A/N: There will be grammar and spelling mistakes, so be warned. M/M slash.
Chapter 2
"Okay, what's up with you?" Danny asked suddenly.
Steve startled, looking down at his partner with surprise. "Huh?"
"You've been stuck in your head since we left the Palace. What's going on?"
Steve took a slow deep breath. "Nothing. Everything's fine."
"Which is why you have aneurism face.' Danny pointed out coolly.
"Look its nothing that can't wait until later, okay." Steve insisted, folding his arms over his chest. "We're here to collect Gracie. We'll talk about it..."
"Just tell me, Steven."
"Later, okay."
"Oh god its bad isn't it? What's going on? Is the Governor..."
"Danno!"
Steve exhaled a sigh of relief at the loud cry, turning with a bright smile to see Grace rushing towards them. - And like that, it was all forgotten. Danny dropped down into a crouch to gather his growing daughter into his arms and hugged her tight.
"Hey Monkey, welcome home."
"I'm glad to be home Danno. - Aloha Uncle Steve." she grinned, wiggling out of her father's arms to hug his partner.
"Aloha Gracie." he smile, bowing to drop the lai around her neck before scooping her up into his own hug.
"Alright, lets get you out of here and back home."
"Can we eat first? I'm starving."
"Starving?" Danny pressed with a raised disbelieving brow. "I doubt that, but sure Monkey."
Gracie grinned, her hand slipping into Danny's palm as Steve grabbed the bag from the flight attendant.
_Let's Start From A Happy Ending: Stick To Your Guns_
"He had this huge bruise on his forehead." Grace said with a look of concern and sadness. "It was really dark and it was still there when I left."
"I'm sure he's fine, Gracie." Danny smiled confidently. "You used to fall over and get bumps and bruises all the time when you were his age."
"I know but..."
"He's your kid brother." Steve murmured understandingly.
"Yeah." Gracie nodded. - She said silently for a while before smiling again. "Anyway, anything happen while I was away?"
"Steve got shot at, we arrested some bad guys, the usual." Danny remarked nonchalantly and Grace laughed, looking up at Steve.
"And Danno complained the whole time, huh?"
Steve chuckled loudly. "Yep."
"Hey! No fair teaming up." he grumbled, turning hurt eyes on his daughter. "Traitor."
"You know we love you Danno."
Steve couldn't help but smirk at his partner, their eyes meeting. "Yeah, Danno, we love you."
"Thanks." Danny hugged, unimpressed.
The little girl looked between them for a moment. "Hey, Danno, can I go get a shaved ice?" she asked.
Danny narrowed his eyes at her even as he pulling a ten out of his wallet. Grace grinned, mumbled a thank you and rushed off towards the cart.
"Okay, Steven. Now what's going on?"
Steve sighed. "Later."
"No, now." Danny insisted.
Steve inhaled slowly through is nose and leant heavily on the table, rubbing at his jaw. "Okay, but it's nothing huge and it ain't got anything to do...I mean its not going to affect..."
"Out with it Steven."
"We're being pulled into for our evaluation early."
Danny frowned. "What? Why? It's not meant to be for another couple of months."
Steve looked guiltily down at the table. "You can't freak out, okay. It's not..."
"Oh god, they've finally had enough of you blowing up the island. I told you they won't let you..."
"Its not me, Danny." Steve interrupted. "It's...us."
"Us? Hey, I try to reign you in all..."
"I mean us. The Governor knows."
A long silence stretched between them as Danny stared at Steve with wide strangely calm eyes. Steve could feel his heart hammering out the seconds until his partner's meltdown on his ribs. One. Two. Three. Four.
"He knows!" Danny yelled. "How?"
Steve inhaled slowly. "I don't know. Someone saw us apparently."
"Dammit. I know..."
"Don't. Don't. Danny this is not a big deal."
"Are you insane?" Danny snapped. "This is a huge deal, Steven. There are rules against inter office..."
"I know, but we don't follow those rules."
"Right, like we don't follow any rules." Danny scoffed angrily. "So what's with the evaluation, huh?"
"The Governor just wants to...make sure that this..." he waved between them. "Doesn't effect that." gesturing off to the side. "That's all, its no big deal."
"Stop saying that!" Danny growled, dragging his fingers through his hair. "it's clearly a big deal or you'd have told me straight out rather than me having to drag it out of you. So what else?"
"Huh? Nothing else?"
"Steve." he warned, eyes narrowing.
"Look it doesn't matter okay, because we're going to get through this evaluation and everything is going to go back to normal. It's not a..." Steve inhaled at the look Danny was giving him. "If we fail, the Governor's shipping you back to HPD." he murmured warily.
"Are you kidding me!" he shouted. "Dammit, Steven. See. See. I knew this was going to happen. I knew..."
"Don't Danny, this has nothing to do with..."
"It has everything to do with us! This is because of us! I'm going to end up back at PD with a cut in money and a house I'm barely making rent on because I couldn't just keep it in my pants!"
Steve sighed tiredly. "I'm sick of your using ever bump in the road as an excuse to not make this work!" he snapped. "For god sake Danny we've worked together for four years without a problem, and I've been in love with you every goddamn one of them. If this all goes to hell with the councillor, it won't be because we can't separate work from home!"
Danny stared at him, a look trapped somewhere between hurt and betrayed. "Fine." he said coldly. "I'm going to take Gracie home, I'll see you at work tomorrow." he said, climbing off the bench.
"Danny." Steve sighed, reaching for his partner only for the man to already be out of reach. In more ways than one. A voice whispered.
_Let's Start From A Happy Ending: Stick To Your Guns_
The rest of Steve's day went by with little to distract him from his fight with Danny. He simply locked himself away in his office doing paper work, not that much work actually got done. When he finally escape the office, having almost successfully avoided having to explain his foul mood to the rest of the team, he headed home to his now empty house and lost himself in the ocean and then a six pack.
He was woken hours later by his ringing phone. It was dark, inside and out when he opened his eyes, already reaching for his cell. "McGarrett."
There was a heavy breath on the other end before a familiar voice broke the silence. "I'm sorry, okay. I...maybe have overreacted."
Steve cleared his throat and sat up on the couch, rubbing at the crook in his neck. "Maybe a little." he grumbled.
"You're right, we've worked with this thing over us for years and it's never been a problem before. - So it really shouldn't be a problem now."
"Exactly. - Danny." he sighed. "I won't let the Governor send you back to PD, okay? We'll work something out."
"HPD isn't really that bad." Danny said quietly.
Steve closed his eyes and let his head fall back against the couch cushions.
"I'll probably get a partner who's sane."
"But not as good looking." Steve murmured, smirking into the dark.
"I don't know." Danny scoffed. "There are a lot of fine young men on this island."
"Oh really?"
"I'm just saying, I wouldn't be so cocky if I were you."
Steve laughed. "I thought you liked my..."
"Don't even go there, McGarrett."
Steve laughed, a real laugh, and it felt good. He felt great. "I mean it Danny, we can do this."
"I know, babe." he nodded.
"How's Gracie?" Steve asked in a change of subject.
"Asleep, you know the flight always tires her out."
"So you're alone?"
"Regretfully."
"I could always come over." Steve offered, sitting forward, his breath caught in his chest.
"Steve..."
"I'll be gone before Grace is even awake."
There was a long silence and Steve knew Danny was seriously considering it. He was reaching for his boot when his partner finally answered him. "I can't Steve. Especially not now."
Steve dropped his boot with a loud thump and fell back with a sigh. "Yeah."
"I'm sorry babe."
"It's fine." Steve insisted, though even he knew he didn't sound fine with the situation.
There was another long silence. "I'm sure you can survive a few days without any nookie?"
Steve smirked at the empty room. "Nookie?"
"Don't. Its what my gran used to call it, okay?"
Steve laughed, grinning. "Yeah, a can go a couple of days without nookie." He snorted. "Not sure I'll be able to sleep without your damn complaining about the ocean though. How you've been on the island for four years and still hate the sound of the ocean is beyond me."
"I don't hate the sound of the ocean, I hate that its right outside your goddamn window."
Steve snorted. "It's an island Danno, its outside everyone's window."
"Do not start with me Steven. I'm stressed and horny."
"Looks like I'm not the one unable to go without nookie."
"Asshole." Danny grunted.
"You sure you don't want me to come over?"
"Stop trying to tempt me. No."
Steve grinned wildly. "Tempt you? - I understand, I do. You don't want me to come over." He murmured in a low seductive voice. "You don't want me to drop you my knees before you've even got the door closed, dragging those smart grey pants you were wearing today, the ones that make your ass look like a Atlanta peach begging for my teeth." Danny let out a broken moan and Steve's breath caught on the sound. He couldn't resist cupping his dick and massaging. "You don't want me to drag the tip of my tongue up your thick swollen cock, tasting you."
"Steve..."
"Ah, I love it when you groan like that, D." Steve gasped, squeezing at his own cock. "Its the best sound in the world." He listened to the movement on the other end of the line, Danny clearly moving from one room to another. His bedroom at a guess. "Danno, moan for me."
"Dammit Steven." Danny groaned loudly.
Steve grinned to himself, slouching lower on the couch while dragging down the zipper and slipping his hand in. "You still wearing those pants?"
"No." Danny panted.
"Good." He dragged his tongue between his lips.
"What about you?"
"Give me a sec." Steve replied, even as he struggled out of his cargo pants, kicking them away. "Okay."
"So you were saying."
"Was I?"
"Steve." Danny breathed.
Steve smirked. "Right, where was I?"
"On your knees."
"Oh, yes how you don't want me there with your cock in my mouth." he hummed like he was tasting the most delicious thing he'd ever imagined having in his mouth. "Shame, cause I love sucking you off, D. So much."
Danny made a choking noise. "I love that too, with all that SEAL training of yours coming in very useful."
Steve laughed, his hand moving in firm strokes. "With my stamina, I could fuck for hours."
"Is that an invitation or a challenge?"
"Both." Steve breathed, his heart beginning to race.
"We'll have to see about that." Danny huffed. "Though right now, I wish I could fuck you." he whispered, scared to be caught talking dirty by Grace.
"Well, you only have yourself to blame for that. I could be there right now if you'd let me. Laid out on your bed, legs pulled up to my chest..."
"I don' think so. Knees."
"Hmmm, knees? I'm beginning to think you like me on my knees for you D. - Has it got anything to do with your Napoleon complex." he laughed.
"Watch it, Steven, unless you never want to taste my cock again." he growled.
"Oh, Danny." Steve cooed with a laugh. "You don't mean that, I can hear it in your voice."
Danny huffed. "Fine, but only because I'd be depriving myself. - Now, as you were saying...you're on your knees..."
"Hm?"
"And I'm...?"
"I don't know, D, you're...?" Steve closed his eyes and waited for Danny's to continue.
"...kneeling behind you, my hands on your hips. My cock still wet from your mouth as I tease you with the tip."
"Ah." Steve breathed, his head pressing hard into the couch cushions as he thrust up into his hand, his ass tightening from the thought of Danny's dick prodding for entry.
"I'm slowly circling it around your hole, spreading your salvia and my pre-cum all over your tight little asshole..."
"Nah, I'm not all that tight." Steve panted. "I'd make myself all lose and ready for you before I'd come over."
"Oh really?"
"Hmm."
"Well then, no need to play around hey? I should probably just shove my cock straight in, huh? All the way. Hard." he panted. "Rough."
"Yes, Danny."
"Then pull out all the way, then back in again. Harder."
"Harder."
"Rougher."
"Fuck." Steve gasped, his hand moving quicker with every word Danny breathed down the line. His balls tightening. "God Danny, I want to be there right now."
Danny didn't reply straight away, breathing heavily. When he did it was just a broken muffled cry of Steve's name, which pulled Steve straight off that cliff edge after his partner, his whole body trembling as thick trails of cum painted his abs and chest. When he finally caught his breath and his senses, he could hear Danny moving around on the other end of the line.
"Danno?" he called but it was a few minutes before his partner's voice filled his ear.
"Hey babe."
"Well, it was fun, not quite as satisfying as actually having you fuck me into your mattress but..."
"I know." Danny sighed, that tired resigned sound returning to his tone. "But I..."
"I know." Steve quickly reassured. "I know, Danno and its fine."
"It won't be for long, Steve, I swear." he sounded so confident of that. "After we've sorted out this mess with the Governor, I'll talk to Gracie. Try to explain and...then..."
"We can start having sleepovers?" he smiled warmly.
"Yeah."
"Alright Danno. - I guess we should get some sleep then, huh? I'd hate for our late night phone sex to interfere with our work."
"Late night? It's 11:30pm." Danny scoffed. "We've worked later than this."
"True." he yawned.
"Alright, babe." Danny replied with a muffled yawn of his own. "I'll see you tomorrow. Love you, babe."
"Love you too Danno. Night."
Steve hung up his phone and just sat there, naked with cum drying on his skin. He wanted to believe Danny's promise, even though his partner believed it, but he wasn't going to get his hopes up until he was actually laying in Danny's bed with Gracie across the hall. When that happened, then he'd know Danny was ready to move forward and finally be happy.
