#nativehaole

Adrenaline always ran high when they were in the field. Whatever injury they sustained, the pain would be pushed back as the op and reaching jackpot was at the forefront of it all. Making sure the whole team and any extras they may have with them, making it to the other side. It took him longer than it should have to notice just how bad his injuries were. But even at the height of the worst of the pain, he tried to push through because the op was more important. 

There was gun fire and a lot of yelling, which wasn’t abnormal. But he felt that a lot of the yelling was directed at him! He wanted to respond. To assure his team that he was fine, but as he blinked in and out of consciousness he was beginning to think that maybe he wasn’t. 

Steve came to mind, even at his weakest and fuzziest mindset. He wanted to speak to Steve. To tell him something important!   

But the next time he properly had his wits about him, his team wasn’t in sight, and had a bunch of medics and doctors prepping him for travel. 

His injuries had been serious. There were moments of touch and go, but he was a stubborn SOB being treated by some of the best. So he lived. Those who came to visit him, he could tell they wanted to give him the ‘consider your next chapter of your career’ talk, and he was dreading it. 

He actually tried to pretend to be asleep when people came into his room. Thinking about the future, one away from serving the way he love and away from his team, wasn’t something he wanted to think about. 

Though after one time after actually falling asleep, when he woke up next he felt someone by his side. Normally if it was one of his superiors or staff to check in on him, they’d be standing or walking around him. So when he cracked one eye open, the relief and happiness he felt when he saw who it was would rival the feeling of ecstasy. 

     “ hey sugar. ”

Danny looked up at him, the pain he could see Steve’s face breaking his heart a little and making tears sting his eyes. He kept his ground, though. His hands cupping his cheeks and his face as close as could be. 

     He wants to put up a brave face-- something, anything to save his pride from taking a nose-dive. Which goes about as well as expected. Nate clung to him, fingers digging into the fabric of Steve’s shirt, the comforting scent of the SEAL overwhelming as he buried his face against the side of his neck. He’s tired, something that’s bone deep, and something about being here with Steve finally gets the noise in his head to settle. 

Always do it

“Nick, babe… we’ve talked about this. It’s not haunted. Except by the ghosts of puns that fell short of sticking. It’s an old house. They make noises. My dad’s house growls when it dips below 60*.”