AN: This story is dedicated to my wonderful roommate, an avid Tasertricks fan. Wouldn't have made it through this last semester without you, dearest. Much love.

Challenge Prompt: "When you're having fun, have fun, and when you're angry, act angry...and when you want to cry your eyes out, do it! Because after you've cried, you feel better." (Rosette from Chrono Crusade)

Darcy hadn't exactly planned for this to happen. But that was the story of her life, wasn't it? Gorgeous guy falls into her lap, guy turns out to be bad news, guy leaves girl to finish off a three pints of ice cream in record time. Same crap, different day. She kept telling herself that next time it'd be different, that Mr. Perfect had to be out there somewhere. Still, she really should have known better than to get involved this time.

She stabbed her Ben & Jerry's and scraped away another layer of Chocolate Therapy, ruthlessly squashing the little voice in the back of her head that said maybe she should slow down on the desserts. She'd stop eating ice cream when that bastard's face stopped popping up behind her eyelids. Or until she finally crashed from sugar overload. Whichever came first.

Her cell rang again, "Dark Horse" blasting through her speakers for the fifth time that night. She groaned and jabbed the "Ignore" button, finally giving up for the night and just silencing the d-mn thing. Okay, so maybe this time it was more girl kicking guy the h-ll out, but the principle was still pretty much the same. It couldn't have been more than a minute before she heard the house phone's annoying little jingle. She ignored that, too.

Jane hadn't gotten the memo, apparently. Soon after the too-happy ringtone stopped, she knocked quietly on Darcy's bedroom door before letting herself in.

"Darce? Can I come in?"

Darcy snorted and settled back into the obscene amount of pillows and stuffed animals piled against her headboard.

"It's a little late to ask, isn't it? Whatever, I guess it's fine."

Jane gave her a tight smile and sat on the edge of her bed, small hands smoothing out some of the creases.

"I know it's really none of my business, but I thought, maybe…maybe you'd want to talk? To me or—or maybe to Loki?"

Darcy's eyes narrowed and she shoveled another spoonful of ice cream into her mouth.

"You're right. It's not any of your business. And I've already done all the talking I can stomach with that—that—that emotionally constipated brat!"

Jane sighed and pulled her legs up to her chin, making herself seem even smaller than usual.

"I'm not going to pretend that I know what's going on with you two, but whatever it is, it's driving you both crazy. And the rest of us aren't too far behind. Darce, just promise you'll think about talking to him."

Darcy frowned and stabbed her ice cream mindlessly.

"Why should I? And why do you care? I thought you hated the guy."

"I don't hate him. I just think… I just have trouble forgetting that everything before was—you get it, right? I'm trying, I really am. And I think that it's time for you to start trying again, too. Whatever happened between you two, Loki's really trying, you know? I mean, Thor says he's been pacing all night and that he hasn't slept in days and that's got to count for something."

Darcy shoved the ice cream aside and flopped onto her stomach, burying her face deep into the mound of stuffies and soft pillows. She felt Jane slip off the bed.

"Everyone deserves a second chance, Darce. Just remember that, okay?"

And with that, Darcy was alone again. She sniffled and picked her head up just enough to catch a glimpse of her cell phone, sitting oh so innocently next to her favorite pillow. After a moment's consideration she grabbed the thing and dialed up her voicemail before she could change her mind.

She listened to every message the so-called God of Mischief had left her, smiling to herself as the messages got longer and the god got even more creative. She hung up before she finished listening to the most recent recording and hit speed dial, keeping the phone pressed tightly against her ear. The phone might have rang for all of a second before a breathless voice answered.

"Darcy?"

Maybe Loki wasn't as emotionally constipated as she'd thought.