#pre slash buddie

[sp0o0kylights]

Give meee: an Eddie who went into a small little bookshop on an Indie trip and stumbled across an in person fandom meeting. 

It's mostly Star Trek, and also mostly women, but the stories they have are nothing like Eddie's ever read. 

He's barely a teenager, and already protective of himself and his real identity--but everything he's ever wanted is written down, right here, on a little zine with Kirk and Spock doodled on the cover. 

They’re not--it’s not obvious, that they’re what he is, but the story itself is blatant and Eddie ends up being so obviously close to tears, he accidentally outs himself without ever saying a word. 

(He also ends up on the mailing list, then being sent home with several hand printed copies of all kinds of zines.) 

Eddie would remain on this list well past his third senior year in high school. 

Past bats, and Vecna and Steve fucking Harrington. 

Flash forward to his first apartment.The tiny one he shares with Steve when they followed Nancy and Robin to college. 

Steve knows Eddie’s gay. 

Or rather, Steve has been told, but Eddie's still pretty clammed up about it. He's not yet where Robin is, ready to bemoan her loveless existence while draped over their crappy, thrifted couch.

He makes jokes and he flirts and he absolutely says things he shouldn't, but none of it is real. 

It's flash. Showmanship. 

It's the persona that yes, is him, but Eddie consciously built it. There’s nothing soft or gooey there, nothing anyone can use to hurt him. 

So when he comes home and sees that plain, padded envelope with the neatly printed label on the counter, torn wide open and flat without its contents?

 Eddie panics. 

His heart thunders in his chest, vision tunneling as adrenaline kicks through him. 

He wants to bolt-- should bolt--except ever since he almost died his brain no longer obeys him. 

Not when it comes to running, anyway. 

Instead it fights him to a standstill, freezing his feet right to the living room floor. 

The urge is still there. 

To run, and save face the cowards way. 

Vanish before Steve could get at a part of him that had once kept Eddie out of Wayne’s trailer for two days, until the old man had hunted him down and made him come home, huffing about how he’d love Eddie no matter what but he better never disappear like that again. 

(Which Eddie did anyway, and of everything that happened with Vecna, it’s that he regrets the most. The stories he heard of Wayne putting up posters. Squaring off with angry, too-righteous townies, and--)

A sniffle jerks him out of his thoughts. 

Eddie gasps, entirely unsure of when he stopped breathing. Stumbles back and turns, right in time for Steve to come out of his room and amble down their hallway. 

One hand rubs at his eyes, and the other is--the other has…

Eddie identifies the cheaply printed, stapled zine immediately. It's one he's wanted to read for a while now, solely because it features a story about Kirk and Spock being stuck in a cave together on a planet that has  bat-like, vicious animals on it. 

Kirk gets bitten after something goes wrong with the transporter and, look, it’s carthiatic okay!? Sue a guy for wanting to read a romance about a situation he identifies with! 

Steve looks up from the zine and startles. 

For a second his eyes go dark and flat, the same way Eddies and Robins and Nancy's and everyone's does when caught off guard. 

It's gone in a flash though, Steve visibly relaxing when he clocks that it's just Eddie. 

He keeps the zine pressed to his sweater clad chest,  and huffs out a laugh that's half forced and half pure relief.

“Fuck Eds, you scared me! I didn’t know you could be quiet.” 

“Uh huh.” Eddie manages, voice sounding totally and absolutely normal and not at all ten octaves higher than it usually is. 

They stare at each other for a second. Long enough that Steve's eyebrows crinkle in the middle, which is the first hint that he’s beginning to worry, and Eddie really cannot handle Steve being worried right now.  

“What's--” Eddie’s voice cracks and he coughs to recover. “what's that?” 

Steve frowns at him for a moment, until Eddie gestures at the zine in his hands. 

“Oh!”

Steve holds it up, as if to show it off. 

“It's a little book Robin got in the mail. It has a bunch of stories in it. They're normally boring as fuck but this one's from Star Trek.” 

Hearing the words ‘Star Trek’ out of Steve’s mouth shouldn’t be weird, not anymore, when Eddie and Dustin have been on a two man mission to nerdify Harrington as much as possible, but it still kicks like a mule to hear him say such things without any prompting. 

“You know what Star Trek is?”

“Eddie,” Steve tuts, tongue clicking in his mouth. “everyone knows what Star Trek is. It’s nerd shit, but like, old nerd shit. My grandparents used to watch it when I stayed over. This?” 

 He shakes the zine, so hard Eddie wants to snatch it away from him.

 “This isn't nerd shit. This is excellent.”

Steve gives the zine an appreciative glance and hell, maybe Eddie accidentally walked into another dimension. 

He’s been trying to get Steve to read more, rediscover the joys of books the public school system does its best to destroy, but until now Steve hasn’t really taken to it. 

Enjoys when Eddie reads aloud sometimes, and has started to bug Robin to do it for him too, but otherwise?

Eddie’s nerve seen him with anything that had the written word on it that wasn’t a cooking or car related magazine. 

“Honestly,” Steve’s saying, “I think Robs fucked up, this isn't her style at all. She’s gonna be pissed.” 

He eyes the thing appreciatively, like the gift it is. 

“I'm stealing it the second she figures that out.” He adds decisively. 

“You like it?” Eddie asks. 

“Mmm.” 

“Even though it's--it's got…Kirk…” 

Steve's frowning at him again. “What?” 

“It's queer man. It's really queer.” 

Steve peers at him, the crinkle back in his eyebrows. 

“I know. Wait, how do you--” 

And well. It’s now or never. 

“It's mine.” Eddie says in a rush.

“No it's not.” Steve scoffs, and okay, maybe this is a dream. Eddie pinched himself twice already, but perhaps a third time would wake him up?

(It does not.)

“it was even addressed to Robin. Well,” Steve has one hand on a hip now, his default position when arguing, “Robbie, but she goes by that sometimes.” 

Which Robin does, but not in the fucking mail.

Without a word, Eddie turns and goes for the envelope the zine came in. 

Steve follows, invading Eddie’s space to peer over his shoulder (and that’s Eddie’s fault too, that closeness, but he didn’t think it would be turned on him in a moment like this--) 

There's a sticker on the envelope’s label.

 It’s barely hanging on, half of it curled into the air.  Round and yellow, with little black lines, it becomes immediately obvious that one of Robin's smiley face stickers has migrated again. 

They're all over the apartment. Remnants of a phase she went through after she stole a roll of them from her and Steve’s job at a local toy store.

This one had clearly jumped ship from its original spot (likely on the ceiling somewhere), and was now firmly over the E in Eddie's name. 

‘Ddie’ still isn't exactly ‘Obbie’  but--

Steve leans around, snatching the envelope up and bringing it close to his face. 

Far too close, like he can't read it, eyes squinting as he examines the label--and suddenly Eddie knows exactly what happened. 

He laughs, an explosion of noise that's half hysterical and half disbelief. 

Steve looks at him. 

“What?” 

“Oh my God,” Eddie says, one finger jabbing in the air in the vague direction of Steve’s nose. “I told you you needed glasses!” 

“I do not!” Steve protests immediately, but his eyes are darting around the envelope. 

He’s scrambling to figure out what Eddie’s seeing, trying desperately to find a hole that can prove himself right. 

Eddie decides to help him, by plucking the smiley sticker off the envelope. 

“See?” He jeers, and shit okay, maybe his life isn’t over just yet. “It says Eddie, not Robbie!” 

“You guys have got to start using your government names for this shit.” Steve bitches, but it’s weak.

Eddie feels a grin coming on, and lets it overtake his face. 

“So...Kirk and Spock huh?” 

“They’re cute.” Steve defends instantly, before sighing his defeat and tossing the envelope on the table. 

The zine he keeps in his hands. 

Eddie crosses his arms and leans against their rickety table. “Even though they’re both guys?” 

“I thought we were past this!” Steve whines. “I went to a gay bar with Robin last weekend!” 

Which is news to Eddie. 

“You didn’t invite me?” He gasps, feigning hurt by putting a hand over his heart. 

Truthfully he still hasn’t fully recovered--is play acting himself, almost, but is rapidly coming around to the idea of Steve appreciating queer fanfiction. 

“We did!” Steve rolls his eyes so dramatically his whole head moves. “We absolutely did, You said,” 

Here Steve’s voice pitches into a mockery of Eddie’s  that he will not give him points for, even if it is a little hilarious, “Me? At some loser bar? Fuck no, I’ve got a campaign to write. Starbuck, don’t you have homework?” 

“I didn’t know that was a gay bar!” 

“You did! Robin told you!” 

“Okay well, I wasn’t listening!”  

“Clearly. I keep telling you we need a fucking--system or, I don’t know, a code word or something!”  

“Yeah well, when you wanna make us a safe word for conversations, big boy, you let me know.” 

They’re both laughing a little now, this argument veering into familiar territory, with Eddie not really listening and Steve mocking him for it later. (As well as vice versa, with startling regularity.) 

“You really like it though?”  Eddie says after the laughter winds down, gesturing to the zine still clutched in Steve’s hand. 

“Yeah.” Steve confirms, easy as he’s said anything else. Like this isn’t embarrassing, or almost worse than the time Wayne found Eddie’s porno mags and alphabetized them as a joke. 

“It's part of a mail tree. I’m supposed to send it on to the next person when I’m done with it. I make copies though,” Eddie rushes to add, because Steve is now clutching the little booklet to his chest in horror, as if Eddie was about to rip it out of his hands. “If you like I’ll show you my other ones?” 

Steve eases his grip, giving Eddie the little smile he makes that makes his stomach flip. 

“That’d be cool.” 

(Later, Steve pokes at Eddie’s thigh from where they’re both sprawled on Eddie’s bed, Steve having switched the new zine out for one of Eddie’s copies. “Are you going to laugh at me if I ask you to read some of these aloud?” 

“Only if you don’t laugh when I ask you to take me to that gay bar.” 

“Deal, but on the grounds you’re barred from making fun of my flirting attempts. Robin doing it was bad enough.” 

“Well you deserve it if you’re hitting on women at a gay bar, Stevie.” 

“I wasn't hitting on women you asshole.” Steve says and oh.

Oh.

Eddie feels the floor drop out from under him for the second time that day. 

At least this time it’s not fear that thunders through him, but possibility.) 

[greenbergsays]

If you like 9-1-1 fic, you're gonna do me a solid and go read this fic right here

[Link]

Now, right about now, you're looking at the tags and the summary, you're realizing it's the first person POV of an OC, and you're probably saying, "Des, what the fuck are you reccing me right now?"

I need you to know: I never read first person POV in fanfic. I honestly dislike first person POV as a whole because it's so hard to get right.

So how 'bout you just trust that I would never steer you wrong and give it a chance, okay? Okay.

Good talk, team.

[babybucks]

so unsure of your welcome

pre-slash buck/eddie | gen | 461 words

s07e04 ficlet + jealous buck + insecure buck

There’s an itchy feeling that Buck can’t place. It started when he saw Eddie and Tommy leaving together on a helicopter, got worse when he had to hear about ringside tickets and muay thai and karaoke and trivia bars, and became impossible to ignore with when you meet somebody and you just click. Or: a ficlet of Buck spiraling up to the basketball scene.

read on ao3

[angstics]

A year ago all the buddies were saying how buddie wouldn’t be going canon in s7 and that we’d have to wait to this season and that there was no way they would do it instantly. And i thought they were dumb and crazy and that it was over when it didnt happen then. Buddies. Im so sorry i doubted you. You were literally exactly correct. About everything. Including fuck ass COUCH THEORY and BREAK UP GREEN.

[a-sky-full-of-ideas]

How do i even tag my fics?

In the past couple of years I’ve seen a lot of people genuinely confused about how to tag their works properly, so I wanted to explain some common facts or themes of your fics you could tag!

This is Part 2 of my fandom netiquette series here is part 1

But before we get into it: You can tag it whatever you want! Everyone searches and filters differently. Some even comment on the characters/story/writing process in them,etc. But sticking to some of these tips usually serves both the reader and the writer! The main reasons are:

The reader will find the exact thing they’re looking for or at least they´ll be in the right ballpark

It also warns the reader about content they might not like (at this specific moment) or could be triggered by

The writer will have more positive interactions with their readers.

Having said all that, tagging your fics properly boils down to just answering the 5 W-Questions

Who?

Where?

When?

What?

Why?

Who are the characters ?

All the major characters involved

All the minor characters involved (if you want)

if it’s a ship use / or X between the names (character A/character B)

if it’s a platonic dynamic use & (character A & character B)

If it’s a specific version of a character tag it as trait!characterA eg. nerd/teen/autistic!

If one character/ship is shown as less favourable

Anti!characterC/ship

Not Character C/ship friendly

Additionally you can tag the POV

the MC of the fic, POV Character A

The writing style, eg. First person pov

Switching POV

Where does it take place?

The canon world

Canon divergence; it is largely set in the original world but something is different (usually the ship being canon)

Pre/Post Canon, set befor or after the OG story

Alternative Universe (AU)

Alternativ Universe(AU), it is set in a universes different from the canon

Our world, modern AU

Our world, but in a specific place eg. Office AU, coffee shop AU, High school AU, etc.; they might spend most or only the begging of their story in this place

Set in another stories world, world AU eg. Star Trek AU, etc.

A/B/O, omegaverse, there are a lot of different versions and rules for that one, but it would take to long for now to get into

Specific Place AU

A specific city, eg. they´re in London

A Specific planet, eg. Aldeeran

A Specific fictional Place, of the OG story, eg. Limbo

When does it take place?

The time it is set in specific

The era, a different time period eg. medieval, futuristic etc.

Fandom specific era, aka in the canon universe but a specific era

Holiday, from Christmas to pocky day! even fandom specific holidays!

Age, child/teen/adult or older

What is being said or done?

What is their Dynamic going to be?

Friends to lovers

Enemies to lovers

Enemies to friends to lovers

Idiots to lovers

Strangers to lovers

Rivals

Coworkers

Boss/employee

Unhealthy/toxic relationship

What is their relationship status ?

First kiss/meeting

Getting together

Feelings realization

Single Parent fic (Adoption ?)

Fuck buddies

Polyamory

Secret relationship

Arranged/political marriage, whether they like it or not

Established relationship; they’re already together at the start of the fic

Pre slash, it largely takes place before they meet and become a thing, but they might already hear of one another

Past character A/C, they were together before the fic starts and are split up now

What is their job ?

Their canon job

Fandom specific jobs, eg. Jonin!characterA

Modern AU jobs, lawyers to baristas janitors to actors

What is the length of the story ?

One shot, short and sweet stories usually not higher then 15k

Multiple One shots/One shot collection

What type of ending does it have ?

(Eventual) Happy ending, usually it means the main couple ends up together and even has a major group of friends just as happy by their side

Sad ending, usually implied with hurt non comfort

Open/ambiguous ending, usually means, that in the end they are not together ...yet! but there is hope for them to be friends or more (again)

Why are they behaving this way ?

Their state of being

Sick fic- one or all of them is sick, whether it’s the common cold or something deadly. You might tag the specific disease eg. Hanahaki disease

Powerless fic, if they have some sort of powers in the OG story but not in this fic

Deaged, through a magic spell/potion one or more characters turned younger, either into a baby or into the version of them before all the horrors tm. Aka precanon version of them

Injured

Hidden/Masked Identity

Which (major or minor) emotions are driving them to do so?

Angst/pain/sadness, there is at least some sort of sadness involved, it can be tagged Heavy angst/Light angst to specify, how painful it might be to read

Hurt and comfort; whether one or all are hurt, physically or mentally, doesn’t matter as long as one comforts the other(s) in some way …or at least tries

Hurt no comfort; one is hurt and they’re not being comforted (but they might be able to live on )

Crack/Humor, there are some objective funny things in it, whether that’s the main feeling or not

Crack treated seriously, the base idea is funny/out of character but within the fics universe it is very real and serious

Unresolved Sexual Tension (UST), aka they´re so frustrated but incapable of confessing

Jealousy; at at least one point, one of the characters gets jealous of the other/ someone else (seemingly) getting with the other

Fluff/tooth rotting fluff; it is so sweet that it’s like cotten candy aka it’s hella cheesy, major romcom vibes. Usually in combo with humor but can be seen in angsty fics as well

Protective!character, whether it’s verbally or physically protecting them

(Mutal) Pining, they´re constantly yearning for the other(s)

Oblivious character A, they’re completely misunderstanding the others intention, whether they’re believing them to be just nice or being insecure

Reconciliation, whether that is between the ship or other characters

Hate to love, they start out disliking or outright hating each other but end up falling in love

Grief, usually after a death

(Implied/Perceived) Betrayal/cheating,

Smut

PWP (porn without plot) / (porn with Plot)

Any position and type involved

Any emotions involved, rough/vanilla etc.

Top or bottom (specifying the character is written as characterA!top)

Dom or sub (specifying the character is written as characterA!sub)

Toys, if some are used and if so maybe even which ones

Kinks, any kinks involved or just spoken about

Again if any sort of doubt of consent is involved tag that!!

If the characters are minors, tag that as well! Even if you’re a minor, writing for other minors!

Warnings

Any sort of trauma can and should be tagged !! Even if they’re just talked about! Otherwise you might accidentally trigger someone !

Warning signs don’t apply

Trauma

Explicit content (Smut)

Explicit words, Swearing

Alcohol

Discrimination; homophobia, racism, ableism etc.

Any sort of disorder eg. Eating disorder

Any sort of abuse, child abuse

Suicide

(Major/Canon) Character death

Any sort of trauma can and should be tagged !! Even if they’re just talked about! Otherwise you might accidentally trigger someone !

Rape (Attempt)

Non con/dubious consent, aka the moment everyone involved is not giving enthusiastic consent or they don’t know who is truly the one doing it (eg. They’re masked/being lied to etc.)

Violence, any sort of physical altercation

Canon typical violence, this just specifies that it won’t go over the same amount of violent the OG story is t already showing

Fandom specific tags

A nickname

A catchphrase

Common praise for a character, eg. Character B is a good uncle

Common insult for a character, eg. Character C-A+ parenting

Specifying a relationship,that might not be canon, eg. B and C are siblings

Others

The fandom itself of course

The type of relationship(s) (mlm,wlw, multi etc.)

All or some of the characters sexualities

Character A centric, it’s mainly about their thoughts and feelings

Character A study, trying to decipher/depict or explore why the character might have turned out the way they did

One sided,-xyz, whether it’s being rivals or other type of feelings

Miscommunication/misunderstandings, whether for funny or tragic reasons

Trope based, any trope fitting to the fic , eg. sunshine/grumpy,

These are all the tags I can come up with at the top of my head but feel free to add!

Remember: It is in both the writers and readers interest to tag your works properly. It sets up the right expectations and thus a misunderstanding can be prevented. It´s basically like a summary of the fic but in less words!

Of course there will always be people, who either simply do not read the tags or will be mad about even the mentioning of an "unsavory" topic. There will always be a topic you won´t like nor understand! The sooner you accept that the easy it will be! But the ppl harassing creators/fans about them are usually the minority and frowned upon!

Alas I want to encourage everyone to be open minded! Either to genuinely try to understand why certain topics are written about, even if or especially because they´re "unsavory". But if you don’t want to waste your time on sth. you’re sure you don’t like, genuinely: Please just filter these tags out! That´s exactly why we have them!

None of us can afford to waste our very limited free time on arguing with and harassing others about something FICTIONAL …that we don’t even like. Instead, please focus on making and/or supporting art about YOUR favourite tropes/ships/tags! This is not only much nicer to the fans you don’t support but also to yourself! Positive interactions will result in more positive interactions after all! Mostly.

[olderthannetfic]

Ok. Dumb question incoming, but I'd much have a 'conversation' than try to read fanlore or watch video essays or something because I want to hear individual people's contributions.

Why Star Trek?

Don't get me wrong - I like the franchise! I'm not super duper familiar with it, but I do enjoy the bits and pieces that I do know. But I am wondering why that in particular is hailed as the grandmother of all fandoms? Obviously people were fannish before Trek, but I don't think anyone can deny the impact that OG Trekkies had on fic, zines, and eventually on the internet.

I know that it's always been popular and well-liked, but it's not as if there was NO SUCH THING as popular culture/fan culture before that (I mean, come on, the term "parasocial" predates the first Star Trek episode by 10 years!) . Was it just a perfect mix of timing + popularity + etc? Is there something in particular about ST that "hit different" than other series at the time? Or is the fandom really really just that mighty and it's almost "luck" in a way? I guess I'm wondering what particular dominoes cascaded in a line in order for Star Trek to have the impact on fandom that it does today.

or am I wrong? were there just-as-big fandoms before and I simply overhype Trekkie power in my head / happen to see more talk of that than I do of other fandoms? It could definitely be a social circle bias thing.

Ugh. Asking OTNF why Star Trek is so important to fandom history feels very much like asking a Russian History major why War & Peace is so important to literature - hence why I warned you that it'd be a dumb question! But I am just so damn curious what sort of crack was in early ST fandom that made it SO widespread and SO strong.

Like, I guess the TLDR is: what was particularly 'different' about Star Trek, either as a fandom or as a franchise or both, that made it Theeeeee OG fandom, rather than something, like, i dunno, LOTR or the earliest versions of Marvel/DC comics or General Hospital or something else like that?

--

I await the hordes of angry Man from U.N.C.L.E. fans eager to prove that they were first.

And, no, it wasn't that popular. Hence the aggressive Save Our Show campaign and explosion of fan culture when it ended after three seasons.

Part of the answer to your question is that there were like three things on TV at the time. What big fandoms? 'Parasocial' was about non-subculture people feeling warmly towards news anchors or hosts of variety shows or something, wasn't it?

LOTR got rediscovered in the 60s or 70s from what I hear, but science fiction and fantasy books were for fringe weirdoes. SFF was not mainstream for the most part. There are a bunch of History of Book SF Fandom things on Youtube, and you should consult them on the complex role of LOTR in that space. LOTR wasn't a mainstream thing until there were live action movies a billion years later.

The key about Star Trek is that it was a hit with the pre-existing book SF crowd. They were an organized subculture. Some of their favorite writers wrote episodes. Other shit on TV was for people who did not form subcultures in that way. Other shit for SF fans had an audience 1/10,00th the size.

MFU was insanely popular. Illya Kuryakin was the heartthrob of a certain era of girl and inspired many a Russian major. (Seriously, there are soooo many Russia-boos of a certain age who probably still have a poster of him somewhere.) The actor set a record for fanmail. The show may have more influence on fandom history than we think now, but it also didn't rerun the way Trek did, at least in some eras, and it didn't have sequel series in a franchise. I'm always finding 2015 movie fans shocked that there's a still extant and semi-active fandom—or even shocked that the movie is based on something.

Starsky & Hutch was also hugely important and is the moment slash fandom and "Media Fandom" really split from book SF fandom. As Trek fans moved on to buddy cops, they were into a completely mainstream show but in a non-mainstream way. Trek was an awkward bedfellow at SF cons, but S&H just didn't fit at all.

Of course, while Trek is the grandma of AO3 type fandom, don't forget that a shitton of modern fans who are doing "research" just look at the same few sources. Enterprising Women is great and all, but even other fans of the same stuff are like "Oh, that was just X's friends. Where's [thing] and [thing] and [thing]?" Ditto Textual Poachers and the other scant early sources that people think have academic weight.

While Trek would still be central, the picture of what was going on in the late 60s-early 80s would look a bit different if you just found a bunch of 70-something nerds and asked them than if you regurgitate other people's research, you know?

If you want an idea of what else was going on in SF fandom back in the day, check out Galactic Journey, where they roleplay that it's 55 years ago and review SF things "as they come out".

If you want to understand MFU, here's a vid of Illya:

--

What say you, readers?

What have acafandom and fandom history and meta left out?

[084thoughts]

Ravi Fic Recs (Part 2!!)

Separated into categories and listed by word count from least to greatest. AO3 ratings are highlighted -> Gen Teen Mature Explicit Not Rated (NR)

🔥 labeled fics are some of my personal favorites!!

Please read tags/descriptions before to avoid any triggering or explicit content. Many of these fics discuss childhood cancer, chronic and mental illness, explicit sexual activity, and/or traumatic injury.

Basically all of the romantic/sexual pairings w Ravi are rarepairs (because 9-1-1 can't seem to bother giving him character development 🙄) so if you don't vibe w a ship, just don't read it. I included some great non-slash fics, and an entire section for Buddie-centric fics.

118 Friendships 🚒

flying in the friendship ship by moonlightcanary | G | 1k | Buck apologizes to Ravi after 8x11, One-shot, Loser!Buck This Is An Emergency (Where's That Fucking Ambulance?) by fangirling-feels (fangirlingfeels) | G | 1.3k | Hen and Buck leave something at the hospital, Crack, Friendship, Ravi suffering with A-shift Dinner with Ravi by GatorGirlNC429 | G | 2.2k | Bathena invite Ravi over for dinner, 118 Family Feels, Heartfelt, Bobby & Ravi Friendship bats & boundaries by tawaifeddiediaz | T | 3.6k | Ravi teaches Eddie cricket, Sports Vernacular, 118 Friendships 🔥Feeling Good, Like I Should by sterekdiva | G | 4.5k | Buck & Ravi Friendship, Fluff, 5 + 1, Post 8x11, loser!buck hanging out with coolest guy ever no one word for it by iphigenias | T | 5k | Lucy & Ravi Friendship, Lucy POV, Queer Friendships The Hangover. by bananableu | G | 7.3k | Chim’s bachelor party part 2, they lose Buck, Bad Acid Trip, (unfinished but excited to see where it goes!) 🔥24 Hours on the Clock by Daisies_and_Briars for 42hrb | M | 14k | q-word shift from hell, Multiple POVs (including Ravi), Miscommunication, Chimney on his last nerve, 6 Idiots + 1 Firehouse, Buddie Getting Together

Ravi Lore 📚

🔥contagion by shortndiaz | G | 1k | Ravi spec for 8x14/15, Mentions of Cancer, Buck & Ravi Friendship (genuinely sweet) 🔥5 times Ravi exhibits autistic behaviors +1 time he gets diagnosed by shortndiaz | G | 2k | Background May/Ravi, 118 Family, Fluff, hint of autistic!eddiediaz 🔥i wish i could tell you this story and not be in it by kow2 | G | 1.5k | Childhood Trauma, Cancer, Religious Symbolism, Introspection, Panic Attack (kinda?) Desi Boy by Ty_Pod | G | 4k | Ravi introduces the 118 to Indian food, Cooking with Bobby, Diwali, 118 Family Feels the beginnings of a dream by tawaifeddiediaz | T | 4.2k | Ravi at the Academy, OCs, Pre-Season 4 the cost of doing business by PretentiousSwanQueen | T | 5.4k | Landlord!Ravi, Secret Relationship Buddie, Ravi/OMC, Gossiping, Death of the loft (RIP) 🔥Arachnaphobia by seth_lost | T | 5.8k | All about spiders, Ravi’s pet spider, 911 calls, Minor Injury 🔥the world is so much wilder than it seems by Daisies_and_Briars for timeshareindestin | M | 9.8k | Mer!Buck AU, 4x06 “Jinx”, Buck POV but all the plot is about Ravi, Buddie terrorizing Ravi, Jealousy, possessive idiots 🔥Are You Good to Stay Here? by orphan_account | T | 11k | Ravi POV, Cancer, Childhood Flashbacks, Survivor’s Guilt, Hurt/Comfort, Suicide (oc character)

Whump ⚡️

Prison Break by Hellfire_My_Love | T | 1.1k | Ravi gets jumped at the prison, Season 5a, Canon-Typical Violence, Injury, Hen & Ravi Friendship suffocation (no breathing) by doveious | M | 3.3k | The pier accident, Whump, Drowning, Minor Character Death (in the emergency) Paper Bags by fairystars | G | 3.7k | Ravi gets sick on a call, Crack, Particularly Graphic Injury, Vomiting, 118 Family Feels 🔥pick up every stitch by wenttoafortuneteller | T | 4k | Ravi POV, Sniper Arc/4x14, Hurt/Comfort, 118 as a Family, Panic Attack 🔥But Not Enough to Save You by orphan_account | T | 5k | Ravi experiencing two deaths during emergencies, Minor Character Death(s), Tragedy, Pier Rescue

Hanikkar 🌸

Lay here for years or for hours by lifeisnowwithyou | G | 2k | Friends to Lovers, Albert at the 118, Literal Sleeping Together 🔥eyes full of stars by shortndiaz | T | 2.6k | Hurt/Comfort, Minor Injury, Relationship Reveal, Established Relationship (Don’t) Bet on Me by whatisreggieshortfor | NA | 2.2k | Ravi and Albert mess with Buck, Hanikkar, Friends to Lovers Ravi’s Mystery Boyfriend by Will_Solaces_sister | NA | 3.6k | Hanikkar, 118 Family Feels, Secret Relationship (on accident) Three Weddings (And An Anniversary) by Pansys_goth_gf | M | 4.2k | Post-Madney Wedding, Hanikkar, Accidental Marriage, Drunk Sex

May/Ravi 💐

i got scars (i remember) by doveious | NA | 1.2k | May/Ravi, Chronic pain, Pier Rescue Aftermath with the love-struck, (sun-soaked fools) by doveious | E | 1.9k | May/Ravi, Morning Sex, Fluff, Intimacy visions of hope (attempt to escape) by doveious | T | 2.2k | Ravi attends a Grant family dinner where secrets are revealed, May/Ravi, Past Suicide Attempt, Athena and May’s argument in 4x10, Angst 🔥you can leave a toothbrush (at my place) by doveious | G | 3.7k | May visits Ravi for lunch, May/Ravi, Moving In Together, 118 Family Feels it was love at first sight (at the grocery store) by doveious | G | 3.7k | May/Ravi, Grocery Shopping, Cursed Date, Fluff, Established Relationship

Smut 🚨

Almost, But Not Quite by Venice_p | E | 2k | Ravi/Buck hookup except it’s all about Eddie, 8x11 Fix-it, FWB it’s a bad idea and i’m all about it by PretentiousSwanQueen | E | 6k | Eddie/Ravi, Bar Hookup, Season 7, Demisexual!Eddie wait on me, i’m not ready by PretentiousSwanQueen | E | 12k | Part 2 of Eddie/Ravi FWB, Buck gets REAL jealous, Endgame Buddie, Public Sex, Exhibitionism

Buddie Centric 🏡

would you still love me if i was a worm? by lecornergirl | G | 1k | Ravi after going to the bar with Buck, Ravi/OMC, short & sweet Aren’t You Divorced? by glazedmercury | G | 1.6k | Ravi assumes Buddie were married, Drinking, Pining, Based on 8x11 stills ravi, restless and rattled by roephobic | T | 2.8k | Ravi & Buck friendship, 8x11 Alternate Plot, Buddie nine times out of ten (this ends in disaster) by withmeornotatall | G | 4.7k | Buddie confession, Henren wedding, Season 5b, Gossiping 🔥the wake of your smile by fallingthorns | T | 5.1k | Ravi can’t figure out if Buddie got together, Ravi/OMC, 118 Friendships they won’t listen (they won’t look) by kabnd | T | 5.8k | Ravi finds out about Buddie being together, the rest of the 118 don’t believe him, Idiots in Love, Ravi’s torture nexus down for the count (drowning in it) by oneofthesirens | T | 8.5k | Post 8x11, Ravi & Buck Friendship, Miscommunication, Pining, Jealousy, Buddie Endgame

@cal-daisies-and-briars @doveious @queerpanikkar @hoediaz @bipitybopitydoo @strawberryspence @thetalee @to-be-a-dreamer @rainbow-nerdss @exhuastedpigeon @fruitsdontknow

@waveridden @chromatophorica @vgreysoncellars @sammyunhinged @likeshipsonthesea @shelfthe-reader @harpermiller @thirteenredvampirebites @sailorbadger

@whim-prone-pirate @palzeddie @inell @mariiverse @queenofravens01 @nightmareglitter @clockwork-stars @moonlightandromache @aashiqeddiediaz @fallingthorns

@timeshareindestin @hotcinnamonsunset @palzeddie @buddivorce @eddiesprius @odythreesome

⭐️ i apologize if you are not tagged as one of the writers for these works - lmk if i missed your @ so i can credit you 😊

⭐️ leave a tag or comment below to fuel my 911 obsession!!

[schrijverr]

Do You Want to Go with the Strange Man, Buddy?

Divergence from chapter 13, where tía Pepa is forced to drop Christopher off at the 118 while Eddie is at the academy, because Abuela isn’t feeling well and she has to work. This leaves Buck with a surprise introduction to make to everyone.

On AO3.

Ships: Buddie (pre-slash)

Warnings: mentioned minor character death, mistaken child abduction

~~~

Buck had been working out on his own. It’s a slow shift – almost q-word, but he’s not saying it – so he actually took a decent shower after. He doesn’t know what it is about the shitty showers, but they’re homely to him.

Anyway, when he gets out and back into uniform, he checks his phone to see he’s missed a call from Pepa. She’s supposed to be dropping Chris off at Abuela’s house right about now, so he frowns and quickly calls her back.

“Oh, Buck, good. You’re on shift now, right?” she picks up.

“Yeah, I am. Is everything okay? Is Chris?” Buck asks worriedly.

“Christopher is fine,” Pepa tells him and his muscles unclench slightly. “We’re outside your work now, can you be there quick?”

“I can be there right now,” Buck says, starting to move towards the doors without a moment of hesitation. “And you’re sure everything’s alright?”

“It is, it is. Mama just can’t watch him today, she came down with a stomach bug,” Pepa explains.

At that point, Buck is at her car, quickly looking inside and waving over to Chris. However, he doesn’t immediately go over to him, because Pepa has gotten out of the car and closed to door behind her, a clear sign she wants to talk to him real quick, before Chris can hear.

Lowly, Pepa says: “Mama can’t watch him and I can’t take him to work right now. I can when I’m off, but not before. I tried calling Eddie, but he wouldn’t pick up. Is he safe here? Can you get off?”

Buck knows checking your phone at the academy has a high chance of getting yourself yelled at, so he gets why Eddie wouldn’t see the call. Mentally he makes a note to send Eddie a text about it all, before he assures her: “Of course I can take Chris. My Captain’s pretty chill, he’ll give me off or make me man behind or something. I’ll figure it out.”

“Gracias, gracias,” Pepa says, kissing his cheeks. “I have to go rush back before my lunch hour is over now.”

“Of course,” Buck blushes, still not entirely used to the warmth of this part of the Diaz family. He takes Chris’s bag from her, slinging it over his shoulder, before letting her get in the car, while he goes to get Chris.

Pepa has said her goodbye to him by the time he gets to his door, so he’s just focused on Chris when he opens the door. “Hey, buddy! Excited to hang out with me today?”

“Yeah,” Chris cheers.

“Good,” Buck smiles, unbuckling Chris from his seat and lifting him out of the car. He puts him on his hip while reaching in for the crutches, then the two of them wave goodbye to tía Pepa.

With her car out of the parking lot, Buck suddenly finds himself alone with Chris. At work. And it hits him that this is going to be a very hard thing to explain. Hell, he doesn’t even know how to begin, because how the fuck is he going to play this off?

It seems like frat boy Buck is dying today and he hopes they’re not going to be too weird about it in front of Chris. He’s never wanted his own issues to touch Chris. However, it’s also going to be heartbreaking to introduce him to everyone as his son, knowing that won’t last forever.

Subconsciously, he hugs Chris a little closer, before forcing cheer into his voice saying: “Well, I gotta introduce you to everyone then talk to my Captain for a bit, but then I can show you all the trucks and equipment. How does that sound?”

“I get to see the trucks?” Chris asks excitedly. With Buck sharing stories over dinner or breakfast on an almost daily basis, he’s gotten very enthralled with firefighters, so it’s dream come true.

Buck’s heart melts at the sight and decides that no matter how today goes, he’s going to make fucking sure Chris can see those trucks up close and personal. “Yeah, Superman, of course. Let’s go. Wanna be put down?”

Chris shakes his head. He has quickly realized that they first need to get through boring adult stuff before he can see the trucks and he wants to speed the whole process up. Which means he is perfectly fine where he is, getting to look around while papi does the walking for now. He’ll be independent when they get to the cool stuff.

So, Buck apprehensively makes his way up the stairs with Chris in his arms. He’s unsure what kind of reaction he should be bracing for when the finds the others hanging around the couch with their mugs, pausing when they see him.

For a moment, all of them just look at each other.

Then Hen cautiously speaks up: “Uh, Buckaroo, where- where did you get the kid? Did someone… Did he get lost?” she corrects herself, knowing Chris can hear her and not wanting to implant the idea that he was abandoned before they know more.

And Buck knows he should explain, but just going ‘no, this is my son’ feels weird when it’s not forever and this set up is just too funny. So he doesn’t explain and instead shrugs: “No, I just saw him while I was at work and took him.”

Everyone’s eyes get wide and they all freeze, as if they can’t believe that they’re hearing that and aren’t sure if he’s joking or not. They know Buck can’t lie, but since it’s technically true, it doesn’t read like a lie, which is hilarious to Buck right now.

He keeps a straight face as he turns to Chris and says: “Isn’t that right, Chris? I just took you off the streets.”

Chris – a little shit after his own heart and a better liar than his papi – just grins and nods: “Uh-huh, you did.”

Chimney must decide that he’s fucking with them, because he rolls his eyes: “Alright, sure. Was there anyone with him?”

“Yeah,” Buck says. “She wasn’t paying attention. I mean, I took this little guy here right out of her car and we waved at her when she left. Didn’t even blink. Probably didn’t care I did, did she?”

“That’s right,” Chris chimes in again.

At this point everyone is starting to get actually concerned. Buck is a little offended that they are, but he also gets it. Who knows if he snapped or something? A child abduction case should always be taken seriously. So, he should probably also stop now. Maybe a bad joke to make to begin with.

“Buck,” Bobby says, getting up slowly and holding out his hands as if calming a distressed patient. “I am asking you, if you can give the child to me. Okay?”

And look, he should just explain now, because this has gotten out of hand – story of his life, he supposes – but he can’t let this moment pass. It’s an educative moment, a cautionary tale if you will. So he turns to Chris on his hip and jostles him slightly, before quirking a brow and asking: “Do you want to go with the strange man, buddy?”

In the background, everyone is just getting more and more concerned with Hen and Chimney also rising to their feet and putting their mugs down. Buck half thinks one of them might sneak away to grab a tranquilizer or something, a true sign he should have never done this, but it’s too late for that now.

Luckily for everyone, Chris puts them all out of their misery by giggling: “No, papi.”

“Good answer!” Buck cheers, pressing a kiss on Chris’s cheek as he hugs him closer. “That is right, do not go with a strange man.” He turns to everyone else, who is still staring at him, perplexed. Buck has never seen someone blue screen like that. Ignoring it, he just goes: “And that’s how you teach stranger danger, people.”

For a few seconds it’s silent. The three others in the room blinking at him as they try to wrap their heads around the sharp turn that has just happened.

Not wanting to wait around for the explosion, he barrels forward, talking to Chris again as he goes: “So, let’s make them not strange people. This is my Captain, Bobby. Do you remember me talking about Bobby?”

“I do, he’s the Captain with the nice food,” Chris tells him.

Buck blushes a little, saying: “He is indeed the Captain with the nice food, but that was our little secret, remember?”

“But, papi, you’re not supposed to lie,” Chris counters.

“It’s a non-serious lie,” Buck defends himself, feeling a little called out anyway. “But you’re right. No lying. Want to say hi and thank you for the nice food?”

Chris nods and Buck makes his way over to Bobby, so Chris can shake his head. “It’s nice to meet you, Captain Bobby. I’m Christopher. Thank you for the nice food.”

Bobby now remembers Buck sneaking leftovers out the fridge. He always let him, figuring the kitchen in his frat house sucked and he didn’t feel like cooking there. Having the sudden knowledge that his food has instead been shared with this kid. This son Buck has apparently had this whole time, twists something inside him.

A little shellshocked, he shakes Christopher’s hand, saying: “Uh, yeah, call me Bobby. It’s nice to meet you too, kid. I’m glad you like my food.”

Chris smiles at him, but Buck moves on to the others before Bobby manages to form his face into a semblance of a smile back. It hits him all over again. Buck is a father.

“This is Hen, the badass paramedic,” Buck says, gesturing to her first and she waves at Chris and Chris waves back.

“Hi, nice to meet you,” Hen smiles, shaking his hand when he holds it out.

“It’s nice to meet you too,” Chris says politely and chipperly.

When Chris looks away again, she gives Buck a wide eyed look and quirks a brow. Buck sends a half grimace, half smile back. Then he moves onto Chimney saying: “And this is Chimney, the one with the funny name.”

“Hey! I’m also a badass paramedic,” Chimney exclaims, playing it up and snapping out of his funk, while Chris giggles. “Nice to meet you, kiddo.”

“It’s nice to meet you too,” Chris says.

During the introduction, it’s clear that both are obviously trying to hide how weirded out they are. Buck is starting to realize it might have been a little dumb of him to lean into the frat boy thing, but in his defense, it will probably be true soon. And that doesn’t hurt at all, no sir.

Shaking the gloomy thoughts off, he asks Chris: “I have to go talk to Bobby for a bit, do you wanna hang out with Hen and Chimney while I do? They know everything about the ambulances, I’m sure they’d love to answer your questions.”

“And then we can go look at the trucks?” Chris asks hopefully.

Buck just melts and he gives Chris a soft smile: “Yeah, buddy, then we can go look at the trucks.”

“Okay.”

He puts Chris down, encouraging: “Strong legs,” hovering a moment until he’s solid, before handing him his crutches. Then he points to the kitchen and says: “I’m going to be right there the whole time, so you can just call out if you need me, yeah?”

“I know, papi,” Chris assures him, a little bit of attitude that he totally gets from Eddie shining through.

“Alright, alright,” Buck grins as he shakes his head. Behind Chris’s back, he sends Hen a questioning look and a thumbs up, silently asking her if it’s okay. She gives him a reassuring smile and he relaxes a little with the relief.

He stays for just long enough to see Chris move towards them without any shyness, before making his way over to the kitchen. Bobby is right behind him and Buck feels very uncomfortable about the whole thing. Exposed in a way he usually tries to avoid.

So, before Bobby can say anything, he starts talking himself: “I know, I’m jumping this on you and I’m so so sorry. He was supposed to stay with Abuela, but she isn’t feeling well and tía Pepa can’t take him to her job and she couldn’t reach Eddie. But I can try to see if I can reach him, or stay behind and use my PTO or something. I totally understand if you can’t accommodate this right now. Again, I’m so sorry.”

“Buck, breathe,” Bobby says, brow creased worriedly. He places a hand on his shoulder and makes sure Buck is looking at him, then says: “We’re here to work with you. I’ll need to clear it with the Chief, but I’m sure we can figure something out until you figure out childcare.”

“Oh, that’s- that’s really nice,” Buck stammers.

Bobby still isn’t sure where the kid came from, but Chris is clearly Buck’s and he is panicking. As much as it hurts to think about it sometimes, he still recalls how stressful and scary being a parent can be. Of course he’s going to support him, even if he still hasn’t processed everything.

He squeezes Buck’s shoulder, searching for more words of support, finally settling on: “Of course.” He wants to ask more about the how and when of the kid, but before he can, Buck’s phone starts ringing.

“Fuck, that’s Eddie, I have to take this real quick,” Buck says, turning away, but not really moving away as he picks up: “Eddie? Hi, yeah, Pepa said she called you.”

Buck has never mentioned an Eddie before today and he doesn’t know how to feel about him, remembering what he almost fired Buck for. Maybe it’s more recent than that? Even if that seems even more ridiculous. God, Bobby hopes it is though.

He can’t hear what Eddie says. However, he does hear what Buck responds: “Everything’s fine. Abuela’s not feeling well, so she dropped Chris off here, until her workday is done.”

Then Buck listens briefly for a moment, before nodding, despite Eddie not being able to see. “Uh, yeah, that’s okay. Everyone here is super nice and helpful. Bobby says we can figure something out. So, I’ll keep him for now, no worries. We’ll look at the trucks and he’ll be thrilled. You just focus on training, I doubt your instructor will be pleased with you taking calls like this or missing out.”

Something in Bobby’s heart clenches at how soothing and worried Buck sounds. He gets the feeling he can now be reasonably certain he knows who Eddie is; his partner. Another thing they all missed. Buck has had a family this whole time. And they don’t sound strained, which is a relief. Though maybe also a bad thing?

That feeling is further confirmed when he sees a small shy smile on Buck’s face as he responds: “No problem. We’re a team, remember? Bye.”

He hangs up, before facing Bobby again face still slightly red. “Uh, sorry about that. Hope you don’t mind me promising that to Eddie.”

“I don’t. It’s okay, Buck, truly. We’re a team here too,” Bobby says, which makes Buck relax. He seems really anxious about this whole thing and Bobby worries about what makes him feel so on edge. “Are you okay?”

“Me?” Buck asks, taken by surprise. Then he smiles awkwardly and unconvincingly says: “I’m fine.”

Bobby levels him with a look and Buck looks away. Deciding that stern probably won’t work on Buck, he goes for compassion when he says: “Look, clearly this was something you didn’t want to share. I get that it’s scary and I just want you to know that we support you, no matter what. You’re safe here.”

Buck’s eyes widen momentarily, before his smile becomes more real. “Thank you. It’s not exactly like that, but thank you.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I just assumed-” Now it’s Bobby’s turn to be awkward. He could have sworn Buck was just coordinating with his… spouse? Partner? Boyfriend? Husband? His Eddie. Maybe it’s a nickname? Maybe it’s something else that would explain the sleeping around. He hopes it will explain the sleeping around.

“Oh, no, Eddie is my husband,” Buck quickly assures him, which clears up exactly nothing. In fact, it makes it worse.

“Now, I’m confused,” Bobby tells him honestly, praying Buck will give him more information that will turn him into someone Bobby recognizes, someone more than a cheater, who lies and hides.

“Uh, it’s- it’s a bit of a long story. Me and Eddie are married as friends, for Chris’s sake. His mom walked out and I kind of stepped up. So, I adopted him when Eddie had to go back into the military. He is training to be a firefighter right now. When he’s stable, he, uh- he’ll probably divorce me. Kinda hard to bring that up,” Buck grimaces apologetically.

Bobby blinks a few times, that is indeed a long story and that’s with probably most of the details missing. However, it does clear up the sleeping around situation, so he’ll take it. Still, unsure what to say, he asks: “So, how long have you two been married then?”

“Coming up two years, but living together and raising Chris for three,” Buck answers, looking over to Chris with a melancholic note in his voice.

Okay, so this isn’t just a recent thing for a last tour, but a years long thing. Bobby knows what it is like to lose a kid, but to know they’re still out there? God. He doesn’t know this Eddie, but that is an awful thing to do to a person. He frowns: “And you’re just going to disappear when he is stable?”

“Uhm, yeah, probably. I mean, we haven’t really discussed it,” Buck rubs the back of his head, then admits: “I’ve been too scared to ask.”

“Buck…” Bobby breathes, unsure how to even begin to tackle all this.

“I know,” Buck sighs before he can figure it out. “I know I should talk to him. I know that. But if I know, I can’t cling to the possibility of it not happening, you know?”

He looks devastated. It’s only in his eyes, his face keeps that helpless half smile, but his eyes carry a deep grief that Bobby knows. He has already given up on keeping a professional distance, so he just pulls Buck into a tight hug and holds him close when Buck melts into it.

When he pulls back, he says: “The not knowing is killing you too. Talk to Eddie, tell him this. If he is a friend, he’ll understand and want to help. We’ll be here for you whatever happens.”

“Thank you, pops,” Buck says with a crooked grin, sounding a little choked up. He hasn’t called Bobby that since his second month there, but the nickname brings back a wave of nostalgia, and – treacherously – a voice in his head flirts with the possibility of being a grandfather, before Bobby represses it.

“Of course,” is what he ends up saying. His smile feels a little more forced, but he sounds genuine when he says: “Go show your son the trucks, I’ll call the Chief.”

Buck’s eyes sparkle when he says ‘your son’ and he nods eagerly: “I will. Again, thank you so much,” then he bounces off to the couches.

At the couches, Hen and Chimney have stared at Chris for all but two seconds. Neither of them have a clue what to do with the surprise news that Buck apparently has a kid. A kid that is now staring at the two of them with big eyes.

“Uh, so how old are you, Chris?” Hen finally asks. A standard question to ease into it.

“I’m seven,” Chris tells her proudly.

Hen quickly does the math. That makes Buck nineteen when Chris was born. She shares a look with Chimney, who did the same math as her. With Buck’s record of sleeping around, that doesn’t entirely come as a surprise. However, the well adjusted kid speaks to a lot more maturity that his recklessness would indicate.

“That’s already really grown up,” she smiles at Chris, who beams with pride.

Both of them are used to working with kids, so Chimney takes over: “Buck mentioned you were interested in the ambulances?”

Now Chris lights up even more. He sure is a happy kid, Hen thinks fondly. Apparently Buck is a good dad, that’s nice. And it becomes increasingly clear that he raised Chris, because when he starts launching questions at them that are truly impressively detailed, his face is the exact same one that Buck makes when he’s learning things and curious. It’s truly adorable to see.

They answer his questions the best they can, getting very charmed by this kid in front of them. They can almost forget that Buck pulled a kid out of thin air. Still, every time he does something Buck-esque they’re reminded all over again.

Hen wonders if there is some drama with the mother, since she now recalls Buck knowing a lot about custody. If Chris had been an accident, then they might not be together anymore and Buck has had to go to court about it. Maybe it had been a whole thing?

Chimney meanwhile realizes why Buck canceled so much on them at the start. Still does, they’ve just gotten used to it. At the time he’d been so jealous thinking he must have more fun parties or hot dates, but he probably was just going home to his son. Obviously childcare is an issue.

He wishes the kid had just opened his damn mouth about it. He remembers how rough it had been for Hen and Karen when they first adopted Denny. How it’s still difficult sometimes. They could have helped. Chim finally got the babysitting gig down. He has had practice.

It’s a bit of a mindfuck to have to reframe Buck from a frat boy to a teen parent. However, the pieces do fit in a way. The flashes of maturity, the way he can flip the switch to being responsible, the way he’s gold when there are kids on a scene.

So, yeah, Buck is a dad. That’s a little new.

But it’s only new to them, clearly it’s not new to Buck. Because when he’s done with his talk to Bobby he swoops back in, hauling Chris up over his shoulder as he says: “LAFD here to rescue you!” which makes Chris shriek with delight.

Buck puts him back down and ruffles his hair, matching big smile on his face. “Are you ready to look at the trucks now, Superman?”

“I am, I am,” Chris says, bouncing up and down.

“Alright, then, let’s get this show on the road,” Buck exclaims, gesturing for Chris to lead.

The four of them make their way downstairs, all of them smiling at Chris’s excitement at seeing the trucks. Despite being older than him, they all remember that same feeling from their first day.

It’s obvious that Buck takes much pride in his work and the fact that Chris thinks his career is cool. As he shows everything with much gravitas and importance, not to mention a matching thrilled sparkle in his eyes.

Chris gets to try on his helmet and sit in the rig, while Buck takes a billion pictures. After he’s snapped one in particular, he grins at Chris: “Daddy’s going to be so jealous of you, getting to sit in a real fire engine before him.”

“He will,” Chris grins slightly mischievously.

Behind the duo, both Chimney and Hen freeze. Daddy. There is a second parent involved. With what they know of Buck that is almost more unexpected than the kid thing.

Hen wonders if maybe the other dad is trans and it’s still what she first thought, while Chimney immediately grimaces. He doesn’t want to judge Buck too harshly, I mean, he didn’t for Hen, but it’s different with Buck. So, he can’t help but judge a little.

“Daddy?” Hen asks, deciding it’ll be better to just find out. If it puts Buck on the spot, they can pretend to buy whatever excuse he comes up with for now and interrogate him later.

“Uh-huh,” it’s Chris, who answers, “he’s becoming a firefighter like papi is!”

Buck on the other hand looks less enthusiastic and more like a deer in headlight, blinking two times, before quickly explaining: “Eddie is Chris’s dad – other dad. Bio dad? – uhm, he’s my husband, but we got married as friends. It’s a bit of a long story.”

“They made them kiss,” Chris informs the other two firefighters there a bit too gleefully. “It was really silly.”

“Chris was with us for the wedding,” Buck clarifies with a blush. “It’s a thing they expect you to do.”

Both of them just nod. Hen is sure that there is a much more detailed and much more stupid story there to explain all this, but honestly, she doesn’t feel like figuring it out. Chris is still right there and Buck looks like he’s going to kneel over if they ask more. She’ll wrangle it out of him when he’s had more time to get his head on right.

At that point the alarm goes off and Buck freezes a little. However, Bobby appears at the top of the stairs, about to go down the pole. Before he does, he calls out: “Buck, get yourself into gear. Kid’s coming with us.”

“Aye, aye, Cap,” Buck says, relieved to get some clarity. Then to Chris he goes: “You hear that, bud, you’re going to be a firefighter today.” Chris cheers. “Stay right there, okay, I’ll be with you soon,” Buck promises, before hurrying off to get into his gear.

When they’re driving to the accident, Chris has a thousand more questions and eagerly listens to all their answers and explanations. As well as to the little jabs and teases they throw at Buck. He takes them like a champ, rolling his eyes as he takes more pictures.

At the scene, Bobby sends Buck out there, keeping a close eye on Chris for him and walking the boy through everything that’s happening. He makes sure to pay extra close attention to Buck and explain what he is doing to Christopher.

Bobby tries not to, but he can’t help but wonder if Robert Jr. would have been equally as invested if he’d ever been able to go with him to work. He always misses his family, his kids, the most on days like these. On calls with kids, or when classes come in.

He puts it out of his mind though. Buck is closer to being his kid on most days and he has made some peace with it, even if he won’t acknowledge it yet. However, it makes it easier with Chris than with another kid. It doesn’t feel like he’s replacing his own, it’s a relationship he hasn’t had with anyone before yet. New is good.

After the call, Chris is in high spirits, excitedly rerunning every moment to everyone and asking more questions. He is very much Buck’s child. However, this also means he’s easily distracted by the video games they have and the pinball machine.

For a snack, Bobby asks if he liked one leftover in particular, making sure to whip that up, much to the boy’s delight.

By seeing Buck around Chris so much, it normalizes itself in their brains that Buck is a dad. The shock and newness wears off and they can appreciate this side of their probie they hadn’t seen before.

Buck is still basically an over excited puppy, but he matches Chris’s energy pretty well, never going further than he wants. He also has gotten the balance between letting Chris be independent and preventing him from doing something dangerous down to a science.

It’s very interesting to see traits they know he has being dialed up or down to suit this situation. How natural it looks on him, despite their previous assessment of him being a frat boy.

However, it’s also very obvious to all of them, that he is still a kid himself, raising another kid. None of them – bar Bobby – have a general idea of how long he’s been doing this, but they can all gather that Chris is older than most kids people Buck’s age have.

Of course he’s a firefighter, but he tosses Chris around like it’s nothing, keeping up easily with his boundless energy, and saying stuff like: “High five, Superman!” when Chris tells Chimney that his movie quote was weird.

All in all, Chris is having a blast and so is the 118.

They’re all helping Chris slide down the pole, grinning as he goes, when a brown haired man comes wandering into the firehouse. He stops short when he sees the whole spectacle, then smiles.

Out of everyone there, only Hen has spotted him. At first she thinks he might need help, but they have to focus on Chris’s safety first. However, when she sees him stopping to watch, she knows that must be Eddie. Buck mentioned them getting married as friends, but looking at him smiling at Chris and Buck, she doesn’t know how much truth there was to that.

Her theory that this is Eddie is confirmed when Chris is safely on the ground. Buck is grinning down at him, not paying attention to anything else. Then Chris spots Eddie and smiles widely: “Daddy!”

“Hey, buddy,” Eddie smiles back.

Buck immediately turns to look at him, a love struck look coming on his face when he says: “Eddie, hey!”

Fucking hell, she was so right that there is a much more detailed and much more stupid story there. It is obvious to her that if these two are married as friends, they’re both lying to the other and maybe to themselves about it.

“Hey, Buck,” Eddie greets back unnecessarily. “You two look like you are having fun.”

“We are,” Chris answers for them, bouncing up and down. “I got to try on papi’s helmet and sit in the rig and then we went to this crash and the sirens were on. We had these headsets and I got to see papi work. He saved this lady from her car. It was so cool!”

“That sounds very cool,” Eddie tells him, the utter adoration for his son clear in his eyes. He cards his hands through Chris’s hair and hugs him close.

While that happens, Buck has also come to circle the two of them. He says: “I thought tía Pepa was taking him today. You’re here early. Everything okay?”

“Yeah, everything’s fine,” Eddie assures him. “Instructor let us go early today. I think he’s getting soft on us.”

“Pff, of course. LA training is soft on you all,” Buck teases.

Eddie rolls his eyes, apparently familiar with this particular taunt as he replies: “Here we go again. Let me guess, in Texas they forced you all to sweat through it like tough guys.”

“You got it,” Buck grins. “Anyway, I’m being rude. This here is Bobby, my Captain.”

Bobby steps forward, shaking Eddie’s hand as he says: “I’m Eddie Diaz, it’s nice to meet you, sir.”

“Likewise,” Bobby smiles. “And no need for sir. Just Bobby is fine.”

“This here is Hen and Chimney,” Buck moves on introducing both.

They shake Eddie’s hand too, telling him it’s nice to meet him while he returns the sentiment, though he adds: “It’s so nice to put a face to the names,” as he does. Whatever hiding Buck was doing, it was a one sided hiding act. However, none of them mention it. Not in front of Chris.

“So,” Buck claps his hands. “Did you come for a tour of the trucks too? I told Chris all the facts, he could probably give you a great tour. You know, since he’s been in an actual rig.”

“You’re full of it,” Eddie tells him, but he’s smiling too much to mean it.

“I know,” Buck replies simply and Hen wonders if they know they’re flirting.

Before either can figure that out, however, Chris tugs on Eddie’s hand, pleading: “Please, daddy, I can show you everything. There are loops on the hoses, just like papi said. Do they teach you that too?”

Eddie looks a little caught out, trapped between Chris and the 118. Carefully he says: “I’d love to, mijo, but papi and his team have people to save and help. We should give them space to work.”

“It’s okay,” Bobby says, before Chris can even pout properly. Much like his papi, Chris has got him wrapped around his little finger. “We have the house on low priority calls for the time being. You staying a little longer won’t be an issue.”

“You’re sure?” Eddie checks anyway.

“I’m sure.”

“Thank you so much,” Eddie says, before turning to Chris: “Well, then I would love a tour.”

Excitedly Chris directs Eddie to the trucks, telling him everything he’s just learned, while Buck chimes in from time to time with other tidbits or words Chris has forgotten. Throughout it all, Eddie listens with great pleasure. He’s clearly not as much of a talker, but it seems Chris and Buck more than make up for that.

While they all watch the family from the sidelines, Chimney asks: “So, does anyone know more about what their deal is?”

Bobby – the savior with actual information – answers: “From what I understand, they got married after Chris’s mom walked out so Buck could be there when Eddie had to go back into the military. They’ve been living together for three years, married two.”

Chimney whistles lowly, then checks: “And we all heard him say they’re married as friends, right?”

“Oh yes, we did,” Hen replies, sounding a little pained.

Next to her, Chimney cocks his head, watching Buck and Eddie bump shoulders every time they walk, because there is no space between them. Slowly, he asks: “And… are we… believing that?”

“Oh, definitely not,” Hen says.

“Come on, guys. Let’s not speculate too much. Buck hasn’t been comfortable sharing, we should respect that,” Bobby butts in, trying to be the responsible Captain.

That earns him a double judgmental look from both Chimney and Hen, before they ignore them and turn back to their conversation. “I don’t think Buck would do the whole sleeping around like that thing, if they were actually already together,” Hen says.

“So, we’re betting on pining.”

“Of course.”

“Okay, they’ve already been doing this for three years… That denial runs deep.”

“Yeah, it definitely does,” Hen agrees. “Did Buck mention anything about their communication to you, Bobby?”

Bobby sighs and rubs his brow, then decides he’s really no better than either of them. So, he admits: “It is their plan to divorce one day, but Buck hasn’t talked about it yet, because he fears Eddie will just cut him out.”

“…Now I don’t know if I should laugh at him or feel a deep sympathy,” Hen comments with a jikes grimace on her face.

“I told him to talk to Eddie about it. Clear the air,” Bobby offers.

“Twenty dollars on them figuring it out when Buck brings it up,” Chimney says confidently. “There is no way, Eddie is going to not kiss him about that.”

“Hmm, I don’t know.” Hen appraises Eddie again, squinting as she tries to get a read on him. “Twenty on them not figuring it out for another three years. And another forty on them never getting divorced.”

“Uhm, you can’t bet on things that are basically facts,” Chimney complains.

“Hey, you don’t know that!” Hen exclaims, knowing he is right, but she doesn’t care if it’ll get her forty dollars. They’ve been eyeing new cutlery.

“Ugh, fine! But I’d like it on the record that I protested it and I want my counter bet to be that they do a vow renewal instead,” Chimney says.

“Alright, deal,” Hen nods, shaking Chimney’s hand as they seal the deal.

They all return to watching the three at the trucks again. Buck has lifted Chris onto his shoulders, so he can properly point at all the things he’s talking about. Eddie is listening to him, sure, but he is definitely more focused on Buck.

After a few beats, Chimney wonders: “Hey, now that we know Buck adopted Chris and they met a few years ago. Do you all think there is some truth to him snatching Chris story?”

“God, I fucking hope not.” … “Five bucks says there is.”

“Ten says it’s an exaggeration.”

They shake on it.

“Fuck it,” Bobby mutters, then says: “Five on it being wilder than that.”

They shake with Bobby too, then wait until the tour is done. They haven’t gotten to speak with Eddie much, but it’s okay. Everyone has gotten the chance to observe him and he seems nice and polite when they say goodbye.

Buck stands there like a mom on the very first day of school, waving at them until they disappear when they do leave. The others kindly do not call him out on it. There is a bet now, so no interfering.

Still, the only reason they don’t ask, probably actually is because the alarm starts ringing so they have to go and focus on an emergency instead of Buck’s newly revealed private life.

Throughout the course of their shift, they do learn more details about how Buck got into that situation. When he tells them about dating Eddie’s ex-wife and meeting her while she shopped for eggs, is something they have a fucking filed day with. And it earns both Hen and Bobby some money.

They also learn about Eddie’s chopper getting shot down and Buck nursing him back to health. He chokes up a bit there and Hen rubs his shoulder.

As she does, she feels a little bad about the self satisfied grin she tucks away. If they can go through that and not confess, she was definitely right in placing her money on three years.

However, overall, it doesn’t change too much.

Still, when Buck comes in for his next shift, they all eagerly turn to him, wondering if he’ll turn back into over-sharer Buck now that the cat’s out of the bag. They need to know more about this nonsense he found himself in.

Buck does not disappoint. He eagerly hollers: “Eddie is not going to divorce me!” which turns the heads of everyone who hadn’t been there last shift. Seems like Buck is going to have to explain it all over again. And the betting pool will grow. Hen is so getting that new cutlery.

~~

A/N:

Credit to Memememe8989, who suggested this idea in the comments, I had a different idea that is somewhat related to this (which granted, I might still write), but this was just so iconic that it immediately gave my brainworms <333

Llsdkghdhkf there was so no reason for Buck to do pretend to have kidnapped Chris, but the idea was just too funny and you can’t tell me he wouldn’t in his awkward insecurity

The full phone convo for those curious:

B: “Eddie? Hi, yeah, Pepa said she called you.”

E: “She texted me to call you. Is everything okay?”

B: “Everything’s fine. Abuela’s not feeling well, so she dropped Chris off here, until her workday is done.”

E: “And is that okay? I don’t want you to get in trouble of this.”

B: “Uh, yeah, that’s okay. Everyone here is super nice and helpful. Bobby says we can figure something out. So, I’ll keep him for now, no worries. We’ll look at the trucks and he’ll be thrilled. You just focus on training, I doubt your instructor will be pleased with you taking calls like this or missing out.”

E: “Okay, that’s good. Thank you.”

B: “No problem. We’re a team remember. Bye.”

E: “I do. Still, thanks. Bye.”

[sitp-recs]

My December Reads

‘Tis the season! 2024 flew by and was brutal to many of us, but the merry spirits are growing on me now that my favorite month has begun. I get a lot of my December magic out of the reading list I prepare in advance (check my 2023 list here) so I thought I’d share this in case anyone’s looking for something similar. This year I’ve reflected a lot, among other themes, about how to age gracefully and find courage to face our demons and take the unknown road (such a big Drarry reference, tysm Turn) so I was looking for healing, contemplative vibes. Some of these I revisit religiously every year, others are new additions based on recent reads and cravings. Even the fics that are not set around Christmastime evoke the bittersweet joy of letting go and having faith in new beginnings. I hope they also resonate with you, and help us navigate the new year with more wisdom and compassion for ourselves. Enjoy!

❄️ the keys to your kingdom by thistle_verse (E)

Hit-Wizards, fuck buddies to lovers, feelings realization

❄️ Tidings of Comfort by @blamebrampton (G)

Redemption arc, contemplative, pre-slash

❄️ More Than That by joosetta (E)

Hogwarts Professors, older Drarry, banter

❄️ fine i'll hold my breath / til i forget it's complicated by teatrolley (NR)

Friends with benefits to lovers, light angst, slice of life

❄️ All Roads Lead Home by @dracogotgame (G)

The Weasleys, down & out Draco, getting together

❄️ Yours Truly by @skeptiquewrites (M)

Accidental fake dating, weddings, long-distance

❄️ Turn and Face the Strange (time may change me) by @punk-rock-yuppie (T)

Post-war melancholy, unusual jobs, enemies to friends to lovers

❄️ O Come, All Ye Faithful by @toomuchplor (E)

Vicar Draco, Christianity, established relationship

❄️ Waking Up Slow by @sweet-s0rr0w, @ihopeyoubothstaysafefromharm (E)

Shop owner Draco, summer romance, light angst

❄️ Take A Chance On Me by @mintawasalreadytaken (E)

Down & out Draco, muggle music, angst with a happy ending

❄️ Knead by laughingd0g (E)

Coffee shop AU, food porn, farm life

❄️ Azoth by @lol-zeitgeistic (E)

8th year slow burn, MoD Harry, pining Harry

✍️ Little Gods by @the-starryknight (M, WIP)

Mystery fic, corrupted Ministry, time travel

✍️ First Watch of Night by @tackytigerfic (E, WIP)

Voldemort Wins AU, multiverse, Wizarding politics, time travel

[bucksboobs]

Poseygste?

I was there Gandalf… 3,000 years ago.

Basically once upon a time there was a lil show called Teen Wolf on MTV and that show had a weirdly popular crack ship called Sterek (Mieczysław “Stiles”Stilinski/Derek Hale) it dominated the fandom at the time as the One True Pairing of the fandom kinda just based on vibes at first but the show did start throwing out teases near the end of season 2. In 2013, they were the runner-up pairing just behind Destiel in the AfterElton.com (now called The Backlot) Slash Madness Tournament, beating out several canon ships at the time.

Basically the fandom culture has gotten to the point where it was kind of assumed if you were a fan of Teen Wolf you were a fan of Sterek and if you weren’t well something was wrong with you (kind of like 911 and Buddie pre-s7). So, naturally, as MTV was pretty plugged into fandom culture at the time, they would often approve Sterek related questions for interviews. This got to the point were actors that had nothing to do with the ship were being asked about this ship that had next to no canon material outside mostly violent interactions (remember this is post season 2 pre season 3 timeframe) where for example Derek, a 20 something with supernatural powers, smashed Stiles, a 16 year old with no powers, head into a steering wheel. Anyway the main character of Teen Wolf, believe it or not, is neither of these two but in fact one Scott McCall played by Tyler Garcia Posey. So one can imagine Posey’s understandable frustration with being asked multiple times about a ship that was manufactured by fandom and almost completely irrelevant to the actual show.

Cut to the pre-promotion for season 3 and one of the first and only questions an interviewer asks Posey, the star of the show, is about Sterek. Not about the season ahead, not about Scott’s character arc this season, about a fanon ship his character is not even a part of. He answers “Sterek is this weird, bizarre twisted phenomenon and I think anyone who watches the show solely for that is not watching for the right reasons.” The fandom got really really mad because 1) he shat on the most popular ship of the fandom and 2) he did so with some words that some people interpreted as homophobic (personally I disagreed at the time and disagree to this day that he meant it homophobically— in fact he would later come out as bi/pan)

This catalyzed a divide in fandom as Stereks relentlessly attack Posey and his character in ways that weren’t always justified and other people, later dubbed The Scott McCall Defense Squad defended Posey’s words as being about Sterek as a phenomenon not as a ship, in which case he was right that Sterek was kind of weird in that it sprang up as the main ship when Scott and Stiles had a pretty codependent relationship, and Danny Mahealani was canonically gay and the show had twice teased the idea of Scott and Danny as a couple by this point (funnily enough both times by their lacrosse coach). The whole situation was looked back at as “Poseygate” and was a formative moment in shaping Teen Wolf fandom.

TL;DR: Poseygate was when Tyler Posey insulted Sterek, a popular ship in his show.

[muttering-folklore]

salvatore moreau headcanons i can’t really explain slash general stuff about him that’s integrated into the ‘canon’ sphere of my brain this is going to be SO LONG (i am warning you now) so i’m including a cut ok go:

The Moreau family are of Italian and French descent (both of his names have Italian and French roots), but moved to the village centuries before Miranda took control. Salvatore was taught both Italian and French by his father and Romanian by his mother, so he grew up with all three as his sort of ‘primary’ languages

I like to imagine he occasionally had a slight accent when speaking pre-cadou — like he pronounced his Rs differently or stressed his vowels in a particular way. He definitely talked a lot with his hands though that’s for sure LMAO

post-cadou he’s obviously very hard to understand and struggles greatly with just… talking in general, so it’s hard to really pick up on an accent if there even is one anymore.

An only child — his father died at sea around the time period before he was a teenager, and his mother became very protective of him as a result. He knew how difficult it was for her to raise him on her own and was a very obedient kid so he could ‘pay her back’ for everything she did for him — this carried on into adulthood. He was quite obviously was a massive Mama’s Boy and this later bled onto how he saw Miranda.

He’d always had an interest in gore and surgery and similar things, and would patiently sit with his mother as she spoke about the procedures she did that day. Sometimes he attempted to recreate them on dead animals he’d either found or killed, like fish and birds, but he was discovered by his mother once and the look on her face made him not want to reattempt it again.

This interest in surgery is partly what made him want to follow her in footsteps when he got older (he did genuinely want to help people too), but he drifted towards joining the Navy instead.

A big fan of dice and card games. Learnt to count partly from school, but also partly because he was watching his dad play blackjack or other similar games with his fishing buddies and was asked to help him with his cards (mostly to humour him but also to practice his addition skills). As a result he was crazily good at addition pre-cadou, and could quickly and accurately do sums in his mind.

Duke really liked him because of this, as he could tally up how much Lei he had to pay quickly instead of having to do it on paper — he likes efficiency. He does run a business after all, no time for dawdling.

It’s one of the things Moreau misses about himself post-cadou. He feels like he’s meant to be really good at something, but he’s forgetting what.

Briefly part of the Navy, had to be discharged because of the Cataracts in his eye. Miranda took control while he was gone, so he returned to a nearly completely different environment and had to readjust. Quickly fell into the cult and became one of Miranda’s biggest supporters.

While he took up the position of the town Doctor after his mother’s death, it didn’t entirely interest him anymore. He had a growing appreciation of the ocean and water, and longed to return to the Navy, so he took up fishing as a small hobby/side job.

Canonically a huge romance fan (hello concept art where he’s watching a really smutty Italian romance movie), and used some of the ‘tactics’ he watched with a woman he had a crush on 💀 Surprisingly they worked (she found them endearing somehow) and they were quickly married.

She kept him from undergoing Miranda’s experimentation, claiming she didn’t like the sound of it. If it wasn’t for her, he would’ve taken on the cadou much sooner.

She died quite suddenly and tragically. She wasn’t there to hold him back anymore — so he decided to dedicate himself to Miranda further.

Approached Mother Miranda in around the 1920s, very early on in her reign and extremely early in her experimentation with the Cadous. Asked to become one of her ‘proper’ followers and underwent surgery for the implantation in a really quick timeline.

He was the first out of the lords. “The eldest Son,”

The mutations happened slowly. At the beginning, everything seemed fine — he had gills, a webbed hand, a swim bladder. Since he had medical knowledge, he kept a journal of the changes that were happening to him, but as his mental state worsened he forgot about it, thinking about her less as a religious figure and more as his actual Mother, clinging onto that part of her name HARD.

Eventually the tumours started to form, and that’s when Miranda deemed him a failure, turning instead to Alcina Dimistrescu for her next attempt.

Was actually quite close with Heisenberg when he was a kid. Alcina wanted nothing to do with them (since Moreau was a man and Heisenberg would become a man, and that’s still horrible — and Donna wasn’t a ‘part of the family’ yet), so they ended up spending a lot of time together.

Moreau would take him to the reservoir and teach him how to swim to the best of his ability — he’d dive for glass smoothed down by water and give them to Heisenberg for him to sort. They’d fish together; little things like that. Heisenberg always looked forward to visits to the reservoir, partly because he enjoyed it and partly because he could be free from Miranda’s tight grasp for a while.

Over the years Heisenberg became more bitter towards Moreau because of his hatred towards Mother Miranda. And since Moreau was arguably her biggest supporter, inside or outside of the ‘family’, he fell within in the firing range easily. Moreau didn’t quite understand what he exactly did to invoke Heisenberg’s wrath.

—

[ bonus: Salvatore means Saviour and Moreau is more of a nickname-type surname that means ‘dark-skinned’. it comes from the Phoenician word ‘mauharim’ which means ‘easternly’, probably referring to the Barbarians / The Persian Empire ]

[dropthedemiurge]

Three Tropes Tag Game!

The Prompt: Choose three of your favorite QL tropes, and show us three of your favorite examples of each.

Tagged by @watchthisqqq – thank you so much but this is actually HARD. I wish I had a list so I could look through and decide because I don't often think in tropes. Also I'm now forced to think what details of QLs I love and that's a much needed analysis that I didn't really do much before xD On the other hand, there are too many specific small things that I enjoy and not a lot of QLs with them, I think I'll try to find just main tropes of my preference I can think of.

Time Traveling / Virtual universe / Game mechanics Need food for the brain and escapism. Maybe also infinite tries on life quests. Be My Favorite

Love For Love's Sake

(I'd also put Semantic Error and Our Dating Sim simply because they're about game developers and that's another fav topic of mine because it's relatable, just like engineering)

Extreme Best Friends Chemistry / Friends to Lovers / Pre-slash "True romance" is boring, bickering loyalty borderline on experimenting soulmates rocks.

SkyRain from Love in the Air (also get full pass cuz of all AO3 fics)

Bad Buddy

Time of Fever

(there was also one Japanese BL that I forgot the title of nggghh please remind me, I'm sure there aren't many Friends to Lovers stories)

Hurt-Comfort / Angst / Depressed Protagonist/ Dealing w Trauma Uuuh basically all BLs I've already mentioned?! I watch to heal.

Bed Friend

The Eclipse

Only Friends

BONUS because it's not exactly QL but deserve it, and also many QLs have it and I simply want to appreciate this trope:

Found Family / Friend Gang

Mama Gogo

Not Me

Give me recs if you know more good series with these delicious tropes~

Tagging @wereflamingo-in-thai-dramaland @xagan @doyou000me @springkitten and everyone who wants to join :]

[wikiangela]

fuck it friday

tagged by @hippolotamus @fortheloveofbuddie 💖

so I started a new wip lol 🙈 I really need to work on all the other ones but I'll get to everything haha so i'm not sure if any of this makes sense for buck tbh but idgaf, this is just me projecting my own thoughts and feelings™️ and making it about him processing his death lol 💁 it is gonna be pre-slash buddie tho bc obviously I have to 😂

ngl i kinda don't wanna share any of it but also i wanna share all of it bc i'm kinda loving how it's turning out haha so fuck it, here are two short snippets haha

___

Ever since he died, Buck has been feeling… off. Numb. Sad. Exhausted. He’s not even sure how to explain it, how to voice it, so he doesn’t. When people ask how he is, he says he’s fine. And he is, he swears he is. He’s okay, he’s alive, he has his amazing friends and family, a job he loves, everything is fine. But… but. He’s not sure what the hell is wrong, but a part of him is not fine. Hasn’t been fine since the lightning strike.

(...)

He doesn’t want to go home. He just wants to keep driving, wherever the road takes him. Driving is good, he likes driving, letting his thoughts wander, listening to music, having control of something. He thinks that’s it, that’s why. Driving is one of the few times he feels fully in control, his feet controlling the speed, hands holding the steering wheel and dictating the direction. Whether he makes it to work or gives into the thoughts that tell him to not turn the wheel and let his car crash into a tree or a building, or another car – it’s all up to him. He doesn’t- he won’t crash his car on purpose, but sometimes he wonders… maybe at least that’ll make him feel something. Make him hurt, make him scared, anything. Make him die, this time permanently- he doesn’t want that. He doesn’t, he swears he doesn’t. He just wonders sometimes, that’s all.

He doesn’t wanna go home, so he decides to keep driving. Just a few more minutes, to clear his head.

___

no pressure tags: @elvensorceress @gaydiaz @diazass @thebravebitch @silentxxsoul @shortsighted-owl @eddiebabygirldiaz @arthursdent @911onabc @housewifebuck @watchyourbuck @underwater-ninja-13 @eowon @loserdiaz @evanbegins @ladydorian05 @wildlife4life @diazpatcher @lover-of-mine @monsterrae1 @thewolvesof1998 @puppyboybuckley @weewootruck @buckaroosheart @spagheddiediaz @steadfastsaturnsrings @rainbow-nerdss @malewifediaz @giddyupbuck @jeeyuns @epicbuddieficrecs @pirrusstuff @spotsandsocks @alliaskisthepossibilityoflove @hoodie-buck @diazsdimples @theotherbuckley @nmcggg @daffi-990 @jesuisici33 @disasterbuckdiaz @exhuastedpigeon @rogerzsteven @honestlydarkprincess

[beecauseevan]

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December 2024

The Buckleys return later that night, so the 118, with the exception of Chim, leave to give them the space they need. Chim stays behind, offering Maddie some much-needed support, and Hen and Bobby go home. Eddie, though, who has nothing waiting for him at home except haunted silence, sits in the hospital lobby instead, because at least it's loud there, and busy, and he's not completely alone with his thoughts. 

Sometime between the shooting and now, they put up a Christmas tree in the corner of the hall. It covers up the sad sprig of mistletoe, so it's probably an improvement, but all Eddie sees when he looks at it is Buck, on the night of that stupid Christmas party, the one that could have changed everything but didn't. 

December 2023

At some point in the late afternoon, their shift-slash-party takes a strange, unexpected turn. 

Eddie blames that damn sweater. 

He's passing Bobby's office, and because Bobby insisted they put up the (fake, inflammable) Christmas tree right next to the door, he doesn't see Buck until it's too late. One moment, everything is fine, Eddie's world is spinning calmly on its axis—the next, something warm collides with his chest, knocking the air from his lungs, and the surprised breath he takes tastes of Buck's sandalwood shampoo. 

"Sorry," Buck says immediately, because of course he does, and his hands find Eddie's shoulders, steadying him, because of course they do. He doesn't let go right away. Or a moment later—or even two. "Sorry, I wasn't—oh. Oh, Eddie."

Oh, Eddie thinks. Oh, Buck's hands are warm on his shoulders. Oh, Buck is wearing the ugly Christmas sweater they got from that caller who was fooling around with her coworker at a Christmas party, and oh, the Christmas lights wrapped around the plastic pine next to them paint tiny dots of golden light all over Buck's sheepish smile.

Oh, Eddie thinks back to the morning when those sweaters arrived, to Buck's eyes on him, wide and stunned over apple-red cheeks.

Oh. Eddie wonders. 

"Hey," Buck says, still smiling, still holding Eddie by the shoulders, and maybe it's a good thing that he does, because Eddie doesn't feel steady yet, not at all, not even a little bit. "Hey, I wanted to—this morning, we didn't, so I thought, before this whole thing gets crazy, maybe we could…"

He trails off, and Eddie doesn't know why—maybe, just maybe, it's because he saw something in Eddie's face, then, something that gave him pause, because Eddie is seeing something on Buck's face right now too, something strange, something intense. Something warm, or maybe hot, and Eddie thinks—well, he thinks, oh. 

The bell rings.

Written for the @911countdowntochristmas - this was supposed to be 24 drabbles but the Buddie NDE speculation going around pre 8x08 inspired me and now it’s a 24-mini-chaptered fic instead. And definitely more hurt/comfort than fluff. Oops.

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[ao3feed-landoscar]

You Hold Me After Too Lysl456

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/jE93qCL by Lysl456 Imagine being an F1 DRIVER, who is a BETA, and has an ALPHA girlfriend in pre-rut who planned to spend it with YOU, but then your ALPHA teammate slash situationship slash friend with benefits is in a stress rut,.so now they both are FIGHTING for your ass (literally) and you just end up being DOUBLE KNOTTED. Yeah happpend to my buddy Oscar Piastri. (with picture proof) Words: 6041, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Series: Part 8 of LYSLSSTUFF NSFW artwork Fandoms: Formula 1 RPF Rating: Explicit Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: F/M, M/M, Multi Characters: Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, Lily Zneimer Relationships: Lando Norris/Oscar Piastri/Lily Zneimer, Lando Norris/Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris/Lily Zneimer, Oscar Piastri/Lily Zneimer Additional Tags: Smut, Porn With Plot, Threesome - F/M/M, Omega Verse, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha Lando Norris, Beta Oscar Piastri, Alpha Lily Zneimer, Double Penetration, Double Penetration in Two Holes, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Pathetic Lando Norris, Top Lando Norris, Top Lily Zneimer, Bottom Oscar Piastri, Trans Oscar Piastri, Trans Character, Trans Male Character, Knotting, in double, kinda rancid at the begining, NSFW Art, Digital Art, Coming Untouched, Friends With Benefits read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/jE93qCL

[schrijverr]

But Papiiii, Please. I’ll Eat my Veggies, I Promise

Diverges from chapter 9, where Bobby finds out by running into Buck in the grocery store while he is out shopping with Chris and Eddie.

On ao3.

Ships: buddie (pre-slash)

Warnings: addiction mention, grief

~~~

Bobby has been living to die for a very long time. Hen and Buck being there with he relapsed by nearly losing Chimney and the aftermath of that horrible plane crash, has made him revaluate everything again. Questions like what will happen to the people he’ll leave behind are now haunting him, alongside the realization that he has people that care about him again, no matter how hard he tried to keep his distance.

So, here he is, doing groceries for himself for the first time in a while. He has always continued to cook at the firehouse, but that was for the sake of the firefighters under his command, when it came time to take care of himself, he had slacked off. However, today that is changing.

He’s shopping closer to home, so he doesn’t know the grocery store very well, but he has time to leisurely stroll around and figure out the layout.

As he pushes his shopping cart through the center aisle, he suddenly spots Buck leaning on his cart, the front of it disappearing into the candy isle. There is a set of crutches that look to be a child’s size and Buck is leaning on the handle, amused look on his face as he talks to someone in the aisle.

Curious, Bobby drifts closer, planning to say hi and able to admit he wants to know who Buck could be talking to. He never mentioned babysitting anyone, nor any nieces or nephews in the area. In fact, now that Bobby considers it, Buck hasn’t mentioned a lot about his life outside the firehouse, except his hook ups.

The realization gives him pause and makes him more anxious to figure out who Buck is with now. He doesn’t like that he doesn’t know as much about Buck as he thought… mostly because he knows why he himself didn’t share much with the others.

Approaching Buck, he can now see the kid sitting in the shopping cart. It’s a young boy, around seven, he thinks, with thick glasses under soft curls. He is holding a bag of candy and giving Buck pleading eyes, which makes Bobby snort softly to himself, because he’s seen Buck make that exact expression when they go grocery shopping.

That thought quickly becomes less amusing and more like a gut punch, when the boy whines: “But papiiii, please. I’ll eat my veggies, I promise.”

“Hm, will you now,” Buck chuckles. “I don’t know, Chris. We’ll have a lot of sweets in the house with your birthday, how about we pick a snack that will actually help when you feel hungry, instead of just being nice to eat?”

“But daddy likes this one,” Chris says, a last defense thrown out in the hopes of keeping his prize.

Bobby just stands there frozen a few feet away from them as Buck playfully thinks. He cannot entirely process what he is watching. What it means.

Here Buck is with a child that calls him papi, while mentioning a ‘daddy,’ a clear co-parent, in whatever capacity it might be. It’s a small window into Buck’s life. A window Bobby would have never thought to seek out. A whole life that Buck has kept hidden for the months he’s been working at the 118 with all of them.

He doesn’t know how to feel about any of it. Whether he can be upset about Buck hiding it, or if that would be hypocritical. If any of them made Buck uncomfortable in any way that kept him from sharing this with them. Or if he should be glad Buck has people. If he should have an opinion about the sexual interactions Buck has had, or if he is co-parenting in a non-committed capacity.

It all just blurs together as he watches Buck shake his head and go: “Sorry, bud, but you gotta put those back.”

Chris pouts, but goes to do as instructed. However, at that point a Latino man comes walking up to them, an assortment of herbs in his hands that he drops in the cart, before he spots the sweets Chris is still holding. “Oh, I love those,” he comments as he takes them from Chris, taking a closer look at them as he does. “Little extra sweets can’t hurt,” he smiles, dropping the sweets in the cart as well.

“Eddie,” Buck sighs. “Think of his teeth. They’re going to rot and you know the dentist can be a real nightmare. He already has your sweet tooth, no need to encourage it.”

“He still has baby teeth, he’ll be fine,” Eddie rolls his eyes. “Besides, not everyone shares your dislike for the dentist, Buck. You’ll brush your teeth and won’t complain when we have to go to the dentist, will you, mijo?”

“I won’t complain, I promise,” Chris says quickly and eagerly, seizing the opportunity to get his prize anyway.

“Fine,” Buck gives in, shaking his head, though it’s fond. “But you’re taking him to the dentist when he inevitably gets cavities. And we’re getting filling snacks too. He can’t live off sweets between school and dinner.”

It’s such a domestic scene. Bobby remembers having those exact conversations with Marcy about Brooke or Junior. Seeing Buck have that with a family that appears to be his own, leaves him even more adrift than he’d already been.

The wave of grief that hits him at the memory is not unfamiliar to him, however, it overtakes him regardless and he finds himself wanting to leave. He can deal with the grocery store and facing other people tomorrow.

However, Bobby has never been so lucky.

Right as he about to turn around and make his retreat, Buck moves, eyes locking with Bobby’s. The smile that had still been on his face freezes and his eyes go wide. He looks over to Eddie and Chris, then at Bobby, clearly caught, but of what Bobby doesn’t know, though he doesn’t like any of the many options there are.

“Bobby!” Buck greets, his voice a little higher pitched than it normally is as both his companions turn to look at Bobby as well. “I didn’t know you shop here.”

“Buck,” Bobby replies, lips numb. “Hi. Uhm, I don’t. First time.”

“Oh,” Buck says, nodding dumbly for a bit, before he blinks back into himself and his grin becomes real again: “This is Bobby, my Captain at the firehouse.”

Recognition appears in Eddie’s eyes, where before he’d been giving Buck a confused look. Bobby braces himself for what is coming as Eddie sticks out his hand for him to shake. “Hi, Captain, I’m Eddie, Buck’s husband. This is Chris.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Bobby replies, chancing a glance over to Buck. Buck is not looking at him, staring at Eddie with an expression on his face that is a mix between confusion, shock and an almost awed like fragileness.

Bobby doesn’t know what to make of any of it, especially not when Chris also pipes up: “It’s nice to meet you, Mister.”

“Uh, just Bobby is fine,” he manages to get out. Eddie is now looking at him a bit strangely, which is fair enough, Bobby can’t imagine he is hiding his feelings very well. To not look like too much of a weirdo, he clears his throat and directs himself to Buck and says: “I didn’t know you were married.”

He can’t help but be caught up on that detail. The husband of it all. It’s not the fact that he is married to a man, Bobby is more than fine with that, he just can’t get over the fact he’s watched Buck cheat on his husband multiple times. Hell, he fired him over it.

Now Bobby will never claim he was a perfect husband, but he loved Marcy, he loved the family he had with her. He wasted so much of the time he could have had with them, got them killed by running away from them, cutting that time even shorter. And here Buck is, throwing away the time he has with his family too. Bobby doesn’t fully understand why the fact that Buck is making his mistakes makes him so angry, but it does.

Buck flounders for a moment at Bobby’s comment and Bobby can feel a slight righteous satisfaction at that. He knows the power of a wake up call and Buck needs one. He can’t believe that there was all this behind the person Bobby believed to be a good kid.

“Oh, yeah, uh, I guess that’s true in a way,” Eddie is the one that speaks, sounding apologetic and embarrassed at the same time, throwing Bobby’s emotions off more.

“It’s a long story, not really something to get into, you know.” Buck jumps in, seeming relieved that Eddie spoke up. “What are you making?” He nods to Bobby’s cart.

Bobby is even more confused now, unsure what that even means and where that leaves him. He numbly holds an inane conversation about cooking with Buck and his family in the middle of a grocery store, before saying an awkward goodbye and leaving the store with half the necessary ingredients missing.

He drives home without fully being present, packing away his groceries, before walking to the Church he likes to go to mass at and where he gathers his thoughts. There he sits in the pews, looking up at Jesus and thinks.

After these past few months, he likes to think he has gotten to know Buck. Buck is a good kid, a little reckless and immature from time to time, but learning to be better and kind when it counts. He’s been a great addition to the firehouse and vital in Bobby’s life, especially these past few weeks. Beyond that, Buck is someone, who is honest to a fault, making himself guilty of oversharing on many occasions.

None of that fits with a family that he’d kept hidden for his entire time there. While their marriage might not be… real? Buck had never mentioned even having something resembling a husband, or a child for that matter. Chris was very much real, that much Bobby was certain off.

Of course he considers the possibility that Buck didn’t feel comfortable being out, which would have been his right. However, Bobby prides himself on the accepting house he runs and he likes to think that Buck knows that he’d be safe there.

So why?

In the end, that is the question that haunts him now. What reason does Buck have for not saying anything about his family? What reason does he have for sleeping around so much, even if he ceased that behavior now? What reason does he have for keeping these two parts so separate?

Even at the height of his addiction, Bobby’s firehouse knew of the family he returned home to at the end of his shift. The part he’d kept hidden from both sides had been the substances, the hits he’d take to get through the day. What is the thing that Buck is hiding? What long story is there that he didn’t want to get into? And will he tell Bobby later?

The anger he’d felt at Buck throwing away time with his family has diminished since that first surge at the store. Bobby still feels an ugly jealousy, but he can hear Wendall’s voice rightfully pointing out that his own loss is not Buck’s fault.

Furthermore, being in the Church has reminded him that only God can pass judgment and that the Bible teaches to be compassionate. Bobby should not judge Buck for an incomplete story, but try and guide him onto the right path.

So, instead of being angry with him or feeling jealous, Bobby worries. He worries that even if it’s not a real marriage, Buck is driving his family into the ground with the secrets he keeps. Worries about what kind of secrets there are in the first place.

When Bobby was keeping secrets, it destroyed not only him, but everything around him. No matter what is going on with Buck, Bobby needs to know what is happening with him. He promises himself to pull Buck aside next shift and get to the bottom of it. Buck is allowed to keep his life private should he want, but Bobby wants an explanation, just for his own peace of mind.

With that settled for himself, he says a prayer of gratitude to God for guiding his thoughts on this matter and not letting him stray into anger, before leaving the Church and coming home to his incomplete groceries.

He does the best he can with dinner and tries to hold on to the peace the Church granted him, before going to sleep and getting ready for his shift the next day.

Buck is already there when he comes in, anxiously buzzing around the locker room, jumping up when he sees Bobby come in and scurrying over to him. He falls into step next to Bobby and aiming for casual, but missing by a mile, he goes: “Hey, Bobby. Uhm, good day off? Make that lasagna?”

Bobby gives him an amused look, unable to help himself. He is fond of Buck, probably always will be, and the way he is trying to play this off is kind of funny. The same goes for the face he makes when he realizes that Bobby has lead him to his office and is now holding open the door and gesturing for him to go in.

While Bobby takes a seat at his desk, Buck flutters around nervously, picking up a few of the bits and bops that are lying around and fiddling with them. After a moment of watching him, Bobby kindly asks: “What’s on your mind?”

“Me?” Buck asks, like he’s surprised Bobby is talking to him. “I’m fine. Great, really.”

“Yeah, everything good at home?” Bobby replies, pointedly addressing the elephant in the room.

Buck falters for a moment, then smiles. It’s a genuine smile, as much as Bobby knows Buck can keep secrets, he knows Buck well enough to know that smile is not a lie. “Yeah, no, home’s great. It’s, uh, it’s been real good.” Then his face kind of falls and he softly repeats: “Real good.”

Okay, now Bobby is more worried. He gives Buck another look and checks: “Is it?”

“Hm?” Buck blinks back to wherever he’d gone and smiles again, this time a little more forced. “Yeah, things are good. I know I said it was a long story, but nothing bad, I promise. Me and Eddie are married as friends to make the whole co-parenting thing easier. I- I’m sorry I didn’t mention it before.”

“Can I ask why?”

Again Buck hesitates, quickly going through all his options, before he nods: “Course, just silly really. I- uh, I didn’t want to make things weird. You know. With the whole sleeping with people thing and- and, uh, yeah. That.”

It’s a fair enough answer, but Buck is still an open book in many ways and he is obviously not being completely honest right now. Leveling him a more stern, yet paternal look, Bobby says: “Buck, I can tell something is going on. Talk to me.”

With his words, it seems like Buck’s strings get cut and he sighs: “Eddie is going to divorce me. We always said we would once he was back from his tour and now he is and when he’s recovered he won’t need me anymore.” Buck is making an attempt to smile, but it’s just a sad and resigned sight, tears bubbling up in his eyes. His voice cracks when he says: “I’m gonna lose the only family I got and there is nothing I can do.”

An aching sympathy floods through Bobby at the words, at the pain that is palpable in them. If there is one thing Bobby knows, it’s losing family and it hurts worse than anything else. Having his own be gone in a flash was horrible, yet so was watching Marcy fade in the hospital, knowing she was there, but that losing her too would be inevitable. Knowing that Buck has been carrying that for God knows how long… Bobby doesn’t know how he did it. “Oh, Buck…”

“I’m fine,” Buck says, failing to be convincing as he wipes his eyes.

“It’s okay if you’re not,” Bobby says, getting up and offering comfort. He himself has just learned that lesson and he wishes nothing more than the relief for Buck.

The offer was seemingly all Buck needed, because the moment it is given, he falls forward and hugs Bobby close, burying his face in Bobby’s neck and shaking apart. Buck has always been an easy crier, which is probably healthy of him, but Bobby can’t bear to see him cry anytime it happens.

Despite being rusty in the paternal comfort department, he holds Buck tightly and tries to soothe him best he can. There is no cure for this hurt, but carrying it together makes it easier.

“I’m gonna lose them, both of them,” Buck whispers between the tears. “I’m gonna lose my son and the man I love and I- I can’t stop it and I can’t tell him, because what if he hates me for it? What if I fuck it up and I could have had it longer if only I’d just kept my mouth shut?”

That’s a whole new layer of complicated, Bobby thinks to himself, and one Bobby has never had to struggle with. He wishes Hen were here right now. She’d know what to say.

However, Hen isn’t there, so Bobby clumsily tries his best. “If he could hate you for that, he was never worth it, Buck. But don’t sell him short out of fear either. Has he ever told you he would, even indicated he would? He didn’t seem to mind being your husband when I met him yesterday.”

Buck sniffles again, but seems to listen to his words. Bobby still isn’t sure if it’s the right thing to say, heart thundering as he waits for Buck’s reply. In the end, there is a small, muffled: “Maybe,” which is more than Bobby hoped for.

“You don’t have to decide anything right now,” he tells him, rubbing his back and suddenly feeling like it’s just a few years ago and he’s comforting Junior after a bad day. His heart aches more at the thought, but it’s also nostalgic in a nice way.

“Sorry for being weepy all over you, Cap,” Buck says, moving back and wiping his eyes again, but there is a small shy smile on his face when he does.

“It’s alright, Buck. My door is always open to you,” Bobby says. “You have family here. Don’t forget that, okay?”

Buck looks at him with big hopeful eyes and despite all his earlier feelings and the massive blank spaces that are still left, Bobby can’t help but be proud of this kid in front of him. And he can’t help how his heart does a funny little twist when Buck says: “Thanks, pops.”

Bobby didn’t think he’d get that feeling again, but here he is. Rebuilding something he thought had been lost forever; his life. “Don’t mention it, kid,” he replies, not having anything else to say. “Here, why don’t I make us some hot chocolate and you tell me more about your kid. We’ll figure this out together.”

“I’d like that,” Buck agrees softly, smile on his face again. Having this connection here feels like more of a win than going to the grocery store ever could.

~~

A/N:

This idea was mentioned to me by my friend, @followerofanhamirak, and it was so fun! So here I am writing it, thank you for giving me the idea! I love this, since literally a random chance encounter could have set them on a whole other course

Idk why, but I’ve been writing softer, less dramatic reveals recently, which will probably change when the ideas aren’t compatible with that anymore, but I think it’s fun, what do y’all think?

Also as a non religious person, writing Bobby is interesting, because I know nothing and I feel like it is a big and important piece of his character that is a part of his thinking, so I do want to incorporate it, but it does have me googling questions I feel like I should know the answer to, but I don’t, such as ‘does god judge? Christianity’ lmao