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Consciousness comes to him slowly.
He feels his toes first, then his fingers.
His eyes are heavy, and he can’t really move. There’s a strong smell in the air, a certain brightness behind his eyelids, and his mouth is dry.
Is he dead? Dying? Everything is foggy– He thinks he’s lying on a bed?
He feels a warm cloth being passed over his chin and cheeks, over his hair… it’s nice. He doesn’t really understand it, but it’s nice.
Something is beeping to his left, and something is pulling on his hand. A needle, maybe?
The hospital.
Yeah. He’s in the hospital. He should’ve known.
Buck wants to ask what happened, what day it is, if he’s okay– he has so many questions but he can’t focus on just one question. He thinks he says something, he feels it rattle in his throat, but it feels scratchy.
“You’re okay,” a voice says from somewhere around him. A deep masculine voice, barely louder than a whisper. It sounds comforting, like a blanket. He likes it. “Can you open your eyes?”
He breathes in slowly and tries to focus on the request. “Bright.” He’s not sure if the word properly left his lips, he thinks he said it, but whether or not the other person heard him he doesn’t know.
The brightness that’s seeping through his eyelids seems to dim down and he feels his muscles relax.
“Try again." Buck thinks that the person is to his right. The fog in his head is starting to clear and he thinks he’s more aware of himself. “Come on, Evan.”
Evan?
That’s motivation enough to really try to open his eyes.
No one calls him Evan. Just his sister– wherever she is– and his immediate family. So this person has to be part of his family, right?
The room finally comes into focus. Light dimmed like he thought, drapes closed, boring ceiling, boring walls, very attractive guy to his right, machines to his left– he looks back to the right.
“There you go, welcome back to the world of the living.” The man smiles and Buck hopes that the monitors don’t pick up the change in his heartrate. Now that would be embarrassing. This guy is stupidly attractive “Blue eyes, huh? I was getting curious. You’ve been out for a while.”
Buck frowns, eyes still set on the stranger. He has even more questions than before– this man doesn’t seem to be a doctor or a nurse, he’s dressed in jeans and a loose t-shirt, not scrubs. No LAFD uniform, either. “What…”
“Do you remember what happened?” He shakes his head and the stranger takes a deep breath, relaxing on his chair. “From what I know… you were on a date.”
A... date?
Everything comes back all at once.
Valentines day, the date, the fucking bread.
“Shit! Abby!”
“Woah, hey,” the stranger places a hand on his chest and Buck meets his eyes. “Abby was here earlier, she’ll be back later.” He must notice Buck shuffling on the bed because the next thing he does is help Buck change the bed's incline to get comfortable; sitting up but still leaning back.
“Thanks... I um," he clears his throat. "Who...?” How do you ask a stranger who's in your hospital room who they are without being weird about it?
“Ah! Right– Who am I? Right. I’m Eddie Diaz. Your… emergency contact?”
Buck nods, but the name isn’t ringing a bell. He doesn’t even have an emergency contact. He just opened the Los Angeles phonebook he found at a phonebooth, opened it at a random page, put his finger at a random line, and put those random numbers down and– His eyes go wide and this time around, the heart rate monitor does pick up on his panic.
Eddie Diaz has the audacity to laugh. “Yeah, that was a surprise to me too. Well, to my Abuela, actually. Imagine her reaction when she gets a call at 9pm on Valentine’s day saying that Evan Buckley is in the hospital. We’ve been living with her, my son and I, so she passes the phone to me thinking she might’ve misunderstood, that it's a wrong number– but no, that’s her number, and yes, this is the Diaz residence. Odd, right? So the nice person on the phone tells me there’s no other contact listed other than her number. So… Here I am. Eddie Diaz, Emergency contact extraordinaire, making sure you're okay.”
And that’s… a lot of information to take in all at once.
Buck supposes that putting a random number hadn’t been a good idea. Buck had considered putting Bobby down but he didn’t want to be a nuisance. They’ve gotten closer, sure, Bobby calls him kid, Buck called him pops once, they went to a Springsteen concert together but Bobby’s his boss.
“You…” He clears his throat and accepts the cup of water that Eddie offers, taking a small sip, and then another before relaxing back on his pillows. “You have a kid? I love kids.”
Eddie chuckles, “That’s what you retain from that?”
“I dunno what else to say. I… put a random number down. That’s pretty much it.”
“Why didn’t you put a friend or a member of your family?”
Buck shrugs and pulls at the thread of his blanket, “Don’t have them?”
“A friend or family?”
“Both?”
There’s a beat of silence, and Buck’s a bit embarrassed. He never really thought that this would happen. He thought that at some point, he’d be close enough with someone to change his emergency contact and this would just be a funny memory to think back to once in a while.
“I um…” He clears his throat again and takes a deep breath. “Sorry to have ruined your Valentine’s day.”
“My Valentine’s day? I was at my Abuela’s with my son. I had no plans. You’re the one that had a rough one.”
“What uh… what happened? I think I choked?”
Eddie nods. He shifts on his chair a bit and takes his phone out– for a second Buck sees a little boy on the lockscreen, but he’s gone as soon as Eddie opens his camera so it’s in selfie mode. “Your girlfriend, Abby, had to do a field tracheotomy. See?” He tilts the camera a little bit so Buck can see his throat. “Did a pretty good job, too. Couldn’t have done better myself.” He must see Buck arch an eyebrow via the screen, because a chuckle escapes him. “I was a medic in the army. I’ve never done one of these, but I do have some field experience for emergencies and stuff.” He puts his phone away and leans back into his chair. “You’ve been out for a few hours, sun’s just coming up.”
Just as Buck is going to ask another question, a nurse comes into the room. Eddie excuses himself, and Buck finds himself hoping that he’ll come back. Something about the man is just drawing him in.
The nurse explains what happened, and to no one surprise, it’s exactly what Eddie had said. She says that it’s 8, that visitors will be allowed soon, if he wants to call anyone else. Maybe calling Bobby would be a good idea, if only to call out of his shift.
When the nurse leaves, it’s a few minutes more before Eddie’s back as well, a cup of coffee in his hand. Buck lets him sit down again before he speaks up.
“Did you stay here all night?”
Buck’s eyes have to be playing tricks on him– Eddie’s not blushing, is he? The tips of his ears are a little bit darker, somehow, as are his cheeks.
“I… didn’t want you to wake up alone. Is that weird? We’re strangers but… I dunno. I sat down for a bit, Abby couldn’t stay, and… yeah. I didn’t want you to be alone.”
Buck feels his chest contract– it’s similar to how he felt yesterday when he was out of breath and unable to breathe, but he knows that he’s not in danger. He purses his lips and tries to blink away the tears he knows are gathering in his eyes.
No one has ever been there for him except Maddie. It’s… strange. It’s a strange feeling. He doesn’t know how to put it into words.
“Abby… um…she…”
“Right, she came in with the ambulance, and I told the staff that she could come see you– I hope that’s okay? I figured she’s your girlfriend and–”
“She’s not.”
“Pardon?”
“She’s not my girlfriend… We uh… We’ve been friends for a few months and she asked me out a while ago, but I said no. I just…” He sighs, feeling pathetic for spilling his guts to a stranger like this. “I just wanted a friend. Yesterday was pretty much the first date, I guess. She’s really nice, and super pretty, and we click but I don’t know that we’re at the same place, you know? I guess me choking was a sign.”
“A sign? Really?” Eddie’s tone is flat and Buck almost laughs at how unamused he looks.
Buck pouts at him, “From the Universe, Eddie. Telling me I shouldn’t date her.”
Eddie arches an eyebrow and crosses his arms over his chest. Buck notices the tattoo on his arm, a band that seems to be at a mirror position of Buck’s arm band. Now if that’s not destiny, he doesn’t know what is.
“Ah. So the Universe is telling you not to date her. By that logic, does it mean you should date me, because I was the random contact you put down?”
“I… well… I mean…” He must look like a fish right now, his mouth opening and closing, no other words coming out, sputtering like an idiot.
“Evan, I’m kidding,” Eddie laughs, and he places a hand on Buck’s shoulder.
“Buck,” Buck says, he feels a bit self-conscious, suddenly. He doesn’t usually have issues with strangers calling him Evan, that is his name, but he doesn’t have issues with corrected strangers, either. So why is he shy about it this time? “I uh… I go by Buck.”
“Alright, Buck.” Eddie’s smile is soft, sincere. Is it weird that Buck feels drawn in by a total stranger? “Is there… someone else you might want to call? I don’t know what you do so… Work? School?”
Buck sighs and looks up at the bleak ceiling, “I suppose I should at least message my boss. I’ll probably be off for a few days. God, he’s gonna be pissed.” Something taps his arm and he sees Eddie handing him his phone from the corner of his eye.
“I plugged it in while you were catching up on your beauty sleep.”
“You think I’m pretty?” He doesn’t mean anything by it, just shamelessly flirting back with a stranger, right? Eddie started it, after all.
In his periphery, his phone moves a bit, “Just take your damn phone.” Buck snorts out an ugly laugh and takes it, wonders if Eddie is blushing again. He doesn’t trust himself to look. “Didn’t snoop , I promise.”
“I trust you,” Buck replies, holding down the power button to turn his phone on. Eddie’s own phone dings and he excuses himself, slipping out of the room in a few strides.
It’s 8:15, he would’ve had a shift at noon today… Bobby’s probably going to be angry with him but there’s no chance that he’ll be discharged early enough for him to get to his shift. Hell, judging by what the nurse said, he’ll probably be here for the rest of the day.
He opens his phone app, clicks on Bobby’s contact number, hits his phone to his head a few times before reluctantly putting it to his ear.
”Hello?”
“Uh… Hey Bobby. It’s Buck.”
”Buck! Hey– Is everything alright?”
“Why would something be wrong?”
Bobby chuckles, ”You tell me, kid. You’ve never called me before. Didn’t you have that date, yesterday?”
“I… Did. Yes. About that…”
”Did something happen with Abby?”
“No, no. Nothing happened. Well, nothing happened with Abby. Like… We didn’t kiss or anything, and I don’t think there’s gonna be a second date.”
”But…”
He sighs heavily, “But I kinda choked on bread, and Abby did a tracheotomy, anyways long story short I’m in the hospital and I can’t come into work today–”
”–Buck–”
“–And I’m really sorry Bobby, I promise you I’ll make it up to you.”
”Buck! It’s okay! Take a deep breath for me, okay?”
Buck nods, knowing full well that Bobby can’t see him, and puts his free palm up to his eye as he shuts them. So many emotions are bubbling inside of him, he doesn’t even know where to start with them. “I’m really sorry, Bobby,” he adds. He feels like a child, apologizing to their parent. He feels like a disappointment.
”Kid, it’s okay,” Bobby repeats, but Buck doesn’t want to believe it. ”You didn’t do anything wrong, you’re not in any trouble, okay? I’ll find someone to cover for you. Now, is Abby still there with you?”
“Uh… No. Eddie said she left at some point last night. I woke up recently. I’ll probably call her after this.”
”Eddie? Who’s Eddie?”
“My um… Emergency Contact?” He’s fully aware how unsure he sounds, but chooses to think that it’s okay. “He stepped out while I called you.”
”Do you need anything, Buck? I can go to your place and grab you a few things, if you’d like.”
“No, Bobby, come on…” He starts to pick at the blanket again, there’s a stray thread that’s bothering him. “I can’t ask you to do that.”
”You’re not asking me, Buck. I’m offering. I have your key, and I’m offering.”
He takes a second to mull it over– they did exchange keys a few weeks ago, after he and Hen had found Bobby in his apartment. The keys were meant for emergencies or extenuating circumstances. Buck supposes that this falls under one of those categories. “That… would be nice, yes. My phone’s fully charged but… maybe my charger? And a change of clothes? I only have my suit.”
”Of course. Just text me what you need, what hospital you’re in, and the room number, and I’ll be around in a bit, okay? Are you hungry? Do you want me to get you anything?”
Buck huffs out a laugh, “Kinda, but I dunno what I’m allowed to eat right now. What with the hole in my throat.”
”Ah. I suppose that makes sense. Just… text me if there’s anything. Okay?”
“Yeah. Okay.” He hates how small he sounds.
”And Buck?”
“Yeah?”
”You’re not in any trouble, okay? I need you to believe that.”
“Thanks, Bobby. I’m starting to believe it.”
”Good. I’ll see you later.”
The line disconnects and Buck sighs, looking down at his phone. It’s reassuring, yes, but he still feels bad.
Abby’s contact information is looking back at him, but he can’t find it in himself to click on it. He doesn’t really know what to say; he barely remembers the date itself, anyways. The last things he remembers are: Bobby helping him with his tie, sitting across from Abby and thinking she looked really pretty, and the light slowly slipping away as he choked.
A knock at his door pulls him from his thoughts– he looks up and sees Eddie’s head poking in, a smile across his lips. “Up for a visitor?”
His brows furrow automatically, “A visitor?” Who else but Eddie or Abby could be here? Maybe his roommates? But… no. They probably think he crashed at Abby’s, anyways. Plus, he doesn’t talk to them much, mostly he talks to Connor. The others are… Not really the type of guys he usually hangs out with.
“Ev– Buck, meet my Abuela! Isabel Diaz, your original emergency contact.” As Eddie moves into the room, Buck straightens up on the bed. An older woman follows him in, Tupperwares in hand. The smile she wears on her face is similar to Eddies, Buck can definitely see the family resemblance, and it feels just as warm. Maybe they knew each other in another life.
Maybe.
If that’s the case, it makes Buck wonder what he did to deserve this life. This family, these parents.
Isabel pushes by Eddie like he doesn’t matter, causing the other to huff out a laugh, and she’s by Buck’s bedside the next second. “Ah, you’re finally awake!” Her hands land on his cheeks and he willingly goes, letting her do as she pleases.
He’s never had a grandmother, is this what it feels like? To have someone care?
“You seem well,” Isabel says. She pats his cheek and takes a seat where Eddie had been early. “Eddito talked to your doctor, they said you could have easy foods and broths. So I made soup.”
“Abuela,” Eddie sighs and shakes his head, taking the chair on the other side of the bed. “When did you even make this?”
“It’s leftovers from this weekend, Edmundo. However,” she taps the Tupperware, “This is the broth only. I had the nurses heat it up for you.”
“Th-Thank you, Isabel.”
“You can call me Abuela.” She smiles at him, and Buck feels his heart glow warmly in his chest. He doesn’t really trust his words, feeling his eyes well up, so he nods. A few seconds later, she props open the container and whips out a spoon from her bag. For a moment, Buck wonders if she’s going to spoonfeed them, but she gives him the container. “Now eat, Edmundo says that you apparently didn’t have dinner.”
Buck snorts and slowly takes a spoonful of the broth– it’s warm, not too hot, perfect for his throat right now. “Edmundo, huh?” He looks to Eddie, who has a brow arched and an unimpressed look on his face.
“Evan, huh?”
“Okay, yeah. I get it.”
“Mhm. That’s what I thought.”
He takes a couple more spoonfuls, Abuela encouraging him to have more and more each time. To his left, Eddie laughs at the interaction. She leaves 30 minutes later with an empty container, and a promise to be back with lunch, patting his cheek once more.
“Eddie, seriously, you don’t have to stick around. Bobby will be here in,” He takes his phone to look at the time. “An hour, or something. He’s supposed to drop by before his shift.”
“Buck, seriously.” Oh so he’s mocking him, great. They're at that stage of the friendship already. Good to know. “It’s fine. Abuela will throw a chancla at me from across the state if I leave you. She likes you, you know.”
He huffs out a laugh, “Likes me? Eddie, I’ve known you for two hours, and her even less.”
“I mean, I was here while you were sleeping, so that counts for knowing you a bit longer.”
“It really doesn’t.”
“It really does.”
It’s Buck’s turn to look at Eddie unimpressed, but Eddie just grins back. “Didn’t you say you have a kid? And that he was with you and Isa–” Eddie narrows his eyes and Buck sighs dramatically, “With you and Abuela?”
“Christopher, yeah,” he takes out his phone to show the lockscreen photo to Buck. “He’s six. He’s my whole world.”
Buck doesn’t know how old Eddie is, but they seem to be near in age– mid 20s or so. Eddie must’ve had him young. “So… you left him alone? Seems responsible. I suppose he’s old enough to throw a rager party, maybe.”
“No, you goober,” he hits Buck’s shoulder and Buck slaps his hand away.
"Ow! I’m already injured!”
“Your arms are fine!” He goes in for another hit but Buck slaps his hand again. “Chris is with Shanon. My ex-wife. Abuela dropped him off before coming here.”
Ex-wife! He’s single! Probably! Maybe! Score!
So not the time.
“Cool, cool.”
“Cool…”
“So uh… what do you do?”
“Me?”
Eddie makes it a point to look around the room, and Buck groans. “Yes. You.”
“I’m uh… Firefighter. Well. Probationary. So not a full-fledged one, not just yet.”
“No shit! I’m in the academy! Small world. I just started, but it’s going well.”
“Small world indeed. The academy was rough. Who knows, maybe we’ll end up working together.” They would make good partners, Buck’s sure of that. He’s only known Eddie for a few hours but Eddie just seems to get him– to get his humour, too. “If you need a study-buddy, o-or a work-out buddy, let me know. I did pretty good in my year.” He wasn’t a good student, back in the day. His parents kept telling him that he needed to work more. Turns out: he just needed to be interested.
Eddie nods, lips pinched, but eyes sparkling. “I… yeah. I’d like that.”
Before the silence becomes awkward, the nurse from earlier is back to take his vitals and check on the wound; it had been looking angry earlier, apparently, and Buck had been put on a round of antibiotics to help.
Buck honestly just needs her to leave so he can ask Eddie more questions about his life and his adorable kid. He gets his wish, but as soon as she’s out of the room, Bobby steps in.
Buck is both happy and disappointed, and it must show on his face.
“Don’t look too happy, kid,” Bobby says, laughing as he gets closer, putting an LAFD issued bag with Buckley on it at Buck’s feet. “How’re you feeling?” He takes a seat and only then does he seem to realize that there’s someone else in the room. “You must be Eddie?”
“Aw, you talked about me? How sweet.”
Buck lets out a long groan and lets his head fall onto his pillows, “Shaddup. This is Bobby, my Captain.” At that, Eddie’s smile drops, his eyes go wide, and he straightens up, holding out a hand.
“Eddie Diaz, Sir.”
“He’s in the academy,” Buck provides. Eddie shoots him a short glare, and Bobby laughs, taking hold of Eddie’s hand to shake.
“It’s good to meet you, Eddie. Thank you for being here.”
“Nowhere I’d rather be, Sir.” That’s a lie, but okay. There are probably so many other places Eddie would rather be.
“So, where did you two meet?”
Eddie turns to look at Buck, pointing at Bobby with his thumb. “You didn’t tell him?”
“Tell me what?”
“It’s embarassing.”
“Ha!” Bobby’s laugh is loud, and Buck is honestly surprised. He doesn’t recall Bobby ever laughing his hard at something, especially with a laugh this sarcastic. “I’m sorry. Buck. But how would this be embarassing. Considering the stories you’ve told us like–”
“A-ah! No! We don’t need to go into those! No thank you!”
“Apparently Buck put a random number down as an emergency contact,” Eddie explains, the traitor. “Turns out, that random number was my Abuela, so here I am.”
Buck tries to avoid looking at Bobby, he really does, but he can sense his gaze on him and it’s pulling him in. He hates disappointing Bobby.
“Buck… kid. Is that why you didn’t want to put anyone?”
He sighs, “I just… don’t have anyone, okay? No family that cares enough, no friends that stick around, it’s just me, Bobby. So… I panicked. Opened the phonebook, randomly turned to a page, put my finger down on a line, saw the person was in the general vicinity and… yeah. Voilà. I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to be sorry, Buck,” Bobby says. He puts a hand on one of Buck’s and Buck promptly looks down. “I wish you would’ve told me. We can change it to me, after you get out of here. I’ll probably be without you on a call if you do a stupid stunt that lands you here, anyways.”
Buck snorts. Bobby does have a point. “Like get a bowling ball to the face?”
“I’m sorry,” Eddie chimes in, looking a little bit distraught, “A bowling ball to the face?”
“I dunno what to tell you, Eddie. Occupational hazard.”
“Also,” Bobby continues, clasping his free hand onto Buck’s shoulder. “This one’s a danger magnet.” Buck rolls his eyes at that but he can’t really disagree with Bobby. “Well, Eddie. Thank you for being here. I appreciate you looking out for Buck, even if you don’t know him.” His watch beeps, and he pauses to look at it. “I gotta head to the station, kid. Let me know when you get discharged, I can come pick you up. Oh, and, heads up, Hen will totally have her cake guy make something.”
“Oh, score,” He fist pumps the air in victory, “Baby’s first cake.”
“You shouldn’t want a cake, Buckley,” Bobby says. His tone suggests that Buck should take this seriously but he can’t find it in him to care. “These cakes are for when you come back from an injury.”
“Yeah, but… Bobby. Cake.”
Bobby rolls his eyes and shakes his head as he gets up. He pats Buck on the shoulder once more, bids them goodbye, and Buck finds that he’s still smiling after Bobby is gone.
“So… that guy is your captain?” Eddie asks, and in lieu of a reply, Buck nods. “He seems pretty nice. Kinda thought he was your dad at first. Don’t look at me like that! You have similar features, okay? And he… genuinely looks like he cares.”
“He does, doesn’t he? I kinda see him like a dad, in a way… Showed me how to tie a tie, helped me budget a few things… you know. Dad stuff.”
They chit-chat idly for a little longer until it’s Eddie’s turn to leave, needing to get to his academy class, they have a night training so they had the morning off.
“I would've used my morning to train or work-out but, alas, that wasn’t possible.”
“Oh sure, blame the injured guy,” Buck laughs. “I told you that you could’ve left, you know.”
“I know.” Finally, Eddie gets up. For a second he doesn’t seem sure of what to do next, so Buck offers a hand to shake, which he takes a second later.
“Will I… see you again?” It sounds cheesy, said like that, and Buck feels like he’s in a romcom or something with a weird meet-cute that you only see in books or movies, but he can’t help but ask.
“I sure hope so, I am your emergency contact, after all.”
“I’m serious.”
“I know.” There’s a certain softness to his smile, and Buck can’t look away.
“Can I buy you coffee when I get out of here? Could go over your notes and stuff or whatever.” God he’s so bad at this.
“I’d like that, Buck. Gimme your phone, I’ll add myself so you don’t have to ask the staff for your emergency contact’s number to call my Abuela to get my number.” He unlocks it, opens a new contact, and offers it to Eddie. “She was serious, by the way. She will be back later with food. So just text me your discharge time so she doesn’t come for nothing, okay?”
“I… yeah. Okay.”
“And I already know that you’ll be invited for Sunday dinner. Are you free?”
“Sunday…” That’s in a few days. He should be recovered and back to work by then. Plenty of time to freak out over what that means. “I think I’m free. Yeah.”
“Good.” Eddie hands him his phone back and gets up, stopping to stand at the doorway, “It was really nice to meet you, Buck Buckley. I uh… I didn’t know what to expect when I got here.”
“It was nice to meet you too, Eddie. Thank you. Again, I mean. For being here. For not letting me… wake up alone. I’ve woken up alone in hospitals more times than I’d like so… it was nice. You’re nice.”
“My pleasure, Buck.” He looks at the time and he sighs, “Text me?”
“Y-Yeah. I’ll do that. Right now.”
“Good. See you around, Buck.”
“Bye, Eddie.”
Once Eddie’s gone, Buck takes a moment to breathe.
He doesn’t know if Eddie’s into him like he’s into Eddie– he’s in a hospital gown for Christ’s sake, there’s nothing flattering there, but they clicked, didn’t they?
He opens his messaging app to text Eddie so that the other has his number as well, and immediately receives a smiley face and a heart in return. Okay. So. Maybe Eddie does like him– but he’s not going to jump to conclusions.
But seriously: who sends a heart to someone they just met if it's not flirting?
The next item on the to-do list… is to reply to Abby. He’s texted her on-and-off throughout the day, wanting to spend more time with Eddie and telling her to come later, but he can’t put it off any longer.
Well, he can, he just doesn’t think it’s the responsible thing to do.
So he calls her, they chat for a little bit, laugh at how disastrous that date was, and they both agree to just stay friends. That they were good like that.
He doesn’t mention Eddie to her; doesn’t feel like he has to, and tells her she doesn't need to drop by, that they'll catch up soon over a drink or coffee.
–
Bobby is there, like he promised, to pick him up later that evening.
Abuela did stop by again with another warm meal full of nutrients, and Buck’s never felt more cared for.
Overall, he’s kind of glad that this happened– he made a new friend, he has a standing invitation to family dinner with the Diazes, and he’ll have cake waiting for him at his next shift at work.
Who would’ve thought that nearly dying would bring him good things for once instead of his parent’s disapproval and scowls?
–
“I got another DXA scan, and guess who dropped another half percent!”
The unimpressed look on Hen’s face is to be expected. Bobby, on the other hand, looks a little bit amused. She scoffs, “What?”
“A DXA scan measures your body fat,” Buck explains. He’s pretty sure that he’s explained this before. He stops in front of her and shows her his phone. “You can see your percentage in every part of your body.”
“Oh yeah?” Chimney joins them, already a snack in hand even if the shift's just started. “They measure the fat in your head?” Bobby and Hen laugh, but Buck won’t let Chim win.
“Ah, see, that would be funny, but we’re about a week away from submissions being due for the Hot Days, Smoldering Nights: Men of the LAFD wall calendar, and I'm already at my goal weight, so it seems like my head is clearly working perfectly.”
“Do you really need to use that whole title?” Hen asks. It’s a well known fact that she hates the calendar, always raining on their parade and all that. “You could just say ‘that idiodic, reductive, sexist calendar that insults the dignity of this organization and furthers the myth that all firefighters are male’.”
“Yeah, that’s not any less words.
Although, yes. She does have a point. Buck would also totally support the cause if they chose to open the submissions to everyone, too. Equality and shit, of course.
“Hen, come on,” he recognizes Bobby’s tone. He’s trying to appease her but also wants to support Buck. “It’s for charity.” Unfortunately for Bobby, that doesn’t seem to be the right answer.
“No. Bobby, you too?”
“Why not?” He stuffs his hands into his pockets and squares his shoulders a little bit. “They say a man is at his sexiest when he reaches 50.”
“Is that what they say?" Hen deadpans, "That’s what they say?”
“Okay, you’re both wrong,” Chimney chimes in. “All right? You see, I think sorority houses all across this great nations are ready for a new Asian sex symbol. It’s our time.”
“I think it’s great,” Buck says, “You know? I like that you’re both going up for it!” It’s not like they stand a change but he has to applaud them for trying.
“Oh, because you don’t think we have a chance.” Bobby did always see right through him. Maybe that needs to be studied.
“Woah, did I say that? I mean, sure, let’s be real. THey are only picking one candidate from each station, And–”
“–Okay,” he doesn’t get the chance to finish his thought that Chimney is interrupting him. “That is a beautiful man.” He points to somewhere behind Buck and Buck is already annoyed.
“Where’s the lie?” Hen adds, “And I like girls.”
He turns to look, and when his eyes land on the person that’s currently changing, on their very toned stomach, he immediately relaxes and shakes his head. Chim and Hen were playing him, of course. Nothing new there. That motherfucker, though, he'd had the audacity to say 'See you after work, Babe' when Buck had left this morning.
“You’ve seen him a few times over the last couple of months; he’s been around," Bobby explains, “Eddie Diaz, new recruit. And newly, Buck’s emergency contact.”