#for Eddie and of a parent for Chris) running away will break him more but healing comes in the aftermath

[stagefoureddiediaz]

Eddie’s arc gonna be so so so good this season

The Chris stuff is going to hurt so bad and break me but healing is coming for them both and I’m expecting a Chris-tmas episode reunion of father and son

[exhuastedpigeon]

There's something so fucking special about how seriously Buck and Eddie have taken having each other's backs over the years. That could have been a throwaway line from 2x01 and instead it's become the foundation for their relationship. It's become so fundamental to who they are as people they it's just a natural state of being.

We've seen it time and time again and every time I see it again it makes me warm all over. These two men are there for each other during the good times, sure, but they're also there during the bad times. They let each other see the mess under the facade and that's so fucking stunning.

They're allowed to break around the other because they know someone has their back. The only real fight they've gotten into was about Eddie not being able to reach out to Buck. It wasn't about something one of them did to the other, it was about the absence of the other.

Of course Eddie trusts Buck with Chris's life - he trusts Buck with anything. Of course Buck comes running when Eddie is having a breakdown - there's no where else he wants to be more than having Eddie's back.

Every season we see it again and again. If there's anger at one of their choices, that anger quickly fades to worry and a desire to understand each other.

Eddie wasn't a part of the cheer up Buck parade in s6 because he knew Buck didn't need that and he was waiting when Buck was ready to talk. And when Buck showed up at Eddie's house, Eddie wasn't surprised, he knew it would happen eventually. And he didn't push, he just asked if he was allowed to ask how Buck is and Buck finally opened up.

Buck went directly to Eddie when he met Kim because he was worried about Eddie and Eddie told him right away about what was going on. Buck wasn't mad, he was concerned. "I'm worried about you" followed by Eddie admitted he's worried about himself too. Something he was finally allowed to say out loud because Buck was there and Buck offers no judgement, just support.

Seeing those stills of Buck at the Diaz house, of Buck in the same room as the Diaz parents is making me a little bit insane. He's going to keep having Eddie's back because that's what they do. They love each other and support each other and hold each other up when they know the other is going to collapse.

[megalony]

They're Joined

This is an Eddie Diaz imagine, requested by Anon, thank you for this I love writing dramatic, angst pieces. I hope you like it.

Taglist: @lunaticspoem@butlegendsneverdie@langdonzvoid@jennyggggrrr@rogmeddows@radiob-l-a-hblah@rogertaylorsbitontheside@chlobo6@rogertaylors-lipgloss@sj-thefanthefan@omgitsearly@luckytrashgooprebel@scarsout@deaky-with-a-c@killer-queen-ofrhye@bluutac@vousmemanqueez-blog@jonesyaddiction@milanosaurus@httpfandxms@saint-hardy@7-seas-of-fat-bottomed-girls@mrsalwayswritex @rogerina-owns-me  @hellsdragon@im-an-adult-ish@crazylittlethingg@allauraleigh@onceuponadetectivedemigod@ceres27@avyannadawn@noonenuts@sleepylunarwolf@coverupps@justagirlthatlovedtoread @musicistheway @avada-kedavra-bitch-187 @luula @missdreamofendless @bradleybeachbabe

911 Masterlist

Summary: After a day trip, the Diaz family are on their way home when they get caught up in a crash. The 118 work to get them out when their lives are in danger.

Enjoy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A soft smile lit up (Y/n)'s face as she slowly turned in her seat to look behind her in the back of the car. Her gaze fell on her son and she smiled brighter as she watched him for a few moments.

He was in his carseat, biting down on his thumb and rocking his head and chest back and forth, lightly bashing into the seat. He had a big smile morphed around his thumb and his legs were swinging back and forth, catching his shoes on her seat but she didn't mind. He was ecstatic.

It had been a long time since Chris had visited a zoo and the hour and a half drive had been more than worth it to see his face light up. He had zoomed around on his crutches, never tiring even though he had been walking about for hours. Every so often Eddie had picked him up and sat him on his shoulders to give him a break or let him get a better view of the animals.

His favourite had been the penguins, which was why he had a stuffed penguin toy tucked under his arm, pinned against his chest. (Y/n) had worried they wouldn't be able to get him to leave the zoo but he had been hungry and the promise of a takeaway for tea was enough to get him back in the car.

He had been stimming for the last hour.

Every now and then a squeal would break through over the noise of the radio or Chris would push back in his seat and rock so much the carseat started to creak and bash. But his parents were used to it and his happy stimming like this always made them smile.

(Y/n) slowly turned back round and shuffled down in her seat, relieved they were only twenty minutes away from home now. It had been a long day and she wanted to get out of the car and get something to eat.

Just when she reached her hand over to hold Eddie's thigh, her eyes widened and her lips parted silently. She caught Eddie's eye, noticing his raised brows and he tilted his head to look in the rear view mirror. Chris was doing echolalia.

"Then we were running and I ran-"

(Y/n) couldn't make out the rest of what Chris was saying, each word was said faster and faster until he was messing up his pronouncing and mashing the words together. His voice got higher as he continued to repeat a few random, unrelated phrases he had heard until he stopped himself and screamed excitedly.

It wasn't very often that Chris would do his echolalia during the day, it mostly happened at night when he was trying to fall asleep. It was a condition where Chris would repeat words and phrases he had heard, some of them recent and some of them could have been from months ago. He didn't understand what he was saying, it was just his brain processing and repeating and it usually happened at night when he was excited and winding down to sleep.

They had heard him say a lot of random things over the years and it was surprising how Chris could talk in full sentences when he was doing his echolalia. But then when he was talking properly to them or at school, he didn't always use enough words or use adjectives or connecting words. He was a lot slower at talking when he was engaged in conversation whereas like this, he talked so fast even he couldn't work out what he was saying.

Eddie had started to watch what he said around his son after hearing him one night repeat 'he ran into the fucking fire' followed by a loud giggle. It was surprising what Chris could hear and remember.

"Someone's happy,"

"He won't be sleeping tonight," Eddie reached down for (Y/n)'s hand that was on his thigh and raised the back of her hand to his lips. They knew this would be a possibility when they decided on a day trip out but it was worth it to have Chris so happy and elated like this.

"Yeah but we already knew that."

The next scream that Chris let out, (Y/n) and Eddie joined in too; but for a completely different reason.

***

Something burned in Chimney's stomach and ignited deep in his chest, causing his steps to falter when he got closer to the crash site. He could feel his breaths getting clogged up in his throat and the med bag on his shoulder started to slip when his shoulders sagged down and his feet went from running to a floppy shuffle.

He knew that truck, he had seen it hundreds of times in the car park behind the station.

He moved his hand to grab the med bag that was almost falling to the floor and he picked his feet up. Shuffling awkwardly through the mess of cars that had slammed on their brakes and spun to a stop to avoid the pile up in front of them.

"Oh fuck," Tears were already welling up in his eyes without seeing the damage or commotion that was happening inside the truck.

That was Eddie's truck.

There wasn't a lot of space around the truck, it was banged up pretty good. The passenger side was slammed up into the concrete barrier separating both sides of the motorway and there was another car wedged up at the back of the driver's side. There was only a small angle of room where Chimney would be able to open the driver's door and try to get in and help. They couldn't even pull the truck forward because another car was rammed into the engine that was smoking and making a clicking, whirling noise that didn't sound good.

He dropped the bag to the floor and yanked on the door handle until it swung open and slammed into the empty car next to it. There was just enough space for Chimney to climb up onto the small step and lean inside the truck to see what was going on.

He didn't like what he saw.

Eddie was in the driver's seat, slumped forward onto the steering wheel with his left arm bent around the wheel and his right arm stretched out towards the passenger seat.

Reaching down, Chimney pressed a finger to his neck, relieved to feel a strong pulse and hear his deep breaths.

"Alright Eddie, help's here." He pushed himself higher on the step to try and see over Eddie's back towards the passenger seat. "(Y/n), can you hear me?" A groan from Eddie was the only response he got.

He could barely see (Y/n), she was slumped against the door, her hair fanned across her face hiding her from sight but Chimney could see glass littering her body. The window had broken as had the windscreen. She was slightly hunched over and if the seatbelt wasn't bound around her, Chimney could see she would have fallen down into the footwell.

"Christopher? Hey, you with me?"

Chris wasn't responsive either. He had his glasses slung around his neck, his chin pressed down into his chest with his head slumped forward and his arms crossed loosely over his chest and a teddy slumped between his legs.

Oh dear.

"Attention, I need a lot of backup over the East side of the pile up to the black Ford truck. Guys, it's Eddie. Repeat, Eddie and family are trapped unresponsive in the truck. Bring the saw."

He would need a lot of help getting all three of them out of here and he needed the metal saw or cutters or something like the winch to get enough room to get them all out. If they had spinal injuries, they might have to hoist them through the windscreen.

When another groan left Eddie's lips, Chimney could have cried in happiness, it would be more helpful to have Eddie awake and able to tell them what hurt and see if he had internal damage. But if he was awake and his family wasn't, it was also going to make the situation a lot harder for everyone.

"Eddie, it's Chim. Take it easy, I'm gonna ease you back and check you over, the team's all here to get you out."

He braced his hand on Eddie's chest and held the back of his neck before he slowly helped him sit back up in his seat. It would be easier to assess and talk to him if he was upright instead of slumped over like that.

Eddie started to blink and he twitched his head away when he felt unfamiliar hands on his neck trying to assess whether he had any spinal damage or nerve damage. He didn't. He could feel his legs, he could wiggle his toes in his shoes if he wanted to and every part of his body was on fire but he was waking up and that was good. His vision blurred for a while and he jerked his arm when he felt Chimney pressing on his chest that felt like it was tight and aching.

"Can you move your toes for me Eddie?"

"Yeah," It hurt like Hell, but he tapped his feet up and down against the pedals as he felt Chimney turn the engine off for safety.

"Eddie!"

"W-where the fuck am I?" He shook his head but it only made the unbalanced feeling get worse and turned the world on its axis. He could hear Buck calling out for him over the dull ringing in his ears.

"You're in the car, you've had a collision but we're gonna get you out, just hang tight." Chimney patted his shoulder before he jumped down and leaned over to talk to Bobby. "I can't get to (Y/n), she's unresponsive and Chris doesn't look too bad but he's unconscious in the back. Eddie's waking up,"

"Alright, Hen break the back window and get Chris checked out. Buck switch with Chim to get Eddie out and Chim, you and me will get on the engine and check (Y/n) through the windscreen. Go."

The truck was rammed in at all angles, the only way to get in the back would be to break the boot window and climb over to get Chris checked over. If he had no spinal or nerve injuries it would be a lot easier to get him out they could break the back window and ease him through that way. Eddie could get through the small opening in his door and wait near an ambulance if they could get him that far.

And for (Y/n), they were going to have to climb onto the truck and go through the already broken windscreen.

As soon as Eddie's horrendous roar emmited through their ears, Chimney moved and Buck hopped between the cars to get to the door and see what was going on.

"Eddie, hey it's Buck it's me! Let's get you out of here and I can help (Y/n), come on-"

"No!"

"Eddie I have to-"

"I can't- I c- Fuck!" Tears spilled down Eddie's face and he slammed his head back into the headrest and pummeled his left fist into the dashboard beside the steering wheel. He let his aching head flop to the right to look at his wife but when he heard the engine groaning from the team climbing up, his eyes shot up to look at Bobby. "Don't touch her!" His elbow flew into Buck to get him off before he reached up and held his arm out towards them.

"We need to check her over-"

"We're stuck!"

"Cap, they um… they're joined." Chimney crouched on his hands and knees as he leaned his head through the windscreen, being careful of the broken glass but he could see why Eddie was suddenly panicking.

In the struggle, Eddie had reached his arm out to try and help pin (Y/n) back in her seat so she didn't get whiplash or fly onto the dashboard. When metal chunks went flying through the windscreen, a long, thin shard of metal punctured through the middle of Eddie's hand and went into (Y/n)'s lower chest. They were pierced together, the team couldn't move Eddie without moving (Y/n) at the same time.

They were pinned.

"I'm gonna take a look I won't move either of you, okay?"

Chimney leaned his chest onto the dashboard and laid down so he could reach them easier.

The first thing he had to do was check (Y/n)'s pulse and her breathing. She had a pulse, her heartbeat was fluctuating and uneven but it was there and that was all he needed right now. He could see her chest rising and falling beneath Eddie's hand that was splayed out on her chest. Chimney kept his hands steady and firm and stretched his arms out towards them.

His hands patted over (Y/n)'s neck, shoulders and then down towards her legs before he moved back up to her chest.

"She's got a few broken ribs," He couldn't hide the grimace from his face when he pressed around (Y/n)'s hips and her torso. "I think her pelvis is broken. The metal is below her heart which is good, it might have pierced her stomach though. We have to move quick."

He couldn't add pressure to the wound and he couldn't cut off her blood supply because of where the wound was. (Y/n) needed circulation to the rest of her body, there was no way to cut off her blood supply to stem the bleeding like there would be if the metal was in her arm or her leg.

"W-what about Chris?"

"Hen how's Chris doing?" Bobby rested his hands on his knees and peered through to try and see Hen who was now sat in the back of the car next to Chris.

"Fractured arm, possible concussion but some glass had cut open an artery in his leg. I'm gonna have to do a stent and tie off his leg before we get him out."

"Oh God," Eddie tipped his head back and smothered his mouth with his hand to stop himself from screaming. He kept his palm pressed tightly to his mouth, morphing the Spanish prayer his mother used to use in times of crisis because if there were such things as miracles, Eddie sure as Hell needed one right now.

He darted his eyes back over to (Y/n) the moment he felt Chimney touching his impaled hand which flinched and twitched in response.

"It's a clean cut, looks like it's missed the main bones. Eddie, I'm gonna have to pull your hand off of the metal and (Y/n). The metal has to stay in her to stem the bleeding but we can pack and bandage your hand for the ambulance journey."

"Do it."

"I'll get you a shot of-"

"Just rip it off, we don't have time to fuck about. Get my wife out of here,"

He wasn't bothered about a shot of morphine which Eddie knew from experience would do very little to take the edge off. The most it would do was make him feel limp and lethargic and he couldn't afford to be anything other than awake and alert. He had to be with his family and keep watch over them. (Y/n) was the one who would need a shot of pain relief if she started to wake up from this.

Eddie wanted her in the ambulance as quick as they could manage.

"Alright, here we go." Chimney carefully strapped a neck brace around (Y/n) and tilted her head back before he rummaged around in his med bag Bobby handed over to him.

Eddie watched with pained eyes as Chimney cut a strip up the middle of (Y/n)'s top and ripped it away from the metal punctured through them both. A clean view was needed to pull Eddie's hand away and try to keep the metal as still within (Y/n) as possible so she didn't get any internal damage. His left hand curled around the steering wheel and he hissed through his teeth when he felt saline and a solution being squirted all around his hand and over (Y/n)'s chest and stomach.

"Keep your arm still and let me move your hand,"

He didn't need telling twice but he wished he had something to bite down on just in case either (Y/n) or Chris could still hear what was going on. He hated to scream in front of them but the pain was burning and it dragged out because Chimney had to move slow. At least when Eddie had been shot at, it had been quick and countered out by adrenaline.

Carefully and slowly, Chimney pulled Eddie's hand up until it squelched off the metal and was finally free. He handed Eddie's hand over to Bobby who washed it down in more solution before packing gauze to either side and wrapping a bandage tightly round to keep the pressure.

"Eddie we need you out so we can get a back board in there and move her."

"No, no I'll get her out with you," He flung his belt off to the side and shifted round in his seat, muffling a groan when he felt his knee twist and spasm. It was either dislocated or broken and Eddie hoped for the first.

He could do this. He was awake, alert and no longer punctured into his wife, he could get her out of here and he could help Hen get Christopher out if she needed assistance with that. He wasn't standing by like some idiot who didn't know what he was doing. He was part of this team and this was his job, they did this every day, it wasn't that much different. Eddie was just sitting on the other side of the line this time.

A silent look passed between Bobby and Buck and with a nod of his head, Bobby gave the order.

Eddie couldn't help with this. He was hurt, in pain and he was concussed, not to mention this was his family and he wasn't on shift. They wouldn't be liable if (Y/n) got injured during the process of getting her out and it was found out that Eddie helped get her out.

He was too close.

"Wh- no! Get off me! Let me GO!"

Scream after scream flew past Eddie's lips and he flung his arms out to grab the door frame when Buck held him under his arms and started to tug him out of the truck. He had to get out, they had to be quick and get (Y/n) and Chris out of there and Eddie couldn't help.

Buck held his breath, tensed his arms and pulled until his closest friend was out of the truck and his legs flopped beneath him to the floor like a rag doll. He didn't give Eddie the chance to try and scramble back into the car, he shuffled backwards and hoisted him along, kicking, screaming and elbowing him to get back in the truck.

Reaching behind him, Eddie dug his nails sharply into the back of Buck's neck and roared, pulling his head down with a jerk to try and get him to let go but it didn't work. Buck let him go and flopped him down onto unsteady feet before he moved round and stood in front of him like a boulder.

"Traitor!" Eddie slammed his fist down on Buck's shoulder but it didn't make that much of an impact and all Buck did was frown and look like he was about to cry. He was put in an awkward position and all he wanted to do was help but he couldn't let Eddie get involved in this. "T-they're my family, if they… I need to be with them,"

When Eddie slumped forward and pressed his forehead into Buck's chest, Buck wrapped his arms around him and held him up.

"I know, I know."

With Eddie out the truck it was easier to get in and get ready to move (Y/n). Bobby got the backboard while Chimney undid her belt and they both eased her up onto the board as slowly as they could so they didn't move the metal too much and rupture something. Once she was strapped on, Chimney pushed the board up through the windshield and climbed out with her.

"Go follow (Y/n) to the ambulance and I'll help get Chris out," Buck gave Eddie a nudge towards his wife before he headed over to the back door that was jammed up against another car. He noticed Hen had managed to roll the window down after she got Chris stabalised. "Pass him through and I'll carry him."

"Easy, do not move or jostle his leg or the stint won't hold,"

Chris was slowly passed between them and Hen held tight hold of his legs and helped shift him round until he was laid over Buck's arms. And just before he turned to run towards the ambulance, Hen leaned over and placed his penguin teddy on his chest.

"He'll be needing this."

***

"How are we doin' in here?" Bobby peered his head around the door and took a tentative step inside but what he saw melted his heart.

He noticed Buck first. He was sat in the plastic chair on the left side of the bed, his legs propped up and crossed on the bed and his body slouched back in the seat. His chin was resting on his hand and he was fast asleep, still in his uniform with his blazer slugged over the back of the chair.

On the floor by Buck's feet, was Chimney, sprawled out asleep with his arms folded over his chest and his head leaning on Buck's leg.

On the other side of the bed, sat Eddie. He was in a dark blue reclining armchair that had the bottom propped up so Eddie could stretch his legs out. His jeans were cut around the middle of his thigh on his left leg and his knee which was dark purple and swollen, was fitted in a brace. It had dislocated during the crash and putting it back in place had almost felt as bad as the cut in his hand.

His right hand had been stitched up and wrapped in a thick clean bandage that went down over his wrist for safety.

He had taken his shirt off in the emergency room so they could check him over and send him for an X-ray which they had also done on his hand and found only one little break in his hand. And now he was sat in just his jeans with a tight bandage wrapped around his lower chest since he had broken two ribs and fractured a third.

Despite the ache that was pulsing through every part of his body, Eddie was still sat in the chair with his son curled up in his arms.

They had put Chris under a mild sedation to fix his leg and bandage it up so he couldn't scratch or pull at his stitches and they had set his arm back in place and put it in a cast from his wrist to his elbow. But when he woke up, no one had been able to stop Eddie from picking him up and walking up and down the room with him like he was a newborn again. He swayed him in his arms, whispered and sang to him to calm him down and as soon as (Y/n) was out of surgery, they went to her room and refused to move.

The metal had successfully been removed and her stomach had been stitched up. Her pelvis was slotted back in place and bound tight just like her chest for her broken ribs and stitches.

She wasn't awake yet, but they weren't expecting her to be after the sedation she had been put under.

When Buck and Chimney found out that she had been moved into a room, they used their uniforms to get past the nurses and hid in her room with Eddie and Chris. And subsequently fell asleep.

"I think we're okay," Eddie waved Bobby inside before he rubbed at his tired eyes and tightened his arms around Chris who was sound asleep on his chest, cuddled up with his penguin. The weight was more comforting than aching and uncomfortable, Eddie would take any amount of pain if it meant his son was comforted and close to his chest.

He couldn't come close to losing either of them again.

"I'm glad to hear it, Hen's on her way down to pop by and see you."

"Cap?"

"Yeah?"

Eddie didn't know what he would have done if the team hadn't reached them so quickly or if they hadn't all have thought on their feet and got him and his family out of there. They didn't let their closeness cloud their judgements, they got everyone safe and got them out and did what was best.

"Thank you,"

[lover-of-mine]

Sometimes I'm like "I'm overthinking buddie, it's not that deep" but then I do stuff like the buddie through the season collection of sets, or someone makes a post with stuff that happened to them all written down and I'm just "if they're not aware they are writing a love story, someone on that writers room needs to reevaluate their lives because if they think that's platonic I got some news" because it's ridiculous. To an insane degree.

Buck went from snappy and "what do we need him for" to literally following Eddie around like a lost puppy and all it took was 1 (one) complement. Buck cleared for Chris to be at the firehouse before it occurred to Eddie to do so and then offered Eddie the solution to his problems like it was absolutely nothing. Eddie denied Chris' literal mother, his honest to God wife, from seeing their kid and then he took Buck with them to see Santa, and that's 10 episodes in, 9 if you consider the fact that Hen begins happens in the middle there and neither one of them are on it. Buck gets crushed by the truck and Eddie, a firefighter who could've left Buck on Hen's very capable hands and help lift the truck, stayed on Buck's side holding his hand. Eddie looked Buck in the eye and said "there's nobody in this world I trust with my son more than you" while Buck actively spirals about losing Chris in a tsunami that he took the blame for after he looked his wife in the eye and said "I can forgive you, I'm not sure I can trust you" when it comes to their son. Eddie picked a fight with Buck in the middle of a grocery store because Buck made it illegal for them to talk. Eddie folded like a paper plan because Buck said sorry and smiled at him. Buck literally clawed at the dirt ready to dig until he found Eddie by hand when the well collapsed. And half of Eddie's I need to keep fighting montage contains Buck. Eddie is ready to let a guy die because he's engaged to Buck's ex and Buck is being reckless about it. Eddie made a decision to not have videogames on in the house, Chris instantly turned to Buck in a full I will ask my other parent moment, and Eddie didn't interfere because he knew Buck wouldn't undermine him. Buck went to the hospital after a fire and Eddie waited by the door so that Buck would have a warning about his parents waiting for him. Chris runs away from home straight into Buck's, Eddie relaxes completely when he realizes Chris is with Buck, and it is actually implied that Eddie called Buck first over the outburst, because Eddie is talking to his girlfriend about it when Chris runs, but Buck already knows about it when Chris gets there. Eddie actively pouts over the fact that Buck teamed up with Taylor even though he has a girlfriend. Buck rolls under a truck even though he got crushed by one to get to Eddie when he got shot. Buck takes on the responsibility of taking care of Chris by his own will. Eddie put Buck down as Chris' guardian on his will not 2 years into knowing him and only told him to dare him to live. They are wistfully staring at each other while talking about Eddie meeting his girlfriend's family. Eddie needs Buck's permission to break up with his girlfriend. Buck runs towards gunfire because he thinks Eddie might be in danger. Eddie snaps, and Chris, a kid being raised by first responders, calls Buck not 911. Buck actually manages to talk Eddie down from the metaphorical ledge he's in. Buck is all heart eyes to Eddie while his girlfriend talks to the girl he cheated on her with. Eddie and Chris are playing games in Buck's kitchen while Buck cooks them dinner. Eddie is screaming in a way we never saw him scream before because Buck is hurt. Eddie is following after a team of doctors wheeling Buck away and actually screaming at them to do more than their best even though he is a first responder and was a combat medic and knows they always do their best. Eddie can't look at Buck while he's in the coma. Buck is uncomfortable at his own place, drives over to Eddie's and instantly falls asleep. Chris is doing his homework on Buck's kitchen. Eddie is talking Buck out to play poker and Buck is sharing his winnings with Eddie like it's a given. Buck is baking cookies with Chris for him to take to school at his loft with Eddie nowhere to be found, while discussing the dinner he won for the 3 of them. Eddie, who later refused pain meds and that he was even hurt, was ready to lean on Buck when he got him out of the truck.

This all happened. On the screen. No exaggeration. No different interpretation. It happened. And this is not all of it. And I'm supposed to sit here and just think they are the bestest of best friends??? Platonic buddies??? Straight bros??? Oh, come on, be fucking for real.

[wikiangela]

me, you, our kid and a dog

the dog fic is finally here! fluff, getting together, first kiss, reluctant dog dad Eddie, all three of them being adorable lol ❤️

words: 4.7k

[read on Ao3]

“You’re getting a dog?” Hen asks, piecing together the few sentences she’s heard. “As in… together? “Yeah.” Buck grins, opening his own locker as well “We’re not getting a dog. “But Eddie!” Buck almost whines, and, god, Eddie would give him anything he asked for, but he’s also stubborn, and he decided something already, he can’t just go back. Besides, does he really want to be stuck taking care of a pet on a rare occasion Buck’s at his loft? “Uh, you don’t even live together.” Hen notices, confused, a frown on her face. “Or have we missed something?” she and Chim exchange a look that Eddie doesn’t wanna look into. He’s already pretty sure he’s wearing his heart on his sleeve, and everyone knows how he feels, he doesn’t need confirmation. “No, but it just makes sense.”

______

It starts as a random remark on a sunny Sunday afternoon when the three of them are at the park. They’re just taking a walk, with the goal of getting ice-cream from the best ice-cream place in the city, according to both Buck and Chris – which is just an ice-cream stand in the middle of the park. 

There’s a lot of people around, strolling and talking just like them, or having picnics, or walking their dogs… and that last thing is what starts a conversation.

Because a big dog runs up to Buck – Eddie’s not even surprised at how every single breathing creature, human or otherwise, is just enamored with Buck, he’s used to it – and he stops to pet it with the brightest smile. Meanwhile, the owner, a young girl probably in her early twenties, catches up and apologizes profusely, saying that the dog tugged the leash out of her hand, and assures that it’s friendly and it’s safe to pet her – which is what Buck’s already doing, anyway.

“Hey, pretty.” he coos, crouching down, both hands petting the dog’s head, while it pants happily, tongue out. 

“Can I pet her, too?” Christopher asks, giving Eddie the most adorable pleading expression, and Eddie just can’t say no. 

“Of course. Just be careful.” Eddie says and watches as Chris walks closer to Buck, who holds one of his crutches to prevent it from falling, when Christopher hurries to pet the dog with the brightest smile. This close, the dog is almost at his height, and Eddie gets a little anxious, but doesn’t let his overprotectiveness take over. Buck’s right there, there’s nothing to worry about.

“She’s so soft.” Chris comments, and the dog licks his face, making him giggle.

They stand there for a long minute, before Eddie apologizes to the girl for keeping her there, and she laughs and says it’s okay. Chris tells the dog it was nice to meet her, and gazes after her wistfully, when the girl finally walks away.

“You really shouldn’t pet strangers’ dogs.” Eddie mutters to Buck once the girl is out of earshot.

“She said it’s fine.” Buck whispers back.

“Not before you already pet it.” Eddie gives him a look. “Just saying, you should be more careful.”

“Next time I will.” he rolls his eyes, as they start walking towards the ice-cream stand again, conversation picking up where they left off.

“I wish we had a dog.” Christopher says suddenly, interrupting Buck mid-sentence, and it surprises Eddie a bit. He’s never mentioned it before, and Eddie’s never thought about a pet, and he doesn’t know how to discourage him from that, or how to say no without breaking his son’s heart. Because there’s no way they’re getting a dog.

“Man, I always wanted a dog growing up.” Buck says wistfully, and, well, now Eddie’s screwed. “My parents never agreed, though.”

“We should get a dog together.” Christopher says, looking at Buck with a wide smile, and Eddie has to step in before they start planning and saying no will become even more heartbreaking.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Dad! Why?” Chris pouts and stops to look at Eddie with those eyes that make any ‘no’ almost impossible to pass his lips.

“Yeah, dad, why?” Buck joins in, and his pout is almost equally irresistible. Eddie is not in the strongest position here. If he wasn’t absolutely convinced of his decision already, he’d fold immediately. And he feels like if they keep talking about this, they might just change his mind. He won’t have this.

“I promise I’ll walk him and feed him, and Buck will help!” Chris says, now stopping and turning towards Eddie.

“Eddie, come on.” Buck shoves his arm lightly.

“You guys are serious? You actually want a dog?” Eddie looks between them, and they nod, matching pouts on their faces. Shit, he’s not gonna fall for it. “No.”

“But-”

“No.” he repeats firmly, his heart breaking a little at his son’s defeated expression. “We all know that you will take care of it for a minute, and then it’ll fall on me, at least when Buck’s not home.” he adds quietly, not missing how he accidentally made it sound like Buck’s living with them, realizing that he’d love that more than anything, but choosing to ignore this for now, because he doesn’t have time for an am-I-in-love-with-my-best-friend freak out again (they happen more frequently than he’d like to admit lately, and he thinks he has the answer already anyway). “Or probably on Carla when we’re at work.” he continues. “And she’s not getting paid to take care of a dog.”

“There’s dog sitters.” Buck murmurs, and Eddie shoots him a look. They’re not made of money, for god’s sake. But then he sees tears in Chris’ eyes, and almost relents. Almost.

“Listen, it’s a no for right now, alright? But let’s revisit this conversation when you’re a little older?” Eddie asks, and Chris immediately lights up.

“How old?” he asks, and Eddie shares a look with Buck. Then, he looks back at his ten-year-old, and answers:

“Thirteen.” because it seems like a reasonable age where he’ll be able to actually take care of a pet, and also, a lot can happen in three years, maybe he’d want a different, more low-maintenance pet. Eddie could do a goldfish, for example.

“Fine.” Christopher relents, and looks at Buck. “We can wait three years.”

“Yeah.” Buck responds, a soft and surprised smile on his face. Like he still doesn’t believe they want him in their lives permanently, and he’s not expecting them to make such long-term plans involving him. “We sure can.”

“Just, we’re clear that we’ll have the conversation then, right? Not that we’re actually getting a dog?” Eddie adds, not wanting them to get too excited. He knows Buck could just get a dog on his own, it’s not like he lives with them (sadly), though as far as Eddie remembers, pets aren’t allowed in his building. But even if he could, Eddie’s pretty sure they’d still make this decision together. He doesn’t know exactly when it happened, but their lives became so intertwined it should be scary. It’s not, though. Buck is his partner, at and outside of work. In almost all the ways Eddie wants him to be.

“Sure.” Buck says dismissively, with a chuckle, like he knows they already won. Eddie really doesn’t like when they team up against him, because that’s usually how it ends, with them winning. They’re his two biggest weaknesses, they have an advantage separately, and together? Eddie’s surprised he managed to say no right now. 

Then they continue their walk, Chris a little bit in front of them, starting a new topic, now wondering what ice-cream flavor he should get, while Buck throws his arm around Eddie’s shoulder, and Eddie feels like his whole body is burning. To anyone else they must look like a family, a couple and their kid. Eddie hates how comfortable he is with that, and how much he’d actually want that to be true. Maybe he’s coming to terms with his feelings for Buck, because now, thinking about wanting to hold his hand and kiss him, and spend the rest of their lives arguing about getting a dog while living together – it doesn’t make him freak out or panic. He feels settled. He’s smiling, and he’s content, and he wants countless more afternoons like this with his boys.

But for now, the dog conversation is over, for at least three years.

Or so Eddie thinks. And, boy, is he wrong.

Because from then on, the topic of dogs and pets is being brought up constantly over the next couple of weeks. 

Mostly small mentions, Buck and Christopher talking about the kind of dog they want – a breed wasn’t specified yet, but definitely a big one, which prompts Eddie to wonder how Chris wants to walk it without the dog pulling on the leash and tripping him. Not that there’s gonna be any dog, that’s not happening.

And then, after a few days, the conversation extends to outside of home, when Buck drives them to work – because he stayed over, like he does pretty frequently, sharing the bed with Eddie because he’s not gonna sleep on the couch – they’re best friends, it’s normal. Or so Eddie’s trying to convince himself to avoid freaking out.

The whole drive over, Buck’s trying to convince Eddie to change his mind, and is still talking about it as they’re walking into the locker room, where Hen and Chimney already are.

“-and you have a backyard, which is just perfect-” Buck continues, not even bothering to say hi to their friends.

“It’s not big.” Eddie points out, opening his locker.

“But it’s enough! And we can build a doghouse together, that’d be so much fun!” he says excitedly, and when Eddie looks at him and sees his sparkling eyes and that smile, he almost gives in. “And I’ll take care of it all the time, too, you know I will.”

“Buck.” Eddie tries to be stern and wants to shut it down for now. They’re at work.

“You’re getting a dog?” Hen asks, piecing together the few sentences she’s heard. “As in… together?”

“Yeah.” Buck grins, opening his own locker as well.

“We’re not getting a dog.”

“But Eddie!” Buck almost whines, and, god, Eddie would give him anything he asked for, but he’s also stubborn, and he decided something already, he can’t just go back. Besides, does he really want to be stuck taking care of a pet on a rare occasion Buck’s at his loft?

“Uh, you don’t even live together.” Hen notices, confused, a frown on her face. “Or have we missed something?” she and Chim exchange a look that Eddie doesn’t wanna look into. He’s already pretty sure he’s wearing his heart on his sleeve, and everyone knows how he feels, he doesn’t need confirmation.

“No, but it just makes sense.” Buck shrugs, taking off his t-shirt in one smooth motion, and Eddie pointedly does not look (he sees him out of the corner of his eye anyway, he can’t help it, peripheral vision exists, okay?). He doesn’t look until Buck puts his LAFD shirt on, and he’s safe to turn to him without the danger of blushing or his eyes lingering where they shouldn’t. He kind of hates realizing he’s attracted to his best friend, because it’s making things weird, at least in his head.

“How does it make sense exactly?” Chimney asks, something smug in his voice.

“It just does.” Buck says dismissively, and Eddie wonders if he’s as confused as Eddie as to what has been happening lately between them. “And Christopher wants nothing more than to get a dog. He said he doesn’t want any presents for his birthday or for Christmas, just a dog.” he adds, and Eddie’s heart breaks a little. Has he said that? Not to Eddie. But if he did… They’re so gonna break Eddie sooner or later. But, again, he’s stubborn (which is probably where Chris gets it from, honestly).

“We’re not getting a dog.” he repeats for what feels like a thousandth time. It’s like a new catchphrase, and he doesn’t like it.

“But Eddie.” Buck pouts, and Eddie tries, really tries, but is aware he’s doing a poor job at that, to conceal a fond smile. Buck is just so adorable, and Eddie is- well, he’s maybe-possibly-probably in love with him. But they’re at work, and their friends are listening, and he doesn’t need the input, and doesn’t need them to know how much closer he and Buck are than they realize – though it might be too late for that, to be honest.

“Let’s talk at home?” he finally sighs, and Buck grins triumphantly. And Eddie knows he’s gonna give in sooner or later.

Especially since, once he gets home, Chris and Buck join forces once again, and Eddie can only hold out on his own for so long. With even his partner against him, there’s not much he can do. His son has websites of some local shelters open on his laptop, as well as a whole PowerPoint presentation about why it’s a great idea to get a dog. Eddie doesn’t know when Buck and Chris made it, but they did, and now they sit Eddie down in the living room and make their case. 

And, well, obviously, Eddie’s heart is not made of stone. He sees the two most important people in his life be so passionate and excited about this, they already set their hearts on getting a dog, and Eddie’s been refusing long enough.

Once the presentation is over, he stands up from the couch, while his boys look at him expectantly and with so much hope, if he didn’t change his mind already, he would now.

“So? Can we get a dog?” Chris asks quietly. Eddie takes a deep breath.

“We need to set some rules first.” Eddie says, and cheers erupt. Before he can say anything more, he finds himself in a tight embrace by Buck and Chris, whom Buck lifted up into his arms, so they can both hug Eddie. They thank him, and are so happy, and Eddie knows he’s made a good decision.

He’s even more sure a minute later, when Buck, in all his joy and excitement, apparently forgets himself and kisses Eddie straight on the lips, just a sweet, chaste brush of lips, and when he realizes what he’s done, they both freeze. Meanwhile, Chris, still in Buck’s arms, has his arms around Eddie’s neck, and doesn't look at them. 

There’s fear in Buck’s eyes, and Eddie gets it, the fear over the possibility of ruining everything, he feels it every time he has the urge to do something dumb like kiss Buck. Which, well, happened. And Buck initiated it. So maybe nothing’s ruined, if Buck feels the same. Because why else would he kiss Eddie?

So, Eddie smiles, which quickly turns into a grin, and Buck looks relieved, and then he beams, when Eddie leans back in, capturing Buck’s lips in a short, soft, tender kiss. It feels like coming home, like everything is where it’s supposed to be. Somehow, Eddie thinks they’re on the same page, and they both know they’re on the same page. They will need to talk later, but for now, the silent communication and understanding they’ve always had is enough. 

“Ew.” they hear Chris groan, and they break the kiss with a laugh, both blushing. “At least put me down if you’re gonna make out.” he adds, and Eddie feels his cheeks get even warmer. He sees that Chris is smiling, though, and Eddie’s a little surprised, because it seems like he’s cool with him and Buck being… whatever they are now. Hopefully dating.

“Uh, here you go.” Buck mumbles, putting him back down, his face bright red. “So, a dog?” he asks, shyly looking at Eddie.

“When?” Chris immediately adds.

“Why don’t we drive down to the shelter tomorrow and have a look?” Eddie suggests. “But first, some rules.” he says sternly, not letting even Buck kissing him distract him, not completely, anyway. He can keep it together for a minute. “Every morning one of you walks it and feeds it. No dogs on the furniture, including the couch. It’ll get a bed in your room-” he points at Chris, who beams at him, “and that’s where it’ll sleep. It’s your responsibility.” he looks from Chris to Buck, they both nod. He’s also aware that most of any rules will get broken anyway, and that he’ll end up taking care of it, too, obviously, they all live under the same roof anyway. Well, not all… not yet. 

“Are we building a doghouse in the backyard?” Buck asks tentatively. 

“Dad, can we?” 

“Yes, of course we can.” Eddie smiles, because he already said yes, and he’s not sure he’d be able to say no to anything they both ask him right now. “But let’s get a dog first, and then we’ll worry about everything else, alright? We’ll get toys and bowls and all that tomorrow, too.” he adds, knowing that it’s another question from his son. And it’s just hitting him now that it’s happening. They’re getting a dog. What is he getting himself into… But first, there are more pressing issues. “Hey, why don’t you go call Carla and tell her, to prepare her for what she’ll have to deal with when she’s here next time, and I’ll just talk to Buck real quick?” Eddie adds, and Chris just nods, gives them both a knowing look, as if he was sure what it is they wanna talk about, and goes to his room.

Once they’re alone, Eddie looks at Buck, who’s looking everywhere but at Eddie. He’s nervous, as if he didn’t get enough confirmation already. Eddie grabs his hand and intertwines their fingers, and Buck’s wide eyes land on him.

“Relax.” Eddie chuckles. “I just felt like maybe we need to talk at least a little bit.”

“Yeah, uh, so that was-” he stops, as if not sure what to say next.

“Unexpected.” Eddie finishes for him, still smiling. “But very, very welcome.” he says just to reassure Buck that he’s not reading anything wrong (Eddie’s not sure how he could but, well, it’s Buck), and tugs at Buck’s hand to bring him closer. 

“Yeah?” his face lights up, and his eyes shine when they look into Eddie’s. 

“Yeah.” Eddie gets even closer, their faces inches apart, both their smiles widening, as Eddie links their lips again. But then he pulls away, because he did want to talk. Nothing goes according to plan today, but he’s not complaining. “I’m happy you kissed me, because I was starting to think I’d never be brave enough.” Eddie admits. “I was worried I’d ruin things if you didn’t feel the same.”

“Which is?” Buck raises an eyebrow, his smile turns teasing, and hopeful, and of course he already knows, but Eddie will gladly spell it out for him.

“I’m in love with you.” Eddie responds, looking into Buck’s eyes, and he feels so much lighter now that he said it. He’s been denying it, wondering, freaking out over it for so long, but now it comes as easy as breathing, and it just feels so right. “I think I have been for a long time. We’re a family already, but I want us to be a family in this sense, too.” he squeezes Buck’s hand, where he’s still holding it. “I love you so much, Buck.”

“I love you, too.” Buck’s smile is blinding. And Eddie can’t resist leaning in to kiss it. “I didn’t even think, it was so-”

“Normal?” Eddie finishes for him with a laugh. “Yeah. Like we’ve always done it.” Because that’s what it feels like when he kisses Buck right now. It’s amazing, yes, but there’s nothing really groundbreaking, it doesn’t feel new, even though it is, it’s the most natural thing in the world, kissing Buck, like Eddie’s been meant to do it. “And if you want, I’d love to do this for the rest of our lives.”

“Wow, that’s fast.” Buck jokes, kissing Eddie again. “We just kissed for the first time, slow down.”

“Uh, we’re getting a dog together.” Eddie pulls away further to give him a look, eyebrows raised. “And we’re co-parenting a kid together, have been for longer than either of us probably realize.” he adds, and sees Buck’s face melt at that. “We’re pretty far ahead already.”

“That’s true.” Buck chuckles. “I can’t believe this is happening.” he whispers, bringing his free hand up to Eddie’s cheek. “I love you.”

“I love you.” Eddie can’t resist a smile. He gets to say it now. He gets to kiss Buck, and hold his hand, and be with him. And maybe they started it a little backwards, but they’re them. They’ve been partners and co-parents for so long, and they know each other better than anyone else. So, Eddie doesn’t think anything would be too fast. Hell, they could get married tomorrow and he’s pretty sure no one would even bat an eye, it’d seem like the most natural thing. But maybe not just yet. Not that, at least, he’ll work up to it one day. However… “And, you know, parenting a kid together plus taking care of a dog together will be just so hard while living apart.” he adds teasingly, and sees Buck’s eyes widen.

“Yeah?” he breathes out.

“Yeah. Might make it much easier if you, I don’t know, maybe move in soon?” he asks, trying to act as nonchalantly as he can, but not quite succeeding, because he’s excited. He hasn’t been this giddy in a long time. And, to be honest, Buck’s already kind of living with them, it’d just make so much sense. More than getting a dog together while living apart, that’s for sure.

“You want me to move in?” Buck tries to smirk, but awe and surprise overtake his expression.

“If you do, yeah.” Eddie says decisively, because now that it’s happening, now that he knows for sure that he and Buck feel the same, everything slots into place, and he knows exactly what he wants. He wants Buck in his life, in his home, forever. “That not too fast for you?” he slowly leans in again, not able to resist those gorgeous lips a second longer, now that he got a taste.

“Actually, no. Seems perfect.” Buck responds, meeting Eddie’s lips halfway.

When they go to the shelter the next morning, Chris is excitedly talking about dog names, and everything they need to buy, and all the research he and Buck have been doing on training dogs to pee outside, and teach them tricks – it’s adorable how excited he is, and now Eddie has no idea why he was ever opposed. Buck and Eddie walk right next to him, holding hands, smiling at each other, as they listen to their son. 

______________

It takes maybe two weeks for the puppy to have Eddie wrapped around her little paw, any rules he made be damned. He’ll never admit it out loud, because he was the one refusing to get a dog in the first place, but she won him over completely. Buck and Chris tease him about it, and he pretends he has no idea what they’re talking about, which apparently they find really funny.

“Hey, I thought you said no dogs on the couch?” Buck asks, running his fingers through Eddie’s hair, as he walks around the couch to sit next to Eddie. Well, Eddie and their little puppy, Luna, who’s curled up next to him, her head on Eddie’s lap, and she’s soundly snoring as he absentmindedly pets her. Buck sits down on his other side, and puts an arm around Eddie.

“Did I?” Eddie mutters, looking down at the adorable dog, and wondering what he could have been thinking then. “I don’t recall.” he adds, and Buck laughs. Eddie immediately shushes him. “She’s asleep, shut up.”

“Wow.” Buck whispers and rolls his eyes. “And you didn’t even want her.”

“Shh.”

“You guys are inseparable now. This was supposed to be Christopher’s dog.” Buck notices with amusement, and he’s only half right. It is Chris’ dog. But she really likes Eddie, and what can he do about it? But they’re not inseparable. Eddie and Buck might be even more now, but not Eddie and the dog.

“She is. Yours and Chris’. She just sat next to me.” Eddie says, looking back at the TV that’s so quiet it’s barely audible. Buck and Chris have been obsessed with the dog since the moment they saw her, and she loves to play with them both, but for some reason, whenever Chris is not there, she ends up hanging out with Eddie more. Buck always jokes that she could sense who was skeptical towards her and made it her mission to change his mind. Maybe there’s something to it.

“And you woke up at four to walk her this morning. And two days ago.” Buck points out, having way too much fun with this. So maybe Eddie’s willingly walking her now after claiming that he won’t, because he’s not the one who wants a dog, so what? He’s allowed to change his mind… again. “And didn’t she sleep in our bed last night?”

“That’s irrelevant.” Eddie responds, not able to resist a smile. He still can’t believe it’s our bed, and our home, and our son, and our life… and our dog – as much as Eddie wants to deny it, she stole his heart, just like she did Buck’s and Chris’. He won’t say that, though. “Someone has to walk her when you two can’t, and she already woke me up.” he shrugs.

“Oh, of course.” Buck laughs and kisses his cheek. “So you guys are not best friends yet?”

“No.” Eddie responds immediately, but his hand is still petting the dog, and he involuntarily smiles when she blinks her eyes open. “Hi, look who finally woke up.” he says softly, and ignores Buck chuckling – or tries to, but it’s Buck, and his laugh is one of his favorite sounds. Luna turns over, demanding belly rubs, and Eddie obliges.

“I love you so much.” Buck says, and when Eddie looks up at him, he immediately meets his eyes, filled with so much affection, it still takes Eddie by surprise.

“I love you, too.” Eddie responds, and just the fact that he can say it now is still making him grin like an idiot. 

“More than the dog?” Buck teases, and Eddie rolls his eyes, while Buck laughs once again. “I’m not hearing a no.”

“You’re insufferable.” Eddie leans over and kisses Buck, just to shut him up. He laughs into the kiss, and Eddie can’t believe how much he loves him, his heart is overflowing with it. One of them deepens the kiss, and Eddie’s just about to suggest they make the best out of Chris still being at school, while they have a day off, but then a few insistent barks interrupt them, and Eddie realizes he stopped petting the dog when he and Buck started kissing. He pulls away, and smirks. “Look, she’s just as clingy as you.”

“And apparently she wants all your attention, like me.” he looks at Luna. “You know he’s mine, right?” he gets another bark in response, before she apparently gets bored of not getting attention, and jumps off the couch, going to the kitchen, where she has her bowls and some of her toys, and they installed a dog door on the back door, so she can go to the backyard, where Eddie, Buck and Chris build a doghouse and fenced off a little area for her. It’s been a fun project, Buck was right. “Ha! Now I have you all to myself.” Buck grins, and leans in again.

Much later that night, they all watch a movie together, Christopher sits in between them, the puppy on his lap, Buck and Eddie’s hands intertwined on the back of the couch, because now that they’re allowed to, they never stop touching for longer than necessary. Maybe they’re both a little clingy. Eddie kind of loves it.

He looks at his family, his wonderful son, and his incredible partner, who’s holding his hand and smiles softly at him over their son’s head, and the dog that, there’s no denying, brought them together. Maybe it’d happen one day anyway, it probably would, but they got here quicker because Christopher and Buck really wanted a dog. And now they live together, they have a family and a life, and a future together. Eddie thinks that giving in to all the pleading and getting a dog was the best decision he could’ve made, and he’s so grateful for it. 

He brings Buck’s hand closer and kisses his knuckles, just because. He’s just overwhelmed with how happy he is right now. He doesn’t think he’s ever been more content in his life. And when Chris groans and complains that they’re being gross and constantly making out (which they’re not… at least not with Chris present), they just laugh, and look at each other, and it’s perfect. Their family is perfect. Eddie wouldn’t change it for the world.

[babygirl-diaz]

In which Sammy has watched far too many soap operas and has therefore created an evil twin for Buck and is now giving you headcanons you did not ask for. Also, it's an omegaverse. 🤷‍♀️

Hello, It's Buck's twin, Muck. I'm just kidding, it's Buck's twin...uh... Eric? Yep, Eric will do. So Eric runs away when he is 17 years old and the Buckley parents are too pissed at him to look for him.

When Buck leaves home at 19 and travels around North and South America, he hopes he will find his twin again. Because how hard could it be to find the guy who looks exactly like you?

Turns out it's very hard. Instead of finding his twin, Buck ends up finding Eddie. An army medic who was in Peru on his leave. Eddie is an omega and they end up spending his heat together. Eddie leaves after a few days, sneaking out before Buck wakes up and Buck is left a little heartbroken.

Four years later, Buck joins the 118, but his brother always remains at the back of his mind and so does Eddie. He still hopes to find them someday.

Two years after that, Eddie joins the 118. Buck is excited to see him. But Eddie doesn't even seem to remember him, which breaks Buck's heart all over again.

Buck wants to punish Eddie for not remembering him so he is at odds with him at first. The two butt heads with each other just don't get along. But then they are forced to work together during the earthquake and come to like and respect each other, and become friends.

And then Buck meets Eddie's son...

He can't help but notice how the kid somewhat looks like him. The curly hair. The blue eyes. Could be a coincidence... Right?

Buck doesn't press and Eddie says nothing. When Buck's curiosity gets the best of him, he asks Eddie about Chris' other parent and Eddie tells him he and his ex-wife, Shannon, who was also an omega, had the baby through an alpha donor.

Buck is disappointed, to say the least.

And then there is a car crash and with it, Buck's entire world starts crashing down around him.

When the 118 get to the scene, they realize that the alpha in the car crash looks EXACTLY like Buck.

The man in the car crash turns out to be Dr. Jeremy Stanford, a neurosurgeon with the UCLA hospital, much to Buck's confusion.

With all eyes on Buck, he is forced to confess that he has a twin brother who ran away from home when he was 17 years old.

When "Jeremy" wakes up in the hospital, Buck and Maddie are right there, waiting for answers.

Jeremy tells them he ran away from home because he couldn't deal with their parents anymore and he hated the fact that their parents cared more for Buck and Maddie than they did for him. Turns out, with the help of someone he got to California, and because of his smarts, he got into Stanford. He called himself Jeremy because he always loved Jeremy Irons' voice as Scar in The Lion King (foreshadowing are we?) and Stanford because he always loved the school and it gave him a second chance.

Maddie and Buck don't know what to make of this, but they are happy to have their brother back.

Buck and Jeremy start hanging out and Buck even introduces his brother to the 118.

Buck, who has been playing a long game this entire time, is heartbroken once again when Jeremy asks Eddie out. Eddie doesn't know what to say so he asks Buck and Buck being the self-sacrificial fool he is, tells Eddie to go for it.

Oh, and up to this point, Buck has become very close to the Diaz boys. Christopher adores him and Buck adores him back.

But with Jeremy in the picture, Eddie and Christopher spend less and less time with Buck. In fact, even Maddie spends more time with Jeremy than she does with him.

Buck can't help but feel jealous that Jeremy is stealing their time but he tells himself that after everything Jeremy has been through, he deserves a family, so he backs off.

Jeremy shows up everywhere and everyone loves him, and Buck feels like everyone in his life is getting further away from him.

One thing Buck does notice is that Jeremy doesn't let Buck and Eddie hang out with each other. He always comes along with Eddie.

Then one day Jeremy declares he is Christopher's biological dad, much to Buck's horror. Eddie tells him he met Jeremy in Peru where he was going by the name E.B. and the two spent Eddie's heat together, after which Eddie found out he was pregnant. Eddie admits when he first joined the 118, he thought Buck was E.B. but since Buck said nothing, Eddie didn't press. Also, he was scared that Buck would take his son away if he found out that Christopher was his. But it made much more sense to Eddie that Jeremy was the real dad and not Buck.

Buck feels his entire world shatter. He found and lost his kid in the same breath. He wants to tell Eddie that he is E.B. and not Jeremy but he doesn't think Eddie will believe him, so he confronts Jeremy instead.

And that's when Jeremy shows his true colors...

He just wanted to destroy Buck's life because Buck got to have the life that he wanted. So now he wants to take everything away from Buck. Starting with the man Buck loves and the kid that is actually his.

Dun dun dunnnnnnnnnn....

That's all I have for now, folks. And like I said, I am a storyteller, not a writer.

[dangerpronebuddie]

Now that it's been pointed out to me, I can NOT stop thinking about it! It's a long ramble, so it's under the cut.

Eddie runs when things get tough.

Shannon got pregnant-> military

Shannon wants to move-> he shuts her out

Parents want to take Chris-> moves away

I am in no way blaming Shannon here, but I am saying that this is probably where most of this behavior was learned. It could even be from Ramon always being away, and being emotionally absent when he was present.

The thing is, when Eddie ran, no one stopped him. Shannon didn't put up a fight when he joined up. His parents let him walk away. When Buck wants to talk about the shooting and Eddie shuts down, Buck doesn't push.

So Eddie has learned he can get away with it. No one's going to push back, so why push at all?

I have noticed that he doesn't enter arguments unless provoked. When he comes home from Afghanistan, his parents and Shannon criticize every little thing. So he puts up his carefully crafted walls and shuts them out. He only starts the peacocking gym fight when Buck turns his aggression on Chimney.

Now the grocery store fight is a whole other ballgame. It's grief disguised as anger. I will admit, and I will die on this hill, that Eddie's "you're exhausting" comment was uncalled for and I would've burst into tears if someone said that to me. But that's what grief does to him. It's so overwhelming, and having grown up in a house where he had to be the man of the house as a child, showing no emotion, it's not surprising. If you're not angry when you're upset, you're not a man.

But I'm getting off track (as usual.)

My point is, no one's given him reason to keep fighting through the issue, so he simply walks away from it.

Which makes the cemetery scene even more incredible and interesting. Frank is my hero, honestly, and Eddie's growth has been amazing to watch. He's not running from Buck in the cemetery scene, he's offering Buck the chance to fight for them.

Instead of taking the lead, being in control, or walking away, he's giving the reigns to Buck. His last attempts at trying to get Buck to get over his near death experiences didn't work. He tried to get Buck out of his own head with the ladder truck, so he makes Buck go out into the world again. Only to be caught in a tsunami. He tries again (poorly) in the grocery store scene, asking him why he can't move on and suck it up. These attempts only made Buck internalize his emotions. Because that's all Eddie knew.

Thanks to Frank, Eddie's learning. So instead of inserting himself into Buck's issues and trying to make things right as fast as possible, he's actually allowing Buck "time to process" (seriously, how could Eddie possibly give such advice to others when he couldn't follow his own in s4?)

He lets Buck come to him in 6x12, and only asks how Buck's really doing after they talk. He's trying to follow Buck's lead for a change.

Same with the cemetery and "you don't have to be anything for anybody." Buck keeps looking to Eddie like Eddie's supposed to tell him what to do, but Eddie's learned that that doesn't work. Buck HAS to make decisions for himself or he's never going to grow. So, Eddie thinks that if Natalia is who Buck wants, then he won't stop him.

Now he did comment on how it was a bad idea for Buck to date people they've met on calls (kinda hypocritical dude!), but that's the only objection he's voiced.

Something else just popped into my head about how Eddie came to this conclusion. He saw Buck with Taylor and without her. Guess which version he preferred? Which version was happier?

That's because, when Buck breaks up with her, it's his decision. He chose to end things instead of waiting for "when the woman flees." Buck stumbles into relationships, and waits for shit to hit the fan. He doesn't put in the work either.

Buddie can either be really really good or really really bad with this. Eddie leaving the ball in Buck's court lets Buck make the decision to be with Eddie. He has to confess, because Eddie's resigned himself to pining forever. When Buck does, they can either have hundreds of problems, or learn to communicate and operate as a couple.

Forcing the decision into Buck's hands makes him choose for himself what he wants. Buck always has to be chosen, but Eddie's telling him he doesn't have to be. Eddie's always choosing, so giving Buck the lead is not only a huge display of trust, but it's a giant step forward in terms of how Eddie handles relationships.

Now, had Eddie not done this, this might've been a major issue for them. Buck would keep following Eddie's lead, not put in any effort, and Eddie would bail the moment they had even a small tiff.

But thanks to giving the decision to Buck, they have a better chance at a successful ship.

What needs to happen now is they need to address the things they haven't dared talk about. Namely the will, the shooting, and the lightning.

I know the show doesn't leave loose ends, and foreshadowing (especially when it comes to Eddie) can take several seasons to unfold. So, it's not improbable that the Will will be brought up again. I know they talked about Buck's death and the shooting, but not what it did to each other. And, I have a little theory about Eddie's comments about the shooting.

He remembers more. His body language in that scene absolutely says so. He barely looks at Buck, does a subtle head shake, and keeps his comments to a minimum. Because he needed to in that moment. Telling Buck everything he actually remembered wasn't what Buck needed. Buck needed the assurance that he was going to get better. That he'd actually process it. Eddie couldn't tell him the whole truth and expect Buck to feel fine about it.

Welp... this got way out of hand very quickly. Random thoughts while doing dishes will do that, I guess. I just think the cemetery scene has a lot more layers than I first noticed, and every time I think about these two, something new to analyze comes up.

[schrijverr]

I Found Myself a Cheerleader 17

Chapter 17 out of 28

Bumped to the lowest step on the social ladder after his fight with Billy, Steve gets roped in with the cheer team. What starts as a favor to help them out when one member breaks her leg in turn for protection from the brunt of the bullying, sets the universe on a different path.

In this chapter, a second body is found and Nancy also joins their little crew as they try to prove Eddie’s innocence. Later, they also run into Lucas. More and more of what is going on unraveling in front of them as Max is also marked as a target.

On AO3.

Ships: steddie & buckingham

Warnings: general season 4 shenanigans, child abuse mention, homophobia mention, period typical homophobia

~~~~~~~

Chapter 17: The Second Death

Chrissy is naturally terrified. None of them understand what is happening yet, but Chrissy is definitely a target and she is also new to all of this. She has taken to sticking to Robin’s side and once this is over Steve will mercilessly tease Robin about her continuous redness, though he has to admit, she hasn’t been rambling too much.

Max has also taken a shine to Chrissy, sticking close to her side in that quiet way that has snuck up on her while she was pulling away. Steve is glad to see Max again, he has been worried for her. She is probably still dealing with Billy and now with the Upside Down being back, which isn’t good, but she is at least in his line of sight. Safe.

It’s getting too late to still drive up to Weathertop especially with a teen just dead that has all parents on edge.

So, Steve drops off Dustin and Max at the Henderson house, telling them he’s going to come pick them up tomorrow. The trailer park is still a crime scene and Steve will be more at ease, knowing Max isn’t alone.

When it’s just the older teens in the car, he says: “Robs, do you think your parents will let you stay at Chrissy’s house tonight?”

“What?” Robin asks, looking back at Steve from where she’d been watching Chrissy in the backseat through the rear view mirror.

“I mean, Chrissy’s mom probably won’t let her stay at someone else’s house, but she shouldn’t be alone tonight and I am definitely not getting in,” Steve explains, knowing that Robin just wasn’t paying attention, but not calling her out on it.

Chrissy pipes up: “I’d love for you to stay over, tonight.”

Robin catches up and flushes slightly, before thinking: “Well, I can always ask if we swing by. I can be very convincing.”

“Sure,” Steve grins with a tone that earns him a pout from Robin that he ignored. “And otherwise I’ll just kidnap you, Chris. I’m sure you’ll look lovely on a milk carton.”

“Shut up, Stevie,” Chrissy giggles.

“Yeah, not funny, dingus,” Robin laughs.

Robin manages to convince her parents that she should stay at Chrissy’s house, before the two call Mrs. Cunningham and lie that otherwise Robin – sorry, Stevie – would be home alone tonight with a killer on the loose. When Mrs. Cunningham says okay, they drive to Family Video where the two get picked up, pretending Chrissy has been at work with Robin all day.

With the two safely on their way to the Cunningham house, Steve drives alone to the cabin. He feels both like he is going to burst out of his skin and collapse onto his bed and sleep for years.

When he gets home, his hand hovers over the phone and he considers calling the Sinclairs to ask about Lucas, but he doesn’t. It’s late and he doesn’t want to worry his parents and if Lucas manages to stay safe and away from all this, Steve doesn’t want to drag him back. There are already enough people in danger right now.

So, he doesn’t pick up the phone and instead paces around the house. He is exhausted, but his bed seems unappealing.

At multiple points he considers getting into his car and driving to Lover’s Lake to see if Eddie is alright. One time he is already opening the door when he stops himself. Eddie has only just offered a tentative peace, no need to force more. He’s going through a horrible thing right now, the last thing he wants is for Steve to force his company on him.

He should sleep instead. It’s the best move to rest up now that he can. None of them know what the coming days will bring. This might be the last time, he gets a good night’s rest. Not that it is likely with how he tosses and turns all throughout the night.

On the morning of the 23rd he is at the Henderson house at the crack of dawn to drive the two to Weathertop. At the Cerebro, Dustin immediately disappears into setting it all up properly so that he can listen in on the police. Max looks a little less excited to be up.

“You doing okay, Mayfield?” Steve asks, worried.

“Yeah. Fine,” Max answers curtly. “Just early.”

“Well, try to get some rest while you keep an eye on that guy, okay?” Steve smiles at her, nodding to Dustin, who is ignoring both of them.

Max smiles back and nods. “Sure, I’ll keep him safe.”

“I resent that,” Dustin finally speaks up, before turning a dial with an aha-exclamation, which makes both of them laugh.

After that, Steve drives to the grocery store that has only just opened its door, getting all Eddie’s favorites so he’ll have at least something. Then he goes to get Chrissy and Robin, who are waiting at the end of the road.

Robin scrambles into the passenger seat as she loudly says: “Thank god, I was going to smash something, I swear to god. I don’t know how you do it, Chris.”

“You get used to it,” Chrissy replies with a smile and a sad undertone.

“Oh, sorry,” Robin says, feeling awkward.

“It’s okay,” Chrissy tells her with a kind smile.

“Lets go pick up the kids and see Eddie,” Steve says to get the attention away from the fumble for which both are grateful.

However, that gratitude doesn’t last for long. With just them in the car, Robin asks: “Are you okay, you know, seeing Eddie again?”

“I’m fine,” Steve grits.

“Dingus,” Robin frowns. He hates it when she frowns.

“We’re just worried,” Chrissy backs Robin up, leaning between them from the back.

“No need,” Steve says. “I’m fine. Eddie seems to not hate me, so that’s good. He’s shaken right now. It’s not the time to talk about it.”

“Are you sure?” Robin questions, looking unsure. “I know it was like a whole thing and you feel guilty about it, but if he is only a little bit of a dick, I’m punching him. He can be an asshole too, you know.”

“Will you ever let the not saying thing go?” Steve groans.

“No, it was fucked up and you know it,” Robin pouts.

“It was my idea, Robs,” Steve says, glad he can throw the car in park to yell at Dustin and Max to come down, which they do, bearing the bad news that Eddie is indeed a wanted man.

Steve can already imagine how Eddie’s eyes will look when he hears the news and he is not looking forward to that, even if he is anxious to see Eddie alive and well. After the whole night of horror visions, he just needs to see Eddie breathe.

Eddie indeed doesn’t look so hot when they come in and takes the food gratefully, quickly stuffing his mouth so he’ll have something to do. Steve knows it is a little gross, but he can’t help but think it’s cute how Eddie munches on the cereal.

“So,” Dustin decides to break it to him, Steve is glad it’s not his task. “We got, uhm, some good news and some bad news. How do you prefer it?”

“Bad news first, always,” Eddie says, radiating nervous energy.

“All right. Bad news, we tapped into the Hawkins PD dispatch with our Cerebro and they’re definitely looking for you,” Dustin tells him. “Also, they’re- they’re pretty convinced you killed Patrick. Like a 100% kind of convinced.”

“And the good news?” Eddie asks with a desperate voice that has Steve’s heart breaking as he looks away, unable to meet those wide brown eyes.

Robin has the answer to that: “Your name hasn’t gone public yet.” Then she immediately ruins that with her motormouth. “But if we found out about you, it's a matter of time before others do and once that gets out, everyone and their shallow-minded mother is gonna be gunning for you.”

Eddie is quiet for a second as he thinks over her words. A thousand emotions flash over across his eyes, before he looks at Robin, then Steve and bitterly says: “Hunt the freak, right?”

And Steve knows exactly what Eddie means when he says that. The meaning behind the words that only he and Robin will pick up.

The Freak.

It’s a conversation they’ve had in the quiet nights, a conversation they’ve had without words, but with actions. The big difference between them. How Steve could hide his queerness, how he could go back and play King Steve and hold up the smoke and mirrors, while Eddie has always been too outspoken, too expressive, too queer. Too much of a target.

All of those emotions swirl inside Steve. The anger at everyone that judged, the hurt that he has also felt when being targeted, the indigence for this boy who was never given leeway, the guilt for turning away from Eddie, for succumbing and hiding when Eddie could not.

“Exactly,” he says, knowing all those emotions can’t be put into words. Not by Steve. Not right now.

“Shit,” Eddie replies and it sounds like he understands.

“So, before that happens, we find Vecna, kill him and prove your innocence,” Dustin jumps in to cheer up Eddie, missing the extra layers that are added for him. For them.

“That’s all, Dustin? That’s all?” Eddie snaps with the voice of someone who hasn’t been dragged into this insanity by Dustin and his never ending optimism before.

“Yeah, no that is pretty much it,” Dustin tells him, oblivious to that.

“Listen, Eddie,” Robin starts what is clearly another disastrous attempt at cheering Eddie up that Steve knows he should stop, but he doesn’t know what to say to make it better either. “I know everything Dustin is saying sounds totally delusional, but we’ve actually been through this before. I mean, they have a- a few times and- and I have once.”

Chrissy next to her nods vigorously: “She told me about it. They fought other stuff before.”

“Yeah, I mean, mine was more human-flesh based and theirs was more smoke-related,” Robin says, only knowing the bit Steve told her, while Eddie is slowly loosing more and more faith. “But bottom line is, collectively, I really feel like we got this.”

While, Robin’s speech is not inspiring, Steve thinks that she is on the right track, so he adds: “We usually rely on this girl who has superpowers,” before realizing that he might have made a mistake as he trails off. “But, uh, those went bye-bye, so…”

“So, we’re technically in more of the-” Robin jumps in to help, however, one drawback to sharing a brain is that both draw a blank.

“Kinda…” Steve tries.

“Brainstorming phase,” Max saves them.

“Brainstorming,” Steve repeats, sounding unsure, but trying to come across like he knows what he’s talking about.

“There- There’s nothing to worry about,” Dustin adds, but the slight hesitation after all his naive optimism, only makes it worse. Eddie’s scoff speaks to that.

However, before the hopelessness of their situation can be revealed further, they’re snapped to attention by police sirens. Eddie curses and all of them panic, but Chrissy jumps into action and yells: “Tarp, the tarp,” as she ushers Eddie under it.

As Eddie hides, Dustin and Max fly to the window, followed by Steve, who is already thinking of excuses for the police if they do come knocking, though he comes up blank. Luckily, the police flies by the little house, urgently on their way to elsewhere.

They all let out a sigh of relief, before Chrissy wonders out loud: “Where do you think they’re going?”

“Maybe there’s another body,” Dustin proposes, his analytical mind working quicker than his social people mind, not realizing what he’s just said.

But the others do and all look at each other with wide eyes of horror. Max says: “We have to go check it out.”

“Yeah, here, Eddie,” Dustin hands Eddie a radio, so he can contact them, before marching out to the car. There is a sudden urgency about them and Steve only waves at Eddie, who is still sitting in the boat, before he’s rushing after them.

The police aren’t difficult to find, since the road is blocked where it curves closely to a beach. There are all sorts of people there, firefighters, an ambulance and Nancy- wait Nancy?

They all get out of the car and look at the scene in front of them, trying to comprehend what has just happened here. Steve catches Nancy’s eyes from where she is talking to Chief Powell and she seemingly almost bursts into tears when she sees them.

Steve watches her for a few moments, as she says something in the way he knows she is repeating something she said before. Then she gestures at Steve and the others, before pleading to Powell and only then is she let go, making her way to them.

When she gets there, she says relieved: “Thank god, you never guess what happened. Fred just got killed. It’s horrible, I think something is going on again.”

Then her eye falls on Chrissy and she frowns, obviously confused why they would take her along in their ragtag group. Luckily, Dustin, oblivious as he may be from time to time, says: “Good, we’ve been following it already. Lets talk about this somewhere else for a bit.”

With Nancy in the car too, it is more of a tight fit, but Steve makes Chrissy sit on Robin’s lap, which causes her to flush and glare at him, but Chrissy seems perfectly happy to be there, albeit a little embarrassed.

Nancy directs them to the trailer park where she left her car. At one of the picnic tables they compare notes, Nancy horrified by their discoveries and the return of the Upside Down and the others saddened by Fred’s death. Another victim, even if they didn’t know him well. Or Patrick for that matter.

However, despite her grief, Nancy realizes that the victims don’t make sense and Max and Chrissy have both seen the others at Ms. Kelley’s office – both also look equally uncomfortable to mention that they have been seeing Ms. Kelley, however Dustin immediate distracts by saying that’s where they have to investigate.

As they get up, Nancy doesn’t follow. Immediately Steve’s eyes are filled with hearing about her death, having to tell Mike when he returns from his trip to California. Before he knows it, he is exclaiming: “Whoa, whoa, Nance. Nance! Where are you going?”

“Oh,” Nancy says, playing innocent with her big eyes. “There is just something I wanna check on first.”

“Something you wanna share with us?” Steve immediately questions.

“I don’t want to waste your time. It’s a real shot in the dark,” Nancy tells him apologetically if Nancy’s ‘checking on something’ isn’t always incredibly dangerous and a little illegal.

“Yeah, okay,” Steve scoffs. “Are you out of your mind, flying solo wit Vecna on the loose? No, it’s too dangerous. You need- You need someone to-”

Steve doesn’t know what he’s offering exactly, he wants to make sure Nancy is safe, but he also wants to keep the other safe. He guesses Nancy’s excursion will be more dangerous, so he turns to the others and throws the car keys to Robin – the person he trusts most with his kids and Chrissy’s safety – and says: “Here, I’ll stick with Nancy. Take the car, check out the shrink.”

“I don’t think you want me driving your car,” Robin says and Steve can’t imagine why he wouldn’t want Robin in charge of these kind, loving, reckless, genius dumbasses.

“Why?”

“I don’t have a license,” Robin answers with an awkward look.

For a second, Steve is absolutely gobsmacked. They’ve been friends forever already and he never knew that. He thought she was just lazy and stubborn in making him drive, since it is his car they always take and he is a little protective about it. However, he would have taught her if she had told him, so he asks: “Why?”

“I’m poor,” Robin shoots back.

Next to her, Max lights up, jumping on it: “I can drive.”

“No, never again, please,” Steve shrieks, having flashbacks to her driving while he was heavily concussed. “Anybody but you. No.”

Dustin points to himself as he pulls a face and an even more horrible movie plays across Steve’s eyes as he imagines Dustin driving. He shudders and says: “No chance.”

“Oh come on.” Dustin pleads.

“No,” Steve says, instead looking to Chrissy, who might be the only one there that can actually drive safely and normally.

She grimaces apologetically and says: “My mom thinks driving isn’t lady like.”

Steve feels himself deflate at that, unsure of what to do now. Robin, fortunately steps in. “Alright, okay, this is stupid. Us ladies will stick together. Me and Chris will go, safety in numbers,” she says, taking a radio so she can contact Steve. Then she pulls a shit eating grin at him and says: “Unless you think we need you to protect us.”

He glares at her, knowing that they both know he doesn’t think that. Chrissy and her friends protected him for half his senior year and Robin was just as badass as him in that Russian bunker, so he just says: “Be careful,” and hopes they will. He can’t loose Robin or Chrissy. He can't.It’ll break him.

Robin looks back and gives him a small nod, to show she knows. Chrissy looks between them, perhaps for the first time fully grasping their closeness, before promising: “We will,” then they both disappear with Nancy.

Steve watches them go and feels a heaviness in his chest that always comes when they’re sucked back into this nonsense again. A dark part of him, can’t help but wonder if he’ll ever see the girls again, if Eddie will make it out of this, if any of them will.

He is snapped out of it by Dustin who smirks: “Just going to stand there and gawk?”

“Shut up,” Steve tells him, knowing what Dustin is going to imply and he is not here for it. He knows he has spend moths building up his straightness in front of Dustin, but he is so not in the mood to defend himself right now, so he won’t be shoved with any of the girls. It can get exhaustive.

The three of them drive to Ms. Kelley’s house and Steve can feel Dustin brimming with something that he ignores in favor of watching Max, saying: “She’s in.”

“I’m missing collarbones not eyes,” Dustin says and Steve suppresses an eye roll as he keeps an eye on where Max disappeared instead.

It’s quiet for a second, before Dustin breaks it. “So, we going to talk about it?”

“Huh, sorry, talk about what?” Steve plays dumb, something he’s good at.

“Your temporary insanity earlier today when you basically threw yourself at Nance?” Dustin points out, showing how he can be so smart and so dense too.

“That’s no what happened,” Steve tells him, hoping the squirt will drop it.

“Pretty sure that’s what happened,” Dustin counters, in that annoying condescending tone. “It was public. There were a lot of witnesses.”

“You implying I still have a thing for Nance?” Steve asks with pure disbelief, not sure how this is where his day is going.

“No,” Dustin says and Steve has a moment of relief, before he continues his sentence, “I’m not implying. I’m stating. And, as it relates to your steadfast refusal to date Robin or Chrissy, it is pretty much the only logical explanation.”

“That’s not the only one,” Steve mutters darkly, not wanting to out himself, but wanting Dustin to not jump to conclusions either. “And as for Nance,” he adds, because it is important. “I was just trying to protect a friend. A friend, Henderson.”

“Okay,” Dustin smirks, like he thinks Steve’s lying, which is flustering him and making him frustrated. It’s like he’s being interrogated by his peers again. Holy shit.

“I don want to find her with her eyes sucked out of her skull by this Vecna creep,” he exclaims, not understanding why Dustin doesn’t get it. Is this another straight boy thing?

“You’re bright red in the face right now,” Dustin points out with a chuckle.

It’s that fucking chuckle that makes Steve’s heckles raise. It reminds him of all the chuckles of less friendly people that followed him for months, how hard it was to shake their whispers, how they are still going on according to Lucas. It’s not meant like that, but it feels like scrutiny and Steve feels cornered.

And because Steve is still learning, he goes back to what he knows, he relapses and snaps: “I’m not and I don’t wanna talk about it. I’ll punch you so hard, you teeth will fall back out.”

One look at Dustin is enough to tell him how wrong that is and guilt floods through him as he immediately backtracks: “Whoa, too far. Not cool. Sorry.”

Luckily, Dustin is as kind as he is probing, so he just nods: “Not cool. It’s okay.”

After which the two sit in the silence of the car as they wait for Max to come back out and relieve them of their awkward silence.

They are saved when Max comes out of the house, seemingly rushing. Steve spots her first and starts the car as he says: “Here she comes. Here she comes.”

“What’d she say?” Dustin asks immediately.

“Nothing, just drive,” Max says and her tone makes Steve stop, but she’s not having it, forcefully repeating: “Steve, drive.”

“Okay, okay,” Steve says as he drives off.

As they drive, Max only tells them to go to the school. That they have to look at more files and with the state she’s in, Steve doesn’t ask too many questions and does as he’s told.

The tense silence that hangs in the car is broken by the radio going off. Steve’s first instinct is fear that something has happened to the girls, but then Lucas’s voice says: “Dustin. It’s Lucas. Do you copy? Dustin?”

However, it doesn’t take long for the fear to set in again. Steve thought he could keep Lucas out of it this time, to keep him safe, but apparently not. Apparently whatever is haunting Hawkins always manages to drag all of them back in.

Dustin pick up the radio and replies: “Lucas? Where the hell have you been?”

“Just listen,” Lucas says. “Are you looking for Eddie?” and Steve’s heart sinks more. Lucas is already in too deep again to turn him away.

“We found him, no thanks to you,” Dustin frowns, in that undeserved indignant way only he can pull of.

“You found him?” Lucas asks and Steve can’t tell if he’s glad or horrified.

“He’s at a boathouse on Coal Mill Road,” Dustin says. “Don’t worry. He’s safe.”

“You guys know he killed Patrick, right?” Lucas asks in a hurt voice.

Steve remembers how Lucas found a friend in Patrick, how scared he must be right now. Fuck, he should have called to check in on him the moment he heard the news. Feeling a little guilty that he’s glad that he isn’t the one that has to face Lucas as Dustin replies: “That’s bullshit, Eddie tried to save Patrick.”

“Then why do all the cops say he did it?” Lucas says.

Max leans over the back of the seat and takes the radio. In her usually blunt manner, she rolls her eyes and says: “Lucas, you are so behind, it’s ridiculous, okay? Just meet us at school. We’ll explain later.”

“I- I can’t,” Lucas says and Steve feels his heart sink, something that is not helped with Lucas goes on. “I think some real bad shit’s about to go down.”

“What are you talking about? What bad shit?” Max asks the question that Steve has been wanting to ask too, worry tinting her voice. This worry does not fade when they get static over the radio instead of an answer. Max pushes the button again and asks: “Lucas? Lucas?”

All three of them exchange glances and Steve speaks up first: “We should go look for Lucas. He could be in trouble.”

Max nods, but Dustin shakes his head: “We’ll never find him. He knows where we’re headed, if he doesn’t meet up with us there, we can go look for him and one of us can stay behind in case he shows up. It’s no use if we’re looking for him in one place, while he’s coming to meet us.”

Steve hates that Dustin is right, so he just drives to the school. The closed school. That they are breaking into, because Max said it was important. Since this is Steve’s life again. God, does he not miss the Upside Down when it is gone.

It’s already getting dark and Steve doesn’t know how he’ll explain this to their parents when they finally come home. However, the darkness does cloak their actions from prying eyes as they make it into the school and to Ms. Kelley’s office, where Max starts rustling through the files.

While they’re searching through the office, the girls contact them and Steve has never been more happy to hear Robin’s rambling, even if her voice is tinny through the radio. And he’s so glad, they’re coming too. All of them together is much safer, and he thinks of Eddie, all alone in that boathouse. His heart aches.

However, before he can be glad the three are okay – that’s at least three out of four okay, Lucas is still out there, his brain reminds him – he is distracted by Dustin, who has an anxious voice as he shakes Max and pleads: “Max, come on.”

She doesn’t respond, eyes far away and Eddie’s words flash through his mind as Steve joins Dustin and asks: “Max?”

Max just stands there.

Unresponsive.

Steve feels ice flood his veins. Not Max. Not like this. Not after all she survived. He can’t loose one of his kids. He can’t watch that.

Then Max takes a deep breath of air, coming back to them, relief evident in the room. But Max isn’t saying anything, just walking out of the room as Steve and Dustin follow her immediately as she makes her way through the hallways.

She comes to a stop in front of a normal wall, frowning. Right at that moment Chrissy, Nancy and Robin come in. The three of them looking curiously at the group in front of the wall, trying to see if there is anything about it.

Nancy looks a little bit on edge, side-eying Robin. Steve is just glad to see the three of them alive and well, especially Chrissy, looking completely unharmed.

He’s been worrying about her in the back of her head. Though all other worries have been playing in front of it, it was there the whole time and with what just happened to Max, his worry has been tenfold. But she looks okay, smiling at Robin and him.

“What’s going on?” Nancy asks, always the reporter.

Max tells them a story that has all their blood running cold. Tells them about a vision, a clock in the hallway that wasn’t there, but felt so real.

“That’s not even the bad part,” she says, turning back to them, looking like the small, scared child she is. And Steve can’t fix it. “Patrick and Fred, they both came to Ms. Kelley for help. Uh, they both were having headaches. Bad headaches. That wouldn’t go away. And then- then the nightmares. Trouble sleeping. They’d wake up in a cold sweat. Then they started seeing things. From their past. Bad things.”

Steve knows exactly what Max must have been seeing and his heart breaks for this young girl, who has already seen too much. He can’t help but notice, however, that Chrissy has been slowly becoming paler as Max talks.

“These visions, they just- they kept on getting worse and worse, until eventually,” she trails of for a second, then finishes, “everything ended.”

“Patrick’s headache started a week ago, Fred’s six days ago,” Max tells them. “I’ve been having them for five days. I don’t know how long I have. All I know is that for Fred and Patrick, they both died less than 24 hours after their first vision and I just saw that goddamn clock, so…” she lets out an uneven breath, looking terrified. She gives them a wobbly smile that will likely haunt Steve’s dreams for years to come as she says: “Looks like I’m gonna die tomorrow.”

“No, we can-” Steve starts, but he actually doesn’t know what to do. Max has been branded by death. She is going to die. And they have no clue how to stop it. Nothing. A weight crushes his chest, helplessness at this new enemy, who he can’t stand in front of, whose attacks he can’t take instead of these kids. These fucking kids that means so much to him.

“Chrissy,” Robin’s uncharacteristically sharp voice cuts through his panic as they all look at Robin, then at Chrissy, who has been trying to fade to the background. “How long have you been getting headaches?”

“Uhm, four days,” Chrissy says softly. And Steve’s panic only increases. It’s not just Max, his baby sister Max, who is in danger, but also Chrissy. Chrissy his best friend next to Robin. Chrissy with whom he does cheer, who gets that exercise helps him get out of his head.

The other person he cares about that he can’t protect from Vecna.

Before they can process it all, they are interrupted by a clang somewhere in the building. They are not alone anymore. This Steve can do something about, so he grabs the lamp, missing his nail bat, as he tells the others: “Stay here.”

None of them listen of course, but they at least stay behind him. All of them creeping through the hallway, until someone enters their line of visions. Everyone is yelling and Steve is about to swing when he recognizes the voice saying: “It’s me!”

“Lucas?” Nancy exclaims behind him.

“It’s me,” Lucas confirms.

“Jesus, what’s wrong with you, Sinclair?” Steve yells, trying to slow his rabbiting heartbeat.

“I’m sorry.”

“I could have taken you out with this lamp!” He shakes the lamp for emphasis, so Lucas realizes how stupid that was.

Lucas waves him away, still panting as he says: “Sorry, guys, sorry. I was- I was biking for eight miles. Gimme a second. Shit. We’ve got a code red.”

Steve can appreciate the dedication to that, eight miles is nothing to sniff at, but he doesn’t get why Lucas can have a code red, while they’re already in the middle of a pretty big code red. He is obviously fine, so nothing happened to him since their last talk on the radio. Confused he asks: “What?

“Dustin,” Lucas says, walking up to the boy in question. “I’ve been with Jason, Andy and Chance, and they’ve gone totally off the rails. They’re trying to capture Eddie. And they think you know where he is. You’re in terrible danger.”

Holy fuck. No. Just no. Steve can’t deal with someone else being in danger right now. It’s too much for one day.

Chrissy and Max are cursed and on the cusp of death. And not only is someone hunting Eddie, who is already wanted by the police, but those people are also targeting Dustin to do it. Just no, Steve, will die at 19 of a stress induced heart attack.

“Alright,” Dustin nods, sounding a little underwhelmed about the implications. “Yeah, that definitely sucks, but we’ve got bigger problems than Jason right now.”

Lucas looks confused at those words, eyes flitting between the others, before landing on Max, who doesn’t look him in the eyes. And Steve will never forget how Lucas’ face falls as he gets filled on what has been happening with them.

“What are we going to do now?” he asks, voice scared and terribly small.

And Steve isn’t trying to answer that again, even though Chrissy is looking at him with those scared eyes. She hasn’t been with them for long enough to know that Steve isn’t the plan guy, that Steve is only there to hit what needs to be hit.

When he doesn’t meet her eyes, she looks at Robin, who gives her a smile that says she doesn’t feel like smiling, but has no clue what else to do with her face.

Nancy, fortunately, takes the lead. She says: “We can’t do anything right now, but we three found a lead in Victor Creel. If we can talk to him, we can figure out why he was targeted by Vecna with his family and how he survived.”

“Vecna has killed before?” Dustin asks.

“Yes, in the fifties,” Nancy answers.

“We made copies of the information that you guys can read,” Robin tells them. “The library lady thought we were insane, but that is kind of usual for me. I mean, my library history is wild, so this won’t be too out of place and- and I’ll shut up now.”

“Thanks,” says Nancy in that tight lipped way that Steve doesn’t like. “I suggest we all go home, sleep and reconvene at my house in the mornings. It’ll be best for us to stay together, no one goes alone, okay.”

“You can stay at my place,” Robin offers to Chrissy, who looks relieved at takes it with a grateful smile, before the duo turns to Steve, obviously expecting him to join them as well.

Normally, Steve would take it immediately. However, his mind jumps to Eddie, who is being hunted by jocks as well as the police. Fred died of the same causes as Patrick, but at the lake, they’ll most certainly be looking for Eddie there. And Eddie is actually there.

He shakes his head and says: “I’m going to get Eddie and shelter him at the cabin. It’s the last place people will expect and with everyone after him, it’s the safest place for him to be. What about the rest of you guys?”

“If I go home, my mom won’t let me leave,” Dustin says.

“Same,” Lucas adds, displeased.

“I- I’d rather not go home right now,” Max says.

“You three can come with me,” Nancy tells them. “My parents won’t notice at this hour.”

“Then that’s settled,” Steve claps his hands to signal this conversation is over. “Robs, Chris, I’ll drive you two. As for you three, behave and be safe,” he looks all the kids in their eyes. “I’ll see you tomorrow at the Wheeler’s, okay.”

The three all say something along the lines of ‘Yes, Steve’ and ‘Goodbye, Steve’ which is good enough for him. He is anxious to check in with Eddie, but also nervous. If he doesn’t do it right now, he’s sure he’ll back out.

In the car, he asks Chrissy if she’s okay and she gives a crooked smile that breaks his heart as she says: “At least I have two days, am I right?”

“God, I hate this, I hate how it always comes back,” Steve groans.

“Hey, it’ll be okay, dingus,” Robin says, but she doesn’t look like she believes it, but Chrissy besides her nods, still hopeful, so Steve doesn’t counter it.

Instead he tells them both to be safe and Chrissy says: “You too, Stevie. Don’t do anything stupid tonight.”

“I won’t,” he promises.

“You sure, you’re going to be okay with Eddie?” Robin asks. “I still haven’t forgotten some of his dick moves and I’ll come with you, if you want.”

Steve is touched by her concern, but he doesn’t want to put her or Chrissy in danger and he actually wants to talk to Eddie. Alone. Make sure they’re cool if they’re going to be stuck in a life or death situation. So he just nods: “I’ll be fine. It’s the best way to keep everyone safe.”

“Alright, but radio if it goes bad,” Robin says, before the two get out of the car.

He waits until they’re both safely inside, greeted with relief by Daisy and Thomas, before he speeds off to Lover’s Lake to get Eddie.

~~

A/N:

Figuring out the timeline and how to fit all the new shit into this is going to be the thing that breaks me, I swear to god (especially what happens on the 22nd and what on the 23rd). If you notice a mistake, no you don’t <3

Also, yeah, I think what Steve said to Dustin was too harsh, but holy shit does Dustin get on my nerves with his pushing, like I would be so uncomfortable, even if I could be attracted to the person, you know. My mans needs to learn boundaries istg

[unsteadylilactree]

A list of things that should be proof of buddie and would be if one of them wasn't a guy Part 14

Season 4

nothing in 4x07

4x08

Buck babysitting for Eddie except Buddie are more domestic than Eddie and Ana on their date. (Also they specifically framed the Eddieana date to be a misdirect and show that they were taking it glacially slow)

Chris has his priorities straight lol he doesn't want Eddie to have a gf

AND THEN CHRIS RUNS AWAY TO BUCK'S PLACE

This entire episode is just screaming that Eddie, Buck, and Chris work best as a family unit (*whispers conspiratorially* 'THE UNIVERSE IS SCREAMING AND YOU REFUSE TO LISTEN')

nothing in 4x09, 4x10, 4x11

4x12

Eddie being jealous that Buck was looking for the treasure with Taylor and not him :( ('i'll just be over here then. thinking. by myself. go team')

4x13

eddie reaching for buck

buck crawling under the truck to get him

eddie waking up just to ask if buck was okay

I've only seen buck this distraught at the well

4x14

Buck breaking down when he's telling Chris (specifically after finding out that Eddie should be okay)

Buck being the one to look after Chris (second. parent.)

Ana called Buck first when Eddie woke up?? did Eddie ask for him?

Eddie making sure Buck is okay

"you were there for him when i couldn't be. That's what matters"

"If i die you become Christopher's legal guardian" NOW WHY WOULD THAT BE HERE FOR ANY OTHER REASON THAN BUDDIE, HUH?

"But no one will ever fight for my son as hard as you"

BECAUSE, EVAN

the fact that Buck was the one to take eddie home from the hospital

in that scene, we focus on Eddie, Buck, and Chris, there's no hug with ana or anything until later.

Oh, that was a shorter season. Welp, that's all for now because I can't access season 5 in my country and there's so much in that season.

[suaine]

6x15 coda | Eddie goes to El Paso and talks to his mom | 1.5k

read on AO3

Even though he thinks of LA as home these days, El Paso is where he grew up, where he met Shannon, where Chris was born. El Paso has his heart in ways that LA could never understand and never replicate. Eddie sits on his parents’ porch late at night and listens to the noise of late spring in Texas. They are far enough outside the city for nature to replace the sounds of humans and it’s a symphony he knows well, white noise that is working away at the noise in his head.

Eddie knows it won’t drown it out altogether, but maybe if he just sits here for a while, he’ll be able to sleep.

It’s entirely dark when he hears the screen door open and close, a distinct sound that reminds him of a childhood running after his sisters as they start a new game and draw him in. Eddie smiles to himself but it feels heavy somehow, like he’s saying goodbye to something.

His mother sits next to him without a word but she hands him a steaming mug of coffee, the way he used to drink it, a little more bitter and less frivolous than he has come to enjoy it. There’s a softness to him now he has never allowed himself to feel when he was younger.

“Thanks,” Eddie says, eyes still on the horizon. The desert stares back at him with a vastness that would be terrifying if he was here alone. But he’s not alone and that’s something he’s slowly letting himself believe.

His mother hums and takes a sip from her own mug. “You looked like you needed it.”

Eddie has never doubted his mother’s love for him, not the way Buck always struggled with his own parents, but she has a way about her that makes it hard to be truly open. They have that in common, walls so high that no one can climb over them, only knock them down.

“Pepa talked to you,” he says, suddenly certain that this is why she’s been pushing for them to come visit.

His mother sighs. “She means well. Ramon and Pepa and your abuela, they all love you so much. They only want the best for you, all in their own way.” She rests her hand on his knee. “But they don’t know you like I do.”

Eddie shakes his head, but not because she is wrong. There is a connection between them, something so primal it’s hard to put into words. They’re too similar to get along, sometimes, too broken in the same ways to really communicate. “I’ve been thinking about Shannon a lot,” he says and his mother tenses.

“Ah.” It’s a sound that stands alone, that encompasses so much hurt and misunderstanding and guilt.

“I know you never liked her,” he says, weary and unwilling to fight over choices he made long ago.

But his mother huffs. “I liked her fine,” she says, “I just didn’t like her for you.”

A brittle, nasty laugh breaks out of Eddie’s chest. “Yeah, that’s just the same thing dressed up for church.”

“Eddie,” she says. She sounds weary, too. “You are my son.” Her voice suddenly sounds foreign, harder, like she’s speaking from a place far north, half a world away. “You are my son and that’s something I’ve tried to shield you from more than you know.”

Eddie thinks about all of the times in his childhood when his mother insisted to cook his abuela’s recipes, to celebrate their holidays the Mexican way, to hide herself in his father’s culture. How he calls her abuela when he speaks to Christopher and never thought to learn Swedish, a language that was never spoken in this house.

“When I met your father, he was warm and full of life, and I knew that I would follow him anywhere. But I was glad it was here.” She looks out at the desert. “It is easy to say I love you in English.”

Growing up, he and his sisters sometimes laughed about his mother’s accent when she spoke Spanish, but it’s only now that he’s letting himself think about the fact she learned two languages for them and never spoke her own.

“Shannon was a good girl, but you and her were two kids clinging to each other because the world was a scary place and you recognized a kindred spirit. I know, because I saw a lot of myself in her. And there is too much of me in you.”

Eddie is silent. There is nothing he can say.

“She died before either of you could find out that you were walking the same path in different directions.”

Eddie swallows hard, a sudden lump constricting his throat. “Before, uh, before she died. Shannon, she wanted a divorce.”

He’s never told his mother this because he was afraid of the vindication she would feel. Knowing that she was always right and showing it, making him feel young and foolish. But she doesn’t do that now, only sighs and leans closer, wrapping her arms around him. “Oh, Eddie, my poor boy.”

And he doesn’t know why this is what sets him off, that lets the tears finally run freely. But he is burning with it, tears running hot and wet down his face, his every breath a sob that shakes him to the core. “She- she said she needed to learn to be a mother first. That she couldn’t be both.”

His mother is running soft hands down his back and through his hair, humming something that could be a lullaby, but one he’s never heard before. Eddie lets himself be held and allows his tears to fall freely.

It takes hours, years, minutes, a moment. But the weight on his chest is lighter and the noise in his head is quieter. It feels like the desert just after a thunderstorm.

His mother lets him go as he pushes away slowly, but her eyes are on his, searching for something. She nods when she finds what she’s looking for and puts her hands on his face, rubbing the tear tracks with her thumbs. There is a light in her that Eddie has never let himself see, always eclipsed by the Texas sun.

“When you find the one you want to be with, you will know, because they will burn brighter than the sun. They will make you feel warm and safe and loved like no one else ever has.”

She smiles and Eddie feels the way she carefully avoids gender like a punch to the chest. How could she know when he hasn’t let himself even think about that part of himself? Has it always been there? And worse than that, when her words fall on him, each one stings with the knowledge that he has found his person long ago, has found exactly this feeling and is maybe too scared to ever do something about it.

“What if- what if they don’t want me back?” It’s the fear that keeps him locked up tight, running everywhere but where he wants to be.

His mother smiles. “Eddito,” she says, her accent so familiar it wraps around him like a blanket, “anyone would be lucky to have you. When he sees you, he will love you.”

He already does, Eddie knows that, just maybe not the way Eddie wants. And oh.

Oh, his mother knows this, too. Eddie doesn’t talk about Buck to his parents, tries to keep what they have, this weird, fragile little family that is always, always on a deadline, to himself as much as possible. But of course, his mother talks to her grandson and Chris has no such problems gushing about the man that’s taking up so much space in their lives.

What Eddie doesn’t say is as loud as the things he does and his mother has been hearing him his whole life. But she is like him, and he is like her, unable to put words to the emotions that are so heavy and vast in his chest. It’s not that they don’t feel, the two of them, it’s that they feel in ways that are hard to translate.

“Mom, I-” He stops, frustrated with himself and his silence.

She puts a finger to her lips and taps twice, shaking her head. “You don’t have to explain. You don’t have to say anything before you’re ready. But I think you will be ready soon and we will be here when you are.”

A new silence falls between them. It feels lighter, more complicit, like they are sharing a secret in the dark. Eddie drinks the last of his coffee, long since cooled to the ambient temperature. It tastes bitter.

“Mom, I have to tell you something. I actually like my coffee with oat milk and sugar these days,” he says, because he can’t say everything else.

She pats his back and nods. “Then we’ll make another pot.”

Eddie smiles at her. “That sounds like a great idea.”

[lovecolibri]

Before temu no one in the fandom really disputed buck being a co parent to buck. Like, it was just known. But now, we are attacked for even thinking it. They like to use “fun uncle”, but if he was simply the “fun uncle” why did they make buck be the one to tell Christopher what happened to his dad. Why make Chris call buck when his dad was breaking down. Why did Chris leave to buck on the chances of his dad dating again. Why does the show continue to have buck be involved in HUGE moments in Chris’s life. Why involve buck in 7x10. Why CONTINUE to have him be there with the Diaz family? Why? Why? Why? Why have the show allude to “good cop bad cop” and BOTH answering no. Why, “he takes Christopher there all the time” (the zoo). Why does buck essentially have be there, for Chris, after his dad is in the hospital ? Carla was already there and yet he’s there? Eddie has the breakdown? Buck takes him to school. Buck helping Chris with his school project? Buck Diaz having multiple dinners together? That’s the fun uncle? Where is all this with bucks own niece? Last but not least, they LOVE to use “Buck is a scapegoat” in 7x10 but Eddie himself says to Buck “I-I don't need you to explain it to him, I just...I need you to check in on him. I'm worried. He won't come out”. There he is never one asking anything of buck but to simply see how Chris is doing after everything. NEVER does he try to sway Chris’s opinions or trick him or anything of the sort. It reminds me of the talk Chris and buck had in earlier seasons of where Chris ran to buck. And buck and Chris simply had a heartfelt talk.

I just saw the scapegoat thing today and legit about lost my mind laughing. Do you honestly think there is ANYWHERE in the WORLD Buck would rather be, that with his Diaz boys, especially when things are bad? What did Buck say? "When you're at your worst and they're at their worst and you keep trying anyway". He stepped back ONE TIME in season 3, and not even because he WANTED to, but because legally he HAD to, and didn't think anyone would notice or care. But Eddie made him realize his place in their family, and Buck has never again NOT been there for Chris and Eddie. Ever. He dips on whatever date he and tay kay were gonna go on when Chris calls about Eddie's breakdown. He dips on whatever date he and T were supposed to have when he sees Kim because he is worried about Eddie.

And the big thing is, most of the time Eddie doesn't even ask him to! Eddie is not calling Buck and telling him to drop everything and solve his problems, Buck is just alread THERE, being the other parent. Because he wants to be. Because he LOVES them. Because they are his FAMILY. And when Eddie DOES ask? It's because he knows that Buck has his own relationship with Chris and, as Ryan said, if Eddie isn't getting through maybe Buck will, and if not, then at least Chris knows he has TWO parents he can go to if he's ready to open up or if he needs anything. It's also incredibly telling that in s4 when Chris was mad about Eddie dating he ran to Buck, but at this point after all they've been through and how much more Buck has stepped up, when Chris is mad at Eddie, he calls his GRANDPARENTS, because he knows Buck and Eddie are a unit. A united front. He can't run from Eddie by running to Buck because he knows Buck is going to steer him back to Eddie which he WANTED in s4, but doesn't want right now. He wants to run away, escape, and he knows Buck won't let him do that, while Helena and Ramon are all to happy to baby him and let him wallow.

ANYWAY. Chris has two dads and people can be mad about it all they like, but it doesn't change the facts 🤷🏻‍♀️ Chim got caught trying to sneak extra cookies to Denny and Mara like a "fun uncle", meanwhile Buck is reminding Chris they have to have dinner first before cookies like a parent.

[silver-and-stars]

Rewatching from season 4

Turns out it's the Buck Begins' season (how appropriate) and

How I HATE his parents ("You have to know, we never blame you" HE HAS TO KNOW ??? Let me hit them with a shovel PLEASE). They are all nice and open now but I hate them even more for that. In season 6 they made a 180° turn, like nothing happened, with Buck and Maddie (my poor Maddie). They deserved at least a harsh slap, they deserved a way meaner treatment. What is it with the Madney family and wanting to introduce to your kid your shitty parents that gave you trauma so she can have "a normal family" ? You mean a family with history of neglect and emotional abuse ? She doesn't need grandparents like that. Sometimes nothing is better. CUT TIES WITH EMOTIONALLY ABUSIVE PARENTS. DO IT. and do like Buck, go see a psychologist. Otherwise they will keep eating at you even after their death. It's like poison.

Damn I love the 118 family. When they all come into frame to help Buck in the fire. Ouch my feelings (with So Far playing in the back, double Ouch)

So much Buddie in those first episodes, unparasited by poitnless love interests (I'm not talking about Tommy), at least until episode 6. Now that my hope is rekindled I fear the disappointment.

Next episode Bobby goes "Hey" at the fake firefighter, the guy runs away and IMMEDIATELY Buck goes "I got it" and start running after the guy, yelling "Hey, I just wanna talk" while the guy tries to escape him. Peak golden Retriever moment. I love him.

That probably makes me a bad person but I'm living for the scene where Buck tells Chris Eddie got shot (a+ acting) and how Buck is barely holding it together, crying while trying to stay strong for Chris and then breaking down once he gets the news Eddie is gonna be fine. He was so scared and is so relieved. And he makes, once again, a GREAT parent. (Also Athena holding that riffle is.... 🤌🏻)

And then Buck does that heroic but reckless crane rescue, being maybe a tiny tiny bit suicidal cause Eddie got shot and it should be him instead, and he is happy about the rescue but then his eyes meet Bobby's and oh nooo, Dad is pissed. I adore the Buck-Bobby dynamic. One had SHITTY parents, the other lost his children, but now here they are having that father-son bound. Those relationship between the characters in the heart of the show and why I keep watching even when all those accidents and calls starts to stress me or make me paranoid.

For MONTHS Eddie was walking around, knowing he wrote Buck into his will like "yeah if I die that man will take care of my son" LIKE BRO. He trusts him with his life but, stronger than that, he trusts him with his son's. And then Eddie gets shot, standing in front of Buck. He doesn't remember anything after hitting the ground but I wonder if he thought about that, about his son and if he was relieved to think Buck would be there for his kid. DUDE. And Buck tells him it would have been better if he was shot instead of Eddie, like he doesn't matter. Buck, who feels worthless unless he is a firefighter, who felt unwanted, is who Eddie choose to look after his son if he dies, the one Eddie is ready to entrust his son's life and happiness to. And Eddie sees him thinking so little of himself. And he is freaking wrong. Pretty much all the 118 fam at some point must have wanted to shake Buck to make him understands he matters A LOT to them. But Buck doesn't believe that yet because of his AWFUL parents. Dang.

[griefabyss69]

Sorry, I see religious trauma and I pounce. Ergo, pls:

03 nobody likes religious trauma frowny face

Hell yes <3 <3 <3 This is an unusual one for me! Has a plot, some pretty serious subjects that aren't the usual ones, has made me feel like crying while writing it before LMAO

This one is a Hellcheer that will WAY later become Steddissy + Robin probably, I have vague polycule ideas for the later plot. But the MAIN story is actually just about Chrissy herself and how when you later have control over your own life, you can start naming all of the huge feelings you had when you were younger.

This snippet is from early in the fic when she's still in school, like early teens

(Cw: controlling/strict parents, little mention of religion, and mentions of her ED)

She doesn't listen to a lot of rock music, sometimes she hears a song on the radio and thinks it sounds pretty cool, but her mom buys her the cassettes that she's allowed to listen to, and when she listens to music at her friend's houses, they all have pop music.

Except for her coolest friend, someone her mom doesn't know about. She has some new wave, and Chrissy likes the feeling she gets when she lays on Tara's floor and closes her eyes and pretends they're somewhere else. Somewhere exciting, maybe Chicago, or another state completely.

She had once tried to get her to try out for the squad, she seemed pretty athletic and Chrissy would bet five bucks that she could fly if she wanted to, but Tara shut her down with a hard, wavering voice.

"They don't let people like me become a cheerleader, Chris."

She didn't really get it, but she sort of understood anyway. Plenty of her friends were already cheerleaders, so it's not like she needed Tara on the squad. She just thought she might like it, especially the acrobatics.

At the end of that night she gathered up the books she had been supposed to take to the library to study, feeling a warm flush up the back of her neck when Tara gave her a soft punch to the shoulder, a cool "see ya later" that made her feel like there might somehow be a way out from under the watchful eye of God, and more importantly, her mother.

Tara had ended up moving - her coolest friend but still young enough to be stuck getting whisked away by her military parents, breaking Chrissy's heart in the same way that her heart broke when her mom found out she had been trying on lipstick at the mall and made her pray to God for forgiveness instead of eating supper that night.

It was unfair, and there was nothing either of them could do about it. Tara had left her with a letter and no phone number to call, no new address.

Weeping over the letter on her lunch break, hidden in a corner by the water damaged classroom that nobody used, she truly understood what Tara had meant back when she said she couldn't be a cheerleader.

-

Eddie Munson, too big for his body, too big for the little stage in the gymnasium, too big for the stink eye the principal was giving him, reminded her of Tara.

It's not like they looked alike, or like Eddie was playing any of the new wave bands Tara liked, or like they would hang out later and he would softly punch her shoulder with a cool "see ya later" when she left.

It was the attitude, maybe. Even though their mannerisms were different and she doesn't even think they'd be friends, probably. It was something she couldn't articulate even after running it around in her mind all through math class, an itch she couldn't scratch, and the answer to it just on the tip of her tongue. She could reason around it all she wanted, but it was out of reach.

She didn't dare think it had anything to do with the letter.

He lived in her heart for about a week, tucked up beside her memories of Tara and the frustration that she couldn't even send her a letter of her own. She didn't have any frustration with him though, and so he faded until she forgot about him until she'd catch a glimpse of him out of the corner of her eye, a little spark shooting her in the chest for a moment.

She just held her breath until it passed and did something that she was supposed to, like double check the spelling on her note to Jason Carver, make sure her hand writing didn't look too shaky.

The sound of Eddie's guitar followed her thoughts until she snuck out to the mall and bought the kind of cassette she had to hide in her locker.

[honeyflies05]

WEEWOO WEEWOOO [baby crying] MY LEG! [screaming]

“hello 9-1-1 what is your emergency?”

ANYWAYS WE’RE BAKC BABIEEEE!!

(shameless plus for my twitter @/honeyflies05 go follow me over there I’m more active)

HELLO!!!!!!

MADDIE NO

why is she being so nice??🤨

she’s dying

I’m calling it

WHO CAME

who are you??

“WHICH ONE” AHHHHH

this hurts!

EDDIE DO MORE DIAZ!!!!!

oh SHIII we’re starting right away okay!!

THIS GUY!

ALRIGHT COWBOY

MADDIE’S A NURSE! check on my bingo card

the camera’s shaking I’m calling that as wacky camera work

eVaN

GAVIN MCHUGH!!!!!

it’s THE shirt

they showed their attention to buck and not Daniel ooooooo

“I’m not a firefighter?” SCREAMING

he has a couch???🤨🤨🤨

THE TSUNAMI???? THE TSUNAMI!!!!

he’s a science teacher I’m calling it

if I see Doug-

WACKY CAMERA WORK! ITS GETTING SCRATCHED OFF

no,,,

PUNCH HIM

ugh ad breaks sUCK

i wanna know where the “THIS GUY” came from because it was SO FUNNY in the clip

i stopped working on my science project because of this show

down horrendously bad

seeing Doug: BOMBASTIC side eye

hello real world!!

“oh my god, Evan” SHUT UP!!!! SHUT!!! UP!!!!!

chim blames himself✅

buck looks so confused andichdhdhs

DANIEL HATES HIM TOO WOOOOOOO

if buck doesn’t punch him in this episode I will

all of these flashbacks to my favorite episodes WOOOHOOOOO

“since when do gurneys have fingers” EJDIFJDSAAAAAAAAAA

Daniel is so mid oh my godddd💀

“who are you” SCREAMING

this wacky camera work!! camera person

ARE WE GONNA LEARN

DAMMIT

coma dream! roll credits!!

“figure something out” I KNOW WHAT HE HAS TO DO!

buck don’t kill yourself

“you’re not married… you really should be!”

DID BOBBY DIE

NAUUURRRRRR

IS THIS WHERE HE CODES????

CHIMNEY NOOOOO

where is Eddie

where is chris

where are my people

ATHENA!!

oh shi real world

of course bobby would blame himself

bobby nash and athena grant-nash are Buck’s parents

“he has to be” oh this is so ao3

HEN!!!!

respiratory failure! woohoo

THE MUSIC

ECMO

aLBERT!!!!

bobby with the rosary😭😭😭😭😭😭

chim judging the buckley’s yayyyyy

EDDIE!!!!

NOT THE PLANE CRASH

“the crazy just sucks you in!”

EDDIE DIAZ!!!!

….chris….

NAUUURRR

NOT THE DIAZ PARENTS

cHRIS

this is our first Carla appearance in a while

“can he hear me” THAT MAKES ME WANNA CRY

“YOURE GONNA BE OKAY” IM GONNA SOB

“you have to come back” I understand why Aisha cried

hen figuring out the coma dream >>>

BOBBY!!

the ambulance still being there😭😭

damn doesn’t the 118 have other patients???

MAY SAYING BUCK IS BOBBY’S SON IM GONNA CRY

buck being so stubborn that may says he’s gonna be okay💀

Buckley parents make me mad

the plane!!!

WHO IS THAT RUNNING

running in nightmares be like:

,,,Bobby??

I’m actually so confused

IF MY SISTER don’t SHUT UP IM TRYING TO WATCH A SHOW

please HIS HOSPITAL ROOM???

“ooo I busted out the rosary must be serious!” I AM SO UNSERIOUS RN

yeah ur parents are nice to you but your entire life is messed up

IM ABOUT TO THROW MY PHONE SHUT UP MY SISTER!!!!!

if I miss smth it’s because of her loud ass mouth

how do we only have 20 minutes left so much needs to happen

we only got started!!!

i need to see Eddie break down

bobby and athena are so Buck’s parents

FULL NAME ATHENA IS MAD

athena will get this kid to wake up by sheer WILL AND DETERMINATION U GO MOTHER

#angelabassetdeservedtheoscar

HIM BEING ABLE TO HEAR ATHENA’S VOICE IM GONNA CRY

“I fixed you!” WHAT IF I COMMIT DIE RN

BUCK COLLAPSING IN THE TSUNAMI EPISODE SKDICHXHZHAAAAA

“so basically you were buck!” IM CRYING

IS THIS FIX YOU BY COLDPLAY????

IT IS.

“boy am I gonna feel guilty about that one” WHAT IF I CRY

“where do you think you’re going??!!”

“home.” I AM SO!!!

if they get Eddie to try to keep him by saying “I love you” you will never hear from me again

THE CUTOFF OF FIX YOU BY COLDPLAY SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

i have an unreal attachment to that song yall have nO IDEA

where!! is!! eddie!!

i need Eddie to give me something to break down about

THEYRE PULLING THE PLUG???

if they really were Bobby would be there

DANIEL BLAMING HIM?? JESUS

EVAN BREATHE EVAN

buck in scrubs,,,,

FIX YOU COMING BACK!!!!

HEY THE HATCHET!!

THE BREATH

YEAAAAAAAAA

TO FIX YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

THEY DIDNT SHOW US HIM WAKING UP!???

he stays with Eddie!!

CHRIS!!!

“I never made it inside the classroom… which kinda tracks” WHAT IF I CRY

hen being exactly the same >>>>

chim having his emotional moment >>

“let’s get you set up on the couch!” AAAAAAAAAAAAA

i don’t like the Buckley parents being so insufferable

OOOO BOBBY CENTRIC EPISODE NEXT MONDAY???

farmer wants a wife YEEHAWWW🤠

[fyrewalks]

                 𝐖𝐄 𝐃𝐎𝐍'𝐓 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐘 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄.

he feels the longing in his chest. buried underneath the rough and unrelenting forces of focus, ambition---- always so greatly focused on what separated the great men from the average. the hunger behind his teeth, it was for more, more, more. more competition, more acclaim. he's set at a speed that no one else can handle, and jake seresin takes pride in that fact. try to catch him and you'll burn in; everyone in his life was forced to stare at his back as he shot ahead of them. if it's cruel or insensitive, jake never really slowed down enough to think about it. pitying those who could only ever measure up to second best---- not his thing.

                 however, the last mission wasn't like all the others.

whereas he's the least panicked about burning in, and the most capable at ensuring that doesn't happen, he somehow fell short. not enough, not enough, not enough. although, it had nothing to do with his flying that time, it was about his ability to trust and be trusted in return. and he's never understood that. remembers his very first kill, watching an allied jet go up in flames and smoke. they were too slow. and that wouldn't be jake's fatal flaw, as he's learned early on that slowing down means death, and caring? allowing the destruction of combat to weigh on one's thoughts and feelings? that was DONE.

there were so many fighter pilots who were just... lacking. but not jake. real world experience combined with emotional numbness; these were the inherit qualities of a man who could get a job done properly. so when he's not chosen for the suicide mission, when another kill gets racked up but he can't fucking sleep, think, or do anything to shake himself out of combat mode afterwards, there's a problem. a problem he can't verbalize, that makes him want to crawl out of his very own skin.

                 everything is just fire and smoke and scrambling at speeds that were beginning to suffocate him.

"yeah," he breaks his haunted gaze that had been staring off into the direction of another jet soaring above the base. in his abrupt turn into adri, his chin gently touches their shoulder, and then his forehead. when he speaks, it's low and unbelievably trusting in adri's words---- their confidence that they might actually be able to get away. "let's go. i wanna go---- WITH YOU." // @lcvesdeath

comfort - adri thinks it’s something she should be good at giving. as a nurse, as a daughter, as a sister. as a fiance, as a wife. kindness, caring, compassion, all qualities projected onto adri as soon as she could walk and run and talk with her older siblings. probably long before that. these were expectations that only needed an ultrasound. but adri never quite fit into that mold the way her parents wanted her to. too loud, too brash, too emotional. she doesn’t think herself as heartless, so stunted that she’s neither caring or kind or compassionate but she knows she falls short. she doesn’t measure up. they’re a nurse, not a daughter. raf’s engagement ring was mailed off months ago. to their parents, all adri has to show for her efforts are pieces of a heart she broke. no house, no perfect picket fence, no kids and no one to call home. 

the place is quiet. the sounds of jets hardly registers; it makes her skin itch. silence only amplifies the mess in her head. it makes her reckless, it makes her brave. before, it was the rumble of a car engine minutes before she left that disastrous voicemail that tore raf to pieces. now, it’s the loud roar of jets as she tells jake to leave. 

it’s all adri knows how to do. the cold shoulders and icy silence is a family trait, but adri’s perfected running away. Except - that’s not true. not to the extent that it’s her’s and her’s alone, as much as she might want it to be. their dad ran after a job that kept him away more often than it did at home. eddie ran away to war when chris was born, then to la after shannon left. and adri, for all she kicked and screamed and cursed her brother for leaving, for all she ignored him everytime he came back, adri did the same. she just didn’t call it running. she was too good for that. 

now, she’s doing the same thing. her breath catches in her lungs as jake’s forehead settles on her shoulder. “come on,” she whispers, terrified of jake’s eyes hardening and shutting them out completely. “pick a place.” it’s not hard to be brave when adri sees the end of her own deployment in sight. in a few short weeks, they’ll officially be transferred to the reserves. she’ll be navy in name only. “not the ocean,” adri decides. “somewhere earthy.” somewhere they can bury their toes in the ground and feel rooted, somewhere misty and thick and suffocating. somewhere where neither can float away.

[libraryofloveletters]

Crazy In Love

Eddie Diaz x Reader 

Warnings: mentions of injuries, Eddie can’t do math or cook for shit, friends to lovers :))) 

Category: Fluff

Word Count: 2.1k

Author’s Note: takes place after Stuck (2x04) when abuela breaks her hip. Also, this was supposed to be for 911 readers week but I didn’t finish it in time sooooo just take it now instead :) 

-----

The phone rang, your arm stretched over the pile of dishes on the counter. “Hello ?” you answered, putting it on speaker and setting it back down.

Eddie’s voice rang through the speaker, echoing through the empty apartment. “Hey, can you do me a huge favour ?”

“If you're gonna ask me to bake a cake, I have literally no time, honey. I’m really sorry but I need to finish this order-” Eddie sounds like he cut himself off before saying something as you explain that you’re busy.

“Eds? Are you there ?”

“Yeah- yeah, I'm here.”

“What’s up?”

“You’re busy, I don’t want to bother you.”

You can’t help but roll your eyes because no matter how busy you are, you always made time for Eddie. He sighs heavily, so much so that you can hear him thinking.

“Eddie, what is it ?”

“Can you pick Chris up from school ? I know you’re busy but if you can’t, that’s ok-” “of course I can pick him up!”

The sound of a breath being released before a feminine voice called out for him. “I gotta go, Abuela needs me but he’s off at 3. Thank you, y/n - really.”

“You don’t have to thank me, Eddie.”

He mumbles something before hanging up. You glance at the phone screen - 2:24. You had enough time to change and shove the dishes in the dishwasher before having to head out so you did just that.

You had picked up Christopher from school a million times. His teachers knew you well enough that Eddie no longer had to call and let them know he wouldn't be picking up Chris but that you would be.

Standing outside of the school, the PTA parents were gossiping within their little bubbles, talking about the other members behind their backs but smiling in their faces. You bit back a smile before walking towards the gate. The students were lined up by the door, waiting for the bell to ring.

The moment it does, the students come running out with their teacher a few feet behind them in an attempt to keep up with them. One by one, their teacher lets them out, Christopher finally spotting you and this teacher waves hello as they open the gate for him.

“Y/n! What are you doing here!?” his little face lights up with a smile.

“Your dad asked me to come get you, he's with abuela.”

The two of you start making your way back to the car when Christopher asks you what his plans for the afternoon were. Soon you realized that Eddie didn’t give you any explanation as to where to go or what to do after you picked up Chris.

“How does ice cream and then abuela’s sound ?”

“Can we take some for her and dad too?” Chris asks as you help him into the car.

“Of course we can.”

----

Christopher was lugging his backpack over his shoulder when you knocked on the door, two containers of ice cream in hand. Eddie opens the door, grinning at his son whose face matches his father’s.

“Hey kiddo” Eddie kneels, wrapping the boy in his arms. Christopher’s arms extend around his father, “hi dad, we bought ice cream” he points out the obvious.

Eddie glances up at you, the ice cream tucked under your arm - he flashes you a smile.

“Oh yeah?” he lets go of Chris. “Did you have any?”

“No,” he shakes his head, his hair flopping around as he snickers. Eddie pushes the hair from Christopher’s forehead. “So what’s this on your face?” swiping his finger on Chris’s chin, a little smudge of brown on his finger from the leftover ice cream.

“Paint.” Chris smiles at his father sweetly.

“Uh huh, paint.” he chuckles, stepping aside for Chris to come further into the house.

“Thanks for picking him up,” he leans on the door frame, stretching and his arms lift above his head as he does. You can’t help but glance down at the area of exposed skin - eyes glued to the man in front of you.

“Y/n?” Eddie’s waving his hands in front of you, eyes raising from their previous spot to his face - the blush was creeping up on your face whilst that stupid smug smile of his was on his.

“Would you like to come in?”

“Oh, I don’t want to intrude.”

“You won’t be.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

Stepping in, you take in the house. You had been by Isabel’s once or twice before but you had never come inside the house. The walls were painted a warm yellow colour, the furniture was spotless as was the rest of the house. Isabel sat on the couch with Chris beside her as he told her about his day at school.

“Chris, did you wash your hands?” Eddie calls, the door shutting. Chris doesn't answer which is an answer in itself. “Go now, please.” Eddie’s voice sounds closer, glancing behind you to see him beside you.

Chris grumbles but gets up, Isabel turns her attention to you and Eddie. “How are you feeling ?”

“As well as someone can with a broken hip” she gives you a smile.

“I’m glad you’re okay, you gave Eddie a scare” giving him a playful shove. “We got ice cream, vanilla and toffee. Chris said toffee was your favourite” handing her the small container. “It is, thank you. That’s so sweet of you.” she smiles, pulling the top off.

“No need to thank me, it was Christopher’s idea.”

“Ah, well I'll thank him when he comes back out.” she says smiling, “Eddie, a spoon please ?” she glances at the man beside you. He hums, stepping away for a moment to get her a spoon.

Chris comes running back in after washing his hands. “Dad! Can we stay over? Abuela said it was okay” he’s beside his father now, looking up at him with his big brown eyes that were practically begging him to let him.

You, Eddie and Isabel all knew that Christopher had his father wrapped around his finger and would ultimately get his way but Eddie had to give him a fatherly response and say no, they should go home. Isabel doesn't usually butt in but this time she did.

“Mijo, stay. I could use the company.” She says, patting the spot beside her and Chris makes his way over to sit beside her.

Eddie sighs, if he had a soft spot, it was for the two people on the couch. “Fine, just tonight then.”

Isabel smiles, satisfied with his answer. “y/n, stay for dinner darling. Eddie’s cooking” “Yea- who said I was cooking?” Eddie butts in, shocked at the assumption. “I did, mijo. Don’t worry, I'll tell you what to do.”

“Buddy, why don’t you finish up your homework so you can relax for the rest of the night ?” Eddie calls out to Chris, who again groans. He loved school but despised homework - as did most kids.

“I have math, I need help so I can’t do it because you’re busy.” Chris says plainly, thinking his statement will get him out of his math work because Eddie can’t do math for shit.

“I can help.”

“Y/n, you don't have to-” “no, it’s fine. C’mon kiddo” Chris grumbles, making his way to the dining room table, the two of you taking a seat when Eddie helps Isabel up and to the kitchen.

You can hear them talking and her telling Eddie to cut things a certain way or not to put too much of something into the pot. It only took 20 minutes for Christopher to finish his math homework, he brought it into the kitchen to show his dad.

“Look! I’m done! Math’s easy when you understand it.” that last bit was a little dig at Eddie and his math skills. You ruffled Chris’s hair as he walked back into the living room.

“Did he just-” Eddie watches his son make his way to the couch.

You hold back a laugh,“Mhm hm” Eddie shakes his head, chuckling. “Here, taste this.” he picks up some sauce from the pot, holding the spoon over his hand before handing it to Isabel.

Her face twists when she tastes it, “Eddie, I love you honey, but that’s terrible.” you press your lips together, holding back a chuckle.

“What?” he pouts, sighing. “I swear it tasted fine ten minutes ago.” sitting beside Isabel in defeat.

You pick up another spoon and taste some for yourself, your expression matching Isabel’s from moments ago. Eddie had remembered to put everything in, except the paprika and the salt, you add a bit of both and stir the pot. Taking the spoon from Eddie, you pick up a bit of the sauce and hand it back to Isabel.

“Ah, that’s better.” she hums, making you smile as she hands you back the spoon. Eddie sighs, letting you know that he was still there.

"Why don’t you go see if Christopher wants to watch something or if he wants a snack ?” his grandmother nudged him, a signal for him to leave the kitchen. “y/n can take over for you”

“Abuela, you can’t invite them in and have them work for their dinner.” he says, making her laugh.

“It’s okay Eds,” waving him off. “I don’t mind, really.”

Eddie left the kitchen and made his way over to the couch, listening as Chris told him about his day. He glanced back to see if everything was alright but he noticed that the two of you were laughing as you told Isabel something. Eddie would be lying if his heart didn’t skip a beat.

He stopped seeking his parents’ approval of who he dated- for a matter of fact, it went out the window when he brought Shannon home the first time but seeing you with an abuela made him so warm and happy, he couldn't help but smile.

---

Eddie’s hand slipped onto your hip, his chest against your back. “Can I help you, Eddie?” you mumble, your eyes on the dishes in front of you.

He hums, hands coming around and arms now wrapped around your waist. Eddie felt your wet hands pull his hands off of you, “Isabel and Chris are in the other room, stop it”

His head tilted, that innocent look on his face, “stop what?”

“Eddie,” turning to face him, “shh I don’t want to hear it” he cuts you off, hands back on your waist.

“I don’t think I've ever loved someone the way I love you.” His words come off so sweet and loving but hit you like a ton of bricks.

You loved Eddie, more than anything but you had never actually told him nor did you ever feel the need too. It was always implied that as friends, you loved and cared about each other.

Eddie always knew he loved you, there was never any question about that but something about you, seeing you with an abuela and how great you were with Christopher (as you always were) just pushed him over the edge.

He had to tell you.

“Y/n, you know I love you- and before you say anything, I know I’ve never actually said it to you but I didn’t feel like I had too, you knew I did.”

“I know.”

“Yeah.”

You were still gathering your thoughts, trying to come up with the words to tell him you loved him too but Eddie’s expression changed. His brows furrowed, eyes studying your face - the worry had set in.

What if you didn’t feel the same way ? God, he’d feel so stupid if he embarrassed himself like that.

The years of friendship were enough for you to realize how he was feeling. You were lacking words and you know what they say, actions speak louder than words.

Your hands reach for his face, now cupping his cheeks. Your lips meet his, he pulls you closer to him- if that's even possible. It was a few moments before you pulled away.

Eddie smiles lovingly at you and you’re sure you have the same expression plastered on your face. “Um- I think that says it.” you hum, smiling at him.

“Doesn't mean you can't say it,” he pokes fun at you, making you roll your eyes playfully.

“Eddie?”

“Y/n,”

“I love you.”

---- 

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