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cap_ironman2013-12-27 12:42 am
cap_ironman_fe) wrote in cap_ironman2013-12-27 12:42 am
Entry tags:
Secret Santa: The Perks of Hawaiian Pizza - part 1/3
Merry Month of December: morfic_all
Title: The Perks of Hawaiian Pizza
Rating: Teen and Up Audiences
Universe: MCU
Warnings: nothing in particular that i can think of
From: howling_commandos
Author's Note: Thanks a million times to starspangledsprocket for being super sweet and beta'ing this for me.
I hope you like this :) I know it's not the best but I worked hard on it and I really hope you enjoy it :)
***
“When you come back, you better have a tan, and a long list of all the hot Hawaiian babes you banged.”
Steve didn’t even answer; he just rolled his eyes, and Bucky laughed.
“I’m kidding,” he said, but Steve wasn’t sure. “But I do want you to have a good time. And I mean it, no crying in your hotel room all day.”
Steve sighed, and faked a small chuckle, because he knew that’s what his best friend was looking for; a way to cheer him up after his break up.
So far, Bucky was doing an awful job. Not intentionally, obviously, but cracking jokes wasn't what Steve needed then. Sure, they did generate a good laugh every once in a while, but he was the moping type; complaining over his problems, or simply keeping quiet about them, was his thing. Bucky understood that, and offered him space and someone to listen. That made him a good friend, and Steve was thankful, but he was an even better friend when he stopped keeping up with it and told him to suck it up. If he didn’t, it would usually take Steve a lot longer to move on.
Going to Hawaii was a good idea altogether. Steve deserved the vacation, and deserved to clear his mind of Peggy. New York, apparently, reminded him too much of her, even if his former girlfriend was actually British. But that worked, right? New York was cold and full of mean ex-girlfriends, while Hawaii was sunny and full of gorgeous girls for him to choose from and move on.
Steve didn't plan on taking a trip to replace Peggy, but he did hope it would help him clear his mind and move on.
"Passengers of flight 357 to Honolulu, Hawaii may begin boarding the plane now," A voice coming from some speakers announced, and Steve lifted his finger and pointed at the ceiling where it came from, as if to signal that that was his cue.
He picked up his bag and slung in over his shoulder, looking behind his shoulder at Gate 3, then back at Bucky, and he chewed on his bottom lip. Steve didn't want to leave. He wanted to stay in his apartment, kiss Peggy and take her out to dinner-
Steve could see his best friend knew what he was thinking, even before he said, "Just hug me, will you?"
Steve wrapped an arm over his back, and the brunet did the same, giving him three slaps before pulling back. He offered an encouraging grin. "Remember, long list."
This time, Steve's laugh was genuine. He said goodbye and waved him off as he walked away to board the plane.
***
Steve had never been on a plane before, but he had read it was usually a calm experience, and the time passed slowly. For him, it was so quick he felt he was crashing down into the ocean; immediate, and without any other option. Minus the absolute panicking, of course.
It was worth it, though; just stepping out of the plane felt like entering a brand new century. Maybe not so exactly, but it really was different. Humid, for one thing. Steve had had warm summers in Brooklyn, so that wasn't a problem, and he had experienced wet springs, too. He'd gone to the beach with Bucky a few times, as well, but this weather was still a lot different. He was inside a building, and yet he already felt stuffy. It was good though; a new experience.
The people, too, added to the differences. He was in an airport, so he understood that a lot of people currently there were also tourists, yet he could distinguish those who weren't. Curved eyes, for one thing, delicate but small, along with darker skin. Steve could tell, too, by their bright, proud smiles.
"Aloha!" A young, native woman greeted him as she passed, waving her hand gracefully to match the way she walked.
Yeah, Steve was going to like it here.
***
It was all too overwhelming. As Steve rode in the tiny taxi car, his eyes kept wandering from place to place – from looking at exotic plants, people walking on the street, the clear, blue water of the ocean far ahead, and even all the signs and stores; he looked at anything his eyes could feast on.
The marvelous beauty of it all didn’t allow Steve to stay in his hotel room. He wasn’t going to spend the whole time sulking when there was so much to see, but he didn’t have anything planned either – which was a huge mistake on his part – so he settled for wandering around the hotel. It had a beach itself, so that was enough for now, right?
After checking in, and dropping his bags off in his room, he left for his small walk. He considered changing; worn out jeans and a t-shirt wasn’t exactly considered beach-wear. But he knew he wasn’t going to go for a swim, so he didn’t.
Steve followed signs through complicated hallways, keeping his mind focused entirely on all that surrounded him, and not on Peggy, even if he saw pretty dames that resembled her.
Stepping out onto the beach was enough to help him forget for a second. He wasn’t barefoot, so he couldn’t feel the sand between his toes, but his feet did sink in it, soft and so light it was nearly white. The soft breeze tickled his skin, and the radiant sun warmed it – almost making it glow. Its brightness matched his big smile; the wonder of it all had helped ease him.
And okay, he did say he wasn’t going to take a swim, but he hadn’t said anything about going near the shore. He couldn’t not anyways; the water looked far too tempting, like it was drawing him to it, and it was, with every step he took. Or at least, until loud music distracted him on his path.
Steve turned his attention to where it came from, and found himself getting curious over the small crowd gathered around a stage. The ocean was going to be there all week, but he didn’t know how long whatever was going on would, so he made his way towards that instead.
Beating drums made up the tempo, loud and quick, coming from men up on a stage playing them. Steve moved past several people to get a closer look, and he was able to find people dancing on stage. The four women dancing were evidently native, tanned and gorgeous, and the grass skirts that covered their hips showed they were hula dancers. That wasn’t what got him most intrigued, though. It was a young man, instead, between them all, hips moving to the fast beat of the music, quick and mesmerizing.
He stood out the most, most likely because he was the only man dancing. Steve couldn’t help but think that maybe it was the confidence he reflected – the playful gleam in his eyes, the brightness of his grin – and how handsome he was, too. The man wore the grass skirt like it was a million dollar suit, his lean shoulders framing his tanned figure. His trimmed goatee should have looked out of place, but, instead, it added elegance to the man´s face – age, too, because his eyes, brown and wide, resembled those of a puppy. They caught Steve’s somewhere along the song, making his stomach flip, and after that, they kept shifting back to him the entire time.
***
Steve was surprised he stayed to watch the whole show, but he had a great time. The male dancer kept his undivided attention the entire time, and playing what seemed like eye-tag with him was very entertaining. Even when the show was over and Steve was walking on the sand back to the inside of the hotel, the brunet was dancing around his head.
The man must have danced out of his head and into the real world because just then, he was right in front of him. Steve almost didn't recognize him wearing pants and a shirt, but then again, a face like his could never be forgotten.
"I saw you staring at me," he said. Steve blinked, and when his mind processed his words, his cheeks flushed red.
"I'm sorry," Steve said, but it ended up sounding like a question.
The other laughed. "It's fine. I know we both enjoyed it."
Steve was grateful he could blame the sun for his colored skin.
"I worked hard on the presentation. Did you like it?" He had a big, cocky grin playing at his lips.
"It was very interesting," Steve answered, and kept it at that. The dancer didn't have to know how much. "I never would have imagined a man moving with that much grace."
Apparently, that helped feed the dancer's ego, because he only grinned wider.
"It does require a lot of skill," The brunet answered. He placed his hands on his hips. "And dancing isn't the only thing my hips are good at," he added with a wink.
Steve almost choked on his own saliva. He coughed to try to hide it.
"I'm Tony, by the way," the dancer said, stretching his hand out, and wow, he liked moving quickly. “Tony Stark.”
"Steve Rogers." He offered a small smile, along with his hand to shake. He ignored the tingling feeling at the tip of his fingers, dismissing it as a simple wave of shock.
"How long are you staying here, Steve?" He asked after he let go of his hand, and Steve pretended not to miss its warmth.
"A week." All thanks to Bucky's insisting.
"Let's hope we'll be seeing a lot of each other during that week, then." Tony winked at him one last time, and then he was off to chase a friend, or whoever it was that called him.
Steve agreed with what the other man had said – he did hope he'd be seeing more of Tony in his stay.
***
Steve had planned on taking a jog on the beach every morning, even before meeting the hula dancer. He didn't even think he would see him there. It was early when he went out, when average humans were still asleep, and Tony didn't have any shows scheduled at that hour; he'd checked in the lobby.
He had always loved running, but he found himself enjoying it on the beach much more – the soft feel of the sand under his feet, the constant crashing of waves, the gorgeous view of the sunset on his side.
"Well what a coincidence to see you here." The same cheerful, confident voice he heard yesterday came from behind him. Steve tried to fight off the smile on his face.
"Didn't peg you as the type to be up early to get a nice view," Steve said, using his hand to signal the risen sun above them.
Tony raised an eyebrow. "What kind of type do I seem like, then?" He didn't sound offended, only teasing.
Steve shrugged, and it was followed by, "A hula dancing type?"
Tony chuckled. “That would seem logical, yes," he agreed with a nod.
Steve was feeling hot and sweaty now, but it was because of the running and the running only. He glanced at the hotel building, longing a cold shower, but turned back to look at Tony so he wouldn't seem rude.
"Ah, I understand. You can leave if you don't want to have the honor of talking to me." He held up his hands, and Steve might have believed Tony was being serious if it wasn't for his goofy grin.
Steve rolled his eyes, but in a fond manner, and it was accompanied by a small chuckle. "It's not that. After all, it's not every day you get to meet a talented hula dancer." He grinned. "It's just that I finished my run, and a shower would really do me some good right now."
"You've got the largest bathtub right in front of you, and you prefer to take a shower in your room?" Tony made a tsk sound, and, mockingly, shook his head from side to side.
Steve turned to look at the sea. He chewed on his bottom lip. "Are you suggesting I get in the water right now?"
Tony nodded, grinning.
The blonde considered it for a moment longer, eyes shifting from the ocean to the man in front of him. He sighed, then shrugged, removing his shirt and his shoes – failing to do so neatly – and began to take slow, tentative steps towards the water. Perhaps Tony hadn't been expecting him to actually do so, because his brown eyes widened, but either way he followed along.
Steve had two options of how to get into the water: incredibly slowly to brace himself for the cold, or quick so he wouldn't even have the option to regret getting in and go back.
The wet sand between his feet wasn't warm, but he was used to cold water when taking quick showers in the army, so he forced himself to suck it up. He took a deep breath, and with the same speed he had taken up while jogging earlier, he made his way towards the water.
It splashed under his legs, getting him wet, but it didn't matter because he was soaked anyway. He walked until he was waist-deep and then submerged his head. He kept his eyes closed, because he knew sea water would sting his eyes, and held his breath until he no longer could. Sticking his head out again, he took a large breath to recover. He was startled when he opened his eyes, giving a small jump back when he stared at Tony standing in front of him, grinning.
"Water's nice, isn't it?"
Steve chuckled, and while he did find the water very cold, he nodded. "It's great."
"Bet you've never been on a beach as gorgeous as this one.”
Steve brushed wet hair away from his forehead. "Not really, no." He had been to Long Island once, as a kid with Bucky, but the water was much too freezing there, and the sand wasn't as soft. Nor did it have attractive hula dancers.
"I bet it's me that makes this one much better, right?" Tony winked, as if reading his mind.
Steve bit his lip to suppress a grin, then ducked his head in the water to avoid an answer. When he went back up, he splashed water on him, and said, "Sure."
Tony huffed a sigh, pretending to look offended, and splashed water back. Steve sputtered when salt water got in his mouth, but he didn't stop grinning as he threw water back at him.
They probably looked like five year olds, playing around in the water, laughing and moving around. That, or flirting teenagers. Whatever it was, it didn't look like it really was: two strangers that had just met and were simply teasing each other.
"Okay, okay, I give up!" Tony held his arms up in a universal sign of surrender.
Steve laughed, and splashed him one last time. Afterwards, he dropped his hands into the water and ducked his head, looking up to try and look innocent and apologetic. "I'm done. Sorry."
"Asshole," Tony muttered, but he was grinning, reaching all the way up to light up his eyes. There was a small drop of water on his lips, and Steve had to fight the urge to run his thumb over it to get rid of it.
Bucky had said he wanted Steve to mingle with Hawaiian dames, but he hadn't mentioned anything that said he was against mingling with Hawaiian guys, so he asked, "Have you had breakfast yet?"
Tony shook his head. "I know this great place though. Have you?"
Jackpot would be the sort of thing Bucky would have said in this situation.
"I haven't, actually. You want to go grab a bite at that place of yours?"
Tony grinned, and so did Steve when he nodded. "Come on, it's not too far from here."
The waves going their way helped walking out of the ocean be less awkward, but it still was. They lifted their legs to move with it and splashed everywhere until they reached the shore.
"We can grab some towels on our way, but drying off when walking's a lot easier,” Tony said. Steve didn’t mind, because it meant he had more time to admire the other man's body. Not that he hadn’t stared enough on the Hawaiian dance show – but there could never really be enough of an attractive body, could there?
The sun was very bright, and going for some towels would take them off course, so Steve didn't complain and followed Tony along to the restaurant – only stopping to pick up their clothes where they left them.
When they arrived, Steve was a bit sticky from the sea water, and he still had drops of water on his back. His damp hair kept dripping water onto his shoulders, but it wasn't uncomfortable, and Tony looked very much the same.
Tony simply waved to the receptionist at the small hut before choosing a table by himself. He didn't sit, though, only pulled back a chair and looked at Steve with a teasing smile and a raised eyebrow. Impressive, Steve thought before sitting down and smiling at Tony when he did so.
Steve picked up the menu, but Tony only chuckled and shook his head, stealing it away from him again. The blond raised an amused eyebrow at him, but Tony only smirked, and said, "Trust me on this."
The fact that Tony didn't even have to order was enough indication that he must be a customer that came very often, because minutes later a young waitress came over with two plates, setting one in front of each of them. She greeted Tony with a joyous smile and kind words.
"Go on," Tony demanded, using his own fork that had already scooped up eggs to point at Steve's plate, urging him to dig in.
Steve had never considered rice to be a proper combination with eggs, but Tony had said to trust him, hadn't he? Grabbing a bit of the sausage, rice, and eggs all in one, he stuffed it into his mouth and chewed slowly, eyes fixed on an expectant, grinning Tony.
"Good, right?" the dancer asked, eating more from his own food.
After swallowing, Steve nodded. "Yeah." He took a sip from the juice he had been given. "You come here often for breakfast?" The question was unnecessary, as Steve could deduce the answer, but there was never anything to lose in asking. Besides, hearing Tony talk about it – about anything – would be pleasant.
"My friend, Clint, owns the place," Tony nodded his head to indicate a man with bulky arms working over the counter. "Been coming here for a while now. The eggs," he scooped up some more as he talked, "are the best. Real traditional, too. Tourists love that."
Steve quirked an eyebrow. "And who says I'm a tourist?" It was a stupid question to ask. They met on the beach of the hotel he was staying at, and that was enough to give away the answer, but he still asked.
Tony chuckled. "It's quite obvious you're a Haole."
That only served to confuse Steve. He swallowed, and his head tilted to the side just the slightest. "A what?"
"Haole. White person. Foreigner," he explained.
Steve's eyebrows squished together. "I thought Hawaii was pretty diverse. Foreigners can't be the only white people here."
"True," Tony agreed, "but your skin looks like you've never seen the sun, you've never had this before," he signaled his food, "there was just...a different sort of joy you had in the water, and I'm pretty sure I would have known about such a handsome guy already, if you weren't from here," he finished with a wide grin.
Steve arched an eyebrow, and laughed. "Well, Haole or not, these are good." He scooped more of his eggs up and ate them, chewing gleefully. Tony chuckled and did the same, his dark eyes never leaving him. Steve ducked his head to hide the red creeping up his cheeks.
Despite what Steve would have guessed, they didn't eat in silence. There was playful banter instead, teasing chatter and a fun, comfortable conversation.
"So why'd you decide to come here?" Tony asked after leaving his plate empty. Steve's had been clean for a while now – the food too delicious to last long.
Steve shrugged, chewing on the inside of his lip. He blocked all thoughts of Peggy from his head-now wasn´t the time to think about her. “A friend suggested it. And he was right – I needed a vacation. Besides, it's beautiful here, so I'm really enjoying it."
"Yeah? What's been your favorite part?" There was a tiny smirk on Tony's lips, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Oh I don't know..." Steve ducked his head and looked up from under his lashes. "I suppose I need to see more of the town to decide on that.”
"I could show you around, " Tony offered. His eyes were bright, and so was his smile. That was enough to tell Steve that it was a genuine offer, and not one made because he felt forced.
"That'd be great." Steve and Tony both grinned.
"I've lived here all my life. I know all the best places. Way better than a damn tour."
Tony fished out his wallet, but Steve beat him to it, placing a few bills on the table. Instead of waiting for Tony to complain, he said, "Shall we go now?"
Tony had his lips parted just the slightest, and he was staring at the money Steve had left, but then he shook his head a tiny bit and nodded.
"Sure," he said, and stood up. Steve followed, and they both walked away, waving and thanking Clint inside the restaurant, who called out, "Anytime Stark!"
"You wanna visit monuments and all that shit?"
They were walking side by side, and Steve could tell they weren't going back to the hotel because they were taking a different route.
Steve didn't answer, only stared at Tony in hope of an explanation.
"You know, giant sculptures, memorials, all of that."
The blond considered it, then said, "You're the expert, you tell me where we should go."
Tony puckered his lips, and Steve noticed then how full and soft they looked. "Alright then, awesome beaches it is."
Link to part 2
Title: The Perks of Hawaiian Pizza
Rating: Teen and Up Audiences
Universe: MCU
Warnings: nothing in particular that i can think of
From: howling_commandos
Author's Note: Thanks a million times to starspangledsprocket for being super sweet and beta'ing this for me.
I hope you like this :) I know it's not the best but I worked hard on it and I really hope you enjoy it :)
***
“When you come back, you better have a tan, and a long list of all the hot Hawaiian babes you banged.”
Steve didn’t even answer; he just rolled his eyes, and Bucky laughed.
“I’m kidding,” he said, but Steve wasn’t sure. “But I do want you to have a good time. And I mean it, no crying in your hotel room all day.”
Steve sighed, and faked a small chuckle, because he knew that’s what his best friend was looking for; a way to cheer him up after his break up.
So far, Bucky was doing an awful job. Not intentionally, obviously, but cracking jokes wasn't what Steve needed then. Sure, they did generate a good laugh every once in a while, but he was the moping type; complaining over his problems, or simply keeping quiet about them, was his thing. Bucky understood that, and offered him space and someone to listen. That made him a good friend, and Steve was thankful, but he was an even better friend when he stopped keeping up with it and told him to suck it up. If he didn’t, it would usually take Steve a lot longer to move on.
Going to Hawaii was a good idea altogether. Steve deserved the vacation, and deserved to clear his mind of Peggy. New York, apparently, reminded him too much of her, even if his former girlfriend was actually British. But that worked, right? New York was cold and full of mean ex-girlfriends, while Hawaii was sunny and full of gorgeous girls for him to choose from and move on.
Steve didn't plan on taking a trip to replace Peggy, but he did hope it would help him clear his mind and move on.
"Passengers of flight 357 to Honolulu, Hawaii may begin boarding the plane now," A voice coming from some speakers announced, and Steve lifted his finger and pointed at the ceiling where it came from, as if to signal that that was his cue.
He picked up his bag and slung in over his shoulder, looking behind his shoulder at Gate 3, then back at Bucky, and he chewed on his bottom lip. Steve didn't want to leave. He wanted to stay in his apartment, kiss Peggy and take her out to dinner-
Steve could see his best friend knew what he was thinking, even before he said, "Just hug me, will you?"
Steve wrapped an arm over his back, and the brunet did the same, giving him three slaps before pulling back. He offered an encouraging grin. "Remember, long list."
This time, Steve's laugh was genuine. He said goodbye and waved him off as he walked away to board the plane.
***
Steve had never been on a plane before, but he had read it was usually a calm experience, and the time passed slowly. For him, it was so quick he felt he was crashing down into the ocean; immediate, and without any other option. Minus the absolute panicking, of course.
It was worth it, though; just stepping out of the plane felt like entering a brand new century. Maybe not so exactly, but it really was different. Humid, for one thing. Steve had had warm summers in Brooklyn, so that wasn't a problem, and he had experienced wet springs, too. He'd gone to the beach with Bucky a few times, as well, but this weather was still a lot different. He was inside a building, and yet he already felt stuffy. It was good though; a new experience.
The people, too, added to the differences. He was in an airport, so he understood that a lot of people currently there were also tourists, yet he could distinguish those who weren't. Curved eyes, for one thing, delicate but small, along with darker skin. Steve could tell, too, by their bright, proud smiles.
"Aloha!" A young, native woman greeted him as she passed, waving her hand gracefully to match the way she walked.
Yeah, Steve was going to like it here.
***
It was all too overwhelming. As Steve rode in the tiny taxi car, his eyes kept wandering from place to place – from looking at exotic plants, people walking on the street, the clear, blue water of the ocean far ahead, and even all the signs and stores; he looked at anything his eyes could feast on.
The marvelous beauty of it all didn’t allow Steve to stay in his hotel room. He wasn’t going to spend the whole time sulking when there was so much to see, but he didn’t have anything planned either – which was a huge mistake on his part – so he settled for wandering around the hotel. It had a beach itself, so that was enough for now, right?
After checking in, and dropping his bags off in his room, he left for his small walk. He considered changing; worn out jeans and a t-shirt wasn’t exactly considered beach-wear. But he knew he wasn’t going to go for a swim, so he didn’t.
Steve followed signs through complicated hallways, keeping his mind focused entirely on all that surrounded him, and not on Peggy, even if he saw pretty dames that resembled her.
Stepping out onto the beach was enough to help him forget for a second. He wasn’t barefoot, so he couldn’t feel the sand between his toes, but his feet did sink in it, soft and so light it was nearly white. The soft breeze tickled his skin, and the radiant sun warmed it – almost making it glow. Its brightness matched his big smile; the wonder of it all had helped ease him.
And okay, he did say he wasn’t going to take a swim, but he hadn’t said anything about going near the shore. He couldn’t not anyways; the water looked far too tempting, like it was drawing him to it, and it was, with every step he took. Or at least, until loud music distracted him on his path.
Steve turned his attention to where it came from, and found himself getting curious over the small crowd gathered around a stage. The ocean was going to be there all week, but he didn’t know how long whatever was going on would, so he made his way towards that instead.
Beating drums made up the tempo, loud and quick, coming from men up on a stage playing them. Steve moved past several people to get a closer look, and he was able to find people dancing on stage. The four women dancing were evidently native, tanned and gorgeous, and the grass skirts that covered their hips showed they were hula dancers. That wasn’t what got him most intrigued, though. It was a young man, instead, between them all, hips moving to the fast beat of the music, quick and mesmerizing.
He stood out the most, most likely because he was the only man dancing. Steve couldn’t help but think that maybe it was the confidence he reflected – the playful gleam in his eyes, the brightness of his grin – and how handsome he was, too. The man wore the grass skirt like it was a million dollar suit, his lean shoulders framing his tanned figure. His trimmed goatee should have looked out of place, but, instead, it added elegance to the man´s face – age, too, because his eyes, brown and wide, resembled those of a puppy. They caught Steve’s somewhere along the song, making his stomach flip, and after that, they kept shifting back to him the entire time.
***
Steve was surprised he stayed to watch the whole show, but he had a great time. The male dancer kept his undivided attention the entire time, and playing what seemed like eye-tag with him was very entertaining. Even when the show was over and Steve was walking on the sand back to the inside of the hotel, the brunet was dancing around his head.
The man must have danced out of his head and into the real world because just then, he was right in front of him. Steve almost didn't recognize him wearing pants and a shirt, but then again, a face like his could never be forgotten.
"I saw you staring at me," he said. Steve blinked, and when his mind processed his words, his cheeks flushed red.
"I'm sorry," Steve said, but it ended up sounding like a question.
The other laughed. "It's fine. I know we both enjoyed it."
Steve was grateful he could blame the sun for his colored skin.
"I worked hard on the presentation. Did you like it?" He had a big, cocky grin playing at his lips.
"It was very interesting," Steve answered, and kept it at that. The dancer didn't have to know how much. "I never would have imagined a man moving with that much grace."
Apparently, that helped feed the dancer's ego, because he only grinned wider.
"It does require a lot of skill," The brunet answered. He placed his hands on his hips. "And dancing isn't the only thing my hips are good at," he added with a wink.
Steve almost choked on his own saliva. He coughed to try to hide it.
"I'm Tony, by the way," the dancer said, stretching his hand out, and wow, he liked moving quickly. “Tony Stark.”
"Steve Rogers." He offered a small smile, along with his hand to shake. He ignored the tingling feeling at the tip of his fingers, dismissing it as a simple wave of shock.
"How long are you staying here, Steve?" He asked after he let go of his hand, and Steve pretended not to miss its warmth.
"A week." All thanks to Bucky's insisting.
"Let's hope we'll be seeing a lot of each other during that week, then." Tony winked at him one last time, and then he was off to chase a friend, or whoever it was that called him.
Steve agreed with what the other man had said – he did hope he'd be seeing more of Tony in his stay.
***
Steve had planned on taking a jog on the beach every morning, even before meeting the hula dancer. He didn't even think he would see him there. It was early when he went out, when average humans were still asleep, and Tony didn't have any shows scheduled at that hour; he'd checked in the lobby.
He had always loved running, but he found himself enjoying it on the beach much more – the soft feel of the sand under his feet, the constant crashing of waves, the gorgeous view of the sunset on his side.
"Well what a coincidence to see you here." The same cheerful, confident voice he heard yesterday came from behind him. Steve tried to fight off the smile on his face.
"Didn't peg you as the type to be up early to get a nice view," Steve said, using his hand to signal the risen sun above them.
Tony raised an eyebrow. "What kind of type do I seem like, then?" He didn't sound offended, only teasing.
Steve shrugged, and it was followed by, "A hula dancing type?"
Tony chuckled. “That would seem logical, yes," he agreed with a nod.
Steve was feeling hot and sweaty now, but it was because of the running and the running only. He glanced at the hotel building, longing a cold shower, but turned back to look at Tony so he wouldn't seem rude.
"Ah, I understand. You can leave if you don't want to have the honor of talking to me." He held up his hands, and Steve might have believed Tony was being serious if it wasn't for his goofy grin.
Steve rolled his eyes, but in a fond manner, and it was accompanied by a small chuckle. "It's not that. After all, it's not every day you get to meet a talented hula dancer." He grinned. "It's just that I finished my run, and a shower would really do me some good right now."
"You've got the largest bathtub right in front of you, and you prefer to take a shower in your room?" Tony made a tsk sound, and, mockingly, shook his head from side to side.
Steve turned to look at the sea. He chewed on his bottom lip. "Are you suggesting I get in the water right now?"
Tony nodded, grinning.
The blonde considered it for a moment longer, eyes shifting from the ocean to the man in front of him. He sighed, then shrugged, removing his shirt and his shoes – failing to do so neatly – and began to take slow, tentative steps towards the water. Perhaps Tony hadn't been expecting him to actually do so, because his brown eyes widened, but either way he followed along.
Steve had two options of how to get into the water: incredibly slowly to brace himself for the cold, or quick so he wouldn't even have the option to regret getting in and go back.
The wet sand between his feet wasn't warm, but he was used to cold water when taking quick showers in the army, so he forced himself to suck it up. He took a deep breath, and with the same speed he had taken up while jogging earlier, he made his way towards the water.
It splashed under his legs, getting him wet, but it didn't matter because he was soaked anyway. He walked until he was waist-deep and then submerged his head. He kept his eyes closed, because he knew sea water would sting his eyes, and held his breath until he no longer could. Sticking his head out again, he took a large breath to recover. He was startled when he opened his eyes, giving a small jump back when he stared at Tony standing in front of him, grinning.
"Water's nice, isn't it?"
Steve chuckled, and while he did find the water very cold, he nodded. "It's great."
"Bet you've never been on a beach as gorgeous as this one.”
Steve brushed wet hair away from his forehead. "Not really, no." He had been to Long Island once, as a kid with Bucky, but the water was much too freezing there, and the sand wasn't as soft. Nor did it have attractive hula dancers.
"I bet it's me that makes this one much better, right?" Tony winked, as if reading his mind.
Steve bit his lip to suppress a grin, then ducked his head in the water to avoid an answer. When he went back up, he splashed water on him, and said, "Sure."
Tony huffed a sigh, pretending to look offended, and splashed water back. Steve sputtered when salt water got in his mouth, but he didn't stop grinning as he threw water back at him.
They probably looked like five year olds, playing around in the water, laughing and moving around. That, or flirting teenagers. Whatever it was, it didn't look like it really was: two strangers that had just met and were simply teasing each other.
"Okay, okay, I give up!" Tony held his arms up in a universal sign of surrender.
Steve laughed, and splashed him one last time. Afterwards, he dropped his hands into the water and ducked his head, looking up to try and look innocent and apologetic. "I'm done. Sorry."
"Asshole," Tony muttered, but he was grinning, reaching all the way up to light up his eyes. There was a small drop of water on his lips, and Steve had to fight the urge to run his thumb over it to get rid of it.
Bucky had said he wanted Steve to mingle with Hawaiian dames, but he hadn't mentioned anything that said he was against mingling with Hawaiian guys, so he asked, "Have you had breakfast yet?"
Tony shook his head. "I know this great place though. Have you?"
Jackpot would be the sort of thing Bucky would have said in this situation.
"I haven't, actually. You want to go grab a bite at that place of yours?"
Tony grinned, and so did Steve when he nodded. "Come on, it's not too far from here."
The waves going their way helped walking out of the ocean be less awkward, but it still was. They lifted their legs to move with it and splashed everywhere until they reached the shore.
"We can grab some towels on our way, but drying off when walking's a lot easier,” Tony said. Steve didn’t mind, because it meant he had more time to admire the other man's body. Not that he hadn’t stared enough on the Hawaiian dance show – but there could never really be enough of an attractive body, could there?
The sun was very bright, and going for some towels would take them off course, so Steve didn't complain and followed Tony along to the restaurant – only stopping to pick up their clothes where they left them.
When they arrived, Steve was a bit sticky from the sea water, and he still had drops of water on his back. His damp hair kept dripping water onto his shoulders, but it wasn't uncomfortable, and Tony looked very much the same.
Tony simply waved to the receptionist at the small hut before choosing a table by himself. He didn't sit, though, only pulled back a chair and looked at Steve with a teasing smile and a raised eyebrow. Impressive, Steve thought before sitting down and smiling at Tony when he did so.
Steve picked up the menu, but Tony only chuckled and shook his head, stealing it away from him again. The blond raised an amused eyebrow at him, but Tony only smirked, and said, "Trust me on this."
The fact that Tony didn't even have to order was enough indication that he must be a customer that came very often, because minutes later a young waitress came over with two plates, setting one in front of each of them. She greeted Tony with a joyous smile and kind words.
"Go on," Tony demanded, using his own fork that had already scooped up eggs to point at Steve's plate, urging him to dig in.
Steve had never considered rice to be a proper combination with eggs, but Tony had said to trust him, hadn't he? Grabbing a bit of the sausage, rice, and eggs all in one, he stuffed it into his mouth and chewed slowly, eyes fixed on an expectant, grinning Tony.
"Good, right?" the dancer asked, eating more from his own food.
After swallowing, Steve nodded. "Yeah." He took a sip from the juice he had been given. "You come here often for breakfast?" The question was unnecessary, as Steve could deduce the answer, but there was never anything to lose in asking. Besides, hearing Tony talk about it – about anything – would be pleasant.
"My friend, Clint, owns the place," Tony nodded his head to indicate a man with bulky arms working over the counter. "Been coming here for a while now. The eggs," he scooped up some more as he talked, "are the best. Real traditional, too. Tourists love that."
Steve quirked an eyebrow. "And who says I'm a tourist?" It was a stupid question to ask. They met on the beach of the hotel he was staying at, and that was enough to give away the answer, but he still asked.
Tony chuckled. "It's quite obvious you're a Haole."
That only served to confuse Steve. He swallowed, and his head tilted to the side just the slightest. "A what?"
"Haole. White person. Foreigner," he explained.
Steve's eyebrows squished together. "I thought Hawaii was pretty diverse. Foreigners can't be the only white people here."
"True," Tony agreed, "but your skin looks like you've never seen the sun, you've never had this before," he signaled his food, "there was just...a different sort of joy you had in the water, and I'm pretty sure I would have known about such a handsome guy already, if you weren't from here," he finished with a wide grin.
Steve arched an eyebrow, and laughed. "Well, Haole or not, these are good." He scooped more of his eggs up and ate them, chewing gleefully. Tony chuckled and did the same, his dark eyes never leaving him. Steve ducked his head to hide the red creeping up his cheeks.
Despite what Steve would have guessed, they didn't eat in silence. There was playful banter instead, teasing chatter and a fun, comfortable conversation.
"So why'd you decide to come here?" Tony asked after leaving his plate empty. Steve's had been clean for a while now – the food too delicious to last long.
Steve shrugged, chewing on the inside of his lip. He blocked all thoughts of Peggy from his head-now wasn´t the time to think about her. “A friend suggested it. And he was right – I needed a vacation. Besides, it's beautiful here, so I'm really enjoying it."
"Yeah? What's been your favorite part?" There was a tiny smirk on Tony's lips, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Oh I don't know..." Steve ducked his head and looked up from under his lashes. "I suppose I need to see more of the town to decide on that.”
"I could show you around, " Tony offered. His eyes were bright, and so was his smile. That was enough to tell Steve that it was a genuine offer, and not one made because he felt forced.
"That'd be great." Steve and Tony both grinned.
"I've lived here all my life. I know all the best places. Way better than a damn tour."
Tony fished out his wallet, but Steve beat him to it, placing a few bills on the table. Instead of waiting for Tony to complain, he said, "Shall we go now?"
Tony had his lips parted just the slightest, and he was staring at the money Steve had left, but then he shook his head a tiny bit and nodded.
"Sure," he said, and stood up. Steve followed, and they both walked away, waving and thanking Clint inside the restaurant, who called out, "Anytime Stark!"
"You wanna visit monuments and all that shit?"
They were walking side by side, and Steve could tell they weren't going back to the hotel because they were taking a different route.
Steve didn't answer, only stared at Tony in hope of an explanation.
"You know, giant sculptures, memorials, all of that."
The blond considered it, then said, "You're the expert, you tell me where we should go."
Tony puckered his lips, and Steve noticed then how full and soft they looked. "Alright then, awesome beaches it is."
Link to part 2