#future shieldshock

[janeykath318]

Steve’s Christmas Miracle (Shieldshock)

“Man, Steve, you’ve got to get yourself a little holiday cheer man. This place looks like the barracks,” Sam commented, shaking his head at the lack of decor in Steve’s cabin. “I’m free to help with tree duty, if need be.”

Steve shook his head, morosely sipping a beer.

“Thanks, but no thanks, Sam. I’m not feeling it this year. I can’t do festive. Thanks for the offer, though.”

Sam frowned, a little worried about how dead Steve’s expression was. Ever since the defeat of Thanos fourteen months ago, Steve had lived like a hermit and had been very withdrawn.

“Okay. Just so you know, the offer to come to Louisiana for Christmas is still on the table. You’re sure you’re alright, Steve?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just need the solitude this year.”

Sam didn’t fully believe him, but he didn’t push. He understood what Steve was going through. He only hoped the man wouldn’t go too far inside his shell.

“Okay, but you call me if you need anything. Take care, Steve.”

He squeezed his friend’s shoulder and quietly left, dialing Bucky on his way out the door. He’d have Bucky do another check in on Steve before the trip.

Steve sank back into his sofa and shut his eyes. He didn’t know how he’d ever be able to celebrate again. They’d won, but at a high cost. The image of Pepper weeping by Tony’s body flashed in his mind along with Clint’s grief stricken face returning from Vormir. He didn’t know how much more pain he could take.

“Agent Lewis?”

“Yes, Captain?”

“Michael has an assignment for you. In his office.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Darcy nodded solemnly at her heavenly superior, but she was inwardly squealing at the thrill of finally having another assignment. It was the time of year when humans needed their help the most and she looked forward to helping bring hope to hurting souls. She’d spent her earthly life volunteering in shelters and soup kitchens during the holidays, and now she got to spend it helping reignite the joy of the season.

“Agent Lewis, you will be working with agents Carter and Romanoff on our next subject, one Steven Grant Rogers.”

Darcy’s eyes widened, but she kept her mouth shut. Even she knew better than to interrupt Michael.

“Here are the files for you: Past, present, and future,” Michael handed each one a folder. Darcy noted that hers said PRESENT. Hmm, this could be interesting. “I chose you three because you all knew or interacted with Steve during your time on earth and would have unique insight into his character. Steve’s heart is still soft, unlike many of our clients, but years of hardship have left him cynical and wounded and deeply depressed. Your mission is to point him towards help and healing and remind him of life’s joy’s. It is critical that he not continue to cut himself off in his grief and drive away his friends. He may not be a Captain America anymore, but he needs to see that there is very much a place in the world for Steve Rogers. Do you understand?”

They all nodded solemnly, Peggy and Natasha giving each other knowing looks.

“Good. Mission starts on Christmas Eve. I expect you will be prepared and follow the rules.”

He stared a little longer at Agent Romanoff and Darcy hid a smile. Natasha was still new to the job of heavenly messenger and tended to meddle more than what was strictly allowed.

After they were dismissed, the three members of team Save Steve gathered in their cozy angelic staff lounge to go over their files and talk strategy.

“So, how did you know Steve?” Peggy asked Darcy, after Natasha had brought them up to date on her last memories of Steve and his mental state.

“That’s the thing. I really didn’t,” Darcy sighed. “I remember him as this skinny kid who was a regular at the diner I waitressed at. He’d always smile this beautiful smile at me, but he never said a word and let his friend do all the talking. He seemed nice, though. I feel like we might have had an encounter of some sort, but it was really close to when I died and all my memories of that day are still blocked. It’s kinda frustrating. I honestly think Michael might have found someone else who knew him better.”

“There are no mistakes,” Peggy said firmly. “You must have had more of an impact on Steve than you thought. At that time in his life, a friendly face would have meant a lot, even though he was too shy to talk to you. He didn’t have many friends and unfortunately, most strangers were bullies.”

Darcy grimaced. “Ugh. Poor Steve. This file was tough reading. How do you think he’ll react to us, Agent Romanoff?”

“Steve isn’t phased by much anymore,” Natasha answered. “But he’ll likely think he’s dreaming. He’ll be cooperative, unlike a certain person I will not name.”

She scowled and Peggy and Darcy chuckled. Natasha had just handled a particularly stubborn old codger, who’d been a lot like the infamous Scrooge. She’d proven successful, but not without a struggle.

“This sounds like it’s going to be an interesting mission,” Darcy predicted. “I’m going to have to trust that Michael put me in this for a good reason.”

“That’s the spirit,” Peggy approved. “This is my last mission with the agency and it’s a very important one. Let’s give Steve a Christmas he won’t forget!”

[strangedreamings]

🥺 🍆🎢

🥺 Is there a certain type of moment or common interaction between your characters that never fails to put you in your feels?

The marriage proposal, definitely. Even more than the first "I love you" exchange, the proposal is the big emotional moment.

🍆 Do you write the spicy stuffs? If so, what's your most popular nsfw fic?

I write it occasionally. My most popular smutty fic is There's Something About Penelope, with currently 1,402 kudos.

🎢 Which of your fics would you call your wildest ride?

ROTFL Ready? Let's go!

Powerless -- ShieldShock. Steve goes back to being Skinny Steve.

Knights and Ladies... -- ShieldShock. Knights Templar AU -- Steve is a medieval knight 700 years into his future or as we know it, 2012.

Tiny -- Sebolly. Molly is shrunk to the size of a Barbie.

Heart of Stone -- Mollcroft. Molly is actually Medusa.

The Petite Mermaid -- Molliarty. Little Mermaid AU with a twist ending.

It's The Only Way -- Sherlolly. Dub-con -- fuck or die.

The Incubus In The Hallway -- Sherlolly. Molly makes a deal with demon!Sherlock.

[ibelieveinturtles]

Darcyland Crack Challenge

April 2 - An unexplainable predicament to explain - It’s not what it looks like… or maybe it’s exactly what it looks like? Either way, our girl’s gotta explain herself, one way or another!

With more time and about twice as many words this would probably be twice as good but it’ll do for now... just pretend there’s 1000 words of mutual pining or something preceding this...

again, un-beta’d etc.

“But what is it?” Darcy asked, turning the pencil-shaped metal rod over in her hands. “And what does it do?”

“I don’t know,” Jane replied, shrugging as she examined her own unidentified piece of metal. “It was in a box of junk I found in the warehouse a few weeks ago. As far as I can tell, it isn’t anything.”

“It has to be something. Ouch!” Darcy turned it over one last time before abruptly dropping it onto the desk and sticking her finger in her mouth.

“Are you okay?” Jane asked, a concerned frown wrinkling her brow.

“It bit me,” Darcy said, a sulky pout pursing her lips.

“Inanimate objects can’t bite, Darcy.”

“Tell that to your metal biting stick,” Darcy retorted. “See? I'm bleeding! Anyway, I have to go now. I’ll see you at dinner?”

“Yep.” Jane didn’t look up as Darcy left, just waved a hand in farewell.

Darcy completely forgot about the strange metal stick that had stuck her over the next several hours. She busily went about her day, running errands, taking (and making) phone calls, and generally keeping busy. After her work day finished she trudged back to the apartment she shared with Jane and peered tiredly into the fridge. It was just as empty now as it was this morning because she forgot to put the grocery order in yesterday. She didn't get it done today, either.

She was about to reach for the eggs when the memory of half a leftover lasagne surfaced in her brain. It was probably still in the common area’s kitchen freezer! Shutting the fridge door, she spun on her heel and came to an abrupt halt as she ran straight into the kitchen island counter.

Which was odd because she didn't have an island counter in her kitchen. The only kitchen big enough for an island counter was- was the kitchen in the Avengers common room.

She was still staring confusedly at the marble benchtop when the door burst open, releasing a veritable torrent of Avengers into the common room.

“Darcy!” Clint greeted her with an enthusiastic grin. “Whatcha cookin’?”

“What?” Darcy looked up. “Um. Nothing. I was just, um. Lasagne.” With a little mental shake she flashed a grin at the group. “I forgot to order groceries for me and Jane and then I remembered that leftover lasagne from the other week and I'm really hoping it's still in the freezer.”

Steve - who was already at the freezer - pulled the package out. “Still here,” he said, peering around the door at her, “but we're ordering pizza if you'd like to join us?”

“Oh, um.” Any other day Darcy would jump at the chance to have pizza with the team Steve but right now she just wanted to get out of here so she could freak out. “Thanks but I'm really tired and I just want a quiet night in. Maybe next time?”

“You're sure? It's from that nice family store you like so much.”

“Yeah, I just- I'm very tired,” she repeated. She stepped close enough to take the container and with a “Thanks,” and a short smile, went back to her apartment, put the lasagne in the oven to reheat, and freaked out until it was ready to eat.

Darcy slept fitfully that night, getting up to the bathroom twice, and tossing and turning more than the chefs at the Pancake Palace. She woke up with scratchy eyes, a slight headache, and a wish that it was Saturday. A shower helped a little bit she still hadn’t done the grocery order and was all out of cereal and coffee. At least she had milk…

She zombied her way through the first hour or two of work. And while the coffee in the break room was tolerable, it wasn’t really what she wanted - and it certainly wasn’t good enough to see her through the four meetings she had scheduled today.

The first meeting was with the Avengers to discuss which publicity opportunities they wanted to take, and who would be attending each one. Luckily it was an easy discussion as each team member preferred attending different types of events. Steve made a point of asking if she felt better today, and after the meeting Natasha hung back for the same purpose.

“How are you feeling today?” she asked. “Do you feel better after your quiet night in?”

Darcy smiled as she replied. “Ugh. Not really. I didn’t sleep very well and I still haven’t done my groceries, so I’m all out of decent coffee.”

“There’s plenty of coffee in the common room - you know you’re welcome any time.”

“Thanks, Natasha. I might just visit after my next meeting.”

After a bit more conversation Natasha left for training and Darcy headed for her next meeting. At least it was a teleconference so she didn’t actually have to share a room with anyone this time.

By the time her next meeting finished, all she wanted was an egg and bacon croissant and the biggest, strongest cup of coffee money could buy.

As soon as the last person left the teleconference, she picked up her purse, pocketed her phone and stood up.

The world blurred.

Darcy blinked to clear her vision and took an off-balance step backwards. “Oh no, not again,” she moaned. She was in the main foyer of the facility, hidden from view by a large potted tree that lived right next to the coffee cart.

She continued turning on the spot, confused and disoriented. Unfortunately, all this achieved was dizziness.

“Get a grip, Lewis,” she muttered. “Coffee. Maybe I just need coffee so badly that I don’t remember leaving my office and taking the elevator to the lobby. Yeah, that must be it. I zoned out, auto-piloted.”

Darcy bought coffee and a croissant, and then concentrated very hard on everything she did until she got back to her office.

Over the next several days Darcy experienced several more of the strange incidents. She would be busy doing something, and then suddenly she’d find herself somewhere completely different.

Maria’s office after she realised she’d left her phone behind.

The bathrooms in the east wing when the west wing ones were closed due to a burst pipe.

Tony’s (empty) workshop when she needed him to sign some urgent paperwork but had forgotten he wasn’t here this week.

The stationery storeroom when her pen broke, spilling ink everywhere.

A broom cupboard.

And then… and then one evening she got home after a very long and stressful day, kicked off her shoes and went to collapse on her sofa...

Only the sofa she landed on wasn’t hers.

And it wasn’t in her apartment.

And it was already occupied.

She leapt up with a startled squawk, turning around so quickly she almost fell back into the lap of- “Steve? Why are you on my sofa?”

Steve was just as startled as Darcy. There he was, enjoying a nice relaxing lay-back-with-your-eyes-closed-but-don’t-fall-asleep on his sofa when a lap full of Darcy Lewis appeared out of nowhere.

He knew she hadn’t come in via the door or the vents or any other way because he would have heard it. Nope, he’d been definitely the only person in his apartment.

“Darcy?”

But Darcy wasn’t listening. She was looking around in bewilderment at furniture, furnishings, and decorations that definitely weren’t hers.

“Wait- this isn’t my apartment?”

“Ah, no - it’s mine? How did you get here?”

“I- I don’t know?” She turned worried eyes on him. “I was in my apartment, sitting on my sofa. What the hell happened, Steve?”

“You appeared out of nowhere and landed in my lap. That’s what happened,” Steve said, sitting up and leaning forward.

Darcy frowned at him. “What do you mean, I appeared out of nowhere?”

Steve shrugged, never taking his eyes off the visibly shaken woman standing in front of him. “One minute I was here on my own, the next you were sitting in my lap.”

“So- I didn’t walk here?”

“Not that I saw or heard. You just - appeared.”

“What? Like a- a teleport or something?”

Steve thought about this for a moment and then stared at Darcy with curious worry. “Yeah. Exactly like a teleport.”

“What the hell? How, Steve? Why is this happening to me? I thought I was just- I dunno, blacking out or something.” Darcy’s voice became more frantic with each word.

Steve only just managed to hide his shock at Darcy’s words. “Darcy - has this happened before?”

She nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. “It’s been happening for several days now. One minute I’m in one place, the next I’m somewhere completely different.”

Steve stood up. “You’ve been experiencing this for several days and you haven’t told anyone?”

She shook her head, and he could see she was shaking. He took a careful step closer, moving slowly so as not to spook her. “How about I take you to medical and we’ll get you checked out?”

“You think something’s wrong with me?”

Steve chose his words carefully. “No, but I do think something about you must have changed if you’ve suddenly started teleporting all over the place. Don’t you want to know why it’s happening?”

She glanced up him, bottom lip caught between her teeth and nodded. Steve offered her what he hoped was a reassuring smile, and held his hand out. “Come on then.”

[pasmonblog]

for the in-progress emojis: 👤 and 🗣?

👤 Share a line that shows a character’s personality.

From a shieldshock artist AU with the working title ‘Masterpiece’

Darcy Lewis had lived in Brooklyn for six months now and her walls were still just as bare as the day she moved in.

Years of being stuck in cramped students residences, and after that, moving around the country in the back of a van, had done a number on her sense of permanency. Of home. And as a result, Darcy Lewis never seemed to be able to settle anywhere. She’d live there, sure. Spend a few months in a city or a town, maybe even a year, but it would never be forever, because it never felt like home.

But even she was starting to get sick of the contractor white walls and the way her apartment was starting to feel more like a hotel room than the place she lived.

🗣 Share your favorite dialogue exchange.

And, from a winterwitch coffeeshop AU I’m working on, ‘How We Spoon Like No One Else,’

“First time?” Bucky asked as her her eyes snapped back to his from the menu board above his head.

A bashful smile painted her face, “Am I that obvious?”

“Nah, I’m just good with faces.”

“And he’s always here,” Sam added uninvited with a smirk. “Pretty sure the man never sleeps.”

Bucky could’ve decked him, settling on tossing his tea towel across the bar and at Sam’s head instead.

Thanks for the ask, friend 💜

Ask Game: WIP Excerpts || Ask box

[aenariasbookshelf]

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Captain America (Movies), Thor (Movies) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Darcy Lewis/Steve Rogers Characters: Darcy Lewis, Steve Rogers, the usual pack of OC kids, Danielle Cage, Sam Wilson (Marvel), James "Bucky" Barnes Additional Tags: Training Montage, just in fic form, Series, Kidfic, Future Fic, Slice of Life, hopefully humorous, i need to stop posting right before bed, these tags would make more sense then, inspired by the incredibles Series: Part 9 of Interesting Times

Summary: As any parent will tell you, raising children is one of the hardest things around. Raising children who have superpowers, in a world that may not accept them for who they are, is even tougher. And sometimes the safest thing to do is train those kids so that they can keep their abilities under control...and maybe, someday far, FAR in the future, use them to help others.

In the meantime, Steve and Darcy will be happy if their kids manage to keep the house and backyard in one piece while they try to get their powers under control.

A.k.a. Steve Rogers’ guide to training up superpowered people in a few simple steps, featuring contributions from much saner and far less reckless people such as Bucky Barnes, Sam Wilson, and Darcy Lewis.

[sailor-hufflepuff]

I have no idea why I love Wintershieldshock (Bucky/Steve/Darcy) so much. I’m don’t usually ship poly, but something about this combination just WORKS for me.

I can’t ship Stucky. It’s too tragic for me. The whole story is heartbreaking enough if they’re best friends, adding romance into it just makes me wanna fall off a train into the Alps. Even on fics where they get together in the modern day, there’s something just.. bittersweet about it. (Side note: I feel the same way about Bucky/Natasha. As much as I want to ship it, to see it as two people healing and moving on, instead it just feels like they can’t escape the past, that the Red Room is still dictating their actions).

Shieldshock can be fun, what with the inevitable “Darcy who only speaks in memes interacts with Steve ‘I understood that reference’ Rogers”, but it feels kinda shallow? He’s still got all his Bucky trauma and war trauma and settling down with a modern girl after everything just feels like he’s forgetting the past.

Wintershock is a bit better; Bucky wears his darkness more openly, and between always having been a science nerd and the fact that he wasn’t always on ice, it feels less like him forgetting the past and more like him moving on. (Bonus that these fics usually come with a fun Steve/Darcy bromance). But Steve, who unambiguously views Bucky as the most important person in the world to him, is still left out in the cold.

All three of them together is the best of all worlds. It’s the history and depth of emotion that Stucky has, but Darcy’s very modern irreverence brings light to the situation, a sense of hope for a better future, a way to climb out of being trapped in their memories. It means that when one has a breakdown, there are two others to pull them back.

IDK, I just really love it and wish it were more popular.

[carynsilver]

Favorite Fics: Malex Edition

It’s a new year (quite definitively at this point), and a new set of fic recs. Just my small way of saying thank you to the writers who have made the past year, with all its challenges, a little better for me personally. Without the escape of reading, I don’t think I would’ve gotten through the past eleven months, so thank all of y’all for creating (now and in the past) and for sharing your work. You do it for free, and it’s amazing stuff.

If you’re interested, I previously shared my top 10 Stucky, Drarry, Stony, and Darcy Lewis (Wintershock, Shieldshock, and Tasertricks, mostly) fic lists. Today, I’ve finally decided on my top 10 Maxlex fics. So, in no particular order...

my love is a life taker by @jocarthage

If I were making a top 10 fics of all time list, this story would be on it. The breadth and scope of it is truly amazing, as is the writing. There’s world-fixing time travel and an interesting take on our favorite aliens and what could’ve been. Alex as a time agent is both so tragic and also so strong as he begins his journey of self discovery. He’s such an unreliable narrator, and yet also can clearly see so many things. Watching Michael’s growth through the years is just as fascinating as watching Alex travel through time. And it’s juxtaposed with the present so well. This Alex and Michael learn to communicate as they learn about themselves. And the story also taught me a ton about the Middle East and various historical events. I really love this story, and you should definitely read it right now if you haven’t yet.

To Trust Love by @laughsalot3412

This fic is amazing. It takes hurt/comfort to the nth degree. Michael, Isobel, and Max are the only remaining prisoners/subjects in Project Shepherd, and Alex (with the help of Liz, Kyle, and Maria) goes under cover as a guard to get them out. But to do so, first he has to gain their trust--an almost impossible test. The tweaks to the alien abilities and the handprint are interesting. Jesse Manes, as always, is absolutely horrible. But good wins in the end, and the boys are able to figure things out despite the mistakes they make along the way. I mean, trigger warnings for so much in a prison fic with Jesse Manes in it, but it is an awesome story. This author only wrote one RNM fic, but it’s a great one.

From Iraq, with Love by @adiwriting

Alex leaves for basic no way to contact Michael, so he reaches out to him via a YouTube channel. Alex writes years and years’ worth of love songs, hoping maybe Michael will see them and get in touch. The scene when Michael finally sees them is a gut punch in the best way, and the end is so satisfying. A truly excellent story, and I love how music from the heart eases their way into real communication--because, man, that is what these poor boys need.

unexpected tidings by @bestillmyslashyheart

The Vegas fic! Actually, that is not what this fic is about. There is only one scene set in Vegas, and yet that was the one I remembered when I was trying to find the fic again, lol. In this AU, Michael was never reunited with his siblings in Roswell, but he and Alex meet after Alex enlists. They meet three different times in three different states, and eventually fall in love. Then Alex has to come home to Roswell and take care of this little alien problem so his boyfriend can be safe from the horror that is Jesse Manes. One of the best things about this story is the past/present narrative structure. Only a really good writer can tell a successful story out of chronological order, and @bestillmyslashyheart really succeeds. Check out her other work, as well, such as A Simple Life (but with aliens).

Shadow Work by @myrmidryad

This fic has stellar world building. Alex and Michael are shades--people who work banishing hauntings, curses, etc. The scientific way the supernatural elements are approached is so interesting, as well as the different ways humans and aliens perceive them. Alex is a total unreliable narrator just because of how the haunt is affecting him, but he still gets the job done. This is a world you can just sink into. Totally immersive, and yet it works so well with the alien mythology we already have. And the conclusion to the haunt mystery is so satisfying. Such a great story!

Lovin’ you is a gift tonight (Lovin’ you for all of my life) by @bellakitse

Michael turned his cheek when Alex tried to kiss him, and then Alex and Rosa ran off to NYC before anything else could happen. Michael thinks of Alex as the one who got away, and then he runs into him when he’s stuck at the airport in Denver, trying to get home to Roswell for Christmas. Their reunion in the airport is fluffy and amazing, just a pleasure to read. And then they end up back in Roswell and all the other stuff comes into play in a really satisfying, let’s-deal-with-it-as-adults-instead-of-children kind of way. Ah, so good!

scream in there by thepredatorywasp

I’ll be honest, this one starts a little rough emotionally, but man, Alex and Michael really earn their happily ever after here. It is worth it. And then we get River! I enjoy a good kid!fic, and River the little alien found in a pod who gloms onto Alex and never lets go is amazing! River is my favorite kiddo that I’ve ever read in a Malex story.

truth (to the people we love) by @lambourngb

This is probably the shortest fic on my rec list. I am biased toward the long ones, I know. But man this one packs a punch. Alex recorded a goodbye message when he was overseas, and he has to tell it not to auto send every week. Then he is kidnapped for ten days... I don’t want to spoil too much, but just read it. It also plays with the narrative structure. And if you like this one, definitely check out @lambourngb‘s other stories. collect the bad habits and Vows are also great reads!

I Know Nothing Stays the Same by @aewriting

This is one of those stories that sticks in your head. It is awful (emotion-wise, not writing-wise) and wonderful all wrapped up together in the best way. Alex and Michael run away after the shed incident and go into hiding for five years. This is the past storyline. There’s also a present and a future. The ending of this story was so gorgeous, I don’t want to spoil it, but I remember it all the time when I think of Malex. Lovely and poignant. This is another version of this couple that <i>earn</i> their happiness together. And if you want even more in this ‘verse, the very talented @andrea-lyn (who also has a ton of great Malex stories) wrote a coda called There’s More Room in a Broken Heart.

Send Me Home by @litwitlady

I waffled back and forth about which story would fill the final slot. It’s always so hard to choose when there are so many excellent ones out there, but I had to have one of @litwitlady‘s stories on the list. She has quite a few excellent ones, but Send Me Home is my favorite. Michael the baseball player is both compelling and also heartwarming in his softer life. This is another fic where Alex is a musician, this one an actual country music star. So, it’s a sports fic and a celebrity romance, in addition to being a Malex RNM story. it is a WiP, which I sometimes hesitate to rec, but there’s only one more chapter to go, so I feel pretty safe about it. And she has lots of other stories you should check out. I’m fond of the Reunion series, as well.

So, that’s it for this post. Thanks again to all the amazing fanfic authors and their awesome work. I’ve read so many great Malex fics lately. On this list or not, I appreciate you guys!

[superheroesofbothuniverses]

I Just Call You Mine (Shieldshock)

Steve Rogers had been called a lot of things in his life including but not limited to Stevie, Rogers, son, shrimp, punk, kid, brat, hottie, Captain, smartass, hero, war criminal, traitor, stubborn and sneaky son of a bitch. His soulmark suggested that his future mate was the possessive type and it made him smile to think about. So far, though, he hadn’t yet met her.

Darcy Lewis had been called many things in her life including but not limited to, DARCY! (usually by Jane),  Darce, Lewis, sis, dollface, boobs, shortstuff, slut, (which resulted in the fool being quickly tased),  nerd, science minion, badass, lightning sister, darling, sweetie, hottie, bitch, and hero. 

She had been patiently waiting for that one person to come along and ask her what they could call her. It wasn’t that uncommon a question, but her words had not yet changed color to indicate she’d met the One. 

Moving with Jane to New York was a big step, but it would make it so much easier for her to consult with the other big science minds and Stark Tower had much better security and lab equipment than Jane had ever had. 

Darcy was eagerly anticipating meeting the Avengers, but they were out on some missions when she and Jane arrived and it was nearly a month before the rumors reached her that the team had finally returned. She met Bruce Banner when he came to greet Jane and was charmed by his awkward, but genuine nerdy charm. She met Tony when she had to drag an exhausted Jane out of his lab when the two of them had gone on a ridiculous science bender. He’d actually apologized after she’d read him the riot act for keeping her boss awake so long. She was starstruck at meeting Natasha and quickly became a little sister and partner in crime to Clint. Thor was overjoyed to be reunited with his beloved and the “lightning sister” and they celebrated with a Pop Tart party, taste testing every flavor available. Sam, Bucky, and Wanda had met Darcy when she’d greeted the returning squad with welcome home cupcakes. She’d been slightly disappointed that none of them turned out to be her soulmate, but there were more Avengers to meet.

Then one day, there was an attack that sent the city into lockdown and kept the avengers very busy for twenty-four hours. Jane was busy with Eric trying to solve the problem with science, while Darcy paced nervously and tried not to have a panic attack at the awful sights on the TV screens. The screech of alarms announcing the tower had been breached had them all running for a panic room. Seeing a scary looking guy running toward them, Darcy pulled out her taser and fired, giving Jane and Eric time to escape. Unfortunately, it meant she was locked out of the panic room. 

Given the shouts and sounds of fighting, she sensed help was on the way, but she hoped her taser had enough charges to hold off until help arrived. 

A terrifying looking masked individual raced through the halls, clearly heading for the labs, Captain America in hot pursuit. He was so focused on his target, that he didn’t see the man behind him pointing the gun at him. 

Fighting the terror in her heart, Darcy knocked out the dude with her taser, stole his gun, and  menaced him with it, as Steve grappled with the scary masked dude. The taser charge she aimed at the masked dude didn’t drop him, but it made him stagger and pause long enough for Steve to get the drop on him and deal the knockout blow.

They locked eyes and gave each other triumphant grins over their fallen foes, but didn’t have a chance to speak, because the rest of the Avengers and some Shield agents swiftly swarmed them and Darcy slipped away in the confusion to find Jane. Boy, did she have a story to tell! She’d gotten to beat up baddies with Steve freaking Rogers!

A few days after this excitement, she was in the kitchen fixing herself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, when a tall, blonde, and not-so-bloody individual walked in.

“Excuse me, ma’am, I don’t believe I caught your name the other day. You deserve a thank you gift for saving my hide.”

Darcy’s heart leaped at the sound of her Words coming from Steve Rogers’ very attractive lips and she slowly turned towards him with a decidedly pleased smile. 

“You can call me Darcy,” she said, stalking towards him like a cat to its prey. “I think I’ll just call you Mine.”

Steve’s eyes grew big and then downright smouldering as he realized who she was. Darcy shivered at the look he gave her when they were standing chest to chest, facing each other. 

“I know one way you can thank me, hot stuff,” she said sultrily. 

“How so?” he asked, just as sultrily. 

Being too short to pull his head down to hers, she pointed at his lips and then at hers. Steve got the idea, nodded with a big grin, and gave her the best kiss of her life. 

They heard some faint whoops, mingled with whistles and an annoyed “DAMMIT, STEVE!” but they just giggled together and went right on kissing. 

[littleplebe]

I can’t let this rot in my folder anymore. So, here. Have this deleted scene from a WIP I’ll likely never finish.

They hadn’t meant to fall asleep together but they had.

When Darcy awoke, the T.V. was still on—its volume lowered to a mere hum—and she squinted blearily in the dim light it cast until everything swam into focus. The movie they had queued up earlier was long over and something else was playing. But what struck her was the position she was in, laying half atop Steve with her head nestled comfortably on his chest. She was pretty sure they hadn’t started out this way.

Pushing herself awkwardly on one elbow, she studied Steve nervously. He was normally a light sleeper but appeared fast asleep, though not as comfortable as Darcy. Nearly half his bulk was hanging off the couch, supported only by his right foot which was planted firmly on the floor.

If it was any other situation involving any other man, Darcy would have smothered a laugh at the way he was holding himself up even in his sleep. But it was Steve, and where Steve was concerned, Darcy’s thoughts generally dive-bombed straight into the gutter. Scared as she was of him waking up and catching her in the act, she still couldn’t stop her eyes from raking greedily over his face, absolutely itching to trace the sharp cut of his jaw and the smooth curve of his cheek. Her fingers curled possessively into the fabric of his t-shirt and her skin prickled with heat as a familiar longing stirred deep within her gut.

“Steve,” she whispered experimentally, raising herself further until she was hovering directly over his face.

His brow furrowed and his lashes fluttered for one heart-stopping moment but he didn’t wake.

Darcy stared at him in surprise. What had gotten into him? For someone who jolted straight to consciousness at the littlest of noises, he had slept through a lot of discomforts tonight, least of all her wiggling weight atop him.

She considered switching off the T.V. and burying them both in darkness and silence. She considered covering Steve with a blanket and leaving him to sleep the rest of his night away in relative peace. She considered a lot of rational things but seemed unable to put any of them into action.

Because loath as she was to admit, she was weak, and moments such as these, when she could observe Steve unhindered by his questioning gaze and by the very real fear of revealing her attraction toward him, were exceedingly rare. She needed this time. She needed it very much. She’d linger for a few more minutes, watch her fill, then leave quietly and never mention this night to anyone ever.

And if Steve woke up and saw her, she’d hit him in the head with his shield, render him unconscious, and flee like the coward she was.

God, how she wished he’d keep sleeping. Her humiliation would know no bounds if he caught her creeping over him in the dark in his own apartment.

She whispered his name again and when he didn’t budge, watched mesmerized as his lashes fluttered yet again and his lips parted on a silent exhale. Darcy swallowed. Such a lush mouth should be criminal on a man like him. No one was allowed to be physically perfect and have a great personality. It was so unfair, because it was so hard not to feel this agonizing mixture of arousal, helplessness and insecurity in his presence, while he went on living life utterly clueless of the effect he had on the people around him.

Idiot, Darcy mouthed fondly, dropping down on impulse, leaving a hair’s breadth of distance between their lips. The temptation to cross the divide between them was strong. A small taste wouldn’t hurt, right? She was human. She was allowed to be weak. No one would judge her if she were to lean in juuuust a little, find out what he tasted like, maybe pull his bottom lip into her mouth and sink her—

Darcy blinked and jerked away in shame. No! Hell no!

She buried her burning face in Steve’s shoulder and bit back a moan of frustration. What were you thinking, Darce? Have you no honor?

The voice in her head sounded like a weird mix of Steve and Thor, and made her feel worse. Since when had she become so blinded by desire that her rational thinking withdrew completely instead of staying around for assistance?

“Darcy,” Steve murmured in her ear and her head snapped up, heart in her throat.

She peered anxiously at his face but found no sign of awareness. He was still very much asleep. The furrow between his brows told her he must be having a nightmare. He often had nightmares. Darcy knew about them. She just hadn’t known she played a starring role in some of them. She’d have to ask him about it later.

A tiny voice in her head, suspiciously like Natasha’s, pointed out that the way in which he’d whispered her name indicated not a nightmare but a wholly different type of dream. But she hastily silenced that voice and brushed the thought aside. It couldn’t be true. And even if it was, her high school best friend had told her boys didn’t have to like someone or be attracted to them to have sex dreams about them.

So, there was absolutely nothing to be excited about. Steve was simply… being a boy.

But then he spoke again and her resolve broke. “Darce,” he breathed and goddamit he was dreaming about her and hell if she was letting him get away with it without taking something in return!

She pressed her lips to the corner of his mouth and pulled back, holding her breath. It was barely a kiss but it’d sustain her for the time being. She left his room feeling oddly empty and giddy at the same time. No matter what the future held for them, she’d at least have tonight. A secret moment that was just hers.

Shieldshock fan? Click here for more. Interested in photo manips? Click here to see ‘em.

[janeykath318]

A Time Of Need (Shieldshock)

Meeting one’s soulmate was supposed to be one of the happiest moments of a person’s life, and yet, Darcy had spent her life dreading hers because of the words on her right hand.

“I’m sorry for your loss.”

What kind of cruel joke was the universe going to play on her? Was she going to meet her soulmate at a funeral?

“You have a sick sense of humor, Universe!” She’d muttered multiple times, while looking at her words with disgust. She’d complained to Jane plenty of times. Her friend was sympathetic, but did her best to put a less depressing spin on it.

“I know it’s not fun circumstances, but I think it’s more common than we think. It just doesn’t get talked about. Hopefully, your soulmate will support you through your future grief. If they don’t, rest assured I will portal their ass to outer space.”

Darcy had chuckled and then sighed.

“Well I appreciate your attempts to cheer me up about it, i just wanted a cheesy meet cute. Was that too much to ask?” she grumbled. “Heck, I’d take a terrible pick up line at this point.”

Fortunately, for Darcy’s wish, funerals were few and far between for her during the busy years interning with Jane, then briefly wrangling Avengers before the world turned upside down.

She was a little surprised that she didn’t meet her soulmate after the snap, but it seemed it wasn’t yet time, because despite the myriad of memorials, no awkward soulmate meeting occurred.

Two years after Thanos, the unthinkable happened.

Why did it have to be Jane? Why? After all the unthinkably crazy stuff she’d lived through, she was taken out by cancer and Darcy was left reeling.

She sat by Thor at the memorial service, doing her best to be supportive even as she felt numbed by the grief herself. She stared at Jane’s picture while Eric eulogized her in long-winded form.

“I am not dying for six college credits!” Memories flashed through her mind from New Mexico, Norway, and London. From Jack-booted thugs and killer robots to Dark elves and visitors from Asgard, they’d had a good run. It would have made a killer memoir if most of it wasn’t classified.

After the service ended, she quietly chatted with Jane’s family for a little bit and shared some funny anecdotes of science mishaps that brought teary smiles to their faces.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Thor talking to a tall blonde dude who looked eerily familiar.

Curious, she approached her friend, who turned to her with one of his excited puppy expressions. Her heart melted. She hadn’t seen that look in months. Clearly, Thor’s friend had brought him some comfort.

“Darcy!” He exclaimed. “My shieldbrother Steven came to pay his respects. Have you met him?”

Darcy mutely shook her head, stunned at seeing Steve Rogers in person. He was wearing a dark suit and looked very different from the Captain America she’d seen on the news. It was a good difference, though. He looked like he’d just walked out of a GQ ad.

Thor took it upon himself to introduce her and soon she was shaking the very large hand of the former Captain America.

“I’m sorry for your loss, Dr. Lewis.”

Darcy gaped. There it was. Her Words. The Dreaded moment. She considered fleeing, but the sincerely empathetic way Steve was looking at her held her still. After a few moments of silent panicking, she found her voice and blurted out “I thought you were on the moon or something.”

Steve looked shocked for a second, then he slowly grinned, which sent Darcy back to speechlessness.

“Darcy? Are you okay? I have never known you to go so long without speech,” Thor questioned worriedly.

In answer, she mutely held up her hand, showing them her words. Thor’s eyes widened and he excused himself after patting them both on the back and congratulating them in hearty Thor fashion. Steve nodded and looked at her with another one of those caring looks. She swallowed past the lump in her throat.

“I’m sorry it had to be under these circumstances, but I am very happy to meet you,” he said softly. “My words are right here, in case you’re wondering.” He gestured to his left side.

She knew he was ripped under that nice black suit and let a little smirk appear.

“On top of your six pack, I hope?”

“Not quite,” Steve chuckled. “As to your first statement, I am retired and mostly off the grid right now, but I don’t know how the secret base on the moon rumors got started. I suspect Sam and Bucky.”

“A reasonable assumption,” Darcy agreed. “Your friends are goofy like that. Gosh, I can’t believe this. I bet Jane is laughing so hard at me in Valhalla. She tried to set me up with you once upon a time.”

“Oh?” Steve queried, one eyebrow quirking up in interested amusement.

“Yep,” Darcy admitted. “I’d just been dumped and wasn’t ready to try again. But fate prevailed, I see.”

“Yeah, it did. Natasha would have loved this. She talked about you a lot and said you were totally my type.”

“What? A feisty brunette who punches douchebags and has no filter? You’re in for a treat, then, Steve-o.”

She winked at him saucily.

“I think I am.” he agreed.

As she left the funeral home on Steve’s arm, she smiled affectionately at Jane’s picture.

You were right, Janey. Thank You.

Meanwhile In The Afterlife:

“Finally!” Jane crowed triumphantly, pumping her fist and doing the happy dance she’d used to do when celebrating a scientific breakthrough.

“Yes. If only the stubborn mule had listened to me. I could have helped plan their wedding,” sighed Natasha ruefully. “Maybe I’ll finally get a little namesake. I have never forgotten Nathaniel’s betrayal.”

“Hopefully, we’ll both get namesakes,” Jane agreed. “Those kids will have fantastic genes.”

She mimed fanning herself and made Natasha laugh again.

[that-wimpy-cowboy-doll]

Rules: Answer 10 questions, come up with 10 questions, and tag 10 people.  I was tagged by @iamartemisday

What is your zodiac sign?

Cancer

Pens or pencils?

Pens!  Especially the nice, smooth, fine ballpoint pens.

Favorite pizza toppings?

Sausage + olive

What’s something you like that everyone else hates.

Really bad horror movies.  In high school, we used to have “Terrible Movie Tuesdays” where we’d rent the crappiest-looking movie we found in the Redbox and gorged ourselves on stuff we could only eat in bulk amounts during our teenage years

What’s something you don’t like that everyone else loves.

Pineapple on pizza?  The Kardashians/Jenners?

Have any interesting dreams last night?

NOW THAT YOU MENTION IT, I was coming back to college for my fourth year (skipped it because I had enough credits and did summer school at CC) and living in a totally different dorm than I had been when I was there.  The shining moment was that Frank Grillo was there and def interested in me.  The not-so-shining moment was that he was good friends with this guy I was painfully hung up on in college.

Vampires or werewolves?

For an aesthetic purpose, vampires, because I always wanted to be emo.  For practical, realistic purposes, werewolves, because I love doggos, have strong feelings about the moon, and I would like to enjoy walking around in the daytime without being vaporized by the sun.

How many (if any) writing projects do you have right now?

Last three chapters of my Big Shieldshock Fic, Letters to Becca (a Bucky-centric letter fic), a Shieldshock AU that I want to play a little close to the chest, and then my Southern fantasy detective noir novel that I’ve been drumming up for the last six or seven months.  So 4?

Last movie you watched and did you like it?

I think the last movie we put on was Back to the Future Part III, which I’ve seen before and I have a soft spot for, so yes, I liked it :)

Would you rather go skydiving or rock climbing?

Probably rock climbing.  I’ve always liked it and I feel like I’d have marginally more control than skydiving.

Ten questions for y’all:

What are your go-to podcasts or playlists when on a long drive?

If you had a boat or ship, what would you name her?

Would you rather instantly learn a language or learn to play an instrument?  Which one?

Describe your favorite chair.

What food(s) would you choose for your last supper?

What color do you think your soul is?

Name something that you’re excited for.

Who would be on your Zombie Apocalypse Team?

Favorite fictional villain?

What’s the first movie you remember seeing?

I tag @snailsarecute @dresupi @wheresarizona @amidtheflowers @sigridhr @anniemar @meilan-firaga @treaddelicately @emsondraeling @leftennant

You can play too if you want <3

[darcy-and-steve]

Help finding a fic

Hi! I really like your blog! There aren’t enough #ShieldShock blogs out there lol. As an expert in Steve and Darcy, I’m hoping you can help me please. I’m looking for a fanfic that I forgot to bookmark but I can’t remember the title or writer. It was most likely AO3 Steve x Darcy (possibly xBucky) and in it Darcy had some sort of necklace or stone that gave her sort of time travel powers. And throughout the fic, their kids from the future kept popping up and doing crazy things. That’s all I can remember :( I hope that you can help please. Any way at all would be appreciated! Thanks in advance :) 

-anon

I personally would love to read all timewimey fics lol so help would be much appreciated!!! thanks for the lovely words unfortunately I haven’t come across this fic!

mal

[darcylightninglewis]

it all started a couple of years ago with a wintershock fic, then it escalated in wintershieldshock ones and then finally shieldshock! recommendations are absolutely welcome, I love to hear what people like and maybe it'll help me find ones I haven't read yet uwu (it's amazing how your tag brought all the feels back!)

ASDFGHJGFD. TUMBLR ATE MY OG RESPONSE. MUST. MURDER.

Anyway…I didn’t forget, I just kinda got suuper busy randomly and I wanted to include an array of fics.

Welcome back into the fray! I put a collection together of various ratings, mostly from the past 2ish years. But I’ve got lots bookmarked on my Ao3 account. 

Shieldshock

Darcy Lewis, Agent of SHIELD - Darcy enters the world of SHIELD. Her neighbor is one super fine looking New Yorker named Steve. Such a great series!

Lil’ Sidekick - post-Civil War “fix it”. Ross is setting his sights on Jane as a way to get to Thor when he returns. Steve & Sam go to intercept the good Doctor, but first introductions are anything but smooth. 

If There’s a Future, We Want It (Now) - First Avenger AU. Darcy meets Steve & Bucky before the serum, before her became Cap.

illa vincit, qui se vincit - Beauty & the Beast AU. Beautifully done!

0800-DRCY-LWS - Darcy’s still not getting paid, so she’s got herself a phone sex line. Tony may think he’s fucking hysterical. Joke’s on him!

This Love (Left a Permanent Mark) -  “Soulmate au where when you write something on your skin with pen/marker/whatever the hell you want, it will show up on your soul mates skin as well.” SUCH FUN.

Physical Phenomena - a wonderful series by Aenaria. Steve & Darcy share a connection. “It's our senses that help guide our perceptions and help us discover the world around us. These senses also help connect with other humans in a wide variety of relationships from friendship, to romance, and beyond.” I think she may have lost the muse for it, but it’s still worth the read, imho. All fics by her are worth a read!

The Oracle - a Mummy/Indiana Jones AU. IT’S AMAZING, TRULY. (All things by Imogen_Penn is worth reading!)

something to fill the space - Darcy has a type, and it's more Steve 1942 than Steve 2014. 

The Officer Lewis Chronicles - SO GOOD. Sorta AU, Darcy becomes a cop, during an undercover operation she meets Steve. Everything from Em_Jaye is fantastic.

30 Songs I Thought I Lost - 30 short Steve/Darcy AU’s. SO GOOD. 

The Guest - Darcy travels back in time and meets Steve. She gets to know him & Bucky while the rest of the Avengers regroup and try to figure everything out.

time (has brought your heart to me) - “It's 1943 when Darcy Lewis enters Steve's life like a whirlwind, full of chaos and mystery. In the wake of every fly-by meeting, the hope of something more plants roots in his heart, until there's no going back.” ASDFGHJKJHG. @sarcasticfina is a freaking word smith. Everything by her is phenomenal and she also has some ficlets on her tumblr.

break your heart (some kind of idiot at the start) - another one by @sarcasticfina​ Darcy thinks Steve’s not into her for anything besides a friendship, it couldn’t be some heartbreaking time traveling situation, could it?

Blue ink can’t be copied - soulmate au “Let's just pretend that soulmates can communicate through writing on their inner forearm.” SUCH A JOY TO READ. Clint is the Clint I always wanted, Tony thinks he’s hysterical enjoys making Steve sweat.

Five Years Later - Steve & Darcy had a good thing for a few months, but it fell apart. Five years later they are brought back together. My heeeeeaaart.

Destined - After Sokovia, Steve needs time to himself so he spends time at Clint’s farm. He meets Darcy during his stay.

Not Broken, Just Bent - they broke up, but these two stubborn idiots remain in love. Some nudging happens and they’re both still stubborn and in love but hopeful most of all.

Of Strings and Theories and Trampolines - “She quickly envisioned meeting God... him frowning down at her as he unfurled the scroll of all her acts on Earth and her smiling as she pointed out the one in big bold letters that said "Saved Steve Rogers From Purple Dildo Monster".” Darcy saves Steve, all of them really. In doing so she inadvertently triggers something that sends her back in time, before it all. And she got getting powers. I fucking adore this fic. It’s an utter delight.

You Have to Admire a Man with a Plan - "Can I ask for some Darcy/Steve, where they meet and he's not pulling the shy guy. I'm dying to see him actually pursue her affections." Smooth talking Steve is hella hot.

Tread softly, Angels - Darcy, stuck 70 years before her time, just wants to keep her Brooklyn boys alive long enough for history to do its thing. Soulmates are literally the LAST thing she'd expect to find in the back alleys of Brooklyn.

Write Drunk, Edit Sober - Darcy likes working in the SHIELD archives. She does. She's definitely not bored out of her mind and definitely not looking up her new super friends on the internet. And even if she is, she's DEFINITELY not reading fanfic about them. Nope. Definitely not doing that. SO DAMN ENJOYABLE. 

All We Need Is Somebody to Lean On - In a world of soulmates love is supposed to be easy. The universe already marked them for you, all you had to do was wait for fate to bring you together. But the universe fucked up, and not everybody had a mark to help fate guide them. OMFG. This fic is everything, fun, feels, smut, friendships, did I mention feels? I loved this take on the soulmate trope. 

Wintershieldshock

Surrender my bones (to the cold grey earth) - In which Darcy Lewis hunts the Wastes of North America, and stumbles across more than she ever bargained for. Steve fell with Bucky, Thor never found Mjolnir. SO GOOD, unfinished but fucking amaaaazing.

The Prisoner’s Dilemma - Soulmate AU. Bucky survives everything, Hyrdra, the fall, only to come face to face with his soulmate. She’s not what he or Steve expected, but neither are they.

Who Will Follow You to Hell (And Back)? - After a failed date, Darcy’s boys comfort her as only they can. But it’s not just the failed date that’s got Darcy down...Lots of feels, possessive hot smut and good stuff.

Words on my skin, love in my heart - The first fic is just so heartwarming and covers many ships, which is followed by wintershieldshock goodness.

Basic Instincts - “Darcy Lewis's never been a hormone-driven Omega. At least not until she stumbled across two super-serumed soldiers duking it out in the Stark Tower gymspace. And now? Well... now... she damn well wishes she'd paid more attention in Omega Health Class.” I’m extremely picky about Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamic fics, but this is utter perfection. I laugh so hard and squealed so much! Really anything by GhostCrumpet is a fucking delight.

HAPPY READING.

And, as a last ditch effort, if anyone out there has any of cornmouse’s shieldshock fic’s I’d be eternally grateful for a share. I MISS THEM SO.

[bloomsoftly]

stranger than fiction, pt. 1

pairing: darcy/steve (shieldshock)

rating: g (for now, at least)

it’s been (longer than) a while, but i’ve been working on a commission for @fudebusho! it’ll be at least 7,500 words in total, if anyone’s wondering.

for the record, the premise to this story was actually an idea of @littleplebe my love and muse, and all credit for the creativity goes to her. she’s the absolute best. also a million thanks to @zephrbabe for the alpha read--she’s the reason i’m posting part one now.

September 2013

With a heavy sigh, Steve slid his key into the door of his Washington, D.C. apartment. One slight turn of his wrist and he was trudging inside, kicking it shut behind him. He just couldn’t bring himself to care about the muddy print his combat boots left against the wood, dark and accusing in an otherwise pristine apartment.

Clean, and cold. The chill seeped into his bones, casting his thoughts into a dark spiral.

He missed New York. Brooklyn—even with its black-gray grime and crowded streets—was permanently fixed in his memory as warm smiles, honest people. Home. Home, and a century in the past.

“C’mon, Steve,” he chastised himself. “You’re never going back there. Gotta stop living in the past.” That’s what everyone was always telling him, anyway. Still, he found himself standing in front of the pictures of his old life—Peggy, Bucky—without ever giving his legs permission to move.

He reached out, hand shaking and heart breaking as it always did. Just before his fingertips could brush the glass, though, he found the strength to pull away. Turning his back on the past, Steve shook himself.

A shower, he thought. He’d feel better after washing away the sweat and grime of training another day away with the S.T.R.I.K.E. team. There was nothing wrong with him that a little steam couldn’t fix, surely.

It wasn’t until he’d showered and changed into comfortable lounge clothes (a major benefit of the 21st century, he’d readily admit) that he noticed the book on his bedside table. A garishly bright red bow was stuck to the top of it, and he wondered how he’d missed it on the way to his shower. From the bathroom doorway, he could see the letters SGR prominently embossed in gold lettering across the front.

He’d been alive (both times) long enough to be more than a little suspicious—but then again, he was in possession of more than one overly-sneaky teammate. And on that thought, he pulled out his phone and texted Natasha.

Do you know anything about the book in my apartment?

Her reply was immediate.

Well hello to you, too.

I saw you an hour ago, Nat. Do you?

I don’t know what you’re talking about, she replied.

Off-kilter as always when it came to the redhead, Steve waited. He wasn’t sure whether she was toying with him or genuinely didn’t know. One minute passed, then two, and just as his suspicion of the book was about to take over, his phone dinged.

It’s not from me, Nat said. The little dots signaling her typing appeared, then disappeared. Steve huffed in annoyance, ready to throw the damn thing across the room when it vibrated in his hand.

But if someone were to hypothetically have the ability to access surveillance of your apartment, they would reassure you that the book is nothing to be worried about.

All worries about the book disappeared from Steve’s mind.

Surveillance of my apartment???

…

Natasha. What surveillance of my apartment.

Outside cameras, from the street. Chill, Cap.

He dropped the phone onto the bed with slightly more force than necessary and stomped over to pull down the window shades. His phoned dinged once more, but he ignored it.

Hours later, frustrated and more exhausted than ever after thoroughly searching his apartment for bugs (he hadn’t found any, not that he’d really expected to; SHIELD far outclassed him in stealth and covert operations), Steve gave up and crawled into bed. It wasn’t until he reached to turn the light off that he remembered the cause of the whole fiasco in the first place.

He scowled at the book. “Well, let’s see if you were worth all the trouble,” he grumped, reaching over to haul it into his lap. With absolutely no ceremony, he opened it to a random page.

It was completely blank. With a deepening frown, he thumbed through the remaining pages. They were all blank.

“What a waste,” he groaned as he tossed it aside, remembering at the last second that it was most likely a gift from someone he knew and he should be gentle with it. Out of simple courtesy, if nothing else.

The lamp clicked off, glinting against the gold lettering as the light faded from the room. As Steve turned over and fell into a fatigued sleep, his last thought was at least I can use it to practice my sketches. If I ever have time, anyway.

(read more link here)

The sun was bright, and his neighbors were cheerful in spite of the bone-chilling wind that whistled and moaned its way down the street. Still, the frigid air was biting even through his coat and Steve was ready to escape inside to hot chocolate, sly jokes, and— there was someone waiting for him, wasn’t there? For a second, the street, the people, the buildings all lost their familiarity and he stood frozen in the middle of the sidewalk.

Steve shook it off, blaming the cold for his momentary confusion. He needed to get home.

The bright red door was cheerful and welcoming, a smile tugging at his lips as it always did when he saw it. The door knob turned beneath his hand, pulled backward with more force than he’d intended. And there was suddenly a man standing there, grinning that heart-achingly familiar grin and smiling with familiar blue eyes.

“Took you long enough, punk!” Bucky clapped him solidly on the shoulder, turning to let Steve in the door. Steve, who was frozen on the doorstep, stuck between warm familiarity and paralyzing shock.

As soon as he saw his friend’s face, Bucky’s expression morphed into pure concern. “Are you alright, Stevie?” he asked, leaning in to brace Steve’s shoulder with a stronger grip. “Are you having a—a moment?”

Steve blinked, then shook his head and let the world slide into focus once more. “Yeah.” He cleared his throat, then continued, “Yeah, I think I was.”

Bucky smiled again, but it was softer this time. Sadder. “It happens, buddy. Think you can shake it off and enjoy the rest of the evening? Your girl has us all decked out for the incoming storm, but if you need space for yourself you know she won’t mind.”

“No, I’m fine,” Steve replied automatically, before his brain caught up to the rest of Bucky’s words.

His girl?

“What are the two of you old grumps doing, letting all the cold in like that?” A feminine voice called. The soft thud of socked feet against wood echoed through the hallway. “Please don’t tell me this is the lead-in to one of those ‘in my days’ jokes…”

And there she was, striding toward him like a vision. He couldn’t move, dumbstruck by the beauty of her, the way her eyes glowed, her lips stretched in an easy grin. Melting under her confident touch as she stripped the scarf from his neck and stretched up to meet his mouth with hers in a welcoming kiss.

In the corner of his eye, Steve saw Bucky offer a sly wink and a mocking salute before he pivoted on his heel and headed back towards the rest of the townhome. It didn’t seem all that important to keep an eye on his best friend anymore, not when his arms were full of warm, welcoming woman. This woman, his brain insisted.

“Steve?” She asked, pulling away to stare up into his eyes. Even then, he couldn’t seem to catch his breath. “Are you alright?”

He woke up with a gasp, drenched in sweat and breathing like he’d just finished a marathon. Steve glared wildly about the room, looking for the phantoms of his dream. He ached with missing them, even though he’d just woken up. Bucky wasn’t there—he never was, when Steve woke up—but he closed his eyes against the pain all the same. At least this time he wasn’t tormented with images of his best friend’s fall. In all honesty, Steve didn’t know which of the dreams hurt more—watching his friend’s death, or dreaming of future, happier days that would never have the opportunity to come to pass.

But it wasn’t just Bucky. Steve’s thumb pressed to his lip as he remembered the woman. His girl, Bucky had called her. Long, dark hair with bright laughing eyes and lips made for him to worship. He reveled in the memory of the kiss, almost sure that he could feel the press of her mouth against his, the sweetness of her breath as she breathed him in.

His eyes shot open, his breath heaving in renewed confusion. Bucky’s presence he could understand—there was nothing he wanted more than to get his best friend back, to erase what happened to him. But the woman—who was she?

Who was she, and why hadn’t he dreamed of Peggy instead?

Steve was tugged from his internal crisis by the blaring of his phone. Another mission. Steve vowed to shove any more thoughts of his dream aside until later, as he always did, for when he had time and energy to deal with them.

As he rushed through the room to gear up and head out, he missed the soft glowing of the book, still perched at a precarious angle on his bedside table.

also on ao3; kudos and comments make the world go ‘round. ❤️

[carynsilver]

Favorite Fics: Darcy Edition

It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these. Things started going on that hurt my soul, and I just felt like, who cares about some fic recs when people are getting hurt? But… I don’t know. I still find solace and comfort in reading stories, even when things are hard—especially when things are hard. So, I finally felt like maybe it was time for another. If the fic writers out there are giving me escape, warm fuzzies, and enjoyment during these weird times, then they deserve some love directed back at them.

So far, I’ve listed my top 10 favorite Stucky, Drarry, and Stony fics. I love them all, but… that is a lot of dudes. I decided it was time for a little girl power in my fanfic recs. One of my favorite BAMF female characters is Darcy Lewis—one of the best and most under-rated, under-explored characters in the MCU.

I love Darcy as the every-girl who has the moxie and chutzpa to hold her own in a life full of superheroes. The girl tased the God of Thunder because he was freaking her out, for goodness sake! I love her being BFFs with Jane, being Thor’s lightening sister, and creating a found family. I love her living in the tower and caring for all the superheroes and science geniuses like they won’t care for themselves. There’s enough leeway in her backstory for fun twists, too, like being Jewish, or—one of my absolute faves—secretly being the daughter of Tony Stark.

There are a ton of good Darcy fics out there, but these are my top 10. Thank you, writers, for sharing these amazing stories with us!

Casa de Island Avengers by @inkbert

I clicked on this story because of WinterShock (Darcy/Bucky), which is a favorite ship of mine (I feel my love of Bucky has been previously discussed at length, lol), but it has become one of my favorite fics of all time. Not even just in the MCU—if I were listed my top five fanfics ever read, this one is on the list.

The concept is simple—post-Ultron, the Avengers started falling apart as a team, so Steve spearheads the effort to get them all on a two-week vacation to Tony’s private island in a last-ditch bonding effort. Every character (except Thor, but he does get some good screen time) has his or her own point of view for at least a chapter or two. Sometimes, this leads to characters sounding the same, but @inkbert really grounds each character in their own backstory and makes their inner monologues sound unique. Then, so many wacky hijinks ensue—camping, drinking, movie nights, girl bonding, sailing, pranks, and the most competitive game nights and challenges you’ve ever seen.

The ships included are Darcy/Bucky, Steve/Natasha, Pepper/Tony, and Clint/Wanda, but this story isn’t only about the ships. It’s about all these crazy characters bonding—found family at its finest. This is probably my favorite Darcy/Jane BFFs story ever, and the Bruce/Tony science bro connection is classic. The story is fully seated in cannon (up through Ultron and moving to the ccmpound), except no Clint/secret family and Pietro lives. Read it. Read it now! And if you enjoy it, there are several one-shots that follow, including a Wanda-centric one that shouldn’t be missed.

Best Supporting Soulmate by Valeris

I love a good soulmate fic, and this is an excellent one. The first thing your soulmate says to you is written on your skin, and there are both romantic and platonic soulmates. Darcy has Jane as a platonic soulmate, but it’s her other soulmate who made her life crazy before she even met them. What are you supposed to do when your soulmate’s first words to you are to let them die? 

The two primary ships in this fic are Wintershock and Stony, which work well together, but the story delves into a lot more relationships. I don’t love the whole amnesia trope in a Stucky fic because losing all that history and friendship hurts so much, but in a WinterShock fic, I have a real soft spot for Darcy being able to help post-HYDRA Bucky learn how to person again, and she does that in spades in this one. She also cultivates friendships with just about everyone in Avengers Tower and beyond. Darcy/Johnny Storm BFFs are amazing, and the deep friendship Darcy develops with Tony in this story gives me all the feels. This is a great version of BAMF Darcy who can see what the tortured characters need and is able to help them get there. And there is some interesting conflict with the Fantastic Four, as well.

This was one of the first, if not the first, WinterShock stories I ever read. I had been trying TaserHawk, but it wasn’t really my cuppa, and then somehow found this one and got hooked.

Road Trip of Champions by @leftennant

Natasha and Steve are going on a road trip. Steve wants Bucky to come with, but they feel like they need a fourth to make things even. Natasha bribes Darcy into coming with, and over the course of the trip, we get a lovely WinterShock romance. The road trip concept is fun, and Darcy and Bucky have a light enemies to friends to lovers vibe going on. Bucky is recovering, Darcy isn’t going to take anyone’s crap, and Natasha and Steve really just want a little private time along the way. And the bit at the end of the main story when they play paintball—classic and a scene that has stuck in my mind long after reading many other fics. The protective vibe Bucky has for Darcy after all this and how it even affects paintball is adorable. There are other one-shots in this ’verse as well that should not be missed. You might never think of lemons the same again.

Daybreak by @anogete

Anogete has a really good touch with snarky, caretaker Darcy. I love all her WinterShock stories, but this is the one that’s stuck with me the most. The concept of Darcy trying to help dismantle Bucky’s trigger words by creating new memories for each one was so compelling. The therapy aspect did give me pause (a personal thing; it is dealt with as respectfully as possible in the story), but it all works out in the end. The fact that I loved it so much despite a mild personal ping with the concept speaks to how well it’s written, honestly. :-) And, if this one isn’t to your taste, Anogete has plenty of great WinterShock to read, so definitely try one of them instead!

The Run ’Verse by themonkeycabal

Though it eventually becomes a WinterShock story, my favorite thing about this universe is the Tony-Stark-is-Darcy’s-father trope. This is probably my absolute favorite version of that relationship. There is also time travel, and BAMF Peggy Carter. And even though I don’t love the Darcy-becomes-a-Shield-agent thing as much as Darcy the Scientist Wrangler, this story has a great, cannon-compliant reason for why Tony, Clint, etc., weren’t able to come help Steve, Natasha, Sam, and Maria in CA:tWS. There are a ton of stories in this ’verse, and I enjoyed every single one. My favorite, though, is the one where Darcy and Tony go visit Howard’s forgotten secret bunker and have three generation’s-worth of overdue conversations.

A Morbid Taste for Ice by sitehound

This is probably my favorite TaserTricks story, though I haven’t read nearly as much Darcy/Loki as I have other Darcy ships. I think it’s because writing Loki in character and making it believable to me that Darcy would fall in love with him, especially post-Avengers 1, is a fine line. If the fic apologizes too much for Loki’s wrongdoing without enough repentance/reformation, I don’t buy that she would legit be able to fall for him, but, go too far on the redemption and Loki gets OOC.

This story hits all those beats pretty perfectly and combines them with the whole Darcy/Jane/Thor (and now Loki) found family thing, Thor/Loki brother angst, Jane/Darcy BFFs, and a really compelling murder mystery to boot. There is also an interesting subplot with Loki being what basically amounts to a magical mechanic that I found really interesting amidst the snark, romance, and mystery solving. I’m sad this writer only has the one story up because it is so good!

Bygone by @inkbert

This story is Shieldshock (Steve/Darcy), not WinterShock, so even though I do try to only choose one fic per author (mostly), I’m totally fine having two by @inkbert on this list. Besides, this fic is amazing, and it’s not like there are anyone’s rules to follow on these fic rec lists but my own, lol! This is hands down my favorite ShieldShock story ever. 

Jane’s experiment goes awry and sends Darcy into the past—specifically after Bucky left for basic but before he shipped out and Steve got tapped for Project Rebirth. Darcy ends up living with Rebecca and Mrs. Barnes, and she falls head over heels in love with tiny Steve, so much so that they get married despite not knowing what the future holds for her. Then, the night before Steve is going to report to basic, Darcy blips out again, and when she blips back in, Steve is dead. The rest of the story has Darcy blipping her way through time, making friends with Howard, Peggy, and the Howling Commandos. Ultimately, though, it’s her brother/sister relationship with Tony that is the most poignant, especially by the time they catch up to the present again. And Darcy is a complete BAMF the whole time—going on missions, learning to fly anything with wings, doing anything and everything to keep her found family together. This story also gave me a plan for what I would do if I were ever shot back into a timeline like this where I couldn’t sew or cook or make a living—become a typist… genius, Darce!

Their Hearts Said by @anogete

Another Anogete story because I just can’t resist. All her stories are really good, be they WinterShock, ShieldShock, or even her really good Loki/OC fic. I would definitely suggest giving all of them a try.

This ShieldShock story is my favorite post-Infinity War tale. It picks up a few weeks after the snap, with everyone grieving and trying to figure out what to do next. Steve is barely holding it together while the remaining Avengers try to figure out what they can do. After Jane and her family disappear, Darcy heads to Avengers Tower, hoping against hope that maybe Thor knows what’s going on. Darcy and Steve start sleeping together as more of an escape from the awfulness around them than anything else, but as the team works on a plan to save the day and bring everyone back, they develop real feelings for each other. There is also time travel and I really loved the minimalist way she wrote how the day was saved in this. It balanced well with the character stuff. This story is much preferable to End Game—too bad cannon didn’t go like this!

Good Madness by Em_Jaye

Normally, I prefer my Darcy embedded within the MCU cannon. I adore that every girl keeping up with superheroes thing. But, I do enjoy a good AU on occasion, and this is one of my faves. It’s ShieldShock and kid!fic. Darcy runs a bakery that was left to her by her mother (real You’ve Got Mail tones there, but no creepy identity porn), and Steve comes in for treats on occasion. One day, he brings his daughter, and the rest is history. I love the Steve/Darcy romance in this one, and Steve’s daughter is a sweet character. I love the Full House thing Steve has going on co-raising his daughter with Bucky and Sam. And there is a nice Bucky/Natasha subplot and some really good Tony, which I would say more about except that I don’t want to spoil the surprise. My favorite story in the series is the five rules one at the end, so definitely keep going long enough for that. And if you like Em_Jaye’s writing, you should check out The Long Way Around—a Shieldshock, time travel, Endgame fix-it WIP that is excellent, as well.

One Year by @steeleholtingon

This story is WinterShieldShock. OT3s aren’t my favorite trope, but somehow with Bucky/Darcy/Steve, it works. Maybe it’s something about the boys’ history and Darcy dragging them into the future. Kind of what she does for each of them individually in WinterShock and ShieldShock, but with even more oomph. I haven’t read the whole tag, but One Year is my favorite.

Bucky’s Winter Soldier recovery has pushed both Steve and Bucky to the edge. Steve ends up leaving (at Bucky’s demand, but also because the team is afraid he’s going to do some kind of suicide via superhero duty if he doesn’t get his head on straight). The wrinkle—the night before he left, Darcy and Steve had a comforting one-night stand that resulted in two pinks lines on the test. The resulting story takes place one month at a time. Steve tries to piece himself back together and put his feelings for Bucky in the past whilst falling for Darcy over text messages. Bucky, on the other hand, realizes how he fucked it all up and vows to be there for Darcy and Steve’s baby while Steve is gone. Darcy navigates the waters of an unplanned (but wanted) pregnancy while balancing her feelings for both of them. And all the rest of the Avengers, science crew, and other Avengers-adjacent peeps support all three of them through it all. Angst, recovery, and a happy ending. So good!

So, after all that, what are you guys waiting for? Get to reading all this Darcy goodness! :-)

And now I need to figure out what fic rec list to work on next. I have a Stranger Things one (Harringrove and Mileven) almost ready to go, and then I need to decide what to do with the ships and characters that I don’t have a full top ten for. Group them together, perhaps? Bughead and LoVe might be a good combination, lol. And WinterHawk and WinterIron.

[superheroesofbothuniverses]

A Thousand Years (Shieldshock)

Thanos was defeated, but the relief of victory was soured by its high cost. Steve struggled with feelings of grief and despair, still seeing Natasha’s final smile and hearing her “see you in a minute” promise that she had been unable to keep. 

He was so tired of fighting, tired of losing people, tired of being a figurehead. He just wanted it to end. Now that Sam and Bucky had returned along with the millions of other souls, Steve felt like it was about time for him to pass on the shield to someone else and live a peaceful life with a wife, a house, white picket fence and a couple dogs. Before that could happen, he had a job to do returning the infinity stones. Of course, returning the stones meant traveling back in time, and he was planning a little detour to find her and bring her home. 

Darcy Lewis had abruptly appeared in his life over seventy years ago, before he’d had the serum and gone off to war. She’d changed his world and stolen his heart in a shockingly short time and he’d do anything to get her back.

He’d been shocked when the stunning brunette had approached him and said his words. 

“Hey Brooklyn. I’m a little lost. Care to help a girl out?”

He’d gaped and stammered out a wobbly “Sure. Where d’ya need to go?” 

He couldn’t believe that such a pretty gal had even spoken to him, let alone said his Words. That wasn’t the end of the surprises, though. Turned out, the dame claimed she’d traveled back in time from the future, 2018 to be exact. 

Steve had wondered if she was a bit loony, but she was very convincing and produced evidence in the form of a very strange phone that even had skeptic Bucky convinced. 

“So you’re sayin’ I’m still alive in your time?” Steve asked incredulously. “How?”

Darcy had smiled mysteriously at him. 

“Now that I can’t tell you, but I can tell you that you are a babe magnet in my time.”

Steve had flushed. 

“Now you’re just pulling my leg,” he’d muttered.

In what universe could he: skinny, sickly, Steve, be the object of that kind of interest? He was lucky enough that his soulmate liked him. 

As the days went by and Darcy was still living with them, he could tell she was nervous about being stuck in this time period, but when he asked, she would just sigh and say, “Jane will figure it out eventually. I’m more worried about you getting the crap beat out of you everyday. Seriously, Steve. You’ve got to quit it. I’d much prefer you be in one piece.” 

“That’s what Bucky always says,” Steve said ruefully, dabbing away blood from his lip. 

“Bucky’s a smart guy,” she replied, kissing the bruises on his cheek. 

Once she’d been there a few months, she’d taken a job waitressing to help “earn her keep” and even though both Steve and Bucky had told her it wasn’t necessary, they eventually admitted it was a big help. 

Then Bucky left for the war and Steve eventually followed, albeit in a much more unconventional style. 

He could tell Darcy knew about his fate, given the hints she’d dropped about him being in her history books, but she wouldn’t say what it was, just kissed him goodbye with tears in her eyes and clutched him tightly as long as she could. 

“I’m not coming back, am I?” He asked quietly.

Darcy leaned her head on his chest and sighed.

“Probably not the way you intended to, no. But I’m pretty sure we’ll meet again one day.”

“We will,” he said firmly, hands cupping her face gently. “I promise you, Darcy Lewis, I will come back to you one way or another.”

She smiled at him tearily. 

“I’ll hold you to it, Steve,” she’d whispered. “I love you.”

When he’d woken up in 2012, he’d begun to try to search for her, but it turned out Avenging left little time for soulmate searching. His mark remained a vivid blue, so he was comforted by the knowledge that somewhere she was alive and well. For several years, it felt like the universe was conspiring against him ever finding her again, but now, finally, it was time. He’d done some internet research and found that Darcy had been missing since two days before the snap, and had not returned with the others, confirming his suspicions that she was still stuck in the forties. He’d had a long phone conversation with an emotional Jane Foster, who had asked him just as many questions as he had her, but was very supportive of his attempt to retrieve his soulmate. 

“Please text me as soon as you get back, one way or the other,” she’d begged. “I feel so bad about what happened. I should never have let her in the room when I was conducting those tests. When she gets back, I’m going to demand all the details about her being wooed by pre-serum Steve. I bet it was adorable.”

Steve had laughed and blushed, and promised to contact her.

He ended up in 1946 Brooklyn, heart pounding as he approached his old apartment. Please let her be there. Please let her be there. 

He knocked on the door. There she was, as beautiful as the day they’d met.

The blue eyes widened with shock and filled up with happy tears.

“Steve?” she whispered.

“Darcy,” he murmured, as she threw her arms around him.

“Steve!” 

“I’ve come to bring you home, sweetheart. I’m sorry it took me so long.”

“You had bad guys to fight, a Bucky to save, and SHIELD to purge. I totally get it. Wait--by home, do you mean the twenty-first century?”

“Yes, Darcy, I do. I need my soulmate back and Doctor Foster misses you very much.” 

“How did you……?  Oh, never mind. I should know by now NEVER to doubt the scientists three.” 

Darcy hugged him again and he held her close, so happy to find her at last. There was going to be a lot to talk about when they returned, both pleasant and unpleasant, but they had each other to lean on now. 

“Hmm. You’re so much bigger in person,” Darcy commented, eyeing him up and down. “I’ve only ever seen this version of you from afar. This is gonna make kissing you harder.”

Steve grinned.

“Well, there are ways around that,” he said, winking at her saucily and lifting her up to kiss her soundly. 

“Ohhh, yeeessss!” Darcy moaned, when he released her. “I guess your new muscles ARE good for something, after all.”

They were both laughing as they disappeared. 

All along I believed I would find you, Time has brought your heart to me 

I have loved you for a thousand years, I’ll Love You for a thousand more.