A/N: I know I've been gone a while and I have a long list of my excuses mainly related to RL but I won't even go there. I should hopefully update a lot in the upcoming week…sadly I'll probably be M.I.A for a while after that. This fic will most likely only have about 1 or 2 more chapters; I want to finish this one so I can attempt to focus on Close Proximity (I have a long way to go with that one!). Also, thank you to TvFanatic97 for pushing me into updating a long dry spell.
Thank you so much to those of you that leave reviews, add me and/or the fic to their alerts and favourites…I really do appreciate it, it's very encouraging!
Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy this and feel free to leave a review!
…
"Hey do you want to do some target shooting with me on Saturday?" Steve asks as he walks into Kono's office.
Kono pauses for a moment, taking his invitation into careful consideration. It might be fun to some target practice with the sniper rifles with Steve because she admires his skills and she can probably get free beers and dinner out of it, if it gets competitive...which it most likely will. On the other hand, she's unsure about the amount of self restraint she'd have seeing him in his element, so focused and badass, and after her little stunt in the previous week, she's positive Steve wants revenge.
"No I already have plans. Sorry Boss." Kono eventually replies.
"Really? What could you be doing that's better than target practice with me?" Steve says with a slight hint of cockiness apparent in his tone.
"I don't want to embarrass you by scoring a higher average than you."
"Are you forgetting that I taught you just about everything you know about using a sniper rifle when you'd just joined Five-0?" Steve crosses his arms and raises an eyebrow at Kono.
"The student can become better than the teacher." Kono says, shrugging nonchalantly.
"So let's test out your little theory then. If it's right, I'll buy you dinner and I can even throw in a couple of beers. How about it?"
Kono sighs loudly before replying, "Fine, but only because of the promise of free food."
"I'm not surprised. I'll pick you up at six then."
Steve turns to walk out of her office but is stopped in his tracks when Kono speaks. "Am? Are you kidding me?"
"No, pm; it's much more fun and maybe challenging when it's starting to get dark." Steve says with a wink before he finally leaves her office to get back to his paperwork…well to get back to pretending he's doing his paperwork really.
…
Steve pulls up at her house a few minutes before seven but Kono is already waiting for him on her porch steps.
"You're early." Kono says as she settles on the passenger seat of his truck."
"Well not that early since you were already waiting for me, unless you were just too excited." Steve smiles to himself at seeing the blush that forms on Kono's face at his words.
"Do you already have the gear?" Kono asks, trying to change the subject. No need to feed Steve's ego by telling him she was ready way in advance out of sheer excitement of spending time with him doing something they both loved.
"We're going to Ulupa'u Crater Rifle Range. It's a Marine Corps Base so the gear will be there but I do have a few extra bits of my own." Steve says with a mischievous smile, not mischievous enough to cause worry but mischievous all the same.
"I hope you didn't forget your wallet because you're going to be taking me to dinner."
"Don't get cocky, Kalakaua."
"Says you, of all people." Kono scoffs.
"Hey, it's not cockiness if you can back it up." Steve says with that arrogant smirk which would make Kono pissed if she didn't find it insanely hot.
"Whatever," is Kono's only response as she rolls her eyes.
…
They have a great time, being their usual competitive and flirty selves. Kono even manages to get that free dinner off Steve although she suspects that he only let her win so he could take her to dinner.
It's nice to see Steve so relaxed with her and she can't help but think about the development of their relationship. She remembers when she'd just joined Five-0 and Steve took her to the HPD training centre where he taught her a lot about using a sniper rifle and now they're here a few years later and he has even trusted her enough to bring her to this Military Base.
Steve has immense skill and Kono briefly thinks about his time as a sniper. Despite whatever sexual tension and flirtation there may be between them, Steve is still her mentor and she manages to learn a few more things from watching him, which she didn't think possible.
She also watches him shooting with that intense look of focus on his face, which she finds incredibly attractive. She also appreciates the view of him in a tight black t-shirt, his arms looking even more muscular because of it and his tattoos peeking out. She also admittedly checks out his ass a few times when he's lying to take a shot, his cargo pants seem to be slightly tighter than usual today.
"Kono?" Steve asks suddenly; Kono was lost in a trance checking him out…again.
"Hm?" is Kono's only response; she's fairly certain that Steve has caught her ogling him, if that cocky smirk on his lips is anything to go by.
"I was saying we should do this more often and I asked if you'd be up for that but you didn't respond. Are you okay?" Steve asks and Kono can easily detect the amusement in his tone, she was definitely busted.
Kono clears her throat trying to gain back any remaining dignity before replying, "Yeah sure, I'm free next Saturday if there's free food and beers involved again."
"I knew the free food thing would work."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Kono asks.
"Kono, it's no secret how much of your life revolves around food." Steve says bemusedly.
"That's Danny not me." Kono says in her defence although she's quite aware of the truth behind this, she also spends a lot of her time eating with Danny.
"Sure." Steve replies before they change topics.
They continue shooting targets for a while then they take a small break where they sit and talk about guns and different shooting technique.
"I bet you 2 free beers that you can't make 800 yards." Steve declares suddenly.
"You're on." Kono replies without hesitance.
When Kono lies on the ground preparing herself for the shot she can feel Steve's eyes heatedly roaming over her body and that is probably why she misses the shot…by far.
"Your stance is wrong, that's why you missed the shot." Steve says coming closer to her.
He lies beside her and wraps his arms around her, altering the position of her body and Kono can feel the heat of his hands that rest on her hips. "Take the shot again." Steve says lowly into her ear, his warm breath making her shudder slightly.
Kono takes the shot and she hits it, dead and centre. She laughs with excitement before turning to Steve who is still lying beside her. "Thanks boss," she says with a bright smile.
They stare at each other for a while, both of their eyes focusing on the other's lips. Steve finally closes the distance between their lips and presses a brief yet tentative kiss to her lips.
Kono moans silently at his kiss. If a chaste kiss elicits such a response from her, Kono can't help but wonder what would happen when he takes her home and they are on his bed, with sweaty bodies moving together.
Steve kisses her again, this time for much longer and tongues are added to the equation. Kono lies on her back and Steve hovers above her body, kissing her while his hand roams over all of her body. They get carried away, forgetting where they are or that someone may be watching and getting a free show until they both feel the vibrations of Steve's phone.
Steve pulls away from Kono and stands up from the ground before answering his phone. "Hello, Mer." Steve answers his phone bluntly.
"What? So, you thought now would be the best time to tell me this?" the anger is clear in Steve's voice.
"Fine, fine. I'll be there in thirty minutes tops." Steve sighs before hanging up his phone. He rubs his hands over his face and Kono can see his frustration.
"Mary is at the airport and she wants me to pick her up." Steve says disappointedly as he turns to face Kono, who is now standing.
"Oh, did you know she was coming?" Kono asks.
"Nope, but she's here now so I have to pick her up. She seems to like doing these surprise visits where she doesn't tell me until she's already in Hawaii."
Steve starts collecting all their gear and Kono can't help but feel slightly disappointed, okay not slightly, that Steve doesn't want to talk about what just happened and what that means for them. Are they going to stop playing games and dancing around their feelings now? Will they actually try to make it work as a couple? Or was it just all part of their little game? Kono huffs, disappointed in herself for acting like such a girl about all of this.
"Dinner is now kinda out of the question, how about breakfast?" Steve asks her, surprising her.
"Sure that'd be nice." Kono says with a smile on her face. She celebrates inwardly but also begins asking questions to herself about the breakfast and whether it'd be a date or it's just breakfast between "friends". Honestly, what happened to that flirtatious, confident part of her that successfully made Steve homicidally jealous last week?
"I'll drop you off home then go to pick up Mary at the airport."
"Sure." Kono replies as she climbs into his truck.
He pulls up at her house shortly after to drop her off.
Kono opens the passenger door and is about to step out when Steve grabs her arm and pulls her towards him before placing a kiss on her lips that leaves her breathless.
"It's 2-2 now, I guess." Steve says with that arrogant smirk on his face.
Kono was still a little amazed at his move that she couldn't formulate a reply.
"I'll pick you up tomorrow for breakfast, nine am." Steve says before pressing his lips to hers once more.