Hey guys, right I have tried posting this story three times and it is not working so I hope it is now! shout out to my amazing beta reader mirs13 who stops my stories from sucking! This is a good old piece of pure McDanno fluff so please review xox Keep Smiling :)
Sitting on the harsh wooden benches, taking in the musty stale smell of the room with the familiar feeling of her hair getting flatter and flatter, Kono shuffled uncomfortably in her seat. Wearing a floor length red dress, her hair twisted into and stylish bun with curls hanging loosely from it, she had never felt more elegant. Her eyes teary and make up still worryingly perfect. She looked on as her two best friends got married; sadly the feeling of her thigh holster rubbing under her dress had started to ruin her mood. It was strapped tightly to her leg ready for when they finally had their shot. So why hadn't it come yet?
3 Days Earlier
"WE HAVE GOT TO DO WHAT?" they shouted in unison before looking directly at each other and then back to the cousins in front of them who were nearly collapsing from their withheld laughter. Danny and Steve just looked on as the cousins tried to compose themselves. They were failing miserably. It didn't help that it was in that moment both Steve and Danny decided to cross their arms and give the squirming cousins a sizeable glare, only making this all the more sweet for them.
After several minutes of stop-start laughter, Chin and Kono both managed to get their laughter under wraps enough to explain the situation to their grumpy teammates.
Clearing his throat Chin started. "We have reason to believe that the guy we are after is living under a false identity by the name of Stuart Morgan. We have no idea how he has managed this, but he is now also working as a minister at a church up on the North Shore, performing fake marriages that aren't recognised by law."
"And in order to get him under the charges of fraud and tie him to our case, we need to catch him in the act of performing a wedding service. However, the church he works at is... well... it's a gay church. We need to send in an undercover couple to catch the act, but the Governor refuses to let us use civilians, so…"
"That means we have to do it?! Why can't they send in someone from HPD?" demanded Danny looking from one cousin to the other before returning his gaze to Steve who was doing the exact same thing. Both were searching for an explanation to this monstrosity they called a plan.
"The Governor has sent strict instructions to all branches to decline this particular mission as it is strictly a Five-0 case…" Kono concluded trying to look as serious as possible before tucking her loosening hair behind her ear and tapping wildly at the computer as the three men continued to talk.
"Why does it have to be me and… that?" asked Danny looking directly at Chin, waving his hand around manically and avoiding Steve's obvious attempt at eye contact. Chin waited for Danny to finish so he could finally answer the blonde's question.
"Well, you are divorced and Steve is currently unattached since he and Catherine ended a few months back? It's too hard for me to even think about going down an aisle again, even if it was a fake one." Chin finished, his voice getting weaker and quieter as the sentence got further and further along. Steve sighed, rubbing his hand wearily over his face; he walked up to Chin and rested his hand reassuringly on his back, giving him a weak smile.
"Of course we wouldn't even dare ask you to face something like that, would we Daniel?!" Steve said throwing Danny a warning glare. Not that he needed to, seeing as Danny didn't even have to look at him to agree whole heartedly. He knew that not even Danny would dream of putting Chin through that.
"Now…" Kono interrupted the brotherly moment and all three threw their attention in her direction as she leant against the computer desk. She pulled at her red top –as it clung to her arms- before continuing. "Chin and I still have a little more that we have to confess…"
"What could possibly be worse than telling me I have to get 'married' to that lug over there?" Danny answered making sure to use extra emphasis on his air quotes and throwing his thumb in the direction of Steve on the word lug. In his mind Danny was saying 'Play it down a bit William. You don't want him to think you hate him'. Secretly the thought of 'marrying' Steve was sending his heart rate into overdrive, but he managed to keep it under wraps as much as he could.
Retaliating Steve said, "Awe honey, you say the sweetest things! How did I ever get so lucky?" He made sure that the sarcasm in his voice was really obvious. He stopped when the cousins started laughing and Danny shot him a glare over his shoulder. Why did that glare make his heart do a little twitch? He dismissed it and got back to the situation at hand, walking a bit further away from the group, giving him some much needed space.
"Well, the thing is we have known about this for a while. Actually, a good couple of weeks and we have already kind of planned your 'big day'. The wedding is set at the church in three days at 1:00… I'm the best man for both of you and Kono will walk down the aisle in front of Danny before sitting next to me in the front row. We had to invite a few people so it would look like a real wedding…" Chin finished before looking at the two men in front of him. Both were standing there slack jawed with their arms dropped at their sides as they stared aimlessly at Chin. Kono decided to continue.
"Only a few people are coming. Kamekona, Max, Charlie, Adam, the Governor, Doris, Duke, Joe, Rachel, Grace, Stan, Mamo, Kawika and Mary will all be there. Granted it will be a small service, but…" Joked Kono as her colleagues looked on dumbstruck by all this new information that had been bestowed upon them. In the space of five minutes they had learned they were a gay couple and getting married in three days in front of all their close friends and family. What could go wrong?
There were a few minutes of pure silence. During this time Danny paced and Steve stared between Chin and Kono, before finally settling on Danny, his fiancé. He liked the sound of that. Why did he like the sound of that? Surprisingly, it was Danny to break the silence first. "So what am I wearing?"
Breathing a sigh of relief Chin and Kono just looked at each other before Chin decided he would inform the Jersey Detective.
"We have rented you and Steve suits for the day and they are open collar Danny, so no ties. The other thing we forgot to mention is that in order for it to look and feel like a real wedding, so our guy doesn't get suspicious, you have to take all the documents you would to a normal wedding. You will know about that Danny, but I can help you out there Steve." Chin said trying to reassure the shying man with one of his rare Chin Ho smiles. Then there was another long pause. Steve was leaning against the table with his arms crossed over his chest and his dark blue eyes masked by his eyelids as he tried to take all this in. He wanted this, but he wanted this to be real. Not some undercover mission to catch yet another piece of worthless scum. Steve decided to pace to keep his mind occupied before turning to Kono.
"So, where exactly is our wedding taking place?" asked Steve finally opening his eyes before deciding to walk over a bit closer and join the team, realising he was a good 10 feet away from them after his vigorous pacing. Kono made the sign for two seconds before dashing into her office and returning with a piece of paper in her hands. She brushed her sweeping hair out of her eyes before reading out its content, "Mahalika Lane on the North Shore." Danny held up his hand plainly to stop her, resting the other on his nose to pinch the bridge, before reopening his eyes and looking back at his severely confused team mates.
"There must be 3 or 4 gay chapels up there all in a row. How are we supposed to know which one we are in?" He thought this was a very reasonable question. However, trust Steve to go in and find something to make a comment about.
"And how exactly would you know there are three gay chapels up on the North Shore Danno?" Steve was trying to keep his hope under wraps as Danny proceeded to reply with a hitch in his breath. How could he make this sound genuine?
"I worked a case for HPD before I came to Five-0…" he said, hoping he had delivered it well enough that Steve wouldn't question him. He might just get away with it too. Luckily Steve dropped it, but he was secretly a little disappointed with Danny's answer.
"The church is located at 11 Mahalika Lane. Anyway, the Governor has given us the next few days off in order to get everything ready for the big day and make sure we are all well aware of the plan in order to catch this guy. There are already cameras in the chapel, so all we need to do is watch the wedding and get the guy after."
This time it was Steve that was doing the interrupting. "What is the plan? Because all I have heard is that Danny and I are getting married. Nothing about what we actually have to do. How are we even supposed to know that we have the right guy?" asked Steve folding his arms across his chest once more and leaning back against the glass wall, waiting for his answer.
"Don't you guys worry about that. Kono and I have it all sorted out. All you guys need to do is show up in one piece, look respectable, and act like you guys are madly in love. There is one last slight hitch though…" Chin continued ramming his hand into his jean pockets and scuffing his feet back and forth a few times before looking up to continue. "The one thing we can't do is write the vows for you. You two will have to do that bit on your own."
"Don't worry, you have until the service to come up with something." Kono reassured them. She stood next to Steve resting her hand on his shoulder as he gave her a meek smile before looking straight at Danny, who was looking straight back at him. It would be extremely easy for Danny to write his vows for Steve, but he needed to make it sound like he wouldn't be able to say them right then in that moment, even though he could.
Clapping his hands together he sighed, "Looks like I have some work to do then. Writing vows is extremely tricky and I can't wait to see how my super SEAL handles it. All right, well, goodnight guys." And with that, Danny gave them a quick wave and was gone within the same minute. You could have sworn he left a smoke trail he was out of there so quickly.
"I think I am going to call it a night as well guys. See you… at the wedding," Steve said as he sighed on the word wedding. It was weird thinking he would be 'married' in three days to the man he was actually in love with. Thank god that no one knew that was the real truth. No one was ever going to know either.
After Danny and Steve had both safely left the building, Kono turned to Chin and asked, "How exactly do we tell if we have the right guy? We have no photo, just a name." She followed him into his office as he picked up some discarded files and tided them away. Getting ready to head home for the night he grabbed his keys, turned off his desk lamp, and ushered Kono out the door and into the bullpen.
"He has a signature sign off. He does the sign off the cross and always says 'I now pronounce you… and I wish you a long and happy marriage on behalf of myself and the church, bless you' before leaving straight afterward. That is when we grab him. As soon as he has done that and the service is complete." Chin finished locking up all the offices as Kono grabbed her bag and jacket off the coat rack.
"Got it, this is going to be fun!"
Soon the fresh Hawaiian air was filling Steve's lungs as he forced his way out of the glass HQ doors and into the dark abyss of blackness that surrounded him. He remembered the street lights were out that week for repairs. Rubbing his hands up and down his arms, he shoved them in his pocket and jogged to the truck, slamming the door behind him as he climbed inside. Looking back at the building he had just left, he put his hands on the wheel and threw his head down, being careful to avoid the horn. Taking a deep breath he replayed all that had happened in the past half hour, before deciding the best thing he could do was go for a swim. Turning the key in the ignition, he pulled out of his parking space and made his way back to the house. With his window down and him speeding up the highway, he happened to notice that rain was just starting to fall.
Walking into his titchy apartment and slamming the door behind him, Danny threw his keys in the general direction of the couch before resting against his front door and letting out a deep sigh. In the space of a half hour, he had gone from the status of single father to engaged. He was going to marry his partner who he was actually in love with, not that anyone knew it. Summoning all the strength he could master, Danny pulled himself up off the door and towards the kitchen, in the hopes that a cool beer would help clear his thoughts. Either that or he planned to get very, very drunk. Grabbing a beer and sitting on his dingy couch/bed/desk, he just stared out the window at the down pouring rain that was now battering off his windows. He was in for a long night…
Back to Present
The day had come that Danny had never thought he would ever see again, his wedding day. Through those doors was all his friends and family waiting for him to say the two little words that would make this all come true, I do.
From the second he had woken up that morning, all Steve could feel was his stomach in knots and his heart in his mouth as he realised that this was his wedding day. Now he was standing in the aisle in front of everyone that he knew and cared for. They all looked up at him with smiles radiating pride as he took his place in front with the minister and waited for Danny to join him. This was a fake wedding, by a minister they knew was a fraud, so why was he so damn nervous. He didn't have much time to think about it because that was when the music began to play and the sound of people rising from their seats.
"Ready?" she asked placing her hand on Danny's shoulder as the doors swung open. Gripping his gun, making sure it was still there with his badge, he gave a nod as she led the way down the aisle. Passing Gracie, he gave her a quick nudge to show her how much he cared that she was there before stopping in front of all of them and standing right next to the man he was 'marrying', Steve.
Taking a deep breath they both looked at each other and smiled, before nodding to the minister. Remembering to act in love would not be hard for either of them. They could finally show how they really felt without having to act as if it was nothing. They could finally be themselves.
The service went along without a hitch. It was all running smoothly and now they had come to the vows. Unknowingly, the combined time each of the two men had spent on their vows was 17 hours. 17 hours of tossed away pieces of paper, deleted memos and several power naps in between, but they had finally each gotten the perfect one.
"Danny, if you would like to start your vows to Steven," stated the minister. Danny took a mental note that Steve cringed at the minister calling him by his full name and generally felt annoyed for him, but this was the crucial bit. He really had to make this seem real and easiest way to do that was for him to pretend the wedding was real. Taking a deep breath and looking as deep as he dared to into Steve's dark blue eyes he began.
"Steve, I have known you for four long, long years and they have been the most terrifying, deadly, painfully mad years of my life and I wouldn't trade all the memories we have made for anything. When I came here, the only thing that kept me going was Grace. I was in my own personal idea of hell before you had come barging into my life, but that's not all you had barged into. You also managed to somehow blow your way straight into my heart and you have refused to leave for reasons unknown to me. The one thing I do know is that I am completely and utterly in love with you. You have brought me back to life again. I can't wait until we make and share even more memories and start our lives together for now and for always."
Wow is all Steve could think. How the hell was he going to top that? Shuffling a little on his feet, his mind was racing. Why did he feel like Danny meant every word that he had just said? Why did Steve believe him? As soon as Danny had finished his vows, Steve felt like his heart had swollen to twice its natural size. The thought of it bursting with happiness didn't seem that far fetched anymore.
"Steven, if you would like to say your vows to Danny." The minister interrupted his raging thoughts as he looked up from the floor and straight at Danny. All of a sudden all his nerves and the lump in his throat completely disappeared; he knew exactly what he had to say.
"Danny, all these years you have been saying that I saved you from yourself, but you never stopped long enough to realise it was actually you who was saving me. I was alone in a dark place, or at least I believed I was alone, but then you turned up like a candle in my darkness. You are the light that is leading me to the place where I find peace again. You are the strength that keeps me walking. You are the hope that keeps me trusting. You are the life to my soul, my purpose, and you are everything to me. How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you? You have calmed the storms. You have held me in your arms and wouldn't let me fall. You stole my heart and took my breath away. You are all I need. You are everything and I am nothing without you." Steve finished having not removed his gaze from Danny's. He hadn't even noticed that Danny had a tear in his eye, matching his own, as the entirety of his guests were all either sobbing or close to it.
Sitting next to Kono in a black suit and tie, with his hair perfectly styled and a slight gleam of a tear in his eye like everyone else, Chin looked on at what should have been the happiest day of his friends' lives, but something didn't feel quite right. Looking up at the ceiling and in the corners of the rooms, he was looking for one particular thing that wasn't there, the cameras. Leaning over to whisper in Kono's ear, she started to ransack her handbag before pulling out the familiar piece of paper and looking at the address on it. She let out a gasp, but it was too late.
As plain silver bands were slipped onto individual fingers bonding them for life, the room went into a burst of awes and happy sobs. Watching the two men in front of them finally tie the knot and bond themselves forever was an incredible sight.
"I do," Steve said giving Danny's hand a quick squeeze along with the biggest, cheesiest grin he could manage plastered across his face.
"I do," Danny also answered. His knees were still shaking and his heart was literally doing summersaults as they broke eye contact and drew their attention to the minister.
"By the power vested in me, I know pronounce you husband and husband, you may kiss the Groom…"
Shit! He had never even thought about the kiss! Looking from the minister to Danny, there wasn't much he could do. This was supposed to be a wedding and a quick kiss should do it. Stepping forward with a cute smile on his face, Steve closed the gap between himself and Danny, pressing their lips together in a soft yet sensual kiss. He felt fireworks, but he was about to pull away when he felt Danny wrap his arms around his neck pulling him in closer and tighter. Maybe Danny wanted this as well.
Wow! Now he understood where Steve had gotten the name smooth dog. He was a brilliant kisser. It had started out so light and sweet, but Danny had gotten lost in the moment. He had wanted to kiss Steve for so long that he took full advantage of kissing him while he could. He could always blame it on the fact that it needed to look like a real kiss. Snaking his arms around Steve's neck and pulling him closer just felt right. It felt like he needed to be there in order to ever feel safe again. That was when he felt Steve running his hands around his waist and smiling against his lips.
Finally pulling away and resting against each other's foreheads, breathless with no way of masking the smiles plastered across their faces, only then did they become aware that the room was filled with wolf whistles and applause. All their friends and family had risen from their seats in order to applaud their newly married friends.
"Eh Chin…" asked Kono leaning over and whispering in his ear as they continued to clap. "Why hasn't he left or said the key phrase that he always does?"
Watching his friends step down from the podium at the end of the aisle as everyone on the entire guest list rushed them in order to give their congratulations, Chin pulled Kono to the side out of ear shot.
"You see the number 11," Chin said taking the piece of paper from his pocket and pointing to the fading number 11 as Kono stared at it with a look of confusion and raised eyebrows. "That's actually a 7. The address of the church we are supposed to be at is 17 Mahalika Lane. We are at 11…" he concluded before quickly folding the piece of scrunched up paper, shoving it back into his suit pocket and looking back up at Kono who was standing there slack jawed with her hand on her forehead, clearly calculating the mess.
"So are you telling me that some idiot has written down the address wrong and given it to us? So we are at a real church with a real minister and Steve and Danny are now really married?!" Now even she was thrashing her hands about wildly as Chin looked from her to the actual newly married couple. They were standing around talking to Rachel and Stan, with Danny holding Grace on his hip and Steve standing beside him. Steve's hand was on Danny's back as they chatted away with smiles on their faces. That was when Steve caught Chin's eye. Chin couldn't look away fast enough as he returned his attention back to Kono who was now in full blown panic mode.
Removing his hand from Danny's back, he gave him a slight nod toward Chin and Kono which Danny understood. Explaining to Stan and Rachel that they should go talk to them, Danny put Grace down, but not before she whispered something in his ear and gave her Step-Steve a quick peck on the cheek before running over to talk to Max and Kamekona. With a slight look of confusion on his face, Danny waved off the obvious question raging through Steve's mind meaning he would tell him later. Danny and Steve made their way over to the struggling cousins. Their misunderstanding went suddenly quiet as they turned to look at Steve and Danny.
"Is everything all right Kono?" Steve asked putting his hand on her bare arm. He could feel her shaking and she was freezing, which was hard to do in Hawaii. "When do we get to arrest that guy?" he asked removing his hand and jerking his thumb to indicate the minister who was chatting contently to Joe White and Doris. He couldn't have been acting more pleasant and Steve didn't like it. Why was he being so calm and collected?
"Listen guys there is something we need to tell you..." Chin started, but was soon interrupted by chants for the happy couple to get their back sides to the reception so they could get the party under way. Steve was pretty sure it was Mary that had started the chants, but he wasn't going to complain. Giving the sign of two seconds to the party guests as they started to filter out of the church and onto the street, the team was finally alone. Chin ran his hands through his hair giving back its natural untidiness and Kono chose to use this time to fix one of the sequins falling off her dress.
"Ok what has happened?" quizzed Danny, as he noticed that neither Chin nor Kono were choosing to make eye contact with himself or with Steve. This meant they were hiding something and he was determined to get to the bottom of it!
"Now before we tell you, you both have to promise not to freak out or use your guns on us!" Kono tried to make light of the situation, but she could tell straight away that it wasn't working. Danny and Steve just glared at her like she was a child who had broken their favourite vase. "Ok right, well, someone has mixed up the addresses and that minister over there isn't our guy, so that's a good thing. Right, let's go!" She was trying to walk past Danny and into the crowd, but without even flinching Danny grabbed her arm and pulled her back to stand beside Chin, who hadn't moved an inch since she had started talking.
"Now Rookie, where do you think you're going?!" asked Danny as she looked up at him sheepishly. "What do you mean that minister over there is not our guy?" He looked at Steve who just raised his eyebrow at him in reply before Danny turned back to face Chin and Kono. Steve knew exactly what this meant.
"This wasn't a fake wedding was it? We are now actually married aren't we?" Steve said calmly and collectedly putting his hands into his suit trouser pockets and rolling back on his heels as he looked from one cousin to the other, who bowed their heads in shame, not able to look their leader in the eye. Danny just stood with this eyebrows raised and rubbed his hand across his already forming rough stubble.
"Guys, is that true? Did we seriously get the wrong church? Was that a real service and Steve and I are actually married?!" Turning back to look at Steve, he really didn't know whether he was extremely annoyed that he was married again or overwhelmingly happy that he was married to Steve. He couldn't help but let his gaze drift to the silver band on his wedding finger; it felt good to have one back on. It felt really good. Why?
"Yes, it is true. Someone must have written it down funny and we misread it. That minister is not our guy and you guys have really just gotten married." Chin concluded as he looked from one man to the other. He didn't know what to make of their expressions. They weren't really showing anything. Instead they stood emotionless trying to make sense of all this.
"On the bright side, we can take full advantage and blame our bickering on being married!" Danny laughed rubbing his hand up the back of his head as he looked at Steve, who just started to laugh. Whether it was a laugh at the whole situation or a laugh of relief he didn't know, but he was going to take it and just hope for the best. The entire team started to burst into fits of giggles. They had no idea why it just seemed to relieve some of the tension in the air, but hey it worked.
"So what do we do now?" asked Steve looking at his teammates and his husband. Danny was now his husband. Wow! What would their wedding night be like? No stop it. His mind had a full blown argument with his heart. He could think about that later when he was on his own. Not when Danny was standing a mere foot away from him.
"Well we can't tell them that this was all a sham, so I guess we will have to play along tonight at least, but we had better get out there. I can hear Mary from in here and I can't wait to find out what she will be like when she has had a few drinks!" Danny exclaimed waving his hands about casually, trying to act natural and not like he was completely and utterly over the moon that he was married to Steve, which of course he was.
"I will match her no problem. Let's just enjoy tonight and sort this out later. Come on I want to get to the reception and get the champagne flowing!" Kono laughed as she rested her hand on Chin's shoulder leading him out of the church. Danny was just about to follow when he felt someone grab his arm. Of course it was Steve, seeing as the church was now empty apart from the two of them. Releasing Danny as he turned to face him, he could see that Steve needed to say something and judging by the look on his face, he wasn't finding it easy.
"What's wrong Steve?" he asked as Steve turned away from him and paced back and forth a few steps before returning his attention back to Danny, who was standing in front of him looking genuinely worried. Steve didn't say anything until he was forced to break the silence.
"What do you think about this? All of this. What are your real opinions on it? I have mine and I know you have yours, so please tell me. I need to know." Steve concluded finally forcing himself to look at Danny and especially into Danny's bright blue eyes that always mystified him.
"Sit down Steve," Danny replied indicating to the front bench, which was occupied not even 10 minutes before by Chin and Kono sitting and witnessing them get married. Reluctantly at first, Steve just looked at Danny before deciding it would probably be best if he did what was being asked of him without argument. As soon as he had sat down, Danny walked over and joined him, closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath as words started to roll off of his tongue.
"I think that we need to talk about this. I mean talk about in properly on our own and preferably when we are both in the mood to discuss it. Right now however, all our friends and family are out there waiting to celebrate our big day with us. We are being really selfish staying cooped up in here while they want to get the party started, especially Kono and Mary." Danny laughed, playfully nudging Steve's shoulder with his own, as Steve joined in on the laughter. Once it stopped, he looked up at Danny. He wanted to discuss it, but not the way Danny did. He wanted to discuss keeping them married, but he was pretty sure that Danny wanted the complete opposite.
"As always Danno, you are right on both counts, but I really do think we should discuss this sooner rather than later. What are you doing after the reception because I am pretty sure that after the reception the newlyweds spend the night together in the same house?!" Steve asked searching Danny's expression for any indication that he had gone too far. He couldn't find one, so why did the collar of his shirt all of a sudden feel uncomfortably tight?
"I really hadn't thought that far ahead? I was trying to get through the day without collapsing at the altar." Danny continued resting his elbows on his knees, leaning forward and letting his hands dangle in between his legs, as he contemplated whether or not to just grab Steve and kiss him right then and there. He decided against it, not wanting to complicate this situation further.
"Well, I am pretty sure that's how it works, so why don't you come back to the house? We can have a few beers, discuss this, and then you can sleep in the guest room. I'm pretty sure you have some spare clothes at the house from past cases." Steve spoke with what felt like a toad in his throat never mind a frog. The fact Danny wasn't looking directly at him made it a bit easier to say.
"Yeah that sounds good. Then no one gets suspicious and we can figure this out," concluded Danny rubbing his hands over his face and getting to his feet. Turning around to face Steve and holding out his hand Danny asks, "Ready to go?!"
Steve smiled up at him with that sly and sweet smile that made Danny's heart melt. Taking hold of his hand, Danny pulled Steve to his feet and it seemed as if neither one wanted to let go.
"With you Danno? Of course! Let's get this show on the road." Still firmly grasping Steve's hand, Danny led him out of the church to the sound of raging applause. All their worries for the moment where forgotten and they enjoyed every second of it.
A Few Hours Later
Fumbling with the keys in his hands, he tried to get the front door unlocked with Danny standing behind him patiently. Why did he feel so nervous? It was just Danny. Yeah it was the Danny he has been in love with for years. The Danny he has risked his life to save more times than anyone else. The Danny who has done the exact same thing for him countless times and the Danny who has never left his side, even when he didn't know he needed him, yet he was always there. That had to count for something right?
Finally managing to gain access to his own home with a large amount of difficulty, Steve stopped Danny before he could cross through the doorway. Danny could tell why Steve had stopped him.
"Really Steven, you cannot be serious?!" he exclaimed waving his hands in protest, trying not to let his heart melt by those big blue eyes with those long black eye lashes staring back at him in pure innocence. How could he say no? Letting out a deep sigh, Danny just rolled his eyes at Steve as he started to walk towards him with a triumphant smirk plastered across his face. Stopping right in front of Danny, Steve bent down and scooped him up in his arms. They let out a laugh as Danny wrapped his arms around Steve's neck, looked into his eyes adoringly, and nuzzled his head into the crook of Steve's neck. Feeling Danny willingly cuddle up to him warmed his heart for what felt like the millionth time that day. He carried Danny across the threshold and into the house, resting his head against Danny's affectionately.
"Hey, its tradition Danno and who are we to deny that?!" Steve exclaimed when he had kicked the front door shut behind them. He still hadn't put him down and the thing was Danny didn't seem to mind one bit. Reluctantly putting him down, their eyes locked for a little longer than strictly necessary. Steve genuinely thought Danny was going to kiss him before he decided against it and walked over to the sofa, leaving Steve standing there in the middle of the living room with an adorable yet confused look on his face.
"Are we going to have those beers or was that just a ploy to get me back to your place?!" quizzed Danny moving his hands yet again as he talked, snapping Steve out of his dazed state shaking his head in awareness before nodding his head and walking to the kitchen. Pulling out two cool beers from his fridge, he kicked the door shut. Taking a deep breath he headed back to the sitting room. Danny was still sitting on the sofa with his hands interlocked behind his head and his now shoeless feet resting on the coffee table with his eyes shut. Steve smiled sweetly to himself as he watched Danny's chest rise up and down as he breathed. Never before had he seen Danny so peaceful and relaxed. All it took was for the two of them to get married.
"I can literally feel my beer getting warm!" Danny spoke with his eyes still shut, but his sudden burst of words gave Steve a fright as he had been so distracted by Danny. He forgot he was just standing and staring at him clutching their two beers. Bowing his head sheepishly, Danny sat up and patted the seat next to him, inviting Steve to join him. Sitting down next to Danny, he handed one of the bottles over to him. They each took a big swig, but remained silent, staring at the wall. This went on for the first five minutes; swig and stare, swig and stare, until Danny cracked.
"Right, ok, I cannot take the silence. What are we going to do about… this?" he asked using his beer free hand to gesture between the two of them, avoiding Steve's eye contact and staring down at the bottle grasped firmly in his hands as he waited for his reply.
Steve took a deep breath in as he tried to get everything he wanted to say and everything he was feeling into real English words. Sitting up off the sofa and placing the quickly emptied beer bottle onto the coffee table, he sat staring directly at Danny, who quickly followed, relieving himself of the empty bottle and returning his full attention back to Steve.
"Right, there is no point in lying to each other. It will be easier and quicker to just get everything out in the open so we can figure out what will be best for us. Agreed?" Steve asked shaking his vision from Danny and looking across at the photo on the wall. It was embarrassing. His hands had become extremely shaky and his breathing was a bit uneven. He was so nervous for his answer and this was becoming a regular thing. Steve was a highly trained killer for god's sake and now he couldn't even talk to his partner without a cool sweat emerging on his brow. What had this man done to him? He has officially been cracked and it was all Danny's fault.
"Agreed. Ok I am just going to come out and say this because as you said, no lies, and you deserve the truth. I am in love with you. I have had mixed feelings towards you from the start, but I dated other woman so you wouldn't catch on. I didn't do it just for that, but seeing as you were with Catherine, I just assumed that you were as straight as... James Bond!"
"James Bond really?!" Steve sniggered looking up at Danny finally and there it was. That little smile spread across Danny's lips as he shook his head and they both started laughing. Danny noticed as Steve laughed that small crinkles formed at the side of his eyes as he stared forward, that's when Danny knew exactly what he had to say to prove all he had said before.
"I meant every word you know," Danny briefly paused as Steve composed himself before looking deeply into Danny's eyes with a slight look of puzzlement on his face. "Of the vows, I meant every word and I completely understand if you want a divorce. All you have to do is say the word. It's completely up to you, but after confessing all of this, I am not sure I can go back to the way we were before. It might take me some time to get over you." Danny had removed his eye contact from Steve's half way through his speech. This was one of the hardest things he ever had to do. It was nearly as bad as signing the divorce papers and handing them over to Rachel. Danny didn't hear anything for a few moments and he was just about to get up and leave when he felt a warm hand grasp his shoulder guiding him to turn around. He knew what was coming now.
"It's ok Steve I…" but he was cut off and now his lips were occupied with doing something else. Steve wasn't a guy for many words, so he figured actions would be a better proof of his deep love for Danny, because damn could he kiss… Steve's lips were soft and strong at the same time. Danny ran his hands through Steve's hair as he cupped his cheek pulling him in tighter, closer, trying to fuse them together, like it was the only thing that could ever matter to him.
Finally when they pulled apart, it was Steve's turn to speak. Resting against each other's foreheads and panting breathlessly. "I wrote my vows. It took me ages and I spent hours on them because I just couldn't think of what to say." That was when Danny pulled away. Seeing the sudden emotion of hurt fill Danny's already water rimmed eyes, broke Steve's heart. That had come out wrong. Taking Danny's hand, he pulled him in close. At first Danny was reluctant, but then he snuggled into Steve's embrace, still refusing to let his skin touch Steve's. Steve just rested his chin on Danny's head and whispered in his ear. "But when you had said yours, I could feel that you meant it and it made me fall in love with you all over again; which I have done countless times since knowing you, even when I was with Catherine. I didn't end up using my vows. I made them up on the spot and it was all me, all my own words, all for you. It was the easiest thing I have ever done and I would do it again and again if it meant I got to stay married to you. So what do you say Danny Williams? Do you want to go back to Williams or should we start calling you Detective Daniel Williams-McGarrett?" Danny leaned out of Steve's embrace and looked straight into his eyes, deep and blue. He slowly moved in and planted a soft and delicate kiss on Steve's lips. After, he smiled against them and whispering "I will have to go with option b…" before becoming reabsorbed into the kiss. It didn't take them long to move from the couch to the bedroom, where Steve slammed the door shut with his foot.
This was only the start of their lives together and they couldn't wait to embark on this journey as partners in every sense.