Chapter IV:
"So what if there was a way to replicate the Leidenfrost Effect, but in a way that we can use it to make this theoretical exotic matter? Like, trying to determine whether its boiling point is even past absolute zero at first, and then go from there?"
"In what way would that even create exotic matter? There's no energy with that reaction." Jane pulled at her hair. "You're just spitting word vomit now, Percy."
It had not taken long for their discussions to evolve into Percy trying to explain things to her. And he was just as impatient as he was with learning, never showing his work, nor providing much evidence for his claims. Doodling with his right as he talked, his left flailing with indiscernible gestures, Jane refused to believe he graduated from university.
She found it near impossible for somebody to be able to grasp her abstract theorems without any foundations. For Pete's sake, there were basic mathematical symbols he did not know, let alone entry-level expressions of physical laws. Yet somehow, he made it work.
"Liquid dynamicists," Jane muttered into her glass, downing the last drops of her tea. "What the hell do they teach them?"
"Hmm?" Percy looked up at her from his perch, which so happened to be her desk.
"Nothing, keep doing what you're doing."
His pen dropped in his hand. "Why does that sound sarcastic?"
"Oh, you want me to be sarcastic?"
"Rather not, no."
"Very well then," Jane gave him a shoo, setting her glass down. "Back to it."
The biggest surprise of all of it was Erik, who out of all people, took a liking to Percy. More than a liking, actually. It was bordering on the edge of bromance. With Percy's presence, her mentor had caught a second wind. Or to be more realistic in Erik's case, his fifth or sixth. She could tell that he very much enjoyed the prospect of teaching a new student. Jane never thought she would see the day.
"Percy, my lad, you're just rehashing quantum mechanics." Erik's hand was on Percy's shoulder like a father's. "Jane and I already got that stuff down. Just keep practicing calculating your approximations with those same principles in mind. I promise I can steer you right if you start going wrong there."
Percy caught her stare from across the lab, winking. "Sounds good Dr. Selvig, I'll get right on it."
Jane blew the hair out of her eyes.
It would not be long before Percy was in on all their secrets, she reckoned. Whether it be by her impulsiveness or Erik's sloppy handwriting. Knowing herself, it would be the former first. Going over all the stuff they had done before was great and all, but she was itching to start making new headway. Because what good was an explorer that only stayed on the docks?
After all, if it all blew to kingdom come and Percy turned out to be some secret spy, she could count on S.H.I.E.L.D. to rescue her. That was one thing their annoyingly long noses were good for, and perhaps the only upside in them being invested in her research.
Jane's nose wrinkled as she passed by Percy on her way to the fridge. Since when did he smell like saltwater?
-Ω-
"Tell me everything."
Darcy's blue eyes pierced through the computer screen. She was somehow more intimidating on Skype than she was in person.
Jane leaned back on her couch, her feet dangling over the edge. "You gotta be more specific."
"Oh please, Jane. Stop with the bullshit. Have you guys kissed yet?"
"What? You think I'm a whore or something?" Jane flipped the bird through the webcam. "Shame on you."
Darcy blew air through her lips. "I'll have you know that it took you and Thor less than forty-eight hours."
"And? I'll have you know that that was a lot different."
"Right, surrrreeee."
"Uh huh."
Darcy brushed away her words with a wave of her hand. "So what's the deal? Come on now. Is he everything you hoped and dreamed for? Your gift from the gods? I was right, wasn't I?"
Jane made sure that her eye roll was crystal clear. "He's doing a lot better than I expected. Most of the concepts he's already got down, it's just the details that he's lacking. I know you won't be surprised to hear that he's still unbelievably awkward, but he's also got some spunk to him."
"How interesting," Darcy was back to popping bubble gum again. "You still got your little suspicions that he's an undercover-super-secret-robot-spy coming to steal all your work?"
"Not really, no—well, I don't know. There are some days where I'm convinced that he is, and others where I'm certain that there's no way."
"How so?"
Jane picked at her laptop. "He keeps asking about the Einstein-Rosen Bridge, you know, the one thing that got us into that whole mess last year? But at the same time, it's not like he's a super-genius playing dumb. I can tell when people do that. I don't know, it's all very confusing."
"And what about Erik? What does he think? What's that pig up to these days?"
"Would you believe it if I said that Erik loves Percy?"
Darcy's bubble popped. "Sounds like something that would happen. Percy's probably the first person with balls to listen to his crap since his own dropped."
"You're not far off." A sound from the stove stole Jane's attention away from the screen. "We haven't let Percy on any of the big stuff yet, but it probably won't be long. I just… I'm still not entirely sure if it's a good idea. You know me better than anybody Darcy, I can't make up my mind to save my life."
Darcy was painting her toenails now. Jane had never known her not to be doing fifteen things at once.
"Stop with the secret agent shenanigans. He sounds like your typical dork who never knows what he's doing half the time, but by hook or crook manages to be perfectly fine."
"Expand on that for me."
"Really?"
"Really. Your girl needs some help."
With permission granted, Darcy replaced her stick of gum with a new one,
"My guess is that he didn't have to try during school, or he just didn't care. Either way, people like that are always good at the conceptual stuff, and rely on luck and dark magic to get them through the rest. Those same people aren't exactly the best at socializing either. He probably spent most of his time in college either in the library or in the corner of some party. Fluid dynamics? Please, only freaks do that kind of stuff. And that thing about your little wormhole? He's probably more in love with your brain than he is with you. If I was a nerd, I'd be wanting to talk wormholes all day too." Darcy admired her painted toes with satisfaction. "You picking up what I'm putting down?"
Jane shook her head, marveling at Darcy's way with words. "I guess so. That was kind of what I was thinking, just in actual verbiage."
"I'm the best, I know." Flashing her feet for Jane to see, Darcy grinned. "This computer science type I was with had no idea what was going on outside his screens. I'll tell you, it's crazy how many people don't have a clue about anything. As for me, I may not be an astrophysicist, but I'm not totally blonde either."
"Excuse you, I'm on the fair side over here." Jane flaunted her hair in front of the camera.
Darcy went for some obscene gesture, but the grainy camera quality and connection ruined it. "Doesn't matter. You have the soul of a brunette."
Jane pouted before realizing what Darcy said earlier. "Wait. Darcy Lewis, are you… seeing people?"
"Please," Darcy stuck her tongue out. "Nobody's good enough for this piece of fine art."
"The computer science guy?"
"Shoved his Linux charger up his ass at the first available opportunity."
Gods, Jane hoped Darcy never changed.
"Hey! Don't go changing the subject up on me, Jane Foster." Darcy wagged a finger from her side of the world. "You're telling me you and Percy haven't done anything yet?"
A sigh built up and released itself from Jane's chest. "Darcy, I'm not even sure if I like him at all. Let alone in that way. It hasn't even been a month yet!"
"Right, you keep telling yourself that." Darcy waffled, now doing her hands with polish. "Anyways, you think we'll be touring Asgard next summer? Or any of the other worlds?"
"No, probably not. Erik and I have definitely made huge leaps in our understanding of inter-dimensional travel. It's just that putting it in a practical setting seems years down the road. I'm not even going to begin to try and think about how much energy we'd need to power something like that."
"Shame. But you never know, our friend Percy might have a trick or two up his sleeve." Darcy smiled an evil smile. "Or his wiener."
Jane slammed the laptop shut, still flicking Darcy off one last time for good measure.
It was time to bake some cookies.
-Ω-
Percy had discovered he could a wear a shirt with a color other than blue. To Jane, this was a bigger development than anything they were discussing.
"Percy, what's your deal with special relativity? Just let it go."
"No Jane, I'm telling you, there's something with these principles that we can use!"
The water in her mouth tasted sour as she set the bottle down. "Why? I've spent the last three years on this concept. Why would I blow it all up just to add something that will complicate it even more?"
Percy, who had been walking circles around the lab for the past hour, came to a stop in front of the whiteboard. "Okay, and? What do you have to show for it?"
The green in his pupils were burning with intent, his brows slightly drawn and forehead creased.
It was all cute, and Jane almost felt sorry when she called out his suggestions for being fundamentally impossible.
"You're playing a dangerous game, Jackson." She reminded afterwards with softening smile. "Don't forget, you're still by technicality my intern."
Percy's thoughtfulness turned tricky, like he was dead certain she was wrong and was annoyed by it.
"Whatever." He responded, flicking his pen across the room.
Jane watched with interest as it hit the floor and skid underneath a cabinet,
"Smooth."
She laughed as he sunk down to all fours, disappearing from view. There was no way somebody like him could be an agent. There was just no way.
"Come clean with me, Percy." She demanded when he reappeared, pen back in hand. "Are you a secret agent? Raised in trained in some secret ninja village?"
Percy's face ran through fifty emotions, most of them goofy. "Ninja village? I wish." He paused. "Why do you ask? Am I doing something wrong?"
"No, no not all." Jane undid her ponytail and started playing with the band.
His hands went to his hips like an actress. "You think I'm hiding something, don't you."
"What? No. Absolutely not." She refuted, face turning red. "You're just… different."
"Different in a good way?"
"Sure, let's say that."
She avoided his gaze as his eyes narrowed to slits.
"Whatever you say, Dr. Foster."
Like usual, she laughed, but that did nothing to quench her dying curiosity. No ifs ands or buts about it, there was more to him. She did not know what to be exact, but she knew it to be there. So she concluded their labing that Friday at a reasonable hour, announcing they were going to a bar together.
If liquor could not loosen his lips, she would send for some nitrous oxide.
Author's Note:
Thanks for all the positive feedback! Glad you're enjoying this story as much as I am :)