Day 4 for @bucktommyfluffebruary
“Is there an Evan Buckle here?”
The snort Chimney let was almost enough to send him flying face first into his cereal.
Buck couldn't glare at him but only because he was too busy trying to fully process what it was he was looking at. The steam from breakfast prep made his vision a little hazy and he was operating on hour fifteen of a twenty four hour shift so the coffee hadn't quite kicked in but...
Buck blinked and yep, the man was still standing there.
"Uh," Buck said, wiping his hands on the dishtowel before he stepped around Bobby. "That's uh... That's me?"
The delivery man shot him a look, arching his brow high on his head as he eyed Buck up and down. "You sure?"
"It's Buckley," Buck corrected before his eyes bounced back to what his brain was still having trouble computing.
The delivery driver frowned down at his form before he smacked his teeth together.
"Huh," he said with a nod. "Guess you're right. Well here you go, kid."
Buck barely got a chance to put his arms out before the man's bundle was dumped into his. The weight of it alone nearly sent Buck's knees buckling and he could only watch as the man disappeared down the stairs and out of sight.
The scent was the first thing his mind finally started to process. Sweet like honey with velvety soft pelts that felt like a caress on his chin.
Buck blinked down at the massive bouquet in his arms and tried to wrap his head around what he was seeing. No one had ever sent him flowers before. But there, in his arms, was a massive bundle of roses. The centers were yellow and orange like the sunset with the outer petals a soft pink that only seemed to halo the sweetness of the scent. Sprigs of eucalyptus fanned around the flowers to add just a minty sharpness to the sweetness and the brown paper wrapped around the bundle was held together by a simple blue ribbon that was so soft beneath his finger tips.
"So?" Hen said, her voice suddenly so loud in Buck's ear. He jumped and stared up at her from where she'd managed to sneak up on him. Eddie, Chimney, and Bobby were all watching from their places across the loft as well. "Where'd you get the flowers from, Buck?
"I don't..." Buck stopped as he spied the small hidden note in the flowers. He shifted his bouquet to one arm and pulled the card out, careful to make sure he didn't disturb any of the flowers with his fingers.
Warmth swelled in Buck's chest as he read the note once then twice to make sure he wasn't imagining it.
"Well now our surprise cupcakes seem kind of lame," Hen mused without any kind of heat in it.
"Sorry," Buck said trying to remember what he did with his phone. "I uh..."
He spun in a small circle which he was sure looked as ridiculous as he felt with the massive flowers in his arms before he remembered that he'd left it downstairs in his locker.
"I'm just going to..." Buck didn't bother finishing his sentence before he headed for the stairs, bring his flowers with him.
Finding the locker room empty was almost another gift onto itself and Buck straddled the bench as he pressed the phone to his ear.
Tommy answered on the first ring.
"Well good morning birthday boy," he said, his voice light like he was caught on a laugh. It made Buck breathless just as much as it had the first time he'd heard it in a helicopter heading towards a cruise ship in a hurricane.
"Hi," Buck said as he rubbed his thumb across the petal of one of the roses.
"Do you like them?" He asked and Buck could hear some of the wind from Harbor station blowing in the background.
"I love them," Buck said, his cheeks warming as he dipped his face down to inhale their scent. "Thank you. No one... No one's ever gotten me flowers before."
"Well," Tommy said and the deep rumble of his voice washed over Buck like amber holding him tight in that moment. "You deserve more than flowers. I'm sorry I couldn't get out of my shift for tonight."
Tommy had spent an agonizingly long time trying to switch with anyone just so he could spend a few hours with Buck on his birthday after his shift ended. Honestly, it bothered Tommy more than Buck but Buck would be lying if he didn't admit that he'd been a little bummed too. It'd been almost four days since they'd seen each other and the ache of missing his boyfriend was an unfamiliar but fierce reminder in his chest.
"No it's not. But I'm hoping the flowers helped at least," Tommy said.
"I love them," Buck said again. "And you."
That was still new but he was already addicted to the way it made his heart flip in his chest.
"I love you too. Happy Birthday Evan."