I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.

Notes:

H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O

"Sit with me," Danny said once he'd finished in the bathroom. Feeling still a bit unsteady both inside and out from the nightmare, he didn't quite want to go back to bed.

"What do you mean by that? The bed's better," Steve disagreed, but Danny shook his head. He gestured towards the couch. "Can't sleep." Part lie, part truth because he was bone-tired and not feeling well, Danny ignored Steve's worried looks but couldn't hide a pained groan when he eased himself down to sit.

"Danny …" Steve cocked his head, lips tight, concern radiating off him as he began a short pace by the sofa.

"Later. Sit with me," Danny replied with a pat to the seat next to him. Instead of sitting though, Steve abruptly left him only to return with half of the bedding from the spare room. Without a word, Steve worked around him to create a nest of sorts, quietly insisting that Danny lay down.

"You can be such a hen," Danny griped without any heat. "Seriously, Steven ..." He winced as he tried to find a comfortable position. "Worse than Grover."

"Doubt that," Steve said as he grew more upset by the minute. Watching Danny like a hawk was giving the man far too much intel. "You overdid things because of me and you're hurting. This could really set you back, Danny. Besides, it's too soon for any meds …you have a couple more hours to go before another dose..."

"Don't want any anyway. I'm fine," Danny interrupted. "Sit."

Rather than his usual leather recliner, Steve lifted Danny's legs to ease under them to take up the opposite side of the couch. "Is this okay?" He asked when Danny failed at hiding a wince. But everything hurt in some way or another and so Danny nodded. He liked not only the warmth but the direct connection which shut out whatever stupid leftover feelings the nightmare had caused.

"Perfect," Danny found himself feeling a bit self-conscious. "S'good." He wound up whispering as he watched Steve slouch down, mindful of Danny's legs as he tucked part of the blanket even around himself. Steve looked tired and pained but differently from Danny's current state of affairs.

"You're staring," Steve said. "I feel like I'm under a microscope right now." He tried to laugh but couldn't seem to get there.

"You are. You look like crap," Danny said. He flapped a hand in Steve's direction, a bit of a small rant on the rise. "Stop …you can't keep doing this …"

"Doing what? Worrying about you? Feeling guilty that even when I try to do the right thing, that it's wrong? You're barely home from the hospital and … how can I not worry?" Steve interjected. He paused to scrub a hand through his hair, leaving it spikey. "That's just about impossible!"

"I don't care. You're home," Danny stated bluntly. "It's enough … so don't leave … not when I'm like this." His voice cracked on the last syllable, suddenly sounding rough, husky to his own ears. He ignored Eddie when the dog nudged his fingers. Steve's mouth opened and then closed. He looked down at his hands and when he looked back at Danny, his eyes were glassy.

"Because you always follow me," Steve whispered. "You always have … you always bring me home, don't you. That's what you've always done, too. Even now and I must have been completely and utterly blind to what you were really saying to me. Shit, I'm sorry, Danny. How many times have we said I love you – and I know we both meant it — but shit! I'm so stupid!" Now it was Steve's turn for his voice to become hoarse, waning to nothing at all.

"I know. But ... now we know better," Danny said. He smiled softly, fondly. "It's over and done with, Steve. Let it go."

At a loss for words, Steve shook his head from side to side. Then their eyes met again: respect, love, understanding. What they were still trying to put to words? It was all there between them. Things were more serious than they'd ever been though. These newly uncharted waters were deep indeed. Danny didn't know what to make of this new … predicament. Thinking or wanting something was vastly different from actually having it. He loved Steve unconditionally and while they'd said it before … saying it now? Well, hell. He didn't know how it was possible but the words suddenly meant so much more. Steve loved him, too. Having his legs on his partner's lap? Steve's hands unconsciously running up and down them even over a blanket? Well, this was definitely one of those 'it's'. There on the sofa, Danny closed his eyes to consider what he was feeling plus what might happen next. At the other end of the sofa, Danny could feel Steve's eyes on him. Watching. Waiting. Probably wondering the same damned things as he was. And Danny smiled to himself.

Steve was impossible to ignore and Danny was both utterly content and irrationally restless.

"You're staring now," Danny quipped with his eyes still closed. "Stop it. Just sit with me."

"That's it? Just sit with you?" Steve asked softly. Danny peeked through his lashes. Steve's eyes were still glassy-looking, as if he was on the verge of actual tears.

"Yeah, that's it," Danny said. "Not a single string attached." Steve had to grin at that.

"No strings huh?" Steve asked. "That's got to be a first." He looked down and raised an eyebrow at his own actions; just seeing what his hands were doing as they moved along the length of Danny's lower legs. He made an amused sound under his breath while continuing the gentle motion. "I'm worried about you, Danno. You should be in bed. This position isn't good for you," Steve shared softly. "You're barely out of the hospital … if all this running around causes a relapse…"

"Relapse?" He wasn't even close to being better enough to have a relapse. Danny's usual sarcastic tongue threatened but it was far too soon with Steve so worried about him. Instead of arguing, Danny sighed and then nodded. "Okay. If it makes you happy, then I'll relocate. On one condition though."

"What happened to no strings?" Steve chuckled and Danny rolled his eyes. But still, he tamped down on his usual banter. He had a serious offer brewing.

"You, uh? You … join me?" Danny actually felt himself blushing, but Steve didn't say no. In fact, he was already on the move off the sofa, to help Danny carefully get to his feet.

"Start walking. Slowly," Steve said, pausing just long enough to run his fingers lightly down Danny's arm to the sensitive juncture of his elbow. Eyes fond and still more than a bit misty, Steve finally smiled.

"I'll get all this back on the bed before you get there."

"I'm sure you will," Danny said. Grinning now because Steve was gathering pillows and blankets from the sofa as if the second coming was nigh upon them. He by-passed Danny with a hop-skip step that nearly sent him tripping down the hall. "What is wrong with you, you animal! Slow the hell down, Steven!" He had to chuckle though as the man stumbled a second time over trailing linens and then his own two feet.

But true to form, Steve had the bed whipped into shape just as Danny made it back to the room.

"Sit," Steve ordered as he patted the edge of the bed.

"I intend to, Steven," Danny said, still grinning. God he hurt though and the bed suddenly seemed too high, offering no leverage at all to a one-armed invalid. He paused, gathering his remaining energy for what was to come. If getting out of bed was rough, getting back into it could be just as bad. Steve knew this though; of course he did. He was prepared and apparently in his element.

"I got you," Steve encouraged as Danny tried to perch himself near the top of the bed. And he certainly did have Danny - quite literally. With utmost care, Steve knew how to support him - where to hold him - to cause the least amount of discomfort. But before Danny could ease himself to lay back against the pillows, it was Steve who was inserting himself there.

"Steve?" Cheeks warm again when Steve maneuvered each of his long legs to be on either side of his body, Danny swallowed hard. This was so much more real and while he wanted it and had even asked in the living room, once again, having all of THIS was something else entirely.

"Go slow, I got you. Just relax," Steve murmured as he guided Danny's shoulders back so he could rest against the man's chest.

Blinking back tears which were not only reactive from pain and breathlessness, but seriously just plain emotional, Danny had to close his eyes.

Steve was everywhere. Warm. His presence surrounded Danny like a second skin.

Danny could feel every inhale and exhale. The rumble of his voice as he coached Danny to breathe through what he assumed was pain, reverberated pleasantly into Danny's back. His legs bracketed Danny's own and he'd never felt safer. When Steve flicked the blankets to cover them both, his large hands settling comfortably to hug Danny close, a few of those tears dared to break loose. Tense and uncertain, Danny's breathing hitched, once and then twice. The action pinged sore ribs and rattled his chest. Pain flared and Danny had to bite his lip. He coughed and then grappled for Steve's hand, seeking even more support.

"Hey, hey? You okay?" Steve asked, a thumb gently brushed the wet tracks from Danny's face. "How bad?"

"Yeah, yeah. Fine …," He insisted, knowing he sounded awful. Exhausted and still emotional, Danny rocked his head back, letting it fall against Steve's shoulder. He closed his eyes to focus on breathing, then with an effort, to relax. Working through the worst of the pain and scared for a minute that he might very well be subjected to some kind of relapse, Danny eventually gained some comfort.

With Steve there, physical comfort became a silent sense of peace and Danny let himself sink down. He allowed Steve's presence to bolster him - to care for him - so that he could doze. At one point though, Danny roused just enough to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Bleary eyed, Danny spied a glimmer of dawn creeping into the room which he discounted. His limited view pegged Eddie at the foot of the bed. The big Lab's paws were twitching in his sleep. Danny's gaze skirted over these things before it dropped to his lap where Steve's hands rested calmly over his. He rolled his thumb over the ridgeline of Steve's knuckles, smiling to himself when he sensed that Steve, too, had fallen asleep.

Finally. Warm. Alive. Home.

Danny felt loved and protected and his eyes drifted closed once more. Yet, his thumb moved again; a brief motion across the back of Steve's hand. This time though, Steve's fingers returned a soft squeeze of their own and Danny's lips twitched upwards. He settled back against Steve's chest with a contented sigh. Within seconds, the slow rise and fall of Steve's chest was enough to lull Danny back under.

~ to be continued ~