Work Text:
“I can’t believe Cap wouldn’t give us both the weekend off.”
“It’s not like it’s easy for two of us to suddenly take off, Buck,” Eddie said, as he stuffed his toiletries into his suitcase before pushing himself up off the edge of Buck’s bed.
Buck glared at the suitcase as if it had personally offended him. “Your Army buddy should’ve gotten married in L.A. There are lots of great places for weddings.”
“Considering he, his fiancée and both their families are in San Francisco, that wouldn’t make a lot of sense.” Eddie zipped up the case, but Buck’s glare at it only increased. “Hey,” Eddie said, sliding a hand under Buck’s chin to lift his head until their eyes met. “It’s 60 hours. And you’re working for 24 of them.”
The first hint of a smile lifted the corner of Buck’s mouth, and Eddie wanted to slide back under the covers with him. “Aww, Eddie, you’re counting the hours already?”
Eddie rolled his eyes, even if there might be some truth to the words. It had only been a few weeks since that first kiss, and he really couldn’t think of a better place to pass out at night than wherever Buck was. Still, it was never a good idea to give Buck any leverage.
“Yeah, until I see Christopher again,” Eddie said.
The way Buck’s face lit up didn’t help Eddie’s will to leave. “He’ll have a great time at Abuela’s though. She’s making chicken in mole sauce tomorrow.”
“How do you know that?”
“She invited me to dinner when we dropped Chris off last night.”
Eddie opened his mouth, but the alarm clock caught his eye. He didn’t have the time. “Okay, I have to go,” he said, leaning in for a kiss, and then another kiss, pulling back just as Buck was trying to drag him back into the bed. “Really, I have to go,” Eddie said. “And so do you. You have to get to work.”
Buck’s sigh was much heavier than the situation really warranted, but Eddie couldn’t entirely blame him.
“Let me know when you get there?” Buck said.
“I will.” Eddie leaned in for one more quick kiss before grabbing his suitcase and heading for the door.
***
Eddie had just passed Bakersfield when Buck called. “Miss me already?” Eddie answered.
“Yes,” Buck said, as if he’d just been asked ‘does air exist?’ “But I’m calling to get you to settle a bet. Which Doritos are the best – nacho, ranch or white cheddar?”
“White cheddar. They don’t have that stuff in them that makes Chris go super hyper.”
“Thank you!” Buck’s voice was muffled as he said, “Pay up.”
Eddie rolled his eyes. “Hope that was enough money to buy me dinner when I get back.”
The background chatter faded a bit, and Buck’s voice was lower as he said, “Baby, I’ll buy you whatever you want if you come back now.”
“Nice try, but you’re on duty and Andy would probably shoot me if I made him one groomsman short.”
Buck’s sigh was epic, but he let it go. “I heard you talked to Chris.”
“Yeah, I—wait, where’d you hear that?”
“From Chris. He called to make sure I was coming to dinner.”
Eddie’s heart did a funny, overheated skip sort of thing. “He must be excited.”
“Yeah…of course, he’d be more excited if you were gonna be there, too.”
“I’m hanging up now, Buck.”
“Come on, you know you miss us both.”
He did, but that wasn’t the point. “Yes. But I’m still hanging up. Bye.”
“Bye.”
***
Emergencies must have kept the 118 busy, because Eddie’s phone didn’t ring again the rest of the drive. While he checked into his room, Eddie scrolled through text messages to find texts from both Chris and Buck asking if he’d made it okay.
As soon as he was in his room, Eddie called Christopher to tell him about the drive and what little he’d seen of the city, and hear all about the flowers he helped plant.
“Are you being good for Abuelita?” Eddie asked.
“Yes. We’re making flautas for when Buck gets here.”
Eddie tossed his suitcase on the bed. “Flautas just for Buck?” he asked as he unzipped the case. “Lucky him!”
“Abuelita said he would be hungry after working so long, so we’re surprising him.”
Because of course Eddie’s family was as taken with Buck as Eddie himself was. “That’s very nice of you.”
They chatted for a few more minutes before Chris had to go. Eddie had dug everything out of his suitcase he needed, so he pushed it aside and flopped back onto the bed, pulling up the text from Buck.
You make it to SF yet or do I need to send out a search party?
Eddie laughed as he started typing. I made it. You should see the room. Great view.
Seconds later Buck’s face, wearing the goofiest expression possible—seriously, Eddie was going to have to change his passcode if Buck was going to keep changing his own profile picture—popped up with a Facetime call.
Eddie accepted the call. “Hey.”
“Wow,” Buck said, “you were right about the view.”
“You can’t even see the window—all you can see is me with some pillows behind me.”
“Exactly.”
The word had such an undertone that Eddie had to clear his voice before he could continue. “You didn’t bug me the rest of the drive,” Eddie said, taking in Buck’s appearance and the background. “And you’ve just showered and you’re hiding out in one of the bunk rooms. Tough call?”
Buck shrugged, but Eddie didn’t miss the bob of his Adam’s apple, or the way his jawline tensed up. “Aren’t most of them?”
Yeah, but most of them didn’t have Buck hiding behind a closed door. On a bed. “You got hurt, didn’t you?”
“Not really, just a few scrapes and bruises.” Something must have shown on Eddie’s face, because Buck’s expression softened. “I’m fine, Eddie. I swear. I’m just tired and sore so I took a few minutes to lie down.”
“Anything I can do?”
“Come home?”
If he could find a way to portal himself to L.A. and then back before the rehearsal, he would. “Buck…”
“I’m kidding,” Buck said. “Well, mostly. But I know you can’t. Although, I have had some thoughts about this room while we’ve been on duty lately.”
Christ, just that tone was enough to have Eddie’s dick paying attention. “Oh?”
“Mmmhm.” Buck had that smile, the lazy one with his tongue just peeking out over his lower lip that usually had Eddie looking for the nearest flat surface so he didn’t end up against a wall.
“Let me guess,” Eddie said, pitching his voice low just to see that flush fill Buck’s face, “you think it needs new throw pillows.”
Buck laughed. “No, but I’m thinking about all the fun we could have once I throw you on the pillows.”
Yeah, and there was an image that Eddie would have to live with at work for the rest of his career. “Who says I wouldn’t be throwing you on them first?”
Buck’s eyes widened. “Is that a challenge?”
“No. Nope. No challenge.” If Buck’s competitive streak got involved in this, there was no way the 118 would miss what ended up happening.
“I don’t know, Eddie, that kind of sounded like a challenge to me. Of course, if it was, then the next time we were both here, I might have to catch you off guard and wrangle you in here just to meet the challenge.”
Eddie’s free hand slid down over his dick, already pushing against his jeans. “Let’s say you actually managed to catch me off guard. Then what?”
“Well, I’ve learned how to get out of my uniform in less than twenty seconds,” Buck said, “so forty seconds after I got you in here, we’d both be naked, and—”
Eddie’s phone rang, Andy’s name popping up over Buck’s face. “Dammit. That’s Andy calling. I have to go. I’m sorry.”
Buck’s smile was real, if a little disappointed. “Go. We’ll talk later.”
“You’re sure you’re not hurt?”
“I’m fine. Go.”
Eddie closed FaceTime and answered Andy’s call.
“You made it?” Andy asked.
“Yeah, just got into my room a few minutes ago.”
“Great. Put your shit down and get down to the bar. We’re having a drink before rehearsal.”
“Got it. Be right there.”
He hung up and opened up his texts with Buck. Sorry again he typed before he put the phone down to change shirts.
The phone buzzed as he was buttoning up his shirt. He finished dressing and picked it up to see a new text from Buck.
I forgive you <3
Eddie stared at the text for a moment before he put his phone in his pocket, grabbed his room key, and headed out.
***
Andy and his fiancée, Jenna, sat at a table at the front of the room, but they might as well have been in their own little world the way they were looking at each other. It was somewhat adorably sweet, like having eaten a few too many jelly beans.
Eddie’s phone buzzed, dragging his attention away from the happy couple. Do you think if we actually went to every school in the city and explained the dangers of playing with matches kids would stop playing with matches and nearly burning their houses down?
No. How bad was it?
Not that bad, Buck replied. Mostly contained to the kids’ playroom upstairs, and nobody hurt.
Including Buck. Good.
How’s the rehearsal?
Eddie snapped a picture of Andy and Jenna gazing adoringly into each other’s eyes and sent it.
A moment later, Buck replied, Those two should get a room.
Not tonight. No seeing each other after the rehearsal until the bride walks down the aisle.
Ten bucks says they have a quickie in a closet somewhere in the next hour.
Andy leaned in for a long, lingering kiss. Sucker bet. Not taking it. Eddie texted, followed by, You back at the firehouse yet?
Almost. Why? Want me to FaceTime you again?
Yeah, that wasn’t going to help things, even if Eddie’s nerves tingled at the thought. I don’t think the entire bridal party needs the results of that scarring them for life.
But what about you, Eddie? What do you need?
Christ, he was relentless, and so was Eddie’s dick, jumping every time Buck did or said anything remotely suggestive. Never mind that it had been text, Eddie could hear the tone behind it. I need for it to be Sunday night and for me to be home.
Yeah, you’re not the only one who needs that, Buck replied. Too bad I have to work Sunday night.
I thought you were off?
Kenny has the flu. Cap asked if I could cover.
And Buck could never say no to Bobby. Which was admirable, but also kind of sucked right about now. Chris and I will miss you, but we’ll see for you pizza night on Monday?
Wouldn’t miss it!
“Hey.” Andy sat down next to Eddie, nodding at his phone. “That the guy who’s been featuring in ninety percent of your Instagram posts lately?”
Eddie put his phone face down on the table. “I don’t know about ninety percent,” he said. “But yeah, that’s him.”
“Buck, right?”
Eddie nodded. “Evan Buckley, actually, but everyone calls him Buck.”
Andy opened his mouth and took a breath, then stopped, studying Eddie for a moment. “Look,” Andy said finally. “I saw you have a lot of phone conversations with Shannon. And I never once saw you look at the phone the way you were looking at it just now.”
Eddie caught himself just before he asked how he was looking at his phone and changed direction instead. “Looks like things are breaking up,” he said. “Where’s the bachelor party?”
The look Andy gave him said he knew exactly what Eddie was doing, but he let it go. “That’s actually why I came over. We’re about to head out. Let’s go.”
“One second,” Eddie said as he picked up his phone.
Bachelor party time, he texted.
Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.
That’s a wide range if Buck 1.0 is talking.
Buck’s reply took a moment. Buck 1.0 is long gone.
Buck 2.0 rules it is then. Got it.
“Diaz, get your ass in gear!”
“Right behind you!”
***
“This song goes out to the bachelor party over in the corner—drink up, groom, because who knows when you’ll get the chance again!”
Eddie rolled his eyes at the predictable joke, when the song started about a woman who was sweet but psycho. He only remembered about half of his own bachelor party, and about that much of his wedding as well, but he was pretty sure it went down just about the same way, only with slightly older songs.
Given how well his marriage worked, maybe he should have listened to the music.
But he’d played his own part in that disaster, and no matter how easy it was to blame Shannon for everything, he was one beer past mopey and he could cop to being part of the problem, and not enough of the solution.
He didn’t want to lose Buck like he’d lost Shannon. Couldn’t stand doing that to Chris, to himself. But he didn’t know how to be anyone other than himself.
He scrolled back through his messages with Buck, stopping when he got to, I forgive you <3. History didn’t always repeat itself. And he might be himself, but he still wasn’t the same person he was six years ago. Or even one year ago.
Had he learned enough to at least make different choices?
Andy flopped down in the booth, bumping into Eddie’s side as he did. “Man, you’ve got it bad.”
Eddie smiled in spite of himself. “Maybe,” he said, glancing up at Andy. “I can’t help it. It’s just…it’s him, you know? Just…him.”
“That’s deep, Diaz.”
Eddie punched him in the arm. “Asshole.”
“Hey, man, all I can say is I’d better be invited to the wedding. Because anyone who still has it as bad as you do after a year is gonna end up here sooner or later.”
It took a moment for the words to register through the alcohol. “A year? Buck and I have only been together for a few weeks.”
Andy laughed. “Dude, you should sober up and go back through the last year or so of your Instagram.”
Before Eddie could reply, Andy was being hauled away by two of his soon to be brothers-in-law, Josh and Joe—Eddie hadn’t been able to make out which one was which yet. Eddie picked up his phone and started scrolling back through his Instagram. By the time he was three months back, he could kind of see Andy’s point.
Mostly, though, he just saw Christopher, the most important thing in his world, and Buck, who had made the two of them the most important thing in his world, probably the first person to fully commit to that. Ever.
He paused on one picture, a selfie of the three of them 9 months ago, before the lawsuit, before Eddie had a chance to realize what a large hole Buck’s absence left in their lives. Buck’s arm was outstretched, holding Eddie’s phone. Buck and Christopher were smiling at the camera, but Eddie was looking at Buck. Eddie had always been so focused on the smiling faces of his boys that he’d never bothered to look at himself, at the expression on his own face.
Maybe Andy hadn’t been so far off after all.
“Hey, lover boy.” Andy tugged on Eddie’s arm. “Come on, we’re going to another bar.”
Eddie got up, shoving his phone away along with his thoughts and followed.
***
The clock on the nightstand was glaring 2:09 in bright red when Eddie stumbled into his hotel room. He dropped his key card on the night stand, flopped back onto the bed and opened his phone. The Instagram photo was still open. He studied it, running a finger down the side of Buck’s face.
The move refreshed his feed and sent him back to the top, which was probably a hint that he should stop staring at it. So he opened his texts with Buck instead and typed, Just got back to my room.
So what are you wearing? ;)
Which was so cliché and yet so Buck that Eddie had to laugh. Jeans and a shirt, he answered honestly.
Would love for you to FaceTime while you take that off, but we just got a call, so it’s gonna have to wait.
Their timing sucked today. Go save some lives.
Gonna try. Night Eddie. <3
Eddie stared at the heart for a long moment before responding with a simple, Night.
***
The clock was a lot less glaring with its respectable time of 11:42 when Eddie woke up. The chance to sleep in for once has almost cured him of any kind of a hangover, or at least one that a couple of Tylenol and some water won’t fix.
He reached for his phone, opening it to find a text from Buck around nine that just said, Home, passing out, ttyl. Which meant he’d probably face planted on the bed without even pulling down the covers and wouldn’t be conscious until at least three or four. Of course—right as the wedding was supposed to start.
Christopher had texted a good morning not long ago, so Eddie called him next, content to just lie there and hear Chris talk about everything he’d been doing, and to agree that it was ‘super awesome’ that Buck was coming over for dinner.
At least one of them got to see Buck tonight.
“Wish you could be here, too, Dad.”
“Me, too. But I’ll see you tomorrow night. And Monday we’ll have pizza night.”
“With Buck?”
Eddie laughed. “Yes, with Buck.”
“All right! Hanging out with Buck is the best!”
Eddie couldn’t agree more.
***
After a quick lunch, Eddie met up with the rest of the male half of the bridal party to start getting ready. Ever the medic, Eddie kept a steady eye on Andy, and by the time they were both in their tuxes, Andy was practically vibrating.
From what Eddie remembered of his own wedding, he’d thought about bolting at least half a dozen times—though some of that might have been the hangover.
He crossed the room to where Andy was looking out the window at where the ceremony was about to take place. “You look nervous,” Eddie said quietly, hand on Andy’s arm.
“No, man,” Andy said, turning to look at Eddie. “Not nervous. I’m excited. When it’s the right person, all this is just…it’s ceremony. You just want to get past it and get on with spending the rest of your life with them. When I look out there, I don’t see the wedding. I see years ahead with Jenna, and that’s what I can’t wait for.”
Something in Andy’s face brought to mind that Instagram photo Eddie had been studying on and off since last night. But that wasn’t something to think about now. “Well then I’m happy for you, buddy,” Eddie said, squeezing Andy’s arm before he let go.
“Thanks, Eddie. And thanks for being here. Sorry you couldn’t bring your guy.”
The photographer rushed in to take some last minute shots of Andy getting ready, and Eddie moved off to the side, watching the scene until his phone buzzed.
Morning, Buck texted.
You mean afternoon.
Whatever—you know what it’s like after a 24. No idea what day it is, let alone what time it is.
Eddie laughed softly. But do you know who you are?
Yes. And I know I’m cold.
It’s 75 in LA Buck.
Yeah, but I have the AC on. And I’m kinda naked. So….”
Eddie’s brain shorted out for a second, and then ……. was all he could manage to send back.
You know I have poor blood circulation, Eddie. Especially when most of my blood is rushing to my dick.
Eddie turned around to face the wall before anyone could see his reaction. I am at a WEDDING, Buck. I have to stand up in front of all of these people AND I CANNOT DO THAT WITH A FUCKING HARD ON!
“Hey, Diaz,” Andy called from near the door. “Tell lover boy you’ll talk to him later. We got a wedding to start!”
Hope you're happy, Eddie texted. I'm gonna go stand out there like this now.
Nah, I'm not happy - you're there instead of here.
It was so simple and so easy for Buck to just say things like that. The words to reply to it, though, not as easy, at least not for Eddie.
“Diaz, get a move on.”
Text you after, Eddie sent back.
<3
Eddie’s thumb hovered over the keyboard for a moment before he muted his phone, put it in his pocket and followed everyone else out the door.
***
As weddings went, it was a nice one. Simple and quick, with a bride and groom who clearly had eyes for nobody else in the place. The toasts were done and dinner was well on its way, but Andy and Jenna still lived in their little bubble, like nothing could touch them.
Maybe it couldn’t. Maybe Eddie would be toasting their fiftieth anniversary one day.
He’d been avoiding his phone out of respect for the ceremony, but he’d finished eating, and it was getting close to bedtime for Chris, so he pulled it out of his pocket and wandered off to a quiet spot in the hall near the restrooms.
There were several texts from Buck, all pictures from dinner, most of them selfies of Buck and Chris doing increasingly silly things. Chris was clearly having the time of his life, his joy so clear in the photos that Eddie ached to be there to share it with him.
A picture of Chris and Abuela, laughing hysterically, was absolutely going on the fridge. As was the one of Buck showing Chris how to properly hold a hose. It was a garden hose, and it was off, but the stance was enough for Eddie to know what he was doing.
The last one was of Buck by himself, lips pursed into a kissy face that was both ridiculous and breathtaking all at once.
Eddie took a deep breath and called Chris. “Hey, buddy, looks like you had fun tonight.”
“Yeah, it was great! Buck’s gone now, though, so it’s quiet.”
“Quiet is good, since it’s bedtime, right?”
“Yeah.”
He sounded almost annoyed about it. “Be good and go to bed and I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”
“Yeah. Love you dad.”
“Love you, too.”
He waited until Chris disconnected the call before clearing his throat and flipping over to Buck’s texts. Looks like you and Chris had fun tonight.
Everybody had fun tonight. You should've been there.
Buck...
I didn't mean it like that.
Obviously, Buck didn’t have it in him to mean it like that. But it doesn’t stop the sting. But then maybe that's just because he wishes he could've been there.
Hey, you left your shirt yesterday morning, Buck said. It's a little tight on me but I think I like it.
Eddie took a sharp breath in and looked around. ……you're wearing my shirt?
Oh do you like that idea? 'cause it's kind of ALL that I'm wearing right now.
There was a mental image Eddie was never getting out of his head as long as he lived. I hate you I hate you so much and when I get back, I’ll show you how much I hate you
Ooo, right, show me how much you "hate" me, Eddie
Eddie adjusted his pants and looked around again. Tú vas a ser la muerte de mi he texted.
If you're gonna keep speaking Spanish, I'm not gonna last long...
ARE YOU GETTING OFF ON THIS RIGHT NOW???
If you have to ask...
Eddie was almost afraid to open the picture that came next, and with good reason, it turned out.
Buck was definitely only wearing Eddie’s shirt, and he was absolutely getting off on it. Or working on it, judging by his hand around his dick.
Wish it was your hand, but I’ll make do.
With a strangled sort of moan, Eddie ducked into the mercifully empty bathroom. He didn’t dare call Buck, because there was no way he was getting off in this bathroom, and that was where it would lead.
Instead, he hit the voice message button and said, “Buck, if you stop right now, I promise I will make it very worth your wait when I get home."
He hit send and waited, but it was a couple of minutes before Buck replied.
Um…sorry…the voice message kind of pushed me over the edge.
Eddie closed his eyes, all the better to be tortured by the mental image of Buck getting off just listening to that one sentence. When he recovered, he had a new text from Buck.
But I promise to wait for you in person next time? <3
Eddie let out a shaky breath. Good.
He left the bathroom and went to look for Andy, who was no longer at the head table. He found him with Jenna, talking to some of the guests on the far side of the room.
“Hey,” Eddie said, as soon as there was a break in the conversation. “I’m really happy for you guys, and thank you so much for letting me be a part of your day.”
“That sounds like a goodbye,” Andy said.
“Yeah, I hate to bail, but something’s come up back home, so I’m going to head back.”
“Everything okay with Chris?” Andy asked.
“Yeah, he’s fine, I just, um, need to get back.”
Andy studied him for a second before he laughed. “Okay, go get your boy,” he said, clapping Eddie on the shoulder. “But I expect to be in the wedding.”
Yeah, no, Eddie’s brain was not even going that far, thanks.
He gave them both a hug, packed up, and checked out of his room. While he was waiting for his truck, Eddie texted Buck.
Exhausted. Going to bed. Text you in the morning when I leave. Night.
Night Eddie. <3
Eddie smiled at the message, tipped the valet, and pointed his truck south down the I-5.
***
Overnight road construction sucked, which meant it was six in the morning by the time Eddie got to Buck’s. Eddie let himself in as quietly as he could, leaving his bag, keys and shoes by the door. He padded softly up the stairs to see Buck taking up a good portion of the bed, spread out like a starfish, still wearing Eddie’s shirt, and apparently nothing else, judging by one bare hip peeking out from under the sheet.
Eddie undressed quickly before moving the sheet out of the way to reveal Buck in all his glory. Buck shifted, but didn’t wake, so Eddie slid in between Buck’s legs and dipped his head, closing his mouth around Buck’s dick and taking it slowly inside.
Buck shifted again, letting out a soft sigh, getting harder in Eddie’s mouth. The taste, smell and feel of this was something Eddie had been missing all weekend, an addiction he never wanted to give up, and he reveled in it, hands circling Buck’s waist, encouraging the short thrusts Buck was starting to make.
“Eddie?”
That half-awake morning voice went straight to Eddie’s dick, and he pulled off Buck, smiling up at him. “I hope you weren’t expecting someone else,” he said, before he went back to driving Buck crazy.
“Fuck no, nobody else…” Buck said, the words sleepy and slurred as his hands carded through Eddie’s hair. “Only you,” he said, the words barely above a whisper, like he didn’t even know he was saying them. “Always you…love you.”
Eddie’s dick jumped at those three words encompassing everything Buck had been hinting at with those hearts all weekend, with a thousand other little things here and there long before that. Eddie used every trick he’d learned on Buck the last few weeks until Buck was gripping Eddie’s hair and thrusting into his mouth like the fate of the world depended on it.
Buck’s sharp cry as he thrust up sharply was almost as good as the way Buck just poured himself down Eddie’s throat. Eddie enjoyed the connection a moment before he let Buck go just to sit up and take in the sight.
It was enough that Eddie had to take himself in hand, enough that it took only a few sharp tugs before he was coming on Buck’s leg.
Spent, Eddie flopped down on his side, throwing an arm over Buck’s chest and nuzzling into his side. “Good morning,” Eddie said hoarsely.
“I’ll second that.” Buck was still breathless. “So, just to be clear, when you said you were going to bed last night, you lied, right?”
Eddie propped himself up just enough to see Buck’s face. “Obviously. How else would I be here?”
“Well, if anyone could magically open a portal to get here, it’d be you.”
It was said with such open affection that Eddie didn’t have a response. He just laid back down, nose pressed against Buck’s skin, enjoying the smell. Buck laced their fingers together where Eddie’s hand lay on Buck’s stomach, thumb running idly over one of Eddie’s knuckles.
“I was thinking,” Buck said, after a few minutes. “Maybe after a quick nap, we could go surprise Chris? Take him to breakfast and to the zoo?”
Eddie had been thinking along the same lines, because, of course. Buck loves Christopher just as much as Eddie does. It’s one of the reasons Eddie loves Buck in the first place.
He loves Buck.
No, he doesn’t just love Buck. He’s totally head over heels.
He waited for the fear that should accompany that realization, but it never showed. All he felt was contentment at his current state and anticipation of the rest of the day spent with Christopher and Buck.
Buck, who he was totally in love with.
And someday soon, Eddie might even tell him.
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