Disclaimer: I own nothing Five-0 related, that is property of the creators of the show and CBS.
Warning: this contains spoilers, or mentions of Episode 2.06 "Ka Hakaka Maika'I"
Danny was pissed, no Danny was furiously scared. Why on earth did he ever agree to let him do this? Why would this smart man from the great state of New Jersey ever agree to let someone he loves and cares for do something so stupid like get into the ring to fight against a champion like Chuck Liddell? Of course, Danny had objected against Steven getting in the ring from the moment the idea was presented to him. He had ranted and raved for hours about how stupid it was for Steve to get in the ring and it didn't really matter that it was for charity because the main focus should be Steven's well being.
Sure he was a SEAL, who could protect himself just fine. He had been trained in hand to hand combat but Danny thinks that MMA fighting is a little bit different from hand to hand combat. These fighters have spent years training on how to fight, giving them the element of surprise. When Danny went to make this argument no one seemed to listen, they all had complete faith in their fearless leader to get the drop on the fighter, no matter who it was. Finally Danny gave up trying to reason with them because his ranting was falling on deaf ears. For the first time in a while Danny actually walked away from a prime opportunity to rant, which had anybody really been paying attention to him, would've known that something was up with the second in command.
So while the rest of the team was gushing with excitement over the fight, Danny had grabbed his stuff and left the office. He didn't want to think about Steven getting in the ring and possibly getting hurt, no right now he just wanted his crappy apartment and beer. No one seemed to notice that Danny had slipped away except for Super-SEAL Steven.
Steven was prepared for the argument on why he was making a stupid decision in partaking in the fight, he had been preparing for it since he found out that he had dislocated the fighter's shoulder. He owed it to the guy, didn't he? Looking around the office he hoped that he would spot Danno sitting in his office doing paperwork, but the blonde detective was nowhere to be found. Now Steve was worried, Danny would never give up the opportunity to argue with Steve. Hell Danny was a master at ranting and arguing and how to use those skills effectively. So his just walking away without even trying to yell at Steve set off warning bells in his head.
Danny sat in his apartment taking a pull from the bottle in his hand just starring at the wall. His mind was racing with every worst case scenario that could happen if Steven actually went through with this crazy fight. Of course, Steven was going to do it. He was crazy after all, so any excuse he could have to beat the shit out of someone he would jump on in a heartbeat. Plus the whole thing was for charity, which just guaranteed that Steven wouldn't say no.
But Danny wanted him to say no; for once he wanted Steven to think about the consequences that would come from this monumentally stupid decision. It was wishful thinking for Danny to think that Steven would say no just because Danny was scared he was going to get hurt. Part of that would require that he actually know how scared Danny actually was about this whole thing and Danny was not about to let Steven know just how scared he was. If Danny told him Steven would then figure out how Danny felt, and Danny sure as hell wasn't ready for Steven to know how he feels.
He couldn't tell you exactly when his feelings for his partner had gone from annoyance and frustration to love and a frustration of the sexual kind. Danny had always thought he was straight, preferring his companion to be that of the female persuasion, yet spending the past 6 months with Steven had begun to plant the seed of bi-sexuality in his mind. "How could you not see how attractive he is when he's constantly taking his shirt off?" Danny asked aloud, as if the walls were going to answer him. Danny had openly admitted that Steven was attractive, he was comfortable enough to be able to give him a backhanded compliment about his looks, but now Danny was completely in love with his bonehead of a partner.
He first noticed it after Steven had been arrested and thrown in jail. He felt such a deep level of pain that he could only compare to when he found out Rachel wanted a divorce. His life on this horrible pineapple infested island had not been the best, yet Steven was the one thing he could rely on to keep him grounded. Steven was always there to listen when he just needed to vent, offering beers at his house with a pizza. He would let Danny rant at him for hours on end just because he knew Danny needed to get it out of his system. He made sure that Danny kept his visitations with Grace, knowing how much the little girl meant to her father. Steven was the only thing that made Danny not go completely mad. But now everything was back to normal, the team was mostly back together with the exception of Kono but Danny knew it was only a matter of time before she was reinstated and the family was officially back together.
Finishing off the last of his beer Danny let his head fall back against the sofa. Why did he have to fall for Steven McGarrett? He's a crazy Neanderthal, Super-SEAL, who doesn't think before he jumps off of a building just to catch a suspect, who also doesn't know what the term backup means or how to effectively use it. But for the love of all things holy, Danny fell in love with his crazy (hot) ass. Yet his feelings for Steven are not a good thing, nor can he under any means tell Steven how he feels. Telling Steven would only result in awkwardness and hurt feelings on Danny's part, which would disturb the working relationship the two shared, which would put 5-0 in jeopardy. Danny didn't want that hanging on his conscious, so he was just going to have to put his feelings on the back burner. Plus, he has to remind himself that Steve seems to be enjoying the very feminine attention from one Lori Weston, so yet another reason why Danny will not be sharing his romantic feelings with one Steven J. McGarrett.
Making his way towards his truck Steve debates if he should head over to Danny's or just go home and talk it out with him tomorrow. He knew that something was bothering his partner, had noticed it way back when he was released from jail. When he had come back to work, he began to notice that Danny was a little more protective over him. He was still ranting and arguing at any given moment, but Danny was much more aware of where he was than before. Also hearing about the lengths to which Danny had gone to get him out of jail had only made Steve care more about Danny.
Being in jail had given Steve time to think about his blonde partner. Steve realized that his feelings for Danny had gone from just caring about in a work related sort of way to 'I could spend the rest of my life listening to him ranting' sort of feelings. These feelings were dangerous feelings to have for Steve because it could completely ruin things. No matter how much Steve wanted to tell Danny how he felt, letting him know just how much the loud pineapple hating Detective from Jersey meant to him and how much he wanted him, there was no way that Steve could put not only himself, but Five-0 at risk. He would just have to sit back and wait for his feelings to go away. He would have to make sure that his feelings went away and almost encouraging Lori to flight with him helps then he's going to do it. Because he's not willing to ever know what it feels like to actually lose Danny as his partner and best friend.
Their denial has gotten them this far, with little to no incidents mind you. But that's all about to change, because once Steve steps into the ring with such a talented fighter he's going to get some sense knocked into his thick SEAL minded head.
The day of the fight, Danny unfortunately finds himself standing outside the curtain where Steve is wrapping his hands getting ready for the fight. As he stands there he can't help but seem to replay his fight with Steve over again about how stupid this whole thing was. Sure he was a Super SEAL, but even SEALs are human, if you punch them hard enough you could probably knock them out or kill them. "No one could ever come close enough to punch me Danny; I'm a highly trained SEAL." Danny could just hear Steven's counter argument. For the love of all things holy Danny hoped that Lori would be able to avoid flirting with Steve long enough to possibly talk some sense into him, but he saw the glint in her eyes before she went in there. She's almost enamored by the thought of Steve fighting all shirtless and sweaty.
"It's not gonna happen brah." Chin pipes up from behind Danny, making the normally overly attentive detective, jump in surprise. Danny stared at him confused as to how Chin could possibly know was going through Danny's head right now. "You and I both know he's going to go through it, no matter what anybody says to him otherwise." Yet again Danny was confused, even tilting his head slightly. "It's written all over your face, plus I heard you ranting about it when Steve agreed to take part in the fight." Danny sighed hoping that maybe Chin hadn't read too much into Danny's ranting.
"It's not my fault that I think that Chuck Liddell is going to probably kill our big Neanderthal of a boss. I'm sorry that I'm actually looking out for my partner instead of just letting him go off and do something insanely stupid." Danny ranted his arms failing around making Chin laugh.
"Oh Danny you've got it bad." Chin said while still laughing. Danny stopped moving his arms and stared at Chin with wide slightly scared eyes.
"What?" Danny asked his arms falling limply to his sides. "Are you crazy? Got it bad? Who says that?" Danny complained his mind reeling with Chin's comments, while part of him hoped that the more he denied the quicker Chin would just let it go.
"Brah, I get it now. You've got it bad for Steve." Chin jokes laughing loudly at the look of surprise and embarrassment that has spread over Danny's face.
"Even if you were correct in that observation, it doesn't matter if 'I've got it bad for Steve'. He, my wise friend, doesn't seem to share said hypothetical feelings of mine, but rather prefers feelings towards people named Catherine or Lori." Danny replied his brain screaming, deny deny deny. But the knowing look on Chin's face seems to deflate Danny's hope that he had successfully denied his feelings. "Alright!" Danny exclaims throwing his hands in the air. "You're right okay? I do have it bad for that bonehead Neanderthal, but it doesn't matter okay? He's been egging Lori on in her flirting since she got here, so can we drop this? I'm only here because it would look bad for Five-0 if I wasn't, I, in no way, support this stupidity." Danny rants feeling the hurt and anger well up inside him as he actually acknowledges the painful truth. It's one thing to think that he had no shot with his partner, but to actually admit it hurt him more than he could ever suggest.
"Danny…" Chin starts before he's interrupted by Lori coming out from the curtain a flirtatious smile spread across her face making Chin shake his head at his boss' stupidity.
"He's ready." She comments nodding at Chin as he goes back to his seat. Danny smiled tensely at her and started walking towards the ring trying to ignore a shirtless Steve behind him. It's going to be a long night.
Steve can feel the tenseness wafting off of his partner in front of him. He knows that Danny's not happy about him fighting, but the vibes he's getting from Danny at this moment are nothing compared to anything he's ever felt before from Danny. Plus it's scary because Danny has been silent since the day that Steve agreed to fight. Sure, he got the inevitable rant about how stupid he was being, but the rant lacked its usual zest and flair that Danny brings to his rants. Since that rant on the way to work, Danny's been mum about the fight or pretty much anything and it's beginning to worry Steve.
"Alright Steve, you need to focus and remember protect your face okay?" Lori reminds him handing him his mouth guard and breaking Steve out of his internal musings about his partner. Steve nods and puts the mouth guard in looking at Danny one more time, who finally meets his eyes with a blank very guarded stare. He really has nothing to say to Steve because he's got the message now, and right now all he wants to do is sit in his crappy apartment and drink until he can't even remember his own name. "Go on!" Lori urges giving him another flirtatious smile and wink.
Once Steve's in the ring, it's game on. He's ready for Chuck Liddell to come at him; he's got some aggression and frustration to work out, they joke and bump fists before it's back to serious mode. Steve's wasn't expecting such a hard hit right out the gate and he stumbles back a little bit. Danny, whose trying to keep it together, finally clues into what's actually happening. So when Steve gets hit the second time and goes down he's yelling at him. "Stay down! Okay, just stay down!" Steve smiles to himself when he hears Danny's voice filtering over the crowds. He can hear the absolute fear in Danny's voice and it warms Steve's heart and makes him want to fight back.
Danny watches in slight horror as Steve gets up and continues on fighting, against his protests and it just seems to remind Danny that Steve's going to do what Steve wants to do. So if he had feelings for him he would've acted on them by now, which just makes this even harder to watch.
Thankfully Danny's misery is ended when the fight is called and Steve's walking out of the ring, which only a few bruises and banged up knuckles. It brings a sense of relief over him that releases some of the tension in his shoulders, but when he sees Steve flash a smile at Lori, whose congratulating him, Danny knows he needs to get far away from this situation, to prevent him from saying things he doesn't want to say. So once he's sure that Steve and the rest of the team are distracted Danny slips away carrying his broken heart with him.
"That was so cool boss!" Kono exclaims once they're back in the makeshift locker room. Steve smiles slightly.
"Yeah I thought for sure he was going to whip your ass, but you held your own." Chin jokes knocking Steve in the shoulder.
"He didn't completely rearrange your face." Lori joked grabbing Steve's hand to start unwrapping the tape. Steve looks around the room, waiting for Danny's reply but Danny's nowhere to be found. Chin catches Steve's eyes and shakes his head, silently telling him that Danny left. Steve's shoulders deflate and he's hit with an intense feeling of guilt, he knew that he was reason behind Danny's sudden mode change, but he can't pinpoint why.
"Hey guys, let's give slugger some room." Kono and Lori nodded standing up and congratulating Steve one more time before they leave the curtained off area, leaving only Chin and Steve.
"He really left?" Steve asked, knowing that there was no reason to even try and lie to Chin, his friend knew him too well.
"I talked to him before the fight and he wasn't happy with it, he was so worried that I knew it wasn't just worry over his partner's well being. He's in love with you Steve. He's so in love with you he's willing to ignore his own feelings, just so Five-0 can remain as is."
"What?" Steve asked feeling like he's been kicked in the gut. "He's in love with me?" Chin nodded, wondering how on earth both of them could be so oblivious to how the other feels.
"Yeah he is, but he thinks that his feelings are reciprocated and you've done a good job of sending that message. I mean geez, the flirting going on between you and Lori is proof enough." Steve sighs and runs a rough hand through his hair. Of course, his plan was going to blow up in his face. "Why don't you just admit that you share Danny's feelings?" What's the worst that could happen? You two are good for each other." Steve nods his head knowing that Chin is right, his worst possible fears do not make sense anymore now that he knows that Danny feels the same. "Go talk to him Steve, before you lose the best damn thing that's ever happened to you." Steve nods standing up and grabbing his shirt, not even bothering to shower. He's wasted enough time, now he needs to make sure a certain blonde detective knows how he feels.
Once Danny's behind the safety of his door, he sags against it feeling the past three hours wash over him. He needs strong liquor and he needs a lot of it to erase tonight from his memory. Searching through his cabinets he sighs in defeat when his search for hard alcohol comes up empty, but he will not be deterred. Fishing his car keys out of his pockets, Danny turns heading back towards the door and running smack dab into a very sweaty and slightly out of breath Steve.
"Jesus Steve, are you trying to tackle me?" Danny bites out caught off-guard by Steve's sudden appearance in front of him.
"I need to talk to you Danny." Steve replies ignoring what Danny said.
"Well I don't want to hear it, Steve. So get out of my way before I shot you." Danny pushes against Steve closing and locking his apartment door behind him. His mission to get as much alcohol as he can, not have the 'It's not you, it's me' conversation.
"Danny, please it's really important." Steve almost begs resisting the urge to grab Danny's arm to stop him.
"Unless it's about a case, I don't want to hear it." Danny calls over his shoulder not expecting Steve to growl and grab his wrist whipping him around. Before Danny can push him away and yell at him, Steve pulls Danny flush against him and hungrily crashes his lips against Danny's. Danny's anger seems to die instantly and he's kissing Steve back just as hard. Moments later the fog over Danny's mind lifts and he suddenly pulls back from Steve, who whimpers from the loss.
"What the fuck was that?" Danny exclaimed ripping his wrist out of Steve's, now lax, grip and looking up at Steve utterly confused.
"It took a good punch to the face for me to finally realize that I can't keep fighting how I feel for you. I love you Danny." Steve replies his hands cradling Danny's surprised face. "I'm so sorry about everything that I've done in my attempts at pushing my feelings for you away, I was afraid that you wouldn't feel the same and I would lose you as a partner and my best friend." Danny scoffed and shook his head.
"You're an idiot, ya know that? And you owe me a lot more than an apology for the crap you've pulled with Lori and tonight." Danny replies smiling at the smile spread across Steve's face. Steve pulls him closer pressing his lips gently against Danny's, a stark contrast from their first kiss. "You can start with cold beer and steaks and some makeup sex."
"Sure thing Danno." Steve replies motioning for Danny to lead the way towards their cars. All it took was a good punch for Steve to realize how stupid he was being by denying his feelings for Danny and he's going to spend as much time as possible making up for his stupidity. He may not have won the fight but he came out on top because he finally gets his Danno, in his life, in his bed, and in his heart and Steve wouldn't have it any other way.
Author's Note: This has been sitting on my computer since the night the episode aired and I finally figured out where I wanted it to go. I hope that you guys liked it and please let me know what you thought! Thanks for reading ~thatredheadgirl~