#maybe even future wintershieldshock

[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.”

[stuckydealer-blog]

Final Surrender | 2

Pairing: Wintershieldshock, Steve x Darcy x Bucky

Word Count:  2,244 (Yeah, these are short. They’ll get longer eventually)

Genre & Warnings: Angst with a happy ending, eventual smut, jealousy, insecurity, polyamory negotiations.

Everything was turned off save for a single light in the hallway

Darcy tiptoed into her own apartment, trying her best to keep the noise down. She knew that with Steve’s abilities the chances of her not being heard were slim, but she wanted to try anyway. She slowly took off her shoes and jacket, laying them across the entry table instead of trying to open the hallway closet without noise. Then she flopped ungracefully onto the sofa, staring into the blank television screen. 

She’d stayed in the labs as long as she could get away with it today. Even as everyone else had left, she’d managed to stay hours past even Jane, sitting in her little office organizing notes that didn’t have to be finished anytime soon. She’d only reluctantly left once she’d started yawning more than once and realized she didn’t relish the idea of having to explain to anyone what she was doing sleeping in her office. 

Now she was here, in an apartment that she wasn’t sure she was welcome in anymore. At least it sounded like the snoring was coming from two separate bedrooms, so she supposed she could be grateful for small blessings. 

Darcy quietly sighed and ruffled her hair a bit, frustrated with herself. She was Darcy Fucking Lewis. She was a badass! Why was she letting herself get upset over something that hadn’t even happened yet? 

She decided her pity party was over for the night, so she headed to the shower to wash the lab away before climbing in her bed. Steve’s snoring quieted slightly as he rolled over and pulled her towards him in his sleep. Darcy finally let her mind quiet enough to revel in his familiar warmth as she drifted off. 

Darcy woke when the bed dipped next to her, and a hand began lightly playing with her hair. She groaned quietly and leaned into the touch, cracking her eyes open a little to see a chuckling Steve. 

“Morning, beautiful,” he said with a grin, leaning down to peck her forehead. He smelled nice, probably having just had a shower after his run. 

“Mmm, morning.” 

“You got in late. I was worried.”

Oh. That’s right. There were things happening. She was supposed to be upset.

She cleared her throat. “Yeah, just...lots of stuff to catch up on.” 

Steve studied her face, and his frown deepened. 

“Are you sure that’s all? Sweetheart, if something is the matter, you know you can talk to me.” 

Darcy snorted before she could stop herself and tried to cover it up with a yawn, but he didn’t buy it. 

“What does that mean?” 

“Doesn’t mean anything, Steve. I just woke up, and I haven’t had coffee yet. Obviously, I’m delirious. I’m gonna go shower.” 

Darcy pressed a quick kiss onto Steves still frowning lips before running straight to the bathroom, locking it for good measure. She hadn’t locked the door in ages, and she knows he probably heard it click and was freaking out about that now too. But at least hidden in her fortress of cleanliness, she could breathe. 

She rushed through her shower, wanting to hurry up and get ready so she’d be out the door faster. When she was done, she peered out into the bedroom, thankfully finding it empty, and dressed as quickly as she could. She skipped makeup entirely and threw her hair into a ponytail. Now all she had to do was chug down some coffee, and she could go back to hiding in the labs. 

“Smells good in here. Were you actually cooking?” She grinned at Steve as he was just rounding the hallway to meet with her. He laughed and laced his fingers with hers as he escorted her to the dining room. 

“No. That’s all Buck. He’s making flapjacks.” 

Oh, he certainly was. He was making “flapjacks” shirtless, his black sweats riding low on his sculpted hips. He merely nodded at her when they made eye contact. He scooped the last pancake onto a plate he was holding and handed it to Steve, wrapping his arm around his back like he was helping him balance. 

Darcy watched in silence as they set things on the table and took their seats. Or should she say Bucky took her seat, directly to Steve’s left, leaving her the seat that was right in front of them, like she was the third wheel. 

Did they really have to be so obvious? 

“Cool. Well, I’m just going to finish my coffee, and then I gotta head out. Science waits for no one.” 

Steve was practically pouting now, his beautiful eyes wide and pleading.

“Darce, just have a few, please? I haven’t seen much of you in days, and I miss you.” 

She sighed. “Fine. Since you brought out the puppy dog eyes, which is totally cheating by the way, I will stay for breakfast. I missed you too, babe.” 

She smirked when Barne’s fingers around his fork turned white as he glared at her from under his lashes. 

The breakfast was one of the most awkward things she’d been through, and she’s gone through a lot! It was a constant battle between Darcy and Bucky over who could get the most attention from Steve. Bucky had played very unfairly a few times, smirking darkly as he literally fed Steve right off his own fork and scooting close enough that their shoulders touched. Darcy was amazed how oblivious Steve was to the tension around him as he went from story to story, telling Bucky a funny one about Darcy, or telling Darcy one about Bucky. 

Then again, if he was trying this hard, maybe he wasn’t so much oblivious as desperate. But desperate for what? For them to get along? To try and make Darcy like Bucky so when Steve breaks up with her she’ll totally understand? Why was Steve not telling her anything? Why was he dragging this out? 

She fought off the tears that were threatening to take over, her throat so thick with emotion it was becoming hard to swallow. She needed to make her escape quick. 

Darcy threw her fork down on the plate and got up, aware of both pairs of eyes watching her as she placed it in the sink and chugged down the last of her coffee. 

“Alright, this was a blast and all, but I gotta get going. Jane’s probably well on her way to turning the tower into a crater by now.” 

She stopped next to Steve’s chair, leaning down to capture his lips and slide a hand into his hair. She kissed him deeply, sliding her tongue across the seam of his lips until he opened for her with a ragged moan. She nipped his bottom lip a couple times, feeling smug as she took in Steve’s dilated eyes and swollen lips. 

“I love you,” she whispered, rubbing his nose with hers for a second before leaning away. 

“I love you too. Have a good day,” he responded dreamily, beaming up at her as she stood up straight and adjusted her jacket. 

She didn’t even bother looking at Barnes on her way out, not wanting him to take that moment from her. 

“So, did you talk to him?”

Darcy would never admit that she had just jumped a little, but she’d been so lost in her own thoughts that she’d been unprepared. She’d been in the lab with Jane for four hours now, and besides that muttering of the scientist talking to herself, it had been silent the whole time, allowing her to mope by herself. 

“Sure. Course I did,” 

Jane looked up from her tablet, giving Darcy a look that she quickly interrupted as ‘You know what I mean.’

“Did you talk with him about your suspicions.”

“Oh, that. Nope. We just had a lovely breakfast that Barnes cooked shirtless, took my seat so I had to sit in front of them like I was in an interview, and was so close to Steve they were practically cuddling.” 

Jane observes Darcy thoughtfully for a moment. 

“You know, I have to say that this doesn’t sound like you. You usually meet things face on. I’d have expected you to sit them down for a chat already, find out what's going on and come up with a super detailed ten-year plan that you made into a powerpoint slideshow.” 

“I know. But Janie, I’m scared. All my life I’ve been good about treating everyone nicely but only letting a select few into the Darcy bubble. When you grow up in foster care, that’s something you learn to be good at. You learn to adapt easily, you never grow too attached, you stay ready for anything. I broke the rules already with you, but I’m not worried about you. I know you’ll stick around. But I let him in too much. He’s...fuck Janie...he’s so deep in the bubble it will probably burst if he wants to leave me.” 

Jane was stroking her arm comfortingly, but the quirked eyebrow was easy to read. 

“Don’t laugh at the Darcy bubble. It’s a good example,” Darcy huffed but leaned her head on Jane’s shoulder. 

“Not laughing. Sorry.” 

Darcy sighed and closed her eyes, soaking in the comfort from her friend. 

“I just...I love him. I let myself think of the future with him. I pictured a white dress and monogrammed towels. That’s the biggest no-no I learned growing up. Never make plans. But I did for him. Granted, I never planned on his best friend that is totally not just his best friend coming back from the fucking dead.” 

Jane plays with Darcy’s hair comfortingly. “That would be hard for anyone to plan for, to be fair. Sweetie, you can’t just keep avoiding him though. It’s going to keep making you miserable. You’re Darcy Lewis! You tased Thor! You can handle having a chat with your boyfriend.”

Darcy chuckled. “You’d think so, right? I know. I’ll do it. I just kinda hoped he’d come to me. With him just moving Bucky in and barely telling me anything, it’s like he’s purposely hiding it with no intention of me ever knowing. I think that might be what’s hurting the most. I thought he knew he could trust me. If he had come to me and been like, “Heya, Darce. So my best friend is alive and back in the 40′s best friend actually meant guy you went steady with in secret,” I’d have been more understanding. I would still have been jealous, but I’d be willing to figure out a solution for everyone. But the way it is now, it’s like I’m purposely being pushed out.” 

“I’m sure that’s not what’s going on, babe. Steve loves you, you know that. He’s probably just as confused as you are. Why don’t you take a lunch. Go back to your place and pull him into your room for a talk. It’s better to just get it done and over with like a band-aid. If worse comes to worse, you’re welcome to stay with Thor and me.” 

Darcy sighs and glances towards the door. Jane was right. She should just get this over with. It probably wasn’t even that big of a deal. 

“Yeah, I should. Okay. Yeah, I’ll do that. Thanks for letting me whine and moan like a bitch to you.” 

“Just paying back my debt. I’ve whined enough in your ears. Go get your man.” 

Darcy straightened her shoulders and took a deep breath to calm herself. 

She could totally do this. She’s dealt with shit loads of stuff in the past few years. Asking her boyfriend a few questions should be a walk in the park compared to London. 

She punched in the door code and swung it open, promptly freezing the moment her eyes landed on the couch that faced the door. 

Steve was in Barnes’ lap, sloppily making out, their moans loud and filled with desire. Barnes had his hands gripping onto Steve’s hips tightly, rocking their hips together desperately as Steve gripped onto the other’s hair. 

Darcy made a garbled sound that was something she’d never heard herself make before. A wrecked sob that was pulled straight from her chest. 

Steve’s head shot around at the noise, his eyes wide with shock and panic. 

“Baby. Darcy, I’m...please. I can explain,” Steve stumbled off of Barnes, stalked towards Darcy with his arms stretched towards her. 

She backed away, trying to reach the door. Darcy chanced a look at Barnes, amazed to find that he looked more guilty than victorious. 

But it didn’t matter. He’d won without her getting a chance to fight. 

Darcy turned to flee, tugging her hand away as Steve grabbed it. 

“Darcy, stop. Please! I love you, come back!” 

Darcy kept running.