#completed fics

Christmas Eve

Just as Buck pulled out the bowl of gingerbread dough from the fridge a knock sounded at the door. Grinning so wide that his eyes crinkled, he set the glass dish on the counter and wiped his hands on his apron as he rushed to answer it. Yanking it open, he gasped loudly with his hands held out, palm up in front of him. “Who could it be?” He opened his eyes wide in feigned surprise. “Not my favorite niece in the whole wide world.”

Jee giggled as she rushed him, wrapping her arms around his legs and leaning back to stare up at him. She was dressed in an adorable red sweater with a Rudolph on it, his nose a giant red pompom, a hilariously fluffy green tulle skirt, and red stockings covered in little candy canes. Her shoes were red and sparkly like Dorothy's from The Wizard of Oz.

“I’m your only niece Uncle Buck!” She yelled, smiling from ear to ear.

Buck mock frowned and cocked one eyebrow as he grabbed Jee by the face and smooshed her cheeks. “Are you suuuuuure you’re my only one? I coulda sworn…”

Jee tottered back and forth on her feet, squirming in her uncle’s hold as she replied stoutly, “Yes!” Laughing, Buck squatted before scooping the young girl into his arms and nuzzling his nose against her cheek, loving the way she laughed and hugged her arms around his neck. When they broke apart so Buck could look Jee in the face she asked, “Where is Uncle Tommy?”

Oh, the way his heart swooped in his chest hearing her call him that. It was one thing for Maddie to joke. It was another to hear his niece accept the man as a member of her own family.

“He’s inside on the couch, why don’t you go surprise him with a hug?” He suggested, setting her back on her feet. With an enthusiastic nod, she dashed inside, yelling out Tommy, ruining the surprise. Not that it mattered. Tommy would act shocked anyway. Finally, Buck took a moment to greet Maddie, pulling her into a soft hug, letting his head rest atop hers as she wrapped him up in her arms.

“Merry Christmas, baby bro.” She said, voice warm, despite having to go in to work. “Thanks again for looking after her. She’s been excited all week.”

“Of course.” Buck rubbed a hand up and down her back a few times before pulling away. “I know it’s hard on you, having to be away from Chim and Jee, especially during the holiday’s. But don’t worry, your best little big brother is on it and will take so many pictures.”

Letting out the smallest sniff, Maddie said, “I’ll hold you to that. Now, let me go or I’ll be late. I expect a picture every hour.” Buck laughed and pecked the top of her head and let her go. Maddie rubbed at her damp eyes and tacked on, “Love you, Buck.”

“Love you too. Now get going so me and Jee can start getting into mischief she’s not allowed to do when mom is around.” He winked, stepped back and closed the door in his sister's face, her mouth agape with affront. He heard her mumbling to herself about stupid big little brothers all the way down the sidewalk making him grin a bit evilly.

Maneuvering through the house, he headed into the living room where he found Jee straddling Tommy’s lap, his hands protectively holding her back so she didn’t topple backwards as she excitedly babbled on about something or other. “Have I been replaced as the favorite uncle?” He asked, crossing his arms over his chest and raising an eyebrow.

Turning, Jee stared him straight in the face before flopping forward to rest her head on Tommy’s chest, his big arms wrapping around her in a tight hug. “I dunno, it’s tough competition.” Tommy joked, staring down at Jee with the most adoring look Buck thought he’d ever seen. Buck had never really considered whether or not it was super important that his future partner loved his nieces and nephews like he did, but seeing how enamoured Tommy was with Jee? Yeah. Anything less would be unacceptable.

“Well, if that’s how it is, I might just have to go make Christmas cookies all by myself. I’m too sad for adorable little nieces to help me. Especially not ones who think my boyfriend is cooler than me.” Jee popped upright, nearly knocking her head into Tommy’s chin. It was hard to hide the grin and keep the sad, kicked puppy dog look firmly in place.

Turning oh so slowly Buck heaved a huge sigh, lamenting, “I guess I’ll just go to the kitchen. All by myself. Woe is me that I have to cut out the gingerbread men all by my lonesome, no boyfriend or Jee to help me.”

A loud thump followed by pattering little feet and a second later his legs were weighed down by the child clinging to him. “No, Uncle Buck! I’m right here! I can help make cookies.”

“Wait, you’re cutting me out, too? What did I do?” Tommy grumbled, getting up and moving close enough to wrap a wonderfully large, gloriously hot, hand around the back of Buck's neck. “You’re going to deny me cookies?”

Buck snorted, laughing ineloquently. “You two are ridiculous. Tommy, I didn’t say you couldn’t eat the cookies, just that I’d have to make them all by myself.” He didn’t have to see the eyeroll to feel it.

“Well, yes but by your rules, if I don’t help make them, I can’t help eat them either.” Turning slightly, Buck was greeted by the most adorable put upon pout he’d ever seen on a grown man. Tommy continued, “Jee, I think you and I are going to have to form our own alliance. We’ll have our own cookie empire.”

She scrunched her nose and asked, “What’s an ah-lie-ance?”

“It means that Uncle Buck can’t play with us because he’s not in the alliance. It’ll just be me and you against the cookie world.”

Her brow furrowed. “That’s not very nice, Uncle Tommy. Mommy said I shouldn’t leave anyone out.”

“Yeah, Tommy. You’re not ‘sposed to leave anyone out.” Buck reprimanded, turning so he could waggle his pointer finger in his boyfriend’s face. He let out a yelp when Tommy bear hugged him from behind and lifted him off his feet, Jee and all, and squeezed him tight.Tommy swung their bodies from side to side, growling. Jee squealed and held on tighter as Buck demanded he be put down. “Alright, alright, I get it, Tommy, now put me down! The cookie dough is getting warm!”

“Well whose fault is that?” Tommy raised one beautifully groomed eyebrow after smacking a deliberately slobbery kiss to Buck’s cheek and resting a hand once again on Jee’s head. “Maybe if you hadn’t made me and Jee threaten to make our own alliance we wouldn’t be having this issue.”

Jee huffed loudly and crossed her arms over her chest and stamped her foot - just a little stomp - and pouted, “C’mon Uncle Buck. Uncle Tommy. I wanna make cookies.” She was clearly done with the teasing and was getting impatient. Noticing, both men crouched and looked her straight in the eye as they gently apologized, and assured her that they were only playing around. Of course everyone was going to help cut cookies.

 With another minute of cajoling, Jee relented and put her happy face back on. When they stood, she reached out and grabbed one of each of their hands and swung them as they moved to the kitchen where Buck handed her her very own apron and one to Tommy, and then helped her get her hands washed.

Soon the kitchen island was covered in a fine layer of white flour as the three of them meticulously cut out cookies in every shape available to them. It took about forty-five minutes to get three batches of dough worth of cut outs done.

While Tommy wiped down the counters and washed the cookie cutters, Buck set Jee down in front of the TV to watch some YouTube while he made them a quick lunch of apple and turkey sandwiches with homemade chutney and kettle chips. 

When they’d finished, Buck asked Jee, “Those cookies will take some time to bake and cool. What would you like to do in the meantime?”

The young girl paused for a moment, little feet swinging and kicking the couch until she grinned and replied, “I want to make cards for mommy and daddy and Ms. Heart!” Her daycare provider.

“Sure thing. Let’s go get the supplies and set up the table.”

Jee pouted. “Can’t we do it here? I wanna watch Scooby Doo.” She jutted out her bottom lip, reminding Buck way too much of her mother.

“Not this time, Jee. Paint is messy and if we do it out here we’ll have to lay out towels or something. Since we’re going to decorate cookies, it’s okay if the dining room floor gets messy. How about we turn on some Christmas music and we can have a dance party at the same time? Uncle Tommy looks real funny dancing.”

“Hey, I heard that!” Tommy shouted from where he was putting dishes into the dishwasher.

“You were meant to!”

“But I wanna watch the TV…” She whined with the tiniest of sniffles, though it wasn’t tantrum level. Thank God that his niece listened beautifully. Most of the time.

Reaching out, Buck grabbed the back of her head and pulled her in to plant a kiss right between her twin French braids. “I promise we’ll watch a movie later, okay? Let’s go make those cards while our cookies finish.” Buck pulled Jee into a hug and held on tightly until she hugged him back. Scooping her into his arms, he walked into the dining room where Tommy had taken the liberty of laying out a plastic cover, water colors, and some plain sheets of cardstock Buck kept around for this purpose.

Not ten minutes later, his niece had all but forgotten about watching TV as she splattered paint on the white canvas, babbling away. Buck and Tommy sat side by side as they listened attentively, alternating getting up to take cookies out of the oven. After an hour, the final batch had been removed, the oven turned off and the cookies cooling.

Jee dutifully helped clean off the table, returning the paints to their place in the supply closet. After, she helped Buck mix different shades of frosting for their gingerbread army as Tommy stood by and watched with a soft smile, relaxed as he leaned back against the counter.

All started out well, the three of them carefully layering frosting on each cookie, decorating with care and consideration. Until Tommy turned and booped the tip of Jee’s nose with a green frosted finger.

 All hell broke loose.

Jee swiped a finger through the red frosting wiping it down Tommy’s cheek. Aghast, he took revenge by booping Buck’s nose with blue frosting. Buck spluttered indignantly, sticking his fingers into a bowl of white frosting and withdrawing a glob that he chucked at his boyfriend.

Chaos erupted. Jee, fingers dyed in bright holiday cheer, chased her uncles around the kitchen island as she let food fly. Tommy kept side swiping Buck in frosting drive bys. Frosting ended up on the floor, the walls, and the stove. Buck swore some even found its way up his nose. The three of them were laughing so hard by the time they ran out of icing that they could hardly breathe. Thankfully most of the icing had ended up on the cookies, and not on themselves, and no cookie was left shivering and naked, but it was still going to be a mess to clean.

Snatching Jee as she tried racing by him, Buck blew a raspberry against her cheek and tickled her stomach until she squirmed. “Alright, rugrat. I think it’s time we get cleaned up, don’t you?” She shook her head and tried to squirm out of his grip, lunging for the last bowl of icing still on the counter. “Nope. C’mon now. We’ll go take a quick bubble bath downstairs while Uncle Tommy goes upstairs to clean up. Afterwards we can watch a movie and eat some popcorn, okay?” Harrumphing, she agreed, rolling her eyes, going ragdroll limp in his arm.

“I’ll clean up down here before I go wash up.” Leaning over, Tommy licked a stripe of frosting off Buck’s cheek before gently kissing the spot, afterwards turning to begin the arduous task of cleaning the kitchen.

Still holding his niece, Buck brought them to the bathroom with the tub on the first floor, and got the water running as Jee stripped down, her clothes a sticky mess. Once the tub was about a third full, filled with bubble bath and a bunch of rubber ducks and other toys, Buck helped Jee in and got her settled, making sure that she wouldn’t slip and accidentally fall under water. Once she’d gotten herself comfortable, Buck left to go find the overnight bag Maddie had left for her.

Finding it hanging on a hook near the front door he rummaged around until he found a bright pink pair of pajamas, a unicorn with a 3D horn plastered on the long sleeve tee. The bottoms were covered in glittery sparkle fireworks. He also grabbed the toothbrush, toothpaste, and hairbrush that had sunk to the bottom of the bag. Upon returning to the bathroom, Jee had mostly gotten herself clean. Setting her toiletries aside, Buck helped to get her hair out of the braids, washed and rinsed. Once satisfied there was no more soap, Buck got her out of the tub, dried off with a hilariously huge green towel, and blow dried her hair mostly dry while she brushed her teeth.

Satisfied, Buck walked back to the living room hand in hand with her, and got her settled onto the couch with a throw blanket and pillow. Kissing her temple he told her he’d be right back after his own shower. From the kitchen Buck could hear the hum of the microwave letting him know Tommy already had the popcorn covered.

Stripping, he showered quickly - he’d been clean that morning so he mostly just made sure there was no frosting anywhere - and dressed in his loose grey pajama bottoms and cut off t-shirt. Back in the living room, Jee was snuggled into Tommy’s side, her eyelids heavy. She was already beginning to drift. Sinking down on her other side, he snagged some popcorn and threw it into his mouth. Sleepily she murmured, “Did you remember to leave cookies for Santa? He won’t leave me any presents if there’s no cookies.”

“Yeah, sweetheart. We left cookies and milk. Are you ready to watch a movie?” Smiling, she gave a tiny nod. Grinning, Buck navigated to his favorite Christmas movie of all time and hit play. Not fifteen minutes in, Jee was out like a light. Tommy’s arm ran along the back of the couch as he ran his fingers through the hair at Buck’s nape, making Buck sigh contentedly, even with their eyes glued to the TV. 

By the end of the film, Jee had fallen onto her side, her head pillowed on Buck’s lap, and her little feet pressed into Tommy’s thigh. As the credits rolled, Buck stretched and turned to his boyfriend who stared back, that always present, gentle grin on his lips. “I love you, Tommy. You know that? Thanks for helping me make Jee’s day.”

Eyes crinkled in the corner, Tommy gave his hair a gentle tug and replied, “Always, Evan. I’ll always be here for you because you know I love you, too.” Like a magnet pulled them together, they leaned across Jee to come together for the softest of kisses. “Thanks for making this Christmas special for me, too.”

Buck’s face lit up and his heart felt lighter than air. Life may have started rough for Buck but… 

All in all, Buck firmly believed that he was living his best wonderful life.

-x-