Post Traumatizing Facts. Clint and Darcy have a talk about where they stand with each other. Takes place about two weeks after the end of Traumatizing Facts about Darcy. Part of the Darcy Stark series. Rated for implied sexual activity.

"Darcy?" called Clint softly as the workshop doors slid open. Inside, the room was darkened but not completely black, the limited light casting craggy shadows around the workshop. Various machines and tools created sharp figures that made him more than a little nervous.

"Back here," responded Darcy, her voice echoing out from the back.

Carefully, Clint made his way through the mess that consisted of the floor. Seriously, he wasn't sure how she was able to navigate the space. There was literally a pile of wrenches laying in the middle of the room. Wrenches. He felt like he was in a cartoon. Any second that coyote was going to pop up out of nowhere and drop an anvil on his foot. Or a robotic one would, given this house did belong to the Stark family.

Finally, he managed to maneuver through the workshop to reach Darcy. Her feet were propped up on a stool which she kicked towards him when he came into view, motioning for him to sit. There was a regular laptop resting on her thighs that was wired into a small black device sunk into the wall itself. Another computer was set up beside her, the more traditional projected touch-screen type that Tony had in his own work space.

"I thought you'd been barred from your workshop for two weeks," pointed out Clint as he pulled the stool around to sit next to her.

Darcy shrugged. "I'm barred from making anything explode. Last I checked, unless your my father things don't tend to explode when all you're doing is programming software upgrades."

Clint nodded, leaning against the wall while being careful not to touch her. "What are you upgrading?"

"Josie," replied Darcy as she tapped a few more keys, then hit enter and watched the program do something.

"Josie?" asked Clint with a furrowed brow. "Who's Josie?"

Apparently the computer did whatever it needed to because Darcy set the laptop on the desk next to her that acted as the marker for where the projected-computer was and turned to fully face Clint. "My personal AI. Why have you been avoiding me?"

"Wha-" started Clint, surprised.

Darcy continued before he could say anything more. "You've been avoiding me since you found out about Mom and Dad. Why?"

"Er," started Clint, trying to find the best way to explain. "I haven't been avoiding you. At least not intentionally."

"You haven't bothered to talk to me either," pointed out Darcy. "I tried to engage you in conversation a few times and I've waved at you or invited you out to lunch multiple times in the past two weeks but you've either ignored me or said no. I know you're not that busy. So, why?"

Clint thought back on the last few weeks, considering her actions and his own. He was telling the truth when he said he wasn't trying to avoid her. It wasn't anything like that. "Darcy, I've been trying to give you some space. I mean, you just got home two weeks ago and you've spent most of the time laid up with a concussion or playing with your tablet. It didn't seem like you wanted company."

Darcy snorted slightly. "News flash Clint, I'm always playing with my tablet or in my workshop. And if neither A or B is true, then I'm on forced bed rest. In any of those situations though, I tend to enjoy company."

Again, he paused to consider her words. And her actions. Plus the implications. It was a moment before he asked, careful not to sound too hopeful. "Are you sure?"

"Clint," sighed Darcy as she leaned forward and motioned towards the doors to her workshop, "did you notice how easy it was to walk in here?"

Clint nodded. "I figured you left the door unlocked for me."

"Yeah, no," corrected Darcy. "I never leave my workshop unlocked. Ever." Looking up at him, she made sure to meet his eyes before continuing. "The only people who can just walk into my workshop are myself, an old friend of mine named Peter, and now you." Looking toward the computer screen, she hit a few buttons as she continued. "I had Josie change your clearance earlier, along with Jarvis. So, you know, if you ever need to hide or whatever, your welcome in here. I understand that Dad can be a bit trying."

A faint smirk pulled at Clint's lip as he reached out to take her hand. "And if I just want to visit you?"

Darcy shrugged as casually as she could. "Kinda figured that was a given."

"Uh-uh," murmured Clint as he leaded slowly towards her, giving her time to turn away if she wanted to. "I'm gonna need you to spell it out for me. After all, I'm one of the 'jack-booted thugs' remember?"

"I never called you that," corrected Darcy as she turned back towards him, eyes going a little wide when she realized how close he was. "That was Eric."

"And you didn't agree?" questioned Clint softly.

"Nope, you struck me as being a little more intelligent," confirmed Darcy with a faint smirk. "After all, a bow takes a little more brain power than a gun."

Clint softly snorted. "Ha, ha. Seriously Darce, I need you to spell this all out for me plain as day. Tell me what you want, because the last thing I want to do is misread a cue and piss you off."

She rolled her eyes, then grabbed the back of his head and pressed her lips to his. For several long moments, he just kissed her softly. Carefully. Like he'd said, this was her show. Which apparently frustrated her, because she growled and more or less shoved her tongue in his mouth. The kiss lasted a moment more, until they needed to breath and were forced to pull away.

"That clear enough?" murmured Darcy as she leaned her forehead against his.

"Crystal," confirmed Clint quietly. She wanted a sexual relationship, nothing more. The lack of verbal response made it very clear what she wanted. "So, do you need to monitor that update?"

"Upgrade," corrected Darcy as the hand which had been gripping hers shifted to run up her arm. "And no. Josie'll boot back up when its done and if there are any problems either she or Jarvis will tell me."

Clint smirked and dropped a quick kiss on her lips. "Then we should go upstairs. Specifically to a bedroom."

Darcy's smirk matched his own. "I like the way you think, archer boy."

"Man," growled Clint as he picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder suddenly. "There are no boys here."

The laugh that echoed out of Darcy's throat was music to his ears. "Do you have any proof of your claim?"

"I'll give you proof," promised Clint with a near-manic grin. "I'll give you so much proof you'll have difficulty walking under it all tomorrow."

"Just the kind of proof I love," purred Darcy as Clint walked out of her lab with her dangling upside down. The doors shut behind them with a click.