Been doing a drabble challenge this month and this happened to trip its way out. Woops.
One-shot and done, and it's quite lovely and romantic and fluff. Do enjoy~
It was hot that summer, hot the way summer always was in his childhood memories, and the sun spilled through the trees and left dappled shadows all across the ground. It's what he remembers, and sometimes he thinks, perhaps, that he stepped back in time somehow and that's why things played out the way they did.
He was tall and lithe, skin pale and hair dark, and when he glanced up at Steve, Steve had never fallen quite so hard.
He was drinking tea under the willow trees, a book supported in his lap, and he quirked an eyebrow at Steve full of amused curiosity, and Steve tried not to tumble on his tongue. He ducked his head down, and Steve went on his way because he was meant to be at the beach life-guarding already.
Steve passed him near every day for two weeks, and he was always sipping tea and reading. Steve always drank the sight of him in, and Steve tried to be discrete about it, he did, but he'd always glance up at Steve and a smile would quirk his lips and Steve would need to hurry on his way; so instead of watching him Steve would remember him the rest of the afternoon, draw sketches at night in the corners of papers for college, and wonder what his name was.
"Do you ever intend to ever say hello?" he said one afternoon, voice lazy in the high heat, and Steve blushed scarlet to the roots of his hair.
"Hello," Steve said and stopped. "You wanna get sodas?" he asked and then nearly kicked himself.
"I might consider it," he said, and he smiled, cat-wide and amused, "but you'll have to buy."
"Okay," Steve said and stopped again.
"Will you ask my name?"
"I'm Steve," Steve said, "what's yours?" and Steve offered a hand to help him stand. His hand was smooth, long-fingered and graceful like Steve's never were without a pencil, and Steve tried not to watch how the muscles in his arm flowed beneath the skin as he pulled himself up.
"Loki," Loki said, and he smiled, eyes sparkling mischievous, and Steve thought he might do anything for that smile.