#and I think Buck would support it - thinking it’s a way to give Eddie some space to get the help he needs so he can move forward and build

[thirdwheelravi]

still thinking about "if you need to be pissed at me to making it easier for YOU then be pissed at me"

crazy thing to say. he's not even like buck don't be mad at me for leaving. he's like Buck go ahead and be mad at me for leaving!!!!!!!!! BE pissed!!!!!!!!!!!

like everything in that argument was about Eddie's frustration with Buck's ACTIONS ("outing" him, "sabotaging" him) not his FEELINGS. if that's how you feel you have every right to say it.

and then, of course, the Eddie Diaz King of Projection of it all. it WOULD be easier if buck was mad at him. it WOULD be easier if eddie could be mad at him, too.

but they are constitutionally incapable of being mad at each other for longer than 10 minutes and buck caves instantly and so eddie caves instantly.

and i can't get over how buck hearing "i have no ties here...everything that matters is in texas" is just. it's an EXCUSE to feel hurt. does buck REALLY believe that EDDIE believes this???? does he really think that eddie is telling some essential truth to some random potential renter couple? NO!!! he KNOWS this is not true but hearing Eddie SAY it gives him the opportunity to break the implicit promise to Eddie to be 100% supportive and on board and helpful about him leaving. it gives him permission to lash out and push Eddie away so that he can try to convince himself that Eddie leaving isn't going to wreck him.

but on some level he AND Eddie know that it will wreck both of them. and there's just nothing either of them can do about it. so the choices are like. be angry. suck it up and be happy. or actually let themselves feel the loss.

right now they have landed on suck it up and be happy. because they can't let themselves truly feel the loss because that would bring them way too close to the truth about what they're losing

[quintessenceofdust88]

Priorities

(okay, so remember this ficlet? I finished it 🤭 and it's basically 1800 words of Tommy being me and saying everything I wish I could say to Eddie Diaz about the way he treats his supposed best friend. But since I'm a relentless optimist, I gave Eddie a slight redemption at the end. I hope you enjoy it, and thank you for how much love you gave the first part! I hope this part lives up to your expectations ♥)

Tommy is being weird with him.

Eddie's been back for about ten days when he finally gets an invitation to Tommy and Buck's house, that Buck moved to about a month before he arrived. And the invitation came from Buck himself, not from Tommy, so Eddie doesn't think he's being paranoid about the pilot treating him differently.

If Tommy is mad at him for some reason (though Eddie can't fathom why, they haven't even talked much since Eddie moved), it explains why the invitation took so long; frankly, part of Eddie was expecting to set foot in LA and have Buck all over him wanting to hang out, but not quite. Buck had barely shown up, mostly to say hi to Chris, and then Eddie hadn't seen much of him.

Eddie shows up anyway, casting his doubts aside, because he definitely missed hanging out with the two of them. If there's a downside to the months he passed in Texas is how lonely he was; he can't wait to be able to hang out with his friends whenever he wants again.

Chris opts out of joining him, also wanting to catch up with his LA friends, and Eddie doesn't mind. It's good that it'll be just the three of them.

At least it should be, but again, Tommy is being weird. Not to Buck, God no. With Buck he's all 'sweetheart' and kisses to the cheek and hand holding all the time. Eddie privately thinks that this is how they're behaving now, six months after their reconciliation, he's quite lucky to have been in Texas for the first few days after they got back together (he tries not to think what they could have gotten up to in his house while Buck lived there; ignorance is bliss or whatever).

But the point is: Tommy doesn't have any scrunchy smiles or 'how are you doing, man?' and talking about the latest NBA developments with Eddie. Instead he's giving him that trademark bitchy look, and barely answering when Eddie does talk to him.

Buck, bless him, doesn't seem to pick up on the tension. He seems ridiculously happy, all heart eyes at his boyfriend, and for the first time, Eddie feels like a third wheel between them, and that's what makes him decide enough is enough. 

When Buck leaves to check on their appetizers, he turns to Tommy, who's quite deliberatedly staring at the TV with his arms crossed in front of his chest. 

"Tommy, man, have I done something to you?" He asks, and Tommy looks at him, raising an eyebrow. 

"To me? How could you? You haven't even talked to me one-on-one since Evan and I were broken up."

Eddie sighs; he should have seen that coming, though he never thought Tommy to be the needy kind. Maybe Buck was rubbing off on him. 

"Tommy, you know Buck's my best friend, I had to..."

"Oh, is he?!" Tommy says, his voice laced with faux-surprise and mockery, and Eddie recoils. "I would never guess based on the way you treat him"

Eddie stares at Tommy, completely stunned and, if he’s being honest, not just a little offended. He and Buck have been best friends for years; who does Tommy think he is to chime in, especially after he broke Buck’s heart the way he did months ago? 

“Tommy, what the hell are you talking about?” Eddie demands, trying to keep his voice low. “Buck is my best friend, everybody knows that.”

“You know what, Eddie? My bad, you are right.” Tommy says, but Eddie doesn’t feel relieved; he seems far from done. “Evan is your best friend; he supports your decisions, he’s always there for you, worrying about you and your kid, going above and beyond to make sure you’re okay.”

The words leaving Tommy’s mouth should have been positive, but for some reason, they’re bringing a deep blush to Eddie’s cheeks and a weird feeling to his stomach. If he didn’t know any better, he’d say he’s feeling ashamed. 

“Okay, so what are you saying?” He asks, and Tommy stares at Eddie as if he’s being particularly stupid. 

“What I’m saying, Diaz, is that Evan is your best friend, but there’s no way you can claim to be his best friend. I’m not even sure you could claim to be his friend.”

“That’s not fair”, Eddie hisses in response, but that inconvenient blush is still stuck to his cheeks. 

“No, what’s not fair is making him keep your moving to Texas a secret, then treating him as expendable, then being mad when he finally snapped, and then just ‘forgiving’ him for something you should be apologizing for when he once more proved himself useful to you by taking your house”

Eddie stares at Tommy, mouth agape. That’s certainly not how he remembers things happening. 

“I… I was doing what was best for Chris. He… He didn’t have the right to make it about himself” Eddie says, but it now sounds weak even to his ears.

“Oh no, Eddie, as far as you’re concerned, Evan never has the right to make anything about himself. It’s all you, isn’t it? He babysits your son. You two talk about your plans, your feelings, your problems. Did you ever even have a conversation with him about our break-up? Did you even once ask him how he was handling it, if he was suffering?”

Eddie tries to remember those few weeks between their break-up and his moving, and he’s ashamed  when he realizes that he doesn’t remember asking Buck how he felt. All he remembers is the incessant baking.

“I…”

“Don’t bother”, Tommy says, raising a hand. “I know you didn’t. Because you, and everyone else, want Evan to always be happy and ready to help you with your problems. And when he dares to ask for help with his own things, of letting his insecurities be known, you accuse him of making everything about him. Of being exhausting.”

The word hits hard for Eddie, and he remembers a fight from so many years ago. He frowns, looking at Tommy, whose expression is harsh, his arms crossed, not a single line of the softness Eddie is used to from him. This is Tommy in protective mode, but Eddie had never expected it to be aimed at himself. It’s not fun, to say the least. 

“Did… Did he tell you about that?” He asks, and guilt is pooling up in his chest. 

“He wasn’t going to; I got it out of him when he asked me if I had left because he was exhausting,” Tommy says, and Eddie can see some of his guilt mirrored in Tommy’s eyes before he closes them and takes a deep sigh. “Look, I wasn’t perfect with him either, but you, Eddie? You were supposed to be his best friend”

“Tommy, I… I never realized…”

“No. And you never would, because he’s so used to this treatment that he’d never say anything. It’s the normal between the two of you. Except there’s nothing normal about it” Tommy laughs a humorless laugh, shaking his head. “God, Eddie, when he told me how he had ended up living at your place… The way he told it. Putting himself down, saying you were right on calling him out for ‘making everything about me, like I always do’. Like he had been a tantrum-throwing child, like you had been so good for forgiving him after he solved a problem of yours for the millionth time. You could barely say thank you. I asked, and he said you ‘shouldn’t have to thank him anyway, cause that’s what friends do’. That’s the man you like to call selfish.”

Eddie’s heart feels frozen in his chest. He wants to fight back, and wants to give Tommy examples of times he was there for Buck as well, but, to his immense despair, he’s coming up short. He’s about to mention putting Buck on his will, but he can see Tommy saying that was more for his benefit than Buck’s, and he’d be right. Eddie also thinks of telling him about how he handled Buck’s coming out, but… Is that something he should be that proud of? It was basic human decency, nothing else. 

When was the last time their friendship was about what Buck needed? Eddie can’t remember, if there ever was one in the first place. 

As guilt and shame take over him, he runs a hand through his face, and looks back at Tommy. In a way, he’s grateful; grateful that Buck found someone who’s that willing to defend him, but it makes Eddie feel awful that he’s the one who Buck needs to be defended from. And the worst part is that he knows, absolutely knows for a fact, that Buck hasn’t asked Tommy to say any of that. 

“I… I made him feel less than, didn’t I? When… When I left like that” He says, and Tommy nods, his expression finally softening a bit. 

“Look, he gets it. I get it. Chris is your priority. But Evan is mine, and him taking me back was the best thing that ever happened to me. And I’m sorry, Eddie, but I won’t let him be treated like that anymore. Not by you, not by anyone. He deserves better.”

Eddie finds himself nodding numbly. Tommy is right; Buck deserves better. From the 118, from his parents, but from him. Eddie has to step up. 

“He does. I… I’m sorry” He says pathetically, and Tommy only shrugs. 

“Don’t tell that to me, tell it to him. But let me tell you that it won’t make much of a difference. He doesn’t think you have anything to be sorry for.” Tommy says, and the worst part is that Eddie knows it’s true, which makes him feel even guiltier. “So instead of being sorry, do better”

He doesn’t have much time to mull on Tommy’s words before Buck is back, announcing the nachos are finally ready and that he had to re-do the guacamole three times before it was perfect.

And as he drops the bowls on the coffee center table, then gives Tommy a quick peck, Eddie looks at them. The way Tommy instantly smiled when Buck entered the room, as if the tension is out of him now that he told Eddie what was on his mind; the way he wraps his arm around Buck’s waist and Buck leans against his shoulder. The way he intently listens to Buck explaining what exactly went wrong with the first two guacamole batches, the way he praises Buck for finally getting it right. 

Eddie sighs and does his best to join their conversation as if nothing has happened. Watching the two of them, the way Buck smiles so easily, his eyes never leaving Tommy, and how content his best friend looks, how sure of himself, Eddie realizes that yes, he has to do better by Buck, because they’ve been friends for years and he hasn’t been very good at it. But one thing he knows for sure: Buck is not alone. 

He is finally someone’s priority. 

Ppl who were interested/asked to be tagged: @azaharinflames @laundryandtaxesworld @agentpeggycartering @unhingedangstaddict @iredastead @exhaustedpirate @dum-amo-vivo9 @neverstopschanging @walkedthroughfires @aar-journey @justahumblecabbagemerchant @styxhuntress @sgprfan

[bucksaiga]

What if Buck and Tommy stayed friends and some other guy was Buck's bisexual awakening?

Buck and Tommy have been friends long enough for Buck to know Tommy is gay so he's the first person Buck feels comfortable telling about this. He's not sure why it feels this way, but Tommy is easy to talk to and he feels like he has less to lose opening up to Tommy.

Tommy is very gentle with Buck about this topic. He helps him open up, come to terms with his sexuality and face this situation on his own terms.

Buck goes out on a date with this guy, and the date is fine, but Buck reveals to Tommy that he doesn't feel much of a spark, and he blames himself. He tells Tommy that he feels like a fraud for not liking this guy and thinks he should give him a second chance.

Tommy talks him down, tells him that not feeling that spark with someone doesn't make him a fraud, and it's okay to explore your sexuality and realize you don't like something. Buck doubles down on being bisexual and says he'd go on a date with another man if he met someone he was interested in.

Some time passes, Buck hasn't dated anyone else yet and asks Tommy where he meets people to date and asks him if he can take him out to meet other people, particularly men. He insists he's ready to try dating again and of course, Tommy is right there to be the supportive friend that Buck needs. Tommy takes Buck to a queer friendly bar and Buck meets and flirts with a really nice guy, but the guy wants Buck to leave with him, and Buck doesn't want to leave Tommy behind, so they agree to exchange numbers and talk tomorrow.

Tommy's confused. He tells Buck that he didn't have worry about him because he could take care of himself. "But you're my friend, and we came here together. So we should leave together."

"Evan." Tommy sighs. "I brought you here to meet someone. If you wanted to go home with him, you could."

"I didn't want to go home with him, Tommy. I wanted to stay here with you."

"But you're not obligated to me." Tommy laughs. "This isn't a date or anything."

And then a light bulb goes off in Buck's head. Tommy's been right by his side. He's been incredibly supportive. They can talk for hours. They spend a lot of time together (sometimes without Eddie), and when Buck looks at Tommy, he feels that spark.

"Would...you go on a date with me?"

Tommy's eyes go wide and Buck panics.

"Uh, h-hypothetically!" He nervously adds.

"Hypothetically?" Tommy shrugs. "I'd take you out of here, we'd go to a nice rooftop bar with a fire pit in Venice, and then I'd accompany you home, kiss you goodnight and promise to call you in the morning."

After the shock wears off, Buck would emphatically agree to turn this hypothetical situation into a reality.

But maybe, if he was lucky, Tommy would do more than kiss him goodnight.

[thetrialsandtribulationsofeb]

bobby, hen, and chimney reacting with support to eddie moving to texas because they understand that he needs to get back to his family, but buck being in anguish because eddie and chris are his family. i think all this time he was holding out hope that chris would eventually come back home and everything would be normal again. (unfortunately he didn’t realize how chris was manipulated into being disconnected from his own father by his awful grandparents, even eddie didn’t know - “the only reason christopher’s there is because of me. and he’s thriving. i don’t want to just yank him out of that environment”.) but after hearing “no ties here. everything that matters is in texas”, he was like, “oh, so i’m not a part of your family. so this was all casual to you.” that’s why he’s turning into a sultry teenager once again - “don’t want him to think i’m an abandoner,” “yes, eddie, i’ll move. you’re not the only one who can do that, you know,” “i don’t need you either”

“and that’s why i’m happy for you. ‘cause you’re going back to where you belong. with christopher” - he separates himself from the diaz family unit with these lines because he thinks he’s not in it. because he thinks that’s how eddie sees it. buck was just a work friend to him. eddie could move away and start a whole new life and a family in texas, for all he knows. why would buck ever think that he could take this kind of place in eddie’s life? why did he even want to have it? definitely not because he’s irrevocably in love with him and doesn’t want him just as a best friend, right? he doesn’t have a right to feel this way toward him. he doesn’t have any claim on eddie, for that matter. but he still loves him too much, so he lets him go. because eddie’s concerns are his concerns. because eddie’s happiness is more important to him than his own. because even though he could see a future there, he knows he can’t have it. so he sacrifices his heart for the person he loves again, because he thinks it’s the right thing to do…

when it couldn’t be further from the truth. abby left to find herself, and she left buck behind because she didn’t love and need him as much as he was ready to love and need her. but eddie… eddie does.

“yeah, but it’s hard to know, though, right? if you’re hanging on too long or… if you’re giving up too soon”

he just needs to realize that he belongs not in texas, but in la, in the 118, with buck and chris. that it’s an actual option. all he needs is to make a choice

he didn’t choose shannon when she was begging him to move to la. probably because their marriage was just another thing he was pressured into by his parents

but this time, everything is in its right place. he has a home in la. he has his person - the one he chose for himself, not because he had to, but because he wanted to, in la

“if you need to be pissed off at me to make it easier for you, then be pissed off”

it’s just the way he kept pushing shannon away in the past because he couldn’t choose her (for some reason). and now he’s pushing away buck because he couldn’t choose him. he couldn’t choose his happiness and “put his desires first”, because he needed to choose chris

when all chris, shannon, and buck wanted was for eddie to be happy

“but you are really brave. and i can be brave too”

“is that what i am to you? christopher’s mother? because, hey, if that’s what it is, then it’s fine”

“it’s not my loft anymore. gave ‘em my notice this morning. and now you don’t need to worry”

both shannon and buck wanted eddie to accept and choose their love

eddie couldn’t do it with shannon. but he still has a chance with buck

that’s why i think that “you really did that for me?” was the turning point of his feelings realization for buck. because it’s like he finally saw what’s right for him so clearly, and it was so in his face that he really couldn’t keep ignoring it anymore

it’s like all this time buck was unconsciously hoping for a green light from eddie, but eddie didn’t even know there was a traffic light, because he was too emotionally repressed and really had no idea what he was feeling most of the time

“wow, it really is always about you, isn’t it?” - yeah well, eddie, at least one of you knows what’s important to him and fights for it. you just need to start doing it too. choose yourself. choose joy. drink the fucking juice. don’t drink the water

he already woke up and finally chose chris + flipped off his mother and father. like he did in “eddie begins”. now he just needs to choose the 118 and buck again. like he did in 2x01 “under pressure”, you know… like he might do again in “seismic shifts”

(proudly applying my clown makeup, just in case)

i know you wanted me to stay

but i can't ignore the crazy visions of me in la

and i heard that there's a special place

where boys and girls can all be queens every single day

[bekolxeram]

I'm usually very block happy, but sometimes a couple of hot takes from the opposite side of the fandom manage to slip through. I'm no saint, I admit I do get quite worked up at first, but after some time, I realize they give me new perspectives to scenes I've watched countless times and discover things I didn't pick up before. So this one is for all of you, staunch Tommy haters, thank you for enriching my viewing experience.

In 7x04, when Tommy goes to Buck's loft to talk things out, this line gives some people the ick, because it echoes what Taylor said in 5x05. In that episode, Buck thought his team was off because they blamed him for Chimney leaving. He talked to Taylor about it, she shared her own experience with her boss being sulky around her, and it turned out her boss was just in a lot of physical pain, she ended the conversation with "maybe not everything is about you". While what she said was absolutely right, and she made an effort to make Buck feel appreciated at the end of the episode, but I can also see Buck not feeling supported emotionally at the time the conversation occurred. In a fashion true to her profession, Taylor delivered it in a very blunt, direct and advisory way. Her being right did not cancel out Buck feeling insecure about everyone acting weird around him and him not knowing why.

What Tommy says here though, is in a a completely different context.

Before all of this, Tommy has already reassured Buck that he's not trying to replace him, that his place in Eddie and Christopher's life is irreplaceable.

Look at Buck's smile, he's apparently in a better mood than before. It's like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders.

So going in this next part, Buck is more receptive to what he frankly needs to hear: Eddie isn't hanging out with Tommy because Buck did something wrong, he just enjoys Tommy's company.

We've witnessed Buck's growth over 7 seasons, now he can recognize that getting jealous easily is one of his character flaws, he tends to overthink and make other's action personal when he's feeling insecure in a relationship. He's telling Tommy this probably to signal that he understands he messed up and he understands what he did wrong. He never expected Tommy to validate his feelings.

But Tommy does empathize with his predicament.

Buck doesn't understand what Tommy, the cool, confident (and hot) pilot would be jealous over. And he almost can't believe Tommy gets what he's been feeling.

Tommy tells Buck that he's envious of the ride-or-die familial bonds within the 118 nowadays, as if he didn't also put his career and life in danger just to save Athena and Bobby (probably Hen's career as well), after one phone call from Chimney.

Now it's Buck's turn to reassure Tommy.

Another hot take I've seen from the other side goes like "if Tommy was nicer to Hen and Chimney back in the days, he wouldn't have to be jealous over what the 118 has now". You know what? Judging by Tommy's face here, he probably would agree. This is not the face of a man who is proud of what he did. This is the face of a man who is burdened by guilt and regret, this is a man haunted by his past, this is a man who doesn't think he deserves the praise.

Buck even cites fake mouth static as an example of Tommy's effort in aiding the 118's clandestine rescue mission, and they naturally fall into a flirty dynamic. I have no explanation for that, except, your honor, this is exhibit A against the "no chemistry" allegation.

Buck then spells it all out for Tommy that he also put everything on the line just for the 118, without hesitation. Tommy looks like he still has a hard time accepting it as an act worthy of redemption for his past behavior.

We've all made mistakes, and we all know we can't go back to the past and change what we did, so the best way forward is to change ourselves and be better. Judging by Tommy's "and [Gerrard] didn't make me a better person" line in 7x10, he quite possibly reflected on this a lot. Yet, sometimes you still can't help but doubt yourself over if you've learned enough from your past, if you're a good enough person now. I can't imagine how good it feels hearing Buck say out loud that he actually likes the person Tommy is now.

Apparently Buck likes Tommy so much that he came up with excuses just to hang out with him and get to know him.

Tommy is pleasantly surprised, because he did tell Buck to call him when he wants to go up. In fact, Buck can call him for whatever reason, Tommy accepted the Harbor tour request, there's nothing indicating that he would feel weird just hanging out with Buck. Tommy just doesn't know how much of a overthinker and bi disaster Buck truly is yet, but that's the story for another time.

Buck and Tommy really don't know much, if anything, about each other at this stage, as you can see in 7x05, but they're already validating each other's feelings. We've seen Buck get his feelings ignored, hurt, dismissed and kind of fetishized for 6 seasons, now this is something he's been looking for the whole time, for someone to understand what he's going through. At the same time, this interaction must also be quite freeing for Tommy, who's been haunted by demons from his own past.

[dandelioncasey]

(I need everyone to know that this entire ramble was inspired by the last few paragraphs because I am a petty bitch who loves a callback - it's never gonna happen but honestly this concept is living in my brain rent free and I might just write another six versions of this lmao)

Okay so picture this:

Eddie comes back to LA and so Buck moves out to give Christopher his home back (Eddie doesn't notice that Buck never says where he's going, he just gives him a week to clear out so that Christopher will have somewhere to sleep, but it's fine, he's just got a lot on his mind, right? He definitely cares, right?)

And so Buck, with his bad credit and nobody willing to rent to him, ends up sleeping in the Jeep (not acknowledging the truck, he still has the Jeep to me), or in a shitty pay-per-night motel type situation (but he tries to avoid that and he definitely never leaves his stuff there, not that he has much anymore - he left most of what he bought for the house for Chris and Eddie, and it's fine, really, where would he put it anyway?)

He starts withdrawing from the team, both because he's embarrassed about his situation and because some tiny part of him is angry that none of them ever asked - they know Eddie's back in the house on South Bedford Street, so they must've figured it out all on their own, look at Buck being an adult, he'll be fine, right??? We're all just glad you're back!

Time passes and that anger is getting louder and harder to ignore. Buck mostly just hangs out with Ravi on shift and then goes 'home' (to his Jeep) alone. He showers at the station or in crappy motels, he cooks too-big meals with Bobby's recipes (which nobody will eat) so he can maybe sneak some of the leftovers (he has money but nowhere to cook, but Bobby's lasagne is just as good cold, right?), he signs up for every extra shift he can, not for the money but because he doesn't want to be alone

Nobody has noticed his housing issues except for Eddie complaining once that he keeps accidentally getting some of Buck's post (it's not an accident, you took his home and left him with nowhere to go and no postal address, you didn't even say thank you to the man who wrecked his credit for you before you handed down a verbal notice period)

One night, as Buck is sleeping in the back of the Jeep, he gets carjacked, someone drives off in his car with him still groggy in the back, he wakes up fully to the sound of police sirens and he manages to sit up, but this startles the driver and the Jeep ends up balanced on the edge of a cliff

Now in precarious situations like this, air rescue is the only safe option, and who should show up but Tommy and the 217? (because as we all know, there's all of three cops, two firehouses, and one helicopter pilot in all of Los Angeles), and the medics get the driver out and then they notice Buck in the back (nobody knew he was there, he couldn't get to his phone)

They try to set up a way to get him out without tipping the car forward and over the edge, but Buck just tells them to go, it's fine, nobody will notice anyway. And then the radio that one of the rescuers is carrying crackles, and he hears Tommy's voice telling him that 'i'd notice, Evan, I always notice you'

They get Buck out, and the Jeep falls, and Buck is just empty (that's all he had left, everything was in his Jeep and now that's gone too), and Tommy is the first person in months to ask Buck if he's okay rather than just assuming he is because clearly trying to help others means you're over losing the only good father you've ever known, right?

More time passes, nobody except Ravi has noticed that Buck's Jeep is a different colour (and model), or that he filed a change of address, or that he's smiling more and cooking less, they're all supporting each other and everyone thinks Buck is talking to somebody else so it never comes up

Eventually we come to a mirror of Buck finding out about the party and the job offer from El Paso from Ravi, instead of from anyone who should have told him - Ravi asks Hen and Chim when they're arriving at the party that's happening during their four days off

Party? What party, did we forget someone's birthday again? Well, it's a housewarming party for Buck, because he's been crashing with Tommy and Tommy finally agreed to let him pay into the mortgage, so it's officially their house now

Obviously everyone is shocked by this - did you know they were dating again? Why didn't he ask for help moving? Buck shows up and Hen, Chim, and Eddie start throwing these questions at him, and he just blinks at them and says that he didn't want to make it all about him, because they're all busy and grieving and suchlike

What do you mean, make it all about you, of course you moving is all about you! Awkward glance at Eddie, and Buck explains that he didn't really have much that needed moving anyway, certainly nothing that he needed help with

Ravi mentions that Buck moved out of Eddie's house (it wasn't Eddie's it was his but none of you noticed why didn't any of you NOTICE??) months ago and just moved in with Tommy last month after 'the whole Jeep thing' (what happened to the Jeep, it's right there? No, that's a different Jeep, it's not even the same colour!),

And someone (probably Hen lbr) finally notices that hey, that math ain't mathing, and it all comes out that not only did Eddie kick out his so-called best friend without so much as a thank you but also nowhere would rent to Buck with his credit in such a state so he was homeless for months and nearly died and NONE OF YOU NOTICED

I just love the parallel of Buck finding out about Eddie's job offer through hearing about the barbecue to celebrate it and the rest of the 118 finding out about what Eddie did and what Buck has been through by hearing about a housewarming party, and both times it's because the rest of the team are supporting and talking to each other and not Buck (who has been told over and over that his help isn't wanted)

[sugdendingle]

There's been a lot of discussion lately about when will Eddie come out and when Buddie canon will happen. I think a lot more people are feeling optimistic that it actually will happen now so the conversation has shifted into people being worried how this is all going to play out. I've seen people saying that if Eddie comes out and Buddie is fully confirmed this season (i.e. they confess their feelings/ there's a kiss) that would be way too fast. I have some issues with that line of thinking though.

For starters after Buck came out in season 7 we had a lot of new people join fandom (even more join during the summer hiatus), which I'm glad for all the new people who have found 911 particularly because the majority are now rooting for Buddie. Still I feel like a lot of the newer fan's opinions (on this topic) are being heard over some of us who have been in fandom for years.

I'm not saying if you're a newbie that your opinions on the show don't matter but I do think you should take the time to listen to those of us who have been around longer. The fact is if us long time Buddie fans hadn't been rooting for this ship for years we wouldn't even be as close to them becoming canon as we are. Buck likely wouldn't have had his bi awakening if not for us either. We've supported the show and pushed them for years to give these characters the storylines they deserve. That should matter when you're talking about something like how and when Buddie canon will happen.

I understand that people want Buddie to get together in just the right way but I think we all need to realize there is no one right way this will happen. We need to make peace now before it happens that there will be things about them coming together we won't expect even things we may not exactly like. All that matters is they finally get to take their relationship to that next level. That both Buck and Eddie get to realize their person their soulmate has always been right beside them. The other mains have had their person for years it's beyond time for Buck and Eddie to (consciously fully) have that too.

-----

I've seen people say that Eddie deserves a long journey to figuring out his sexuality and he needs to work on his mental health before being with Buck. And while I do think Eddie deserves more focus and screen time I don't see 911 doing a long drawn out thing with him. 911 typically does smaller 1-3 ep arcs for their characters. There's also the fact that they've been dropping hints for Eddie's coming out these past two seasons. Ones I'm positive they will connect back to other things throughout the series, like why it never worked out with him in his relationships with women.

I'm also personally not a fan of the logic that someone needs to do all these things to change themselves to be ready for love. Buck and Eddie have seen each other through their best and their worst. The show has literally made it a point to tell you that's what love is on numerous occasions. They said that love is about stepping into someone's mess with them. Why is it that Bobby didn't need to be a perfect person before he was worthy of Athena's love? Go back and watch season 1 Bobby was not in a good place when they got together. He was getting better but he was still struggling and up until the end of the season was still thinking about ending his life. But we see Athena "step into the mess" with him. She starts by going to church with him and we see them in s2 (early on in their relationship) talk about his past at different times.

I just feel like this fandom sometimes holds Eddie to unfair standards. He's been struggling for the past couple of seasons but I honestly think we're going to find out in 8b that it's connected to him having not felt able to live his truth. We saw in 806 that Eddie is starting to embrace joy and taking steps to fully be himself. That he's starting even in small ways to take ownership of what he wants and doing things for himself not because he feels obligated to.

I think him going back to Texas is not just to get Chris but the shows way of giving him a rebirth of sorts. They're bringing him back to where he's from and it's where I think Eddie is going to realize who he is and what he wants (Buck) and that him and Chris don't belong in Texas they belong in LA with Buck and the rest of their found family. And this time Eddie will get to make the decision to leave not based on fear or desperation or running away from his life but based on knowing where he truly belongs.

I know there's also a worry that if Eddie comes out in 8b it will feel rushed but the length of the story being told shouldn't be the main concern it should be how well the show tells it.

They could have him realize his feelings for Buck (because I do think him figuring out his sexuality is going to be tied to that) while he's still in Texas. That could be one whole episode just Eddie (like they did for Bobby in s7) or have it play out over a few eps. Then Eddie comes home and Buddie canon happens by the end of s8. I also feel like people are forgetting we have quite a few eps for 8b left to go so it's not like Eddie coming out and Buddie canon are both going to happen in 1 or 2 eps right after the other. It's very likely Eddie realizing his feelings will happen earlier and Buddie canon will happen in one of the last eps of the season.

Also even if they have Eddie come out in one ep that doesn't mean it's the end of him ever talking about his sexuality or facing any struggles with it. We haven't seen Buck facing much struggle when it comes to his sexuality but I think it will be different with Eddie. Even if Buddie officially get together in s8 in s9 we could still see things like Eddie having mixed feelings over being out especially when it comes to stuff like pda. Maybe we could even see Eddie talking to the priest again. Eddie coming out and Buddie canon happening doesn't mean it's the end of Eddie's sexuality journey it's just the beginning.

Like I said before we need to make peace that every part of these stories isn't going to make everyone happy but I think the last thing we should be doing when Eddie comes out and Buddie canon happens is look for reasons to criticize the show for how it happens. They will inevitably receive hate from bummys and people who will accuse them of making the show too gay. We can't add to that by complaining that a storyline didn't happen in a perfect way. If they actually finally go there with these characters we need to celebrate the show and be louder with our praise than any bs they'll get.

-----

On the subject of Buddie I've seen people say that if they confess their feelings for one another by the end of 8b it will feel rushed that the general audience won't get what's happening because the show hasn't set the groundwork for their relationship. I feel like I'm seeing this argument more from newer fans which I guess makes sense because to you it probably does seem like everything is moving fast. But for those of us who have watched Buck and Eddie's relationship develop over years and years this has all been a long long time coming in fact it's beyond overdue.

Some of you need to remember that Buck was supposed to come out in s4 (the shooting was likely to be the catalyst to him realizing his feelings for Eddie) and Eddie in s5 which means Buddie canon was likely to happen that same season. How can s8 be too soon when they were supposed to get together three seasons ago? They have literally been through almost everything Madney and Bathena have been through or some variation thereof. If Buck and Eddie were a straight couple they would have been married already. Buck and Eddie have spent 7 years building their relationship. Building a life and family together. Them finally admitting they're in love with each other is simply the natural progression their relationship should be taking from best friends (that have always been more than friends) to lovers. I think another reason people question if it's too fast for this to happen in s8 is because a queer couple like this has never happened on a show like 911 before. There's been plenty of slow burn straight couples. Which is why I'm positive if Buck and Eddie were a guy and a girl there wouldn't be this big debate over if it should happen now, people would be saying what the hell is this show even doing? Why haven't they kissed already?

-----

A big point about all of this that I feel like is being left out of the discussions is that 911 is made in the US and is first and foremost made for US audiences. I bring this up because as someone who is from the states it's very apparent there's a huge uprising of anti lgbtq rhetoric and legislation here right now. I know it probably seems unfathomable to some people that the US government could do something like ban lgbtq people from TV but there's already been pushes to ban things like lgbtq books on a state level so it could happen. But what is more likely is networks and companies have already started to capitulate to trump to protect themselves and their money. We have no way of knowing how bad things will continue to get with trump and how a network like ABC will behave in the future. We don't have the luxury to sit back and say let's wait until s9 or 10 for Buddie to officially get together when there's no certainty of what will even be happening in the US by the time those seasons are made.

Connected to that same topic of what's going on not just in the US but in other countries too. This attack on lgbtq rights means it's more important than ever for Buddie to finally be together. I know that 911 has always had queer characters and ships and they should always be respected for the important representation they've given on the show since day one (particularly characters like Henren and their family) but Buck and Eddie are ground breaking in a way we really haven't seen on TV before. Two men who are best friends and who have come out later in life. Who have fallen for each other over years of building their relationship. Who have spent years raising their son together. Who are an interracial couple. Buck and Eddie in a loving relationship together as a family with Chris is vital representation the world needs to see right now. That lgbtq people need to see. We need to see more depictions of queer joy in the face of all of this hate.

-----

I see people keep pushing back the time frame of when Buddie should officially get together when we were in s7 people were saying s8 now I've seen them say s9, I've even seen some people recently say s10. I need some of you to realize 911 is a network TV show and that this isn't the golden age of TV anymore. TV shows get canceled left and right sometimes for no reason at all. 911 itself was canceled from Fox after s6 not because no one was watching it but because Fox felt it was too expensive to make. 911 is a super successful show one that will likely go on to it's 9th season and that's an amazing thing when a lot of shows now barely even make it past like two seasons. But because 911 is so many seasons in and is so costly not just to make but also for the cast that means there's always a risk that it could get canceled again. I hope that 911 goes on for at least 10 more seasons but we can't guarantee that at all. The more we push Buddie back the more we run the risk of them not happening at all.

The other thing is I don't want Buddie canon happening at the end of their last season. I want to see how Buck and Eddie's relationship develops and changes once they're officially together. I want to see all the good and bad stuff they go through like moving in together and telling everyone (especially Chris). I want to see how their parents react. How that changes things for them at work. They deserve to have an epic love story just as grand as any of the other main couples have had.

To add to the point of us not knowing how long the show may go on for we also have no idea how long all of the actors plan to stay with the show. I'm not sure how long the contracts they've all signed are for at this point but they've all been with the show a very long time. It's clear they all love working together and I can't see any of them giving that up right now but that could change. We're lucky that Oliver and Ryan have continued to stay with the show after this many years but we can't guarantee they will stay forever. Eventually they could want to go off and work on something else or just get tired of playing the same character. The fact is everything is in the right place at the right time for Buddie canon to happen now. It has to happen now or it may not happen at all.

Also as much as some of you want them to drag out Buck and Eddie getting together I think you underestimate how long the fanbase is willing to hang on for. Like I said some of us have been waiting for Buddie to happen for years we're tired. I almost stopped watching the show after s6 I was that fed up with how they handled things. I'm positive if something doesn't change by the end of s8 that there are people who will stop watching.

I know some have said they want to see Buck and Eddie realizing their feelings and going into s9 pinning. I don't think the show needs to drag out their will they/won't they any longer. I've seen some people say well Buddie hasn't really had a will they/won't they because it wasn't explicit in the show. Buck and Eddie have never been written as just friends. Go compare them to Chim and Hen's friendship. There has always been more there between them always. Again if this was a straight couple people would be complaining constantly wondering why they weren't together yet. They don't have to be kissing for it to be a slow burn. They've done everything but though. I mean what do you call that scene in the kitchen in 3x09? Eddie literally put Buck in his will. He told Buck he trusts him above anyone else with Chris. Buck sobbed when he knew Eddie was going to be okay after he was shot (he's never reacted that way over anyone else on the show getting hurt). Eddie counted the seconds when Buck wasn't breathing. These two men love one another they just haven't admitted it yet.

We don't need more time to tell this story. 911 hasn't always gotten it right (see the weird Vertigo story) but when it's good it can be fcking amazing. The shooting eps are some of my fav eps of tv ever and not just of 911. I have faith in Tim and the show. Tim has wanted to put Buck and Eddie together for a long time and I know he knows he only has one chance to tell this story and get it right. I have faith that him and the actors and writers will do the story justice however it gets told. I know they know it means a lot to so many people. And you know the truth is we're lucky that our ship is even at this point. That we can all debate about how Buddie canon should happen because we're all so sure now that it is in fact happening. Cause the show was very close to ending on a finale that had Buck and Eddie ending up with other partners. Buddie would have only been able to continue to live on in fanon. Instead I truly believe we are months away from the show making history.

[lover-of-mine]

Okay, my insane theory that I was waiting for the episode to see if I'm right or not. This is a lot more from the business side of things than something actually plot-related. But the thing is, about a year ago, at some point during the s6-7 hiatus, I made a post about how I thought the show had written themselves into a corner when it comes to buddie basically because the stakes are too high (the post is here but please keep in mind I wrote this before Buck bi and thinking about the way fox dealt with them, and we have since found out something was supposed to happen in s4 and they were censored by fox and we are not dealing with that anymore, I will explain my thought process here tho). But basically, I thought that they were not gonna do buddie because the expectations around buddie were too high, and it was easier to play with their tension forever than getting them together.

Because the thing is, we are talking about a six plus seasons queer slowburn that already has a lot in canon, between Chris, the well, the shooting, the lightning, the fact that they are best friend partners, there's a lot at stake and the correct lead up can make it seem as if buddie has been planned when watching the whole show. And since buddie is already insane, buddie in a romantic setting would have to exceed expectations. There's also the way that since Buck and Eddie work together and are partners on the field, they would have to acknowledge buddie every episode they were both in, something that is not true for madney or bathena, so that means that at some level they would have to be okay with the show being known as the buddie show at some level. The way that buddie has the potential to be the first relationship of its kind, a queer multiseason network slowburn, means that there will be people who will watch the show because of buddie. I know I joke about how buddie will make 911 go down in television history, but it is true, buddie will be placed next to big television love stories, people will teach classes on buddie in film school, so they need to be okay with that focus on the relationship existing and potentially being the thing people talk about when thinking about the show. With season 6 knowledge, I thought that at best they would have buddie kiss in the last 10 minutes of the series finale just to say they did it because I did not believe that they would want to be forced to write buddie into every episode and deal with the external focus on them. Now, knowing that fox blocked Buck bi and with the way they didn't even let Oliver and Ryan stand next to each other, I believe fox was never gonna let buddie be what they could be.

We have different rules now. My thing there is the way that they would have to deal with the external focus on them and to acknowledge buddie every episode, right? Well, they set Oliver and Ryan lose last season, including paired, and they let them say all sorts of things, the I love you to the core, buddie wedding season 10, giving the people what they want, there's no competition for Eddie, Buck fills the space Shannon was support to have, every interview Oliver, Ryan or Tim do mentions buddie, so they clearly don't care if people discover the show through buddie, they seem to be leaning into it even. For example, the first video we got for s8 was a ryliver video. So that part is covered, they are fine with it. So that leaves us with the acknowledging buddie every episode. They are doing that. I think everyone knows I'm doing the buddie supercuts by now (if not you can find the ones that are done here), but I wrote a meta about this, something that happened in s7 that was not true in the previous seasons is the fact that buddie has at least one moment every single episode, 1 we had the whole partnership/co-parent thing, 2 we had the thing at the locker room, 3 we had them finishing each other sentences while moving around each other during the rescue, 4 and 5 I don't even need to say it, right, 6 we had the bachelor party, 7 we had the Buckley-Diaz family scene, 9 we had the kitchen scene, and 10 had all that partnership/co-parent thing again. So s7 proved that they don't care about writing buddie into every episode. 801 has a lot of buddie, my cut of the episode amounted to 11 minutes and 33 seconds, that's 27% of the episode, the only episode they have more than that is under pressure, which is saying something. 802 we also had some buddie squeezed in there even though the episode was about the plane. That was an Athena episode, but we still got buddie. So my whole thing with the post I made this morning was about the concept of them adding a buddie scene even though they started the episode physically separated. And Well, I'm gonna count this as my buddie shoutout. They were together on the plane, and we got that little look at the end.

I think, like Tim said in the interviews for s7, that they are trying to work a little buddie every episode because it is a core part of the show, and that is a way to get the audience used to having at least a little buddie every episode. And I think that's the biggest sign that something has shifted and buddie is cooking.

Anyway, yeah, that's the theory. If you read this I love you 🫶.

[1thesewordsaremyown1]

I know there are some bucktommy fans that aren't happy with the Maddie and Buck scene at the end of the ep (for a variety of reasons). And while there are aspects of it I don't like, I think it's actually crucial - for me, it's the scene that TRULY puts buddie to rest.

In the morning after scene with Tommy, if you try to watch it with buddie goggles on, I could *kind of* see how they would claim buddie still has a chance. Buck is talking to his ex, who he just slept with - you could claim that he is in denial because he doesn't want to admit that it was a factor in their relationship (I absolutely don't see it this way, but like I said, I'm trying to put buddie goggles on here), or he doesn't want to hurt Tommy (which he ended up hurting him anyway, but I digress). They even have Tommy scoffing at Buck's denial, and one could interpret that as "well, TOMMY thinks Buck's in love with him!" Which ok, fair enough, but Tommy isn't Buck, is he? The only one who truly knows his own feelings is Buck.

Cue the conversation with Maddie. Maddie, his sister who has always been his sounding board for his relationships, who was the first person he went to when he realised he was bisexual, who he goes to for advice when hurdles in his relationships appear (instead of the person he's actually in a relationship with, but again, I digress). Maddie, who is sitting there basically telling Buck, "hey, if you ARE in love with your best friend, there's nothing wrong with that, and I'll support you." If Buck had any feelings for Eddie, here was the safe space to finally start to address any doubts or potential feelings.

Instead, when asked, Buck gives a firm, definitive "I am not in love with my best friend." Listen to his tone of voice. There is absolutely zero doubt there - he knows what he wants (or doesn't want, as the case may be). Then when he suggests calling and Maddie assumes he's talking about Eddie, Buck gives a flippant "no, I'll call him later" before stating, again, very firmly that he was talking about calling TOMMY.

And all this time, while they are having this conversation, what is Buck doing? He's getting all the tools and ingredients out to start baking again. Even if you dont listen to his words, his actions are showing that he cant stop thinking about Tommy.

Now, I could go on about how I believe they were using Maddie as a stand-in for the buddie fans and Buck as a mouthpiece for the writers to try and shut buddie down once and for all, but that's all conjecture. But everything else i mentioned? That is stuff that was shown ON SCREEN. We heard those words, we heard the tone, and we saw their actions. You can interpret anything however the hell you want, but if you listen to Tim and Aisha when they said "we are going to let what we show you on screen do the talking", what is the show is telling us?

Buck is 100%, without a shadow of a doubt, NOT in love with Eddie.

[lemotmo]

I just watched 911 8x12!

I really liked it. It didn’t go as hard as the previous three episodes, but it had so many small subtle and interesting Buddie details that make me salivate!

Here are some of my thoughts in no specific order:

The call about the pizza guy and his car was hilarious. I loved the guy and how good Buck and Chim were together in those scenes. But Athena? Come on! You are a clever woman! How could you be so stupid as to park your police car right under a car that is about to fall?

Then the Maddie storyline. I screamed out loud when she dreamed that her throat was slashed again! 😬

I love how they actually showed Maddie having some trauma after what she went through. Her talk with Athena was great and the way she got her voice back? Again, because of the love for her child? Really good. It was also very sweet how Chimney supported her in everything and I’m glad those two have found each other.

This leads me directly into the Eddie storyline, because just like Maddie he had someone there to support him. 😏

We now know that Eddie has been in Texas for three weeks, which is good to know. I like how he didn’t get the job at that El Paso fire house, because then he would have been stuck for real, giving the Captain his word like that. Now we know for sure he’ll be back soon.

I like how we get a parallel to Eddie in Maddie’s first call. That kid called 911 for his father and because the building was on fire. He told Maddie that his dad had just moved to LA for a job. I mean, that is so on the nose. And who swoops in to save them? Buck and Ravi, with Buck actually picking up the boy. Listen, I love Chris, but I’m thinking he’ll be involved in something big this season and Buck will be there to save him and possibly even Eddie. It was such an interesting parallel to the tsunami arc as well. Something is happening to the Diaz family and Buck will save them. 🙂‍↕️

I’m kinda sad that we missed that first meeting between Eddie and Chris, but I love how we can clearly see that Chris is doing okay and he’s ready to forgive his dad.

I still hate Helena though.🙄 The way she subtly undermined Eddie’s agency as a parent in that first scene with the PS5. It was so annoying. I love how his dad obviously seems to realise that his son is trying his best and that his wife is out of line. I think we’ll get a confrontation between Eddie and his mom next episode and his dad will take Eddie’s side.

The way Eddie becomes ‘Edmundo’ when he’s in Texas is so painful as well. That’s why I’m so happy that Buck is always there to call him by his real name: Eddie.

Whatever happened to the robbery at the store? We saw that in those stills, didn't we? Did they cut it?

Eddie as an Uber driver was a good idea, because then he can give up his job anytime to go back to LA. It’s obvious he is trying hard, but he doesn’t like it at all. When he was yapping to all those people? I laughed out loud. How did he not realise that was not a good idea? You know how married couples sometimes take over personality traits from each other? Well he got the nervous yapping from Buck, no doubt. It was such a Buck thing to do. 😋

I hate how alone he seems to be, which again is counteracted by his lifeline to Buck.

I like how Chris found out about his dad being a driver and I love how he is now old enough to not hold it against him and realise his dad is trying hard to do right by him. He gave back the PS5. I mean, that says enough. That last hug. I cried so hard when that happened.😭

Then the whole Buddie of it all. The show could have just shown us Eddie’s struggles in El Paso, him disconnected from everyone in LA. Instead they specifically showed us his connection to Buck. He didn’t call anyone else! If he did they didn’t show us. But they thought they needed to show us the Buddie calls? Come on! They are laying it on so thick right now. I love it!

Buck casually cooking while talking to Eddie? Telling him he can’t come back, because he knows that Eddie will be miserable without Chris? He knows his husband so well. Buck would love Eddie to come back, but he knows he would never be happy without his son. I mean… remember Josh’s speech? Are his concerns your concerns? Is his happiness as important as yours?

We are seeing ALL of that right now! They are tying these two together in a distinctly non-friendship kind of way.

Buck is shown to have his back. He tells him to talk to Chris after the kid found out about his dad’s real job. He knows that Eddie internalizes everything and he knows what Eddie is going to try to avoid the 'talk' and what he needs to do. HE KNOWS HIM so well! Just like Eddie KNOWS Buck so well. They keep showing us this deep understanding and trust between them.

The amount of times Eddie said 'Buck' in this episode as well... I should probably watch again and count it. But it was very noticable.

And then they parallel this with Madney and how deep they support each other. I mean… this is like watching a Buddie fanfiction come to life. They are showing us these two have each other’s back, no matter what happens or where they are. I love how they are telling us their story right now.

A few more random things from this episode:

Eddie selling his car and calling it ‘sexy’? Really? How interesting. 🤭

No Diaz sisters! I’m so sad! 😭

I loved that girl who told Eddie to shut up and gave him some good Uber driver tips!

The PS5 was a nice gesture, but you can’t buy love like that. I’m glad both Eddie and Chris realized it.

LOL! Hot gal and guy were only there to make out in the car. I'm sure the actress has all the ins and outs about the 911 characters. *sarcasm* 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

The puke and Eddie cleaning it up sent me. Eddie! You are a father, firefighter and medic and you are disgusted by some vomit? Come on dude! Woman up!

I love how they casually mentioned that Bobby will always have Eddie’s job in LA lined up for him if he decides to come back. It’ll make things a lot easier when he gets back. We already know where this is going right?

As for next week. Hen becoming a hostage on that bus with a crazy knife guy? And again no sign of Eddie’s storyline? Colour me intrigued. 🤔

[teambuddie]

when i started to watch 911 i already liked buddie, but i wanted to give b*ckt*mmy a chance, i really did, but honestly, i just couldn't and i'm gonna explain why.

1. eddie was haunting the narrative.

after watching 6 seasons of buck dating women i'm not gonna lie i was pretty excited to see him flirt with tummy because yay bisexual buck!!! and the very first scene i was filled with joy until... eddie was in every corner of the relationship. i know, the writers were using buddie as a diversion, they wanted to surprise us that hey he was jealous of tummy not eddie! but then they kept eddie haunting the narrative through the whole relationship. every bt scene eddie was there or was mentioned and obviously the writers did that on purpose, because we're supposed to keep thinking about eddie, we're supposed to know buck is still thinking about eddie even if he's dating someone else. to me the writers made bt impossible to exist separated from eddie and buddie and that made it impossible to me to truly give bt a chance even if i was already biased.

2. tummy is BORING.

look, i was so happy buck was gonna date a man and figure out his sexuality, i really was, but holy shit tummy made it almost unbearable to watch some scenes. how can a man be so boring??? he has zero personality, zero charm, zero everything. every LI from both buck and eddie had at least SOMETHING going on, you know? even natalia and ana had more personality than tummy and that's a bit insane like how a character who showed up for like 5 episodes is more well developed and interesting than you?? and again, to me the writers did that deliberately, they wanted us to feel like something was missing, they didn't want us to get attached to tummy because he wasn't going to be a constant, he was a plot device and he was treated as such. no personality, no complexities, nothing, a blank state.

3. the acting.

this is probably gonna sound mean, but i have to be honest. one of the things that made it even more impossible to enjoy bt was l*u's acting. imo 911 has fantastic acting, like ANGELA BASSETT is on the show, the bar is high guys! even side characters act really well throughout the show and yeah sometimes there is overacting, but mostly is really good and expressive. and then there's l*u... he's so stale, so unexpressive, so bland is like watching a sixth grader acting on a broadway production (but a sixth grader would do a better job probably). i can't take tummy seriously as a character because not only is he boring but i don't feel like watching a "real" character, just a person pretending to be a character and i know that's what acting is but good acting makes you forget that what you're watching is fiction and makes you feel for the characters. l*u's acting achieves none of that.

4. b*ckt*mmies.

i understand when b*ckt*mmies say they can't enjoy buddie bc of the fandom, i do bc they just pushed me even further away from bt. the way they reacted to the break up was... something. some of them had valid reasons to be upset and ofc they were gonna be emotional about their ship breaking up, but the whole "this is homophobic/biphobic" discourse was too much. first they decide to simply forget michael was also an elder gay and say that bt was the only gay couple that showed someone older can be happy... like, are you serious???? "oh but michael wasn't a main character" but his storyline was very well developed and it just as a representation as bt. even better than bt bc no one was saying how he wants the other to have daddy issues (that irked me so much god WHY WOULD HE SAY THAT????). calling ostark biphobic bc he said he wants buck to sleep around again??? as if he said that bc he's bi when it's obvious he said buck should sleep around bc he's buck. ostark showed nothing but support to bi buck and he was always so excited about the storyline, but since he wasn't too onboard with bt and said he'd like for his character to sleep around a bit suddenly he's biphobic???? the way they decided to interpret what tummy said as him saying buck isn't sure of what he wants when it's clear he meant that buck should explore more his sexuality not to be sure but because that's what he probably did and he knows it's healthy and normal to get with new people to figure out what you like and what you want. nothing about the breakup and what ostark/tim said was prejudiced and while i understand feeling hurt and interpreting some stuff with a negative light, i don't think they were being fair to the writing and the crew.

maybe i'm biased bc buddie was already my ship even before i watched 911, but honestly i think if they wanted us to root for bt they'd make their relationship more compelling, they'd give tummy more personality, they'd not make eddie haunt the narrative, but that's not what they did and you may think that's "unfair" to bt and tummy, but honestly it was a warning sign b*ckt*mmies ignored... the sign that said: "this is not meant to be". when tummy called buck evan it wasn't without a deeper meaning, it showed us he was the odd one out, it showed us he didn't belong. and so, he's gone.

[boybandbaby]

The Sweet Escape Part V

911 AU (Prince!Evan Buckley x Fem!Baker!Reader)

previous part | series masterlist

word count: 4855

warnings/tags: smut (18+ minors please do not interact), cheating/homewrecking, unprotected p in v, biting, riding, slight nipple play, light choking, cream pie (I wish I had a baking joke to go along with this)

note: not sure when the next part will be out - haven’t planned past this chapter yet

─── ⋆⋅ ☾⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅ ☾⋅⋆ ─── ⋆⋅ ☾⋅⋆ ───

It’s been weeks since you’ve seen Buck and you truly miss him. You wonder if he misses you too. You’ve heard through Albert who’s heard through Chimney who’s heard through Maddie that Buck has been compliant lately. No arguing with his parents, actually learning King duties, helping out with the wedding.

You hope he’s doing well despite everything. Even after you heard him say that you mean nothing to him, his is still everything to you.

You beat yourself up everyday for pushing him away so cruelly. You tell yourself it is justified because of what he said.

You begin to replay your conversation with Chimney and Eddie from just last week.

“He’s miserable. He misses you so much.” Chim informs you.

“Did he tell you that?” You raise a brow and cross your arms over your chest.

“Well no, but I mean I see it on his face. You have to reach out to him.” Chim follows you as you move to sweep some crumbs off the floor.

“Guys, I appreciate what you’re doing but he’s getting married in a few days.”

“He should be marrying you. Everyone knows it.” Eddie says matter of factly.

“There’s nothing that can be done.” You sigh in defeat, handing Albert the broom to place back in its holding place.

“You could always object at the wedding?” Albert adds.

“Yeah right, the queen would have my ass.” You laugh. “She’d get the bakery shut down as punishment.”

“Maybe that’s true but you could still be there for him. He needs a friend.” Eddie shrugs.

“He has you guys, Hen, Bobby. He doesn’t need or want me around.”

“You can’t possibly believe that.” Eddie sasses.

“I heard him say it.” You blurt. “He said I don’t mean anything to him. He didn’t even know I was in the room when he said it.”

“It has to be a misunderstanding. I’ve seen the way he looks at you.” Chim leans against the counter, stealing a croissant from Albert.

“You should’ve heard all the whispers at the ball. Girls were jealous of the attention he was giving you, some of the parents thought you were already together. You both looked good together.” Eddie utters.

You feel your cheeks and neck get warm before turning your head down, trying to find something to busy yourself.

“Just… think about it. At least send him birthday wishes.”

There’s two soft knocks on Buck’s door. He groans, thought he told Eddie to go home to Chris.

Buck’s had a long day. He’s met so many different people, allies in which he should remain connected and respectful for future support. He’s taken a few classes on public speaking and history and a dance class for the wedding. He’s just gotten back from a charity event, while rewarding and eye opening, he’s ready to call it a night.

He chooses to ignore the knocks, shedding his blazer and shoes off. Two louder, more impatient knocks ring out.

“What the hell?” He grinds his teeth, suppressing a groan. He storms over to the door, whipping it open with force. The door is heavy but with his determination, he opens it up quickly, enough to create a gust of wind.

Your back is turned to the door, keeping an eye on the hallway and also ready to book it out of there. You jump when you feel the cold air and hear his annoyed tone. “What!?”

It’s quickly followed by a “Y/n, what are you doing here?” He is shocked to say the least. His voice comes out more soft than just moments before.

“Hi,” you whisper. “I wanted to see you.”

“You did?”

“Yeah, I’ve been thinking a lot about you.” You admit, shyly.

Buck looks around the hallway and pulls you into his room before anyone can see. You’d surely be in trouble if you were caught.

You’ve never been in his room before. You’ve never really been anywhere other than the kitchen and the ballroom before either. His room is somehow exactly as you’d suspected with a 4 post king size bed, long silky drapes, ceiling to floor windows, a fireplace, a leather couch. What you didn’t expect was for the little unique parts of him throughout. The pajama pants thrown onto the messy bed, a pair of slippers laid beside his bed, a cork board with a variety of pictures of friends and family, and a little bed side night light. The items seem so out of place in the grand aspect of his room.

Buck runs to tidy up a bit, hoping he’s not embarrassing himself in front of you. “I’m sorry. I haven’t let anyone in here to clean in a while.”

“It’s no problem. I stopped by unannounced.” You swing the basket in your hands. “Your room is bigger than our entire apartment.” You laugh, mouth open in awe as your fingers run along the back of his couch. “You have a balcony?”

Before he can answer, you’re running to the set of double doors and out into the night air. From his view you can see the layout of the land, from the yard around his home to the rows of trees that cover the path leading down to town. You can see the roofs of the familiar buildings you’ve grown up around.

You have to squint to really make out things but it still looks beautiful amongst the dark blue sky.

“I used to come out here a lot when I was younger. I would just sit and watch the sun rise and fall every day.” He leans over the railing a bit.

You keep a fist wrapped in the back of his dress shirt as he leans too far over for your liking. “You don’t do it anymore?”

“Don’t have time.” He shrugs, eyes flicking to the basket in your left hand. “What do you got there?”

“Oh! Um,” you set the basket on one of his lounge chairs and kneel down. Your skirt bunches up as you slink down to your knees. He loves that you don’t care about the balcony dirt getting on your skirt. It’s something so simple but it shows who you are.

He briefly thinks back to his fiancé and the meltdown she had this morning when one of the servants spilled a cup of coffee on the floor causing droplets to fall on her heels. Buck had to apologize for her outburst.

He watches you take out a small box. It’s wrapped in makeshift wrapping paper from a brown paper bag tied with a silky pink bow.

“Come here.” You beckon him over.

He’s in dress pants so he can’t get down to the floor unless he wants to further embarrass himself and split his pants. He sits on the chair beside your basket. “I know I’m early but happy birthday.”

“Wait, you remember my birthday?”

“Of course, it’s like a city wide holiday.” You laugh. “Plus you never shut up about it when we were kids. I know it’s not much really, but it’s from my heart.”

He unties the bow and pulls the wrapping off. Inside is The Finest Flour’s signature baby blue box, a clear window showing the little cake you made for him. It’s a small two tiered heart shaped cake, sage green frosting with white swirly accents. On top is a sparkly “25” in fondant.

“You made this for me?” He exhales, his eyes glossy.

“Yeah, I figured I’d make you a good cake with flavor since your wedding cake is bland as fuck.” You laugh. You only know because your bakery has been requested to make the wedding cake with specific instructions to “make sure it’s moist.”

Buck sets the box down and looks down at you. “Y/n, I-“

“You don’t have to say anything, Buck.”

“I do. I’m so fucking sorry. When I said you meant nothing to me, I didn’t mean it. You have to believe me.”

“How do you know that is why I was mad?”

“I figured it out surprisingly. I know I have a reputation for being a himbo but I’m not that dumb. Also, Hen helped me realize.” He chuckles.

“You’re not dumb at all.” You shake your head, “just not the smartest.” He snorts at that and doesn’t argue. “You know Chim and Eddie must really love you. They came to the bakery saying they wanted to visit Albert but the entire time the kept vouching for you like they were you’re lawyer or representative or something.” You shake your head with light laughter.

“I know you keep getting hurt by me and I don’t want you to. I would never want to hurt you y/n.” Buck reaches for your hand. You let him hold it.

“I know, Buck. You’re not like your parents or all the rich douchebags around here. You’re sweet and soft.”

“You think so?” He blushes.

“I know so.” You smile up at him. “How’s the wedding coming along? Sometime next week you’ll be married.”

“Let’s talk about anything else please.” He rubs his thumb over your knuckles. His eyes follow his movements before he slowly pulls away. “So, how are things with you and Albert?”

“It’s going really well.” You smile, hands falling to your lap. “I love having him around.”

“I’m really happy for you y/n, he’s a great guy and I know he’ll treat you right.”

“Wait.. what? We’re not together!” You laugh, “no, I mean he’s been really great help for the bakery.”

“Oh… tha-that’s good. I’m sorry I assumed.” He breathes a sigh of relief. You both smile softly at each other. Buck bites his lip while you shake your head, laughing to yourself.

“Well I should probably head out. Don’t want to get us both in trouble.” You reach your hands out to him, he stands and helps pull you up. “It was good seeing you.”

“Yeah.” He nods quickly. He uses your locked hands to pull you into him for a hug. His arms wrap around your upper back. You don’t hesitate to wrap yours around his waist. “I miss you.”

“I miss you too.” You pull back slightly. You decide you can only hold back slightly, your feelings for him are clearly still here and urging you to make a move. You know he’s an engaged man, soon to be married but you can’t seem to care.

You bring your lips to the apple of his cheek. Your lips are smooth and slightly sticky and scented with your favorite chapstick. You keep your lips there long enough to hopefully leave the ghost of the kiss there when you leave.

Just as you’re pulling away, youre stumbling backwards at the desperate force of Buck’s lips on yours. Before you can trip on the rug below you, his hands hold you in place. His hands are splayed over the sides of your neck as he pulls your face into his. The kiss is hot and cradles every part of your body, spreading over your skin. It feels like you’re in a sauna despite the cold air filtering in from the balcony.

Buck’s hands travel down to your hips as your steps mock his own, long and slow like a waddle, until you’re backed up against his bed.

“Jump.” He commands, voice low and light. When you do, his hands on your hips guide you up onto his bed. His bed is high up on its platform, definitely accommodating his tall height.

His bed is squishy and soft, like a cloud of cotton candy. He wastes no time in unbuttoning his dress shirt, a thin white tshirt under it.

He stands between your legs, holding into your thighs as you take over. You’re pulling the fabric from his shoulders and letting the shirt drop to the floor.

Buck undresses you slowly, savoring your scent and leaving kisses on your shoulders.

He lays you back onto the bed, pushing you up to fully enjoy the expanse of his mattress. His lips plant a kiss to your forehead, down the bridge of your nose, then your lips and chin.

He’s been respectful up until now, eyes glued to your face. Not until you say “keep going” does he give your collarbone a kiss and let his eyes roam your chest.

His body is planted on top of yours, with enough room between you both to move, he trails down your shoulders and chest, not missing any inch of skin.

Buck is licking and kissing down the slopes of your breasts, over your stomach and down your left hip. You’re squirming and giggling at his lips and growing stubble. He sucks marks down your inner thigh to the inside of your knee before he leaves a kiss.

“God, you smell amazing.” It’s a mix of sugar and cocoa powder on you. “I could just eat all of you.”

“Eat me or eat me out?” You look down at him as he runs a hand down your calf, kissing your ankle.

“Why not both?” He smirks.

“Maybe another time, I need you.” You pant. His kissing has worked you up, never having experienced a partner shower your entire body with love.

Buck stands at the edge of the bed, slipping his pants and socks off. His tshirt is next to go, thrown on the wooden footboard of the bed.

“Are you sure about this?” He asks, just in his boxers.

You sit up on your elbows to look at him. “I am. Are you?”

“So sure.” He smiles before shimmying his boxers down. He disappears for a moment as he bends down to take the boxers off his feet.

When he comes back up, the next thing you know is that his full weight is on you as he’s resting on his elbows. One of your arms is wrapped under one of his arms, your fingers running through the hair at the nape of his neck. Your fingers get caught in his curls but he doesn’t mind the little tug that happens every so often.

You’re getting restless under him as all he’s done is kiss you. His kisses are intoxicating but you need more.

“Buck,” You mumble against his lips.

“You need more, baby?” He whispers into your ear.

“Yes, please.” You shudder.

“Tell me exactly what you want.” He teases. You can’t think straight, you thought his kisses left you dizzy but then he called you baby.

“I want you inside of me.” You whisper, afraid someone other than you two will hear how bad you want him.

Now that Buck is sure you really want this, that you’re consenting to this, he nudges your thighs open. His hips slightly fall closer to the mattress as you make space for him.

“I need you to tell me when things don’t feel good or you want me to stop.” He holds his cock in his right hand, stroking gently while his left is holding him above you.

“Okay, okay.” You rush, feeling impatient. “Please Evan.”

Buck uses the tip of his cock to find your entrance. It’s not a perfect hole in one as he runs his tip along your folds. He can feel your body tense and he knows he’s at the right spot.

“Don’t tease me.” You warn.

He laughs, dropping his head to your shoulder. He pushes himself into you. It’s a slow stretch due to his size.

Your hands hold onto his shoulders, nails digging into the skin. You’re holding back, not wanting to hurt him. He has a different idea as his teeth sinks into your shoulder. It’s not too hard but there will definitely be indents of his teeth.

It feels like forever when he finally gets to the base of his member.

“How are you feeling?” He kisses the teeth marks.

“Full.” You laugh. “But good, really good.”

“Can I move?” He kisses the skin right in front of your earlobe just above your jaw.

“Yes, please. Been waiting for so long already.” You whine.

“Needy.” He jokes before pulling his hips away from yours and thrusting back into you slowly.

He starts slow and picks up the pace at your begging. Your hand goes back to pulling at his curls, the other is wedged between your bodies, fingers applying pressure to your clit. With every thrust, he feels your knuckles brush against his happy trail. His left leg shakes uncontrollably each time it does.

Your hand cramps from the position but you don’t stop, moving slowly in circles to keep building on your high.

He’s kissing your neck and shoulder, changing from simple pecks to sloppy kisses to sucking. His lips graze your jaw every so often sending a moan from your lips. He’s smiling against your skin, teasing you with his stubble. He loves the reactions he’s getting from you.

You’d never expected Buck to be a guy who enjoys and is good at slow sensual passionate sex. You’d always picture him as a guy who fucks like a jackrabbit, rough, fast and sloppy.

“I love feeling you on me.” You confess. “Every part of you feels so good.”

“Can’t believe I’m with you right now. Could spend hours exploring every inch and crevice of you.” He whimpers. “I love you, y/n.”

“Buck-“ You gasp, his hips pounding into you. You feel the tip of his cock hitting the same spot over and over.

“I do, I’m so in love with you.” His eyes are screwed shut.

“Evan, look at me.” You say between moans. Your bodies rock up and down and you’re clinging with sweat. He lifts his head to meet your eyes.

“I love you, too. So much.” You don’t even have the chance to smile because his lips are on yours again. You wrap your legs around his waist and pull him in closer, which you didn’t think could be possible.

“Holy shit, don’t stop.” You moan, your fingers are about to give out, clit practically burnt off by how fast you’re brushing your fingers over it.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck…” Buck mumbles into your neck. You don’t say anything out loud but you can feel his tears, dripping down his cheeks and pooling on your neck.

“Come on, handsome. We’re almost there.” You encourage. That’s all it takes for him to release. His hips stutter and he lets out a noise that’s similar to a groan, mouth open in an “ah.”

He clings to your shoulders, arms between your back and the mattress as he holds you tight. He has no control over his hips as he brings you to your high.

“Ohmygod, ohmygod.” You screech, thighs squeezing his hips as if you’re cracking a walnut. Your toes squeeze and flex, tickling his skin. His nose runs along your cheek as you whine out a long moan. “I-“

You can’t even get a word out as you shiver the tenseness out of your body. Your body goes slack, releasing his body. You laugh, completely overwhelmed by what just happened, not sure how to communicate your thoughts.

Buck just watches you with fond eyes, savoring this feeling. You shake your head, blinking. When you’ve come out of your haze, you meet his eyes.

Your thumbs brush his cheeks, damp with tears. “You okay?” He sniffles, giving you a nod. “Good tears?” He nods again. “Come lay beside me, wanna cuddle you.” You kiss his birthmark. Buck slowly pulls out, blowing out a breath of air and hissing when he is fully out of you.

He scoots himself into your side, head resting on your bicep, thick thigh thrown over to cover your lower half. One arm is squished beneath him and his other massages your hand. He feels the tension in your hand, milking out the forming cramp.

“You’re making me feel all tingly, Buckley.”

“You make me feel loved, y/n.” He bypasses your compliment. You don’t think you’ve ever heard him so serious.

“You deserve all the love in the world. Not because of your good looks or because you come from a well off family but because of your heart. You care so much about others.” You drop his hand to your chest, brushing aside his curls from his face. “I can’t wait for you to be King. You’re going to use your big heart to better not just yourself but those around you.”

“What if I don’t become King?” He whispers, his hand traveling up to your neck, running his thumb over your throat.

“Then what would you do?”

“I’ve always wanted to be a teacher.” He reveals. “I love kids. I would love to be able to help shape them into good people you know? Provide a safe space for them to grow and express themselves.”

“You’d be good at it. You’re patient and you make people feel welcome. When we first met, we’d never even spoken but you started speaking to me like we knew each other all our lives. You make people feel comfortable.”

“You think I could do it?”

“I know you could.” You smile. “Stay here.”

You pull your arm from under his head and grab the closest clothing item you can find. You press it to your chest to cover yourself. You tip toe over to the balcony to grab his cake.

“Should we try some?” You struggle to keep yourself covered as you hold the box on one hand.

“Ooh yes.” He claps before pulling part of the comforter he’s on, over his lap. He pulls a pillow under his head and upper back. You hand him the box and get a running start to jump onto his bed.

He’s laughing as he opens the box. You’d hoped he would want to eat with you so you’d provided two forks.

You cheekily pull the blanket off his lap and sit on his thighs. You pull the cake out of the box and rest it on his stomach like a table.

It’s almost his birthday and you want to spoil him while you have him. You give him the first bite of the cake. The moan he makes around the fork has you squirming on him.

“You know what? Forget the cake.” You rush to get it off of him and onto his nightstand.

Buck tucks his arms behind his head. He’s sprawled comfortably on his comforter. He watches as you lean over, pushing the cake to a comfortable spot where it won’t fall off.

You lean down to kiss him, cleaning the frosting off his lips. You suck his bottom lip into your mouth, biting it and dragging it open.

Buck sucks in a breath. “Let me take care of you.” You whisper against his mouth. He nods slowly, lips chasing yours as you lean back.

He’s just about to whine when you begin to suck on his neck. You creep down to his chest, not wanting to leave any noticeable marks. You decide to run your tongue over his pecs and close to his nipple. He curls in on himself, giggling.

“Don’t tickle me!”

“I wasn’t trying to!” You pinch his nipple.

“Okay, that was just mean. It’s my birthday, you have to be nice to me.”

“Oh? I have to?” You pinch his other one and he squeals. “I’ll be nice from now on.”

“You better.” His arms are crossed and his hands are covering his nipples from any further torment.

You start up again, kiss down his tummy, sucking the skin as you get lower. Buck is trying to stop the little spasms his body does every time you kiss him. He’s rock hard again in no time, hand lazily coming to stroke himself as he watches you shower his thighs in hickies.

“What do you want to do birthday boy?” You look up at him, though it’s hard with the stroking that’s happening in your line of vision as you try to look at his face.

“I wanna kiss you a little more.” He beckons you to come back up. His right hand strokes as his left hand comes to rest on your hip. His moving hand is tucked under you, continuing his movements as you lean down over him to kiss him.

Buck whimpers into the kiss and has to bite his lip to stop himself from making pathetic noises. He loses the battle when you ask if you can ride him.

In seconds, he’s lining himself up for you to sink down. His grip on your thighs helping guide you down onto him before going back behind his head. You both moan in unison at the feeling. Your pussy easily sucks him in this time.

His comforter pools around your thighs and calves as you slowly start to grind on him. The material caressing your legs with every move.

Your hands stretch across his abdomen, grounding your every movement. Your hips roll and roll as you fuck him. Buck relaxes into the bed, hands behind his head, simply watching the way your eyes scrunch with each forward thrust you make. Your head is dropped forward, your chin tucked almost to your chest.

Your movements are slow and rhythmic, calculated.

“You look so fucking hot.” He moans.

“You feel so good.” You cry out. “Love how you stretch me open.”

“Keep going baby, you’re taking me so well.” His voice is husky and breathless. “Don’t stop, please.”

Your hips speed up, causing Buck to flinch and buck his hips. His hands shoot out from behind his head to grip your hips as you begin to topple forward. His hands clutch to the fatty skin between your thighs and hips as he pulls you forward and back on his cock.

Your hands hold onto his outstretched biceps for stability when you begin to change from grinds to bounces.

“Oh shit.” Buck whispers through a soft gasp. “Right there.”

“Yeah?” You puff, exhaling deeply. “You want me to keep going?”

“Yes, yes please don’t stop.” He pleads, eyes droopy. His mouth opens but nothing comes out as his neck strains. You can see a vein on the side as he throws his head back. “You’re perfect.”

You put pressure onto Buck’s chest with your hands as you slam down into him. He’s close, that much you can tell by the way he whimpers and tenses.

“You look so fucking pretty like this, Evan.”

His entire chest is flushed red and he has a light sheen of sweat on his forehead. He’s glistening under you. Your orgasm is near as well, his trimmed hair tickling your clit with every move.

“Shit shit, I’m gonna cum again.” He thrusts up.

“Me too, handsome.” You moan, bringing your hand to his throat. You give it a gentle squeeze as you both ride out your highs. Buck’s given up any control as you watch him release.

Your orgasm comes quick and you clench around him, slowing your hips. Before you can come to a full stop, he’s wrapping his arms around your back and pulling you down to him.

You squeak and fall onto his chest. “Babe, hold on. We’re all sweaty.”

“Don’t care, just want to hold you.” He mumbles. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too. Happy birthday, pretty.” You kiss his temple and slowly pull from him. You feel like a piece of tape, struggling to get out of his arms and skin sticking to his own.

The breeze from the open doors soothed the hotness in your body. You’re still trying to catch your breath as you begin to collect your clothes.

“Stay the night?” He sits up, resting on his elbow and reaching for your hands.

“Buck, we both know that’s not a good idea. As much as I would love to stay, we don’t want to get caught.” You grab his hands and kiss his knuckles. You let his hands go to get dressed.

“When will I see you again?” He gets up from the bed and slips on a clean pair of boxers and his pajamas pants.

“Soon, I promise.” You pull him into a kiss by the waistband of his pants. “Have a great birthday.”

He nods and holds a hand onto the back of your head, bringing his lips to your forehead. You’re both smiling like idiots as he opens his door.

“I’ll walk you to the kitchen.”

“I’ll walk her to the kitchen, goodnight Evan.” You both jump at the sound of Athena’s voice.

“I-“

“Goodnight.” Athena emphasizes and looks between the two of you.

Buck nods and gives a small wave. His hand squeezes your shoulder and moves up to cup your neck before he’s closing the door.

“You best get back home y/n, before someone else catches you.” She kindly scolds. You can see a faint smile on her lips as she escorts you through the palace and to the kitchen. “Don’t make this a habit y/n. I won’t always be around to save you and Buck.”

“Yes ma’am.” You bite your lip and get your bike started. She watches you drive off and shakes her head with a laugh.

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next part

[alchemistc]

Just thinking about Buck internalizing 'i don't think you're ready'. Thinking about him running back over his 'I'm an ally' speech and cringing because God, WHY did he say that, why couldn't he have just been cool.

Thinking about him actually sitting in it, and thinking about why the interruption from Eddie made him Act Like That. There's obviously the newness, the discomfort, the fact that Buck hasn't really had a chance to explore much of "Oh, I am attracted to men." yet. He was so busy with nerves and he wanted more time and then there was Eddie, who knows (probably too much) about Buck's dating history and he Hasn't Told Eddie about this. He hasn't had a chance to wrap his own mind around it yet.

Buck usually goes to three people: Maddie, Eddie, Bobby.

And he hasn't talked to any of them. And he's stewing, trying to figure out WHY, because he's always been supportive, so why should he feel any different when he's on the other side of it.

He goes to Maddie and pushes his "I've always supported the gays" agenda AGAIN and Maddie has to parse the details, gently shove Buck in the right direction - well, if you're MORE than an ally now, that could be something that is preventing you from telling your best friend the truth, let's explore that some more.

It takes him two tries with Eddie, and maybe it's the setting (why would you think it was a good idea to come out in the middle of the station, Evan Buckley, supportive ally or no that's not exactly gonna put you in your comfort zone, c'mon) or maybe he just needs to work his way up to it because Eddie is obviously Preoccupied. But he almost lets the moment pass, again, at home, in his own space, bc Eddie is still Preoccupied. But -- but he doesn't WANT to, because they are talking about their love lives and Buck wants Eddie to be an active participant in his thought process just like he always is.

We were on a date, he says, and Eddie takes a second to process. Which. Fair. Buck had leaned against his kitchen island for like ten minutes after Tommy left, that night after he kissed him. Eddie prompts him to repeat it, and it doesn't suck, actually, it feels like a weight lifting off his chest -- "Is that weird?" -- but of course Eddie doesn't find it weird, he just didn't KNOW (so many pieces of the puzzle fall into place for Eddie, holy shit his best friend maimed him because he had a crush on their new friend, holy shit had Tommy been slyly pumping his son for information because HE had a crush too???).

And suddenly Buck is absolutely free to bitch about his love life again, and Eddie is there to give him advice and be fully in his corner and Buck has exactly what he needs to go Full Buck. He's got his sister, and his best friend, and maybe he actually doesn't need Bobby this time because it feels right to call Tommy up and set up a meeting for coffee.

No longer bogged down by "well I'm an ally why couldn't I have been chill about being on a date with a dude" - he can text Maddie that night and be like "Hey is Tommy already invited to the wedding?" and grin when she texts back "Buck what does this mean" and send back "You said you wanted to meet him".

With Eddie's support and his "well then he's an idiot", Buck has the time to mull over what he wants to say, what Tommy makes him feel, what he would want if Tommy was willing to give him another chance. He doesn't want it to be one failed date, he doesn't want to hide Tommy away, he wants something real and something true and something he can share with his family and friends and he thinks maybe Tommy could want that, too.

[starstruckbyacomet]

Why Are We Losing Buck's Loft NOW?

There's a speculation that Ryan Guzman's contract is under re-negotiation. Thus, his future in 9-1-1 OG is uncertain.

If that's so, why didn't they lease Eddie's house to a stranger? Thus, if Ryan stayed, Eddie could be back to his own house.

Letting Buck's loft go seems permanent, like burning Bathena's house down.

There are several possibilities floating around:

1)) It has been decided that Ryan is leaving the OG show.

Either he will join the Nashville spin-off or will cut ties off with 9-1-1 entirely.

If that's so, why didn't they wait until the end of the season to let Buck's loft go? They could sublet Eddie's house to a stranger until the end of the season before making Buck move into it. Why NOW? Letting the loft go NOW only fuels speculations about Eddie leaving permanently. This could upset Eddie's fans. Logically, the show wants to avoid that.

2)) As a leverage against Ryan in the contract re-negotiation.

Some people think it's a bluff from ABC in the contract negotiation. People in ABC are giving Ryan a signal that he would be let go if he didn't agree with their term.

I doubt it. That move is more likely to have the opposite effect. Since they HAVE let Buck's loft go, Eddie would be Buck's roommate if he returned to LA. It will perpetuate the Buddie stans' delusion that Eddie is gay. Ryan's work to portray a heterosexual man with a bisexual best friend would be undermined. Ryan's insistence that Eddie and himself are both straight (which he has said again and again in multiple interviews, lol) would be futile. If anything, the prospect of Eddie as Buck's roommate would push Ryan further from renewing his contract.

There's another thing that might dampen Ryan's willingness to stay: Tim Minear's apparent insistence to bait the Buddie fans. In ep. 8x05, Eddie's "I am stright" statement is countered with a talk about beard within the same conversation. In ep. 8x09, Buck said, "I didn’t mean to OUT YOU in front of Cap and everyone else." That sentence could be easily replaced with "I didn’t mean to tell everyone that you're leaving," which feels more natural to be said. Regardless what Tim has said in interviews, the baiting game is on, lmfao.

3)) To make Buddie canon.

If you put a pair of Buddie goggles on, you can see how it works: Eddie returns to LA with Christopher -> become Buck's roommate -> feelings realization -> Buddie canon.

Now, put the goggles off and consider these:

Buck's only male partner who has been proven to be liked by A BIG PART of the General Audience is Tommy. If they didn't reunite Bucktommy, it's most probably because they assume that the MAJORITY of GA doesn't like to see Buck with a man. If they chickened out from reuniting Bucktommy, despite the support from a part of the GA, how on earth they would have the gut to make Buddie, whom GA knows nothing about, canon?

There is almost no benefit for ABC to make Buddie canon. GA doesn't know about Buddie. Even if Buddie never canon, Buddie fans keep watching the show and Buddie writers keep bringing Buddie up in every article for clicks and engagements. Making Buddie canon might increase the exposure to the show for a while. However, if ABC and Tim Minear assumed that most of the GA didn't like to see Buck with a boyfriend (and they had broken Bucktommy up because of it), I don't think they would take the risk of losing their existing audience for online engagements.

Here's another prove that the GA doesn't care about Buddie. Ep. 8x09 "Sob Stories" is about Eddie leaving, possibly permanently (he put a down payment on a house in Texas!). Have you seen GA complained about Eddie's leaving the way they did when Tommy's leaving? No? That's how you know that Eddie is NOT a big draw for GA (no offense to Ryan Guzman). I'm sure people in ABC also notice that.

EDIT: Someone mentioned that GA might complain if Ryan did 'exit' interviews, like Lou did before. I don't think so. GA didn't read Lou's exit interview. While writing this edit, the Fangirlish interview only has 7 comments, while the Decider interview has an invitation to "Be the first to comment", lol. If GA read those exit interviews, there would be a lot of complaints on the articles, similar like the ones on the ABC's IG and FB accounts. ABC has known those interviewers are biased towards Buddie. Those interviews are directed to fans, not to GA.

4)) Budget constraint.

ABC knows that there will be a significant cost increase in the near future:

Season 8 is the time for Jennifer Love-Hewitt and Ryan Guzman's contracts renewal.

JLH's involvement in the second sequeal of I Know What You Did Last Summer proves that people in the industry still consider her as a big draw for audience worldwide. She could demand a significant raise based on it.

Ep. 8x09 has the highest rating of the season so far (5.3). It's even higher than the airplane disaster (5.1). Why? Because the Scream Queen was screaming, and the GA wanted to see that. JLH might add this fact to her ammo in her contract negotiation.

A significant raise for JLH could mean budget cut in other areas:

a) Ryan might not get a raise with the amount he expected.

This has happened in Grey's Anatomy. Renewing Ellen Pompeo's contract for $20 million a year allegedly has prompted Jessica Chapshaw and Sarah Drew to leave the show, because they didn't get their expected raise. It also happened in Inside Out 2. Amy Pohler's $5 million pay took a big portion of the budget. Thus, Pixar decided to cheap out the other cast members, prompting Bill Hader and Mindy Kalling's refusal to return.

b) They have to scale down the production.

There have been rumors that budget cut is the reason behind the reduced appearance of recurring characters in this season. There's also the fact that Bathena's house has been burnt down. So far, there is no sign of their new house, but I guess it would be a scale down. It's also probably why they decided to let Buck's loft go.

5)) To push Buck to live with Tommy if Eddie returns.

This is mostly a joke among Bucktommy nations. However, let's think about it seriously to cover all the bases. Is it possible? Very unlikely. Tommy has a car lift and a Muay Thai ring. That kind of place is not cheap. There's a reason why we never saw Tommy's house during Season 7. Assuming Buck and Tommy get back together, if the show had to let Bathena's house go for budget reason, I doubt Buck would move to Tommy's house anytime soon.

6)) To bait the Buddie fans

Although they don't have the gut to give Buck a permanent boyfriend, they could still drive online engagements by making Buck and Eddie roommates. Will they do that? We'll know when we see Bathena's new house. If it is an expensive house, then we know that budget is not an issue. Thus, there's no reason for the roommate situation other than Buddiebaiting. For the sake of non-toxic Buddie fans who still believe Buddie will be canon, I sincerely hope they won't go there. It'll be too cruel.

EDIT: Someone pointed out to me that Tim might have planned to bait Buddie fans with Buck's moving into Eddie's house, based on his interview with Decider:

DECIDER: Did it cross your mind when you were writing that twist that Buck also lived in Abby’s (Connie Britton) apartment when she left in Season 1?  TM: Yes! It did, and I had even made reference to it later, but that ended up falling out. I think it just got a little confusing for the network. But there was a reference to that fact. For Buck, it’s different, because he’s not Eddie’s lover, for one thing. He was pining for Abby when she left. But he didn’t think he was living in her place. He thought he was waiting for her to come back.

Apparently, Tim wanted to put a Buddie bait with Buck's moving, but ABC stopped him, lol. That's interesting. I thought ABC didn't mind with baiting because they allowed Tim did it with Bucktommy: hyping Bucktommy up then breaking them apart 🤔.

From all the above, I think Buddiebaiting budget constraint is the most possible reason why we are losing Buck's loft NOW, instead of at the end of this season. If the decision is permanent, regardless Eddie would return or not, having Buck move to Eddie's house NOW while Eddie is still in LA is more practical than having Buck fly to Texas to sign a sublease contract. If Eddie returns, he has to share his house with Buck. It might be good to drive online engagements anyway, regardless what Ryan feels about it.

[tgd-sideblog]

this started as a reblog but actually i'm not gonna put this is on someone else's post bc i don't say this to pick an argument with any specific poster. But I'm seeing people tossing around slightly condescending posts about how people who were unsatisfied with the depiction of the team's grief in the latest ep just don't understand that grief is more complex than the world stopping so people can endlessly sob etc so I wanted to elaborate why imo the show didn't adequately deliver on the grief front.

The issue I have with the depiction of grief isn't that I don't know grief can be hard to talk about or that Eddie couldn't realistically leave Chris for an indefinite period of time until a date was set for the funeral or I'm too stupid to get the subtext of Buck isn't outwardly breaking down because he's trying to keep it together to support the team.

The issue is there's only two more episodes left in the season and instead of the impact on the 118 they spent half of the episode immediately after Bobby's death on a seeming irrelevant dead baby plotline (which was either a hint at Bobby still to be revealed as not in that coffin [in which case I think they've messed up the pacing of that storyline and if they do pull a resurrection twist they'll still have wasted the oppotunity of exploring reactions to Bobby's apparent death], a dig at the audience, or to show Athena that denial isn't a healthy way of coping with grief which doesn't make sense as a narrative choice because there was no indication she was in denial for there to be value added by a subplot about confronting that), so, having made that questionable choice, they've now only got two episodes left to cram in:

Chimney's survivors guilt

Presumably more Athena stuff (like deciding if she wants to continue with the house)

The new captain of the 118 (needs at least some groundwork even though they could easily hold off in confirming a permanent captain until next season)

Eddie chosing to return to LA and somehow getting his job back even though there's now no Bobby to help (or sending him back to Texas indefinitely to resolve in S9 which opens up a whole other can of worms)

the TWO different emergency plotlines which have been teased at least one which will likely be a big finale emergency

And somehow fit in grief narratives for Hen and Eddie and Buck and Chim who has grieving to do for Bobby seperate from his survivors guilt. they are all main characters who had close relationships with Bobby, they should each be getting personal storylines out of this.

And I just don't see how they can develop all of that with depth in the ~85 minutes remaining to this season*, so things are gonna get dropped and with the prevalance that has been put on big emergencies in recent episodes and the plot related stuff that needs to be wrapped up, it seems like it's going to be the emotional stuff that won't make the cut. People can give a hundred Watsonian justifications for why characters might react in certain ways, but none of that changes that personal grief reactions from Bobby's team have so far had less individual narrative focus than fucking Gerrard and the show has left themselves little room to rectify that.

*Obviously they could pick some of those plot points up in S9 and I would expect the grief to carry over between seasons, but I think killing Bobby off in April and then pausing most of the impact of that until probably well into October (given the limits they'll have on doing character stuff in what will presumably be another big disaster multi-part season opener) would be sloppy pacing that diminishes the emotional impact of Bobby's death. There's a reason when they carried Buck's injury plotline over from S2 to S3 they gave him an embolism so that there would be a recent event to bring the impact and required emotional beats back to relevance rather than expecting people to still be fully engaged with the bombing plotline from months previously.

[zany-lil-detective]

Okay, now there's been some separation and I can collect my thoughts; Bobby's death fucking sucks. I am going to miss that man so much, this was stupid. However, for the sake of argument and getting this thought out, they also killed him in a really dumb way. And even outside of Tim claiming Bobby's death is part of some search for 'realism' (though that's still very relevant), it also sucks because Bobby's a firefighter and this is way outside their normal stuff. If he'd died in a big natural disaster or in a fire, that would have made so much more sense and potentially, while still really fucking sad, would maybe be more satisfying for his character.

To me though, I really think if he had to die, it should have been cancer. Which, I am fully aware of how that sounds, but stick with me here for a sec. I understand 'oh, surprise cancer diagnosis' happens a lot in TV, and 911 has used it a good handful. However, I just feel like it would be good narratively, even in spite of the fact I actually hurt my own feelings with this one.

For one thing, it would circle back to the thing in season one where Bobby thought he had cancer and it turned out he had special donation blood. (Heck, or even the time where he was in that tunnel with the radiation and Buck got worried!) At the time he didn't care about living and even with his list of names not being completed, would have welcomed death.

Suddenly getting cancer when he has so many people to live for would be a gut punch. And, as a firefighter, lung cancer would make sense. It also means we get to see Bobby fighting for his life for the sake of his life; for wanting to live, for wanting to stick around for the people in his life, not sacrificing himself in a 'it's you or me' situation. He only has his own life to consider and he wants to live. It would also be something that could be drawn out, giving both the characters and the audience time to really sit in and process the idea of Bobby potentially being gone.

We'd get everyone being sad, and emotional, and trying to be supportive. (I feel like Ravi and Bobby would have some serious discussions and heart to hearts that would also let Ravi's character be explored.)

And then, things just don't work. Maybe the chemo takes initially but stops working, and they all have to live in the reality that Bobby probably only has so much longer to live. It would still bring Eddie and Chris back, because you bet your ass they're coming back to LA to spend Bobby's final months with him.

Heck, I'm not super focused on Buddie in this, but it could even bring Buddie together; they get their heads out of their asses, being reminded of life being fleeting but also wanting Bobby to know everything he's done for them, including bringing them together in every way that matters.

It also gives time for whoever's new captain (not Gerrard, never Gerrard) to learn to be captain with Bobby still being there to support them and help them through it and give advice.

And, it would give everyone time to prepare, but especially Athena. She's had so many things and people just suddenly ripped from her with no warning. It would still be sad and painful, but at least Athena would have some warning, would be able to say a proper goodbye to Bobby and their life together, knowing for sure he wouldn't choose to leave instead of what they did in the lab.

Again, no death would be good by any means, but if Bobby had to die, I feel like something slow like a terminal illness would give time to process, grieve, and prepare for the final blow.