Chapter Text
In the week since the party and her subsequent evening in Darcy’s apartment, Lizzie had opened his contact in her phone about a hundred times, trying to think of something to say that was sufficiently flippant but wouldn’t come off as slutty and/or rude over text.
She came up empty.
The only reason she even had his number was from a study group chat from last semester, and they'd had exactly one one-on-one text exchange: a few months ago a large group of them had gone out, and Lizzie hadn’t been in the mood to go home when Darcy DDed Bingley and Jane. He’d offered to come back for her, but she’d told him that she would be just fine with Charlotte. He’d then insisted that she at least let him know once she was home safe, and for some reason, she had complied.
Lizzie had entirely forgotten about the evening, but it quickly came rushing back to her- the significant look that Charlotte had given her, the way that Lizzie had hissed that he was just looking out for her because she was his best friend’s girlfriend’s sister. But if what he said last Sunday about the night before not being the first time he noticed her was true… had he cared for her, in some small way, even back then? He couldn't have, could he? That was ages ago, if he'd liked her, why wouldn’t he have made a move sooner?
Lizzie was also haunted by the fact that Will had been on the verge of telling her something that Saturday night, just before she fell asleep. She'd entirely forgotten it the following morning, and hadn't remembered to wonder about it until hours after he'd dropped her off, after Lydia and Kitty finally left her alone. She spent hours running over what it could have possibly been in her mind, and always came up with more questions than answered. Darcy always seemed like a direct, confident man. What could he possibly have to say to her that he wouldn't just say?
By the time a full six days had passed since there was contact of any kind between Lizzie and Darcy- not that she was counting- she found herself spending much more time than usual getting ready for the casual hangout to watch the Sunday football game at Bingley’s frat house. She didn’t always tag along with Jane, but there was absolutely no way she was missing this week.
Mortifyingly, Lydia noticed her efforts, and offered her a smug smirk when they crossed paths in the living room.
“You’re looking extra pretty this morning, Lizzie. Will Darcy be there today?” She teased. Lizzie glared at her.
“I don’t know, actually.” It was true. Technically, Lizzie had no idea if Darcy would be there or not. But based on the fact that he and Bingley were always together…and she was fairly certain he usually attended, if she remembered correctly. It had been quite some time since she’d last gone herself.
Despite all her physical preparation, Elizabeth had no plan on what exactly she was going to say to him. She did, however, have the vague notion that she could annoy him into fucking her again. Couldn’t hurt to try at least.
Lydia and Kitty were on their way to a different frat’s darty, and they all knew better than to even hint to Mary that she might want to join them, so it was only Jane and Lizzie who walked into Bingley’s frat house that afternoon.
She saw him immediately upon entering. He was talking to another brother- this one a sophomore studying economics, if Lizzie remembered correctly. It would make sense, since Darcy had recently started working on earning his PhD in the subject. Based on their body language- and her general knowledge of the two men- Darcy was probably giving him advice of some sort.
As though he could feel her gaze on him, Darcy looked up at that moment, catching her eye. Though she could feel heat rising to her cheeks, Lizzie managed a coy smile, and a fluttering wave. Then, since she still had no plan, she resolutely turned her gaze away, and refused to make any further eye contact- even when she could feel his gaze burning into the side of her face. Instead, she settled onto the oversized couch, striking up a conversation with another brother and his girlfriend, who were both in one of her classes this year.
Though it was cowardly, her method did seem to be effective. When she rose from the couch after the first quarter ended to grab a soda from the fridge, she saw Darcy follow her from the corner of her eye. Lizzie stifled a smile, and made a show of bending over at the waist to snag a can from the bottom shelf. When she rose and turned back to the entrance of the living room, Darcy was there, leaning against the counter with his arms crossed, and a hungry look in his eyes.
“Hey Darce. Enjoying the game?” She asked, offering him a teasing smile as she slowly walked towards him.
He raised an eyebrow at her.
“How many times do I have to repeat that I prefer you call me by my first name.”
Elizabeth pursed her lips, tapping them with one finger as she pretended to think.
“I guess that depends.” She told him with a shrug.
“On?”
She’d reached him by now, and summoning the courage she’d lacked earlier, hooked her finger into the belt loop of his jeans, pulling him closer to her.
“On what you’re gonna do about it when I don’t.” She whispered, gazing up at him through her lashes.
His blue eyes darkened, and his hands found her waist. His thumbs rubbed small circles on the tiny sliver of bare skin that was exposed between the waistband of her shorts and her baby tee.
“I thought that you liked being a good girl.” He rumbled, his gaze entirely focused on her lips.
Lizzie hummed noncommittally, and tilted her face up to him.
“Right now, I’m more interested in how bad girls get punished.”
His fingers tightened on her, pulling her closer and she saw a flash of something dark and sinfully inviting in his eyes. Before he could respond- or even better, kiss her- another brother came noisily lumbering into the kitchen.
“Oh shit, sorry, I didn’t realize I was interrupting anything.”
Lizzie inhaled sharply- a breath that tasted as though it had just been on Darcy’s lips- and stepped away from him. He released her immediately, leaning back against the counter.
“All good.” Lizzie chirped, her voice too high.
She stole a last glance over her shoulder at Darcy. He was rather pointedly not looking at her, and had adopted a casual expression as he greeted his frat brother. She might have thought him to be unaffected by their little exchange, if it hadn’t been for the fact that his knuckles were white with how tightly he was gripping the kitchen counter behind him.
Not bothering to hide her smug smile, Lizzie headed back down the hallway to the living room.
She had a good feeling that this would not be their last encounter of the day.
Will, ever diligent about cleanliness, had changed his sheets the day after Lizzie had spent the evening. He had not, however, been able to bring himself to change the pillowcase on the pillow she had used- or wash the shirt of his that she’d worn- for several days. Both clung to her scent, and he couldn’t bear the thought of washing her away. In fact, he hadn’t thrown those into the hamper until that very morning- and that had only been because he was being rather optimistic about his chances of seeing her again today, and coaxing her back over to his place.
He even had a contingency plan in case she didn’t show up- she hadn’t been showing up to watch the game lately, after all, and Will was nothing if not prepared. His plan was vague: he was simply going to text her “was hoping i’d see you at the game watch party earlier” and then somehow figuring out how to segue whatever her response to that was into an invitation to go out to eat. On a real date, one where he could woo her before taking her to bed. He was fairly certain it would work.
Luckily, the very vague plan was unneeded, because Elizabeth strutted into the party looking far more beautiful than was fair. She offered him a flirtatious smile and a wave… and then nothing more. It had taken all of his concentration to wrap up his conversation with Tony- and he had only done that by offering to put together a plan for the underclassman to follow when finishing his econ degree in order to be in the best position for grad school. It wouldn’t be that difficult- he’d just have to refer back to his old schedule, which was surely lying around somewhere. Trying to ignore Lizzie ignoring him was a much more arduous task.
His entire being vibrated with the need to go to her, to pull her onto his lap and envelop her in his embrace. He wanted to claim her in front of everyone- especially when he saw the looks that some of the other brothers were shooting her. Will had never been a particularly possessive man, but something about Elizabeth awakened a whole new side of him.
He’d been unable to keep himself from following her into the kitchen- he still didn’t know what his opener would be, he just knew he needed to be in her presence, to revel in her gaze for a few short moments. To make sure this heat between them was still reciprocated, and that he wasn’t just holding on to vain hope.
The scene in the kitchen had proven that this was far from one sided. One moment she was there, a teasing minx, and the next she had left him standing there in the kitchen, half-hard and desperate for her. Any thin patience he had snapped like a twig, and his plan to take her out on a wholesome plan vanished. The week he’d already waited had been long enough- too long. He needed her now.
Jane watched, amused, as Lizzie announced that she needed a drink and pranced out of the living room, Will trailing after her like a lost puppy. They weren’t gone overly long- but it was certainly much longer than it took to grab a soda. She had to smother her grin when Lizzie came traipsing back into the room with flushed cheeks and a smirk that looked like the cat that ate the canary. Her sister pressed the cold soda in her hand to her chest- a move Jane recognized as an attempt to ground herself- before cracking it open and taking a sip. Her eyes strayed to the hallway leading to the kitchen about every ten seconds.
Jane was so beyond pleased that Lizzie and Will were finally getting along a bit better- getting along very well, if Lizzie’s expression was anything to go by. She knew that, though their interaction last weekend had ended strained, Lizzie had enjoyed it for the most part, and was very much hoping for a repeat. Based on the fact that Jane had caught Darcy watching Lizzie with admiration in his eyes a number of times since the two had met last semester, she found it very unlikely that Lizzie’s hopes would go unmet.
About two minutes after Elizabeth returned from the kitchen, Darcy came striding down the hallway, his gaze laser focused on Lizzie.
“Elizabeth.” He called the second he was over the threshold of the room. “Let’s go.”
Lizzie was on her feet half a heartbeat later, practically skipping across the room to join his side, as though summoned by a magnet. Jane held her hand out for Lizzie’s barely-touched soda, accepting both it and a quick “I’ll see you later” with a smile.
“What just happened?” Charles asked from beside her a few moments later, gaping after the recently departed couple. He wasn’t the only one in the room that seemed surprised. “I thought she didn’t like him?”
Jane let out a tinkling laugh- Lizzie and Darcy were out of earshot now, and even if they weren’t she doubted either would pay her enough mind to even notice her laughter.
“Honestly, do you boys not talk?”
He turned his stunned face to her.
“About what?”
“Things changed between the two of them after last week’s party.” Jane offered, very aware of their audience and reluctant to add any more in mixed company. Lizzie and Will were both private people- not to mention the fact that, according to Lizzie, they were still figuring out the whole thing that was happening between them. Jane wasn't sure what there was to figure out, since both parties were visibly interested in each other, but had wisely decided to stay out of it.
“Changed how?”
Jane rolled her eyes good-naturedly, taking a sip of Lizzie’s soda.
“I’ll tell you when you’re older, honey.”