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Danny Williams had a lot of regrets in life, but following Steve McGarrett into a tiny, dimly lit antique shop on the edge of Kaimuki was quickly climbing the list.
"Remind me again why we’re here, Steven," Danny said, dodging a precariously stacked display of teacups that looked like they’d shatter if he so much as breathed on them. "This doesn’t exactly scream 'dangerous criminal activity.'"
Steve, of course, was already across the room, rifling through an old chest of who-knew-what like a kid on a treasure hunt. "It’s a lead, Danny. Guy we’re looking for was spotted near here. Figured he might’ve left something behind."
"Yeah, sure. Criminal masterminds always leave their diabolical plans in...vintage shops. Makes total sense," Danny muttered, shoving his hands in his pockets and glaring at a porcelain cat that seemed to be judging him.
Before Steve could retort, a voice cut through the air.
"Ah, visitors! Welcome, welcome!"
An older woman emerged from behind a beaded curtain, her silver hair pulled into an elaborate braid. She wore layers of colorful scarves and had the kind of presence that immediately commanded attention. Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she looked between Steve and Danny.
"You two have...an energy," she said, a slow smile curling her lips.
"An energy?" Danny repeated, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes. A connection. Strong, but...complicated." Her gaze lingered on Danny for a moment, then shifted to Steve, who frowned but didn’t look away.
"Listen, we’re just here to ask a few questions," Steve said, his tone clipped but polite.
The woman waved a hand dismissively. "Questions, answers...those are easy. What you two need is clarity."
"Clarity?" Danny asked, already regretting it.
"Yes. Clarity," she said again, reaching into a nearby glass cabinet. When her hand emerged, she was holding a small, intricately designed pocket watch. The metal was worn but gleamed faintly under the shop’s dim lighting, and strange markings circled its edges.
"This," she said, holding it out to Danny. "A gift for your patience."
"My patience?" Danny repeated, incredulous.
The woman nodded sagely. "You’ve endured much. More than most would. It’s only fair."
Danny hesitated, glancing at Steve, who was now watching the exchange with narrowed eyes.
"It’s free," she added with a grin. "No strings attached. Consider it...a thank-you for keeping this one"—she nodded toward Steve—"alive."
Danny snorted but took the watch, figuring it was easier to humor her than to argue. "Thanks, I guess."
As they left the shop, Danny turned the watch over in his hand. "What kind of weird shop just gives away stuff for free?"
"The kind that thinks we’re a couple," Steve muttered, heading for the car.
Danny stopped dead in his tracks. "Wait—what? You think she thought—oh, no. No, no, no. That’s not happening."
Steve just smirked. "Relax, Danny. Let’s focus on the case."
---
That night, Danny sat at his kitchen table, staring at the pocket watch. It was...fine. Pretty, even, in a weird, old-timey way. But something about it felt strange. He shook his head. "You’re losing it, Williams," he muttered, placing it on the counter before heading to bed.
The next morning, the trouble began.
"Gracie, let’s go!" Danny called, standing by the door. His daughter, ever the early riser, appeared with her backpack slung over one shoulder and a knowing look on her face.
"You’re wearing that?" she asked, pointing at his tie.
"What’s wrong with my tie?" Danny said defensively, smoothing it out.
"It’s ugly," Grace said bluntly.
Danny opened his mouth to argue, but instead of his usual retort, what came out was: "Okay, fine, I hate it, too, but I didn’t have time to pick another one!"
Grace blinked. "That’s...weirdly honest of you, Danno."
Danny frowned, his hand drifting to the pocket watch now sitting in his jacket pocket. He shook it off and ushered Grace to the car.
But things got stranger at HQ.
"Morning, Danny," Steve said, smirking as Danny walked in. "Late night with the tie selection?"
Danny glared at him. "I was up thinking about how much you annoy me." His eyes widened as the words tumbled out of his mouth, unfiltered.
Steve froze, then laughed. "Wow. Don’t hold back, partner."
"I’m not trying to hold back!" Danny snapped, then immediately added, "Actually, I am, but I can’t seem to—oh, what the hell is happening?"
Steve raised an eyebrow. "You okay?"
"No, I am not okay," Danny said, his hand shooting to the pocket watch.
---
Danny paced the office, the pocket watch clutched in his hand like it was the source of all his problems—which, honestly, it probably was. Steve leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, watching with a mix of amusement and concern.
“So, let me get this straight,” Steve said, his voice tinged with skepticism. “You think that old woman cursed you with… what? Radical honesty?”
Danny stopped mid-stride and turned, glaring. “Yes, Steven, that’s exactly what I think. And before you start with your usual ‘Danny, you’re overreacting’ nonsense, let me remind you of two things: One, weird stuff happens to us all the time. Two, I just told you to your face that you’re annoying. Do I look like someone who would voluntarily give you that satisfaction?”
Steve tilted his head, considering. “Fair point. But don’t you think maybe you’re just stressed? I mean, it’s not like—”
“McGarrett,” Danny interrupted, the words spilling out of him before he could stop them. “If you don’t stop with the smug look and the ‘I’m smarter than you’ tone, I swear I’m going to throw this watch at your head.”
Steve’s eyebrows shot up. “Okay, now I’m starting to believe you.”
“Finally!” Danny threw his hands in the air. “What gave it away? The fact that I can’t keep a single damn thought in my head from coming out of my mouth?”
Steve stood and approached him, his gaze flicking to the watch. “Alright, let me see it.”
Danny hesitated but handed it over. “Be careful with that thing. It’s clearly cursed or possessed or something.”
Steve examined the watch, turning it over in his hands. “Looks pretty normal to me.”
“Yeah, well, so do you, and we both know how misleading appearances can be,” Danny shot back. Then he groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “See? I didn’t mean to say that.”
Steve smirked, clearly enjoying this far too much. “You know, I think I could get used to this.”
Danny pointed a finger at him. “Don’t even think about it, McGarrett. This is not a good thing. Do you know how much trouble I could get into if I can’t control what I’m saying? Do you know how many times I’ve wanted to tell you to—”
He clamped his mouth shut, but it was too late.
“To what?” Steve asked, grinning like a cat that had just cornered a particularly feisty mouse.
“To… to maybe, occasionally, stop being so damn perfect at everything!” Danny blurted, then immediately turned red. “Oh, for the love of—I didn’t mean that!”
Steve froze, his smirk slipping into something softer, almost surprised. “You think I’m perfect?”
“No!” Danny practically shouted, then sighed. “Fine, yes, okay? Sometimes. But don’t let it go to your head.”
Steve stared at him for a long moment, the teasing edge gone from his expression. “Danny…”
“Nope! No way! We are not having this conversation right now,” Danny said, snatching the watch back. “I need to figure out how to fix this before I end up confessing something I really regret.”
Steve tilted his head. “Like what?”
Danny glared at him, the tips of his ears turning pink. “You know what? Maybe I will throw this watch at your head.”
---
Over the next few hours, Danny’s situation only got worse. Every sarcastic thought, every complaint, every buried feeling—everything came spilling out whether he wanted it to or not. And Steve, being Steve, decided to stick to Danny like glue, apparently finding endless entertainment in his predicament.
By the time they were driving back to the shop to confront the woman, Danny was on the verge of losing it.
“I can’t believe you dragged me into this,” Danny muttered as Steve navigated the streets. “And don’t you dare say it’s my fault. If you hadn’t insisted on going into that creepy little shop, none of this would’ve happened.”
“I wasn’t going to say that,” Steve said calmly.
“Yes, you were,” Danny snapped. “I know that look. It’s your ‘I’m smug but pretending not to be’ face.”
Steve glanced at him, his lips twitching. “You know me that well, huh?”
Danny groaned, slumping back in his seat. “Yes, Steve, I know you that well. I know all your faces. The smug one, the serious one, the ‘I’m about to do something stupid but pretend it’s calculated’ one…”
Steve chuckled. “Which one’s your favorite?”
Danny opened his mouth, then froze. “Oh, no. Nope. Not answering that.”
Steve grinned. “You can’t stop yourself, remember?”
“I will bite my tongue if I have to,” Danny said through gritted teeth.
But the magic had other ideas. “Fine! It’s the one you get when you’re really focused, okay? When you’re thinking about something important and your whole face gets all intense and—oh my God, why am I saying this?”
Steve blinked, caught off guard. “I… didn’t know you noticed that.”
Danny groaned and buried his face in his hands. “Of course I notice, Steven. I notice everything about you, because you’re impossible to ignore. And if you say one word about this, I swear I will—”
“Relax,” Steve said softly, his voice unusually gentle. “I won’t.”
Danny peeked at him through his fingers. “You won’t?”
Steve shook his head, his expression unreadable. “No. I think… maybe I like hearing the truth from you.”
Danny stared at him, his heart doing something weird and stupid in his chest. “You’re unbelievable, you know that?”
“Yeah,” Steve said, a small smile playing at his lips. “But you still put up with me.”
Danny sighed, leaning back in his seat. “God help me, I do.”
---
When they pulled up to the little shop, Danny practically jumped out of the car before Steve had even parked. He stormed to the door, the pocket watch clutched in one hand like it might bite him if he let go.
“Oh, come on!” Danny groaned, slapping a hand against the glass.
A small, handwritten sign dangled from the door handle: CLOSED FOR LUNCH. BACK SOON.
Steve stepped up behind him, peering over his shoulder. “Looks like we’ll have to wait.”
“Wait? No, no, no. I am not waiting,” Danny said, rattling the doorknob. “What kind of shopkeeper just vanishes in the middle of the day? This is exactly the kind of unprofessional behavior I should’ve expected from someone who—”
“Danny,” Steve interrupted, his tone dry. “She’s allowed to take a lunch break.”
“Not when my life is falling apart!” Danny spun to face Steve, pointing the watch at him like it was a weapon. “Do you have any idea how hard it’s been not to accidentally ruin my entire existence today? Huh? Do you? Because you wouldn’t understand, Steven, with your perfect control and your stupid charm and your—”
“Stupid charm?” Steve repeated, an amused smile tugging at his lips.
“Oh, shut up,” Danny grumbled, his cheeks flushing. “You know what I mean.”
Steve leaned casually against the doorframe, arms crossed. “I don’t know, Danny. Sounds like you’re complimenting me again.”
Danny groaned, dragging a hand down his face. “Why does everything out of my mouth sound like I’m in love with you?”
The words hung in the air, heavy and undeniable. Danny froze, eyes wide, as if he could somehow rewind time and stuff the confession back down where it belonged.
Steve straightened, his playful expression replaced by something serious, something searching. “Danny…”
“No. Nope. Absolutely not. We are not doing this,” Danny said, backing away. “That—that was the magic. The cursed watch. Not me. Forget it. Forget I said anything!”
Steve stepped forward, his voice quiet but firm. “I don’t think I can forget that.”
Danny’s back hit the car, and he threw his hands up in exasperation. “Why not? You forget half the stuff I say anyway!”
Steve took another step closer, his gaze never leaving Danny’s. “Because this feels different.”
Danny stared at him, his heart pounding so loudly he was sure Steve could hear it. “It’s not. It’s just the magic making me say stuff I don’t mean.”
Steve’s lips curved into the smallest of smiles. “Are you sure about that?”
Danny opened his mouth to argue, but the watch in his pocket glowed faintly, its warmth seeping through the fabric like a reminder he couldn’t ignore.
“I… I don’t know,” Danny admitted finally, his voice barely above a whisper. “Okay? I don’t know what’s real anymore.”
Steve stepped even closer, close enough that Danny could feel the heat of him, close enough that the usual banter between them felt impossibly far away. “Maybe we should figure it out together.”
Danny blinked up at him, his throat dry. “You’re really not gonna let this go, are you?”
Steve shook his head, his smile softening. “Not this time.”
The shop door creaked open behind them, and the familiar voice of the old woman interrupted the moment.
“Well, well,” she said, sounding entirely too pleased. “It seems my little gift is working perfectly.”
Danny spun around, pointing a finger at her. “You! Fix this! Right now!”
The woman chuckled, stepping out and locking the door behind her. “Why would I do that? You’re clearly making progress.”
“Progress?” Danny sputtered. “Progress toward what? Public humiliation? A heart attack?”
The woman’s gaze shifted to Steve, her knowing smile widening. “Toward understanding each other. Isn’t that what you both really want?”
Danny turned back to Steve, hoping for backup, but Steve just looked at him, his expression unreadable.
The woman patted Danny’s arm as she walked past them. “Come back tomorrow. Maybe by then, you’ll see that the magic isn’t the problem—it’s the walls you’ve built around yourselves.”
Before Danny could argue, she disappeared down the street, leaving him and Steve standing there in stunned silence.
Steve finally broke it, his voice soft. “She might have a point.”
Danny groaned, burying his face in his hands. “I hate everything about today.”
Steve chuckled, and when Danny peeked at him through his fingers, he saw something in Steve’s eyes that made his heart skip—a mix of affection, amusement, and something deeper.
“C’mon,” Steve said, nudging Danny toward the car. “Let’s go home. We can… talk about it later.”
Danny sighed, letting Steve guide him back to the car. “I swear, McGarrett, if you turn this into another one of your projects…”
Steve grinned as they climbed in. “What can I say? You’re my favorite project.”
Danny groaned, but he couldn’t quite hide the smile tugging at his lips.
---
The drive back to Steve’s place was quieter than usual. Danny sat in the passenger seat, fiddling with the watch, his mind racing with everything that had happened. Steve, for once, didn’t press him with questions or snarky remarks. The silence wasn’t awkward—it was heavy, charged, like the air before a storm.
When they pulled into Steve’s driveway, Danny didn’t wait for an invitation. He followed Steve inside, slumping onto the couch while Steve grabbed two beers from the fridge.
“Here,” Steve said, holding one out.
Danny took it with a muttered, “Thanks,” and immediately took a long swig.
For a while, they just sat there, the occasional clink of glass on wood the only sound in the room. Finally, Danny broke the silence.
“This is a disaster,” he muttered, staring at the glowing watch in his hand.
Steve leaned back in his chair, his gaze steady. “Why? Because you said some things you weren’t ready to say?”
Danny glared at him. “That’s easy for you to say, Steven. You’re not the one blurting out every thought like a damn lunatic. Do you know how many secrets I have to keep just to stay sane?”
Steve raised an eyebrow. “Secrets, huh? Like what?”
Danny froze, the watch in his hand pulsing faintly as if daring him to answer. He tightened his grip, willing himself to keep quiet.
But of course, the magic didn’t care about his willpower.
“Like how sometimes I hate working with you because it’s exhausting, but I hate the idea of not working with you even more!” he blurted, his voice rising with frustration. “Like how I feel like an idiot every time you do something reckless and I care too much because I—”
He stopped, his eyes wide, his breath caught in his throat.
Steve leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, his voice quiet. “Because you what?”
Danny groaned, dragging a hand through his hair. “Because I can’t lose you, okay? I’ve lost enough already. Happy now?”
Steve didn’t respond right away. Instead, he studied Danny like he was piecing together a puzzle he’d been working on for years.
“I’m not happy,” Steve said finally, his voice softer than Danny had ever heard it. “Not about the way you’re beating yourself up over this.”
Danny looked up, his chest tight. “Then what are you about?”
Steve set his beer down and moved to sit beside Danny on the couch. “About you, Danny. About us.”
Danny stared at him, his heart pounding so hard it drowned out everything else. “What… what does that mean?”
Steve gave him a small, tentative smile. “It means I’ve been waiting for you to say something like this for a long time.”
Danny blinked. “You… you have?”
“Yeah,” Steve admitted, his gaze unwavering. “Because I’ve been feeling the same way. I just didn’t know how to tell you without screwing everything up.”
Danny’s grip on the watch loosened, and for the first time all day, he felt like he could breathe. “You’re serious?”
Steve nodded, his smile growing. “Dead serious.”
Danny let out a shaky laugh, running a hand over his face. “You’re telling me I’ve been torturing myself over this stupid magic watch, and you’ve been sitting there waiting for me to catch up?”
Steve shrugged, his smile turning teasing. “Pretty much.”
Danny groaned, leaning back against the couch. “You’re unbelievable, McGarrett.”
“Yeah, but you love me anyway,” Steve said, his tone light but his eyes full of something deeper.
Danny froze, the words sinking in. Then he sighed, a reluctant smile tugging at his lips. “Yeah. I guess I do.”
Steve reached out, resting a hand on Danny’s shoulder. “For what it’s worth, Danny… I love you, too.”
Danny stared at him, his chest tightening and loosening all at once. For once, he didn’t feel the need to fight it, to hide behind sarcasm or frustration. Instead, he just nodded, his voice steady. “Yeah. I know.”
Steve laughed, pulling him into a hug. And for the first time in what felt like forever, Danny let himself relax, the weight of the watch and all its magic fading into the background.
---
The next morning, they returned to the shop, the tension from the day before replaced with a quiet understanding.
The old woman greeted them with a knowing smile. “Well? Did you figure it out?”
Danny handed her the watch with a smirk. “Yeah, yeah. You’re a genius or whatever. Can you turn it off now?”
She took the watch, her eyes twinkling. “It was never really about the watch, you know.”
Danny raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
She leaned in, her voice conspiratorial. “The watch didn’t make you honest. It just gave you permission to be.”
Danny’s mouth opened, then closed. He turned to Steve, who just shrugged.
“She’s not wrong,” Steve said, his smile soft.
Danny sighed, shaking his head. “You’re all crazy. Absolutely crazy.”
The old woman laughed, tucking the watch away. “Crazy or not, you two seem much happier. My work here is done.”
As they left the shop, Danny glanced at Steve. “So, what now?”
Steve grinned, sliding an arm around Danny’s shoulders. “Now? Now we see what happens when we stop holding back.”
Danny rolled his eyes but couldn’t help smiling. “Just promise me one thing, McGarrett.”
“Anything.”
“Next time you see a creepy shop, we’re keeping the car doors locked.”
Steve laughed, pulling him closer. “Deal.”
And for once, Danny didn’t have anything sarcastic to say.