Foresight

Ch. 4

By

St. Bridget

Steve was rudely awakened from the best sleep he'd had since before becoming a SEAL by an eight-year-old landing on the bed. "Danno! Uncle Steve! Let's go swim with the dolphins!"

Steve watched Danny's eyes flutter open from where he was still snuggled next to Steve and land on Steve's. Danny's eyes widened in panic, but he didn't roll away. Steve gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze.

Grace, for her part, seemed unphased by finding Danny in bed with another man, a near-stranger at that. And when had he become Uncle Steve? Not that Steve minded—it made him feel warm and fuzzy to know that Grace was beginning to like and trust him enough to bestow such a familiar nickname on him. "Get up! We'll be late!"

Danny looked at the clock. "Grace, our appointment isn't until 10:00. It's barely 7:00. Go back to sleep."

"But, Danno," Grace whined, "we have to get dressed and have breakfast and by then it'll be nearly time."

Steve swung his legs gracefully over the side of the bed. He gave Danny a playful whack. "You heard the little lady. Time to get up."

Danny groaned and pulled the cover over his head, but Steve ripped it way. "Okay, fine, I'm up. Neanderthals, both of you. No respect for a man's right to sleep in on the weekends." His voice was fond, and Steve was hopeful the tone was as much for him as for Grace.

Steve found keeping up with Grace as exhausting as Danny had said. Still, he found her enthusiasm contagious as he watched her splash with the dolphins and in the hotel pool. She even convinced Steve to come in with her (Danny refused, claiming he didn't swim, and no amount of coaxing from Grace could change his mind). Steve carried her around on his shoulders, much to Danny's chagrin, and they got into a huge splash fight that left the SEAL laughing and panting as he flopped into the lounge chair next to Danny. "You big goof," Danny said. "You're as much of a child as she is." This time, there was no doubt the fondness in his voice was directed at Steve.

Over another dinner in the hotel restaurant, Steve talked about growing up on the island.

"Do you surf, Uncle Steve?" Grace asked, and damn, that nickname still brought a happy flutter to his chest, even after hearing it all day.

"Of course. What kind of islander would I be if I didn't surf?" Steve responded.

"Will you teach me?"

Steve was just about to say yes when Danny broke in. "No, he will not," the blond said firmly.

"But why not?" Grace whined.

"Yeah, Danno, why not?" Steve parroted. He was pleased to note Danny didn't balk at the use of his daughter's nickname. Sometime during the day, he seemed to have gotten over his annoyance and accepted the term coming from Steve.

"Why not?" Danny said, arms waving animatedly. "Because there's sharks, and too much sun, and too much sand, and it's way too dangerous!"

"Danny," Steve said, "I've been surfing since I was old enough to stand, and I've never seen a shark. At least, not while surfing," he amended.

Danny looked at him suspiciously. "But you have seen them."

"Yes, but not this close to shore, and I've never known any one who's been bitten by one. I assure you, she'll be perfectly safe."

"Please, Danno?" Grace pleaded, turning her best puppy dog eyes on him.

"Yeah, please Danno?" Steve echoed, turning what he hoped were convincing puppy dog eyes of his own on the other man. "I promise, I'll take good care of her."

"Okay, fine," Danny relented, "but only if I'm there."

"So does that mean you're going to learn to surf, too?" Steve asked, partly teasing.

"Absolutely not," Danny said firmly.

"So, why are you so against the whole ocean thing, anyway?" Steve asked. "I know they have the ocean in Jersey. Surely you've been."

"Of course I've been!" Danny said, affronted. "We went down the shore every summer when I was a kid. Rachel and I used to take Grace, too."

"Tell Uncle Steve about the time I found a live sand dollar," Grace said. And just like that, Danny was off.

Steve really enjoyed hearing tales from Danny's youth and Grace's younger years, even if the latter were tinged with sadness at the thought of his failed marriage with Rachel. He felt like he was really getting to know the detective. Steve found it hard to believe he'd known Danny less than a week. It felt like they'd known each other forever. Steve hoped they'd be this close—closer, even—for the rest of their lives.

After another Disney movie, and after Grace went off to bed, Steve and Danny stayed in the living room, chatting. Steve and Danny were on the couch, and at some point, Danny had kicked his legs up on the couch and put his head in Steve's lap. The gesture was familiar, intimate even, and Steve tried his utmost to keep from getting hard. He wasn't sure he did a very good job, but Danny didn't seem to notice. Steve didn't even try to keep from running his hand through Danny's hair, and, just like the night before, Danny leaned into the touch. Steve felt like he could stay like that forever.

Eventually, though, Danny yawned and suggested bed. This time, there was no discussion about sharing a bed, no pretense of taking separate sides. They both lay in the middle, Danny immediately tucking himself into Steve's side. Steve went to lay a kiss on Danny's forehead, but Danny tipped his head up at the last minute and their lips met.

This kiss was chaste, but to Steve it felt like heaven. His cock twitched at just the brief contact, and he had to bite back a moan. Now was not the time for that. Steve didn't want to rush. He was becoming more and more confident there would be plenty of time to explore the physical side of their relationship. For now, he was content to share one more brief kiss when Danny smiled at him and said "Goodnight, Steve."

Steve had more visions that night, but they were the best he'd ever had. They were all about Danny, and Grace. Steve saw his house, Disney movies and Harry Potter books scattered across the living room, a bedroom painted pink with frilly curtains, a silver Camaro in the driveway next to Steve's truck. He saw Danny and Grace in the kitchen, Grace sneaking bits of pineapple as Steve cut it up. He saw himself at the grill, Danny standing next to him, laughing. He saw evenings cuddled on the couch, watching whatever game was on TV. Above all, he saw Danny ever where he looked, nothing but Danny.

That led into the erotic dreams Steve had been having since he met the other man, and, as he had every day since that fatal moment in the garage, he woke up hard and aching and unable to do anything because the subject of his fantasies was right there, asleep against him and feeling oh, so right. Steve willed his erection down. Not now, he reminded himself. Later. There'll be lots of time later. He hoped. Oh, God, did he hope.

Steve was still floating in the happy haze brought on by his visions and dreams when Danny stirred. "Morning, sleepyhead," Steve greeted him, daring another kiss.

This one lingered longer, Danny kissing back firmly, deepening it just slightly, though it was still chaste. "Morning." Danny sighed.

"What's on your mind?" Steve asked.

"Nothing," Danny said. "Just. . ." he hesitated.

"Just what?" Steve prompted.

"Just not looking forward to getting back to the real world. This place is a lot better than my apartment."

Steve blamed the afterglow he was still basking in for what came out of his mouth next. "So don't go back. Move in with me instead."

Danny pulled back, incredulous. "You have got to be kidding me!"

Steve almost regretted his impetuousness, but he'd come this far, and he wasn't going to turn back now. "I'm serious. I've got plenty of room. Grace would even have her own room when she comes to visit."

"Steven, you're out of your mind! You don't go asking people you just met to move in with you!"

"Why not?" Steve asked. "I think we've already proven we get along just fine."

"Why not?" Danny echoed. "We work together! We're already with each other all day! Why would you want to be together all night, too?"

Steve took a deep breath, ready to lay all his cards out on the table. It was now or never. "Because you're the best thing that ever happened to me. When I came back to Hawaii, I knew things were going to be different, better. Losing my Dad, that was the worst thing that's ever happened, but if Hesse hadn't shot him, I never would have met you. I know it's only been a few days, but I want to see where this goes, and I don't want to waste any more time."

Danny looked at Steve thoughtfully, weighing his words. "I don't know what to say. You sound like you've thought about this, but this took me completely by surprise. I was prepared to hate you, then you go and get Grace and me a weekend in a suite, and I thought my heart would burst. I had no idea why I asked you to go along, no idea I'd be sharing a bed with you, no idea I'd even be considering your crazy proposal."

"We don't have to share a bed. I've got two spare bedrooms," Steve offered.

"No," Danny said. "No. If we do this, we do this right. All in."

"So, what do you say?" Steve said. "In or out."

"In," Danny said firmly. "Definitely in."

Steve's heart soared. All the loss, all the pain, it wasn't all bad. He had Danny, and now, everything was good.

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A/N: I'm marking this complete. There will be another one, Hindsight, from Danny's POV that picks up later on in this time line. It may or may not have the spice. If not, there will be a timestamp. :)