Work Text:
Bucky was so thankful that his lecture had finally finished, after all what kind of monster holds a lecture from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on a Monday?
Tired and feeling drained, he had one task on his mind: coffee. Making his way across campus, Bucky headed for his favorite coffee shop just one block outside of the campus grounds. It was his preferred coffee shop because it was a haven of sorts for the local LGBTQ community and sometimes a good place to meet guys.
‘Vanilla latte with extra whipped cream,’ his brain kept chanting over and over, ‘and maybe a cookie’. He needed the caffeine but he also had to have lots of sugary sweetness to mask the bitter taste.
A feeling of joy entered Bucky as he pushed the door to the coffee shop open and walked inside. Thankfully there were only two people in front of him in the line.
Bucky looked around, gazing at the random faces around the store until his eyes landed upon him. ‘Fuck,’ Bucky’s brain crashed. The guy at the counter serving the customers was hot. Bucky had never seen him before, he must be new. Okay, Bucky tried to get his thoughts in order. Another customer was served, which meant there was only one person in front of him and the mystery stud.
Bucky could do this, he was fairly attractive himself. He’d flash a smile, try and flirt a little and see if the other man was interested at all. Bucky began to strategize. He wasn’t paying attention when he heard the voice.
“Hi, welcome to Peggy’s Coffee House, what can I get you today?”
Looking up, Bucky was met by an entrancing pair of blue eyes and a smile that put puppies to shame. “I ah,” Bucky’s mouth went dry. Since when had speaking been so hard?
“Have you decided what coffee you want?” the guy behind the counter prompted him.
“Ah what type of coffee do you drink?” Bucky asked in return. Oh god, how lame. Did he really just ask the guy that.
But the other man just smiled wider. “I drink mine black, no sugar,” he answered.
“Sounds good to me,” Bucky smiled.
“Name for the order?”
“Bucky,” Bucky replied, waiting for the dreaded follow up of ‘oh what a weird name’ something he’d only heard a million times before.
“Bucky,” the other guy replied. “Different. I like it.”
Handing over his cash, Bucky put the change into the tip jar.
“That’ll be ready in a couple minutes,” the other man advised him.
“Thanks,” Bucky retreated to a free table a few feet away. Wait! What the fuck did he just order?
Waiting, his name was finally called out by the mystery barista.
“Here you go Bucky enjoy,” the guy was smiling again as he handed the cup across the counter.
“Thanks,” Bucky nearly dropped it when their fingers briefly touched. Sitting at his table, Bucky turned his phone off silent now that he was out of class for the day. He busied himself by checking his messages. His friend Natasha had demanded he meet her for dinner later in the week. He sent back ‘fine’ and then proceeded to pass the time looking at Facebook.
The cup on the table sat there for a few minutes untouched. Bucky groaned internally. Black coffee, it was sure to taste bitter. He shuddered at the thought. But he wanted to hit up the library later and therefore needed the pick me up if he was going to be studying all afternoon. And as a poor college student he couldn’t go wasting cups of coffee.
How bad can it be? He thought to himself before picking up the cup and taking a sip. Clenching his eyes shut, Bucky swallowed the tiny sip. It was disgusting. How could anyone drink this?
Soldiering on he took a couple more sips. It wasn’t getting any better.
Bucky contemplated giving up and throwing it in the bin when the Adonis of a barista walked by. He was clearing and cleaning the empty tables.
He made a point to stop right in front of Bucky. “Good?”
“Great,” Bucky lied in reply. Never again would he do this to himself just to try and spark up a conversation with a hot guy.
Luckily being after midday the shop was pretty quiet. Most of the caffeine junkies got their fixes in the morning. That meant at least there weren’t several pairs of eyes on him watching as he attempted to drink the black bile in a cup.
Before he knew it he was already halfway through the cup. Suddenly he felt pretty proud of himself. Then the other man was at his table again.
“Free refill?” the barista smiled down at him.
“No!” Bucky answered a little too quickly. “I mean, I’ve had enough, can’t overdo it on the caffeine,” he hoped that was an adequate excuse.
“Fair enough,” the other guy took up residence in the chair opposite him. “Got to say it was highly entertaining watching you try to drink it when you obviously hate black coffee.”
Suddenly Bucky’s face went red. He knew? “You saw that huh?” he admitted guiltily.
“Pretty dedicated, if I do say so myself, asking me what I drink then forcing yourself to try and do the same,” hot guy admitted. “Some might say you were trying to impress me.”
“I, no, ah, it’s just,” Bucky stuttered.
“And I’d have to say it may have worked,” hot guy shrugged. “I’m Steve by the way,” he said sticking out a hand.
“Nice to meet you Steve,” Bucky shook the hand offered to him. “But do you honestly like this stuff?” Bucky pointed to the half cup of black coffee.
Steve laughed. “It’s not that bad.”
“Agree to disagree,” Bucky hummed.
“Okay,” Steve nodded. “Why don’t you tell me what you really wanted to order and I’ll go make it, on the house.”
Bucky sighed internally. Thank god. “Vanilla latte.” He paused, looking embarrassed. “With whipped cream on top.”
A smaller chuckle escaped Steve. “Coming right up,” he walked off to make said order.
Only a couple of minutes went by until Steve returned, sliding the drink across the table. “Here’s your not real coffee,” Steve joked.
Bucky picked it up and immediately took a sip. “Ah, that’s much better.” He then noticed the digits written on the side of the cup. “Is that?” he barely asked already knowing what they were.
“My number,” Steve confirmed. “I’ve got to work until five but how about we get drink afterwards and you can try and convince me how vanilla syrup and whipped cream make coffee better?”
“Yes of course,” Bucky kept his voice from going high pitched. Suddenly black coffee wasn’t so bad anymore, Bucky thought to himself as Steve walked off back to work.