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Bucky’s glasses fog up as he enters the packed coffee shop, which is annoying, since he now has to search for an open spot while half blind. He goes up to the counter, orders his usual Caffè Americano, enjoying the aroma of ground, roasted coffee beans around him as he waits. He smiles at the barista as he accepts his drink and pays for it, then turns towards the very crowded seats in the small café. He finally spots an empty chair, quickly makes his way over in case someone else has spotted it, and plops his butt down. It’s only when he’s dropped his text books and taken his first sip of his rich cup of black coffee that he notices the man sitting next to him. The wonderfully built and -frankly- beautiful specimen caressing his own takeaway cup of coffee and scrolling through his phone.
The man, glorious as he may be, doesn’t even look up at Bucky. He carries on scrolling and nursing his cardboard cup. There isn’t even a name on the cup Bucky can fantasize over. Pity that the pretty ones are usually dicks.
---
It’s about an hour later and despite his text books in front of him, Bucky has not studied one bit. He keeps getting distracted by the way the blond in front of him is biting at his own lip, or how he stretches out in his seat and no, Bucky’s eyes did not travel to his groin, you can’t prove anything, shut up.
He briefly wonders why the man is still here. He doesn’t seem to be studying and an hour is a long time to wait for someone to show up, and all he’s done is scrolled on his phone and snickered at it. His phone must be dying by now, no?
Bucky hides his grin behind his hand when he sees the man taking a charger out of his bag and plugging his phone in. Well, he’s staying for a little while longer then. So Bucky decides to take a chance. A small chance, not too big, he’s still a little chicken shit after all. He goes to order himself a refill on his black coffee and asks the barista if she wants to play along with him.
“You see that blond man, over at that table?” he asks, pointing at his own seat. “Can I order him a… Pumpkin Spice Latte? But don’t tell him I sent it. Don’t even look at me when you bring it. Actually, just tell him it’s paid for and then leave… Please?”
The barista must have seen some shit in her time here, cause she doesn’t even blink. “Sure thing, I’ll even wait a few minutes after you’re back in your seat before bringing it over, sound good?”
“Perfect,” Bucky grins at her. “Thanks again.”
“Hey, as long as you pay, I’m golden.”
He makes his way back over to his seat and pretends he’s going over one of his old essays when the barista stops by.
“Excuse me, sir? A Pumpkin Spice Latte,” she says as she puts down the drink.
“I didn’t order this.” The man finally speaks. And his voice should not be such a turn on for Bucky.
“It’s been paid for.” The barista smiles and turns to leave but the man’s voice stops her in her tracks.
“No, thank you.”
What.
“I’m sorry?”
“I don’t want it, you can take it back, I’m sorry. Or you can have it, I don’t mind.”
Bucky’s trying his best to look like he’s not even interested in the conversation, but he’s hurt goddamnit. Why the fuck wouldn’t he accept a drink?
The barista smiles apologetically at them both and takes the drink away again.
Bucky clears his throat and turns back to his books. Yeah, the pretty ones are always dicks.
---
It’s two days later and Bucky’s back at the coffee shop. He takes his glasses off as he enters, waiting for the fog to clear as he stands in line, not even worried about what he’s going to order. Black coffee is his jam, always.
It’s not his turn to order yet so he searches the place for a place to sit, and then his eyes find him. The blond bodybuilder. He’s in the same seat as before, scrolling his phone and scrunching his nose, for fuck’s sake, that should not be that cute. That is the only explanation for why Bucky acts as he does when he orders a second cup of coffee. He’s lucky it’s the same barista as two days ago, so he doesn’t have to explain the whole thing again.
He takes the seat next to the blond bombshell, which is miraculously free, and drops some books and his laptop on the small table. He's booting his computer up when the barista stops by.
“A Chestnut Praline Latte, sir. It’s been paid for.”
It only lasts about half a second, but Bucky spots the small look of disgust the man sports as the barista speaks. Alright, no chestnuts for Blondie.
“No, thanks.”
Normal people would give up. Sane people would stop spending money on coffee that will not be drunk anyways, and clever people would stop sitting next to the guy.
Not Bucky. Challenge accepted, Dorito Waist.
---
It’s a Thursday afternoon when he walks in and the coffee shop is finally not filled to the brim with customers. He steps up to the counter and sees his favourite barista ‘in the know’.
“Hi,” Bucky says with the widest smile he can manage.
“Hey big spender, how can I help you?”
“I’m Bucky, what’s your name?”
She snorts at him as she answers, “Peggy.”
“Peggy, would you be interested in helping me with a little plan?”
She leans over the counter and smirks. “I love little plans.”
---
Friday morning and Bucky really, really should be studying for his upcoming finals, but no, he’s drinking coffee again and staring at The Blond’s throat as he gulps down his mysterious drink.
He takes out his phone, opens the messaging app and shoots Peggy a text, making his secret order. Bucky decided that the drinks coming right after he came back from the counter was a bit obvious, so now he just tells Peggy whenever he feels is a good time, hoping the douchenozzle finally appreciates the effort he’s making.
A few minutes later, Peggy shows up and the underwear model looks up expectantly.
She smirks and says, “Salted Caramel Mocha.”
The guy smiles and shakes his head. “No, thanks. You enjoy that, though. Go to town.”
Jesus fucking Christ. This little joke is gonna cost Bucky a fortune.
---
“White Chocolate Mocha”
“No, thank you.”
---
“Tiramisu Latte.”
“Nope,” the guy says, popping the ‘p’. “Thanks.”
---
Peggy is walking over and Bucky is shrinking away behind his History textbook.
The porn star next to him smiles as he spots her and exclaims, “Peg! Whaddaya got for me this time?”
What?! They know each other?!
“Eggnog Latte, Steve?” Peggy practically giggles, carefully avoiding Bucky’s glare.
“Aww…,” Steve pouts, sticking out his bottom lip. What a perfectly wrong time for your dick to get hard, Buck. “No luck. Thanks anyway!”
Bucky has the good sense to wait ten minutes before he jumps out of his seat and motions for Peggy to follow him to a more excluded corner.
“What the everliving fuckballs, Peggy? You know him?”
“Well, yeah. We’ve been friends for years. Why?”
“Care to explain why you failed to mention that little tidbit to me while I’ve been guessing his taste in coffee?! That shit is expensive, Peggy! I spend more on his coffee then I do on my own! And I refill twice!” Bucky huffs out.
“Simple answer? You didn’t ask,” Peggy smirks. “And don’t even try asking me now, you’ve lost your chance. Have fun guessing some more, we have a very extensive menu.” She smiles as she turns back to the counter.
“I’ve noticed.” He grinds his teeth in annoyance.
As he walks back over to his seat, the blond still doesn’t look up. Bucky doubts he’s even looked him in the eye once. He should just give up really. He packs up his books, laptop and paperwork, and leaves. From now on, he’ll just study at his dorm. No coffee, but at least he’ll get some studying done.
---
Surprisingly, Bucky actually feels prepared for some of his finals. He hasn’t been to the coffee shop in 8 days. No, he’s not counting.
He’s stretching out on the bed, scratching at his lower stomach, feeling a familiar tingle travelling south when his phone buzzes next to him.
Reluctantly, he picks up. “Yeah?”
“Hey Bucky, it’s Peggy.”
“My phone has Caller ID, Peg.”
“Don’t get smart with me now, you butthole. Why haven’t you been to the café?” Bucky hears her shushing someone at the other end of the line. “We- Shh! I miss having you around here.”
“I am not made of money, Peg. And I needed to study, since I don’t wanna fail any of my finals. Coming to the café nearly every day was stupid to begin with. I need to focus.”
“But you haven’t been in- Will you shut up! No, not you, Bucky, I’m sorry. You haven’t been in like...more than a week?” Bucky isn’t sure why that came out as a question.
"I'll uh… I’ll come by tomorrow. If you want?”
“That’d be great, thanks, bye!” And just like that, Peggy hangs up on him.
That was a little weird. Where was he? Oh yeah, thinking about the stupid firefighter and his stupid luscious lips and his stupid hair Bucky can just imagine trailing his fingers through as he’s on his knees in front of him.
---
“Alright Peg,” Bucky mutters as he gets to the counter, cleaning his glasses on the bottom of his shirt. He must imagine hearing a whimper behind him, and he drops his shirt and puts his glasses back on. “What am I ordering here?”
Peggy smiles and points at his regular table where the man of his literal sex dreams is sitting.
“This is the last time, Peggy. I’m done humiliating myself and feeling embarrassed and stupid.”
She at least had the decency to look guilty and nods at him to make his order.
“Caffè Americano and…” He looks up at the menu above the coffee machines, “A Caramel Brulée Latte?”
Peggy gives a minute shake of her head in the negative.
“An Eggnog Latte?”
“Try again.”
“A Gingerbread Latte?”
Peggy pulls a face. “No.”
“For fuck’s sake!”
Bucky ignores the surprised stares of the customers near him and stomps over to where Superstar Model Of The World is sitting. Of course today is the first time that he looks at him.
“Steve?” he asks, unsure if that’s his name or if Peggy’s been yanking his chain on that fact too.
“Yeah?” he answers, looking...nervous?
“What the hell are you drinking?”
“It’s uh… It’s hot chocolate.”
“Are you fucking kidding me right now?” Bucky huffs out, arms swaying until they end up on his head. He stomps out of the café, leaving a shocked Peggy and a dejected Steve behind.
He’s only outside for about a minute before his brain catches up with him. Wait, this is stupid. He turns around and walks back into the café, scaring some of the customers near the door who clearly remember him from his outburst literal seconds earlier.
His first stop isn’t Steve, though. He walks up to Peggy, orders two drinks and then turns to Steve at their table. Steve, who seems to be packing up his things to leave?
“Uhm… Hi.” Bucky tells Steve, who looks up at him in surprise.
“Hi.” Steve greets the floor.
“Are you leaving?”
“Yeah, cause- I-...”
“Why?”
“I- Dunno, I just… You left.”
“Yeah, but I’m an idiot.”
That finally has Steve looking up at him with a smile.
“Yeah?”
“I got us a drink.”
“It’s not coffee, right? I fucking hate coffee.”
Bucky can’t help but bark a laugh, setting down the drinks. “No, I got us both Peppermint Hot Chocolates.”
“Thank fuck,” Steve grins. “I’m Steve.”
“Bucky.”
“Yeah, I know. Peggy kinda told me. Well, I blackmailed her into telling me, to be honest. Also, she was a little tired of me talking about you and sending her pictures of you. Oh shit. I wasn’t supposed to tell you that part.” Steve snorts and rubs his palms across his face. “Oh God, I must look like a total creeper.”
“What about me then,” Bucky grins, “I’ve been spending all that money on coffee for someone who hates coffee with a burning passion.”
“I’m sorry,” Steve apologizes, looking guilty.
“Don’t worry about it, at least Peggy had a good laugh about it.”
“Hey, why are these takeaway cups?”
“Cause we’re going to my place, where Peggy isn’t involved in the slightest. Is that okay?”
Steve puts his hand in Bucky’s, linking their fingers. “Perfect.”
---
Bucky’s lying in bed, arm thrown around Steve and trailing his finger on Steve’s nipple. Steve smacks his hand away and pulls him up for a kiss.
“Stop it, you tease. You’ve worn me out. Leave me be, you tyrant.”
He throws his arm across his eyes for dramatic effect and Bucky giggles.
“Quitter,” he says, before kissing Steve again, licking his way inside, tongues wrestling and spreading the minty chocolate taste from their now cooled drinks.
“Hey Steve?”
“Yup,” Steve smiles, eyes closed.
“Next time you’re paying for the drinks.”