It was a day full of fires, of angry directors, of frustrated scientists, so Darcy let her head hit her desk in resignation. Starting the day over, she knew wouldn’t help matters. Tomorrow didn’t look any better.
Jane was still sciencing in a corner, her machine still smouldering. Darcy sighed. She was done, so done with the day. “Jane, I’m out,” she declared.
The scientist nodded in acknowledgment and Darcy rolled her eyes. So done.
She gathered her things and went to the elevator, hitting the button for her floor. All she wanted now was a neapolitan pizza and ice cream. She wasn’t going to cook. Today wasn’t a day for that.
Her heels clicked on the tile floor as she strutted down the hallway to her apartment. Where was Bucky when she needed him? Away as per the usual because some dumbass had to decide to strike Boston.
She rolled her shoulders, then her neck, popping vertebrae as she typed in her code. Her head tilted as jazz music hit her ears. Who the fuck had gotten into her apartment? Clint was away, so was Bucky, so was Thor. “What the fuck?!” she muttered, as she stepped in.
She grabbed her taser, now concerned for her safety. She slipped off her heels and silently tiptoed into her apartment. “Hi doll,” a voice called.
“Dammit, Bucky!” she cursed, finger letting go of the charger, electrical wires shooting into the wall. “Fucking shit!”
Bucky chuckled, as he walked towards her, taking away the taser. “Sorry, Darce,” he apologized, letting the charge go before pulling it from the wall.
“You are going to fix that,” she ordered, turning away and walking towards her bedroom.
“What no kiss?” he asked.
She heard the puppy dog eyes in his voice and didn’t turn around. “Doll…” he inquired.
She ignored him, as she pulled down the zipper to her dress, revealing her basic black bra and panties. “Darce…”
She pushed the dress to the floor, grabbing Bucky’s navy henley and put it on. She huffed out a breathe before turning to her boyfriend. “When did you get back?” she asked.
“Two hours ago. Wanted to surprise, my girl,” he answered, stepping forward. “FRIDAY told me about the fire. Thought I’d make it up to you.”
She felt the corner of her lip turn up. “Make it up to me how?” she inquired, stepping forward.
“I made carbonara and picked up strawberries,” he said, placing hands on her hips. “Does that sound good?”
She hummed, leaning in. His lips came closer then hit the corner of her mouth. She hit his arm. “You missed! Your lips were supposed to kiss mine, dingbat!”
He chuckled before tilting his head to kiss her gently. His lips moved against her languidly, teasingly before her tongue licked his bottom lip. He groaned, tongues dueling for control. His hands squeezed her hips.
He pulled away first, noses swiping in Eskimo kisses. She giggled. “There’s a smile,” he purred.
She pinched his side and he gasped in horror. “You dare pinch the Winter Soldier,” he teased.
“He’s no match for taser girl,” she joked, lips sealing against his one more time.
He chuckled, pulling her out of the bedroom and back to the kitchen. “And I bet taser girl is hungry.”
“She is,” she confirmed, now noticing the candles on the table, the garlic bread and a bottle of bubbly red. “What’s the occasion?”
“Told you, I wanted to make up your bad day,” he replied, going back to bechamel sauce.
“This doesn’t look like a bad day meal,” she replied, eyes glancing at the table then at him.
He took the pasta out of the pot and into the pan. She walked into the kitchen, hand going to his lower back. Her fingers walked up his spine. “Does to me.”
She looked at the food then at him. Something was off. “Did I miss an anniversary?” She inquired.
“No, doll.”
“Ya sure?”
“I’m sure.”
She eyed him up and down before moving back to the table. He plates the food, bringing it and setting it down on the table. “Sit,” he commanded.
She arched an eyebrow but didn’t argue. She opened her mouth and closed it, not knowing what to say. She was missing something. Did something happen on the mission? Though that wouldn’t explain the meal. “Did the mission go OK?” she inquired, twirling pasta on her fork.
He nodded, taking a bit and talking around it. “Went fine.”
“No big surprises?”
“Nope.”
She tried not to frown. His short answers were beginning to get on her nerves. “Anyone get hurt?”
“Nope.”
She dropped her fork to her plate and it banged on the ceramic. “I know you have an extensive vocabulary in several different languages, why don’t you use it?” she ordered.
His eyebrows shot up at her hostility. She clenched her fists. “Darce…”
“I get that I had a bad day. But that doesn’t explain the candles or my favorite meal….”
“I can’t do something nice?” he interrupted, hand going through his hair.
She bit her lip. Why couldn’t she accept that he was doing something nice? It’s not like he hadn’t before. He was known for drawing her bubble baths, making her dinner, bringing her flowers, taking her dancing. Nine months in and he still surprised her but never with candles.
She picked up her fork and didn’t answer. She took another bite, eyes downcasted to her plate. His flesh hand went to hers and squeezed. “Doll…,” he began. “I promise, I’m just trying to make your bad day better.”
She hummed and took a sip of her wine. “Alright.”
They ate in comfortable silence for the remainder of their meal. “Wait here,” he ordered when she was finished and collected her plates.
She folded her hands in her lap, waiting. Minutes later he came back with a bowl full of strawberries and clotted cream. He pulled his chair to be next to hers, dipping a berry into the cream and then placing it at her lips. She took a bite and he groaned. He took the next bite before letting her enjoy more. He kissed her after they finished the first berry.
She moaned when their tongues touched. He pulled away and she whimpered at the loss. His blue eyes darkened in the candlelight. “Doll…” he swallowed.
She smiled softly. “Yes, Buck….”
He dropped out of the chair and onto one knee. “Buck…” she gasped.
“You’re right. I didn’t just want to make dinner tonight. I want to make you dinners for the rest of your life if you’ll have me. Because doll, I love you so damn much. I had to go to Boston to grab something of mine….”
“Baby?”
He pulled the velvet green box out of his pocket, opening it. It was a vintage ring with a blue topaz jewel. Her hand hovered above it before pulling back.
“I know nine months isn’t a long time but I fell for you the first time I saw you …. and I … you are my shining star. My light in the dark. Please…”
“Yes…” she whispered, holding his metal hand. “Yes, Bucky.”
He surged forward, sealing his lips against hers. His hand held the back of her neck. She hummed in delight. The kiss lasted for minutes before he pulled away, placing his forehead against hers. “You’ll marry me?” he asked quietly.
She kissed him softly. “Yes, Winter, I’ll marry you.”