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Darcy placed the last photograph in the last box, wrapped carefully. Sighing she folded the top and taped it shut. Her nose was stuffy, her eyes and itchy, and her head ached. If you just glanced at her you’d think she had a cold. Scoffing she shook her head and carried the now full box into the living room. She wished it was just a cold, but no, this was the face of one Darcy Lewis post-crying session. After placing the box by the front door she took her mug of coffee and curled up on the couch to wait.
Darcy and Clint had been together for four years. She had been chasing him for almost a whole year before they had actually gotten together. When he finally gave in to her smiles and wit, it was damn near beautiful. They fit so perfectly. When he was quiet, she was loud and talkative. When she was down he was there with his arms and stories of his circus days. They had few arguments. Now when they did argue they were able to talk it out like adults. Darcy had even been thinking about proposing. Because fuck waiting around for Clint to get the balls to do it.
So, with things going so well you couldn’t believe the shock Darcy got when she saw Clint fucking Natasha in the training room. Darcy had been looking for Clint, it was date night and he was late. JARVIS wouldn’t give her any help, which was odd. She had of course looked in the training room, but it was locked up and dark. So off to the security cams she went. Scrolling through she happened to catch movement in the supposedly empty room. She flipped on the night vision and zoomed in.
There they were, completely naked, Clint on top, spread out on one of the mats. Luckily for Darcy the sound was turned off. The look on both of their faces was more than enough. She was stunned, completely floored. Darcy couldn’t even move, she sat and stared at the two until they were both done. It wasn’t until he placed a gentle kiss on Natasha’s forehead that Darcy turned everything off and fled to her room. When Clint found her half an hour later, freshly showered, she feigned a headache to get out of their date. She practically had to beg him to leave her alone instead of take care of her.
That was a week ago and here she was, all of her things packed and ready to go, just waiting on transport and for Clint to come home. She wanted to do this face to face. Darcy had of course thought about talking it out. Maybe find the reasoning. Try to fix it. But she couldn’t do it, couldn’t be that girl. The one that stays through all the bullshit and lies. She’d already played that role. It had nearly broken her and she wasn’t going to do it again. Darcy had found a little apartment not too far away from Stark Tower where she worked as Peppers assistant. Hearing Clints keys in the door she straightened and prepared herself for the shit storm heading her way.
Clint walked in with a smile on his face but paused when he saw the few boxes and suitcase by the door. Scrunching his face he glanced to Darcy.
“Hey babe, what’s all this? Re-organizing again?”
Darcy bit her lip and shook her head suddenly very nervous. She pointed to the chair in front of the couch and motioned for him to sit. His face went from curious to worried in a second as he sat down. Taking a deep breath Darcy opened her mouth
“…..I know Clint”
He just raised an eyebrow.
“Know what?”
“Natasha.”
Blank. That was the look she got from him. The blank look he got when he was working. He didn’t flinch, squirm, anything. Just the blank look and stillness. Darcy hated when he did that. It made her nervous and babble. So that’s just what she did.
“I saw you two together. I don’t know if it was the first time or if it’s been going on since we got together. But I know. And I’m not doing it. I won’t be the woman who begs, or cries for you to stop. I’ve been through all that before, you know that.”
He still wasn’t talking, but the blank look was gone. On his face was a mixture of pain and shame.
“I don’t believe in second chances, but you know that too. Clint, I love you. I was pretty sure you loved me too. So I’m leaving. I’ve already found a place. I’ve packed the more important things. Jane will come by in a day or two and finish. Because when I walk out the door, I’m not coming back. I don’t want an explanation, or excuses. But I did wanna do this face to face. I figured after four years I owed you that over just leaving.”
Standing she took a shuddering breath, trying her damndest to keep the tears away. She could do this. She was strong. Clint still hadn’t said anything. Instead he sat and stared at the seat she had vacated. Darcy walked over to the door and took out her phone. She texted Jane and told her she was ready. She was about to grab her suitcase when she heard a sniffle. Turning she saw Clint standing, only a few steps away with tears in his eyes.
“Baby….”
She shook her head. “No, I’m not your baby Clint. You threw that out the window.”
He took a few steps closer and dropped to his knees. He wrapped his arms around her legs and buried his face in Darcy’s stomach.
“Please. Please don’t go. I’m sorry, I’m so so sorry. It was-“
“Don’t you dare. Don’t you even dare and try to tell me it was nothing or it was a mistake. I’m not stupid. If you wanted me to stay you should have kept your hands to yourself.”
Darcy was doing her best not to break down. But he was wrapped around her, and begging. She had to go, she had to go now or she never would. Running a hand through his short hair she sighed and looked up, blinking away tears.
“Let me go Clint. Please don’t make it harder than it already is.”
He didn’t let go, just held on tighter. She could hear him mumbling, only catching a few words like ‘love you’ and ‘sorry’. Jane chose that moment to knock on the door which Darcy was very grateful for. She untangled herself from Clint and opened the door. Not saying a word she handed Jane and Thor a few boxes. Taking the suitcase she turned to Clint who was still on the floor on his knees, staring at his hands. Kneeling down she placed a kiss on his cheek.
“Goodbye Clint.”
Darcy stood and left. Closing the door she steeled herself against Thor to not turn back when she heard Clints heart-wrenching cry. It sounded like someone had stabbed him. Luckily for her neither Jane nor Thor said anything as they made their way to the elevator. Standing in front of the elevator she had a death grip on Thors arm, just trying to keep all the pain inside. So, of course because her life wasn’t already shit, when the doors opened there stood Natasha. But Darcy was just done. So she followed Thor and Jane inside as Natasha stepped out. Before the doors could close she stuck her hand out to stop them and looked at the red head.
“I know you’re a spy and emotions aren’t really your thing. But I thought we were friends. You should be ashamed of yourself.”
And with that she let the doors close on Natashas' stunned face.
It wasn’t until an hour later when she was alone in her new empty apartment that she finally broke down. Darcy slid down to the floor, curling in on herself and let it out. Let all the pain, the betrayal, the feeling of inadequacy. She laid there sobbing until there was nothing left. And even then she just laid there staring at nothing.