Fic: Things That Shine, 3/?

[coffeebuddha]

Title: Things That Shine
Author: coffeebuddha
Rating: PG-13/FRT
Characters/Pairings: Darcy Lewis/Bruce Banner, Jane Foster
Word Count: 597 this part, 4348 overall
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me.
Summary: Darcy was seven the first time she fell in love. The second time it happens, she's twenty-five, hung over as all get out, and has a real chance of getting shot, which is actually more alarming than the giant green guy who's holding her hostage.
Notes: Sequel to Living a Bangles Song.
Part One / Part Two

"No," Jane says. If she was standing instead of sitting on Darcy's desk, Darcy thinks she'd probably have stomped her foot. Instead she plants her heel against Darcy's armrest and pushes so that she spins around in a circle. "No, I'm putting my foot down. There is no way you can date him. He turns into a giant rage monster!"

"Eh, I've dated shadier guys," Darcy points out as she propels her way out of Jane's range. It's harder than it sounds; Jane has freaky gazelle legs. 

"Plus, he's old enough to be your father, Darcy," Jane continues as if Darcy hadn't said anything. Darcy tears off a corner of a post-it note, balls it up, and throws it at her head. It hangs stuck in her hair and she doesn't notice. Darcy balls up another small piece. "He's going to take advantage of you. You're a delicate flower in the first bloom of her maidenhood and he's going to despoil you!"

"One, I think I'm the one who's probably going to take advantage of him." Tear, ball, toss. "Two, I was despoiled when I was fifteen by Bobby Hunt in his parents' basement after we drank a case of his older sister's wine coolers." Tear, ball, toss. "Three, stop talking like Thor. It's seriously disturbing. Maidenhood? Despoil? No. Just no."

"Darcy." Jane slides off the desk and takes Darcy by her shoulders, bending down until they're eye to eye. "If he asks you to take a look at his etchings, you can say no. It's okay to say no."

Darcy grips Jane's elbows and says, "If he ever gets up the nerve to ask me to look at his etchings, I will blow him on the spot. If he actually has etchings? I'll do the sort of things that my sister would balk at to him." She pauses, because that maybe needs clarification. "My sister is the Queen of the Sluts. There was a coronation in New Orleans during Mardi Gras and everything."

Jane has that pinched look that means she despairs of Darcy and everything she chooses to be. "I remember getting the announcement you sent out in the mail."

"Well, I was really proud," Darcy says. "We never thought she'd ever amount to anything."

"Not really the point right now." Jane gives Darcy's shoulders a little shake. "We're talking about your poor life choices, not your sister's. You should never date a scientist, especially one who's that much older than you and unstable in pretty much every sense of the word. Scientists are not good boyfriends, and I would know. Neither are unstable guys. Again, I would know."

"You know you're not actually my mom, right?"

Jane pushes Darcy's glasses up her nose and leans back against the desk. "You are my lab assistant. That is a bond more sacred than anything between a parent and child."

"I haven't actually worked for you in over a year," Darcy points out. Jane crosses her arms over her chest and glares.

"Sacred. Bond." She punctuates the words with a sharp jab of her finger to Darcy's shoulder. Darcy pouts and rubs at the spot; another ball of paper joins the others in Jane's hair. "Which is why I'm fully within my rights to forbid you from seeing Dr. Banner."

Jane stares at Darcy.

Darcy stares at Jane.

"He made me candied bacon," Darcy says, producing the little ribbon wrapped ziplock bag out of her jacket pocket.

Darcy stares at Jane. 

Jane stares at Darcy.

"Marry him," Jane says as she stuffs a piece into her mouth.

Part Four
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