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“Can I ask you a question?” Buck blurts out as Eddie pours creamer into their coffee. It’s the algae creamer that Buck uses. Eddie picked it up when he was out grocery shopping last. Even though he was shopping for his house and not Buck’s. Even though he doesn’t use it. Eddie buys a different one for his. Some fancy caramel macchiato type stuff that he splurges on because Frank told him to treat himself and Eddie apparently can only do that with coffee creamer.
“Go for it.” Eddie hums in reply, clicking the tops shut and carrying the creamer bottles to the fridge. He’s wearing old sweats with a hole in the thigh. Bare toes peek out from the bottom. His shirt is old and loose, dipping at the collar. There’s an unknown stain on the chest. He’s got day old stubble growing on his jaw and his hair is sleep ruffled and soft. He looks beautiful.
“Wanna get married?”
Eddie fumbles the bottles, the fridge door open, and his head snaps over to Buck, mouth parted in surprise and eyes wide. He says nothing.
“Look, h-hear me out,” Buck steps forward, rubber spatula gripped tightly in both hands. The eggs he’d been about to cook for them for breakfast remain forgotten beside the stove. “We…we love each other. We basically live together. I’m pretty sure I’ve been helping you raise your son?” Buck releases a slightly manic laugh. “Eddie, I’ve never felt so comfortable or at home with someone. I’ve never known another home like I know yours. I’ve seen you at your absolute worst and your absolute best. The same applies for you with me. And…and we still love each other. We keep coming back to each other. And I…I do. You know? L-love you. As a best friend. As a work partner. As…as my person.”
Eddie is still staring. Mouth open. Eyes wide. Creamer bottles in hand.
“I have loved you since probably the moment I met you. And it’s only grown and blossomed into…” Buck gestures wildly around the room, “This! Eddie. We’re already married. Why don’t we make it official?”
Buck feels like he’s run a marathon when he finishes. His chest rises and falls rapidly. His heart is going crazy in his chest.
Eddie slowly turns, puts the creamers away, and shuts the door. Buck watches. Waits.
And then Eddie is walking towards him and Buck can’t read his expression. He always has known what Eddie is thinking. It’s one of the many things Buck loves about the man.
But right now? When Buck has bared it all out in front of them? He has no idea what Eddie is thinking.
“You…” Eddie trails off, shaking his head. “Buck.”
“I—“
“Am I allowed to at least take you on a single date before you propose?” Eddie cuts him off. And a beautiful smile is lighting up his face. It’s soft and sweet and all Buck’s.
“I…y-yeah. Of c-course.”
“Good.” Eddie sways forward, hand resting on Buck’s hip, and he brushes his mouth across Buck’s. A first kiss. Their first kiss. But it feels like one they’re exchanged thousands of times. “But for the record…yes. I’ll marry you.”
Buck grins back, looping his arms around Eddie’s neck and pulling him back in for another kiss. This one longer and deeper.
Eddie snorts when they pull apart, just enough to look at each other. “Proposing to me and we aren’t even together.”
“We’ve always been a little together.”
“Okay. That may be true.” Eddie grins, “Can you make breakfast now? I’m hungry.”
they're living together when they go on their first date but buck is dead set on doing it right. it has to be perfect. it's eddie. it's the rest of his life. he has to make it perfect. and also a little bit silly. because that's them! they've done all the heavy stuff couples have, now they get this light little first step which is heavy in its own way but it's them. so they get ready together in their house and it's totally normal and fine and neither of them are freaking out about what to wear because they're too busy ogling the other until suddenly buck just vanishes. eddie hears the front door open and close and he's just kind of stood in his room clueless and then there's a knock on the front door and eddie opens it and buck is there with flowers he'd stashed in his truck and eddie is blushing and rolling his eyes and laughing all at once and buck kisses his cheek and asks if he's ready to go and eddie says just gimme a sec to put these flowers in some water and buck nods and tells him his carriage awaits and it's so dumb but eddie loves him so much and buck loves the way eddie laughs at him when he's ridiculous. and the date goes. well, it goes a bit awkwardly at first but they settle into it quick and they share a dessert and buck pays and then they drive home. and buck walks eddie up to the door and says i had a really good time tonight and eddie says yeah me too and because he's caught onto the game buck's playing he beats him to the punch and leans back against the door with a cheeky little grin and asks if buck wants to come in for a nightcap and buck blushes and says i really shouldn't, don't want you to get the wrong impression and eddie raises his eyebrows and says we're ending tonight in the same bed anyway and buck goes ooh confident i like it and eddie rolls his eyes and buck leans in to kiss him just a chaste quick thing and whispers goodnight eddie against his mouth and then he's walking down the driveway as eddie reboots and eddie will shout buck get your ass home. now.