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Steve smiled as he heard the door of the almost empty coffee shop open at 2:00 in the morning and there’s only one person comes by now. He chuckles to himself as he makes an espresso out of habit. He places the cup in front of the figure now slumped on the counter asking, “Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in, rough night?” He gets only a sniffle as reply.
In a few minutes, a hand wraps around the large espresso Steve had placed moments earlier. Red rimmed eyes stare at the espresso till a strange recognition passes through. After a long gulp from the cup comes a strangled yet a relived sigh with little more recognition in said eyes looking at the Blond Barista.
“In Star Trek, Are We, Steve?”
“We are done with Star Wars, Mr. Stark” Steve says now reflecting the smile from his 2:00 am regular.
*2 week earlier*
Steve had regulars all day, but something about his 2:00 am regular had always been intriguing to him. Tony Stark started coming around the same time, a month after Steve had moved to Manhattan and joined Redwing’s Café as a Barista.
Steve didn’t recognize him at first, as he was wearing a black torn tank top, faded black jeans and Goggles. They didn’t talk a lot either for a week. One night Stark walked in demanding, “Help me my blond barista, you are my only espresso” he mimicked.
“I don’t know what that means but, uh here is your espresso, Mr… uh” Steve handed his espresso as Stark was still for a minute there. After reaching out and taking a big sip out of his espresso, Stark’s eyes popped out asking “Never watched Star Wars, Blondie?” with a smirk.
Steve was… He didn’t have much growing up with and without his Single mother. So, anything other than newspaper and comics were a luxury to him. He had heard of Star Wars but never had the luxury of time to watch it or any movie for that matter. Now he has time but interest for films of any form had worn off. Same went for all celebrity goss in Hollywood. He had heard of only major scandals which made the Headlines of Mainstream Newspaper.
“I have heard of Star Wars but never had time to watch it, Mr. Nameless Guy,” he said, wiping down the Counter.
“You don’t know who I am? You haven’t watched Star Wars?! What planet are you from?!” Stark asked, pushing his cup for more espresso.
“No… Is it a movie you are in?” Steve asked, turning around now to hide his embarrassment of facing a common situation Steve got into nowadays. Was he so out time that he couldn’t recognize actors? His friends did tease him now and then about his old man tendencies now a then. His lack of knowledge of celebrity gossip had always shocked or offended people, which had him take up the Night shift often.
Steve turned around to find a contemplating look on the guy now. He drank his second cup and took out a tissue from the holder nearby. Taking out the sharpie he always has behind his ears, the guy wrote down something and handed it along with few bills. “Look these up when you got time” he said and walked out of the Café, leaving a stunned Steve.
There was a lot more teasing when his friends found out the very next day that Steve’s 2 am regular (“my regular Buck! Not 2am Crush”) was The Tony Stark. Bucky and Sam kept teasing and ribbing him while Clint and Scott kept arguing about who was gonna give away Steve’s hand in marriage To Tony Stark.
Natasha was the one who had a thoughtful smile on her face. When Steve confronted Nat had told him about her brief time working with Stark and the Media. “He’s not a bad news Steve. Just think before you leap” she had said.
Steve did refrain himself from googling Tony for some time but eventually did which gave a horrifying and confusing media image for Tony. Said confusion was too clear as Tony found all about it two days later,
“You googled me” Tony sighed. He had walked in and saw Steve return a tense smile which raised the alarms in Tony’s head. Then all of Steve’s one-word answers had confirmed it to Tony. Tony got up and walked towards the entrance to leave when Steve called him.
“Are you leaving? So early?” Steve asked, trying to contain the hurt in his voice.
“You know who I am. My reputation precedes me. And clearly had made you uncomfortable. So yeah, I won’t…” Tony said, standing far away looking anywhere but the barista.
Steve didn’t feel uncomfortable. He didn’t know how to react to Tony’s fame. He does now lot of them are exaggerated and rumours. All Steve felt was…
“From whatever I read from google, I couldn’t understand is that how did no one know what a geek and a dork you are?” Steve said with a slow smile creeping up his face.
Tony was frozen for a moment before chuckling and taking his seat back in the counter. “Lots and lots of Coffee. You help too. Had to maintain my Secret Identity”
“Well, if it’s the matter of security concerns…” Steve said pouring some Espresso for Tony.
*Present Time*
They did talk about everything under the sun and had random arguments on Pop culture and gossips on each other’s life beyond their “2am Bubble” (name patented to Natasha). The more Steve got to know the dorky and nerd Tony, news on tabloids and gossips about Tony became less believable. Steve sees Tony in many news reels and media more often now and notices little tells of the mask slipping from The Tony Stark.
Steve’s done with his shift early next morning and goes up to his room. Sam got Redwings’ Café from his grandmother who lived above the café. It has 4 rooms which is now shared among his friends who also work in the Café. Bucky was the one who found Redwing’s Café on one of his trips to Manhattan for an interview. He landed a job here in attempts to Woo one dirty blond barista, Clint Barton. Clint and Sam where in army together before taking over the Café. Steve moved from Brooklyn under Bucky’s Insistence (“Insistence? You kidnapped me Buck from the subway!) and joined Redwings.’
Natasha’s getting ready for her shift when Steve walks in face plants on the couch. No one knows where Natasha’s from. Clint had brought in her one day and asked Sam for a Job and she joined the pack. “You look wary. Didn’t see your boy today?” Nat asks, keeping a coffee in the table next him also pouring her some. Steve mumbles something unintelligent and stuffs his face in the cushions.
“Aww, poor baby. See your boy is on the TV right now.” Nat switches the volume up as Steve’s head perks up to see, Tony giving some press release in the Stark Tower lobby. Tense Shoulders, Sly smile, and twitch under the glasses Tony wears on camera where Steve’s tells for Tony putting on a Mask of Tony Stark. “He hates doing these” he mumbles and sits up on the couch.
“You’ve got it bad” Nat says, walking away.
“I’ve got nothing”
“Bad”
Steve squints at her sipping his coffee. One thing they all figured out about Natasha is that nobody can lie to her. On TV, Tony shuts down some nosy blond reporter with few witty words. “I might have a little thing for him” Steve admits, smiling back a screen.
“Bad Steve, you have a big crush on him” Nat says now sitting next to him with 2 plates of PB&J. Steve sighed taking a bite.
“So, when are you guys gonna fuck?” Steve started coughing and looked at Nat incredulously at her question.
“You didn't even tell him, did you?” Nat asked Steve now patting his back.
“Tell him what?”
“Tell him you want to fuck him”
“Nat”
“Get fucked by him?”
“NAT”
“Alright Mr. Delicate Sensibilities. Tell him you like him”
Steve took their plates and cups to the sink in the kitchenette avoiding Nat. He knew he cannot avoid this or her for a long time. He knew he cannot just bury everything and act like nothing happened.
“You know you cannot avoid this” Nat said from the couch.
“What do you want me to do Nat?” he gave a defeated sigh, leaning on the kitchen counter.
“Tell me what’s stopping Steve “I jump upside down without looking how deep” Rogers from just asking his boy out” Nat stood up and walked around the couch, now leaning on the backside of said couch, imitating him.
“I’m a Barista”
“Yes, and he’s a Billionaire, I know-”
“Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist”
Nat raised an eyebrow with a knowing smirk.
“That’s – never mind” Steve tried to walk away hiding his blush.
“Who ever he might be, he must have a heart right?” Nat’s words stopped him in his tracks. Because no matter what the media was spewing, Steve for a fact knows that Tony stark has a Heart. He had first hand witnessed it during their late-night talks.
“Steve, No one visits an empty coffee shop at 2 am that often unless, they feel something close to it.” Nat walks back getting ready for her shift.
“Maybe it’s the coffee??”
“He could get said coffee at anytime Steve. Now that we deliver it, he can call and order one”
“What if it’s not?” not me? Not the same feeling? Steve had too many questions piled up, blocking the words. He knows logically Nat was right but, heart doesn’t understand logic.
“You’ll get an answer for that and every question running through your mind only when you ask him.” Nat said, patting his cheeks.
There was sudden loud bang in the wall next to them, turning their heads. They heard it again with muffled curses too. “It’s Bucky’s Shift, right?” Steve asked, now confused by the sounds.
“Yes, it is. And they are banging now.” Nat let out a suffering sigh and knocked the wall hard. “It’s your shift Buck. If I don’t see you hide in 15 mins, you cannot bang anything for a week.” Nat said now walking out of their room down to the Café.
Steve heard muffled curses again and door opening and closing. He was tired working all night, so he decided to take a shower and mop a while, when his room door opened showing a harried Bucky. “Hey Steve, I forgot. Sam is going out this morning for a while and gave you few chores. He’ll switch tonight’s shift and tomorrow morning in exchange.” He said and ran down the stairs, leaving the door open.
“So much for moping” Steve said to himself closing the door. At least a shower wouldn’t hurt.
* In Stark Tower*
Tony hated this. This was one of the top 10 most hated things by Tony Stark, Press Conference in early morning. Why do people even give Press releases now a days when there are so many social media platforms available to announce, which will become viral in matter of minutes.
Tony sighed loosening his tie while walking out of the elevator to his penthouse living room. He needs a drink, coffee, scotch whatever it is, he needs something now. Also, a nap, a shower, a nap, and coffee, which will do. “JARVIS, wake me up after few hours, Daddy needs some mandatory reboot” he said walking towards his bedroom.
“Where do you think you’re going? You have some explaining to do, things to sign and a flight to catch in an hour” Pepper, his secretary, best friend and now bane of his existence said.
“Pepper, you woke me up, dragged me out in the cold and made me face vultures even before my morning coffee. I need either coffee or nap or shower and none of the things you mentioned.” He said now slumping on his dining table.
“Then explain to me where you were last night and every other for past 2 weeks, because I am trying to reach you, but JARVIS says you are going out or in blackout mode” Pepper said, now sitting down next to him, rearranging papers in her hand.
“I didn’t go anywhere I was either in my lab working or sleeping” Tony said, puzzled. He doesn’t remember going out anywhere at night. He does keep having this weird dream about a coffee shop and some guy, but Pepper doesn’t need to know that.
“JARVIS where was Tony last night?” Pepper sighed without even looking up at the Papers she was pushing at him with pen and two taps. Tony sighed and started looking through them and signing them.
“I’m sorry Ms. Potts. My protocol doesn’t allow me to share the requested information with you” said JARVIS, which got an offended jaw dropped stare from Pepper for Tony. Tony shrugs and drinks something at his reach. He looks at the cup in his hand and finds a go to cup from a Café called “Redwings’” written in red swirly letters. The coffee is not hot but tastes right like his order. Hmm interesting…
“JARVIS, why so sassy with Pepper? Override protocol code R2BI62. Where was I last night JARVIS?” Tony asks now intrigued by his AI answers. He doesn’t withhold information like these unless someone under protocol asked to and it can be done by 4 people and 2 of the 4 are sitting here.
“I’m sorry sir. The override codes don’t work for the requested information as you’ve assigned a specific code for it.” JARVIS stuns them with the answers.
“When did I do that?”
“2 weeks ago, sir”
“Where was I when I did that?”
“In your lab sir”
“Where did I go before?”
“I cannot-”
“Okay” Pepper stopped them before it spiralled into something. “Stop. We can find out what that is after we come back. Tony, we have a flight to catch. You can figure out on the plane. I have packed the things you need. Come on.” Pepper says, gathering and arranging papers.
“At least let me get some coffee Pep” Tony whines as he gets out of the kitchen.
“We’ll get it on the way. Lord knows I need a large one” she says walking past him to the elevator.
They down and find Happy Hogan, his good friend and security head is waiting beside a car. “Did you by chance told JARVIS to not to tell anything Happy?” he asks, walking up to him. “Nothing I can remember. What is it about?” he asks, opening the door for them.
“We’ll talk about them after coffee and in flight. Take us to nearby good coffee shop Please Happy” Pepper says, closing the door behind her.
2 blocks from there Happy stops in front of a chic and… oddly familiar looking café for Tony. There were again the swirly looking letters spelling Redwing’s from the go to cup earlier. Huh, must have been a regular here. Tony thought as he got in front of the shop. “All out employees say this one has good Blueberry muffin and coffee.” Happy says getting out with them.
“Great we’ll get some for go to then” Pepper says, walking past them again, inside the café. Tony goes behind her having what feels like a déjà vu moment. Everything from the wallpaper to tables and chairs and tissues look familiar yet her had never been here. The Café was bustling with customers, and he could spot two working on the counter.
He gets a blinding and all-knowing smile from one of the two baristas. The blond, blue eyed beef cake’s smile is warm yet something about it feels personal. Tony throws his own press smile which shutters the blonde’s expression. Something passes over the baristas face before he wears what Tony could name as a customer friendly smile before greeting them.
“Welcome to Redwing’s Café. What can I get you?” asked the barista in a fake cheery voice Tony somehow felt it was fake because his instincts told him something was off about the whole deal. “Uh… One-”
“-Venti Americano with one sugar, Got it Mr. Stark. For you ma’am,” barista was focused now on Pepper who also had a puzzled look on her face. “Uh- I’ll have a Frappuccino and both in Go to Please” she says, which gets a little smile from the blue eyes. Seriously, Tony huffs and gives his card to the beef cake, who stopped looking at Tony and was keen on his register. He handed them their bill and card with a fake thank you and called up the next in line.
“Did you at some point offend the barista there Tones?” Pepper asked now moving to wait for their order.
“I don’t know. I haven’t met him before” he said and hears someone drop something next to him. They turn around to see the Barista before had dropped few things down the counter and was apologizing to person standing before him. He looks tense and withdrawn while trying not to curl into himself. But Tony has no clue on how he could sense that about the guy he had just met.
The next shocking thing that confused him more was the glaring red headed barista who was handing them their order. There was also a brunette behind them giving him a stinky eye. Now Tony was confused and annoyed. He was not ready for any of this before his first morning coffee. He tries to glare back but ends up in vain.
“What did you do Tony?” Pepper asks now dragging him out of the Café. “I honestly don’t know Pep” he mumbles and turns around to see the blue eyes looking like a hurt puppy. It did not sit right with Tony. What was all of that about?!
Inside Steve was trying so hard to keep it together. It was not the first time he had been humiliated of let down like this. He just got his hopes up a little. He can get over it right? He will get over it. He was an idiot to think that he had something special with a billionaire, playboy- a celebrity. Steve might have been just a cheap entertainment for him. He just romanticized something the other guy doesn’t even remember about. Classic Steve, he gave himself a sad smile at the reflection of the shiny counter. At least he got the answers that had been nagging him for a while now.
The crowd thinned after a while, but Steve knew it was not his day. He was clumsy, forgetful and his head was so not in game the whole time. His luck, the morning rush was their regulars who just smiled and brushed it of as a bad day. The line ended mid-morning by the time Steve was fully exhausted and fully in funk.
“Nat can you-”
“Go sleep it off, Steve. Bucky and I can take it over.”
“But-”
“Sam will be here in few hours and if it gets tough, we’ll get Scott. Go get some shut eye, Punk” Buck said, squeezing his shoulders. He knew his friends were not pitying, just trying to look after him but he cannot shake the feeling of shame washing over him.
“Jerk” he mumbled and left for his room upstairs. At least he can fully mop now.
Back on his way to airport, Tony can’t still figure out the deal about the Café. Everything including the Barista looked familiar, like out of some dehydration Dream. Even Pepper tried to drill him and find out what the whole fuss was about. He has queasy feeling in his gut like he did something wrong or missed something.
They got to the Airport and Tony’s private jet was all fuelled up and waiting to board. He got on mechanically his head still working out something. “Where are you, Tones?” Pepper asked, concern lacing her voice. “Peachy, Pepper Pot. My Coffee please.” He got a small smile with the Coffee he had been praying since waking up… wait when did he go to sleep last night?
“JARVIS, how much did I sleep last night?”
“You didn’t sir. Ms. Potts woke you up 2 hours after you got to bed.” Came JARVIS Voice from his phone.
“What on earth were you doing all night Tony?”
“What on earth did I do?” Tony mumbled to himself taking a sip of the Coffee. The coffee wasn’t bad but had a different taste than he expected. Hmm Steve would know how to make his Coffee.
“Wait, who’s Steve?” Pepper asked, reminding him to keep his brain to mouth filter on. That’s when something clicked.
“JARVIS override code R2D24577, where was I last night?”
“Override code accepted. You were at the Redwing’s Café last night sir.”
“What was he doing there JARVIS?” Pepper asked, now squeezing a stunned Tony’s hand.
“He was meeting Steve Rogers, the Barista, like he had been several times for the past 2 weeks” JARVIS answered which got Tony out of his seat and pacing.
“Okay shit. Pep cancel everything for 3 days-”
“Tony what-”
“JUST, No questions. I know what I did wrong, and I have to fix it.” He said now running out and down the stairs towards his car.
“Boss?”
“Hey Hap. Gotta go. Take another car.” he rushed as he got the keys and drove out of the airport to the café. Shit shit shit, how the hell could he forget Steve. He was the one who stayed all night listening to Tony’s stupid rants. He blames the 2 hours of sleep and no Coffee. He did remember making that override code after the day he first met Steve to avoid any kind of leak. He remembers all of Steve’s Pop culture education and silly geeky arguments they had. God, he wanted to ask him out just last night. How the hell did he forget?!
Now he can understand Steve’s heartbroken reaction. God, poor Steve thinks that Tony forgot him. His friends probably knew about their 2am talks from the reactions Tony gauged from them that morning. Tony skid parks his car in front of the café and burst open through the door. He probably looked like a mad man with his dishevelled look and frantic look. He walked over to the red head barista who was glaring daggers that morning at him. Now she just had a calculating look trained on him.
“Where’s Steve?” Tony asked
“Why?” the red head, name tag reading Romanoff, asked him with an unimpressed voice.
“I know what I did, and I have to apologize to him and-”
“- That it was just a casual flirt for you?” Romanoff sneered, making Tony flinch at the accusation. It was con of having reputation precede before him, he loses good people too.
“That I like him and want to talk to him, take him out and get to know him more” Tony said, with a defeated sigh. He really did like Steve. He hid him from everything because he was scared that his waking like might ruin it, whatever they had over night. Tony was scared of admitting that he liked the cute dorky Barista but now use in crying over spilt milk now, is it?
Nat was giving him a contemplating look while, Bucky who was listening to everything from the back door, came out and gave a questioning look at Nat.
“You said you didn’t know him?”
“Yes, NO. No. I mean I was sleep deprived and had been running on 2 hours of sleep without coffee which had led to slight internal malfunction. Morning coffee cleared everything and here I am to apologise and-”
“He’s upstairs. Third room. Don’t forget to kiss him Lover boy” Romanoff said with a teasing smile.
Tony ran behind the counter as bucky opened the wooden barrier in between and up the stairs on the right. He knocked on the door to his left and brushed down his hairs and suit. Steve… did not open the door, it was another short, dirty blond guy in purple shorts. Tony panicked for a moment not knowing of he had missed his chance already.
“Stark! What are you-? Oh, your boy’s door is that one. Good luck buddy. Use protection.” He said pointing at the door opposite to him. Yes! Romanoff said 3rd door. Tony turned to thank the other guy but, the door was now closed. He steeled himself and walked up to the door. Something clicked again before he knocked, and he ran down again the stairs like a mad man.
He dashed out from behind the counter when a voice behind him called out something. “Yellow Tulips,” said the brunette, now standing at the place of Romanoff. “He likes Yellow Tulips” he said. Tony ran out and looked for a flower shop. Luckily, there was one on the opposite side of the road with yellow tulips on display. Tony went in and out of the flower shop and back to café with wings on his feet. He ran back up to Steve’s room and now knocked with the flowers in hand.
An equally dishevelled Steve opens the door and double takes who standing at the door.
“Mr. Stark-”
“Tony, Steve I’m sorry for what happened this morning. I was sleep deprived and running low on-”
“Coffee?” Steve asked, little self-conscious smile playing on the corner of his lips.
“Yes. And do you remember me saying coffee keeps my secret identity up?” Tony steps forward handing the Flowers to Steve.
“Didn’t know your secret identity would vanish every time your blood caffeine level is low.” Steve took the flowers from him and hid his face and cute blush in the bouquet. Tony didn’t know he had thing for that blush till now.
“Well, I better find a different source to keep up my secret identity” Tony said, smiling like a loon, holding on to Steve’s wrist and staring to those all-familiar baby blue eyes.
“How are you gonna do that?” Steve asked now leaning down a little. He could feel the warmth he had been addicted to for the past weeks in the hazel eyes now staring at his. Tony’s hold on his wrist was sending his nerves on haywire. How would be like to kiss him? was the constant line of static going through his mind.
Tony leaned in like reading him mind and gave a chaste kiss which promptly short-circuited everything inside Steve. He was floating and soaring up on the high clouds while shaking with his eyes closed fearing to wake from a dream.
“Hey” Tony said holding his face. “Not a dream Steve. Open your eyes” he said reading his mind and kissing the corner of his lips. Steve opened his eyes slowly and touched foreheads with Tony.
“You asked how am I gonna find another source to keep up my secret identity” Tony asked chuckling and moving inside the room.
“Yeah” Steve was out of breath and choking at the same time.
“I think I found it” Tony traced a finger over Steve’s face to his lips. His other hand caressing on it's own accords.
“What is it?” Steve was struggling to focus on Tony with ministrations distracting him all over the place.
“I’ll tell you all about it if you have dinner with me.”
“It’s a date”