"You feel like talking about what made you change your mind on the apartment?" Chin asked, crossing his arms across his chest and giving Danny one of his patented looks. (Danny'd dubbed this particular one his "Father Confessor" look.) Normally it was pretty effective, but tonight, he couldn't summon the energy to care. The call they'd gotten in the middle of moving his stuff back onto the moving truck had wound up taking most of the rest of the day and night to solve, and had involved more than one foot chase (mostly Danny trying to keep up with his suicidally crazy partner), and Danny was just done. Stick a friggin' fork in him and call him dinner. "Would you believe I had a bad vibe?" he offered, and hoped Chin would leave it be. Maybe in the morning, after a solid night's sleep, everything would start to make sense again. Chin chuckled, low and amused, and the sound of it settled deep in Danny's gut. "Maybe you really are cursed, bra." "Right now, it would not surprise me." "C'mon, I'll show you to the spare room," Chin said, and motioned Danny to follow him. Not exactly a hardship, given how well Chin wore a pair of jeans, but Danny was too dead on his feet to give Chin's ass more than a single appreciative glance. The room was sparsely furnished – a double bed, a three-drawer dresser up against one wall, and an easy chair stuffed into a corner – but the sheets looked freshly washed, and that was enough for Danny. Right now, he thought he could fall asleep standing up. "Bathroom's just across the hall, towels are under the sink," Chin said, leaning comfortably against the door jamb, loose-limbed and relaxed, like he hadn't spent the day moving furniture and chasing a smuggling ring all across the island. Most days, Danny thought Chin had to have stock in five-hour energy drinks or something. "Coffee pot's on a timer, mugs are in the cabinet above it, so if you wake up first, you should be set." Danny felt like he might weep with gratitude. "Right now, and I mean this sincerely, babe, I could honestly kiss you." Chin chuckled again. "I'll take an IOU on that. You want the shower first?" "Yes, please, and...thank you. Again." Danny let his bag slide to the bed and swayed on his feet before catching himself. "A shower would be great." "I'll leave you to it, see if I can scrounge up something for dinner," Chin said, and patted Danny's shoulder before disappearing down the hall. Danny eyed the bed in envy, wanting nothing more than to faceplant and pass out for at least twelve hours, but the promise of getting clean was too much to pass up. He could manage to stay awake for another hour or so. *** He felt a million times better – and like something marginally passing as human – by the time he stepped into the kitchen, dressed in his most comfortable gym shorts and t-shirt, and toweling his hair dry. Chin was still in his jeans and henley, but he'd taken off his holster...and his shoes, Danny noted. He thought about making the obvious barefoot in the kitchen joke, but he wasn't sure Chin would get it, or if he'd just shake his head the way he sometimes did and lament Danny's haole sense of humor. "You look better," Chin observed, steam rising from whatever it was he was stirring on the stove. It smelled fantastic – sesame and ginger and spice all working in concert to awaken Danny's dormant taste buds. It had easily been twelve hours since he'd eaten, and he realized he was starving. "I feel better," Danny agreed and nodded at the pan. "What is that?" "Chicken ginger stew," Chin replied, dishing healthy servings into two bowls. "One of my mother's favorite dishes – it's easy and quick to make, and filling." Danny took one of the bowls and then took a seat at the breakfast bar. "You never cease to amaze me, Chin Ho Kelly. All that, and you can cook. Why aren't you married?" "Long story," Chin shrugged. He settled across from Danny. "Maybe one night we can trade them over a bottle or two." "Sounds like a plan." From the first bite, the stew tasted even better than it smelled, and before Danny was aware of it, his spoon was scraping the bottom of the bowl. "That completely hit the spot," he said, and patted his stomach. "Seriously, what can I do to thank you?" The second the question was out of his mouth, he winced. Man, he'd totally gift-wrapped that one. He was seriously off his game tonight. The corners of Chin's eyes crinkled when he smiled. "Really? You're making it too easy." "Yeah, I know, I'm sorry. I deserve your mockery." "You do, but I'll let you off the hook," Chin replied. "Anyway, I've got something else in mind you can do to make it up to me." "Name it." "I want you to go see the priest tomorrow and make your amends to the spirit gods for angering them." Now Chin was giving him his "Disappointed Father" look, which he normally reserved for when he was lecturing Kono about something. It was slightly disconcerting. And maybe a little hot, not that Danny would ever admit it. "I know you've been under a lot of stress lately, but that doesn't excuse your behavior." "I know," Danny replied, holding up his hands in surrender. "I was a total insensitive jerk. Steve's already read me the riot act. Which is fairly ironic, I mean, him lecturing me about respecting boundaries, but that's another story. I'll go tomorrow," he promised, and reached across the table to take Chin's hand in a warm, friendly grasp. "And I'm sorry if I disrespected your beliefs." Chin squeezed his fingers. "Apology accepted." "So, does this mean I still have to sleep in the spare room?" Danny teased, making sure to put an extra waggle in his eyebrows. "Even if I wanted you in my bed, you wouldn't be any good to me tonight." Chin was shaking his head in mock disappointment, but he was smiling again, so Danny took that as a good sign that Chin really had forgiven him and they were back on even ground. "I'll make it up to you," Danny promised, around a yawn that threatened to crack his jaw. "I'll take that IOU, as well." Chin slowly let go of Danny's hand. "Now go to bed before you pass out here in the kitchen. I'll clean up." "Yessir." Danny stood and leaned across the bar just far enough to brush a light kiss across Chin's forehead in thanks. "I'll see you in the morning, babe." "Mau moe'uhane nahenahe," Chin replied, shooing him out the door with a fond laugh, and yeah, things in Danny's life were by no means perfect, or even close to it, but he had all the important things nailed down. The rest could definitely wait until tomorrow.
|