Disclaimer: I own neither The Avengers nor the X-Men, nor any part of the Marvel Comic universe.
A/N: I desperately want a fix-it fic for The Avengers in which Phil Coulson does not die, but does not fully recover either. I mentioned this desire on my livejournal and had some discussion about it, during which I wrote a small drabble to whet the appetite. I want someone else to write more.
This is not the end
Phil is at a cafe, sitting at one of their sidewalk tables, because now he suddenly has free time. He's drinking decaffeinated coffee because caffeine is bad for his heart and he's wondering if he's worth anything anymore now that he's been invalided out of all field assignments.
He's wondering if he needs to start his whole life over like he's eighteen again except that now he's fifty with a bad heart and he's not sure if he can do it.
And then the most powerful mutant telepath in the world rolls up to his table. It's more than a bit terrifying because Phil has secrets, and Prof. X can read minds and leads a force that equals the Avengers and...
"Do you mind sharing your table for a bit?"
"Ah, no, of course not." Phil wonders if he's supposed to pretend that he doesn't recognize the other man.
Prof. X merely gets the waiter to bring him a cup of tea and they sit quietly for a bit just casually watching the people pass by. Or at least, Prof. X appears to be casually watching the people. Phil does his best to appear as if he is too, rather than showing exactly how hyper aware he is of everything going around him. He spots at least two other mutants who appear to be keeping an outer perimeter for their leader. He's not sure if this makes it more or less likely that the Professor is sharing a table with him by pure chance.
Phil is working on his third refill when Prof X finishes his cup of tea. He puts the cup down on the table along with a bill to cover payment and a tip, and then turns to Phil.
"You know," the Professor speaks as if they are in the middle of a conversation, "I was shot in the back when I was not yet thirty."
"Yes. I've read the reports." Phil does calm and steady when confronted with uncertainty and potential danger.
"It was not the end of my productive life," Prof. X points out dryly.
That is a rather pointed wake-up call.
The most powerful mutant leader, both in mutant power and in political power, rolls his wheelchair away from the table and sets off down the sidewalk before Phil can think of what to say in response.
Well, okay then.
Time to stop with the self-pity and get on with saving the world.