training wheels. // evan 'buck' buckley

xxxix. silent standoff

the firehouse was buzzing with the usual chatter when buck walked through the doors, clipboard in hand and dressed in his fire marshal uniform - a neatly pressed button-up shirt that did nothing to downplay his physique. i had been hanging out with hen near the kitchen, and immediately perked up at the sight of him. despite the less-than-thrilling title of "fire marshal," there was no denying that buck made the uniform look good.

i smiled, pushing away the frustrations of my day for the moment. buck hadn’t been around the station as much lately, but whenever he showed up, it was like a breath of fresh air. and today, i needed it. lucy had been testing her patience all morning, strutting around like she ran the place, and i was barely holding it together. the sight of my very attractive boyfriend was a welcome distraction.

“hey, fire marshal buck,” i greeted with a teasing grin as he walked over to me.

“hey, you,” buck replied, his voice warm, eyes bright as he gave me a once-over. “how’s it going today?”

“better now,” i quipped, my smile widening. it was a simple exchange, but for me, just being around buck made everything feel a little lighter. sure, i wasn’t technically on the team, but these people were my friends. my family. and nothing about lucy’s attitude today could change that.

but then, before i could enjoy the moment, lucy appeared from the hallway, her eyes immediately zeroing in on buck. “buckley,” she said smoothly, a smirk on her lips as she sauntered over. “you’re here with a report, huh? you’re looking official.”

my jaw tightened slightly as lucy’s tone shifted into something almost... flirty.

buck smiled politely, clearly unaware of the undercurrent of tension rising between me and lucy. “yeah, just dropping off the inspection report. figured i'd check in while i was here.”

lucy stepped a little closer, ignoring my presence completely. “well, it’s good to see you back around the station,” she said, her voice low, almost suggestive. “it’s not the same without you.”

my patience snapped like a rubber band. was she serious? there was no way lucy didn’t know that buck was my boyfriend. and yet, here she was, laying it on thick right in front of me.

buck, bless his oblivious heart, chuckled awkwardly, trying to steer the conversation back to business. “yeah, well, just doing my job,” he said, his eyes flicking briefly to me, sensing the tension but not quite understanding it.

i crossed my arms, biting my tongue. i wasn’t about to let lucy get to me. not today.

i watched as lucy lingered just a little too close to buck, her eyes practically sparkling as she leaned into their conversation. it wasn’t that i didn’t trust buck - i trusted him more than anyone - but lucy had a habit of pushing boundaries. and today, after a long, stressful morning, i wasn’t in the mood for it.

“so, buck,” lucy said, her voice dripping with that light, playful tone that i had come to resent, “you must be swamped with all the fire marshal stuff, huh? i guess we won’t see you around the station much.”

buck chuckled, his hand resting loosely on the clipboard in front of him. “yeah, it’s been busy, but i’m still around when i can be.”

my jaw tightened slightly, the casual conversation grating on me. maybe lucy didn’t know about me and buck. but honestly, at this point, i wasn’t sure it mattered. i’d played nice long enough.

i stepped up next to buck, sliding my hand down his arm to lace my fingers with his. it was a small move, but enough to say everything without having to speak. buck glanced down, surprised but not uncomfortable, and gave me a warm smile.