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Masks
The warm breeze ruffled Catherine's hair and she smiled softly when Steve tucked a piece behind her ear. They were looking out over the water from where she lay wrapped around him on one of the large deck lounges.
"What have you and Gracie got planned for later?" he asked before placing a kiss on her temple.
"Just a little girls' night stuff. She's got a plan."
"What kind of plan? Should I not be here? Does she want to discuss ... female … things?"
Catherine's smile morphed into a grin. "No. I'm sure it's nothing that requires your expertise, but you can certainly hang around."
He looked unconvinced. " 'Cause I can work on the car."
"Steve, it's not a period discussion. It's makeup night."
"Definitely out of my element." He shook his head. "I'm going to work on the car." He stood, reached for his boardies and pulled them on. While bending to kiss her briefly, he handed Catherine her sundress. "Send Gracie out to say hi when she gets here."
At Catherine's eye roll, he headed for the garage.
When he returned to the kitchen a bit later, Cammie came padding in as he opened the refrigerator. "Sounds like they're having fun," Steve commented as he grabbed a water, a couple pieces of fruit and tossed a cookie to the dog, who caught it on the fly. He could hear Catherine and Grace's happy voices when a song touting shaking something off ended, before another one began and he smiled. "Wanna come with me or you going back upstairs?" He ruffled Cammie's fur. As if on cue, the dog glanced at the doorway.
"Go. It's girls night." He chuckled and headed back to the garage with his snack as Cammie went back to Catherine and Grace.
Later that evening, while Grace was preparing to go home, Catherine walked into the garage as Steve was sliding out from under the Marquis. "Knock, knock," she announced. "Grace is leaving soon."
"Hey, hi." Not looking up immediately, he began to say, "Did you two have fu..." when a smile crossed his face. "Wow. That's some look ya got there, Rollins." He wiped his hands and, with a grin, followed her into the house to say goodbye to Grace.
When Steve sat to wait for their niece to come downstairs, Catherine joined him on the sofa, butting his hip with hers so he'd scoot over. He was still grinning at her when she shrugged. "It was makeup night, remember? I didn't have the heart to wash it right off. We were going for the Taylor Swift look." She pursed her lips and batted her eyes. "Bright red lipstick and black winged eyeliner."
"That's the singer, right?"
"Oh, look at you. Got it in one. Even if you totally guessed."
"Not a total guess. I've heard Gracie mention her. I listen when she talks."
"Of course you do." Steve always listened to their niece. "Grace thinks she's gorgeous."
Catherine leaned in to kiss him and when he cupped her face, Steve ran his thumb across her bottom lip. Checking it for transferred lipstick, he grinned and kissed her. "Whatever, you're prettier."
"Aww. Thank you." She chucked. "You don't even know what she looks like."
"Don't have to." He shrugged and she smiled, knowing he was being one hundred percent sincere.
"Love you." She kissed him back. "I'm going to wait and wash it off after Grace leaves."
As if on cue, Grace bounded down the stairs. She was sporting pink lip gloss and very subtle eye shadow. "I'm going to wash it off ..." she said by way of entering the room. "Danno's on his way, but could we take one picture? We can use your phone, I swear I won't tweet it."
She looked so excited, Catherine grabbed her phone and patted the sofa. "You know your dad's rule. As long as you don't tweet it, and neither do your friends."
"Yea!" Grace turned to Steve. "Will you take it?"
He reached for the camera as Danny tapped on the door. While letting himself in, he announced, "Say 'no dating till I'm forty," and smirked at his daughter.
"Dannnno. It's just for us, I promise. No tweeting, sharing, anything." She crossed her heart and put her cheek next to Catherine's as Steve snapped the photo.
"Okay, go wash that off, and let's get going." Danny smiled at Catherine. "Thanks, Cath. Sporting the Swift look there?"
"You're welcome, and I figured better me in the red lipstick than Grace."
"You figured one hundred percent correct, my friend." Danny nodded and Catherine smiled.
"Besides, we had fun. And cupcakes."
"Of course you did." Danny wrapped an arm around Grace as she appeared, face scrubbed clean. "There is the perfect face. Say goodnight."
Steve crossed his arms."Wait, wait, you had cupcakes without me?" He pretended to look hurt as Grace came over to hug him, and he placed a kiss on her head.
"We saved you some!" she told him. "We'd never not save you cupcakes."
"Okay, then." Steve grinned as she hugged Catherine.
"Thanks, Auntie Cath, I had fun. And you look totally beautiful."
"Aw. Thanks for that, and you're gorgeous." She ran a hand over Grace's hair. "Remember what we talked about," she continued when Grace nodded. "I had so much fun. Love you. And don't forget the cupcakes for your dad."
"I get cupcakes?" Danny took the bag Grace handed him from her backpack.
"Of course, and they're not even squished."
"My favorite kind." Danny winked, and as they said goodbye and let themselves out, Steve walked towards the kitchen.
"They're double chocolate," Catherine said.
"Hmm?"
"You're going to eat cupcakes. They're double chocolate."
"I was gonna take Cammie out, too." She saw him smile at how well she knew him as he left the room saying. "C'mon, you wanna go out? There's a cookie in it for you."
Catherine grinned when the dog stood and followed him into the kitchen. "I'm going to wash this off and clean up the bathroom. I'll see you upstairs."
Steve walked into the bathroom saying, "Again, wow." He gestured to the array of cosmetics on the counter, sink and toilet tank.
"The right tools are essential to any mission." She couldn't hold back a laugh as she patted her face dry after removing the makeup she and Grace had experimented with.
"I know this isn't all yours. And Gracie isn't allowed ..."
"This is all samples, trial sizes, and stuff Rachel and I had and let Grace tinker with when she's not going anywhere." Catherine collected the little tubes, vials, colorful eyeshadow palettes and lipsticks into what looked like a tackle box.
"In a few years, she'll narrow all this down to about ten items. I'll show her how to separate it into day and evening looks. That's what we did tonight. I put a little subtle eyeshadow on her and her favorite lip gloss. I let her help me do that dramatic look ..." She snorted a laugh, "and you're glazing over ... but I remember having so much fun doing the same thing with my mom."
"No, I was just ... she's only thirteen. And she's already pretty, Cath, she doesn't need ... " he ran a hand across his face. "Neither do you, actually ... but I guess she wants to ..."
"Look a little more grown up. Of course. And makeup adds some polish, or it will when she's old enough to wear it everyday.'
"After the Academy seems like a good age ..."
"Sixteen is probably when. She's negotiating that. Her word." Catherine grinned.
"Maybe I should talk to Danny."
"Maybe you should do no such thing, Commander." She stored the box of cosmetics in the bathroom closet. "She's got a good head on her shoulders."
"The best." His smile was proud.
"And we've had a few talks."
"Yeah?"
"Absolutely. We discussed how everyone wants to look their best, but too much is just that. It detracts. And age appropriate is important."
"Good." He nodded. "Because she listens to you."
A happy little smile crossed her lips. "I told her how young girls trying to look older by packing on makeup look just as inappropriate and even silly as wearing clothes that are too mature. It's not a substitute for maturity and confidence. And how it's not a mask to hide behind. She's gotta let her real beauty shine through. And that comes from inside."
"Ya know…" Steve contemplated a second.
"What?" Catherine took a pair of sleep shorts and a tank from her dresser and pulled them on.
"Mary ... She's wearing less ..." He sought the right word, "noticeable makeup lately."
"Because she's becoming more confident, more comfortable with who she is. She doesn't need to mask her true self with lots of makeup."
"Yeah. And her clothes. She used to wear some stuff ..." he cringed. "She's dressing better." Steve caught her eyes from where he was sitting on the bed in boxers, having tossed his clothes in the hamper. "You."
"Me, what?" Catherine slid between the sheets as he moved to kiss her, hesitating before he stood and headed towards the shower.
He turned back to face her. "You talked to Mary."
She raised a shoulder. "She asked for ideas for work looks. I'm not the best example of business attire after wearing a uniform for almost twenty years, and now I wear clothes I can run down a suspect in, but we did get her some new makeup in Tarrytown."
Steve returned, dropped a kiss on her lips and gave her a grateful smile as he backed away towards the bathroom.
Ten minutes later, Steve joined her in bed and she placed a hand on his stomach for balance as she reached across to shut the light.
"Thanks, Cath."
She tilted her head in question.
"Mary."
"Don't be silly, I want her to do well at her job, and she wants a more polished, mature look. I loved helping her pick out new stuff. She's got great skin, not to mention those McGarrett eyes."
He smiled. "Mary and I couldn't look less alike. What McGarrett eyes?"
"It's not about looking alike. It's about how you try to hold everything so close to the vest, but I can read whatever is happening in that head," she tapped his temple lightly, "right in your eyes."
"That's because you're … you." He shrugged.
"That's because I know you, true, but Mary's got that same look, even from day one." Catherine ran a hand over his cheek with a smile. "And you do both have beautiful eyes."
"That's right up there with adorable, you know." Steve grinned into her kiss, and she chuckled until he turned serious. "I wish Mary had had someone like you when ..."
"I know, but she's doing really well now, right?"
"Right." He looked pleased. "So, just sayin ..." He'd clearly thought of something to add so Catherine waited. "The less makeup Gracie wears the better ..." He nodded his point and she grinned.
"Steve?" She shifted to lie down and he drew her closer.
"Yeah?"
"About the makeup?" She couldn't hold back a smirk.
"What's funny?"
"Joan is next." She full on laughed at his groan before pulling him into a kiss.
End. Thanks for reading
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