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For Eddie's birthday, Buck goes all out. Cake, banner, surprise party, there's even confetti in little cups to throw when he gets there.
Yes, maybe Buck is thinking about Christopher's party that Eddie's parents went all out for, unlike they did for their own child. But really, he just thinks Eddie deserves it because he's Eddie.
The problem is, in all the chaos of planning, decorating, and cooking, he forgot to do two things: Invite everyone and check the cake.
The first thing Buck realizes a few hours before the party. He calls Maddie in a panic, explaining his current predicament. And Maddie, being the wonderful sister she is, rallies the troops with a group text: Surprise party at Buck's house for Eddie. Come or deal with mopey Buck and my wrath for the next month.
It works, and within an hour, everyone is there, slightly confused, but happy to be there. The only people left are Christopher and the guest of honor. With perfect timing, Christopher texts Buck to let him know they're on their way, and that he still thinks Buck didn't need to throw his dad's birthday party two weeks early to surprise him.
Teenagers.
Buck nearly hyperventilates during the last few minutes as he just finishes Bobby's famous mac and cheese and rushes everyone off toward the kitchen, out of sight from the front door. His eyes happen to catch sight of the cake still in the box, and he hurriedly asks, "Can someone please put the pack of candles in it?"
He sees Maddie reach toward the cake and takes off to the front door before Eddie can use his key. He hears some type of commotion in the kitchen, but it quickly dies down as Eddie's car pulls into the driveway. Buck listens to a muffled Eddie asking Chris why he's acting weird as he approaches the door, keys jingling in his hands.
Buck swings the door open before Eddie can put the key in the lock. Eddie takes a nervous step back, eyes flittering around Buck's smiling face, then the space behind him. "Why are your lights off?"
"No reason," Buck answers, absolutely not selling it.
Eddie frowns and very suspiciously takes a small step into his house. "Okay, you're acting weird, too. What-"
"Congratulations!" Everyone behind Buck yells, rushing out of the kitchen.
It takes a few moments for Buck to figure out what exactly is wrong with that exclamation. But he's mainly caught up on why everyone is crying.
He gets pushed aside as people rush to Eddie, pulling him into tight hugs with choked-up, "I'm so proud of you"s and "I was wondering when you'd figure it out." Most interesting of all is Ravi's pat on Eddie's shoulder and his statement, "I knew there was a reason you were so bad at pulling girls."
Eddie's confused face falls on Buck, who throws both his hands up. Eddie's eyes look around at the balloons, streamers, and the confetti covering the floor, his face going slightly pink as he takes it all in.
Hen seems to notice the hesitation in Eddie and slowly says, "Let's give him a moment," as she rushes everyone away to where the food is waiting. She shoots Buck a very clear what were you thinking look as she walks away, leaving the pair alone.
"Happy Birthday?" Buck asks more than says. He wraps his arms around himself awkwardly and rambles, "So, I may have forgotten to let everyone know that I was throwing a surprise birthday party for you. And Chris was onto something when he said it would be too early to celebrate, but I know you would get suspicious the closer we got. So, I'm not sure what that was about, but-"
"Hey, Buck!" Christopher calls from the kitchen.
Buck and Eddie immediately take off in his direction, pausing in the doorway when they see he's fine, just holding up the lid of the cake box.
"So, I think I found the source of confusion. Unless it wasn't, and, if so, just know I'll always love you, Dad. And I'm proud of you even though I'm pretty sure you haven't gotten there yet."
Eddie slowly gives Buck a look of absolute befuddlement and sighs, "Buck, I don't know what you..." he trails off as he rounds the corner and lays eyes on the cake.
Buck's not sure he's ever seen him stand so still, and he's pretty sure he might be one movement away from a panic attack. But Buck needs to see what's on that cake so he can somehow fix this. And really, it can't be that bad.
That is, until Buck finally sees the cake and knows there's no fixing this.
It's a round cake with white frosting, as he asked for, but instead of the text "Happy Birthday, Old Man!" there's "Congratulations!" with a big rainbow over it.
Buck risks a look at Eddie, noting his shaky breathing and the color that has drained from his face. Fuck.
"Eddie," Buck croaks out.
Eddie shakes his head, expression carefully blank as he slowly makes his way to Buck's bedroom and closes the door behind him.
Buck stares at it, his heart beating out of his chest, not knowing what to do.
A hand lands on his arm, and he glances down at Chris, who looks so much older than Buck remembers him being. "He'll be okay, and you'll be okay."
Buck nods, not sure what else to do, but he forces himself to stumble out of the kitchen and outside to where his guests are waiting. "It's the wrong cake," he announces abruptly.
Everyone stops talking and looks at him in varying states of horror. "I-I picked up the wrong cake," Buck says again before turning on his heels. On his way to his bedroom, he takes note of the multicolored balloons, streamers, and damn confetti he bought. All because Eddie tries to insist that having a favorite color is dumb, even though Buck knows it's blue, but Eddie would never just admit it.
He's outside his door before he knows it, feeling weird because he's never had to knock on it. But here he is. Knocking gently. "I'm not going to break down the door, but I'm here if you need me." He hesitates and adds, "There's a baseball bat under the bed if you want to use it on my stuff." He groans, "N-not that I'm saying that you're having a breakdown. I mean, if you want to take it out on me, you have free rein of my things. I'm also here if you want to take it out on me."
The bedroom door opens, and Buck is pulled inside. He closes his eyes tightly and prepares for the punch.
"Buck, do you really think I'm going to hit you?"
Buck squints an eye open. "I wouldn't blame you. Chimney did."
Eddie sighs, running a hand through his already mussed hair. "Jesus, Buck." His eyes look a little wild, but they land on Buck as he puts a hand on his shoulder. "I would never do that.. I just needed some quiet."
"Got it," Buck says, miming zipping his lips shut and tossing away the key.
Eddie stares at him for a few seconds and shakes his head as he turns away, pacing back and forth in front of Buck's bed. He stops every few seconds, opening his mouth before closing it. At least a minute goes by before Eddie finally asks, "What did he mean by 'I'm pretty sure you haven't gotten there yet'?"
"Who?"
Eddie stops his pace to look at Buck. "Chris."
Before Buck can formulate an answer, Eddie continues on, "And Hen, Karen, May, and Ravi." His lip wobbles as he takes a step closer to Buck. "How many people thought they knew this big thing about me, that I never..." His brows pinch together as he whispers, "Even my abuela told me I was looking in the wrong places, and Father Brian with his damn juice metaphor saw right through me." He shakes his head and sits on the bed abruptly, burying his head in his hands.
Buck kneels on the floor next to him and whispers, "Eddie."
He glances up at Buck, his lips pinching together as he tries his best not to cry.
"I don't know exactly what you're talking about, but other people can't decide your sexuality for you."
Eddie scoffs, "I'm pretty sure my parents did that for me."
Buck's heart stutters in his chest. "W-What do you mean?"
Eddie takes a deep breath in and out, a few tears slipping from his eyes. "When I was a ballroom dancer, I loved it. I loved dancing, performing, dressing up, and... this dancer named Lucas." He inhales sharply and sobs lightly. "And I could tell my parents knew, you know? They would give me this look, and they would push me to confession anytime I had a competition, and my eyes lingered for too long." He shakes his head and glances off into space.
"When that didn't work, my dad pulled me aside, and he told me that it's okay to admire someone for their craft. But that admiration was weakness, and I had to remember that it was a competition. From there on it was all about competing and winning for them - no distractions. Which is when I quit." He wipes sharply at his face. "I never saw Lucas again, and suddenly my parents were pushing for me to take Shannon out, and you know how that turned out. Two tours, a kid, and enough distractions to pretend like Lucas never existed, maybe except as friendly competition."
Buck presses his hands between his knees to hide the shaking. "Eddie," he breathes out, not sure what else to say. Not sure if he's even hearing all this correctly.
Eddie dissolves, burying his head in his hands, his shoulders shaking. Buck doesn't think twice before joining him on the bed and pulling him into his side. Eddie goes willingly, muttering, "I'm sorry. I think everything I've ever repressed is coming out now."
"It's okay, Eddie. I've got your back."
His sobs get a little louder, and his hold around Buck gets tighter. Buck runs a soothing hand over his back, whispering Chris's words over and over again. You'll be okay.
A few minutes later, Eddie pulls away, and Buck hands him the box of tissues from his nightstand. As he blows his nose, Buck suddenly says, "I'm sorry."
Eddie raises an eyebrow, his attitude already back, which is more than a good sign.
"For not checking the cake," Buck explains. "And outing your old feelings."
Eddie's swollen eyes squint at Buck. "My old feelings?"
He may have read this horribly wrong. "For Lucas?"
"Buck," Eddie sighs, looking down at the crumbled-up tissue in his hand. "They're not just old feelings." He takes another deep breath and looks Buck in the eye. "I'm gay."
Oh.
Buck's entire world is suddenly flipped upside down, and he gets the sudden gut-wrenching realization, "And I just outted you? To everyone?" He stands up suddenly, getting out of Eddie's space, needing to move around to get the itchy feeling out from under his skin. "Fuck, Eddie. Fucking, Eddie. I'm so fucking sorry. I-"
"Buck," Eddie croaks out, not managing to interrupt Buck's panic until he says, "Evan."
He freezes in place.
"You didn't mean to. And it's okay. I mean, you just accidentally showed me that everyone I love will be beyond supportive. And that they all apparently knew."
"I didn't," Buck mumbles. He risks a glance at Eddie. "I kind of went around telling everyone who would listen that you're straight."
Eddie frowns. "Before you got in here?"
Buck shifts uncomfortably on his feet. "Um, no." He scratches the back of his neck awkwardly as Eddie stares at him, willing him to go on. "I may have hooked up with Tommy when you went to Texas, and he may have said something about you being the competition, and when I said you were straight, he may have scoffed."
"Even Tommy?" he groans. "I never liked him, by the way."
Buck gapes at him. "You were literally best friends with him!"
"No one could replace your spot in my life. And I didn't like him for you," Eddie elaborates. His face scrunches up. "Wait, you hooked up with him... in my house??"
Buck holds up both of his hands. "You're technically just a renter if you really think about it."
"Wait," Eddie pauses, pointing at Buck. "Who else did you tell I was straight then?"
Alarms go off in Buck's head. He walks back slowly, hand feeling out for the doorknob behind him. "It doesn't really matter, does it?"
Eddie is in front of him, hand on his shoulder, holding him in place more than comforting him. "Buck..."
"Eddie," Buck breathes out. "I can't tell you."
"You accidentally outed me; you have to tell me."
"That's not fair."
"Maybe you should've thought of that before you didn't look at the cake."
Buck looks at him, wondering if now is the moment to really ruin everything. No return. But he knows Eddie won't let go of this. And if Eddie can bring up everything he's been repressing, so can Buck. "Okay," he starts, "I went to Maddie first because Tommy was so... irritating. The whole conversation got into my head, and I-I was afraid that maybe Tommy saw right through me."
Eddie patiently waits as Buck breathes, trying to push through. "And it was implied that I may... have feelings... for you." Buck risks a glance at Eddie, trying to note any discomfort there, but his usual mask is up, not betraying any emotion. "So, I told Maddie that I can't be in love with you because you're straight. And when I brought it up to Hen, and Ravi... and Bobby, they already knew what I had been refusing to admit." Buck gestures to the door behind him. "I'm pretty sure everyone out there knows I'm in love with you."
Eddie's mask slips, his eyes softening immediately. "I didn't know," he whispers.
"Looks like we're the only two left in the dark here."
"Not anymore."
Buck shakes his head. "Not anymore."
Eddie continues to stare at him, and Buck feels like it might be one of the first times Eddie's really looked at him. It's... entirely unnerving and exhilarating.
Suddenly, Eddie's head drops, and his shoulders start shaking again. Buck's about to ask what's wrong when he realizes Eddie is laughing.
"Okay, what's so funny?"
Eddie only laughs harder, throwing his head back and showing off his canines.
Buck can't help but smile. "Okay, really, I've just confessed my love for you that I've been repressing for years, and you're laughing at me."
Eddie wipes at the new tears streaming down his face, his laughter dying down. "I'm not laughing at you, Buck. I'm laughing at myself because it's no wonder everyone saw right through me. I could never hide how in love with you I am. And I've been so focused on pushing everything down that I've somehow missed what was right in front of me."
Buck blinks. "Me?"
"Yes, you, Buck. It's always been you."
This time, Buck's the one crying. "It's always been you, Eds," he manages to choke out.
"Come here," Eddie says, pulling him into a hug of all things.
Buck buries his face in his neck. "I'm really proud of you."
"I'm proud of you, too."
Buck pulls back and wipes the tears off his face. "Can I-?"
He doesn't get to finish the question because Eddie's on the same page as him, pulling him into a kiss. Their lips barely touch, both of them smiling too hard to really make anything of it.
It's absolutely perfect.
Buck manages to get himself together enough to pull Eddie into a bruising kiss that immediately kills their laughter. As soon as they deepen the kiss and get a step closer to the bed, there's a quiet knock on the door.
"Dad? Buck? Are you okay?"
They both pull away, foreheads resting together as they breathe.
"We're okay, Chris," Eddie says, taking a step away from Buck and smoothing down his hair and his shirt. "Could you come in for a second?"
The door opens, and Chris cautiously peeks around the corner. His eyes shoot between the two of them, and Buck's pretty sure he clocks them immediately. "So, I take it you got there?" Chris asks.
Eddie nods in response.
Christopher immediately walks to him and pulls him into a hug. "I love you, Dad."
"I love you, son," Eddie says back, planting a kiss on the top of his head, blinking away new tears. "And if you're okay with it, I'm planning on asking Buck on a date."
"Finally," Christopher sighs.
Buck gapes at him. "Chris-"
"I call everyone Aunt Hen, Uncle Chimney, Aunt Maddie... Never have I called you Uncle Buck. Plus, you guys are bad at pretending you're not in love with each other. No normal friends act the way you two do."
Buck exchanges a look with Eddie along the lines of When did we raise him to have such an attitude? Oh, right, he's our kid.
Christopher moves over to Buck to hug him, lingering longer than his typical teenager self allows. Then, he pulls away and says, "Everyone is still waiting in the backyard, and it's getting really awkward. I can tell everyone to leave if you want me to."
Eddie scoffs and shakes his head. "It's okay, mijo. Let them know we'll be right out."
He nods and leaves the room.
Buck immediately invades Eddie's space. "Right out?"
Eddie rolls his eyes and gives him a quick peck. "We have to clean up your mess."
"Our mess," Buck says with a teasing smile, stealing a kiss. He searches Eddie's eyes. "You're sure you're ready for this?"
"More ready than I was the first time," Eddie says. Buck nudges him. Eddie takes his hand and intertwines their fingers. "Time to tell them the wrong cake was kind of right."
They walk hand in hand to the backyard, and everyone freezes as they take in the sight. When it's confirmed, more tears are shed, more hugs are had, and laughter breaks out when Buck returns with the wrong right cake.
When things start to unwind later, Buck joins Eddie on his outdoor loveseat, throwing an arm around the back of it. He hands him a beer and says, "I'm thinking for your birthday we'll do something small, just the three of us with absolutely no cake."
"Maybe a homemade one," Eddie comments with a small smile. "With blue frosting."
Buck turns to him suddenly. "I knew that was your favorite color, Mr. Having a Favorite Color is Only for Children."
"You know why it's my favorite color?" Eddie asks, taking a casual sip of his beer.
"Why?"
He turns to Buck and brushes a curl off his forehead. "Because it's the color of your eyes."
Buck spills some of his beer on himself, and Eddie fondly rolls his eyes and hands him a spare napkin. "I love you."
"I love you, too," Buck says, cheeks turning pink. He finishes wiping up the spill and comments, "For the record, my favorite color is brown."
"Sure it is, bud."
Nevertheless, for Buck's birthday, Eddie decks out his place with brown decorations, invites everyone in advance, and makes sure to check the cake. And thank goodness he does, because although he'd love to propose soon, he doesn't plan to do it with a cake with a ring poorly hidden in it. They really need to choose a new bakery.