PSL: Sentinel AU

[dann_0]

Danny is Steve's guide. He is still pretty new at it and working with a Sentinel who has some bad experiences. To top if off, while working a case in Portland he finds out that a guide can have more than one Sentinel who is their perfect match.

Comments

Re: Steve and Eliot cuddle pile

[a_very_distinctive]

Eliot's aware of Danny and Grace's approach, there's no way he couldn't be, but they're both safe and welcome and if anything he just relaxes that much more at the knowledge that they're both back and safe within reach again. The soft murmur of their voices soothes him and Steve's warm weight grounds him, and he just turns his face back into Steve's hair and sighs contentedly. His dough isn't quite ready yet, there's no reason he can't enjoy this peace for a little longer.

His name in Danny's voice has his eyes opening immediately, though it's soft and warm enough that there's no particular feeling of urgency. He doesn't have to be instantly awake and on guard, and he blinks sleepily at Danny for a moment, smiling almost helplessly, as he has been from the moment Danny'd stepped back through the door. "Hey sweetheart," he murmurs, free hand already stretching almost unconsciously to reach for Danny. And then his brows furrow and he glances down at Steve, curled against him with his head pillowed on his chest. "Huh... guess we were pretty tired."

Steve and Eliot cuddle pile

[super_seal]

Danny and Grace are constants on Steve's radar. Tracking their time out on on the beach, he continues to follow their heartbeats into and around the house. He's used to having both around and unless their heartbeats become panicked, they move around him without any concern or issue. Their voices in the house don't bring him out of the depth of his slumber. He's very content where he's at. Warm, safe and comfortable. There's a strong heartbeat in his ear that matches his own and he's confident his loved ones are all near and safe. There's no reason to wake, and really he doesn't want to.

When Danny calls his name, Steve cuddles in closer to Eliot, fighting the need to wake. Grumbling softly he pushes his face into Eliot and tightens his grip on the other man, not wanting to leave the comfort he's found. It's not until Eliot speaks that Steve realizes exactly where he's at and who he's cuddled up to. Tensing momentarily he worries that Eliot's going to be upset or uncomfortable that Steve is cuddled to him, but Eliot's heartbeat is still beating steadily in his ear. Nor does he feel any tension in the other man and he yet Eliot's tone sounds like he knows exactly where he's at and who he's with. With those things in mind, he goes boneless once more against Eliot, still not eager to move, although now he is indeed awake.

Opening his eyes he looks at Danny and offers him a lazy smile as he snuggles against Eliot. His voice is soft and full of sleep when he speaks. "He makes a good Teddy, Danny." Then it perks up slightly as he takes note of another scent that's been there a while but finally gets his attention. "Did you make us coffee?"

Steve and Eliot cuddle pile

[dann_0]

Danny leans over to give Eliot a soft and sweet kiss even if he lets it linger. One reaches over to stroke Steve's shoulder. "Looks like you did, both of you. Nothing wrong with that. You had a rough day." He grins softly at the two of them. "You look comfortable. If there had been room I'd be tempted to join."

He shifts so he can reach for the two mugs and bring them over to the two men. "He does, a nice combination of soft and firm." he meets Eliot's eyes as he says it, still smiling. "Though, he could do with some more fuzz for the full teddy look." He teases.

"Made you the coffee exactly the way you like. Yours with butter and here's your Eliot."

Re: Steve and Eliot cuddle pile

[a_very_distinctive]

The kiss should feel more awkward than it does, with Steve's head still pillowed on his chest, but when Danny pulls away it's Grace's presence just a few feet away in the kitchen that keeps Eliot from chasing after Danny's lips, not Steve's presence.

"Couch def'nitely ain't big enough for that, Sweetheart." He should probably be moving, probably be moving Steve. But he's tired, and he's comfortable, but- "I'm not a damn teddy bear, McGarrett," he grumbles, and shifts his hand up from Steve's hip to pinch his side--lightly, but still--as he glares at Danny. "Not a teddy bear," he repeats. "An' you've got enough fuzz for both of us," he adds, and feels a sudden stab of want at the idea of dragging his fingers through the coarse curls on Danny's chest and belly. And lower.

It makes his breath catch for a moment, and he's grateful for the distraction of the coffee. "If you're gonna drink that you're gonna have t'sit up," he points out to Steve, and reaches for his own. The caffeine doesn't do much for him with his metabolism, or at least not for long, but he likes the taste and there's a certain comfort in it. A shared ritual.

Steve and Eliot cuddle pile

[super_seal]

Steve smiles again at Danny and lets his eyes droop to half mast. This isn't a mood he's in often, usually Steve is an up and moving type of guy, but after the day they've had, and most importantly laying here with Eliot has helped eased a lot of the pain and discomfort he was feeling. He's not eager to move away and have that come back. He hums softly, "Yes, very comfortable."

The arousal coming from both men he feels both in the way of their heartbeats, but also by the chemistry in the air. He allows it to happen around him without reacting. It's getting easier to witness, whether that's because he's adjusting or because he's so relaxed at the moment it's hard to say.

Sighing out like a man heavily put upon, Steve uses the arm underneath him to boost himself up. In the process he realizes where his upper hand is and blushes slightly as he looks at Eliot now that he's off his chest. "Uh... Sorry." Steve has no idea how they got into this position but he's fairly certain he was a contributing participant. But then he grins at Eliot, "But, you are very snuggly."

Untangling his legs, he pushes himself down the couch and sits in his original spot. If Eliot doesn't move his legs, Steve will keep them on his lap. Then he reaches for his coffee. "Thank you, Danny."

Steve and Eliot cuddle pile

[dann_0]

"Well, we can't all be hairless as one of those weird cats." he shakes his head and hands over the coffee. One cup for Steve and another for Eliot. "Just a word of warning Eliot, Grace been talking non-stop about everything she wants on her pizza. Good luck talking her out of it. She is a stubborn one."

He smiles slightly at Steve's blush. Sometimes it is hard to remember the guy's spent most of his life in the Navy. Then again, Danny would blush too if he found himself waking up next to Eliot like that. Granted, that is something he has yet to experience, Eliot is always up long before him.

Steve and Eliot cuddle pile

[a_very_distinctive]

Eliot more than half expects Steve to scramble away from the smell of him, and he's a little surprised when he makes no move to. He's nearly as surprised by how unbothered he is by the warmth of the other Sentinel's hand splayed over his belly, and even moreso by the fact that he misses it when Steve pulls away and sits up.

"Don't worry about it," he answers, smirking. "Worth it just t'see you blush." With Steve's weight and warmth gone Eliot arches into a blush and then... stays right where he is for the moment. Because when he moves he's going to lose contact with Steve and not be touching Danny and right now he's not feeling up for that. "Now those things are just wrong, cats are meant t'have fur. Poor damn naked things."

He reaches for Danny, not the coffee just yet, and twines their fingers together. "Told her she could have what she wanted on it." He shrugs, the motion a little awkward since he's still mostly reclining in the corner of the couch. "Best way t'find new things you like is experimenting, an' I made enough dough she can have a couple false starts an' it won't be a big deal." For all his grumpy exterior Eliot's ridiculously patient and tolerant with children, and he's perfectly content with the idea of spending however long it takes working on pizzas with Grace.

He reluctantly pushes himself a little bit more upright and uses his grip on Danny to tug him forward for another quick kiss. "But I guess if we're gonna do that it's time t'get the grill goin' so it's hot enough when the pizzas are ready t'go on."

Steve and Eliot cuddle pile

[super_seal]

Accepting the coffee from Danny, Steve takes a sip and smiles happily at Danny. The coffee is exactly how he likes it. The smile turns to a faux glare at Eliot. "I do not blush." Clearly Eliot is gravely mistaken and unless he can produce evidence of such a blush, Steve will never concede to having actually done so.

This is nice, he thinks to himself, comfortable and easy. Much like how the day went with Eliot before he zoned. Seems like it only got difficult when they were trying to make things work. When they just are it feels natural and right. That Steve is even thinking along these lines surprises him. As Danny and Eliot are talking about Grace's pizza, Steve puts a hand over Eliot's calves marveling at where they are resting. Not only is he comfortable with Eliot, but Eliot seems equally as comfortable with him. The pain he was feeling earlier, the discomfort and upset have dialed back... Apparently from cuddling with Eliot on the couch. It's not something he expected to happen, and he's not sure that he's going to be able to enjoy this new revelation for long, but right now he's not looking forward for their contact to end.

Eliot's last words penetrate through his musings and he looks up. "The grill doesn't take long to heat. We have a couple minutes to enjoy our coffee first...?" It's not meant to come out as a question, but somehow it still does.

Re: Steve and Eliot cuddle pile

[dann_0]

"Sure you don't, babe." Danny grins at Steve and gives Eliot's hand a squeeze. This is everything he wanted and damn does it make him happy. And content and calm. Both his boys right here, comfortable and calm and oh so hot together. But the hotness is the least the issues, mostly he is just feeling the easy and calm.

"I can go and get the grill started, Steve. You look way to comfortable here." Then he glances over at Eliot. "Alright, just never claim that I spoil her. Just don't let her two the whole Hawaiian thing."

Re: Steve and Eliot cuddle pile

[a_very_distinctive]

If anything, that warm, tight ache in his chest is getting stronger, and even the way Danny smiles at Steve doesn't break the contentment of the moment. "Don't be a killjoy, they're personal pizzas, it's not like she's gonna be makin' you eat it, sweetheart," he points out, chuckling.

He doesn't want to let Danny go, but he doesn't really have an option either if they want to eat on time. He does pull Danny in more firmly first, though, close enough to get a hand around the nape of his neck and hold him in place for a proper kiss before finally relieving him of his coffee. "If you're gonna start the grill you'd better get a move on," and he smirks and smacks Danny's ass. "Gotta let the coals burn down an' the pizza stone preheat while my sous chef an' I get the dough rolled out an' the pizzas prepped.

Steve and Eliot cuddle pile

[super_seal]

Returning Danny's grin, Steve chuckles at Eliot's idea. "You know, we could ask Gracie to make Danny a special pizza just for him..." Part of what's amusing there, at least for him, is that Gracie would make Danny's pizza exactly how he liked it - dough, sauce and motz. She may add a couple of pepperoni pieces to spice it up but she knows what her father likes.

As Danny and Eliot kiss, Steve takes a sip from his coffee but doesn't otherwise move. It is nice seeing Danny and Eliot together like this, happy and even though it's not been long, in love. They feel comfortable together, like they fit. It's getting easier seeing them as a couple, not that it still doesn't have a bittersweet feel to it, but that doesn't take from his happiness for them either.

Steve and Eliot cuddle pile

[dann_0]

Danny smiles softly at Eliot at the end of the kiss. Then he frowns at Steve's suggestion. "I'd rather she does it than you." But he is still smiling, or rather trying his damnest not to. The smack earns a little, almost inaudible whine. Though there is something in the tone that makes it obvious it is not actual pain that is the root of it.

"Yes, boss." And he gets up to let the two of them enjoy their coffees. He calls Grace to him to help, showing her how to safely handle the grill while telling her that she's not allowed to do it without an adult there.

Steve and Eliot cuddle pile

[a_very_distinctive]

"Sounds like he doesn't trust you, Sparky," Eliot teases... and then Danny whines and oh fuck that sound does truly obscene things to him. Throwing in the 'boss' just makes it worse. Or better. He's really not sure. Probably worse under the circumstances.

He doesn't visibly react, he has more control than that, but there's not a damn thing he can do about the way his heart-rate spikes or his breath catches for a fraction of a second in time with a thick wash of lust. Christ. He doesn't even try to take his eyes off Danny's ass as he walks away, there's not much point when Steve can't possibly miss his reaction anyway.

"So-" He makes himself look back to Steve. "D'you actually like pineapple on your pizza that much, or do you just like t'fuck with him that much?" he asks, smirking.

Steve and Eliot cuddle pile

[super_seal]

The whine, followed by 'boss' and then Eliot's physical reactions - It's all enough to make him very uncomfortable very quick. He doesn't need to have those types of thoughts or images in his head. Instead he keeps himself focused on Eliot's comment as he forces a grin and looks into his coffee cup. 'Fake it till you make it', it's a good motto. "He knows I'd put pineapple and ham on his pizza that's why. Maybe even a vegetable or two."

At Eliot's question the grin becomes more relaxed and he chuckles as he looks at the other man. "On occasion, I don't mind it, but winding him up is far too much fun." Shaking his head he leans it on the back of the couch, still smiling. "Even with asking for it every time we get pizza, I can't say I've actually had it on pizza in the entire time I've known him, unless someone else has ordered." The grin grows. "And on those occasions the rants are classic in nature."

Rolling his head along the back of the couch he looks at Eliot for a moment. "I'm sorry about before." He waves a hand to gesture the couch. "I'm sure cuddling with me wasn't on your agenda. I don't know how we got in that position, but considering the position..." He shrugs and a bit of pink colors his cheeks again.

Steve and Eliot cuddle pile

[a_very_distinctive]

"So you're saying you're kind of a sadistic bastard, huh?" Eliot chuckles, shaking his head. He still hasn't actually pulled his feet out of Steve's lap, though he needs to move soon. He can hear Danny and Grace out on the lanai, smell them getting the coals ready, as well as the fact that his dough's just about perfectly risen. But this is surprisingly comfortable, despite the awkwardness. "But yeah, I can see the appeal," he agrees, taking a sip of his coffee finally.

He pushes one bare heel gently into Steve's thigh at the apology. Yeah, the blush is definitely a good look on him. "Not like I couldn't'a pushed you off if I'd wanted to," he points out, smirking into his coffee. "You were pretty insistent about exactly where you wanted me, though, and it's been a helluva day. Didn't see any harm in it." He's still a bit confused by how easy it had been for him to let himself drift off, though.

"I, uh, I don't usually risk bein' asleep with anyone else in arm's reach," he admits after a moment. "Guess my subconscious figured you could take care of yourself, though."

Re: Steve and Eliot cuddle pile

[super_seal]

Steve chuckles lightly. "When Danny's ranting, he's happy. It all depends on tone as well of course, but get him ranting about pizza or the sand and he's actually enjoying himself." There's been times Steve has even used Danny's ranting as an indicator to help him determine where Danny's head or mood is at. "When he's quiet, that's when you need to worry." Tilting his head, he lightly squeezes Eliot's ankle and offers the other man a small smile. "He's happy when he's with you too, man. A different kind of happy. Deeper. Fulfilled."

"True," he says with a nod. The blush deepens slight at being told he was insistent on it. It's surprising to Steve as well that he was feeling comfortable enough to get that close to Eliot. He'd been getting better with touch over the last couple years, but this was a huge leap for him. "Still, I'm glad to hear I didn't offend or overstep too much. Before Danny I barely touched anyone. This is kinda new for me."

He nods in understanding. "That and chances are your body's signals that an issue was coming would alert me in time. I don't tend to sleep too deeply." Well, not deeply enough that the change of heartbeat and breathing wouldn't wake him instantly. He pauses a moment, then cautiously asks, "Nightmares?"

Steve and Eliot cuddle pile

[a_very_distinctive]

"Yeah." Eliot's voice and expression soften slightly, unmistakably fond. "He does like t'get on a roll an' just keep goin'." It reminds him of Hardison in a lot of ways, and he finds it much the same mix of amusing, endearing and annoying. "I'm tryin'." He shrugs a little, lips twitching up into a wry smile. "Haven't had all that much time together, but I don't plan on stoppin'." And maybe Steve's approval will help him, or maybe he'll be screwed in the end regardless. All he can do is his best.

He takes another sip of his coffee, savoring the warmth and a last few minutes of contact before he has to get to work on the pizza. "Yeah, I get that, man. It's, uh... it's hard gettin' that close to people." When it's so easy for everything to become too much. "But that's exactly it. I wasn't gonna catch you by surprise." Because it's not that he doesn't think Danny can take care of himself--though he knows he can't against him--it's that Danny wouldn't be on guard against his lover attacking him from a sound sleep, and he has no ability to catch the warning signs and react before it's too late. Eliot doubts Steve could take him either, he's not sure there are many people who'd even have a chance, but at least he'd be prepared to try.

"Yeah." He doesn't like admitting it, but if he's going to be sleeping here it's not something he can hide from another Sentinel when it happens, even if no one else would likely notice. "Collected a few over the years and, well, I've woken up to a few broken arms before I was awake enough t'stop myself." A couple of almost broken necks. A (fortunately superficial) stab wound from the time he'd forgotten to take the knife out from under the pillow. "It's not worth the risk."

Steve and Eliot cuddle pile

[super_seal]

"Good!" Steve says with a definitive nod. Then he gives Eliot a look that would normally be more of a threat if he wasn't also smiling. "I'm going to hold you to that." Things happen, life happens and Steve knows that nothing is guaranteed to last forever, but that's not what he's holding Eliot to either. What he really wants and is asking for is that Eliot treats Danny and his kids well. So far, from what Steve's seen he's got nothing to worry about.

Out on the lanai, Steve can hear Danny and Gracie talking, as well as their breathing and heart rates - those he always monitors when they're in range. From the conversation he knows the barbecue is lit the stones are heating. The extra relaxing time is almost at an end. Looking down at the cup in his hands, it's almost finished as well. He nods at Eliot's comment about people being close. "Yeah, that's part of it anyway." Steve has trust and abandonment issues, and he expects Eliot can relate to both of those things also being in the military. Having touch as his strongest sense however, also added a dimension to being touched by people he wasn't close to or wasn't comfortable with to be very disconcerting and far too intimate.

Nightmares are not an unknown to Steve. He's had more than his fair share as well. Although, he's not one to wake up violent, but he has woken up only to slip into a zone so it doesn't surprise him that Eliot, who seems to favor going feral over zoning, would also wake up that way from nightmares. "You won't with Danny. At least, I don't. It's why we used to share a bed. Something about him being a guide, he..." Steve shrugs and looks at Eliot. "Calms us...? I guess, even in sleep, just by having him near. I don't really know how it works. The way I was told things worked in the military don't seem to apply out here in the real world. The military guides I've been paired with have never come close to settling me the way Danny can."

Steve and Eliot cuddle pile

[a_very_distinctive]

"Yeah, you do that." Because he figures this probably won't last, but it's absolutely not going to be because he didn't do his damnedest to make Danny happy when he had the chance.

Eliot just nods in understanding. He's more than familiar with abandonment and isolation, it wasn't until his team that he'd learned there are people it's actually safe to trust, to let himself be close to and rely on... and yet he still never trusted them with everything. Not until Danny took that choice away from him. That's water under the bridge now, though, and he lets it slip away.

"No." He doesn't really like hearing about Steve and Danny sharing a bed, even if he knows it's a thing--knows that Danny wants it to be a hell of a lot more platonic now--but that's not what has him shaking his head as his jaw goes tight. "I can't... that's not worth the risk. I can't do that. I can't take the chance of hurting him." His voice has gone strained at just the thought, and the idea of it makes him feel so ill he has to lean across and put the remainder of his coffee on the table to keep the bitter smell of it from churning his stomach any more than it's suddenly doing on its own.

He swings his feet abruptly out of Steve's lap and turns to sit on the edge of the sofa, longish hair falling forward over his eyes. "Smells like the coals are about ready, I should get t'work on those pizzas if we wanna eat at a reasonable hour."

He pushes just as abruptly to his feet, grabbing his mug to take to the sink as he stands, though he's keeping it well away from his face. "Sorry, man, I... sorry." And then he's gone, padding silently on bare feet into the kitchen to get to work on dinner.

Steve and Eliot cuddle pile

[super_seal]

It's a bit of surprise when Eliot goes tense, putting his coffee down and swinging his legs off the him and the couch, making a quick exit. "Yeah, no... It's okay," he says to Elliot's back as he leaves the room. He was hoping his comments would put the other man at ease, not upset him.

Taking in a deep breath he sighs it out his nose. He's not fully sure if it was him mentioning that Danny and him used to share a bed, or if it had to do with the nightmares but he figures he's messed up again. Maybe he should allow them to their own personal time before he messes things up too much. Makes things too uncomfortable for any of them. Resting his head back against the couch cushions, he listens to the three other heartbeats in the house and any conversation that might take place as he debates what he should do.

Re: Steve and Eliot cuddle pile

[a_very_distinctive]

Leaving the room isn't about Steve, talking to him or not talking to him, it's about the fact that Eliot needs to do something right now. Occupy his mind and his hands to drive away the so easy to imagine picture of Danny staring at him him in shock and pain and fear... and accusation. He's seen the look so many times, he's intimately familiar with it, and he knows it would gut him possibly beyond his ability to recover from to see it on Danny.

So he pulls out the ingredients he'd already prepped and put away in the fridge, chicken and vegetables--and pineapple and ham--the freshly grated mozzarella and parmesan, the scratch sauce he'd thrown together from--at least decent quality--canned tomatoes and fresh herbs (that he'd paid through the nose for). Gets it all laid out and ready so that when Grace and Danny come back in it's ready to go and he can show her how to divide the dough then toss and stretch and dress each crust before it goes on the grill.

It doesn't quite drive the lingering fear away, but it's a start.

Re: Steve and Eliot cuddle pile

[dann_0]

Danny is smiling when he comes back inside, an excited Grace at his side. He follows as she runs over to Eliot and he places a hand on Eliot's back, leaning in to press a kiss against his shoulder. "A few more minutes and it should be up to temperature." He smiles at Grace. "Grace has been telling me all about the surfing she and Aunt Kono did today. Now she is threatening to take you surfing too, babe."

He shifts and takes a few steps so he can look into the living room and try to find Steve, he frowns a little back at Eliot. "Everything alright?" Between them, or with Steve. He kind of needs to know both.

Steve and Eliot cuddle pile

[super_seal]

Hearing them come in, Steve decides it's likely best to give them a bit of space, and perhaps him some too. Normally he'd get in a run in the afternoon and now seems like a good time while everyone else is busy in the kitchen. Heading out through the garage he unzips the legs of his cargos - turning them into shorts, loses his over shirt and slips on his runners.

Grabbing his phone, he sends a quick text to Danny:

I'm fine. Heading out for a quick run. I'll be back in thirty minutes. Tell Gracie she can make my pizza.

Sticking his phone in a pocket, he takes off down the street.

Re: Steve and Eliot cuddle pile

[a_very_distinctive]

Eliot grins at the pair of them as they come back in, letting Danny's scent wash over him drain some of the tension from his shoulders. It eases even more palpably as Danny's hand settles on his back, and disappears almost entirely at the press of lips against his shoulder.

"I suppose I could give it a shot," he concedes easily, smiling warmly at Grace. "If you don't mind dealin' with a beginner, anyhow."

He follows Danny's glance to the living room, even though he knows Steve's already left the room. He can hear him in the garage, the beat of his heart and what sounds like changing clothes and... putting on shoes. He's not going to say anything about how their conversation had ended or how it had triggered him, especially not with Grace right there. Not that he really wants to explain it to Danny either, it had been hard enough already telling him why he can't let himself actually sleep next to him.

"Yeah, we're good," he answers, which he thinks is true enough he's not lying to Danny. "Maybe he's headed out t'work up an appetite for dinner?" He looks back to Grace. "Figure we've gonna be makin' a whole mess of pizza, so he'd better be ready t'do a lot of eating, right darlin'?"

Steve and Eliot cuddle pile

[dannosmonkey]

"That's alright," she says happily and with a little bit of a tease in her voice she looks up at her father. "Danno's a beginner too."

Grace bops her head up and down at Eliot's question with a big grin on her face. She's excited to make her own pizza. Since she was told she could put whatever she wants on it, she has some ideas she's curious to see if she can get by her father, or his new boyfriend.

Looking off to the living room, she frowns slightly, "Isn't Uncle Steve going to make one too?"