The Years of Our Lives (Buddie Kid Fic)

Chapter 7: A Much-Needed Holiday

Day One:

It was a week after the incident of Christopher hitting a kid at school, and Buck and Eddie were getting the car packed up, ready for their holiday with Christopher. It was an early Friday morning in November when they set off. Eddie had pulled Christopher out of school for the day, stating a family emergency had come up, and had sworn Christopher to secrecy. He didn't want to face the wrath of Christopher's teacher if she found out the boy had been pulled out for a holiday.

True to his word, Buck had spent the day after the incident googling good places to go in November. They'd settled on Tenaya Lodge, just below the south entrance to Yosemite National Park. The lodge looked huge, containing an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, a whole load of places to eat, as well as boasting many hiking trails in the surrounding area. Buck had been super excited when he'd found it, bouncing on the balls of his feet as Eddie scrolled through their website, letting out a small whoop of excitement when his husband agreed with a smirk. Christopher had been just as thrilled as Buck when he saw all that was on to offer. He'd begged his dad and Buck for them to be able to go that very second, pouting deeply when he'd been told that they would leave on Friday.

The only thing that had been left after booking their stay was to find someone willing to mind the twins for 2 nights, something the boys were very aware was not a small ask. Eddie had optimistically suggested that Maddie and Chimney might want to spend quality time with their niece and nephew, a suggestion that had been quickly shut down by Buck when he gently reminded his husband that the young couple were struggling enough to parent Jee-Yun while she went through her terrible-twos. The next obvious choice was Athena and Bobby, who had never yet declined a chance to spend time with the twins. Buck had barely even gotten out "Can you watch the twins" before Athena was agreeing, claiming she'd been waiting for almost 9 months now for them to ask. Both her and Bobby were taking their roles as honorary grandparents very seriously, spoiling the twins with new toys every time they came over.

Athena had come over earlier that morning to collect the twins. Eddie had answered the door, his hair tousled and wearing nothing but a pair of Buck's grey sweatpants.

Athena had raised an eyebrow at his appearance. "Don't feel like you need to get dressed on my behalf" she'd teased the man, pushing past him and striding into the house. "Now, where are my grandbabies?"

The house had felt weirdly quiet without the twins after Athena had buckled them into her car and driven off. Buck was a teary mess as he said goodbye to his babies for the first time. This would his first night away from them since their birth and his heart couldn't quite take it.

"Don't grow up while I'm gone" he'd sniffed as he'd kissed them on the forehead, ignoring Athena's exasperated "tch" in the background.

"Boy, you're only gone for two nights, they're hardly going to start walking in that time" she'd said, lightly smacking the back of his head.

"I know, I know" Buck had replied, wiping his eyes as he waved goodbye. "Thanks for taking them, 'Thena".

Athena had smile softly and blown him a kiss before reversing down the driveway.

Now, an hour or so later, Eddie slammed the trunk of the Jeep shut and jogged back inside, rounding up his husband and son.

"Buck, Chris! Come on, we need to leave if we want to get there before 3!" he yelled down the corridor.

Christopher appeared from his room, pillow tucked under one arm and using one crutch. Eddie reached out and grabbed the pillow off him, making it easier for his son to walk.

"Go get in the car, we'll meet you in there soon" he instructed the boy.

Eddie crept into his and Buck's shared room, eyeing up his husband's hunched form as he sat on the edge of the bed, scrolling through photos of the twins on his phone.