White Manna Burgers, Hackensack, NJ [Saturday afternoon]

[grenadesandohana]

Yes, there was approximately a hundred thousand versions of baked ziti stuffed into Danny's mom's fridge from the funeral, but Danny had gotten a look on his face when he'd glanced at it that made Steve's stomach clench in sympathy. After his dad's death, he'd been up to his ears in deli trays.

After a few hours of forced smalltalk with Danny's parents, sisters, and Grace, Steve was pretty sure he was starting to look a little hunted himself, which was why he jumped at the chance to grab burgers with Danny for lunch.

In Hackensack. A half hour from where they'd started.

Steve felt like he could breathe again, even if he hadn't been allowed to drive the car.

"What's so great about these burgers?" he asked.

Comments

[hatesparadise]

"They are a classic," Danny said, pulling his father's post-retirement crisis car into a parking spot. "Grace, you tell him!"

Grace made a scrunched up face in the back seat, looking up from her phone. "I've been here before?"

Danny sighed so hard at this disrespect.

[grenadesandohana]

Steve carefully hid a grin behind his hand. The bickering was the first normal thing to happen in weeks.

"Do they have veggie burgers?" Steve asked entirely to wind him up.

[hatesparadise]

"You are not allowed to order," Danny informed him.

[grenadesandohana]

Steve snickered. "I thought I was the control freak?"

[hatesparadise]

"You will get us kicked out, talkin' like that," Danny replied.

[grenadesandohana]

"Don't they believe in vegetables in New Jersey?" Steve asked.

[hatesparadise]

"Potatoes are a vegetable!" Danny insisted. Even as Grace sighed only like a pre-teen can as though they were both such an embarrassment to be seen with.

Still better than clothes shopping with grandma, though.

[grenadesandohana]

Steve snorted. "Maybe pickles?" he tried.

[hatesparadise]

"Onions," Danny added, opening the door for Grace to slouch on out along with them.

"They don't have any salads?" she asked with a very dubious expression.

[grenadesandohana]

"We can find a salad place later," Steve said. "Definitely before you get back on a plane."

Were there salad places in Jersey?

[hatesparadise]

Danny rolled his eyes. "What kind of kid doesn't want junk food?" he asked, playfully shaking her shoulder.

"Thanks, Uncle Steve," Grace said, mellowing some of that pre-teen attitude to see her dad acting more like himself. But of course still having to mess with him.

[grenadesandohana]

"Any time, Grace," Steve said with a wink. "Someone has to make sure your dad eats vegetables."

[hatesparadise]

"You both are going to change your tune once you have one of these burgers," Danny insisted, gesturing for Steve to be a gentleman and get the door for him and Grace.

[grenadesandohana]

Steve opened the door with a little raise of his eyebrows at Danny and a smile of genuine warmth for Grace. "After you, Danno."

[hatesparadise]

"Thanks," Danny replied, guiding Grace on into the grungy looking place. "Go find us a booth and I'll order for you." He placed a kiss on the top of Grace's head before shooing her in the direction of a booth.

"Danno," she whined at the display of affection in public. Thankfully she didn't know anyone here, right?

[grenadesandohana]

Right, but it didn't really matter because her dad was being so embarrassing by existing near her where people could see it. Steve messed with his hands. "Do you want me to go with her?"

[hatesparadise]

Danny eyed him for a moment, sort of hating Steve being uncertain. And, of course, blaming himself for it.

"If you want," he settled on.

Things were find and normal still!

[grenadesandohana]

Steve gave him a quick smile. "You know what I like. I don't need to hover."

[hatesparadise]

That was better at least. But still not ideal.

And you know what? Danny never thought he'd miss the weird hovering Steve did, but there they were.

"Don't let her stay on her phone the whole time!" Danny called after him, going up to order them an massive amount of greasy food.

[grenadesandohana]

Steve gave him a little wave of acknowledgment over his head and slid into the booth next to Grace. "This one's not too sticky?" he checked.

[hatesparadise]

"They're all pretty sticky," she said, making a face. But she wasn't staring at her phone yet. Then Grace took a moment to watch him out of the corner of her eye with a look that was probably too much like her father.

[grenadesandohana]

Steve did not look down to see if that bruise hidden in his tattoos was showing. He gave her the same look back. "Yeah, Grace?"

[hatesparadise]

"Was it really bad?" Grace asked quietly, biting her bottom lip. "Like Meka?"

Another closed casket funeral she'd been to in her short life.

Since she couldn't ask her dad without upsetting him.

[grenadesandohana]

Steve reached out to pull her into a hug. "It wasn't great," he said softly.

[hatesparadise]

Grace hugged him back with a very quiet, "Oh."

Danny glanced over at them where he was waiting on the order, giving Steve a worried look.