Mixed Plate Lunch

Disclaimer: I don't own H50.
Summary: A collection of short oneshots/drabbles/ficlets – unconnected to any current work in progress or each other. Mostly just writing exercises to get my muse going again. Featuring mostly – you guessed it – Steve/Kono. Next Installment: Steve and his thoughts on Chin and Tony Archer.

Spoilers: S2:Ep18 - Lekio
A/N: Not a missing scene. Sort of an embellishment on one of my favorite scenes from the Ep., because James Caan was fantastic! I know the boat scene was even better, but I found this particular one more telling – if you all get my drift – Steve/Kono fans, you know what I'm saying, right?

Italicized dialogue is not mine and property of the show.

Thanks to Ghostrider, who mentioned something about Tony Archer in a comment/prompt to my story Fear, Not Love. It got me thinking about this old-school 'New Yawk' guy. Also, many, many thanks to all the readers, for the reviews, faves and alerts.

Did you just hit on one of us? Or, why Chin Ho Kelly is so awesome.

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Five-0 HQ
Honolulu

Steve is thinking that he really, really likes Chin sometimes.

Most times.

Nah, strike that.

All the time.

Other than the fact that his father's former partner has a calmness and levelheadedness that's really needed among the team – Chin also looks out for everyone. Especially, Kono.

Because admittedly, Steve forgot.

It just plain slipped his mind, to introduce Tony Archer the moment they walked back in to HQ. He figured he didn't need to. For all of Tony's proclamations to be innocent and a friend to Bobby Raines, Steve wasn't even sure Tony would provide anything that would be helpful in the end. He just believed that Tony wasn't at the moment a true suspect and maybe there was something that would surface later that Tony would be able to shed some light on.

Plus, the old guy had already gotten on their nerves and wouldn't take 'no' for an answer.

So they're standing around the SMART table and Tony is so old-school. As in, before-the-dawn-of-time-old-school. But just in case you didn't realize it, he would gladly tell you. He's not shy like that. Clearly. Tony's simply a tough guy, with the attitude and mouth to boot. Age has made him crusty along the edges, bitter and jaded around the middle and maybe a little paranoid on top. But, age has also made a guy like Tony experienced. Experienced enough to know that they don't make or do things like they used to. Maybe that's why he moved out to Hawaii – to be closer to someone like Bobby – who from the topics on his radio show, shared a lot of the same views that Tony did.

Somewhere in the back of his mind Steve gets all of that. But right now, he's trying to pay attention to what Kono is saying about Doug Leland and Taka's Farm when he notices that suddenly she's distracted. He looks over and sees that Tony is fidgeting, confused and in awe. He's looking at the table like some alien spaceship dropped it from the sky above when Kono finally says something.

"S – something wrong?" she asks Tony.

Tony appears baffled, looks at Kono and asks, "uh, this is a computer?"

But before Kono answers, Danny butts in and snarkily answers for her. "Wow, that's very good detective." And Steve can tell, Tony's not about to bite back a response to Danny's wise crack. Of course those two would go at it. Luckily, Kono steps in.

"I'm Kono, by the way," she says, smiling, her warm, usual self.

Tony's dumbstruck by Kono's genuine nature and extends his hand. "Anthony," he says taking her hand and shaking it.

Steve watches curiously as Kono says to Tony, "it's a pleasure to meet you." And much to his dismay, the old guy blatantly puts the moves on her – in front of all of them.

"Pleasure. I hope to enhance that feeling as time goes on," Tony replies. Yeah, he's so not shy about anything.

But then, Steve kind of thinks, 'God bless Chin Ho Kelly'. His father's former partner clears his throat pointedly and everyone – including, and most importantly, Tony – gets back to the matter at hand.

Steve can't help the instantly crabby reaction he's had to Tony's obvious attraction to Kono. Never mind he gets that way already with any guy that pays too much attention to her. Plus, they're in the middle of a case for crying out loud. Danny shoots him a look that tells him that he's got his aneurysm face on and he doesn't give a shit. Kono just goes back to the task at hand and Steve marvels at how even though she's amused, she's still unflappable and cool about the whole thing.

Especially because a part of him wants to reach out and smack Tony.

The bum.

Steve chances a glance at Chin and feels that Chin's expression somehow mirrors his own – perplexed yet fully confident that Kono could drop kick Tony if she needed to. Hell, she could probably drop kick him.

Whatever. It's still nice to know that Chin's constantly looking out for his cousin, regardless if she needs it or not. Because he kind of feels like he would like to, too. If only she'd let him.

End.

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Thanks again for reading!