Work Text:
“Good morning, Eddie,” Buck greets, having heard the kitchen door open behind him. He turns around to see Eddie with a confused look on his face.
“You’re back already?”
“Yeah, Chris wanted me to drop him off early,” he explains as he picks up the few dirty dishes that he has finished using and puts them into the sink. “Something about some club. He wasn’t exactly in a descriptive mood this morning.”
Turning on the tap, Buck lets the water run so it can turn to hot.
“Well, I’m glad I caught you again before I had to go then,” Eddie tells him with a soft smile, stepping over to dry off the dish that Buck just finished cleaning before putting it away.
Eddie has to fly out to El Paso today to hopefully finish selling the house he regrets buying in the first place. It’s been three months and so far he’s had no luck, but there seems to be a couple truly interested in it.
Buck is hoping for Eddie’s sake that this doesn’t fall through, because he knows how much it’s been stressing him out. Or how much he hates that Buck is paying all of their rent in this house so that he can afford the payments he still needs to make on the house in Texas.
The two of them finish washing the few dishes they had together before Buck turns towards Eddie, and says, “I know you won’t have time to eat right now, so I made you something to go.” He then picks up the container he set aside before Eddie walked in, and passes it to him.
“Seriously, Buck, I don’t know how I ever lived without you. Thank you,” Eddie appreciates. Buck then watches as Eddie opens his phone, seeing that the uber he ordered is a couple minutes away. “I’ve got to get going now.”
“You sure you don’t want a ride?” Buck asks, following Eddie towards his– or is it now their bedroom? They do share it now after all.
Eddie insisted Buck stays using the bed, considering he was the one actually paying the rent. Buck knew better than to argue, because he knew it wasn’t something he’d win. Eddie is a determined man. It only took three nights before Eddie came up to him complaining about how uncomfortable sleeping on the couch was, wondering how Buck dealt with it all those years.
Truth is, Eddie was worth the aches and pains. It never bothered him much because waking up in the Diaz household was way too worth it.
It was during that conversation that Buck just suggested sharing the bed. It didn’t have to be a thing if they didn’t want it to be. Just roommates needing a place to sleep. Perfectly normal.
“Buck, you have work,” Eddie argues, grabbing his bag, and starting to walk towards the door.
“Bobby would let me be late,” Buck tells him. It’s true, Bobby lets him get away with a lot. The benefits of being his pseudo son.
As they reach the entrance of their home, Eddie turns towards him as he pats his pockets to make sure he has everything he needs. Buck holds up his wallet that he noticed he had forgotten, and Eddie grabs it from him with a grateful smile.
“It’s all good, Buck. Have a safe shift, I’ll be back in a few, okay?”
Buck nods as he watches Eddie open the door. Turning back to him, Buck doesn’t have enough time to process what’s happening before he feels Eddie’s lips on his in a brief kiss.
“Take care, see ya, Buck.” Eddie then turns away, and closes the door.
Buck is grateful for that because he’s not sure that the frozen dumbfounded look he’s sporting is his best look. A look that’s written on his face because what the fuck?
Did Eddie just kiss me?
He’s honestly not sure how long he stands there staring at the closed door before he pulls himself together enough to step away.
Eddie just kissed him like it was the most normal thing in the world. Like it’s something they always do when they say goodbye.
It’s definitely not something they usually do. Or have ever done.
It’s fine though. Friends kiss sometimes. This doesn’t have to be a thing either. They’re just friends who share a bed, and apparently kiss each other goodbye on one singular occasion.
No big deal. Eddie doesn’t think it’s one, clearly, because if it was, he would have called in a panic to apologize by now, or ran back inside with a worried look on his face. But none of that happened. It isn’t a thing.
So, why can’t his brain stop turning it into one?
In a daze, Buck manages to get ready for work, and make his way to the station. The entire time, all he could think about was Eddie’s lips on his. The kiss lasted no more than a second. A quick peck. But to Buck, it feels like he’s been stuck in that moment since. He can still feel Eddie’s lips despite them waiting in an airport terminal right now.
On the bright side, Eddie said he liked the food he made him.
That’s all they talked about though. No mentions of any impromptu kisses, and if it wasn’t so seared into his mind, Buck would’ve thought he made the whole thing up.
He doesn’t tell anyone about it.
They’d probably ask him his thoughts on it, and his thoughts just consist of jumbled panicked thoughts, and thoughts trying to figure out why it’s such a thing to him. Eddie is his friend, and he’s kissed friends before, so why is this so different?
He doesn’t know, and he doesn’t want to explain that he doesn’t know, so the lips that now know the feel of Eddie’s stay zipped shut.
They called, they talked, and everything between them was normal. Almost like it never even happened. The sale for the house went through, and when Eddie came back, Buck baked him celebratory cupcakes.
Mornings are still the same over these next few weeks, both waking up next to each other, content and happy. Goodbye’s are the same too. No unexpected kisses. Really just no changes overall, except that now that Eddie doesn’t have to pay for the house in Texas, Buck knows his bank account is going to be happier than it has been in years.
That is if he can stop himself from spoiling the Diazes. Unlikely though.
“I think this is ridiculous,” Buck mutters with a pout. “I can still work.”
Yesterday, while out on a call, Buck fell and sprained his ankle. It’s not broken, so he doesn’t see why he can’t still go to work.
“Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should,” Eddie points out, placing an ice pack wrapped in a towel onto Buck’s ankle that’s propped up on a pillow on top of their coffee table. “Take it easy today, Buck.” Buck gives him an annoyed look. “I’m serious.”
“Fine,” Buck huffs out.
Truly, he hates the idea of sitting around all day doing nothing. He likes being busy.
It wouldn’t be so bad if Chris was home, but he’s at some camp this weekend that his school organized. So without someone to keep him entertained, he already knows that the boredom will drive him nuts.
“I’m going to head out now,” Eddie says, leaning down, giving Buck a quick kiss before heading towards the door. Before stepping outside, he adds, “Message me if you need anything.” Then he’s out, leaving a surprised Buck once again.
So maybe this is going to be a sort of regular thing? Maybe that’s okay, because truthfully, Buck misses having someone to kiss him goodbye. Why couldn’t it be Eddie? There’s no rulebook that says friends can’t kiss each other goodbye.
That doesn’t stop the spiraling thoughts in his head though.
As he’s reaching for the remote to turn something on to distract him, he hears his phone buzz. Picking it up, he sees a text from Eddie.
Eddie
Shit sorry Buck
Oh, so Eddie really didn’t mean to kiss him. Maybe last time he didn’t notice he did it? He sees the bubbles indicating that Eddie is typing something, but before he can finish the message, Buck sends a reply.
Buck
it’s all good eddie
Eddie
???
You don’t even know what I was apologizing for yet
I made you tea but I forgot it on the kitchen counter
Now Buck just feels like a fool. Patience and not jumping to conclusions is definitely a good idea that he should have followed. It’s not his forte though.
Buck
just figured i’d forgive whatever it was
i’ll just grab the tea myself
no biggie
Eddie
Just try to stay off the foot as much as you can today
I’ll have food delivered for lunch so you don’t have to worry about making something
Buck tries to argue that it’s unnecessary, but he gives in to Eddie too easily, and soon enough lunch rolls around and he’s greeted with a wrap and a smoothie from a restaurant nearby that he quite likes.
If you asked Buck, he’d say he was completely healed. Eddie on the other hand insisted he take one more day off just to be sure, and Maddie decided to take advantage of that. She needed someone to watch Jee because the Lee’s were sick, and she didn’t want to make them take care of a child at the same time. So, Buck it is.
Eddie deemed that fine, and Buck is just glad to be able to spend the day stuck in a different house. Don’t get him wrong, the Diaz house is his favorite of all time, but after eight days of hardly leaving the house, he could use new scenery. Which is why he insisted he watch her at their place instead of his.
Just as he was about to walk out the door, he hears Eddie call out, “You forgetting something?”
Giving him a confused look, Buck pats down his pockets, feeling his phone and wallet where they usually are. Did he promise he’d bring something over to Maddie’s and forget about it? Eddie gives him an amused look in return.
“No, I think I’ve got everything?” He claims, but it comes out as a question.
Eddie fondly rolls his eyes at him with a slight head shake.
“Okay, well bye then, Buck,” Eddie says, and suddenly a thought comes to Buck’s mind.
Does Eddie want a goodbye kiss? Surely that’s not what Eddie is expecting, right? But there’s this look in his eyes, and Buck can’t quite tell what it means, so he convinces himself that he’s not just making things up in his head. Besides, if it’s not what he wants, it’s fine, because if Eddie gets to kiss him, why can’t he kiss him too?
A little awkwardly, Buck walks closer to Eddie before leaning in to give him a quick kiss. Then, with a tilted head, he mutters, “Bye, Eddie?” Like he’s looking for Eddie to clue him in on whether or not that’s what he meant.
Immediately, Eddie breaks into a fit of laughter.
“No, idiot, I mean your keys,” he informs him, holding up Buck’s keys.
“Oh.” Buck is bright in the face, very embarrassed.
Eddie must sense that, because he leans in, giving Buck a quick kiss before saying his goodbyes, and walking him towards the door.
So Eddie was okay with him kissing him, and he kissed him back. So, basically, it’s totally fine to kiss him goodbye whenever he wants. They both seem fine with it after all. Friends who don’t kiss each other bye before going somewhere are really missing out, honestly, Buck thinks.
And if he rambles to Jee about kissing Eddie, and how happy he is to have someone to kiss, then that’s no one’s business but their own.
After that, the two of them fall into a habit of always kissing each other goodbye when they’re not going somewhere together and they’re alone. And if Buck sometimes finds an excuse to go somewhere on his own just to feel the press of Eddie’s lips on his, then that’s his own business.
It became such a habit that they didn’t really think about it anymore. Buck didn’t spiral about it like he had the first couple times. Instead it’s expected, and appreciated.
Problem is, that they really don’t think about it.
So one day when they’re at Bobby and Athena’s for their first barbeque at their new house, and Eddie offers to run out to buy a missing ingredient that Bobby swore he had, he didn’t think about it when he leaned down to where Buck was sitting. As usual, the kiss was brief, and Buck looked up at him with a smile.
“Be back in few,” Eddie told him before making his way out.
It took a few moments, but Buck eventually tuned into the looks he was receiving from the group of people he was sitting with. Which consisted of Maddie, Hen, Chimney, and Bobby.
“So, how long has that been going on for?” Maddie asks, sounding almost offended that she didn’t know about it already.
“Yeah, when exactly did you two get together?” Chimney asks, pulling out his phone. “Was it during the first week Eddie got back from Texas by chance?”
Buck looks at him confused. Why would that matter?
“Uh, n-no. I– We aren’t together,” he informs. “Eddie is straight, you know?”
The amount of them giving him incredulous looks is almost insulting. Why are they looking at him like he’s gone mad? It’s the truth.
“So you just kiss… platonically?” Hen asks, and Buck nods.
“Y-Yeah. Just, like, when we say bye when one of us is going somewhere,” he explains, but none of them seem to be getting it. “It just kinda happened. Don’t think it was intentional at first, but then it felt right so we just… continued.” He shrugs, taking a sip of his beer. “There’s nothing that says friends can’t kiss,” he adds when they all keep staring at him like he grew a second head.
“I can’t with you two.” He hears it muttered under someone’s breath, but it’s quiet enough that he didn’t quite catch who was the one to say it.
“Y’know what? Buck is right. If that’s a part of their friendship, who are we to judge? As long as you two are happy with it, then it doesn’t matter,” Bobby interjects, looking at Buck with a knowing look. A look that makes Buck think that he’s just saying this to get them off of his case, but he too believes it means something more.
He’ll take it though, because it worked, and the rest of them dropped it after that, despite the curious glint in their eyes.
And when Eddie comes back twenty minutes later, he pulls Buck to a quiet part of the house.
“Hey, sorry for kissing you in front of them,” he apologizes. “I didn’t think– It was just habit.”
“It’s all good, Eddie. I explained, and they totally don’t get it, but they don’t need to,” Buck assures. “It’s our thing, not theirs.”
The morning was nothing special, Buck made them all breakfast, and the three of them sat down to eat together before the rest of their day got started. Just like any other morning.
Today, Buck and Eddie have the day off. Buck didn’t have any plans, but Eddie had an appointment so Buck decided that he’d take Chris to the zoo for old times sake. Even if Chris insists he’s getting too old for the zoo. Buck, however, thinks that there is no such thing.
After the dishes are done and put away, Buck walks with Eddie to the door to say goodbye like usual. And as per usual, Eddie leans in to give Buck a kiss goodbye before making his way out the door.
The unusual part was the fact that Chris was witness to this.
“I’m not even going to ask,” Chris mutters under his breath. “I’m afraid you two are going to tell me that you kiss as friends , because if you finally got your shit together, you’d have already told me.”
The stunned expression on Buck’s face was wiped off when he realized that Chris swore. “Language, Chris!”
“I think the swear was justified,” Chris claims, getting up, and grabbing his jacket. “Let’s go.”
“Uh– Yeah, yeah.” Buck grabs his own jacket, putting it on, and once the two of them are ready, they make their way out the door.
“Buck,” Chris says, catching Buck’s attention from the seat to the left of Chris.
“Yeah?”
“It’s okay that you love my dad, you know? I’m okay with it,” he tells him.
“I-”
“He loves you too,” Chris tacks on.
There’s no reply from Buck, but he’s pretty sure that Chris wasn’t expecting one anyways. Buck does let those words run through his mind though, and what he finds is that, yeah, Chris is probably right. Eddie probably does love him, and he probably– definitely – loves Eddie.
Maybe everyone around him insinuating that he has feelings for Eddie has more traction than he was allowing himself to admit. Maybe he just needed to hear that he was allowed to love Eddie for it to really sink in. Even if it should have been incredibly obvious, with how he feels like Eddie is the light that brightens his world, and how he can never seem to stop thinking about kissing him.
Chris is in his room playing video games, and Buck is anxiously bouncing his left leg up and down as he waits for Eddie to come home. He’s currently out picking up dinner because he didn’t want to make Buck cook something after a long day out with Chris, and he didn’t feel like cooking himself.
Buck had offered to just pick something up on his way home, but no, Eddie had insisted that he was the one to get the food. Once again, Buck knew this was a losing fight, so he caved and let Eddie have his way.
The second the door swung open, Buck was getting up and making his way over to Eddie. Eddie gave him a warm smile.
“Hey, Buck I–”
But he was interrupted by Buck pulling him in for a kiss. Not the short usual pecks they’ve been giving each other, but a deep lingering one that Buck hoped conveyed the message he’s trying to send.
With his hands still full, Eddie pulls away for a brief moment, getting a small whine from Buck in return before he places the bags down on the floor before pulling Buck back in.
“God, Buck, I’ve been wanting to kiss you senseless for– Who knows, and who cares how long,” Eddie says breathlessly, just an inch or two away from Buck’s lips. “I was content with what we were doing, but this–” Eddie kissed him again. “This is what I’ve been wanting to do this whole time.”
“Then I hope you make up for all the time we’ve missed out on not kissing like this,” Buck replies, just as breathless as Eddie.
“Trust me, I will,” Eddie tells him before kissing him once more, then pulls away, earning a pout from Buck. Eddie grins at the response then says, “Let’s eat first. Before it gets cold.”
For dinner, Eddie had just gotten burgers. Nothing special on the surface level. But he got the burgers from Buck’s favorite burger restaurant, and because he knows that even though Buck loves their burgers, he hates their fries. So, what does Eddie do? Goes out of his way to a different restaurant, just to get their fries because Buck likes them better.
How did he ever think that this thing between them was anything but love?
Everything he does for Eddie, and everything Eddie does for him, is done out of pure love. They are each other’s person, and they are each other’s future. And Buck cannot wait to get to experience that with him.
After dinner, Eddie does keep his word, and spends the rest of their evening doing nothing but kissing Buck senseless. And Buck, doesn’t know how he ever managed to live without the feel of Eddie’s lips on his.