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When Buck got a random call from Eddie at 12:30 at night, his instinctive reaction was panic. Flashes of Chris’ scared face and a trashed room flooded his mind. He could only imagine the worst, but when he answered the call Eddie seemed… fine.
Okay, maybe not fine - his voice was a little strained - but he didn’t sound like anything was seriously wrong. If anything, he sounded… embarrassed? Buck couldn’t imagine why. It was the middle of the night, and sure Chirs was away at a sleepover, but Buck knew Eddie. There was a 99% chance he was binge watching some show on the couch while trying not to fall asleep - in the hope that he could spare his back.
So when the worry (mostly) dissipated, curiosity took its place. Buck told Eddie he’d be there in ten minutes, then left his house to start the short drive.
Despite logic telling him Eddie was fine, Buck was half expecting the front door of the Diaz house to be kicked in, or one of the windows smashed. Some type of forced entry, or something. But nope. Everything looked how it should. Still, Buck hurried out of his car and up to the intact door, knocking the way he always did. Knock. Knock knock. Knock.
When Eddie answered the door, very much alive - but flushed with embarrassment - Buck felt the last of his worry melt away. Eddie stepped to the side so Buck could come in, then closed the door behind him.
“So what happened?” Buck asked, walking deeper into the house after kicking his shoes off. “Tell me you didn’t break the sink again.”
Eddie followed Buck, shuffling more than walking, and when Buck dropped onto the couch, he stayed standing. Buck waited for him to respond, explain himself in any way, but Eddie didn’t say a word. Though he looked like he wanted to. Or was at least trying to.
Unfortunately for him, Buck’s patience was non-existent. “Eddie, if you don’t tell me what’s going on, I’m going to leave.”
It was an empty threat. They both knew it. But it still gave Eddie the courage he needed to spit out, “TheresaspiderinthebathroomandIneedyoutokillit!”
Buck blinked. Once. Twice.
“What?”
Eddie, bright red, huffed. A pout on his lips. “There’s a spider in the bathroom.” He said, much clearer. “I need you to kill it.”
Buck sat with that for a moment, confused for a whole new reason. Eddie needed him to kill a spider? Eddie? The same Eddie who, according to Chris - when he was in his bug phase - was a cruel cruel spider assassin?
“You’ve killed spiders before.” He eventually said, brows furrowed.
Eddie sighed, rubbing his face with his hands. “I know.”
Buck waited for Eddie to continue, but he didn’t.
“Eddie, you’ve got to give me more than that.”
Eddie sighed again, but it turned into a groan at the end when he finally joined Buck on the couch. “When’s the last time you killed a spider?”
The question wasn't what Buck expected, but he still tried his best to answer.
“A few days ago I think.” He said. “Maybe last week.”
Eddie nodded, then a grim - too grim for the, frankly, silly topic - look darkened his face. “I can’t remember the last time I did.”
“Okay…” Buck was still confused. “What’s your point?”
Suddenly, Eddie’s hands shot up in exasperation, with himself or Buck it was hard to tell, and he said, “Don’t you get it? You’ve been over here so much I haven’t had to kill anything and now I can’t!”
Oh. Buck didn’t know if he was meant to be apologetic or not, Eddie’s tone suggested he didn’t like that Buck was around so often. But despite that, Buck laughed. He couldn’t help it. The situation was just a little too ridiculous for them.
He couldn’t see Eddie clearly through his laughter induced tears, but he was imagining Eddie’s indignant pout and his slight scowl. Unfortunately that only set him off all over again. When he eventually settled down, wiping his eyes with his hoodie sleeve, he dropped his hand on Eddie’s knee.
“I’m sorry.” He wheezed through his last few giggles.
“No no.” Eddie said, unamused. “Please keep laughing at my problems.”
Buck took a deep, calming breath, trying to be more serious. “Eddie. This isn’t a big deal.”
Eddie’s arms were crossed over his chest, and he slumped against the couch’s back. He didn’t say anything, so Buck continued.
“I’m sorry for laughing. Just tell me where the spider is so I can kill it and we can move on.”
Eddie stayed stubbornly quiet for a few more seconds, then gestured down the hall.
“It’s in the bathroom.” He grumbled.
Buck was quick to rise from the couch, and he heard Eddie follow behind him when he walked to the bathroom. Clicking the light on, Buck spotted the spider. The sneaky little thing had crawled right above the switch, and Buck had to fight not to laugh again when he imagined Eddie shrieking and flipping it down in his panic.
Buck could feel Eddie’s glare, so he wasted no time in grabbing a bit of toilet paper to squish the beast. Once it was safely stuffed in the trash, Buck turned back to Eddie, brushing his hands together with a smile.
“All done.”
Eddie, poor distrusting Eddie, peaked around the doorframe to see for himself, then immediately sagged with relief.
“Thanks.” He mumbled, unable to meet Buck’s eyes.
Buck’s smile softened to something sweeter, and he patted Eddie on the shoulder. “Hey. I’m happy to help.”
Eddie huffed, his flush staying steady. “It’s so stupid.”
“No it’s not.”
“It is.” Eddie argued, eyes hardening down on the counter. “I spent years killing spiders around the house and had no problem with it. It was just something I did.” He faltered. “Something I was expected to do.”
Buck tilted his head in confusion. “Expected by who?”
Eddie’s eyes briefly flitted to Buck’s then dropped again. In that one split second look, Buck understood.
“It’s another ‘man of the house’ thing, isn’t it?”
This time, Eddie’s eyes stayed locked on blue. The surprise in them told Buck that, while a part of Eddie might’ve known, most of him didn’t. When the truth settled in Eddie’s mind, he sighed heavily and touched his forehead to the doorframe.
“God,” he groaned. “It fucking is.”
“Okay,” Buck said softly, sliding his hand to rest by Eddie’s collarbone. “So, what changed?”
Eddie sighed, the fourth one of the night, and his eyes fluttered up to Buck again. “You.”
“I didn’t stop you from killing spiders.” Buck said, dropping his hand.
“No. But you started killing them yourself.” At Buck’s still confused stare, Eddie continued, standing up straight again. “Before you, I was responsible for killing spiders, centipedes, and anything else like that. It was my job because I was the dad, the son, the- boyfriend.” He paused. “But then you showed up, and… and you started doing it. Suddenly it wasn’t solely my job, and I guess, when I realised I didn’t need to do it, I also realised I didn’t like to.”
Buck didn’t know what to say. Eddie had a lot to work through regarding the “real man” mentality that was instilled in him from age ten. He didn’t think either of them could’ve predicted spider killing was going to be a big part of that. But that got Buck thinking. “I was the dad, the son, the boyfriend.”
“Why me?” He found himself asking. “I mean, if spider killing is some great protector role for you, what makes me so special?”
Eddie’s eyes were boring into Buck’s. It was so intense Buck felt near breathless as he waited for an answer. There was something unreadable in the deep chocolate brown, and Buck found himself being drawn in. Literally. He blinked and he was significantly closer to Eddie.
“You really don’t know?” Eddie asked, voice low and raspy.
Buck shook his head, though he was beginning to get a pretty good idea. He flinched slightly, surprised when Eddie’s hand found the back of his neck, and he felt his breath hitch when he slowly started being pulled in. Eddie was giving him plenty of time to pull away, but Buck found that he really didn’t want to. Instead, he let his eyes flutter shut and Eddie closed the remaining distance.
The kiss wasn’t long. The gentle press of their lips lasted only a few seconds before Eddie pulled away. But it was enough for Buck’s heart to swell, and make something in his mind click. It was like there was a box buried somewhere within him, wrapped with a chain and locked with denial, and with that one short kiss, it opened.
When Buck opened his eyes, he was met with Eddie looking at him with a mixture of love and fear. There was obvious doubt on his face, and Buck didn’t like that. He felt where Eddie’s hand was still on his neck, and grabbed Eddie’s wrist to move the hand up to his cheek. Eddie’s breath caught when Buck leaned into the touch, then he slowly brushed his thumb across the smooth skin.
Then, because the universe must hate Eddie, Buck saw something small run across the sink out of the corner of his eye. He tried to stifle his laugh, but Eddie caught it, and turned to see what caught Buck's attention. The second he noticed the spider, he screamed and jumped back, instinctively grabbing Buck’s wrist.
Buck just laughed again, and gently pried Eddie’s hand off of him so he could actually kill the intruder. Eddie stayed tense the whole time, even when the spider was safely disposed of. It was clear he no longer trusted the bathroom, with all its tiny hiding spots, so he reclaimed Buck’s wrist and dragged him out to the bedroom.
Buck was surprised by the location change, having expected to be either staying on the couch or going home, but he let Eddie lead him down the short hallway. Once they were inside, Buck awkwardly stood by the door while Eddie dropped onto his bed. When he noticed Buck hadn’t joined him, he sat up and raised an eyebrow.
“Are you just going to stand there?” He asked, an amused smile painting his lips.
“Do you… do you want me to-”
“Yes, Buck.” Eddie cut in, playfully exasperated. “I’m not making you sleep on the couch after… that.”
Buck still didn’t move, but his reservations were waning. “Does that mean we’re… not… friends anymore?”
“Interesting way to ask,” Eddie said. “But, I… I don’t want to be. If you don’t.”
A small smile lifted Buck’s lips, and he finally moved to join Eddie on the bed. Once he was settled next to the other man under the blankets, he reached for his hand to lace their fingers together.
“I don’t want to be friends, Eddie.” He said softly.
“Good.” Eddie replied.
Then he pressed another gentle kiss to Buck’s mouth, and the blonde sighed happily into it. This time, he was the one to break the kiss, a playful smirk on his face.
“So, spiders, huh?”
Eddie turned away from Buck, though not fast enough for Buck to miss his blush.
“Shut up.”
Buck laughed, and rolled onto his side to drape his arm over Eddie’s waist. Eddie immediately relaxed against Buck’s chest, and Buck chanced a kiss on the back of Eddie’s neck.
“I love you.” He whispered, making Eddie shiver as his lips brushed his skin.
Eddie didn’t say it back, but he grabbed Buck’s hand again and held it close to his chest as he started to drift off. Buck understood. The “I love you” wasn’t spoken aloud, but it was there. No doubt about it. With that last assurance, Buck closed his eyes and let sleep take him.