The rippling of Eddie's muscles through the ridiculous spandex was enough of a distraction to the stomach dropping, heart swooping, motion sickness of flying through the buildings at a speed Buck hadn't experienced outside of a Quinjet. Don't get Buck wrong. It was awesome. But he usually preferred to jump when he knew there was a 90% chance of him being able to land and well, he was out of arrows.
"So, is the webs like a suit thing or do they come out of your--" The rest of Buck's question was lost in a yelp that he would go to his grave denying as Eddie swung them high up into an arch only to let go of his web so that they dropped into a free fall. The glare of the skyscraper windows was blinding as Buck watched their reflection of them falling to their deaths and Buck only had a brief moment to be thankful that he'd strapped his bow to his back before he'd been shoved off that building because otherwise he would've dropped it to the ground as he clung tighter to Eddie. He didn't even realize he'd hid his face into the hollow of Eddie's throat, smelling the sweat and blood clinging to Eddie's ridiculous suit, but he caught the slight hitch in Eddie's breath all the same.
Buck's stomach lurched as Eddie's web went taut and swung them around a corner at a speed that made Buck's ears pop.
"It feels like you're mad," Buck shouted as the wind rushed through his hair.
"I'm not mad." Eddie insisted, speaking for the first time in what felt like hours.
And look, it wasn't like Buck had been actively trying to figure out Eddie's identity. Sure, it took him less than a day but he was a spy! That's what he did. Eddie was supposed to be an adorable single dad with a wicked sense of humor and a gentle smile that made Buck's heart thump hard against his chest every time he was left under the warmth of it.
Besides, Buck would know Eddie's voice anywhere. Mask or no mask.
"You sure--" Buck definitely did not yelp a second time as Eddie wrapped his arm around him and flung them up like a sling shot over a crane. "Kind of feels like you're pretty fucking mad!"
"Why would I be mad, Buck?" Eddie asked, the bastard not even out of breath as he swung them out of the bustle of downtown and into the quieter side streets of the city where the mountains and hills loomed over the skyline.
And Eddie asked that in a very pointed voice that was about as sharp as Buck's arrows.
"I had everything under control," Buck said as Eddie finally seemed to slow down.
"You being thrown off a roof because you didn't let the giant lizard punch me was definitely not you having everything under control."
"I was helping!" Buck balked.
"I didn't need your help," Eddie bit back.
"You getting punched in the face repeatedly by the giant lizard says otherwise."
"Well, I can take a punch."
"Yeah that much was obvious after the first three times." Buck felt Eddie stiffen at Buck's snark and he would've felt bad about it if it weren't for the fact that Eddie was yelling at him for helping!
He's not used to people helping, a voice that sounded a hell of a lot like Maddie reminded Buck in his head. Even before Buck had started to put together that the hot guy with the capable hands and amazing ass was also the masked up spandex spider obsessed vigilante with the same amazing ass and capable hands, Buck had been able to figure the "trouble asking for help" thing on his own. Eddie Diaz liked to handle things on his own, bottling those things up tight in his chest until the skin was hard with muscle without a crack to be seen. But there was always a crack. Buck knew there was always a crack.
It was usually his job to find it.
Thunder from the coming storm rumbled throughout the sky as Eddie swung them lower to the ground and Buck tightened his hold around him slightly, needing the feeling of Eddie's heat to make the rawness of his nerves settle.
"It's not the first time I've been thrown off a roof if that helps," Buck confessed.
Eddie let go his web with a huff and yes, okay, Buck did yelp at that sudden drop before Eddie latched onto the side of the wall like the freak with sticky hands that he was and crawled them to a reasonable distance where he could drop Buck on his feet into the puddle alleyway.
Buck didn't even feel the landing through his boots and the gentleness almost took him out at the knees.
"It doesn't help," Eddie said but at least he sounded less mad and more exasperated.
Drops of rain fell on Buck's head and caressed down the back of his skull as the weather started to pick up.
"But thanks," Eddie added, his head cocking to the side looking adorable even though he was upside down.
Buck ducked his head as he quirked his lips up into a smile, shrugging. "I'm not as helpless as I look."
Buck could practically hear Eddie's frown.
"I don't think you're helpless."
And that... That Buck didn't know if he believed. Ever since he'd been grounded with orders to heal up his leg, he'd been left with nothing but his bow and hands that had only been good at one thing that he was expected to sit on until his boss and friends stopped looking at him like he was seconds away from breaking.
Sometimes, Buck didn't think they were ever going to look at him like he was anything but fragile again.
Maybe not helpless but certainly useless.
A bird couldn't fly with a clipped wing after all.
But Buck didn't need to bother Eddie with that.
"Sorry about the whole not so secret identity thing. I promise I won't tell anyone."
Eddie sighed as he shook his head and again it would be less adorable if he wasn't upside down.
"It's fine," he said before his eyes on his suit widened. "I mean... it's not fine but I trust you."
Oh... that did things to Buck that it shouldn't and he didn't know what to do with that. Not when even beneath the mask he could feel the heat of Eddie's gaze on his face even with the chill of the rain seeping into his skin.
Trust was a rare thing when you were a spy and it was a thing that Buck didn't know how to hold. But he would hold it gently and close to his chest to protect it.
The rain was dripping down his face, probably sending his curls flying all over the place and plastered on his forehead.
And look, maybe it was the adrenaline still thrumming beneath Buck's skin. Chim called him a junkie for a reason and it felt good to be fighting again; to be pulling back his bow and landing his arrow on a target that wasn't made of paper. It felt good to fight. To be helpful for a little while.
It felt even better when Eddie had flung himself into a dive to catch Buck around the middle as he fell twenty stories from a skyscraper.
Whatever it was, it left Buck dizzy with anticipation and breathless as he realized just how close they were.
Again, the heat of Eddie's stare burned hot on Buck's skin even through the mask and Buck was moving before he even realized what he was doing. He spied the seam where Eddie's cowl blended into the webbing of his costume and lifted his hands.
"Buck..." Eddie breathed and Buck froze, his heart hammering against his ribcage.
Eddie swallowed and Buck felt the bob of his Adam's apple on his fingertips where they skimmed the warm fabric, the same place where Buck had hidden his face just moments ago. But then... Eddie tipped his chin and gave Buck easier access to the seam.
The fabric clung tight to Eddie's skin and the moment Buck's touch brushed against warm flesh, smooth from stubble but soaked with rain, he was almost sure his heart was going to crash at his feet for Eddie to take. He pulled until Eddie's mouth-- his perfect, beautiful mouth that Buck had been staring at for a long as he'd known him-- was free and left the rest of his face covered. It took everything in him to keep it on because all he wanted was to see those stunningly warm eyes, the freckle beneath his lashes, but privacy was an allusion and Buck wasn't about to risk Eddie's identity by ripping the stupid thing off in his haste to see; to touch.
He cradled Eddie's strong jaw and swept a thumb over those soft lips and the feeling of the softness on his calloused skin sent bolts of electricity zipping up Buck's arms and down his spine until he had to stand on his tip toes to reach.
He shouldn't. Buck didn't think his heart could take the risk but then again he always jumped before he thought. That's what everyone always said.
Kissing Eddie felt a lot like jumping.
Kissing Eddie felt like something so close to right that it sucked all of Buck's breath from his lungs and left him dizzy with need. He slanted his mouth against Eddie's and kissed Eddie back with just as much ferocity as Eddie gave. He gasped into the feeling of Eddie sucking in Buck's bottom lip and dipping his tongue into his mouth for a taste. Buck skimmed his fingers along the length of Eddie's jaw, cradling his cheeks even as he tried to stretch that moment into forever.
Kissing Eddie felt like flying and Buck never wanted it to stop.
It did as all great things do but Buck was too kiss drunk to care.
"I still have some giant lizards to catch," Eddie sighed as Buck dropped his forehead to press against his chin. Eddie nuzzled into Buck's face and Buck had to fight back the whine that wanted to keen from somewhere in his chest to beg for more.
But Eddie was right. Giant lizards would be a downer.
"Want my help?" He asked, trying not to sound hopeful even though it threatened to choke him anyway.
But Eddie shook his head and Buck thought he did a pretty good job swallowing down the disappointment.
And Buck couldn't help but laugh because safe wasn't a feeling Buck hadn't felt in a long time. At least, not until strong arms curled around his middle and caught him as he fell to the ground.
"Fine." Buck tried not to pout. "Two hours. Then you come to my place or I come looking for you. Deal?"
Eddie's smile was like another sucker punch and Buck didn't know if his heart could handle another heartbreak but he knew for sure it couldn't handle Eddie giving him another one of those smiles again.
Buck held his jaw tight and surged up onto his toes again to kiss Eddie harder than before and just on the edge of desperate before he pulled away with a clip of his lips.
"Go get 'im, tiger," Buck said as he slipped Eddie's mask back on and stepped back so that Eddie could pull himself up the wall. "Two hours!"
"Two hours!" Eddie promised and then he was gone, leaving Buck alone in the alleyway with his skin soaked to the bone and warmth flooding his blood that left him giddy for more.
@mellaithwen @mandzuking17 @mistmarauder @arrenemris I certainly hope you're happy! Look what you made me do!
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