Shield Christmas parties used to big affairs with special forms dedicated from the inevitable fallout that followed the combination of spies and too much alcohol and sugar. Every base had had their own party so that everyone, no matter where they were, could join a party.
Last year he had still been officially dead and not been declared fit for work again so instead of a party it had been him and Clint relaxing at home. If he had known it would be last Christmas party he'd have gone anyway, clearance levels be damned.
There wouldn't have been a Christmas party this year if Skye hadn't asked.
"So, AC", she had said, sitting down on the edge of his desk, "Simmons said you guys throw some wild Christmas parties."
"Did she now?" He had asked. Amongst Shield the scientists had a reputation for living by the motto "work hard, party harder".
Skye had nodded. "We should have one. Celebrate that most of us are still alive and all that."
He had been about to refuse her when he thought better of it. She had been right. "Fine, if you want a party you can organize one. Just keep the budget at a reasonable level."
And that was how he had ended up here, surrounded by the handful of Shield agents left and some that weren't technically Shield agents anymore. He wasn't sure he wanted to know how Skye had managed to track down Nick or Jasper with them being officially dead but he was glad she had done it.
Skye seemed a little awestruck by Natasha who was sitting next to her, wearing sparkly Christmas tree earrings. She was telling a version of the Budapest mission that even Phil hadn't heard yet and going by his face, neither had Clint.
Nick seemed to have a very engaging discussion with Hunter and Mike in one corner while Fitz, Mack the Koening brothers and Ace were playing Mario Kart in the other. Next to Nick, dressed in his old black coat for the occasion and Mike with his cybernetic implants, Hunter looked downright adorable in his ugly Christmas sweater. He, Jemma and Fitz all were wearing one but where Fitz's looked downright normal, being black with a snowflake pattern on it, and Jemma's being quite cute with a large penguin in a Santa hat on the front, Hunter's was a red monstrosity that had a Christmas tree with glitter and googly eyes. Half of the room had taken a double take when he had walked in, wearing it proudly.
Jemma was in the awkward position of trying to avoid both Fitz and Jasper which she did through sticking to either Bobbi's or Trip's side like a small, Christmas sweater wearing shadow. It helped that Bobbi had joined Nick's little group of discussing the best way to hunt Hydra agents just when Trip decided to give in to the temptation of playing Mario Kart.
When Natasha had finished her story, Maria picked up by regaling everyone with what it was like to work for Tony Stark.
"You could've joined us", Melinda said to her.
"I would've but someone", she glared at Nick's back, "thought it'd be a good idea to have someone in Stark's vicinity."
"Admit it, you like it", Natasha replied.
Maria shrugged. "I've had worse jobs." She exchanged looks with Jasper.
"Didn't we all? Working for Stark has to be better than being an undercover Hydra agent", he said.
"I don't know, I mean Hydra had a lot higher allowances", Bobby replied, sitting down on the edge of the couch with Simmons in tow. Apparently spending time in Jasper's vicinity was still preferable to being in Fitz's.
"And their scientific database was somewhat more comprehensive due to their experiments not being restrained by ethical concerns." Jemma paused for a moment. "Oh dear, that just made me sound like a stereotypical mad scientist, didn't it?"
"Just a bit", Skye said, holding her hands about a foot apart.
"You know", Natasha eyed Jemma with interest, "I never got the whole story about you shooting Jasper."
Jasper groaned while Jemma turned red like a tomato while Skye grinned with delight.
"It was quite funny, actually", Skye started but Jemma quickly interrupted her. "Did you hear that we found aliens?"
Clint, who had evidently less interest in blue extraterrestrials than Natasha, got up from the couch and walked to Phil where he stood in the doorway and watched the others in the lounge. He wrapped his arm around Phil's waist and rested his head on his shoulder. "Did you think we'd have this again when Shield fell?"
"No, I didn't", Phil turned his head slightly to look at Clint. "But I'm glad I was wrong."
There was a sudden outbreak of groans and curses from the Mario Kart corner. Going by experience Coulson was pretty sure someone had just tossed a blue shell. Going by Sam's, or was it Billy's, smug face Coulson bet it had been him.
"Do you want to keep watching for the rest of the evening?" Clint asked, pressing a kiss against the side of Phil's neck.
"Why, do you have a better – "
"Ugh, do you guys have to be so cute?" Hunter asked from the kitchen door, carrying three bottles of eggnog.
"Perks of being married", Clint answered with a smile that exposed all his teeth.
"Yeah, well, get a room", Hunter said, going back into the lounge. He gave one bottle to Natasha and left the other on a coffee table next to Trip before picking up his conversation with Nick and Mike again. Hunting Hydra agents was apparently an inexhaustible topic.
"That's what I was going to suggest", Clint whispered into Phil's ear. The drop in his voice sent shivers down Phil's spine. "Skip the party, have sex in your office…it's tradition by now. It'd be a shame if we missed it this year again."
"Technically I have two offices", Phil said. He could feel Clint's smile against his neck.
"Well, then lead the way, Director Coulson."