Their First Married Morning
This tooth rotting fluff has been hanging around in my drafts for over a month.
Buck was giddy, his entire body buzzing with excitement despite the early hour. He couldn't stop grinning as he adjusted his wedding ring, still marveling at its presence on his finger. He was a married man now. He had a husband. The reality of it all felt surreal, so different from anything he had ever pictured for himself and yet so incredibly right.
As he stood there, lost in his thoughts, Tommy's voice cut through his reverie. "Uber's here, sweetheart. Are you ready to go?" Tommy asked, his own eyes shining with joy and love, despite the slight bags under them from the previous night's celebration.
Buck turned to face his husband - his husband! - and felt his heart swell even more. Tommy looked adorably rumpled in his travel clothes, his hair still mussed from sleep.
"On our honeymoon?" Buck replied, his voice filled with enthusiasm and a touch of playful suggestiveness. "Hell yeah, I'm ready!"
He reached out, intertwining his fingers with Tommy's, feeling the matching ring on his husband's hand. The simple touch sent a thrill through him, a reminder of the commitment they had made to each other just hours ago.
As they made their way out of their house, dragging their suitcases behind them, Buck couldn't help but steal glances at Tommy. This was the start of their new life together, and he couldn't wait to see what adventures lay ahead.
"I love you, Mr. Kinard," Buck murmured as they approached the waiting car.
Tommy squeezed his hand, his smile radiant despite the early morning hour. "I love you too, Mr. Kinard."
As they settled into the back seat of the Uber, Buck's grin widened even further. He turned to Tommy, his eyes sparkling with amazement.
"I can't believe I'm actually Evan Kinard now," he said, his voice filled with wonder and joy.
Tommy reached over, taking Buck's hand in his own. "Believe it, baby. You're stuck with me now," he teased gently.
Buck squeezed Tommy's hand, his expression growing soft. "Stuck with you? More like the luckiest man alive."
The driver glanced at them in the rearview mirror, a small smile on his face. "Newlyweds, huh?"
"That obvious?" Buck laughed, not taking his eyes off Tommy.
"Just married yesterday," Tommy confirmed, his thumb absently rubbing over Buck's wedding ring.
"Congratulations," the driver said warmly. "Where to? Airport, I'm guessing?"
"Yep," Buck nodded, finally tearing his gaze away from his husband. "LAX, please. We've got a honeymoon to get to."
As the car pulled away from the curb, Buck leaned into Tommy's side, resting his head on his shoulder. The reality of his new name, his new life, washed over him again.
Buck's eyes lit up as he remembered something. "Oh, I had Bobby put in the order for new turnouts. Can't wait to have our name on the back."
Tommy's smile grew even wider. "Really? That's amazing, Ev. It's going to be something else seeing 'Kinard' on your back at calls."
"I know, right?" Buck said excitedly. "They're actually going to say E. Kinard, but still, it's like another way of showing the world we're a team now. In everything."
The driver glanced at them in the rearview mirror, a curious smile on his face. "Firefighters, huh?"
"That's right," Tommy confirmed proudly. "Both of us."
"Wow," the driver said, impressed. "A firefighter couple. That's pretty cool."
Suddenly, a thought occurred to Tommy, and he chuckled. "You know, people are going to be so confused by Buck Kinard. Your nickname isn't gonna make sense anymore."
Buck's eyes widened as the realization hit him. He laughed, shaking his head. "Oh man, you're right! I didn't even think about that. Buck Kinard... it does sound a bit odd, doesn't it?"
"Maybe we should've hyphenated after all," Tommy teased. "Buck Kinard-Buckley at least keeps the connection."
Buck playfully nudged Tommy's shoulder. "Nah, I already love being a Kinard. Plus, can you imagine how long that would be on a turnout coat?"
"Well," Buck continued, "I guess I'll just have to explain it a lot. 'Yes, I'm Buck. No, it's not short for Buckley anymore. It's a long story, want to hear about how I met the love of my life?'"
Tommy squeezed Buck's hand, his eyes soft with affection. "I love the sound of that story."
As the car continued its journey to the airport, Buck and Tommy fell into a comfortable silence, both imagining the first time they'd see Buck in his new turnouts, 'E.Kinard' proudly displayed for all to see. It was just one more symbol of their new life together, a life they were both eager to begin.
"I can't wait to be on the beach with you," Buck said, his voice soft but filled with anticipation.
Tommy's expression softened, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiled. "Me neither, sweetheart. Just you, me, and the ocean."
Buck leaned in closer, resting his head on Tommy's shoulder. "No emergencies, no alarms, no schedules. Just us, relaxing and enjoying being newlyweds."
"Sounds perfect," Tommy murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of Buck's head. "Though knowing us, we'll probably end up rescuing someone from a rip current or something."
Buck chuckled. "Probably. But hey, that's who we are. Kinards to the rescue, on duty or off."
As the car made its way through the early morning traffic, the couple fell into a comfortable silence, both lost in thoughts of sun, sand, and the start of their new life together. The excitement of their honeymoon ahead mixed with the joy of their recent wedding, creating a bubble of happiness around them as they headed towards the airport and the beginning of their next adventure.
As the car pulled up to the departures terminal at LAX, the driver turned to them with a warm smile.
"Here we are," he announced. "Have a great honeymoon, guys."
Buck and Tommy shared a look, their excitement apparent as the reality of their trip set in.
"Thanks so much," Buck said, his smile bright as he reached for the door handle.
Tommy nodded in agreement. "Yeah, thank you for the ride and the well wishes."
As they climbed out of the car, the driver helped them retrieve their luggage from the trunk. Buck couldn't help but bounce a little on his feet, his energy infectious.
"Ready for this, Mr. Kinard?" Tommy asked, a teasing lilt to his voice as he took hold of his suitcase.
Buck's grin widened even further, if that was possible. "More than ready, Mr. Kinard. Let's go start our honeymoon."
With a final wave to their driver, the newlyweds made their way into the bustling airport, hand in hand. The noise and crowd of the terminal couldn't dampen their spirits as they headed towards check-in, both of them buzzing with the anticipation of the journey ahead - not just their honeymoon, but the lifetime they were about to embark on together.
As they disappeared into the crowd, their matching rings glinted in the early morning sunlight streaming through the airport windows, a small but significant symbol of the new chapter they were beginning.
