Chapter 14
“Jane, I'm not doing any work this weekend.” Darcy said, ending their conversation.
“Darcy, you always do work over the weekend.”
“Jane, I'm out.” Darcy yelled through the lab/house they were living and working in.
Jane couldn't let that stay so she got out of the lab and walked to the front porch to see where Darcy was going. Darcy looked a lot different than Jane had seen her last. She was in a knee-length off the shoulder red dress that wasn't so much revealing as hinting at what might be so. Her silver necklace and large hoop earrings went perfectly with her cool colored light makeup and half up half down hair Jane suddenly realized was about 2 feet longer than she assumed, given Darcys always kept it in her beanie. Darcy's sunglasses resting on her head like a headband completed the look, paired with low heels to go with the dress.
“Darcy, you're dressed up.” Jane said.
“Yeah, Jane. Sorry, but I don't live on coffee and the lab.”
A car pulled up and beeped. It was a pale blue luxury convertible Jane wished she owned with black seats that may have been actual leather.
“Darcy, you coming?” Asked the guy at the steering wheel, shoulder length brown hair pulled into a ponytail that looked hot even though it was last in style in the 1800s era of guys with either ponytails or powdered wigs.
Darcy tapped Jane on the shoulder and Jane forcefully reoriented her mind from senseless jealousy to being happy for Darcy like a good friend. “Lucky you.” Jane said appreciatively, and Darcy didn't know if she meant the look, the car, or the guy.
“Jane, try to consume something other than caffeine, alright?”
“You got it. Enjoy your…”
“Date, Jane. It's called a date and hopefully mine won't involve broken china or a life or death situation.”
“Yeah, that.” Jane said, blushing as she remembered Thor.
Darcy patted her on the shoulder as she hopped in the car and drove away.
“That your boss?”
“Less of a boss, more of that one scientist friend you need to remind to do something other than sciencing, caffeine, and falling asleep at the desk. And she pays me to keep her alive and healthy to continue more research as well as helping with some of the science stuff that can be comprehended by English speakers.”
“Doll, you don't have to play dumb, you know?”
“Literal rocket science would be easier than astrophysics and I'm a political science major with just our little side gig.”
“Side gig she says.”
“Yeah, well, it's not like my sister isn't a literal Duchess and married to the guy most likely to own the world.”
“True. So where do you want to go?”
“Let's do traditional. You have a helluva lotta pop culture to catch up on, so how does the movies sound?”
“Movies sound perfect.” He said, and after he parked the car by the movie theater, they exchanged a quick kiss before climbing out.
When he got out of the car and walked around the car to open the door and help her out, because some manners were too ingrained in him to forget, she whistled. The rather simplistic t-shirt and jeans he was wearing only highlighted his very well developed physique and the ponytail only accentuated his chiseled jawline.
“C’mon doll, what movie did you want?”
She gave a playful evil smirk as they entered the theater and she bought the tickets. “Bucky Barnes, or the historical undervalue of Captain America's sidekick.”
He groaned. “Really, doll?”
“Cmon, who doesn't like to see a movie about how great your grandpa was?”
“Me!” He exclaimed. “I deserve a jumbo popcorn for this.”
“Sure. Get me a caramel one.”
“I'm getting cheddar.”
“Bucky! That shit stains my fingers like hell.” Darcy huffed.
“Fine, Darcy. Caramel it is.” He agreed.
After he bought the popcorn, she grasped his elbow and tugged him in the right direction. “Now let's go see how awesome your grandpa was.”
“You planned this.”
“Of course I did.”
One of the other viewers in the theatre said, “Wait, was your grandpa really the Bucky Barnes?”
“That sounded like a capital The.”
“Of course. The guy was supposed to have been a legendary sniper who could out-arm wrestle Captain America even after the Super Soldier Serum.”
“I have a photo of Steve Rogers before the Super Soldier Serum, and I think anyone could out-arm wrestle him then.”
“Can I have your autograph? Like your the grandson of a hero. And you look just like your grandpa.”
“Yeah, I've been told. Have the same name too.”
“Whoa, cool.”
Bucky ended up hiding his face for the entire movie and attempting to run out whenever he did look up.
When they exited the theater, Darcy patted his arm. “It couldn't have been that bad, could it?”
“It was.” He half-moaned. “The worst part? They got everything damn well right.”
Darcy chuckled. “Poor you. I know you buff muscles for days types need your food, so let's go for dinner.”
“Doll?”
“Yeah?”
“What other guys fitting that category do you know?”
“Are you jealous?”
“Should I be?”
“No, I just remember how much Thor ate in one weekend. That's Jane's boyfriend by the way”
“You're not wrong though, I'm starving.”
A few minutes later and a phone call later, Darcy and Bucky were allowed to use Tony Stark's private table he kept on retainer in the restaurant they decided on.
It had a perfect view and immediate service, but the one downside was the paparazzis.
The professional paparazzis took until halfway through their meal to arrive. The amateurs were already there, eating in the restaurant.
The couple lucked out, however, and by the time the professional paparazzis, news reporters, and their whole entourage arrived, they were already halfway through dessert. They ignored the paparazzis until they finished their food, thankful the restaurant had a policy to keep nom-eating guests in the lobby, from which their table was visible but not too close, the rule started the first time Tony Stark dined there.
However they couldn't escape the media by the time they were leaving.
After they paid, they exchanged glances, and decided if the media wanted a show they might as well make it one.
Standing up from the table, Bucky reached out his hands to help her up, which she took, entwining his fingers with hers.
They gave each other a quick kiss as they turned to face the reporters.
“Is it true you're the grandson of Bucky Barnes?”
“No, I’m the original Lieutenant Barnes.” Bucky deadpanned.
“Are you two dating?”
“And I thought we couldn't be any more obvious.” Darcy answered.
“Darcy Lewis, you aren't at a lot of social events. Does that mean you have a day job?”
“I work with Doctor Jane Foster on her astrophysics research while I finish my masters at Culver Uni.”
“What are you majoring in?”
“Political science with a minor in astrophysics.”
“Mister Barnes, what do you have to say to the claim Steve Rogers was found alive in a natural cryogenic freeze?”
“It's not rumors, it's true. I met the man himself a few days back and again yesterday, and for all he's acclimating to everything that's changed in the world since the 40s he's a great guy.”
“Is it true you have a prosthetic?”
“Yeah. It used to look really creepy, but Stark helped fix it up, make it look natural. Said it was a camouflage disguise tech test, but I don't understand ‘cause it works perfectly.”
The reporter decided they had enough of any real information, and one of them asked, “how long have you two been together?”
“A year.”
“Any plans of making it official?”
“Well we talked to you, didn't we?” Darcy said and Bucky chuckled.
“I mean engagement. A ring.”
They didn't answer, instead deciding enough was enough and heading out to Bucky's car. The paparazzi followed them, but he nevertheless opened the passenger door for her, and then for himself, lowering the top of the car as the two entwined in a heated make-out session before driving off.
“Well, you can be damn sure the fanboys on campus will stay well away.”
“And the groupies will just begin.”
“Good luck.”
“You too. Or have you forgotten you have a day job?”
“The hair is the only recognizable factor, but the posture, the manner of speech, even the confirmation of a prosthetic, Fury, I've found the Winter Soldier.”
“Whatever training he gives you, take it. It can only improve you and I want a risk assessment of him.”
“Yes, sir.”
Bucky thanked all his lucky stars that Starbucks was so much better than army ration coffee. Why had he signed up for a seven to three job dealing with teenagers all day in the first place?