55: “ Shut up and kiss me already. ” - Buddie
Hi Inell!
Gonna do one more prompt reply tonight...
"Okay. Okay." Buck nods, mostly talking to himself, Eddie thinks. "I can do this. This is happening."
"Whenever you're ready, bud." Eddie confirms, leaning back against the kitchen counter.
He and Chris have been back in LA for two weeks. They moved back into their house, with Buck still there, and no one has moved out.
Eddie finds that he likes seeing his and Buck's things mixed together. That horrible couch Buck had is gone and replaced with Eddie's. Buck's bed still sits in their bedroom - the size works better for sharing, they use as an excuse - but the worn dresser that Eddie had is there now. Most of the kitchen items are Buck's, but the fridge is covered in the silly magnets Chris has been collecting over the years. Their shoes sit by the front door together, their work bags tucked into the closet together, their vehicles parked side by side in the driveway.
Everything feels...right.
Like the final piece of the puzzle has been slotted into place.
Eddie thinks that's about to happen.
He and Buck have been dancing around this thing since Eddie's return. Eddie himself had made some discoveries while he'd been away - once such thing being that he's absolutely and completely in love with Buck - but he hasn't shared it. He has however let it out in small pieces.
Lingering looks, intentional touches, compliments falling easier from his lips...anything to get that smile or blush on Buck's face. And Eddie thinks its easier this way. Ease Buck into it. Don't spook him too much, lest he run away and do something stupid again.
Like bring a certain someone to their home.
Eddie may have debated saging the place. But he's not that insane.
Now, Buck is standing in the kitchen - in their kitchen - and he's giving himself a pep talk. He had said he wanted to discuss something with Eddie, while Chris is at school. Eddie had agreed, more than ready to finally tell Buck, because he thinks Buck is ready.
"I just...while you were gone..." Buck fumbles over his words. Fiddles with the stack of mail that is a mixture of both of theirs now. "I...I mean, there was...some stuff was..."
He's adorable. That's all Eddie can think as he smiles softly over at Buck. And I'm going to spend the rest of my life with this idiot.
"Not that...I mean it could be...but well..." Buck huffs, tosses an envelope aside and rounds the island, stopping in front of Eddie. "I wanted to...tell you something."
"That so?" Eddie hums, body relaxed and at ease. Buck is like a tightly wound toy, ready to burst out. It's so cute.
"Yes. But it's...it's going to...I mean it could..." Buck worries at his bottom lip, eyes darting across Eddie's face and then away. "I don't want to...r-ruin anything. You know?"
"And...a-and you're...you're important, Eddie. You're so important."
"And so I...I need to...do this right..."
"Hey Buck?" Eddie is trying, really, he is. But he waits until Buck meets his gaze, blue eyes shining bright with nerves. Eddie smiles at him, "Shut up and kiss me already."
Buck releases this surprised little noise, like he can't quite believe that it's actually happening. But then he's smiling, a beautiful and radiant smile that blossoms across his face, making his eyes squint and his birthmark wrinkles. He leans in, nose brushing against Eddie's. "Yeah?"
"Yeah." Eddie huffs out a laugh, hand curling around the back of Buck's neck and closing the distance between them.
