been fine if the kid was bouncing around for a few more hours. Chris takes a drink from his cup and leans close to Theo. Theo blinks up at him and gets closer.
“It’s cause they’re old.” he whispers, making eye contact with Eddie. Eddie laughs. “And our dads need to stay awake so they can be safe and come back home. But we don’t need it yet, cause we have so much energy!” Chris pokes at Theo’s stomach, small giggles coming from both of them.
It doesn’t surprise him that Chris is calling Buck his dad, at least not anymore. The first time he said it to him was when Eddie was trying to talk to Chris about Theo and how Buck was struggling with having to say bye to him.
“He wants him doesn’t he?”
“What?”
“He wants Theo.” Chris looks down at his legs, the game paused on their TV screen.
“I don’t know, mijo. It’s complicated. Yeah, it’s biologically his kid but he’d confused. He doesn’t know if he’s ready to be a dad.”
“Am I… Does he know that he’s not fucking childless? That he has me? That he’s been MY dad for god knows how long.”
“Chris…” Eddie turns to him, his knees hitting the rug as he takes Chris’s face in his hands.
“No. No, you don’t get to tell me he’s not.”
“Hey, I would never. You are more than allowed to feel like that. He is so important to you, to us. You wanna think of him as dad? Do it. I know he’s been here for you like I would be. I just don’t think he realizes that yet.”
“Then tell him!”
“How bout we both tell him? Make sure he really gets it in his head.” Eddie wipes the tears away from Chris, pulling him into his arms.
“Dad!” Chris whisper-yells, getting his attention back. Eddie blinks.
“Sorry, what happened?”
Chris laughs.
“Theo asked you a question.”
Eddie wipes at his mouth with a napkin and smiles at Theo.
“All ears.”
“Can Chris and me make cupcakes?”
“Tell you what, how about we ask Buck in the morning if we can make a special batch just for you and Chris?”
Theo takes a bite of his own cookie, the soft crumbs falling on his lap.
“Promise?”
“I promise, let’s finish up before dad wakes up okay?”
Theo waits. He wipes his hands on the napkin in front of him rapidly and holds up his pinky. Eddie huffs out a small laugh.
“Buckley pinky promise serious huh?”
He hooks his pinky with Theo’s and reaches down to kiss the top of Theo’s head. He looks back at Chris.
“Alright, let’s get you both to bed.”
Theo shakes his head, mid yawn.
“Not tired yet.”
“Oh really?”
“Yeah.”
“How ‘bout we clean up, snuggle on the couch for a little bit.”
“No bed?”
“No bed.”
Chris lets out a small chuckle.
“Oh he’s gonna knock out.”
“Wanna go to bed or join us mijo?”
Chris smiles, wide and blinding. It reminds Eddie of each time Chris knew he could get away with something.
“Theo,” Chris whispers, “wanna beat him to the couch?”
Theo’s eyes light up. He takes his now empty cup and walks over to the sink, tipping it over the edge, making it fall in. It clatters, the sound loud against their low conversation. Theo looks at Eddie, a small apologetic expression painting over his face. Eddie stands and grabs their plates, placing them in the sink carefully. He ruffles Theo's hair and smiles at him softly.
"Thank you for helping. We gotta get you that tower thing your dad keeps talking about, make it easier for you to put stuff in the sink.”
Theo runs off, the small pitter patter of his socked feet stopping with a plop that Eddie’s sure is him jumping on the cushions. Chris follows behind him, giggles coming from both boys as the TV is turned on low enough for Eddie to hear but not for Buck to wake. He washes the dishes, listening to the now familiar sounds of Bluey. By the time he finishes, Chris is leaning his head on one of the cushions, eyes fluttering closed, Theo’s not far behind.
“Shh,” he lulls Chris, lifting Chris’s head gently to sit down. He lays Chris’s head on his lap and opens his arms for Theo, who burrows himself into Eddie’s side. Theo giggles at the screen the intro starts again. Eddie finds himself watching along with him, laughing as the dad unceremoniously drops Bluey on her bed. Theo peers up at him as Bingo is carried back to her own bed by her dad. The dad looks exhausted when he finally walks back to his own room only to find Bingo on it once more.
“I’m sorry.”
“Come here, solecito.” Eddie maneuvers him so that Theo is facing him. “You never have to be sorry for needing me… or your dad.”
Both him and Buck knew that tonight could be rough, it was the first night away from his new room. All of them too exhausted from the day out and their baking to drive back to Buck’s house.
“I wanna be good.”
Eddie’s heart shatters.
“You are. Needing help, wanting us with you in scary moments? That’s never a bad thing, okay?”
Theo sniffles and presses closer to him.
“Buck won’t give me back?”
He kisses the top of Theo’s head, careful not to pull the boy in a way that would hit Chris’s sleeping form on his lap.
“You are family. Buck, Chris, me, your Aunt Maddie and Uncle Chim, your cousins? All of us, want you here, forever.”
Theo yawns, his small hand finding Chris’s curls.
“I like Chris.”
Eddie smiles softly, a yawn overtaking him.
“He likes you too.”
On the screen Bingo is sitting on a planet and talking to the Sun. Theo yawns as the Sun speaks.
“Remember, I’ll always be here for you…”
Eddie groans as he opens his eyes, the light from the windows peeks through and hitting him directly. He looks down at his lap, Theo is nuzzled into him, lines painted on his cheeks were Eddie’s shirt is bunching up. He hears some clattering in the kitchen and footsteps slowly approaching him.
“What time did he wake up?” Buck asks, handing him a cup of coffee and peers over the couch to watch Theo sleep.
“About one maybe? He was good though, asked for a distraction and comfort. Think we fell asleep after a few episodes of Bluey.”
“Thank you.”
“I told you, you aren’t doing this alone, neither is he.” He smiles at Buck as he cards his fingers through Theo’s curls. “He’s amazing and I don’t want him or you thinking you aren’t doing enough. That you aren't enough.”
“Jesus Christ, Eds.” Buck’s hand gently tips Eddie’s head back. Eddie blinks and finds himself being kissed. It's not dramatic or lustful. It’s soft and quiet like a confirmation of what they've been working towards the past few weeks. He closes his eyes and hums. Buck pulls away and Eddie chases his lips.
“Did you just —”
“Spiderman kiss you, while you have our little spidey in your lap?”
“You’re so lame.”
“Yet you love me.”
“I do.”
Eddie smiles at him and takes a sip of the coffee in his hands. It’s perfect. Buck smiles at him and turns to walk back into the kitchen.
“Buck, kids said they want to make cupcakes today.” Eddie yells out, Theo already beginning to stretch out and wake up. Buck comes back into the room as Chris walks out of the bathroom, staring at him.
“We used the last of the flour for those tiramisu cupcakes.”
“I’ll go and buy whatever you need.”
Buck's eyes meet Theo’s.
“What’d you say Theo, wanna go with Eddie to the store while Chris and I organize what we made for everyone?”
Theo yawns but nods into Eddie’s neck, hugging him. Buck smiles and Eddie stands, his muscles aching from sleeping on the couch. He walks toward Buck who holds his own truck keys out.
“Kiss me upright this time?”
Buck laughs and leans in, the soft press of lips deepening as Buck steps closer.
"We're doing this right? Co-parenting, being together, all of it?" Buck pants out as he pulls away.
Eddie lifts a hand to caress Buck's cheek.
"All of it, cariño." He leans in, about to kiss him again when Chris cheers in the hallway, his phone up and flash on.
“Chris…” Eddie flushes. Buck caresses Theo’s cheek before taking him.
“I’ll put him in the car.” Buck kisses Eddie’s cheek, short, sweet, and like a promise for more.
“I’m just sending it to you.” Chris promises. “Told you he loves you back.”
Eddie huffs a laugh out. Chris is the only one who knew about his feelings, it was one of the things they talked about after the whole Abigail and Alex situation. It wasn’t until they came back from New Mexico that Eddie had a serious conversation with Chris about potentially telling Buck and not until Theo that Chris told him to stop avoiding it.
“You’re still okay with it right?”
“Dad, come on.” Chris rolls his eyes. “Am I okay with you dating my other father figure, my other parent, my Buck?”
“Okay, point taken. Thank you, for helping out last night. You didn’t have to.”
Chris shrugs.
“I mean, he’s my brother, right?”
Eddie smiles and ruffles his hair.
“Yeah mijo, he is.”