Pairing: Steve McGarrett/Danny Williams
Originally published (on ao3): May 2013
Steve stalked around the side of the house, his pistol gripped between his hands. He heard a faint giggle from the enemy and side stepped his way to the corner, keeping close to the wall.
He stopped, wary that he knew the enemy was just around the corner.
He heard a faint echo of a sound from the front of the house. Was this new person, friend or foe? He wasn't sure, but he he was prepared to take down everyone.
"Do you want to make a deal?" The small voice came from the other side of the corner.
He kept his stance as he answered. "Depends on the deal."
"A truce."
"You want a truce with me?"
"I think we have a new common enemy," she answered.
He weighed up his options. She was likely right, and she'd heard the same noise from the front of the house and come to the same conclusion. They was safety in numbers right now.
"How do I know you won't stab me in the back?" he asked. You couldn't be too careful with a lady like this.
"You don't," she answered, with a laugh.
"Okay, deal. Time to change the operation call sign. This is now Operation Tickle."
He moved around the corner, looking down at his new ally as she cocked her pistol again and gave him a nod. They moved together around the front of the house, noting the silver car in the driveway. When they got to the front door, it was unlocked. Carefully Steve pushed it open, poked his head in and saw nothing.
He turned back to his cohort. "We need to clear every room carefully. He could be anywhere. We'll start downstairs, then head up."
"Okay," she responded.
"Clear," Steve said as they checked the living room. He then opened the door to the closet under the stairs and was met by an answering 'clear'. They moved into the kitchen and again, Steve cleared the room before his companion checked the pantry to make sure no one was in there. The study was next and they cleared that easily, his partner, being the smaller of the two, checked to make sure no one was hiding under the desk.
Pistols raised, they made their way to the stairs, both of them cautiously avoiding the second, creaky step.
"I think I hear him in the back bedroom," she said.
"We should make sure he doesn't have any friends hidden in the other rooms."
"He might hear us clear them. Then we can't surprise him."
She had a point. He pondered it, tilted his head and then decided in her favor. "Okay, we'll go straight for him. We take no prisoners. We go in there, guns blazing, right?"
"Right," she agreed.
With sly smiled plastered on their faces they yelled and charged into the bedroom. The man inside turned around in shock and threw his hands up to shield himself as he was bombarded with little orange ping pong balls.
"Hey, hey!" their enemy yelled.
"Oh no, he's not going down, he must have some kind of special shielding. I'm going in!" Steve called to his partner before he steamrolled into the man, tumbling them both onto the bed. He acted fast, making sure to hold down all the flailing limbs.
They breathed heavily. The man underneath turned to the girl with disbelief in his eyes when she held her pistol on him. "Why am I being attacked?"
"Because you're the enemy," she said, matter-of-fact.
"He won't die, Major Gracie, nothing I do will shut him up. What do you suggest?"
"Tickle him," she said, a hint of malice in her voice.
The man's eyes widened in worry. "No…nonono…" he had no choice, held down as he was and Steve began a rigorous tickling regime, his fingers dancing over the other man's sides as he convulsed under him. "No, please… anything but this… water board me… stop, stop!… I'll do anything, I swear!"
"Anything?" She asked as Steve kept going.
"Anything!" The poor man answered.
"Okay. Laser tag, next weekend. You, me and Uncle Steve. The good one by the mall."
"You'll stop if I agree to let you hunt me again? That's not fair!" He said between laughing at the tickles.
"That's my offer," she said, smugly.
"Okay, deal! Deal! Get him off me!"
"You can stop now, Commander." She ordered. He pulled back, pouting a little. He was enjoying torturing the smaller man.
"Yes, ma'am." He sat back on the other man's thighs and looked down at the disheveled mess he was in, remembering that his superior officer was in the room and he tampered down any inappropriate thoughts he might have. "What do you want me to do with him now?"
"Anything you want," she answered. "You have immunity and means. I'm going to grab some juice and text Tommy so he knows I'm training with you next week so I'll beat him next time."
She bounced out of the room and Steve stayed exactly where he was on top of Danny. He looked down at him, eyes darkening.
"What have you done to my baby girl?" Danny asked.
"She was on the losing team at laser tag last week with her friends. She asked me for help. I'm helping."
"You're helping by having her hunt me?"
"No, I was helping by letting her hunt me. Then you got home, and we formed an alliance. I told you hunting you would be easy."
"It wouldn't have been had I known I was being hunted."
Steve leaned forward again, bracketing his hands on either side of Danny's head and he leaned down, so close that their noses were almost touching.
"Danno, when I'm around, you're always being hunted."