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Buck loved his little apartment, even despite all the odd things that kept happening in it. First a leaky shower, then a nice patch of mold, followed by the overflowing garbage bin that had been left outside a random apartment on the hottest day of the year, drenching the building in that sweet aroma of rotting food and crap. The flies that practically coated the walls were a nice addition, too. Really made the place feel that much more homely.
Now, however, there was a new issue that had been plaguing the entire building for the past week. The first instance happened as Buck was watching a new movie that had just come out. He was fully invested in the movie, wondering what was going to happen next and whether the problem would be solved as they all thought, when the TV shut off. Not only did the TV shut off, leaving Buck yelling at the screen for a good 5 minutes as he tried everything to get it back on, but it plunged him into darkness as his lamps also seemingly died.
After a few strangely quiet, dark-filled moments, the lights flickered back on and the TV stuttered to life as if nothing had ever happened. Buck shrugged it off and put it down to a small power cut throughout the building.
Until it kept happening.
The oven shutting off in the middle of cooking, lights constantly flickering, his phone not charging overnight and dying, leaving him without an alarm to wake him up for work. All these small, irritating moments made Buck consider moving out of his beloved apartment, as he couldn't live in a place where he never knew if he would have power or not.
It was late, maybe 11 at night as Buck was scrolling through his phone, the light illuminating the bags under his eyes as he desperately tried to search for a new apartment that wasn't too far from the firehouse and also wasn't ridiculously expensive. With a sigh, he dropped the phone to his side and stared up at the ceiling. Apartment hunting was not a sport for the weak.
Deciding to pack it in for the night and just look tomorrow morning, he clambered out of his warm bed and headed for the bathroom, hoping that he would actually be able to grab some sleep before work in the morning.
It wasn't until he reached the middle of his staircase that he realized that something was wrong. He stopped dead in his tracks, brows furrowed as he sniffed, once, twice, and a third time. Buck knew that smell anywhere, having encountered it hundreds of times in his line of work. By now, it was engraved in his mind.
Fire.
Rushing back up the steps, Buck grabbed his phone from the bed before making his way back down. As he neared the bottom of the stairs he flicked the light switch, but it left him in darkness. Trying again, he flicked the switch up and down a couple of times, hoping that the bulb would eventually spring to life and provide him some much-needed light. However, the room stayed pitch black.
His phone didn't have much battery left, but he knew that he needed the light. The phone torch flicked on, providing a mediocre amount of light to his surroundings. What it did reveal though was a small stream of dark smoke seeping under his doorway, filling the apartment and thickening the air with every passing second.
"Shit," Buck muttered to himself, heart quickening in his chest. Why weren't the alarms blaring? The alarms should be going off, warning everyone in the building of the growing danger, yet it was dead silent. Not only dead silent, but completely and utterly pitch black.
Putting two and two together, Buck figured that the fire must have knocked out the power system. Well, that was option one. Option two was that the apartment building had never checked the alarms to make sure they worked properly. Weirdly enough, he hoped for it to be option number one.
Fire-fighter mode kicked in and Buck made his way over to the front door, feeling the heat from under the door warming his feet. He checked the door handle wasn't scolding before grabbing it and yanking the door wide open, only to be flooded with a thick plume of smoke, coating his lungs as he breathed it in.
Once the initial smoke cloud had broken, Buck could make out the faint flicker of light from the opposite end of the hall, a quiet crackle echoing off the empty walls. His eyes burned from the smoke as he made his way out of his apartment in the direction of the smoke, pounding on every door he passed and waking them, warning them of the fire that was quickly engulfing the building.
Buck didn't even reach the end of the corridor before the floor above him began to creak, small bits giving way and falling into the growing flames below. The whole building seemed to whine and in that moment, Buck knew he needed to get everyone out as fast as he could. He knew there was little he could do for the people on the floors above him, and his heart ached for them as he turned his back on the flames. The heat was beginning to grow to be unbearable, the halls only somewhat illuminated by the flames, leaving them helpless as they tried to navigate the endlessly dark halls.
The light on his phone did little to guide his way and he pounded on passing doors once again, people finally starting to emerge and make their way to the nearest exit. Panicked, people ran, leaving everything they knew behind to save their lives.
Buck did one last sweep of the apartments on his floor before calling 911, only hoping that someone would come quick enough to save the lives on the floors above him.
-
Eddie scrolled mindlessly on his phone, the night having been unusually quiet for once. He had picked up an extra shift with Chris being at a friend's for the night. A little extra money could never harm anyone, after all - especially with Christmas rounding the corner. Thankfully, Chim and Hen were also working that night, providing him with some much-needed entertainment.
For the past half an hour, Hen had been trying to land as many Cheerios in Chimney's mouth as she could, at increasingly further distances. Surprisingly, she was a rather good shot.
"And she lands yet another one!" Hen cheered proudly, throwing her arms up in excitement. Cheerios littered the floor, marking the many failed attempts before this one victory. Eddie simply chuckled to himself as he watched the two celebrate their little yet seemingly significant victory.
"Bobby will kill you for making this mess," Eddie jeered, returning his attention back to the phone in his hand. "Not only that, it will attract rats."
Hen scoffed, rolling her eyes and throwing a handful of Cheerios at Eddie. "You're no fun, Diaz."
"And you'll have no fun making sure every single cheerio is cleared up," Eddie reminded them, pointing to the scattered cereals around him. He had a very valid point and both Hen and Chim knew that, but they were having too much fun in that moment to care.
Just as Hen was about to throw another Cheerio in Chimney's direction, the station alarm rang out, almost making Eddie jump out of his skin. Without a moment's hesitation, the three of them made their way downstairs and toward the engines.
As Eddie climbed into the engine and made himself comfortable, they were briefed on where they were going. An apartment fire, multiple stories already engulfed, expected fatalities and injuries. It wasn't until the exact address and apartment name was given that Eddie froze, heart dropping in his chest.
A cold sweat came over him as the address repeated over and over in his head.
That was Buck's apartment building.
Before he had even had a moment to fully take it all in, they had reached the building, the air thick with the smell of burning rubble. Eddie's heart continued to pound in his chest, a suffocating sense of dread and fear clouding his mind as he hopped out of the engine. He could barely catch a breath as he stepped out into the chaos.
Looking up towards the towering flames, his heart sank even further, a wave of nausea washing over him. For a moment, Eddie thought his legs would give out on him, that he wouldn't be able to do his job. He knew better than anyone here that Buck's apartment was on one of those floors, the flames wrapping around the building in a destructive hug.
It seemed as though time slowed around him as his eyes stayed trained on the flames, his mind racing with thoughts of Buck, wondering if he was alive or if he had made it out, if he was up there foolishly trying to help people with not even the most basic of equipment. It wasn't until a firm hand on his shoulder snapped him back to the reality of the situation that he realized that he was there to save people.
To save Buck.
"Eddie, I know what you're thinking-" Hen started.
"Buck is up there. He wasn't working tonight," his voice wavered as he spoke, thick with concern. Hen just nodded, her eyes sorrowful.
"I know, I know. But you know Buck, he's probably up there trying to help everyone else out. We have to get up there and help him before he kills himself trying to be a damn hero, as usual," Hen managed a small chuckle at the end, giving Eddie's shoulder a comforting squeeze. It gave him a momentary sense of hope. Eddie knew damn well that Buck would be trying to save everyone up there, even if he knew it would kill him. Buck was born to be a hero - but he couldn't do that if he was dead.
Before heading off, Eddie grabbed his phone from his pocket, pulling a glove off with his mouth as he frantically unlocked the screen and shot a text to Bobby. He knew it was late and that he was probably sound asleep, but Eddie couldn't go into that building and not let Bobby know that one of the family was in danger. Part of Eddie knew that Bobby was probably already on his way down, that he had sensed something was wrong or that he'd seen it on late-night news. Bobby was kind of magical like that.
Taking a deep breath, Eddie closed his eyes and took a moment to calm himself. There was no way he could help injured and panicked people when he was feeling that way.
Then, following in the footsteps of Hen, he entered the burning building, ready to save some lives.
-
Buck had only managed to get down two floors before he found himself running down a pitch-black hallway, following the sound of a faint voice crying out for help. Using his dimmed phone light and following the wall beside him, he made his way through the darkness towards the cry. The voice seemed young as it cried out, yelling for her parents. Buck eventually fell upon an open door, the room slightly brighter than the hallway, only thanks to the city lights outside and the flashing of the engine's lights.
Buck felt a sense of peace knowing that fellow firefighters were there to help. However, he knew he couldn't leave this helpless and frightened child behind. No child deserves to be left alone and scared out of their wits.
"Hello, can you hear me?" Buck called out, holding his hand out in front of him as he tried to navigate the unfamiliar room. His feet shuffled cautiously below him and he tried to scan the room as best as he could with what little light was provided.
A tiny cough sounded from somewhere in the room. Buck stopped, taking a moment to listen again. Nothing.
"I'm here to help, I'm a firefighter, my name is Buck!" He tried, hoping a cheerier tone would help the child feel safer. He felt sick to his stomach - how could anyone leave a child behind?
The room only seemed to grow darker as he searched around helplessly, the child having fallen silent. Buck could only hope she would call out once more. He made his way through to what he assumed was the living area, when something out of the corner of his eye moved.
Again, a tiny cough and a wheeze, coming from his right. Honing in on the sound, Buck made his way over to where he believed the child was, praying that he would be able to find her with such limited light.
A wave of relief swallowed him as he came across a child curled up in the corner, desperately clutching her teddy in her small hands. He breathed a sigh of relief as he bent down in front of her, using his phone light to light the small gap between the two of them.
"Hi there," he forced himself to smile. The little girl looked up at him through messy hair, having not long woken up. "I'm a firefighter, my name is-"
"Where is your uniform?" the little girl spoke up, her voice muffled by the teddy. Buck was just relieved she was able to talk to him. However, he knew that he had very limited time to get this little girl and himself out of the building as fast and safely as he could.
The building once again groaned, louder this time. Defeaning pops and cracks echoed through the halls as the fire ate away at the building, threatening to collapse it with every passing second. Buck had maybe a minute to get a move on.
"I'm not working right now, but we need to get out of here. Will you come with me?" Buck held out his hand toward the frightened girl, who sheepishly took it as she pulled herself up, clutching her teddy tightly to her chest.
Without warning, Buck picked up the girl and held her close to him as he swiftly left the apartment. She buried herself tightly into his chest, coughing and spluttering as the smoke only grew thicker and hotter. Buck placed a hand on the back of her head, gently stroking her hair and shushing her in a fruitless attempt to calm her.
The smoke was disorientating, and he suddenly realized he didn't know which way was which. He had to pick, otherwise they would surely die. If he picked wrong, they would die. His chest began to feel tighter as the smoke filled his lungs, stealing the oxygen he so desperately craved. A harsh cough ripped through him as he made his decision, deciding to go right out of the apartment door.
"Alright sweetie, I'm going to get us out of here, I promise," he knew he couldn't make such empty promises, but he was going to do his damn best to give this girl a chance at life. Navigating through heavy and hot smoke was hard enough when fully equipped, and practically impossible with nothing at his disposal. Even so, he soldiered through, keeping the little girl clutched closely to his body as he blindly stumbled down the hallway.
Every step became harder, his breathing labored, eyes burning as smoke clung to him. The building moaned and creaked around him, almost laughing mockingly at him as he tried to escape what once was his home, now a maze of loss and death. It threatened to collapse and bury him with every passing moment, erasing him and this poor little girl in the blink of an eye.
Eventually, Buck stumbled upon a staircase. Finally, some hope for the two of them. Though his chest felt as though it had a knife lodged in it, his throat coated with soot and oxygen escaping him, he clambered down the stairs as best he could. Deep down, Buck knew it was futile - they were going to die in this stairwell, help just out of reach.
But he was not going to let this little girl die. Not on his watch.
-
The first few floors had been cleared of any remaining residents as Eddie and Hen made their way up the building. Every time Eddie rounded a corner or climbed to a new floor, he hoped to see Buck there, covered in a layer of smoke and soot, with that stupid grin on his face. Eddie swore that Buck thought he was invincible sometimes.
Simply put, Eddie was not leaving this building without Buck, be that dead or alive.
"All clear!" Hen called, signaling to Eddie to move up a floor. As they climbed floors, the air grew warmer and warmer, and the fire seemed to be engulfing the building just as fast as they were climbing.
All Eddie could think about was Buck and whether he had made it out in time. He hadn't seen him outside in the crowd of residents that had gathered around, blankets wrapped over their shoulders, bare feet against cold concrete. He hoped that maybe Buck had gone out for the night and was at a bar, pissed out of his mind but safe from the constantly growing blaze.
Their radios beeped to life, a message coming through from the firefighters from outside. "Guys, the building is just about ready to collapse, you need to get out of there now. Don't be heroes."
Hen looked to Eddie, finger on the button ready to respond. Eddie's expression pleaded with Hen, silently begging her to just give him one more chance. However, Hen knew that they wouldn't be much help under a collapsed burning building. Orders were orders.
Then again, they did have a habit of doing what they wanted.
"Now! The structure is unstable!"
With that, the building shook around them, letting out a pained wail, the structure beginning to fail around them. They had no choice but to leave. Hen knew that Eddie wouldn't leave without one hell of a fight, but she wasn't about to let him kill himself. Giving him no warning and no chance of a fight, she grabbed him by his forearm and began dragging him out of the collapsing building, despite his best efforts of resisting. He tried his best to rip his arm from her solid grip, but there was no arguing with Hen.
Finally giving in with a defeated sigh, Eddie began to run along with her, knowing there was no choice in the matter.
They made it out with just moments to spare, the crowd gasping and crying out in surprise as the building above them finally gave in with a thunderous roar. Debris tumbled down from the building, hitting the concrete with a heavy thud, shards spraying everywhere as it made contact.
Only a few bottom floors satyed standing, the whole top half having been eaten by the fire, reduced to nothing but ash and rubble.
Eddie couldn't hold it in any longer. His knees gave out beneath him, silent tears streaking down his face, leaving tear tracks as they fell. All he could do was stare up at the building, a cloud of smoke and flames billowing up into the air, the heat tremendous.
Hen turned to Eddie, her cheeks also wet. All she could do was kneel beside him, taking his hand in her own and squeezing it.
"Eddie.." she choked back a sob. "I- I'm sure he's fine. It's Buck, you know what he's like-"
"Don't," Eddie spoke through tears, teeth gritted as he tried to fight them back. "Don't give me false hope Hen. Do not give me false hope."
-
Buck stumbled out the doorway, fresh and crisp air hitting him in the face, finally able to take in a full breath of air. The cold air nipped at his bare arms, sending a shiver up his spine and goosebumps to cover his arms, but he could not have been more thankful for such a feeling. He managed to stumble a few feet out of the way before he could walk no more, his legs unable to carry him any further. He gasped for air as he placed the little girl on the floor before he collapsed, his body screaming in agony and exhaustion as it finally found a place to rest.
Miraculously, the little girl was fine. Apart from a thin coat of smoke covering her skin and some smoke inhalation, she was alert and able to stand, her teddy still cuddled up in her arms. She knelt beside Buck and gently shook his shoulder.
"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice small and meek. Buck blinked up at her, her small face riddled with worry. He only just managed to sit himself up before a coughing fit ripped through him. He knew he needed help, and he knew that he wouldn't be able to reach it alone.
Buck noticed he could see flashing lights reflecting off of the wall in front of them, and an idea sprung to mind. Turning his attention back to the girl, he gave her a set of instructions. "You see those flashing lights down there? I need you to go and get some help. Go to one of the firefighters-"
Another coughing fit stopped him midsentence and with every cough, his chest ached more and more. Even with all the fresh air now around him, he struggled to be able to fill his lungs enough. His body craved oxygen, having been deprived of it for so long while in the burning building. He was fighting for every breath.
"Okay," she nodded after a while, seemingly taking a deep breath and giving her teddy a squeeze. Buck couldn't help the smile that crept onto his lips. The little girl couldn't have been more than six, yet she was brave enough to go and get help for a complete stranger after perhaps the most traumatizing moment of her life. She took a few steps in the direction of the lights, before she turned around and rushed back to Buck's side.
"No, I need you to-"
Buck could hardly finish his sentence before she thrust her teddy into Buck's chest. Caught in a moment of surprise and shock, he took the soot-covered teddy in his hands, glancing up at the girl with a questioning look.
"He'll help you feel brave," she said, pointing to the teddy in Buck's grip. "He always does for me."
Buck had barely realized that he had teared up when he felt a tear cascade down his cheek and drip onto his shirt. His chest filled with warmth at such a thoughtful gesture, and he snuggled the bear close to him, a silent promise to keep him safe. The little girl then turned back around and rushed off in the direction of the lights. Buck could only hope that someone would listen to this tiny little hero, and get him the help he needed.
-
The trio sat in the back of the ambulance, taking in the fading chaos around them. All the serious injuries had now been transported to the nearest hospital, leaving a few walking wounded to be triaged and sent where needed. Police surrounded them, taking statements from the residents and questioning the building owners, while also making sure everyone stayed civil and that no quarrels broke out.
"There were no alarms," Chim spoke up, staring out the doors. Hen and Eddie turned to look at him, questioning. "Didn't you notice? It was silent. There were no alarms."
Eddie hadn't even realized. He was so caught up in his own selfish thoughts that he hadn't even realized there were no damn alarms. He sat there, wondering how many more people could have been saved if the alarms had been working. How many more people could be standing here with them if the alarms had woke them? Would Buck be standing here with them if the alarms had been working?
Hen sighed deeply. "Unfortunately, it's not uncommon. How many building fires have we been to where the alarms don't work?"
Eddie and Chim only hummed in agreement. The air around them still felt thick with grief and loss, and Eddie knew that now the fire had been sorted, attempts were being made to recover any bodies trapped in the rubble. They knew it to be unlikely that anyone had survived such a collapse.
Chim turned his attention back to the people roaming about outside, their lives having burned away right in front of them. As his gaze skimmed across the crowd, he noticed a little girl wandering by herself, in her pajamas, looking completely lost.
Frowning, he climbed from the ambulance and made his way over to the girl. She noticed him as he approached her and her eyes seemed to light up, a gleam of hope dancing across her face. Hen and Eddie had noticed that Chim had walked off, and slowly trailed behind him, curious as to what he had seen.
"Hey there sweetie," he knelt to her height, putting on a smile. "Where are your parents?"
Eddie and Hen stayed a step behind.
She simply shrugged. "They went out, I had a babysitter. My friend needs help, he's behind the building!" Pointing towards where she had come from, the trio looked at where she had gestured. All they could see was a small alleyway, dark compared to the rest of the area.
"You're very brave," Hen chimed in. The girl turned back towards them, looking between all three. "What is your name, hun?"
"Charlotte. My friend is over here, I can show you!" she gestured hurriedly for them to follow her as she began to run off. Hen was the first to follow after her, having to jog to keep up with the speed of Charlotte. Chim followed shortly after, with Eddie tagging behind.
Before he disappeared down the alleyway, he turned to take one last glance through the crowd. Still, he could not see Buck. That same feeling of grief ached through his chest as tears once again threatened to spill, his eyes drifting towards the recovery team. He could only hope and pray that when he got back, Buck wasn't under one of those white sheets that lay on the ground.
He wouldn't be able to forgive himself.
Eddie returned his attention back to the task at hand, following after Charlotte and the other two. Hen led the way, flashlight lighting the area as they blindly followed Charlotte to her 'friend'. Eddie half expected to be met with nothing, the imagination of the girl having run wild, or to turn up to a teddy bear or a pet.
Hen stopped dead in her tracks, Chimney bumping into the back of her and Eddie almost tripping over the both of them.
"Oh my God," Hen gasped, her flashlight illuminating someone slouched against a wall. It took Chim and Eddie a moment to see it, but then it all clicked into place.
"Oh my God, it's-"
"Buck!" Eddie yelled out, rushing past the other two and racing over to Buck's side. Once again, tears streamed down his cheeks, creating more track marks through the dirt that coated his cheeks. He placed his hands on either side of Buck's jaw, his eyes scanning over his face as he prayed for Buck to open his eyes. "Buck, please, open your eyes."
Hen and Chim were by Eddie's side in no time, Chim having run back to the ambulance to grab what they needed. Chim searched through the bag and started taking items out, but Eddie wasn't paying any attention to that.
All he could focus on was the fact that Buck was alive.
Somehow, he was alive.
"Please," Eddie whispered through a sob, using his thumb to wipe away some of the dirt from Buck's face. With a pained moan, Buck tried to move, the entirety of his body thick with ache. His brows furrowed as he blinked his eyes open, his vision still somewhat blurry as he laid his eyes on the face in front of him.
Finally, Eddie was here. He was here to save him.
With a weak grin, Buck managed to speak. "Hey, you made it."
"Buck, we're here. You're going to be okay, but we need to move you now. Are you hurt anywhere?" Chim asked, firm and quick. Buck shook his head as a cough rattled his chest. Hen and Chim both looked at each other, faces etched with concern. "Alright buddy, sounds like you inhaled quite a bit of smoke. We'll get you on some oxygen and get you to the hospital. Same as your little friend here."
Buck barely managed a thumbs up. Eddie still had his hands placed ever so gently against his cheeks, almost holding him, just in case there was any spinal injury. Weakly lifting his hand, Buck removed one of Eddie's hands from his cheek and gave his wrist a comforting, reassuring squeeze.
"I'm okay," Buck forced out, trying to win Eddie over with an exhausted smile. It didn't work, and somehow only made Eddie cry a little harder. "Eddie, I'm okay, I promise you."
"I thought you were dead," Eddie sobbed, taking Buck's hand from his wrist and holding it tightly in his own. His vision was blurred with unshed tears, a mixture of relief and grief flooding his chest as he tried to catch a desperate breath.
Chim and Hen shared a knowing look.
Chim zipped up the bag. "Can you walk?"
With a little help from Eddie, Buck tried to stand. His legs gave way beneath him as he clung onto Eddie, his arms wrapped firmly around Eddie's neck to try and stabilize himself. Chim pursed his lips together and sighed, turning his attention to Eddie.
"Think you can carry him?" Chim asked, pointing over his shoulder at the way back out of the alley.
Eddie nodded, being sure of the first thing today with absolute certainty.
"Absolutely."
-
Hospital rooms always made Eddie feel uneasy. Especially the constant beeping of a heart monitor; for some reason, it drove him crazy. This time however, he sat there intently watching the monitor, watching as the line went up and down, keeping steady time as it beat. Sometimes, he would switch to watching Buck breathe, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm, never faltering.
It had been a couple of hours since the fire and ever since they had arrived at the hospital, Buck had been asleep. Eddie could tell he was exhausted, and on top of that was recovering from serious smoke inhalation. Doctors had pumped him with all sorts to open his airways back up and prevent infection and that had only wiped him out more.
Still, Eddie vowed to stay there until he woke up. He had messaged Carla as soon as they reached the hospital in hopes she could get Chris should she need to, and she was happy to oblige, of course.
Everyone else had been in to visit him before heading off as well. Hen had come to check up on him before she left, though she knew she was leaving him in great hands. Chim had done the same. He stayed and talked for a while, having been on the phone with Maddie for a while and keeping her updated on her brother. She said she would come to visit in the morning with Jee, which Eddie knew Buck would adore. That little girl meant the absolute world to him.
Bobby and Athena had rushed over as soon as they heard Buck was in hospital. They too were staying, but had gone to get some food for both them and Eddie, as well as getting a much-needed coffee for him.
Eddie was half-asleep in the hospital chair when he heard Buck groan, still very groggy. Almost instantly, he sat bolt upright, wide awake. His heart raced as he waited for Buck to move, blink, speak - anything to let him know that he was okay.
"God, it feels like I've been hit by a bus," Buck complained, raising a hand to press against his head, his voice still hoarse and thick from the smoke. Eddie let out a strained laugh as he scooted his chair closer to the edge of the bed, startling Buck in the process. "Good god, Eddie, I didn't know you were in here."
"Sorry," is all Eddie could manage, a smile gracing Eddie's face for the first time in hours. Buck managed a groggy chuckle as he blinked his eyes against the bright LED lights in the room.
After he had finally adjusted to the brightness of the room, he turned his attention to Eddie, ignoring the twinge of pain emanating from his neck. All his body felt sore and heavy, as though a rock was placed over his entire body, holding him down.
"Glad you found me," Buck smiled, eyes bright but tired. Eddie nodded, letting out a sigh, a weight finally being lifted from his chest and allowing him to breathe.
"I don't know how you made it out of there alive, Buck. I thought you were dead. When the building collapsed, I thought I- We, had lost you. I thought..." Eddie trailed off, voice trembling and tears lining his eyes.
"Hey, you know me. I'm practically indestructible," Buck tried to make a joke, but it fell flat. Eddie stared ahead, biting back the tears that glassed over his eyes. With a sniff, he lowered his head, in an attempt to stem himself from crying.
Buck reached out his hand, resting it on the edge of the bed.
That caught Eddie's attention and he looked up at Buck's hand, before looking up at Buck's face, confusion etched between his brows as he tried to figure out what Buck was doing.
Buck nodded towards his hand but still, Eddie looked as confused as ever. With an amused laugh, Buck once again stretched his hand out towards Eddie.
"Hold my hand, you idiot," Buck instructed, smile stretching from ear to ear. A warm blush spread across Eddie's cheek as the realization kicked in, and he reached a hand up to join with Buck's.
As soon as their hands were interlocked, Buck gave Eddie's hand a hard squeeze. An IV stuck out the back of his hand, restricting just how much movement he had, and Eddie found himself being cautious as not to knock it out. Scootching his chair closer, he rested his other arm on the bed.
"How's the little girl?" Buck questioned, the smile on his face suddenly falling, concern painting his face.
Eddie was quick to jump in and reassure him. "Absolutely fine. Treated for smoke inhalation but otherwise was alert and healthy. Her parents came to pick her up. Safe to say they won't be hiring that babysitter again."
"A babysitter left her alone?" Buck's jaw dropped. His heart ached at the thought of the little girl being left alone and scared, while some teen decided they didn't have time to save the life of the girl they were tasked with watching. Buck felt grateful that he was there to save her.
Eddie nodded. "Yeah, but thanks to you, she's safe. Her name is Charlotte. Think she and her parents want to say thank you once you feel a bit brighter."
"That would be nice," a warm smile appeared on Buck's face as he relaxed back into the pillow behind him. His hand was still firmly in Eddie's grip, and he wouldn't have it any other way. It felt right.
It felt so right. Like it was the rightess thing in the entire world. Like two puzzle pieces that slot together.
Then, Buck had a realization.
"I don't have anywhere to go when I get out of here," Buck noted, lips pursed tightly together. Considering his apartment had - simply put - burned to the ground, he was now technically homeless. He could go and stay with Maddie and Chim, but they had to deal with enough now that Jee was getting older.
His parents were a definite no-go. That would never happen.
"Stay with me," Eddie blurted out. The words had left his mouth before they had even registered in his brain. Again, his cheeks flushed a bright shade of red, and he found himself tripping over his words as he tried to save himself. "I mean, I have the space and Chris would love you there, and we can go to work together and-"
"You talk a lot when you're nervous," Buck chuckled. "It's cute."
"I just-"
"Stop talking, my head hurts. I'll stay with you, if you let me get some more rest. And get some rest yourself, you look awful."
-
"Voila, home sweet home," Eddie dropped the bag by the front door as he welcomed Buck into his home, despite the fact he had been over many times before. "Well, for the time being, I suppose."
Buck let out a relieved sigh as he rested on the back of the couch, hands shoved into his pockets as he took in his surroundings.
It had been a couple of days since the fire and he had spent that time recovering in the hospital. It hadn't been the most cozy of times but hey, at least he was alive and kicking. Coming home to Eddie's was like a breath of fresh air, and it felt good coming home to something - and someone - familiar.
"Hm, I give it three out of five stars. You have some cobwebs in the corner up there," Buck pointed up to the corner of the wall, where the tiniest bit of cobweb hung from the ceiling. Eddie couldn't hold back the smile that erupted on his face.
"If you don't like it, you can find somewhere else to stay," Eddie kicked his shoes off and made his way over to Buck, standing just in front of him. Eddie wondered if the tension he could feel between them was just something he was imagining, or whether Buck could feel it too.
Eddie had been to visit him every day since the fire, and the two had plenty of time to talk. They talked about everything and anything - Eddie kept Buck updated on all the drama at Chris' school, what Hen and Chim had got up to while he was off work, and what gossip was making its rounds at the firehouse. Eddie almost felt as though Buck was flirting with him at times, and wondered whether he was going mad.
Of course, others had visited him too. Jee had found the medical equipment incredibly fascinating, and definitely caused a stir when she pulled a few things out of the sockets. She rather enjoyed the controls on the bed, and liked making it go up and down, up and down.
"You can have the bed, I'll sleep on the couch out here. You need the rest more than I do," Eddie gestured to the couch Buck was leaning on. Buck glanced at the couch beneath him, then looked back up at the man standing just in front of him.
God, Buck thought. Has he always looked this good?
"We could just," he shrugged, eyes glancing towards the floor. "Share the bed? It's big enough for two. That's if you don't mind, of course."
"Sure," again, he had answered before his mind had fully registered what was going on. Buck almost seemed surprised at his answer, the shock clear in his eyes. The tension between the two could have been cut with a knife. If he wasn't such a wimp, Eddie would have broken the space then and there, but he held himself back. He didn't want to freak Buck out, nor did he know whether Buck felt anything towards him.
Eddie knew that Buck had a thing about flirting, and he did it a lot. He could never tell whether it was genuine towards him, or just something Buck was doing without really thinking about it. Eddie didn't want to lose his best friend over something as big as this.
Eddie cleared his throat. "Anyway, can I get you anything?"
Buck's shoulders seemed to slump as the smile on his face faltered. "Uh, no. No, I'm okay thanks. You've done plenty for me, I can't ask for anything more."
"Evan, I would do anything for you. You know that," Eddie grinned, making his way towards the kitchen. Buck felt as though his heart stopped for a moment - Eddie was the only one who called him Evan, and he was the only one who could make him feel that way when he said it. Anyone else calling him Evan almost made him feel nauseous. But when Eddie said it, it was like a fire erupted inside him. "I'll get you a drink while you get settled in."
Buck found himself speechless. It was rare that someone left him this speechless. However, Eddie had this strange way of leaving Buck at a loss for words. He found himself following Eddie into the kitchen, his heart still beating wildly in his chest. Buck had never felt this strongly before and it almost scared him. His past relationships had never ended very well, and half the time he believed himself to be unlovable and yet, here he stood, wondering whether that was about to change.
Eddie felt like home.
And he had never felt more at home than he did right now.
"Where's Chris?" Buck asked, trying to break the silence. Eddie grabbed a glass from the cupboard and filled it with water, before turning back to Buck to answer his question. He handed Buck the glass of water with a fond smile.
"At a friend's, again. Probably going to be up playing video games all night, as usual. How come?" Eddie wandered back over to the cupboard and got a glass for himself, once again filling it with water and taking a sip, before placing it down on the countertop.
"I just-" he stopped, trying to think of how to put what he was feeling into words. He sighed deeply, squeezing his eyes shut for a second, hands balled into tight fists at his side. "I need to tell you something."
Eddie raised a brow and leaned back against the counter. "And that is?"
Buck hesitated. He opened his mouth to speak, yet nothing came out. Eddie stood patiently, waiting for Buck to find the right words to speak, but still, nothing came out. No amount of words he strung together in his mind seemed right. Sighing in frustration, Buck decided that words just simply weren't going to work.
"You know what? Fuck it."
With that, Buck confidently stepped forward and closed the gap between him and Eddie, placing his hands on either side of Eddie's jaw and kissing him, rushed and full of excitement. Eddie gasped in surprise, yet found himself kissing Buck back just as quickly as Buck had kissed him, grabbing him by his waist and pulling him closer, their bodies flush together.
It was as if they had done this a hundred and one times before, as everything fell into place as though it was meant to be. The way they moved together, the way their hands roamed each other's bodies was as though they knew exactly where they were going, mapping every inch of skin they touched.
Eddie pulled back from the kiss, much to the dismay of Buck, who let out a disappointed noise. As much as Eddie was enjoying it, and much as he really wanted to continue, there were so many questions he needed answered.
"Listen, as much as I am enjoying this," Eddie smirked, eyes flicking between Buck's lips and his eyes. Buck swore his legs almost buckled beneath him. "Just- Answer me this. When did you-"
"From the moment I laid eyes on you."
"I thought you hated me?" Eddie laughed, his hands slipping under the fabric of Buck's t-shirt, cold hands meeting warm skin. Buck tensed at the sudden temperature change, then slowly relaxed into it. Eddie's thumbs stroked small circles into Buck's skin.
Buck hummed. "Think I was more jealous of you. And I didn't realize I was bi back then, so perhaps I didn't understand what a crush was exactly. Not on a guy, anyway."
"You had a crush on me?" Eddie quipped playfully, causing Buck to turn a dull shade of pink. It felt as though his heart was about to burst right out of his chest and start dancing around the kitchen. He would probably join it if that were to happen.
"Shut up," Buck mumbled, deciding to not give Eddie a choice in the matter by kissing him once again, this time much softer and less rushed than before, now that he knew Eddie wasn't going to run for the hills afterward.
This was right. This was home.
It was late and the two of them were still trying to catch up on the hours of missed sleep, so exploring one another fully would have to wait until another night. And perhaps when Buck's muscles finally stopped aching.
It wasn't long before the two of them found themselves snuggled up in bed together, exhausted from the days previous.
Maybe Buck wasn't so upset that his entire apartment burned down after all.
He just wondered how they would explain this all to Chris.