Avengers: Didn't See You
M. Greystone
She liked cinnamon in her coffee.
It didn't matter if it had milk or cream or even soymilk. She had to have cinnamon.
So, he always made sure there was a full jar next to the coffeepot in the galley just off of the bridge.
He didn't tell her the colour of the spice reminded him of her hair. He liked to see what she did with it every day.
Did she want to just leave it down, or maybe put it up in some military-grade bun, a few random curls escaping nonetheless to tease the soft nape of her neck? He was especially fond of the time that she'd started wearing it like Katniss Everdeen after he'd planned a team-building outing for the senior bridge crew to see 'The Hunger Games.'
She was efficient, excellent at her work, her reports always turned in in a timely manner, and she was always respectful of her superiors.
But, he knew she had a great sense of humour, and a laugh that was infectious.
And he knew she only saw him as a co-worker, as the guy that did whatever Fury needed, as the one who stood above her on the platform, whenever he actually was on the Helicarrier.
So, Coulson was dumbfounded when he walked into his office one morning and found a Captain America trading card carefully encased in a plastic sleeve on his desk, a simple Post-It stuck to the blotter beside it.
"'Thanks for the cinnamon. It's almost as sweet as you.
-Parker'"
Coulson grinned, looking out of his window to find her smiling up at him over the rim of her coffee cup before she turned back to look over the shoulder of the navigator she was working with, making sure SHIELD's floating fortress continued on a safe course.
Maybe he'd plan another team-building outing, he mused.