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fireladybuckley · 3 years

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Colourful Beginnings

Fandom: 9-1-1 Pairing: Evan Buckley (Buck) / Reader (female) Prompt: Soulmate AU - black marks turn to rainbow when your soulmate touches you for the first time Word Count: 3060 Summary: Reader has an accident at work and finds herself in need of help from the 118 crew, leading to an entirely unexpected event. Rating: PG

It was nearing the end of your shift, and you just couldn’t wait to be finished. You had committed to staying an extra two hours to help because one of your coworkers had gone off sick, but as the end of your ninth hour approached you were seriously starting to regret agreeing to the overtime. You dipped deeply into your willpower in an attempt to keep your eyes open, but kept yawning as you restocked a shelf with packets of wildflower seeds. It had been a trying day with many rude and difficult customers, and though the last rush had finished a couple of hours prior, the department had been left in chaos. It had taken you nearly two hours to clean up all the spilled and discarded items left behind, and you still had to finish replenishing stock.

You finished restocking the wildflower, vegetable, and grass seeds, then headed to the back to grab a few bags of soil. As you returned and let the soil bags drop on their proper places on the shelf (a little more roughly than you’d intended), the entire shelving unit swayed dangerously. Swearing, you jumped forward and steadied it, nervously watching the products lining the shelves and praying they didn’t all fall to the floor. After a tense moment, you were able to let go of the shelf and it stood, precarious but seemingly stable. You made a mental note to badger your boss about the shelving unit again; you’d already mentioned it three times, and you had been given the false impression that it had been taken care of.

You were inspecting the shelf next to it, writing down the products you’d need to grab from the back, when out of the corner of your eye you saw movement. You turned your head and to your dismay, saw the precarious shelf start to lean. Ignoring a burst of apprehension in your chest, you dropped your notebook and leapt forward as the metal frame began to buckle on the side nearest you. Far more quickly than you’d expected, the buckled frame began to bend, shifting all the products on the shelves above it. Accelerated by the extra weight, the side of the shelf started to tip towards you. You were about to throw your arms out in an attempt to catch the falling shelves, but you realized belatedly that the entire thing was about to fall over and you were not strong enough to catch it. You scrambled and attempted to back up, but you were not quick enough.

Products began to topple from the tilting shelf, and you screamed as bags of potting soil, plastic seed tray liners, packets of seeds and other items came pelting down on you. You tried to run, but a bag of potting soil crashed into the back of your shoulders, nearly slamming you to the floor. In a desperate attempt to stay upright as soil burst over you, you grabbed at the nearest shelf for purchase, only to have it begin to tip as well. You tried to run, but the second shelving unit fell too quickly. Another cascade of products rained down on you, slicing into your skin and peppering you with bruises, and you were unable to get out of the way as the unit came down. It slammed into your back and shoved you forward so fast you couldn’t stop your momentum. You let out a second shriek as you flew towards the ground, the sound ending abruptly as you cracked your head on the shelves across the aisle. The world went dark at once, and you slid to the floor, unconscious, as the shelving unit and products buried you in place.

----

“9-1-1, what is your emergency?”

“Yeah, hi, I work at Pan’s Garden Emporium and a bunch of shelves just fell over in the back. My coworker was back there and I heard her scream!”

“Okay sir, can you see her at all? Is she responding when you call to her?”

“No! I can’t get to her, there’s too much stuff on the ground and there’s big shelves on top of it all.”

“Alright sir, please tell me your location and help will be on its way immediately.”

-----

Buck wasn’t thinking about anything in particular as the siren-blaring 118 truck pulled up at a garden store for their first call of the shift. He hadn’t slept well the night before, and he stifled a yawn, putting his right hand, his two leading fingers streaked with black, over his face. He mulled over the details they’d been given (young female worker caught in merchandise avalanche, unknown injuries, unknown level of consciousness). As he leapt out of the rig, the first thing that caught his eye was a display of brightly coloured garden gnomes. He shook his head at the giant grins on their ceramic faces; in the darkness and knowing they were there to help someone who could be gravely injured, their expressions seemed almost sinister.

“Buck, Diaz, head inside and assess the situation. Start digging if they haven’t already been uncovered,” Bobby ordered, and Buck nodded as Eddie jumped out of the rig and joined him. They ran inside and were directed by a clearly alarmed cashier and a couple of customers to the back of the store where they could see a few people moving mounds of merchandise aside.

“Step aside, LAFD,” called Buck, and the nearest person jumped out of the way for them as they approached. A worker and a pair of male customers had started moving the pile of items, but the shelves were still toppled and there was no sign of an employee.

“Are you sure your coworker was back here when it happened?” Eddie asked a young man wearing an employee shirt, who looked scared.

“Yeah, she was restocking the seeds and potting soil. I heard her scream and then there were a bunch of crashes and now she won’t answer when I call her.” The man wrung his hands in worry, and Eddie gave him a gentle clap on the shoulder.

“Don’t worry, we’ll get her out of here,” he assured him, as Buck began tossing aside bags of soil behind him.

Eddie joined in, and together they made quick work of the chaotic pile of gardening supplies. The shelves were flimsy but still heavy, and it took both of them to lift first the broken, bent shelving unit, and then the other. Face shining with sweat, Buck wiped his forehead and peered around, but he still couldn’t see the missing person. Buck heard the other employee start freaking out, yelling into his phone about unfixed shelving units and that the person on the other end of the line had as good as killed the victim. As Eddie turned to try and calm the man before he incited panic, Buck tossed a bag of soil out of the way and uncovered a leg clad in black pants.

“Here! I found her!” He exclaimed, speeding up considerably as he began to grab at stuff to move it. Eddie hurried forward and Buck tossed the items to him, quickly uncovering the employee. She was in a crumpled heap mostly on her back, turned slightly to her side, her head propped up on the bottom-most shelf. She had many small cuts, bruises were already starting to bloom over her face and exposed arms, and she was clearly unconscious.

Buck leapt forward and settled the first two fingers of his right hand onto a black mark on her neck, feeling for her pulse, his other arm coming to rest on her upper arm, over the sleeve. He paused tensely, waiting, and then sighed with relief when he felt her pulse.

“She’s alive! Get a board over here!” Buck shouted, and Eddie radioed to Chimney and Hen, who showed up seconds later with a backboard. Buck and Eddie cleared a larger area around the woman so they could get her on the board easily and watched as they skillfully transferred her over to it and strapped her in.

Chimney and Hen lifted the backboard and were about to transport her towards the stretcher when some merchandise that had been precariously stacked fell over, directly into their path, blocking them. Eddie ran forward to clear it, and Buck stood at the patient’s side, waiting. Suddenly, he felt a hand grip his own and looked down in surprise. The patient was slowly gaining consciousness, and had taken his hand. Buck wasn’t sure whether she was unaware and had grabbed him out of reflex or if it was an attempt to feel comforted, but he shifted his hand so he could grip hers, squeezing it gently in reassurance as she slowly opened her eyes.

You groaned as feeling came back to you, your entire body aching, your head spiked with hot pain. You thought you felt someone’s hand brush your own and reached out for it in a haze, seeking comfort and reassurance, though you had no clue what was happening or who was there. You felt a warm hand wrap around your own and squeeze, and the feeling was enough to prompt your brain to open your eyes.

You blinked sluggishly, your vision blurry as you stared up at the garden centre’s ceiling, the bright fluorescent aisle lights like hot fire pokers to your brain.

“Wh.. what happened?” you mumbled, wincing as the pain stormed through your body.

“Hi there,” said a friendly male voice, and you shifted your eyes to the man standing beside you. He had a kind face and smiled down at you as he spoke. “The shelves fell on you while you were working, we’re just going to take you to the hospital to make sure you don’t have any serious injuries.”

“Oh,” you say faintly, trying to look around to see the shelves, but found you couldn’t move your head. You felt your hand squeezed gently again as a female voice spoke this time.

“We’ve just secured your head, neck and back until we can be sure you didn’t injure your spine,” the paramedic positioned directly above your head explained.

“In the meantime, if you’re scared, you can just squeeze my hand,” said the first man, and your eyes flickered back to him as he spoke. He was still smiling, and your eyes took in his kind expression and the curious birthmark over his left eye. “My name’s Buck.”

You smiled faintly at him, noting vaguely that he was pretty cute. However, you were in major pain and covered in dirt, blood and bruises, so you were feeling pretty bedraggled and a bit embarrassed to have such a cute firefighter holding your hand. You mumbled your name to him, averting your eyes.

“Nice to meet you,” he said, but was stopped from saying any more as Eddie cleared the last item and Hen and Chimney were free to move again.

You winced and sucked in a sharp breath as the backboard swung, letting out a cry of pain as they transferred you onto the stretcher. Buck appeared at your side as they were pulling a blanket over most of you, and you were grateful as you felt anxious and overwhelmed as your coworkers rushed forward, all clambering to see if you were alright.

“Alright, give her some space,” Buck said, seeing the pain and fear on your face. Another firefighter led your coworkers away, and you sighed slightly, feeling your heart beating uncomfortably fast.

“Okay, Y/N, we’re taking you to the hospital now,” said the female paramedic, fastening straps over your legs and torso.

“That’s Hen, and the other one is Chim,” Buck said, pointing at the other paramedic, who gave a little wave as he helped Hen push your stretcher towards the waiting ambulance.

“They’ll take great care of you. Hope you feel better!” Buck waved as you were pulled away from the front doors, and you lifted your hand in a weak return wave, wishing he was going to be going with you, but not really sure why. You figured it was just because you were in pain and scared, and he was the first friendly face that you’d seen when you woke up. Somehow you know it’s more than that, though; you can still feel the warmth of his hand holding yours, and you watch him move back into the store as the conversation around you fades into the background.

Buck had returned with Eddie to the back of the store to make sure no one else was injured. He felt a weird pull towards the woman they’d just rescued and he couldn’t explain it. Something about her had just made him want to comfort her and make sure she was okay, even more than he usually did with the people he helped save. He shook his head slightly, thinking maybe his lack of sleep was just messing with him. Buck realized suddenly that Eddie was talking to him, and looked over, confused.

“Sorry, what?” Buck asked, shaking off his thoughts and confusion, noting that Eddie was pointing at his hands.

“I said, what’s with your hands, man?” Eddie’s eyebrows were raised and he was staring at Buck’s hands, gesturing towards them.

“My hands? I don’t…” Buck started to say, then looked down at them. His words were cut short and he stared in shock as a rainbow of colours blossomed over his skin where it was usually just black. Eddie, one of the employees and the few customers hanging around all stared as well; everyone had soulmate marks, of course, but it was rare to actually see them change.

“I… I don’t understand.” Buck said blankly, his mind buzzing as he watched beautiful blues, greens and purples slowly appear, replacing the black marks on his skin.

“I think you just found your soulmate,” said Eddie after a moment, gripping Buck’s shoulder. “No other explanation.”

-----

Out in front of the store, the paramedics were just about to load you into the ambulance when Chimney gasped.

“Hen, look!” he said, pointing at your neck. Hen moved closer, and you watched as her expression went from confused to shocked, to joyful.

“That’s her pulse point. It’s either Buck or Eddie,” Hen said, grinning at Chim. “Who touched her first?”

“Ex-excuse me?” you croak, feeling very much like you were missing something, your anxiety creeping higher by the moment. “What’s going on?”

“Oh, sweetie,” said Hen, her eyes full of excitement as she looked down at you. “Things are about to get very interesting!”

“Hen, you’re scaring her,” Chim chided as your eyes widened in worry.

“Oh, sorry, I meant in a good way!” Hen replied, smiling.

“Diaz, Buck, get out here,” Bobby called on the radio, as Hen and Chimney moved your stretcher and got it up into the ambulance. You were still feeling very confused, and were about to ask again what was happening when the two young firefighters appeared in the doorway to the store, ten feet from the rig.

“Which one of you took her pulse?” Hen asked, as she jumped down from the rig after securing your stretcher.

“He did,” Eddie said, pointing to a speechless Buck as he raised his hands and wordlessly showed them all his rainbowed marks; two fingers on one hand, and the whole palm and fingers on the other.

“The same pattern as her mark,” Chim called, peering at Buck’s hand and then down at your neck. “But I don’t see where the second one is.”

“Y-you.. you mean…” you stammered, finally catching on to what was happening, your voice shaking. “My soulmate touched me?”

“Yup. Assuming the other mark matches up, of cours—” Chimney was saying, but as he spoke you reached over and pulled up your left sleeve, where your second soulmate mark was; a hand print on your upper arm, just below the shoulder, and you could tell by Chimney’s expression that it had changed. He began preparing a dose of pain meds for you as you struggled to comprehend what was happening and wanting to see Buck, but you were unable to move your head, strapped into the c-collar.

Buck came closer and held up his hands for you to see; even in your current state, you could tell that they were the perfect match for your marks, which you knew must now be awash with colours, just as his hands were. You stared at him in speechless shock until you felt dizzy and then let your eyes close, feeling absolutely exhausted and overwhelmed, unable to process this information. You intended to open your eyes again to continue looking at him in wonder, but you suddenly felt heavy and a bit woozy, and instead you fell into a state of semi-consciousness.

Buck made a noise of concern, moving forward, and Chim grinned at him, shaking his head and making a gesture of reassurance.

“She’s okay, just very overwhelmed and now full of pain meds. I promise she’ll be fine.”

“Oh. Alright,” Buck managed, also unsure of how to process everything that had happened in the last couple of minutes. He watched, feeling unexpectedly upset, as the paramedics secured everything and prepared to head out.

“Go,” said Bobby’s voice, startling Buck from behind.

“Huh?”

“You can go with her to the hospital,” Bobby elaborated, a small smile on his face.

“Oh, but Captain;” Buck began, though his heart had swelled with hope at Bobby’s words. “I’ve barely started my shift, I don’t want to leave you short—”

“Go, I’m sure we can handle it,” Eddie jumped in, waving away Buck’s stammered protests.

“But –”

“Go!” Bobby and Eddie spoke together, prompting a laugh from all three of them.

“Thanks, guys,” Buck replied gratefully, receiving a clap on the shoulder from Eddie and brief hand squeeze from Bobby. “I’ll keep in touch.”

The others nodded and Buck hurried forward, leaping into the ambulance and sitting himself down beside Hen as Chim slammed the rig door behind them. As the ambulance started up and drove off, Buck held his soulmate’s hand, examining her face and musing that as sad as he was that she was hurt, he was just so thankful they’d found each other, and he couldn’t wait to start getting to know her, hardly daring to believe his luck.

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NOTE: THis is my first ever 9-1-1 fic! Please let me know how I did in characterization! Thanks for reading! <3

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