Buck meets Tommy's sibling.
Coming in with the fluff and @sunnywithachanceofbi will follow up with the angst!
"Brace yourself, Ev," Tommy said as he opened the front door.
"Uncle Tommy!" a small voice squealed.
"Hey, Princess!" Tommy said, scooping up a little girl with dark curls.
"Who's this?" she asked, pointing at Buck.
"Cora, this is my boyfriend."
"Ohhh, do you kiss?" she asked with wide eyes.
Buck's face went scarlet.
"Sure do," Tommy said and planted one right on Buck's lips.
"Did you hurt your eye, Uncle Tommy's boyfriend?" Cora asked, tilting her head with concern.
Buck chuckled. "Nope, it's just a birthmark."
Cora considered that for a moment, studying his face seriously. "I like it," she said, then suddenly brightened and ran off toward the kitchen.
"Mama! Uncle Tommy and his boyfriend are here!" she yelled at the top of her lungs.
Tommy shook his head with a grin. "Sorry about that. She's not exactly subtle."
"Remember when Jee asked you why your hair was turning so gray? You and I are no strangers to the honesty of kids," Buck said with a knowing smile.
"Hey, big brother," a very pregnant woman said as she waddled into the room and wrapped Tommy in a hug. "And you must be the famous Buck. I'm Nicole," she said warmly, extending her hand.
"Nice to finally meet you," Buck replied, shaking her hand gently. "Tommy talks about you all the time."
"Of course he does. I've always been his favorite relative," Nicole said with a smirk.
Tommy snorted. "Yeah, that was really stiff competition," he said, placing his hand gently on his sister's belly. "Besides, Cora and this little guy are my favorite relatives."
"What about me?" Buck asked with mock offense.
"You're not a relative yet," Tommy said with a grin, then caught himself. "I mean—"
"Yet?" Nicole raised an eyebrow, looking between them with interest.
"Yes, Cora, of course I'll join you for a tea party," Tommy said, pretending to hear her calling from the other room.
"Thomas Michael Kinard, do you have something to tell me?" Nicole asked, using his full name like she did when they were kids.
Tommy looked from his sister to Buck, who smiled and nodded encouragingly. "We're getting married!" Tommy announced.
Nicole squealed and immediately pulled them both into the best group hug her pregnant belly would allow. "I knew it! I could tell the moment you walked in. I've always been very perceptive."
Tommy snorted. "Sure you have."
"You better watch it, or I'll start telling your future husband all kinds of embarrassing stories," Nicole threatened with a mischievous grin.
Buck's eyes lit up. "Please do. I need all the ammunition I can get."
"Traitor," Tommy muttered, but he was smiling.
"Like the time you cried watching Dumbo when you were 15," Nicole began.
"Nicole!" Tommy warned, his face turning red.
"Or when you went through your punk rock phase and tried to pierce your own ear with a safety pin—"
"Okay, that's enough!" Tommy said, covering her mouth with his hand while Buck dissolved into laughter.