iâd marry you with paper rings
ao3 | 20k | buddie | rated t | 5 + 1, canon divergence | for @buddieversion
And then he takes a first sip from the cup, the coffee in it tasting absolutely perfect.
âMarry me, Eddie,â Buck groans, the rich flavors bursting on his tongue.
Eddie laughs, but the sound is only a background noise to Buck, his brain entirely focused on the drink in front of him and how the second sip from it somehow tastes better than the first.
âAlready married, remember?â Eddie comments, and Buck frowns at him for a moment before he remembers his blurted out proposal.
âWell, damn,â Buck says, tightening the grip on his cup minutely and then loosening it instantly. âShannon is a lucky woman if you bring her coffee this perfect every morning.â
(or 5 times Buck and Eddie donât really get engaged and the 1 time they do. and then the time they finally get married.)
The clock is a minute away from hitting nine oâclock when Eddie walks up the stairs to the stationâs loft, his uniform looking perfectly pressed and worn, but his hair rumpled, like he didnât have time to comb it before leaving his house.
Their shift is about to start, and though Buck has been at the station for nearly fifteen minutes already, he isnât surprised that Eddie is cutting it close once again. Fighting the Los Angeles streets on school mornings is already difficult enough, but Buck imagines that wrangling a seven year old through his morning routine adds a level of complication that makes getting to places with time to spare nearly impossible.
But Eddieâs rushed entrance could have a different explanation this morning, as Buck notices the two coffee cups that heâs holding in his hands.
From his position sprawled on the couch, Buck perks up when he spots the logo for his favorite coffee shop stamped on them. His eyes follow Eddieâs path as he approaches Buck casually, tossing a quick greeting for Chimney and Bobby over his shoulder as he walks past the kitchen.
When he reaches Buck only two seconds later, he doesnât sit down next to him. Instead, he stays looming over him, his body acting like a wall between the entertainment area where Buck is and the dining area where the rest of the squad is moving around before their work for the day officially begins. Â
Silently extending his right hand, Eddie presents Buck with one of the cups he brought with him, the transparent one that contains an iced coffee. Buck has to look between Eddie and the cup a few times before he understands the offer fully.
âFor me?â Buck asks slowly, disbelievingly.
A pleasant warmth blooms inside Buckâs chest and roots itself to his throat and his stomach. Its branches spread across Buckâs shoulders and arms, and Buck swallows as he looks at the plastic cup intently, like it holds the answer to some unasked question.
Eddie scoffs, and Buck meets his eyes again. His arm is still extended, and he uses it to shake the drink in his right hand lightly, urging Buck to take it. Buck sits up and grabs it carefully, feeling like it might crumble in his fingers if he squeezes it too tightly.
âNo,â Eddie says, taking a seat next to Buck on the couch, now only holding onto a paper cup that must hold his own coffee. âItâs for the other guy with an animal for a nickname around here.â
âActually,â Buck says, his words still slow but his shock surely fading the longer he holds his gifted coffee in his hand. He tilts his head and turns his body so itâs facing Eddie better. âThat could mean you brought this for Bear, the guy from B-shift with the thick mustache. â
With his drink halfway to his mouth, Eddie pauses, looking at Buck from the corner of his eye. Buck only blinks back at him, holding his ground as he holds Eddieâs eyes in his. He smothers the smile that is trying to break free from his lips by biting the inside of his bottom lip.
âIs there really a guy named Bear in B-shift?â Eddie asks wearily, like itâs now his turn to sound disbelieving.
A second of stretched silence is all that Buck manages before he breaks and chuckles.
âNo,â he says, shaking his head lightly and amusedly at Eddieâs confusion. âThe guyâs name is Ralph.â