now i have this image in my head of eddie going to buck and saying my kid is taller than me and being all :((( and buck comforting him or something i dunno
Eddie is not pouting.
He's got no reason too -- it's Chris' 18th birthday, a beautiful day, and his backyard is full of people eating and talking and laughing. Chris is having an absolute ball playing host, flitting from group to group -- Bobby and Athena, his art club friends, Maddie and Chim, Julie from his English class that he's "just talking to" -- with easy smiles and loud laughs. He remembers so vividly the quiet kid he brought to LA, how he clung to his hand on the first day at his new school, shyly waving at his new teacher. He was so small then, head barely at Eddie's elbow, and all he wanted to do in that moment was scoop him up and hold him close and never let him go. He didn't, of course, he told him he'd have fun meeting new people and making new friends, just barely holding himself together as he waved goodbye from the sidewalk.
But now it's 10 years later and his little boy isn't so little anymore. He's so proud of the man Chris is becoming that he could burst with it, but he still just wants to tuck him into his chest and hold him close, gangly limbs and all.
So, okay, he's a little nostalgic. Wistful, even. But he's definitely not pouting.
An arm around his waist and a press of lips to his temple shakes him out of his memories.
"You know," Buck says quietly, even though they're alone in this corner of the yard. "This is Chris' party, not yours. I don't think you get to cry even if you want to."
Eddie laughs and rolls his eyes, but Buck's still looking at him with that I know what's going on in your head better than you do look that Eddie's far too familiar with. He deflates a little, leaning into Buck's side.
Fine. Maybe he was pouting. But only a little.
"He's taller than me," Eddie sighs. "And he's 18 now, he's officially an adult. He's moving to college in six weeks and will start his own life and he won't need me anymore."
Buck squeezes his hip. "He may not be a kid anymore, but he's still your kid. He's always gonna need you."
He watches Julie throw her head back in laughter at something Chris says, grabbing his hand in joy. Chris grabs back with a matching, incandescent smile, and Eddie didn't know his heart could swell and break at the same time.
"Is it bad that I still wish he was eight years old sometimes?"
Buck hums. "I think every parent feels like that. But no matter how old he is, you're always gonna be his hero, and he's always gonna come to you for help or advice or just to share his life with. He was telling Julie all about that call in Runyon last week, made you sound like a superhero."
"It wasn't that crazy of a call."
"Doesn't matter. You're everything to him, you always will be. And everyone who knows him will know that too." Another squeeze to his hip. "You did an amazing job with him."
He turns to Buck, and kisses his cheek. "We did an amazing job."
Chris is back with his friends now, scanning the yard until his eyes fall on Eddie and Buck. He beams and weaves through the yard towards them, and Eddie's helpless but to beam back.
"Dad!" he says, stopping in front of them, glowing so bright with joy it's almost blinding. "Come here! Dylan wants to hear about the time you rode the truck to save that skydiving instructor!"
Chris grabs his hand and pulls him forward, and Eddie holds on tight. Like he always has. Like he always will.
