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The traveling along the beachfront on top of the wooden planks of the pier would’ve been far more entertaining if it hadn’t been so damn hot. Even for mid-July, the heat was worse than usual for a California summer. Steve wasn’t saying anything about it verbally but the scowl that was glued to his face whenever they weren’t in the shade or in air conditioning said enough on its own.
James wasn’t always the most observant person around but he knew when Cortez wasn’t happy, even when he’d never actually say anything.
"So what’s on the agenda today, huh?" He wasn’t the best when it came to being delicate but he could do it pretty well by being lightheaded. He put an arm around Steve’s shoulders. "Hungry? Craving a cerveza? Wanna go over to muscle beach and watch me show everyone what a well oiled machine looks like?"
He grinned and elbowed Steve on the last one, receiving a roll of the ex-pilot’s eyes for his trouble. “Whatever you choose, Mister Vega. I’m only along for the ride.”
It had been a while since Cortez had really been out like this. It had been a couple months since the doctors had given him the okay to go out and walk more but the man didn’t travel too far from his room, let alone their joint apartment.
'C'mon, Esteban! I know there's gotta be something you’re itching to do.”
Steve sighed and conceded. There indeed was something that he’d been thinking about. “What I want to do is go down to the actual beach and get in the water, but…”
"But…" James tried to put two and two together, frowning a bit himself, "the new leg doesn’t allow it?"
"What? No!" Steve laughed and scoffed at the marine. He knocked on his prosthetic leg, a hollow clunking noise coming from it with each impact. "Who do you think I am? Shepard? This thing has as much tech in it as that churro in your hand. It can go in the water just fine."
"So what’s the problem?"
"The problem is that what I’m wearing isn’t exactly something I want to take a dip into the Pacific in.”
"Don’t worry your little head about that we’ll get you somethin’ to wear at one of the shops." A huge grin on his face, James pulled Steve even closer and gave his shoulders a good shake. “But if I’m paying for it, it’s gonna be a speedo.”
"Just as long as it’s one in Alliance Blue, that’s fine with me, Mister Vega."
"That’s what I’m talkin’ about!" He leans forward to take a bite from his churro and stops for a second. "You were kidding when you were talking about my talking about this having tech in it, right?"
Cortez took that opportunity to swoop in and take a big bite of the brown stick of cinnamon and sugar himself and hum. “Tastes pretty tech-free to me. You should probably give the whole thing to me, just to be safe.”
"Not a chance, Esteban. Not a chance!"