Tonight
By
Whoa_Nelie
Danny walked into his office and threw himself into his chair. He smiled as he shook his head. Steve had really come through for him today. Danny knew Steve had his back when they went out on a case even from the first day. Danny had been shot and blasted through a window yet Steve had called out to him making sure he was okay before he went after their suspect. Not only had it given his position away but he had called him Danny, like they were pals or something. In the past he had always been known by his last name at work. Thankfully the nickname Willy hadn't made it to the island.
Except today when Steve had his back it hadn't been about work. Grace was his personal life, Grace was his life. Steve had said maybe he wasn't alone on this island after all. He was of course referring to what Danny had said while they were sitting out in the ocean watching sharks not eat Danny's only other Jersey connection. It was something Danny had just thrown out there yet Steve had picked up on it.
Danny ran a hand down his face. He couldn't believe Steve had gone to the governor about his problem.
The god dam governor.
Who does that? Who even thinks to talk to the governor over a custody issue. Although he would never admit it to the guys face, Steve was a smart man. With a custody issue most would look into getting a really good expensive lawyer. Or do some deep digging into the lives of both Rachel and step Stan to find any dirt on them. Dirt that would paint them both as unfit as his ex-wife had tried to do with him. Steve had dug and found a loop hole that worked in his favour. Step Stan and his hotels. His ex-wife had crumbled and honestly she had looked guilty. She obviously hadn't expected him to bite back as hard as he had. Well he hadn't but Steve had on his behalf. Rachel was just trying to be a good mother and protect their daughter which he understood. Well understood the protectiveness not the trying to keep him from his daughter. She had agreed to drop the custody battle and even asked if he could take Grace for an extra day. They were attending some fancy event and Grace wasn't going. From the little he had managed to get out of his daughter she often spent time with the house keeper. She didn't seem to mind, she had plenty of toys to play with. However she was really excited about spending extra time with her Danno. He was over the moon although he did have the new problem of finding a pink squishy football. He would have to ask Steve about that. Baseball was more his game.
Danny looked out across the office to the man who had changed his life. Even though the guy drove him nuts and he constantly put his life in danger Danny was glad to be part of 5 0. Simply because he felt part of it. When he was working for HPD it had felt like work. There was no sense of comradery there. He had made a few work associates but not a lot of deeper connections. Something he hadn't really cared about, until now.
Steve was making an effort with him. The stay in the swanky hotel so his daughter could swim with dolphins, inviting them to the football game and now this. Danny could never ever repay Steve back for this latest act of generosity. Yet he could offer what Steve was offering him. Friendship. Danny got up from his chair and walked over to Steve's office and entered not bothering to knock.
"Hey," Steve said to him in a nonchalant way like he hadn't just given Danny the world.
Danny smiled. "Hey?"
"Something up?"
Yeah. this was more than a thank you this was getting personal.
"Yeah. I was wondering if you would like to hang out some time. Grab a beer and a pizza. Maybe watch a game or something."
Steve shrugged. "Sure."
Danny bit his lip. He didn't think Steve was getting it. "Umm well I didn't mean like after work because we are tired, hungry and need to wind down after a case. I meant like hang out," Danny took a deep breath. "As friends."
Steve smiled at him and nodded. "Yeah I'd like that. Tonight?"
Danny was momentarily shocked. He hadn't expected to Steve to jump at the idea. "Umm well you know me. I have no life outside of here and Grace so I am free but you probably have stuff on. Whenever you're free works for me unless I have Grace. So no rush. Whenever."
Steve shrugged. "I am free tonight."
Danny swallowed deeply. Again he hadn't been expecting that. "Umm okay. Well do you know a good place to go? I mainly just grab food to go. We could go to my place but I know how you think of it as a shit hole."
Steve winced. "I may have been acting like a bit of a shit head when I first saw your place."
"So you don't think my home is a shithole?"
Steve laughed. "Well no I do, but I shouldn't have said anything."
Danny joined in the laughter. Steve wasn't completely wrong. His place wasn't great but it was better than the place he was living in before he moved here.
"Okay well if you know of a good place. My treat."
Steve shook his head. "Nah your place is fine. It's not like I am royalty or anything. 6:30 okay with you."
Danny nodded shocked. "Yeah see you then."
Danny walked out of the office shocked. He hadn't expected Steve to jump at the chance to hang. He figured he would put it out there and then maybe, eventually they would hang. Maybe. If he said yes. Not that he thought he would say no. Maybe just shrug and agree to it. Not put a time and date on said hanging out event. Now it was actually happening. He was going to be spending some quality time with his partner. Voluntarily. They were going to bond because that's was what normal people do. Did. Danny wasn't so sure about it now.
Danny awkwardly opened the door to his affectionately known shithole apartment. He had two pizza boxes and a six pack balanced on one hand as he shoved his way inside. Dumping his keys on the counter he put the beer into the fridge next to two other six packs. You could never have enough beer. He then opened his oven and placed the pizza boxes inside before turning it on low. He wanted the pizza to keep warm until Steve got there. Pizza was good steaming hot or freezing cold the next morning. There was no acceptable in-between. Looking over his apartment he quickly assessed what needed to be done to make it less shitholey. Unfortunately there wasn't much.
He quickly disposed of some rubbish left lying around before heading towards his bathroom. One thing Rachel had installed in him was making sure the bowl was clean after he used it. Something that he had carried onto single life . Although the toilet seat remained up at all times, unless Grace was there. He didn't want his little princess to fall in. Seeing that he had in fact left the toilet sparkling clean he sloshed some toilet disinfectant in anyway just to give it a nice smell. Just because his place was a shit hole didn't mean it had to smell that way. Danny picked up all his hair supplies and dumped them under the sink in the cupboard. He didn't need Steve to give him grief for his collection.
Satisfied with the bathroom he headed back into his kitchen to survey the damage there. A few dirty dishes and way too many coffee cups littered the sink. Too many to clean in the 3 minutes before Steve arrived. because he would be on time. Opening up one of the cupboards he took the dirty items and hid them inside. It was a trick he often used but one had to remember that the dirty items were hidden. More often than not he forgot about the dirty items and accidently used one. Hoping he would remember this time he quickly left the kitchen to change into more casual attire. Ties were for work or when picking up Grace. He wanted to project an air of decorum towards his ex-wife. T shirts and jeans were for home lounging around. With friends. A knock at the door gave him the heads up that his friend was here. Steve and friend. Two words that he didn't think would be in the same sentence. Steve and psycho go well together. As well as Steve and crazy. Danny hoped he wouldn't see any of those tonight. He pulled his white t shirt over his head as he quickly opened the door.
"Hey,"
Steve smiled at him. "Hey. I brought dessert," he told him as he held up a bag.
Danny eyes the bag. "Deep fried goodness?"
"Yeah."
"I didn't think you ate that stuff."
Steve shrugged. "I'll swim it off tomorrow."
Danny shook his head as he stepped back and allowed Steve to enter.
"Sit down," he told them man gesturing to the limited seating options. "You hungry?"
""Yeah."
"Okay I'll get the pizza. Turn the TV on if you want. I haven't checked what's on. Pick whatever you want."
Danny opened the fridge and pulled out two bottles of beer. He grabbed some paper towels and carried them over to the coffee table that was going to act as their dining table tonight. Plates were not necessary and he wasn't sure if he had two cleans ones. He picked up the bag of fatty goodness and put them on the kitchen counter to make room for the pizza. Remembering to turn off the oven, he pulled out the two pizza boxes. It smelled awesome and he couldn't wait to taste. Walking over to the couch he noticed Steve had chosen something for them to watch and had opened their beers. Steve had been watching the screen but had turned to look at him as he placed the boxes on the table.
"You went to the place I told you about?" Steve asked surprised.
Danny nodded. It had been a bit out of his way and he had been surprised at how busy it was. That combined with Steve's recommendation hopefully meant it would be half decent.
"Yeah," Danny then flipped the lid on one of the boxes and placed it in front of Steve.
Steve's mouth gaped open. "What is that yellow stuff?"
Danny looked at the pizza. "Cheese?"
Steve shook his head. "No. The bright yellow stuff that looks suspiciously like pineapple."
Danny rolled his eyes before flipping open the lid of the second box revealing a pepperoni covered pizza.
"You said they did the best ham and pineapple. I figured that meant you liked it." Danny told him as he picked up a slice from his box.
"Oh I do," Steve told him as he reached forward and grabbed a pineapple laden slice. "Thanks,"
Danny shrugged. "No point getting you something you don't like."
"Even though it has pineapples on it."
"Well you have no taste but that's your no problem."
Steve laughed. "Your right. I am here aren't i."
"Shut up and eat," Danny told him even though he was smiling.
For a few minutes they sat in slice watching the screen and downing pizza and beer.
"You know this place isn't that bad" Steve told him as he reached for a slice of pizza out of the box in front of Danny. He took a large bite, mulled over the flavour in his moth before nodding and taking another bite.
"Yeah well it was a bit of a mess when you showed up. I had Grace for the weekend and I hadn't had a chance to clean up. When she is here I let her run wild. I never tell her to pick up her toys no matter how many times I've steeped on something sharp and plastic in the middle of the night. Her home is like a hospital with Rachel and Step Stan, everything so clean and shiny. Kids aren't meant to be clean."
Steve shrugged. "Yeah they do but you couldn't afford a better place than this. I mean I know HPD didn't pay much but you got a raise when you joined 5 0. I made sure of that. "
"Combat pay for working with you which I totally deserve by the way," Danny got up and took their already empty beer bottles back to the kitchen and retrieved another for them both.
"So what do you do with your money? You don't smoke or do drugs. You drink," Steve told him as he took the offered beer and removed the lid. "But from what you told me you don't go out drinking. Buying a six pack to take home is much cheaper than going to a bar and paying 3 times the amount. I know you wear ties but you don't seem the type to spend lots on them. Where does your money go?"
Danny signed as he ripped off the lid of his beer and slouched back down on the couch. "Well this place isn't as cheap as it looks. I also have money for Grace. Rachel tried to get me to stop paying once she married Stan but I insisted. I didn't need another kick to the man hood having some man provide for my child. I do believe in buying quality ties but quality doesn't always mean high in price."
"So money for Grace eats up the rest of your money."
Danny shrugged. "Well that and my car."
Steve smiled and nodded. "Arr the car."
"Yeah. I probably could have got myself a better place if I had opted for shit hole car."
"So why didn't you."
Danny sighed. "My wife had divorced me and then had me by the balls by moving here. I felt like a trapped neutered animal. Feeling all that power beneath me makes me feel like a man again and it's a way for me to escape. There is no escape on this island but I can at least drive for a few miles and get away from my problems. I've never been one to want a big fancy house. Big fancy car is another thing. A house is nice but it's stationary. If you spend all your money on it then you can't go anywhere."
Steve nodded. "I get it Danny. You feel like you lost everything but behind the wheel you feel in control. Worst case scenario you can live in your car but you can't drive your home."
Danny laughed. "Yeah true. So because you understand does that mean you are going to let me drive my car instead of commandeering it."
Steve smirked at him. "Yeah right."
Danny rolled his eyes and took one more sip of his beer before placing in back o nhe table and reached for a slice of pizza. A slice of Steve's pizza."
Steve gaped at him. "How many beers have you had?"
Danny eyed the slice in his hand. "Same as you."
"So are you planning on throwing that in my face or…?"
Danny shocked him by taking a large bite out of his slice. He slowly chewed for a few seconds before he got a surprised look on his face. He hadn't even swallowed before he was heading back for another bite.
Steve watched him warily. "So?"
Danny swallowed. "It's actually pretty good."
Steve slapped his legs. "See I told you." He then reached for one of the few slices left.
"Well I wouldn't have tried it if you said it was terrible plus mine states pretty awesome too. This is different to other ham and pineapple pizza's I have tried in the past. That's actual ham on the pizza. Not that disgusting process shit that looks like chewed up worms. And this pineapple," Danny picked a piece off of Steve's pizza and shoved it in his mouth. "Its actually really nice."
"It's fresh not out of a can."
Danny nodded as he licked his fingers. "It's really good."
"So maybe Hawaii isn't as bad as you think."
Danny shrugged. "Well I am not saying I am going to eat ham and pineapple pizza all the time but it's a nice alternative. It's not Hawaii that I didn't like it's just what it represents. Me losing control and being alone and I hate that. I come from a huge family practically living in my pocket. It was stressful and annoying at times but I loved them. I wasn't even over losing my marriage when Rachel drops the bomb that's she's moving here. So maybe I was a little hard on the island. It's not its fault it isn't Jersey. We can't all be perfect."
Steve scoffed at that comment.
"However Grace is here so that's good. This pizza isn't half bad and I like my job. So Hawaii isn't the hell I have made it out to be. I like to exaggerate."
"You think?"
Danny reached over and pushed his friend away causing Steve to smile .
"And I have a smartass crazy son of a bitch partner that keeps me from getting bored."
Steve laughed. "Well that has to be the highlight of living here."
Danny shrugged and gave his partner a half smile.
"It makes ordinary nights like this easier to get through."
Steve picked up his beer and held it up to Danny.
"To tonight,"
Danny picked up his own beer and clinked it with Steve's.
"Tonight"