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He loved his friends, Eddie reminded himself—even when he had to listen to them whisper sweet nothings to each other. Or in Buck’s case, increasingly filthy nothings.
“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that,” Eddie said, sinking further into the couch and covering his face with one hand.
Buck snickered helplessly beside him. “Sorry, Eddie,” he said, a hazy grin on his flushed face. “I’ll be good.”
“You better be.”
“He’s always good,” Tommy said loyally from Eddie’s other side. “Aren’t you, baby?”
Buck’s cheeks grew pinker. “Yeah I am,” he said. He and Tommy stared at each other around Eddie for a long moment. Then, almost in unison, they reached out for each other, hands clasping together right over Eddie’s lap.
He groaned. “Buck, man, I’m right here,” he said. “The wedding’s tomorrow. You two really can’t keep your hands off each other until then?”
“We can,” Tommy said, at the same time Buck said “Not a chance.
Tommy laughed then, a tipsy giggle that had his nose crinkling up as his thumb moved in gentle strokes over the back of Buck’s hand.
“I see why Chim put me on babysitting duty,” Eddie grumbled. He’s had plenty of experience, sure, but he didn’t think Chris ever gave him this much trouble. He did nothing, giving them the benefit of the doubt for a moment and hoping that maybe they’d remember he was there and move their hands on their own. Instead they only started leaning in closer, and if they decided to make out right across Eddie’s lap he would not be held responsible for what he did to them. “Okay,” he said finally, batting Tommy’s hand out of Buck’s. One of them made a wounded noise as Eddie stood up from the couch. “I’m separating the two of you. Buck, it’s bed time.”
At the word “bed” Buck perked up. “Yeah, let’s—“
“No,” Eddie said, wagging one stern finger at him. “You’re going to bed alone.”
“I’ll miss you,” Tommy said.
Buck ducked his head and smiled, ignoring Eddie’s attempts to pull him up. “I’ll miss you, too,” he said. Eddie yanked harder, and Buck grunted as he wobbled to his feet.
“Yeah, yeah, you’ll both miss each other, you love each other, we get it.” He put one hand in the center of Buck’s chest and gently pushed him backward. “Let’s go.”
“Good night, baby,” Tommy said, raising a bottle of the beer he was drinking in a salute. “I love you.”
“Good night, Da—“ Eddie elbowed him in the stomach. Buck wheezed a little and shot Eddie a glare. Eddie started steering him back towards the bedroom. “Goodnight, Daddy,” he mouthed towards Tommy.
Eddie stepped to the side and grabbed a handful of the back of his shirt, tugging hard. “Still here,” he grumbled, tugging Buck along stumbling behind him. “Now let’s get your ass to bed.”