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Eddie paced back and forth in the cold, sterile hospital waiting room. Maddie and Chimney were sitting across the room on hard plastic chairs, looking at Chimney’s phone, presumably at photos of Jee at the Wilsons’. Karen and Hen had volunteered to take her and Chris for the night so that Maddie and Eddie could stay at the hospital and wait for news about Buck. Chimney wasn’t about to leave his wife alone at the hospital.
Turning, he paced back across the room, his eyes catching on Tommy sprawled out on a chair on the opposite side of the room, scrolling through his phone. Eddie felt that familiar flare of irritation at the sight of the man. He didn’t even look worried. His boyfriend was in the ER, possibly dying, and he was…scrolling twitter?
Scoffing to himself, he whirled around and paced back across the room, wringing his hands together. His turnout coat was discarded on an empty chair near Chimney, leaving him in just his pants, uniform t-shirt, and suspenders that he had let drop off his shoulders and hang down past his hips. He had washed his hands, at Bobby’s insistence, but he knew the rest of his body was covered in soot and grime.
He had been right behind me. Three steps closer and the ceiling would have missed him.
The noise of swinging doors being pushed open yanked him from his thoughts, and he turned to face the doctor walking though, who was carrying a clipboard and smiling.
Maddie, Chimney, and Tommy rose to their feet and the doctor looked around and asked “Family of Evan Buckley?”
“That’s us.” Maddie said, placing her hands on her stomach as to soothe the baby. “Is he…”
Alive? Alright?
The doctor smiled again. “He is alive and awake.”
Eddie caught her hesitation for a split second before she continued. “The beam from the ceiling, when it fell, hit the back of his head at such an angle that we were worried about brain bleeds. However, it looks like there is just swelling and no internal bleeding. He is going to be in a lot of pain so he may be acting irrationally or out of character while he heals.”
Chimney stepped forward slightly, placing a hand on Maddie’s lower back. “What are you saying, doc?”
She sighed. “It appears that he has lost a portion of his memory. I paged neurology and we have a doctor coming to determine the severity and whether there will be any long-term effects. In the meantime, you can see him, but it is best to avoid overloading him with information as stress can only make it worse.”
Tommy scoffed. “Of course it’s amnesia, what else?”
“He didn’t ask to be on death’s door again.” Eddie snapped.
Tommy rolled his eyes as Maddie covered her mouth and turned to hug Chimney, her eyes welling up with tears.
“You said we could see him.” Eddie said, facing the doctor. “Is he awake?”
She nodded. “He can have two visitors at a time until he is moved or discharged, who would like to come back first?”
Tommy stepped forward. “I will.”
“Maddie?” Eddie asked, nodding at her. He shoved his shaking hands into the pockets of his turnouts and tilted his head towards the doctor.
She bit her lip. “I just…I need a minute, can you go? I don’t want him to be alone.”
“I’m right here.” Eddie heard Tommy mutter. Satisfaction curled in his gut and he carefully kept his face blank.
“Are you sure?” He verified, looking at Chimney too, “I can wait.”
Chimney snorted, rubbing Maddie’s back comfortingly. “You’re about to vibrate out of your skin, go check on your boy.”
He nodded, falling in step with Tommy as they followed the doctor through the winding corridors and past all the medical equipment stored in the hallways. The tension between him and Tommy was thick enough to cut, even as Eddie felt a traitorous smirk work its way to the edges of his mouth.
It wasn’t a secret that nobody was really a fan of Buck’s boyfriend. Ever since they started dating, Eddie had become increasingly aware of every snide comment he made to Buck and to the rest of their team, their family. Maybe he hadn’t realized it before because he hadn’t brought them around the 118 in any capacity other than risk-our-lives-flying-into-a-storm. It’s not like Tommy had time to make petty remarks and commit microaggressions in that situation.
What he couldn’t wrap his head around was how Buck didn’t realize that Tommy was, frankly, an asshole. Then again, any sharp comments he made around Buck were usually directed at him– Evan –and he didn’t have the greatest track record at standing up for himself, just others.
“I’ll go in first, maybe seeing a familiar face will jostle some memories back quicker.” Tommy stated as they got closer.
“Not a chance.” Eddie spat out. “I’ve known him for seven years, you’ve known him for maybe six months. We’re both going in.” He caught the smallest side eye from the doctor, and he wondered what she thought the dynamic here was. He wondered, with a slight flutter in his chest, if she thought he was Buck’s boyfriend.
“Well, Diaz, I’m his boyfriend. I think there’s a different level of familiarity there, don’t you?”
The condensing tone that Eddie had only heard him use on Buck, irked him. Well, if Buck wasn’t going to knock him down a peg, he would just have to take one for the team.
“Unless you’re planning on stripping down naked , I don’t think there’s much difference between us, yeah?”
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Tommy spit back.
“We’re here.” The doctor cleared her throat, nodding at the door and avoiding eye contact. “Find one of us when you’re done and we will show you the way back to the waiting room.”
“Thank you, Miss.” Tommy replied, nodding at her.
“Thank you, Doctor.” Eddie added, gritting his teeth. He forced a smile onto his face and reached for the door, Tommy doing the same thing, ending up with his hand wrapped over Eddie’s. The door swung open and Eddie grimaced, yanking his hand back to himself and away from Tommy’s clammy hand.
Looking up, his breath caught as he saw Buck laying in the hospital bed, looking worse for the wear, a bandage wrapped around his forehead, and piercing blue eyes locked on Eddie’s hand. His gaze traveled back up to Eddie’s eyes, and he tilted his head, lips lilting into a half-smile, the kind he made when he was tired, or a little buzzed.
Eddie let out a sigh of relief and then a deep breath in, as if he had just been born and this was the first breath he was taking, the first one that mattered .
“Hey, Buck.”
Amnesia.
Ok, yes, it had been on his bucket list of things he wanted to do/happen before he died (no, not things he would actually do on purpose, just…would be lit if it did happen). Turns out, it sucked. Way more than he thought it would. This could not be how all those movie characters felt waking up to find out they lost some memories.
He hadn’t thought that he would care about losing some memories, maybe from his childhood, he could do with forgetting some of that. But now, there were people in the hospital, waiting for him to wake up. What are the chances that he remembers them? What if he forgot something important, someone important?
He rifled through what he did know as his head pounded. He was in his probationary year at the 118, he hadn't heard from Maddie in nearly three years, his parents way longer. He hoped to god that they called Bobby and not Phillip and Margaret. Bobby would be pissed but anything was better than breaking no contact with them .
And…that was it. Apparently he was missing years, seven, to be exact, and the doctor had refused to tell him anything else, saying that he would have a neurologist come and talk to him soon.
A clambering down the hall caught his attention, and then footsteps, louder, leading to his room.
“...stripping down naked…” a voice muttered, slightly muffled by the thick door. Buck wondered what kind of conversation exactly was happening there.
“...fuck…” Another voice responded, sounding closer to the door separating them. Buck let his head lay back down against the back of the bed. Voice that he didn’t recognize. Great.
The footsteps stopped and there was a pause, where he could hear voices but couldn’t make out what they were saying, and then the door was pushed open and two men walked inside. Buck’s gaze was drawn down to their entwined hands, before the first one jerked his hand back.
Buck dragged his gaze across the man’s body. His hands were big, tan, and just the right size to chok - Anyway, his forearms, accentuated by the shirt that fit just right were obscene, and his arms-? Forget it. Buck smiled at him lazily, taking in every perfect feature of his face, the warm, worried, honey-brown eyes, the fluffy brown hair that was messy and out of place, like he’d been running his fingers through it.
“Hey, Buck.”
His hot as hell voice-
The other man cleared his throat, tossing an annoyed look in his direction.
“Evan, your name is Evan.”
Who the fuck was this?
“I go by Buck. I didn’t forget that much.” He scoffed back. He had just earned that name at the academy, he wasn’t about to give it up because this 1960’s wannabe asshole had some issue with it.
The other man smiled at that, nodding his head. “That’s right, everyone calls you Buck. Your sister sometimes uses Evan. I think she’s the only one you gave that right to.” He tossed a little look at the man next to him that Buck couldn’t make out when he said it.
“Ok, Diaz.” The other man said, rolling his eyes.
Diaz. Evan Diaz. Buck Diaz. Hmm… It needed a bit of workshopping but-
“...stions?”
“Huh?” Buck started, looking back at the first man. Diaz.
He smiled softly, even though Buck had just been ignoring him. “I know it's a lot right now, do you have any questions?”
They had both moved closer during the conversation, and Diaz sat on the edge of the bed as he repeated his questions. The other guy hovered awkwardly at the foot of the bed.
“What’s your name?”
The corners of his eyes crinkled up as he smiled again. “I’m Eddie.”
“I’m Tommy.” The other guy added. Buck glanced at him briefly then looked back at Eddie.
“You said my sister…?” He didn’t want to ask. He did. He didn’t want to be disappointed at the answer.
“She’s here. She moved to LA about seven years ago, give or take. She’s in the waiting room with Chimney, her husband, waiting to see you. Doug’s dead.”
How did this man know exactly what questions he was going to ask next?
“The doctor told us not to tell him too much, it’ll stress him out.” Tommy said. Buck hated the way the word ‘us’ curled out of his mouth. Him and Eddie. Ugh.
“I think there are things that would stress him out more not knowing, thanks.” Eddie commented drily.
Lovers quarrel, Buck’s mind unhelpfully supplied.
“Whatever you say.”
“Yeah.”
“Okay.”
“Sure.”
Buck cleared his throat. “When can I leave?”
Eddie snorted fondly, and Tommy rolled his eyes. Buck was beginning to really dislike that guy. Why did Eddie even have to drag his–who was he to Eddie, his boyfriend? Why did Eddie’s boyfriend need to be here, anyway?
“The girl said you could go after neurology checks you out.”
“The…girl?” Buck repeated.
“The doctor, he means.” Eddie interjected, shooting a glare at Tommy. Buck winced. What an asshole. Why was Eddie even with this guy?
Eddie continued, “You have to get some scans done, then I can take you home.”
“He can go back to his loft.” Tommy cut in, annoyance seeping into his tone.
Ouch. Damn. Lost seven years of memories and the guy is already refusing to let him go to their house.
“I want to keep an eye on him.” Eddie retorted, his tone brokering no argument.
“Whatever.” Tommy scoffed. “But I’m not staying there if you do.”
Oh shit.
“I didn’t ask.”
Buck felt like he was watching a soap opera, or a reality TV show. Was he breaking up a relationship here? Evan “Buck” Buckley, Homewrecker. Ingredients: hot as fuck best friend and amnesia. Directions: literally just exist.
Tommy was muttering something about ‘playing house’ but Buck couldn’t be bothered to listen. He looked back at Eddie, at the muscle jumping in his jaw, and then looked away. As much as he wanted to stay with Eddie, even though he just met him, he didn’t want to be a burden on their relationship.
“It’s okay.” He said quietly. “You don’t have to let me stay, I can just go home, I’ll figure it out.”
“Hey, no.” Eddie reached out and grabbed his chin gently, lifting his face and searching out his eyes. “It’s no problem at all, you’re not a burden. I want you there.”
Buck was going to cry.
“Besides,” Eddie continued, grinning, “my kid would kill me if I told him you were hurt and he didn’t get to see you.”
“Whoa,” Buck’s smile stretched across his face, “you got a kid? I love kids.”
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tommy scowl when Eddie mentioned his kid, and wondered why the hell he was dating a guy with a kid if he was pissed off at the mere mention.
“I know you do.” Eddie smiled back. “You love this one.”
“I do?”
“He loves you too. He’s going to want to make sure you’re alright with your own two eyes.”
“Alright, if he wants me to.” Buck barely stopped himself from melting into a puddle and telling Eddie that he could have anything he wanted. All he had to do was ask.
“Sure, Buck.” Eddie replied indulgently. “He wants you to.”
“We should go get Maddie and Chimney.” Tommy interrupts, rudely. Buck almost rolls his eyes at him, but he does want to see Maddie.
“Can you?” He asked, turning his pleading eyes to Eddie, who immediately folded, ignoring Tommy’s existence.
“Of course.” He promised.
Chris was awesome and Buck was pissed at his past self for jinxing himself into amnesia when he clearly had so many important things to remember. Eddie had vehemently disagreed with that conclusion when he had mentioned it in the car, and Tommy had scoffed–does that man have only one setting called condescending–which only made Buck double down on it.
At least he wasn’t alone on this hate-train. Maddie had given a scoff and rolled her eyes when Tommy tried to tell them he could go back to his loft once he had filled out his discharge forms.
“He’s staying with Eddie. He always stays with Eddie.”
And when Maddie said something, it happened.
Take that, Tommy Last-Name-that-he-didn’t-care-to-ask-for.
He had wanted Maddie to join them, especially since he hadn’t seen her in years, but she had to go pick up Jee-Yun (his niece!!!!) and bring Chris around. A quick lunch and then she was off to her shift at dispatch, leaving Eddie, Tommy, Chris, and Buck at the house.
Eddie gently pushed him onto the couch in the living room, and he went without protest. Tommy perched stiffly on the edge of an armchair and glared at the kitchen where Eddie had disappeared to.
“Can you play video games or are you supposed to avoid screens?” Chris asked from where he was tucked under Buck’s arm. He had seemed to take the amnesia thing in stride, giving a shrug and muttering ‘why not?’ before climbing onto the couch and invading Buck’s personal space like it was any other day.
“Uh, nobody mentioned anything about avoiding screens.” He replied, grinning. “Don’t tell your dad.”
Chris snorted and turned the TV on, passing Buck a remote. Tommy stomped out of the room.
“What’s his deal?” Buck asked, lowering his voice. If anyone had intel on him, it would be Chris.
“I don’t even ask.” He muttered back. “Like, ok, nobody asked you to be here, you don’t have to be a dick about it. Don’t tell dad I said dick.”
“Oh, he doesn’t-” live here ? Buck was going to ask, but Eddie walked back in. They both snapped their gaze to the TV, trying to act like they weren’t just complaining about his boyfriend.
“Ok…” Eddie muttered, amused but not asking questions. He set some food down on the coffee table and tapped the side of Buck’s knee. “Eat up, I’m going to shower. Yell if you need anything.”
Tommy walked back into the living room, settling back down into the armchair next to them. “Can you turn on a movie or something?”
“Dude, we just started the game.” Buck replied, not moving his eyes from the screen.
Tommy muttered something and Buck felt his annoyance flare up again. Seriously. It’s not like he asked to get amnesia and crash on the guys couch, besides Eddie told him to sit, what else was he supposed to do?
“You don’t have to be here if you don’t want to.” Chris added, when it was clear Buck wasn’t going to say anything.
“I have just as much right-”
“Dude.” Buck sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Why are we even fighting? I can leave if that’s what you want.”
Sure, he was being a dick, but it was his house too, and Buck wasn’t about to overstay his welcome with Eddie.
Tommy gritted his jaw as his gaze swept over them on the couch. “Nothing, Evan. Everything’s fine. You need to rest and heal up. Diaz will take care of that.”
Buck wrinkled his nose. “My name is Buck, I would appreciate it if you used it.”
Chris slowly reached out and grabbed some popcorn Eddie had sat out, taking a loud bite. Buck almost laughed out loud.
“Your name is Evan, I always use it.”
“Ew.” Sure, he was being immature, and Maddie would probably smack him over the head if she was here, and say something about how ‘she didn’t raise him like that’ but this guy, seriously.
“Ew?”
“Yeah, ew. Why would you even do that? I always introduce myself as Buck.”
“How did you even know his name was Evan?” Chris added, clearly enjoying this.
Tommy sighed in frustration, seemingly trying to remind himself he was talking to a child and an amnesiac. “When I flew Eddie to Vegas, he mentioned–”
He flew Eddie to Vegas . Buck couldn’t fly. He was scared of planes, even.
“You flew him to Vegas?”
“Yeah, for a fight. Anyway–”
“Oh, I remember that.” Chris interjected. He turned to Buck. “You babysat me–even though I’m not a baby or a kid–and we watched the new Marvel movie.”
“Not a kid, sure.” Buck scoffed, ruffling Chris’ hair up.
He babysat while Eddie went on dates with Tommy? Clearly, he loved Chris, but he couldn’t help feeling annoyed that Eddie was ditching him for Tommy.
“So, he mentioned–”
“Is that even allowed?” Buck cut in. “Are you supposed to be flying for personal use?” He couldn’t hide his tone, and he hoped it came off as annoyed-firefighter and not jealous-wannabe-homewrecker.
“Yes. It is. As I was saying–”
“Eddie has PTSD, and you decided to put him in another helicopter? What the hell, man?” He would dwell on the fact that he remembered that (??!!) when he had won this argument. It was a little vague, and he couldn’t remember much else, just that something had happened with Eddie and a helicopter.
Tommy sighed as if he was having an argument with a toddler throwing a tantrum. “Eddie is a grown man, if he had an issue with it he could–”
“You should have considered it anyway.” Buck glared.
“Christ, the two of you are so codepen–”
“I’m tired.” Buck interrupts. “I need to sleep. Doctor’s orders.” The doctor did not order that but if he had to listen to this man’s grating voice brag about how he bagged Eddie Diaz for one more second, he was going to do something really stupid.
Anger crossed Tommy’s face for a split second, then annoyance, then nothing. “Right.”
Right? What does that mean? He could be telling the truth. He isn’t. But he could be.
“You can take my bed.” Eddie’s voice came from around the corner. “I’ll wake you up every couple hours just in case.”
He walked around the corner and Buck had to stop his jaw from dropping. He was dressed, yes, but he hadn’t dried himself off fully before putting that white t-shirt on, and it clung to his abs like a second skin. His hair was damp, and slightly curled at the tips, with a few droplets of water running down the sides of his face.
Tommy scoffed behind him. “Jesus, put on a shirt, at least.”
“He is wearing a shirt.” Buck snapped, turning to scowl at Tommy. “Leave him alone.” Who was he to try and tell Eddie what to do with his own body? Just because they were dating didn’t mean he could just tell Eddie to put some clothes on like that. Jesus. If he were dating Eddie, he would never tell him to put a shirt on.
Chris was looking between all of them like he was watching a tennis match, glee in his eyes.
“God, Evan, you are so–”
“Careful.” Eddie said, stepping closer. The half smile he had been wearing as he walked in, directed at Buck only, disappeared in favor of a warning look. One that should not be getting Buck so hot.
“I’m just going to leave.” Tommy said, huffing as he stood up. “Have fun over here.”
“We will!” Chris said, smiling ever so sweetly up at him. “Bye!”
God, Buck loved that kid.
Tommy didn’t quite slam the door on his way out, but it was a close call. Buck heaved a sigh of relief and collapsed back onto the couch as Eddie took Tommy’s place on the armchair, looking at him concernedly. “Why don’t you take a nap while Chris and I clean up?”
“Eddie, man.” Buck took a deep breath, throwing his arm across his face as he leaned back on the couch. “I’m not actually tired, I just wanted him to leave.”
There was silence and then he looked up, panicking. Eddie’s face was carefully blank, but Chris was covering his smile with one of his hands next to him.
“You…what?”
“I didn’t mean– not like–I was just–”
“Hey, it’s ok.” Eddie soothed. “If you wanted him gone, you could’ve just asked. I would’ve kicked him out in a second.”
“Sorry, sorry.” Buck said, trying to do some semblance of damage control. “I didn’t want to be the reason you were fighting.”
Eddie scoffed, but it was amused, holding a little something like irony in it. Buck thought briefly that it was wild he had forgotten the man completely but still felt like he could read him like a book. “Buck, you’re fine. I care more about how you’re doing anyway.”
Buck preened. Take that Tommy Last-Name. Eddie Diaz cares more about him .
“Also, I think I remembered something? I said you have PTSD and something about helicopters.”
Eddie winced, but looked up at him hopefully. “Yeah, that’s–I do. You remembered that?”
“Just that.” Buck nodded, hating to disappoint him. “I don’t even remember you telling me or anything, I just…know.”
“That’s a good sign, Buck, you’re already remembering things, maybe you will get more memories back soon.”
“Ok.” He paused. “We’re best friends, right? I’m getting the vibes.”
“The vibes–” Eddie laughed a little. “Yeah, man. You’re my best friend.”
Buck lit up at that, grinning widely at Eddie. “Great!! So can I say something kind of mean?”
“Always.” Eddie replied, his grin widening to match Buck’s. Chris sat up too, a glint in his eyes.
Buck sighed. “Your boyfriend’s kind of a dick.”
Eddie’s face dropped and Buck had a split second to panic, that was definitely too honest. Way too honest, and now Eddie was going to kick him out and he would have to find a new best friend–
“My what?! Tommy?!”
Buck ignored Chris’ peal of laughter and tried to read Eddie’s face. “Uh, yeah?”
“You thought– Buck.”
“I don’t have a problem with it!” Buck raised his hands, shaking his head. “You know, I’m, I’m an ally.”
Eddie just stared at him, slack jawed. He turned to Chris, “You gonna help me out here?”
“Nope.” Buck was 70% sure he was being recorded, based on how Chris was holding his phone, but he had bigger issues. None the least was the fact that he was pretty sure an ally didn’t have the thoughts he was having about Eddie.
“Buck.” Eddie looked at a loss for words. “He’s not my boyfriend.”
Buck’s traitorous mouth tilted into a grin before he managed to wrestle it down. He could not be celebrating this right now. Eddie wasn’t dating Tommy but that didn’t mean he was single. Eddie caught the expression before he managed to school it and looked almost…pleased?
“What? But you– he– why was he always around then?”
Eddie snorted at that. “Buck, he’s your boyfriend.”
Buck gagged. “What the fu–dge? No, thank you.”
“I don’t think you can just say no thank you about that.” Chris interjected. “You guys have been dating for months.”
“Ew, why?” He was truly at a loss. Come on, Eddie was right there. Why was he dating Tommy, of all people?
“I…don’t know.” Eddie shrugged. “You like him, I guess?”
“He’s an asshole.”
“I don’t know, bud. You’re the one dating him.” Eddie’s lips down-turned a little, and Buck wondered just what exactly he thought of Tommy.
“Oh god.” Buck said, rubbing his face. “Am I an asshole too now?”
“No!” Chris said, at the same time that Eddie smirked and said, “Sometimes.”
Buck’s eyes widened and Eddie backtracked. “You’re not an asshole Buck.”
“Then why am I dating one?”
Eddie shrugged and looked away. “I don’t know.”
“So…you don’t like him.” Buck tried to run through everything that had happened up to that point and through this lens… Oh. Eddie hates his ass.
“Wait, that’s why he wanted me to go back to my loft? He just didn’t want me here?”
Eddie blinked. “Yeah, why– what did you thin–oh.”
“He’s just jealous.” Chris faked a yawn. “He wishes he were us.”
“Ok, kid.” Eddie dropped his head, laughing fondly.
“No! That’s not okay.” Buck stood up and started pacing across the living room. “He’s been pissing me off since I woke up–sorry, Chris–and now I’m apparently dating him?”
Eddie laughed at him. “He’s been pissing you off?”
“I’m literally 14, I think I can hear some cursing.” Chris grumbled.
“Yeah! He wouldn’t stop–” Talking to you . “--talking.”
Eddie raised a disbelieving eyebrow. “That's all?”
“Whatever.” Buck felt his face heat up and looked away. “He was annoying.”
“I thought you were going to hit him when he told dad to put a shirt on.” Chris instigated.
Buck knew his face was pink but he couldn’t stop his eyes from dropping down to Eddie’s abs again, before clearing his throat and looking away. He didn’t catch Eddie’s blush at that.
“Ok, ok. Damage control.” Buck huffed. “I have to break up with him.”
Chris cheered, jumping up from the couch, and Eddie shot him a look that had him sitting back down, but didn’t cause his grin to budge.
“Maybe you should wait until you get your memories back, just so you don’t regret anything.” Eddie added sensibly.
“What’s there to regret?” Buck made a face. “Besides, you don’t like him. That’s enough reason for me.”
Eddie opened his mouth to say something, then shut it again. He couldn’t exactly say that he never liked any of Buck’s partners, so that was some flawed logic. If he had it his way, Buck wouldn’t be dating anyone but him.
“Wait a minute.” Buck glared at him. “Why have I not broken up with him yet? You obviously hate the guy.”
“Which is crazy cause he was friends with him first.” Chris drawled.
“I– I don’t hate him, he’s just– I just–”
“Hate him?” Buck asked, looking unimpressed. “Why didn’t you tell me before? I would have dumped him.”
“Buck, you don’t even know me right now.”
Buck looked away, a pout on his face.
Eddie backtracked. “I mean, how do you know you would break up with him just because I said I didn’t like him?”
Buck shrugged. “I’m doing it right now.”
Eddie’s eyes widened as he saw Buck typing something on his phone he grabbed from God-knows-where. “Wait–”
“Sent.” Buck grinned up at him. “I am a free man, once again.”
“Jesus, Buck.” Eddie said. He couldn’t decide whether to be relieved, annoyed, or jumping for joy.
Buck grinned up at him. “See? Could’ve just told me.”
Eddie shook his head grumbling under his breath. “Alright.” He waved a hand at the TV. “Turn on your movie or whatever.” He left the room, feeling Buck’s eyes following him until he was out of sight, grabbed his pillow, and screamed into it. This was going to be a long night. The love of his life was single and an option again. He could be so normal about this.
Everyone 118 – Group Chat
Hen: How is Buck doing?
Chimney: Haven’t heard from any of you in awhile, everything alright?
Bobby: Do you need any food? –Bobby Nash
Maddie: Or company? :)
Buck: Wow, how many people are there in this chat?
Ravi: Too many.
Karen: I have it muted LOL
Maddie: You doing alright Buck?
Buck: so much better now
Chimney: Well, that's cryptic
Chris: LOLLLLL
Chris: i’m dyinggggg
Denny: spill
Bobby: Chris are you okay? Do you need medical attention? –Bobby Nash
Maddie: It’s an expression haha don’t worry. What’s going on Chris?
Chris: Image attached. Buck when he found out Tommy was his boyfriend
Chris: Image attached. Dad when Buck broke up with Tommy
Chimney: YESSS!
Maddie: Oh my god, finally.
Bobby: Jesus is risen! –Bobby Nash
Athena: About damn time.
Hen: I’m crying. Did he think Tommy was just randomly there all the time?
Karen: Their faces LOL
Denny: CHRIS LMAO
Hen: L M what ?
Denny: *LOL sorry autocorrect
Karen: Mmhmm
Chris: @Hen even worse, he thought Tommy was Dad’s boyfriend
Buck: Christopherrrrrr I am mortified enough
45+ New Messages
“I’m this close to throwing my whole phone in the trash.” Buck moaned, Chris’ laughter filling the room. “Seriously, I’m turning this on silent.”
Chris snorted. “Turn the volume up, and the subtitles. I can’t miss a second of this movie.”
“You got it, boss.”
Buck was shaken awake from where he was sprawled across on the couch, wincing as his leg decided to wake up as well, screaming at the uncomfortable position. Eddie must have carried Chris to his room the night before, because he was nowhere to be found.
“Jesus, Eds. Please tell me you still have that heating pad.” He grumbled, rubbing his eyes and then looking up at Eddie, who still had a hand on his shoulder, but was looking at him with newfound anticipation.
“Did you–”
Buck sat up quickly, patting his arms and legs, as if they were the parts of him that had gone missing. Fire engine scars on his leg, Lichtenberg scars stretching down his shoulder…
“Eddie, they’re all back! I can remember–” His mind was racing, and he tried to recall as much as he could up to the moment he was struck.
“Oh my god.” Eddie said, relieved. “Thank God.”
“I don’t remember being hit.” Buck frowned. “I remember going into the building but nothing else.”
“That’s normal.” Eddie responded, perching on the arm of the couch. “I didn’t think you would get the rest of them back this fast, not complaining though.”
Buck winced as he recalled the last 24 hours, of how he had been wanting to lick Eddie–
Eddie smirked. “So, you’re newly single.”
“Shove off.” Buck grumbled, feeling his face heating up. “I can’t believe you let me date him.”
Eddie’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh, let you? I seem to recall something about my ankle and–”
Buck jumped up, ignoring the twinge in his leg, clapping his hand over Eddie’s mouth and yanking him onto the couch as he tried to wrestle away. “I apologized for that!”
Eddie tried to reply, something muffled against Buck’s hand, before he poked Buck in the ribs, causing him to take in a sharp breath and pull his hand away.
“What was I supposed to say? Hey, Buck, I don’t like your boyfriend, break up with him.”
Even though he knew Eddie was joking, the command in the tone had Buck’s eyes widening.
“I–I mean, yeah.”
Eddie stared back. “Are you being serious? You would’ve broken up with him just because I told you to?”
Maybe he was just relieved he had his memories back, maybe he remembered how Eddie had been looking at him while he broke up with Tommy, maybe it was some lasting head damage, but Buck’s filter slipped out of his grasp and all he could respond was a soft. “You know I’d do anything for you.”
The silence was charged, and Eddie stared at him, his cheeks pinkening as he opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again.
“I–uh–I don’t, it’s ok, I meant–” Buck was cut off by Eddie’s lips crashing into his, pushing him the rest of the way down on the couch.
Buck kissed him back, firm and sure. He wrapped his hands around the back of Eddie’s neck and Eddie let out a shaky breath as he deepened the kiss.
Buck’s hand found the curve of Eddie’s jaw, thumb brushing over his flushed cheek and breathing him in like Eddie was the oxygen that he’d been without for too long. Maybe he had.
They pulled back after a moment, panting as they locked eyes.
“Don’t get back with Tommy.” Eddie said, ordered.
Buck’s lazy grin stretched across his face. “Why not?” He asked, teasing.
Eddie glared down at him, a muscle jumping in his jaw. “Be mine.” It was meant to land like a demand, but there was a flicker of uncertainty at the edges, like he wasn’t used to asking for things he really wanted. Like he didn’t know that Buck would rip himself open and hand him his still beating heart if he thought Eddie needed it.
Buck leaned in again, pressing a kiss to the corner of Eddie’s mouth, soft and steady. “I already am,” he murmured. “Always.”