March 7th

[haolehothead]

Danny feels ridiculous. Genuinely and truly, he doesn't know that he's ever felt like more of a schmuck in his entire life, feeling as nervous as he does. He's in the main room of the hut, watching sports like something might actually change in the outcome of his Best Of DVDs if he just watches hard enough. Nothing does change.

Still, he stays nervous and he feels like he's about to do something that could simultaneously be the best and the worst thing that he's ever done in his entire life -- and it's tomorrow. He's getting hitched with Steve tomorrow. He's got his clothes hung up over the doorway, he's got a speech in mind for the reception, and he's even doing fairly okay with not having Grace there. He just can't shake the goddamn nerves.

"Shit," he mutters, getting up to get some air, leaving the door open before he returns to the best of the NHL, circa 2008. He's supposed to be calm about this. It's Steve. It's his best friend, it's the guy he's been with for over a year -- almost to the day, even -- and friends with for over a year before that.

Maybe the solution here is some booze, but Danny doesn't want to be that tragic kind of guy who does it all alone.

Comments

[girlsolo]

Kate just laughs and drops the juice at the door. "Not going to hear any complaints from me. I'd kill for a decent tomato juice or a Bloody Mary bar." Maybe she'll mention it to Trixa. It's a great Casino gimmick.

"Saw your guy out on the water this morning," she says while she's pawing around for glasses. "He seems good."

[haolehothead]

"What, Steven? Yeah, he's always good, he's kama'aina," Danny drawls out the words as he lazily drags the table closer, bringing Zulu into his lap as he buries his fingers in the dog's fur, trying to keep his mind off everything. "I'm pretty sure he's figuring out ways to sneak tongs onto his person so he can grill all evening, tomorrow."

[girlsolo]

"That's why you should make him get married in a Speedo suit or something," Kate teases, and then makes a triumphant little 'aha' when she finds the glasses.

She drops down on the sofa next to Danny, sets the glasses on the table, and lines them up for bartender pour. Except she doesn't waste the vodka with the splashy move, just pours them separately.

When she hands off the glass, she gives him a look over. Not as fried as she'd have figured him to be by now. "You all copacetic?"

[haolehothead]

"I wouldn't do anything like that," he says, as if offended. "Young eyes shouldn't have to see Steve's tramp stamp. I mean, it's one thing for Steve to have the respect of a streetwalker and another to have to explain to Jack and Coraline why Steve likes to flaunt his ass around, begging 'spank me', practically," he grunts.

Strangely, he is calm. This is Danny's calm ranting, because his hands aren't everywhere at once. "I'm having internal freakouts," he admits. "They come and go. I think I'm in the process of it going, now."

[girlsolo]

"Whoa, hey." Kate waves him off. "I already know more about your sex life from your bachelor party than is good for a girl. I mean, I'd rather know what you two are doing than Magnus and Will, but yeah. Keep the domestic discipline to yourself, Five-O."

She grins, though, because it's actually cute (never telling them that) that they're so hot for each other (okay, maybe she will tell them some time, but not today, probably), and nudges him in the shoulder.

"C'mon, let's drink to you have nothing to freak out about."

[haolehothead]

"...right," Danny says with a groan, forgetting some of the things that happened at said bachelor party. Hell, the clothes he'd been wearing alone had been worth of comment. "And I know I don't have anything to freak out about, it's just...marriage, I guess. I kind of hate the idea of it after it screwed me over."

[girlsolo]

Kate's grin fades. She cocks her head and pulls her feet up onto the couch, crossing them under her. "So why do it?"

It's like she told him at Mardi Gras. She loves Declan. It kinda feels as close to forever as she can imagine. Yeah, okay, her 'forever' isn't the same as most people's, probably, since three years ago she hadn't stayed in one place more than a few months since she was sixteen. But for her, they've already been together forever. And she can't imagine ever getting married. Even if forever means forever.

[haolehothead]

"Why? Because, the truth is? Having and holding someone in sickness and in health is like the world's biggest risk. There's nothing scarier, there's nothing more terrifying, but at the same time, the rewards you reap out of it...? Amazing. When Rachel and I were good, we were great. The same's gonna be for me and Steve and I know I'm not going anywhere. When I'm loyal to someone, when I love them -- I'm all in."

[girlsolo]

"Duh," Kate says about the last and touches her glass to his. "I have actually met you, Five-O. It's not like you do anything halfway." She respects that, even if she's not the same. She spends most of her life halfway between here and gone. So she knows exactly how terrifying it is to be all in like that.

"But I guess I don't get why getting Magnus to say it's done makes a difference." She holds up her fingers, because she's not saying he shouldn't or she doesn't think it's good. It's just on her mind and he's so adamant about it, he seems like a good person to ask. "What changes?" Because something does. It has to. Or she wouldn't be so adamant about not doing it.

[haolehothead]

"Higher stakes," is what Danny has to say. "It's easy, well, not easy, but it's easier to walk away when you're not bound by promises and vows. Now, if it is over, it'd better be for a good goddamn reason." He can't help his following grin. "Plus, the name thing. I always liked the name-taking thing."

[girlsolo]

"D'awww." Kate has to smirk at that. It's cute, even if she doesn't get it. Won't ever get it.

Magnus getting rid of the name she's had for one-hundred and sixty years, after fighting for the right to carry it for herself, to be a doc, all the stuff she's done? It just doesn't make sense to her. Why should a chick take her guy's name? It's like saying she's property. Why should he take her name? Same difference. But it was important to Magnus, so Kate smiled and said congratulations to Mrs. Dr. Zimmerman.

"You guys doing the hyphen thing?" she asks, because that kind of does make sense. What god has joined and all that, even if sodomy's the sin with no name for the same people who believe that. One more thing that doesn't make sense to Kate. Why the hell would a god make people the way they are and then punish them for it? Love is sacred, so why is some love sinful?

This? Would be why Kate doesn't do the thinking thing. She just chases herself around in circles. Mostly, she doesn't give a fuck. To her, it's just what it is. Danny and Steve belong together and anyone who can't see that is just an idiot. Simple.

[haolehothead]

Danny reaches out his hand to Kate with a nod of his head. "Daniel McGarrett-Williams, at your service," he says, wishing that the thrill of introducing himself like that died down after the first few times, but there it is -- as crazy strong as ever. "I couldn't make Steve go for changing our last names to 'McGDub'," he laments teasingly.

[girlsolo]

Kate shakes his hand, all very solemn and formal, complete with a "Pleasure to meet you," before she busts out with a grin for "McGDub". "You know I'm going to have to call him that, now. McGDub. How much is he going to kill me?"

[haolehothead]

"Probably a lot, but it'll be so very worth it," Danny insists, because he mostly wants that to become a thing. "You just have to take a picture if you plan on doing it. I refuse to believe it happened without actual proof."

[girlsolo]

"Sure you don't want to just jump out of the bushes?" Kate teases, but pulls her always charged, useless for anything but music and pictures, Sanctuary cell and puts it on her thigh and then grins, sharp. "Blackmail pictures are us."

[haolehothead]

"I will plaster the walls of the hut with it," Danny vows, two fingers over his heart as if that's the boy scout salute or something -- the sad thing is? Steve would know, giant boy scout that he was. "Seriously. Steve's shocked fish-face, everywhere, then that creasy aneurysm one. It's got all the hallmarks of good interior decorating."

[girlsolo]

"You don't think that's going a little overboard?" Kate's eyebrow lifts, skeptical, even though she's teasing. "Sure, he's a good-looking guy, you too, but plastering the walls with his face kind of crosses over into stalker territory."

She shrugs, then, and sips her vodka, grinning. "I guess it's not really stalking if he knows you're doing it and he's cool with it. Just, do us all a favor and keep the kinky blowups for the bedroom."

[haolehothead]

"Yeah, but we need some decoration on the inside. Steve's all carpenter-handyman, which is nice and all, but it leaves me with this whole 'living in man territory' when it comes to the indoors," he points out, gesturing to the walls and ceiling above him before settling for another drink. "And there won't be any kinky blowups. That's not Steve or me."

[girlsolo]

"Well." Kate looks around and gives it a little thought before nodding. "It may take awhile, but at least I know what to get you guys for a wedding present."

[haolehothead]

"Some creepy adult pictures?" Danny jokes, giving her an amused look. "If you're really in the market for a wedding gift, I'd happily accept a 'you win' card out of Steve. I could always use one of those in the bank in the event he and I get into a tiff."

[girlsolo]

"I'd have to tell him it was for the first time I beat him sparring." Which, let's face it, probably is never going to happen, but she's getting a lot closer. She sucks down another sip of vodka and pats him on the arm. "Don't worry. I know I don't always act like it, but I can do tasteful."

[haolehothead]

"I'm not worried about you." He's worried about himself, about worrying so hard that he's going to screw it all up. He's worried that Rachel wasn't a one-off and that something in him will trigger it to happen all over again.

[girlsolo]

"So what are you worried about?" she asks, like she doesn't know, like they haven't talked about it before. Maybe she's closer to Steve than him, but it doesn't mean she can't be his friend and Friend 101 is like Con 101. Listening comes first.

[haolehothead]

"I'm worried that I'm the problem. I'm worried that the reason Rachel left me is..." He taps his fingers against his chest, against his torso. "I worry that Steve's going to stumble onto some kind of knowledge that will drive him away from me. Just like Rachel."

[girlsolo]

Pretty much all the time she's known him, Danny's been worried about that. And she's pretty sure nothing she can say is gonna fix that. Especially when, "Yeah, I get that. I feel that way about Declan a lot. Or like he's gonna meet the girl he's really into--" Or Watson's going to show up. "And then what?" She nods but then shrugs. "I guess you just do the best you can, every day, and enjoy the hell out of the ride so there are no regrets if it ever comes to an end."