Omg! I am thrilled to get this question! First hey friend! We do like the same ships and I am a fan of your work, so it’s lovely to hear from you. So not to over do this but I have broken my answer (essay) up into three parts. The first is things to know before entering the buddie fandom, the second is who they are, and the third is why I like them. I tried to be as succinct as possible but I do suffer from too much love for them so bear with me. Also this is spoiler free.

What to know about buddie

Okay so the very first thing to know about buddie is that they are not canon. Yet. (A deal with the devil is scheduled for Wednesday night before the next episode airs on Thursday which is speculated to be THE episode. Jkjk) This is important to note because when I entered the fandom I had absolutely no clue. I thought they were a gay firefighting couple who were raising a special needs child together. I thought it was cute. I was confused and disappointed when I found out they were not in fact together. The second thing to know is buddie is unhinged about each other. Like watching this show I feel gaslit especially in the earlier seasons. Something would happen between them and I’d be wondering like is this normal behavior? I probably didn’t start shipping them until season 3 but did notice some crush type behavior early on. I also went into the show expecting to like them so. The third thing to know is there’s a shit ton of amazing fanfic and it’s constantly growing. Like I think when I started reading buddie fanfic again last March it was 8k lower than it is now. It’s insane how fast it’s growing. And lastly, shipping them is like entering a land of delusion because they’ve been a will they go canon since like season 4 and we’re on season 8. I initially got into them right before season 5 and I was so sure they’d go canon in season 5 and then they didn’t. So like there’s just a lot of delusion about whether or not it’s happening, which is fine but it’s good to know going in. That being said you don’t have to worry about a Veronica mars situation with them.

Who is buddie?

Okay so buddie or Evan “Buck” Buckley and Eddie Diaz are two firefighters on a show called 911 which also stars Angela Bassett, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Peter Krause. All major reasons I came for the show. Buck is in the show from episode 1 and Eddie comes in season 2. The show is all about first responders and while it can be a tearjerker there’s also some really strange plot points and funny ones. Buck is basically introduced as a fuck boy a la Logan Echolls but without the rich and famous parents. Buck’s story can be summed up as a someone who is desperate to be loved. His parents, while not as bad as Logan’s, were not great parents and Buck has a lot of self esteem issues. In my opinion, Buck has been on a journey since season 1 to figure out how to love himself and be in a loving relationship where he’s not being used (mostly for sex.). And then there’s Eddie Diaz who comes in as a work partner for Buck thanks to their fire captain Bobby (Peter Krause). Eddie is an army medic with a son who is adorable and has cerebral palsy. He got married super young because he got his girlfriend pregnant. Now, his wife is estranged and not in the picture so Eddie is learning what it is to be a single parent. His son, Chris is the most important person in Eddie’s life and later on becomes the most important in Buck’s. Eddie’s journey can really be summed up as he’s always taking care of other people and his identity is tied up in his titles such as father, husband, soldier, firefighter without taking the time to actually know who he is. He’s always pushing his own needs aside and then they generally manifest in anger or mental health issues. He’s spent a lot of time addressing these issues and growing to better understand balancing his needs and accepting that it’s okay to be open. Eddie and Buck lean on each other constantly and the audience watches as their friendship grows and they become a family.

Why I like Buddie

So the top reason I like buddie is because I love how soft they are with each other. Both Buck and Eddie are pretty traditionally masculine men which is why it’s so refreshing to see them so open with each other. First and foremost they are best friends and they show up for each other again and again. There are so many scenes in which you can see the love they have for each other. And they are evenly matched too. Like they are partners in every sense of the word. And they have their own storylines outside of each other so the character isn’t a plot device to drive the other’s story. It’s a really refreshing take to see men have meaningful conversations and be vulnerable with each other without sacrificing who they are as characters or being labeled a certain way. I love Buck because he is so emotional and isn’t afraid to be that way while Eddie has been told for most of his life to suck it up and push it down. By watching Buck be so open, he’s able to feel like he has a safe place to be vulnerable. So I guess my favorite part of them is watching them be safe with each other.

I also love found family stories and this is like peak found family. They trust and rely on each other and again it’s amazing to see. I mean overall I’d say they don’t have any toxic traits in their relationship except probably codependency and Buck can be unhinged when he’s jealous, but unlike other ships I’ve enjoyed, they’re extremely healthy for one another. They bring out their best qualities. I also like that they are best friends and work partners. They do so many things together which the audience sees again and again. They match each others freak and it’s just really beautiful. And lastly, it’s a slow burn. Like incredibly slow like caramelizing onions slow so while you get a bunch of content you also have to wait it out.

I think I covered all of it. Highly recommend. The first season does feel like a completely different show but it’s all fun to watch. I’m not a procedural person but I enjoy 9-1-1. The writing isn’t like mind blowing but it’s definitely enjoyable. I tend to watch while crafting.

Title: Knowing the Difference

Author: steenbeans @vmsteenbeans

Summary: Told from multiple perspectives, but the heart of the story is the relationship between Logan and Veronica. More character driven than plot driven, but I threw in a few mysteries for fun. Enjoy!

 Me at the end of the iZombie season finale:

I watched the pilot & it didn’t grab me. Do I need to go back?

Short answer? Yes. Longer answer? I mean... I really like it. It’s definitely not without its faults, but there’s a lot of good in the show, and I love pretty much all of the characters (except for Blaine. Just... go suck rocks, Blaine.) especially Ravi and Major and their bromance.

But like I said, there are some issues with the show. The reliance on the “brain of the week” episode can get very hit or miss with how good an episode is, but the second season finale has got me like woah and I can’t fucking wait for season 3.

Soooooooooooooooooooooo..... maybe?

Yes, I realize this was a SUPER helpful answer. Sorry.

Hello my baby, hello my darling, hello my rag time gal! This is the wonderful, the beautiful, the feels inducing, Knowing the Difference by @vmsteenbeans. Enjoy the reread!

Knowing the Difference by steenbeans; Logan/Veronica, Veronica/Piz, Mac/Casey; Ensemble; Teen; Post-series AU   

Thanks for the KtD shout out :) Most of my favorite fics are weird and dark but a great multi-chapter fic is my dear friend TXQuill’s “Choices:How to Make a Life”. I can send you a link if you haven’t read it.