Chapter Text
James cursed and slammed the phone back onto its base. His manager had once and for all lost his damn mind if he thought that James was letting his band anywhere near the snarky, giggly solo singer. He'd rather fall out of a moving train than duet with Darcy Lewis. No. This was not happening.
Darcy sighed and looked over to best friend/sort of manager. The day had not gone how they'd hoped. While her label wanted her to keep singing the upbeat, pop tunes that they were sending her, she wanted to be able to sing her own songs for once. Jane had stepped in and put her foot down, saying that they let Darcy sing her own work, or she walks, and they lose one of their biggest money makers.
Of course, SHIELD Records hadn't taken this well, but they offered a compromise. Darcy could have more of her songs on her next album, if, she went on tour as support to their other most successful act, and had a duet released with the band. The only problem was that she hated the lead singer of the band in question with the fury of a thousand suns. James Barnes was not a nice guy, and good luck to whoever they got to sing with him once she turned them down.
"Bucky, think about this for a second" Steve said from across his desk, "One tour, one song, and then you two never have to see each other again."
He looked at his best friend with a look of mild horror and slight amusement. Steve couldn't really hate anyone. Unless you were bullying some kid in an alley, he'd love you no matter what. "But I'd still have to sing with her, Steve! We'd be on stage with her freaking neon outfits and glittery microphone. I am not having pink streamers set off during our set!"
"James," Steve using his real name made him wince slightly. Steve only ever called him James when Bucky was being an asshole. "If we don't do this, we can kiss this next album goodbye."
Steve stood and left, leaving Bucky sat in his office alone and with his thoughts. Maybe he was right. Maybe he could survive one tour with her cheerleader outfits and back up dancers. And it wasn't as if she was terrible to look at, but if she was as bland a person as he expected, he only had to see her during their duet in the closing song. That's no more than five minutes, every other day or so. He could manage that, for the band.
The email address she never expected to see blinked at her from her phone as she tried her best to sit still while the make-up artist applied another layer of bronzer. She was glad that the stage lights in the Staples Centre made everyone look paler than they were, because she was very orange at the moment, but under the harsh light, she'd seem naturally tanned.
From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Subject: Reluctantly agreeing to this duet.
Lewis,
I don't like you. I don't like your music. However, for the sake of my band's future at SHIELD I'm willing to put our mutual dislike aside. My people will talk to your people and we can arrange a meeting.
- Barnes
"JANE!" her friend came running into her dressing room, wearing nothing but a small white robe and rollers piled in her hair - much like Darcy, actually. "Read." Darcy said and shoved the phone towards her friend.
Jane smiled and sighed in relief. Darcy's career wasn't about to end. She tapped out a quick reply, making sure to add at least three snarky comments so she sounded like Darcy, and not Jane, and then handed the phone back to her.
"And you said that this year's Grammys were going to be boring" Jane smiled, and then left to finish getting ready.