Work Text:
“Just one tonight?” The hostess smiled up at Eddie and grabbed a menu as she stepped clear of her podium.
“No actually, two—uh— my date isn’t here yet I don’t think.” Eddie scanned the room over the hostess’s shoulder and did not see anyone fitting his date’s description. “Actually, can you check? Did anyone get seated that was looking for the Diaz Party?”
The hostess leaned over her seating chart appointment book and scanned the evening’s roster. She looked at him with a practiced pout.
“No—I’m sorry…Looks like you’re the first one to arrive. I’m sure they’ll show up soon. Can’t imagine anyone standing up a handsome guy like you.” She gives him a coy wink. Eddie’s ears turn a little pink and his eyes dart around, unsure of how to respond or where to look. He chuckles softly and looks up at her for the briefest of moments before shoving his hands in his pockets.
“Thanks.”, he says barely above a whisper.
“Right this way.” She indicates with an open handed gesture, leading him to table twelve. She sets the menu down and pulls out his chair. Eddie sits with out looking up at her, opening the menu and studying it as to avoid her steady gaze. She was pretty and he could see she was kind, if maybe just a bit too eager. She lifted the carafe of water and filled his glass.
“I’m your hostess Kelly. Brad will be your server tonight. Can I get you started with another beverage besides water?”, she said this more professionally and less flirty, but he thought he could sense a touch of disappointment in her voice.
Eddie glances over the drink menu and then sets it down, uninterested in the list of fruity drinks on offer.
“I’ll take a domestic beer. Whatever you got on tap.”, he blurts decisively.
“You got it, stud.”, she says with a smile, giving it one more shot to see if Eddie would take the bait and flirt back. After a beat, he nods and smiles and then goes back to pouring over the menu.
The hostess turns away and heads to the bar to fetch him his beer. She returns a moment later and sets the glass down.
“Your server will be right with you.”, she says more flatly now, her smile more icy than before, as she heads back to her station, escorting a group who was just arriving to the nearest four-top.
A few moments later, Eddie’s waiter shows up.
“Hi, I’m Brad, I’ll be your server this evening. Will someone be joining you? Or is it just you tonight?” He looks at Eddie and smiles.
Eddie looks up from his menu and absently says, “Oh uh…Actually, I’m waiting for someone.”
“Great! How’s about I get you started with something to drink? Maybe some wine, or one of our craft beers?” We have a nice choice of lagers or IPAs…?”
“Just whatever you have on tap is good.” He waves the half drank glass of beer toward him.
The waiter nods.
“Okay—I’ll be right back with your drink.” Eddie smiles politely. Brad smirks, eyeing him up and down. Eddie’s not 100% sure, but he thought he saw the waiter linger a bit trying to get a look at his crotch. ‘Man, the staff is so flirty around here.’ , he thinks. Then again, maybe it’s just his imagination running away with him. He’s been in a really squirrelly mood lately, which is why he agreed to go on this stupid blind date in the first place. Carla set it up, because she was tired of seeing him moping around the house, driving her nuts. He was going from sleeping at random hours of the day, to bouncing off the walls and there was a point where he had “fixed” every appliance in the house out of boredom, or perhaps in this case—horniness. They still have not been able to cook anything homemade since Eddie got his hands on the stove, microwave and the toaster. Chris of course was just fine doing takeout and pizza most days. Carla brought fried chicken she made herself one of the nights. There is only so much fast food one can take in a month, and Eddie still had not gotten around to calling a professional to “unfix’ what he had already tried to “fix”.
A few moments later, the server came back with Eddie’s beer and a low-ball glass with a couple fingers of whisky in it.
“Here’s your beer and a cocktail courtesy of the gentleman at the bar. Brad smiled and gave Eddie a wink. Eddie looked over at the row of patrons seated at the bar. At first he did not recognize anyone he knew. Then one of them leaned out and stared back at him. A stupidly happy grin on his face.
“Buck!”, Eddie said, almost yelling.
“Cute.”, Brad said, giving Eddie a bemused look.
“Oh—he’s just—we’re work friends.” Eddie tried to sound convincing.
“Uh huh.” Brad sounded like he wasn’t buying what Eddie was trying to sell him.
“I’ll leave this plate here then?”, he said.
Eddie looked at his watch. 30 minutes had passed. He supposed his date wasn’t coming. He waved Buck over. “Yeah. Thank you.” Eddie spoke in a tone that sounded a little too dismissive.
“I’ll give you guys a few more minutes to decide. Good Luuuuck!” Brad let that last word come out in singsong way, indicating again that he was on to them as a couple.
Buck slid in to the seat on the other side of the table from Eddie, looking back at Brad as he sashayed away. He gave Eddie a look that said “what’s his deal?” And Eddie shrugged in response.
“I think he thinks your my blind date.” Eddie said.
“Oh??” Buck did not want to impose. “I can go if you—” he starts to get up and Eddie waves him down.
“No, No stay! I don’t think she’s coming anyway, and—we don’t want to disappoint Brad.” He emphasizes the waiters name as he does a somewhat fey sounding impression. They both chuckled.
“Thanks for the drink, by the way.” Eddie looked at Buck and there was this moment when Buck realized he wasn’t completely sure what made him buy Eddie a drink in the first place. He was capable of buying his own drinks.
“Oh my pleasure.” He said. Their eyes locked for a moment and when it went on a tad longer than expected, Buck stole Eddie’s beer and took a sip.
“Hey!” Eddie said.
“Sorry, I was thirsty.” Buck wondered, ‘Did that sound flirty?’
Eddie shot back—“Yeah you and every server who works here.”
Buck felt his cheeks flush and the tops of his ears turn red. ‘Did Eddie just flirt back?’
He cleared his throat. “So, what are you doing here?” Eddie looked at him quizzically.
“Carla set me up. Blind date, remember? I was about to ask you the same thing.” Eddie didn’t know why it mattered. Hell, he was happy for the company. And he couldn’t think of anyone else he’d rather spend the time with.
“Pfft oh yeah.. right. He felt stupid now. He couldn’t help it, to be honest. Sometimes he just gets caught up in Eddie’s warm brown eyes and he just loses the ability to hear. He just gets lost.
“Tinder hook-up.” He indicated to himself and then took out his phone, flipping through the app until he found today’s match. He showed it to Eddie.
“Nice.” He said, nodding his approval.
There is a moment or two of awkward silence. Another lingering look, filling Eddie’s stomach with butterflies. He pushes them down.
“A toast!” Eddie says, raising the drink Buck sent him.
“A toast.” Buck says and he goes for Eddie’s beer again. This time Eddie smiles at him and Buck’s mouth curls up in wry smile. And a wink.
The conversation turns to small talk and then to high school stories, and anything else they could think of to fill the spaces. They already know so much about each other, it’s strange to try and find new things to say. As the drinks settle in, they feel looser, more comfortable, almost intimate. They get animated and use a lot of hand gestures, and laugh warmly. There are moments here and there where they trade re-assuring hand pats and high fives, and every single touch courses through Buck like a wave.
He feels a a growing wakefulness in places he did not expect to feel and these feelings morph into a straining bulge in his pants. This—makes him have to pee. He waits for a lull in the conversation and for his manhood to soften a bit. Finally, his window of opportunity comes and he takes it.
“Hey, I’ll be right back. I gotta hit the little boys room.”
“No problemo, gringo!”, Eddie says in a drunken Speedy Gonzales cartoon voice.
Buck jumps up and turns to the side to hide his stiffening embarrassment. He slides past Eddie ass first, and Eddie catches the roundness of it out of the corner of his eye. “Nice Ass.”, he thinks to himself as he downs the last of his whisky. He shakes his head back and forth, laughing to himself, letting the booze wash away the thought.
Buck ambles along the bar and sees Brad the waiter rounding the corner, heading straight for him. At the last second, he swerves to try and avoid a collision. They just brush up against each other in a near miss.
“Oopseee!” Brad says in a sorry not sorry, melodious voice.
Buck’s semi skims along Brad’s hip and it is enough for him to turn and give it a glance. Buck ducks into the men’s room. A moment later, Brad decides to set his collected plates down on the end of the bar and follow him in.
He opens the door and saddles up to the urinal next to Buck’s. He pulls open his pants and yanks them down along with his underwear and flops himself out. He looks down and sees Buck finishing up, half hard and says, “Nice Piece. Need some help with that?” Buck turns on him, still showing, fumbling with his half hard monster. In this moment it refuses to be tamed and go back to its home.
“Sorry pal, yer not my type.” Buck snarks. Brad turns and faces him, letting his pants fall down around his knees. He pushes Buck up against the wall—and Buck doesn’t fight it.
“Oh Please…Honey, I’m everybody’s type.”, sasses Brad before he drops to his knees, taking every bit of Buck’s rock hard dick into his mouth.
Buck’s mind is spinning as he squeezes his eyes shut, trying his best not to loose control and cum instantly into Brad’s mouth. Images of Eddie wash into and out of his thoughts with increasingly rapid succession.. Eddie sliding his shirt over his abs, that first day in locker room of the 118…the way they walk side by side sometimes, almost touching…the whiff of cologne he steals every time they hug every time they hug…and those eyes… those warm brown eyes, and the way he looks at him sometimes when he’s being oh so sincere…
“Oh Eddie—Oh Eddie...” He whimpers as he gets close to orgasm.
“Eddie??!” Brad stops what his doing and breaks the magic, just as the Men’s Room door swings open hard.
“EDDIE!!” Buck spit’s out, pushing Brad, stuffing himself away — almost catching skin as he zips himself up.
“Hey! What the fuck?! Get your hands of my boyfriend pal!!”, Eddie barks out as Brad stands and struggles with his own pants.
Eddie crosses to Brad and grabs him firmly on the back of his neck.
“Hold it right there pretty boy, I didn’t fucking say you could pull them up.”, Eddie says in his most deep and Daddy-ish voice.
Brad’s mouth drops open, and he stands there shaking as Eddie gets in close. He growls in Brad’s ear.
“What do you think, Buck? Should we take this one home with us, and teach him a lesson??” He side-eyes Buck, whose face is just as shocked as Brad’s.
“Uh—I um—ye—yeah.”, Buck fumbles, his buzz waining, and his dick still throbbing.
“Hey, I didn’t mean to get in between you guys…” Brad tries to say.
“Why not?”, Eddie chides, “Am I not pretty enough for you?” He grips Brad a little tighter, bringing their mouths almost together. Brad can smell the whisky on his breath. Eddie can smell Buck on his.
Suddenly there is a pounding on the Men’s room door.
“Brad! Get your ass out here! We’re swamped!”, the shrill voice of the hostess cuts through the closed door and the tension in the room.
“Saved by the Bell.”, Eddie says, as he shoves Brad back, almost causing him to tumble over. Brad snatches up his drawers and swings the door open. Kelly is standing there eyeing him up and down, sees his pants are unbuttoned and his shirt half tucked.
“Again?!”, she admonished. She looks over Brad’s shoulder to Buck and Eddie.
“Pfft…Figures.” She pouts. As she turns away she says, “After close, I want every detail or I will kick your fucking ass!”.
Brad turns back to Eddie and Buck before heading back to the grind.
“Uh—Thanks?”, he says, a sheepish look on his face. He quickly exits and the door almost hits him in the ass.
“Thanks!” Buck shouts a little too gleefully before Eddie shoots him a look that says, “Simmer down, bud.”
“I squared up our tab... Let’s go.” Eddie grabs a buck by his tie. He tugs it firmly, and buck follows like a dog heels to its master. A smile crossing his lips as Eddie pulls open the door to the restroom and walks him through the hallway and out of the restaurant.
Buck glances around and notices that some of the patrons are giving them strange looks. His cheeks flush and he looks down. Eddie notices this and lets go of Bucks tie. Buck doesn’t break his stride, trotting obediently behind him. Somewhere in him, he feels a twitch of disappointment that overtakes his temporary embarrassment. There was something he liked about Eddie taking control.
As they leave the restaurant, Eddie moves to the side to allow Buck to come up alongside him. The night air is crisp, and the slight breeze carries the scent of Eddie’s cologne into Buck’s nostrils. The hairs on the back of his neck bristle to attention. He wants to breathe him in so badly. Wants so much to be close to him. At first, he’s not sure what he should say, or if he should say anything at all about what happened back at the restaurant. Or men’s room. He searches his mind for the right thing to say, afraid any small talk will dissolve whatever hope he had of the chemistry they shared tonight. He prayed it was not simply just a figment of his imagination.
At the same time, what if there was something there? Something more than just their enduring friendship? As much as he might want to deny it, he knew from the minute, he saw Eddie the first day he had come to the station. He remembers how his insides stirred at the sight of Eddie changing his shirt. His taught and rippling abs, causing his mouth to go dry. It was a feeling he passed off as territorial at first. Like... Who the fuck does this guy think he is? I’m supposed to be the hot one around here! Macho bullshit like that was just Bucks way of stuffing down the spike of lust he felt in his heart.
This wasn’t the first time he choked back the feeling that he might be attracted to men. And after tonight, it was pretty much a given. Something he could no longer ignore. He wondered why all of his relationships with women never really worked out for him. Was this the reason? Not just his attraction to men, but his attraction to this man in particular?
“So – – Uhhh... Back there... You and the waiter...” Eddie’s words snapped Buck out of his thoughts. “Sorry I cock blocked you— I don’t know something just sort of came over me. I was sort of surprised to be honest… I mean, I didn’t expect to see you… Like that.
“Yeah… I didn’t really expect to see myself in that position either… And the way you sort of took charge. You were all like… Possessive. Like I belong to you.”
“Oh… Yeah. I don’t know. I just felt protective I guess. Did that bother you?”
“No… Not at all. It just felt…right. It felt… True.”
And then Buck gives him those puppy dog eyes… All wanting. Pleading. It makes Eddie blush. “Yeah… maybe because It is true.“ He shakes his head back-and-forth, an incredulous smile spreading across his lips. As though he was just realizing it…Admitting it to himself and to Buck for the first time.
“ So... I don’t know... It just sort of happened I guess. Sorry about that.” Buck felt like it was somewhat of a lie. It felt a little weird to apologize for it.
“Hey it’s not a problem.“ Eddie spat out. you’re my best friend Buck. You do you. I’m not here to judge.“ The way Eddie was looking at him, hands in his pockets, eyes drifting from Buck’s face down to the sidewalk and back again. He wasn’t sure why, but he got the feeling somehow Eddie was crestfallen. Kind of like the way Tayler looked at him when they broke up. Not so much disappointed in Buck himself, more heartbroken I guess. Maybe he was just imagining it. He piped up with the first thing he could think of to try to lighten up the conversation.
“Man... The way you came in there – – and took control – – that guy was scared shitless.“ This caused them both to smile and kind of chuckle at the thought.
“Yeah, it was pretty funny.”
Then Buck said the next thing that came to his mind, before he could stop himself.
“Yeah like, when you called me, your boyfriend... I don’t know – I – I never had anybody defend me that way before. You know, like fight for me— or over me— or whatever. It was kind of sexy.” Shrugging off his embarrassment. Just the thought washing over him, made him feel like his heart was going to burst. Even though it probably was just an act, it still felt good. He liked thinking that maybe Eddie considered him his. His boy. His property. Somewhere in his heart as crazy as it sounds, he’s sort of wished it was true.
Eddie stopped walking and turned to Buck. Eyebrows raised, a look of surprise and bemusement on his face. He chuckled and smiled at buck.
“What?!“ The moment hung in the air longer than Buck could stand.
“Nothing... you’re just funny is all. Of course I would defend you, and... You know, protect you. Honestly, I don’t know what came over me, but I just felt like —On the one hand I felt bad because I mean you looked like you were having a good time... But on the other hand, I –-“
He shook his head, his eyes drifted off across the street and up into the sky.
“Never mind, he said. Anyway... it was the first thing that came to mind. It seemed to me like we were having a good time and then— I don’t know. I guess it just sort of made me feel like a third wheel… I know that sounds weird.”
Buck felt a hot shame of blood to his face.
“No... I don’t think that’s weird at all. I didn’t mean to leave you sitting there by yourself. It was kind of rude of me...I’m sorry if I made you feel bad. It all kind of happened so fast... Honestly, I’m glad you showed up when you did. He wasn’t my type anyway.“
With that Buck leaned into Eddie and bumped his shoulder. This made Eddie warm a bit inside. He couldn’t help but smile. Good God that smile made Buck feel so much better. It always made him feel better.
“Yeah? Well, while we’re being honest... I didn’t think he was good enough for you. He didn’t seem like your type.“, Eddie had no idea what Buck’s type was, but men wasn’t something he ever considered, despite their closeness. Or was it more like, chemistry?
“Oh yeah? What’s my type?“ He was hoping Eddie would say, he was more his type.
“I mean, I don’t know, up until tonight I thought maybe your type was... women!“ Eddie and Buck both laughed. There it was again...that bond between them. In that moment, they both wondered why either of them ever doubted it for a second. There just weren’t enough, Brad’s or Marisol’s in the world to break what they had.
They started walking again, side-by-side a little closer in proximity than they were before. Each of them feeling the slow, aching pull of each other‘s gravity.
“Yeah, I surprised myself to be honest.” Buck knew this wasn’t completely honest. But he didn’t think he was ready to have that particular conversation right in this moment.
“Does it bother you?” Buck said.
“Me? Nah... actually, I’m glad it’s out there in the open. You don’t have to hide from me Buck. It’s like there’s one less secret between us. Like I finally get to know the real you. Honestly, I like this version of you just as much if not more.“
And he turned to Buck... His warm, brown eyes causing Buck to bubble over... He grabbed Eddie by the collar of his jacket and pulled him into a hungry kiss. Every single feeling he ever thought he had boiling over. Before he even knew what he was doing, they were mashed together. He felt Eddie fall into it. Meeting him finally, at the place in his heart he had always hoped could be there. Their lips, trembling. Their kisses marrying together— each one discovering the other over and over again in a cascading succession of new and exciting revelations.
Eddie cradled Buck’s head in his hands, his fingers weaving a tangle into the hair on the back of his head. They kissed again and again, wanton and desperate. Like a raging river held back too long, now bursting through this dam of unrequited feelings. Tumbling over every obstacle like a waterfall crashing over and against the rocks.
When their lips finally parted, their foreheads leaning together, trying to catch their breath, they opened their eyes. It was like they were finally seeing each other for the first time. Their hands frozen still, holding each other in an embrace.
“Wow...“ They said in unison. They gave each other a soft smile.
“So…your place or mine?“ Buck said, still breathless.
“Christopher’s with his Abuela tonight.” Eddie said eagerly.
The mention of Christopher caused Buck to break Eddie’s hold and he pulled himself upright.
“Shit... Christopher. What are we gonna tell Christopher?” Buck put his hands to his head in dismay.
Eddie knew he was right. In fact, he was surprised he didn’t think of it first. Christopher always came first. He felt a hot spike of guilt run through him. How could he be so selfish?
“You’re right! You’re so right. What was I thinking?”
Eddie said.
“God can you imagine what would’ve happened if his Abuela brought him home and they caught us in bed together?!“ Buck’s mind was reeling at the thought.
Then Eddie said, “You know I think for the very first time in my life. I put my own feelings before Christopher’s. And the worst part of it is, as guilty as that makes me feel... I’m not sorry.“
“Eddie...“ Buck moved in closer again. They looked into each other’s eyes. Buck continued.
“Look... You know how I feel about Christopher. And now you know how I feel about you. I don’t want anything to jeopardize that. Maybe we should cool off. Take some time to think about this. I don’t wanna lose you.“
He looked at Eddie, and the look on Buck’s face... Eddie had never seen anything quite like it before. The closest thing he could approximate was the way Christopher‘s mother Shannon cared for him. Cared for them both.
“I don’t wanna lose you either.“ Eddie said.
“I always hoped you’d feel the same way about me as I feel about you“ Buck said. “I guess I’ve been feeling this way for a long time... I just didn’t want myself to believe it. I didn’t wanna risk losing another person I—“
“Love.” Eddie finished his sentence for him.
Buck stood there, his mouth hanging open— and nodded slowly in agreement.
“This is new for me too you know... This is like – – all new. I don’t think I’ve ever felt attracted to another guy before. Not just like, guys in general but... What I mean is... If I was ever going to love a guy? I think the only guy I could ever love is you. Does that make sense?“ Eddie looked at him.
There was a moment of silence that felt like forever. Eddie was such a jumble of emotions, it was all he could do to keep from crying. Just when he thought that sliver of doubt was rising back up in him...
“It makes perfect sense.” And with that Buck kissed him on the mouth again. Taking his hands and letting their lips linger in a kiss, more tender, more profound than the previous lustful ones had been. This time he kissed him like he meant it. Like it mattered. It felt like a promise and the most sincere, thank you at the same time.
“So... You want to go out again sometime?“ Eddie said. A sheepish grin crossed his face.
“Oh definitely.” Buck said. “But not until we talk to Christopher first.” Eddie nodded in agreement.
“Absolutely... Absolutely.“ Eddie hooked his arm around Buck's, and they walked the rest of the way to Eddie’s house in silence.
When they got there, Buck pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed an Uber.
“You sure you don’t want to come in for like a beer or something?” Eddie said, his eyebrow arching. His heart, hopeful. Yet, he was pretty sure he knew what Buck’s answer would be.
Before Buck could say anything, his Uber pulled up.
“Wow... That was fast…Rain check?” Buck said. A crooked smile crossed his face.
“What are you doing tomorrow?“ Eddie said.
This made Buck laugh, as he tucked himself into the backseat of the Uber. He closed the door, and Eddie watched as Buck looked out the window at him. Buck touched two fingers to his lips and pressed them to the glass as the Uber drove off into the night. Eddie waved, then turned and unlocked his door. The slightest strains of melody to “I’ve Had The Time of My Life...” whistling between his lips.
The next day, Buck and Eddie took Christopher out to the arcade for pizza and video games. As much fun as it was, it was excruciating to be in such close proximity to each other and not be able to touch. There was the occasional hi-five when one or the other would excel at skee-ball, or a congratulatory three-way hug when Christopher would lob a basketball right into the net. But other than that, it was much more difficult than either of them thought it would be to reel in their feelings and step back into a friendship.
After playing a few hours worth of games and gathering up enough tickets to get a giant stuffed animal and some cool junk prizes from the claw machine, they sat down at the restaurant and ordered a pizza. They ate the first couple slices in relative silence. Eventually, Eddie worked up the courage to address the elephant in the room. And not the obnoxious one playing the banjo up on the animatronic stage.
“Say bud—I wanted to ask you something.“ Eddie pulled the slice of pizza out of Christopher‘s hand and set it on his plate. He turned Christopher toward him, an earnest look on his face.
“Yeah, Dad?” Christopher said.
Buck shifted nervously in his chair.
“Is there something wrong?” Usually his dad didn’t get this serious unless something bad was up.
“No buddy... Not exactly... I just wanted to ask you how you would feel if say, Buck and I decided we wanted to start seeing each other?” Eddie knew the minute the words came out of his mouth, he sort of fumbled the ball.
Christopher said, “What do you mean? You guys see each other all the time at work and most of the time when you’re not at work.“
“Yeah... You’re right, but I guess what I meant is how would you feel if Buck and I were dating... if we were boyfriends?“ Eddie and Buck looked at each other and then back at Christopher expectantly.
“Took you long enough.“ Christopher said matter-of-factly, as though it was the most ridiculous thing in the world that his dad would even have to ask.
“You... You mean you knew?“ Buck said.
“Everybody knows!“ Christopher said, rolling his eyes.
“What do you mean everybody knows?” Eddie sounded surprised and a little indignant. He always thought they did a good job at hiding their true feelings.
“Abuela said that the reason you never got married again was because you were already in love with him.” Christopher points at Buck. Buck felt like somebody hit him with a sledgehammer.
“That one time when you guys left me with Maddie? I asked her if she thought Buck had a crush on you and she said, yes!“
Christopher smiled the biggest grin either of them had ever seen.
“You guys loooove each other!“ Christopher started to giggle uncontrollably. Mocking them in a sing song voice.
Eddie chimed in, “All right pal, calm down... This is only our second date.“
“So when are you guys gonna get married?” Christopher said. He started giggling again.
“Whoa... hold on there cowboy, how about we date at least for a couple of months first before you start dragging us down the aisle huh?“ Buck said.
Buck and Eddie look at each other and start to laugh. All three of them having uncontrollable giggles.
Once they had caught their breath, Eddie said to Christopher, “So you’re cool with this then?“
Christopher turned to Buck and held up a pointed finger in his direction.
“On one condition...“ He gave Buck a very serious look over the top of his eyeglasses.
“What’s that buddy?“ Buck suddenly felt like he was on trial.
“Promise me, no matter what happens... You will never leave me or my Dad.“ Christopher ‘s words struck them both directly in the center of their hearts.
“I promise.“ Buck places his hand over his heart.
“You promise? Never ever?“ Christopher asked again, even more weighted than before.
Buck swept him up into his arms. Squeezing him tight. He looked over Christopher ‘s shoulder directly at Eddie, both of them misty-eyed and said,
“I promise... Never ever bud...Never ever.”
Over the next couple of weeks, Buck and Eddie went on a few dates. Though none of their coworkers at the 118 were surprised, and Maddie was beyond excited, it still took some getting used to. It was really hard to work together, actually. Buck had taken to changing in and out of his gear in relative isolation for the most part...Afraid he could spring an erection at any moment if he caught even a glimpse of Eddie in the showers or with his suspenders down and his white T-shirt taut against his muscular frame. Just the thought of it alone, was enough to scramble his brain.
Eddie had his own way of coping with his new work environment. He sat a little further away from Buck at the dinner table, afraid one of them might get the urge to hold hands or play Footy or Lord knows what else they might get up to if they got too close. Not to mention the constant of questions from Chimney, about what it was like to date another dude, who was the man in the relationship, which one was the top? This caused Hen to slug him hard in the shoulder.
“Chim!” She squawked.
“What?! It’s a fair question.“ Chimney said.
On and on this went, until one night while they were eating dinner Bobby finally piped up and said their business was their own, and anything else, Chim was curious about he could take up with HR. That pretty much put an end the questions. Hen told both Eddie and Buck in private, how happy she was for them both. And how glad she was to see they finally worked things out with each other.
Both of them had told her they were surprised she knew, to which she echoed Christopher‘s sentiment; “Everybody knew.“
Later that night, after they had finished watching a Star Wars movie with Christopher and tucking him into bed, they stood in the kitchen, regaling each other with stories of the ridiculous things Chim had asked them both in private. Things like, “Who pays for who on their dates?” Or “Does this mean they are no longer into girls?” Or “Can I be the best man at your wedding?” They laughed to themselves while drinking beers and feeling each other up. Their lips meeting again and again. They were careful to not make too much noise, so they wouldn't wake Christopher.
Things were getting a little hot and heavy, and Buck was just about to peel off Eddie’s shirt, when they heard a small voice from across the room sing, “Buck and Daddy sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-NG!”
Buck and Eddie nearly jumped out of their skins, grabbing their beers and separating, pretending to drink.
“What are you doing up young man?” Eddie said.
“You guys were kissing!” Christopher said in a teasing voice.
“What’s wrong with that? Hey, maybe you wanna kiss, huh!?“, Buck said.
”Noooooo!” Christopher squealed as Buck pretended to chase after him.
“Come on Eddie, let’s get ‘im!!”
“You better get back in that bed, before we kiss your entire face!“ Eddie said.
Christopher shrieked with delight, giggling as he turned tail and hobbled back to his bedroom as fast as his legs and crutches could carry him.
“Oh you better run!” Buck said. They pretended to mock run, giving Christopher quite a head start, but catching him just as he reached his bed. They both picked him up and smooched him like crazy all over the sides of his face and head.
Then they fake body-slammed him down onto the bed and they all bounced into a pile. Eddie pulled back the blankets and Buck did the official tucking in.
In a matter of minutes, Christopher was sound asleep. They went out into the hallway and closed the door almost all the way behind them, leaving it open just a crack the way Christopher likes it. Letting in just enough light to keep the bogeyman away.
“Well... I guess I should be going...” Buck said his hands in his pockets, so he could resist the urge to grab at Eddie again.
“Yeah I suppose, I got to get up early and feed this crazy kid.” he said.
And there was a voice, small and soft, like the tiniest frog ever.
“Buuuuck. Staaaay.” Christopher eked out.
He pushed the door open, and said Buck, said, barely above a whisper, “You are supposed to be sleeping, sir.”
“Pancakes.” Christopher mumbled half awake, half asleep. “Tomorrow we’re gonna have pancakes. My dad makes the best pancakes ever. You have to try some.”
“He does huh?“ Buck looked back at Eddie, a smile crossing his face. “Yes.” Christopher yawned, and said, “Best ever.”
“I mean... We’re both off work tomorrow. You could – stay. If you want... besides, best pancakes ever!” He said mimicking Christopher.
Buck gave in, feigning defeat.
“All right, pancakes it is then.” Buck said.
“Good. Now you can go back to kissing“ Christopher said through a yawn.
“Good night, Christopher!” Eddie said with the touch of sarcasm and firmness in his voice.
Buck, pulled the door closed and they both giggled for a moment before Christopher said, “Open!”
“Oh... Sorry! “Buck said in a hushed tone as he opened the door back up just a bit. “Forgot.”
That night, Buck and Eddie made love for the first time.
“It was an odd feeling… Eddie, kissing him on the lips… This gradual transition from best friend to lover…it felt like floating and falling at the same time. He slowly worked his way around his mouth, crawling up along his cheekbone, across his temple… But when Eddie’s lips alighted upon Buck’s birthmark… His entire scalp electrified. He felt like every single hair on his head was suddenly standing straight up.“
Maybe it might be a long time before they ever got married, but this was just about as close as either of them ever dreamed.
And the next morning? There were pancakes.
“So...? What do you think?” Eddie said, Fry pan in one hand spatula in the other, a dish draped over his shoulder.
Buck had just stuffed a wad of the fluffy, syrup-covered clouds into his mouth. He chewed them up, swallowing down hard. The bite as always a little bigger than what he should safely stuff into his maw. He stood up and crossed over from the dining table to the kitchen. He wrapped his arms around Eddie.
“Best. Pancakes. Ever.“ , giving Eddie a sticky maple syrup kiss to punctuate each word.