jump into the heat
buck/eddie | rated: T | ~25k | WIP, done by Thursday
summary: post-705 spec fic. following yet another doomed day intended to be full of joy for the 118, buck and eddie try to figure out their lives, themselves, and each other. a bachelor party, a decision, a move, an awakening, a realization, an acceptance, and a happy ending
“It was just under 80s songs and– and the lady said it’d be good for us and not too hard to sing!”
“Uh, ‘sing’ is a strong word,” Hen mumbles.
“You think you can do better?” Eddie teases.
Everyone turns to look at Hen expectantly, who just giggles to herself. “Yeah get at least one more drink in me and I’ll consider it.”
Calling her bluff, Buck gets up and heads to the bar to order a refill for everyone, because why not? The vibes all night have been good, including the harmless teasing of Buck and Eddie that resulted in them getting up on that stage in the first place.
But as woman of honor, or best woman, or whatever title Hen had landed on in the end, it was absolutely her turn to embarrass herself a bit.
Stepping up to the crowded bar, Buck sees the worker who was setting up karaoke before is back tending the bar.
“Hey! Crockett!” she exclaims, moving towards him.
“Actually, I think I might be Tubbs. Not sure though. Not gonna lie– wasn’t my idea,” Buck chuckles.
“Cute idea, regardless though.” She looks him up and down, hands on her hips. “Nice execution too, I’ve gotta say.”
Previously, he might have seen potential here. To flirt, or more. And his confidence and security in himself grows by recognizing he could still be attracted to her, and other women. But the part of his brain responsible for romance or whatever is occupied with his date for tomorrow, thinking about introducing Tommy to everyone in this new capacity, dancing with him, etc.
That is to say, he’s kind of caught off guard by what seems like light flirting from someone else.
Until the bartender says, “Was it your partner’s idea? Adorable. Been together long?”
Then Buck is really caught off guard.
“Uh… what?” he so eloquently asks, leaning further against the bar and clenching his hands on the edge.
His ears ringing means he misses the details of whatever she says next, something about how they sang to each other and something else about Miami and iconic queercoding, or something.
He realizes this is the first time he and Eddie have been misconstrued as a couple since he actually could date dudes and it wasn’t some preposterous assumption.
It’s by no means the first time overall though, and probably not the last, and he catches her tilting her head, looking concerned at his lack of a response. The last thing he wants is to be refused service because he got flustered for no good reason and seemed too drunk. So he rights himself and rallies.
“Sorry, yeah my friend Eddie– he chose the outfits. Anyway, that reminds me, I was sent to order all of us more drinks, so uh…” Buck trails off.
She slowly nods, catching on and gives him an apologetic smile. “Sure. Same as you had before? I can check the bachelor party tab and bring those out to y’all.”
The crowd around the bar has only grown and it makes sense she’s trying to get out of this now awkward situation as quickly as possible. Buck nods and slowly backs away to let her do her job.
He’s still trying to shake the interaction as he looks down at his hands fidgeting together and walks back in the direction of his friends. His first thought is to feel like a jerk for assuming the bartender was flirting with him when in reality she had assumed he was… well whatever she had assumed. His second thought is: what exactly did he feel… almost shameful about her assuming?
After his slip to Maddie about dating Tommy, Buck made the active decision to… announce this information when the time felt right with Eddie. And whenever the time felt right with other important people in his life, he was more than ready to… announce to them too. Somebody ashamed of themselves wouldn’t announce it like that, would they?
But. What is the announcement in question? Hey I kissed someone once and hung out with them twice and I like them, isn’t something he felt the need to announce to his friends so hugely before when it was with women. Obviously it looks a little different, but it’s not like he changed as a person.
And yet, how is he able to reconcile not having changed, but suddenly feeling as though he’s newly lying by hiding a huge part of himself?
ao3
