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“Where on Earth did you learn to make these? They’re delicious!” Jeanette practically moans out as she takes another bite of the bran and cranberry muffins Buck brought in for the school’s bake sale.
Buck blushes, still managing to turn into a flustered school boy himself whenever he’s left to deal with the other parents (read: the PTA Moms) at Christopher’s school. They’re just always so…
“Obscene!” Susan interrupts his train of thought, joining Jeanette with a muffin of her own. Buck shuffles his feet, thankful for the table between them and him.
“It’s nothing, really. They’re just muffins.” he tells them but then there’s small arms wrapping around his legs and his son’s familiar giggle and he knows he’s doomed before the boy even opens his mouth.
“He’s lying!” Christopher laughs, looking up at Buck with a shit-eating grin that he definitely doesn’t get from Buck. “He was up all night studying the recipe on YouTube.”
Buck’s cheeks couldn’t get any redder. He swats playfully at Chris’ head, poking him in the ribs as he says in a stage-whisper, “I thought that was gonna stay our little secret, bud!”
Christopher just smirks, and then swipes a muffin from the table.
“Hey! You haven’t paid for that!”
“Don’t be silly, pops.” Chris says, already peeling the wrapping from the sweet treat. Buck rolls his eyes but it doesn’t stop the warm feeling spreading through his chest, something soft and gentle settling around his heart at the simple nickname.
It had started as a joke, years back, when Buck had broken his leg during a training exercise gone wrong and he’d ended up using a cane to get around for the better part of a month. Eddie had made a passing comment about him being able to blend in at the ‘Over 50s Bingo Night’ in El Paso, something which Chris had found hilarious, and the nickname has stuck ever since.
(He did actually end up going to the bingo night, although the cane had nothing to do with it; him and Isabel had made quite a team – even if she had lied about him being her ‘personal carer’ to smuggle him in.)
Buck’s broken out of his blast from the past by the two women cooing in the direction that Christopher disappeared off to.
“He is just so cute!” Jeanette exclaims, “He obviously gets that from you.”
“Well, I don’t know about that.” Buck says, busying himself with straightening up the pile of napkins at the end of the table – which have barely been touched because children have far better things to be doing at bake sales than care about crumbs.
“Oh, don’t be so modest.” Susan joins in, reaching out to lightly nudge his arm. He chuckles uncomfortably, glancing up to see her batting her eyelashes at him. “His father is quite the looker.”
‘Oh, he certainly is. It’s one of the reasons I married him.’ Buck thinks absently, but he can’t quite bring himself to say the words out loud. He’s already tried, countless times, to explain that he’s in a relationship already to the single parents that keep relentlessly hitting on him whenever there’s some sort of event at the school. It doesn’t seem to get him anywhere. Either they don’t believe him, or they simply don’t care.
He wishes Isabel were here now. She’s great at getting rid of unwanted attention.
But she’d had to cancel last minute, telling him that something had come up and to go on ahead without her. Buck had been more disappointed than Christopher, in all honesty. She’s one out of a very small group of people in LA that he can call family. And, between Eddie being away on another tour and Buck’s new job with the 118, she’s been a lifesaver when it comes to looking after Christopher.
“You’re bringing Chris to Sarah’s party this weekend, right?” Jeanette asks.
“Ah,” Buck chews at his lip, “sorry ladies but I’ve got a 24-hour shift on Saturday. I doubt I’ll be able to make it. I usually end up crashing once I get home. His great-aunt should still be able to drop him off, though.”
“That’s a shame.” Susan says, just as Jeanette sighs, giving him a pitiful look.
“I don’t know how you manage. All by yourself. It must be tough on Christopher, too. No kid should go without a mother, it really isn’t fair.” she says, laying a manicured hand on Buck’s arm. Something about the way she says it, or maybe just what she says in general, has rage boiling up inside of him.
“Well, I never had a loving mother and I think I turned out just fine.” he snaps, taking great satisfaction in the way she flinches away from him, looking guilty. But even as the words come out, he thinks of Maddie and everything she did for him growing up and feels sick to his stomach. She might not have been his mother, but she may as well have been.
That’s different, though. He’ll make it up to her later, even if she’ll have no clue what he’s apologising for.
“You know what I meant.” Jeanette pushes, her face flickering between a cold stubbornness and a gentle ease that Buck figures is supposed to win him over. It doesn’t.
“What I know is that, in today’s day and age, forcing stereotypical family expectations on children is ridiculous and harmful.” Buck says, meeting her gaze head on. Susan hovers in the corner of his eye, looking like she wants to flee but also is too invested in the conversation to leave.
Jeanette huffs, crossing her arms. Her sugary pretence is gone, now, replaced by a bitter scowl. All Buck can do is hope that this means she’ll no longer be using her cringe-worthy pick-up lines on him.
“I’m not forcing anything on anyone,” she states matter-of-factly, “I’m simply saying that children thrive better when they’re surrounded by family. You work irregular and long shifts and leave Christopher with whoever is available. It can’t be good for him. And it’s not good for you either, all that stress and responsibility. You shouldn’t have to raise your child alone.”
Buck takes a deep, steadying breath as he tries his very best to cool down before he rips into this ignorant woman in front of half of the school, teachers and parents included.
And then, just as he’s opening his mouth to respond with something at least halfway calm and level-headed, a warm hand lands on his shoulder and gives a reassuring squeeze.
“Well then it’s a good thing he isn’t doing it alone.”
Buck’s heart can’t seem to decide whether to fall out his ass in fright or get stuck in his throat, a strangled gasp leaving his mouth as his knees buckle out from underneath him.
“Whoa, whoa! Steady! I’ve got you.” Strong arms wrap around Buck’s middle, catching him before he can hit the floor, as that same voice rings through his ears, barely audible over the pounding of his own heart. He squeezes his eyes shut, not to stop the tears that are already threatening to fall but out of fright because if he turns around right now and sees some random stranger he might break completely.
It isn’t until he hears the loud, excited squeal from Christopher shouting, “Daddy!” from across the hall that he allows himself to open them.
And there, crouching right in front of him, big brown eyes filled with concern and that adorable little wrinkle above his nose that he’s missed so, so much, is the man that he fell in love with. Maybe not quite as young as he was back then, with a few extra scars and battle wounds and a little bit more stubble than his usual five o’clock shadow (which Buck will definitely be asking him to keep, if only for the night), but he’s still the same man.
He can only make out a weak, “Eddie!” before the dam bursts and tears are streaming down his face. Eddie is there to catch him, again, pulling him into a crushing hug and not making a single sound of protest as Buck soaks his shirt.
Slightly smaller arms are throwing themselves around the two of them then and Buck chuckles wetly into Eddie’s chest as their son clambers to get in the middle of them.
“What are you doing here? It isn’t May yet, is it?” Chris asks for Buck, cradling Eddie’s face like he can’t quite believe what he’s seeing either. The sight has Buck choking back another sob.
“No, mijo,” Eddie says, running his hand over Christopher’s hair and smiling down at him, “it’s still April.” He glances up at Buck, smiling softly. “I was granted early leave. I wanted to surprise you both, I know you’ve been excited about this bake sale all month.”
Buck frowns, “But…how?” And then, behind Eddie, he spots another familiar face. “You!” he says, only partly accusingly, to a smirking Isabel. “You knew about this? And you didn’t tell us?!”
Isabel shrugs, not looking sorry in the slightest. “My favourite grandson swore me to secrecy. I had my hands tied.”
“Your only grandson.” Eddie quips and the two of them laugh. “Now,” he shifts, pulling Chris up first before reaching out a hand to Buck, “do I get to try one of these infamous muffins I’ve heard so much about?”
Buck can’t fight back the grin that takes over his face, taking the hand that Eddie’s offering him and allowing his husband to haul him to his feet. He stays close to him, melting into his side, not that Eddie seems to have any complaints. He rests his chin on Eddie’s shoulder as Chris passes him a muffin, still trying to process everything.
“I’ve missed you.” he murmurs into Eddie’s ear as Eddie takes a bite out of the muffin Chris gave him. He punctuates his words with a lingering kiss to Eddie’s cheek, marvelling in the feeling of his beard scratching at his face slightly. He doesn’t totally hate it.
Eddie laughs through his nose, as if he can read Buck’s thoughts, and leans further into him. “I’ve definitely missed your cooking.” he says, causing Buck to rolls his eyes. He laughs properly this time, bringing his free hand up to caress Buck’s face gently. “I’ve missed you too, darling.”
A clearing of a throat catches both of their attention and Buck looks over to find a small gathering of people watching them. He blushes, just now realising that he’s cried in front of all of these people, but then Eddie slips an arm around his waist and he decides that he doesn’t care that much, all things considered.
Jeanette is still standing there, though, her arms crossed as she watches them both with calculating eyes. Before Buck can say anything, from an apology to a ‘fuck off’, Eddie is moving to position himself just a little behind Buck, one arm still wrapped around his waist as the other rests on his shoulder. The touch grounds him, and he lets out a steady breath.
“I’m sorry, I don’t believe we’ve met.” Eddie says, and Buck glances back to look at him because he recognises that sickly sweet tone. His suspicions are confirmed when he catches the wicked glint in his husband’s eyes and he sighs internally. Eddie always was a possessive bastard (in the most affectionate way possible). “I’m Staff Sergeant Eddie Diaz, Buck’s husband.”
The not-so-casual drop of his title, combined with the fact that he’s still dressed in his combat uniform (well, t-shirt and trousers but it’s enough) shouldn’t be as hot as Buck finds it but, hey, he’s a simple man.
Jeanette doesn’t even get a chance to respond before Eddie is continuing, “I don’t really appreciate you questioning my husband’s parenting abilities whilst I’m out serving our country,” he says coolly, and Buck has never wanted to kiss him more. “Especially when he’s more than capable of raising a child on his own, even though he most definitely is not alone.” He squeezes Buck’s shoulder once more, for good measure, and Buck has to fight to not melt into him.
“I wasn’t-” Jeanette starts, but Eddie lifts a finger and she falls silent immediately.
“May I ask,” Eddie begins, glancing rather unsubtly towards where Christopher is sitting with Isabel and one of his friends, “where’s your child right now?”
So many emotions pass over Jeanette’s face and Buck has great fun waiting to see which one will win out. She gestures across the hall, “She went over to the drinks stand with her friends.”
Buck quickly glances over towards the table filled with an array of juices and finds it empty, aside from the poor teacher left to run it, and he bites his lip as Eddie hums.
“Right.” Eddie says, try and failing to sound like she believes her. “Maybe before you start judging other people’s parenting skills you should take a closer look at your own?” He says it with a smile, all sweetness and concern in his voice, but Buck can see right through him. Knows this man too well.
The colour drains from Jeanette’s face, a few parents that were listening in breaking out into murmurs, and she pushes her way out from the small crowd. The moment she’s out of sight, Buck breathes out a sigh of relief and then buries his face in Eddie’s shoulder.
“What a fucking Karen.” Eddie mutters under his breath, his hand automatically coming up to run fingers through Buck’s hair.
“Her name’s Jeanette.” Buck mumbles. “And watch your language, there are kids about.” he adds, causing Eddie to huff.
“I couldn’t care less what her name is.”
Buck tries real hard not to laugh, hiding his snicker in the skin of Eddie’s throat, where he can feel the quiet, practically silent, rumblings of laughter coming from his husband too. And if he stays there a little longer, breathing in that familiar musky scent that he’d been longing for all year, well so be it.
He only pulls away when Eddie makes him, his husband hooking a finger underneath his chin to lift his face up, a soft smile gracing his face as he looks down at Buck. He draws Buck in, eyes fluttering closed as he captures his lips in a sweet kiss, barely a hint of tongue but full of passion nonetheless. The kind of kiss that comes with almost a decade of marriage. When they separate, there’s a spark of fire in Eddie’s eyes and he whispers, “There’s more where that came from when we get home.”, sending shivers down Buck’s spine.
Then he’s turning away, stepping up to their table and clapping his hands, giving the surrounding parents and teachers his most charming smile. “Now, who wants to buy one of these wonderful muffins that my poor husband has agonised over for the past month? I promise, they’re to die for. Hell, I flew halfway across the globe to try one.”
Everyone laughs, gravitating towards the table and Eddie gestures over to Christopher and Isabel, roping them both in to help with the promise that he’ll pay for pizza when they get home. Buck’s face aches with how much he’s smiling, not once leaving Eddie’s side for the rest of the afternoon, and he has a sneaking suspicion that he won’t have to deal with any more unwanted attention at the next PTA meeting.