#the tour of harbor station

[cjlouwho]

there's literally nothing to back this up but it's canon (to me) that tommy loves turning on the radio and singing to buck, loudly and dramatically. this is not some sweet, precious, romantic thing he does. in fact, it usually makes buck laugh so hard he nearly pisses himself. nothing's off limits. songs include: baby, baby by amy grant, yeah by usher, candyman by christina aguilera, i'm gonna getcha good by shania twain (literally anything by shania twain), and most recently he did a beautiful rendition of sexyback by justin timberlake. when buck doubled over as tommy tried and failed to sexily rid himself of his shirt, tommy did in fact inform him that this was going to ruin the tour.

[peppermintquartz]

Canon divergence in that Buck does call Tommy the next time he's free, asking to go up in a chopper (instead of the harebrained scheme of going to the BBPU game)

+-

"And that's my favorite view," says Tommy, angling the helicopter to face the Pacific. It's late in the morning so sunlight glitters on the water like diamonds scattered on blue silk.

Buck shields his eyes with his hands. "It's beautiful!" he exclaims, almost giddy with delight at the panorama.

"It is. And at night, I like to look the other way, at the city spread out before me." Tommy's aviator sunglasses hide his eyes but his big smile is on full display.

Buck can't help the shiver in his belly every time he looks at Tommy. It's clear the air is his element. Already Buck knows that Tommy is very competent - they wouldn't have pulled off the rescue otherwise - but here, without anything to distract them, Buck sees how the chopper is an extension of Tommy himself. A deft touch, a slight adjustment, and the vehicle moves smoothly for Tommy to point out different landmarks from the sky.

By the time they land, Buck's spirits are still soaring. He's spent forty minutes flying with Tommy, who not only talked about the mechanics of flying, but also answered almost all of Buck's questions without ever sounding bored. In fact, he seems happy that Buck has done some research before he came for the ride.

"Okay, now I really need to buy you that beer, and also a meal." Buck wants to bounce on his heels. He feels lighter than air, like he's just a balloon full of happy emotions.

Tommy grins, shrugging as he tucks his aviators into a pocket. "I'm free for the rest of the day," he says. Ducking his head, he adds, "Didn't feel too good leaving you alone the other day to go watch the fight, but I didn't think we'd take two hours to tour Harbor Station either."

Buck's cheeks flush. He remembers being irrationally angry when Eddie and Tommy flew off, and he did go home to pummel his pillow a little before sulking. But he's done the mature thing, which is ask Tommy for a flight demo, instead of something insane like figure out what other activities he would be doing or events he would attend and try to show up there like a toy surprise.

"Well, that was because I wanted to find out so much, and it's really your fault, because you answered everything in detail." Buck falls in step with the older man as they head to Tommy's car. "You have to be accountable for your mistakes."

Tommy laughs. Buck feels tingly and proud that he's made that happen. Daringly, he nudges Tommy's elbow with his.

"So, what would you like for lunch?" Buck asks. "My treat, as thanks for the flight."

"Sure," says Tommy with an easy smile. As they approach the car, Tommy halts.

Buck stops as well, a little concerned. "Everything okay?"

Tilting his head, Tommy studies Buck, and then his expression grows a little more nervous and serious. "I... I don't wanna presume anything, and I want you to know that, regardless of anything I'm about to say, I wanna be your friend."

Buck blinks at the older man. "Okay, um. What's this about?"

"Evan, before we go to lunch, I kinda wanna know what's going on here? I mean..." Tommy licks his lips, and Buck's gaze snaps to Tommy's mouth. "You're adorable and you're funny and, well. You're a gorgeous guy. I'm not... I'm not really sure why you wanna spend time with me. And I don't wanna get my hopes up if this is just me reading the signs wrongly."

"Uh, signs?"

Tommy's face falls. He glances away, wiping his hand over his mouth, and licks his lips again. "Shit. I've read you wrong."

Buck reaches out to touch Tommy's wrist. "Tommy, I'm not sure what you're saying."

Tommy looks back at Buck, blue eyes taking in the younger man's expression, and sighs. He flips his hand over to hold the tips of Buck's fingers.

"Hell. Might as well lay my cards out," he mutters, mostly to himself, and then looks - really looks - at Buck. "Evan, I'm gay. And these couple times we've met up, I really, really like how we click. I like your energy, and how earnest and open you are. And it doesn't hurt that you are one of the most attractive men I've ever met, and I really like spending time with you, and I'm hoping... I'm hoping I can ask you out for a date and maybe we can... find out if we could. If we could be more than friends."

There's an anxious cast to his features. Buck can see Tommy's jaw clench and the nervous swallow, and a part of Buck's mind is screaming static. Another part of him is frantically stammering, "I'm just an ally!!" But thankfully that part of him has no control of his mouth, because he instead steps closer to Tommy and-

Oh. Oh.

So that's how it feels to kiss a guy.

He pulls back slightly, but is stopped by the touch of fingers under his chin, and Tommy draws him back for a second kiss, his head angled, and-

Wow. Wow, okay. They're near the airfield in the parking lot and the breeze is cool and the sun is shining nice and warm and they are kissing, Buck is kissing Tommy and this feels right.

When they finally separate, possibly two centuries later, Buck blinks at Tommy. His face feels hot and his skin is tingling. With a small, happy grin, he says, "I would say yes to the date, if that helps."

Tommy chuckles. He licks his lips again and Buck forces himself to look away from those lips. "Okay. I'd like to ask you out on a date on Saturday night, if you're free."

"I... I'm free." Buck's grin grows brighter. He tilts his head. "Lunch, now?"

[louisferrignojr]

since the show is coming back tomorrow (!!!) and people seem to be a little bit confused about Tommy Kinard's canon character traits, as extrapolated from the source material, let's review, shall we?

Tommy put everything on the line, risked his job, not to mention entire life, by agreeing to fly Hen and Chimney and two more guys he's never even met before through a hurricane to maybe find (the wreckage of) a cruise ship that his old captain was on. He did it because Chimney called him and asked for a favour (also seen in 2x14, Broken) and because he trusts Hen's instincts (evidenced in 2x09, Hen Begins)

Tommy lied through his teeth to his co-worker when he stepped in to save Hen's unsuccessful bullshitting and made fake mouth static at the fire chief pretending the connection is bad before disconnecting the call. If there was nothing wrong with the cruise ship, he would have been fired, or at the very least suspended.

okay, what do we know so far? Tommy is loyal to his friends even if they haven't talked in years, he is dependable and will come through in a crisis.

we also know Tommy is a very skilled and competent pilot (given he's able to operate both the plane in 2x14 and helicopter in 7x03) and he flew said helicopter through a hurricane, landed it on the belly of a capsized ship, rescued the survivors, and flew everyone back to safety. and given the extremely dangerous conditions of the rogue rescue mission, I'd say he's also brave and/or a little bit reckless; when the situation calls for it, at least.

he's also super cool, an opinion shared by multiple characters (Buck, Christopher, and Chimney).

that being said, let's move on to 7x04

Tommy agreed to give Buck a tour of Harbor station, meaning he had to go to work on his day off, and then offered him flying lessons. So he's either super nice or he's interested in the cute guy (i think it's a little bit of both)

Tommy invited Eddie, a guy he barely knows, to a sold out big reunification bout, with ringside tickets that he got from the organiser, who he's apparently friends with, and flew them in a chopper! He's just a super nice dude.

Tommy offered to drive Eddie to the hospital, and talked about The Incident with him, because when he gets to Buck's loft, he says "he [Eddie] feels bad, in fact we both do" and honestly, he had no obligation to do any of that. He could have let Buck drive Eddie since he offered and wiped his hands clean of that mess. But he's a caring and considerate person, further evidenced by the fact that...

Tommy went to Buck's loft before he had to go to work, to talk to him in person and clear the air, saying he didn't want to do it on the phone or in a text. Tommy starts by apologising and stating very clearly that he never meant to come between Buck and Eddie and that neither of them meant to exclude Buck. He also easily reciprocated Buck's vulnerability. I think the loft scene alone does a great job at showing us that Tommy doesn't shy away from confrontation or a difficult conversation, is emotionally mature, values open and honest conversation, and owns up to his flaws and insecurities. (Yeah, I'm trying to be concise. There's meta upon meta about the goddamn loft scene)

He's also a little bit insane because why does hearing that the cute guy maimed his best friend make you want to kiss him. Tommy Kinard will see a red flag and pretend to be colourblind. (-> for tumblr purposes this is a joke)

anyway, moving on, Saturday rolls around...

Tommy noticed that Buck was a little tense, reassured him that no one's looking at them, and sympathised with him. He doesn't judge Buck, like, at all. I don't need to list all the ways Buck made an absolute fool of himself on their very first date. He also paid for the dinner.

Tommy cut the date short (abruptly, because this is a drama show) but before he left, he told Buck he's adorable, but not ready - and this is right after Buck forcefully shoved him back in the closet in front of their mutual friend, and especially after Tommy told him about his own difficult journey coming out of the closet.

Tommy showed up at the café, told Buck he has nothing to apologise for, and explained that he cut the date short because didn't want to pressure Buck.

Tommy asks Buck if he's absolutely sure, about Tommy being his date at his sister's wedding. Then says okay.

more character traits for Tommy Kinard: generous, non-judgmental, sympathetic, patient, and once again, a little bit insane.

night of Chimney's bachelor party/day of Maddie and Chimney's wedding:

Tommy shows up to the bachelor party even though he's on call for work, you know, as a firefighter pilot, and he could have spent this time sleeping or resting in case he gets called... and he does, to a wildfire! Before he goes he promises Buck that he'll try his damndest to make it to the wedding.

Tommy shows up as promised, after spending at least half a day fighting a wildfire? In his turnouts, covered in soot, but he shows up as promised.

I think this shows he is selfless first and foremost because he made time to show up to the (failed) bachelor party and he is honest and keeps his promises. Even if that means bringing a biohazard (himself) to a place full of vulnerable sick people (the hospital). Because, as previously established, he's a little bit insane.

these are the core Tommy episodes of season 7.

as for 7x09 and 7x10:

Tommy tenses up when confronted with his old captain Gerrard - who then subtly throws a slur at his face

Tommy is quick with the sass and will not indulge in his nosey friends' inquisitive questions

Tommy notices Buck's mood and checks in with him - he's caring and attentive

Tommy once again does not hesitate to admit to feeling jealous

Tommy doesn't really talk to his dad

Tommy likens his dad to captain Gerrard

Tommy admits that having Gerrard as his captain did not make him a better person (and okay, sidenote to talk about something that annoys me about this, because Tommy had different captains, including Bobby, while at the 118, and I think s7 canon seriously overestimated how long he worked under Gerrard, but let's say Gerrard was his first captain as a probie and influenced him to a certain extent)

some odd tidbits ~

Tommy has a sarcastic, deadpan sense of humour

Tommy is a goddamn flirt and unbelievably smooth

Tommy came out after he transferred from the 118 to the 217/Harbor Station

Tommy used to be a pilot in the army

Tommy flies for fun on his days off

Tommy plays basketball every other Thursday with Eddie and other first responders

Tommy knows muay thai

Tommy has a car lift and knows his way around an engine

Tommy likes watching half-naked pummel each other

Tommy likes karaoke trivia

Tommy likes craft beer, monster trucks, and the movie 'Love, Actually' (provided canon doesn't forget about this and/or retcons it for some reason)

[thatmexisaurusrex]

"What tour?" "The Harbor Station tour."

[newtkelly]

you want to check out harbor station? no problem, tommy will give you the tour. you interested in learning to fly? in learning muay thai? sure, tommy will teach you.

you need a date to your sister’s wedding? tommy will show up straight from his shift and he’ll let you grab his neck and his waist and he’ll especially let you kiss him senseless.

you’re throwing a birthday party for your estranged son? tommy will blow up the balloons. he’ll hold the tray of cupcakes.

your shoulder’s dislocated? tommy will change out your ice pack and fluff your pillow and whisper “how’s that?” and keep you company and serve you breakfast and he’ll kiss you even when you wake up with boils all over your face. he’ll go with you to the cowboy funeral you throw, and you know what—he’ll even lift the curse.

[a-deep-ocean-of-secrets]

Home Is Where I Want to Be (But I Guess I'm Already There)

Summary:

The thing is, Buck didn't mean to move in with Tommy.

Read below or on AO3 (3.8k words)

The thing is, Buck didn't mean to move in with Tommy.

Those first few giddy weeks and months (like bubbly champagne buzzing through his veins every time he saw Tommy’s smile, kissed Tommy’s full lips, found himself tangled in Tommy’s bed sheets) of staying over in his boyfriend's cozy, Venice bungalow have him living almost exclusively out of his trusty duffle bag. Which isn't a big deal. He's used to lugging that ratty thing back and forth from the firehouse to his apartment. 

Can it be annoying sometimes? Sure. His clothes are constantly wrinkled (which majorly sucks when he's trying to dress to impress on date nights) and he's always forgetting or running out of one toiletry or another. If it’s not his deodorant then it’s his mouthwash. If it’s not his aftershave then it’s his moisturizer. Minor inconveniences, really, but worth it every time to wake up in Tommy's king-sized bed with Tommy's strong arms wrapped around him and Tommy's hot breath on the back of his neck.  

It doesn't take long for that to change. Like a seed beginning to take root, Tommy, as he’s done since the very beginning, makes room for Buck in his life. Just as he opened his helicopter to Buck and his friends and flew them headfirst into a raging hurricane on nothing more than an outlandish hunch. The same way he took time out of his busy schedule to grant Buck a private tour of Harbor Station and answered all his jumbled questions as Buck nipped at his heels like an overeager golden retriever, tail wagging a mile a minute, wanting nothing more than to be closerclosercloser to the cool guy with a megawatt grin, who called him ‘Evan’ and had his heart skipping a beat even if he couldn’t identify the why of it all at the time.  

So it’s not a surprise at all when he carves out precious space in his closet and lets Buck's colorful and patterned button-ups and polos blend in with Tommy's neutral henleys and shackets. They’re two big guys with a penchant for working out, so their wide array of tank tops, sweatpants, and basketball shorts become indistinguishable from each other. Their LAFD-issued shirts are so interwoven that they've given up trying to tell them apart and frequently go to work wearing the other's name branded on their backs, much to their coworkers’ loud and endless amusement. 

Buck’s grapefruit shampoo and citrus body wash relocate to the shower niche alongside Tommy's own sandalwood and frankincense-scented products. On the vanity, Buck's red toothbrush is a companion to Tommy's green one. 

All these minute modifications to Tommy’s home are simple and understandable ripple effects of Buck regularly spending a few nights a week there. 

The offshoots of that single seed deepen into winding vines without Buck even noticing. 

First, it's Buck's lucky set of boxing gloves hanging innocently alongside Tommy's Muay Thai gear in the garage. After a frustrating and tedious shift, he enjoys nothing more than a few vigorous rounds with Tommy’s punching bag. Then, Buck's large and varied assortment of books (ranging from biographies on famous figures such as Marie Curie to The Book of 10,000 Incredible Facts to the new YA fantasy series that is all the rage among Christopher and his friends) slowly but steadily find a home among Tommy's WWI & II aviation history collection on the shelves of the reclaimed redwood bookcase Tommy crafted by hand. 

His favorite cast iron skillet and Instant Pot take up permanent residence in Tommy's kitchen, alongside his garlic press and waffle maker. His 'Buck Off' coffee mug (a gag gift from the 118) is always ready to go for lavender and daffodil-colored mornings spent on Tommy's front porch overlooking the canal as kayaks and paddle boards drift by in the early morning light. The sinfully soft, ocean blue afghan Carla knitted for him during the pandemic is draped over the back of Tommy's unfairly comfortable sectional. Christopher’s US History textbook is lying open on the coffee table, left behind after a pizza and study session. The newest season of The Bachelor (the combined forces of Maddie, Chimney, and Josh got him hooked. What can he say? He loves love.) is TiVoed on Tommy's flatscreen TV. His Jeep has its own designated spot next to Tommy's ’71 Bronco. 

The roots of their budding relationship grow deeper and extend farther than the eye can see. 

Buck's most cherished brand of coffee is readily available in the kitchen cabinets. His all-time favorite blend just so happens to be named The Beast. A fun fact that never fails to stop him from leering at Tommy and waggling his eyebrows every time he brews a cup. His favorite cereal is stocked in the cupboards and his favorite yogurt is in the fridge. The same fridge that is currently plastered with Jee-Yun's vibrant crayon drawings alongside pictures of Tommy’s nieces and nephews in Chicago. A true collage of sparkly princesses and menacing dragons beside Polaroids of beaming faces on the sandy shore of Lake Michigan and sitting in the stands of Wrigley Field with messy hotdogs and giant foam fingers. 

Even food Tommy turns his perfect, aquiline nose up to but Buck loves (like quinoa and chirimoya) are now staples in his pantry. His most treasured cookbook, battered with stained, dog-eared pages with the margins filled in with his own corrections in his scratchy scrawl, holds a place of honor on Tommy's countertop on a wooden stand Tommy scrounged up at the local flea market. 

He has to rack his brain to remember the last time he spent a night at the loft. The last time he had been there, to pick up some clothes from his rapidly depleting wardrobe, it had looked even emptier and barer than usual with hardly any food in the fridge, the bed sheets stale and unloved, and a thin layer of dust on his kitchen island. The industrial, modern space had felt cold and clinical and nothing like a living, breathing home. 

It lacked the wooden floors Tommy had spent weeks refinishing as he lovingly sought out the perfect stain. It lacked the extra-long, extra-wide hammock hanging off Tommy’s back patio where Buck delighted in taking the occasional catnap on sunny afternoons. The loft hadn't inspired even a fraction of the warmth that Tommy's home did every time he walked through the door with the key Tommy had given him three months in, dangling from a helicopter keychain that made him grin like a dope whenever he pulled it free from his pocket. 

Buck doesn't realize any of these very important and essential truths until one morning when he nearly trips over his running shoe that was lying discarded by the front door. At the sound of his clumsy stumble, Baron, Tommy's five-year-old Shepkita ("That's not a word, Evan. He's an Akita Shepherd.”), raises his head from where he's lounging on his overstuffed dog bed, exhausted from their early morning run at the beach. 

At the sight of Buck being Buck, Baron lets out a jaw-cracking yawn and puts his head back down to resume his beauty sleep. Kicking the offending sneaker out of the way, Buck stops dead center in the living room, hands on his hips and wearing Tommy’s faded USC sweater that’s been worn soft from years of washings and smells tantalizingly of Tommy’s laundry detergent, and can't help but survey the terrain and take stock of how much of himself is residing in Tommy's space. He's visible in every nook and cranny. 

He has completely, and totally, infiltrated Tommy's home. 

The thought instantly fills him with indescribable joy that blossoms like radiant sunflowers inside his chest. For all of ten seconds. He then remembers the last time he unknowingly moved in with someone and the heartbreaking consequences of it.

Abby.  

She had been so terribly sad and broken in the wake of her mother's death. It had been as easy as breathing for Buck to step up, to prove himself, to try and do everything in his power to fix her with his love and devotion. So he stayed with her day and night, and his things had steadily trickled into her apartment. It had been easier back then to do, he had had so little to his name other than the Jeep and his clothes. And he can't lie, it was a relief to get out of that glorified frat house filled with Connor and the others. 

It had seemed natural to move in with Abby (even if she had been unaware of it). He thought they were building something special together, something made to last. He hadn't known at the time that while he saw a new beginning, she saw entrapment. For her, she would be trading one role of caretaker for another. Going from a sick mother to a young punk (at 26, he had still been a kid) who was stumbling like a newborn giraffe through his first serious relationship. Had she stayed, there would have been so much handholding on her part as he continued to figure out all the volatile nuances of life and commitment. And that hadn't been fair of him to ask that of her when she was so vulnerable, he understands that now with valuable time and distance. She had been so lost that the only thing she could do to find herself again was travel halfway across the world and leave him behind in the process. 

He had lived (however briefly) with Abby. He was living with Tommy, even if he hadn't clocked it until just now. 

And he wants it, he realizes with a jolt not unlike the bolt of lightning that had struck him. He wants to live with Tommy. He wants to wake up with him every morning and come home to him every night (demanding schedules permitting, of course). He wants their high-energy workout sessions that always turn into a different kind of workout and their sunset strolls through the canals with an enthusiastic Baron (complete with goofy selfies in front of David Hasselhoff’s house from Baywatch). He wants their weekends at the Venice Farmers' Market. He wants their monthly meetings of the LGBTIQA+ book club that Hen and Karen started and that Tommy and Buck have hosted twice now inside this very house. 

He wants Tommy. Plain and simple. He always wants Tommy. Tommy, who has the world’s worst fake mouth static, but jokingly brags all the same about winning a medal for it. Tommy, who acts big and tough on the job and up in the air, but he never fails to shed a tear whenever they watch the climax of a romantic comedy. Tommy, who always has a heating pad and massage waiting on standby for rainy days when the pain in Buck’s bum leg flares up like relentless flames. 

Tommy, who has no idea that they're living together. 

An icy sliver of fear sluices down his back at the terrifying thought that once Tommy learns they're essentially playing house with each other he might turn tail and run away, just like Abby did. Or, perhaps, even worse, he won't run, but he won't want Buck here anymore either. He can already see it in crystal clear HD: Tommy's handsome face shuttering to stone as it does when he's uncomfortable but doesn’t want to show it. His blue eyes darting away and his lips thinning into a brittle line as he tells Buck that this is all moving far too fast, that maybe they should take a step back and put some space between them, and then Buck will be banished back to his sad, pathetic loft that doesn't have Tommy waiting for him in it. 

He cuts the catastrophizing off at the knees before it can spiral into something far more treacherous. Tommy, for all his flaws — he drinks orange juice straight from the carton like a Neanderthal and he doggedly believes that his directions are better than the GPS ("I spend most of my time in the air, Evan. I know all the shortcuts throughout Los Angeles County.") — isn't the kind of man who runs away from a fight when the going gets tough. He's the kind of man who digs his heels in and comes out swinging the next round. And he's been nothing but kind to Buck the entire time they've known each other. He enforces tough love when he deems fit, but it always comes from a place of kindness and gentleness. 

They love each other. And they live together. It's time Tommy knows it. 

So, screwing his courage to the sticking place (Jee-Yun loves Beauty and the Beast), Buck shuffles his way into the kitchen where his boyfriend is manning the stove and making their breakfast. In the oven, a frittata bakes away in Buck’s cast iron skillet and on the stovetop, turkey bacon sizzles as it fries. Tommy, hair curly and wet from his earlier shower, flips crispy pieces while humming along to The National playing softly in the background on the radio. 

God, Buck adores this man with everything in him. 

Tommy catches him out of the corner of his eye hovering there like a massive dweeb and flashes a dazzling smile his way. 

“Hey, babe. What was that noise I heard?” 

He can feel an embarrassed blush rapidly bloom across his cheeks until his face is as pink and splotchy as his birthmark. “Oh. That was just me. I, uh, tripped over my running shoe,” he lamely explains. 

“They can be quite the menace,” Tommy says with his usual brand of wry humor. He chuckles quietly to himself as he turns his attention back to the mouthwatering bacon. For a tempting moment, Buck just wants to forget the stunning revelation he’s had and instead stay in this blissful, domestic bubble that seems to exist whenever the two of them are alone together. It doesn’t matter where they are or what they’re doing, there’s just an undeniable ease to the two of them existing in the same space, breathing the same air, hearts beating in tandem. 

But, alas, he’s a man on a mission. 

Reaching up and rubbing awkwardly at the back of his neck, Buck thinks through his options. He’s come to learn, through many a messy trial and error, that honestly truly is the best policy. The last time he had so thoroughly ignored the elephant in the room was when he had asked Taylor to move in with him for all the wrong reasons. 

That had been a train wreck of epic proportions, even for him. He had well and truly bucked that situation up beyond repair. 

But that was then and this was now. And the only things Tommy and Taylor had in common were their initials and their partiality to cruising around LA in helicopters. His feelings for them were night and day as well. He had loved Taylor, but by the exhausting end of their relationship, he hadn’t genuinely liked her anymore as a person. They were too different, their morals too misaligned to exist harmoniously together. It isn’t like that with Tommy. He both loves and likes practically everything about his fellow firefighter, even the traits and bad habits that annoy the ever-living shit out of him. 

“So, hey, I, uh, kinda just realized something…pretty important.” 

Smooth start. And to think, before he met Tommy he had honestly had game. But something about the self-assured pilot, from the moment they met on the tarmac at Harbor and he introduced himself as Evan instead of his standard Buck, had him tripping over his tongue in both the best and worst ways. His foot-in-mouth syndrome had ruined their first date and nearly all chances he had had with Tommy, but it was that same unfiltered nature of his that had Tommy granting him another shot and scoring him as his plus one to Maddie and Chimney’s wedding that never was. 

Which reminds him: he owes Tommy a dance. He files that tidbit into his mental to-do list for another day. 

Tommy looks at him with a quizzical raise of his brow as he lazily twirls the spatula in his hand. “What? Found some more facts about that jellyfish? What’s it called? The spotted—“

“Chriodectes maculatus,” Buck corrects automatically. “Or more commonly known as the spotted box jellyfish. Only the rarest jellyfish in the world, I might add.” 

The corner of Tommy’s lush lips curl up into a fond half-smile. “Yeah, that’s the one. I thought you exhausted all knowledge on it last night when we watched that documentary.” 

“In the words of Chinese philosopher Zhuang Zhou, ‘Life is finite, while knowledge is infinite.’ So, no, I’ll never know enough about jellyfish, rare or otherwise, to exhaust myself, Thomas.” 

Tommy mouths ‘Thomas’ to himself and looks to be gearing up a quippy retort of his own when Buck realizes with tightening dread that he’s on the road to derailing this potentially monumental conversation with talk of jellyfish, of all things. Honestly, he can’t even believe himself half the time. 

Time to pivot. 

“Forget about the jellyfish. They’re not important right now.” 

Swiveling his broad-shouldered body, Tommy gives him his full attention as his eagle-eyed gaze slowly sweeps over the entirety of Buck’s 6’2” frame. Buck, for his part, staunchly fights the urge to fidget as he knows it would give him away in an instant. There’s something almost surgical in the way that Tommy, without ever saying a word, can expertly peel back all the layers of bone and marrow of Buck’s psyche down to his bleeding center where his festering insecurities and crippling self-doubt reside. 

If it were anyone else it’d feel violently invasive. But Tommy has only ever treated these undesirable parts of him with the tenderest of care, delicately stitching up invisible wounds Buck hadn’t even known existed until the moment Tommy kissed him in his kitchen and completely shook the bedrock of all his pre-conceived notions about himself. 

“Sounds serious,” he says after a moment of contemplative silence. The only sound in the kitchen is the hiss of the bacon roasting away on the stove. Through the window over the sink, a beam of sunlight shines in and bathes Tommy in its golden rays. 

Buck heavily exhales a breath out between his teeth. “It is. Or, it could be. Maybe. It really depends on how you look at it, I guess.” 

“Look at what?” Tommy asks, even-keeled as ever. It’d be infuriating if it wasn’t such a damn turn-on. 

It’s now or never. 

“Look at the fact that… We kinda, almost…sorta, seem to be living with each other?” 

Tommy freezes to the spot, his eyes going wide as he blinks, coming off as a perturbed owl for a moment before he schools his features back into his usual calm facade. He looks back down at the bacon and quickly flips some pieces before they can turn into a charred mess of meat. 

Composure regained, he asks, “Was that a question or a statement?” 

He’s always lightning-quick to toss the proverbial ball back into Buck’s court. Always willing to let him take the lead in their relationship and set the parameters and boundaries. Without fail, where Buck goes Tommy follows. It had been a sweet relief in the early days of their relationship when Buck was stumbling around blind, but nine months in and Buck needs Tommy on equal footing with him. It’s the only way forward. 

“It’s, uh, a statement.” Damn. That didn’t sound convincing at all. Closing his eyes and centering himself the way Dr. Copeland taught him, he slowly takes a deep breath, and then another, and then one more for good measure, opens his eyes, and looks Tommy square in the eye. “It’s a statement. We’re, for all intents and purposes, living together. And I want, no, I need to know what you think about…that.” 

Tommy’s gaze slides away and catches sight of Buck’s mug already topped off with his second cup of coffee for the day as swirling mist rises off of it. He sees Buck’s LAFD hoodie hanging off the back of one of the stools situated at the island. He spots Jee-Yun’s drawings on the fridge, giving the stainless steel appliance so much color and joy. He spies the Fokker Dr. I triplane chew toy Buck specialty ordered for Baron lying on the floor near the dining table. 

Tommy’s home hasn’t just been Tommy’s home in quite some time. 

He spots every single change that Buck has brought into his house with his very presence, and he gathers them to him like they’re the most precious of jewels. He turns to Buck and smiles at him. 

It nearly stops Buck’s heart for a moment. 

He loves all of Tommy’s smiles. He loves his smirk when he’s said something particularly snarky or deadpan. He loves the closed-mouth grin he does when Buck is batting his eyes and pouting and Tommy is steadfastly pretending he isn’t endeared by the silliness. He loves the smug curve of his lips when Tommy moves just right inside of him, hitting that elusive, perfect spot that has him seeing stars and clutching Tommy tighter to him until he can’t tell one limb from another. 

But this, this is his favorite Tommy smile by a far-flung mile. 

It is simply radiant. His smile is wide and open, with his straight, white teeth brilliantly on display. It stretches broadly across his rugged face, exposing his deep-set dimples on either side of his ample mouth. His nose adorably scrunches and his eyes are squinty with unbridled happiness. At the corners of his eyes, his crow’s feet spread like tiny estuaries spooling into the grooves of his tan skin. 

He looks boyish and carefree. And so very in love. 

All because of Buck. He was the cause of such boundless euphoria. No one has ever loved him the way Tommy unashamedly does. 

“What I think is,” Tommy says clearly and concisely, “I think we should make it official. What do you say, Evan? Will you move in with me?” 

Buck feels like he was socked in the gut, but only in the very best of ways. His breath is stolen from his body and he doesn’t even know if his feet are still on the ground or if he’s simply floated away with how incandescently lighthearted he feels at this very moment. 

“Y-You really mean that? You want to live together?” 

It never hurts to double-check. He does that every time with his faithful clipboard. It is truly the only way to be efficient. 

Tommy’s smile only widens further. “Evan. You’re my favorite person in the world. Of course, I want to live with you.” 

The sunflowers inside Buck’s chest come to full bloom. 

He and Tommy live together.

[kitweewoos]

Tommy has to have a house, right? Because it's mentioned that he has a car lift where they were working on Eddie's car.... So he has a house, which makes the "I'm working for the wrong station" comment about Buck's loft so funny, but I've been thinking about what Lou said about his backstory and how Tommy had an unstable childhood....

Of course, he bought a house. Probably dirt cheap, either from it being absolutely destroyed or because it was foreclosed on and auctioned by the bank.... But it's a blank slate that Tommy gets to put his mark on, a place where HE can put down his roots and build his own stability. That's why he has a car lift because that's something HE enjoys and can use.

The only thing that he can't put in the house himself is the family and the friends he's always longed for, but thankfully... Fate might just let him have it when Chimney enlists his help, when he bonds with Eddie Diaz, and when Evan Buckley calls and asks for a tour of Harbor.

[jaycetclis]

I Really Ducking Love You

this is just Bucktommy being cute with rubber ducks 🤗🦆

read it on ao3

When Tommy opens the center console of Evan's Jeep looking for their misplaced shopping list, he doesn't expect to find the compartment full of rubber ducks. He stares down at the toys, eyebrows scrunched as he studies them. They aren't just the plain yellow ones; there is a varying range of colors, glitters, occupations, and accessories. Tommy doesn't know how long he stands there staring, but it must have been too long because the driver's side door opens, and Evan pops his head in.

Tommy looks up at him.

"Babe, why do you have so many rubber ducks?"

Evan's face twists in confusion at the question for a second before it lights up with a smile as he laughs, leaning farther into the car to peer into the center console.

"It's something that started during the pandemic. You see a Jeep, you leave a duck. That sorta thing. I've seen these accounts on Tik Tok who have whole set ups in their trunks so they can make the ducks customized to the Jeeps they see. And some people even have these little stands on their mirrors so people have a better place to leave them instead of somewhere that they aren't going to be seen. The dedication people have to it is insane but I kind of admire them for it."

Tommy nods at the information as he reaches into the pile of ducks and pulls out the first one that catches his eye, a hot pink one with sunglasses.

"There must be alot of Jeep owners around because you have amassed quite the collection here." He gives the pink duck a squeeze and it makes Evan laugh before he reaches across the car and plucks the duck from his hand, setting it back with it friends.

"These aren't all from other people. I bought a variety bag so I didn't have to give away the ones I recieved. Those are tucked away safely at my apartment so they don't get mixed up."

Tommy hums in understanding as he reaches back into the center console and grabs the list he got distracted from before. Moving the notepad uncovers a duck he couldn't see before. An idea starts to form as he snaps the lid shut and plops the list into his boyfriend's waiting hand.

"Alright, I want a duck tour when we get home. Right now, we gotta get into that store before it gets too crowded or we are never getting out of here." Evan salutes and backs out of the driver's side as Tommy does the same on the passenger's side. They meet around the front of the car, and Evan grabs Tommy's hand with his free one, intertwining their fingers. Tommy's gives his hand a quick squeeze before he's being pulled along towards the carts as Evan starts rattling off what they need for dinner.

-- a few days later --

Tommy gets to set his plan into motion a few days after the 'Great Duck Discovery' when they go to the movies. After their showing ends and they're making their way towards to exit, Evan lets him know he's going to take a quick trip to the bathroom. Tommy nods, tells him to take his time and that he'll be out in the car waiting. Evan gives him a thumbs up and heads towards the restroom and Tommy is out of the theater's front doors before the bathroom door even closes.

When he gets to the Jeep, he moves around to the trunk to dig through his work bag where he stashed the duck he had ordered the night of their trip to the grocery store. It's a little pilot duck that had arrived the day before their date tonight. Tommy had spent his entire afternoon off transforming the little duck into exactly what he had had in mind. He had painted it's flight suit a darker blue to match the one he wears at work. With the thinnest sharpie he owned Tommy had carefully written his last name on the front as a mirror of his nametag. He had even made an attempted at the Harbor station patch. Tommy shuts the trunk and moves around to the passenger's side. carefully placing the duck on the door handle before hopping into the driver's seat. He pulls out his phone and pretends to be occupied with it while he waits.

A couple of minutes pass before the crunch of gravel under foot draws his attention. He doesn't look up from his phoe but he knows it's Evan from the way the footsteps pause and a huff of laughter comes from outside of the car. The passenger side door opens and Tommy tips his head to see one grinning Evan Buckley.

"Seems like I've got a new duck to add to my personal collection." Evan lifts his hand to show off the duck, wiggling it in the air. It makes Tommy laugh as he goes to set his phone down in the cup holder so he can take the duck so Evan can get into the car. The duck is dropped into his waiting palm as Evan hoists himself into his seat, closing the door behind him. He turns to look at Tommy then, a small smile on his face.

Tommy smiles back as Evan leans across the center console to press his lips against Tommy's. They both sigh into the kiss and Tommy  brings his hand up to card his fingers through Evan's hair completely forgetting about the rubber duck in his hand. He pulls away with a laugh, shaking his head when Evan grins even wider.

"What was that for?" Tommy asks as Evan plucks the duck from his hand and leans forward to situate the little toy securely against the windshield. Evan sits back in his seat before turning to face Tommy again, his smile softening as his shrugs a shoulder.

"Just, uh, wanted to say thank you for a wonderful night, is all."

And with that answer, it's Tommy's turn to lean across the center console so he can gently grasp his boyfriend's chin, angling his face so he can press their lips together again. This time when he goes to sink his fingers into Evan's hair, there isn't a rubber duck in his way.

-- the next morning --

Tommy's just finished filling his travel mug when he hears the shuffle of feet making their way down the hal and into the kitchen. When Evan reaches him, he immediately plasters himself to Tommy's back. His arms come up to wrap tightly around Tommy's waist as Evan rests his forehead against Tommy's back. Neither of them speaks right away and Tommy's wondering if his boyfriend has fallen asleep standing up when Evan shifts, splaying his hands across Tommy's stomach. Tommy chuckles, shaking his head fondly.

"I thought I told you to go back to sleep."

The other man grumbles something into the fabric of Tommy's shirt and it makes him laugh as he settles his hand on Evan's wrists, giving them a light squeeze. He feels Evan lift his head so he can hook his chin over Tommy's shoulder instead. "I know, but I wanted to give you a little present before you went in."

Tommy hums as he nudges Evan away just enough to turn around in his arms. He sets his hands on the other man's hips, tucking his thumbs under his sleep shirt to brush lightly over the skin there.

"As much as I would love a repeat performance of last night, I am going to end up being very late to work." Evan rolls his eyes with a shake of his head, whacking Tommy in the arm before pulling his hand away to reach for somthing in the pocket of his sweats.

"It's not that kind of gift! Get your head out of the gutter, old man." Tommy huffs and pinches at Evan's side, which earns him a yelp and a fist thumped against his chest.

"I meant," Evan opens the hand still resting against Tommy's chest to show off a rubber duck, "that I wanted to give you this."

The rubber duck sitting in Evan's palm is dressed like a firefighter and Tommy instantly knows it's the same one he saw that day in the grocery store parking lot. He takes a moment to look over the duck before flicking his eyes up to meet Evan's.

"Did you give it your birthmark?" Evan nods, ducking his head a little as his free hand fiddles with the hem of Tommy's shirt. "I figured since I have a little Tommy Duck in my car, you, uh, could have a little Buck Duck in yours."

Tommy lifts his hand to cup Evan's cheek, and he ducks down a little so he can press their lips together. Evan's sighs against his mouth, setting his palm and the duck to rest against Tommy's chest.

When they seperate, Tommy releases Evan's chin and takes the duck into his hand, eyes flicking over the toy again. In addition to the birthmark, the original design on the hat has been blacked out and replaced with a silver '118'. The duck's eyes have been painted blue and Tommy releases they match the blue he used to paint his own duck's outfit. When he tips it forward to look at the duck's back, 'Buckley' is written across the back in the same silver from the hat. Evan watches him during the whole inspection, eyes flitting across the other man's face like he's trying to read his boyfriend's mind. Tommy finally lets him in on how he feels when he leans forward, stealing a quick kiss.

"I love it."

"Oh, good. I'm glad." Tommy brushes his thumb across Evan's hip as he watches the other man relaxes, the uncertainty that had been there moments before over his little gift completely forgotten.

"And I see you found the remnants of my own project at some point which leads me to wonder when you even had time to do this." Evan chuckles at that.

"It might have been after you fell asleep last night. You were snoring so loud I managed to sneak out to my car, sneak back in, and complete this little surprise all without waking you up." And Tommy would be impressed about his boyfriend's dedication if not for the little comment about the snoring.

"I do not snore, Evan."

"You absolutely do snore, Thomas. And as your boyfriend, I find it very concerning that you can not hear if someone has entered your hom while you're asleep because of all the snoring! It's a real problem you know. Maybe we should look into getting it checked out. Or possibly installing an alarm system."

Tommy scoffs as he pinches at Evan's side again but the other man doesn't budge. Just tilts his face up with the bigest smirk on his face. Tommy would think it was cute if he wasn't currently under attack.

"You're a brat, you know that?" Evan's bats his eyelashes up at Tommy, smirk turning into something more innocent.

"Yeah, but lucky for you, I'm you're brat and you love me for it." And Tommy tries to scowl, he really does, but he always finds it so hard to stay mad at his boyfriend and those pretty blue eyes of his.

"Damn right I do." Tommy grins. "I guess you could say that I really ducking love you." Evan groans at the pun but his eyes are bright and full of laughter as he tips forward, slotting their mouths together. Tommy makes a pleased little humming sound as he slips his arm fully around Evan's waist, bringing them even closer, and Evan uses the opportunity to wrap his arms around Tommy's neck. He lets Evan kiss him breathless for who knows how long before he's pulling away, chest heaving as Evan chases after his lips. Tommy squeezes his hips, keeping him in place. Evan pouts about it and Tommy squeezes him again in a silent apology because as tempting as it is to keep kissing him, Tommy has something to say.

"I was just thinking that if you're so concerned with me sleeping through an intruder, what if you moved in? That way you wouldn't have to worry so much." Evan jerks back so suddenly that it unbalances them and Tommy staggers forward a few steps to press him back against the island. Evan's staring at him, eyes wide and mouth hanging open.

Tommy's not sure how long they stand there before Evan finally snaps his mouth shut, but he still doesn't say anything. Tommy's face starts to heat as he wonders if he just made the biggest mistake of his life

"I mean, you don't have to, obviously. Unless you want to. Or you don't. Or- god, I've made a mess of this, haven't I?" He clenches his fist, and it makes the little Buck Duck squeak unhappily. "Why don't you take today and think about it? We could talk about it more tomorrow if-" Tommy doesn't even get to finish his rambling because Evan is surging forward, crashing their lips together.

Tommy grunts as he gets an armful of Evan Buckley, his grip tightening and eyes falling closed as he tries to keep up with his boyfriend's very enthusiastic attempt at trying to devour him whole. Except Evan pulls away a few moments later, his lips are red and slick and it's Tommy's turn to chase after them. Evan laughs, bright and slightly hysterical sounding, as he sways out of reach.

"Wait, baby, wait, hold on. I have to say yes to moving in first." And that stops Tommy dead in his tracks.

"Yes to moving in?"

Evan nods, hands coming up to brush through the short hairs along Tommy's neck. "Of course I'll move in, Tom. I couldn't imagine saying no to getting to come home to you every day."

Now it's Tommy turn to laugh a little hysterically as he's tugged forward into Evan's space, getting a taste of the grin that's spread across Evan's lips as they settle against each other. And as Evan gets a hand in his hair and Tommy works his hands under Evan's shirt, Tommy accepts that he is definitely going to be late to work.

(Tommy, miraculously makes it to Harbor with two whole minutes to spare. He jogs into the locker room and manages to change, stash his stuff in his locker and slide into the open seat next to Lucy right before their captain gets into the morning briefing. Tommy sags into his chair, hand slipping into his pocket in search of the little duck he stowed away before he came out, hand closing around it. And he knows the duck was meant for his car but Tommy thinks the helicopter could use a little touch of Evan instead.)

[kinardsevan]

So I honestly need to know if anyone else has noticed these moments...

I've been doing some mild scene study of bucktommy in relation to what I'm currently writing, and noticed in the process...

When Tommy gives Buck the tour of the harbor station, there's definitely a moment of inconspicuous... checking out.

But then there's also this moment:

In which he is clearly staring at Evan's lips. And I just can't help swooning.

Just wondered if anyone else had noticed.

[peppermintquartz]

Continuation of this

Buck checks himself out for the tenth time in the mirror. He knows he looks good, but maybe he doesn't look right for trivia night? Dark jeans, his favorite boots, teal sweater... Maybe the sweater is the wrong top. Pulling it off and tossing it on top of the pile that's already on his bed, he grabs his phone and calls his sister.

"Maddie, tell me what to wear on a date to impress Tommy's friends." He pauses briefly. "Indoors, bar, trivia night."

It takes three agonizing seconds before Maddie answers. "The gray crew neck, paired with the rust-colored leather jacket or the brown suede, it brings out your complexion, and I want daisies as a thank you when you come by next."

"Thank you, I love you, say hi to Chim and Jee."

"Use protection!" Maddie gets one in just before Buck hangs up. He rolls his eyes at his phone but grins anyway as he tucks a condom into his back pocket. He might get lucky. He chooses the suede.

-

Tommy picks him up and kisses him sweetly, like they're about to go on a date instead of meeting Tommy's friends who are totally going to judge the hell out of Buck if he screws up Trivia Night.

"You look so good, I'm tempted to ditch them and take you someplace nice," Tommy murmurs against Buck's mouth.

"And have them say I'm a figment of your imagination? Nope. Plus, I dressed up to impress them," says Buck, smiling, giddy from his boyfriend's - boyfriend! Buck is never getting over that word - praise. "Well, Maddie helped to dress me. Wait that came out wrong. I meant, she helped to choose what I should wear. Did you know that royalty and nobility had, like, specific staff who helped to choose what they wore? The women were ladies-in-waiting and they were usually nobility, but of a lower station, and sometimes they were also available as sex partners to the king or the duke or prince or whatever. It's pretty exploitative, when you think about it..."

Buck sees Tommy's fond expression and his words taper off. Shyly, he kisses Tommy again.

"I may have gone down a few too many rabbit holes," he admits.

"That's amazing. You're amazing." Tommy smiles, and starts the car.

-

Buck is introduced to the group. Melton works at Harbor also, and immediately regales Buck with a story of how Tommy pleaded with their captain to drop him off at the hospital and won the bargain with promising to detail the engines the next few shifts.

"You did that for me?" Buck asks. "You didn't have to- Babe, you'd just fought a beast of a fire, I would've understood if you couldn't make it."

Tommy ducks his head, as if embarrassed. "Well, I promised. And the welcome was worth it."

They share a look, remembering the kiss in the lobby.

"You two are so sappy," Melton declares. "Can't believe we used to think you were cool."

"He is cool! He flew a helicopter into a hurricane. And landed on an upside-down cruise ship."

"Yeah, yeah. I still can't believe you're keeping your job after that jaunt."

Fernando, a wiry man with a bald head and a thick, curly beard, is the geography and botany expert. Jill Tan is their science person, her petite form nearly dwarfed by the three firefighters but her laugh is loud and free. Buck likes her. Melton is their sports and world history guy, and Tommy apparently has military and machinery trivia locked down. Buck guesses he's here to round out the team with his list of animal facts and maybe some other random bits that he's picked up on his Wikipedia tours.

"Who's on pop culture?" he asks when Tommy goes to get their drinks.

"That'll be- hey, there she is," says Fernando, waving his hand at someone over Buck's shoulder.

"Sorry I'm late, I meant to be here before Tommy comes with his... Buck?"

"Lucy?"

Fernando sips on his margarita. "So you two know each other?"

"Uh, yes, Lucy used to work at the 118," Buck manages to reply without stuttering. "I didn't know... How are you?"

At least Lucy looks as stunned as Buck feels. "I'm good. I'm, uh, yeah. I'm good. Earning my place in Harbor."

"Hey Donato, you're here. You know Evan, right? Here you go, Evan. Don't give me that look, try it first and then tell me how much you hate it." Tommy slides back into his seat, boxing Buck in.

Buck takes a sip and wrinkles his nose thoughtfully. "I don't hate it."

Lucy takes the last empty chair. There's a smile on her face that signals something, but Buck doesn't know what she's planning.

"Didn't know you were the Evan Tommy's been going all swoony about," she says casually. "Now I know why he goes all glassy-eyed when he texts you."

"He goes glassy-eyed and swoony?" Buck is amused and almost... touched? by the idea of Tommy being unable to hide his affection.

Melton nods. "It's good I'm already married, because I'd wanna hit him otherwise for being so blissed out."

"You'd be blissed out too if you're regularly kissed by this guy," Lucy says with a crooked smirk. "I should know."

Jill cackles. "Oh no, you kissed Tommy's boyfriend?"

"I wasn't his boyfriend at the time!" Buck sputters, face turning red. "Also, I was kinda drunk. Never doing that again."

"You were someone's boyfriend at the time though," Lucy continues blithely. "But I'm cute and irresistible, so I get it. I definitely didn't know you're into guys too." She cocks her head and looks straight at Tommy, curious.

"He wasn't consciously aware of that attraction until he met me." Tommy drapes an arm over Buck's shoulders, the weight a welcome focal point for him. "I'm damn lucky I'm the one he decided on. And from now on, all his kisses are for me alone." He meets Lucy's eyes.

Papers and pencils are being passed around. Buck feels the tension ease, in the way that highlights that there was a bit of tension earlier.

"Ugh, gross," Lucy declares, grinning, and hops off to get her own drink.

Jill raises her glass to Buck in a toast. "To bisexuality and knowing yourself!"

"Yeah!" Buck toasts back.

Tommy kisses his cheek. "Let's kick some trivia ass."

--

edited on AO3

[louisferrignojr]

when eddie said "you know when you meet someone and you just click" and buck got that sad look on his face and replied "i do i really do" he was talking about tommy. he liked tommy from the moment he met him.

when buck ordered himself a basketball from amazon.com and tried to entice eddie into talking to him about it, he was trying to get an invite to the game because he wanted to hang out with tommy.

honestly? eddie was just getting in the way. here is buck trying to hang out with tommy and he had ONE viable excuse - the harbor station tour - and then eddie fucking shows up and ruins everything just as he's trying to ask tommy to go out for drinks.

buck had already clocked that eddie and tommy Have Things In Common (army, firefighters), and then Added to that list when he was trying to interrogate eddie about What Happened In Vegas (cars, muay thai, karaoke trivia?!) and then he's babysitting chris and finds out about the basketball game and it's like. ok. time to start liking the things my crush likes so we can have an excuse to hang out. like, he thinks eddie is his Way In, because tommy likes eddie, and they like all the same things, and how is buck gonna get some 1-on-1 time with tommy again? he can't ask for ANOTHER tour?

meanwhile all he had to do was call tommy and tell him hey remember when i offered to buy you a beer and voila. you have a boyfriend now. congratulations, buckley.

anyway. the point is. none of it was about eddie. ever. buck likes tommy. in the gay way. he's romantically and sexually into tommy kinard. not eddie. hope this helps.

[bucktommyscones]

Growing Pains

Hi! This is for day two of round two of @bucktommypositivityweek: scenes from a fire truck. I hope you guys like it!

Buck is so excited, he knows he’s practically bouncing in place beside Tommy as he and his captain finalize today’s school visit. “You know how this goes, Kinard,” Captain Aimes says. “And thank you for doing this, you guys. Having both the 118 and Harbor station going in on one of these school visits really looks good for interdepartmental cooperation.” “I love doing these tours,” Buck says and he can see Tommy smiling fondly at him. He listened all last night to Buck’s rambling about showing off the firehouse and letting the sirens go off. He knows Tommy enjoys doing these visits too; showing off the helicopters he loves and has dedicated his life to is just as enjoyable. What Buck didn’t discover until a month or so into their relationship, when they’d babysat Jee, is that Tommy has a quiet and adorable weakness for kids. That feels like forever ago. Things are a lot different now. “Thank you for letting me join in.”

Or: Buck and Tommy give a school tour to a group of 4th graders.

Read on Ao3

Tag list: @desert--moonchild, @sazzynatural, @multishippinghussy, @mmso-notlikethat, @tommy-kinard-buckley,

@sunnywithachanceofbi, @sleepywinchesters, @buck-up-buckley, @manifestingchaoticvibes, @corvid-cryptidd

@lbltpsmspenguin

[tevanbegins]

When we find out Lucy has joined Air Ops in the last few episodes of season 6, Buck is all "yeah that's cool, great for you" and all but not once does he express any curiousity or thrill at the prospect of pursuing a career as a pilot himself.

It's only because of his huge crush on Tommy that he asked for the tour of Harbor station in 7x04. He wouldn't have cared if he didn't get to see the choppers or the offer for flying lessons, he just wanted to spend time with Tommy in any capacity. At the time he only resorted to showing interest in Tommy's work specialty because he didn't exactly understand the nature of his feelings for Tommy and didn't know how else to get his attention. He would have gone and stared at rocks for hours if Tommy had invited him to do something as mundane as that, the boy was smitten so bad. That's why he came for the basketball game despite hating the sport so much because he knew Tommy would be there.

That's why he stared at Eddie in the firehouse because he was trying to think of ways to get himself invited to the game. All to see Tommy again. If his face fell when Eddie ignored him, he smiled again when he realised he could go to the game with Chimney instead. If Eddie was the one Buck wanted, he would have probably shoved Tommy on the court instead of Eddie. If Eddie was the one he loved, he would have not only been ashamed but horrified about what he did, not leaving Eddie's side even once until his ankle sprain got better even if the injury was minor. Instead the boy was busy having a meal with his sister at her workplace, adulting at home doing boring paperwork, and later reveling in the surprise kiss from Tommy in his kitchen and the date he just got. Not that he didn't care about his best friend but he was also maybe a bit pissed that he was becoming a major cockblock over the past several days, never leaving room or time for him to hangout with Tommy. But he called Eddie after being urged to do so by Maddie and Tommy, once his insecurities were addressed.

If Tommy was an unnecessary part of the equation, why would Buck ask Eddie when he was going to see Tommy again and hoping to be invited to the karaoke bar trivia night? Shouldn't he have devised some other plan that he and Eddie could do without Tommy? Eddie hanging out with Tommy was not really a problem for Buck. It was them doing it without him, his best friend excluding him in all of their plans and Buck missing out on all those chances to spend time with Tommy and get to know him better was what drove him nuts.

It's all so obvious and Buck says as much! Nobody asked him to tell Tommy that trying to get his attention was exhausting. It was completely unprompted and came from a place of genuine realisation. He was the one who started flirting with the head tilt and asking if the Muay Thai lessons would be right after the flying lessons. He is not a teenager to be so confused. In that moment he knew what he wanted and got it too!

Idek why I am writing all of this at this point but let it be known that we're not going to let some people's delusional misinterpretations change our understanding of the canon that's so crystal clear. We have the showrunner's interviews backing up our interpretation as well.

I seriously can't wait for the new season to start and see further development for Tevan so that we have something new to gush about (and the antis have something new to misconstrue) instead of going over the same stuff over and over!

___

[bekolxeram]

The ever so observant @misterapril pointed out in this post that there may be a fake plane crash scenario on Hotshots while a real one (possibly with Athena onboard) is happening, explaining the 2 different planes we see in bts material.

I've mentioned numerous times before, this cockpit mock up belongs to an aircraft from the A320s family.

The cockpit mockup seems to be from the same type of aircraft as well. It's a narrow body judging by the proportion, and the 2 Boeing narrow body airliners (737 and 757) both have cabin doors working like a regular door, namely rotation outwards to open. While all Airbus doors pop straight out and move to the side without rotating.

B737 door vs A320 door

This aircraft on the other hand looks more like a wide body to me, simply because a narrow body airliner doesn't have enough ground clearance to fit a whole firetruck under its wing. It's a Boeing for sure, look at the cockpit windows. I'm leaning towards it being a 767 instead of a 777, simply because a 777 should be a bit larger and I see no winglet on the wing (can be a perspective issue, 777 has raked wingtips that might not show up if you take a photo leveled with the wings).

Well, thanks to @misterapril, I've just noticed something that should be super obvious if I wasn't blinded by the plane.

This is not the Ontario Airport tower.

So we know Angela filmed something at ONT terminal 2. The hangar with all the firetrucks and ambulances is also there. What you may not know is that said hangar is right next to the ONT control tower, so I always assumed the night scene with the Boeing plane and the 119 truck was also filmed there.

But guys, they're not the same tower.

The one behind the firetruck is the San Bernardino Airport tower.

In fact, I'm pretty sure I know exactly where they filmed this particular scene, taking into consideration other landmarks visible in the same bts photo.

I think this video posted by Kenny was filmed in the same location.

I believe they are the same building. You can judge it on your own by watching this clip. It's also the only area within the airfield with highway like markings, leading straight out of a fire station.

Why is this piece of information important you may ask? Well, we've been speculating the 2 different planes conundrum might be due to budget/production constraint. In S1, the show bought an actual 757 from an airplane boneyard in Arizona and shipped it piece by piece to California. It was such a headache.

Do you know San Bernardino Airport is also a boneyard? I can imagine Tim says, "don't worry about logistics, we're taking the filming straight to the boneyard this time!" So everything is possible, you have all sorts of retired airliners you can play with for cheap. There's also the possibility that the Boeing we see is just parked nearby, maybe it has nothing to do with filming.

Do you know what else San Bernardino Airport has? A USFS air base. In 7x04 they used the Helinet hangar and its (mostly news) helicopters for the Harbor tour scene, right? San Bernardino is filled with actual firefighting air tankers and helicopters. Perhaps they would be generous enough to let the show take a few shots of a certain helicopter flying around, I don't know, saving people?

EDIT: From the same bts video Kenny posted, I think they're standing under the horizontal stabilizer of a plane? I might be seeing things, and it's not very important, just curious.

[thatmexisaurusrex]

Summer BuckTommy. Going to the beach together. Maybe making the most structurally sound sandcastle as Buck infodumps about architecture. Hanging out on the peer. Buck teaching Tommy how to surf. Maybe going to Joshua Tree to camp. Hiking. Looking up at the stars. Buck talking about camping at parks in between jobs on his cross country road trip to find himself. Buck teaching Tommy the constellations. Maybe Tommy talking about looking up at the night sky while he was on tour. Tommy talking about his own made up constellations. Muay Thai lessons with the garage door open. Book club with only the two of them and the books are all about the history of cars and how to assemble and disassemble them. Flirting at harbor station before flying lessons. Lasagna nights. Helping Bobby during a barbecue at Bobby and Athena’s rebuilt home. Buck and Tommy playfully arguing about grilling methods before Bobby steps in and they watch and take notes on Bobby’s technique. Going to Disneyland with Eddie and Christopher. Arguing about the better Star Wars films. Taking Jee-Yun to the local YMCA for Chimney and Maddie to bring her to swimming lessons. Hanging out with Chimney and Maddie in their backyard, making s’mores with Jee and Chris and Eddie and Denny and Mara and Karen and Hen too. Double dates with Hen and Karen. Karaoke with Chimney and Maddie. Summer-Themed Trivia nights together. Kissing under the soft light a summer sunset. Summer BuckTommy.

[typicalopposite]

Tommy stumbles upon Buck's journal. They read it together 🙂

Omg! OMG!! I love this so much! So much I wrote it three different times before I figured out the way I actually wanted it to go! LOL! Hope you like the final cut! (she got a little long!)

<3<3<3<3<3

Buck is busy making dinner. He has his brand new apron on; a housewarming gift from Bobby. Although it’s not technically a housewarming gift, since Tommy has already lived in the house for almost a decade… Either way, he loves it, and he is officially breaking it in. 

“Baby,” Tommy calls from their room. Their room… Buck can’t help the smile that creeps across his face at that. “What’s this?”

He looks up from seasoning some veggies as Tommy walks in, a notebook in his hand. His notebook. Buck nearly yelps: “Oh— uh— uhm— wha— wh- where… did you find that?” 

“It was sticking out from under the mattress,” Tommy says. “I didn’t know you kept a journal.” 

“Oh, well… it’s not— it’s just—” Tommy finally lifts his eyes from the cover (that may or may not be covered in little doodles and a couple dozen fancily penned versions of their names together) to look at Buck. Buck feels his face getting hot; he sighs. “Uh yeah—I used to write a lot… Back when I first started seeing my therapist, she suggested it. Said it might help to get all the thoughts I tend to keep bottled up… out.” He lets out a nervous laugh, switching the spice shaker he’s holding from one hand to the other, and back. 

Tommy finally hands the notebook to him. “Is this one recent?” 

“It is,” Buck admits. “I— uh— I actually picked it up again when—” His voice falters, his nerves kick in. He knows he shouldn’t be nervous; Tommy would never judge him for anything, especially not something he uses as a coping mechanism. “When I met you…” he finally says. He can feel the blush all the way in his ears. Tommy smiles that soft understanding smile. “You— uh— you wanna read some of it?” 

“Only if you don’t mind,” Tommy says, but his eyes light up excitedly. 

Buck’s heart is racing as he quickly finishes the meal prep, shoves it into the oven, and sets a timer. “Okay…” He wipes off his hands and picks up the notebook. Buck’s Journal 2024-2025 is written on the front cover in the bottom corner. Tommy pulls him down onto the couch beside him, situating himself around Buck’s body, resting his chin on Buck’s shoulder so he can read along.  

Buck flips to the first page. 

March 19 2024 

Secretly followed Hen on a hunch she had. Flew through a hurricane, and saved Cap and Athena from their capsized cruise ship. Came up with the team's new motto, “Who Cares!?!” 

Oh and I finally got to meet Tommy. He’s pretty cool!

Next to the entry is Tommy’s number, he got it from Chimney so he could call about the tour… and it’s circled. 

March 29 2024

Got a tour of Harbor Station today. Seeing all the helicopters and learning what all air ops does was pretty cool, not as cool as the guy who gets to man the helicopters and do all the stuff air ops does… but still. I kind of didn’t want the tour to end. I’d have loved to get to know Tommy a little more, BUT unfortunately he had other plans… weirdly they were with Eddie… he flew him to Vegas to see a fight. 

He did offer to give me flying lessons though… that will be fun. I wonder if he offered to give Eddie flying lessons too.

Buck can feel Tommy smiling. “So jealous,” he hears him whisper, and he nudges at his jaw with his shoulder. 

April 4 2024 

I have a date. 

Which is definitely not how I expected my day to end… giving it kind of started with me hurting Eddie.  

Ok so to explain that… I kind of convinced Chimney to bring me along to the basketball game because I was maybe just a little jealous of Eddie getting to spend so much time with Tommy when something always came up when I tried to… and I guess it just got the better of me. I feel really bad about it, probably will feel bad for a while…

BUT THEN Tommy came over! And he… kissed me!? And I liked it?!? And now we have a date. On Saturday. 

Yes… the date of their date was circled with a heart around it. “Awww,” Tommy says, pressing a kiss to Buck’s cheek. Buck laughs and turns the page, then quickly tries to turn it again, but Tommy stops him. “Can I see?” He asks. 

April 6 2024

I BLEW IT.

That was all that was written on that page. In big letters and underlined. Tear stains were scattered across the page. He feels Tommy’s arms tighten around him. “I’m so sorry baby,” he says quietly. 

Buck shrugs; smiles. “It’s all good because…” he skips a page to—

April 12 2024

I FIXED IT!

And now I have a date for the wedding! :)

Tommy barks out a laugh. 

May 6 2024  Buck writes about the bachelor party, and losing Chimney, and coming out to everyone at the hospital wedding

May 19 2024 Buck writes about helping save the kidnapped baby, and spending the night at Tommy’s for the first time. 

May 25 2024 Buck writes about the medal ceremony, and meeting Gerrard, and hating Gerrard, and wanting to fight Gerrard for being mean to Tommy, and wanting to make out with Tommy in front of Gerrard so he can go into homophobic shock and wither away like the old wrinkly ass he is…

May 30 2024 Buck writes about Bobby, and the fear he had about almost losing him. He writes about Christopher going to Texas, and missing him. He writes about Tommy, and how he thinks he can picture forever with him. 

June 23 2024 Buck writes about Gerrard being the new captain. 

September 1 2024 Buck writes about Gerrard finally getting fired permanently. The time under him was miserable; he didn't feel like writing during that time. He writes about Tommy being his rock through it all. He writes about thinking he’s in love. 

The timer goes off in the kitchen. “Well,” Tommy says, pulling Buck into his arms for a kiss. “That was nice, getting to see some of the stuff you keep bottled up. Thank you for sharing it with me.”  

Buck smiles; he feels that damned blush creeping up again. He holds the notebook close to his chest, carrying it with him back into the kitchen. That was close… he thinks. He really needs to find a better hiding place, at least until after their anniversary… 

.

.

.

March 29 2025

I bought a ring. I’m going to ask him to marry me on our anniversary. I want to spend the rest of my life feeling this happy and safe and satisfied. 

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.

.

April 4 2025

He said yes!

<3<3<3<3<3

might put this one on ao3 later too!