#hhhhhh if you don't like what happened in 5x11 look away

[piningbuddies]

should've said no

3.5k | teen and up | ao3

So, when they’re god knows how many beers deep and Eddie leans in to kiss him, all sultry eyes and pouty mouth, Buck doesn’t stop him. He knows he should - knows that he’s got a girlfriend who he says he loves, but the instant Eddie’s lips meet his all of that becomes inconsequential. He can’t taste the copper tang of Eddie’s blood anymore. Suddenly, Buck’s the lonely traveller dying of thirst, Eddie the oasis, and Buck just can’t get enough.

(or: a different take on the events of 5x11)

Buck’s around three shots past tipsy when he spots Eddie in the corner of the bar.

Their schedules haven’t lined up in weeks, which is why they haven’t really been talking. At least, that’s what Buck’s been telling himself. The reality is, there seems to have been a canyon of sorts which has opened up between them, and neither one of them has made the first move to bridge the gap. Ever since Eddie left the firehouse, things between them have been strained to say the least.

(“I’m leaving the 118.” Eddie said, eyes full of remorse sliding over to Buck. He didn’t hear anything past leaving.)

Today’s been the first day in a long while that Buck’s felt semi-normal at work. An intense rescue pulled off between him and a very competent firefighter named Donato lead to Bobby taking everyone out for drinks at their favourite bar. And for a while, the ache that’s been present in Buck’s chest for months seemed to ease - he laughed and joked and smiled wide and it didn’t feel like he was putting on a show for anyone. He felt happy.

Bobby’s in the middle of a particularly impassioned speech about grain when Buck’s eyes land on Eddie, his breath catching in his throat. The dim lighting in the bar cast shadows across his face, showing off the sharp line of his jaw dotted with stubble now that he’s no longer in active service (Buck knocks another shot of tequila back at the reminder). He’s dressed in a camo-green jacket with a black top underneath, a pair of skinny jeans practically painted onto his legs. He looks… good, is what Buck thinks. He’s always known that both him and Eddie aren’t bad looking guys - evidenced by all of the attention they get on calls. And he’s never taken the time to appreciate it, is the thing.

But Buck’s way out of sober territory, and he thinks he deserves to admire. So he does.

A waitress steps in front of Eddie then, asking him a question. He tilts his head in the way he always does when he’s thinking before raising his eyes, scanning the bar. Buck feels loose-limbed as he raises his arm, waving frantically at Eddie. They make eye contact then and he can’t help the smile that splits his face in two. Eddie weaves seamlessly between tables, never breaking eye contact, and before Buck knows it he’s sliding along to make room for Eddie, being squashed between him and Lucy. He smiles wider then, knocking his shoulder into Eddie’s.

“For a minute there, I thought you weren’t coming.” He teases, raising a brow. Eddie laughs deep and chesty and it warms Buck from his toes to the top of his head.

“Come on, you didn’t seriously think I’d miss this after your big save, did you?”

Buck prays the dim lighting means that Eddie can’t see the blush fighting it’s way onto his cheeks. “Well, it wasn’t just me, Eds. I had some help.”

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