Chapter Text
Steve doesn’t like it when Darcy goes out on dates.
She doesn’t go on them often but she goes on enough to ensure that he (secretly) has Maria doing background checks on all the guys she goes out with at least three times a month.
Steve recognizes the fact that even though Darcy could be considered a civilian she’s just as much a part of the Avengers as he is. Admittedly though, she was more on the science-y side of things rather than combat. But regardless she’s an integral part of the Avengers who’s privy to a fair few top secrets. Steve has to make sure that the guys she goes out on dates with aren’t secret HYDRA agents.
That’s all, of course, what Steve likes to tell himself when he thinks about Darcy going out on dates.
Because the alternative – well, Steve shouldn’t be thinking about the alternative.
In fact he’s been avoiding the alternative reason as to why he doesn’t like Darcy going out on dates. That reason, most obviously being that he likes Darcy. He like likes Darcy.
And he shouldn’t.
Because he’s… him, and one way or another his lifestyle of fighting whatever big bad that appears will destroy whatever relationship he has.
Excuses, is what Natasha likes to mutter when they’re sparring, which is about the only time he ever tells her anything about his feelings.
Steve sighs as the phone call abruptly ends midway through ringing.
“Have you seen Darcy? She keeps ignoring my calls.” Steve asks Natasha as she walks into the communal kitchen. No doubt to eat some of the cupcakes Darcy always leaves lying around. A plus that every Avenger will agree with since Dr. Foster and her assistant Darcy moved in is the various cupcakes Darcy always makes.
“She’s on a date.” Natasha picks up a strawberry coconut cupcake and peels back the lining.
“What date?” Steve demands immediately and promptly ignores the smirk that appears on Natasha’s face.
“I set her up on a date with Jacob from R&D on the floor below her.” Natasha’s smirk turns wicked. “If there’s anything Darcy knows how to handle its scientists.”
“Why didn’t she tell me?” Steve mutters mostly to himself as he stares at his phone now understanding why she ignored his last three calls.
“Maybe she’s into him.” The unwarranted answer to his question is met with a frown.
Steve scoffs shaking his head. “She isn’t.”
He would know. Wouldn’t he?
Natasha shrugs seemingly knowing his internal struggle and takes a bite out of the muffin.
Before Steve could agonize any further over Darcy potentially liking one of the many guys Natasha always sets her up with. A normal life in house with blue shutters and a porch – and Jesus H. Christ that fantasy should be about him and Darcy not Darcy and Jacob from fucking R&D – with maybe a couple of kids and a dog. His phone buzzes with a text.
DL: I need you to come get me
Steve is already halfway to the elevator before he’s finished reading the text. He has half a mind to call her but barely manages to refrain from doing so and instead texts back.
SR: Are you OK?
The reply is immediate.
DL: I’m fine.
Steve releases a breathe of relief and clenches his fist knowing that if that guy did anything to her R&D will be down one scientist. And he wouldn’t give a fuck about what Tony would say about it either.
He gets to the garage of the Tower and decides to take a car knowing that if Darcy was dressed up for the date then she wouldn’t really want to be on the back of his bike. He takes one of Tony’s fancier cars just because.
When he gets another text he immediately opens it thinking its Darcy but it is in fact Natasha with the address to the restaurant where Darcy is. He lets out a short laugh not for the first time thinking that Natasha was a godsend with her sixth sense for practically everything and taps the address into the GPS.
Soon enough he texts Darcy a quick:
SR: I’m here.
When he arrives.
DL: Okay, text me about how Jane blew something up in the labs or something, I need an excuse to get away. I’m on that date and he just…
Steve frowns at the trail off of the sentence thinking something might’ve happened when he receive a series of texts one right after the other.
DL: He just said he doesn’t really like dogs???????
DL: I mean what kind of MONSTER
DL: Please save me
DL: PLEASE
A grin overtakes Steve unconsciously and he chuckles as he types out her request.
SR: Emergency in lab. Jane made something explode and is asking for you specifically.
He waits for about a minute before he gets an all-capitalized thanks with several ‘s’ tagged at the end. And soon enough Darcy is stumbling out of the restaurant and to him parked across the street sliding into the car without hesitation.
“Ugh, I can’t believe it, seriously, I don’t know what Natasha was thinking but I absolutely cannot date anyone that doesn’t like dogs. I mean, what kind of person doesn’t like dogs?” She pauses for a moment before answering. “I’ll tell you what kind, a person that Darcy has no interest in getting to know.”
Steve chuckles before glancing furtively at her then at the restaurant suspiciously. “But you’re okay though right? He didn’t try anything?”
“Who, Jacob? No he’s harmless.” She waves a hand absentmindedly leaning back into the passenger seat with a sigh as Steve starts to drive.
They’re silent for a moment before Steve opens his mouth and, in his opinion, says probably one of the stupidest things he’s said since meeting her.
“You know, I love dogs.”
She turns to him and quirks an eyebrow. “I do know that.”
“I mean – I – I’m just saying.” He mumbles and he can just feel the burning blush crawl up his neck as Darcy starts to grin.
“Is there something you’re tryna say there, Steve?”
He clears his throat and clenches the steering wheel maybe a little too hard.
“If you don’t want to be subjected to another date that could possibly be with a guy who doesn’t like dogs, you could always go out with me?”
At the red light he looks over to see her bite her bottom lip and watch her teeth scrape across it into a smile. His eyes flicker from her lips – God damn it, Steve stop staring – and back up to her eyes.
“I’d love to.”
There’s no uncertainty in her voice whatsoever and Steve blinks in surprise.
“Really? I mean with me?”
Darcy laughs and nods her head a sweet smile forming on her lips. “I have to say though, Captain, it took you long enough.”
With that saccharine smile on her dark red lips and gaze on his he thinks that maybe he’s taken a little too long in asking her. But thankfully she’s still giving him a chance.