#buck bothered and bewildered

[eddiesriskybusiness]

Watching 704 on my pre season 8B rewatch was fucking hilarious.

First of all, it was my first time watching it again after it originally aired and OH MY GOD i underestimated Buck’s psych ward escapee behaviour 🤣

Second, i noticed that Eddie was referred to and mentioned in the bt scene more than either of the two men present themselves 🤦🏽‍♀️

Third, my headphones somehow spontaneously disconnected the moment Tommy kissed Buck, I CACKLED. I was laughing so hard, my dogs looked at me funny 😭.

Special mention: PLAYING WITH THE BOYS!? WTF KINDA SONG CHOICE WAS THAT

[rosietherivendell]

"Christopher would absolutely have something to say about that. That kid cannot shut up about you." Oh I bet. Tommy rolls up to the Diaz house expecting a chill time with Eddie and gets met with a teenager who brings Buck up in every sentence. That's usually Buck's seat. Buck never forgets to use a coaster. Oh yeah you fly helicopters cool did you know Buck saved someone from a helicopter crash? We already watched this movie with Buck. That's not what we order when Buck is here why aren't there extra crab rangoons? etc etc etc Christopher only told Buck about Tommy agreeing with his Star Wars opinions because his bullshit radar is so fine tuned that the second Tommy patronized him the tiniest bit (as most adults do talking to teenagers it's not Tommy's fault my dude is fighting for his life) he was like my father will hear about this and Buck is so jealous he has no idea Chris is complaining

[meep-meep-richie]

# silly boyfriends

[butraura]

Buck saying, “I’m keeping my options fluid,” instead of the usual phrase, “I’m keeping my options open,” is an INSANE choice of words, ESPECIALLY in an episode that everyone is expecting to be pertinent to his coming out / realization. INSANE DIALOGUE INSANE SCRIPT INSANE ACTING INSANE

[bylerismyeverything]

I’m sorry but Buck actually admitted he was trying to get Eddie’s attention to Maddie and y’all still questioning if he actually misplaced his feelings. Even Tommy knew it (“my attention?”) but bro was just probably lonely and wanted to kiss someone.

[savetheupholstery]

Every time I read something Oliver Stark has said post 7X04 something inside of me heals

[m3r1m4r5u333]

Buck's extremely clever masterplan:

Problem: Eddie is ignoring me!!

Solutions:

Plan a)

Act unbothered.

Let him know it's gayyyy to watch half-naked men (instead of paying attention to you!)

Lure him in with your magnificent muscles.

Follow around like a sad, hopeful puppy.

Woo with athletic proficiency?

In case of failure, switch to

Plan b)

Maim.

NO apologies!!!

Steal his boyfriend.

[erobuck]

Buck and Tommy:

le me: Now kiss

them:

le me:

[homerforsure]

Saw the episode. Ascended to a higher plane. Wrote a small Coda that is as messy as my brain is right now. Bone Apple Tea.

"Heyyyyyy Buck!" Eddie answers the phone with a drawn out salutation that proves Tommy was not lying about him being sent away from the hospital with the good drugs. Or, not lying about the prescription, but about Eddie actually taking them. It wasn't so long ago that Eddie would take enough medicine to avoid being in agony, but never quite enough to actually feel relief. He wouldn't do that for Tommy, however close they are. It's something that Eddie's doing for himself. Buck's stomach was a swarm of butterflies three seconds ago, but that and the floaty happy way Eddie still says his name, has him smiling again in his kitchen.

"Hey Eddie. I, um, I'm sorry to call so late. I just wanted to see how- how you were doing."

"Eh, I'll miss a shift or two. But Doc says I'll be ready to go for playoffs," Eddie answers.

Guilt twists through him, harsh and acidic and Buck says, "Well I'm glad to hear that. They say the team doesn't have a chance without you and your, um, sky dunk." Eddie laughs, giggles really, in reply and Buck says, "I'm sorry, Eddie. I don't know why I did that. I mean- I- I know why. I was jealous of you and- and Tommy-" Buck's heart flips as he says his name and he's afraid the kiss is going to come flying out of his mouth and down the phone line- "But I never wanted you to get hurt like that."

"You wanted me to get hurt different?" Eddie asks, still laughing, but Buck feels stricken.

"No! I- maybe. I don't know what I wanted. I lost my mind for a little bit."

"You were jealous," Eddie repeats.

"Yeah, I was."

A long sigh and Eddie says, "I'm sorry."

"You don't have anything to be sorry for. I was the asshole. I could have- I knocked you out of your shoe."

"Do you have my shoe?" Eddie asks, more focused than he has been the rest of the conversation. Buck can hear him sitting up on the couch.

"Uh, no. No, I gave it to Chim. He's gonna give it to you when he sees you. And probably make about 50 Cinderella jokes."

"Right. He texted me. I remember."

"I'm sure he'll bring it by sooner if you need it. Or he could give it to Tommy." The flush is there again, hot down the back of his neck. Buck doesn't know how he's supposed to do this. Where is he supposed to keep all of this heat and possibility while he waits for Saturday.

"You don't like him."

"Who? Chim? He's growing on me."

"Tommy," Eddie answers in a tone that says duh. "You can't even say his name normal."

Of course Eddie can hear that. Of course he assumes that's the problem after the way Buck has acted since the moment they met the man. He thanks god that he decided to call instead of driving across town and checking on Eddie in person. His cheeks and his ears are burning like fire.

"He can tell, you know. We both can. He said he's going to come talk to you. Gave him your address. Wants to apologize." Eddie must have settled back down on the couch. He sounds sleepier, his sentences getting shorter and more breathy.

"He did. He um. He came by. We talked it out. I told him you guys didn't have anything to apologize for. I was the one who made it weird."

"So weird," Eddie agrees and Buck laughs. "You guys should be friends. He's awesome and you're awesome and we can all hang out together and it would be..."

"Awesome," Buck finishes. He thinks it might be.

"I forgot you don't know that."

"Know what?" Buck asks, when Eddie's mumble doesn't come with any additional clarification. "Eddie?"

"Hmm?"

"Never mind. Hey, you should get up and go to your bed. Sleeping on that couch is not going to help your ankle heal any faster."

"Tommy said that."

"Tommy's right. Come on."

Eddie groans as he sits up, cursing at Buck in what he thinks is under his breath, and asks, "You talked to Tommy?"

"Yeah, he just left."

"And we're okay? You like him now?"

Buck's blood roars through his ears and he wants to throw up and start laughing all at the same time. "Yeah, I think I do."

"Good."

He breathes through the sudden headrush as Eddie grumbles and hops his way off the couch and down the hall. Buck knows where he's finding his handholds by the echo off the walls and he winces when Eddie takes a misstep and swears again. He thinks for a second that he should be there, that he should help Eddie to bed, but Eddie would never let him. Buck wonders if Tommy would let him. He's wondering about so much now and he never did before.

"Hey, Eds?" The question is out before Buck realizes he's asking it, small and vulnerable, and he wants to claw it back and swallow it down before Eddie notices, but he doesn't have a chance.

"Yeah?"

Tommy kissed me. I want him to do it again.

"No, nothing. Just. I'm sorry. I was out of line."

"You were," Eddie answers. "And I forgive you."

Something settles in Buck then. A piece that had still been sitting off kilter and jamming painfully under his ribs. He takes a deep breath, and joy washes fully over him, calming and centering. He doesn't ask the question again though. He thinks he wants to keep this tiny, glowing treasure to himself. At least for a little while.

"Bring me my shoe back and we'll call it even."

Buck laughs, letting the sound ring out through his apartment and he can hear Eddie smiling on the other end of the phone.

[melonnvine]

Fuck imagine realising you like men and coming to terms with it and being happy with it but also having the one guy you fell in love with be your best friend, which is both the best and worst feeling, because who else would it be? You’ve shared almost all aspects of your life with him and he with you, you’ve both almost died for each other, you already knew you loved him (and his son) but now it’s different and you don’t know what to do with it. Does he like men, does he like you that way, how will you knowing this change how you behave around him, how will it change your relationship with each other if you tell him?

Like it’s so beautiful and relieving but it becomes so agonising so fast

[tevanbegins]

There's something so interesting about how Buck outright turns down those Bachelor contestants flirting with him in the beginning of 7x04. His mind was probably fully consumed by thoughts of Tommy and his ✨ fake mouth static ✨ at that point. 😌 He must be so excited about the upcoming Harbor tour and seeing the hot pilot again that he didn't even want to think about anyone else. Not even for a second, not even to casually flirt back with those pretty women. Buck was so gone on Tommy already, the boy might not have known he was on a mission but he was in no mood to let anything or anyone get in the way of it. Very proud of him, ngl! 😂😍 💗💜💙

___

[oneofthedrunksattheoverpass]

friendly reminder: its canon that buck spent an entire episode jealous of eddie spending time with another man and that episode ended with buck so confused by his jealousy that he kissed that other man

[repressedqueen]

Two years after my Buck Begins fanart, I couldn't help but make a Buck Bothered and Bewildered version, now that our sweet boy knows what was missing from his life.

There are no words to express how much i love and appreciate this character, how much he helped me through very rough times, and how deeply touched I was by his first boy kiss.

God bless Buck and Oliver for portraying him so beautifully.

(Instagram post just in case you want to support me.❤️)

[swiftiesbuddie]

yup yup yup yup yup

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[pineapplehazard]

Buddie fans who were already watching when 7x04 came out, what were the emotions? How did y'all feel???

'cause I see the ep and I think I would have defo believed Buck would realize his feelings for Eddie by the end of the episode... Only for him to kiss a random dude he barely interacted with???

How did you survive the roller-coaster? How did you cope? 😭

(you're stronger than me guys 💪)

(i would've stopped living i fear)

[m3r1m4r5u333]

Can we all give a big round of applause though - to Tommy Kinard for actually having EYES and spotting Buck's by this point basically radioactive bisexual energy and doing something about it!

About time!!! Everyone else has just been knitting socks or something, this man used his brain and eyes and freaking acted!!! Thank you for your service Mr. Kinard, about time someone landed on that wreck!!!