Title : No Need For Nerves
Author : peaceful_sands
Fandom : Hawaii 5-0
Character : Danny Williams (with Grace and Steve McGarrett)
Rating : PG-13
Word Count : 550 words approx.
Prompt : Hawai'i Five-0, Danny, traveling back to Jersey with Grace and Steve in tow.
Disclaimer : All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.
No Need for Nerves
So Grace is excited and that's a good thing, Danny reminds himself. She's looking forward to seeing his side of the family again after what seems like so long to her, wanting to tell them all about her life in Hawaii and how she loves it there. It's such a change from when she first left Jersey and there were tears and everyone was distraught and Grace knew, she just 'knew' that Hawaii was going to be terrible and awful and a disaster. It wasn't like Danny thought differently, but he'd followed them anyway and then . . . then for a while it had seemed like things were worse and then, to rub salt in the wound, there was McGarrett. Thankfully that changed.
It's not like he isn't looking forward to seeing them as well but there's so much riding on this visit that Danny isn't quite sure his heart is going to stand up to it; no matter how healthy Grace and Steve have been trying to make his diet over the last few months.
Steve is quiet. He's calm and smiling at Grace, but Danny can see the slight tight tension that edges his eyes, knows that his nerves are tight and that if he put his hand on the back of Steve's neck the muscles there would be tighter still. He settles for just laying a hand on Steve's lower back.
Steve turns his head to look at him, smile already in place and a quiet, "You okay, Danno?"
Danny's reminded in that moment, not that he'd really forgotten, why Steve is the one he's taking home and why this time it's right and good and going to last. It was never like this with Rachel.
The luggage is starting to come round on the carousel now and Steve's pulling off their bags, while still laughing and joking with Grace. Danny couldn't ask for him to do more. He knows Steve's not comfortable but he's doing everything to pretend that this is nothing to worry about. The bags are off and set up ready to pull, or at least Danny's and Grace's are; Steve's is some kind of kit bag that Danny thinks might be left over from his days as a SEAL. Steve's got it up on one shoulder when Grace suddenly leaps into his arms. He doesn't flinch, just shifts the two for better balance and checks that Danny's okay to pull the two bags.
Danny hasn't failed to see a little of the tension ease with Grace's obvious display of affection, like it's reminded Steve that this he can do, the three of them and they are what matters. Danny knows that when his family see Grace laughing and smiling and chattering away in Steve's arms, they're going to know that he's the right one to bring home too.
Everything's going to be fine.