Chapter Text
Buck opened his eyes as he felt Athena’s car roll to a stop and he took a deep breath. Looking around, he smiled at the familiar sight of Eddie’s well maintained front garden and porch.
“Ready to go baby?” Athena asked as she undid her seatbelt. “You know you are always welcome at our place if you want a night away.”
“Thanks Mama,” Buck said and Athena grinned as Buck undid his own seatbelt. She jumped out of the car and raced around to his side to help him.
It had been almost a month since Buck entered the hospital and, in that time, he’d lost a lot a muscle mass and was definitely feeling it. Buck accepted Athena’s hand as he climbed to his feet and looped his arm through hers as they walked up to Eddie’s front door.
“Hi Bucky!” Christopher said excitedly as Athena pushed open the door and Buck felt a smile cross his face. Christ had all but demanded Buck come and stay with them when he’d overheard Eddie talking about Buck’s imminent discharge from hospital. In the end, it had been down to the Grant-Nash home and the Diaz home but having Carla, Pepa, or Abuela around nearly every day had pushed the Diaz home to the winning spot.
“Hi Superman,” Buck said. He knelt down slowly, only wincing slightly as his ribs protested, and pulled the pre-teen into a tight hug. Buck’s heart grew nearly three sizes as the boy nuzzled his neck and Buck pressed a kiss to his head.
“Dad, Carla, and I made up your room,” Chris said as he pulled back from the hug. “Tia Pepa and Abuelita have FILLED the fridge with yummy food.”
“Mijo, let him in the door before you barrage him with things,” Eddie said fondly from his spot in the doorway. Buck looked up at the man and smiled. With Athena’s help, Buck got back to his feet and Eddie walked over to him. Before he could say anything, Eddie had Buck wrapped in his strong arms. That was something that had started happening more frequently after Buck’s relapse and Buck would never get tired of it. Despite being larger than Eddie, Buck always managed to curl himself into the smaller man and he always felt safe. “Welcome Home Evan.”
That was another new thing. Eddie was calling him Evan. He normally hated it when people called him by his name, and thanks to Dr Copeland he’d realised it was because his parents never said his name with anything less than disdain. But Eddie made his name sound like something precious. And he never wanted it to stop. Buck hugged the other man tightly and tried to squash down those thoughts. He really needed to get over his crush on Eddie. It would only damage their friendship and that was one thing Buck would never sacrifice.
“Buckaroo,” Athena’s voice broke their hug again but Eddie didn’t move far, slipping his arm around Buck’s waist. “I’ve got your bag in the car. Eddie, why don’t you take him to his room and I’ll go grab it.”
“Yes ma’am,” Eddie said before turning on his heel and spinning Buck gently with him. “Come on. Chris was telling the truth; we’ve set the room up for you.”
Eddie led Buck down the hall and Buck frowned when they bypassed the small office/extra room and approached Eddie’s bedroom. Buck wanted to say something but Eddie just shook his head. Pushing the door open, Buck looked into the room and was stunned. Eddie hadn’t just made up his bed, they’d practically redesigned the whole room. The walls were painted a soft blue-grey and the furniture had been stained a darker mahogany colour. The room looked inviting and peaceful and Buck turned to Eddie in confusion.
“What? You’ve been telling me to redecorate my room since I moved in,” Eddie said with a shrug of his shoulders. “Carla and her husband helped and we got it done in a few days.”
“Eds,” Buck said and Eddie raised an eyebrow at him. “I can’t stay in your room. That’s not fair.”
“No arguments,” Eddie said, steering Buck towards the bed. Buck knew just how comfortable the mattress was – he’d been with Eddie and had practically bullied the older man into purchasing it. The mattress while firm had a soft pillowtop covering that made you never want to leave the bed. The king bed (Eddie had been attempting to purchase a double and Buck wasn’t going to let that happen) took up a fair chunk of the room but it was comfortable and meant that Eddie and Chris often had snuggles in it on Eddie’s mornings off. “My bed is comfier than the spare and that room is tiny. You won’t be able to manoeuvre well in there. You’re staying in here and that’s that.”
Chris let out a giggle as Buck frowned and Eddie but the older man wasn’t going to budge. Buch nodded reluctantly and Chris laughed at the smug look on Eddie’s face. Athena stepped into the room with Buck’s duffle bag and placed it on the floor near the chest of drawers.
“This looks good boys,” Athena commented and Chris looked up at her proudly. She stepped into the room and wrapped her arms around Buck tightly. “Alright baby. You call if you need anything, even if you just want to talk. Eddie, May will send through the updated spreadsheet for appointment rotations and what not once she has finalised it. She’s just getting Maddie’s shifts and prenatal appointments.”
“Guys,” Buck tried to protest but both Eddie and Athena shot him looks that had him throwing his hands up in submission.
“Chris, you take care of these two,” Athena said after she had kissed both Eddie and Buck on the cheek. “You call me if either one of them plays up, ok? Also don’t forget, dinner at our place Friday night. I expect you all there.”
Athena showed herself out and after giving him another hug, Chris walked back down to his room. Eddie and Buck were left alone and Eddie cast an eye over Buck’s form.
“What do you want to do?” Eddie asked softly and Buck took a breath.
“Shower please,” Buck all but begged. “I smell like hospital.”
Eddie directed Buck into the ensuite bathroom and pointed to all the new toiletries located in there.
“I’ll be just outside if you need me,” Eddie said softly before leaving Buck to his own devices. Quickly stripping, Buck all but threw himself under the hot water, relishing in the water pressure that he just hadn’t gotten at the hospital. As he washed his hair, he realised he was probably overdue for a visit to the barber but at this point, that wasn’t high on his list of priorities. The most important thing was being able to get fit enough to return to work. Dr Copeland had discussed his Return-to-Work plan with Buck, Bobby, and Chief Alonso and Buck was keen to dive in. He needed to rebuild his muscle mass and get signed off by one of the fitness trainers but at least this time he didn’t have to go through complete recertification.
After he climbed out of the shower and dried off, Buck stared at his naked body in Eddie’s mirror. The scar from the splenectomy was completely overshadowed by the self-inflicted scars and Buck let out a soft whimper at the sight of them. They were hideous and what was worse, there wasn’t even a story to tell. It wasn’t like he could claim some dramatic rescue had cause them. They only happened because he stupidly couldn’t keep his mind under control.
“Buck?” As if sensing Buck was spiralling, Eddie’s voice pierced the air like a beacon. Buck wrapped the towel around his waist and let out a shaky breath.
“Eds,” Buck called back and the bathroom door opened instantly. Eddie stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. Making eye contact in the mirror, Buck felt himself getting lost in Eddie’s gaze. “Help.”
Eddie wrapped his arms tightly around Buck and hugged him to his chest. Buck let out a breath as Eddie led him back to the bedroom and gently pushed him to sit down before moving over to the chest of drawers. Eddie removed an old, worn-in shirt and some sweatpants as well as some boxers before placing the items on the bed.
“Put your underwear on then I can help with the pants and shirt,” Eddie said softly and Buck nodded. Eddie turned his back as Buck threw his boxers on and only turned when Buck cleared his throat. His eyes instinctually moved towards the scars but only for a second because Eddie was soon distracted by Buck’s general physique. Despite being laid up in bed for nearly a month, no-one could deny Evan Buckley was a gorgeous man.
“They’re ugly. I know,” Buck’s soft voice ripped Eddie out of his thoughts (rather dirty thoughts involving Nutella and Buck’s abs) and had him looking at Buck’s face. The younger man had his eyes clenched shut and tears were leaking slowly out of them. “I’m such an idiot.”
“No!” Eddie said firmly. He knelt on the ground at Buck’s feet and took the younger man’s hands in his. Buck opened his eyes and let out a soft gasp at the compassion shining in Eddie’s. “No. You aren’t an idiot and these aren’t ugly. They show that you have survived some shit. They show that you are human and prone to pain.”
Buck nodded, not fully believing what Eddie was saying. Eddie could see how uncomfortable Buck was and so quickly pulled the clothes on him. Once he was dressed, Eddie helped Buck stand and all but bullied him into the bed. Kicking his shoes off, Eddie climbed in beside him and pulled Buck into his arms. The younger man cuddled into Eddie’s chest and took in a few deep breaths of Eddie’s grounding scent.
“I’m so beyond proud of you Evan, for everything you’ve overcome in your life,” Buck could feel the words vibrating in Eddie’s chest from where his head was resting and it sent shivers up his spine. “And until you can be proud of yourself, I’ll do it for you.”
The next time Buck opened his eyes, the sun had set outside and he felt warm and content. Rolling over onto his back, he noticed it was 6:30pm, nearly dinner time. He could hear faint voices coming from the kitchen and after a minute to get his bearings, Buck climbed out of bed and walked out of the room. Eddie and Christopher were sitting at the table in the dining room, Eddie on his tablet and Christopher colouring something in.
“Hey guys,” Buck’s voice was heavy with sleep but both Diaz boys looked up at him with grins on their faces.
“Hi Bucky! Did you sleep well?” Chris asked excitedly and Buck nodded. He moved over to the table and ruffled Chris’ hair playfully before taking the seat beside him.
“I did thank you,” Buck replied before shooting Eddie a smirk. He had no wat of knowing just what that cheeky look did to Eddie’s insides. “No wonder your dad is a grump in the morning. It’s really comfy.”
Eddie shot his son an affronted look as the pre-teen giggled but Buck just shot him a wink. A bag on the table caught his eye and Buck frowned at it. It looked like a present but there was no one in their immediate circle who had a birthday coming up (and to be honest, Buck was usually the one reminding Eddie about birthdays) so he had no idea who it was for.
“Oh, that’s for you. It’s from your ducklings,” Eddie said with a smirk of his own and Buck frowned as he grabbed the present. “They gave it to me yesterday.”
--- Flashback ---
Eddie was finishing putting his trainers back on when a knock on the locker room door had him looking up. The three probies, Ravi, Jackson, and Ella, were standing there with hopeful looks on their faces.
“How can I help guys?” Eddie asked. Ravi occasionally worked with them on A Shift while Jackson and Ella were on B and C shift respectively. While he’d never spent much time with the probies, he knew Buck did occasionally.
“Um, we know that Buck isn’t taking visitors but we also know he’s going home tomorrow,” Ella started and Eddie nodded. “We have something for him so maybe it could be a sort of welcome home gift.”
“We were kind of hoping you could give it to him, sir,” Ravi said as Jackson stepped forward with a wrapped gift. Eddie took the present and nodded at the three probies. As they left the room, the rest of Eddie’s team walked in, Bobby with a fond smile on his face.
“So, what were Buck’s Ducklings talking to you about?” Bobby asked and the other three members of A Shift raised a collective eyebrow at him. “It’s what we Captains call those three. Buck has been working extra shifts to help train them and they follow after him like baby ducks follow their mothers.”
“That is adorable!” Hen cooed and the others nodded.
“And I bet Buck has no idea about the nickname,” Chin said before laughing uproariously when Bobby shook his head. Eddie joined in the laughter as he slipped the gift into his bag to deliver to Buck when he next visited.
--- End Flashback ---
“Why didn’t you tell me you’ve been helping train the probies?” Eddie asked and Buck shrugged as he opened to card. Tears welled up in his eyes as the younger man passed to card to Eddie for him to read. The note was written in three distinct hands and Eddie smiled as he read the words.
Dear Buck
We hope you get better soon – training is just no fun without you chasing us with the training saw!
Excuse Jackson, he’s an idiot. Seriously, get better soon but only come back when you’re ready. Take the time you need – I want my trainer at his best before he shows me how to best do a rope rescue from a burning building.
Get well soon Buck. Like Ella said, take care of yourself first for once. We’ll still be here when you’re ready. There’s no better training officer out there so we are happy to wait. You’ve already taught us plenty – we promise to do your training proud.
Love
Jackson, Ella, and Ravi
Eddie put the card down as Buck shakily unwrapped the present. Eddie let out a bark of laughter as Buck unwrapped a metal clipboard and pen. The pen had “Buck” engraved on it while the clipboard had the words “Love from your Ducklings (Bucklings) – R, E, J xx” engraved in the middle.
“Wow,” Buck said softly as he stared at the gift. Chris was reading the inscription and giggling slightly while Eddie was looking at him proudly.
“So many people love you querido,” Eddie said as he handed the card back to Buck. Eddie jumped to his feet and walked into the kitchen, brushing a hand over Buck’s neck as he walked past. “I was thinking Abuela’s Pozole for dinner tonight. Does that work for you boys?”
Chris let out a cheer of excitement but Buck didn’t say a thing, his body still tingling from Eddie’s touch. Eddie stuck his head out of the kitchen and raised an eyebrow at Buck. The younger man nodded and Eddie slipped back into the kitchen. He may not be able to cook but he could definitely heat food up in the microwave. He heated up enough for the three of them and carried it to the table. After returning with cutlery, bowls, and juice for the three of them, Eddie served up the food and smiled as his two favourite people began eating.
After dinner, Eddie helped Buck to the living room where Chris was waiting with one of the Star Wars films cued up and ready to go. Chris patted the spot beside him and Buck grinned as the young boy carefully pressed himself into Buck’s side. Eddie sat on the other side of Buck and the younger man’s heart jumped as Eddie lifted his hand and entwined their fingers.
30 minutes into the movie and Chris was half asleep on Buck while the younger man had shuffled so his head was resting on Eddie’s chest. Eddie’s arm was wrapped around him, the weight of it warm and comforting.
“He asleep?” Eddie’s chest rumbled after a while and Buck looked down to the boy in his lap. Sure enough the boy was dead to the world before Luke and Han returned Leia to the Rebel base. At Buck’s nod, Eddie grinned and paused the movie. “You stay here. I’ll take him up to bed then we can watch the rest of this if you’d like.”
Buck tried to hold back a whimper as Eddie casually lifted him (he probably hadn’t succeeded but Eddie didn’t comment) and stood. The Latino man lifted his son and smiled at Buck before leaving the room. Twitching slightly, Buck climbed to his feet and stretched before grabbing a blanket from the back of the lounge. He sat back down and threw the blanket over his legs before grabbing his phone off the table.
“Everything good?” Eddie’s voice was soft as he re-entered the room silently. Buck rested his head on the back of the lounge and looked up at the other man. Eddie was smiling gently and Buck returned the expression as best he could.
“Yeah. May’s just sending me dog pictures,” Buck replied and Eddie laughed. Eddie returned to his seat on the lounge and Buck only had a moment to hesitate about whether or not he’d be allowed to resume their previous position before Eddie pulled him closer. Buck cuddled in as close to Eddie as he could and let out a content sound as Eddie tucked the blanket in around him further.
“How are you feeling after your nap?” Eddie asked as he restarted the movie.
“Bit better. Your bed is really comfy. Aren’t you glad I bullied you into that mattress?” Buck teased. Eddie’s hand came up and started rubbing his neck and Buck felt himself melting into the other man.
“It does make it harder to get up after a 24-hour shift,” Eddie replied. “Now you see why you’re the one sleeping in it while you recover.”
“Eddie, I still have protests about that,” Buck said and Eddie just shook his head.
“Lo siento, de repente no puedo entender inglés (Sorry, I suddenly can’t understand English)” Eddie replied and Buck rolled his eyes and slapped Eddie gently as he tried to cover up the shiver that ripped through him. Eddie speaking Spanish increased his hotness exponentially, especially when it was directed at Buck.
“Don’t lie to me Edmundo Diaz,” Buck replied and Eddie pretended not to hear him. Buck pouted and noticed Eddie’s gaze was drawn to his mouth. “You’re mean.”
“And you’re cute when you pout cariño,” Eddie replied and Buck let out a soft gasp. Eddie’s fingers ran through the hair at the nape of his neck and Buck looked up at him. Eddie’s hand came around to cup Buck’s cheek and his thumb ran over Buck’s birthmark slowly. “Then again, you’re always cute.”
“Eddie? What is this?” Buck asked as his eyes fell shut and he relished in the feel of Eddie’s hands on his face.
“This is whatever you want it to be, mi amor,” Eddie replied, his voice dropping an octave. Buck closed his eyes as another shiver ripped through him but this time, he didn’t try to supress it. “When Bobby called me and told me you had been hurt, I was terrified that I’d lost my chance. That I’d never get the opportunity to tell you what you mean to Christopher, to me. The only other time I have felt that afraid was after the tsunami.”
“Tell me now?” Buck all but pleaded as Eddie’s second hand came up to cup Buck’s other cheek. “Please.”
“I love you Evan. I love you so damn much,” Eddie breathed out, leaning down to press their foreheads together. Buck let out a whimper and his eyes fell shut as Eddie’s warm breath washed over his face. “I have loved you for so long and I will continue to do so for the rest of my days. Seeing your smile is a highlight of my day. Seeing how well you fit, right here in my home and my arms, is all I need.”
“Eddie,” Buck whimpered and Eddie wiped a tear that slipped out of Buck’s closed eyes.
“Te amo, mi sol (I love you, my sunshine),” Eddie said and Buck let out a breath. “Evan, mi amor, can I kiss you?”
Before Eddie had even finished the sentence, Buck was pressing his lips against Eddie’s. Their lips moved together like a dance and Buck had never felt anything like it. He had kissed a lot of people in the past but every kiss before this paled in comparison. Buck let out a whine as Eddie’s hands slipped down from his face but the whine turned into a moan as Eddie manhandled the younger man up and onto his lap. The new angle was better for Buck’s neck and his hands came up to clutch at Eddie’s neck.
“Dios mi amor. Eres guapisima (God my love. You are gorgeous),” Eddie breathed out as he began pressing kisses to Buck’s jaw and down his neck.
“Eddie,” Buck whined softly, the whine once again morphing into a moan as Eddie began to kiss and bite at the junction where his neck and shoulder met. “Eddie, I love you too.”
Eddie let out a pleased growl before dragging Buck’s lips back down to his own. In a show of strength that had Buck all but melting, Eddie stood from the lounge with Buck in his arms. The noise Buck made had Eddie pressing the younger man into the nearest wall.
“God, the noises you make,” Eddie hissed out, his lips returning to Buck’s neck. Buck let out a whine as Eddie’s hands gripped his ass and held him up against the wall. Eddie pulled back with a smirk and squeezed the flesh in his hands again. “Not tonight baby. You still need rest. But once you get a clean bill of health from the doctor, I’m going to rock your damn world.”
Eddie carried Buck down to his bedroom, his lips pressed to Buck’s neck and collarbone the whole time. Buck whimpered as Eddie rested him on the bed and pulled away, arms reaching out for the older man.
“Hush mi amor,” Eddie said, pressing a kiss to Buck’s knuckles. “You get ready for bed. I’m going to switch everything off and lock up. I’ll be right back.”
Buck jumped up and quickly brushed his teeth before crawling under under the covers as Eddie stepped out of the room. Buck buried his face into one of the pillows and let out a content moan. He was completely surrounded by Eddie’s comforting scent and Buck decided then and there that he never wanted to leave. After a few minutes, the bedroom door opened again and Buck rolled onto his side to look at Eddie. The older man was standing in the doorway simply staring at Buck with a gentle smile on his face.
“What?” Buck asked, a blush crossing his cheeks as Eddie looked at him.
“Just wondering how I got so lucky,” Eddie commented and Buck blushed even harder. Eddie completed his bedtime routine before sitting on the side of the bed. Buck pouted when Eddie didn’t instantly climb in and Eddie just smiled. “None of that. Do you want me to stay or do you want the bed to yourself?”
“Stay. Please,” Buck replied and Eddie nodded. He climbed in beside Buck and the younger man gave him a moment to get comfortable before cuddling in close and resting his head on Eddie’s chest. “Stay forever.”
“Mi amor, wild horses couldn’t drag me away,” Eddie replied, kissing Buck on the head. Eddie lifted Buck’s chin with his hand and rested their foreheads together again. “I love you baby. So much. I know you are struggling with that concept but I will tell you every day that I love and adore you.”
Buck nuzzled Eddie’s neck as he closed his eyes and breathed in the other man’s scent. For the first time in quite a long time, Buck felt hopeful about the future. As long as that future included Eddie and Christopher, Buck would be a happy man.