just a bunch of honkus ponkus

3. Buck is the last one up, because he doesn't want to whack anyone with a crutch. "You gonna need to miss any class?" Professor Deluca asks as he packs up his own bag. "I don't think so," Buck says. "Uh, I'm not starting physical therapy for a bit. Everything has to...go back together." "If you wake up one day and it hurts beyond belief, give yourself a day," Professor Deluca says. "My class ain't that important. You tell anyone I said that and I'll fail you." Buck ducks his head and laughs. "Yeah, okay," he agrees. "Do you know where 310 is?" The professor's lips twitch like he's trying not to smile. "Yeah, elevator and one floor up, go to the end of the hall. You got Kinard?" Buck nods. "Guy's a hardass, likes to be called 'sir,'" he says. "Thanks for the tip," Buck says, swinging his bag over his shoulder. Dr. Kinard is teaching a queer literature class, not a women's literature class, but it's classified under both Gender and LGBTQ+ Studies. And he quietly tells Buck during a free moment that he doesn't have to call him 'sir,' and Buck sinks in his seat. "Sorry, Professor Deluca--" "Whatever that man tells you outside lectures, don't listen," Dr. Kinard says dryly.

4. Buck is going to Dr. Kinard's office hours, because he's pretty sure he doesn't understand the book they're reading. Like at all. And he's not even halfway through it. When he approaches, he sees Professor Deluca bend and kiss Dr. Kinard before murmuring something and stepping back. He waves to Buck and walks away, and Buck looks between them for a moment. He's pretty sure professors can date, right? His parents worked at the same school for a decade without any problems, and they were just teaching high school. "Ah, yeah, that's my husband," Dr. Kinard says, waving him in. "What's up?" "I don't understand this book," Buck says, easing himself into a chair. "It's Djuna Barnes, no one understands it," he says, smiling. "But what's sticking out to you?" And Buck pulls out his copy. He's got sticky tags poking out all over. "Uh," Dr. Kinard says. "Green is 'possible quote to pull for the paper,' yellow is 'interesting,' red is 'I don't get it,' and blue is 'I think I get this but I should make sure,'" Buck explains. "Uh, there's a lot of red and blue." "I...can see that," Dr. Kinard says, smiling. They discuss the book until the end of his office hours, and Buck finds himself thinking a lot about some things that he's never really considered before. He gets on his bus and leans his head back against the window and blinks at the ceiling. By the time he's getting into his elevator, he thinks he might not be as straight as he'd always believed himself to be.

5. He's trying to get dates lined up for physical therapy, but the workman's comp system is jerking him around on the timeline, even though his doctor cleared him to start. He goes to Professor Deluca and asks him what he should do. "You're in a union, use it," he says. "Every step of the way, you have them on speed dial. They'll make sure you're not screwed over, that's why they exist. You've been getting workman's comp, right?" "Yeah, it's a little weird, though," Buck admits. "Uh, it's kind of...the first time they've ever seen this kind of claim. So there was a whole thing about it." "You're a firefighter, they've never had one break a leg before?" Professor Deluca asks, frowning. "Oh, no, my leg got crushed by a ladder truck," Buck says, and Professor Deluca's eyebrows shoot up. "There was a bomb." He tells him the story, and Professor Deluca scribbles something on a sticky note and hands it to him. "That's my cell," he says. "You get screwed around over this at any point, you call me. Jesus, kid, I'm sorry that happened to you." And Buck kind of awkwardly thanks him and settles in for class as students start trickling in. He goes to Dr. Kinard's class after and kind of accidentally comes out during the class discussion, because today is apparently the day he's oversharing. After, Dr. Kinard asks him if he's okay, because the discussion had been a little heated. "Yeah, uh, sorry," Buck says. "Don't be," Dr. Kinard says, smiling. "I'm just glad you're okay. See you at office hours?"

6. He finds himself bouncing between constantly wanting to impress and please his professors and also realizing he's spending more time with them outside of class than any other students. He talks to Bobby about it one day when Bobby's making dinner with him. "Haven't you ever had a crush on a teacher?" Bobby asks incredulously, and no. Buck's parents are teachers, so he's never seen the appeal. But now he's self conscious about what he's doing but also afraid to change his behavior in case they notice. He's noticed that they don't ever brush him off, and Professor Deluca even shows up to office hours and gets in on the discussions or debates. They honestly seem more and more married as time goes on. "Thomas, I swear to god I will divorce you if you try to convince me--" "It's a queer reading, not--" "It's the fucking Babadook!" And they both look to Buck to settle the argument, but he's never seen it. Then he's given access to a Google drive that he's not allowed to tell anyone about, and it's filled with movies and TV shows. For academic purposes. Dr. Kinard keeps the files to refer to them, pull clips for classes, and for research. There's even corresponding documents with notes that are timestamped that don't always make sense, because they're referring to other media or papers. But Buck starts watching them when he's got free time, and he eases himself into the chair in Dr. Kinard's office and says, "I mean, it could be about the coming out process." Professor Deluca shakes his head in disappointment. "You're dead to me, Buckley," he says as Dr. Kinard pumps his fist behind him. "You're just mad because you've got no imagination," Dr. Kinard says. Professor Deluca quirks an eyebrow and smirks at him. "Now you know that ain't true, baby," he says, and Buck feels it sink low into his belly.

7. He makes it through the semester. He starts physical therapy. He has to do online classes only, and they're fine but not as engaging. He almost dies from blood clots. He's in class when the tsunami hits. He gets stuck behind a desk. And he gets told the college is due for an inspection. When he shows up in Professor Deluca's office, because Dr. Kinard's was empty, he sees Dr. Kinard sitting on the corner of the desk and leaning forward while they look at each other like they're ready to sweep everything off and go at it. "Fire Marshal," Buck says, and they look to him and both grin. They get to talking, checking in with him and looking concerned when he tells them about everything that's happened. "Kid, you should go into academia," Professor Deluca says. "If only so we can keep an eye on you." He flushes and shrugs and tells them he's okay now. He does have to finish his inspection, but he wanted to say hi and thank them for being so great. Not long after, he calls his union steward and then waffles before shooting a text to the rarely used number for Professor Deluca. He shows up at Buck's office. He looks infuriated. He helps Buck draft an email to the LAFD brass, Bobby, and his union. They attach the letters from Buck's doctors clearing him for all duty. Buck gets squirmy when Professor Deluca adds in something about possible legal action. "You put the fear of God in them or they'll keep waking all over you," Professor Deluca says. "C'mon, I'll buy you lunch."

8. It's over lunch that Buck accidentally tells his former professor that he's got a crush on him and his husband, which is crossing a line and he knows it. "Yeah, well, we crossed more than few with you," Professor Deluca says. "You think I'd show up to give personal labor rights advice to just anyone?" "I mean, you might," Buck says, smiling. "Kid, I ain't that nice," he says, grinning. "You planning on taking more classes?" "I don't know," Buck admits. "I guess it depends on what happens from here. I really loved being back in school, but...I'm a firefighter. I don't wanna be anything other than that. It's not just a job for me." He expects disappointment, but there isn't any. Instead, a few days later, he shows up to Dr. Kinard's office. He's packing up, it's later in the day. "Hey, you almost missed me," he says, smiling. They walk out toward the faculty lot, and Professor Deluca is leaning against an old car. "They're giving me my job back," Buck says. "So, uh, I guess I'm dropping out again." "Good," Professor Deluca says, smiling. "You wanna grab a bite to eat?" And Buck looks between them and realizes what he's actually being asked and nods eagerly.

9. It's after dinner and then another dinner and then lunch that he finally kisses them. They'd been taking this slow, calling it hangouts more than dates, because they're married and he was their student and he just went through a whole lot. Once he kisses them, it's full speed ahead, though. They're on dates once a week, he's in a text thread with them that's 80% debates and discussions about books or movies or shows. Their schedules finally line up in a way where he's got four days off right as they've got three, and he goes to their house and barely makes it out of bed for two days. He's just gotten his dick sucked by his two genius, hot boyfriends and has them cuddled up on each side of him when he realizes this might be getting really serious for him. Or already has.