someone to stay, ⁹¹¹

𝟎𝟐𝟖.

Buck's eyes blinked open to the soft, golden light of morning slipping through the curtains, and the unmistakable scent of something warm and savoury drifting in from the kitchen.

Eggs, maybe. Or pancakes.

He sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as a hint of a smile crept across his face. That smell only meant one thing. JJ was already up.

She always had been an early riser when she was anxious, or when she was trying to hide it. But still, the scent of breakfast filled him with something sweet.

Bobby had taught her how to cook a few years ago. His patient hands over hers, showing her how to flip a perfect pancake, and how to butter a pan just right. It had become their thing, just like it had once been Buck and Bobby's.

Buck padded downstairs in his sweats and a soft shirt, rubbing the back of his neck as he turned into the kitchen. There she was.

His daughter stood at the stove, back to him, hair pulled into a ponytail, sleeves pushed up as she moved with practised ease. She didn't say anything when she heard him. Just turned wordlessly, and placed a plate on the counter for him, warm and full, every detail thought through.

"Morning, sweetheart," Buck said softly, a sleepy rasp in his voice.

JJ finally looked over her shoulder and gave him a small smile. It didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Morning, Dad," she replied.

He stepped closer and pressed a kiss to her forehead, and she leaned in to kiss his cheek in return like they'd done a thousand times before.

But she didn't look him in the eye.

Buck didn't press her. He wanted to, wanted to reach in and pull out whatever she was holding back, but he didn't.

The silence between them stretched as they ate.

He asked how she slept.

She said, "fine."

She asked how the last shift went.

He said it was quie—calm, nothing too crazy.

They talked about Christopher getting his math trophy during his first week back after Christmas. About the new lights Maddie had put up in her apartment that have broken three times.

JJ laughed a little, but Buck could see how hard she was trying to make it sound natural. Her smiles were a little too stiff. Her answers a little too clipped.

And he saw the way she picked at her food, her fork dragging small paths through syrup and crumbs like her thoughts were somewhere far away—and they were.

He didn't push.

Not because he didn't want to know, but because he could feel how scared she was. How close she was to breaking. And he knew JJ. Knew that if he looked her in the eye and asked, really asked, she might just fall apart.

And he wasn't sure she was ready for that yet. Hell, he wasn't sure if he was ready to witness it again.

When the meal was done, JJ stood up and started to clear her plate, but Buck gently took it from her.

"I've got it," he said. "Go ahead. I'll clean up."

She hesitated for a second, then nodded. "Thanks," she said softly, brushing another kiss to his cheek. "I'm gonna head over to Ashton's for a little bit."

His stomach twisted, but he kept his face neutral.

"Okay. Just be safe, okay?"

"I will," she said, already halfway toward the door, pulling on her hoodie. "I'll text you."