#and maddy hasn’t needed his protection for a while

[shellyseashell]

going insane about magnus hours

[evita-shelby]

could i request some drabbles:

Eva wanting to adopt a dog but it’s horrifically ugly (chewed up looking Chihuahua) and Tommy is like “hell no.” but Eva uses her daughters to wreck havoc on Tommy’s life and emotions until he inevitably caves. and despite his obvious disdain the dog ends up liking him best and tries to follow him everywhere much to his embarrassment when he tries to conduct Peaky business.

Thanks anon, gonna call you anon🐾 now

Xoco

Gif by @peakykoko

(No more taglists for these, we die like Grace)

“It looks like the one you had when you were little, mama!”

Those damn words started it all.

The salt and pepper chihuahua Eva arrived in Small Heath with had been old and sickly, but well cared for but the witch who had had Xoco since she was eleven years old.

It had a diamond necklace, for fuck’s sake.

Now this dog, also named Xoco, had been foisted upon him when the girls and their mother went shopping while he was meeting with the ministry of trade during their holiday in Mexico.

He had said no, Eva’s younger cousin Maddy, had given her two xolo dogs named Aristotle and Pesechat thus bringing them to four fucking dogs.

This did not include Charlie’s cats, their horses and the other animals that they had taken in at Arrow House.

“No, means no, sweetheart.” Tommy had been adamant, stood his ground and soon the matter was forgotten.

Except it wasn’t.

Flora cried the entire drive back to Chapultepec Castle, Diane glared at him until he sent them to their room, and even worse, Eva claimed to have a headache that night.

The first two he could weather; Charlie had gone through a phase where his tantrums had him questioning whether he could break his rule about no corporal punishment.

Thomas Michael Shelby enjoyed sex far too much to have his wife deny him.

Those months they were separated had been torture, but not enough to consider cheating on her because then she would kill him --- and he would have let her. And now having her deliberately do this while he is having to actually work this entire week is just cruel.

“Fine, the girls can have the rat they found on the street.” He said the next evening after Eva upped the ante by not wearing a damn thing to bed.

This had been preceded by Florence stealing all his glasses and Diane cutting holes in his pockets and both girls joining together to ruin the meeting he had before noon.

They returned home with the ugliest and most annoying dog he has ever had.

And yet, unlike the rest of the dogs –especially Cyril, that fucking traitor--- Xoco ,with it half-bitten little ears, incessant barking and need to leave to do her business outdoors through only the front door, had stuck to him like glue.

“That is the ugliest thing I have seen. Is that a diamond collar?” Ada said when she sees the little dog following him into the office and laying down protectively in front of his desk.

As if little Xoco could be of any protection.

“Yes, the girls picked her up in Mexico. She likes me for some fucking reason.” He said knowing his sister is trying not to tease him about it as he rubs his eyes.

This is made much worse when Xoco barks and snarls at his sister as if she were to attack him.

And when Ada doesn’t back off, the lapdog proceeds to attack.

It is a funny sight, seeing his sister shriek and retreat because a dog the size of rat is threatening to bite her, going as far as jumping at her hoping to get more than just her ankles.

“Call her off, Tom. This isn’t funny.” His sister said going as far as jumping into the chair to avoid being bitten by the little beast.

And he does, only after having a good laugh he hasn’t had since before France.

[tenebrous-academic]

About the previous anon. I agree that we did get something but felt like we didn't get anything (?) to indicate their relationship status. I'm not wording this correctly. I mean we know they've been together for a while, *possibly* spending the night at eo's, but at the same time buck haven't talked about tommy apparently? (Idk if it's just bobby or the 118).

It feels like they're still in the testing things out/dating area and not boyfriends just yet, which is fine really.

But I'm hoping the hospital scene is gonna be a step for them getting closer, tommy being there for buck to relay on and get the support and comfort from him. It's gonna be a waste not to use this scene to advance their relationship.

I really hope next episode provides some solid information as to their canon status too! But buckle up because I’m about to overanalyze the fuck out of the scenes we did get:

Based off of this episode, I think it’s safe to say they’ve been seeing each other for at least a few months. During the award ceremony it was mentioned the cruise ship disaster happened “last March.” I didn’t see anything showing what month it current is, but based off the wording we can at least assume enough time has passed for it to be considered last year and not “this March.” That gives the relationship at least 3-5 months depending on how long it took Buck to work up to courage to call Tommy for the first tour of the harbour.

Buck and Tommy have also been together long enough for Tommy to feel comfortable enough to talk about how he was treated by Captain Gerrard and, likely, how he behaved around Chim and Hen back then. I wish we could have actually seen that, as well as the scenes between Tommy, Chim, and Hen hashing things out to make sure there’s no bad blood, but all we have are these new interactions showing all of them as friends now and the past firmly behind them.

But!!! What we did get this episode!

Buck softly signing when he sees Tommy getting his award and beaming like a proud partner.

Buck and Tommy being in sync as they walk around the station together.

Buck giving his bitchiest glare to Gerrard and putting his body between his man and that piece of filth (Chim is iconic for that new nickname).

We also get Buck shown as Tommy’s family/loved one during the ceremony. A clear pattern is established with Hen getting her medal and Karen and the kids clapping, Chimney getting his medal and Maddie clapping, and then Tommy getting his medal and the camera panning over to Buck as he breathes deeply and glows in pride for Tommy. (I also acknowledge that Eddie is shown after Buck gets his medal, but the show has established that Eddie and Chris are family to Buck so I don’t think there’s anything to shippy about it).

He hasn’t talked to Bobby about it, and we don’t know if he’s been talking to anyone else, but we do know that it’s not a secret. That hospital kiss was his announcement and maybe he’s happy with that being the extent of it. I think Buck is the kind of person to keep his happiness to his chest a little bit longer to make sure that it’s his and not everyone else’s. Which I know goes against his past relationships and how he’s always talked about them - but Tommy feels different, so the way Buck would treat their relationship would be different too. It’s something he was to protect and nurture and he doesn’t feel the need to ask his family about it because he already knows the answers.

So, yeah, definitely not as much as I would have liked, but the pieces of their relationship ship we did get were pretty indicative of something solid and meaningful being built between them. I’m crossing every finger the finale gives us more though. We’re being given scraps and I think we’re all going a little feral over the lack of anything truly substantial.

[moldynapkin]

Danny Phantom Vivisection AU

The only thing Danny can smell is lemons. Maddie always hated the smell of disinfectant, and since it’s necessary to be as clean as possible when performing tests on “live” subjects, she started hanging lemon-scented air fresheners all around the lab. It made working in the lab for long periods of time just a little more bearable.

When they went to visit Jack’s family over the summer, a familiar flower caught her eye. Apparently, his family had been growing them for generations, as a crop. Nearly every recipe they have calls for the use of Blood Blossoms, and they gladly gave her a few cuttings to cultivate. Previously she had only read about them in books since they were thought to be extinct, so growing them was definitely a learning curve.

She planted some at Amity Park, (with permission from the mayor), on every floor of Fenton Works, and even donated some to the GIW. (She figures they could use some help.) At Amity Park they sprouted but withered away after only a week. The only place other than the lab where they successfully grew was the 3rd floor of Fenton Works.

She had put a tray of the seed starters in the hallway window sill, right between Jazz and Danny’s room. It was quite strange because when she moved them away from that wall they would instantly start wilting. She needs to study it more with help from Jack, once he gets back from his “fishing trip”. Half of the time he forgets to even put bait on the end of the pole so she isn’t sure if it can even really be considered fishing.

Her working theory is that there are ectoplasm hotspots, or areas where the ectoplasm is above the background levels, maybe because of extra portal radiation or excessive ghost activity. She and Jack still haven’t quite figured out how exposure to the ghost zone will affect Fenton Works in comparison to the surrounding town. It might be like radiation exposure, but so far there hasn’t been any evidence to support that.

Danny’s room is the most ectoplasmic aside from the lab, and they aren’t sure why. It could be due to a lack of ventilation, or maybe just the devices malfunctioning due to long-term exposure to the lab. She has actually been waiting for the GIW to send her some of their specialty equipment, that way she can get to the bottom of this.

She reminds herself that she needs to focus while she is documenting her capture of Phantom. When she gives the journal to Lance Thunder and Harriet Chin she wants to make sure that it is thorough enough that they can’t mess up the broadcast. Disinformation will only further harm the already incredibly stigmatized job of being a ghost hunter. She does not want people to see her as a hoax.

Okay, back to writing. Jack was in the Specter Speeder, hot on the tail of the lunch lady, while Maddie followed on foot with the Fenton Bazooka. They were determined to catch a ghost and find something note-worthy enough to report to the news station. They needed the people to understand that all ghosts are monsters! Just because Phantom plays pretend as some sort of superhero, doesn’t mean that he is one. Where was he when she and Jack were building the portal and had to work daunting shifts every night to protect the town? It’s not like he is some kid who died recently, ghosts are bound in the town that they died in until they are old enough to have lost every shred of humanity they once had.

No one in town has a kid who died or went missing recently, so he must be around thousands of years old. If she's right about his age, then he doesn’t actually care about the town, he just got bored one day in the ghost realm and decided he wanted more attention, and he got it! Why can’t everyone else see him for who he really is? Alas, it is the life that she signed up for, after all.

As they were catching up to the Lunch Lady she spotted something down the alley, right beside the Nasty Burger. She motioned for Jack to keep pursuing the Lunch Lady while she went to check out what she saw. Even if it was just a blob ghost it might be helpful to their research. What she didn’t realize was that she had just struck gold!

As she approached the end of the alley, she saw Phantom. He seemed injured, more than usual at least. He always seemed to have scratches or open wounds, but not to this extent.

He had horrific gashes running all the way from his left shoulder to the bottom of his torso. He seemed very out of it like he didn’t even know there was someone standing in front of him. It was also strange because his gashes were leaking green and red, (very Christmassy for someone who ruined Christmas last year), she giggled to herself.

She shot him with the Fenton Bazooka for good measure, and he just collapsed. What a fantastic find! With him, she would be able to get so much more information about ghost anatomy than she normally could. She called Jack to the front of the Nasty Burger and chucked Phantom into the backseat. They strapped him in, just to be safe, and took him back to the lab.

A few days passed, and after immeasurable amounts of tests, they found that he had blood blossoms in his system. That must have weakened him. That's probably how he got the gashes, some other ghost took advantage of his state of health. She doesn’t know how he got a hold of blood blossoms and knows even less about why on earth he would ingest them, but either way, her research has its missing piece, a live subject!

She would squeal with delight if she weren't about to vivisect a ghost. Could it count as vivisection since they're already dead? She thinks it should since they’re semi-sentient, but will consider it more later.

Blood Blossoms also don’t grow naturally anywhere in town, so Phantom was either poisoned, or he intentionally stole them from Fenton Works, which is improbable. Could it have been on purpose? Maybe ghosts got depressed just like people, she writes herself a note to ask Phantom about it after the vivisection if he survives.

However, they weren’t missing any of the Blood Blossoms they had in the lab, so that theory probably won’t lead to anything.

All she and Jack use them for right now is cooking. They snuck them into the kids ’ breakfasts and lunches because, alongside their ability to ward off ghosts, they’re also surprisingly healthy. The only reason they didn’t tell the kids is because they can be so picky sometimes!

When she proposed the idea of using them as seasoning, because she just wants them to be safe from ghosts, they both looked disgusted and their only justification was that “they stink and look really unappetizing.”

Jazz is at her counseling session with Spike, and Sam texted her that Danny is staying at her place tonight to work on a class project. She honestly didn’t even know they had classes together.

When they come home she is going to bother them so much about the Blood Blossoms. They both ate their entire meal with no complaint, so they couldn’t have tasted that bad. They are just kids though, they’re allowed to be picky. She remembers what it was like when she was their age.

[wanderingxrivers]

This has no title and only came into existence because we do not get the Eddie/Maddie interactions that we should. Is it done? Probably not but it's a start of something and I kinda like the direction where it's heading.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Against the backdrop of beeping monitors and the whoosh of the ventilator, the whisper of the silver chain sounds like thunder as he removes the medal that brought him home because it has a new purpose now, a new family member to protect. Eddie’s fingers tremble with a level of anxiety that he hasn’t felt since the birth of his son. Buck, his Buck is laying in a coma and all the words he wants to say, needs to say, are caged behind his teeth. He doesn’t want this. Buck doesn’t deserve this. He deserves a real confession, not one at a hospital bedside where Eddie is terrified that he won’t come home. 

So, Eddie acts because while he is not an eloquent man, he is a man of action. He places the necklace around Buck’s throat, the glint of metal against the too pale skin a reminder of the love that Eddie holds, a promise to come home, to be the light in the darkness when all else fails. He adjusts the medal so that it sits just below the hollow of Buck’s throat, a shield against all harm. The words come to him, a memory from Catechism, floating up from the depths; Protect him, today in all his travels along the road’s way. Give him your warning sign if danger is near so he may stop while the path is clear. Be at his window and direct him through when the vision blurs from out of the blue. Carry him safely to his destined place like you carried Christ in your close embrace.  

Faith has left Eddie behind long ago but these things, these talismans against the chaos of the world, stick with him long after the original meaning was lost. This kept him safe in Afghanistan, it will keep Buck safe as he comes home. It has to.  He can’t live without him. It will break him.   

There’s a certainty to the knowledge. Losing Buck will absolutely break him beyond repair. Buck’s woven himself in their lives in a way that can’t be undone. He’s co-parent to Christopher, Eddie’s partner in all things but the things Eddie wants most because he’s a coward. He can’t bring himself to say the three words that will let him have what he wants, that will let him finally truly be happy the way he wants to be.   

A voice in the back of his mind that sounds suspiciously like Frank’s floats a simple question. “What harm comes from letting yourself be happy?” Before Eddie has the time to turn that thought over and examine it further, the door opens. He looks to the direction of the door, his shoulders losing their tension when he sees that it's Maddie.      He flashes her a wan smile in greeting. It’s a pale imitation of his usual grin and feels deeply out of place in a hospital room but he doesn’t trust his voice. If he speaks, then everything he’s felt for the last several years will spill out of him and Maddie will see all the ways he’s been a coward and a fool and he doesn’t know if he can expose his broken messy heart where the object of his deepest affections lies somewhere between life and death. This was not a conversation he wanted to have with her here, not now.   

Her warm brown eyes meet his, an eyebrow raised in question. Of course, she’s noticed the lack of the St. Christopher’s medal around his throat and its new place embracing Buck’s. She knows what it means, how it was a symbol of hope that brought him home through tragedy after tragedy. Maddie’s face cycles through a series of emotions that Eddie is too tired to track but it settles on something that is fond and understanding with only a small note of surprise.  

There’s a hand on his shoulder, and for a moment, he wants to cry because it’s the same place where Buck places his hand when they share those shoulder touches. He breathes deep, forcing a harsh breath out through his nose, fighting back the tears because once they start, they won’t stop. While Eddie never had an elder sister, he knows the burden of being the elder sibling, of carrying the worry for your younger siblings in your bones even when there is nothing you can do to protect them. He knows that Maddie is feeling that agony and they can only wait for Buck to find his way out of whatever liminal realm he’s in and rejoin his family here.   

Maddie’s voice is quiet. “He loves you; you know.” At Eddie’s surprised look, she chuckles lightly. “No, he didn’t tell me in so many words but he also didn’t have to. No matter who he dates, he always comes back to you. It’s always you in his weekend plans, his calendar, the pictures on his fridge, the lock screen on his phone. It wasn’t hard to figure out. You just had to pay attention. You have to tell him though.”   

The pressure at his shoulder leaves and there’s the scrape of a chair being dragged across the room and she’s sitting at his side. “This is the thing about Evan, you have to spell it out for him. If you leave any grey areas, he’ll think the worst.” Her hand lays over his, where it's clutching Buck's. “Can you please promise me one thing?” Eddie’s head nods before he realizes what it is he’s agreeing to. “Tell him. Tell him in no uncertain terms that you love him and that the family he wants; he has with you.” She stares at him in that knowing way that she gets, the look reminding him uncomfortably of his own sisters when they’ve caught him a trap of his own making. “Didn’t you tell Chim once that tomorrow isn’t promised to anyone?” He bobs another nod, recalling the conversation well, how he had told Chim to make a move and actually tell Maddie that he loved her because tomorrow was in fact not promised to anyone. 

There’s a wet chuckle that is uniquely the Buckley siblings’ that escapes Maddie's throat. “This is the part where my brother would tell you that the universe is screaming at you. Now I’m going to ask, are you going to listen?” 

[canonicallyobserving911]

Buck & Eddie: Rescue vs. Save

Buck’s only SAVED three people but he’s RESCUED hundreds because that’s his job.

I completed a post about the difference between Buck rescuing and saving people last year (linked here) and after 6x17 “Love is in the Air” aired, I wanted to mention this again with definitions to illustrate how Buck rescues people for his job but he saves the people he loves.

To rescue means to remove a person from a dangerous, dire and/or an unpleasant situation, i.e., fire, earthquake, downed helicopter, car accident, etc. and a person can be rescued by someone they don’t know (firefighter).  It’s a one-time event.

To save someone is a process and it’s not a one-time event.  It’s a relationship and the person doing the saving and the one being saved perspectives’ change as they continue to grow and mature together. 

In 6x15 “Death and Taxes”, after Buck said he met up with Natalia, Eddie said, “Seriously… dating someone you rescued, you know that never ends well” and he SPECIFICALLY used the word RESCUED instead of SAVED for a reason.

Rescued

Buck rescued Taylor, Ali and Natalia after they were involved in accidents the same way he rescued people during the Tsunami and whenever the 118 was dispatched to rescue people from fires, earthquakes and other disasters.  Also, he rescued Kameron from the standpoint of her needing somewhere to stay while she and Connor are on the outs but since Connor will be in next week’s episode, it’s highly unlikely Buck will end up with Kameron.  He’ll probably be instrumental in helping them save their relationship but he won’t end up with her because the narrative for 6B with regards to the sperm donation has been showing the complete opposite of that scenario.  Connor’s the father (Buck said that in 6x10 “In a Flash” and he said it again to Natalia in 6x17), therefore in 6x18 “Pay it Forward”, he will do just that, pay it forward when he helps Connor realize he has everything he needs with Kameron.

Saved

Buck has only SAVED three people over the past six years and they are Maddie, Chris and Eddie and he saved them because he loves them.  Maddie is his sister; he’s Chris’ legal guardian (in the event of Eddie’s death but soon he’ll be Buck’s stepson) and Eddie is his everything.  Buck saved Maddie after she killed Doug and he ran to meet her when she was injured and stumbled out of the woods in 2x13 “Fight or Flight”.  But he doesn’t have to save her anymore because she’s with Chimney and he admitted it to Sue in 3x14 “The Taking of Dispatch” when he said, “She has everything she needs” as she was hugging Chimney.  Chimney will be the one who saves Maddie now.

Buck saved Chris during the Tsunami after the first wave hit and he swam out to get him.  They came up out of the water together and he protected him because he loves him.  Chris saved Buck too during their conversations both before and after the Tsunami hit when he said, “You’re going to be ok kid” and when he told Buck about never giving up while they sat on top of the 136’s firetruck.  He saved Chris again in 4x8 “Breaking Point” when he gave him a safe place to run to when Eddie starting dating AF.  He listened to Chris and promised him he wasn’t going anywhere and he hasn’t.

Buck SAVED Eddie after he was shot by a sniper in 4x13 “Suspicion” when he crawled underneath a ladder truck (something that almost caused him to lose his leg and his career) screaming for Eddie to get his hand out.  He pulled Eddie to safety and treated his wound until they made it to the hospital.  Reminder the 133’s paramedic was in the back of the ladder truck with them but Buck wouldn’t let her help. Buck SAVED Eddie and Chris again after Eddie’s breakdown in 5x13 “Fear-O-Phobia”.  Chris called and Buck came to save both of them. Reminder, he stayed at the Diaz residence for several days until Eddie was feeling better and he called Bobby to help so that Eddie wouldn’t wake up alone. He loves them so much and he will do anything for them.

The point of this post is to prove that Eddie’s words in 6x15 were specific for a reason since Buck rescues people on the job but he saves his family, the people HE LOVES!

Therefore, Buck dating and marrying Eddie is plausible and likely since he didn’t rescue Eddie, he SAVED HIM!

[oldsouldreamer85]

Seven (whatever) Sentence Sunday

Hi, my loves!! 🥰 So, I’m gonna be real here: I don’t quite know what this one will turn out to be? I have plot points I definitely want to hit I know that much for sure. It’s part soulmate AU/fantasy with splashes of canon? Canon adjacent? Is that a thing? Anyway, I’m excited to share what I have so far from the first chapter of In Breakable Heaven. Hope you enjoy!! 💜

             Evan Buckley liked his life. He was enjoying being in his late twenties. And he felt like he was finally beginning to understand not only what was expected of him but that he had a grasp on what he wanted from life as well. In terms of aspirations. Hopes. And dreams.

             That all changed the moment Eddie Diaz entered his life and turned it completely on its head.

__

A Few Years Later…

             Sitting on one of the couches in the firehouse loft Buck glanced up from where he’d been mindlessly scrolling through his phone, watching as Howard ‘Chimney’ Han sat next to him looking at his own phone. His left leg was bouncing up and down erratically, anxiety clearly consuming him the longer he looked down at the handheld device in his grasp.

             “Dude,” Chimney breathed softly, breaking the tense, charged silence between them. “Dude,” he practically whined, finally turning his attention fully on Buck. His eyes were blown wide, his features panic stricken. “Why hasn’t your sister called me back?” he demanded.

             Confusion flooded Buck’s features as he cocked his head, becoming lost in thought over the best way to respond to Chimney’s question.

             Eventually he shrugged. “She’s probably just working, man,” he offered.

             The two of them glanced over their shoulders after hearing a laugh of derision behind them. Hen and Eddie soon joined them. Hen having been the one who made the noise they’d heard, made herself comfortable next to Chimney, while Eddie sat next to Buck.

             “More like he’s incredibly desperate,” she said, jerking her thumb in Chimney’s direction, barely stifling back her own laughter while Eddie and Buck looked at each other and lost it completely. The two of them leaning into each other as they laughed aloud at Chimney’s expense.

             “Hey!” Chimney yelped in indignation, his brows furrowed in mild frustration, holding his phone protectively against his chest. “I’m in love okay? Leave me alone,” he scolded his best friend. Hen just snorted, shaking her head in response as she grinned at him.

             “Eww,” Buck mumbled, his nose wrinkling as a sense of displeasure overwhelmed him upon hearing Chimney’s honesty. “That’s my sister, man. I don’t need to hear that,” he protested.

             Next to him Eddie huffed out a laugh, a mildly exasperated yet fond expression cutting across his features as he looked at Buck.

             “What? Am I wrong?” Buck demanded with a frown.

             Eddie snorted like Hen had minutes earlier, continuing to look at Buck in amusement.

             “I probably wouldn’t want to hear it about either of my sisters. So ‘no’. But uh, don’t you want Maddie to be happy?” he asked.

             Buck sighed heavily, his shoulders drooping as he glanced warily over at Chimney. “Eddie’s right. I do. Want Maddie to be happy. You too. And uh, if you guys make each other happy I shouldn’t stand in the way of that,” he said. “Just don’t make out in front of me, okay? I really don’t need to see that,” he pleaded, his frown returning when Eddie, Chimney and Hen all broke out into laughter.

             “Deal,” Chimney readily agreed through his chuckling.

             Catching Eddie giving him a soft smile out of the corner of his eye, Buck felt himself relax further into the couch upon hearing Chimney’s swift agreement.

             “Great,” he murmured in relief, a small, pleased smile tugging at the corners of his mouth when Eddie winked at him.

Tagging my beloveds: @shaneo693061 @yelenasbuddie @deluweil @elvensorceress @shortsighted-owl @alyxmastershipper @idealuk

[ao3feed-brucewayne]

A Chill in the Batcave

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/MiOjsw8 by Zoroarkkkk The Spirit of Gotham knows two things for sure… one, The Ghost King needed protection while he recovered and was able to form outside of his core. Two, The Dark Knight and his children were the best people to protect anything. So of course, she hides Danny’s core in the Batcave. Chaos and haunting ensues. Tim Drake is almost half certain that he didn’t used to hallucinate this much, even if he hasn’t slept in three days. And he was almost one hundred percent sure that they hadn’t gained another sibling while he was sleeping. Words: 1086, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Fandoms: Danny Phantom, Batman - All Media Types, Justice League - All Media Types Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Characters: Danny Fenton, Tim Drake, Dick Grayson, Damian Wayne, Cassandra Cain, Duke Thomas, Alfred Pennyworth, Barbara Gordon, Jason Todd, Bruce Wayne Additional Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Ghost King Danny Fenton, Violence, Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, Bruce Wayne is Bad at Feelings, Bad Parents Jack and Maddie Fenton, Protective Batfamily (DCU), Jason Todd is a Batfamily Member read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/MiOjsw8

[ainnslim]

I love you the first time I saw you...

summary: You met Mark in the club that night and went wild more than you expected

a/n: Hi! it is my first time making fanfic! Hope you will enjoy it! P.s. this is roughly written so please forgive me for the grammar!..............

word count: 4288 words

Mark x reader

It was after a long week of hustling from work that you and your best friends decided to go to a club to spend your weekend winding down.

The four of you take clubbing seriously because your field of work is the opposite of it. You are all wearing dresses that flaunt your assets.

It was Maddie who notice that you are so pumped up tonight 

“y/n you are so ready to be laid out today huh,” says Maddie

“I am ready to be wrecked today, Madz. I deserve that” you replied laughing.

You're getting laid out is your group's inside joke., because among your friends you are the only one who still hasn’t experienced s*x. It is not because no one wants you, It’s your choice to protect your vcard not until you feel like doing it with someone you want to give it to.

All of you went to your car and drove to your go-to club when you forgot to bring your phone with you… You want to go back but you are almost there and you just decided to go on with the night without it.

Maddie and Joan (jown) got out of the car first and you told them to go inside first because you need to find a parking slot. After all, the club was jampacked tonight.

After 15 minutes of excruciatingly going in circles when you found a spot but a man cut you when you were about to take the space

“Hey man! As you can see I got it first so stay in your fucking lane” you said

The man got out of the car and he is leading towards you and he said

“You can take it… as long as you give me your number”

You just want it to be finished so you gave him your calling card and he winked at you saying,

“See ya around pretty” and he walks away.

You went inside the club and found your usual table, Joan was left waiting for you. 

“Y/N, Finally! What took you so long? I’ve been dying to rock the dance floor” Joan jokingly told you

“shut up Joan! Took me blood and sweat to find a parking slot! You’re welcome!”

“I knew it! You’re the best y/n! off I go”

“Yeah! You do you!” you said while drinking the vodka they have already ordered…

2 hours had passed and the vodka is starting to kick in….

You decided to just stay at the table and not to go to the dance floor because you just wanna chill out and little did you know that Mark was staring at you the whole time from a distance…

He took the chance that you were already drunk when he approach you

“Hi! Prefer to be an observer huh?!” Mark said

“Oh yeah! I was so pumped up a while ago but now that I got here and it Is jampacked, I just want to sit and drink” you told him while playing with the glass

“I’ve been looking at you for the past hours and notice that you don’t bring your boyfriend with you, is he coming?” Mark noted

Deep inside you knew that it was his way of confirming if you have one or not…

“Yeah, He is out of town so he is not here with me. I’m with my friends” you retorted

“I see, btw my name is Mark Lee. I’m with my friends too. I’m having a vacation here in California but I am from Canada”

You were surprised about him telling you all these details.

“I knew it! You are a new face here anyways I’m Y/N. Welcome to the hotel California,” you said jokingly

He laughed at your joke hysterically! And you laughed too! His laugh is infectious! You don’t if it’s the effect of the alcohol but you are having a good time around him.

Both of you are laughing when Madz and Joan came back to your table

“Who is this pretty boy, Y/N” said Maddie

“You always get the pretty face and body, Y/N” Joan added

Mark laughed at the remarks of the two

“His name is Mark, Mark this is Maddie and Joan, Maddies and Joan, This is Mark”

“Hello, ladies! Nice meeting y’all!” Mark winked

“Oohhhhh, you are magnified by our friend's charm huh,” Joan said

You tap Joan’s shoulder and Mark said “Definitely mesmerized by her beauty”

“Joan let’s go, Y/N and Mark need some time alone,” Maddie said while dragging Joan back to the dance floor

You told Mark that you need to take a cigarette to wake you up and Mark insisted to go with you.

You let him accompany you while holding your waist to keep you steady and guided you up to the second floor where the smoking area is located. You lit the cigarette when you notice that Mark is busy on his phone…

“Updating the girlfriend huh”

“No, ‘twas my friends that I am texting. I told them not to find me and mind their own business” Mark said jokingly 

You laugh at his remark.

You don’t know what’s with this man but you want to know him more

“Mind going to the hotel nearby? Just to wind up a bit. It’s kind of crowded there” Mark told you

You were surprised as if Mark was able to read your mind

“Sure thing! I was about to tell you that!” you said

“Let’s go!” Mark said while taking your hand 

“y/n, Do you mind if I take my car with us?” Mark asked you while walking to the parking

“Yeah, sure! My friends have their spare key with them anyways” you replied

And you drove to the hotel nearby where Mark is staying too.

“I am staying in this hotel, would you like to go to my suite instead”

You don’t know what is going on inside your mind that night but you are much willing to oblige in whatever this man has to say…

“aye, sir! That would be awesome” you said

Both of you went inside the suite, it was a spacious suite with an open veranda with a view of the city lights!

You got excited and went to the veranda and smell the air!

“It’s so beautiful up here”

“But you are way far more beautiful than this view” Mark commented

You didn’t notice that Mark was beside you looking at you intently.

“I know right!” You said back tapping his chest.

Mark is wearing an oversize shirt with cargo pants and a Jordan

“Let’s go inside and order something, I am starving.”

“You know what to say at the right moment, Mark. I love it” you said

Time passes by so fast when you are having fun and that is what is happening right now. The two of you consumed 2 ½ bottles of red wine already and both of you are so drunk that you can feel your body heating up.

Both of you are seated in the sofa facing the veranda with the night view and the lamp shade and city lights are only source of light that you guys have.

Mark’s body language is getting more obvious with the help of the alcohol in his system. He was getting touchy to you by placing his left hand on your waist while holding the cup of wine on the other.

You decided to reciprocate the gesture by facing him and curling your knee up to the sofa while you are holding the cup on both hands. Both of you were talking about a lot of random things. You were surprised that both of have a lot of similarities in common.

“You look so beautiful, Y/N. When I saw you at the parking lot a while ago, I knew that I have to get to know you” Mark said while touching your cheeks while his thumb is caressing you lightly.

“The feeling is mutual! I don’t know but there is something about you that makes me want to do everything that you told me to” You put the glass of wine down on the sofa to free your hands to touch Mark’s face. Mark’s face got red “You are blushing” you teased him

“It’s the alcohol” Mark replied but he knew what your touch can do to him. Mark started to tickle you because you keep on teasing him being head over heels for you. Both of you started running around when Mark catches you and both of you fell to the floor with Mark towering over you. “Can I kiss you?” Mark asked, you didn’t reply and instead start to pull him towards you so that your lips can meet.

It was a light feathery kiss at first and started to escalate when Mark tried to attempt to open your mouth with his tongue. You smiled and Mark noticed it and dared to continue what he was doing. You very much likely open your mouth to welcome his hungry tongue, he devoured every inch of your mouth that it is starting to get hurt. Both of you were panting and needing air when you pulled out.

Mark kissed your cheeks and forehead before pulling himself up and picking you from the floor to put you on the bed. Your start to get nervous because you knew that there is no escape from this anymore. He removed his shirt before he proceed to follow you to the bed, “May I?” he is asking you if he can remove the dress that you are wearing and you nod your head. He kisses you hungrily while slowly removing your dress strap and you started to put your hands on his head touching his hair. You are starting to get wet in your panty and you are afraid that Mark will find out about this when you are just kissing. 

He was able to unzip your dress from the back without you noticing it. His kiss slowly traveled to your neck nibbling it going to your ear and he whispered: “I need you so bad, Y/N but I’m gonna take my time to make you feel amazing”. You touch his face and bring it to face you saying “Make me feel amazing Mark” and you initiated to kiss him now. You can feel his growl in his chest while you are taking the lead but Mark didn’t let it happen. “Let me lead you tonight love” the word Love makes you blush and he started to take off his belt but you stop him from doing it “let me do it for you”….

You can already feel and see his bulge under his pants and you licked your lower lips, your stomach is starting to get tangled from the sensation that Mark is giving you…. you unbuckle his belt faster than normal but you are having trouble how unbuttoning his pants “fuck these pants! Why is it so hard to remove!” Mark made a heartfelt laugh and it makes you laugh too “Here let me do it”.. he helped you get his pants off and you gasped at the sight of how hard he is “Yes love this is your effect on me, I’m just holding it in” and he continued what he was doing, he started to kiss you passionately again while trying to caress your side and holding you still. You are starting to crave more and Mark notices that “hold up baby we will get there, just let me do you alright?!” You touch his back with your right hand while pulling his hair softly towards your moulds. He unclasped your bra at the speed of light and you can see his eyes glistening from the night lamp “You are fucking gorgeous, Y/N, you are mine” and started to massage your right mould gently while kissing the left. He did it vice versa and when he is satisfied with how plump your moulds are for her he started to kiss your belly heading south down to your lower belly he started licking it.

You are shocked when you open your eyes to see why he stopped, he is just staring at you for a minute and you guided his hand to your wetness. Mark touches your wet folds bringing you into vibration. “Oh yes, baby this is what I wanted! I love how wet you are for me” and he parted your folds and starts to circle your clit counterclockwise, “Ahhhh…..Mark Oh my God…. That is so good”

Mark crawled to get the condom on the bedside table. He put it in his length and you lie down welcoming him with your legs wide open “This is it, Y/N, do you want to do this” he asked. “Just shut up and f*ck the hell out of me Mark” and that made me laugh so loud… He kissed you on the lips lightly while he is trying to line his d*ck in your entrance… you grasped for support so you put your hands on his hair….” come on I want it now” and that is his cue he push it inside you “Oh my God Y/N are you a virgin?”…Mark stopped midway while he is still inside you…” Yes Mark… you are my first”… It hurts you and he saw you shed a tear from the pain… he kissed you tear away and kiss your forehead “OH GOD WHAT WILL I DO WITH YOU? YOU ARE SO PRECIOUS Y/N, Don’t worry it is gonna get better after this, Trust me okay?” and he proceeds to thrust himself inside you….you finally adjusted after few tries and when he noticed that, he tries to do it harder. “Oh fuck yeah Mark, that’s it”…. And Mark did it….

Both of you are nearing your climax when he told you to open your eyes for him and see how you two are perfectly matched for each other…..

Both of you were panting and he asked you to look at him because you are so shy about what happened “Y/N, there is nothing to be shy.. you are beautiful, and I am on cloud nine right now knowing that I am your first” he said while touching your face…. “I am lost for words right Mark..” And he puts you to sleep while caressing your shoulder and humming a lullaby…

You are woken up by a dinging of a cellphone and you remembered that you don’t have your phone with you, assuming it is Mark’s…. You got curious about who keeps on messaging him and you look at Mark who is beside you, you smiled because he is sleeping like a baby, probably tired from the s*x you did a while ago and the effect of alcohol. You reach the bedside table and saw text messages flash on the screen of his phone…. It feels like you were slapped with cold water when you read it… it's from someone named 내 사랑 you have no idea what it meant but the messages are clear.

I am so sorry, Mark! I still love you L please love! Come back here to Canada! I promise to do better!

Mark, can you please answer me? I wanna talk with you! I love you!

The messages keep on coming but one message strikes the most.

I think I am pregnant! That’s why I told you to give me some time…

Mark please I need you, call me….. A tear fell on your cheek. you don’t why you are being emotional…. You put down the phone from where you got it and looked at Mark who is sleeping so well. you remove the hair from his face and kiss his lips…. This made him move and he tried opening his eyes but he can’t because of exhaustion… “Oh God I’m so sorry Y/N I am so knocked out right now, come here” He reached out for you and you obliged. Both of you are still naked so you can feel his warmth under the blanket that both of you are sharing. “You sleep well huh?! I envy you!”.. you retorted while he embraced you… he snuggled you around his arms and smelled your hair “You have no idea, this is the best sleep I ever had in the last couple of years” and he kissed you on your head… He didn’t know that tears are coming out of your eyes while he was talking…. Just let me savor this last moment, just this once (You said inside your head)

You waited until Mark is asleep, luckily he sleeps like a baby and he didn’t notice that you got up from your position…. You got your things… Put your dress on…. For one last time. You stare at him and bid him a goodbye kiss….

You got into your apartment unit very exhausted! You took a long bath and decided to drink vodka while in a tub…. The memories of what happened last night are still vivid in your memory… You somehow feel guilty about what you did when you don’t have to be since you don’t know that he is in a relationship. You laugh at the idea of you and Mark getting together since it is impossible because of his situation… His girlfriend is pregnant and you just slept with the father….. You bottom up the whole glass of vodka so you can forget the pain that is inside you…

Spending the past 3 hours in the bathtub is taking its toll on your body so you decided to get out of the tub…. You look at yourself in the mirror reminiscing how Mark affected your body… It is blooming… but when you look at your eyes in the mirror, you notice that there is sadness in them…. It is absurd to be into a person you just met a few hours ago…. Is this how it feels like to be in love? Is it possible to be in love in the short period that you spent with that person?..... Mark’s face is embedded in your head, how his laugh resonates through your soul, his smell that intoxicates your sanity and puts you in a trance that you are not aware of….. his touch that consoles you that everything might not go well but that is fine… he made you feel different emotions and feelings all at once… this is new to you…. You don’t know how to handle this….

You remembered that you have to check on your phone and you were surprised that you got 48 missed calls from an unknown number…. You got a text message from Mark

 Hey! It’s Mark! I was just hoping we can meet each other today.

Y/N, I know it sounds crazy but I am into you… can we please talk?

What happens? Y/N? Did I do something wrong? Can you please answer me?

Goddamn, it Y/N! I’m gonna find you! I am not letting this is how it ends…

Your heart dropped for a minute and remembered that you gave Mark your calling card…..

It is almost 6 pm when you heard a continuous ringing of the doorbell…. You slept for hours after all the things that are happening. You informed your friends not to disturb you since you need time to process everything….You got up and go to the door and you were shocked by the person who is standing on your doorstep….. It was Him! It was Mark! “Oh, my God! What are you doing here? How did you know where I lived”…

“I’ll tell you all of that later but for now can you spare me a minute to talk?”

It is like you lost your soul for a second, how things got in here….

“There is no need for that Mark, it is what it is…”

“What do you mean? Don’t tell me you didn’t feel it too” Mark said

Tears are falling down your cheek and Mark got confused…. He reaches out for your face wiping your tears. “Why are you crying, baby? I am so sorry! Did I scare you? shhhhhh”…. He embraced you while trying to calm you down by soothing you back… “Can I go inside? Let’s go inside and settle things”… he guided you inside your apartment and sat down on the sofa in your living area…You are still crying and hate yourself for not being able to hide your emotions….

“What happen Y/N? Why did you just leave like that without any word or anything? Is that really how it is? Mark said teary-eyed… Mark’s heart has a big void right now seeing you crying… he doesn’t have any idea why you are crying but he knows that he needs to tend to you….

You remained silently unable to speak words because you knew that when you decided to speak… it will only cause you pain…..

“Come on Y/N, are you just gonna stay silent for the whole time? I need to know why you are crying like this…”

“EVERYTHING IS WRONG MARK!! THIS IS WRONG”

You saw the pain in his eyes with what you have said

“TAKE THE FACT THAT WE ARE JUST FOR ONE NIGHT STAND! IT ENDS THERE!”

“Do you mean that Y/N? I know you feel the same way too… Don’t leave me like this…” Mark reached out to you… He attempted to kiss you but you avoided it… “Y/N, I know I might sound nuts but it is the first time that I felt this way…. I felt so sure about what I wanted and my feelings, I feel so sure about you… tell me you feel the same way too…” he took your hand and put it in his hand while looking at you with a tear in his eyes “I love you Y/N, I know it is too early to say this but I do…. I only know you for less than 24 hours but what I am feeling for you is too strong that I can’t contain it!” He said while tears are pouring down his cheeks…

This breaks your heart… deep inside you knew that he is sincere in what he is saying… you wipe his tears away and look him in the eyes…

“we are should not be doing this… You are going to be a father. I don’t want to destroy someone's life just because I want to be with you..”

“What do you mean? Did you read the messages on my phone?”

“yes! I am sorry I didn’t mean to… I got up in the middle of the night because your phone keeps on making sounds… I got curious and saw the text messages. This is not right Mark!..... We need to stop this…”

Mark snickered and followed by a laugh

“This is not a time to laugh Mark!” You got up from your seat “This is a serious matter! You are going to be a father”…

Mark followed you and hug you from the back “OH GOD Y/N WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH YOU! You are so precious” he said while kissing your neck.

“Stop Mark….. care to explain why are you just laughing about the matter?”

Mark turned you around to face him “yes Laura is pregnant but I am not the father of her child!”

You don’t know but the news made you happy but still, you have to check…” You are just saying that Mark! Don’t you dare lie in my face! Isn’t it the reason why you are here? You are trying to escape from reality?”

Mark smiled while looking at you but this time the pain in his eyes is nowhere to be found…

“Yes, love! The reason why I am here is to escape from the reality that Laura and my best friend are fucking each other behind my back! I knew that Laura is cheating on me but I didn’t know that it was my best friend that she is cheating with!”….

You are shocked by this! “are You serious about this Mark?”

“Yes, I am fucking serious! I will never hurt you!” he kissed you on the forehead

“Make sure that you are telling me the truth Mark cause  I will never forgive you if that is not the case..”

Mark hugged you “That is the last thing that I will do Y/N, hurt you”

You removed yourself from this hug and proceeded to the kitchen island where the water is… “I need some water from all these things that are happening”.

Mark followed you and just sat on the stall while staring at you. “You know Y/N you put me in a mini heart attack a while ago in the hotel when  I found out that you are not there anymore, I got out of the hotel lobby with just boxers on to find you. I was so heartbroken with the idea that  I will not be able to see you anymore but then I remembered that you gave me your calling card and for the first time in forever I did something right..”

You approached Mark who is a seating and go to stand between his legs… You put your arms around his neck while he puts his hands on your waist … You kissed his nose “I am sorry Mark!” tears fall into your eyes again, you are such a crybaby! You hate yourself for that.. Mark stands up and kissed you lightly..”I am so sorry to put you in a situation like this. I’ve been wanting to tell you., it’s just that I am afraid that you will be shocked and decided not to do it with me!....

[sidewalk-cracks]

Danny realizing after a while that he’s started missing Vlad during the lapses between their fights and Vlad’s plots. Danny knowing he shouldn’t let his guard down around Vlad but slowly getting more comfortable around him because Vlad’s schemes have been gradually relaxing as well until some of them can even be considered “half-hearted”. Danny starting to offer trust to Vlad because the man pays more genuine attention to him than his own parents. Danny sometimes being hit with the random urge to go find Vlad just to hang out with him. Danny feeling this terrible ache deep in his core when he hasn’t seen the other halfa. Danny- despite all the terrible things Vlad’s done- never being able to wish true harm on Vlad because he’s desperate to not be alone. Danny frantically needing to know Vlad’s okay after a rare teamup fight against another ghost because he can’t bear the thought of losing the only other halfa in existence. Danny not being able to be mad at himself for thinking of Vlad as a parental figure because the safety he feels around Vlad now trumps any leftover suspicion he has of the other halfa’s intentions. 

Vlad becoming aware that his mentality has been subtlety changing. Vlad realizing that the irritation Daniel used to spark in him- irritation for keeping him from Maddie, irritation from being so needlessly protective of Amity Park, irritation for rejecting him, for hating him- has at some point been replaced with affection. Vlad not putting as much effort into his plots because they start to lose their luster. Vlad idly wondering how Danny’s doing at school during his work day. Vlad’s core warming him from the inside out as Danny starts to relax, starts smiling around him more, starts joking more. Vlad feeling overwhelmed the first time he realizes just how badly he wants to protect this child. Vlad eventually dropping the plots altogether because at some point his obsession has shifted from “woo Maddie” to “nurture Danny”. Vlad being appalled at the Fenton’s neglect but refraining from making a big deal out of it for Danny’s sake. Vlad losing absolutely all of his composure when he discovers Danny’s been kidnapped by the GIW and going on a ruthless (desperate panicking please be okay) murder spree to get him back. Vlad holding onto the little bit of family he’s got, the only other halfa ever.

[resurrectedclones]

Ok so I compiled all the instances of Jack and Maddie Fenton being both good parents and bad parents (minus Phantom Planet) into one post, and now I’m going to talk about my thoughts and conclusions.

First the number of good and bad instances are actually pretty even 77 good and 76 bad (86 bad if you count every instance of them working on inventions outside the lab individually), which unfortunately doesn’t help much. So an easy look at the numbers strategy is out. Not that counting up the individual actions would have been the best method of determining if the Fentons were good parents but it would have been a place to start.

So I’m back to the question of Are the bad things Jack and Maddie do understandable and forgivable, and do their good actions make up for the bad?

Thankfully my lists do help me in answering that question by providing plenty of evidence.

So my answer to this question, as objective as I can make it, is no.

Jack and Maddie may love and support their kids with all their hearts and do everything they can to protect them from outside threats, but when it comes down to it, Jazz and Danny are not safe with their parents. They have put their kids in multiple situations that could have caused serious injury, and probably would have if it wasn’t for luck and Danny’s powers, and have done nothing to mitigated the dangers in their own home.

Would I say that the Fenton Parents are abusive or bad people? No, but good people can still be bad parents, and not all bad parents are abusive.

However, they are guilty of endangering their children and neglecting their physical needs. So while they may be good people they are not good parents.

Tagging @floralflowerpower because I’ve seen them discussing this before and might want to way in.

Full list of good and bad instances of parenting below the cut.

Good

Maddie noticed a change in Jazz’s behavior

Maddie was worried about possibly hurting Jazz

Jack was willing to stop ghost hunting after seeing how upset Jazz was

Maddie wanted to make a good impression when chaperoning Danny’s first dance

Maddie was concerned about how tired Danny looked after coming home

Both were concerned about the loud noises coming from Danny's room

Both want Danny to learn the value of earning his own money

Both talk to Danny about his negative change in behavior

Jack listens to Jazz criticism about not talking about their past and attempts to fix it

Both came running when Jazz called them about something being wrong with Danny

Both are concerned their kids were at a concert when there was a big test coming up

Both agreed to have Danny tutored after school to improve his grades

Both have a rule that only authorized people are allowed in the lab

Both fake scold Danny for spying on Jazz’s date while in front of Jazz, but encourage him to let them know if he sees Jazz with Jonny again (Not really sure if this was a good, since Jonny does have bad intentions, or a bad, since Jonny hasn’t really shown he’s a bad guy yet and they shouldn’t be encouraging their son to spy on his sister)

Both are willing to beat up Johnny after he locked them in their room and made a comment that could easily be interpreted as him trying to coerce Jazz

Maddie tries to comfort Jazz after Johnny left

Both protect Danny from a seemingly hostile ghost

Maddie gives Danny a homemade lunch

Both run into action when they realize the ecto storm is focused on where Danny is

Both are upset about Danny lying to them about trying to get out of detention

Maddie wants to bond with Danny

Maddie tries to cheer up Danny when he is clearly unhappy

Maddie runs to Danny side when he is shown to be unwell

Maddie tries to stay positive in a bad situation

Jack jumps in to protect Jazz from a monstrous ghost rabbit

Jack is proud of Jazz when she jumps in to save him

Maddie sets up a whole campsite for her and Danny

Maddie notices Danny isn't at the camp and runs to find him

Maddie makes sure Danny is safely out of the way before fighting off a bunch of animal ghosts

Maddie is willing to put up with Vlad who just hit on her in order to get her and Danny to someplace safe

Maddie gives up her own protective device for Danny

Jack works with Jazz as an equal to fight off the ghosts invading their home

Jack is more invested in Danny's approval than ghosts

Maddie tries to keep Jazz safe from the ghosts in their house

Jack is willing to work with a ghost to save his family

Both are not happy at Danny for cutting class

Both question where Danny is when they find out he's not where they thought he was

Both are worried about Jazz being sick and want to see her

Both are suspicious of the creepy doctor in charge of the sick kids

Maddie runs to get Jazz and Danny from school when they hear the ghost invasion is headed in that direction (Jack wants to as well but is too weakened by the suit)

Both are worried for Jazz when she got trapped in the house and run to save her

Both agree to have a normal camping trip to help Danny

Maddie packs Jazz’s favorite toy

Maddie tries to distract the kids from fighting

Both are worried the kids aren't in camp

Both check on Jazz when she woke up screaming

Both tucked Jazz in when they thought she fell asleep helping Danny study

Both are concerned when Lancer calls home

Both are upset at Danny cheating

Both demand to know where Danny is when they realize it ghost took his place

Both stop fighting to focus on getting Danny out of danger

Both are worried about jazz running away without telling them

Maddie asks if Jazz is alright when she calls

Jack tries to be supportive of Danny having a girlfriend

Jack goes to protect Danny when he hears him yelling

Both go to support Danny during the fitness test

Both let themselves run late to an event in order to give Danny his wallet

Both have their kids wear PPE when in contact with an unknown outbreak

Both feel guilty after being called out by jazz for making Danny not feel like he could trust them

Both breakdown crying when they believe Danny to be gone

Both are relieved when it turns out Danny is ok

Both accept and reassure Danny that they love him when they find out he's Phantom

Both check on Danny when they hear crashing from his room

Both get angry at Vlad for appearing to shoot Danny

Both run to Danny at seeing him hurt

Both attack a ghost they think is attacking Danny

Maddie jumps in front of who she thinks is Danny to protect him

Both go out looking for Danny when they couldn't find him after being chased by a ghost

Both make announcements around town to try and find Danny when he's missing

Both try to reassure who they think is Danny when they think he's been hurt by a ghost

Both hug Danny and relief when they see he is ok

Jack wants to bond with Danny and even bought a book to help

Jack calls out to Danny when he doesn't see him after the boat capsized

Maddie allows Jazz a chance to explain her plan

Jack fights the monster he saw attack Danny

Both are happy to see their kids in person rather than on a screen

Both ask where Danny is during a ghost attack

Bad

Both attack Jazz with a device that could rip hair out

Both attack Jazz with a net they mention a ghost could escape but not a human

Jack mocked Jazz to her face

Jack left Danny alone in the lab with an invention meant to pull ghosts through the portal with no instructions or protection

Jack made Danny think he'll take his anger out on him if he tells him bad news

Both use untested devices around their kids multiple times

Jack handed Danny a clogged invention with it still turned on

Jack uses accusatory language towards Danny (a lot more than I remember)

Maddie uses ectoplasm to cook food

Neither got rid of the hostel ecto weenies and just left them in the fridge for their kids to find

Both make plans to hover over his personal locker without telling Danny

Jack carelessly uses an invention that can punch through metal piping

Both make last minute trip plans for their kids without any input from them

Both work on inventions outside the lab (at least 10 times) often with large heavy tools or a hot welding torch/soldering iron that send sparks flying. Several times this happens in the kitchen when Jazz and Danny are eating. Jazz is also often with a book, which could be rather flammable.

Neither tell their kids what buttons in the GAV will set off weapons

Both redo an experiment that hospitalized their friend with no new safety precautions that could be seen, in their own home

Jack talked over Danny when he tried to ask a question about homework

Both were too busy fighting to notice the specter speeder flying into the ghost zone with Danny in it (I ignored a few other instances where they didn’t notice things they probably should have because that’s a constant for every superhero show, but this one was really blatant.)

Maddie didn't tell the kids she was planning to leave on a trip or why

Jack leaves the kids alone at home with no warning

Maddie keeps ecto samples in the fridge with their food

Both drop all worry for Danny at the mention of a ghost

Jack suggests putting the kids in an Iron Maiden (Why do they have an Iron Maiden? Or a torture dungeon for that matter?)

Jack breaks Danny's phone

Maddie makes sudden trip plans without asking Danny

Jack doesn't listen to his kids and gets Danny in trouble

One of Danny's chores include handling used equipment in the lab

Another one of Danny's chores is to be in charge of a task that would cause the house to explode if not done

Maddie downplays Danny being rightly upset with Jack

Jack tells Danny to clean up a mess that he himself made

Danny just gets stuck with a lot of chores that should be done by the adults

Both keep something that could blow up the house in their basement

Both ground Danny instead of asking follow-up questions on why they found him on Freakshow's getaway train

Jack says Jazz is his favorite right in front of Danny

Jack hands Danny a snot covered rag (this was just gross)

Neither ask any follow up questions or do any other investigation after Bertrand mentions their taxes, which should really have made him look more suspicious

Both grounded Danny for using an emergency protocol without asking him why he would use an emergency protocol (all the kids in town knew what happened and there was no reason for Danny to keep it a secret. He got in trouble for doing what they would have wanted him to do)

Maddie gives Danny and accusatory look at seeing him next to a hurt Valerie

Maddie advertises that Jazz is single to the whole town without her agreement

Both find no problem with their son being unsupervised for hours during a ghost invasion

Jack offers Danny's room as a guest room without his agreement

Jack says “safety features are for punks”

Jack drags Danny into an active ghost fight

Jack doesn't listen when Danny says he's unsure about shooting a ghost

Jack leaves the speeder’s door open and doesn't buckle Danny in

Both don’t notice that jazz didn't escape the house even though they noticed Danny wasn't with them

Neither refute jazz is claim that the submarine they dragged there kids on to being a death trap

Both don't listen to Danny when he said not to go towards the glowing green ship

Both think taking their kids into a glowing green ship is a good idea

“Spin the crazy out”

Just the whole spinning seen in general (They dragged Danny into the lab and strapped him to a table, the poor boy probably had a lot of nightmares about that)

There was also a lot of small comments that could be taken rather poorly in the state Danny was in

Jack breaks his promise to have no ghost hunting equipment on the trip

Both throw a metal object around the house

Both are more concerned about their invention possibly not working then the fact that Danny was just hit in the head twice

The annual Christmas fight

Both were too busy fighting to notice their young kids getting attacked by the turkey

Both are confused on why Danny would be upset with them

Jack bodily drags Danny away during a conversation with Jazz

Both brush off Jazz’s concerns of a ghost being hurt by saying they don't care about that

Jack hits who he believes to be Danny with an untested weapon and instead of going to see if Danny is ok, he shrugs it off and goes to play golf

Both make Jazz go on a trip she doesn't want to go on, which has no stops dedicated to her while having two dedicated to Danny's friends

Both start pointing fingers instead of going to find Danny after seeing him being exposed as Phantom and having the GiW after him

Both let Jazz antagonize the guy who kidnapped them and can warp reality and say nothing about it

Both make Jazz feel like they love ghost hunting more than her

Both leave Danny alone in his trashed room and don't do anything to indicate they will help clean or fix anything

Jack shoves a bunch of Vlad’s campaign stuff onto Danny despite his clear dislike and attempt to get away

Jack pushes Danny in front of a crowd despite him being clearly uncomfortable with it

Both almost had the family hide in the least safe place in the house to be during a storm

Jack doesn't notice that Danny smashed his thumb with a hammer despite yelling in pain

Jack brushes off Danny being upset about the massive storm that was clearly Vlad's fault

Both don’t question Danny going to a friend's house during a massive storm

Jack talks over Danny when he tries to answer a question that Jack asked in the first place

Both ignore how tired Danny, and his friends are and force them to help in their experiments.

Both have Danny and his friends near cobbled together equipment that sets off sparks and high voltage current

Both sell the house and move without listening to their kids input or discussing it with them at all

[freewayshark]

27 from that list please??

Thank you for the prompt!

“I’m going to die. I’m going to die with an absolute idiot!”

Eddie rolls his eyes.

“Chim, calm down. We’re not dying. We’re literally just stuck in a room, it’s fine.”

A panic room, to be exact, some dumbass paranoid rich person’s idea of protection. It's a home office, outfitted with steel walls and a steel door, and a nice little far too easily pushed button on the desk. A button Eddie had accidentally triggered when he and Chimney had gone to fetch their patient’s medication.

Chimney groans, letting his head thunk back against the wall he’s leaning against. “So says you. For all we know this room is about to fill with poison gas.”

“Oh I guess I missed the part where the patient was a Bond villain, my bad,” Eddie replies, perching on the edge of the desk.

Chim glares at Eddie. “It’s not funny.”

“Yeah, you’ll notice I’m not actually laughing. What’s actually going on, Chim? I don’t want to be stuck here either obviously, but there’s something going on here that’s making you really upset.”

Chimney sighs. “We don’t have any signal in here,” he says, pulling his phone out to look at it again like that may have changed. Eddie doesn’t have to look at his to know it hasn’t.

He nods. “Yeah, steel walls will do that. The team knows we’re in here though, so-“

“But Maddie doesn’t.”

Everything clicks into place. “She can’t get through to you.”

“When I came back to work after she came home, I told her to call me anytime if she needs anything at all. But we’re in here for god knows how long, and she can’t call.” Chimney’s eyes look wet. “What if she needs me for something while we’re stuck here?”

“Then she’ll call Buck, or Albert. She’s doing better, you’ve told me that yourself, and I’ve seen it. If she needs help and can’t get a hold of you she’ll call someone else.”

Chimney takes a shaky breath. “Yeah. I know. Thanks though.”

Eddie nods and they lapse into silence for a few moments before Chimney clears his throat. “And I’m sorry I called you an idiot. I may have panicked a little bit. I’m not a huge fan of being stuck somewhere.”

Eddie laughs. “It’s ok. Besides, I’m sure any minute now Buck’s gonna come busting through that door to rescue us.”

Chim arches an eyebrow and Eddie hadn’t felt trapped by the steel walls but now he has the distinct sensation of being caught. “I take it back, you are an idiot.”

“That’s rude.”

“And yet, true. What was it you said, Eddie? ‘Tomorrow isn’t promised to anyone.’ I’d think you’d know that a little better than most people.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Uh-huh, sure you don’t.”

Eddie sighs. “He’s family, Chim.”

Chimney nods. “Yep. Except, you know, I see both of you as my family. But something tells me the two of you don’t see each other as that kind of family. You see each other the way I see Maddie.”

Eddie can’t argue that point, at least not his side. But, “Buck doesn’t-“

“See? Idiot.”

Eddie frowns, and now it’s Chimney’s turn to roll his eyes. “Ok, when he inevitably does come busting in here, pay attention to which one of us he won’t be able to take his eyes off. Because it’s not going to be me.”

Eddie crosses his arms, not responding, and Chimney doesn’t press. They fall into an easy quiet, waiting, and they sit there for maybe fifteen more minutes before there’s noise at the door, and then it’s swinging open.

Buck enters, eyes immediately searching, and his face morphs into a brilliant smile when he finds Eddie. His eyes dart away for a second, just long enough to catalogue that yes, Chimney is there and in one piece, and then he’s looking at Eddie again, and Eddie’s stomach swoops.

They file out, Buck chattering away about how he had to badger the homeowner into giving him instructions on disabling the panic room. Eddie glances over at Chim, expecting to see a smug look, but instead Chim only has eyes for his phone, a small, relieved smile on his face.

Eddie looks back at Buck, feeling a similar smile spread across his own features.

Maybe Chimney’s right, and it’s time he takes his own advice.

Send me more prompts from this list!

[tales-unique]

FAITH, LOST VI

The softness got me like 😩 I hope you enjoy it! ♥

@maddi-bug & @chelseareferenced & @actual-trash-goblin

Chapter 6

Heisenberg is gone for longer than usual. It's to be expected, given how swift and intense the explosion was, only this time you're aware of just how much you miss him when he's not there. It’s cathartic, no longer having your feelings hidden in the deepest parts of yourself. Upon reflection, you realize that you enjoy the power struggle between the two of you and that there is no shame in it. Pleasure, you had come to learn, wouldn’t compromise your dignity or pride in yourself, and wasn’t something to be demonized or resented. Weightless from this revelation, your mind drifts to the last words he spoke before leaving you; we aren’t done here . Fire blooms in your stomach, dripping lower until you’re squirming where you sit cross-legged on Heisenberg's bed. Your skin still tingles from where he held you in his rough grasp, white noise erupting all over your body. It’s clear just what the phrase implies , but at the same time you have no exact idea what to expect when he returns and that’s part of what makes this all so thrilling . Though even with all the positive feelings that come with this, you can’t help but still feel conflicted. You find yourself lost in the moment, sent adrift in a vast ocean with no lifeline.

Now, it wasn’t as though you hadn’t had sex before, because you had. It was only once, in the hayloft of the village stables with a young man named Nicolai that you were fond of. He worked in the fields and you often saw him on your way to Church, where he’d smile and wink at you. He’d happened upon you when you’d lingered near the edge of the fields one day after morning Mass, bashfully accepting when he proposed that you go somewhere quieter together. You remember that his kisses were soft, but he was a little pushy, and once he was done that was it. No real connection, no real passion, just motion until you were both done, and even then you weren’t completely sure if you were done. Then a week later he was dead, mauled to death in that very same hayloft by a Lycan, along with a girl from your congregation named Irina. You can only imagine the reason why she was there with him that day. It sat, bitter like poison, within you for some time after their deaths, knowing that this hadn’t been the special thing you had been led to believe; this divine virtue that needed to be protected until you were lawfully wed, where all would finally make sense. Then you met Lord Karl Heisenberg and everything was suddenly turned on its head. Since you had come to the Factor you had been exposed to a more sexually charged and free environment, with Heisenberg's flirtatious teasing a regular occurrence, as well as his sarcasm and moods, culminating in the spark that set all this motion when he had you pinned to the desk in his office. You were given no room to avoid it, no chance to hide behind demureness and virtue, and because of that you were able to grow . You now embraced what this freedom could give you and it was all because of his pushing. At first it didn’t sit well with you, it squirmed and fought, but the disquieting sensation dissipated easily and you were left with an insatiable hunger for all things you had been denied, scandalous or otherwise. Biting your lip, a devious little thought fills your head; you needed to thank him when he came back.

When Heisenberg does come back to you it's already well into the night, and in anticipation of his return he finds that you’re not in your room when he looks, instead, amusingly, you’re actually in his . Sound asleep, you’re curled up on his bed with the sheets clutched in your dainty fingers up to your face. He watches from the doorway the rhythmic rise and fall of your chest as you breathe and the way your long lashes kiss your cheeks. You’ve clearly been busy while he was gone, having ordered the disheveled work desk to semi-neatness so he can at least still find his things. Straightened papers, pens put in the holder, lined his tools up for easy access. It’s something he doesn’t outwardly thank you for, but  has most certainly come to value. You don’t overstep, you merely aid, and it’s in these quiet moments of downtime that he realizes how much he appreciates the little things you do for him. Yes, it began with your faith and devotion to Mother Miranda and her decree for you to serve him, but he isn’t naive enough to believe that’s all there is to it. Not now, anyway. You don’t have to be caring towards him in your servitude, in your own little ways, like becoming annoyed with him when he tells you he hasn’t eaten all day or hasn't drunk enough water while working. Soft, kind-hearted things; things he isn’t used to. Trying to be as quiet as he can, Heisenberg walks over to where you lay, settling on the edge of the bed by your side. You squirm in your sleep as his weight dips the mattress but you don’t wake up, merely curling up tighter with a soft sigh. He watches your sleeping form with pinched brows, the uncomfortable intensity of yearning twisting knots within him. A hesitant hand comes to brush your cheek with his thumb, cupping it gently. Such tender affections were not something the Lord was known for, or used to receiving from others, given the magnitude of sins he had performed at the behest of his hatred for Miranda, her manipulations and betrayals, and his insatiable need to be free of the confinement he was forced into. Ulterior motives were second nature in his world, the lesson that kindness and affection were a means to an end instilled in him from an early age. Yet the compulsion, new and alarming, to give in to your motiveless warmth had wormed its way deep inside, threatening to shatter him from within. Not that he wasn’t trying to fight it, he was . Like a wild mustang refusing to yield to anyone, he twisted and pulled and snapped at the feeling, it’s tendrils repelled as much as he could, but he was slowly weakening to its constant attacks. It just wouldn’t leave him be . The realization was harsh and unforgiving that you are well on your way to becoming someone that would, in time, serve to weaken him, grinding down his walls just as the sea wears away the rocks on its shores until they resemble nothing of their former selves. The thought irks him and in a childish display of spitefulness he pulls his hand back from your face, lips curling into a snarl. His fingers burst with static, punishing him for prematurely cutting the contact, and he tries to smother the sensation by tightening his hand into a fist. It doesn’t help. He can still feel it and he hates that he misses it, like some love-sick pup! It ties his stomach in knots and sets his blood aflame. He’s hyper aware of you laying behind him, overwhelmed when you turn over and your knees press against his back. Lulled by your gentle, slumbering breaths, a calming serenade, Heisenberg’s hand slowly unfurls to rest on his leg. Though he’s still very much on edge. The dizzying free-fall into such conflicting emotions sends him nauseous, reeling from the sudden severity of it. You were just a weak, pathetic human , for fucks sake! You had no right to come barging into his life and start wrecking shit up with your pretty smiles and warm eyes! All those selfless moments he tries so desperately to poke holes in, only to find that they’re as sound as a concrete wall. It has him doubting, however minutely, the thought that everyone was out to get

him and that scared him. Quickly standing, he decides even being in the same room as you is too much. Everything is suddenly stifling, the heat cloying and making his throat burn. He doesn’t even check to see if he’s disturbed you as he exits the room, head throbbing mercilessly. There’s nowhere left in the factory that’s safe from your influence; the rooms smell of you, the hallways echo with your voice, his things marked by your touch — you’re everywhere , encasing him. And he doesn’t help that fact when he finds himself standing in the middle of your room. His keen senses are overwhelmed by the space, your space, but it isn’t so disarming this time. No, now he’s growing to like it against his better judgement. You’ll ruin him and he’s slowly coming around to the idea of letting you do it, too. It makes him sick, that thought, but it doesn’t really matter as he sits down on the couch where you sleep, fingers smoothing over the sheets you’ve neatly folded over it. There’s a twisted sense of irony in how he finds comfort in being surrounded by your things, as little as they are, when trying so desperately trying to get away from you. It doesn’t make sense, but since when did anything in his fucked up life? "Fuck," he moaned, the word drawn-out in his frustration as he laid his head back to stare up at the ceiling.

"Heisenberg?" The Lord tilts his head to look at where you stand in the doorway, your tender question alerting him to your presence. You're a picture of post-slumber beauty; hair dishevelled and fluffed up on one side from where you had been laying, eyes hazy with sleep, your top languidly slipping down one shoulder, creased from your rest. Your brow is pinched as you regard him, gently padding over to where he sits. "Sleeping Beauty finally wakes up, huh?" He chuckles, casually slinging his arm over the back of the couch. “Did you enjoy sleeping in my bed?” He teases with a smirk. “You were gone too long,” you retorted, fixing him with a tired glare, pulling your legs up as you settle down beside him, “and you don’t let me down into the lower levels with you, do you?” “I know, but this was serious,” Heisenberg sighed, his free hand coming to pinch the bridge of his nose, screwing his eyes shut in frustration, “one of the fucking conveyor lines decided to go ka-pow !” He punctuates his statement with a mimic of the explosion, both hands involved before dropping down limply. “It was jammed. I got it under control but the fallout was, well, messy ,” he explained, taking off his glasses and putting them aside on the couch arm, along with his tossed coat and gloves. You frown at the way he drags his hands down his face, sighing deeply. He’s exhausted and there’s nothing you can really do that you haven’t already tried. “At least it’s fixed now, yes?” You ask softly as you turn to sit cross-legged, facing him. You have a look of worry creasing your features and Heisenberg is quick to hide the rising emotion with his usual swagger. “Of course it is, why do you think I’ve been gone so long?” He scoffs, shaking his head. His leg begins to jiggle under the weight of your wary gaze, knowing that he’s not fooling you in the slightest. You’ve seen enough of him, the vulnerability he has, to know an act of bravado when he’s conjuring it. It’s unsettling to know that you have a means of undermining his power over you now, that you can call his bluff with somewhat decent accuracy, and he fully expects you to embrace that power. So when you gingerly move to nestle into his side, back resting against him with your head leaning against his arm where it lays slung across the back of the couch he’s pleasantly surprised. He should know better, you’ve always been soft . Even when you’re being fierce towards him and you blaze like a thousand suns it comes from a place of tenderness and care, something he doesn’t think he’ll ever truly understand about you. “I missed you.” It’s barely a whisper and even his keen hearing is strained to pick it up. There are a million sarcastic and teasing responses that he could choose from to say, and very much would have, if not for the fact that you’re right there , disarming him with a distant, non-threatening kind of affection that has him weak. It’s easier, he assumes, for you to not look at him when you tell him your truth and he’s grateful. Those big doe eyes, filled with gentle fondness, that you have when you’re being this way might just send him into overdrive at this point and he hasn’t yet come up with a game plan on how to deal with it. “Yeah?” It’s a simple response, but there’s a slight break to his voice that betrays the tempest of emotions swirling within. The air is charged with anticipation, a prickling static that is so close to erupting, all because you’ve got him going fucking soft . “Mhm,” you hum, pressing your feet into the cushions to distract yourself. Your face is ablaze with colour, your skin burning. To be so open, so raw , in such an intimate setting as this was completely foreign to you, and it didn’t help that the one you were experiencing it with was Lord Karl Heisenberg . A silence, pregnant with the onset of a coming storm, rolls over you both and you sit, listening to the sound of each other's breathing. Your heart is hammering in your chest, the hummingbird threatening to break free. White noise suddenly erupts across your body when you feel him shift, ever so slightly,

and his arm comes across your front to pull you closer. The movement is awkward, marred by a lack of experience with this kind of action, and you too have to move in order to be comfortable. It takes a moment or two but soon you both find a happy medium.You rest your cheek against his arm, nose lovingly brushing against one of the many raised, white scars that littered his skin. If only he could be so bold in this way. His body stiffens instinctively when you continue with your ministrations, resisting the urge to pull back, to push you away. His scars were a source of contention for him, among many other things, some known to you and some not, given how he had come to have them. But you didn’t seem to mind. That he now knew for sure from the way you lavished them with gentle attention, carefully tracing the lines with your dainty fingers. You even dare to press a gentle kiss to one that curls into his wrist, feeling the way his pulse jumps wildly under your lips. “I didn’t realise you had so many,” you murmur, looking over his arm with interest. He’s never spoken outright about them, but they were hard to miss. There was nary a patch of skin, seen or unseen, that didn’t have one of some kind, or so you presumed. You had no doubts in your mind that he would keep their origins from you and you wouldn’t presume to have leave to ask, but in this moment anything could be possible. Stranger things had already happened, after all. However, when he remains quiet you frown, pressing a lingering kiss to the spot, a silent apology for having been so prying. His pulse jumps again and suddenly you're pulled in closer, tighter. You gasp at the sudden shift, feeling him lean in, nosing your hair, taking in it’s scent. “You’re pretty brave tonight, huh?” He rumbled low into your ear, making you stiffen. He wanted to touch you, only this time it was different from before. It was driven by an unfamiliar desire to give intimacy as he had been given, to gain back the power you had taken. Or so he told himself. You were his, Mother Miranda had said as much when she gave you to him, but now he wanted to be yours , too. “I—” You swallow your nerves, turning so that you could look up at him with wide eyes, “—did I go too far?” It was hard to know when you had crossed a line until you were already well beyond it, incurring his wrath, so you were understandably wary, and it irked him to know that he was the source of your constant insecurity. He really was a shitty person, like you had said before. “Not at all,” he stated, lips quirking in a smile at the way your gaze softened, a bashful smile crossing your face. This thing, whatever it was that you had, was a delicate, fragile little bloom that he was striving to keep, to protect . In his mind he knew there may not ever be another chance for something like this for someone like him and so he was determined not to lose it. Not to his siblings, not to that bitch Miranda, not to anything or anyone . This time the silence is more comfortable for the both of you, his fingers drumming a nonsensical tune on your arm as you rest against him — the last vestige of his anxiousness and nerves. You don’t hold it against him, instead allowing it to lull you into a peaceful doze. Your weight, like an anchor to his wayward ship, is pleasant and he finds that quietness can indeed be peaceful. With you at his side he’s grounded, electrified but contained. It’s surreal, but he’s addicted to the odd sensations your affection gives him. It’s nothing like the sexually charged tension of before but in some ways it’s even better . He doesn’t ever want it to end, you and him, in this still, secret moment, and that worries him to no end.

[daniclaytcn]

dancing in a snow globe 'round and 'round

title: dancing in a snow globe 'round and 'round

Summary: Eddie mock-glares at him. “You’re a coward, starting something when you know I can’t retaliate since you’re holding your niece.”

Buck smirks smugly. “This little one will protect me,” He says and bends down to nuzzle her head, making her burst out into giggles. Eddie has to look away abruptly, something inexplicably warm and fuzzy building in his chest, a feeling of want so strong he thinks his heart might burst.

ao3 link

a/n: look at me, jumping back into the writing game after i don't even know how long. thank you @malikjavaddzayn for reading this as i wrote it and being so sweet!

also tagging: @evaneddie @matan4il

As Eddie lets himself into Buck’s apartment, he is instantly greeted with the high-pitched wails of a crying baby and the sight of his best friend looking minutes away from beginning to cry himself as he bounces his niece in his arms. Eddie bites back a smile, closing the door behind him.

“I thought you said this was an emergency,” He teases. Buck looks up, his expression morphing from one of relief to a glare.

“Make yourself useful and help me,” Buck all but whines. “She won’t stop crying and I don’t know what to do, I tried feeding her and it didn’t work. Her-her diaper doesn’t need to be changed and I-I don’t know, am I hurting her? Why did Maddie let me babysit? I’m terrible at this!”

“Alright, alright,” Eddie quickly goes to Buck and gently takes Baby Joy out of his arms. Buck lets go hesitantly and his eyes become comically wide as Joy begins to quiet down almost instantly when Eddie cradles her in his arms.

“You’re kidding me,” He says, looking betrayed. “How did you do that?”

“You’re stressed out and panicking,” Eddie says patiently. “Which means you’re stressing her out in return. Babies can sense that sort of thing, you know.” A smirk appears on his face. “Unless she just prefers me to you,” He looks down at Joy, cooing at her. “You prefer me to your Uncle Buck, don’t you, honey?”

“I hate you,” Buck grumbles, sinking down into the couch. “I’ll have you know that I’ll always be her favorite.”

“I’m surprised Albert isn’t fighting you for that title.”

“Hah! He can try.”

“Where are Chim and Maddie, anyway?”

“Date night,” Buck replies, reaching out for Joy again, sighing in relief when Eddie gives her back and she doesn’t immediately start crying again, instead just reaching up and fisting her little hand in his shirt. He all but melts, smiling dopily down at her. She really is a little angel when she isn’t screaming loud enough to wake half of Los Angeles.

“It’s their first night out since Joy was born,” He continues, looking up at Eddie now that he’s sure Joy’s not going to throw another tantrum. “I offered to babysit, and, well…”

Eddie looks amused as he sits down next to Buck, stretching his arm over the back of the couch, his thigh pressing into Buck’s. “Just because she happened to have a crying fit while you happened to be babysitting doesn’t mean you’re terrible at this, you know. Babies cry sometimes. It’s been known to happen.”

Buck pouts at him. “Stop making fun of me.”

Eddie tries to keep a straight face and fails miserably. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

Careful not to dislodge Joy, Buck picks up a couch cushion and throws it at Eddie’s face. Eddie mock-glares at him.

“You’re a coward, starting something when you know I can’t retaliate since you’re holding your niece.”

Buck smirks smugly. “This little one will protect me,” He says and bends down to nuzzle her head, making her burst out into giggles. Eddie has to look away abruptly, something inexplicably warm and fuzzy building in his chest, a feeling of want so strong he thinks his heart might burst.

It's been a while since Eddie had come to the long overdue realization that the feelings he had for his best friend might not have been as platonic as he’d thought. It had dawned on him, ironically enough, while he had been dating Ana Flores. As smart and kind and pretty as she was, no amount of time they spent together had ever made him feel as at home and carefree and…safe, even, as coming back home after every single date with her, to see Buck either on his couch playing with Christopher or waiting with a cup of coffee and a soft smile long after Chris was in bed. The moment he’d started realizing that was the moment he started noticing everything else, the way they were constantly in sync in everything they did; be it tiding up Buck’s living room after movie night with Christopher or out in the field, doing their jobs and saving lives. The way he gravitated to Buck, constantly in his orbit, wanting to share any piece of good or exciting news or even random trivia with him, first, and no one else. The way watching Buck with his son sometimes moved him so much, he’d need a moment to compose himself, to hide the feelings he felt must show so plainly on his face, clear for the world to see.

After that, he had to break up with Ana. And he still hasn’t done anything about his feelings, because, well…

Well, Eddie has never claimed to be brave when it comes to matters of the heart. There’s a reason why Buck has teasing called him ‘emotionally constipated’ more than a couple of times.

There’s a knock on the door, bringing Eddie out of his musings. Buck perks up.

“I ordered us some pizza before you got here,” He says and nods to his wallet on the coffee table. “Could you go get it?”

Eddie is relieved to do so, convinced that he won’t be able to conceal the extent of his affections the longer he keeps watching Buck with Baby Joy. As he takes the pizza from the delivery guy, he hears Joy begin to fuss again and doesn’t even need to look over his shoulder to know that Buck is panicking. He can’t help but chuckle.

The delivery guy peers around the doorway and smiles at what Eddie presumes is Buck with Joy. “Newborn, eh?”

“Yeah,” Eddie laughs fondly as he pays him. “She’s got quite the pair of lungs on her.”

The delivery guy shakes his head with an endeared smile. “Looks like you and your husband have your hands full.”

Eddie stills at the innocuous remark and before he can say anything, the delivery guy has bid him goodbye and left. He closes the door slowly, frozen in place.

It’s not an unreasonable assumption, he thinks. Hell, it’s probably one he would make himself. It shouldn’t be that surprising that people look at him and Buck, with a baby between them and automatically think they’re together. He wouldn’t be surprised if the same thing has happened whenever Buck has joined him and Christopher on any of their outings.

No, what is surprising, somehow despite the fact that he knows he has feelings for his best friend, is how desperately he wants it to be true. How much he wants Buck to be with him and Christopher, the three of them a family; how easy it is to envision it and scarily enough, how easy it is to go even further and see them many years along the line, still together, possibly even with another child-

“Eddie?” Buck’s voice sounds in equal parts amused and concerned. “Are you just gonna stand there with the pizza all day?”

Eddie turns to face him. Joy seems to have calmed down, since Buck has placed her back in her crib. Taking a step towards him, Buck must see some of the existential crisis playing out in Eddie’s head right now on his face because he quickly takes the pizza from him and sets it down.

“Hey, man,” All traces of amusement are gone from his face now. “What’s wrong?”

There are a number of things that Eddie wants to say. That he should say. He knows he shouldn’t jump into something without thinking about it properly, especially after the disaster that was him moving too fast and too recklessly with Ana.

And yet.

This isn’t just anyone. This is Buck.

And Eddie isn’t even perfectly sure that Buck even feels the same way, but-

He’s never felt quite so compelled to just go for it, to throw caution to the wind and be brave for once as he does now.

Slowly, Eddie sways into Buck’s space, cupping the back of his neck and pressing his forehead to his. He feels Buck exhale sharply, stiffening for a brief moment, before melting into his hold.

“Eddie,” Buck breathes, his voice breaking on the last syllable.

“Is this okay?” Eddie whispers, not quite sure what it is that he’s asking permission for.

Is it okay for me to touch you? Is it okay for us to cross that line? Is it okay that nothing is ever going to be the same again?

Are you sure you want me, baggage, demons and all?

Buck responds by closing the space between them and kissing him.

It’s soft and gentle and sweet, somehow both hesitant and confident at the same time, so much like Buck himself that Eddie smiles into the kiss, joyful laughter caught in his throat as he pulls him closer. They keep it at that, mindful of the fact that there’s a baby less than five feet away from them, not even kissing after a point but just swaying together, breathing in each other’s air.

“So, this is new,” Buck murmurs what may be twenty seconds or twenty years later.

Eddie hums. “Feels like we’ve been dancing around it for a lot longer than we’ve both realized.”

Buck chuckles. “I wasn’t sure if you felt the same way.” He admits. “And…I guess I was scared, too.”

Eddie pulls away slightly to look at him. “So was I,” He says quietly. “Hell, I still am. But…” He pauses momentarily, trying to find the words. “I think we can be good together. We are good together.”

Buck’s responding smile is like sunshine personified and Eddie can’t help but kiss it, lingering softly, just because he can.

“I guess we’re really doing this then,” Buck says, breathlessly when they part.

As if on cue, Joy begins to fuss again and Eddie laughs at Buck’s groan.

“I think she’s hungry,” Eddie says. “And our pizza is getting cold.”

“But we’ll talk later, right?” Buck asks, rather anxiously. “We need to figure this out-and work-and Christopher-“

The fact that Buck’s already thinking of Chris makes Eddie’s heart swell. “We will,” He assures him, taking his hand in his, smiling when Buck interlinks their fingers. “One thing at a time.”

Joy makes another disgruntled noise and Buck finally nods, his smile returning as he turns to check on her. And Eddie-Eddie cannot be happier.

And maybe, for once, he gets to keep this.

[lemonzestywrites]

sunlight, sunlight, sunlight

paring: buck x eddie

word count: 2,268

tw: panic attacks, implied claustrophobia 

[ao3 link]

_____

Buck has never been a fan of the dark. Especially as a child, the thought alone had brought along too many nightmares and memories of running to Maddie’s room to make her double-check for monsters under his bed. It doesn’t bother him as much anymore, but still, every now and again, on nights where his anxiety is all too present for his liking, the same twinge of uneasiness will find itself scratching away at his brain.

He hasn’t felt it in a while, but that itch has been sitting at the base of his subconscious since he’s clocked in for his shift, and now Buck can’t help but be on edge. He tries his best to ignore it and go on with his day, but the next 12 hours tick by with a foreboding weariness he can’t quite place.

The hospital only makes it worse. The plain white walls, the PA system going off every other minute, the frigid cold that sticks to his skin, he hates all of it. There’s a small voice in the back of his head that wonders if it’s just the result of having been admitted so many times. It doesn’t feel like all too sure of reasoning, but he’d rather not linger on the thought too long. So instead, Buck settles for it and chalks it up to nerves, making a mental note to bring it up during his next session with Dr. Copeland. Until then, he should be fine.

Emphasis on should.

Because apparently, the universe gets a real kick out of watching Buck suffer since it wasn’t enough that the hospital’s power went out- no, the entire fucking city got hit with a widespread blackout. And if that wasn’t worrying enough, Eddie hasn’t been answering his radio, and Buck’s phone isn’t working either. He does his best to stay calm, really he does, but with every passing minute of radio silence, the sick coil of nerves knotted in his stomach only gets tighter and tighter.

After 10 minutes of no response, Bobby had given Buck the go-ahead to go look for Eddie, and that’s all he needed before he’s off, weaving through the halls of the hospital heading to where he’d seen him last. If it weren’t for whatever shred of self-control in him, Buck would probably be sprinting through the building by now.

Eddie’s been back to work for only about a couple weeks now. And he’s doing great (obviously, he wouldn’t have gotten cleared to go back if he wasn’t). Buck is happy for him- happy that his best friend is back. God knows the last couple of months had been rough without Eddie, he had spent the last couple of years carving out and filling a special place in the station especially reserved for him, and then all of a sudden, it had been vacant again.

Buck is excited that he’s working again, really he is. But now the energy between them feels…different, and he knows why- they both do. It’s not like Buck had expected them to come back completely fine either. But even months after the shooting, they still have yet to talk about any of it. A part of him feels like they should, but in the months he stayed over at Eddie’s, helping out however he could during his recovery, Buck could see the toll everything had taken on him, both physically and mentally. Eddie didn’t seem ready to unpack that with him yet, and Buck wasn’t going to push him.

It’s fine. He knows Eddie has been going back to therapy. They’ll talk whenever he’s ready.

Buck does his best to give Eddie his space, let him, you know, do his job, but the past weeks feel like he’s been doing nothing but living on the edge. Every time Eddie’s out of his sight for too long, he can hear a voice screaming at him, ‘Where is he? Is he okay? Find him. Protect him. Find him. You said you’d have his back. Your fault. Your fault. Your fa-’

Then Eddie will turn the corner, and Buck’s lungs will release a breath he hadn’t known he was holding on to. He hopes it’ll take the fear, too, that with every sigh won’t just be a release of pressure but help let go of the irrational worry he has. But it never does. It eats away at him, taunting him with the idea that Eddie might get hurt again, but this time Buck won’t be there to help him.

(God, they really should talk.)

He still doesn’t bring it up. Instead, Buck sets aside his apprehension and tries not to indulge in the panicked voice in his subconscious. He’s been getting better at it.

At least he was.

All it took was 15- no, 16 minutes now- of radio silence for Buck’s heart to start pounding against his chest in rapid succession. For the nervousness to shoot through his veins, thrumming all the way down to the tips of fingers as they twitch with a numbing unease. He treads through the halls keeping his head on a swivel, alert and attentive to trying to find his best friend in the sea of patients and doctors. Eddie’s probably somewhere in the hospital helping out the staff; he is a medic after all. Yet despite any amount of reasoning Buck tries to apply, the sickening feeling in his stomach doesn’t seem to dissipate. It’s been 16 minutes, and he hasn’t had any luck. He’s even circled the floor twice just to be sure, but still, nothing.

He’s considering doing another lap when he hears it- the distant noise of someone banging on metal coming from behind the elevator doors. The sound is so faint, paired with the loud frenzy of the rest of the hospital floor, that Buck almost doesn’t hear it.

He rushes to the doors, pressing his ear flushed against it. He can hear someone yelling, but the voice is too muffled to make out what they’re saying.

“Eddie?” He calls out, no doubt getting a couple odd looks from the passing medical staff, but he pays them no mind. He bangs on the doors a couple times before yelling again louder, “Eddie! It’s Buck- can you hear me?”

There’s a beat of silence before the pounding continues again, this time with much more force in response. Buck doesn’t waste any time before he digs his fingers between the doors, using everything he has to pry them apart. The muscles in his shoulders and arms strain, but the creaking of metal offers enough motive to keep him going. Even if it’s not Eddie, it still means someone’s trapped down there.

(A selfish part of him still hopes, though.)

Once the doors are opened wide enough for him, Buck drops to his stomach to peer down into the elevator currently caught between two floors. Even with the little light he does have, he sees a curled-up shadow crouched in the corner below him, “Eddie?”

The person shifts, “Buck?”

There’s nothing more Buck wants than to revel in the relief he feels when he finally hears Eddie’s voice, but it quickly scatters when he notices the trembling panic coated in his tone.

“It’s me,” Buck reassures with as much steadiness he can force out and just hopes that Eddie doesn’t hear the way his voice shakes out the words. “Are you okay?”

Eddie sucks in a sharp breath. “I don’t know. I-I can’t breathe.”

Buck’s mind starts to spin, panicking on what to do now. The gap in between the doors isn’t that big, so it’s not like he can slip down there with Eddie or pull him out either. He has enough sensibility to grab at his radio to at least let Bobby aware of his status, “Cap, I found Eddie. He’s trapped in an elevator stuck between the 7th and 6th floors.”

A few seconds pass before he hears Bobby’s voice on the other end, “Okay, we’re working on getting the hospital’s backup generator working. Stay with him until we can get it back online, then we’ll head up to you.”

Eddie lets out a strangled noise at his words. The twinge of panic in Buck’s stomach only coils tighter when he realizes how Eddie’s breathing seems to pick up, now coming out in quick hallow shivers.

‘He’s having a panic attack.’ Buck realizes.

It takes less than a couple seconds after for Buck to murmur a hasty “copy that” into his radio before he readjusts his focus back to his friend.

He’s not unfamiliar with panic attacks, his or Eddie’s, most of which being the results of nightmares that seem to linger when dusk settles. During the last few months, Buck has lost count of the nights that either one of them has woke up in a cold sweat, gasping for air, and in the midst of alarm and fear, craving a recognizable magnetism of being held. A silent want to be assured protection and comforted.

It’s sick now. How there’s nothing more Buck desires than to provide that same security now, but the small two-foot gap between the elevator doors draws out to what feels like miles of distance.

Even though he can’t crawl down there with him, Buck finds himself reaching into the elevator shaft as far as he can, “Eddie, can you grab onto my hand for me?” Listen- he knows what he’s doing isn’t entirely safe, sticking his arm into an elevator that hasn’t been secure yet. But the sound of Eddie’s breath coming out in nothing but shaky huffs is more than enough to make him forgo any logic.

From within the enclosure of the elevator, he feels Eddie grasp his hand with an iron grip, the distress trembling at his fingers.

“Hey, I’m here, I’m right here, alright?” Buck presses the conviction through his tone, his best attempt to override his own uncertainty. “Do you think you can try and take some deep breaths?”

Buck can faintly make out the silhouette of Eddie nodding, “Y-Yeah,” he mutters. “Yeah, I can try.”

“We can do them together,” Buck offers. He takes a deep breath himself, and from below him, he hears Eddie take one too. Unconsciously, Buck starts to tighten his hold in tandem with their breathing, squeezing his hand on an inhale, loosening his grasp on the exhale. He hadn’t really realized he’s doing it until after a couple breaths, Eddie starts doing it too. And with each squeeze, his grasp slowly becomes more determined and less shaky. It doesn’t take long for them to eventually sync up for the tremor in Eddie’s hands to fade.

A couple more moments pass, and his breathing begins to steady more.

“How you doing down there, Eds?”

“Can you…”, he clears his throat, an attempt to hide how wrecked he sounds. “Can you talk to me?- About anything, it doesn’t matter.”

Buck rattles his brain for something, anything to talk about before he remembers the nature documentary he had watched several nights prior, “Did you know toucans are born blind?”

He hears Eddie laugh; it comes out breathless and nervous, but it’s a laugh nonetheless, “Really?”

“Yeah, ironically enough, they also aren’t great at flying either. They usually hop from one branch to another to get where they want to go.”

“Tell me more?” He asks, his voice quiet.

Buck smiles and keeps going, rambling about birds for a while. He doesn’t really know for how long, and at some point, he loses his awareness of what he’s saying, more focused on Eddie than anything else. Faintly, he wonders if his arm is getting tired by now.

“You know, Chris has been learning about biomes and ecosystems in school…he’d love to hear all this stuff.”

“You can tell him all about it after work.” He reassures.

Eddie’s hand twitches in his palm. “How much longer?” Buck can hear the dread creeping back into his tone.

“I…”

Not too long. He wants to promise, but the words get caught in his throat. There are a lot of things Buck can do- lying to Eddie isn’t one of them. “I-I don’t know.” He finally admits, the shame dripping down from him. “We’re gonna get you out of here.”

Eddie laughs, yet this time there’s no shred of humor in his voice, “I’m not sure if I can last any longer down here, Buck.” God, he sounds on the verge of tears.

“What can I do?” Fuck, at this point, Buck would do anything. Hell, he’d pull the damn elevator up himself if he had to. Whatever it would take to get Eddie back on safe ground.

“Just-” A pained noise escapes him, “Please don’t leave.”

Buck swears his heart fucking shatters. “Hey.” Even though he can’t see exactly where Eddie is, he does his best to look him in the eye before he squeezes his hand, “I’m not leaving your side, okay?”

The first thing Buck’s fire instructor had said during his training at the academy was never make a promise you can’t keep. Buck knows how important promises are to people, especially in states of emergencies. In the middle of chaos, those two words are all anyone needs to cling to. So that’s why, when Eddie looks at him, with what little light there is provided catching the edges of his watery eyes laced in fear and worry, Buck doesn’t hesitate to grip his hand as tight as he can. To hold on and look at Eddie with all the conviction and certainty he has and tell him,

“I promise.”

[tails89]

Unbreakable

Pairing: Evan Buckley x Eddie Diaz Rating: T Warnings: None Words: 2.7k

Read on AO3

All it takes is one split second.

Buck had been right there beside him, talking into his radio, confirming they were on their way out.

And then he was gone.

The floor had caved in beneath them with a thunderous crack and somehow—Eddie still can’t fathom how— somehow, Buck had managed to shove Eddie to the side before disappearing in a shower of smoke and smouldering wood.

“Buck!” He screams, kneeling on the edge of the hole and peering over. He can see the yellow stripe on the back of Buck’s coat, unmoving beneath the debris. “Captain Nash, this is Eddie.” He fumbles with the radio. “Buck is down. He went through the floor, I can’t— he’s not moving.”

He doesn’t wait for the reply. Eddie scrambles to his feet heading back towards the staircase that will take him to the ground floor.

“Chim is on his way to you.” The radio crackles to life. “Can you get down to Buck and give us a report on his condition?”

“Yeah, copy that.” Eddie takes the stairs, two at a time. “I’ve almost got him.” He skids to a halt, dropping to his knees beside Buck. As far as he can tell, the turnout gear has protected him from serious burns, but the fact that Buck’s unconscious is a serious concern.

It’s probably only been a minute or two, time moves at a strange pace when you’re trying not to panic, but any blow hard enough to knock someone out is dangerous.

“Buck?” Eddie knocks away bits of debris. “Can you hear me? Open your eyes, cariño.” He rubs his closed fist against Buck’s chest, breathing a sigh or relief when it prompts a groan from the younger firefighter. “Hey, there you are. Just stay still for me.” His heart is still pounding as he clears a space around Buck, afraid to move him before Chim arrives but also mindful of the burning building around them.

“Eddie?”

“I’m right here.” He leans into Buck’s field of vision. “I’m going to get you out of here, okay?”

Buck blinks up at him, his eyes fluttering shut for a second before he drags them back open.

“Don’t even think about it,” Eddie warns, glancing up as another figure arrives. “Eyes open Buck, or I’ll tell Chim what you said about him this morning.”

“What’s this?” Chim asks, kneeling opposite Eddie. “Buck’s talking shit about me again?”

“Nothing that wasn’t true,” Buck mumbles.

“If you say so, Buckaroo.” Chim moves quickly, assessing Buck’s ability to move before nodding to Eddie.

“Alright, time to get out of here,” Eddie says. “Let us do all the work okay?”

“You’re good at that, right Buck?” Chim pipes up, earning a pained smile from their patient. They each hook an arm across their shoulders and heft Buck upright. He groans, eyes squeezing shut from the movement.

Eddie and Chimney carry him out into the fresh air, carefully lying him down away from the fire, then get to work.

Hen joins them as they strip him of his jacket and start a more thorough assessment of his injuries. Eddie kneels by his head, keeping up a steady stream of reassuring chatter as Hen and Chim poke and prod and jostle.

Buck doesn’t say anything, just gives short jerking nods when he’s asked a question, eyes scrunched up in pain and discomfort.

Eddie reaches down to grab Buck’s hand; the one Hen hasn’t just inserted an IV into and gives it a squeeze. The fingers in his grip tighten in response.

“Ready to transport, cap,” Hen calls out when she’s done. The three of them get Buck on the backboard and transfer him to the stretcher.

“Bobby?” Eddie glances over at his captain, still clutching Buck’s hand.

“Go,” Bobby tells him. “Keep us updated.”

With a nod, Eddie follows Chimney up into the back of the ambulance.

The ride to the hospital is tense, even with Chimney cracking jokes to lighten the mood.

Buck is in and out, drowsy with a probable concussion and who knows what else. Eddie can feel the panic clawing at his throat, but he manages to keep it together, never once letting go of Buck’s hand until they reach the hospital. He focuses on the point of contact, using the warmth of Buck’s skin to keep grounded and remind himself that Buck will be okay.

It feels like it takes no time at all to reach the hospital. Hen does the handover while Chim and Eddie help transfer Buck from the stretcher to a bed.

“Let us know what happens,” Chim says, giving Eddie a clap on the shoulder, and promising to be back after their shift.

The hospital staff try to send Eddie away too, but Buck has come around enough that he is not having that.

“I’m his partner,” Eddie explains, laying a calming hand on Buck’s shoulder. One of the nurses has cut away his pants to inspect the burns on his leg and another is tearing through his shirt. “Please, I won’t get in the way.”

Buck is pretty out of it once they give him some pain relief. He gets wheeled away for imaging tests and Eddie takes the opportunity duck outside to text Bobby an update and call Carla to ask if she can take Chris to stay with his aunt.

Chris, of course, immediately wants to come and stay with Eddie at the hospital.

“It’ll be boring, kiddo,” Eddie tells him. “Just lots of waiting around and Buck will probably be asleep.”

“But what about when he wakes up?” Chris asks. “He shouldn’t wake up alone, dad.” And Eddie just can’t with this kid. He wonders, not for the first time, how he managed to raise someone with such a big heart.

“He won’t be alone,” Eddie promises. “I’ll be here, and maybe tía Pepa can bring you over in the morning. I know Buck will want to see you when he wakes up, but tonight he needs his rest.”

“Okay, dad.”

Eddie doesn’t need to see his son to know how hard he’s pouting at the phone right now.

“Tell Buck I love him.”

“I will. You be good for Pepa. Love you.”

“Love you too, dad.”

Eddie disconnects the call with a sigh then goes to check his messages. There’s a text message from Chimney saying he’d called Maddie.

“Shit.” Eddie quickly scrolls to her number. He’d completely forgotten in all the chaos—Maddie should have been the first person he’d called.

“Eddie?”

“Maddie, I’m so sorry—”

“Don’t worry about it, Chim called me and let me know what happened. How is my little brother?”

“He’s going to be okay.” Eddie rattles off some of the words that had been thrown around in the emergency room. “Concussion, second degree burns on his legs, maybe cracked ribs?” He takes a deep breath. “They’re doing some more testing to determine the severity of the concussion, but they didn’t seem overly concerned.”

“That’s good news at least,” Maddie says. “Evan just can’t do things by halves can he?”

Eddie huffs out a soft laugh. “Half-assing it just isn’t in his vocabulary.” The ball of anxiety that’s been sitting in his chest for the better part of an hour finally starts to unwind.

“I’ll be there soon,” Maddie says. “And Chim said he was going to head over. Have you eaten yet? I’ll bring you something.”

“You don’t need to do that,” Eddie assures her.

“I know, but you must be starving. Chim definitely will be.”

“Thanks Maddie.”

“I’ll see you soon, okay?”

“Yeah.” The call ends with a beep and Eddie shoves his phone back into his pocket. He’s still wearing his turnouts, he realises belatedly. His coat is draped over the chair behind him, his helmet balances on a knee.

“Mr Diaz?” One of the nurses beckons him over. “We’re admitting Evan,” she tells him. “If you’d like to come with me, I’ll take you up to his room.”

“He’s okay?” Eddie follows her down the corridor towards the elevator.

“Nothing nasty turned up in the MRI,” she explains. “His helmet protected him from any skull fractures, but he still got his brains rattled about pretty good.”

The elevator doors open with a ding, and they step inside.

“He’s got a couple of cracked ribs and the burns on his legs will need to be monitored to ensure they don’t get infected.”

“How long before he can come home?” Eddie asks.

“His doctor wants to keep him overnight to monitor the concussion, but all going well, he’ll likely be released tomorrow, maybe the day after at the latest.”

When the lift stops, she leads him out to a room on the ward. Eddie pushes the door open to step inside.

“Buck?”

The lights are low, but it’s still easy to make him out on the bed. Eddie drags a chair over, taking a seat at Buck’s side.

“How are you feeling?”

“Like I fell through a floor and had the whole house land on me,” Buck croaks, looking a lot more alert than the last time Eddie had seen him. He’s still pale and drawn, but it’s good to hear his voice.

“Well—”

“Don’t say it,” Buck groans. He swallows, his face paling even more, something Eddie wouldn’t have thought possible. His birthmark stands out in stark relief against his skin.

“What’s wrong?” Eddie asks, reaching for Buck’s hand. He rubs circles into the skin of Buck’s wrist.

“Nausea.”

“I can help with that.” The nurse who’d shown Eddie up to the room is still hovering nearby. “I’ll go have a chat with the doctor and be back in a minute.” She hands Buck an emesis basin before she leaves, just in case.

Alone in the room, Eddie reaches with his free hand to run his fingers through Buck’s hair. He’s careful not to use too much pressure and aggravate anything but Buck seems to appreciate it, sinking down further into his pillow.

“How are you really feeling?” Eddie asks, his thumb trailing across Buck’s temple.

“Like shit,” Buck mumbles. “Nothing… hurts? But I know it’s going to later.” He shuts his eyes, swallowing convulsively to keep from being sick, clutching the basin in his free hand.

Fortunately, the nurse returns before he has to use it. She gives him something and leaves them alone again.

“You should get back to Chris.” Nausea dealt with, Buck is loose-limbed and sleepy, blinking up at Eddie.

“Chris is fine,” Eddie assures him. “He’s spending the night with Pepa. He wants to come by and see you tomorrow if you’re feeling up to it.”

“Mm, I’d like that.” Buck’s eyes drift shut and his breathing evens out into sleep.

Eddie watches him for a moment, still running his fingers through Buck’s hair, until he’s sure he’s truly out. He pulls out his phone to see that Maddie, Chim, Bobby and Hen have all arrived.

He stands, pressing a kiss to Buck’s forehead and goes downstairs to meet his family.

~

Maddie is the one who convinces Eddie to go home.

He’s grimy with sweat and soot from the fire they had been attending and she gives him her best big sister stare and tells him under no uncertain terms that he stinks.

“And I mean that in a loving way,” she says, handing over a box of Chinese takeout.

He sits outside with Chim and Hen to eat, while Maddie and Bobby head upstairs to check on Buck for themselves.

“How’s our boy doing?” Hen asks.

“He’ll be fine,” Eddie says. “He’ll be sore and grumpy when I take him hope, but you know Buck.”

“Yeah, I don’t envy you there,” Chim says. “Buck is the worst patient, so have fun with that.”

After they eat Bobby gives him a ride back to the station to collect his car.

“I’ve called Marcus in to cover your shift tomorrow,” Bobby says as Eddie is climbing out of the car. “If you still need time after your days off, let me know.”

“Thanks Bobby.”

“Don’t mention it, you just take care of Buck for us. And take care of yourself too.” Bobby drives off and Eddie walks to his car before he starts getting too many questions from B shift. Buck is a well-liked member of the 118 and everyone wants to send Eddie off with well-wishes to pass on.

It’s late by the time Eddie finally gets home.

With Chris off at Pepa’s and Buck at the hospital, the house is dark and quiet. Too quiet, in Eddie’s opinion.

He turns the TV just to give himself some background noise while he showers and changes for bed.

It takes a long time to fall asleep.

~

Eddie picks Chris up in the morning on his way back to the hospital.

Chris has a thousand questions about what happened, and will Buck be okay, and when can they bring him home.

It strikes Eddie that he’d said the same thing the night before. He’d asked the nurse when he could bring Buck home.

For all the time they spent together and as much as Buck was a part of the family with Eddie and Chris, he did still technically have his own apartment. Not that he used it that much. Eddie had been able to pack a bag using the clothes Buck had stuffed into a drawer in Eddie’s room. There was a toothbrush on the sink for when Buck stayed the night.

Maybe it was time for Eddie to finally ask Buck to move in.

The thought keeps him distracted the whole way to the hospital. He’s still mulling it over as he helps Chris down from the back seat and leads the way up to Buck’s room.

“He’s asleep, dad.” Chris is disappointed when they open the door and Buck is still fast asleep.

He’s got a bit of colour in his cheeks this morning. He doesn’t look quite so pale against the starched white hospital sheets.

“You sleep a lot too when you’re not feeling well,” Eddie reminds his son, pulling up a second chair and moving Chris’s crutches to a spot where they’re not going to trip anyone up. “Have you got your game with you?”

Nodding, Chris pulls his Switch from his backpack, content to play his game while they wait for Buck to wake.

It doesn’t take long. The thing with hospitals is that they’re never really quiet and Buck jerks awake when something is dropped just outside his room.

“Hey, you.” Eddie leans forward in his chair and waits for Buck to get his bearings. “How are you feeling?”

“Ugh, I feel like shi—” he notices Chris on the other side of the bed, “-t.” He grimaces. “Sorry, brain could thing of anything fast enough.”

“I think we’ll let it slide this time,” Eddie says, grinning.

“Dad says sometimes bad words are okay.” Chris puts away his game and stands, shifting his weight so he can lean against the bed for balance. “I’m glad you’re okay Buck, I missed you last night.”

“I missed you too bud,” Buck says, reaching out to ruffle Chris’s curls. “Just seeing you makes me feel better already.”

Chris beams at the words and Eddie feels his heart swell.

“So,” Buck shifts on the bed, his face tightens as he jars something, probably his ribs, but he doesn’t mention it. “Any idea when I can get out of here?”

“I was talking to a nurse last night who said you’ll probably be released today,” Eddie tells him. “But we’ll have to wait until the doctor gives you the okay.”

“Hospitals are the worst,” Buck groans, his head tipping back against the pillows. “Right Chris?” Chris nods and Buck pats the bed. “Why don’t you show me the game you were playing while we wait.”

~

Buck is discharged late that afternoon.

He makes a fuss about using the wheelchair, but when he tries to stand all the blood drains from his face and he has to sit back down real fast.

“Ready to try the wheelchair now?” Eddie asks him, keeping a gentle hand on Buck’s shoulder in case he tries to faceplant again.

“Yeah.” The word comes out in one long breath. “Sorry, I didn’t think it would hurt that much.”

“When we get home, I’ll make up the couch for you,” Eddie says, “and you’re staying there for the rest of the week.”

“Home?” Buck glances up sharply.

“My home,” Eddie clarifies, then after a moment’s hesitation says, “Our home.”

“I like the sound of that,” Buck says, a slow smile spreading across his face. “Okay Eds, take me home.”