Inkling Cafe
Author's Note: Hello! *wave* This is a fict that entered my head and wouldn't let go after reading other cafe inspired stories and drinking coffee. While most of this is going to be light hearted there will be some tough scenes and themes later on (much later on) and there will be warnings posted before each chapter. This is more of an outlet while I work on another fict so updates will be infrequent and there really won't be any set update time.
No, I do not own the Avengers or anything Marvel-esque. Please don't sue me.
Without further a do,
Enjoy.
Chapter One: Vision
"The only thing I know for sure about today is coffee. Everything else is just wild speculation."
~Nanea Hoffman
Manhattan Island, New York
He was so freaking close it was almost sad when he realized he could not, in fact, reach the top of the menu. He huffed and tried to stretch further, ignoring the voice in his head that said this was a really bad idea. The ladder he was standing on rocked ominously and he stilled for a moment before trying again, reaching out with long fingers which almost, but didn't, reach the menu. By the time he realized his position was compromised it was too late to rectify his mistake; should have just asked Carl, not that Carl would actually help him.
He let out a small shriek as the ladder finally fell only to be caught a second later by someone who he was undoubtedly going to give free coffee to, " Thank you for catching me Mr.-"
He paused as he looked up into the face of one of the new members of the Avengers. The man was magenta, wore a gold cape, and had a yellow gem stuck in the middle of his forehead.
"You should really be more careful," he said, gently setting the barista down, "and I would refrain from climbing any more ladders in the future."
"I will keep that in mind," said the barista, picking up the ladder and setting it aside to be put away later, "no more ladders."
He brushed a piece of white hair aside and looked up at the Avenger, "I assume you did not just come in here to save random falling baristas, so what can I help you with?"
The man handed him a piece of paper with a list of coffees for the various members of the Avengers. The barista barely glanced at the list before starting to make the coffees while the magenta colored Avenger looked around the cafe.
It was quaint. The cafe was situated about a block from Avengers tower which allowed the patrons who sat in the rooftop gardens, to admire the gleaming tower that housed the famous heroes. Inside the cafe itself, there were lounge chairs and squishy armchairs with small round tables to set drinks on while one perused the numerous bookshelves around the room. It was not so much a hipster cafe as more something the owner had created based off the famous Eagle and Child in England. It was even called the Inkling Cafe based off the famous group of authors that used to sit in the Eagle and Child and talk about their novels.
The barista looked up from the latte machine and saw the Avenger looking at the menu with amusement, "I did not realize that there were coffee drinks named after the Avengers."
The barista didn't bother to glance at the menu; he knew it all by heart, "Yes, it was something the owner thought would attract more customers and show a little of our appreciation for what the Avengers did here and now Sokovia. Although, you did destroy an entire city; you had a lot of people talking about that, some were unsure whether or not the Avengers should be the defense force for New York."
The magenta Avenger looked down and started sorting out the sugar packets, "Yes. I am aware that many people see the Avengers as an unregulated force that only concerns itself with issues that they deem worthy. I fear that this development will cause issues further in the future."
The barista hummed in acknowledge as he finished the last of the coffees; an Americano which he was positive was for Captain America, "Well whatever the world thinks, I will still support the Avengers; I do enjoy being alive."
The barista gave the Avenger a small smile as he set the last drink on the counter and ducked down behind it to grabs trays. The Avenger placed the sugar packets back in their containers, color assorted, "If you don't mind me asking, what were you doing on the ladder?"
"Hmmm?"
"When I caught you after you fell, what were you trying to do?"
The barista straightened back up with three trays in his hands, "I was trying to replace an old coffee name with a new one, but I couldn't quite reach it and, well, you know the rest."
The Avenger glanced at the menu then at the barista who was putting the coffees in the trays, "If you would like, I can change the name for you."
The barista looked up, "Would you? It needs to be changed before the owner gets back from her vacation with her girlfriend."
He handed the magenta Avenger the new name, "Just slide the old one out and slide this one in."
The barista went back to sticking the coffees in the trays while the Avenger changed the name. When he was done the barista exchanged the old name for three trays of coffee that he helped balance in the arms of the Avenger. When the barista looked up at the menu he saw the new name and blushed lightly as he turned back to the amused Avenger, " It must be destiny that you came in here."
The Avenger gave him a smile and somehow managed to free a hand and not drop any coffee, "Hello, I'm Vision."
The barista smiled and gently shook his hand, "Victory."
He helped rearrange the coffee trays in Vision's arms before asking him to wait a moment and disappeared into the kitchen. Vision waited quietly, ignoring the not very, discrete looks the other patrons of the cafe were giving him. When Victory came back he had a purple and gold drink in his hand, "For catching me," he explained as he expertly managed to stick the drink named after the present Avenger among the other coffees, "I don't know if you drink, but you can always give it to one of your teammates."
Vision nodded, "I am sure I will see you again, Mr. Stark thinks your coffee is a gift from heaven."
Victory laughed, "In that case, you should probably go; don't want to keep Iron man from his coffee."
He watched as Vision carefully walked out the doors before turning to his next patron.
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