Slowly Gravitating Together

by darkgirl3

Christopher starts referring to Buck as dad and he's not corrected. Eddie and Buck don't talk about it not even when things start getting more than best friend like between them, until one night they finally do. Kind of like a 5 1 deal. 5 times they don't talk and 1 they do.

I Own Nothing

AN: I came up with this after watching the show the Christmas episode where Buck didn't correct the elf woman about being Christopher's other dad. So loved that moment. Wrote this back in February I think. Just hadn't posted it til now. Took me a while to get the ending.

AN2: This is my first 9-1-1 story. I love the Buddie so much. I wish had seen it from start, but I did binge watch it back in February to see all the episodes. This season is how I got hooked since came on right before 9-1-1 Lone Star which is my favorite of the two, but reason I watch 9-1-1 is hopes that these two get together. The end of the latest episode with Eddie getting shot and the look that Buck and him gave each other. It screamed so many things at once.

Summary: Christopher starts referring to Buck as dad and he's not corrected. Eddie and Buck don't talk about it not even when things start getting more than best friend like between them, until one night they finally do. Kind of like a 5 + 1 deal. 5 times they don't talk and 1 they do.

Title: Slowly Gravitating Together

Buck had made a plate of pancakes for Christopher and his self. He was glad that Bobby had taught him how to cook, he was still struggling a little with things besides breakfast. Though Eddie had been showing him a few things too since they had become best friends. Eddie was the one that showed him how to make the different shapes that Christopher liked. At the moment Eddie had gone to the store to get stuff for later that evening. Buck had no clue what he was making, but whatever it was would be good. He could cook and didn't mind it a bit when Eddie had teased him about burning the first batch of pancakes months back.

Christopher coming in the kitchen got his attention giving him a smile. He got one back and was thankful every day that Christopher was still here. He didn't know how he would have lived with his self if anything had happened to him. He'd found a place in his heart for the boy who was a ray of sunshine. He never stopped trying and did his best all the time. Though what Christopher asked caught him off guard.

"Dad, when is Daddy getting back?" Christopher asked like he was asking when they could go somewhere.

"Um, I, in a little bit." Buck replied because honestly he was floored.

He remembered the elf woman at the Santa pictures back at Christmas. She said they had an adorable son. He hadn't corrected her just like he hadn't said anything different to Christopher just now. He'd only thanked the woman before going to catch up with Eddie. What exactly was he supposed to say? He couldn't say no to Christopher. He'd taken him to the stables once when he'd asked about riding horses. He knew someone that was a friend of a friend. He'd held onto Christopher while he rode around. The little boy had been thrilled to death and they had gone back with Eddie too.

"Okay." Christopher said before he sat at the table. "Lunch ready, dad?" He said the word again and seriously Buck wasn't getting out of here without having his heart melted like the butter he added to the pancakes.

~2~

Eddie was pretty sure that the midday traffic looked more like evening rush hour today. He was glad that the A/C was working in the truck because it was pushing one hundred outside. He was dropping Christopher off on a play date with a friend before Buck and he did something. He honestly just wanted to cool off in a pool somewhere. He'd thought about taking Christopher to the beach, but his friend had begged to have him over. He'd caved, he caved nine out of ten times when Christopher asked for something.

"Daddy, you and dad going to do something?" Christopher asked.

Eddie looked up in the rear view mirror at his son not sure what to say. "Um, yes." He could only figure out one person that Christopher would call dad; Buck. "We're doing something, I have no idea what."

"Don't get into trouble." Christopher said with a slight laugh.

"We're not going to get into trouble." Eddie replied.

Eddie shook his head with a smile because the week before he'd told Buck he had to stay out of trouble. Now Christopher kept telling them both not to get into trouble. He wasn't about to tell his son he couldn't call Buck dad. He was his best friend and Christopher looked up to him. He'd told him after the tsunami that Buck saved him, he was his second hero. With the traffic in stand still he took his phone out after putting the truck in park. He sent Buck a text that he'd be there soon as traffic moved again.

He should have taken the first exit, but he'd been on the other side of town getting Christopher some new water wings in case. He'd out grown the others and he wouldn't be there to make sure he was okay. Buck might have been the one that convinced him in the end since the pool part had worried him. Buck had taken Christopher multiple times to the beach since what happened months back. They'd both gone to a pool with him also not wanting him to be scared of the water.

He got a reply with Buck asking why he didn't take the first exit. He rolled his eyes, he should have known Buck would know he didn't. He shot back not to worry he'd be there soon enough after dropping their son off who said they couldn't get in trouble. He also sent a response quickly that traffic was moving before he clicked the phone off. He would have to wait to see what Buck's reply was to what he'd said.

~BE EB~

Buck had been looking at his phone thinking he'd been seeing things, but 'Our son' was still in the message. Eddie had said those words which after Christopher had said it made it feel more real. He hadn't said anything to Eddie about the word the other day. He hadn't wanted to ruin the mood. He'd been happy because if he never got a chance to have kids at least he had one that thought of him as a dad. He was fixing to get up when the apartment door opened. Only three people had a key, but he only knew one that was coming over now.

"Hey, sorry and don't start about the exit. I know I should have taken the other one. I just thought the second one would put me closer to Dante's house." Eddie said before he kicked his shoes off and laid back on the couch. His head ending up in Buck's lap. He was tired and hot and just wanted to cool off. "You got this place a freezer box, feels good."

"I was going to suggest we go swimming, but I figured you weren't going to want to move for a while when you got here. Turned the A/C up when you text earlier." Buck said leaning back.

He smiled seeing Eddie's eyes closed and he couldn't help bringing his hand up moving his fingers in Eddie's hair. He was massaging his best friend's head. He didn't think about what it might mean, he was just doing it. He'd done it plenty of times. A lot of the time when they watched movies they'd end up against each other. He was sure they'd done it absently with Christopher around before, which was probably why he was putting two and two together. The kid was a genius.

Buck hadn't thought about it in the past and he didn't want to now. If he brought it up then it might stop and it would ruin things. He'd some how fallen in love with his best friend and didn't realize it. It was the first time he had a best friend and to lose that would crush him more than the ladder truck had his leg. Eddie wasn't complaining so he didn't bother bringing it up. He just sat there mindlessly moving his fingers over Eddie's face and in his hair.

~3~

Eddie had the buggy pushing it around the store with Buck and Christopher behind him. Buck had put Christopher in his own buggy going around the store like they were a race car. Christopher was having fun and he doubted Buck would actually crash or wreck the thing. He wasn't going to tell them not to have fun. He could hear Christopher laughing which made him smile. He had planned on just ordering something in, but take out for the fifth day in the row was bad. Buck had shown up with the idea of them making something, the three of them. The only problem had been the fridge and freezer had nothing that would make an entire meal. It was what led them to the store. Buck had drove since it was his idea and he wasn't going to say no.

"What do you to race car drivers want for dinner?" Eddie asked when Buck pulled up beside him stopping.

"Spaghetti." Buck and Christopher both said with a smile. "I'll even help chop everything up." Buck offered. "Even stir the sauce, you just have to make the noodles."

"Only you could over and under cook them at the same time." Eddie teased. "Okay, you two get the noodles and garlic bread. I'll find the rest of the stuff. I'm making this from scratch if we're having it. No canned sauce." He responded before they split up to get what they needed.

He watched Buck take off at a run before putting both feet on the back of the cart. Yeah his son was in good hands and his best friend was a kid at heart. He'd never want to change either one of them. He turned to go the other way to get all that he needed figuring it would take almost as long for the other two. Buck would take a detour after getting what they needed. Lately he'd been helping Christopher actually make stuff out of the Legos. Buck had kept them together too which meant usually he went looking for more when they were in the store.

It took twenty minutes to get everything and Buck was standing at the bread area with Christopher trying to figure which loaf to go with the Italian or French. Eddie came up behind them watching the two most important people in his life weigh their bread options. It was like a serious conversation too even though it was only bread. Buck picked the French and Christopher shook his head saying no Italian was better tasting. Buck put the French back without a second thought.

The two of them together had always warmed his heart. He always had worried if someone would love his son and him both. That thought struck him because he hadn't even thought of Buck that way. Then again, he hadn't thought of another person since he'd moved here. He hadn't even thought about starting things back up with his now deceased wife. He hadn't known at the time why he hadn't since he'd had the chance, but it struck him that he'd feel like he was cheating. Hell, he'd been cheating if he'd done anything with Buck, but now, he was always thinking about Buck. He thought about him as much as he did Christopher.

"Daddy, dad doesn't know good bread, but I set him straight." Christopher said bringing Eddie from his thoughts.

"Good, I don't have to use the other as a weapon against him then." Eddie said coming up to them.

He saw the smile on Buck's face when he didn't say anything about what Christopher called them. He had no plans to do it, he just really needed to talk to Buck about the other part. The one where he'd fallen in love with him along the way of being friends. He'd thought Buck was like a brother to him, but it was more than that. He meant so much more to him and he trusted no one else as much as he did Buck.

"If you have everything let's get out of here. After we cook and eat we're going to build an empire." Buck said pointing to the two boxes of Lego's he had in the cart. He was just as excited as Christopher who let out a cheer pumping his fist in the air.

Eddie laughed at the two of them before leading the way to the check out. Yeah he was going to have two kids after dinner. He didn't care though not one second would he think of saying no to the two he loved. The best part was if anything happened to him he knew that Christopher would be loved. He hadn't told Buck what he'd done even before he'd buried his wife. He had changed his will leaving custody of Christopher to Buck. He'd already changed his power of attorney to his best friend. He had been Buck's before the ladder truck had fallen on him too. It was those small things that made him think that they'd been slipping into a relationship even if they didn't talk about it or have sex. He hadn't even kissed him, but he still remembered Buck massaging his head days ago. There had been other times too and not once did he want it to end.

~4~

When the 118 got back from a call Carla was waiting on them with Christopher. It had been a long shift already, but it wasn't going to get much better. They still had three or four hours to go and honestly no calls would be perfect. Eddie spotted his son first getting out of his gear before going over picking him up in a hug. He hadn't been expecting to see him until late, but it was a nice surprise for sure. The last call had been rough and he needed a hug from his son.

"Hey daddy, wanted to see you and dad." Christopher said wrapping his arms around Eddie's neck. "Did I surprise you?" He asked. "Dad said you needed a visit." He added.

"You sure did, buddy." Eddie replied seeing Carla looking at him like he'd left something out.

Yeah he'd left a lot out and most importantly he still hadn't said anything to Buck about things. Like that morning when he had taken hold of Buck's hand in the truck. He hadn't even looked at his best friend, he'd just took it and Buck hadn't pulled away. The call they had just left had been rough and before they'd gotten in the truck to come back Buck had grabbed hold of his hand. They'd stood there between the Engine and Ladder truck holding onto each other's hand as tight as they dared. He'd needed the anchor so badly and then Buck had moved in and hugged him.

He had felt Buck's breath against his neck, but he hadn't missed what he said either. How could he, his lips had been right below his ear when he'd said he had him, 'it will be okay'. He never doubted Buck since he'd met him and he'd needed that hug more than anything. It had gone on longer than usual though, but they hadn't pulled apart until Bobby had said it was time to go. No one had asked about it either and it had been hard to miss. He'd felt Bobby's hand on his shoulder, so he knew he'd seen them.

"Good, I love you, daddy." Christopher said.

"I love you too, kiddo." Eddie replied before he looked at Buck leaning against the fire truck.

He mouthed thank you at his best friend because Buck had known what he needed. Buck always knew what he needed. Just like he knew what Buck needed and right now they both needed their son. Might as well say theirs because that was how Christopher saw it if he was calling them both his dads.

"Can I get one of those hugs too?" Buck asked when he reached his two favorite people.

"Yeah, you always give the second best hugs, dad." Christopher said reaching for Buck who gladly took him.

Eddie didn't want to let go completely so it ended with a three way hug. Christopher was in Buck's arms, but he was also sandwiched between the two. His head resting on Buck's shoulder saying it was okay. He didn't know what was wrong, but he knew that something was. Eddie's couldn't stop looking at Buck who was looking right back at him. They'd gotten to the second car in the crash. A guy who they didn't know if he'd make it, he'd begged them to tell his best friend he was sorry, that he would marry him. That he wanted to start a family with him he'd just be scared of things being weird. He needed to talk to Buck, but he didn't know how to bring it up. He'd been thinking about losing Buck like that, never telling him how much he loved him. He didn't say it though, he just kept holding the two in his arms needing them for comfort. He didn't care they were in the middle of the fire house with the others.

~5~

Buck had brought the medicine Eddie asked for and some food as well when he'd called hours earlier. Christopher had the flu and he didn't want to leave him to go out after they'd gotten home. He hadn't wanted to take Christopher inside either around others. They weren't on duty so he'd stayed. He had seen how exhausted Eddie look so he'd made him go to bed too when Christopher had fallen asleep. He'd promised he'd keep an eye on him in case he woke up. He hadn't meant to fall asleep, but he had with his head leaning against Christopher's night stand. He'd sat in the floor not wanting to wake him up after he'd gotten him to go back to sleep.

It was where Eddie found his best friend which really couldn't be comfortable. He had been exhausted and Buck had forced him to go to sleep. He'd swear he'd slipped him something if it was anyone else. He had finally caved knowing that Buck could do anything he could just as good. Christopher was still fast asleep and he figured he'd be out for a while longer. He went over gently shaking Buck's shoulder. He covered his mouth before he could say anything not wanting to wake Christopher up.

He lead Buck down the hall guiding him once they were in the room. "Lay down, you should be comfortable too. He needs us, he'll yell or come find us." Eddie said. "Don't even say a word about the couch either." He added seeing Buck about to protest. "He's not going to freak out if we're in here together." He replied and Buck didn't say a word, he got in the bed.

Eddie was right behind him going back to sleep feeling better now that he was holding onto Buck. He'd needed his best friend and he'd been the first one he called when Christopher got sick. Buck had offered to go to the doctor with them, but he'd wanted him to pick up the meds cause he knew he'd have to get them. He hadn't even wanted to wait in the drive-thru line at the pharmacy for them. He had realized that Christopher hadn't had even a cold since he'd moved here. It had panicked him when he'd seen the 102 temperature. At least Buck talked him off the ledge.

Half an hour later the shifting of the bed woke Buck up. He looked at Eddie's arm still around him before looking down seeing Christopher crawling onto the bed. He opened his arm up letting him in. It only took a moment before the boy was closing his eyes to go back to sleep. He kissed the top of his head closing his own eyes. Yeah he was one hundred percent sure that he had started a relationship with Eddie even if they weren't talking about it. He'd thought about it since the day at the accident where they'd held onto each other. He had found out the man lived, he was going to need rehab, but he'd made it. Ever since then he'd held onto Eddie and Christopher both even tighter.

"Love you, dad." Christopher said in a low voice.

"Love you too, we'll chase the evil flu away." Buck replied.

"Thanks." Christopher responded before all Buck could hear was his breathing.

"If you catch it, I'm sorry, but I'm not sorry you're here." Eddie said against Buck's ear.

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else." Buck said not caring a bit that he was in his own sandwich with the two Diaz men he loved.

~6~

Christopher had already gone to bed. Eddie wasn't even paying attention to the movie that was on. He kept looking at Buck who was lying against him, his arms were around him. They'd gravitated in this position, but he didn't want to let it go. He couldn't think of a reason to let Buck leave at the end of the night this time. Two months, probably longer, they had been moving together. When one of them moved the other did too and he was tired of not talking about what it was. He was in love with his best friend, who was clear loved him back. He didn't need to scream it to the world, his son, no theirs because Christopher always called Buck dad now. He didn't ask where was Buck now, it was where's dad at?

Everyone at the 118 knew what Buck's new name was, but they hadn't made anything out of it. They hadn't as far as he knew taken a bet either, then again who knew with them. It was perfect just being like they were now. Buck in his arms, him sitting on the couch, but he wanted more. He wanted so much more than to be two separate dads to his son. He wanted what Christopher said to actually be real. It wasn't like he hadn't kissed Buck. He'd done that and gotten it back just as heated.

Buck had cornered him in the kitchen when he'd been making dinner tonight. He had kissed him like he hadn't been kissed. It wasn't a need to get each other's clothes off right that second kiss. It had built up wanting to be more, but they'd both known it couldn't happen with Christopher there to catch them. He might have also pinned Buck up against the ambulance the other day when he'd been being his usual dork of a self. He hadn't been able to take it another second. He'd kissed him like there was no tomorrow and hadn't stopped until their lungs screamed.

"Buck, we are dating right? It's not some fuck buddies deal right?" Eddie asked because he needed to know.

Buck sat up looking at his best friend. "If I wanted a fuck buddy I'd go find someone else. I thought we were dating since you started holding my hand. Or maybe when Christopher started calling me dad. I don't know because I haven't done this kind of dating before. I've slept in your bed with you and him when he had the flu. I haven't slept in there otherwise so yeah, we're dating. Unless you didn't think of this as dating?" Buck asked worried that he'd missed something.

"No, I didn't want to mess it up by labeling us. So I never said anything or told Christopher to stop when he kept saying dad in reference to you. You already know I trust you with his life. How about we cut the TV off and go to bed. I'm tired and I just want to hold you." Eddie offered. "We can talk about you moving in here tomorrow because I'm tired of not seeing you every night."

"I'd be happy to move in here with you two." Buck responded before he got up pulling Eddie with him.

They'd both wanted it, they'd just been too scared to ruin things before. They made it to the bedroom falling on the bed together. However, they didn't just hold each other, at least not at first. It started with kisses, but it escalated until they couldn't take it anymore. Clothes got tossed and Eddie opened Buck up to him before claiming his best friend's body. He took Buck apart like he'd wanted to for months now. He moved in and out of Buck their mouths moving together like their bodies were. They didn't rush either moving slow not wanting it to end. They built up until they had no choice but to let it all end in a breaking point. Eddie flooding Buck's body as they continued moving until they couldn't anymore. Buck had covered them with his own cum not breaking the kiss until they had to.

"I love you, Buck. I have for a long time." Eddie said rolling them over, but he didn't slip free. He needed the connection with Buck not to be broken just yet.

"Love you too, Eddie." Buck replied resting his head against Eddie's shoulder letting sleep take him because they had what they'd been wanting. They'd finally stopped dancing around it.

~THE END~