Chapter Text
Tommy Kinard had spent the better part of his adult life operating in high-stakes environments. He had flown helicopters through blinding, torrential downpours, dropped into the heart of raging wildfires, and pulled terrified civilians from the crumpled, smoking wreckage of catastrophic accidents. He understood risk. He knew how to read the gauges, how to calculate the wind shear, and how to maintain a flat, steady baseline of calm when everything around him was descending into absolute chaos.
But then came Evan Buckley.
If someone had told the Tommy of ten years ago—the guarded, deeply closeted firefighter who kept everyone at arm's length—that his future involved a sprawling loft in downtown Los Angeles, a relationship that actually required him to open his chest and hand his heart over, and a little boy who asked *why* about fifty times an hour, he would have laughed in their face. He had always been the guy who liked his quiet. He liked his helicopters, his Muay Thai, his solitary routines. He was the guy who explicitly said, more than once, that he never really saw himself with kids.
Getting back together with Buck eight months ago, after a painful, stupid breakup that Tommy still kicked himself for, had been the best decision of his life. They had spent those eight months rebuilding, communicating better, and falling deeper into a rhythm that felt so solid Tommy finally believed it was permanent.
And then, seven weeks ago, the solid ground beneath them had completely shifted.
The tragic, sudden death of Kameron and Connor in a multi-car pile-up on the 101 had shattered their world. The grief had been suffocating. But in the immediate, devastating aftermath, a terrifying reality had emerged: Theo. Buck’s biological son. With Kameron and Connor’s families either out of the picture or unwilling to take on a traumatized four-year-old, the legalities had surprisingly, miraculously, fallen in Buck’s favor. Seven weeks ago, a judge had signed the emergency custody orders, and just like that, Buck became a full-time, single dad.
Well, not single. Because Tommy was there.
He had been apprehensive at first. Actually, apprehension was putting it mildly. Tommy had been utterly terrified. He had never been a "kid person." He didn't have younger siblings. He didn't have a close-knit extended family with a gaggle of nieces and nephews to practice on. His own childhood hadn't exactly been a shining example of healthy, nurturing parental dynamics. The concept of being responsible for a small, fragile human being—one who couldn't articulate their needs, who didn't come with a manual or a warning light—filled Tommy with a cold, pervasive dread. He had always assumed he’d be the awkward uncle at best, the guy who bought the loud toys for other people's kids and then happily retreated to his quiet, orderly apartment. Yet, as Tommy sat at the kitchen island nursing a cup of lukewarm coffee, watching Buck frantically pace the length of the living room, a strange realization finally clicked into place.
In the entire seven weeks that Theo had lived with them, Tommy had never once been left alone with the boy.
At first, it hadn't registered. It made sense that in the beginning, Buck wanted to be the primary anchor for Theo. But as time went on, a pattern emerged. When Tommy came over to hang out, Buck was always right there, hovering affectionately. When Tommy suggested taking Theo down to the park to shoot some hoops or kick a soccer ball around, Eddie would magically appear to tag along, or Buck would insist on coming despite being exhausted. When their shifts at the 118 and Harbor didn't align, Buck always proudly announced that Theo was spending the day with Aunt Maddie.
Tommy had casually mentioned it once, offering to watch Theo on his day off so Buck could run errands, but Buck had deflected with an overly bright smile and a rapid-fire excuse about Theo needing to socialize with Jee-Yun.
Tommy wasn't stupid. He could read the subtext. *Evan doesn't trust me,* Tommy had thought, the realization settling like a stone in his gut. *Does he think I'm going to lose my temper? That I'm going to tap out when the kid gets to be too much.*
Buck knew Tommy had never envisioned himself as a father. And Tommy suspected that Buck—who was deeply, intimately familiar with what it felt like to be a challenging child, to be viewed as "exhausting" or "too much" by the people who were supposed to love you—was trying to protect Theo from Tommy’s potential frustration.
It hurt. It hurt more than Tommy was willing to admit, but he swallowed it down, determined to prove himself over time.
But watching Buck have a near-nervous breakdown right in front of him cast the last seven weeks in a completely different light.
"I don't understand, she's not answering," Buck muttered, his thumb aggressively tapping the screen of his phone before bringing it back to his ear. "Maddie always answers. Always. She knows I'm on shift today. Well, I wasn't, but now I am."
The 118, along with half the firehouses in the greater Los Angeles area, had just been called in for a massive, multi-alarm chemical fire at an industrial plant downtown. All available personnel were required. Tommy, however, was officially maxed out. He had pulled so many overtime hours with Harbor over the last two weeks that his captain had threatened to physically lock him out of the hangar if he even looked at a uniform today.
"Evan, breathe," Tommy said softly, setting his mug down. "It's going to be fine."
"It's not fine, Tommy!" Buck spun around, his blue eyes wide with panic. "Carla is in San Diego for her sister's anniversary. Eddie is getting called in too, so Christopher is at a friend's house. I have to be at the station in twenty minutes and I have absolutely no one to watch Theo."
"I'm right here," Tommy said, his voice calm, steady, an anchor in Buck's storm.
Buck froze, the phone slipping slightly from his grip. He stared at Tommy, his chest heaving with anxious breaths. "No. No, Tommy, you just got off a brutal rotation. You're exhausted."
"I slept five hours last night. I feel great," Tommy countered gently.
"Tommy, I..." Buck swallowed hard, his eyes darting toward the hallway where Theo was currently singing loudly to his stuffed dinosaur. "I can't ask you to do that. You... he's a lot. You know he's a lot. He’s having a really high-energy day, and he missed his nap yesterday, so he's extra hyper, and I know you said you aren't really good with kids—"
"I said that before I met Theo," Tommy interrupted gently. He reached out, wrapping his large hands over Buck's tense shoulders. "Evan. Breathe. I'm not some stranger off the street. I'm your boyfriend. And I love you and i love - I can handle a four-year-old for one shift." Tommy spoke stopping himself from saying how he felt for the young boy, not wanting to scare Evan. He did love theo, but would anyone really believe that?
Buck looked intensely resistant. His jaw tightened, and Tommy saw the rapid calculations happening behind his eyes. Buck wanted to say no. He desperately wanted to find another solution, to call a neighbor, to drive Theo all the way across town to find a babysitter, anything to avoid leaving him here.
The sting of rejection flared in Tommy’s chest, sharp and hot, but he kept his expression perfectly neutral. *Ask him,* a voice in Tommy's head urged. *Ask him why he doesn't trust you.*
But before Tommy could formulate the words, Buck let out a defeated breath. He nodded slowly.
"Okay," Buck said. He forced a smile onto his face. It was entirely fake—it didn't reach his eyes, and the corners of his mouth were tight with strain. "Okay. Yeah. You'll be fine. Just... call me if you need me. Text me. Even if I'm at the scene, I'll keep my phone in my turnout coat."
"Go," Tommy said softly, leaning in to press a reassuring kiss to Buck’s temple. "Save the city. We've got this."
"You're sure?" Buck whispered.
"I have never been more sure of anything," Tommy murmured, leaning in to press a firm, lingering kiss to Buck's lips.
Buck pulled back with a heavy sigh, nodding in resignation. "Okay. Okay. His snacks are in the third drawer down. If he gets fussy, put on *Bluey*. And don't let him climb the stairs."
"I've got it covered, babe. Go save the city."
Buck grabbed his duffel bag, dropping to his knees to scoop the little curly-haired boy into a fierce hug. "Alright, buddy, Buck has to go to work for a little bit, okay? There's a big fire and we have to go put it out."
Theo frowned, clutching the fabric of Buck's T-shirt. "Fire Trucks?"
"Yeah, big fire trucks," Buck said, kissing the boy's forehead. "You're going to stay here and hang out with Tommy today. Be good for him, okay?"
Theo looked over Buck's shoulder at Tommy, offering a tiny, gap-toothed smile. "Okay."
Buck stood up, lingering by the door. "I love you guys."
"Love you too," Tommy smiled.
"Bye Bucckkkk!" Theo yelled happily, waving a plastic dinosaur in the air.
Buck chuckled, opening the door and jogging out into the hallway. The heavy metal door clicked shut, the sound echoing slightly in the massive, open-plan loft.
Tommy stood by the hallway staring at the closed door. Did Evan really not trust him? "Tommy!" The silence was shattered by a high-pitched squeal. Tommy turned to see Theo sprinting towards him in his mismatched socks and clutching his plastic T-Rex, his favourite toy, a gift from Uncle Eddie. He skidded on the hardwood floor, crashing directly into Tommy’s shins. Tommy didn't flinch. He just reached down, scooped the boy up, and hoisted him into the air, earning a peal of bright, bubbling laughter. "Alright, Cadet," Tommy grinned, shaking off the lingering tension of Buck's departure. "It's just you and me. What should we do?"
Theo tilted his head. "Are you a spy?"
Tommy blinked. "Am I a spy? No buddy. I'm a pilot."
"But you *could* be a spy," Theo reasoned, his tone incredibly serious. "Spies fly helicopters. Like in the movies."
"Okay, let's say I'm a spy. What's the mission?"
Theo gasped, his eyes lighting up. He shook to be let down, vibrating with excitement. Tommy laughed softly placing the kid down.
"The mission is..."
-------------------
If anyone from the 118 or the Harbor precinct could see Tommy Kinard right now, he would never live it down.
It was two hours in and the loft had been entirely transformed. Every available throw pillow, sofa cushion, blanket, and folded towel had been strategically scattered across the living room floor. The rug was no longer a rug; it was, according to the strict parameters set by Commander Theo, a bubbling crater of highly acidic alien lava.
"The lava is rising, Tommy! The lava is rising!" Theo shrieked, bouncing up and down on the loveseat. His face was flushed with exertion, a gap-toothed grin stretching from ear to ear. "You have to get to the space station!"
"I'm calculating my jump trajectory!" Tommy boomed back, currently balancing precariously on the edge of the coffee table. He had stripped off his henley an hour ago, left in just a white undershirt that was now sticking to his chest with sweat. "If I miscalculate, the space-dinosaurs will get me!"
"They have laser eyes!" Theo supplied helpfully, waving his plastic T-Rex in the air. "Pew! Pew! Rawr! They're gonna chomp your boots!"
"Not if I deploy my jetpack!" Tommy announced. He bent his knees, gave a dramatic countdown from three, and leapt. He cleared the 'lava' and landed squarely on a pile of sofa cushions, deliberately tumbling backward onto the carpet with an exaggerated groan of agony. "Oof! Mayday, mayday! My jetpack malfunctioned! The gravity on this planet is too heavy!"
Theo screamed with delight, launching himself off the loveseat. He landed square on Tommy’s stomach, knocking the breath out of him in a flurry of sharp little elbows and knees.
"I saved you! I saved you!" Theo cheered, straddling Tommy's chest and throwing his arms in the air.
Tommy wheezed, wrapping his massive arms around the boy and tickling his sides. "My hero! The bravest space commander in the galaxy!"
Theo giggled uncontrollably, squirming against Tommy's grip.
Lying there on the floor, surrounded by the chaotic debris of their game, Tommy felt a profound, unexpected warmth bloom in his chest. He wasn't bored. He wasn't annoyed. He wasn't counting down the minutes until Buck got home. He was genuinely, thoroughly enjoying himself.
Tommy hugged the boy back, burying his face in those soft, messy curls. His chest felt incredibly full. This was what Buck had been so terrified of? For Tommy to be left alone with this beautiful, chaotic, perfect joy? He loved the kid's wild imagination, his bossy little demands, his infectious laughter.
They were in the middle of a vital snack-time negotiation when Tommy’s cell phone buzzed.on the kitchen island. "Incoming transmission from Starfleet Command," Tommy declared, tapping Theo's nose. "Stay here and guard the perimeter, and then we can discuss how much ice cream we can have." Tommy stood up, stretching his aching back, and walked over to the counter. He checked the screen.
**EVAN ❤️**
"Hey Hun," Tommy answered, as he leaned against the granite. "How's the fire?"
"Contained," Buck's voice came through, sounding raspy from the smoke and heavy with exhaustion. "We're in overhaul now. Might be a few more hours before we can clear the scene. How... how are things there? Is he driving you crazy? Did he break anything?"
Tommy frowned slightly at the immediate assumption of disaster. "We are perfectly fine, Evan. We've spent the last two hours dodging alien lava and laser-shooting dinosaurs. He's a very demanding commanding officer, but we're surviving."
Over the line, Buck let out a long breath that sounded like a sigh of profound relief. "Oh. Good. That's... really good, Tommy. Thank you."
"You don't have to thank me for spending time with him," Tommy said softly.
"Yeah, well. Listen," Buck shifted gears, his tone becoming a little more business-like. "Chimney is on this call with me, so Maddie is home alone with Jee-Yun. Why don't you take Theo over there for dinner?"
Tommy stiffened. His fingers tapped a slow, anxious rhythm against the countertop. "Maddie's?"
"Yeah. I called her during a water break and asked if she wouldn't mind hosting. She said she's making a casserole anyway. I just figured... you know, the kids can play, they can tire each other out. It'll give you a break so you don't have to manage him all by yourself for the rest of the evening."
A familiar, uncomfortable knot tightened in Tommy's stomach.
"Evan, really, you don't need to do that," Tommy said, trying to keep his voice light. "We're having fun. I can make macaroni and cheese here. It's not a problem."
"Tommy, just..." Buck sounded suddenly tense again. "Just go, okay? Please? It's better if he has Jee to play with. It burns off his energy differently."
Before Tommy could argue further, Evan interrupted. "Hold on, let me talk to him."
Tommy pressed the speaker button. "Hey buddy, Buck wants to talk to you."
Theo’s head snapped up. "Buck Buck!!!!"
"Hey, my little monkey! Are you having fun with Tommy?"
"Yes! He's a spy! We went in the lava! But then I saved him and he said I was super brave"
"Wow, that sounds so cool," Buck laughed. "Hey, guess what? Auntie Maddie wants you to come over and play with Jee-Yun for a little bit until I get home. Do you want to go see your cousin?"
Theo's eyes widened. "Jee-Jee! Yes! Let's go!"
"Okay, buddy. Be a good boy. I love you."
"Love you Buck!"
Tommy took the phone off speaker. "Alright, Evan. I'll pack his bag and run him over."
"Thanks, Tommy. You're a lifesaver. Love you."
"Love you too."
Tommy hung up. As Theo cheered and ran off to grab his shoes, Tommy leaned heavily against the counter, a knot of dread slowly beginning to coil in his stomach.
He reluctantly agreed to take Theo over, but God, he didn't want to.
It wasn't that he disliked Maddie outright. He got along phenomenally well with Howie, and the 118 worshipped the ground Maddie walked on. Buck practically idolized her.
But Tommy always got an off vibe from her.
It wasn't just the subtle microaggressions or the way she dismissed his presence as temporary. It was the way she viewed Theo.
Tommy remembered a barbecue at the Grant-Nash house three weeks ago. He had gone inside to the kitchen to grab a fresh beer. The window to the patio had been open, the summer breeze carrying voices perfectly. He had heard Maddie talking to Chimney.
"He is so rowdy, Howie. And completely disruptive. He can't sit still for two minutes," Maddie's voice had drifted in.
Through the window, Tommy had seen Chimney chuckle, flipping a burger on the grill. "Well, he's a mini Buck, Mads. What do you expect?"
"You have no idea," Maddie had replied.
Tommy had frozen, the cold beer bottle slipping slightly in his grip. Her tone hadn't been fond or exasperated in the way a loving aunt might speak of a hyperactive nephew. It was cold. It was harsh. It was almost... scary, in Tommy's opinion.
And that hadn't been the worst of it.
Later that same afternoon, Tommy had been standing near the side gate, out of sight, when he overheard Maddie talking to Athena.
"He's not going to last, Athena," Maddie had been saying, her voice tight with conviction. "Tommy is used to being a bachelor. He's going to get overwhelmed by Evan, and now with Theo in the picture... it's just too much. It's going to hurt both of my boys. I just wish Evan would end it now before the fallout destroys them."
Tommy’s heart had dropped into his stomach.
"Bobby says Tommy is good people, Maddie," Athena had sighed, a warning lilt in her tone. "Give the man a chance."
Athena had got up to leave, someone calling her inside. As Athena turned and walked away, Tommy had peeked around the corner just in time to see Maddie roll her eyes with such aggressive, undisguised disdain that it made Tommy flinch. She had looked entirely thoroughly unconvinced, counting down the days until Tommy inevitably proved her right.
He never said anything to Evan. He knew how much Evan relied on her. He didn't want to be the reason for a sibling rift, so he played nice and kept his distance.
"Tommy! I got my shoes!"
Theo's demanding voice snapped Tommy out of his spiral. He looked down to see the little boy wearing one red Converse and one yellow rain boot.
"Nice footwear choices, Bud," Tommy smiled, forcing the dark thoughts away as he knelt down. He swapped the mismatched shoes for slip-on Vans. "Let's get these on so we can go see Jee-Jee, yeah?"
Tommy packed the small Spider-Man backpack, grabbed his keys, and they took the elevator down to the garage. Theo held Tommy's hand the entire way, his small, trusting fingers wrapped tightly around Tommy's.
Once they were strapped into the truck and pulling out onto the sun-drenched LA streets, the quiet of the cab gave Theo ample opportunity for his favorite activity: interrogation.
"Tommy?" Theo's voice piped up from the backseat.
"Yeah, buddy?" Tommy glanced in the rearview mirror, meeting those big blue eyes.
"Can a T-Rex eat a whole fire truck?"
Tommy chuckled, turning on his blinker. "A whole fire truck? Probably not, pal. It’s made of metal. It would really hurt his teeth. He'd probably have to go to a dinosaur dentist."
Theo gasped, thoroughly scandalized by the idea. "Dinosaurs have dentists?"
"The responsible ones do," Tommy answered solemnly.
Theo chewed on this information for a moment. Then, his face brightened with a new thought. "Tommy, can a human grow as tall as a giraffe?"
"I don't think so, Theo. Humans usually stop growing around my height, maybe a little taller."
"But what if they ate *lots* of vegetables?"
"Even if they ate all the vegetables in the world," Tommy grinned, glancing in the mirror again. "If humans were as tall as giraffes, driving this truck would be really hard because my head would be sticking right out the sunroof! I'd have to wear goggles just to go on the freeway so the bugs wouldn't hit me in the face."
Theo burst into a fit of breathless, belly-deep giggles, the sound bouncing around the interior of the truck. "You'd look so silly!"
"I would look very silly," Tommy agreed, his own chest bubbling with warmth at the sound of the kid's laughter.
The drive was too short. As Tommy navigated the familiar streets of Maddie's suburban neighborhood, the protective walls he'd been building in his mind went up, brick by brick. He pulled into the driveway. As Buck had said, Chimney's car wasn't there. It was just Maddie's sensible SUV.
"Alright, Agent Theo. We have arrived at the secondary location," Tommy said, turning off the engine and hopping out to unbuckle the toddler.
Theo grabbed his Spiderman backpack, practically vibrating with excitement to see his cousin. Tommy took his hand, walking up the paved pathway to the front door. He took a steadying breath, preparing himself for the fake smiles and the condescending tone, and rang the doorbell.
Small Footsteps approached, the lock clicked, and the door swung open.
"Uncle Tommy" Jee screamed running into his legs. Tommy chuckled, squatting down to meet the 5 years olds eye level, fake smile turning into a real one. "Hey Princess, You having a good day"
"Yeah even better now. THEEEOOOOOOO" she screamed as if only seeing the boy next to him. Tommy winced at the volume.
"Jee what did say about opening the door" He could hear Maddie say as she came over to the door.
"Sorry mommy, I just wanted to see Uncle Tommy and Theo" She claimed before grabbing Theo's hand as they both ran inside. Theo immediately began telling Jee-Yun about the lava monsters.
Tommy noted Maddie frowned at the "Uncle" part of Uncle Tommy. He sighed.
Maddie's eyes flicked up to meet Tommy's. The smile on her face shifted, losing its warmth but keeping its shape.
"Tommy," she said, her voice smooth and unreadable. Before he could offer his usual polite goodbye and retreat to his truck, she stepped back and pulled the door open wider. "You should come in. Stay for dinner."
"Oh No that's fine I couldn't possibly intru-"
"Nonsense. It'll be good for us to ...chat" She stated as she retreated back into the house.
Tommy sighed and followed shutting the door after him.