Disclaimer: I do not own the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but if I did, there would be Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. characters in the background of Infinity War and Avengers in the background of a season finale of AoS.
Usually Girls' Night at the Tower was good for a popcorn fight, a wild story about Tony Stark at his "finest" (courtesy of the one who knew him best), a retelling of the time Hill saw Fury take off the eye patch, or, on the rare occasion, an epic Black Widow tale.
And sometimes they just played crappy party games. Darcy didn't care for Truth or Dare, tolerated the alcoholic version of Never Have I Ever (where you take a drink if you have done the thing), and firmly refused to take part in another Twister debacle. Twister with Natasha Romanov… She actually wouldn't have minded Twister sans Natasha, though, because there were some new faces joining them that night from S.H.I.E.L.D.
Darcy had met Skye before, but it was in passing, an informational meeting, a 'this person is a trusted person of people you trust, so you can trust them too' type of interaction. She'd noticed Skye's attractiveness then, but it hadn't been the most appropriate time for a 'get to know you' conversation.
Coulson's whole team had had a long day, long enough that no one was giving Agent May any flak for using it as excuse to get out of the Girls' Night. Skye and Jemma had shown up despite the day from hell, Jemma determined to get sloshed as quickly as possible, and Skye determined to laugh enough to make up the day's deficit. And after several margaritas and Pepper's cleverly deflected non-information about size and girth of the genitalia of a certain person, they were clearly on their way.
Truth or Dare had been suggested, seconded, and Jemma and Skye Ro Sham Bo'd their way to choosing which of them would get to go first. Jemma won, and asked Pepper the question she knew Skye wanted the answer to anyway. And Skye giggled in triumph, completely forgetting that Jemma's Paper had covered her Rock. Twice.
Then Pepper turned on Darcy, who chose Truth and chewed on her tongue for a few minutes, thinking about where she thought she'd be if she hadn't gotten the internship with Jane.
Darcy and Skye were both sitting on the floor, while Pepper reigned queen of the couch behind Darcy. Skye occasionally reclined against the couch shared by the scientists. Natasha was constantly shifting positions, perching on the coffee table, the other couch, standing behind Jemma and Jane, or going to refresh drinks or fetch napkins if Jane happened to spill (which on this particular occasion happened at least twice).
"I think…" Darcy said, trying not to speak directly to Skye. She scrunched up her eyes and looked at Jemma instead. "I think I would be somewhere doing something maybe related to my degree, or maybe not, but either way I would be surrounded by people I love who are not as attractive as the people currently I love—" She hadn't been able to avoid a look at Skye then, and was pleased to see her eyes were glittering as she and the rest of the group interrupted Darcy with their laughter.
"And I guess," Darcy said as soon as it wound down, "I wouldn't know how much better I could have had it."
A round of "Awww,"s went up, and Jane chimed in: "And to think, that's what would have been if there had been literally any other applicant."
The "Aww"s were replaced by "Oooh!"s, and Natasha drawled, "Shots fired!"
Darcy was about to sass back when Skye leaned forward and put her hand on Darcy's arm. "The last time the Science Bros had a video chat with Fitz, Doctor Banner told him that this Tower wouldn't be standing without you, so don't even listen to that."
Darcy grinned. "I won't," she assured her.
"Whatever, you know I love you," Jane said, throwing a pillow at Darcy's head. She missed, and spilled her wine instead. "Shit!"
"I got it," Natasha said, and then they were all laughing again.
It was actually one of the best games of Truth or Dare that Darcy had ever played, and she strongly suspected it was because Skye was sitting next to her, sometimes scooting closer to her, away from Jane, and sometimes moving back toward where Jemma's feet dangled off the couch.
Darcy enjoyed Skye's smile. She liked her laugh. She loved the way Skye teased Jemma and was in awe of Pepper (it was the same kind of awe that Darcy had held for the woman herself, until Pepper had ruptured the celebrity bubble by asking Darcy very nervously for her opinion on which pair of shoes she should wear for a dinner at the White House, which put them solidly in the 'friend' category). And she especially liked whenever she caught Skye looking at her.
Over the course of the evening, Darcy learned that Skye had a recent ex but no current crushes and that she was attracted to people who lived the things they preached. She also received important information about Jane's favorite sexual position (which was a major TMI), was ridiculously impressed by Natasha's walking around the room on her hands for three whole minutes, and now knew that Jemma had always had an appreciation for Leo's back side (and that was valuable information to file away for later even though the seal of "what happens in the Tower common room stays in the Tower common room" would prevent her from teasingly making use of it).
Darcy watched Skye laugh at Jemma's answer, not really listening to the teasing words being exchanged between them, but laughing along anyway. Natasha smirked from behind the bar, her eyes on the three, well, two girls that were still awake.
Jane, the self-proclaimed lightweight, had succumbed first, a combination of exhaustion and one and half glasses of that blush wine no one else liked. Pepper had passed out next, one shoe off and one shoe on, and even sprawled across the couch, she looked like she could kick corporate ass and take corporate names. Jemma's eyes were slowly closing, and Darcy knew it was only a matter of minutes before she was entirely out.
"Hey," Skye said, nudging Jemma's foot. "It's your turn to ask."
"Hmmn?" Jemma replied, forcing her eyes open. "Ms Widow," she directed at Natasha as the super spy approached the couches, Darcy's drink in hand.
"Truth or dare?" Natasha guessed.
"Mmmhm," Jemma hummed back.
"I suppose I should choose truth, since I already proved I can take any dare you dish out," she said.
"Oh, trash talk!" Skye observed.
"Whatever," Darcy sassed, "You're impressed, and you know it!"
Skye ducked her head. "Yeah, I totally am." She looked up at Natasha. "You're a badass and I have a fangirl crush on you. Is that cool?"
Natasha smiled. "As long as you don't post the selfie we took earlier on social media."
Skye bit her lip and grinned. "Rad."
"Uh..." Darcy drew their attention back to the dozing biochemist. "Jemma?"
Jemma opened her eyes suddenly and rushed out: "Have you ever been in love?"
Jemma's eyes fluttered closed, and Natasha withheld Darcy's drink as she considered the question.
Darcy and Skye exchanged some nervous 'bystanders in a tense situation' eye contact, and a full five minutes later, Natasha simply said, "Yes."
She looked at the two of them where they sat on the floor, daring them with the mere lack of elaboration to ask for more.
With another glance, Skye and Darcy made the mutual decision to leave that one alone.
"Your turn!" Darcy said instead, reaching for the ice melt with delusions of alcoholhood that her drink had most likely become by that point.
Natasha relinquished it, and pinned Darcy to the floor with a glare. "Truth or dare," she demanded, her eyes moving to Skye at the last second.
Darcy tried not to be visibly terrified at the thought that Natasha may have seen right through her. Who am I kidding? she thought. I am transparent!
"Dare!" Darcy decided immediately.
"I dare you," Natasha said, leaning over the arm of the couch, "To down that drink in one."
"Ugh," Darcy complained. "What even is this?"
"A Dirty Shirley."
"Vodka tastes like cough syrup," she grumbled.
"I didn't catch that," Natasha said with a smirk. "Did you say, 'wow Natasha what a tame dare, I was expecting something much different from you?'"
"At least it'll be quick!" Darcy said, observing the bright side.
"Want me to do a shot, too?" Skye asked.
"Don't try to soften the blow," Natasha advised her, and Darcy focused on her drink to avoid wondering if anyone else noticed the double meaning.
Darcy made a face into the drink, but shook herself in preparation and knocked it back.
Skye was wincing as Darcy wiped her mouth and made noises of general non-enjoyment. "It wasn't the worst dare ever," she told her.
"Bleh," Darcy replied.
"Do you think Thor would mind if I woke him?" Natasha interrupted. "Jane probably shouldn't stay on the couch."
"Oh, I completely didn't even think about that; what about Jemma?" Skye asked.
"There's a two bedroom a couple floors down in guest quarters that's all ready for you guys," Darcy told her.
"Wow, thanks, that's really nice of you guys."
"No problem," Natasha said, and hefted Jane onto her shoulder. Then she said, "I'll come back for Jemma later," raised an eyebrow at Darcy, and sauntered out.
Skye watched her go, then turned back to Darcy. "Okay, I guess it's your turn, and I have a theory about who you're going to pick, so I'll just help you out and skip that part. I've revealed enough of my soul tonight; I think I'm ready to take on a dare."
Darcy stared at her. Did Natasha plan this? Had she gotten Darcy all liquored up and left her alone with a hot girl who looked her in the eye and asked to be dared to do what Darcy had been daydreaming about all evening?
Instead of answering, she scrutinized her drink.
There was a maraschino cherry nestled peacefully on top of the ice.
"I dare you," Darcy said, pushing the mostly empty glass toward Skye, "To tie that cherry stem in a knot with your tongue."
Skye scrunched up her nose. "Seriously?"
"It's not like I put it in my mouth or anything," Darcy said, in defense of the cherry stem.
"No, it's—" Skye smiled, sighed, and rolled her eyes. "I'm terrible at that kind of thing."
Darcy shrugged, a grin plastered on her face. "Prove it."
Skye gave a little groan of protest, tugging her jacket off. "Did we ever establish a penalty for this game? Because I'm about to fail."
"I believe in you," Darcy encouraged.
"Fine," Skye said with another sigh. She popped the cherry in her mouth, tugging the stem free. Her eyebrows went up and she made a noise of appreciation for the tastiness of the fruit.
"Get on with it," Darcy advised her.
Skye grinned. "I'm doing it, I'm doing it," she grumbled playfully.
Darcy laughed at the look on Skye's face when she finally began the challenge. Skye tilted her head, tipped her shoulders back to lean against the couch, and made some adorable squeaking noises, as though any of those things would help her complete the task.
After about a minute and a half of watching, Darcy gave in. "Let's get a progress update," she commanded.
Skye stuck out her tongue, revealing the evidence of her inevitable defeat in the form of a slightly bent and mostly harassed maraschino cherry stem. "I suck at this," she conveyed (even though what Darcy actually heard was "I thuck at thith").
Darcy laughed. "Yeah, let me show you how it's done," she said, and leaned forward.
Skye leaned forward, too, her eyes a bit surprised. Darcy had only meant to let her out of the dare, but...
She picked the cherry stem off Skye's tongue and exiled it back into its icy prison, then looked up at Skye, who smirked.
Finally, Skye closed the distance between them, meeting Darcy's tongue with hers.
Darcy only had time to slip her hand into the hair on the back of Skye's head before the inevitable happened.
"I knew rumors about slumber parties weren't just talk," the interloper informed them conversationally. "Didn't mean to interrupt," he told them with a saucy grin. "Please, continue!"
Suddenly an assassin appeared, faking a punch to his face so that she could hit him in the gut with the flat of her hand hard enough to force some air out but not actually hurt him. "Tony, you ass," she accused. "Darcy's been trying to figure out how to get Skye to kiss her all night."
"I was just making an observation," the billionaire replied innocently, then wondered, "Did you have a pillow fight?"
"Take Pepper and get out," Natasha ordered, in a tone that said he would not like the results if he disobeyed.
"Seriously," he boldly told Darcy and Skye under the heat of Natasha's glare. "Do not let me stop you from enjoying Ladies' Night." He leaned over the back of the couch and scooped up his CEO, waiting as long as he believed he could without becoming the recipient of beatdowns, then turned and headed for the elevator.
Natasha pushed a sigh out through her nose. "I'll take Jemma downstairs," she said in an apologetic tone, easily lifting her second scientist of the evening. "Darcy, you can make sure Skye gets to bed."
Skye grinned suggestively as Natasha took her leave. "Yeah, you can tuck me in," she told Darcy.
"You're hot," Darcy told her frankly. "And I want to make out with you."
"Awesome," Skye replied. "The feeling is totally mutual."
Darcy nodded. "Glad we cleared that up."
"Did you really..." Skye began, scooting closer to Darcy. "Have you really been trying to think of a way to kiss me all night?"
"Uh, Truth or Dare?" Darcy answered, leaning nearer. "I really prefer Fuck, Marry, Kill as a way to entertain myself on Girls' Night. Truth or Dare is, like, my least favorite."
Skye put a hand on her heart, pretending to be touched. "You played your least favorite party game? For me?" She batted her eyelashes sweetly.
"Well you kind of have to find out if a girl's got a special someone before gathering up the courage to dare her to suck face."
"You had the opportunity," Skye said, pointing at the glass that was mostly ice melt crowned with the mangled cherry stem. "How come you didn't ask then?"
"Because I wanted to flirt a little,"Darcy told her, "See if you were into me. One does not simply dare a girl to kiss at Girls' Night; there is vulnerability there that does not sleep, and the great... fear of someone being grossed out is ever watchful."
"Did you just make a Fellowship of the Rings reference to tell me you didn't wanna get shot down?"
Darcy winced. "That was totally too nerdy, wasn't it?"
Skye replied with a kiss, then leaned back and grinned at her. "Marry me."
Author's Note: You can read my behind the scenes rambling on my blog, iwillwriteyourfic DOT blogspot DOT com SLASH 2016 SLASH 04 SLASH fydl-10-days-of-femslash DOT html