Asgardian Mead
“Rogers!”
Steve turned from his latest punching bag, made from an industrial-strength fabric that Stark built.
It had been years since he’d been in this gym. He didn’t need to punch out his sorrows anymore. He had friends, family, Darcy.
His Darcy. His sweetheart.
And yet, his beautiful relationship was the reason he was in the gym tonight.
They were supposed to have a fancy day out today, but Bucky and Sam needed help training the recruits and Steve was the only one available to do it. Well, not the only one, but he was needed. This lead to a colossal fight between them, one that lasted over an hour. Long story short, words were said and they hadn’t seen each other all day.
He could still remember their last phone conversation.
—-
“Hey, sweetheart.”
“Hey, did you need something?” Her voice was cold. The snappy tone made him rage without meaning to.
“I don’t only call when I need something Darcy.” He knew he sounded like a dick.
She sighed, sounding tired, “What is it Steve? I have to get to a meeting.”
Darcy had taken time off for their day out, something she hadn’t done in years. His heart squeezed.
“I uh, I wanted to ask if you could get out of work early. Turns out the trainees went on a getaway trip a week earlier.”
Silence.
“Darcy?”
“Yeah, um, no I don’t think I ca— yes, yes I’ll be there in just a second!” She spoke away from the phone, probably her asshole boss again.
Of course, she couldn’t go. His idiocy caused this.
Trying to make things better, Steve tried again, “Okay, yeah that’s okay. How about dinner tonight, just you and me?”
“No, the girls invited me to an Asgardian Mead night and I’ve canceled the last two for our dates that didn’t happen remember?”
He did remember. He remembered canceling on her so many times, she’d probably lost count. He remembered her resigned smile when he apologized. “It’s okay, it happens,” she’d tell him. Bullshit.
“Oh, uh, yeah. I understand. Hey, what if tomor—“
“Steve, we can talk about plans later, I really really have to go.”
She cut the phone.
—-
A non-discrete cough broke him out of his daze.
Clint was leaning on the door frame, a somber look on his face.
“What is it?”
“The ladies had a little too much of that Asgardian mead Brunnhilde brought.”
That was code for Darcy would be puking her guts out in the morning.
“So why are you here?”
“If you’re done killing the bag behind you, I wanted to show you something.”
Steve frowned. Clint was never this serious about anything, always had a smirk or smile on his face.
He followed the man out of the gym towards the security screening room. They stopped at the computer that showed the ladies in the lounge. Clint rewinded the video and paused, looking back at the Blonde.
“What’re we doing here?” He asked.
“Watch the footage, I won’t be here when you do. But when you’re done, I need you to go fix it. You’ll know what I’m talking about.”
Clint left through the door.
Steve stood in front of the screen for a solid minute before he pressed the play button.
He saw all of them sitting in a circle, pillows and cards were strewn everywhere. They were eating pizza and drinking a dangerous amount of alcohol.
“Darcy! You were right! This pizza is the best food I’ve ever had!” Leah slurred, picking up another slice.
The others mumbled in agreement.
“Right?!” Darcy piped up, “Steve took me to his favorite pizza place when we started dating. Literally heaven in slices.”
She looked down at her slice, a frown decorating her pink lips.
“But, I guess he’d take every girl to his favorite pizza shop. He’s just a nice guy like that ya know?” Her eyes were sad.
He desperately wanted to reach her through the screen and tell her that wasn’t true. He’d never taken anyone to that diner beside her and his mother when he was 10.
“Darce, I’m sure that’s not true,” Pepper said.
“Oh yeah? We haven’t gone on a date in six months,” she laughed humorlessly, “I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if he broke up with me tomorrow morning.” Another laugh, more like a grimace.
“Darcy, I know you and Steven have had some issues thus far but it is only because you love each other!” Brunnhilde piped up excitedly.
She barked out a sharp laugh, twisting Steve’s heart even more.
“Love?!” She slurred, eyes glassy, “The only time he ever even says “I love you” is after sex.”
The room was pin-drop silent.
Darcy continued, “One night after he left to go have a beer with Sam, I thought about something.”
Steve leaned in, trying to prepare himself for what she’d say next. Bad move.
“Actually, I’ll ask you guy the question. If a big fat monster, like... Thanos for instance, had me by the neck, and had Bucky by the neck, who would he choose to save first?”
He paled in front of the screen. The others looked around nervously.
She laughed almost hysterically, “Come on guys! It’s Bucky!”
They all looked down, guilty that they had the same thought.
“No no no! Don’t be upset! Honestly, I’d have wanted him to save Bucky first ya know? I mean, he’s his best friend, his remains of a better life. And I’m just...me, ya know?”
No. No, she couldn’t possibly believe that. She couldn’t think that lowly of herself.
“It’s just...kinda sad because I would choose him over anyone. And I don’t even think I’m in his top 10.” She chuckled.
“Darcy, that's not true!” Leah looked like she was about to cry.
“Oh yeah? Hold on, I made a list of all the people he’d save before me. Lemme get it out!”
Steve felt his chest tighten impossibly. He watched her fish out a small piece of paper from her pocket.
She started listing, “Bucky is number one, duh. Then there’s Sam, obviously. Then we have uh,” she squinted, probably didn’t have her contacts in, “oh yeah, we have Nat, Tony, Thor, Bruce, Clint, Wanda, the rest of the avengers, Peggy if she was alive,” and with that, Darcy started to cry.
The other women all scooped her into a big bear hug, whispering words of denial and encouragement, trying to convince him her boyfriend wasn’t a piece of shit.
Val gently took the piece of paper from her hands and threw it across the room in anger.
The video stopped.
Steve could just stand there, looking at the current footage. All the ladies were now watching a Barbie movie, most of them passed out.
He. Couldn’t. Breathe.
The love of his life, the reason his nights weren’t plagued with nightmares, his Darcy felt like she wasn’t even at the top of his list?
What had he done? How badly had he fucked up that she was convinced he would let her die?
Just the thought of Thanos’ hands around Darcy’s neck made him want to tear apart the building, tearing room by room until his rage subsided.
He slowly made his way outside. Clint was nowhere to be found, probably went back to his quarters.
“FRIDAY?”
“Yes, Captain Rogers?”
“Can you make sure the ladies' lounge is warm enough to sleep the night?”
“Yes sir.”
“Also, can you send some throw-up cans near them too?”
“Of course.”
He went up to where the tv was playing. He quietly maneuvered around the bodies to turn it off before scooping up his girl and heading to his section of the compound.
“Steve?” She slurred as he laid her down and got ready to go get her makeup remover from the bathroom.
“Just a minute sweetheart, I’ll get your skin scare stuff and I’ll be back.” He pressed a quick kiss to her forehead and disappeared into the bathroom.
The whole time he cleaned her face and changed her clothes, her beautiful blue eyes stayed on his own, watching his face as he worked.
He laid her down again and changed his clothes before climbing in beside her.
She was still staring as he stroked her hair, pulling her closer to him.
“Steve?”
“Hmm?”
“I love you.” His breath caught in his throat.
“I love you too sweetheart.”
Her eyes watered as she said her next words, “I know,” she hiccuped, “I know I’m being selfish, but please don’t leave me?”
Leave her? Why would he—
“I know I have nothing to offer you. I know I’m a burden—“
“No, sweetheart no—“
“And I know you don’t need me. But I need you. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me Steve.”
His heart shattered to pieces. Her eyes looked so scared like she believed he’d slip away any second. She looked defeated.
He couldn’t do anything as her eyes drooped shut, breathing evened out.
He couldn’t say anything to dislodge her presumptions because she wouldn’t remember anything she said or heard tomorrow morning.
All she’d remember would be her pain, her suffering, her sorrow.
And that thought haunted him all through the night as he wrapped himself tightly around his girl.
He finally realized the broken thread their relationship had been hanging by, only thanks to Darcy. Now, she was preparing herself for the end. For that thread to snap.
And after? A world where he and Darcy were strangers? Where he wouldn’t hear her sweet laugh every morning as he tickled her awake? Where he wouldn’t be able to feel her shiver with pleasure while coming undone? Where he wouldn’t hear her constant chatter, filling up his quiet evenings?
It was official, Steve Rogers had found something that terrified him more than Thanos himself.