The funeral home fire was finally under control.

Smoke still lingered in the air, but the flames were out. Everyone was alive, miraculously, but the damage was… substantial. Half the building had collapsed, and the other half was blackened and scorched.

Eddie sat on the edge of the firetruck, his turnout jacket still on, sweat dripping down his temple. His jaw was tight, his hands curled into fists. His chest was burning — from the heat, from the adrenaline, from… everything.

It wasn't about the fire anymore.

It was about Buck.

And Tommy.

And Buck and Tommy being all over each other. And Buck sending him that goddamn picture. And Buck laughing it off like Eddie wasn't standing there, watching his best friend slip away right in front of his face.

Eddie was pissed.

And the worst part was that he couldn't even figure out why.

Bobby sat down next to him. "You good?"

Eddie's mouth pressed into a thin line.

"Eddie," Bobby repeated, his tone sharpening.

"I'm fine."

"You sure about that?"

"Yes," Eddie snapped.

Bobby raised his eyebrows. "Because it looked like you just tried to drown Buck and Tommy in the middle of a fire scene."

Eddie's jaw twitched. "That was an accident."

"Bullshit," Bobby said flatly.

Eddie's mouth tightened.

Bobby sighed, patting Eddie's knee. "Fix it before it gets worse."

"It's already worse," Eddie muttered.

Bobby shook his head. "Then fix it before it gets unfixable."

Buck was already halfway up the firehouse stairs when Tommy grabbed his arm.

"Are you sure about this?" Tommy asked.

"Oh, I'm sure," Buck said darkly.

"Maybe we should cool off—"

"Nope," Buck said, yanking open the door to the firehouse kitchen.

Tommy sighed. "I'm gonna regret this."

Buck walked into the kitchen and immediately spotted Eddie standing by the fridge.

Eddie was taking a long sip from a bottle of water, his jaw still tight. He looked up, eyes narrowing when he saw Buck standing there.

"What are you doing here?" Eddie asked flatly.

"Funny, I was about to ask you the same thing," Buck replied.

Eddie rolled his eyes. "I work here, Buck."

"Oh, do you?" Buck snapped.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means you've been acting like a complete dick for weeks, and I want to know why."

"You know why."

Buck's eyes flashed. "Actually, I don't."

Eddie scoffed. "You seriously don't know?"

"No, Eddie, I don't have access to your brain," Buck shot back.

Eddie's jaw flexed. He set down his water bottle with a sharp clink. "Maybe if you pulled your head out of Tommy's ass for two seconds, you'd figure it out."

Buck's mouth dropped open. "Excuse me?!"

"Oh, did that offend you?"

"You know what?" Buck stepped toward the counter, eyes dark. He grabbed an egg from the carton on the counter.

Eddie's eyes narrowed. "Don't."

Buck smiled darkly. "Or what?"

Eddie's jaw clenched. "Don't even think about it."

Buck raised the egg. "I'm thinking about it."

"Buck—"

CRACK!

The egg exploded against the top of Eddie's head.

Egg yolk dripped down Eddie's forehead, sliding down the side of his face. A piece of eggshell stuck to his eyebrow.

"Oh… my god," Chimney whispered from the doorway.

"Holy shit," Hen breathed.

Ravi looked like he was about to pass out.

Eddie's eyes closed slowly. His chest rose and fell.

"You did not just do that," Eddie growled.

Buck smiled. "Oh, I think I did."

Eddie wiped a hand down his face, smearing egg yolk across his cheek. His eyes flashed dangerously.

"You're dead," Eddie growled.

Buck grinned. "Bring it."

Eddie lunged at him.

Buck dodged to the side, but Eddie grabbed his arm and shoved him back against the counter. Buck grunted as Eddie pinned him there, breathing hard.

"What the hell is your problem?" Buck shouted.

"You!" Eddie shouted back. "You are my problem!"

Buck's mouth opened. "Are you seriously mad that I'm happy?"

"No," Eddie snapped. "I'm mad that you're happy with him."

Buck's eyes widened.

"You're jealous," Buck whispered.

Eddie's eyes flashed.

"You are," Buck said. "Holy shit."

"Shut up," Eddie growled.

"You're jealous because I'm spending time with Tommy?"

Eddie's jaw tightened. "I'm not—"

"Oh my god, you are," Buck said, laughing.

"Stop talking," Eddie growled.

"Make me," Buck shot back.

Eddie shoved him harder against the counter. "Don't tempt me."

Tommy stepped between them. "Okay, okay — that's enough."

Buck's eyes were still gleaming. "You're jealous."

Eddie's mouth twisted. "I'm not jealous."

"Then why are you acting like this?" Buck demanded.

"Because you forgot about me," Eddie snapped.

Buck's mouth opened.

"You and me — we used to hang out all the time. We were close. And now you're suddenly spending every second with him." Eddie's eyes flashed toward Tommy. "Like I don't even matter anymore."

Buck's chest tightened. "Eddie—"

"And the worst part?" Eddie's mouth curled darkly. "You don't even care."

"That's not true."

Eddie's mouth twisted. "Could've fooled me."

"Stop," Tommy cut in. "You're being dramatic."

"Stay out of it," Eddie growled at Tommy.

Tommy's eyes narrowed. "You don't get to tell me what to do."

"Guys," Buck said carefully.

"You think you're so important?" Eddie sneered at Tommy. "You think you know Buck better than I do?"

Tommy's jaw tightened. "Maybe I do."

"Oh, really?"

"Okay, that's enough," Buck said sharply.

"Do you even care about him?" Eddie shouted at Tommy.

Tommy's eyes narrowed. "Of course I do."

"You're just gonna leave when you get bored," Eddie growled.

"That's not true," Tommy snapped.

"ENOUGH!" Buck shouted.

Eddie and Tommy both turned toward him.

Buck's chest was heaving. His hands were trembling.

"You wanna know what's really pathetic?" Buck's voice sharpened. His eyes locked on Eddie. "You think you're entitled to me."

Eddie's mouth opened.

"You think just because you've known me longer that you get to tell me who I can and can't care about?" Buck's voice was cutting now.

Eddie's face darkened. "Buck—"

"No." Buck's eyes narrowed. "You lost the right to tell me who I care about."

"Buck—"

"And you know what?" Buck's mouth curled. "Maybe I should just take Christopher."

The room went dead silent.

Eddie's face froze. His chest tightened.

"What?" Eddie whispered.

"If you're gonna act like this?" Buck's eyes gleamed dangerously. "Maybe Christopher would be better off with me."

Eddie's face twisted in disbelief. "You… you don't mean that."

Buck's mouth twitched. "Don't I?"

Eddie's breath hitched. His hand curled into a fist. "You bastard."

Buck smiled coldly.

Eddie's fist shot out and slammed into the wall next to Buck's head. The impact cracked the drywall.

Buck's smile dropped. His eyes widened.

Eddie's chest was rising and falling. "Get out."

Buck's mouth opened. "Eddie—"

"GET OUT," Eddie roared.

Buck's jaw tightened. Slowly, he pulled away from the wall.

Tommy took a step back, eyes wide. "Buck—"

Buck walked out. Tommy hesitated, glancing at Eddie, whose chest was still heaving.

"I think you made your point," Tommy muttered.

Eddie's eyes narrowed.

Tommy followed Buck out of the room.

Hen and Chimney stood frozen in the doorway.

Chimney's mouth opened. "Uh… holy shit?"

Hen nodded. "Yeah."

Eddie stood there, fists still clenched, chest still burning, as the weight of what just happened settled in his chest.

And for the first time in a long time, he realized — he might've just lost Buck for good.