It started with a friendship bracelet. Well, technically, it started before the friendship bracelet, but Buck would later pinpoint that damn bracelet as the moment everything shifted.

It was a Thursday night, the three of them sitting at the firehouse after shift. Buck was scrolling through his phone, swiping through pictures from the Eras Tour that Tommy had texted him. There was one where Buck and Tommy were hugging during Lover, another where they were screaming the bridge of Cruel Summer at the top of their lungs, and one of Tommy handing Buck a purple friendship bracelet that read Karma is my Boyfriend.

It was cute. Sickeningly cute.

Buck was smiling like a lovesick idiot. Tommy had his arm slung over Buck's shoulder, lazily scrolling on his own phone.

Eddie, meanwhile, was on the other side of the room, aggressively wiping down a piece of equipment that didn't need to be cleaned. His jaw was tight. His shoulders tense. He'd been like that since Buck and Tommy got back from the concert.

"Hey, Buck?" Eddie called.

Buck's head popped up. "Yeah?"

"You working tomorrow?"

"Nope," Buck replied. "Tommy and I are hanging out."

Eddie's grip on the cloth tightened. "Oh. Again?"

Buck's smile dimmed. "Yeah. Why?"

Eddie shrugged. "Just… you guys have been hanging out a lot lately."

Tommy smiled lazily. "Yeah, Buck's kind of obsessed with me."

Buck shoved him. "Shut up."

Eddie's jaw tightened.

Tommy leaned into Buck, resting his chin on his shoulder. Buck didn't push him off. Eddie's eyes narrowed.

"So, what are you guys doing tomorrow?" Eddie asked.

Tommy smiled. "Probably grabbing dinner. Then we'll see where the night takes us."

Eddie's grip on the cloth tightened so hard his knuckles turned white.

Buck's eyes slid toward Eddie, sensing the shift in energy.

"Cool," Eddie said flatly.

"Yeah," Buck said slowly.

Eddie dropped the cloth and walked toward his locker. He wasn't sure why he was so angry. It wasn't like Buck owed him anything.

But this felt… wrong.

The next day, Buck was at Tommy's apartment.

"So… what are we thinking?" Buck asked, sprawling out on the bed.

Tommy was shirtless, rifling through his dresser for a hoodie. "About what?"

Buck smiled lazily. "Music for tonight."

Tommy raised an eyebrow. "Music for…"

"You know." Buck smirked. "The main event."

Tommy's eyes darkened. He climbed onto the bed, crawling over Buck until their noses were inches apart. "What are you suggesting?"

Buck's fingers slid through Tommy's hair. "Taylor?"

Tommy laughed. "Swift?"

"Of course."

Tommy's mouth curved. "You want to have sex to Taylor Swift?"

Buck shrugged. "Why not?"

Tommy's eyes sparkled. "That's a bold move."

"I'm thinking Wildest Dreams into Out of the Woods."

Tommy grinned. "Jesus Christ."

Buck's phone buzzed. He glanced at it, reading the text from Eddie:

"You free tonight?"

Buck's smile faded.

Tommy leaned down, trailing his lips down Buck's jaw. "You're not gonna answer that, are you?"

"No," Buck said, flipping his phone over. "Let him sweat."

Eddie was sweating.

He sat in his car, blasting Slut! from 1989 (Taylor's Version) so loudly the windows were vibrating. His AirPods were in, and Taylor's voice was screaming in his ears:

"If they call me a slut, you know it might be worth it for once."

Eddie's hands tightened on the steering wheel. He wasn't sure why this was bothering him so much.

It's not like he hadn't seen Buck with other people before. Buck had dates. But this with Tommy felt different.

Because it was Tommy. And Tommy was… easy. Fun. Carefree. And Buck—well, Buck deserved that.

But that didn't mean Eddie had to like it.

"All the outfits were terrible…"

Eddie groaned and ripped out his AirPods. He threw them onto the passenger seat and leaned his head back. He was spiraling.

He hated spiraling.

His phone buzzed.

Buck: "Sorry, can't tonight. Hanging with Tommy."

Eddie's stomach twisted painfully. His thumbs hovered over the keyboard before he tossed the phone onto the seat next to his AirPods.

"Fine," he muttered.

Two days later, Buck showed up at Eddie's place unannounced.

Eddie opened the door, wearing gray sweats and a black t-shirt. He crossed his arms over his chest. "What?"

"Okay, what the hell is your problem?" Buck asked.

Eddie's eyes narrowed. "Excuse me?"

"You've been weird," Buck accused.

"I'm not weird," Eddie said. "You're weird."

Buck's mouth dropped. "What?"

"You've been different."

"I've been dating someone."

"And you didn't think to tell me?"

Buck rolled his eyes. "Oh my god. Are you really still mad about that?"

"Yes!"

"Why?"

Eddie's mouth opened. Closed.

Buck's eyes narrowed. "Eddie…"

Eddie swallowed. His pulse was thundering in his ears.

"Just say it," Buck said.

"Say what?"

Buck stepped forward. "That you're jealous."

Eddie scoffed. "That's ridiculous."

"Is it?"

Eddie's jaw twitched. "I'm not jealous."

"You're acting jealous."

"I'm not."

Buck stepped closer until their chests were almost touching. Eddie's breath hitched.

"Then why are you acting like this?" Buck asked quietly.

Eddie's mouth was dry. "I…"

Buck's eyes softened. "Eddie."

Eddie's chest tightened.

"I'm happy," Buck said softly. "Can't you be happy for me?"

Eddie's mouth twisted. "I am."

"You don't seem like it."

Eddie's jaw clenched. He took a step back. "Forget it."

Buck frowned. "Eddie—"

"Forget it," Eddie snapped.

Buck's eyes flashed. "Jesus. What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing!"

"Then stop acting like a psychopath!"

Eddie's face darkened. "You think this is funny?"

"I think it's pathetic," Buck shot back.

Eddie's face flushed. "You know what? Fine. Go run off with Tommy. Have fun. Hope he's worth it."

Buck's jaw tightened. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're going to get your heart broken."

Buck's eyes darkened. "Screw you."

Eddie's chest rose and fell rapidly. "You already did."

Buck's breath hitched.

Neither of them moved.

Eddie's mouth opened—

Buck's phone buzzed.

"Buck?" Tommy's voice. "Where are you? We're on call."

Buck hesitated. "I have to go."

Eddie's jaw flexed.

"Yeah," Eddie said coldly. "Of course you do."

Buck opened his mouth. Stopped. Turned.

The door slammed behind him.

Buck sat in the firetruck an hour later. He hadn't spoken to Eddie since.

Tommy leaned over. "You okay?"

"I don't know," Buck admitted.

Tommy squeezed his hand. "We'll figure it out."

Buck smiled faintly.

Tommy squeezed his hand again. "Hey."

"What?"

"What era do you think you're in right now?"

Buck smiled sadly. "Red."

Tommy frowned. "Why?"

Buck's eyes were distant. "Because I think I'm about to lose him."