/ Party \\\

Danny ducked his head into Chin's office and the other man nodded at him. Danny ran over to Kono's door on the balls of his feet. She gave him a thumbs-up so Danny turned and walked towards Steve's office casually. Kono slipped out of the office behind him.

"Hey, babe," he said, pushing the door open. "Want to go and grab some lunch?"

Steve looked up from the file he'd been working on and nodded. "Sure, what are we having?"

Danny shrugged. "Hey, Chin, where are we going?"

"We're going with Chin?" Steve asked, looking put-off.

"Yeah, that's cool, right?" Danny knew it wasn't cool because Steve was making that face he usually made when Danny accidently cock-blocked him. Danny assumed Steve had planned on stopping off at home on the way back from lunch – or had planned to never go to lunch at all. Danny left himself feel wistful over the possibilities for a moment before he shook them off. "Chin said he wanted to take us somewhere cool."

Steve nodded. "'course."

"Then get your stuff, Steve."

Steve looked at his paperwork. "Ten minutes?"

Danny nodded; he'd factored in at least fifteen for Steve to finish his work. Danny went back to his office and sent out a mass text before he turned everything off and slipped his wallet and keys into his pocket. He didn't want to take his gun but he couldn't leave it here either, so he slipped it into his holster and walked out of his office.

"Chin, where are we going?" Steve asked, sliding his own gun into his hip holster.

"Place I know by the ocean," Chin told him, walking out of his own office.

"Everything finished, Steve?" Danny asked, cocking his hip against the computer table as casually as possible.

"Yeah? Where's Kono?"

"She thought she'd take advantage of the nice weather and go surfing," Danny said, making sure to inject as much judgement into the comment as possible.

Steve nodded. "We could have gone with her."

Danny shrugged. "You lock down your computer since we're all going to be out of the office?"

Steve turned on the ball of his foot and walked back into his office.

"Be cool, bruddah," Chin said quietly, coming to stand next to Danny.

"I am," Danny hissed back.

Chin just quirked an eyebrow at Danny and judged him silently.

"I'm good to go," Steve told them walking out of his office.

"I'm driving," Danny said, twirling his keys around his finger.

"No, you're not."

"I am," Danny told him, turning for the door. "It's my car and I'm driving."

"Danny is better at following," Chin offered, walking past them both.

"See, even Chin thinks I should get to drive my own car."

"It's almost our car," Steve said, reaching out for the keys.

"Does this mean I'm going to get to drive your car?"

"No."

Danny laughed weakly, ending in a groan. "I do love you."

"I know," Steve said happily.

"That," Danny said, pointing to the spot he'd been standing in a moment earlier. "That was me reminding myself that I love you because you cannot be such a control freak that you are the only one who is allowed to drive because I'm about to marry you, marry you in front of all of our family and friends, and you just told me that I'm never going to drive my own car again."

"It's not that bad."

"Then I'm driving."

Steve shook his head and reached out for the keys again. "I'm a better driver."

"You're a better swimmer, you're a better magnet for trouble, but you are not a better driver."

"I'm so glad I have my own car," Chin said, as he walked out of the building.

"And I bet Malia even lets you drive it," Danny said.

"Leave me out of it," Chin said, walking to his car more quickly.

Danny walked to the driver's side of the car and opened the doors, sliding in without looking at Steve. He smiled to himself when Steve slipped into the car next to him. The easiest way to keep Steve from working out that Danny had a secret was to throw him off guard.

Steve grumbled about why he should be the one driving for the entire trip down to the marina.

"We're here," Danny said, parking next to Chin.

"Where?" Steve asked, looking around. "We're at a marina – there is nowhere to eat here."

Danny shrugged and climbed out of the car, coming to stand next to Chin.

"It's a restaurant boat, best Hawaiian food on the island," Chin offered.

"So long as it isn't the newest endeavour of Kamekona's, I'm happy," Danny threw in, looking around and making sure the car was locked – they wouldn't be coming back to it until much later.

Steve shook his head and started defending Kamekona as they walked towards the long dock. Danny fell into line after Chin and allowed Steve's prattling to chase him down the wooden planks and towards the boat. Chin walked onto the boat and Danny tripped over his left foot going down more heavily on his right knee than he'd meant to. He immediately felt Steve's hands at his ribs steadying him.

"Are you okay?" Steve asked.

"Yeah, fine," Danny said, standing up. "Just tripped."

Steve looked at him with confusion.

"Come on, babe," Danny said, grabbing his wrist. "We've got lunch to eat."

Steve looped an arm over Danny's shoulder and they walked onto the boat together. Danny stepped on in front of Steve and then pulled the taller man along behind him.

"This doesn't look like a restaurant boat," Steve said, looking around them.

At that moment the door leading below deck opened and a bright-eyed cousin of Chin's walked up. "You're here, brah, everyone's downstairs."

Danny nodded and smiled, heading for the door. Steve followed behind him but Danny could feel how suspicious he was getting. The moment he was through the door he rushed to join the rest of the group and turned just as Steve's head entered the room.

"Surprise!"

Steve froze and looked around the room.

"Happy birthday," Grace said, rushing forward and throwing her arms around Steve.

Steve immediately wrapped his arms around Grace and turned to Danny. "What?"

"Happy birthday," Danny said, walking over and kissing Steve. "This is your party."

Steve looked around the room at all of his friends and family all gathered on the boat. "My birthday's not until Wednesday."

Grace shook her head up at him. "Nana and Pop and everyone are getting in on Thursday morning. So we're having your party now."

Doris pushed her way through the group and stood in front of Steve. "Happy birthday, Steven."

"Thanks, Mum."

Steve seemed to come to himself as Doris walked away and he pulled Danny into a fierce hug.

"You're about to be an old, married couple," Kono called out, "lay off."

Danny shook his head and kissed Steve. "What do you think?"

"I wasn't expecting a party."

"Gracie and I told you we'd give you a party."

Steve shrugged. "I thought you had forgotten with all of the wedding stuff."

"I'm not going to forget your birthday, Steven."

Steve ducked his head and turned quickly, crouching down to look at Grace. "Shouldn't you be in school?"

Grace shook her head. "I have the afternoon off because of an Island-wide teacher meeting. Danno and I thought it would be a good chance to surprise you."

"I'm surprised."

"Good surprise, right?"

"Perfect one."

Grace smiled widely and threw her arms around Steve. "We're going to cruise around the islands for the afternoon and then back home for a barbecue."

Steve looked up at Danny and smiled. "Perfect."

"And my family are skyping us at half past six."

Steve looked gobsmacked. "Why?"

"Because you're family," Grace explained without missing a beat.

"Oh," Steve said, his voice sliding into that tone that Danny knew meant he was attempting to deal with emotions that he did not understand.

"Come on," Danny said, clapping him on the back. "We're got a party to enjoy."

Steve nodded and followed him up to the party and throughout the afternoon and night.

When everyone was finally gone, Grace long since asleep in bed, and Chin dragging Malia from the party and home with one hand on her swollen middle, Danny looked around their home and sighed.

"Thank you," Steve said, curling his arms around Danny from where he was standing at his back.

"You had fun?"

"I did," Steve said, kissing the bend of Danny's jaw. "It was a wonderful surprise."

Danny tried to twist around but Steve held him in place. "We need to clean up."

"No, we're going to go out to the beach."

"Why?"

"Because the moon is full tonight."

"So?"

"So," Steve said, beginning to walk them towards the laundry and out of the house. "Down at the beach I have a blanket."

"We often have blankets down on the beach."

Steve kissed a line down Danny's neck. "And on this blanket I have plans to celebrate my birthday with you."

"Is the house locked up?" Danny asked, allowing himself one moment to think of safety.

"I double-checked."

Danny nodded and reached behind him to fondle Steve's backside as they walked down towards the beach.

"How would you like to celebrate your birthday then?" Danny asked, as Steve undid a few buttons on his shirt, spreading the material wide as he mouth began mapping out more of the blond's flesh.

"I would like to practise for our wedding night."

"If you think I'm going to get sand anywhere on our wedding night, you're mistaken."

Steve laughed at his back. "But you'll do it tonight?"

Danny stopped walking, and twisted around, yanking Steve down into a hungry, open-mouthed kiss. "It's your birthday. I will brave sand for you tonight, and tonight only."

"What about Wednesday?"

Danny smirked. "Wednesday is your birthday too, I will put up with sand for you then as well…I suppose."

"Oh, babe," Steve said, doing something complicated that ended with both of them lying on a blanket. "You do love me if you're willing to brave the wretched sand."

Danny rolled his eyes, hitched his hips into Steve's, and wrapped his leg around Steve's hip. The smile fell off Steve's mouth and he pressed down into Danny, kissing him firmly.

/