First chapter where either man makes a move. Depending on the reception I get with this chapter will determine how I continue this! Seriously guys, I need guidance and suggestions! Also, thanks to everyone who's reviewed anything and everything I've done so far. You guys are awesome and you don't know how much your comments have kept me going.

Enjoy everyone!

- Illusinia

Something weird was going on. Darcy knew it. Loki must be playing a prank on me or something. Maybe Stark. Yeah, this isn't Loki's manner of prank, its definitely Stark's. He's the only person I can think of who'd use flowers to creep a girl out.

And really, it was kinda creepy. It seemed like everywhere she went, there was at least one flower with a little tag and her name on it. She hadn't touched any of them; the fact that it was happening alone made her uneasy. She'd seen this in movies before when a girl gets a stalker. But really, who'd be stupid enough to stalk someone who's friends with the God of Mischief. Though she couldn't 100% guarantee it, Darcy was pretty sure Loki'd kick the ass of anyone who decided that stalking her was a good idea.

Hence her conviction that this whole thing was a practical joke. Probably orchestrated by Stark, who most likely thought Loki wouldn't kick his ass because the man was so head-over-heels for Pepper it wasn't funny and thus wouldn't actually stalk Darcy. She'd have to get him back somehow. Maybe drug his coffee and tie him up naked in the conference room. No, that would be funny but she really didn't want to see the man naked. Well, ok, she did, but she was pretty sure Pepper would kill her for something like that. Or find a way to socially maim her. Really, the woman could do some scary things with only a phone.

With a sigh, Darcy stepped into her office only to find Steve standing there casually. There was a flower in her trash can. The one that had been sitting on her desk that morning when she arrived. Must have been an accident. That was the only flower that hadn't creeped her out. It was an enchanted one that kept changing colors, clearly having come from Loki, meant to, as he put it, 'brighten up her dreary torture chamber of an office'. Yeah, the office they'd stuck her in for when she wasn't working with Jane was small, and barren, but she wouldn't call it a torture chamber.

"What's up Cap'?" asked Darcy as she maneuvered to the trash and plucked out the flower. It turned dark green for a moment before bleeding to purple.

Steve looked concerned. "Are you sure it's safe to keep that thing?"

Darcy glanced at him over her shoulder as she moved to the vase the technicolor flower had originally been in only to find a beautiful rose in place of the enchanted one. It wasn't changing colors like the one in her hand, but it was beautiful none the less: a flower of gradating color that went from yellow at the bottom to a soft, fiery red along the tips of the petals. "Wow. That's beautiful."

She didn't see the triumphant smile that spread over Steve's face. "I thought you'd like it."

"Why'd you bring me a rose, though?" asked Darcy in confusion. "It isn't my birthday or anything."

Steve shrugged. "I've been told its appropriate to bring a friend gifts for no reason. Is that wrong?"

"Not really," admitted Darcy. "Just doesn't usually happen to me unless its Loki who's doing the giving. But he's my best friend so its kinda expected on some level."

"But friends do things like this as well," confirmed Steve worriedly. Right now, he was content just to get a little closer to Darcy. Then he could work on stealing her away. Loki had the advantage of friendship on his side, and Steve wanted to level that playing field.

"Oh yeah," confirmed Darcy, still apparently a little surprised. "I'm just not used to it. Not exactly had a lot of friends since high school, so its kinda hard to remember what it's like."

Again, Steve nodded. "I see. You'll have to forgive my unease, so much has changed since my time that I don't know what's appropriate anymore and what isn't."

"Psst, don't worry about it," insisted Darcy as a grin slid over her features and she slid Loki's rose in with Steve's. "I'll take it you find my office dreary too?"

"A little," admitted Steve. "You're such a vibrant individual, it feels like your office should be as bright."

A faint blush crossed Darcy's features but she just shrugged. "Yeah, I've been told that before. Seriously though, I don't mind that the office is like this. Jane's usually holding me hostage over in her lab so it's not like I spend much time here anyway."

"Dr. Foster holds you hostage?" The alarm in Steve's voice was almost amusing, would have been in fact if he hadn't looked so appalled.

"Not literally," assured Darcy quickly. "Its a figure of speech. I just meant that she usually needs me over there so I'm not here much."

Steve made a sound indicating his realization and nodded. "Good. It isn't right for one person to hold another anywhere against their will."

Darcy felt her heart melt a little. Yeah, Steve was way to idealistic for her own cynical mind but it was cute to know someone still thought that way. "Well, next time I get taken hostage, you'll be the first person I call." It was meant as a joke of course. She probably wouldn't have time to call anyone before Loki tore her hostage takers to pieces. He was a little over-protective like that.

Still, Steve looked so happy that Darcy really couldn't bring herself to point that out. It would be like kicking a puppy. A really big and muscular puppy, but still a puppy. The image made her smile. "So what's up Stevo? Need some chaos in your life?"

"Actually, well, I mean, uh," muttered Steve clearing his throat as his cheeks pinkened again. Huh, that was weird. Reaching out, she lay her hand against his forehead. He recoiled a little, so she pushed him against a wall and returned her hand to its previous location. His gulp was audible and his voice, when he spoke again, was higher than normal. "Darcy, what are you doing?"

One of her eyebrows rose in a 'are you serious?' gesture. "I'm checking you for a fever. You keep flushing."

Steve's cheeks darkened even more. "I don't think I can get sick. Well, not since the procedure. I mean, before that I was sick all the time, but the serum stopped that. And made me bigger. Um, I meant physically. Taller. And stronger..."

Darcy knew one of her eyebrows was raised in a 'really dude' expression. Apparently, Steve rambled when he got nervous. "Right, not sick then. So if you don't need TLC, what're you doin' prowling around my office?"

He coughed slightly, nervously, and stood a little straighter. "Well, I wanted to ask if you want to go to a play. I mean, with me. Well, of course with me, I mean, I'm the one asking. I mean, I'm asking if you want to go to a play with me. Tonight."

At this point, Darcy was trying not to giggle. A nervous Captain America was seriously cute. Like, fluffy kitten in a basket cute. Or grinning puppy with a bucket on its head cute. One of those images you just wanted to cuddle. "Sure Steve, that sounds like fun. What play were you thinking?"

Steve's eyes were wide as saucers, but he was grinning like a loon. "Really? Swell!"

The 'swell' broke Darcy's will and she started giggling like crazy. "That's so cute!" The nervous look swept back over Steve's face and his eyes started to slide towards hurt, forcing Darcy to quickly clear her throat and shoot him a soft smile. "No one says things like 'swell' anymore. Its endearing."

"Oh," muttered Steve, apparently not sure how to take her explanation.

Wanting to move past the giant pink elephant currently dancing around the room, Darcy drew them back on track. "So, what's the play?"

"Um," Steve quickly glanced at something on a piece of paper from his pocket. "Its called 'Avenue Q'. The man at the ticket office said its really funny..."

Darcy gave him one of her megawatt smiles, and nodded quickly. "Dude, Avenue Q is amazing. The sound track literally spawned a litany of internet memes and jokes. There's a song in there that pretty much describes the internet and human nature. Its amazing."

Steve's face fell a little. "You've seen it before then."

"Never got the chance," sighed Darcy. "Well, until now that is. I've heard all the music though, and I've read an obscene amount of stuff about it."

The little-boy smile bloomed across Steve's face again. "Swell. I mean, good. Very good. I mean, its a good choice then."

She gave him a reassuring smile. "Perfect choice for two friends."

"So, I'll pick you up tonight then?" confirmed Steve, some of the nervous energy he'd been harboring ebbing away. "Is 6 o'clock good?"

"Sounds good," confirmed Darcy with a grin as she pulled out her iPod-like device and pressed a few buttons. "I just e-mailed you my address. So I'll see you at 6."

"E-mailed?" asked Steve.

"Right," muttered Darcy as she turned to her desk and rummaged around until she found a piece of paper and a pencil. Quickly, she scribbled something out before tearing off the piece of paper and handing it to Steve. "I forgot you don't use e-mail."

Steve stared at the piece of paper for a moment before quickly shoving it in his pocket. "Right, e-mail is that thing that Stark keeps talking about."

"You should learn to use it," insisted Darcy with a grin. "It's amazing. Want me to show you?"

"Um, sure," muttered Steve, surprised at Darcy's willingness to teach him.

Quickly, she motioned him over to sit in her chair while she perched beside the computer. "Ok, see that little blue ball with the fox curling around it?"

Steve nodded slowly, taking in the appearance of the symbol displayed prominently in the middle of the screen. "Is that e-mail?"

Darcy giggled again and shook her head. "No, that's a browser. Click on it twice."

Raising his finger, Steve poked the screen twice directly over the symbol. Darcy almost fell over she was laughing so hard. "No, dude, use the mouse."

Now Steve looked really confused. "What does a rodent have to do with anything?"

"Oh gods," muttered Darcy, who's smile looked wide enough to split her face. "I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. Alright Steve, clearly you need an entire lesson on computers. Like, elementary school basic. Not enough time today though, we'll have to schedule something later. Jane needs me back, pronto."

"Oh," whispered Steve. "I apologize. I didn't mean to take up so much of your time..."

"Eh, don't worry about it," insisted Darcy. "Jane won't care. Its just that Stark keeps kidnapping, er, borrowing me from Jane so I can help him and its kinda put us behind schedule on some of the stuff she's working on."

Steve nodded quickly. "Understandable. A smart dame, I meanlady, like you is bound to be valuable."

Darcy just shrugged. "Anyway, I gotta bolt to help Jane. I'll see you tonight though, ok?"

"Of course," confirmed Steve with a sad smile. "Tonight."

With another smile and a wave, Darcy was out the door and heading back to Jane. Good thing too. Today was just too weird. Hopefully some time in the ol' astrophysics lab would do her some good.

As soon as Darcy was gone, Steve had pulled out the cellular phone he'd been given and called one of his contacts.

"Coulson, if you're calling for another update I'm going to shove one foot so far up your ass and the other so far down you're throat the two will meet in your stomach," growled Danya as she picked up the phone.

Steve gave a faint chuckle. "Coulson bothering you again?"

"Steve, hey," breathed Danya, clearly relieved. "Yeah, he's being his usual arrogant self, acting like the projects he gives me are the only one's I have. Thank the gods Fury let me throw his little side-job on the back burner so I can focus on other stuff. Hopefully he'll give Coulson a lovely little talk to straighten out his attitude."

"I see?" questioned Steve, not sure if what she was describing was good or bad.

Danya just chuckled again. "So I'm assuming you're calling with news, hopefully of the good variety."

"She said yes," confirmed Steve with a grin. "And offered to show me how to work a computer."

"Someone's got to," snorted Danya. "Just don't scare her off. Someone needs to introduce you to modern society and, since I've become a regular hermit, this Daria girl of yours will have to do it."

Steve gulped some but nodded. "I'll try not to. Can you help me prepare for tonight though?"

"Prepare?" laughed Danya. "Really Steve? Please, tell me you can at least dress yourself."

"That isn't what I need help with," grumbled Steve. "I honestly don't know what to wear."

"Just show up in your uniform," suggested Danya dryly. "Might take care of some other issues you've got at least."

Steve felt himself blushing. Danya had made it very clear what other issues she felt Steve had. "Can we move on, please?"

"Sure Steve," chuckled Danya. "So, you want help with clothing and the like I'll take it?"

"Yes, please," insisted Steve.

The sound of shifting fabric floated over the phone as Danya moved. "Alright, I'll call Fury and see if there's any chance I can get out of here for a bit. Most of my experiments are in limbo at the moment so it shouldn't be a problem. What time are you picking her up?"

"Six o'clock," replied Steve. He sounded a little tense.

"Don't start hyperventilating on me here Steve," warned Danya. "I will find a way to kick your girly super-soldier ass into next Tuesday if you do."

"Yes ma'am," muttered Steve.

He could practically hear the eye-roll in her voice. "I'll me you at your place around 3:45, 4 o'clock-ish. Try to have something at least picked out before I get there. I don't want to do all the work."

"Definitely not," agreed Steve. "So, you'll help?"

"Yeah Steve," agreed Danya, the soft smile evident in her voice. "I'll help. Someone has to."

"So you say," teased back Steve, his own soft smile present. "I'll see you later then."

"Later," parted Danya before the phone line clicked off.

Steve felt his smile grow. With Danya's help, he couldn't fail.

Sadly, Steve's assuming Loki will play fair. Not that he's playing dirty yet, but still. Next chapter: Loki and Steve briefly face off in Darcy's apartment. Make sure you bring popcorn.