Eddie isn’t entirely sure what wakes him, but he lays there, staring up at the dark ceiling, listening to the heavy downpour falling outside.
It wasn’t a nightmare. The much he knows. But there is something nagging at him, preventing him from falling back asleep.
Sitting up, he tosses the blankets off and swings his feet over the side of bed. The chill of the late hour causes goosebumps to appear along his bare chest. Once he’s standing, Eddie grabs a hoodie and tugs it on, walking out of the bedroom.
A quick glance into Christopher’s room reassures Eddie that his son is sleeping soundly. So, that isn’t the issue either.
He heads down the hallway, the rain pounding down against the roof. It’s a nice white noise. Eddie always enjoyed storms. At least, until one almost took away something important.
He shakes his head, shoving that memory aware, stopping in the space between the hallway and living room.
Eddie still doesn’t know what woke him up.
A car passes by on the street, god knows why they’re driving in this weather at this time of night, but the headlights catch and reflect off of a vehicle in the driveway. A truck. Eddie still drives the Prius.
His feet carry him over to the door, where he unlocks it and twists the handle, pulling the door open.
Eddie finds Buck sitting on the front step, curls plastered to his head, dressed in nothing but a t shirt and sweats. His back is to Eddie, his arms curled around his knees, trying to make himself small.
“Buck.” Eddie whispers, stepping out of the house. The wind is tiny sharp pins of cold against his legs, his shorts not covering much. He can see the slight tremble of Buck’s shoulders. “You’re going to catch a cold.”
Still, Buck doesn’t move. Doesn’t react. Eddie worries briefly Buck has fallen asleep sitting there. He crouches down next to his best friend, a gentle hand laid on Buck’s shoulder. He’s so cold.
Finally, Buck turns his head, revealing to Eddie shattered blue eyes rimmed red. Tears and raindrops stain his pale face.
“He’s gone. He’s r-really gone.”
Eddie falls forward, arms wrapping around Buck’s sodden form, “I’m sorry.”
Buck gasps in a breath and then it’s like his strings are cut as he falls apart in Eddie’s arms.
Eddie had wondered when this would happen. Ever since Bobby’s death, Buck has been keeping up this facade of being alright. He hasn’t cried once. It’s been terrifying Eddie. Everyone knows how close Buck and Bobby were. How important the older man was to the younger. But Buck had shoved his grief aside, focusing on everyone else, not letting himself have a moment.
Eddie shivers a few minutes later when Buck’s sobs taper away into small hiccuping breaths. The rain is still falling heavily. Buck is soaked through.
“Okay.” Buck sniffles, pulling away from Eddie so the two can stand. As soon as they are though, Eddie reaches for Buck’s hand, slotting his fingers between Buck’s.
Eddie brings them both inside, locking the door behind them, and then he leads Buck through the darkened house to the bathroom.
The light makes them both squint and blink but it lets Eddie properly look at Buck. He’s as devastated looking as Eddie expected.
“Arms up.” Eddie murmurs, fingers curling around the hem of Buck’s dripping shirt. Silently, Buck does as told, eyes staring blankly over Eddie’s shoulder. The shirt is tossed to the floor, to be dealt with in the morning. Buck’s arms curl around himself as Eddie hooks his fingers into the waistband of Buck’s sweats, the light grey turned dark from the rain. Eddie pulls them down, kneeling as he goes, so he can steady Buck as he steps out of them. They join the shirt before Eddie stands, reaching for a towel and wrapping it around Buck.
Eddie’s hands move up and down Buck’s arms over the towel, trying to get some warmth back in the other man’s body. He grabs the comb next, giving the unruly curls a quick run through to get rid of any tangles.
Satisfied, Eddie flips the light off and guides Buck into the bedroom. He only turns on the lamp this time, leaving Buck standing there for a moment as he grabs some dry clothes for him.
The towel is tossed into the corner as Eddie helps Buck to get dressed, covering the chilled skin with warm cotton.
“Come on.” Eddie tells Buck, giving his hand a small tug towards the bed. Buck goes easily, sinking into the mattress.
Eddie climbs in after, shucking his hoodie and then flipping the lamp off. He pulls Buck closer, wrapping his arms and legs around as much of Buck as he can, trying to pass some warmth into the other man.
“I miss him.” Buck whispers into the dark a short while later. “I miss him so much.”
Eddie takes a breath, thinking over the question. “Some days, yes. Other days, no. And you just have to deal with it unfortunately.”
Buck sniffles, turns his nose into the curve of Eddie’s neck. It’s still chilly. Eddie shivers but holds Buck tighter.
“As long as you need.” Eddie tilts his head down, pressing a kiss to Buck’s crown. “Forever.”
It takes a while, but eventually, they manage to fall asleep, wrapped up in each other.
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