Who?

Buck loved Bobby, loves Bobby. The father he never had, the person who taught him what being a man meant. Life without him is something he’s still coming to terms with, still trying to comprehend. All he knows is that it’ll never be the same again.

He takes another breath, hard around the tightness of his throat.

His eyes flick over Eddie’s face. The bags under his eyes, the stubble that’s already grown back since he shaved earlier today.

“I know — I know you feel guilty about it,” he says, because even though Eddie hasn’t actually admitted as much, Buck knows him, right to his core. Knows how much he loved Bobby, too. “But selfishly, I’m glad you weren’t there.”

Eddie nods.

They’re quiet for a little while longer.

“Maddie said something to me a few days ago.”

“What was it?”

Buck clears his throat. “She said she loved me. Which isn’t — I know that, obviously. But she said — she said she should start saying it more, and I think that’s — that’s wise.” He should’ve told Bobby in the lab. Should’ve told Bobby how much he was loved, how important he was, how Buck owed so much of his life to him. He blinks, and those tears spill over now, hot on his face. Eddie shuffles closer in bed. “So, I love you. I love you, Eddie, okay? I need to say it. I need you to hear it.”

And Buck doesn’t know exactly what way he means the words, but he knows they’re true, and he knows he needs to say them. For now, that’s enough.

Eddie nods again, and his expression is raw, his eyes wet, too. “I love you, too, Buck.”

Buck sniffles, nods. Manages a smile. “I’m glad you’re here now,” he says, and maybe he means LA, or maybe he means in this house, in this bed, with Buck right now, but it doesn’t really matter.

Eddie smiles, too. Reaches out to take Buck’s hand, thumb running softly over his knuckles.