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This was it. The moment Tony had waited for ever since Howard promised him he could get any car he wanted, so long as he graduated college before turning 18. After he waltzed across the stage, M.I.T. diploma in hand at the ripe old age of 17, he said only one word to his father.
"Tesla."
They headed to a dealership outside of Boston the next day. The owner himself showed the Stark family around, babbling about how honored he was to aid them in their search and a bunch of other nonsense Tony tuned out. He declined each suggestion to test drive various cars, even though his father offered to foot the bill for some of the most expensive models in the industry. No, this was about much more than price or status symbols.
"The Tesla Roadster, is it, Mr. Stark? Are you sure there's not a newer edition you might want to take for a spin, perhaps-"
"That won’t be necessary," Tony interrupted. “You see, I’ve found my soulmate.”
He patted the hood, smoothing his hand over the shiny, silver exterior. She looked stunning. From the rims on the wheels to the convertible hood, the vehicle exuded sophistication. The dealer reluctantly opened the door for him, and Tony ducked inside.
"Wow," he commented with a whistle, suddenly speechless (for the first time in his life maybe). The driver's seat welcomed him like the old recliner in his room, as if he’d already spent years behind this very wheel. He surveyed the interior, pleased to see how impressive everything looked on the inside, too.
Tony closed his eyes and relaxed against the headrest, inhaling the distinctive “new car” scent like a drug. Images of a certain someone occupying the passenger seat flashed through his mind. One hand gripping the wheel, the other stroking up and down an arm on the console. He’d lean across to kiss him at each red light and flip off everyone honking behind them.
"Why don't you drive around the block, darling? Tell us how you like it."
He didn't need to be told twice. He plunged the key into the ignition, turning it just as his mother closed the door for him. The car whirred to life, and a burst of adrenaline set Tony alive as well.
The tires squealed as he backed out of the parking space with little apprehension. Freedom, at last. He sped off, leaving Howard's shouts in the dust. The Tesla catapulted to nearly 50 miles/hour in a mere matter of seconds. He lowered the roof and slid his sunglasses down to the bridge of his nose. Could it be love?
Tony returned to a normal speed a few seconds later, aware of the pedestrians that lingered in front of the dealership (he couldn't risk damaging the car if he hit somebody). He turned the corner out of the lot onto the main road where he could get a real sense of the vehicle. She rode like a dream. The wind whistled in his ears and stroked his skin, heated by the newly arrived summer sun. He turned the radio higher to hear the music over the rushing air. Cheesy love songs he couldn't name blared from the speakers, and yet he belted them out like he’d never known anything else.
“Just wait ‘til I show you off to him,” he said out loud, patting the dashboard affectionately. Tony glimpsed the clock and realized he needed to get back to the dealership if he wanted to beat rush hour in Boston. Well, traffic always sucked in the city, but he had something special in mind.
He entered the lot at a much slower speed than he left. Howard fumed with his hands on his hips, looking entirely comical to Tony in his anger. As if he hadn’t learned how to handle his father’s ire over the last 17 years of his life. Carefully, he maneuvered the Tesla into an empty spot.
“Son, where did you learn to drive like that?”
“Well, it certainly couldn’t have been from you, since we’ve hired chauffeurs my entire life. What was it you actually taught me, again?”
On second thought, maybe he did need to work on biting his tongue in his father’s presence.
Before he could scold him in front of the entire East Coast, Maria rubbed his back and whispered something that did the trick. Nobody knew Howard Stark like his mother. He unclenched his fists and smoothed the front of his slacks down in a weak attempt to appear calm. Whatever he seemed to think qualified as a smile crept onto his face, resembling the amateur robots constructed at M.I.T. Speaking of...
“Would you look at the time,” Tony exclaimed, finger on his watch. “I didn’t realize how late it was. You see, I’ve got an interview for an internship at a think-tank in Cambridge. They specialize in A.I. robotics. Real innovative types, they’ll go crazy for the car. Mind if I take her with me?”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Stark, there’s certain protocol and paperwork we-”
“Surely, something can be arranged,” Howard said to the dealer, eyes flickering to Tony. “I wouldn’t be against chipping in a little extra.”
He didn’t bother to hesitate. “Well, in that case, why don’t you go ahead? Your parents and I will hash this out.”
Tony shook the hand of the elated dealer, whose eyes would have turned to dollar signs by now if this was a cartoon. And Howard, well, smoke would have been billowing out of his ears by the second, even if Tony did trick him into thinking he had an interview.
“Go get ‘em, sweetheart. I know you’ll do great,” Maria whispered, kissing him on the cheek. Tony never liked lying to his mom, not even about something so inconsequential. He promised himself he’d apply to a few places this summer, if only for her sake. They all mutually acknowledged a father-son business venture was out of the question for the time being.
Tony skipped back to the car, keys rattling in his pocket like a good luck charm. He waved goodbye to his mother, purposefully avoiding his father’s scornful gaze, and zoomed onto the street. Luckily, traffic didn’t seem to be too backed up. He made it to Cambridge in record time, pleased to see the digital clock read 5:03.
Just as he pulled up to his favorite coffee shop, a car vacated a spot directly in front of the windows. The Tesla parallel parked for him without a hitch. While the car seemed to be functioning properly, the same couldn’t be said for him. He tried to ignore the twitch of his fingers, the shallowness of his breaths, even the thumping of his heart. No. No, Tony Stark could not be nervous. Why would he be? He’d asked countless men and women on dates in his short lifetime, never once rejected. What could be so different about this time?
He placed his nerves in the farthest corner of his mind and strolled into the cafe like he owned the place. Only a few people sat at the tiny tables and stools. The woman at the counter held her hand out for change and Tony tuned into the voice of the barista.
“$6.16 is your change, the drink should be ready in the next few minutes. Thanks for choosing Stony Coffee Shop.”
As the man turned around to relay special instructions to his coworker, Tony leaned over the counter.
“How much for a tall glass of whatever it is you’re serving?”
Steve stilled at his voice. Tony shamelessly looked him up and down, admiring the way in which his shirt clung to the rippled muscles of his back. How could a guy who worked so many shifts have time to stay that in shape? Steve spun around to face him, his front just as eye-catching.
“Are you sure you can afford me, Mr. Stark?” He propped his elbows on the opposite side of the counter so they were face-to-face. His appearance resembled that of your typical, all-American boy next door, but the grin lighting up his face looked like nothing but trouble. Trouble Tony wanted to be knee-deep in. “I’m afraid I’m very expensive.”
“Well, I did make a rather costly purchase today,” he confessed, moving to the side so Steve could peek out the window. “See for yourself.”
Tony watched his features shift from doubtful to shocked to absolutely enthused. He wanted to be the reason for that smile on his face for as long as he could.
“Holy shit, Tony… you got the Tesla Roadster!”
“I promised you I would all those weeks ago, didn’t I?”
“Well, yeah, but cars like that? It’s hard for me to imagine anyone actually owning one, let alone a friend.”
Their first conversation consisted of the hottest cars on the market. They were the only two in the shop at the time. Tony plopped down on one of the empty stools, nursing a hangover from the night before. Rhodey had taken some girl named Carol back to his dorm, so it was up to him to find his way back home the next day. The sweet, sweet smell of coffee led him to this cafe and here he discovered something else.
“Would you look at that Ferrari?” Steve said, admiring the red vehicle parked outside the store. Tony remembered thinking what an idiot you’d have to be to park a car like that on a busy Boston street (pot calling the kettle black, much?), but the barista interested him in a way he couldn’t quite understand yet.
“Nice. The efficiency is laughable, though. Not sure if it’s worth it.”
Steve chuckled. “M.I.T., huh?”
“Is it that obvious? I really need to work on toning down the nerd vibes. Maybe take a page out of the Harvard frat boy book.”
“Sorry, we have a no pastel pants serving policy here. You’ll have to try the shop next door.”
They laughed for a few seconds, and Tony made a mental note to visit this cafe more often. The coffee tasted great and he bet the staff did, too.
“You’re right about Ferraris, though. I think I’d rather splurge on a Tesla. Something sleek and sexy, but also efficient and eco-friendly.”
“I’ve been dying for a Tesla since I got my license. You seen the roadster?”
“By far my favorite model,” Steve gushed.
“Well, Steve,” Tony remarked after squinting to read his tilted nametag, “I plan on having my own in silver by next month. I’d love to give you a ride.”
And here they were, living that exact moment. A part of Tony hoped he hadn’t been consumed by his own fantasy. He spent so much time thinking about Steve now, much more than he’d like to admit. Maybe he’d wake up in the next few seconds, eyes covered by the virtual reality goggles he toyed with at school.
“Can I give you a tour? I hear the backseat is especially comfortable and I’d love to try it out.”
“This must be how you earned that playboy title the internet’s always going on about.” Steve glanced at the clock on the back wall. “It looks like I’m free, considering my shift ended 6 minutes ago.”
“There is one condition, though.”
Steve paused as he lifted his apron over his head. “Uh-oh. Have I made a deal with the Devil?”
“I’ll skip the fine print. Let me take you out tonight. Just dinner, no strings attached. I know a great place in central Boston. What do you say?”
Tony stuck his clammy palms in his pockets and crossed his fingers. Hopefully, Steve couldn’t tell how nervous he was. If he took much longer to answer, the blush creeping up Tony's neck would cover his entire body.
Steve hung the apron on a peg behind him and bent over the counter like they had done earlier, though Tony was all too aware of how much closer their faces were now. He looked up into his eyes, that same playful grin on his face.
“Where do I sign?”