The relationship between Evan Buckley and Thomas Kinard started when they met in "Capsized" to use a helicopter to rescue Bobby and Athena.
History
Buck and Tommy first meet in "Capsized", when Hen, Chimney, Buck, and Eddie need a LAFD helicopter to help with Bobby and Athena's rescue, and Tommy covers for them and pilots the helicopter.[1]
Following this rescue, in "Buck, Bothered and Bewildered", Buck visits Tommy at the Harbor Station, and Tommy gives him a tour of the station and of Air Operations One. Tommy asks Buck if he's thinking of changing things up, and Buck tells Tommy the helicopter rescue was the most fun he'd had "since being struck by lightning." After Tommy offers to give Buck flying lessons, Buck invites Tommy for a beer, but then Eddie arrives to go with Tommy to watch a fight in Vegas. When Buck realises how much Tommy and Eddie are hanging out and how well they getting along, he grows jealous. Even though Buck hates basketball, he invites Chimney to go to the same pick up game that Eddie and Tommy are going to. During the pickup game, Buck grows increasingly frustrated watching Eddie and Tommy play together, and in a burst of frustration, shoves Eddie too hard, injuring Eddie. Buck offers to take Eddie to urgent care, but Tommy takes Eddie instead.
Later on, Tommy shows up at Buck's apartment to tell him he didn't mean to cause "bad blood" between Buck and Eddie. Buck responds that he was the one behaving poorly, that Eddie and Tommy didn't do anything wrong. Buck tells Tommy he wanted the Harbor Station tour because he thought Tommy was cool and wanted to get to know him. As they talk, they move closer to one another, and after Buck tells Tommy he was trying to get Tommy's attention, Tommy kisses him. After they kiss, Tommy asks Buck if kissing him was okay. When Buck says it was, Tommy asks Buck out on a date, and Buck says yes.[2]
The men go on an awkward first date, Buck feeling flustered as this is his first date with another man. He gets nervous when Eddie and Marisol show up to the same restaurant and lies to him that he was just "hanging out" with Tommy. While Eddie shrugs it off, the men head out to see a movie but Tommy decides to skip it and tells Buck he doesn't think he's ready. Tommy then leaves Buck at the restaurant.
Buck calls Tommy a couple days later and apologizes about his behavior on the date. However, Tommy says his behavior wasn't the problem, it was that he was worried about pressuring Buck. Buck explains he doesn’t know what he’s ready for, but is maybe ready to be with Tommy. He invites him to Maddie’s wedding as his date since Tommy knows half of the people there and Maddie wants to meet him.
Trivia
- Buck replaced Tommy at the 118 when Tommy transferred to the 217[3]
- Tommy is one of the few individuals that has never called Buck his nickname "Buck", and instead always calls him by his first name, "Evan".[2]
- This is Buck's fifth relationship.
- His first relationship since coming out.
- His first same-sex relationship.