RileyDavis37

traitor buckleys + their husbands

“Eddie, I can’t give him anymore sugar!”

“Buck, look at him. He’s the most sweetest little boy ever! You really going to deny him?!”

Buck glances at Theo who is sitting like an angel in Eddie’s lap, colouring on a book, head nuzzled against Eddie’s chest. He has no idea how Eddie gets him to sit still.

“But-”

“But nothing, Buck, come on. A couple cookies aren’t gonna hurt.”

“Fine, but you’re putting him to bed.”

“Deal.”

Buck huffs. The second Eddie turns his attention to Christopher, Theo sticks his tongue out at Buck. Buck’s mouth drops open. He can’t believe his biological son has Eddie wrapped around his finger like that. Damn, guess he really is a Buckley.

Until Eddie's talking to Maddie and somehow gets on to mention Maddie taking Theo if something happens to Buck.

And Maddie just "?? I mean I obviously would, but aren't you taking him?"

Eddie's like "what?"

And Maddie's "Well you are Theo's guardian in Buck Will"

Maddie stares back at Eddie before heaving a big sigh and draining her wine glass.

"What, EXACTLY, do you mean when you say you did the same thing? When did this happen?" Maddie rubs her temples, suddenly seeming exhausted.

Eddie just shrugs and keeps his eyes trained on the wine glass Maddie just drained. "I dunno...do you remember shortly after the Christmas you and Chim got together, when I got trapped underground?" He sees Maddie nod hesitantly out of the corner of his eye before continuing, "About a week after that."

The silence that follows is deafening as Maddie calculates the time frame before blurting out, "You'd known Buck for a year and a half at this point, and you chose him over every one else? Why did Chris go stay with your parents instead of Buck if that's the case? And why are you and Buck more married and in love than me and Chim without actually being married?!"

Eddie looks like a deer caught in headlights, unable to process anything after hearing "you and Buck...married" because OH

Oh

Eddie likes the sound of that.

Maddie is being distant and disapproving, keeping herself and Jee away from Theo, stressing at every opportunity that it’s only temporary, etc.

Meanwhile Eddie is being over-invested and defensive, putting himself right in the middle of it all and barking like a guard dog any time anyone tries to get near Buck or Theo, or to question anything Buck does, or to even suggest he might need their help.

Ultimately it’s because Maddie is terrified that Buck will be broken hearted if Theo’s grandma or whatever turns up and takes him away, so she’s trying to protect him by being cautious and careful with how far she connects with Theo, trying to model a safe route through a rough situation.

And Eddie is working through his own issues about both the way his parents made (make) him feel inadequate when he was (is) trying to care for Chris, and also his massive guilt about not being the supportive partner Shannon needed for those first few years, by making Buck feel like his decisions are good ones no matter what anyone says (including Buck when he questions himself or wants to ask for help from other people), and showing him that Eddie has his back.

So they’re both coming from a place of love and support, but they’re approaching it so differently that it creates tension and conflict between them, which makes everything worse.

IN CONCLUSION

Looks like they could kill you but is actually a cinnamon roll: Ray

Looks like a cinnamon roll but could actually kill you: Allie