For a city in a place called Iceland, Hong Kong thinks that Reykjavik is pretty damn hot. It's a lot cooler than it is at home, sure, but it's not as much of a refuge from his own city's sweltering summer heat as he'd hoped. It is a nice respite from the heavy rain he's been experiencing, though, despite the cloudy sky. Clouds aren't enough to deter him.
He gets into a taxi at the airport and realizes that he doesn't know quite where he's heading about ten minutes into the trip. As he opens his mouth to tell the driver that wait, sorry, he's not sure if he needs to go where he told him to go, it dawns on him that he never actually gave the driver any directions - he seems to know where to go all on his own. And so Hong Kong keeps his mouth shut, settles back down into his seat, and gazes straight ahead. As long as the driver isn't kidnapping him or anything (which would be a very bad idea, as he has some relatives who wouldn't be happy to hear it), he can trust his judgment for the time being.
Eventually, the car slows to a stop by what appears to be a zoo. Hong Kong tries to pull out some money to pay, but the driver tells him that it's already taken care of. Never one to turn down a chance to save some money, he thanks him and gets out, and he only faintly hears the driver call out and tell him that he should walk straight from the entrance and make a left towards the wild bird exhibit when he sees it.
Hong Kong follows the directions dutifully. When he reaches the wild bird exhibit, he spots Iceland, who seems to be crouched over and discreetly trying to feed a puffin that looks like it isn't supposed to be there. Since he's distracted, Hong Kong decides not to disturb him. He'll just creep up on him and scare him instead.
"It's hot."
Iceland, being Iceland, doesn't jump, but he does straighten up in surprise and whip his head around to make sure that the wrong person isn't watching him tend to an animal that's probably illegal. When he sees Hong Kong, he relaxes considerably and wipes the look of shock off his face at once. "I see you made it," he says, turning back to the puffin like nothing happened.
"Yup." Hong Kong gestures to the puffin. "Isn't this bad for it?"
"What, the heat?" Iceland stands up for good this time and looks down at the bird. "Nah. Puffin can take it. It's hotter than it usually is this time of year, but the temperature will go down soon." His eyes drift over to Hong Kong. "You look like you need some ice and snow more than he does."
"If that thing can take it, I can take it."
There's silence between them for a moment.
"But I guess I wouldn't mind, if you're offering something."
Iceland gives him a dry look. "Come on. You can have some vanillurjómaís."
Hong Kong doesn't know what that is (or even what it is that Iceland just said, really), but again, free stuff. He likes getting things for free almost as much as Iceland himself does. They go to a stand not too far away after bidding a temporary farewell to Puffin and he learns that vanillurjómaís is simply vanilla ice cream. It's not the most creative flavor - Hong Kong thinks that red bean would be nice, though he keeps that to himself - but it's rich and does help with the heat surprisingly well. He eats his from a cup; Iceland chooses a cone and licks around the scoop as they walk.
"I thought you'd be used to worse heat than this at your house," Iceland comments, watching Hong Kong out of the corner of his eye. When Hong Kong looks back over at him, he looks away, focused both on his ice cream and making sure they're going the right way. 'The right way' turns out only to be towards a bench just large enough for the two of them. "We've been experiencing a heatwave. I don't like it, but it's tolerable."
Hong Kong shrugs and hunches over his cup. "It's not that bad. It's just not what I was expecting. I mean, you're Iceland, I thought there might be more...ice."
Iceland rolls his eyes and expertly licks a bit of his ice cream from the side of the cone to keep it from dripping. "Wrong part of the country," he says. "We're not near any of the glaciers right now."
Hong Kong hums quietly in response, as Iceland adds, sounding not-quite-bored, "Sorry that I'm apparently too hot for you."
That makes Hong Kong stop short, and he stares right at Iceland, who is again looking resolutely off in the other direction. It's difficult for him to ignore the way Hong Kong's eyes are practically boring holes into him, however, so he turns around with a half indifferent, half curious expression. "What?"
"I never said that," Hong Kong answers, pointing the spoon at him.
"Said what?"
"I told you, I can take it."
Iceland grins, just a little.