When Steve Mcgarrett first met Danny Williams, there was no love at first sight. There were no sparks flying, no deep looks into each other's eyes, no romantic attraction, none of that pulse racing, breath taking, dizzying excitement crap you read about in cheesy romantic novels. No thunderbolts; Colpo di fulmine as the Italians call it, and who knows better about love and romance than the Italians, so definitely no love at first sight.
In fact he's pretty sure what they had was hate at first sight. Steve found the detective irritating and disrespectful, he was used to people falling at his feet, obeying his orders without question or a second's thought simply because his rank and position demanded it.
But not Williams, no he questioned, mocked and ranted. He absolutely refused to do what he was told and he had no problem telling Steve exactly how little he thought of him and his military training, using many words and even more hand gestures.
So naturally Steve did what anyone in his position would do. He called the governor and the forced detective to become his new partner. He told himself that he needed Williams, his father suspected corruption in the HPD, Williams was new here he didn't have time to form allegiances with anyone. He just needed him to do his job and help him catch his father's killer. He didn't need to like him; he was simply an instrument to help him achieve his goal nothing more.
But what started out with a stand off, a punch to the face and a means to an end soon evolved into a strong partnership, mutual respect and admiration which soon developed into the closest friendship Steve has ever had in his life. He found himself wanting to spend more and more time with the detective outside of work, invited him over whenever he could for a beer, a steak and an offer to watch the game. He always found a way to get involved in Danny and Grace's plans whom he had grown to love as if she were his own daughter.
At first he was worried that he was intruding on Danny's limited time with his daughter. The one time Danny brought it up jokingly, Steve blushed with embarrassment and humiliation. Shaking his head he blurted out a stammered apology. Before he can promise to keep his distance though, Danny's standing up and yelling at him his hands waving around manically.
"Shut up. Just shut up you military brained idiot."
Steve opens his mouth to protest but Danny's having none of it.
"Didn't I just ask you to respectfully shut up?" Danny asks raising an eyebrow and pointing his index at Steve.
"Actually, I'm not sure you can respectfully ask some one to shut up, in fact I think you just called me a….." He snaps his mouth shut when he sees Danny glaring at him.
"I'm only going to say this once so you better listen well, okay? I don't spend time with you out of pity or because I feel like I have to or something. My daughter adores you and I like to spend time with you, if I didn't want you there I would let you know so stop apologizing and just stop being an idiot Mcgarrett." Danny stares intently at Steve waiting for him to answer.
"Okay." He whispers softly. He feels himself smile so wide that it threatens to split his face.
"Okay babe, that's good, really good." Danny smiles fondly at him, squeezing the back of Steve's neck affectionately.
And that's when Steve knows, when he misses the warmth of Danny's hand on his skin, when Danny's smile makes him smile, when he looks for reasons to make Danny laugh because the sound makes his heart flutter and his stomach do backflips. That's when Steve knows that Danny's more than just his partner, more than just his friend. At first Steve used to think of Danny as his brother but now, in his more hopeful moments he thinks of more. He knows he's in love with Danny.
Of course he can't say anything about it and risk loosing the best thing that ever happened to him. Why in god's name would Danny Williams ever be interested in him? Aside from the part where Steve's pretty sure Danny doesn't like men altogether, there's the fact that Danny wears his heart on his sleeve, he cares, sometimes too much, he's loving, he's an amazing father and he's just wonderful. Danny Williams is simply wonderful
And Steve is just…. Steve. He's scared and bitter and he doesn't know how to be with another person not to mention that he pretty much has the emotional capacity of a hermit crab. So why would that wonderful man be interested in damage goods? Sure Danny's nice to him and he spends time with him, he likes him he's his friend and partner but he does the same with Chin and Kono and even Max and Kamekona. It's nothing special really, what he does for Steve he does for the whole team.
Except for the looks and the smiles and the casual -yet so much more- touches, the ones only he's privy too. His smile the one that lights up Danny's entire face and reveals a hundred and one different shades of blue in his eyes. The one that Steve has to look away from sometimes in fear of becoming a stupid cliché and getting completely and utterly lost in those cerulean pools. The one that only he and Grace get to see.
But still he can't and won't say anything. He'll get whatever Danny is willing to give him and that'll be enough for him. He won't ask for more. He won't risk what he certainly has to what he might possibly get. He needs Danny in his life one way or another even if it's just as a friend and partner, so Steve will just have to suck it up instead of bombarding Danny with his unwanted feelings and risk running him away.
The way they finally get together is just so… weird. That's all Steve has to say really, it was weird and so them that makes Steve's heart beat a little faster thinking about it now. There was no grand declaration of love, no great confession
They're out with the team, Max and Kamekona celebrating finally solving a case that has been running them ragged for the past week. Danny has had more than his fair share of alcohol and he's uncharacteristically loose, joking and laughing loudly. Naturally Steve's watching him like a hawk, because his partner's drunk, okay and he needs to watch his back and step in if he needs any help.
He's in the middle of watching Danny at the bar because it was his turn to buy the next round of drinks, some guy in a green shirt approaches Danny and Steve's deliberating whether to intervene or not when a touch to his arm interrupts his thoughts.
"He's fine boss, you can stand down now." Kono says playfully winking at him.
He scowls at her and turns back to watch Danny and Green shirt. Danny's moved closer now, Green shirt says something and Danny throws his head back and laughs. Steve feels his blood boil as Danny leans in closer and touches the stranger's arm. Luckily it doesn't last any longer, as Danny picks up the drinks, struggling not to drop them for a bit before he seems to find his balance and starts walking towards their table. He catches Steve staring; he winks and smiles at him a big happy delighted smile.
Steve forgets Green shirt and the music and the bar and everything else, his whole world narrows revolving around that smile. Danny hands everyone their respective drink.
"For you." He turns to Steve offering him his beer with a smile and a bow.
Steve giggles feeing like a schoolgirl whose crush just smiled at her.
"Goof." Danny mutters slumping into his chair and picking up his tequila shot.
"Steve can I ask you a favor?" Danny whispers.
"Sure Danno anything." Steve leans in thinking Danny's request was going to be whispered as well.
Danny being Danny of course does nothing Steve expects him to.
"Will you ask that guy to sleep with me?" Danny asks pointing at Green shirt, loud enough to halt all conversation on their table if Steve might add.
Steve chokes on a mouthful beer. Danny, being the good friend that he is, slaps his back, frowns and asks "You okay partner?" sounding so damn concerned.
"Am I okay?" He asks looking at Danny, then turns to their audience; a Zen looking Chin whose just regarding them calmly, an amused Kono with her martini frozen midway to her mouth which forms a perfectly shaped 'O', an unfazed Max happily munching on some peanuts and a wide eyed Kamekona.
"He's asking me if I'm okay." He laughs nervously.
Chin raises an eyebrow, Kono nods her head, Max remains unfazed and Kamekona just keeps staring.
"So will you do it?" Danny asks like it's the most natural thing in the world.
"Oh I'm sorry you were being serious? You want me to go ask a complete stranger if he'll screw you?" Steve asks him incredulous.
"I'm horny and drunk and I haven't had sex in forever okay. I'm desperate and you're my friend so I just need you to walk up to that fine specimen over there and ask him if he'll take me home because if I do it and he says no it'll be humiliating." Danny explains like he's trying to get a five year old to understand why two and two make four.
"What's the big deal anyway?"
Steve just stares speechless. Number one, there's no way in hell he's going to ask anybody to take the man he loves to bed. Number two, even if he wasn't completely in love with Danny that's just not something you do. Number three, holly hell Danny Williams' interested in men.
"Okay you clearly won't do this for me, so will anyone else?" He looks around the table but everyone just seemed to stare.
"I'll do it." Max finally speaks up.
"WHAT?!" Everyone yells in stereo drawing a few glances to their table.
"The detective is clearly sexually frustrated, as a young healthy adult male he needs to engage in sexual intercourse at least once a week. I'm more than willing to help a friend in need." Max says in his robotic inflection, making to get up and talk to Green shirt.
Steve had never wanted to bash someone's head in as much as he does now.
"Thank you buddy. See Steven that's what a …."
"Sit down Max." He growls interrupting Danny.
"Danno's clearly drunk and doesn't what he's talking so I'm going to take him home so he can sleep it off." Steve says artificially pleasant with a fake smile plastered on his face.
"Drunk? What the hell are you talking about? Drunk he says. I'm from Jersey and I'm part Irish. It takes a hell of a lot more than just some tequila to screw with that mojo." He gestures to himself proudly.
"You right, it takes a lot of tequila which is what you had."
He waves goodbye to the rest of the team and herds a very loud protesting Danny towards the exit.
"Okay, Danno you can have the couch, I'll get you something to sleep in and uh I'll see you the morning." He turns to do just that when a hand on his wrist stops him.
He looks at Danny whose staring at him with unnaturally bright eyes, like Steve's a puzzle he's trying very hard to put together but just can't seem to be able to.
Danny pats the spot next to him on the couch indicating that Steve should sit down.
"Steve, why'd you get so upset when I said I was going to sleep with that guy?" Danny asks quietly.
"I didn't get upset, and didn't say you were going to sleep with him, you asked me to ask him to sleep with you."
"Are you a…. do you uh have a problem with…. Do you have a problem with me sleeping with men?" Danny continues as if Steve has never spoken his voice raspy, barely above a whisper.
"No! Jesus Danny." He exclaimed pulling away from Danny.
"I don't have a problem with…. I'm not a homophobe. Do you really think so little of me? Just get some sleep okay. I'll see you in the morning." He gets up wanting to put some distance between him and Danny, hurt by what his friend and partner implied. He thought Danny knew him better than that.
"You know what Danny, I do have a problem with you sleeping with other men." He says turning sharply on his heel to face Danny again.
He raises a hand to indicate that he wasn't finished when the blond opens his mouth to speak.
"And not for the reasons you think. I have a problem with you sleeping with other men and women. I have a problem with you sleeping with anyone else that isn't me. I was happy setting you up with women and encouraging you to ask Gabby out when I thought you weren't… you know. I just wanted you to be happy. But now, now maybe you and I can…. maybe I…. we…" He trails off uncertainly unable to finish.
'Ball's in your court now Danno' he thinks to himself as Danny stares at him seemingly trying to arrange his thoughts or maybe find a way to let down Steve as gently as possibly.
If he hears a 'you're a great guy Steve but I only see us as friends and you'll find someone eventually' or a –it's-not-you-it's-me-speech he may hit something or scream. Or both.
Fortunately Danny doesn't say either, instead he tugs on Steve's wrist and pats the space next to him on the couch echoing himself from earlier. Steve takes a seat and watches Danny watch him through long lashes and hooded eyes.
After what feels like a lifetime, the blond apparently has decided on his next course of action. He puts a hand on the back of Steve's neck and gently pulls his head down.
Danny brushes his lips against Steve's gently like he's afraid Steve might break. One hand tangles in the soft tufts of hair curling at the back of the SEAL's neck, the other lets go of his hand to curl around his jaw, his fingers caressing it.
Steve realizes his never been kissed like that before, never been kissed so lovingly it was always just about sex for his partners never about him.
Danny kisses him so gently and carefully, like he's precious; someone to be cherished, loved and it takes Steve by surprise.
The kiss is sweet, just a tug of dry lips against his. Danny tastes like beer and tequila and the unique taste that's Danny all rolled into one, it's everything Steve ever wanted and yes please more, too much and not enough at the same time.
He breaks the kiss and gets off the couch likes it on fire. He needs too be as far away from Danny as possible because if the blond keeps kissing him like that he's going give in and he's never going to say what he needs to say.
"I can't Danny, I can't do this, I can't be some one nightstand you use to scratch an itch." He knows that's not fair because he knows Danny would never do that to him, would never hurt him like that but still he has to say this, has to make sure Danny understands, has to make sure they're both on the same page.
"If we do this and in the morning you realize it was just some drunken mistake, I don't think I can…. You have a ton of family back home and Grace and Rachel and Chin and Kono, I only have you. I mean yes I have Chin and Kono too but I also only have you. If you wake up in the morning and change your mind or decide that this is just a one-time thing, I can't… I only have you and I can't go back to being alone." He tries to swallow back his tears, he feels vulnerable and raw, broken open for Danny and the entire world to see.
Danny gets up and takes a step towards Steve and doesn't relent when Steve takes a step backwards taking more steps towards him until he close enough he can reach out and touch him.
He cups Steve's face in both of his hands. "Babe, you are never going to be alone, you're not some scratch on my bedpost okay. I want more, I want to give you more and I'm not going to change my mind about that not tomorrow morning not ever but if it makes you feel any better I can come to bed with you just to sleep and we can talk about this again in the morning."
"When you're sure I'm not roofied into this or something." He chuckles softly
"Okay, yeah Danno I'd like that."
"Okay then, let's go." He takes Steve's hand and leads him up the stairs.
He's lulled to sleep by the sound of Danny's beating heart right under his ear. He wakes up curled in Danny's arms, he opens his eyes to Danny's blinding smile and a promise of a future shared together.