I joined the fandom for Tevan but stayed for all the rare pairs. Check out my full fic list: page 1 and page 2. or peruse my wips, recents, and self-recs below. My stuff is all over the place so check the tags before you proceed.
my self-recs (multichapter):
My Best Friend and a Pilot - Buck/Eddie/Tommy
My Blessings are Things you Call Sins - Eddie/Father Brian
Matters of the Heart - Eddie/Dr. Salazar
Nothing Could Go Wrong Anytime I'm With You - Sal/Tommy
Brooke's Coffee - Buck/Tommy coffee shop AU
Daniel's Cookie Jar - Buck/Tommy bakery AU
Cleats and Crescendos - Sal/Eddie high school teacher AU
Guidance & Gravity - Buck/Tommy high school teacher AU
Nonno Tom's - Buck/Tommy restaurant AU
my self-recs (one-shot):
Pepa & Evancito - Buck and Pepa, Buck/Tommy
Tomorrow - Buck/Tommy
Friendly Fire - Buck/Tommy, Eddie [collab with @sunnywithachanceofbi]
There Must Be Something in the Water - Buck/Tommy
Peanut Butter - Buck/Tommy
A Bathroom with Two Sinks - Josh/Eddie [warning: MCD]
No More Joking About It - Sal/Eddie
Home Is Wherever I'm With You - Rick Romero/Lou Ransome
wip or recently completed:
You Are The Life I Needed All Along - Sal/Shannon to Sal/Eddie [WIP]
Some SalEddie for you @fairytalegonewronga03. The first of many!
CW: blood and injury
Sal: Iâm bored.
Sal: Send me a dick pic
Eddie: no
Sal: Câmooooon donât be a prude
Eddie: last time you showed it to half the crew
Sal: Excuse me for being proud of my guy
Sal: Show me your hole then
Eddie: jesus
Sal: Whatever
Sal: Iâll be home in 5 hours
Sal: You better be ready to show me the real thing
Eddie tossed his phone onto the coffee table, laughing to himself and shaking his head. Chris was at school and Eddie had already gotten through most of the chores on his list. There was just one more that was nagging him.
It was his own fault, really. Heâd let it go too long and now a few branches of the tree in the backyard were too close to the roof of the house. He just had to take a handsaw up the ladder and cut them off, not a big deal. It was the kind of thing heâd do on his own before, but when Sal saw it on the to-do list Eddie had made himself, Sal told him to wait until he could be there to help hold the ladder.
Heâd gone up the ladder and trimmed the branches before. It would take 20 minutes, tops, including the time it took to get everything out and set up the ladder. There was no reason to wait.
The first couple branches came down easily. Eddie moved the ladder to get to the last one. The ground was a little less level in that spot, but he wasnât too worried, he distributed his weight on the ladder rung to make up for it. Everything was steady.
Until it wasnât.
The ladder wobbled and Eddie went to catch himself - not thinking, not remembering the saw he had in one hand until it was too late. The jagged metal teeth dragged across his forearm and he cried out as it sliced skin and flesh.
He instantly dropped the saw, then clapped his free hand over the wound as it throbbed. He waited until he got down off the ladder to look, blood seeping from between his fingers.
âFuck!â he bit out a curse and went quickly into the house.
He turned on the kitchen faucet and stuck his arm under the water to rinse away the blood. What he saw made his stomach lurch - a ragged gash with blood pouring out as fast as the water could rinse it away.
It was stupid. So fucking stupid. Just his bodyâs stupid instinct to catch himself overriding the knowledge that he was holding a sharp object in one hand. What a god damn idiot.
He grabbed a kitchen towel and applied pressure. The pain was intense, throbbing with every heartbeat.
It was enough that he needed stitches. He knew that. Heâd bandage it as best he could at home then go get it taken care of.
He grabbed his first aid kit from under the sink, his head swimming from the motion of bending over. He took a deep breath to clear the spots from his vision, then sat at the kitchen table to throw on a thick layer of gauze, then wrapped it in tape as tight as he could.
He could already see the blood soaking the gauze, but it would have to do.
Eddie grabbed his phone, wallet, and keys, then stumbled out to his truck, swallowing hard against the nausea, taking deep breaths to keep his head from swimming.
The nearest hospital was only a ten minute drive. It would be fine.
Once he was on the road, he used voice commands to send Sal a text.
âHey, I accidentally cut my arm. Nothing too bad, just slipped. Iâm gonna go get it looked at. Just wanted to tell you in case Iâm not home yet when you come over. Iâll text Chris and let him know,â Eddie said, then told the text to send.
Eddie blinked again as spots filled his vision, focused on taking deep breaths as everything around him started to tilt and swirl.
He was almost there. Just a few more blocks.
*****
Eddie groaned as he struggled to open his eyes. He must have lost more blood than he thought and passed out for a second. Everything felt hazy and strange as he tried to focus his eyes.
But he wasnât in his truck.
âHey,â a familiar voice said, rough fingers wrapped around Eddieâs hand. âYouâre at First Pres.â
âIâŠI donât remember getting here,â Eddie said hoarsely. He blinked his eyes open and saw Sal sitting on the edge of his bed, frowning down at him.
âNot surprising, given the concussion,â Sal said.
âI donât-â Eddie started to argue, then stopped as he took stock of his body and felt something was off. He looked down to where his leg was propped up, wrapped in a cast. âWh-what?â
âOh yeah,â Sal said unsympathetically. âYou totaled your truck. Knocked your head good and broke your foot.â
Eddieâs head buzzed. âI donât understand.â
Sal exhaled with frustration. âWell from what weâve all put together, after you nearly chopped your arm off with a saw, you decided to drive yourself to the hospital. Then you passed out behind the wheel because you lost too much blood.â
âYou ran into a concrete barrier,â Sal said flatly. âThey had to pry open your truck to get you out.â
Eddie let out a quiet groan.
âWhat the hell were you thinking, Ed?!â Sal snapped. âFirst of all, I told you to wait to deal with that goddamn tree. And when you got hurt like that you should have called 9-1-1, or asked your neighbor for a ride or, hell, called a fucking Uber.â
âSal-â
Sal held up a hand to stop him. âNo. Iâm not done. Not even close. That was so, incredibly irresponsible. You know better. Chris came home from school to a fucking crime scene in the kitchen and called me in a panic.â
Eddieâs stomach clenched.
âBut donât worry, before I could even tell him what was going on I got a call from the hospital saying youâd just come in. I figured it was for the arm thing but nope, they told me youâd been in an accident.â
âSal, Iâm-â
âEddie! â Sal all but shouted. âWhat the fuck were you thinking? Why do you always think you need to do everything on your own?â
Eddie had seen Sal mad. Sal wasnât in the habit of tempering any of his emotions. Heâd seen Sal mad at him too. But nothing like this. Sal was furious.
âWell?â Sal asked expectantly.
âOh, you actually want me to talk now?â
Sal glared at him. âNo, actually, I donât. Because whatever you come up with as an excuse isnât gonna cut it.â
Eddie looked away and silence stretched out between them.
âI just donât understandâŠâ Sal said, quieter this time, his voice thick with emotion. âYouâre not alone. You have me. Am I not enough?â
Eddie looked at Sal again. The anger was gone, replaced withâŠhurt, eyes bright and shining with tears.
âSalâŠnoâŠâ Eddie said gently.
âI want you to rely on me for things. To need me. To fucking share your burdens because I want them to be mine too,â Sal said.
Eddie moved his hand in a bid to hold Salâs hand. He couldnât reach it on his own. Sal saw, then gave Eddie his hand.
âItâs not just the yardwork, you know? Itâs everything. Youâre still keeping parts of yourself locked away and I want you to let me in.â
âItâs not that easy,â Eddie said quietly.
âDo it anyway. Because you love me and I love you. No one said that shit was easy.â
Eddie went to wipe his eyes with the back of his free hand, but the IV was there.
âIâve got you,â Sal said, grabbing a couple tissues from a box next to the bed. He dabbed at Eddieâs eyes, carefully wiping away the tears.
âSee? I can let you do things for me,â Eddie gave Sal a weak smile.
Salâs expression softened. âItâs a start,â he said, setting the damp tissues aside.
Eddie squeezed Salâs hand, still firmly clasped in his. âIâm sorry.â
Sal nodded, then lifted Eddieâs hand and kissed the backs of his fingers. âI know how you can make it up to me.â
âA dick pic?â Eddie laughed weakly.
âNo,â Sal said, then paused. âOkay actually I canât say no to that,â he grinned in his very Sal-like way and it made Eddieâs insides feel soft and warm. His expression slid into something more serious, but he still had a soft glint in his eye.
âYouâre gonna let me take care of you for a bit, okay?â Sal said, looking like he expected no argument. âIâm staying with you until youâre healed. Iâm gonna help with Chris, Iâm gonna help around the houseâŠâ
Eddie had spent years trying to be as self-sufficient as he could. He had to prove to himself and his parents and anyone else that he could make a good life for himself and his son.
He hasnât been going it alone. He had Pepa, heâd had Abuela, he had Buck. But it wasnât the same. It wasnât his entire life, his heart, and his soul he was sharing. It was pieces. Sal was asking for everything. And Eddie found he wanted to give it to him.
âOkay,â Eddie agreed.
Sal leaned in and lowered his voice. âAnd Iâm gonna help you shower.â
âDeal,â Eddie said quickly, drawing a laugh out of Sal.
Sal brushed his fingers against Eddieâs cheek. âIâm sorry I yelled.
âDonât be sorry. I needed to hear it.â
âYeah. You did.â
Eddie let out a tired laugh. âCome here and kiss me, I canât sit up and I need you.â
Sal obliged. He leaned in and gave him a soft kiss. âLook, youâre already doing such a good job,â he grinned, then gave him another. âI love you.â
âI love you too,â Eddie said.
He never would have guessed the second great love of his life would be a feisty, outspoken, man. But here he was with his filthy mouth and big heart and Eddie couldnât imagine his life any other way.
â  i hate seeing you like this  âŠÂ  please , let me help .  â (platonic buck & eddie)
âđ @nine-one-wanton
For you, @nine-one-wanton, platonic buddie.
cw: suicidal ideation, referenced canon character death
Eddie cradled the bottle close to his chest, conspicuously concealed in a crumpled brown paper bag. He took a careless swig, liquor slipping down his chin, burning his throat as he swallowed.Â
The burn told him he wasnât numb enough. He had to keep drinking until nothing hurt anymore.Â
Eddie wiped his chin with his palm, then used the back of his hand to wipe his eyes. The wind blowing off the ocean below had dried the tears on his face, leaving his skin feeling tight and sticky.Â
He wanted to sit at the edge of the cliff, to let his feet dangle down into the abyss. He fantasized about what the freefall would feel like. He wondered if his bones would break on the rocks or heâd make it to the water and drown instead.Â
He knew if he got too close to the edge there was a chance heâd do it. So he always parked his truck just close enough to feel the breeze and hear the waves below. Heâd open the tailgate and sit, legs dangling. He could close his eyes and imagine the drop, but when he opened them heâd see gravel and scrubby grass inches below his boots.Â
Eddie took another drink, his throat felt raw and his chest uncomfortably, artificially warmed by the booze.Â
The sky that spread out in front of him looked like rainbow sherbet - deep pink and fiery orange. Below that, the ocean sparkled, reflecting the last rays of light.Â
It made him fucking miserable. The beauty of it all was like salt in a wound. He longed for the sun to finish setting, for the sky to darken and bruise. Let the outside match how he felt inside.Â
He hated the anniversary of Shannonâs death. And still it came, every year. And every year he was still here to see it.Â
It was easier in the daylight with his son to focus on. Heâd make sure it was a good day for him. Theyâd visit Shannonâs grave with her favorite flowers. Eddie would do his best to keep her memory alive for his son, reaching deep into his own broken heart to pick out pieces of her to share. Chipping away pieces of himself in the process.Â
It was worth it to see Shannonâs smile live on in their sonâs face.Â
The evenings he would spend alone. Abuela, when she was still alive, or Pepa, would take his son for the night to give Eddie a chance to grieve on his own. Theyâd both loved and lost too. They understood. They didnât ask what he did. They just kept him until Eddie was ready to come pick him up.Â
Some years were easier than others. This year was not. This year heâd lost Bobby, heâd lost Abuela. Heâd nearly lost his best friend then heâd nearly lost himself.Â
Eddie knew he didnât want to die. Heâd come close enough times to feel that survival instinct kick in, to feel his body and his mind fight to stay.Â
He could have let go. He could have laid on the floor of the hospital chapel and bled out, alone. The chance was there and he hadnât taken it. Heâd fought to stay like he always did.Â
Eddie heard the crunch of another vehicleâs tires over the gravel as it pulled into the abandoned lot. If it was a cop, he supposed he was screwed. He shouldnât be sitting there, trespassing on land some company bought and never developed, drinking himself stupid in the bed of his truck.Â
It was probably some teens who had discovered the secluded spot. Somewhere safe, away from parents, in the freedom offered by a driverâs license and a few hours until curfew.Â
That had been him, once upon a time. And Shannon. Theyâd been young and in love. Theyâd been invincible in that way young people could be, never considering anything beyond the chance to make each other feel good for a few minutes.Â
Eddie could never regret it. Not when it has given him Christopher.Â
A car door closed, then footsteps approached. Then the truck dipped with the weight of a body settling in beside him.Â
âHey,â Buck said.Â
Eddie cleared his throat and stupidly tried to hide the bottle on the other side of himself. Ashamed of his own indulgence, conscious of Buckâs sobriety. But Buck saw and waved him off.Â
âItâs okay,â Buck said without judgement. âDo what you need to do.â
Eddieâs head was already swimming. If he drank anything more heâd black out. So he tipped the bottle upside down and let the remains pour out onto the ground. He let the bottle drop too, with a thud.Â
Heâd pick it up later, because the thought of littering made him feel too guilty.Â
âAre you okay?â Buck asked.Â
Eddie laughed, humorlessly, tearfully. âNot at all.â
âYou wanna talk?â
Eddie shook his head, his empty hands feeling clumsy without the bottle to hold.Â
They sat in silence a bit, Buckâs shoulder close to his, but not touching.Â
âYou know,â Eddie started and he didnât know why. âWhen I was parking the truck I thought about just stomping on the gas, backing through the guard rail and going right over.â
Buck went still beside him for a moment. âAre youâŠare you thinking about killing yourself?â
âThinking, sure,â Eddie shrugged, then wiped at his eyes as tears started to flow. âIâd never do it. I just think about it sometimes.â
Heâd never shared this with a soul. Maybe there was something about having seen Buck at his lowest so recently, he wanted to even the score.Â
âHave youâŠhave you talked to someone about it? About feeling this way? Your therapist orâŠanyone?â
âNo,â Eddie answered honestly. âItâs okay, Buck. Iâm okay. Iâm notâŠIâd never leave Chris behind. Itâs just a bad day today.â
Eddie felt the warmth of Buckâs hand on his shoulder and his breath stuttered as he cried.Â
âI hate seeing you like this. Please, let me help,â Buck said.Â
âI justâŠI miss her. But itâs not just that. I thinkâŠshe wanted a divorce, you know? I think it would have happened. I would have given her anything she wanted. She should have had the chance to really live and be loved like she deserved.â
âEddieâŠâ Buck said gently. Eddie turned his head to look at his friend, his blue eyes shining in the low light. âYou deserve to live too.â
Eddie wanted to argue that she deserved it more, but he swallowed that down.Â
âI thinkâŠitâs not just Shannon Iâm grieving. Itâs me. Iâm grieving myself. Who I didnât get to be. Who I wasnât. Who I should be. Who Iâm not.â
He didnât know if he was making any sense. He was exhausted and he just wanted it all to stop for a while. He just wanted a break. Nothing permanent justâŠa pause.
âI donât know the right thing to say and I wish I did,â Buck said carefully. âBut IâŠI canât imagine what my life would be like if Iâd never met you. And I donât want to imagine my life in the future w-without you in it.â
âIâll be here,â Eddie promised, tears pouring down his cheeks. âI will.â
âGood,â Buck said, then he wrapped his arms around Eddie and pulled him into a tight hug.Â
Eddie pressed his face into Buckâs shoulder and let himself cry, let himself sob and fall apart. He cried so hard he had to pull away and be sick, the alcohol burning his throat just as bad on the way up.Â
Buck rubbed his back, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and hugged him again until Eddie was cried out and shivering.Â
âCome on,â Buck said as he got up, helping Eddie up too. âIâve got Gatorade in my truck. Iâll take you home. Weâll come back for your truck tomorrow.â
Eddie swayed on his feet, but Buck was there, holding him steady, guiding him toward the passenger seat of his truck. He buckled him in with care, then squeezed his shoulder.Â
âIâve got a couple emesis bags in the glovebox, just in case,â Buck said, offering a smile.Â
Eddie went ahead and grabbed one to hold, just in case. The roads down from the cliff were a bit windy.Â
Eddie started to feel warmer, steadier now that he wasnât alone. The steady heat from the air vents helped. Buck kept the radio low, the window half down to let Eddie have the fresh air.Â
Buck let them into Eddieâs house and steered Eddie back to his bedroom. He managed to get Eddieâs shoes off before he collapsed into bed. Buck maneuvered Eddieâs heavy limbs around in an attempt to get him comfortable. Beneath the drunkenness and exhaustion was an undercurrent of shame that heâd let himself get to this point.
âIâll be in the living room if you need anything,â Buck said, setting a full bottle of Gatorade on the bedside table and a bowl in case he needed to be sick. âAnd in the morning, once youâve had a nice greasy breakfast and a shower, weâre going to make an appointment for you to talk to somebody, okay?â
Eddie wanted to protest, but he didnât have the energy, and he knew Buck was talking sense.Â
âThank you,â Eddie mumbled tiredly.
âYou did the same for me,â Buck said, his hand warm against Eddieâs shoulder. âIâm just glad youâll let me help.â
Buck sat on the edge of the bed, a strong and steady presence, until Eddie fell asleep.
Dealer's choice on pairing but you know what my favorite is lol đ
Here is some Father Brian/Eddie hurt/comfort for you my dear @30somethingautisticteacher. I'm all over the place with the vibes on these prompt fills, so I hope you enjoy this fluffy little thing. This is the Father Brian/Eddie from this little universe, but you don't have to have read that to read this!
Eddie sat in the waiting room of the oral surgery office, looking through one of the magazines they had sitting out. Magazines felt novel. It seemed like most medical offices didnât have them anymore. Probably because everyone just scrolled on their phones while they waited. But, to Eddie, reading a magazine in a waiting room was like getting ginger ale on an airplane. It hit differently in those settings. And it was sort of a ritual - it felt weird not to.
Heâd just finished his third Home & Garden magazine when a nurse walked out into the waiting room and called his name. Eddie set the magazine aside and approached.
âSurgery went well. We removed all four wisdom teeth,â the nurse said, leading Eddie to the back, giving him some post-op instructions and letting him know prescriptions have been sent to the pharmacy on file. Eddie nodded along, listening, but eager to see Brian with his own eyes.
Yes, wisdom teeth surgery was completely routine. But even so, there was an edge of worry in his chest he knew wouldnât go away until he saw him.Â
Eddie stepped into the recovery room and saw Brian there, cheeks packed with gauze, eyes hazy. He had a wrap around his head with an ice pack on either side of his face. He attempted to smile at Eddie.
âHeyyyy dear,â he said, reaching his hand out.
Eddie went over to him and took hold of his hand, warmth and fondness chasing away the last tendrils of worry wrapped around his ribs. âHi,â Eddie said, brushing aside some of the hair that had fallen across Brianâs forehead. âSounds like everything went well.â
Brianâs expression changed to a frown. âIs that what they said?â he said, his words muffled by all the gauze.
Uh ohâŠ
Eddie pulled up a chair next to where Brian was reclined. âWhat happened?â
âThe doctor wouldnât give me my teeth,â Brian said indignantly. âTheyâre mine, why canât I have them back?â
âOh, I see,â Eddie said, trying not to smile. âYou want me to punch him in the face?â
âWhat?! No!â Brian said, alarmed, then furrowed his brow. âWould you really do that?â
âNo,â Eddie said gently, then lifted Brianâs hand and kissed his knuckles.Â
âOkay good,â Brian said, settling back down with a sigh. âI just wanted to show Chris my teeth. I think heâd think it was cool.â
âHe probably would, but thatâs okay,â Eddie assured him.
âLetâs tell him the tooth fairy took them,â Brian said, looking pleased with his own genius idea.
âHeâs 15 years old, Bri. I think he knows the tooth fairy isnât-â
Brian tried to shush him before he could say it outloud, then groaned because it probably made his mouth hurt.Â
âAlright, handsome, letâs go home,â Eddie said, helping him up. Brian immediately started to list to the side, but Eddie wrapped his arm securely around Brianâs waist, then guided Brianâs arm around his shoulders.
Brian let out a little giggle, then they carefully made their way out toward the parking lot.
Theyâd come in Brianâs car, figuring the Prius would be easier to get in and out of than Eddieâs truck. Eddie got Brian settled in the passenger seat and helped him with his seatbelt, then went over to the driverâs side.
âIâm so tired,â Brian whined. It was so strange coming from him. He never whined and so rarely complained about anything. âAnd my mouth hurts.â
âI know,â Eddie said, giving Brianâs thigh a reassuring squeeze. âWeâre just gonna pick up your prescriptions and get home so you can rest.â
Luckily, the pharmacy closest to their house had a drive-thru, so Eddie picked up the meds quickly. Brian had dozed off in the passenger seat and Eddie had carefully reached over at a red light to recline the seat a bit so his head wouldnât fall to the side. He didnât want Brian to bump anything with his face.Â
Eddie hated to do it, but he gently shook Brianâs shoulder when they got home. âHey, sweetheart, letâs get you inside.â
Brian groaned as Eddie helped him out of the car, into the house, and into their bed, keeping him propped up.
âWill you eat some applesauce? I donât want the pain meds to give you a stomach ache.â
âI just want to sleep,â Brian whined again.
âJust a couple bites,â Eddie said, opening the small container. âAll you have to do is open your mouth.â
Brian let out an irritated sigh, but he opened his mouth like Eddie asked. Eddie managed to hide the pill in one spoonful of applesauce and once Brian swallowed it down. Once that was done, Eddie carefully put new, clean gauze into Brianâs mouth.Â
âAlright, you can sleep now,â Eddie said gently. He helped Brian lay down on his back, putting pillows on either side of him so he didnât try to roll onto his side in his sleep. Not that heâd feel it once the pain meds kicked in.Â
âStay, please?â Brian said, reaching out toward him. âYou make me feel better.â
Eddieâs heart melted and he smiled. He took Brianâs hand and kissed his fingers, then settled carefully into bed beside him. Brian kept a hold of his hand and held it against his chest like Chris used to hold his beloved, worn out stuffed bear.Â
âThank you for taking care of me,â Brian said, his voice soft.
âOf course,â Eddie said, watching him drift off to sleep, his heart warm and full. âGetting to take care of you is a blessing.â
For the hurt/comfort prompts, if it sparks joy: "You know I always have your back," for Maddie & Jee?
Okay @pluralityofaxes, this one got a little sad, but more emphasis on the positive and hopeful. I hope you like it.
cw: cancer, childhood illness
Maddie watched while Jee sat in her hospital bed, tray in front of her so she could color one of the pages in her new coloring book. It had been 24 hours since her surgery and she was still exhausted, but restless like any child would be who had to spend this much time in bed.
She was wearing her favorite hat, knit with an extra soft yarn that had all the colors of the rainbow in it. Between Buck and his knitting group, Jee had been absolutely spoiled with hats to wear once her hair had started to fall out, a side effect of her chemotherapy. Sheâd asked for hats for all the other kids too and the knitting group had kept very busy as they happily filled her request.
Maddie and Howie had blamed themselves for not noticing something was off sooner. Theyâd been so busy - Howie stepping into the captain role and Maddie running dispatch all with a new baby at home. They hadnât thought much about Jeeâs tummy aches and chalked the weight loss up to age, losing âbaby fatâ.Â
Then while giving Jee her bedtime bath, Maddie felt a firm lump in her daughterâs belly. Everything after that had been a whirlwind of tests before the diagnosis was made - Neuroblastoma.
The way the tumor was situated, her care team recommended chemotherapy before surgery.Â
The pain of watching her child go through all of it was excruciating. On some level, she understood her parents better. She didnât forgive them for their behavior, simply understood the weight on their hearts and the utter sense of helplessness, and the desire to take the pain away.Â
Maddie knew she was lucky to have the support system she did. She was able to step away from work to focus on Jeeâs care full time - Josh stepping in to cover her leave. Between the Lees, Athena, and May they had endless babysitters for Nash. Buck kept their fridge stocked with easy-to-heat meals. The Wilsons came by, Denny and Mara playing with Jee when she had the energy and just laying down to watch a movie with her when she didnât. Hen and Karen provided shoulders to cry on for both Maddie and Howie when they needed it, and friendly distractions when it was all too much. Eddie was a pro at navigating paperwork and insurance, always willing to sit on hold for however long it took to speak to someone up the chain and challenge coverage decisions. Ravi and Harry would stop by to take care of yardwork and run errands.Â
Jee had faced it all with bravery and a smile when she could.Â
Maddie could see Jeeâs energy starting to flag, so she moved over and sat on the edge of the bed.
âThis is beautiful,â Maddie said, admiring Jeeâs coloring work on the page depicting Bluey and Bingo playing with a balloon in their backyard. Sheâd added some of her own touches - a big bright sun in the sky and a couple flowers in the grass.Â
Jee gave her a tired smile. âItâs for you, Mommy.â
Maddeâs smile grew and she pressed a kiss to Jeeâs forehead. âThank you. Iâll put it on the fridge when we get home. Now, why donât you get some rest.â
Jee didnât argue, a sign of how exhausted she was. She settled back against her pillows and Madde pulled the blankets up around her, including an extra soft double-layer fleece one with tied edges that Denny and Mara had made for her.Â
âWhen can we go home?â Jee asked.
âAnother couple days.â
âCouple isnât a number,â Jee said, sounding suspiciously like her father.
âIâm here. Iâm not going anywhere,â Maddie assured her, stroking her cheek, then her arm. âYou know I always have your back.â
âWhat?â Jee asked, her little brow furrowed in confusion. âI thought I was sick here?â She pointed at her stomach.
Maddie chuckled softly. âIt just means Iâll always be here for you. Daddy too. And Nash.â
âAnd Uncle Buck and Mr. and Mrs. Lee and Mara and Denny and their moms and Ms. Athena and Ms. May and Mr. Josh and all of Daddyâs firefighters?â
âAll of them too,â Maddie said, stroking Jeeâs cheek, grateful for all of the wonderful people in her life who had become such a strong support system for their family. âWe all have your back.â
Jeeâs eyelids drooped heavily as she gave in to the pull of exhaustion. She drifted off to sleep with a smile.
âIâm not leaving you hereâ with Buck and Sal
For my darling @sunnywithachanceofbi, featuring Buck and Sal from this universe (no you don't need any prior knowledge to read this little guy).
Sal had wanted to leave work the second Buck sent him the text that he wasnât feeling well. The old Sal would have told his captain to fuck off and marched right out the door to take care of his man.
But he was the fucking captain now so he couldnât just flip the bird to the crew and march out of there. He had to do the responsible thing and put someone else in charge and make sure things were good to go before he left.Â
Maybe it was dramatic but Buck didn't get sick often, and when he did he tended to hide or downplay it. So the fact heâd reached out, unprompted, had Salâs chest tight with worry.
âIâm home,â Sal called out when he walked into the apartment.Â
He hadnât wasted time changing out of his uniform and with how heâd been driving to get home as quickly as possible, heâd hoped if a cop did pull him over theyâd let him off. First responder courtesy or some shit.
He didnât hear any response from Buck and prayed it was because he was asleep. He checked Buckâs room and when he found it empty, his heart really started to race.
âBuck?â Sal called out.
There was a faint groan from the bathroom. Sal pushed in to find Buck in the bathtub, in his underwear and socks with no water. His face, neck, and chest were flushed with fever and the man looked exhausted.
âOh, babyâŠâ Sal said gently before he sat on the edge of the tub. He brushed the backs of his fingers over Buckâs hot cheek and frowned.
âI was gonna take a bath b-because everything hurts,â Buck started to explain, looking at Sal with sad, feverish eyes. âThen I got lightheaded taking my clothes off andâŠI decided to lay down in here.â
Sal nodded along, stroking Buckâs hair gently. He leaned into it like he was starved for the comfort of Salâs touch.Â
âLetâs get you back to bed,â Sal said. It was a place to start before he assessed Buckâs symptoms, if heâd taken medication, if heâd had anything to eat or drink in the last several hoursâŠ
âI canât,â Buck said, closing his eyes with shame. âMy arms and legs shake too much when I try to lift myself up.â
Sal bent down and pressed his lips to Buckâs hot forehead. âDonât worry about it. Iâll lift you out and carry you.â
Buck opened his eyes and looked up at Sal. âIâm too heavy for that. J-just bring me a pillow and Iâll rest here.â
Sal gave him a look. âNews flash - I know exactly how heavy you are. You think I canât feel all 220 pounds when youâre bouncing on my dick?â
That drew a tired smile out of Buck, which helped calm the tension winding around his ribs.Â
âAnyway, Iâm a big strong fireman,â Sal said, puffing out his chest in another bid to get Buck to laugh. He didnât seem to have another one in him, but he smiled. Sal brushed his fingers through Buckâs hair one more time, his curls damp with sweat.
âIâm not leaving you here, okay?â Sal said softly.Â
âOkay,â Buck agreed with tears in his eyes.
Sal helped him stand, Buckâs body trembling with every movement. Sal lifted him out of the tub into a bridal carry. Buckâs arms looped loosely around his neck and his forehead burned against the side of Salâs neck.Â
Sal carried him to his bedroom instead of Buckâs, having already seen the way Buckâs sheets were twisted up and half falling off the mattress. He set Buck back on his own two feet, keeping him steady while he pulled back the bedding, then helped him into bed.
He had Buck give him a rundown of his symptoms, then took Buckâs temperature and frowned. If the medication didnât bring it down he was dragging Buck to emergency, he didnât care if Buck protested. He got Buck to drink a little Gatorade and eatsome crackers, then changed into shorts and a tee shirt before he crawled into bed with him.Â
âYouâll get sick,â Buck protested weakly, already half asleep.
âProbably,â Sal said, getting comfortable as Buck rolled over and tucked against Salâs side. He personally didnât like all that contact when he had a fever, but he knew it soothed Buck. Sal was relieved to find Buck already felt a bit cooler to the touch.
âIâm sorry,â Buck mumbled while Sal gently scratched his scalp.
âDonât be,â Sal said easily.Â
He wanted to remind Buck that he wasnât a burden. That every person who ever made him feel that way was a piece of shit, especially his fucking parents. And that Sal loved him more than he even knew he had the capacity to love anyone.Â
But that was all too much. And it would probably just make Buck cry. Then Sal would either cry too or get horny about it or both.
âJust rest and get better so you can take care of my sorry ass when I catch whatever this is.â
Buck let out a soft laugh, shifting one more time to get perfectly comfortable with his head tucked into Salâs neck, then fell asleep.
đđđđ / đđđđ đđđ  ⥠ đđđđđđđđ đđđđđđđđ
  change any gendered language to your needs.  âĄ
â  you donât have to hide your tears from me .  â
â  youâre doing great ,  okay ??  i mean it .  â
â  you are so strong .  â
â  please donât ever give up .  â
â  i will always believe in you .  â
â  why do you always think you have to do everything on your own ??  â
â  itâs okay ,  iâm here .  iâll always be here .  â
â  youâve always been strong for me .  let me return the favor .  â
â  just listen to my heartbeat ,  okay ??  â
â  come on ,  take a deep breath .  itâs gonna be alright .  â
â  please ,  just hold me .  â
â  you always meant the world to me .  iâm sorry i let you forget that .  â
â  i never stopped loving you .  â
â  youâll feel better if you talk about it .  iâm here to listen .  â
â  youâre so much more than the mistakes youâve made . â
â  i forgive you .  â
â  you are so fucking powerful .  â
â  iâm not leaving you here .  â
â  i trust you more than anyone else in this universe .  â
â  itâs okay to be confused .  nobody has all the answers .  â
â  iâm so ,  so sorry .  you didnât deserve that .  â
â  healing is not linear ,  but itâs always moving forward .  â
â  you can admit that youâre hurting .  itâs okay to not be okay .  â
â  hold my hand ??  â
â  you are my home .  â
â  no matter what anyone else says ,  you are so important to me .  â
â  donât worry .  iâll protect you .  â
â  shh ,  it was just a nightmare .  youâre safe .  â
â  donât talk about yourself like that .  â
â  just say the word .  you know iâd do anything for you .  â
â  you are loved .  â
â  i just need a hug .  â
â  iâll destroy anything that so much as thinks of harming you .  â
â  donât ever let anyone make you feel ashamed of who you are .  â
â  youâre not alone .  youâre stuck with me forever .  sorry .  â
â  well ,  hello sleeping beauty .  you fell asleep on me .  â
â  if you donât take your butt back to bed ,  i will carry you there myself .  â
â  iâm sorry to wake you up ,  but i really need someone to talk to .  â
â  i hate seeing you like this  âŠÂ  please , let me help .  â
â  you are  &  always will be precious to me .  â
â  i canât believe that asshole said that to you .  itâs not true ,  you know .   â
â  you want me to punch him in the face ??  â
â  you deserve every good thing in the world .  â
â  you know i always have your back .  â
â  you donât have to worry about anything ,  as long as iâm around .  â
â  stop apologizing ,  okay ??  iâve already told you iâve forgiven you a hundred times now .  â
â  donât beat yourself up over this .  be kind to yourself ,  itâs not your fault .  â
In the mood to write some little hurt/comfort somethings. Send me an ask with some 9-1-1 characters (couple, trio, platonic, whatever) and a dialogue prompt from this list.
Filled Prompts:
Buck/Sal - "I'm not leaving you here."
Maddie & Jee - "You know I always have your back."
Eddie/Father Brian - "You want me to punch him in the face?"
Buck & Eddie - "I hate seeing you like this...Please, let me help."
â” pick a fic and Iâll tell you my favorite line
Out of Office
People didnât get it. They didnât want to. They didnât see the work that went into protecting and growing what they had.Â
Buck was the love of Tommyâs life.Â
Buck was one of the greatest loves of Eddieâs.Â
But Tommy and Eddie loved each other, too. It was a different love, as it should be. It was understanding and safety and a shared history with sand and desert wind not many people would even begin to be able to relate to. The love he had for Tommy wasnât rooted in his soul the way his love for Buckâs was. His love for Tommy was rooted in the ground beneath their feet; in the way Tommyâs arms around him felt like home.Â
Tagged by @nine-one-wanton Here is a little snippet of a Sal/Eddie 5+1 Iâve got cooking.
But tonight, Eddie had invited him in with confidence. Heâd opened a bottle of wine and sat right up against him on the couch. Heâd taken off Salâs shirt first and then his own.
Sal was trying to keep his expectations in check but it was gettingâŠharder.
Eddie reached for the button of Salâs pants. âIs this okay?â he asked, brushing his lips over Salâs jaw.
âAbso-fuckinâ-lutely,â Sal said roughly, then cleared his throat. âI mean, if youâre sure.â
Eddie chuckled, his lips vibrating against the hinge of Salâs jaw. âYou donât have to be so careful with me.â Eddie said, then kissed behind his earlobe. âIâd actually like it better if you werenât.â
Sal liked the sound of that.
Tags for @frogsinflannel , @fairytalegonewronga03, @queermccoy, @corporatebanana , and anyone else who wants
Summary: Sal's birthday is coming up and he isn't looking forward to it.
Read on AO3, excerpt below
Sal sat at the kitchen table, pointedly ignoring the repeated buzzing sound of text notifications coming from his phone, which was face down on the counter, over by the sink. He pushed his unsalted scrambled egg whites around on his plate and sighed at the dry wheat toast beside them.
What a depressing fucking breakfast.
But the doc had said his cholesterol was too high or some shit and he wasnât getting any younger.
Like he needed the reminder.
âYou know, you can turn the notifications off completely,â Chris said, glancing up from his cereal.
âYeah but then Iâll never figure out how to turn them back on,â Sal said, forcing himself to eat a bite of eggs before they got cold and worse. He tried not to gag and washed it down with a swig of too-hot coffee that burned his tongue and the roof of his mouth.
Maybe that was the trick. He could burn his taste buds to shit, then he couldnât tell how terrible everything tasted.
âWell, I can help if you want,â Chris offered, but Sal shook his head.
âNah. Thanks though, kid. Iâll just wait it out. Theyâll stop eventually.â
Chris shrugged and focused on his own phone, which Sal was pretty sure Eddie didnât like him to do at the table while he was eating.
Sal hadnât been living with them long and he was still trying to navigate what exactly his role was as far as Chris was concerned. He still kinda wanted the kid to like him, he supposed. But if it was one of his niblings heâd have snatched the phone and tossed it elsewhere by now.
Sal just deeply focused on gagging down his egg whites, bristling the more his phone buzzed.
âChris, off your phone,â Eddie said as he walked into the kitchen.
HELLO I MADE A PROMPT MEME AND EVERYONE'S INVITED !!! it's hot in the northern hemisphere, so let's MAKE THESE MEN SWEAT !!! do you like bucktommy? do you like buck/tommy/some other guy ??? do you like leaving prompts and sighing wistfully by your window [screen] waiting for someone to fill them ??? WELL.
Turn Up the Heat BT+ Prompt Meme fill for @frogsinflannel
Prompt: Buddietommy silly drunk vacation sex !!!!!!! either established relationship or theyâre just realizing things. bonus points for Tommy in the skimpiest suit possible and Eddie being like I Must Not Perceive the Bulge (and then perceiving it with his mouth later amirite)
Excerpt below. Read it all on AO3.
Eddie lay on a float in the pool, staring up at the blue sky through his Ray-Bans. He sighed happily.
It had taken a few days into vacation for him to fully relax. Buck and Tommy had seemed to settle into the routine a lot faster. While Eddie had woken up before the sun on the first morning, Buck and Tommy had stayed in bed all morning.
Heâd wanted to relax. He justâŠdidnât know how. Eddie couldnât remember the last time heâd been free of responsibility.
But after a few days of exploring the island, good food, and great sex - heâd finally found his groove.
Buck had put together an itinerary for their week. It wasnât packed, thank god. Just organized. And today their entire plan was to hang around their rental house, swim in the pool, and drink cocktails. They had big plans to cook steak for dinner and that was about it.
Life was good.
Music started playing over the outdoor speakers - something fun and nostalgic from their younger years. Well, his and Buckâs anyway. Tommy was probably a few years into his army service when this song came out.
âI got it!â Buck said triumphantly, having been trying to connect to the Bluetooth all morning.
Eddie should have been suspicious when Buck went suddenly quiet. He couldnât hear the slap of his bare feet on the pool deck over the music. All he heard was the shout, which didnât give him enough time to prepare.
âCANNONBALL!â
A wave of water pushed Eddieâs float toward the other side of the pool while a huge splash soaked him entirely.
âBuck!â Eddie shouted. He sat up, straddling the float, legs dangling into the water. He put his sunglasses on his head and wiped his face.
Buck surfaced with a big grin, clearly proud of himself.
Eddie couldnât really be mad. Not when Buck was so god damn cute. But he did smack his hand against the poolâs surface, splashing Buck in the face.
âHey!â Buck sputtered. He narrowed his eyes at Eddie before the playful grin spread across his lips again.
âWhat are you-â
Buck launched himself onto Eddieâs float, submerging it. Eddie tumbled off and into the water.
When Eddie came back up Buck was right there, greeting him with a wet kiss.
âYouâre so annoying,â Eddie said affectionately, sliding his arms around Buckâs neck.
Buckâs smile didnât waver. âI love you too.â
Eddie laughed and shook his head, then gave Buck another kiss. Affection was so natural between them now it was hard to remember a time they werenât like this.
Eddie wrapped his legs around Buckâs waist, easy to do as they were chest deep in the water. Buck gripped the outsides of his thigh while they kissed each other breathless.
âHey,â Buck said while Eddie detoured down his neck. He smelled like sunscreen and pool water. He smelled like summer vacation.
Summary: Eddie finds himself negotiating a potential polyamorous relationship with Buck and Tommy. Fortunately, relationship negotiations are just another skill he picked up in Afghanistan.
Tags: Dual timelines; polyamory; previous relationships; developing relationships; coming out; angst; denial of feelings; the canon deaths happen in the fic as well; grief/mourning; divorce; panic attacks; explicit sexual content; eventual happily ever after [for the throuple where.. they're all still alive.. (buddietommy)]
Chapter 8
Chapter Summary: Eddie struggles to support Buck and Tommy as their relationship falls apart, while also trying to come to grips with what is best for himself.