By His Side
Danny passed the foot of the hospital bed, his impatience paving the floor. Steve hadn't been awake at all. Danny couldn't remember exactly what happened, but he did remember the SEAL's voice over the mobile when he was being beaten by some terrorist's. Danny had sent Kono and Jin straight to Steve's whereabouts and they all knew that this wasn't going to be good.
So it was in the hands of the hospital. Steve was hooked up to a machine for the first night. Danny could barely bring himself to look at his partner at first. And then, it was like everything came into view, clearer than it had before. Steve was strong, and had worst things done to him.
Danny couldn't leave Steve there alone, couldn't let his partner wake up without him. He sat by Steve's bed, talking to him about nonsense most of the time; he talked about Grace and cases. Danny found it helpful to joke; it kept him from getting too sad.
Doctors passed, they took tests, most of them saying they don't know when Steve would wake up, any time or as long as it would take for his body to recover. It wasn't optimistic.
On the third day, they took the machines away from the SEAL, saying that his vitals were good, and that he didn't need the systems to keep him going, he was doing fine on his own. Danny held onto his partner's hand, taking a hard grip around his fingers. Danny's hands were sweaty, a mixer of anxiety and his hands clenched. Steve felt warm, as he always ended up being, but he wasn't his natural warmth.
When Danny thought of his partner's warmth, he was reminded of a comforting blanket draped over his shoulder or a mug of hot coffee. It was the small things that kept him warm, a brilliant heat that radiated through him and kept him feeling happy. That was what Steve's warmth was like; it swept through Danny and made him feel like everything was okay.
This was a normal heat, that just kept Steve's body warm. Danny wanted to curl around him, hope he could spark it in Steve and make him gain the heat he needed.
"Steve, I love you. Don't you dare give up on me." Danny just managed to get out. He didn't let his hand slip from Steve's. He was tired, but wouldn't dare go to sleep in case the SEAL woke up. Danny kept his fingers close with Steve's.
Then, a sensation run up Danny's fingertips, electrifying the nerves in his arm and radiating his chest. A small grip of his fingers, then a feel of a thumb running up the inside of his palm.
"I wouldn't dream of it." A harsh voice replied. Danny looked up at Steve, who was coughing slightly as he seemed to wake up. Danny gasped, unable to contain his joy. He almost kicked out his chair from beneath him as he stood. He grasped either side of Steve's face, planting his lips over the SEAL's. It was quick and a little sloppy, a mixer of happiness and desperation from Danny; he just wanted to make sure his partner was actually awake. Danny pulled away when Steve winced beneath him.
"Fuck… I probably shouldn't have done that." Danny said, taking his hands away from Steve's bruised and battered face. The Seal laughed, but a cough soon followed. He reached for Danny's hands, engulfing his partner's fingers into his palms, bringing them to his chest.
"I feel more alive when you do it." Steve muttered out, and Danny bit his lip, bliss and happiness taking over his body as he looked at the, now awake, Steve McGarrett. He was bruised and beaten, but he was awake, alive and he was Danny's.
"Maybe I need one more." Steve smirked. And even when he was lying in a hospital bed, he still managed to be charismatic and smooth as he always was.
Danny shook his head before sitting on the edge of Steve's bed. It moved down with his weight being added to the small frame, and finally, he leaned down, touching his lips to Steve's lightly, and letting the SEAL apply as much pressure as he was able.