Buddie: Partners in Fire

Chapter 122

Scene: Hotel Ballroom

As the night wore on and the drinks began to flow more freely, someone—most likely Chimney—had the bright idea to set up a table for drinking games. The large round table near the dance floor was quickly cleared of its centerpieces and bottles of champagne, replaced instead by a deck of cards, shot glasses, and various types of alcohol. The group gathered around eagerly, and soon Buck and Eddie found themselves at the center of a lively round of “Kings.”

The rules were explained quickly to the few who hadn’t played before, and soon the group was immersed in the chaos of the game. Hen and Karen were seated on either side of Eddie, each holding their drinks, while Maddie and Chimney were right beside Buck, grinning mischievously like they had something up their sleeves.

Hen (grinning as she pulled her card from the deck): “Alright, Eddie, this one’s for you. You have to drink every time someone says the word ‘wedding’ tonight.”

Eddie (laughing, shaking his head): “Oh, come on. That’s like asking for trouble!”

Karen (raising an eyebrow, smirking as she clinked her glass against his): “Exactly. Trouble is the whole point of tonight. Might as well accept your fate now.”

Buck chuckled, reaching for the deck next. He pulled his card and held it up for the group to see, groaning dramatically when he saw the rule.

Buck (groaning, though amusement sparkled in his eyes): “Seriously? I have to take a shot every time someone calls me by a nickname?”

Chimney (grinning like the Cheshire cat): “Oh, Buckaroo, you’re in for a long night.”

Maddie (teasing): “I hope you’ve been practicing your tolerance, Baby Brother, because Chim’s not going to let this one go.”

Buck rolled his eyes but grabbed the nearest shot glass, filling it with tequila. The room erupted in cheers as he downed it in one smooth motion, his face scrunching up at the burn as it went down.

Buck (wincing, his voice hoarse): “Okay, that’s one. Who’s next?”

The game continued with Hen drawing the next card, which required everyone to raise their drinks and toast, a rule that was met with a collective cheer from the group. Soon, glasses were clinking together, and the word “wedding” was mentioned multiple times, causing Eddie to roll his eyes good-naturedly as he took several drinks in quick succession.

Eddie (grinning, though a little exasperated): “You guys are going to get me drunk in like five minutes at this rate.”

Karen (laughing, patting him on the back): “That’s the plan, Diaz. Consider it payback for all the times you’ve been the responsible one.”

As the rounds went on, the laughter grew louder, and the drinks disappeared faster. At some point, Chimney pulled a card that required him to tell an embarrassing story about the person to his left, which just so happened to be Buck.

Chimney (grinning wickedly): “Oh, man. I’ve been waiting for this. Buck, remember that time you tried to impress that girl at the firehouse cook-off by eating an entire plate of ghost pepper wings?”

Buck (groaning, shaking his head as the memory resurfaced): “Oh no, please don’t.”

Maddie (laughing): “Wait, what? I didn’t hear about this!”

Chimney (ignoring Buck’s pleas for mercy): “Oh, it was glorious. He was all cocky about it, telling everyone how he had a high tolerance for spice. Then, about two minutes in, his face went so red I thought he was going to spontaneously combust. We had to get the hose to cool him down.”

The table burst into laughter, and Buck buried his face in his hands, shaking his head as everyone teased him.

Hen (laughing so hard she could barely breathe): “Buck, you never learn, do you?”

Buck (peeking up from behind his hands, grinning despite himself): “I learned my lesson, okay? Never again.”

The game only got rowdier from there, with cards being drawn that required ridiculous dares, confessions, and more shots. By the time Eddie pulled his next card, everyone was already a little tipsy, their inhibitions fading along with the amount of alcohol left on the table.

Eddie (reading his card, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise): “Oh no, this is bad. I have to make a rule, and if anyone breaks it, they drink.”

Buck (grinning): “Oh, you’re evil. What’s it going to be?”

Eddie paused for a moment, his mind racing as he considered his options. Then, with a mischievous glint in his eyes, he made his decision.

Eddie (smirking): “Every time someone looks at Buck, they have to say a compliment, because he is the best, the most beautiful, the most...*

Buck (blushing): "I think they got it"

Eddie: "If you forget, you drink.”

Chimney (clapping, clearly impressed): “Oh, Diaz, that’s genius. You know we’re going to mess with him all night now.”

The rule was immediately put into effect, and it didn’t take long before everyone started throwing out the most ridiculous compliments they could think of.

Hen (grinning as she raised her glass): “Buck, you’re an absolute gift to humanity. We don’t deserve you.”

Karen (joining in, deadpan): “Truly, you’re a national treasure.”

Maddie (smirking as she looked at her brother): “I mean, look at you. The definition of perfection.”

Buck groaned, though he couldn’t stop laughing as the compliments kept coming, some more sincere than others. Every now and then, someone would forget to compliment him, and the group would immediately point it out, forcing them to take another drink.

The rounds blurred together as the night stretched on, and soon the whole room was filled with the sound of clinking glasses, playful jabs, and laughter that echoed off the ballroom walls. The more they drank, the more absurd the game became. By the time Chimney pulled his final card—a rule that required everyone to speak in accents for the next round—the group was in stitches, barely able to keep it together as they tried to mimic various accents with varying levels of success.

Buck (with a British accent): “Cheers, mate! I’m feeling proper knackered, but this game is bloody brilliant.”

Eddie (mocking him, his own accent somewhere between Australian and Irish): “You sound like you’re from three different countries at once. That’s impressive.”

The entire table erupted in laughter, and soon no one could keep their accents straight, each person dissolving into fits of giggles as they tried and failed to keep up with the rules. The drinks flowed even faster now, with nearly everyone having to take extra shots for breaking the ridiculous rules they’d set for themselves.

By the time the game finally ended, they were all a little worse for wear, their words slurring together, their laughter loud and unrestrained. The table was littered with empty shot glasses and bottles, and yet, despite the chaos, the joy in the room was palpable.

Buck leaned back in his chair, grinning as he looked around at his friends, his eyes landing on Eddie beside him. The night had been wild, but it was perfect in every way.

Buck (softly, leaning toward Eddie): “I love these idiots.”

Eddie (laughing, nodding in agreement): “Yeah, me too. But we’re definitely going to pay for this in the morning.”

With that, they clinked their glasses together one last time, a toast to the unforgettable night they had shared with their closest friends.