Pairing: Darcy Lewis/ Pietro Maximoff
Warnings: Mature rating is potentially for the second chapter. Also eventual Age of Ultron spoilers.
A/N: This was a prompt I saw from not-whatitseems over on the FYDarcyLewis tumblr. Here's my take on it! I didn't mean for it to be so long but it wouldn't stop growing and apparently I'm unable to write anything short.
A/N2: Italicized sentences mean it is spoken in Sokovian.

He hated this country. He hated this school. He hated the students he was forced to endure everyday. He hated everything about this and he had only spent a week in America. Wanda tried to be positive about the exchange program their orphanage practically sold them into but it all was just a flimsy attempt to build a corrupt government's stance. In a sign of goodwill towards America, youth would be shipped over from Sokovia, spend four months at an American school and make the Americans feel like they were doing good for the world. In exchange, Sokovia would get more Stark bombs.

It was sickening and he wanted no part of it but somehow, his voice was the least important. No one paid him and his sister any mind unless they could be used. All he wanted was to be back home. Their 16th birthday was approaching. Maybe they'd be able to join the revolutionaries and do some actual good for their country. He was counting down the days until they would be back home. Until then, he'd have to let himself be the pawn. To take the pity from everyone in this terrible country.

All that looked at them and heard their story wanted to 'fix' the twins. The poor twins who were parentless and powerless. No one thought he was capable of anything. Not these new teachers, not the family housing him and definitely not the kids around him. They all pitied him for his life when really, he was the one that pitied them.

So he counted down the hours until he was free because that was all he could do now. Taking out the only picture he had left of his parents, Pietro looked down at the smiling faces. Leaning into his open locker, he let the sounds around him fade out as he remembered how his family used to be whole and how life was almost as simple as the other students' that were walking past. Before bombs rained down and took everything. Before he even realized Sokovia was on the brink of war…

The moment of calm was cut short when someone ripped the photo out of his hand.

"What you lookin' at Boris? Porn?" asked the mocking voice of a large boy in a red and white jacket. Pietro remembered him from one of his classes but that was all he could recall. The boy looked down with an ugly sneer that marred his all-American features, holding the picture above Pietro's head and daring him to jump for it. When Pietro just stared, the boy pushed him back into the door of the locker. "Where's Natasha? She's your sister right? She's sort of hot."

Rage thrummed through him. A hush fell as those passing by began to watch. Even though the boy was twice his size, it didn't stop Pietro from needing to teach him and everyone watching a lesson. His hands twisted into fists but before Pietro had a chance to react, the other boy was pushed back into the lockers. A girl with long brown hair, glasses and raged fueled eyes had thrown her bag into the boy's gut. With a grunt, the boy covered his stomach to block any future attacks. When his grip on the picture loosened, the girl easily plucked it away.

"That's for groping Suze at Alan's party," the girl yelled. Students that started to slow down and watch the altercation now stopped. Whispers, snickers and calls to egg on the fight flew in the air.

"Who?" the boy asked but feigning ignorance only made the girl angrier. She kicked his shin. From the way he slipped towards the ground, Pietro could tell it would leave a nasty bruise.

"Seriously? You're such a sleaze Noah. If you or your goons ever get near me and my friends again, I will taser your fucking balls until they fall off."

"C'mon Darcy, we both know you wanna do other things to my balls," Noah said with a smirk and Pietro's hands balled into fists again. His arm began to pull back and he was ready to jump in but the flash in her blue eyes made him pause. Determination sparked in her. Obviously, she wasn't going to let anyone fight her own battle. This girl was a fireball.

"My uncle's a cop and I'm sure he'll be more than happy to arrest your ass for the beer you brought. Seriously, don't fuck with me," Darcy said, kneeing the boy just hard enough so he would curl up with a grunt and fall to the floor. Although Pietro felt a twinge of pity, he was impressed. The students around laughed and a dangerous expression flashed across Noah's face.

"Hey! What's going on here?" Students parted as a teacher pushed her way in. She took in the scene before her and frowned at Darcy but the girl stood tall. The teacher frowned. "Noah, is there something wrong?"

"No Miss West," spat Noah, glaring at Darcy and Pietro one last time before standing up. "Nothing's the matter. I just tripped and Darcy was helping me back up."

Miss West looked between the three students, clearly not believing a word but eventually decided that she couldn't pursue the matter without actual information. With a final glare, Noah left. When he was gone and the crowd slowly dispersed, Miss West looked at Darcy, expecting a few more answers but all Darcy did was smile innocently and shrug.

Once Miss West left, huffing slightly along the way, Darcy remembered she had Pietro's picture in her hand. She turned to Pietro, seeing him for the first time. A dreamy cloud of lemon and vanilla powder engulfed him. A blush reddened Darcy's cheeks and Pietro's heart started to race. Suddenly bashful, Darcy held out Pietro's photo.

"Thanks," Pietro mumbled, stuffing the photo back into his pocket, careful not to bend or tear it. When he looked back up, Darcy was smiling. Her lips were tinted with the faintest of red, a number of dark colored chokers hung tight around her neck and her clothes were an interesting mix of bright colors and black. She was kind of cute. For an American.

"Noah's a douche," Darcy rolled her eyes. She clutched her books to her chest and pushed back a loose strand of straight hair behind her ear. Pietro wanted to twirl it around his finger. "You're one of the exchange students, right?"

"Yes," Pietro swallowed past the lump in his throat, hating himself for not being able to come up with something more interesting to say. Another surge of self-hatred came forward when he wondered why he should even try to hold her attention for longer than he had to.

"Cool. My name's Darcy."

"Pietro."

They fell silent. The crowds around them thinned as students scurried towards their next lesson. Although the halls were filled with noise just moments before, a calm had taken over. A bell rang, signaling the beginning of the period. Yet they didn't follow, instead choosing to glance awkwardly at each other. Pietro could feel his cheeks start to heat when he realized he'd been staring at her lips.

"Well…I need to get to class. See you around?" Darcy cleared her throat, small uncertain smile turning her lips. She turned and walked down the hall. There was a certain sway to her hips that Pietro couldn't tear his eyes away from.

"She's cute," Wanda said, making Pietro jump. He turned to find her standing behind his locker door with a knowing smirk. To not notice her approaching, he must have really been lost in his thoughts. The realization made him uncomfortable. "Are you going to ask her to the spring dance?"

"Dance?" asked Pietro with a furrowed brow. Wanda gestured to a sign across from them. In large, colorful letters, it offered information about the 'Spring Fling'. Held in the school gym at the end of the month from 6:30 till 10:30. Tickets were $10 per person. Money he didn't really have and surrounded by people he didn't like. "Why would I do that?"

"Perhaps there are some things about America you will not hate," shrugged Wanda.

Scoffing, Pietro looked at his twin with disbelief but the fast beat of his heart suggested he couldn't deny it. He looked down the hall where Darcy had been and frowned.

Their host mother, Mrs. Williams, left her son Colin, along with Pietro and Wanda, in front of the mall. Each had twenty dollars for food and was instructed to come back to the entrance at 6:30 to be picked up. Once her car was out of sight, Colin ran off to meet up with his friends, leaving Pietro and Wanda to fend for themselves in a sea of bright displays, cold air and the chatter of capitalism. Still, they did well enough, wandering through the mall to laugh at needless products and the shoppers who had to have them. Eventually, they found themselves in a store named Build-A-Bear, wherein many young children were all creating a toy to fit their own needs and preferences. Pietro raised an eyebrow at all the clothing options for the stuffed animals. He was just about to suggest they leave when a familiar voice asked him if he needed assistance.

Turning around, he found Darcy wearing a bright red shirt and an expression of horror once she saw whom she was talking to. She blushed and Pietro felt his own cheeks heat. He put the tiny suit jacket he had in his hand back on the display. During the past few days, he'd been quietly watching her from afar and was intrigued by what he saw. This was a girl who stood up for what she believed in, although sometimes quietly. Also, she got in trouble a couple times when arguing with her teachers by disagreeing with their methods. Wanda even thought she had verve and had started a few conversations with her.

"You work here?" Pietro asked dumbly, as if the red shirt with the store's logo wasn't enough of a clue. Next to him, Wanda watched in interest but tried to hide her obvious staring by glancing down at a pair of tiny shoes.

"Yeah. Building overpriced stuffed animals, totally my passion," Darcy rolled her eyes but offered a tiny smile to soften the sardonic tone.

"I admire a woman who has found it at such a young age," Pietro said and Darcy laughed. The noise made his stomach flutter. He didn't like the feeling and looked away. It left him looking at Wanda who was urging him to continue.

"Hey Darcy, you're due for a break, right?" All three turned to find a mischievous looking black woman peering over the display. She gave Pietro a once over and obviously approved of what she saw. Then she winked at Darcy rather unsubtly.

"I guess," mumbled Darcy glaring at the woman who only grinned in return. The tag on her chest stated that her name was Gloria.

"Go on, grab some dinner with your friend," insisted Gloria. When Pietro looked to Wanda for help, she only feigned innocence.

"Can you help me? How much would it be to make a rabbit?" Wanda asked Gloria. This time Pietro was the one sending a glare. At the question, Wanda and Gloria shared smirks when they realized they were both cohorts.

"Follow me. And Darcy? Remember what I said or I'm cutting your hours," warned Gloria before walking off with Wanda. When it was obvious that they didn't have much choice, they caught each other's gaze but quickly looked away. Eventually, Gloria yelled for Darcy to leave for dinner. Not wanting any more wrath, they left the store and headed for the food court.

"She seemed…nice," Pietro said in an attempt to make conversation.

"She's a peach," Darcy smiled ruefully. "But she's fun to work with. When you have to deal with brats all day, it helps."

"Was there anything you wanted to eat?"

"I was planning on Johnny Rockets. You up for burgers and shakes?"

"I…don't think I've ever had an American burger or shake," said Pietro. At the admission, Darcy's eyes widened in shock.

"Seriously? Then I'm about to change your life," she promised with confidence, grabbing his wrist and dragging him behind her. At the touch, tingles ran up his arm and Pietro couldn't argue that was exactly what she was doing. Although he didn't want the change, he couldn't deny the thrill he got whenever she seemed to be near him. That was blatantly obvious about twenty minutes later when they were finishing up their burgers and giggling over their milkshakes. Pietro couldn't remember the last time he had laughed so much. It was probably before his parents died, if he was completely honest with himself.

There didn't seem to be much filter between what Darcy thought and said, much to his delight. It was something he often had difficulty with. While in the past this often got him into trouble, it only made light flash through Darcy's eyes and mirth line her face. A terrible sick feeling seized his gut every time and he didn't entirely hate it. He'd been attracted to girls and women in the past but this was different somehow. Darcy was different.

"So, I probably sound like an idiot but where's Sokovia?" Darcy asked, slurping the last of her strawberry milkshake.

"By Romania and Serbia. East Europe," said Pietro and Darcy nodded her head, knowing the area only vaguely. "What about you? A native to Minnesota?"

"Sort of. I was born here but I haven't stayed for more than a few months until now. It was just my mom and I for a while when I was growing up, hopping from town to town. Last year, she met this guy and next thing I knew, I was off on a bus to stay with my uncle and she was sending me postcards every couple of months."

"She left you?" Pietro knew that was a common thing. A lot of the kids at the orphanage were abandoned or ran away from terrible homes. Still, he couldn't really understand how someone could turn their back on family so easily. Wanda was all he had. They would never abandon the other for something so flimsy as a new lover.

"I'm used to it," shrugged Darcy, acting as if it wasn't something that bothered her. From the way she didn't meet his eyes though, he could tell it kept her up at night. "She's never left me so long before. But my Uncle Martin and Aunt Lessie are nice. So are my cousins. It's just…I get so bored here."

"So does that make me a distraction?" Pietro leaned in, taking a long sip of his chocolate milkshake that was actually quite good. As Darcy thought about the question, she wrinkled her nose and smiled shyly.

"Do you mind?"

"No," grinned Pietro, enjoying the ever so slight blush on Darcy's cheeks. He liked being able to make her blush. As she bit her lip and looked at him coyly, Pietro proceeded to tell her about Sokovia. At every detail, her face lit up like a child's when hearing fairy tales of a far off land.

The next school day, Pietro had a new accomplice in the mischief he got up to at school. Darcy was quite apt at it. Even better, she knew how to not get caught. Which was something that Pietro still needed to work on, according to Wanda. His sister, who also was fond of Darcy, always watched their pranks with mild amusement. In this happy trio, Pietro decided the rest of his time might not be so bad.

He told himself Darcy was just a much needed distraction. Yet, the more time Pietro spent time with her, the more he couldn't ignore the way his stomach clenched when she stepped closer to him or how time seemed to stop when she laughed. He hadn't decided yet what he wanted to do about everything she was making him feel. Having his opinions change about Americans and this terrible place were not things he expected or really wanted.

At the same time, Wanda was still pestering him about the Spring Fling. Somehow, Mrs. Williams had convinced her to go with Colin. Neither one was thrilled about the situation, especially as it made them both dolls for the woman to dress up. As amusing as Pietro found it, he was almost sure Wanda only wanted him there so she'd have someone to complain to.

The dance was becoming more of an issue than he wanted or ever thought it would. There were even a few times Darcy asked if he was thinking about going. Each time, he made his intentions known that it was the last thing on earth he wanted to do. Still, guilt ate at him as Darcy shrugged it off, like she was swallowing something sour in the process. But Pietro tried to ignore it.

That is, until another boy asked Darcy to the dance. Pietro had been standing right next to her when the boy swaggered over and practically commanded Darcy to go to the dance with him. It only took a moment for Darcy to give him an unimpressed no, but it didn't stop Pietro from seeing red.

Trying to control his anger like the councilor suggested, Pietro breathed slowly through his nose and counted backwards from ten. As the boy walked away with his tail between his legs, the muscle in Pietro's jaw twitched and his hands tightened into fists, anger bubbling up then back down again. The sharp shut of Darcy's locker brought him out of his haze.

"So what are you gonna do if you aren't going to the Fling?" Darcy asked casually. Looking away, she brushed back a strand of hair behind her ear but watched him from the corner of her eye. Shrugging, Pietro turned away.

"I do not know. Sleep? Maybe finish that mountain of homework that keeps sending me to detention. What about you? Eating popcorn, watching girlie movies and having pillow fights?" asked Pietro, a smirk on his lips when he turned back to her. Rolling her eyes and snorting, Darcy lightly hit him on the shoulder.

"Have you been getting your information about American girls from Colin again? You know, one of his friends has a brother that sneaks them dirty movies," Darcy scrunched her face in disgust.

"I know, I have seen most of them and have learned a lot."

"Gross," gagged Darcy, swatting Pietro with her notebooks. Easily, he avoided the attack, twirling around her and grabbing her waist from behind.

"I can show you what I have learned if you want," Pietro suggested in Darcy's ear, enjoying the way her body stiffened and leaned into him right before she elbowed him in the side. Instead of loosening his grip, he lifted and spun her in the air. An excited squeal escaped her lips. For a moment, Pietro buried his face in her neck and inhaled the citrus perfume she wore. It was a gift from her mother. The very perfume she wore when she first met Darcy's father and supposedly beguiled him. Darcy only wore a tiny bit at a time but when he was close enough, he could smell the musky undertones of incense and vanilla that reminded him of his family visiting synagogue when he was little.

"Darcy, Pietro! PDA! You know the rules!" yelled Miss West from down the hall, poking her head out of a classroom. With an aggravated sigh, Pietro set Darcy back down and they both rolled their eyes. Where were all these teachers whenever the other kids gave him or Wanda a hard time? The simmering anger began again but Darcy halted it with a laugh and soft bump of her shoulder.

"Whatever, I have to get to class. Maybe you should think about actually going to one sometime."

"And ruin my record?" winked Pietro, moving in to stand closer. They were a hair's breath away, bodies not touching quite yet. Before he could stop himself, Pietro pushed back her hair. A shiver ran down his spine as his fingers brushed her ear and his hand lingered on her neck. Darcy inhaled softly and deeply at the touch. Whatever smart comment he had left to add disappeared from his mind. They stood still, staring at each other, dumbfounded.

"My cousin's on the committee. I kind of have to go to the dance," Darcy whispered.

"Oh."

She looked up at him, patiently waiting for any answer or reaction from him. All he could do was look down into her eyes and listen to the drumming of his heart in his ears. Just as he began to lean in for a kiss, the shrill sound of the school bell rang out. Jumping back, Pietro tried to take a calming breath and process the sudden feeling of having a bucket of ice cold water poured over him. The contact between them was broken and so was the moment. With a final wave and unsure smile, Darcy bid farewell. He watched her leave again when all he wanted to do was run back and pull her into a kiss.

"So are you going to ask her?" Wanda asked, suddenly appearing next to him. Pietro stepped back in surprise, frowning at the way she kept sneaking up on him. His sister laughed and it almost sounded like a cackle.

"What would I do at some stupid school party?"

"Dance," Wanda stated obviously. When Pietro glared at her, she continued in a softer, more persuasive tone. "Spend some time with a girl you like. Save me from my misery. Make new friends. Also, I hear some students sneak off to the dark hallways and make out."

"Now that I can get behind," winked Pietro, ruffling Wanda's hair much to her dismay. He started to make his way to the bathroom where he would hide out until the period was well underway and he could sneak out behind the school undetected. From the way Wanda was following him, he had a feeling she was planning on doing the exact same thing.

With just a day away from the Spring Fling, Pietro finally plucked up the courage to ask Darcy to go with him. As much as he shat on America and the other students, he was actually a little bit excited about the dance. Not that he would admit that to anyone, not even Wanda- though she seemed to already know. If anything, he'd get to spend time with Darcy. Maybe finally kiss her. The urge had been plaguing him since their encounter by the lockers. In his dreams, he heard her laugh but no matter how fast he ran could never quite reach her. When he woke, he was sweaty and pent up. He'd had enough of this tiptoeing. He was ready to finally reach her.

Right before the last period of the day, Pietro saw Darcy standing in front of her locker, laughing with her older cousin. The loud chatter of the changing of periods rushed past him but it grew silent the closer he got to Darcy. Blood rushed in his ears and his throat tightened. Only a few steps away, he was planning on clearing his throat when something else got her attention. Looking past her cousin, she focused on a skinny but well attired boy that Pietro never remembered seeing before. Sounds of the world whooshed back.

"Hey Lewis, still need a date?"

"I guess," Darcy shrugged her shoulders and sighed.

"Now you don't!" grinned the boy and Pietro almost laughed at his audacity until Darcy answered with fondness in her voice.

"Fine. I'm wearing blue."

"Let's talk deets," winked the boy, turning around and holding his arm out. As Darcy looped her arm into his and walked off, Pietro felt his chest tighten until his heart raced then almost stopped. Sharp pangs clenched his body. His eyes began to itch and anger burst through. He didn't even stop to think about counting or breathing, just let the feeling well up and overtake him.

As always, Wanda was at his side. Her eyes were sorrowful but also confused. She wanted to talk it out, to find the solution or reasoning. Except this time, he didn't want to. Instead, he ran in the opposite direction. Behind him, he knew Wanda was trying to follow. A quick burst of energy bolted him through the hall and out of her grasp. He didn't apologize as he bumped and tripped those in his way. He didn't stop. Not when needles shot through his legs or even when he began to wheeze.

He hated this country. He hated this school. He hated these people. He hated it all.