The Years of Our Lives (Buddie Kid Fic)

Chapter 5: Alone

7:30 AM

Buck stands in the front doorway of his and Eddie's house, a baby on each hip.

"Say goodbye to Daddy and Christopher!" he says in his awful baby voice that he hates so much. He awkwardly adjusts Romeo so he can wave goodbye to his husband.

"See you later my little ones!" Eddie calls as he gets into the truck. He blows Buck a kiss. "You got this mi amor, see you tomorrow afternoon!". He shuts the door and backs down the driveway, leaving Buck alone with the twins for the first time in their 5 and a bit months of life.

Buck wasn't about to admit this to Eddie's face, but he was shit scared of what the day was to bring. Eddie and Christopher were away for a night for a school excursion that Christopher had been looking forward to for weeks, on the condition that Eddie go with him. He was becoming more and more independent by the day, but the thought of being away from his dad for a night was still a bit daunting. Eddie had readily agreed to go and had asked Buck if he'd be okay looking after the babies on his own for a day and a half. Not really sure what else to say, Buck had agreed, declining any offers of help that had poured in from his sister and members of the 118 when they heard that he'd be fending for himself. He'd regretted that when he realised that 36 hours of no Eddie meant 36 hours of being a single parent to two cranky babies and had organised activities to keep the babies (and himself) entertained throughout the day. Maddie and Jee-Yun would be meeting them at the park at 10am, followed by a swim with Bobby after lunch and a quick nap. Then all Buck had to do was soldier on through to dinner, bath and bedtime and he'd be great.

Buck let out the breath he'd been holding as he watched Eddie and Christopher disappear down the drive and turned around, walking back into the house.

"Right rascals, should we get some breakfast into you and then get ready for the day?"

Buck carried the babies to the kitchen and strapped each one into the little highchairs him and Eddie had set up for them since the babies had started trying out solid foods. The chairs were little seats that were able to be strapped to the kitchen chairs, each with a little tray that could clip onto the front. Buck marvelled at how big his babies looked, sitting up in their chairs. Both babies were able to sit up now, as long as they had something against their backs to stop them from tumbling over. Emilia looked up at Buck with her big blue eyes as Romeo smacked his hands on the tray, as if telling his father to hurry up and feed him.

"Alright big guy" Buck chuckled as he turned to the fruit bowl, grabbing a banana, and cutting it in half, "how does mashed banana and avocado sound to you?"

He put bit of banana and avocado into two separate bowls and mashed them up with a fork, wrinkling his nose as the food became a yellowy-green paste. Buck didn't understand how babies liked that stuff. Grabbing a chair and spinning it around so he sat in front of the babies, Buck placed the bowl on each baby's tray.

"Bon appétit" he declared, dipping a baby spoon into the gloop, and moving it towards Romeo's mouth. The little boy opened wide for the spoon and smacked his lips contentedly, pushing his food around with his tongue in a way that would have completely grossed Buck out if it had been an adult doing it.

While Romeo was eating, Buck turned to Emilia and gave her a bite too.

"Hey, watch it!" he exclaimed as Emilia launched forwards, hands grabbing out to the food in the bowl. He snatched it away just in time and eyed his daughter suspiciously.

"Why can't you just sit nicely like your brother" he grumbled, spooning a mouthful into Romeo's awaiting mouth. Emilia let out a hearty chuckle and made grabby hands in Buck's direction, giving him a look of pure innocence that made him forgive her instantly. Oh yeah, she was definitely his child.