Chapter Text
“Come on Jess, coffee awaits!” Tony Stark yelled as he entered the lab I was in. I had wondered occasionally how my life had ended up this way. Employed by SI in the biochemical department and a coffee buddy (and maybe friend), of Tony Stark. I had met him randomly one day when he had come wandering into the break room on my floor, bleary eyed, clutching a coffee cup like his life had depended on it (and maybe it had, knowing his coffee dependency now) and mumbling about a CEO that was determined to kill him from lack of caffeine. He stumbled over to the coffee maker, and seeing it empty, let out a pitiful whine and slumped. I had just returned from Starbucks and had a fresh mocha in my hand. Deciding that the greater good would be served (and, really, he looked pitiful), I walked over to Tony and wordlessly offered up my coffee. Perking up excitedly, he grabbed the coffee and took a long drink. Looking slightly more alert, he thanked me for the coffee and told me that the next one was on him. Leaving before I could answer him, I shrugged and opened my book. I had heard a lot of strange stories about my boss in my few months of employment, and had just chalked this up to another part of his eccentricities.
I figured that would be the end of it, until 2 days later, Tony walked into my lab. I hadn’t noticed as I was busy typing a report, but eventually I became aware of a presence behind me and a sudden quiet in the lab. Spinning around, I came face to face (or chest really, since I was sitting) with Tony Stark. Holding a coffee out to me. Gaping slightly, I looked up at him. Shaking the coffee cup slightly at me, he smirked. “Took me a bit to find you. Okay, well, not really, since I just had to ask Jarvis who you were. But it took me a day to remember that we met. Seriously, I really need to stop with the 5 day inventing binges. Course, it could have been worse, ask Pepper. You don’t even want to know what she’s caught me doing,” he rambled, looking slightly sheepish. “So, um, yeah. Sorry for not bringing you a coffee earlier. Really, I should be blaming Jarvis for not reminding me sooner”
“Of course sir,” Jarvis intoned dryly. “From now on, I will remind you of every single interaction you have with every single person every single day from now on. I can start now if you desire. This morning at 8:07am, you met a cleaner by the name of Frank in the elev-”
“Okay J, I get it. I’m sorry. It wasn’t your fault. Completely mine,” Tony quickly interrupted. Looking back at me, he continued. “So yeah, totally my fault, not Jarvis’. But I remembered, tracked you down, and brought you a coffee. Mocha, just like you had.”
Taking the cup from his hand, I inhaled the sweet smell. “Thank you Mr. Stark, you really didn’t have to do this. You just really looked like you needed a coffee the other day.”
“Call me Tony, and I really did. Pepper and Jarvis have been conspiring to make me sleep, and part of that has been to hide the coffee in my workshop and upper levels when I’m around. I thought going to a lower level I’d have more luck. And I did. You gave me coffee. That makes you one of my top 12 favourite people. So, thank you. But seriously? Starbucks? Please tell me you have better taste in coffee, and this was just convenient.”
“Starbucks is just down the street and I like to take a walk at lunch. But there’s a great little coffee shop a few miles from here that I sometimes hit after work. Free trade, roasts their own beans, all organic. Really good coffee,” I replied.
“Sounds like a nice place. You going today? My treat. What time are you done work?” Tony asked rapidly. I gaped slightly. THE Tony Stark wanted to go get coffee with me? All because I gave him coffee?
“Umm, about 5? But you really don’t have to. I mean, you don’t have to go with me if you don’t want. It’s the Espresso Express at 5th and 44th. I don’t want to take up your time.”
“You’re not taking up my time Jess. Consider it showing me that you truly do know good coffee. A challenge really?” he asked, winking.
“Okay, sure. A challenge. I accept your challenge,” I said, slightly bewildered.
Tony clapped his hands once. “Great! I'll meet you in the lobby at 5.”
He walked out of the lab, stopping briefly to speak with the lab supervisor. I watched him, still bewildered over what had happened. One of the other scientists in the room, James, that I usually ate lunch with, rushed over, looking shocked. He opened his mouth to say something, and I just shook my head. “I have no idea dude.”
I walked down to the lobby at 5, not really expecting Tony to be there, but he was. He looked up from his phone, saw me and came ambling over. He started chatting about his day, and asked what I had been working on, all while walking over to a black car parked out front, the driver holding the door open. “Here we are. Come on, my treat, my ride. Let’s go”
After that day, Tony and I met for coffee once a week or so when he was in town. Sometimes it was a new coffee place one of us wanted to try, sometimes it was a familiar one. Most of the time when we went to a familiar place, Tony looked slightly haggard and stressed, so I always figured he was looking for comfort in some way.
Today was a day for familiar, I figured, looking at Tony when he came in. He looked tired. Prominent bags under his eyes, mussed up hair, and clothes with grease stains on it. It looked like something was giving him some trouble in the lab. I stood up, took off my lab coat, and grabbed my purse. “Where are you in the mood for today?” I asked.
“How about the Roasted Bean?” he replied, mentioning the coffee shop a few blocks away.
“Well, it’s a nice day out. Want to walk?” I asked.
He agreed and we headed out. We chatted about our latest projects, and enjoyed the warm sun. I thought that this was turning into a really nice day.
I was wrong.