Chapter Text
When Eddie calls Buck that morning there is no questioning before the plans are set. Christopher is sick and Eddie has to work, so Buck is on his way. Obviously, what else could they possibly do?
"I, seriously? Just like that? I haven't even asked yet" Eddie's relief confuses Buck, of course Buck is going to look after Christopher, why would Eddie have to ask? He'd do anything for them, Eddie should know that.
"Well, duh, he's at home sick you have to leave, we can't leave him on his own" Buck muses, "I thought you were supposed to be the smart one?"
"No, I know that, I just- It's your day off and-"
"And Christopher needs me, so I shall be spending my day off with one of my favourite people, whilst one of my other favourite people stops worrying and starts getting ready for work before he's late." Buck cuts off Eddie's rambles, all too eager to end the sentence before it tumbles into an endless spiel of unnecessary gratitude.
"You're the best, you know that?"
Buck smiles at Eddie's statement and hums his affirmative before once again instructing the other man to finish getting ready. Eddie tried to thank him again but Buck grins as he calls "Bye Eddie, see you in 20!", already pulling the phone away. He can almost imagine Eddie scowling at the phone, hating that Buck won't let him thank him any more. He's so predictably earnest.
Buck throws on his own jeans and a t-shirt before grabbing a grey hoodie that he's pretty sure was once Eddie's. Buck doesn't remember buying it and is pretty sure Eddie was wearing it when he'd stayed over last month, not wanting to be alone whilst Christopher stayed at a friend's.
The more Buck thinks about it the more he is sure that it was Eddie's. He remembers Eddie fiddling with the strings in the doorway as he'd stood nervously explaining his desire for company. Buck had rolled his eyes with a fond smile, thinking how adorable it was that Eddie was more nervous than Chris about the boy's first sleepover, as he'd pulled Eddie inside by the stings of his hoodie and decided it was the perfect excuse for guys night. It was definitely Eddie's, Buck recalls, he'd unzipped it and pushed Eddie onto the couch insisting he relax when the other man had just stood looking lost in Buck's living room. They'd watched a movie and Eddie had taken it off when Buck pulled out blankets. He didn't wear it home the next day because they had a shift and he'd borrowed Buck's clothes to avoid Hen's teasing about him wearing the same clothes. Definitely Eddie's hoodie.
Buck slips it on anyway, guess it's his hoodie now. It's a nice hoodie, it fits, and it goes with his dark grey jeans. Plus, they share clothes all the time, what's once more?
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"Eddie, honestly, I wouldn't be here if I wasn't fine with it. I offered to remember? Just go we'll be fine. I watch Chris all the time"
"But not when he's sick, what if he throws up-"
"Eddie, I think I'll survive some up-chucking. However, somebody might not survive in a fire today if you keep hovering here instead of going to work and being a hero" Buck is teasing and Eddie knows it as his face relaxes and he shakes his head with a chuckle.
"Seriously," Eddie looks into Buck's eyes and Buck sees the worry there "If it becomes too much, call me. I don't want to burden you with-"
"Eddie!" Buck's raised voice shocks Eddie into silence and Buck tilts his head and holds Eddie's arms to force eye contact as his voice turns soothing "Chris is not a burden, Chris being sick is not a burden, and you going to work whilst I look after him is not a burden, okay? You're family, Eddie, both of you. It's a privilege to spend time with you and it always will be, even if Chris throws up on me"
Eddie stares at Buck, bewildered as he speaks, then by the end, both men are chuckling.
"I- You're the best, you know that?"
"I've been told" Buck grins with an instinctual wink as he nudges his shoulder against Eddie's "Now go, we'll be fine" Buck assures, adding a "right Buddy?" as he notices Christopher slump into the room and curl up on the couch.
"We'll be fine dad, you should go to work we'll see you later. Stop worrying" Chris croaks from his blanket cocoon.
Buck smirks at Eddie, who blushes at being called out by his eight-year-old.
"Smart kid. You should listen to him"
"Yeah, yeah," Eddie says before finally backing closer to the door. Buck opens it wide and blocks the hall as Eddie hesitates at the frame.
"Are you-"
"I'm sure, Eddie, go" Buck chuckles again, "You're such a helicopter dad"
"Shut up" Eddie grumbles "I'm so not, I just hate leaving him when he's sick, I feel guilty"
Buck barely suppressed an eye roll. As if going to work one time could make Eddie a bad father.
"You have nothing to feel guilty about" Buck insists, before tilting his head, his voice becoming higher in false contemplation "unless you don't trust me to look after him, and you feel guilty for leaving him with such a bad-"
"Okay, I'm going. You play dirty" Eddie groans
"Finally, hurry before you're late, bye"
Buck begins closing the door slowly as he speaks and Eddie rolls his eyes fondly at Buck's antics.
"Okay, Bye Buck" Eddie chuckles stepping out of the doorway before calling out "Bye Christopher. I love you!" as he pivots and makes his way towards his car.
Chris' response is quiet, muffled by the blankets he's buried himself in so Buck quickly reacts to relay the message and calls out to Eddie,
"Love you too!" Before closing the door.
He doesn't see Eddie's reaction. He's too busy standing frozen in the doorway as he realises what he said and how what must have looked to Eddie. Buck panics that Eddie will think he meant to say it as himself.
He panics because he wouldn't be able to deny it, if Eddie asks if he meant it.
He panics because he realises, as the words come out of his mouth that he means them, wants to say them again to his face. He loves Eddie.