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If someone would have come up to Buck and told him that within the last year, he'd fall out of love with the girl he met at the beach through surfing, move to Peru and put his bartending degree and license to use, only to move back to the states to begin training to become a firefighter instead, he'd have laughed in their face. But, if they would have told him that he'd end up being pathetically talked behind his back and set up on a blind date by his sister and her coworker, he would have run away. Instead, right now, he just cowers.
"I'd rather be back at home living with mom and dad, than be forced to go on a blind date with some man I don't even know, who's been recommended to you by a guy you've only been seeing for the last three weeks." Buck immediately rejects, the low hanging denim of his jeans leaving a slew of dust in their wake as he walks backwards and rests his lower back on Maddie's kitchen countertop. He stops mid stretch at the look on her face, and his expression sags when he catches Josh shrugging in his peripheral vision.
Maddie points an accusing finger in his direction, and her lips raise in silent amusement as he dramatically ducks away from it. "Dating, not just seeing. Howie's great, thank you," she defends, before getting back to her point. "Eddie, from what I've been told and have seen, is handsome and great. And so is his son, Christopher." Josh purses his lips and cringes at the way Buck flinches at the new addition, already knowing that although Buck loves children, trying to date a man with a young child is a lot harder than just going on one, single blind date. Especially when that man seems to be connected to every single person his sister is currently close to, and working with.
Buck cocks his head in disbelief, and even Maddie pauses in her place this time. "So, you're telling me that not only are you trying to set me up with a man I've never met before, but that he also has a son. Where exactly is the mother in all of this?" Maddie's shoulders droop and her expression softens, and silence emanates as Josh leans against the barely humming refrigerator, his grip loose on his glass of wine. A warm pit of reluctance simmers in Buck's gut, and it turns to dread and misplaced guilt as Josh speaks up for the first time in minutes.
"She left them behind a year or two ago, her mom was sick and dying of cancer. She's only shown up once or twice, to help Eddie get Christopher enrolled in school, and to surprise him on Christmas. From what we know, he tried to work things out for their son's sake, but she asked for a divorce instead. She comes by every once in a while, and they're sort of friends." Josh explains, his own uncertainty making itself known on the tip of his reddened tongue. Buck straightens his spine and takes in his sister's dejected and downtrodden face, and in spite of his own doubt and anxiety, he says yes. Because he's never been good at saying no to his sister, and letting her down and making her sad is the last thing he'd ever want to do.
"If I say yes to this and it's a disaster, I'm never coming around when he's there, and this is never spoken about again," he raises his hands while they cheer, and his own tense facial features relax into a small smile at the sound. They both nod and tense up for dramatic purposes, and share a sheepish look when he asks his next question. "So, how long do I get to regret my answer before this date. A week or two?" Buck jokes, and he's letting out a groan at their barely whispered, in unison answer.
"I have," widened irises look over at the red glowing numbers on the stove to his right, and his eyebrows furrow in a frowning set. "Four and a half hours to get ready for this blind date. With a man who's a father, soon to be divorced, connected to everyone we care about in this city, and I'm still in my uniform and don't know what I'm going to wear," Buck realigns his eyes to stare at the small space between the two of them, and swallows down his instinctive need to say no, before blinking around the bright array of sunlight beaming itself onto him. He nods decisively, and shoves himself off of the hardened granite. "No pressure."
Maddie's reaching forward to place a hand on each of his shoulders, and relaxes as he softens underneath her touch. "This isn't just about Eddie, you know. Josh and I noticed that you've been really worked up lately and stressed about finding your footing around here, and we both think this'll be a good thing for the both of you," Josh nods and sends him an encouraging smile, although it's crooked and bordering on looking partially drunk. The glass in his hand is now empty, and his eyes look even more lidded than they did earlier. "If you want to say no, we completely understand. We heard from Howie that he was nervous about the idea earlier on too."
The residual tenseness in his shoulders straightens itself out, and then his eyes narrow at the implication in her words. "When exactly did you two, and Chim, plan this whole thing out, exactly?" His inquiry sounds more like an accusation, and Josh lets out a grunt, before abandoning his wine glass and latching onto the half empty bottle instead. His back is facing them by the time they both look over in his direction, and Maddie's shaking her head as he intoxicatingly saunters into her living room. She faces him with a faux innocent smile, and then carefully smiles up at him when he doesn't waver.
"Two weeks ago. But in our defense, things have been really hectic," Maddie allows her arms to fall down to her sides, and she steps to the side as her younger brother goes to grab for his keys and his wallet. The rest of her worries dissipate when Buck accepts her answer with a tired and silent nod, and then bends down to place a kiss on the crown of her head. "I'll pay you back for the dinner, if it ends up being a nightmare." She tries to comfort, and tosses her hands out when he smiles down at her sarcastically.
"Your comfort skills cannot get any better," Buck teases, his nervousness still there, yet not as apparent as it was before he was told about the other man's hesitance. There's still a pit of wariness in his middle, and edginess weighing down his chest, but he comforts himself in knowing that at the very least, everyone around him, and those in association, trust him enough to recommend him. He's traveling towards the living room to say goodbye to their mutual friend, and then laughing out loud when the drooped over Josh comes back into view. A blind wave is thrown in his direction, with Josh's face smushed into an indented and decorative pillow, and then he's making his way to the front door. The hug he's tugged into is tight and relentless, and he welcomes it back and reciprocates, before leaning back to unlock the deadbolt. "I expect the Venmo to be the exact same amount, with interest."
Maddie's leaning forward to laugh into his bicep, before shoving him out into the small hallway and entrance of her apartment building. Sending him a warm look and resting her hip on the entryway, she shakes her head and cocks her chin at him, before shutting the door and relocking it.
Grabbing the glass Josh left on the countertop earlier and draining it of its last few drops, she smiles to herself, and feels hopeful for her younger brother. The sofa's cushion underneath her lifted feet bends in to welcome her weight, and their mutual friend groans through the cotton material in agreeance at her next words, before lifting the bottle to hand it over with his eyes closed.
"I think he'll end up thanking us instead, actually."
─
Buck isn't sure what he's more against at this very moment, the mere three hours he has until his date, or the traffic he's currently stuck in.
Horns unnecessarily honk from all around him, and annoyance and exhaustion flood through him, until his eyes squint and go upwards, and then he's noticing a pillar of smoke. He's opening his driver's side door without a second thought, his immediate instinct going against what he's been taught in his training. It's only in pure luck that just seconds before opening his door, the car's driver to his left finally stopped inching forward. Buck throws his hand up in a thanks in their direction and slams his door shut, before quickly pacing forward. It turns into a run as a yell reaches his ears, and he's hurriedly ducking underneath the arms of strangers as the telltale smell of smoke overwhelms his senses.
A van comes into view on his right, through the seemingly never ending lines of stopped up traffic, and irritation swarms his throat as the thick coating of soot is inhaled.
"What's going on?" He's attempting to yell over the small crowd of onlookers, and panic swells in him as he notices a woman failing to open the right side's back door. "You guys need to back up, and somebody call 911." He's urging, and only feels a small surge of relief as the crowd begins to take a few rushed steps behind. Through the space they've created, he's able to rush forward and travel the rest of the distance, and latch onto the shoulder of the panicked and weeping woman.
"Hey, it's alright, ma'am. Just look at me, and take a deep breath," Buck gently instructs once she's facing him, and the look of distraught on her face almost makes him choke up himself. Her brown eyes are welling with tears, and he can feel the tremor in her shoulder as she continues to cry underneath his hold. He raises his free hand up to his chest, and visually instructs her to suck in, before bellowing out a loud and audible exhale. He continues to do so until she follows, and his eyes momentarily leave hers to try and peer into the tinted glass of the nearest window. "You're doing great. Now tell me, what's your name, and who's stuck inside of the vehicle?"
"My name is Carla," she starts, and Buck travels his hand down to clutch onto hers as she begins to stammer. She immediately encloses her own around his, and she doesn't refuse when he gently tugs her a few feet to the side. "Christopher is stuck inside, and he's in the back seat. The front two windows are half rolled down because of the heat, but the smoke is coming from the back of the car, and he's handicapped and fully strapped in, so he can't get out on his own. I can hear him crying, and he sounds so scared. He has CP, and he has trouble fully walking on his own. Please help him, I can't believe this is happening to us."
Buck's nodding along with her words and making note, and doesn't stop his maneuvering until she's at least two yards away. As soon as she's settled enough to be on her own, he's hurrying his way back over and reaching inside to try and unlock the front passenger's side door, regardless of the small flick of a flame nearby. Heat licks its way onto his bare flesh, and he bites back a cry of pain as he feels his skin nearly bubble under the source of fire. As soon as his fingertips feel the plastic buttons of directory, he's pressing down onto all of them, until he hears an audible four door click, and then he's leaning back out to grab onto the handle of the van's right, back door. It groans and restricts under his touch and wielding, yet he's still able to yank it open about one foot. And when he does, his heart breaks.
Wide, green eyes blearily blink up at him through red framed glasses, and the child's chest heaves for fresh air as smoke thickens around them both. Buck gasps around the large cloud that barricades at him as soon as he's shoving his weight inside, and then he's holding the last of his breath, and blindly reaching down for the knotted seatbelt. The hot to the touch metal sings against the inside of his wrist, and he lets out a curse, before bending it free and trying to remove it as carefully as he can from around the young boy.
"Just reach out and hold onto me, alright, Christopher? Don't be afraid. I'm right here with you, and I'm not going anywhere." He promises and instructs, and his vision swims from the lack of air. Christopher's movements are almost unable to be seen, but Buck can feel him attempting to kick his legs free from in front of him, and then small and thin arms are wrapping themselves around his shoulders. Grey and blackened smoke surrounds them, and Buck shoves them back outside, uncaring of the rough concrete that makes contact with his back, and his burned skin. The sun is beating down on them as sirens finally make themselves known, and the boy is sobbing into his chest as Buck shallowly breathes in with aching lungs. His sore arms encircle around his smaller form, and Buck forces himself into a sitting position as the woman from earlier, Carla, rushes over and kneels down next to them.
She reaches forward and cups the back of Christopher's head instead of taking him out of Buck's hold, and his uninjured hand rubs soothing circles into the soot covered material of his shirt. Buck tiredly reopens his eyes and turns his head to the side, and takes notice of the multiple piled up collision in front of the van, feeling relief as he realizes that they aren't at fault for the accident.
"Thank you so much," Carla exudes, her voice raising in insurmountable relief and joy, and her expression crumbles again as the young boy finally raises his head from his chest, and fully meets his eyes for the first time. Buck can't explain the fierce protectiveness that fills him, and he also can't explain why he guides the boy fully back into his arms. But as Christopher hugs him back with just as much fervor, and as he fists Buck's dirty and ruined cotton material, it's like he knows. Multiple pairs of booted feet and in unison yells and shouts come from all sides, and Carla lets out a large sigh of relief, before sitting back on the heels of her own. "Thank God his father is on shift." She finishes, and then there's movement from everywhere.
Before Buck can look her over and ask if she's alright, and before he can disentangle himself from Christopher, a shout is reverberating over towards them, and then another pair of hands are joining his own. A wide smile and kind eyes are carefully attempting to guide him out of his arms, but the boy refuses. Looking up at the woman with the buzzcut, his own expression softens at the laugh she lets out, and then she's letting go and guiding them both into a standing position. Christopher's tears are drying on his left collarbone and he's no longer shaking in his hold, but he's still tightly holding onto him as they cautiously make their way through the rest of the wreck.
The woman's voice is low and comforting as she guides them forward with a soft hand on his uninjured arm, and footsteps follow from behind them. His thighs constrict in pain as he hefts himself into the awaiting ambulance, and he can't help the small sound he lets escape when his bottom makes contact with the slightly cushioned, gurney's bed. Christopher loosens his hold, and only agrees to let go entirely when the woman and Carla tell him that Buck and he need to be looked over, although he only goes a few feet away.
A bright light is brought forward to his right eye, and he flinches away with a hiss, before purposefully keeping himself upright. His own lips raise at the answering laugh coming from in front of him, and he hums when the Paramedic asks him if he's doing alright. "I think this is everyone's least favorite part, other than CRP," she jokes, and she gratefully smiles once she's done with her assessment. "My name is Hen. Thanks for looking out for our little guy, out there." Buck looks down at her in confusion, before Howie comes into view, and an unfamiliar man comes rushing forward.
"Thank God you're alright, mijo." The brown eyed man nearly cries out, before immediately squatting down in front of Christopher and bringing him into his arms. Howie hops up the distance from the gravel and sarcastically waves, his eyebrow raising and whistling at the red and inflamed skin on his arm, as he looks down and takes in the injury.
"When I said we should try and hang out outside of Maddie's apartment, this isn't exactly what I meant." Howie says in greeting, and despite his pain and discomfort, Buck rolls his eyes and grins, unable to fight off the fondness he has for the man. Hen raises her own and looks in between the two, her hands occupied as she leans forward with her stethoscope. Buck carefully nods his head in greeting, and follows her instructions as she levels and listens to his breathing. Once she's done and she beckons his sister's boyfriend forward to come and look at his burn, she intentionally and slowly turns her head to the side, before looking back at him, while widening her eyes at the same time. Catching onto what she's doing, he slowly does the same, and freezes in place once he's facing the opened doors of the ambulance. The unfamiliar and unknown man is looking back at him, with a light dusting of pink on his cheeks, and with Christopher in his arms, pointing directly at him.
Carla leans against one of the doors with a new and knowing look in her eye, and he flushes himself when he catches it in his peripheral. It isn't teasing or untrusting or accusing, but rather, soft and accepting, and excited. Confusion is painted on his features, until everything settles in, and then he realizes. The man holding his son is Eddie, his son is Christopher, and they're supposed to be on a date in less than three hours from now.
The man looks about his age with soft looking brown hair, and beautiful eyes to match it. A thin and delicate showing of facial hair dusts his face, and his expression is as soft and welcoming as it possibly can be. The air around them feels electrified and thickened as they both continue to stare, and then Buck's the first to look away. His heart pounds in his chest as Howie bites back his own smirk and applies salves to his burns, before carefully wrapping gauze around his left forearm and wrist. He levels him with an annoying and know-it-all look once he's done, and then he's patting at his knee.
"Smoke cute." He announces, and fakes a wince as Hen reaches over to smack the middle of his spine. She helps her partner and best friend clean up the used items and waste, and then she's telling Buck about his options. She says that his lungs sound healthy despite the smoke inhalation, and that if he doesn't want a ride back to the hospital, he has to sign a waiver and promise to follow up with his primary care physician, as well as go to the nearest hospital if he notices any irregularities. She's going over the instructions on how to clean his burn and when to let it breathe, when Christopher frees himself from his father's hold, and makes his way back over to him.
It's as if they've known each other longer than they have, in the way in which Buck lifts Christopher to have him rest in his lap, and how he situates and soon relaxes in his hold. Christopher's got a few miscellaneous adhesive bands on tiny and minor scrapes and scratches, but otherwise he's alright, since he got to him in time. There's small murmurs and whispers coming from the medical duo and as Carla rests a hand on Eddie's own, and she looks apologetic as she comes over and has to break the two apart.
Christopher looks up at him once again, and the slightly crooked and bucked tooth smile he sends his way, has him widely smiling back. "Thank you for helping me," he says around a heartwarming stutter and stammer, his hands opening and closing to stretch his fingers out around the colored bandages. His enlarged eyes behind his falling down glasses twitch over to glance at his dad, before resting on him once again. Raising one of his hands to push them back up the bridge of his nose, he soon flattens it out for privacy, and then leans forward. Buck holds back a laugh as their noses almost touch, and then his cheeks redden after he loudly whispers out the rest of his sentence. "I hope the date goes well, I really want you to come over and see my dinosaurs." There's a moment of silence followed after a coo, and then a loud voice breaks into the moment.
"As nice as this union has been, we've got other crashed cars out here and some traffic to help regulate," an older and kind looking man cuts through, his eyes falling over every single one of them with different and deliberate looks. Carla grins and waves, Christopher beams and slides onto his feet, Howie purses his lips and pretends to be busy, and Hen leans into his side with a silent and giddy laugh. They all make their way out with their own reiterations of goodbye, and they hope he feels better, and Hen sends him a wink after she says she'll see him soon. Carla's opening her arms and welcoming Christopher into them, before picking him up and walking towards a police vehicle, and then it's just Buck and Eddie, and the man that seems to be their Captain. His eyes are inquisitive and open, and they meet Eddie's in a silent conversation, before meeting Buck's head on. "I'll give you two a moment. Tell your sister I said hi, and I'm sure I'll see you around sometime soon."
He's shifting his feet and turning to walk towards the same car Carla's stopped at, and Buck looks away to give him and an unknown woman privacy, as she steps out to meet him in a loving and chaste kiss. Buck's uncharacteristically shy and looking down at his wrapped arm when weight shifts the ambulance, and he forces himself to raise his head as Eddie carefully approaches. He's nervously tugging off his fireproof gloves and stuttering in a step near the end of the gurney, before taking another step and sitting on the edge of the side bench. Their knees almost touch with the close proximity, and Buck's inhale shakes as they meet eyes once again.
"What you did for my son and Carla," he trails off, and his voice makes Buck shudder and the blush travel down to warm his chest. It's perfectly warm and charming, and deep and smooth enough to sound like just the right cadence. It immediately makes his pulse race, and Buck silently thanks that he's no longer getting it checked and monitored. "I don't even want to imagine what would have happened if you didn't step in and help them out."
Buck turns bashful and ducks his head, his lips pursing around a gasp as a calloused hand reaches out to tuck itself underneath his chin. They're much closer this time around, with their knees pressing themselves together, and their faces only inches apart. Eddie's thumb breaches the precipice of his chin to brush away a thin line of dusted dirt, and their eyes never stray away again. "I'm sure someone else would have come by and helped."
The side of the firefighter's mouth etches and arches up in a weak attempt of a smirk, before falling back down. "You'd be surprised at how many people just stand by and allow things to just happen. Bystander effect, and all that," his voice is just above a murmur, and the light huskiness of it feels intimate and raw, like it hasn't been shared before. The hand splays and widens its touch, like it's starving, and then its retreating and falling away. Buck has to force himself to stay still, and not reach out and plead for it to come back. "Don't sell yourself too short."
It's said like a passing comment, but the weight behind it seems intentional, and Buck sits with it, before feet sound like they're reapproaching. A small furrow appears in between Eddie's brows, like he's hesitant to pull back and break the small tether they've created, until he smiles something small, like he's just remembered something. The hand that had fallen lightly taps at the beginning of the wrapped gauze, and Buck's left hand jolts like it's been electrocuted. Eddie feels the shocked movement and laughs, the sound like winded chimes. "If you're still up for it, I'll see you in a few hours."
Buck forces his eyes to part as Eddie's Captain comes back into view, his expression soft and apologetic, and a warm hand rests on his as the father begins to stand up. Glancing at the clock's small writing, it notifies him that there's less than two and a half hours until their blind date. All of Buck's residual and earlier anxiety melts away, with it seemingly becoming nonexistent as soon as he looked into Eddie's eyes earlier. Without a second thought, he's agreeing. But not like earlier at his sister's apartment, because he doesn't know how to say no to her, and doesn't want to disappoint. He says yes this time, for himself. Because he doesn't want to let himself down, and miss an opportunity he doesn't think he'll ever get again. The first meeting of their eyes and the phantom touch of Christopher's fists in his shirt's material grazes him, and for the first time in quiet a while, Buck says yes for himself entirely.
The answering smile is blinding, and as excited as his own.
─
Buck ends up getting a ride from a police Seargeant named Athena, after decidedly letting Carla borrow his Jeep to get herself and Christopher back safely to Eddie's house. Athena insists on him calling her by her first name, even though he's clearly hesitant. The woman seems kind and welcoming to him, but Buck's past with authority and the way she carries herself, the way she exudes and is the definition of no nonsense, has him calling her by her professional position instead. She lets it go after reassuring him twice, and then the rest of the ride is filled with natural conversation. He's sat in the passenger seat rather than the back, and when he cracks a joke about the difference, she laughs instead of asking about it, and that's when he truly relaxes.
"Eddie's the newest addition to their crew, but he caught on quick and he's a great guy," she leads, once there's a small lull in the conversation, near the end of the ride. "Been through a hell of a lot, but he's still kicking. And from what I've heard about you, mostly through your sister and Chim, it seems like you've gone through quite a lot yourself."
His hand pauses around the seatbelt, this one without a knot, just as they pull into the parking lot attached to his apartment building and complex. A million questions filter through his mind, all seemingly personal and should be directed towards Eddie rather than her, so he holds off on asking. Instead, he turns his head towards her and asks, "What the hell is a Chim?" The sharp bout of amused laughter shocks him, and then he grins in response.
"It's Howie's nickname, short for Chimney. But don't ask me about it, you've got to hear the story from him," she answers around a titter, her smile bright and a juxtaposition to the facial expression she had set on her face, earlier on the job. It softens into a delicate grin, and she looks over at him, her eyes seemingly all knowing and motherly, before they become teasing. "I heard that you're in training to become a firefighter yourself. There's nothing like on-hand learning, so I've been told. And no one better to learn it from, than someone who's already been certified."
Buck's grin turns into a grimace, and her laughter is back full force by the time he's got himself unbuckled and halfway out of the car. Her laughter settles, and she analyzes him, before settling with a fully satisfied nod. "I think you'll fit right in," she decides, serious yet playful at the same time. "Welcome to Los Angeles, and if you decide to keep things close and personal, the 118." She's waving his thanks off with a smile with too many meanings behind it for him to fully understand, and then he's left to stand there as she turns around and drives away, almost as soon as he closes the door.
He shakes his head with a disbelieving laugh, unable to wrap his head around what today has been so far, and then he's making his way inside. The travel upstairs in the elevator and down the hallway to his front door seems like a blur, and less than an hour later, he finds himself showered and fully dressed. The short sleeve makes his injury stand out and overly obvious, but he had to opt out of wearing something longer earlier, when the cotton of the sleeve made the skin underneath the gauze itch. The dark blue polo stands out against his skin, and his dusting of curls still wet from the shower, cling to the top of his forehead as he allows them to air dry.
The sound of his phone notifying him of his ride waiting for him downstairs has him pausing his pacing in his bedroom, and he's staring down at his lit screen for a moment, before bolting down the stairs. His feet nearly slide from underneath him due to his socks, and his hands shake as he ties his shoelaces together. His phone screen and the small clock on his stove tells him he has more than enough time to get there early, but his footing back towards the elevator after locking his door is still fast paced. He can't seem to fully calm himself down, the adrenaline making him anxious, yet he's still grateful for the push. Without it, he'd most likely find himself in his apartment, doubting his decision. Because even though he's deciding to do something for himself and it feels right, it's still nerve wracking, and Eddie, to some extent, seems too good to be true.
The elevator doors open with a familiar chime, and the soft and monotonous sound is enough to temporarily get him out of his head. His heavily booted feet smack audibly against the walkway, and he messily runs a hand through his uncombed hair, already regretting not styling his hair as usual. The thick air and the humidity cling to him like a fourth layer of skin, and he can't help but sigh in relief when the ride over comes into view. He verifies with the driver before getting in, and he closes his eyes and allows the air conditioner to waft back to him after reiterating the address to the driver once again.
The sun is almost fully set by the time they're nearly at the location Maddie sent to him earlier, and his eyes are latched on the window, curiosity filling him to the brim as he does so. He had promised her earlier that he wouldn't look it up, after she insisted that she wanted it to be a surprise. She wouldn't give into his questioning earlier, but she had given him a hint. It would remind him of home. The hint had given him the urge to say something bitter, like nothing good really came from that place, until a happy memory came to mind. There was a park next to a small diner they would go and sneak out to on the nights before she left for college, and afterwards, they'd go and sit out on the benches, or push each other on the swings. The memory has him smiling to himself, and it only widens as they stop in front of the destination.
It doesn't look like the park they used to visit, but it damn near tops it, especially with the nervous looking man already waiting outside for him. Eddie's stood in front of a gazebo, his hair a styled mess, dressed in clothes that look like they've just been flung on, and Buck wouldn't have it, or him, any other way. His thanks are rushed and hurried towards the driver, and he's barely got his cell phone pocketed before he's out of the car, and walking forward. Eddie doesn't notice him until he's only a few feet away, but when he does, he beams. The hands he has in his pockets come out to reach for him, and Buck's heartbeat accelerates at the touch. Fingertips press themselves into his sweaty palms, and Buck doesn't stop until the points of their shoes are touching, with Eddie already leaning into their touch. They're almost chest to chest, and they both let out a soft sound resembling a laugh, and then they're taking a step back, with their hands still connected.
"Carla wanted me to thank you again, for allowing her to borrow your car, and Christopher wouldn't stop asking about you over the phone," Eddie's saying in greeting, and then winces at his own words. "I'm sorry, I'm not used to dating. I think I'm doing this all wrong. We're two minutes in, and I'm already talking about my kid and his caretaker." Buck has the immediate need to placate him, and he does so.
"I mean, I just found out about our date a few hours ago, and I met them both while getting your son out of her smoking and fire lit van, so," he playfully trails off, his eyes fondly following the movement of Eddie letting go of one of his hands, to self comfortingly rub the nape of his own neck. He gently squeezes the hand still holding his, and he feels relief as the motion is reciprocated. "I think I'm alright with a little bit of kid talk. Especially with one as amazing as your own." The expression on his face smooths out, and Buck takes notice of the diner on the other side of the park. He nods his head towards the establishment, and smiles to himself as he's guided forward.
The partial moment of silence is comfortable rather than awkward while they walk over, with a few families walking past them, and children laughing in the background. Eddie's thumb brushes itself against the back of his hand, and when he fully looks towards him again once they stop, the gentle look that greeted him earlier is back. "I'm really glad that you agreed to this, after everything that happened. I didn't know if you'd say yes." Eddie confesses, and they sidestep away from the front door as a couple around their age exits the small building. There's a familiar and hidden tone of insecurity and self-deprecation in his tone that reminds Buck of his own at times, and he shakes his head.
"It might sound a little crazy, but I don't think I could have said no," Buck sucks in a deep breath when Eddie sends him a curious look, and he temporarily glances away to find the right words. "Earlier, when Maddie and Josh told me about the date, I immediately wanted to say no. I wanted to shut myself off and just focus on finishing up my firefighter training. But then Josh told me that you were on the fence about it as well, and that made me feel better about things. And then I met your son, and I saw you, and as dumb as it sounds, something clicked. There's something in your eyes that feels like something I haven't had in a long time, or have ever had. And I just knew that if I passed this up, I wouldn't get the opportunity to ever have anything close to this again."
"What does it feel like?" Eddie asks him, with something akin to wonder and understanding painted on his features. The hand he was comforting himself with, comes back down to meet with his again, and the hold is tight and secure, grounding. His fingertips turn white with his reciprocating hold, uncaring of the slight twinge of pain that comes from his injured arm as he latches on.
The burn underneath the gauze sears like the red imprinted in his skin, and it matches the flush on Buck's cheeks, as he says. "It feels like coming home." Eddie visibly shudders, and his eyes water, and then he uses their joined hands to bring them even closer together.
"When we first got to the collision, I knew something was off. I had a feeling this entire morning, and then when the afternoon came around, my stomach was in knots," Eddie admits, his wrists twisting anxiously. "Before Hen made her way over to you, I recognized Carla's van, and for a moment, my entire world just stopped. And then I looked down near the pavement, and I saw my son held in your arms. For the very first time, except for with me, I knew that Christopher was fully safe with someone else. Bobby, our Captain, held me back and promised me that I'd be able to check on you guys once we evacuated another car about to catch fire from a leak. But I relaxed after I saw you two together, for the first time all day. It was instinctual, and I don't know if it had something to do with the way you protected him in the fall, or the way he was clutching back onto you, but I was calm. And when I saw you up close, and we met eyes, it clicked for me too. The way you risked your own safety to protect and save my child, the way you held him, the way you looked at me for the very first time. I couldn't come back from that."
There's a shared moment of intensity, and then Buck shakily inhales, the expansion of his chest feeling like a cage being reopened. Their eyes are locked in and unwavering, and Buck swears he can feel their pulses fall into unison, when he asks him. "Come back from what?"
The man in front of him laughs in disbelief, as if he can't understand why Buck isn't able to realize how much he's changed for him within their first interaction. Buck reluctantly releases one of Eddie's hands to reach up and brush away the wetness from underneath his left eye, and he molds his palm against the side of his face instead of letting it fall. Eddie tilts his head to the side to rest the weight of it in his welcoming crevice, and his breath hitches as Buck guides him forward. With his forehead resting upon his, and their chests just centimeters away from touching, Buck repeats his question, and his heart soars with the answer.
"From falling into you." The answer seems simple, and that's because it is. Eddie nearly fell when he first saw Buck, the relief palpable enough to nearly bring him down to his knees. There he was, protecting his son like he was his own, with his son so trusting of the man, and holding onto him like he didn't want to let go. And right now, with Buck's wide and blue eyes staring into his own brown, with his hand cupping the side of his face, he continues to fall. And unlike before, he can trust the catcher. Something flickers in Buck's own irises, and then they travel. Over every single small scar and scratch on Eddie's face. From the small indentation on his forehead from when he was a kid, to the small furrow in between his eyebrows, as he focuses and looks back at him with so much awe and conviction. His eyes rest upon the swell of his lips, and they intentionally pause, darkening with hope as a small sliver of tongue comes out to wet them just below their cupid's bow.
Buck peers back up into his eyes, and after a slow, heat filled and halted moment, they both move forward and close the distance. The warmth and soft sounds of repose and tranquility is all that registers at first, and then Eddie's turning his head to the side, and claiming his lips with his. It isn't rushed or hurried, but slow and fulfilling, as if he's trying to imprint himself in every way that he can. Buck slots his lips with his own, and chases after every word unsaid, until the taste of them are apparent on his own tongue. Pants are shared, hands are gripping, and fingertips are pressing in, and then someone laughs in the background.
It isn't directed towards them, but they both freeze at the joyous sound. They audibly disconnect and turn to look towards the sound, and when they do, they smile. It's a family that walked past them earlier, with the parents pushing their small daughter on the swing in front of them. The little girl's cheeks are so raised with her smile that it looks painful, and the sound of her amusement and mirth sounds like a shriek. And as they look and watch closer, her facial features change. Wide and straight teeth turn adorably crooked, blonde hair partially browns and shortens, blue eyes turn green, and butterfly glasses turn into prescription.
The little girl turns into Christopher, and the parents behind him, turn into Buck and Eddie. They're all smiling, with their cheeks sore and their bellies full and hearts content, and if they try, it feels like they can outstretch their hands and reach for it. Tears are welling in Buck's eyes, and he feels overwhelmed. Overwhelmed, because a family is all he's ever wanted. And as he holds onto this beautiful and handsome man's hand, and as he stares forward at this illusion, it begins to feel attainable, and like it's beckoning him to take the first step forward. And Buck, with his head still spinning from their first kiss, and his hand still gripping onto his, he reaches out.
Eddie breaks away from the family first, and his movement frees Buck. They've got identical smiles on their faces, just like the family versions of them did as well, and when Eddie takes the first step towards the entrance of the diner, he follows. Because the hand in his illusion sure looked a hell of a lot like Eddie's. And wherever he goes from here on out, Christopher included, he'll be sure to follow.
The diner is barely full, with the later lunch crowd already poured out and filling the outside benches surrounding the park. They're sat down at a table and asked what they'd like for dinner, while they're hands are still connected and holding on. The dinner is delicious and filled with shared laughter, with Eddie refusing to tell Buck how Howie truly got his nickname, no matter how many times he asks.
By the time they're given their check, their bellies are filled, their cheeks are sore, and their hearts are content. The only thing that's missing, is the finality of family. But as Buck stares and peers and wonders over the man in front of him, clutching onto his hand and taking in every single one of his features and the etches and lines that intertwine them, Eddie does the same.
As they walk out, the family is long gone, but hope for the future is renewed, with Christopher only a phone call away, and he cheers when Buck joins in on their conversation on the way back to his apartment. The ride is filled with amused mirth and laughter, talk about dinosaurs, and promises for them to all see each other again soon. And as Buck makes his way back into his apartment for the second time today, the sun is set, his lips are kissed a bruising red, his heart is full and content, and he's calm. His door shuts behind him and he leans against it, and in the near pitch black, he smiles, and then digs his phone out.
Maddie was right, he is going to thank them instead.