A/N: Katietaylor and snowbeardolphin wanted Steve shopping for Danny. Not quite what I planned, but hope you enjoy it! Shout out to Fujoshi Core for the present idea!
Steve was overwhelmed by Danny's gift. His paled in comparison. "I didn't get you anything," he said.
Danny was puzzled. "Yeah, you did. You got me a Fandango gift certificate."
"No, I mean. . ." Steve tried to put what he felt into words. It wasn't easy, but he knew words were important to Danny, so he tried his best. "Not like this," he finished, lamely.
"Hey, hey, none of that," Danny said. "You got me something I could do with my kids. That's a pretty big thing."
"Yeah, but it's not romantic," Steve said.
Danny held out an arm, and Steve stepped into it. Danny brought his other arm around and wrapped Steve in a tight hug. "It doesn't have to be, you big goof. I know romance isn't your thing. Besides," Danny nuzzled into Steve's neck and pressed tighter against him, just enough to cause just a hint of delicious friction, but not enough for their friends to notice, "you can be romantic later."
Steve had to fight his body's reaction. He could do that. Oh, boy, could he do that. Sex—no, making love—with Danny was incredible, better than anything he'd known before. Still, being told he wasn't romantic stung. Steve vowed then and there he'd make it up to Danny.
Deciding to do something romantic was easy. Deciding what to do was a lot harder. Steve could just take Danny out for a romantic dinner, but he'd planned to do that anyway, been meaning to for a while, in fact, but work or family or other obligations kept getting in the way. And that wasn't tangible. Danny had gotten Steve something he could treasure for a lifetime; Steve wanted to do the same.
Inspiration eluded him, though, until Steve and Danny picked Grace up from Lou's. Grace got into the car, iPod in hand, earbuds firmly in her ears. Danny reached over and yanked them out.
"Danno!" Grace protested, "I was listening to that."
"You know the rules. No headphones in the car," Danny said firmly.
"But, Danno," Grace whined. "Will made me a playlist."
"A playlist?! What is that, the modern equivalent of a mixed tape? I did that in high school for my first girlfriend. What are you, 15?" Danny exclaimed.
Grace rolled her eyes. "Well, duh."
Danny continued with his rant, undaunted. Steve tuned him out. A germ of an idea was forming. A mixed tape. Well, okay, a playlist these days. Yeah, okay, it was a little high school, but it might be the perfect way to show Danny how he felt. Steve just had to figure out what to put on it.
Steve agonized for days over which songs to choose. Some were easy—Bon Jovi, of course, and Springsteen—but it was which ones of theirs that was hard. It had to be something meaningful, something that expressed how Steve felt, especially the first and last. Steve remembered what Danny had put on those pictures. He had to match it.
Steve felt like he listened to Bon Jovi's entire discography before he found the perfect song—"All About Lovin' You". It was like it was meant for him and Danny. That would be his lead song. He found some other songs by various artists to put in the middle—more Bon Jovi, some Springsteen, and of course "Sexy Eyes"—Steve just couldn't resist. The last song stumped him even more than the first had. It had to be about love, but also about their future. Steve had to let Danny know he wanted it to last a lifetime, too.
Steve found what he was looking for in a very unusual place—Sinatra. It wasn't Danny's usual fare, but Steve knew he liked the singer. And nothing was more romantic than Sinatra. Steve had a plethora to choose from. Steve flipped through the list on Google, stopping here and there to listen to one. Then he found it—"The Best Is Yet to Come". It was even better than "All About Lovin' You". Finally, he had it—the perfect playlist for his and Danny's relationship.
Steve decided to give Danny the playlist on New Year's Eve. Steve went all out. He planned a romantic dinner at the best Italian restaurant on the island, the one whose lasagna, according to Danny, was almost as good as his mother's. It was cozy and intimate, and just right for what Steve had in mind. He even wore a suit—with a tie!
Danny nearly died of shock. "What, can't I wear a tie?" Steve asked.
"Uh, yeah, I guess." Danny seemed to recover himself. "It looks good on you." Then, he smirked. "Of course, I can think of other, better uses for it."
Steve allowed himself to be swept up in a passionate kiss, but only briefly. Reluctantly, he pulled away. "We'd better get going or we'll miss our reservation."
The restaurant was everything Steve hoped. He and Danny were tucked away at a small table near the window looking out on the beach. A candle flickered between them, creating and intricate play of light and shadows. Steve took a deep breath and steeled himself. It was now or never.
Steve held out a small gift bag to Danny. "I, uh, got you something. A late Christmas present."
Danny was touched. "Babe, you know you didn't have to."
"I know, but I wanted to," Steve replied. "Go on, open it."
Danny did. Inside he found a flash drive and a piece of paper. "What's this?"
"It's a playlist," Steve explained. "You know, like Will made for Grace. The paper says what's on it."
Danny read the list, a sappy grin spreading across his features, getting wider and wider the further down he got. "Wow, this is amazing. Thank you, Steve."
"And you said I wasn't romantic," Steve teased.
"I take it back." Danny gestured expansively, taking in the restaurant and the flash drive. "This is definitely romantic."
Steve turned serious. "You're worth it, Danny. I've never met anyone who made me feel the way you do, and I want that forever."
Danny was overcome with emotion. He felt the need to lighten the tone. "Not just a romantic, but a sap as well. Who knew?"
Steve laughed, telling Danny he'd succeeded. Steve lifted his wine glass in a toast. "Here's to us, and much more romance ahead of us."
Danny touched his glass to Steve's. "To us."
The smiled at each other. It was going to be a good new year, and a very good rest of their lives.