Rapunzel, Hawaii 5-0 Style by BymagaJones 18/26
Instead of using the road, Danny chose to follow the stream beside where JennaKaye had broken camp. Keeping track of his destination was simple thanks to the smoke rising in the area, and he took a circular route, remaining in the bushes where he could see the dragon.
It was larger and more colorful than he’d expected. Crouched by a small thatch of woods, it shifted its weight while staring down about ten men in armour - some of Steve’s army, Danny assumed. The sunlight reflected off its scales, revealing that only about half were actually a shiny green; the others created a rainbow effect that was either beautiful or blinding, depending on one’s angle. Danny focused on the dragon’s head, making note of its size and other distinguishing marks before rifling through his papers to confirm his suspicions. He began to move forward, but the dragon’s head turned his direction, its nose twitching. Backing off, he returned to the stream and began to strip, hiding his notes and clothes in a nearby bush, and quickly doused himself with the chilly water from the creek. After he was wet enough, he took a deep breath and grabbed for some mud.
It was a weary Steve, Chin, and Kono who appeared at the campsite as the sky grew dark. They’d first listened to all the reports and then made plans to bring both Danny and the princess safely to the dragon - at separate times - the following day.
“Hey, guys!” Grace’s bright, cheerful face greeted them at the campfire. “JennaKaye and I made dinner!” She stood up and jumped toward Steve, who had just enough time to grab her before she fell.
“There’s nothing better than coming in from a hard days’ work to find food and two lovely ladies,” Chin said, seating himself.
“I second that,” Steve said, trying to seat himself without dumping Grace on the ground or falling himself.
“That’s not fair. Where’s my lovely man?” Kono complained, sitting beside Chin.
“Danno went to gather intel,” Grace said, climbing off of Steve.
“What? When?” Steve asked, standing and ignoring the plate JennaKaye held out to him. “How long has he been gone?”
“Why did he go alone?” Kono asked, ignoring the plate JennaKaye tried to give her.
“All I know is that he asked me to keep an eye on Grace, and he said that he’d be back later.” She tried to hand the plate to Chin.
“We’re not going to be able to find him in the dark,” Chin said, ignoring JennaKaye.
“Is anyone eating tonight?” JennaKaye asked, frustrated.
“I’ll take it,” Grace said. “I bet it’s good; we’re great cooks!”
“Did he say which route he was going to take?” Steve wasn’t about to agree to wait until the next morning. He couldn’t stand the thought of Danny hurt somewhere, bleeding, needing help while he sat here comfortable in front of the fire.
“Danno’ll be back soon,” Grace said, unconcerned. “He promised.”
“Chin’s right,” Kono said. “There’s no way we would be able to find him tonight.”
“I can’t just sit here and do nothing while Danny is out there somewhere!”
“I guess it’s good then that I came back,” Danny said, walking into the clearing.
Steve stepped forward, managing to refrain from grabbing the man and rubbing his hands all over him to make sure he was okay. Instead he just stared at him, trying to see if he were hurt. “Are you okay? Why are you shivering?”
Danny sat on the log beside Grace. “I didn’t have the foresight to pack a towel.” He nudged Grace with his shoulder. “Hey, Monkey.”
“Eww,” she complained. “You’re all wet!”
“I’m damp,” Danny admitted, “but I’ll dry off soon.”
“You’ll get sick,” Steve said. “Go change clothes.”
“Your Highness,” JennaKaye said, “Umm…”
“I’ll be fine,” Danny said.
“Uh, Your Highness,” JennaKaye said tentatively.
“It’ll only take a couple of minutes,” Steve insisted. “We don’t eat until you change.”
“Except for me!” Grace sang out happily, taking a bite from her plate.
“Except for Grace,” Steve agreed.
“Your Highness,” JennaKaye muttered.
“What!” Steve growled.
“Those are his only clothes.” JennaKaye raised her chin bravely, the quiver in her voice only slightly noticeable.
“But JennaKaye does thoughtfully clean them every night through some magic of hers,” Danny said, still shivering.
“He only agreed to it as a service to the rest of us,” JennaKaye said cheekily.
“And he has no shoes,” Chin said, finally taking a plate from JennaKaye.
“Or socks,” Grace added helpfully.
“Not really helping,” Danny said, his voice shaking slightly as his body shivered.
Steve looked at Danny’s clothing, realizing for the first time that it was the same outfit he’d put on their last morning in the tower. The knees and elbows were starting to show serious wear, and he noticed a tear on Danny’s right shoulder. “Why didn’t you say something?”
“I’m not taking charity,” Danny said firmly.
“It’s not charity,” Steve said, sighing.
“That is what I told him,” Kono said, taking a bite of her food.
“You knew about this?” Steve asked her.
Kono shrugged.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You never asked,” Kono said simply.
“Here,” Chin draped a blanket over Danny’s shoulders.
“Thanks,” Danny said, waving away a plate and drawing the blanket around him.
“So let me get this straight,” Steve said, pressing at his temples as he paced. “You’ve been wearing the same set of clothes since we left the tower with no shoes and socks. You go all by yourself to do intel around a dragon, and you return soaking wet.”
“First of all, my clothes are my business, and after ten years without them, maybe I prefer not to wear shoes. Secondly, I find doing intel alone makes it easier for me to get in and out faster and undetected. Remember, I’m a professional.” Danny’s words probably would’ve made more of an impact if his voice had not been shivering.
“Is there dessert?” Grace asked, unperturbed.
“Let’s go see,” JennaKaye said, holding out her hand.
“Kono and I’ll go with you,” Chin said, clasping Kono’s shoulder.
“Oh, but -” Kono’s voice cut off when Chin grabbed her hand and pulled her after him.
For a second, Steve just stood there, staring at Danny. Even with a tinge of blue to his lips, shivering underneath a blanket, he pulled at something within Steve. Walking to sit in Grace’s empty spot, Steve turned toward Danny, fisting his hands to keep them from reaching out. “Danny, I need you to be safe.”
“I was perfectly safe,” Danny said.
“What about the clothes?”
“I told you -”
“Stop being so proud. You’re assisting me - my country. The least we can do is provide you with some clothes. It’s not charity; it’s letting us take care of someone who is helping us.”
“Fine,” Danny said reluctantly, and Steve had to fight back a grin.
“Now, about this wandering around by yourself.”
“I wasn’t ‘wandering around’. I formulated a plan and followed it.”
“Really? And what did you learn?” He folded his arms.
“I figured out a few things,” Danny said, his even voice showing that he was ignoring Steve’s attitude, “but then some of your soldiers showed up and messed up the entire thing. I need to go back tomorrow to confirm my theory.”
“Who’re you taking with you?” Steve asked, already knowing the answer.
Danny sighed. “Steve, I used to do this kind of thing all the time, and I have done research on dragons. I can handle myself. What would make it more difficult is having someone I need to watch out for while I’m trying to work.”
“It’s not like looking for some mean goat. You can’t go alone.” Steve said. “It’s not negotiable.”
Danny glared at him, and Steve prepared himself. “You’re not my king.”
Steve had to laugh. “Is that the adult version of ‘you’re not the boss of me’?”
Danny tried not to laugh but eventually gave in. “I guess so.”
“How about I go with you? I promise, I can take care of myself.”
“Nope,” Danny said, and Steve had to squelch the sudden disappointment he felt. There must have been something in his expression, because after a moment, Danny sighed. “You have to attend to your princess.”
“First, she’s not my princess. Secondly, we can go early, leave before dawn.” He caught the flicker of a look pass over Danny, but he couldn’t read it. He wasn’t sure if it were because of the brief glimpses of the detail he caught in the firelight or if he just didn’t know Danny well enough to be able to track the nuances on the man’s face.
“If - and I’m not agreeing to this yet,” Danny warned, “if I say yes, you have to promise to let me take charge. Trust me and follow my direction.”
Steve shrugged. Danny wasn’t a stupid man, and Steve trusted him. “Promise.”
“You won’t like it,” Danny said.
“What won’t I like?” He was already anticipating spending time alone with Danny.
“The reason I’m like this -” Danny motioned to his body, “ -is because I had to get naked, wet myself down, and cover myself with mud and then grass to mask my scent. I hadn’t planned on it, so I had to put my clothes on while I was still wet, hence…” he motioned to his body again. “You ready to do all that?”
Forcibly tamping down his excitement at being naked and alone with Danny, Steve shrugged, forcing nonchalance. “I’ll remember to bring towels.”
“I’m sure you’ll have at least four hidden in various pockets.” Danny’s arms waved in the direction of Steve’s cargo pants.
“So, what’d you learn? Anything we can use to destroy it?”
“I’m working on a theory.”
“Feel like sharing it?”
“Not without confirmation,” Danny said.
“Why not? You almost get yourself killed doing your intel, but now you won’t even share anything?”
Danny shrugged a shoulder, almost lost in his shivers. “I was perfectly safe, thank you very much.”
“You’re never ‘perfectly safe’ when you’re in the company of a dragon,” Steve reminded him.
Danny rolled his eyes, and Steve smiled fondly at him, fisting his hand to keep it from reaching out, pressing his palm against Danny’s cheek.
They stared at each other in the moonlight for a few short moments before Danny sneezed.
“You idiot,” Steve said fondly, finally giving in to the urge and rubbing the blanket briskly over Danny’s arms. “You’re not going to be any good to us sick.” Danny leaned into him, giving Steve easy access to the front of his body. Adjusting himself so Danny’s back was against him, Steve rubbed the blanket against Danny’s chest, not able to resist slowing his movements to a caress. Sighing, Danny’s damp head fell back against Steve’s shoulder, and Steve felt the tension ease from both of their bodies. Even if neither one were willing to admit it, their bodies seemed to know inherently that they belonged together. Closing his eyes, he leaned his head against Danny’s, ignoring the other man’s dampness. “I need you to take care of yourself.”
Danny’s stomach took that moment to let out a loud rumble, and they both chuckled.
“When was the last time you ate?” Steve asked.
“I ate, um…” Danny muttered, his head still on Steve’s shoulders, his eyes closed.
Steve waited.
Sighing, Danny lifted his head and opened his eyes. “I ate sometime today… I’m sure. Breakfast definitely.”
It was Steve’s turn to sigh.
“I’m doing okay,” Danny insisted. “It’s just tougher than I thought, you know, out here. I knew I had my freedom taken away, but I didn’t realize how much of my free will I’d given up. Decisions were all made instantly, like what to eat or where to eat or even when to eat were pretty much dictated to me. I was told when to go to bed, I was given specific books to read… After ten years, I’m just needing a little time to get used to making my own decisions again.”
Steve’s guilt returned. “I’m sorry I haven’t been here for you -”
“What? Hey.” Danny turned slightly making eye contact. “Enough with the face. I’m a grown man who has indeed lived in the real world, and I’ll be fine. You rescued me from a life stuck in a tower. I think you’ve more than done your part.”
“But I want to do more,” Steve admitted, loving the myriad of expressions that ran through Danny’s eyes. He’d missed this time.
Danny smiled, a small, sad smile. “But you can’t. You have obligations and a princess.”
Steve sighed. “I told you. She’s not -”
“No. We don’t need to talk about her. She seems pretty amazing, the perfect partner.” Danny pulled away, standing, and it took a moment for Steve to realize that the chill he felt was more than the loss Danny’s warmth.
“You’ve soaked through the blanket. You need to change before you get sick.”
“On it, boss,” JennaKaye said, walking into to firelight, clothes in hand.
Danny took the clothes and pointed them at his daughter, who’d accompanied JennaKaye. “I’m getting changed, and then it’s bed for you.”
“Can Steve put me to bed?” Grace asked, sitting next to him on the log, leaning her head against his side and smiling up at him.
Steve couldn’t help it. He melted. And looked hopefully at Danny. “You really should change as soon as possible, and it’s getting really late.”
Danny sighed, rolling his eyes. Turning toward Chin, Kono, and JennaKaye, he gestured toward Steve and Grace. “Look at what I have to deal with. That face times two.” He turned back to Steve and Grace. “Fine. But I don’t want to hear any crazy noises coming out of that tent.”
“I’ll be good, Danno,” Grace promised.
Danny knelt in front of Grace, and Steve could see the unguarded love shining out of his eyes. “Of course you will. I’m talking to Steve.” Grace giggled and Steve couldn’t help but smile at the impish grin Danny flicked over to him before hugging his daughter. “Goodnight, Monkey. Danno loves you.”
“I love you too,” Grace said, flinging her arms around his neck. She quickly let go, though. “Ewww, you’re still wet.”
“Hey, I’m drying off,” Danny protested, standing.
“Slowly,” Steve muttered, grabbing Grace and standing up with her on his hip. “Get changed and eat.” He pointed at Danny. “And stay here. I’ll be back.”
Danny rolled his eyes. “I’ll hold my breath in anticipation.”
Grace giggled again, and Steve turned away to hide his smile.
“Am I too heavy, Steve?” Grace asked.
“I think you weigh less than my surfboard,” Steve said. “Let’s see.” He tilted her and held her under his arm like he would his surfboard and grinned as she laughed. “Yep, just as I thought. Less than my surfboard.”
“That’s my bed.” She pointed to the cot with the pink blanket.
After putting her in the bed and pulling up the covers, he sat on the floor beside her and ran a hand over her head. “You ready to get some sleep?”
“I guess,” she said reluctantly, reminding Steve of how tough he’d found it to go to sleep when he was her age. Abruptly, she rolled over to stare at him, her cheek resting on her hands. “Steve? Do you like my Danno?”
Those eyes, so much like her father’s, stared at him, and he couldn’t lie to her. “I like him very much.”
“He likes you too.”
“Really?” He felt a goofy smile spreading across his face.
“Yeah. I can tell.” She frowned. “But you like that princess too, right?”
Steve felt his smile start to fall. “It’s complicated.”
“That’s what grownups always say,” Grace complained.
She sounded so dramatic that Steve chuckled.
“No, really,” Grace insisted. “That’s what mom told me when I asked her about why she didn’t choose to live with Danno instead of staying with grandfather. And it’s what Danno said when I asked him about his mom and dad.”
That peaked Steve’s curiosity, but he didn’t feel that asking Grace more about the situation was appropriate. He made a mental note to bring it up with Danny at some point.
But Grace wasn’t finished. “Mom also said it when I told her I wanted a baby sister like Danno has.”
That took Steve by surprise. “Danny has a sister? How come she didn’t get to visit him in the tower?”
“She was born sick, and Danny’s mom and dad had to take her somewhere to get better.”
“Poor Danny,” Steve said.
“He was six,” Grace said, shifting slightly to get more comfortable. “They promised him that they’d come back for him,” she yawned, “but they never did. They picked her over him, just like mom picked grandma and grandpa.”
Steve wasn’t liking the picture that was starting to form, and he wasn’t sure what to tell Grace. A small snort and a sigh made him realize that she was already asleep. Relieved, he walked back out to the campfire where Danny sat, eyes half-mast, hunched over a partially eaten plate of food. He didn’t move when Steve sat beside him and gently took the plate. “Danny, go to bed.”
Danny roused slightly, eyes squinting as he looked at Steve. “But you wanted to talk,” he slurred, his voice rising slightly as if he couldn’t decide if he were asking or telling.
Placing his hand gently on Danny’s shoulder, he said, “We can talk tomorrow morning when we go on recon.”
“Right,” Danny said, and Steve knew the man must be exhausted if he weren’t going to continue to argue about it.
Danny continued to sit there, and stare into the fire.
“Danno,” Steve said.
“Right,” Danny repeated, still motionless until Steve nudged him.
“Do I need to carry you too?” Steve teased.
Danny roused enough to throw Steve a sleepy glare before finally pushing himself off the log and stumbling toward his tent.
Steve continued to stare at the campfire, absently eating the rest of Danny’s food as thoughts of lonely little boys and rejected men and loving fathers raced around in his mind.
Master post with chapter breakdown and links to other sites
It was larger and more colorful than he’d expected. Crouched by a small thatch of woods, it shifted its weight while staring down about ten men in armour - some of Steve’s army, Danny assumed. The sunlight reflected off its scales, revealing that only about half were actually a shiny green; the others created a rainbow effect that was either beautiful or blinding, depending on one’s angle. Danny focused on the dragon’s head, making note of its size and other distinguishing marks before rifling through his papers to confirm his suspicions. He began to move forward, but the dragon’s head turned his direction, its nose twitching. Backing off, he returned to the stream and began to strip, hiding his notes and clothes in a nearby bush, and quickly doused himself with the chilly water from the creek. After he was wet enough, he took a deep breath and grabbed for some mud.
It was a weary Steve, Chin, and Kono who appeared at the campsite as the sky grew dark. They’d first listened to all the reports and then made plans to bring both Danny and the princess safely to the dragon - at separate times - the following day.
“Hey, guys!” Grace’s bright, cheerful face greeted them at the campfire. “JennaKaye and I made dinner!” She stood up and jumped toward Steve, who had just enough time to grab her before she fell.
“There’s nothing better than coming in from a hard days’ work to find food and two lovely ladies,” Chin said, seating himself.
“I second that,” Steve said, trying to seat himself without dumping Grace on the ground or falling himself.
“That’s not fair. Where’s my lovely man?” Kono complained, sitting beside Chin.
“Danno went to gather intel,” Grace said, climbing off of Steve.
“What? When?” Steve asked, standing and ignoring the plate JennaKaye held out to him. “How long has he been gone?”
“Why did he go alone?” Kono asked, ignoring the plate JennaKaye tried to give her.
“All I know is that he asked me to keep an eye on Grace, and he said that he’d be back later.” She tried to hand the plate to Chin.
“We’re not going to be able to find him in the dark,” Chin said, ignoring JennaKaye.
“Is anyone eating tonight?” JennaKaye asked, frustrated.
“I’ll take it,” Grace said. “I bet it’s good; we’re great cooks!”
“Did he say which route he was going to take?” Steve wasn’t about to agree to wait until the next morning. He couldn’t stand the thought of Danny hurt somewhere, bleeding, needing help while he sat here comfortable in front of the fire.
“Danno’ll be back soon,” Grace said, unconcerned. “He promised.”
“Chin’s right,” Kono said. “There’s no way we would be able to find him tonight.”
“I can’t just sit here and do nothing while Danny is out there somewhere!”
“I guess it’s good then that I came back,” Danny said, walking into the clearing.
Steve stepped forward, managing to refrain from grabbing the man and rubbing his hands all over him to make sure he was okay. Instead he just stared at him, trying to see if he were hurt. “Are you okay? Why are you shivering?”
Danny sat on the log beside Grace. “I didn’t have the foresight to pack a towel.” He nudged Grace with his shoulder. “Hey, Monkey.”
“Eww,” she complained. “You’re all wet!”
“I’m damp,” Danny admitted, “but I’ll dry off soon.”
“You’ll get sick,” Steve said. “Go change clothes.”
“Your Highness,” JennaKaye said, “Umm…”
“I’ll be fine,” Danny said.
“Uh, Your Highness,” JennaKaye said tentatively.
“It’ll only take a couple of minutes,” Steve insisted. “We don’t eat until you change.”
“Except for me!” Grace sang out happily, taking a bite from her plate.
“Except for Grace,” Steve agreed.
“Your Highness,” JennaKaye muttered.
“What!” Steve growled.
“Those are his only clothes.” JennaKaye raised her chin bravely, the quiver in her voice only slightly noticeable.
“But JennaKaye does thoughtfully clean them every night through some magic of hers,” Danny said, still shivering.
“He only agreed to it as a service to the rest of us,” JennaKaye said cheekily.
“And he has no shoes,” Chin said, finally taking a plate from JennaKaye.
“Or socks,” Grace added helpfully.
“Not really helping,” Danny said, his voice shaking slightly as his body shivered.
Steve looked at Danny’s clothing, realizing for the first time that it was the same outfit he’d put on their last morning in the tower. The knees and elbows were starting to show serious wear, and he noticed a tear on Danny’s right shoulder. “Why didn’t you say something?”
“I’m not taking charity,” Danny said firmly.
“It’s not charity,” Steve said, sighing.
“That is what I told him,” Kono said, taking a bite of her food.
“You knew about this?” Steve asked her.
Kono shrugged.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You never asked,” Kono said simply.
“Here,” Chin draped a blanket over Danny’s shoulders.
“Thanks,” Danny said, waving away a plate and drawing the blanket around him.
“So let me get this straight,” Steve said, pressing at his temples as he paced. “You’ve been wearing the same set of clothes since we left the tower with no shoes and socks. You go all by yourself to do intel around a dragon, and you return soaking wet.”
“First of all, my clothes are my business, and after ten years without them, maybe I prefer not to wear shoes. Secondly, I find doing intel alone makes it easier for me to get in and out faster and undetected. Remember, I’m a professional.” Danny’s words probably would’ve made more of an impact if his voice had not been shivering.
“Is there dessert?” Grace asked, unperturbed.
“Let’s go see,” JennaKaye said, holding out her hand.
“Kono and I’ll go with you,” Chin said, clasping Kono’s shoulder.
“Oh, but -” Kono’s voice cut off when Chin grabbed her hand and pulled her after him.
For a second, Steve just stood there, staring at Danny. Even with a tinge of blue to his lips, shivering underneath a blanket, he pulled at something within Steve. Walking to sit in Grace’s empty spot, Steve turned toward Danny, fisting his hands to keep them from reaching out. “Danny, I need you to be safe.”
“I was perfectly safe,” Danny said.
“What about the clothes?”
“I told you -”
“Stop being so proud. You’re assisting me - my country. The least we can do is provide you with some clothes. It’s not charity; it’s letting us take care of someone who is helping us.”
“Fine,” Danny said reluctantly, and Steve had to fight back a grin.
“Now, about this wandering around by yourself.”
“I wasn’t ‘wandering around’. I formulated a plan and followed it.”
“Really? And what did you learn?” He folded his arms.
“I figured out a few things,” Danny said, his even voice showing that he was ignoring Steve’s attitude, “but then some of your soldiers showed up and messed up the entire thing. I need to go back tomorrow to confirm my theory.”
“Who’re you taking with you?” Steve asked, already knowing the answer.
Danny sighed. “Steve, I used to do this kind of thing all the time, and I have done research on dragons. I can handle myself. What would make it more difficult is having someone I need to watch out for while I’m trying to work.”
“It’s not like looking for some mean goat. You can’t go alone.” Steve said. “It’s not negotiable.”
Danny glared at him, and Steve prepared himself. “You’re not my king.”
Steve had to laugh. “Is that the adult version of ‘you’re not the boss of me’?”
Danny tried not to laugh but eventually gave in. “I guess so.”
“How about I go with you? I promise, I can take care of myself.”
“Nope,” Danny said, and Steve had to squelch the sudden disappointment he felt. There must have been something in his expression, because after a moment, Danny sighed. “You have to attend to your princess.”
“First, she’s not my princess. Secondly, we can go early, leave before dawn.” He caught the flicker of a look pass over Danny, but he couldn’t read it. He wasn’t sure if it were because of the brief glimpses of the detail he caught in the firelight or if he just didn’t know Danny well enough to be able to track the nuances on the man’s face.
“If - and I’m not agreeing to this yet,” Danny warned, “if I say yes, you have to promise to let me take charge. Trust me and follow my direction.”
Steve shrugged. Danny wasn’t a stupid man, and Steve trusted him. “Promise.”
“You won’t like it,” Danny said.
“What won’t I like?” He was already anticipating spending time alone with Danny.
“The reason I’m like this -” Danny motioned to his body, “ -is because I had to get naked, wet myself down, and cover myself with mud and then grass to mask my scent. I hadn’t planned on it, so I had to put my clothes on while I was still wet, hence…” he motioned to his body again. “You ready to do all that?”
Forcibly tamping down his excitement at being naked and alone with Danny, Steve shrugged, forcing nonchalance. “I’ll remember to bring towels.”
“I’m sure you’ll have at least four hidden in various pockets.” Danny’s arms waved in the direction of Steve’s cargo pants.
“So, what’d you learn? Anything we can use to destroy it?”
“I’m working on a theory.”
“Feel like sharing it?”
“Not without confirmation,” Danny said.
“Why not? You almost get yourself killed doing your intel, but now you won’t even share anything?”
Danny shrugged a shoulder, almost lost in his shivers. “I was perfectly safe, thank you very much.”
“You’re never ‘perfectly safe’ when you’re in the company of a dragon,” Steve reminded him.
Danny rolled his eyes, and Steve smiled fondly at him, fisting his hand to keep it from reaching out, pressing his palm against Danny’s cheek.
They stared at each other in the moonlight for a few short moments before Danny sneezed.
“You idiot,” Steve said fondly, finally giving in to the urge and rubbing the blanket briskly over Danny’s arms. “You’re not going to be any good to us sick.” Danny leaned into him, giving Steve easy access to the front of his body. Adjusting himself so Danny’s back was against him, Steve rubbed the blanket against Danny’s chest, not able to resist slowing his movements to a caress. Sighing, Danny’s damp head fell back against Steve’s shoulder, and Steve felt the tension ease from both of their bodies. Even if neither one were willing to admit it, their bodies seemed to know inherently that they belonged together. Closing his eyes, he leaned his head against Danny’s, ignoring the other man’s dampness. “I need you to take care of yourself.”
Danny’s stomach took that moment to let out a loud rumble, and they both chuckled.
“When was the last time you ate?” Steve asked.
“I ate, um…” Danny muttered, his head still on Steve’s shoulders, his eyes closed.
Steve waited.
Sighing, Danny lifted his head and opened his eyes. “I ate sometime today… I’m sure. Breakfast definitely.”
It was Steve’s turn to sigh.
“I’m doing okay,” Danny insisted. “It’s just tougher than I thought, you know, out here. I knew I had my freedom taken away, but I didn’t realize how much of my free will I’d given up. Decisions were all made instantly, like what to eat or where to eat or even when to eat were pretty much dictated to me. I was told when to go to bed, I was given specific books to read… After ten years, I’m just needing a little time to get used to making my own decisions again.”
Steve’s guilt returned. “I’m sorry I haven’t been here for you -”
“What? Hey.” Danny turned slightly making eye contact. “Enough with the face. I’m a grown man who has indeed lived in the real world, and I’ll be fine. You rescued me from a life stuck in a tower. I think you’ve more than done your part.”
“But I want to do more,” Steve admitted, loving the myriad of expressions that ran through Danny’s eyes. He’d missed this time.
Danny smiled, a small, sad smile. “But you can’t. You have obligations and a princess.”
Steve sighed. “I told you. She’s not -”
“No. We don’t need to talk about her. She seems pretty amazing, the perfect partner.” Danny pulled away, standing, and it took a moment for Steve to realize that the chill he felt was more than the loss Danny’s warmth.
“You’ve soaked through the blanket. You need to change before you get sick.”
“On it, boss,” JennaKaye said, walking into to firelight, clothes in hand.
Danny took the clothes and pointed them at his daughter, who’d accompanied JennaKaye. “I’m getting changed, and then it’s bed for you.”
“Can Steve put me to bed?” Grace asked, sitting next to him on the log, leaning her head against his side and smiling up at him.
Steve couldn’t help it. He melted. And looked hopefully at Danny. “You really should change as soon as possible, and it’s getting really late.”
Danny sighed, rolling his eyes. Turning toward Chin, Kono, and JennaKaye, he gestured toward Steve and Grace. “Look at what I have to deal with. That face times two.” He turned back to Steve and Grace. “Fine. But I don’t want to hear any crazy noises coming out of that tent.”
“I’ll be good, Danno,” Grace promised.
Danny knelt in front of Grace, and Steve could see the unguarded love shining out of his eyes. “Of course you will. I’m talking to Steve.” Grace giggled and Steve couldn’t help but smile at the impish grin Danny flicked over to him before hugging his daughter. “Goodnight, Monkey. Danno loves you.”
“I love you too,” Grace said, flinging her arms around his neck. She quickly let go, though. “Ewww, you’re still wet.”
“Hey, I’m drying off,” Danny protested, standing.
“Slowly,” Steve muttered, grabbing Grace and standing up with her on his hip. “Get changed and eat.” He pointed at Danny. “And stay here. I’ll be back.”
Danny rolled his eyes. “I’ll hold my breath in anticipation.”
Grace giggled again, and Steve turned away to hide his smile.
“Am I too heavy, Steve?” Grace asked.
“I think you weigh less than my surfboard,” Steve said. “Let’s see.” He tilted her and held her under his arm like he would his surfboard and grinned as she laughed. “Yep, just as I thought. Less than my surfboard.”
“That’s my bed.” She pointed to the cot with the pink blanket.
After putting her in the bed and pulling up the covers, he sat on the floor beside her and ran a hand over her head. “You ready to get some sleep?”
“I guess,” she said reluctantly, reminding Steve of how tough he’d found it to go to sleep when he was her age. Abruptly, she rolled over to stare at him, her cheek resting on her hands. “Steve? Do you like my Danno?”
Those eyes, so much like her father’s, stared at him, and he couldn’t lie to her. “I like him very much.”
“He likes you too.”
“Really?” He felt a goofy smile spreading across his face.
“Yeah. I can tell.” She frowned. “But you like that princess too, right?”
Steve felt his smile start to fall. “It’s complicated.”
“That’s what grownups always say,” Grace complained.
She sounded so dramatic that Steve chuckled.
“No, really,” Grace insisted. “That’s what mom told me when I asked her about why she didn’t choose to live with Danno instead of staying with grandfather. And it’s what Danno said when I asked him about his mom and dad.”
That peaked Steve’s curiosity, but he didn’t feel that asking Grace more about the situation was appropriate. He made a mental note to bring it up with Danny at some point.
But Grace wasn’t finished. “Mom also said it when I told her I wanted a baby sister like Danno has.”
That took Steve by surprise. “Danny has a sister? How come she didn’t get to visit him in the tower?”
“She was born sick, and Danny’s mom and dad had to take her somewhere to get better.”
“Poor Danny,” Steve said.
“He was six,” Grace said, shifting slightly to get more comfortable. “They promised him that they’d come back for him,” she yawned, “but they never did. They picked her over him, just like mom picked grandma and grandpa.”
Steve wasn’t liking the picture that was starting to form, and he wasn’t sure what to tell Grace. A small snort and a sigh made him realize that she was already asleep. Relieved, he walked back out to the campfire where Danny sat, eyes half-mast, hunched over a partially eaten plate of food. He didn’t move when Steve sat beside him and gently took the plate. “Danny, go to bed.”
Danny roused slightly, eyes squinting as he looked at Steve. “But you wanted to talk,” he slurred, his voice rising slightly as if he couldn’t decide if he were asking or telling.
Placing his hand gently on Danny’s shoulder, he said, “We can talk tomorrow morning when we go on recon.”
“Right,” Danny said, and Steve knew the man must be exhausted if he weren’t going to continue to argue about it.
Danny continued to sit there, and stare into the fire.
“Danno,” Steve said.
“Right,” Danny repeated, still motionless until Steve nudged him.
“Do I need to carry you too?” Steve teased.
Danny roused enough to throw Steve a sleepy glare before finally pushing himself off the log and stumbling toward his tent.
Steve continued to stare at the campfire, absently eating the rest of Danny’s food as thoughts of lonely little boys and rejected men and loving fathers raced around in his mind.
Master post with chapter breakdown and links to other sites