Darcy and Clint mix up their coats. I apologize in advance for sappy-ish Clint.

Prompt: coats

From: avengers-tables .livejournal under 50-word prompt (yes, I do intent to use all 50 words)

Pairings: Clint/Darcy

"Darcy?"

Darcy winces as Jane's voice echoed through the lab. She could have sworn the older scientist was asleep. Turning, she pulls her jacket a little tighter around her and offers the older woman a smile which is slightly tinged with unease. "Hey Jane, what are you still doing up?"

"I was going to get some water," replies Jane awkwardly, eyes darting to the clock which proudly declares the time to be 2:30. "Are you just getting in?"

"Yeah, I went out to the bar." Technically, it wasn't a complete lie. She had gone to the bar to meet Clint. They'd just never gone inside, opting to head into the desert to 'star gaze'. Suffice to say, Darcy hadn't been paying much attention to the stars.

"Oh." Jane apparently believes her story, because the other woman drops the topic and cuts into the kitchen. Darcy nearly lets out a sigh of relief. "By the way, is that a new jacket?"

And there went her relief straight out the window. Tugging off the jacket, Darcy momentarily horrified as she realizes she is holding Clint's jacket rather than her own. She must have grabbed the wrong one when she climbed out of the car. Shit. Shit, shit, shit. What do I say? What would dad say? Well, she knows what her father would say. He'd spin a convincing lie on the spot like he has more times than she probably wants to know about. Too bad she doesn't have his talent for lying.

"No, I must have grabbed the wrong one when I left the bar," replies Darcy, voice somehow completely stable. She can bluff her way out of a paper-bag, but when it comes to minor lies, she's horrible at them. Thankfully, she can actually give this jacket back, so it'll look less suspicious. "I'll take it down to the bar tomorrow and give it to the bartender. See if anyone turned mine in."

Jane nods absently, yawning slightly. "Alright, go get some sleep. We've got a lot to get done before we go out tomorrow night."

"Roger that boss lady," confirms Darcy as she watches Jane disappear out the back door to her trailer. As soon as the older scientist is out of the room, she releases the sigh she's been holding and snatches her phone out of her pocket. Hitting the first number on her contact list, an unlabeled one, she presses the device to her ear.

Clint picks up on the second ring. "Miss me already?"

"Something like that," replies Darcy. "I've got your jacket."

"I noticed that when you went running towards the lab, but you didn't turn around when I called out to you." Clint's voice is tinged with worry, though she's not sure why. "Did you get in trouble?"

"No, I managed to explain it away, but I need to get this back to you tomorrow," explains Darcy.

"I'll see what I can swing. Want to meet at the bar again?"

Darcy absently nods her head, thinking through how she can seek away to return the jacket without anyone seeing Clint. "That'll work. If we meet inside, it'll reinforce my story that I grabbed the wrong jacket at the bar."

"That's what you told her?" asks Clint, a touch of laughter in his voice. "And she believed it?"

"Shut it, Mr. Super-spy," grumbles Darcy halfheartedly. "Not all of us can be pro-liars."

"I know Darcy, I'm just teasing," assures Clint. She can hear him shifting on the other end of the line. It sounds like he might be striping.

A touch of a smile draws across her lips. "Getting ready for bed?"

"Yep," confirms Clint. "A certain dark-haired woman wore me out tonight." The teasing tone in his voice dispels any notion of irritation his words could even remotely carry. "I was actually kinda hoping she'd be willing to wear me out tomorrow night, too."

"Sorry, can't," declines Darcy sadly. "Jane's dragging us out into the middle of nowhere to stare at the stars again."

Clint sighs, the echo of his breath passing over the receiver. "Well, there goes that idea. Text me while you're out there if you can. I'll probably take a guard shift if you're going to be gone."

"You could go out anyway, you know," points out Darcy, frown drawing her lips down a little. Can he really not find anything else to do other than hang around with her?

"I know," assures Clint, lopsided grin audible in his voice. "But it's no fun without you there."

Darcy can feel the corners of her lips quirking up into a sappy smile, but she doesn't fight it too hard. Really, what's the point? "We'll see if I can keep you entertained from out in the desert then. Now, go to sleep. You sound tired."

"Gee, thanks," snarks back Clint even as he yawns.

"Uh-huh, that's what I thought," replies Darcy with a grin. "Night dude."

"Night, Darce," murmurs Clint. "I'll make sure my dreams are of you."