Chapter Text
“Oh,” said Jem, grinning as he stepped aside to allow Tommy inside, “Tommy!”
Tommy grinned.
He had seen Evan’s various roommates around here and there over the past six months of dating the guy. The boys weren’t so bad. A little rough around the edges. Less dicks over time. But they weren’t bad.
Though.
Tommy still couldn’t be paid enough to live with them.
“Hey, Jem. Good to see you too,” said Tommy as he walked into the house, “Did the tips I gave you for the workout routine help?”
“Yeah. Really helped with the soreness. Stretching is always key,” said Jem thoughtfully before he yelled, “Buck! Your boyfriend’s here!”
“What? Tommy’s here?” asked McAwesome from the living room as he paused his game, “Hey! Wazzup?”
“Tommy?” asked St. Cloud-Ortiz from the top of the stairs.
He quickly ran down, and – and St. Cloud-Ortiz was trying his best not to look excited. He was failing. Tommy could tell. But he was still trying to play it cool as he met Tommy downstairs.
“So, uh. You said something about – about that cologne. You. Uh. Use. Dior Sauvage?” said St. Cloud-Ortiz, and wow, okay, the man smelled like Tommy on a date now.
“Uh. Yeah. You really liked it?” asked Tommy, and, okay, was that a bit of a blush?
“It’s fine,” said St. Cloud-Ortiz, “It’s whatever.”
“Okay?” said Tommy as Evan popped his head out of the kitchen, glaring.
And.
Evan was a little bit of a mess. His hair was all over the place. he had some sauce on his cheek and his apron was splattered. But he looked handsome, even if he was a marinara crime scene.
“Stop flirting with my boyfriend!” hissed Evan from the kitchen like a possessive cat.
“Flirting? I’m not – flirting? What?” St. Cloud-Ortiz scoffed, panic in his eyes, “I’ve got five girls on speed dial. I’m not flirting.”
“I just think he’s neat,” said McAwesome as he went back to playing his game.
“I’m not going to lie. Kind of flirting? Platonically, of course,” said Jem with a wink, “Or am I?”
“Flirting? Or Flirting platonically?” asked Tommy, amused.
“My boyfriend,” said Evan as he grabbed Tommy away from Jem and St. Cloud-Ortiz and pulled him over to the kitchen.
Tommy.
Chuckled.
Tommy hadn’t expected to be popular. It was a little bit of a new experience. But still, he didn’t like Evan actually stressing about that.
“Exactly,” said Tommy kindly but firmly, “I am your boyfriend. Not in the market for another.”
“I know, I just – you’re my boyfriend,” grumbled Evan as he pulled out the lasagna dish from the oven, “Almost miss when they were weird about you in a different way.”
“No, you don’t,” said Tommy.
Evan.
Sighed.
“No, I don’t,” said Evan as he pulled out the lid for the dish and placed it delicately over the lasagna, “But they could be less flirty. Whatever. I’ve finally saved up enough to get out of here.”
Tommy blinked.
“Oh. So, you’re thinking about really moving out, then?” asked Tommy curiously.
“I’d like that. I’m not really looking forward to the apartment search after how stressful Maddie’s condo search was, but well…” Evan said with a shrug, “I kind of need to not live with three other Evans.”
Tommy.
Probably shouldn’t bring it up.
But still.
Tommy found himself saying, “What about – what about living with one other person?”
Evan turned his gaze to Tommy. He took Tommy in, a little stunned as he asked, “Tommy… are you asking me to move in with you?”
There was a nervousness to the question; as if he was worried about being wrong about that. There was a simmering excitement there; maybe – maybe wanting it to be real? As if he hadn’t expected Tommy to possibly bring that up.
Well.
Maybe six months into the relationship was too soon? Tommy wasn’t sure. But it didn’t feel too soon when he said, “Evan. You don’t have to move in with me. I will go on the apartment hunt and help you find a place if you’d like. But I’d like to offer the – the option. If you’d want to.”
“You can say it straight, Thomas,” said Evan, positively giddy at the idea.
“I’m not very straight, Evan,” Tommy stated.
And.
Got a laugh out of his boyfriend.
But.
Okay, Tommy grinned as he asked, “Move in with me?”
“I would love to,” said Evan as he stole a kiss; fast and it tasted a little like lasagna sauce.
Tommy glanced down at the lasagna dish, smiling.
“Lasagna this week?” asked Tommy curiously.
About once or twice a week, Evan made a dinner for the Diazes. Sometimes, they would both head over together and eat with Eddie and Chris. Sometimes, it would be just Evan. Sometimes, Evan would drop it off for them. But Evan always made it a point to cook something for them at least once a week.
And Tommy knew the joke was that Eddie couldn’t cook and that was why Evan did this, but Tommy was pretty sure Evan just liked making food for the people who he viewed as family. Of course he would make Chris and Eddie food.
Tommy liked that about Evan.
“Yup. Lasagna,” said Evan as he grabbed an insulated bag, “We’re just dropping it off today. Eddie said something about someone coming over or something. My bet is Abuela or Tía Pepa. But yeah, once we drop this bad boy off, we’re free to do whatever.”
“I’m fine with that,” said Tommy leaning in for another kiss.
It was barely a peck, but it was soft; it was loving and sweet and it seemed to make Evan melt.
“Give me one second just to, uh. To get dressed,” said Evan as he pulled off his apron and rushed out of the kitchen, “Make sure no one touches the lasagna, please!”
“Will do!” yelled Tommy back as he guarded the lasagna.
Tommy glanced to the doorway to see the other Evans hovering.
“So, uh. You’re really just going to spend the rest of the day with Buck?” asked St. Cloud-Ortiz as he crossed his arms.
“He is my boyfriend,” said Tommy, “And we like to go on dates. Kind of how boyfriends work.”
“I know how – I get how boyfriends work,” sputtered St. Cloud-Ortiz, “Whatever.”
“I think you look handsome,” said Jem as he leaned casually on the doorframe, “Going somewhere nice after dropping off the lasagna?”
“Maybe. We’ll see where the night takes us. I just like dressing up for Evan, really,” Tommy confessed.
“I think that’s cool,” said McAwesome as he turned away from his game, “Dress to impress all you want, my dude. Is it weird that you just look hotter every time you come here? Is that just me?”
“Some of that’s just effort,” Tommy said with a shrug, “Right clothes. Right haircut. Right cologne.”
“Right, right, right,” said McAwesome as he – no, he wasn’t taking Tommy in, “Well, you’ve figured out your fit, for sure. For sure, for sure.”
“All of you stop huddling around my boyfriend,” called Evan as he ran downstairs, “You’re always huddling around my boyfriend.”
Evan looked – he looked good. He always looked good, but still, Tommy found his breath catching at the sight of him. His boyfriend.
“Hey,” said Evan.
“Hey,” said Tommy, a little lost in his eyes – before – before he remembered, right, other things to do other than staring deeply into Evan Buckley’s eyes, “Uh. Lasagna?”
“Right! Lasagna. Need to – need to get that to Eddie and Chris,” said Evan as they began walking out of the condo.
*****
“Oh,” said the woman at Eddie’s door, “Hello.”
“You’re not Tía Pepa. Or Abuela,” said Evan, a little confused.
Tommy connected the dots; he saw it in her. He saw Chris in her.
“Shannon,” said Tommy, “Right?”
“Shannon?” blurted Evan, and – and Shannon laughed.
“You say that like I’m infamous,” said Shannon and – and she sort of was.
Shannon cast a long shadow in the lives of Eddie and Christopher Diaz. She was a space in Eddie’s life that he kept close to his heart; that he barely shared with Evan or Tommy. There was a larger than life aspect to her without meeting her.
But seeing her here.
Standing at the door.
She was just a person. A tired, less than put together person with kind eyes and a hesitant smile. Tommy could feel the months of taking care of a terminally ill person on her; in the shoes she wore; I the messy bun her hair was in; in the bags under her eyes despite her best attempts to cover them with makeup.
She was just a woman.
Doing her best.
Not a myth or a legend.
“A little, but, uh. Not in a bad way,” Evan started a little nervously, “Buck. I’m Buck. This is my boyfriend, Tommy.”
“Oh. Yeah, no, Eddie’s told me all about you two – he really loves you guys. It’s – it’s nice that he has people here. That he’s made this family,” said Shannon with a smile, “Thank you for that. For being there for him. Eddie – Eddie deserves people in his life who have his back. He’s always deserved that.”
“Of course we’re here for him,” said Tommy, “He’s a good guy.”
“I hope the divorce doesn’t, uh. Color your perception of me,” said Shannon, “We really are amicable.”
“No, it’s not. We’re not here to judge,” said Tommy.
“We were just – it’s a lasagna,” said Evan as he gestured to the insulated bag, “Just dropping off some lasagna.”
Shannon nodded.
“Right. Eddie was saying that a friend was dropping off dinner for him,” said Shannon, “He told me to stay for it, but – but it feels weird to stay and eat this dinner someone else made for my ex-husband?”
“Eh. People do it all the time. Chimney was over after pickup basketball once and I swear he ate more of the spaghetti Bolognese I made than Eddie, Chris, or Tommy,” laughed Evan as Shannon let them into the house.
“Huh,” said Shannon before she called out, “Eddie! Your friends are dropping off some lasagna.”
“Buck!” yelled Christopher excitedly as he turned the corner, his eyes opening even wider as he added, “Tommy too?”
Tommy grinned.
“Hey, kiddo,” said Tommy as Chris came over, hugging them both, “Always good to see you.”
“Are you going to stay and have dinner with Mom and Dad?” asked Chris, radiating happiness.
“We’re, uh. We’re just dropping dinner off for you guys. We don’t want to intrude,” said Evan as he scruffed Chris’ hair, “But, you know, I’ll be back in a few days to beat you at that fighting game you like so much.”
Christopher laughed.
“We’ll see about that,” said Christopher.
“I mean, you could stay. You don’t have to just drop food off for Eddie,” said Shannon, “I didn’t mean to make it feel like – this isn’t really my place to say. I just want you to know that I’m fine with you two around.”
She seemed sincere.
Maybe because she was the single parent for a while. She was married, yes. But when Eddie was off on tour, well, she was taking care of Chris on her own.
She understood the need for a village to raise a kid.
And unfortunately, she didn’t have one in El Paso, according to Eddie.
“It’s not really that. We just hadn’t planned to stay,” explained Tommy.
“Yes! The lasagna – thanks, Buck. You’re the best. Seriously,” said Eddie as he came over and grabbed the insulated bag from Evan, “You’re going to love it, Shannon. Buck makes the best lasagna.”
“Only because Bobby taught me how,” bragged Evan, “Bobby’s the best chef I know.”
“I really – you don’t have to feed me, Eddie,” said Shannon softly, “It’s – it’s okay. I don’t want to interrupt…”
And.
There.
Tommy saw it.
He knew that look.
Someone who didn’t have much family. Many friends.
Shannon had moved away from one isolated life to another. She had taken care of her mother all those months without building the bonds Eddie had here. And maybe she had other family here, but Tommy was getting the distinct impression that she didn’t. That it had been just her and her mother.
Until her mother was gone.
Until it was just her.
Was she making meals alone at home? In a house that was once her mother’s?
“Nothing to interrupt. Only – only something to join,” said Tommy before thinking, glancing from Evan to Eddie to make sure that he was offering something they were all okay with, “Eat dinner with us, Shannon.”
Don’t go home alone to your empty house and eat by yourself.
And.
And Shannon seemed to recognize her loneliness in Tommy. Like recognized like, after all. And she smiled a little more. And she replied, “I – I mean, I guess I could stay for a little while. If you’re okay with it, Eddie. I know I was just dropping Chris off.”
“Of course. I offered dinner,” said Eddie warmly, “You can eat dinner here, Shannon.”
Tommy definitely didn’t think he would be having dinner with Eddie, Chris, and Eddie’s ex-wife today, but well – he was okay with that.
There were other opportunities to have a date with Evan.
*****
“Let me drive us,” said Evan as they headed to the car.
Which was.
A little weird.
Tommy usually drove, even in Evan’s car. More because Tommy just liked to drive. He liked to be the person behind the wheel; the person in control of the vehicle. And he was a pretty damn good driver. Evan was more than happy usually to let Tommy drive.
Tommy raised an eyebrow.
“Why do you want to drive us?” asked Tommy as he tossed Evan his keys.
“I, uh. So, I planned something for us?” said Evan as they both got into the car.
“Planned something for us?”
“You know how I stepped out for a moment? Before dinner?” asked Evan as they pulled out of the driveway, “That was to reschedule the thing I planned for us to do on our date today.”
Huh.
“I didn’t know you had something in mind.”
“I, uh. I wanted it to be a surprise.”
“Should I ask what it is?”
“You’ll see in a little while,” said Evan as he began – began to drive toward the coast.
Huh.
“Is it a beach thing?” asked Tommy.
Evan laughed.
“Do you want me to spoil it five seconds after I told you there’s a surprise?”
Tommy thought on that.
“No… I’m okay with surprises. More than okay with them, really.”
“You, uh. You said that I could move into your house. Are you sure? Is that really what you want?”
Evan stopped at a red light, glancing over at Tommy.
Tommy smiled.
“Evan, I’d love for you to move in with me. I wouldn’t have offered if I didn’t want you around all the time. Not like you’re not always at my house already.”
Evan snorted.
“True. That is true…”
Evan drove on green, heading onto the highway. And maybe it was because it was late into Saturday night, but there was hardly anyone on the freeway.
Just Tommy.
And Evan.
Cruising with – well, not the stars above them. Satellites, Tommy supposed.
“… I’ve never had a lot of places where I felt wanted,” whispered Evan, “It never felt like my parents wanted me at the house, even when I was a kid. I know Maddie had her reasons, good reasons, but when I ran to her for help, she didn’t let me stay at her house. She sent me away alone. I used to flitter from town to town, trying to build roots. But the roots were always so shallow. It was so easy to pull me out of those towns and let the wind take me to the next place. The first time I really felt wanted was at the 118. Around all these people who saw me. Who saw that I could be something. That – that I wasn’t worthless. That I could do something with my life.”
“Evan,” Tommy started, soft and hesitant, “Evan, they’d want you around even if you weren’t a good firefighter. Bobby, Hen, Chim, Eddie – they all love you for who you are. They don’t love you for what you do. They love you for just being.”
Evan smiled.
“I – I’m trying to accept that. I really am. It’s a bit of a process, though,” Evan confessed, “But what I really wanted to say was that the second place I felt wanted… was with you. Despite seeing me at my absolute worst. Seeing the ugly parts of me, you – you still want me. You want me at my most neurotic and jealous and – I don’t even understand why. Or how.”
“Well, that’s simple. You’re very easy to love. Good and bad.”
“You are too,” gushed Evan as – was that the exit that led to Harbor Station, “I know we don’t, uh. Have big grandiose talks like this often. But – but I know that understanding that is hard for you too. And I just want to know that loving you is one of the easiest things in the world for me.”
They were pulling up to Harbor Station.
“What’s happening here?” asked Tommy, “What’s the date?”
“I called in a favor with Lucy and – and scheduled a helicopter. To take you up in,” said Evan excitedly, “Want to put the skills you taught me to good use. Lucy even helped plan the flight. It’s going to be wonderful and scenic. And I know it’s dark out, but hey. Maybe if we’re far enough away from the city, we’ll see some stars.”
And.
“Oh,” said Tommy a – a little more than touched, “Evan, you didn’t have to do this.”
People didn’t just spring things like this for Tommy. There weren’t grand romantic machinations for Tommy. People didn’t listen to Tommy’s hobbies, what he loved and – and surprised him with it.
Evan parked. He turned to Tommy and just – the way he looked at Tommy made Tommy’s heart stutter.
“I didn’t. But I wanted to… You’re good with me flying, right? I know that can get a little stressful for you sometimes. I know you like to be in control up there.”
And Tommy did.
He trusted himself more than anyone. He knew he could fly a helicopter. But – but he really trusted Evan now too.
He could let go of that need for control.
“Yeah,” said Tommy softly, “I’d love for you to fly us.”
They both got out of the car, heading toward Lucy.
“Hey! The chopper’s right over there,” said Lucy, pointing to a helicopter a few yards away, “You two have fun, okay?”
“We will,” said Evan, grabbing Tommy’s hand as they walked toward the helicopter.
The two of them got onto the helicopter, and – and it was nice.
This was nice.
Not that they didn’t have moments like this all the time. Not that it wasn’t usually just them in the helicopter whenever Tommy brought Evan up here for his lessons. But there was something a little more to this now that it was a date date.
That Evan was slowly lifting them off the ground as he began to fly them over the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. And as they got closer to the shrubby, woodsy Santa Monica mountains, Tommy could see more stars.
Could see the beauty of the world Evan was flying him toward.
And.
And maybe there was a metaphor there somewhere, but Tommy was just lost in the moment.
Lost in the mountains.
Lost in the stars.
Lost in Evan.
“I really love you,” Tommy breathed into the headset.
“I really love you too,” said Evan, the most fondly.
Tommy would have kissed him.
But well.
It was hard to fly a helicopter.
Tommy could wait until they were back on the ground.
*****
“Are you organizing the shirts by color?” asked Tommy curiously.
Not that he was complaining.
He probably should have expected that when Evan moved into his place. Of course there would be an overhaul in his organization.
“Well, actually, it’s going from casual to fancy. Within that are subsets of short to long sleeves. And within those subsets are color – light to dark,” explained Evan as he added more of his button-downs into Tommy’s closet – their closet.
Tommy smiled.
“Huh. Good idea,” said Tommy which made Evan practically bounce over to him.
“I’m full of those. Good ideas. I was actually thinking of doing a little reorganizing of your kitchen if you – if that’s okay,” said Evan hopefully.
And.
And Tommy couldn’t say no to the look Evan was giving him.
Tommy didn’t actually care all that much about how his kitchen was organized, anyway. If Evan had better ideas, he could act on them.
“Yeah. Of course. You live here too,” said Tommy, and he could see the victory in Evan’s eyes, his smile.
And.
And the surprise kiss was a little sloppy and maybe there was a little teeth clattering, but there was something fantastic about how breathless it made Tommy. How Tommy couldn’t help but watch Evan run as he yelled back, “You understand the organizational system. Could you please put up the remaining shirts? Thanks!”
And.
And Tommy hadn’t thought he would get this.
Six months ago, he hadn’t expected to have a boyfriend. To have a boyfriend eventually move into his house. He didn’t know this was an option.
Tommy wasn’t sure what he had expected from coming out.
Years of therapy.
Time to get his sea legs.
And Tommy knew this was his first relationship – his first actual relationship.
But.
But this was it. This was everything. This was all he wanted and more. And – and he was very sure Evan felt the same.
“Need any help in the kitchen?” asked Tommy as he put away the last of Evan’s shirts.
“Always! Come over and distract me,” said Evan playfully.
Tommy laughed as he made his way to the kitchen.
To the man he loved.