#also sorry if this is terrible i simple Cannot write action and should've written some kind of bed sharing scene like my instincts told me

[littlespoonevan]

Buddie with k?

Anonymous asked: If you're still taking prompts, how about Catastrophize by Noah Kahan or Welly Boots by The Amazing Devil?

I decided to combine the two of these because K. On the edge of consciousness + the lyrics "While we sit and wait for time // To change our luck // And open up those blinds // Oh, don't you know // Don't you know that you're the last thing on my mind" and the 5x16 spoilers had me thinking Thoughts 👀

spoilers/speculation for the Event in s5 but also my ability to predict things began and ended with the blackout lmao

-

When the fire starts in the dispatch centre Eddie gets the distinct impression that the universe is mocking him.

Or at the very least, laughing at him.

Even so, after the first five seconds of panic he can feel himself slipping back into the old version of himself – calm, controlled, competent. Even his uniform suddenly feels like it fits him better.

Old habits and years of training have him out of his seat, directing everyone on his floor towards the back exit away from the smoke – they’re all first responders, they all know the protocol, but it’s different reciting it over the phone versus being the one in the situation yourself.

One of the women on his floor – the retired captain of the 132 – is on her radio, no doubt contacting the nearest station and she gives Eddie a nod as he jogs past her.

There are a few of them in this particular dispatch centre that used to be firefighters – some who retired early, others who had to tap out because of an injury – but he’s the one with the most up to date training.

So he does what he’d do if he was wearing turnouts right now instead of his uniform shirt – he pulls the fire extinguisher off the wall and searches the floor to get people out before moving onto the next floor to do the same.

It only takes a few minutes before he’s bumping into the 118 and there’s an oddly sour feeling in his gut when Hen grips his arm and tells him to head outside. “We’ve got it from here,” she assures him and he gets it. He’s been in here inhaling smoke for however long with nothing more than the dampened collar of his shirt to cover his mouth and nose, he’s not in turnouts, and he’s pretty sure the place has been more or less evacuated now anyway.

He doesn’t like it though. And he gets the vague feeling that this is how Buck must’ve felt back before he’d filed the lawsuit. But Eddie was the one who chose to quit; he doesn’t have the right to complain now.

The minute he steps out through the exit one of the 133’s paramedics is bustling him towards the back of an ambulance to get checked out. He sits through the examination, takes a few puffs of an oxygen mask, and is thankfully dismissed before he has to start getting pissy. He finds Bobby out in front of the 118’s ladder truck, surveying the building and periodically checking in on the teams through his radio.

“Hey Cap,” he greets hoarsely.

Bobby tears his eyes away from the building, startling before he grabs hold of Eddie’s shoulder. “Hey. Are you okay? Have you been checked out-?”

“I’m all good,” he assures him. “Know what the cause is yet?”

Bobby shakes his head, concern etched into the line of his mouth. It’s never good when they don’t know what kind of fire they’re up against.

“Second floor’s all clear, Cap,” Chimney’s voice comes through the radio.

Bobby clicks on his radio, “Okay just-“

His words are cut off by an explosion that rocks the western side of the building, black plumes of smoke billowing into the sky. Eddie flinches back, shielding his eyes, and Bobby has barely regained his footing when he’s dragging his radio up to his mouth again. “Captain Nash to 118, calling for immediate evacuation. Building is compromised – get out now.”

Eddie stands beside him, paralysed, hands balled into fists as he keeps his eyes trained on the doorway that’s somehow still intact.

He listens to the chorus of ‘Copy’s and tries not to panic when he doesn’t hear Buck’s voice among them.

Slowly but surely, firefighters begin pouring out of the building and Eddie studies them all but none of them are his- none of them are Buck.

It’s when Hen and Chimney reach them that he loses the last shred of his patience. “Where’s Buck?” he demands and he doesn’t know if the tremor in his voice is frustration or terror or both.

Hen looks confused, wiping at her brow with the sleeve of her turnout and craning her neck to look behind them. “I don’t know; I think he was on the third floor.”

My floor, Eddie thinks, dread settling in his stomach. “He was looking for me,” he says, mostly to himself until he notices the grim look shared between Hen and Chimney. “He was- I have to go in there.”

He’s hardly taken a step when Bobby’s strong grip is pushing him back. “Eddie, you can’t. You’re not wearing proper gear and the building isn’t secure.”

“I don’t care, he was- Bobby, it’s Buck.”

Bobby’s expression tightens. “I know.” He sighs, looking from Hen to Chimney then back to Eddie. “Just- wait a second.” Then, releasing Eddie’s shoulder he reaches for his radio. “Firefighter Buckley, do you copy?”

Silence.

“Firefighter Buckley, this is your captain speaking. Do you copy?”

Eddie shakes his head. He doesn’t have time for this. Without giving Bobby a chance to grab hold of him again, he makes for the truck, grabbing the first turnout coat and helmet he can find.

He’ll get Buck back himself.

-

It’s almost impossible to see through the smoke once Eddie’s back inside. Only his knowledge of working at dispatch these past couple of months has him moving as quickly as he is.

When he reaches the third floor he calls out for Buck, pushing his way through falling debris.

The heat of the fire, the weight of the oxygen tank Hen had wordlessly offered him – it’s almost too familiar. It still feels wrong though without Buck by his side.

Finally, after what feels like far too long, he catches sight of something near what he’s pretty sure are the remains of his desk.

“Buck!” he shouts, weaving his way through the room and avoiding the flames as best he can. “Buck!”

Buck is on the floor, mask cracked and helmet askew but undoubtedly alive.

“Buck!” he calls again, dropping to his knees and jostling Buck’s shoulders in an attempt to rouse him. “Hey, can you hear me?”

There’s nothing for a beat and then Buck lets out a low groan, brow furrowing as he slowly squints his eyes open. “Eddie?” he slurs.

“Yeah,” Eddie replies, letting out a harsh breath. “What the hell were you doing up here on your own?”

Buck coughs, offering him a barely visible smile through the mask. “Was lookin’ f’r my partner,” he mumbles and Eddie’s heart squeezes painfully in his chest.

“So was I,” he says, letting out a sound somewhere between a laugh and a sob. “Come on. Let’s get you out of here. Can you move?”

Buck frowns as he does a quick self-assessment, nodding uncertainly after a moment. And Eddie wants to be careful but he’s not sure how much time they have left so he puts his hands under Buck’s arms and attempts to haul him upright. Buck helps as best he can, gripping Eddie’s hands tightly and using them to push himself into a standing position.

Eddie allows himself half a heartbeat to stare at him, to confirm to himself Buck really is okay, and then he’s slinging Buck’s arm over his shoulder and wrapping his own securely around Buck’s waist.

It’s time to go.

-

Chimney and Hen are waiting at the door when they make it out, a stretcher already lined up to ease Buck onto. Eddie rushes along behind them, shucking off his mask and oxygen tank. He almost doesn’t stop to thank the firefighter who takes it from him until he realises it’s Bobby.

“Look, you can yell at me later-“

“I’m not going to yell,” Bobby interrupts and he looks tired – the lines around his eyes are more pronounced like they tend to get when he’s worried. But he’s almost smiling beneath it all. “So long as there’s a message on my answering machine when I get back to the station telling me you want to be reinstated.”

Eddie huffs out a laugh, surprised that the words don’t elicit the kind of panic in him they would’ve a few weeks ago. “I’ve gotta get to the hospital first,” he says, nodding to where Hen and Chimney are loading Buck into the back of their ambulance. “But after that- maybe we could talk?”

Bobby gives him a knowing smile, clapping him on the shoulder. “Take care of him for me.”

Eddie nods, only lingering long enough to say, “Thanks, Cap,” before he’s hurrying after Hen and Chim.

“He was asking for you,” Chim says as soon as he climbs into the back of the ambulance.

Eddie reaches for Buck, taking his hand between both of his own and squeezing gently. “Hey, hotshot. You still with me?”

“Eddie?” Buck breathes, tugging at his oxygen mask with his free hand. “Thought I hallucinated you.”

Eddie grins, even as tears prick at the corner of his eyes. “As if I’d let anyone else save you but me.”

Buck’s smile is wide and blinding, and only wobbles when it’s cut off with a cough. “Thanks,” he hums, eyes heavy-lidded. “Missed you, y’know?”

“Missed you too,” he replies, the words half-muffled where he presses his mouth against their joined hands.

“As sweet as this is, you need to keep this on,” Chimney cuts in, firmly placing the oxygen mask back down over Buck’s nose and mouth.

Buck rolls his eyes but when he looks back to Eddie there’s nothing but affection. “Stay?” he requests. It’s garbled through the mask but Eddie understands it anyway.

“Yeah,” he says. “I’m staying.”

~