For the Buddie First Kiss Week Day 3 Prompt: Soft and Slow

"I'm so sorry, man." Eddie sounded absolutely awful even over the phone. It was Friday morning and they had movie night plans for later, but Chris came home yesterday with a stuffy nose and by that morning the Diaz house was under quarantine.

He sounded like he was talking through a cotton ball that was stuck on the phone receiver. When he wasn't talking, he groaned like he was too dizzy to function. Buck decided instantly that he wasn't spending his Friday off all alone in his apartment.

He grabbed what he needed and then ran by the store for the things he didn't have. Before long, he was standing in front of Eddie's front door, arms full of bags. It wasn't quite lunch time. Normally he'd knock and let Eddie open the door, keep up the pretense of homeownership or whatever. But not today. Today Eddie was too sick to function, so Buck let himself in quietly and then closed the door quietly too.

Honestly, he made too much noise – between the rustling of the bags and the clicking of the key in the lock and the door snapping into place – but somehow no one came out to greet him or check on the sound. Buck carefully put the bags down on the kitchen table and then toed off his shoes so he could walk around quieter.

He checked on Christopher first and found him curled up in bed, a tissue still clinging to his nose and breathing heavily through his mouth. He also found Eddie, laid out on the floor by Christopher's bed, two pillows propping him up in an attempt to help himself breathe and a throw blanket barely covering his body. They both looked miserable, but they were asleep at least.

Smiling, Buck returned to the kitchen and began to prep. He was no expert in the kitchen, but he knew how to make one soup without fail. Luckily it was exactly the soup for such a situation. He chopped and he sautéed and he brought to a boil, and once he had it simmering, he stepped away to let it cook to the best consistency.

While he waited for the soup to finish, he went to Eddie's closet and found the humidifier he knew Eddie had but had probably forgotten about. He cleaned it out, filled it with clean water, and then snuck into Christopher's room to plug it in. For a moment, he thought he'd be caught. When he turned the quiet machine on, Eddie had grunted and shifted under his blanket, completely casting the small thing off. But he didn't open his eyes.

Buck just couldn't help himself. He picked up the blanket and dropped it back over Eddie, covering as much of him as possible. Eddie barely even flinched. Both of his boys were breathing a little too loud because of their colds, but Buck didn't care. He took a moment to admire them both in ways he felt too exposed to do while they were awake.

Even ill, he thought Eddie was the most handsome man he'd ever met – since he wasn't an option for that himself. He wanted to kneel down and pet Christopher's hair back from his hot forehead, but Eddie was in the way and that would wake Chris prematurely.

He checked the humidifier was on once more and then quietly escaped the room. In the living room, he plugged in a diffuser he'd bought on his way over and put probably too much peppermint and lemongrass inside. Then he went back to check his soup.

It needed another minute more, so Buck set about putting the remains of his ingredients away in Eddie's fridge and pantry. This house felt almost more like his home than any place in his life ever had. He knew where most items were and had brought groceries over on more than one occasion just because he knew Eddie was running out. He had a bag in the corner of Eddie's room with a change of clothes just in case he slept over.

Eddie had told him not to come over today, but Buck couldn't just ignore Eddie and Chris when they needed him. He was going to help them feel better and beat this cold, and nothing Eddie said could convince him otherwise.

Buck had just turned off the soup and started spooning it into bowls when he heard Christopher's bedroom door open. The soft clack of crutches told him who to expect before he turned around.

"Buck?" Chris asked, dazed and confused. "What's that smell?"

Turning carefully, Buck set a bowl down at the kitchen table. "It's a Buckley family secret: the best chicken noodle soup to get over a cold ever. I made it for you and your dad."

Chris wobbled slightly as he moved to the table. Buck helped him into the chair and warned him to blow on the soup so he wouldn't burn his tongue. After a moment, Chris hummed. "This is really good."

"Thanks. Your dad told me you weren't feeling so great. But this soup will have you feeling better by tomorrow morning, I promise." Buck set his hand on Chris' hair for a moment but refrained from ruffling it. He didn't want to make the boy dizzy.

"Does Dad know you're here?" Chris asked and swallowed another spoonful.

"I wanted to surprise him. He needed the rest, just like you," Buck said as he retrieved a second bowl of soup and set it on the table across from Chris. "Think I should go wake him up or let him rest some more?"

Chris considered his options carefully, slowed a bit by the fog of his cold. He was leaning so close to the soup that his glasses fogged up near the nose. Eventually he let out a sigh. "Let him rest. He stayed up with me last night."

Nodding, Buck sat down across from Chris and made the executive decision that this bowl was his now. They ate in relative silence because Chris didn't seem to have the energy for sustained conversation. By the time he finished his bowl, however, he looked less miserable and even smiled.

"Thanks, Bucky," he said. "I'm glad you ignored Dad and come over anyway."

"Me too, Buddy."

Chris let himself be carried into the living room, where it smelled of mint and lemon. Buck set him on the couch with a blanket, turned on the TV, and started up a movie of Chris' choice – Coco. They sat together on the couch, Chris lying down and Buck sitting by his feet, for several moments. About the time Miguel passed into the Land of the Dead, Buck decided it was time to go check on Eddie. Chris was half asleep on the couch and barely noticed him leave. After a last look at the small boy, all warm and snug, Buck stepped out of sight and into the hallway.

Eddie was still on the floor where Buck left him, face flushed from fever. His breathing had eased somewhat, and Buck blamed the humidifier for loosening some of the mucus. He knelt down by Eddie and carefully placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey. Eddie, wake up," he coaxed, shaking the other slightly.

Groggy and slow, Eddie peeled his eyes open and focused on Buck. "What the hell? What are you doing here? You're going to get sick."

But Buck just shook his head and smiled. "Nope. Us Buckleys have great immune systems. Plus, I'm gonna have you and Chris feeling better by the morning, and I'm doing all the stuff with you, so I'm bound to be fine." He held his hand out for Eddie to take. "Come on. I made soup."

"You know how to do that?" Eddie asked as he was lifted up.

"I'm going to ignore the insinuation in that because you're sick."

He led Eddie from the room, hands still clasped, and over to the kitchen table. After making sure Eddie wasn't going to fall over, he went and grabbed a bowl of soup for him, then he sat across from him to keep him company while he ate, just like with Christopher.

Eddie didn't make appreciative noises like his son, but he did eat consistently until the bowl was empty. Buck took the bowl to the sink and rinsed all three before putting them in the dishwasher. When he turned around, Eddie was still slumping against the table like his head would explode, so Buck grabbed the medicine he'd brought with him and a glass of water.

"Here. This should help," he said, setting the stuff in front of Eddie.

After Eddie took the medicine, Buck walked with him to the living room and sat him on the couch. There wasn't enough room for him to lay down too, so Buck fetched the two pillows from Chris' room and then the blanket from Eddie's bed. He also grabbed two throw blankets to use as padding between Eddie and the floor, and with it all he made Eddie a little bed by the couch, just like he'd been doing in Chris' room only more comfortable.

"You really… didn't have to do all of this," Eddie murmured.

"I really did. I wanted to. Come on." Buck beckoned for Eddie to lay down and smiled when Eddie did. "Honestly, I'm a little offended you thought I'd keep my distance when you were sick. You both just needed some TLC."

Eddie stayed on his back, but his eyes shut instantly and he relaxed. Buck almost started tucking Eddie into bed, but that would probably push him into weird dad territory, so he restrained himself. But he did sit on the floor by Eddie for too long and watch him rest. Like with Chris, the soup seemed to have warmed him up in a good way. There was a more solid color to his cheeks. His voice didn't sound so miserable.

"Smells good in here," Eddie murmured, eyes still closed.

"Peppermint and lemongrass. It's supposed to help you breathe easier," Buck explained. "I also brought Vicks, which I'm sure you're intimately familiar with because it cures everything. I'm gonna put some on Chris whenever he wakes up, and if you want some too we can do that."

"You really… thought of everything, huh?" Eddie asked, voice half-gone with sleep.

"Nah, I'm sure I missed something." He reached over and tempted fate, dragging his fingers gently through Eddie's hair. "Go back to sleep. I'll make sure to wake you both up for food and medicine later."

The movie was still playing in the background, but the sound was low. Chris' breaths were less intense on the couch, his face less red. On the floor, Eddie dozed with Buck's hand in his hair, and Buck almost wished Eddie got sick more often just so he could do this all the time. He watched the movie while he continued playing with Eddie's hair, letting himself enjoy the moment.

Later, he did as he promised and woke them up to eat. He fed them more soup, put Vicks on both their backs and chests with very little argument from either Diaz, and tried not to get sucked in by the distant but knowing look in Eddie's eyes. Then everyone was back to the couch or the floor and Buck stayed there, leaning against the couch and watching things on Disney+ by himself while his two favorite men fell in and out of restless sleep.

At some point, Buck fell asleep. He woke up to the TV trying to verify if he was still watching and Eddie's eyes open and focused on him. The softest of glows were peeking around the edges of the window blinds, so it must have been morning, but Buck didn't pull his phone out to check. Eddie was watching him, and that required all of his attention.

"Feeling better?" he asked, stretching to work out the soreness of his muscles from falling asleep mostly upright against a couch.

"Yeah." Eddie pushed himself up to sit, and then shifted to be next to Buck. "Thank you, Buck. We both know you didn't need to come over yesterday to take care of us… but it means so much to me that you did. That you wanted to."

Buck knocked their shoulders together. "I've got your back, remember? I'll always be here if you want me." Maybe the wording on that should have been different, but he meant it all the same. If Eddie asked him for something, for anything, Buck would be there in a heartbeat. He'd do it, whatever it was.

Eddie was definitely feeling better, because even with bed head he looked gorgeous and alert. He leaned forward slightly, pausing just as he invaded Buck's breathing space, and oh my god. Had Eddie almost kissed him?

"I do want you," Eddie admitted softly. "We both do. Anytime. All the time."

"Careful what you wish for, Diaz," Buck warned, because if Buck was invested in a relationship, he always went all out. He didn't have a mellow bone in his body. If Eddie wanted him around, wanted to date him, then Buck was going to be the best friend or boyfriend anyone had ever had. And it would be spectacular and annoying at the same time.

"Don't trust my judgment?" Eddie teased.

"I dunno. You did just come out of some kind of fever dream. Who knows?" He teased because his chest was too full of hope, too nervous about failure. He didn't want to push. He just wanted to be useful, to be allowed to care and not be pushed away. He didn't need more than that.

"I'm not feverish anymore," Eddie countered. "See?" And he pressed their foreheads together.

His skin didn't feel hot against Buck's, but most rational thought escaped him then anyway. Eddie was so close. He was so. close. Buck could feel his breath, feel their noses brushing. It was soft and sweet in the early morning hours, and Buck never wanted it to end. He let his eyes slide shut and a little noise of contentment slipped out on accident.

"Yeah?" Eddie asked, probably making sure Buck was paying attention.

"Yeah," Buck whispered back. He would have agreed to almost anything.

Eddie's head tilted, their foreheads separated, and then Eddie's lips were on his. The contented noise from before slipped out again, a little louder this time, and Eddie pulled back with a quiet hushing noise.

"Chris is still sleeping," he whispered.

"I'll be quiet," Buck promised, grabbing Eddie by the front of his rumpled t-shirt.

Eddie came easily, kissing him again. Maybe Buck was having a fever dream now because he'd had normal dreams of kissing Eddie before, but never with Chris sleeping beside them on the couch and never with his back aching the way it was now.

His discomfort must have come out of him in a shift and a groan, because Eddie stopped them kissing again. How unfortunate. But then he was coaxing Buck to lie down on the makeshift bed with him. He let Buck get as comfortable as possible and then swung an arm over him so he could cuddle close.

"You work later, right?" Eddie asked. Buck nodded. "I'll drive you."

It was an invitation to stay for the next several hours. Buck's bag in the corner of Eddie's room did have a spare uniform folded inside. But even if it didn't, Buck wouldn't have complained. He'd have just borrowed one of Eddie's shirts. Maybe he would anyway.

Buck smiled and put his hand on Eddie's arm. "Yeah, alright. But you'll have to pick me up later."

"Anytime," Eddie said. "And don't worry. I know what I'm signing up for."

A ball of tension relaxed inside Buck when he let out his next big breath. Eddie, for someone always claiming to be bad with words, always seemed to know exactly what to say to Buck. Buck nearly melted into the throw blankets, into the pillows. He certainly melted back against Eddie, earning an approving mumble from the older man.

Buck was still learning about relationships, but he knew he'd do anything to keep a hold of this one. Absolutely anything. Because Eddie made him feel good and safe. And Christopher made him feel worthy. And Eddie had chosen him.

Buck turned his beaming smile down into the pillow, too full of emotion to let even an empty room see his face. There, warm and comfortable and held, he slept.