Disclaimer: I do not own the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I don't own part of a time share on South Padre Island, either. If you want to give me a free all-expenses-paid vacation, though, I'm not going to say no.

Soulmark AU reminder: people are born with a tattoo of the first words their Soulmate will say, and you don't show your Soulmark to just anyone.

Jane was already working on a new project, jotting down bits of formulae and notes for ideas to further twist the laws of the universe. Darcy couldn't get into it. She tipped back as far in her chair as was possible, and stared at the ceiling.

"I have a vacation hangover," she admitted. "Admitting that you have a vacation hangover is the first step to recovery. The second step is going back to the beach."

"Mm hmm," Jane replied, just so that Darcy would know she wasn't listening.

"I wonder if the beach misses me," Darcy continued. "We got to be such good friends over the last week and a half. We read so many books together, enjoyed so many... sights..." She sighed. "The beach must have a good life. Warm sun, quiet waves, attractive shirtless people taking morning runs... And then there's always the romantic walks in the moonlight. The beach has got to love those."

"Absolutely," Jane put in absently, as she frowned at an equation. She scribbled it out and dived for a different notebook.

Darcy's eyes followed a few lab assistants as they passed by the open doorway. They were talking about what they were going to have for lunch. Darcy didn't want lunch. She wanted to be sitting in the sand at the edge of the water, watching Bruce attempting to learn how to surf while being instructed by the all-star teamup of Clint and Natasha. She smiled as she remembered how Tony, late to his own party, had buzzed them, and how Clint had so completely unprepared for an Iron Man incursion that he fell off his board.

Darcy was interrupted from her daydream by Captain America, who arrived to deliver some documents for Jane. She sighed and stood up. If the star spangled superhero was doing gofer duties, then it was probably time for her to get to work.

Jane had to pause her Science! to speak to the Captain, and as Darcy pulled on a lab coat, she heard Jane asking about his vacation. "We were sorry to miss you, Steve. Tony's beach house was a great time, wasn't it, Darcy?"

Darcy nodded wistfully.

The Captain smiled and told Jane, "I went to Europe to visit some of my old war buddies. It was great reminiscing. I'm sorry to have missed everyone at the beach, but..."

Jane nodded. "Old friends are important," she said.

"I made friends with the beach," Darcy told him. "We really have something special. I think the beach might be my Soulmate."

Steve just stared at her.

It was almost awkward for a second, but then Jane stepped in. "Oh, I'm sorry, Steve, I don't think you two have actually met! This is Darcy Lewis, my assistant."

Steve reached out to shake Darcy's hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Miss Lewis," he said, smiling as she put her hand in his. "I guess it's pretty helpful to know where you'll go on your honeymoon before you even meet your Soulmate."

Darcy's eyes grew wide as they shook hands, and his smile kept expanding as they stood there, looking at one another.

Jane cleared her throat. "So, the best way to get over a bad vacation hangover would probably be to get right back to work, right?"

"Actually, uh..." Darcy replied, still staring at her grinning Soulmate, "I think I'm going to take a coffee break. Now. Right now."

Jane frowned. "You haven't done any work yet," she protested.

"Mm hmm," Darcy said, so that Jane would know she wasn't listening. She grabbed Steve's arm and began to pull him toward the door.

"Darcy!" Jane objected, but Darcy was already peeling off the lab coat she'd just put on.

"Okay, see you later," Darcy called. As they stepped out into the hallway, she looked up at Steve and said, "Hey, do you by any chance go running in the morning?"

Author's Note (February 5, 2016): This fic is collected with many other amazing Silly Soulmark fics on AO3 in the Silly Words for the Silly Soul(mate fic) series. Go check it out there or at my fic blog, iwillwriteyourfic DOT blogspot DOT com.