The characters belong to Marvel/Disney (I wish I own them) and I don't get any profit from this writing.

STARK BEANS COFFEE

Virginia Potts was getting late to her first accounting class at the New York University and needed a coffee urgently. Around the corner of the street she saw a "Stark Beans Coffee" franchise signal. *Great* she thought and rushed her way into the coffee shop. She immediately got to the stand and asked for a machiatto caramel to the first barista she saw coming her way. She was stressed thinking about her first class, not wanting to fall asleep there, her fears of being alone in a new city… So Virginia didn't gave much attention to the man. His name tag said only "Tony". He smiled at her. But she didn't gave him a second look as she was too busy looking desperately for money on her purse. She grabbed the coins and left them on the table. And then went away to wait for her beverage. When the barista gave it to her the paper cup was wearing an electric blue post- it and it said "For Pepper" and a drawing of a heart circled the strange name. Virginia wondered if maybe he had served her the wrong coffee but it tasted like a machiatto caramel, so she took it and started running again towards the faculty.

When she finished drinking the coffee and before tossing the empty papper cup into the trash can, she smiled to herself wondering about that weird nickname and trying to form the barista's face in her mind. To no avail.

Time passed by and Virginia returned to that coffee shop every morning at the same hour. She finally discovered the face of her mysterious guy. And she always awaited for the momment that she would be crossing looks and smiles with the handsome as hell barista with dark eyes and dark hair and those beautiful smiles. Until that Thursday, when a telephone number was attached to the blue post it under the usual "For Pepper" inside the heart.

Virginia's own heart jumped inside her chest at the possibility of meeting "Tony" in a personal situation. She felt her pulse racing at the mere though of having a date with him.

She talked that morning with all her faculty friends about wheter or not she should accept going on a date with the handsome barista. And her best friend, Nat was the one who tried the most to convince her very vehemently.

"Virginia, look it's about time one of you made a move. You have been going to that coffee shop every morning during the last three months. Come on!"

"Not EVERY morning… " Virginia tried to defend herself.

"Yeah minus those days you were sick and didn't even got up from your bed or the days you went on vacation to see your family. Those doesn't count. You have been going there willingly to see that man. So yeah. Call him. Now. Or I'll do it for you and I'll set up a surprise date for both of you. You know I'm very capable of doing that"

Natasha winked at her, and Virginia ended promising her to call him.

So, when class ended that day she did.

"Tony?, Uh… It's me… Uh, Pepper? The girl from the machiatto caramel?" She hoped he would remember her and that it wasn't a habit for him to attach his pone number to mysterious women's coffee cups.

"Yeah… I know who you are…" He answered. "I didn't know if you would call me, but I had to try…" Virginia couldn't tell how she knew, but she was sure that he was smiling. "Would you… Maybe… Do you want to go on a date with me?" Suddenly he sounded anxious by the other end of the line.

"Yes, I was… I was calling because I wanted to see you…" She added nervously.

"Do you have anything to do tonight?"

"No. Tonight's good. Fine"

"See you in the coffee shop at eight in the evening."

"Okay. I'll be there." That went fast, Virginia thought to herself as she ended the call.

That evening Virginia Potts was in front of the "Stark Beans Coffee" shop wearing a yellow flowers dress and a brown jacket. Her hair beautifully curled up and with high hopes about the dinner. When she entered trough the door, Tony was there, dressed in a black shirt and blue dark jeans, a black leather jacket crumbled over the chair next to the table he was waiting on. It was a table for two. With a single candle in the middle and some salad already served awaiting for them. He stood up and went to greet her.

"Wow, Pepper you look stunning tonight. Welcome." He smiled and grabbed her jacket.

"Tony… That's your name right? That's what your nametag said" She pointed the spot near his heart where he used to wear it during work hours. He nodded and smiled at her broadley. There it was again another 100 vats smile of his. She felt giddy just looking at him. "Can I ask you why did you nicknamed me Pepper?" She was curious, so so curious.

He looked into her eyes and his hand caressed her nose, tenderly.

"For your freckles. They cover all your face. It's cute. I had never met a girl with so much freckles…"

She blushed a little and smiled back at him. He caught her hand in his and started to walk towards the disposed table with her jacket still in his arm. He opened her chair for her and left her jacket in a near chair, close to hers.

"I'll bring the dinner. Some wine?"

"Please" She asked happily.

Tony served her and went to the kitchen. He had made two omelets with french fries. Virginia smiled.

"So romantic" She pointed out ironically.

He dishveled his hair looking puzzled.

"I'm an enormous disaster at cooking. But I thought it would be better if I did something myself, rather than calling a catering service… Even if it was only an omelet"

He looked like a lost puppy caught in fault.

"It looks edible and I appreciate the thought" She winked him an eye and started eating. It was good after all.

Some great chatting and an amazing time later, Pepper (come on, when had her brain started to refer to herself like that?, she didn't even know. It must have been the wine) looked around their surroundings curiously. They were there alone and it was way the hour of closing. She pointed around them.

"It's yours? This local I mean... I know it's a franchise. So this franchise must be yours… That or you are employee of the month and asked for a pretty big favour…"

Tony wiped his mouth with a napkin and then said:

"Well, yeah. I think I never told you my surname." He smiled at her mischievously and wringled his eyebrows suggestively. "I'm Tony Stark"

Pepper wide opened her bright blue eyes surprised.

"Stark as in "Stark Beans Coffee"? Like the name of the entire franchise?"

He nodded affirmatively, clearly enjoying the situation.

"Yeah. In fact, it's my family coffee shops franchise."

"You are the son of Howard and Maria Stark?"

"Yeah. One and the same" He winked at her, clearly amused.

Pepper was visibly angry now, her nostrils flaring visibly. Tony thought it was a very good look in her. He could grow very fond of this.

"But I thought you were a barista!? That you worked here? Oh my God! I never thought… That you were the owner!"

She got up from her chair, grabbed her jacket and started to walk towards the exit. But Tony was faster and grabbed her by the elbow. She turned to look at him.

"And that changes what?" He asked very worried with her reaction…

"I… I… You lied to me!" She pointed an accusatory finger towards him. He thought it was so cute.

"Technically I never lied to you" Tony answered calmly, letting her go. "You see, the first time you entered trough that door we had just opened the local the day before. I was teaching my new employees how to attend clients correctly. You came in a hurrican demanding your machiatto and I served you happily. I thought I'll never see your beautiful freckles again, but there you were the next morning, and the next. I should have left that same week, once the shop was running smoothly. But I just couldn't, because you kept coming every morning and I wanted to serve you your coffe because that way I could see you again. I wanted to see your face every day… So I told my dad a big lie about this shop needing more supervision in order to start making money and I stayed."

Pepper was now astonished, breathing hard. So the feeling was mutual then. They both had wanted to see the other every morning during three months.

Both their hearts pounded heavily in their chests. Blue steel eyes looking into dark brown eyes keeping up the gaze. Time stopped in that momment. No sound to hear. Only the fast beating of two hearts.

"I… I don't know what to say…" She finally broke the silence.

"Don't say anything, then…"

Tony approached her and one second later they were kissing each other passionately. He roamed his hands trough her back and she threw her hands around his neck not wanting to let go of him never again. When they parted both were panting heavily, their heads dizzy and their lungs yearning for air.

"Wow that was…"

"Oh God, Stark shut up" She said kissing him again.

When the second kiss ended, both smiled to each other happily.

"Hey, do you want to eat the dessert? I have chocolate cake…" He said, trying to catch his breath, obviously nervouse. "I didn't cook it, I promise. That was Anna, my cook. She makes the cakes for all the franchise shops"

She noticed he talked fast when he was anxious. She found it extremely cute.

"Yeah, let's taste it" She smiled happily to him as both returned to their seats in the small table.

Some time later Pepper broke the ice again.

"So, you are Maria Stark's son then... The Queen Of Coffee... I loved that cover your parents did for Forbes last year"

"Yep, that's mom" He smiled broadley at her again.

"I study accounting" Pepper clarified "I like to read Forbes when I have some free time, being aware of the changes on the Fortune 500 companies and all that..."

"Sounds boring... Mom's going to love you, though..." He said, and suddenly thought about something "Hey! I'm a little ashamed I didn't ask you sooner but... What's your name, Pep? Your real name?"

She smiled at him and made him wait in awe for her response.

"Virginia. Virginia Potts"

"What?!" Tony made a shocked face. "It doesn't suit you at all. No offense. I think I'll keep calling you Pepper. It's decided"

"By who?" She protested "I don't like it" Virginia teased him jokingly.

"You'll get used to it" He replied teasing her back. "I'm sure"

"We'll see" And she chewed a good piece of cake slowly. But Pepper knew she was already feeling used to it. That nickname sounded so good when he called her like that. It was like all was perfect in the world when he smiled and called her Pepper.

He didn't say anything more and keep eating too.

"It's sweet" She said momments later, the fork full of more cake in her hand.

"Yeah, Anna is a very good chef… She's been working for my family for years…" He retorted, losing himself into those beautiful blue eyes again.

"Not that, YOU. What you did, serving me coffee all those days… That was sweet, you know…"

Tony smiled. His eyes bright with emotion. In that momment he knew he never would feel alone again. The future was going to be great with Pepper at his side.

There it is this college/coffe shop AU my mind came with for Pepperony Week Day 6... ^^

Unbetaed, sorry for the mistakes ;)