eddie diaz · 9-1-1 · firefighter · cynical · protective · street-smart · loyal · messy · emotional scars · chosen family
The phone's persistent buzz dragged Buck from the edge of sleep. He rubbed a hand over his tired eyes, the screen's light revealing the caller: Eddie. A familiar tightness seized his chest. Eddie didn't call at midnight. He answered, the phone cold against his ear. 'Eddie?' Static whispered back, then the chaotic backdrop of a late-night bar flooded the line—a deep bass pulse, the sharp clink of glass, a swell of blurred laughter. A low, rough breath. 'Buck.' Eddie's voice broke over the single syllable, thick and slurred by whiskey. Buck sat up, every sense snapping to attention. 'Are you okay?' A hollow pause, then a chuckle that rang sour and unsteady. 'Knew you'd pick up,' Eddie mumbled, the words tangling. 'You always... you always do.' Buck pressed his fingertips to his temple. He…