11. a kiss in which, ''we're late for work but let's be later''
you sent this prompt SO long ago and i'm sorry but now it's here and it's almost 2.4k of cheesiness, i hope you like it!!!
[read on ao3]
It’s not a great day. Carla called in sick so late last night, Eddie didn’t want to ask Pepa or his abuela to take Christopher to school this morning, which means they’re on a tight schedule to start with. Then, Eddie sleeps through his alarm and doesn’t wake up until Christopher comes all the way up to his bed and asks, “Dad? Are you awake?”
So he doesn’t have time to shower, which makes him feel rumpled and out of sorts, and then the milk has gone off, which means they can’t have cereal. He scrounges up a banana and a few oatmeal cookies for Chris to eat while he scrambles him their very last egg, and they’re already late by the time they get into his truck.
And as if all of that isn’t enough, the fucking thing won’t start. When he turns the ignition, the engine makes a sad stuttering noise and turns off again. Eddie curses silently, checks the time and opens the Uber app. There’s no way he has time for anything else, and Christopher hates being late for school – Eddie hates it too, he worries that it makes it look like he doesn’t have things under control. The poor single dad who can’t even get his kid to school on time.
The first thing that goes right is that he manages to book a ride that’s only three minutes out.
“I’m sorry everything’s such a mess today, buddy,” he says, turning around to look at Christopher. “Looks like we’re taking an Uber to school.”
“Okay,” Christopher says, unbothered. “Will you be late for work?”
Eddie winces. “Maybe a little. But it’ll be fine, don’t worry.”
He considers Ubering into work too, but he still has a few bills to pay and while he could technically afford it, he really doesn’t want to pay two Ubers in one day. So once they’re in the car, he sends a text to Buck, hoping to catch him before he leaves for work.
Hey can you pick me up at chris’ school? Everything went wrong today and we’re on our way there in an uber. I’ll tell cap
Less than a minute later, Buck has texted back, be there in 20! hang tight, and Eddie breathes out.
Next, he calls Bobby, who picks up after just two rings.
“Eddie?” he says instead of a greeting, “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, just one of those days,” Eddie says. “Having childcare and car troubles at the same time. Buck’s helping me get to work, but it means we’ll both be a little late today. 15 or 20 minutes, if traffic is normal.”
“Thanks for the heads up,” Bobby says. “I can ask two of the C shift to stay behind in case we get called out that early, you two just get here safely when you can. No going over the speed limit, you hear me?”
Eddie laughs a little, feeling lighter than he has all morning. “Okay, thanks, Bobby. No speeding, I’ll make sure.”
And last, he calls the school to let them know they’ll be a few minutes late but are on their way.
Buck is already there when they arrive at Christopher’s school, leaning against his jeep with his arms crossed in front of his chest and looking like an absolute dream. He pushes off the car with a smile when he sees them, and Christopher opens his door and calls, “Buck!”
“Hey, buddy!” Buck calls back, and Eddie rushes through a thanks to their driver and gets out of the car too.
When he gets to their side, Buck is handing Christopher a lunch box. “I packed you some snacks in case you didn’t have time to have breakfast and get hungry before lunch.”
“Thanks, Buck,” Christopher says, and Buck ruffles his hair before he quickly puts the box inside Christopher’s backpack.
“The first bell rang just as you were pulling up, do you want a lift to make it in time for the second?”
Chris thinks about it for a second, always eager to do things on his own, but his dislike of being late clearly wins out. “Okay,” he says and shrugs off his backpack. “Here, you can carry my bag and crutches, Dad.”
Eddie laughs and takes them, watching with a smile as Buck slings a shrieking Christopher over his shoulder and takes off running towards the school. He follows at a more leisurely pace and catches up with them at the door, where they’re talking to a teacher checking Chris off her list.
Buck transfers Christopher onto his back for a piggyback ride and Eddie follows behind them, waving at the teacher with a smile.
“Hi, Mr Diaz,” she says. “Your partner already explained everything, you can go inside with them.”
“Thanks,” Eddie says, a little stuck on the way she said “your partner”. But Buck and Christopher are already almost at the door to Chris’ classroom, so he hurries after them.
“Alright, here we are,” Buck tells Christopher, setting him down on his feet. “And just in time, too.”
Eddie helps Christopher put his backpack on and hands him his crutches. “Have a good day, kid.”
“Bye Dad, bye Buck,” Christopher says distractedly, already halfway through the door of his classroom.
“See you later, buddy,” Buck calls after him, then turns to look at Eddie. “Okay, race you back to the car?”
Eddie rolls his eyes but follows anyway when Buck takes off running, calling out a “Sorry, we’re in a rush!” to the confused teacher by the door.
Eddie’s still a little breathless by the time Buck pulls out of the parking lot, but so is Buck, wiping his brow and grinning at Eddie.
“You told Bobby we’d be late, right?” he asks, glancing at the time. “Because work starts…now.”
“I did,” Eddie says. “He made me promise you wouldn’t speed, so don’t, okay?”
“Okay, okay,” Buck laughs. “You are both such dads. Anyway, grab that bag in the backseat, would you?”
Eddie twists in his seat and reaches for the paper bag behind him, bringing it to the front. “What is it?”
“I got you a breakfast sandwich,” Buck says without taking his eyes off the road, all casual, like his words don’t immediately steal the breath from Eddie’s lungs. He gestures towards the thermos in the cupholder. “And that is a fresh coffee, I figured when you texted that everything went wrong this morning, you would have made sure to feed Christopher something but probably didn’t have time for yourself. Right?”
“Buck,” Eddie croaks, unable to form any other words. He thinks his voice is saying a lot, though.
Buck turns to him with a smile. “Eat your breakfast, Eds.”
I love you, Eddie thinks, and then he takes a big bite of his sandwich to stop the words from spilling out. He’s known, is the thing, but it doesn’t always hit him over the head the way it did now.
They don’t talk while Eddie eats, Buck just hums along tunelessly to the radio as he drives, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. He looks content and beautiful and not at all like he realizes that what he did today was a big deal for Eddie.
He’s not used to asking for help, and he’s definitely not used to being taken care of. But Buck has helped Eddie without needing to be asked so many times he makes asking feel less scary. And he takes care of Eddie, and of Christopher, in a way that never feels patronizing to Eddie, or like he’s saying Eddie can’t do it on his own. He just supports him, and cares.
Eddie swallows his last bite, wipes his fingers and crumples up the napkin. The coffee Buck made for him tastes exactly like he takes it, and Eddie can picture Buck in his kitchen, making coffee for Eddie and snacks for Christopher before rushing out to meet them at Chris’ school like it’s nothing.
Maybe it’s nothing to Buck, but it’s everything to Eddie.
“Buck,” he says again, and Buck glances at him for a second before looking back at the road. He doesn’t say anything, gives Eddie the time to form words. “Thank you. I didn’t…you didn’t have to…I just needed a ride.”
“And I’m glad you asked me,” Buck replies. “I had the time to get you both something to eat, it’s no big deal.”
“But it is to me,” Eddie insists, because Buck doesn’t get it.
Buck looks over at him again, eyebrows drawn in confusion. “Hey, I’ve got your back, remember?”
“Yeah,” Eddie says, and to his embarrassment it comes out sounding choked up.
Buck’s expression morphs into something slightly alarmed. “Eds? You okay?”
“I love you,” Eddie blurts out. “I’m in love with you.”
The car swerves to the left before Buck catches himself, hands tight around the steering wheel. “Jesus, Eddie, you can’t tell me that while I’m driving.”
Eddie groans, hiding his face in his hands. “Sorry, I’m sorry, can we just pretend I never said anything, I don’t expect anything from you-”
“I don’t want to pretend you didn’t tell me,” Buck says, and when Eddie looks up, Buck’s looking at him with wide eyes full of wonder. There’s hope there, too, and love, Eddie is pretty sure. His heart lifts and he can feel a smile stretching his face at the same time as he watches one grow on Buck’s face.
“You don’t?”
“No,” Buck says, grinning now, and his eyes are still on Eddie.
“Eyes on the road,” Eddie says softly and Buck laughs, turning his head forward. Instead, he blindly reaches out a hand and grabs Eddie’s thigh.
A shiver runs through Eddie and he places his own hand on top of Buck’s, who turns his around so Eddie can entangle their fingers.
“You’re such an asshole for telling me this in the car,” Buck complains through his smile, “right before a shift too!”
“Sorry,” Eddie says, but all he feels is light. “I take it this isn’t bad news?”
“No, because obviously I love you too,” Buck says like it should’ve been obvious all along, like Eddie didn’t spend months worrying that his feelings were gonna ruin their friendship.
Buck squeezes his hand and Eddie brings their joined hands up to his mouth so he can press a kiss to Buck’s knuckles, feeling a little like he’s a helium balloon about to fly off into the sky.
“Fuck,” Buck whispers, sounding breathless. “I want to kiss you so much.”
“Feeling’s mutual,” Eddie mumbles, kissing each of Buck’s fingers and the back of his hand.
“Eddie,” Buck says, strangled, “if you don’t stop I’m gonna crash this car.” Eddie drops his hand, flushing bright red, but Buck fumbles for his again immediately. “No, you can hold my hand, just-”
“No kisses, got it,” Eddie grins, wrapping both of his hands around Buck’s.
“I’m just trying to keep your promise to Bobby,” Buck says. “And I would’ve already pulled over if we weren’t supposed to be at work 15 minutes ago. Why’d you have to do this now?”
“Because you obliterated every last barrier I still had left! How do you expect me to still have a brain to mouth filter when you…when you bring me and my kid breakfast, and pick me up at the drop of a hat, and just- just.” Eddie blinks, realization sinking in. “Love me.”
Buck laughs at Eddie’s tone. “Yeah, you just got that, didn’t you? I haven’t been subtle for a while.”
“Neither have I! I was just, well, scared. What if we mess this up, Buck? You’re my best friend, and then there’s Christopher-”
“I would never leave Christopher, even if this doesn’t work out,” Buck says, “I promise. But honestly, at least from my side…you’re it, Eddie. Both of you. I can’t predict the future, but I don’t see me ever wanting something else.”
Through the haze of the tears in his eyes, Eddie sees the familiar exit to the station, and it’s about time, because if he doesn’t get his mouth on Buck within the next two minutes, he will explode. But also-
“I have so much baggage,” he mumbles, “I can’t ask you to-”
“You’re not asking,” Buck interrupts, “I already love you anyway, including all of your baggage. Of which I have plenty too, by the way.”
Eddie laughs wetly. “Okay. Okay, yeah. And it’s the same for me, in case that wasn’t clear. I want this to be my last first kiss.”
“Way to put the pressure on, Diaz,” Buck says, haphazardly parks the jeep halfway across two parking spots, and cups Eddie’s face between both of his huge hands. “But you’re such a romantic.”
Eddie laughs, dizzy with happiness and want, and grabs Buck by his shirt to tug him in.
Their noses knock painfully, but Buck tilts his head just so, and – it’s still messy, Eddie’s mouth half-open on a laugh and Buck’s grin too big, and Eddie doesn’t believe in signs from the universe and all that, but the second their lips meet, he knows he will never kiss anyone else.
They’re both a little frantic, now that they finally get to touch, and Eddie wants to touch Buck everywhere at once, his hands moving from his chest to his neck to his face, to his hair, his shoulders, arms and waist. Eventually, as their kisses slow and soften, Eddie’s hands settle too, one on the side of Buck’s neck, the other flat against his chest.
The middle console is digging uncomfortably into his leg and he can’t get as close as he wants to, but he still never wants to stop. Somewhere in the back of his mind though, he’s aware that they’re parked in plain sight of their place of work, where they should be right now.
“We’re late for work,” he whispers regretfully, barely pulling away.
Buck brushes another kiss to his lips before he turns his head away. Then he grins and nods towards the empty app bay. “Either C shift isn’t even back, or they’re already out on a call anyway. Let’s be later.”
As if Eddie could say no to that.
