Bruce asked himself for the thousandth time why he was here. He felt rather out of place looking out over Tony's pool. Pepper stood talking to Steve, both in swimwear and trying to ignore Tony's random outbursts, as he tried to work the barbeque.
"Dude, why did you have to try and upgrade a barbeque? Seriously, move over genius!" He heard Darcy's familiar voice shouting. He couldn't help but smile at the small woman shoving Tony away from the grill. She stood hands on hips, covered in denim shorts eying up the equipment. Tony yelped as she grabbed a tea towel and used it to start pulling off parts of the barbeque and toss them away.
"What are you doing woman?!" The billionaire barked in horror.
"Barbecues are not rocket science. You get the food and cook it over the fire. Fortunately for us, one of us isn't a rocket scientist." She grinned, flicking Tony on the nose.
"You know I'm not actually a rocket scientist right? I mean I can understand the confusion what with all your expertise in political science and everything." He countered.
"Did you know that I switched major?" She asked carefully, taking over the cooking meat.
"You did?" He asked looking genuinely interested. She couldn't blame him; it wasn't often that she openly talked about herself with him, or pretty much anyone.
"I was originally doing Astrophysics, that's one of the reasons I applied for the internship with Jane. I could at least argue that I had the basic knowledge you know? I needn't have bothered since I was the only applicant." She snorted.
"Why did you switch?"
"I um...sucked at physics." She mumbled.
Bruce cleared his throat behind them, knowing that there was no way that could be true. Darcy may not be on the same level as him or Tony or Jane but she certainly understood physics.
"You understand basic physics just fine." He spoke up. "I didn't know you switched majors."
"So if you're not bad at physics, why did you switch majors?" Tony asked.
"It's super embarrassing." She said shaking her head and focusing all her attention on cooking the food in front of them. "Something made me realise I wanted to make a difference. I chose Astrophysics because when I was a kid, I just always thought the planets and stars were beautiful and I was okay at it but I was never going to be a genius at it, not enough to change the world. I'd always been good at arguing sooo...political science seemed like a good way to go and you know what, I'm super good at it. Funny how after all that hassle switching, it turns out that I did get to be part of saving the world with Astrophysics after all, it was just Jane that did most of the brainy part."
"That doesn't sound embarrassing. I'm disappointed, I was promised embarrassment." Tony murmured, glancing at his now empty drink in disappointment.
"It was you." She admitted, before she back out of it. "In one decision you changed nearly the entire worlds weapons industry. I wanted to be able to make that kind of change and I couldn't have done that in Astro by myself."
"You seriously-"
"Don't even go there." She cut Tony off quickly. "Say nothing. No observations. No comments. No thoughts. I told you it's embarrassing."
"That smells amazing." Tony said instead, looking like he was barely able to contain himself.
"I told you, barbeques do not need upgrades." She nodded, grateful that he had dropped the subject, even though she knew he would love to bring it back up in the future to tease her or just inflate his own ego.
"If I'm useless here, then I had better go get myself another drink and see Pepper, before she decides to upgrade from billionaire to super solider." He grinned.
"So this is where I admit that I'm actually kind of glad I came but you are never to repeat that to anyone. Ever." Darcy said glancing at Bruce.
"Secret's safe with me." He assured her with a grin.
This close Bruce found it hard not to stare at the way her vest top clung to her chest and waist and the amount of her legs he could see. It was strange to see her in so little. She practically lived in jeans and sweaters or possibly the occasional black skirt, if there was a meeting that she needed to attend. It actually made him feel like he was seventeen again, faced with some gorgeous girl that he had no clue how to talk to for a few moments, before he remembered that he was forty years old and no longer in high school and that this was Darcy and he talked to her better than he talked to nearly anyone.
"You're hating it aren't you?" She asked him, bringing his attention back to the present.
"Surprisingly no." He chuckled. "It's a bit out of my comfort zone I'll admit but it's not terrible."
"I'm glad." She said, nudging him with her shoulder, taking in Bruce's cut offs and loose button down. "I was starting to think you didn't have a look between rumpled lab coat and practically naked."
"Um...yeah, you too. Not...I mean normally you're a lot more..." He shook his head and mentally slapped himself. "You look great, is what I meant to say."
"Nice recovery." She grinned. "You look pretty hot yourself. Even if you're a little overdressed for the pool."
"Oh...I don't..." He looked awkward for a moment. "You're not exactly dressed for the pool either."
"I have a suit indoors but I figured I'd wait until it was less sunny out. I burn really easy." She explained. "Plus...I'm not exactly insecure about my body, I mean I've never been like a size four or anything and I'm pretty good with that but...have you seen Pepper in that bikini? Seriously? It's like watching the Black Widow in her catsuit. Perfection. If it wasn't wrong because she's with my dad and all, I'd want to date Pepper!"
"Saving my first response on that until...another time; can I just point out that there is a literally a genetically perfected man stood over there in just a pair of shorts?" He said, his arm pointing vaguely in the direction of Pepper and Steve. "Enough that it even makes Tony a little insecure and Lord knows that man has enough ego to fill Manhattan."
"Yeah, Steve is total eye candy." She agreed, before laughing at Bruce's glare. She moved the now cooked food onto plates and stepped away from the flames. "I'm kidding. Well, sort of. He is totally eye candy. I mean face it, he looks amazing. But there's two very big problems, three depending on your tastes actually. One, muscles like Steve's and Thor's are not comfy to hug let alone cuddling up in bed or on the couch. Obviously muscles are great and all, especially to look at but there needs to be at least a bit of softness somewhere to snuggle up to. Two, being with someone that perfect looking always makes you paranoid about your appearance and therefore you can never really be yourself with them. Three...he has no hair. It's weird for a man to have like none."
"I'm not sure whether you're joking at this point or not." He commented, as she moved to put the plates of food on the table a little way away from them.
"Hey, that is a serious point. Don't you think it's weird?" She gestured for him to come sit with her at the edge of the pool. Darcy dipped her feet into the water, swinging her legs back and forth to make little waves.
"I can't say I've ever seriously debated another man's body hair or lack of." He said, coming to sit beside her, his feet dipping into the water also.
"See, it depends on a person's preference obviously because some don't like much and some do. I'm not saying I expect a man to be covered with hair but Steve has like none on his arms or legs either. Like a swimmer, like it's all been waxed off. It's weird. Men should be manly, that's part of the appeal, otherwise we may as well all be lesbians." She explained.
"I think going from lack of body hair to lesbian is a bit of an extreme leap." He frowned.
"I guess I'm pretty lame at explaining it." She shrugged. "Anyway, my point was that yes, Steve looks perfect but there are drawbacks to the physical perfection."
"Yes, I'm sure he hates being so physically perfect." Bruce chuckled. Darcy kicked water up at him. He was quick to flick some back. "A water fight? You think that's a good idea?"
"Brilliant idea!" She kicked up more water at him. He leant forward and used his hand to flick some back. Fortunately for her, it gave her a pretty big advantage. He barely had time to yelp before she shoved him off balance and into the pool.
"You're absolutely insane!" He laughed at her, wiping the water from his face. "Come here!" She laughed loudly as he yanked her forward into the water with him, not even noticing that he had actually grabbed her arm to do it. Neither of them noticed but their audience did. They noticed how the pair continued to splash one another and laugh, completely oblivious to anything else. They noticed how oddly relaxed and happy Bruce was for a change and they noticed how Darcy, usually so careful in her touches, didn't blink or hesitate when it came to Bruce.
"If I tried to drown you, would I end up having a water fight with the Hulk?" Darcy laughed, jumping onto Bruce's back.
"Can we not find out?"
"Sheesh, as if I would actually drown you." She snorted, casually dragging her arms around his neck and resting her chin on his shoulder from behind.
It was Bruce who first noticed their position. Completely innocent but completely loaded all at the same time. Darcy's bare legs wrapped around his middle and her wet body pressed against his. His hands slid to her legs, supporting her weight as he put his feet on the bottom of the pool and walked them to the edge.
"I think we forgot swimsuits." He joked, his hands steadily sliding to lift her until she sat back on the edge, his back pressed against the wall of the pool.
"Meh, look at us being rebels." She laughed. He loosened his grip on her, letting go and turning around to face her.
"I think we have an audience." He told her quietly.
"Then you'd better be glad I'm behaving myself." She winked at him.
"We should go get changed." He said after a moment of silence.
"I will go get changed right now if you promise me one thing." She offered, leaning down closer to him. "No freaking out or over analyzing or letting Tony get to you."
"Darcy, he's just…" He sighed, stepping further away from her.
"Bruce I'm serious, yes he's but my father but don't let Tony's jabs get to you." She said firmly. "I know he's been a bit of an ass about the big guy being around me sometimes but we're good, so please don't let him ruin it."
"Alright Darce, we're good, no freaking." He said, moving sideways and pulling himself up out of the pool next to her. He felt her answering smile all the way down to his bare toes.