I Own Nothing
AN: This idea came from what Tommy said to Hen about not getting her Christmas Cards because she forgot he was at harbor.
Summary: Buck brings Tommy home some Christmas Cards that are extra special. Then he gets one of his own that has a question attached to it.
Title: Christmas Cards With Memories
"Hey, these are for you." Buck said handing Tommy a stack of envelopes. His boyfriend stretched out on the couch while the Christmas music was playing.
The outside of them gave nothing away as what was inside of them. He knew what they were though since there was one in the stack from him as well. Even the homemade ones had gotten an envelope so as not to give away the surprise. Buck had been handing the stack before he'd left work that morning. He'd already made one himself, so he'd included it. Hen had mentioned it their last shift about doing it. So, he'd set to work on the idea when Tommy had been working the other day.
Tommy looked at the stack, surprised there were so many. His name was written on the envelopes, but there was nothing else. The top one he recognized as Evan's handwriting, and it had a heart at the beginning and end of his name. He sat up giving Evan a place to sit. He'd almost dozed off listening to the music waiting on Evan to get home. He wasn't expecting anything and not the amount of them either. His birthday was weeks ago. He had gotten a ton of birthday cards then. It hadn't been just cards either, they'd thrown him a surprise birthday party.
"I wasn't expecting these." Tommy said.
He opened Evan's first sliding out what was a homemade Christmas card. He smiled seeing Merry Christmas, Firefly across the top of it. Evan had drawn out snowmen with their names over top of each one. On the inside there was more words on one side and the other had what he was guessing was reindeer. It looked more like dogs, but he loved it just the same. He read the words on the side feeling a lump in his throat forming.
'Thanks for making this year a wonderful year, baby. I hope you have had a great year like I have. Being with you this Christmas is going to be the best one I have had probably ever. I hope the coming year is just as spectacular for you as I know it will be for me. With you I never have to wonder if I'm too much or if I cling too much. You make me feel special, cherished and loved. I love you, baby. Merry Christmas and may the New Year be just as wonderful as you are, Evan.'
"It's beautiful, sweetheart. I love it, I love you too." Tommy said before he cupped Evan's face kissing him.
"I'm glad since I'm not great at drawing like you are. I tried following a sketch, but it didn't go well." Buck said. "The first one I attempted looked like a hippo." He stated.
"I wouldn't have cared if you drew out a reindeer that looked like an snake. It's the thought that counts. I promise I won't ever tease you about your drawing." Tommy said.
Buck smiled. "Okay, open the others. Hen said you'd mentioned about not getting Christmas cards and we all might have gone a little crazy with them." Buck said with a slight chuckle.
Tommy opened the next envelope pulling out a card that was from Christopher. The teen had drawn a Star Wars themed card out. There was a baby Yoda Santa on the front that had Merry Christmas, Tommy. We know which Star Wars movie is the best. There was a smiley face after it. Tommy laughed because Evan groaned, muttering you're both wrong beside him. He leaned over kissing his boyfriend. On the inside of the card was a scene from the movie that Christopher and him liked more. Evan tried taking the card from him, but he kept it out of reach. The two of them ended up falling off the couch onto the floor with Evan tickling him trying to get to the card.
"No, I won't give it up." Tommy laughed. "I'm sorry, sweetheart." He was close to tears from laughing. "I love this card too."
"Santa's going put coal in your stocking." Buck said stopping when Tommy begged for mercy.
"I'm going to hang this on the fridge right in the middle." Tommy said with a smile. "I can love you, but agree with Christopher on movie choices. You still watch Love Actually with me even though you're not that big of a fan of it." He added.
Buck sighed before he kissed Tommy covering his boyfriend's body with his own. They spent a few minutes kissing and touching each other before he pulled back for air. "I just found it sad at times and didn't understand why they'd make us think it was the best friend when it was actually the new wife. It should have been the best friend and they should have gotten together." He pouted. "However, I will forgive the two of you for the lack of movie choices because I love you both." He said getting another kiss before he sat up handing Tommy one of the cards that was now scattered around them.
Tommy places Christopher's card on the couch before opening the next one. That one was from Eddie. He had found out that Eddie was a great artist too one day they'd hung out here. He'd had the art supplies out because he'd gotten lost in painting and zoned out forgetting Eddie was coming over. He could do that at time, get lost in the painting or sketch he was doing. He'd spent from four in the morning until nine when Eddie had shown up, working on the picture. The two of them had done some painting before they'd done the Muay Thai.
The Christmas card had Merry Christmas on the outside. There was a guy on a surfboard that was wearing a Satna had. It was kind of funny since it wouldn't last on a person's head in the ocean for real. On the inside there were a few words, but they had him smiling. Short and simple, but it did mean a lot. 'Have an awesome Christmas, Tommy, you have made mine one. Thanks for all the talks this year and being there for Christopher and Buck too. Love you, brother. Happy New Year, Eddie.'
The inside of the card had a picture drawn out of a picture that had been taken one day at Eddie's. It had Evan, Eddie, Christopher and him all dressed up for Halloween. Since Eddie and Evan had to work, he'd taken Christopher out that night. It had also been the same week Christopher had moved back in with Eddie after being with Evan for months. The teen had stayed with him some days as well when his dads had been working.
He smiled because he'd been happy to give Christopher a place to stay. It had kept the teen from going to Texas where he hadn't really wanted to. They had done so many things together. There were also photos inside of the card of different moments over the months with Eddie, Christopher, Evan, and himself. He looked through them seeing some of his favorite moments captured in the photos.
Tommy sat the card down before opening the next one. It was a second one from Christopher. It had Happy Holidays on the front. There was a stack of books on a table that was like the one in Christopher's room when he came over. He could see the titles of the books on the spines. They were some that the two of them had read together while he'd been there. When he opened it up there was a dinosaur wearing an Elf hat and another three wearing a Santa one, reindeer ears and the other one had a scarf and earmuffs on.
'I forgot to say thank you, so this is kind of Christmas and a thank you card. You became another dad to me this year. You listened when I needed to talk. You introduced me to Chess and a whole array of new books that I love too. Thanks for the concerts and monster truck rallies. Thank you so much for taking me to Disney too. That was the best week I had with Buck and you, plus dad since you convinced me to let him go because he loved me even if he didn't make the best choice. Thank you for that and also loving Buck. He's my second dad. Have a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and be safe, Christopher.'
On the opposite side was a picture drawn out of the second day at Disney. It had been the first time Christopher had spoken to Eddie in a month since he'd moved in with Evan. He'd gotten the tickets from someone that had worked at Disney that he had saved by chance. They had been in L.A. on a trip with their family. Their car had been run off the road and into the water. He'd been on the way to work when he'd seen it happen. He hadn't really thought about it. He'd called it in before he'd jumped into the water after them.
He hadn't realized there had been four people in the car until he was down there. He'd broken the window and the guy and his husband had been freed. He'd gotten the two kids out of the back after having to force the dads to go to the top so he could get them. He got it, they wanted to save their kids, but they had been panicking and couldn't get the buckles loose. As a thank you for saving them since he'd been a manager there, he'd given them the family pass to Disney.
Christopher hadn't been the only one tickled by the tickets. It had been a great week and worth cashing in some vacation he'd rarely ever used. The tickets had been annual passes for the whole year, so they had let Howie, Maddie and Jee use them and also Hen, Karen, Denny and Mara as well. They'd gone at different times but had all had a wonderful time. There were pictures included some he hadn't seen.
One had Evan in his arms sitting under a tree. They had their eyes closed as if they were sleeping. He turned it over seeing if there was any indication of when it was taken. In Christopher's writing 'I took this on my birthday. Thanks for making him so happy.'
~BT TB TB BT~
Tommy moved on from that card, getting to the Wilson family ones. It wasn't just one card. Hen, Karen, Denny, and Mara had all made him cards. Hen had thanked him for going along with her crazy plan even though she had no idea if it was a good one. She'd also written, sorry for the years without cards, hope these make this year special. Glad that you're back with us, you deserve so much happiness in your life too. There had been a snow scene saying, 'Wish we could get some.' She'd also thanked him for Disney again. A picture of the four of them was inside of her card taken while they'd been there.
Karen's had been next. Her's had a family picture with all of the Wilson's wearing matching Christmas outfits. On the inside was another picture that came out. He remembered when it had been taken. It was from when Evan and him had watched Christopher, Denny, Mara, and Jee while Karen and Hen had double dated with Howie and Maddie one night. Christopher hadn't gone back to Eddie's at the time. When they had gotten back Evan and him had been having a tea party with Jee and Mara while Denny had been with Christopher playing video games in Denny's room. There had been a tutu, a crown, and he'd been covered in marker. He'd fallen asleep during the movie, Evan had too. Jee had gotten a hold of a marker that he'd been using earlier to draw some pictures for them. He laughed looking at the picture. It had taken him a while to get the marker off, but he hadn't cared.
"I got a copy of that picture from Karen too." Buck said. "I still think Denny and Chris was in on that. Those markers were up where the girls couldn't reach. However, I love that picture so much."
He had woken up to laughter finding his sister and the other adults trying not to bust out with their own laughter, but they failed. Mara had brought a hand held mirror to them. Tommy had stars all over his face and looked like raccoon eyes, but red. He had just scribbled lines everywhere. He hadn't cared. Tommy had shrugged saying he thought it looked good. Later when they'd gotten home he had added to that statement. He'd been glad it hadn't been dicks like one time as a prank someone had done.
"That was a fun night. We should get them to come over for Christmas movie marathon tonight, stay over tomorrow too. That way if Hen and Karen need to do more shopping or want to have a date night they can. Mara hasn't seen that many Christmas movies and I got a ton on DVD that are a must." Tommy said. "We can invite Jee and Christopher over too." He offered.
"That's a great idea." Buck said. "I know Maddie said she still needs to do a couple of small things, but needs Chimney's help." He had thought about it, but hadn't been sure if Tommy had to work or if he was off since it had been up in the air since a couple of people had been out sick.
Tommy picked his phone up sending a message in the group chat about it. It only took a few seconds to get replies from all five parents with yeses. Eddie asked if he could join though he was done with shopping. He didn't mind at all if Eddie wanted to join. He said that he'd supply the pizza and popcorn. If there was any movies the kids liked they could bring those too. After they worked out a time he went back to the Christmas cards.
~TB BT TB BT~
Mara and Denny's cards were next in the pile. Both of them had actually made two cards each. One was kind of like Christopher's a thank you for Disney with a drawing of a favorite moment in it. The Christmas one had Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year, Uncle Tommy in them. Mara had drawn out a Christmas tree with gifts under it. There was a snow people family with names under each snow person for the ones in her family now. She even had drawn one of her other brother. Tommy had met him a few times too. At the end she'd written out Merry Christmas, it's nice to have an uncle for once and this year I got four.'
Denny's cards had different woodland creatures and also a dragon that was wearing a Santa hat. There was a Christmas tree plus some penguins that were handing out gifts. The boy could draw and he'd been showing him how to draw a few more things that he'd asked for help on. He'd gotten him an easel, paint, and some canvases for Christmas. He'd also found a step by step book on drawing fantasy creatures. Some of them he had trouble drawing out so he'd gotten a copy for himself. The dragon in the card had him smiling because Denny had said once he'd never get it right. He'd told him he would get it, not to put himself down.
'Thanks for helping me draw. I'm glad to have another awesome uncle this year. Merry Christmas.'
Both cards also included photos of him with the two of them. One of his favorites was all four of the Wilsons. Evan and him were in it as well with Christopher. It had been right before Halloween. They'd had a movie night, but it had been in his backyard with a projector screen. They'd camped out and told some ghost stories as well. S'mores ha been made which had been the first time he'd had one. Christopher and Evan had been stunned he'd never had one. He just hadn't, Mara hadn't either. They'd all enjoyed the sticky gooey mess. The picture was after they'd eating the S'mores.
~TB BT TB BT~
Maddie, Howie and Jee's cards were next. Maddie's was a family card with a picture of herself, Howie, Jee, and Evan on the cover. Right there with Evan was him. He had planned on taking the picture, but Maddie had said no way, he was family, he was getting in the picture or she would drag him in it. He had his arms around Evan, with his head resting on top of Evan's head. In one of the pictures that had been taken he'd given Howie bunny ears because his friend had brought up the rooster incident again, but it had been when Jee hadn't been in the room because it had not been child friendly, and it had been referencing Evan and him plus sex. It had been hilarious because Evan hadn't gotten it at first. Maddie had taken a potholder had whacked Howie in the arm with it, but they'd all been laughing. Evan's face had gone beet red when he'd explained it. His boyfriend had been adorable in that moment.
When he opened the card up the picture he was thinking about fell out. There was a sticky note on it that said flip me over. When he did Maddie's handwriting was there. 'I couldn't make this the family one, but I thought you needed a copy. This was another great day, thanks for that laugh. Go easy on my little brother though, love you, thanks for loving Evan too.'
The inside of the card had some special words that only he would understand from her. She had drawn a Christmas tree and colored it in pride colors with five penguins around it. There was a second picture she had included with Howie, Jee, and her at Disney, plus one of him and her that he didn't remember being taken. He remembered the day, she'd shown up at his house declaring that they were hanging out for the day. Howie and them had been working. The Lee's had wanted some Jee time and she'd had nothing else to do.
Howie's card had Merry Christmas on the front of it with dogs wearing reindeer antlers and one had Rudolph's nose. He opened it up and a few pictures came out of it. He looked through the photos. There were some from the present with him included in things at Howie's house. There were also some from the past that Howie had kept. One was him right after he'd had his face smashed into the cake when he'd gotten his transfer party. 'I missed you, but kind of glad you are at harbor. You came through more than once, thanks brother.' Was on the back of that picture.
Another photo Howie, Eli, and him in it that had been taken right before Eli had left the firehouse. Hen had started the week after that picture. Another picture had been taken one night at the bar with him, Howie, and Hen having a few rounds. He'd been in the middle and had given both of them bunny ears. He had his tongue sticking out making a funny face. He wasn't sure who had taken the picture, but someone had. 'We need to do this again one night. I'm glad I saved your stubborn butt that day, you made my brother happier than I've ever seen him.'
The last picture was another one he didn't remember being taken. It was Evan and him cuddled up together on the couch at the firehouse. He was leaning in close a smile on his face, Evan was laughing. He wasn't sure what had been said at the time, but it made him smile now looking at the picture. When he flipped it over he found Howie had written on it as well. 'Did you ever think that you'd be doing that at the 118 back when you were there. I'd never had seen it, but I'm glad I have this picture. I hope it helps you erase all the horrible memories of being there as well. Love you, brother. You deserve this happiness, I'm glad you answer the phone when I call, Howie.'
"Chimney had just said he was going to give us the dentist bill." Buck said. "We were tooth rottenly sweet." He added. "Eddie had threatened to hose us down."
"That's right, I forgot about that day. It was Bobby's welcome back party." Tommy said. "Hen said that it was about time we got to snuggle up on the couch there."
He had avoided the firehouse like the plague before that. He had tried pushing it aside, but the one time he'd gone there because Evan forgot something in the truck Gerrard had made a comment about it not being a sex house. He hadn't wanted to give the man any more reason to put Evan down. The past memories had tried creeping in too.
He still wasn't sure how to take things now. A few short months after years of verbal abuse from the man and he had changed because of a job Bobby got him. He wasn't sure if he could ever trust that he wouldn't do something like the old days. He'd helped get Mara back with Hen and Karen, he had made peace with the past, but he wasn't going to ever be the man's friend.
"Yeah, as long as we keep it G rated Bobby don't care. Though, I did catch him and Athena that one time that was for sure not G or PG rated." Buck said shaking his head. "Though, we kind of had a little fun that one day on the roof. I think we kind of scared Eddie when Hen sent him looking and knew what we were up to. She'd said it was payback for him." He laughed. He still didn't know what the payback had been for.
"Trouble and Double Trouble is what Eddie was calling us for weeks after that. Was so worth it though." Tommy said pulling Evan close hugging him while they kissed. Until they needed air he didn't pull apart. Even then he only moved their lips apart. He rested his head against Evan's holding him close.
~TB BT BT TB~
After a while of just sitting there holding Evan in his arms, with a few kisses here and there Tommy picked up the next card which was Jee's. It was clear that she'd had help making it from her parents. He found it cute though. Christmas stickers covered almost the entire inside. Everything you could think of for Christmas or winter was stickered in there. Maddie had written a few words that he thought Jee had said. Maddie had kept them like her daughter had said them.
'Happy Merry Christmas New Year, Uncle Tommy. Love you, We play dress up again soon, bring Uncle Buck with you too. We make more cookies too. We go ice rolling again. huggie buggies, Jee, your munchkin.'
There was a picture of Jee, Evan and him in the kitchen baking cookies. There were a few others that had been taken. Jee, Evan, and him sleeping in the tent that night it had stormed and he'd gone over her place to stay with Evan and her with Maddie and Howie on a weekend trip. There was another one with just the two of them. He'd taken her ice skating when Evan and the others had been working. She'd stayed over with Christopher and him because the Lee's had been under the weather. Christopher and him were in another with her. An army buddy of his owned the place and he'd let them in that morning two hours before the place opened. The two of them had helped Christopher skate and Jee as well.
Another time he'd taken Evan with him, just the two of them. That had really been fun because he'd gotten to help Evan skate around. He had kept them balanced for the most part, but there had been a couple of falls. The bruises had been worth it, seeing Evan smiling when he'd finally gotten the courage to try letting go. He had still been close. They'd been skating around holding hands by the end. His friend had sent him a text with the picture before they'd left. He'd been dancing on the ice with Evan.
~BT TB TB BT~
The next four was from Bobby, Athena, May, and Harry. Each card was a photo one, but it was a different picture that included him with their family. Bobby's had one with the two of them standing at the grill in his backyard. He'd invited their family over more than once during the summer after their house had burnt down. Bobby and him had grilled more than once out there. Evan had been in the kitchen making other things.
'I'm proud of who you have become. I knew you would go far. I'm glad I suggested that transfer even though it was sad to see you go at the time. I am thankful that you stole that helicopter and broke the rules to save Athena and me. Thank you for loving my son, I told him once that you're good for him and you are. He's also good for you. Merry Christmas, Happy New Years. Welcome back to the family, Tommy.'
Tommy swallowed hard because seeing those words on the card had his eyes watering. He hadn't heard those words before directed towards him. In a way, in the last few months, he'd started understanding why Evan thought of Bobby like a dad. There was a picture on the inside of Evan, Bobby and him taken at the 118. He'd shown up for lunch one day when he'd been off. He was pretty sure that Eddie had been taken the picture of Evan and him sitting beside each other at the table.
Bobby had gotten in the second picture. Evan had pulled Bobby over saying he had to get in it too. When he turned the picture over it had their names on it. There was a heart drawn between Evan's and his name off to the side with the words my sons. Seeing that part made him tear up. He knew it was out of love and not spite. His sperm donor had always said son in a way that hadn't been pleasant sounding.
"He gave me a copy of that picture too. He has a copy of that at his house plus in his office." Buck said. "I'm proud of you too, just so you know. You are a special man, and I love you." Buck added wiping the tears from Tommy's face. He kissed the other side putting his arm around his boyfriend and holding him close giving him a few moments. He hadn't realized that their friends and family had put pictures and past memories in the cards. They had been thick, but he'd thought they were from the cards themselves.
Tommy pulled back enough to open the next card. Athena's card had a picture of the two of them with Evan and Bobby just visible in the background. May had taken the picture. They were in two of the loungers in his backyard with their eyes closed. Both of them had been asleep at the time the picture was taken. He'd come off a shift that had him helping put out a wildfire farther upstate. He'd been gone for four days that week.
He'd sat down to relax and fell asleep. Athena had been working on a case that had gone on for days. She'd been told by her captain to take a couple of days off. Bobby and her had come over with May. Bobby and Evan had been grilling while they'd slept. He'd been wiped out and hadn't expected the company, but hadn't cared that they were there. When he had woken up he'd enjoyed the day.
'I hope there are many more of these moments in the year that's coming. It has been a wild one already. Thanks for coming for us that night. One of the times I honestly wasn't sure what was going to happen. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Tommy.'
Harry and May's cards were similar with pictures of different things they'd done over the past months. He'd given May flying lessons because she'd thought it was awesome. She was good at it too. She only needed a few more hours and she'd have her license. He'd taught both siblings more about defending themselves when they'd asked for those too. Different photos from the months with their thoughts on the back.
May's card thanked him for saving her parents and being a new older brother. She was glad to see her adoptive brother happy. He'd remembered the day she'd told him about her parents bringing kids into the marriage. Her mom bringing two and Bobby bringing one, meaning Evan. Now they had another brother.
Harry's had an artists touch to it as well. He'd drawn out a few memories plus included the pictures for them. 'Merry Christmas, I hope that the new year is another good one. You saving my parents was great. They seem to somehow end up in danger a lot outside of their jobs as well. Thanks for coming to get me that one night too when I broke down in the middle of nowhere. We didn't even really know each other then, but you still showed up. So, thanks. Take care of Buck for us, he needs all the love he can get. He's a cool big brother like you.'
~TBC~
EN: This got too big and I expanded on the idea from what I started with so I added a second chapter. Thanks in advance for reviews and kudos.