You're too young to hate the world
"You're too young to hate the world," Phil says gently, and Daisy can't help rolling her eyes at him just a little.
"I didn't say I hated the world, Phil. I just hate having to spend so much of my time fighting large chunks of it."
He sighs. "I know." His voice is soft and his expression's sad, and Daisy reaches for his hand across the desk and squeezes it.
"Hey, I've been fighting the world pretty much all my life. I'm not gonna stop now."
He covers her hand with his other one, and she thinks about how far he's come, that he no longer minds touching her with his prosthetic hand.
"But you shouldn't have to."
She rolls her eyes again. "Phil," she says in a tone of gentle remonstrance. "Everyone has to fight the world – that's part of being alive."
He sighs again. "I know."
She thinks he'd much prefer it if they didn't have to fight the world, or if he could do it for her. It's a nice sentiment, but unrealistic.
He squeezes her hand gently between both of his, then releases it and gets to his feet.
"I'm off to that meeting."
"Forget something?" she asks, smiling.
"Yes." He bends over and kisses her gently on her forehead.
"I meant your pen." She offers it to him. "But thank you," she whispers.
He's blushing, she notices, and is mildly amused – they've only been together a few weeks, and they're still navigating their relationship, both in terms of Daisy being his boss now that she's Director of SHIELD, and in terms of keeping it on the down low – it's not a secret, but they're trying to be discreet all the same. Even if, as Mack recently asserted, they're SHIELD's worst kept secret.
"Thanks," he says.
She gets to her feet, and he raises an eyebrow, then smirks when she loops her arms loosely around his neck. "You're the best boyfriend I ever had," she tells him, knowing he'll roll his eyes at 'boyfriend' because – he argues – he's too old to be called her 'boyfriend', but since he's a very youthful 55, Daisy still likes to call him that.
He does roll his eyes, then embraces her. "You deserve the best," he tells her – something he's been telling her, in one way or another, for almost as long as she's known him.
"Mmm." She brushes her lips against his. "Now go and be the best Human-Inhuman Advocate I have," she tells him.
He chuckles. "Yes ma'am." He raises his eyebrows at her, expectantly, and she rolls her eyes yet again, then kisses him, quick and hard, before gently pushing him away.
"Get out of here, Phil, or you'll be late, and we know how much Glenn hates that."
He chuckles again, sketches a salute, then heads out, and Daisy shakes her head, sits down, then pulls her keyboard towards her: she has a ton of work to do, as always.
But as she brings up the first report to read, she can't help smiling fondly at the way he'd kissed her forehead. He's such a sap, and she loves him for it. She's not sure she deserves him, but she'd never say that aloud in front of him.
Then she banishes her smile and makes herself focus on Agent Piper's latest field report. She doesn't have time to wallow in thoughts of Phil's romantic sappiness, pleasant as that would be.