Chapter Text
Darcy had always thought that finally graduating college would be A Big Thing. She'd put it off for so long, traipsing around the planet with Jane, helping her with her research on the Einstein-Whatever Thingies, making sure that the bird-like genius didn't waste away while she was busy trying to unravel the secrets of the universe/find a way to her stupid hot whatever-it-was-she-and-Thor-were. And between helping to save a small town and helping to save the entire universe, she hadn't put a whole lot of thought into finishing those last few credits for her degree. She'd been a little busy.
Then Jane started touring. Lecturing. Not doing research. And, shocker, an astrophysicist who isn't actively researching doesn't exactly need a research assistant, even one she still thinks is an intern and, for the record, still isn't paying. So when Jane went off to Barcelona, Milan, Budapest, Darcy went home.
She reenrolled in Culver, got the last of her credits to graduate cum laude and then... She was free. She was a bona fide grown up with an (admittedly unorthodox) education and a truly crippling amount of student loan debt. The only real question she had about her future was the toughest one of all to answer: What the hell was she supposed to do now?
The solution to her quarter-life crisis came to her via Jane, during a Girl Time Catch Up call. Usually those calls were Jane complaining about her new personal assistant or science babbling, with the occasional humblebrag about all the incredible Asgardian-style nookie she was getting from Thor. Not that Darcy, in the midst of a drought since she and Ian had talked about the few kisses they'd shared and agreed that it was a heat of the moment thing, was jealous or anything. She liked Thor a lot and she had grown to love Jane like a socially inept sibling... She just really didn't need to know about all the things he could do with his hammer (and she sure as hell wasn't talking about Mew Mew).
"I was talking to Pepper-"
"Wait. Pepper? Janey, I don't think you're supposed to be conversing with spices. When was the last time you slept?"
"Not pepper. Pepper."
"Yeah, that doesn't clarify anything."
"Pepper, as in Potts."
"As in CEO of Stark Industries?"
"Yes. So anyways-"
"No no, I have more questions about this Pepper situation. Since when do you just casually talk to Pepper Potts?"
"We exchanged numbers. In case."
Jane didn't need to continue. Darcy knew what the 'in case' situations were. "Okay, fine. You may continue."
"Thank you. Stop interrupting me. So , as I was saying, Pepper called to tell me about Thor heading off to Asgard again and she mentioned that Tony was- or is, I'm not too sure about that part- thinking about scaling back his participation in the whole Avengers thing."
"Whoa. Did you just tell me that Iron Man is quitting?"
"I didn't say that."
"You said scaling back."
"Scaling back doesn't mean quitting."
"It totally means quitting."
"Will you stop interrupting me please?" Darcy could hear the frustration building in Jane's voice, so she decided to keep quiet. "Hello?"
"You said to stop interrupting you."
"Darcy..."
"Okay, fine. I'm stopping now."
"Thank you. Now, what was I saying?"
Darcy grinned into the phone. "You were telling me that your new BFF Pepper Potts was telling you about how Iron Man is retiring."
"... Why do I put up with you?"
"You love me."
"You know, I'm starting to think that's not actually the case here."
"It totally is. So what did Pepper tell you?"
"Oh! Yes. She was telling me that Tony was looking for a sort of on-site remote assistant for a project he was working on. It sounded like some sort of server farm when she was describing it. And I know you're still looking for work, so I mentioned your name-"
"Wait."
“Wait?”
“What?”
“What what?”
“Why did you do that?”
“What what are you talking about, Darcy?”
“Why did you mention my name to Pepper Potts?”
“I was getting to that, you know.”
“I needed a minute to absorb the fact that I am now someone who exists in Pepper Potts’ world, even if it’s only as a name. Continue.”
“You are so weird.”
“Thank you.”
“As I was saying. Again. I mentioned your name and your talent with computers and she’s interested.”
“ARE YOU JOKING?”
“OH MY GOD, WHY ARE YOU YELLING AT ME?”
“YOU HAD BETTER BE JOKING, JANE REGINALD FOSTER.”
“...That’s not my middle name. It’s not even close to my middle name.”
“I know. I drew a blank. Reginald felt right.”
“I know I just told you that you’re weird, but I feel like I should reiterate this.”
“I’m not thanking you twice, Jane.”
“That’s fine. I’m going text you Pepper’s business information. She said to call her tomorrow and set up an appointment.”
“And that’s just that? I just casually call Pepper Potts’ office and make an appointment for an interview or something?”
“That’s generally how these things work, yes.”
“This is going to be a disaster. I can already tell.”
“It’s going to be fine! You are going to be fine. Pepper’s going to love you.”
“I thought this job was for Tony Stark.”
“It is. But Pepper Potts-”
“Basically runs the world, got it.”
“I wouldn’t say the world. More like Tony’s world.”
“I don’t know what’s scarier- that you call Tony Freaking Stark by his first name or that you’re pimping me out to his girlfriend.”
“Both is probably the right choice here.”
“I think you’re right.”