whenskiesaregray

Alina Starkov



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  1. Rec *

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    Summary

    “We should make it a road trip, Eddie! We never hang out anymore, Eddie! It’ll be so fun, Eddie!” Eddie mimics, his voice trailing as he disappears into the tiny bathroom connected to their Budget Queen motel room.

    “We’re not stranded,” Buck scoffs. “And you weren’t saying that when you were stuffing your face with the tamales that I found, or the cherry pie that I read about.”

     

    Or, there was only one bed. And a lot of bickering.

    Language:
    English
    Words:
    4,331
    Chapters:
    1/1
    Comments:
    127
    Kudos:
    3,722
    Bookmarks:
    491
    Hits:
    19,367

    09 Feb 2026

  2. Rec 80

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    “Good afternoon,” Buck says, projecting what he hopes to be effortless sincerity. “I’m here from the Neighborhood Financial Wellness Program. What’s your name?”

    She smiles, opening the door a little more. “Isabel Diaz.”

    “Wonderful! It’s so nice to meet you, Isabel. My name is—”

    This is the fatal moment he realizes he did not come up with a name prior to knocking. The second where his brain, empty as a hollowed gourd, reaches into the void for a convincing, respectable name.

    What emerges, thankfully, is actually pretty respectable. And convincing. One may even say strategic.

    “My name is Edmundo,” he says.

    Or,
    Buck scams abuela and Eddie falls in love with him over it.

    Language:
    English
    Words:
    16,412
    Chapters:
    1/1
    Collections:
    1
    Comments:
    44
    Kudos:
    429
    Bookmarks:
    80
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    3,733

    06 Jan 2026

  3. Rec *

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    Summary

    "Hello!" A voice calls up from below.

    Buck looks down the glass of his window. The entire fire department appears to be looking up at him. There are, notably, so many mustaches.

    “Hi!” Buck yells back, motioning at the giant ladder. “Everything okay?”

    “LAFD!” A voice calls back. “Just a practice exercise! No cause for alarm!”

     

    Or, hot firefighters keep parading past his window. What's Buck supposed to do but flirt?

    Series
    Language:
    English
    Words:
    2,738
    Chapters:
    1/1
    Comments:
    118
    Kudos:
    3,684
    Bookmarks:
    492
    Hits:
    16,431

    02 Nov 2025

  4. Rec *

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    Summary

    “You didn’t tell me your agent’s name was Dick,” Eddie says, halfway to a laugh.

    Buck tries to force a smile onto his face, but it won’t come. “Yeah, he didn’t mention that before. Apparently, that was info he only wanted to share with you.”

    “Oh, weird,” Eddie says, like it’s not worth thinking about. “Still funny, though.”

    “Hilarious,” Buck says as he pulls into the street and Eddie types in the next address.

    OR

    The problem isn't that Buck's real estate agent is into Eddie or that Eddie seems to like it; it's a matter of professionalism.

    Language:
    English
    Words:
    12,733
    Chapters:
    1/1
    Comments:
    137
    Kudos:
    2,653
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    550
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    23,226

    09 Sep 2025

    Bookmarker's Notes

    THIS WAS EVERYTHING

  5. Rec *

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    Summary

    “C'mere," Buck says, sitting up to scoot closer to Eddie.

    "What are you doing?” Eddie asks, and Buck sighs.

    "You can just kiss me, get a taste of the lip balm, and tell me what flavour you think it is.”

    Eddie can’t believe his ears.

    "That is such a stupid way to win a bet, Buck."

    “Oh so you concede?"

    Eddie rolls his eyes, shaking his head before planting both hands on the sides of Buck's face and hauling him in to press their lips together.

    OR

    Buck and Eddie make a bet on whether or not Eddie can guess all of Buck's lip balm flavours, and in order for Eddie to get a taste, they have to kiss.

    Language:
    English
    Words:
    14,103
    Chapters:
    1/1
    Comments:
    236
    Kudos:
    6,243
    Bookmarks:
    1,561
    Hits:
    48,753

    28 Aug 2025

    Bookmarker's Notes

    super cute and it didn’t make me cringe at all which is how you know it truly achieved tropey magic