Allegiance
To be truthful, she hated paperwork. Or more accurately, the reflection. All the more glad that HQ usually paired them. He had a knack with paperwork. He always did hers too, included her files and send them both to administration. He never asked anything in return – something that everybody, well almost everybody, would do. One of the reasons she was glad that he was her friend. She liked that part of him.
He lost valuable time, time he could use to relax. Whenever she approached the somewhat sensitive subject, he would always say that he wanted to do it, that he didn't mind the fuss. He even one time said that he liked paperwork, after a long mission full of running and exploding bombs and guns and chaos.
It made her frown, but she believed him. She trusted him to come to her if he needed anything in return, anything at all. She only hoped he would do it, and not remain his strange, shy, hesitant self and decided to tackle the problem himself.
A thing they both shared. Somewhat
She knocked at the door and opened it before he could say tell anything. She had said she would come, perhaps that was the reason he didn't even glance up.
A pen in one hand, likely making some notes, and a notebook near him. On his other side, a tablet, likely full of notes oo. She silently closed the door. She marveled again how their superiors always allowed him to borrow one of the temporary empty offices.
"How is it going?"
"Half way there. Some things I need to change a bit. I need the notes to remind me of all the excruciating details."
She felt guilty again that him searched for everything – all the little, unimportant details – all on his own. He never asked her to bother to help him, even if she only needed to dig a bit in her memories, or remember some trivial facts.
"Are you sure you don't need me to help you?"
"No, I've got it covered." He glanced up when she remained silent. He took note of her slightly pained expression and he smiled that special smile.
"Really. I have all the help I can get. And if I need your help, I'll tell you."
"You will?" He snapped his head back to her again. Usually , she would just keep her mouth shut or just nodded in return. But she didn't want to exhibit that particular script this time. She wanted o divert from that for once.
"Yeah...sure." She wanted to continue, wanted to push, but couldn't. That expression of him, him just being there... She couldn't continue. And she hated herself more for it.
"Okay." She glanced around, and noted a chair near the entrance. "You mind if I stay here for a while?"
"Sure." He never questioned this either. But the truth was, she found it quite boring at times to just wander around all alone. While some would squeal in delight, she only peeked at the rooms. She didn't know a lot of people, and most things she had already seen numerous times. Besides, she didn't want to bother the people here in HQ, busy with their own tasks and assignments.
She didn't know if he knew that. Of course, one other person she could always go to, but like the rest, she had her busy agenda, giving orders, signing papers, listening to the persons with lower access level report to her. And she had already seen her the last time they needed to be here, that should be enough for both of them. For now.
She lifted the chair and brought it close to the desk. She plopped it down and sat on it. she sighed. Had been a while since she had sat on a proper chair, and not any chair on a plane. She couldn't pinpoint it, but both brought a different kind of comfort to her.
She tried not to peek too much at him. She didn't know why, but with him, she could always be relaxed and comfy and content. Just seeing him could be enough. He worked so fluently, and didn't comment on her slightly disturbing glances. Where some would find it rude, he only waved it away. She hoped he would be just as content as herself, but she doubted it. Nobody could be fully content when someone ogled them.
Yet here he was, working efficiently, better than she would ever get, with a small smile on his lips. She wondered again how someone could find relief from writing and making reports. Perhaps she should ask for him for some tips some day.
She resisted the urge to lean forward, rest her hand on her chin and just watch him work.
The day couldn't get any better.
A knock on the door. Well...
He glanced up, she glanced back. Their eyes met for a split moment. "Come in."
There she was, walking in. She didn't close the door. "Agent Coulson, Agent May."
"Agent Hand, good morning. Is there a problem?"
"No, not at all." She glanced at the desk littered with paperwork. "Continue the good work, I'll see the reports later at the day."
"Yes, of course." He continued to stare at her, pen still hovering near the papers.
"Please continue, don't let my presence here disturb anything you were doing."
He smiled. "Yes, ma'm."
He glanced down and continued writing, though she noticed a slight tenseness, and how a small pause accompanied each stroke.
"I was just wondering if I may borrow Agent May for a few moments?" He glanced at her, puzzled, concerned. He was likely thinking that she was in trouble. That man, always so worried about others... She hoped her smile could put him at ease.
"Only if Coulson agrees."
"Yes, but I hope nothing is wrong?"
"Oh, nothing of that kind." She wouldn't elaborate. He likely knew – he had a knack for this kind of thing – that asking further wouldn't give him any kind of answer.
"Okay. If May wouldn't mind..." She stood, dragged the chair back near the door. She hoped that she wouldn't step a bit closer to her. She sometimes did that.
She only glanced at her.
She turned back to him.
"I'll see you around."
"Yeah, sure."
She watched as their superior said goodbye to him, and then followed her outside. She traced her steps to her private office. As they passed agents, she once again marveled how respected she was among the ranks. She could onlyfollow in her footsteps.
She held the door open for her. She peeked at her and noticed she was staring straight at her. She stepped inside. She didn't like – never had too – to be the first to enter, to have eyes resting on her back. She wanted to see everything, everyone. But she could only hear the door closing and smell that perfume as she passed her. This time, their shoulders brushed. She sat down behind her desk, cluttered with papers and tablets and a few notebooks, but all very organized. She couldn't do that. At least not so neatly.
She didn't offer a seat to her. She likely knew that she would prefer to stand anyway.
"Has everything gone as expected?"
"Yes, ma'm." She cocked her eyebrows. She caught her mistake. "Yes."
"Good." She nodded once and began organizing the desk even more. "I must say I was growing a bit worried when you two hadn't reported back at the estimated time."
"Some minor complication,s but nothing that should be noted."
"I wish to be notified if something like this happens again." She didn't answer, but when their eyes meet again, she could only answer. No matter what...well, this was, she remained her superior. She owed her an answer.
"All right."
"Good." She laid her hands in front of her, entwined her fingers.
"How are you?"
"Fine ma-...fine." She smiled – a very stunning smile that made her even more beautiful – and she couldn't help but smile back. A very stunning woman, and so very alluring, intelligent, cunning, strong. Though a bit cold at times, but she – and she suspected with her, the rest of the organization – rarely saw this side of her. She should count herself lucky. She didn't feel lucky, though.
"Good. Very good." She stood and walked around her desk.
"Have you given a thought about my...proposal?"
"Yes."
"And?"
"The answer is still a bit inclusive."
"I see...Is there any way I can help to fasten the process?"
"I don't think so."
"Hmm..." She stood closer and closer to her. If she took a step back, that would mean she had lost. That would mean she would lost another battle, perhaps an even more important one than the previous one.
So, she stood her ground. "If you don't mind,. I would like some more time."
"Of course." She stood in front of her. She could smell that likely expensive perfume she used, in combination with the shampoo and soap she used. She didn't strike her as a type that bathed. No efficiency in that, after all. Just as herself.
"How much time do you think you'll need?" She had lowered her voice, and leaned a bit towards her. The reflection in her glasses didn't weaken her stare one bit.
"I don't know. At least a few more days, perhaps even longer. I hope that wouldn't be a problem?"
"That depends."
A bit too much. She had already lost this. She walked around her. She chased her. She could only step closer and closer to the wall.
A hand rested beside her, on the wall. She leaned towards her. She towered a bit over her, even more with the high heels. She felt even more smaller than her height already was. She though of him, his height. She liked his height more.
A hand rested on her hair. "Have I told you how much I like your hair? So very smooth. What kind of conditioner do you use?"
"No conditioner, only a shampoo."
"With likely some conditioner proportions, I guess?"
"Yes."
Fingers trailed to her face, hovering close to her cheek, so close she could feel the heat of each finger. Such warmth always from her hands. Hers were most of the time so chilly. Likely a genetic proportion, but her own fault too: if she didn't need to use her hands, she wouldn't.
"And I see you still train every day?"
"That depends. I still do tai chi every day, though."
"That's a very good habit. I may ask of you some day to help me with that. I've grown a bit interested in it."
"Truly?"
"Everything you do interests me." She couldn't hold her gaze any longer and glanced over her shoulder.
"I doubt it." Gentle, yet firm fingers grasped her chin and rested her gaze back at her. "I mean that."
She leaned closer and closer. Their breaths mingled. She couldn't escape her. Besides the heavy penalty of hitting her superior, she had far more experience and brute strength than herself.
She thought she would kiss her – her angle did focus on her lips, and her eyes did linger there. She even wet her lips a bit. But only her nose touched her skin, sniffing her, resting on her ears.
"If you don't mind, ma'm-"
"Hill...or Victoria, whichever you prefer."
"Agent Hill."
"That's all, Agent May." She abruptly stood aside. "You're excused." She felt a bit guilty again for not doing as being. But she just wasn't ready for it – anything of this – and didn't feel comfortable being on first name terms. After all, she was her superior. And she didn't know her, while she likely knew everything about her. One of the perks of having such a high clearance level.
"Good day then, Agen-...Hill."
She glanced back over her shoulders, a wane smile. She opened and closed the door. She tried not think too much about everything that had happened.
She wouldn't mind making a round, all on her own. She likely deserved it. She needed some time alone to think. She wanted, no wanted, a place where she could do tai chi,.
Yes, she would do that.