You drew stars around my scars

12

"Eddie?" Buck asks

"Hmm" i hum back into reality.

"Can we get coffee?" He asks all cute.

"I guessss" I smile.

I pull into the next Starbucks we pass by, there's so many better small businesses options but usually they don't have a lot of non caffeine options for Chris. And I'm not trying to get my kid into caffeine this early.

"Thanks for choosing your local Starbucks! Order when you are ready!"

"Umm can I get a Tall, chocolate cookie crumble frappe, the creme one!, a grande iced shaken espresso. And" I looked at Buck

"A grande, Cinnamon Caramel cream cold brew with caramel and mocha lining the cup!" He smiles

I make a vomiting motion. Wayyyy too much sugar, but I mean so is Chris's. I can't take that much sugar or I'd be sick all day. He lightly smacks my chest and smiles towards me. The Starbucks employee takes my card and hands me Chris's drink. I pass his over as she hands me Bucks and Is drink.

   "Your family is wonderful, have a great day!" She told us

   It felt so nice hearing that. I guess it is our family. I smiled and we drove to the Library, Chris started to jump around his seat getting so excited. Buck helped him get out and head into the doors. As we walked in to the doorway, Bucks phone started ringing.

  "Ah shit, it's Cap..." he said looking down at his phone.

He slowly slid the answer button over. Kinda nervous for what he would say.

  "Hey cap, so I guess you talked to Athen-" Buck began

  "Oh no I didn't speak to my WIFE" he muttered "of course I did,"

  "Sorry" Buck said back

  "Are you two okay?" Bobby asked

  "Yeah, we're ...fine.. maybe I'm a bit shook up" he admitted

I placed my arm around his shoulder, we sat down next to the cookbooks and Chis went off to the kids section down the hallway.

  "Well Athena told me that she found some things on a neighbors ring camera, so when you get a chance can you stop by the police station?"

"Yeah cap will do"

"Oh and you guys couldn't have gotten together last summer?" Bobby sighed "lost me 20 bucks"

"You all really knew huh?" Buck asked leaning back

"You two basically eye stripping each other on the daily" Bobby laughed "yeah we knew"

Buck blushed deep red,
"We were gonna tell you"

  "Is this going to mess up anything..." I piped up

"Oh hey Eddie." Bobby said "no, all that has to be done is some paperwork so you don't sue the department"

  I held his hand and we both smiled at that news, the best news we have gotten today. I didn't want to have leave this family, but if I had to for Buck, I would. I'd do anything to have Buck forever. We hung up and went to find Chris in the kids section, he was in this treehouse type of feature that the library had built in. It's a really cool place, it plays like cricket sounds and has a light up feature the kids can mess with. He was talking with a young boy who was also there. He waved us over when he saw us. The mom of the other boy gave us a smile as we talked with Chis about the book he had picked up. Chis wanted to do this Minecraft event that was starting in like 20 minutes so we hung out until then. Buck never really had seen the library here before so we just walked around and enjoyed the company and quite that it offered. Probably was a good thing that we chose somewhere to decompress after this morning. Quiet is nice. Chris went into the computer room and talked with some of the other kids doing the event, Buck and I hung out on a comfy couch they had close by.

"I'm sorry that all this happened" I piped up. "If I had just waited"

"Eddie, no. You don't need to live in fear, we don't have to hide things just because some asshole had to do this!" He told me laying his head against my shoulder and taking my hand "We deserve happiness, you deserve it"

I smile and kiss his forehead. "You do too"

It's been only about two or so weeks since his birthday event. Since I allowed myself to fall for him. After Chris thing ended we headed over to the police station to talk with Athena.
Chis was confused but he was the center of attention there. One of Athena's colleagues took him on a little tour, per her request so we could talk. She showed us the video of Bucks door being vandalized. It was definitely that elevator guy. Athena said he was was hick and was a "maga trumpie". He had a lot of racist and homophobic things on his truck that he owned. Just a no good jerk to others. She was able to get a ID on the guy and find what apartment he was at. She was to pay him a visit soon but just needs us to confirm it was the same guy who verbally harassed us.
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