AN: Here it is ... The aftermath of that kiss. Please let me know what you think.
Enjoy reading
Steve froze, while a new and unknown feeling flooded his heart and mind. Danny brought his face slowly and joined his forehead with Steve's, who was breathing hard. They stayed there for a few seconds until, slowly... with an inevitable movement, their lips joined in a soft kiss.
Steve felt his heart skip, as he enjoyed the incredible softness of Danny's lips. The kiss was gentle and ethereal. Instinctively, he raised his right hand and placed it gently on the back of Danny's neck. His thumb stroked the neck and chin, his lips still floating... barely brushing Danny's closed mouth. All the sounds around him went out ... He couldn't hear the ocean... or the permanent hum of the fridge in the kitchen... or Eddie's movements in the top floor... Only the rumble of their hearts unexpectedly synchronized... He could swear that time had stopped.
They both gasped... as they moved a couple of inches away, their foreheads remained joined and the tips of their noses barely touched one another... Steve's hand kept stroking Danny's neck gently... they both remained with their eyes closed for a few seconds, while Steve whispered... "Oh God! What was that?" If they had not been so close to each other, he wouldn't have heard Danny's murmured answer when he said, "I think ... that ... that was ... the most perfect first kiss in the history of first kisses ..." Steve smiled and took a deep breath to flood his lungs and his heart with Danny's scent and presence.
Danny's hands slid down Steve's arms up and down, a couple of times. "Listen ..." he muttered again, "I'm really enjoying this, but ... I need to get up ... my knee!"
Steve's hand held Danny's elbow firmly to help him up. He stood up immediately after, in front of him and wrapped his arms around his partner's waist. Danny hugged him back tightly... He was afraid that if he let go Steve, he would dissolve into the air and disappear. "This can be too much complicated ..." Danny said in a low voice to Steve's ear who didn't say anything... he simply hid his face in his partner's shoulder, rubbing his back and finally, he took another deep breath, inhaling ... drinking ... listening and feeling Danny. A long and eternal minute later, they moved away slowly ... their eyes opened and connected.
The magic vanished a second later, when Danny made superhuman efforts to suppress a yawn. Steve smiled again and said ... "You and I need to get some sleep, Danno." He took his partner's hand and went towards the stairs, followed by Danny, who walked with hesitant steps.
The third step creaked as usual, while both climbed the stairs and entered the bedroom. The light of a small lamp on the bedside table dimly lit the room... Danny couldn't keep his eyes from focusing on the perfectly neat bed. Steve released his hand and went to the dressing table, opening one of the drawers and pulling out a pair of shorts. He put them in Danny's hands, turned around and went into the bathroom, leaving his partner standing in the middle of the room.
After brushing his teeth, Steve took a new toothbrush and put it on the sink. When he left the bathroom, he noticed that Danny was still exactly where he had left him. He stood in front of him and, placing his index finger on his partner's chin, forced him to look up... "I know you're scared, Danno... I get it... God! I'm terrified myself! I had never done anything like this before, and I have no idea how to move on from here... But we don't have to solve everything tonight, Danny... I know we need to talk ... a lot, about what we feel and what we want to do from now on... But not at this moment, Danny." He paused briefly and spoke again, "For now, we just need to sleep, buddy," Steve said as he realized the doubt in Danny's movements. "Small steps, Danno... one step at a time, okay?" Danny nodded, smiling.
Steve sat on the edge of the bed and pointed to the shorts that Danny was still squeezing between his hands... in a soft and gentle voice, he said pointing to the bathroom. "Sleeping with jeans is quite uncomfortable, Danno. There's a new toothbrush for you, okay? " A couple of seconds after, he said in a low voice, "Listen Danny, you don't have to do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable, you understand?... I'd like if you sleep here... with me, but if you don't want, I understand." Finally, Danny turned around and went into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. He sat on the closed lid of the toilet and sighed... Despite knowing Steve for almost ten years Everything felt so new! And best of all... From now on, Danny won't be afraid anymore! Some said that people can't change... and no person could make another change. But here... at this moment, Danny had the feeling that Steve sure could change him.
As he opened the zipper of his jeans, the kiss repeated in a loop in his mind. It had been perfect... slow and gentle... Kissing Steve had been like plunging into the ocean and getting lost in the warm, pleasant water. He put on his shorts and realized that while he remembered the kiss, other parts of his anatomy became interested.
He rejected the idea... His brain was wrapped in cotton and it was hard for him to keep his eyes open. For a moment, he hesitated to take off his shirt but decided to leave it. As a robot, he brushed his teeth and felt a strange pang of affection, when he finished and put the toothbrush in the glass, next to Steve's.
When he came out of the bathroom, he smiled when he saw Steve... The man was half lying on the bed, with his back reclined on the pillows that were piling on the headboard. Steve was deeply asleep... his hands, with their fingers interlaced, rested on his abdomen, which rose and fell to the rhythm of his breathing. It had been a long time since Danny had seen the peaceful expression, that was transforming that perfect face. The tension had disappeared, and a slight smile lit up his face to make him look younger. Danny stood there, for a minute or two watching Steve sleep. Then he walked slowly to the other side of the bed and laid down... He turned off the lamp and turned to look at Steve... the rhythm of his partner's breathing slowly lulled him to sleep.
When he opened his eyes, light flooded the room... Slowly he turned around and looked at the other side of the bed... it was empty. The door was open and the aroma of fresh coffee called him. He quickly got up, took his jeans and went to the bathroom...
When he came out, he was wearing only jeans... After hesitating for a second, he went to the closet, looked for a clean t-shirt and put it on. Then, he went down the stairs and entered the kitchen.
Steve was standing in front of the sink. He wore his usual cargo pants and an olive-green polo shirt. Seeing that his hair was damp, Danny smiled. He was positive that, despite the short sleep, his partner had already gone swimming and had taken a shower. He looked happy, as Danny had not seen him in months.
Steve was rinsing some dishes... When he closed the tap and took the towel, he shuddered when he felt two arms around him. Danny was behind him... hugging him! "Morning, Danno," he said softly.
"Good morning! ..." Danny replied, "I took a t-shirt from your closet ... I hope you don't mind. Mine is not in very good conditions."
Steve turned around... seeing Danny wearing his clothes caused a strange jump in his stomach. "I don't mind... in fact ... I like it. You look good". He answered, as he leaned over and pressed a slow, soft kiss on Danny's lips.
Danny slightly separated his lips and felt that Steve did the same... both intensified the kiss, but a few seconds later, they moved away. "I made coffee..." Steve said, trying not to let his voice betray the emotions that were accumulating.
"Perfect ..." Danny answered. While taking a cup from the shelf, Steve began to mix a spoonful of butter in his, already filled with a strong and steaming coffee. They drank their coffee in silence, unable to take their eyes off each other.
Suddenly, Danny's face tensed, as he remembered. "Listen ..." he said, "I have to see Rachel this morning." Steve's expression changed quickly, and his eyes darkened… he focused them on the cup he held in his hands, to avoid looking at those blue eyes.
"Steve ... look at me," Danny said, placing the half-empty cup on the table. When his partner looked up, Danny said, "If we're going to do this... because, we're doing this, right?", Danny's hands pointed to the small space between them. Steve's face lit up with a smile and he nodded. "Excelent..." Danny said, "Then, first I have to fix some issues with her..." Steve saw that anger was suddenly returning to Danny's eyes.
Steve sighed, "I understand... just do me a favor, will you? I know what she did was wrong, but please don't fight with her."
Danny frowned and said, "I don't understand... are you... are you defending her?"
Steve put his empty cup on the table next to Danny's. "No... Danno, listen to me. God knows that Rachel is not my favorite person... but you and I know what she is capable of and ... I don't want you to have problems because of me ..."
"Because of you?" Danny rolled his eyes and said with a half smile, "There are a lot of things in my life that are your fault, Steve. This is not one of them..." He took Steve's hand in his and said, "She lied to me... again, you understand? He tried to use you for her purposes... I'm sick of her lies! Now I wonder if she has ever told the truth just once, in her entire life ... or if she even knows what it is."
"Danny ... please, listen to me, will you? Rachel is cruel and vindictive ... you know her. I'm just saying… the last thing you need right now is another legal custody battle."
Danny's face hardened. "I know, Steve ... I know she's capable of starting a war for Charlie's custody... and she would do it only to hurt me... for revenge. But don't forget that she's not in the same position as she was the last time." Danny looked at the implicit question, when Steve raised his eyebrows.
"Money, Steve... The last time she had money and Stan's lawyers to make my life difficult for Grace's custody... Now Stan's gone with all his precious money. Maybe, Rachel is evil, but she's not stupid. I hope that, now that she's working and doesn't have all the free time she had at that time, she understands that it's better for her to have me as an ally than as an enemy. If she engages in a legal dispute and reduces my time with Charlie, she would have to take care of everything... and she just can't do that. "
At that moment, Danny's phone vibrated with a text message. He took it out of his jeans pocket and ran his index finger across the screen to read it. "It's Rachel ..." he said, "Listen... I need a favor." Danny stopped looking at the screen and looked back at Steve, who answered, "Whatever you need..."
"Rachel and I agreed that we'd meet for breakfast this morning... The idea was the four of us have breakfast together, but ..." He paused, trying to figure out how to solve this. "But the conversation I need to have with her is likely to go south pretty soon... and I don't want Grace and Charlie to be there to see that."
"Okay. What do you need?"
"Could you take Grace and Charlie to have breakfast, while I solve this? And..." he said hesitantly.
"And?" Steve asked.
"I promised Charlie I'd take them to see the dolphins... Would you take them?"
"Sure!..." Steve's face was divided by a broad smile. He loved to spend time with Grace and Charlie. "Okay, Let's do that ... and when you're done what you have to do, send me a text. Okay?"
They both left the house and walked to the cars. Danny got into the Camaro and started the engine, the car roared and left quickly for the road. When he saw the rearview mirror, he noticed that the Silverado was following him a short distance away. Twenty minutes later, they both parked in front of Rachel's house.
As Steve got out of his truck, he saw the door was opening and Charlie, smiling and excited, got out of the house, running, "Danno! Shall we go to see the dolphins?"
Danny received him with open arms and lifted him up, nodding toward Steve, who looked at them with amused expression. In a cheerful voice, Danny answered, "Uncle Steve will take you to see them, buddy." Danny left Charlie on the floor, when the boy shouted, "Uncle Steve!" And ran to hug him.
Steve said "Hey... Mini D, how are you?" he picked Charlie up and placed him on his shoulders.
Danny looked towards the house. Rachel was standing in the doorway, a puzzled expression on her face.
Danny walked to her and said, "Good morning!" She came over to kiss him on the cheek, but Danny turned suddenly to see Grace coming out of the house at that moment. The girl was wearing jeans and a t-shirt, and her hair was tied in a ponytail. "Good morning, Monkey!" Danny greeted her. Grace came over and gave him a loud kiss on the cheek, "Good morning, Danno. You're late and I'm starving."
"Yes ..." Danny said, after clearing his throat, "About that ... there's a small change of plans. Uncle Steve will take you and Charlie to breakfast. How about that?"
Confuse, Rachel asked, "Why that change of plans, Danny?"
"You see..." Danny replied in a neutral tone, "There are some things I should talk to you... alone." Rachel smiled and Danny could see that she had misinterpreted his words, but he didn't care. He focused for a moment on Grace's gaze... the girl had narrowed her eyes and looked at him with an expression of complicity, then, she smiled and said, "It's fine with me... So, have a good time, guys. See you later." Waving her hand, Grace walked to the Silverado where Steve was leaning on the trunk, tickling Charlie.
Steve put Charlie on the floor and hugged Grace lovingly, "Good morning, Gracie."
She hugged him a little harder than usual and kissed him on the cheek. "Good morning, Uncle Steve... Can we go now?" Grace walked around the truck and climbed into the passenger seat, while Steve placed Charlie in the back seat and fastened the seatbelt. Then, he climbed into the driver's seat and closed the door. Before starting the engine, he asked. "Okay. Where do you want to go?"
Grace and Charlie answered in unison, "Liliha!" Steve smiled and the truck left for Ala Moana Avenue.
"So ..." Rachel had adopted that suggestive posture, which was so prevalent in recent weeks. He made a sign to Danny to enter the house and followed him, closing the door behind them. "What do you have in mind?" She asked, placing her hand on Danny's arm. He walked away quickly.
She frowned and asked, "What's wrong, Danny?"
Danny walked into the living room and asked, "Can I sit down?"
"Of course," She answered and sat in front of him.
"Listen, Rachel... I know I gave you contradictory signals in the last days and I'm sorry... but last night I was thinking... a lot. You have no idea how useful the last night was to clear my mind... This is not working, Rachel."
Danny saw that she was moving uncomfortably.
"What are you talking about? What's not working?" She asked.
Danny made a circle with his hands in the space between them, "This ... us ... It's not working".
She felt her mouth dry, "Why, Danny? I thought ... I thought we agreed that it would be best for the kids. "
Danny shook his head, "I'm not so sure about that anymore, Rachel ... I don't think it's best for them to see and hear their mother twist the truth whenever she has a chance."
Rachel got up, raising her voice. "You want to tell me what the hell are you talking about? Which truth?"
Danny got up and confronted her, remembering Steve's words ... don't fight with her. "I'll tell you ... but first I want to make it clear that I want to talk, not shout... if you are willing to do that, we can go on, but if you're not..." She nodded as she said, "All right! Do you want to tell me now why did you say that? What truth do you mean?"
He couldn't stop the sarcasm from flooding his words, "Oh! let's see ... Which of the times when you've twisted the truth at your convenience, do you want me to talk about? I'll tell you something, let's just focus on the last one, okay?" Danny walked a few steps and took a deep breath, "I know you talked to Steve yesterday, before I got to the office and I know what that conversation was about."
She looked at him with disdain, "So he told you... I should have known that he wouldn't be able to keep his mouth shut."
He drew a bitter smile, "¡Oh, come on, Rachel! Don't blame him for that... I asked him."
She looked at him, incredulous, "Really?"
"Yes ... and please, don't deviate... You lied to me, Rachel... again. By now, I should be used to it, don't you think?" Danny paused, trying to control the anger building in his chest. "You told me something had come up at work and you made me go pick up Charlie, just to have the opportunity to get me out of the office and harass Steve ..." He breathed a couple of times and kept talking, "You told him we were getting married, Rachel! Why would you do that?"
"Yes, I did. But I did it for you. " She said in a trembling voice.
The sarcasm was accentuated, "Oh, you did it for me!"
She hastened to explain, "Listen Danny... I thought we were on the same page here, and that this... this decision to raise Charlie together, would finally end in marriage... I just thought you were afraid."
"And what was I supposed to be afraid of, Rachel?"
"Afraid of tell him, of course. He hates me... he always has. And I thought you wouldn't want to tell him because you knew he wouldn't agree... I'm sorry, Danny." She took a couple of steps, trying to get closer to him, but Danny made a gesture with his hand, "Stop... First, I've never needed permission from Steve, or anyone, to make my own decisions... Second. I don't believe a word of what you're saying, Rachel. So why don't you take off your mask and tell me what your real reasons were? "
She went down... she decided that, if she wanted to have the faintest chance of getting Danny back, she should tell him the truth. "I was scared... okay?"
He didn't say anything, so she kept talking, "I felt that you were getting farther and farther away from me and I didn't want to let you go... That's why I went to see him. I thought that if he could help me convince you that we and our family can be happy again... then you... you would... You would come to me... You always listen to him... Don't you understand? I love you!"
Danny moved the hand that was in front of him, "No, you don't. I told you before that I don't need anyone's permission or advice. This decision should be made by me and only me... freely. I didn't need you to push me." The voice now exuded sadness. "Rachel ... you don't think, you conspire ...plot... you manipulate people, mainly me, to do what you want... That's not love."
Danny looked again at Rachel's face that was now soaked with tears. The makeup had been ruined and turned her beautiful face into a stained mask... Unable to avoid it, Danny thought that mask was more like Rachel's inner face... that face that she tried desperately to hide with makeup and good manners.
"Listen ... Rachel. That's why this wouldn't work... There are too many wounds between us... A lot of pain and a lot of lies… and I can't do this anymore ... I can't live in a world of lies. I would never have the certainty that you're telling the truth, because I think I've never heard you telling it... Last night I realized that we can't erase the past. It's best to try to be friends and be nice to each other, for the sake of Grace and Charlie. "
Danny collapsed on the couch and watched her as she sat down again. She asked, "What makes you think that's what I want?"
"Rachel... I don't care what you want... As far as I'm concerned, I don't care anymore. I think you should look for someone you can have a fresh start with... someone with no previous record... I can't give you that and you can't give it to me either. "
She looked at him strangely, as if she wanted to penetrate his mind, then she suddenly asked, "But now there's someone who could give you that fresh start, isn't it? That's why you're ending this before it really starts."
Danny shook his head, "If you must know... I think so. There's someone... Nothing's happened yet, but I think that someone can give me that... that new beginning... and I think I deserve it, Rachel. It's about time..." He tried to take Rachel's hand, but she pulled it away. Danny kept speaking, "And you deserve it too... Go out, meet people... and find someone to make you happy, Rachel. Because that someone is not me... not anymore. "
"What about the kids?" Rachel made one last attempt, "They were happy for us."
He sighed impatiently, "One more time, you're wrong... Grace herself told me that this was a terrible idea... that you and me trying to be together again was a huge mistake."
"And Charlie? You saw him Danny. He's happier when he has us both."
"And he'll keep having both of us ..." Danny replied, "Oh come on, Rachel! Do you really think Charlie cares if you and I live in the same house? ... He has lived his whole life like this ... It's normal for him to have two bedrooms in two different houses. Whenever he can see both of us and spend some time with both of us, he'll be happy... as he has been until now."
A long, uncomfortable silence fell in the room, broken only by Rachel's uncontrollable sobs. Danny couldn't help thinking that those sobs would have broken his heart a few years ago, but now he was immune to them.
Finally, she asked, "Who is she, Danny?"
He took a deep breath and answered, "As I told you, nothing has happened yet ... And I won't talk about this to anyone, until we have resolved things and decided what we want to do ... only us."
Danny got up and said, as he walked towards the door. "I'll take the kids to the Kahala to see the dolphins if that's okay with you... I'll bring them back this afternoon, okay?"
She tried to stop him, holding him by the arm, "Danny!" She said, almost pleading.
He gently took her hand off and said, "I'm sorry, Rachel. But this is all I have... Let's be friends, can we? If it's not for us, let's do it for the kids. I really wouldn't like to see us engaged in a new fight... with lawyers or something like that."
She nodded silently... finally, she said, "Okay..." She opened the door and he left.
She closed the door... With the back of her hand, she brusquely wiped away the tears, wondering who would be… the mysterious woman who had stolen Danny's heart from her. It would be hard to find out, but she was willing to try. A part of her knew she had lost... but she wouldn't give up ... Not without a fight.
She took her cell phone and tapped the speed dial of the only person who could help her now that Stan was gone... The only person with the money and the necessary contacts. She didn't care about the time ... She needed to talk, to vent.
At the third tone, she heard a female voice, "Hello?"
Rachel let out a small sob, "Mom?"
Amanda answered, in a worried voice, "Rachel? What's going on?"
"Danny ended up with me, mom ..." the sobs turned into a torn cry. "He just left... he told me it's better that way and that it's better for us to be just friends."
In two minutes, Rachel told her mother about the whole conversation with Danny. Amanda listened in silence. When she was over, Rachel inhaled sharply and said, "Help me, Mom... What can I do?"
The line went silent for a moment, then, Rachel couldn't help but be surprised when she heard her mother saying, "He's right, Rachel."
"What are you saying?" Rachel yelled, "What are you talking about? You told me you've talked to Danny and he promised you he'd do the right thing! Rachel couldn't believe her last ally was turning her back on her.
Amanda replied, "He told me he would do the right thing for you and that's exactly what he's doing ..." She paused for his daughter to stop crying, "Listen, Rachel. Danny is doing the right thing by telling you what you need to hear... Nobody did that for me... nobody ever told me what I needed to hear... That you can't expect him to keep running to meet you every time you snap your fingers... Let's be honest for once, can we? Danny also has the right to be happy... and he won't get it while both are stuck in failed attempts and second chances."
"And what about me, mom? I have no right to be happy?" Rachel asked, desperate.
"Of course! But not with him... You lost that right when you left him for Stan... just as I lost the right to be happy with your father many years ago."
Rachel cried inconsolably and Amanda said, "Maybe a trip would be good for you and allow you to analyze things with a new perspective. Why don't you leave Charlie with Danny and come and spend a few days in England?"
Breakfast at Liliha Bakery was fun. Charlie had ordered Waffles and dipped them in maple and coconut syrup. Grace had resigned for once to keep the line and had ordered the Ultimate Berries & Nuts Waffle... she enjoyed it as a little girl, in front of the amused look of Steve, who took small sips of his coffee and looked at his watch continuously...
When Charlie was finished eating and his sister began to clean up the sticky mess the boy's little face had become, Steve's phone vibrated with a text message.
"Leaving Rachel's... where are you?" Steve smiled and his thumbs flew across the screen. "Liliha in Ala Moana"
"I'll meet you there".
Steve couldn't prevent a huge smile from appearing on his face. Charlie was playing with his sister's phone, so Grace seized the moment and approached Steve, asking him in a low voice. "What's going on, uncle Steve?"
He frowned and asked, "What do you mean, Gracie?"
She rolled her eyes and said, "Oh, come on Uncle Steve! This sudden breakfast so Danno could talk to Mom alone... You've been nervous and looking at your watch every five minutes..." Steve smiled and thought, this girl would be a good detective! She kept talking, "And that smile ... that silly smile that has been stuck to your face all morning!"
Steve asked, funny, "Who are you and what did you do with my precious niece that just yesterday sat on my lap and played baseball?"
"Uncle Steve. Seriously, what's going on? " Grace adopted a serious tone that told Steve that he wouldn't get out of this so easily.
"Listen, Gracie... Some things have happened, but I think it's better if you talk to Danno about that."
She asked with concern reflected on her face, "Is it a bad thing?" Noticing that he shook his head, she said, "Please don't tell me that Dad's absurd idea of living with Mom has progressed and it has stopped being something more than a silly idea ..."
Steve gave a loud laugh and said, "Danno's on his way... maybe you want to talk to him about that, okay?"
Charlie's voice echoed all over the place as he shouted, "Danno!" And ran to hug his father. Steve smiled as he watched Danny pick up his son and walk to the table, where he and Grace were waiting for him.
Danny kissed Grace on the cheek and patted Steve's back affectionately. Then, he sat down next to him and took the cup of coffee, while asking, "No butter?" Steve shook his head and Danny took a sip.
"So... How was it?" Steve asked cryptically.
Danny sighed and said, "Too complicated... I'll tell you later." Then, he raised his voice and asked, "Okay ... Who wants to see the dolphins?"
The rest of the day was nice. Charlie and Grace had fun watching and swimming with the dolphins. For a moment, Steve allowed himself to imagine that Grace was still that little pigtailed girl he had met almost a decade ago.
They had lunch with Kamekona and toured the beach on bicycle. Charlie's eyes closed with fatigue, when Danny said, finally, it was time to go home and looked at Steve with a clear intention in his gaze. Grace couldn't help to notice the gesture and, to give them a few minutes, she walked away to put Charlie in the Camaro and adjust his seatbelt. Then she shouted, "See you later, Uncle Steve!" And climbed into the passenger seat, closing the door.
Steve smiled and said goodbye to the kids with a wave of his hand, "I'll see you later, Gracie!" Then, he looked at Danny who was still looking at him with the same expression. "I'll take them back to Rachel's house... can I come by your place later?"
"Of course!" Steve replied smiling. "Bring some beers!" He suppressed his desire to touch Danny, climbed into his truck's driver's seat and went home.
The thirty minutes that passed before he heard the Camaro's engine were endless. Feeling he couldn't sit still, Steve fed Eddie and Mr. Pickles, put the laundry in the washing machine and trimmed the garden lawn. He felt that he was overflowing with energy.
He entered the living room… at the same time, Danny got into the house, closing the door abruptly. He approached Steve, pushed him until his back was firmly anchored to the wall and crushed his lips against Steve's in an intense kiss...
Steve let his arms wrap around Danny's torso as they kissed, almost desperately. "Do you have any idea..." Danny asked between gasps and kisses, "Do you have any idea... how hard it was... to see you all day... have you so close and not be able to do this?"
That's it ... the next post will be the two endings... Please keep in mind that the rating of the story will change to "M" due to the content of the last chapter. So, please, adjust your search criteria.