Title: Cinnamon Roll
Fandom: MCU
Rating: G
Length: 421 words
Content notes: Coffee Shop AU, Unrequited Crush
Author's notes: For my Bucky Barnes Bingo square, "Coffee Shop AU"
Summary: Bucky tried desperately not to reveal his crush on one of the coffee shop regulars: the Tony Stark.



Bucky barely kept his head from jerking up when he heard the tinkle of the bells over the door. He didn't need to snap to attention every time, like he was watching for someone.

Even if he was.

Casually, he finished restocking the lids already in his hand, then turned to face the register. "How can I help— oh, good morning." Crap. It was Stark. Bucky hoped he wasn't blushing as he managed to ask, "Your usual?"

"Yeah, thanks cinnamon roll," Stark said, without looking up from his tablet.

Bucky was one hundred percent sure that the nick-name meant absolutely nothing, save for the fact that he worked in a coffee shop which sold pastries like cinnamon rolls. It was far more likely that Stark used nicknames because he didn't actually know the names of anyone here — even the regulars like Bucky and Steve.

Still, as he rang in the large coffee with double espresso shots and a chocolate croissant, he couldn't help but wish that it did mean something.

He managed to retain his neutral customer service mask as he labeled the cup, rang up the order on Stark's tab, warmed up the croissant, and made the drink. He even managed to smile politely as he handed them over, instead of grinning like a lovesick loon.

Bucky was almost proud of how smoothly he'd handled it all until Stark breezed back out the door. Then Stevie clapped him on his good shoulder and teased, "Ooh, I think he likes you, Cinnamon Roll."

"Shuddap," Bucky said, squirming out of his grasp and heading back to the box of lids he'd been restocking.

"I like it better than last week's, Cupcake," added Clint, one of their regulars who was sitting at the table closest to the window, working on his laptop.

"He's never called me Cupcake," Steve helpfully pointed out.

"See if I ever cover a shift for you again," Bucky grumbled half-heartedly. There was absolutely no way the hot young CEO of Stark Industries actually liked him, goofy nicknames notwithstanding. Bucky was plenty aware that a one-armed vet turned barista was no one's idea of a catch.

If only he didn't have such perceptive friends, then his little crush could remain completely tucked away in his fantasies, where it belonged. Bucky wasn't sure when Steve had figured it out, but he desperately wished he could go back and change whatever he'd done that day to make Steve aware of his attraction to Stark. Maybe that way he'd have some peace again.