in an ocean of ashes

Week three: One-Shots

Submissions are now open for One Shots week! Send in your favorite standalone fics, emotional snapshots, bite-sized masterpieces, and single-chapter stories that leave a lasting impact.

Submit your fic recs here!

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Pride is about celebration, community, identity, and the freedom to understand yourself on your own terms. This week's recs highlight queer stories about Buck, Eddie, and the many ways fandom explores who they are and who they could become.

25 fic recs under the cut

1. double take, triple take  by kermytheefrog (tardigradeschool) (10.6k, Teen) Warnings: passing references to homophobia and transphobia

Between the ages of 0 and 31, Buck speedruns the L, T, and B in LGBT. (Eddie will have to take care of the G.) 

Reccer says: I liked it!

2. taking steps is easy (standing still is hard) by peppermintyero (12k, Teen) Warnings: Internalized Transphobia 

In which Eddie is back from El Paso and it's like nothing has changed. Except things have changed. Because Eddie is non-binary. 

Reccer says: I liked it!

3. Lessons in Flirting (Unintentionally and Definitely Not Romantically) by shrimprangoon (45.3k, Teen) Warnings: none

“the one where Eddie subconsciously flirts with Buck without realizing and Buck is actively trying not to have a heart attack at work about it” - set post-Chris returns from Texas in a world where Bobby lives, this chat-heavy fic is a hilarious getting-together adventure featuring a beautiful Pride scene. 

Reccer says: Definitely one of the funnier fics I’ve read! Very fun. 

4. I’ll tell them put me back in it (and I would do it again) by paleredheadinascifi (4.8k, Teen) Warnings: none

Eddie doesn't know how to make his listening history private. Buck doesn't know what to do with the words in front of his eyes. Chris cannot believe he has to deal with either of them. 

Reccer says: pride but it's buck coaching chris through a gay crisis he is Not having while eddie pines 

5. perfect boys with their perfect lives by littlesnowpea (3.9k, Teen) Warnings: none

“Buck is bi,” Eddie bites out. “And I don’t like it.” There’s a long pause. Then: “Okay,” Frank says. “Let’s unpack that.”    

Reccer says: eddie being insane and barking over buck coming out and spiraling over it is. my favorite. 

6. Christopher Diaz and the Gay Agenda paleredheadinascifi (4k, Teen) Warnings: none

Christoper hyper-fixates on Queer Eye and takes it out on his freshly gay father. Buck's there, too. 

Reccer says: chris being aggressively supportive of gay!eddie in a way that is concerning to all, my beloved 

7. slow burn by paleredheadinascifi (3.8k, Teen) Warnings: none

Christopher has some questions. He asks the two worst possible people. 

Reccer says: eddie having a sexuality crisis over buck explaining queer theory to chris! they're so family-shaped in this, and aspec!eddie is. so important. christopher as way of making buddie confronting their feelings! eddie spiraling! buck being terrified! 

8. The key to your door should unlock mine by ListenToThat (25.2k, Mature) Warnings: none

Eddie questions his sexuality, panics a bit, and then goes after what he wants (ft. some drama). 

Reccer says: Aroace spec Eddie!! 

9. burn this house to the ground by thelonggoodbye (@hawkslonggoodbye) (45.9k, Mature) Warnings: Homophobic language, suicidal thoughts, implied/referenced suicide attempt, ableism

Eddie's anxious POV after Chris leaves for Texas 

Reccer says: The writing style is gorgeous and this author really has a great sense of the characters' inner lives 

10. Open Secret by Wabisabipapi (@Bucksgreyhairs) (4.8k, Explicit) Warnings: Buck has a threesome with other people (offscreen) 

  After 9x07 Eddie gets jealous and ragebaits himself into queerdom. 

Reccer says: Some of the hottest dialogue I've ever read before the smut. Yummmm 

11. Sometimes You Just Gotta by ZinnyDark (@zinnydark) (18.6k, Explicit) Warnings: none

Eddie gets a vibrator. Buck helps. 

Reccer says: This is so well-written and super hot smut. I'm reccing it for pride because I think kink is an important part of pride, and it's Eddie exploring his sexuality. 

12. hold onto that feeling by Rehearsal_Dweller (@agentsnickers) (2.1k, Teen) Warnings: internalised homophobia, the inescapable homophobia of the 00s 

Buck thinks on the Glee Speech and his own sexuality 

Reccer says: This really digs into the homophobia that Buck would have also grown up with, and what that has meant for his own sexuality longterm, and coming to peace with that. There's also a beautiful sequel fic centred around Eddie's introspection as well. 

13. we'll be carrying each other by dusktillmidnight (@thegirlwithataser) (10.5k, Teen) Warnings: none

Buck and May develop a sibling relationship, and bond over being queer, all while painting their nails together. 

Reccer says: May coming to terms with being a lesbian is perfectly balanced with Buck pining over Eddie, and throughout their relationship to each other is central and v cute 

14. you've got my devotion by kryptonian (12.8k, Mature) Warnings: internalised homophobia, brief references to canonical cheating, two sentences about Bobby in a government morgue 

Someone leaves first. There’s no other version of this story. But sometimes, they come back, too. (or sapphic buddie do the Texas arc onwards) 

Reccer says: This is a really beautiful and thoughtful genderswap, with a very good exploration of compulsory heterosexuality. It's also a MASTERCLASS in pining. 

15. we keep this love in a photograph  by burnthatbridge (2.3k, Teen) Warnings: none

Eddie comes out. Hen downloads him a dating app. Chim writes his bio. Buck supplies the photos. 

Reccer says: This is so sweet and aching and makes me cry truly every time 

16. tell me don’t, crawl back in  by oneofthesirens (@oneofthesirens) (5.7k, Teen) Warnings: Author Chose Not to Use Archive Warnings

Buck kisses Eddie over a kettle. Eddie’s straight. Eddie kisses Buck over pans. He’s — not so straight. 

Reccer says: a foundational text of this genre (Buck making a move, Eddie thinking he's straight and rejecting it, Eddie haunted for weeks by what-ifs), and this one is extremely sweet and well written - you really get the sense that beyond also loving each other they really LIKE each other 

17. Is It Stormy Where You Are? by Chash (@ponyregrets) (2.7k, General) Warnings: none

Taylor and Buck bump into each other while Eddie's in Texas, and talk about being bi, among other things. 

Reccer says: They have a very fun and real dynamic 

18. But Honey I'll Be Seeing You by asexual-fandom-queen (writeordietrying) (@asexual-fandom-queen) (3k, Teen) Warnings: none

Buck and Taylor run into each other at Pride, which Eddie does not love. 

Reccer says: The are that Buck and Taylor have for each other bleeds through this fic, and it's so fun to see an aro!Taylor 

19. Lifelines  by hetrez (17.6k, Teen) Warnings: past homophobia, past biphobia, aftermath of a tsunami 

AU where Buck and Eddie meet just after the tsunami and talk about being in the closet. 

Reccer says: They have a very engaging and fun dynamic in this, and it's heartfelt and funny and poignant by turns. 

20. do i make you proud? by youcantsaveeveryone (@loadedwithrocksalt) (24.7k, Mature) Warnings: Internalized Homophobia 

In one Pride Month, Eddie meets an old friend, learns about himself, comes out to people who love him and learns to be proud (in roughly that order). 

Reccer says: It's the coming out arc Eddie should have in canon :') 

21. you still make sense to me by farfromthstars (@doeeyeseddie) (31.1k, Mature) Warnings: none

Eddie tries to figure out what he wants from a relationship and why it has never felt completely right before, and discovers a lot of things about himself on the way. Meanwhile, Buck has to work through his own issues and realizations. 

Reccer says: Beautiful exploration of Eddie’s sexuality specifically! 

22. stay (i would even wait all night) by sunflowerbuckleys (flashhwing) (@sunflowerbuckleys) (3k, Teen) Warnings: none

During the road trip back from Nashville, Buck and Eddie stay at a motel, where Eddie comes out to Buck. 

Reccer says: I liked it!

23. What's a little love between friends? by Graceful_Ashes (@graceful-ashes) (15.8k, Teen) Warnings: Mildly dubious consent 

Buck confesses to being in love with Eddie, just to clear the air, so there's no secrets between them. Eddie is cool with it. They continue being friends, nothing changes… Until Eddie starts acting more and more unhinged.   

Reccer says: I liked it!

24. here’s my first hello by justhockey (4.3k, Teen) Warnings: none

Eddie comes out to Buck as they're getting ready to go to Pride. 

Reccer says: I liked it!

25. This Old Love Has Me Bound by allyasavedtheday (@littlespoonevan) (9.5k, Teen) Warnings: none

Buck comes out, tries to figure out if he missed any signs of it in his own past. Luckily for him, he keeps getting interrupted before he can think about Eddie.