The nights that Buck sleeps over are Eddie's favorite.
Those nights they usually have mind-blowing sex that leaves Buck too tired to move, let alone able to drive home. The sex is fucking amazing but it's the quiet, blissful moments immediately afterward while they're still entwined, trading lazy kisses, that Eddie feels the deepest connection with Buck.
But that's not why the nights that Buck sleeps over are his favorite.
Those nights aren't his favorite because he gets to fall asleep with his arms wrapped around Buck either, even though that is his favorite way to fall asleep.
No, those nights are his favorite because of the mornings after.
He loves when Buck wakes him up by tracing hearts across his chest.
He loves the mornings he wakes Buck up by tracing hearts all the way down his spine until he dips so low that Buck can't even pretend to be asleep anymore. And if all that teasing leads to morning sex? Well, no one's complaining.
When Buck sleeps over, he starts his day with his two favorite people.
"Time to get up," Eddie murmurs, coaxing Buck awake.
"Too early," Buck grumbles, rolling over to face Eddie anyway.
Eddie smiles softly and presses a kiss to Buck's forehead and then his lips and then Buck is kissing him back and Eddie's completely lost in their kiss.
"Not a bad way to wake up." Buck grins when they finally break apart.
"We need to get up. Christopher will be home soon."
"We've got time." Buck tries to kiss Eddie again, but Eddie dodges him.
"We need to shower," Eddie reminds him with a wink. The mere suggestion of shower sex is all it takes to get Buck up.
They're barely ready by the time his Abuela and Christopher are walking through the door.
"Buck!" Christopher cries in excitement. "Dad didn't say you were coming over this morning." It's almost an accusation the way Chris says it.
Eddie's not even upset that Christopher is more excited to see Buck than him. He's just grateful that Christopher still believes that Buck randomly comes over early for breakfast some mornings.
His Abuela is not that naïve.
Isabel declines their invitation to stay for breakfast and leaves with a knowing smile.
"Can I help make breakfast?" Christopher asks excitedly as soon as he sees Buck setting ingredients out on the counter.
"Who else is going to help me? Your dad?" Buck teases
"Hey!" Eddie objects while Christopher just laughs. "Fine. Have it your way. I guess I'll go set the table."
After the table is set, Eddie hangs back in the kitchen doorway, watching Buck and Christopher together. He'll never get tired of seeing his boys so in sync like this. Christopher slowly and deliberately measuring and mixing the ingredients with Buck reading him the recipe, only helping when asked.
This right here, these quiet moments with his boys, are everything.
Mornings like these are why the nights that Buck sleeps over are his favorite.
This ficlet was absolutely inspired by the mess Ana left in Eddie's kitchen when he broke up with her and the idea that Buck would definitely clean up Eddie's kitchen as he was cooking.
Originally published on AO3 under the same username. Feel free to check it out over there too, if you're interested.