#h50 au

[ellena-asg]

I'm laughin' the clouds so dark up above the sun's in my heart and... I'm ready for love

Steve is a mess. He still mourns his father and brother Freddie but he just met Danny in the garage and oh, wants him, wants him so badly. He needs him desperately - he doesn't want to be alone now + can't stop thinking about Danny.

One true love, Steve's heart whispers.

1x01 What if: Steve drinks too much and then comes to Danny's motel room. He's so drunk that he starts singing (serenading!)...

[ptrckjcne]

danny's being a little bit of a shit about the name of steve's bar, and steve pretends to be upset about it, but in reality he kind of really likes all the attention this loud-mouthed reporter is giving him

[sosooley]

По мотивам работы «Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea».

[teruel-a-witch]

mcdanno au lust at first sight vibes

i'm convinced had steve and danny met under different circumstances and steve was wearing a suit danny would have jumped his bones right away

[erandri]

Steve glances at his arm again, the fifth time in as many minutes, and is dismayed to see that the only thing written there is his own scrawling 'Hi'. It's not the most elegant way to introduce yourself to your soulmate but 'Do you prefer spring or summer weddings?' seemed like a bit much. His friends suggestions hadn't been much better, all of them younger than him and not able to communicate through their soul connection yet.

It had taken him weeks to muster up the courage to do it and still after an hour there was no response, but Steve wasn't going to let it get to him. His soulmate could live on the other side of the world and be asleep. Or maybe they just didn't know what to say. Or maybe they don't speak English.

Or maybe they were ignoring him.

There were a lot of people who ignored their connection, buying arm bands or getting tattoos to cover any writing from their soulmate. There was a small, but growing, movement of people who believed that the idea of soulmates was an antiquated idea. That some mysterious, cosmic link between two people should not automatically mean that they are the only ones for each other.

Steve had always been the opposite. When he was young and they were first learning about connection in school he had gone home and asked him mom question after question about soulmates. He loved the idea that somewhere out there in the world there was one person that would be perfect for him. He wants that, to have someone that he could know so intimately, to have someone he could share every part of himself with. Soulmates always seemed to happy together that even at his young age he envied their connection.

It seems that his soulmate doesn’t feel the same way. At the end of the day, after waiting seven hours and still no response from his soulmate, Steve washes the ink off of his arm.

---

It was another month before he dared to write to his soulmate again. He had thought about doing it dozens of times, making up reasons as to why his soulmate didn't reply last time and why they would have to respond this time, until finally he mustered up the courage to do it again.

Steve left the message on his arm for two days. Still, there was no response.

---

Despite the fact that his soulmate doesn't want to talk with him, it doesn't stop Steve from writing. It's just little things, like the fact that he made captain of the football team, or what movie he happened to be watching. Sometimes he just draws pictures of what he's looking at. There's never a response but by now he's accepted that there never will be. He still likes the possibility that somewhere out there in the world, his soulmate is reading what he writes.

---

A few days after his mother dies Steve can't stop writing. He writes a novel on his arm of everything that he can't say out loud. Memories of his mother, things that she used to say, how they don't seem like a family with her gone. He writes until his pen runs out of ink, until there's so much of it on him that it will take weeks for it all to wash off of his skin. When he's done he sits on his bedroom floor exhausted.

He's almost fallen asleep when there's a warmth on his arm, like the sun is shining on it even though it's past 9pm. The warmth disappears almost as soon as it starts and he immediately misses the sensation. When he looks down, for the first time there's writing on his arm that isn't his own. Scrawled messily in blue ink is 'I'm sorry' and for the first time since the funeral he cries for what’s he’s lost.

---

When he joins the Naval Academy they give him a standard issue arm band and tell him, as a security measure for both him and his soulmate, that he needs to cease all contact. That if he's in contact with his soulmate that this is his last chance to say goodbye because as soon as he walks out of the room he is officially a naval cadet.

He doesn't write anything.

---

Years go by and Steve almost forgets about his soulmate. The black sleeve around his arm becomes so familiar to him that he no longer sees it, just like he no longer sees the matching sleeves on the twenty-four men that he's stationed with. They're in the middle of the desert, sweating their ass off for weeks on end waiting for intelligence to come through on a terrorist cell hiding out in the mountains somewhere, and the only thing reminding him that the sleeve is there is the pesky sand that always seems to find a way underneath it.

He’s on the night watch, hunkered down behind a rock outcrop for cover and watching the moon slowly rise above the sand dunes. It’s nearing midnight and he’s waiting for Martinez to relieve him when he feels it. His arm feels warm under the band, like someone’s holding onto him and he knows that if he looks down he’ll see words appearing on his skin. He knows that it’s against regulation, but he’s all alone in the middle of the desert and the temptation is too much.

Slowly, he peels of the band, revealing pale skin and three words written in blue pen. He holds his arm in the moonlight and his stomach drops when he reads I’m getting married. He should have followed protocol.

He slides the band back into place, covering his skin once again, but the words feel like a brand on his arm. His soulmate is getting married. His stomach twists, an acidic feeling churning in him quickly before he tamps it down, shoves that feeling into a neat little box. He had assumed that whoever was on the other end of his soul connection didn’t want to be soulmates. That they were one of the ones who wanted to find a love connection regardless of the universe or some higher power had is mind. The idea still hurts though. The person that the universe selected as perfect for him doesn’t want him.

---

His fathers house is unnaturally quiet. It had never been a lively home, at least not since his mothers death, but to see if so utterly devoid of life feels wrong. the remains of the crime scene don’t do anything to help lighten the atmosphere. Still, he has a job to focus on and he can’t do anything mourning over the emptiness of his fathers- his- home. Every moment he wastes is another opportunity for Victor Hesse to get away.

He treats the house like he would any other op, detaching himself from the personal aspect of the case as he examines the spot where his father was shot. It’s easy to tell that Victor didn’t work alone, the foot print, the space for the laptop start to tell him what happened here before he got that phone call.

There’s no evidence of Victor going upstairs so the next place for him to inspect is the garage. It looks the same as it did the last time he was here. Cluttered, smelling of motor oil and must. His fathers old Marquis is still stored under the tarp, looking exactly the same as it did the last time Steve saw it. Then the toolbox catches his eye.

It looks innocuous, which is exactly what Steve would want if he were looking to hide something. When he sees the end of the label is destroyed, leaving just Champ, he knows that this is important. His father calling him Champ probably wasn’t enough to alert Hesse but it set off alarm bells in his head. Sure enough, it’s not just tools inside the toolbox. The photos and pieces inside don’t mean anything to him, another mystery for him to solve.

“Freeze,“ a voice calls out and Steve pulls his gun without thinking, turning to stare down a blond cop with a gun pointed at him.

---

There’s something about Danny that Steve can’t put his finger on. He’s only known him a couple of hours now but he can tell that Danny is a competent detective. He can also tell that Danny is a giant pain in the ass. Still, there’s something else there, something that Steve finds himself drawn to, and the more time that they spend together the more Danny feels like a puzzle that Steve wants to solve.

There’s the obvious things that Steve could find in Danny’s file. He’s a main-lander from New Jersey, he rose quickly through the ranks there until he became a detective, and then he moved to Hawaii where his career has been stagnating. Steve is not overly familiar with the inner workings of HPD, or any police department, but with Danny's record and accolades it seems like he should be doing more than babysitting cases the HPD could never solve.

Then there’s the less obvious things like his love for his daughter, his determination to do the right thing, and his arm band. When they first met Steve has just assumed Danny was wearing the arm band as part of his uniform, but as they spend more and more time together outside of work Steve realizes that he never sees Danny take the band off.

The question starts to burn in him, why? Does Danny not believe in soulmates? Was Rachel his soulmate? Does Danny know who his soulmate is? For some reason the last question feels important. It runs through his mind on the nights that he can’t sleep. Who is Danny’s soulmate?

---

It doesn’t take long for Steve to realize what his feelings towards Danny are. It’s an unfamiliar feeling to know that he likes Danny but can’t do anything about it. He’d only ever felt this way before about Freddie but even that had been different. Freddie has already been in a relationship so there would have no point in telling him how he felt.

Danny though, is different. On paper there’s nothing holding Steve back from telling him how he feels but still he can’t bring himself to actually say anything.

A voice in the back of him mind tells him that the issue is the arm bands. It’s been a long time since Steve has thought about his soulmate, but he does still believe in them. Still wants to have that perfect love that so many soulmates talk about. The understanding an acceptance for every facet of himself. When he was younger it felt like a craving, desperately gnawing away at his insides. Now it’s just an ache, a pang of hurt inside him knowing that something is missing. Something he can’t quite put his finger on. Something that he’s never been able to find with anyone else.

But when he’s with Danny that pang dulls.

He’s gotten used to Danny’s touches, the taps on his chest to get his attention, the steady hand on his shoulder as they head into combat, the hugs that last just a moment too long. He savors every one, promising himself that he won’t ask for more but still he wonders, what if he did ask?

The band around his arm starts to feel like a weight he’s dragging around as the months go on. Instead of a means of protection, it starts to feel like a barrier. What is Danny is his soulmate? What if he’ll never know because of these damned sleeves? 

---

Breaking into the governors mansion, his arrest, and escape, all feel like a background noise as Danny tells him about his relationship with Rachel. That they’ve been having an affair for weeks, that she’s pregnant again and it’s Danny’s, that they were going to run away together. Blood rushes through Steve’s head as he tries to shut it all down, the emotions bubbling up within him at the news. Anger, confusion, doubt. Jealousy.

He knows he says something to Danny, hopefully something comforting, but he doesn’t know what. His body is working on autopilot while his mind tries to seal shut all of the compartments inside of him that are threatening to burst open. It feels like too much. Too much to know all of this and know, finally, that Danny is not his. Danny has never been his.

---

Weeks later, Danny is knocking on his door saying Rachel has gone back to Stan, her soulmate, and that the baby isn’t his. Rachel got her math wrong and they’re going to fix their relationship for the sake of the baby.

“I’m so sorry Danny,“ he says because what else can he say? He knew exactly how excited Danny was to have Rachel back, to have his family back, and a baby on the way. Now he has none of that.

“Don’t be,“ Danny says, his voice raw, and Steve pauses, “the entire time, from the moment the affair started. No, from the moment i met Rachel, i always felt like there was something missing.“

Danny’s gaze is piercing, holding him to the spot he stands.

“I never believed in soulmates. My parents aren’t soulmates, i know that it can work. I always told myself that I was going to marry someone that i chose to love, not someone that the universe told me to love. But,“ Danny pauses and takes a deep, bracing breath before continuing, “but there was always something that felt off. I told myself that it was okay, that it wasn’t a big deal. Then i met you, and every time that i’m with you things just feel right.“

Steve can’t breathe. He’s pretty sure he hasn’t breathed since Danny first started talking. The air fills filled with anticipation, his skin feel tight, like he’s bracing on a knife’s edge wondering which way he’s going to fall.

“I just need to try something,“ Danny says when Steve fails to fill the silence.

Danny raises his arm and it’s only now that he realizes that Danny is not wearing his arm band. Seeing the exposed skin of Danny’s arm almost feels wrong, wicked even, to look at this part of Danny that he’s kept hidden for so long. In his other hand Danny hold a pen and Steve watches Danny writes something on his arm.

No sooner has Danny finished than Steve’s arm starts to feel warm under his band. The same kind of warmth like when Danny touches him. His eyes shoot down to his covered arm and finally, he remembers to breathe. It’s been so long since he felt that warmth that he had forgotten how it felt.

“Take your band off,“ Danny says and it almost sounds pleading.

Steve does what Danny says, hooking his thumb under the fabric and pushing it down to his wrist. On the exposed skin ‘Is it you?’ is written in Danny’s handwriting.

“I knew it had to be you,“ Danny says, holding out his own arm with the exact same writing on it. Steve can see tears in his eyes, he knows that his own eyes are misty, but he doesn’t know what to do next. He’d thought about this moment a thousand times, wondering how it would go, but now that it’s here. Now that it’s Danny standing in front of him. He doesn’t know what to do.

Danny reads him like a book, he’s always been able to read Steve so well, and he takes the first step forward instead. “Come here,“ Danny tells him and they fall into each other, lips crashing together in a kiss. It’s not perfect but Steve never wants it to end.

He’s found his soulmate. He’s found Danny. And finally everything feels right.

[alea-says]

Fic writing be like...

Me: Oh, here's a great idea for a one-shot!

My brain: but have you considered:

100 pages of world-building

20 subplots

3 possible sequels

[satashiiwrites]

From Scorched Earth A Phoenix Rises

happy sunday morning.

Title: From Scorched Earth A Phoenix Rises

Fandom: 911, Hawaii 5-0

Pairings: Evan Buckley/Eddie Diaz, Steve McGarrett/Danny Williams

Tags/warnings: (eventual) explicit sex, canon divergence from end of season 7, character bashing (Tommy Kinard, Helena Diaz), child abuse, canon typical violence, sentinel/guide AU, spirit animals, anchors, BuckTommy breakup (this fic is very not friendly to Tommy Kinard), first time, Bad Diaz Parents.

Summary: An anchor, however fragile, can keep even an offline sentinel from manifesting as long as it is maintained. When his anchor is removed, Eddie Diaz enters a deep zone.  Can Buck, a long unattached guide, save his best friend from slipping away?

El Paso, Texas, 1995. 

“Mom, I still don’t feel so good,” Eddie says as he tugs on Mom’s skirt and stumbles into the kitchen. He feels tired, achy, and too hot, but he had a bad dream about the firebird and the blue dragon going away. They’d told him they’d always watch over him, but he woke up looking for them and couldn’t find them. 

“Oh honey, that’s just the medicine kicking in. Do you want some more juice?”

“No!” Eddie shakes his head briskly. He doesn’t want to throw up again. 

“Maybe you need more medicine? The doctor said you might need a second dose,” Mom says, bending down to look him in the eye. She has a slight frown on her face, and Eddie doesn’t like this look. This is the look Mom gets when she’s about to be mean to someone while pretending to be nice. 

“I’m getting better,” Eddie insists despite feeling the room begin to sway around him. 

“We’ll do a second dose,” Mom says, already straightening to get the dark bottle out of the cupboard above the sink that’s too high for Eddie to reach. 

“I don’t want it,” Eddie protests, wanting to cry.

“This will make you feel better, honey. Just you see.”

The bitter taste makes him gag, but Mom doesn’t let him spit it out. Over his sniffles, there’s a fading cry of the firebird screaming in warning.  

He doesn’t see his firebird or her friend, the blue serpent dragon, again until many years later. 

Read Chapter 1 here on AO3.

[cowandcalf]

McDanno Christmas Story

Exerpt: Steve turns around and looks straight into the most handsome face he's seen in a long while. The guy has the bluest eyes and a great, attractive smile. Steve simply forgets to answer his question. He stays there instead, rooted to the spot, and stares at this guy he has never seen in town. Steve even checks him out just because he's so fascinated by the red apron with a huge Santa Claus on it and the Jingle Bells text. His eyes caught on the tight shirt and how it outlines the muscles underneath. The guy has square shoulders and a strong neck. Steve doesn't mean any harm by staring, doesn't think that he might come across as creepy and too intense. But he can't take his eyes off the guy because something is happening, something so utterly confusing . . . there's suddenly this . . . silence – like fallen snow – inside him. It's the kind of silence he thought would never find the way back into his head. Steve is almost shocked about this unexpected moment. It feels so amazing just to stand there and look at the good-looking dude, a cop, who's still smiling at him, by the way, like Steve's the best distraction he's seen in a while. And for a second, Steve loses himself in this fantasy to be of interest to this handsome guy in front of him.

[nobigsecrets]

Ever since @teruel-a-witch posted her hot McDanno motorcycle boyfriends collage the other day, the idea of a McDanno biker AU wouldn't leave me alone. It didn't help that the post made me reread some parts of The ‘Auna Club series by mrspdrona, but mostly I got inspired by our subsequent conversation about whether Steve and Danny really would become mob-like criminals as members of an MC. I thought of some alternative ideas.

Steve

After Steve dedicated 15 years of his life to the Navy, all he gets as thanks for his service is a dishonorable discharge due to DADT. Add insult to injury, it had been the Petty Officer he's been having a secret affair with for almost a whole year who'd told when he'd been asked. Steve had secretly hoped this thing between them could be going somewhere, eventually, and never has he been more wrong. He's not even sure what hurts worse, the betrayal of the person he thought he knew, or the disrespect of the institution he would have been ready to die for.

So now he’s got literally nothing left: He's got no job and no career, no more friends nor family, no home and no place to go, no plan and nothing to do and he’s so. fucking. ANGRY.

What he does have is a motorcycle. He’s always loved bikes, they're so much more interesting than the stupid vintage cars his dad used to love. It was a guy Steve knew in high school (and who he might've had a major crush on), who let him ride his bike once and it was an instant addiction. (Ironically, the guy became his dad’s cop partner later, so the crush faded quickly but not the love for bikes.)

So when Steve gets out of the Navy, the first thing he does is getting his bike out of storage—and then he just takes off.

He's got nowhere to be and nowhere to go, so he just rides, not paying much attention to where he's going, content with wherever the roads might take him. Which happens to be the southern end of New Jersey—eventually.

He's been out and about for a few months, stopping and making new friends here, picking up a guy there, always leaving after a day or two and before trouble can find him. He's coming up close to a year when he runs into problems with his bike. Turns out years of being in storage weren't great for it. Steve knows his way around the engine just fine, thank you very much, but he doesn't have the means to fix what's wrong this time. A trip to the nearest shop is unavoidable if he doesn't want to strand in the middle of the road in the middle of nowhere with his beloved bike in pieces.

And isn't it just his kind of luck that the closest garage he finds seems to be firmly in the hands of the local chapter of a one-percenter motorcycle club? At least ten of the guys hanging around are clearly recognizable as club members by the patches on their leather cuts. Steve can feel their eyes on him as he approaches though no one is looking at him directly.

He's as wary of them as they seem to be of him, if not more. He's aware they don't like strangers and he's even more aware that these kind of 'clubs' are just as full of bullshit and toxic masculinity as the Navy. Steve has sworn to himself that he wouldn't hide anymore, that anyone who has a problem with who he is can fuck right off. He's fucking done with playing by anyone else's rules. But he needs his bike to be fixed and he doesn't want to cause trouble so he keeps his head down, trying to find the right balance between looking intimidating enough without being provocative.

It works better than he wants it to. Because while he's waiting for someone to look at his bike, some of the guys cautiously strike up a conversation with him, like they're testing the waters, trying to figure out where he stands. They've recognized him as ex-military and they're friendly towards him, probably they've gauged him as potentially useful. They ask him which branch he served in and when he left; when they ask about the why Steve doesn't exactly lie when he tells them he got kicked out for conduct unbecoming, but he doesn't elaborate either.

Turns out he was right: When it becomes clear that the repairs on his bike take at least a day or two, he gets offered help and accommodation by no one less than the club's Vice President. Of course he’s being asked to work a job for the club in exchange—but he's been expecting it and he doesn’t hesitate for long. He doesn't have anything to lose. He’s got the skills, why not use them to his advantage as he pleases when the Navy doesn’t want him as he is?

Steve doesn’t plan on staying. Instead he plans to leave as soon as he's got his bike back and his debt is settled, except—

Except there’s this short blonde dude everyone calls Danno that has caught his attention. It's not solely his good looks that catch Steve’s interest, though. It’s more that he sticks out. He’s not a big number in the club—yet. He’s ambitious and he’s clearly set to move up the ranks soon, but to Steve’s trained eyes he’s trying too hard. Something about him doesn't pan out, but Steve can't put his finger on what it is.

Plus, the guy seems to have taken an interest in Steve, too. He's always around, watching, observing. He's always got a snarky remark and Steve can’t tell if it's a risky game of flirting he's playing or if it’s dislike over a perceived competition or if there’s another, ulterior motive. Either way, he's intrigued enough to stay for another job and he doesn't exactly mind that Danno seems to have become the guy to keep an eye on him.

He soon learns that they work well together, and it makes even more sense when he learns Danno used to be a cop. He's got tactical training under his belt and it shows. He's also been fired from the police, which has something to do with drinking and anger issues and his ex-wife. But whatever the details, the bitter experience is something that connects them. Steve finds there's a lot of connection between them and if the circumstances were any different he's sure there could be a friendship between them or—

But it's neither the right time nor the right place and Steve is a burned child so what the hell is he even thinking?

Danny

Danny is far from the disgraced cop he pretends to be.

What is true is that his ex-wife is the main reason why he's here. What is true is that he needed a reason to pull his head out of the bottle he fell in after she left him. What is true is that his temper is the character trait that got him this job. Well that and his love for motorcycles. And the job is a long-term undercover op to disassemble fucking Jersey Devils Motorcycle Club and their business once and for all.

He's been with the club for close to two years. He came highly recommended (however his boss pulled that off) and he hightailed it through the prospect phase, proving himself worthy of a full patch in record time. Always there, always doing what he's told to do, always loyal. Club comes first. Some days he can barely stand to look at himself in the mirror for the things he did for the club without batting an eyelid. What keeps him going is the good progress he makes in building a case against these assholes. They're going down so hard and very soon, except—

Except this tall, dark and handsome stranger called McGarrett walks into the picture and all over the case he's built, seemingly out of nowhere. It turns out to be the best thing and the worst thing that could possibly happen, both at the same time.

It's the worst thing because it's a major set back in Danny's work when the VP hires McGarrett for a job that's usually handled internally. And it's the best thing because it makes Danny realize the club's management is aware of being watched. That they're outsourcing their dirty work so it can't be stuck to the club. He doesn't think they're on to him yet, but it's a warning to keep his head down.

It leaves him stuck between a rock and a hard place though: If he warns McGarrett about what he's getting into, he'll make the club even more suspicious. Worst case, he puts McGarrett directly in the line of fire. And if he doesn't warn him, he'll become collateral damage in the big picture of the case. Hang together, hanged together. And McGarrett is far too interesting to be hanged. Or go to prison, or whatever.

Point is, the man has caught Danny's attention. Despite his closed-off behavior, despite his ruthlessness, despite the crazy devil-may-care attitude. There's something beneath all these defensive walls that is hurt and vulnerable but good in it's core. Danny would love to find out what the guy is hiding, if only the circumstances were any different.

As it is, he volunteers to 'babysit' McGarrett and it comes with several benefits: First of all, it strengthens his credibility within the club and hopefully scatters any doubts about his integrity. Second, he can keep tabs on which jobs they make McGarrett do for them which is relevant for his case. And thirdly, he gets to spend some time with the man—

And then Danny does learns about one of McGarrett's—Steve's—secrets very soon, up close and personal, when he finds himself pressed against the wall of the club house. It's late and they just returned from an errand and now Steve's hands are on his shoulders, holding him in place and Steve crushes his mouth against Danny's in a rough kiss. There's nothing cautious or questioning about it and Danny's kissing back after only a second of hesitation, giving as good as he gets.

The moment McGarrett pulls back and losens his hold of him, Danny grabs his arms and in a flash has reversed their positions.

"You always just take what you want?" Danny asks breathless. He's got his hands on McGarrett's biceps and uses his whole body to press the man into the wall.

"Now that I can," Steve says, voice hoarse, as he bucks up against Danny's body. Danny can't help but grind back and lean in for another kiss, demanding and urgent. When he comes back up for air a long moment later, he finds his hands have moved to cup McGarrett's face and Steve's hands are on his hips, holding him close.

"This why the Army kicked you out?" Danny pants. "Someone told them you're gay?"

"It was the Navy, but yeah." Steve manages a rueful smile. "What if someone told your guys in there what we're doing here? They kick you out, too?" Steve jerks his head toward the club house.

Danny stares at him for a moment. He's never thought about it and his stomach plummets. These guys aren't exactly the liberal kind—

"Probably," Danny says and maybe now is the time to come clean. "I've got no idea to be honest. Steve, listen to me. These are not my guys. I'm not one of them. I'm—" He realizes he's still holding Steve's face in his hands and lets them drop away. Taking a deep breath and mentally bracing himself he admits in a low voice, "I'm still a cop. I didn't get fired. I'm here to take the club down."

Side by side

A myriad of emotions run through Steve at Danny's admission. It's not so much surprise, he knew there was something about Danny that made him stand out from the rest of the club guys. But the feeling of betrayal is hitting him full force, the feeling of being lied to so fresh in his memory that he can barely breathe—

Luckily, Danny takes a step back before Steve can push him away. He puts some distance between them, his instincts telling him to run. But as he thinks it through, he realizes it's different. Danny lied before, but in the moment Steve made himself vulnerable by kissing him, Danny rewarded him with the truth. Danny trusts him enough to no longer lie to him.

"We shouldn't talk about it here," Steve says, turning back to Danny, "but I want to help you."

—

Over the next couple of days Danny lets Steve in on the case. Again, it shows that they make a great team and together, they formulate a plan to bring the Jersey Devils down.

Danny runs all his evidence, all their ideas and suggestions by his superiors and they approve—enthusiastically. Everything goes back and forth a lot of times until all details are cleared and an operation can finally be set up. It could be an epic victory—

There's one catch: Danny has promised Steve that he'll go free and therefore, he has placed a request with his boss to make Steve's help 'official'. And his boss agreed to the deal—until Steve's background check comes back flagged. "Dishonorable discharge, Danny, you know the rules. My hands are tied," his boss says and Danny is livid. No matter how much Danny argues, how many times he points out that Steve got fired because of fucking DADT, that Steve is not a criminal, that without his help the whole case wouldn't have panned out, he can't change the man's mind. It's the biggest bullshit he's ever heard, and he's lived and breathed the fucking Jersey Devils for two years!

That's why, when everything is over, when all members of the Jersey Devils are behind bars and charged for their crimes, Danny and Steve get on their bikes—and then they just take off into the sunset. Together.

[h50europe]

McDanno - The Proposal...

[ellena-asg]

Melissa is a very lovely person and her own arc (that little something from the canon) is moving. I like Melissa very much. And I don't have to tell how much I love Danny. But how about:

• instead of: Danny meets Amber/Melissa at gas station -> Danny and Steve are at gas station and soon, while being on their road, they witness all that shooting from the show's canon and they both take injured Amber to the hospital (where they find out that she's alone in Hawaii). They take the case and when it's solved they come back to hospital with Kamekona's food for Amber. They befriend her.

• instead of: Danny flirts with Amber -> Even if he tries, Amber says "no, Danny, we both don't need this, believe me". She needs to focus on her own life, she needs to find her peaceful place after dramatic past, she doesn't want any romantic relationship now (or she just generally doesn't want this), she just needs friendly souls around. Besides, she sees very clearly that Danny and Steve are walking disasters in love.

• instead of: romance -> The plot is focused on Amber and her lovely friendship with boys and the rest of Ohana. She becomes Ohana's part but there is still a big mystery around her and boys feel it well. They try to talk with Amber but she's like "Oh, I don't talk about my past cause it's nothing interesting you know". They see well that she hides something and that she fears something so they try to check her past on their own. But before they do it, her ex husband comes to Hawaii and finds her. She calls boys and fights with her ex. Her ex dies. At their office Amber tells boys all sad truth about her marriage, her abusive husband and about her real name. Boys are there for her. They say she's Ohana and that all will be okay, she's not alone.

• instead of: Melissa is mainly Danny's girlfriend -> Melissa is a great friend and a great person. Plot (episodes with her) focuses on her character, on her relationship with Ohana and interactions with others, on her interests/hobby, on coming back to peaceful life (with Ohana's little help), on her dreams about future and on the way to make them come true. How about Melissa working for some NGO and/or helping other victims of abuse? (she could co-operate with Kono in some cases, with Kono and Abby). Or Melissa having a good time with her adopted animals in her cosy house somewhere near the ocean, working from home and having her sweet Ohana guests there? Or how about Melissa having other job, something artistic maybe or something full of adventures? Just anything that makes her happy!

• instead of: Melissa doesn't like Rachel cause she's jealous -> Melissa doesn't like Rachel cause Rachel hurts Danny and kids (and Steve in some way). Melissa heard a lot about Rachel from Steve, Danny and rest of Ohana and she just sees well what's going on when Rachel is around. Besides, as a victim of abusive husband Melissa just notices that Danny knows her pain. He helped her a lot and now she is determined to help him realize that he's a victim of abusive spouse/spouse's family too. She also has a Big Talk with Steve - she knows Steve is needed. Plot focuses on abuse issues and on good things like friendship, help and human solidarity. Instead of forced Danny/Melissa romance (I may be straight but I have eyes and I'm disgusted by your "hetero mania no matter what", Lenkov) plot gives us Danny being in a nice and healthy friendship with Melissa. Plot gives us Melissa and Danny being Ohana, brother and sister forever.

• instead of: Danny/Melissa & Steve/Lynn double dates -> Melissa is happy with her life and with people around. She's got Ohana, her friends, her brothers and sisters. Maybe she is just single or identifies herself as aromantic, maybe she met a good man, a man whose heart beats for her and her beats for him, or maybe she met a nice lady (hah, Lynn?) and realized "oh, that's it!"... - she's just happy. And she wants her friends to be happy too. As was mentioned above, she sees so damn well how much her two beloved dorks love each other and how much they suffer because of them being walking disasters/because of their fears. So she decides that she will open their eyes - someone has to, she knows.

[ptrckjcne]

exam season is going on stronger than ever, so look out for a rdr2 inspired mcdanno fic coming sooooometime soon

[mayberrycryptid]

I found this painting by Joecelin Carmes and now I really, really want a fic with classical pianist Danny and Hawai’ian Steel Guitar Steve

[teruel-a-witch]

mcdanno + text post meme + drunk confessions (what if steve intended to romance danny properly but had too much liquid courage and ended up blurting out his feelings. luckily for him danny was into it)

[erandri]

AUgust Day 1- Sightless

Steve's ears are ringing. No, not just his ears, his whole head is ringing,  drowning out the noise around him. He shakes his head but that just makes it worse, and now there's a throbbing in his head beating in time with each pulse.

Just under the throbbing he can feel pain but it's dulled. It feels like the sun shining on him and for the briefest moment he gets a pang of homesickness, for just a moment he remembers the heat of the Hawaiian sun as it beat down on him. Just as soon as the memory comes its gone and just as suddenly comes the full brunt of pain. He screams out against his will. The shock is wearing off now and with it the nice dulling sensation. The warmth he felt seconds ago is now a raging fire, consuming him.

Steve reaches up to his forehead trying to do anything to get rid of the pain. He's not on fire but his hands come away slick with blood. It runs down his hands as a feels around, trying to find where he's wounded but there's blood and pain everywhere and the more he touches his face the worse it gets.

He startles when hands grab him, tearing his hands away from his face and pushing them down and out of the way. Someone is yelling but Steve can't hear them over someone screaming. It's only after some time that he realizes the screaming is coming from him.

When he finally starts to calm himself down he hears the voice still talking to him and zeroes in on it. After a second he realizes that it's Trevor, the teams medic.

"Lieutenant, Steve, can you hear me?" Trevor asks. His voice is firm and calm, it's a voice Steve has heard him use many times as he's patched up other members of their unit. Steve finds himself drawn to it, the even tone calming his breathing.

"I can hear you," he finally rasps out. He's not sure if his voice is raw from the accident or screaming or both but he barely manages to force the words out.

"That's good Steve," Trevor says, still using that even tone. Now that he has something new to focus on Steve can feel him wrapping his head in gauze, the pressure of the compacts helping with some of the pain in his head. "Can you tell me what hurts?"

"Everything. My whole head. What happened?"

Trevor hums and finishes wrapping his head. Steve is pretty sure half his head is covered with bandages, including both of his eyes, and he can feel the fuzziness of painkillers creeping in around the edges of his consciousness. "The convoy was hit by an IED, Lieutenant. Your rig took the full brunt of it."

"Everyone else?"

"The truck flipped, Simmons and Wainwright have some broken bones but they'll be fine. You took the worst of it.

"How bad?" He's almost afraid to ask but he has to know.

"Glass shrapnel to your whole face." As soon as he finishes speaking Steve can hear the far away thumping of helicopter blades. "Looks like your ride is here."

He's trying to sound upbeat but Steve can hear the underling worry starting to seep through his voice. "How bad is it?" He asks again.

There's a long pause before Trevor finally responds with "It's bad."

—

"Steven!" His father calls up the stairs to him and he winces, knowing what's coming next, "Did you track sand all through the house!"

It's a rhetorical question so Steve doesn't even bother to try and answer before his dad continues, yelling at him about how they are having company in less than an hour and he had the house all clean and now he has to clean it again.

"I'll take care of it in a second," he calls downstairs when his dad has finished. There's no response so Steve continues to the bathroom to take his shower.

Twenty minutes later he's downstairs, dressed for company and trying to find the broom.

"I cleaned it up already." His dad says from behind him and Steve sighs.

"I said I would do it."

"I know but," his dad doesn't say anything more but Steve can fill in the blank.

But it's faster for him. But he doesn't want to inconvenience Steve. But it's easier for him to clean it when Steve can't even see the mess he's made.

"Dad, I'm blind, not an invalid." He snaps. He knows his dad means well, but constantly getting picked up after just makes him feel like a child.

The doorbell rings, cutting off any response his dad might have had. He sighs, knowing the conversation won't be continued, and listens as his dad moves to the door to answer it. They're having dinner with his dads new partner, some mainland transplant and his family and Steve is less than enthused about it.

As soon as his dad answers the door Steve's quiet world is filled with a barrage of sound. His dad's partner starts talking immediately, complaining about everything from the afternoon traffic to the sand. In the lulls of the complaints Steve can hear the sounds of small feet walking around the living room. His dad had mentioned that his new partner had a child, a daughter he thinks. Now he wishes that he had paid better attention when his dad was talking about them, he can't even remember his partners name.

Steve takes a breath, savoring his last seconds of alone time in the hall before he goes to go greet their guests.

—

Danny- that's his dad's partners name, Danny Williams- is not what Steve expected. Not that he really had any expectations but if he did, they never would have come close to what Danny is. He's loud, and he takes up so much space, he's constantly reaching out to touch Steve. It was surprising to him at first, the constant little grazes from Danny's hand, but now he expects them. If he's honest with himself he might say that he even likes Danny's little touches.

Most of all though Danny is warm. Every time he talks, every time he touches Steve, he feels that warmth settle over him like a blanket. It's nice. And he's not afraid to say, at least in his own head, that wants more of it.

Grace is amazing too. They've met three times now and every time she has regaled him with things she learned in school, things she did with her mom and Step Stan, or old stories of things they used to do in New Jersey. He is absolutely wrapped around her little finger.

"She calls you her Uncle Steve," Danny says one afternoon. They're out behind his father's house, relaxing after another cook out. His dad has taken Grace down to the waters edge to look for shells, leaving him and Danny alone back at the table.

"Really?" He doesn't even try to stop his smile. It's only been a little over a month since they met and he's been elevated to uncle status. He feels honored.

"Yeah, she loves coming over here. We both do." 

Steve tamps down the little flutter in his heart when he hears that. So maybe there are other things that he likes about Danny than his warmth. And maybe there are other places that he imagines Danny touches him other than his arms. But those are thoughts better left for when he's alone.

"Well we like having you both here." He wonders if Danny can hear the unsaid words. That Steve loves having them there. Not for the first time he wishes that he could see Danny, to see the emotions play across his face. To see if Danny looks at him the same way that he's sure he looks at Danny.

—

"I have to go into the office," his dad says, coming into the dining room where he and Danny are finishing their dessert, waiting for his return. It's just the three of them tonight, thanks to Rachel and Step Stan taking Grace on a trip to Denver for Stan's job.

"Anything I need to do?" Danny asks. His chair scrapes against the floor and Steve imagines it's because he's stood up, ready to get back to work.

"No, no," his dad protests, "just some paperwork I forgot to sign to close the Kekoa case. You stay here and finish dinner with Steve."

His dad has a tone as he encourages Danny to stay but he doesn't think much of it. It is odd however that he forgot to sign some paperwork. He doesn't think he can remember any other time his dad got called back into the office to sign anything. He doesn't question it though, not if it means getting to spend some time alone with Danny.

"Are you sure?" Danny asks but they can all hear in his tone that he's only asking because he's supposed to.

"I'm sure," his dad says, "I might be a while so don't wait up."

"Okay," Steve says, waving in the direction of his dad's voice. Seconds later he hears the door open and close and then he and Danny are alone.

—

It's the first time that he and Danny have been by themselves since they met and Steve feels a jolt of nerves at the idea. He doesn't know what to say now that it's just the two of them so he shoves a fork full of the cake in his mouth to pass time until he thinks of something.

"I think this is my fault," Danny says, breaking the silence for him.

"How is my dad forgetting to sign paperwork your fault?" He asks, genuinely confused.

"I don't think there is paperwork. I think he just wanted to give us some alone time."

Steve freezes. His dad wanted to give them alone time? Why? Did his dad know about his feeling for Danny? He's been trying for months to keep his feelings hidden.

"I may have asked your dad if you were seeing anyone." Danny continues before Steve can spiral too much and now he's frozen for a whole new reason.

"You wanted to know if I was seeing anyone? Why?" He asks, his pulse racing. He wonders if Danny can hear his heart beating. It sounds like a drum beat to his own ears, counting time until Danny answers him.

"I wanted to know if there might be any chance for me to ask you out." Danny says it so non chalantly that Steve almost misses the vibration of his leg shaking under the table. It settles something in him, knowing that Danny is just as nervous as he is.

"I'm not… and there is." He says and the vibration from Danny's leg stops.

"So next Friday?"

"I'm available," he says maybe a little too fast.

"Okay. Great," Danny breathes, Steve can hear the joy and relief in his voice. A second later he hears Danny's chair push back and him step around the table. Steve can sense Danny come to a stop just in front of him. And turns his body so that they're face to face. "Can I?"

Steve doesn't know what Danny is asking for but he nods his consent anyway. A second later he feels Danny's hand on his shoulder, the heat from him scorching him through his shirt. Steve's heart races as Danny's hand runs higher, moving up his neck until his fingers can curl in Steve hair. Steve pushes his head into it but Danny moves his head, tilting his chin upward.

"Can I kiss you?" He can feel Danny's breath as he speaks and knows that he must be just inches away. Steve is already moving as he says "Yes," and crashes their lips together.

---

I don't really know where I was going with this. There was more I wanted to add but it would have taken too long and I wanted to keep this a quick prompt. It's also the first time I've written anything in well over a year and I'm rusty. Anyway, let me know what you think?