Chapter 2
The next day at the shop starts much the same as it usually does. Steve comes in early with Bucky this time. He set about making batches of pastries for the entire day since he’ll take the evening off to attend his art course in the city. Sam will come by and fill in for Steve so Bucky doesn’t have to worry being swamped with customers.
At three when the shop is mostly deserted except for a few of the regulars the door opens and in walks the brunette from the day before. She’s bundled in more winter gear than she was yesterday due to the storm that had blown in overnight. She again stops and focuses on the menu board. The day’s special is hot chocolate and Steve got particularly creative with the art work that morning. Probably due to his impending giddiness at seeing Peggy again.
Bucky tenses unconsciously as she makes her way to the counter. In the back Sam, and Bruce, who had come down when Steve left to lend a hand, immediately notice the changing in their friend but neither make a move towards him, instead waiting to see what exactly plays out.
“Afternoon. What can I get for you?” Bucky was proud that his voice didn’t waver when he spoke.
“Latte please.” And again her voice reminds Bucky of the feeling of silk against his skin. This time he remembers to ask her for the size and whether she was having it here or to go. A part of him hopes she would like to have it here but Bucky’s knows that her presence in the shop would do him no good.
“Would it be too much to hope for almond milk?” Her voice had a teasing lit to it and Bucky smiled as he continued to make the latte. He shook his head, “Sorry only lacto free.”
“Shame.” was her only reply.
Before the brunette had even stepped out the shop Sam swarmed in. “Who was that?” inquired Sam. Bruce had the good sense to stay back and pretend to refill the display case but that didn’t mean he wasn’t listening intently. “Just a customer.” Bucky replied casually.
“Since when do you tense up so much for customers?” Sam shot back.
“I didn’t tense up. What are you talking about?”
“You totally tensed up when she came in. So who is she? Ex-girlfriend or one night stand you forgot to call in the morning, one night stand who didn’t call you the next morning?” Sam fired out one after another. “What? None of those!” he exclaimed. Sam looked at him incredulously. The two held each other’s gaze. Neither willing to back off until the other caved and looked away.
“Is she the girl you steam rolled Steve for?” Bruce asked quietly. The sudden interruption caused both Sam and Bucky to break off their staring contest. “Steam rolled Steve? Wait what?” Bucky now tried to avoid Sam’s gaze altogether. “Awwww man you have a crush!” Bucky launched himself at Sam and clamped a hand over his mouth but a few of the patrons still turned to look at the gathering of men behind the counter. “Who told you that?” Bucky asked, hand still firmly over Sam’s mouth.
“Steve did this morning when he came up to drop of my piece of apple pie.” Bruce replied. Bucky was so going to kill Steve when he returned home. The guy couldn’t keep a secret to save his life, or Bucky’s for that matter. Sam pushed Bucky’s hand away from his mouth. “You are so aggressive!”
“Steve told him that to.”
“Bruce shut up!” Bucky pleaded pressing his palms against his eyes. Bruce lifted his hands up in surrender but he could see the mischievous twinkle in Bruce’s eyes and try as he might Bucky couldn’t find it in himself to be mad at the guy. That’s just who Bruce was – you couldn’t stay mad at the guy if you tried.
“Listen man … it’s cool if you have a crush on her.” offered Sam, “Honestly we were starting to get worried.”
Bucky’s head shot up, brows furrowed he stared hard at the other man, “Why would you be worried?”
“Tony thinks you’re gay,” Bruce offered when Sam didn’t answer immediately. Bucky’s eyes open comically wide. “What!” he whispers harshly because it makes no sense the entire shop know about the little spat going on behind the counter. “Yup” Bruce replied unapologetically, “And Clint thinks that you and Steve are secretly married and just waiting on the right time to tell the rest of us.” Bucky had to physically restrain himself from going to find both Clint and Tony and make them swallow some of their teeth. He gripped the edge of the counter and counted to ten to calm himself down. “Is there anything you want to tell me?”
“Well if it’s any consolation Natasha hid Clint’s bow with Laura’s help and Pepper made Tony go to every board meeting for a month.” Bruce offered helpfully. “It’ll do for now.” Out of the corner of his eyes Bucky could see Sam clutching his stomach in an effort not to burst out laughing. Rolling his eyes he shoved the other man in the kitchen and before the door were closed properly the sound of howling laughter could be heard echoing off the walls.
The remainder of the day was going to be a long and tiring one, Bucky could just tell.
Bucky didn’t know if fate was being kind or cruel to him, when the brunette didn’t show up for coffee the next day or the day after that. Technically he had no reason to be disappointed that she didn’t show up. He didn’t even know her name. Maybe he might not ever see her again and Steve and Sam would stop bothering him, but that notion was short lived.
I
t wasn’t in the afternoon like her two previous visits. Instead she showed up early in morning, clearly before heading off to work if the briefcase in her hand was any indication. Her eyes were fixed on the phone in her hand as she waited to place her order. Steve was handling the register that morning but decided to switch it back over to Bucky so he could restock the display case that had conveniently run out of muffins. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Steve trying to suppress a grin – the man had the subtlety of a tank.
When the woman - appropriately dubbed the brunette by Steve and Sam- finally made her way to the front of the queue Bucky already had a large latte ready and waiting. Of course he didn’t give it to her right away in case of the off chance she wanted something else. “Large latte please,” she stretched over to look at the display case, “And a slice of banana cream pie to go.”
“Coming right up.” Bucky went over and dished out the largest slice of pie for her. He convinced himself it was because it was the piece closest to him and not that he was pulling some kind of favouritism. He handed her the order and she asked, “Almond milk?” Bucky just shook his head ruefully but could tell she was being playful. She shrugged her shoulders and didn’t say anything else. And that’s how it continued. Every day the brunette would come in and order a large latte to go and get something from the display case and each time she would ask Bucky for almond milk. It kind of became an inside joke between the two of them. something that Bucky looked forward to each day of he were being honest with himself.
Steve, Sam and even Bruce, when he was around and in the mood, mocked him about it mercilessly whenever they could but Bucky really couldn’t be bothered.
Then one day things change a bit. When Bucky hands her the latte she smiles and says, “Thanks James,” and he’s thrown in for a loop. His brain seems to shut down for a minute because she just said his name and it was like he was waiting his entire life for his name to fall from those pretty lips. It takes her giving him a questioning look for Bucky to shake himself out of his self-imposed stupor.
He wonders how she knew his name. Everyone calls him Bucky, the only person who uses that name is his mother and even then it’s only when she’s scolding him or asking when she can expect some grandchildren from him. The woman pointedly looks down at his chest and he follows her gaze down to see the name tag attached to his apron. Bucky had totally forgotten about that. He quickly looks up but the brunette is smirking at him and Bucky can’t help but let out his own little chuckle at the hilarity of the situation, instead he says, “You’re welcome….” He leaves it open hoping she’ll fill in the missing space and she does.
“Maria”
And he can’t help but think how appropriate the name is. “Maria,” he repeats, tasting the name on his tongue and enjoying the way it slips out his mouth. The way her smiles seem to brighten a bit has Bucky seeing stars. That smile lingers in his mind long after Maris leaves the shop. Steve comments that he was uncommonly cheery that day in the shop but Bucky just shrugs it off. Not even Steve and Sam’s teasing could dampen his mood because he now had a name for his new favourite customer.
The weekend rolls around for the shop. Bruce doesn’t have to go to the clinic on weekends so he spends the day in the shop with Bucky and Steve. He sits in the corner; glasses perched on his nose reading a science journal or something in that realm of literature. He had tried to explain, once, to them what he did before he owned the coffee shop and before he became medical doctor but it just goes over their head. All they really know was that he once worked for the army and that’s where he met Tony.
The place is fairly busy, a couple of chairs are occupied and the low hum of conversation fills the shop. There’s a constant stream of customer in and out bringing with them the chill of the outside air so Bucky has the thermostat set a little higher and there’s an actual fire burning in the fire place today. Steve spends most of his day baking and soaking up the warmth of the kitchen. Bucky tends the counter and works the floor. He surely isn’t keeping one eye on the door see when Maria walks in. He really isn’t. Bruce catches him once, staring at the door with a faraway expression on his face. He clears his throat softly breaking Bucky out of his trance, thankfully before Steve sees him and starts to tease him relentlessly.
The peaceful atmosphere of the coffee shop is disrupted when the door flings open to reveal Tony Stark. He’s decked out in a leather jacket that seems terribly inappropriate for the weather.
“Burcey!” he cries out as he spots the other man in the corner.
“Shut the door Tony! You’re letting the chill in!” Bruce admonishes. Tony doesn’t seemed bother by the scolding. He shuts the door and saunters over to Bruce who’s tucked away in the corner near the fire. Tony makes a face at the cup of tea perched on the small table on the side of the chair. However, he wastes no time in taking a large bite of the muffin on the plate next to it. Most of the customers who were there were the usual’s so they were accustomed to Tony’s eccentric behaviour.
Tony takes the seat next to Bruce’s and peers over the man’s shoulder to see what he’s reading. He gives a snort at the article, “Reed Richards thinks too much of himself.” Bruce looks up from his article with a little smile playing at his lips. Bucky knows that smile well. It’s Bruce’s troll smile. “Well he is the smartest man in the world, arguably the universe.”
The gasp Tony makes could rival scandalized nuns. He clutches desperately at his heart looking at Bruce teary eyed. “How could you!? I thought you loved me!” he cries. Bruce looks at him unimpressed and Steve yells from the kitchen, “He doesn’t, he just puts up with you because you’re name’s on the lease.”
“Stay out of our lover’s spat Rogers!” Tony hollers. Bucky shakes his head and Bruce sighs deeply because they both know that once Steve and Tony start they can argue about just anything. “Tony is there a reason you’re here?” Bruce asks hoping to put off the impending verbal brawl. That seems to bring Tony back, “Yea Pep wants some of Steve’s cranberry lemon scones.”
“You’re gonna have to wait while I whip up a batch.” Steve answers. Tony doesn’t seem to mind and plops back down on the chair, perfectly content to read the article over Bruce’s shoulder. Bucky will never understand their friendship.
The little bell over the door rings again and Bucky turns his head so fast he swore he got whip lash. Unfortunately it isn’t Maria and Bucky tries to hide his disappointment. He apparently doesn’t do a good job because Tony is poking Bruce and tilting his head in Bucky’s direction. Bruce doesn’t think it’s his place to spill Bucky’s secret again so he just shakes his head a clear sign that Tony should just drop it. And thank whatever god there is above that Tony got the hint. Instead Tony directs his attention to Steve.
“So Roger, have you decided to ask Peggy out yet?”
Steve storms out of the kitchen, “Keep your voice down!” he screeches, “Please.”
Tony snickers, Bruce shakes his head in exasperation and Bucky just has to hold back the laugh that waiting to come out. Steve clearly doesn’t appreciate his friend’s participation in his ridicule and decides to play dirty.
“What about the brunette?”
Bucky glares angrily at Steve but the damage is already done. Tony is one his feet and stomping over to the register, Bruce’s arm in his grasp as he pulls the other man along. He’s eyeing Bucky like a predator would its prey. “What’s this? You and Steven aren’t shacking up?”
“Starkkkk!” Bucky groaned cradling his head in his hands.
“So wait who’s this brunette?” Tony continued, disregarding Bucky’s obvious discomforts.
“A new customer that Bucky keeps fawning over.” Steve answers, vicious in his assault.
“Why am I even friends with you?” groans Bucky, glaring furiously at his best friend.
“Hey, don’t be mad at Rogers.” And everyone present has to stop and gape at Tony. It not a common thing for him to defend Steve in any kind of situation but he seemed to have chosen this one to start. “He’s just being a good bro and making sure the general populace knows you’ve got the hots for one your customers.” This time it’s Bruce who lets out the tired groan. “Of course you would defend Steve’s actions. You do the same thing.”
“Hey. As your best buds respectively, it’s our solemn duty to make sure you get some ass, even if you are being one.” Tony explains.
“Wait Bruce likes someone?” Bucky points out and both he and Steve come to a temporary truce in order to interrogate their employer.
“Who is she?” Steve fired off first. “Or he” Bucky amended after, “Cuz that’s cool. We don’t judge like that.” Steve nodded furiously along with Bucky, “Yea no judge zone.”
“What no I…..” Bruce wanted to explain but neither man gave him a chance and Tony just stood back and watched it all happen with a ridiculous grin on his face.
“Is it someone we know?”
“Do they come to the coffee shop?”
“Do they work at the clinic with you?”
“Is it Darcy? We know she has a crush on you.”
Steve and Bucky fired off one after the other, bombarding Bruce with a plethora of questions. He tried to ward of the onslaught but the last one caught his attention. “Darcy has a crush on me?”
“No!” Steve turned bright red. Darcy had mentioned it once when they were out drinking and had gotten a bit tipsy. Steve had never forgotten it but he had promised Darcy never to spill her secret. That promise was now broken unfortunately. Darcy was going to kill him. “You weren’t supposed to hear that.” Steve dragged a large hand over his face trying to hide his embarrassment.
“Darcy’s gonna have to get over it.” Tony piped up reminding everyone of his presence. “No!” Bruce declared. He grabbed Tony’s hand and began dragging the man upstairs so he couldn’t spill anymore of Bruce’s secrets to everyone in the general vicinity. “He’ll be back for the scones.” he yelled over his shoulder while Tony smirked to the pair down the stairs, mouthing that he would tell them later.
At six Tony and Bruce came back down. Bucky and Steve were hoping to get more details about Bruce’s secret crush but Tony was tight lipped. It became obvious that Bruce had given the other man a proper scolding for his loose lipped antics. Steve gave Tony his bag of scone and before the billionaire left he pulled Bruce into a tight hug and whispered something into the other man’s ear that caused him to blush and stutter adorably. Tony left grinning, swinging his bag of scone back and forth. Bruce doesn’t waste any time, scurrying back upstairs to escape the questions that he’s sure Bucky and Steve have for him. He calls over his shoulder for them to lock up and leave when they’re ready.
Usually on a Saturday they’ll close up at around seven but Bucky decides that it’s been a long week and they could afford to close up a little earlier than usual. When they leave the shop calling out one last time to Bruce to let him know they’re leaving Bucky has to hide his disappointment that Maria doesn’t show up today. Steve doesn’t find it necessary to point out his friend’s sombre mood. Instead he decides to make small talk to pass the time.
“So some of the guys from my art course are meeting up for drinks later. Wanna join us?” Steve asks. Bucky can see the way his hands fidget in his coat and he knows something’s up. “Just the guys from your art course?” Steve swallows nervously but replies, “And maybe a few other people from the other classes to.”
“Would one those other people be Peggy?” Bucky get a small nod of confirmation. “Thanks for the offer bud but you don’t need me there.”
“Sure I do.”
Bucky shakes his head and claps Steve on the shoulder, “You don’t need me acting as a buffer between you and Peggy man. Man up and ask her out.”
“Maybe.” Is all Steve manages.