Work Text:
When Danny entered the hospital that morning, he hadn’t expected to walk straight into a rumour mill. As he signed in at the nurse’s station, he noticed various staff members milling about, whispering to each other. He immediately knew that something was up. While gossip was a thing at Queen’s Medical, it wasn’t so much that the news interested everyone.
“Hey Jenna,” he started, looking at one of the other nurses behind the counter, “What’s going on?”
The brunette glanced up from her clipboard, “There’s supposed to be a new guy here.”
“And? We get new workers all the time. What’s so special about him?”
“I heard he’s supposedly one of the best cardiac surgeons on the island, if not in the entire country.”
“So give the man a medal, don’t treat him like a high school crush.”
“Well, there’s the fact that he’s hot,” Lori chirped in from nearby.
“You’ve seen him?”
“Yeah, just when he was turning a corner.”
“What does he look like?” Jenna asked.
“He’s tall, has dark hair and an amazing physique.”
Danny raised an eyebrow, “And how would you know that if you’ve only just seen part of him? Like his side or something.”
“Doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the back. Or what I could see of it anyway.”
Danny rolled his eyes at this and grabbed his clipboard before he left the nurse’s station, wondering how his life had come to this: gossiping with his co-workers. As he made his way to the room of his first patient for the day, he couldn’t help but imagine what the new surgeon looked like. Maybe he really was as handsome as Lori, and apparently everyone else, said he was but Danny still couldn’t see what the big deal was. Perhaps he would just have to find out for himself.
+++++
By the time Danny was almost finished with his morning patients, it was safe to say that he was feeling more than a little bit irritated. Everywhere he went, the hospital was abuzz with news of the new surgeon whom he had eventually learned the name of by accidentally eavesdropping. Dr. McGarrett had quickly become a household name among the staff of Queen’s Medical. Danny was sick of it.
“This is just stupid, really. I mean, how popular can a guy get? Everywhere it’s Dr. McGarrett this and Dr. McGarrett that. I’m sick of this! Did the man cure cancer or something?”
Kono smiled indulgently from where she was standing on the other side of the bed.
“Not that I know of.”
“Well, find me when he does cause this is ridiculous.”
The other nurse just laughed at his displeasure as she continued to arrange the sheets around the unconscious man on the bed.
“Chill out, brah,” she said, “I’m sure this will blow over soon.”
“Yeah right. I mean, have you heard the ER nurses? I don’t think I’ve blushed so hard since I walked in on Chin and Malia that one time.”
“I didn’t really need to know that.”
Danny waved a hand flippantly at her comment before turning his attention back to the patient’s vitals. His heartbeat was steady, his breathing wasn’t irregular and he wasn’t writhing in pain like he had been when he was first admitted. A morphine drip could do wonders.
“So, have you seen him yet?”
“No and I’m not sure I want to.”
“Why not?”
“Kono, the man’s been the topic of every conversation I’ve had the unfortunate pleasure of being in and I’m getting tired of it. I’m already annoyed by him without even seeing his face so I would like to keep it that way in case I do something that I may or may not regret.”
Kono raised her eyebrows at this but nodded anyway. They soon finished with their tasks and proceeded to make their way out of the room.
“So, what are you doing for lunch?” the younger nurse asked, “Kamekona’s?”
“Sure. I need to lecture him about his cholesterol level anyway.”
Kono laughed, “I’m sure he’ll love that. Want me to call the others and see if any of them are free?”
“Yeah, why not?”
Just as they turned the corner, Danny suddenly found himself crashing into a hard surface. He stumbled, trying to back himself up to get a better look at what – or who – he had bumped into. Neatly combed dark hair and blue eyes entered his field of vision. His gazed travelled lower to the other man’s chest where a name tag was pinned to his white coat.
Dr. McGarrett, it read. So this was the infamous surgeon. He really was tall, dark and handsome like everyone said he was.
“You okay, brah?” Kono’s steadying hand on his shoulder brought him back to reality.
“What? Oh, yeah, I’m fine.”
“Hey, look man, I’m sorry. I didn’t see you there,” Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome said. Before Danny could reply to his apology, he saw the other man raising an eyebrow at his scrubs.
“What is it? Why are you staring at me like that?”
The man lifted his gaze to meet Danny’s, looking surprised as though he hadn’t realised what he had done.
“Nothing. It’s just…well, you’re looking a little pale,” he stated as though this were a new fact.
Danny rolled his eyes, “Thank you for that lovely explanation. I never realised.”
“No, uh…you’re just-you’re not from around here are you?”
“And? I’m sick of people asking me that. For the last time, I don’t care that I’m from the mainland or a haole or whatever. Have a problem with that, buddy?”
Dr. McGarrett – who wasn’t looking so tall, dark and handsome now – quickly shook his head and Danny almost wondered if it would fall off. He didn’t miss the slight smirk on the man’s face, however.
“No, I just-”
“Whatever. Come on, Kono.”
The blond stormed off with Kono hot on his heels, leaving their new acquaintance looking equal parts amused and surprised.
+++++
“Wait, you did what now?” Lou asked.
Danny sighed, “I told him off and walked away. What did you want me to do?”
A group of them – Kono, Meka, Lou, Chin and Danny – had gone out to Kamekona’s food truck to get lunch. After they had ordered and found a table to sit at, they each recounted the events of the day so far. That was how Danny found himself telling his friends about his unfortunate encounter with Dr. McGarrett.
“Maybe let him explain himself?” Meka suggested, a smile stretching across his face.
“Yeah, well, I didn’t want to hear what he was going to say. I’m sure it would have been stupid anyway.”
The Jersey native watched, unimpressed, as his friends chuckled. Of course they would find his situation funny. He was saved from any further comments from them when Kamekona came over to their table with their shrimp in hand.
“For my favourite hospital workers,” he said, placing down their food.
Chin shook his head with a grin as he reached out to grab his spicy shrimp.
“Flattery will get you nowhere, Kamekona. I’ll remember this for your upcoming physical.”
“Hey, a man’s gotta try, right?”
They all laughed at the large Hawaiian.
“Speaking of your physical,” Danny started, “How are your cholesterol levels?”
The smile on Kamekona’s face fell and he started to back up.
“Come on, man. Don’t do this to me.”
“How much greasy foods have you been eating lately? Are you eating all the fruits and vegetables I told you to?”
“You know what? I’ll just catch you guys later.”
They watched in amusement as Kamekona walked back to his food truck, snickering at his hasty retreat. Kono looked back at Danny.
“You just had to, huh?”
The nurse shrugged, taking a bite of his garlic shrimp. He did say that he was going to lecture him.
+++++
Back at the hospital, Danny was checking over a patient when he heard the door open and close behind him. He sighed.
“I’ll be finished in a moment and then I’ll leave you alone.”
“Uh, I’m not a visitor.”
Danny immediately straightened up and turned around to see Dr. McGarrett by the door. The surgeon looked contrite as he stared at the blonde with those gorgeous, grey eyes. Weren’t they blue just that morning?
“What do you want?” Danny asked impatiently, wanting to get out of the room and away from Dr. McGarrett.
“I, uh, I wanted to apologise for what I said this morning. It was uncalled for.”
Danny scoffed, “Gee, I never would have guessed. What gave you that bright idea, Einstein?”
McGarrett’s eyes narrowed for a split second before his face became blank.
“Look, I don’t normally find myself apologising to other people so if you could just accept it, please, that would be great.”
Danny stared at him. The surgeon seemed to honestly regret what he said and if it was one thing his Ma had taught him, it was to give people a second chance.
“Alright,” he conceded, “Apology noted. Acceptance is pending.”
Dr. McGarrett smiled, amused at the turn of events, “I can work with that.”
“Good, cause that’s all you’re getting for now.”
Danny turned back to his work, unaware of the look which the surgeon was giving him. Maybe having McGarrett around wouldn’t be so bad after all.