#i think tommy can be really good for eddie in that aspect and it makes me so happy :’)

[queerdiazs]

as much as it’s fun to speculate about the situation i’m glad eddie has found a friend in tommy who was also in the army because i think he really needs somebody he can share that part of himself with fully

[elliethefroggy]

Buck doesn’t let his jealousy get the better of him, doesn’t body check Eddie at the basket ball match, Tommy doesn’t go over to his apartment, there is no kiss, Tommy does not ask Buck out on a date.

What happens instead is this:

Tommy becomes an honorary 118 member, starts hanging out more and more with everyone from 118. By extension, Tommy starts spending more and more time around Buck. Tommy finds it very inconvenient when he starts crushing on a supposedly straight Buck (Tommy tries to resist but that resistance crumbles every time Buck smiles at him).

Queue Tommy secretly pining over Buck, and sighing longingly whenever he catches a glimpse of Buck.

Now in my mind, Tommy and Chimney remained pretty close after Tommy left, close enough for Tommy to drop everything the moment Chim calls to steal a helicopter. Chim also undoubtebly knows about Tommy’s sexuality.

This means that Chim is witness to Tommy’s pathetic pining. This also means that Chim is there to catch Tommy spending far too much time looking longingly at Buck’s various assets.

“Buck’s going to remain straight no matter how long you stare at his ass,” Chim reminds Tommy. This is not the first time Chim has had to remind Tommy of this.

Tommy sighs despondently, “I know. Doesn’t mean I can’t admire the view.”

“This wouldn’t be nearly as difficult if Evan didn’t have both gorgeous looks and gorgeous personality,” Tommy says one night at a bar. Being a good friend, Chim has started taking Tommy out whenever Buck’s straightness becomes too much for Tommy to bear.

“He’s just so adorable,” Tommy continues.

“I know, buddy,” Chim says, patting Tommy on the back (Chim has also had to pat Tommy on the back a lot as of late).

“Are we sure Evan’s straight?” Tommy asks after the first beer.

Chim, with absolute certainty, says “Yes, now get over yourself, you sad, sad man.” And then Chim buys Tommy another beer because he’s a good friend.

And because Chim is such an amazing friend, Chim can’t help but pay attention whenever Buck and Tommy interact, mostly to make sure Tommy doesn’t make too much of a fool of himself.

Which means he’s also watching Buck, and he’s watching Buck watch Tommy.

And that’s when the doubt creeps in.

Chim’s known Buck for a few years now, has seen what Buck is like around women he’s attracted to, knows what Buck’s pining face looks like.

And he’s seeing that face now whenever Buck looks over at Tommy.

At first Chim doesn’t believe his eyes, figuring that listening to Tommy compliment every single aspect of Buck from his eyelashes to his laugh has corrupted Chim’s brain, making Chim see things that aren’t there.

Because Buck’s straight.

Right?

The more Chim watches, the less he’s sure. Because there’s Buck being somehow both endearingly awkward and seamlessly smooth around Tommy. There’s Buck spending way to long gazing into Tommy’s eyes, and staring at Tommy whenever Tommy’s not looking. There’s Buck zeroing in on Tommy every time Tommy enters the room; There’s Buck holding onto every word coming out Tommy’s mouth. There’s Buck laughing at every one of Tommy’s jokes (and, sure, Tommy’s a funny guy with a real dry sense of humour, but he’s not that funny).

If Chimney didn’t know any better, he would say that Tommy’s not the only one who’s got a crush.

All signs are pointing to Buck wanting to hold Tommy’s hand, go on romantic walks along the beach with Tommy, as well as do more than PG13 things to Tommy.

Does Tommy actually stand a chance?

Chim doesn’t want to get Tommy’s hopes up straight away. He needs to make sure that his hunch is correct. He needs to gather more data.

So Chim starts inviting Buck and Tommy everywhere he can think of, and then pretends to take a really long time in the bathroom so that Buck and Tommy can have some alone time while Chim is hiding behind a bush or a potted plant depending on the location, spying on them.

Tommy, because he’s a very observant person, notices Chim in the bush with binoculars pointed at where Tommy and Buck are seated, and confronts Chimney after Buck has gone home.

And Chim can’t keep a secret for shit, so of course he tells Tommy about his doubtS even though he really doesn't want to disappoint Tommy if it turns out that his hunch is wrong.

“I’ll keep investigating,” Chimney says, once again patting Tommy on the back, watching hope bloom on Tommy’s face.

Chim continues inviting Tommy and Buck to hang out, sometimes inviting others as well to avoid suspicion (Buck isn’t suspicious at all, but Hen has start narrowing her eyes at Chimney).

Tommy calls it torture, Chim call it science. Oblivious Buck is just concerned about the amount of time Chim spends in the bathroom. He asks Chimney if Chim’s having any any bowel problems. Chimney insists he doesn’t, but Buck figures Chim’s either putting on a brave face or is too embarrassed. Buck doesn’t bring it up again, but he does leaves some pamplets regarding bowel problems and their causes in Chim’s locker as well as sends Chim links to various medical websites.

Chim is mortified. Tommy finds it hilarious. Chim decides to attempt a different approach.

To try and throw Hen off the sent and to further advance his research, he gets Karen to drag them all to a gay bar to see how Buck reacts around other queer men (Karen is very amiable once Chim tells her of his suspicions; she always enjoys gossip).

Chim and Karen sit opposite Tommy and Buck, the better to observe them. Eddie, poor confused Eddie had to be discretely elbowed aside when he tried to sit next to Buck, and has been dragged next to Karen, supposedly so that Karen can arrange a play-date between Christoper, Denny and Mara. Though Karen is paying much more attention to Buck’s every micro-expressions than any word coming out of Eddie’s mouth.

Unfortunately, the gay club is a bust because Buck’s too busy learning about monster trucks from Tommy to pay attention to any other attractive man at in the bar. It’s hard to tell if Buck’s attention is due to an attraction to Tommy or if he’s just really interested in soaking up new information in that spongy brain of his.

Chim starts leaving queer memoirs scattered around the fire station (Karen gives excellent book recommendations).

Chim starts commenting on attractive men they see on the tele when it’s a particularly slow day at the station. He does this to such an extent that some of the members of B shift are wondering if Chim’s the one with a case of latent bisexuality. That thought is strengthened in their minds when Chimney starts bringing some those magazines with the romance quizzes in them: ‘Best guy for you’; ‘Your ideal guy’; ‘What your celebrity crushes say about your love life’; ‘Take this quiz to reveal your partner’s star sign’; etc.

Then Chim very loudly goes on about how gay and single Tommy is whenever Buck is in earshot (and now some of B shift think Chim’s planning on leaving Maddie for Tommy).

The first time Chim brings up how gay and single Tommy is, Tommy takes him aside to ask him what the hell that was about.

Chim says in response, “Listen, if Buck isn’t 100% straight, he needs to be aware that you’re on the market so that he doesn’t go check out all the other male fish in the sea.”

Buck doesn’t make a big deal out of Tommy being gay, acts his usual self. Though he does manage to slip into conversation that he’s an ally. And when Buck does that, Tommy feel his hope to one day hold Buck’s hand during a romantic sunset walk along the beach shrivels up a little inside him. Chim gives Tommy yet another commiserating pat on the back, and takes Tommy to a bar later that night so that Tommy can drink his problems away.

Meanwhile, Buck knows that Tommy being gay isn’t a big deal, but for some reason Buck can’t stop thinking about it.

It’s not like he’s ever had a problem with anyone’s sexuality before, so what is it about Tommy?

And representation really does matter. Here Buck is, being confronted with a Man, a big, muscular man like himself, who enjoys going to the gym like himself, who’s in a similar profession to him. And this man is gay.

And that’s going to cause something in his mind to shift. Maybe he doesn’t notice that shift at first, maybe it’s only subconsciously.

Maybe he’s going to start picking up a few of those memoirs that Chim’s been leaving around; Buck’s always been fond of non-fiction after all.

Maybe he’s going to ask Hen and Karen about their experiences figuring out their sexuality, their coming out stories (during this conversation, Karen will be staring intently at Buck, looking for any signs of the queer thoughts Buck may or may not be having).

(Chim is very happy with this because pointedly asking Hen and Karen about their queer experience was next on his game plan.)

Buck doesn’t ask Tommy about his sexuality though, not yet at least. Buck can’t seem to bring himself to ask Tommy. Though he doesn’t know why.

Then Buck does as Buck does best and goes on a research binge about all the different sexualities, but more specifically bisexuality (I imagine there is at least one sexuality quiz during that research binge).

And, at the end of that research binge, the results are conclusive. Buck is bisexual. Maybe he says that out loud in his empty apartment “I am bisexual” and it feels right and it feels so very exciting.

Once he realises that he’s bisexual, a lot of things start making sense. Including Tommy’s ass. Tommy’s very fine ass that Buck can’t help but stare at. And Tommy’s eyes. And Tommy’s hands as well. And Tommy’s laugh; And definitely Tommy’s smile. Basically all of Tommy.

Buck keeps his newly discovered sexuality to himself for a bit, wanting some time to himself to live in this new reality of his, basking in this new part of himself.

Also so that he can spend a few days staring at attractive guys without any knowing looks from his loved ones.

Turns out he spends most of those few days staring at Tommy which, again, makes sense.

Because he is such an open book, it doesn’t take Buck long to come out.

He decides to tell everyone at the next get-together. They’re all outside, having another barbecue at Bobby’s and Athena’s. Tommy is also present for this.

Everyone is of course supportive and happy for Buck. Chim is forcing himself to stay still, even though he really wants to jump up and down, high-five Karen, high-five Tommy, and then shove Tommy in Buck’s lap.

Meanwhile, Tommy is in his chair, having a deer-in-the headlights moment, staring up at Buck, wide-eyed, slightly pale, a forkful of potato salad halfway to his mouth. Tommy is so frozen that Chim has to nudge him so that his fork continues its journey to his mouth.

Tommy chews on the potatoes mechanically, no longer paying attention to the delicious taste that he’d been previously enjoying, too busy trying to act normal and trying to rein in his growing hope. By Chim’s side-eyes, Tommy isn’t doing a great job.

As the night goes on, Tommy forces himself to not approach Buck no matter how much he wants to, mostly because has forgotten how to act like a normal human being.

But then Buck is right there, in front of him.

“Hey,” Buck says.

“Hi,” Tommy replies. So far so good.

Buck is looking at him, and Tommy is trying to remember what he’s meant to do with his hands.

“Congratulations,” Tommy forces out because congratulations are definitely in order, “How are you feeling?” He asks, genuinely curious.

“Good,” Buck says in that sincere way that comes so naturally to him.

“Yeah?

“Yeah, great. I feel, I don’t know, lighter I guess. I mean, I’m still me, but now I know why I spend so much time staring at men’s asses.”

Tommy snorts, “Yeah, I know the feeling.”

There’s a pause. Buck’s staring at Tommy, and Tommy’s staring at Buck, and neither want to look away.

“Hey,” Buck finally says, “tell me if I’m completely off base, but there’s this little Italian restaurant I’ve been meaning to try, and I was wondering if you’d want to come with me.” Buck stops, swallows. Tommy watches his adam’s apple move. Buck continues “Like, as a date.”

Tommy forces his eyes back up away from Buck’s neck.

“A date?” Tommy repeats, the hope inside him soaring.

“Yeah.”

“Okay,” Tommy says, smiling, not sure if he can believe what he’s hearing.

“Okay,” Buck says, smiling back. It’s a smile so soft that Tommy wants to trace it with his fingers, but they’re definitely not there yet and Tommy’s trying to act normal.

“Okay,” Buck repeats a little breathlessly, that soft smile still in place.

(During this whole interaction, Chimney is hiding in a bush, binoculars in hand. Karen is at his side, asking him what they’re saying.

“I can’t read lips!” Chim says, though he tries anyway with mixed results.

But then, Hen comes along and puts a stop to it, dragging Chim and Karen out of the bush and confiscating Chim’s binoculars.)

[vanmarkus]

GOD, thank you, i feel like this fandom takes the 'buck is such a stupid himbo' thing and runs with it to a really infuriating degree. he's got impulse control problems and tends to blurt out whatever he's thinking, but he's smart and competent and good at his job, and he doesn't need his hand held through every aspect of adult life. and a lot of it leans into this kind of infantilizing thing where tommy or eddie or whoever loves him like some kind of adorable idiot pet instead of a person and an equal, or where everyone around buck manages his life and relationships 'for his own good' whether he wants it or not

he's got ADHD (I mean it's not canon but Oliver agrees that he sees that in Buck and he plays him with that knowledge and anyway most people with ADHD don't have an official diagnosis and that doesn't mean they don't have it) that's all it is.

he's high energy and can be reckless — but that has literally nothing to do with intelligence. he makes plans and executes them to varying success (see the call with the bowling pins machine for success and the stealing a fire truck in the crossover ep as getting immediately busted lmao)

he has a lot of obscure knowledge and I think it's kind of egotistic to think that someone can decide what knowledge makes someone "smart" and what knowledge, no matter how much of it someone possess, doesn't count.

Buck doesn't have formal education beyond high school (mind you, he got flunked from community college because he didn't go in and spent his funds on other things, not because he couldn't understand the curriculum) and I feel like a lot of people equate higher education with intelligence, which is such a privileged way of looking at it.

not to mention this prejudice largely plays into the "lower class people are stupid" notion, since most people who don't have higher education don't have it because 1) they can't afford it and 2) they haven't achived the necessary grades to apply/get a scholarship due to mental health/financial stress/other proverty driven stressors.

not to ramble on too much, but I have really strong feelings about this as you can tell lmao

TLDR: Buck is a himbo, he's cute and silly and sweet and makes a lot of rash decisions and goes by his heart more often than not — none of those qualities have anything to do with his intelligence.

[wanderingwomanwondering]

704 includes several mentions of The Fight, the big unification bout in Vegas, and Muay Thai sparring. I don’t think that’s just for the dudebro vibes (tho that’s definitely a factor this season). When it comes to Eddie’s journey as presented in that epic episode, I think all the full-contact combat/sports references are doing subtextual work to narrate Eddie’s queerness and where he’s at this season.

Eddie doesn’t really consciously engage with his queerness at this point in the story but via Tommy as his mirror and all the sports references, I think it’s safe to say that Eddie is at odds with his queerness but he doesn’t fully realize that’s what it is and/or that it’s something he’s been battling on some level his whole life. A few things in the ep point in that direction:

Buck: How was the fight?

Eddie: Fight was okay. Seats were amazing. Tommy’s buddies with the promoter, so we were ringside. Felt like I was the one throwing the punches.

The sense I get is that Eddie is witnessing a fight inside himself but he’s not aware that he’s an active participant in said fight. That makes sense to me given his tremendous ability to compartmentalize and ‘be in control’. Like. The fight is happening but he has it walled off and isn’t consciously connected to it. His queerness is present and with him (aka Tommy with him at the fight + “watching half naked men pummel each other”) but he doesn’t recognize it for what it is quite yet.

A unification bout, according to Wikipedia because I know *nothing* about sports, is the bringing together of titles held by different fighters. Eddie going to the fight with Tommy seems to me like Eddie needing to discover an aspect of himself that Tommy that he has in common with him!

Then there’s all the Muay Thai references. Eddie says it’s been a long time since he met someone that can go toe to toe with him when sparring. Eddie’s fighting for his life against his queerness y’all. It’s not an actual match which is good but still I think the point stands. He’s at odds with a part of himself that’s trying to emerge victorious and express itself. But between Catholic guilt, family expectations, the hypermasculine culture of the military, and overall heteronormative comphet culture Eddie hasn’t been able to see/engage/accept his queerness.

I think this all feeds into to the scene where Buck comes out in 705 and Eddie expresses surprise about Tommy being gay but not Buck being bisexual. Buck has always worn his heart on his sleeve so it makes sense that when he figured out his bisexuality he would share that part of himself with others. Eddie is King of Repression, Reservation, and Control so it makes sense that he wouldn’t quite know HOW to do that for himself yet. Tommy’s character is a needed mirror for Eddie to see what’s possible for himself (all of himself) whereas Tommy was a needed vehicle for the actual expression of Buck’s queerness at this moment in the story. Tommy is doing so much friggin work in the narrative lol!

Lastly, I think Eddie’s own queerness is still a mystery to him and something that he’s sparring with on some level because he’s NOT allosexual! Now’s a good time for me to say loudly that I’m on Team Demisexual/Demiromantic Eddie. It fits with the data we have about his character and it’s still subject to the heteronormativity and comphet we’ve all seen affecting Eddie.

Eddie has expressed little interest in anyone of any gender who he hasn’t had a baby with, viewed as a mother-figure to Chris, or expected the universe to hand-deliver as if by magic. He has not intrinsic motivation toward sexual or romantic relationships until/unless he has a meaningful emotional connection to the person. He described himself as a nester and so far the only person we’ve actually seen him nest with in canon is Buck!!

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that season 7 has shown Buck and Eddie coparenting Chris and sharing their feelings with each other. It’s also meaningful that Eddie, Buck, and Tommy are all talking about Chris at various points and in various ways. Plus Buck thought he had to fight Tommy for Chris’ affection (and Tommy eventually tells Buck that’s not true). Chris has narratively been a metaphor for Eddie’s heart many times before. Buck is the one in the nest holding Eddie’s heart and both Buck and Eddie are gonna figure that out. They gotta or imma start throwin’ stuff!!

Anyway this meta got a little longer than I initially thought it would but I had to get this outta my head.

TLDR: Tommy’s epic mirror status for Eddie runs deep and so does his role as catalyst for both Buck and Eddie. He’s a bridge to Buddie *fingers crossed* Basically Eddie’s in the fight of his life trying to sort out his wants, needs, and identity when it comes to intimate relationships. Buck’s a little ahead of Eddie in the process but Eddie’s on his way!

(P.S. Buck is bi and I will die on the Eddie is demi hill. I’ll accept repressed gay Eddie with open arms but honestly I think demi fits what we’ve seen for Eddie way better.)

[rosetterer]

bucktommy + being catcalled while working + turning around annoyed just to see it's your flirty husband

You can also read this on AO3: catcalling - rosetterer - 9-1-1 (TV) [Archive of Our Own]

But here we go:

Catcalling

Nobody ever talked about how boring being a firefighter could be. Now, Buck found every aspect of the job interesting as hell but there were days when all they did was check cars that had been part of a crash or help people get out of a broken elevator. It wasn’t anything that exciting, and genuinely, the calm days were sometimes the best.

While danger gave him the kind of adrenaline rush that he craved, it usually also meant that someone had to suffer. And Buck didn’t want that.

Sometimes he just wanted to stand under a tree and try to figure out how to get a cat to come down.

Just like today.

”And why exactly did you call us?” Hen asked the elderly woman who was staring up at the tree.

”Do I look like I can climb trees? I can barely climb stairs,” the woman said, rolling her eyes. ”Poor little Catrick… Loves to climb but never knows how to come down.”

”Catrick?” Buck barked out a laugh and turned to look at the woman, who didn’t seem amused. He forced a neutral expression on his face. ”Catrick, right. We’ll get C- Catrick down in just a moment. Easy peasy.”

”Are you going to climb the tree?” The woman asked, eyes now focused on Buck.

”Oh no,” Buck told her and nodded toward the firetruck. ”We’ll just use the ladder. Is… Catrick-”

Hen burst into laughter, which got her a good glare from the woman.

”Is your cat aggressive?” Buck reworded his question, trying his best not to look at Hen, who was now, thankfully, walking away.

”He scratches a little,” the woman said. ”But you’ve got thick gloves, you’ll be fine.”

”Alright then,” Buck said with another nod, turning to look at the rest of his team. ”So… Who’s going up?”

”Not it!” Hen called out immediately.

"I'm not going either. I'm going to stay on the ground and… lead the operation,” Buck told them. ”The last time I was up on that ladder, things didn’t go that well.”

”Don’t even joke about that,” Eddie told him as he passed him but shot him a small smile anyway. ”I’ll go. You tell me which way to go. The leaves are making it difficult to see where exactly that cat-”

”Catrick,” Buck reminded with a grin.

”Catrick,” Eddie repeated, sounding almost disgusted with the name. ”...Is hiding.”

”Alright, you go on up then,” Buck said, glad that he wasn’t going to be the one getting scratched today.

----

It didn’t take long for Eddie to be in position. The leaves of the tree were causing some trouble as Catrick seemed to be hiding somewhere right in the middle. Basically, Eddie couldn’t see anything and had to reach into the tree blind while Buck told him where to move his hands so that he could get hold of the cat.

”A little to the left,” Buck called out.

The whole tree seemed to rustle as Catrick decided that the last thing he wanted to do was to come down or to go into Eddie’s arms.

”Damn it,” Buck mumbled, hands on his hips.

”What now?!” Eddie yelled from behind the branches, a single leaf stuck to his helmet.

”I’m thinking!” Buck told him.

He really was. If the cat didn’t want to come down, it wasn’t going to come down. Scaring him wasn’t exactly a kind way to deal with the situation but if he kept running away, they didn’t really have any other choice.

It wasn’t like they could be here all day long. Buck would just get a stick from somewhere and poke-

A whistle broke him out of his thoughts.

”Looking hot!”

Now, they did get whistled at every once in a while. Usually by drunk women having a bachelorette party.

When Buck turned around, that wasn’t what he found this time around.

”Tommy?” He asked, watching as the man walked toward him with his hands in his pockets and a sweet smile on his face.

”Look at you saving the world, Evan,” he said.

”What are you doing here?” Buck couldn’t help but break into a smile at the sight of his man.

”I was on my way home from a shift. Noticed some familiar faces,” Tommy said, nodding in the direction of Hen who was waving at him. ”I’m guessing there’s a cat stuck in a tree, judging by the way Eddie’s struggling.”

Buck glanced up at Eddie, who was now trying to get to the cat without any directions.

”Yeah… Catrick,” Buck explained simply.

”Catrick?” Tommy asked, raising an eyebrow, and broke into laughter. ”That’s amazing.”

Buck stepped a little closer, bringing a hand to the hoodie Tommy was wearing.

”This is mine,” he mumbled, smiling, not letting go of the fabric.

”The last time you stole my hoodie, it was all ’what’s mine is yours’ and-”

Buck pressed his lips onto Tommy's, silencing him. Hen clapped excitedly, while Eddie cursed somewhere up above them and Buck could already imagine Bobby shooting a very disappointed look in his direction.

But he couldn’t bring himself to care.

”What was that for?” Tommy asked, smirking. His hand was still lingering on Buck’s waist.

”You look cute in my hoodie,” Buck explained with a shrug and leaned a little closer. ”Also, didn’t take you for the type to catcall.”

”Oh, I don’t usually,” Tommy said casually. ”I just noticed that you guys were here and that there was a cat stuck in a tree so I thought catcalling might be kind of appropriate for the situation at hand.”

Buck groaned at his joke but couldn’t help but smile wider.

"And also… There happened to be a really hot firefighter standing near the street and I just couldn't help myself," Tommy continued, his voice smooth, and right at that moment, Buck just wanted to go home with him.

”Yeah?”

”Yeah…” Tommy whispered.

”If you two are done flirting, I could use some help!” Came Eddie’s muffled voice from above. ”I’ve got Catrick!”

”I should probably go,” Buck told him then with an apologetic smile.

”Go on. I’ll see you at home,” Tommy said. ”I have to get going as well or my car’s getting towed. Not actually allowed to park here.”

He looked in the direction of his car, parked a little haphazardly on the side of the street.

”Tommy Kinard, breaking the law. Who would’ve guessed?” Buck couldn’t help but tease.

”Anything for you, you know that,” Tommy said and pressed their lips together once more.

God, Buck had missed this.

”Buck!” Eddie’s yell made them break apart.

”I guess I’m needed,” he mumbled against Tommy’s lips.

”I guess you are,” Tommy replied and started slowly making his way to his car by walking backward and keeping his eyes on Buck. ”Stay safe, Evan. I’ll see you later. We’re ordering in.”

”Sounds great!” Buck said, very aware of the dreamy smile that was on his face.

Tommy always made him feel like he was floating.

”Buck!”

With a sigh, he turned around and rushed to where Eddie was calling for him.

Maybe he shouldn’t hope for a calm day after all. Saving cats was all well and good, especially when others did all the dirty work but serious calls made the time pass faster.

And he just couldn’t wait to get home.

[epiphainie]

what are some moments you’d like to see or you think we *should* get together between bucktommy in season 8? ‘should’ - not as in must get! but moments you think would be important to their growth and establishing them as a long term couple and would be very good for the story they’ve built so far

Hi anon,

Sorry for the very late reply, I had to think about this a bit because I love this question! This will get long, sorry in advance.

I think first things first, we need some drama lol. Seeing how a couple overcomes conflict for the first time is seeing how the relationship can/will prevail in the long term. It's also important as a story element, conflict is what makes characters make decisions and take actions, what enhances the emotional impact etc. After all, what is more satisfactory than the sense of resolution that feels earned?

I think the first type of conflict I would like to see them navigate through would be something interpersonal. I don't really want a bloated case of miscommunication because so far they have been presented to do very well in that aspect (Buck is for once not just going with the flow but proactively pursuing this relationship, they both apologize, they both hear each other, they both reassure the other etc.) but the reality is every new relationship will have a stumbling bit when it comes to communication.

I don't know what they'd specifically deal with (like Henren had trust issues and Madney ignored talking about mental health) but Buck - despite his progress - has very well-documented issues around his self-perception and the concept of love and we know it took Tommy a great deal of effort to become the guy he is today (who's in tune with Buck and seem to communicate very well), he also has his own demons. So the right triggering event can cause a moment of unexpressed emotions on both sides. (Our fic writers have been great coming up with ideas for this and I've seen many posts speculating, so if anyone has any specific scenarios in mind please put in the tags.) What I would really really love to see in a scenario like this is an explicit, on-screen reassurance of each other about the root of their issue. I want Buck to have a love interest who with clear words say what Buck needs to hear and I want Buck to reciprocate. Like I said, we've seen BuckTommy be mutually really good at this so far, so I would love to see how it looks when they deal with something bigger.

The second type of conflict I'd like to see them handle would be a conflict caused by an external threat. Maybe not something as dramatic (and hurtful) as Madney dealing with Doug but anything that puts them through the wringer a little bit. This and what I said above wouldn't need to be mutually exclusive events obviously (Gerrard, for example, can be an external threat AND a trigger for individual insecurities, interpersonal conflict etc.) but this I specifically want because I believe to convincingly set them up as a long term/significant relationship, they should show us them being a team, a united front. Where my first point was about seeing how they would navigate their individual traumas together, this is about seeing how they'd deal with the world that throws them a wrench.

Now that the heavy stuff is out of the way, I think we need to see how they would act as a couple in a group setting. This obviously touches many of the points we've collectively made over the past few months about how there's so much potential re: Tommy interacting with the other 118 members. I think one of the biggest fails of Buck's previous relationships from a writing point was how little they existed within the rest of Buck's world. The first time I watched that scene of Buck, Taylor, Eddie, and Chris having dinner together I had to do a double take because so much of Buck's relationship with Taylor and Buck's relationship with everyone else felt like two different shows. It was cute when Buck said "You don't want to see a hangry Taylor" - it made them sound domestic, it made their relationship feel actually lived. This is such a little thing for BuckTommy to feel integrated and real imo. I don't mean they have to write BuckTommy as the center of attention in a group setting, what I mean is that they need to extend BuckTommy's existence as a couple to the broader context of the show.

Kind of building on this, another thing I think would serve very very well here is if we see Tommy interact with others when Buck is not there. If we want BuckTommy to exist beyond the context of their 1:1 scenes, we need Tommy as an individual to exist beyond that as well. Again, this is going back to how Tommy has the potential for these dynamics to feel organic in a way that didn't exist with prior LIs before. And I think one specific thing I would really like to get (and this is gonna sound ironic bc I said we need Tommy uncoupled from Buck just now) is Tommy talking about Buck to other people. As we need Tommy to exist in Buck's greater world, with his people in a way that his ex-girlfriends didn't, we also need Buck to exist in Tommy's world even when he's not there. The only comparison I can make here is Abby as she was the only previous LI who had her own relationships, but damn, did we ever see a love interest talk about why Buck matters to them, how he makes them feel etc. I wanna know how Tommy perceives Buck. This is like 101 if you wanna sell to the audience the love interest is actually interested too.

Couldn't find a place for this (maybe group-setting entry was more fitting love) but I also would really like to see them act casual. This is way more superficial than my other points but I was just watching some 911: LS scenes and I truly believe one of the reasons Tarlos is sold so well is because we get domestic, comfortable touches in every scene. Again, making a relationship feel actually lived. I don't think any of the 911 couples engage in this as much as Tarlos do but they certainly still do to a degree and I want and need that for BuckTommy.

Thanks for the ask anon!

[stagefoureddiediaz]

Okay this isnt costume but I do have thoughts about it. Full disclosure Im just a woman in stem so idk anything about tv production/set design etc and if its normal to set up lighting like this but like. I do think its really interesting that all the light in the scene is between buck and eddie. Specficially when buck is talking to tommy all of the light is coming from where eddie is sitting and it literally looks like tommy is casting a shadow over him. And also to some extent all the light on eddie is coming from where buck is sitting

Hey Nonnie

Being a woman in Stem is a fabulous thing and you have far more knowledge of tv production and set design than you think - you've proven it in your ask.

The lighting and camera departments can set up the lighting and how it appears on camera however they'd like - the lights are mostly moveable (apart from the ones that appear on camera - such as the ceiling lights in the corridor behind tommy!) so can be positioned to push the light in the desired direction! The crews choices are all part of telling the story and aiding the narrative.

The things you've written above that you picked up on are exactly what you should be seeing - what they want you to be picking up on - even if it is only subconsciously (trust me you notice when a scene is lit badly and wrongly for what the other elements are trying to say!).

This scene (or section of scene as we don't yet know how much more of it there is or isn't!) is all about the triangles, and it has very much been lit to ensure that triangle is obvious!

This is also shown in the way the light hits each character

Bucks light is coming from the left of the camera - lighitng bucks right side

Tommy's is coming from both above and from behind Buck, but also from behind him, but becasue of the way the blinds are positioned it generally drives that from behind light downwards - except through the doorway - which is directly behind Tommy and helps create that looming shadow you mentioned.

While Eddies is coming from behind and to his left side (and a little bit behind him as well)

All of the light is coming from behind Eddie and between Eddie and Buck - they are not in shadow, but Tommy is - which can be seen best from this angle here;

Where we can see a clear line across Bucks pillow casting his injured arm and Tommy into shadow - which is coming from behind Eddie.

Whats interesting is the way that this lighting set up casts all of their faces into shadow in varying ways as you can see in the pictures above - we have Eddie who's face is mostly in shadow apart from the section from his left eyebrow round to his ear. Buck who is more or less half and half vertically, while Tommy is lit straight on but also slightly from above - meaning the lower half of his face is slightly in shadow, but generally speaking his entire face is lit. This is a play on the episode title - Tommy is not wearing a mask, while both Buck and Eddie are - to various extents - Bucks mask is hiding who he is from Tommy while Eddies is hiding most of himself from both of them, but Buck can see some of the real him (the lit part!).

The other thing the lighting does in this scene - is make the area around Tommy appear darker and duller - the image below shows this pretty well - with all the light coming into the room from behind Eddie and from the corridor behind tommy - the area behind Tommy should be brighter that it appears - but instead it is very cool toned and dull and gives the feeling of creeping darkness that makes the space look like its closing in. The opposite is the case with Eddie - its much brighter and warmly lit and feels like the light is expanding.

This is what good lighting and the right filter on the camera can do!

The other thing that we can see from the lighting and from the camera angles is the fact that Buck and Eddie are at the same level while Tommy is looking down on both of them

If we compare these lighting and sightline aspects with the other scene/scene we have stills for involving Buck, Tommy and Eddie we can see a similar thing - Tommy is looking down at Buck in the living room but we don't have that triangle formed as there is only the two of them in the scene.

The light is hitting him in a similar way to the hospital - more or less front on. This time is is creating a little more shadow over the side of his face. It will be interesting to see how much of Bucks face is in shadow when we see things from other angles.

The scene at the dining table is the most similar to the hospital scene - we have the identical sight lines (making an approximation due to not actually being able to see Tommy in the still!) only this time it is Eddie who is looking down while Buck and tommy are at an even sightline.

The light is coming in from behind Eddie once more as well creating a similar effect to the hospital scene. I'm making the assumption that the camera will be located in the kitchen so that we are given the scene straight on - putting tommy in between Buck and Eddie visually - this angle will allow us to see if the same shadows are being cast across their faces or if they are different. When we see the scene we should also be able to get a better idea of warmth v cool with the lighting.

I hope this is helpful - I'm by no means an expert on the lighting side of things, just the stuff I picked up from the sets I've been on in my past life! You're already getting so much of it though, so just keep watching and paying attention and you'll find you spot more and more and begin to connect how the choices made serve the scene!

This was fun to answer! 💜💜💜

[buckhastwohands]

@thatmexisaurusrex messaged me to join in this ask game! "In the spirit of positivity, how do you think Buck and Tommy say I love you for the first time? 🥰 Feel free to send this ask to others 💕"

I was just rewatching "Defend in Place" so as much as I'd love to see them have a lovely domestic and peaceful first exchange of "I love you", I'm now imagining a similar disaster situation. Other than Michael and David's engagement (through Bobby's vicarious proposal lmaooo), I feel like we haven't had other romantic milestones during disasters, at least not that I can think of! It'd probably be a little too much of an homage for Eddie or Chim or another of their loved ones deliver the "I love you" on behalf of Tommy or Buck, but I absolutely love the idea. One of them yelling it at Tommy over the radio "Buck loves you! Evan loves you!" when he's in a dangerous helicopter flight... or even more angsty, already crashed and trying to get him to hang on. Bobby doing it again to just be the consummate gay romantic milestone intermediary would be hilarious.

BUT! Aside from the funny aspect of that callback, the potential of an angsty mid-disaster I love you is so good, and in the more likely scenario where it's actually directly between Tommy and Buck instead of through someone else lol, I could really see either saying it first. It could be a dramatic moment Buck thinks he's dying so he makes sure to tell Tommy before it's too late, or even something less intense where Tommy sighs over the radio "I love you Evan, please be careful" when he's running back into a burning building when it's a little bit inadvisable. I can't really settle on just one idea, because I'll be so happy with so many ways it could play out!

[lover-of-mine]

I keep thinking about the Tommy leaving post and the Buddie being ready for each other post and I feel like there's a comparison I want to make here but I'm not sure exactly what it is but something about Tommy leaving because he was not down with that whole mess of date, understandably, but also Buck's boatload of issues still even tho Tommy came back & they're in this "maybe this could be the something I'm ready for" & potential issues that might crop up going forward like will Buck be hesitant still or dive headfirst or some combination, will Tommy feel like it's too much or just not working, will it be the thing that finally makes something click in Buck's head that he needs to go to therapy bc hey Tommy is different from his exes but the issues are still the same idk or he decides it's not working bc it's not the thing he wants but he's ready to figure that out so again therapy! but also when he realizes he's in love with Eddie & they could be it for each other he knows he doesn't want to make those same mistakes and the way to do that is to be honest with himself and Eddie and it's not perfect but they're both in it and self enough aware they know they can make it work together (therapy would be so good but also Maddie or Bobby have some wisdom here too) like a desperation almost of I love him and I want him and this is it for me but I'm so scared of losing it all and it's like well. What are you gonna do about it? Are you gonna let yourself have this? I read a fic today where when they were discussing starting something but Buck was scared Eddie was like "we deserve to be happy too and being with you makes me happy" and that's all I want now okay sorry this is so long and probably makes no sense but I didn't know who to send it to I can stop rolling it all in my head over and over again send help or a sedative my god they make me feral and all these new ttpd edits are making it 10000x more

Okay, I see what you mean, and I am team Buck/Therapy first and foremost, but let's discuss Tommy outside the perfect queer Yoda people seem to have put him in. First of all, Tommy didn't come back, the energy that exists there is that there would be no second date if Buck didn't ask him for coffee (and Buck only called because Eddie told him to). I don't blame Tommy for walking away, the situation Buck put him in is shitty, but he did not come back, he indulged Buck in a coffee for whatever reason I don't understand. I don't understand why someone would agree to go to someone's sister's wedding after one kiss and half a date they walked out of. But what I'm getting from Tommy is that he's not gonna put up with Buck's bullshit just because he's cute. And Buck is diving in head first, asking someone to be your date to your sister's wedding after half a date where they left you on the curb when he's out to exactly 2 people is somehow crazier than buying furniture with Natalia, because at least there he had what? 3 successful dates under his belt? Buck is in the hamster wheel, this time with a guy. Dating a guy is bringing him clarity in some aspects of his life, but he is still showing the same patterns when it comes to dating. Will he break out of his pattern this time? Who the fuck knows. Realizing he's repeating these patterns and letting go before he gets in too deep, realizing he needs to work on himself, would be a major sign of growth from him, but Tommy pointing something out and making him take action works too, but I don't know what or how that could be approached. I was talking about this with someone last week, I'm pretty sure i sent them a voice note of like, 12 minutes on this, but do we trust Buck to separate the way he's infatuated from what he actually needs? That his bisexuality is his no matter what? Because I don't. If he's still that insecure about Eddie when Eddie has been stable in his life the whole time they've known each other, then I don't trust him with anything emotional, really. Could he wake up one day and realize maybe it was about Eddie, see what's in front of him and proceed to work through his insecurities? Sure, they could go there, especially with how intertwined Eddie is to bucktommy, make Buck realize his feelings, work through his insecurities somehow and realize he needs to talk to Eddie and that they will be okay no matter what. But the thing is, Eddie loves Buck too much. Like the post said, he loves Buck at his own detriment, so if Buck goes all weird on him for whatever reason again (which he probably would if he realizes he might be in love with Eddie, he would panic, 705 Buck would freak out if realized he's in love with Eddie) he's gonna internalize that, and that's something they need to address before there is any movement into making them romantic.

Because now that there's a real chance buddie is gonna go canon, they need to address some problems that were created between them, mainly the way they assume things about each other a lot instead of having an open conversation. All they need is an open conversation, I will accept if the show magically decides they can talk to each other now, that the issue was the denial, but Buck needs to ask for shit, he needs to talk when he's insecure, he needs to not let Eddie get away with assuming he's right, and Eddie needs to stop assuming he can read Buck's mind, he needs to call Buck out when he's getting in his head, and he needs to stop trying to fix past mistakes with someone else, they need to actually be able to address things that hurt them, because they will hurt each other, the question is how they work through the problems. Dating your best friend, even more after being best friends for this long comes with issues, the adjustment would be intense because they have an intense relationship already. And they both need to let go of the idealized version of what a relationship should look like they have. Can Tommy help Buck there? Yeah, absolutely, but he also shouldn't be expected to hold a grown man's hand through his own feelings, yk? Buck doesn't know what he wants and he's working through it, allegedly, so, like, there's potential there but I have no idea how this can unfold tbh. They need to get to the point where they're like "I deserve happiness" but also realizing that happiness doesn't look the way they think it does, that it's never gonna be perfect, but that it is worth fighting for, you don't find it, you make, works here too, but the thing is, you need to keep making it as long as you're together, love is not all it takes, the fight never stops. I've been thinking about this a lot too.

[outrunningthedark]

Do u think the ending Gerrard got was a redemption of a sort? I’m seeing alot of comments about that

I think it's really up to each viewer to decide if he was "redeemed", tbh, and the interpretation will definitely depend on how closely people are looking at the facts. Overall, the GA might look at him as a kinda sorta good guy now because he (technically) helped Henren and wasn't making comments about anyone's race/gender/sexuality. He's "evolved". Plus, he was shown to have a "fun" side by being starstruck in front of Brad and leaving the 118 to go be a consultant for Hotshots. But the fandom? The people who notice every little detail (whether or not those details actually mean anything in the end)? They won't call it a redemption because they're not focused on his actions as much as the motivation behind them. For me...I can kinda see both sides of it. Was it a legit redemption like when Tim and Kristen had to write Taylor Kelly as sympathetic towards victims in s4 for her stint as Buck's gf to make sense? No. But by not reverting to his old ways, the ways that were expected of him, the show chose to at least suggest to the GA that he wasn't the exact same captain as he was back in those Begins episodes. Which, to some people, will indicate that he'd "changed" in at least one aspect, and for the better. (It's like how Ana was reintroduced and the skateboarding incident may as well have never happened. She wasn't ableist anymore! /s) Ftr... - I think him not knowing about Buck and Tommy was more about continuing the thread of not making Buck's relationship about homophobia than acting like Gerrard was suddenly not homophobic because we all remember his comment to Tommy when BuckTommy was still new and definitely not reaching Gerrard's radar, but the GA would have to see it again this season since stuff doesn't stick with them like that. No outward homophobia = no problems. - We've read how the lack of racism and misogyny for Hen, Chim, and Eddie was a "been there, done that" situation for Tim, which is why he decided Buck should get the "bulk" of the story (that wasn't much of a story at all, lol) The only reason Gerrard can even be looked at as "redeemed" by anybody is because Tim didn't want to tell the same story twice.

[deluweil]

Totally with you on the Tommy-thing. Fandom makes me dislike him so I am not reading things about him any longer. This entire storyline is good for representation, yeah but so fsr not really showcasing a good relationship. Tommy let Buck stand there because he was fed up but he knew Buck is new to this. What did he expect?

And yeah, Lou is a totally different story there. I like sseing his view on things.

Btw do you think JHL will get as much flack for following the transphobe on IG now as Ryan did a while ago? Guess not huh?

I have resorted to blocking all bucktommy groupies, they make me dislike the fandom experience.

I have no beef with the actors, I love all of them, my problems are ever with the writers and showrunners that handles themselves in a very idiotic way when it comes to Buck and Eddie.

It's like they only know how to develop characters that are in established relationships or how to develop a character within a relationship only, and even that they do poorly because they haven't even decided after 7 SEASONS where they want the boys to end.

And by the way, since the only way they know is how to develop the characters only inside a relationship is also why Buck and Eddie are so intertwined, because if you notice, they are only growing when they are written together! The writers wrote themselves into this corner.

Anyone watching other shows knows that best friends are not written that way, that they have their own individual stories and they come together for a good beer hangout or heart to heart, or relationship advices or rooming together (Casey and Severide) because their roommate and best friend died (Severide and Shay) or their house burned down chasing a story with the reporter LI (Casey and I can't remember her name atm but she was good for him).

There are so many ways to write best friends without them being mistaken for endgame, but that is not what is happening in 911 and Oliver confirmed it himself, neither Eddie nor Buck are written in a straight manner and the actors know that, the question is, will the showrunners catch up eventually?

Lou is awesome, I like him, I like him in any show I 've seen him, lately that was SWAT. He's a good actor and seems like he's fun to be around, in a way, they kind brought Ryan/Eddie 2.0 to the cast, I find it very amusing lol.

LOL no, Ryan has been controversial even before Chrysti-Ann brought him down with her, he's poc, he's not Oliver, he speaks his mind and he doesn't cater to stupid and demanding hetero-normative showrunners. How dare he? lol

People were #TeamEvan even before #buddie came into our lives, Lou being added is the perfect excuse to tarnish Eddie so they can put him out of the picture - the haters of course - it's pretty clear that Tim is very fond of him.

And Murphy brought him in without an audition because he knows how good of an actor he really is.

JLH, like Oliver, is a fan favorite, and a beautiful fun white woman, no way would she get any blowback as Ryan. Toxicity in this fandom brings about a lot of hypocritical aspects, but that is a lot of reflection of the lives we live today outside of the fandom.

All we can do is curate our dashes and filters and make for a fun and safe environment to enjoy our time in.

[fleabagdiaz]

casual (is it casual now?)

eddie/tommy angst | 1.1k words | read on ao3

summary: literally just the bucktommy kiss if it had been eddie instead, because lou said it was almost eddie and the show said eddie catholic guilt real and I said oh bet?

Eddie slides Tommy a beer across the table and cracks one open for himself. Despite still feeling the burn of the whiskey from the karaoke bar in his stomach, he takes a swig. “Man, I have to remember to invite Buck next week. You wouldn’t know it from looking at him, but he’s a big trivia buff.”

Tommy hums good-naturedly. “Maybe that way we’d actually break our ten-point record.” He grabs the beer and taps his fingers against the side without taking a drink. “Hey, what’s the deal with you two, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Eddie cocks his head slightly, not entirely understanding the question. “Me and Buck?”

“You talk about each other all the time, and your kid is obsessed with him. His name must have come up a dozen times the other day.”

Eddie shrugs. What is there to say about Buck? He’s Buck. He’s worked his way into every aspect of Eddie’s life, and somehow, unexpectedly, became Eddie’s favorite person in the world, after Chris. Not that he would ever tell him. His head’s big enough as it is.

“We’re like family, I guess. The whole 118 is more than a house. We’re all family.”

“Hah. I noticed.” Tommy’s voice is colored with something like bitterness. Not harsh, though. More… sad. Wistful, maybe. “Wasn’t like that when I was there.”

“Really? How so?” Without meaning to, Eddie inches closer.

Tommy lets out a puff of air and shakes his head slightly. “The whole… culture was different. Very macho. Regressive. Not that different from serving, honestly.”

That Eddie can understand. His team was close, but it was a completely different world than the 118. The jokes were sharper, aimed to hurt as often as not. The conversations shallower. Sometimes it almost felt like they didn’t want to get too close in case someone didn’t make it out. Maybe they had the right idea; he had almost died trying to get them all home. Not that he learns from his mistakes, since he knows from experience he’d stop at nothing to fight for any of his new family. It scares him if he lets it. How much he cares about all of them.

“I get it,” Eddie says, taking another swig of his beer. “You’d fit right in there now, though. The way you threw in with us in that storm.” He whistles. “Pretty fuckin’ cool.”

A small smile appears on Tommy’s face that Eddie finds difficult to read. Could be the whiskey. “You think so?”

“I know so.”

“You wouldn’t get sick of me, seeing me every day?” Tommy asks. He sets down his beer, still untouched, next to Eddie on the table, and Eddie suddenly becomes aware that he’s well within touching distance. He’d barely even have to reach out his hand.

“’Course not. Anyone would be an improvement over Buck.” Why did he say that? He doesn’t think that. But it makes Tommy laugh again. Which makes Eddie smile, even as his stomach turns from the casual cruelty of the joke.

“You’re pretty cool yourself, you know.” The calm intensity of Tommy’s eye contact is setting off alarm bells in the back of Eddie’s mind. He tries to ignore them, because something about it feels nice, like the gaze itself is casting a warm glow over him.

“Oh, am I?” Eddie replies, raising an eyebrow.

“In my book, at least. Whatever that counts for.” Impossibly, Tommy has gotten even closer, so that there’s almost no space between them at all. The alarm bells get louder, more intense, and Eddie can feel his heartbeat throughout his body.

“Definitely counts for something.” Eddie’s words come out quiet. He kind of can’t breathe.

But he doesn’t back away. He doesn’t break eye contact. Even when Tommy closes the distance completely, when his hand is under Eddie’s chin pulling it ever so slightly upwards so that their mouths meet.

Eddie’s swept away in it. The warmth, the strength of his hand, the hint of vanilla vodka still on his lips. It all makes him dizzy, twists up his head so he forgets, well, everything. Just for a moment. And he leans into the kiss until their bodies are pressed flush against each other and his hand finds its way into Tommy’s hair and—

“Shit.” Eddie pulls away abruptly, breathless. The man — the man — in front of him stares back. Kindly, questioning. And they’re the only two people in the room, but Eddie has never been more sure he’s being watched. Panic starts to migrate from the tips of his fingers wrapped in Tommy’s T-shirt and hair, all the way up into Eddie’s chest and settles there. He takes one step back, then another. The look on Tommy’s face as he does is unbearable, so he turns away, balling his hands into fists that will leave purple crescents in his palms. “I’m not… I have a girlfriend.”

“Oh.”

“It’s actually getting pretty serious. We’re moving in together soon.” Eddie winces at the lie. He hasn’t even asked her yet.

“Eddie, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.” A gentle hand on his shoulder tells him that Tommy’s stepped closer. Instinctively, Eddie shrugs it off. And instantly feels sick.

Don’t be a fucking coward. Look him in the face, at least.

He turns to face Tommy, who looks — hurt. Worse, he looks like he’s trying not to look hurt. Eddie swallows, trying to keep down the panic as it crawls up his throat.

“Nah man, it’s on me. I shouldn’t have… I should’ve told you sooner.” Eddie scrubs a hand over his eyes. His skin itches like it’s covered with grime. His fingers twitch like they’re searching for rosary beads. “I think you should probably go. It’s getting late.”

Tommy nods, then opens his mouth as if he’s about to say something. Closes it again.

Eddie walks him to the door, trying to come up with any words that would make this less awful, but when he tries to think there’s only a dark static filling his head with noise.

With one foot outside, Tommy hesitates, lingering in the doorframe.

“Listen, Eddie. I really am sorry for the misunderstanding. But I hope you know that you can call me if you ever need to talk. I’ve been where—” He cuts himself off. Holds eye contact with Eddie for a moment. Sighs. “I’m still here for you, if you need anything.”

Eddie nods lamely. A part of him needs to delete Tommy’s number. A part of him wants to pull him back inside. He’s not even sure what for. “Thanks, Tommy.”

The door clicks shut with Tommy behind it and Eddie slides down the wood paneling to the floor, dropping his head between his knees as a heavy sob escapes his mouth.

[lemotmo]

https://screenrant.com/911-season-8-oliver-stark-interview/

Very curious to see your thoughts on this new interview

It sounded a lot of the same to me. Though the addition now of him saying viewing it was rose tinted glasses had me chuckling. Like my guy just keeps spelling out doom more and more.

I was curious about the no jealous from Tommy. I know earlier there was an ask from Ali where she mentioned their issues should be Eddie related. Have either of your changed your mind on it after this ? He does say no jealousy from Tommy. So I guess it could be coming from Eddie. Or he could be lying 😂 honestly as long as Tommy doesn’t utter any variation of it’s Eddie to Buck I’m good because I can not stomach the idea of him being in every oh moment video going forward. Once he’s served his purpose I never wanna see him again lol.

I definitely loved the bit about Chris. Getting that confirmation of it was never he didn’t want to or feel like he couldn’t go to Buck, it was just Chris needed more space then down the road from his dad. Which makes sense. Now we just need Helena to promptly butt out so healing can begin.

Also it might be incredibly petty of me but the whole he might not be bucks biological kid, but it’s still very painful for Buck to not have him here and he’s such a major part of his life etc. I want to find every single one of those fans who spent the entire hiatus trying to say that Buck and Chris relationship was a burden on him forced by Eddie. Like no no. Chris is not bucks biologically, but that’s his kid, period. The impact of him leaving is hitting Buck just like it’s hitting Eddie, his actual biological father. That debate is now closed.

I got so many of asks in the same vein as the ones above. So I'm answering them all in one go. 😋

Yeah, Oliver said a lot of the same things, I agree.

But the whole 'no jealousy from Tommy' thing was interesting. If there's no jealousy from Tommy's side and no jealousy from Eddie's side, then what? I mean, Tim did talk about the fact that he didn't want to go the Eddie feels alone because Tommy and Buck are together route.

So I'm thinking this might not be about Tommy or Eddie, just like Oliver said in one of his interviews. His bisexuality is his and his alone and it's separate from Tommy or Eddie. So maybe Buck really makes a conscious choice to break up with Tommy, because he knows they aren't right for each other. He chooses to set himself free to find that one great love he is still craving. This is my ideal scenario by the way. I never thought it would happen, but after this interview? I wonder. 🤔

This then means that Buck's realisation that he likes Eddie as more than just a friend could possibly come after he has broken up with Tommy. Now that he has discovered his bisexuality, he can now see Eddie as an option. Of course, he'll shut up about it, because Eddie is 'straight' (as far as he knows).

In the mean time, Eddie might just come to some of his own realisations about Buck.

(The 'truths Tommy and Buck uncover about each other' is the only thing that makes me doubt the above theory a little. Mainly because we all know Tommy's uncomfortable truths, but what are Buck's? Could it be that he does realise his feelings for Eddie before he breaks up with Tommy? Or maybe he has known for a while? I don't know. That was just such a strange line.)

The part of the interview I sat up for was this:

In the previous paragraph he was saying that he wanted Buck to be an authentic version of himself. He then continuous with: 'once he has found that in one aspect of his life, it can spread to others'.

So basically, if he gets to be confident and authentic in his bisexuality, this can spread to other areas of his life. Areas like work, family relationships and friend relationships. Not a word about romance or his current romantic relationship to be found here, which is... interesting. 👀👀👀👀👀

As for the Chris part. I mean, once again he emphasises how important Chris is to Buck. He sees him as a son. And Chris will forever and always be tied to Eddie, so that means Eddie is just as important to him. They are a unit by now: Eddie, Chris and Buck. There's no breaking them up and Oliver knows it.

[sevensoulmates]

we may get a cliffhanger by the end of the season of either or both buck and eddie realizing their feelings for one another by the end of the season like what is this. Also Lou being like yeah Tommy is here so he can push Buck to pursue Eddie like what, also Marisol is so obviously bones, like this is clearly an Eddie arc dealing with repression and his feelings for Buck.

Before this episode, I think it was still a toss-up between Eddie and Buck, but after episode 5, I'm leaning more towards Buck realizing his feelings.

I don't think Eddie's repression arc is going to be wrapped up so fast. That's both just not true to life but also not true to 911's style? As I've mentioned before, 911 does not really ever close off character arcs in the season they're introduced (which makes sense for long-form storytelling). One aspect of the arc might be addressed by the end of the season, but usually, there are larger parts that are left loose usually for a purpose. Eddie's struggles with depression related to his time in the military and losing Shannon were introduced in season 3 and weren't really "resolved" (I use this term loosely) until season 5 for the military, and Shannon has haunted his entire storyline. My guess is to be resolved this season.

Buck's issues with Bobby were introduced in season 1 and didn't really get fully resolved until season 6 (in my opinion). Buck's issues with fatherhood were introduced a while ago and are still being addressed in parts over time. Don't even make me bring up the "couch theory" of it all.

So I'll repeat: 911 DOES NOT EVER COMPLETELY WRAP CHARACTER ARC STORYLINES IN JUST ONE SEASON.

As for Lou, he very obviously is aware that most people would rather see Buck with Eddie, and has been pleasantly surprised by the reception to him. I think he's aware that what Tommy wants and what Buck wants (even if he might not know it yet) are two different things. But Tommy is human, he wants real love just like everyone, and I think he's hoping he might be able to find it with Buck, even if some part of him is aware that Buck's heart belongs to Eddie. I don't think Tommy necessarily WANTS to lose Buck to Eddie, but a part of him might recognize that it's an inevitability. But hey, who wouldn't try to shoot their shot with Buck if they had the chance?

There's a fine line to walk for an actor about being aware your character is both a plot device and wanting that character to be fully actualized on their own. Lou's doing a pretty good job of it (far better than Edy). But I do think he wants people to enjoy Tommy while he's around and see how things go without always being so up in arms about the buddie of it all. Lou, the writers, the audience, and the narrative are all aware that what Buck has with Eddie is far bigger than what the show can develop with anyone else at this point, so I think Lou is just acknowledging that. He seems like a very decent dude! But for the love of god, PLEASE learn how to finish a sentence/thought before moving on to the next one.

[littlerosetrove]

Had some time to think, and right now I’m still concluding that this breakup was not written or handled well. Let me explain. Oh, and if it worked for you or whatever, that’s fine, but we’re not going to agree on this specific topic, so please, find someone else to chat with who will agree with you.

I have a lot to say.

Look. While I never fully expected Buck and Tommy to last forever, I was certainly hoping for a better sendoff than this one that doesn’t even make sense, and felt out of the blue. And it did feel out of the blue, because despite this Singular Episode dropping a couple hints (although I don’t believe for a second Tommy doesn’t know Buck doesn’t like basketball after 6 months. nor did i feel comfortable with buck checking out and low-key flirting with the woman??? that felt so out of the blue for Buck, and literally only a setup for this shitty breakup) something may be off, that’s all we got. The “buildup” to the breakup happened in a singular episode while previously we’ve been given nothing but a happy and healthy relationship.

We’d been given Tommy, someone with a connection to the 118 and Bobby and Hen and Chimney specifically. Tommy, a fellow first responder, someone who can 100% relate to Buck when it comes to work and loving the job. As a first responder, he's so much easier to fit into the cast and Buck's life, unlike someone outside the field. We’d been given Tommy, someone who became close and fast friends with Eddie, something never been done before with any of Buck’s previous partners. We’d been given such rich potential of a guy who could and was fitting into many aspects of Bucks life. And then, suddenly, we had it ripped out from under us.

To be clear, I’ve always expected, well, that either Buck and Tommy would last or they’d break up. But if they were to break up, it would be for a GD good reason and make sense. And this? Does not make sense. 

Stay with me. 

So Tommy expressed being insecure, frankly, that Buck may eventually decide to move on to “keep trying and experimenting.” Okay, on the experimenting front, I know this aspect is fine to some bi folks, perhaps neutral to some, and not fine to others because they see it as a negative stereotype. The stereotype of bi folks sleeping around a lot before truly “figuring things out.” As a queer woman (being bi/pan is a part of my queer identity), this came across as… not the greatest. It came across as “oh you baby bi, you don’t and can’t know what you want yet.” From what I saw and read from Buck, he is sure of Tommy. He wanted to try to have a future with Tommy, and frankly so did Tommy with Buck! 

To continue on this issue, I don’t like how, in a way, Tommy was written as deciding for Buck that he’s not ready still, that he doesn’t know still. Like. Why can’t Buck know who he is and who he wants now? I don’t know, it felt more like Tommy projecting his insecurities, past and present, onto Buck. (but neither Buck nor Tommy were the Bad Guy in this thing. that's the one good thing here)

Back to Tommy feeling insecure that Buck will one day leave and break his heart. Okay, that can literally be the hurdle they face. Adding on the very important fact that Buck should fight for Tommy! Have Buck fight for Tommy and prove to him that, actually, Buck IS sure about Tommy and wants a future with him. After all, in like fucking season 5 Buck talks about couples being at their worst but still fighting for one another. If we must go with this route of a breakup, then why the hell not have Buck fight for once to keep what had been, up to this point, a really good relationship!  

Now I can’t take the credit, I saw someone else point this out in a post, but want to know a really simple reason for a breakup? Have Buck and Tommy discuss kids, and Tommy saying he doesn’t want any when Buck does. It’s literally right fucking there in the episode that was so heavily about kids. It would make FAR more sense for Buck and Tommy to split over this than the bullshit we got. 

I’m not the first nor will I be the last to say, what was the point to end it like this? To be clear, I’m not opposed to Buck and Tommy breaking up, but ONLY if it was for a good GD reason. And we didn’t get that. What we got was Buck and Tommy filled with potential from season 7 up until 8x5, happy and healthy. We had Tommy, more than once, talking about wanting to be a part of the 118 family. But now? Well it seems like all for nothing in how things ended. Why even have Tommy talk about family over the seasons, show how well Tommy was working on fitting in with Buck and the 118 - which has never been done with a previous LI for Buck - for it to just end like this?

Tommy thinking he’s just, what, a stepping stone for Buck? And for Buck to just, what, not fight for the relationship and - based on some interviews - jump into sleeping around now? Don’t get it twisted, Buck possibly sleeping around after this isn’t inherently a bad thing. HOWEVER, the only way it will make sense for Buck’s character is if it’s because he’s spiraling a bit after the breakup and using an old and unhealthy coping mechanism. Otherwise? I’m sorry, but that will be more shitty writing. 

If Buck ends up sleeping around, just because, then congrats on going against the character he is now. Buck expressed even in this gd episode that he’s not who he used to be, i.e. someone who sleeps around anymore. Buck has only wanted, for years now, to be in a committed, settled, and happy relationship. On top of this, IF the show does go the route of “yeah Buck isn’t coping well after the breakup” then even that will feel like a punch to the face. Why? Because it would be a serious regression of his character, and I thought he’s well past doing things like this. 

Tied in with all this, I just want Buck to be happy. Like. Unless this poorly executed breakup leads to Buddie - which I am really unsure will happen, in part because of Eddie saying “I’m straight” (yes that can be changed later but… we’ll see) - then oh my god. What was the point of it all. Pardon me, but are we just perpetually going to get Buck cycling through relationships??? It’s so fucking frustrating and boring at this point. When will he get his forever person??? Tommy could have been that, but as of right now it doesn’t seem so. And if not Eddie, then fucking who? Some new character, 8 or 9 seasons in that the show will have to actually fucking try to write as interesting, compelling, someone who they’ll have to take time to get the audience to even like and even want Buck to be with?????? 

I’m repeating myself now, but seriously. This feels like a sucker punch. We were given a couple that did have such great potential, but then suddenly it’s all tossed away? What the hell happens now with Tommy and Eddie’s friendship? Is that even going to get a passing mention of where they stand or just forgotten? Like why, specifically, bring back Tommy, someone who as I’ve explained fits in so well with Buck and his life, to just so suddenly be pushed out. It doesn’t make sense. 

Hell, I couldn't even really join in on Eddie's moment of joy (as cringey as it was because of secondhand embarrassment) because I was stuck on feeling, honestly, betrayed at this out of the blue and almost weirdly anti climactic breakup with Buck and Tommy.

I don’t even have the energy to get into why I think bringing in Abby Clark of all people was really dumb. I think it was cheap. But hey, these are the same writers that wrote a dumbass doppelgänger storyline.

EDIT: Forgot to add that, we've also had Tommy expressing wanting a person and a family in particular. So, what. I'm just supposed to believe that he'd just walk away from Buck, someone who so clearly is good for him and a family that comes with Buck? We're just left with Tommy being alone again and getting no resolution for him?????

[stagefoureddiediaz]

I still think Tommy won’t be shown much at all. There really is no need. Eddie can express his jealously with little bitchy comments and facial expressions.

I’m not sure. I don’t think we’ll get a huge amount of Tommy but I do think we’ll see him fairly often - for a couple of reasons - yes you can do a fair amount of the work via exposition (such as buck telling Eddie he’s not free because he has a date with Tommy etc etc) but you do also need to establish things visually.

We need to be shown Tommy visually present to heighten the distance - to show him coming between buck and Eddie and interrupting their dynamic. You can’t build drama and tension if you don’t show it. It’s far more powerful if we’re shown Eddie alone while buck is with Tommy rather than it just being talked about.

The other aspect of this is the fact Tommy is Eddie lite and the viewer needs to be shown more of that - it was a key part of the bi buck storyline - his confused feelings - buck misunderstanding the assignment. Showing Tommy with buck allows the viewer to also be shown Eddie and buck which allows the differences in their dynamics to be made explicit.

The show spent all of s7 putting buck front and centre in Eddie and Christopher’s life - paralleling him with Shannon and baking it perfectly clear the three of them have a family dynamic going on. S7 also spent a lot of time putting Eddie into the middle of the buck and Tommy narrative - he’s literally always there even when he’s not. Showing buck and Tommy interacting allows that second aspect especially to be developed further - Eddie always being there even when he’s not is something you can’t establish if Tommy isn’t seen with buck. And that creates tension in the relationship that you can only achieve by giving him some screen time.

Personally I think there are lots of red flags that the show has deliberately had Tommy waving around and I expect those to be developed further. I think he’s manipulative and controlling and I think we’ll see that coercive control explored a bit because it is in part something Gerrard does as well and Tommy was under Gerrards captaincy for a good period of time. Buck struggling under Gerrard as captain plays into this as well and the show likes to use mirrors and juxtapositions - buck has become the buck he is today under the guiding influence of bobby - his captain (and dad) and paralleling Tommy becoming who he is today because he was under Gerrard makes sense and established the ultimate incompatibility of buck and Tommy - because Buck struggling with Gerrard and the way he behaves and treats people means he will struggle with Tommy too because those behaviours are also in Tommy. There’s a reason why we’ve had next to zero accountability from Tommy for his past behaviours - which would’ve been super easy to do without taking up much screen time. It’s because it’s still relevant and important to Tommys arc as a plot device. This arc for buck is seemingly about nature v nurture and how nurture is more important than nature. buck is who he is because of Maddie and then bobby (and hen and Chim and Eddie as well but they’re not his main influences) and they’re nurturing of him, not because of nature - of his parents (this is a very nuanced thing and broad stroking it here). Tommy has stated he had a less than stellar father and was then nurtured by Gerrard and that has made him who he is. Whilst being under bobby for a bit and whomever he’s been captained by since will have in theory developed him further and lessened those influences of G and his father (and likely his superior officers in the military as well who were probably of the Gerrard ilk), it’s not going to have undone it completely.

I’m not saying we’ll be seeing him every episode in 8a or anything, but I do expect him to get several minutes of screen time over multiple scenes when he is in episodes because it’s important for bucks storyline and development - and that is what we have to remember and prepare for.

I did not mean to end up with an essay about Tommy and his red flags but here we are!! Hope it makes sense and is interesting