(30) In the Darkest Time of Year by ElvenSorceress @elvensorceress
It was a farm like this one where he almost died. The earth collapsed, buried him underground, and tried to swallow him whole. He tries to never think of it. There was no reason to remember.
It’s too easy to feel like dying.
Every minute the sun descends, red and blue emergency lights from gathered vehicles grow brighter. They illuminate the peripheral edges of the massive cornfield, but have no help of shining light on all of it.
The maze is too vast. There’s no GPS. No radio contact. No cell service. It’s a dead zone.
It’s how people get lost here.
There’s a haunted corn maze named Hell and Buck is lost in it. It’s also Halloween and Eddie hasn’t felt alive in months. He’s repressed and fraying, but determined to rescue his partner, even if it means facing down death and his own heart to do it.
(31) running out of reasons by bptlmevyemtc
Buck swallows, senses hyper-focused on Eddie’s arm around him. “Oh?”
“We should only ever be friends.” Eddie’s gaze is heavy when Buck catches it, and he feels his breath hitch. “We’d definitely ruin this.”
“Yeah.” Buck says, and if it’s slightly breathless, well he has the alcohol and the cold to blame it on. “We’re not cut out for relationships.”
“Definitely not.” Eddie doesn’t look away from him. “Especially with each other.”
Buck ponders all the reasons why he and Eddie should never, ever, ever be together.
(32) What I Did For Love by ElvenSorceress
“Why?” Buck somehow chokes out. There are concrete blocks on his chest. They’re crushing him. They’ve been crushing him. But this one might actually break him.
Eddie looks at him. Finally more than a stolen glance or a brief check. “Because. Christopher. He needs me. I can’t—“
“You don’t have to leave. You don’t have to quit. Just. Just take a break. Take some time. Then. Then come back. Take as much as you need. As he needs. Take care of him. And you. Just. Don’t… You don’t have to leave.” Please. Please don’t leave. Please don’t leave me. Please.
Eddie opens his mouth, but nothing comes out, and then he says in that soft, too soft, pleading tone that stacks more concrete on the pile, “Buck.”
Buck turns and storms off. Before everything breaks apart and there are pieces of him scattered all over everyone’s Christmas.
Eddie is leaving the 118, and Buck is devastated. Since they’re no longer work partners, they have to figure out new ways to hold onto each other and heal from their shared trauma.
(33) Hearts, Hooves, and Healing by mansikka @mansikkaomenabanaani
Numb. That’s how Eddie feels, not long out of the army recovering from an injury and even more recently widowed from his wife. He doesn’t know what to do next. He does know El Paso isn’t where he wants to be. So since he needs to keep a promise to Shannon to visit her dying mother, why not head to Los Angeles? At least there he has family more understanding than his parents.
Only, life apparently doesn’t want to keep Eddie and Christopher in Los Angeles either. In fact, a surprise inheritance leads them to a place they could never have dreamed of. A whole new existence, in fact. With a new home, more money than Eddie knows what to do with, and a great new group of friends. Also, animals.
In the middle of nowhere, Eddie and Christopher get their start-over. In life, love, and everything else.
#Demisexual Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)