It had been a really rough week. Five-0 had caught a case that was almost a smorgasbord of illegal acts: several homicides, extortion, ransom, drug trafficking and yet another bomb scare. When all was said and done, they had needed to conduct a twelve hour stakeout, tail and interrogate at least five different suspects, and coordinate with SWAT and the bomb squad for the final takedown. Luckily, no one was seriously injured, but it was safe to say that they'd all been pushed to their physical, emotional and mental limits.
So when an exhausted Danny Williams stumbled into his kitchen and found a plate of heart-shaped cookies and hand-decorated cards from his children, it took him a moment to process the significance of the items.
It was February 16th. He had completely missed Valentine's Day.
Danny slumped into one of the chairs and scrubbed a hand across his face, debating what he should do. What he wanted was to face plant into his bed and not move for the next ten to fifteen hours, but the romantic in him balked at the notion of ignoring the oversight. Sure, the last few Valentine's hadn't exactly gone according to plan either, but that was before he and Steve had gotten together.
Following last year's disastrous couple's retreat with Lynn and Melissa, they'd all had taken a hard look at what they had and what they truly wanted. The girls were great, but neither he nor Steve would ever be able to give them what they deserved, not when they were so devoted and in love with one another. The subsequent breakups were amicable, but still difficult, particularly for Danny and Melissa, who had been together for four years. But it was for the best – Melissa was a wonderful woman, and she needed a partner that was wholly committed to her, who could say "I love you" with ease, and where both she and her significant other could be themselves, void of any relational guards.
Ironically, Melissa and Lynn had found that in each other, just as Danny and Steve did.
Two days ago should have been Steve and Danny's first Valentine's Day as a couple. They hadn't made any plans, nor had they discussed whether or not they would even celebrate it, but that didn't stop Danny from imagining how such an evening could have gone.
He shivered and decided a cold shower was in order.
In spite of his mental wanderings, he knew he wouldn't have the energy for such activities. But in the end, he decided that a little gesture was better than none at all. After said cold shower (accomplished in under five minutes – Steve would be so proud), Danny redressed in jeans and a t-shirt, packed an overnight bag, and headed to the store.
By now, all the local shops had placed their Valentine's items on clearance. After some debate, Danny selected a Butterfly lei, a teddy bear dressed like a sailor (and holding a heart), a pack of Longboards and – just in case he managed to tap into his last energy reserves – some bedroom essentials. Satisfied with his choices, he paid for the items (glaring at the smirking store clerk as she rang up the condoms), and headed over to Steve's place.
When he arrived, he was surprised to find that Steve's truck was not in the driveway, and all the lights were off. He knocked a few times and called out, but there was no answer. Danny had a spare key of course, so he let himself in.
There were signs that Steve had been there recently – dirty dishes in the sink, and his clothes from that day were left on the bathroom floor along with a wet towel, but the SEAL was nowhere to be found.
Worry and dread began to creep in, but was quickly laid to rest when his cell phone rang, the screen flashing his partner's name.
"Steve… are you okay? Where are you right now?"
"I was about to ask you that. I'm at your place."
"I'm at yours."
Silence fell for a few beats.
"I forgot about Valentine's Day. I came over to surprise you," Steve explained.
Danny laughed and shook his head. "Same here. Honestly, the one time we're both on the same page…"
"That's why we're perfect together, babe," Steve interrupted. "Stay there. I'll be back soon."
"Sounds good. I'll be waiting for you."
His fears alleviated, Danny put the Longboards in the refrigerator and left the rest of his purchases on the kitchen island. Then he went to the living room, found a local football game on T.V. and made himself comfortable on the couch.
He must have fallen asleep, because the next thing he knew, there were soft lips pressed against his. He opened his eyes to find his partner's hazel eyes staring down at him, affectionate but tired.
"Mmm… hey."
"Hey yourself," Steve whispered. "Sorry for waking you."
"S'okay." Danny sat up and wrapped his arms around Steve's shoulders, pulling him back in for a deeper kiss. Steve's hands drifted to explore Danny's lower back, urging him closer.
As sweet as it was, it didn't last long. Steve pulled back and released a huge yawn.
Danny quirked a brow. "I'm sorry, am I boring you?" he joked.
Steve looked abashed, but tried to hide it by resting his forehead against Danny's. "Sorry. It's not you. I'm just so tired."
"Me too," Danny admitted. "We haven't slept much over the last forty-eight hours. Let's get some rest. We can pick this back up again later."
"Okay," Steve murmured, sounding half asleep already.
Rather than head up to the bedroom, Danny laid back down on the couch, coaxing Steve to follow. It took some arranging, but eventually, they settled into a snug position – Danny lying on his back and Steve partially on top of him, arms and legs entangled.
Steve pillowed his head on Danny's chest and yawned again. "Love you, Danno," he said.
"Love you too. Happy belated Valentine's Day, Steven."
Within minutes, they were both sound asleep. They were together – safe, content and happy. That alone made it the best Valentine's Day either had ever had, even if it was a few days late.