“You said you did this last year, why are you just telling me now?”

Eddie: Well, it's a good thing you weren't my first, Buckley.

Buck:

Eddie:

“I was… I was supposed to be finding my joy.” “Did it work?” Buck asks. “That was the start of it, took a while… but… I found it now.” He loosely wraps a hand around Buck’s wrist, holding on. “That’s good, that’s really good, buddy.” “It’s been really good, I’ve been so good,” Eddie continues, “So it’s okay.” Oh– Buck’s breath hitches. He thinks he’s going to die. “I’ve made my peace with it.” Eddie nods ever so slightly. “I got to be happy for a while.” “Stop that. You can be happy for the rest of your life, Eddie.” Buck moves his hand from where it cradles Eddie’s head, to his pulse point where he holds his fingers to feel the thready beating, then cards them through Eddie’s hair again. “The rest of your long life, because we’re getting out of here. Together.” “Together…” Eddie mumbles, smiling slightly, “Together would be nice.”