It took a while for things to go back to normal - well, what they considered to be normal anyway.
Maddie and Buck found themselves latching onto one another now more than ever, having that long-overdue conversation they needed going all the way back to their childhood. Both reaching the conclusion that they were victims of their parents' grief and bitterness.
However, there's always a bright spark among dark storm clouds.
Maddie tells Buck she's pregnant and the news excites him to no end, he's going to be an uncle. Although Maddie and Chim's relationship was quite new, the pregnancy, albeit a surprise, was a welcome one and the expectant parents couldn't be happier with the outcome. Buck was just as happy, looking forward to holding his niece or nephew in his arms when they arrive in the world and smothering them with all the love that he lacked when he was their age. A small selfish part of him is also very interested in seeing Eddie holding a baby, Eddie interacting with a baby and anything that puts Eddie in a situation that Buck hasn't seen him in before. He doesn't think he'll ever get tired of discovering new things about Eddie, the man like a never-ending treasure he discovers piece by piece.
Eddie also sometimes joins him for family dinners. Nothing was funnier than Eddie being introduced to Athena as his official boyfriend for the first time and getting the patented shovel talk at the first dinner he attended. It made Buck, May, and Harry giggle from where they were spying with Bobby trying to hide his own laughs from where he was 'minding his own business' in the kitchen.
All in all, Buck's life has never been better. If you were to ask him before, he never would've thought he'd ever allow himself to be this happy - not believing he mattered enough to deserve it.
But now he knows differently, he has loving parents, siblings, amazing friends, and the most caring boyfriend in the world. There's nothing that he would change.
His mother's words ring in his head: The world is an uncertain place, Evan, you have to protect yourself, but he doesn't want to do that anymore. He has his own people now who protect him from the world and all those walls he built made up of sharp words and distant actions has been knocked down by their soothing words and loving actions.
He finds no shame in being himself anymore and the lingering snapped words of his mother telling him to control himself don't consume his every thought. He's set himself free.
Buck trusts those around him that if he ever does fall, they will be underneath him to catch him - every single time.
"Let's go through it again."
"Eddie," Buck whines from where he's sat cross-legged on their bed, he's decked out in sweats and a large t-shirt that reads Clever as the Devil, Twice as Pretty. When Buck first found the shirt he couldn't stop laughing for a full ten minutes despite Eddie's grumbling (which only set him off more.) Eddie's come to accept his fate now, he almost has to, considering one of Buck's draws is full of t-shirts with devil sayings and puns on them.
"If you want to stay here, on Earth, this is how it's gonna be, Evan," Eddie says from where he's leaning against the door cross-armed and stern look. "Now, come on."
Buck sighs and stands up from the bed. "When Eddie isn't here," he starts, "I must not run headfirst into any danger, I must not try and play the hero, I must not sing at two am in karaoke clubs whilst drunk, although that was one time!"
Eddie gives Buck a look. "And?"
"I must not sacrifice myself to a group of delusional angels," he mutters, a pout on his face. "Once again, one time."
"Good boy," Eddie purrs, making Buck flush as he creeps closer. Before Buck can latch his lips onto Eddie's - the tease - moves to the side dodging Buck as he asks. "What do you do if you need me for anything or just want to see me?"
Buck glares at Eddie before giving the most dramatic sigh he could muster, and he's been told by Eddie that he's very good at it. "I will go up to this door, right here," he gestures towards the closet door and opens it dramatically. "And here Hell shall be, for little old me."
"Did you just call yourself old?" Eddie smirks.
"Wait, it's a saying…" Buck splutters, then places his hand on his hips, "and says you, how old even are you?" He stops to think for a second before waving his hands in a stopping motion. "Actually, don't answer that."
Eddie chuckles and moves to wrap his arms around him, Buck immediately melts into him. Finally, this is what he wants. The feeling of Eddie's arms around him, he loves how it's something so natural to him now.
"You know," Buck wiggles his eyebrows, "it's interesting that you're trying to get me in closet…" he flashes a cheeky grin. "Haven't been in one of these since high school, pretty counter-intuitive I think."
Eddie rolls his eyes making Buck pull away and stick his tongue out at him. Eddie's hand tightens around his waist.
They sway in each others arms for a little bit before Buck giggles all of a sudden causing Eddie to look at him in amusement. "What is it?"
"It's funny," Buck gets out in between his giggles. "I think me ending up in LA was inevitable."
Eddie's eyes narrow. "Why?"
"Because," Buck turns to look at him poking at his chest, his eyes so bright that he could light up the room. Honestly, he probably was. "Did you know Los Angeles is also called the City of Angels? And guess what I am?" Buck teases, swinging in Eddie's arms. "An angel," he sings.
Eddie shakes his head, but his eyes are alight with adoration and laughter. "You are definitely something, Evan Buckley."
"You love me."
"I do," Eddie says simply causing Buck's breath to catch and him to lean into Eddie's arms even more. Eddie saying those words never fail to make his heart skip a beat.
"I'm going to miss you," Eddie whispers.
Buck leans back to peer at Eddie then rests his forehead against his. "We're only one door away."
"It's too far."
"Yeah," Buck breathes out, letting the familiar tendrils of anxiety creep up on him again.
Eddie left the fire department a few days ago to return to his duties in Hell. His going back was tough, he feels it always will be, he's gotten so used to looking across the firehouse and just seeing Eddie everyday. Now, he's without a partner and it scares him. It scares him because he doesn't know how to go about his job without Eddie in it. He knows he has the support of the rest of his team and he'll get used to it soon.
He just wishes nothing had to change.
Chim and Hen have been getting a little frustrated with his moping, calling him a puppy trawling about like he's lost one of his favourite toys. Luckily, Bobby seems to understand choosing to hold onto Buck extra tight these past few days.
Ever since they put a label on, his and Eddie's relationship has been magical. The love they both feel for one another seems limitless, ethereal, and completes him in a way he didn't know that he needed until now.
Dr. Copeland, his therapist, something Bobby encouraged after the ordeal at Big Bear and only did because Maddie herself decided to go to therapy, has said that it was better for him to be honest, to express his feelings. Bobby's been trying to encourage him all week to talk to Eddie too. In his heart, he knows that Eddie would understand him, he always does, if anything he knows now that Eddie feels the same way. Just as untethered and lost without the other to hang onto.
Buck drags Eddie towards the bed, who allows Buck to manhandle him into a comfortable position, before he lays down with him.
Eddie laughs, always indulging him.
A solemn expression crosses Buck's face. "It's going to be weird not having you around the firehouse anymore."
Eddie squeezes Buck's waist. "Well, I don't have any excuse to stay there anymore."
"It feels like I'm losing my partner," Buck murmurs, quietly trying to turn his face into his pillow to avoid looking at Eddie.
"Hey," Eddie says, trying to turn him over. "Buck, come on," Buck finally relents turning to look up at Eddie. He's leaning over Buck propped up on his elbows with a pinch of concern on his face, his brows drawn down and there's a lock of hair that's fallen out dangling over Eddie's forehead. Buck reaches out to brush it away as Eddie speaks again. "It's not like that Buck, we're always going to be partners."
"But it won't be the same."
Sympathy and understanding flash across Eddie's features. "I know," he says, softly reaching up to grab Buck's outstretched hand in his. "But we're always going to be us," he squeezes his fingers, "together."
Buck sighs and starts playing with Eddie's fingers, the big lump in his throat that had been there for a few days now diminished slightly. The soothing words and reassurances leaving Eddie's lips let something in him settle.
"I'm always going to be around if you need me, don't ever think that I won't drop anything and everything to be by your side," Eddie whispers, fiercely.
The lump in his throat grows into something more emotional, something that chokes him up with overwhelming happiness and love.
"You call, I come," Eddie adds. "That's how it works."
"I call, you come," Buck repeats, softly. "Okay."
It feels incredibly surreal realising that he and Eddie have this. A relationship, a partnership, a love so big they both are unable to live without the other. Buck felt it when Eddie took his last breath in his arms and all the light rushed out of him. He should've never been worried that anything was going to change with him and Eddie, if anything they'll probably end up seeing each other even more.
Buck doesn't feel sleepy and isn't ready to stop talking to Eddie. "So," he says in way of conversation. "How's Hell?"
Eddie chuckles and Buck feels Eddie's chest rumbles underneath his cheek. "Fiery."
Buck snorts and shakes Eddie's fingers, playfully. "Eddie," he whines. "I'm being serious."
"So am I, you don't know how hot it is down there."
"Yeah, because you won't take me," Buck points out.
"I'll take you," Eddie pauses. "Just not yet," Buck pouts, "Don't give me that look, Evan."
Buck can only grin, "I want to meet Lena, she helped bring us together."
Eddie groans. "Don't say that when you meet her, I'll never hear the end of it."
"Scared we're going to team up against you?"
"Yes," Eddie says, bluntly.
Buck giggles tucking his head into Eddie's neck and continuing to play with his fingers rubbing his own over each of Eddie's knuckles, the action bringing him comfort when his body just wants to jitter out of bed. Eddie always knows how to ground him, even if he may not realise it himself.
He's excited to meet Lena, ever since Eddie told him about their interaction before and after Eddie first met him. Buck knows they'll get on with the way she teases and pokes fun at Eddie.
That's when he realises.
"Wait, you distracted!" Buck sits up, suddenly, leaning over Eddie instead. "Eddie!" Buck scolds giving him a playful slap on the chest. "What's been on your mind?"
"You know me too well, Buckley," he teases knocking Buck's arms away making him smack into Eddie's chest with a yelp. "Much better," Eddie says, squeezing Buck to him before finally saying, "Some angels are pissing me off."
Buck smirks, a part of him mentally laughing at Eddie's little rivalry with the angels. Now that it's all been properly explained to him, he realises it's more like a good-natured sibling rivalry between Eddie and the other angels. "What have they done this time?"
"Well, Gabriel's been getting on my last nerve again," Eddie admits.
Buck flails about, rolling away from Eddie to sit up and face him properly. "There's a Gabriel?" He exclaims in shock. "Eddie, there's a Gabriel?"
Eddie looks at him weirdly, "Yeah," he draws out. "I thought you didn't know any angels?"
"I thought you said this wasn't like Supernatural!"
"There's a Gabriel in Supernatural?" Eddie's eyebrow is furrowed, and there's a silver of a pout on his lips as he reaches his hands out towards Buck like he's too far away now.
Buck nods frantically resembling that of an overexcited dog. The golden retriever everyone teases him of being.
"Does he play tricks?" Buck crawls towards Eddie again to place himself in his lap and wrap his arms around his neck. Eddie accommodates him naturally, already used to Buck clinging to him whenever he wants, slipping an arm around his waist.
"He's a nuisance."
Buck bounces excitedly in Eddie's lap. "This is so cool!"
"Buck," Eddie warns. "Don't start something you can't finish."
Buck pouts. "But I want to know more about the other angels?"
Eddie raises an eyebrow. "Right now?" He asks, incredulously pushing himself into Buck a little more.
Buck finally gets the hint and smirks slyly, cheeks beginning to flush. "Well, maybe not right this second."
Eddie grins. "That's what I thought," he said dragging Buck into a passionate kiss and pulling him down onto the bed with him.
Later that night, they are wrapped in the sheets of Buck's bed; sweaty and sated. Buck has his head on Eddie's bare chest and Eddie is tracing patterns across Buck's back, his finger travels down to Buck's left arm where the familiar words from his teen years are etched into his skin.
Eddie hums, a small smile on his face as he traces the words, I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.
He realises how ironic the words on his skin are, how a part of him must of known there was something hidden away waiting to be set free. If only he thought more about the inked message.
"You know I don't think I realised how true that quote is," Buck murmurs. "For me anyway."
Eddie raises his head and looks at him questionably.
"You saw the real me the whole time and you helped to set me free," Buck smiles, drowsily. "I don't think I was truly living until I met you." He pauses and then adds. "Not fully anyway."
Eddie's eyes soften. "Nor I, you unlocked something inside me I didn't realise could be opened," he brushes a hand through Buck's hair and caresses in a whisper. "I adore you, Evan - my angel."
"Forever and always?"
"To the end of every existence and beyond that."
Buck's smile grows. "And you said you weren't good with words, but you're a big old sap."
Eddie remains quiet, enough that Buck turns around in his arms to stare at him inquisitively.
"What is it?" He asks, quietly. Eddie has a pensive look on his face, but his eyes hold so much softness Buck almost doesn't know what to do with it - it makes him cling more, something Eddie seems to adore just as much as him.
"I do love you, you know?" Eddie murmurs, gently moving his finger over Buck's eyelashes, down the curve on his nose, and over his swollen, kiss-bitten lips.
Eddie feels the curve of Buck's smile underneath his fingertips. "I know, every day I know."
"Good," Eddie says, then looks at him expectantly.
Buck leans into Eddie more and adds. "Of course, I love you too."
"You better," Eddie grabs onto Buck manipulating his limbs into a comfortable position (which is just Buck draped across Eddie - his head on his rising bare chest and their legs tangled together so much so that you don't know one from the other.)
It's just them and they just are that, in love, completely and utterly, falling more and more every second, minute, hour. And Buck can't wait to experience it for the rest of their lives.
Buck was blessed by angels, Eddie is the king of hell. Somehow it just works. Eddie was supposed to kill the final angel on Earth, he falls in love instead.
And he doesn't regret a damn thing.
Neither of them do.