Fic: Blueberry Pancakes

[ionaonie]

Title: Blueberry Pancakes
Pairing: Steve/Danny established relationship
Characters: Mary, Grace
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Vague ones for all episodes up to 116 but other than that, not really.
Beta: solar_cat, who got rid of all my Britishisms - any that are left are totally my fault.

Summary: Mary observes a typical Sunday breakfast in the McGarrett-Williams household. Then she makes a few observations of her own.



Mary stumbled out of her room, rubbing her eyes and feeling her way along the wall so she didn’t fall down the stairs. She followed the smell of coffee and the soft sounds of people talking down the stairs and into the kitchen.

She walked in to find Steve making what looked like pancakes while Grace sat at the breakfast counter, listening to Steve talking really enthusiastically - more enthusiastically than should be allowed at this time in the morning.

‘ - Star Wars is by far the best, there is no comparison.’

‘We are talking about the movies, right?’ she asked opening the fridge and pulling out the jug of fresh pineapple juice. ‘And not the defense system?’

Because never, not once, when they’d been kids had Steve expressed an interest in Star Wars. To her eternal shame her brother had always been a Trekkie. She had a feeling it was a science thing.

Steve shook his head while Grace laughed.

‘So we are definitely talking about Luke, Leia, Death Stars and Vader,’ asked Mary, really needing the clarification.

‘I’m not talking about an obsolete weapons system with a ten year old, Mar.’

Mary slid into the seat next to Grace, refilling her glass as she did so. ‘Just checking, big brother. You’re not real good at knowing what is and isn’t acceptable conversation with kids.’

Steve huffed as he transferred the pancakes onto a plate. ‘Me and Gracie do okay.’

Mary watched as Grace smiled up at her brother as he placed the plate of pancakes next to the butter, syrup and blueberries already out on the counter. She wasn’t entirely sure when Steve had become domestic. He certainly hadn’t been when she had stayed with him until he had driven her just a little crazy and she’d got her own rental place. She kind of wished she still had it.

‘You,’ Grace said as she speared a couple of pancakes and put them carefully on her plate. Mary could relate; her brother made a mean pancake, ‘do more than okay, Uncle Steve,’

The utterly bashful smile that spread across her brother’s face made something sharp twist in her chest. She hadn’t seen that kind of joy on his face for a long time; since before their mom had died.

‘But he does keep trying to get me to watch Star Trek,’ said Grace, grinning slyly.

Mary laughed as she covered her own pancakes liberally with syrup. ‘Don’t worry, he’s been doing that to me since I was even younger that you.’ She rolled her eyes at Grace. ‘He’s strange like that.’

Grace laughed. ‘Not a lot happens in Star Trek.’

‘Hey, Star Trek is cool,’ protested Steve, looking far more wounded than he could possibly be.

Grace didn’t seem to be falling for it either, as she just rolling her eyes and continued eating.

‘Babe, I hate to be the one to break it to you, but there is no way Trek is cool,’ said Danny as he sauntered into the kitchen, his voice still scratchy with sleep.

‘It is too,’ said Steve, sticking out his lower lip. She had never seen her brother pout until he had met Danny. It still weirded her out after two years.

Danny laughed, pausing to smooth down Grace’s hair and press a kiss to her temple. ‘Death Stars, TIE fighters, lightsabers, Han Solo and the Millenium Falcon are cool,’ he said, ticking them off his fingers as he approached Steve. ‘What does Star Trek have?’

Steve spluttered as Danny leaned in and pressed a kiss to his lips.

Grace ducked her head and stifled a giggle behind her hand as she caught Mary’s eye.

‘Are they always like this?’ she whispered.

Grace giggled again and nodded. ‘All the time.’

‘Star Trek has plenty,’ muttered Steve, against Danny’s lips.

‘Sure it does, McGarrett, you keep telling yourself that,’ said Danny, grabbing the plate Steve had been piling with pancakes and blueberries. ‘My favourite.’

Steve smiled and leaned in and stole another kiss from Danny. ‘I know that.’

Danny leaned back and stared at him, considering Steve. ‘What did you do?’

Steve blinked, looking far too innocent to actually be. That was a mistake he had been making for as long as Mary could remember. His eyes stayed a little too wide and he always had to work at stopping his mouth from breaking into a shit-eating grin.

‘I haven’t done anything.’

Danny narrowed his eyes, tapping his fork on the counter. ‘No, no, you are definitely trying to sweeten me up and considering I’m already pretty sweet on you, that means you’ve done something you know you shouldn’t have.’ He poked Steve in the chest. ‘And I want to know what it is.’

‘Danny, I’m hurt. What could I possibly have done before -’ He glanced at his watch ‘- nine in the morning.’

Mary snorted. It was amazing what her brother could achieve before most normal people were up and about. Mary would have to tell Danny some of the stories one day, just so Danny knew it wasn’t something Steve had picked up in the military.

‘What could you manage before nine? Seriously? You want me to list the ways? Because, let’s see. In the past two years you’ve kicked in doors, blown up public property, hung people off building, thrown suspects in shark tanks, driven motorcycles up stairs, thrown flash-bangs around randomly, to name but a few - most of it before the early morning commute.’

Steve raised his hands in defeat. ‘Okay, okay. I get the point. I make good use of my time.’

‘Blowing stuff up is not a good use of anyone’s time,’ exclaimed Danny, his hands waving around.

‘Unless he’s saving you, Danno,’ added Grace. And there had to be a story there, because Grace was gazing up at Steve like he could do no wrong. Which, after having her own timely rescue, Mary could totally understand.

Danny smiled softly at Grace. ‘You’re taking his side, Monkey?’

‘Only when he’s right,’ said Grace.

Danny rolled his eyes. He glanced over at Mary. ‘You see what I have to deal with?’

Mary laughed. ‘It’s hard being you, isn’t it?’

‘You have no idea,’ said Danny with feeling.

‘Oh, quit your whining,’ said Steve. ‘You love it really.’

Danny opened his mouth but as his eyes passed over Grace he frowned and changed direction. He reached out and tucked Grace’s hair behind her ear. ‘Why do you have sand in your hair, Monkey?’

Grace’s eyes widened. ‘Umm…’

But before she could continue, Danny turned on Steve. ‘You took my daughter surfing?’

Steve’s eyes widened. ‘Danny…’

Danny raised his voice so he could continue talking over Steve. ‘After I expressly told you not to without me there?’

‘Danno -‘ said Grace, chewing her lip and looking worriedly between her dad and Steve.

Mary glanced between Danny and her brother. She had assumed that Danny had gotten over his thing about Grace surfing. He had learned the basics, allowed Kono to teach Grace and the last time Mary had been visiting Grace had been out with her and Steve, catching waves. Little, tiny waves, but catching them all the same. Obviously, she had been wrong.

She nudged Grace’s foot with hers. ‘Your dad still has a thing about the surfing, huh?’

Grace wrinkled her nose. ‘Sometimes. He’s better than he was, but sometimes I think he forgets that he trusts Steve with me.’

‘Ah, okay.’

‘Danny, I did not take Gracie surfing,’ said Steve most emphatically.

Danny pushed Steve away from him and started gesturing. ‘Oh, so, if I go outside I won’t find two boards leaning against the wall?’

Steve rubbed the back of his neck. ‘Well. Yes. You’ll find two boards there, but -‘

‘Seriously? You’re going to try and convince me that you didn’t take my daughter out surfing while I was still asleep in bed when you know how much it freaks me out?’

‘Was the water good?’ Mary asked Grace in a low voice, partly to distract her from the argument and partly because, well, she wanted to know what the water was like.

‘Not really,’ said Grace. ‘But Steve was funny.’

‘Good funny or bad funny?’

Grace smiled at her. ‘Good.’

Steve took a hopeful step towards Danny. ‘She didn’t surf. At no time did she stand up on the board.’ He was staring so earnestly at Danny that it was blatantly obvious that he thought that made it all okay.

Mary snorted into her pancakes. ‘Oh, Steve.’

He spared a glare in her direction but all his attention was firmly on Danny.

‘Did you really just say that to me? She didn’t stand on the board?’

Steve started to shift as it slowly dawned on him that Danny might actually be a little pissed off. ‘She was with me. We paddled around for a little bit.’ He crowded closer to Danny, which either meant he was confident of his ability to diffuse Danny’s anger or he was just crazy. Honestly, as she pondered it, it was probably the crazy. ‘We didn’t leave four feet of water.’ He shrugged. ‘There aren’t even any waves today.’

Danny was quiet for a moment, Mary watching Steve and Grace watch him carefully.

‘So you made me my favourite pancakes.’ It was a statement, not a question.

Steve ducked his head slightly.

Danny further closed the space between them. ‘Four feet of water?’

‘Maybe not even that,’ said Steve hopefully.

One of his hands settled on Steve’s hip. ‘No waves?’

‘None.’

Danny looked down at his plate. ‘And pancakes.’

‘Yeah. Pancakes.’

Danny ran his other hand through his hair, mussing it up further. ‘You’re certifiable, you know that, right? You could have just. I don’t know, told me instead of letting me get all riled up.’

Steve nodded. ‘I could have done that,’ he agreed. ‘It’s just. You were asleep and we’d had a busy week.’

‘And you didn’t want to disturb my beauty sleep? Is that it?’ asked Danny incredulously.

‘That’s exactly it,’ agreed Steve.

Mary raised an eyebrow. She knew that tone of voice, thank you very much. It meant that Steve was agreeing to an assumption to avoid talking about something else. Usually emotion based. Mary wondered if Danny yet knew Steve well enough to recognise that particular trait of her brother’s.

Danny snorted. ‘Yeah, right. Try again, McGarrett.’

And, right there, Mary really wanted to rag on Steve because his boyfriend knew when he was trying all that avoidance shit, and, more than that, would call him on it. Although, to be honest, Danny’s willingness to call Steve on his shit wasn’t anything new; in fact, it was one of the cornerstones of their entire relationship.

‘What? You were tired. You said as much last night. I was being considerate and letting you sleep in.’

‘And I am not disagreeing with any of that. But there’s more to it. I think you keep forgetting that I am, in actual fact, a damn fine detective.’

‘No there isn’t,’ maintained Steve in that bullheaded manner of his.

Danny rolled his eyes. ‘Yes there is.’

‘No there -‘

Danny held up a hand. ‘Stop. I’m not doing a ‘yes there is/no there isn’t’ thing with you this morning. I used to do this with Grace when she was six. It was annoying then - sorry, baby - and it’s doubly annoying when it’s a thirty-six year old SEAL doing it. So quit it, and tell me.’

Steve predictably kept his mouth shut.

‘You know how I am,’ continued Danny. ‘You might as well bite the bullet and tell me.’

Steve sighed and determinedly glared at the fridge. ‘Iwantedtospend…’

‘I’m sorry. I didn’t quite hear that.’

‘I said,’ gritted out Steve, ‘that I wanted to spend some time with Gracie.’

That made Danny blink and snap his mouth shut on whatever he had reflexively been about to say. His eyes softened. ‘Steve.’

‘Look, I know it was stupid…’

‘No, no, no. It’s not stupid. The only stupid thing is that you thought you had to ninja yourself time with my daughter.’

Steve shrugged, but Mary was pretty sure that she could see a smile tugging at his lips.

‘I know that you are overly impressed by my ninja skills, Danny, but I don’t think that counts.’

Danny raised an eyebrow and poked Steve in the chest. ‘You snuck out of bed - that counts as using your ninja skills.’

By now Grace was giggling helplessly, suggesting that Steve had - miraculously - managed to calm Danny sufficiently.

‘Oh, you think this is funny, do you?’ asked Danny, as he slid onto the stool next to Grace.

Grace grinned at her dad and nodded. ‘Breakfast with you and Steve is always funny.’

Danny glanced over at the clock and sighed. ‘Monkey, you’d better go and pack before your mom gets here.’

‘Yes, daddy.’ She picked up her plate and put it in the dishwasher before disappearing up the stairs to her room.

Danny watched Steve as he cleaned the kitchen. 'You know you can spend time with Grace whenever you want, right? I mean, obviously not whenever, because I can’t see her whenever, but you don’t have to wait until I’m passed out in bed or anything idiotic like that.’

‘You don’t see her enough as it is. I don’t want to make it worse.’

Which, Mary supposed, made a certain amount of sense when she thought about all Steve’s issues with their dad. She hadn’t really known their dad, but Steve had. He and Steve had shared interests - that stupid car, for one thing - and Steve had always wanted to have a close relationship with him. Of course, now they knew what their dad had been fighting against, it all made sense but that didn’t make any of Steve’s issue’s go away; it just helped it all make sense. It wasn’t exactly a surprise to Mary that Steve had ended up falling head over heels for someone who so obviously adored his daughter.

Danny rolled his eyes at Mary. ‘You aren’t going to be offended if I call your brother an idiot, moron or bullheaded, are you?’

Mary shook her head. ‘It’s unlikely since I couldn’t agree more.’

‘Hey!’

‘Don’t ‘hey’ me, you giant marshmellow,’ said Danny, standing up, empty plate in hand - and when the hell had he found the time to eat, was what Mary wanted to know; he hadn’t stopped talking. ‘Gracie adores you and loves spending time with you, you idiot. If you two want to do something together, then do it. Just tell me first, okay?’

‘I can do that.’ He grinned slyly at Danny as a hand sneaked onto Danny’s hip. ‘Does that include surfing?’

Danny shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. ‘God save me, but what did I do to get stuck with you?’

‘I dunno, Danno,’ said Steve, pulling Danny closer, his eyes sparkling with mischief, ‘but it must have been something pretty awesome.’

Danny just laughed as Steve leaned in to kiss him.

Mary jumped off her stool. ‘Well, I think that’s my cue to go and keep Grace away from the kitchen for a few more minutes. I would hate for her to be scarred for life.’

Steve pulled reluctantly away from Danny, who was quite obviously laughing. ‘Piss off, Mar.’

She threw him a mock salute. He hated those. ‘Yes, sir.’

‘No, wait, I’d better go and check she’s got everything,’ said Danny. ‘Last time she forgot her school skirt and we weren’t all that popular.’ Danny pressed one more kiss to the corner of Steve’s mouth before leaving the kitchen.

She watched Steve continue to clean up breakfast.

‘You could help, you know.’

‘Yeah, but you know where everything goes.’

Steve pulled a face. ‘That’s lame.’

She shrugged. ‘But it’s fun watching you being all domestic and shit.’

After another few minutes Steve halted in front of her, his hands resting on the kitchen counter. ‘You’re staring.’

‘You’re happy.’ It seemed like stating the obvious, but with Steve you sometimes had to do that.

‘Yes?’ he said tentively, almost as though she were walking him into a trap.

‘Mom would have liked him, you know and she would have loved Grace.’

Yeah, she would.’ He paused for a moment. ‘And dad?’

‘He loved you. If you’re happy, he’d be happy.’

‘Do you really think so?’

She nodded. ‘Yeah, I really think so.’

Steve’s smile was blinding. ‘Well, alright then. I’d better go and put the boards away before Rachel gets here.’

‘I’ll give you a hand,’ said Mary, standing up.

Steve rolled his eyes. ‘Now you offer to help.’

‘What can I say, Steve? I’m just that kind of helpful.’

He slung an arm around her shoulders. ‘Well, come on then.’