A Theo Buckley ADHD/autism head canon that constantly cycles through my mind.
When Buck and Tommy get back together he unexpectedly becomes Theoâs safe person, when Theoâs having a behavioural meltdown or sensory overload he will seek out Tommy and non verbally ask to snuggle or pull on Tommyâs shirt in an attempt to hide underneath it. Buck comes home from shift one day to find Tommy lying on the couch, Theo draped over him with his head under Tommyâs shirt.
Itâs not the first time heâs found thin like this, not by a long shot, even if Buck is home when Theo has these moments of overstimulation, heâll still seek out Tommy in his efforts to regulate himself.
âWe had a rough day today,â Tommy says softly, one hand still rubbing gently over the boyâs back, âtoo much noise.â
Buck drops his bag and kicks off his shoes, heading straight for his boys on the couch.
âHey, Theo,â Buck calls, announcing his presence before he carefully lifts the hem of Tommyâs shirt and peaks underneath. Theoâs head is resting just off centre of Tommyâs chest, right over his heart, and his little hand is tucked under his chin, fingers tapping the rhythm of the manâs heartbeat.
Buck bullies himself onto the couch next to Tommy, half straddling him to ensure he doesnât slide off, and he ducks his head under the shirt to join his son. The fabric stretches and gets snug as he settles his head on the opposite side of Tommyâs chest. Theoâs eyes track his movement but he doesnât say anything yet, still emotionally overwhelmed.
âTough day, huh?â Buck asks, feeling Tommyâs arm wrap around his back to hold him against his body.
Theo gives a small nod, fingers still tapping the rhythm of Tommyâs heartbeat against his chin.
âYeah, me too. You mind if I share your safe space for a bit?â He lays his hand on Tommyâs sternum, matching the beat of Theoâs tapping with his index finger.
Theo shakes his head this time, drawing a deep breath into his little lungs and exhaling it loudly through his nose. His body seems to relax a little, as though Buck joining him in his hiding place was what heâd been waiting for to be able to finally let go of the dayâs frustration.
With Tommyâs broad hand stroking calmly over the length of Buckâs back, making him feel warm, secure, loved, he canât blame his son at all for choosing Tommyâs as his safe person.
Buck is on his final bite and about to reach for some water when Tommy picks up the pitcher and tops up his glass. It wasnât even empty, but it was less than half full which means it probably wasnât enough for the mouthful he needed to wash down the last of his meal. So, itâs a good thing his glass is now more full than it was, but how the hell did Tommy know?Â
Buck is staring again.Â
Tommy notices this time and shrugs, a knowing small smile tucked into the corner of his mouth.Â
âHow..?âÂ
âItâs my job to anticipate your needs, Evan.âÂ
Once again, Tommy takes care of him. Buck isn't sure he'll get used to it before the end of the games but Tommy made it clear this is what he's here for so Buck is going to let himself enjoy how nice it feels. Even if it is Tommy's job.Â
Five times Buck got distracted (and one time he had a plan)
1
Tommy looks from the glass of orange juice sitting in the fridge, to the box of juice on the kitchen counter and back to the glass in the fridge again.
âEvan?â he asks, glancing at the man who is finally his boyfriend again.Â
After a moment Evan looks up from his phone. âYes?â
Tommy grins at him and retrieves the glass of juice from the fridge. He missed everything about Evan, even the way he can get so fascinated by something heâll forget about everything else.Â
âHuh. Thanks. I didnât mean to do that,â Evan tells him.Â
âSo, what distracted you?â Tommy inquires as he hands Evan the glass. âOranges? Juice production?â
Evan chuckles and presses the cold glass against Tommyâs bare chest instead of answering. Tommy gets pretty distracted too after that.Â
~
2Â
Tommy is surprised when his phone rings barely an hour into his shift.Â
âSo, hypotheticallyâŠ,â Evan says in lieu of a greeting, drawing the words out long and slow.Â
âCompletely hypothetically,â Tommy confirms drily.
âIf I locked myself out of your house, would one of your neighbours have a spare key?â
âThat doesnât sound very hypothetical,â Tommy points out. âWhat happened to the key I gave you?â
After a long moment of silence Evan sighs. âItâs inside. I grabbed your spare car keys instead.â
âOf course you did.â
âHey, they were right there in the bowl with my keys!â
Tommy grins and shakes his head even if Evan canât see it. âThe Petersens across the street have a key. Iâll call them so they donât think youâre trying to rob the place.â
âI donât think Iâd make a very burglar,â Evan mutters.
Tommy manages not to laugh, but itâs a close call.
~
3
âIâm telling you, Maddie, it was completely unfair. Jee didnât do anything wrong, I was right there,â Evan insists.
Heâs on the phone with his sister, pacing, walking from room to room while he recounts the drama that unfolded when he tried to pick up his niece from pre-school.
Tommy is on the sofa in Evanâs living room with a book, keeping one eye on his boyfriend because he knows whatâs about to happen.Â
âIt wasnât like that,â Evan exclaims and puts his coffee on the bookshelf. Apparently he canât express himself properly with his hands while heâs holding a mug.
Tommy reads several paragraphs, ignoring the rest of the phone call because he already heard the story. Twice. He only looks up again when Evan sits down next to him, phone still in his hand.
âUh, Tommy? Have you seen my coffee?â
âOn the bookshelf, left side.âÂ
Evan gives him a sweet smile and presses a quick kiss against his cheek. âThank you.â
~
4Â
âHey, everything okay?â Tommy asks when he comes into the kitchen.
Evan is standing in the middle of the room and he looks a little lost. âI forgot what I wanted to get,â he admits.Â
âPopcorn,â Tommy reminds him. âFor the movie.â
âRight.â Evan seems a little exasperated with himself as he opens a cupboard. âI was thinking about reorganizing the kitchen maybe? All of your things are still where they used to be, and now my stuff is here too, but of course itâs in totally different places, and⊠And somehow that made me forget about the popcorn, I guess.â
Tommy pulls him close and nuzzles a kiss against Evanâs temple. âMaybe we can come up with a new system. Something thatâs not yours or mine but ours?â
âI like that.â
âPopcorn first though,â Tommy insists. âIf you start planning now weâre never watching this movie.â
~
5
âI think I lost another phone charger,â Evan announces and picks up the sofa cushions like it might be hidden under there.
âYou lost it or you canât find it?â Tommy checks calmly.
âSame difference,â Evan mutters and crouches down to look underneath the sofa.
It really isnât with Evan. A lost phone charger could be anywhere, from the pharmacy close to Harbor to the ice cream parlor at the beach. If Evan simply canât find it, then itâs usually because he got distracted and put it in a place like the bathroom closet. This time Tommy finds the phone charger in the hallway, the white cord clearly visible where itâs sticking out of Evanâs boot.Â
âOh,â Evan says with a slightly sheepish smile. âI put it there so I wouldnât forget to pack it.â
Tommy smiles and kisses Evanâs birthmark. âAs long as you donât forget that I love you.â
âNever,â Evan promises with a grin. âBut maybe we should order a few extra chargers?â
âOn it.â
~
+1
âI swear I just had it,â Evan mutters. âTommy? Do you know where my coffee is?â
âHave you checked the bookshelf?â Tommy asks before he takes a sip of his own coffee.Â
âItâs not there.â
Tommy hums and walks straight into the living room. He knows his boyfriend pretty well and wouldnât be surprised if the mug was sitting right next to the spider encyclopedia again.Â
Heâs right of course. âFound it!â Tommy calls in the direction of the kitchen. But to his surprise the mug seems to be empty, and when Tommy glances inside thereâs a golden ring sitting at the bottom.
âYou found me,â Evan says quietly behind him. âWhen I didnât even realize what I was looking for. And no matter how often I get distracted, or lost in my own head, or take a long detour before I figure out what I want, you keep finding me.â
Tommy turns a little and smiles at Evan. âShould I keep this safe for you so you canât misplace it?âÂ
âThat was the idea. You could even wear it, if youâd like?â Evan steps closer and reaches for the mug containing the ring.Â
Kindergarten teacher Buck/firefighter Tommy hiAUtus post
@geddyqueer sent me this post last night and went âokay but bucktommyâ and I said, yes, I will write this for you. And here it is!
(nb: Cam (@apollabarnes) said âtoo bad @epiphainie already uses bucklings because get it they follow him like ducklings.â And I simply couldnât find a better term, so sorry Mimi I stole that for a tiny mention here.)
1. Buck falls into teaching by accident. There's a practical course he signs up for in community college that has him assisting at a daycare on campus once a week. The kids love him, treating him like a walking, talking, jungle gym, and even though his actual duties are supposed to be like, paperwork and making snacks, the staff are more than happy to let him help with the kids. He still wants to get the hell out of Hershey, and when Maddie won't leave with him, he looks for colleges as far away as he can. He ends up in Seattle, loves his school and the courses on childhood psychology (as long as he doesn't think about himself and his family too much) and early childhood education and his placements. When he graduates, he walks across the stage for a missing audience â his parents send a card and a cheque for a nice dinner for him. Maddie doesn't send anything. Jobs are hard to come by for some of his classmates, by Buck (a nickname acquired in teachers college) has his choice of jobs with all of the glowing reviews he got from his placement teachers. One of the jobs is in Los Angeles, and Buck thinks he would enjoy some more sunshine after years in Seattle.
2. Buckâs a big supporter of outdoor ed. Learning about shapes? Let's walk around the neighborhood and see what shapes make up houses. Kids want to learn about bugs and plants? Time to build a community garden for the school. There's a park a few blocks over that they go to almost weekly â Buck worries about the drivers and the safety of his kids, and finds tiny hi-vis vests online and buys enough for his whole class. The kids love them and almost get more excited about wearing them than actually going to the park. They hold hands as they walk, not because Buck tells them to but just because they like it. After they have some parents come in to talk about their jobs, the kids entertain themselves by guessing what jobs the people they walk by actually do.
3. There's a firehouse on the way to the park, and the kids know to listen for the sirens and stop before they cross the driveway. They clump up behind Buck, little hands clasped together until he gives them the all clear, then follow along getting him like little ducklings. (His coworkers jokingly call them his bucklings). One day as they stop, a little boy named Marcus sees someone washing down a helicopter with a hose and loudly proclaims âHIS JOB IS WATER.â Another firefighter, a blonde woman with shirt hair, hears him and gives him a thumbs up before doubling up in laughter. âGood job kid!â another firefighter calls. This is the start of their friendship with the firehouse. Anytime they're out when the kids walk by, they wave and say hello, they set off the truck lights for them at least once a week, and a man whose badge says Captain gives Buck a handful of colouring sheets and stickers for the kids. One day the blonde firefighter is waiting outside for them. âIf you have a couple minutes, something cool is about to happen,â she says quietly to Buck. They do, so they stay. Lucy introduces herself and stays with them, making sure all the kids can see over the low fence that separates the firehouse from the street. A womp womp noise starts and the kids (and Buck) watch in awe as a helicopter lands. A firefighter hops out once the rotors have stopped moving, and when he takes off his helmet Buck recognizes him as the one who has been washing the helicopter. âHIS JOB IS FLYING,â Marcus says, awed. The firefighter waves awkwardly when he notices the kids watching, and Buck returns the wave too.
4. Buck stops by the firehouse after school a few days later. Lucy spots him and brings him inside. âHey, it's the teacher!â someone says. âI was wondering if I could talk to your captain about maybe doing a field trip?â Buck asks. Melton, the captain, takes Buck into his office and has it all sorted out in under half an hour. Lucy invites him to stay for a coffee, and he laughs when he sees the mug she hands him. It's clearly a custom print job and says âHIS JOB IS WATERâ. Lucy tells him they haven't had a chance to get ones that say flying yet. While they're chatting, the pilot returns, and Lucy introduces him as Tommy. She also gleefully informs him that Buck is bringing the kids by for a field trip. Buck apologize for just stopping by like that, he wasn't sure how to set it up and it seemed like they would be able to tell him if it was even possible before he started emailing and calling people. Lucy tells him they love doing stuff with the community, no worries, and Tommy nods in agreement.
Buck ends up hanging out to chat until they get called out; he spills that he's new to town (well, the state) and Lucy has wrangled him into a trivia night before he knows what's happening. Tommy stays for the entire conversation, but he's a lot quieter than Lucy. Buck waits until they're all gone to leave, not wanting to get in their way. He walks back to his Jeep, excited about the trivia and the field trip.
5. Trivia is a couple days before the field trip. Buck shows up to the bar Lucy sent him the address to, where she and Tommy are waiting outside for him. Lucy admits there's something she forgot to mentionâ it's a queer bar and a drag queen runs trivia. That's okay, right? It feels kind of like a test, and they're the only people Buck know outside of his coworkers and he doesn't want to mess this up. He says Yeah, of course, he just came down from Seattle remember? He's an ally. He does a little fist pump. Wait, will they let him in if he's straight? Lucy laughs at him and pulls him inside, telling him not to worry. They introduce him to the rest of their trivia team, old coworkers of Tommy's; Hen and Karen, married, Karen's a literal rocket scientist and Buck has stars in his eyes, Chimney, no they won't tell him why they call him that, and Sal and his lawyer wife Gina. Lucy says they finally have an even number for the bucket of beers. Everyone else boos and outvotes her for the pitchers of sangria.
Buckâs quiet at first, not wanting to answer wrong or take over, but he quickly noticed a pattern to what other people answer and becomes quick to jump in on those other answers. They place second, and everyone says he can come back whenever he wants. He leaves with several more numbers in his phone and a promise from Karen that they'll see what they can do about a her visiting the school, or bring the kids to her work. Buck hopes maybe he can visit even if the kids can't.
When they get to the firehouse for their field trip, Lucy and Melton take over. Tommy is there too, but just in his civilian clothes, and hangs out with Buck at the back of the group of kids.
âWhat happened to your uniform?â Buck asks quietly.
âHuh?â
Buck gestures at his clothes.
âOh, uh, my shift ended a couple hours ago,â Tommy says.
âYou didn't have to stay,â Buck says.
Tommy shrugs. âI like the kids. It's fun.â
âThanks,â Buck says. âMarcus was excited to see you.â He nods towards the kid in question.
âHis job is water,â Tommy says with amusement. âThe rest of the team gets a lot of use out of that. I hear it every time I do a water drop.â
Buck tries not to laugh. âPlus the mugs.â
âThey put a helicopter on the flying one,â Tommy says. âI could smuggle a couple out for you if you want,â he adds when Buckâs face lights up.
âI'd offer to swap you some of the kidsâ cookies, but they didn't turn out that great,â Buck says quietly. âThey did a good job following the instructions but the salt and sugar containers got mixed up.â
Tommy grimaces. âYeah, I'll pass on that.â (Tommy eats a few of them anyways when the kids offer them to him themselves)
âI could take you out for a thank you beer,â Buck offers, âafter school is over anyways.â
âSure,â Tommy says easily.
âYou know, I think you and Lucy might be my best friends here,â Buck muses, watching Lucy with the kids. He doesn't see the way Tommy's face falls.
6. Tommy does meet him for beer, but brings Lucy too. Buckâs not upset, really, he just thought he'd get to hang out with Tommy and talk to him without worrying about being interrupted. Well, Lucy's fun, it's not that bad.
Things get a little crazy after that. Maddie shows up on his doorstep, and Tommy and Chimney and Chimneyâs new coworker Eddie help them move into a bigger apartment and set up a security system. Hen introduces them to her friend Athena, a cop, to help Maddie when she tells them about Doug. A lot of their hangouts end up being at Buck and Maddieâs, but she likes going out to trivia. Chimney always picks them up and drops them off, Tommy often tagging along with him.
Buck calls Maddie and Chimney out on their buffridays and the fact that they're dating.
âThen what the hell are you and Tommy doing?â Chimney shots back.
âWe're best friends, what do you mean?â Buckâs confused.
âYou're practically married,â Maddie says.
âYou know he doesn't even live near me, right?â Chimney asks. âWhen he comes with us to trivia it adds half an hour to his drive each way, and thatâs if the lights cooperate and there's no traffic.â
âButâ Tommy and Lucy,â Buck says. âThey'reââ
Maddie and Chimney burst out laughing.
âHello, we do trivia at a queer bar?â Chimney says.
âYeah, because of Hen and Karen?â Buckâs forehead creases.
âAnd Tommy and Lucy?â Maddie prods.
âThe thing they have in common is that they both date men, not each other,â Chimney says plainly.
âWhat?â Buck kind of feels like he's looking at himself, his life, in a funhouse mirror.
âI think you broke him,â Maddie says to Chimney.
Buck takes his plate and goes to his room, sitting down on his bed and eating mechanically until his plate is gone. he pulls out his laptop and starts googling.
He texts Chimney the next morning to find out Tommy's address and when he's off shift next. Chim happily hands over the information, and thankfully Tommy is going to be off shift in about an hour and a half, because Buck feels like he might vibrate out of his skin if he canât talk to him.
Tommy gets home to find Buck waiting in his driveway, takeout coffee in hand and looking like he hadn't slept. Tommy invitees him in, worried something has maybe happened with Maddie or one of his kids.
Buck assures him everyone is okay, but won't sit down and paces Tommy's kitchen holding his coffee.
âI thought you and Lucy were a thing,â he blurts out as Tommy takes a sip of coffee, which he narrowly avoids spitting out.
âIâve told her she's a terrible wingwoman,â Tommy mutters.
âSo you were interested in me?â Buck asks.
Tommy hesitates. âYes.â
âAre you still interested in me?â
âEvan⊠you told me Lucy and I are your best friends.â
âSo? Aren't people always saying the best relationships are with your best friend?â
âAre you interested in me?â Tommy asks hesitantly. âI just â you made it pretty clear you like women. You've never said anything about men.â
âI never thought about it before?â Buck admits. âUntil last night.â
âWhat happened last night?â
âI told Maddie and Chimney they were dating, and Chimney asked what that meant you and I were doing,â Buck looks down at his feet so he doesn't have to look at Tommy, doesn't want to risk seeing any pity there. âUh, and then I did some googling and learned some new terms and uh, thought about it?â
âAnd what do you think now?â
âI, uh,â Buck swallowed nervously. âI think they're right? And, I, uh, I don't know how you feel anymore butââ
Tommy puts his mind at ease by stepping into his personal space, cupping his cheek with one and raising his chin, and kissing him. Buck sighs into it, but doesn't get his hands on Tommy before Tommyâs stepping back, looking carefully at him.
âWas that okay?â Tommy asked.
âBetter than my kidsâ cookies,â Buck jokes.
âHey, they weren't that bad,â Tommy defends them.
âThey really were,â Buck disagrees.
âThey were made with love!â Tommy protests.
âAnd so much salt.â
âA lot of salt,â Tommy agrees.
âI would really like to kiss you again,â Buck says.
Tommy is happy to oblige. Buck has his second, and third, and fourth kiss with a man in Tommy's kitchen. He bakes Tommy cookies that are actually edible, and their fifth and sixth and seventh kisses taste like chocolate chips. Tommy yawns, and Buck realizes he's messed up Tommy's day off schedule.
âI just need a nap,â Tommy says. âYou, um, you could nap with me if you want?â
Buck does want. Tommy loans him a pair of sweatpants so he doesn't have to nap in his jeans, and they tuck themselves into Tommy's bed together.
write the ex sex if bobby didn't die pleaseeeee like is it gonna be the same night? would they even be allowed to go home? would they be detained? imagine almost dying and/or almost getting arrested and then going home to have "makeup/we almost died" sex with your ex boyfriend đ
this is how im imagining it.
buck is on a high after saving both bobby and chimney. like he is practically vibrating as he leaves the lab and goes through decontamination. he finds tommy where he left him, in the tent arguing with some army guy about something trivial. the fbi are pissed with them but they let them go home (for now) however the helo and the engine are off limits.
tommy makes a snarky comment about not being able to fly âI could try stealing it again but I donât think third time is a charmâ and buck is giggling bc he is so charming and funny. tommy orders an uber and offers to drop buck home on the way.
they donât even make it 30 seconds into the journey before buck is absolutely devouring tommy. he is just shy of climbing into his lap because he wants him so bad. he has so much adrenaline pumping through his veins he does not care about the poor uber driver witnessing it. and tommy is just as eager, heâs hands skating up underneath buckâs hoodie bc he just need to feel him.
they make it to tommyâs house and cancel the second drop off. they fall through the door and buck has tommyâs dick in his mouth before he can even lock the door. he cums in under a minute with a shout and his legs buckling underneath him. they spend the whole night fucking in nearly every room in tommyâs house.
itâs not until the day after, when they wake up tangled together in bed to phone calls from their respective captains telling them they are suspended pending an investigation by the fbi, do they actually take a minute to realise, holy shit what the fuck just happened. they lay there for hours talking about everything, their relationship, the breakup and everything inbetween.
they only get out of bed when buckâs tummy starts to rumble. tommy orders takeout and when the boxes of chinese food are discarded on the living loor they are finally back together, they are boyfriends again.
Imagining Buck being out in town somewhere when he gets a FaceTime call from his parents asking him what he's up to. He tells them he's out, and his mother makes a tutting, pitying noise and Buck already knows what's coming.
"On your own? That is not a life, Evan."
And Buck inhales as irritation brews, but rather than telling her off, he instead scoots closer to the hunk of a man who's been nearby. A complete stranger. It's a risky move, but who is Buck if not risky, right? So he tugs on the stranger's arm to put him in full view on the screen.
"I'm not alone, I'm here with my boyfriend," he says and the stranger is a bit taken aback at first, but immediately goes along with it and introduces himself as Tommy to his apparent in-laws.
"Oh, Evan! We didn't know you were--"
"Yeah, Evan. What do you mean you haven't told them about me yet?" Tommy then teases, and Buck flushes because Tommy's arm is around him and he is doing an excellent charming both his parents and Buck.
Hi, for the AU ask game: Buck/Tommy first date AU, something different happens - someone else interrupts, they don't go to Miceli's because Tommy made different plans, they still go to the movie, or something else entirely changes!
Oh this will definitely be something very different! I hope you'll enjoy! đ«¶
---
They do not go to Miceli's, or any restaurant or movie for that matter. Buck doesn't know what to expect, especially after Tommy texted him to tell him to wear toed shoes and also to expect to sign a liability waiver?? Which excites him more than it terrifies him, but what does it mean?? But Tommy only sends back a laughing and a wink and a kissy emoji in response to Buck's ??? text.
Tommy picks him up around five that Saturday and takes him to a dreamy botanical garden where he sets up a picnic after a bit of wandering and chatting. Buck lets Tommy know that this is his first date with a man and he feels Tommy shift a little and worries that maybe he's said the wrong thing. Clasps his hand in his as to reassure Tommy that, hey, it's okay, I know I'm an ally but at least I'm better at it now, which earns him a laugh from Tommy and a squeeze of his hand. Buck's hand is sweaty and clammy, but Tommy doesn't seem to mind.
They take in more of the sights until Tommy reminds him that they will have to go, and Buck wonders if they have a reservation somewhere. Tommy remains stoic and dreamy as he reveals nothing when Buck asks him about the waiver they will have to sign. "You will probably be all right", he says, not so assuring, and yet Buck feels as safe as ever in the near proximity of Tommy, which never seems to be near enough regardless of how close to him he is.
He thinks about bungee-jumping, or para-gliding or any other adventurous experience, and soon realizes that it's neither of those things. It's not even close to any of those things! They enter what looks like a glass shop at first. Confused, Buck looks around as Tommy leads him over to the counter, and then they are lead to the a different area of the store. That's when Buck gets it. Glassblowing. And he gets giddy, because this is so sweet, so unique and so different than any date he has ever been on! He signs the waiver enthusiastically and takes in the rules. "I figured we could create something for each other," Tommy says sheepishly, and he seems nervous and Buck just beams at him. "So you're not here for my blowing skills then?" He asks innocently and absolutely cracks up when Tommy spurts and laughs and pulls Buck in for a hug, only to whisper "Maybe that's for another time," into his ear, which, of course, causes Buck to blush. They get offered drinks and snacks and then starts the procedure. Buck makes an attempt to create a glass and is absolutely mesmerized by the experience. He's having fun, and his hot and his date is hot and is creating something for him! Buck feels so relaxed doing this, and maybe that had been Tommy's intention all along, but he's just so grateful!
They are being told to pick up their creations the following day. Tommy takes Buck home, and Buck asks him to come inside. Maybe to watch a movie that they will definitely not watch, but Tommy only follows him to the door and spends about twenty minutes kissing Buck goodnight.
+ Bonus
They exchange their glasses on their next date. Tommy gives him a vase "So you'll have something to put the flowers I'll bring you next time," he says smoothly, and Buck has to kiss him about it. They are having dinner this time and yes, Eddie and Marisol does walk in on them, but Buck's hand is on Tommy's which Eddie is quick to notice. "Have a great date," he tells them with a smirk, and Buck is confused because how did he know?? Completely unaware that he's squeezing Tommy's hand openly on the table.
++ Bonus
Sometimes after their break-up and hook-up and Bobby's death, they reunite and move in together. Tommy signs them up for ring smithing classes, only so he can propose with the ring he made him.
I ended up writing a Lab Rats ficlet because of my tags on this post. It's from the POV of the poor FBI agent or whatever that had to sit in the back with Buck and Tommy on their way to the lab. Rating: G. Warnings: canonical Bobby death. Word count: dude idk I wrote this in this post's text box.
==
Alex was supposed to go on vacation for a week starting tomorrow, but now he's babysitting supposed bioterrorists in the back of an SUV. Considering how many Humvees and SUVs had rolled into that stadium, he's pretty sure they could've--and should've--split these two up. Because the pilot is staring stoically ahead, but the other guy has the kind of nervous energy that makes Alex worry that he's about to snap and try to go for someone's gun and take them all hostage.
"Thank you again," the nervous guy says.
"Like I said: I did it for Chimney," the pilot says, and Alex hasn't been briefed enough to know if that's a person or organization. It's an equally stupid name for both. The pilot leans over, turning his head a little so Alex catches a small smile in profile from where he's wedged in the third row seat. "And for you."
The nervous guy huffs out a laugh, the back of his neck and ears going bright red. "Even after what I said? Which, thinking back, wasn't what I meant. I just didn't want you to think--"
"I started it," the pilot says, sighing. "Evan, I don't know if you know this, but you make me say and do some extremely stupid shit. Stealing helicopters to save the world from another pandemic is shockingly not the stupidest thing."
Alex's eyes flit to the senior agents sitting in the front, and he meets Deb's eyes in the rearview mirror, because what?
"I shouldn't have let you walk out. Not in a prisoner kind of way, just--Tommy, that was the first night I'd slept in that house. It didn't feel like home until you were there."
Christ, why couldn't he have been put in one of the cars going back to the office? Because now he needs to be quarantined after this and he's got front row seats to relationship drama between two suspected (but possibly likely not) bioterrorists.
Tommy turns his head, and Evan looks at him. They really do look like they're in love. It's kind of sweet. It would be sweeter if it was happening in private. He thinks there's going to be some grand love confession, but Evan just presses a kiss to the corner of Tommy's mouth. Tommy turns his head and kisses back, and Alex clears his throat, shifting behind them.
"Sorry," Evan says, glancing over his shoulder like he's just realizing Alex has been there the whole time.
Alex averts his eyes and then rolls them when he hears giggles from them. They're like kids.
"By the way," Evan whispers, except it's not even a little quiet, "the way you did all that flying? Kinda hot."
Tommy chuckles. "Yeah?"
"Yeah. When we get out of this, you should--"
Alex clears his throat loudly, and marvels at the arrogance that this guy would think he can get out of possible federal charges. At the very least, they were attempting to evade the US military, the FBI, and the LAFD.
Evan has the audacity to look annoyed. Alex wants to go home and argue with his girlfriend about why he hasn't packed, he does not want to hear what these two want to do to each other when they get out of federal prison. If they get out of federal prison.
The Army takes the two off their hands and frogmarches them with the admittedly far more annoying woman who won't stop yelling over her shoulder about having rights and wanting a lawyer. Alex gets stuck sitting in a medical tent and getting checked over for he doesn't even know what, because it's classified.
Later, much later, he's cleared. The disease didn't break containment, and he has a feeling that has more to do with the detainees than anything else. They're fucking firefighters, apparently. There's a rush of activity all of a sudden when other firefighters are led out and into medical tents, except Evan isn't with them.
Alex could get into his SUV and head back to the office, fill out his paperwork, and go home. But he waits. Evan stumbles out of the tunnel as a team runs past with a body bag for biohazard cases, and Tommy is running towards him even as soldiers in Hazmat suits try to grab him. The guy is huge, though, so it takes several of them to stop him.
"He needs help, he needs--"
Evan is sprayed down by the decontamination team. He staggers past everyone, ignoring anyone who tries to get his attention, even Tommy, and he sits on a wheel stop in the parking lot and buries his head in his arms, his shoulders hitching.
Alex grabs a water bottle from his car and crouches in front of him, reaching out tentatively to touch his shoulder. Evan startles and looks at him, and he looks like he's been crying for days.
"I didn't t-tell him," he says, his voice choked and hoarse. "I d-didn't--"
He doesn't know who didn't make it out, but he can only assume it was another firefighter.
"I'm sorry," Alex says, at a loss for anything else. He was never good at this part. "Do you want me to get Tommy?"
Evan sniffles and shakes his head. "No, it's okay."
Weirdly, Alex has the impulse to insist that he grab the guy from where he's currently sat in the command center until he can be trusted to not swing on any members of the US Army. He doesn't even know if Evan noticed that. Now that he knows they're not terrorists, he's kind of rooting for them.
"Buck," someone says from behind Alex, and he stands to see a shell-shocked woman and a mournful firefighter. "Baby, I'm so sorry."
She sits next to Evan--or Buck?--and pulls him into her arms. He folds in on her and sobs, the other firefighter sitting on his other side and hugging him, burying his face in Buck's back.
Alex feels like he's intruding and retreats. He pops into the command center, and Tommy is sitting on a chair with his fists curled on his thighs, his head bowed. There's a grim-faced Army colonel standing over him trying to ask him questions, and Tommy looks up with tears in his eyes and tells him to fuck off. Alex wants to tell him to go check on Evan, but he's got four ranking members of the Army between him and Tommy.
He backs out again and bumps into Deb. She's watching as a stoic, crying woman follows a body bag out of the tunnel.
"I guess he was the captain," she says. "Freak accident, he got exposed to whatever was in there. Sucks."
"Yeah," he agrees, sighing. "Yeah, it sucks."
He looks over his shoulder, and the woman is squeezing Evan's face against her chest as she stares at the body bag with huge, teary eyes. She turns back to Evan and shakes her head, keeping his head down so he doesn't see.
Alex goes home, crawls into bed with his girlfriend and their dumb rescue mutt who hasn't learned a single command in the year they've had him, and he squeezes her tight.
"Mmhey," she mumbles. "Packed f'r you."
He kisses her hair. "I love you."
She rolls over and knees him in the thigh dangerously close to his balls, and Albie settles across his ankles. She says something unintelligible before snoring against his neck, and Alex listens to the asynchronous snoring from his girlfriend and his dog and silently cries for a group of people he doesn't know.
theyâve only been dating a few weeks so they havenât really gone beyond kissing each other. but one night they are at the loft and both tipsy off a bottle of wine, kissing turns into full on making out. they are on the couch and tommyâs hands are all over buck, all soft and respectful. but he tilts and angles his hips in a way that his hard cock brushes against bucks and it flips a switch inside his brain. buck is scrambling into tommyâs lap and is rutting like crazy because being able to feel tommyâs desire for him is spinning wheels in his head. tommy is holding himself back because he doesnât want to push buck too far too quickly but buck is just panting and whining and begging please tommy, fuck please can I cum? and tommy just stares at him in awe as he silently nods. buck throws his head back and he is cumming in his pants like a 15 year old boy but he is still so fucking hard it hurts. he keeps rolling his hip and rutting and panting and whimpering for tommy. and tommy is just gobsmacked, absolutely fucking floored at how badly buck wants this. he lifts him and carries him upstairs over his shoulders and fucks him for the first time.
âSo, why does everyone call you Buck, anyway?â Tommy asks one morning, theyâre in the kitchen, sun streaming in. âI donât think we ever had that conversation.â
Buck smiles, and starts the story he always tells. âWell, there was three Evanâs in my class at the academy andââ he pauses, stops. Smiles drops from his mouth and he scrunches his eye brows together. Tommy stays silent, patiently waiting for him to continue.
âWellââ Buck starts again. âThere were three Evanâs and⊠I never really felt attached to my name. It was always⊠always said in disappointment, disapproval⊠like being Evan was wrongâ Well, now I know Evan was wrong and that I wasnât the son they wanted but well⊠thatâs a different story. Anyway, I offered to go by something else. And Buck was easy.â
Tommy nods, looks at him sincerely, taking the words in. He waits, sees that heâs not quite finished and gives him some time. Heâs always so attuned to what Buck needs.
Buck starts again. âI always thought nicknames were cool, you know? Like⊠everyone in school had them⊠they meant thatâ that someone cared enough to give you one. So I like nicknames. And my parents hated them. I guess⊠I guess that was an additional benefit.â Buck smiles softly again. âI think nicknames mean someone loves you and wants you to know youâre special. So yeah, everyone at the firehouse gets one. Exceptââ
Tommy speaks this time. âExcept I call you Evan.â
Buck smiles, a light pink dusting his cheeks. âYou call me Evan.â He agrees.
Tommy looks slightly conflicted, eyes furrowing before he speaks. âIs that⊠okay?â He asks gently, and Buck smiles wider.
âI gave myself a nickname because it was convenient, a fresh start that wasnât associated with me being a problem child. Butâbut you call me Evan and IâŠâ Buck look at Tommy in the eye, dropping the cloth he was holding on the counter and moving closer.
âYou say Evan and I feel like⊠like Iâve done something right. You say Evan and I just⊠I feel like me. Like⊠I donât know.â Buck shakes his head, takes a breath.
âYou say Evan and I feel like itâs important. Like it matters. Like my name is special. Iâm special. Andâand I like it. So donât stop,â he adds, faking a glare at Tommy whoâs just smiling at him.
Tommy moves that final bit closer, resting his hands on Buckâs waist. âGood,â He says, eyes locked on to him. âBecause youâre so so important to me.â He kisses Buckâs forehead. âSo so special.â Kisses his cheek. âAnd I love you so so much.â And he kisses his lips.
