Summary: Darcy found Jane in London to get away from her dead-end fling with Brock Rumlow. She wasn't expecting him to follow her.
Pairing: Darcy Lewis/Brock Rumlow; Darcy Lewis/Ian Boothby
Rating: Teen
Warning/ Spoilers: This sets place after Thor 2, so spoilers if you're not caught up for some reason
A/N: This takes place before Property of SHIELD and NQK.
Jane had a bitchin' London apartment. Or 'flat' as insisted by Ian but Darcy didn't care if they were Facebook official or not, she was gonna call it an apartment despite the fact they were in England and should blend in with the chappies. Plus, using American lingo got Ian in a tizzy and she did love to ruffle his feathers. They'd been together for a week now and she already learned that his hotness level definitely increased when he was angry. It also normally deteriorated into making out and heavy petting. Totally okay with her. But she refused to analyse why that got her going. Finally, she had a boyfriend and while she liked to think of herself as an independent woman who didn't need a man, her inability to make one stay was occasionally worrying. Her mother liked to remind her of this every time they talked.
The laugh was on on her mother now because Darcy was Skyping with the family tomorrow and totally intended to pull an unwilling Ian into the camera. Perhaps she was flaunting her relationship with Ian for a little bit of revenge, but whatever. No one was gonna take this away from her. She pondered this over prepping a picnic with Jane and Thor. They were making sandwiches and gagging over the herring tower that Thor was making. Ian and Erik were out doing a bit of data gathering from the residue left by the dark elves. Technically, Jane and Darcy were about to do the same. Although Thor had been back for a few days, Jane still hadn't taken an extended break from her work so Thor and Darcy were teaming up to insert some romance into Jane's everyday life. This included romantic picnics while gathering data. Besides, Darcy was the only one in their team that didn't act like an uncomfortable child whenever Thor and Jane made kissy faces so she was permanently the third wheel whenever Jane needed extra help beside Thor's arms.
A knock on the door pulled them from puking their breakfast and Jane's debate over whether Thor was worth kissing with herring breath.
"Ugh. It's probably Old Lady Norris from next door. She thinks I'm stealing her newspaper," groaned Jane.
"Shit, you mean those weren't your newspapers?" winced Darcy, earning her a glare from Jane and a hearty laugh from Thor. Knowing defeat, Darcy picked up that morning's coffee-stained paper from the table. "Okay, okay, I'll make her go away. Old people love me. They think I'm whimsical."
When she opened the door, she was very surprised to find Brock Rumlow looking angrier than a wet ferret. He was worse for wear, with scrapes on his face and taking in shallow breaths. In just a tight black SHIELD issued shirt and cargo pants, she could make out the bandages wrapped around his ribs. Behind him and with crossed arms, Jack Rollins looked like his normal disgruntled self, though also a little beat up. It had been almost three weeks since she'd heard from Brock. While she knew missions were probably the reason, as they often were, she also assumed he was busy seeing his other ladies in between.
Which, whatever because they didn't agree to be exclusive but Darcy had flat out told him that she didn't want to be just another fuck. She needed more and if he couldn't give it, then they were over. Admittedly, it was via voice message and not her finest moment but she didn't think she'd have the strength to do it in person. Being near him caused a pounding in her head that only went away when they fucked and she could already feel the pulse in her ears. The voice message was a guaranteed break up with him. She assumed the resulting radio silence confirmed it, so having him at Jane's doorstep was a big surprise, to say the least.
"Who the fuck is Ian?" barked Brock. At his tone, Darcy rose her brow. Noticing how his hands clenched into fists and his jaw was doing that twitching thing that meant he was beyond pissed, Darcy waited a few beats. In the apartment, she could hear Jane whispering to Thor, probably explaining who the muscle was. Until recently to Jane's knowledge, they were the usual jackbooted thugs but with a worrying interest in Darcy. Last night, the men were having pints at a pub and the ladies were drinking wine in the apartment. Darcy had spilled all the details. So Brock and Jack were very much on Jane's shitlist now. From the slight rattle of Mew Mew on the coatrack, they seemed be on Thor's too.
"What's it to you?" Darcy challenged, crossing her arms and jutting out a hip.
"What do you mean, what's it to me? It's everything. I fucking told you to call me if you were in trouble. Why didn't you call me? Did you seriously call that bullshit SHIELD 800 number instead? Before I even get to the medical ward, I hear you're battling aliens that are tearin' up London," Brock began to rant, using his hands for small gestures towards her that accurately got his point across. It didn't mean she liked his point. "What if you got hurt? Or killed? Did you even stop to think? Do you ever think about the consequences over anything you do?"
"Well, I'm alive...so, it was nice catching up but I've got better things to do than listen to you berate me. My mom already has that on lockdown," dismissed Darcy, sending him an angry glare before trying to slam the door. Brock's steel-toed boot slid out and stopped it while Jack reached out to grip the door just to make sure she couldn't slam it again. Jack-booted thugs Tweedledee and Tweedledum teamwork at its finest.
"You're not getting away that easily, sweetcheeks," insisted Brock as Jack pushed the door back open. At that moment, Mew Mew flew off of the coat rack and through the apartment into Thor's hand. Jack's eyes widened ever so slightly but Brock didn't seem to notice. "Why didn't you call me?"
"I figured the resounding silence meant monogamy still repulsed you and you were busy with your new favourite slut. So, I got a boyfriend who actually wants to be my boyfriend. I'm not your problem anymore. Congrats!" Darcy forced out in a cheery voice that both of them knew was fake. Brock looked like he had just swallowed something bitter and she felt a bit of satisfaction. A part of the reason Darcy had packed up everything and flown to England was to forget that her heart was being simultaneously stolen and broken. If she could focus her attention on a new adventure and more Jane caretaking, maybe she'd be able to forget Brock's hands running over her skin and gravelly voice whispering false nothings into her ear.
"There's no one else anymore," said Brock quietly, trying to keep the emotion from his voice. "I thought that's what you wanted?"
Hope surged through Darcy but she tried to ignore it. Her heart fluttered and gut dropped. Jane's surprised gasp cut through Darcy's racing thoughts. That was a familiar gasp that meant Jane had just figured something out. To Darcy, it had awful added tones of a friend now rooting for the very relationship Darcy was trying to fight. As loyal as Jane was, she wasn't too convinced about Darcy and Ian. Yet as a scientist, she shouldn't be convinced by one sentence. A painful lump formed in Darcy's throat.
"Maybe you two should talk alone," Jack suggested, shifting to move past Darcy into the apartment. As much as she really didn't want to be alone with Brock, she knew it was the responsible adult thing to do. Stepping aside to let Jack through, Darcy took a few calming breaths before moving out to the hall.
"Tweedledum," Jane said tersely and Darcy allowed herself a small smile.
"Dr. Foster," Jack greeted, both amused and exacerbated. Knowing she couldn't make him wait forever because he'd probably just swing her over his shoulder if she did, Darcy huffed and closed the door. Crossing her arms and moving her weight from foot to foot, she avoided looking at Brock's face even though she could feel his heavy gaze on her.
"How do I know you're not lying or spouting pain killer induced hallucinations?" Darcy mumbled, fixing her eyes on a stain on the carpet. A calloused finger traced down her cheek and under her chin, forcing her to lift her head. At the tender look in his eyes, a shiver ran down her spine.
"Because you've been the only thing I can think about these past couple months. Yeah, I've fucked other women since we've started...whatever this is but even when I'm with them, I think about you."
"I'm your favourite mistress. How flattering," Darcy dismissed. Hearing about his other conquests and booty calls was very low on the things she wanted to do today. Even if he tried to twist it into a compliment. As she turned her head away, Brock moved his hand to rest against the nape of her neck. She did her best to not melt at the touch but couldn't stop her right foot from taking a step towards him. It didn't escape Brock and he closed the distance between them so that he was almost pressed against her. She should have moved away but she didn't. Even when he bent down to whisper roughly into her ear.
"Do you think about me when Ian fucks you?" he asked, nipping the top of her ear. A shudder ran through her body. She flexed her fingers, not letting them move up to rest on his chest. Ian and her hadn't gotten to that point yet. Not for lack of him trying. Darcy had wanted to take it slower. She told herself it was because she wanted to make sure they had an emotional connection before getting too physical. At her silence, Brock chuckled. "Are you telling me the two of you haven't even done it yet?"
"I didn't say anything," corrected Darcy. She was screaming at herself to move, to pull herself from his grasp but then his other hand reached up and tangled in her hair.
"You didn't have to," Brock said, tugging on her hair to force her to look up at him, at the hunger in his eyes. She was very familiar with it. A quiet moan spilled from her mouth at the pain. Automatically, her body reacted. Goosebumps rose along her skin and her nipples tightened. A breathy sigh flew from her lips as Brock leaned his head down to kiss her. It began slow but heated. All her well thought out reservations flew from her mind. Darcy just wanted him to push her against the wall and have her right here. Their kiss deepened, tongues clashing and teeth nibbling against lips. It was an audible kiss, slurping and guttural in the way that Darcy had sort of hated before she met Brock. As she reached up to pull him tighter, he pulled away to let out a painful hiss and grabbed his side. Darcy shut her eyes and stepped back, embarrassment already setting in. Somehow, she always forgot all coherent thought whenever he touched her.
"I have a boyfriend," Darcy insisted but the reminder was more for herself.
"Not a very good one from the sounds of it. Lets his girl go around kissing strange men in hallways," smirked Brock. It was out of great strength that she didn't roll her eyes.
"Pretty sure Ian would complain if he knew," shot Darcy a little immaturely.
"Well, you're not doing anything to stop me. Are you?"
"Did you seriously hop on a plane just to confuse me?"
"No," Brock said sincerely. "When I heard about what happened, I was worried sick about you. I had to make sure you were okay. Reading about your little boyfriend was an added displeasure along the way but Jack offers shitty inflight magazines so I didn't have much else to do."
"And what about your...other women?" asked Darcy, feigning nonchalance. She didn't want to think about the ways Brock was probably catching up on her and Ian. He'd made a sparse Facebook page for his dog just so he could friend her. It was cute in a lame way.
"I was breaking it off with them whenever I had the time after I got your message."
"Really? And you didn't think of letting me know this whole time, that's what you were doing?" scoffed Darcy. Her eyes dropped to his neck. She wanted to bite his pulse. At the urge, she shut her eyes and bit her lip. To ground herself, she remembered that she was angry with him. If he could call his booty calls, he could have called her to let her know they were on the same page. He was just lying to get her back into bed.
"I know. I...needed some time to think. Figure out what I really wanted," admitted Brock, a hint of guilt peaking through. Letting out a shaky breath, he continued with more conviction. "And I want you. Only you. Cross my heart."
Tears prickled behind Darcy's eyes and she fought them off. She couldn't stop the water gathering, threatening to spill. Crying with contacts sucked. Brock reached out and swiped a thumb under her eyes before the tears got the chance to fall. While she had wanted to hear him say those words, she never expected him to. Now, she was at a loss for words. She really did want a substantial relationship but did she want one with Brock? They had the physical part down for sure and whenever he was near, her heart beat out a crazy drumline, making her feel giddy.
"Well I don't...I don't know anymore about us. All we did was fuck. What do we even have in common? I just graduated from college and followed around a bunch of banana-balls scientists and you're some hotshot SHIELD agent," Darcy let the unspoken hang between them. That she was eleven years younger than him, still unfocused in life and had a much more millennial view on the world. His life was pretty set in stone. This could only end in disaster.
"All right then, go on a date with me tomorrow and we'll see what we have in common. If you're not happy by the end of it, I'll leave you alone to Ian, which I completely believe has a sell by date."
"A date with you? What are you gonna do? Use your sex voodoo on me to render me incoherent to making my own choices?"
"If you want…" offered Brock but he cut his snarky tone when he saw Darcy's unimpressed glare. "No, just my charm and romantic side. The choice is gonna be all up to you. Besides, not much voodoo I can do with a knife wound to my left side."
"Seriously? Shouldn't you be resting?"
"I had to make sure you were okay," Brock insisted and Darcy hated the way her heart melted. "But that's also why I said tomorrow. I haven't really slept in 47 hours. Will need to rest for our big night."
"What the fuck, Brock? Didn't you sleep on the ride over here? Take care of yourself for once," berated Darcy, ignoring the fact she didn't even agree to a date. She had one with Ian tonight, in fact. This probably made her a terrible girlfriend.
"But I like it when you take care of me," said Brock suggestively, running a hand down her side and towards her ass.
"No sex voodoo!" Darcy slapped his hand away and he laughed, then winced. "Do you have any pills? Have you eaten anything?"
"Yes and a few high energy bars."
"Aren't you supposed to be the adult?" grumbled Darcy, giving into the need to roll her eyes. Turning to open the door, she grabbed Brock's right hand and tugged him into the apartment. Scientist Handler Darcy was kicking in. "You're gonna eat a sandwich, then you're gonna take your pills, then sleep."
"Where am I gonna sleep?" Brock asked, entirely too amused for his own good. He squeezed her hand ever so slightly.
"I have a hotel room…" admitted Darcy, breaking off when she realised what she was suggesting. She'd booked the room for her and Ian. It was supposed to be a surprise. Crashing on Jane's couch didn't offer much privacy, especially with Erik hanging around in his depants state. And Ian had way too many roommates.
"For what? Aren't you crashing with Foster?" asked Brock when they reached the kitchen. From the tone of his voice, he already knew the answer. The residents in the kitchen were trying and failing to look like they weren't soaking up the scene. Jane and Thor were carefully occupying themselves with picnic prep again, though their eyes darted to the comfortable way Brock invaded Darcy's space. Jack was sitting at the table and poking at the herring monstrosity Jane had pushed onto him but his eyes were intense when looking between Darcy and Brock.
"It doesn't matter anymore," huffed Darcy. "You and Jack can get cozy on the bed together."
"Wouldn't be the first time," Jack interjected with a smirk. "You two kiss and make up yet?"
"No," said Darcy sharply. Brock rose an eyebrow and gave her a smug smile.
"But we do have a date tomorrow," grinned Brock, squeezing Darcy's hand again. When she realised they were still holding hands, she let it drop and crossed her arms.
"What about Ian?" asked Jane, tone light and teasing.
"I never said yes to the date," Darcy insisted.
"You didn't say no either," sang Brock and Darcy cursed semantics. Also the fact that she didn't give him a definite no in that moment.
"Shut the fuck up and sit down, Brock. I'm making you a turkey sandwich and then Jack's taking you away to take pills and sleep," commanded Darcy.
"Yes ma'am," both Brock and Jack said in unison.
"Then, I'm taking you out tomorrow," Brock added as he gingerly sat down. Letting out a frustrated groan, Darcy threw a roll of paper towels at his head before squeezing in between Jane and Thor at the counter. She ignored the way Brock's shoulders were shaking with silent laughter or the fact that the pounding was gone and she wasn't really all that angry anymore.