#well done Firefam

[becausebuckley]

michelle's buddie fic recs: week 14!

if you're reading these, please help us find this fic and this one!

this is a mix of fics with all ratings, so some include NSFW content. please take a look at both the ratings and the fic tags before reading! some contain spoilers for season 8.

if you come across something you like in this list, remember to show some love to the author by leaving kudos and a comment!

circle the drain | hyruling/@hyruling | 2.6k | T

“What if I wasn’t?” Eddie says at last. His voice wavers a bit on the last syllable. we live in a beautiful beautiful world where buck's biggest reason for not being in love with eddie is that eddie is straight. we live in an even more beautiful world because of fics like this that go cool so if eddie isn't straight then that might change some things. i love it so much <3

drive me, crazy | markofalover/@markofalover | 5.3k | T

everyone in El Paso has lost their minds. this captures the diaz siblings so well!! and i love eddie's interactions with el paso citizens so much <3

freddie fakeman 2.0 | carpediaz/@sofa-king-lame | 3.1k | T

The one where Freddie Fakeman strikes again and confessions are made. freddie fakeman, you will always be famous <3 and cilantro soap gene!! this fic has such perfectly in-character buddie dialogue, i love it!!

good as gold | pairofraggedclaws/@pairofraggedclaws | 6.8k | E

Eddie's gonna be okay. He just needs some words of affirmation. this series is one of my absolute favourite things on ao3 right now and i need everyone to read it, like, yesterday. such a lovely, lovely fic <3

i touch myself, i dream | Excalipurr | 28k | E

Eddie accidentally takes Buck's LAFD t-shirt to El Paso. the best thing to come out of eddie in el paso is that it's inspired so many fics to use texting throughout and as a text fic lover, i am so well fed <3 i love how this incorporates voice notes too and eddie throughout this is just a mood!!

let's make the same mistake twice | cloudydaisies | 28.8k | T

buck needs a loophole. eddie needs to know buck needs a loophole. this absolute gem of a fic!! i love the buckley siblings and buck's shitty apartment and the crochet and the juice boxes and the pasta and just absolutely everything <3

might as well be drunk in love | lecornergirl/@clusterbuck | 1.4k | T

buck comes home drunk, and tells eddie something he didn't quite mean to. not spooky i adore you!! this is so good and fun and soft and just a delight <3

over/under | teaspoonmoon/@young-waverer | 11.6k | E

In which incredibly poor communication leads Eddie to suggest phone sex to help Buck get over his apparently unrequited feelings for Tommy, which Buck accepts because he thinks Eddie has realized he's in love with him and feels bad he can't reciprocate so he's offering this as a consolation prize. idiot4idiot, my favourite tag <3 i don't know what it is about buck and eddie but for some reason i find all of their miscommunication and silly behaviour to be the most endearing thing ever. pair that with the phone sex and this fic is just !!!!!

pinky promise | serenelystrange/@serenelystrange | 1.5k | GA

In which there was only one tent. they go camping and i love it so much <3 thunderstorms when you're camping can be so scary and honestly considering everything these two have been through, i'd be terrified too, and i love how they come together in this <3 it's just so soft!!

sweet child, you are a blessing (poor child, you have been cursed) | dumbdpaus/@ayotofu | 62.5k | M

Every Blessing comes hand-in-hand with a Curse. If someone wants to be Blessed with money, or love, or life, someone else must be Cursed. When Daniel Buckley's cancer doesn't seem to be going away, despite the transplant from his little brother, Evan, his parents make a terrible, terrible choice. the worldbuilding and ocs in this one just blew me away. it's so rich, so brilliantly done, and just so good!! and i love the firefam dynamics too <3 such a gem!!

the sign on your heart said it's still reserved for me | playinginthunderstorms/@playinginthunderstorms | 2.3k | T

Eddie calls Buck on the way to El Paso. Buck confesses. i just adore the writing in this one <3 it's just so stunning and the perspective used works brilliantly and it's so emotional and just so, so good. i might be overusing the word gem in this rec list but i have decided that i don't care so guess what, this is also a gem of a fic <3

there is motion at your front door | OrYouCouldHaveMine | 8.6k | E

Eddie moves to El Paso, but in the frenzy of the move, he forgets to disable his Ring camera. When he starts getting alerts every time Buck brings someone home, he starts an increasingly unhinged process of cockblocking his best friend. the gasp i let out when i read this fic summary!! unhinged eddie, i love you so much. this was just delightful to read!!

too close to the stars | jessieswrld | 17.4k | E

Buck helps Eddie experiment. The rest unfolds from there. i love how this one captures eddie and i love the basketball scene!! such a lovely fic <3

you told them i'm straight (but what if you're wrong?) | eightpackdiaz | 2.3k | T

Buck calls Eddie after telling Maddie and Tommy that Eddie's straight. Eddie's not so sure. this is fantastic!! i love the funny moments ("no math" hehe) and eddie's realisation is so lovely!!

[whump-imagines]

Meeting the Firefam

Eddie x reader

~1600 words

Warnings: epileptic reader. Hopefully accurately portrayed.

You parked in front of the station and turned off the ignition. Taking one final deep breath, you pushed the door open and stepped out. You didn't know why you were so nervous. Meeting Eddie’s coworkers shouldn't seem so frightening.

What if they hated you? What if they told him to break up with you? You knew they were more like family to him than just coworkers. Their opinions mattered a lot. You had only been dating him a little over a month but you had fallen hard. You really couldn't imagine your life without him and Chris and even Carla.

You needed them to like you.

Making your way inside, you quickly spotted Eddie as he approached. You greeted him with a kiss before he pulled you into a hug.

“Hey, you. How was traffic?” He asked.

You shrugged. “Normal. Slow.” Eddie knew it was your least favorite part about LA.

“I think lunch is almost ready. You ready to meet everyone?”

“No.” You wrapped your hands around his bicep as he started walking toward the trucks.

He leaned over and kissed your temple. “I told you they’re going to love you. You have nothing to worry about.” He pulled you along with him towards Buck and another firefighter beside the truck.

Buck smiled when he spotted you. “Hey, Y/N. Glad you finally decided to come have lunch with us.”

“Hi, Buck. Someone has been persistent.” You looked at Eddie just in time to catch his shrug.

“Y/N, this is Ravi.” Eddie introduced.

Ravi lifted his hand for you to shake. “Nice to finally meet you.”

“You too.”

Eddie pulled you away towards the stairs that led to the loft. You couldn't help but look around at everything. “This is a beautiful building.”

Eddie nodded. “I agree. It's my favorite station in the city.”

You had barely made it to the top of the stairs before you were being engulfed in hugs. “Oh, uh, hi.”

Eddie chuckled. “This is Hen and Chimney.”

“We are so excited to finally meet you. Eddie here won't shut up about you,” Chimney said.

You glanced at Eddie, catching him trying to hide his blush. “I don't talk about her that much,” he argued.

“Constantly,” Hen mouthed at you with a grin.

Next, Eddie led you over to the kitchen. “And this is Cap.”

The man in front of the stove wiped his hands on a dish towel before reaching out for a handshake. “It's Bobby.”

“Nice to meet you. It smells amazing in here.”

Bobby smiled. “Well, thank you. This will be done in a few minutes. Eddie, can you grab everyone down stairs?”

“On it.” Eddie pointed to the couches. “You can make yourself comfortable over there.”

Within ten minutes, everyone was getting settled at the table. Eddie took your hand to pull you up from the couch. As he pulled out a chair for you, you suddenly felt your left arm go numb.

“Oh no.” You mumbled. You reached out towards Eddie as your knees buckled and the world around you disappeared.

Eddie was quick to catch you before you could hit the ground. “Woah. Y/N?” When you didn't open your eyes he slowly lowered you to the floor. Seconds later you were convulsing violently. Eddie couldn't help but to just stare at you in shock.

Chim was on the floor beside Eddie a second later. “Eddie, we got her.”

“I'll grab a med kit,” Hen announced as she ran for the stairs.

Chimney kept you rolled on your side. Bobby stepped closer to pull Eddie away. “They need room to work.”

Eddie tried to resist. “I should help.”

Buck stepped beside his best friend to keep him out of the way.

Bobby stepped towards you and grabbed your foot, pulling off your shoe. “Medical alert. Epilepsy.” He pointed at the shoelace tag as he looked towards Eddie.

Eddie shook his head. “I didn't know. Why didn't she tell me?”

Hen returned with a monitor and med kit and Chim filled her in. “Epilepsy. Let's just give it a minute.”

Eddie pushes past Buck and sat down on the ground by your head. He whispered soft reassurances in case you could hear him.

Chim pulled a pulse ox monitor out of the med kit and clipped it on your finger.

“She's barely breathing,” Eddie pointed out. He knew that was common with seizures but still couldn't help the mild panic he felt.

“That's normal,” Hen reminded him. She started to attach an oxygen mask to the tank she’d carried upstairs just in case.

Next, Chim started to attach cardiac leads to your chest. Once he'd finished, they waited for the seizure to stop.

“That's five minutes,” Bobby pointed out.

Hen and Chim sighed as they locked eyes with each other. “Alright, let's push Ativan,” Chim said.

“I'll start an IV,” Hen announced. “Eddie can you hold her arm?” He did as asked, trying to hold your arm as still as possible without hurting you. “I'm in.”

Chim pushed the meds he'd drawn up as soon as IV was secured. It took about another twenty seconds for the seizure to finally stop.

Everyone let out a relieved breath. Eddie pushed some hair back behind your ear.

“Let's get her loaded up and to the hospital,” Chimney broke the momentary silence.

Hen nodded. “I'll go radio dispatch and get ready.”

Within five minutes you were loaded into the ambulance with Eddie and Chim beside you as Hen shifted into drive.

“Ugh.” You groaned a few minutes later. “N-no hospital,” you mumbled out fighting your grogginess.

Eddie ran his hand over your head. “Yes, hospital.”

You huffed, frustrated you can't get the words out to explain. “E-epi–”

“We know about your epilepsy, we found your alert tag,” Eddie interrupted. “Sweetheart, your seizure lasted almost six minutes. Hen and Chim had to push meds to stop it. You have to go in.”

Your eyebrows rose in surprise. Suddenly you were glad you'd been with them for lunch and not alone at home. You knew he was right and allowed yourself to relax. “Tired.”

Eddie pressed a kiss to your knuckles. “That's the medicine. You can sleep.”

You nodded as your eyes drifted closed. You weren't sure you could have stayed awake even if you'd tried.

A few hours later, you were finally settled into a room after being poked and prodded. They had run all kinds of tests trying to figure out what might have caused the long seizure.

“Anything I can get for you?” the nurse asked.

You shook your head as you shifted in an attempt to find a comfortable position. Every muscle was sore.

“Okay. I'll let your visitors know they can come in now, if that's alright with you,” the nurse says as she walks toward the door.

“Visitors? Plural?” You ask surprised.

“You have a whole herd of firefighters waiting out there for you,” she explains.

“Oh, wow. Could you just send Eddie in for now?”

She smiles kindly. “Of course, honey.”

Eddie pushes the door open not five minutes later. He pulls up a chair and takes your hand in his, careful to avoid your IV line.

“Hi,” you greeted

“Hi. How ya feeling?” He asked.

“Kinda like someone put me through a blender.”

He chuckled and nodded. “You scared me. I'm just glad Bobby noticed your medical alert tag.”

“I'm sorry,” you sighed. “This is definitely not how I planned to tell you about my epilepsy.”

He locks eyes with you. “So you were planning to tell me.” He looks annoyed or maybe hurt that you hadn't already told him.

“Eventually.” You drop your gaze to the bed. “It's not exactly an easy conversation. It's caused a few break ups over the years.”

“What do you mean?” He looks genuinely confused.

“I'm too much to deal with. No one wants to deal with seizures,” you try to explain. “And you already have to deal with sick people all day at work. I'm sure the last thing you want to do is deal with the same at home.” You sniffle. “I'll understand if you want out now.”

“Y/N,” Eddie said, placing a finger under your chin to make you look at him. “I love you. This could never change that. Any guy who dumped you because of this is an asshole.”

Tears rolled down your face before you were suddenly sobbing, relief washing over you in waves.

Eddie moved quickly to sit beside you on the bed. Pulling you into his side and shishing you softly.

You had been so worried about telling him for so long. “I-I'm sorry. I should have told you.” You sniffled harshly. “I should have known you'd accept this part of me.”

“You have nothing to apologize for. I know now. That's all that matters.”

Eventually you calmed down but you were beyond exhausted. “Hey, isn't everyone still out there waiting?”

“Yeah.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket. “I'll text them that you're okay and let them know they can head home.”

Placing a hand over his screen, you shook your head. “No. I want to see them.”

“You need to rest,” he argued. “They can come back tomorrow or we can go to the station if you're discharged.”

“Just a quick visit. Please? Fifteen minutes.”

Sighing, he stood from where he was still perched on the bed. “Ten.”

“Deal.”

[spicyrottingbrains]

You know the argument where people are like buck and eddie are straight and they're best friends and nothing more and that we should healthy male friendships in media without ship etc. etc.?? Well forgetting about every argument i have against all of of this and IF we were to consider that they are nothing but best friends then you know what would still make the most sense in regards to their storylines (together and individual)??? Not shoving random love interests for them into the plot and instead having them actually be two best friends who just raise a kid together without the need for anything else. Because no matter if you ship buddie or not I don't think there is a universe or a person who can counteract the fact that Evan buckley and Edmundo Diaz are soulmates. Stop having buck look for love in these doomed relationships and stop having eddie go out with these random people just because others are pressuring him to. People can be happy without relationships and if buddie won't be canon in a romantic sense then it would make so much sense for them to be happy with their family, because you gotta agree Buckk, Eddie and Chris, they are a family. Those three will always be there for each other and they will always put each other first. Those two are soulmates in every sense and they'd do anything for each other. Christopher comes first for both of them but right next to Chris is their best friend and that will not change. Their little family (+extended firefam) will always come first and no love interest could ever change that. It makes no sense for them to ignore the person who has had their back through so much fucking pain and heartbreak for someone who just came along into their lives to become top priority. Hell they're miserable without each other as is evident in the lawsuit Arc, the eddie leaving Arc, etc ect. They've been through too much for that. The firefam is the family they need and have. And they have each other (in whatever way that may be). It's like Ravi (my baby I love him so much I need more of him in s7) said its about having each others backs. And that is the entire premise of buddie since the very beginning, having each others back through thick and thin through joy and heartbreak, to never stop fighting for their family, that is the very essence that both Buck and Eddie's characters were built on. I did not go through 5 seasons of "there is no one I trust more with my son more than you","no one will fight for my son harder than you", "you can have my back any day.....or you could have mine", "isn't that what love is....knowing you have each other back", "when you're at your worst and they're at their worst and you have every reason to give up and you still decide you want to try", "what are you afraid of" buck showing up at Eddie's during the lightning aftermath, buck crawling under a freaking firetruck to get to eddie, Christopher running to buck at any point of distress, and so many more times where those three have always been what they need for anyone to disregard the fact that the buckley-diaz family are meant to be.

Ok I'm done.

[whineandcheese24]

what I truly don't understand about this episode is what did they gain from doing this? they took a huge risk with bucktommy and were rewarded with not only a large portion of the fandom getting interested and involved with the ship, but also the GA being more invested in this ship than any of buck's other relationships (from what I could tell). Tommy was the perfect character to fill the requirements of being easily integrateable to both the plot and the prexisting firefam dynamic, and what little characterization he had in season 2 was prime angsty backstory. Oliver, Lou, and even Kenny talked about how excited they were to be working with this storyline and these characters, and we all know how much Tim loves Lou and Tommy. The show was not only accepted for its representation, but lauded for how much care they put into this story and how much it meant to queer men, bisexuals, and just queer people in general. They took all this potential, and completely turned it on it's head, and for what? a gotcha moment?

In isolation, the writing could make sense. This would create tension in the relationship that they can then overcome. It would be a great way for tommy to learn how to love and be in a long term relationship (which it seems he hasn't been) and deconstruct the stereotype that bisexual people, and any newly awakened queer person doesn't know themselves well enough to know what love feels like. But then the interviews make it sound final? I haven't read the interviews because I just watched the episode a few hours ago and I've been busy since (plus I stopped reading interviews after all the interesting plot points from last season finale got dropped), but from what y'all are saying the interviews make it sound like this is the end. Not only that, but Oliver, the guy who said he didn't want to fall into stereotypes like "newly awakened man falls in love with his best friend" way back in April/May, is apparently saying offensive things about Buck needing to explore?

I just genuinely have no idea what there is to gain with this. They completely lucked themselves into an amazing love interest, and even if they found another love interest with the same benefits, hell even if they do get bucktommy back together (here's to hoping) no one is going to trust them again.

congratulations 911, you done fucked up

[tevanbegins]

My beloved Bucktommies, hear me out for I have rambled about some important stuff ahead related to Tommy's comeback situation for S8:

Let's not forget that the Access Hollywood interview with Lou Ferrigno Jr. and Oliver Stark would never have been arranged if Buck and Tommy's love story wasn't meant to be long-term, or continue developing further into the next season. It was a small but still a very crucial piece of press.

Why? Because it's not like it was done right after 7x04 when the hype around bi-Buck was at its peak. Instead, it was done during the second-half of the season, that too when the Bobby-focused episodes were airing. Plus, it was a major TV network interview, not some random podcast/youtube interview!

Also, they could have only had Oliver out there if the showrunner or PR team thought Lou as Tommy was inconsequential to this storyline. They evidently wanted to create buzz not only around Buck's bisexual arc but around his romance with Tommy as well, with this press. Why do all of that if the character was going to disappear shortly?

I am not clear about how it all works but I am sure Tim and his team must have discussed Tommy's future when they decided to extend Lou's contract beyond the pre-decided 4 episode appearances last season. Because why even bother showing that tiny dinner scene with Tevan in the finale if they didn't want to show us where the relationship stood?

And don't let the naysayers get into your head and compare this with the happy Buck-Natalia scene from the season 6 finale and how she was written off after that. Remember that the writers supposedly wrote that episode as a possible series finale given the uncertainty around the show's future after Fox cancelled it. But then ABC picked it up and the writers had to resume the storylines from where they had left them off.

The actress playing Natalia refused to come back, probably because I am assuming she thought her part was done and the show was supposed to end and so she took up other work. Plus there was the whole strike thing too in between. She was just a supporting character and her contract extension may not have been under consideration while they were filming season 6, because they didn't know for sure at the time if another network would renew them for a new season. And because of her refusal they had to scrap that storyline later.

The situation is quite different with Lou. The season 8 renewal announcement came early when the first-half of season 7 was on air. Therefore, Tim and the writers have had the luxury to put some plans in place for the upcoming season in advance because the renewal was official. And this must include whether or not they wanted to keep Tommy around post season 7!

And if Lou agreed to do 2 more episodes last season, I believe he must have agreed to be there for season 8 too — because if the last two episodes of S7 have served any purpose, it has been to tell us that Buck and Tommy are going strong and even the firefam approves of their relationship, deliberately cementing their relationship status as they move forward into the upcoming season.

So this can't have been all for nothing. The only reason Tommy wouldn't be in S8 is if Lou himself declined or if the filming dates were clashing with his other projects, none of which seems to be likely given the points I have discussed above. Besides, we all know how deeply invested Lou is in playing Tommy and passionate about his storyline with Buck. He wouldn't quit a role that's clearly so important and dear to him just because of the BoBs' stupid vendetta against him; he has big dreams for his career to let this childish hate towards him get in the way of a good opportunity. And he knows and sees how much we as his fans love, support, and appreciate him!

So to conclude, I have faith Tommy will be back! He has to be!!! 💫

___

[buddierecs]

jealous!eddie diaz buddie fics

all mature rating!!! make sure to kudos/comment on these amazing works :)

eddie diaz vs the pta agenda by: mmtion "really, eddie doesn’t care that the pta aren’t his biggest fan. he knows he misses too many meetings, and it’s not like he’s best friends with any of the other parents. it doesn’t affect christopher, so it doesn’t bother him. he’ll pay for the annual fundraising mugs and consider his duty done. but then buck picks christopher up from a class trip and it all goes to hell. like, of course buck is everyone’s dream guy. he’s responsible with kids, and kind, and funny and interesting and hot to touch. that’s obvious. but now eddie’s fighting to keep the pta moms, teachers, and dads, all off an unsuspecting and tempting buck. because eddie is a good friend. right?" word count: 19k important tags: idiots in love, oblivious!eddie diaz ripples all the way down by: iriswests "christopher partakes in some parent trapping" word count: 57k important tags: jealous!evan buckley, slow burn, miscommunication, happy ending a thousand ways to say i hate you by: morganofthefairies "five times eddie buys taylor fuck-you flowers, and one time he doesn't need to" word count: 8k important tags: 5+1 things, petty!eddie diaz, double dates, eddie/ana, buck/taylor, ana flores bashing, pining, ableism let me roll it to you by: woodchoc_magnum "in which eddie starts dating ana and buck starts dating around; eddie does not cope that well with change, buck is oblivious and everyone else thinks they're a pair of idiots." word count: 22k important tags: idiots in love, mutual pining, angst, humor, worried firefam i'm not the guy you're taking home by: woodchoc_magnum "in which buck discovers the wonders of bisexuality and eddie spends the entire fic pining for him in a big bad way." word count: 63k important tags: pining, oblivious!evan buckley, friends with benefits, team as family, coming out, angst, getting together did you know that my dreams, they're all the same by: sourwolfseblaine "tk visits los angeles to forget about his break up with carlos, buck needs to forget about his painful (what he thinks is unrequited) feelings for eddie. buck thought him and tk becoming rebound buddies would solve their problem, at least for one night, but it only makes it more complicated for him." word count: 7k important tags: 911 lone star, rebounds, pining, first kiss, love confessions, getting together, light angst this is josh, what's your emergency? by: eightpackdiaz "josh knew eddie was into buck way before eddie realised it himself" word count: 6.2k important tags: eddie & josh friendship, gay disaster!eddie diaz, getting together, feelings realisation, kissing eddie diaz vs garfield the cat by: sonayesul "buck brings home a cat one day and he and christopher love her. however, eddie doesn't and swears the cat is trying to steal buck from him." word count: 4k important tags: established relationship, crack, fluff, mild hurt/comfort, domestic fluff traded by: princessfbi "eddie wasn't trying to go viral. he just wanted to trade his jersey. but then something called booktok got involved." word count: 23k important tags: hocky au, bartender!eddie diaz, hockey player!evan buckley, social media, protective!eddie diaz, possessive!eddie diaz, mutual pining, getting together in my heart i wanted more by: woodchoc_magnum "set post-season 5, Episode 4 and 5 - in which buck and taylor's relationship is slowly crumbling, eddie has some big realisations about his sexuality, and true feelings are revealed." word count: 47k important tags: faling in love, getting together, team as family, mutual pining, protective!eddie diaz, panic attacks, first kiss let me fix it for you by: smilingbuckley "5 times eddie fixes or builds something for buck + 1 time buck thanks him for it (... sort of)" word count: 10k important tags: 5+1 things, getting together, eventual smut, mutual pining, fluff, idiots in love

[thelikesofus]

Buddie Fic Recs

REC LIST NUMBER 6! The theme is PINING if you couldn’t already tell. I haven’t done a lot of writing recently but I have done A LOT of reading so here are some of the lovely stories I have come across over the last few weeks. As always, please show these authors some love in their comments xx REMINDER TO CHECK THE TAGS AND TRIGGER WARNINGS

where our eyes are never closing by @rewritetheending | T | 6k

After the lightning strike, Buck asks Eddie to take candid photos of him to help prove to Buck that he still exists. Absolute PEAK Softness. Buck through Eddie's eyes! I was a mushy puddle by the end. 10/10 would recommend

put my heart inside your palms by @markofalover | T | 3k

An accidental pet name, a thoughtful dinner, and a shared shirt. Buddie are too domestic for my health and well-being! I want what they have!!

because we'll all arrive in heaven alive by @neverevan | E | 75k 

During a search and rescue, Eddie disappears without a trace, leaving Buck to grapple with the sudden possibility of a life without him AKA the Mudslide Missing!Eddie fic with pining for daaayyyyyyyzzzzzzz

Left Unsaid by C_M2 | M | 33k 

The discovery of a small facebook group full of tsunami survivors rocks station 118. This fic is amazing!! The perfect amount of pining angst, domestic feels and firefam love and goodness 💕💕

If I Should Fall by @elvensorceress | T | 23k

Buck thinks Tommy has died but it's actually Eddie. He is not dead but almost and they have to figure things out from there. This fic had me feeling like my heart has been gutted from my chest and dissected before my very eyes but it has the happy ending we all deserve. 

the distance to the stars by cloudydaisies | G | 27k

Eddie is the only one who doesn't realize he and Buck are dating 😭 This is a perfectly sweet and angsty miscommunication fic. 

the weekly bet (but the forever kind) by @theleftboobgrabber | E | 49k

The firehouse has a bet and Buck and Eddie work it in their favor. Once again Eddie pining for dayyyyzzzzzzzzzzz. (I’ve been on a Pining!Eddie kick recently). Perfect Buckley Diaz family feels. 

light me and i'll burn for you by @woodchoc-magnum | M | 31k

An old friend of Buck's joins the 118 and he kinda sucks. Eddie pines and falls down a hole (literally). Seriously though the pining and the angst in this fic is just delicious and with a happy ending to boot <3

The Aftermath of Liberation and Love Confessions by @elvensorceress | T | 17k

Eddie makes the love confession to end all love confessions while perfecting the balance between pining and not giving a f*ck. I love me a Jenwyn fic and this one is fabulous as always. 

love bites so deep and we've got tiger teeth by @usereddie | M | 10k

Rather than going to texas with his grandparents Christopher goes to stay with Buck for an extended sleepover and Eddie realizes he is incredibly in love with his best friend. Honestly I am OBSESSED!!! This is officially my season 7 ending <3

hearts on fire by @woodchoc-magnum | M | 65k

This is a canon divergence on Season 2 where Buck and Eddie almost get together but then Abby comes back and Eddie lets buck go and then regrets it while trying to be happy for him. The pining, the self-sabotage, honestly is all one big tasty meal and topped off with a happy ending and a side salad of the Shannon and Eddie friends/co-parents arc that they deserved!!

like a dog with a bird at your door by @shitouttabuck | E | 51k

Set post s6, Eddie is injured on a call and Buck moves in to help with his recovery whilst learning to navigate his feelings for his best friend and pining for the position Eddie’s girlfriend holds. honestly, I’m actually only halfway through reading this fic but OMG I’M ASDFFGGHJJKKL and I just already knew this would be making it onto the next rec list so I'm adding it to this one preemptively. 

[redgoldblue]

sell your fear and leave me standing here

buck/tommy, 12.9k, T, triple pov (Buck; Tommy; Eddie). yet another 8x06 fix-it, featuring gay bingo, firefam input, and bonus Lucy Donato

The first Eddie hears of the breakup is, “Eddie, what the fuck just happened?”

Eddie’s finished his beer and is still basking in a post-Risky Business glow, and for a moment he thinks Buck’s talking about the fact that he’s not wearing pants.

“I don’t know, Buck,” he replies, just for fun. “You tell me.”

“Eddie,” he repeats. That makes Eddie sit up straighter, except that his shirt is way slipperier than he thought and his legs are stuck to the couch, and the combination somehow leads to him half-sliding half-falling off the couch as Buck continues, “I think Tommy just dumped me.”

It also mean his initial response is, “Ow!”

Buck peers down at him. “Yeah. Want a hand up?”

“I got it.” He pushes himself back up and collapses back on the couch. “You think?” he asks.

“No, he definitely did. I checked.”

“What the fuck?”

“That’s what I said!”

“That’s-” Well, the glow is abating now. If the fall hadn’t done it already. “Okay, tell me what happened.”

“It was great. We were great. And I scared him off. I think. Maybe. We were going to a movie. And then he called me Buck.”

Eddie bites back on his first response of ‘that’s your name’, because after a few seconds considering it he does get how that would seem weird after six months of ‘Evan’. Instead, he makes a ‘go on’ gesture.

“I told him about Abby. And I’d talked to Josh. I didn’t tell him that, that happened before, but Josh talked to me.”

“Hang on, hang on, rewind,” Eddie says. At this rate it might take him until tomorrow’s shift to get the full story, but he needs to clarify something here. “What about Abby?”

“Oh, right, I only told Maddie. Yeah, he was engaged to Abby. And I didn’t tell him that was my Abby when he told me, because, I mean-”

“What the fuck,” Eddie supplies. It seems to be the phrase of the moment.

“Yeah,” Buck agrees. He’d emptied his beer bottle about a minute after sitting down, and rather than reaching for another one he’s just been turning it round and round in his hands. He stops, now, and starts picking at the corner of the label instead. “And I talked to Josh about it, because I was talking to Maddie about it and he was there, and he- he gave me a speech about Glee, and it made me think, I guess, so then before we went to the movie I told Tommy-”

“Oh, god, Buck,” Eddie interrupts, because there’s so much happening here and it’s all heading in a truly terrible direction, and maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if they started work before he has to hear the end of it. “Did you tell him you love him? Before he broke up with you?”

“I mean, no,” Buck says, but it’s completely unconvincing and he’s drooped even further into the couch. “Worse.”

“Worse?”

Buck’s next words are mumbled under his breath, and it genuinely takes Eddie a moment to figure out what they are. “I-asked-him-to-move-in.”

Eddie blinks, processes that, then reaches over to grab another beer bottle. He gently pulls the now thoroughly de-labelled one from Buck’s hands and replaces it with good hard alcohol. Then he says, “So just to be clear, you asked him to move in with you after six months, and he dumped you for it? Do you want me to kick his ass? I absolutely can, he’s not as good at Muay Thai as he thinks he is.”

Buck chuckles. It sounds a little like a dying frog. “No. He said- I don’t know, I went too fast. He didn’t say that. He said he wasn’t going to be my last.”

“Dick,” Eddie says, because Tommy is his friend and he’s sure there was more going on, but Buck is his best friend who just got dumped, and that requires a little name-calling.

Buck’s face scrunches up, eyes closed, as he says, “He said I was going to break his heart.”

“So he broke yours first?”

“Yeah,” Buck says, and it sounds strained enough that Eddie slips closer on instinct. It’s a good thing he did, because Buck continues, “I guess so,” then turns towards him, and suddenly there’s the weight of a Buck against him and a wet feeling on his shoulder. “Oh, fuck, Eddie,” and the next words come out on a whole-hearted sob, “I loved him.”

~

The second thing Eddie hears about the breakup is, “Eddie, what the fuck happened, man?”

keep reading on ao3

[firewasabeast]

Here is the thing:

This season has been very weirdly written. Not only with rushed storylines, but also with the way they are writing their characters and dynamics, and also the way the found family sentiment almost feels gone.

It lowkey feels like, for some reason, they’ve stopped knowing how to write these characters and these dynamics. They react to things in ways they wouldn’t have before (and without habits an experience that makes it so now this is their response), they’ve seemed to have regressed, they don’t care about things they would’ve before.

And again, I know we all focused on the BuckTommy of it all (because you’re telling me that Buck, who was spewing bee facts in 801, hasn’t done research on queer history or queer rights after discovering he’s bi??) , but this can be applied to everyone else as well. They’ve stopped having scenes of the characters actually interacting and talking about their issues, we don’t see the firefam outside of emergencies… everything feels so messy.

I think that’s why, overall, this season feels very weak and disappointing.

I think you've got it! It almost reads like a show where half the cast doesn't get along with the other half. I am NOT saying that's what's happening, by the way! I know they always talk about how much they get along and love each other. All I'm saying is, the way the writers are writing it, feels like they're separating things too much. Instead of giving us a big storyline where everyone works together, they're shoving like 5 different storylines in where you're jumped from one spot to another every 2-3 minutes.

You can't get invested in any of it. The second you start to feel something, you're shoved onto the next thing.

I still think about how pointless Gerrard was. He was not the asshole we saw back in season 2. It would have been a great moment for Buck's bi arc. Recognizing homophobia for the first time. Seeing what it's like to be on the receiving end and having to deal with it. Or having an actual fallout to Gerrard taking Buck under his wing.

Everything has been stunted... except for fucking Brad who won't fucking go away!

[johanna-swann]

I will never understand the people bending out of shape over Eddie not being in this episode. It´s maybe not something nice to hear but Eddie is not an essential character in this show and they can all thank their endless talk about Buddie for it since this seems to have been adopted by the showrunner. Eddie is not a presence in any of the other characters life except Buck and now that Buck has learned to cope with his absence, Eddie being gone is a non-factor on the show. Him being a main is not relevant, not all mains are created equal. Personally, the show would have done well to let him go and put Ravi in his place. That they probably won´t is a missed chance in my opinion. There would be a "new" character to explore and they could start fresh by integrating Ravi with ALL the characters and not just Buck. The relationship between Ravi and Buck would also be different. I like that Buck was a sort of older brother to Ravi in this episode.

And this has nothing to do with Tommy or Bucktommy. Tommy is also no integral part of the show or the firefam, he is just Bucks dude atm. Which is why bucktommys don´t throw a fit and claim that the show can´t go on without him. It has and it can, just like it can without Eddie.

You will never guess what sort of essay I am working on from my laptop as we speak. 😅

Like, yeah. A bunch of side characters aren't needed for this show to work, but I think Eddie is the only main character that they could cut out of the show with zero consequences and the Texas arc proved it. (I will elaborate, not in this post though.)

[stagefoureddiediaz]

Everything Ryan says is so considered and interesting I’m obsessed with him!

His language is so loaded - and gives so many clues about is arc! Machismo and not talking about feelings - ties back to hero complex and his relationship with his father - but also his mother - especially his mother - because she was actually a big part of creating that culture in the diaz house - because Ramon was ‘never there’

Him saying Eddie has spent the last few seasons trying to re-navigate and take new directions but whilst still being the old version of himself - so loud and informative. The play on the Shannon of it all - and the repeating mistakes in new ways. The not allowing himself to actually move on and let go of his ghosts.

That’s also loaded in the other direction as well - this idea that it’s not just him still stuck as this old version of himself - it’s not just him that’s not allowing himself to move on - that the people who represent his past are still holding onto the old him as well - his parents - it’s a statement about how they view him - and ties into the theme of Eddie begins - the idea his parents think they know best and want to dictate how he lives his life - the insistence he should come home or that they should take Chris. Something that’s been brought back into focus with Chris leaving to stay with them. It’s the idea that Eddie us work to do about getting them to recognise and accept the person he is and wants to be - and not to keep treating him as they always have done.

reworking his idealisations of the past brought up with his learnings of the present - and the earlier reference to the 118 and the firefam teaching him stuff. This especially implies what he’s learnt about love - and that what he sees of that with the firefam is vastly different to his experiences of it back in Texas - and with Shannon as well. The Shannon part of it Particularly - it all speaks to Eddie having been wearing rose tinted glasses and putting his relationship with Shannon up onto a sort of pedastal.

Implement is an interesting word choice as well in connection with this. It indicates slow change rather than drastic change - the idea of growth and of not rushing to be fixed and healed.

Idealisation is a direct play on the catholic faith - it’s a play on idolism and

Learnings of the present is also a choice - present can be taken to read all of Eddie’s time in LA - but it infers especially the more recent past - so season 7. Why would Eddie be prepared to implement learnings of the present now at this point. It’s not just the loss of Chris from LA and his home. It’s a big part of it yes, but Season 7 is when so many things converge. It’s the glasses being removed when it comes to Shannon - the break through that’s been brewing. It’s also being confronted with religion and its long lasting impact on who he is. I’ve always found it to be particularly interesting that they chose to have Eddie start dating a diy-er who was a former almost nun. The idea of faith being something under construction (yes the construction on sunset metaphor never goes away) and something you build for yourself rather than how Catholicism is a prefabricated and built by others faith. The juxtaposition of the church - something with the weight of history attached to it and an inability to move with the times and change - and the concept of diy faith being something you construct and build to suit you - the updating of something so that it fits with where you are at now. Marisol is a lesson in choosing to not stick with the status quo if it doesn’t fit, and instead building what you want your life to look like from the foundations that pre-existing faith has given you. It gives rise to the idea that eddies present learning is in part that he can construct a life that fits him and he doesn’t have to mould himself to what someone else prescribed. That he can take the bits of his faith that he does like and build those into something that suits him.

But it’s also Buck - Buck making his own break through and figuring out this big part of himself and choosing to embrace it in season 7 is a part of giving Eddie the confidence to do that for himself. It’s not just about the buddie of it all. The very deliberate decision by the writers to have Eddie be the one Buck is the most concerned about coming out to - the one he intentionally tells in a 1-1 situation and have that be much of the focus of bucks arc in the immediate aftermath of his bi awakening is as much about Buck as it is about Eddie. Buck coming out to Eddie allows the spiral he’s in about his catholic guilt to take on a different direction and ultimately spiral out much further into something that blows up his life. It’s Eddie’s subconscious - his repressed inner self beginning to break free.

This quote also backs this up - the implication being that his relationships have all failed because they were built on a version of religion and spirituality that doesn’t fit with who Eddie is at his core. Referencing that Latino culture is built on Catholicism and that isn’t the actual bedrock of Latino culture is interesting. He also references the Mayans when talking about this and pre colonialisation mesoamerica. (This shows that Ryan is well read and thinks deeply on his heritage). That in combination is interesting as a concept for Eddie. The idea that who he is at his core is actually different to the person he has ended up becoming - implying that the true Eddie is hidden beneath a history that has been imposed on him - in the same way that the culture and faith of the mayans was buried and repressed when the Spanish invaded and conquered Mexico and much of South America.

Using the word ‘wrongly’ infers that Eddie is going to choose to reveal and embrace that repressed version of himself - the version of himself that is his truest form. I already made a post about the Mayan aspect of Ryan’s interview, but I will point it out here as well. The Mayan culture embraced homosexuality, it was an accepted way of life and largely viewed in favourable light and it was in fact a major part of many religious ceremonies and in the healing of people by shamans. So along with everything else I’ve said above, that’s hinting pretty heavily at Eddie’s arc leading to him embracing his queer identity.

[lover-of-mine]

hi my love it’s gg here

it’s time for a loooooong update

so there is tension that is building up like a background buzz in the gc bc remember that on main they have to look mindful and demure bc they know the cast and crew lurks so the anger the madness the pettiness needs to stay hidden

they were so happy in ep 1 but what they really wanted was that emergency even more than them living together bc tommy helping would’ve established his role in the 118 and how new work partner for buck

this emergency was going to give them interaction with the 118 but mostly with athena and since they have already buck and bobby talking about tommy they wanted athena too

they needed him to be a hero so everyone was going to be grateful to him

first they were sure about ep2 bc they thought the tim would’ve really have him being landed inside the hole in the cockpit and then they were sure about ep3 bc if the 217 truck is there he NEEDS to he there otherwise too much waisted potential

and they are mad MAD rn bc the spent all summer so sure he would’ve been main, that ostark and lfjr would’ve promoted the show together, interviews, joint photoshoot, him being featured in the poster, him in the promo, him being the white savior of the plane emergency

and seeing this kind of deranged in their closed quarters where no one can really see im really “scared” of what they will do when tommy is going to go away

Hello baby 🩷

Wow, imagine spending months raising hell just to be wrong in all fronts. They got a random flight instructor to talk Athena through the landing, they had a literal child being her copilot, not a single mention of him along with the implication that 217 is the not harbour since it was referenced as an engine, and Hen and Chim were the first ones on the plane to help. And that along with the scene he was in to remind the audience he exists was about Eddie and he did not fit in. He's not established as part of the firefam, he's not in the field with them even though he could've easily been included. Plane emergency, no one thought about him, and they played themselves because at no point watching Athena and Jem land that plane anyone thought "oh wow this would be better if we had a real pilot". He was gonna be a main and 3 episodes in, he has less than 2 minutes of screentime in the season, he's completely irrelevant. No promo, no interviews, 2 lines and absolutely nothing of substance. I would feel bad if I wasn't getting death threats. I'm just laughing. Well done, guys, you went to war for racist tree #3 and you're losing badly.

[echowithpain]

You know what I want?

I've been thinking about this for a while, but I want the firefam to deal with a loss again

And I don't mean I want one of them to die, I mean I want them to go to an emergency where they try to save someone and fail, and I want it to H U R T.

Not just hurt the team, but hurt the fans as well!

As of right now, I can only think of 3 times where 911 has done this:

Motorcycle accident

Escalator

Cello Player

And I think they pulled this off by having the characters actually acknowledge that they lost someone.

After the motorcycle guy died after having that beautifully heartbreaking phone call with his son, Bobby steps away and you can very clearly see he is NOT okay. So much so that Athena noticed and took a moment to sit with him on the curb (which helped kickstart them going out but that's not what we're talking about right now)

After the team gets back from the escalator accident, they're all quiet and somber, and as Chimney removes his gear, we watched as he notices the guys blood was still on his shirt. To this day, I guarantee you there are still people afraid of escalators because of that scene. I would know, I'm one of them.

Hen fucking breaks down after hitting the cello player with the ambulance and she finds out she's D.O.A, and she CARRIES THAT WITH HER for multiple episodes.

It also helped that we got to see everyone's stories before the accidents happened. They were just regular people going about their days, living their lives, when tragedy struck, and maybe that's what the show has been missing for a while.

Another one I can think of is Emmett's death in Athena Begins but I won't get into that cause it hits a bit too close to home for me and it wasn't a call the team had to respond to where anyone tried to save his life.

Yes it's a drama, but there's no bigger drama than real life and with people you know or have a connection with. Imagine someone said "Stacy got in a car accident!" but you have no idea who Stacy is. You'd probably just feel bad for them and hope they're okay, right? Now imagine someone said "(Your Best Friend's name) got in a car accident!" Now how would you feel?

Panicked? Worried? Wondering if they're okay? Are they alive? Are they hurt? Where did it happen? When? Can you see them? How bad was it?

That's because you know them and have a connection with them, and I think that's what 911 is missing when it comes to these deaths. I originally started writing this after the Halloween episode aired and Denny got hit by the car and died temporarily. I noticed that the Vice Principal (? It's been a while since I've seen that episode now lol) died too, except his death was permanent. The team saw he was dead and then moved on to Denny who was still alive and more important. Not saying that Denny wasn't important, or that they should've taken time to mourn the Vice Principal(?), but me noticing how they just glossed over his death made me realize they've been doing that a lot lately, and it made me think about times where they didn't do that.

And then I thought about the last time they tried to make you feel bad about someone being dead, the mom who had bad memory and accidently killed her son, and I was wondering why it didn't feel as impactful as it could've. They did it again (I think) with Maddie feeling bad about telling the kidnapper to kill themselves, but I felt it was undermined by them constantly using a voice changer, and me being confused and taken out by Maddie actually telling someone to kill themselves on a 911 line (also with the person being someone you've never seen or genuinely heard without the voice changer, it was hard to "connect" with them in any way for that to really hurt)

Not saying this is a need, but I just remember when 911 would make me cry and hurt and help me deal with it, and I just think they should do it again. Season 8 is the 2nd season 911 has had under ABC, and I really don't want those emotional moments to have only been a FOX thing. To boil it down, we need to meet the extras, get an idea of who they are, watch them die, and have the team take the time to deal with their deaths. I don't know if we'll have anything like that for season 8B, but hopefully we'll get something for season 9 🤞🤞🤞

Again, not a need, just a strong want about something I've noticed and want to experience again.

That's all ✨

[here-there-be-fics]

I'm still so sad but now also quite frustrated verging on angry. What are they going to do now, circle back to the start of another relationship hunt?!

They'll have a scene of him baking with Jee, obsessively cooking in another and then what Eddie is finding his joy and Buck is going back to 1.0 and they do a rehash of the bachelor party scene or something where Buck makes out with a girl and then a boy, and maybe another boy for good measure. These are grown men in their 30s but can't get their shit together once again. It'll be done in half an episode because nothing is given enough actual scene time for people to care or fully grasp, which is what is happening this season for all the stories. Then the firefam are worried for half a scene and the other half is Bobby or Hen providing him with sage advice about how only he can find the answer and then it's dropped entirely after we watch buck stare wistfully at the roof or something.

Then 8b he's lamenting that he wants to find love and to settle down while he watches Maddie have her baby in 2.5 episodes time. By the end of season 8 he's dating someone new, most likely a woman to make sure we are switching out genders enough and then they leave again so that Buck can start the cycle again in Season 9 if it even gets renewed. 'See you around, Buck'.

Everything is so rushed or dropped entirely this season, there is so much great potential in these stories and it just doesn't get utilised - Ortiz, Gerrard, Mara, budget cuts, Tommy. Even the Madney baby, they couldn't let it simmer for a hot minute to actually see them go through the decision making and trying to get pregnant etc?...nope Maddie's pregnant.

I don't feel it is worth watching at this stage, I was already not watching week by week from like season 5. I only came back when it looked like the switch to ABC might have actually shaken things up and they were adding new characters and actually progressing the main characters a but further. I feel as soon as we hear the show is cancelled we'll be lumped with a season 6 ending for Buck and probably Eddie as well that is unstaisfying. (I have a feeling we're going to be seeing the end of the show after next season, maybe a shortened 10th - I have a lot of reasons why but maybe that's for another post)

Sorry this is just a long rant but I feel my frustration is only ramping up and not dying down at all. I've never cared about shows like this before but this was important to me and so many other people and its just becoming a hodgepodge of ideas and scenes slapped together with no or badly done shock factor.

If you've gotten this far, thanks for reading.

[wikiangela]

i just want to say that i also like to think about Buck and Tommy getting married. I think they would be adorable and Buck would 100% be a Groomzilla and Tommy would just watch him so fondly and think, “that’s my husband.”

yessss buck being a groomzilla is so real, he'd be hanging onto a clipboard for months before, trying to make sure everything is just the way they want it lol (and in true 911 fashion something would almost screw it up but id like to think in the end they get the wedding they want lol clipboard buck would get it done)

and Tommy would just be so endeared 🥹

like, I can just imagine the firefam at some family gathering, meal at Bobby's or smth, and Buck is going off about the wedding preparations, maybe getting annoyed at something, vendors or prices or whatever, and Chimney teasingly asks Tommy 'you sure you want this one?' and Tommy is just so fond like (and ill steal your line here lol) 'yeah, that's my husband' and then ofc a teasing 'and marrying a buckley worked out pretty well for you, didnt it' or smth, idk this is just off the top of my head 🤣🤣

god I love them lol

[lovecolibri]

Honestly if the leaks prove to be true it’s actually really annoying and I’m also not worried but annoyed and going into rage… because the fact that Tim made this man even part of buddie in any way is just so disappointing. Please don’t take this as me dooming— I firmly believe ALL roads still lead to buddie. I just wish it was done in a better way. Literally the firefam is RIGHT THERE. Why Tim had to bring back a racist, misogynistic pos is beyond me

for slight spoilery talk, just to be safe

Nonnie, I am right there with you! And to prove how not worried I am, my nervous system and body which betry me on the daily and give me tummy aches when I'm anxious isn't even gurgling. So I'm not worried about that man.

What I AM, is pissed. It was bad enough that Buck's first kiss with a man was him. That we were always going to have to see him as the "first" (same thing with tay kay getting his first on screen ILY even if he looked like the words were pulled out of his mouth against his will). He was GONE and we could have been DONE with the racist actor on set! To tap Aisha to have to direct him? Trying to gain audience (read: online fandom who have been seeing all the posts about her directing) sympathy and hope they'll choose to say nothing? Well.

We'll see what happens but again, like you said, the firefam is right there! Buck has a huge number of people he can talk to. Can we stop bringing back old flames and let the main characters actually talk to each other again???