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In their field of work, it was not an uncommon sight to find one of your teammates hunched in some corner trying to get their emotions under control or simply crying. It was a sight they were used to…It was an emotion they were used to…It was the crying they were used to. Having been at death’s door or seeing someone you considered and loved like a family so close to death made you well acquainted with crying.
So it wasn't the crying that was unusual, it was what happened after the crying or what had been happening for the past few weeks.
1
The first time it happened Hen had been the one to witness it front row. Buck was on his toes the whole time they were trying to evacuate the school after a fire alarm had gone off near the science lab. The whole team was on edge but Buck in particular was feeling all out of sorts.
It might have been because he had been on shift for more than 48 hours. Despite Bobby’s warning he’d refused to go back seeing they were already short-handed because of the viral infection that had half of the team stuck to their beds.
Buck hadn’t gone back. He was stumbling and staggering feeling exhausted out of his mind and Hen could see him faltering and blinking the daze away but he’d been determined and they were thankful because they really needed all the help they could get. She caught Bobby’s gaze that was fixed on Buck as well before he quickly masked his concern with the sternness that made people listen to him. He turned back to the scene, continuing to bark orders into the comms.
Hen found herself turning back to the task on hand as well. She kept stealing glances in Buck’s direction or what she caught of Buck as he sprinted in and out guiding kids and teachers out of the school. He looked okay for the most part and that eased some of the tension in her shoulder. If it got out of hand, she wouldn’t hesitate to pull him out.
That had been her intention except Buck never once made it look like he was struggling, the only sign that he wasn’t feeling good was the frown between his brows that would melt away as soon as he caught someone’s eyes, specifically one brunette's eyes.
Eddie, like the rest of them, was keeping an eye on him amidst slightly contained chaos. Hen caught him patting Buck’s shoulder more than usual. She also saw him catch Buck’s elbow when he stumbled for the third time. So there really was nothing to worry about. Buck just needed some sleep and he’d be back to the golden retriever puppy bounding around the firehouse.
Once they pulled the last of the students out of the building and Bobby gave an all clear, Hen found herself moving before anyone could stop her. She needed to see Buck. She knew he absolutely hated being coddled on the job so she’d just look and not bug him if he didn't need her assistance.
She shouldn't have bothered. She was not saying that out of spite but out of fondness. Buck was sitting on a bench and Eddie stood in front of him, a firm hand on Buck’s shoulder. Hen could barely see Buck with Eddie slightly bent over him, talking quietly to the youngest of them, who was looking up at him.
She turned around but froze when she heard a choked up cry that was instantly muffled before she could fully process what the sound could have been. She turned back and almost, almost, melted at the sight.
Eddie had engulfed Buck in a protective embrace, one hand running up and down his back while the other idly patted his head like Buck was a kicked puppy, he looked like one as he pushed closer, head tucked against Eddie’s stomach, arms tightly wound around his waist, mumbling something in-between sniffles and shudders.
She couldn't contain her smile as she looked at them with so much fondness that was usually only reserved for her wife and kids. They looked a bit too cozy for even their standard of weird friendship but then she looked at Eddie and her eyes slightly widened.
The soft smile that Eddie was trying to hold back as he looked down at Buck, hand now resting on the side of Buck’s neck, was anything but friendly.
He looked like a lovesick fool.
“Come on, Buck. Please don’t cry,” Eddie’s voice was teetering between fondness and amusement as he continued to look at Buck like he was something precious.
Buck wasn't seeing it as he continued to hide, face pressed against Eddie’s stomach, his own fingers clenched tightly around Eddie’s turnouts.
When Hen’s gaze drifted back up to Eddie, she held back a gasp as their eyes met. Eddie was now looking at her but not for a second did he falter, not once did he loosened the hold on Buck. Hen found herself nodding unprompted to which Eddie smiled before turning back, eyes growing impossibly soft as he hunched over some more to whisper something in Buck’s ear. Buck giggled, honest to God, giggled and that was her cue to leave so that’s exactly what she did.
Hen walked away with a small smile plastered on her face as well. She caught Bobby rushing in her direction looking a little frantic.
“Where’s Buck?” Bobby asked, looking around with a furrowed brow.
It should have been concerning that Bobby didn't ask about Eddie but they all knew each other’s limits and Eddie was good at managing himself, Buck on the other hand–well–not so much. She held back a giggle of her own and got in front of him as he moved to continue his search.
“He’s fine, Bobby.”
“How do you know that? Kid was barely standing on his two feet last I saw him,” he reprimanded, eyes stern and all captain-y.
“Eddie’s got him,” She said, as-a-matter-of-fact voice high and showing.
She saw him visibly relax as he nodded, tried to catch a glimpse, failed, sighed and turned to walk back to the rig. Eddie and Buck deserved the two minutes they waited for them by the rig.
As soon as they got back in, Buck put his head on Eddie’s shoulder and dozed off, not even bothering to spout any science facts or some weird lab-related experiment a normal person should have no knowledge of. Eddie didn't look at him, his eyes were fixed on Hen, a look of contemplation and amusement mirroring hers from before. She simply shrugged, smiled and busied herself by messing with Chim, ever the clueless one.
Hen did take a picture of Buck and Eddie before waking them up once they reached the firehouse. How could she not? What with Buck’s head resting so comfortably on Eddie’s shoulder and Eddie’s face resting so softly atop Buck’s head, both sleeping so peacefully.
2
Something was going on with Buck and Chim needed to find it. His nosiness–um–worry for Buck wouldn’t let him sit if he didn’t. Whatever it was, Eddie knew and wasn't that something. Why would Buck trust Eddie more than him? They’d known each other longer.
Chim scoffed at his own reasoning. He wasn't the one who had to wheel a dying Eddie with a bullet hole in his chest through a hospital door. He wasn’t the one who felt Buck’s ribs crack under his hands as he tried to bring him back to life. So, yeah he got it why it was Eddie for Buck and Buck for Eddie.
But this was different. Buck spent all of his free time looking at his phone with a permanent frown etched between his brows so it definitely had something to do with a third party.
So, no trouble in heaven? He wondered, eyes traveling from Buck who was sitting on one end of the couch, eyes trained on his phone looking impatient as ever to Eddie on the other side of the couch, head ducked between pages of a thick paperback, feet resting in Buck’s lap.
They looked tranquil. In a world of their own where nobody else existed until they were pulled out of each other’s orbit. They looked so comfortable that for a second Chim felt embarrassed for staring and almost gave up on the idea but then Buck heaved a sigh, a mixture of annoyance, anger and sadness and Chim was laser focused on them once again.
Eddie peaked from behind the book, made a face that was so close to the one he makes when he’s about to be the biggest bitch in the room, took a calming breath, sat up straight and put a hand on Buck’s shoulder. Buck seemed to relax under his touch and turned his pout™ and puppy eyes™ on Eddie who looked up at the ceiling as if trying to reach a higher being he had no belief in.
From where he was sitting, he couldn't really listen to what they were talking about but Buck looked sad and annoyed whereas Eddie was trying to remain calm, trying was Chim being generous because Eddie looked an inch away from being pissed off. They continued talking and soon Buck’s anger and annoyance diverted its target from whoever had been the reason to the one, most definitely, being reasonable. He said something with a mean glare before stomping away from a very stunned Eddie.
Chim waited patiently for Eddie to follow him because that’s what they do. Eddie follows Buck and Buck follows Eddie. Except, it did not happen.
Eddie crossed his arms, leaned back against the couch muttering something under his breath in anger before picking up the abandoned book.
Chim felt his jaw hit the floor. He’d seen Buck and Eddie cross with each other so much that it wasn't something shocking but it had been so long since he saw a visibly upset Buck leaving with near-tears in his eyes and Eddie not following behind with soothing words and comforting touches.
Trouble in heaven.
He found Hen in the bunks, talking on her phone. It wasn't long before she finished talking and turned to him.
“What?”
“Trouble in heaven,” he muttered, the scene from before still playing in his mind.
“You fought with Maddie? Why?” She asked, eyes barely lifting from her phone.
Chim shook himself out of the daze. “Not me. Eddie and Buck.”
“They’re fighting?” Now he had her attention, phone left unattended in her lap.
Chim contemplated but then shook his head. “Not really but I think Buck’s got himself in some sticky situation.”
Hen had dismissed him saying if he had Eddie then they had nothing to worry about. And when he talked to Maddie about it, she’d said that if Evan was really in need of help, he would have asked her.
Which would have been true a few years ago but Buck had gotten better at hiding things which was the worst because now Chim didn't have enough ammunition to pull his leg. Maddie had kissed his cheek and told him to not worry. Easy for you to say! She had enough drama to last her a lifetime working in dispatch. This just wasn't fair.
He was going to get to the root of this and then he’d tell Hen and Maddie how much fun they’d missed out on.
It should have been fun. It was supposed to be fun but here he was on a Saturday night stuck in a dingy bar keeping an eye on his brother like colleague who was throwing back shots after shots of cheap alcohol as if he was going through his second divorce. He might as well have been seeing no trace of Eddie around to look people down menacingly whenever they got too close for comfort.
Buck already looked tipsy. Chim cursed his luck, stuck to the corner booth where he had a clear view of his friend and ordered a fruity drink for himself. Hen would be proud of his choice or at least Karen would be, he had no doubt about that. He cheered to a wasted evening when the drink arrived but with the drink came something else. Change.
There was a man standing beside Buck. Tall, burly and handsome. Chim could barely see Buck with the man cornering him against the wall and the bar. But from what he could see, the man was taller than Buck, with curly brown hair and a weird tattoo running the length of his left arm.
His fashion sense was subpar. A wrinkly tee shirt and were those skinny jeans? Chim almost balked at that. This man was beyond saving but at least he had the body of an adonis to compensate for that. If he could make their gigantic golden retriever look like a fucking puppy in front of him, he had to have been blessed in some areas.
He stayed back as they had a back and forth. His worry grew as the line of anger and worry on Buck’s forehead deepened. He stood up, finally ready to blow his own cover for the sake of his brother.
Seeing the man put his hand on Buck, more specifically his arm, fingers digging in Buck’s bicep as he leaned forward to whisper something that had Buck’s eyes widening with hurt and fear, made Chim want to swing the first thing he could get his hand on and right now he was holding a glass. Ok there was a line when it came to his family and this asshole had obviously decided to cross it.
He was about to walk over and let the man know why he shouldn’t put his hands on someone who looked spooked and ready to puke their guts out. He’d barely taken a step in Buck’s direction when someone whizzed past him like a storm, feet stomping on the bar floor like thunder ready to strike.
Chim recognized that back. He recognized the flannel. He recognized the anger that simmered in the man as he walked over to Buck. Chim felt his shoulders come down as he relaxed. Well…Hen had been right. If Buck had Eddie, they really had nothing to worry about, not that he came here out of concern. No, sir. He was only here for the drama and most definitely stayed glued to that stupid, stiff leather sofa that was killing his back purely for the drama. Not a lick of worry in sight.
Chim’s line of sight traveled to Buck who had been extracted from his stool, rather forcibly it looked like. That asshole’s hand was still tightly curled around Buck’s bicep as he leaned in closer creating a false sense of intimacy to cover the threatening and posturing. His other hand was now holding Buck’s face in place, not letting him move an inch. Buck, who looked a little too green, whether it was from the alcohol or the discomfort Chim couldn't tell. Chim felt his own anger come to a boil as he clenched his fists, barely holding back.
Eddie had him, he reminded himself and sat back on the edge of the sofa ready to witness whatever was about to unfold right before his eyes.
Chim felt his lips curl up as Eddie wedged himself between the two and pushed the man back, dislodging his hold on Buck’s arm and face. Chim watched as the man advanced to get back in Buck’s or Eddie’s personal space to threaten them, only he had underestimated Eddie who jabbed a warning finger in the middle of his chest, eyes squinted in unadulterated rage.
Chim witnessed it in bemusement as the man’s face changed a few colors, despite the dim light in the stupid bar. Hearing whatever threat Eddie had shot his way with a fist now clenched around the fabric of his shirt, the other hand pushing Buck behind, his own body acting like a barricade between them, had the man stumbling back a few steps.
Buck must’ve been a bit more drunk than Chim had first thought since he was practically slumped against Eddie’s back, forehead resting on the brunette's shoulder. He stood up with a sigh. Maybe he should have intervened earlier but he’d definitely be able to keep that man occupied so Eddie could focus on Buck.
Turns out Eddie really didn’t need his help. He gently pushed Buck into the nearby booth that was occupied by two young women who immediately nodded, gentle and placating hands already on Buck’s shoulders so he wouldn’t slump over.
Eddie swirled around and punched the asshole right in the middle of his face. Chim blinked owlishly, he didn’t even have the time to process what had happened before a few patrons shrieked. Chim hissed in pain seeing the man hit the side of the bar and slide down.
He did not get back up.
Eddie was two heads shorter than that man and definitely not as built as him but one punch and the man crumbled like a dry cookie. Chim almost snorted but he remembered his oath as a first responder and found himself running towards the man.
Chim caught Eddie’s wide, panicked eyes as he knelt beside the man who he had just knocked out.
“It’s okay. I’m a paramedic,” he announced to the people around them.
“Um-”
Chim turned to look up at Eddie with a barely held back smirk, “Check on your boy. This asshole will live.”
With the way Eddie was glaring at the man, Chim's words hadn’t been of any comfort. He huffed and turned to check Buck who had been left in the care of the women.
Chim chanced a glance at them in between his check up on the man and he almost let out a laugh seeing an awake Buck slumping forward with big fat tears rolling down his cheeks. He would’ve felt bad if not for an even more panic-stricken Eddie crouching on the ground in front of the booth, gently holding Buck’s hands in a comforting hold. It looked like Buck wasn’t upset about the man’s actions anymore but something else with the way he kept shaking his head.
Chim strained his ears to listen to what Buck was saying through cries, sniffles and coughs.
“Buck please,” Eddie pleaded, voice strained with stress.
Chim hadn’t expected that. He turned around to look closely. He wasn’t going to miss what he’d come here for. The man on the floor was fine, Chim wasn’t lying when he said he’d live but he wasn’t sure about his nose. Deserved, he thought bitterly. Buck was barely sitting straight but one of Eddie’s hands was firmly placed on his shoulder, supporting him.
“You punched hiiim,” Buck cried, eyes barely opening against the flashing lights of the bar.
Eddie looked around in panic before he turned to Buck with determination. “And I’ll do it all over again if he ever has the nerve to come back and put his hands on you like that. Asshole!” He spat all hard edges and venom that melted away in an instant when Buck’s chin wobbled a little more.
“You punched him,” Buck sobbed, slumping forward, forehead falling against Eddie’s shoulder in a light thump.
Eddie cursed under his breath putting a comforting hand on his back to gently rub it. “I’m sorry, Buck. Please don’t cry. I didn’t mean to upset you,” he pleaded, begged, voice impossibly soft and mellow despite the harshness of their surroundings.
Buck shook his head and Eddie panicked even more as the blonde pulled back and opened his eyes all red, puffy and miserable. Eddie’s brows knitted but his lips let out a gasp of exasperation as he gently wiped a thumb under his eyes. So soft. So tender. Chim almost cooed. Buck released a shuddery breath with one loud sniffle.
“You punched him for meee…” and he was crying again. Not even crying, outright wailing, full on bawling, an image of misery, sadness and drunkenness.
“Of course, I punched him for you. Nobody cheats on my best friend and walks away unscathed. He’ll be looking at that nose and regretting every shitty thing he did to you.”
Chim threw a look of disdain at the man lying on the floor. He grimaced in disgust and stood up to move away. A little broken nose never killed nobody. He didn’t move away without giving a pointed kick to the man’s shin who remained as still as he’d been. Eddie really did a number on him. Deserved, he thought maliciously this time around.
“What’d y’do?” Buck asked, eyes round and anticipating as he leaned forward as this whole conversation was supposed to be a secret between them or something. It might have been if Chim wasn’t snooping around and sticking his nose where it didn’t belong.
Eddie smiled devilishly and leaned forward to cover the distance between them so that they were both breathing the same air.
“I broke his nose,” he enunciated with a mischievous grin.
Buck giggled, slumping forward with a hiccup before going completely limp in Eddie’s hold. Eddie who had a shit-eating grin plastered across his lips as if he’d won the lifetime achievement award.
He’d seen too many unusual things. What was a little menace Eddie Diaz, knowingly and precisely breaking a man’s nose for his bestie boo Bucky bear. He did not mind one bit. He would encourage this behavior if he could but Eddie had it covered. He was all sorts of unhinged when it came to protecting his best friend.
Chim shook his head fondly, pulling out his phone to call 911 because he was not dealing with this scum of the Earth more than he already did and he needed to shoot a text to Hen.
3
Bobby tried his best to keep his private and professional life separate but you could do so much with half your team coming to your place almost every Sunday for barbecue. He could do even less when it came to one particular subordinate.
Evan Buckley was the bane of his existence. Buck was using that fine line that Bobby put between his professional and personal life like a fucking jump-rope. He loved the boy but he also loved to be able to have a normal healthy life without the added stress from the boy that could lead to heart attacks or worse, grey hair. He’d been mortified when he found his first grey hair not even a month after Buck first joined the crew. From then he knew there was no turning back.
He loved Buck like a son, more than a son since he could barely make sense of the word before Buck stormed into his life, ready to make a father out of him. He wasn’t ready so it took them some time to find that solid ground. Now that they had found it, Bobby felt like Buck took advantage of it, intentionally or unintentionally. For the most part he knew it was intentional. They really thought he had no idea about the bet they had going on about when Bobby will accidentally call Buck son. Will not might.
All that aside, Bobby really loved Buck and would scale the mountains or jump into a burning building for him, come hell or high water. He had just hoped Buck’s young blood and its heat would have simmered down as the years passed.
That did not happen.
The boy simply grew more and more reckless, though he’d learned to manage his recklessness but that didn’t mean Bobby’s heart was ready to witness whatever next stunt the kid was gonna pull. It had threatened to stop if Buck didn’t on many, many, occasions.
This particular one was for the books or at least Bobby’s therapy journal if he survived the night. Buck was being held hostage…again. Bobby needed to retire. He was going to die one of these days because he couldn’t handle seeing a gun kissing his son’s temple. This was nightmare fuel and it was going to haunt him for many, many, nights.
They’d come to the prison facility. One of the prisoners had a heart attack, Bobby sympathized with the guy and the mistake from last time meant making sure that the people that’d be accompanying his subordinates were actual officers and not killers in disguise. Well that precaution didn’t really prove helpful.
The man who’d had a heart attack must be feeling a little too good to be jumping off the stretcher before they could strap him in and knock a police officer into the wall before grabbing his gun. He looked frazzled as he grabbed the nearest firefighter. Now why the hell was Buck standing so close to the man or the police officer was a question for later. Later, when Bobby’s heart wouldn’t be slamming into his ribcage, ready to fly out into the sunset and never return to his tattered and haggard body.
He subconsciously took a step forward and glared at Eddie for doing the same. Eddie didn’t falter under his scrutinising stare. In fact, he could read Eddie’s eyes and what they said in big bold letters was; HYPOCRITE.
Which, yes, he was being one but he was supposed to be responsible for all of them so he took another step forward effectively cutting off the man’s sight so he wouldn’t be able to see Eddie. With hands raised in front of him to appear non-threatening Bobby opened his mouth to try and save Buck or at least buy him some time.
“Sir, you’re not feeling well. Anthony, I’d advise you to let my firefighter go and get back on that stretcher so we can get you the medical help you need,” he said, maintaining his professional voice despite the minute shake in his hands. He was worried out of his mind, sue him!
“That ain’t my name. It’s Tony motherfucke’,” he spat, “and shut yo’ trap before I shoot this bastard.”
The man’s hand was shaking. The gun’s safety was off. One wrong movement and Buck’s brain would paint the prison walls. The prisoner was sweating, still reeling from the heart attack, not at all fine after the first aid. He needed to be sent to the hospital but first he needed to let Buck go or Bobby wasn’t sure what he’d do. Strangling him was becoming more than just wishful thinking at this point.
He was struggling with holding Buck in place since the blonde kept moving, either out of fear or from his habit of never not moving all the damn time.
“Quit movin’!” The man yelled and Bobby saw Buck flinch against him when the gun’s muzzle was pressed harder against his head. Bobby felt a surge of anger at the flinch but immediately covered it under professionalism.
“Firefighter Buckley, do not move,” he warned, against all his instinct to jump, snatch Buck away and throttle this Tony guy for putting that sort of fear in Buck’s eyes.
“It’s gonna be ok, Buck.” Someone, most definitely Eddie, said from somewhere behind him. He kept his eyes trained on them, not even chancing a glance back. This was good. Buck needed that comfort, the one Bobby couldn’t provide right now.
Buck relaxed a little but the calm didn’t last long as Tony kicked his leg from under him, the leg that was weaker, Bobby thought with a wince. Tony pushed him down on his knees. Before Buck had the time to scream, Tony had his arm tightly wound around Buck’s throat, cutting off his voice and air.
“Stay down,” he growled at Buck, looking more animal than man before turning to Bobby who had gone stock still at Buck’s pained yelp and the broken gasp indicating Buck was having a hard time breathing. His hands rested on the prisoner’s arm, tense, ready to fight to get some reprieve, some release…anything to have more air in his lungs but the gun trained on his head had him locked in a frozen position.
“This is your last chance to let my firefighter go. You need help and we are willing to get you some but if you keep this up, you’ll die right here,” his voice was cold, colder than ever. It was a warning, a threat and an advice wrapped up in the same sentence. “You’re sweating, shaking and you can barely stand up straight. Your heart is in a poor condition, before it stops altogether, let us help,” he chewed the words like he was biting down on a poisoned stick.
Tony looked around, shaky breaths racking his whole body much like Buck’s but for a completely different reason.
“You think of me a coward just like those fuckers. Think I’ll die and rot away in this fuckin’ prison just like them! You think I can’t kill ‘im! That I’m a coward?! Huh!” Buck’s whimper was drowned under his screams of rage as he looked around. “Watch me.”
Bobby’s eyes widened as the first shot rang out followed by screams of terror that quickly simmered down to painful cries and choked up sobs. It had been Buck’s scream, Bobby realized belatedly but he couldn't take his eyes off of the officer whom the prisoner had just shot in the back. He heard hurried footsteps as Hen and Chimney knelt beside the officer. The man gave no indication of stopping them.
Bobby looked at Buck who was heaving painful breaths, eyes slightly hazy but he looked fine for the most part. He slowly turned back to check on Eddie. Eddie stood in his spot, eyes fixed on Buck, ignoring everything else. He was barely blinking. He had been the only one to not move at all.
“What do you want?” Bobby heard himself asking, having reached his limit.
“Ge’me outta here. Got a score to settle with Jammie. I’ll shoot that bitch in the fuckin’ head!” He yelled, rattling himself and Buck.
“What did Jammie do to you? Why are you so mad at her?” Bobby asked, eyes fixed on the man instead of Buck. Eddie had that covered.
“Little fucker, ran away a’ tweeted to them chumps. Fuckin’ runt. Think she better than me!”
“Tony, I’ll bring Jammie here and make her apologize to you but you gotta let my man go,” Bobby’s voice had gotten stern once again. They were getting somewhere. He just needed to keep his attention away from Buck. Which proved to be more difficult than he thought.
The prisoner looked down at Buck, scoffed and unwrapped his hand from around the blonde’s throat. Buck gasped for air, coughing and spitting, slumping forward but groaned when he felt fingers grab a fistful of his hair and pull him back flush against Tony’s front.
“What a fuckin’ coincidence, you kin’a look like her,” Tony leered, voice growing tight with anger and malice. He looked a little amused too, bending forward and pulling Buck back so his throat was exposed. He put the gun under his chin with a lopsided smile. “Had a tattoo here, that runt,” he explained, sighing.
He snorted seeing Buck’s terrified eyes trained on him. He put the gun’s muzzle on Buck’s cheek, under his left eye. “Aye captain, your fella’s got her eyes too.”
He laughed before smacking Buck right across the face with the butt of the gun, sending him sprawling on the ground with a pained yell. Tony didn’t give him a chance to sit back up or them a chance to take another step forward, putting his foot on the back of Buck’s neck. He pointed the gun at the back of Buck’s head with a snort.
“What’cha think Captain? How ‘bout I get my revenge right ‘ere, eh?” He tilted his head in amusement but faltered a little.
“That is firefighter Evan Buckley, the man you have pinned to the ground. He is not Jammie. By shooting him you’re just going to prove everybody right. That you are a coward.”
Bobby turned a heated glare on Eddie. Agitating a man who had a gun trained on your son was the last thing he needed right now but it looked like Eddie knew what he was doing as he stepped forward with a nonchalant but determined look.
“Shut it, chico!” He hollered, all the amusement leaving him as he glared at Eddie, completely forgetting Buck but not taking his foot off of Buck’s neck.
“Or what? You’re gonna shoot me too? Six Bullets, Tony. Oh no, five actually. You just wasted one. What next? You’ll shoot Cap? Hen? Chim? Buck?” His voice wavered as he bit around Buck’s name possessively. “Let me tell you what happens after that. You run out of bullets, the reinforcements arrive, they shoot you, dead center, middle of your stupid fucking head blowing your brain and worst of all Jammie wouldn’t even know. She’ll live the rest of her life in peace not knowing the man she put behind bars has finally died. Amen.”
Tony was shaking from the effort of holding back. He looked pissed, so pissed that he raised the gun and pointed it at Eddie. A shot rang out and Buck screamed once again but this time his voice was horribly distorted, the scream barely sounding like a scream. This time the scream didn’t stop but it dwindled down to horrifying sobs.
Bobby’s eyes were fixed on Buck and the blood that covered him. So much blood. He could hardly recognize Buck’s face from under all that.
Someone walked past him, a swift pat on his shoulder had him breaking out of the stupor and he looked around to check all his teammates. Hen had her hands pressing on a thick wad of gauze trying to keep the blood pouring out from the officer’s back. She yelled at someone to bring in another stretcher. There had been a second shot. Bobby diverted his attention away from Hen and his eyes landed on Chim who was crouching over Tony’s unmoving body.
“He’s alive!” Chim yelled in Hen’s direction putting pressure on the bullet wound in his shoulder.
Bobby finally turned back to Buck and felt his shoulders slump in relief. No, Buck’s state was of no comfort to his sight. The boy looked pale as a sheet, trembling and shaking like a leaf. What soothed the horrible thrumming under Bobby’s skin was Eddie kneeling in front of Buck, holding his hands but not touching him otherwise.
Buck looked inconsolable. He kept shaking his head to whatever Eddie was saying and Bobby realized he couldn’t hear clearly. He was panicking, hands pushing at Eddie’s in a troubled motion as if he couldn't quite figure out if he wanted to keep holding on or push them away. Eddie didn’t move away and gently, so, so gently wiped away the blood that was coating Buck’s face painting a horrific image. It didn’t do much but it was what Buck needed.
Bobby turned away from them knowing they were both fine and had what they needed. He felt himself slip into the roll of Captain Nash easily now that Buck was out of immediate danger.
Some time later, Bobby would find Eddie and Buck huddled in the bunks on the bed farthest from the room. Buck facing the wall, talking quietly with Eddie plastered against his back, an arm carefully wrapped around his middle and a leg haphazardly thrown over his legs. Bobby had just wanted to check on Buck, make sure he was fine but Eddie, no doubt, had it covered.
“I thought he shot you,” Buck’s quivering voice echoed in the empty room, freezing Bobby where he stood.
He willed himself to move. He needed to leave. He wasn't supposed to listen to this. But all morals and high grounds had been shaken by the sight of Buck covered in blood, screaming and crying thinking Eddie had been shot again and he just stood there and let it happen…again. It would have wrecked Buck in the worst ways possible. Bobby didn’t want to dwell on that thought or the image that followed that thought.
They were both fine, cuddled up together, the very image of comfort.
“Why did you do it?” This time his voice was much more firm. It wasn’t shaking.
“I wasn’t just going to stand there and let him shoot you,” Eddie defended himself, voice muffled against Buck’s back.
“He could've shot you. He was going to shoot you,” he corrected himself, shuddering slightly, voice getting heavier and the sniffle was the last warning before a gut-wrenching sob ripped through the air.
Eddie seemed to sigh, push himself onto his elbow and peered over Buck’s shoulder. Bobby couldn’t see what he was doing but if he had to guess, it looked like he was wiping away the tears all whilst making shushing noises.
“Hey, I’m okay. We’re okay, Buck. Please, don’t cry,” he said, earnestly, voice shaking slightly as if he needed himself to know what he was saying just as much as Buck needed to hear it. “I didn’t get shot. You’re going to make yourself sick again.”
“Don’t cry. I’m right here,” he said and went back to cuddling Buck. His hand was gently running up and down Buck’s arm and sometimes it slipped under his arm to run across his side, his waist and then his hip before it settled back on his arm and continued. Bobby turned around and left not wanting to intrude on their privacy and intimacy more than he’d already done.
Hen popped up in front of him with a worried scowl, hands wringing uncharacteristically.
“Maddie called Chim and she’s asking about Buck. How’s he?” She asked, trying, trying, to look less worried.
“Eddie’s got him.”
That was a good answer. Hen’s shoulders slumped as she nodded to herself, glanced at Bobby and quickly looked away as if she knew something he didn’t. Or something he wasn’t supposed to know. Well, it was Buck and Eddie’s decision to tell them about their relationship whenever they felt comfortable, no matter how many people discovered by chance so he simply smiled and walked back to his office to check on his greying hair.
4
The fourth time happened when Ravi returned after his much extended and much needed vacation. They’d learned their lesson to check every baked good they got as appreciation after the ridiculousness that was the LSD laced cupcakes but nobody needed to check things when one of the teammates brought it right? Right?!
Ravi had brought brownies with a cheerful face and a skip in his feet. He looked happy, relaxed and well-rested. Less traumatized than the last time they’d been together. The happiness didn’t last.
Ravi had been raving about the brownies to Hen who was waiting for him to stop talking so she could finally eat one when out of nowhere Buck flew in, snatching the box and making a dash for the bunks. Ravi and Hen were hot on his heels but by the time they found him, he’d already eaten one and had the audacity to share one with Eddie. Ravi snatched the box, upset and petulant and walked away saying he wasn’t going to share anymore.
He was joking, of course. But he didn’t even get the chance to share them. Minutes later, they had two loopy firefighters laughing and giggling on the couch, heads pressed together and legs entangled as if they were kids.
“Shit,” Ravi whispered, looking a little horrified.
“Raviiii,” Hen yelled from where she stood beside Buck trying to stop him from chewing on Eddie’s shoulder. Eddie seemed to have no issue and tensed his bicep, trying to make a charming face.
“What the hell did you put in the brownies?” Hen asked, smacking Buck when he tried to bite her hand too.
“I didn’t…I…I…I think they got mixed with my roommate's brownies,” he said slowly, horror painted his voice and words as he looked towards Cap’s office fearing for his life. Damn it, he just got back and now he was going to get fired for dosing his coworkers. Ravi hated his work life.
“Keep an eye on them, I’ll go talk to Cap,” she instructed with shifty eyes.
His eyes followed her till she shut the door behind her and sighed turning back to– Where the fuck did those two go!?
Ravi ran all over the place and landed on the sofa with fingers clenched around his hair. He lost Buck and Eddie. He lost Buck and Eddie who were high! He wasn't going to get fired. Cap is gonna kill him. Bobby might not like he’d murder someone (HA) but he definitely looked like someone who’d make you disappear if you messed with his family. Buck was practically his son! And Eddie? Eddie was his son-in-law to be if the two would just get their heads out of their asses. Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!
He paled seeing Hen and Bobby walking towards him with matching furrowed brows. Oh no.
“Where are they?” Cap asked, looking around curiously.
“I don’t know,” he answered with a voice so low you’d think someone as old as cap, no offence, wouldn’t pick on it.
“You…You don’t know?”
“I might have lost them a little,” he confessed with a wobbly voice.
Hen snorted from behind cap. “You lost them a little? Come on, Rav. Where are the dumbasses?”
“I don’t know. I’ve looked everywhere. I just can’t find them.”
Cap audibly sighed and waved his hand at the sofa with a resigned look. “Let’s just look for them and hope we find them in less than a compromised position.”
“Fingers crossed,” Hen whispered, shaking her head in amusement.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ravi asked as Bobby walked away.
“You’ll find out soon enough and then you’ll wish you hadn’t,” she said threateningly so he scrambled away, pouting when he heard her laugh.
So, in the end, Ravi was the one who found them. In the showers, thankfully, with their clothes on. They were huddled in the cubicle with Buck’s head on Eddie’s shoulder and legs pulled up to his chest, drawing some invisible patterns in the air with a lopsided smile. Eddie’s back was against the wall of the cubicle as he followed the movement of Buck’s finger, mouth open and eyes wide in fascination.
He heard himself sigh much like Bobby from a few minutes ago before more footsteps echoed in the showers. He saw Hen and Bobby walking towards him since he was still standing outside the cubicle.
“Does that count as a compromised position?” He asked, pointing at the men huddled in the corner with matching grins.
They managed to get them back to the couch where this mess started with Hen holding Eddie’s arm so he wouldn’t get up every two seconds and Ravi on Buck duty so he wouldn’t chew on anything and everything and heaven did he like to put his mouth everywhere. That sounded so wrong but cut him some slack, he just stopped Buck from chewing on the back of the couch.
“Why is she holding me like this?” Eddie asked and then promptly started to cry with actual tears.
“Yeah, why is she holding you like that?” Buck asked back and then sniffled a few times before the barricade broke and he was crying too.
“Why are you crying?” Eddie asked, wrapping his free arm around Buck. Ravi heaved a sigh of relief.
“Because you’re crying,” Buck wailed, wrapping his arms around Eddie’s neck.
Eddie, who had barely any sense of the surroundings or himself, freed himself from Hen’s hold, who let him go happily, arranged himself so that he was facing Buck, wiped away his tears harshly, put his hands on Buck’s cheeks and squeezed making him look like a puffer fish.
“Look at me,” he demanded, “I’m not crying.”
Buck sucked in a breath before he booped Eddie’s nose with his finger, “But your nose is red like Santa’s reindeer.”
Eddie huffed and puffed before gathering Buck’s legs and arranged them in his lap. Buck was practically in his lap, arms once again wrapped around his neck, face pushed against his throat as Eddie gently brushed his fingers through his hair.
“Aww Buck, please don’t cry,” he requested delicately before dropping a kiss on top of Buck’s head.
Ravi’s eyes were as wide as saucers.
They snuggled up closer, if that was even possible and in no time both of them were asleep.
“Is this the compromised position Cap was talking about?” He asked turning to Hen who had her phone out with a smile that rivalled the sun on the brightest days.
Hen continued to click pictures of the two cuddled up men sleeping peacefully.
“Aren’t they just adorable?” She asked, ignoring his comment, “We should do this more often,” she said with a shit-eating grin.
Ravi shook his head and almost hissed like a cat who had been sprayed with cold water at the prospect. “Never again,” he murmured, horror still echoing in his voice as he slowly backed away from them.
He should have extended his vacation.
5
You’d think the one time it happened the other way around, Buck would be spared of the misfortune that followed him everywhere. Wrong! Wrong! Absolutely wrong!
He was called the trouble magnet for a reason. It hadn’t been a big deal. They’d reached the hospital after a big emergency. A fire had broken out in a power plant and it had taken the better part of the day to get it under control without the fire reaching the assortment of chemicals stored nearby. This whole thing was a lawsuit waiting to happen. No precautionary measures, no safety protocols and the chemicals were not kept under the advised standards because of their hazardous nature.
It had been a hectic shift, all hands on deck, no time to waste. Everything was happening at the same time so they didn’t have the time to check on each other. But in the end nobody had died and they pulled most of the workers out without a hitch.
Everything was fine, until Buck collapsed…just collapsed out of nowhere right where he’d been standing. Eddie’s finger shot out to check for his pulse as they brought the stretcher. He’d been wheeled in and they had to walk past the doors once again.
Nothing serious, the doctor had said after a quick check up. Eddie hadn’t believed him but he’d been reassured that Buck had fainted because of low blood-sugar level and nothing else. The whole team witnessed as Eddie paced the room, eyes glancing at the prone figure in bed after every other minute. They saw him crack under pressure despite there being no pressure. It wasn’t like last time but it seemed as if both Buck and Eddie couldn't stand the sight of the other unconscious in a hospital bed. It made sense.
Eddie flinched at every beep and reading. It was like he was waiting for something to happen when it was clear nothing was going to happen. Hen saw him breathe through his nose when he seemed to get no air though his mouth. He was panicking but none of them approached him.
Chim had tried but he’d simply gotten worse. Asking questions that he as a paramedic should have the answers to. He spiraled the more someone tried to comfort him thinking they were letting him down gently, that Buck wasn’t okay and it was all an elaborate hoax to trick him into believing otherwise.
His eyes were turning red despite having not shed a single tear. It was like he believed that by crying he was accepting that Buck was not okay. Buck had landed in the hospital several times after the lightning so it didn;t make sense to any of them why this time it was different. Why did Eddie look seconds away from hyperventilating or curling right beside Buck on the hospital bed. They had no idea so they left him alone and simply kept an eye from a distance.
Buck slowly came to it with a groan that had everyone tensing and relaxing at the same time when he murmured a quiet, “Eddie.”
Chim rolled his eyes, good naturedly, Cap shook his head feeling relieved and Ravi looked like he was holding back tears as Eddie practically flew to Buck’s side and held his hand.
“Where am I?” Buck asked, falling back on a cliché.
“Surely not heaven,” Hen answered from his other side, earning a laugh from the patient who spared her but a glance before turning back to the quieter party beside him.
“I was under the impression that angels didn’t exist in hell,” he said, cheekily.
They were expecting everything except Eddie bursting into tears and putting his forehead against Buck’s with a stifled sob.
“I thought I lost you,” He said, all heartbreak and ache, slumping over Buck slightly who looked a little dazed.
It might have been a bit of an over reaction but what came out of Eddie’s mouth next made everyone blanche.
“There was this sound. Like a heartbeat and every time I looked at you, I thought it would stop like before and my hands," he looked at his shaking hands unable to decide where to put them, "my hands were shaking. They weren't ready to feel your ribs break under them again. I thought I'd fail you because my hands were shaking and you wouldn’t wake up unlike last time. I was so scared, Buck.”
“Eddie,” Buck whispered, more words on the tip of his tongue but one minute shake of head from Eddie had him clamp his mouth shut with a sigh, melting against Eddie’s touch. When had Eddie embraced his face between the warmth of his palms?
“I thought I wouldn’t get to show you just how much I love you,” He continued, voice shaking around every syllable.
It felt like each and every person in the room was holding their breath waiting for Buck’s response. Was this the fateful moment when these stupid, stupid men in love finally accepted what they meant to each other? Was this the moment the whole firehouse would cheer to love and finally go to sleep peacefully? Was this–
“You’ve shown me plenty, Eddie. Please stop crying,” He cooed in a gentle voice rubbing Eddie’s arm in a similar fashion to what Eddie had done for him plenty of times.
“No, Eddie, seriously, please stop crying or you’re gonna blame me for killing your tough guy personality,” he mused, pushing his face up, nuzzling Eddie like a dog before pecking his lips and nudging Eddie’s face with his chin so he’d move back and Buck would finally be able to see him.
They ignored the dropped jaws and the matching wide eyes except for Bobby who looked as fond as ever looking at Buck so content and happy in a hospital bed no less.
“When did,” Hen stammered, not having enough words to finish her sentence.
“This,” Chim provided helpfully, less than eloquent.
“Happen?” Ravi finished for them, having pushed past Bobby to not miss this new development.
It was as if the trance that had captivated both Buck and Eddie finally broke. Eddie sniffled, wiped away his tears and looked up at the team, not letting go off Buck’s hand for even a moment.
“Oh, um, it’s been a while,” he said, turning a pleased face down at Buck whose face was a mirror or joy and amusement.
“We wanted to keep it to ourselves for some time,” Buck added sheepishly, blush high on his cheeks.
Eddie didn’t waste the opportunity, bent down and kissed his cheek now that they didn't need to keep it to themselves.
“Fancy seeing you, sir,” Buck whispered, looking up at Eddie, lips curled into a smirk, “come here often?”
So many groans echoed in the room before they all decided to leave. They did not want to be a part of this and they had bets to settle and money to pay and receive. Hen looked a little too happy about her bet that it would be Eddie to let it slip that they were in a relationship and her bet that Eddie would say I love you to Buck first in front of them. Chim grumbled, more than annoyed. The one time he trusted Buck. He was going to lose so much money.
“It’s where I belong.”
They heard Eddie say right before they all left with stupid smiles on their faces and glee in their eyes for the two stupid, stupid men in love who knew what they meant to each other. It was they who had no idea what they truly meant to each other.