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~Buck’s POV~
Eddie was making coffee and I sat on his couch, the blue one he’s had as long as I known him. The same one we would watch Chris play games, the one we all watched movies on, the same one I hugged him when he cried when Chris left for Texas, and the same one last week I told him Tommy broke up with me and apparently that same day Eddie met a hot priest told him to find more joy.
Now I sat as I heard Eddie in the kitchen making us coffees. He just told me he’s moving back to El Paso, Texas.. to be with his son Chris again. I should be happy.. I am happy. But just like everyone else I love they always leave.
Love. Such a strong and huge word with million different ways to use it. I love my sister. I love my niece who just turned 3 few days before Halloween, I love my job saving people, I love baking.. I love.
”Eddie Diaz?”
I blinked at iPad talking and Eddie walked in living room setting both us a coffee cup down. I felt frozen as he took iPad from my hand and set it on the coffee table, the one I helped him built because he wanted a different one few months before Chris left.
“Hi that’s me.”
Eddie my best friend of six years was leaving me. He said after our first big save together, it was his first week here in Los Angeles that we will always have each others back, yet here he is leaving me too.
“Oh well hello I’m Jeremey Jones. I got the email that you wanted to do a Face Time to have a walk through of a few properties here in El Paso?”
”Yes thanks for getting back to me so quick. I .. yeah think it will be right for me.”
”Of course El Paso is a welcoming community for all walks of life.”
I lifted my left eyebrow up but barely heard them talking and felt Eddie touch my back. Eddie sat up little on couch making our legs not be seen but I felt it. Felt the heat spread through me like we just ran through a fire again to save someone. After all we are firefighters here in Los Angeles not El Paso.
”Who is your buddy here?”
”Oh uh this is Buck..Buck.. Jeremey.”
Hearing my name I snapped out of my frozen state and smiled.
“Hi I’m here to make sure he gets the right house.”
I saw Eddie smiling in the small square that was us. I looked over at him in person next to me and he was still smiling.
”Excellent. Well I’m already at first house let me turn this camera and ta da perfect. If I walk or talk to fast please intervene.”
”Okay.”
I saw Eddie look happy and excited but I felt sad and disappointed. I zoned at during the house tours. Yet Jeremy would make a joke and Eddie was laughing. The laugh I loved hearing. I took sip of my coffee and tried focusing but barely could.
“And lastly this one you sent as a save is the closest to the high school. The one you said your son is thinking of going to?”
”Yeah it’s same one I went to so figured he love it too.”
”Oh you from here? I thought I heard an accent.”
I rolled my eyes and got up taking our empty coffee cups in the sink. At the sink I felt myself crying. I wiped them quickly and cleaned our cups. I smiled seeing I was using Chris’s cup. His was Superman one I got him when we all went to San Diego Comic Con.
I wiped my tears quickly and turned water off. I got my jacket off the coat hook and went to front door.
”Buck you leaving? Don’t want to stay for beer and pizza? I have a pizza in freezer.”
I heard Eddie ask as he walked back with iPad tucked under his arm.
”Maddie called she umm needs help finding baby clothes for the baby.”
”At .. 8 pm?”
”Yeah you know pregnant women can’t sleep. Uh raincheck?”
”Umm yeah okay.”
I walked out quickly before I could stop myself. I got in my Jeep and drove straight home. I didn’t even leave my Jeep as I stayed in parking space. I cried again and hated Eddie was leaving me too. I eventually got out and went to my apartment. Didn’t even bother changing as I slept on couch. I groaned at it not being comfortable as I kept telling myself I need a new one.
That was all on Wednesday and Saturday rolled around Eddie was officially moving and today was his last day at 118. Sunday Bobby grilled and everyone came. I kept drinking to not cry. Eddie got hugs, smiles and laughter. Maddie was crying as she hugged him. I drank more of my beer sitting by the fire pit.
Eddie joined me and we clinked our glasses and I smiled.
“So you leave tomorrow?”
”Yeah go to airport tomorrow at .. 8 am.”
”Need a ride?”
”You offering?”
”Yeah Eddie I’d always drive for you.”
”Thanks. Felt weird last night.”
”What why?”
”Coming home to an empty house, the movers got everything packed away on shift.”
”Oh fun.”
I mumbled and drank more beer.
“I’m uh getting another one.”
”Buck.”
I already left before he could say anything and ignored Hen’s eyes. I opened my beer at the cooler watching Eddie’s back as he was sitting by the fire pit.
I woke up with massive headache and then felt sunlight in my eyes. I sat up quickly groaning in pain. My phone was buzzing as I picked it up seeing I was a hour late. I got dressed quickly and ran out of my house. I forgot my keys and saw missed calls and texts from Eddie. Last message I stopped in my tracks.
Eddie: Guess you over slept? I took a Lyft to airport. See you later. Don’t forget take some Aspirin for headache.
He always took being a medic first whenever I or anyone else on shift or someone we saved gets hurt. That’s good thing about Eddie being your best friend. He always ready to help you no matter what.
I put my phone in my short pockets and began running. I wasn’t a fast runner like Eddie but I ran. No way was I The Flash either but I was running. I kept running pass the grocery store, pass the flower shop, pass the food trucks parked, and made it to airport.
My hands on my knees I took deep breath and opened the door. I didn’t have a ticket so went to the ticket kiosk and printed one for today. I didn’t even look at the destination. I made it through TSA and looked in 118 group chat seeing Eddie messaged his flight number. I searched it on Google and it said which gate he was at 201 A.
I saw they were boarding in twenty minutes. I ran again and went inside the elevator and then ran out in direction of the gate. I found it and scanned for Eddie. I saw him standing and stretching from one of the chairs. I ran over to him and ran right in front of him.
”Buck? What are you doing here?”
I put my hand on his shoulder like he’s done many times with me. His shoulder where he has a bullet scar and the same shoulder on me I have a lighting scar when I got struck by lightning.
”I.. was suppose to drive you.”
”Buck it’s okay I told you I took a Lyft.”
”No. I’m suppose to be your driver.”
”Buck—“
“I told you six years ago I have your back and you said you’ll have mine.. and I meant it. I still mean it.”
Eddie looked at me with both his eyebrow up and went to speak but I took a step closer to him.
”And it took me last year to realize I’m Bisexual.. but if I’m being honest it’s when you joined the team.”
I felt my heart picking up faster and I lightly squeezed his shoulder before dropping my hand.
”And I hated you that first week but looking back now… it wasn’t hate. It was I.. I was I am..”
”We are boarding 201 A now. Can we please have elders and anyone who needs assistance to board now.”
Eddie and I looked over at the flight attendant say into a microphone.
Eddie and I looked back at each other.
”Buck what are you saying?”
I groaned and pulled my curly hair lightly in frustration. I dropped my hand and looked right into Eddie’s brown eyes with my blue eyes.
”I thought I was suppose to be with Abby.. but she left me for Ireland and fell for a British man. I met Ali on a call like you know that isn’t ever going to work out, then Taylor? We tried for two years but that was during 2020 and we know how bad that year was.. Natalia .. she thought I was just a dead case pun intended. She only wanted me to talk about the people we didn’t save.. and then T..”
I couldn’t say his name as that one still hurt if not the worst.
”Said he only wanted me because he knew we wouldn’t last. He said I was his first and can’t be his last.”
”You can have that with the same person.”
”That’s what I told him. And .. I see that now.”
”Now boarding anyone who has been or is still in active service including first responders.”
Eddie moved his carry on book bag to another shoulder.
“Eddie.”
I took another step closer lightly touching his chest. The same chest I did compression on when he got shot. The same chest I washed when he was in as cast from his gun shot wound. The same chest that was shirtless when I helped his nose bleed when I accidentally hit him to hard when he taught me Muay Thai.
”Buck.”
I frowned not wanting to him hear say the two words that all of them all have said to me. ‘Goodbye Buck.’
“I don’t want you to go. I .. I can’t let you.”
”Buck I have too. My son is there. I don’t want miss anymore moments with him.”
”But I’ll miss you.”
”I’ll miss you too. Planes go both ways—“
”I love you.”
Eddie smiled and I started crying and wiping my tears but more fell. I felt Eddie’s hand lightly touch my face. Eddie lightly wiped my tears away.
“I l—“
”No Eddie I really love you. Like .. I should’ve said this sooner. But it’s always been you. I.. see it now. And I should’ve known sooner. It’s why it’s never worked out with anyone else. I … you are my first.. the first guy I loved .. the first person who actually stayed .. the first person .. I truly loved.”
”Now boarding anyone in group a like airplane.”
”What?”
”Yes Eddie I know this is bad timing this could ruin our friendship but I had to get out. I didn’t know when I’d see you again. I just f k I f ked up again.”
Eddie was still holding my face and then I felt his other hand hold my other side of my face.
”Buck you aren’t f king this up.”
”Yes .. I am. You leaving me just like everyone else does. And —“
”And I was getting on that plane to bring Chris home. We were coming home tomorrow. I was bringing him to your place tomorrow as a surprise.”
”But all your stuff is gone..”
”I moved it into storage. Being in that house and knowing Chris saw .. her it has lot of bad memories now. I want us to a fresh start when he’s back.”
”But the party was a goodbye..”
”Well if you weren’t so drunk you know it was a see you later party.”
”But you—“
”Now boarding b as in buddy.”
“I love you too Buck. I guess like you I buried it. I met the hot priest again. The one who told me about joy?”
I nodded slowly as Eddie was still holding my face. His fingers lightly touched my lips and I felt the heat feeling again. My cheeks and neck getting warm.
”And he said joy can be found in places, things or people. And I have that with you. Your apartment or anywhere with you, your baking, you always being there for me and Chris .. and you. It’s you Buck. I worried too I’d mess up our friendship so I pushed it in back of the closet. Even if the hot priest said my closet is glass.”
”Closet?”
”Yeah I’m demisexaul and … gay.”
”But Shannon?…”
Eddie laughed smiling.
”I did.. do love Shannon. But I never felt that with anyone else. Yet it all fell into place when I realized I do want juice not water.”
”Oh? Both are good though?”
Eddie chuckled and I lifted my left eyebrow up.
”Now boarding C as in Christopher.”
We looked over at the flight attendant and then back at each other.
“Eh I prefer juice. But.. I choose you Evan. I love you too.”
”Edmundo you do?”
”Yes I do. You always first one to help someone rather we at work or not, you always can make someone laugh, you bake incredibly, you may not be good at math but you are an excellent driver.. and so many other reasons Buck I do love you.”
Eddie took a step closer to me as his carry on bag came off. I looked at the bag and then felt him lift my head up to his eyes. He leaned up as I’m two inches taller and his lips were on mine. My lips were on his and we were kissing. I was kissing my best friend of six years.
My arms went around his waist pulling him closer. We kept kissing and I didn’t even hear clapping but did feel Eddie’s tongue inside mine. I gasped feeling both of us smiling in kiss. We pulled away for air but in that moment I could live on Eddie’s lips.
“Now boarding D as in Dog.”
”I have to get on this plane but we will be back tomorrow.”
”You promise?”
”Yes Buck I’m not leaving you.”
Eddie kissed me again and I wanted to deepened it but he pulled away. I watched him walk to the flight attendant as she scanned his boarding pass in. He was the last to board and turned around and waved. I waved back and watch the door close. I frowned but smiled as I felt my lips. I ran to the window watching the plane. I watched the plane take off in the air.
Next day I cleaned my house and when Eddie sent a selfie from El Paso airport with Chris I smiled. Chris was coming home today and I couldn’t wait.
I waited outside with my Jeep. As I heard door open kept looking to see who it was. Finally at the twenty second person it was them. I ran over and saw Chris first. I hugged him as he hugged me back.
”Buck!”
”Superman!”
Chris laughed in the hug and I let him pull away first. When he did I saw Eddie next to him and I pulled him into a hug. I heard Eddie crying and I hugged him tighter.
”See we aren’t ever leaving you again Buck.”
Eddie said into hug as he slowly let go and still close.
”Better not or I’m suing this airport.”
”Oh please don’t do that.”
We laughed and let go and I took one of Chris’s bags.
“So your dad said you joined chess? I found a chess club here too. Denny is even going to it.”
”Denny did text me he plays chess too. I told dad too on plane that’s really why I learned. Grandpa isn’t really good but Denny is really good on computer version. So I want to play against him with real one.”
”Yeah? That be fun.”
We made it to the Jeep and all got in after bags were inside. I got into drivers side, Eddie in passenger seat and Chris in backseat.
“So where to?”
At same time both Diaz boy’s said
”Home.”
”Home.”
I smiled and started my Jeep and Eddie took my one hand. I smiled at it and nodded.
”Okay.”
Few days later of Chris back he was now at sleepover at Denny’s since tomorrow Eddie and I will look at a house. We were getting a house together.
Currently we were kissing on my bed. Clothes off expect our boxers and kissing everywhere. Eddie above me smiling as both his arms and hands were on either side of my head.
”You sure you want to do this?”
”Yes Eddie. I’m so sure. Moving in with you.. this.. all of it. I want with you.”
”You and..T..”
”Nope he kept saying soon. But guess his soon was I’m to much of a himbo to learn.”
”You aren’t that Buck. You are so much more than he gave you credit. You are everything to me. And Chris. And the 118.. and—“
I leaned up kissing him and he kissed back and I moved my hands down his body. I stopped at boxers. Pulling lips away slowly.
“I do love all the praise.. so much.. this .. you saying nice things won’t let me last long.”
”Oh really? You like it?”
I nodded little and felt the heat feeling again as I know knew it was me blushing.
”Good to know. So Buck I love your eyes..birthmark.”
Each pause Eddie would lightly kiss what he was talking about.
”Your belly.”
”That tickles.”
I laughed and he kissed lower and I smiled.
”Your laugh.”
Eddie kissed my neck making me laugh again as his hair touched my neck. Eddie moved back to my stomach and was right at my boxers.
”You sure Buck?”
I nodded.
”Words.”
”Please Eddie I want this.. I want you.”
Eddie smiled and now was blushing and I helped him take mine off. Eddie moved off and I groaned but he went to a drawer getting what we needed.
”How you know it was there?”
”Since mine was in same spot. So when we get our own place we’ll keep it in that spot?”
I nodded and before he came back to bed he took his boxers off. I watched and saw Eddie’s tan skin all turn into a blush. He crawled back on top of me and we kissed deeply again.
Six years I should’ve known I loved my best friend. Yet I knew now and we been together 2 years now. 1 year engaged as we been planning our wedding. I have my clipboard of ideas and Eddie has his son, his son Chris who still in Will is my son. So before we get married we changed it with the law that now I’m Chris’s second dad.
Eight years loving my best friend and now husband we are at the airport. The same one we had our first kiss at. Even the same gate 201 A and our going to board a flight for our honeymoon. I rested my head on his shoulder as they wait to board everyone. Looking at our hands holding I see our wedding rings. I close my eyes and take a small nap as my best friend and husband kiss my forehead and let me take my nap.
THE END!!