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Buck loves Tommy.
Tommy loves Buck.
Eddie hates Tommy for stealing his best friend.
Tommy knows Eddie hates him for stealing Evan.
Buck just wants his boyfriend and his best friend to get along.
Then there's Patrick—Tommy's younger brother—whose pet hamster seems to hate Tommy with a burning passion... despite Tommy being the one who buys him imported celery.
The first official meeting between the boyfriend and the best friend had been a disaster.
The second one had been, too.
The third ended with Chimney hiding all the knives "just in case."
Buck, however, remained optimistic.
"This time it'll go well."
Bobby raised an eyebrow.
"And what makes you think that?"
"Because... they already know each other."
Hen burst out laughing.
"Buck, that's exactly the problem."
Tommy arrived at the station carrying a box of donuts.
"Brought breakfast."
"How thoughtful," Hen said.
"How convenient," Eddie muttered.
Tommy smiled as if he'd expected the comment.
"Morning, Eddie."
"Kinard."
Buck appeared almost immediately.
"Tommy!"
He kissed him quickly before grabbing a donut.
"See? Everything's fine."
Eddie watched the kiss.
Then he looked at Tommy.
Then back at the kiss.
"Yeah... perfectly fine."
Tommy sighed.
He already knew that look.
He'd been seeing it for months.
It was the expression of a man convinced someone had stolen something from him.
And technically...
...he had stolen Buck.
Well, not stolen.
Buck had gone willingly.
Very willingly.
Embarrassingly willingly.
While Bobby sent everyone off to inspect the truck, Tommy took the opportunity to approach Eddie.
"Can we talk?"
"No."
"Great. I'll talk and you can make disapproving faces."
Eddie crossed his arms.
Tommy continued.
"I know you hate me."
"I don't hate you."
Tommy arched an eyebrow.
"My existence deeply annoys you."
"Very much."
"That's closer."
Silence settled between them.
"I never wanted to come between you and Buck."
"But you did."
"Because Buck chose me."
Eddie clenched his jaw.
That was exactly what bothered him the most.
He couldn't blame Tommy.
He couldn't blame Buck.
Things had simply...
Changed.
Buck wasn't the first person looking for him to tell him every random little thing anymore.
Now, most of those stories belonged to Tommy.
And Eddie resented that more than he'd ever admit.
Buck returned carrying three coffees.
"Look!"
He handed one to each of them.
"You guys are talking?"
"Yep."
"Civilly?"
Tommy answered first.
"Surprisingly."
Eddie muttered,
"Barely."
Buck smiled like a kid on Christmas morning.
"I knew you two could get along!"
Hen walked past Chimney.
"Give them five minutes."
"I'll give them three."
The station door opened again.
A teenager with a backpack walked inside.
"Tommy?"
Tommy raised a hand.
"Patrick."
Buck smiled.
"Patrick!"
The younger man waved casually.
"Hey, Buck."
Then he looked at Eddie.
"Hi..."
"Eddie."
"Nice to meet you."
Patrick placed a small pet carrier on the table.
Two tiny black eyes stared directly at Tommy from inside.
Tommy immediately paled.
"No."
Patrick grinned.
"Yes."
Buck tilted his head.
"What's in there?"
Patrick opened the carrier just enough for a chubby hamster to waddle out.
The entire station let out a collective,
"Aww..."
Even Eddie.
The hamster slowly turned his head.
He spotted Tommy.
Without any visible reason...
He began angrily squeaking.
"Not again..." Tommy muttered.
Patrick sighed.
"I honestly don't know what you did."
"Nothing!"
"He buys this little guy the finest imported celery," Patrick explained.
Buck blinked.
"Imported... celery?"
"For real."
"It's organic," Tommy defended himself.
"Yep."
"Pesticide-free."
"Also true."
"He has his own miniature playground."
"Uh-huh."
"I even switched his bedding to hypoallergenic."
Patrick nodded.
"All of that."
Buck looked down at the hamster.
"Then... why does he hate you?"
The tiny rodent looked Tommy dead in the eyes.
Stuffed his cheeks.
And with remarkable precision for a creature weighing barely four ounces...
He launched a tiny piece of celery straight at Tommy's forehead.
Plink.
Silence.
Chimney was the first to break.
"HAHAHAHA!"
Hen doubled over laughing.
Bobby had to turn around to hide his smile.
Even Eddie laughed.
Tommy dropped his shoulders.
"See? Nobody believes me when I say that little demon hates me."
Patrick picked up the hamster.
"His name's Winston."
Buck gently scratched Winston behind the ears.
The hamster immediately closed his eyes in contentment.
"He's so sweet."
Tommy pointed dramatically.
"Exactly! That's what I've been saying! He's sweet with everyone else!"
Winston opened one eye.
Looked directly at Tommy.
Then deliberately turned his back on him.
The entire station burst into laughter again.
Even Eddie.
Tommy pointed at him.
"Don't laugh."
Still smiling, Eddie replied,
"This is the first time in weeks I've felt like somebody's actually on my side."
The hamster squeaked again, almost as if agreeing.
Buck sighed as he looked at his boyfriend, his best friend, and the tiny troublemaker.
"Well..."
"Yeah?" Hen asked.
"At least one of the conflicts in my life isn't Eddie's fault."
"Thank you!" Eddie exclaimed.
Tommy shook his head, laughing.
"Don't celebrate yet. Winston might decide you're next."
Eddie looked at the hamster.
Winston stared back for a few long seconds...
Then calmly allowed Eddie to pet his head.
Tommy's eyes widened.
"Seriously?"
Patrick chuckled.
"Congratulations, Eddie."
"For what?"
"You've officially become Winston's second favorite human."
Tommy pointed at the hamster with absolute betrayal written across his face.
"I've been paying for your imported celery for two years."
Winston continued munching peacefully.
Without even bothering to look at him.