"Look," Eddie says with a sigh, hands tucked into the pockets of his jeans as he rests his weight against his truck.
The night is silent. Peacefully so, after the day they have had, but it also feels slightly eerie for the same reason. Everything has been complete chaos. And now they're just... here.
"...you've been spiraling ever since..." he trails off, which isn't really like him—but it's clear why he does it. Of course it is. "...and it makes sense, and I'm sure seeing me get shot, vest or not, didn't bring up a lot of good memories for you, either—but whatever you're thinking right now, you need to stop," he says, with a soft shake of his head. There are those eyes again. Gentle, and warm, and kind, and about two sizes too large. Buck's karma, perhaps.
"...just keep thinking..." Buck starts with a sigh, subconsciously tucking his hands into his pockets to match Eddie's as he lifts his shoulders into a tight shrug. "...maybe... maybe kids aren't for me, maybe I'm not meant to..." he tries, pausing before opening his mouth again—only Eddie beats him to it.
"You're a great father, Buck," he says. Buck frowns.
"I'm not a f—I haven't even seen Theo since it happened, and even if—"
"—who's talking about Theo?" Eddie asks, a frown carving its way onto his face, but it's not without a hint of lightness. As if he knows he's confusing Buck. And enjoying it, just to lighten the mood—just for a moment. "You've been Chris' other dad for almost ten years, that... that's not something that would suddenly snap into effect if, God forbid, I ever..." Eddie briefly breaks their eye-contact, sucking his teeth, before relaxing again, their eyes meeting. "We're a team. We've always been a team. How do you not see that?"
And Eddie, oh... the look on Eddie's face is softer than Buck has ever seen it. Perhaps, if he were more willing to be delusional about things, and give himself false hope, he might even call it... in love.
"...oh."
