A small step that lights the way
After an hour walking around searching for the right firestation he finally found it, the 118.
He slowly walks into the firestation, his hand grabbing the straps of his backpack looking around nervously until he spots the back of a head that he would regionize anywhere.
He climbes the stairs up and that is all it takes for the others to notice him,
Hen and Eddie who were sitting on the couch and talking to Buck,
Who look confused over to the young person walking in, Buck who had his back turned towards the person, turns around and the confusion on his face spreads to a happy grin, Buck spread his arms out and walks a few steps until he he hugs the young man tight "Isaac..what are you doing here?" Buck ask bewildered while Hen and Eddie give each other a look, wondering how Buck knows this person.
"I was just around this area, so i thought i visit you and Maddie " Isaac explains and steps a step back, out of Bucks tight hug. "Soo yeah ..surprise?" He sais and gives a half shrug with his shoulders and arms. Buck who was about to ask a million question was stopped by Eddie who clears his throught " ah Buck, who is this ? " "yeah were do you two know each other from?" Hen ask at the same time.
Buck turns around to the two with an akward smile and presents Isaac like a christmas tree " this guys... is my younger brother " buck answers slowly.
Both Eddie and Hen look surprised at Buck " hey my name is Isaac" Isaac sais and walks over to them to shake their hands. "Nice to meet you Isaac, im Eddie" he sais and Hen continues with " my name is Henrietta but everyone calls me Hen"
after shaking hands Isaac walks back to buck who lays an arm around his brothers shoulders.
Eddie and hen still stare at isaac "how old are you..?" Eddie who leans his elbow on his knees ask with a slight shock on his face. "Uhm..im 17?" Isaac answers the question. "Really? You look younger" ask Hen. Isaac chuckelds slightly " yeah i get that a lot." Just as Isaac finishes his sentence another person comes the stairs up. Chimney walks over to them "whos that?" and points at Isaac. "That is my brother". chimney groans "not another buckley "
"Hey! What is that suppose to mean" Buck protest while Hen and Eddie laugh.
Isaac watches the debatte go on for a while before his stomach lets out a groal, the others go silent and look to him and isaac just blushes. "Someone hungry?" Buck teases . "Maybe" Isaac says and lightheartedly slaps Buck against the chest. "Ow" Buck exaggerates
"You deserve that" Isaac said with a grin. Buck grins and ruffles Isaacs hair in a teasing way.
"But don't get to cocky there little guy"
Isaac protests "its not my fault your build like a fucking brick wall."
Buck laughs " your just jealouse that your so short"
Isaac just gives him the middle finger while the rest just sits aroud them trying to contain there laughter, watching the buck siblings banter.
"You know, flipping me off wont make you anymore intimidating" buck tells isaac who still stands next to him.
"Yeah yeah" answers the boy
"So do fire fighters also get something to eat or should i go back to school and eat the the garbage that they call food?" Isaac ask sarcastically
"We do get to eat you grumpy ass" buck says and leads him to there kitchen.
The other just watch with aw still trying to process that there is another buckley that they didnt know of.
Buck point the fridge that is practically filled with food. "Help youself kid. Just eat something that is actually a meal and not just junk food, i think there should be some leftovers from the lasagne the cap made."
"Would still be better then at home" Isaac mutters under his breath while he pulls out a plate of lasagne from the fridge and putts it in the microwave.
Buck frowns slightly having pickt up on what Isaac said. He looks at him with concern in his eyes and wonders what Isaac meant with that.
" what did you say?" Buck ask with a slight desperate tone. "Mmh? Nothing " Isaac shrugs with his shoulders turning to the microwave so he doesn't have to look at buck.
Buck leans against the opposite counter, not really buying Isaacs casual tone. "You said 'better then at home' what do you mean with that?"
Isaac lets a quite breath out "I think you start hearing things" isaac sais in a jokingly tone trying to change the topic.
Bucks concern only grows, he crosses his arms in front of him
"Isaac...dont try to avoid the topic we both know i heard you say that. Why do you said 'its still better then at home'?" Buck ask again.
Isaac shrugs with his shoulders his eyes still fixed on the microwave " i mean you know how our parents are...and since you and maddie left it didn't got magicaly better" Isaac explains in a bitter tone. Buck clenches his jaw,his heart aching as Isaac speaks. He knows all to well what there parents are like, how they treated them. His expression full of worry he steps closer to Isaac. "Have they... been worse since i left?"
Isaac dosnt answers him instead his jaw clenches and he gives the lasagna in the microwave a death glare hoping it would solve all of his problems.
Buck watches Isaac closly , silently reading his body language. Seeing Isaacs reaction, or lack of words only increase's his worry.
Buck clenches his hand trying to find the right words.
"Isaac...have they been hurting you?" Buck ask hesitated not really believing he even has to ask this kind of question but his brothers behavior worry's him.
"No" isaac answers fast with an angry tone.
Bucks eyes widen slightly hearing Isaacs tone and seeing his tense shoulders, he gemtly places a hand on his shoulder, trying to get Isaac to look at him.
"Isaac...your a terrble liar, you know that" Buck say's with a sad quiet voice. "Im not a terrible liar" Isaac whispers in a hope of avoiding this conversation, his eyes don't really look at Buck there fixiatet on the LAFD logo on Bucks shirt. Bucks heart sinks as Isaac tries to deflect again. He gently squeeze his shoulder his voice full of worry and pain "Isaac...please look at me." He pleads "i know know your lying. Please tell me the truth, have our parents been hurting you?"
Isaac still avoids bucks gaze, instead he looks at something in the distance, his hands clenched " not really.. just some slaps here and there.. you know when im to loud or eat to much of theire food." Isaac whispers quietly.
Bucks blood runs cold when he hears that they been hurting his younger brother.
A mix of anger and despair rises in him, his grip thightens on Isaacs shoulders trying to ground himself. "...that is not ok Isaac! You shouldn't get slapped, even if you you 'eat to much' or "are to loud" its there job to feed you" Buck says in a heated voice. Isaacs shoulders tense "i mean there buying the food with their money.. so they are kinda right" he whispers
Bucks heart breaks hearing his brother try to rationalize the abuse.he shakes his head trying to look into Isaacs eyes, his voice is filled with a mix of anger and sympathy.
"No,no,no. Just because they buy the food doesn't give them the right to hit you Isaac. You're a growing kid. You need to eat and its their responsibility as parents to feed you. Its their job to provide for you, not take their anger out on you!"
Isaac shrugs bucks hand from his shoulders while in the background the microwave beeps signaling that the food is ready . "Its not like they broke my bones or something like that, you make it sound like a big deal, its not!" He sais angrily.
Bucks expression hardens as Isaac tries to downplay the situation and get defensive.
"Isaac even if they didn't break your bones, its still not okay. Hitting you, even for beeing loud or eating food THEY buy, is still abuse. You don't deserve to be hit just for beeing normal ans it IS a big deal." Buck tries to reason with Isaac who now glares at him.
"Its not! I can take care of myself, i dont need your stupid savior complex, to rush in and safe me!!" He yells angrly.
Now the rest of the team heard him, they look over at Buck and Isaac concern etched on their faces.
Bucks voice rises as he tells Isaac " its not a savior complex,Isaac! Im worried about you because i care about you. And you shouldn't be have to 'take care of yourself ' and endure getting hit. Your and seventeen-year-old kid, your not supposed to have to deal with this!"
Isaac flinches as Bucks voice rises, he puts his arms up to protect himself from a hit that would never come. Isaac only feels panic in his mind his eyes stare at Buck afraid of what might come but not really seeing him Buck only stares back in shock and pure pain.
Bucks heart shatters as he notices the way Isaac tries to sheeld himself, but his eyes also travel to Isaacs arm whre the hoodie slid down when Isaac moved his arm up, a dark bruise peaks out from it.
"Isaac...oh God,Isaac.. im sorry" Buck whispers his anger and frustration melting into pure anguish, Buck slowly reaches out to take hold of his wrist to pull the sleeve back and fully the the bruise.
"Please dont hurt me" Isaac whispers not knowing where he is, while pure panic takes over his mind, isaac sinks to the ground and pulls his legs up making himself into a tiny ball in order to protect himself.
Buck looks with pain and panic at his younger brother and slowly kneels down in front of him. "Hey Isaac can you hear me?"
Isaac nods with trembling shoulders, hinding his head in under his arms, still not fully registering where he is.
Buck feels a little bit of relief and speaks in a soft voice " ok thats good. Here is evan your bother is it ok for me to touch you?"
Isaacs mind not fully there yet but still listening answers "i.. thought its..buck know..." he whispers in a trembling voice. Buck smiles whit a slight chuckle "yeah..its buck know, your right isaac. Can i sitt next to you?" Isaac gives a shaky nod and Buck moves to sit next to the trembling teenager, he slowly moves his arm around Isaac, giving the boy enough time to say something or move if he doesn't want it but Isaac leans into the touch.
"Hey ,its ok. Your safe here. I promise, nobody is gonna hurt you here" Buck speaks softly into Isaacs ear.
Buck slowly pulls Isaac into his side who only leans more into buck.
Isaacs hand grips bucks shirt and breaths out, his head rest against Bucks chest.
"Im ok.." he murmurs
Buck chooses to stay silent on that matter because he would have a lot to say on how he clearly is not fine but adress something else " can i see ur arm? Just to check how bad it is"
Isaac nods slowly and holds his arms out. Buck nods and slowly,very slowly pulls down the sleeve of his hoodie, to fully expose the bruise. Bucks expression thightens at the sight, seeing the large discoloration an isaacs arm, who only looks away in shame. Buck gently runs his fingers iver the bruise, checking for any further damage or swelling.
"Its not even a bad one" he whispers reassuringly to Buck. Which it doesn't
Bucks expression is a mix of anger and sadness, the fact that he even feels the need to reassure him that 'it wasn't a bad one' makes his blood boil. Trying ro contain his anger to not scare Isaac again he say's quietly " it doesn't matter if 'it's not a bad one'. Its still a bruise that they left on you, and it shouldn't be there in the first place.
Isaac just shrugs his shoulders but grimaced while doing it and buck noticed he gently grip's Isaacs shoulder again, his expression softening. "Hey.. does is hurt when you move your shoulders?..be honest."
"No..its just my ribs.." Isaac confessed with a tremble in his voice, he hides his head in Bucks chest again, pretending as if the world around him doesn't exist. Buck's eyes widen in shock and concern while his hand softly moves between Isaacs hair strands. " Your ribs hurt?! Please show me" Buck says slightly panicked knowing first hand what damage that could be.
Isaac slowly moves from the save cave, that was bucks torso and gently lifts his hoodie, while trying not to move his torso to much.
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Authors note:
So this is just a small fanfic that i had in mind and wanted to write it down. I would love to hear your thoughts on it, see you in the next part