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Evan Buckley has been subject to his fair share of pain in his life. Including, but not limited to - absent parents, broken bones, broken hearts, exploding ladder trucks, pulmonary embolisms, tsunamis, factory fires and the emotional pain of losing the boy he loves like his own during said tsunami and watching the love of his life get shot and bleed out in front of his eyes. You name it, he’s probably experienced it.
That being said - it doesn’t make it anymore pleasant.
He, Eddie, Chimney, Hen and Costello are crammed into the back of the rig with Riley driving and Bobby riding shotgun. Athena is already on their latest scene and has specifically asked for the 118 as back up - there’s a major highway pile up just outside of their jurisdiction that’s being handled, but the resulting traffic has created more problems, namely angry and frustrated drivers fighting with one another for no reason at all.
Mondays, amiright?
“Do you reckon L.A could go one day without having an accident on the freeway? Is that too much to ask?” Costello moans into his third mug of coffee - he’d refused to leave it at the station. He’s got a newborn at home and isn’t sleeping well - he and Chimney have created a club.
“I daresay the day they do, we won’t be needed.” Bobby chuckles over the comms.
“Eh I’ll take it.” Buck shrugs, curling impossibly closer to Eddie.
His boyfriend wraps his spare arm around his shoulders and rearranges them in a way that they’re both comfortable and he can still use his phone. They’re currently aiming to purchase everything on Christopher’s extensive birthday present wish list.
“And what would you do for a job?” Bobby turns to ask him.
“I’d become a stripper.” Buck grins.
“No you won’t.” Eddie rebuffs without even looking up, making everyone snort in laughter.
“You don’t think I’d be a good stripper?” Buck pouts dramatically and bats his eye lashes at the older man.
Eddie raises his head to give Buck his best ‘bitch please’ face. “Not at all. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. I think you’d be a brilliant stripper and make everyone who watches you fall in love with you. And while I’m prepared to fight them all off, I just don’t have the time. So you’re just going to have to stick with being a firefighter and stripping for me only.”
“Ugh gross.” Chimney complains.
“Like you don’t strip for Maddie.” Costello winks.
“Don’t- don’t bring my sister into this.” Buck cringes.
“You started it!” Costello argues around a laugh.
“And now I’m finishing it.’ Bobby states, exasperated. ‘We’re here guys, so put your professional faces on and lets get this show on the road.”
Everyone smooths out their faces so they don’t look like they’ve been talking about strippers and climbs out of the rig. Their scene is carnage - 3 miles worth of honking traffic and more than a few angry people scrapping in the road.
“Alright, Eddie you’re with Hen, Ravi you’re with Chimney and Buck - you’re with me. Assess anyone who needs it and assist police if asked.” Bobby orders.
Everyone nods, grabs their supplies and splits up. Buck follows Bobby over to where Athena is expertly restraining two guys twice the size of her.
“Oh good you’re here.’ The police sergeant sighs. ‘These two fools apparently don’t know the meaning of ‘stop hitting each other’.”
Buck immediately helps her in the form of strong arming one of the men away, while Bobby helps detain the bigger and more angry one. Buck gets his guy to sit on the curb of the central reservation and takes check of him. He’s got a nasty cut above his eye, but otherwise he looks good.
“Can I trust you to sit here while I go get some gauze for your face?” Buck asks him, raising an eyebrow.
The guy looks down, seemingly embarrassed and nods. Buck nods back and goes to stand back up, when he hears Bobby yell out for him. He turns in his crouch towards where the man was last, when something heavy collides with his face. Buck falls to the floor with a shout that’s half shock, half pained grunt.
“What the hell?” He groans.
——
Eddie hears Bobby yell for Buck, and can’t help but look over. He does so just in time to see the guy he and Athena had been restraining charge over to where Buck is crouched over a patient and deliver a kick to his face. Eddie winces at the sickening crunch the man’s boot makes when it collides with Buck’s jaw, his heart squeezing in his chest painfully at the cry Buck lets out.
Then, his blood boils in his veins.
Without even checking in with Hen, Eddie jumps to his feet and hurls himself at the man who’s gearing up to kick Buck’s patient in the face, too. He tackles the man to the floor, forces his torso to the ground with a strong grip on his shoulders and gets his knees either side of his hips to pin him down.
“Yo what’s wrong with you?” The man hollers, trying and failing to get Eddie off of him.
“You just kicked my partner in the face.’ Eddie growls. ‘You’re lucky I didn’t return the favour.”
“I wasn’t aiming for him.” The man tries to argue.
“I’m sure you weren’t.’ Athena’s unimpressed voice sounds from Eddie’s left. He looks over at the woman, who’s glaring down at the guy with fire in her eyes. ‘But you did, and now you’re gonna pay for it.”
Eddie climbs off the guy and helps Athena get him in cuffs and into the back of the cruiser, before turning around and looking for Buck. He spots him, sat on the back of their ambulance with Chimney looking him over. The right side of his jaw is sporting a nasty looking bruise already, and Eddie knows it’s only going to get worse before it gets better.
Eddie moves over to his boyfriend and cradles his face in his hands gently, raking his eyes over the bruise.
“It’s not that bad.” Buck smiles up at him, but it soon turns to a grimace.
“Sure it’s not baby.” Eddie scoffs fondly.
“Nothing is broken, just sore as hell I imagine.’ Chimney determines. ‘Keep it iced.”
Eddie takes the ice pack from the shorter man’s outstretched hand and presses it to the bruise. Buck hisses at the contact, but doesn’t move away.
“Thanks for defending my honour back there.” Buck nudges his forehead into Eddie’s arm.
Eddie chuckles and strokes the back of his head with his spare hand. “I will always have your back, amor.”
“Love you.” Buck sighs happily.
“Love you too.” Buck kisses the crown of his head.
“Get him in the truck, we’re got it handled here.” Bobby tells Eddie as he approaches them, his worry for Buck clear in his eyes.
“You got it.” Eddie nods, and helps Buck climb to his feet without dislodging the ice pack from his jaw.
He manages to climb inside the rig and pull Buck up with him, and the two of them get comfortable. Eddie rests his back against the opposite door and gets Buck settled in between his begs so he can rest his head on Eddie’s shoulder.
“I know it’s a school night, but do you think Chris will be awake when we get home? I really want cuddles.” Buck asks meekly, like Eddie’s going to have a go at him for asking.
Eddie pulls his phone out to text Carla. “He can wait up a little later tonight.”
Buck snuggles in closer to him with a happy sigh. “Thank you.”
“Anything for you.” Eddie promises.