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In a world full of impossibilities and strange coincidences, something put Tommy on a path that led him here. Feeling hands on his waist, swaying to the pleasant melody, and drowning in the eyes of a beautiful man. No amount of willpower could keep the smile from his face, not that he wanted to suppress his happiness at this moment.
“Ok, hero. What is it now?” Evan asked, clearly seeing the thoughts crossing through Tommy’s mind.
With a slight chuckle, Tommy replied, “Just reminding myself that this is real. You, me, this wedding date.”
“Well, I figured that free food would be enticing.” Evan laughed.
“The food is great, sure. But to be clear, dancing with you is the true prize.” The earnest tone of Tommy’s voice brought a slight pink hue to Evan’s cheeks.
Evan looked down shyly, taking a moment before finally responding, “Just the dance? Is there nothing else you want from me tonight?”
The question caught Tommy off-guard. “Well, I wouldn’t want to push. Nor do I want to make a scene at your sister’s wedding, but I could stand for another kiss.” Thoughts of the kiss Evan planted on his lips when he delivered Howie to the wedding tonight summoned a fiery feeling in his chest.
“Oh, I don’t think it would make a scene,” Evan grinned, leaning in for another kiss. Just moments before their lips met, Tommy felt a tug at his pants.
There, next to the two men, stood Jee-Yun. She had a hand on both Tommy and Evan’s pants, probably tugging on both at the same time.
“Jee! What can I do for you, cutie?” Evan’s face beamed. He let go of Tommy’s waist as he crouched down to be closer to his niece’s height.
“Dance with Unka Buck.” The little girl said, more as a command than a request. Both Tommy and Evan looked at each other and grinned. They both knew there was no denying Jee-Yun, especially not in that outfit. Cute did not come close to describing how she looked in that pink dress and knit button-down sweater.
“It’s okay, Evan. I know when to step out. Besides, this will be perfect for the photogra-” Tommy felt Jee tug at his pant leg again.
Jee looked up to Tommy and said “And you!” with all the enthusiasm a toddler can muster. It took everything in Tommy’s power to not melt at the exclamation. It healed the piece of his heart that was bruised when Evan’s parents were introduced to Tommy. Hen and Eddie tried to let him know that it went better than they expected, considering it was the Buckley parents. It was less comforting than they thought it sounded.
Evan stood back up, extending his hand to Jee at the same time as Tommy. The little girl started swinging her arms and swaying to the side with her uncle and his date. The rhythm was too jaunty and brisk for the slow music, but that didn’t deter the three of them as they danced through the next song. It might have been his imagination, but Tommy could have sworn he heard delighted gasps from some of the onlookers. He definitely heard the photographer, and saw the flash.
The three danced and swayed until the song ended. Once the song was over, Jee giggled and said “Thank you,” before turning to dash off. Both Evan and Tommy turned to watch her go, realizing that Maddie had walked up to them at the end of the dance.
“Mommy!” Jee hugged her mom’s legs, “I danced with Unka Buck! And,” she turned with a puzzled look at Tommy.
“My name is Tommy, Jee. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Jee turned and buried her face in her mom’s dress, the layers of fabric muffling her laughter. That sound of unbridled joy made him feel freer than he felt when flying a helicopter.
“What’s up, Maddie?” Evan spoke up, tilting his head ever so slightly trying to figure out why his sister was here without the groom.
“Well, Buck, I’m hoping to get a dance with the big hero of the evening.” Maddie turned to Tommy, smile radiating pure joy.
Evan saw the multitude of emotions quickly pass across Tommy’s face and interjected before Tommy could start. “Who am I to deny the bride on her wedding day? Come on Jee, let’s go find your dad. And maybe we can find some juice.”
That was all it took to get Jee uncoupled from her mom’s legs. She quickly grabbed her uncle’s hand and the two strode off the dance floor. Without hesitation, Maddie stepped up to Tommy, who extended a hand in a gentlemanly manner, “Maddie, it would be my pleasure.”
They started dancing to another slow tune, not one that Tommy recognized. He tried to keep his discomfort under wraps as he started, “I’m not a hero, you know? I did what needed to be done and helped your husband make it here.”
“Are you always this humble?” Maddie asked with a little snicker. “I mean, you literally saved the wedding. Most people would say that’s somewhat heroic. And considering the chaos that usually surrounds our little family, I’d say it definitely counts.”
Tommy was going to try and rebut the statement, but Maddie stopped him. She cocked an eyebrow and fixed a taking-no-shits gaze upon him. “Don’t try to change my mind Tommy. I’m not going to have it. And please, relax. I know I’m not Evan, but I didn’t think I was scary to dance with.”
Tommy realized that he had been tensing up. He relaxed a bit and allowed his shoulders to drop a bit. “Oh, sorry. It’s been quite a while since I last danced with someone that wasn’t a man.”
Maddie’s smile quirked upwards. “Oh, just because I’m a woman? No worries that I cornered you in a public place to give you the ‘Protective Sister’ talk?”
Tommy’s smile dropped from his face. “Oh God. Maddie, I-”
Maddie started to laugh and continued. “Seriously Tommy, relax. I wouldn’t do that to you now. And I don’t think I need to.”
The smile returned to his face, though the confusion was plain on his face. “Thanks, I guess. But what do you mean, you don’t think you need to?”
“Well, I don’t know how much he’s told you, but Buck has had a lot of girlfriends in the past. Sometimes it felt like a revolving door. Some were better than others, but they’ve all treated him poorly in one way or another. He’s certainly fallen for them, and been happy with them. But none of them, and I mean none, have made him as happy as I have seen him since you first kissed him. Honestly, he takes every opportunity to talk about you.”
Tommy had been content to listen, Maddie’s words bringing differing emotions to the surface. That last bit though made him flush in ways he didn’t think he could anymore.
After seeing this display, Maddie continued with a soft smile gracing her face. “Oh?! You’re more flustered by that than I’d been led to believe. Evan always talks about how stable and unflappable you are.”
He was about to pipe up, but she plowed forward. “Seriously, though. He’s more carefree and full of life than I have seen in years, maybe ever. Something about you, how you treat him, how you look at him, how you make him feel, has brought out a piece of him that has been dormant for too long.”
Tommy breathed a sigh of relief, taking the brief pause as his turn to speak. “I’m glad that you feel I’ve had that effect on your brother.”
“Tommy, please. He lets you call him ‘Evan.’ That’s more important than I think you realize. Everyone calls him ‘Buck’ because he asks people to call him ‘Buck.’ It’s from his time in the LAFD academy. Hell, even I call him ‘Buck’ quite often. I think he likes ‘Buck’ because ‘Evan’ reminds him too much of childhood. And our parents.”
Both adults look at each other with that statement. No smiles, no frowns, just an exchange of knowing glances.
Tommy decided to take this break to look for Evan in the crowd. He’s playing with Jee, but looks up to see Tommy looking at him and smiles in a way that sets his heart aflutter. Tommy looks back at Maddie, “So do you think I should call him ‘Buck,’ too?”
Maddie continues to smile softly at the question, “No, I don’t think you should. Not unless he asks. Just realize that him being ok with you calling him ‘Evan’ is a huge endorsement in how comfortable he feels with you. He seems truly happy.”
Tommy let the weight of those words settle on him. He didn’t think not using the 118’s nickname for Evan was such a big deal. Nor did he realize that Evan had, apparently, felt so comfortable with Tommy using his given name that he didn’t even insist Tommy call him ‘Buck.’
“Wow. Thank you for letting me know. I had wondered about that. But, to be honest, I was a bit nervous to ask him about the ‘Buck’ thing.” Tommy sounded more shocked than he meant to let on.
Maddie looked at Tommy with that same soft smile that he was starting to think must be a trademark. “Well at least I know that he’s not the only one dealing with nerves in your relationship. It sounds like the song is almost over. This was fun! Oh, and don’t worry about the others giving you the ‘be good to Buck or else’ talk. I may have made them think that’s what I was doing here. I figured this is better than being cornered by Chim or Hen. Oh God, or Athena.”
Tommy gave a nervous chuckle at that. Yeah, he’d prefer not to have a shovel talk from Athena Grant. He didn’t know her well, but he knew enough to be grateful. As the song ended, Tommy released Maddie’s hand and gave a slight bow. "Thank you, Maddie. This was enlightening.”
Tommy started to walk towards Evan and saw Howie making his way to have another dance with his bride. Tommy was about to take the seat Howie vacated, but Evan stood up, took Tommy’s hand, and led him a bit further away from the crowd at the tables.
“So,” Evan said with a grin, “about that kiss.”
Tommy didn’t need another word. He leaned in and planted a long, passionate kiss on the man who continually makes his head spin. The heat in that kiss could have set the world on fire. As far as Tommy was concerned, it did. Evan eventually pulled away, his face flush with emotions and maybe a little bit of alcohol.
“I really hope she wasn’t too rough on you with that shovel talk. Please say she didn’t tell you she killed her ex.” Evan said off-handedly, like the idea of his sister killing a person is just a thing that happens. Tommy couldn’t do anything but stare, completely flabbergasted. It didn’t seem possible for someone with such a caring, pleasant smile to hide something of that magnitude.
Evan saw the shock on Tommy’s face and realized that he totally Bucked it up again. “You know, I probably should have saved that info for later.”