Chapter Text
Neon signs didn’t glow during the day, obviously, but they still stood out against the pale cement facade of the corner shop on Main. He liked this particular shop, liked the understated exterior and big window decals; ‘LOVE FIGHTS BACK’ in big white retro font being the very thing that pulled him into the cafe the first time.
Back then, he was just excited to find another Vegan friendly shop that didn’t totally kill the vibe with over the top grand gestures of ‘Feed the Body Not the Government’, which while not wrong, a ton of places really missed the point of being anti-capitalist by shilling out wallet-busting merch of their own store.
He liked their interior design as well, the cool tone multi-colored slat boards along the walls and funky retro themed wall decals all tying together into a cozy little shop he could spend a nice lunch in now and then.
Like today, which was supposed to be just another lunch date with Maddie who asked him to pick the venue this time. Only, instead of Maddie curiously stepping through the glass door-
“Eddie?”
Buck stood up from the small table, waving his friend over who perked up at the familiar face, relief flashing across his eyes before confusion settled there to match Buck’s own. Eddie quietly maneuvered around the ordering line and joined Buck at the small table off to the side, returning Buck’s confused but enthusiastic side hug and broey-handshake.
“Buck?” He scanned the building and snickered, “Actually, yeah, this is your kind of joint.”
Buck scoffed and sat back down, “Shut up, the food is great– but since when is Vegan your joint? What’re you doing here?”
Eddie scowled, gentle enough not be any actual derision, just him making faces to make the point ‘oh this is so not my joint’, “Uh, I’m supposed to be getting lunch with– uh–” His head ducked as he quickly pulled out the only other chair and sat down heavily.
Buck felt his own face break, a boyish grin he knew was very specifically his Eddie is about to be teased and I can’t help it in nature.
‘What were you looking at~’ said too playfully, before his world came crashing down on Homes.com–
“Who?” Buck sipped from his drink, choking down the flash of memory and studying the way Eddie seemingly tried to merge into the metal chair with a twisted lip and averted eyes– “Oooh, Mystery Bidder?” Buck plastered on his most teasing grin, not quite feeling the amusement he tried to summon up at Eddie’s expense.
Eddie groaned and raked a hand through his hair, then smoothed it out conscientiously after, “Technically? She’s not actually a mystery…”
“Riiight, just the woman who spent thousands on you for one chance–” Buck stirred his straw, focused on the bits of fruit floating around and pretended it didn’t bite at his skin to learn that Eddie had actually committed to the Auction Date–
“Maddie.” Eddie coughed out, sitting back up and reaching to steal Buck’s drink, giving it a proper scowl before sipping tentatively and shaking his head, passion fruit was the bane of his existence, and sliding it back.
Buck guffawed, snatched his glass back, and shoved the table side menu into Eddie’s fingers hard enough he made a similar noise and snatched the laminated card, before his brain caught up with what Eddie said, “Wait what?”
“Mystery Bidder. It’s Maddie.” Eddie scanned the card for the convenient excuse of not meeting buck’s eyes–
“Cheater!” Buck gasped, and Eddie’s eyes snapped up with a pale version of horror at the suggestion– “You totally cheated the bid!”
Eddie blinked, before he broke into a startled laugh. “Jesus, ok yeah, that was the cheating going on– Chimney sort of asked Maddie if they needed to spice things up when she told him.”
Buck snorted right back and shook his head, “Hell no. they’re stupid for each other, will end up being one of those super gooey couples that end up breaking hips together at eighty-something–”
“Ew?” Eddie whacked Buck’s arm with the menu, “So incredibly TMI man–”
“What– I MEANT like, like the calls we get sent on! With the over enthusiastic trail hikers and the–”
“We have literally been stuck on so many weird sex calls Buck–”
“Well I’m not insinuating my sister and brother-in-law will be doing weird sex call worthy stuff in their eighties–”
“I mean, they probably will. Without having to call 9-1-1 during before or after–”
“Eww? Can you not imply my sister is doing weird sex stuff?!”
“I mean–” Eddie’s grin was growing, sly and squirmy the way that only an older brother can manage, “I heard that one of your Sisters is doing weird sex stuff–”
Buck sputtered, mid sip and now mid snort as the passion fruit clogged his nose, “NO! I refuse– Harry was having a meltdown about them literally two days ago and if I have to hear Ravi make one more pun–“
They both dissolved into laughter. The kind that started strong and had to be quickly muffled as several pairs of eyes shot over to either glare or just people watch. Both of them half leant over the table, giggling like teenagers for a moment before sobering up enough to breathe.
“For real though,” Buck felt the grin on his face, knew it was more genuine than before and refused to analyze why, “You had Maddie buy you?”
“Can we not say it like that?” Eddie cringed, “It was for Charity, One–” He ticked off his first finger for emphasis, and Buck was already chortling softly, “Two, you and the rest of em practically begged me to be a good sport and walk the catwalk, so here’s me being a good sport, for the low price of Three–”
“THREE?” Buck shouted, dropped back into his chair and flushed as several heads snapped their way, “You did not pay my sister three grand to get out of, what exactly? A date? A low stakes night out?”
Eddie groaned and thunked his head down onto the table, the laminated menu doing nothing for the impact but sticking playfully to his forehead when he lifted it back up, swatting the thing off, “No, only almost Three grand, it was like, two-point-eight I think–”
“Eddie–Eddie–” Buck laughed and reached to poke at his best friend’s head, where a little red spot marred the otherwise perfect skin, “That is a little crazy, you know that right? Why not just take the hit, and go out? I went out with the stitch and bitch group! Who by the way, loved the idea of organizing a community yarn drive this Winter–”
Eddie huffed and waved away Buck’s finger, stopping it from digging between his eyebrows, “Because– but also well that’s nice, can’t have too many coats and scarves to give away– I really did not want to suffer through an awkward date with a stranger who literally paid to see me because I was sweaty and beat up.”
“Sweaty and Beat up was the entire appeal, remember? Thought some of the ladies were going to start a physical altercation over all that." Buck spun the menu around and scanned it, tapped at an item, “Get this juice, I actually think you’ll like it. They cold press here, fresh as it can get. Everything is sustainable and locally sourced.”
Eddie’s face did a complicated series of twists and turns. Some incredulous, exasperated, and for a second a little bit like he wasn’t expecting to hear something twice, or whatever that emotion was– “Sure, and I mean…” he looked at where Buck’s finger landed on the menu and scanned it as he talked, “Last thing I need is to sit through an hour of small talk with some random woman who couldn’t care less about anything but my clothes coming off.” He scowled, and this time it was real and bitter.
“Yeah well,” Buck tapped at the table, feeling his chest and stomach do some strange little two-step, “Who wouldn’t want a chance at boring you with small-talk for an hour?”
Eddie’s eyes cut upwards through dark lashes, and his grin was softer, more fondly exasperated than anything, “Sure, Mister ‘I just wanna settle down, bake brownies, and kiss babies’.” He teased softly.
“I have not focused on Brownies, thank you. But see if i share my Blondie recipe with you.” Buck tried to maneuver the skill check that was avoiding his foot meeting his mouth, the teasing tilt of Eddie’s lips far too distracting. “Also, don’t kiss babies, you’re a literal medic you know this.”
Eyes rolling, chair squeaking, Eddie took the menu with him, “Right, course. But you’re still nesting.” He tapped the menu over buck’s head and walked over to the counter–
Buck guffawed once more, and actually got up to follow. They knocked shoulders, a light back and forth as the line moved up, Eddie giving him a raised brow in question-
“Hungry. Might as well. Seeing as my sister has apparently ghosted me.”
Eddie nodded, scanning the food menu for the first time, “Same, I guess. She told me part of my payment was buying lunch so we could chat and bitch, catch up like we did back in Dispatch.”
Buck frowned, stepping forward with the line’s momentum, “You two had a chat and bitch lunch?”
“With Linda, and Josh.” Eddie grinned, “Either we got lunch, talked shit, or we got dinner, and talked shit while maybe tipsy. Linda is a riot.”
“I know, and I’ve only had a few dinners with her.” Buck admitted, still catching up with the feeling of bewildered joy at knowing Eddie and Maddie were actually quite friendly with each other. It shouldn’t surprise him, but somehow he’d never really considered it, or how it would come with this sense of giddiness.
Eddie’s face started slipping, and Buck had to duck to hide his grin, already knowing it would be too much and too obvious. He nudged Eddie with his elbow, “Want me to pick?”
“I don’t even know what half of this is man..” Eddie complained, “Why does it say ‘raw’? It’s vegan right? How is that ‘raw’?”
“Just emphasis,” Buck lightly pat Eddie’s shoulder before finally stepping up to the counter, “Hi! Can we get, hmm, one Sunface- a double please, and then a Pablo burger with another double. Onion rings for both.” He gestured at the drink menu, “Oh! And let’s try one Strawberry Pitiya.”
Immediately, Eddie was wrestling with him over the card. Both of them jostling to pay.
“This is my treat, since I’m ordering for you.”
“No way, it was my idea to even get lunch.”
“Except we didn’t make the lunch plans, so that doesn’t count.”
“Maddie wouldn’t have set us up to eat together, if I didn’t set up lunch with her.”
Buck stumbled a little over himself, Set us up to eat Together doing something funny to his chest, it was just enough of a blip for Eddie to triumphantly snag the check. Buck stole the tip from him though, hard cash hard to beat.
“Rude,” Buck elbowed him, Eddie snickered and elbowed him back.
“Alls fair. And besides,” Eddie shrugged, sitting back down at their table, “I’m pretty sure I owe you some food, but don’t quote me.”
“Sure…for now..” Buck lounged back in the chair, “I’m sure I have a tally somewhere though.”
Eddie’s blank stare had him giggling, which seemed enough to make the other man break and smile back, “Yeah yeah… keep the score then Buckley. Guess you’re my lunch date for charity.”
Buck’s laughter caught in his throat, he cleared it and sipped his now watery drink, “Oh nooo, how will I survive?”
“Dick.” Eddie nudged his shin under the table.
“Ass.” Buck snipped back, aiming for Eddie’s left side.
“Loser.”
"Biiitch--" The way Buck drew out the word almost made Eddie break, his lips fighting down the smile--
“Wow, mature. Nerd.”
“Nerd?! I literally have to beg you to doing less nerdy things like crosswords and jigsaws–”
“Those are hobbies! Perfectly fine and relaxing hobbies! You’re just mad because I still won’t let you go mountain biking.”
“Let me?” Buck scoffed, arms crossing across his chest, Eddie’s answering grin and alert eyes doing plenty to make his face feel warm, “Didn’t know I needed permission, Diaz.”
Eddie shrugged, and it only occurred to Buck now that they had pretty snugly tangled their legs together in the midst of their back and forth, “You gonna go otherwise?” the challenge was there, and it went pathetically through Buck who slumped into his chair, tapping his boot toe against Eddie’s ankle.
“Yeah…no.” Buck huffed, “Probably shouldn’t taunt the universe with that one…”
Predictably, Eddie rolled his eyes. But he indulged Buck’s woo-woo nonsense with a shrug, “More realistically, you’re late thirties is a terrible time to pick up Mountain biking”
“Says the guy who won’t even go hiking..” Buck pouted–
“Ugh– Why can’t we go to like, a nice little loop around the park instead? Why do we need to traipse around the national parks?” Eddie dug his boot tread against the laces on Buck’s. Buck was a little distracted by that, but managed to rally.
“Did you not rucksack your way across Afghanistan? And you can’t do a scenic tour of the beautiful parks relegated to us by nature and protected by federal law?”
Eddie pointed a finger at him, brows up and tight and face faux serious, “That is exactly why I don’t want to go the scenic trail around the whole park, I got out, I’m freeee.” He drew out the last word with a goofy voice, and they both broke into chuckles right as a server brought over their plates and Eddie’s drink, asking if Buck would like another to which he agreed.
They traded back little comments, Eddie giving a tentative approval over the vegan burger, and Buck going on a winding tangent about substitute breads and cheeses.
By the time he realized Eddie was done eating, while he’d been on a different tangent about enzymes, his own plate was only like a third from finished. He flushed, head ducking as he took a too big bite, muffling out ‘Sorry, rambling.”
Eddie shrugged, lounging back in his chair and giving Buck this indulgent smile. The kind he typically reserved for Chris, and by extension Buck. “Don’t worry man… kind of missed this.”
Buck finished his bite, felt it land in his stomach with the other leaden weights he’d been slowly swallowing the past year, “Yeah…been a minute huh?”
Eddie’s easy smile shifted, bittersweet, a little peeved… he shifted in his seat with it. Elbows on the table, hands loosely laced, “Guess so…” he was quiet, letting Buck finish off more of his food before speaking up, “Why is that?”
Buck tidied up his plate, politely stacking his over Eddie’s and putting all the dishes together at the edge of the table, ‘Hm?” He dodged, pitifully.
Eddie gestured at them, a little seesaw of his pointer finger, “What– what happened, I guess. I mean I know, but…why haven’t we…” he shrugged, helpless in the face of All That.
Buck didn’t feel much more capable of answering. Shrugging and trying to find the words to explain ‘I’m not convinced you’re really here to be here and I miss you every second of the day even when you’re standing beside me and I really need something bolted down because everything and one keeps slipping out of my grasp’–
“Well, we’re here, yeah?” He swallowed thickly, shrugging and leaning over the table, their legs still a mess beneath it. “Got time to make up the gap?”
It wasn’t so much as an olive branch, as a desperate ‘WYD?’ text sent mid afternoon when the house was too quiet and the day too beautiful to be so lonely–
Eddie’s smile was small, gentle. He leaned forward as well, and knocked their elbows, “Sure. Start by telling me why you left your goofy ass stationary bike in my hallway, why did you have a stationary bike when you own an actual mobile bike that you bolted into my wall?!–“
They settled in, trading back and forth the small, seemingly insignificant things that they hadn’t during the many face-times, phone calls, texts, and split screen game nights over the past couple months. Things like how Eddie picked up a shameful craving for those fruity energy shots, how Buck had unfortunately learned he had a low tolerance for the poor water-pressure of Eddie’s shower so he’d taught himself plumbing to combat it, to which Eddie thanked him profusely - because if the Diaz house had shitty water pressure, that shack in El Paso was like getting pissed on by a disinterested monkey.
That set Buck off, actually. Laughing near hysterically because what the fuck? And Eddie had grinned ear to ear and shimmy-screeched his chair over so he could show Buck the YouTube video, their legs pretzeled together as they ducked in to watch the phone screen.
“Since when do you have YouTube playlists? Besides music?” Buck scrolled through the multiple playlists curiously, and Eddie shrugged, not moving his chair back yet.
“I was bored as hell man. Before I got the Uber thing going, and ended up on a ton of rabbit holes to keep entertained. I found this one channel you’ll love actually, did I not send it to you?”
He proceeded to send links to Buck, who was inches away, about a soft spoken informational channel that Buck did indeed love, and followed on Tiktok already. He directed Eddie to the channels behind the scenes content, and they both listened intently as the channel’s owner described his brother-in-law sound producer’s methods of twinkling sound into the videos for emphasis and bright entertainment.
They’d cleared the whole catalogue, by the time a server gently asked them if they’d like anything else…
The silent, Or? Are you gonna sit there all day? Going so loudly unspoken it made them both stumble to get up and fix the chairs, apologizing for taking up space and time and profusely thanking the place for its service and complimenting the food before they were effectively kicked out.
“Woops…” Buck rocked on his heels, the neon sign glowing a little brighter now, as the sun began a slow crawl down the side of Downtown LA’s hardscape. The big white words ‘LOVE FIGHT BACKS!’ looming over them as they both stuffed their hands into pockets and considered where the rest of the day went.
Eddie scanned the road, Main Street bustling as usual with kitschy themed local spots, tourist snags, and some old faithfuls. “So–” he drawled, and grimaced, “I uh…think I forgot how to do this..”
“Huh?” Buck slipped his phone out, either to find a quick exit, or a hopeful reason to keep this train rolling.
Eddie did another seesaw between them, “Hanging out, casually? At all. I think I’ve become a homebody, or a hermit..”
Buck gave him a flat look, “Wow, it’s like you should be accepting my invitations to go out more.”
Eddie returned the flat look, “Out, to clubs, and bars, and that bougie ass market no one actually buys anything from–“
“They make a lot of custom pieces!”
“Overpriced!”
Bucks shoved at him, playfully, and Eddie returned it before casually looping an arm over Buck’s shoulder and squeezing with his bicep, making Buck grunt and lower his beaming face.
“Did you ever try that art gallery.” Eddie snagged Buck’s phone and started typing, “The one with the multimedia stuff.”
Buck blinked, taken back, before trying to steal his phone back, “You remember that? I barely mentioned it.”
Eddie didn’t look up, but his smile returned and his face warmed, “I’m a good listener. Wanna check it out?” He waved the phone at Buck, blue line tracing through downtown and showing a twenty-minute walk time.
“Sure, you sure?” Buck took his phone back, ignoring the worry his hand was too clammy as he brushed Eddie’s own.
Eddie shrugged, and tugged them along before dropping his arm, unfortunately Buck was too-tall for all that, “You know I like art and stuff.”
“And stuff.” Buck tucked his free hand into his pocket, to avoid doing something stupid like grabbing Eddie’s sleeve to cling like a little kid. “I know that. But you like, you know, traditional stuff?”
Eddie’s face contorts, confused and a little mildly insulted, “Traditional? What does that even mean for art?”
“You know like..paintings. Oil paintings.” Buck waved the hand holding his phone, “Or sculptures, brass ones like at the park?”
“Both of which great, yeah, but I do like other forms of art.” He rolled his eyes at Buck, “Like quilts.”
“Quilts?” Buck paused in walking, and Eddie reached out to snag his elbow and move them along.
“You knit. You literally knit.”
“I attempt to knit, my fingers are too fat to handle the needles without wanting to stab something.” And the crochet was a secret, for now…
“The point, is that you know needle-craft. Abuela–” Eddie’s voice caught, a brief and devastating flash of grief they both had to stop and absorb, “Abuela…she made a couple of quilts for the grandkids, way back. I still have mine and Adriana’s in storage, and she made a baby blanket for Christopher.”
Buck smiled and gently nudged their shoulders into each other, giving his own two feet to keep Eddie on his own, “Oh, that’s really sweet. Gotta show me some time.”
Eddie chuckled, pressing right back into Buck’s shoulder, “Sure. Can show you the failed attempts of getting me to make one as well..”
“Oh Hell yeah, I know you suck at stitching–“
“I am perfectly fine at it!” Eddie squawked, “I’m a medic for fucks sake–“
“Exactly! You’re lines are so clinical and sterile, no character. Where’s the personality Diaz–“
“I’ll show you some fucking personality–” Eddie made a clawed grab for Buck’s head, who ducked under and took off down the sidewalk, cackling as Eddie’s boots thundered after him, “Oi! Get back here!"