Off Call

by thejade

When Buck and Eddie are injured on a call, both men realize how they feel about each other. Between hospital rooms, apartment calls, and the firehouse, Buck and Eddie find ways to love each other. This is a longer, more in-depth, soul searching read than other fanfics, but it still has the steamy Buddie romance!

When Buck gets him and Eddie injured on a call, both men question how they feel about each other and how it will change their lives. As they spend more time together, they begin to understand one another more than ever.

Please enjoy the story. It does move a little slower than other Buddie fanfics.

---

It was a call that set Eddie's future on fire literally. He had expected the fire inside a grey, two-story house to be manageable since it had started small. Since they were the first company on sight, Bobby quickly sized up the smoke, wind direction, and a myriad of factors before assuming Incident Commander. He set up fast-attack mode and issued out the standard procedure for extinguishing the fire from the interior.

"Brian, Corey, lay a line," Bobby commanded, adjusting his personal property equipment for entering the house. He glanced at Chimney, who was already radioing the other companies about the fire and command. "Eddie, Buck, Lance, search the second floor for civilians. Everyone else, secure any utilities and ventilation, and when second-due arrives, they'll get command. Chimney, Brian, you're with me once they've gotten command. We'll sweep the first floor for any civilians." The firefighters set to work on the line while also trying to figure out the extent of the fire from outside. Several neighbors worriedly watched from the street.

A man dashed across the lawn towards the house. Bobby and Chimney stopped him from reaching the house. "Sir, you can't go in there," Bobby told him, but the man struggled against him.

"No, that's my house! My wife and baby are on the second floor!" he screamed, flailing against them.

Bobby glanced at the house before looking back the man. "Which rooms?"

"My wife was in the master bedroom for a nap, and the baby is in the nursery!" He pointed at the room opposite of the master bedroom. "You've gotta save them! Please!" The man stopped struggling against them to break into sobs. "Save them! Save my family!"

Eddie turned in time to see Buck take a fire extinguisher from the truck and run into the house. "Buck!" He knew that the mention of a family in trouble would send Buck running in headfirst without following protocol. Eddie waved at Lance to grab the line, but the other firefighters were still establishing the line.

Eddie said a silent prayer to bring him back to Christopher before entering the house with Lance right behind him. They ran up the stairs, taking note that the fire was spreading by the smoke billowing into the hallway. Buck got to the top of the stairs before Eddie and Lance, and he took a right towards the fire. Lance was the second to hit the top of the stairs, but Eddie pushed him left towards the nursery. "I've got Buck!"

"I'll search the floor!" Lance called back to Eddie.

Lance ran for the nursery on the left side of the house while Eddie turned to follow Buck. The taller man was already kicking the door in trying to breach the room. Before Eddie could reach him, he heard a loud cry and saw down the hallway that Lance had secured the baby in his arms. "Get the baby to Hen and get us a line!" Eddie called out over the crackling and sizzling. The smoke was already heavier where him and Buck were, and Eddie feared that if there was someone left in the room, they had a slim chance of survival.

The sound of wood breaking signaled Buck's success in crashing through the door. Buck didn't seem to look over everything. Instead, he rushed into the room with the fire extinguisher and began spraying low where the orange and yellow fire burned. Flames licked the sides of the room and traveled to the ceiling, dark smoke billowing out of the room and into the hallway. "Buck!"

"He said his wife was here!" Buck continued spraying the room, keeping a steady hand on the extinguisher until it spat out its fluid in short squirts. They did their best to search the room, but based on the intensity of the fire, they were in the room where the fire started. If there had been a person in that room, they wouldn't had survived very long. Buck continued to spray the fire extinguisher in hopes of putting out the fire, but Eddie knew that by opening the door, the fire had spread from the bedroom to the hallway. Eddie grabbed Buck by the arm and whirled him around to see the flames in the hallway right outside the bedroom door. Their exit was blocked.

Eddie felt his heart drop into his stomach. He fought down the dread, the thought that that morning, it was his last time seeing Christopher. Eddie made his body move, made his mind come up with ideas, his eyes quickly landing on the window. "This way!" Buck's blue eyes widened as Eddie yanked the extinguisher from his hands. He ran to the window overlooking the front yard and made sure that there was no one below them. With as much strength as he could muster, Eddie pulled back the extinguisher and hurled it through the window. The extinguisher sailed through the glass, shattering it to allow a fresh wind to enter the room and fan the flames. Just as Eddie reached the window, he heard a familiar howl from the hallway. Both him and Buck turned to see a blast of water shoot over the fire in the hallway and extinguish them.

Gracias a Dios, Eddie thought as he watched Bobby at the nozzle of the line enter the room and attack the flames. Soon, the room was dowsed in water, everything from the blackened walls to the ceilings drenched, until the fire was completely snuffed out.

Bobby turned off the line. "Buck—"

No sooner had Buck's name passed through Bobby's lips did a loud, creaking sound fill the air. Every inch of Eddie's body screamed to move, but his sight said that there was nothing wrong. His eyes were wrong. The charred ceiling above them crumbled and fell towards him and Buck faster than they could react. Eddie tried to knock Buck out of the way, but the chunk of the ceiling was too large for Buck to dodge completely. All Eddie saw was something coming at him fast before total darkness turned him numb.

---

The light in his eyes woke him up. He blinked a few times, the light stabbing his senses, before he focused on the person above him with a small flashlight. "Welcome back to the living, kiddo," said an older man with small, kind eyes behind spectacles and a white doctor's jacket. Maddie stood next him, her face showing all signs of worry. Buck tried to say a few words, but the doctor simply placed his large hand on Buck's forehead. "You're lucky. Only a concussion and a contusion or two with that roof falling on you. Not even a broken bone or sprained ligament."

Maddie was suddenly on the other side of him with a cup of water. "Here, idiot," she said, her voice warm with emotion. She lifted the water to lips so he could drink. He took a small sip, relieved, before Maddie took it away again. Maddie touched his cheek, tears welling up in her eyes. "I'm glad you're OK pulling stupid stunts like you did."

"Eddie?" Buck managed to say in a small, scratchy voice.

Maddie gave him a small smile and moved to the side. By turning his head, he saw Eddie sleeping in a hospital bed close to him. On the inside, Buck sighed and relaxed deeper into his bed. Maddie patted his shoulder. "He's fine. Same as you, a concussion and some bruises and scrapes."

"We'll keep you two for the next forty-eight hours to run some tests and make sure you're squared away," the doctor said, pulling out his stethoscope and pressing it to Buck's chest. "Inhale. Exhale." Buck did as instructed, then the doctor placed his stethoscope around his neck, picked up a nearby clipboard, and made a few marks on it. "Sounds OK, so the ventilation didn't affect your lungs. Like I said, you're lucky."

"Dad!" At the sound of Christopher's voice, Buck felt more awake. With a groan and Maddie's help, Buck sat up to see Christopher hobble into the room with his aunt right behind him. By the time Christopher reached Eddie's side, Buck was fully alert, only his head was pulsing with drowsiness. Pangs of guilt also pricked Buck. If he hadn't rushed in, if he had just listened to Bobby and followed protocol, him and Eddie wouldn't be here, Christopher wouldn't have to see his father this way. But, no, Evan Buckley was too stubborn and too rash to trust protocols. He had to save a mother and her child no matter what. He had to rush in like an idiot and make matters worse.

Christopher hugged his dad while the doctor went to the small family and talked to them about Eddie's condition. "He's resting for now, son," he said in a softer tone than when he was talking to Buck. "You can wait for him to wake up right here if you like." A nurse appeared and brought chairs for Christopher and his aunt to sit next to Eddie's bed.

"Christopher," Buck called out, but his voice came out small and weak.

"My Buck!" As quickly as he could, Christopher moved to Buck's side. "I thought you and Dad—" The tears that streamed down Christopher's face broke Buck's heart. The guilt cut even deeper into him, telling him that he should never let Christopher cry again. Buck made eye contact with Maddie, and she instantly understood him. As much as she tried not to, she seemed to keep her own tears down. Maddie helped Christopher onto Buck's bed, careful to keep his bum from crushing Buck's arm or IV line. He immediately threw his arms around Buck's shoulders. "I'm so happy you're all right."

Buck hugged him back as best as he could, but his body felt completely sore and alien at the same time. "We're all right, buddy, we're all right." For a while, Christopher cried in Buck's arms and Buck just patted his back. He said a few things, reassuring Christopher that they would recover and he was a brave boy, until Christopher calmed down. He wasn't sure how long they stayed looking more like a young father with his son than a boy and Buck. It must had been some time because a nurse came by to say that visiting hours would end soon. Buck softly moved Christopher from their prolonged hug and ran his hand through Christopher's curly locks. "Thanks, buddy."

"Buck, take care of my dad," Christopher said in a serious, breathless tone. He raised his hand with all his fingers folded into a fist except his pinkie finger. "Promise?"

Buck hooked his pinkie with the little boy's while trying to give him a smile. "I won't let him out of my sight, buddy."

The little boy smiled at him before Maddie helped him off the bed. "I'll visit you and Dad soon." He went to his dad's side and kissed his cheek. "Sweet dreams, Dad. Don't dream of water or fires." Christopher, his aunt, and Maddie, after goodbye wishes, left Buck and Eddie alone with the beeps of the hospital room.

Buck could feel time pass as if a clock sat on the wall slowly and loudly ticking away the seconds. He wanted to climb further into himself just to get away from the sound. To escape his mental torture of staring at the wall, Buck looked at Eddie. The other man's chest rose and fell normally. A red bruise on his brow and a swollen bottom lip were the only signs that he had been in an accident. Buck watched his best friend's sleeping body, feeling that the room was too lonely, that maybe Eddie was lonely in his sleep.

With as much effort as he could muster, Buck made himself sit up, pull off the blankets, and shuffle to his vital monitor. When his hand finally gripped the steel rod of the vital monitor and dragged it with him to the chair, Buck felt his mission form in his brain. He wanted Eddie to feel less alone, to understand his own feelings as he neared Eddie. Buck made it to his bedside and heavily sat down in the chair stationed next to him. Though he wasn't sure his actions would do anything, Buck brought a hand to Eddie's hand and squeezed it.

"Eddie, I'm so sorry," Buck said softly, holding his friend's hand. "I'm such an immature idiot. I should've waited for the line, but I just rushed into there without a plan or a thought about anyone else." Buck released a bitter chuckle, and he suddenly felt extremely guilty for it. Why was his friend lying in a bed next to him? Why was he feeling so damn emotional? Why did he care so much about Eddie and Christopher? For a moment, Buck played back Christopher's brief time with them, reading the pain in the little boy's face, watching him cry. Buck brought a hand to his face and wiped away his own tears. "I keep doing these idiotic things, and all I'm doing is hurting my best friend. I keep making these horrible decisions and you're always getting my punishments. I just—I just care about you and Christopher and everyone in your life, but why can't I act like it more?"

And he felt a single heartbeat thump a little louder than his other heartbeats in his chest, and somehow, Buck knew it wasn't something to be medically worried about. It was as if his heart said, "You know what feeling this is." While Buck wanted to shake it off, he couldn't deny it. He more than cared about Eddie and Christopher. They were close family to him, and it made them almost inseparable at times. They were a trio willing to share days with each other as if they were in their own bubble to the point where both men's family members had commented on their interactions. Even when he slept, Buck had dreams of being more than friends with Eddie, but he always pushed them down, pretended his own mind had conjured up the idea.

Now with Eddie lying unconscious in a hospital bed, Buck couldn't deny it. This was his fault and the feeling outpacing the guilt was this sense of love. The realization didn't shock Buck. He loved his best friend in the same way he had loved Abby and other women who had ditched him. He loved being a family member in Eddie's life. He knew that he would move on from the women no longer in his life. He just didn't know that Eddie would be that special someone who he would love more than himself. Buck carefully placed his head on Eddie's arm and looked at Eddie while a million thoughts and questions ran through his mind.

As selfishly as he wanted to wake up Eddie and tell him his discovery, Buck knew he couldn't just do that. Again, he would be imposing on his life again. Would he even need to tell Eddie? What if Eddie ended their friendship and he never saw Eddie and Christopher again? So many questions raced through Buck's mind, he quickly became tired from the weight of it all. Buck tried to keep his eyes open, the whole time, his eyes on Eddie's sleeping form. Sleep eventually took Buck, and he disappeared into his dreams.

---

Pins and needles. The familiar feeling signaled that his hand and part of his arm had fallen asleep. Eddie tried to move his hand, but something heavy kept him from fully moving it. The pins and needles shot through his arm as he flexed his hand and fingers. Eddie blinked a few times, trying to recall his location and the last thing that happened before everything went black. The ceiling was white with flecks of grey, and Eddie immediately knew he was in the hospital. He looked around and confirmed he was in a hospital room. When he looked down to see what was impeding his movement, he found Buck sleeping on his arm.

This idiot, Eddie thought as he moved only his hand and fingers to not only wake up Buck, but also to feel out any injuries. He did a mental body check, moving all his toes, legs, arms, fingers, and his head to see if anything was hurt. The only thing he found was that his back and shoulders were very sore, probably from jumping in front of a falling ceiling. Once everything checked out, Eddie made a note of Buck's condition. Aside from a bruise on his temple and a few dark spots on his shoulder and forearms, Buck seemed intact and void of serious injuries. Eddie relaxed into his hospital bed. It felt as if he had an adult child on his hands—literally on his hands.

He placed a finger on Buck's birth mark around his left eyebrow. When he knew that Buck was asleep with the dead, Eddie let his hand slide from the birth mark down Buck's temple until his finger reached Buck's chin. From the pinkish streaks and puffy eyes, it looked as if Buck had been crying. Eddie smirked. What a crybaby.

He wanted to be angry with his best friend, tell him that he should had waited for the line, but he couldn't bring himself to completely hate Buck. The man cared too much, running in without any regard to how it affected everyone else. And he was the type of guy who went to hell and back for his special people. It was one of Buck's most charming and scariest parts of his personality. Still, Eddie also thought that Buck's almost predictable decisions were what made their lives interesting. Even Christopher and his family enjoyed Buck's company, always commenting on how close the two men were.

Eddie brought his hand to Buck's shoulder and gently shook him. After a minute, Buck woke up and sat up, confirming that he had been crying. Buck brightened up immediately when he saw Eddie before his face crumpled and new tears formed in his eyes. He threw his arms around Eddie, who grimaced from the sudden contact. "Thank god you're awake!" Buck pulled back and held up three fingers. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

"Three. I'm fine, Buck," Eddie said, immediately stifling the laugh trying to get out. He knew that Buck would beat himself up over this for a long time. "And I forgive you. Wow, I feel like I've said that a thousand times to you."

Buck placed his hands on both of Eddie's shoulders and shared eye contact. "I know, and I'm real sorry, Eddie," Buck said, his blue eyes pleading that he understand what type of person he was and how he didn't want any of this to happen. "I promise to try and keep you from saying that sentence ever again to me. I—I double promise!"

Buck hugged him again, and Eddie felt the full weight of Buck's body. It felt strange having him this close. In the past years, they had shared hugs, sat next to each other on the truck and on couches, but they had never been so close that Eddie was suddenly aware of his heat. Beneath the muscles, Eddie could feel the warmth sink into his body as fast and hot as fire.

He adjusted himself so that Buck was lying next to him, careful that their IV drips didn't move too much. "Hey, I get it. You feel guilty. You should feel guilty. We were so close to being taken away from Christopher and Maddie."

Buck's face dropped. "I know," Buck mumbled barely loud enough for Eddie to hear.

Eddie stared at him, fully understanding how Buck was internally berating himself. He touched the bruise on Buck's temple. Buck made a hissing sound, making Eddie retract his hand. He stared at Buck for a moment before running his hand through Buck's short hair. Buck looked at him with wide eyes. "So how are you going to make it up to me and Christopher? Because you've got a lot of making up to do."

His words made several expressions cross Buck's face until he seemed to settle on a small smile. "I'll wash your car."

"And?"

"And I'll pick up Christopher from school when you're on shift."

"You already do that. Tuesdays, remember?"

Buck's smile became sheepish as his face reddened with embarrassment. "Oh, you're right. I'll cook for you and Christopher?"

"Your cooking is made up of pizza and beer. Try again."

"Honestly, I'd do anything for you and Christopher, so…" Buck looked at Eddie free of guilt or shame. His eyes held Eddie. "Lay it on me. At anytime, anywhere, I'm there for you."

Eddie pinned Buck with a knowing stare. "All right, I'll be counting on it," he said before slapping Buck on the leg. "Tomorrow let's talk." Buck nodded, and the two men adjusted themselves so that Buck could easily return to his bed and Eddie had the full bed again. Eddie was certain that Buck could hold up his promises if he really tried, but sometimes, Eddie wondered why he was so fascinated with Buck holding up anything at all. Still, they could talk about it the next day. Eddie's eyes started closing, and soon, sleep took him.

---

When Buck woke up the next morning, he felt a wave of déjà vu before he realized that, again, he was in the hospital. He looked to see if Eddie was awake, and he found that his friend was still asleep. Light drifted into the room through the blinds and bathed the room into a brighter, warmer color. Buck sat up and tried to recall when he fell asleep. He and Eddie talked for a long time from what he recalled before he had ungracefully rolled off the bed and climbed into his hospital bed. He must've slept as soon as his head hit the pillow.

As he sat, thinking back on their conversation and how Eddie had quickly forgiven him with some conditions, Buck heard the door to their room open and a nurse wheel in a cart. Buck immediately smiled at the small nurse and greeted her with the usual morning greetings. She smiled back at him. "Are you hungry? You slept for a while."

"I'm a little hungry," Buck said, watching her pull the cart to a space between his and Eddie's beds. As she busied herself with setting out breakfast, Buck heard Eddie shift in his bed. He looked at his friend to find him waking up, and similar to his reaction, seemed to ask, "Where am I?"

Eddie's eyes landed on him, and they instantly connected the dots together. "What's for breakfast, doc?" Eddie asked the nurse, watching her roll their tables to their beds.

"Eggs, grits, salad, and gelatin," she answered, pulling out a tray from the cart. "A nurse will be in here shortly." She quickly placed the trays on each of their tables. After closing her cart's compartments, the woman wheeled the cart out and disappeared into the hallway.

Buck sat up and pulled the cover off the tray, revealing the eggs, grits, and salad on one plate, and the red gelatin on a separate saucer. "Makes you miss Cap's breakfast, right?"

"Nah, I miss my abuela's breakfasts," Eddie said dryly from his side of the room. Buck watched Eddie sit up with a little groan and turn to his food. They fell into silence save for them shuffling their food around on the plates and clinking their utensils against the glass.

"It's too bad the nurse didn't stick around," Buck said, breaking the weird silence. "She could've fed one of us." Eddie looked at Buck with a stare that said, "Give that a rest." Buck laughed it off. "Just kidding."

"Here's an idea. How about you feed me?" Eddie said.

This made Buck nearly drop his fork. "Wha?"

"Ya heard me. You said you would do anything for me. Why not start with that?"

Buck gulped. He hadn't thought about feeding Eddie. Never in his life. Well, maybe as a joke once or twice in a dream once or twice, but not in real life. For a moment, Buck wanted to bail on his verbal commitment the night before. If only he had been more specific with his words, he wouldn't be in certain situations. Still, Buck knew he had to own up to his mistakes and the impact they made on the people he cared about in his life, and Eddie was one of the people he cared the most about. Feeding him wouldn't be too crazy, Buck thought.

He looked at Eddie, who looked back at him with expectant eyes. "So?"

"All right, man, I'm there," Buck said, pushing his tray out of the way so he could climb out of the hospital bed. He moved Eddie's bedside table to the side to give him enough room to sit on the bed. Eddie shifted to give Buck more space, and when both men were comfortable, the bedside table returned to Eddie's bed with Buck at the helm. He made a big deal about getting the napkin and spreading it out on Eddie's chest. The other man looked at him with a bored expression. Buck smiled as he tucked a triangular corner under Eddie's collar.

"Hey, no one said anything about napkins," Eddie said with a flat voice.

Buck pinched his cheek a little too tight, making Eddie flinch. "And no one said anything about hand feedings, but here we are," he said back as he picked up a fork and lifted it to Eddie's mouth. Eddie eyed Buck for a moment, and Buck just stared at him to reassure him nothing else would happen. When Eddie nodded, Buck carefully pushed the eggs into his open mouth. They continued in this way until most of the eggs, grits, and salad were gone and Eddie refused another bite.

Buck took Eddie's tucked napkin and brought it to Eddie's mouth, wiping it in the same way a mother would mind a son with spaghetti sauce around his mouth. This made Eddie smirk. "Wow, and you clean. That's amazing," Eddie commented, making Buck pull away from him pretty fast. Even with Eddie's teasing, Buck wanted to do the best he could in making Eddie comfortable. Just having Eddie in a hospital room made him feel completely worthless as his best friend.

Eddie smiled at Buck. "Look, Buck, you know I'm playing with you, right? I mean, you can't travel back in time and change what happened."

"I know, but I want to just curl up and die every time I think about it," Buck said, meeting Eddie's eyes in hopes of conveying some of the worry and sympathy he felt. "Can I say how sorry I am? I know it won't change anything, and you're right, I can't turn back time, but I'm really, really sorry."

Eddie leaned forward and grabbed Buck's free hand. "I get it, man, just stop doing it so we don't have to share a hospital bed."

The sudden contact made Buck's whole body burn up with embarrassment and something else. He wasn't very used to being this close to Eddie unless it was for work or towing Christopher somewhere. Buck noticed more of Eddie's facial features, including how perfectly trimmed his eyebrows were for the morning. He quietly thought about why he would zero in on one simple feature when he had admitted Eddie's handsomeness. For a moment, Buck wanted to touch Eddie's eyebrows, but he thought better about it. Wasn't it strange to do or even think about petting his best, male friend's eyebrows? He seemed to nod internally. Then again, a lot of things were strange between them, Buck realized.

Buck quietly moved his hand out of Eddie's hand and turned his attention to the bedside table. "Does that mean I don't have to feed you anymore?"

Eddie smiled wider. "Not really. I'd like to be hands free while I'm eating." He pretended to relax into his pillows. "That's the life."

Between the tests and meals, Eddie and Buck talked about different things like Christopher's favorite restaurant or Buck's video games or how they were feeling about their lives. To Eddie, the air between them had cleared, especially as they were closer to leaving the hospital together. While Eddie had become desensitized to the stark hospital walls and hospital life, he dreaded being stuck in a hospital room. Still, with Buck at his side, the time passed quickly. He was sure it would take some time to get over his anger at his friend and forgive him, but Eddie just accepted that Buck's flaws were what made him like even more.

It's almost as if I miss him, Eddie realized when they didn't trade any banter because Buck had fallen asleep. Eddie stared at Buck's face, silently noting that his best friend had a relaxed and very good-looking face. Everyone always wanted to be around Buck, and sometimes, he felt lucky that every day, he could be by his side. In a way, Eddie felt that Buck was as much a positive energy in his life as Christopher. They were lighting the darkness he felt inside, chasing away the monster hidden away from his past.

Eddie wanted to reach out and touch Buck's birth mark on his eyebrow. He didn't understand why he was fascinated with Buck's birth mark. Maybe it's a permanent badge of honor, Eddie thought, staring at it as Buck continued to sleep. Aside from the birth mark, Eddie thought Buck had good features. He could see why the women around him wanted his attention. He was a handsome man who was highly aware of his presence, but he made time to kneel down to talk to Christopher or wore his heart on his sleeve. Eddie loved those little things that Buck did that he thought were cute. For a moment, Eddie stopped himself from any other thoughts. He could feel his mind starting to race with other thoughts of him and Buck being more than friends.

Did he think of Buck in more of romantic way? He had never thought of another man as cute or handsome. Sure, he recognized when someone was good looking, but never had he imagined anything deeper than a glance for a man. Was it because it was Buck and not any other man, or was he starving for more intimacy since Shannon died? Eddie frowned at the last thought. He didn't want to push his own feelings onto his best friend if there wasn't anything real behind it.

Eddie told his brain to let go of the notion that him and Buck could be anything more. Maybe he was imposing, or maybe he was being a desperate man in heat, or maybe the concussion had started a whole new problem of identity. It didn't matter. Eddie pushed those thoughts out of his mind and turned his body so he wasn't staring at Buck.

---

At the end of the second day, Buck and Eddie were released into the (un)willing arms of their loved ones with strict orders to follow the doctor's instructions. Buck felt relieved once him, Eddie, Christopher and Maddie had climbed into her car. The sterile hospital had taken a toll on Buck's spirit, but to Buck, Eddie seemed unfazed by it all. Maybe it was the amount of times he had spent in the hospital with Christopher that Eddie seemed himself throughout the days they lived in the hospital. Buck wanted to wash off the blandness of it all, but he was also glad that he had Eddie at his side. It was different from the time he spent in the hospital from his crushed leg or the blood clots or anything else that had come along in the past years as a fire fighter.

I should be used to this, Buck told himself as they pulled up to Eddie's place. Eddie and Christopher got out of the car. Buck followed them, making sure that any of the bags they needed were in their hands.

Maddie lowered her car window to get Buck's attention. "Did you want to stay with Eddie and Christopher, or did you want to stay at my place?" Maddie asked, searching his face.

Buck smiled. His sister knew him so well, or he wore an expression that said he wanted to follow Eddie and Christopher into their place. "I can go home," Buck said.

"If you want to stay with us, it's fine," Eddie said from behind Buck. He turned quickly to see Eddie standing behind him with Christopher. They had heard Maddie's question and his answer, causing Buck to immediately feel hot with embarrassment. He didn't want to go home, but he didn't want to impose.

"Uh, I think I'll be fine by myself," Buck said, trying to recover from his embarrassment. "Plus, I don't want to be in your space too much. I mean, we just stayed in the same hospital room for a few days already."

Eddie stared at him for a few moments as if to read his thoughts. Buck tried to maintain a neutral facial expression, but he only felt his face betray him. Eddie looked at Maddie. "He can stay here with us until we go back to work." He looked at Christopher, who nodded his head with excitement. Eddie smiled at his son before looking at Buck. "Looks like it's three against one."

Buck looked at his sister, who smiled as if to say, "See? I told you so." She got out of her car, popped her trunk, and pulled a bag from her car. "I may have gotten ahead of myself, but I packed you a bag." She placed the bag in Buck's arms as he gawked at her.

"You planned this? I mean, you didn't want to take care of your little bro?"

"Nope!" She laughed before climbing back into the driver's seat. Her face softened, and she smiled at Buck. "I'm just kidding. I wish you could stay with me, but I'm going to a conference in Riverside. I wouldn't be able to watch you." She reached her hand to him, and he took it. "Be good. I'll call you when I'm back."

"OK, be careful."

"I will." With that, Maddie rolled away, leaving Buck, Eddie, and Christopher behind.

"Well, I guess it's just the three of us," Eddie stated.

Buck looked at them, and when his eyes landed on Christopher, his face immediately brightened. He went to them and knelt in front of Christopher. "Let's have some fun, yeah?"

Christopher waved his little hands in excitement. "Yeah!" This little boy always made Buck smile, and the embarrassment of being in Eddie's care quickly dissolved. With Eddie leading the way, Buck and Christopher went into their place, Eddie promptly issuing instructions to Christopher to wash up. Buck put his bag on the couch and looked up to Eddie opening different cabinet doors.

"What're you doing?"

Eddie noticed Buck staring. "Looking to see what's around. Gotta make something for us so we don't starve to death."

Buck chuckled and came over to him. "Hey, let me make something," he said, opening another pantry door. "I can whip up something small."

"All right," Eddie agreed, "but don't burn down my kitchen."

"I won't." Buck went through the rest of the cupboards and the fridge before pulling out a packet of spaghetti noodles, flour, a carton of milk, half a stick of butter, and a few vegetables. It seemed that Eddie's aunt had made sure that food wasn't spoiled while they were in the hospital. Buck thought how nice it would be to have someone upkeep the place. He didn't have that luxury, but then again, he valued his bachelor home.

He busied with preparing food as Eddie unpacked his things with Christopher helping him the best he could. It was a good thing he had asked Bobby for a few simple recipes. Once he had found all of Eddie's pots and pans, Buck started boiling water and making a sauce for the noodles with the dairy and vegetables. From the living room came Christopher's giggles and Eddie's laughter. Buck looked up to see Eddie and Christopher racing each other to fold clothes. They joked around with Eddie sprinkling advice for folding clothes. Buck smiled as he went back to making the food. As much as he enjoyed his apartment alone, Buck wouldn't trade a day with Eddie and Christopher.

Once the food was done, Buck forked noodles with white sauce and sautéed vegetables onto plates and quickly set up the table for dinner. By the time Buck filled some glasses with water, Eddie and Christopher approached the table.

"Wow! You made a lot!" Christopher said in a breath with Eddie helping him into his seat. He smiled at Buck, making the man smile in return. "I can't wait to eat!"

Eddie sat next to Christopher and picked up a plate. Buck placed a shaker with parmesan and red pepper flakes in the center of the table. "Hey, this looks good. Didn't know you had it in you."

Buck dramatically bowed. "Thank you, thank you." Christopher giggled at his theatrics before he seated himself. "As much as I like takeout, it gets tiring sometimes. Making a larger portion isn't a big deal, especially if it's for my favorite people." Buck immediately turned pink. He didn't mean to say that Eddie and Christopher were his favorite people. Then again, he did mean it. He spent the most time with them, even more than his own sister, so why couldn't they be his favorite people? A pang of guilt flashed through him. Maybe he shouldn't had said anything.

Eddie seemed to notice his choice of words as well. He stared at Buck a little longer than he usually would have as he chewed thoughtfully on his food. Buck wanted to die on the inside, but he did his best to keep his face from betraying his true feelings.

"You're one of my favorite people, Buck," Christopher said, quickly dissolving the awkward silence. He looked at his dad. "Can Buck and I play video games tonight? I wanted to show him the new game."

Eddie nodded. "That's fine as long as you don't go to sleep late." They fell into their usual pattern of talking between bites about mundane things like the new video game and Christopher's day at school. Soon, the three finished their meals and cleared the table. When Christopher went to set up his video game, Buck and Eddie washed the dishes.

"Favorite people, huh?" Eddie said while washing a plate.

Buck felt his skin grow hot again. He really shouldn't had said that. "Um, yeah, because, you know, I spend the most time with you and Christopher. If you weren't on my favorite people list, wouldn't that be weird?"

Eddie nodded, a small smile on his lips. Buck wish he could say something else, anything else, to release the strange silence that fell between them. He didn't want Eddie to know how he felt, how he really felt. Eddie always had his guard up, and Christopher was at the center of his world. He didn't want to take that away from his best friend.

Buck watched Eddie hand him a clean plate, and he silently dried it. They continued with washing and drying the dishes, Buck contemplating what to do next. He felt very conflicted because the moments they spent in this state, doing normal couple things, was making him doubt whether keeping his feelings to himself. Eddie handed him a washed dish, his fingers sliding over Buck's hand. For a moment, Buck thought it was Eddie trying to reassure him in a small touch, but he thought otherwise. Eddie was just doing dishes and he was helping out. That was all.

But he wanted more.

Buck turned to face Eddie to say something, but he quickly found that their bodies were only centimeters apart. It almost scared him to be this close to his best friend, to be this close to anyone really, but then again, he knew he trusted Eddie. Still, the prospect of the on-coming kiss was something Buck did not have control over. He silently wondered if he really needed to have control over the sudden change in what was called their friendship. After all, they were close friends. Could they really shatter their friendship for something deeper? Did he really want this? Or was it just hormones running awry in his body?

What am I doing? Buck asked himself. They didn't have the time or the need to be more than friends. If he could protect Eddie's and Christopher's happiness by being just a friend, Buck decided that was fine as well. He didn't want to lose either one of them with his selfish desires. It felt like eternity, staring at each other with new eyes, until Buck broke their unspoken silence and quickly took the dish in Eddie's hand and dried it. He put it in the pantry with the other dishes before looking in living room to see how Christopher was doing.

"Buck!" Christopher called from the living room, waving a controller. "Let's play!"

Buck placed the small drying towel on the counter and walked over to Christopher, smiling despite understanding that him and Eddie were just friends. Just friends, Buck told himself as he took the controller from Christopher and sat next to him, preparing to play the video game. Just friends.

Buck allowed himself to get sucked into the fighting game. Time went by without any of them knowing, and by the time Christopher's bedtime came up, Buck had nearly forgotten about the moment him and Eddie shared after dinner. Eddie had finished cleaning up the kitchen and joined Buck and Christopher for their gaming session.

"All right, time for bed, kiddo," Eddie stated with finality. Christopher pouted, his bottom lip sticking out in a cute way. Buck refused to laugh since Eddie kept his dad-mode face on. "C'mon. Let's get ready for bed."

Christopher's face suddenly brightened. "Is Buck spending the night? We get to do the morning routine then!"

Eddie gestured towards Christopher's room. "Well, the sooner we get to sleep, the sooner we get to the morning routine together."

With that, Christopher stood up and wobbled towards his dad. Before reaching Eddie, Christopher turned around and looked at Buck. "Buck, could you and Dad tuck me in tonight?"

Buck's eyes widened for a moment. He looked at Eddie to see if it was all right. Eddie nodded in agreement. "Looks like you're getting tucked into bed," Buck said as he rose from the couch. Christopher raised his arms in his way of celebrating, making both men laugh. Buck patted Christopher on the head. "I'm going to clean up a little, and then I'll be in there." The little boy accepted Buck's small agenda before turning and following his father to his room. Once Buck had turned off the gaming console and returned the controllers to their faithful spots, he went to Christopher's room to find the little boy getting comfortable in his bed with Eddie holding a book. With a smile, Buck joined them on the bed with Christopher between him and Eddie, the little boy's curly locks tickling Buck's arm.

"There once was a lion…" Buck read as much of the story as he could before Eddie touched his arm and made him look down at Christopher. The boy slept soundly against Buck's shoulder, his mouth slightly parted while he breathed in the same way children did when they slept. Buck smiled down at him, cataloging the image in the back his mind as a cherished memory. He carefully slipped out from under Christopher and off the bed, quietly joining Eddie at the door of Christopher's room. They stood together for a moment to stare at Christopher's peaceful sleeping, another memory for Buck to file away. Eddie flicked off the light and closed the door behind them. Buck returned to the living room to start setting up the couch.

"Here." Eddie placed a blanket and pillow in Buck's arms. "It can get cold at night sometimes."

"Thanks."

"No, thank you," Eddie said, giving him a shy smile. "Christopher was happy to see you, too."

"So you're saying you wanted to see me after spending two whole days together?" Buck asked with a smirk.

Eddie's smile widened. "If I'm being honest, I guess that's right."

Buck let himself believe that for a moment Eddie was seeing him more than a friend. After two days together, they could had gone their separate ways. But they spent more time together, and it didn't bother either of them. Buck was sure that for most male best friends, they only spent enough time with each other when it was required or for fun. Still, they were standing in Eddie's living room, looking at each other as if Maddie had just dropped Buck off on Eddie and Christopher. He would hold on to this time for as long as he could.

---

"We're having a get-together after work today," Bobby announced to Buck and Eddie when they arrived at the fire station the next morning. "It's nothing too big, just the station and a few folks to celebrate you two recovering." Eddie didn't think they could have so many gatherings without feeling overwhelmed, but then again, Bobby always understood that if it were just a few people, then it would be just a few people.

Buck clapped Bobby on the shoulder with a big smile. "Aw, Cap, you didn't have to!"

"For our youngest—""

"And strongest," Buck added.

Bobby laughed. "OK, and strongest, we wanted to welcome you back. It'll start after your shift, so don't run off after the last call."

Eddie watched Bobby walk to his office before turning to Buck. "Saw this coming a mile away," he said.

Buck smiled. "As long as Cap is cooking, I'm down for a gathering." He winked at Eddie, and Eddie felt something flutter happily inside his body. When did he think that Buck had real charm at the most random moments? Buck placed a hand on Eddie's shoulder. "So remember, don't run off after shift."

Eddie pinned Buck with a single look that made Buck pull his hand away and stand back with both arms held up in a sign of surrender. They both broke into laughter. While Eddie wouldn't say it out loud, he was beginning to think that him and Buck understood each other very well. Yeah, we're way too comfortable with each other, Eddie silently noted, the thought stunning him into silence. Buck seemed to read his expression as the smile on his face dissolved into concern. He opened his mouth to say something.

A call came in before Eddie could hear anything that Buck wanted to say. They went to the first floor to grab their personal property equipment, load up the truck, and ride out. Eddie decided to let the thought slide until he had more time and space to think about it later.

---

The promised gathering after shift was as small as Cap had said with only the 118 family who could stay, Maddie, and a couple of family members. Everyone took turns going up to Buck and Eddie and congratulating them on their recovery, tapping their drinks against other glasses and eating with smiles on their faces. Cap had ordered food to Buck's discontent, but it was still good.

Buck wanted to talk to Eddie about the moment Eddie's laughter had completely disappeared from his face earlier. He watched as Eddie was steered toward the foil pans filled with cooked meats, rice, and vegetables by others. His co-workers wanted to joke with him about spending a couple of days with Eddie, lengthening their time together. As much as Buck returned their laughter and jokes, he was concerned about Eddie. In between all of it, Buck caught glances of Eddie, wondering if he should just walk over to him and ask him point blank.

He could almost see the dark cloud looming over Eddie's body between his stolen glances. Eddie was good at hiding his real thoughts and feelings from everyone else, but Buck knew him well. There was something bothering him, and he wasn't going to let it go until it came out in a destructive way or he came across a solution on his own.

As soon as Buck made the decision to walk over to Eddie, Bobby was in front of Buck, a worried expression on his face. "Hey, what's wrong with Diaz?"

Buck shrugged. "Maybe it's just being back in the mix," he said.

Bobby gave Buck a small smile and patted him on the shoulder. "Whatever it is, make sure to cheer him up when you get home." Buck opened his mouth to say something, but Bobby added, "And if you run out of ideas to make up, grow up a little and tell him you love him." Then he was gone as soon as he appeared.

Buck stood in the middle of the room, trying to think about the fleeting conversation. Did he hear him right? Buck glanced at his drink before looking up to find Eddie. His drink wasn't spiked—at least, he didn't think so—but he heard Bobby loud and clear, and as much as he wanted to deny, to not have hope, Buck wanted nothing more than to go home to Eddie and tell him that he loved him. But he continued to stand slightly dumbfounded among everyone.

---

When Buck saw him for the first time, shirt in hand before he pulled it over his chiseled abs and muscular arms, Buck could almost feel his world changing into a foreign movie without the subtitles. He couldn't place the emotion that swelled in his heart then, couldn't even peer into the brunette's eyes without the anger rising to the surface. Each time he said something mean or used a hostile tone, Edmundo "Eddie" Diaz pushed back in his own amused and fiery way.

The Buck of that year and the Buck of this year were different, strange to his own mind. He could tell that Eddie wasn't going anywhere in his life—at least, not for the time being. For some reason, Eddie seemed restless, waiting for the next adventure, except that he wasn't being shipped out to a foreign country for war. Buck wanted to place a hand on that restless heart and tell Eddie that he was home and he could lean on him when he forgot.

But this Eddie hadn't changed as much as he had in the last twelve months—at least that was what Buck thought until he found himself at Eddie's door, unsure of something that nagged at the back of his mind since the after-work party. Even with the glances they shared when someone needed something, when Maddie asked about them, when Hen and Bobby and all the family members from the 118 had separated them, they were always aware of each other and sought their quiet connections between all the people.

Buck was still figuring out what he would say to justify his being at Eddie's home past Christopher's bedtime. Could it be that he felt some of Eddie's anxiety over their time together? Buck hated seeing his friend struggling on his own. He wanted to alleviate it as soon as possible, and hopefully, he could get the words to reach Eddie.

He rang the doorbell and waited, still rolling around what he was going to say. Eddie opened the door enough for Buck to see his muscular body in the hallways. "Hey," Buck drawled, suddenly feeling unsure. "I'm sorry to come by so late. I know it's past Christopher's bedtime and all—"

Eddie's eyes widened for a moment before a small smile played on his lips. "No, it's all right. Come in." He held open the door and Buck passed him to go from the foyer to the living room. Before Buck had a chance to sit down, Eddie closed and locked the door and caught Buck by the arm. "Let's talk in my room. I don't wanna wake up Christopher."

Buck nodded and followed Eddie to his small bedroom. Although Buck enjoyed his loft housing, he missed regular bedrooms. It made him feel at home immediately, and he entered Eddie's room as if it were his own. Eddie closed the door behind him and gestured to the bed, the only place to sit in the room. They sat side by side on the bed, and an awkward silence set in. Buck tried to think of a way to figure out how he could bring up how nervous he felt towards Eddie's anxiety.

"So what's up?" Eddie said, looking at him closely.

Buck ran his hand through his hair. "Well, uh, I noticed after the party that you seemed, I don't know, a little restless." He decided it was all now or never. "Are you OK? I mean, I know you didn't say or do anything weird, but it just looked like you were anxious."

He watched Eddie nod his head as he always did to indicate he heard everything. Eddie quietly leaned back on the bed using his arms to support his muscular body. In his night clothes, Buck noted that he could see most of his curves, from the way the white shirt hugged his biceps and showed his lean midsection. Despite wearing baggy sweats, Eddie's strong legs still showed through the material.

Eddie sighed and sat up straighter to meet Buck's eyes. "I guess you would pick that up, man. Been kinda distracted lately."

"Are you OK? I mean, if you need someone to talk to, I'm here. If you want to see someone else, I can always watch Christopher and you can do your thing. It's all up to you, but you're not alone, you know." For a moment, Eddie's eyes widened before he composed himself, and Buck couldn't help but smirk. He liked being the mature one for a change.

Eddie's brown eyes burned into Buck, and he suddenly felt sheepish. Should he had said all that he said? Should he had held back? Maybe he touched on a soft spot that Eddie didn't want touched. Buck tried to hold his gaze, but Eddie broke their eye contact with a small huff. His energy dropped, and a weight seemed to envelop both men sitting on the bed. Buck braced himself to wade through the invisible weight and made himself wait for Eddie to speak.

"Why are you always supporting us?"

"What?"

Eddie turned his eyes on Buck. "Why are you always supporting us? I know you want to help and I'm grateful for it, but I don't get why you're always there. I feel like I know what you'll say, where you'll go, what you'll do. It's so predictable." Buck watched Eddie take a deep breath as though to steady his nerves. His words came out shaky. "And, you know, when you're not around, I miss you. I get so damn happy when you, me, and Christopher are together. I don't think that's a normal friendship. Maybe there's more between us than friends."

It was Buck's turn to avert his gaze as he gathered a way to answer Eddie's question. No wonder Eddie seemed distracted lately. As of late, he was distracted, too. He knew exactly what Eddie was saying. Buck could predict Eddie's next words and actions right down to his facial expressions. Still, Buck wanted to see them, hear Eddie's voice, watch any sign of things that were unusual or undiscovered. He wanted to see everything that Eddie had, but he never said it out loud.

"You mean we're like an old married couple, right?" He heard Eddie suck in his breath for a second, then he looked back at Eddie. "I think I can understand that. We're too comfortable around each other. We spend more time together than apart." Buck looked right into Eddie's eyes and tried to calm the hole inside his stomach. He needed to say it, or he wouldn't get another chance like this. "But it's not a bad thing. I'm in love with you, man."

Everything suddenly felt hot to Buck. He wasn't sure if he was holding his breath or time had stopped. Eddie ran a hand through his hair, an action he hardly did except when he was extremely nervous, before meeting Buck's eyes. The weight in his body seemed to dissolve. "I love you, too."

Buck's insides sighed as much as he did. The moment of being denied passed with Buck's heart still intact. He was prepared for things to go sideways, not what would happen if, even in the best scenario, Eddie returned his feelings. While they both knew a lot about each other, Eddie was especially secretive, and Buck had the special ability to pry it out of him. Buck was ready to lean into him and hug him with all his body could muster, but then something changed in Eddie's mind. Buck noticed Eddie's face darken and his eyebrows knit together in deep thought.

"Second thoughts?"

Eddie shook his head, and the emptiness in Buck's stomach expanded further in his body. "What about Christopher?" His name always brought Buck right back to reality as if someone pinched his organs with a vicious twist. "Christopher needs a normal life, at least one as normal as possible. If we start something like…like this, it won't be normal for him."

Before Buck could stop it from slipping out his mouth, a soft laugh passed his lips, causing Eddie to look at him with confusion. "Christopher's a cool kid, Eddie. Nothing in his life has really been normal, and I think people are used to it by now." At the center of it all, Buck understood why Eddie was trying to dodge any sort of relationship, especially one with a man, but it didn't hurt any less. He also knew that their friendship might not be the same after this. Still, Buck didn't want to give up without being as persuasive as possible.

"That may be true, but I'm still worried," Eddie admitted.

Buck wanted to take away the inner battle in Eddie's body. He wanted to take away all the excuses, the worries, and the hesitance that Eddie was coming up with. Buck lifted his hand and brought a finger to Eddie's lips to silence him. "You know I would never hurt Christopher. If I didn't think that Christopher would be fine with us, I would had kept my mouth shut. Get out of dad-mode so you can do what you want to do." His finger didn't leave Eddie's lips. They were almost moving on their own, and Buck couldn't help but watch them move over his lips. He could feel Eddie's breath against his skin, feel the softness of lips. Buck slid his finger against Eddie's bottom lip, earning a sharp breath from Eddie. He repeated the action, and this time, Eddie suddenly grabbed his hand, making Buck look him in the eyes.

"Don't." But Eddie's grip on Buck's hand wasn't strong. They both knew that if Eddie really wanted to stop him, he would had punched him, pushed him, beat him even, but the shorter man simply held Buck's hand.

"Eddie," Buck said, his voice low and firm.

Buck moved his free hand and ran his thumb against Eddie's lips. They were beginning to pinken under the pressure, and Eddie's breath came out heavy and hot. If it weren't for his faint sense of control, Buck was certain he would have stolen a kiss. As much as he wanted to do just that, Buck opted to run his thumb in a slow, deliberate manner on Eddie's lips. The anticipation of what could—what might—happen next started taking shape inside Buck. With every stroke, Buck felt Eddie become more and more uncomfortable, more and more aroused. It was a strange and exciting sight to the taller man.

After what seemed an eternity, Buck closed the gap between them, moved his hand from Eddie's lips, pulled his other hand free, and cupped Eddie's face in his hands. He brought his lips to Eddie's and finally felt how soft the flesh was with his own mouth. It was a soft kiss, one that made the edges of his skull buzz with electricity. Buck made eye contact with Eddie. They stared at each other for a while, Buck uncertain of what Eddie was thinking or what the next move would be. He left it up to Eddie.

"I better not regret this, Evan Buckley," Eddie whispered before kissing Buck.

Buck smiled against his mouth. "Like I'd ever let you regret me," he said. Their next kisses deepened, their mouths widening, searching each other's mouths. Every time their lips touched, Buck lost pieces of his self-control. He smelled the excitement on Eddie's breath. He wasn't sure how long he could hold out since he was so aroused. They started touching the other's body, hands constantly roaming over their arms, chests, torsos, and backs, as they inhaled each other's scent.

Eddie started chanting Buck's name in between kisses. "Buck."

"Eddie," Buck said back in between a very wet, hot kiss.

"Buck, we should hold up." Buck ducked under Eddie's chin and kissed his neck, making him moan loudly. He kissed his way to Eddie's ear and took the lobe between his teeth. A deeper voice came from the shorter man's mouth. "Not there." But Buck licked Eddie's earlobe, and the husky voice with his name came out again. It took Eddie longer to collect himself to speak as Buck continued to torture his jawline with long, sensual kisses. "We'll have to finish if you keep doing that."

"Was planning on it." Eddie's breath hitched when Buck brought his hand down to the man's member. It only turned him on more, making his own member strain against the material of his pants. All Buck wanted was Eddie, and nothing was going to stop him. The constant back and forth between their first meeting, his self-declared rivalry with Eddie, the bomb and recovery, the tsunami, the lawsuit, and Eddie's anger management kept testing Buck and Eddie's friendship, and between it all, Buck realized that he had really wanted this all along from Eddie, from himself. Now that they made it this far, it felt as if he would burst. He wanted to eat Eddie, do whatever Eddie wanted to do, be completely and utterly present with Eddie until they were exhausted.

Without thinking, Buck started to unravel the knot on Eddie's sweatpants. He pulled on the material, revealing Eddie's black briefs that barely held his member. Eddie's hands went to Buck's pants and quickly undid the clasp and the zipper. The action made what they were about to do real, nearly shocking Buck into the reality where the two men were only friends. He slowed his movements and gave Eddie a decisive kiss.

Their lips separated with a loud smacking sound. Eddie stared at Buck with one lifted eyebrow. Buck held Eddie's hands on his pants. "Do you want to keep going? 'Cause once these are off, we're not stopping."

A few seconds where Buck almost held his breath for the other man's answer were the longest seconds. Eddie smiled and finally leaned into Buck with a whispered "yes". They shared a long, deep, breath-taking kiss, one that made Buck purr against his partner. Eddie succeeded in taking off Buck's pants, shirt, and briefs, and Buck slid Eddie's sweats, briefs, and shirt off his muscular body.

As if the rest of the world knew what they were doing, everything around them went silent. The only sounds Buck heard were his own racing heart in his ears and Eddie's moans and groans as their lips met each other. Eddie pushed Buck onto his back on the bed with little resistance, never breaking their kisses. Buck knew that Eddie would take the lead in bed, and he didn't mind at all. He would never say it out loud, but Buck had wet dreams about Eddie. Among all the dreams and fantasies Buck had of them doing it, Buck noticed all of them had him on the receiving end, enduring the pain and enjoying the pleasure. They mingled together in such a strange way, yet he could never recall every moment in the waking world.

Now that reality was catching up to the dreams, Buck felt a little nervous. Would it hurt so much that he couldn't feel good? Would they both enjoy it? Many questions swirled around in his head as Eddie moved over him. They were trying to devour each other, kissing with an intensity that sent electricity up and down his body. When Eddie touched his member, Buck knew he didn't have time to be nervous. He wrapped his fingers around Eddie's member, earning a sharp gasp, before he started moving his hand against the flesh. All confidence on Eddie's side seemed to slacken as Eddie moaned louder. Buck let go of any inkling of worry and rocked his hips against Eddie. Their members rubbed against each other, making both men gasp. Buck repeated the action, using his hand to hold both of their members as he bucked again. They started building a rhythm against each other. Everything suddenly felt hot and slippery.

"Evan."

"Eddie." Their names and the constant kissing became part of the song underneath the rocking between them. The band building in the pit of Buck's stomach was close to snapping, and judging from Eddie's loud and desperate moans, he was nearing his release. Buck's member throbbed, making Buck rock hard against Eddie. It took only a few thrusts to send Buck over the edge.

The stars burst in the back of his mind when Buck suddenly came over his hand, stomach, and Eddie's member. He arched his back and let the white liquid shoot onto them. A few seconds later, Eddie released his load over them. When the last of their release covered them, Eddie gave Buck a soft kiss on the lips. "Hey."

"Hey."

"We should clean up." And Eddie got up, picked up his shirt, and tossed it at Buck. Eddie pulled a hand towel from his drawers and cleaned himself off. "Wanna spend the night?"

Buck lazily cleaned himself off with the shirt. "You couldn't get rid of me that easily after that." He stood up, deposited the stained shirt in Eddie's hamper, and picked up his briefs. Once his briefs were on, he met Eddie and kissed him. "I'll make breakfast as a thank you."

With a smile, Eddie handed him a clean shirt. "Just as long as you don't burn the breakfast," he said, smacking Buck on the butt. The taller man jumped at the contact before quickly pulling on the shirt and following Eddie back to the bed.

"I'll show you." Buck tackled Eddie onto his bed and ran his hands and fingers over Eddie's most sensitive areas, making Eddie laugh. They tickled each other for a while, enjoying the boyish nature between them. They could take pleasure in both being friends and, if Eddie was all right with the term, lovers. Their friendship didn't dissolve over a moment. Instead, everything seemed to be in the right place at that specific time, and Buck wanted to live in it for as long as he could.

Eddie yawned, indicating that bedtime had arrived. Buck reached over Eddie and turned off the light. "Goodnight, Eddie," Buck said as he pulled Eddie against his body and wrapped his arms around him. Whether Eddie liked it or not, Buck liked to cuddle. He kissed Eddie on his lips, this time with a gentleness of holding someone precious.

"Evan," Eddie said once he was situated against Buck. "Thank you. I think I needed that push. I was just worried."

"No problem. I was worried, too. But I think we'll be OK." Buck kissed Eddie's hair and held him tighter. They fell into silence, and soon, the night drew both men into sleep.

---

"Dad!" To have his son shake him away made Eddie feel as small and irresponsible as any deadbeat dad. Eddie blinked to see Christopher's worried face on his side of the bed. "The alarm went off already. Are you getting up?" Eddie ran his hand over Christopher's hair before turning his head to see if Buck was still next to him. "Buck's in the kitchen. And we exercised already! I can do more push ups now!"

"Oh, yeah? And did you make your bed?" Eddie groaned as he sat up, hands smoothing over his face. He almost forgot that reality had shifted in the course of twenty-four hours, and Buck and him were…something else. A glance at the clock showed it was twenty-one minutes past the time he usually woke up Christopher.

"I made my bed. But Buck wouldn't let me start eating until you got up." Now that Eddie got a good look at his son, he realized that Christopher was already dressed for the day. If Buck kept doing things like this, Eddie was sure he would have to marry the guy. For now, he wanted to see where things went.

Eddie rose from his bed and went to the kitchen with Christopher. There, he found three sets of eggs, bacon, toast, and salad on the small table. Once Eddie and Christopher sat down, Buck reached over Eddie's shoulder to place a bottle of juice. "Good morning," Buck said in Eddie's ear, his lips grazing the shorter man's ear and sending a shiver down his spine.

"Hey, none of that at the dinner table," Eddie said, putting a piece of toast in Buck's mouth. The taller man took a dramatic bite out of the toast with Christopher giggling at the other end of the table. Buck's toothy, mischievous smile always made Eddie smile. He couldn't deny how beautiful it was to have someone like him to brighten their lives. "We should make some ground rules about appropriate behavior around you-know-who and work."

Buck pretended to be upset by throwing up his hands. "I knew you'd make up some rules!" He looked at Christopher, who seemed more entertained by Buck than his food. "Your dad sure likes rules."

"He does!" Christopher added, nodding his head in agreement.

Eddie shook his head. "I'm just saying, Evan," he said, pinning Buck with a glare, "that we should be careful. We should wait to tell others that we're—"

"That we're boyfriends?" It wasn't the first time, but Eddie definitely wanted to punch Buck in the throat at that moment.

He looked at Christopher—who was not surprised at all. The little boy just smirked and said, "Finally."

Buck also noticed Christopher's non-reaction to the news. "See? Christopher and everyone else thought so."

"Everyone else?"

"Yeah! Bobby was the last person at the station to say, 'Hey, what's wrong with Diaz? Make sure to cheer him up when y'all get home.' And when I was about to say something about it, he said, 'And if you run out of ideas to make up, grow up a little and tell him you love him.'

Cap said that? Eddie felt hotter than he had in the Middle East in full gear under a blazing sun. So everyone knew about their feelings except each other? What kind of messed up love story was this? The telenovelas had romances wrong this entire time. Eddie put his face in his hands to try to compose what little pride he had.

Buck still went on in the man-child way he did when he was excited. "And now, I can shout it to the world." Eddie brought his hands down to watch Buck climb up on a chair and cup his hands around his mouth. "Edmundo Diaz and Evan Buckley are boyfriends!" Christopher started clapping and Buck bowed as if to close out the show. Eddie shook his head. Why did he feel like the show was just starting?

---

Eddie and Buck arrived together to the station, Eddie in his usual gear and Buck wearing a shirt slightly too small. Payback, Eddie told himself as they walked in, him grinning because of his clothing revenge and Buck smiling because of his idiotic proclamation. Hen and Chimney were already dressed in their uniforms when they got to their lockers. For a moment, Chimney stared at Buck as if he were deciphering a clue written on the younger man's face.

"Buck, you're grinning like that cat from Alice in Wonderland," Chimney said. "What's got you smiling as if your mouth's going to fall off?"

"Chimney, you haven't figured it out yet? I mean, you always figure it out." Buck grabbed Eddie's hand and intertwined their fingers. He looked at Eddie with the most loving gaze—and a hint of possession. So maybe the telenovelas had something right. Eddie really wanted to kiss him, but part of him wanted to sucker punch him for thinking that he was something to be owned. He looked at Chimney and Hen to find them just going about their business.

"Well, it's about damn time," Chimney said, closing his locker. "Took your time, right?"

"Yes, we did!" Buck chimed with his goofy grin.

"Congratulations, you two," Hen said, patting both men on the shoulder. "Make sure to take care of each other, especially you, Eddie."

"Me?" Eddie blinked with confusion.

Hen pinned him with a knowing stare. "Let's not play this game. You know you hide stuff and do the opposite of what you're supposed to be doing."

Then they were gone, and the rest of the station continued doing business as usual. "And here I thought they'd be happier," Buck said. Eddie turned to get his stuff into his locker as Buck went to his locker for his spare uniform. "Anyways, you know that everyone will know whether I say it out loud or not. C'mon, you gotta admit that this is the best news in a long time. I bet they thought it would be a million years before anything happened between us."

In the middle of both men putting on their uniforms, Eddie watched Buck talk. And talk. And talk. The whole time, Eddie dropped into hearing what he was saying, and after a few minutes, he realized that Buck was way too excited about everything. They were going to do this and that, and when they were done, there was more of this and that to do. Eddie was certain Buck would talk him to death if it meant getting all his nervous energy out. He opted to close his locker and bring Buck's lips against his own. When they parted, Buck stared at Eddie with wide eyes.

"Calm down," Eddie said, holding his partner's shoulders. "I'm not going anywhere. You don't need to talk a mile a minute. I get it."

Buck quickly lifted his arms and wrapped them around Eddie's shoulders. "I know. I'm just so damn happy right now, I can't hold it all in."

Eddie returned the hug. "Hey, I already have one pouty kid. I don't need another." He heard Buck laugh over his shoulder.

"We should set up some ground rules," they heard Bobby's voice from behind them. Bobby was too good at sneaking up on them. Eddie automatically stepped back, but Buck held onto him with dear life. The older man tried to look stern and only looked as benevolent as a Santa Claus. They could practically feel the positive energy from him. "I said make up, not make out. This is still a fire station."

Buck turned to face Bobby with Eddie in tow. "Well, this is all thanks to you, by the way," he retorted with a smirk.

Bobby sighed and shook his head. They all knew Buck was right. "Well, let's just not have too much PDA while on the job."

"Aye, aye, Captain!" And Buck saluted, making Bobby and Eddie laugh.

"We got a meeting in five upstairs. Please try to be on time." With that, the captain went up the stairs, leaving Buck and Eddie alone at the lockers.

Buck released Eddie and finished buttoning his uniform. "I get the feeling that guy's going to be watching us more closely. I mean, we've got self-control."

"Speak for one of us." Eddie took a hold of Buck's chin with one hand and kissed him long and sensually on the lips. He wanted to stop time for a moment since they wouldn't have this chance until they got off work. When they parted, Buck smiled at him.

"So I have to be the responsible one?"

Eddie pushed past him with a smirk. "Just to charge us up until later." He looked back at Buck and winked at him, an action he rarely did but knew would drive Buck crazy. Buck immediately ran for him, and they both ran to the second floor.

---

In the past, Eddie felt he was walking on a path by himself. He always felt a little different, a little off, but he couldn't lay his finger on where that difference came from. Instead, he continued on the path, trying to shake the feeling that maybe the reason he was different wasn't from being chicano in hostile areas, being an American soldier overseas, creating and leaving his family for military service, or becoming a single, young father. He was different because he could read people well enough to see what he could get out of them with or without emotion depending on his needs.

Eddie was selfish. He was scared to be close to anyone who saw the real Edmundo Diaz. He was scared they would realize how much he cared about himself even when he was throwing himself away.

It was only when he was saving his comrades abroad with med kits and bullets and helping strangers in fires and ambulances that he felt alive, felt that he could wash away any of the selfishness away. He dove into both roles headfirst. As time went on and he went from probationary to full-time firefighter, Eddie started to feel that need to do more to get rid of the selfishness creeping up on him. It wiggled its way into his life as it always did when he felt too happy.

He just didn't understand what happiness was. His family understood family and what society called normal, but they didn't understand him or what it meant for him to be happy. Eddie really felt alone whenever he thought of how different he was with his relatives. It was part of the reason why he always wanted to take a step back from Buck and keep him at a certain distance. Now that they were in a relationship, Eddie was worried about hurting Buck, about hurting everyone around them, because his selfish nature would bring out its ugly head and ruin the happiness he had.

Eddie watched Buck more closely than ever. Buck's smile, his laughter, even his lame jokes made Eddie's world brighten, expand, as if a star had decided to greet them from the darkened sky in human form. The moments where Eddie pushed Buck, the other man always returned to the spot where they both stood without missing a beat. Buck unconditionally cared about him, and selfish or not, he always tried to be there for Eddie and Christopher. There wasn't anything in it for Buck, Eddie realized, except that he wanted to hold them close. Despite all the things that Buck had gone through, he threw himself into love without abandon, and he always tried to improve the bad parts of himself. Eddie loved Buck just for that.

But he was anxious about approaching Buck when it came to the bedroom. It was as if he were learning about the birds and the bees all over again and getting nervous over the first time he kissed someone. Eddie felt some relief at being on the job or having Christopher with them since both places had invisible rules. Outside of work and parenthood, Eddie was at a loss of how to romantically be with Buck. He was lucky enough to have Buck teach him some of the misgivings he had at first aside from kissing and saying cheesy rom-com lines.

Somehow, Eddie made it to their first official date. He had put out the idea a week after they had become boyfriends. They were en route to a call at a house thirty minutes from the station, and it was him, Chimney, and Buck in the back of the fire truck. Halfway through the ride, Eddie leaned into Buck, moving his head gear out of the way to get closer to him. "Hey, do you wanna eat dinner tonight? Christopher will be with my aunt, so it can be just the two of us."

Buck beamed before saying "yes". Before Eddie could do anything else, Buck took his hand and squeezed, making Eddie look at him with surprise. "Hey, do you think Bobby will take this as too much PDA? I mean, no one's watching us."

Eddie laughed and squeezed Buck's hand in return. "I think for you this could hardly be called PDA."

Buck smiled and brought Eddie's hand to his lips to kiss it. "I can always amp it up a little bit." Eddie could feel his face and whole body suddenly grow hot. Why was this man so cheesy? And why was he completely falling for it?

"Please don't amp it up, guys," Chimney said from his side of the truck. He pinned them with a meaningful glare. "Be kind. We mind."

Buck and Eddie looked at each other. Buck signaled with his playful smile. Eddie felt his anxiety completely disappear as he realized what the mischievous look in Buck's eyes meant. Both men leaned into each other and kissed each other on the lips.

"Hey, Hen, could you drop me off right here? I'll Uber to the location. No problem."

Eddie put a hand up to stop Buck from kissing—because Buck was a little too into it—long enough to glare at Chimney. Buck pointed and laughed at Chimney. "That's what you get for being a curmudgeon!"

"Nice. I had no idea you knew that word." Chimney reached for his seatbelt buckle. "You know what, Hen? I'll just tuck and roll. Let Maddie know I love her."

"Hey, hey, don't make me come back there!" Bobby called from the passenger's seat loud enough to make the men in the back squirm in their seats. "Chimney, get it together. Buck, Diaz, stop with the PDA. And if I have to say anything else that isn't related to this call, God help me…"

Eddie started laughing. All of it was comical in the sense that he felt strangely calm. Usually in situations like this where he preferred his peace before going into a call, he didn't like the banter. But today was a new day, and Eddie understood that if his world was going to change, so would the world around him even if it were in small ways.

---

Their first date started out innocently enough. Eddie opened the door to Buck's apartment with a bag of groceries in one hand. Since they had become friends, Eddie and Buck kept each other's home keys, but now, it felt as if he was coming home. Eddie closed the door behind him and went to the kitchen to find Buck busy with their dinner. Buck's face immediately brightened when he saw Eddie, making Eddie smile. He knew that Buck was handsome, and yet, he knew that Buck was also cute. Seeing him become exceedingly happy just by being around him made Eddie feel especially lucky.

Eddie set down the grocery bag on the counter and gave Buck a kiss, which still made shivers go down his body. He couldn't believe how good it felt to finally be home with someone again. If any of his past had a single lesson, it was Eddie understanding not to take anyone he cared about for granted. He wasn't going to make that mistake again.

As Eddie pulled the groceries from the bag and set them on the counter, he felt Buck behind him. The taller man wrapped his arms around Eddie's waist before kissing Eddie's ear. Again, shivers ran down Eddie's spine at the contact. "Hey, are we cooking or doing something else?" Eddie asked, turning around to face Buck.

Buck pressed himself against Eddie and kissed him softly on the lips. "Could we do both?"

"I don't think my body works that way," Eddie stated. Buck began to fake pout, making Eddie laugh. The laughter brought Eddie back to earth. He was a little concerned about being whisked off without food. He was starving. "What's for dinner?"

Buck picked up the noodles from the counter. "Pasta!"

Eddie smiled. "I see we have a pasta champ here."

"Yup!" Buck set to work on hydrating the noodles in one pot while another pot held the sauce. He issued orders to Eddie, who followed them with a soft smile on his face. He always felt they had a good partnership, but he really felt close to Buck when they were like this. They didn't spend too much time in the kitchen except to be out of earshot of Christopher, so Eddie felt strange for being instantly comfortable putting dinner together with Buck for their date.

We're on a date, Eddie said to himself, finding the few dishes Buck held in his pantry and setting the table. This isn't guy's night out. This is real. The realization struck Eddie as if he had been smacked across the face. They couldn't just fall back into their routine lives when they were together on a date. They needed to experience what it would be like to romantically be together. That meant date night was a night about themselves.

"Could you hand me the big bowl?" Buck asked from the stove. Eddie handed him the bowl he had set aside for the pasta. Eddie watched Buck carefully transfer the drained noodles, then the sauce into the bowl. He handed it back to Eddie, who took it to the table. Even if Buck made pasta for each meal, Eddie thought, he would be OK with it.

Soon, Buck joined Eddie at the table, and they took turns passing various items around the table until their plates were filled and their beers were clinked together. They thanked each other and ate, and Eddie felt himself relax as time went by. Time always passed so quickly when Eddie was with Buck. There seemed to be a sense of comfort between them. Despite of being around each other for most of the workday, Eddie didn't get tired of Buck, and Buck appeared to feel the same. How many people could he do that with? How many times had he felt as if he might not be able to move a day forward without them?

Eddie could feel his smiles, his face almost hurting from how much he smiled and laughed, while their meals on their plates and the alcohol in their glasses disappeared. Something in the air felt good and hummed between each cell in his body.

When they finished, the men bused their dishes and took new bottles of beer to the couch. Buck turned to Eddie with a controller in his hand. "Wanna play a special game?"

Eddie's eyebrow went up. "What special game?"

Buck smirked at Eddie, offering the controller to Eddie. "It's a betting game," he said as Eddie accepted the controller. "For each round one of us loses, loser has to take off their clothing. Just one piece."

"Are you serious?" Eddie smirked. "You know how many times I've whooped your butt in this game? This is a major mismatch."

Bucked turned on the television and the gaming console. "OK, then let's make a better bet. Whoever loses all their clothes is also on the bottom."

Eddie's eyes widened. They never really discussed the topic before, and suddenly being faced with a challenge made Eddie uneasy. Still, the sense of his manhood being challenged piqued his competitive nature. The game's character list loaded. Eddie smirked. "You're on."

---

"So it looks like you've lost this round," Buck stated with amusement, setting down the controller on the table. "You know what that means."

Eddie put his controller on the table before leaning back and crossing his arms. The last shred of clothing on his body was his underwear. He felt at a crossroads, part of which came from his competitive nature and the other part came from the inevitable next step between him and Buck. He could move forward with the next step, but he had thought he was more ready for it than at that moment. Eddie watched Buck turn off the console and the TV before he turned his attention back to Eddie.

"Briefs off," Buck said, tugging at his briefs. Eddie wanted to laugh, but part of him wanted Buck to work for his victory. Buck leaned into his space, stopping only a few inches from Eddie's face, his trademark mischievous smile on his face. "Unless you want me to take them off." Before Eddie could answer, Buck's lips were on his, taking his breath away. Buck slipped his hands under the band of Eddie's briefs and slid them off to reveal Eddie's lower half. Already, Eddie was at full mast as if Buck had turned on a switch. He kissed Buck back with the same intensity.

I want this. I really want this, Eddie told himself silently as Buck deepened their kiss while moving his big hands lower on Eddie's body. When his hand brushed against Eddie's member, Eddie gasped, electricity searing his entire body. Why did it feel good to have Buck touch him? He never felt so turned on with just a few kisses and touches. Even when he was with Shannon, Eddie didn't feel so damn good. His whole body hummed with anticipation, every cell on fire every time him and Buck connected. He couldn't keep the moans and gasps from leaving his mouth whenever Buck's hands or lips touched his body.

Without breaking their kisses, Buck took Eddie's hands and placed them on the band of his underwear's waistband. Eddie knew what he wanted. He quickly slid Buck's underwear off his body, showing his lower half. Buck pressed Eddie further into the couch.

"Wait, wait," Eddie said, pushing Buck back. They stared at each other, Buck confused and Eddie determined. "I know I lost the bet, but I don't want to be on the bottom."

Buck's response was to kiss Eddie's neck, making the shorter man moan loudly. "I've been practicing by myself," Buck said between the kisses, "to be the bottom." Almost as though he had been struck in the head, Eddie's mind went blank. Buck…practicing…the bottom, Eddie thought as Buck continued to kiss his neck. Eddie tried to imagine the taller man "practicing", but he was so in shock that nothing came to his mind. Buck brought his lips to Eddie's ear and whispered in a low voice, "I want you inside me."

All semblance of control completely left Eddie. He brought his arms around Buck and rolled him to the side so he would be on top. Buck laughed as he stared up at Eddie, eyes filled with hunger. Eddie kissed him, smelling the excitement on Buck's breath as they rubbed their bodies against each other. Buck's moans spurred Eddie to deepen their kisses, roam Buck's body with his hands, let his body completely and entirely savor Buck's hot body. Their bodies began to glisten with sweat from the friction.

To Eddie's surprise, Buck cupped Eddie's chin and slowly and deliberately licked Eddie's bottom lip. "Put it in," he commanded before bringing Eddie's lips to his own.

Eddie didn't need anything or anyone else to prompt him. He took his member in one hand and angled it at Buck's entrance. While part of his mind was saying, "Hey, you should get some lube," his lower half dripped with anticipation. To distract Buck, Eddie brought his lips to Buck's neck, kissing the flesh as passionately as he had kissed the man's lips. Buck moaned underneath him. Once Eddie was confident Buck was distracted, he slowly pushed his tip into Buck. The taller man gasped from the contact, digging his fingers into Eddie's shoulders. Eddie sucked on the junction between Buck's chin and neck as he pulled out and pushed himself a little bit further into Buck.

"Oh my god," Buck murmured when Eddie repeated the action.

"Am I hurting you?"

"No, keep going," Buck said, panting.

Eddie carefully pushed into Buck, and the taller man groaned against the intrusion. As far as Eddie could tell, this part wasn't very different from lovemaking in general, but he really cared if Buck felt a lot of pain. Part of him felt gross at entering his best friend this way, as if there would be an alternative, but he also recognized that doing this would be the best way to officially connect them. He didn't understand all of the feelings bubbling up in his body. Still, Eddie was aroused beyond any point of return, and he wanted Buck to feel as good as he felt. He was thankful that Buck had some practice under his belt because it didn't take long for Buck's body to adjust to Eddie's member. Soon, it was easy for Eddie to be completely surrounded by Buck.

When Buck pulled Eddie flush against him, Eddie could tell that Buck was ready for him to move faster. Eddie began to thrust into Buck, everything around them becoming nonexistent, only the sounds of their wet love making filling the apartment while they fervently kissed each other wherever their lips reached. Eddie could feel Buck's member against his stomach. He was incredibly hard, harder than the first time they touched each other. It excited Eddie more to know that he was feeling good. They set a rhythm, and with each thrust, Buck pushed against Eddie, stimulating each other in a delicious, hot way. There was a point where Eddie felt his tip push against something deep inside Buck.

Buck suddenly arched his back, lifting both men. "Right there," Buck gasped, and Eddie rocked hard into the nerves that ignited Buck's arousal. Buck's hands were everywhere as Eddie continued rubbing against the sensitive area, and moans and sounds of pleasure escaped Buck's mouth. "Oh my god, Eddie. Oh my god." He clutched the edge of the couch to steady himself. Whether it was emotionally or physically, Eddie didn't know. He was just fascinated with Buck's reaction. Watching Buck lose control underneath him made Eddie want to spill all over Buck until he dried up.

Eddie placed his hands on Buck's wrists and held them above the man's head. He leaned down and captured Buck's mouth in his own, thrusting harder into Buck. The burning pleasure building in his balls began to rise into his member and up his shaft. The insides of Buck suddenly softened and allowed Eddie to push further into Buck.

Buck's moans became a loud yell as he voiced his release. White liquid spilled over their stomachs, and Buck violently shuddered underneath Eddie. Eddie felt Buck's insides clamp down hard on him, forcing him to erupt inside of Buck. He came hard, harder than he had ever imagined coming, and rocked out the waves of pleasure until the spasms dissolved. Exhausted, Eddie let his full body weight fall onto Buck. Both men panted, and their hearts pounded against each other.

"I think that's the hardest I've ever come," Buck said into Eddie's hair.

"Same," Eddie replied, slipping out of Buck and sitting up. He looked down at Buck with concern. "Are you OK?"

Buck nodded. "Yeah. I didn't think it would feel this good." He brought his hands to his face. "Oh my god, it was unbelievably good."

Heat rose into Eddie's face. "It was," Eddie agreed, his mind going back to a few minutes ago. Will it always be like this? Eddie thought. He wouldn't mind if it was.

Buck adjusted himself so he could sit up. Eddie leaned in for a kiss, and Buck happily returned the kiss. "Do you want to take a shower?"

"Yeah, and while we're at it, let's burn the couch," Eddie responded, standing up and grabbing his clothing on the floor. Buck laughed. They took a moment to collect all their clothes and walk to the bathroom. Once their clothes were dumped in the hamper in the bathroom, Buck turned on the water. Eddie watched him carefully test the water so it wasn't too hot or cold. He never imagined that he would love this man the way he did, but now, they were standing in Buck's bathroom getting ready to share a shower together. When Buck turned around, Eddie pressed his lips against Buck's lips. They kissed for what felt like ages until Eddie stood back.

"Up for another round?" Buck asked, smirking at him before entering the shower.

"Always," Eddie said, climbing into the shower after him.

---

When Buck and Eddie reached the second floor for the breakfast hour, everyone was sliding into their seats. Buck held onto Eddie's arm so he wouldn't start to sit down first. He brought his lips to Eddie's ear and whispered, "Hey, this might be a little hard for me."

Eddie lifted an eyebrow. "What? Why?" Buck indicated with his eyes, and Eddie instantly understood. "Oh, yeah, didn't think of that." He gave Buck a small smile. "Sorry."

Buck smiled. "If it weren't for today, we could've stayed there for the longest time," Buck said, leaning closer so that his lips grazed Eddie's ear. He felt the shiver go down the shorter man's body. "It felt too good, you know, that I'm like this."

Eddie opened his mouth to say something, but he was startled by Chimney suddenly pointing at the two of them. "Cap, we should separate those two!" Chimney demanded from the table.

Bobby's eyebrows furrowed down, making the wrinkles in his forehead show more prominently. "Chimney, this is the time to eat as a family—"

"Buck's glowing!"

With all eyes on Buck and him, Eddie felt himself grow hot. Sure, Buck loved attention, but not like this. His backside must hurt enough. Eddie looked up at Buck to see if he should intervene or let Buck handle himself. "I'm sure you don't want to know that your date's little brother has a love life, right? Drop it," Buck stated.

The whole second floor fell quiet. A pin could drop, and Eddie was certain everyone would hear it. Eddie felt the heat rise into his face and spread throughout his body. Maybe they should had called out sick.

Several fire fighters suddenly stood up, others digging into their pockets and wallets to pull out bills, as Chimney and Hen collected the outstretched bills. Murmurs rose over the table with Chimney commanding that a few fire fighters fork over their money. Buck and Eddie traded a glance before looking at their team while they settled back into their seats with their newly acquired money. "Son of gun," Eddie said under his breath. "Everyone bet on us doing it? When did this happen?"

Chimney laughed as he counted his bills. "The first day you walked in, Diaz," he answered. He smiled at Buck. "That guy made it too obvious that it would happen."

Eddie glanced at Buck, who took a step back to dodge an invisible punch. "Since the first day? Really?"

Buck laughed nervously. "I guess, huh? I thought I hated your guts, but I guess I just loved you at first sight, I guess?"

Eddie shook his head. "Dios mio, what am I gonna do with you?" Buck's face turned red under the question.

Bobby approached them, a smile on his face. "Buck, I know you hate taking days off work, but considering your 'condition' today, go home." Buck opened his mouth to say something, but Bobby patted his shoulder. "It would eat everyone up if we let you work at only eighty percent when you could be at one-hundred percent." An unspoken dialogue seemed to pass through the two men before Buck nodded and Bobby gave him one last affectionate pat.

"Ok, Cap, I'm going, I'm going," Buck said, allowing Bobby to return to his seat at the table. He turned to Eddie with a smile. "Should I pick up Christopher then?"

"Only if you're up to it," Eddie responded, blushing slightly at Buck's continued thoughtfulness of his son. "I'll call ahead to let them know."

Buck brought both his hands to the sides of Eddie's face and gave him a long, searing kiss. It took Eddie's breath away, and for a moment, the rest of the world didn't exist. "See you at home." With that, Buck turned and went down the stairs, leaving Eddie staring after him with a red face and a shy smile.

"Hey, lovebird, you hungry?" Chimney called out from the table. When Eddie was seated and about to fork some eggs into his mouth, Chimney stared at him with eyes that wanted to pry some answers out of his co-worker.

"What?"

"I didn't take you as a topper."

Eddie dropped his fork. "Did you bet on that, too?"

Again, the fire fighters fished bills out of their thinning pockets and wallets and gave them to Chimney and Hen. Eddie wanted to follow Buck home and rewind to the day where they had decided to come to work. Maybe staying in bed was a better idea than being at work.

---

Writer's Note: Thank you for reading this! I'm not sure if I'll continue it from here, but I really appreciate your time in my words.