"Hey Esteban, remember when we met? Fehl-Prime? Damn, never seen that color of blue before," James turned his body half-ways to look at Steve across the cargo bay, his voice echoing off of the walls.
Steve looked up from his screen, eyes meeting James' and giving the younger Lieutenant a small smile. "I reckon so, Mister Vega. You flirting with me?" Now he was just curious, since he knew for a fact that James was very straight...or so he claimed.
"Me? Naw. Where I'm from, brown, black, and dark green are the closest you get to blue eyes. I was just admiring." James turned back around and looked down at his gun, re-attaching the barrel to the gun and trying to not think about the color of Steve's eyes or how they burned into his soul. Alright, James. Enough.
Steve shook his head, smile still plastered to his face, and walked two steps to the right to look at the armor inventory, knowing James liked to keep his chestplates there. He also knew that James liked for Steve to help him suit up and snap the chestplate into place when he was going out onto the field. Now that was something Steve secretly enjoyed, but he would be damned if he would ever admit that to James. It reminded him of when he would help his deceased husband put his armor on, how Steve checked it at least ten times to make sure bullets wouldn't slip through armor that was put on all sloppy-like. Guess he did the same for James, the poor kid.
As Steve became lost in what was now a memory, he was snapped back to reality when he realised James was now standing beside him, also staring at his own chestplate, but with a confused look. "Is there something wrong with it? You're looking at it kind of hard, you know."
Steve put his hand up to wave James off, shaking his head slowly. "No, there's nothing wrong with it. I just remember that I used to help my husband put his own armor on, how I would check it about a hundred times to make sure not even a single bullet would slip through the cracks. And how I do the same thing for you."
James had become very close with Steve, hell, they were even best friends by now. He wrapped both of his arms around the pilot and hugged him as tightly as he could, realising the dedication Steve had put into making sure James came back to the Normandy safely, every single time, all while acting a memory out at the same time. Now that was something special.
"You must have loved him so much. You must still do. I get that, Esteban, don't think I don't. But you're one stitch away from popping all of your seams and completely breaking. I see that, too. You don't have to do this alone!" James felt just how small and fragile Steve was in his arms, granted he was a massive bag of meat himself.
Steve wrapped his arms around James as soon as he felt the younger marine wrap his own around him, holding on so tight. So James had been listening to him all along and he actually did care...huh.
"Shepard was right, James. I needed to move on, I ignored him, and I don't know what to do. Please don't let go." Steve nuzzled his face into James' pecs, not caring if anyone saw, and took the comfort his friend offered him. He broke down and sobbed loudly into his shirt, making a few of the other crew mates in the bay look over and ask if Steve was alright, to which James jerked his head at the elevator and motioned for them to give them some privacy for a few moments.
When they were alone, Steve pulled his face away and looked up at James, wiping his face with the back of his hand. "You've never hugged me before, Mister Vega. Why the sudden change in heart? Usually you're trying to start banters with me."
"I don't do well with people cry, especially men. Does something to me." James dug around in his pants pocket and pulled out a wrinkled napkin he had stuffed in there from the mess hall, cracking a gentle smile.
Considering that napkin had been God knows where, Steve took it slowly, and wiped his face, blew his nose, and discarded of it. The gesture was kind, so he appreciated it.
James looked over his shoulder at the weapons kiosk across the way, then looked back to Steve. "Can I see a picture of him? Always wondered why you went on and on about how good he looked. I don't believe you, Chico."
"Oh, those are fighting words, Mister Vega," Steve walked back to his work station and pulled a picture of Robert out from behind the console and handed it to James. Robert was tall, a beautiful tan color, and had gorgeous blue-green eyes with sandy blonde hair.
James looked over the picture of Robert, nodding in approval. "Did you have children?"
"No, not yet. We had planned to wait another year before we were going to adopt. We considered an Asari daughter, then a Turian son. Actually, we would have taken any race. We just wanted a baby that really needed good parents, but since the Collectors were a thing, we decided against it. In a way, it was for the best." Steve kept his eyes glued to James and how he admired the photo of his husband, practically studying him to the point of memorizing how Robert looked.
James finally looked up from the photo and handed it back to Steve, his eyes locking with Steve's. He felt his heart break a little for the widowed man. "You hungry? I can make some delicious huevos rancheros, just like my abuela. Well, mostly. The eggs we keep in the fridge are a bit questionable. But they taste pretty damn good when you're as hungry as I am all the time. You up for it, Chico?"
Steve smiled and stepped closer to James, looking up into his eyes. "You are the best man I have had the pleasure to know, James. Sounds great. Don't forget the verde salsa, yeah?"
"Now that's what I'm talking about!" James turned on his heel, not realising he had a huge grin plastered to his face as he boarded the elevator. Steve stepped in beside him and pressed the screen for Deck 3, Crew Quarters. The doors slid shut and hoisted them up 2 floors, then opened once more.
The huevos rancheros with verde salsa was the best James had ever had, maybe because he had a companion to make them for. Even the eggs, whatever kind they were, tasted great. And he couldn't stop picturing Steve's smiling face as he watched the man with the blue eyes enjoy every last bite, even asking for more. It was all suddenly worth it.