Steve extended his arms. “A clean bill of health from the physical therapist,” he declared. “No more sling.”

“Are you sure you didn’t push things?” Danny asked skeptically.

“I wasn’t about to be stuck at less than full capacity for our anniversary, if that’s what you mean,” Steve said, smiling. “Now, we need to get changed. Our reservation’s at seven.”

After dinner at Duke’s Canoe Club in Waikiki, where they had spent their first date, Steve and Danny returned to McGarrett’s condo and stood on the lanai in the soft Hawaiian night. The glow of the overhead fixture revealed the potted palm in the corner, stirring in the breeze, and the pair of wooden deck chairs separated by a small table, but left their faces partly in shadow as they leaned on the railing, admiring the lights of the city.

Danny looked over at Steve. “Steve...I have something for you,” he said, turning to face him and taking a small wrapped box out of his pocket. “I didn’t want to do this at the restaurant....” He handed the box to McGarrett.

Steve tore off the paper, then opened the box to reveal a pair of monogrammed silver cufflinks in a sleek, modern style. He looked up at Danny and smiled.

“I like it when you wear shirts with French cuffs,” Danny said, blushing a bit.

“Thank you,” Steve said, moving away from the railing to take off the plain cufflinks he was wearing and put the new ones in. He shot his cuffs, then bent his elbows to show Danny his wrists, giving him the sweet smile his co-workers rarely saw. “I love them.”

“Hang on,” he said, going into the bedroom. “I have something for you, too.” He returned carrying a small, oblong box. He handed it to Danny, then turned away to lean on the lanai railing, looking out.

Danny opened the box to reveal a wristwatch. Wow! This was expensive. And why is Steve looking so self-conscious all of a sudden? I wonder.... He turned the watch over and saw that there was an inscription. ‘Danny, please stay by my side. Today, tomorrow, and always.’

He looked up at Steve, who was still apparently transfixed by the view. “Steve....” he began, and had to stop and clear his throat. He tried for a light tone. “And here I was just thinking that now you have the sling off, you wouldn’t need me around the house anymore.”

McGarrett turned on him, his blue eyes piercing. “Never, Danny,” he said, putting his hands on his partner’s shoulders. “Besides, I’m determined to teach you to cook....”

Danny laughed. “That could be a challenge.”

“....among other things,” Steve added. “Come on, let’s go inside.”

In the bedroom they stood, periodically washed in moonlight as the wind blew the curtains away from the open jalousie windows, banging the curtain pulls.

“Steve....” Danny said, his mouth suddenly dry.

“Danny...God, I’ve missed this.” Steve moved to kiss Danny, his mouth urgent, but gentle. He slid Danny’s jacket and tie off, then unbuttoned his shirt and took it off, enjoying the play of moonlight on Danny’s muscular shoulders as he ran his hands over them caressingly.

I want to see you, too, Steve,” Danny said, working on Steve’s clothing.

“I’m afraid I have a new scar....” I’m far ahead of you on those, and that’s not counting the kind of scars you can’t see.... Steve thought.

“I don’t care,” his partner declared, sliding McGarrett’s shirt off his shoulders and bending to lay a gentle kiss on the place where Joyce’s bullet had come too close to destroying their happiness forever.

“Danny....” Steve bent to lay his face on the top of Dan’s curly head.

Danny tugged at Steve’s shirt, trying to get it the rest of the way off.

“Wait, wait...” McGarrett stepped back to carefully remove his new cufflinks. He walked over to set them on the dresser, then took off his shirt.

Danny, standing behind him, put his arms around Steve’s trim waist, running his hands over his flat stomach, resting his face against the taller man’s back.

Steve made a noise of pleasure, and Danny reached to unfasten his pants and then impatiently tug pants and underwear down to free Steve’s erect cock for his touch. He closed his hand over the shaft.

McGarrett groaned. “In a hurry, Danny?” he asked.

“You’re not the only one who’s been having trouble waiting for today,” his partner replied, running his tongue over Steve’s shoulder blade.

“In that case....” Steve turned to face Dan, a look of hunger in his eyes. He undid Danny’s pants and pulled them down, then, when they were both naked, he pulled him close, claiming his mouth with a hard kiss, his tongue urgent and demanding as he pressed his partner back against the wooden dresser, thrusting his hips hard against Danny’s to grind their cocks together, ignoring the dresser banging against the wall.

Danny hung on, giving himself up to the feeling of Steve’s strength, the moonlight, the breeze, and the night.

McGarrett turned, walking Danny backwards towards the bed, not releasing the pressure of his mouth, or the grip of his strong arms, until they tumbled onto the bed, Steve landing on top of Danny, pinning him down, enjoying the feeling of Danny’s body trapped under his own, fingers digging into Steve’s back as Steve kissed him with desperate hunger. “Danny...Danny...God, I missed this....” He said, moving his mouth to Danny’s sensitive earlobe, then down to bite and suck at the base of his neck.

“Steve!” Danny exclaimed, half protest, half request.

Steve pushed himself up on his arms to take his weight off his partner, bending down to join their mouths once again.

When Steve finally lifted his mouth, Danny asked, somewhat breathlessly, “Steve, are you sure your shoulder....” before being cut off by McGarrett’s tongue thrust into his mouth. “Not...one...more...word...about...my...shoulder....” he said, punctuating his speech with hard kisses.

“Move up,” McGarrett ordered. They scooted themselves fully onto the bed. Steve gave Danny another bruising kiss, then moved down to use lips and teeth along Danny’s neck and down his chest, biting at one taut nipple and reaching with his hand to squeeze Danny’s cock.

“Ah!” Danny cried, overwhelmed by the sensations. “Ow, Steve! Easy....”

“OK, Danny,” Steve said, lifting his head and giving the young detective a feral grin. He slid lower on the bed, and abruptly engulfed the entire length of Danny’s cock in his mouth, sliding it down into his throat.

Danny gasped, as Steve began moving his mouth and hand along the length of his shaft.

“Wait...Steve...I want to touch you, too....” Danny sat up, reaching for him.

“We could try this...I think it will work with our heights....” McGarrett turned so that he and Danny lay on the bed with their heads in opposite directions. He brought his mouth back down onto Danny’s cock, and Danny, his face now on a level with Steve’s groin, did likewise.

Steve moved urgently, roughly, squeezing Danny tightly with his hand, and moving all the way from base to tip with a twisting motion on each stroke.

Danny matched his rhythm, trying to keep his teeth out of the way as Steve unconsciously started moving his hips, shoving his cock into Danny’s mouth on each stroke. “Mmf,” Danny protested, grabbing McGarrett’s hip as a particularly hard thrust made him gag.

“Sorry” Steve gasped. Get a grip on yourself, McGarrett. He sat up and moved back to lie on top of Danny, knowing he should kiss him gently, but instead renewing his assault on Danny’s mouth, feeling his partner’s lip split under the pressure, tasting blood, his hand stroking Danny’s cock as Danny reached for Steve’s. They moved in urgent rhythm, their joined mouths uniting them as Danny surrendered to the demands of Steve’s hand, shuddering in release, his own hand slicked with the result as it moved on Steve’s shaft, until his partner joined him, thrusting against Danny’s hand.

Afterwards, as they held each other and their breathing returned to normal, Steve leaned forward to tenderly kiss Danny on the mouth, and was dismayed to see how bruised his partner’s mouth looked, a line of blood showing on his lower lip. There were bruises on his neck and red marks on his chest from Steve’s teeth. I didn’t mean to get that rough....

“Danny....” Steve said softly, running a finger over Danny’s lips. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s OK, Steve,” Danny said, smiling. “I know how difficult it’s been for you these past weeks, having to be dependent on me, not being in control.”

“I...I haven’t repaid you very well for taking care of me,” McGarrett said. Lying like this, face to face across the pillow, it was hard to avoid his partner’s eyes. He lowered his eyelashes. “It’s just...I guess I don’t have a lot of experience having anyone take care of me. My father was killed when I was 14. After that, I had to be the man of the family. And when my mother died a few years later, it was just me and Mary Ann, and I had to look after her. I always had to be strong. Now...I guess I can’t stand to feel helpless.”

“Steve....” Danny said, blinking back unexpected moisture. “You’re not alone anymore. No matter what happens, if you want me, I’ll be there. And...and I may not be very good at it, but I’ll do my best to take care of you.”

Steve rolled onto his back, blinking hard and passing a hand over his eyes. “You don’t know what that means to me,” he said, his voice a bit uneven. “Tonight...I guess I was so happy to have my strength back, to be able to hold you the way I usually do, that I got carried away.” He stopped staring at the ceiling and turned back to face Danny. “I’m sorry....”

“There’s no need to apologize.” His sandy-haired partner smiled up at him. “I appreciate having you back to normal.”

“Thank you...for being here for me, Danny.” Steve told him

“I never want to be anywhere but by your side, Steve. Always....”

“Danny....” Steve held him close, unable to express the depth of his feeling in words, and they fell asleep that way, side by side.