A/N: It seems that, in retrospect, this story was drafted after I had gone on a Star Wars Reylo story binge. As such, ODC here really act like Kylo and Rey more than Darcy and Elizabeth. Other than the names and side characters, this might as well be a Reylo fic. If you do choose to read this, please just be aware that the leads will be very, very OOC.
The way his agent drones on at the other end of the line makes Darcy want, very much, to smack his stupid face.
"William, listen, we need another book within the year to boost your sales rank. We came so close with Madeline of Lambton, and we are this close to breaking the NYT bestsellers record. All the press work will be maximized if you can send in even just a draft of a new publication."
Darcy pushes a hand to his brow. "No, nothing's coming. I can't force another novel when there's nothing."
"A sequel, maybe? Will, this is career-defining."
Darcy scoffs into his phone. He props his feet on the ottoman, eyes roaming all over his sprawling bachelor pad. "I've made it a long time ago, and you know that, Damien."
"But we're talking stratospheric success. We're talking Harry Potter, LOTR, Fifty Shades, if you will. We're talking movie adaptations and a place in the history books."
"Romance fluff novels don't exactly have serial, orcritical, potential." Darcy rolls his eyes. He sighs, loudly, because he can. "I know I make it look easy, but I can't just make up trash."
There's a pause on the other side of the line. "You better never say that in front of fans again."
"It's not like I meet them often. I didn't choose this line of work because I'm an extrovert."
"No, you are as close to an extrovert as the Grinch is to Santa - but, you gotta give me something to work with here."
"I said nothing's coming."
"Just a tweet? A teaser?"
"Of nothing. Brilliant idea you got there."
"Seriously, Will - "
"You and I have made a buttload of money from these romance novels, and maybe that's it, alright? I got a house. You got a house. Rumor has it that you even got a ring for that girl of yours that you should have dumped a long time ago. I don't care." Darcy slides a foot lower on his couch. "We've already milked my backstory for all it's worth, and that's it."
"Everything happens for a reason, Will."
"I know, and my reason was to get rich and to make my agent rich, proving along the way that I am my own man, inheritance aside. And I think my agent is being a little too pushy right now considering I'm the one who made him a millionaire."
"You can't live on three books forever."
"Watch me," Darcy growls.
Damien sighs, probably just as loudly as Darcy did earlier. The background noises make it a little harder to hear.
"Isn't your inner artist at least a little frustrated?" He changes tactics.
Darcy almost laughs at the blatant pandering.
"I would prefer to have a plot or two lined up," he admits, a second later. "But I don't appreciate the implication that we need another book - for anyone's sake."
"Alright. I can live with that."
Darcy sighs, more deeply this time, and swallows the discomfort in his throat.
"If you desperately need something for the press," he starts, a little hesitant to commit, "I suppose I can take a writer's retreat."
"May I send a reporter?"
"Absolutely not."
"So you are suggesting just to say that you're somewhere away - working on the next book."
"Something like that." He shrugs, all to himself.
"I can work with that."
"Thank you."
"And where would you go?"
"I don't know." Darcy slips a peak at the concrete jungle outside his panoramic windows. "Somewhere uncivilized and unknown - my uncle's farm, maybe."
"In England?"
"No, all my family's here. My uncle owns a country ranch - somewhere."
"Sounds like a good place to hide."
"In every American action movie - yes." Darcy smirks. It really would be the perfect escape.
"Could I have a name?"
"Absolutely not. If I do this - I am doing it anonymously."
It takes a second or two to come, but he gets the concession he needs. He always does.
"Alright then. Have it your way, Will."
"Thank you."
And he packs his bags the very next day.