Chapter Text
At least the bed is big, Eddie thinks, as he stares at the queen sized mattress in their hotel room.
Every year the fire departments are made to send two employees to take notes at the annual firefighters seminar. It’s only a one day, one night deal, thankfully---and it certainly helps that whoever volunteers to go gets paid overtime for the full twenty four hours.
It’s the main reason Eddie volunteered, at least.
Buck volunteered to go because he’s been fighting a cold for the last two days and figured a day off, in which his only job was to take notes and eat free deli platters would help him recover.
Of course he’s dead wrong. If anything, the constant dribble drab and all the flickering lights and presentations and slideshows make him feel even worse. Buck is nursing quite the headache by the time they reconvene to their room.
The hotel had made a mistake and booked them a room with only one bed, instead of the two twin mattresses they’d been expecting, but neither Buck nor Eddie had fretted over it too much.
Really, the only problem Eddie has with sharing a bed tonight is all the huffing and puffing and coughing and sniffling his best friend is currently doing. “Face that way,” he tells Buck, “I don’t want your gross germs on me.”
Buck sticks his tongue out at him and grumbles something under his breathe. He looks like shit, but Eddie knows---because he specifically went out and got him these things earlier---that Buck has already taken Tylenol and NyQuil to help him sleep through the night, and so there’s not much more they can do at this point except wait it out.
Lights off, heat turned up, Eddie is nearly asleep when Buck starts tossing and turning, making all these uncomfortable little noises in his half-sleep state. Eddie turns to him, but the initial annoyance gives way to concern when he sees the contorted expression of pain on Buck’s face.
Eddie places the back of his hand on Buck’s forehead. It’s warm but not alarmingly so. Buck stirs at the contact and blinks hazy eyes up at him. “What’re y’doing?” he slurs, coughing into his sleeve.
“Just making sure the fever’s not gonna’ fry what’s left of your brain.” Eddie sighs. “Still got that headache?”
Buck nods miserably. “Sorry, I know I’m keeping you up.”
Eddie brings a hand up to the side of his head and starts massaging, his fingers digging into Buck’s skull gently but firmly. It usually helps if Christopher’s having trouble going to bed after a nightmare; he hopes it’ll do the same for his best friend.
Buck lets out a sound that’s somewhere between a whimper and a sigh of relief, and Eddie can actually see some of the tension fall away from his shoulders, as he relaxes a little into the mattress beneath them.
Eventually Buck’s eyes droop shut and he succumbs to sleep. Eddie leaves his hand there for a few moments. It’s been a long time since he’s shared a bed with someone; this should be at least a little weird, he thinks to himself. He’s never been a particularly affectionate man, not even with Shannon, if he’s being honest with himself.
For some reason all of these things which he’s always had a hard time doing, seem to come so naturally when Buck is involved...
He shakes the thought away---it’s late and they have a drive ahead of them tomorrow, he should go back to sleep. Eddie takes his hand away and pointedly turns away from Buck, facing in the opposite direction. Just go to sleep.
It’s nearly three in the morning when Eddie gets woken up a second time. He knows because the numbers 2:48 blink down at him in bright red, displayed on the little alarm clock to the side of the bed. Eddie flips over again on his side to see Buck struggling with the sheets, squirming in his sleep, discomforted.
“Buck,” Eddie tries to shake him awake but it only makes Buck whine and blindly throw an arm out, so that it nearly knocks Eddie in the face. With a frustrated huff, Eddie decides enough is enough, they’re getting a good night’s rest if it kills him.
Eddie closes what distance there is between them and wraps both arms around Buck, pulling him in so that he’s practically cocooned against his chest.
He’s expecting Buck to wake up confused and start complaining about the manhandling, but is surprised when instead Buck simply ceases all movement and sinks further into his body. The only sound he makes is an incoherent little “Mmm?” and then another, more relaxed, “Mmmm...” as he settles in.
Eddie doesn’t bother wondering why, and tucks Buck further into his chest and shushes him, though not unkindly. “You’re movin’ too much.” he mutters against his head. “Go to sleep.”
“Mm’kay.” Buck puffs out, his breath hot against the collar of Eddie’s t-shirt.
Eventually Buck drifts right back into dreamland and though he’s no longer restlessly in motion, he’s still breathing heavy, lungs rattling, a slight tremor shaking his frame.
Eddie spreads his fingers and caresses Buck’s lower back. “Buck you want some more Nyquil?” the box says he can take two caplets every four hours. He’s hoping it’ll alleviate the congestion and help him breathe better through the night.
Buck moans, only just barely awake, but does nod; his throat is so sore and dry, some water would go a long way right about now.
Eddie regrettably needs to let go of Buck in order to turn on the lamp light and rummage for a bottled water and two more pills. “Here, sit up and take these.” he hands Buck the liquid caplets first and then the water. He hates seeing Buck wince in pain as he swallows them down, throat aching. Eddie rubs a hand up and down Buck’s chest automatically, to soothe the younger man.
Buck has to be out of it, Eddie thinks, because he sighs in relief and leans into the touch. “Feels nice.” he mumbles, sniffling.
Eddie nods, continues to do it, as if this kind of intimacy were a given and not at all terrifying, in reality. “Lay down,” he hears himself say. “It’s late.” Buck hesitates.
“Can I--I mean, do you mind if we could still...” Buck goes red, and Eddie can’t tell if it’s the fever giving him that complexion or the fact that he’s trying to figure out a way to ask if they could go back to cuddling.
Eddie saves them both the trouble and quickly turns the lights off before dragging Buck down with him, throwing his arms securely around his best friend. “Good night Buck.”
Buck is tense for half a second until becoming completely docile, and even curling into Eddie, like a kitten seeking warmth. “G’night ‘ddie.”