Hawaii Five-0 is property of CBS and its creators.
Set pre-Dragon's Brood.
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Steve surprised Danny with the tickets to the Big Island. He came in one morning and plopped them on Danny's desk without a word. "What's this?" Danny asked suspiciously.
"Tickets," Steve said. "Plane tickets. To Hawaii. The island."
"I can see that," Danny said. "The question is why? Do we have a case."
"No, I just. . ." Steve ducked his head shyly. Danny could feel his nervousness through the soulmate bond. "This weekend's our anniversary. I thought we could get away."
"Well, you could have gotten me a trip to Jersey." Steve looked disappointed and Danny relented. "Just kidding, babe. I think it sounds fantastic. And romantic. I didn't know you had it in you," Danny teased.
"Hey, I can be romantic!" Steve protested. "Wasn't our wedding romantic?"
"That it was," Danny admitted. He looked at the tickets. "Hilo, hunh? Where are we going, Volcano House?"
"No, but I thought we could drive through the lava flows. There's actually a resort up in the Kohala Rainforest."
"Rainforest?" Steve could tell Danny wasn't thrilled. "It's a dragon resort," he hastened to add. "There's a private island, and waterfalls, and lots of space to just, well, be a dragon."
Danny still looked dubious. "You're not going to make me hike to all these waterfalls, or take a boat to the island?" He asked.
"No, no, no!" Steve looked shy again. "I thought. . .you're supposed to fly to them."
Danny was cautiously optimistic. "You mean fly, fly, right? You're not making me get in a helicopter with you, are you?"
"No, though I don't know why you hate that so much. I meant fly as a dragon. With me. On your back."
Danny's face lit up, and he looked truly happy for the first time since Steve had proposed the trip. "That sounds awesome! I can't wait! It's been forever since I've done more than just short flights from your beach."
"I know. That's why I thought you'd like it." Steve knew how much Danny loved to fly. It was his favorite part of being a dragon. It was Steve's favorite part, too. He loved to fly, maybe even more than Danny, soaring above the Pacific, perched on Danny's back. It was like nothing else on earth. Except making love to Danny. That was even better. Steve was hoping there'd be time for that this weekend, too.
Danny looked suspicious again. "You're not going to make me be a dragon all weekend, are you?" He knew how much Steve loved him in his dragon form. Sometimes he though Steve was a little too obsessed with it.
"Oh, no," Steve grinned wickedly. "There are things I want to do with you I definitely can't do when you're a dragon."
Danny grinned back. "I can't wait."
The weekend couldn't come soon enough. Danny and Steve took off Friday and Monday as well to make it a long weekend. They left early Thursday to catch an evening flight to Hilo. Even though the majority of the weekend would be spent at the resort, Steve had booked a night at Volcano House. When they got to the airport, Danny asked "How are we going to get there? You're not expecting me to fly, are you?"
"Nope. Wait here." Steve loped off, leaving Danny staring after him.
Hey," Danny shouted, "Come back here! It's not nice to leave your husband standing in the middle of the airport!" But Steve either didn't hear him or ignored him. Danny suspected the latter.
Soon Steve came back and steered Danny outside to the curb. "Now close your eyes."
"Uh-huh, no way. Not until you tell me what's going on."
"Please, Danny," Steve begged. "Just trust me."
Danny softened. "I do trust you, babe, you know that."
"Then close your eyes."
Danny obeyed, though he did try to cheat by reading Steve through their link. He didn't have any luck, though. All he got was pleasure and excitement. Steve practically vibrated with hit. It made Danny excited, too. After a couple of minutes, Steve guided Danny onto to what he was sure was a shuttle. "Can I open my eyes now?"
"Nope. I'll tell you when."
The shuttle stopped and Steve led him off. Danny wasn't sure where they were except that it seemed to be an open space. Steve led him a little further and stopped. "Now open your eyes."
Danny was starting to get an idea of where they were, but he was still surprised when he opened his eyes and saw a bright, shiny, silver Camaro. "Wow," was all he could say.
"I thought you might miss yours, so. . ." Steve gestured to the car. "I got a replacement."
"I don't suppose you're going to let me drive it."
"No way." Steve got into the driver's side, and Danny slid into the passenger seat without complaint. Steve was so happy he didn't want to argue. And to tell the truth, Danny kind of liked it when Steve drove. It was normal, comfortable, even if Danny complained all the time.
They drove to the hotel and checked in. When they reached the room, Steve opened his suitcase and pulled out a jacket, dress shirt, and dress pants. And—Danny was sure he was seeing things—a tie. "What are you doing?" Danny asked.
"Getting dressed. I made reservations for us in the dining room. A nice, quiet, romantic dinner for two."
"But babe," Danny protested, "I didn't bring a suit."
That's okay. Steve reached into the suitcase and pulled out one of Danny's jackets. "This will go with what you're wearing. And. . ." he drew out a long, brightly wrapped box. "I got you this."
Danny stared at it in amazement. "Is that what I think it is?"
"Open it," Steve urged.
Danny did. Inside was a gorgeous silk tie, sky blue with gray stripes. "Wow."
"It matches your eyes," Steve said shyly.
Danny thew his arms around Steve and kissed him soundly. "I love it!"
Steve grinned happily. "I'm glad. Now let's go eat."
In the dining room, the host led them to a table by the window. Danny gazed in awe out at the lava flow. It was late in the evening, and the sun had almost set. The view was spectacular. "You really went all out, didn't you, Smooth Dog?"
Steve took Danny's hand across the table. "Nothing's too good for you."
"Sap," Danny said fondly.
"But I'm your sap," Steve shot back. Then he got serious. "I know I don't say it enough, but I love you Danny Williams. Not just the dragon you, but the human you. I know sometimes you think I'm obsessed with your dragon form and love you more that way, but I don't. It's just. . ." he struggled to find the words, "you're magnificent that way. So graceful, yet powerful, all golden and gleaming, you take my breath away. But it's more than that. It's like," Steve paused again, "It's like it's who you really are. The heart of you, the part you always keep protected and don't let anyone see. It's. . .it's your soul."
"Wow," Danny said again. He seemed to be saying that a lot. He wasn't speechless often, but Steve seemed to be doing a good job of rendering him that way. Danny hadn't really thought about it, but he realized Steve was right. He spent so much time being human that sometimes he forgot what he really was, but with Steve, he could just be him. "You bring it out in me, babe. I've never felt so comfortable around anyone, so able to just be me. You never mind when I'm a dragon; in fact, you encourage it, and I never have to worry about you calling me a freak, or being scared of be, or exploiting me as some rare marvel for the tourists. You accept me. You help me accept me. And you've helped Grace accept who she is. That means more than I can say."
"You mean the great Danny Williams is at a loss for words? I'm impressed," Steve teased.
"Enjoy it while it lasts, babe."
Steve sobered again. He wasn't done. "I want you to know, I love your human side, too, even more than your dragon side, even if maybe I don't show it. I loved you long before I knew you were a dragon, knew we were soulmates. I loved the human you. You're gorgeous as a dragon, but there's things I just can't do when you're a dragon." Danny smirked. Steve swatted at him. "Besides that. I can't hold you, I can't kiss you, I can't watch football or bicker with you. I can't do all the things that make us us, all the things that make you you. I love dragon Danny, but I can live without him. If you never changed again, I'd be okay with it. I'd miss it, but I'd be okay with it. Human Danny, though, I can't live without him. I think I'd die without your ranting, hand-waving, malasada-eating self in my life."
Danny was overwhelmed by Steve's sincerity and all the love coming off him. "You are one hell of a person, Steve. I don't think I could live without you, gigantic Neanderthal that you are, aneurism face and all. You and Grace make this place bearable. If I had the chance to go back to Jersey but had to leave you, there's no question what I'd do. I'd choose you in a heartbeat."
"That means more than I can say. I know how much you miss Jersey."
"I'd miss you more," Danny assured him.
"Thank you. I'm honored." Steve squeezed his hand. "Happy anniversary, Danno."
"Happy anniversary, Steve."
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I meant to spend some time at the resort, but this just got away from me, and it seemed an appropriate place to end it. Rosie44 asked if Steve would love Danny half as much if he weren't a dragon. I hope this explains it.
So, question for you all: what do you think of Steve being a full-blooded dragon and not realizing it?
