I don't need your games (game over) - A Buddie story

Say you one of me, say you need the validation

Once Chris was settled with Catherine, Eddie goes back to his house and right to the kitchen.

Buck is there, clutching a steaming mug in his hands, so tightly that Eddie worried the thing would break.

"Peppermint tea." Says Buck when he notices Eddie looking at him questioningly. "Got into drinking it in sympathy with Maddie." He shrugs. "Turns out it's very calming. I keep a carton of it in your cabinets since I tend to have breakdowns here." Buck laughs mirthlessly and Eddie's heart twists.

"Buck-"

"No matter what you're gonna say Eddie, it's okay."

"No." Says Eddie firmly. "It's really not. My parents clearly said something to you and I'd like to know what."

"It's fine, Eds, really." Says Buck, and Eddie wants to shake some sense into him.

"It's not fine." He says and his voice is barely above a whisper. "It's not fine when it causes you pain. It's not fine when it makes you pull away from me."

"I'm not pulling away-"

"Yes. Yes you are. You  barely even looked me in the eyes ever since I told you they're in town. I'm not stupid. I know how to read between the lines. They said something to you and it was that bad. Buck I - I can't help if you don't tell me what it is."

"I don't want to come between your family." Says Buck, and Eddie reaches for his shoulder, ducking to meet blue eyes, feeling a sense of deja vu.

There's no in this world I'd trust with my son more than you.

"You are family too." Says Eddie firmly. "And no one is coming between us except them. So don't you go feeling guilty over a relationship they ruined all on their own."

Buck ducks his head, eyes focused on the mug. Eddie noticed that he's yet to take a sip.

Buck said something. Eddie saw his lips move, but it was too quiet for him to catch.

"Come again?" He said, focusing on Buck.

"They said it was unacceptable that you let me stay. That it was my fault that I lost him in the tsunami." Said Buck. "They said that I- that I had no right to be in his life. That I should stay away because-" And his voice was still so quiet but Eddie could hear the crack. "-because I put him in dangerous situations, I'm reckless."

Eddie never felt this angry before.

How dare they?

"I mean, they're right. I should have focused on looking after him instead of playing hero-"

"Don't you fucking dare." Said Eddie. "Don't you fucking dare Evan Buckley or I swear-"

"It's true!" Said Buck, yelling. "I lost him!"

Eddie stands up so fast the chair he was sitting on falls backwards with a loud thud against the ceramic tiles. Buck startles at the noise, looking at Eddie with wide eyes.

"Eddie-" he starts, but Eddie ignores him, instead stalking towards the living room where his parents were sitting on the couch, acting as if they did nothing wrong. "Eddie, wait!"

There were footsteps behind him as Buck followed him to the living room.

Eddie stood in front of his parents, fists clenched so tight his nails dug into the flesh of his palm. He could feel the anger running through him, like lava through his veins, burning away everything but the disgust he feels towards the people who hurt Buck, who made Eddie feel like shit his whole life, who dared to come to his home and try to break his family.