Work Text:
The first time it happens, Loki is merely annoyed.
It’s not the first time a customer has been on the phone while ordering, and it certainly won’t be the last. It’s certainly not the rudest thing that one’s been either. Yet that doesn’t stop him from purposely scrawling the wrong name onto the cup, and who the hell comes to Starbucks just to order an americano, anyway?
“Americano for Toby?” he calls out, a few minutes later.
The guy doesn’t even react, just takes his coffee and continues his oh-so-important phone conversation.
Loki scowls.
-
The second time, the name on the cup is Tory, and the guy does notice. It’s simply a glare in Loki’s direction, but Loki relishes it all the same.
-
The third time goes similarly, except Natasha notices.
“I might be wrong, but I’m 90% sure that guy doesn’t have the letter C in his name.” she says, raising her eyebrows at him as she reaches over to grab a lid.
“Who, Coby?” he replies, his eyes innocent but his lips pulled up in a smirk.
“What did he do, click his fingers at you like that other guy did?” Loki’s eyes narrow at the memory, that guy got more than just a misspelling of his name.
“No, asshole’s just always on his phone.” he responds as he wipes his hands on his apron.
She nods in understanding. “At least he doesn’t stare at your chest while he orders.”
Loki huffs a laugh, and gets back to restocking the cabinet.
-
A couple weeks go by and Loki doesn’t understand how someone can have so many phone conversations, and he’s starting to run out of ways to misspell Tony. There’s been Dody, Cody, Brody, Brony, Stony, Bony, Ceremony, Felony, Agony, Testimony and Polyembryony, kindly offered by Clint.
Yet it’s one of his less creative ones, Tiny, that actually elicits dialogue.
Loki’s wiping down the cabinet when he hears the all-too-familiar voice. “Tiny? Really?”
And lo and behold, he’s still on the phone. He’s also given Loki the perfect opportunity for a retort. He lets his eyes briefly flick to the guy’s crotch and shrugs. “Just an observation.” The guy - Loki adamantly refuses to call him by his real name, even in his head - just laughs, which only pisses Loki off more. “Maybe if you bothered to order without your phone glued to your ear I would get it right.” He moves onto serving another customer before the other man can respond.
-
The guy doesn’t come for awhile, and Loki tells Natasha it’s a blessing.
She just scoffs. “Yeah, I’m sure it is. Who are you going to flirt with now, though?” Clint laughs, and Loki opens his mouth but is interrupted by a familiar voice before he can deny it.
“Uh, I’d like to order a venti americano, please?”
Loki turns around, eyes widening at the sight of the guy without the phone. He nods, grabs a pen, and scribbles the order down but then stops, hesitating between continuing to spell it wrong out of spite or keeping his word and refraining from misspelling it. Apparently his frustration is obvious because the asshole then says “How about you solve your dilemma by writing down your number instead?”
Loki looks up, eyes wide and trying to ignore the barely restrained laughter coming from Clint and Natasha behind him. “You’ve barely spoken to me and been on your phone every time you’ve walked in here, and now you want my number?”
Warm, brown eyes meet his, and Loki realises that part of him has been attracted to this guy for a really, really long time. He curses Natasha in his head. “Yeah, I do.” The guy grins at him and Loki has to try his hardest not to grin back because he’s really cute and almost makes Loki feel bad for constantly calling him “that guy” and “asshole” in his head.
“No,” he says, and passes the cup to Natasha. The guy - Tony, he reminds himself - looks slightly heartbroken. “But I’m on break in twenty if you’re willing to wait?”
-
Tony does wait, and smiles as Loki sits down. “Nice, by the way.” he says, gesturing where Loki’s written ur still an asshole on his cup, and Loki smirks
There’s a brief, awkward pause until Tony says “How the hell did you come up with polyembryony?” at the same time Loki asks “Why the hell are you always on the phone?”
Loki gestures vaguely towards Clint in response. “My friend-slash-colleague. He loves crosswords, or something.”
Tony nods, and begins his explanation. “My dad, who’s also my boss, has been overseas for the past month or so and left me in charge of the business over here, so he calls me everyday to see how things are going. But due to the time difference, this is the only time that really worked for us. I’m not actually that much of an asshole, promise.” he looks at Loki, who doesn’t seem too impressed. “What, don’t believe me?”
“No, I do… It’s just kind of a boring explanation. I was hoping for something more exciting.” Loki admits.
“Would it be more exciting if I told you my father’s Howard Stark?”
Tony laughs as Loki goes a bit pale and mutters. “That’s a bit more exciting, yeah.” He’s quiet for a bit, until Tony’s foot accidentally brushes his leg under the table and Loki suddenly stops his panic about insulting the Tony Stark. “So, how about you take me out tonight and show me how you’re not the asshole I think you are, then?”
“I would love to.” Tony replies, gently brushing his thumb over the back of Loki’s hand before standing up. “But first, I need that number of yours.” he says, and nudges the cup towards Loki.
-
“Americano for Tony?” Loki calls out, eyes searching for his boyfriend, until he eventually walks over to where Tony is quite obviously not collecting his coffee.
“Thought I told you my name was “love of Loki’s life”?”
Loki raises an eyebrow. “Would you prefer going back to Tiny?”
Tony grins. “Well, since you and I both know that’s not true…” The man next to them chokes on his coffee and Loki elbows Tony in the ribs.
“You’re still as asshole.” Loki huffs, but allows Tony to wrap an arm around him anyway.
“Yeah, but I’m your asshole.” Tony’s lips quickly brush against Loki’s forehead, and Loki doesn’t argue.