Chapter Text
Buck wasn’t sleeping.
Or if he was, it wasn’t a good, restful full-night’s sleep. The bags under his eyes were telling even as Buck attempted to belay Eddie’s concerns by acting like a hyperactive puppy getting into absolutely everything and bouncing around to try and deflect his worried looks.
Actually, the hyperactivity and the slight tremor to Buck’s hands was probably due to the amount of caffeine he’d ingested since the beginning of shift. It was beginning to worry Eddie how close Buck might be to caffeine toxicity as he mentally tallied the cups of coffee he’d personally witnessed Buck drinking.
Eddie wasn’t the only one who had noticed. Bobby and Hen had both given him sidelong looks behind Buck’s back silently asking him if he was going to do something about his best friend’s sleeping problems.
They might need to stage an intervention if Eddie didn’t do something first.
It wasn’t rocket science to figure out the root cause behind Buck’s lack of sleep. The few shared twenty-four hour shifts they’d been on since Buck’s return to work had been telling. Buck avoided the bunk room like the plague if someone else was in there and he always seemed to find something to preoccupy himself with if it was suggested that they should get some shut eye in the lull between calls. The one time that Eddie had caught him asleep on the couches he’d found Buck in the midst of a nightmare.
He’d felt like his heart had been ripped from his chest when he’d realized what the nightmare was about. Buck’s soft pleas for Christopher, asking the people in his dreams if they’d seen a small boy named Christopher and the mewls of distress leaking out in between words was enough to connect the dots. Instead of waking Buck, he’d gently run his hands through the curls in a soothing caress and he’d managed to get his best friend to settle enough to sleep.
Buck’s hair had been slightly greasy from being unwashed which had led to the second problem Eddie had noticed—Buck now had an aversion to water if he could avoid it.
On calls, Buck seemed fine. They’d had to dive into a pool the other week and it had been okay. Eddie had perhaps hovered a bit more than usual and made sure that Buck got dried off as quickly as possible once they’d recovered their drowning victim but Buck had shrugged him off, insisting that Eddie see if Hen or Chimney needed their help.
Eddie hadn’t missed the fact that Buck had still smelled faintly like chlorine three days later on their next shift when they’d been changing into their uniforms and he’d reached into their shared locker to borrow Buck’s deodorant.
So no regular showering and no sleep.
This couldn’t continue. He needed to do something. Buck was suffering and it pained him that he couldn’t take this on for him.
He needed a plan and time so he arranged for Chris to have a sleepover at Abuela’s. Abuela’s eyes had sparkled with tears as he told her why he needed her to take Chris for the night and she’d insisted that she’d take him all weekend and for him to take care of his guapo and making Eddie blush bright red.
Abuela had seen right through him better than his parents ever had.
So Chris was taken care of and now just to get Buck to cooperate.
“Hey—breakfast today?” Eddie asked putting as much hope and enthusiasm as he could into his tone. They were changing at the end of shift—he hadn’t wanted to try and convince Buck earlier as it just would have given him more time to try and think of an excuse to duck out of the invite.
Buck startled slightly, his eyes having fallen to half mast over the cup of coffee he was clutching like his life depended on it with his uniform shirt unbutton to reveal the white undershirt underneath that was stretched tight over Buck’s chest. Buck had put on even more muscle since coming back—his dedication to being fully fit being something that he’d made a point of emphasizing to everyone in the firehouse as he was very sensitive to any suggestion that he might be underperforming.
Eddie was pretty sure Buck had maybe only gotten twenty minutes of sleep last night and it hadn’t been that busy. They’d had a solid four hours between calls at one point overnight so he should have laid down but he’d instead pottered around the kitchen when everyone else had retreated to the bunk room.
The gears in Buck’s mind visibly turned as he tried to think of an excuse to say no so Eddie bowled right over it. “It’s been a while since it was just us,” he turned up the pleading, using his own version of Chris’ puppy dog eyes which he knew Buck was weak for.
Resistance crumbling, Buck gave a weak nod. “Yeah sure. What did you have in mind?”
“I was thinking picking up something and then hanging out at my place? Or we could do yours.” Eddie was flexible on this part of the plan.
Buck’s mouth twisted as he thought, knuckles turning white as he clutched at his coffee cup. “Yours?” He finally said, making it into a question.
“That works,” Eddie agreed. “I’ll pick up your favorites.”
“Or I could cook,” Buck interjected, head dipping and avoiding looking at Eddie.
Gently laying his hand on Buck’s forearm, he could feel the muscles tense under his fingers as Buck tried to stop the fine tremor that he’d noticed Eddie noticing. “You don’t have to cook but if you want that’s fine too.”
“Well I’m not eating your eggs,” Buck teased after a moment. “I want real breakfast not rubber eggs.”
“Ha ha. I’m serious though. I’m happy to pick something up but I just wanted some time to spend with you.”
Buck looked up at this, his eyes impossibly large and blue as they met Eddie’s. “Then I want to cook.”
“Okay,” Eddie squeezed the arm under his hand, letting his fingers rub the skin until Buck shivered. “You cold?”
Buck pulled away, shaking his head and was cradling his arm against his chest like Eddie had burned him. “No! Just… it’s nothing.”
Not sure what was going on, Eddie debated whether to keep pushing. “Okay. You want to follow me?”
“Sure. Do we need groceries?”
Eddie had shopped just in case things had worked out this way. “Nah. I should have stuff.”
He kept up a steady stream of talk to fill the time between changing and getting out to their vehicles. Buck followed him in his jeep and Eddie couldn’t help but keep an eye on him in the rear view mirror.
Ushering Buck into his house, he kept close as they both toed off their shoes and threw their keys on the hooks by the door. Eddie kept close as Buck wandered towards the kitchen and started to take stock of the contents of his fridge.
“What were you thinking?” Buck asked, ass up in the air and wiggling as he moved containers around.
Momentarily distracted, Eddie gulped. He needed to stop ogling his best friend. He had goals to accomplish. “I’m down with whatever you think you can make with what I got.”
Buck craned his neck around and raised one eyebrow, the light from the fridge giving him a halo effect with his curls. “Don’t you know what you have? You said we didn’t need groceries.”
“I know I have eggs and bacon,” Eddie shot back, recovering. “And toast?”
Buck snorted before grabbing the bacon, eggs and a pack of cheese slices. “How about veggies? Omelets?”
“Sure,” Eddie agreed before reaching past Buck to pull out the red bell peppers and an onion as well as mushrooms. Soon he was put to work by Buck chopping up the vegetables to make them a pair of omelets. They worked together smoothly, having done this many times before.
Before long two omelets and a side of bacon and toast were piled high on their plates and they were sitting next to each other at Eddie’s kitchen table. The omelets were perfect and Eddie struggled not to just shovel his in as he enjoyed his. Which is when he noticed Buck was picking at his own food and taking a few nibbles but not really eating.
“Something wrong?” Eddie gently asked.
Buck startled, his eyes flicking up to meet Eddie’s before refocusing on his own plate. “No it’s fine—great even.”
“Then why aren’t you eating?” He asked between bites, giving Buck time to answer as he chewed on a slice of bacon that was perfectly crispy and not floppy or soggy. The oven method that Buck used was much better than Eddie attempting to fry bacon on the stovetop. He’d almost had to call the fire department on himself more than once. Chris had been savage with his commentary about Eddie’s cooking on the last attempt.
Buck pushed a piece of omelet around with his fork before savagely spearing it and then popping it in his mouth. The little grimace as he ate was barely noticeable if you weren’t closely watching. “I’m not that hungry.”
“You hardly ate dinner,” Eddie spoke aloud his observation from last night. “I also didn’t see you snacking when Hen and Chim had their midnight snack raid party.” Snack raid parties were a firehouse tradition and even Bobby participated in raiding the junk food stash. Last night Hen had shared some gooey s’more bars that Karen had made that still felt like they were stuck between Eddie’s molars they’d been so sticky.
Sticky but good. Buck had been curiously absent when Hen had been divvying up the goods. Eddie had noticed that the ones left out for Buck had still been left out on the table when they were leaving for the following shift to eat as leftovers.
Buck’s shouldered hunched. “I ate,” he half-heartedly protested.
“Buck…. What’s going on?” Eddie tried to keep it gentle as he poked at his best friend. “I know you’re not sleeping and,” he took a deep inhale in Buck’s general direction for emphasis, “you’re only showering every couple of days.”
The shoulders moved upwards and Buck wouldn’t look at him. “I’m fine.”
Frustrated, Eddie’s tone was slightly more forceful. “No you’re not,” he watched as his words hit Buck causing him to flinch and he reached across to grip Buck’s forearm again and give it a squeeze. “I’m worried about you. What can I do for you? You’re drinking so much coffee I actually looked up how much caffeine it takes to have an overdose and I had to put your weight into the calculator when I realized you’ve been loosing weight.”
“Hey—I’ve been cutting fat which is good for me,” Buck protested, still without his usual vigor.
Shaking his head, Eddie tried agin.”When was the last time you got a solid eight hours of sleep?”
Buck blanched, shaking his head in denial and he pulled out of Eddie’s grip to cross his arms over his chest. “I’m sleeping fine,” he insisted.
“When was it Buck? How many days ago?” Eddie narrowed his eyes when Buck pointedly looked at the refrigerator and away from him. “Or was it weeks? Do you even know?”
“I know exactly when the last time I got enough sleep was,” Buck shot back. It was the day before the s..sh..shift with the accident.” His voice trailed off and he stuttered slightly, hands gripping his biceps so hard that his knuckles were white before he continued, picking up steam and almost yelling by the end. “I was starting to do better and then the tsunami happened and then I had a whole new bunch of images for my nightmares so I’m sorry if that’s inconveniencing you!”
“It’s not inconveniencing me,” Eddie whispered softly, trying to soothe Buck. “I’m worried about you.”
Buck struggled for words. “I’m dealing with it,” he finally stated, unfolding his arms and picking up his fork to stab at the now cold omelet that he glared at. “I’m fine Eds.”
Eddie couldn’t stop himself. He took the fork out of Buck’s hands and laced their fingers before Buck could pull back. “Evan, please.”
Buck’s eyes widened as his head snapped up but he didn’t pull back again.
“Please let me help you,” Eddie pleaded,
“What did you call me?” Buck asked, voice strangled.
“Evan—is that okay?” Shit. He shouldn’t have done that. He knew Buck didn’t like being called by his first name.
Buck nodded dumbly. “I… it’s… yeah it’s fine.”
“Are you sure?” Eddie still wondered if he’d overstepped. He thought using Buck’s real name would lend weight to how worried he was but maybe he shouldn’t have. Only Maddie ever called him Evan and he specifically told people to call him Buck.
Buck blushed, the color spreading across his pale cheeks. “I like it when you call me that—just maybe not in front of everyone else?”
Relieved, Eddie agreed. “If that’s what you want Ev.”
Buck shivered, blue eyes still fastened on Eddie. “That’s fine too.”
“So what can I do to help? You’re not sleeping,” Eddie pressed.
“I don’t know. I just… any time I close my eyes I’m either pinned under that truck again or I’m drowning and I can’t,” Buck’s voice broke, eyes glazing over with unshed tears. “I can’t find him Eddie. I can’t find Chris.”
Eddie was moving before his brain caught up and he was pulling Buck into a tight hug. Buck went willingly and he let his hand come up to cradle the back of Buck’s head as he hid his face in the hollow of Eddie’s throat. Buck’s body shook silently as he cried, curling up into Eddie’s body and all he could do was hold him. “You did find him Ev. You saved him. Chris tells me that over and over. You told him to be like Dory—to keep on swimming. I wish I could have been there with you both.”
Buck pulled back just enough so he could look at Eddie, eyes bloodshot and swollen. “No. I… I can’t think of you there too. I can’t…”
“You can’t what?”
“I can’t swim after you both,” was the barely audible whisper.
Eddie thought for a moment, choosing his words carefully. “You don’t have to swim after us both. I’m swimming with you.”
Confusion crossed Buck’s face and it scrunched up adorably. “What?”
“We’re partners—you have my back and I have yours. I’m sorry that I wasn’t there that day.” He’d meant it that first shift. Buck was his partner and, initially, he’d just meant for work but they were more than work partners. He trusted nobody more than he trusted Buck when it came to Chris.
He’d said it before but maybe Buck needed to hear it again. “There’s nobody else I trust more with Chris than you.”
“Even after what I did?” Buck asked, another few tears escaping his eyes and he inhaled noisily through his congested nose. “I left you guys. What you said at the grocery store? I… I left you.”
“No you didn’t,” Eddie retorted, arms tightening around Buck. They probably should have talked more about things but he’d wanted to just wipe the slate clean and go back to being them. He’d meant it when he’d told Buck he forgave him on Halloween. “We both screwed up but we’re past that now. You’re here now.”
Eddie tried not to think about how Buck had come back when Shannon hadn’t. He wasn’t going to compare Buck to her—it was unfair to both of them. Buck didn’t know how he felt and Eddie didn’t want to put that on him. He could be there for Buck and he didn’t need to complicate it.
Buck curled back into him, seeking comfort which Eddie gladly provided as he noticed how perfectly Buck fit in his arms.
He’d hold Buck forever if he let him.
Several minutes passed before Buck reluctantly pulled away, wiping at his nose and face with his shirtsleeve. “Thanks,” he muttered before moving back to his own chair.
Missing Buck’s warmth, Eddie’s empty hands opened and closed on air. “Please let me help. Let me help Ev.”
Buck looked at him consideringly, pushing his plate away with his barely touched food. “What were you thinking?” He finally asked.
Thinking aloud, Eddie pointed out what he’d noticed. “Do you need help showering? Need me to be there? Same with sleep? So you know you’re not alone?”
Reluctant, Buck shrugged. “I can’t… water on my face it’s… I don’t know if it’ll be better having you there or not. My brain gets stuck on the memory and then I’m feeling like the wave caught me even though it’s just a shower. I can’t breathe and…I just don’t know if it’ll help.”
“But it’s worth a try?” Eddie pressed. He wanted to help. Needed to. “You seemed okay after that pool rescue the other day.”
Buck rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “I knew you were there,” he muttered.
“So me being there helped?”
“Yeah. It did. And you… afterwards you were there.”
Eddie had hovered—he’d been worried it had irritated Buck but it seemed it had helped not hindered. “Do you think… having me in the bathroom with you would be enough?”
Buck shrugged. “I don’t know.”
Eddie stood, pushing his chair back so it hard it made a loud rubbing noise on the floor. “We should try and see.”
Buck’s hand had stopped mid-rub, watching Eddie incredulously. “Now?”
Holding out his hand, Eddie nodded. “Yes now. You need it.”
Buck snorted inelegantly, trying to break the seriousness of the conversation. “Are you saying I smell?”
“Yes. Of too much cologne and the chlorine from how many days ago?” Eddie was very serious. Chlorine and Acqua de Gio by Armani that he’d gotten him last Christmas. He liked the cologne better when it wasn’t attempting to cover up the sour smell of chlorine and sweat.
Reluctantly, Buck took his hand and let Eddie lead him towards his bathroom rather than the guest bathroom that Chris mainly used. The master bath had a larger shower and no tub for water to pool in. If necessary, he would climb in with Buck but it would be a tight fit for two grown men but he’d do it.
Buck didn’t resist, following along where Eddie led but just stood there when Eddie turned the water on, making it warm. “Strip,” Eddie ordered, brain already clinically watching Buck’s jerky motions.
Stripping down to his underwear, Buck hesitated and another blush bloomed on his cheeks even as his fingers twisted in the waistband of the boxer briefs as his teeth chewed at his lower lip. “Ev?”
The simple call of his name had Buck’s chin jutting out stubbornly. “You’ll be here the whole time?”
“Yeah. Right here,” Eddie assured him as he pulled towels out from underneath the sink and an extra soft old washcloth which he placed on the knob so it was easily reached. “If you need me I’ll join you but I’ll just be right here.”
Nodding, Buck pulled the curtain aside and stepped in without testing the water. He discarded his barely wet underwear by throwing them out onto the floor before pulling the curtain closed with a definitive jerk. “Please start talking,” he pled over the sound of falling water.
Eddie began talking, just filling the air about Chris’ latest school report. It was just babble really but his voice filled the air. Judging by the sound of the water falling, Buck was pressed against the tiled wall so the water was barely hitting him. This didn’t change for almost ten minutes when Buck finally spoke up, stopping Eddie mid-sentence. “I can’t.”
“Can’t what?”
“I can’t get under the spray.”
Standing from where he’d taken a seat on the closed toilet lid, Eddie took a step closer to the shower. “What do you need?”
The growl of frustration was angry. “I need to just get wet.”
Leaning one hand on the tiled wall next to the shower curtain, Eddie again offered help. “What do you need me to do?”
There was a pause. “I might need you in here. I need…”
“Whatever you need,” Eddie promised, already removing his own shirt and pants. “Do you want me to keep my boxers on?”
Another noise of frustration and Buck yanked back on the curtain. He was standing in the far corner, barely wet as he’d pressed himself so tightly into the wall with arms and legs spread out like if he smushed himself enough the water wouldn’t touch him. “Get in here Eds.”
Unable to resist, Eddie stepped in without removing his boxers and placing himself so most of the water got on him.
“Come here,” he coaxed, hands wrapping around Buck’s waist to peel him off the wall and towards Eddie and the water until there were just inches between their chests. Buck’s eyes stayed fastened on his, unresisting as Eddie started turning them until Buck was under the water but he started shivering despite the clouds of heated steam surrounding them. “Close your eyes,” Eddie instructed as he tilted Buck’s head back to get his hair wet. “I’ve got you.”
Buck closed his eyes then opened them just enough to see a hint of blue as he tilted his head back while pressing his face into Eddie’s palm. The rough, unshaven cheek trembled under his touch but Buck willingly stood under the water, keeping his eyes locked on Eddie.
Guiding Buck’s head to tilt this way and then that, he got him fully wet. Grabbing for the washcloth, he lathered it up with his body wash and began wiping the soft cloth over Buck’s neck and shoulders. Each inch of skin was given attention as soap bubbles covered pale skin and dark lines of tattoo. He focused on being clinical—Buck needed his help. Down each arm to the hands and fingers then back up and paying attention twice to the vulnerable armpits before swiping down the defined abdominal muscles and dancing around the tops of the hip bones he could feel under his fingers.
He avoided looking at Buck’s groin as he knelt, carefully wiping down each thigh to the hollow of the knee and then down the curve of each calf to the ankle and feet, making sure to get the spaces in between the toes even as he kept his gaze locked on Buck’s. Standing, he wrapped his arms around Buck loosely. “Think you can turn around so I can get the back?”
Buck didn’t say anything but nodded, his fingers wrapping around Eddie’s left wrist and not letting go as he turned.
Letting Buck have his hand, he used his right to wash the shoulders and back down the lats. His gaze dropped, following the soap suds as they trailed down the defined musculature and he had to bite his cheek at the sight of Buck’s toned buttocks. He knew Buck worked hard to maintain his body but seeing it unclothed was tempting him badly.
Keep it together Edmundo! He internally chastised himself, biting down so hard that his cheek began bleeding. He was deliberately ignoring any interest his own body had in Buck’s. Taking care of Buck was his priority even if it was pressing all of Eddie’s intimacy need buttons.
He liked taking care of those he cared for. Liked providing for them and keeping them safe. Acting as their shield from things that scared them.
He was taking care of Buck.
Buck who needed him—needed his best friend to lean on. He didn’t need Eddie hitting on him when he was vulnerable. Buck still trusted him despite everything that had happened in the last few months.
He could do this for Buck.
To distract himself, he reached for the shampoo and started washing Buck’s curls. Scratching at the scalp with his nails, he massaged the skin and hair which caused Buck to mewl into his touch and tilt his head back into him. This was followed by Buck slumping backwards into Eddie’s chest and he would have fallen if it wasn’t for the grip Eddie had around Buck’s waist. Buck still hadn’t released his arm and his skin was slick where it rested against Eddie’s chest.
“Rinse,” Eddie instructed and Buck leaned forward just enough to focus the spray of water on his hair, pressing his ass back into Eddie’s still clothed groin. The friction of cloth was just enough to make his own cock twitch but Eddie viciously told himself to knock it off mentally.
Buck was breathing heavily, his rib cage expanding in and out as the water cascaded around him. Putting his lips just behind Buck’s ear, Eddie reminded him of where he was. “You’re okay Ev. I’m here. Chris is safe with Abuela. It’s just a shower Ev,” he repeated it over and over, Buck’s grip on his wrist almost too tight. He’d wait Buck out. He may have pressed a brief kiss to the skin just behind the ear but he was sure that it was missed by Buck with all the water around them.
Eventually, all of the soap suds were gone and Buck’s grip on his hand loosened just a tiny bit. Buck’s head was resting on Eddie’s shoulder with his eyes closed as the water hit his face, his back to Eddie’s chest and face finally relaxed. Reluctant to break the peace, Eddie didn’t resist when Buck’s grip pulled his hand further south and his fingers trailed over the skin below the navel to feel something firm nudge against his fingers.
“Ev?”
Buck’s eyes were opened to just slits, a small, sly smile curling the corners of his mouth. “There’s one more part of me that needs cleaning,” he said, voice rough as he arched one eyebrow. “You going to help?”
Eyes widening, Eddie’s gaze dropped down. Buck’s cock was erect, his fingers just shy of touching the head that was leaking precome. “Evan,” he whimpered as Buck’s grip on his arm urged his down and he wrapped his hand around the weight of the shaft and gave an experimental tug. The angle wasn’t too far off normal given their positioning and his own cock began to stiffen despite his prior efforts.
“Eds,” Buck called his name with another moan. “Pleasepleasplease…”
Pausing just long enough to readjust his grip, he gave another stroke. The keening noise of approval this earned him encouraged him to do it again. “You like this? This what you need?”
“Yessssss,” Buck hissed, giving a small thrust of his hips into Eddie’s grip. The feel of Buck in his hand was just right. Thick and weighty, just a perfect handful. Another stroke and Buck was rocking back and forth, encouraging him on and Eddie couldn’t stop. Buck was now fully distracted from the water, writhing under his hands and pleas of Eddie’s name mixed in with ‘more’ and ‘please’.
Eddie wasn’t silent himself. Praise dripped from his tongue to join the torrent of water that surrounded them. He assured Evan that he was needed, wanted, and loved. That Evan was doing so well in the water, that he’d saved Christopher and there was nobody else Eddie trusted like him. No one else he wanted to have as his partner and to have his back.
Buck didn’t last very long and he came apart in Eddie’s grasp with a bitten off scream of Eddie’s name before collapsing into his grip like a marionette with cut strings. Eddie continued to pump him through the aftershocks until Buck was spent, shuddering in his hold. At some point, Eddie had braced himself against the wall with his legs spread out so he could take all of Buck’s weight and he relished the feeling of having Buck completely. Softly, he pressed a kiss to the side of Buck’s forehead, just next to the birthmark.
Blue eyes fluttered open as he pulled away, pupils sluggish and face slack in exhaustion. “Eds?”
Shuffling a bit, Eddie shut off the now cooling water. “Let’s get you to bed.”
Buck frowned but he didn’t fight when Eddie manhandled him out of the shower and began toweling him dry just like he did with his son. The owlish blinks of confusion showed that Buck still wasn’t firing on all cylinders and beyond tired. Grabbing an old pair of his army sweats that he’d cut off into long shorts that were the softest clothes he owned, he pulled them up Buck’s impossibly long legs. A stretched out LAFD t-shirt that was maybe a bit too small was then tugged over Buck’s head and he was bundling him into the bedroom.
Unprotestingly, Buck blinked at the bed as Eddie pulled back the covers. “That’s your bed,” he observed blandly.
“Yeah I know. You need sleep.” Eddie gave a small push to encourage Buck to lie down.
Buck stubbornly stayed put, frowning at Eddie and gaze dropping to his still soaked boxers where his cock was still making an uncomfortable tent. “You didn’t…”
Eddie firmly ignored his own body’s needs—he could take care of that later. “Evan. Sleep. Bed.”
Buck shook his head. “But you didn’t—“
“I’ll take a rain check,” Eddie cut him off and more firmly pushed him towards the bed.
This time Buck went, folding down onto the side opposite Eddie’s usual side. Fidgeting, Buck turned onto his side, scrunching the pillow up as Eddie pulled the comforter up to cocoon his best friend. The pathetic sounding, “stay?” was heart breaking.
“I’ll be right back,” Eddie stripped out of his wet boxers and grabbed a fresh pair from the drawer before crawling in under the covers after turning off the light and pulling the curtains closed to darken the room. Buck crowded up against him, wrapping himself firmly around Eddie with his head pillowed on Eddie’s bare chest.
Closing his eyes, Buck turned so his ear was resting right over Eddie’s heart even as Eddie’s fingers started combing through the damp curls. “I’ve got you Ev,” he whispered into the dark room.
Buck’s only response was to tighten his hold on Eddie and close his eyes, ear pressed against Eddie’s chest.