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It started with a tickle in the throat and the ‘ahem’ bug.
No amount of water eased the itch, and a research binge about how to itch a throat was mildly helpful as it recommended gargling with warm saltwater and drinking tea with honey. While it didn’t completely soothe the itch (running into smoky, burning buildings was not conducive to getting better), it did ease the mind a bit. A stretch of 48 hours off and gargling, and that would be the end of that.
Except Buck woke up with no more tickle in his throat, but also with no voice, not even a whisper.
He groaned, before coughing, the realization that he would need to seek out a medical professional.
Great, he thought with a pout. Just how I wanted to spend my morning.
-
Buck
Hey, are you busy this morning?
I kinda need a favour…
Hen
Denny and Mara are at school and Karen
is at work
As long as the favour doesn’t involve tequila
Buck
No alcohol, promise
I’ll be there in a bit
Hen
???
Everything ok Buck?
Buck
It’ll be easier in person…
-
Within an hour, he was sitting at the Wilson dining room table, lemon tea with honey in front of him, and a diagnosis of laryngitis. Hen smiled sympathetically at him, hand on his forearm.
“Sorry Buck, but you’re out of commission for at least a week, maybe two. You’ll have to let Bobby know too; even with the protective gear, the smoke from fires won’t do you any good.”
Buck gave a short nod, already figuring as much.
Hen sighed, wrapping her hands around her own mug. “And you’ll have to avoid dairy for a bit too. So either black coffee or tea.”
He made a face at the idea of black coffee; he could do it if absolutely necessary, but he did enjoy creamer in his coffee. And there was only so much tea he could consume.
“And absolutely no trying to talk.”
Buck pouted, pulling out his phone and feeling absolutely ridiculous that he was texting someone he was sitting right next to.
Buck
How long with no talking?
“Give it a week. Five days minimum.”
He sighed, shoulders slumping in defeat. It was going to be a very long week.
-
Buck
Can I come spend time with my fave girl?
Chim
Everything ok?
Buck
Just need some time with my niece
Chim
Sure
We’ll be here
-
Chimney, like the good friend he was, laughed at Buck’s lack of voice. “Oh man, the station is going to be so silent.”
Making sure that Jee was pre-occupied, he gave Chim the finger before sitting down across from the little girl. He waved at her, smiling widely.
“Uncle Buck!” She cried out, launching herself at him with a giggle.
He let out a little croak, trying to say a simple Hi, which made Jee giggle again. “That was a funny noise.”
Buck chuckled, trying to mime that his voice was gone, patting his throat and gesturing ‘no’ with his hands and shaking his head. Jee was studying him as intently as a child could, while Chim continued to laugh at his struggles.
Eventually, the other man took pity on him. “Uncle Buck can’t talk, princess. He lost his voice.”
Her eyes widened, and she looked at Buck with seriousness. “Are you like the lil mermaid? Did someone take it?”
Buck looked at Chim for clarification, but was getting none. Instead, Jee took off running to her room and came back after a minute or two, tablet in her hand. She made herself comfortable in Buck’s lap and found the cartoon version of The Little Mermaid.
“I’ll show you.” Her smile was infectious, and Buck willingly and gladly would take this bonding time with his niece.
Chim left the two of them to their own devices, explaining that Jee was in a mermaid phase and he’d watched the movie enough times to practically know it by heart. Buck had never seen the movie himself, and was quickly immersed into it.
By the time Ariel was in Ursula’s lair, with the latter singing about poor, unfortunate souls, he understood what Jee had been asking. If there was a sea witch that had taken his voice. Watching Ariel bumble around, trying to communicate that she couldn’t speak with Prince Eric, he was feeling a certain kinship.
Sure, she had given hers away, but they- Ariel and Buck- relied heavily on their voices.
Jee giggled the entire time through the chef’s song and then the chasing of Sebastien throughout the kitchen, and Buck found himself amused too.
The part that made him blush was with Sebastien singing that Eric should kiss the girl, or else he’s gonna miss the girl. Not because of the scene itself, but because of Jee’s innocuous comment about “Maybe you need someone to kiss you too, Uncle Buck.” Paired with the shit-eating grin that Chim gave as he walked through the room, he knew nothing good was coming from this.
-
Hen
How’re you doing, Buck?
Eddie
???
What’s wrong with Buck?
Buck
Tired, but fine
Jee thinks a sea witch took my voice
Maddie
It’s kind of adorable
Bobby
Did you go get it looked at?
Hen
I looked him over
Just laryngitis
Buck
No talking for a week
Bobby
Oof
Eddie
Oof
Ravi
lol
Maddie
Oof
Chim
😁
-
The 48 off flew by faster than Buck expected, considering texting was his only form of communication. Bobby had said to still show up to work, that he would either be man behind or would be sticking close to the fire truck on calls; no running into burning buildings where he could pose as a risk without a voice.
For once, Buck wasn’t going to disagree; without being able to callback, he was a liability if anyone lost sight of him.
Eddie clapped him on the shoulder, giving him a small smile. “You know I’d have your back.”
Buck nodded, giving his own smile, trying to convey I know and I’d have yours too.
Chim walked past the pair of them, humming something lowly, almost inaudible. Buck couldn’t quite make it out, looking at Eddie to see if he could, only to find him with his eyebrows furrowed. So that was a no, but the man humming was already gone, the tune the only thing he left behind.
-
Except it kept happening.
Buck was cooking lunch, having been man behind, when Eddie came into the kitchen to grab some water and stayed near, talking to him in a one-sided conversation. Chim came in to grab a coffee, humming that same tune again, and left without a single word.
Chores were happening, Buck and Eddie working together on the truck, when Chim started humming again. It was achingly familiar, but Buck couldn’t place it.
It wasn’t until later, when they were on a call, Buck man behind again, that he finally placed it, that his brain started singing “Sha-la-la-la-la, my-oh-my, looks like the boy’s too shy”.
He was going to murder his brother-in-law; hopefully Maddie would understand.
-
Buck
You’re not cute
Or funny
Chim
Why, whatever are you talking about?
😇
Buck
I am not a damsel in distress
And Eddie isn’t Prince Eric
Chim
My oh my
Looks like the boy too shy
Ain’t gonna kiss the girl
You can no longer send or receive messages
from this contact.
-
Buck wasn’t Ariel, wasn’t a damsel in distress, and he knew that Eddie wasn’t Prince Eric, that his voice wasn’t going to miraculously return because of True Love’s Kiss.
But he also knew that he was pretty gone on his best friend; the not being able to physically talk to him was eating him up inside. It was getting to the point where he was pretty sure the first words out of his mouth would be I’m in love with you or You’re it for me. Some declaration of love that he wasn’t sure would be appreciated, much less reciprocated.
And Chim wasn’t helping the matter, as he continued to hum Kiss the Girl whenever he passed by Buck and Eddie while they were alone. Buck could glare at him all he wanted, but it never seemed to deter the other man and Eddie was still looking puzzled by the entire thing.
It wasn’t until they were on another call, this time with Buck along, that things came to a head.
Because it wasn’t Chim humming the damn song, but Eddie.
“Whatcha humming there?” Ravi asked, eyebrow quirked and grinning.
Eddie shrugged. “It’s been stuck in my head all day. I recognize it, but not from where.”
Buck glared at Chim, again, for good measure.
“Can you hum it again?” Hen piped in, and Buck wanted to die as Eddie obeyed the request, humming the chorus. She laughed, shaking her head. “That’s from The Little Mermaid.”
Understanding crossed Eddie’s features, and his cheeks turned pink. Buck tried to catch his eye, but he duck his head and turned it away, seemingly embarrassed. It hurt, but he expected it; Eddie got what Chim had been doing and was now in an awkward position.
Buck wanted to die of embarrassment himself.
-
Maddie
Howie says he’s sorry
He thought he was helping
Maybe it’s not as bad as you think?
I mean, this is Eddie
Buck
He hasn’t looked at me the rest of shift
And I don’t know what he’s thinking
This isn’t a convo to have thru text
Maddie
Oh Evan
Would Jee make you feel better?
Buck
I think I just wanna be alone right now
Thanks tho
-
Buck groaned in frustration at the knocking on the door, not even able to tell whoever was on the other side to go away. He wanted to wallow in peace, but his visitor was persistent.
Another minute, and the knocking stopped. Instead, the lock clicked and the door opened, a ruffled looking Eddie striding inside and closing the door behind him.
“I talked to Chim after our shift. Said it was just supposed to be a joke.”
I know, thought Buck, but all he could do was nod.
“He told me about Jee, The Little Mermaid, and Ursula stealing your voice, and that’s why he thought it’d be funny.”
I’m sorry, he mouthed, unsure how to convey the sentiment.
“I’m going to assume you’re apologizing; for what, I don’t know. Because once I realized where that song was from and what it was, what was being implied, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.” Eddie stepped closer, still with the staircase separating them. “I must have listened to the damn song a dozen times when we got back to the station. Ran on the treadmill, listening to a crab singing about kissing the girl. Got stuck in my head, thinking about all the times we’ve been seated across from each other, in the fire truck, at a table, even now. And it made me reflect that, yeah, maybe we’ve both been shy and denying whatever this thing between us is. But I’m so tired of hiding it.”
Buck was the one to move, to cross the distance. Still, even with his hands on either side of Eddie’s neck, a thumb sweeping along his stubbled jawline, he waited. Just the tiniest nod, and Buck lowered his lips to Eddie’s, kissing him softly. Just a press of their mouths together; painfully chaste but sweet all the same.
They pulled back, smiling, Eddie with his hands on Buck’s waist. “Well? Did that work?”
Buck opened his mouth, letting out a croak before shaking his head and pouting.
“Guess we’ll just have to keep trying,” teased Eddie with a grin.
Buck liked the sound of that.