~~~
November 2024
Eddie had woken up to Buck asleep on his couch again that morning. He'd come around during the day yesterday. Buck told him he had wanted to go to Tommy's place to try and talk to him, so Eddie told him to go there instead. Eddie was just trying to keep preoccupied so he couldn't go see Tommy, or try and call him. It was becoming a recurring pattern for him. Becoming a part of his morning. Wake up, go to the kitchen, walk past Buck on the couch, make some coffee, check for updates on Christopher.
Helena had finally sent an update on his son. All she had told him was that homeschooling was going well for Christopher. Was that it? It had been six months since Christopher left and all she had to say was that his schooling was going well? Nothing about what Christopher had been learning, or what his favorite subject was at the moment? Was it still Science? It had been science the last time Eddie saw Christopher. There was also no indication that Christopher was thinking about coming back any time soon, or that he might want to talk to his dad at some point. Everything pointed to Eddie having lost Christopher all together. Eddie couldn't think about that right now.
"Any news on Chris?" Buck asked, pouring himself a coffee from the pot Eddie had just made. It made sense having Buck there. He fit so seamlessly into Eddie's life. The only thing missing now was Chris sitting at the table eating cereal and doing math homework.
"Mom says homeschooling is going well." Eddie sighed, because that's all he had to say.
"Is that it?" Eddie loved that Buck was immediately on the same page as him. "I mean I understand he was upset, but c'mon! Mine and Maddie's biggest fall out only lasted a couple of months before I forgave her."
"Yeah, but Maddie didn't come home with a dead ringer for your dead brother did she?"
"Well I didn't know I had a dead brother so that metaphor doesn't really work in this scenario." Eddie just rolled his eyes at him. It was in moments like this that Eddie got a glimpse at the old Buck. The Buck without a broken heart. The Buck who was doing everything he could to stop Eddie from spiraling and being there for him whilst his life went down the drain. Oh how the tables had turned in the last few days.
"What's your plan for today?" Eddie asked him. Buck had been spending the last couple of days at Eddie's, and whilst Eddie loved spending time with his best friend he couldn't help but be concerned that he was wallowing.
"I don't know man. Chill on your couch all day, watch trash TV, order in takeout." Buck shrugged. He seemed to fold in on himself whenever the conversation turned towards him. Buck could talk for hours about Eddie's life and what was happening with Christopher, but as soon as the conversation turned back to him he closed off again. Eddie sighed.
"Buck. You know I love having you here, and you can stay as long as you like, but I'm worried about you man."
"I'm fine." Buck interjected.
"No, you're not. I think you need to get back out there. No, I don't mean go out and date again, but at least go outside. Go and do something, go somewhere. Remind yourself what fresh air smells like."
Buck decided not to 'get back out there'. He returned to his spot on Eddie's couch and turned the TV on. Resoundly ending that conversation. At least for now.
~~~
Eddie had to do something about Buck. That at least was a task he could focus on. Buck was here, on his couch, and at least talking to him, unlike his son who was two states away and could barely string a sentence together to say to him any time he tried to initiate a conversation. Buck was a project he could turn his attention to. He could help his best friend out of this hole he'd dug himself. He could be the one to make him smile again. Even if he couldn't currently get his son to come home.
Eddie's mind kept flitting back to Buck's blood clots. The way he'd isolated himself away and wallowed in his misfortune then as well. This was all starting to feel very familiar. Buck was good at self pitying. Eddie had learnt that early on in their friendship. Hell, the man had resorted to suing the LAFD the last time because he felt abandoned and replaced by his team. If he didn't do something now Buck would resound himself to spending the rest of his life sitting on Eddie's couch watching daytime TV. Eddie should start charging him rent.
