Sunset

This one came to me without any warning. I only had the prompt with Danny being hurt and in the hospital, and Steve wanting to make him feel better by taking him on the roof to see the sunset. My lovely friend, Lunedd gave me this amazing push couple of weeks back, that I somehow I took it to go with this story when I started writing it, and here's the outcome.

Thanks for always supporting me, babe. This one is for you.

Another thing I want to point out is - I always give warning in the caption about the story, but mostly of my stories are slash, so if you don't like to read slash or you feel that you won't like what it's written inside, don't read. Just to leave it out there. The stories that are not slash, do not have any warnings of the type.

…

For just one second, Steve's heart stops beating.

In that excruciatingly painful second he sees Danny lying on the warehouse floor, blood pooling under his thin and frail body.

Danny was missing for well over two days but for Steve it felt like two centuries. Every moment he didn't know where Danny was, was his personal hell.

Like Dante descended on Earth after so long and decided to change Virgil for Steve to accompany him on his journey.

Danny was kidnapped by the same people that were running extortion schemes Honolulu wide for months. Apparently Danny recognized one of them and followed him. He called Steve to tell him they got a break on the case when the line went dead.

The last thing Steve heard on the phone was Danny's voice telling him that after they finished this case, he was taking him out for dinner. Preferably somewhere where they could watch the sunset.

Something was lodged in Steve's throat. It was half-sob and half-scream.

It couldn't be Danny. His beautiful Danny. It just couldn't be. He was just looking at him. He was a bit banged up but okay.

But he wasn't okay, was he?

There was a presence next to him. Lou, Steve could feel him. But he was like nailed to the spot. He couldn't move.

Lou squeezed his shoulder in support. On his left Tani barked orders for paramedics and Junior was helping HPD to put their perps into custody.

What was left of them, anyway.

Steve was moved out of his stupor by a light twitch of an arm - Danny's arm. Danny's hand lifted in search of something.

Steve didn't know how was he able to pick up the sound, but he did. It was Danny calling out for him. His faint 'Steve' acted like an anchor and brought Steve back to the here and now.

His legs that felt laden moved on their own accord to get closer to Danny. He captured Danny's hand in his and squeezed while he ran the other in Danny's hair, soothing his boyfriend. Or maybe he was trying to calm his already fried nerves.

"Steve..."

"I'm here, Danny. I'm here. I've got you."

"I knew you'd come for me."

"I'll always come for you, baby. Always."

Steve leaned then, and kissed Danny. It was just a peck on the lips, but enough for now. It held a promise. It grounded Steve even more.

"Steve... I... we..."

Steve put his index finger over Danny's lips to shush him.

"Shhhh baby. Save your breath. The medics are on their way. They'll fix you up and then we can talk for as long as you want to, okay?" Steve forced a smile on his face while he was crying on the inside.

"'Kay."

Steve had to move and leave the paramedics space to work around Danny.

Just before he climbed in the back of the ambulance he could hear Danny talking about sunsets.

Then it clicked to him. Steve let the tears fall.

…

The preliminary examination showed that the bullet wound didn't tear anything vital. But that didn't quell Steve's worries. Danny was shot, and he was shot while on his watch.

His team (bless them) tried to reason with him that it wasn't his fault, the guy, whatshisname, shot Danny to make Steve suffer more. There was nothing Steve could do to prevent what happened.

Still, Steve blamed himself. In fact, his guilt went deeper than just this one time. All the times Danny was shot and hurt, and Steve was the reason for it, all the times it could be their last time together on Earth because he was stupid enough to run head first into a situation.

There was nothing anyone could say to make Steve feel better or forget about it.

...

He felt like he was sinking. But the surface below him was soft. His head lay on a pillow? It smelled of fresh detergent. But that didn't mask the smell of antiseptic and the unique smell belonging to a hospital. There was a faint beeping sound to his left and something radiating warmth on his right.

His eyes were gritty and his throat was parched. He tried to move his lips to try and speak. Call out for whoever was next to him to get the hell out, because there was no way his kidnapper would let him go. He didn't want anyone else to suffer.

Opening his eyes was a difficult task. They felt like lead, and after two futile attempts he finally managed to open them.

He looked to his right. There was Steve, sitting in the hospital chair next to his bed, stiff as a board, staring into the distance. His eyes were glazed but it looked like he wasn't even present in the here and now.

One last attempt of talking went out of the window when instead of words what came out was a grunt. Steve was immediately alerted and he was back in the room for a few seconds.

"Hey."

Danny tried to speak again, but Steve was already rising to get a nurse.

Seconds later he was back with a glass of water. Danny was so grateful for that.

"Small sips, Danno."

Wetting his lips and quenching his thirst, Danny felt like he could finally speak.

"Steve..."

"Danny..."

"What happened?"

"You were shot. That bastard shot you."

Then it came back to Danny. The man, his name was Neal from what he understood, shot him while taunting Steve. He remembered the sting of the gunshot wound, then the pain. And the yells. Steve holding his hand and kissing him.

But this Steve was distant. And Danny didn't like that.

His train of thoughts was interrupted by the doctor. After the routine check-up Danny was again in his room alone. Without Steve even though he was physically present. Sleep soon overcame his need to talk sense into Steve.

…

Danny was tired and angry because this thing went on for too long. This new and distant Steve was stepping on his toes, fiddling with his frail nerves, angering him by the second. It was three days now and all Danny got was Steve glaring at something; glaring at someone or a combination of both.

Danny's tolerance of this new Steve was coming to an end. And fast.

He was sure if he was to act like that, Steve would feel the same.

"You know, if you keep glaring daggers at the floor, there'll be a hole by the time I leave this room."

Danny's voice jerked Steve out of his non-stop glaring war with the tiled floor like it offended him or something.

Danny huffed a frustrating breath.

"Please, talk to me, Steve."

"There's nothing to say, Danny."

"Oh, is that so? Is that why you are glaring holes in the floor, in the walls, in every person that walks in this room? Damn it, Steve, this is not you."

"You were shot." Steve's voice was barely a whisper when he spoke.

"No shit, Sherlock. It's not like I can't feel it when I move too fast. Or when I move in general if you see my point."

"You were shot." Steve's voice was barely a whisper. "Because of me."

Danny smiled inwardly and patted himself on the back for finally producing a reaction out of Steve.

"And here lies the problem, my friend."

"What problem, Daniel?"

"The problem is that you see everything as your fault, Steven! When it's not."

"But it is-"

"Shut up. I am not finished, yet." Danny yelled and Steve closed his mouth, audibly so, staring incredulously at his partner. "What are you staring at? Help me with this bed."

Steve felt chastised as he helped Danny move and arranged the pillows to make him comfortable.

"Now sit. And wipe that pout off of your face because it won't work on me."

Steve did as he was told. Danny could be bossy when he wanted to make a statement.

"Good. Now, listen to me. I'm gonna say this only once and if I hear you say something that it's your fault, ever again, when it isn't, you'll end up sleeping on the couch for the rest of your life. You'll get a case of a lifelong blue balls problem. We don't want that, do we?"

Steve was staring at Danny, like he was in the principal's office, being scolded for something wrong he did during class. Danny didn't wait for Steve to answer before continuing his rant.

"I want you to know that it wasn't your fault. It wasn't your fault I got kidnapped. It wasn't your fault that he shot me. Nothing you could have done would've prevented him to put one in me. And thankfully he didn't decide on the head." Danny grimaced at that. "As much as I want to whine and gripe at you for always getting shot because of you, this was not your damn fault, Steven. And if you start objecting to what I just said, just remember your balls."

Danny sighed as he leaned back and in the pillows. As much as he wanted to stay awake, he was exhausted from his little rant and moving around. Healing process was longer the older he got.

Carefully he eyed Steve and could see the change in him as he finally, finally looked at Danny without feeling guilty or with the wounded puppy look.

"That's already better."

"But, I- I didn't say anything Danny."

"You didn't have to. You forget I am a detective, babe."

That made Steve chuckle and Danny celebrated that as a small win.

Then as if burned, he almost jumped out of the bed. Steve jumped at the same moment.

"Hey, hey, take it easy." Steve said at the same time Danny gasped as pain spread throughout his body.

"I'm sorry. Oh, I shouldn't... have done this." Danny wheezed.

"Yes, you shouldn't have. Are you okay?"

"I will be." Danny took deep breaths through his nose and released them through his mouth.

The pain in his side subsided to a dull throb.

"Why did you jump so suddenly?"

"Um... has anyone gone through the Camaro? After… y'know."

"Yes, CSU processed it on the night you were taken. Why?"

Danny facepalmed himself.

"It's... Oh God, please tell me you didn't see the box?"

"What box? Danny, you are not making any sense."

"There was a box, black box in the glove compartment where I keep my- Where is my phone? I need to call Tani... I..."

"Danny calm down, okay? I'll call Tani. I'll ask her to come over if that's what you want. Just... calm down."

Danny tried, but the panic inside was rising and the next thing he remembered was waking up alone in his hospital room with his phone and a note on the nightstand.

"Here's your phone. Had to run. Case. S"

The note was simple. Steve was back to his shell. And it was all Danny's fault.

Sighing, he picked up his phone and called Tani.

…

Tani was on the end of her patience watching Steve pace the length of his office. He was like a caged animal. She chuckled at her thoughts. It was something that Danny would say.

Speaking of Danny, he called her few hours before with an odd request. Well not that odd once he told her what was in that mysterious box that got Steve so riled up. But she grinned and packed a duffel with Danny's clothes and put that box down so no one would suspect the true nature of her covert mission.

Oh how she'd like to install a camera on that box to see Steve's expression when Danny took the final leap.

"Hey, boss!"

Steve stopped his pacing the moment Tani entered in his office.

"I didn't scare you, did I?"

"Uh, no. I've been thinking."

"Yeah? About what?"

"It's just Danny. He... he had a meltdown this morning. Sort of a panic attack. He kept asking about some black box in the Camaro. I... I'm just worried I guess."

"It's natural to feel like that. He's your boyfriend after all. But, I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. Here."

She gave Steve the duffel.

"What is it?"

"It's Danny's clothes. He called me to pick something up from his stash in his office and asked me to give them to you so you'll bring them to him when you go back to the hospital later."

What Danny actually said was for Tani to bring the clothes, but Tani already set her plan in motion, so there was no backing down.

"It's okay, Steve. It's not your fault. The meltdown I mean."

"How do you know that?"

Oooops.

"Woman's intuition. Now go. There's still time till sunset."

"But..."

"Go. We can handle the case. Besides if there's something important, we'll call you."

Meaning they won't interrupt the lovebirds at all. Listening to Danny's words before the ambulance left the scene paid off. And Tani was a good listener that knew how to push the right buttons.

Steve stared at the door long after Tani left.

Decision made, Steve left for the hospital.

...

Danny was dozing on and off the whole day. He was more than exhausted but he waited for Tani to bring him his clothes and the box.

His heart lurched in his throat when instead of Tani, Steve was the one entering in his room.

Please, don't tell me he found the box. Please...

Danny was surprised when a nurse with a wheelchair appeared behind him.

"What's this?"

"Your chariot awaits, my Lord." Steve bowed even. Danny's eyes popped out of their sockets.

"Steve?"

"Trust me?"

Steve looked hopeful and with that adorable puppy dog look on his face, again. The one Danny was not able to resist.

"Okay. Okay. But only because you asked."

Danny explicitly asked to be left alone so he could dress after the nurse removed the IV from his arm.

First thing he noticed in the duffel was the box. He opened it. The ring was still there.

Danny breathed a sigh of relief. Steve still didn't know.

He dressed in slacks and a button down. Securing the box in his pocket he called for Steve.

"So, what's the occasion, huh?"

Steve bent and placed a soft kiss on Danny's cheek. "I remember you said something about wanting to watch the sunset with me when the case was over. As you know we were interrupted."

Steve stopped in front of the elevator and waited until they were there to kneel in front of Danny and kissed him passionately.

"Am I thinking what I think you are thinking?"

"I think that you'll get your answer soon."

Danny let himself be led by Steve up to the last floor of the hospital. There were stairs to the roof.

Something Steve didn't think of when he got the idea to watch the sunset on the hospital roof.

"Okay. Timeout. Can you walk?"

"Are you serious right now, Steven?"

Steve looked crestfallen. "Of course I can. I'm not damsel in distress."

Steve ended up helping Danny in the end. When they arrived, Danny was panting but there was a smile on his face when he saw the table and chairs.

"Sap."

"Says the man that wanted to watch the sunset with me."

"Well this makes you a bigger sap than I am."

"Keep it up and you'll leave hungry from our restaurant."

Danny placed his hands in the universal gesture for surrender and went to sit on one of the chairs. Steve even moved the chair for him.

They shared a nice meal together as they watched the last flickers of the golden sun disappear behind the horizon.

"I really enjoyed this meal, Steve. I admit that it came as a surprise, but it's beautiful. Really."

"Well, someone may have nudged me in the right direction. And i improvised. I hated to see you so sullen and sad to be confined to a hospital bed. And then your meltdown this morning..."

"About that. I have to apologize."

"Why?"

"It's a bit complicated, but I didn't want you to find out before I had a chance to... Okay, here goes nothing."

"What are you- Danny, no, your wound!"

"Shhh babe, let me. It's okay."

Danny took out the small black box out of his pocket and kneeled on his good knee.

"I am very happy to have you in my life, Steven. I... You know my thoughts on marriage and that I didn't want to go down the same path, again. But that was before I realized I'm in love with you and I want to be with you. For the rest of my life. So, Steven Jack McGarrett, will you marry me?"

Steve had tears in his eyes by the time Danny finished with his impromptu speech.

For a split second Danny thought Steve would say no. He looked so lost. But then he slowly got up and kneeled before Danny, engulfing him in a hug.

Steve let the tears come at him then.

"Yes, Danno. Yes! Thousand times, yes!"

He had one of his goofy grins plastered on his face that made Danny grin, too.

"I love you so much, you goof."

"I love you too, Danno."

Steve helped Danny on his feet and embraced him again, getting all handsy as always.

Danny hummed as he buried his head in Steve's chest.

"My personal octopus fiance."

"My personal small kitty."

Steve chuckled as he tightened the hold on Danny.

The love of his life. His baby. His sweetheart. His fiance.

He wished they could stay like this forever.

…

A/N: Tell me what you think. Also the last line is inspired by a lyric from Daughtry's song "Feels like tonight".