#zeethebooknerd

For @zeethebooknerd on... my birthday...

Read on Ao3

“I’m not asking you out. I’m saying we’ve been going out for months – years, probably.”

That declaration did break through the fog of math headaches and papercuts, and Eddie found himself turning to face his friend with dreaded curiosity.

“And how, exactly, did you come to that conclusion?”

In response, Buck simply huffed and held out his hand. Was he supposed to take it?

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we actually won so hard this season

“If we meet each other in Hell, it’s not Hell.” You know, at first I imagined this was gonna be angsty af, but then I was thinking about it in the shower and my brain threw this at me like “lol u thought” so have an AU meet cute. 

When Eddie agrees to join one of the LAFD strike teams to provide wildfire assistance, he’s thinking about two things—overtime and hazard pay.  The last thing he expects is—

“Hey.  It’s Diaz, right? From the 136?  I’m Evan Buckley—Buck—118.”

—blond hair and blue eyes and a thousand-watt smile that makes his pulse skip.

It takes Eddie a minute to respond, clearing his throat and rubbing at the back of his neck.

“I—yeah, that’s me,” he says.  “Buckley—wait, from the truck bombing a little while back?”

He swears internally when Buck’s bright blue eyes dim, that smile slipping briefly before he fixes it.

“Yeah,” Buck acknowledges.  “All fixed up now though.”

Eddie clears his throat and searches for a less fraught conversation topic.

“You know, I almost ended up at the 118 myself.”

“I know,” Buck replies.  “It came up after you were a big damn hero during the tsunami—free-climbing ferris wheels your specialty?”

“Nah, just something I like to do for fun,” Eddie shoots back, grinning when Buck laughs.  

“Well…”  Buck bites his lip and gives Eddie a once-over that makes him blink and flush.  “I suppose if it takes fighting some wildfires for us to finally meet, it will have been worth it.”  

Eddie looks away, rubbing at his neck again.  He gets flirted with a fair amount on calls, but rarely does he actually want to be.  It’s been over a year since Shannon died and he hasn’t tried actually dating since then, hasn’t really felt like putting himself out there despite the fact that he undoubtedly has nights where he feels the ache of loneliness that Christopher alone can’t completely fill.  But, for the first time, he almost—well, he’s…intrigued.

“Yeah, well, see how you feel after we’ve spent fourteen days together and are tired and cranky.”

Buck grins wider.  “Somehow I don’t think that’ll change anything, but sure, we’ll see.”

Sure enough, fourteen days later, Buck’s shoulder bumps against his as they make their way back to the transport trucks home.

“So…dinner?”

Eddie ducks his head and smiles, enjoying the flicker of warmth in his stomach that has nothing to do with the heat of the day or the still-raging, albeit manageable, wildfire in the distance.

“You know…” Eddie wets his lips.  “I have a kid.  He’s nine.”

Buck’s expression doesn’t change.  “I love kids.  And, more importantly, kids love me.”

“Oh, is that so,” Eddie laughs.

“I hear the skepticism, and frankly, rude.”  Buck’s arm brushes Eddie’s again, but Buck clears his throat before Eddie can respond.

“But um…I get it,” Buck assures.  “And you know, it—it doesn’t have to be a date or anything like that, I’d just…like to get to know you more.  When we can wear regular clothes and aren’t covered in ash all the time.  Because I think you’re pretty great.”

Eddie swallows and glances at the trucks.  They’re almost there.  

He looks back at Buck.  “And if—if I wanted it to be?  A date?”

Buck’s smile is radiant.  “Well, in that case…name your day.”

hey, zee! thanks! 💜

9) what, if anything, do you do for inspiration?

I comb through Spotify! I am so bad at coming up with my own stories/plots so I just listen to songs until a title or lyric(s) speak to me and I can draw a story out of it

16) are there any characters who haunt you?

Hmm, I don’t think so. I have characters that I adore but feel too nervous to fully write for because I’m not sure I could do them justice or get their voice down well. So I just stick to what I know and sprinkle those characters in when I can.

24) have you ever become an expert on something you previously knew nothing about, in order to better a scene or a story?

19. Satin on candlelight for the sensory prompts

slow dancing in a burning room

link to ao3

“Cheers,” Buck greets Eddie for the fiftieth time that night and places a champagne flute in front of him. He downs his own flute and takes a deep breath, “wanna dance?”

It’s a slow song. It might be the last slow song for the night since Chim and Maddie already danced to one, and then Buck danced with Maddie for half a song before their father stepped up and took over.

So Buck knows what he’s doing, even if Eddie looks puzzled. “With you?”

“No,” Buck smirks, “with my mother,” he rolls his eyes playfully.

“Your mother is dancing with you dad, Buck.”

“Oh my god, yes, with me, you dumbass.” Buck hopes he got this right. He hopes he’s read the signs correctly for the past couple of weeks and he’s not placing a bet to the wrong horse here. He holds his breath for a second too long until Eddie’s eyes soften and Buck feels relief take over.

“Oh,” Eddie says and his eyes are wide open, “now?”

And he’s not asking if now they are going to dance. He’s asking if now they are taking this step. If now is the right time to make this statement: after years of dancing around each other, they are now ready to dance together.

Buck gives Eddie a curt nod and holds out his hand for him to take.

Eddie takes a sip of his champagne and goes to stand from his chair. He grabs Buck by the arm, sliding his hand down, his fingers brushing through Buck’s rolled up sleeve, reaching his forearm skin, tracing his tattoo until he intertwines their fingers. They walk together to the middle of the dancefloor. To Buck’s surprise, Eddie puts a hand on his waist, tentatively. As Buck relaxes under his touch, he places the other on his shoulder.

After a beat, Eddie starts swaying them to the music.

...like in your eyes, I see my future in an instant

And there it goes

I think I found my best friend...

Buck runs his fingers over the lapel of Eddie’s tuxedo as it shimmers under the candlelight. The movement is intimate and Buck feels his cheek go from pink to a scandalous shade of red. But Eddie pulls Buck closer by the waist and he’s reassured of his decision. The sentiment is mutual and he knows he’s now grazing the rest of their lives together with the tip of his fingers.

“We’re going to be so happy together,” Eddie whispers into Buck’s ear and the words make him dizzy.

“Hmmm,” Buck nods to Chimney and Maddie, bride and groom laughing hysterically at something going on backstage, “I hope as happy as them.”

“Yes. And even more.”

...and in your eyes

I see the missing pieces I'm searching for