AN- "Imagine your OTP as teenagers, where person A is one of the popular kids while person B is just another nerd, but when prom rolls around person A asks them out, not caring that they probably just ruined their social status." Yupp, another Tumblr prompt. I regret nothing. It turned into a high school AU, so no, Sif is not a God this time. Damn. But come on, this is what, the seventh fanfic in the fanbase for Sif and Darcy? Its sad, really.
Darcy was the little guy, in school. She always had been, and had never expected anything less. So when she got to high school, and she was still the most unpopular nerd in school, it was nothing new to her. She was left alone to watch people in the back corner of the room, pretending she didn't exist at all, ignoring the snide comments almost always directed towards her. She wasn't too bothered with this, it was just that, sometimes, she wished she had a friend that wasn't over the internet, so far away. She typed out a message to her friend, before heading into the physics class on her first day of senior year, taking her customary seat in the back. With her phone turned off, Darcy had nothing else to do but to watch the others out of the corner of her eye as they entered. That was when the popular group in her grade made their appearance. She could see them, circling outside the door as they finished up their seemingly endless conversations. She knew them all, or rather, had heard of them all. There was Thor, the leader of their group, and his brother Loki. They were attractive, Thor with long golden hair and light scruff on his chin, Loki with a more rock- style type of hairdo that wasn't on Darcy's favorite list. Then there was another golden haired man, Fandral, a man with bright orange hair that they called by the name as Volstagg, and an asian boy with short hair pulled back, by the name of Hogun. And last, was the only woman in the group. Or at least, the only consistent woman in the group. For the first two years of high school it was absolutely obvious that she and Thor were an item. There were always standing close to one another, holding hands, making out, or doing something else commonly seen in the school halls. Then, part of the way through junior year, it was Sif and Loki. Not that that particular arrangement lasted long at all. Now, she was standing further away from both of them, Fandral and Hogun on each side of her, her back to Darcy.
The nerd swallowed thickly, her eyes tracing the lines of Sif's back, the curve of her hips and thighs, lingering on her ass. Darcy bit down on her lip trying to focus instead on the broad shoulders, the long, slightly curled hair that fell to her lower Darcy stared, she wondered which one of them was in the same class as she was, who she was going to look most pathetic in front of. She assumed, right off the bat, that it would most definitely not be either Thor or Volstagg. They simply weren't the extra- science type. She was trying to decide between Loki, Hogun, Fandral, or any combination of the three, when Sif raised a hand to them, turning on a heel to step into the classroom. Darcy found herself trying to simply breathe like a normal person for a few moments, when the stunning woman took the seat directly to her right, at the same table. Darcy leaned forward on her arm, trying not to get quite so distracted by the woman next to her, trying to bury the attraction towards the other woman beneath stacks of knowledge, of rational thought. Over the next month, Darcy found herself wondering how exactly she was surviving such an arrangement, and minor details about the senior. How her eyes were a bright, mischievous hazel that seemed to reflect every emotion she was feeling. How completely perfect and attractive she was the softness of her skin when they brushed fingertips in the act of passing equipment to one another. And, most importantly in Darcy's opinion, how infuriatingly bored they both were in the class. And then there was something else entirely. Darcy wasn't anywhere near certain, but she had the nagging suspicion that Sif was, if only occasionally, watching her. Watching her, in the same manner that she watched Sif.
Sif, however, had beaten Darcy to class one day. And the nerdy girl would forever remember that singular day for two reasons; one because she didn't have the privilege to watch the dark haired beauty strut down the break between the tables as if it was a runway, and the second because Sif looked horrifyingly upset. Working up the courage in an expanse of time that was entirely too long, Darcy reached out to touch the pale, ivory arm.
"Hey, you alright?" She whispered, just loud enough for the dark- haired woman to hear. Sif glared at her, the power in her gaze a false reality, as she nodded her head yes. Biting the inside of her cheek, Darcy turned away, leaving her on her own for a few moments, before she shook her head, rolling her eyes to the ceiling, diverting her eyes to watch the other woman, who was desperately trying to cover her face. She let out an exasperated sigh, shaking her head in the other direction finally, long, dark hair shimmering with the expression.
"No." It was a hoarse whisper, and Darcy wet her bottom lip, inching her stool closer to Sif's side, resting her hand on the other woman's arm. If Darcy had paused to think about her actions, she would have laughed at herself, at how well she paralleled some sickly- romantic love story with an obvious plot, and an even more obvious ending. But she didn't, instead opening her book with one hand and turning the majority of her attention towards the slides their teacher was setting up. They were roughly a quarter of the way through their lecture when she felt Sif lean against her, head resting against her shoulder, tears seeping into the shoulder of her sweater. They were silent tears, yet they still seemed to speak volumes to the loner; a story she couldn't quite understand the details of just yet. By the time the lecture had finished, the light in the room brightening again, Sif had pulled away from the brunette, regaining at least the outer shell of her composure, and was just about running out of the room. Darcy bit her lip again, trying to shake the vague sense of connection she had felt between them, yet she couldn't get the scent of cinnamon, and something so distinctly Sif out of her head. She was half way home when the hum of a motorcycle evened out beside her, drawing her attention from the music blaring in her ears to the vehicle. She swallowed at the dark hair that fell down the driver's back, the startlingly hazel- green eyes. "Can I talk to you?" The woman shouted, kicking her left leg out to support the weight of the bike when Darcy had stopped, yanking out her headphones.
"Um... Yea, sure." She stammered, unable to comprehend the conversation. "Here, or...?" Sif nodded to the park they were only a few feet from, and Darcy nodded, coiling her iPod and shoving it in her pocket as the other woman headed towards the small parking lot, cutting the engine as Darcy watched. She was still watching when Sif stood to her full height, a little over four inches taller than herself, dipping her head regally to remove the protective guard, hanging it over the handle of the bike. Darcy found herself swallowing as she headed towards the swings, a place she had always come when she wanted some privacy, despite the children in the neighborhood. Sif took a seat next to her, chewing on her lip for a few moments.
"I wanted to say... I'm sorry. For today. And... Thank you." Darcy traced the sharp features of the other woman with her eyes, as she gazed over the small pond before them, her cheeks steadily coloring.
"I... No problem. I mean, well you know what I mean. There was obviously a problem, but it wasn't anything to do with me, and... I'm rambling. Sorry." She blushed, dropping her head in embarrassment. After a few moments of silence, she risked a glance in the direction of the taller woman, who had the faintest hint of a smile on her lips. "So... What happened? If its okay, to... You know." Sif pursed her lips, drawing in a deep breath, her chest rising, drawing Darcy's eyes for the briefest moment before refocusing back up on her face.
"Its stupid."
"Stupid shit happens to everyone." Sif's head whipped to the side, her eyes sparkling with a feeling that Darcy was more than familiar with. She drew in a sharp breath at the very idea that the popular senior would even so much consider the thought that she wasn't good enough for something. Or.. Someone.
"Have you ever... Had someone you thought you loved, chase after someone else? And been forced, every day, to watch?" Darcy clenched her teeth, internally conflicted over the woman's words. She wanted to say no, but she wasn't so sure that was the true answer to Sif's question. She had been more than attracted to the dark haired beauty sitting right beside her, had loathed every person that Sif paid attention to. Envied Thor, Loki, her closest friends.
"I... I think so." She whispered faintly. Sif just nodded, biting her lip again as she watched the fading light glitter over wind- created ripples in pond water. "He deserves to be smacked." Sif tilted her head to the side.
"Excuse me?"
"Thor. Someone should smack him, for making you cry. Maybe we should try smack in a box*. It would probably knock some sense into him. If he was lucky. God, he's so stupid to even consider the idea that there's a girl any better than you. I mean, you're..." Darcy realized just how much she was saying, stopping abruptly. Sif raised an eyebrow.
"I'm...?" Darcy swallowed, shrugging as if it was no big deal.
"You're just you. You know what, maybe he's not worth it. You should have someone that likes you for you." Sif smiled, a soft, small curve of her lips. She waited a few more minutes before rising from the swing, checking the time.
"Come on, we should both probably be getting home. You'll get home alright?" Darcy nodded quickly. "Alright. Cool. Then... I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Physics, at eight fifteen." Sif laughed, turning the key in the ignition for her motorcycle, straddling the beast. She still held her helmet in her hands.
"You know, Darcy, you're funny. And seriously. Thank you." Darcy just smiled, waving as she headed down the path by herself. When she was out of sight of the other woman, she couldn't help but squeal inwardly. She had actually held a coherent conversation with Sif! And it wasn't just about the laws of physics, and gravity, and stupid, trivial matters such as that. It was on February fourteenth, however, that Darcy was watching over her shoulder as she withdrew a small bag out of her backpack, placing it on Sif's stool, being absolutely careful that not a soul noticed. She bit down on her lip, opening her notes and appearing to study as the others filtered in. She was still watching out of the corner of her eye, when Sif's mouth turned into a slight smile, hazel eyes flicking over to Darcy before around the leaned over, placing a quick kiss to the girl's cheek, causing Darcy to spasm, falling off the stool as she gasped for breath. The brunette rolled her eyes, bracing her arms beside her ribs as she rose slowly, grasping Sif's arm when it was offered to her. She slid back onto the stool, attempting to dip her head to her notes, only to notice A small bag, much like her own. With a blush, she turned, only to find hazel eyes sparkling with something like a challenge, and then something more that she couldn't quite place. Opening the bag under the desk, out of sight, much like Sif was doing just then, Darcy blushed at the silver necklace, withdrawing it to clip behind her neck with only a little bit of struggling, as was typical per clasps on such jewelry. She saw Sif bite down on her lip as she opened the small box hidden within a piece or two of tissue paper, clipping the silver piece of jewelry around her wrist immediately. Late February was when Darcy started crawling back inside her shell, however. She disappeared into the shadows of the room, seldom spoke to anyone. It was just that time of year that nerds, as she had been proven to still be, tried their hardest to run from, yet still couldn't hide. Sif had finally brought her motorcycle out after long winter months of being stuck in her car, finally glad for a chance to feel the wind in her hair again. However, as far as the classes were concerned, it was as if the situation of the two women had been reversed; Sif tried her hardest to get Darcy to talk to her, but couldn't seem to make contact.
"Just ask her." Fandral told her, leaning against the gates of the school. They were a few paces from the other guys, talking in hushed tones despite the roar of all the people in the yard. Sif's eyes wandered over countless people, searching. "She's probably scared, Sif. You're stunning, beautiful, popular. She's, well. She doesn't see herself as any of those things." He amended, when the woman turned firing eyes in his direction.
"If she says no, you better make me a backup plan fast."
"What, leave you to Thor's teasing? Never. I'll go with you myself. But she won't say no." He rested a hand on her forearm. "Just bring her somewhere quiet, ask her, and keep it to yourself. You won't catch me telling anyone." Sif grit her teeth, nodding, tuning in when Thor said her name. With a roll of her eyes, she flipped him the bird as she stalked away from his teasing that she hadn't been asked to the senior prom yet. What he didn't know wouldn't hurt him, she thought, thinking back to the fifteen other boys that had all but begged her to go with them. She wove her way out of the throngs of people, leaning against her bike as she waited, and it was only a few more minutes, the helmet getting heavier in her hand each passing tick of the clock she couldn't hear. When Darcy finally appeared, hood high up over her head, shielding her face, Sif intercepted her.
"Darcy, do you have a bit?"
"Sif, now... Now's not a really good time. Can it wait until tomorrow?"
"I'd rather not, Darcy." She continued, following the shorter girl. "It'll be quick, I promise."
"Look, but there's all these people, and-" Sif stopped her with a hand on her elbow, holding out her spare helmet.
"Please." It must have been something in the taller woman's eyes, because Darcy felt herself melting in the hazel gaze. Either that, or it was the prospect of being on Sif's motorcycle with her.
"Yea. Sure. Okay." She took the helmet, Sif offering her a hairband before taking the short distance back to her bike, twisting the key before she could have second thoughts. Her own helmet closed tightly around her head, drowning out the unimportant part of the world, Darcy's arms locking tightly around her waist, nose buried in her shoulder.
"Comfortable?" She heard a quiet affirmation, a nod against her shoulder. Sif walked back, watching over her shoulder in order to make sure they didn't run anyone over, because, well, that would be bad. As soon as they turned onto the road, Darcy's grip tightened reflexively, and Sif hit the throttle, going just above the speed limit only slightly to the right of the yellow line. Whenever a car came near to them, Sif would slide towards the white line, before returning, and Darcy was relaxing against her back within minutes. She was slowing down over a time that was much too short, however, pulling into the parking lot of the park they had first really spoken in. When Sif parked, she tightened her legs against the ground, turning her head back in order to watch Darcy as she pulled off her helmet. The smaller brunette swung her leg over, crossing her arms as if she was holding herself together, just being there. As they headed towards the main section of the park, Darcy was the first to speak up.
"So... What did you want to tell me?" She asked simply, with a tiny voice. Sif wet her lip, inhaling.
"I.. I wanted to ask you... I wanted to know if you were going to prom with anyone." She mumbled, biting the corner of her lip. Darcy simply grit her teeth, shaking her head.
"Nope. Why would anyone ever ask someone like me? Come on, Sif. I'm not like you. I'm not popular, or pretty, or anything of the sort, I'm just... Me. And no one likes me." Sif grabbed her hand, making her stop.
"Go with me. Because I like you." Sif paused for a moment, trying to figure out the other girl's reaction, and when she didn't say anything, released her hand, rubbing the back of her head. "Um... Plea-" The word never finished, because the shorter, smaller one hand latched onto her jaw, tilting her head down before their mouths had met in a kiss that, initially, startled Sif, not that she took any break in time before responding in full.
"Oh my." Darcy whispered, Sif's fingers tangling in her sweatshirt, as if to hold her there.
"So is this a yes?" She asked back, smirking slightly, eyes half- lidded. Darcy grinned, close to laughing, eyes glinting with the emotion.
"Am I aloud to kiss you again?"
"Yes."
"Then of course its a yes!" The exclamation was quickly followed by Darcy being lifted off the ground, her arms thrown around Sif's neck as they shared another, only slightly longer kiss, Darcy sliding her hands down until her fingertips were just barely over Sif's collarbone. "You know, you're going to catch Hell for taking me. Ruined social status, Jokes from your friends, the whole deal."
"Thor's been at it already, and Fandral and Hogun won't be saying much of anything. And as far as anything else, to Hell with that shit." Darcy slipped her hands into Sif's hair, tangling there. They both found the new arrangement in their relationship highly satisfactory, and Sif didn't find herself to be nervous, until she was stepping out of her car and towards the house of her girlfriend halfway through the month of May. Ringing the doorbell She shifted in stiletto heeled boots, her floor- length gown flaring from her hips, but gathered in her hand in order to not touch the ground. The door swung open almost immediately, and Sif's breath caught when she first saw Darcy in a dark red halter topped gown that hugged her form, it was hard enough not to pull her closer immediately. There were pictures taken, Darcy's parents commenting every few seconds on how beautiful both of them looked. Finally, they were on their way to the ballroom where it was being held, Darcy's hand resting on Sif's thigh as she drove.
"No bike tonight?"
"Disappointed?" Darcy laughed, answering in the affirmative quickly. "Its difficult to not freeze your ass off in a dress, on the bike. I've done it before. You brought pants for tomorrow though, so we can take the monster back.
"Awesome." They were quiet for awhile, before Sif handed her car over to the valet, hooking her arm through the other woman's as they entered. Darcy's grip tightened reflexively, nervously.
"Relax." Sif breathed. " You're beautiful." With one hand resting behind against Darcy's back, the two of them headed towards a group that Darcy had only seen from afar. She paused.
"Sif-"
"They'll love you. I promise. It'll be alright." Darcy nodded a little bit, since people were finding their sets everywhere she looked, gathering in small groups all around the room. Fandral was the first to see them, and he grinned, Sif's face lighting up with the same emotion.
"He looks happy to see you."
"That's Fandral. He's glad you said yes, so that he didn't have to go with me." Darcy tilted her head to the side, laughing quietly. "I should warn you, I'm a pretty awful dancer."
"That's alright, so am I." Sif smiled, shouldering Fandral out of the way to make room for them in the circle, her arms looped loosely around Darcy's waist as she rested her nose in the dark hair. "To our right is Fandral, your biggest supporter, and his friend, Talia. To our left is Hogun. He's kind of quiet. Really good at chess though. Then, past Hogun is Volstagg, the one who looks tough. Trust me, he's a huge teddy bear. Loki is past Fandral, and then of course you know Thor, and his girl Jane." Darcy nodded, her eyes flicking around the circle as Sif whispered in her ear. "Then I heard these rumors about some woman named Sif? Have you ever heard of her?" Darcy smirked.
"I believe I have. Tall, drop dead beautiful, the whole deal?"
"Mmm, you flatter me." She whispered.
"Well its probably good, because Thor's staring.
"He's jealous." Sif could imagine Darcy's eyebrow raising at the thought, before she flicked her eyes towards the blonde man, pulling Darcy flush against her chest. "Yea, he's jealous of you. Because you're mine."