Lost and Found || Buddie

Chapter 24

Buck was a bit annoyed when Bobby, Hen and Chim showed up to help get the U-Haul unpacked, he was looking forward to being alone with Eddie, but in the end he was thankful. It was hot and it got finished in less than half the time it would have taken just the two men to do it themselves. 

Eddie suggested having dinner with everyone there, but they had to get going, Bobby had to get back to Athena, Hen had to get back to her wife and son and Chim, well they just assumed Chimney was going home since Maddie was supposed to be with Christopher and Shannon. 

"Thanks for all the help!" Eddie calls as everyone walked out of the house and to their respective cars, shutting the door as he walked back inside to find Buck. "Buck?" The man asks and laughs softly when he sees the man sprawled out on the couch face first. "What do you want for dinner?" Buck had to still be awake, there was no way he fell asleep that quickly.

Bucks groan was muffled by the couch cushion, but he reluctantly rolled over and looked at the older man. "Chinese? There's a really good place a few blocks away." He yawns and sits up, patting the space next to him so Eddie could sit down. As soon as the man took his seat, Buck repositioned himself, laying his head in the other man's lap, humming softly when he instantly feels fingers running through his hair. 

"Chinese sounds good." Eddie responded and grabbed his phone with his free hand looking up the Chinese restaurant that the younger man suggested. "Beef and broccoli with fried rice?" And Buck just nods his head, smiling because Eddie had remembered his order, of course he did. After placing the order Eddie hangs up and sets his phone down, looking down at the man lying in his lap, his fingers never leaving their spot in Buck's hair. "You want to stay over tonight?" 

Sitting up slowly, Buck looks at Eddie and furrows his eyebrows in confusion. "There's no bed in the guest bedroom yet. Unless you're making me sleep on the couch, then I guess that's okay. The couch is pretty comfy." He shrugs his shoulders.

Eddie just laughs and shakes his head. "No, I'm not going to make you sleep on the couch. You can sleep in my room with me." He explains. "Only if that's something you're comfortable with." He adds, reaching over and slipping his fingers through Buck's. 

Nodding his head, Buck rests it on Eddie's shoulder and closes his eyes taking in the peacefulness. "Wait." He was still confused. "What about Christopher? Wouldn't it be weird if he woke up in the morning and found me in your bed? I'd think that'd be confusing for a five-year-old." 

"Oh no, he's not coming home tonight. Shannon's keeping him for a few days so I can get the house in order. So, you don't have to worry about that." Eddie was grateful though for the concern, he loved that Buck always thought about Christopher, looked out for him. In many ways he was another parent to his son. 

Before Buck could say anything there was a knock at the door, indicating that their dinner had arrived. Eddie stood up quickly and answered the door, paying and tipping the delivery driver before taking the food and closing the door, bidding the woman a goodnight. "Alright, everything should be in the bags, I'll go grab a couple of beers." He said as he walked to the living room and handed the food off to Buck before making his way to the kitchen. Chimney had brought him over a six pack as a housewarming gift. He grabbed two beers and made his way back to the couch, sitting down and setting the bottles on the coffee table.

The two ate in a comfortable silence, the only noise was coming from the TV that they had set up, some comedy movie playing on the screen. "Bobby and I were talking earlier." Eddie started and Buck took in a breath, not looking at the other man. "He says you're being reckless while you're out on calls, asked me to talk to you." He wasn't mad, he was worried about the other man. He wanted to talk to him right after the fire captain had said something, but he refrained since they had a house full of people. 

Buck just shrugs his shoulders. "It's no big deal, Eddie. I made a decision that he didn't agree with and he's calling me reckless." 

"That's not what he told me. He said it was multiple calls, said you could have gotten yourself killed when you disobeyed a direct order to not go into a burning building." Eddie points out, he was just repeating what the captain had told him earlier that day. 

"I disobeyed direct order because there was a kid stuck in there! We made it out, I don't know why he's making it into such a big deal." Buck says, exasperated. "I don't know why you're even talking to me about it." 

"Because I care Buck. You mean a lot to me and Christopher, we'd be crushed if something happened to you. Do you understand that? I need you to not be reckless and listen to your captain. At least until I'm there to keep an eye on you and have your back." And that had caught the other man's attention. 

"What do you mean at least until you're there?" Buck was confused. Eddie wasn't a firefighter; he didn't even think if Eddie had ever considered being one. 

Taking a swig of his beer, Eddie sets down the bottle and grabs Buck's hand with a small smile. "I start the academy next month. Bobby said he was going to fight like hell to have me at the 118, said I'd be a nice addition with my medic background and all. Plus, your team really likes me. But I really need you to stop doing dumb shit." He was serious again. "I can't lose you again Buck." 

"Didn't know you thought about it." Buck frowns, why had he kept that from him. "But I guess I'll stop doing dumb shit." He mumbles, refusing to look at the other man like he was being scolded. He knew he wasn't, but it sure felt like it. "I'm sorry, I didn't think about it like that. You won't lose me; you and Chris will always have me."

"I'm not mad you, Buck." Eddie says softly, his free hand coming up to pull Buck's chin up with two fingers to look him in the eyes. "I just get worried. I'm glad you have people at work that care about you, that watch over for you when I can't." He stops, moving his hand to caress the man cheek. "I love you, Buck." He whispers and slowly closes the gap between the two, pressing their lips together in a soft kiss. 

He almost pulls back until he feels Buck's lips moving against his, kissing him back slowly. It was how he'd imagine it would feel like, not that he thought about it often. Who was he kidding, he thought about it all time. He pulls back though before it gets any deeper. "Was that, okay?" He asks softly and Buck just nods instantly, a dopey smile on his face. 

"Been wanting that for a while." Buck chuckles. "I love you too Eddie. More than you know." And he's the one that closes the gap this time, kissing the man with a bit more force this time. This was where he wanted to be for the rest of his life, with the love of his life.