Honolulu

McGarrett home

8:00 pm

" Your move, kid ."

With a sip from his ceramic mug ( Navy blue in color, with the SEAL's insignia on it ) partially full of black, double shot espresso, Steve calmly repositioned his Bishop, moving it forward by one tile. Informing his opponent that his turn was now, the 5-0 commander eased himself back in his banyan wood chair, pleased with how things were going.

Ordinarily, Steve wouldn't have wanted or chosen to spend his Friday night engaging in a chess match, of all things. After getting ruthlessly trounced by Tani in match after match during the team's tenure in the hospital ( thanks to that bio-weapon that had come to within a hair of ending them ), Steve could be understood if he'd just bitterly rejected chess entirely. He actually had come close to doing that ( and then claim later that he'd held back before, only that he didn't want to show off ), but somehow, that old SEAL determination that Joe White had instilled in him came back, and he decided to try to " get good ", so to speak.

That wouldn't happen overnight, of course. Fortunately, he'd come up with a ploy to help slice some corners, so to speak. Action iteam one in said ploy, was having choosen an opponent who shouldn't prove to be too much of a challenge, and thus make the learning curve gentler:

" Still thinking, sir ", Junior Reigns admitted. With his chin resting between laced fingers, the other SEAL stared at the board, leaning slightly forward in his chair, as he contemplated what to do next. The game had only been underway for a few moves back and forth by now, but Steve's pieces had moved more than his, particularly the Bishop.

" You've been thinking. I thought only Detective Williams took this long dwelling on something ", Steve jabbed.

" In my humble opinion, sir, he knows what he's talking about nearly as much as you. "

" Don't brown-nose ! Keep playing. "

As Junior dutifully went back to studying the board, Steve couldn't help but smirk with bemusement. His plan, so far, was working: Junior clearly already knew the right move to be made next, and just as clearly, he could've made it by now. But, being a good team player and a loyal subordinate, he would never be so eager to outplay his superior. Instead, he'd just hold back, intentionally playing at less than full capacity, until Steve eventually found his own way to victory.

Then, after briefly ( but triumphantly ) celebrating his sucesses, Steve would innocently ask Junior how the match would've turned out, if he'd won. He'd instruct Junior to show all the moves he'd have used to win, and in doing so, Steve would learn some real and actionable moves, ones he could keep in his back pocket, until he played someone else, thus making winning even more satisfying .

It was a flawless plan: Simple and slightly devious.

Have to say: this is a brilliant scheme worthy of Hannibal himself !

It was with this smug mindset, that Steve waited for Junior to make his belated move. Outside the patio windows just off to the left, a light rain pattered against the glass, with a steady, repatative tapping sound. The squall wasn't a full on thunderstorm, but it had raised a breeze, which swayed the palm fonds outside.

That was basically the only sound to be heard, though: Inside the house, there was an equally steady silence, as the SEALs battled it out in an age old game of wits and skill.

( Steve may have had wits, but as for skill- )

clack.

Junior's knight finally advanced.

" Your turn, Commander ".

Steve raised an eyebrow. Junior had taken a bit longer than he'd anticipated to do that, which was even more perplexing considering how he already had the advantage.

" ' Commander ' ? Why so formal ? "

He took another sip of coffee, savoring its familar slow burn. Junior had a drink too- a cup full of seltzer water- but he hadn't touched it much.

In fact, he hadn't even spoken that much throughout the match, instead looking on in silence as Steve rapidly looked over the board before each of his turns, then soon made them. Junior didn't seem morose, or solemn, per se.

Just distracted. Like there was something on his mind, the kind of thing that'd been there for a while. Steve had noticed it a while ago- in fact, he'd noticed it nearly at once, from when Junior first walked through the front door from out of the storm-, but hadn't wanted to pry, at least not yet.

Now, though, with their match seemingly going Steve's way, he decided he could take a moment or two to adress this. Junior wasn't just his subordinate; he was a fellow SEAL, a brother. Steve might've not had to save him like he had with Joe White, but at least trying to talk to him about something that he'd been wrestling with emotionally, that was enough.

He set the coffee down, just hard enough to make a distincitve thud, getting Junior's attention, and making him look up.

" Allright, kid. Out with it. We've been playing all this time, and you haven't said why you're really here. You wanted to talk about something, didn't you ? "

It'd come off a little more bluntly than he'd actually intended, but what Steve'd said still did its job. Junior's hand stayed laced, but he blinked involintarily, caught by surprise.

His mouth came open, as he tried to respond:

" Sir-well, I just remembered you were frustrated you kept losing at this, and- "

Steve shook his head.

Hmph. He doesn't know who he's dealing with. This kid's not fooling anyone. Or, me, at least.

" Junior, listen to me. I'm not just your boss. Otherwise, we wouldn't be here playing something that we both know I've had trouble with ", Steve pointed out. " I don't want to pressure you or anything, but you can talk to me. Its pretty clear, and we both also know this: I am no psychologist. "

Junior closed his mouth, and slowly moved his jaw around, looking back at the board.

" By that logic, maybe you shouldn't talk to me at all, actually. Still, I thought I should just remind you: You can. "

My brother. You're my brother. I got you, brother.

That was the bedrock of the SEALS, and of the military in general. Not exactly spilling all your fears, uncertainties, and skeletons locked in closets, but it didn't have to be. What it was, Steve considered, was that feeling of trust, and confidince in each other, on some things that you just didn't want to keep to yourself.

Speaking of which, there couldn't be many things that fit that bill, except-

" You, know about what's been going on between me and Tani, sir ? Its that ".

There it was.

I knew it ! It always comes back to women, in one way or another.

Nodding sagely, Steve leaned against his chair's back. The match had suddenly, by some mutual and unspoken, agreement just now faded to a backseat, as what had brought Junior to the McGarrett home was now out in front.

It was all about Tani, evidently. The beautiful former lifeguard, turned 5-0 officer, and fellow rookie alongside Junior. They'd both been recruited nearly at the same time ( well, technically, Junior had volunteered ), a few rather short months ago. Often, from then till now, they'd been partnered up, as Steve had recognized early on that they seemed to have a natrual chemistry, and got along seamlessly ( mostly ) well.

And I didn't notice there was something building under the surface of all that. Should've, really.

Taking Steve's relaxed stance as a signal to keep speaking, Junior did so:

" Right, so, Sir-

Steve held up a hand.

" When we're off work, its just Steve, allright ? I think I know you well enough for that. Consider it always in effect. "

Quiet for a moment as he heard this, Junior soon nodded he understood, before continuing.

- Steve, you know I care about her. You, well, walked in that little scene back at HQ recently, so its no secret anymore. As if it ever was, though. "

The last few words came out with a small smirk, as the memory of that day came back to him. Steve couldn't help but grin as well: it had been rather adorable for him, watching the rookies finally ante up thier relationship.

" Secrets rarely stay buried " Steve agreed. " But go on "

Junior paused for a moment, then he did, with slightly more ease:

" I know I haven't known her for that long, less than a year, but that doesn't matter to me. I really want to be with her, and I keep thinking about what she means to me, even when we're not around each other. I keep thinking about all these little details about what she likes and doesn't. Just yesterday, I was at Whole Foods, and I saw they'd restocked thier Costa Rican banannas. I remembered right then that she loves those. "

He paused again, worked his jaw around in a circle, choosing his next words.

" I know that seems cheesy, and it may not seem important at all, but its the opposite to me. I tought it was there before we kissed back at your party last year, then I became confident of it when we did that again back at HQ, and now, I am just about certain of it I haven't told her, but I have to. Truth is:

Oh, here we go. Bombshell incoming

Steve leaned forward now, in anticipation, as Junior reached his point:

" I am in love with her, Steve. I haven't told her, but I am. "

Bomshell indeed.

In the living room of the McGarrett home, with its lamp lit interior, filled with the soothing racket of drizzle against its glass patio doors, Steve McGarrett had just received a most heartfelt confesstion:

Junior felt he was falling for Tani, for real.

The young rookie was serious about this, that much Steve could tell. Love in of itself wasn't something to be trifled with, or admitted to ( to one's self, or anyone ) easily. It may be easy to realize you were attracted to a woman, and perhaps it could be even considered easy to admit but it could be another galaxy alltogether to be able to tell her that you loved her.

Steve knew at once that he understood.

Catherine. I should've told her I wanted to be her man a long while before Joe White told me point blank to. He was right, though, and she and I had a good run. Its a tragedy that now she wants to play spy for the CIA- or maybe they won't let her go. Either way, at least we were together, and I wouldn't trade that for anything

Now Junior's in the same place. He wants to tell her, but he's nervous as hell. So, he came to me first.

It was touching, that Junior had told him this. Steve had always wanted the best for his ohana, in which Junior and Tani were defintely included. He'd always wanted them to enjoy thier lives, to live them to the full. What could be more true to that than love ?

He felt a smile stretch across his face.

" Junior Regins ", Steve drawled. " You have it bad for her, don't you ? You really have fallen for her, well and truly haven't you ? "

Still smiling, he nodded. " Yes, you have. "

Junior seemed half surprised by this reaction, and half relived by it. Soon, though, he was smiling too.

" Well, now I get it. You can't wait to pour your heart out, but you want to do it right. Women are senstive cretures, after all, eh ? "

" Don't let her hear you say that ! ", Junior exclamied, but he was still grinning. " She'll hunt us both down. "

" Undoubtedly ", Steve agreed. He reached out and took up his coffee again, sipping. Seeminly as if it were a cue, Junior took one of his own drink .

Putting it down again, Steve decided to try his best to help Junior out. He wasn't used to this kind of advice, but he'd give it his best shot:

" Allright ", he said, leaning back again. " Allright, listen, again. I am no expert in telling anyone how to ' be romantic ', so to speak, but if you're bursting to tell her, as you should, then I think you should try to be real about it. You don't need some kind of elaborate setup, or anything like that, but don't just do it when you're making a coffee run to the local Dunn Bros either. If you ask me, wait till there' nothing going on- no cases, no crisis, nothing that needs to be dealt with right away, etc. Wait till you're both alone, and then say it to her. You're being a real man if you do that: be honest, be dead on, and just let your heart talk.

Also, don't use the word " like ", to refer to your feelings. Ladies hate that. Makes you seem like you're 15, or something "

For a moment or so after this brief lecture on the ways of speaking to the fairer gender, neither of them said anything.

Then, Junior slowly began to fight a chuckle

" Something's funny ? "

The rookie hastily shook his head " No, si-Steve. I just, well, for some ' not good at being romantic ', that seemed like some sound advice. "

" Agan with the brown nosing ", Steve admonished, shaking his head. It was all in jest, though, and they both knew it.

" I am serious, though ", Junior insisted, and now, he his face and mood had shifted to reflect that. " Thank you, for that. I've been wanting to say to her, but I felt I just had to talk to someone I could look up to first. I know I have much to learn about eveything. "

" Finally. You accept me as your mentor. "

" Steve, if I didn't consider you to be, I'd never have come to your door that day, asking to join up at all. "

There couldn't have been a better afirmation, and Steve couldn't have been prouder.

" Also, speaking of Tani, she gave me some lessons in how to play. Check the board. "

Aggh ! It slipped my mind 100% ! The match !

Quickly, ( and silently berating himself for his lack of paying attention ) Steve turned his attention back to the board-

- and found, he'd been:

" Checkmate ?! " Steve vertiably wailed. " You, what , I don't-

Junior didn't bother to keep down a guffaw of triumph.