McGarrett House, Honolulu, Hawai'i [Sunday afternoon]

[grenadesandohana]

Steve had pulled the plastic totes (carefully labeled) and was de-Christmasing the living room while listening to an audio book about the Navy in the Civil War.

Because of course he was.

"How's the kitchen going?" he called in to Danny.

Comments

[hatesparadise]

"It's going!" Danny called back, rolling his eyes. Because that audio book was keeping him out of the living room.

[grenadesandohana]

It was detailed, not dry and boring!

"Just throw out all the sugar," Steve called back. "We don't need that in January."

[hatesparadise]

"Excuse me?" Danny would not be living a sugar free life, thank you.

[grenadesandohana]

"We've had too much of it over the last two weeks," Steve said.

[hatesparadise]

"It was Christmas!" Danny said, finally braving the audiobook and then frowning at the totes. "What are you doing?"

[grenadesandohana]

"Putting Christmas back out in the garage," Steve said with a shrug.

[hatesparadise]

"Already??" Danny was a 'tree up until February' kind of guy.

[grenadesandohana]

"We're heading back to Maryland. Do you want to come back here a month and still have all this stuff up?" Steve asked.

[hatesparadise]

"Yes," Danny replied easily. Even though he'd immediately regret it in practice.

[grenadesandohana]

Steve wrinkled up his nose. "Even when we might not be back for weeks?"

[hatesparadise]

"I like Christmas!" Danny said like that was reason enough. "Don't you?"

[grenadesandohana]

"I don't dislike Christmas," Steve said, "but it's January now."

[hatesparadise]

"And the holiday season is as long as it's necessary," Danny countered.

[grenadesandohana]

"But still January," Steve insisted.

[hatesparadise]

"So? It's not like there's any other holiday this month," Danny countered.

[grenadesandohana]

"Christmas was last month," Steve pointed out helpfully.

[hatesparadise]

"And Valentine's Day is next, you wanna set up for that?"

That might be a way for Steve to not forget about it, honestly.

[grenadesandohana]

"There's decoration for Valentine's Day?"

Steve didn't own any of that, Daniel.

[hatesparadise]

"Flowers. Heart stuff." Danny owned none either. "The kids would like it."

They would not.

[grenadesandohana]

Steve popped his head into the kitchen so Danny could see the skepticism on his face. "Would they? Do they really want to dwell on the mushy stuff?"

Steve certainly didn't want to.

[hatesparadise]

"Maybe!" Not at all. "Might distract Grace from boys if she's busy being annoyed at us."

[grenadesandohana]

"I don't want to make Grace annoyed," Steve protested.

[hatesparadise]

"Boys, Steven."

[grenadesandohana]

"Wouldn't the decorations just reinforce the boys?" Steve asked.

[hatesparadise]

"...damn it." Now he had to come up with a different plan!