I finally got around to sending it to my beta and she worked it over in record time. Thank you so much OnlyHim!

Thank you to everyone who has already reacted to this story in any way. I'm very grateful.

And still, Happy New Year :) it's still early enough to wish it ;)

-.-.-.-

An Unexpected Start

-.-

"Hurry up, Williams. Just a few minutes now."

"Yeah, yeah." Danny really didn't care. Meka was at home with his family and since he didn't have Grace this year, he had partnered up with Wahily for the night shift. Spending New Year alone at home didn't sound all that appealing after all. And this way, others could celebrate with their family and friends. Of course they weren't the only ones working tonight, but since it was a night full of fireworks, there was a lot to do. Wahily and him were, unfortunately, the only ones taking a break right now. They had just gotten back from picking up a teen with a severely burned hand.

"I'm still insisting on my New Year's kiss," Wahily called after him again as Danny slipped out of the break room. Danny rolled his eyes and didn't grace his temporary partner with an answer. He'd already told him a hundred times that he could kiss a piece of wood for all Danny cared, but surely not him. He could barely suppress the disgusted shudder until he closed the door. Nope, kissing Wahily was the last thing on his mind. He'd rather kiss his ex-wife's new husband. He hated Stan, for everything he was and represented. For taking his family. Still, he was better than that asshole waiting in the break room for him. He almost wished for a call, but then he would have to be in an even more confined space with him and his strange flirting and brushes of his hands. It was borderline harassment and he would ask Wahily's regular partner if he was always like that.

He couldn't wait to work with Meka again.

Well, time to take care of business. The reason for leaving his comfortable seat on the couch wasn't only his frantic need not to be with Wahily when the clock hit midnight. He also needed to head for the rest room. Yes. He'd rather go into the new year being in the restroom than be with that idiot.

He was about to head down the hallway when a familiar voice stopped him in his tracks.

"You're not going to kiss this guy, right?"

Sure enough, whirling around on the spot, Danny saw Steve standing a few feet away from him, aneurysm face set in place.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Danny ignored the question and frowned. "You don't work here. You're not allowed to be back here. You are lucky almost everyone is out right now."

"Are you?" Steve insisted. Of course it didn't bother this know-no-rules idiot that he wasn't allowed to come inside.

"Of course not, you animal. First off, I barely know the guy. And second, he is a bastard! I'm not kissing bastards. What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you." Steve shrugged, suddenly looking more relaxed.

"Oh, you came to see me. Well I'm on duty, Steven. I'm sure you know how that works? You can 'come see me' when I'm back home." Danny crossed his arms. He didn't know what to make of this. Steve had never come to his workplace before.

"Too late by then," Steve said with finality and came up to him.

For once silent, Danny waited Steve out, ready to hear what he really wanted. They frequently saw each other, in and out of work, it couldn't be just that. He watched as Steve shifted, his ever frequent cargo pants rustling a bit. Danny unconsciously reached out to tug on his uniform. He didn't like to admit it, but he always felt inadequately dressed when he was with the good-looking Navy SEAL. Danny wasn't an insecure man, he knew he looked good enough, but he could never measure up to this GQ model in front of him.

Steve cleared his throat, getting Danny's attention back on track. "I uhm," Steve finally started. "I just.."

Danny cocked his head a bit, ready to rant at the SEAL, when Steve squared his shoulders and straightened his back. Face loaded with determination, Steve opened his mouth to start again, when he was interrupted this time by a loud 'whoop' coming from the break room. The TV was suddenly louder than before, people inside yelling 'Happy new year' and fireworks started popping.

"Danny!" Wahily shouted through the closed door. "It's time."

Before Danny could shout something back, he was suddenly pressed against the wall beside the door and lips descended on his without any hesitations. He made a sound of surprise, but didn't push Steve away when he reached up to cradle his cheek.

It took a second to gather himself but then it dawned on him. Steve was kissing him. He was kissing him like he was some girl in a rom-com who had just been waiting for her true love to give her the fateful new year's kiss. He wanted to protest, he really did, but then he noticed how tense Steve was and decided that pushing him away now would send all the wrong signals. And he kind of liked being kissed by that idiot. So instead of pushing him, he pulled Steve closer and wrapped his own hand around the big guy's neck.

Steve gave a relieved sigh against his mouth and pulled away a bit.

"Look at you, babe." Danny couldn't help but tease softly as he shifted both arms around Steve's enormous shoulders. "Big, bad Commander, all sweet and nervous."

Instead of answering, Steve bestowed him with a smile and a roll of his eyes. The smile turned into a grin and Steve settled his face into the crook of his neck. One arm wound around his waist and Danny couldn't help but notice how perfectly it fit around there.

"Go on a date with me," Steve mumbled into his shoulder. It wasn't even a real question, still Danny couldn't help but huff a laugh.

"Yeah. Yeah, okay." Danny nodded. "Just so you know. I ain't cheap. And I don't put out on the first day." Danny tried to sound serious. "Unless it goes really, really, really well." Steve kept grinning against his neck, so he continued. "If you treat me well, I'll treat you well," he said, with as much innuendo as he could muster.

Steve laughed, and leaned up to peck his lips again. "Happy New Year." Another peck.

Oh. Right. Now he could hear the faint sound of the fireworks outside.

"Happy New Year, babe." Feeling bold, Danny leaned in for a bit more of a peck.

Steve immediately responded in kind, so neither of them noticed the door beside them opening, until they were interrupted.

"Oh come on. I only left you alone for a few minutes!" Wahily wailed.

Danny just grinned as Steve pulled away a bit, but tightened his hold around Danny.

"That was my kiss, pal." The other medic actually sounded sour now. As if there had actually been a chance for him to kiss Danny. He was about to give Wahily a piece of his mind, but Steve just gave him another short kiss. And wow, he could really get addicted to those lips.

"Better luck next time, pal." Steve said calmly, but the look he sent to Wahily stated without doubt that the next time wouldn't be with Danny.

Wahily medic sent the Commander an evil glare back, but must have decided that he wouldn't win any fights. "You don't work here. You better leave before someone finds out," he grouched and went back into the break room.

"Not even on a first date and you are already defending my honor."

"Well, someone has to." Steve shrugged, and went back to burying his face in Danny's neck, relaxing contently.

"I can do that myself, thank you very much," Danny said and slapped Steve's shoulder lightly. "Been doing so for a few years, my friend."

"Uh-huh." Was the only answer Danny got.

"'Uh-huh?' That's your answer? Well, let me tell you, it's not a very- are you sniffing me?" Danny gaped and pushed against Steve's shoulder. "Stop sniffing me, you Neanderthal! I already had two emergencies. I stink."

"Nu-uh."

"You are terrible." Danny deflated, letting Steve sniff to his heart's content for a moment. It wasn't until Danny could hear voices from further away that he nudged Steve back in earnest. "Okay, come on, Steve. You really have to go now, okay?"

"Don't want to."

"Me neither, but this is still my work place. And you are not supposed to be here."

A defeated sigh hit his shoulder.

"Come on. You'll get me in trouble." Danny cajoled. The voices were getting closer and closer.

"I could shoot myself in the foot and pretend I need help," Steve suggested hopefully and Danny snorted.

"We wouldn't have to do a lot of pretending, Steve. You would need help. Help for your foot and your head as well. Now shoo." This time the push worked and Steve stepped away with a forlorn look on his face.

"Stop pouting," Danny said and gave him another last kiss. "Now go. Call me tomorrow, okay?"

"Right." Steve rubbed the back of his neck. Adorable. "Around 10?"

"Around..? No. Not around ten, are you crazy? I've got night shift. I'm sleeping around ten. I take it back. I'll call you. Now go."

God, this felt like shooing away a nightly visitor before his parents came in and noticed them. He gave Steve a light shove.

"Alright. Alright, jeez. I'm going," Steve said. "Under protest, I might add."

"Noted. Now.." he completed the sentence by making shooing motions with his hands. Instead of going, Steve held out his hand expectantly.

It took Danny barely a second to know what he wanted.

"Are you serious?"

The hand stayed.

"You weren't my patient this time!"

"But I was good." The hand wiggled with the fingers.

Danny sighed, feeling pressured by the approaching people, he rummaged a lollipop from his pocket and handed it over. "So, I'm supposed to reward you for everything with candy, or what?"

"Until you find a better way." Steve nodded and waggled his eyebrows.

"You have a dirty mind, Steve McGarrett. Now go," he said a bit desperate. They were as good as caught.

Finally Steve must have seen that time was of the essence. "Right. Going." One last quick kiss was planted on him and then Steve hurried down the hall.

A few seconds later, Marisa, his superior, emerged with Wayne, a colleague. Danny held his breath, already expecting a reaming.

"Hey, Danny. Happy New Year!" Marisa said with a warm smile as she passed him and went inside to Wahily.

Thank god.

"Thanks. You too."

He finally made his way to the restroom, this time with a little spring in his steps, still feeling the lingering touch of Steve's lips on his. An unexpected start into the new year.

Not a bad one.