Work Text:
G hosting Touches
by 0hedvig0
Looking back, Buck had a hard time coming to sense with everything that had happened in his life in such a short time. Big changes, from bad to good, then back to bad again.
Blue orbs glanced down at the heavy bag in his hand, concealing the birthday present he’d searched forever to find. But the time he put down to find it was worth it, Buck just wanted to give everything to the one individual breaking down the shell surrounding who Buck really was. Every stupid thing he had done and been through while growing up, only an excuse to keep being blind towards his inner devils.
Meeting this one had changed him, and he never wanted to go back again to the life where he used sex like it made him whole. No, he now know what true happiness feels like and he’d already thrown a chance down the drain, with the lawsuit. That’s why he couldn’t be more grateful being allowed back into his life.
Since a long time, he finally felt his giddy self coming to life from being subdued, and he was bouncing on his heels while raising his hand to knock on the door. He felt a little nervous, itching skin and teeth gnawing on the bottom lip. It wasn’t the first time visiting, but somehow it felt more special celebrating his birthday.
It really took a while getting the door open.
Lips stretched into a big grin by the sound of footsteps behind the front door and Buck readied himself. Even if he felt ready, he really wasn’t and by the sight and voice of Christopher yelling his name with such excitement, Buck felt his inside light up with happiness.
Buck quickly put down the bag and gathered the boy into his arms and they embraced in a hug so warm it melted every ounce of sorrow and guilt seeped into Buck’s bones.
‘Hey, my buddy’ Buck’s voice was quiet and muffled by the curly hair, his arms couldn’t hold the boy closer to him without crushing some bones. A small hand gently patted on the back of his head while Buck felt Christopher snuggle his face against his shoulder.
‘Hey my Buck’ came a whisper and Buck couldn’t at that moment believe how lucky he was having this precious boy in his life again. But even if he could just stay in this moment, Christopher couldn’t. Especially when he saw the large bag standing on the porch, just waiting to be opened.
‘Is that for me?’ Buck turned his head to see what Christopher was pointing at, even if he already knew what is was. He scrunched his face at the smaller boy whose eyes couldn’t get any larger by the big present.
‘I don’t know,’ Buck scratched his chin like he was thinking ‘do you want to see if it is?’ Christopher breathed an excited ‘Yeah’ and nodded his head so fast Buck almost became worried it would come off. He chuckled while putting down the boy who quickly maneuvered his crutches towards the bag.
The hand slapping onto Buck’s shoulder- fingers massaging tensed muscles- startled him from the happy moment and his blue eyes met Eddie’s hazel ones. They gave each other a quick smile before turning their gaze towards the boy in front of them.
‘Nice to see your face turning up in time for a change’ Eddie teased and moved his hand from Buck’s shoulder and the loss of warmth from it was replaced by the whole arm- the red flannel fabric feeling nice where it touched his skin. Even if Eddie tried to deny the obvious, he was shorter than Buck. Which made Buck’s body unconsciously lean closer to where Eddie almost stood behind him. Buck snorted at his words.
‘I’m never late,’ their eyes met over Buck’s shoulder ‘it’s just you guys being eager to see me’. It brought a small smile onto Eddie’s lips.
‘To my biggest, h-hero, Christo-pher,’ the sound of the younger boy brought their attention back to Christopher and Buck grinned at the excited smile on his lips from reading the note on the gift ‘it really is mine, Buck’.
‘Yeah, of course, buddy’ and at the confirmation Christopher started tearing into the paper covering the box containing something Buck knew he wished for.
‘You really spoil him’ Eddie whispered beside Buck’s ear and he shivered by the warm breath. Buck gave a shake with his head.
‘Nah, I just wanted to see that smile of his’ he nodded towards Christopher and felt the arm on his shoulder tighten.
‘To see that, you just need to be by his side’ and after saying that, Eddie left Buck to help Christopher pulling the paper away from the box and revealing the big letters the boy knew too well. Christopher squealed.
‘R2D2’ Christopher sounded delighted and hurried his father to open the box where Eddie carefully lifted a perfect replica of the robot from the older movies. Ever since watching the movies together, Christopher had taken a liking to the robot on an extreme level - matching Buck’s obsession over Star Wars.
Eddie stared at the robot, then moved his gaze towards Buck who ignored him and instead focused on the boy clapping his hands. Suddenly feeling some sort of shyness, Buck buried his hands into the black jeans pockets- hunching his shoulders and stretching the fabric of his fitted white t shirt.
‘Do you like it, buddy?’ Christopher nodded as answer and hugged the robot.
‘I love him,’ the boy said loudly, but then straighten and Buck found himself being hugged ‘but not as much as I love you, Bucky’. Buck huffed happily and carded his fingers through curly locks.
‘Love you too, Chris.’ Buck crouched in front of the boy ’I hope you know that’. Christopher leaned backwards, tilting his head and Buck wondered what was going on in that head of his.
‘Always?’ the boy asked and taken aback by the words, Buck himself was almost in loss of words. But he nodded to the boy and smiled earnestly.
‘Yeah, buddy. Always’
‘Good’ Christopher was happy with his answer and started forcing his father to take the robot into his room. Left on the porch was Buck.
The house quickly turned into a gathering of children and adults celebrating Christopher, but hours later the only ones left was the closest ones…
Buck carried the last of plates and spoons from eating cake and put them onto the counter next to Eddie, who rinsed off before putting everything into the dishwasher. Neither meeting each other eyes. In the living room Bobby, Athena, Chimney, Maddie, Hen and Karen was playing with Christopher- laughter echoing into the kitchen and breaking the silence between the two friends.
Eddie felt uneasy, suddenly not knowing how to act. Which left him with his back towards the other man leaning against the counter. He could feel every movement Buck made. The nervous tapping of finger against arm, teeth biting into the bottom lip, the usual ticks he had that Eddie knew of. He also knew that soon Buck wouldn’t be able to keep quiet, but Eddie couldn’t figure out what he himself wanted to do.
The memory of the moment where he suddenly became too aware of the man being his best friend, it will never grow old and be forgotten. Hiding in the closet wasn’t really the greatest idea, he knew that one now. At the same time he’s not sure if he regret or would change anything. Which felt strange, really strange.
‘I-eh,’ the sound of Buck’s voice made Eddie freeze on spot, before straightening and turning around to give Buck his whole attention. When their gazes met, Buck huffed a laugh by the tension between them while Eddie had a small smile on his lips. His blue eyes played the memory as well, this Eddie could see clearly.
The handcuffs was Christopher wanting to make the game of hide and seek more difficult. Everyone else being a couple, left Eddie and Buck with each other and with Christopher counting in the living room, Buck was childishly pulling at Eddie to find a spot to hide. But, the others taking the best spots left Buck panicking to Eddie’s ‘You shouldn’t had eaten that piece of cake first’ and pulling Eddie into the closet in the hallway on the upper level.
With their chests pressed together, they both huffed a quiet laughter- Buck’s childish behavior affecting Eddie. While they were keeping their focus on the small gap between the closet doors- which was the only light they had- the sudden brush of fingers made their breaths come to a stop.
Their warmth mixing together by the closeness became- for a moment- the only thing on their minds. Eyes turned until they sparked by the emotions colliding with each other. Confusion and desire was written all over them -pupils widening- and suddenly their past shoulder touching and hugs was no longer only made by two friends.
Without even running, their breaths mimicked like they had and when ghosting each other with the warmth, they became aware how close their faces really was. The ticklish feeling on the lips brought a shiver down their backs and heart beating faster. With their bodies molding perfectly against each other, the fingers of the hands bound together started to brush more intentionally -linking their little fingers. Their faces was leaning closely, but still not too close to touch. Instead they moved like in slow motion, like they didn’t dare to touch -cheeks ghosting each other. That was until someone pushed over the ledge- neither remembering which one of them- and with a featherly touch Buck smooth cheek brushed against Eddie’s stubbly one.
They both leaned back in a slow movement, neither meeting each others eyes -afraid it would break the sudden spell taking them.
‘I don’t know if you felt what I felt,’ Buck breathed the words and was the one taking them back from the instense memory. Even if they hadn’t closed the last distance, it was enough. Eddie crossed his arms, looking away, suddenly feeling vulnerable and like something inside of him had cracked open. Buck moved his lips to speak.
‘I did.’ Eddie hurriedly cut him off, still not meeting Buck’s blue eyes shooting a surprised look at him. To get these words out correctly, Eddie couldn’t meet his gaze. Not yet. He leaned back against the counter, talking quietly ‘But, I need time to gather my thoughts’.
He could hear Buck’s throat swallowing down the disappointment. But, Eddie wasn’t like Buck, spontaneous and open. When Eddie went for someone, he went wholeheartedly. And to him, being in a relationship meant giving your body and soul to the other one, which he was taught by his abuela since a little boy.
‘Then, I’ll just wait,’ Eddie couldn’t help himself, the words brought his eyes to meet Buck’s. Buck had a small smile on his lips and those blue orbs shone with such emotions it left Eddie kind of breathless. Buck took the steps between them until Eddie was trapped in between his arms, Buck leaning seductively close to his face ’knowing that you felt what I felt, is enough for me to wait until you’re ready’.
Eddie let himself feel what his heart and mind was begging him, and didn’t stop Buck from featherly brushing his nose against Eddie’s- lips close but not touching.
‘We just take it in your pace,’ the warm breath from Buck’s words tickled Eddie’s lips and he took a quick breath in a try to calm his sudden desire. Buck broke the tense bond with a quick kiss on Eddie’s nose before backing away with a mischievous smile ‘I’m not in a hurry’.
Eddie just stood there in a daze, having a hard time knowing what just happened. Buck turned around towards the living room, calling over his shoulder while walking.
‘Are you coming, sweetums?’ Eddie snorted with a blush creeping up to his ears and pushed himself from the counter, mumbling ’You damn fucker’ but smiled to himself by Buck’s laughter.