for AJ @swiftiebuckleys <3 // 1045 words // G // read on ao3
“You shouldn’t be here, it’s not that big a deal.”
Buck, chest heaving and breath coming in ragged pants, glares at Eddie. The man is lying in a hospital bed, hooked up to monitors and an IV in his wrist, he looks like he can barely keep his eyes open and Buck wants to strangle him.
“Not that big a deal?” Buck repeats, stalking over to the end of the bed and resting his hands on the plastic railing. “I get a call from the hospital telling me you have appendicitis, and that your appendix has burst because you likely ignored the pain for too long, and it’s not that big a deal?”
He had been sitting at home, mindlessly scrolling Instagram, when a call came through from Cedar Sinai hospital. His heart had dropped into his gut as he pressed the green button, and he wasn't exactly sure what was said but he heard Edmundo Diaz and in surgery and the next thing he knew he was sprinting into the lobby with mismatch shoes on and his phone still clutched in his hand.
Eddie sighs, his head lolling against his pillow. He briefly closes his eyes before opening them and letting his gaze land on Buck again.
“I’m sorry.” His voice is soft now, pained, and it immediately destroys any frustration left in Buck. He rounds the side of the bed and sits in one of the plastic chairs before taking Eddie’s hand in his.
“Eddie,” he breathes out, resting his elbows on the bed and leaning his forehead against their joined hands. “You scared me to death.”
“I didn’t mean to,” Eddie smiles wryly after licking his dry, cracked lips, “I didn’t think it was that bad. I thought I was just sore from working out.”
Buck laughs with a shaky voice and looks back up at Eddie. He’s watching him through lidded eyes, the smile still there on his face, and Buck just wants to kiss him.
“Eds, please call me next time,” he whispers, his mouth pressed against the skin on the back of Eddie’s hand. “Please.”
“I will.”
“Promise me.”
“I promise.”
-
The next day, Buck helps a stiff Eddie into the front door of his house, duffle bag on his shoulder and pain meds in his free hand. Eddie groans as he makes his way to the couch. Buck keeps his arm around his middle until he’s sitting with his head rested back against the cushion.
“I’m glad Chris is at a sleepover,” Eddie breathes out evenly, a hand going to his abdomen as pain pulses from the wound, “I love the kid but I am really happy to have some silence today.”
Buck snorts, running a gentle hand through Eddie’s unkempt hair, nails scratching softly across his scalp. He hums at the feeling, head turning into the movement.
“I’m going to make you some food,” Buck tells him, voice low and fond, “and then you’re gonna eat and take your meds, no arguments.”
“Buck, I don’t need-”
“I said no arguments.” Eddie looks up at him to see him watching him with a faux-serious expression, a smile fighting to peek out. “Now just relax.”
Eddie shakes his head as Buck turns to head toward the kitchen. He watches his retreating back until it disappears behind the door and then he turns to face forward again. His eyes drop closed as the warmth of the house overtakes him. He’s fairly certain this warmth isn’t just physical, and that Buck’s persistent presence has something to do with it. He’s just… Always there, in the best way possible. Eddie was so used to doing things on his own. Even when he was married to Shannon it felt like they led two separate lives, orbiting around each other and never quite falling into sync.
But Buck came into his life and completely knocked Eddie off course the first time he showed him his unending kindness. He introduced him to Carla, solving about 80% of the problems he had at the time, and he had barely known him then. The kindness, thoughtfulness, and just pure goodness that Buck has brought to his life since then have done nothing but make Eddie fall in love with him. Buck is just there, taking care of him, with no expectation of Eddie doing anything in return.
“Soups on!” Buck calls out, interrupting Eddie’s thoughts. The door to the kitchen swings open and Buck appears holding a bowl in one hand and a glass of water in the other. He makes his way into the living room and sets the items down on the coffee table, pausing to pull the pill bottle out of his pocket before sitting next to Eddie.
“So, your Pepa dropped some soup off. She said it was caldo de…” He hesitates, eyes looking skyward as he searches for the word. “Caldo de-something, I can’t remember. But it has chicken and rice and smells amazing.”
“Caldo de pollo,” Eddie smiles at him and his flushed cheeks and he loves him so much he feels it in his chest, “it’s basically a Mexican chicken soup.”
“Oh, well,” Buck grins with a shrug before popping open the pill bottle and shaking a tablet out onto his palm, “she said it’s something abuela taught her how to make, so it must be delicious.”
He reaches over and drops the pill into Eddie’s hand and then grabs the glass of water off the table and gives him that too before watching him expectantly. Eddie rolls his eyes but he takes the pill with no other complaint.
“Thank you,” Buck whispers, drawing his knee up and turning to face Eddie, his head falling against the back of the couch. “Don’t get sick again, please. Not like this.”
Eddie reaches his hand out blindly, his knuckles hitting Buck’s knee before finding one of his hands. Their fingers immediately intertwine and Buck squeezes, blowing out a long breath that sounds like relief, like thank god.
“I can’t promise that,” Eddie tells him, his own head pillowed against the cushion again and turned to face Buck, “but you know I’ll always do whatever I need to come home to my family. To you. Right?”
To AJ, Will The rED Bracelet be making a return? I know it's kinda weird, niche, and questionable but it helped me to rationalise my eating habits and identify when I was thinking/eating in a disordered way. Sincerely, Your #1 Fan.
