#ch: evan buckley

[aaronsinferno]

Need a “Hey handsome” “Hi cutie” exchange between Tommy and Buck in season 8 so bad, man. I need Buck watching Tommy and Maddie bond from a distance and then awkwardly interrupting because he thinks they’re discussing him. They say they weren’t. They were. I need a lot of dry wit/humor from Tommy that most people wouldn’t get but Buck absolutely adores. Buck finds one of Tommy’s hoodies/sweaters left behind in his loft and just claims it. Tommy notices him wearing it once and just smiles to himself. I want Buck wrapping Tommy up in one of the 118’s bizarre hijinks and him just rolling with it. I need them visiting each other’s work places. Buck dropping off containers full of Tommy’s favorite meals. I want Tommy getting into the most mind boggling logic defying completely batsh*t crazy accident known to man and have Buck completely spiral for an entire episode. Only for Tommy to survive and the emotional and psychological trauma binds them together forever because that’s how life works 🫶🏾❤️

[tommysdaddykink]

buck never knew how much he would love being pampered and wooed until tommy came into his life. the first time tommy gave him flowers he forgot how to form words, marveled at them, feeling cherished. he scrambled around his loft looking for something that could hold them. as the days passed and the flowers began to sag and wilt buck would stare at them like a sad puppy. eventually they died and he had to throw them out, and the next day there was tommy with more flowers and a gift and a sweet kiss. maybe buck swooned and started to fall in love.

tommy never knew how much he would love being treated like he was precious, cradled in someone's arms, cuddled in bed, being the little spoon, a treasure. he'd known physical intimacy but not like this, not as the one receiving all of one person's attention, focus and energy. his exes assumed that just because he was bigger, a firefighter, that he always wanted a specific role. buck didn't assume like that, and when he wanted, when he was craving it, buck was always there, able to hold him, pin him, ravish him. the first time buck picked him up and threw him on the bed he saw stars, it would've been embarrassing had buck not kissed him about it, telling tommy he was the cutest thing ever. maybe tommy dragged him back down for another kiss and fell in love just a little bit more.

[quintessenceofdust88]

Life is Changin' Tides, ch. 4 🌊

[Ch. 1]

[Ch. 2]

[Ch. 3]

[Read on AO3]

Sal is exactly where Tommy left him; sitting up on the bed, a pained look on his face as he frantically looks around. "The second he spots Tommy and Vivie, his face is taken over with relief, and Tommy can see how desperately he wishes to get up, but he doesn't. He just grips the sheets, staring at them intensely, his face going from anxious to relieved.

"Vivie!" He exclaims, and Tommy's daughter raises her head so fast that he worries she’ll have whiplash."

-

Everyone reunites. There's a lot of apologizing. There's a little bit of oversharing (it's the painkiller's fault).

When Tommy wished for a guardian angel watching over Genevieve, he didn’t think the universe would take him so literally. Because this man, this Evan? With earnest big blue eyes, blond curls, a pink birthmark that looks almost like a heart against his eyebrow? Yeah, that’s an angel he’s looking at.

He doesn’t have much of a chance to look at him, though, because as soon as Tommy thanks him, the man promptly passes out in front of them.

“Buck!” Captain Nash exclaims in surprise, and extends his arms to support him. His eyes are furrowed in concern, and both Hen and Howie are also fussing over Evan. Tommy has never seen this man before, but it’s clear they all know and care about him.

Thankfully there’s an empty bed close, and Nash lays Evan in it with surprising gentleness, in a way that vaguely reminds Tommy of when he puts Vivie to bed. And speaking of which.

Tommy finally manages to stop hugging Genevieve for long enough that he can take a good look at her. Her beautiful yellow dress, a present from his Nonna, is filthy, covered in grime and dirt (thankfully no blood); her hair is matted and frizzy, escaping out of the pigtails Tommy’s done for her this morning, and she looks pale and exhausted. She’s still the most beautiful sight Tommy has ever laid his eyes upon, and he can’t get enough of looking at her.

“Vivie, oh my God, I was so worried!” He admits, placing a thousand kisses to her wet hair, her sweaty forehead, her flushed cheeks. “Are you okay, baby? Does anything hurt?” Tommy asks gently, checking her face and arms for bruises or cuts, but thankfully, probably thanks to this Evan angel, his baby girl looks perfectly unharmed.

“I’m fine, Daddy! But what happened to Mr. Evan?! Is he gonna be okay?!” She asks agitatedly, her arms firmly wrapped around Tommy’s neck. Her blue eyes are looking scaredly at Evan’s unconscious form, and Tommy rubs her back soothingly. Her grip around his neck tightens, seeking comfort that Tommy is more than happy to provide.

Howie, who looks a thousand times less worried once Hen hooks Evan up to a saline IV and it looks like he’ll be alright, rushes to them when he hears Vivie’s question. He smiles sweetly at her, and she smiles a little back at him.

“Hey, kiddo, don’t you worry about Buck, okay?” He tells her. “If I tell you a secret, do you promise not to tell him? Cause I don’t want his head getting too big.”

That gets a small giggle out of her, and Tommy would hug Howard if he didn’t have an armful of Genevieve. She nods eagerly, and looks curiously at the other man. Frankly, so does Tommy.

“Well, that guy?” He says, pointing at Evan, who still hasn’t woken up, but he’s lying peacefully now, his cheeks starting to get some flush in them. (God, he’s handsome, a treacherous part of Tommy’s brain says, and he promptly tells it to shut up). “Toughest guy I know. He survived a lot of crazy stuff, and he’ll be just fine, I promise.”

“For real?” She asks, and Howie nods as if he’s complete sure of himself.

“Totally for real.” He says, and winks at her. “He’s a survivor, just like your dad Tommy here.”

Tommy feels his cheeks flush, and he smiles gratefully at Howard. Vivie looks between them, curiosity clear in her face.

“You know my Daddy?! How?!” She asks in wonder, and Howie and Tommy smile at each other, but Howie points his hand at him, giving Tommy the chance to explain it to his kid.

“Actually, Vivie, mr. Howard here saved Daddy’s life once, can you believe it? Way before you were born.” He explains, and Vivie gasps.

“So mr. Howard is a hero too?!” She asks, notably impressed, and Howie shrugs, rubbing the back of his neck.

He’s saved from having to answer, though, because there is a man coming towards them with a boy, a bit older than Vivie, secure in his arms. The boy is looking at Evan, with eyes full of worry, and so is the man. With a jolt, Tommy recognizes him as the paramedic that was taking care of Sal earlier.

“Chim!”, the medic exclaims, his eyebrows furrowed in concern. He looks at Evan, who’s fidgeting slightly, but still has his eyes closed, and then back at Howie. “Is Buck alright?!”

“Will Buck be okay?!” The boy asks at the same time, his voice breaking as he sniffles.

His red hoodie is as dirty as Vivie’s clothes, and Tommy realizes he was probably caught in the tsunami too. He wonders briefly if the kid is Evan’s son, but then realizes he probably wouldn’t call him by a nickname if that was the case.

“Hey, Christopher, Buck will be fine, I promise.” Bobby is the one to answer, putting a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “He’s just a little tired right now. But you can sit by his side until he wakes up, what do you think?”

“Can I, dad?” Christopher asks, and the medic that’s holding him nods, then puts him down by Evan’s bed. He takes Evan’s hand in his, gently squeezing it. Hen gently takes the pair of glasses that are hanging from Buck’s neck and places them on the boy’s face, and he smiles at her.

The familiarity between them makes Tommy realize that his father, the medic that took care of Sal, is with the 118, and the coincidence leaves him speechless. What brings him back to reality is the small tug on his shirt, and as he looks at Vivie, he realizes she’s asking him to put her down. Tommy does, and she goes straight to Christopher with a small smile.

“You’re Christopher, right?” She asks, and the boy nods at her, a frown on his face. “Mr. Evan was worried that you’d be mad at him because he lost you. But you’re not, right?”

“No!” Christopher exclaims, as if the mere idea of being mad at Evan is absurd. “He was trying to help people, it wasn’t his fault!”

“I told him that!” Vivie exclaims triumphantly. “I said he was a hero, and that you wouldn’t be mad.”

“How do you know Buck?” Christopher asks her curiously.

“He saved me! When I got lost from…” She trails off, and her little blue eyes widen as if she’s just remembered something important. Vivie turns back to Tommy, and he sees in alarm that she’s on the verge of tears. “Daddy!”

“What, pixie? What’s the matter?” Tommy asks hurriedly, picking her up again and holding her close, but it’s no good, she’s still agitated, clutching his shirt in her tiny hand.

“Uncle Sal got hurt! We need to find him! I was s-so happy to see you that I forgot, but we need to find him! Mr. Evan was going to help me, but now he can’t, and I don’t want uncle Sal to get more hurt!” She sobs against his shoulder, and Tommy shushes her, rubbing circles on her back and bouncing her slightly.

“Baby, it’s alright, shh.” He whispers to her, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. “I found uncle Sal.”

She looks up at him, her sobs subsiding and her eyes widened in surprise.

“You did?!”

“Well, not me, but someone did and brought him here. But I’ve seen him, and he’s okay, I promise.” Tommy reassures her, and Vivie sobs once more, but it’s filled with relief this time.

“Daddy, do you promise? Can I see him?!” She asks, and Tommy nods right away.

“Of course you can, pixie. He’ll be so happy to see you.” He promises, and then turns to Howard, who’s been watching them with a fond smile. Tommy shifts Vivie so he can hold her with one arm and extends his hand for him. “Howie. Thank you so much. To all of you. I wouldn’t have found her if I hadn’t run into you” He says, looking at Captain Nash, Hen and the medic whose name he still doesn’t know.

“We’re just glad everything turned out okay, Tommy.” Captain Nash says warmly, and Tommy smiles at him.

Then, he looks at Evan’s still unconscious form on the bed, and back at the captain. He desperately wants to thank the man properly, but he knows Vivie won’t be settled until she sees Sal, and he knows his best friend is probably beside himself, wondering what’s happening to Tommy and her. Nash, however, seems to understand Tommy’s struggle, and nods at Tommy.

“Go. We’ll wait.” He reassures him, and Tommy nods gratefully at him.

“We’ll be back.” Tommy promises, and then he is gone, heading towards his best friend, his daughter safely in his arms thanks to the angel he’s leaving behind.

--

Buck doesn’t wake up all at once. Consciousness comes in small waves; at first he’s only aware of the sounds around him, the low murmur of familiar voices that allow him to come back slowly and steadily. Then, he becomes aware of the throbbing pain on his leg, which is stretched out. That’s how he realizes he’s lying down on scratchy sheets that feel very hospital-like (and yes, he wishes he wasn’t that familiar with what hospital sheets feel like). But as the events of the day come back to his memory, a sense of urgency forces him to full conscience, and his eyes open with a rush.

“Christopher! Genevieve!” Buck exclaims, and only when he tries to sit up on the bed does he feel the tug of a small warm hand against his.

“About time you woke up” Christopher says, and Buck looks at him with tear-filled eyes.

The young boy has his glasses back, and that signature smile that never fails to make Buck happy as well. He can’t understand why he’s still on the receiving end of it after everything that happened, though, or why Eddie is allowing Chris to be near him in the first place.

“Chris,” Buck says, sitting up on the bed, and taking Chris’ other hand in his. Because if this is the last time he’ll be allowed to be around him, he’s going to make it count. “Listen, buddy. I am so so sorry. I should have kept you safe, and I didn’t, and I…”

“Yeah, you did.” Chris argues, looking earnestly in Buck’s eyes, and he feels absolutely vulnerable under his gaze. “You kept me safe from the first wave, and you had me safe in the truck.”

“Yeah! But then I lost you!” He says, worried that Christopher is not understanding how bad Buck screwed up.

“Well, yeah, but you looked for me. A lot. Vivie told me. And she told me you thought I’d be mad, but I’m not. You’re still my favorite grown-up, Buck.”

Chris’ words and the way he’s looking back at Buck, like he’s still a hero, like Buck didn’t fail him, are too much. Buck blinks, trying to keep the tears at bay, but he can’t; the day has been too rough. Chris, however, seems to sense Buck’s emotions are getting the best of him; he wraps his small arms around Buck’s waist, resting his head against Buck’s chest. Buck hugs him back, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of his curls.

“Thank you, bud. I’m so glad you’re safe.” He whispers, and Chris just hums at him.

“‘Favorite grown-up’, huh? I’m kinda jealous, gotta admit.”

When Buck hears Eddie’s voice, he lets go of Chris and looks up at his best friend, bracing himself for the anger in his eyes. But Eddie is smiling playfully at them, his posture relaxed. As Buck looks around, he faintly notices Hen and Bobby hovering near him, but he can’t talk to them before he apologizes to Eddie; that has to be his priority.

“Eddie! I am so sorry, man, I can’t even begin to…”

“Then don’t.” Eddie says softly, placing a hand on Buck’s shoulder and squeezing it. “Don’t even begin, because you have nothing to apologize for. He’s here, and he’s safe, and that’s all that matters, alright?”

Buck can’t take Eddie’s forgiveness yet, not entirely anyway. There’s still too much guilt pooling on his chest, so he decides to focus on something else.

“And Genevieve? Where is she?” He asks, looking around and not seeing either Genevieve or her father. He tries not to be disappointed by the fact they’re gone; he’d have liked to say goodbye.

“Tommy took her to see her uncle Sal, but they’ll be back.” Bobby tells him, and Buck looks at him in surprise at the amount of information in that short sentence.

“You know her dad’s name?!” It’s the first thing he registers, and then the rest of Bobby’s sentence sinks in. “Wait, you found her uncle?! Is he okay? Is he alive?!”

“Calm down before you pass out again, please.” Bobby asks calmly, and then he sits at Buck’s side, his eyes alternating between Buck and the IV still hooked up to his arm. The captain looks weary and relieved at the same time. “As it turns out, the little girl you were helping is the daughter of a former 118 guy, Tommy Kinard. He’s a pilot at Harbor station now. And Sal, her uncle, is his best friend. He used to work with us too, a long time ago. He’s hurt his head pretty bad, but he’s alright”

“Oh thank God. She was so worried.” Buck says, relaxing back against the pillow. Eddie has taken Chris and they are sitting on a stool next to his bed, cuddling together in silence. That fills Buck with relief, and he sighs, closing his eyes for a bit.

He’s still exhausted, and the dull throbbing in his leg is intensifying into stabs of sharp pain. Buck forced his body to the limit, and now he’s paying the price, but he can’t regret it. Not when Chris and Vivie are reunited with their dads.

Before he can voice his discomfort, though, he sees Chimney jogging towards them. He smiles when he sees Buck is awake, and promptly shoves a water bottle and a cereal bar into his hands.

“Welcome to the land of the living, Buckaroo.” He says, patting his shoulder gently. “Eat something, or Maddie will kill us both.”

“Thanks, Chim” He says hoarsely, sitting up on the bed..

Buck eagerly opens the bottle first, taking a big sip and sighing as it eases the pain on his sore throat. As he takes a small bite of the cereal bar, easing his hunger and thirst, his leg decides it’s done waiting for attention. The pain intensifies, and Buck can’t help but flinch a movement that is quickly caught by Hen’s sharp gaze.

“Alright, Buckaroo, finish your snack so we can get some painkillers into your system.” She asks, and Buck, who’d usually stubbornly reject the idea of using painkillers, especially the strong ones that help his leg, just nods meekly; he’s in too much pain. “And then I think you should take it very easy the next few days. It wasn’t your fault, but you pushed yourself way too hard today.”

“Hen’s right, kid.” Bobby adds gently. “Once the painkillers kick in, we’ll take you home, and then you can get some rest, ok?”

Getting some rest sounds wonderful in Buck’s opinion, and he nods at them both, his mouth too occupied with chewing. He hadn’t realized how hungry he was until now.

“Not so fast, Cap.” Chim quips, and inexplicably smirks at Buck. “He can’t go anywhere before Tommy and Vivie come back and he gets to play the hero.”

Buck blushes at that, but he can’t help a small smile from coming to his lips at knowing Genevieve and her father are coming back. And, with a small leap in his heart, he thinks that his giddiness isn’t entirely about Vivie.

But he’s wise enough to keep that thought to himself.

--

Tommy crosses the field hospital with quick strides, Vivie's small frame a comforting weight in his arms. As they walk around, he notices that things are calming down; there are fewer people around, the doctors and nurses don't seem to be rushing so much, and the overall chaos is more controlled.

Things are settling down, as they usually do after a big tragedy, and Tommy privately thinks they’ll only see how bad it was on the next day. He sends a silent thought for all the people who didn’t have the luck he did, of finding the loved ones they lost to the waves.

Sal is exactly where Tommy left him; sitting up on the bed, a pained look on his face as he frantically looks around. The second he spots Tommy and Vivie, his face is taken over with relief, and Tommy can see how desperately he wishes to get up, but he doesn't. He just grips the sheets, staring at them intensely, his face going from anxious to relieved.

"Vivie!" He exclaims, and Tommy's daughter raises her head so fast that he worries she’ll have whiplash.

The minute she sees Sal, she gasps loudly, and her little hand curls up in Tommy’s shirt, gripping it tightly. Vivie’s staring at Sal as if he isn’t real, as if she’s trying to convince herself that he is.

"UNCLE SAL!" Genevieve's exclamation can be heard through the whole hospital, and she tugs insistently at Tommy's shirt. "Daddy, daddy, put me down, please!", she begs, and Tommy is more than happy to abide.

The second her feet hit the floor, she's rushing to Sal's bed, climbing up on it as fast as her little legs allow. Sal wraps his arms around her, pulling Genevieve to his lap and holding her close. Her arms wrap around his neck, and they hug each other tightly. Tommy can see the tension leaving Sal’s shoulders as he wraps his daughter in his strong arms, and his own heartbeat seems to finally settle as he sees them together.

“Vivie, oh my God! I was so worried, kiddo, so worried!” Sal says, his voice thick with emotion like Tommy’s never seen before.

“Me too, uncle Sal!” Vivie says, and then she looks at him, her eyes filled with tears. “Cause you got really hurt, and then I didn’t see you anymore, and I was so afraid!”

It’s clear that all the events of the day are finally catching up to Genevieve, and she lets out a broken sob, her whole body shaking with it. Tommy’s first instinct is to jump in and get her in his arms so he can comfort her, but he holds back. That’s not what Vivie needs; she needs reassurance from the uncle she almost lost, not from him. And he trusts Sal to do it.

“Hey, hey, shh” Sal soothes her gently. “I’m here, you don’t have to be afraid, kiddo.”

He picks Vivie up, sitting her on his lap, pressing her head against his chest. She clutches his filthy Ramones T-shirt in her tiny fist, and Sal runs one massive hand in her hair, messing it up even further. They’ll wash and braid it again when he puts her to bed, which will happen about a thousand hours later than it should, but he couldn’t care less.

“It was scary…” She admits, her voice a tiny whisper, and Tommy’s heart breaks for her.

Genevieve has always been his brave little girl; the only fear she’s ever had was the dark. Tommy has been able to protect her from that, putting a night light in her bedroom, letting her sleep with him when it gets too bad. But will he be able to protect her from this? From the fear of water, fear of the sea, from the nightmares that she’ll get from this? He doesn’t know, and the thought scares him.

“I know, kiddo.” Sal tells her, bringing Tommy back to the present. “It was scary to me too.”

“I r-really thought I wouldn’t see you anymore, uncle Sal.” She tells him, and Sal exchanges a helpless look with Tommy.

Neither of them wanted her to learn what losing someone feels like, and Tommy would have given anything for his daughter not to have this experience. But it’s happened, and now all they can do is reassure her that everything turned out okay in the end.

Sal takes a deep sigh, and then presses a long kiss to Vivie’s forehead. Tommy can see his eyes are filled with tears, but he does his best to swallow them and smile at the little girl on his lap. “What, and leave all the fun of watching you grow up to your boring dad? No way, kiddo.”

Genevieve lets out a watery giggle at that, looking from Sal to Tommy. “Daddy, uncle Sal said you’re boring!” She gasps, and Tommy smiles wryly, coming closer to them.

“I heard it, baby. Maybe we should let Uncle Sal go home on foot, then? He won’t want a ride with someone this boring after all.”

“Nah, I’ll take it the ride. Even if you’re boring, Vivie is cool.” Sal teases, Sal teases, which makes Vivie giggle in delight and Tommy smack his shoulder (a lot more lightly than he normally would). Then, his expression turns serious, and he looks earnestly at his best friend.

“Tommy. I am sorry, man. I am so sorry.” He says, and Tommy can see he’s about to cry again. Without a word, he wraps his arms firmly around Sal, Vivie caught between them, and hugs his best friend tightly.

“I know. You don’t have to be. What matters to me is that you’re both okay.” Tommy says, and he means every word. Sal pats his back and nods at him when Tommy finishes the hug.

He sits by the edge of Sal’s bed, and Vivie scrambles from Sal’s lap to his, cuddling up against his chest. Her body is heavy against his, exhaustion catching up to her. He holds her close, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

“How are you feeling, man?” Tommy asks, and Sal smirks at him.

“Like I’ve been hit in the head by debris.” He quips, and Tommy glares at him until he shrugs. “Look, I think I’ll be worse in the morning. They gave me good stuff for the pain, so I won’t feel it for real until tomorrow.”

“Yeah, well, it’d make me a hell lot more comfortable if you spent the night with us. I don’t want you going home alone.” Tommy says, and Sal rolls his eyes, poking Vivie’s arm.

“Your dad is such a mother hen, isn’t he?” He teases, and the little girl giggles. Tommy loves that sound more than anything in the world. “But okay, I think a sleepover sounds fun.”

“Sleepover!” Vivie celebrates, making Tommy and Sal chuckle. Then Sal frowns, as if he remembered something, and a sad expression takes over his face.

“Aw, kiddo, and I still owe you a unicorn, don’t I? Can’t believe we went through all that trouble and you didn’t get him in the end.”

Vivie gasps at that, kneeling on the bed and covering her mouth with her tiny hands. She looks from Tommy to Sal and then to the floor, her eyes widening.

“No, uncle Sal, but I did get him! I protected Marsh, but I forgot him with Mr. Evan! Daddy, we have to go back to your firefighter friends and get him back!”

“We will, baby. Daddy wants to thank mr. Evan anyway.” Tommy reassures her, and Sal frowns at him.

“Mr. Evan? ‘Firefighter friends’? The hell she is talking about, Tommy?” He asks, and Tommy refrains himself from scolding him for saying ‘hell’ in front of Vivie, because she doesn’t seem to pay much attention.

Tommy smirks, already anticipating Sal’s reaction to knowing it was Nash’s team that got Tommy to Vivie. “So, you’re never gonna believe this…”

--

After telling the whole story to Sal and telling him to stay put until Tommy comes for him (‘What, you think I wanna get up and go give Nash a hug and a cupcake? I’m better off here, thanks’), Tommy takes Vivie back to where the 118 was gathered around Evan’s bed.

Sal, who’s much better at keeping up with LAFD gossip than Tommy, has already informed him that Evan is the firefighter who got caught under the ladder truck a few months ago, and that only makes Tommy admire the man even more. He can only imagine how painful it must have been, walking around with a kid all day with his leg still recovering from such a trauma.

When they get there, they’re greeted by the sound of laughter, and the bed is surrounded by Nash, Howie and Hen. The medic - Eddie, according to Sal - is sitting on a stool, with his kid asleep against his chest. They’re all looking at Evan with exasperated fondness and soft smiles.

Evan himself is leaning against the pillow, his leg stretched out in front of him. His cheeks are flushed, and he doesn’t look as exhausted anymore, but his blue eyes are hazy and his smile is a little loopy. Even so, Tommy can’t help but notice he is absolutely gorgeous, and that his earlier comparison to an angel was not too out there; Evan has positively cherubic features, and the fact that he has his arms wrapped around an unicorn plushie only adds to his charm.

“Marsh!” Vivie exclaims the minute she spots the plushie, and everyone turns to them.

Tommy smiles at them in greeting as Vivie tugs on his T-shirt to let her down. Tommy does, and she rushes to Evan’s bed, stopping herself before climbing in it and looking at him shyly. Evan, however, smiles at her, bright and welcoming, and Tommy’s heart skips a treacherous beat. Get a grip, Kinard, you can’t lose it just because he is kind to your kid. He’s probably straight anyway, he tells himself firmly, but his eyes are still taking in the charming scene unfolding in front of him.

“C’mere, Vivie.” Evan says, and it’s the first time Tommy’s hearing his voice. It’s warm, and cheery, even though his speech is a little slurred, probably from everything that happened.

He pats the mattress next to him, and Genevieve doesn’t need to be told twice. She climbs up on the bed, and Evan offers the unicorn to her. “Your friend was missing you, you know?”, he tells her with a lovely smile.

“You kept him safe for me, Mr. Evan! Thank you!” She says in wonder, hugging the plushie close to her chest. Then, she looks at Evan, and puts the plushie aside, kneeling on the bed and wrapping her arms around his neck, pressing her cheek against his flushed one. “And thank you for keeping me safe. You made things not so scary, and you helped me find Uncle Sal.”

It’s clear the heartfelt thanks from the five-year-old takes Evan off-guard, and he’s slow on his reaction. Still, he wraps his arms around her, closing his eyes in delight, gently stroking her hair.

“You’re quite welcome, baby. Having you with me made things not so scary too, so thank you. For helping me to get here.”

The others are all watching the scene with a mix of fondness and amusement. Tommy himself could forever stand there and watch this ridiculously adorable man interact with his kid, but he can’t; he has his own thanks to give. He approaches the bed slowly, and both Vivie and Evan look up at him. His daughter promptly holds the unicorn up so Tommy can see it. It’s wet, and filthy, but he guesses it’s still sort of cute.

“Look, Daddy, this is Marsh! Uncle Sal got him for me!” She tells him excitedly, and Tommy chuckles, bending down to kiss her forehead.

“Marsh looks like a great addition to your plushie friends, baby. He’ll probably look even better after we give him a bath.” He muses, and Vivie giggles, going back to stroke the plushie’s fur gently.

What surprises Tommy, though, and apparently everyone else, is that Evan giggles right along. Tommy refuses to acknowledge how adorable it is to see this 6-foot-2 man giggling along with his five-year-old.

“Isn’t that funny, though? A unicorn taking a bath? It should be a glitter bath at least.” He says, and then laughs at his own joke. His friends are looking at him in amusement, and Hen crosses her arms, smirking.

“I guess the painkillers are kicking in, huh, Buckaroo?” She says fondly, and Evan tries to handwave her, but the gesture is a tad bit clumsy.

“M’fine!” He exclaims, and then he runs a hand on Vivie’s plushie, looking at it in wonder. “Oh my God, he is so soft! Eddie, have you ever seen a softer plushie?”

Eddie snickers, and so does Chimney. Bobby is staring at Evan with a mixture of exasperation and fondness. And Tommy? Tommy is trying very hard not to melt from the sheer cuteness.

“Tommy, if you have anything to say to him, I think you should say it now, before we completely lose him.” Chim recommends with a chuckle, and Tommy startles. He does have something to say.

He turns to Evan, and the man has a loopy smile on his face, looking at Tommy with hazy eyes filled with something that he can’t quite define, but it makes Tommy blush furiously. He fidgets with the hem of his shirt, and forces himself to look the man in the eye.

“Mr. Evan”, he starts, and the man frowns, as if something isn’t quite right about that greeting.

“No mister. You can call me...” He trails off, as if he’s looking for the right word, and then he smiles at Tommy as if he’s had the brightest idea ever. “Evan! Yeah! You can totally call me Evan.”

“Evan, then. I’m Tommy. Tommy Kinard.” He says, offering a hand, and Evan shakes it.

His hand is warm against Tommy’s, even if his handshake is a little wobbly. The moment they touch, Tommy feels as if a spark of electricity rushes through him, as cliché as that sounds. Evan must feel it too, because he looks up at Tommy with raised eyebrows.

“I know, Bobby said. I’m your re… re… Ah, it’s a big word, but I entered the 118 when you left. Small world, huh?” He says, with a tiny frown between his eyebrows as if he’s trying to make sense of it, and Tommy has an irrational urge to kiss it away. He doesn’t, but it’s a near thing.

“Very.” Tommy agrees, and then he sits down by Evan’s side. Even if he’s not entirely aware of what’s going on, Tommy needs to thank him. “Evan, I will never be able to thank you enough for what you did. Vivie is my life, and you saved her. There are no words to express how grateful I am.”

Evan seems to take a while to process his words, but then he shrugs modestly. He looks down at Vivie and tries for a wink, but it comes off as more of a sleepy blink. Tommy’s daughter giggles anyway, holding Marsh close to her chest.

“Ah, you don’t have to thank me, you know?” He slurs. “I did what everyone would do.”

“No, you didn’t.You did way more. You kept her safe, and you protected her, and you brought her to find her uncle.” Tommy tells him firmly, taking his hand in his and squeezing it. He tries to ignore the goosebumps it brings to his arms. “I owe you a debt that can never be repaid. But if there is anything I can do for you, ever, you just have to say the word.”

Evan nods, but stays silent. His hand is still wrapped around Tommy’s, and he looks down at them for a moment. Then he looks back at Tommy, his blue eyes determined.

“I mean, you could ask me out!” He exclaims, and everyone turns at him, eyes widened, including Tommy. He’s so surprised he doesn’t remember to separate their hands.

“I… I could… W-what?” Tommy asks, sputtering and feeling a blush covering his cheeks and all the way down to his neck (nice going, you idiot). It doesn’t help that half his former team is watching it with smirks on their faces.

“You could ask me out!” Evan repeats it, his brows furrowing as if he can’t quite understand what’s giving Tommy pause. “You’re ridiculously gorgeous, you know that? I’d say yes if you asked me out.”

Tommy is left completely speechless and wishing that the floor would swallow him whole. Captain Nash is looking at Evan with that same fatherly exasperation of before, and Eddie and Howie are shaking with silent laughter. Not even Vivie helps; the minute Evan says he’s gorgeous, her daughter starts giggling uncontrollably, looking between them with way too much amusement. Hen is the only one who seems to take pity on the two of them, because she puts a hand on Buck’s shoulder.

“Alright, Buckaroo, that’s enough out of you! Why don’t you try and get some sleep?”

“Can’t sleep, Hen, I’m going out with the hot pilot. Weren’t you paying attention?” He grumbles, but as Hen helps him lay back, he closes his eyes, resting back against the pillow with a soft sigh.

Tommy is flustered, and shocked, and impossibly endeared. He wants to ask Evan out, he wants to do it now, but he won’t hold a man accountable for things he said under heavy painkillers.

“Daddy, are you going out with mr. Evan?” Vivie asks, and Tommy, if possible, blushes even more. He takes one more look at Evan’s face, eyes closed and a small smile still playing on his lips, and he desperately wishes to tell her that yes, he will.

“I… No, baby. Mr. Evan didn’t really mean it, he’s just sleepy. It’s like when you say silly things in your sleep, remember?” He tells her, and she nods, but looks absolutely disappointed. “Besides, we have to pick up uncle Sal and go home, don’t we? It’s way past your bedtime. Say goodbye to everyone and let’s go.”

She does as she’s told, sparing a hug for everyone and making Eddie promise she and Chris will have a playdate soon (Tommy actually likes the idea; Vivie has plenty of friends, but she could always do with more). He agrees to set it up and says his own goodbyes, shaking everyone’s hands. When it comes to Chimney’s turn, though, he smirks at Tommy and slips a paper into his pocket.

“Here’s Buck’s number and address. You know, just in case you wanna check if he meant it or was just being silly.” He says with a knowing smirk, and Tommy looks at him in surprise. Howie shrugs, and then goes back to talking to Hen.

And Tommy should throw the paper away, he really should. Evan is probably straight; Tommy has a daughter and hasn’t really dated in years. Everything tells him this is not a good idea.

He folds it carefully in his pocket anyway.

Tag list:

@bidisasterevankinard @unhingedangstaddict @silversky9 @music-is-the-voice-of-the-soul @asmugfirefighter

@typicalopposite @littlepaws9 @aplaceinme @rubydaiquiri @racerchix21

@dearqueend @laundryandtaxesworld @buckleyskinards @actuallyitsellie

@agentpeggycartering @chaoticdisasterbi

@deelovesbooks @teabroomsandbooks

[eggmacguffin]

a non-exhaustive list of my favorite posted lines from my current fic

CHAPTER 1:

Right now, it felt like that raw edge from his first few months was back somehow, but instead of making him sharp, it just left him susceptible to further fraying.

&

“I don’t know where the blood is coming from,” he mumbled, slurring a little, because if Chimney was treating him, he needed to know Buck was hurt, “I don’t know where I’m bleeding.”

Chimney’s lips moved, but Buck, but Buck couldn’t hear anything over the blood roaring in his ears. Chim must have noticed, because he instead touched Buck’s slick, wet face and showed him the black staining his fingertips. Not blood. Oil.

Chimney was trying to talk to him again, and Buck struggled to interpret movement without sound. When just watching didn’t work, he followed along with the motion, forming the shapes with his own mouth, and only then could he understand.

You’re safe, Chimney was telling him, over and over again, You’re safe.

&

Adrenaline that had only just begun to fade surged back up with a vengeance, throwing him into that wild animal kind of panic from his probie days, from his days on the road, from when he was a teenager. The kind of panic that left him feeling unsteady and dangerous and vulnerable, like any minute someone was going to try to drag him out of here by the scruff of his neck.

&

"When I fought to get this back, and succeeded,” Buck gestured to his healthy legs first, but in his agitated state, his hands jerked as he spoke and spread to indicate the rest of him, too. The whole station. The whole world, “you called it a, a miracle. But it wasn’t a miracle. It was months, it was my surgeons and my physical therapists, it was me killing myself to get back what I lost. What was taken from me.”

CHAPTER 2:

The panic, the terror, the fury that had gripped him cracked apart, thawing instead into a tender, aching sort of shame.

&

"Woah there handsome, at least buy me dinner first,” Buck croaked, because if he couldn’t stop a situation from spiraling wildly out of his control he could at least make it worse for everyone else.

&

Eddie was staring down at him, terror and relief and determination warring on his beautiful face. It was like all the looking at Buck he hadn’t done in the past several weeks was suddenly concentrated into this single stare.

&

“I’m so sorry for your loss,” Chimney croaked, horrified, until a smirk started to twitch on Eddie’s lips, giving the game away. “Oh, fuck you. You guys are assholes.” Chimney kicked the side of Buck’s boot fondly. “You don’t have a monopoly on suffering, you know. I once had a proposal go so badly I almost died.”

&

Eddie went utterly still for a moment, and Buck had half a second to fear he’d overstepped before Eddie shook off his surprise and blinded him with a wobbly grin. It was one of those rare, toothy ones that made Buck feel a little bit like crying if he looked at it too long. Eddie’s tone was light and warm as he murmured, “You’re impossible, you know that?” Except he said it less like it was a hassle and more like it was a miracle.

&

As a teenager, his first taste of freedom had thrummed like wonder in his veins. He’d laid out in fields just like this one on clear nights and the universe had felt alive with endless possibility. Those stars had felt close enough to touch. Like if he’d started up his sister’s car right then and just kept on driving, he could reach them.

&

Running had never been his vice of choice, but maybe he'd just never fully appreciated having two working legs before.

The rest, w/ CH 3 COMING SOON

[inawickedlittletown]

Glasses (BuckTommy one-shot)

Summary: Buck finds out Tommy wears reading glasses...as inspired by Lou wearing a different pair of glasses in every cameo.

Read on Ao3

-

“You wear glasses,” Buck said, a bit of awe in his voice as he took in Tommy. 

Tommy, who was leaning against the door he’d just opened in just a t-shirt and jeans, no shoes, hair a little messy, and with glasses on, looked hot. Buck wasn’t prepared, it was like in a video game when you reached a new level and your character got more accessories. Buck had reached a different place with Tommy and he was…he was definitely a fan. 

“Hi, Evan,” Tommy said. 

Buck just smiled, letting his voice wash over him…letting his name said by Tommy wash over him. Tommy lifted his arms and Buck wrapped his own around him in a hug. He smelled so good. Clean, mostly like his detergent, and something that was just Tommy. Buck could live in that smell forever, but Tommy let him go and closed the door behind them. 

“How was your shift?” Tommy asked. 

“Nothing crazy. Average stuff. Car accident…kid that got stuck on a roof.”

“There’s always a kid on a roof,” Tommy said with a grin. 

“You’re not wrong,” Buck said. 

Tommy’s house was nice, but small. It was a one bedroom cottage style house with an attached garage that was almost as big as the rest of the house. It was cozy, in a way, and the first time Buck entered it, he’d immediately known that it felt like Tommy. All the parts of him. The cozy living room with the big sofa that was perfect for cuddling on and the kitchen that was just a side of too clean because Tommy didn’t really use it too often. Then, the two car garage where he did indeed have a lift and toolboxes full of tools and also a small home gym that Buck had been left more than a little impressed by the first time he saw it. 

Buck was led right to the living room. Their movie night had been postponed twice already once due to work and once because Eddie asked Buck to keep Christopher overnight. They were watching Love, Actually a movie that Buck had never watched but that Tommy said was his favorite. Buck was excited, mostly because it meant learning more about Tommy. 

In the month that they’d been dating, Buck had never felt so settled and happy. They were taking it slow which was definitely new for him, he wasn’t used to not going hot and heavy from the get go. The furthest they had gone was kissing. Buck loved kissing, every aspect of it. He loved kissing Tommy…the way that it was intimate and the way that Tommy was so reactive and that he took control and left Buck senseless. He’d never kissed so much without it leading elsewhere, but it was okay. It was more than okay. 

Tommy picked up a book he’d left page down on the couch, tucking a bookmark to mark his page before he set it down on the coffee table and atop it, he put his glasses. 

Buck made a whining noise and Tommy’s gaze fell on him and his heated cheeks, eyebrow raised. 

“Evan?”

“Uh. I just…why are you taking them off?” 

Tommy inched closer to him. “You like my glasses?”

Buck could only nod. 

“They’re readers,” Tommy said and he reached Buck. “Can’t wear them to watch a movie.” 

Buck was distracted by how close he was, how he wasn’t even touching Buck, but he had such an effect on him glasses or not. 

“They, uh, they look good on you.”

“Yeah?” Tommy asked. 

“Yes,” Buck said, breathless. “Like a sexy librarian, like you could teach me a thing or two.” 

Tommy’s chuckle, his breath, brushed across Buck’s skin. “I can teach you more than a thing or two, Evan.” 

Why was this man this smooth…this confident…this hot and sexy and so many other things.

Buck reached for him first, hands on his jaw, brushing on the stubble for a second before they both leaned in, their lips coming together and Tommy immediately pulling Buck even closer as the kiss deepened, their tongues meeting in what was becoming a familiar dance, one that still affected all of Buck. 

He could hardly think for the feel of Tommy’s hands on his waist and back, at how he grabbed at Buck’s shirt, pulling it up so that eventually his hands were on bare skin. Buck moaned into the kiss, pulling back when he needed air, but Tommy dragged kisses down his chin and his jaw, sucking at his skin and leaving Buck almost breathless. And then, his tongue was moving on his neck before his lips trailed kisses down and then up the otherside, stopping at his ear.

“Glasses, huh,” Tommy said. 

Buck didn’t know what kind of noise came out of him, he just knew that Tommy pecked his lips and his hands left Buck’s bare skin and that he missed him even though there were merely inches between them. 

“I’ll have to model my collection to you,” Tommy said, almost offhand.

“Your collection?” Buck said, mind finally working with his mouth and tongue to form words. 

Tommy chuckled. “I, uh, lose them all over. Find them all over too.”

Why did Buck find that so incredibly hot. Tommy, smirked knowingly and then he turned on his heel. 

“You want popcorn?” 

Buck could do nothing but follow. He found Tommy reaching into a cupboard and when he turned, another pair of glasses were on his face. The style was different, the frames dark and thicker and the shape rectangular but tapering down on the corners. They still looked good on him and he knew what he was doing going by his smirk. 

Buck crossed the room, backed Tommy into the counter, hands on his hips holding him in place as if Tommy would dare to get away. 

“You are a menace,” Buck said. 

“A menace that sometimes wears glasses that drive my boyfriend crazy,” Tommy said. 

“Joke’s on me, there’s little that wouldn’t drive me crazy about you,” Buck said and then they were kissing again. 

Buck did discover, then, that glasses could get in the way of a vigorous making out session, but that they were easily pushed up to the top of Tommy’s head and that…that made him look hot too.

[daffodilsonaprettystring]

I had a three day weekend and what did I spend two out of those three days doing?

Reading THIS masterpiece https://archiveofourown.org/works/46775788/chapters/117813115

I CANNOT recommend this fic enough, it’s literally an entire rewrite of 9-1-1 seasons 1-6 (it is currently unfinished but STILL WORTH READING) but told from a specifically romantic Buddie POV, and it is PERFECTION. I was literally texting my sister before Buck and Eddie had even MET canonically to tell her she needed to read it, that’s how amazing it is.

Buck is a Swiftie, the author’s characterizations of him and Eddie and Chris are ON POINT, the way Buck and his struggles with himself and his parents are handled is so well written, and the SLOW BURN IS SO WORTH IT!!

But the best thing about it to me is the fact that it literally changes nothing from canon up until past s6. It’s simply TAKEN canon, and written it through the lens of both Buck and Eddie’s internal dialogue realizing that “hey, maybe these interactions and this relationship has ALWAYS been about us falling in love, even if it was never explicitly said.” And the way this author writes Eddie and Buck realizing that they really, really love eachother that way? 100/10 stars, zero notes, Eddie admitting to himself he’s in love with Buck WAY before he’s able to admit he’s gay is something that would so happen in canon, Buck pining like a kicked puppy would also be canon, and not gonna lie, the WAY they finally get together? Nothing they do in the show now will EVER top that for me, it was so well written.

TLDR; I CANNOT recommend this Buddie fic enough, “Things We're All Too Young to Know by Daisies_and_Briars” if you need a seriously amazing 9-1-1 fic while we’re waiting for s8 I sincerely recommend checking it out it’s INCREDIBLE.

[eddiestightywhities]

When there's now this thing in your life, a new thing between you and another person, a thing you can't quite put your finger on to be able to try and describe it.

When you start to become so comfortable with this person that they start to become your person, and before you're really aware that anything has changed between you, you've just suddenly become one hundred percent theirs.

When you then get so close to that person that you don't really realise that things have shifted so significantly between you, because it's so infinitesimally and yet so dramatically all at once, and because everything just feels so damn right all the time and exactly the way you feel things are supposed to feel, so why would you ever think about changing it?

When it dawns on both you and that person—maybe one of you gets there before the other, maybe both at the same time?—that the two of you have moved on from being just friends and are morphing into something else, so seamlessly and with such ease that you don't have to question it, because it is just a thing that sort of is now.

When your touches become lighter, lingering things, softer and warmer and more frequent than before, and occurring much, much more and in a very different way than with anybody else in your life.

When you and your person and this thing that you now share become more wanting and more needy, and yet somehow so unerringly steady, and also so wonderfully and assuredly grounding and immovable, all as one, all at the very same time.

When together, you become more.

When you find you have found your way to your person, and to this thing, the thing that you now mold and nurture and that molds and nurtures you, slowly; unwaveringly; absolutely; discovering that it's helps you to move in new ways and to unfold as a person, to breathe, to settle into yourself.

When you have this thing (all of these things) in your life and realise that this is it, this is the thing they've been writing about throughout the ages.

When you realise that this thing—your thing—is a thing called love.

[aaronsinferno]

Buck allowing Tommy to address him as Evan is a gesture of trust and intimacy, displaying his desire to build a personal relationship with Tommy. I feel like a lot of those who advocate for that other ship knows this and fear such an idea. That’s why they’re constantly pushing the narrative that calling Buck "Evan" is disrespectful or that no one should use his given name. Ever. In an attempt to erase whatever intimacy the two of them share with one another. I can dive into how I think this plays heavily into the willful ignorance that group has as a unit while also bringing attention to the overall Infantilization of Buck as a character, but I don’t really see the point. Anyways, this might shake a few of you to your core, but Buck is still Evan, and Evan is still Buck; he simply doesn't allow others to address him as the former.

That was until Tommy came along.

[tommysdaddykink]

9-1-1 - SEASON 8 EPISODE 5 EVAN BUCKLEY

[lemonzestywrites]

hii zesty!! i am requesting for the word game! whine, love and string!! 🫶

sorry i got to this one so late! but here you are!

whine - ch. 7

Within an instant, Buck’s fingers withdraw. Eddie can’t help but whine at the loss. Mourning the warmth and firmness that Buck had offered to him.

love - ch. 4

“Love how obedient you are. How eager you get. And you’re taking my fingers so easily, now.”

string - ch. 5

Eddie feels Buck thread a hand through his hair, scratching reassuringly at his scalp for a couple strokes before his fingers search for the buckle of the gag, undoing it carefully. He gently eases the gag out from his mouth, peeling it from his lips. A cold string of saliva falls from the ball and onto Eddie’s chin as Buck pulls it out, but he’s quick to wipe it away with his thumb.

[quintessenceofdust88]

Life is Changin' Tides, ch. 5 🌊

[Ch. 1]

[Ch. 2]

[Ch. 3]

[Ch. 4]

[Read on AO3]

"“Baby, why would I be going to Mr. Evan's house?” He asks, completely baffled.

It’s not that he doesn’t want to go to Evan Buckley’s house. It’s not like he hasn’t low-key stalked the man’s social media and the last three days and been even more charmed by what he saw. It’s not like he hasn’t thought about asking the other man out at least ten times since that day. “Because, Daddy, mr. Howie said you should, remember?” She tells him, and for once in his life Tommy curses her absurdly good memory. “He said you should check it if mr. Evan meant it or if he was just being silly!” --- Tommy has to make an important delivery. He gets to see Evan Buckley one more time. It doesn't go as either of them expects.

It’s been three days since the tsunami, and Tommy is finally ready to let Vivie out of his sight for more than ten minutes; they’ve spent pretty much all of their time at home as both her and Sal recover from it all, physically and emotionally. Sal’s been staying with them, and Tommy’s insisting he stays until his medical leave is over in a week.  

But now Tommy needs to go for his first shift since everything happened, and he’s pretty sure Sal is having a harder time with it than Vivie. While his daughter is happily lying on the floor, her socked feet swinging in the air as she colors a piece of paper, his best friend is eyeing Tommy warily from where he’s sitting on the couch, as he ties his shoes. 

“Tommy”, he mutters. “Are you sure you want to do this? You… I won’t be offended if you get a babysitter or take her to someone else, you know? I… I’d understand after…”

Tommy sighs; he’s tried to blow off every single apology Sal sent his way ever since the tsunami. They’re safe, and Vivie is completely fine, and Tommy doesn’t blame Sal for any of it. But that doesn’t mean Sal is convinced, and Tommy’s starting to think he’ll need an extra hand. 

“Vivie?” He calls. 

“Yeah?” She answers, still focused on her drawing. 

“Do you want Daddy to call someone else to take care of you while I work?” Tommy asks, and that makes her raise her head in alarm. 

“Why?! Is Uncle Sal not okay?! Are you feeling bad, uncle Sal?” She rushes to them, throwing herself in Sal’s lap. He wraps his arms around her, a sheepish smile on his face.

“I’m feeling fine, darlin’, don’t you worry about me.” He tells her, ruffling her hair, and she sighs in relief. “Do… you want me to take care of you?” Sal asks, sounding impossibly insecure, and Vivie glares at him in a way that’s eerily reminiscent of Tommy’s own bitchy expression. 

“Duh, uncle Sal, you’re my favorite uncle. You play the best games and you sing Barbie songs with me!” She tells him as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

Tommy, in his defense, does his best not to look smug, but he doesn’t think he actually succeeds. As he finishes tying his shoes, he gets up, raising an eyebrow at Sal, who’s glaring at him.

“Well”, Tommy quips, grabbing his car keys. “I guess that settles the matter, doesn’t it? You guys have fun singing Barbie tunes as I go to work. You behave for your uncle, pixie, okay?”

He presses a kiss to Vivie’s forehead, half expecting her to say goodbye to him and cuddle up against Sal. What she does instead is gasp and scramble out of her uncle’s lap, rushing back to her paper. As she grabs it, a healthy amount of glitter falls on the floor, and Tommy doesn’t even want to think about the clean-up. He guesses he could ask Sal to take care of it, but it doesn't seem like a fair thing to the concussed guy. 

“Wait, Daddy!” She says, and then she shoves the card into his hand. “You have to take this!”

Tommy frowns, and looks down at the card. His cheeks instantly blush when he sees the wobbly ‘To Mr. Evan’ that’s written on the cover, along with a much neater ‘From: Genevieve’ (she’s only five, but she’s already a master at writing her own name, Tommy is proud to say). There’s a very glittery blue heart in the middle, and when Tommy opens the card to take a peak, he sees two sticky figures: Genevieve, holding Marsh, and a bigger one that can only be Evan based on the blue eyes and the small pinkmark drawn above one of them. 

“Vivie, that is so beautiful, pixie,” Tommy tells her, because he’s a firm believer in always praising his daughter for her efforts (actually he’s a firm believer in giving Genevieve everything he never had growing up, but that is neither her nor there). But he’s afraid he’ll have to burst her bubble at least a little bit. “But… you know Daddy is not going to see Mr. Evan, right? We don’t work together, sweetheart.”

Genevieve looks at him as if Tommy’s being particularly obtuse. He briefly thinks that, if she’s mastered this look by this point, he’s already praying for himself during her childhood. She crosses her little arms and huffs at him. 

“I know you don’t work together, Daddy, Mr. Evan works with Christopher’s daddy!” She tells him. “But you’re going to his house, aren’t you?”

Tommy looks at Sal, completely at loss, but his best friend is no help. Sal looks back at him with a shrug, clearly making an herculean effort to hold back his laughter, and Tommy glares at him before looking back at Tommy. 

“Baby, why would I be going to his house?” He asks, completely baffled. 

It’s not that he doesn’t want to go to Evan Buckley’s house. It’s not like he hasn’t low-key stalked the man’s social media and the last three days and been even more charmed by what he saw. It’s not like he hasn’t thought about asking the other man out at least ten times since that day.

But Tommy can’t, because he can’t hold Evan accountable for the things he said under the effect of exhaustion and painkillers. Tommy doesn’t know what scares him the most about bringing it up: Evan being honest and telling him that of course he didn’t mean it, he’s straight, what is Tommy even thinking (even though a straight man wouldn’t call Tommy gorgeous, not even on painkillers, but that’s not the point), or Evan being too polite to say that and date him out of a sense of obligation.

(The thought that maybe Evan did mean it never crosses his mind. But apparently it crosses Vivie’s.)

“Because, Daddy, mr. Howie said you should, remember?” She tells him, and for once in his life Tommy curses her absurdly good memory. “He said you should check it if mr. Evan meant it or if he was just being silly!”

“Wait, wait, silly about what? What did Buckley say?” Sal asks, his gossiper vein clearly showing, and Genevieve is answering before Tommy can stop her. 

“About wanting Daddy to ask him out!” She says, bouncing excitedly on her toes. “He said Daddy should, as a thank you, but Daddy said he didn’t mean it because he was too sleepy!”

Sal smirks like he has just won the lottery, and Tommy would strangle him if he wasn’t hurt. Tommy’s cheeks blush impossibly red, and he runs a hand through his face, wondering how he can tell his five-year-old to shut up without traumatizing her. 

“Did he, now? Isn’t that interesting?” Sal says, crossing his arms and smiling smugly at Tommy, who flips him off mentally. 

“It’s not, because he was under heavy painkillers and probably wouldn’t know the difference between me and Margot Robbie at that moment.” Tommy grumbles.

“Dude, that’s flattering yourself” Sal scoffs at the same time Vivie pipes ‘Who’s Margot Robbie?!’, and Tommy very maturely chooses to ignore both of them. But he should have known there’s no stopping his determined little matchmaker. 

“Daddy, but you’re going, right? What if he wasn’t being silly? You could go out with him, and you could be friends!” She says, and Tommy is pretty sure Genevieve doesn’t really know what asking someone out entails. 

“Yeah, Tommy, you could be… friends. With Buckley. I can tell you want to.” Sal says, and Tommy internally thinks he’s having way too much fun with it. “Besides, can you really disappoint Vivie and not take her card to him? Are you really gonna do this to your daughter?”

Tommy opens his mouth, but nothing comes out, because he’s either going to break his daughter’s heart or teach her the words ‘son of a bitch’, and he’s not looking forward to it. So he closes it again, looks down at the card clutched in his hands, and sighs, realizing he doesn’t really have a choice. 

“Please, Daddy?” Vivie pleads, and Tommy already knows he’ll say yes. He’s a sucker for those puppy eyes. 

“Genevieve, I… Fine.” Tommy accepts, but he doesn’t want to set her up for disappointment, so he kneels down to her level and looks her in the eyes. “I’ll go over to his house and I’ll take your card, but I don’t know about the whole asking him out part. But I promise you’ll be the first to know how it went, okay?”

Vivie smiles brightly, throwing her arms around his neck, and Tommy hugs her with a chuckle. She’s the love of his life, this little girl, and yeah, he’ll take a few awkward moments to make sure her gratitude is relayed to Evan Buckley. 

But he absolutely won’t ask the man out. He still has some self-respect. 

-----

Evan Buckley is an overthinker; he’s known that fact about himself all his life, but knowing it doesn’t mean he’s able to control it. So, it’s a given that he’ll overthink the things he said to Tommy Kinard on the day of the tsunami and that Chim had, very kindly, told him in excruciating detail when Buck said he didn’t remember it the next day.

Apparently. Buck had called Tommy gorgeous (ridiculously gorgeous, according to Chim, who was having way too much fun with it). Which gives him the slightest pause because, yes, he’s always been an ally, and yes, he’s always been able to appreciate a hot guy’s ass, but that’s normal, isn’t it? He had never thought of himself as being attracted to guys before. 

And yet, he had asked the guy out. More accurately, he had implied Tommy should ask him out as thank you for doing the decent thing and rescuing his daughter. And to top it all off, he had said it in front of said daughter. 

Buck supposes his only saving grace is that he doesn’t have to see Tommy again. Eddie told him there’s been some number exchange because Chris and Genevieve wanted to see each other again, but that doesn’t mean Buck needs to be around for it. No, Tommy Kinard has no business being in Buck’s life (and Buck tries to ignore the disappointment that thought brings him). 

As he hears someone knocking, Buck figures it must be Eddie asking him to babysit again, so he tries to push away any thoughts of the so-called hot pilot. 

Buck opens the door to find Tommy Kinard on the other side. 

“Uh… H-hey, hey, Tommy.” Buck says, and tries not to flinch at how idiotic he sounds. 

There’s one point in which Buck has to agree with his painkiller-brain: the man is ridiculously gorgeous. He’s wearing a black henley, and there’s a bit of stubble on his cheeks, and he has a cleft. Tommy’s looking at Buck as if he’s a little shy himself, which Buck finds ridiculous, because a man like that has no reason to be shy, ever. 

“Can we talk?” Tommy asks, and Buck gulps. 

Oh, God, he thinks. He’s going to tell me how completely inappropriate I was and that he doesn’t want me anywhere near his daughter. 

“S-sure!”, Buck says, the cheer in his voice embarrassingly fake. “Come on in.”

He lets Tommy inside his house, and the man takes an appreciative look around before gazing back at Buck, smiling at him. He has a crunchy sort of smile that makes Buck’s stomach twist inside of him, and he’s starting to think he might be a little more than an ally. 

“Can I offer you anything?”, Buck offers, trying to ignore how sweaty his hands are and how fast his heart is beating inside his chest.“

“No, thanks, I’m not staying long. I’m actually here as a mail man”, Tommy says, and when Buck frowns at him, he chuckles, obviously amused by something. “I was given strict orders to deliver you this.”

He offers Buck a blue piece of paper, shaped like a card. Buck takes it curiously from his hand, an unhealthy amount of glitter slipping from his fingers, and his heart gets all warm when he sees the words ‘TO: MR. EVAN, FROM: GENEVIEVE’ on the card. He opens it to find a quite heartwarming picture of the two of them, and he’s smiling before he can stop himself. That little girl has a piece of his heart, he’s not shy to admit it. 

“Oh my God, that is so sweet”, he marvels, chuckling in delight and shaking his head, holding the card close to his chest. Apparently Tommy doesn’t want to tell Buck to stay the hell away from him and his daughter, so he feels more relieved. “She… she really didn’t have to.”

“Well, that’s Vivie for you”, Tommy says, and it takes Buck aback how much affection he can hear in his voice when he talks about his daughter. “She always wants people to feel loved.”

“She’s a great kid”, Buck says sincerely, placing the card on his counter with a small smile on his face, and he looks back at Tommy to see a soft smile on his face too. 

Buck realizes that, theoretically, Tommy has nothing else to do in his house. But he’s not moving to leave, and Buck is in no rush either. He likes having this man around; he wants to get to know him better, without missing children or painkillers being involved.

“H-how’s she doing, by the way?” He asks, trying desperately to find a way to keep Tommy for at least a little bit more. “A-and your friend Sal?”

“They’re good!” Tommy exclaims, the relief palpable in his voice. “Sal’s recovering, and Vivie… Well, she’s perfect, thanks to you. Evan, I really don’t think I can put into words how grateful I am.”

He’s looking deeply in Buck’s eyes, and Buck can’t breathe all of a sudden. His gaze is piercing, and it’s making Buck have a hard time thinking. It takes him longer than normal to realize he should answer Tommy. 

“I…” He trails off, and crosses his arms on his chest, trying to ground himself. He feels so light-headed it’s ridiculous. “You really don’t have to thank me, Tommy. I’m just glad everything turned out okay.”

Tommy nods, his soft smile gracing his features once more, and then he frowns worriedly at Buck. 

“And how are you doing? How's your leg?” He asks, and his concern sounds absolutely genuine, which makes Buck feel all tingly. 

“Ah, it’s… It’s alright, I just gotta take it easy for a couple days. I’m under Hen’s strict orders.” Buck chuckles, and Tommy nods in sympathy, which reminds Buck this man knows all of his friends. In fact, it seems almost funny that they had never met before. 

“Good. I’m glad you’re taking it easy, cause… You weren’t doing that great last time I saw you”, he says, and Buck wants to flinch in embarrassment, imagining how he must have looked to Tommy, fainting like a Victorian lady as soon as they met. But then Tommy smiles, a little teasing this time. “Though you still managed to realize I am ‘ridiculously gorgeous’, so I suppose you weren’t so out of it”

The teasing catches Buck completely off-guard, and he blushes all the way from his forehead to his nose. Shit, he remembers, he thinks, and then wants to kick himself because of course Tommy remembers, Buck is the one who was out of it, not him. 

“Oh, God, yeah”, Buck says, and makes a weird sound that’s something between a laugh and a scoff. He rubs the back of his neck and wonders if it’d be too dramatic to jump from his loft window to escape this conversation. “I am sorry about that, by the way. Probably not what you needed when your daughter had just been rescued from a natural disaster.”

Tommy chuckles politely at that, and Buck’s relieved that at least he doesn’t seem offended. He gives Buck a light shrug, getting a little closer to him, the teasing smile never leaving his face. 

“No, don’t apologize, it was very flattering! No one had ever called me a hot pilot before” He says, unlocking another piece of what’s shaping up to be Buck’s most embarrassing memory, and he laughs a bit hysterically. He takes a step closer to Tommy, as if drawn by an invisible magnet. 

“Well, you are. A hot pilot, I mean.” He blurts out, and widens his eyes when he realizes what he said. For some “N-not that I’m objectifying pilots or anything, I didn’t even know you were a pilot until that day, and there are probably better ways to tell someone you’re attracted to th-”

Buck doesn’t get to finish his sentence; it all happens in a blur. Tommy gets closer, feels two fingers raising up his chin, and next thing he knows, Tommy’s lips are touching his, and oh. 

There are fireworks exploding in Buck’s head; it’s like something is unleashing inside of him, a part of him that had remained hidden until now, a bit of himself that needed Tommy Kinard to be let out. Buck kisses him back, placing his hand on Tommy’s shoulder, reveling in how right this kiss feels, in the wonderful feeling of Tommy’s lips against his.

It’s over much sooner than Buck would have liked; it could have lasted forever for as long as he’s concerned. His world could have been reduced to kissing Tommy Kinard, and he’d been happy with it. But now Tommy Kinard is looking at him, as if he’s a little surprised with himself, and Buck can only imagine how shocked his face looks right now. 

“Like that?” Tommy asks, and he sounds a little out of breath. 

“Y-yeah, that works” Buck stutters, his voice more high-pitched than usual, his eyes impossibly wide, but he wants more. 

“So that was okay?” Tommy asks, and somewhere in the back of Buck’s mind it registers how sweet of him to be making sure. It makes Buck want to kiss him again. 

“B-better than asking someone out in a painkiller-induced haze.” He answers dazedly, and Tommy chuckles adorably, his posture more confident once he’s sure his kiss was well-received, as if Buck’s enthusiastic kissing back hadn’t been proof enough. 

“Well, I promise there are no painkillers in my system right now”, he says, and then honest to God straightens Buck’s shirt, and Buck’s pretty sure he’ll never be able to form a coherent thought again. “But I still would like to ask you out. And not even as a thank you for saving my daughter, it’s because you’re really cute.”

Buck smiles despite himself, blushing like a schoolgirl at being called cute of all things. He nods emphatically, looking down at where Tommy’s hand still lingers on his shirt, warm and heavy against his chest. 

“I… I’d like that”, he admits, and Tommy’s smile widens impossibly. 

“Great. How about Saturday? Are you free?” He asks, and Buck lets out a deep breath he hasn’t even realized he was holding, God knows for how long. 

“Yes, I… I am free” Buck answers, and he realizes he doesn’t mean just about Saturday. 

“Okay, so… I’ll pick you up around eight? Does that work?” He asks, and Buck realizes he probably should answer more coherently, but all he manages is another weak nod. 

“T-totally” He tries again, and Tommy makes finger guns at him, and Buck’s just agreed to go out with this dork. 

“So… see you Saturday?” Tommy confirms, and Buck realizes that he’s also a little nervous. That somehow eases Buck’s nerves, and he manages to smile even a little flirtatiously at Tommy. 

“Absolutely. D-do you want my number so we can set things up or?...” He asks, and Tommy surprisingly shakes his head, chuckling. 

“No need, Chimney already gave it to me.” He tells him, and Buck has never been more grateful for the existence of Howard Han. 

“So we’re all set. S-say hi to Vivie for me?” Buck says, and Tommy smiles, already halfway out the door. Buck has to resist the urge to call him back. 

“Will do. Bye, Evan.” Tommy says, and just as he came, he’s gone, as if he hasn’t just upended Buck’s life and brought him all sorts of discoveries about himself. 

Buck throws himself on his couch, and a huge smile comes to his face. This is the happiest he’s felt since the fire truck accident, and no wonder. He may not have his job back yet, and things might take a while to get better, but… He has a date with Tommy Kinard. How can he be upset?

----

Tag list:

@bidisasterevankinard @unhingedangstaddict @silversky9 @music-is-the-voice-of-the-soul @asmugfirefighter

@typicalopposite @aplaceinme @rubydaiquiri @racerchix21

@dearqueend @laundryandtaxesworld @buckleyskinards @actuallyitsellie

@agentpeggycartering @chaoticdisasterbi

@deelovesbooks @teabroomsandbooks

[surviveds]

@itchose: i haven’t felt at home in this world. (travis + buck)

evan can't help but tense somewhat, the slightest shift in body language as travis speaks. it's not the first time they've hung out like this - watching the slow crawl of the sun as it sinks below the horizon, the sky awash in deep blues and rich purples and a fiery, mesmerizing red - but it's the first time travis has ever offered up anything beyond polite, hollow small talk. and evan is usually content with this dynamic: sitting quietly next to him, a gap he's too-aware of between them, a drink in hand as evan fills the silence, rambling about something inconsequential, typically reciting facts learned in whatever book he's been reading. he's favoring travel guides lately, as he wonders where he'll go next - though evan keeps delaying the decision. it's far from the longest he's stuck around a singular place, and ranching is fun, but he misses the ocean - so he's not sure why he lingers.

maybe it's something to do with him. evan doesn't look directly at travis, opting instead for what he hopes is a casual side-eye as he takes a swig of his beer, downing it in a careful swallow before replying in an even voice, "yeah?" he's trying so very hard not to push. but evan feels the questions burning, as they've done for weeks, and the desire to better understand travis is overpowering, so he can't really stop himself from continuing, though he manages to aim for something neutral, something that isn't too invasive. "shitty parents?" and there's sympathy heavy in the question, because evan gets it. "in my experience, they have a way of making you feel... out of place."

[aloneintheafterglow]

*the comic book version*

[a-walking-fandom-reference]

Dyslexic Dyscalculic! Evan “Buck” Buckley

[ID: A 3x3 moodboard, themed around dyslexic dyscalculic Evan “Buck” Buckley from 9-1-1. Images are as follows: a red pin back button with a speech bubble saying, “I’m dyslexic.” on a white background; a monochrome mirror photo of a person’s outfit, they are wearing a short sleeve black and white striped button up with black sunglasses hanging from the neck of the shirt and black pants, one arm is holding a phone up and the other is in their pants pocket; gold writing on a white background that says, “You have a heart of gold.”; a white neon letter sign that says, “This is the city that I love.” on a black background; black text that says “confused” spelled incorrectly on a white background; a monochrome photo of a California license plate that says “I’m trying.”; a gold enamel pin that says, “Do good.” on a white background; a monochrome photo of a person from the neck down, standing in the rain, their white t-shirt is stuck to their chest from the rain and their hands are out to their sides; a red pin back button with a speech bubble saying, “I’m dyscalculic.” on a white background. END ID]

[lovehermioneforever]

maratines 2025 : day two/february 9th : love songs (which song/s describes them best?)

↳ featuring : violet yen (9-1-1 oc, evan buckley & eddie diaz fic) to wonderland by taylor swift. it may be the title of the fanfiction but it also is a good song to represent the trials and tribulations of their relationship.

tag list : @nikosasaki, @arrthurpendragon ( let me know if you want to be added )

[beyourownanchor6]

—chris doesn't come back au is finally here ya'll!! not only is this the longest fic i've ever written, but it's also my 200th buddie fic!! thank you to everyone who's encouraged me on this journey; can't wait to take ya'll on this angst fest 🫶🏻

rated: e | words: 110k | ch. 1/14 | read on ao3

summary:

Christopher was gone, missing.

It wasn’t anyone’s fault, but as Eddie watched the man he loved break right in front of him, he knew Buck blamed himself, that the guilt was already eating him alive.

Eddie had the urge to be in two places at once, wanting to comfort Buck, but needing to find his son. Chris was his whole world; Buck had stepped right into it.

They didn’t find Chris that night, or the next. He was gone, swept away with the storm. Some things floated back to shore, while others, well—they were lost forever.

—or—

After the tsunami, Christopher goes missing. He doesn’t come back, at least, not right away. This is NOT mcd.

tagging squad below, just lmk if you wanna be added or removed <3

tags: @loserdiaz @redlightsandicedtea @loveyourownsmiilee @monsterrae1 @bi-buckrights @swiftiebuckleyhan @honestlydarkprincess @queerbuckleys @spotsandsocks @justsmilestuffhappens @eddiiediaz @djdangerlove @eddiebabygirldiaz @elvensorceress @jackluvsdaniel @stanningsky @wh0re-behavi0r @ronordmann @spaceprincessem @transbuck @giddyupbuck @wildlife4life @betty-boom @hippolotamus @thewolvesof1998 @watchyourbuck @underwaterninja13 @pirrusstuff @nmcggg @theotherbuckley @louis-tenn @the-gayest-wug @buckley-diaz-rules @muppetbuddie @gamer-kai @blorbodiaz @saybiwithme @trashbaget @steadfastsaturnsrings @bibuckbuckgoose @wikiangela @hobbitnarwhal @shortsighted-owl @pirrusstuff @goldencherrymooon @kinardbuckley @daffi-990 @greenfairrryy @mattsire