Buck and Tommy slotted into each other's lives so easily and swiftly it surprised even them. So, of course Tommy was invited to Chris' surprise party by Eddie, and he happily accepted the invitation. And then it went to shit, and he and Buck had to console their upset best friend. The two men sat down next to Eddie on the couch, Tommy stressing eating a cupcake the entire time. Eddie side eyed him. "Cake obsession still going strong, huh?"
"Buck, your boyfriend's being mean to me," he tried to joke (but it didn't land, which didn't surprise him since he wasn't really feeling it in the first place).
"You want a stress cupcake too?" Tommy asked him as Buck nervously chuckled.
Eddie shrugged. "Fine," he muttered before sighing as he grabbed one off the plate and started devouring it.
"Do you need a hug?" Buck asked him once the two men in front of him both stopped stress eating said cupcakes. He had only been able to grab one before Tommy and Eddie stole the rest.
Distraught, Eddie could only nod and the two men promptly pulled him for a hug. "You'll fix this. You haven't stopped trying, Eddie. That'll matter to him in the long run," Tommy assured him.
"It's just going to take some time." Buck looked heartbroken himself about the way tonight had played out but he reeled himself in because this was about Eddie right now. He could give in to his own angst in private later.
"You guys don't have to stay here and console me. I'll be fine," Eddie lied.
Tommy and Buck eyed him skeptically. "Eddie, you don't have to lie to us. We're here for you." Buck leaned against him for a second, knocking their shoulders together, before he went back to giving him a little space.
"And I appreciate it but you guys have better things to do than try to make me feel better about my massive fuck-ups. Seriously, go home."
Tommy and Buck exchanged a quick glance, silently holding a conversation about what they should do. "Call us if you need us," Tommy finally told him once they came to a decision.
"We'll be here as soon as we can if you do call us back. But I'll see you at work tomorrow."
Buck and Tommy reluctantly forced themselves to leave the Diaz residence and headed to the Jeep. Tommy let out a gasp of surprise when Buck gently pushed him against the passenger side door and kissed him. Tommy laughed when they pulled apart. "You're such a gentleman, Evan."
"We'll see how much of a gentleman I am when we get back to the loft," Buck flirted before he too began giggling. He left Tommy's side and walked over to the driver's side, getting into the car.
The two men soon made it back to the loft and made out against his door, giggling the entire time. "We should probably go inside now," Tommy murmured in between kisses.
"Don't want to give my neighbors a show, now do we?" Buck shot back huskily.
"I thought you liked that, sweetheart."
Laughing, Buck finally unlocked the door and they went through it. As soon as the door was closed again, they were making out against it again. "You really thought I was a vision in a cone?" Buck asked once they finally pulled away from each other.
"Evan, you are so beautiful it takes my breath away sometimes."
Buck blushed and Tommy kissed him for it. "You're beautiful too, you know? It was one of the first things I noticed about you."
"Oh, yeah?" Tommy grabbed his hand and started swinging before bringing it up to his lips to kiss it.
Buck literally swooned (not the first time nor the last time he'd do so with his boyfriend). "You know how happy I am that you fit right in with us? You're family, Tommy. You're not getting away from us now."
Tommy ducked his head. "I definitely do not plan on going anywhere if I can help it, Evan."
"Good." They headed upstairs to Buck's room to sleep - both were a little worn out from the day's events - and went their separate ways the next morning when it came time to work. They checked in with each other all day whenever either of them had any free time. It was a stress reliever for them both.
Tommy was the first person Buck called, hands shaking, after shit went down with Gerrard. "What the fuck?" he asked in disbelief.
"He's on the way to the hospital now," Buck whispered, clearly shaken up by the events of the last fifteen minutes.
"You saved his life, you know? He fucking sucks but you're not a bad person, Evan. He upset you and you still did the right thing." Tommy had a feeling he wasn't getting through to him, though, and that he'd have to keep drilling it in his boyfriend's head that he wasn't at fault.
"Okay."
"Take a deep breath for me, okay? Can you do that?" When Buck inhaled and exhaled a few times, Tommy sighed in relief. "Go back to work, Evan. I'm sure you'll be called out soon. And please stop beating yourself up." Tommy bit his lip to refrain from shouting those three little words aching to come out - it wasn't time yet. They'd be there soon.
"I'll try," Buck rasped. "Thank you for listening, Tommy."
"Not a problem, sweetheart. I'll always be here when you need me. Talk to Eddie when he gets back, please." If he couldn't be there, he trusted Eddie to be able to get through to him.
"Thank you," he repeated.
"Be safe out there today."
"You too."
The two men chatted for another minute or two before they finally hung up. Buck didn't feel any better but he felt comforted by Tommy's reassurance and mere presence.
Of course, because of their luck, the day spectacularly went to shit once more and rather quickly at that. But Tommy and Athena ended up being the heroes of the day after they saved the plane after a few hours of terror.