Chapter 8
It takes a week for Darcy to pluck up the courage to ask Pepper for a meeting. The department issue has been on her mind a lot, and she’s been drawing up charts and reading up on the organisation of SI. Armed with a ton of arguments and numbers, she braces herself for the meeting. Pepper is very busy but always polite to Darcy, so she doesn’t want to waste her time.
She spends a long time explaining the challenges and the solutions, trying to be as precise as possible. Then she sits on her hand as Pepper studies her for a moment.
“You’ve put a lot of thought and effort into this.”
“Well yes. It affects me on a daily basis, so it matters a lot to me.”
“I see. Well, let me look over the papers and talk to the board. I’ll let you know as soon as I can.”
Darcy walks out feeling a bit dazed. Damn that woman is amazing. She wants to be like Pepper when she grows up. Professional, unfazed and utterly stunning. A sigh escapes her as she walks down the hall.
“Dreaming about my fantastic arms again?”
Darcy only jumps a little, which in her book is a victory.
“Dammit Clint!”
He smirks at her, before nudging her.
“Or was it some other part of my amazing body?”
“Actually it was Pepper.”
He raises an eyebrow. Damn, she wanted to be able to do that!
“She is a goddess.”
Apparently that is good enough for Clint, as it should be, because the eyebrow comes down again.
“So, I haven’t seen you around for a while.”
Darcy shrugs.
“I’ve been busy.”
“Mhm… Or you’re avoiding us.”
“I have no reason to avoid you, or to hang out with you.”
“You don’t even bake anymore!”
“That was one time, and yes I do. I just do it in my own kitchen.”
“That’s not fair. You should share the goods.”
“I do.”
Clint was pouting again.
Darcy stopped before the door to the labs.
“Fine, I’ll let you know the next time there’s baked goods in the labs.”
He still doesn’t look convinced, but she gives him a wave and disappears into the lab. Superheroes are really just like children. Looking around at the mess in the labs, she concludes that apparently, so are super scientists as well.