Buddie: Partners in Fire

Chapter 77

Scene: Hotel Room, 7 a.m.

The early morning light barely filtered through the heavy curtains of the small, quiet hotel room. Buck’s phone buzzed faintly on the nightstand beside him, its gentle vibration barely disturbing the peaceful quiet of the room. The soft sound went unnoticed by Buck, who was deep in sleep, his body molded to the mattress as his chest rose and fell in a steady, relaxed rhythm. His arm was draped loosely over Eddie, who lay beside him, still cocooned under the blankets but not quite as deeply asleep.

Eddie stirred at the sound, his body still heavy with the weight of exhaustion. The last few days had been emotionally draining—traveling, dealing with his abuela's funeral, and facing old griefs—and it was all catching up to him. He blinked sleepily, his eyes adjusting to the dim light as he turned his head slightly, catching sight of Buck's peaceful face, still lost in the depths of sleep. A small smile tugged at the corner of Eddie’s lips, but the faint buzz of the alarm brought him back to the present.

He shifted slightly, rolling onto his side and nudging Buck with his elbow, his voice soft and thick with sleep.

Eddie (groggy, his voice low): "Buck... the alarm..."

Buck responded with a muffled groan, clearly not ready to face the morning. His hand, half-buried under the pillow, fumbled blindly across the bed, searching for his phone. Without bothering to open his eyes, he found it and silenced the alarm with a lazy swipe of his thumb, setting the snooze for another ten minutes. Instead of moving to get up, Buck turned and scooted closer to Eddie, instinctively wrapping his arm around Eddie’s waist, pulling him against his chest.

Buck buried his face into the crook of Eddie’s neck, his breath warm against Eddie’s skin as he mumbled into him.

Buck (his voice muffled, barely awake): "Ten more minutes..."

Eddie let out a soft, amused chuckle, though his own body felt too heavy with tiredness to argue. He shifted just slightly, allowing Buck to nestle in closer. The warmth of Buck’s body, the steady rhythm of his breathing, and the comforting weight of his arm draped over him made it easy for Eddie to sink back into the quiet of the room. For a few blissful moments, it was as if the world outside didn’t exist—no flights to catch, no past pains to revisit—just them, wrapped up in each other in the quiet morning light.

Eddie closed his eyes again, letting the familiar feeling of Buck's embrace ground him. The last few days had felt like a whirlwind, a rush of emotions and memories that left him feeling unmoored, but this—this moment—was the calm after the storm. The weight of the world seemed to lift, if only for a little while, and Eddie allowed himself to relax fully into Buck’s hold, savoring the stillness.

The room remained quiet, the occasional creak of the hotel settling the only sound beyond the soft breathing of the two men. It was peaceful, almost serene, as the early morning sunlight began to inch further across the carpet, casting a faint glow over the room.

But, as always, time moved too quickly. The ten minutes passed in a blink, and soon the alarm buzzed again, louder and more insistent this time. Buck groaned in protest, shifting slightly but not letting go of Eddie just yet. He reluctantly pulled away, reaching for his phone again and silencing the alarm for good.

Buck (groggy but smiling): "Alright, alright... We’ve gotta get up. We need breakfast, and we have to be out of here by 8:30."

Eddie rolled onto his back, stretching his arms above his head with a long yawn, feeling his muscles protest slightly after days of restless sleep. He glanced over at Buck, who was still sitting up, rubbing his eyes, his hair a mess from sleep.

Eddie (teasing, with a small smirk): "You’re the one who keeps hitting snooze."

Buck leaned down, his eyes still half-closed but with a playful grin tugging at his lips. He pressed a soft kiss to Eddie’s forehead, lingering there for a moment before pulling back, his expression warm and affectionate.

Buck (grinning, still in a half-teasing tone): "I was just trying to make the most of our last few minutes of peace. Come on, let’s get ready."

Eddie watched Buck with a faint smile as he got out of bed, stretching his arms over his head and shaking off the last remnants of sleep. Despite the exhaustion that still weighed on him, Eddie couldn’t help but feel a small sense of relief knowing that, at least for today, they could leave the heaviness of the past few days behind and head back home.

They both dressed in comfortable clothes—Buck in a faded t-shirt and jeans, Eddie in his well-worn hoodie—and began gathering their things, preparing for the flight back to LA. Eddie moved slower than usual, his body still sluggish, but Buck stayed close, always there with a quiet, reassuring presence, offering small smiles or a gentle touch whenever Eddie seemed to need it.

Once they were packed and ready, they left the hotel room behind, heading down to the breakfast buffet, the weight of the last few days still present but softened by the shared moments of quiet between them.