Thinking about BuckTommy HS AU
They’re both entering Sophomore, but Tommy is still older by two years. He had to repeat two years throughout his school years because of the number of absences he had.
They start dating during summer, they met at a summer job and clicked immediately and after both made a fool of themselves in front of the other they got their shit together, nobody except them know
One day Tommy comes to work with a badly concealed black eye and it’s the day Buck learns about what’s going on at the Kinard house
The insults, the hits, the punishments
During the summer, Buck steals food at his home to give Tommy so he always has something to eat, sharing every moments they can until they both have to be home
Buck for his chores and general ignorance from his parents, Tommy for his chores as well, and to satisfy his dad’s need of a servant and punching ball
Every day as they go their separate ways Buck want to pull Tommy and bring him to his home, to tell his parents everything, to beg them to welcome Tommy and give him a place to be safe, but every time he gets close to tell them about his bisexuality; about Tommy, his tongue get stuck to the top of his mouth, like it grew 4 sizes
every day, he tells Tommy how he tried, but he can’t get the words out, and each time Tommy is the one to reassure him, even when he has a new black eye or bruises, or the worst day, welts all over his back, Buck still wonders how Tommy can stay with him when Buck cries each time he sees his wounds and Tommy has to reassure him and doesn’t complain once
As school grows nearer, Buck has to go back home earlier and earlier, his parents asking him to get back into a rhythm
And Tommy spends his afternoons often alone, alone with his thoughts, alone with his wounds. He knows, he can feel that with the speed at which his father has been moving, he will not see Christmas if it doesn’t change.
Because of his parents, Buck has not been able to go out for 2 weeks; which kept him from talking to Tommy since his father broke his phone in a fit of rage and never changed it, and now it’s the first day of class and Tommy doesn’t come.
He’s not here when first period starts, nor when second ends or even when the bells ring.
Buck goes to their summer job but Tommy isn’t there either … and so he goes back home where his mom tells him that some mail arrived for him.
At first he thinks that it’s Maddie, but when he opens it he sees Tommy’s writing and reads it in his room
Tommy who explain to him that he couldn’t stay, that he couldn’t trust his dad not to kill him and so he did the only thing he could.
Tommy who thanks Buck for this summer, who thank him for being there for him, for freeing his minds these past few weeks and making him want to live again.
Tommy who asks him to live a great life, to be happy, to find a nice girl or boy and make his dream family true. Who asks him to free himself from the unattainable goals that his parents give him.
Tommy who promises him to always think of him, to always love Buck whatever comes. Who promise to do his best to survive.
Buck who cries all night holding that letter, who in a fit of anger, anger at Tommy, at Tommy’s dad, at his parents, at himself tears the letters apart before crying even more as he tries to put it back together.
Who has a mangle piece of paper now put together with scotch that he keeps in his nightstand until he leaves his family’s house.
A relic that he takes with him to college, on his trips, to LA.
A treasure that Abby asks about once and only once when she sees the way his eyes shine when she holds the paper, and gives it back to him to watch it him pull it against his chest.
A memory that is now in his nightstand, in his own loft, a piece of his soul that he poured into the paper after reading it hundreds, thousands of times, a tether to a happier time, a time that comes crashing back into him as he stands next to a helicopter and looks at their pilot.