((My canon on Winter Soldier will be somewhat warped to fit the established movie verses. As for X-Men, well, I take what I like from the films, leave out what I don't, and replace with comic canon. Which means X3 never happened ;) As always, I adore everyone who's reading! Thank you so much for all the encouragement via tumblr!))
.
.
.
.
.
.
Things We Learned From Wars
.
Chapter 1
.
.
.
January is generally a downer of a month, at least in Darcy's experience. Then again, much of her experience has taken place in an area of California that tends to be brown, boring and that depressing place between actual cold, and just warm enough in the sunshine that you're taking off your favorite cardigan. She's never experienced January in New York City, though, buried in a few feet of snow, working at a job she loves, training four times a week with a super spy, and coming home to a sweet, tall hunk of all-American muscle.
Yep, January of 2013 is definitely Darcy's new favorite January.
Mind, things aren't perfect. The world is a very vulnerable place, compared to the rest of the universe, and the parallel universes. A girl really has that truth driven home for her, when she's working alongside superheroes and genius scientists (or in some cases, genius scientist superheroes). Still, the time in between all the smashing and Avenging is pretty damn swell, and it makes all the rest more than worth it. And honestly, it feels like the bad guys are also having a bit of a winter snooze at the moment. Darcy Lewis wishes them sweet dreams.
"There's another blizzard brewing!" Steve says cheerily one afternoon, shaking snow from his coat in the entryway of their apartment, after an afternoon at the garage two blocks down from the Tower (he liked to visit with his bike, now that it had to be hibernating). From her spot on the couch cataloging Jane Foster's recent findings, Darcy can't help grinning at his goofy enthusiasm. She might be enjoying the snow, but Steve Rogers downright -loves- New York in the winter. Perhaps even more so now that he doesn't have to worry about pneumonia. Or the flu. Or a slight cough.
Poor ickle-Steve, Darcy muses.
"How long before the city calls on the Avengers to start shoveling snow, doyathink?" She sets down her Stark tablet, rising and moving toward him, reaching up and pressing her hands to his cold cheeks. Steve turns his head, kissing her palm before tugging her into his arms.
"You joke, but I'm not sure they won't," He nuzzles her nose, "Half the streets around us haven't seen a plow yet since the -last- dump."
"Call me an insensitive jerk, but I've got no complaints," Darcy sighs happily, pushing off his coat and tugging him over to the couch. "Though I am kinda worried about that infamous cabin fever kickin' in."
"Thought I was keeping you plenty busy, Agent Lewis," Steve attempts to waggle his eyebrows, and only succeeds in making his girlfriend laugh. Flopping back down on the couch, Steve's faithful mutt Volstagg waddles over and plops down in his master's lap, belly-up, expectantly. Steve rubs said belly dutifully,"Actually I did kind of have an idea of how to spend all this time," Darcy lofts her own brow, "Clothed, anyway. Wanna watch more movies?"
"Ooo, ready to move onto Dreamworks, are you?" She grins, snuggling into his side. Steve really has a thing for scratchy, old-man sweaters lately, and Darcy is a big fan. He shakes his head, mussing her hair a little.
"I was thinking something a little heavier," His tone is light, but Darcy catches the waiting weight underneath, tilting up her chin to look at him. "SHIELD's catch-up homework for me has been...a little light." It was true. Darcy had seen the stack of books Captain America had been supplied with, and frankly, she'd had rougher history lessons in fifth grade. The books were all straight facts, almost no pictures, she's pretty sure he hasn't even seen footage of 9/11 yet. She knew their intentions were good, and knowing Steve as she now does, Darcy really does doubt he could have handled the reality of things all at once. Still, he's a big boy, and it's been over nine months that he's been awake now.
"Right, time to cut the cord," Darcy squints, thinking. "...Well, the first few World War II movies that jump to mind are gonna be harsh, soldier," She smirks, "Band of Brothers was pretty good, or so my brother tells me. Vietnam has really rough films too, but at least there's fun hippie scenes to cut back to in the States."
"I want to see, though," He maintains, firmly, "The more true stories, the better. Real images...they last longer." Darcy watches him, biting her lip, nodding.
"All right...but no giving yourself guilt trips." He gives her a look, and Darcy sighs, "BIG guilt trips, at least."
"Deal."
"...Later though," She murmurs, pushing the dog off his lap gently. Volstagg just gives a long-suffering 'ruff'. "This sweater is getting me all hot and bothered, Cap," She grins, tugging on the wool.
"You're so weird."
"And you like weird."
.
.
.
.
.
.
Logically, she knows it's the first place to start. To set the scene, to give context to even the old timey films about specific battles, knowing what was going on in Europe is key. Still, Darcy knows she'll be met with a pretty angsty Cap once the credits roll on this particular film. It's what he wants, though, and she figures that for one, the movie does have a sort-of happy ending, and for two, they can always follow it up with Indiana Jones beating up some Nazis.
"This is going to be rough," She warns him for the umpteenth time, as they settle into their usual spots in the communal home theater. It has the best acoustics, the biggest screen, and Steve kind of has a soft spot for the couch they had their first make out session on. Darcy does too. Depending on how the night goes, she may just have to recreate it.
"I am aware and prepared," He assures her, massive bowl of popcorn in his lap, and massive beefy superhero arm around Darcy's shoulders. She snuggles into him, reaching for the remote as the wind howls and blows snow around outside the giant windows to either side of the screen. It's a cozy night, good for being close to someone. The opening of Schindler's List begins, and Steve's eyes are glued to the screen from the first frame onward.
They remain that way for the next few hours, too. Darcy has to admit, there are still some scenes she can't watch, and she's seen the movie more than once. Mostly she watches Steve, the way his jaw tenses through some scenes, fists clenching in rage, and how, in others, he looks sick to his stomach. Darcy knows these reactions, she's watched this with someone from that time period before, after all. And then, of course, as it does for even the most stoic of humans, the scene of Oskar Schindler leaving his factory has Captain America hastily wiping his eyes, smiling a little again.
"That was..."
"Yeah," Darcy takes his hand, squeezing it. "You can read a million things about it, even watch documentaries, but a recreation of first hand accounts, man," She shakes her head, "S'why the worst scene for me, even with all the violence, is of the guy who has to go through the eyeglasses."
"Your great-uncle was living in Poland, then," He remembers, and Darcy nods, "Marie's big brother. He didn't...?"
"Nope," Darcy shakes her head, "He and his wife got sent right to Auschwitz. If he'd been in France, with gran and Marie...but he met a Polish girl while he was at university I guess," She smirks, "My brother Isaac's named after him, though. Neither my great aunt or gran had any boys."
"So many people..." His voice is hollow as he says it, and Darcy bites her lip, holding his hand again, "I know, I'm sorry, and I know what they had me off doing was real important too, it's just..."
"It -was-," She says, firmly, "The world didn't know just how thoroughly you saved their asses, but you did. And anyway, as we just saw so vividly, there were plenty of other heroes," He nods, slowly. "One man, one smooth bastard who wasn't even a soldier, and because of him over a thousand people survived the Holocaust going on around them.
"Not a soldier, but a good man," Steve smirks to himself, "An imperfect man, even."
"I know, right? Schindler failed at business, his marriage, most things," Darcy licks the popcorn butter from her fingers, "But he saw horror and did what he could, with the talents he had. And so did a lot of people," She goes on, "There were families in Germany who hid their Jewish neighbors in their basements for the whole war, the nurse at Auschwitz who performed abortions so that pregnant Jewish women wouldn't be tortured in fuckin' experiments, and on and on," Darcy says firmly, "Even against incredible odds, people were standing up in their quiet way, and saying no."
"It's a weird kind of comfort..." Steve sighs, shaking his head, still smirking, "And I guess I sound kinda full of myself, lamenting the fact that I wasn't there to end the war in one fell swoop."
"Well, you did knock out Adolf Hitler on a nightly basis there for a bit, Cap," She grins, nudging him a little, glad that the cloud of sadness wasn't hanging over him too heavily. "I think it's kinda in your make up, though, to want to save help everyone you can, you damn perfect specimen, you." That gets her a real grin, and a blush, and Darcy inwardly celebrates a wee victory, "...Seeing it played out does make it more real, though."
"I'm glad," He notes, decidedly, eyes on the scrolling credits, "I'm glad I have some firm images in my head. Of the worst and the best people can be."
"Downright poetical, handsome," Darcy leans up, a little awkwardly, to kiss his cheek. "...We should toggle the heavy with the light though. Tomorrow night, we're watching Inglorious Basterds. Definitely not on SHIELD's syllabus."
"I submit to your will, professor," He sighs, faint smile on his lips, turning to lay on his back, his head in her lap. Darcy's pretty sure she's got the most perfect life, right here, in this moment.
"...I love you," She finds herself murmuring, stroking his hair back from his brow. Even now, she can surprise herself with the admission, her throat closing up a little when she looks at him, looking up at her. The real, bright, blissful grin that spreads slowly over his lips, every time, is always worth it. Like he can't believe he's lucky enough to have her. It's the one time he doesn't look as if any of the shit that's happened to him has. Steve just looks happy.
And it makes her happy.
.
.
.
.
.