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In the end, Eddie decides not to move to Texas. Not permanently, at least. He starts with a one-month rental, hoping it’s enough time to convince Christopher to come home.
Buck
Buck is a mess. The first shift without Eddie feels off. He keeps making careless mistakes, expecting Eddie’s temp to be Eddie, to anticipate his every move like always.
By hour ten of a twenty-four, Bobby designates Buck as the man behind. Honestly, it’s for the best. Buck’s too distracted to work, and he doesn’t want to jeopardize his job—not over this.
This being: Eddie leaving. Just like everyone else in Buck’s life has, at one point or another.
Daniel. Not that he blames his older brother for getting cancer and dying, but still, it left him alone.
His parents, who pulled away during his entire childhood. They couldn’t save their oldest son, and looking at Buck was just a reminder of that.
Maddie, when she married Doug. Again, he doesn’t blame her for wanting to escape their parents, but it still felt like she was leaving him too.
Abby. She left for Europe with promises to come back. And she did, eventually—but with a fiancé and two stepdaughters.
Ali. After the truck bombing, she made it clear she couldn’t handle the stress of his job. She made it seem like her love for him came with conditions: he’d have to give up being a firefighter for her to stay.
Eddie. He’d tried to leave him, twice. Neither was Eddie’s fault, sure—once he was trapped in a well, the other time he got shot. But still, both times had left Buck holding his breath, terrified of being left behind again.
And then Eddie did leave. He left the 118, for Christopher. And Buck couldn’t blame him for that either, not after the hostage situation that made Chris terrified Christmas might be their last together.
Taylor left too. She stayed after Buck’s kiss with Lucy but left for an opportunity to boost her career. Sure, Buck broke up with her first, but her actions had led them there. She was already halfway out the door.
Hell, Buck had even left himself once.
And then there was Natalia. But that was just a regular breakup—no trauma there.
Bobby tried to leave. He did leave—for fourteen minutes. Then he quit, leaving them to deal with Gerrard for a while.
Christopher—the closest thing Buck has to a son—left, too. He went to live with his grandparents for a while. And that? That had fucking sucked.
And Tommy. Fucking Tommy. Mr. “I’m not your last, I’m your first.” Who gets into a relationship knowing it’s doomed? What kind of cold-hearted bastard strings someone along for six months, only to break up when things start getting serious?
All of it hurt. Every single one. But at least for most of those losses, Buck had Eddie to lean on.
Who the hell is he supposed to lean on now, when his best friend is 803.4 miles away with nothing but a vague promise to come back?
And what the hell does eventually even mean?
Chimney
“Hey, Maddie, you think Buck’s down to babysit tonight?” Chim calls out as he steps into the house, not expecting to find his brother-in-law already sprawled on the couch, a bowl of popcorn in hand.
“You’re not Maddie,” Chim notes, blinking at the scene.
“Uh, no. Maddie went to the grocery store,” Buck replies, popping a handful of popcorn into his mouth and turning the TV volume up a notch. “But yeah, I can watch Jee tonight. She’s napping right now.”
Chim squints at the screen. “Are you watching 90 Day Fiancé?”
“Uh, yeah,” Buck says, turning to face him. “Eddie and I watch it together. But, you know… he’s not here. So we’re still kinda watching it together—I’m just texting him about it as it happens. But I can turn it off, tell him we’ll watch it later if—”
Chim holds up a hand. What’s he supposed to say to that? Telling Buck to turn it off feels like kicking a puppy that’s already limping. Chim can’t handle sad, and Buck right now is practically oozing it.
“Ah, no. Go ahead and watch,” Chim says, grabbing his work bag. “Since you’re here, you mind listening for Jee while I grab a shower?”
Buck nods, eyes already back on the TV, chuckling at something on his phone.
As Chim retreats to his room, he pulls out his phone to text Maddie.
Chimney: Your brother is sad on my couch.
Maddie: Our couch. And yes, I know.
Maddie: He came over right after work. Played with Jee for a while and then started watching a romcom.
Chimney: Well, now he’s watching 90 Day Fiancé and pouting about Eddie.
Maddie: He’s not hurting anything. Just let him. Plus, free babysitting. What’s the harm in him being around more until Eddie comes back?
The harm, Chim thinks, is that for the past few days, he’s been dealing with a sad, clingy Buckley.
At first, it was just dinner visits, with Buck cooking for them. But then Buck started crashing on the couch, sticking around for breakfast, and waking Chim up half an hour before his alarm.
Then came the “projects.” Chim and Maddie tried to have alone time while Jee was at daycare, only to find Buck in the kitchen reorganizing their plastic containers. And the cabinets. And the fridge.
He even regrouted their backsplash.
“I’m telling you, Hen,” Chim vents later during a call, sitting in the ambulance. “I’m starting to see those baby blues in my nightmares.”
Hen laughs. “I don’t think we realized how much time Buck and Eddie spent together outside of work until Eddie wasn’t here. Honestly, no wonder none of their relationships worked. When did they even have time for their partners?”
Hen’s phone buzzes. She glances down and smirks. “Speak of the devil.”
“What now?”
“Buck wants to take all the kids to see the new Moana movie.”
Chim groans. “I am not sitting through another Disney movie.”
Hen snorts. “No, no. He says, ‘Hey, I was thinking of taking Jee to see the new Moana movie. Wanted to see if Denny and Mara wanted to tag along. My treat.’ He’s offering to take all three of them. By himself.”
Hen turns to Chim, her smile fading. “He knows Eddie’s coming back, right?”
Chim shrugs. “I don’t know. Remember when he was convinced Abby was coming back? And we all saw how that turned out.”
“Yeah, but Abby was his first real relationship. He was in love with her,” Hen says as she types a response to Buck. Then her fingers freeze, her eyes narrowing in thought. “Wait. Holy crap. Do you think Buck is in love with Eddie?”
Chim parks the ambulance in the bay, letting out a long sigh. “Maddie seems to think so.”
“And what do you think?”
“I think if he is, he doesn’t realize it yet.”
Hen leans back, arms crossed. “It would explain a lot.”
Chim climbs out of the cab, slamming the door shut. “Yeah, and I just hope Diaz hurries up and gets back before I have to get involved.”
Hen laughs as she follows him toward the locker room. “What are you gonna do, threaten to drive to Texas and drag him back?”
“Don’t tempt me,” Chim mutters, already considering how he might speed things along.
Eddie
“Edmundo, you have done nothing but look at your phone or pout the whole time you’ve been here,” Abuela scolded, smacking a fly swatter down on the table in front of him, making Eddie jump.
“Lo siento, Abuela. Buck just sent me a picture of him at the movies with my coworkers’ kids.” Eddie flips his phone around to show her the selfie: Buck and Denny sitting on the ends with Mara and Jee-Yun in between, all of them with popcorn and candy in their laps. “He said, ‘Wish you and Chris were here.’”
“I wasn’t aware that Buck had started a babysitting service,” Abuela joked.
Eddie chuckled weakly. “I think he just has a lot of free time now. He’s trying to fill it.” He locked his phone and sighed.
“So, are you making any progress with Christopher?” Abuela asked, setting a plate of food down in front of him.
Eddie looked past her, out the window. “We talked for a while today. I told him I’m giving him a month. One way or another, he’s coming home to California. It’s just up to him whether he chooses to or if I have to force him. I really hope he doesn’t make me force him.”
“You are his father, Edmundo. Personally, I think you’ve been too lenient. Gentle parenting is one thing, but letting your child walk all over you is another.”
Eddie frowned, mid-bite. “You think I’m letting Chris walk all over me?”
“Not necessarily,” she said, sitting down across from him, “but if you keep letting him behave this way without consequences, that’s where you’re headed.”
Eddie nodded, taking another bite. “I’m still giving him until the end of the month. December 1st, we’re out of here.”
His phone vibrated beside him. He reached for it quickly, half-hoping it was Buck.
Adriana: Drinks tonight with me and Sof. Not taking no for an answer.
Eddie: I’m not in the mood, Adri.
Adriana: Tough. You’re coming. We have much to talk about.
Which is how Eddie found himself walking into a crowded bar, spotting both of his sisters waving him over to a booth.
“Elmo! You made it!” Sophia said, jumping up to hug him.
“And I’m leaving,” Eddie groaned, trying to pull away.
“Nope. Sit,” Adriana commanded, grabbing his arm and yanking him into the booth.
“We ordered an appetizer sampler. Should be here soon,” Sophia said, sipping her very blue drink.
“When did you get old enough to drink in public?” Eddie asked, grabbing the tablet on the table to order a beer.
“Last year, Edwards Cullen. Keep up.”
Eddie groaned at the nickname, having avoided them for years except for the occasional phone call.
The appetizers and his beer arrived at the same time. Eddie nearly chugged his drink in one go.
“That bad, huh?” Adriana asked, dunking an onion ring into ranch.
“He’s probably just missing California,” Sophia chimed in. “I know I would. One more year, and I’m out of here.”
“Still looking at San Diego?” Eddie asked, grabbing a fried pickle.
“I don’t know. I might have to come to LA to keep you in line,” she teased, reaching for the tablet again. “You need something stronger than beer.”
Eddie didn’t bother arguing. She’d order it anyway.
By drink three, Eddie was slouched against the booth, definitely feeling it.
“I’m just saying… she looked exactly like Shannon,” he mumbled. “I just wanted closure.”
“Sure, sure,” Adriana said, rubbing his back.
“I wanted to move on, but instead, my whole life blew up.”
When Eddie got drunk, it was a fine line between ready-to-party and emotional rollercoaster. He’d clearly crossed it.
“We need more fries,” he muttered.
Sophia quickly ordered more food. “So, Chris left, and Buck has this stupid, ugly boyfriend—”
“Buck? Like the Buck? He’s gay?” Adriana asked, eyes wide.
“Bisexual,” Eddie corrected before continuing. “And his stupid, ugly boyfriend was around all the time, so I grew a mustache.”
Adriana and Sophia exchanged a glance, but Eddie was too far gone to notice.
“Mundito,” Adriana said carefully, “what does your best friend’s boyfriend being ugly have to do with you growing a mustache?”
“He wasn’t treating Buck right,” Eddie said, words slurring slightly. “And it made me realize no one will ever treat Buck the way he deserves. Except me. So I had to hide my feelings somehow. The mustache… it’s against LAFD regulations to have a beard.”
One of his sisters giggled, but Eddie kept rambling.
“And then they broke up, and Buck started baking. Cookies, cakes, pies… loaves. And he’d wrap them in these little baggies with bows. And I just…”
He trailed off, confused. What was the question again?
“I think I’m in love with him,” he admitted finally, slumping back. “But he’s never shown interest in me, so it’ll never work.”
“Have you told him you’re an option, Eddiebear?” Sophia asked.
Eddie shook his head, pouting.
“Have you even told him you’re gay?” Adriana pressed.
“I’m not gay. I just love Buck,” Eddie said, reaching for a buffalo wing.
Sophia giggled again. “So, let me get this straight—you’re in love with your best friend, but you’re sad because he hasn’t shown interest… even though he doesn’t know he’s allowed to show interest?”
Before Eddie could respond, his phone buzzed. He squinted at the screen: Chimney. Weird.
“Hey, Chim. How’s my favorite paramedic?” Eddie giggled into the phone.
“Eddie, you need to come home. Something’s happened.”
Chimney
“Okay, I’ve officially had it. I cannot take one more second of The Great Buckley Bake Off!” Chim muttered as he circled the ambulance with a bucket, following Hen as they washed it after slogging through a muddy field on a call.
“Chimney, it’s been 13 days. Buck is lonely. His boyfriend, no matter how terrible he was, just broke up with him. Then his best friend up and left the state. You know how Buck gets with major change. Cut him some slack,” Hen said, rinsing off the side of the vehicle.
“Thirteen days, Hen. I haven’t had my wife to myself in thirteen days! A man can only take so much!” Chim threw his hands in the air dramatically.
“Howard Han, I cannot believe you right now!” Hen scoffed, grabbing a wet rag and hurling it at him.
“A man has needs, Hen,” Chim said, catching the rag and tossing it into the bucket. “And right now, my need is to spend some alone time with my wife before I’ve got two kids running around!”
Hen rolled her eyes. “Whatever you’re planning, I want nothing to do with it.”
She turned and walked away, shaking her head. Chim watched her go, muttering under his breath, “You’ll thank me later,” before pulling out his phone.
It started with a few quick calls, setting a plan in motion to bring Eddie back to LA faster. Chim figured it’d be simple. A nudge here, a well-placed suggestion there. Nothing too dramatic.
Only, his foolproof plan hit a snag when the weather decided to turn.
It started with a drizzle. Then a steady downpour. And before Chim could make it to his car, he was standing in the middle of the lot, drenched, wondering why nothing could ever just go smoothly.
Buck
If the constant dull ache in his chest weren’t bad enough, the rain had to join the party, making his leg throb in protest. Buck was having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. To say the least.
“Alright, Buck, get harnessed up. You’re going over,” Bobby called.
Normally, Buck would leap at the chance for a rope rescue. Adrenaline, precision, and purpose—it was his thing. Today, though? Today, he kind of just wanted to leap.
“Copy that, Cap,” Buck said, forcing enthusiasm into his tone that he didn’t feel.
The temp for the day—Johnson, or maybe it was Jackson—stepped up to help him into the harness.
“All good, Buckley,” Johnson/Jackson said, giving the straps an extra tug.
This is wrong. All wrong. Eddie should be the one double-checking his straps.
Pushing the thought aside, Buck adjusted the harness himself and began his descent down the cliff. The car below teetered precariously on the edge, rain streaming off its dented hood. He reached it quickly, water pooling under his boots as he braced himself on the slick ground.
“Wow,” the driver said, a nervous laugh escaping his lips. “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.”
“Hey, I’m Buck. What’s your name?”
“Spencer,” the guy replied shakily. He couldn’t have been older than 25.
“Alright, Spencer,” Buck said, keeping his voice calm. “Let’s get you out of here.”
“Yeah, yeah, I like that idea,” Spencer said, his laugh sounding so much like Eddie’s that Buck faltered.
Focus.
“Okay. Are your legs pinned? Anything stuck?”
Spencer shook his head, his eyes darting nervously to the edge of the cliff.
“Good. Here’s what we’re going to do.” Buck pulled out the rescue harness. “I’m going to get this around you and pull you out of the car. Then my team up there will haul us both to safety. Sound good?”
“This is all wrong,” echoed in his head as he leaned forward to secure Spencer.
The sound of a snapping cord was the only warning before Buck was falling.
The world spun. Rocks. Pain. Impact.
Then, stillness.
“Buck! Buck, do you copy?” Bobby’s voice cracked over the radio.
Copy, Cap.
Only…he hadn’t said it out loud.
“Buck!” Bobby called again, panic sharpening his tone.
“Yeah?” Buck finally rasped, blinking up at the gray sky. Rain splattered his face. “Yeah, I copy.”
“How you doing, kid?”
Buck touched his forehead, his fingers coming away slick with blood. The metallic tang filled his mouth.
“I hit my head,” he admitted. “Bleeding. Breathing’s…hard.”
“Okay, just hold tight,” Bobby said. “We’re calling for backup. We’ll get you out.”
“Spencer?” Buck croaked.
“You worry about you,” Bobby ordered firmly. “We’ll handle Spencer.”
Buck nodded, even though no one could see him. The rain was relentless, soaking through his clothes. He wished—for the billionth time in thirteen days—that Eddie were here.
“I’m getting…cold,” Buck murmured into the radio, his teeth chattering. “And tired.”
“No, Buckaroo,” came Athena’s voice, calm and steady. “You don’t get to go to sleep, not yet.”
“’Kay, ’Thena,” Buck sighed, fighting the heaviness pulling at him. “Is Eddie coming to get me?”
The silence on the line was deafening.
“Oh,” Buck whispered, a broken sort of realization settling in. “Never mind. Forgot for a second.”
“That’s okay, Buck,” Athena said gently. “We’re sending Chim down. Just hang on, alright?”
The last thing Buck saw before darkness claimed him was Chimney descending toward him, rain streaking his face as he called Buck’s name.
Eddie
Eddie stood outside his parents’ front door, the cool night air doing little to steady the storm raging inside him. Chimney’s voice still echoed in his head: “There was an accident at work, Eddie. It’s bad.”
His heart raced as he knocked, not even caring how loud it sounded in the quiet Texas neighborhood.
His mom opened the door, her brows furrowed in confusion. “Eddie? It’s late. What are you doing here?”
“I’m getting Christopher,” he said, brushing past her into the house. “We’re leaving.”
“What? Eddie, it’s the middle of the night!” She hurried after him, her voice rising with concern. “Surely this can wait until morning.”
“No, it can’t,” he snapped, his tone leaving no room for argument. “I already bought the tickets. You can ship his stuff back to LA.”
His hand was on the door to Christopher’s room when his mother grabbed his arm.
“You promised him a month. What’s the rush?” she demanded, her eyes searching his face.
Eddie froze, the weight of her question pressing down on him. He clenched his jaw and swallowed hard before replying, his voice tight.
“Something happened at home. I don’t have time to wait for him to decide anymore. I’m his father, and he’s coming home with me. Now.”
He yanked his arm free and opened the door to Christopher’s room. The sight of his son, peacefully sleeping, nearly broke him.
Eddie walked over, kneeling beside the bed and shaking Christopher gently. “Mijo, wake up.”
Chris stirred, rubbing his eyes. “Dad? What’s going on?”
“I need you to get ready, okay? We’re going home. Right now.” Eddie’s voice was rushed, his hands trembling as he grabbed a book bag and began stuffing clothes into it.
“Now?” Christopher sat up, blinking in confusion. “It’s the middle of the night. Can’t we do this in the morning? I…I was going to tell you I was ready to come home anyway.”
Eddie stopped mid-motion, the clothes slipping from his hands. He turned to look at Christopher, his heart aching.
“You…you were?” he asked, his voice cracking.
Christopher nodded, offering a sleepy smile. “Yeah. Three months was long enough. I miss home too.”
Eddie swallowed the lump in his throat and tried to smile back, but the weight of Chimney’s call crushed any relief. He sat down on the edge of the bed, his hands trembling as he reached for Christopher’s.
“Mijo,” Eddie started, his voice barely above a whisper, “we can’t wait until morning.”
“Why not?” Christopher asked, concern creeping into his tone.
“There…” Eddie’s voice broke, and he had to take a deep breath before continuing. “There was an accident.”
Christopher’s face fell. “What kind of accident?”
Eddie shook his head, unable to form the words. Instead, he squeezed Christopher’s hand and whispered, “Please, just get ready.”
Christopher didn’t argue. He simply nodded. “Okay.”
By the time they landed in LA, dawn was breaking. Eddie felt like he was moving through molasses, his movements slow and disjointed as if his body didn’t trust him to function. They arrived at the hospital just after 6 a.m., Eddie practically dragging Christopher through the doors.
He approached the front desk, his voice urgent and strained. “Excuse me, can you tell me what room Evan Buckley is in? I should be on his contact list. Edmundo Diaz.”
The nurse behind the desk frowned, typing something into her computer. Eddie held his breath, praying for her to look up and give him good news. But when she finally met his gaze, her eyes were filled with regret.
“I’m so sorry, Mr. Diaz,” she said softly. “You’re too late.”
The world stopped.
“No,” Eddie whispered, shaking his head as the words sunk in. “No. That’s not—he can’t be—”
He didn’t finish the sentence. His knees buckled, and the next thing he knew, he was collapsing onto the cold hospital floor.
“Dad!” Christopher cried, his small hands grabbing at Eddie’s arms, trying to pull him back up.
But Eddie couldn’t move. His chest felt like it was caving in, his lungs refusing to take in air. The grief tore through him, raw and merciless, leaving him gasping like a drowning man.
This couldn’t be real. It couldn’t end like this.
Not Buck. Not his Buck.
He had so much left to say. So much left to do. And now it was too late.
Buck
“Okay. Easy, easy,” Bobby said, guiding Buck gently to the couch.
“Thanks,” Buck mumbled, fluffing the pillow behind his head as Bobby grabbed another to prop up his broken leg.
In hindsight, Buck knew he should be grateful. A broken leg and a concussion? It could have been so much worse. But the heaviness in his chest refused to lift, and the ache of missing Eddie only made everything harder.
“All right,” Bobby said, straightening. “I’ll get started on dinner. Any requests?”
Buck shook his head, groaning softly as he shifted uncomfortably. “No, I’m good.” He hesitated before mumbling, “Hey, did anyone call Eddie? I would, but, you know… doctor’s orders.” He motioned vaguely toward his phone on the counter.
“I was just about to—” Bobby’s phone rang, cutting him off. He pulled it out of his pocket, his expression unreadable. “Hello? Yes, this is he.”
Buck squinted at Bobby, who suddenly looked far too serious. “I see. I’ll send someone right over. I’d come myself, but… ha, yeah. They should really name a ward after us at this point. Thank you.”
Bobby hung up, his face composed, but Buck didn’t miss the quick glance in his direction before he started texting.
“What was that about?” Buck asked.
“Hmm? Oh, nothing. Do you have breadcrumbs? I’m thinking meatloaf,” Bobby replied, turning to rummage through the kitchen cabinets.
“Bobby,” Buck said firmly. “That phone call. What’s going on?”
“Nothing, Buck.” Bobby avoided eye contact, pulling on one of Buck’s aprons. “You’re out of breadcrumbs, by the way.”
Buck doesn’t press further and about thirty minutes later there was a knock at the door. Moments later, he heard the shuffle of multiple footsteps entering.
“Buck!”
The voice—a familiar, shaky, beloved voice—cut through the fog in Buck’s mind. Eddie was running toward him, tears streaming down his face. Before Buck could process what was happening, Eddie dropped to his knees in front of him and pulled him into a crushing hug, sobbing against his neck.
“Oh my God, you’re okay,” Eddie choked out, his voice breaking.
“Eddie?” Buck whispered, stunned. His gaze darted up, landing on Chimney and Christopher hovering nearby. Christopher’s red, puffy eyes made Buck’s chest tighten.
“Christopher, hey. I missed you, kid,” Buck said, his voice soft and full of concern.
“I missed you too, Buck,” Christopher murmured, his voice trembling. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
“Why—why are you here?” Buck asked, his hand instinctively rubbing soothing circles on Eddie’s back as he tried to make sense of the moment. “Not that I mind. Not one bit.”’
“That would be me,” Chimney admitted, scratching the back of his neck. “I, uh… might’ve exaggerated a little when I told Eddie what happened.”
“Chimney!” Buck’s voice rose, his frustration bubbling to the surface. “What did you do?”
Chimney and Eddie both started talking at once, their voices blending into a chaotic jumble that Buck struggled to follow through the haze of his concussion.
“Howard Han,” Buck finally interrupted, glaring at Chimney. “Just you wait until I tell Maddie about this.”
Chimney threw up his hands in mock surrender. “All I’m saying is, the happy family is back together, so maybe you should be thanking me.”
“We were coming back in a few days anyway,” Christopher piped up from his seat.
“You—you were?” Buck asked, turning to look at Eddie, hope flickering in his eyes.
“Of course,” Eddie said, finally pulling away enough to sit properly on the couch. “My plan was always to stay in Texas for a month and then bring Chris home, even if he wasn’t ready.”
“But I was,” Christopher added. “I didn’t want to stay as long as I did. I guess I was just being stubborn.”
Buck’s gaze shifted between them, his heart swelling and breaking all at once. “Why didn’t you tell me you were planning to come back?” he asked Eddie, his voice raw.
Eddie sighed, guilt flashing across his face. “I thought I did. I asked you to watch my house while I was gone.”
“That doesn’t mean the same thing,” Buck said, his voice cracking. “I’ve been walking around like a zombie, thinking I lost you for good. Thinking that you were just like everyone else I’ve the loved, tired and ready to leave me. And the whole time, you were planning to come back?”
Eddie stared at him, his vulnerability laid bare. “Another person you love?” he asked softly.
Buck exhaled shakily, his eyes locking onto Eddie’s. “You’ve got to know by now, Eddie. I haven’t exactly been subtle. I am so in love with you. Not seeing you for two weeks nearly killed me.”
“Well, technically, that was the rain and the cliff—” Chimney started, but Buck shot him a glare.
“Why are you still here?” Buck growled.
Chimney held up his hands and backed toward the door. “Fine, fine. I’ll go. But don’t forget to thank me at the wedding!”
Buck rolled his eyes before turning back to Eddie, who was looking at him with wide, tear-filled eyes.
“Hey Chris,” Bobby says. “Why don’t you come help me in the kitchen?”
Chris nods and stands up, following behind Bobby.
“You love me?” Eddie asked again, his voice barely above a whisper.
Buck reached out, cupping Eddie’s face. “I love you so much. And even though we talked almost every day, it wasn’t enough. I almost came to Texas to drag you back, but I knew you needed time. So I kept busy—Maddie, Jee, anything to stop myself. But I missed you every second you were gone.”
Eddie’s hand came up to rest over Buck’s, his own eyes brimming with tears. “I love you too,” he said, his voice breaking. “Fifteen days away from you, and I couldn’t breathe. Everything felt wrong. Every moment, every memory, it felt incomplete because you weren’t there. I’m done pretending I can function without you, Buck. I’m not going anywhere again. Not without you.”
Buck sobbed, leaning forward to wrap his arms around Eddie, holding him tightly. “Promise me,” he whispered. “Don’t ever leave me again.”
“I promise, Evan,” Eddie murmured, pressing his forehead to Buck’s. “I’m not going anywhere. Not ever.”
The charged air between them pulled tighter until Eddie closed the gap, his lips meeting Buck’s in a kiss that was soft, warm, and everything Buck had ever dreamed of.
Kissing Eddie felt like home. Like safety. Like love. It was everything Buck had ever wanted and more.
And as Eddie pulled back, smiling softly with tears still shining in his eyes, Buck realized something else: this was just the beginning.