Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Buck had learned many things during his years as a firefighter, but nothing had prepared him for the psychological warfare of negotiating breakfast with a four-year-old.

"Theo, sweetheart, these are the same eggs you ate yesterday."

"They're different."

Buck looked down at the plate in front of him, then back at the little boy sitting on the kitchen island's barstool. "How are they different?"

Theo, who was wearing dinosaur pyjamas and had a considerable amount of bed hair sticking up at the back of his head, studied the eggs with the seriousness of a restaurant critic reviewing a particularly disappointing meal. "These ones are yucky."

"You told me yesterday that my eggs were the best eggs in the whole world."

"That was yesterday."

"Right. Of course. My mistake." Buck rested a hand against his chest as though personally wounded. "I didn't realize your taste buds had such a dramatic overnight transformation."

Across the kitchen, Eddie made a suspicious noise into his coffee. Buck turned to find his husband staring determinedly into his mug, the corners of his mouth twitching.

"Don't," Buck warned him.

"I'm not doing anything."

"You're laughing at me."

"I'm drinking my coffee."

"Your shoulders are moving, Eddie."

"Maybe I'm cold."

"It's seventy-five degrees in here."

Eddie finally looked up, his expression so thoroughly innocent that Buck almost admired the effort. Almost. "Maybe you should turn the air conditioning down."

Buck pointed his spatula at him. "You know, for a man who made vows about loving me in sickness and in health, you're remarkably unsupportive when I'm being emotionally abused by our youngest child."

"I'm very supportive." Eddie reached across the counter and stole a piece of bacon from the plate beside the stove. "I support you in everything you do."

"That was my bacon."

"And I support your right to make more."

Buck opened his mouth to argue, but Eddie leaned forward and kissed him before he could get a word out. It was brief, warm, and entirely unfair, especially considering the smug smile Eddie wore when he pulled away. After several years together, Buck should have developed some sort of immunity to his husband's ability to derail a perfectly reasonable complaint with a kiss. Instead, he found himself staring at Eddie for a second longer than necessary while Eddie returned to his coffee as though nothing had happened.

"You're a menace," Buck muttered, turning back to the stove.

"You married me."

"One of my more questionable decisions."

Eddie smiled over the rim of his mug. "You say that now, but who's going to make you coffee when I'm gone?"

"I can make my own coffee."

"Sure, baby."

"I can!"

"Of course you can."

The tone alone was enough to make Buck want to throw a dish towel at him. Before he could act on the impulse, Theo looked up from his eggs and announced, with the solemnity of someone making an important discovery, "Daddy kisses Papa Buck."

Eddie nearly choked on his coffee. Buck, on the other hand, burst out laughing.

"Yes, buddy, Daddy kisses Papa Buck," he agreed, leaning against the counter. "That's what happens when people love each other."

Theo considered this for a moment before holding both arms out toward Eddie. "I want kisses too."

Eddie immediately set his mug down and leaned across the island to kiss Theo's forehead, both cheeks, and the tip of his nose. Theo squealed and tried to push his face away, giggling so hard that Buck worried he might fall off his stool.

"Okay, okay, that's enough!" Theo protested.

"You asked for kisses," Eddie reminded him.

"Not that many!"

"There's no such thing as too many kisses in this family."

Buck shook his head, smiling as he returned to the stove. "That's a lovely sentiment coming from the man who complains every time I kiss him in front of the boys."

"That's different."

"How?"

"Because you're annoying."

"Wow. I really chose a wonderful husband."

"You did, actually," Eddie replied, and his voice was so matter-of-fact that Buck felt his smile soften before he could stop it.

Theo, apparently satisfied that the household affection quota had been met, returned his attention to his breakfast. Buck took the opportunity to replace the offending eggs with a piece of toast, cutting it into triangles after Theo informed him that squares were unacceptable. He was just placing the plate in front of his son when footsteps sounded in the hallway.

Christopher appeared in the kitchen doorway a moment later, his crutches positioned comfortably beneath his arms as he made his way toward the table. At sixteen, he had developed the sort of dry humour that made Buck occasionally wonder whether Eddie had been secretly training him for years. He was also becoming increasingly independent, something both his dads encouraged even when it meant learning to bite their tongues instead of immediately offering help.

"Why is Theo not eating?" Christopher asked, navigating around a chair that had been left slightly out of place.

"Because," Buck explained, "apparently my eggs have betrayed him."

"They're yucky," Theo informed his brother.

Christopher glanced at the plate. "They look fine to me."

"They're not."

"Okay. More for me, then."

Christopher reached toward the serving plate, but Buck moved it closer to himself. "Sit down first. I'll bring it over."

"I can get it, Buck."

"I know you can." Buck carried the plate around the counter and set it on the table beside Christopher. "I'm already standing here, and the plate's hot. Let me be useful."

Christopher gave him a look. "You know you don't have to make everything into a whole thing, right?"

"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about."

"Uh-huh."

Despite the eye roll, Christopher smiled as he reached for the serving spoon. Buck had been part of his life long enough to understand the difference between when Christopher genuinely needed assistance and when he simply wanted the space to do something himself. His cerebral palsy affected his movement and balance, and walking with crutches could be tiring, especially when he had a busy day ahead. That didn't mean he needed someone hovering over him every time he crossed a room, a lesson Buck had occasionally learned the hard way.

Christopher was perfectly capable of telling him when he'd crossed the line, and he rarely hesitated to do so.

"Seriously, though," Christopher continued, arranging his breakfast on his plate, "you can stop treating me like I'm going to break if I carry something."

"I don't think you're going to break."

"You moved the plate before I even touched it."

"Because I was standing right here."

"And because you're Buck."

Buck considered arguing, then decided there was no point. Christopher knew him too well. "Fine. Next time, I'll let you carry the hot plate, and when you burn your fingers, I'll say I told you so."

"That's not how being a parent works."

"Sure it is. Ask your dad."

Eddie raised his coffee mug. "I'm staying out of this."

"Convenient," Christopher muttered, but he was smiling now.

For a few minutes, breakfast settled into something resembling peace. Eddie checked his phone for messages from work while Christopher explained an assignment he had to finish before the end of the week. Theo eventually decided the toast was acceptable, provided Buck promised not to cut it into squares ever again. Buck listened to Christopher's complaints about his history teacher, occasionally asking questions while he packed an extra piece of fruit into his lunch bag. When Christopher mentioned wanting to visit the library after school to work on a project with a friend, Eddie immediately began asking about transportation and timing.

"Dad, I've already planned everything," Christopher said patiently. "My friend lives close to the library, and we're meeting there after school. I'll text you when I get there, and I'll let you know when we're leaving."

"I'm just asking because I need to know when to pick you up."

"I know."

"And I need to make sure you've got everything you need."

"Dad."

Eddie stopped, his hand still wrapped around his coffee mug. Christopher looked at him for a moment before softening his expression. "I've got it. I promise. If anything changes, I'll tell you."

Eddie studied his son, clearly wanting to ask another dozen questions, but eventually he nodded. "All right. Just keep your phone charged, okay?"

"I will."

Buck caught the look Eddie gave him across the table. It was a small exchange, the kind that happened between them all the time: Eddie worrying because he loved his son, Christopher wanting room to grow because he was sixteen, and Buck quietly understanding both sides. He reached behind Eddie's chair and squeezed his shoulder, earning a brief smile from his husband before Eddie turned back to his coffee.

Christopher noticed, of course. He always noticed.

"Can you two not do that while I'm eating?"

Buck looked around in confusion. "Do what?"

"That whole married-couple thing."

Eddie raised an eyebrow. "You mean being married?"

"I mean the flirting. The hand-holding. The kissing. All of it."

"We kissed once," Buck protested.

"It was eight in the morning, and you were standing in front of the eggs. I shouldn't have to witness that."

"You are being incredibly dramatic."

"I'm sixteen. It's my job."

Theo, who had been quietly spreading a questionable amount of syrup across his toast, looked up. "I like kisses."

"Of course you do," Christopher said.

Theo stuck his tongue out at him.

"Hey," Eddie warned gently. "We don't stick our tongues out at people."

Theo immediately put his tongue away, looking mildly offended by the accusation that he'd done anything wrong. Christopher grinned at him, and Buck laughed as he gathered the remaining plates. The noise of their family filled the kitchen, overlapping conversations and little arguments blending into the familiar rhythm of a morning at home.

Buck loved it more than he knew how to explain.

There had been a time when he'd thought happiness would arrive as something enormous and unmistakable, a moment so extraordinary that he'd never have to wonder whether he'd finally found it. Instead, it had crept into his life in small pieces: Eddie's coffee mug left beside the sink, Christopher's school projects covering the dining table, Theo's toys scattered across the living room, and four plates waiting at dinner every evening. Somewhere along the way, without quite realizing it, Buck had stopped feeling like a visitor in someone else's life and started feeling like he belonged.

He had a husband who loved him, two boys who expected him to be there, and a home that was loud, messy, and full of people who would notice if he didn't come back at the end of the day.

He wouldn't have traded any of it for the world.

By the time Buck finished getting ready for work, Theo had decided that he wanted to go with him. This happened often enough that Buck had begun to suspect his son believed the fire station was some sort of magical place where adults spent their days eating snacks and playing with equipment.

"Can I come with you?" Theo asked, following Buck into the hallway.

"Nope. You've got preschool, and I've got work."

"I can work."

Buck crouched to straighten the collar of Theo's dinosaur-print shirt. "Oh, yeah? What's your job?"

Theo considered the question carefully. "Being cute."

Buck pressed his lips together, desperately trying not to laugh. Behind him, Eddie made a suspicious noise that sounded remarkably like a cough.

"Well, buddy, you're definitely qualified for that job," Buck said, smoothing Theo's hair. "Unfortunately, the fire department doesn't have an opening right now."

"Can you ask Bobby?"

"I'll put in a good word for you."

Theo seemed satisfied with this arrangement. He wrapped his arms around Buck's neck, and Buck hugged him tightly, pressing a kiss to his hair before pulling back. "Be good for Daddy, okay? And listen to your teacher."

"I am good."

"You are. Most of the time."

Theo frowned as though he'd been unfairly insulted, then reached up to touch Buck's cheek. "You have to come home."

The words were simple, spoken with the absolute certainty of a child who expected the world to keep its promises. Buck's smile softened as he brushed his thumb across Theo's cheek.

"I'll be home for dinner, buddy. Promise."

Theo nodded and released him, apparently satisfied. He returned to the living room, where Christopher was helping him find a toy dinosaur that had somehow ended up beneath the sofa. Buck watched them for a moment before straightening and turning toward Eddie, who was standing in the bedroom doorway with his arms folded across his chest.

"What?" Buck asked when he caught Eddie smiling.

"Nothing."

"That's the third time you've said that today. You're getting suspiciously bad at pretending nothing's happening."

Eddie stepped closer and adjusted the collar of Buck's uniform, smoothing a wrinkle that hadn't bothered Buck until that exact moment. "I was just thinking about how much I love you."

Buck blinked. "You can't say things like that when I'm about to leave for work."

"Why not?"

"Because then I have to kiss you, and then I'll be late, and Bobby will give me that disappointed look."

"Sounds like a terrible situation."

"It's a serious professional concern."

Eddie smiled and slid his hands around Buck's waist. "Then I guess you'd better kiss me quickly."

Buck laughed softly before leaning in. Their kiss was gentle and familiar, lasting only a few seconds before Eddie rested his forehead against Buck's. The morning light fell across the bedroom, illuminating the little details Buck knew so well: the wedding ring on Eddie's finger, the faint crease between his eyebrows when he was worried, the softening of his expression whenever he looked at Buck as though he still couldn't quite believe they had ended up here.

"Be careful today," Eddie murmured.

Buck nodded. "Always."

Eddie gave him a look.

"Okay, okay. I'll be as careful as I can be."

"Better."

Buck kissed him once more before stepping back to grab his bag. "I love you."

"I love you too. Text me when you get a break, okay?"

"Yes, sir."

"I'm serious, Buck."

"I know, baby." Buck grinned as he headed toward the front door. "I'll text you. I'll eat my lunch. I'll drink water. I'll be the most responsible firefighter in the entire city."

"That last part is the one I find hardest to believe."

Buck laughed, calling a cheerful goodbye to the boys before stepping outside. He glanced back through the doorway one last time and caught Eddie watching him, one hand resting against the doorframe. From the living room came Christopher's voice, followed by Theo's delighted laughter, and Buck smiled as he headed toward his truck.

It was an ordinary morning, and he had no reason to think it would be anything else.

The shift began quietly enough that Buck almost suspected the universe was setting him up for something. He arrived at the station to find Chimney complaining about the coffee, Hen checking medical supplies, and Bobby reviewing the maintenance list. Eddie wasn't working the same shift that day, but he'd already sent Buck two messages reminding him to eat his lunch and another asking whether he'd remembered the container of fruit in the refrigerator.

Buck had replied with a photograph of his packed lunch and a thumbs-up. Eddie had responded with a heart, which Buck had answered with three more. Chimney had seen the exchange over his shoulder and announced that he was going to be sick, prompting Buck to inform him that jealousy was an ugly emotion.

"You're insufferable," Chimney told him.

"And yet, beloved."

"By whom?"

Buck opened his mouth to answer, but the tones dropped before he could come up with anything sufficiently obnoxious. Bobby was already moving toward the trucks as dispatch reported a structural collapse at a commercial renovation site, with several workers potentially trapped inside. The station's easy atmosphere disappeared almost instantly. Hen grabbed her gear, Chimney followed close behind, and Buck was pulling on his gloves before the dispatcher had finished providing the location.

The drive was tense but controlled. Bobby listened to the radio while the team reviewed what little information they had about the site. A portion of the building's interior had collapsed, possibly compromising the surrounding support structure, and there were reports of injured workers near the rear corridor. Buck watched the streets pass through the windshield, mentally preparing himself for the rescue ahead. He'd responded to enough structural incidents to know that the initial information was rarely complete, and the safest approach was always to assess the scene before making assumptions.

When they arrived, the site was crowded with workers, emergency personnel, and people standing behind the safety perimeter. Dust drifted through the air near the damaged entrance, and several sections of the building's interior were visibly unstable. Bobby immediately began coordinating with the other responders while Hen moved toward an injured worker near the perimeter. Buck followed Bobby to speak with the site supervisor, who looked as though he hadn't slept in days.

"Two confirmed inside," the supervisor explained, pointing toward the damaged section. "Possibly three. One of them was working near the back corridor when the ceiling came down."

"Do you know what caused the collapse?" Bobby asked.

"Not yet. They were reinforcing the interior walls. We heard a cracking sound, and then everything just dropped."

Buck glanced toward the building as a faint voice carried from somewhere inside. He turned toward Bobby, who had heard it too, and the two exchanged a brief look before moving toward the entrance with the rest of their team. They entered cautiously, watching the damaged walls and stepping around larger pieces of debris. Dust hung in the air, reducing visibility, and Buck kept his flashlight trained on the ground as they moved through the corridor.

They found the first worker near a damaged doorway, conscious but trapped beneath a fallen section of shelving. Bobby radioed for assistance while Buck crouched beside the man and began talking him through the rescue. "Hey, I'm Buck. We're going to get you out of here, okay? I need you to stay as still as you can while we work. Can you tell me your name?"

The man gave it to him, his breathing uneven.

"All right. I'm going to stay right here with you. My team is going to lift this enough to get you clear, but I need you to listen to me, okay?"

The man nodded, and Buck helped stabilize the shelving while Bobby and another firefighter worked to free his leg. It took several minutes, but they eventually managed to lift the obstruction enough to get him out. As the injured worker was carried toward the entrance, Buck heard another shout from farther down the corridor. He turned instinctively, searching through the dust for the source of the voice.

"Help! Somebody, please!"

Buck looked toward Bobby. "Cap, I hear someone farther back."

"I hear them too. We're waiting for the additional team before we move any farther in."

"They sound close."

"And the structure is unstable. We do this properly, Buck."

Buck swallowed his frustration and nodded. He knew Bobby was right, even if every instinct in him wanted to move immediately. They waited for the additional firefighters to arrive before proceeding toward the rear corridor, following the safest available route through the damaged interior. The second worker was found near a support column, conscious but unable to move because debris had blocked the passage. Buck knelt beside him, asking questions while the rest of the team assessed the surrounding structure.

It was then that he noticed the crack running along the wall above them.

"Cap," Buck said quietly, looking up.

Bobby followed his gaze, and his expression changed. Before either of them could say anything, a sharp cracking sound echoed overhead. The structure shifted, sending a tremor through the corridor.

"Everybody out!" Bobby shouted.

The next few seconds were a blur of movement and noise. The team began retreating toward the entrance as another section of the damaged ceiling gave way. Buck heard the trapped worker cry out and turned back instinctively, reaching him just as a section of framework dropped across the passage. He shoved the man toward the clearer section of the corridor, getting him out of the immediate path of the falling debris, but the impact caught Buck before he could move away.

He hit the ground hard. Dust filled the air, and the sound of the collapse seemed to swallow everything around him. For several seconds, Buck couldn't do anything except lie still and try to understand what had happened. He attempted to push himself up, but pain stopped him so abruptly that he had to bite back a groan.

"Buck!" Bobby's voice came from somewhere beyond the debris. "Buck, talk to me!"

Buck drew a shaky breath, trying to orient himself. The worker he'd pushed away was moving toward the clearer section of the corridor, and Buck forced himself to look in that direction.

"Get him out," he managed to call.

"Forget him for a second. I need to know where you are. Can you move?"

Buck tried again and immediately regretted it. Something hurt badly enough to make it difficult to think, and he couldn't tell whether the pain in his shoulder was worse than the deep ache along his side. "Not really," he admitted, breathing carefully.

"All right. Don't try to move. We're coming to you."

Buck lay still, staring through the dust toward a narrow strip of daylight visible at the end of the corridor. He thought of Eddie adjusting his collar that morning, of Christopher's message asking him to pick up a snack on his way home, and of Theo standing in the hallway with his arms wrapped around Buck's neck.

You have to come home.

Buck swallowed, trying to keep his breathing steady as he listened to the voices of the rescue team working to reach him. He had promised his little boy he'd be home for dinner. He had promised Eddie he'd be careful. He'd promised Christopher he'd bring home that stupid snack.

He couldn't help thinking about how ordinary those promises had felt when he'd made them.

Now, lying beneath the damaged remains of a building, he found himself holding on to them with everything he had.

By the time Buck arrived at the hospital, he was exhausted, sore, and thoroughly annoyed by the fact that the medical team kept telling him not to move. The paramedics had assessed him at the scene before transporting him for further evaluation, and the initial scans had revealed enough to make it clear that he wasn't going to be returning to work anytime soon. He was still waiting for the doctor to return with an update when his phone vibrated on the bedside table.

Eddie.

Buck stared at the name for a moment before answering. "Hey, baby."

There was a brief silence on the other end before Eddie spoke, his voice unusually careful. "Why is Bobby calling me from the hospital?"

Buck closed his eyes. That wasn't a good sign.

"Okay, before you get upset, I can explain."

"Buck."

"I'm awake, I'm talking to you, and I'm—"

"Are you hurt?"

The question cut straight through the excuses Buck had been preparing. He looked down at the blanket covering his legs, suddenly finding it difficult to pretend that everything was fine. "Yeah," he admitted quietly. "A little."

"How badly?"

"I'm not sure yet. They ran some scans, and the doctor is supposed to come back and talk to me."

Buck could hear Eddie breathing on the other end of the line. For a few seconds, neither of them spoke, and Buck could picture his husband standing wherever he'd been when Bobby called, trying to make sense of the information while his mind raced ahead to every possibility he didn't want to consider.

"I'm coming," Eddie said finally.

"You don't have to rush. I'm okay, Ed."

"Buck, please don't tell me you're fine until somebody who knows what they're talking about has checked you over."

Buck looked down at his hands, the words he'd been about to say suddenly feeling inadequate. "Okay," he whispered.

Eddie exhaled, and his voice softened. "I'm going to arrange for someone to stay with the boys, and then I'm coming straight to you. Do you understand?"

"Yeah."

"And Buck?"

"Yeah, baby?"

"I love you."

Buck swallowed around the tightness in his throat. "I love you too."

The call ended a few seconds later, and Buck lowered the phone onto the bed. He stared at the screen for a long time, thinking about the boys and the house and the dinner he'd promised Theo they'd have together. He wished he could be there, sitting on the couch with his little boy tucked against his side while Christopher complained about homework and Eddie moved around the kitchen making dinner. Instead, he was lying in a hospital bed, waiting to find out what the next few weeks of his life would look like.

He had no idea how long the recovery would take, and the uncertainty bothered him more than he wanted to admit. He could deal with pain. He could deal with being tired. What he didn't know how to deal with was the thought of being unable to do the things he'd always done without thinking, especially when those things involved taking care of the people he loved.

The doctor returned with an update, explaining that Buck had sustained several injuries that would require monitoring and a period of recovery. They wanted to keep him in the hospital while they completed further assessments and managed his pain, and he would need time to heal before returning to his normal activities. Buck listened, asking a few questions, but his attention kept drifting toward the door. He knew Eddie was on his way, and the knowledge was the only thing keeping him from getting lost in the uncertainty of what came next.

When Eddie finally appeared in the doorway, Buck recognized the look on his face immediately. His husband was trying very hard to remain calm, but his eyes moved over the monitors, the bandages, and the bruising that had begun to show along the edges of Buck's hospital gown. For a moment, Eddie simply stood there, taking in the sight of him, before crossing the room and pulling a chair beside the bed.

"Hey," Buck said, attempting a smile. "You made it."

Eddie didn't answer immediately. He sat down and took Buck's hand in both of his, his thumb moving slowly over Buck's knuckles as though he needed the reassurance of physical contact before he could speak. "What hurts?"

Buck hesitated, and Eddie looked up at him.

"Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Think about what answer will make me feel better before you tell me the truth." Eddie's voice was quiet, but there was enough strain beneath it to make Buck's smile fade. "Please, Buck. Just tell me."

Buck looked at their joined hands. "My side hurts. My shoulder too. Moving is pretty unpleasant right now, but they gave me something for the pain, so it's not as bad as it was at the scene."

Eddie nodded slowly. "Okay."

"They're keeping me here for a bit while they finish checking everything."

"All right."

Buck studied his face, searching for the anger he'd been half expecting. "You're not going to yell at me?"

Eddie let out a breath that sounded almost like a laugh, except there was nothing amused about it. "No, sweetheart. I'm not going to yell at you."

"You look like you want to."

"I want to do a lot of things right now." Eddie lifted Buck's hand and pressed a kiss against his knuckles. "I want to hold you until I'm sure you're really here. I want to call Bobby and ask him why he thought telling me over the phone was a good idea. I want to go home, hug the boys, and come back here to hold you some more."

Buck's expression softened. "That's a lot of things."

"I've had a stressful afternoon."

"Missed you too, sweetheart."

Eddie finally smiled, although it was a small, tired thing. He leaned forward carefully and rested his forehead against Buck's hand for a moment before sitting back in the chair. They stayed like that while Eddie asked the doctor a few questions and listened carefully to the plan for Buck's recovery. He wanted to understand what would happen next, how long Buck might need to stay in the hospital, and what sort of help he'd need when he finally came home. Buck watched him make notes on his phone, occasionally interrupting to point out that he was perfectly capable of remembering some of the information himself.

"I know you can remember it," Eddie said, without looking up. "I'm writing it down because I want to make sure I don't forget anything."

"You're going to turn our kitchen into a medical command centre, aren't you?"

"Probably."

"Should I be worried?"

"Absolutely."

Buck laughed, then winced when the movement pulled at his sore side. Eddie immediately looked up, his expression tightening with concern, and Buck reached for his hand before he could start asking another dozen questions.

"I'm okay," Buck said, then caught himself when Eddie raised an eyebrow. "I'm sore. I know. I'm allowed to say I'm sore."

"You're learning."

"Don't sound so proud of yourself."

"I'm very proud of myself."

Buck rolled his eyes, but he didn't let go of Eddie's hand. For the first time since the accident, he allowed himself to stop trying to make everything sound better than it was. He was hurt, he was tired, and he didn't know when he'd be home. It was frightening to admit those things out loud, even to the man who knew him better than anyone, but Eddie didn't look disappointed or impatient. He simply stayed beside him, listening.

Eventually, Buck glanced toward the window, where the afternoon light had begun to fade. "Can you tell the boys I'm okay?"

Eddie's expression softened. "Of course."

"And tell Theo I'll be home as soon as I can."

"I will."

Buck looked down at their hands. "I hate that I'm not there."

"I know, baby."

"I was supposed to make dinner tonight."

"We'll survive one night without your cooking."

"Wow. That hurts."

Eddie smiled faintly. "I'm sure we'll manage."

Buck tried to laugh, but the sound faded before it fully formed. "I just don't want them to worry."

Eddie squeezed his hand. "They're going to worry because they love you. That's not something you can prevent by pretending you're fine."

Buck looked at him for a long moment, then nodded. "Okay."

Eddie leaned forward and kissed his forehead, lingering there before sitting back down. "We'll get you home, one step at a time."

Buck repeated the words quietly, more to himself than to Eddie. "One step at a time."

For now, it was enough to know that Eddie was there, that the boys were waiting for him at home, and that he didn't have to figure out everything about the future tonight.

That evening, Eddie sat on the couch between Christopher and Theo, his phone resting in his hand. He'd arranged for a friend to stay with the boys while he visited Buck, but now that he was home again, he found himself struggling to focus on anything other than the image of his husband lying in a hospital bed. He had explained what happened as gently as he could, telling the boys that Buck had been hurt at work and needed to stay in the hospital while the doctors looked after him. Christopher had listened quietly, asking sensible questions about Buck's injuries and when he might be allowed home. Theo, who was four and still believed that most problems could be solved by bringing someone a favourite toy, had asked whether the hospital had beds and whether Buck was allowed to eat snacks.

Now Theo was leaning against Eddie's side, holding a small plastic dinosaur in both hands, while Christopher sat on Eddie's other side with his crutches resting within reach beside the couch. He'd been quiet for most of the evening, but Eddie could tell he was worried by the way he kept checking his phone, waiting for another update.

"Can we call him?" Christopher asked.

Eddie looked down at his phone. "He's resting right now, but I can send him a message and ask if he's up for a video call."

Theo immediately sat up. "I want to see Papa Buck."

"I know, sweetheart."

"Can I show him my dinosaur?"

"Absolutely."

Christopher glanced at Eddie. "Did the doctor say how long he'll be there?"

"They're still checking a few things. We don't know yet."

Christopher nodded, looking down at his hands. "I just hate that he's there alone."

Eddie reached over and squeezed his shoulder. "He's not alone anymore. I was there this afternoon, and Bobby's been checking in too. I'll go back tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay."

Eddie sent Buck a message, and a few minutes later his phone rang. Buck's face appeared on the screen, pale and tired but smiling, and Theo practically launched himself into Eddie's lap.

"PAPA BUCK!"

Buck winced slightly at the volume, then laughed. "Hey, buddy. I can hear you all the way over here."

"Why are you at the hospital?"

"Because I had a little accident at work, and the doctors want to make sure I'm okay."

"Did you fall?"

"Something like that."

"Did you cry?"

Buck blinked. Christopher covered his mouth, trying not to laugh, while Eddie raised his eyebrows at his husband with an expression that clearly said I'd love to hear how you answer that one.

Buck cleared his throat. "Well, buddy, sometimes people cry when they get hurt. That's okay."

Theo considered this carefully. "Did you cry?"

Buck sighed. "A little."

Theo nodded solemnly, apparently satisfied with the honesty. "Okay. I bring you dinosaur."

He held the toy directly in front of the camera, blocking Buck's face entirely, and Buck laughed softly.

"Whoa, that's a pretty cool dinosaur. Is he going to protect me?"

"Yes. He bites bad guys."

"Good. I feel much safer already."

Christopher leaned toward the phone, smiling faintly. "Hey, Buck. How are you feeling?"

Buck's expression softened. "I'm okay, Chris. A little sore, but I'm being looked after."

"Are you coming home tomorrow?"

Buck hesitated, and Eddie saw the change in his expression. "I don't know yet, kid. The doctors have to finish checking everything first."

Christopher nodded, clearly disappointed but trying not to show it. "All right. Just let me know, okay? And don't try to convince them you're fine if you're not."

Buck stared at the screen. "Has everybody in this family decided to gang up on me?"

"Yes," Christopher replied without hesitation.

Eddie laughed, and even Buck managed a small smile. "Apparently, I'm not very convincing."

"You're terrible at resting," Eddie told him.

"You're all terrible at being supportive."

"We love you too, Buck," Christopher said, and the casual certainty in his voice made Buck's expression soften again.

Theo pushed the dinosaur toward the camera. "Papa Buck, dinosaur say you come home."

For a moment, Buck looked as though he didn't know what to say. He blinked a few times before smiling at the little boy on the screen. "Tell him I'll come home as soon as I can, okay?"

Theo nodded. "Okay."

They talked for another few minutes, mostly about Christopher's school project, Theo's dinosaur, and the fact that Eddie had apparently made pasta for dinner instead of the chicken Buck had planned to cook. When the call ended, Theo stared at the dark screen for a moment before turning toward Eddie.

"Papa Buck come home tomorrow?"

Eddie set the phone down and pulled him closer. "We don't know yet, sweetheart. But he'll come home as soon as the doctors say he's ready."

Theo frowned. "But he said he come home."

"He will, baby. We just have to give him a little time to get better."

Theo seemed to think about that for a moment before resting his head against Eddie's chest, his dinosaur clutched tightly in both hands. Christopher watched them quietly, then shifted his weight and reached for his crutches.

"I think I'm going to go to bed early," he said. "I've got a lot of work to finish tomorrow."

Eddie nodded. "All right. Do you need anything before you go?"

"No, I'm okay." Christopher paused at the edge of the couch and looked back at his dad. "Can you tell Buck I said goodnight?"

"Of course."

"And tell him not to worry about the snack. I can get it myself."

Eddie smiled. "I'll tell him."

Christopher nodded and made his way toward the hallway, moving carefully with his crutches. Eddie watched him go, recognizing the worry his son was trying to hide beneath his usual matter-of-fact tone. He wanted to follow him and reassure him that everything would be fine, but he knew Christopher needed space to process things in his own way. Instead, Eddie looked down at Theo, who was still clutching his dinosaur.

"Do you want me to read you a story tonight?"

Theo nodded against his chest. "Papa Buck reads the dinosaur one."

"I know, sweetheart."

"You read it?"

"Of course."

Theo looked up at him, his eyes suddenly serious. "And Papa Buck come home when the story finish?"

Eddie's throat tightened, but he brushed Theo's hair away from his forehead and kissed him gently. "Not tonight, baby. But we'll see him again soon."

Theo didn't argue. He simply settled against Eddie and held his dinosaur close while Eddie carried him to bed. He read the dinosaur story twice because the first time hadn't been quite right, then stayed beside him until the little boy finally fell asleep. Only after making sure Christopher was settled for the night did Eddie return to his own bedroom.

The room felt different without Buck in it. Eddie stood beside the bed for a moment, looking at the pillow that still held the faintest trace of Buck's cologne, before sitting down and picking it up. He held it against his chest, letting the quiet of the house settle around him. For most of the day, he'd been the one asking questions, making arrangements, and reassuring everyone that Buck was being looked after. Now, with nobody watching and nobody needing him to be the calm one, he finally allowed himself to feel how frightened he'd been.

His phone vibrated on the bedside table. Buck had sent him a message.

Love you. Tell the boys I love them too. And please don't let Theo convince you that the dinosaur needs to sleep in our bed.

Eddie laughed quietly, the sound breaking a little at the edges, and typed back.

Too late. He's already negotiating.

A moment later, another message appeared.

Tell him I'm proud of him.

Eddie stared at the words for a long time before setting the phone down. He could picture Buck saying them, his voice soft and warm, already thinking about the boys even while he was lying in a hospital bed. That was Buck, always looking outward, always making sure everyone else was okay.

Eddie loved that about him.

He also wished, sometimes, that Buck understood he didn't have to be the person holding everything together all the time.

He didn't have to fix every problem or make every bad day better. He didn't have to smile through pain or convince everyone he was fine just because he didn't want them to worry.

He was allowed to need people, too.

Eddie lay down on Buck's side of the bed, still holding the pillow, and closed his eyes. Tomorrow, he'd go back to the hospital. He'd bring Buck clean clothes, ask the doctors whatever questions he could think of, and sit beside him for as long as Buck needed him there. They would figure out the recovery together, just as they'd figured out everything else in their life together.

For now, Eddie let himself imagine the day Buck would come home: Theo running down the hallway to greet him, Christopher pretending he wasn't relieved while asking a dozen questions, and Buck smiling as he stepped through the front door and found his place waiting for him.

Four plates at the dinner table. Four people in the living room. Four people who belonged together.

Eddie turned his face into Buck's pillow and whispered into the quiet room, "Come home soon, baby."

He knew Buck would do everything he could to keep his promise.

And until then, Eddie would keep the light on.