H50H50H50
Steve couldn't help the nervous jittering and jumping of his right leg.
It was an old tell that he worked hard to control when he found himself nervous and in stressful situations.
Usually, his solution was to get up and start pacing if his environment allowed. But he was sitting in a crowded waiting room, in a row of uniform, but uncomfortable chairs, at Danny's Oncology office waiting for him to return from his latest CT scan.
It's been a few months since Danny's surgery to remove his cancer and a little over a week since his last radiation treatment, and today they would be finding out if there has been a relapse or if his baby was in remission.
Danny had given a blood sample a few days ago because it would take some time for the analysis. But his doctor will interpret the CT today, so after the test, they would have some time to kill before needing to return to Dr. Congdon's office for the results.
Steve had thought about and discarded all kinds of scenarios to fill the time and hopefully keep Danny's mind on positive thoughts, but in the end, he decided the best course of action was to be as normal as possible.
Therefore, lunch will be a low key affair with their ohana. And after? Well, later will depend on the outcome of the tests.
Steve had made plans and contingency plans for that also.
His foot continued to bounce, and a woman a few seats down shot him a dirty look over the top of her outdated magazine. So he put his hand on his knee to stop his movements and the obvious jiggling of the whole row around him and took a deep breath.
Standing, he excused himself past the people, the legs, and feet, and purses he had to navigate to get to the end of the aisle.
Walking to the corner of the room and the large bank of windows there, Steve stretched his neck from side to side, working out the knots, working out the tension.
The windows looked down on his city, so he took a few minutes to take in the busy streets and bustling sidewalks and beyond the blue and cloudy skies.
He could usually find solace in his surroundings and nature, focus his thoughts, and today it seemed to help settle his nerves as well.
A few minutes and deep breaths later, and a final reminder to himself that he was supposed to be the one to keep it together for Danny today, he was startled by strong arms wrapping him from behind and squeezing his midsection.
A substantial weight pressed between his shoulder blades, Danny's head, no doubt.
Warm breath tickled the skin on the back of his neck, sending unexpected chills through his body, and he turned to give Danny a proper hug, to kiss his product free hair, his brow, the corner of his mouth before giving in to his desire to press his lips to Danny's, not caring who may have been looking.
Still, when they finally let go of each other, no one seemed to be bothered by their public display of affection or, in fact, even looking their way.
Even if some had noticed them, Steve imagined they would have smiled at seeing pure love...
And hope.
...this place and the people forced to be here? They needed all the hope and love anyone could give, so he cupped Danny's head and tenderly kissed him again before taking his hand and leading the way to the elevator, pleased to see that when the door parted, and they stepped on, the car was empty.
After he selected the button for the lower level garage, and the doors closed, he pulled Danny tight against his body, kissed his lips again, and then rested his chin on Danny's head and hugged him in silence for the whole ride down.
They hadn't needed to say anything about today because, over the last weeks and months, they had both done more than their fair share of talking out their feelings for each other.
Plus, Steve knew Danny preferred actions over words, so he decided that he would give his lover everything and anything in his power to give, show him the love that he deserved.
And, Danny did laugh when Steve hurried ahead and opened the car door for him, tucking his free arm behind him and gesturing to the waiting seat with the other.
Danny kissed him again on his way down to the seat, and as Steve closed the door, he heard an affectionate, "goof."
Somehow the sun seemed to be shining a little brighter, or maybe he was feeling a bit better now that the testing was over, as they pulled away and into traffic, heading toward the Hilton and Kamekona's food truck.
Traffic was light, and even though tourists littered the beach and a few were having an early lunch at the blue and yellow picnic tables, Kame had pulled two together for them.
Kono and Jerry were in the process of sitting out coconut waters and napkin wrapped plastic utensils as they got out of the car and headed toward their friends.
Steve squeezed Danny's hand and asked, "you ready for this?"
They hadn't seen their friends all together since Danny had gotten the flu from his kids, almost two weeks. While they would drop off meals or bring over groceries or, in Lou and Renee's case, pick up and drop off the kids, they hadn't been in a big crowd together, and Steve was a bit worried that the enthusiasm of their ohana would be a little too much for Danny to handle.
He shouldn't have worried, as Danny nodded and then made a beeline to Kono and wrapped her in one of his famous bear hugs, nearly lifting her off her feet and then getting as good as he gave from Jerry.
Danny patted the bigger man's back a few times, and just when Steve thought he might have to step in and save him, Jerry let go, wiping at his eyes, but told them both, "glad to see you two…the office hasn't been the same without ya."
Kono chimed in, "and by that, he means a lot less fussing and bickering."
"Hey," Danny said, pointing at himself, "I'm still second in command," and then to Steve, "and he's still bossy."
They all laughed at Steve, and whatever face he may have been making, but he only asked, "I'm the bossy one?"
Danny opened his mouth like he was going to answer, but Chin's voice chimed in, "we all know that Kono is the real bossy one."
"Hey," she reached toward the new arrival and pulled her cousin in close, hugging and telling him, "and I know all your secrets."
Chin chuckled, quickly nodded, and asked, "did I say Kono was bossy? No, no, I meant Lou's the bossy one."
Lou, who had arrived with Chin, slyly smiled and nodded his head in agreement before giving Steve a pointed look.
He followed the older man over to the side of the table and accepted a quick hug, then they both went up to the window to order the team's lunch.
While they waited behind a couple of sunburnt tourists, looking miserable in their garish Hawaiian shirts, Lou asked him, "How's the day going?"
Steve glanced back to the table, where his team…his family had settled in, Danny leaning close to Chin to hear whatever the man was saying and Kono and Jer right across from them, leaning forward too, and told him, "better than expected… he's been a trooper today, and I've…"
When he hadn't finished, Lou patted him on the shoulder and told him, "that's how relationships work, man…you take turns being the strong one."
"Yeah… that's the truth."
"Well," Lou said, stepping up to the window, "you let us know when you find out and then expect us to be there for both of you, good or bad, okay?"
Before Lou could make their food order, Kamekona nearly knocked over his employee in his hast to make room at the window for himself, telling them, "I got the old standby for Jersey, but I made something special too. I'll bring it out in a few," and then he handed Steve the bill.
Before Steve could look at the total, Lou plucked it from his fingers and instead of taking out his wallet ripped the receipt to shreds and put it back into Kame's hands and told him, "what a nice thing to do for your friends, man," and then pulled Steve away by the shoulder to rejoin the growing crowd at the picnic table.
While they were gone, both Max and Duke had shown up and were both sitting and talking with Danny and Renee motioned Lou over to a seat she had saved for him at the end of the table so he would have room for his long legs.
Max moved down when Steve came closer, so he squeezed in right next to Danny.
Right where he always wanted to be anyway.
He joined in on the small talk until Flippa and Kame brought out a couple of enormous trays of fresh-caught tuna sashimi.
Renee passed out paper plates for the family-style meal, and a few of Kame's employees brought out heaping plates of garlic shrimp and rice, one near Danny and one at the other end of the table, along with some salads so that Kame and Flippa could join their ohana for lunch.
The conversation around them stayed light, and for that, Steve was grateful. He caught Danny's eye at one point when the talking had quieted down, as everyone enjoyed the food, and the look he saw on his lover's face almost brought him to tears.
They all had so much love for the man sitting so close to him and, Steve swore that no matter what may happen in the next hour or two, Danny would always feel that love from them, but mostly from him.
When the trays were nearly empty, one of Kame's shaved ice carts showed up at their table, and everyone picked their favorite flavors. But Danny had glanced at his watch and decided to pass, telling them, "sorry, it just doesn't compare to an old fashion egg custard snowball with marshmallow."
Steve also declined, knowing that they would have to excuse themselves in about five minutes.
But he didn't want to somber the joyous mood that everyone had worked so hard to create, so a few minutes later, he caught Danny's eye and nodded toward the car. Together they both stood and, the conversations hushed, and icy spoons went down to napkins.
Steve told them all, "thanks for a great lunch, guys… we'll see ya in a few."
Danny grabbed Steve's shoulder to step over the bench, still favoring his right hip, but he got his balance and waved to the group as they made their way to the car, calls of, "see ya," and "later," following them.
Steve drove because…well, that's how it goes, and in less time than it should have taken, they were back at the hospital and the adjoining medical center where Danny's Oncologist's office waited.
The staff was as proficient as always, and within minutes, they were ushered back to Dr. Congdon's office and told that she would be joining them shortly.
"Thanks," Danny said, wandering farther into the spacious room, perching into one of the chairs in front of the desk, and let out a long sigh.
Steve could feel his nervous energy, but Lou was right. You do take turns being the strong one, so he settled down next to his baby and reached for his hand, entwining their fingers on Danny's bouncing knee and blew out a steadying breath as Danny's leg gradually stilled and he sunk back into the chair just a bit, and then they waited.
They waited and hoped...
...to hear the words they both wanted to hear...
They waited to see what would be next...
And when the door did finally open, Steve squeezed Danny's hand even tighter and just kept breathing.
H50H50H50
Danny's stomach was in knots, and he was finding it hard to take in a deep breath, worrying that Steve could hear all the shallow starts and stops of his near hyperventilation.
He needed to get it together, to calm down, to take control, because he wanted to be strong, for himself, but for Steve too.
It hadn't gone unnoticed that Steve was sometimes the rock he needed, but also sometimes floundering, just like Danny, and then it was his turn to be the brave one, the soothing voice of reason.
He took Steve's offered hand, holding tight, feeling his stomach settle a bit and a sense of calm, that today they would know, one way or the other, and he found that there was an absolute peace just in the knowing.
Even when the worst-case scenario was always at the forefront of his mind, Steve reminded him that he didn't need to think about how things would end before they even started.
Steve always reminded him to live in the moments in between.
A small knock came, and his doctor stuck her head in, which Danny found a bit funny, since this wasn't their space, after all.
She slipped into the room, and since the day of his operation, he had seen his doctor a few times, but she looked more relaxed today, more approachable, softer somehow.
Her hair hung loosely around her shoulders, and she wore a flowing, flowery dress under her crisp white lab coat instead of her teal or pink scrubs, her hair pulled back in a ponytail, and he wasn't sure why, but just her appearance seemed to settle him even more.
They stood as she entered the office, and she patted him on the shoulder as she passed, telling them, "good afternoon, you two," and he hoped that was a precursor to hearing good news.
Once they were all seated, she smiled from behind her desk and opened Danny's chart, saying, "Everything looks good."
Danny let loose a breathy exhale and started to breathe normally for maybe the first time in months. Exhilaration swept through his body, tears springing to his eyes, a high pitch ringing in his ears, leaving him shakey as Steve squeezed his hand hard enough to break a bone.
But Danny didn't care, just squeezed back, reaching over to blindly pat the hand holding his so tight, glancing at Steve, who had matching tears in his eyes and a look on his face that Danny knew he alone got to see.
Danny nodded, feeling the same sense of relief, the tightly coiled muscles along his back and shoulders easing as he sank back into his chair once again.
Holding Steve's hand in a loosening grip, he gave his attention back to the doctor, who patiently waited for them to absorb the news.
She told them, "your bloodwork looks good, no markers as of now, and the newest CT is clear."
Moments later, Steve asked, "Now what?" His voice was shaking with relief, but Danny didn't think he could even voice the question that he wanted to know. What exactly did this all mean?
"Well, I'll have Danny scheduled for an appointment for a two-month follow-up. We will do another physical exam, CT, and blood work at that time and then again two months after.
As you know, if there is a relapse, it's usually within the first six months to a year."
Danny did know that, but the little squeeze to his hand reminded him not to borrow tomorrow's troubles and to live for today, and today, the news was most excellent.
The doctor continued, "If the results are all normal, we will push out the testing to every six months for the first two years and then every year after that for the next three.
At the five-year mark, we'll officially declare you are cancer-free."
"Five years?" Danny knew that piece of information too, but he didn't know if he could ever bring himself to look that far ahead.
"That seems like a long time, I know, but I want to assure you that I'm confident that we got it all." She sat back, relaxing, examining his chart. "You're a little anemic, so I want you to start to take an iron supplement, and a multivitamin won't hurt until you get your appetite back."
"I can do that." Danny nodded, determined.
"Good, well then, that's it, Danny. If you have any concerns, call. I'll see you in two months."
She stood but motioned for them to stay, understanding that even good news could be a little overwhelming. "Take your time," she told them, heading for the door.
Just like that, it was over.
Could that be right?
Would it ever really be over?
But Dany didn't want to think about that right now, not the follow-ups or what-ifs or maybes…he just wanted to be in the here and now.
Steve was on the same page, because in some ninja worthy move, he had pulled Danny up and in toward his body, wrapping him tightly in strong arms and just held him.
Steve kissed his head and nuzzled and nosed at the curve of his neck, and then they were kissing, soft at first, then increasingly more demanding, an affirmation of love and life.
More tears demanded release behind Danny's tightly closed lids, so he opened his eyes and let them go, let them mingle with the ones Steve was shedding too, and Danny found a whole new appreciation for living in the here and now.
When they finally pulled apart, Steve wiped at his eyes and told him, "I love you so damn much, you know that, right, Danno?"
More tears came, but Danny wiped at his face too as he answered, "I do, babe…I do. Me too."
Steve took up his hand and pulled him toward the office door, a little spring in his step and down the hall and to the elevator.
He held tight on the way down and out of the building.
When Danny got in the car, Steve seemed reluctant to let go even as he helped Danny get his seatbelt on, and then he leaned forward and kissed him again, finally dropping his hand to reach up and cup the back of his neck, as if Danny may try to slip away.
When they pulled apart, Steve ran around and jumped into the driver seat, starting the car, driving out into afternoon traffic but heading in the opposite direction from either of their homes.
"Where are we…" Danny couldn't finish because the little mischievous smile Steve bestowed was enough to make him shut up.
"I planned a little surprise," Steve told him as he headed downtown, and before long, Danny figured out where they were going.
The flashy pink hotel loomed closer, so Danny shot Steve a questioning look.
"I figured…" Steve shook his head, but Danny waited him out. A few seconds later, he went on, "I figured whether today was going to be a celebration or not, we could use a little time away from our thoughts and worries, so I booked the rest of the week."
Steve drove up to the Royal Hawaiian valet and said, "Just trust me, baby."
"Always, babe."
A man in a crisp white Hawaiian style shirt opened Danny's door before he could tell Steve that they hadn't even packed any clothes. Granted, the last time they had been here, those long months before, they had only the clothes on their backs and some swim trunks.
Steve came around the front of the car and tossed the valet his keys. He ushered Danny past the check-in desk and to the elevator.
"Steve, what…"
Steve wrapped his arm around Danny's shoulder, telling him, "it's all sorted, baby," and after the ride up, the doors opened to a short hall with just one door, where Steve had pulled a key card from his pocket.
The suite was enormous, opening into a large foyer, gold plated fixtures, and white marble tile, lining the hall leading into a large living area. A bank of floor to ceiling windows overlooked the balcony and the rolling waves and sandy white beaches beyond. Still, they didn't stop to admire the view. Steve pulled him along by their linked fingers down another marble-tiled hall and to the master suite.
Danny stopped in the threshold as Steve moved toward the walk-in closet, opening it to show him their hanging clothes, not only casual attire, but both their white dress shirts and suits, Danny's jet black, and Steve's a deep blue and their dress shoes.
Danny followed along, seeing a built-in dresser, no doubt holding their shorts and jeans and tees and underclothes. He imagined the bathroom had their toiletries because Steve was always well prepared and never half-assed any undercover, super-secret op.
In the bedroom, Steve grabbed two rectangular boxes from the duvet covered bed that Danny had seen before but had since forgotten.
He handed one to Danny and started to open his own.
Danny lifted the lid and saw the lush white bathrobe he had so enjoyed living in during their last stay, but these were a little different.
His robe had 'Danno' neatly embroidered in red on the left lapel, a red-stitched heart enclosing his name.
When he looked to Steve, who had put his on over his shirt and cargos, Danny couldn't help but smile at the matching heart and the word 'babe", one of Danny's many terms of endearment for the big gooey hearted tough guy standing across from him.
He said, "I'm surprised you even packed clothes when we have these."
Steve stepped closer, deftly unbuttoning Danny's shirt, telling him, "we are here for the full experience, baby.
Tonight, we have a formal dinner and then drinks with our friends…
I have booked some spa time tomorrow, a private cabana by the members-only pool.
I've planned a fly fishing excursion at the flats and a hiking trip to the glyphs, and this weekend, we have the kids, and they can swim with the dolphins and go to the water park or the beach or whatever they want to do, but now…
Now I have you all to myself…"
The dark glint of Steve's eyes had Danny nodding, not able to help the shivers as Steve pushed his shirt slowly off his shoulders, feeling the soft cotton skim down over his back before dropping to the floor.
Steve dotted kisses across his freckled collar bone, and Danny swallowed a time or two, feeling a little nervous, a bit anxious as those soft and seeking lips found his neck and then his ear and to that spot that turned Danny's legs to jelly every damn time.
Steve's warm breath met the moisture from his sloppy kisses, causing Danny to downright shake, his skin peddling in goose flesh, so Steve checked in, "Is this okay, baby?"
He managed to get out, "Oh yeah, babe…more than okay."
Steve slowly pulled back, nodding his head, his fingertips skimming down Danny's sides, coming around to work the button and zipper of his jeans, helping him step out of them, and Danny kicked them away.
Sex was something Danny had worried they may never have again, or at least not as they had before his diagnosis.
But the hardening of his cock told him otherwise, so he pushed the robe off Steve, and they both worked on buttons and undershirts and boots and pants until, finally, they stood naked at the foot of the bed.
Steve was just as beautiful as the first time Danny had seen him, his long slim cock erect and just waiting for Danny to touch, so he did.
He took Steve into his palm and wrapped his fingers around the length, feeling the warmth and weight of him.
It occurred to him that the last time they had sex before they knew about the cancer was in this very hotel.
Fear and illness had kept them from showing love in this way since a part of him was surgically removed, and Danny decided right then that no matter what, he would not let that happen again.
He had missed Steve, even though Steve was right beside him the whole way...had touched him in comfort and love, but this kind of touch was…maybe not better, but certainly different and offered its own, more profound comfort.
Steve stood still for him, maybe sensing that Danny just needed to take his time.
That Danny needed to be grounded in the here and now.
And maybe even needed to grieve the time they had lost.
Still, before long, Steve reached for Danny too, taking him by the shoulders and gently guiding him to sit on the bed.
He pressed Danny back, and then Steve crawled on top of him, blanketing him in a better kind of warmth than his granny's afghan and being held…this was more intimate, the most intimate of embraces they could offer each other.
Kisses rained down on him, and he tried to return them, but he knew that Steve needed this time to show him how he had grieved too.
The words, "I love you, baby, I love you," fell from Steve's lips in a loop, flowing and ebbing as the kisses continued, and he could feel a soft hand moving to take Danny in hand, could feel his cock filling and pulsing and wanting more…so much more.
He tried to tell Steve, tried to make a move to show him what he wanted.
But Steve abruptly sat up and reached for the side table. Ever the boy scout, he pulled out some lube and a condom, because even though Danny was clear to have sex, he still had been pumped full of radiation, and precautions had to be taken for a while yet.
Deft fingers found his opening, cool gel met hot skin, and fingers circled and gently pressed inward. He bore down as Steve had taught him, and the burning stretch subsided, and soon he only felt the pressure of two and then three fingers, moving within him, opening him up for something much more pleasurable.
Steve grabbed a pillow, and Danny briefly worried that Steve would want to roll him to his stomach.
But instead, one-handed, he showed the pillow under Danny's hips, picking up one leg and then the other to rest on his shoulder, and then Steve's fingers were gone.
Seconds later, Steve's blunt tip was at his opening, pressing steadily and firmly forward, slowly breaching him.
He watched Steve's face as Steve watched him, quaking and gasping as his relaxing muscles slowly stretched, inch by inch, around Steve's cock, and his body quivered in earnest in anticipation of what was to come.
Soon, Danny could feel the whole length of him, Steve's pelvis gently rocking, his cock rubbing and jabbing against Danny's prostate, little jolts of pleasure rushed through him, his cock still throbbing and pulsing, standing at full attention between them.
A few minutes later, Steve shifted up a bit, supporting his weight on outstretched arms on either side of Danny's shoulders, lovingly gazing into Danny's eyes, his face relaxed and mouth opening in a soft, "oh."
Then he leaned in for a few sloppy kisses.
One hand leisurely soothed over Danny's chest, stopping to tweak his nipple and then grazing over his hairy skin, lower, and lower, and Danny was aching for the touch he knew was coming.
Forever later, Steve lazily wrapped his warm and callused hand around Danny's girth, squeezing and gripping upward, his wrist flicking at Danny's tip, hips still moving at a maddeningly slow pace.
So, Danny squeezed the cock moving in him, urging his lover on, and wasn't disappointed at the squeak that fell from Steve's mouth or the tightening of the hand gripping him, sharply moving down to his root and back to his tip...over and over, up and down, again and again.
Danny's mouth fell open as his legs fell down Steve's arms, and he sucked in his bottom lip, biting down to muffle the noises bubbling up his throat.
He was already so close.
Steve knew it too, so he leaned lower over Danny's chest, abandoning his dick, but grabbed both legs and pressed them back, resting Danny's feet on his shoulders, making him bend nearly in half, lifting his ass and changing the angle of the long cock, working within him.
He took Danny's mouth in a brutal kiss, teeth clashing, biting, and Danny could barely breathe, could only grunt and groan, and before long Steve was snapping his hips, rocking Danny's body up the bed, slipping his cock in and out, faster and harder, his pace brutal and frantic.
Danny blindly reached over his head, desperate to feel every inch of Steve, trying to hold onto the bed rails, to give Steve something substantial to work against, but it was too much.
His breath hitched in his chest, and his bottom lip slipped from his teeth.
A litany of noises escaped as he broke away from the punishing kisses, gulping for oxygen, trying to tell Steve not to stop, never to stop.
His hands latched onto the pillow and then the sheets, before
settling for clutching Steve's biceps and riding wave after wave of sheer rapture.
Hot pressure built in his belly, his legs like jelly, and he bit his lip once more, but that couldn't contain the high pitch whines, his eyes squeezing shut, and he knew he was going to come, no stopping it now.
Steve panted, "Come on, baby…come on…come for me, baby."
"I ah…oh…I ahhhhhh lo lo love you soooo much Steve! Oh god, oh god…ple…please…"
Steve's voice was soft, yet hoarse from exertion, "I love you, Danny…god, I love you so much," and then his lover reached between them again, grabbing Danny's dick in a bruising grip.
But Danny was already gone, his stomach muscles tensing, white-hot pulses racing through him, erupting from his throbbing cock, his toes curling and his body jackknifing as he rode his release, coating Steve's hands, his chest in long spurts, even Steve's chin and cheek.
Still, Steve didn't let up.
Danny, sweaty and light-headed, watched with hooded eyes as Steve slowly licked dripping come from his lips.
He slammed his eyes shut. Shooting stars and exploding fireworks filled the black void of his tightly closed lids.
When he realized he was holding his breath, he drew in a ragged one, still holding on, still on the verge of passing out, Steve still deep within him, moving at breakneck speed.
Eventually, Steve went to his elbows, and Danny's legs fell to the side, abandoning speed to go deeper, his fuzzy chest brushing over Danny's with each powerful push.
It was too much and not enough.
Danny opened his eyes and grabbed his legs behind his knees, pulling them back, allowing Steve to go deeper and deeper until finally his thrusts became more erratic, and lost all rhythm.
Sweat dripped from his lover's brow, Steve holding wholly still, his beautiful face twisted in sheer joy.
Danny's body trembled with each pulse, each twitch, and nudge of Steve's cock, until Steve collapsed on him, panting and sweating, and was that giggling?
Danny was finding it hard to breathe, but let his legs fall back to Steve's sides and managed, "what so funny?"
Steve gulped in more air, rubbing his damp forehead against Danny's shoulder, softly kissing him there a time or two.
The heat is gone, but not the love, so Danny wrapped his legs around Steve's waist and pulled him in even closer, Steve's cock still twitching within him.
His lover settled in, not seeming in a hurry to move, and eventually answered, "Nothings funny, baby… I'm just so…so god damned happy."
Steve lifted his head to look at Danny, who only nodded because his throat seemed a little tighter, and he hadn't trusted his voice, but then he managed, "me too, babe…me too…you make me, so god damned happy too."
Steve searched his eyes, then nodded and settled his head back to Danny's chest, trapping Danny's cock between them.
He gently rocking his hips up into Danny, his fingers finding both nipples to roll and pinch.
When his cock jumped, Steve smirked against his chest, and shifted his head, kissed Danny's mouth one last time, and untangled Danny's legs from around him.
Steve gently pulled himself free, smoothing his fingers over Danny's hole, fondling his one ball sack, before wrapping his hand around Danny's dick again.
Danny was oversensitive but greedy, so he squirmed as Steve touched him, eyes still at half-mast but watchful as his lover lowered his head and licked him clean.
"I want to stay here," Steve finally said, "but we both need showers and maybe a nap before dinner."
"Yeah," Danny agreed because this is where he always wanted to be…or at least end up every chance he could get. A beat or two later, he asked, "did you say formal dinner?"
Steve shimmed up the bed and laid down close to Danny, sharing the same pillow, and told him, "It was Kono's idea…I had to talk her out of tuxes, so…"
Danny laughed.
That did sound just like Kono. So, he shrugged and rolled to his side, gazing into Steve's eyes, loving the intense stare he got in return, then sharing some soft kisses, he thought about his friends...his found family and the man next to him, who loved him and wanted to be apart of Danny's life and he said, "Maybe we can..."
Steve kissed his lips one more time, nipping at the bottom one before asking, "can what, baby?"
He wasn't sure how to answer, how to put words to the new hope springing in his heart.
Maybe he could trust that he can have the life he has always wanted.
Maybe they did have a fighting chance.
Maybe he would have a future to look forward to instead of dreading when it would eventually end.
Just maybe...
Steve was watching him, so he leaned in and kissed the man he so loved, who, in a way, has taught him how to live, who gave him hope and told him, "Maybe we should take a nap and then when we wake up, I think I'll call my folks..."
Steve nodded and hugged him close, a contented breath grazing over Danny's neck and ear, settling in for the promised nap, but before he drifted off, he whispered, "no maybe's, baby...we will.."
H50H50H50
The End...for now.