Work Text:
Apartment hunting is far more challenging than Buck remembers. Though last time it was less of him choosing what’s good and more letting Ali take over. Which he was not complaining about. He could use someone to help him now.
Somehow, Ali had managed to find him a loft in the middle of the city that was only slightly more expensive than his intended budget. Now, however, everything seems to be more expensive, and his budget has not grown to compensate.
He’s also looking for something different now. He wants something more… grown-up. Something that feels lived in. Comfortable. Something he could picture staying in for a long time. Picture a family living in. He really just wants a home.
And nothing feels right.
He’s pretty sure his real estate agent is getting sick of him declining options just because they don’t “vibe right”.
Too little sun. Too dark. Too sunny. Too small. Too expensive. Not enough kitchen space. Not the right colour. Carpeted floors are more annoying for pets. He could get a pet. No garden. Not that he gardens. But he could start. It looks like fun. That one has too few windows. That one has too many. This one just doesn’t feel like him. Too cluttered. Too sparse. He wants it to be lived-in and homey—
Yeah.
So that’s how he ends up living with Ravi.
He’s not entirely sure how it happened. It was after a shift that Buck had offhandedly mentioned how hard apartment hunting was, which apparently others didn’t even realise he was in need of. He’ll give Chimney a pass because he’s sleep-deprived and dealing with his baby and wife, and becoming Captain. Well, more like joint Captains because Hen makes sure to keep him in check.
Ravi had proceeded to remind them all about how he’s a landlord of multiple buildings around LA. And that he could stay there, at least whilst he looks for something more to his style.
Buck’s not sure where he had gotten the money for all that, but he's not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
As it turns out, however, two of the buildings were a little too far beyond where Buck was willing to travel to work, and the third was currently under construction. So now Buck is staying in Ravi’s house, which he owns. Sleeping in one of the three spare rooms. Which he has got to say is a vast improvement from the dingy motels he was staying at previously. Much cheaper, too.
He couldn’t stay with anyone else; Eddie only had a couch, and Buck wanted to give him some space while he was grieving and let them settle back in. Hen and Karen’s house is already full, and Maddie and Chimney just had another baby. And Athena… downsized, and though he thinks she’d help him out if absolutely necessary, he’s not sure he would be able to live somewhere with him haunting in absence. It’s just… still too fresh.
So Ravi’s house. Which Buck is incredibly grateful for. Buck tries to thank him by cooking, but it turns out that Ravi is incredibly talented in the kitchen, too.
He even made dosas from scratch, which Buck had engulfed so fast before having to chug a glass of milk because Ravi had not managed to adequately account for Buck’s whiteness. Still, the potato filling, with the lentils on the side, and two dipping sauces— Buck’s pretty sure he’s going to be dreaming about it for months.
But Buck still wants to cook for him. It’s the least he can do. And he has an idea of what he wants to cook.
See, he has this book of recipes that he wants to try.
Except, it’s less of a book, more a folder of handwritten instructions, with special tips written in the margins. Writing scribbled in perfect cursive. Some have stains in the corner, remnants of the last time they had been made.
Athena had given it to him. A week after the funeral. He hasn’t opened it yet. He wants to, but he keeps putting it off. Like, if he doesn’t open it, then Bobby’s still alive to teach him how to make them in person.
Athena had told him that Bobby had started collating the recipes very early on in their relationship. Scribbling down each one, one after the other.
Any time he’d adjust a recipe to make it better, he’d pull out the little box that he'd started putting the papers in, and write a little note of his change so that all the recipes were up to date. Bobby had since upgraded to a folder, organising it in order from breakfast to dessert.
Bobby had wanted Buck to have these. Wanted him to have all of his special recipes and secret ingredients.
He’d made it just for him.
Something you pass on to your family. To your children.
Buck cried when she handed him the folder.
Cried for the first time since Bobby died. Sobbed into her open arms.
Athena had hugged him and told Buck just how much Bobby had loved him. How he was family. How he’d always be family. Buck regrets never telling Bobby just how much he meant to him, but Athena assured him that he knew. When they’d parted, Athena’s eyes had been wet with tears, too. She told him he was always welcome.
It’s been a month since then, and Buck thinks he’s finally ready to cook something from it.
“I’m going to the grocery store, do you need anything?” Buck asks, popping his head into the lounge where Ravi is sitting, scrolling on his phone.
“Oh!” Ravi looks up. “Actually, do you mind if I come with? There’s some things I need, and I was going to pop in to check on the progress at the apartments.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Buck says, giving Ravi a fake salute.
“Where are we headed, boss?” Buck asks when Ravi climbs into his Jeep.
“Downtown, I’ll tell you when to turn.”
“On it,” he says as they pull out from the curb.
“You had any luck finding a place?” Ravi asks before quickly adding, “not that I’m kicking you out! But you seemed pretty adamant on wanting to find a place.”
Buck frowns. “Not yet. It’s just… they’re not the right house, you know?”
Ravi doesn’t know, but he nods his head anyway.
“How’d you settle on your place?”
“First place the realtor showed me that was within my budget and desired location.”
“Ah.”
Ravi looks at him curiously. “You’ll find something.”
Buck just sighs. “Maybe,” he says, but he’s not so sure he will.
Maybe his expectations are too high.
Maybe he’s too picky.
Maybe he just already knows exactly what he wants, and simultaneously can’t have.
Maybe it’s the lack of a car lift, the absent Muay Thai setup, and the missing 6’2” man humming inside as he cooks breakfast for the both of them.
Buck shakes the thought from his mind.
He’ll find some place of his own.
On his own.
He has to.
When they arrive at the apartment complex, Buck is honestly astounded by the sheer size of the place. How Ravi has three of these in his back pocket, he’s unsure. But, wow.
“Wow,” he says out loud.
Ravi shrugs. “She’s alright.”
I guess it gets boring when you own three, huh…
“I have to go check the damage on floor ten because apparently someone left the window open before it rained. And the workers are off for a week so… here I am.”
“Here we are.”
Ravi sends him a look. “I said you could wait in the car.”
“No! I wanna see what the probie does on his days off.”
“I haven’t been a probie for several years.”
Buck just grins. “You’ll always be a probie in my eyes.”
Ravi rolls his eyes but doesn’t protest. “As long as I don’t have to pick up any more dry cleaning.”
The apartment complex is nice, Buck thinks. Except for the fact that the lobby doesn’t currently have walls, and the fact that there is a loose wire hanging from the ceiling. He thinks he sees a light flicker, but it could be his imagination.
“Uh, are you sure it’s safe to be here?” Buck asks. He feels like they should be wearing hard hats.
Ravi shrugs. “Yeah, the renovations were just cosmetic. Should be fine.”
Typical landlord.
“Up we go,” Buck says, stepping into the elevator. There’s no elevator music, but at least it’s relatively spacious.
Buck’s never really been a fan of closed spaces. Always choosing to spend time outside, away from the stifling feeling of his childhood home. It makes sense that all his career choices have been largely outdoors. He taps his fingers absently against his thighs as they ascend.
The ride up takes no time at all, before Buck is stepping out into the foyer, a large window to the right of him looking out over the city. He’s always enjoyed the view from his loft; it’s something he’ll miss once he finds a house. Still, there’s something he needs from a house that he just won’t be able to get from another apartment, so he doesn’t mind the compromise.
Ravi doesn’t seem particularly fazed, barely stopping before he keeps walking over to the correct apartment number.
“Hey, wait!” Buck says, scrambling after the man.
The apartment is relatively unharmed except for the small patch of water that’s soaked into the edge of the carpet.
“That’s gonna cost more,” Ravi mutters under his breath. “Could be worse.”
They close the window before they leave, Ravi double-checking the locks before they make their way back to the elevator. Ultimately, it’s a simple task.
“Thanks for coming,” Ravi says.
“No worries,” Buck replies. Seriously, the man is letting him stay free of charge. Buck had to beg to pay for groceries; this is the least he can do.
The elevator dings, and they both step on, Ravi pressing the button for the bottom floor. The lights flicker briefly before the elevator decides that it actually wants to cause a lot more problems and shudders to an abrupt halt. The lights flicker again, but the elevator stays still.
“Huh,” Ravi says calmly, as though they didn’t just get stuck in a death box.
“I thought the renovations were cosmetic!”
“Mm, indeed,” Ravi replies, not offering up anything else. Instead, he starts trying to press the buttons on the elevator as though that will trick the elevator into starting up again.
When the elevator shows no signs of life, Ravi instead presses the call button. Once. Twice. Three times. Nothing.
“Is now a good time to state that I might be a bit claustrophobic?” Buck says, a fake smile plastered on his face as he tries to calm his breathing.
In lieu of a response, Ravi pulls out his phone, chuckling nervously when it shows no signal.
“Great,” Buck says after pulling out his own phone with the same result. “I’ve been in an earthquake, a tsunami, been literally struck by lightning, but this is what takes me out?”
“Nobody is being taken out,” Ravi decides adamantly.
Buck gives him a side eye. “You said your workers are off for a week. Humans can only survive without water for like three days!”
“Is there anything you don’t know?” Ravi says, ignoring the rest of what Buck said.
“Yeah! I don’t know how to get out of a stopped elevator.”
Maybe the threat of being trapped til death is getting to Ravi, because he suddenly bursts out laughing. Leaning over, wheezing like it’s the funniest thing in the world, until he runs out of breath.
“Ravi!” Buck exclaims, shaking his head, but the corners of his mouth twitch up, amused by his antics.
“Come on, Buck. Surely, there’s something in that brain of yours to get us out,” Ravi says, after he calms down.
“I’m not magic.”
Ravi just frowns.
“Now would be a good time for that helicopter pilot boyfriend of yours to come rescue us,” Ravi says, shoulders slumping a bit as he starts to really process their situation.
“Ex-boyfriend,” Buck emphasises, ignoring the way his chest tightens at the words. There had been a moment, before the world went to shit and Buck lost Bobby, where he thought things could work out. But then everything happened, and Buck doesn’t even think he spoke to him at the funeral, too busy trying to prevent himself from breaking down. What he wouldn’t give to have Tommy here now—
“Wait,” Buck says, reaching into his pockets.
Ravi perks up beside him, looking over to see what he’s doing.
“Ah hah!” Buck says, pulling out… his keys?
“I don’t think your keys unlock these kinds of doors,” Ravi says, unhelpfully.
“No, no, I— when Tommy and I were together… I gave him a gift for—for our six months. It’s a long-distance key chain.”
“A what?”
“You each have one, and if you press it, it lights up the other person’s to let them know you’re thinking of them, or like, in trouble, or you know, stuck in an elevator. It has location tracking and everything,” Buck explains.
“That has to be the corniest thing I’ve ever seen. A little creepy, too.”
“Hey!” Buck retorts, offended.
“It’s okay, your love-sick ass might just be the thing that gets us out of here.”
Buck smiles, but the corners don’t quite reach his eyes. “I just— I don’t know if Tommy still has his.”
Ravi snorts. “Let’s try it.”
Buck presses down on his key chain repeatedly, sending an SOS signal in Morse code, because of course.
“So, how do we know if it worked?” Ravi asks.
“Uh,” Buck frowns at the keychain. “We see if he sends a signal back?”
The two both stare at the keychain intently, like it holds the key to the universe. When the keychain remains annoyingly blank, Buck sighs.
“Maybe he threw it away.”
“Or maybe he’s just on shift,” Ravi offers instead.
“Maybe,” Buck says, feeling defeated.
“Let’s just… keep the signal on, see if he gets it eventually,” Ravi says.
“Then we won’t know if he got the message.”
“It’s the best we’ve got right now,” Ravi says, and Buck sighs, slumping against the elevator walls and letting himself sink to the floor.
“Okay,” he says anyway, pressing and holding the keychain, not letting go.
Ravi joins him on the floor. “Guess we have some time to kill,” he says, trying to lighten the mood.
Buck nods, briefly letting go of the keychain just to see if he’ll get a response this time. When he doesn’t, his shoulders drop further, but he continues to hold down the button.
“Guess so,” he repeats.
There’s a moment of silence before Buck figures out something to talk about. “You know I got Taylor something similar before, too?” he says, raising the keychain.
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, starting to think they’re a bad omen or something.”
“Maybe you just suck at choosing gifts.”
“Hey! I think it’s romantic.”
“Sure,” Ravi says.
“What! What would you get someone instead?” Buck asks curiously.
“Wine, food, a car,” Ravi shrugs.
“Boring, boring, and— what? Not everyone owns three apartment buildings!”
“It was just a suggestion.”
It’s two hours later, and there’s still no sign that the elevator wants to start up again, and no hot firefighter-pilot has come to their rescue. Buck kind of feels like they got their hopes up for nothing.
Buck breathes out heavily, head lolling back against the elevator wall. “Did you know that one time after the ladder truck got blown up, my elevator was out of order?”
Ravi looks at him, eyes wide. “What did you do?”
Buck laughs slightly. “What do you think?”
“Tell me you didn’t…”
Buck nods his head. “Yep. I got about halfway up the stairs with my crutches before I just sat down and cried.”
“How’d you end up getting home? Don't tell me you had to call 911.”
Buck pauses for a moment, shaking his head. “No. No, I—I called Bobby.” He sniffles, composing himself; it’s still hard to think about Bobby. “He came in 15 minutes even—even though he lives 20 minutes away. He, um— he found me on the stairs and he practically carried me to my apartment. I remember falling asleep on the couch, and when I woke up, I was in my bed, shoes and socks off, and Bobby was cooking me dinner.”
Ravi doesn’t respond straight away, just lets the silence fill the space. “That sounds nice,” he whispers, as though speaking any louder would break something.
“Yeah,” Buck agrees softly.
“I was, um, going to cook one of his recipes, you know?” Buck starts. “Today, that’s why I needed to go to the supermarket. He gave me this whole folder, there’s like 100 recipes, if not more, that he’d put together for me. Athena gave them to me after the funeral. I’ve been too afraid to touch it til now.”
“What were you thinking of making?”
“Nothing fancy, just— just spaghetti bolognese.” Buck coughs. “It was one of the ones he’d taught me before, gave me the secret ingredient after I pestered him about it. Apparently, Bobby had started making this collection well before then, and I had no idea.”
“I thought he was your dad when I first covered an A shift.”
Buck lets out a wet chuckle, wiping the dampness from his eyes. “He may as well have been.”
Ravi just nods, letting the elevator fill with silence once more.
Buck, never a fan of silence, quickly pipes up again, unable to spend too long thinking about the man he loved like a dad.
“Did you know that most close door elevator buttons don’t work?”
“What?” Ravi asks, looking up at him and tilting his head.
“Yeah, it’s because under the ADA, the doors have to be open for a certain amount of time. So, they don’t work anymore. Just a button.”
“Well, I wish the open-door button worked.”
Buck laughs loudly, the sound echoing around the small space. Maybe the whole situation was getting to him, too. Ravi joins in too, chuckling softly.
“Yeah, that would be nice.”
Ravi hums in response.
“You got any fun facts to share?” Buck asks, head tilting over to look over at the younger man.
“When I was a kid, the doctor almost accidentally killed me by giving me the wrong medication during my cancer treatment,” Ravi begins. “Sorry, not a fun fact.”
Buck looks at him, raising an eyebrow, waiting to hear where he’s going with this.
“Turns out, that’s a pretty good reason for a lawsuit.”
Buck shivers at the word, reminded of his own legal misadventures.
“The hospital paid for all the medical costs, and there was money to spare. Like… a lot of money,” Ravi says, gesturing vaguely to the elevator walls.
“Ah,” Buck responds finally, connecting the dots. “Hence the multiple apartment buildings.”
“Hence the multiple apartment buildings,” Ravi confirms. “Money makes money.”
“My brother had cancer too, you know?”
Ravi turns sharply towards him. “I didn’t know you had a brother.”
Buck presses his lips together. “Neither did I. Not for a long time anyway.”
“I’m sorry,” Ravi says, but Buck just shakes his head.
“I was born to save him.” Buck lets out a breath. “And I think that fucked me up more than I expected. When I found out, I didn’t really know how to process it. But B—Bobby told me that I don’t need to do anything with it, just keep living. That it wasn’t my fault.” Buck breathes. In, out. In, out. “Sometimes I think I could have done more to save him — Bobby. But I know he wouldn’t want me thinking like that.”
“That’s a lot.”
Buck chokes out a laugh. “Yeah.”
“Is it like… a requisite to be a member of the 118 A shift? Have a traumatic life.”
The corners of Buck’s mouth turn up into a faint smile. “Must be.”
“I don’t have any siblings. I think my parents were too afraid that they’d cause another child to get sick.”
“I’m not sure what I’d have done without Maddie. I think I’d be lonely.”
“I think eventually you learn how to be alone. Besides, I think if I didn’t have the whole cancer thing, I would have been able to make friends more easily.”
“Hey, we’re friends now.”
“Thanks, Buck.”
“You got anyone special in your life, Rav?”
“Nah,” Ravi says. “Not at the moment.”
“That’s okay.”
“Yeah, I’m okay to remain a smoking firefighter bachelor for a little longer.”
“That’s a good one,” Buck laughs.
“What about you? You think you and Tommy can work things out?”
Buck sighs. “I don’t think so.”
“Damn.”
“Damn,” Buck repeats. “Let’s just see if he gets our message.”
They sit in silence for a while longer. It’s kind of nice, having someone to talk to like this, Buck thinks. Even if he wishes the circumstances weren’t life-threatening. But Ravi is good to talk to, not judging, sometimes teasing, and listening, sharing his own stories, too.
Eventually, the two start playing games on Ravi’s phone, deciding that their signal situation isn’t about to change, so they may as well use up the battery for something fun.
It’s hours, later, though they lose track of time so they can’t be certain, that they hear a faint slamming sound followed by some yelling.
“Did you just hear that?” Ravi asks, turning towards Buck, who looks at him, his eyes wide as he nods.
They both move to stand quickly, Buck wincing slightly when his bad leg cramps up slightly, but he shakes it off, leaning his weight against the elevator wall.
“Hey!” Buck shouts, trying to get whoever is outside’s attention.
Ravi joins in, banging against the door of the elevator before he hears a creak and sees the distinct shape of the jaws of life peaking through the elevator as it pulls the doors further apart.
“Hi, there,” Tommy’s voice comes from above. The man is standing on the floor above them, dressed in full turnouts.
Buck is too stunned to speak.
“Got them!” Tommy shouts over his shoulder, other members of the 217 appearing in Buck’s line of sight as they run over to assist.
“Let’s get you guys out of there, huh?” Melton asks, peering down at them.
“Please,” Ravi says, letting out a breath of relief.
It doesn’t take long for the firefighters to override the elevator system and begin gently lowering the car down to the next floor. Ravi and Buck both look at each other nervously as the elevator descends slowly, all too afraid of something else going wrong. Instead, they manage to safely get to the floor below, the firefighters above them quickly running to join them downstairs.
Once safely at the floor, they manage to pry the doors open further, dragging Buck and Ravi out.
As soon as Buck gets out of the car, he slumps to the floor, sighing in relief as he takes in the open space around him. Ravi reacts much the same, dropping to his knees and half-laughing. Buck joins in with him, laughing as his brain processes what just happened.
“Are you okay?” Tommy says, kneeling down beside Buck, who had forgotten he was there.
Buck simply nods, smiling dazedly up at Tommy, who continues to look at him concerned.
“You scared the shit out of me,” Tommy tells him, proceeding to explain how he’d seen the keychain light up when he was about to get changed after shift. Immediately, he had checked the location, and when it had shown up at an apartment building that was under construction, he’d become increasingly concerned.
“Thanks for coming to get me,” Buck says with a soft smile.
“Us, thanks for getting us,” Ravi adds beside him.
Tommy just chuckles lightly. “Of course,” he says, like it’s the easiest thing in the world.
Buck just stares at him, eyes wide in awe. Tommy looks back, crows feet softening at the corners of his eyes.
“Get a room,” Ravi says, rolling his eyes.
Buck quickly averts his gaze, blush rising to his cheeks. “I think I want to stay outside for a while,” he responds instead.
“Let’s get you boys home,” the captain of the 217 says, reaching over to help Ravi stand up, Tommy grabbing Buck’s and helping him as well.
“My Jeep’s outside,” Buck tells him.
“Let us take you home,” Tommy says, looking at him with such a soft and concerned expression that Buck is helpless to do anything else but nod.
“Okay,” he relents. “Oh! I should tell you, I’ve moved.”
“Again?” Tommy exclaims, as they make their way down the final stairs of the apartment building.
“You uh— wanna see it?” Buck asks.
Before Tommy can respond, Ravi interjects. “Nope! Nope. You are not fucking in my house,” he says loudly, drawing the eyes of the rest of the 217, causing both Buck and Tommy to look away, blushing.
“I meant a real tour!” Buck says, half telling the truth.
Ravi just rolls his eyes again. “Don’t forget you’re cooking tonight.”
“Of course,” Buck says. “Can we stop at the grocery store?” he asks, and Melton nods.
“You want to join us for dinner, Tommy?” Ravi asks, stealing Buck’s line.
Tommy looks surprised, turning to Buck cautiously. When he responds with a little nod of his own, Tommy smiles. “I’d love to,” he says, before they turn to exit the complex. Tommy’s arm moves to the small of his back, resting there as he guides them out of the building. Buck soaks up his warmth, leaning further into him subtly, but based on Ravi’s snort, it’s maybe not as subtle as he thought.
When they finally step into the outside air, Ravi sighs. “I think I’m going to sell this building,”
Buck chokes on his spit, nearly falling into Tommy. “Good plan.”