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It's been a long day. With an even longer night before that. Eddie loves his job, he does. But that doesn't mean it can't leave him exhausted.
Nights like these all he wants to do is curl up on the couch or his bed and not move. Something he's really considering right now.
Christopher is with Abuela for the night so there's no reason he can't.
Well, no reason he can think of. Buck apparently disagrees.
"Come on," Buck says, nudging his leg with his foot. "You can't sleep here, man."
"Why not?" Eddie mumbles.
"Because it might be comfortable now, but your back won't thank you in the morning."
Eddie sighs. He knows Buck is right. That doesn't mean he likes the idea of having to stand up again.
"Get up and then meet me in the bathroom," Buck tells him.
Eddie's brow furrows. Why would he need to meet Buck in the bathroom?
It's his curiosity that has him rising to his feet. He moves down the hall and stops outside the door to the bathroom. Buck is there, sitting on the edge of the tub. The water is running.
Buck smiles when he notices Eddie standing there, and gets to his feet.
"What are you doing?" Eddie asks him.
"Drawing you a bath."
"I see that. But why?"
"Because you're tense," Buck says. He steps up to Eddie and squeezes his shoulder as if to prove his point. "Hot baths usually relax me after a long shift, so I figured it might help you."
Eddie smiles at that, his stomach swooping the way it has been all too often lately when Buck returns the smile. "Thank you."
"No problem. I'll leave you to it." He nods his head towards the counter. "I left some clean clothes for you to change into."
Eddie opens his mouth, prepared to thank him again. Then he huffs out a laugh and shakes his head. Words have never been his strong suit. Nothing he could say feels adequate enough to thank Buck for everything he does for him. For them.
So instead he hugs him. He tucks his face in the crook of Buck's neck and shoulder and mumbles. "You really do too much for me sometimes."
Buck's arms wrap around him easily and Eddie feels his smile pressed against his head. "There's no such thing."
"No?"
"No," Buck says firmly. "You deserve nice things Eddie. I just want to give them to you."
Eddie pulls back and looks at Buck. "You're enough, Buck. I don't… I appreciate everything you do for Christopher and I, but just having you around is enough. Understood?"
Buck swallows and nods, "Yeah. I got it." His eyes drift somewhere behind Eddie. "You should get in before the water gets cold."
Eddie steps back with a nod, "You'll be here when I get out?"
Buck smiles, "I'm not going anywhere."
"Good," Eddie says, returning the smile.
Buck leaves him, and Eddie gets undressed before getting into the bath. He sighs as his body slowly sinks into the hot water. He can already feel the tension starting to seep out of him.
He closes his eyes, and his thoughts drift to Buck. It's an all too common occurrence lately. Any moment Eddie's alone he finds himself thinking of him. Hell, he doesn't even have to be alone anymore. Buck is just always on his mind lately.
Sometimes it's just things he needs to ask him, but more and more it's his head imagining things. Things he probably shouldn't be thinking about his best friend. Like how easy it would be to one day just lean up from one of their many hugs and kiss him. What it would be like to fall asleep in Buck's arms and wake up pressed close to him. To kiss him awake and see that smile and those blue eyes first thing in the morning.
Sure, his mind goes other places. More intimate places. But usually it's full of softer moments. And those Eddie craves more than anything else.
Eddie's not sure how long he sits there before a knock sounds at the door and Buck's voice is filtering in. "Eddie? You good?"
"Yeah I'm good," Eddie says.
"Oh good," Buck says, and Eddie can almost hear the teasing note in his voice. "It's been almost an hour. I was worried you might have gotten so relaxed you fell asleep."
Eddie chuckles and stands up. He drains the tub and then grabs his towel. He's drying off when he replies. "Didn't fall asleep. I was just thinking."
"You know the whole point of that was to relax you right?"
Eddie smiles to himself as he pulls on the sweats Buck brought him before opening the door. "They were good thoughts, Buck."
"Oh yeah?" Buck's eyes drift down for a moment, and he licks his lips. Eddie steps closer and Buck's eyes snap up to meet his.
"Yeah," Eddie says. "They were about you."
"You were thinking about me while you were in the bathtub?"
Eddie grins, "I think of you all the time."
He really hopes Buck gets his point here, and that he's not making an ass of himself. From the soft smile Buck gives him it was the right thing to say.
"I think of you all the time too," Buck says.
"Oh yeah?" Eddie asks. "Anything good?"
"Definitely good," Buck says.
"Good," Eddie says. He takes a chance and brings a hand up to Buck's face. He traces his fingers across his cheek, up to his birthmark, and back down. "You know what I'm thinking right now?"
"I know what I hope you're thinking."
Eddie grins and leans in closer, "I'm thinking about how much I want to kiss you."
"Please," Buck whispers.
Finally, Eddie does what he's been thinking about for so long. He closes the space between them and kisses Buck. It's everything he ever imagined and more. Buck kisses him with the same enthusiasm he does everything else, and it leaves Eddie's head spinning.
He doesn't want it to stop. He wants to stay like this forever. Unfortunately the need for air makes itself known, but Eddie still can't resist placing softer kisses against Buck's lips until Buck laughs and shoves him away.
"We need to breathe," Buck tells him.
Eddie just smiles. He's feeling almost giddy right now. He can't remember the last time he felt like this.
And Buck… Buck is smiling wide and happy. Eddie just has to kiss him again. "I love you," he murmurs against his lips.
"I love you too," Buck says. He runs his hands up Eddie's chest and Eddie sighs. "Why don't you let me show you just how much?"
"You already do every day," Eddie tells him. And it's true. They may have never said the words before, but Buck especially has shown it with every gesture and smile. Everything he does is out of love. "Buck I've always felt it."
"I know," Buck says softly. "But I still want to do this." He takes Eddie's hands and backs down the hall towards Eddie's bedroom. "Let me take care of you."
"You know I can never say no to you," Eddie tells him. He steps back into Buck's space and looks up at him seriously. "But you need to let me take care of you too."
Buck smiles and kisses him quickly, "Deal."
Buck does show him how much he loves him. With each kiss, every touch, and each soft word whispered against his skin. All Eddie can do is hold on, and try to give back and show Buck how loved and appreciated in turn.
They lay there that night pressed close together. Buck's carding his hands through Eddie's hair and it relaxes him more than even the bath could.
"This is nice," Eddie sighs, leaning into the touch.
Buck smiles and kisses him, "Good. Because you deserve all the nice things Eddie."
"You're the only nice thing I need," Eddie tells him.
It's a little sappy, he supposes, but it's the truth. Having Buck here is more than enough. It's like all his dreams coming true, but better. Because this is real. And nothing could ever beat that.