Chapter Text
Buck had been so good at ignoring the pain day in and day out, it started out as just a dull throb. Nothing he thought was really that serious, but over time the pain only got worse. Sure, occasionally the pain would disappear for a few days or even months at a time, but when it came back it really came back hard. The pain had slowly resurfaced during a call, a small apartment fire that honestly didn’t take long to put out, and Buck tried. He tried so hard to keep the pain from showing on his face, to keep from wincing when he had to carry anything heavy, and it worked. Nobody really suspected anything, until they had begun to pack up, and Buck had dropped the tank he had just taken off his back. The loud clang of metal off the ground drew all attention to Buck, he tried to play it off. He really did, but it was so easy to see through him. He wasn’t fooling anybody, especially not as his right arm hung partially limp at his side.
Eddie was the first at his side, a worried look on his face as Bobby, Hen and Chimney followed suit quickly after. “I’m fine, really.” Buck lied through his teeth before anyone could ask any questions, doing his best to lift both of his hands in a double thumbs up. The obvious wince and clear pain on his face at raising his right arm was enough for his team to ignore his bad lying in favor of trying to check him over. Eddie and Chimney had all but dragged Buck into the truck, Bobby picking up Buck’s forgotten tank that lay abandoned on the floor as Hen quickly followed behind the other three.
Buck sighed as he was forced to sit down, “Seriously, I’m fine. It’s not even anything serious?” even Buck seemed unsure, because he was unsure. He had never bothered to go to a doctor about the issue, at first he had assumed he simply slept wrong. When the pain continued to increase, he wrote it off as the added stress and movement from his job and occasionally the pain went away. Sure, it would return every so often, but it wasn't usually this bad. He could usually hide it, it would hurt to move his arm for sure. But he couldn’t just stop doing his job, being a firefighter was his life. He wasn’t sure what he’d do if he had to go on some form of medical leave again, what if Bobby deemed he wasn’t ready to return again? He couldn’t bear going through that a second time, couldn’t handle the isolation brought on from his previous actions once again. He’d never think of suing anyone again, but if Bobby ever pulled that type of stunt with him again.. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to face him, or anyone for that matter.
“Buck, shut up. Your arm doesn’t just give out on you randomly.” Eddie didn’t seem to want to hear any argument as he tried to gently wrestle Buck out of his heavy coat, Buck tried to work with him to let off the pain as much as he could. “Not on a call, I know. But it won’t happen again.” Eddie’s hands froze before he managed to get Buck’s coat off. “What do you mean 'not on a call'?” Hen and Chimney shared a glance at Eddie’s question, Hen had moved beside Buck and began prodding lightly along Buck’s shoulder. Buck opened his mouth to spit out an answer, but winced and pulled away from Hen as she pressed down a little hard in a particularly sore spot.
“Buck, buddy, that’s not a normal reaction for nothing.” Chimney spoke up, Buck could only sigh and hang his head. “It’ll be better in a few days.” Hen shook her head, “How long has this been happening that you think you know that?” Buck at least had the decency to look a little sheepish, he rubbed the back of his neck with his left hand as he kept his right hand limp at his side. “It’s only been like.. October of last year?”