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It was getting close to seven pm and Eddie was driving over to Buck's place. That in itself definitely wouldn't be something out of the ordinary. However, what was out of the ordinary, was the message he got from Buck resulting in his visit. Christopher was at abuela's, he has been in a bad mood lately following the skateboard accident at school, quieter, dejected, which did not suit the joyful, bright little boy at all, and so abuela proposed teaching Christopher how to make enchiladas because the boy loved to help his bisabuela in the kitchen, and so Eddie said yes, of course he did. Which is why he was home alone sitting on the couch, not actually watching what was happening on the screen of the tv when he got the text from Buck.
Reaching his best friend's apartment, Eddie turns off the engine and takes his phone in his hand to reread Buck's message again.
(6:24 PM) Buck: Hey man, could you come over?
(6:24 PM) Buck: There is something I'd like to show you
(6:25 PM) Buck: If that's okay
See? Weird. The thing about him and Buck, is that since the very day they met, after Buck got over his little inferiority complex, that is, they were oddly comfortable in each others company. Normally, if Eddie comes over to Buck's place, or the other way around, it never starts with a direct invitation. It's always hey man, I just bought two packs of beer if you are in the mood for some or feel free to join in trying to contain an 8-year-old on a sugar high. The two of them always seem to be able to communicate without actually having to say what they want or need. Which is how Eddie found himself being introduced to Carla or Buck suddenly felt Eddie bumping his shoulder into his outside the operating room in the hospital, waiting for news about Chim after Maddie's kidnapping. That's just how they were, Eddie and Buck, Buck and Eddie, always knowing what the other needs and offering it without being asked. But, now? He has no idea why his best friend would ask him to come over like that, making it sound like Eddie was doing him a favor, sounding nervous of all things.
Eddie has an unsettling feeling in his stomach as he gets out of his car and starts walking towards the front door, which is something he doesn't usually feel while in the company of Buck, not counting the way his body lights up when the other man looks at him with his mouth pulled into a teasing grin or stands just a bit closer than necessary, which, yeah, let's just ignore that.
He knocks on the door and waits for a few minutes, getting nervous by the second. He is wiping his sweating hands into his pants when the door finally opens and his best friend's face appears.
"Hi." He says.
"Eddie, hey." Buck breaths out as he opens the door wider, Eddie can actually see the nervous lines around his eyes now, which does not help him at all in trying to slow down the beating of his heart.
The two of them stands around awkwardly for a few moments, then Buck steps aside to let him inside. "Right, come on in."
Eddie walks into the apartment and for the first time, he doesn't make himself at home. He could almost say nothing changed since the last time he was over, if not for the conspicuous cleanliness. Buck wasn't usually a messy person, so it's not like his place being clean was weird in itself, but somehow the apartment seemed almost too clean. Not a single plate in the sink, no book on the coffee table, even his best friend's shoes were in strict order. Something was definitely going on.
"So..." He heard the man in question say from behind him, and he turned around to see him wringing his hands. "I asked you to come over."
"You did."
"There is something I want to show you."
"So you've said..." Eddie said and it almost sounded like a question with the way his was getting more and more confused by Buck's behavior. "Is everything okay?"
"Yes!" The other man said a bit louder than necessary, startling both of them. "I mean, yes. Yeah. Everything is great. It's just... I called you here because I did something."
... What?
"Nothing bad!" Buck said instantly, clearly taking in the suspicous expression on Eddie's face. "I mean, I hope. I did something but not like, like something illegal."
Eddie snorted. "Buck, just tell me." He said fondly, because how could he not. Somehow seeing Buck this nervous and having trouble voicing what he wants to say calmed him.
"Okay, so... you know how after Christopher's skateboard accident, we talked about how you didn't know how to have that conversation with him?" And there went Eddie's calmness. "Like what to actually tell him if he asks why can't he go skateboarding?"
It was no secret how much pain it caused Eddie to say no to Christopher when it came to doing mundane things his classmates did on a daily basis without a trouble, to deny him anything at all. That kid deserved everything good in life and more.
"Yeah." Eddie answered tensely.
"Now, after that conversation, I started thinking." Buck said and started to walk towards the stairs, facing Eddie while walking backwards. Eddie walked after him. "And thinking turned into furious googling," Eddie snorted, because that's just so Buck. "-and I found this article about this 7-year-old boy, João Vicente, who has CP, just like Chris and he was able to skateboard thanks to these guys who make these awesome skateboards, modified ones, that allows disabled kids to experience what non-disabled kids can and just help them live a fuller life, you know." He said as he kept waving his hands around while explaining. "And I was thinking how Chris deserves this. He deserves to live life to the fullest, because he is amazing. He is so selfless and kind and smart and he has a heart of gold and he is the bravest person I've ever met. He- He deserves everything." Buck said softly as he looked up at him and by that point Eddie forgot how to breath. "Anyway, I contacted these two guys who developed these skateboards and asked them how long it would take for the skateboard to arrive." What? "And it arrived! Today!" Buck said excitedly and nervously at the same time as he turned around to motion his hands in a "ta-da" sort of way, revealing a skateboard equipped with frames and straps, trying to gauge Eddie's reaction.
... who was standing there frozen, unable to form any words, eyes burning, staring at his best friend and the modified skateboard. The skateboard that would allow his son to do something he never would have been able to otherwise. The one Buck got Christopher so he could experience what it was like to do the things he desperately wanted to with the other kids, so he would feel included and equal.
Before he even realised he had moved, Eddie was standing before Buck, reaching up to cradle his face in his hands and pulling him down, cutting off his stuttering. He distantly registered Buck taking in a startled breath and then he was closing the last bit of space between them, pressing his lips against Buck's. For a few seconds, that could have been minutes or even hours, everything was still and then Eddie started to move his lips gently over Buck's, pouring every single emotion into the action. Gratefulness, relief, joy, fondness, love.
And then Buck was kissing him back.
Their hands wandered, Buck's settling on his waist and squeezing, while one of Eddie's slowly sneaked its way into his best friend's hair, the other finding that secure place in the junction of Buck's neck and shoulder, thumb pressing into his pulse. They stayed like that as everything else faded into the background, the sound of the cars outside the window, the ticking of the clock on the wall, the distant sound of the water dripping from the tap.
They slowly pull away to take a breath, pressing their foreheads together. Eddie pulls back while not letting go of Buck, never letting go.
"You are something else entirely, you know that?" He says fondly, looking into his best friend's eyes, no doubt presenting a hopeless case of heart-eyes, but it doesn't matter because Buck's face is the perfect reflection of his, soft lines and full of warmth. The other man raises his hand up to Eddie's jaw, cradling it as he tenderly swipes his thumb across his best friend's chin.
"Stay over?" Buck whispers into the air between them, pulling him closer against his chest, making him chuckle.
"As if I'd ever leave." Eddie says fondly.
Buck leans in to run the tip of his nose over Eddie's chin, tickling him with his breath as he says, "We could pick up Chris from your abuela's place in the morning before work and take him to school, then we could take him skateboarding the day after."
Eddie pulls back to press his lips to his best friend's again, smiling as he whispers, "Can't wait."
They would have to talk about this, about what they were to each other, but for now, it could wait. They already knew everything that mattered.