Phil Coulson sat back in his seat and sighed. Tomorrow wasn't going to be a good day, he could tell already.
He leaned his head against the wall behind him, watching the ceiling fan spin lazily round in circles. Right now it was almost 9pm, and he was nursing his second pint of cold beer in a local bar, alongside his friend and fellow agent, John Garrett. The two had just finished their day at the academy overseeing the training of lower level recruits, when Nick Fury, academy leader and all round S.H.I.E.L.D legend, had called Coulson into his office and proceeded to inform him that as of 9am the next morning, he was to become Supervising Officer to a new agent who was transferring from another academy. Phil had tried to ask questions, to protest against it, to find out who they were and why they were transferring, but that was all he was told. Fury dismissed him without another word, and he had no choice but to leave.
He didn't want the task of puppy walking a rookie. Not really. Training agents in general was okay. But one-on-one supervision? Not his style. He had joined S.H.I.E.L.D with the intention of rising through the ranks, and one day running the organisation. He enjoyed his position as of current – he was a level 4 agent, he was on decent pay, and he was in Fury's good books most of the time. The latest mission he had been a part of had gone well, and the rest of the ranks seemed to both like and respect him. Which was probably why he'd been chosen to do this in fairness. But even so.
"Look Phil, puppy walking? It aint so bad" Garrett told him, having to practically shout over the volume of music blaring from across the bar. "I did it for a few weeks last year remember? The kid was okay really."
"John, he accidentally shot himself in the foot on his first week" Phil reminded him. That was one story that would go down in S.H.I.E.L.D history. The rookie kid, a twenty year old Thomas Jackson, had been so nervous when reloading his gun in his first 'Weaponry and Utilisation' class, he had somehow managed to pull the trigger just holding it by his side. Poor kid was never going to be allowed to live it down. Which was probably another reason this new trainee had been assigned to Phil, not Garrett.
"Yeah…well…it was a learning curve for him wasn't it?" John replied, slapping him on the back with a laugh and heading off to get another round in.
Phil watched him disappear through the crowds of fellow agents, trainees and strangers, and thought about what he was going to have to do. Puppy walking a rookie meant showing them the ropes. Usually they were inexperienced in the field. He would have to teach them to fight properly, and how to defend themselves, ensuring they also kept up with all their academia alongside their practical skills. He would have to take them on their first mission, and all whilst remaining professional and unattached.
He dropped his head into his hands with a groan. He already was on half and half supervision of Agent Clint Barton, a level 3 kid and notorious prankster, but with an exceptional talent for archery. The kid had an excellent eye for targets, and could hit a moving bulls-eye with an arrow from almost 100 metres away – and he was getting better. Coulson was assisting with his training as Barton's own SO had been taken ill recently, and he was having enough trouble as it was sorting him out with his pranks. Only last week the first floor toilets had been flooded with blue water, and Coulson knew all too well it was Barton. He'd seen the dye on his shirt and had had to try and cover it up before Fury found out. If a rookie messed up it reflected poorly on for their Supervising Officer.
Like he needed another agent to watch too.
Garrett returned with their third round, having spent the last ten minutes chatting up one of the bar girls, and Phil decided it was to be his last for the night. Like he needed to be hung-over the next morning too.
"You cheered up yet?" John asked, plonking himself back down opposite his friend.
Phil grinned at him and took the beer. "A little."
"Oh you'll get over it, besides –" John took a gulp of the golden liquid filling his glass and winked at him. "Maybe you'll get lucky and it'll be a cute girl."
Phil rolled his eyes. Romantic relationships within S.H.I.E.L.D, regardless of age, experience or rank, were against the rules. Full stop. Feelings created issues, especially when out on the field. Even one-night stands were considered problematic. An emotional attachment to another agent could easily result in somebody acting rash, calling something wrong, or leaving a target unmarked in order to look after the person they cared for.
"And maybe they'll be the perfect student, with full marks in every class, never putting a foot out of line, and they'll already be fully trained." Phil shook his head. "But you know John, I just don't think I'm that lucky."
He downed the last of his pint, and stood up. He wasn't really in the mood to get drunk along with Garrett, and he knew full well his friend would stay for at least another few hours.
"Right, I'm off. I'll see you tomorrow sometime I guess."
He had a very strange feeling that the next few months were going to be hell.
He had no idea both how right, and wrong, he was.
Please review and let me know what you think. I have around 20 chapters planned out so far, but it will probably be more. So yeah, you're here for the long run ;)
I don't own Marvel or AOS or anything to do with it etc.