admiring them from afar
I'm also going to combine with #23 (requested by @simpingforhotfictionalcharacters "being unable to keep their eyes off of them"
Buck's willing to admit it: he's a little bit distracted tonight.
They're all gathered together at Bobby and Athena's house for a barbeque and the fourth of July (technically, it's the third, but they're all on call tomorrow for national people-blowing-things-up-with-illegally-obtained-fireworks day), and usually Buck would be filtering in and out of the kitchen to help Bobby with food and set up, but...
But Tommy - coming to the house straight off of a shift whereas Buck has had the day off - has just shown up wearing a white linen button down, a nice navy blue pair of shorts, a set of RayBans, and a grin that Buck desperately wants to kiss.
He immediately stops listening to whatever Chim is saying about Jee's progress with sight words (she's so smart, he loves her so much) and instead becomes laser-focused on his boyfriend, who's laughing at something Bobby is saying and rolling his sleeves up his tanned, muscled forearms.
"Yeah," Buck says absently. "Uh-huh."
He can see Chimney in his line of sight still - he's standing with his back to the door, and Tommy is ostensibly behind him if a good fifteen feet away - so Buck can sort of see when Chim turns around to look over his shoulder at whatever's caught Buck's attention. It also means he can sort of see when Chim turns back around and rolls his eyes.
"You know you guys have been together for two years, right?" Chim asks, reaching out to flick Buck in the forehead. "And that you live together? You don't have to look so surprised when he shows up."
"I'm not surprised, I'm just..." Buck trails off when Tommy looks over at him and gives him a slow, lingering once over, taking in Buck's sky blue button down and cream colored pants - the ones that last time he wore, Tommy could barely keep his hand off his ass.
So maybe he wore them for a reason.
Chim looks back in time to catch the tail end of Tommy's look, and he whips back around to Buck with a shit-eating grin. "Ohh," he says. "You guys are being gross, got it."
Buck manages to tear his eyes away from Tommy (who's just taken a slow drag of his beer, his eyes just hot enough that it makes Buck's ears flush) long enough to give his brother-in-law a withering look. "We're not gross," he says, snippy.
"Who's not gross?" Maddie asks, appearing at his elbow with a plate full of crudites and dip. She bites into a sliver of carrot and glances between the two of them.
"No one," Buck says hotly, at the same time Chimney says, "Your brother and his boyfriend."
"Oh," Maddie says, and finishes off her carrot so she can give Buck a consolatory pat on the shoulder. "You guys are kind of gross. But in a sweet way!" She squeezes him, and then her eyes cut away to her husband. "Howie, would you mind grabbing my glass of wine? I think I left it in the kitchen, or maybe the living room."
"You got it," Chim says, kissing her on the cheek before walking away. Maddie watches him go and then, as soon as he seems to be out of earshot, whirls back around to Buck.
"So?" she asks excitedly, shaking him a little. "Did you pick up the-?"
"Yep!" Buck cuts her off hurriedly, his gaze flickering quickly back over to Tommy.
"And tonight's the night?" she asks, a wide grin splitting her lips. Her eyes are glittering suspiciously. "You're really going to-"
"Yes," Buck interrupts again, a little desperately. "I am. Can we please not talk about it? You didn't tell Chimney, right?"
Maddie lets go of him long enough to wave her hand dismissively through the air. "Oh, God, no, you know he can't keep a secret to save his life." She fiddles with the collar of his shirt, straightening it out. "I just can't believe it," she adds, and has the decency to drop her voice down to a whisper when she says, "My baby brother is getting engaged!"
"Maddie," he whispers back, in more of a hiss than anything. He can't help but look back up and over at Tommy, who's still talking with Bobby and Eddie about who knows what, but who also keeps glancing over curiously. "He...he has to say yes, first."
"Oh, he's gonna say yes," Maddie tells him confidently, and a little threateningly, and then pats him on the cheek. "Now go kiss your handsome pilot hello before one of you explodes."
He laughs, a little breathless, and kisses her on the cheek before he goes.
Buck sidles up to Tommy with a smile, reaching out to fiddle with the top button of his shirt, undoing it so that the collar opens a little bit wider. "Hey," he says, and leans in for a kiss.
Tommy meets him halfway, kissing him with a happy sounding hum. "Hey, yourself," he murmurs, and this close it's impossible to miss the way his eyes flicker over Buck in another quick once over. "You look good." His gaze meets Buck's, his eyes simmering with a gentle, patient heat. "The pants are a nice touch."
"What, these?" Buck says, and slips his hands into his pockets as he looks down at himself, then back up at Tommy from underneath his lashes. "Thought you might like them."
Tommy 'hmms' again and takes another sip of his beer. "Guess you just know me too well," he says, his free hand sliding across the small of Buck's back.
In his pocket, Buck's fingers find a circle of gold. He slips it over the tip of his index finger and rubs his thumb over the ring. "I guess I do," he says softly, and Tommy smiles.
