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The call came on the fifth of June.
A young man’s voice crackled through the dispatch line, thin and strained.
“Eddie! I need—Eddie.”
𝙼𝚊𝚍𝚍𝚒𝚎'𝚜 𝙿𝙾𝚅
“Buck? Is that you, Buck?”
Only silence answered me—no words, just shallow, broken breathing through the earpiece.
“Buck, where are you? Please talk to me,” I begged, fear tightening my chest.
Fear of losing my brother again. Fear of losing another brother.
“I’m at—” he gasped out an address, his voice trembling. “Please… I need to tell—I need to tell Eddie…”
I didn’t hesitate. I dispatched the 118 immediately, my hands shaking as I sent backup units too.
I didn’t know what was waiting for them out there—but I knew it was bad.
𝙴𝚍𝚍𝚒𝚎'𝚜 𝙿𝙾𝚅
My mind splintered into chaos the second I heard it was Buck.
Hurt. Alone. Waiting for us.
We roared into the scene, the sirens a hollow noise in my ears.
I barely registered the truck stopping before I was out, boots hitting the pavement hard.
Bobby was shouting orders behind me, but his voice faded into the background.
All I could hear was a soft, broken groan—and I knew it was Buck.
I ran toward the sound without thinking, my heart in my throat.
“Buck! What happened? Buck, please!” I shouted, my voice cracking.
Tears blurred my vision as I fell to my knees beside him.
“I—I was shot—” he gasped, coughing, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. “I lo—”
His body went limp before he could finish.
I caught him as he collapsed, pressing my hands hard against the wound, willing the blood to stop.
Chim and Hen sprinted toward me, horror flashing across their faces.
“He’s been shot! Help him—please!”
𝙱𝚞𝚌𝚔'𝚜 𝙿𝙾𝚅
I felt a hand covering mine, tracing frantic, trembling patterns over my skin.
I wanted to open my eyes, to tell them I was okay, but my body wouldn’t listen.
I was so tired. So cold.
I slipped into the dark again.
When I finally surfaced hours later, the hand was still there—steady now, simply holding.
I blinked my eyes open, the world blurry around me.
It’s Eddie.
He sat beside me, head bowed, hand wrapped around mine like a lifeline.
He’s here. He saved me.
I brushed my thumb across his knuckles softly, a silent thank you. A silent promise.
𝙳𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚛 - 𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝙱𝚞𝚌𝚔'𝚜 𝙿𝙾𝚅
I was lying on Eddie’s couch, a blanket tucked gently around me.
The house was quiet, the world still wrapped in the soft darkness before dawn.
Everyone else must have gone to bed.
I lay there thinking of Eddie, of everything I felt but never said.
The first soft light of morning crept across the room when Eddie appeared, walking toward me with bare feet and tired eyes.
He sat beside me, close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off him.
“Buck, I—” he started.
I lifted a hand weakly, signaling him to continue.
“Buck, I’ve been thinking,” he said, voice raw. “And I realized… I’m in love with you. I know it’s wrong, I know you don’t feel the same way, and I’m sorry—”
“Eddie—” I tried, but he kept going.
“I never should’ve fallen for my best friend. For you. I should’ve—”
“Eddie!” I interrupted again, louder.
But he pressed on, pain written across his face.
“I’ve messed everything up—”
“EDDIE!” I shouted, grabbing his hand.
He went still, staring at me, stunned.
I took his hand firmly in mine, running my thumb over his scarred knuckles.
Tears welled up in my eyes.
“Eddie,” I said softly. “I love you too. I’ve loved you for a long time. From the moment I met you, something inside me just… knew.
You’re the kindest, bravest, most beautiful person I’ve ever met.
And even when you push people away, even when you hide behind Christopher to protect yourself—I still love you.
I see you.”
Tears slipped down his cheeks.
He lifted his hand to wipe mine away, his touch gentle.
Then, without a word, he leaned in—and kissed me.
It was slow at first, tentative, like a question—and I answered it by kissing him back with everything I had.
The world faded away, leaving just us.
This moment. This feeling.
I held onto it, desperate to burn it into my heart forever.