Chapter Text
“Did you have a pet as a kid?” Buck asked, turning around and propping himself up on his elbow.
They were in bed, tired from spending the day with Sal and his family for their youngest daughter's 9th birthday.
"My mom loved birds. We had all kinds of them for years. She taught us how to look after them and how to hold them. We even had this African grey parrot that had been with her since she was a teenager. It loved her, but couldn't stand my dad. Clearly it had great taste."
Buck gave him a small smile.
“So that's where your love of flying comes from.”
Tommy laughed.
“Yeah, maybe. That doesn't explain Don though."
“Well you said it had great taste.” Buck said and they both laughed. “Don't tell him I said that, he'll sic his squad on me.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you from my big bad brother.” Tommy teased.
Buck had met Tommy’s twin brother Donovan only a handful of times, a few family dinners and other get togethers with his partner Dominique, and once on the job in full tac gear with some kind of rifle in his hand.
That time had been during his and Tommy’s break up, and Donovan had come up to him and told him to stop being an idiot, because his brother probably never would.
And even though he was used to Athena’s patented disappointed but not surprised looks, it had been kind of intimidating. Especially since he talked with his hands, and one of those had been holding the gun.
He pushed the thought out of his mind and decided it was time for another family barbeque. Maybe he’d invite the whole 118 family too, and Tommy’s crew from Harbor.
He got comfortable in bed and watched Tommy rub his eyes and put his book away on the nightstand.
“Nothing else? No dogs or cats?” he asked, continuing their earlier conversation.
Tommy blinked a few times and Buck watched him backtrack the last 15 minutes in his head to remember what they were talking about.
“My nonna, my grandma on my mother's side, had this yappy little dog. It tolerated me, but it loved Don. And we had guinea pigs for a while. They were a present from an aunt who had one that had had babies. But when the last one died my mom was already sick so we didn't dare ask for new ones.” Tommy paused and seemed to get lost on memories for a moment until buck squeezed his hand as quiet support. “What about you? Did you and Maddie have any pets growing up?”
Buck snorted.
“You've met my parents, you know what they were like when I was a kid, do you really think they would have gotten a pet on top of that?” he shook his head. “I always wanted a dog though. I used to run around with our neighbour's border collie. We'd go to this dog park and play fetch for an afternoon. Until it got arthritis and wasn’t allowed to run anymore.”
“I always wanted a dog too.” Tommy told him. “But first there was the army, and then the LAFD shifts... It just wouldn't be fair on a dog, you know.”
“Yeah.” Buck agreed and wrapped an arm around his waist. “Maybe when we're both retired. We'll have more time and we can get a dog.”
“You're thinking about retirement already? You’re not even 40.”
Buck gave a one armed shrug.
“Just thinking ahead.”
They were silent for a while until Buck shifted to look at Tommy.
“I think we should get a cat. They’re easy to care for and more independent than dogs. And if we both work overnights we can get someone to come feed them, maybe Maddie and Jee, and still spend time with them when we're home. They wouldn't need walking and we can just... hang out.”
He was getting excited and rolled over to grab his phone from the night stand.
“We can go to a shelter and see if we can meet some of the cats to see if there's a click.”
“Maybe this one? It's cute right? And its name is donut! How cute is that?”
He continued to show Tommy more pictures of shelter cats, who wondered how they had gone from a conversation about childhood pets, to possibly adopting a cat.
“We’re both off next Wednesday, we can go to the shelter and see if there are any cats we like. And that like us.” He continued. “Or I could pick you up after your shift on Tuesday. The website says they’re open until six.”
“Don’t you have a shift on Thursday?”
“Friday.” Buck corrected him. “But if we keep waiting for the perfect time, it’ll never happen. Sometimes you just have to settle for the best time right now.”
Tommy narrowed his eyes at him.
“Did you get that from Bobby’s mother? It sounds like her faith healing… stuff.”
Buck laughed a little.
“No. Bobby himself actually. When he was in hospital after the lab explosion. Though maybe he did get it from her.”
“We’ll just name our cat after him as thanks.” Tommy decided and gently plucked Buck’s phone out of his hand and put it on the nightstand. “But now I need sleep, I’ve been used as a jungle gym all day, I’m exhausted.” He turned off the lights and pulled Buck down under the covers with him.
“So you want to get a cat too?”
“Baby as long as you let me sleep now, I’ll adopt every stray cat in the city with you.”
---
“Hey Buckley, come to pick up your man?” Casey, one of Tommy's coworkers called out to him when he walked into the hangar Tuesday afternoon. Technically they had decided to hold off on the shelter until Wednesday when they had more time, but Buck had spent most of his day off scrolling through pages of cats from various shelters and he was excited for Tommy to see them too. Preferably in person.
“Yup, is he ready?”
“I think he's still in there getting changed.” Casey pointed her thumb in the general direction of the locker room. “Just go on through, but keep it PG though yeah? I've seen enough of Kinard's bare ass over the years to last me a lifetime.”
Buck laughed.
“Don't worry, that ass is off limits for anyone but me these days. Though it is a very nice ass so maybe I’ll let you have a look next time.”
“Whose ass are we talking about?” Tommy asked, coming out of the locker room, hair still wet from his shower.
“Yours.” Buck told him and kissed him hello. “And Casey agreed it’s a great one.”
“I always knew you had a secret thing for me, Case.”
“Oh yeah, I can hardly control myself around you. I better go take a cold shower before I go home and cry myself to sleep over the fact you love another.” Casey good naturedly rolled her eyes and left to go get her own stuff and make her way home.
Tommy jokingly blew her a kiss before turning to Buck.
“Don’t take this the wrong way, because I’m absolutely always happy to see you… but why are you here? Did I forget something? Did we have plans?”
“No, I just came to pick you up because I felt like it.”
“You… felt like driving all the way out here on your day off?”
“I took an Uber actually. So we won’t have to leave one car behind and come back for it later.”
“Ok… so you paid for someone to take you all the way out here because you felt like it?”
“I just wanted to see you, is that so bad?”
“We live in the same house. We share a bed most days.”
“Ok maybe I didn’t just want to see you…” Buck started, ignoring Tommy’s raised eyebrow of indignance. “Maybe there is someone I want you to meet.”
“Uh…”
“Look. Just look and keep an open mind ok?” Buck pulled his phone out of his pocket and tapped the screen a few times. “I found the perfect cat for us. He’s orange, he’s really cute, he loves kids, and his name is Fuego. Fire.” He turned the screen towards Tommy.
“And he’s adopted.”
“Yeah, I know he’s really cute and I think he would be a great fit for our family and - ”
“No, Evan, I mean he’s been adopted. Someone has adopted him. Or is planning to at least.”
“What?” Buck turned the phone back around and frowned at the screen. “I checked before I came here…”
“I guess you weren’t the only one looking.” Tommy said, wrapping an arm around his waist. “We’ll find another cat. One that’s as perfect for us as this one. We’ll just go to the shelter tomorrow and spend some time with their cats, see which one likes us.”
“Maybe we can go now after all? I-if you’re not too tired from your shift? I mean it’s still early and dinner is taken care of, we just need to heat it up tonight and the shelter isn’t far from here-.”
Tommy cut him off with two fingers under his chin and a soft press of lips.
“Works every time.” He mumbled when he pulled back.
He guided Evan over to his car and threw his bag in the back before getting behind the wheel.
“So where is this shelter?”