Day 15 (Phil/Darcy)
There aren’t many people in SHIELD that know a lot about agent Philip J. Coulson. Some people speculate about whether or not he is even human but everyone knows that he is capable. Very capable. There is a video that shows him taking out a perp with a bag of flower off all things. In other words Agent Coulson is respected and a little feared but most definitely worshipped. He is the definition of a great agent, a great handler and the best teacher one could ask for. All off these things seem to indicate that Agent Coulson doesn’t have a private life. Most people agree with that observation. There are rumours about a cellist but she is expected to be a cover for some of the most highly classified missions. Phil Coulson is very aware of these rumours and assumptions and carefully cultivates them.
It’s for this reason that Darcy Lewis is sitting behind her desk outside his office even right now while he is not there. Darcy Lewis is the perfect secretary. Everyone underestimates the young woman and when asked she will explain her job as keeping his agenda, feeding him and stopping anyone but director Fury from reaching him when he’s busy. For this reason Darcy is in the loop for all the gossip and often gives him useful updates on the lives of various agents under his command.
A loud explosion interrupts his thoughts and he looks up in time to see Clint jump from the roof into the alley where he is monitoring from the van. A quick nock and he opens the van to let a grinning Clint inside. He shakes his head and returns to the monitors to watch the small Hydra group that they are currently robbing. Or, he reconsiders, the one that they have currently robbed because moments later the widow slides behind the wheel and starts the van as if nothing happened. He supposes nothing did happen, as the mission was successful so he sits back and checks Barton over. “Not even a bruise. I’m glad miracles still happen.” He says deadpan but Clint just grins and starts checking his bow and arrows. They ride in silence to the extraction point as his mind wanders back to the young woman currently guarding his office.
It’s almost nine hours later when he finally leaves the debrief and heads towards Lola to go home and get some sleep. It’s a short drive and when he looks up to his apartment he smiles. He doesn’t think any of the agents imagine him living in such an normal apartment. When he goes inside it’s warm, filled with bright colours and knickknacks all around. It’s tidy but cosy and he quickly takes off his shoes and walks over to the bedroom to find Darcy asleep.
The next morning, as every morning, they take different routes to work and arrive in different times. He is earlier and when he walks past her desk he notices the notepad and the drawing of dog tags. He smiles as he remembers the kiss they shared in the morning. He looks around and then quickly dots the I’s.
When Darcy comes in five minutes later he watches from the office as she settles in. He can tell the exact moment that she notices the notepad because her smile brightens and her hands go to the dog tags hidden under her sweater. His dog tags.