ShieldShock Holiday Ficlet w inspiration images
"Let me guess. There's only one bed." Darcy rolled her eyes and looked pained. She texted to Jane and Natasha, 'you're hilarious.' "I just texted to tell Jane and Natasha they're hilarious."
Steve nodded, brow furrowed as he returned to her side from talking to the inn owner. "How'd you...?"
"Because we are being match-made, or Yenta'd, or 'given a push'- whatever you call it. There's only gonna be one bed left in this incredibly charming inn where we're snowed-in with one room reservation instead of the two we expected." Darcy shrugged. "Our friends think they're being helpful. You may not agree, but that's obviously what they think."
Steve noted that Darcy gave no sign of her opinion of the situation. She walked over to the sideboard and grabbed a chocolate chip cookie. Speech muffled as she took a bite, she cheered, "yass, still warm. And, yum." She looked around at the menorah and the lights and lanterns and trees, waving her hand. "Charming."
"Why would Natasha and Jane give us a push that involves only one bed?" Steve had his own ideas about that, but wanted to hear what Darcy would say. He followed her to the sideboard and had a cookie. "These are amazing."
"I know. Right? At least they didn't leave us stranded at a charm-free and cookie-free bug motel during the holidays. That would have been depressing." Darcy had another bite of cookie to stall answering.
When she'd licked crumbs from her lips, she looked up into Steve Rogers' incredible blue eyes and confessed. "It's my fault. I know better than to drink too much around Natasha. Alcohol makes me blab things, like my ChrismaHanukkah wish being that you'd give things a go with me." She grabbed another cookie and avoided his gaze. "So, since Jane adores me and Natasha has vetted me thoroughly and I have her stamp of approval? She scared my mother and my favorite English teacher to pieces, by the way... I guess the two of them double-booked us here in hopes that we'll hook up. Sorry."
Steve blushed to the tips of his ears. "What are you sorry about?"
"I'm sorry that my unrealistic crush puts you in an awkward spot stuck here with me tonight. Don't worry. I'll just sleep in a chair down here. This place is so darned cute I might get to meet Santa dropping off gifts." Darcy peeked into the next room. "Aw. 'A Christmas Story' on loop. It's funny. Have you seen it?" She turned and looked at him, surprised when she saw his expression. "What are you smiling about?"
"I thought I was the one who owed you an apology since I got caught ogling you weeks ago." Steve ducked his head, blushing more. "Natasha saw me about swallow my tongue one day when you reached up to get something from a high shelf. You're beautiful and it was obvious I desire you. So, I assumed this was her pushing me to do something about my unrealistic crush on you."
It was Darcy's turn to smile. "Why unrealistic? You're the nicest guy on base and have a delicious, dry sense of humor- on top of being an Avenger and a hottie. I'm just an astrophysicist intern fighting to get her doctorate."
"You're spirited, smart, and pretty. And you have more important things on your mind than dating. I've heard you say that multiple times." Steve volunteered, looking at her for clarification.
Darcy frowned, "you might have missed the part where I said I had more important things on my mind than dating Johnny Storm. He's a playboy and an egomaniac. That's the opposite of what I like in a man. I like someone who's honest and loyal to his friends, someone who looks me in the eye rather than the cleavage, nine times out of ten."
"I'm sorry about that. I..." Steve shrugged. "I respect you, Darcy. And, I like the way you're direct and funny and loyal and..."
"Huh." Darcy nodded, "interesting. Keep going."
He gave her a tight smile. "I can stay down here, if you like. I couldn't ask you to."
"Or..." she grinned and bit her lip.
A smile lit Steve's face. "Or?" He took a deep breath, mock serious and very hopeful. "ChrismaHanukkah wish? That kind of thing should be granted."
Darcy laughed, blushing happily. "Yes, please. You know that they'll be unbearably smug about their success setting us up. Right?"
Steve nodded. "Don't much care. I want you and you're interested, too. I'd be an idiot to let the opportunity slip away." He offered Darcy the key to their room and picked up their backpacks.
She gave him a teasing look as she accepted the key. "Well. Come on, then, roomie."
He glanced around to make sure no one was watching and gave her a scorching kiss. "Merry ChrismaHanukkah."
"The merriest," as they made their way to the room and she recovered from the toe-curling heat of the kiss, Darcy sent a quick text. 'You're forgiven. Thank you and Merry ChrismaHanukkah to you two, too.'
I just couldn't bear to get to Christmas w/o writing some little bit of ShieldShock Holiday fluff. Merry ChrismaHanukkah @mcgregorswench @aenariasbookshelf@typhoidmeri@littleplebe @idontgettechnology @janeykath318 and all #ShieldShock OTP lovers.