Out of the corner of her eye Darcy saw the lab technician that had helped move Jane's equipment into the lab start fiddling with the calibration on the mass spec.
"Hey. Don't touch that," she said, not looking up from the inventory form. He paid her no attention, and she stared at the paper as if it would give her patience.
"Oi. You – whasyername – there's about three people in the world Jane trusts to touch her equipment, and I'm pretty sure you're not one of them."
The tech pocketed his screwdriver and tilted his head curiously at her. She raised her eyes to his and caught him smirking at her. Damn. A handsome lab tech. Who would have guessed? Not her.
"Tony Stark. And I'd like to touch your equipment." He leered at her. She mentally crossed 'Handsome Lab Tech' off her list of people bangable in New York for using such a hideous pick up line and scowled at him.
"And I'm Captain America. Pull the other one." She stalked over and poked him in the chest. "Begone."
He held his hands up in defeat and ambled out with a strange grin plastered across his face.
"Darcy. Darcy! Are you listening?" Jane prodded her. Darcy flipped her eyes up from her phone and grimaced.
"Yes…?" she said. Jane rolled her eyes and dragged her toward the elevator. She was surprisingly strong for such a tiny woman.
"Thor wants us to meet the rest of The Avengers."
That got Darcy's attention. "What? Now?" she squealed, then looked down at her outfit. Jeans and a red blouse. Eh. It would do.
"I know! Exciting, isn't it?"
Darcy's brain scrambled to get purchase on the monumental idea that she was going to meet The Avengers. This was cool. Very cool. Ice cold. -459.67 degrees Fahrenheit kind of cold.
The elevator took them up to the communal floor. Four heads swivelled to look at them as the doors slid open. Thor bounced up to greet Darcy with a hug, smothering her view of the others. When he released her, he shared a small smile with Jane, and Darcy realised where Jane had been earlier whilst she'd been unpacking. Ha. Getting her nookie on.
The less recognisable members of the team introduced themselves as Steve, Bruce and Clint, and Darcy contained herself until she met the Black Widow, ahem, Natasha.
"You're my favourite," she said, and resisted the urge to clap a hand over her mouth, utterly mortified by her lack of brain to mouth filter. Natasha gave her a small smile then gestured toward the door to the kitchen.
"And this is the incorrigible Tony Stark," Natasha said and Darcy turned to see Handsome Lab Tech wander into the room, with that irritating smirk plastered over his face.
"Oh shit," Darcy said. Damn that filter.
"Captain America, is it?" he asked. She could see the real Cap twitch on the sofa to her left. She raised an eyebrow. Two could play at that game.
"Still not letting you play with Jane's toys," she said, and gave him a sickeningly sweet smile. He barked a laugh.
"So you're the girl who tazed Thor. Who exactly did you think I was?" he said, eyes bright.
"A lab tech." She paused for dramatic effect, and could hear Clint chortling. "A creepy lab tech."
Steve rested his head in his arms with a sigh. She thought she could hear Thor whisper to Jane that he didn't understand, and Jane whispering back that she didn't either. Pepper Potts chose that moment to enter.
"Tony! What have I been telling you about expensive sexual harassment suits?" Tony waved a hand dismissively at her.
"Hello, and welcome to Avenger's Tower. My name is Virginia Potter, but please, call me Pepper. Thor's told us so much about you, it's wonderful to meet you," Pepper said, shaking both their hands, and Darcy couldn't help but like the woman immediately.
"Nice to meet you too. For the record, if he tries anything funny, I'll just taze him. No need to mess around." Darcy smirked, and both Thor and Tony winced.