Work Text:
Bucks excited rambling was missing as Eddie walked out of the locker room. His loud infectious laughter not resonating around the building like it usually is, no matter how early it is in the morning. It only takes Eddie a few moments to realise that Buck isn't actually at work today. He felt a pang of worry in chest before he remembered the conversation from buck yesterday at movie night. Buck telling him that he wasn't going to be at work the next day.
With a heavy sigh, he jogs up the stairs and sits on the couch, not liking the silence that's settled in the loft. Also not liking the knowing looks from his coworkers and the abundence of codependency jokes that are already breaking the silence. He Ignores them in favor of pulling it his phone and texting Buck that he misses him. Getting no answer he sighs again gets up to to grab a cup of coffee and settles in for a long shift.
It sadly wasn't like that, very few calls. People had been avoiding him because he'd been 'unsociable', 'broody' and snapping at every one. But thanks to that the jokes at slowed to a stop at lunch when Athena arrived. Unfortunately it was so quiet that when the alarm eventually did go off, it startled every one in the building as they scrambled to get into the truck, grateful for something to do.
"Alright everyone, the call is to the pride parade down in the centre, so rules don't lose your partner in the crowd, and if you say something, even if was and accident, you will get written up for it, understand?" Noises of confirmation filled the truck, but Eddie stayed silent. Which got him a concerned look from Hen and Chimney.
" Eddie? You OK?" Because no matter how much they teased him, he was family so he gets concern and worry forced upon him." Yeah, I just.. I just didn't realise Pride was this week, I was wanting to go. Haven't been to the one in LA yet." A few comments from those not on the core crew floated around. "You wanted to go to pride?" "So... You're Gay? Wait you have a kid!" A flush spread across Eddie's cheeks, knowing that he just outed himself.
Three broken attempts of an explanation later, kinda just blurted it out. "I'm Bi." He spoke quickly,trying to get it all out with no interruptions." So since I grew up in Texas, there isn't really to many events there. So yeah I wanted to go this year." His anxiety must have shown, because everyone was quick to reassure him. "Oh Eddie, its fine. I guess we did kinda pressure you there. But thank you for trusting us, although it was a bit obvious with how you look at buck." Upon being glared at by a slightly pouty, angry Eddie she laughed not caring about his reaction.
When they finally pulled up the were lead quickly to the accident scene a homophobic asshole had gotten slapped by a drag queen, and had 'accidently' gotten impaled by the fake nails that hadn't been alplied properly. The mix of glittery rainbow acrylics and blood wasn't the most please thing to look at but he was still conscious and still talking. With the nails hanging out of his cheek.
Hanging back while Hen and Chimney sorted out the victim was fun but it also meant he could walk away and laugh at the karma of the situation. It got a few smiles from participants of the parade who saw the hp out in the situation as well. After a minute, or five, Eddie was just about to head back to the scene when he heard his name being called.
He spun round expecting it to be Cap ready to scold him for laughing or not doing his job, but the sight that he turned to was much better than that. Buck was stood there wearing a pair of black booty shorts, camo combat boots and a white hoodie that said "i'm Pan, duh" on it with a panda painted in the Pan colours. His brain blue screened. No thoughts but 'holy shit' and 'ERROR 404' going through his head. He froze. And a knowing smile spread across Bucks Face, along with a blush. He knew he was blushing but he didn't care.
With two short steps Eddie reached Buck grabbed his stupidly cute hoodie in a tight grip and place an achingly soft kiss on his lips, pulling back just enough to rest their foreheads together. Blue met brown as both their eyes opened at the same time. Clueing I to the cheers circling around them but they didn't care just basking in the happiness that radiated off of them. They kissed again, smiling into it. The crackle of Eddie's radio made them pull apart once more, listening to Bobby calling Eddie back as he 'went missing'. With a grin, Buck reaches between them unclipped the radio and brought it up the his mouth, obviously planning on responding for him.
"Sorry Cap, it's my fault. I distracted him." The reaction was immediate, Hen, Chimney and Cap responding at once, a mixture of them asking how he had distracted Eddie, why he was at pride and if he was going to join for the rest of the shift. All the response that the got was loud laughter, and a choked out 'You'll see me on Tuesday for my shift'
With one last lingering kiss, a very reluctant Eddie pulled back. "See you tonight? Christopher wants a movie night."Buck gave a slight nod and Cap called for him again. Eddie walked back a few steps before winking and and jogging back to the truck, a stupidly happy smile on his face that no one had the heart to comment on or tease him for. Money slipped from Chim to hen and a text to the groupchat went unnoticed by the happy man, who was already planning the first date.