Disclaimer: I do not own the original canon nor am I making any profit from writing this piece. All works are accredited to their original authors, performers, and producers while this piece is mine. No copyright infringement is intended. I acknowledge that all views and opinions expressed herein are merely my interpretations of the characters and situations found within the original canon and may not reflect the views and opinions of the original author(s), producer(s), and/or other people.
Warnings: This story may contain material that is not suitable for all audiences and may offend some readers. Please utilize understanding of personal sensitivities before and while reading.
Author's Note: JARVIS is a terrifying feat of programming. He's also the biggest shipper of them all.
Dedication: So, I'm still blaming Aya Diefair for all of this 'verse, because she requested the first part. It's now spawning out of all control.
Challenge/Competition Block:
Stacked with: Lessons Learned; Not Commonwealth; Sky's the Limit; Terms of Service; Fem Power Challenge; Sapphic September
Representation(s): Pepper Potts; Bisexuality; Interns; Darcy Lewis
Bonus Challenge(s): Sitting Hummingbird; Uncivil Obedience; Second Verse (Bechdel Test; Not a Lamp; Ladylike – Business Demeanor; Clio's Conclusion); Second Verse (Tomorrow's Shade; Unicorn - Bisexuality; Lock & Key; Fruit Fly; Endless Wonder)
Secondary Bonus Challenges: Schooner (Pepper/Darcy); Sanctuary
Word Count: 1126
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Fruit Verse
Pomegranate Pact
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"There's always truth in seduction. That's why it works." – Zoe Archer
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Darcy spotted her as soon as she walked in the door and choked as her mouthful of berry smoothie went down the wrong way. Everything about the woman commanded attention, from the very professional updo to the heels that perfectly matched her plum dress suit. Darcy had no problems giving her that attention either. She was an equal opportunity ogler. She had no delusions that she would luck into a decent relationship with any of the hot people she had met, but just because one wouldn't be able to touch, it didn't mean that a girl couldn't look, right? Especially when the woman was wearing the kind of heels that could kill a person and had a power strut that suggest that she probably could do it while making it enjoyable.
Darcy would be lying if she didn't admit that she was tempted to make some kind of offer, despite how unlikely it was that the woman would be interested in a lowly intern like Darcy Lewis.
She blinked and reassessed with the quickness that working with Jane had taught her.
The woman was headed directly for her and Jane's section of the lab. This could be better than any dream Darcy had ever had, or it could be a horrible repeat of the Palo Alto debacle that had left Jane with a broken heart and both of them going through enough batteries that they should look into stock options.
She never did get her iPod back from those government meatheads.
"Darcy Lewis?" the woman asked. Darcy bit back the overenthusiastic response that had immediately come to mind, but it was close. Probably closer than it should have been given how long she had been Jane's intern and unofficial wrangler. Something about this woman made Darcy want to drop to her knees and beg. It had been a long time since she had felt that particular urge.
"Depends on who's asking," Darcy replied, thankfully sounding suspicious instead of horny. Or at least she had thought she had managed, but the woman raised a single eyebrow as if she somehow knew that Darcy was wondering if she would taste as good as she looked. To keep from blurting out a confession, Darcy took another pull on the straw of her smoothie. Unfortunately, there was not any way of hiding the flush turning her face red.
"I'm Virginia Potts, CEO of Stark Industries," she said, her hands delicately folded near her waistline instead of being extended for a handshake. Darcy choked again. The goddess in front of her was the CEO in charge of the largest company in the world and the company that served as proof that profitability did not have to come at the cost of the employees or the customers.
Darcy abruptly remembered that she was only barely above 'newly homeless' in terms of being put together. She had been following Jane around the countryside the last three days as there had been another surge of the weather conditions that had heralded Thor's appearance last year. Then their days had been spent organizing the gathered data. Jane was almost ready to post a paper on her new theories concerning Einstein-Rosen Bridges, which Darcy would be listed as a secondary author. That would be awesome, but in the meantime, it meant very little sleep and zero energy to waste on cute makeup and more than the bare minimum effort on fighting with her hair.
"Oh, fuck me," Darcy said before she could stop herself. Potts raised that eyebrow again before very deliberately giving Darcy a lookover that had her gut clenching in sudden arousal. The idea of begging was starting to look even better, especially since Darcy was certain that this woman might appreciate it.
"Maybe later," she quipped with a predatory glint in her eyes. Her coral lipstick looked kissably glossy as she gave Darcy a sharp smile. "But for right now, I've been sent to collect you and Dr. Foster for your own protection. Is there anything which should not be allowed to fall into SHIELD's hands and would not be included in a digital transfer? JARVIS will take care of that aspect."
"Jane's been keeping drafts of the paper and all our research notes on her person." Darcy hadn't meant to say that. Jane had started that habit after SHIELD had stolen all her previous research. Getting it back had been like pulling teeth and even then, not all of it had been returned. Her iPod was not the only thing missing. "I didn't mean to say that."
"I assure you, Ms. Lewis, that I have no intention to interfere with Dr. Foster's work or usurp her control over her intellectual property."
Potts sounded nothing less than professional, but something about how she was holding herself said that anyone trying to do so would be in for a world of hurt. Darcy would be lying if she didn't say that she wouldn't mind watching that. A woman as poised and collected as Virginia Potts would probably be just as elegant when extracting revenge. Darcy licked her lips before taking another sip of her smoothie. The little voice in her head that tended to get her into terrible relationships wondered if the other woman would taste just as sweet as the pomegranate juice that dominated Darcy's smoothie.
"That's, uh, good," Darcy babbled. "I believe you—and you should call me 'Darcy'. I would like it."
"Then you should call me 'Pepper'," she said. Darcy could think of a few other titles that she would like to call Pepper, but before she could say anything further, Pepper continued. "Where is Dr. Foster?"
"Probably either still in the bathroom, scribbling on the mirror, or somewhere between there and here but doing something similar," Darcy replied after a moment of thought. Pepper nodded and gestured for Darcy to lead the way. Nervous but trying not to show it, Darcy obeyed. As she passed Pepper, she plucked Darcy's smoothie from her hand and took a quick suck. Then she handed it back as if she hadn't just fried Darcy's brain with the knowledge that every sip from then on would be a secondhand kiss. "Oh, fuck me," Darcy said again, unable to stop the curse with the images now bouncing around her head.
"The chances are looking better," Pepper agreed. She placed her hand on the small of Darcy's back, commanding without needing to exert any force. Darcy wanted to melt into the touch, despite the strangeness of the situation. "Shall we?"
Darcy led the way out of the lab, Pepper's hand a powerful anchor on her back.
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An Ending
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