I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.
Notes: fun little story with an attempt at Kono and Danny bonding time.
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Chapter One
Kono grinned as she watched Danny finally jog out of the 5-0 offices. His stealthy departure on the Friday afternoon was timed to occur after both Steve and Chin had already left themselves for the long holiday weekend. Chin had left earlier to visit family on the Big Island and Steve a few hours later with only plans to have three days dedicated to restoring his father's car. In fact, he was chomping at the bit to immerse himself in axle grease for the special boxes which had arrived from the mainland.
She had to smile to herself because in reality they all knew what she and Danny were planning for the weekend; but out of a type of gentle respect, they allowed him the luxury of supposed secrecy.
In fact, it was Steve who had seen the three boards not so nonchalantly attached to the roof of her small red car.
"Three boards? Including two of your old pro ones? Something's going on." His sly grin and raised eyebrows had been duly stashed at her pointed glare to not antagonize their friend about is growing skills in the sport but also his enthusiasm.
"Don't." Kono warned with a hint of a warning anger in her tone. "I mean it."
Steve continued to grin, with folded arms and a long-innate arrogance. "So? Is he any good?"
Her eyes widened in an increased level of annoyance at the challenge. Friend and now student, with she as the experienced teacher and coach was equally offended by Steve's taunting questions aimed entirely at Danny. The boards on the roof were testament to Danny's well-earned improvements and they had planned to up the ante for the weekend.
"I mean. Seriously, Kono. The North shore?" Unconvinced that their weekend plans were wise, he continued to doubt Danny's ability or the intelligence of Kono's coaching choices. Arms still folded tightly across his chest, he was suddenly chastised to heel and even a bit concerned by Kono's belligerent gaze.
"You have no idea." She stated without apology. "None."
"Fine. Just .. don't hurt him too much." Steve suddenly breathed out in his own type of mock warning. "I'd like to have him back in one whole piece on Tuesday." She frowned and then realized that he was genuinely concerned; however, that managed to irk her more because she wouldn't ever put their friend in harm's way.
"Lolo! As if I would and besides … give him some credit!" Forgetting for a moment their boss to employee relationship, Kono's temper flared briefly as they crossed each other across the smart table. It was Steve's turn to widen his eyes in surprise by her harshly annoyed retort.
"He's good. He's ready and surf will be moderate tomorrow. We both know what we're doing." Tone tightly in check, Kono dared back with a no-nonsense strong level of confidence. Steve pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes quizzically at the word moderate but held his tongue as Kono continued with her justification.
"He also likes to surf and enough is enough. It's not funny anymore."
And for once, Steve recognized that a jibe, no matter how teasingly offered, would ruin the moment plus wrongly challenge Kono's mettle as a valid coach. So with a pleased but sly nod, he let it all go, played oblivious, and didn't mention a word about their weekend plans.
Now, her grin only deepened when she saw the beaming smile freely etched across Danny's face and noted that he'd taken time to change to more appropriate clothing. It was easier for her because she only needed to wear what she needed under her every day clothes. With a practice that began when she was in grade school, she could shed her clothes down to her beachwear in seconds practically anywhere.
"Ready?" She asked with a laugh as he bypassed his Camaro for her car. The coy expression and wide gesture to the openly blue skies were enough answer to what he thought of the short question.
"What? Paradise and surfing?" Danny was firmly acclimated as he tossed his bag into the rear of her car and slid into the passenger seat. Completely relaxed and at ease, the two were off for a sunset set or two to kick-off their long weekend.
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Danny bobbed along beside Kono as the sun began to set on the horizon, utterly unable to stop smiling. He would be progressing from one of her old beginner long boards, which he currently sat astride, to one of her more aggressive models.
"Ready to get rid of that log and try out a new beach?" Kono toyed laughingly as she gestured to the wide board he had been borrowing. It was going to be a challenge to try both a new board and better surfing conditions, but Danny was determined.
"We'll take that thing you're sitting on with us tomorrow just in case. But I think the six-footer will be better for you once you get the hang of it." She advised him.
"Before we call it a night, you shred a few here. Now ... on the new one." Kono added coyly. Transitioning from a nearly eight foot board to one two-feet shorter and more narrow was going to be an inordinate challenge. However, what Danny lacked in sometimes reading the water correctly, he offered back in sheer strength and a natural athleticism.
"Really? Now?" He asked. Ready to rid himself of the very embarrassing beginner's long board, Danny's face lit up before he knowingly smirked because Kono trusted that he knew it wasn't going to be at all easy. He'd had enough beginner's close calls and committed enough stupid mistakes to know that he couldn't take the ocean, waves or his surfing equipment lightly. Because of that too, Kono also knew that he would do whatever she said to keep their weekend a safe one.
Looking over his shoulder, Danny noted how far the sun had dipped and then he tried to read their last set. He missed Kono's amusement as she purposefully drifted a bit closer. "Dinner's on the last one in." Danny announced with every intent of catching the next field of waves. Bending down to paddle, he unexpectedly found his board flipping and himself completely submerged under it by a strong unseen force.
"Hey!" Sputtering to the top, he could only tread in shocked awe as Kono waggled her fingers at him in glee. With one hand slammed to the side of his beginner's board, Danny gaped as another gentle roller nearly swamped over his head.
"Sucker, brah!" Having tipped his board in seconds, she was off gauging the final set before he could even heave himself back into place.
"Is that the way it's going to be? Payback, Kono!" Danny shouted into the wind. With Kono already on a moderate curl, he could tell that she was laughing hysterically as he grinned in mock disgust and tried to catch up.
Minutes later, Danny was back out in the glowing surf which reflected the urgently setting sun. He was in love with Kono's smaller board nearly immediately as he duck dived aggressively back beyond the rollers. The board was markedly smaller, lighter and he felt more agile as he hopped astride and waited for his dutiful teacher to meet him on a second board that nearly matched his improved version.
"I like it. This is a great board." He stressed as Kono rolled her eyes. "Why did we wait so long to try this one out?"
She knew he would like it at first because he would feel as if he could put it wherever he wanted. It was Mother Nature who would keep him humble while gaining on his feet during the first wave.
Eye-brows raised in a friendly humor, Kono nodded her approval before reminding him of a few key things. "It's going to move you faster through a wave, brah. Much faster, so you have to be quicker, too, but not necessarily more rough."
With a smile that wouldn't quit, Danny nodded in understanding, but he was anxious to try it out before they truly called it a night. Reaching out in a flash which Kono never saw coming, Danny flipped her board before scooting directly out into a perfectly timed swell. "Mulligan on the dinner bet!"
"Haol'e!" Treading water next to her own board, Kono spat water from her mouth as she regained her seat. Partly anxious for Danny's safety but thrilled about his excitement, Kono never took her eyes off him.
"Go!" She whispered with her hands clasped under her chin. Before she knew it though, she was screaming into the wind. "Go! You got it! Go, Danny!"
Within seconds, Danny was at the crest and riding the wave down in a perfect arc. Her laugh joined his which never actually reached her ears for the sound of the ocean and birds overhead. She could see the surprised tension through his shoulders but Danny never wavered as he made it successfully through on his very first attempt.
"Unbelievable. Beginner's luck, brah!" Kono waved a victorious shaka sign into the air with glee as Danny plunged into the shallows happily. The North Shore would be different but there was no true in-between in surfing: you were either in it, or you were out.
By the satisfied expression on Danny's face, he was definitely in regardless of the challenging real attempts that would come the next morning. Proudly following a few minutes later, Kono knew that her once favorite competition board was going to be permanently bequeathed to a very pleased and excited new owner.
~ to be continued ~