Chapter 64 : Teasing in the Quad – A Piece of Him
New York, Queens – Alex's POV
The weekend passed in a quiet rhythm I hadn't realized I needed.
Saturday morning slipped into a family brunch—my mother fussing over the warmth of my coffee, my sister stealing bites from my plate when she thought I wasn't looking. The conversations were simple, light, the kind that reminded me where my footing was when everything else grew complicated.
Sunday carried the same softness. I spent most of the day combing through building listings, running projections, comparing locations for the company I intended to build. Warehouses in Brooklyn, office floors in Midtown, a tech-ready unit near Chelsea—each came with its advantages, and I spent hours rationally dissecting them, weighing cost, access, infrastructure. It was methodical, almost meditative.
And then Monday arrived.
Gwen and I walked together toward ESU, her fingers loosely woven with mine, the early light catching the faint pink in her cheeks. There was an ease to the way she swung her bag over her shoulder, a softness reserved only for mornings when the city hadn't fully woken yet.
She nudged my arm with hers. "Feels weird going to class after Friday night," she said.
I let a small smile slip. "Normal is good. We could use some of that."
"Agreed," she said, leaning a little closer as we walked through the main quad.
But as we turned the corner toward the humanities building, the comfortable quiet shifted.
MJ stood by the steps, animatedly talking to someone—a girl we didn't recognize.
She had dark chestnut hair that fell in a slightly messy bob just above her shoulders, round glasses that made her wide, curious eyes look even bigger, and a scattering of freckles across the bridge of her nose. Her oversized hoodie hung loosely over a fitted graphic tee, sleeves bunched at her wrists, and her skinny jeans were slightly faded at the knees. Even through the baggy layers, I could see the gentle curves of her figure—subtle, lean, moving with a restless energy. She bounced slightly on her heels, fingers constantly fidgeting with her backpack straps or tugging at the hoodie's drawstrings. There was a tautness in her posture, like a coiled spring, hinting at both nervousness and determination. She gestured wildly as she talked, her words spilling out faster than the early hour suggested, and I couldn't help but notice the spark of excitement—and anxiety—in her dark eyes.
MJ spotted us first. "Hey! Look who finally showed up—New York's cutest couple."
Gwen flushed instantly. "MJ—"
The other girl turned toward us, wide-eyed for a second before her expression snapped into a messy attempt at confidence.
"Oh! Right—hi. Hi. Wow, okay." She cleared her throat, pushed her glasses up, then extended a hand a little too fast. "Darcy. Darcy Lewis. I, uh—just transferred into the program. Government paperwork nightmare, ten out of ten, would not recommend."
Gwen shook her hand warmly. "I'm Gwen. And this is—"
"Alex," I supplied.
Darcy stared a second too long.
Then—
"Oh my God, right—Alex. Yes. Sorry. You just… look like the type of guy studios cast when they want someone who reads smart, dangerous, and emotionally complicated." She blinked. "Did I say that out loud?"
MJ groaned and slapped her forehead. "She does that. All the time."
Darcy winced. "Panic talking. Chronic. Probably not treatable."
Gwen laughed, and I felt her thumb brush my palm.
I tilted my head. "So, Darcy… new around here?"
"Yes!" she said, suddenly speeding up. "Transferred from Culver. Political science major, but I somehow kept ending up around weird science people. Like—big-brain weird. Accidentally helped detect an energy burst once. Total fluke. I just… notice things sometimes. Pure instinct. Or dumb luck. Mostly luck."
She froze.
"…And I said that out loud too, didn't I?"
MJ coughed. "Every word."
Gwen raised an amused eyebrow at me. I kept my expression neutral, which Darcy unfortunately misread as judgment.
"I swear I'm not creepy," she blurted, hands up in surrender. "I just have a tendency to guess things out loud before thinking."
Another pause.
"Oh my God, that sounded worse—"
MJ finally patted her shoulder. "Relax. She's harmless. And occasionally useful."
"Accidentally!" Darcy added, proud. "But still counts."
I let a small chuckle slip. It seemed to calm her… and somehow made her even more flustered. She pushed her glasses up again, cheeks warming.
"So," she said, eyes darting between Gwen and me, "are you two… um… a thing?"
I answered before Gwen could. "Yeah. We are."
Darcy nodded slowly, as if processing critical information.
"Cool. Cool cool cool. Totally not jealous."
A beat.
"…Ignore that. My mouth is a traitor."
Gwen leaned in slightly, amused. "If you want a piece of him, you know… we can share."
Darcy made a tiny, strangled noise.
MJ rolled her eyes.
I glanced at her, letting a slow smile form.
"So, MJ," I said, tone deceptively casual, "is this charming disaster you brought with you an offering? You know… to get my attention?"
"Yes," MJ answered instantly.
She froze.
"…I mean—NO. No! That's— That is NOT— I wasn't— I— Alex!"
Darcy's brain visibly blue-screened.
"Offering??" she squeaked. "Am I being evaluated? Should I pose?"
Gwen laughed so hard she had to cover her mouth.
I shrugged, unbothered. "You two were talking pretty intensely when we walked up. I thought maybe MJ was trying to impress me."
MJ slapped my arm, mortified. "Stop. Talking."
Darcy whispered, "Is he always like this?"
Gwen smiled. "Only when he feels like causing trouble."
Darcy blinked. "Oh. Great. Love that for me."
The tension and awkward energy from the earlier teasing slowly settled as we all stood in the sunlit quad, the bustle of students around us fading into background noise. Darcy adjusted her glasses for the third time, clearly trying to regain composure.
"So," I started, letting a small grin form, "we've heard the basics. But I feel like we should know more about you, Darcy. What's the story behind the sarcastic panic machine we just met?"
Darcy blinked, taking a half-step back, flustered but curious. "Uh… well, as you probably guessed, I'm new here. Transferred from Culver. Majored in political science initially, but, you know… life decided to throw me into cosmic weirdness instead. I mostly just… notice stuff. Instincts, luck, figuring out anomalies that make other people scream. And I panic. Verbally. A lot."
Gwen laughed softly. "Instincts and luck, huh? That's more than enough for a first impression."
"Yeah," I said, letting a teasing note creep in. "And it seems like you've already sized me up a bit. Care to elaborate?"
"I—I mean… you're… calm. Smart. Definitely mysterious. And… there's this… weight to you, like you're quietly carrying the world or something. And I swear, it's like you do it on purpose just to mess with people."
Gwen smirked, her eyes glinting with mischief. "Wow. She's definitely taking notes, Alex. And judging by the way she's staring at you… I think we've found her weak spot."
I tilted my head, humoring her. "I'll take it as a compliment. But tell me, do you ever stop panicking long enough to notice other people? Or is it a full-time job?"
Darcy rolled her eyes, though the corner of her mouth twitched. "I notice. I just… exaggerate my reactions. Helps me survive."
Gwen nudged me gently, a silent signal to continue teasing. "So, Darcy," she said, voice playful, "if you were spending a day in the life of 'mysterious brooding genius Alex,' what's the first thing you'd try to figure out?"
Darcy blinked rapidly, glancing between Gwen and me. "Uh… well, first I'd be trying to figure out… all of it, I guess. Like… what makes him tick, why he's always so calm, and—okay, I'd definitely be paying attention to how close you two are. You two are clearly… really close. I'd have a ton of questions."
I let out a soft chuckle. "Questions are fair. We can answer, too. Anything you want to know."
Darcy tilted her head, clearly delighted. "Okay… so how did you two even… get together? And what's the deal between you? Like, dynamic, roles, all of it?"
Gwen and I exchanged a look, then smiled, deciding on honesty—at least in the everyday sense.
"We've known each other since we were kids," I said. "Neighbors, friends through school… it just… happened naturally during high school. We're close. Supportive. We tease each other, we fight sometimes, we laugh a lot. That's about it. No secrets worth keeping."
Gwen added, leaning in toward Darcy with a sly grin, "Yeah. It's mostly trust and knowing when to be serious and when to have fun. And he's mine, in case anyone's curious. But… if you're interested, Darcy, maybe we can negotiate sharing a piece."
Darcy blinked, cheeks warming, flustered. "Oh… uh… wow. I—uh… okay."
I chuckled softly. "See? Gwen knows exactly how to rattle you."
Darcy's face heated further, and she fumbled with her glasses. "Y-Yeah… obviously."
Gwen elbowed me playfully. "She's already intrigued. I can see it. Just own it, Alex."
I ignored her subtle jab, letting my attention return to Darcy. "So, we've learned about you, and you've learned a bit about us. But tell me… what made you work with Jane Foster? You don't seem like the typical assistant type."
Darcy waved a hand dismissively. "Luck, mostly. Instinct, quick thinking. Jane needed someone who could react fast without overthinking, someone who could handle the chaos without turning into a screaming mess. That's me—chaos-tested."
I let out a small laugh. "Fair enough. Sounds like you'd be valuable on any team."
Gwen's expression brightened. "Speaking of teams…" She leaned forward, excitement in her eyes. "Alex took me to this concert Friday night—it was incredible. High-energy punk-rock, the whole crowd buzzing… and the performer? She had this presence, commanding the lights, the music, the whole stage. Totally unforgettable."
MJ's eyes widened. "Wait—lights, stage… who was it?"
Gwen grinned. "Her name's Dazzler. Honestly, she was amazing. Everything just… clicked, like the band and the performance were one thing. The energy she brought—it's exactly what The Mary Janes thrive on."
MJ's lips curved into a smile, intrigued. "Wow… I've never heard of her, but that sounds awesome. You're thinking what I'm thinking?"
Gwen nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly. We should try a collaboration. Imagine what we could do together, the kind of energy the band could bring with her on stage."
MJ's excitement grew. "Yes! Absolutely. I should talk to the rest of the band, see if they'd be on board. This could be huge."
I let my gaze drift briefly, thinking back to the concert. "It was impressive. And… if you're serious about approaching her, Gwen, that's on you."
Gwen smirked, leaning toward Darcy with a playful glint in her eyes. "I am serious. And Darcy… if you want to see Alex up close, I might let you… but you'd better promise to give him back."
Darcy blinked, cheeks warming furiously. "W‑wait… give him back? Oh—okay! Yeah, I can… I mean, of course, I'd—" She stumbled over her words, flustered but clearly amused. "Promise! Totally promise!"
Gwen chuckled softly, letting the teasing linger just long enough to make Darcy fidget, then winked at me.
The rest of the group started to move along, exchanging quick "see yous" and waves. Classes were waiting, schedules pressed on, and the lively chatter slowly thinned.
Darcy fell into step beside me as we walked toward our next building, backpack slung over one shoulder. She kept glancing at me, biting her lip, cheeks still a warm pink. "So… um… you don't have to answer, but… how do you stay so calm? All the time?"
I tilted my head, smirking. "It's a secret. A highly classified, top-secret method. Coffee, mild sarcasm… and making sure no one catches me panicking too often."
Darcy's laughter bubbled out, slightly breathless. "Yeah… that seems… incredibly unfair. I'd trip over my own shoelaces just trying to act composed."
I let a grin slip. "You exaggerate your panics well. I'd say you're halfway there already."
Her hands fidgeted with her backpack straps. "And… the way you and Gwen… you two clearly have a rhythm. Comfortable… close. How… how do you make that work?"
I shrugged, teasing. "We've been friends forever—neighbors, childhood friends. High school was natural. Nothing forced. Endless teasing helps too."
Darcy's eyes widened, cheeks coloring further. "Wow… that's… really… nice. And… comforting somehow. I get it."
We reached the point where our paths diverged. She stopped abruptly, eyes darting around nervously, before blurting out in a flustered rush, voice almost squeaking: "O‑okay… Alex… um… about what Gwen said earlier—when she said she might… let me see you up close… did she… mean she's… like… actually willing to share her boyfriend with other girls? I mean… really?"
I raised an eyebrow, suppressing a smile at how flustered she was. "That… is something we can discuss in more detail later. After classes, we can meet at the café near the campus library. Nice, quiet spot. We'll talk."
Darcy's jaw practically hit the ground. Her hands went to her face for a brief moment, then fluttered nervously. "C‑café? Oh… okay… yeah… that works… I think…"
I let a teasing smirk slip. "Or, if you can't wait that long… you could always go ask MJ if Gwen was serious."
Darcy froze, eyes wide, cheeks burning hotter than ever. "MJ? Ask MJ?! W‑wait… why would she know? I mean… how would she even know if Gwen is serious about… that? Is… is this a trick? Or are you…?" Her words stumbled over themselves as she tried to process the idea, panic and curiosity warring across her face.
I shrugged casually, still smirking. "There. You've got your options… but personally, I think waiting a little makes it more interesting, don't you? Or, if you can't wait, you can go ask MJ directly—see if Gwen was serious."
Darcy's blush deepened further, and her steps faltered as she hesitated, brain racing. Then, slowly, realization dawned. "Oh… oh! Wait… she would know… because… you've… shared before? With her? And this is… um… serious? Or… are you just… teasing me?" Her voice squeaked at the end, flustered and incredulous all at once.
I started to step even further away, giving her just enough space to feel the playful tension. "Good… day," I said, a teasing glint in my eye, leaving the rest unanswered as she gaped after me, cheeks flaming, still trying to figure out whether I was serious or just teasing.