When Danny returned to Hawaii after visiting Grace, he immediately knew something was off with Steve, had been for a while. He seemed quieter than usual and kept retreating into himself. He was more grateful than ever than he had decided to move in with his best friend. He pulled Junior aside about half an hour after getting home to talk to him about the situation. "Does Steve seem okay to you? What happened while I was gone?"
"Uh, we just solved a case." Junior blinked at him in confusion.
Danny scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Not the case. Steve! Tell me about him."
Junior sighed knowingly and scratched his head as he tried to think. "He's been drifting off occasionally, I think? He'll stop mid-conversation and then need to go for a run."
He frowned. "Thanks." Danny clapped his shoulder and then rushed to the kitchen to talk to Steve. He grabbed his hand, surprising his friend, and then pulled him outside.
"What the hell are you doing?" a shocked Steve spluttered as Danny led him to their chairs.
"Sit down and shut the fuck up because we need to talk," he ordered.
Steve glared at him and folded his arms but sat down anyway. "What is this about?"
"You tell me - Steve, something isn't right and hasn't been for a long time but whatever's going on with you has ramped up recently. Just fucking tell me, please," Danny pleaded as he too sat down.
Steve started shaking a bit but closed his eyes and willed himself to calm down, which of course didn't work. "There's nothing going on. A lawyer called me - something else to do with Mom's estate."
"We'll deal with that later but stop deflecting and just tell me." Danny would force him to talk if need be - he wasn't about to let Steve suffer alone, especially when he didn't need to.
The flight or fight response had already kicked in because Steve looked like he needed to bolt and he was struggling to stand up (Danny wouldn't let him go, however). "Danny, let me go!" he snapped, his voice breaking.
"Not until you tell me what the issue is."
"Danny, just let it go!" Steve pushed Danny's hand off his and then fled back into the house.
Danny blew out a breath. "That could have gone better." He wasn't about to give up, and would confront Steve again when he wasn't so on edge.
Unsurprisingly and unfortunately, Steve took to avoiding Danny when they weren't working - not an easy feat. That lasted about a week before Danny finally had enough and forced Steve to talk to him again. "You're not going to leave me alone, huh?" a resigned Steve questioned.
"Nope. Steve, come on." He hugged him and then sat back down, waiting for him to start talking.
Steve closed his eyes and sighed. "I keep seeing everyone I love die. And no matter how much I want it to stop, it never does. Runs don't even work anymore because that's all I can see."
Danny flashed him a worried smile. "All that trauma finally caught up to you, which isn't a surprise at all. Remember how you helped Eddie when he was dealing with PTSD a few weeks ago? Well, that same applies to you - we're going to get you help and through this." He squeezed Steve's hand in a show of support and pulled him in for a half hug.
"I don't have PTSD."
"Steve."
"Wouldn't the signs have shown up before now?"
"Steve, you know it doesn't work like that. And the good news is, I'm not going anywhere for a while. You're stuck with me, McGarrett." He smirked and Steve snorted.
"You're stuck with me too, Danno." He eyed Danny for a few seconds before working up the courage to tell him how he felt and did so by kissing him.
Danny exhaled after pulling away from him, a grin on his face. "I don't mind being stuck with you at all. In fact, that's why I've been living in your house for months. Might as well just give up my place at this point."
"Sounds like a plan." Steve flashed him a smile but the haunted look on his face broke Danny's heart. And then he bowed his head, his breath hitched, and he started to sob.
"Aw, Steve. Come here." Danny put his hand on Steve's back and started rubbing circles before pulling him into his arms. His body shook from the force of his cries but Danny tried his best to comfort him through the years of pent up pain and grief, refusing to leave his side and talking to him about random comforting shit he hoped would help.
They'd get him through this and figure out their next steps as soon as possible.