Christmas Letter
Christopher pushes Buck’s presents toward him. “Come on, your turn!” He’s finished his fifteen gifts and is eager for Buck to open his five.
Buck laughs and sets down the trash bag he’s been stuffing with wrapping paper. “Okay, okay!” He plops down on the floor next to Christopher, picking up the first present. “This is from you?” He asks. Christopher nods excitedly. The present is rectangular and mostly flat. When Buck unwraps it, he finds it’s a picture frame decorated with little firefighter themed stickers and a picture inside it.
It’ a picture of him, Christopher and Eddie, taken by Carla, at the zoo for Buck’s birthday in front of the sign. Buck’s got one of his arms around Eddie and his other doing bunny ears on Christopher. All three of them are smiling wide and squinting at the sun.
Buck smiles, eyes tingly for some reason. “This is awesome, man! Did you decorate the frame?”
“Yup!” Christopher replies. “Carla wanted to do arts and crafts.”
“Carla did, eh?” Buck reaches out and ruffles the boys hair. “Thanks, buddy.”
Christopher giggles and swats at Buck’s hand. “Can I see it?” Eddie asks from the couch. Buck hands him the frame. He looks over it with a grin. “So this is why you made me print out a billion photos?”
Christopher shrugs. “I needed the best one.”
“You picked a good one,” Eddie says, handing Buck the frame back.
“I agree,” Buck says fondly, looking at the photo again.
Christopher hands him another gift. “This is also from me.”
Buck nods and takes it. It’s a squarish box wrapped well, probably wrapped by Carla or Eddie. Inside is a custom Pop Figure with dark blond curls and a firefighter suit, a small birthmark on it’s eye. The label says “Buck” with a smiley face next to it. “Is this me?”
“Duh, silly,” Christopher rolls his eyes playfully. “Dad and I went to the Funko store and I know you collect them so I made you an exclusive. I painted the birthmark on myself.”
“This is so cool, dude,” Buck says, still stunned. He knew of the Funko Hollywood store and considered going there but never did. He didn’t expect to get this from Christopher. “Thank you.” Christopher smiles, proud of himself. He hands Buck a squishy package.
“That ones from Abuela. She insisted on giving it to you,” Eddie explains. “Said it was perfect. I agree.”
“Ominous,” Buck mutters. It’s a Christmas sweater, where one half is blue and gold with little dreidels and menorahs and the other is green and red with christmas trees and stockings. There are words on the front, each a different color of the bisexual flag, that say, “both is good.” Buck snorts, “okay, this is perfect.” He turns it to show it Christopher, who bursts out laughing. “I love it.”
“I’ll tell her you do,” Eddie says, pulling his phone out to snap a picture of Christopher and Buck with the sweater and send it to Isabel.
The other two presents are from Eddie. They’re a new saucepan- Eddie burned his old one somehow- and a letter that Eddie says he should read later when it’s just the two of them. Christopher is bitter that he won’t know what it says.
Eddie has four presents, two from Christopher and two from Buck. He opens one of Christopher’s first, a mug that says “Chris’s Dad” on it. Then he opens one from Buck, a new chain for his St. Christopher pendant because the other one broke when they were transporting a patient a month before. And then there’s a Twitter shirt from Christopher- a call back to Eddie’s old day job- and a “A Year of Dad Jokes” book from Buck.
Buck helps Christopher bring his haul into his room before meeting Eddie back in the living room. He picks up the letter. “Uh, so, what is this?
“There’s some stuff I wanted to say, but I don’t trust myself to say it out loud,” Eddie explains. Buck looks at him with a raised eyebrow. “Just read it, man.”
Buck sits on the couch and opens the letter, words sprawled in Eddie’s neat handwriting.
Hey Buck.
This is stupid. I should be able to say this but I’m so bad with the whole talking about feelings stuff. I’m working on it. I don’t know if I should do a whole speech or just blurt it out and I guess this feels like the middle ground?
I don’t want to ruin anything about us. I assure you that if you do not feel the same, I will stop feeling this way and understand if you don’t want be friends anymore. All I ask is don’t leave Chris. He can’t lose another parent.
I told you that I liked guys. And I do, but I also lied to you. I was encouraged to tell you when Christopher asked me about it, but I’ve been thinking about it hard for a lot longer than that. Technically since I was a kid, but really once I met you.
I don’t know if you’ve figured out what I mean, so I’ll just state it because sometimes you're so so stupid. I love you, Evan. That’s it. That’s what I have to say.
Again, I get it if you don’t want to be close with me anymore, but Chris needs you. I need you.
Love, Eddie.
Buck sets the letter in his lap. Eddie opens his mouth to say something but Buck cuts him off with his own. Eddie freezes for a moment before melting into the kiss.
They break apart at a gasp behind them. Christopher is standing behind them with a giant smile on my face, holding his phone up.
“Uh,” Eddie sputters.
“Good for you guys!” Christopher says before running away.
“Did he just take a picture?” Eddie asks with a sigh.
“I believe he did,” Buck laughs. He pulls Eddie back in for second kiss.
Operation Buddie, Fri, 8:23 AM
Superman sent a photo
Superman: !!!!!!!!!!
Mayday: AHHH OMG
DenDen: HOLY CRAP
HenHen: FINALLY
Carls: Oh finally!
Chim118: Maddie just jumped up and down with excitement and ran into Jee’s new dollhouse
Mads911: I'M HAPPY FOR MY BROTHER NO NEED TO CALL ME OUT
HareBare: HOLY SHIT
CapGN: language!
CapGN: also wahoo finally
HareBare: wahoo is your best reaction
Superman: WE WON
Superman: MISSION SUCCESSFUL
Mads911: YAY!!!!
SargeGN: I’ve never been more proud
Mayday: ouch jeez mom
SargeGN: of Buck
Mayday: yay!
Superman: dad just asked if I want to go to Hanukkah lighting with him and Buck tonight
Mads911: we didn’t invite Eddie
Mads911: not that he isn’t welcome
Superman: well we’re coming now so you have to pretend you don’t know.
Mads911: or….
Buck parks his car outside Maddie and Chim’s place. “Are you sure this is okay?” Eddie asks. Buck grabs his hand across the cupholders.
“We’re family,” he says. Eddie nods with a shy smile and climbs out of the car. The trio makes their way to the front door. Buck knocks.
“Buck!” Maddie says when she opens the door, by just a crack. “Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah!”
“Hey, Mads, you too. I hope you don’t mind I brought Chris and Eddie.” Buck puts a hand on each of their shoulders as he says their names.
“Well, I’d kinda be a hypocrite,” Maddie admits, opening the door all the way.
Buck and Eddie are met with their entire family- biological connections not withstanding- standing inside Maddie and Chimney’s place shouting “CONGRATULATIONS!”
Buck is taken aback but Eddie turns to look at Christopher. “Did you send them the photo you took?”
Christopher shrugs with a giggle, “maybe?”
Eddie groans. The family makes their way in, greeting and thanking everyone. Maddie pours out sparkling cider for everyone. She holds up her cup for a toast. “To Buck and Eddie!”
After a chorus of the “to Buck and Eddie”s, Christopher holds up his cup. “To Operation Buddie!”
Eddie spins on his heals. “Operation what?!”