Welcome to L.A. [EN]

Chapter 5 : A lot of questions.

Eddie would like to understand how he got there.

And no matter how hard he looks, he really doesn't find it.

Almost two weeks and... nothing. Radio silence.

He's not quite sure what's going on, but it's bothering him.

Patience has never been his strong suit and it looks like Buck knows it and is having fun playing it.

That's the only reason that could explain this situation.

Eddie recalls the dinner at Athena and Bobby's house for the umpteenth time.

After the little incident in the bathroom, they didn't speak again during the rest of the meal.

Buck seemed to avoid it perhaps even more than before - if that was possible - and Eddie blamed it on what had happened. He had figured that, like him, Buck was doing his best not to look at him and think about what they had done and what they were going to do and so avoid reacting in any way while they were in public. Because, Eddie really loves them all as much as they are, but his friends are real hawks. One look, one blush... and they would have immediately drawn conclusions. And Hen and Chimney bothered him enough as it was, he didn't need to give them anything more to yaketter about. Anyway, he thought that's what Buck, like him, wanted to avoid.

So he didn't question it at the time.

And at the end of the meal, he slipped his number scribbled on a piece of paper in his jacket pocket and slipped something like 'contact me when you get the results' in his ear.

Buck didn't answer, but again, Eddie thought it was to avoid being overheard, attracting attention, or arousing suspicion.

But now, after two weeks, he's starting to seriously question himself.

It is clear that Buck still wanted to sleep with him given the way he reacted when he kissed him.

And it's clear that he didn't do anything wrong because Buck didn't push him away. Quite the contrary.

Yet it's also very clear that Buck is ghosting him.

And he can't figure out why.

Eddie went for testing and received the results just a few days later. It was always pretty fast. He wasn't surprised when he saw that he was clean. He had hardly had sex since Shannon and had been tested before and after. So if he had done it, it was just to have something to show Buck. After all, he didn't have to take his word for it. And he didn't want Buck to take it as an insult, so... Yes, presumably, he did do the right thing.

And presumably, there's no reason for Buck to avoid it.

But there is.

Buck hasn't stopped thinking. It's even kept him awake for a lot of nights and yet his mattress is damn comfortable.

He hasn't stopped thinking about dinner. And he still can't figure it out.

Why did Eddie do this? Why did he kiss him?

He's had a lot of partners. Like, really a lot. But he was never the kissing type. Not like that. Or maybe it was his partners who weren't? Anyway, he never complained about it. He never saw them again, he never slept with the same person twice. To avoid any misunderstandings. And he didn't linger on tender gestures or gentle caresses, just as they didn't either. He didn't see the point.

For him, this kind of thing - and especially kissing - has always been something reserved for couples. When there is love, a real emotional bond or a real interest in the other.