Pairing: Steve McGarrett/Danny Williams

Spoilers: None

Steve had kissed Danny.

It had been an unexpected progression of their partnership and yet it also seemed the most natural thing in the world. That Steve had leaned in close, giving Danny time to back up as they breathed the same air for long moments, and then he'd kissed him softly. Danny could feel Steve's smile against his lips and the sag of his shoulders as the tension drained out of them. The kisses became hotter, heavier, hands had wandered underneath clothing and they'd somehow made their way to Steve's bedroom.

Now Danny sat in his usual chair outside.

He'd woken earlier than Steve and just before the dawn. Though it could be argued that he hadn't gone to sleep to begin with and had merely dozed after they'd tired each other out physically. A mixture of his insomnia and what was now, he could concede to himself, a minor freak out over what was happening, had led him to leave the bed to allow Steve to continue sleeping without the nightmares Danny know had plagued him these last years.

He stared at the sky as it began to lighten, listening to the early morning birds as they flitted about and the sound of the waves lazily meeting the shore on a morning with very little wind and even less movement on the water that made it seem idyllic even to Danny's ears. Still, peaceful.

He sighed, head back, eyes straining to see the last of the stars flickering as he contemplated what he and Steve were becoming.

It didn't feel strange. It felt new but only because it was. Steve had never kissed him before, he'd never before seen Steve fully naked, nor had Steve seen Danny that way and now he had a new face of Steve's catalogued. He smiled at the memory. There was certainly nothing bad about any of it and nothing he regretted. He just had to get used to the shift in their status.

What fascinated him more than anything was that his usual apprehensions weren't there. Whatever worst case scenarios he might come up with usually were being banished from his brain and he simply wanted to bask and live in the now and enjoy what they had together. Despite Steve's recklessness, his propensity to get himself shot at and the many times Danny had been at the hospital with him, he didn't worry about those future instances.

It was like…. well, it was like flying. With Steve. Danny had always hated it, worried about it and usually flying with Steve had meant they were in a serious situation and that they were the ones needing to fix it. Bombs, guns, bad guys or even a freshly certified Kamekona - Steve always dragged Danny into the air in a situation he'd really rather not have been in. And yet every time they landed safely. Steve always steered them down without incident. And right now? He felt like he could go flying with Steve and have a good time, knowing he'd land safely.

He'd conquered his fear of flying.

That was how he knew that what he and Steve had become was right for them.

Light footfalls behind him alerted him to Steve's presence so he didn't jump at the feel of hands on his shoulders.

"You okay?" Steve asked, lightly massaging Danny but he stayed behind him in case he wasn't welcome.

"Yeah, I'm good."

"I was worried when I woke and you were gone."

Danny turned his head and looked up at Steve while taking hold of one of his hands and squeezing. "Sorry, babe. I thought you could use the sleep so I came out here."

Steve kept his hand in Danny's as he walked around the chair in a circle before sitting in his own next to Danny's; the small table between them keeping them at a slight distance, but their hands hung between the arms of the chair contentedly loose as fingers remained entwined.

They stayed silent for long moments until Steve asked an uncharacteristically hesitant question. "Did you freak out?"

Danny jutted out his bottom lip and nodded slowly. "Little bit."

"Really?"

Danny shrugged in affirmation but couldn't let Steve think it was anything bad and continued. "Not about us, it was more about me, you know? Not the gay thing, the happy thing. I'm happy. And nothing is spoiling it. It's good, it's nice. I like it. I just had to take some time and savor it, maybe do a little thinking."

"So you and me. This whole thing… no regrets?"

Danny sighed out a breath. "Nope."

Steve's grin split his face and his eyes lit up in almost devilish delight as he stood. "Come here," he beckoned, pulling Danny up from his seat, eyes roaming his torso and smugly noticing the faded Navy SEALs t-shirt Danny had borrowed as their chests collided and Steve wrapped his arms around Danny's back, holding tight. "You feel good?"

"I feel…." Danny paused, considering, as he looked first into Steve's eyes and then beyond him into the sky again where two birds swooped around each other high up near the small flutter of clouds. "I feel like I could fly."

"But you hate to fly," Steve reminded him.

"Not anymore," he lit up, happiness still firmly in place and Steve leaned down to capture his lips in a kiss Danny was already so familiar with and knew he'd never get tired of experiencing.