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Eddie will never get over how much he enjoys nights like these.
Shannon got pregnant years before they were legally allowed to go out and drink at the bars, and when they finally reached the age that they could, they had a toddler and a mortgage and he was gone more often than he was home, so getting drunk with his friends wasn’t a very high priority.
Now though, he’s quite a bit older, with people he trusts to go out and let loose with, and someone to watch Chris while he’s away. Moving to LA was good. Sure, there’s been some downs to go along with all the ups, but he knows that he and Christopher both are happier here than they would have been in Texas, and that’s what he focuses on.
Although, focusing on much of anything at this moment in time is a bit of a struggle, given how much alcohol is flowing through his bloodstream.
Buck had slept on his couch last night before their 12-hour shift this morning, so he volunteered to drive, which meant he was staying sober and Eddie was free to drink without worrying about getting home, because Buck would take care of it. Buck would take care of him, and what an intoxicating thought that is. Almost as intoxicating as the numerous rounds of shots Albert keeps shoving into his hands. They’ve all been different colors, and he doesn’t know the names of any of them, but all he needs to know is that they’re deliciously sweet and go down dangerously smooth.
He’s pretty sure he passed the line between buzzed and undeniably drunk a couple drinks ago, but he doesn’t really care. He could keep doing shots with Albert, Ravi and Karen, or he could nurse his current beer for the rest of the night. He’s here for a good time, however that shakes out.
A burst of laughter rises above the ambient noises of the busy bar and draws his attention away from the youngest Han brother and the stories of his travel, over to the pool tables, where Buck is playing a round with Bobby, Hen and Chimney, while Lucy watches on. He thinks she might just be standing by to shit talk, but he can’t hear over the noises of bumping music and the other people in attendance.
Even if he could, all of his attention is focused on one blonde in particular, and it’s not her.
He can see the lingering effects of laughter on Buck’s face in the wide smile on his face, the crinkles by his eyes and the flush across his cheeks as he jostles Chimney.
He’s so cute like this, all loose and happy and smiley in an airy button down and jeans, Eddie can’t look away from his best friend.
All of a sudden, a strange sensation floods through his body, one hand clenching the beer tighter, the other curling in the booth below him.
Buck is… he’s so cute right now, and Eddie wants to…
He doesn’t want to hurt him, would never wish to be one of the people that causes Buck pain, because his Buck deserves so much better than that, but…
His jaw suddenly aches with the need to sink his teeth into that bicep as it flexes while he takes his turn at the pool table. He wants to bite, to feel that muscle and skin between his teeth, to taste the salty sweat against his tongue.
He grinds his teeth together and flares his fingers to try and dissipate the need to squeeze Buck as tightly as possible with his hands and his arms and his teeth and his legs.
“What’s the face?” Karen asks nonsensically as she palms his eye heavily. He thinks she meant it to be empathetic, or maybe she meant to poke him, who knows. They’ve had a lot of shots.
“Wha’ face?” He slurs as he flinches and jerks back from her still flailing hand, getting dangerously close to his eye.
“ This face.” Ravi answers helpfully, squinting his eyes and leaning forward into Eddie’s space before he pokes Eddie’s cheek from the opposite side, as if to illustrate the face he means.
“It’s jus’ my face!” Eddie swears, leaning as far back into his seat as he can to get away from all the appendages suddenly in his space. Ha. Appendages. That’s a really fun word.
“ Appendages.” He says to himself, huffing a chuckle at all the different constants and how it tickles his mouth when he says it slowly.
“No, no! That’s a grumpy face! I’ve seen your face-face, and your drunk-face, and this is not that. This,” Karen taps the table in front of him for emphasis. “Iz not that. This is- this is a new face, Eddie. A new, grumpy, squinty face.”
Ravi and Albert both nod along sagely to Karen’s observation, but it looks like it takes a lot more effort than usual, which means their whole bodies are moving along with it, and Eddie can’t swallow the laugh that erupts from his chest.
“Kar- They-” He nudges his friend when she looks at him with wide-eyes, and then does his best imitation of the nodding duo, and she finally gets the joke, cackling as she points at them and laughs, leaning heavily into Eddie’s side.
“They look- Your heads! They look heavy!” She tries to explain between peals of laughter. Ravi and Albert look at each other in synch, as if to inspect each other’s heads, which only makes him, and Karen laugh harder.
“Woah, what’s so funny over here?” Hen questions when she makes her way back to the table, her forehead scrunched, but no short amount of affection in her eyes as she gazes down at her wife.
“Hen!” Karen cries as she jumps up and clings to the woman in question. Hen stumbles slightly but wraps her arm around her partner to keep them both steady. “Guys, this is my wife!” Karen reminds them, like they could have forgotten that fact, but her voice is so full of joy and reverence that Eddie can’t even be mad.
Hen’s smile is so warm, she looks so nice like this. Hen is so nice, always. She’s just a very, very nice lady, and Eddie feels the sudden need to make sure that she knows that.
“Hen, Hen. Hen. You’re- you’re so nice. Di’you know that? Like, the nicest. ” He leans forward, resting his palm on the table to balance himself and avoid face planting. “I jus’ needed to let you know that.” He finishes with a nod before leaning back in his booth, pleased that he was able to get his point across.
His co-worker is looking at him with an expression that he can’t quite place, but he mentally shrugs. He was being nice. His mom always said if he didn’t have anything, to not say anything at all. Well, he had a nice thing to say, so he said it.
Wait, is telling someone that they’re nice, nice? Or is it just redundant?
He feels his face scrunch up as he ponders his thoughts, missing whatever Hen says in response, if she says anything, but soon enough, there’s a body sliding into the booth beside him.
A very familiar body, attached to a finger that lifts to rub gently at the spot between his eyebrows. “What’s the thinky face for?”
His head snaps up, chest lighting up at the sight of his best friend. “Buck!!” He shouts in excitement. Maybe a little loud, based on Buck’s slight flinch, but he has to be heard over the music, damn it. “You’re back! Did you win?” Eddie demands, peering around to see the pool table area, as if there’s a scoreboard he can check. There’s not. He knows that. He doesn’t know why he did that.
Buck’s chuckle draws his attention back, and Eddie curses himself for looking away in the first place. There’s not a single thing in this whole bar that deserves his attention more than Buck does, with his happy smile and his bright eyes. He’s so pretty. He’s the prettiest, actually. Hen’s the nicest, and Buck’s the prettiest.
Boys can’t be pretty, that’s gay. A voice in his head scolds him, one that sounds eerily like his father, but Eddie mentally shrugs again. Buck is pretty, that’s just a fact of the universe, one that Eddie noticed on the very first day he started at the 118. He doesn’t think it’s gay to acknowledge that, but if it is, then call him Mr. Gay.
“Ah, Lucy wanted to play, and I was okay with giving up my cue stick. I already beat Chim, and that’s all I really care about.” Buck answers with a gleeful grin and a shrug, and Eddie laughs again, leaning into Buck’s warmth. Buck’s happy to beat his brother-in-law, and that makes Eddie happy. He’s very happy right now, actually. Everything is light and shiny and colorful and the tiniest bit hazy, but he feels good. So good.
“So, what were you frowning about earlier?” Buck prods again, and Eddie stares at him blankly, having no idea what he’s talking about. “You- when I came over, you had your thinking face on.” He prompts, like Eddie should know what he’s talking about, but he doesn’t, and his mouth turns down at the thought that Buck needs Eddie to know something and he forgot it.
“I wouldn’t expect too much out of him, Buckaroo. Him and Karen were laughing maniacally when I came back from the bar, and the only thing I’ve been able to get out of my wife is something about “heavy heads”. Hen warns his partner, but the reminder has him and Karen both looking at each other again and crowing, “Heavy heads!” In unison, before giving into the laughter all over again.
Buck watches him with a look so soft that Eddie kind of wants to melt. He already feels a little melty, but then the other man looks at him like that and he gets even more melty. He doesn’t realize that he has melted a little bit, enough to have him leaning heavily into Buck’s side, until a heavy arm falls over his shoulders and down to his waist, holding him firmly in place.
His palm is heavy and spans a substantial amount of Eddie’s torso, and there are little sparks that start at that point of contact and burst out in small explosions all over his body, and wow. He hopes they never have to move, that they can just sit like this, with all these sparklers running through him all night long.
–
3 rounds of shots, another beer, a giant plate of nachos and a couple hours later, Buck is still there, arm wrapped around Eddie. He’d gotten up to get them another round of drinks, and immediately grabbed onto Eddie again once he sat back down, sending a hot look his way that made him feel more of that shimmering, burning hot feeling again. He really likes that look in Buck’s eyes.
He’s in the middle of talking, relaying a story that Eddie has probably heard before, but he’s having a hard time focusing on right now, because again, Buck is cute.
He looks so excited, eyes wide, free hand moving throughout like he’s illustrating the scene for them. His voice is so nice, and his face is so expressive, with those eyes and brows and he…
Eddie scowls as that feeling from earlier comes back. His palms and between his fingers itch with the need to touch, and he’s pretty sure his molars are tingling with the desire to bite. He doesn’t want to hurt Buck. He doesn’t, he doesn’t, he doesn’t, so why does he want to squeeze and bite him?
He claps his hands together, interlocking his fingers and then snaps his teeth together a couple times in an attempt to sate the urge.
Even over the music playing overhead and all the conversations of the other patrons around them, Buck is close enough to hear the sound of his teeth clicking together, his own forehead creasing with concern at the look on Eddie’s face. “Woah, okay. What’s going on? Are you alright?”
Eddie shakes his head adamantly, afraid that if he opens his mouth, he’s actually going to bite his partner.
Buck, not understanding the danger he’s in, keeps pushing. “Hey, if you wanna go, just tell me, and we can head out. I don’t care, I just want to know what’s bothering you.” His eyes are so wide and earnest and concerned for Eddie, and he can’t stop his mouth from opening.
“You.”
His tone is decidedly grumpy, and he didn’t mean that they way that it sounded, but he knows how Buck took it, given the way he dims, shoulders hunching as he tries to remove his arm out from around Eddie, as if touching him is the problem.
“No!” He shouts, quickly reaching down to grab ahold of Buck’s hand to keep it in place around his hip, obstinately pasting it back across the dip of his waist and narrowing his eyes at the blonde in a warning to keep it there.
“Eds, I- If I’m what’s bothering you, then I can go, I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. I never want that.” Buck swears mournfully, like it hurts him to think he could be causing Eddie discomfort.
Eddie shakes his head vehemently to dissuade him of that, because it’s not true. Buck is one of the only things that he can draw comfort from in this whole big world, and he can’t let him think otherwise.
“No. No, no, nonononono.” He states with each shake of his head, although he does it too quickly and the word starts to run together as he gets dizzy, a feeling that makes him laugh again.
Buck watches all of this with some of the warmth from earlier back in his eyes, but a clear question still lurking in his gaze. “Okay, if I’m not making you uncomfortable, then why were you so scowly a second ago?” He persists, and Eddie sighs, curling his free hand back into a fist where it’s raised in between them without his permission.
Eddie debates the best way to get out of this discussion, but with Buck looking at him like that, he can’t think of anything but the truth. So, with a growl, he admits, “You’re so fucking cute, Buck. You’re so pretty and I want to squeeze you. I want to squeeze you so bad that my hands actually itch, Buck.” He whines, holding his hands out, palms up, as if to show Buck what he’s talking about. “I wanna’ hold you so so tight, but I don’t ever ever want to hurt you, you have to believe me.” Eddie knows his tone is bordering on pitiful, but he’s confessing that some messed up part of him wants to hurt his friend!! He thinks he’s allowed to be a little pitiful.
Although, instead of looking scared or disgusted, Buck looks confused for a second, and then it’s like a lightbulb goes off in his brain, and he’s smiling at Eddie again. “Wait, Eddie, have you never heard of cute aggression?” He asks knowingly, and Eddie frowns, vaguely recognizing the term, but unable to find its definition in his alcohol-addled brain.
“It’s what happens when your brain sees something very cute, so cute that it’s a little bit overwhelmed, in fact, that the natural urge is a desire to bite, or hold, or squeeze. You don’t actually want to hurt the object of your cute aggression, it’s just the way our brain handles that stimulus.” Buck recites in that voice he gets when he starts sharing his latest Wikipedia search.
He’s so cute, and perfect, and nerdy, and Eddie adores him so goddamn much. “You are overwhelming.” He whispers, the words slipping out without his permission. He mentally smacks himself upside the head for saying that, knowing how sensitive Buck is and how often he thinks he’s too much for the people around him to handle, but before he can try to correct his mistake, Buck blushes, the redness barely noticeable in the dim light and strobing colors, but Eddie’s pretty sure he’d know his partner blind at this point. Plus, he drops his chin and smiles up at Eddie through his lashes, a sweetly embarrassed look that he does when someone is being nice to him, and Eddie sighs in relief that he didn’t say the wrong thing again.
“So, it’s okay? The- cute aggression?” He repeats slowly, trying out the words on his tongue. He only knows what Buck has shared about it, but he has to admit, it sounds pretty accurate.
Buck smiles as he leans in a little closer, the arm not wrapped around Eddie propping his head up on the table. “Yeah, Eds, it’s alright. It’s flattering, actually.” He chuckles wryly.
Eddie smiles as a heavy breath of relief escapes him, reassured that he doesn’t actually want to hurt Buck. He knew that, knew that he would never want to actually, genuinely hurt his partner, but if it’s just cute aggression, and it’s okay, then…
His eyes snag on Buck’s shoulder and upper arm, at the way his bicep ripples under the short sleeve, and how good he smells. He’s distracted by the vein he can see in Buck’s neck, and he…
He leans down, head fuzzy and brain hazy and only one thing on his mind now that it’s okay and Buck isn’t freaked out or scared of him.
He opens his mouth as wide as he can and chomps down on Buck’s shoulder. Not enough to break skin, but more than a nip.
“Ow! Eddie!” Buck screeches as he flinches, jerking in place, and Eddie releases the muscle from between his teeth.
“What?! You said it was okay!” He whines, mournfully staring at the shoulder he just had his teeth in.
“Yeah, but I didn’t think you were going to bite me!” Buck argues back, and Eddie can’t tell if the laughter that coats each word is born of amusement or incredulity.
“Wait, did you say that Eddie bit you?” Bobby questions from across the table in concern, words loud enough to carry, which means everyone is looking at them now.
“Buck said it was okay!” Eddie rushes to defend himself, hoping to get the Cap on his side. If Bobby says that he can bite Buck, then Buck has to let him do it again. He’s 86% sure it’s in the rulebook somewhere.
“I said you having Cute Aggression is normal! I didn’t know you’d take that would cause you to gnaw on me like a dog with a bone!”
“Wait, wait, wait.” Hen interrupts, leaning her elbows on the table to point at them both, amusement clear in the laughter on her face she’s not even trying to hide. “ Buck is giving you cute aggression?”
“Yes! Look at him!” Eddie cries, using his hand - the one not currently clinging to Buck’s - to gesture forcefully to the man beside him. “He’s so cute! He’s the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen and I just- I want to bite him so bad.” He complains loudly to the table, whining when Buck dips his head again and flutters his eyelashes at Eddie’s words.
“Do you see what I mean?!” He cries, reaching up to hold Buck’s face in his hands. “Look at this face, this adorable, perfect face, and tell me you don’t want to just… nibble on these cheeks.” He dares them with a glare, knowing full well that they can’t disagree. Buck is so nibbly.
Nibbable?
Who cares what the correct word is, Buck is that, and Eddie knows that nobody can argue that.
“I’d prefer not to have my teeth anywhere near Buck’s cheeks, but if you feel that way Eddie, than that’s completely valid.” Hen placates him gently.
“Yeah, count me out too. Sorry, but the only Buckley I want to nibble on is at home with our daughter.” Chim adds, holding his hands up in surrender when Eddie makes a noise of disbelief, mouth open to argue exactly how cute Buck is and ask what’s wrong with their eyesight. They very clearly need glasses if they can’t see what Eddie’s seeing.
“Okay, I think Eddie needs to be cut off.” Bobby points out calmly, de-escalating the situation before it gets too heated. “Do you have a ride home, Eddie?”
He nods, moving in closer to cling to Buck, wrapping his arms around his best friend’s shoulders and nuzzling his face into his throat. “Buck’s my ride. He always takes care of me. He’s the best.” He sighs dreamily in answer, trilling in his throat when Buck’s arms both wrap around his waist and hold him close.
“Buck, are you alright to take him home?” Their captain asks, and Eddie tightens his arms and peeks out just enough to glare at Bobby. He can’t take Buck away from him. Eddie won’t allow it.
“Yeah Cap, we’ll be fine. It’s Eddie.” Buck’s answer is succinct, like that’s all that needs to be known. It’s him, and it’s Buck, and that’s all that matters.
It appeases the indignant, clawing feeling inside of him at the thought of someone taking Buck away from him, and he relaxes, scowl sliding off his face as he settles against his best friend.
“Okay, Eddie, I’m gonna take you home but you’ve gotta let go of me.” Buck instructs him a few seconds of trying to disentangle their limbs.
“No.” He retorts simply, closing his eyes, body going boneless. His head and his limbs and his eyelids are so heavy. He’s too heavy to move, and he’s also far too comfortable. Buck makes the best pillow; all plush muscle and warm skin and he smells so good.
He can hear the man above him chuckle, blowing air through Eddie’s hair, and a moment later, he’s being physically moved. Buck’s using his hold on Eddie’s waist to slide him out of the booth behind him. Soft heat curls through Eddie’s stomach at the move, the way Buck manhandles him with ease. As he’s lifted off the bench and led out to the parking lot, the heat spreads, seeping through his chest and stretching out his limbs.
He wants Buck to do it more.
He’s always been the bigger one. Even as a kid, he picked his sisters up with ease, and that extended to every girlfriend he’s had, and his son. He’s been the muscle, and the reality of Buck taking on that role now, without even breaking a sweat, based on what Eddie can see, has him wishing for one of those fans from back in the day, like from the period-drama shows his baby sister watches. Eddie’s hot, and now he’s realizing that Buck isn’t just cute and pretty and adorable, he’s also so fucking hot.
Eddie stares up at his friend, taking in his side profile, and the heaviness in his body has less to do with alcohol and more to do with need.
Rosy cheeks that are a few shades lighter than his birthmark, pink, full lips, and a strong nose. His jawline is sharp, even as his smile is soft and indulgent, and God, Eddie wants him.
He doesn’t look away even as he’s loaded into Buck’s Jeep, merely following along his every move as he buckles Eddie in and jogs around the front of the car to get in. He keeps watching as Buck shifts into drive and expertly navigates their way home in the quiet, face illuminated by street lights every couple feet, and wow, why has Eddie never taken the time to sit and look at Buck before? He thinks this might be his new favorite thing. Fuck those quick, stolen glances that never last more than a few seconds at a time, he wants this. He wants to unabashedly stare at his partner, soak up every inch and breathe him in.
“You okay there, Eddie? You haven’t said anything since we left.” Buck’s voice disrupts the serenity that had filled the air, such a stark contrast to the music and mayhem of the bar, but Eddie doesn’t mind. He’s always liked listening to Buck talk.
“Hmm. Yeah, I’m fine. I just like to look at you.” He offers in explanation, his voice so incredibly awed, far too adoring, he thinks. Some part of his brain that he’s long since stopped listening to is screaming at him, furious about the words he’s said and the cards he’s shown, but he knows that’s more from fear than any actual anger.
He doesn’t know why he’s scared though. It’s Buck.
His lips quirk shyly at Eddie’s answer, and he hums, but otherwise doesn’t answer.
His sense of time is all messed up, it feels like he blinks and they’re pulling into his driveway. Chris is probably already asleep, based on a quick glance to the clock on the dash, and he rationalizes that he needs to be quiet. That’s why he reaches out for Buck the second the man opens his car door.
It’s for the good of the family.
When Buck smiles sweetly down at him and holds him close again, it only reaffirms that thought.
He does his best to be helpful as Buck navigates them through the house and to his bedroom, carefully peeling off Eddie’s clothes, with little to no help from him.
He’s really trying! He is!
It’s only that pulling his gaze away from Buck feels like more effort than he currently feels like exerting, so he mostly ends up tangling himself up in his clothes and making more work for Buck.
Thankfully, the man doesn’t seem to mind too much, his scolding, “Eddie! Jesus, stop wiggling.” Is delivered with barely suppressed laughter in a hushed voice.
Finally, he’s stripped down to his boxers, and huffily waves away the pajamas that Buck grabs, going as far as taking them out of his hands and tossing them across the room with a pout before scooting gracelessly up the bed.
Buck rolls his eyes but quits his crusade to redress Eddie, thankfully.
When he makes his way back to the door though, Eddie shoots up, blinking rapidly as the world spins around him. “Where y’going?”
Buck pauses, looking back at Eddie over his shoulder. “Well, I’m going to say goodbye to Carla, lock up and then go to sleep.” The obviously is left unsaid, but is still very clear in his voice.
Eddie hums, vaguely remembering that Carla was watching Chris while they went out tonight. He didn’t see her when they came in, but he also hasn’t seen much of anything except Buck, so it makes sense. “Okay, c’you bring water when you come back to bed?” He requests, falling onto his back again.
“Yeah, I’ll get you some water. Be back in a second.”
Eddie grunts in response, burrowing into the pillows.
He hears low voices, the familiarity of Buck’s adding to his sleepiness, but he fights the pull of it, needing to be awake when he comes back in a few minutes.
He hears the front door close, and then footsteps pad around his house - the ease with which Buck moves around their home only serves to warm him further - and then his door cracks open, the hall light behind Buck and casting him in an ethereal glow that has Eddie’s breath catching in his throat.
He looks like an angel, and Eddie’s pretty sure Buck’s the only thing he’s had faith in in years.
“Here, I brought you water and a couple painkillers. Hopefully your hangover won’t be too bad in the morning.” His angel offers sweetly, holding both out until Eddie takes them, popping the pills in his mouth and then chugging the entire glass of water and setting it on the nightstand. “Thank you.”
Buck nods jerkily, and then starts walking away, again.
“What are you doing?”
“Uhm… going to bed?” Buck offers questioningly, as if surprised by Eddie’s words.
“Okay, but the bed is here. Why are you leaving the room?” He asks slowly.
“Bec- because I’m sleeping on the couch, and that’s in the living room?” Buck says, equally as slowly and confused.
Eddie whines at that, pawing at the bed beside him to pull the covers down. “No. Fuck the couch. I hate the couch. Sleep with me.”
Buck makes a noise, and Eddie doesn’t know if it’s a snicker or a warble of surprise. “Eddie, what are you talking about?”
“What are YOU talking about?!” Eddie whines, growing more upset the longer Buck tries to get out of sleeping beside him.
He wasn’t alone at the bar, okay? He very clearly remembers the way Buck held him, and the looks he sent Eddie’s way. He’s drunk, but he didn’t imagine the softness with which Buck watched him, or the heat in his eyes when Eddie’s hand fell on his thigh.
He was there, the whole time, but now Buck is acting like none of it happened, and Eddie thinks he might actually cry.
“Woah, woah, woah. No, Eddie, please don’t cry.” Buck pleads as he hurriedly crosses the room, hands up like he’s reaching for Eddie, though he stops before he makes contact.
Eddie finishes the move, reaching out and tangling his hands in Buck’s. “If you don’t want me to cry, then stop making me cry. Come to bed, Buck.” He beseeches.
Buck groans low in his throat, sounding tortured as he studies Eddie, trying to determine if he’s being serious or not.
Finally, he gives in, shoulders slumping. “Okay, let me turn the lights off and I’ll be back.”
Eddie cheers beneath his breath, clumsily crawling under the covers that he’d been laying on top of until that point, waiting impatiently for Buck to come back, fingers tapping impatiently on the bed beside him.
Finally, the door opens again, though the house is fully dark now. He hears the soft shuffling of Buck changing clothes and slipping under the blankets gently, like he’s trying to avoid waking Eddie up.
It’s sweet, but unnecessary, because as soon as he gets fully into the bed, Eddie is on him again, silently manipulating his body until he’s laying on his side, and Eddie is wrapping his arms around Buck’s torso and pulling him back against his chest, spooning him tightly.
Buck doesn’t argue, but he does freeze, so Eddie has to check. “Is this okay?”
After a noisy breath, the blonde nods, pushing further back into Eddie. “Yeah. Yeah, it’s okay.”
Eddie hums happily, even more so when he realizes Buck isn’t wearing a shirt, which means all the skin is bare to him.
Having learned his lesson at the bar, he leans in slower, opening his mouth and pressing it gently against the skin of Buck’s shoulder. He doesn’t bite down nearly as hard this time, though his lips still close around his teeth, sucking lightly.
Buck huffs a laugh, but doesn’t pull away. Instead, he reaches back with one hand and tangles his fingers in Eddie’s hair, keeping him in place.
Eddie makes a happy sound in the back of his throat, letting his tongue out, lapping up the taste of his slightly salty skin. “Okay?” The word is muffled, given that Eddie doesn’t really let go of Buck when he asks, but it comes out clear enough for Buck to understand what he’s asking.
“Yeah, you’re okay, Eddie. God, I hope you don’t hate me for this in the morning.” He whispers as his other hand tangles in the ones Eddie has slung around his waist.
“I won’t. Promise. I love you too much to hate you.” Eddie swears, tightening his hold on his partner, pressing the two of them even further together.
Buck’s ass bumps against his groin, and fuck, it feels really good, but that’s not what he wants. All he wants right now is to hold onto Buck as tightly as he physically can and keep him as close as possible. It’s absolutely not the first time he’s wanted this, but it is the only time he’s been brave enough to take it, and he knows he has the alcohol to thank for this burst of bravery.
Buck makes a strangled noise in the back of his throat, fingers spasming where he’s holding Eddie. “ Fuck. Eddie, don’t say that to me, not if you’re not going to mean it tomorrow. I don’t think I could recover from that.”
Buck is begging, but Eddie doesn’t know why he sounds so upset. They’re finally together now. Everything is going to be okay.
He wants to comfort his partner, but the sleep he’s been fighting off since they left the bar is dragging him down, refusing to release the grasp it has on him, and he can’t do more than mumble unintelligibly before he loses the battle with consciousness.
—
Wakefulness hits him like a bus the next morning.
Or maybe, he got hit by a bus before he fell asleep, and he’s merely being forced to deal with the consequences now that he’s conscious again.
He groans in pain as drums begin to beat against his skull, his entire body feeling like it’s been flattened twice over.
There’s movement beside him, and it’s only then that he realizes there’s somebody else in the bed with him.
He freezes, searching his hazy memories for an explanation.
Whisps flash across his still-closed eyes of Buck, sitting beside him, holding him close, hand fitted securely against the dip of his waist, eyes half-lidded as they watched him. He remembers their talk about cute aggression and why he wanted to squeeze Buck. Mortification fills him with the memory of biting Buck at their table and then trying to explain what was happening to their co-workers. God, he doesn’t think he’s ever made a bigger fool of himself.
He peeks one eye open as he recalls what happened once they got home, and yup, he’s only wearing his boxers, and holding an equally shirtless Buck (though at least he is wearing pants) to his chest, and there’s a huge hickey right in front of his eyeline, big and dark and unmistakably claiming on the top of Buck’s shoulder.
As much as he hates how last night happened, he can’t deny the delight that rushes through him at the mark, even more so at the way Buck held onto him just as tightly, like he didn’t want it to end anymore than Eddie did.
“You finally awake?”
Buck’s voice startles him into a jerk, which just sets off the headache more. He grunts in response, hiding his face from the sun in the back of Buck’s shoulder.
“Do you remember what happened last night?” The question is hesitant, like Buck’s not sure if he really wants the answer or not.
His throat is thick and gross, and he knows any words he tries to use are going to come out broken and unrecognizable, so instead he hums in the affirmative, breathing in the lingering scent of cologne and Buck.
“Eddie, I’m going to need a little bit more to go on here.”
Eddie finally lifts his head and pries his eyes open a little more when the frantic undertone of Buck’s request hits him.
“Are you freaking out?” He wonders, and he was right, his voice does indeed sound broken and choppy, like he gargles gravel in his spare time.
Buck huffs, far more awake than Eddie at the moment, and he tries not to think about the implications of that - Buck waking up before him, but still laying in Eddie’s arms until he woke - lest he let free the goofy and besotted smile tugging at his lips.
“Am I freaking out?” Buck repeats, incredulously, still facing away from him. “No, I have no idea why I would be freaking out, it’s not like our entire relationship changed last night. No, you regularly announce how cute and squeezable you think I am to our coworkers. You bite me and then bully me into your bed all the time! It’s not like that’s a totally new thing that you did while you were drunk and, therefore, not in full use of your mental capacities. Oh wait!” He snarks back, and Eddie can’t really argue that now, can he?
He sighs, extending his arm that’s been under Buck all night and is now dead to try and get some feeling back into it. “Buck, I’m incredibly hungover, can you please stop yelling?” He requests first, rolling onto his back to stretch out.
Buck tries to move away from him, but Eddie grabs his shoulder before he can and pulls him back, insistent until the man turns on his side and rests his head on Eddie’s shoulder. He moves in short bursts, but Eddie can also feel him take what he thinks is supposed to be a calming breath, and he doesn’t argue.
“Yes, I remember what happened last night, and yes, I was drunk and not really thinking straight, and sure, maybe I hate that it happened, a little bit-”
A choked noise interrupts his speech, and he can feel Buck pulling away from him again. He mentally swears, hearing how the words sounded out loud, especially to someone like Buck, who is so used to being left.
“No no no, don’t go.”
“Eddie, you just said that you hate what happened last night, and I really don’t want to make you uncomfortable, which means I need to get out of this bed and maybe give us some time so I can get over these feelings-”
Eddie growls, trying to wrangle Buck back onto the mattress to stop him from leaving and doing something stupid, like trying to get over Eddie.
In the end, he pushes Buck back enough that he can then throw a leg over his hips and basically sit on him, using his own bodyweight to trap him. Then, he grabs the hands that are pushing against his shoulders and presses them against the bed above Buck’s head. “Stop.”
Buck stills, as if noticing their position for the first time, blinking up at Eddie in surprise and confusion, but at least he’s stopped.
Eddie exhales heavily, closing his eyes against the vertigo and nausea swirling through his body at the sudden movement. “First of all, fuck you for making me fucking… wrestle you to the bed when I’m this hungover.” He says without malice, lips turning up at Buck’s single, surprised chuckle.
He leans down, still holding onto Buck’s wrists, and rests his forehead against his partner’s jaw, seeking comfort to fight the angry hangover wreaking havoc in his body. “If you make me chase you down again, I’m going to be so incredibly grumpy, so can you please just sit here and let my alcohol-soaked brain catch up with my mouth, please?” He implores, waiting until Buck nods to continue.
“Okay, thank you. When I said that I hated what happened last night, I meant the how and the where. I hate that I had to be that drunk to talk to you about this, and I hate that I made it a big thing in front of our friends, and I hate that I was too drunk to stay awake last night and reassure you that this is real, not some alcohol induced stupidity that I’m going to change my mind about, okay? Buck, you have to know how much I absolutely adore you. I love you, am in love with you, and I have been for a while. I don’t hate that we’re here now. In fact, once I quit feeling like death warmed over, I might even be kind of obnoxious about it.” He warns, and Buck’s awed laughter is music to his ears.
He pulls back enough to see that every ounce of fear and heartbreak that had been stealing the light from Buck’s eyes is gone, having been replaced with a look so loving and warm that Eddie’s not entirely sure he can’t actually feel it against his skin. “God, Eddie. I love you too. I love you so much. I thought I was going to literally explode last night at so many different times because I couldn’t handle how much I loved you and thought you didn’t love me back.”
“Physically impossible. How anybody can know you and not want you is insane to me, but I’m not stupid like everyone else is. I plan on keeping you.” He swears softly, releasing one of Buck’s wrists in favor of trailing fingers along his face. “I do hate that my mouth feels this disgusting, and probably smells awful, because I can’t kiss you right now.”
Buck raises an eyebrow, eyes sparkling. “I think I could handle hangover breath. At least a little bit.” He offers, but Eddie shakes his head resolutely, climbing off of Buck to traipse on shaky legs to the bathroom.
“Nope. We have a whole lifetime for gross morning kisses. Our first kiss is not going to taste like whatever animal crawled in my mouth and died overnight.” He gripes, reaching for his toothbrush and brushing his teeth with as much vigor as is left in his strung-out body.
Buck comes to stand beside him, smiling fondly as he does the same, smiling around his toothbrush when their eyes catch and hold in the mirror, head falling on top of Eddie’s when he rests it on the other’s shoulder.
Once they spit and rinse with mouthwash, Buck turns to him expectantly. “Can I kiss you now?”
Eddie decides against wasting time answering with words, instead grabbing Buck’s hips and pulling him into his body again, smiling as lips land on his.
It’s minty and slow and sweet as pie, their lips sliding against each other as Buck’s hands lift and cradle Eddie’s face, holding him so tenderly, like Eddie is someone that’s meant to be handled gently.
He’s definitely hungover, because the thought makes tears prickle in his eyes at the reminder of how much Buck takes care of him, even in these small ways that nobody else would think twice about.
Once they finally pull apart, Eddie wraps his arms the rest of the way around Buck’s middle, tucking his face into his shoulder, mouth falling open of its own accord and teeth scraping against the hollow of his collarbone, right where his thumb rests when he grabs Buck’s shoulder.
Buck jumps with a chuckle, holding Eddie around his shoulders and resting their heads together. “So, is this going to be a thing now? You biting me out of nowhere?” He doesn’t sound upset about it at all, more endeared, maybe even a little pleased, so Eddie can’t feel bad about it.
He shrugs, sucking the skin into his mouth and nibbling on it a little before letting it go and answering. “If so, it’s completely your fault. Stop being so overwhelmingly cute, and I can stop losing my mind over it.” He quips back airily, loving the way Buck snorts as he rests his hand on the back of Eddie’s neck, like he’s keeping him in place.
“I guess I’ll have to suffer through it.” Buck responds with a put upon sigh, but even from where Eddie’s resting against his chest, he can hear the smile in his voice.
“Yeah yeah, poor baby Buck. Will you make me breakfast? I need something to cure this hangover.”
Buck guffaws at his response, and Eddie gets to taste it when he brings their lips together again, smiles making it impossible to be anything more than teeth pressing together and shared breaths, but neither of them care.
“Yes, dear. Go get dressed, and I’ll start on breakfast. Maybe give you something else to chew on.”
Eddie grins, kissing the mark that’s slowly forming from his mouth. “No chance of that happening, sorry. I appreciate it anyway.”
Buck grumbles as he turns and walks out of the bathroom towards the kitchen.
“Hey.” Eddie calls once he exits the room too, knowing the look on his face is so incredibly sappy, but he has no interest in clearing it. Buck deserves to know just how much Eddie adores him. “I love you.”
Buck’s breathtaking smile is worth every single awful second of this cursed hangover. “I love you too, Eddie.” His voice is equally as soft as his face, but all too soon, that expression slides away into something more mischievous. “Now go get dressed, and grab me a shirt, too. I really don’t want to explain to your son that you’ve somehow transformed into a vampire without us knowing.”
Eddie rolls his eyes and flips him off over his shoulder, but he can’t stop the smile that curves his lip at the sound of Buck’s delighted laughter that follows him down the hallway.
He quickly pulls some clothes on, deciding to shower after breakfast, and grabs a t-shirt that he tosses at Buck when he makes it back out to the kitchen.
He’s disgustingly hungover, and already dreading the teasing he’s undeniably going to be subjected to on their next shift, but as he wraps his arms around Buck’s waist and holds him as the other man makes breakfast, he thinks it all worked out alright in the end.