Work Text:
When he was younger, Steve Rogers couldn’t help but be puzzled by his soulmark. On one hand, it gave him hope despite how sickly he was, but the words themselves never made any sense to him. If you had ever asked him though, he would’ve told you he was grateful for the words scrawled on his chest because it meant that there was someone out there meant for him. That he would survive all of the conditions and illnesses that plagued him, and someday, there would be a dame that would look twice at him.
Then, when World War II broke out, he couldn’t help seeing his words in a new light. Steve never told anyone, not even Bucky, but his words were part of the reason he wanted to join the army so badly. Sure, he still didn’t understand his words, but to him it seemed like his soulmate would have wanted him to do something about Hitler. So no matter how dejected he felt after each 4F stamp, he kept reminding himself that he was doing this for his soulmate. As the war raged on and more and more time went by without meeting his soulmate, Steve was starting to wonder if he would ever meet his soulmate. Some days he even wished that Peggy had been the one to say his strange words, but instead he went into the ice, never meeting her.
Waking up in SHIELD, at first Steve just felt confused and angry but once he had calmed down, he felt a small glimmer of hope amidst the feelings of loss and aimlessness. Maybe, just maybe he would have a second chance at finding his soulmate…
Darcy had always been outspoken and unafraid despite her mother’s hopes that one day Darcy would grow up and become a responsible, “normal” adult. Unfortunately for her mother, Darcy had always believed that her soulmate would love her exactly for who she was, even if she was loud and abrasive. As she started going through puberty, her mark became her anchor. At school, she was bullied for her newfound curves and large breasts so Darcy started wearing baggy, oversized sweaters and ignored it because no matter what anyone else thought of her, somewhere out there she had a soulmate that the universe had decided was her perfect match. But until that day came, she continued to hide behind her bulky sweaters and snarky comments.
After high school, she went away to New Mexico for college and ended up taking an internship in New Mexico that would change her life. During the destroyer’s attack on Puente Antigua and the Chitauri’s attack on New York, Darcy prayed that wherever he was, her soulmate was safe and far away from the insanity.
Eventually she and Jane moved to Stark Tower, partially because of Thor and partially because SHIELD no longer existed, which meant no more funding for Jane. It took a few months, but the glamour of living with superheroes slowly wore off for Darcy, but it was hard to look at them the same way when Clint stole from her poptart stash or after seeing Tony when he crashed from a 48 hour science binge. Nat would always be terrifying though, no matter how long Darcy had lived in the tower, but then again the assassin probably preferred it that way.
Steve Rogers was a whole different story though; while she personally had never met the man, as a political science major she had written her dissertation on Captain America and the propaganda surrounding his existence. On a more personal level, she was amazed by the story of the scrawny kid from Brooklyn who had eventually become one of the most well-known figures of World War II.
Slowly, Darcy had ended up taking on more responsibility in the tower, first by assisting Bruce and Tony in the labs and later on she began making dinner every Friday in the kitchen in the common area, insisting that it was “team building.” Steve, having spent several months out looking for Bucky, had no idea who Dr. Foster’s assistant was or that the team dinners had ever been established was more than a little surprised to find everyone gathered in the kitchen. Even Tony was being helpful, sitting at the table with a cutting board and some fruit.
“Hey Capsicle” Steve rolled his eyes at the nickname. “You find the rest of your barbershop quartet?” Ms. Potts saved him the task of responding, smacking the back of Tony’s head with fond exasperation.
“It’s good to have you back Steve.”
“Thank you Ms. Potts” he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
Just then, he noticed a brunette he’d never met dancing in the background. Steve didn’t recognize the song she was singing, but even if he had, nothing could’ve prepared him for what would happen next. She spun around, singing directly to him;
“Help me make the most of freedom and of pleasure
Nothing ever lasts forever
Everybody wants to rule the world.”
“I don’t actually understand that reference, but I have to say, that song has been a little too relevant in my life” he murmured.
“Although I probably should have known that would happen considering it’s my soulmark” Steve added thoughtfully.
“Wait, what?” the brunette turned back around, confused.
“Apparently you and the Capsicle are soulmates” Tony cut in.
“Capsicle? Oh my Thor, you’re Captain America” she squealed.
“That’s me” Steve turned bright red.
“I think what he meant by that is he’s more used to people saying ‘holy shit, it’s Captain America’ but way to be the outlier Darce” Tony snarked.
“Darce?”
“I’m Darcy Lewis, Jane’s assistant” she introduced herself. “Did you want to see my soulmark” she asked shyly. After he nodded, she pulled her thick sweater off to reveal a V-neck shirt and generous curves. “I’m not trying to flash you, I swear” she tugged the neckline down slightly to show his handwriting neatly printed a few inches below her collarbone. Steve could scarcely believe how beautiful his soulmate was; she looked just like a Vargas pinup, which felt like a small yet sensual taste of home after he woke up from the ice. “Where’s my mark on you?” she asked him, startling him back to reality.
Steve started unbuttoning his shirt, feeling her eyes on him the whole time. When his mark was visible, he looked up to see that she had stepped closer to him and was looking up at him through her eyelashes. Darcy reached up to trace her writing on his chest while he clenched his fists at his sides, not knowing what to do with his hands and fighting the urges to trace her curves.
“I think they forgot we’re here” Tony quipped loudly, breaking the serenity of the moment. Steve and Darcy both blushed and he immediately started rebuttoning his shirt.
“Leave them alone” Pepper scolded him.
“Just for that, you’re on your own for dinner” Darcy smirked at him.
“Well, seeing as your schedule just opened up, would you like to have dinner with me instead?” Steve asked.
“What’d you have in mind soldier?” Darcy asked flirtatiously, taking his arm.