#JEE Main News

[dhallblogs]

IIT Bombay Introduces New BTech Program in IEOR.

Mumbai: IIT Bombay has launched a new undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research (IEOR) for the academic year 2024-25.

ALSO READ MORE- https://apacnewsnetwork.com/2024/07/iit-bombay-introduces-new-btech-program-in-ieor/

[delicatetaysversion]

slowly becoming everything i was afraid i would be: resentful and bitter

[aryabhattaa]

https://upuge.com/read-blog/16098_ace-your-exams-with-top-jee-mains-and-neet-ug-classes-in-new-ashok-nagar-delhi.html

Embark on your journey to engineering excellence with Aryabhatta Classes in New Ashok Nagar, Delhi. Offering jee mains classes registration in new ashok nagar delhi . Our JEE Mains coaching program is meticulously designed to help students crack one of the most competitive exams in the country. With a team of experienced faculty members and state-of-the-art facilities, we provide comprehensive preparation covering all subjects and topics of the JEE Mains syllabus. Our focus on conceptual understanding and rigorous practice ensures that students are well-prepared to excel in the exam. Don't miss the opportunity to join Aryabhatta Classes and unleash your potential for success in JEE Mains. Register now to secure your spot!

[aryabhatta]

In New Ashok Nagar, Delhi, Aryabhatta Classes offers stellar coaching for JEE mains. With personalized teaching methods and a comprehensive curriculum, they cater to individual learning styles. Renowned as the Best coaching for 12th class in ashok nagar delhi, they integrate board exam prep with JEE coaching, ensuring excellence in both. Aryabhatta Classes fosters a supportive community where faculty mentors guide students through challenges. With unwavering commitment to excellence and personalized learning, Aryabhatta Classes is the go-to destination for aspiring engineers. Enroll now and take the first step towards JEE success!White

[cmitimesnews-blog]

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has started the JEE-Main 2024 application correction window on December 6. Candidates who wish to make corrections in their application form will be able to do so by logging in with their application number and password on jeemain.nta.ac.in website.

[neet-preparation]

If NEET, JEE, and AIBE are held in regional languages, why not CLAT?

The consortium was given four weeks by the high court to respond to a petition asking for CLAT-2024 to be conducted in both English and regional languages.

The Delhi High Court Friday asked the consortium of National Law Universities when entrance examinations for medical and engineering courses can be held in regional languages, why not the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) which is conducted in English.

The high court granted four weeks to the consortium to file its response to a petition seeking the conduct of CLAT-2024 not only in English but also in regional languages.

A bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad said there are experts who translate papers of NEET in regional languages, then “why can’t we have these papers (CLAT) translated in regional languages?” “If medical education can be taught in Hindi, if the entrance examination for MBBS can be held in Hindi, JEE can be held in Hindi, what is this you are talking about,” the bench said, adding even AIBE (All India Bar Examination) is also held in Hindi.

The counsel for the consortium said the body was not taking the plea as adversarial, and it was in agreement that the examination should also be held in other languages.

“The idea is definitely to make it more inclusive. The only concern is that we have to have necessary linguistic experts with legal knowledge,” he said.

The Public Interest Litigation, filed by Sudhanshu Pathak, who is a law student at Delhi University, contended that CLAT (UG) examination “discriminates” and fails to provide a “level playing field” to the students whose educational backgrounds are rooted in regional languages.

Senior advocate Jayant Mehta, representing the petitioner, said a reply by the consortium at an early date is necessary otherwise the matter will become infructuous as the examination is scheduled by the end of this year.

He said in case the matter is not heard at an early date, the consortium will say now it doesn’t have time to translate the English paper into other regional languages. Agreeing with the submission of the senior counsel, the bench said, “The concern of senior advocate Jayant Mehta is a genuine concern and therefore, respondent number 1 (Consortium of National Law Universities) is granted four weeks time to file reply positively”.

The bench listed the matter for further hearing on July 7.

The petitioner, also represented through lawyers Akash Vajpai and Sakshi Raghav, said: “In a hyper-competitive paper, they (students from non-English language background) are linguistically disempowered as they have to surpass the additional hurdle of learning and mastering a new language.

“Naturally, aspirants belonging to English-medium schools have an advantage over their peers belonging to schools operating in Hindi or other vernacular languages. The underprivileged and disempowered aspirants can never view an exam solely based in English as ‘obvious’ unlike their privileged, English-speaking competitors.” Central government standing counsel Bhagwan Swarup Shukla stated the NEET examination, which is held for admission in MBBS courses, and JEE examination, which is conducted for engineering colleges and IITs, are also held in most of the regional languages.

He sought time to seek instructions in the matter and the court granted him four weeks.

The consortium’s counsel said it is a society and new members have been inducted. He said there is a committee for the purpose of language in respect of CLAT examination which will also take a call on holding the exam in other Indian regional languages as per Schedule 8 of the Constitution.

He said a meeting of the committee is scheduled for Saturday when the issue will be discussed.

The counsel for the Bar Council of India (BCI) submitted it does not conduct CLAT, but AIBE, the exam it holds for enrolment of advocates, is conducted in most of the regional languages.

The high court had earlier issued notices and sought responses of the Consortium of National Law Universities, BCI and the Centre through the Ministry of Education on the petition.

The plea said the New Education Policy, 2020 and Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 require mother tongue to be the medium of instruction in schools and higher education institutions. Read More On...

[arihantpub]

New Pattern JEE Problems - Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics for JEE Main and Advanced 2024

Be exam ready with Arihant's New pattern JEE Problem books for JEE Main & Advanced Exam 2023. The series is designed for Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics subjects with a good collection of objective questions. Not only this, step-by-step solution to each question makes it a must-have series to score higher.

[careermantradotorg]

JEE Main 2023 Result Update: National Testing Agency (NTA) has released the results of Joint Entrance Examination Main (JEE Main 2023), Session 1. Candidates who appeared in the exam can check the result on the official website jeemain.nta.nic.in.

[citizenrecord]

Overall easy to moderate paper, according to expert analysis of JEE Main 2023 paper 1

Here is the JEE Main 2023 subject-wise post-exam analysis shared by an expert. This year's paper was easy to moderate. Check subject-wise analysis in detail.

JEE Mains 2023 Paper 1 for the BTech/ BE aspirants was conducted today, January 24, 2023. As per experts, the paper was of an easy to moderate level. A few good questions were sprinkled here and there about the three subjects. A majority opinion was that the Physics part was the easiest, Whereas Chemistry was of easy to moderate levels.

CHECK SUBJECT-WISE ANALYSIS IN DETAIL

PHYSICS

Questions were set for covering all the topics. Students were tested on the simple level of applicability of concepts. Numericals were more in numbers than theoretical questions. Questions were from Thermodynamics, Electrostatics, Optics, Magnetism, Modern Physics, and other chapters.

Those students who have thoroughly covered the syllabus of XI and XII along with sufficient problem-solving through similar types of practice tests will score nicely in this paper.

CHEMISTRY

The chemistry part was on predicted lines. It was observed by students that the physical portion was less as compared to Organic and Inorganic Chemistry. All the questions from Organic Chemistry were asked in MCQ form. The whole paper was NCERT based. Chemistry in everyday life, GOC, Aldehydes, Ketones, and Biomolecules are the chapters from which a significant number of questions were asked.

MATHEMATICS

The mathematics part was a bit lengthy but moderate. In paper 5 to 6 questions from Calculus, there were not less than 5 questions from Algebra, 2 questions from Coordinate Geometry, and 2 or 3 questions from Trigonometry. Chapters like Vectors, 3D Geometry, and Probability too are found in this paper. Read More On..

[dailysarkariupdate]

JEE Main Application Form 2023: जेईई मेन आवेदन पत्र 2023 (JEE Main Application Form 2023) जारी- आवेदन प्रक्रिया, शुल्क, लिंक, अंतिम तिथि

JEE Main Application Form 2023: जेईई मेन आवेदन पत्र 2023 (JEE Main Application Form 2023) जारी- आवेदन प्रक्रिया, शुल्क, लिंक, अंतिम तिथि

JEE Main Application Form 2023:  जेईई मेन्स 2023 की तैयारी करने वाले सभी परीक्षार्थियों के लिए  खुशखबरी  है कि, jee mains 2023 exam date latest news  को जारी करते हुए Joint Entrance एग्जामिनेशन [JEE (Main)] – 2023 Session 1 के लिए  पंजीकरण प्रक्रिया  को शुरु कर दिया गया है और इसीलिए हम आपको इस लेख में, विस्तार से JEE Main Application Form 2023 के बारे मे, बतायेगे। आपको बता दें कि, JEE Main…

[burnthatbridge]

far from my care and keeping

buddie (side buck/tommy, mentioned eddie/marisol) | T | 3k | angst, pining, one-sided feelings realization Buck's in hospital, but that's nothing new. What is new is the extra person in the waiting room. That, and Eddie's understanding of his own heart.

Another day, another visit to the hospital.

They should be used to this by now: sitting in the sterile space off the main hallway, waiting, waiting, waiting. It should feel routine, ordinary, typical with how often they find themselves in the situation. But Eddie doesn’t think it’s ever going to feel that way when it’s one of them behind the doors fighting for their life, the rest sitting anxious on the other side. He wishes the universe would stop adding instances, would cease trying to make it, force it to be, normal.

It’s the usual crew; they’re practically all there: Eddie, Bobby, Hen, Ravi, Maddie, Athena. Chim had taken Jee-Yun from Maddie and left with her about an hour after Maddie arrived — it’s getting late, past Jee’s bedtime. And Karen is at home with the baby and Denny. Eddie is lucky Marisol was supposed to be coming over for dinner anyway, that she offered to get Chris and stay with him till Eddie could leave. Athena showed up at the end of her shift with coffee and donuts for everyone, caffeine and sugar to keep them going.

Eddie’s cup is sitting cold on the table, his donut already split between Chim and Ravi when he shook his head in a refusal of it. He’d struggle to eat or drink anything in his condition, plus the knot in his stomach is too large for anything else to fit. It’d come back up, and he’s afraid of what else might spill from him with it.

It’s the usual crew. Plus–

“Hey,” Tommy’s voice sounds. Eddie looks up to him crossing the floor towards them, not at a run, but not far off. “What happened? How’s he doing?” he asks, directed at Eddie, as his eyes sweep over him, take in the state of him.

“He’s– It was–” Eddie tries, but his mouth is dry and the lump in his stomach extends to his throat too, blocking it, making him choke on the words.

Hen, sitting in the chair next to him, takes over. “He’s in surgery.”

read more on ao3

[scarletwinterxx]

fool for you - mark lee dad scenario

a bit late to this but OH MY GOD MARK LEE GIRL DAD😭🥺😭🥺 we already know he's going to be the best dad to his kids in the future🤍🤍

you already know my feels went through the roof after seeing that cli[ so here's another mark dad scenario and can you believe this is the 10th one OMGGGGGG anyways i hope you like it!

part1: day with dad mark lee

part2: another day with dad mark lee

part3: a day with the lee's

part4: (prologue) i don't know how to make eggs

part5: glitter pens and goodnight kisses with the Lee's

part6: first love and kisses

part7: naps and baby kicks

part8: then there was three

part9: just like you

For my other works you can check them out here, and for my other story series’ you can check them out here.

and if you want, u can buy me coffee(totally optional but any donation is very much appreciated!) thank you🥺💛

All works are copyrighted ©scarletwinterxx 2024 . Do not repost, re-write without the permission of author.

(gif not mine, credits to rightful owner)

"in my next life, I think I'll become a fool for my daughter"

"Lovie, can you stay with Minjee? I'm just going to the mall with Minjung to get new shoes and a few other stuff for the baby" you tell your husband who is currently on the sofa resting.

It's around that time again when you're counting down the days until the new baby comes, this time the two of you choose to keep the gender a surprise. You won't find out until you give birth. There's an on going bet in your household whether it'll be a girl or a boy.

"Why don't I come with him? You sure you okay to go out?" he asks, watching you struggle putting on your shoes. He chuckles before walking toward you, kneeling down to put it on for you even double tying the shoelaces just to be sure.

"It's okay, besides the doctor said it's healthy to walk around. And we both know it'll be easier to look after Minjung then Jee" you laugh, your husband agreeing with you

"She's the main character, we're all just living in her world" he says

You smile at Mark, giving him a kiss before getting your purse and keys.

"Call me if you need anything" he tells you

"Minjung, let's go" you shout, your son appears from the staircase ready to go

"You already know, buddy. Take care of mom, okay? Call me if something happens" he gives his son a quick hug before watching the two of you drive away

The two of you finished the errands and is now getting a quick snack before heading home. You like having one on one time with your kids. It helps you keep a closer relationship with them. And even though you know the two siblings get along very well, you still make it a point to spend time with them one by one. And so does Mark.

"Is there anything else you need, buddy?" you ask your son

He shakes his head, taking a bite of his sandwich. You smile watching him, it feels just like yesterday you were sitting in the backseat with newborn Minjung in the baby car seat on your way home from the hospital and now he's 13.

"How do you feel about getting another sibling?"

He looks at you, it's like looking at Mark's eyes. They same round, adorable chocolate eyes you love so much.

"Excited. It'll be cool if it's a boy. I'll teach him to play basketball and bike. It's okay too if it's a girl" he shrugs

"You know mommy and daddy loves you very very much"

"I know, I love you too" he smiles back at you

When you get home, Minjee welcomes you excitedly asking if you got her a cakepop which Minjung hands over to his sister

"Wah thank you, oppa! Dad look oppa got me a pink cakepop!" she screams excitedly, running to wherever Mark is. You and Minjung follow her, Mark in the kitchen getting dinner ready

"Cool, but you can have that after dinner okay? Na uh don't give me that look, missy. I ordered chicken just like you asked" the father-daughter banter continues

The two siblings help set up the table while you stay in the kitchen with Mark, "How did it go?" Mark asks you

"Good, we had fun. You sound like you had fun too" you joked

"I swear she knows how to make me says yes" he mumbles, you walk towards him, giving him a side hug

"You love her" you tell him with a chuckle and a kiss on the jaw

"That I do. I'd do anything for our kids" he says, looking down at you. He kisses you on the nose, eliciting giggles from you before breaking away

"Okay, dinner time!"

After dinner and everyone finished with their night time routines, it's finally time to call it a night.

You lay on your side of the bed, getting the pregnancy pillow ready

"Can I keep that after?" Mark asks, you watch him step out of the shower. Towel hanging on his hips while he dries his hair with another

"No" you tell him with a tight smile, Mark laughs before walking towards the dresser to get clothes

"Oh come on, let me enjoy the view some more"

"Woman, you are already pregnant" he tells you, playfully throwing the towel he was drying his hair with towards you. He puts on his sleeping shorts, leaving the shirt behind. He goes out the room to check all doors before going to bed

He turns towards you, the two of you face to face.

"Just a few more days and it'll be five of us" he whispers. His hand resting on your belly

"I'm calling it, this one will look like you again" you tell him

"You love us"

"That I do, I love you and all versions of you. Especially the little humans we made" you smile at him. He scoots closer to kiss you. Kissing you on the lips then on your cheeks a few time until you were laughing.

"Okay, time to rest. Goodnight, baby. I love you" he tells you

"Love you"

Minjung woke up to something poking his back, groggily looking to see Minjee

"Jee? What?"

The girl hiccups, still crying. This woke Minjung up more, sitting up on his bed and turning the bedside light on,

"Why are you crying? Did you have a bad dream?" he asks

"Will mom and dad not let me live here when the baby comes?" she asks, her tiny voice breaking

"What? of course not" her brother immediately answers. He gets out from under the blanket to hug his sister, wiping a few tears running down her face

"When you were born, I was so excited. Dad took me to the hospital to meet you. You had this big bow on, you were crying a lot too" he tells her

"You were there?" she asks

Minjung smiles "Yea, dad even helped me to carry you. You were really tiny. When the new baby comes, we'll go together to meet them"

"Will you still play with me when they come?"

"Of course I will, we're bestfriends right? You gave me this" he says, showing the beaded bracelet Minjee made for him. Similar to what she's wearing.

"You promise? You'll still get me cakepops?"

"Of course, pinkypromise"

The two siblings lock pinky fingers, the younger one finally smiling.

"Wait here okay?" Minjung says before going out of his room and carefull walking towards his parents bedroom. Knocking lightly before going in.

He walks towards Mark's sleeping figure, tapping him awake

"Huh what wha huh?? Minjung? Are you okay? What's happening?" Mark asks, sitting up immediately

"What time is it?" he asks, looking for his phone to see it's 2am

"Minjee woke up crying, she's in my room now"

Mark stands up carefully, looking over at your sleeping figure before quickly putting on a shirt and walking out with Minjung

"She okay? bad dream?"

"No uh it's about the new baby"

His son didn't need to elaborate anymore, already getting a hint why his babygirl was crying.

When the two walks back to Minjung's room, Jee still sitting there.

"Hey, Jee. Come on, dad will come with you. Goodnight buddy, thank you for being a good brother" Mark tells his eldest, kissing him on the head before stepping out of the room with the younger one

"Do you want warm milk before going back to bed?" Mark asks the 6 year old girl, getting a no from her

When they get to Minjee's room, the two sat on the bed

"Are you sad right now?" Mark asks his daughter

"Will you still love Jee when the baby comes?" Jee asks and Mark crumbles

"Oh my girl, of course I will. I'll love you longer than forever and that's a long long long time. You'll always be my princess. Even after the new baby comes, mom and dad might need to spend more time with them but that doesn't mean we love you and your brother any less" he tucks her hair behind her ear, pinching her cute round cheeks she definitely got from you.

"Can dad have a hug?" he opens his arms, Minjee scooting in her father's embrace

"Always remember, dad loves you so so much. I'd give you the moon and all the stars if you want. If you ever feel sad you can come and talk to me okay?"

He feels the younger one nod. Tucking her in bed, giving her a kiss on the forehead before calling it a night (again)

When he gets back to your room, he slides under the sheets then he feels you search for him

"Min?" you mumble

"Here, baby. Go to sleep" he leans over to give your temple a kiss. He sees a sleepy smile on your lips before your heads goes down on the pillow again.

Just like that everyone was asleep again, but before he fades into dreamland he says a silently thank you to heaven for this life. Ready and excited to face tomorrow with his family.

[exhuastedpigeon]

Maddie leaving and asking Buck to hide that she was leaving from Chimney is such good story telling. The Buckley siblings were with so many secrets and raised running away. The Buckley parents made Maddie keep Daniel from Buck and they literally ran away and moved to a new town after he died. Buck ran away from his parents and didn't stop running until he got to L.A.

Maddie running and keeping secrets makes sense, it's all she's known for most of her life. Chimney chasing her is his way of breaking that cycle. They aren't raising Jee Yun to run or keep secrets. They're raising her to chase the things and people you love and to protect them.

It's truly so fucking beautiful and it gets me every time I think about it. 911 really is a show about the main characters breaking generational cycles one way or another.

[aryabhattaa]

In New Ashok Nagar, Delhi, Aryabhatta Classes offers stellar coaching for JEE mains. With personalized teaching methods and a comprehensive curriculum, they cater to individual learning styles. Renowned as the best coaching for 12th class in Ashok Nagar, Delhi, they integrate board exam prep with JEE coaching, ensuring excellence in both. Aryabhatta Classes fosters a supportive community where faculty mentors guide students through challenges. With unwavering commitment to excellence and personalized learning, Aryabhatta Classes is the go-to destination for aspiring engineers. Enroll now and take the first step towards JEE success!

[serenelystrange]

At AO3, or under the cut!

Notes:

Listen. These boys are idiots, and I love them so much. This is just an absurd situation and a whole lot of fluff. I regret nothing!

Work Text:

“You know those scenes in the movies?” Eddie asks, “where there’s the obnoxious record-scratch, and then the main dumbass is like “I bet you’re wondering how I ended up here?””

Buck laughs, their shoulders brushing against each other from where they’re sitting side by side on one of the two sleeping cots that Bobby managed to fit into the designated Quiet Room at the station.

“Like in Thor?” Buck asks, leaning his back against the smooth wood paneling of the wall.

Eddie nods.

“Exactly,” he says. “This feels like one of those. Who the hell gets quarantined inside an anxiety room four years after a global pandemic?”

Buck snorts a laugh, eyes still closed.

“I think chemical warfare is a little different than Covid,” he says, sounding disturbingly unbothered by the whole thing.

Eddie makes a mental note to bug him about his therapy if they don’t die in this increasingly stifling room.

“We don’t know that it was anything like that,” Eddie says, trying to be the voice of reason. “It was probably just some asshole’s idea of a prank.”

“Exploding unidentified powder from a box of chocolates is a hell of a prank,” Buck says. “And you saw the machine when they scanned us.”

“It did have a lot of red lights,” Eddie concedes. “The entire station scrambling back in horror didn’t help, either.”

Buck laughs again, a dry thing, and pulls his head away from the wall, leaning his whole body back against it instead.

“At least we have water?” he asks, gesturing to the case of bottled water on the floor by their cots.

“We won’t die of thirst before whatever this poison is kills us,” Eddie agrees. “That’s something I guess.”

He leans back then, pressing into the wall, trying to calm his racing heart.

Beside him, Buck inches just a tiny bit closer, until they’re touching from shoulders to elbows, and nudges him gently.

“We’re gonna be fine,” he says, and something about how earnestly he seems to believe it allows Eddie to catch his breath, even if his mind is still racing almost as fast as his heart.

“Christopher,” he says, voice cracking around just the word.

“Is having a great time with Maddie and Chim and Jee,” Buck says, soothingly. “He doesn’t know anything except that we got stuck on a long call out. He won’t even be worried.”

“I know,” Eddie says, quietly.

“You’ll be home by breakfast,” Buck says. “As soon as whatever government lab ran off with those samples clears us, we can get the hell out of here.”

“Don’t you think for a minute you’re not following me home,” Eddie says with a conviction Buck rarely hears outside of a risky rescue scene.

“Obviously,” Buck says, turning to look at Eddie’s serious expression for a moment and giving him a little smile. “The loft is too quiet anyway.”

Before Eddie can reply, his phone is ringing and Bobby’s name flashes on the screen. Sitting up straighter he answers the call, putting it on speaker and holding it between him and Buck.

“Hey, Bobby,” he says. “Please tell me we’re not dying of anthrax or something.”

They hear a laugh in the background that sounds suspiciously like Hen, who was supposed to have gone home to her wife hours ago.

“Good news and bad new, boys,” Bobby says, sounding the kind of bone-deep tired Eddie can feel on a molecular level.

“Good news first, please,” Buck says, “I’d love some good news.”

“Good news is that the powder samples we gathered haven’t been identified as any known poison or otherwise bio-chemical weapon.”

“That’s good, then!” Buck says, leaning his whole body towards the phone as he speaks. “That means we can leave soon, right?”

Beside him, Eddie shakes his head silently and waits.

“Wait,” Buck says, catching up. “What’s the bad news?”

“The bad news,” Bobby says, “is that the powder samples we gathered haven’t been identified as any known poison or otherwise bio-chemical weapon.”

“There it is,” Eddie says, thudding his head dully against the wall in frustration.

“So until we can make sure whatever you were dosed with is harmless, I’m afraid you’re stuck.”

“Not cool,” Buck says, sighing.

“Hang in there,” Bobby says, and then there’s a noise of shuffling as someone takes the phone from him.

“You guys having any weird symptoms?” Hen asks, sounding like she’s walking as far from the crowd of people as she can. “Troubling breathing, loss of vision, bleeding out of any orifices, stuff like that?

“Jesus, Hen,” Eddie says with mild horror. “No, I haven’t felt anything weird.”

“Buck?” Hen asks, and Buck shakes his head before seemingly remembering she cant see him.

“I’m good,” he says. “Mostly just feeling bored, and kinda hot. Actually, really hot. Why is it so hot in here?”

“They had to cut the AC so it doesn’t spread whatever that stuff is around,” Hen says with an apologetic tone.

“Oh good,” Bucks says, laughing slightly at Eddie’s bewildered look. “It means it’s actually hot, not that I have a super high fever.”

“When you put it like that,” Eddie says, shrugging.

“We’ll call you back as soon as we know anything,” Hen says, “it’s going to be just fine.”

She hangs up before either of them can respond or protest, not that it would do any good anyway.

Eddie shoves his phone back in his pocket and tries to stretch out his tense shoulders.

“Where are you even going?” Buck asks, watching with amusement as Eddie stands up.

“I’m going to take a nap and hope this whole thing is over when I wake up,” Eddie says, like the consummate millennial with poor coping strategies that he is.

He moves the short span of space over to the other cot and lays down, still facing Buck, and closes his eyes.

“Wait,” Buck says, grabbing the hoodie he had pulled off earlier and rolling it up into something vaguely resembling a pillow. “Here. You don’t need a crick in your neck on top of all of this.”

Eddie opens his eyes long enough to take the makeshift pillow and tuck it under his head, the crashing anxiety adrenaline making him unbearably sleepy all at once.

“Thank you,” he says as his eyes close again. “Wake me up if you start dying or something, ok?”

“Sure,” Buck says, and Eddie just knows if he could open his eyes, he’d see Buck’s somber gaze on him even as he laughs.

The crash wins out before he can even try, and everything goes blessedly quiet.

Eddie is woken up by the loud ringing of Buck’s phone, and he opens his eyes as Buck answers, unaware he’s awake.

“Hey, Cap,” he says quietly, as if not to wake Eddie, and Eddie can’t help but feel warmed by the casual consideration.

He can’t tell what Bobby is saying, and Buck’s face is surprisingly blank as he listens briefly before saying goodbye and hanging up, dropping the phone down beside him.

“How long’s it been?” Eddie asks, voice raspy and all sense of time lost.

“Hey,” Buck says, “didn’t mean to wake you up. It’s been like,” he looks down briefly at the phone beside him, “almost two hours.”

“Shit,” Eddie says. He hadn’t expected to actually be able to sleep for that long. “I guess that means they still have no idea what that shit was?”

Buck shakes his head, slumping down and bracing his elbows on his knees. “They’re pretty sure it’s just a bunch of harmless things mixed together, but it’s still setting off the alarms, so they say we have to be in here at least a full twenty four hours without symptoms before they clear us.”

“Well, fuck,” Eddie says.

“Pretty much,” Bucks agrees. “It’s weird not being able to hear them all out there, even though we know they’re only a door away.”

“Guess the soundproof guy did a good job for the Quiet Room,” Eddie says wryly. “I don’t think madness by way of seclusion was something they considered.”

“Good news is it’s already been like ten hours,” Buck says. “We can handle another 14. Cap’s gonna bring us some protein bars, too.”

“Those things taste like chocolate chalk,” Eddie says, fully aware he’s pouting and not caring one bit.

“I know,” Buck says. “But they’re trying to prevent a, uhhh, well, a shitting-in-a-bucket situation.”

Eddie can’t help it, he bursts into laughter at that, shaking the whole cot with it.

“At least we can piss into the empty bottles,” he says, “way better than a piss bucket.”

“Go team external genitalia, I guess,” Buck says, snickering at the absurdity of the situation.

“Penis power?” Eddie asks, still cackling.

Buck rolls his eyes and shakes his head fondly.

“Absolutely not.”

“Oh, now you’re too mature for dick jokes?” Eddie teases. “You’d think you’d be twice as likely to use them now, considering, you know..”

“My bisexuality?” Buck asks, already knowing the answer. “You’re an idiot.”

“Maybe so,” Eddie says. “But it’s still funny.”

“Shut up,” Bucks says, laughing despite himself.

The door creaks open then, and a hazmat-suited hand slides a LAFD backpack into the room before quickly closing the door again.

“Ooh, snacks!” Buck says, scooping up the bag with delight. “Oh and look, Hen let us borrow her iPad. We can watch a movie!”

“Mm,” Eddie says, sitting up sluggishly and taking the protein bar Buck offers him with a mumbled thank you.

“Your sugar is probably too low,” Buck says with concern. “Eat that before you pass out again.”

“Yes, dad,” Eddie huffs, unwrapping the bar and taking a big bite while pointedly glaring at Buck.

Which is when he sees a series of rapid-fire expressions flash across Buck’s face, a flush spreading across his cheeks.

“What?” Eddie asks, swallowing his bite and looking over at Buck in confusion. “You’re totally the Dad Friend when you want to be.”

“It’s, uhh,” Buck stammers, “Tommy used to… well, we used to, you know.”

“Have lots of sex?” Eddie asks, amused. “I figured when you showed up looking like you fought Dracula and survived, yeah. So what?”

Buck blushes impossibly deeper, which only serves to raise Eddie’s curiosity.

“He kinda had a thing for me calling him Daddy,” Buck says in a rush, looking anywhere but at Eddie. “And I guess now I have like a Pavlov response to it. Sorry.”

“Oh my god,” Eddie says, practically wheezing with laughter, “this is hilarious, don’t be sorry. Plus, there’s a big difference between Dad and Daddy.”

“Shut uuuuup,” Buck whines, still avoiding Eddie’s face. He shifts in his seat then, just enough that Eddie can’t help but follow the motion down with his eyes and notice the awkward way that Buck is holding his hands in his lap.

“Are you…” Eddie asks, suddenly finding his own face flushing. “Did you get a hard-on just from da… that word?”

“Just give me a minute,” Buck says, neither confirming, denying, or making eye contact.

“How long has it been since you guys broke up, again?” Eddie asks, ignoring the elephant trunk in the room for the time being. Because he’s a totally mature and unaffected bro, obviously.

“About a month,” Buck says, eyes still trained on the wall somewhere above Eddie’s head.

“And you haven’t hooked up with anyone else yet?” Eddie asks, genuinely curious. “You were so excited to explore the whole queer men scene.”

“Yeah, well,” Buck says, taking a deep breath and meeting Eddie’s eyes finally. “Turns out the queer hookup scene is just as fun as the straight one. And just as unfulfilling, too.”

“Aw,” Eddie teases him gently, “look at you in your serious relationship era. Firehose would be so proud. Or appalled. I never did get to meet him.”

“First of all,” Buck huffs. “You need to stop scrolling through tiktok when you think nobody knows you are. Second, be glad you didn’t meet him, he was a dickhead. I was a dickhead.”

“Nah,” Eddie says, easily. “From what Hen and Chim tell me, you were just a fuckboi with an attitude and a heart of gold. That’s like.. several levels below dickhead.”

“Fuckboi with a heart of gold,” Buck muses, laughing again. “I should get that embroidered on a pillow or something. You know, for the memories.”

“Christmas gift idea right there,” Eddie agrees, grinning.

Buck ignores him in favor of eating his own protein bar, but Eddie takes the amused look in his eyes as a win anyway.

“What are we at now?” Buck asks, several hours of fitful naps and random conversation later.

“Seventeen hours,” Eddie says, standing up to stretch out as much as he can in the crowded room. “Come on, stand up and walk a little, you have a history of blood clots.”

“It was one time,” Buck sighs, but he gets up and does as he’s told, following Eddie around the room in an approximation of the saddest conga-line ever.

When they’re done, he slumps back onto his cot and gives Eddie a pitiful look.

“It’s still so hot in here,” he says. “And the little bit of air they keep opening the door for is not nearly enough.”

“Better than the desert,” Eddie says, shrugging. “At least nobody is shooting at us.”

“Ugh,” Buck groans, “don’t be all logical and shit. I’m sweltering here.”

He tugs at his LAFD long-sleeve button up, shoving the sleeves up to his elbows.

Eddie looks at him with disbelief and shakes his head.

“Just take off the shirt, dumbass. Not like we haven’t all seen each other in less.”

“I..” Buck says, “I honestly didn’t even think about it. You’re a genius.”

“Just a man in a t-shirt,” Eddie laughs.

Buck scrambles out of his shirt, tossing it to the floor, leaving him in only a close-fitting grey tank top that clings to the heat of his body.

Eddie thinks suddenly that he should probably try to get some more sleep. Laying down and rolling onto his stomach, he pillows his head again on the rolled up hoodie and forces himself to look away from Buck and close his eyes.

Buck is asleep the next time Eddie wakes up, laying only inches away from Eddie on his own cot. His hand, however, is wrapped firmly around Eddie’s wrist where it lays by his side.

“What?” Eddie sleepily asks, but he gets no answer from Buck. When he tries to pull away, Buck’s hold flexes, gripping his wrist tighter and rubbing his thumb across the sudden uptick in Eddie’s pulse.

“I’m ok, Buck,” Eddie says softly, reaching out and brushing his fingers through the curls laying across his forehead. “Still breathing, I promise.”

Even though he doesn’t wake, Buck seems to hear him, and his grip loosens but doesn’t let go. Eddie considers waking him up or pulling out of his grasp with force, but refrains. He remembers in vivid detail the last time he tried to find Buck’s pulse, and for a terrible three minutes and seventeen seconds, it was gone.

Closing his eyes again, he steadies his breathing and lets Buck’s solid hold lull him back to sleep.

Eddie isn’t sure how long it’s been the next time he wakes up, but he figures they still have a while to go if nobody has called them yet. He opens his eyes to see Buck still laying across from him, face set in a soft expression.

“Found the dimmer switch,” he says, and ah, that explains why the room isn’t as bright as it had been up until now.

“Is it night time?” Eddie asks.

“Late afternoon,” Buck says, “we’re at 22 hours.”

“Final stretch,” Eddie says, grinning. “Still no symptoms?”

Buck shakes his head. “You?”

“Only the effects of being in my thirties and sleeping on a cot,” Eddie says.

“Yeah, my bad knee does not love this,” Buck says, face smushing against the cot as he speaks.

“You should take your hoodie back,” Eddie says, realizing he’s been using it the whole time. “It’s a pretty good pillow, actually.”

“Nah,” Buck says. “You looked comfy, and we’re almost out of here anyway.”

Eddie shrugs in defeat, still too lulled by the faux-late-night atmosphere to really protest.

They’re quiet for a few minutes, just resting, eyes not on each other but not avoiding each other either.

“Can I ask you something?” Buck says, still in a near-whisper.

Eddie looks back over to him, tucking one arm up under his makeshift pillow and giving Buck his full attention.

“Of course,” Eddie says, just as quietly.

“Do you ever think that..” Buck trails off for a moment, but Eddie knows him well enough to wait. “Do you ever think we’re closer than best friends should be?”

“What?” Eddie asks, blinking in surprise. Of all the things Buck could have said, this wasn’t even on his list of possibilities. “Of course not. Where did that even come from?”

“Maddie,” Buck says, and Eddie feels a flare of anger towards her before Buck shakes his head.

“Not like that,” he continues. “She was just talking about how great it was that you and I had each other, and how she never had such a good friend like that growing up.”

“Neither did I,” Eddie says. “I mean, I had friends, even guys I’d call best friends over the years. But not like this, you know?”

“I don’t,�� Buck says, carefully. “I never had a best friend before you, besides my sister, and she practically raised me. It wasn’t until we were talking about her experience that I realized that maybe we are. Too close, I mean, for friends.”

“Best friends,” Eddie says, swallowing around the wave of panic in his throat. “That’s what makes it special, asshole.”

Buck laughs for a moment before leaning up and resting his head on one elbow.

“Best friends,” Buck agrees, before meeting and holding Eddie’s gaze with a serious look. “Do you ever think about what if we, if we were..more?”

“Yeah, Buck,” Eddie says, truth spilling from his lips before he can stop them. “I think about it all the time, actually.”

Buck’s eyes widen in surprise before he gives Eddie an outraged look.

“What the fuck!” he says. “Why didn’t you ever say anything?”

“You might not know this,” Eddie says, “but Catholic guilt is a damn good repressor.”

“Are you even attracted to men?” Buck asks, still somewhat in shock.

Eddie shrugs again.

“I don’t know, maybe? Probably. Definitely attracted to you, though.”

Buck gapes.

“SINCE WHEN.”

Eddie laughs ruefully and closes his eyes for a moment before looking back at Buck.

“Since I admitted it to myself?” Eddie says. “Probably a year or so.”

“A YEAR?” Buck whisper-yells. “A YEAR, EDDIE?”

“While I was still in denial?” Eddie continues, “Probably about the time you tried to run me out of the station with your posturing and stupid calendar pictures.”

“The day we met??” Buck asks, going from outraged to dumbfounded in a split-second. “I was such a jerk to you, what the hell?”

Eddie, gathering all the courage of a thousand repressed sleepless nights, looks straight at Buck with a downright devious smirk before speaking.

“Wanted to push you to your knees in the showers,” he admits, watching with delight as Buck’s skin flushes pink. “Or drop to mine, I really wasn’t picky about my fantasies. Even if I did feel guilty about them after I got off.”

“You are scandalous, Eddie Diaz,” Buck says with a gasp, “I am scandalized!”

“Ok, Bridgerton,” Eddie laughs. “It’s not like I stole your virtue or something.”

“I’d give it to you willingly if I could,” Buck says, “if that was a thing that I even believed in.”

“Shit,” Eddie says, “I’m trying to be sexy here and you go and be all sweet. What am I supposed to do with that?”

Buck is the one to smirk then, as he reaches over to Eddie’s cot and hooks his fingers into the stretch of space between canvas and frame, pulling the entire thing across the floor until it’s flush with his.

Eddie is almost ashamed of how hot he finds that, but only almost.

“You should kiss me about it,” Buck says. “And maybe marry me one day. But we can work up to that.”

Eddie’s still laughing as he pulls Buck down on top of him by the neckline of his stupid tight tank top and kisses him soundly.

“We could’ve been doing this for years,” Buck says, pulling away from Eddie’s lips briefly.

“Then why are you talking instead of kissing me?” Eddie snarks, pulling up his knees and spreading them so that Buck can nestle between them properly.

“Fuck,” Buck stutters as he feels the heat of Eddie’s body lining up with his own. “You make a good point.”

He moves from Eddie’s lips down to his neck, leaving a trail of kisses and bites as he goes, awkwardly bent on the cot and not caring even one little bit. Eddie threads his fingers through his hair, gripping the sweaty curls desperately as Buck bites down gently against his jugular. His other hand clings to the back of Buck’s tank top, wishing desperately they were home in his bed where they could have no clothing between them.

“Buck,” Eddie says, gasping when Buck just grinds against him in response, still intent on marking up any skin he can reach. “Buck,” he says again, “we need to stop.”

Buck stops, breathing heavily as he braces himself on his arms and looks down at Eddie.

“What, why?” he asks. “I thought you were into it.”

“I am very into it,” Eddie assures him. “But I really don’t want our first time to be barely one room over from our entire firehouse.”

Buck pouts playfully, and leans his head down to nuzzle Eddie’s throat. “Soundproof room, remember?”

“Mandatory medical check and scrub down when we leave,” Eddie counters. “Do you want to explain this to the whole team?”

“Ugh,” Buck says, groaning in defeat. “Fine, you’re right. Can we at least cuddle still?”

“Yeah, Buck,” Eddie says with a laugh, “koala it up, as long as the cot will hold us both up anyway. We might need to turn on our sides if you want me to keep breathing though.”

“I do like you breathing,” Buck says, moving them around like ragdolls with no trouble, until he’s curled around Eddie’s back, holding him securely against his chest.

“You know,” Buck says after a few minutes of quiet cuddling, “if you let me suck you off, there wouldn’t be a mess.”

“Don’t fucking tempt me, Buckley,” Eddie says, swatting at Buck’s hand when it starts trailing down his chest towards his pants.

Buck laughs but rests his hand against Eddie’s chest again, bending his head slightly to press a kiss against Eddie’s neck.

“Sorry,” he whispers, not sounding sorry at all.

“When we get home,” Eddie says, squeezing Buck’s hand under his own. “We have less than an hour left, I think we can do it.”

“I’d wait forever, Eds,” Buck says easily, as if he’s talking about the inevitability of the rising sun, or of the pull of the moon to the tides.

Then again, Eddie muses as he thinks back on the last seven years, maybe he is.

“I kind of really love you, you know,” Eddie says, brave in the darkness and in Buck’s arms.

“Well, that will be good for the wedding,” Buck teases. Eddie pinches his arm in retaliation, and he just laughs, chest shaking against Eddie’s back.

“I love you, too,” he says, “no kind of about it.”

“Good,” Eddie says, simply, because it is.

The End

[cmitimesnews-blog]

Through this plea, the petitioner has requested the National Testing Agency (NTA) to remove the 75 per cent eligibility criteria for this attempt.