come correct or get corrected.

Tommy is the first one to bring it up.

They're finishing up on the basketball court, and everyone has filed out by this point, leaving the two of them alone. Tommy is driving Eddie back anyhow, and today was an intense game, so they're taking their time.

Why Tommy chooses to bring it up before the car ride, Eddie doesn't know. But what a way to make it awkward.

"Hey, man I need to tell you something," he says as they return to the car. "So you're not blindsighted when it happens."

"Everything okay?" Eddie asks, clearly concerned.

"Well, not really." he lets out a tired laugh. "Uh...I'm going to be breaking up with Evan. I wanted to tell you so that, you know, you could do what you do and be there for him."

Shocked, Eddie steps in front of Tommy, "Wait, what? I thought things were going great with the two of you." he feels his gut twist uncomfortably - the last thing Eddie wants in the whole world is to see Buck hurt again. "Tommy, come on, Buck is great. He's amazing. There's not a thing about him to not like."

Tommy scoffs, "Believe me, Eddie, I know that."

“I don’t understand,” Buck says softly, trying very, very hard not to cry. “I thought…I thought I was doing everything right this time.” He laughs, a pitiful, horrible thing–right Buckley, like you can do anything right. 

“Hey,” Tommy places a hand on his - they’re in the loft, and Tommy has just broken up with him. “Buck, really, it’s nothing that you did. Not really. I just don’t think it’s going to work out for us.”

“But why?” he presses. “We’ve been okay. We haven’t even fought.”

Tommy sighs, looking at Buck so kindly, which makes this a million times worse. “I can’t give you what you want.”

“That’s not true!” he exclaims. “It’s not. I really like you, Tommy, this, we can fix this, I can fix this.” 

“Evan, hey, stop.” Tommy touches the side of his face. He is being so gentle with him, so fucking gentle, that Buck does, in fact, start to cry. “This isn’t on you at all. It’s not on either of us, not really. I just...am not the right guy for you, that’s all.”

Buck shakes his head. “Seems like no one ever is.”

Tommy smiles that sweet smile that he has, and looks at Buck with kindness, and true sincerity, and that makes Buck feel a thousand times worse. “Evan, the things you want? Family? Security? Love? It’s all right in front of you. You just can’t see it.” He leans back. “But don’t worry, because neither can the other guy.”

“Other–what?” Buck wipes his eyes. “What are you talking about?”

Tommy sighs, and shakes his head. “Eddie, I’m talking about Eddie.”

Eddie smiles tenderly as Chris recounts the time he spent with Tommy, while Eddie was out doing groceries. In the forty-five minutes that he had been gone, it seemed like he had a lot to say on the matter, going on and on about how fun he is, and how awesome he is, and how much Chris loves spending time with him.

"I'm glad you like him, kid," Eddie chuckles, moving around in the kitchen while Chris works on his homework at the table. "He's pretty cool."

"Well, not as cool as Buck, but yeah, pretty cool." Christopher agrees.

"You shouldn't compare Chris." he replies, looking over his shoulder. He's in the middle of making them enchiladas, which Chris is weary about, but Eddie is determined to make just right. Buck is coming over for dinner, and Eddie really wants to impress him.

Once, Frank asked him why it was so important to do these little things for Buck, the way Buck does for him. Eddie remembers feeling uncomfortable about the question - he doesn't know why that comes to mind right now.