Chapter Text
Buck pulls Eddie’s bedroom door to behind him, following the low rumble of conversation back into the living-room/dining area where the team (plus Maddie, Karen and Athena) have gathered. Eddie looks up from his seat at the table upon his return, face lighting up into a smile. The others are crowded around the table, all the seats taken, with their heads bent over piles of take-out menus.
Trust Eddie to still use those instead of just ordering through his phone.
Eddie’s eyes trail down Buck’s body, pursing his lips slightly, before humming in approval. “That shirt looks better on you than it does me.”
“Well, that’s a good thing then because I’d rather not be sat here shirtless. Especially since it’d be your fault.” Buck snorts, hands on hip as he raises a brow at Eddie.
Eddie, who seems lost for words for a moment as his eyes go wide and he avoids Buck’s accusing glare.
He clears his throat, only a second after Buck’s started to wonder if he said the wrong thing, and lifts his head again to send Buck a cocky smirk. “Oh, really? My fault?”
Buck crosses his arms over his chest, nodding. “Yeah.”
“So it’s my fault that you spat water out all over yourself?”
“You showed me that stupid video! What did you think would happen? I’d just taken a huge mouthful of water, of course I was gonna spit it back out! You should be thanking me for not getting it all over your bed.”
Before Eddie can think up another one of his sassy comebacks, Karen speaks up, “What were you doing on Eddie’s bed?”
Both Buck and Eddie answer simultaneously, breaking eye contact to look Karen’s way. “Folding laundry.”
Confusion passes over Karens’s face and she looks at the others as though they’ll be able to help her understand, but they all shrug; Buck doing laundry with Eddie is far from uncommon by now.
It did used to cause questions amongst the team, when it first became a ‘thing’, but Buck never really understood why. What’s so strange about helping your friend do his housework? After all, Eddie has Christopher to care for as well as himself, whereas Buck only has himself.
Also, Buck may or may not use it as an excuse to shove some of his own dirty laundry in.
Saving water, right?
“Which I finished, by the way.” Buck adds, directing it at Eddie as everyone else’s attention returns to the matter in hand: choosing what to eat.
Eddie’s smirk softens, an almost guilty look on his face as he remembers how he’d rushed out to let their friends in once the doorbell rang and left Buck with a pile of clothes.
“You’re welcome.” Buck exaggerates, even though they both know he doesn’t actually mind helping out.
“Thanks, Buck.” Eddie laughs, reaching a hand out towards him. Buck takes it without thinking, allowing Eddie to tug him down onto his lap before he’s even realised that that was his intention. He supposes there isn’t much room elsewhere for him to go.
Upon landing, he wavers slightly, almost losing his balance, but strong arms wrapping around his middle manage to keep him steady.
Something flutters in his stomach, warm and comfortable, familiar in an unnameable way. Buck tries hard not to think about it too much, fighting back a blush that has no right making itself known right now, and allows himself to lean back into Eddie’s chest as though this was the most natural thing in the world and definitely not something they rarely do.
Eddie lets out an almost smug huff of breath – if that’s even possible, Buck isn’t sure, Eddie has a way of always seeming like he’s in on a joke that nobody else is – waving the menu he has in his hand in front of Buck’s face.
He leans forward, just enough to rest his chin on Buck’s shoulder, and asks, “If I get the double pizza and fries for Christopher and us, will you be okay with the Mexican?” He’s done it again, Buck realises. Grouped himself and Eddie together as an us. Like they’re a team, a duo, a package deal. Not individuals. Buck smiles.
Eddie nudges his side, waiting rather impatiently for his answer.
Buck chuckles, nodding his head. “Of course, you know I love that one. And, hey, I can always steal some of Christopher’s pepperoni.”
At that, Christopher lets out an indignant cry of, “Hey!” from across the table, to which Buck simply sticks his tongue out at.
“What if I don’t get the pepperoni? What if I get the ham and pineapple?” Christopher argues, arms crossing defiantly over his chest even though Buck can see the smile threatening to break at the corners of his mouth.
Buck scoffs, rolling his eyes for dramatic effect. “Please,” he says, popping the ‘p’, “I know, for a fact, that you hate pineapple on pizza. Besides, when have you ever not had pepperoni?”
Christopher huffs, squinting his eyes playfully at Buck. “Fine. You can have one slice!” he caves, holding a finger up as though that makes Buck believe him any more – he’s had pizza with Eddie and Christopher enough times by now to know that Christopher will feel full only three slices in and offer the rest up to him and his dad.
He doesn’t say this, though. Instead, he holds his hand out across the table to shake on this ‘deal’ he’s made with the boy. Christopher’s proud smile is infectious. That, combined with the light squeeze he feels on his hip, is enough to cause Buck to smile wide enough that his cheeks physically hurt.
Who knew take-out food could make you so happy?
“Wait up,” Chimney cuts in, “we haven’t even decided what we’re ordering yet.”
Eddie shrugs, the two of them listening as the rest of the group try to sort through the different options of food. “That’s fine, we’re good with anything.”
“Ooh!” Buck twists slightly in his makeshift seat, turning to face Eddie. He wiggles his eyebrows suggestively, feeling a smirk grow on his lips. “What was that Chinese you got last week? Orange beef?”
Eddie frowns for a moment, lower lip pulled between his teeth as he thinks back to the night Buck’s referring to. He nods. “I think so? The crispy one?” Buck nods. “Where was it from?”
“New Moon, right?” Eddie shrugs, but nods, trusting Buck’s memory better than his own. “Man, if we’re getting Chinese, I’m having that. It was so good.” Buck says, more to Chimney than Eddie, as he turns back to face him and claps his hands together.
“What do I normally get from there?” Eddie asks him, chin settled back onto his shoulder. Buck can feel the small puffs of breath as they leave Eddie’s lips with each slow exhale, sending shivers down his spine, and he has to fight to ignore it.
“The kung pao chicken.” he answers almost instantaneously, having all of Eddie’s usual take-out orders memorised by now. It comes in handy for when they need to get food in quick whilst navigating work and Christopher. It’s not weird.
He, unfortunately, misses the odd look that Maddie sends him. As well as the way that Hen hides a snicker behind a cough.
They end up getting pizza, everyone settled comfortably amongst pillows and blankets spread out over the floor, a movie playing in the background of their chatter.
As expected, Christopher only manages it through three slices and a handful of fries before he’s sliding the box over towards Buck and Eddie in a silent offer. Buck smiles, lifting up the arm closest to the boy and gesturing for him to move closer. Christopher does, settling happily into Buck’s side and turning his focus back to the movie.
Buck feels his heart soar, dropping a quick kiss to the boy’s head before picking up a slice of his pizza and handing it over to Eddie without being asked, the other man taking it with a grateful smile. Yet again, he misses the knowing looks sent his way – this time from the whole team.