Quake and a half.
Summary: Phil Coulson sort of becomes Quake for a few days. On accident. He was just too curious.
Notes: Fantastic Four: The Silver Surfer was on a few days ago and I thought what if Coulson touched something like the Surfer's board?
"It could have been worse." Coulson said.
Daisy glared at him.
Of course, with him being half-naked on a bed with needles on presure points – following the instructions from Afterlife – and his eyes closed as if he was having a relaxing break, made it hard for her to stay mad at him.
"You had to touch it, didn't you?" she sighed.
"I'm sorry." he smiled appologetically at her. "It looked harmless."
"It was an 0-8-4! It could have killed you!"
"But it didn't."
"That doesn't make this any better, Phil." Daisy sighed. "Besides. Just because it doesn't look harmfull doesn't mean it can't hurt you. Look at me."
"You totally look like you can hurt some HYDRA Nazis or a terrorist group or two."
"Be serious." she smiled.
"I am."
Daisy rubbed her face, trying to hide her growing smile.
"What am I going to do with you?"
"Well…" Coulson started playfully.
"You know, demotion did wonders to your flirtiness, but it added a whole new load of worries on my head for your safety."
"Sorry, Director."
"Come on, Phil, you are my best agent. Don't go touching things you shouldn't and die on me."
"How long do I have to stay like this?"
"According to these, another hour."
Coulson goraned.
"Daisy…I'm bored."
"Good. Then you won't go touching weird metalic-like objects nilly-willy again."
Silence fell. You could hear a pin fall in the room. Coulson blinked at her.
"Did you just…?"
"You're rubbing off on me."
"I most certainly am not. I have never used that in front of you. Or anyone else, for that matter."
"Nilly-willy?" Hunter giggled.
"Where did you even hear it?" Couslon asked.
Daisy shrugged.
"More like when." Bobbi mumbled.
"Hey." Coulson reached out to Daisy, "I'm sorry for the mess I caused."
"I know."
"We'll be fine."
"I know." she smiled.
"I get to see the world through your eyes. In a way." he chuckled.
"Do we know how long this will last?" Daisy asked.
"Could be a limited time or permanent." Bobbi shrugged.
"What if I touched the silver cube again?"
"Are you trying to kill yourself?" Daisy asked him.
"No way we are letting you near it before we run tests on it." Bobbi said, simultaneously.
"It was a thought." Coulson shrugged, "It's not like it killed me the first time."
"What if it kills you the second time? Phil…"
Coulson looked at Daisy.
"I appologise for the extra trouble. I know I am…too relaxed about this. But…I feel like I'm finally living. I haven't felt so free in ages."
"And all it took you was to pass the Directorship on to me."
"I feel safer knowing you're the one driving." he smiled.
"Oh?" Bobbi grinned. "Does Daisy get to touch Lola, then?" she asked.
"Of course." Coulson replied seriously. "I wouldn't trust Lola with anyone else."
"Better not let Mack hear you say that, sir. You'll hurt his feelings."
Hunter snickered.
"I am not your boss anymore, Morse." Coulson said, ignoring Hunter.
"No, you're just her second." the scientist nodded towards Daisy.
"Ok, you can get up now." Daisy said after a few moments.
Coulson started taking off the needles, Daisy helping him.
"And now?" he asked.
"Well, while we try to figure out this cube, Daisy will teach you how not to bring the building down on our heads."
"With less broken bones this time, hopefully." Daisy said.
"Hey." Coulson took her hand in his, "I am sorry I wasn't any help back then."
"It helped to know you weren't scared of me, but for me."
"Of course."
"OK, lovebirds. You two need to start on your trainning, let Bob and the science squad deal with metalic cube in permanent flux in peace and quiet." Hunter gently guided the Director and her second in command out.
"Hunter!" they both groaned.
"What? Get yourselves a trainning room and go wild. No else needs to know."
"You know, now that I think about it, our bathrooms are in need of some cleaning," Daisy said, mock-thoughtfully, "and I think you'd be great for the job, Hunter. Run along then." she smiled.
"You tyrant! I'm only looking out for you kids." he pouted as he went to his punishment.
"So, what are we going to do now?" Coulson asked once they were in the trainning room.
Daisy put a few items in a row opposite them.
"Well, since you've copied my powers, you'll first have to understand that everything vibrates. No matter how still it looks. Our power taps into that. It's easy to move big things, because you don't need the precision to block everything else."
"Hence the earthquakes." Coulson realised.
"Or the mountain." Daisy smiled.
"You moved a mountain?" he asked in awe, "I wish I had seen that." he smiled.
"Maybe I'll show you some time."
"I'll hold you to that, boss."
"Now. Close your eyes and focus on the red chair."
"How would I be able to tell it's the red one and not the office one?"
"They vibrate differently. Don't worry. You don't have to get it on the first try."
"Okay."
Following Daisy's instructions, Coulson closed his eyes and focused.
He raised his hand – mirroring Daisy – and send the vibrations out.
Everything hit the wall.
"Good first try." she smiled.
"Now if I can move just one chair…"
"We'll work on it."
They pulled forward the chairs and table again.
"Again. Focus."
Coulson nodded, looking serious.
Daisy stood behind him and let her hands rest on his shoulders.
"Relax, Phil. You don't have to be so wound up." she said softly.
He nodded again.
Then, when he felt ready, he raised his hand, opened his eyes and pushed everything back to the wall again.
"I don't seem to get the hang of focusing on one vibration." he mumbled.
"Hey. You know how long it took me. You're fine. At least you're not triggering earthquakes."
"I am blocking Earth's vibrations…oh!"
"You focus too much on trying not to shake things up." Daisy said. "Just…relax. I got you."
Coulson smiled.
He closed his eyes.
This time he moved both chairs, but only the chairs.
Their trainning went on for the whole next week – as much time as Daisy could spare in helping her partner, she did, amidst the chaos that was left behind ATCU and Hive – while the scientists ran their tests on the weird cube.
"You're so…lively." Coulson said one evening.
"Hm?"
"Your vibrations." he explained.
Daisy looked up from her paperwork to look at him. Coulson had spread out on the couch, reading through the reports about the cube.
"Even when doing something as boring as paperwork, tired from the day, you sound energetic. It dims slightly, but…" he made a sound, unable to find the right words.
"You sound like one of your old love songs, all warmth and feeling, that can go from hopefulness to melancholy in the same verse."
Coulson looked towards her and gave her a soft smile.
Of course a mission comes up and they both are needed out there.
"Phil. Try not to use your powers. I haven't taught you to use them in combat yet and in trying to help, they could do more harm."
Coulson nodded.
"Director." he said.
It all goes acording to plan until it doesn't and Coulson, mostly on accident, uses his powers and the world tilts to the side and panics.
"Shit." he curses. "Sorry, boss. I slipped."
"I'm glad I focused so much in teaching you how to control this."
"Me too."
"Are you ok?" she asked after a moment.
"Yeah. I little shocked, really."
"Why? You've seen my use my powers before."
"I've seen you. I never used them myself. The feeling…"
"Yeah." she underatood, "I'm coming to get you."
"Yeah, that would be a good idea. I don't think I can move right now."
"You said you were ok."
"Physically, I am. I feel a little lightheaded, though." he chuckled, "Now I know hpw you feel after. I feel a little hungry, too."
"Got snacks with me. I'm almost there."
"Waiting for your arrival."
Daisy found Coulson leaning against a wall, yawning, clearly worn out.
"Hey, beautiful." she grinned, passing him a bag of chips.
"God, I love you." he sighed, as he opened the bag and started eating, offering her some.
"So? What happened?"
"Bad guy," he pointed to the knocked out guy, "was about to attack a couple of kids. I thought I wasn't going to make it in time and stop him, reached out and woosh!" he said mid bite. "Of course people panicked because clearly I am not Quake."
"You were still trying to help, though. Benefit of the doubt, nobody?" Daisy sighed.
Coulson smiled.
"It's fine. I'm no superhero."
"It's rude, Phil. You could be someone timid and that reaction could have negative effects on your confidence."
"Good thing I am a little more self-assured, then." he smiled.
"Be serious."
"Sorry. I know it's important. But you need to let your hair down from time to time."
Daisy snorted, running her hand through her hair.
"You were saying?" she smirked.
Coulson laughed.
"I'm ready to go home, boss." he smiled.
"You sure you can walk?"
"Worst case scenario, I'll have to lean on you a little. Otherwise, yes, I'm sure."
Nodding, Daisy helped him to his feet and the two of them headed towards the Quinjet, while agents handled the clean-up.
"Boss. Good news." Bobbi greeted them as they returned to base.
"What is it?"
"Coulson's powers. We can reverse the effect the cude had on him."
"Oh." Coulson sounded a little disappointed.
"How?"
"Well, turns out, he has to touch it again, like he had suggested."
"Really?" Coulson looked surprised.
"Yep. Seems it's safe to touch it again." Bobbi nodded, "Whenever you're ready." she added before leaving them alone.
"So." Coulson started.
"You really want to keep the superpowers, don't you?"
"I hear the world like you do. And I'm a little scared of the silence that'll follow."
"If we came up with something that'd allow you to 'listen' to the vibrations like I do…"
Coulson shook his head.
"I think that would drive me nuts, there wouldn't be an outlet, and taking the device off would plunge me into silence. And I can't keep them, it's dangerous; my DNA and body can't support them for long, accidental earthquakes not accounted for."
"You thought about it a lot, huh?"
"Besides, I'm no superhero and I enjoy being your human sidekick."
"If you want to keep these powers…"
"It's fine. You're here. And if the silence becomes too much, I can always play one of our records." he smiled.
Daisy shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips.
"Come here." she said quietly.
Coulson went to her arms.
Later that evening, the two of them were in the lad, the cube on the table in front of them. Bobbi was also there to seal the 0-8-4 away afterwards.
"Well, here goes nothing." Coulson said, reaching towards it.
He touched the cube again, still cool to the touch and the strange feeling that something was being removed from inside him.
Slowly he noticed the vibrations dimming before vanishing, being replaced by a strange emptiness.
He took his hand away.
"It's almost too quiet." he said, straining to hear the buzzing of the machines and computers running.
Bobbi looked at him, as Daisy laid a hand on his shoulder. Coulson smiled, resting his hand on hers.
"Well, better make sure we keep this under lock and key?" Bobbi asked, as she sealed it in a glass box.
"More or less?" Daisy shrugged. "I mean, it's not completely life-threatening. Is it?"
Bobbi shrugged.
"The tests didn't give any warnings, there's no radiation coming off, it's not Kree…" she listed, "Defintely not Tesseract-powered, too. So, less paranoia about it than some of our alien artifacts."
Daisy noded, patted Coulson's shoulder and turned to go.
"I have so much paperwork to deal with about today." she groaned upon seeing the time.
"You could always delegate it to your second. After all, this mess is his fault this time." Bobbi grinned, as she watched the two go.
"My second is already on refuel duty. He makes a mean grilled cheese sandwich." Daisy said from the door, smiling back, "Which, by the way, will be greatly appreciated."
"Grilled cheese sandwiches, coming right up. I still feel the need to refuel myself. The snacks were great earlier, thank you."
"Hey, you always look out for me. Of course I'd have your back."
"I love you." he said quietly.
"I know." she smiled, pulling him in for a kiss.
"I'll help with the reports once I bring our food, ok?"
"Thank you." she smiled.
"See you in a bit."
"Okay."
"Okay."
They stared at each other – lovnigly, said a voice in their heads that sounded too much like one Lance Hunter – for a few more seconds before parting ways.
Fifteen minutes later, they were sitting on the couch, working through their reports, munching on the sandwiches Phil had made for them and stealing kisses.