#or we can work on Eddie building his friendship with Tommy

[littlerosetrove]

Feeling real salty.

one episode in season 6A: Chris wants more independence, and Eddie learns to deal with that.

second half of season 6B: um. Eddie is lonely, actually, so we're gonna have him date! (we're gonna handle it in a kinda rushed and joking manner though). he's gonna call a random woman no one remembers, but trust us this hardware store woman is a sign of magic or something, and Eddie is definitely moving forward in life.

season 7: just kidding, the relationship with Hardware Store Lady was literally pointless and went nowhere. instead Eddie is actually, for 5 years running, still stuck on his dead wife because that's still definitely relevant and interesting, right? right??????? and Eddie will have zero growth this season because........................ we're setting stuff up for season 8!

[epicbuddieficrecs]

Weekly Recap | May 12th-19th 2024

Had a wonderful long weekend with a friend, what about you guys? Anyone else super nervous about this week's episode? 😅

Complete

all roads lead to eddie diaz by wafflesofdoom/ @capseycartwright (S7, BuckTommy, Pre-Buddie | 1,2K | General): eddie and tommy have a revelatory conversation about the buck of it all.

another thing i forced to be a sign by bellabrady (Post-7x07: Ghost of a Second Chance | 2K | Not Rated): Or: Buck finds out about Kim, which leads to him calling Eddie out on the pattern with relationships.

🔥 I hang on every word you say by ColorMeParanoid/ @color-me-paranoid (Getting Together | 4K | Teen): “I couldn’t help but notice how hesitant you’ve been about getting back onto the dating scene despite saying that you’re ready,” Buck said, going for nonchalant and likely missing it by the mile. “I figured a little boost in confidence and a crash course in how to pull off a perfect first date wouldn’t hurt.” Or, the one in which Buck assumes Eddie sucks at dating and decides to do something about it

just release me, i can't take it by actualalligator/ @actualalligator (Post-Lawsuit | 5K | General): After the fight in the grocery store, Buck withdraws the lawsuit and leaves town. Maybe for good.

i'll look after you by ipretendtobesane/ @useramor (Buck&Chris | 6K | Teen): “You don’t have to kiss it, Mads,” he started telling her around ten years old. Maddie would ruffle his hair and scoff. “Of course I do, punk. How else will it seal the deal?” It was the only comfort he knew. It’s also the only tradition he can pass down to Chris. or: buck and chris building their own set of traditions throughout the years

how forever feels by icesculptures/ @ice-sculptures (Madney Wedding AU, Getting Together | 8K | General): Or: tired of the growing distance between them, Eddie asks Buck to dance at Maddie and Chimney's wedding, healing more than his own heart along the way.

🔥 Cowboy With a One Track Mind by Daisies_and_Briars/ @cal-daisies-and-briars (Canon Divergence, Not A Firefighter Buck | 22K | Mature): Spin-off Sequel to Evan Buckley & the Coma-Verse of Madness - Chapter 7 (Land): Grieving and tortured, Evan Buckley has been living alone in Montana in a remote cabin for nearly a decade. After an incident that leaves him missing six months of his life, and suddenly in connection with a group of strangers from Los Angeles, Evan must decide whether to remain in his self-imposed exile, or take a chance at life again.

WIP

🔥 some things fall when they're meant to fall by sibylsleaves/ @sibylsleaves (Post S7E5 | 2/4 | 11K | Teen): or, Buck tells Eddie some news. Eddie has a realization and breaks up with his girlfriend. Not necessarily in that order.

What’s Your Order? by JJK/ @trenchcoatsandtimetravel (Post-S7E5, BuckTommy | 5/6 | 14K | Teen): 5 Times Buck Guessed Tommy’s Coffee Order + 1 Time He Didn’t Have To

🔥 stuck now so long, we just got the start wrong by Daffi_990_ao3/ @daffi-990 (Canon Divergent, Different First Meeting | 5/10 | 39K | Not Rated): Probational Firefighters Evan “Buck” Buckley and Eddie Diaz meet on a call which ends with them at odds with each other. As the months roll by, they keep running into each other on the job, much to Eddie’s dismay and Buck’s delight. Can they put aside their first opinions and misunderstandings and allow the seeds of friendship, and possibly something more, to take root?

🔥 change the prophecy by Daisies_and_Briars/ @cal-daisies-and-briars (Alternate Timeline, Curse/Magic | 11/12 | 26K | Mature): Buck has never felt secure in any of his relationships; he’s been searching for someone to see him the way he feels he’s meant to be seen, but after things start going downhill with Tommy, he thinks that person might just not exist. Eddie cannot figure out what’s wrong with him when it becomes clear things with Marisol aren’t going to work out. But what if they’re both forgetting something?

🔥 for all the haunts and homes of men by euadnes/ @kananjarus (Canon Divergent, Post-Apocalyptic, Station Eleven Crossover | WIP | 15/? | 126K | Mature | Warning: Violence): The year by the old calendar is 2025. Home is gone. Home is a failed rescue mission and an echo of a memory. Home is a lost boy living in a wooden house by the sea. But first, there was a promise. Christopher, when it's safe, I'll take you back to your father. Buck had all but given up on keeping it after the world had died and everyone in it. But just as some oaths refuse to be forgotten, so the same can be said about the endurance of love.

🔥 Held Up a Lightning Rod (Wonder Why I'm Struck) by letmetellyouaboutmyfeels/ @letmetellyouaboutmyfeels (Not A Firefighter Eddie, Sugar Baby Buck | 2/? | 10K | Explicit): When Eddie Diaz stumbles his way into money, he finds himself one of the most eligible bachelors in Los Angeles - to his dismay. He needs a way to get people off his back without confessing his messy marital situation, and Shannon's still not answering his calls, so he caves to a friend's suggestion: hire someone to pretend to be his partner. Enter Evan "Buck" Buckley: sugar baby, fire fighter, and the man about to turn Eddie's world upside down.

🔥 Steal My Sunshine by Daisies_and_Briars/ @cal-daisies-and-briars (Altered Memories | 5/9 | 15K | Mature): Memories hazy and unreliable, Eddie Diaz wakes up every morning in a house at the end of a cul de sac, goes to his office job at a petroleum engineering company, and comes home to his wife and son. But something is missing, and the more Eddie begins to put the pieces together, the stranger the predicament he finds himself in. 

Podfic

🔥 [Podfic] maybe i'll be brave enough by then by Silverkat1620/ @silverkat1620 // fic by trippedandfell/ @trippedandfell (Amnesia | 20-30min | Teen): “So,” Eddie starts, taking a long sip. “How long have I had the ring?” Hen chokes on her coffee. “I’m sorry,” she says, eyes wide behind her glasses. “What ring?” or: an amnesia au (with a twist).

🔥 [Podfic] Fire on Fire by Itty_Bitty_Blondie/ @itty-bitty-blondie for extasiswings/ @extasiswings (Quarantine, S4 | 30-45min | Teen): "You’re sleeping with him.” “I’m not—” Eddie rolls his eyes and corrects himself halfway through. “I’m not sleeping with him like that, okay?” Sophia looks at him for a long moment as her gaze turns from teasing to thoughtful. “But you want to be. Right?” [Or: Buck and Eddie get in the habit of sharing a bed while living together during quarantine. It's platonic until it isn't.]

🔥 [Podfic] Here, Beneath My Lungs by Itty_Bitty_Blondie for glorious_spoon/ @glorious-spoon (First Kiss | 5K | Teen): “Okay, okay, come on, let’s do this,” Buck says, in a trying-to-be-serious tone that just sets Eddie off again. “Come on, we’re gonna do this right. You need the full Buckley Experience.” “Someone’s confident,” Eddie manages. “I know what I’m good at,” Buck says, and something about the way he says it—grinning and smug with laughter still leaking out of the edges of his smile—makes Eddie go still.

🔥 [podfic] not all of us are heroes (not all of us are brave) by Matriaya // fic by withmeornotatall/ @chronicowboy (Post-S6, Getting Together | 45-60min | General): Buck shakes his head and grimaces apologetically at Marisol. "I'm so sorry for interrupting your night," he tells her. "I'm gonna leave you guys to it, but it was nice to see you again." "Nice to see you too," Marisol replies with a smile. "Sorry again," he addresses this one to Eddie. "I didn't think. I just—" "You thought Chris needed you," Eddie says softly, eyes so warm Buck wants to stay here forever. "Don't apologise for that." "Right, well." Buck takes a deep breath to calm his still pounding heart before saluting at Christopher. "Forever at your service, Superman." He backs out of the kitchen in an exaggerated bow, ducking to hide his smile when Christopher's laugh follows him out.

🔥 [podfic] brick by Itty_Bitty_Blondie/ @itty-bitty-blondie // fic by spqr (Post-Coma, S6, Getting Together | 1-1.5h | Explicit): The first thing Buck noticed when he walked through the door was the smell of plaster and wet paint. There was a white spot on the wall in the living room, primered but without any color yet, about the size of a man’s fist. Eddie looked sheepish. His knuckles were still bruised, scabbed over but healing. “You were in a coma,” was all he said. “Yeah,” Buck agreed. He knew the feeling.

🔥 [Podfic] I Hit the Accelerator (But the Car was in Reverse) by MistMarauder/ @mistmarauder for extasiswings/ @extasiswings , letmetellyouaboutmyfeels/ @letmetellyouaboutmyfeels (S2-3, Friends With Benefits, BDSM | 7-10h | Explicit): When Buck is forced to confront the truth about his breakup with Abby, having casual sex with his hot new coworker seems like the best rebound idea. Unfortunately, that hot new coworker turns into his best friend. But best friends can keep having sex with each other, right? There's no way this could possibly go wrong.

[stagefoureddiediaz]

So they’re really pushing the communication aspect of all the relationships we’re seeing this season aren’t they -

Athena and Bobby - not communicating until they have to, then communicating well and them being stronger than before.

Maddie and chimney doing pretty well at communicating but things getting a bit lost in translation occasionally but even then they still end up on the same page and the strength of their relationship is evident. And they tell each other everything and that tendency is healthy and helpful

The subtle communication between Hen and Karen (that I’m sure were going to come into play much more as the season goes on) that speaks of how much work they’ve put into their relationship and how well they know one another

The fact we’re now seeing Maddie and Hen communicating after their chat last season - how much growth there has been there when before it was non existent - how Hen is trusting of Maddie because of Chim.

Some interesting tension in Hen and Chims friendship - the evidence that they normally communicate well but didn’t this time - which is pretty jarring when compared with the Jonah arc that showed their friendship off so amazingly. So this not communicating this time is setting off a mini siren and I think it’s being done e to set up some bachelor party shenanigans

The fact that Chris is prepared to be open and communicate with Buck - building on what we’ve seen in previous seasons - that Chris has this safe space he can be open in.

Then we have literally all of the calls and people on the boat - showing poor communication for the most part - rocket couple just sniping at each other, hot tub couple not being fully honest/keeping information from each other, car crash dude being incapable of communicating properly but also unwilling to. Lola and Norman not communicating so their marriage has become broken, the comma line on the ship being taken out by the pirates, the family all talking over one another and missing their sim who doesn’t communicate and is in his own world. The various other characters such as casino chips guy - communicating loudly over everyone else and drowning them out.

Tommy faking communication issues from the chopper.

The only ones we see communicating well are the captain and her second in command.

And then we have Buck and Eddie’s communication being all over the place. We have them talking and communicating well when talking about Chris, and they’re more in sync with each other on callls etc than we’ve ever seen them. But then we get this juxtaposition with other aspects of their lives - girlfriends and relationships. Even the Shannon aspect isn’t something we see them discuss - Eddie overhears it.

And that’s the crux of things really isn’t it - this inability to communicate with one another around relationships - because it’s the only thing they’re not talking about with one another. (We could argue that they’ve not talked about their trauma as well but the trauma is so very connected into their respective relationships that it feels like it’s one and the same)

I’m not sure exactly where I’m going with this beyond it clearly being a season set up around communication (even Maddie and Chim exchanging vows is them communicating) and that the show has loudly been setting up a failure to communicate for Buck and Eddie in this specific area is pretty telling given if you ask me- it’s the elephant in the room for them and it feels like we’re about to finally hit critical mass with it

[lemotmo]

Can we talk about how awkward it’s going to be when buck breaks up with t*my and dates Eddie?

I don’t see people bringing this up so often but t*mmy is also eddie’s friend, someone that likes the same things as him and has a lot of things in common.

It kinda makes me sad if they end up breaking that friendship because they work as friends and Eddie deserves to have someone that understands the same things as him (something him and buck don’t have a lot in common and that’s fine but it’s true)

And if that DOES happen I wonder how they’re going to do it, I kinda feel bad for t*my now :/ he’s going to be left without a boyfriend or a best friend 🥲

And this is coming from someone that ships buddie and doesn’t like t*mmy and buck together. But rewatching the show again it made me feel kinda bad for him tbh. That will quickly go away once buddie gets canon tho so, but still it’s a beautiful friendship

Hi Nonny!

There will be no awkwardness. You know why? Because Tommy will probably never be mentioned again.

Tommy was a plot device to help Buck out of the closet. But at the same time the writers wanted the audience to see and realise that none of this was really about Tommy himself, but about Tommy stealing Eddie away from Buck.

So they conveniently set Eddie up with Tommy for them to bond and become friends. They did this in one single episode. Eddie never even mentioned Tommy or his friendship with Tommy again in any other episode. In fact, he was pretty hostile towards Tommy in the bachelor's party episode.

As soon as Buddie happens, there will be no more need for Tommy as a plot device, so he will disappear and never be mentioned again. He might show up again in a later season to help in a rescue, but as far as his bond with Eddie? It will be as if it never even existed.

I'll be honest here and I have to ask the question:

Where do you see this beautiful friendship between Eddie and Tommy? We only see a small glimpse of it in episode 7x04. Eddie talks about Tommy and him doing stuff together sure, but they never showed it. So I really don't see a beautiful friendship here. They needed these two to be friends in order for the bi Buck plot to work out. So they made them friends. But there is no build up or focus on this friendship at all.

Eddie has a beautiful friendship with Hen, Chim, Bobby and Buck. He also, canonically, has poker friends and basketball friends. I think he'll manage just fine without Tommy.

As for Tommy? I hardly doubt that Eddie suddenly is his best friend after they hang out a few times. And I'm sorry, but I can't and won't feel sorry for Tommy losing his (maybe) boyfriend and friend. He has been in 6 scenes or something in season 7. They were hardly dating. I'm sure Tommy will be fine. And since I don't expect to even see him again after the break up, I don't think we have to worry about him anymore.

Yep, that's more or less the general consensus in the Buddie fandom.

This is also the reason why we shouldn't be too concerned about what happens after the break up. What happens to Tommy or to the Tommy & Eddie friendship isn't the point here. Tommy is used as a ploy to make Buddie happen. That is the point.

Have a great day Nonny!

[deluweil]

I think I realized what bugged me with Buck's coming out story in 7x04.

It's that he's "rewarded" for "bad behavior".

Don't get me wrong I was probably one of the loudest advocates for Bi!Buck, and I'm deliriously happy we got that.

But the fact that 7x04 went almost exactly the same as 2x01, behavior wise, that bratty, how am I not the center of attention? I'll show you your place, (the respect your elders crap) was very disturbing for me.

Like, aside for the fact that Buck finds out that he likes to be railed by boys as well as doing girls, there's no real character development here.

He knew, intellectually, at first that he was jealous of the attention Tommy got from Eddie, which really, considering everything that predated that was completely understandable that Eddie will look for that friend to do stuff with that they both enjoy somewhere else.

At first, it was the "She sees me," and as we can comprehend from "welcome back to the world of the living Buck, you were missed." Means that Buck was absent from their lives while he handled his death in the form of a relationship with a death doula, that he immersed himself in, completely leaving Eddie to deal with his trauma and loss, of Buck's death, and the consequent heartbreak of Buck choosing Natalia, on his own.

And now Eddie finally has that new friend, who's so much like him, to hang out with, that is worlds different than Buck and suddenly wide awake Buck realizes he's "losing" his best friend.

And I'll be the devil advocate for a minute and ask the Theo (teen wolf) question, come on Buck was he really still your best friend?

Because Eddie and Tommy have been hanging out for almost two weeks? (Though pretty sure more, considering that they have the basketball get-together more often than not and Chimney was probably the one who introduced Tommy and Eddie) it reached a level where Christopher met and loved Tommy (because seriously dude's awesome) almost instantly, but Buck didn't know that until he babysat Christopher and the kid told him about it.

Which makes me ask, where was Buck all that time? Absent? Taking Eddie for granted in that he will always be there?

Eddie has kept his mouth shut through a lot, Buck's sprem donor adventure, the death doula, the she sees me line, through months of separation because Buck cut himself off from everything they were outside of work.

On the surface, they were fine. But Eddie loves Buck enough to welcome him with open arms to everything, Vegas (you know he would have been ecstatic if Buck could go with them), basketball, babysitting Christopher which is world's different than 3x05-3x09.

He even forgives Buck immediately for railroading him on the basketball court.

Not mentioning the whole posturing at the firehouse, I have yet to manage to watch the entire scene (or 2x01 posturing) without cringing and fast forwarding it.

When Tommy goes to see Buck, he's there to figure out what is happening and to apologize in his and Eddie's names because THEY didn't mean to exclude him?? (In the two weeks they were building a friendship? And it's not like Eddie didn't invite Buck to play basketball. It's that Buck didn't want to.)

And Buck, even though Maddie told him he was wrong in what he did, didn't go to see Eddie and apologize. He immediately assumes that Eddie wouldn't want to see him.

First off, that's crap, he made you his son legal guardian, and second, at this point, you're a grown ass adult, do the right thing and even if he's mad at you call to APOLOGIZE!

It's not hard, it's supposed to be the easiest thing in the world, you hurt someone you love, you apologize.

How did Gibson tell Maya in Station 19 after she hurt Carina (emotionally) "You'd be surprised how far an apology can get you".

Buck should have apologized.

Now that kiss was something else, Tommy was super sweet and Buck proved himself to be an adorable bossy bratty bottom, the railing will be epic.

BUT! That relationship will come at Eddie’s expanse. This time excluding Eddie.

So not only Buck was mad that he was excluded, he's the asshole who befriended his best friend's friend cause he wanted the attention (of whom? Will be debated for months around this fandom) And now he excludes Eddie from his life again and disconnects him from the new friend he made.

That is isolation. Because as experience taught any of us, when our best friend gets a boyfriend/girlfriend they are busy! Either dating them or doing them or both.

Trust me I have had enough breathy phone calls answered by my gay best friend to learn to text first, and it didn't matter how many time I told him to stop answering during sex.

My girl friends knew better, but they also didn't call back until after they broke up with whoever the dude of the month was.

So yeah, I am mad on Eddie’s behalf, because Buck has not only done to him what he hates being done to himself, but he also reverted in the behavior to Buck 1.0 in 2x01.

I wish the Tommy/Buck pairing will be sweet and fun and explore new avenues for Buck.

But I want to see some growth damn it! Being out as Bi is brave.

But it is not a character growth if the people around you get hurt so you can get your way.

A lot like the lawsuit story (which, by the way, I was on Buck’s side for that one) but this is different, this is 4 years later and so many things happened.

Eddie went to therapy, and he reacts differently to certain situations now, when 5 years ago, he would have lost his head.

Buck did therapy, but nothing was solved, he's still reacting the same way he did in S2 and I am over it.

So yay to Bi!Buck!

But I wish the writers didn't make so that the growth won't be as significant as it should have been with giving him the same patterns of crappy behavior he exhibited in 2x01.

And there is no, "you're badass under pressure brother" here to cultivate Buck’s praise kink, just a kiss from Eddie’s friend.

Eddie who is sitting injured at home, alone, again (no, Marisol doesn't count) and Buck hadn't even apologized to him, but he was rewarded for making googly eyes at the wrong guy, because it's perfectly normal to be this jealous over not getting the attention of someone you just met, over the attention of your best friend of 6 years.

I understand this may offend a lot of people, but I had to get it out of my system.

No offense is intended, I just call it the way I see it.

I feel like Bi!Buck deserved a better intro story than what it got in 7x04, that kiss shouldn't have been made bittersweet, and I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one seeing it.

Anyway, I'm hoping for some kind of resolution and at least a heartfelt apology from Buck to Eddie in the next episode, coz it doesn't look like Buck will go to Eddie to apologize.

He and Marisol will stumble onto them at the restaurant and then there will be the whole why didn't you tell me drama, and I love you anyway thing, and it will all be about Buck, again.

Which fair. But does not absolve him railroading Eddie physically to get God knows who's attention.

Even Tommy didn't think it was about him, he literally asks bewildered "My attention?" I love him even more for that by the way.

And Buck should tell the firefam on his own terms, not because he has to.

But we reach another point, where the boys talk about their relationships with their significant others, only when they are forced to, again. Which is not normal at all for any kind of best friends.

Anyway, if you managed this far, thank you❤️

[biasbuck]

BiAsBuck’s ficrec Fridays

shhhh pretend you do not see what day of the week it is (dear brain, please get back into a routine!) Happy Frunday? Back again with another round of the fic I've been reading this month. Deep in my 'Chris' away, now what' feels. You can find previous rec lists here.

14 July 2024

not a demon, there's a reason by @ithilien-writes oooooh my god I love 'kid learns about their parent's past' fic, and the Chris season 8 set up is just a gold mine for it. Here's an absolutely incredible entry into the fic canon, in which Chris, bored and lonely in Texas, stumbles upon Eddie's teenage diary. He reads it as a conduit to learning more about Shannon than his Dad has ever told him, and in doing so comes to understand Eddie like he never did before. (I would also recommend reading other fic from this author for some lovely interconnected story telling and further insight into some of Eddie's teenage secrets.)

kid, you better come home by @wildehacked is a short one shot with Buck's POV on Chris being away, navigating calls to him, established but relatively new bucktommy, and how Buck copes with all that whilst looking after Eddie and nurturing their queerplatonic family set up. A really interesting exploration of Chris and Buck's relationship with the basis that 'Every other time Chris has fought with Eddie, he’s gone to Buck.' I love Chris' voice in this, it's so well captured.

i’ve seen a couple suns that set forever by @cal-daisies-and-briars '“So?” Chris asks. “You’ve said things are going to change before, and it always ends up with people leaving, and me feeling terrible all over again. How is it different now?”' in which Chris and Eddie go to family therapy, and Eddie comes out. Really wonderful exploration of how not everything is fixed so easily, and Eddie working to repair the damage whilst Chris works on understanding his Dad and coming to a place of forgiveness, whilst dealing with his own abandonment issues. Luckily a conversation with Bobby helps him look at his Dad in a new light.

my home is your body by @coldbam 'This is Buck’s first Pride. Sue him, he’s excited. He’s going all out.' After Buck and Tommy have a rather acrimonious split during Buck's first pride out, he discovers Eddie has had a very different night. There as an ally, Eddie embarks on some steep self discovery learning curves. Exploring grindr leads to a serious friends with benefits situationship, but of course there's no miscommunication over feelings here...right? Oh Buddie...what are we gonna do with you. A delightful comedy of errors whilst also being hot. Loved this!

let the world have its way with you and thousand times (which isn’t half enough) by @shitouttabuck in which Eddie convinces Buck to seize the day post-lightning strike by making a bucket list and helping him make his wishes a reality, from the smallest hopes to the biggest dreams. With a heaping of Buckley-Diaz family and firefam time, so much pining and longing and heart...and the most sweetly loving tree root metaphor I've ever read. Now with a gorgeous follow up fic to answer some of those lingering questions!

so far away but still so near by @exhuastedpigeon yes, yessss Eddie and Lucy and Ravi bestieism. In which, based on Frank's advice, 'Eddie Diaz learns who he is outside of being a father, builds some new friendships, and loves his best friend.' I really loved the dynamic that Eddie built up here, his tentative steps into finding friends outside of the support system he'd previously relied on, and the way it peeled back new facets of himself in order to love his loudest. Gorgeously written as always! Ravi and Lucy are just absolute bestie goals.

I know the words, I know the sounds by @try-set-me-on-fire in which 'Buck and Eddie dance at Tommy’s wedding.' Oh yeah, I see you SalTommy shippers, and I absolutely get it. As does Buck...sometimes the heart just wants what it wants, and what are you gonna do? Exploring the 'what if Tommy's the one to run off with his best friend' prompt to hilarious and heartwarming ends.

good pretender by @likeshipsonthesea an oldie but a goodie circa season 5, in which Buck and Ravi are secret fully platonic friends with casual sex benefits, Eddie pines A LOT, and everyone is just failing to communicate. I love the introspection here, what each character learns about themselves along the way, and how everything is eventually worked out. Give me season 8 Ravi main please show, I'm begging.

That's it for this week but I'm once again putting out a call for any Hen POV or henren ficrecs (please feel free to self rec), buddietommy, and canon compliant Tommy POV because I've fallen out of the loop!

[m3r1m4r5u333]

Btw I NEED TO ramble about the scene in which Buck comes out to Maddie and why it just makes me love her even more than I did before. Maddie is my freaking GOAT ❤️❤️❤️

Why? Well, because she already KNEW. She TOTALLY KNEW. And still pretended to be surprised!!

Why do I say she knew? Well. Because it's 100% canon that Buck rambles about his boy crushes, a lot. A LOT. To everyone!!!

I can't remember how much I've talked about this, but Buck totally had a crush on Albert at one point. There's an whole storyline about it, episodes 4x07 and 4x08.

Here's a recap of how it goes:

Buck goes on a date with Veronica. The date goes BADLY. It lasts for about 90 minutes and Buck leaves humiliated, never wanting to see her again.

Albert is Buck's room mate. Buck comes home, rants about the embarrassing date, announces that he never wants to see Veronica again... Goes to take out the trash, and runs across Veronica, realising that she's their neighbour, lives in the same building. Buck runs home and urgently tells Albert that they have to move!!

Then... Buck knocks on Veronica's door, trying to reconciliate. He does not want awkwardness between neighbours. They agree that the date was terrible, and then... Albert walks out of the shower in a towel.

Next... We see Buck and Taylor (she's a reporter) at work. They're watching a guy who's having a meltdown on a low roof. The emergency is taking forever, Taylor and Buck talk... Or rather.. Buck does!!

Not only does he rant about Albert and Veronica to Taylor, he also talks about them to a random first responder. Albert in a towel!!! has certainly left Buck reeling. It's super obvious that the one Buck actually fancies is Albert. The one date with Veronica was terrible, they definitely weren't ever in a relationship -- but Buck is sputtering about "breaking of bro code!!" and Albert in a towel?? Yeah.

They're not the only ones hearing about Albert. There's also a scene (can't recall which episode) where Chimney and Maddie enter a karaoke bar. Chimney says something about this being nice reprise because he's heard enough about Albert lately...

Anyway, back to Veronica/Buck/Albert/Taylor. Buck invites Taylor on a double date - without telling her it's a double date. Taylor arrives, takes in the queer love square she's been pulled into, very pointedly says that she's heard A LOT about Albert because Buck keeps talking about him... And then she's like "Actually I'm off, this is ridiculous.", and storms off (go queen 👑!)... (Then she and Buck reconciliate. Her capacity to forgive is unparalled, just saying.)

Anyway, back to WHY I LOVE MADDIE. (And Chimney!!!)

The crush on Albert isn't the only obvious boy crush Buck has, is it?

Eddie... The way they meet and Buck goes nuts trying to impress Eddie. The peacocking (mutual peacocking!!!!) is absolutely ridiculous. Chimney watches this mating display dance, shakes his head, rolls his eyes, chuckles to himself... Chimney can tell what's going on, for sure.

Then there's that famous scene in which Buck rambles about Eddie and Chris, is apparently elbows deep online researching for ways to help Eddie with Christopher... Maddie finally asks if the boy crush on Eddie means that Buck is over Abby.

... And there is of course also that scene where Buck assumes that when Maddie meets Chimney and says "he's so cute!", Maddie is talking about Eddie... Even though Maddie and Chimney are before line that seen talking and flirting like they're totally in their own bubble.

Anyway - then let's jump to season 7. Buck is rambling on and on about Eddie and Tommy, and how they've hit off. Apparently has for a good while. Buck is super bothered by their friendship, it's clear he's pressing Chris for intel, snooping around the Diaz home trying to find more information... Maddie listens to this absolutely ridiculous, clueless prattling. And she knows. She totally knows.

Buck is GLASS. He's absolutely transparent. This man isn't straight.

And she's not the only one who knows.

Chimney enters the room. Maddie looks at him "NO! Don't you dare say anything!!!" But Chimney can't resist indulging himself with some subtle teasing.

He jumps in, praising Tommy. "That Tommy's SO COOL 😍!!" Basically just adding fuel to the fire, getting under Buck's skin.

Maddie, in the background is making a face like:

"jdjdkkeke CHIMNEY 🤦 ...Ugh, thank you, darling. 🙄👌You've done it. I'll be here all day, listening to this absolutely brainless jealous meltdown. Fucking great!"

So...

Why won't they say anything, talk to Buck about how ridiculous he's being? Sit him down and spell:

YOU AREN'T STRAIGHT. YOUR BOY CRUSHES CAN BE SEEN FROM OUTER SPACE. Wake up!!

Well... Because they are being patient. Because they are being considerate, because they do not want to press him, because they're letting him take his time, figure it out at his own pace.

Because they know that confronting someone who isn't ready to face their queerness can go badly.

Forcing someone to confront their queerness can backlash, it can make that person retreat further inside the closet.

It can be embarrassing and traumatizing for the closeted person to be pressed about this inner conflict. The closet is a maze, it is scary, and confusing, and the denial can be powerful enough that the closeted person doesn't even have any idea that hey, I'm queer, I'm closeted.

So Maddie and Chimney are being sensitive. They see that Buck isn't ready to talk about his sexuality - he's obviously not even aware of it.

So Maddie and Chimney are giving him the time he needs to come to term with it. They may indulge in some gentle teasing, maybe try to give him the occasional hint to help him along, but mostly they're just waiting, listening, letting him be.

So!!!!

What about Maddie's (my GOAT, I love her ❤️) reaction to Buck coming out? Why did she pretend to be surprised by Buck's attraction to men?

Because she was being KIND. Considerate. Because she loves her brother and realises that this moment... It's not about her. It's about him. It's about the reaction Buck needs, to feel supported.

It's not the time to embarrass him. It's not the time to GLOAT about how smart she is, to have realised, ages ago, that Buck is clearly into into men, too.

She did see it coming, and because she is the BEST sister ever... She prepared. She researched this shit, how to react to someone's coming out in a positive way.

And if this is new to you - pay attention now...

Many queer people say this about their coming out;

It sucks if the person you're coming out goes "I KNEW IT! I CALLED IT! I SAW THIS COMING! YOU WERE SO OBVIOUS!!"

Because it totally belittles their struggle. It can be humiliating to learn that when you were scared, and stressed, and confused, and trying to hide your vulnerable underside... Someone was watching you, and thinking "Pffft. You're so freaking obvious. You're fooling nobody. Just come out already."

This gloating "I knew it" reaction isn't just bad because it makes you feel stupid, embarrassed, to learn that you were being transparent. It's like you have no privacy anymore. They saw your performance and gave it one star.

This "Oh I knew"... It makes you anxious because then you wonder... Who else already knows? Who else am I obvious to? What else am I obvious about?

Learning that they knew... It can be traumatizing. Embarrassing. Scary. Because nobody wants to learn that they're easy to read.

Maybe... you aren't ready to come out to everyone, and this reaction makes you terrified that you won't have the option to get ready, that they will realise what you're hiding, and force you to talk about it.

Because maybe... you're still freaked out abour people knowing you're queer. Maybe you fear people spotting it and lashing out.

Or maybe... You aren't afraid of a hateful reaction, but panic at the idea of even a supportive talk about your sexuality with someone. Sexuality is an universal taboo, talking about is awkward and stressful to almost everyone.

And also, when you come out and the person you told tells you they already knew, that your queerness was obvious, and they were expecting you to come out..?

It can be a shock in another way. Maybe your queerness was something you, at some point, were desperate to hide from others... And clearly, you failed that mission. What else are you failing to hide? Because everyone has something they're insecure about!!! Secrets, traumas, embarrassing moments, vulnerable parts. We all try to guard something.

So being told that your poker face sucks? It can make you feel totally paranoid. You think... Omg. I thought I was hiding this. I tried so hard to hide this.

But clearly I wasn't hiding. They saw right through me. Am I always so easy to read?

Do people know all my secrets, everything that makes me nervous and embarrassed, and scared? Do they just look at me and think "They're so dumb to put up that front, we can totally tell how you really think and feel."

Do people look at me and laugh? Do they joke about me behind my back?

And so on.

Basically, when someone comes out to you and you go "Thank god! ABOUT TIME!!"... You're being a prick.

They're opening up to you. They are being vulnerable. They are trusting you with something.

This moment... Your reaction is important. If you want to be a good ally, and support this person coming out to you.

Your job is to provide reassurance. Support. A listening ear. Your love.

Your job isn't to gloat, or dismiss their fears. Your job is not to induce panic, paranoia, or humiliate them by making them feel dumb.

They may be scared of your reaction. Respect that fear, however irrational it is. It doesn't matter if you're queer too, or think you're the best ally in the world, this moment can still be something they've been nervous about. Don't shit on it by smugly gloating about your excellent queerdar.

Yes, you can be honest, if they desperately want to know if you suspected anything. You can gently tell them that you saw some signs. But really, this moment isn't the time to humiliate them or freak them out. Be sensitive.

....

.... Oops sorry, got lost in the ramble 😅😅!!

Uh... Where was I? Yes.

Basically what I wanted to say with this post is that...

Maddie. Freaking. Buckley!!!! You are the love of my life, does not matter that you are fictional. You're my freaking GOAT anyway. I'm... weak.

Because her reaction to Buck's coming out?!!!

Jdjdjjdjdbndnd.

It actually makes me emotional. It was so perfect. It was so full of love!!!

Because yes, she totally knew, had known for years...

AND she kept that knowledge to herself!!!!

Because she'd seen Buck, the closet he was so lost inside in, and she loves Buck... So she wanted to be there for him.

And she knew that it's not easy to come to terms with one's queerness. That it can be tough and scary.

So she thought "What can I do to help? How can I do my best to support my queer brother?"...

And rolled up her sleeves. She researched this. She found out it's not helpful to press someone, that it's important to be patient. She looked up the experiences of queer people coming out. What is helpful! What isn't! She came up with a plan.

Yes, she totally did. I'm telling you, she fucking studied for this test. To make sure her reaction would be freaking perfect, and help Buck on this journey.

Because she did everything right. She realised that letting Buck know how obvious his bisexuality was to her... Might be detrimental to his well-being, and their relationship.

She understood that it wasn't important that she'd known.

That it wasn't her time to brag about how clever she was, to have seen this coming, but to be sensitive of this struggle, to respect this struggle.

So when the day finally came... She was surprised, yes, to realise Buck had been on a date with a man.

I mean, it came out of the blue, right? Buck had been so oblivious to his closet. She'd missed the moment Buck became aware of the closet, and immediately ran on a date.

She thought Buck was still in the dark, so him suddenly going on a date with a man never even entered her mind as an option.

Then she realised... OH. He IS there? He has figured this out. He's coming out to me, now?

Okay!!! Let's follow the game plan then.

Be sensitive. Don't act like you were totally expecting this day to come.

The identity of the date? That was the real surprise. I mean, just watch the previous scene in which Buck talks about Tommy and Eddie with her.

He does rant about Tommy, but c'mon... It's really Eddie's attention Buck craves.

It's basically a re-telling of Buck's love tangle with Veronica, Taylor and Albert. Buck told himself he wanted Veronica, and that's why it bothered him that Albert "broke the bro code".... In a towel! Except, the one who Buck wouldn't shut up about... Was Albert.

And Maddie sees that it's happening AGAIN. Wow... Her brother really has no idea WHO he is actually crushing on.

Okay, she thinks. Does not matter now! The coming out is the important part, so let's roll with it. Focus, Maddie! Get it right.

And she did. She was patient. She was supportive. She sae that Buck was trying to run from the topic of sexuality like it was a total nonevent that he'd been on a date with a man...

So she was like "Hey, let's just slow down a bit. Let's acknowledge this moment. I now know that you were on a date with a man. You don't need to continue this pronoun game.

Okay. Let's talk about it being a first date with a man, and what this step means to you. You can tell me."

Really, she was so lovely. She didn't gloat about already knowing, she didn't stress him out by being overly emotional - by acting like this was the biggest event to happen on Earth.

She calmed him down.

She made sure to let him know that this didn't scare her, or make her feel awkward.

That she wanted him to talk about this with her. That she was excited for him, and supportive, and wanted to know more, and that it was okay to date a man.

That she would want to know about Buck's relationships with men just like she'd wanted to know abour her relationships with women.

She let him know that she was there for him, ready to listen, and glad to hear he'd been on a date with a man.

That this didn't change a thing, that she would accept and welcome Buck's male partners just as she had always accepted the women he'd dated. The gender made no difference, she was fine with whoever Buck chose to date.

And she also made sure the mood didn't turn too heavy. She let him know that this was great news, something worth celebrating. That she was excited to see him enter this new chapter in his life, and experience new things.

And that she wanted to learn of it, she wanted him to share this new stuff, let her in his life. So tell me more about this hot pilot!

Jdjbdbdnndnd!!!

Really, she was fucking fantastic. This was such a lovely scene. I love Maddie, she's my favorite. I need a tissue, I'm crying.

Oh and also. It wasn't just great writing. The acting here just blew me away. I love them. So skilled, so lovely, so funny, so human. Brilliant, beautiful, both of them. Fucking impeccable.

[lover-of-mine]

i just saw a post saying that tommy being so similar to eddie in many ways is deliberate writing and proof yhat buck is misplacing his feelings for eddie onto a similar safer option… and it reminded me of my one fear that i have recently developed

even though that theory makes complete obvious sense, what if it’s not actually what the writers were going for? what if they made tommy so similar to eddie simply to explain why they connected instantly as friends… which made buck jealous. what if that’s literally all it is? that tommy and eddie were written as similar just so their fast friendship was believable. it would make sense considering the hobbies were things eddie has never mentioned before or since, they just wrote them in to increase the similarities lol

but then there’s the question of why they seemingly didn’t stay friends? why their similarities were never mentioned again after that episode? sighhh idk with this show, i guess we will see!

btw i still firmly believe the ‘what buck likes about tommy is what buck loves about eddie/misplaced feelings’ theory though!! who cares what happens in canon haha

Hi darling 🩷

I actually kinda think it's a little bit of both. They needed to justify both of their interest in Tommy so they added the similar hobbies and the army thing to accomplish both things at the same time. Because contrary to what part of the fandom seems to believe, Eddie is very good with people, he makes fast friends with most people we see him interact with, so him being friendly with Tommy works regardless, but it doesn't work to make them hang out as much as they did during 704. I also think that's leftover from the Tommy they were writing for Eddie. The similarities would work to create the idea that Eddie is into Tommy too in the timeline where Eddie came out first. But the similarities to Eddie are convenient in the Buck misplacing feelings thing, because it makes you question how Buck feels about Eddie and how much of his crush on Tommy is not just based on that first glance they are similar people feeling. Especially considering the way the friendship completely vanished after Tommy kissed Buck. And considering the way they made a point in contrasting Eddie and Tommy after that, like with the costumes for instance, the friendship and the similarities kinda fading into the background, and the way the 704 is on Buck's pov, there's a chance they are trying to make the point that Buck was exaggerating that connection to justify his own actions. @eddiegettingshot mentioned a few times when discussing 704 and specifically the twist, the idea that Buck is trying to justify his own reactions to himself and the concept of him building Tommy up because he doesn't want to deal with why he would react like that to Eddie making a friend to the degree of actually physically hurting Eddie works with that. And like it or not, Buck wants what he has with Eddie, he just didn't let himself register Eddie as an actual option, so the projection of his feelings into someone safer who's close enough to Eddie that he can project more than his feelings works. But this is a conclusion I reached rewatching 704 after the end of the season. I was always camp Buck is projecting into someone safer because figuring out he's queer and that he's in love with Eddie at the same time would be too much for him to handle all at once.

[mellangell]

Thoughts on the "daddy issues" scene in 7x10:

This scene didn't work, but it's actually not because of the "God, I hope so" daddy kink joke at the end. It's because Buck and Tommy are at such a disconnect, and it's most apparent I'm this scene.

I'm going to break it down line by line to demonstrate what went wrong:

Tommy: "He's going to be okay?" (Asking about Bobby, this is great. He's someone Tommy knows and someone Buck cares about.)

Buck: "Yeah. They'll keep him in the hospital for a few more days, but everything is looking really positive." (Keeping things informative but positive. Pretty typical of Buck.)

Tommy: "I feel like you guys at the 118 should have your own dedicated wing at the hospital." (Lightening the mood but keeping the focus off of himself. Still good!)

Buck: "Yeah. I-I know, right?"

Tommy: "You okay?" (Showing concern for Buck's emotional well-being now that he has the update on Bobby and Buck is a little more relaxed. Good stuff.)

Buck: "I-I thought we might really lose him this time. Uh, Bobby's been the father I never had." (Opening up, showing vulnerability.)

Tommy: "Your father's alive." (This is where it begins to unravel because it makes no sense. It's super obvious, and also not the point, which makes it insensitive. There's no real reading of this that comes out in Tommy's favor, because if Tommy knows about Buck's dad, he should know at least the bare bones of their history.)

Buck: [laughs softly] "Exactly." (The fact that he doesn't explain furthers the idea that Tommy should be aware that there is at least tension between Buck and his father. )

Tommy: "Well, I have to admit, I'm a little bit jealous. My dad and I don't really talk. And when I was at the 118, I had Gerard. Which did not make me a better person. Come to think of it, Captain Gerard was like having the father I already had."

(Gerard left the 118 in 2008 [Hen Begins] and Bobby showed up in 2016 [Bobby Begins Again] so this makes no sense, because most of his time there would've been spent with Captains other than Gerard, and Tommy also served under Bobby. He had Hen and Chimney there for all of that time. He could've had what Buck had. He could've had the friendships with Hen and Chimney. Had the opportunity to build a relationship with Bobby. The only thing Buck has that Tommy didn't is Eddie. So why would he be jealous? Also, he made this conversation about himself here. This is really where they disconnect in this conversation. I do appreciate Tommy's vulerability here, just not the way it's presented/inserted.)

Buck: "So maybe we both have daddy issues." (Pulling the conversation back from Tommy by making a joke about both of them. This is a bid for connection.)

Tommy: "I don't." (Dismisses the bid for connection and makes it about himself again.)

Buck: "But you think I do?" (Still trying to connect again, lightly.)

Tommy: "God, I hope so." (Whatever your feelings about flirting/joking about daddy issues, this still comes off as crass given the context. It reads as Tommy only being interested in what Buck can do for him [the joke being that people with daddy issues are supposedly wild in bed] and not on the connection between them.)

These two are so disconnected here. Is it a major disconnect? No. They could come back from this if they work on things. But will they? I believe Buck would in a heartbeat, but based on everything we've seen this season, I'm not yet convinced Tommy would.

[blazinghotfoggynights]

This fandom is turning into a madhouse!

Why? 😢

What is all the arguing about? Why are fans taking sides in multiple standoffs. How are these wars starting?

What I have to say may not be well-received by some sides in the numerous boxing matches active in this fandom right now, but I'm going to say my piece. 🤷‍♀️ I am not responsible for white-hot rage, tears, or epiphanies that you don't want. So, proceed at your own risk. Or whatever.

Buddie vs BuckTommy

BuckTommy fans, Buddie fans were not seeing things. Those characters were written as being pulled into each other's orbits and it was more than platonic. It wasn't blatant, and it has been hinted it couldn't be due to the network. Even now, with Eddie and Buck being in relationships, and Eddie somehow being in multiple, they are still using Buddie to promote the show. If they are not going to happen, then why the use that to get ratings? That is the definition of baiting.

Buddie fans, BuckTommy is canon. They may not last or they may be endgame. We won't know until it happens. Why lose your mind over fictional characters that one man controls? It's simple. If you feel they played the Buddie card only to put Eddie in a mess of epic proportions and make Buck become Evan Buckley-Kinard, tune out and keep fanfic alive. Do you know how many fandoms have followed that process? If Tommy was brought back just as a plot device, then it's not much better than baiting.

You know what would be hilarious? Buck meets a third person, falls in love, and marries them.

It would shut both sides down if it was a woman. (I may have a petty streak and if I were in charge, I could see making it Taylor or Abby.)😈🤣(Maybe then the warring factions could call a truce over tears and beers.)

Tommy Kinard was not a good guy. That's not delusion. That's canon.

BuckTommy fans, the character of Tommy Kinard has done multiple problematic things, and the writers are not addressing any of it. Telling people to get over it is not cool. Being closeted or confused is no excuse for calling Chimney the delivery guy and Hen the b-word. He was actively and willingly participating is some of the worst forms of bullying someone can experience. He wasn't a teenager who was just trying to fit in. He was a grown man. No excuses for his behavior are acceptable and, in the real world, you would be hard-pressed to find his victims forgiving him. They would not be his friends.

I can see why women, especially black women and LGBTQ women, and non-white men, especially Asian men, would say they don't like how his past transgressions are being ignored. He was openly racist and misogynist. That is canon. Nothing was misunderstood or misinterpreted. Tommy was a d*ck.

If you watch how Lou is portraying Tommy, there are indications that what we saw in season 2 is a part of his personality. The lack of discussion about his past could be intentional because it may come up in the future.

How has no one noticed how he speaks to Buck sometimes? Maybe I am just older than most in the fandom and have experienced a lot more, but there are things about Tommy Kinard's behavior that don't seem very...nice. The way he speaks to Buck sometimes is like he is dismissing what he thinks or feels. Sometimes he seems to be speaking to Buck as if he is a child. I was offended on Buck's behalf.

The biggest CAUTION sign so far was when he admitted he is jealous of the 118. What? That doesn't even make sense! Think about it. Tommy went out of his way to make the 118 hostile toward anyone who wasn't a het white male. When Bobby took over and changed the culture, he brought respect and openness which cultivated the friendship, and eventual love, that created the family the 118 is now. Tommy could have easily come out to the team under Bobby, apologized, and began building the bridges he burned. But he did not.

Tommy chose his side but now he is jealous of the work Bobby put in to clean up Gerrard's mess? Could it be something else giving his jealousy life? Could Tommy be resentful that the exclusive, prejudice environment he happily embraced, and helped keep in place, under Gerrard disappeared and because an inclusive tight-knit family created from the outcasts?

That is a very real possibility and if that is the case, it says a lot about Tommy Kinard and could lead to an interesting arc in the remainder of season 7 and season 8.

Eddie Diaz is not a bad guy.

I think Eddie has been teetering on the edge for many seasons. TBH, I am surprised he has been as stable as he has for this long. That man is walking meatsuit full of trauma.

People who are mentally stable and have healthy coping skills do not join underground fighting rings, smash their bedrooms, or ask relative strangers to watch his child and move in. There have been many indications for multiple seasons that Eddie is not in a good place but keeping it together for the sake of his son.

I do not think Eddie is trying to hurt anyone at all. I think he is trying to claw his way out of some hell his mind has had him in for a long time.

That man needs to be taken to the nearest inpatient facility and admitted. (If you are thinking of making a negative comment stigmatizing mental health awareness or treatment, reconsider, choose not to, and move along. Mental health is just as important as physical.)

Eddie Diaz is in no condition to be in a relationship with anyone except a therapist right now.

Whether you want Buddie, Eddie/Marisol, or Eddie/Wife's Ghost, if you want to see anyone with this guy right now, I have to ask you if you are feeling okay.

Remember how Eddie's parents didn't want him dragging Christopher down with him? Right now, it looks like Eddie's carefully, barely held together existence is going to go boom. Anyone in the blast radius is in danger. The only dates Edmundo Diaz should be having is at least three times weekly and begin with a mental health professional asking him if he has something he wants to talk about.

Evan "Buck" Buckley is a grown ass man. Stop infantalizing him! They even do it on the show.

I can't be the only one who sometimes forgets that thick mountain of a man is not a young twenty-something just wandering out into the world.

He's in his thirties. He's been in therapy. He's grown. He has to do what all of us adults do: Make decisions, wait to find out what happens, and deal with the consequences.

Say it with me: Buck is not a baby.

No one who has any real knowledge is going to tell fandom what the future holds for the show.

Who doesn't get that?

There are unhinged fans on every side of every current fight.

If you are attacking actors, writers, producers, networks, or anyone else, I have to wonder if you should be in a room next to Eddie after someone who loves him takes him where he should go.

That type of behavior used to get you a room with soft walls and a free jacket that left you in a permahug.

You can make anything you want happen with the characters.

It's call fanfiction and AO3 is wonderful. If there is a great story that hasn't been told, get on Word, Docs, Libre, or whatever you have and start making it a reality!

Authors have major support and respect from the fans.

If writing isn't your thing, but you are great at prompts and don't mind authors taking your prompts and creating stories, find a way to share them!

There are positive ways to channel your eyerolls, frustration, anger, or whatever. Draw fanart. Write fic. Write ideas and throw them at those who draw fanart and write fanfic.

To the whole fandom: CHILL! PLEASE!

I don't want to watch another fandom I enjoy implode. I don't want to see other fandoms assume everyone in this fandom is in need of the soft room and permahug fashion I mentioned earlier.

Been there, done that.

At the end of the day, everyone needs to remember:

It's not real.

[sunflowerdigs]

Finale theories

- Herman set fire to Bobbie and Athena's house as revenge for his grandson; I hope he doesn't do the same to Amir

- the cliffhanger is the 118 also being set on fire (though maybe not by Herman, who I suspect will be caught by the end). I think we'll have a scene with Bobby back at work where everything seems normal and then the season will end with the 118 building bursting into flames.

- if the rumors about Gavin aren't true (and I hope they're not) I think it's possible that Buck sees that Eddie is struggling to both take care of Christopher and process his grief over Shannon, so he offers to move in to help him with at least one of those things. Or something like that - I think Buck is going to rededicate himself to his friendship with Eddie in some way. Eddie's parents are in 7x10 for a different reason, perhaps a poorly timed visit to meet Marisol (though idk why they would come for that and not for the medal ceremony). As a callback to episode 1, I bet Eddie asks Buck to talk to Christopher at some point.

- Edisol will end for sure, likely onscreen, since that was the point of keeping her. Bucktommy, idk. It would be comically cruel for Tommy to break it off while Bobby is in the hospital. At the same time, Tim has had plenty of time to do something with this relationship and hasn't, so I don't see the point in dragging it out into s8. It hampers Buck's development - if the relationship is where Buck's bisexual journey is going to take place, we need to see the relationship. I don't like B*cktommy but Tim needs to either give it more time so that we can see Buck's growing confidence in his attraction to both men and women or Tim needs to get rid of it and have Buck's confidence grow while single (which is extremely possible and probably the norm for a lot of LGBTQIA people).

- Madney take Mara in so that she has a somewhat familiar place to go while Henren are fighting for her. Ortiz seems to be a parallel character to Herman in that both have defended their children's/grandchildren's involvement with drugs, to the detriment of that child/grandchild. So, I bet Ortiz, like Herman, isn't completely clean. Maybe Hen (ooo, or maybe Karen) is able to find some dirt on her. Or maybe Hen is able to get the hearing back on the docket and the whole 118 show up for her and Karen and testify to their great character. Idk. I think they'll finish this storyline before s8 so that s8 can be about Mara's further integration into Hen and Karen's family.

- finally, Bobby will fight his way back to life and will be reinstated as captain of the 118. Again, I think everything is going to seem like it's going back to normal and then the 118 burning down at the end of the episode will be the cliffhanger. Everyone will get sent to a different house while the 118 is rebuilt.

[whateverthedragonswant]

If 911 was a fanfic or book I was reading and Buddie got together in only Chapter 7 after some great development in the first 6 chapters and putting the pieces into place, I personally would be pretty disappointed. We may think we want Buddie right now but if we got it tomorrow, how would you actually feel? A temporary elation? Once that get together happens and we see a little domesticity and figuring things out like how to tell Christopher and their coworkers, how to deal being in danger at work on the same shift, how they feel about moving in together, dates, all of it -- where would they go from there? What more could they explore? How would it come into play on the same shift of the 118 over and over again? When one of them or both is in danger over and over again? It runs the risk of things becoming stale very quickly, because of how build-up that has been worked into their stories (and joint story) in the last six seasons.

I don't know if anyone has ever talked about this before but one thing Bathena, Madney, and Henren have in common is that they don't work the same job/shift. Something that has been remarked on before by Oliver or Tim I believe in earlier seasons (in reference to Buck's relationships with Taylor and having that person outside of the 118). Things can intersect sometimes like for Madney or Bathena but ultimately, there's a line there. Talk of all sexuality comments aside for a second, Buck and Eddie do not have that line yet. They did in season 5 for a bit but it didn't work out for Eddie too well (and neither were even close to being ready in the story line for anything more than friendship/family then). So had Buck actually taken Tommy up on his offer to train so he could do both the 118 and the air rescue, that could have been another line that got them closer.

However, saying that, there are still parallels running between Bathena, Madney, Henren, and Buddie still. There is a reason Buck is hooking up with a firefighter for his first boyfriend (yes, I heard Tommy was originally going to be with Eddie first, doesn't change why Tim decided to go with Tommy as thee guy) who is not in the 118.

And Eddie may be "heterosexual" (I don't think Ryan's comments were meant to be taken as some of them have been taken btw, I think he was talking about the moment of Buck's coming out and how important that was), but there's no viable explanation for why Eddie didn't like or got jealous of Buck's other girlfriends (Abby, Taylor) while barely interacting with the others once they started dating Buck (Ali, Natalia). And now, Buck is in a relationship with a man and Eddie is beyond cool with it, no jealousy or dislike. Tommy got the approval before Eddie either knew he would be dating Buck and Eddie isn't even thinking twice about it. Quite a turnaround considering his history with Buck's former flames, wouldn't you say?

And let's not forget that Buck has basically had the same (paralleled) thing going on with Eddie's relationships with women. He had no problem with Eddie dating any of these women but he never interacted with Shannon, he wouldn't even look at Ana, and he barely interacted with Marisol (after she and Eddie began dating). ...kind of makes you think, doesn't it?

Let's just let their story unfold organically. It will be a much better payoff when/if it happens, trust me. And you will enjoy the show that much more.

Hang in there.

P.S. The symbolism of coffee, pizza, popcorn, and beer are still very much a thing. *wink*

[god-i-hope-so]

Welcome in this... hectic fandom haha

So, gay/queer Eddie. There are several things about that and what canon could be.

First, nothing official is made so that Eddie becomes queer. And by that I mean there's no indication that the writers or Ryan want to go that way at this point of the show. Ryan himself recently said that Eddie was heterosexual, and that his friendship with Buck, now that he's openly queer, is even more important.

Then we also have to take a look at the story, the storylines and the characters we already have. There's not a lot of main characters. At the 118, there's Bobby, Buck, Chim, Hen and Eddie (sorry Ravi, you're not main yet). Hen is a lesbian and Buck is now officially bisexual. From a writer point of view, making Eddie queer would be overkill. There's no canon storyline supporting that.

Hen was always a lesbian in the story. Buck showed hints of queerness very early in the show. This is not a sudden realization. He had a storyline supporting this character development.

Eddie could also have one, but it'd take some time, and again, why? What would be the purpose when he's already a rich character with so many things to explore? His Catholic guilt doesn't have to be about his hidden queerness. His friendship with Buck doesn't have to hide or awaken his queerness. We love representation, but what we love more is good representation, not a cheap writer trick to turn any character into the new token queer.

And I say that as someone who clearly saw Buddie as being a thing during season 2. They could have done something back then and build a story around that. The show was new, the character didn't have the development they have now, it could have worked and the doubt lasted for a time. But now after 7 seasons... I won't say it's absolutely impossible but that would be strange. Season 7 showed Eddie being very supportive of Buck's relationship with Tommy, without a hint of jealousy, without anything between the lines. Unless you want to see what you want to see. Eddie was the one to push Buck to call Tommy back. "Call Tommy!". Who'd say that if they were jealous? Eddie could have easily say "too bad for him, maybe you dodge a bullet, you'll find someone better" or whatever that would have diverted Buck from going back to Tommy. But he did not because he loves his best friend and wants him to be happy. Because there's no jealousy, no "go train your ass on Tommy so you can be ready for me later" said between the lines.

Now, I'm for anyone to ship anything. I'm from the pro-ship school so you know, you do you. But when it comes to canon, there isn't 150 answers. We can have our own hopes and speculations of course, and it's fun because we don't know. But right now, the creative minds working on the show are not making Eddie queer.

BUT. If it were to happen... the shippers wouldn't settle for the queer friends. The goal is to have Eddie queer with Buck. The headcanon is not about Eddie being queer on his own. It's about him and Buck. So a queer friendship between Eddie and Buck would be very unwelcome by the shippers, that's for sure. And it's understandable after all this time pushing for having their ship be canon.

I'm not a Buddie shipper so maybe one with an open mind would give you a different answer but without the shipper bias, this is how things are now. I know many of them have a lot of theories based on how they read the show but facts are facts.

I hope you find your fun in this fandom, ship what you want, there's a lot to play with! Just make sure to stay away from the toxicity, whatever its source ✨️

So I am new to the 911 fandom and followed Bucktommy & Buddie within seconds of each other (was trying to keep myself open) so I see a lot come across my dash. Now Buddie fans are talking like gay Eddie is canon and for sure will be coming out season 8.

So there I am at my local park in arguably the most 🌈 city in the world, San Francisco, talking to my friends. And as we say hello & goodbye, hugs are exchanged and often kisses because affection is displayed differently than heteronormative relationships. So I was wondering what if Eddie does come out as gay BUT still stays in a supportive best-friendship with Buck. Because not every gay relationship no matter how close you are will automatically equal romance. What would happen then? How would people feel if they stayed friends even if Eddie realized his sexuality?

I feel uncomfortable asking this of the 100% Buddie at the moment because to be frank they are kinda intense at the moment due to their disappointment, and I fear the flames of unhappiness throwing out this scenario. So I am asking my Bucktommy peeps. 😅

[alchemistc]

It is 5 in the morning and my insomnia is rearing it's head and I just stumbled upon these and I'm crying a bit about it.

The sweet leaf series owns a whole chunk of my heart and this is such a wonderful thing to say. The thing I love about outsider POV is that even the fly on the wall views everything through their own lens.

In Carol's we see her struggle with the fact that she hasn't closely examined her past, is stuck in her hometown at the cusp of adulthood because the lifestyle she wants to live can only be achieved by proxy of her parents, watching Steve and Eddie strike out on what may be a pipe dream with found family they love, and she feels angry and embarrassed and stifled, and it's only much later in life that she can view them and enjoy the reminder of an old friend living out a beautiful life, his dream realized.

In Tommy's we see him already on his journey - his best friend a catalyst of change - confronted with his own past mistakes while he maintains a friendship with someone he'd like to be more. Even then Tommy notices the large group gathered at some concert he doesn't give a shit about with surprise, notices the snapshots - literal and figurative - of a life his mistakes were a bit of a pushing off point for Steve. He notices the similarities between the people he and Steve have decided to love. He's still comparing, sizing up, falling into the trap of agreeing to whatever it is Steve Harrington suggests he do - but then he breaks free of that old attitude, drops some apologies without ever expecting forgiveness, because he's trying, because he has changed, because he's seen the damage old Tommy could and maybe did cause for other people and he regrets those old choices. And later, when he sees them again, he's got his best friend at his side and a beautiful girl on his shoulders and Steve and Eddie do something so stupidly brave that his best friend is reminded that he's not alone in the world and Tommy is just happy to be along for the ride.

In Patricia's, we see a woman who failed miserably at being a mother and always knew it, maybe reproached herself for it, but was never brave enough to change it. She makes excuses, finds ways to put herself above it, thinks about her forty year old son she never got a chance to really know and regrets the fact that she hadn't been there to celebrate in his success because she's selfish and wants his connections. She doesn't know him, or his family, actively misrepresents what she DOES know about them because she's still a bit petty and cruel in the face of a son who strayed from the path she'd expected him to take and forged a family and a life without her. And only because the people he's surrounded himself with love him fiercely enough to try does she ever get a chance to know him at all.

In Gareth's we see the small moments - the life Steve and Eddie are beginning to build - and Gareth, old enough to move past high school grievances but young enough to still look to others for examples of how he should live his life, keeps falling back to the jealousy and confusion of realizing Eddie was the one person he put on a pedestal. Eddie was his fucking hero, and consciously or not he'd spent a chunk of his life building his personality around the things Eddie liked. And in those quiet moments Gareth got to see that Eddie isn't perfect, isn't flawless, had a boyfriend who acknowledges those flaws and works with them - unscrewed the cabinet doors and spackled over the holes so he'd stop bumping his head into them when Eddie inevitably left them open, wrote reminders at the door because Eddie's the one home in time for trash to go out and because Eddie forgets his keys biweekly and ends up freezing on the front stoop waiting for Steve to get home, organized the shelves with his and Eddie's things so that Eddie didn't spend hours searching for something because it was a shelf too low and he sometimes forgets to look for anything below chest level. Even then Gareth mostly notices Eddie - the way Eddie beams about Steve, the way Eddie's life is panning out, the way Eddie isn't at all like Gareth remembers him and yet is still achingly familiar. The way Eddie notices the pinched look in his eyes, the way Eddie's farfetched dreams could (and then do) become a reality. But then it's Steve who calls him back up, brings him back into Eddie's orbit, Steve who inspired songs that have become a fundamental part of Gareth's life, Steve who tells him that love isn't perfect or easy and sometimes you gotta grit your teeth and compromise. Steve who notices (or needles out of Eddie) the sort of things Gareth might like in a girl so he can introduce him to someone who might let Gareth's small role on the sidelines be large enough for her, and we close on Gareth reaping the rewards of that unexpected connection to a man he'd hated, been jealous of, been envious of, and then sort of forgotten because he wasn't a fucking rockstar - Gareth doesn't ever even notice that he's paralleled with Steve the entire way.

I have a few more of these in my pocket half-written atm - and a few other ideas for more rattling around in my brain - and a whole lifetime of pockets of time to tell those stories in, so there will hopefully be a few more surprising, heartwarming (or heartbreaking?) moments along the way.

I'm so glad you've enjoyed what's been written so far and I can't wait to bring you more!

[buddielove]

Hi! I'm a gay fan of 911 and I have a question about the whole Buddie fandom. As much as I like Buck and Eddie, it's frustrating that a HUGE part of the fandom is pushing for these two characters to get together instead of putting energy into supporting Hen & Carla and Michael & Dave. Not to mention Carlos and TK in Lone Star. Can you explain to me the appeal of wanting these two men together? Wouldn't it be more interesting to see two heterosexual males just be able to bond in a non-toxic fashion? That's something we don't get to see often on television.

Hey! This is MAD long lmao I am so sorry! You caught me on a day I felt like talking! Also this took like a year to answer you lolololol. This does have a few ʻhot takesʻ so please be warned! So like in this essay....

So first I am also apart of the LGBTQIA+ community, so I do understand how it could come across as a fetish or being non supportive of the current canonically LGBTQIA+ characters, however I think a lot of the interest around Buddie and the want for them to be confirmed as a couple is how they are being written. Me personally I knew since s2 e1 Buck and Eddie were written not as rivals but as two people who would eventually become friends, but it wasn’t until the Christmas episode with the elf assuming Buck was Chris’s dad and Eddie’s partner that I was like ‘hold on!’ because I was really hoping Abbey would return and I didn’t see Eddie as a possible Buck live interest because of that. The elf’s comment wasn’t played off like most other shows would (think Dean and Sam arriving anywhere in Supernatural) it made me go back and look at the other episodes to see exactly how Buck and Eddie were being framed/written. And as we have moved into further seasons I think there has been a shift in how Buddie is being written, in s3 it was very much like two people progressing into a deeper friendship then the blood clot/lawsuit gets in the way and they both have to deal with emotions surrounding that, then Buck’s response to Eddie being trapped (we see how is he when Boddy is trapped in a fire WITH A GUNMAN, it’s emotional but not to the point is is with Eddie), even the love interests feel very pushed on us and there’s so little banter between Buddie about their gfs and how they feel about these new beginnings. It feels off, not like a friendship in the slightest, more like two people trying to force something and not wanting to deal with any other feelings. Then when Eddie gets shot and reveals Buck is Chris’s legal Guardian in the event Eddie dies, that’s huge, and he did this after only a year of knowing Buck (I have friends with kids. I’ve known one of them for FIVE years, I’m at their house every week, the kid calls me family. I’m person #10 on the list of ‘who gets my kid if I die’, not #1 lol) It just feels like it’s all building up to something, and people are getting tired of waiting for that something! We’re all emotionally tired from the past two years, and probably from many shows queerbaiting us and this is something that could happen, seems to be something the actors are ok with and the fans want. So why do they keep drawing it out. This isn’t about us demanding they ignore the chance to write a healthy platonic male friendship, or forcing two characters to be gay, it’s about holding the writers to what they’ve implied and seeing what could come of it.

Also think of it like this; If Buddie is confirmed it will still be a good example of a healthy friendship which then developed into something else, like Booth/Bones! Showing the natural progression of friendship to relationship that happens a lot in real life. It’s two men who previously (on screen at least) have only been with woman, but now they have an emotionally connection with someone which they then develop and explore. This could be 911’s first nontoxic depiction of two gay characters coming together, because sorry not sorry the canon couples aren’t perfect (which does humanize them) but they also reenforce harmful troupes that plaque the LGBTQIA+ community, which I’m sure you understand: TK was a drug addict, who only got with Carlos at first cause he was hot and sex was TK’s new addition (all gay men are sex addicts who do drugs and sleep with anything that moves). Carlos was ashamed and wanted to keep TK on the downlow (poc gay men want to pretend to be straight but have free access to gay sex). Hen cheated on Karen seemingly the first chance she got (lesbians can’t handle monogamy when pushed, and cheat on their long term partners). All known and documented troupes that happen far too often.

I’m not saying Buddie is some gay jesus ship that’s gonna save the entertainment industry but if done right it could prove to be one of the few healthy depictions of two men getting into a gay relationship we have. If they plan it out correctly, show us the relationship development, like they did with Maddie/Chim for example, Buddie could be used as a positive example of a gay fictional relationship (I really could go into depth about this. I probably should tbh).

As for not supporting Hen and KAREN, or Michael and DAVID, I think fans do support them! The writers don’t. If you read fanfics Henren and Michael/David are featured heavily in many fics, and ik some people might say ‘well they’re only there so Buddie can talk about their gay side!!’ but both these couples have their own fans and fanfic tags! They aren’t just plot devices in Buddie stories. There is a huge side of the fandom that supports Henren and wants to see more of them and their family. Same with Michael and David, during the episode where Michael and Bobby team up to find that plastic surgeon who was working illegally many people where ecstatic that we were getting more Michael/David content and that David was getting more than a couple lines. But sadly it seems like the writers only want to delve into these story lines when they need filler, they even miss opportunities to include these other LGBTQIA+ characters when it makes sense;

(Someone came for me about this but I am going to bring it up again)

When Chris is sad and wants more human connection, instead of bring Harry + Michael/David and Denny+Nia+Henren back into the picture (and yes I understood at the time the pandemic was bad (lmao still is!!), but all the actors at some point would have/had crossed over into each other’s ‘bubbles’, so ALL the actors would have been exposed to each other so getting the children together with adults they had ALREADY been with during shooting wouldn’t have been a super spreader event) but instead they brought in Ana after only two on screen dates and pretended like it was a logical thing for someone who’s up to that point been extremely careful with their child.

They really could have pushed the ‘118 is a family!’ message here and included the canonically gay supporting characters, and the lesbian main character(s) but they did not and instead chose to push the Ana/Eddie coupling even though they hadn’t properly developed it yet. The writers themselves don’t seem to care about developing their canonically gay characters and including them more than they have to but fans are continuously developing Henren and Michael/David with hc and fics.

I’d like to use your logic against you for a second, in s1 we have a very healthy, platonic friendship between Chim/Bobby but that got written out to the point they are more like boss/employee unless the scene calls for them to seem closer, we now have Bobby and Michael friendship but again we hardly see Michael. On Lone Star we have Owen and Judd as a really, really good example of a healthy male friendship but we see Judd more often with Tommy now then we do with Owen, and in s2 it’s overshadowed by Owen trusting Charlie from Twilight and constantly getting fucked over! Why can’t the writter just be happy with these happy, healthy, emotionally well male-male friendship they’ve already included and expand upon them. There’s enough drama because the show literally involves burning buildings and people’s lives being at risk from some natural/man made disaster ever 12 seconds. Does it need to have so much interpersonal conflict and male peacocking??

[leandra-kinard]

Hang on, hang the fuck on for a minute ok? Because satirical or not, you're on to something, and that something is an idea for a fic (I'll never write) that would even be kind of cool.

Like, imagine this.

Tommy is dating the councilwoman's son (do we know a name? Ah, google says Kyle. Ok). And Kyle is already into drugs and shit, and maybe also did the one or other illegal thing, and Tommy was considering breaking up with him for a while. Maybe it was even emotionally abusive in a way. Maybe Kyle did something one time, and pressured Tommy into helping him cover it up. Tommy did, but broke up with him after that.

Then Kyle dies (maybe Tommy doesn't even hear of it yet because they're no longer in touch). And, unrelated to that and coincidentally, Chim contacts him to help save Bobby and Athena.

He hits it off with Eddie and Buck, Eddie contacts him first to ask to hang out, and that's all genuine.

Enter councilwoman Ortiz, who's of course learned of what happened and whom he helped, and she approaches him (all powerful political villain like - drives by him in a black limousine and asks him to get into the car). So she tells him of Kyle's death and asks him to team up with her to get dirt on the 118.

When Tommy initially refuses, she tells him she knows he helped Kyle get rid of some evidence of whatever crime he committed (probably not as bad as burying a literal body but something that could actually get Tommy in legal trouble).

She also pretends that all she was is information - to make sure there's no malpractice and abuse of power in that fire station, all innocent and good reasons (my ass, lol).

So Tommy grudgingly agrees, and then starts hanging out with Eddie more. Then the stuff with Buck happens, and Tommy is smitten... but also a little torn up about it because he's keeping the fact that he knows Ortiz and is supposed to keep an eye on the 118 from Buck. So when that first date goes awry, he's almost relieved to use that as an excuse that he won't be able to spy that much on them after all.

But then the scene at the café happens, and Tommy can't resist, so he starts dating Buck, and he tries to at least remain true to his arrangement with Ortiz so far that she can't accuse him of deliberately refusing her. So he just passes on some info here and there that won't harm the 118.

And of course he'd think of coming clean to Buck every day, but the more time passes the harder that gets, and he's convinced himself he's not doing any harm anyway because all he's passing on are things that are on record about the calls, or mundane stuff like "Bobby cooks dinner for the team".

Maybe he even tells Ortiz "hey listen, I understand you are grieving your son, and that you want to make sure nobody else will come to harm, but the 118 are adhering to rules and safety regulations as good as any other firehouse; they're good people, so I don't think there's anything I can give you that you don't already know."

And then of course, at some point, things would have to deviate from canon and the jig would have to be up. He'd be found out. Maybe by Ortiz' doing, even. And Buck would be all broken up about it, and Tommy would feel so guilty and devastated that he lost something really good he was starting to get (after that shitty, abusive relationship with Kyle, but also in regards of the whole 118 and the friendships he was starting to (re-) build with them).

So of course the ending would have to be about redemption, and (belated) honesty and courage; Tommy could sacrifice his own security by ditching some dirt on Ortiz and helping bring her down instead, and by a stroke of luck, whatever criminal thing he helped Kyle do, is not going to break his neck over it.

I mean, as an AU/canon divergent fanfic - one that would have to be handled really well with good insight into the characters' motivations and fears, and with lots of moral gray zones and nuance... this could actually work.

If anyone wants to steal this idea feel free.

have we actually considered that perhaps tommy being undercover is legit? like what if he had been dating councilwoman ortiz's son? and then after his death, tommy teams up with his dead boyfriend's mother (and hell, let's say gerrard was the guy's illegitimate dad or something), and they go after the fire station that wronged them. have we considered that tommy is just a grieving undercover spy lover?????

checkmate, plebeians