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Advent Calendar Prompt Day 4 Christmas Ornaments
Eddie Diaz and his son Christopher were busy setting up the tree and Christmas decoration, when Evan "Buck' Buckley came upon the ornaments Eddie had in his collection. Eddie was winding the lights around the tree while Christopher hung their stockings.
Buck was unwrapping the fragile ornaments when he came upon three precious ones, smiling sadly. They were Christopher and Eddie's Baby's First Christmas ornaments, and while Buck had accumulated ornaments from his travels, he could never remember if he had one.
"Oh, I remember when Shannon got these. I was in Afghanistan, but she made sure to hold them up to the camera when she got them," Eddie says, coming up and smiling at the glass ornament with Mickey in blue, with Christopher's name on it and 2011, the year he was born. The second one was a glass lamb with Baby's First Christmas 1987 for Eddie and then Shannon's teddy bear with her birth year.
Buck loved to see his boys put up Shannon's as a way of remembering her on Christmas, their favorite holiday. Eddie held it out to him, making Buck do a double take.
"She loved who you are to us, and she wouldn't mind you keeping her memory alive," Eddie says, when Christopher puts Eddie's on the tree, while Eddie handles Christopher's.
"Hey, Bucky, do you have one of these? Denny does, and so do Tia Adriana and Sophia!" Christopher asks, looking at Buck.
"Uh, I don't know, bud. My parents weren't sentimental, and didn't give me anything when they came for Jee and Maddie," Buck replies, getting a sad look for the ten year old.
"It's ok, Christopher, because you know what? Let's put Buck's ornaments up and then ours," Eddie says, looking at Buck directly. Buck stands up and gathers his ornaments, as they finish the tree and sit on the couch looking at it.
Buck is content to be with his boys, and it was their first Christmas as a family, husbands and son. Maybe next year they might add another Baby's first Christmas ornament for a new family member.
Either way, it was going to be a good Christmas.
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Eddie saw Buck's look about Baby's 1st Christmas ornaments and decided to ask Maddie if Buck had one. He doubted it, considering how little the Buckley parents think of their youngest child.
He waits until Buck has taken Christopher to school to call Maddie, who picks up on the third ring.
"Eddie! What do I owe the pleasure?" Maddie teases, answering.
"I just have a quick question, do you know if Buck has a Baby's 1st ornament?" He asks, his finger running along the table.
"I… I actually don't know. Mom and Dad didn't give me mine and they never decorate their trees with sentimental crap anymore. I can ask, why?" Maddie replies, her tone slightly angry. Since their dinner awhile back, Maddie hasn't really been on speaking terms with her parents, Athena and Bobby filling that void for both Buckley siblings.
"We were decorating our tree, and I have mine, Shannon and Christopher's and our son asked Buck if he had one. Buck's face was so sad," Eddie says, ideas coming to mind on how to make up for it.
"Just like the damn baby box," Maddie mutters, "He was the one who got Jee hers, when he wasn't sure we would be back for her first Christmas."
"He dragged Taylor, who wasn't into it, then dragged us along and Christopher picked it out. Buck always knew you were coming back Maddie," Eddie sighs, "How do you feel about a Christmas present shopping trip when we are both off next week?"
"Why do I suddenly think you know what to get Buck this Christmas?" Maddie giggles, when Chim and Jee are heard in the background. "Yeah, I'll go Christmas shopping with you, otherwise you will have no idea what to get me."
"Rude, Maddie. I know exactly what to get you, Buck doesn't!"
"Riiigghhhtt. Text you later to firm up the time. Tell Buck I love him. Bye!" Maddie hangs up and Eddie plots.
The next day at work, Buck is asking everyone about their Baby's 1st Christmas ornaments. Bobby is smiling.
"Mine was a polar bear, Athena managed to steal one of hers from her parents, it's a tiger, and she and Michael both got May and Harry two! And Michael is just a generic one, but it was carved by his dad." Bobby says, while Buck is chopping up the ingredients.
Hen looks over at Eddie, who is trying to not be mad after Maddie had texted him saying that their parents never even thought about getting Buck and were sending hers. The paramedic nudges him, her eyes off her medical textbook. "What's with that question?"
"Chris asked Buck if he had one when we were putting up ours. We have Shannon's too." Eddie whispers when Chim butts in.
"Maddie told me that their parents didn't even bother getting Buck one, just like the damn baby box. For Christ's sake, the man got Jee hers when we weren't even here." Chim says, eyes darting to the kitchen where the conversation has moved onto Christmas plans.
"I have a plan, but…" Eddie stops for a minute when the conversation dies down. Ravi starts it up, after hearing what they were talking about. "Look I want one for Buck and I, a first Christmas married, and then one with first Christmas as a family. But I think… I think we should all get him a personalized one from everyone, even the kids. His blood family other than Maddie couldn't care less and this one cares so much. I mean Abuela has already given him the recipes, but she wants to get him a traditional one. Hell I think she might personalize an old one she has for him."
Hen and Chim look thoughtful when Ravi drops in the chair across from Eddie. "I want in on whatever you're planning for Buck."
Eddie glances over at his husband and pseudo father, who are arguing about spices, when he turns around to Ravi. Out of all of them, he had the best parents, and they love the Panikkar parents so much they constantly get invited to family gatherings. "Buck doesn't have a Baby's 1st Christmas ornament or anything really sentimental from his childhood. I am thinking we all get him one that is personalized from us, and what we think of when we think of Buck."
Ravi nods, "I'm in and so are my parents. I think they may love him more than me."
They all shrug because Buck has that personality that makes everyone want to adopt him. Athena gets the dubious honor, having fully integrated him into her family, along with Bobby. "Send each other your ideas, and when we celebrate Christmas, we will give him those. That way next year, he has his own to put on our tree."
The firefam has always been good about Christmas presents, especially when Buck outshone most of them every year. Eddie and Maddie were browsing various stores at The Grove, while Chim and Buck took Chris and Jee on their own Christmas shopping trip at Target,
"What is your first ornament like?" Eddie asked, as they browsed the first Christmas ornaments at one of the stores.
"It was a shoe with my name and date. They apparently still have Daniel's, but never even entertained the idea to get one for Evan." Maddie says, smiling at the giraffe ornament. "He loved giraffes as a toddler. Loved their long necks and spots, and said he wanted to be as tall as them."
Eddie laughed, "Well he is almost as tall as them, but instead of the neck, he has ridiculously long legs that I love."
Maddie grabs it, while Eddie picks their first Christmas married and as a family, one with two grooms and the other a portrait ornament. Buck's sister sees another and laughs, also grabbing that one.
"A motorcycle?" Eddie inquires when he sees a penguin one, knowing Christopher would love to get that one for Buck. Christopher had gifted them beautiful rocks last year, and when they finally kissed, he said that penguins court their mates with rocks. They have such a smart kid.
They check out, and do the rest of their Christmas shopping, with Maddie keeping the ornaments from Buck's prying eyes.
Eddie and Maddie run into Hen and Karen, who are also laden with bags. "Looks like we have the same idea," Hen says, when they hug each other. "Getting Buck's present?"
"Yes," Eddie says, smile wide.
"Karen gave me her directive of what she wants to get Buck, but do you mind going with me?" Hen asks, eyes knowing. Maddie giggles at Karen, as if they both know something that Eddie has been trying to keep secret.
Hen takes his arms, dragging him back into the ornament store. "Maddie knows, I know. Does Buck suspect?"
Eddie shook his head, while Hen looked at the displays, face thoughtful. He thought he was keeping a low profile, but should have known three women knew what the symptoms were. "Is that your present for him? Along with the ornaments?"
"Oh my God, yes. I have it already in a shadow box, and Maddie definitely noticed the ornament is for four people. Now shush, Bobby knows and that's why I have been on medical calls with you, while Chim is going into fires." Eddie whispers, when Hen grabs a game controller, smiling.
"It's one of the things Buck and I have always done to bond, is play stupid video games." Hen explains, before grabbing the space shuttle one. Eddie knew Karen would want to get that for Buck, because they talked about the space program constantly.
Today was a good day for Eddie, so he goes back to Karen and Maddie talking when Bobby and Athena walk by, deep in conversation before they stop. "I think everyone had the same idea, except my husband, who is out shopping for me."
"And mine, but he just said he's on his way over. Buck wanted to start on dinner early, since someone has been constantly tired," Maddie says, looking at her phone.
"So they figured it out," Bobby states, looking at Eddie who just sighs.
"How about we go pick our ornaments out boo," Athena says, hooking her arm through Eddie's, much to the delight of the other women and Bobby. "We don't want to spoil the surprise for Buck."
Chim is right behind them, Jee in his arms, both of smiling and looking so much alike. "Di, Di!" Jee shouts, when the two year old launches herself at him, once she realizes he's there. He catches her easily, and neither Bobby or Athena even flinch. His boss has been trusting for a few weeks now, so holding a kid wasn't a big deal.
"Let me guess, you want my approval on the ornaments you want to get my husband?" Eddie says, getting three nods and "Yea!" from Jee. He carries her into the store. "We want to find an ornament for Uncle Buck ok?"
Jee nods, "Buck, Buck!"
Athena smiles, "She really loves the both of you."
"Albert too, but Eddie and Buck are her favorites," Chim answers, eyes thoughtful as he scanned the display. It was a tough spot for the older paramedic after he punched Buck, but they had a long and thoughtful conversation, and their bond was stronger than ever.
Bobby and Athena are at the end of the aisle, when Jee points to the fire truck. "Tra, for Buck!" she states, her face determined like Maddie's when she wanted something.
"Ok, Jee, we will get the firetruck for your Uncle Buck," Eddie states, when Chim grabs Bambi from the rack. Before he can explains his choice, he notices that Bobby and Athena stopped at the first Christmas section. He wondered what they were up to, but he knew they loved Buck as their own child.
Eddie laughs when Chim holds up his choice, "Because he's Buck but also Bambi with those eyes and legs."
"I love it, and so will he." This place offers personalizations, and Eddie doesn't see what Bobby and Athena picked, but they head to the counter to personalize their ornament. The others got the same idea, so they all crowd the counter.
The older woman who owns the shop looks at all of them. "Are these all for the same person?" when they all reply in unison.
"Yes!" She smiles, looking at the assortment on his counter. "Whoever it is, they will know how much they are loved."
"My brother, his husband. My parents never personalized anything, including a first Christmas ornament. His name is Evan or Buck. On my mine, just put Maddie and a heart, and 1992 when he was born." Maddie says, when she looks at Eddie. "This can be his first baby ornament."
Eddie tries not to tear up, when Jee speaks up. "Truh for Buck, from Jee!"
"Truck for Buck, from Jee, with the year?" Ramona, the owner asks.
"Yeah, 2022," Maddie replies, before turning to her daughter, smile bright. Hen places her down with Karen's.
"Can you put "Games, always. Hen 2017." Ramona makes the notes and sticks it to the game controllers. "On this one, Space Always Karen 2017."
Eddie points to his. "Buckley-Diaz 2022, and the four the same but 2023. And the penguin to my Papa, from Superman 2022."
The owner smirks, when Chimney is confused but Maddie shushes him. "My brother always, 2021."
Maddie gasps, while everyone else looks at him. Eddie again tries not to cry when he sees Bobby and Athena's. It was a Child's First Christmas glass blown ball in orange, Buck's favorite color. "Put Evan Grant-Nash, ours first and always, 2017."
Eddie didn't know how he lucked out finding all these people, who considered him, his husband and his kid family and they were the luckiest people in the world. "Christmas can't get here soon enough," Eddie says, when they all went to hug each other. "I cannot wait to see Buck's face when he opens these."
He goes home to a house smelling like tacos, and he cuddles up to his husband and kid. He briefly wondered what the Panikkar's got Buck, but if it was anything like the rest of the 118, he was gonna cry.
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The Buckley-Diazes celebrate their first Christmas as an official family then head over to Athena and Bobby's for Christmas dinner and presents. Eddie invited Abuela and Pepa, and his sisters for their Christmas presents and they arrive in fashion, laden with gifts.
He had to be very sneaky when wrapping his family's presents, especially Buck's but Athena took it in her hands and hid the presents at her house. They were going to make sure the ornament and his gifts were the last to be opened. Athena had also mentioned that May, Harry, Michael, David, Toni and Denny got ornaments for Buck, personalizing them. He had almost sobbed when she told him that, because Abuela and Pepa took their own ornaments and gifted them to his husband. Ravi and his parents after them, placing their own presents under the tree.
Everyone is greeted with hugs, the house smelling like Bobby's cooking and they all settled in various chairs, the big plush one open for Buck and Eddie to sit on. Athena smiles at everyone in her house, when Bobby comes out with his kiss the cook apron and a santa hat.
"While dinner is being finished, I say we open presents!" Athena says, when the kids dive for the presents and divvy them up between everyone, Buck getting the biggest stack of presents. They must have gotten him something else other than the ornaments, while Eddie's were being placed behind him.
The ones remaining were for the Diazes and Buck, and they were handed them telling them to open them last. Getting confused looks from his family, the kids tore their presents open, yelling excitement. Everyone else opened theirs slowly, while Buck just stared at his pile, surprised.
Everyone finishes what they have, except Eddie and his family. Christopher is vibrating out of his skin, when everyone faces Buck, who opens Hen and Karen's present first.
Buck carefully opens the box and unwraps the tissue paper, gasping when he saw the ornaments. Ramona did wonderful calligraphy and he holds them up. "Oh these are… Games Always, Hen 2017… wait that's the year I started at the 118."
"Space Always, Karen 2017…" Buck trails off, putting them aside. He reads the tag, and sees its from Maddie. She leans forward and squeezes his wrist. Hers is perfectly wrapped, so Buck gingerly unwraps it, getting past the tissue paper to reveal the giraffe.
"Oh my God, Mads…. I didn't think you remembered…" Buck stops when he reads the inscription. "Mads, that's…. it's the year I was born."
"You were always the greatest thing to happen to me, other than Jee. Our parents didn't think you were important enough to have a Baby's first Christmas ornament or a baby box, but you are that important to me. This is your first ornament, for my baby brother." Maddie says, choking up.
Buck tears up, touching the giraffe gingerly. "I love it, Mads. I love these also, Wilson wives."
Hen and Karen laugh, blowing kisses to Buck. The next one is May's, who picked Captain America's shield, and he laughs at the quote and then his eyes widen. "Your little sister, May." Buck whispers, looking at May who was smiling. "You're too much, missy. I love it and you."
May can't speak when Harry yells he wants Buck to open his next. Harry got him Mjolinir, personalized with "For my big brother, Harry."
His husband is openly crying, wiping his tears. "Wow, I sense a theme. But this is… this is everything."
Eddie kisses Buck's temple, hugging him. Jee's is next, so he opens it to reveal the fire trucks and "To the best uncle, Jee."
He laughs, shaking his head. "She picked herself," Eddie explains, "Truck for Buck."
"She's adorable and she knows it," Buck says, placing the fire truck with the other ornaments. Chris hands Buck his, and Buck can't help but cry at the penguin then sits there stunned at what it says.
"Chris?"
"Yes, Papa?" Chris answers, grinning.
"I'm… your Papa?" Buck asks, trying not to sob.
"Always, Papa. You're mine forever," Chris says throwing himself at Buck, as they hug tightly. Everyone else is crying, tissues being passed around. The boys let go of each other, and Buck opens the ornaments from Michael, David, and Toni, each one getting a bright grin, inside jokes with all of them.
He cries at the Panikkar's ornaments, one a chainsaw from Ravi, Drill Sergeant Buck, and 2021, the year they solidfied their friendship. His parents was an elephant, with the same year. Eddie was really trying not to give away anything, but Buck looks concerned at his display of emotion.
Denny's is also Marvel, only it's Iron Man and he fist bumps his nephew. Abuela and Pepa make him cry, when they give him theirs. Once Buck has blown his nose, he opens Chimney's, laughing when he sees Bambi's then gasps at the inscription.
"You are my brother, Buck. Albert is by blood but we chose this family and each other." Chimney says, trying not to cry himself.
"When we talked, reaffirmed our relationship," Buck says, looking at date. "Chimney, you will always be my brother. Without knowing Daniel, you are the brother I would always want."
"You are my brother too!" Albert yells, getting a pillow thrown at him. Albert hadn't done the ornament, instead getting a crystal dragon shipped from Korea for Buck, who loved it immediately.
Buck and Chimney hug for awhile, while others pass around the wine. Eddie waves it off, instead taking the sparkling cider. Buck doesn't notice, and when Chimney lets him go, he holds Bobby and Athena's present.
He opens the ornament first, and stares at it for a few minutes, eyes obviously reading the name and the date. "Open the envelope, Buck," Bobby says, arm around his wife. Buck opens the envelope, reading the papers that would have them adopt him as a adult. Legally, it's not much but to Buck, it means the world.
He looks at Eddie, who moves the presents while the six foot two man launches himself at his parents. Eddie grabs the tissue, trying not to cry but failing. "Dammit, I thought I would keep it together."
Maddie smiles, tears shining in her eyes. "I told Mom and Dad about this, and you know what they said? Finally, someone else can deal with Buck. I deleted their number, Jee has grandparents here."
Eddie shakes his head, watching as Bobby and Athena whisper and hug Buck. Maddie may have had a bad relationship with their parents too, but nothing like Buck. "They would adopt you too, in a heartbeat." Eddie whispers, when Toni throws a pillow at him.
"I already adopted Maddie, she's mine," Hen's mom states, getting laughs from the rest of the room.
"Your mi nina, Maddie," Abuela says, holding on her present. Maddie smiles at her, touched by the gesture.
Buck dries his tears, and lets go of his parents to sit next to Eddie, who hands him the rest of the presents. "So, this one is from me, but you have to open the others with Abuela, Pepa, Chris and my sisters."
His sisters had remained quiet, watching this family interact. Eddie had talked to them in depth about their own parents and why he cut them off after he got married to Buck. They moved out to California immediately after, and Abuela cut them off too. He wasn't worried because he had Bobby, Athena and his family here.
His husband smiles at the ornament, with the year they married. "Love it, Eds. It's perfect."
Eddie nudges him, "Just wait. Ok, my family open your presents. Same with you, baby."
His family tears into the present, while Buck unwraps his carefully, doing the ornament first. "Buckley-Diaz, love it."
Buck doesn't notice the date, until gasps and cheers are heard from his sister, abuela and Pepa. His son unwraps his at the same time Buck unwraps the shadow box, when they both stare at their presents.
Christopher has a shirt that say best big brother ever, while Buck is holding the sonogram of Eddie and Buck's child. "Wait, you're… pregnant?" Buck says, staring at the box while Christopher jumps with joy.
Eddie smiles, placing Buck's hand on his stomach. "Yeah, found out right at the beginning of the month. Just about to reach the second trimester, but look at the ornament again."
Their family reacts to the confirmation by hugging everyone, while Buck just stares at the ornament, "There's four. 2023. Oh my God, we are having a baby!"
Buck shoves the ornaments to where they couldn't be broken and pulls Eddie off the chair and swings him around. Christopher joins their hug, then everyone does.
"I know this was all you, babe. But this… what you are giving, what you give me, is the best Christmas present ever." Buck says, when everyone is at the dinner table, leaving the husbands.
"This time next year, we will have a baby of our own, and we get to add their own ornament," Eddie says, when Buck kisses him deeply.
"Best Christmas ever."
Seven months later, Mariella Athena Buckley-Diaz is born, held by the men in her life and then her extended family. Both sets of parents try to visit but are banned by Athena, who hold her grandbaby, tears in her eyes.
At Christmas, Buck places all his ornaments on the tree, along with Mari's Minnie one with her name and year.
Last year, Buck only had ornaments he bought. This year he has a tree worth of ornaments his family bought for him, saw and went "This is Buck". Buck has to admit Eddie knew how to make him feel loved, so Buck tries to love him back just as much.
Holding their daughter, he places the family ornament, and smiles.
Maybe next year, Eddie can surprise him again.