Buck was spiraling.

It was dark outside by the time they got back to Buck's apartment. The city lights were flickering through the thin curtains, casting soft glows across the walls. The room was quiet, except for the hum of traffic outside and the occasional sound of Buck's shaky breathing.

He was sitting on the couch, legs drawn up, face buried in his hands.

Tommy sat on the other side of the couch, legs crossed, watching him carefully.

"You gonna tell me what that was?" Tommy finally said.

Buck's hands dragged down his face. His eyes were red, his hair disheveled.

"What?" Buck croaked.

Tommy gave him a look. "What?" he repeated. "You basically declared emotional warfare on Eddie Diaz. You told him you were gonna take his kid."

Buck flinched. His stomach twisted painfully.

Tommy shook his head. "Why would you say that?"

Buck's chest tightened. "I… I don't know."

"You don't know?" Tommy's eyebrows shot up. "Buck, you can't just threaten to take someone's kid. That's not, like, normal human behavior."

Buck's mouth curled bitterly. "Yeah, well… guess I'm not very normal."

Tommy's eyes darkened. "Buck—"

"I don't know why I said it, okay?" Buck's voice sharpened. His hands raked through his hair. "It just… came out."

"Right," Tommy said, crossing his arms. "Because you're jealous?"

Buck's head shot up. "What?"

"Of Eddie," Tommy clarified.

Buck's mouth dropped open. "You think I'm jealous of Eddie?"

Tommy's eyes narrowed. "Why else would you act like that?"

Buck's chest was rising and falling rapidly now. He pushed himself off the couch, pacing toward the window.

"I'm not jealous," Buck said. "He's the one who's jealous."

Tommy's eyebrows lifted. "You sure about that?"

"Yes!" Buck spun around, his face hard. "I'm not jealous of Eddie. I'm pissed at him."

"Why?" Tommy pressed.

Buck's mouth curled. "Because he's acting like a jealous boyfriend!"

Tommy's eyes widened. "And you… don't want him to?"

"No!" Buck shouted.

Tommy stood slowly. "You sure about that?"

Buck's mouth snapped shut. His chest was heaving. His eyes were wide and frantic. His hands were shaking.

Tommy's expression softened. "Buck…"

Buck swallowed hard. His throat was tight. His chest was aching. His whole body was humming with leftover adrenaline and bitterness and heartbreak.

Tommy took a cautious step toward him. "You don't have to pretend with me."

Buck's mouth twisted. His eyes glistened. "I'm not—"

"Buck," Tommy said gently. "It's okay."

Buck's jaw tightened. "It's not okay."

"Why not?"

Buck's mouth opened, then closed. His breath hitched painfully. His eyes squeezed shut.

"Because it's Eddie," Buck whispered.

Tommy's chest tightened. "Yeah."

Buck opened his eyes. His whole face was crumbling. His breath was shaky. "And I think I just ruined everything."

Tommy's face softened. "You didn't ruin anything."

"Yes, I did," Buck whispered. His voice cracked. "I crossed a line. I said things I can't take back."

Tommy sighed. He walked over and sat down on the couch again, patting the spot next to him.

Buck stared at him for a long moment before slowly sinking down.

Tommy's shoulder pressed against Buck's. He didn't say anything. Just sat there.

Buck's hands curled together between his knees. His head dropped forward.

Tommy's hand found Buck's knee. "You didn't ruin it."

"I told him I was gonna take Christopher." Buck's voice was hollow.

Tommy's mouth twitched. "Yeah, that was psychotic."

Buck groaned. "Oh my god."

Tommy smiled faintly. "But… it wasn't the worst thing you've ever done."

"Wow, thanks," Buck muttered.

Tommy shrugged. "I'm just saying — Eddie has said some wild shit to you before."

Buck's jaw tightened. "Not like that."

Tommy sighed. "No, not like that."

Buck's hands tightened around his knees. "I don't know why I said it."

"Yes, you do," Tommy said.

Buck's eyes darkened. "No, I—"

"Yes, you do," Tommy repeated. "You said it because you wanted to hurt him."

Buck's throat closed. His eyes squeezed shut.

"Because you were mad," Tommy said softly. "Because you were hurt."

Buck's head bowed. His breathing hitched. "I… I hate that he can do this to me."

Tommy smiled faintly. "That's because you love him."

Buck's head shot up. His eyes were wide.

Tommy's smile was sad. "Don't deny it."

Buck's mouth opened.

Tommy tilted his head. "Come on."

Buck's eyes were glassy. His throat bobbed painfully.

"I don't…" Buck's voice was shaking. "I don't know how to stop."

Tommy sighed. "You don't."

Buck's chest was tight. His hands were trembling. "So what do I do?"

Tommy smiled faintly. "You wait."

"For what?"

"For him to figure it out."

Buck's eyes squeezed shut. His head dropped forward.

Tommy's hand tightened around his knee. "Hey."

Buck's head lifted.

Tommy smiled softly. "Come on. Let's put something on."

Buck sighed. "I'm not in the mood."

Tommy grinned. "You will be."

Buck groaned as Tommy grabbed the remote and scrolled through Buck's streaming services.

"Wait…" Buck's eyes narrowed. "What are you doing?"

Tommy's smile widened.

Suddenly, soft acoustic guitar strums filled the room. Taylor Swift's voice drifted through the speakers:

"You know how to ball, I know Aristotle…"

Buck's head lifted.

"Oh my god," Buck whispered.

Tommy laughed.

"You kiss just like you're in high school…"

Buck's mouth fell open. "You put on So High School?"

Tommy's grin was unrepentant. "You need it."

Buck groaned, sinking deeper into the couch. "I hate you."

"No, you don't."

Buck smiled faintly. "Shut up."

Tommy leaned back, his arm stretching over the back of the couch behind Buck's shoulders. His fingers brushed the back of Buck's neck.

Buck sighed, sinking into Tommy's side. His eyes closed.

"All these other models are up in my business…"

Buck's mouth curled faintly.

"Okay," Buck whispered. "Maybe this is helping."

Tommy laughed.

Then the doorbell rang.

Tommy sighed. "I swear to god…"

"I got it," Buck said. He pushed himself up and crossed the apartment, still smiling faintly as he opened the door.

A delivery man was standing there, holding two pizza boxes.

"Uh…" Buck frowned. "I didn't order pizza."

Tommy's voice drifted from the couch. "I did."

Buck turned. "When?"

Tommy smiled lazily. "While you were having an emotional breakdown."

Buck laughed, shaking his head as he handed the guy a tip and took the boxes. He walked back to the couch, setting the boxes on the coffee table.

Tommy sat up. "You're welcome, by the way."

Buck smiled faintly. "Thanks."

Tommy's eyes softened. "You okay?"

Buck hesitated. His chest still ached. His heart was still pounding. But Tommy was here.

And for now… that was enough.

Buck smiled faintly. "Getting there."

Tommy's arm slid around Buck's shoulders. "Good."

They sat there, Taylor's voice still drifting through the room, pizza between them. Buck leaned into Tommy's side, his head resting against Tommy's shoulder.

And for the first time in days, Buck finally felt like he could breathe.