Sal/Buck (Buck/Tommy, Salbucktommy?), In the middle part 1, T-rated
"Honestly, I wouldn't have pegged you for a bouldering guy," Sal told him when Buck dropped him off at his place. "But you were doing pretty well there, Evan."
The apartment building wasn't too shabby. But Sal had told Buck on the way here that he'd chosen it mostly because there was a really nice pizza place nearby. Authentic enough, even if Sal had a roundabout way of saying that, because apparently, his nonna would come and haunt him. "She's alive and well. Ancient, yes, but a force to be reckoned with," despite the words, Sal's tone was too fond to imply anything but his affection for her. "I've been meaning to visit soon. Maybe next spring."
Sal had been starting to let on that his divorce had bled most of his funds dry. But he kept mentioning his daughters, too, and then none of the money seemed much of an issue anymore. Sal loved his family. Had a lot of love left for his ex-wife, too, despite everything, as Buck had started to learn.
Initially, Sal hadn't liked to talk about himself, but he gave hints and eventually opened up more if you spent time with him. So Buck had gotten to know a whole host of other little tidbits about him. Like the fact that he liked food so spicy it honestly boggled Buck how he hadn't burned off his taste buds. Or that he had joined his current house on the bottom rung but had made it to captaincy in just a few years.
He was doing a good job of it, too, if the comments from his fellow firefighters that Buck had heard were any indication. They were quite tight in his team. But Sal didn't run the 122 like Bobby ran the 118.
"No offence, but it's asking for trouble if your coworkers are your family," Sal had told Buck firmly when they'd shared lunch after a climbing session.
"But you're still close," Buck had thrown in, picking at food truck chilli that he wouldn't quite admit he couldn't stomach. He might have been a bit over-enthusiastic when ordering, trying to impress or something.
"Sure," Sal had shrugged, and then traded food with Buck. He never ordered mild stuff, but this one was perfectly within Buck's spice levels. Which told Buck everything about how much attention Sal paid.
Perhaps it was that realisation or the spice fumes had done something to Buck, because he added: "And you're still friends with Tommy."
"Ah," Sal said around a mouthful. "So we are acknowledging that?"
Because that one Buck had known even before he had been introduced to Sal one night at a bar he should have avoided anyway, considering it was a common firefighter joint. But Buck hadn't. He wasn't pining. He wasn't.
Except maybe he had been pining. Hoping to run into Tommy, even after almost everyone in his life had told him not to message him. Sal hadn't done that. And he had had the decency to tell Buck to his face:
"So you're the kid who's broken Kinard's heart."
"I haven't-"
"Eh. Tomato, tom-ah-to."
They hit almost immediately. It was an unlikely friendship. Probably not a good choice on either of their parts. Except apparently Sal had talked to Tommy and told him about meeting Buck, or rather Evan. Buck wasn't sure how he felt about the fact that Sal used his first name like it was no big deal. He didn't hate it.
"Earth to Evan," Sal prompted, starting to get out of the car. "I said thanks for the lift. You want to come grab the stuff you left here last time?"
Buck followed him to his apartment. When he hovered by the door, Sal scoffed at him.
"Go on, come in," Sal said. "Nothing scary here. Give me a minute to grab everything."
Not scary, Buck thought, but dangerous. Because maybe Buck had been looking. Wasn't that new? Tommy had changed so much about Buck's perception, had made him see so many things. And the issue was now that Buck saw, he was looking at Sal. Who was Tommy's best friend.
God, Buck needed to get a grip.
"There you go," Sal said, when he reemerged, handing Buck a small duffel. "One of the guys from the group last week tossed in some liquid chalk, said to be good and stick to the 'better stuff'."
Sal huffed with the air quotes he made. Buck laughed.
"Didn't know climbers could be so snobbish about their... equipment."
That earned him a true laugh. "Yeah, well."
A beat passed. Then Sal's eyes went to Buck's lips. And that was it. Buck moved into his space, boxed him in against the wall - and he kissed him.
Sal inhaled, and Buck made use of that too, deepening the kiss. It took long seconds, but then Buck could feel Sal tilt his head, kiss him back. One of them groaned into the kiss, and Buck was half-certain it wasn't him.
They kept kissing. Buck was almost worried about pulling back, knowing he was putting Sal on his back leg here. But then, eventually, he needed to break away. Needed to get more of a reaction.
"Tell me to stop," Buck rasped against Sal's throat. "Tell me you want me to stop, and I'll stop. But don't lie."
Sal's hands were fluttering around Buck's arms, hesitating, barely touching. Whatever restraint he had claimed before was hanging on by a single thread, and Buck couldn't have that anymore. He wanted.
"He and I are over," he insisted. "It's done. He doesn't want me-"
The force of Sal's shove took Buck off guard. He stumbled back, took a moment to find his footing, before meeting Sal's eyes. The look in them was something raw.
"But he does," Sal hissed, all chaotic hand movements. For a moment, they stared at each other, and then Sal threw his head back and laughed in a way that sounded pained and exhausted. "Fuck. You fuckers. What the fuck."
"Sal-"
"Don't," Sal lifted a finger in his direction. "Just shut up, Evan. He's my best friend. You think I can't tell when he's lying to himself and everyone else?"
Buck inhaled, but Sal gave him a look that silenced any words he had.
"You don't get to put me in the middle of this. Not me. Wasn't it bad enough when you were together, and I was over here-"
Sal cut himself off.
"Doesn't matter. Fuck that. You don't get to make me a fucking buffer zone, when the two of you are so fucking perfect for each other and clearly so in love- what the fuck are you doing here, Evan?"
"I-"
Buck didn't have an answer for that. Or maybe he did - but the words were all tumbled up in his head, and he couldn't get a single one out. Sal sighed deeply and with a frustration that seemed uncalled for.
"I think you'd better go."
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