Work Text:
Steve stands in front of the vending machine.
He looks at the vending machine, and the vending machine looks back at him. He runs the rumpled, and wrinkled dollar he holds in his hand over the leg of his pants to straighten it. He carefully inserts it into the currency reader, which pulls it in half way before spitting it back out. Steve barely holds himself back from punching it.
Sighing, he pulls his phone out of his pocket and taps in his password. The internet should have some solutions to this problem, all joking aside it is really helpful. After three demoralizing and unsuccessful tries he needs the help. He scrolls through a few quick google results and tries folding the dollar lengthwise to add some stiffness to the bill.
He feeds it carefully into the slot. It goes all the way in, there’s a pause as the machine whirrs and thinks. Steve has his hand over the giant button ready to press it and get his generic cola when the bill shoots back out and flutters to the floor. Steve puts his head in his hands and counts to ten before picking the dollar off the ground.
Steve begins furiously rubbing the bill over the metal edge of the machine. He shoves the slightly crisper buck toward the reader. “Come on baby, come on.” he coos. He can hear things inside grinding and clicking. He sends up a silent prayer to whatever saint is in charge of vending machines. He reconsiders just beating the hell out of it for just a moment.
The machine is finally bested and accepts the money. Steve triumphantly smashes the button and listens to the kachunk kachunk of the can descending through the machine. When he finally has the cold soda in his hand he cracks it open and takes a long, slow, fizzy gulp. He belches loudly and gives a satisfied sigh.
Content with his superiority over technology he turns to leave...and sees someone standing behind him. The person is short with masses of curly black hair tied back at the top or their head, the name Carson is embroidered on their uniform. In their hand is a sign that reads ‘CHANGE ONLY IN THIS MACHINE’.
“Well you’re pretty tenacious, I’ll give you that. You know you could have just come inside and gotten some quarters, man.” Carson says, pointing their thumb over their shoulder at the big sign that says B. Underwood & Family Mechanic.
-
Back at Avengers Tower he runs into Sam who is sitting in one of Tony’s fancy leather chairs and reading an old magazine that Pepper had left as part of an aesthetically pleasing spread on one of the nearby tables. He looks up as Steve approaches.
“Hey man, where’s your bike?” he flicks the magazine back onto the table with ease.
“So here’s the thing.” Steve sighs deeply. “I did something embarrassing and now I can never go back again.” he finishes all in a rush.
“Okay tell me everything.” Sam says, resting his hand on Steve’s shoulder.