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Maybe Eddie was overreacting a bit.
Then, he thought back to Buck in the kitchen earlier this morning, in a cute white apron, making chocolate chip pancakes for Christopher, fluffy curls and big arms and rosy cheeks, humming quietly to some Top 40 radio song just slightly off-key.
Actually, it was much more likely that Eddie was underreacting.
This was a crisis. Apparently Buck had told Ravi, who was overheard by Hen, who told Karen, who mentioned it in front of Denny, who texted Chris, who immediately ran to inform Eddie, that Buck was maybe looking to move out of South Bedford. To leave Eddie’s house, their house, to take away his bubbly presence and pretty smile and cheerful voice, to leave their bed cold, to leave Eddie’s red toothbrush lonely in the bathroom.
It was a nightmare situation.
After coming back from Texas, Eddie had realized that he was probably gay and very much in love with his 6’2, gorgeous, kindhearted best friend. Those were both quickly confirmed the first time Buck had walked out of the shower in a towel, dripping wet and utterly relaxed. Eddie’s heart sang that Buck felt so safe and comfortable in his house – like it was really their home. If he also turned bright pink and avoided eye contact for forty-five minutes, that was his business.
Eddie thought they were kind of on the same page about his home becoming their home, but maybe he had to show Buck that he didn’t just want to be roommates - he wanted to be husbands.
Okay, maybe they could start out as boyfriends – but they had to be boyfriends who lived together. Eddie couldn’t even entertain the possibility of not living with Buck anymore, of having everything he wanted ripped right out of his grasp.
Buck had always been there for the little Diaz family from the moment he had met them, helping Christopher with homework, joining Eddie for dinners at Abuela’s house, changing the lightbulbs and mowing the lawn and actually using the kind of terrible oven at South Bedford, always taking care of them so well. This was amplified even further when they started living together – Buck would pick up and drop off Christopher to school or sleepovers or any of the million things he had to do after coming back from Texas. He’d go to the grocery store right when it opened, he’d cook Christopher’s favourite food whenever requested, and he even sometimes did Eddie’s laundry with his own, their clothes mixing together and giving Eddie an excuse to wear a shirt that smelled like strawberries and coffee. They’d spend time together on the couch, just the two of them, Buck reading whatever non-fiction he’d picked up from the library, and Eddie furtively burying his nose in the latest romance novel Pepa had recommended. It was so achingly domestic, it was everything he was looking for with everyone he had ever dated, and he had it with Buck. Couldn’t Buck see it too? Why would he want to leave when the past three months had been so good?
Unless they hadn’t been as good for Buck as they were for Eddie.
Maybe it wasn’t Eddie – maybe it was the house. That was definitely possible. It had to be possible, Eddie would lose his mind if he was what was driving Buck away. Eddie just had to make South Bedford even more perfect for Buck, so he’d never feel like he had to leave.
Eddie couldn’t fathom the possibility of letting him go – he would, he’d never keep Buck somewhere he didn’t want to be kept, no matter how much it felt like knives in his throat – but he had to try and make their house into a home Buck loved, that Buck could be happy in, that he could see a future in.
He started (relatively) small. After researching “best kitchen equipment” and then “best kitchen equipment that won’t ruin me financially”, he decided on a KitchenAid. Luckily, he did somehow manage to make money by selling the Texas house, because the innocuous KitchenAid that ‘every home cook absolutely had to have!’ was not cheap. Regardless, Buck’s old stand mixer did look one dough ball away from breaking, and the loud noises it made were alarming at best. It even woke Chris up before 10AM on a Saturday, so Eddie probably should replace it before Chris found some way to conveniently destroy it.
And, because Eddie was probably actually a sucker, he spent $50 extra to get the KitchenAid in blue velvet. It wasn’t even the right shade of baby blue, just a bit too grey, but Buck had been favouring pretty pastels as of late (it had been absolutely life–changing for Eddie to see the object of his latent homosexual affections dozing off on his couch in pale pink silken pajamas).
The day he was scheduled to pick up the package, because a $15 delivery fee was ridiculous, Eddie was gleeful the whole morning. He drove to the store, getting there early and having some time to kill. He walked around, looking for something else Buck might like. Maybe a toaster? Maybe a new apron? Maybe a ridiculously oversized, achingly cute, extremely soft, golden puppy plush?
(Eddie took home both the KitchenAid and the plush).
Luckily it was a Saturday, so Buck had his weekly lunch with the Buckley-Hans, and Christopher was home to watch Eddie struggle with the assembly while offering instructions from his phone. Eddie was just delighted that his son wanted to spend time around him.
Things had improved a lot after they had come back from Texas. Eddie had told Christopher that he was gay, and about what had happened with Kim. Christopher was still a bit upset, but he had given Eddie grace he felt like he didn’t deserve, and was overall quite happy to be back in LA. Eddie was still terrified of messing up, especially in regards to Buck, but Christopher had pretty much immediately guessed it was Buck or nothing for Eddie.
“Just don’t mess it up,” Christopher had said, “Then again, it’s Buck. He’s just as down bad as you are.”
Eddie was too scared to ask what that even meant, but with Christopher’s blessing, the plan to become Buck’s husband began – well, if only he could assemble this stupid machine. How could he be a husband if he was defeated by kitchen appliances? Buck should never marry a guy who wouldn’t battle four pages of assembly instructions for him, he deserved only the best, and Eddie was determined to be that. After far too long, the thing was fully built, and sitting proudly on their counters, new and shiny.
Buck came in after brunch, calling out from the hallway, “Eddie! I got those almond croissants you like from the bakery on Sunset.”
Eddie’s heart was going to leap out of his chest. That was at least 20 minutes out of Buck’s way, but he knew Eddie loved their almond croissants more than any other bakery in LA’s, almost as good as the croissants Buck made. He was really just the best.
“Eds, where are you – oh my God?”
Christopher and Eddie both had matching smiles as Buck deposited the croissants on the counter and approached the cursed KitchenAid with shining eyes and trembling hands. “Eddie, what the f – heck?”
Christopher grinned, “Do you like it, Buck?”
“Of course!” Buck reached over the counter to ruffle Christopher’s hair, who took it with surprising grace (usually he would move away or grumble about it). “Was this your idea?”
“It was Dad’s.”
Buck turned that beaming smile on Eddie. “Eddie! You did this for me?”
Never mind. That machine was the best thing to ever be invented.
“Ah. Yeah.” Eddie struggled to get his brain working in the face of Buck’s pretty, pointy teeth. “Hope you like it. It’s blue.”
“It is blue!” Buck reached over and hugged him, patting his back. “Man, is it my birthday or something?”
“Just wanted to do something nice for you,” Eddie said, dazed from the hug. It wasn’t that Buck wasn’t a touchy guy, he definitely was, but he usually wasn’t the one to reach out first. Eddie was the one who stole snippets of Buck’s space, pulling him into hugs, reaching out for fist bumps and high fives. It meant so much to Eddie whenever Buck would tap their knees together in the firetruck, whenever he would clap his palm against Eddie’s shoulder in the gym, whenever he would fall asleep on the couch pressed against Eddie’s side (with absolutely no regard for Eddie’s heart).
“This is beyond nice.” Buck looked at him with sincere blue eyes. “Thank you, Eddie. Really. I’ll make you some lemon bars.”
Lemon bars were his favourite, how did Buck even know that? “You don’t have to – ”
“I helped!” Christopher jokingly said, “Can I get brownies?”
“Of course,” Buck moved to the fridge like he was about to pull out butter right then and there. Eddie frowned, pulling him back.
“Come on, sit down. Eat some croissants.”
The three of them happily ate the delicious croissants, and Eddie really, really hoped that they could stay this way forever. He would make his home a safe place for Buck to rest, for Buck to one day wake up and think I have everything I want.
–
It kind of worked?
Buck made the coveted lemon bars, and brownies for Chris, and macadamia cookies for Hen and Karen, and a double batch of blueberry tarts for the station. He thanked Eddie no less than seventeen times verbally, and pulled him into a hug that was five seconds longer than usual before bed.
However, Buck was keeping his distance a bit. He started visiting Maddie overnight, going out with Ravi and some of the C-shift guys in the evenings, basically only coming home to sleep. Eddie was glad Buck had other friends and was expanding his social circle, but he missed when it was the two of them spending cozy evenings at home, Buck’s nine step skincare routine taking up all of the bathroom counter. It was driving Eddie crazy – Buck had never, in the eight years they’d known each other, wanted to keep his distance from Eddie like this. One time, early on in their partnership, Eddie had sat next to Chimney for lunch at the firehouse, and Buck had pouted for three hours.
Was there something else he didn’t like about the house?
Luckily, Buck hadn’t made plans with anyone on Christopher’s weekly movie night. The three of them sat on the couch, Buck in the middle. Eddie was half-paying attention to the movie, more focused on observing Buck. The couch was fine, but when Eddie leaned in closer to whisper something in his ear about the movie, Buck shivered.
He was cold?
After the lightning strike, Buck had admitted one of the more permanent effects was that he was always cold – hence, the fluffy socks to bed. Eddie had turned up the temperature in his house a bit, but Christopher liked it somewhat cool, so he couldn’t turn it up too much.
Buck was cold. Eddie wrung his hands. Of course he’d never want to be here if it was always cold. Buck was sunshine and warmth personified, always bringing joy and light around with him.
Eddie could fix this. Eddie had to fix this.
He holed up in his room one night when Buck was at Maddie’s, forlornly looking at the puppy plush (his name was Lucky), scouring through online listings for blankets. Most of them were too small, and the big ones were all in ugly patterns. Eddie hated online shopping, but he found the perfect item after three hours – a set of six soft pastel wool and cotton blend oversized throw blankets. Buck had mentioned once that he found 100% wool blankets a bit scratchy, and the reviews said the cotton helped with that while still remaining warm.
The set arrived the next week. Pink, purple, orange, blue, yellow, and green – all lovely and soft and giant enough for Buck’s 6’2 frame. Eddie put the blue one on the couch and the green one in his bed.
Maybe six blankets was a bit excessive.
He did intend for them to all be for the house, but maybe Buck would be cold at work? And Eddie was also at work. So he would associate the cold with Eddie. That could absolutely not happen.
He bundled the remaining four blankets in his car. Two for the fire station, and one for each car, maybe? Buck rarely was in the Prius, but if he was in Eddie’s car, it was more likely he’d come to Eddie’s house. He kept the pink one in his backseat, driving the other three to the station for their shift.
Luckily, he had arrived early enough that it was mostly C-shift and Ravi. Ravi raised his eyebrows at the mountain of blankets in his hands, but didn’t ask questions. Good kid.
The yellow blanket went on the bunk in the back corner that Buck always slept on (the one with Eddie’s bunk pushed right up beside it). The orange one went on the left side of the firehouse couch where Buck always sat.
Perfect.
Eddie waited anxiously for Buck to come in. He finally did, five minutes before their shift started instead of the usual fifteen, looking at Eddie on the couch with the new blanket folded up next to him.
“Hey, Eds.”
“Hi Buck.” Eddie looked at Buck, then the blanket, then Buck again.
Buck’s eyes caught on the blanket. “Oh, this is nice!”
“I got it for you,” Eddie blurted out.
Great. That was not subtle.
“For me?” Buck’s blue eyes were big and round, voice quiet.
“Do you like it?”
Buck wrapped himself up in it. How he could pull off the orange, Eddie had no idea, but he looked warm and comfortable. Thank God it was big enough, wrapping his entire body. Eddie sighed in relief, he would be warm.
Buck kept the blanket on the entire day when they weren’t on calls, and he was equally delighted to see the yellow one in his bed.
“Eddie! You didn’t have to!”
Eddie shrugged, but Buck’s happiness was contagious, and he smiled back shyly. Buck looked really cute all wrapped up in the blanket, just his head poking out as he slept, safe and comfortable.
Hen approached him as he was refilling his water bottle. “So, two blankets?”
Eddie squirmed. He didn’t know how to tell her it was six blankets. “He gets cold easily.”
“He has sweaters,” Hen said.
That was true.
Eddie shrugged, “He likes blankets.”
Hen smiled, “That was nice of you. Very…BuckandEddie, but nice.”
As Hen walked off, Eddie thought about it. The other members of the firehouse described them that way too, like one single unit. Buck and Eddie. BuckandEddie. Eddie had never minded it, it always filled him with warmth to know he was a good friend, a good partner worthy of Buck.
He hoped Buck felt the same way when he heard it, syrup-sweet inside. He hoped Buck liked it enough to stay, to see Eddie as a partner in life and not just work, to wrap himself up in as many blankets as he wanted as long as he rested his head on the pillows next to Eddie.
As they were leaving after the shift, Eddie gasped and asked Buck to wait. Pulling the purple blanket out from his backseat, he presented it to Buck proudly. “For your Jeep!”
Buck chuckled, “Thanks, Eds. How many of these do you have?” He peered into the window of the Prius. “Is that another one?”
“What if you get cold in my car?” Eddie said. He squirmed. Maybe he was being ridiculous. It was a bit excessive, but he just wanted Buck to be warm.
“It’s really sweet, Eds. Thank you,” Buck said, smiling as bright as sunshine.
Forget the blankets. Buck’s happiness is what would keep Eddie warm.
–
The warmth didn’t stay for long. That night, and the next two nights they were home, Buck had fallen asleep on the couch, even after a brutal 24-hour shift (at least with his new blanket). Eddie was actually going to lose his mind. They had been sharing the bed for two months! Did Eddie…do something wrong? Maybe it was him driving Buck away.
He had to fix this. It couldn’t be too late, not yet.
Buck loved his bed at the loft, so much so that he had moved the mattress into Eddie’s bed when he had started subletting, and exchanged it for an even nicer one halfway through Eddie’s trip to Texas for some reason. The mattress was great, but maybe Eddie’s sheets weren't up to standard? And maybe the dark blue bedspread was kind of ugly, especially with the new green blanket? Something about his bedroom was unappealing to Buck, and maybe it was Eddie himself, but he had to eliminate any other possible variable from the situation.
Eddie…maybe went a little crazy at the home goods store. Surely Buck would love the 500-count Egyptian sheets, and the pretty green comforter to match the blanket that lived in the bed now, and the soft turquoise rug, and the fluffy pillows. Maybe he would like it enough to sleep in Eddie’s bed again, to curl up against his side, to be close enough for Eddie to hear his every breath, to press his cold feet (still cold in fuzzy socks) against Eddie’s ankles. He had, of course, shared beds before, but Buck was his secret favourite, only tied with when Christopher would shyly ask Eddie to stay with him until he fell asleep.
The day after the bedroom remodel, where Buck had slept at Maddie’s the night before, they had a 48-on. The shift was that kind of long, exhausting one where they barely had time to rest, the type that made Eddie too weary, too tired to pretend he’d be okay for Buck to sleep on the couch. He wanted to be with his partner, wanted that quiet intimacy, the certainty that they were both safe.
“Buck,” he said, softly as they finished brushing their teeth. “Can you come to bed?”
Buck just looked at him.
Eddie knew Buck better than he knew himself. Buck’s eyes would crinkle at the corners when he was really and truly happy, even if he didn’t smile with all his teeth. Buck’s hands would shake when he was nervous, and his pointer and middle fingers would twist if he was lying. His eyes would flit down to the floor if he was nervous, and his bottom lip would pout out a bit if he was thinking really hard.
He didn’t know this look. It was just on the edge of being cautious, almost nervous. He smiled (the corners of his eyes not moving at all, Eddie noted despondently), “Sure, Eds.”
As they walked into the room, Buck raised his eyebrows. “Very green.”
“Do you like it?” Eddie said, anxiously.
Buck put a hand on the bedspread, over the sheets. “It’s really soft,” he whispered. “When did you buy all this?”
“Before our shift.” Eddie got into the bed. “Come?”
Buck somehow had a much more exhausting shift than Eddie did, including a daring rope rescue and climbing up what must have been fifteen ladders, so Eddie wasn’t surprised when Buck basically had collapsed into the bed. “It’s so nice,” he said, curling up next to Eddie, right where he belonged.
The bed was so warm, and Buck looked so soft and lovely in his pink pajamas, and Eddie was too tired to think of why it would be a bad idea to just have this. He turned over, pressing his face against Buck’s bicep, holding onto his big arm. “Goodnight, Buck.”
“I – goodnight, Eds.”
Eddie couldn’t remember drifting off, but he’d remember waking up like this for the rest of his life. They had moved slightly in their sleep, turned chest-to-chest. Buck’s head was under his, resting on his shoulder, Buck’s soft breaths on his heart and pretty mussed curls tickling his neck, Eddie’s arm safely holding him. The sunset was warm and golden in the room – they had probably gone to sleep at around 8 this morning and it was nearing 4 in the afternoon. Eddie knew Chris was staying over with Hen and Karen tonight, and he had absolutely nothing to do except hold Buck in his arms. He started playing with Buck’s hair, the blonde curls irresistible. Buck not-so-secretly loved getting his hair played with, and it seemed to be the same in his sleep – he made a quiet, snuffling sound and nuzzled a bit deeper into Eddie’s chest. It was the cutest thing Eddie had ever seen, heartbeat thundering loud enough he was worried he would wake Buck up.
He wanted this every morning, every day of his life, Buck warm and safe in his arms – but Buck had to want it too. Eddie knew Buck liked him enough to stick around, but he dreaded the day where Buck met someone who treated him well, who hadn’t fucked up every relationship they ever had, who didn’t have nightmares every other night, who was brave enough to just say –
“Oh, shit, sorry Eds,” Buck said, voice low with sleep from where he had just woken up. He tried to move, and Eddie wanted, so badly, to tighten his hold, to keep Buck for just a moment longer, but he needed Buck to want to stay. He loosened his grip, and Buck moved away to the other side of the bed. “Don’t worry, I know you want your space back, I’ll take care of it.”
Something broke inside Eddie.
All he wanted was for Buck to stay. What did he mean, take care of it? Embarrassingly, he could feel his eyes well up with tears.
He wanted to leave. Still, after everything, Buck wanted to leave, and Eddie had to let him go.
“Eds? Are you okay?”
Eddie buried his face in his hands. God, not right now. He couldn’t stop the muffled sob, emotions running too high to contain in the golden light, in front of Buck’s concerned, open face. He just wanted what he couldn’t have, he had wasted so much time running away from what was in front of him the whole time and now it was slipping through his fingertips. Buck was pulling away, and Eddie didn’t want to trap him, he just – “Sorry.”
“It’s okay, let it out,” Buck said, scrambling back over and holding him, pressing Eddie’s face into Buck’s neck. “What’s wrong? It’ll be okay, Eddie.”
“It’s not,” Eddie sobbed harder, selfishly not moving away. He clung to Buck, greedily, maybe for the last time.
“Did something happen? Is it Chris?”
Eddie shook his head, “It’s me.”
“It’s okay, I have you,” Buck sounded so frantic, so worried, running his hand up and down Eddie’s back. It felt so good, warmth tingling up his spine, only to be chased by dreaded, icy cold when his brain reminded him that he would leave, he’s going to leave and you’ll be alone and it’s what you deserve, you can’t drag him down with you –
Buck was so good, holding him, rubbing his back, not pushing him to talk despite how worried he was. “Sorry,” Eddie whispered when his sobs subsided. Buck soothingly kept touching him, and Eddie sighed. He really, really didn’t want to pull away.
“It’s okay, Eds. Did something happen?”
Eddie really, really couldn’t tell him. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
Buck frowned, “I – I don’t want to push you, but you did just cry for like 30 minutes, man. Does seem kind of like something you need to talk about. Did something happen with your parents?”
“Not really.” Eddie shuffled on the bed. He didn’t want to talk about it, didn’t want Buck’s soft pity or, worse, to guilt him into staying – because Buck was good like that, he would live in Eddie’s house even if he hated it, because Buck did love him but not in the way Eddie wanted him to, and wasn’t that selfish? “I just…got sad.”
“Why?” Buck took his hand, running his thumb over Eddie’s palm. Eddie’s mouth went dry.
“I – please don’t feel bad, I can’t – ” Eddie took a deep breath. “I was just a little upset that you wanted to move. Sorry.”
“What? Don’t apologize.” Buck looked gobsmacked. “You cried because I’m moving out?”
Betrayal shot through Eddie, as cold as a blade. “You are? I thought you were just looking – you found a place?”
“No, no! I just – ” Buck ran a hand through his hair. “I’m a bit confused. I thought you’d want me to move.”
“Why would I want that?”
“I don’t know, Eds. Isn’t it kind of weird just having your friend in your space all the time?”
Eddie was going to throw up. “Do…do you think it’s weird?” All those moments he held dear in his heart, like treasure, Buck found it weird? Even in his worst nightmares, he could never imagine something like this. He thought Buck at least liked it temporarily, but he thought it was –
“Hey, Eds, breathe with me,” Buck held his hand a bit tighter. “I – I mean, I don’t think it’s weird, but if you started dating again or something, wouldn’t your girlfriend find it weird that we shared a bed?”
“I don’t want a girlfriend,” Eddie said petulantly, feeling horribly like he was talking to his parents.
“I mean, maybe not right now, but maybe in the future, don’t you want a partner – ”
Every word hurt, Eddie couldn’t take it. “You are my partner!” Eddie sobbed. “I just want you!”
“Not the way I want you!” Buck yelled.
What?
“What?”
Buck wanted him?
“I – oh my God. I have to go.” Buck started shaking, slowly drawing back.
Why was he leaving? “No, you don’t have to go!” Eddie yelled back, starting to cry again, his voice hitching. Buck wanted him, but didn’t want to stay? “Why do you think you have to go? I – I tried so hard – to make this a home for you, I just wanted you to stay – ”
“I’m here,” Buck said frantically, “Please don’t cry, Eds, I’m right here.”
“You’re not,” Eddie said, pathetically. “It hurts.”
“I’m here, I promise,” Buck whispered into the top of his head. “I’ll be anything you need, Eds, I’m here.”
Did he still not get it?
“No,” Eddie pulled back, wiping the tears from his face. “What do you want?”
“Eds – ”
“Please, Buck. I – ” Eddie put his head in his hands, he couldn’t look at him. “I’m sorry, I just – I need you to want it.”
“I can’t have what I want,” Buck said, voice thick. Eddie wasn’t looking, and he knew Buck was crying.
Incapable of stopping himself when he knew Buck was in pain, Eddie looked up. A few tears were falling from his pretty blue eyes, shot through with red. Eddie softly wiped a tear away with his thumb. “You can, Buck. I – ” he swallowed. “If you want to leave, you can. But I don’t – if you want to stay, why can’t you? Am I too – is something wrong? Is it me?”
“No, you’re perfect,” Buck assured him, like saying it was easier than breathing. “I just – it feels like. Sometimes, you look at me like you love me.”
Eddie’s breath stopped in his lungs.
Buck continued, like he didn’t just rewrite Eddie’s entire nervous system. “I know we’re friends, and I treasure our friendship, believe me. It’s just hard sometimes, having something so close but out of reach. I’m sorry, Eds, I didn’t mean to make you feel like it was your fault. It’s just my stupid feelings getting in the way.”
Oh, Buck. Eddie’s chest felt hollowed out. “No, you’re wrong.” He took another shaky breath. He had shown Buck, explained it in the way he knew best, but Buck needed his words, no matter how hard it was. “I look at you like I love you because I love you.”
It felt like a weight was lifted off of his shoulders. He couldn’t stop talking, now that he started, “I meant it. I want to be your partner, I want to fall asleep with you every day, I want to buy you all the kitchen appliances you want, I just – I want you. In every way I can have you.”
Buck looked…dazed. “But. You’re straight.”
“No,” Eddie laughed. “After all that, you think I’m straight?”
“I can’t really think right now,” Buck admitted. “I – Eddie,” he cut off, laughing lightly. It was radiant, Buck’s quiet, careful happiness. “You really mean it?”
“I bought a puppy plush because I missed you and it reminds me of you,” Eddie blurted out.
“You’ll never miss me again,” Buck said, eyes full of wonder. “I’ll stick around forever. You’ll get sick of me.”
Eddie moved closer, until their knees touched, Buck still holding his hand. He felt so light, almost giddy. Was this actually happening? “I could never get sick of you, Buck. I always want you around.”
Pretty blue eyes welled up with tears. “I feel like I'm dreaming.”
“Me too,” Eddie admitted. “I just – can I. Can I kiss you?”
“The answer to that is always yes,” Buck said, laughing as Eddie launched himself forward.
Kissing Buck was everything. Buck’s strong hands came around his waist, pulling him close, kissing him with enthusiasm, molten heat spilling down his spine. It was the best kiss of his life, with the best person he’d ever known. He didn’t need to think, didn’t need to breathe, didn’t need to do anything except run his thumb over Buck’s pretty cheekbone and kiss him and kiss him for the rest of his life.
He didn’t know how it could get better, until Buck tugged him gently, urging him forward until Eddie got the memo and swung his leg over Buck’s hips, settling on his lap. Like this, Eddie was taller than Buck, warm blue eyes staring up at him as they separated for a second.
Eddie had to kiss him again.
“Wait, wait – Eddie, baby – ”
Eddie knew he was pouting as Buck pulled away, but the sweet name placated him enough to let him happen, his face going hot.
“You like that?” Buck kissed him on the cheek, “Baby.”
Oh my God. ‘Baby’ in Buck’s sweet, low voice was the best thing Eddie had ever heard, his heartbeat going up. Eddie pressed his face against Buck’s neck, overwhelmed. He smelled so good.
“Cute.” Buck ran a hand through Eddie’s hair. “I just wanted to ask – all that stuff, with the KitchenAid, and the blanket…Eddie, you didn’t have to.”
Eddie pulled back out of Buck’s neck, missing it immediately. “I wanted you to feel comfortable here, like it’s your home. I want you to stay – I want you to want to stay.”
Buck smiled, kissing his forehead tenderly. “My home is with you and Christopher. I’ll stay for forever, there’s nowhere I’d rather be than with you.”
Eddie was actually going to cry. He threw his arms around Buck instead, holding him tight – because Buck wanted to stay, Buck wanted Eddie as badly as Eddie wanted Buck. He was overjoyed, over the moon.
His home was finally complete, and his heart was full.