Darcy found that it was surprisingly easy to avoid any and all interaction with the other residents of the tower for the next few hours. People tended to take her closed door very seriously- especially after the time Steve only narrowly avoided a stapler to the forehead when he'd walked in, without knocking, (where were his '40's manners then?) during a particularly excruciating data entry session.
Seriously, for a serum enhanced super soldier, he could be such a baby; one flying projectile to the face and he refused to speak to her for the rest of the day. Although it did lead to an amusing few days that whenever he walked into a room Tony was sitting in the Man of Iron would throw whatever was to hand at his head. Remote, spanner, Jane's pop tarts. Just so he would get Steve to stop talking to him, also. It didn't work. Steve may have stopped talking, but it didn't stop him yelling.
Darcy had just finished filling out form seven of fifteen of insurance bureaucracy to get Tony's lab repaired when she glanced at her watch. 6:15 pm. Steve would be done with dinner soon and the two of them had a tradition of setting the table for each other when one of them cooked. It was a nice and domestic routine and one
she was glad was part of her last night at the tower.
Darcy put her pen down and stretched her back out, arms above her head and let out a happy little sigh at the pop and pull of bunched muscles. Pushing away from her desk, she grabbed her bag up and made her way to the elevators to go to the communal kitchen/dining area.
"Hey, JARV? could you please let Bruce and Jane know that dinner will be ready soon; and that they veto their bitching rights about me missing any and all future dinners if they're late to my last one." Darcy asked the AI as the elevator climbed the floors. She exited the elevator when it stopped into the kitchen and saw Steve
adding some spices to his steaming pot of chilli, gaining his attention by the 'ding' of the elevator and receiving a crooked grin that sent her fan girl heart a flutter.
"Of course Miss Darcy. I will also wake Sir from his nap at a quarter to seven. No need to have him up before then." JARVIS said with a hint, of what Darcy would call, 'mockery' at his 'Masters' expense. She snorted and made her way to the divider between the kitchen and dining area and leaned on her elbows.
"Thank you, JARVIS." Darcy looked to Steve and smirked. "Whatcha cookin' good lookin'?" Steve turned around to regarded Darcy for a second before smiling, shaking his head and turning back to stir his pot.
"You ask me that every time and the answer is always same: chili. It's the only thing I can cook in such large quantities that everyone likes. Even Tony." He replied, turning to face her again. Leaning against the countertop to the side of the oven with his arms crossed over his chest. "but I am going to miss it when you're gone, you know? Gonna miss a lot of things actually." Steve said quietly. Darcy smiled softly, pushing off the counter and walking to stand in front of him.
"You telling me you don't want me to go Rogers?" Darcy asked, cocking her hip and tilting her head. Yes, she was teasing him, but not only because was it the nature of her interactions with him, but because she really still didn't have the energy to deal with too heavy an emotional moment.
"You know I don't. None of us do. It's just," Steve scrubbed a hand across the back of his neck in what Darcy knew to be an embarrassed/frustrated gesture "it's real now. This is your last family dinner. And what with all the time you spend in the labs, it was sometimes the only time I got to spend any amount of real time with you. Other than when you were taking great joy in tormenting me with whatever modern-aged thing you knew would horrify me." Steve grimaced in remembrance "I've had JARVIS block TLC from my television. The only learning I've learned from that channel is that people are willing to do some pretty horrifying things to get on a show." Darcy smirked.
"Yeah, My strange addiction was perhaps a step too far." Darcy was able to admit when she made a misstep and that had most definitely been one.
"'Perhaps'?" Steve face contorted spectacularly into disbelief "a woman had an addiction to eating diapers, Darcy. Used ones." Darcy snorted. Steve scowled. Seeing Steve try not to throw up at what he was forced to witness would never not make Darcy laugh. But she managed to pull it back; because even though she was tired, she needed Steve to understand something.
"You know why I do things like that to you, right? Make you watch awful TV full of awful people? Have you listen to sexually explicit music ala Ying Yang twins and showing you the slightly more scarring corners of the internet?" she asked; eyes wide. She really needed him to know why. "I'm not just doing it to be a bitch or to see whether you'll actually self combust with embarrassment."
Steve frowned big and deep. "I never thought you were a ... 'bitch', Darcy." Saying the word with censure and disdain. "but yeah, I thought it may have to do with your liking to make me blush." He admitted studying her face to see if he had been wrong. Which he had.
"Yes, I love it when you blush, I think it's sweet. But the reason I do all those things is that I figure if you can deal with all that shit; the real world and all its real people, won't seem such a big deal for you, because I've already shown you all the crazy." She place a hand on his crossed forearms and holy hell did she never feel tinier than when she placed her small hands (or her 'freakishly undersized baby hands' according to Tony. He could get really mean when you tried to take his day drink away) on him, Thor or Cli-'oh, no', Darcy thought, she had done too well burying those particular memories of archery refined biceps, she wasn't about to slip now.
"You talk like I'm afraid of the outside world." Steve said frowning down at her. Darcy shook her head and squeezed his arm.
"Not scared; hesitant. Because you don't know what to expect you're overly cautious. And I get that your job is the most unpredictable thing known to man," Darcy tipped her head and frown pouted, in thought "and alien, mustn't forget the aliens, especially as you live with big and blonde;" Steve smiled, he always did when she went off on her tangents; he said he found them 'endearing'.
"And I know that you want your normal life to be easy to call because of it, but that's not living, that is barely existing. You need to go out and try new, modern things. It'll stop you from being so stuck in the past and in your head." Darcy said as she reached a hand up and tapped his forehead. "I'm sure it's a wonderful place to reside, I've seen your art, remember?" Darcy grinned at his blush "you are a good man, Steve Rogers and Thor knows we need more of them out there." Darcy leaned her head to the window, where the city was glittering in the dark, "The world already knows Captain America, maybe now it's time for Steve Rogers to get to know the world." Darcy rested her chin on his crossed arms and looked up at him through her eyelashes, while he was silent.
Steve was a lot like Bruce in that respect, instead of saying whatever came to their head first; they ruminated and thought things through from every angle. She imagined it was part and parcel of being soldiers and doctors. Couldn't be rash in making battle plans or when mixing chemical. One misstep and boom; dead. So Darcy could respect it and implemented it herself at times.
Steve blew out a slow breath that Darcy felt rustle her hair and he slowly unwound his arms, letting Darcy's chin fall to his chest as he wrapped his long arms around her in a loose hug, his chin on top of her head.
"You always know how to make things sound so simple." He said and Darcy could feel the rumble of his words through his chest. "But what if I'm not ready? Or worse; what if don't like it?" He asked quietly, turning his head to the side so his cheek was resting where his chin had been. Darcy smiled softly; he was still just the skinny kid from Brooklyn under all the drool worthy muscles. So uncertain.
"Do you like me?" She asked into his chest. She felt his arms tightened against her ribs and she nuzzled his chest with her nose.
"Of course I like you. Very much. Where did that even come from?" He asked slightly aghast.
"But you don't like everything about me, right? I mean, I know you don't like it when I swear like a sailor getting his rocks off; or when I change with you in the room; which, by the way? You're getting a free show, enjoy it." She felt and heard him make a strangled noise and smiled. So easy. Steve cleared his throat and tried to speak but all that came was a squeak. (Poetry, or maybe the start of a very dirty limerick; Darcy would have to take it up with Tony. The man was, unsurprisingly, erudite in the art of the dirty rhyme.)
"It's not that I don't like them...not that I like your body... of course I do; I mean you have a very lovely figure and any man would be... Darcy, please stop me." He finished lamely, head tipping down in defeat of his own awkwardness. Taking pity on her full time friend and part time mute, she let a small giggle and finished her point.
"Then you'll like the modern world just fine. If you can look past all the things you aren't particularly keen on about my personality, you can do the same with the 21st century; find what you like and enjoy it. And about the 'not being ready'?" she pulled back from him slightly and looked him in the face, "you won't know until you try." He nodded, smiled, gave her one last squeeze and let her go.
"You'd better set the table; it's already 6:30." Steve told her; giving Darcy a hip check that sent her careening into the cabinet. He laughed. Bad move, Rogers. Bad. Move.
"Steven!" Darcy yelped as she braced herself against the counter and rubbed where he'd nudged her. "If I wanted bruises on my hips courtesy of you, I would hope I got them from your hands gripping me too tight whilst we were in the throes of passion and I had you screaming my name." She heard Steve sigh and saw his shoulder slump where he was standing at the stove.
"Set the table, Darcy." He monotoned in his 'Darcy just did something dastardly' drawl. Darcy lived for that reaction. It took her to a happy place.
"Too far?" she asked as she made her way behind him "Or not far enough?" Darcy whispered in his ear as she pinched his ass. Steve let out a yelp that of which only dogs should be able to hear and spun on the spot to glare down at Darcy.
"What have we said about touching my butt, Darcy?" Steve asked in an admonitory fashion that made Darcy feel like she was in the principal's office. Which admittedly she was in a lot in her high school career. (You egg one teacher's car and all of sudden all car eggings and alike are pinned on her. Ok maybe there were five teachers' cars but the last two in her senior year were totally deserved; they really should have looked her in the eye and not at the girls when they talked to her. America's public school system, ladies and gentleman.)
"Only if I ask nicely." Darcy replied in her most petulant of voices; she'd gotten rather good at it, what with spending a lot her time with the 'Prince of petulancy' Tony Stark. The fact that Tony was rubbing off on her (Ew, which was a thought that would forever be in her brain. Seriously need to ask Phil about MIB mind wiping) in anyway should probably horrify Darcy more than it actually does.
"And did you ask nicely?" Steve carried on like he was talking to an errant child or, again, Tony.
"No." Darcy drew the word out lowly with a pout as she looked down and scuffed her converse against the tiled floor of the kitchen.
"No, you didn't. And have I ever said no, when you have?" he asked. Darcy smiled sweetly up at him then and shook her head, her curls bouncing around her face.
It was true, since he made the rule that she had to ask, he had never once said no. Even the time she had asked him in front of Fury and he had just blew a long suffering breath through his nose, sighed, closed his eyes and hung his head with a nod. She would have felt bad if he hadn't flexed under her hands. She had then squealed in delight and skipped off, laughing manically, calling for Jane to compare notes on 'super strength sculpted butts'. Darcy was well aware of the one eye following her in disbelief, but she was too giddy about the glutes she got to grab.
"Sorry." Darcy said smiling. "Now I have been properly put in my place, can I please go set the table?" Darcy asked biting her lower lip and twirling a curl around a finger; Steve knew Darcy well enough to be wary of that expression and he narrowed his eyes at her. Before he could give a reply she smirked mischievously and added "Unless you want to spank me, that is. Just so you're sure that I got the message." Darcy burst out laughing when he snorted and threw a tea towel in her face and turning back to the food.
"You know what, Darce? I don't think that I'm going to miss you after all. In fact I think that I'm glad you're leaving. Maybe it means I'll get molested less" Steve told her as she laughed loud and long.
"I doubt it Stev-o, I've told Pepper, Jane and Natasha how awesome your ass is. I might just get them to take over in my absence. Triple the molesting." Darcy teased as she went to wash her hands at the sink. Steve shook his head and didn't reply; meaning Darcy had won.
'Well at least I won one argument tonight.' She thought when her mind drifted to telling the team of her meeting that day. Not that she'd be arguing with them, exactly, she just knew they would need an outlet for their well deserved anger and she would be the easiest target.
Darcy checked the clock and her stomach turned uneasily. 6:40. knowing she didn't have a lot of time she decided to turn her mind to setting the table. It was comforting and centring. She and Steve had a well practiced dance of not bumping into one another. Little touches on the back or shoulder indicating movement with smiles of acknowledgement.
Darcy had just finished placing the last of the cutlery when she heard the elevator arrive and saw Bruce ambling out scrubbing his glasses with his check shirt. Bruce had a tendency to always be ten minutes early to things as he didn't want the stress of rushing when late. His eyes scanned the room and he nodded a hello at Steve before he made his way to Darcy. She took note of the pinch between his eyes and the antler-ness of his hair and sighed.
Pulling out a chair for him, that would be the one to the right of hers; Darcy took Bruce's wrist and gave it a squeeze before pushing him by the arms to sit. Standing behind him she leant forward, wrapping her arms around his shoulder and over his chest, chin resting on his shoulder, cheek to the side of his. "Rough day?" she asked quietly, bringing one hand to smooth his hair down. Bruce hummed his appreciation of the gesture and leaned back into Darcy's chest. (Not that she could blame him, her boobs made excellent pillows.)
"A little. I was on a bit of a roll when Stark blew the lab up. Couldn't seem to get it back after I went to check that he wasn't dead." Bruce closed his eyes and lets out deliberate breaths; Darcy recognized it as him getting to a less agitated mind space. Darcy hummed back at him and turned her head to kiss his cheek, the stubble tickling her lips.
"You'll get it back. Just next time leave Tony to burn. It may be the only way to stop his, what I'm being to suspect is actually, pyromania." Bruce snorted and Darcy smiled carrying on, trying to get him out of his funk. "Seriously, Bruce, one day I think I'm going to show up to work and the entire tower will be alight; and Tony will be out front with a can of gasoline, a box of matches and one of his 'I haven't slept for three days and there's a purple otter only I can see' looks on his face, staring into the flames like he's discovered Narnia, or something." Darcy grinned when Bruce let out a low chuckle that went through his back and vibrated against her chest.
Bruce turned in her embrace grabbing her hands and bringing her into his lap. She put an arm around his shoulder and behind his neck to rest her hand on his opposite shoulder whilst he clasped his hands over her hip and held her tightly. Darcy smiled broadly and got a little choked at just how far Bruce had come in the time they'd been friends. The Bruce she'd met at the beginning would never have dared to have anyone in his lap let alone instigated the cuddle.
"How about you, Darce?" he asked as he studied her face, "You looked a bit flustered when I saw you in Tony's not-a-lab." Darcy snorted and shook her head, her air catching on his stubble.
"I was standing in a blast radius, Bruce." She said as she bought a hand up and scrubbed his bristly cheek. Bruce leaned into the touch slightly but kept his eyes trained on her face.
"Please, Darcy, this is Tony. You're in a blast radius every other day. This was something else and not whatever's been bothering you for the last couple of weeks." Darcy tensed slightly at his finally mentioning her off mood of late. He hadn't said anything before and him bringing it up now put her on edge.
She didn't need to be thinking of Clint coming home in just over 24 hours when she had a more immediate headache to deal with. Shoving that aside for now, she put on a small, completely fake smile and continued scratching his cheek.
"You're going to need a shave there, caveman. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy whisker burn more than anyone, but you're starting to look unkempt and that reflects badly on me and my and my abilities to keep you presentable." Darcy tried to dodge but Bruce wasn't playing. (What was with her super friends disregarding her time tested suppression techniques to deal with her emotions?)
"Darcy." Bruce said, waiting for her to look him in the eye. "What's going on?" Darcy stared at him for a few seconds, realising he would bring it up in front of everyone at dinner if she didn't tell him something; she decided to go for a half truth.
"The meeting with Fury and Phil wasn't what I expected, but I don't want to go into it until we're all here." She hedged. Bruce seemed to buy it as he gave her a small nod but she could still see the doubt in his eyes.
Darcy not wanting to see the confusion in Bruce's eyes, moved her arm from around his shoulders and put it at her side, turned slightly so her head was resting on his shoulder and her back was half to his chest, her hands playing with his fingers; lightly massaging the tension that came from writing equations all day. Bruce resting his temple to the side of her face.
One of the things Darcy loved most about being friends with superheroes was that they had a tendency to be tactile. And being an avid hugger by nature she never refused them. Not even when they were sweaty or bloodied and were looking for some life affirming contact.
Clint had been one of those types; after a bad mission or battle he would come home to her and hold her tightly, sometimes for hours, not saying a word just needing to know she was there and alive. Of course sometimes it would show when they had sex and he was either more tender and loving or harder and faster. Whatever touch made him feel better Darcy was always happy to supply.
And then there was when Tony was grease stained and feeling like a little 'Lewis lovin'' as he put it. And 70% of the time it wasn't even to have her breasts pressed to his chest.
Bruce and Darcy didn't speak just listened to Steve putter in the kitchen, singing to himself what Darcy recognised as: Frank Sinatra's 'I'll never smile again'. (Jeez, Steve way to set a mood for dinner. Couldn't have picked a happier song?)
Darcy lifted her head from Bruce's shoulder when she heard the 'ding' of the elevator and saw Thor exit, towing Jane behind him; who had her nose buried in one of her equation filled books.
"Hello, dear friends." Thor exclaimed as he pulled a chair out for Jane and steered her into it. As he sat next to her he smiled at Bruce and gave Darcy a quizzical tilt of the head. "Have you taken my advice Lady Darcy?" he asked and she sighed. Bruce looked between Darcy and Thor with a frown as Darcy shook her head at Thor slightly.
"What advice?" he asked Darcy. Darcy looked up at him and folded her lips. She really didn't want to lie to her friend anymore than she already had.
"Nothing, Bruce. Right Thor? It's nothing?" Darcy looked back at Thor with wide eyes emphasising his need to play along. He frowned and nodded his head before looking back to Bruce.
"Yes, Doctor, it is indeed nothing." Thor agreed, although it was obviously forced. Thor didn't like lying, he thought it dishonourable. Well, he should have thought about that before bringing up a private conversation in public.
Before Bruce could call them on their obvious fibbing, Darcy turned the attention to Jane, who had missed the entire exchange. "Janie? What's the rule?" Darcy called across the table. Jane made a grunting noise in response to the question so Darcy tried again "Janie," she said louder and Jane's head popped up from her book with a frown.
"What?" she sing-songed at Darcy in an irritated manner; to which Darcy raised an unimpressed eyebrow at her tone.
"What's the rule, Janie?" she asked again, pointing at the note book she had in her hand. Jane narrowed her eyes at Darcy and pursed her lips. Jane was feeling challenging, it would seem.
"It's not actually dinner, Darcy. There's no food on the table." Jane said in a manner that Darcy imagined was what a parent of a teenager had to deal with.
"The rule isn't when dinner is on the table, Janie. It's 'no work at the table, period'. Give me the book." Darcy said placing her hand palm up. Jane pulled the book closer to herself and scooted her chair backward.
"Well, I'll go and be with Steve and finish what I'm doing." Jane said as she started standing. She was half way out of her seat when Darcy spoke.
"You sit your skinny ass back down in that chair, Jane. I have had a day a freaking half already and this is not helping." Darcy said, waving a finger at Jane to encompass her and her behaviour. "Follow the rules that we agreed to and give me the damn book." Darcy and Jane stared at each other for a few more moments, before Jane started to, slowly, lower herself back in to her seat. She marked her page and handed the book over with a pout. "Thank you."
Darcy looked away from Jane to find Steve, Bruce and Thor looking at her. It wasn't often that Darcy got her 'I'm grumpy and I'm gonna cut a bitch if you mess with me' face but when she did, people tended to listen. She was also aware that she was being shorter with Jane than usual, but her nerves were frazzled.
Just as she was about to tell a bunch of super heroes to stop looking at her like she was going to throw them into the sun; Tony came striding in looking clean and refreshed from his enforced nap. Although he was wearing his inside douche glasses; and that just wasn't going to fly with Darcy. She refused to have dinner with a Bono look alike. She would also refuse to have dinner with the real Bono, because real talk: U2 hadn't been good since the '90's.
"Who annoyed Lewis?" he asked as he stopped a good distance from the table, looking up from the tablet he was reading, realising what he'd walked in on. Not actually waiting for an answer, because he didn't actually care he carried on, "And if she's giving lap dances I'm so next." Tony leered eying where Darcy was still seated in Bruce's lap. Darcy huffed a laugh and shook her head.
"It's like you want the Other Guy to test the integrity of your suit, Tony." Bruce groused as he helped Darcy up.
Once on her feet she walked towards Tony and made grabby hands at the tablet in his grip. He scowled at her for a moment, seeming to weigh the pros and cons of arguing with her; and with a long sigh, shoulders slumping, he handed the tablet over, knowing he wouldn't win, he never did. "Good boy." She praised and heard a snort come from Steve in the kitchen. Tony whipped his head around at the sound and opened his mouth, to no doubt, release a string of insults but Darcy clamped a hand over his open mouth, "better than Jane, anyway. I had to use my 'pissed parent' voice on her." Feeling Tony smiling under her hand she removed it from his face. "Yeah, I thought that would please you. This won't, though." Darcy warned.
Putting his tablet and Jane's notebook under an arm she then reached out and plucked the glasses from his face. Tony squawked and slapped a hand over his eyes in protest. "Lewis! Give them back. I need them." He shouted as Darcy made her way to the kitchen divider and placing her confiscated items on it.
"You're indoors and it's night, Tony. You don't need them. Now, go, sit. It's chilli time." Darcy ordered, not bothering to look back to see if he was doing as he was told, she knew he was.
Grabbing the basket of bread and pitcher of water, she made her way back to the dinner table. Putting them in the centre, she was followed by Steve who placed a massive bowl of the chilli on the table and went back for the rice.
Everyone settled into the well practiced routine of filling and passing plates and glasses. Deciding it would be a good idea for everyone to actually eat dinner before having 'the talk'; Darcy decided to make some small talk.
"So, where's Pepper?" she asked, pushing rice around her plate. She really wasn't feeling at all hungry. What with feeling like she'd already eaten a bowl full of butterflies.
"Some meeting with the board took longer than she expected. Put her behind on her paperwork she has to finish for a conference call with Japan." Tony said around a mouth full of chilli soaked bread.
"I've put a plate aside for her." Steve informed from across the table and Darcy smiled.
"That," she said, pointing her fork at him "is because you are a sweetheart." Steve smirked and shook his head.
"No, it's because I know how quickly it goes as soon as it's on the table." Steve countered. Which was true, with all the super metabolisms and scientists who sometimes ignored the meals that were thoughtfully bought to them (ungrateful), meals as good as Steve's tended to go quickly. Tony scoffed.
"It's not that good, Captain Ice Age. Don't be getting an even bigger head."
"Says the man who is already half way through his second helping." Bruce pointed out as he buttered some bread. Tony made what Darcy thought was a protest but was muffled by the fact that he had his mouth crammed full of the food he claimed wasn't very good.
Darcy looked back to Bruce when he put the bread he had just buttered on her plate. She looked at him with a scrunched nose and raised brow. "not that I don't appreciate the assist, buddy, but I had knife skills down when I was seven."
"You're not eating. Again." He said with a concerned frown. Gesturing to the small pile of food that she had just been pushing around with her fork. Before she could say anything to refute him, or lie to him as was the case; Bruce just shook his head, "Just eat the bread, Darcy. For me. Please." Darcy looked at him for a moment longer and nodded her head, ripping some off and popping it in her mouth. Bruce seemingly satisfied went back to his meal.
"If you don't want chilli, Darce, I could make you something else." Steve offered with an encouraging smile. Darcy just smiled and shook her head while she swallowed her bread.
"No, thank you. I'm just not very hungry, lately." Darcy answered tearing another bite.
"We have noticed." Thor rumbled, giving her that damn concerned look that he'd given her that morning. (Jesus, was that only that morning? Her life was so fucked.)
"'We'?" Darcy asked looking around the table. "you guys have been talking about my eating habits?" she didn't quite know how to respond to that other than she felt vaguely creeped out.
"Or lack thereof." Tony replied, swallowing another mammoth bite. "and, yes. It's been quite the topic of discussion." He said, nodding his head. "I'm firmly of the opinion that you should be eating as much as possible; gotta keep those curves going, Lewis. And it saddens me to say: you've been slipping." Tony carried on looking over her figure. "Your body ain't half as rocking as it used to be. Though, your boobs are still large and very much in charge."
Darcy blushed. Not because of Tony's sexually suggestive comments, she was used to that; but because this was how he showed he cared. Beneath all of the innuendo and insinuation was him telling her he was worried for her health. She was about to tell him not to worry, when Steve interjected.
"What we're trying to say," He started throwing some major side eye at Tony "is that we're troubled." Darcy nodded and took a sip of her water to give herself a moment to think of what to say.
"Like I told Thor this morning; I might not be fine now but I will be. I just need to figure some stuff out. And it's not like I'm wasting away, you guys." Although, she was loathed to admit it, she had lost some noticeable weight. Darcy ran her fingers up and down the stem of her water glass really wishing everyone would stop staring at her.
"You talked to Thor about what's been bothering you?" Bruce asked with a hurt look on his face that made Darcy's heart clench. Darcy shook her head quickly; eyes wide, scrambling for what to say.
"No, Lady Darcy did not confide in me, I'm sad to say." Thor said, saving Darcy from releasing the nervous ramble she'd been about to spew. "But she assured me that when she was ready for our assistance she would ask." Darcy gave him a grateful smile and he nodded in acceptance. "And I have more than enough confidence that she is most capable of knowing when that time is; and she does not believe that it is now." Thor's deep voice notified the table; the 'leave her alone or you'll have me to deal with' loud and clear.
Darcy, deciding that the best way to distract them from the topic of her obvious avoidance, was to tell them of her meeting. Pushing her plate away, taking another sip of water and clearing her throat, she started.
"Listen, guys, I do actually have something we need to talk about." Darcy looked around the table and waited until she had everyone's attention. "As you know, I had my usual meeting today at HQ with Fury and Phil. As it turned out it wasn't exactly as advertised." Darcy pulled the sleeves of her jumper over her hands and twisted the fabric around her fingers; a nervous gesture everyone at the table recognised.
Bruce placed a hand over hers and gave a light squeeze. "It's ok, Darcy. Just say it." Nodding Darcy and took a deep breath.
"When I got there, Maria was in the lobby and she took me up to Fury's floor. I thought she was just going to sit in on the meeting, you know? She's done it before; but then she took me to one of those fancy conference rooms and I thought it might be like an intervention or something, but it wasn't." Darcy was well aware she was babbling but she couldn't seem to stop it. She bit her lower lip and furrowed her brow at the confused faces around her.
"If it wasn't an intervention, then what was it?" Steve asked slowly and calmly. (Steve knew what an intervention was thanks to the weekend long marathon of 'Intervention' she made him go through. She'd never seen him so close to crawling into the foetal position before)The soothing tone of his voice and the light pressure of Bruce's hand, cooled Darcy's roll, somewhat, and she was able to continue.
"It was still a meeting; there were just a lot more people than usual. Super people." Darcy hedged. She knew that she should probably take the band-aid approach and do it all in one go; but she never liked that idea much, it always hurt like a bitch. So she gave them time to process what she was saying and let them ask questions as time went on to lessen confusion.
"Super people. Like who?" Tony asked in a voice without inflection. Darcy winced, this was what she was afraid would happen. That their collective mistrust of SHIELD would have them shutting down before she could get them to listen.
"Susan Storm Richards, her husband Dr Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four; and Ororo Munroe, with Logan from the X – Men." Darcy felt Bruce's hand tighten and she looked at him to see a frown purse his lips. She moved her hand in his and linked their fingers together.
"Why were they there?" Steve asked, back rigid. Darcy really wanted to sigh; he'd gone from warm and comforting to being Captain America: the soldier.
"It turns out that Fury, Hill and Coulson have been holding meetings with them as representatives of their respective super teams." Again Darcy was silent and awaited their questions. Her leg began to bounce under the table, her nervous tension needing a release.
"To what end?" Thor asked interested but not defensive. Since he was the ambassador/liaison/diplomat for everything pertaining Asgard and earth, she wasn't surprised he was the calmest. He was used to it.
"They believe it would be for the benefit of earth and said super teams to combine skill and technologies; what with all the invasions and bat shit crazy baddies. A treaty, of sorts, has been made." Darcy looked from Steve to Tony and saw that they matching looks of suspicion; although she thought Tony could see where she was headed. And he didn't look happy with the destination. (Really, the one time they agreed on something and it had to be something to make her life more difficult? Brilliant)
"Why would SHIELD be involved in a treaty between The Fantastic Four and the X-Men? They have nothing to do with either team." Steve asked frowning.
"We're one of the 'Super teams', Steve." Tony said looking at the Captain and then threw an accusing look at Darcy, obviously thinking she was more involved than she was. "Isn't that right, Lewis?" the venom she heard made her flinch and bite the inside of her cheek and her leg stopped twitching. Darcy nodded.
"How long have these meetings been happening?" Jane asked, breaking the heavy silence that had descended. Darcy hadn't taken her eyes off of Tony. He looked betrayed and she wasn't sure if it was by her or SHIELD. The idea that it was her made her eyes burn slightly.
"From what I could tell from the meeting: anywhere from six months to a year." And Tony exploded.
"Are you fucking kidding me!" he shouted, pushing himself from the table with such force his glass of water went flying. "They've been making deals on our behalf? About things that are fucking integral to what we do? And didn't tell us. Fucking SHIELD! And you," Tony said in a low voice at Darcy and she tensed, her hand tightening in Bruce's; who had been unexpectedly silent "how long have you known? Is this why you've been so secretive and cagey, recently? Becoming a mouthpiece for SHIELD, are we?"
"Hey!" Jane shouted back, standing from her own seat; Thor sitting straighter at her side ready for anything. "It's pretty obvious she only found out today, Stark. So shut up and listen to what she has to say, before you start accusing her of things, because you can't stand it when you're not hearing your own voice." Jane stared at him breathing hard, obviously not happy that he was attacking her friend with unfounded accusations. For the first time, Darcy could do nothing to stop a fight between the pair, because it was about her. And she was really not happy that the fucked up state of affairs that was her private life had caused her friend to doubt her.
Thor took one of Jane's balled up fists and tugged her lightly so she would sit back down, but Jane hadn't stopped glaring daggers at Tony. Thor wasn't any happier, either, if the grinding of his jaw was anything to go by.
"Sit down, Tony." Bruce said in a low, angry voice. Darcy knew that he didn't like what Tony had been saying as his hand had been clenching periodically when he was shouting at her. Tony looked at him and narrowed his eyes. "Darcy deserves to be heard out. There's obviously more to this. So. Sit. Down." Tony looked from Bruce to Darcy and sat back down in a heap of anger.
"Why were you invited to the meeting, Darcy?" Steve asked, slightly softer seeming to realise that Darcy was distressed at Tony's blame. Darcy cleared her throat and blinked back some tears, before answering. (Fucking crying, she'd done enough of it because of dickish Avengers.)
"I think they realised the mistake they made by leaving you out for so long and they wouldn't be able to get you to listen to them; so they wanted someone you guys trusted to try and make you see passed the SHIELD-ness of it all, to the good that could come of it." Darcy said her voice a little thick. She knew there would be bad feeling she just hadn't expected it to take such a personal turn.
"So, I was right. Mouthpiece." Tony sneered but was a lot less angry, more resigned. Darcy looked back at him willing her eyes to be less watery.
"No, Tony. I was asked to convince you to agree, but I said no. I made it clear that I would outline and present their ideas to you but, if you were vehemently opposed, I would not use my friendship to try and sway you. I also made it clear that I was angry on your behalf that you had been left out." She stopped speaking for a moment and folded her lips against their trembling. Bruce squeezed her hand and speaking softly, took the opportunity to ask a question.
"Why were we left out?" Darcy laughed humourlessly.
"They were of the opinion that you weren't unified enough as a team. Too many cooks and all that. They wanted time to get the other teams in agreement and then add you guys. I made it clear that was bullshit and you should have known all along. You guys are as much a unit and a family as they are."
Darcy looked at Tony and said, "The only thing they want me to do is get you to hear them out and if you agree to be part of the negotiations that I be the person to make your demands known."
Tony looked back at her, studying her to see if she was telling the truth. "So, I guess you were right; I would be a mouthpiece, but I would be your mouthpiece." Darcy said waving her hand at him. "All of yours. They wanted a centralised voice that only had your best interest at heart. And that is me Tony, all I want for you is to get a fair deal out of this."
She felt a tear slip down her face and she swiped it away quickly. Tony looked pained for a moment but it went as quickly as it came. He opened his mouth to speak several times but nothing came out. He sighed and deflated, looking angry at himself for not being able to verbalise what he wanted to say. Tony wasn't good at emotions at the best of times, even less so when he was in the wrong and in front of an audience. Darcy shook her head in silent understanding.
"It's ok. I get it. It's ok." Darcy said with a small, tremulous smile at his attempt at apologising. Her eyes swept the table as she spoke "I just need you guys to know, I only found out today and I waited until you were all together to tell you because it was only fair. The only promise I made was to tell you, nothing more. But for what it's worth? I think you should hear out what you're saying no to before you actually say no. It actually sounds like a good idea to me, it was just went about in a truly shitty manner." Darcy finished and took a long sip of water before continuing. "Any questions?"
"When is the meeting?" Tony asked in a small voice that made Darcy's heart hurt. He sounded like a little boy, lost and sad.
"I told them maybe Monday. Dependent on your reactions and how much time you needed to get your heads around it. They wanted tomorrow, but I said Clint and Tasha needed time after their mission, before this was sprung on them. I also said I'd tell them, but I have a feeling Coulson might do that after their debriefing." Darcy tried to smile at him but he just looked away. It shouldn't have hurt, but it did. Darcy and Tony had always had a good relationship, she had an inkling as to why he had doubted her and she'd forgiven it.
"Um, Darce? What about me?" Jane asked with a slightly raised hand, Thor looked at Darcy sharply interested in the answer as she thought he would be.
"I told them to leave you out of it, unless you want in. You can be part of the negotiations if you want, Reed seemed to be interested in working with you." Jane nodded and pursed her lips in thought for a moment.
"I'll be at the meeting." She said with a resolve that shocked Darcy in how quick her decision was made. Darcy raised an eyebrow and Jane smiled. "I should know what I'm saying no to." Jane parroted back. Darcy let out a laugh and nodded.
"I shall be there as well." Thor said with a small smile. "I have enjoyed engaging in battles with those heroes at my side. I would like to hear what they have to say about banding together." Darcy nodded and bit her lip.
"You may want to bring Sif with you." Darcy said.
"Why would Lady Sif be needed at these meetings? This is an Avenger matter not an Asgardian one." Thor asked perplexed at the request.
"That is what we need them to understand. That this 'sharing of technologies' won't include any Asgardian tech." Darcy said seriously. Asgard was rightly reluctant to share any of their inventions with a society so behind them in development, they only interceded when aliens invaded earth and they felt the fight needed to be fair. As far as Darcy was concerned, the less alien weaponry the better; the last thing earth needed was one of the crazies (or governments, shady bastards) getting their hands on it and reverse engineering replicas. Thor nodded, seeming to have the same thought as her. "If you could get her here for my leaving party I would be beyond grateful."
"I shall have her here by tomorrow night." He said with a beaming smile, happy that he was doing something to make Darcy feel better. She couldn't help the answering smile; seriously- a happy Thor was not something that could be resisted.
"I think you have a point Darcy; there is some merit to us coming together and while I have my reservations, I would like to have more information before I make my mind up." Steve said, drawing her attention and she saw him relaxing out of his Captain America persona. Darcy just nodded, knowing that she couldn't say anymore and looked to Bruce.
"I was in when you said you thought it was a good idea." Darcy smiled and leaned to kiss his cheek with a loud smack. She looked over to Tony who was slumped in his chair, an unreadable expression on his face.
"Tony?" she said softly, startling him from his thoughts. He looked up at her and grimaced.
"Yeah. Yeah, I'll be there. Just give me a time." He got up from his chair, not looking at anyone "I'm gonna go...somewhere." and then he was making his way to the elevator. Darcy went to get up and follow him but Bruce squeezed her hand and shook his head.
"He needs time, Darce."
"He's sad, Bruce." Darcy countered, looking out at where Tony had left.
"He's sad because he assumed wrongly and hurt you in the process. He made you cry, Darcy." Bruce said hooking her chin with his free fingers. "He made you cry and he feels bad; you know Tony, he's going to need space to drink, tinker and brood, to work through it." Darcy shook her head, feeling tears well again.
"But I think I get why he did it. He shouldn't have to suffer when I can tell him that I don't blame him."
"Darcy." Steve called from across the table; turning her head to look at him she was met with a small smile. "Stark is a lot like you. He needs to be alone to get himself through this." Darcy shook her head again, tears actually falling.
"No, he's not. I do better when dealing with things by myself. Tony doesn't do well alone. Everyone knows this." She let out a little choked noise and wiped her face with her sleeve. "He needs people."
"And he'll have you, Darce." Jane said sympathetically. "Just not right now. Ok?" Darcy stared at her for a moment before looking to Bruce who nodded his head. Blowing out a breath and nodding her head, she agreed.
"Fine." Darcy said before looking up at the ceiling, " JARVIS? Could you do me a favour and keep an eye on Tony for me, please? And if you think he needs me or anyone, tell us?" Darcy asked breath hitching.
"Of course, Miss Darcy. If you would like, I have taken the liberty of setting up 'The Addams Family', 'The Hangover' and 'Ghostbusters' in the cinema room." JARVIS informed her and Darcy felt more tears fall. Her friend, the AI, had made a playlist of her favourite movies to make her feel better.
"Thank you, JARVIS. That would be lovely." Darcy said; realising if she watched all three films that should be enough time for Tony to be on his own. And hopefully Pepper would be back by then to help her make Tony feel better. Swiping her face again she turned to everyone and said, as brightly as she could manage. "Who wants a movie night?"
A/N: Hello you lovely commenter's! Thank you for all the love, it means a lot.
Oh, hi, Beserked2, I didn't think you were flaming, you were absolutely correct and hopefully now having a beta (the amazing Aeva) will cut down on my super long sentences.
Nightingalevermore, you lovely person, what are you trying to incorporate in your daily life?
Miss ruthless, I'm glad there's another Clint/Darcy lover. They are totes amazeballs. Clint/Darcy stuff is coming, but, you know have to keep the suspense going.
SJ x