Soldier's introduction
:-:-:
“Okay Janey, today's the day.” Darcy stated enthusiastically as she danced around her friend who was currently taking a break from science-ing and sipping on her tea. She had been smiling from ear to ear ever since arriving at the lab and though it was Friday and the weekend was so close, it wasn’t the reason for her good mood.
“Of what?” Jane asked, raising one perfectly shaped eyebrow as she poured herself another cup of coffee. It was probably her third one today and Darcy reminded herself to try and lower Jane’s caffeine intake slowly. “Step 1 of Mission: Hot Soft Jesus-boy.” she replied matter-of-factly.
The scientist looked up from her cup in slight confusion.
“I thought you were already at Step 3 or 4?”
Darcy huffed as she halted to a stop and shot Jane a glare.
“Yeah but since all of them failed and I refuse to rename the Mission I'm just gonna reboot it and start again.”
The scientist laughed softly before gesturing Darcy to continue with her explanation and the younger woman was happy to do so.
“Anyways, as you know...I've only used a more soft approach but since that didn't work it's time to bring out the big guns-"
“No low-cut dresses at work, Darcy! The last time you did that Taylor dropped coffee all over her research...and she's not even gay! Imagine how Barnes would react, I mean he's kind of vintage.”
Darcy’s mouth dropped open. “That's not what I meant!”
(But she surely put that idea into her back-up plans.)
“I'm going to the offensive!” she stated, an evil smirk forming on her red lips.
Jane send her a suspicious look. “I'm not sure I like where this is going..”
“Oh don't worry, Janey. This one is practically bulletproof.”
“What's the plan?”
“I'm just gonna walk up to him.” Darcy made a dramatic pause. “And ask him out.”
“Huh.” Jane looked as if she was contemplating. “Simple... but effective.”
:-:-:-:
Sam was just about to relax in front of the TV of the Common Room when Tony announced his presence with another one of his songs blasting through the speakers.
Other than Sam, Natasha and Clint were present, as well as Rhodey who was currently walking in after Tony.
“So…” the billionaire started after checking out the room, the volume turning down as he spoke. “someone care to explain what exactly is going on between Lewis and Frosty?”
Clint who was currently shoving another donut into his mouth was the first to react. “What do you mean?”
Sam rolled his eyes at the archer and Tony just shot him a disgusted look before speaking again.
“I just saw Lewis running out of Banner’s lab seconds after storming in. And guess who was in the lab?”
“Banner?” Clint deadpanned.
This time it was Tony’s turn to roll his eyes.
“Barnes. I was actually surprised that he was in the lab as well but I've never seen Lewis running away from anyone, especially with such a red face.”
“Oh, honey…” Natasha muttered while shaking her head, slight amusement in her voice.
“Did you see Barnes’ reaction ?” Sam asked, now standing in front of Tony, arms crossed and face unreadable.
Tony just huffed in annoyance. “I wish. When I got in he was wearing his usual mask. Though Banner seemed amused.”
The billionaire walked to the counter, pouring two drinks and giving one to Rhodey. “Lewis and Barnes have been shooting looks at each other a lot lately and them not acting on it is actually starting to get on my nerves so I'm here to make it more entertaining for everyone involved.”
Natasha raised a single eyebrow at Tony as she took a cherry from the counter. “What do you have in mind?” she asked nonchalantly before putting the small fruit in her mouth, her eyes analytical.
Tony smirked. “Okay, guys.” he paused, taking a sip from his drink and glancing at everyone in the room. “I want bets.”
:-:-:-:
“ABORT MISSION! ABORT MISSION!”
Darcy practically screamed as she stormed into Jane's lab, her eyes wide in panic and the smoothies she had left with still in her hands.
Jane turned in surprise, eyes as wide as Darcy’s and confusion written all over her face.
“What happened? Why are you screaming?”
Darcy sprinted towards her friend and dropped onto the chair next to her.
“Okay, I wanted to start Mission: Hot Soft Jesus-Boy,right ? Well it turns out he's not Jesus-Boy anymore. He's ‘super hot but still soft - I'm not ready for children but for you I'd make an exception - be my boo forever - Soldier-boy’ now.”
The petite scientist blinked.
And then blinked again.
“What ?”
Darcy huffed in exasperation as if her rambling would make sense to everyone else but Jane.
“I wanted to see Brucie for a quick talk and an update on the situation and make sure he was alive. You know, the usual. But he wasn't alone. Barnes was with him. And I didn't expect to bump into him there because I mean..duh !? He's never come to the lab before. But that's not the only thing ‘cause when I got there I was- I was attacked, okay !?”
She took a long breath and was glad her friend knew her well enough to wait before she spoke again.
“If he was super hot before he is indescribably hot now. He cut his hair.”
“So?”
“So? I need a moment.” As she said this, Darcy slumped more into the chair, taking small sips from one of the smoothies she had planned on drinking with Bruce before being attacked out of nowhere.
“Aren't you being a little overdramatic ?”
“Maybe. But you should know me by now.”
Jane let out a soft laugh before chucking her tea - yes Darcy had forced her to change her favorite poison to something else for the next three hours - down to get back to her work.
They sat in silence for a couple of minutes, Darcy turning around in her chair as Jane scribbled in her notes and pushed buttons on her calculator.
It wasn't after Darcy got up to get some snacks from the counter across the room that Jane suddenly spoke again.
“Wait a second…” the scientist slowly raised her head from her notes. “did you...run away from him?”
Darcy who was currently resting against the counter next to the coffee machine winced. “Maybe ?”
“Darcy!” Jane exclaimed, even dropping her pen on the table to send her friend a disappointed look. “That poor guy probably thinks you’re scared of him!”
The younger woman winced again and mentally body slammed herself for not even thinking of that. “You really think so? I don’t want him to think that way...I was just surprised to see him there. I even forgot to give Bruce his smoothie.” she muttered, pointing at the drink next to Jane. “Janey, I honestly don’t know what to say to him.” she whined.
Her friend sent her a sympathetic look. “You usually don’t have a problem with that.”
“Yeah but usually I don’t care…”
Jane eyed the younger woman who soon started squirming.
“He seems so lonely I don’t want to scare him off…”
“Well screaming when you see him isn’t really the right approach for it.” Jane deadpanned.
Darcy sighed in annoyance: “I didn’t scream. I just stared at him before closing the door again and running back here.. Besides I actually think he’s quite cute...”
“And hot.”
“Yeah that too.. But really what am I supposed to say to him? ‘Hey, I’ve been gushing over you for the past few months and I think you’re hot, wanna date and make out?’”
“Just go with whatever life throws at you. You’re good at reacting at the spot and saying whatever comes to mind. Why not do the same with him?”
:-:-:-:
Bucky didn’t know what to make of it.
The past few days he had successfully avoided the petite assistant who had constantly been in his mind the months before. Her reaction in the lab with Banner had kind of thrown him off.
He really didn’t know what to make of it.
When he had talked to Steve about it, the blond had only said encouraging words to him like “Don’t analyse it too much, Buck. She probably just didn’t want to interrupt you guys.”
Yeah sure. She’d looked almost scared after seeing him next to Banner and he had heard her running away after closing the door, this time not so grateful for his advanced hearing abilities. Let’s just say, Bucky hasn’t been in a great mood ever since.
Sure they hadn’t exchanged more than two sentences with each other, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t be gloomy about it if he wanted to. Besides Banner had also been one to encourage him to talk to the small Brunette and he probably would’ve if she hadn’t stormed in with a smile on her face and left just as fast but less with a smile and more with a frown.
Bucky was more than glad to find the Common Room empty as he made his way towards the fridge to make a sandwich after his sparring session with Steve. He really wasn’t in the mood for any type of prank Clint would pull on him or the constant teasing he got from Sam.
Usually the latter only commented on his non-existent love life especially ever since he had caught him staring at a certain brunette assistant on more than one occasion.
He was about to take the cake out in order to get his hands on the cheese at the back of the fridge when his heightened hearing made out a giggle of the woman he had watched – not so creepily – from afar for the past few months and had been avoiding for the past 3 days..
In his attempt to quickly make a run out of the Common Room – which was her destination as he could tell from her conversation with whoever she was talking to at the moment – he pretty much forgot the plate still in his hand. And as gravity and his luck works the cake fell off the plate on the floor
He quickly huddled over it, trying to put it back on the plate and wiping the crumbs from the floor.
The ex-assassin was now staring at the fridge in panic as he considered what to do next, still hovering on the ground.
“Are you really going to put that back into the refrigerator?”
Bucky froze. The plate with the now smashed cake still in his hand.
He looked up to see blue eyes looking at him in slight amusement. She was alone, tucking her mobile phone into the pocket of her jeans.
“I wasn’t-“
“Yeah sure you weren’t gonna go through with it but I saw that look and you definitely considered it.”
Bucky felt heat rise up in his face as he slowly stood up from his crouch.
The young woman watched him as he put the plate on the kitchen counter and sighed.
“I was just-“ he started before letting out an exasperated huff. “I wasn’t even going for the cake..”
He looked up at her only to see the brunette trying to hold back laughter.
“Sure buddy” she replied, taking a few steps towards him.
He was surprised at the way she talked to him. He would’ve thought that she’d leave as soon as she saw him. A few months ago he probably would’ve backed away from her quickly but he had gotten used to closer proximity with people. And he most definitely wouldn’t mind her being a little closer to him than most. The weeks of desperate attempts at talking to her only to hide quickly whenever she was even close to walk in his direction had really taken their toll on him.The compound wasn't as big as you'd think. And the short meeting in Banner’s lab had definitely not helped him with his confidence.
She walked right next to him, sliding the plate to her side.
“You know I’m usually not the petty type” she said, looking up at him. Blue meeting blue. And Bucky felt his breath hitch in his throat.
“but that was my cake.” She raised a single eyebrow but he could still see the amusement in her eyes.
“I’m sorry.” He practically whispered, finally taking a step back from her in a casual manner so she wouldn’t think he was avoiding her or running away. (Even if that was exactly what he had been doing since the “incident”.).
Luckily she didn’t seem to notice.
“I’m afraid a simple sorry won’t cut it, buddy.”, she looked back at the cake and Bucky released the breath he was holding before her eyes returned back to him.
“I think you owe me, soldier.”
Was she teasing him?
Bucky’s heartbeat quickened as he gulped, trying to find words.
Where was the old Bucky Barnes when you needed him.
“..okay.” was all he could manage to say.
She burst out in laughter and it was probably the most beautiful thing he'd ever heard.
He couldn't help but send her a bashful look.
She stopped laughing but still sent him a warm smile as she took the plate and dumped the cake in the trash bin. Bucky winced.
“You can apologize for it by helping me make a new one.” Darcy suggested as she walked back to him and put the plate in the dishwasher.
“I can't bake.” he stated simply. Iit was the truth, although he'd probably even go ice-skating if it meant that he could spend time with her.
It seemed like Darcy wasn't even listening to what he said as she took out different bowls and ingredients to place them on the kitchen counter.
Bucky watched her silently. “Everyone can bake. I'll instruct you and you just help me with what comes easy to you. Deal ?” she stretched out her left hand and Bucky stared at it. Hesitantly.
He clenched his metal hand into a fist.
Bucky didn't see how her eyes flicked to his hand for a millisecond before she formed her hand into a fist, giving him an out.
“I don't know if you guys used to do this in vintage times but this..” she took his flesh hand in hers, forming it into a fist as well and dragging it to her own to bump them together. “...is better than any handshake anyway. So Deal.” she said as she bumped their fists again and smiled up at him brightly.
He gave her a small smile and nodded. Trying not to think too much about the way her fingers softly touched his arm.
She let go of his arm and he caught himself yearning for her warm touch.
Darcy clapped her hands enthusiastically: “Let's get to it!”
:-:-:-: