Steve and Danny continue to explore the new stage of their relationship. Episode related 6x05.

Another one today. I have to work tomorrow and I'm not sure if I'll be able to update so I decide to post another chapter before going to bed. I loved this chpater back on the day, I hope you like this version too ;).

Steve felt unsettled. The day had started so well, training with the team while listening to Danny constantly reminding them how less than pleased he was about the whole race thing. The rest of them had teamed up to banter with him about his physical condition and athletic skills, but the truth was Danny was doing great besides his complaints and was in very good shape – something Steve had had the chance to closely ascertain lately – and they just loved to watch him all riled up and work himself to one of his epics rants, which was definitely accomplished with the mud session.

Danny had grabbed a giggling Kono from the end of the mud pool to give her payback for throwing him in it and she held on to Chin in response – Steve wasn't sure if her intention was trying to avoid getting showered in mud or just get them all covered in it faster. The result was the only one possible since the beginning – all four of them looking like chocolate cupcakes and throwing handfuls of mud to their so-called 'coaches'.

Things had been tense and difficult for all of them lately and laughing together until it actually hurt was an incredibly pleasant sensation. Danny had given Steve a soft smile before heading home to shower and change clothes and Steve had to force himself to turn around and do the same instead of pulling him into a tight, muddy hug and kiss him senseless like he really wanted to do.

His great mood lasted short though, immediately vanished when he received the third mysterious international call in the last few days. He couldn't help but worry, his first thought had been that it was Cath calling, and even if her leaving had first hurt him and then led him into something wonderful with Danny, he would always care for her well being.

He told Danny – because of course he wasn't going to hide it from him if it really was Cath's call – and his suggestion that it might be Doris surprised him. Steve didn't allow himself to think too much about his mother since it always drove him to a mix of longing and disappointment. Danny had made his best to reassure him that they would eventually discover the call's author but Steve hadn't missed the fleeting glimpse of…concern? that had crossed Danny's eyes when he told him this wasn't the first one of those calls. He really wanted to dig the reason of that look but they were already at the crime scene and Steve had not choice but to postpone his inquiry.

He would have to postpone it until next month apparently because they were soon so caught up in the current case that they found themselves preparing for the race before they even knew it.

Danny looked excited despite all of his ranting and it was proved during the race. His knee had always given him problems if he overdid it since he tore his ACL and towards the end he was limping and his face was showing the pain even if he tried to hide it. They asked him if he wanted to stop but he out flat refused so Steve and Chin ended up slipping under Danny's arms to give him support through the final path to the finish line.

They were out of themselves with happiness for winning the race and Steve couldn't help but wrap Danny into a hug as soon as they stopped and hold for dear life, at least until Kono prodded him on his arm to make him lift it so she could sneak in and close the circle in a group hug. They were al grinning like Cheshire cats while their friends congratulated them but by the time the official photos as winners were taken they were already coming down from the adrenaline rush and Danny looked more pained by the minute.

They quickly showered and changed clothes and Steve assured them he would take Danny to the hospital so they could check his knee. Kono was reluctant about not going with them and Steve knew she was worried, the recent events with Adam probably making her feel a little overprotective of her ohana, but Steve knew that was exactly the reason why she needed to get back home with her husband.

"Boss, you take care of him or we will never convince him again to do this."

"Hey, you're already never convincing me again to do this. Once was more than enough, thank you very much."

"Oh c'mon Danny, you know it was fun! You just don't want to admit you enjoyed it."

Danny looked between Kono's smiling face and Steve's grin and sighed dramatically.

"You see what you've done, Steve? You messed up her definition of fun and now I have to reeducate both of you. Like I didn't have enough with Super-SEAL here."

Kono laughed and gave them both a hug before letting his cousin do the same. They decided to have the big celebration dinner the next day when they were all well rested. Chin helped Danny into the Camaro and they headed to the hospital.

Two hours later they were already parking in front of Steve's house, fortunately there was nothing else torn but Danny's knee was pretty swollen due to the extra effort so the doctor had put a compressive bandage and had sent him home with instructions to take an anti-inflammatory for a few days and keep the leg elevated when possible. They had also given him a mild painkiller but if the slightly glassy look on Danny's eyes was any indication, it was working just fine.

Steve was starting to feel the tiredness too, muscles aching and remembering him the exertion they had been under just a couple of hours earlier, so he made quick work of fixing them something to eat and then helped a pliant Danny up the stairs and to the bedroom, depositing him gently on the bed.

Danny just lay there, watching Steve through half-mast eyelids while he stripped to his boxers, getting ready to sleep. Then he approached Danny and lifted his t-shirt over his head since Danny hadn't made any movement to try and remove his own clothes. In fact he was just staring at Steve like it was the first time he had ever seen him. Steve climbed carefully on the bed and on top of Danny, getting on his hands and knees to avoid any kind of pressure on the bad knee and smiling softly at his fixated partner.

They stared at each other for a few seconds until Danny reached up and gripped Steve's nose with his fingers, letting out a manic giggle at Steve's astonished face. Then Steve burst in laughter too.

"Oh god you're high, aren't you?"

Danny just shook his head no, still giggling. God Steve loved that sound. His cheek was being cupped by Danny's hand now and he was mesmerized by the sweet expression on his partner's face.

"Your eyes are so beautiful…you know that?"

Steve was sure he was blushing furiously, he wasn't used to this kind of loving compliments. He covered Danny's hand with his own, closing his eyes for a moment and reveling in the warmth spreading through his chest. He was surprised to open them back and find a change on Danny's expression, definitely less relaxed and more concerned now. Apparently the painkiller had taken away Danny's capability of schooling his features. Not that he wasn't amazingly expressive any given day, those intense blue eyes could hardly hide anything and he had the most florid body language Steve had seen in his entire life.

"What's wrong Danno? Need something?" Steve had moved his hand to Danny's temple, carding his fingers through his hair in a soothing motion.

"No, it's just…" Danny was looking away from Steve now, apparently debating with himself if he should voice his concerns or not.

"What, Danny? C'mon, tell me please." Steve used the hand on Danny's head to gently force him to look back at him.

"I just…I was thinking that maybe if Catherine comes back…that you, well we…" Danny broke off and bit his bottom lip.

Oh. So Steve hadn't imagined what he saw earlier. He felt kinda stupid for not having thought about how talking about this with Danny could had made him feel, but in his defense the idea of leaving him even if Cath came back and begged him to get together again sounded so ridiculous to him that it didn't even cross his mind Danny could feel unsure about it. Steve had a strange feeling since that day he dared kissing Danny, like something had clicked into place inside him, and even if they really hadn't had a lot of time to spend together, really together since then, he had no doubts about wanting to explore this growing bond between them. Maybe they should have talked about it, but probably Danny was just trying not to push him into the whole talk-about-feelings area, just another proof of how much he knew him.

"Danny, I care about Cath and of course I'd be worried if I thought she wasn't safe, but that has nothing to do with you…with us." That was the first time Steve referred to them as 'us' and he was sure his face was turning four shades of red again. "I would never leave you either, you know that right? I'm sorry if I made you think otherwise."

Danny's eyes showed sincere relief at his words and Steve decided it wasn't fair to continue this conversation any further when he couldn't control completely what he wanted or not to say, so he would just take care of Danny the best he could for now.

Still holding his head, Steve leaned forward and gave Danny a slow, lazy kiss, and Danny returned it with equal tenderness, lifting his arms to run his hands along Steve's back.

Steve broke the kiss after a few minutes, starting to feel the pull on his muscles from being in that position for too long, so he scooted backwards, gently pushing apart Danny's thighs to make room for himself to settle in between.

"How are you feeling, babe? Anything sore?"

Danny snorted at that.

"Anything? Everything is sore, you Neanderthal."

"Oh it's my fault then?" Steve went for affronted but failed resoundingly.

"Of course it's your fault. Who signed us for torture-race?"

Steve grinned at him. "Okay, guilty as charged. Let me apologize by massaging your exhausted legs a little, what do you think?"

"Mm, I think that's a good start. Go on, sailor."

Steve hooked his fingers on Danny's waistband before giving him a heated look. "Yes sir."

He pulled the sweatpants down and off Danny's legs, throwing them on the floor by the bed before starting to carefully knead the muscles on his thighs and calves. Danny threw his head back on the pillow and moaned softly each time Steve massaged an especially sore point, oblivious to the funny things those sounds were doing to Steve's stomach.

Soon Steve couldn't ignore the growing bulge on Danny's boxers, and acting on pure instinct and the need to make him feel better, he got rid of said boxers in a swift and smooth motion that probably was up to what Danny often called his 'ninja skills'.

He paused long enough to place a pillow under Danny's injured knee to make sure he was comfortable and then dove right back to cover his chest and abdomen with kisses and soft bites before licking his way down Danny's engorged cock. Danny was fisting the sheets and Steve could feel the tension on his legs, trembling with the effort of trying not to move too much.

Steve continued his saliva trail to the base of Danny's cock, licking up the underside to the head, and capturing it in his mouth, eliciting a low moan from Danny while he arched his back slightly off the mattress, followed by a hiss of pain after having planted his feet more firmly on the bed to do so.

Steve maneuvered them so he could hook his arms under Danny's thighs and rest his hands on his hips, allowing the knees to rest on his shoulders and avoiding the risk of Danny injuring himself with any unintentional writhing.

Pleased with their new position, Steve took Danny in his mouth, swirling his tongue around the head and sliding gradually up the length.

"Oh fuck babe…" Danny whispered, "that's so good."

Steve started to bob his head up and down, taking more of Danny's length each time, teasing him with his slow pace. Danny instinctively placed a hand on Steve's head then froze as he realized what he had done, clearly thinking that maybe Steve wouldn't like that.

He was already removing his hand when Steve caught it mid-motion and put it back where it was, leaving his own hand on top of Danny's to make sure he got the message, then increased his pace and moaned around his cock, making the vibrations send a jolt of electricity straight to his balls. Danny carded his fingers through Steve's hair and massaged his scalp, not trying to guide his movements but needing the extra contact right now.

Steve continued to increase his pace and Danny was writhing under his arms and sure he wasn't going to last long.

"Babe I'm close," Danny tugged a little on Steve's short hair, "god I'm gonna…"

Steve slowed down and looked at Danny's with lust-filled eyes before nodding and grabbing his hips firmly, pulling almost completely from Danny's cock just to take him back until the head slid into the entrance to his throat and then swallowed. The added pressure made Danny whimper and he was coming before he could even register it, pulsing down Steve's throat and feeling his vision almost become white around the edges with pleasure.

Danny lay there, basking in the afterglow of pure bliss and trying to remember how to form any coherent thought when he looked up to find that Steve had got rid of his own boxers and was pumping himself urgently.

"Come here babe." Danny reached out and guided Steve to his side, taking him with his hand while cupping the back of his neck with the other, drawing him into a passionate kiss.

Danny smeared the pre-come leaking from Steve's cock to reduce the friction and started pumping faster, making Steve moan in his mouth before coming between their chests.

"That was…" Danny murmured, his breathing still a bit ragged.

"Great." Steve finished for him, smiling widely and looking utterly relaxed. Danny would pay real money for being able to make him look that relaxed more often.

Steve got out off bed a few minutes later, retrieving his boxers from the floor before padding into the bathroom. He returned with a damp cloth and used it to clean Danny's chest and stomach, the caring gesture pushing Danny further into the grip of sleep.

When Steve finally settled beside Danny, a protective arm thrown across his waist, Danny laid a kiss on his forehead, thinking he could get used to this very fast before surrendering to the restorative darkness.

Thanks for reading!

I hope ypu enjoyed it and if that's the case let me hear your thoughts! It encourages me to keep posting.