LEAP OF FAITH

For the first six months, life in Hawaii was hell for Detective Danny Williams except for when he had the light of his life, his daughter Grace, with him. Then he met Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett and his life changed. How much it changed, he didn't realize until his ex-wife Rachel oh-so-helpfully pointed it out two months ago. That's right, it's been two months since he figured out that his feelings for his best friend slash partner was well developed past the realm of friendship. And it scared him shitless, right to the bone.

He didn't know what to do, or how to even begin a conversation like that with one of the two most important people in his life. So, he kept quiet and now he's stuck. And worse, he suddenly notice everything about his straight partner. Like a shirtless Steve isn't enough, he's had to face wet shirtless Steve. And those biceps, the way they would flex and bulge whenever he would cross them over his chest, making him seem even larger that he already is. But what got to Danny the most, is his eyes.

Those grey-blue pools that he could read without any trouble. The way they would darken with anger, light up when he figured something out or the way they would been this light grey color when he was completely relaxed – that's Danny's favorite one. Then there is the one he hates: sometimes, when they lock eyes for to long, Steve's eyes would slowly turn into this storm-grey color and there would be this heat in his gaze – that always left Danny feeling more than a little breathless – and a fierce emotion – that made him feel like he couldn't get enough oxyen into his lungs – would shine brightly in them. But Danny could never put a name to it, just when he's about to, one of the cousin's calls either him or Steve, their eyes break and the moment is over. The next time Danny and Steve look into each other's eyes, the SEAL's walls were back up and there was no way on earth for the short man to figure out what the hell he saw in those eyes he loves more than he should.

At first, he had been awkward. But by now, he has figured out how to hide his emotions from his best friend. He is also sure that Steve doesn't know to what extent the blonde loves him. Currently, the pair of partners was sitting on Steve's lanai, each nursing a Longboard while watching the sun set. Both at peace and content with this simple action. In all honesty, it was really just about being together. The action didn't matter, it was the fact that they would be doing it, that's what matter to the two men.

"You know," Steve started conversationally. "In all the time I've known you, I think this has been the longest that you've been quiet." The SEAL said, hoping to draw some sort of reaction from his usually talkative partner. Danny has been unnaturally quiet as they sat next to each other and watched the ocean – something they've done before and not one of those times had the blonde been as quiet as he was right now. It bothered the brunette.

Danny snorted. "Yeah, just, uh, just thinking."

"About?" Steve prodded, wondering what the hell was going on behind those baby blues.

"Life." He answered simply, throwing his free arm and gesture to everything around them yet nothing in particular. Steve nodded, he knew exactly what it was like to think like that. Although he is more a man of action than one to sit and contemplate the deeper meaning of life and all its trials, he has done so on a few occasions, not much, but he has.

"Anything in particular?" Steve asked again, hoping that his partner would let him into his mind, if only for a second.

Danny glanced at his partner briefly. Now or never, he thought. "About me and you. About us."

His words hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. Well, at least for Steve. He went into a panicked reverie. What did Danny mean? Is he talking about their parternship? Their friendship? Does he no longer want to work for Five-O? Did he figure out that Steve is in love with him and now wants to leave and go back to New Jersey? No, that couldn't be possible. He would have said something sooner. And there's no way he'd leave Grace behind. Not after he moved here specifically to be closer to her. So, then if not that, then what? Why is he thinking about them? Unless… No, it couldn't be. Steve immediately squashed down both that idea and the hope that bloomed in his chest at the thought.

"What about us?" The SEAL asked hesitantly, voice soft and vulnerable. It made the blonde look into his partner's eyes. It took him a few seconds to identify the emotion: fear. He immediately knew what was going on in his partner's mind. And it broke Danny's heart. He was afraid that Danny is going to pick up and leave.

"I talked to Rachel a couple of months ago. And she, uh, she said some interesting things. Things that got me thinking." Danny said, hoping that his partner didn't take his words the wrong way.

But of course, Steve being Steve and just like with all of their other conversations, he took Danny's words the wrong way.

Panic spread quickly and violently through the SEAL as his mind pictured worse case scenarios once more. There was so many things that Rachel could have told the blonde: his job with 5-0 being to dangerous and that he needs something safer – for Grace (that was at the top of Steve's list of fears), she didn't like Steve and his diving-head-first-into-the-eye-of-danger-attitude around Grace (even thought he would gladly give his life to protect that little girl and her father). And every scenario he pictured, ended with Danny leaving him. And he was close to breaking down and start to beg Danny not to leave (he'd deny ever even thinking the thought if asked), because – putting his romantic feelings aside – he didn't want to live a life without his short, blonde, loud mouthed, overly opinionated partner that is loyal to a fault and the best damn friend he's even had.

But fear is a difficult thing to overcome. And he didn't say any of that, he just put up the mask he was taught in the Navy, one he's perfected over the years and asked, "What things?"

Danny took a deep breath, and let it out slowly, not knowing how to approach this subject and feeling more than a little nervous as the seconds ticked by. This conversation could go wrong, so fast. He has always been a wear-his-heart-on-his-sleeve kind of a guy, but this is different. He is taking a leap of faith here, a big one, risking not only getting his heart broken but being rejected by his best friend, and Steve was either going to catching him, or let him fall and shatter into a million pieces. He just hoped to God it is the former and not the latter.

"She, uh, she said that I have feelings for you. Romantic ones." And there it is, no taking it back now. He emptied his bottle and kept his eyes firmly on the design of the beer bottle, waiting for Steve to say something. But he never did. Silence took them over, the waves sounding louder than normal and the sound of crickets was loud and clear in the night air. Finally, Danny couldn't take the silence any more. It was to much. He had to get out of there before his brunette partner could reject him and break his heart.

He stood up, and walked across the lawn and just made it inside Steve's house when his arm was grabbed and in one swift movement – damn the SEAL and his ninja skills – he was pinned against the wall next to the door that led outside to the lanai and the beach. The tanned, muscled body was pressed firmly to his shorter and nearly just as muscled body, hands pinned to his sides by the brunette, with storm grey eyes locking onto his crystal blue ones. There it was again, that look. There was a fire in it – Danny's breath hitched at the sight, and determination and something else that left him feeling hot all over. The emotions burned in Steve's eyes, making Danny feel weak in the knees and if Danny wasn't sandwiched in between the wall and Steve, he's certain that he would have collapsed.

"Is she right? Do you have romantic feelings for me?" Steve asked, his words husky and something short of a growl. They were so close, cologne invading the other's senses and lips within kissing reach. But Steve isn't going to anything, isn't going to give anything until he is sure.

Danny came out of his thoughts when Steve spoke. The blonde nodded, but when Steve made no move, just kept staring at him, the Jersey native realized that the SEAL was looking for a verbal answer. "Yeah, she's right."

And just like that, all of the tension – that he wasn't even aware of – flowed out of Steve. He grinned, and just like he did with everything else in life he dove in head first, or in this case he bent down and kissed Danny passionately. Like a dehydrated man taking his first drink of water in days. It was hot and intense. Just like him. Just like Danny. Then Danny made a sound, one that nearly made him lose his mind even more. Then he made a sound, and suddenly everything became real. He tore his lips away from Danny's – ignoring the sound of protest coming from the blonde as their lips lost contact. In all honesty, Steve thought he had a lot of control by being able to do that. He wondered what Danny would have to say about that.

"Not that I don't want to keep doing that," Steve assured the blonde breathlessly. "But we need to talk." Steve took a step back, needing some space to get himself under control, but before he could get away completely, Danny took his hand and laced their fingers. He grinned goofily down at their linked hands. He looked at the blonde again and had to suppress a groan at the sight that greeted him: Danny's head was resting against the wall and his eyes was closed as he breathed heavily to get himself under control and his lips swollen from their steamy kiss. Pride surged through Steve, because his kiss made Danny struggle to get under control.

"Yeah, we do." Danny agreed a while later, opening his eyes and pushing himself of the wall. They walked to the couch, sitting side by side just like they always did. At first, neither knew what to say. They just sat there on the couch, in the light of dusk , holding hands.

Danny was the first one to speak up. "I'm not gay."

Steve snorted, "Neither am I. I've never thought about a man like I think about you, Danno. I've never wanted a man like I want you. It's just you."

"That, that's good." Danny nodded, relieved. "And I want you too, by the way."

"Yeah, I got that when you kissed me." Steve chuckled and the blonde kicked his leg to his partner lightly. "What was that for?" The SEAL asked, his voice close to a whine.

"What was that for? Are you serious right now? I'm trying to have a serious conversation with you and you, you're just sitting there being all smug and handsome." The blonde ranted, his free hand waving in the air, directed to the SEAL.

"Handsome, huh?" Steve said, looking at Danny with a pleased and all to smug for the blonde's liking grin on his face.

"Of course, out of everything I've said, that's what you would hear. How can I expect anything different from an animal with a one track mind?" He muttered but Steve heard him all the same and his grin widened. "Yes, you gigantic goof, I said handsome. There, you happy? I don't know why you got stuck on that particular sentence, I mean it's not like it's news to you or anything. Most woman and even some men ogle you when we walk past them. Don't tell me you've never noticed."

"Oh, I've noticed, Danno. But while you notice that, I wished that you'd notice me and that you'd ogle me." He said, throwing Danny that shit eating grin of his that made Danny's cheeks flush. "And I got stuck on that, because it's nice to know that you think I'm handsome." Steve told the blonde and Danny was the smug one when he saw how Steve's cheeks tinted. And he also melted a little.

"Babe, I'd have to be blind or ignorant to not see it. And I'm neither." The Jersey native grinned at his partner, who now had his shit eating grin back on. And really? That's the way he preferred the brunette: confident, if a bit cocky. He was there to knock Steve's ego down when the situation called for it.

"So, now what?" Steve was the one that finally brought them back to the subject.

"Now?" Danny repeated thoughtfully. "Now, I guess we give this a try and see where it goes." He answered, giving the brunette an encouraging smile and squeezing his hand.

"Okay." The SEAL nodded. He hesitate for a few seconds before he asked, "If we're going to try this, does it mean I get to kiss you again?" He wants to kiss the blonde again like nothing he's ever wanted before. He needs to feel those lips pressed against his again, he craves it.

Danny grinned. "Yes, Steven, you can kiss me again." He felt giddy inside, wanting to kiss his partner again. Very much wanting to feel those soft lips against his lips again. A part of him was scared at how addicted he felt to Steve's lips after just one kiss. "But just kissing, the other stuff is going to come later."

"And by other stuff, you mean sex, right?" Steve asked, eyes lighting up as he thought about Danny's body pressed to his, skin against skin with no clothes whatsoever. The possibilities was dizzying and not for the first time in the last few minutes, his cargoes felt to tight.

"Yes, I mean sex." Danny nodded, his cheeks flaming red. Danny took his hand back and smacked Steve's chest. "Get your mind out of the gutter, Superman. We're going to take this slow." The blonde told him playfully, but there was a warning in his tone that the SEAL didn't miss. He didn't know how to go slow, he was used to doing things quickly, but for Danny, he'd do it. He'd go slow and he'd wait until the blonde was ready.

"Slow." He agreed with a nod and turned his body to the blonde. He leaned forward and nudged Danny with his arm. The Jersey native quickly got the message and turned his body. Before Danny could utter another word, Steve surged forward and claimed those delicious lips once more and Danny, well Danny decided to just go with it and lost himself in the bliss that came with kissing his crazy partner.

"You and me. Together. That's how it's supposed to be."

A/N: don't you just love these two boys? i sure do.

okay, so i have decided turn this into a book filled with connected one-shots of our two favorite boys.