Chapter Text
Bobby's insistence on Buck being on the show puzzled him. Buck had assumed the producers requested him, but it turned out Bobby had actually approached them about a guest star. When Buck asked why, Bobby’s only explanation was a cryptic, “I had a feeling it would end well for you.” Buck didn't understand, but he couldn't help but hope Bobby was right.
The show was 118, a procedural drama about LA first responders—and one of Buck's long-time favorites. He was fighting a serious battle to avoid geeking out and making a fool of himself.
He hadn't met the cast yet, and the anticipation was a heady mix of excitement and nerves. He was about to come face-to-face with the people he’d watched on TV for years. They seemed genuinely fun; Howard Han's online videos, in particular, painted a picture of a tight-knit family rather than just coworkers.
The familiar set he'd watched a million and one times on TV now stood before Buck as he stepped onto the lot. He couldn't believe he was here. He was yet to meet anyone other than the showrunner, Mim Tinear, and the edge of fear was heavy on his shoulders. What if they didn't like him? What if they thought he was weird? What if he suddenly lost his ability to sing and everyone laughed at him and-
He was brought out of his head by someone behind him grabbing his shoulder.
“Oh my god, are you Evan Buckley!?”
This couldn't be happening…
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“You are! Hey man, I love your music!”
No way Howard Han was talking to him right now. This couldn't be real.
“Me and my brother Albert listen to it together all the time! You're really good at what you do.”
He must be dreaming. He just needed to pinch himself and he'd wake up. No need to panic about this, just one pinch and-
“Hello? Evan? Can I call you Evan? Dude why are you pinching yourself right now?”
Not a dream.
“What? Oh, sorry, just a bad habit,” he laughed nervously. “Well anyway, I'm very excited to be here.”
He was fucking this up. They're going to think he's a freak. He's never going to get to guest star on anything ever again. Bobby lied, this was not going to go well.
As Buck's cheeks flushed at his obvious lack of composure, Howard was talking a mile a minute about something Buck couldn't even attempt to figure out. Something about trans clownfish? He didn't know. And he was too focused on calming himself down to care. He knew Maddie was right about him continuing to talk to Dr. Copeland, though he'd never tell her that.
“Oh! Let me introduce you to the others! We've all been so excited to meet you!”
And with that, Howard grabbed his arm and dragged him up the stairs.
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Eddie was excited. Free time was a rare luxury these days, what with Chris, doctor appointments, and navigating the red tape meant to help him as a single father. Even with Carla's help, it was tough when he didn't want to constantly bother her by asking for more. But when he did find a spare moment, music was his refuge. He loved losing himself in it, truly understanding and relating to the story being told.
Evan Buckley admittedly wouldn't particularly be his cup of tea if it wasn't for Chris, who liked to sit with his dad and listen with him sometimes. He'd heard his friends talking about Evan Buckley at school, and immediately asked his dad if they could listen together. Eddie of course said yes, and their next free afternoon they lay on the couch to see if they liked it.
While Eddie had enjoyed it, the style of music was not usually his go to. But Chris had loved it, and that connection to his son made it very special to him. So Evan Buckley’s songs became a staple in the Diaz household, playing almost constantly for them to really listen to, or just as background noise.
So when Eddie found out that Evan Buckley would be guest starring on the show, he'd hoped to let him know how much he and Chris love his music, maybe even get an autograph as a surprise for Chris. All this to say, he was having a good day when he walked into work that day.
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