Cap/Falc/Sharon, for lcsbanana
This took forever to figure out how to write, and it turned out much longer than expected--too long for an LJ comment, in fact--so it gets its own post. Thanks to plainsong_x for talking me through this and reading over it tonight, and also to anyone else I've talked to about this over the past almost-a-week.
Cap/Falc/Sharon, for lcsbanana
When Agent 13 entered the room, she was blushing. Only slightly, but to the two men seated on the remarkably opulent bed this SHIELD practice room had been furnished with, that very fact was surprising and worrisome.
She was a secret agent, after all. Secret agents don't blush very often.
"So what's the word from Colonel Fury?" asked Falcon.
"He's really angry. Says we need to work on our group cohesion." She paused.
"So he put us here." Captain America raised an eyebrow. "Any word on what we're supposed to do to get out?"
"Locked us up like naughty children. Who does he think he is?!" Falcon stood up and started pacing around the bed.
Sharon Carter blushed more. "Not...quite like children. He suggested maneuver--" she paused-- "Tension and Hostility Reduction Exercises Encouraging Serenity in an Organization of Mutual Esteem."
Cap turned bright red. "He WHAT?"
Falc turned around, confused. "Wait, what?!"
"I can't believe him. I'll get us out if I have to break through the walls and take down all of SHIELD himself."
"Calm down, Steve," Sharon took hold of his arm. "He suggested it; he did not order it, and he gave me his word that we would be allowed to leave, peacefully, tomorrow morning, whatever happens in this room. Or sooner, if there was an emergency that required us."
"Could one of you explain to me what's going on?"
"Nick wants us to...all of us..." Falcon watched in frustration and amusement as Cap turned redder and redder.
"What?" Falcon looked at his two friends. He looked at the bed. He considered what Sharon had said. A bizarre conclusion was starting to dawn on him.
"A very specialized SHIELD maneuver," said Sharon. "If one rather clearly identified by its acronym. A--"
"It doesn't matter, we're not doing it."
"He has a right to know. A T.H.R.E.E.S.O.M.E."
Falc sat down on the bed with a bump. He hurriedly stood up again. "...wow. The man doesn't lack for audacity, does he?"
"Fury seldom did," commented Cap dryly. "He does, however, almost always keep his word."
"So...I take it we're here for the night?" asked Falc
"Pretty much. SHIELD has worse accommodations. You two can have the bed, since there are two of you and one of me."
"No, no, the lady gets the bed," said Cap.
"I'm a SHIELD agent, not a lady. We've been through this many times."
"In combat, you're Agent 13. But when it comes to beds--"
"Beds in *SHIELD* headquarters. Where, I might add, we're very definitely not, by your word, following his...rather prurient instructions."
"Yes, which is why *we* will be sleeping on the floor."
"No, that's why *I'll* be sleeping on the floor."
"...does this mean I get the bed?" asked Falcon. "While you lie on the floor and bicker? It does look like we could use *some* sort of group cohesion exercise."
Cap took a deep breath. "You may be right, at that. Certainly *Nick* is, often enough, and you *are* a social worker."
"Good to have my team contributions acknowledged."
"I always value you. You're my *partner*." Cap put a hand on Falcon's shoulder.
"Good, then. And Sharon is one hell of an agent, and a great woman for you."
Both men looked expectantly at Sharon.
She sighed ruefully. "And you, Cap, are an unbelievable man, a great fighter, and the love of my life. But I'm not going to make the both of you sleep on the floor."
"Well, how about *I* sleep on the floor, and you two can be a happy couple?" suggested Falc. "I can dream of Leila finally deciding I'm not too much of an Uncle Tom..."
"NO!" said Cap, grabbing hold of Falc's shoulder.
"Well, all right, then. I guess we'll have to go with the intended arrangement. The bed's certainly big enough." Falcon pulled away and pulled back the blankets. "And we *do* all need some sleep." He gestured inside. "Ladies and old men first!"
Sharon and Cap looked at each other. They both looked at Falc. Falc looked at them both. "I hope you're not afraid to share a bed with a Black man, either of you!"
"Falc, you know *I'm* not. Just, propriety..."
"It's not the forties anymore, Steve. I trust you both, and all of us are grown-ups. Grown-ups who badly need sleep." Sharon took off her boots and climbed into the bed. "So do you want to chaperon us, Captain, or not?"
"All right, then!" Steve put down his boots and shield and climbed into bed next to his sometime lover. "You next, partner?"
"Yes, sir." Falcon smiled and climbed in.
-------
Captain America did not, normally, have difficulty falling sleep. He'd trained himself to be able to sleep through heavy gunfire, if necessary, and yet hop up immediately under immediate threat.
Lying on a soft and warm bed between the living man and woman he loved most in the world, and endeavoring not to touch either of them, however, seemed more of a trial than sleeping between bullets.
He lay awake, silent and still, and he listened to Sam and Sharon doing the same thing.
He lay awake and tried really hard not to think of what Nick Fury had suggested. Or to think that the others had been thinking the same thing, or that they, too, were tempted by the thought.
He applied all his training to clear his mind. With Sharon, maybe someday, but there was no point in thinking of it now, when they both had such dangerous jobs to do. With Sam, never. Certainly never with both.
Even if he could feel the heat of their bodies, both of them, so close to him. Even if he could almost feel the touch of their skin, more familiar from combat than affection, against his.
And then, as if at some signal (and who knows, maybe it was? Some joint conspiracy that had escaped his notice) both of his bed companions fell asleep and, propelled by gravity and his greater weight in the center of the (very soft--no doubt that was *Nick's* fault) bed, rolled half on top of him.
And then they both woke up.
And looked at him.
Steve realized that his arms, which had been lying at his sides, had, in a protective maneuver, reached around his companions, so that he was now embracing both of them.
In bed.
Fortunately, they were all fully clothed.
He pondered removing his arms, but that would be rather difficult, unless either Sharon or Sam decided to move. Which they didn't seem inclined to.
They were looking at each other now.
"Well," said Sam. "Nick Fury *is* a rather smart man."
"I know," said Sharon, and kissed Sam.
Thoroughly.
Just far enough from Steve's face that he didn't go cross-eyed watching them. Not far enough away that he could really avoid seeing, without actually closing his eyes.
Which he did. When his brain caught up.
And then he got kissed. From both sides.
At which point he gave in and accepted the inevitable. Nick Fury was often that.
Cap/Falc/Sharon, for lcsbanana
When Agent 13 entered the room, she was blushing. Only slightly, but to the two men seated on the remarkably opulent bed this SHIELD practice room had been furnished with, that very fact was surprising and worrisome.
She was a secret agent, after all. Secret agents don't blush very often.
"So what's the word from Colonel Fury?" asked Falcon.
"He's really angry. Says we need to work on our group cohesion." She paused.
"So he put us here." Captain America raised an eyebrow. "Any word on what we're supposed to do to get out?"
"Locked us up like naughty children. Who does he think he is?!" Falcon stood up and started pacing around the bed.
Sharon Carter blushed more. "Not...quite like children. He suggested maneuver--" she paused-- "Tension and Hostility Reduction Exercises Encouraging Serenity in an Organization of Mutual Esteem."
Cap turned bright red. "He WHAT?"
Falc turned around, confused. "Wait, what?!"
"I can't believe him. I'll get us out if I have to break through the walls and take down all of SHIELD himself."
"Calm down, Steve," Sharon took hold of his arm. "He suggested it; he did not order it, and he gave me his word that we would be allowed to leave, peacefully, tomorrow morning, whatever happens in this room. Or sooner, if there was an emergency that required us."
"Could one of you explain to me what's going on?"
"Nick wants us to...all of us..." Falcon watched in frustration and amusement as Cap turned redder and redder.
"What?" Falcon looked at his two friends. He looked at the bed. He considered what Sharon had said. A bizarre conclusion was starting to dawn on him.
"A very specialized SHIELD maneuver," said Sharon. "If one rather clearly identified by its acronym. A--"
"It doesn't matter, we're not doing it."
"He has a right to know. A T.H.R.E.E.S.O.M.E."
Falc sat down on the bed with a bump. He hurriedly stood up again. "...wow. The man doesn't lack for audacity, does he?"
"Fury seldom did," commented Cap dryly. "He does, however, almost always keep his word."
"So...I take it we're here for the night?" asked Falc
"Pretty much. SHIELD has worse accommodations. You two can have the bed, since there are two of you and one of me."
"No, no, the lady gets the bed," said Cap.
"I'm a SHIELD agent, not a lady. We've been through this many times."
"In combat, you're Agent 13. But when it comes to beds--"
"Beds in *SHIELD* headquarters. Where, I might add, we're very definitely not, by your word, following his...rather prurient instructions."
"Yes, which is why *we* will be sleeping on the floor."
"No, that's why *I'll* be sleeping on the floor."
"...does this mean I get the bed?" asked Falcon. "While you lie on the floor and bicker? It does look like we could use *some* sort of group cohesion exercise."
Cap took a deep breath. "You may be right, at that. Certainly *Nick* is, often enough, and you *are* a social worker."
"Good to have my team contributions acknowledged."
"I always value you. You're my *partner*." Cap put a hand on Falcon's shoulder.
"Good, then. And Sharon is one hell of an agent, and a great woman for you."
Both men looked expectantly at Sharon.
She sighed ruefully. "And you, Cap, are an unbelievable man, a great fighter, and the love of my life. But I'm not going to make the both of you sleep on the floor."
"Well, how about *I* sleep on the floor, and you two can be a happy couple?" suggested Falc. "I can dream of Leila finally deciding I'm not too much of an Uncle Tom..."
"NO!" said Cap, grabbing hold of Falc's shoulder.
"Well, all right, then. I guess we'll have to go with the intended arrangement. The bed's certainly big enough." Falcon pulled away and pulled back the blankets. "And we *do* all need some sleep." He gestured inside. "Ladies and old men first!"
Sharon and Cap looked at each other. They both looked at Falc. Falc looked at them both. "I hope you're not afraid to share a bed with a Black man, either of you!"
"Falc, you know *I'm* not. Just, propriety..."
"It's not the forties anymore, Steve. I trust you both, and all of us are grown-ups. Grown-ups who badly need sleep." Sharon took off her boots and climbed into the bed. "So do you want to chaperon us, Captain, or not?"
"All right, then!" Steve put down his boots and shield and climbed into bed next to his sometime lover. "You next, partner?"
"Yes, sir." Falcon smiled and climbed in.
-------
Captain America did not, normally, have difficulty falling sleep. He'd trained himself to be able to sleep through heavy gunfire, if necessary, and yet hop up immediately under immediate threat.
Lying on a soft and warm bed between the living man and woman he loved most in the world, and endeavoring not to touch either of them, however, seemed more of a trial than sleeping between bullets.
He lay awake, silent and still, and he listened to Sam and Sharon doing the same thing.
He lay awake and tried really hard not to think of what Nick Fury had suggested. Or to think that the others had been thinking the same thing, or that they, too, were tempted by the thought.
He applied all his training to clear his mind. With Sharon, maybe someday, but there was no point in thinking of it now, when they both had such dangerous jobs to do. With Sam, never. Certainly never with both.
Even if he could feel the heat of their bodies, both of them, so close to him. Even if he could almost feel the touch of their skin, more familiar from combat than affection, against his.
And then, as if at some signal (and who knows, maybe it was? Some joint conspiracy that had escaped his notice) both of his bed companions fell asleep and, propelled by gravity and his greater weight in the center of the (very soft--no doubt that was *Nick's* fault) bed, rolled half on top of him.
And then they both woke up.
And looked at him.
Steve realized that his arms, which had been lying at his sides, had, in a protective maneuver, reached around his companions, so that he was now embracing both of them.
In bed.
Fortunately, they were all fully clothed.
He pondered removing his arms, but that would be rather difficult, unless either Sharon or Sam decided to move. Which they didn't seem inclined to.
They were looking at each other now.
"Well," said Sam. "Nick Fury *is* a rather smart man."
"I know," said Sharon, and kissed Sam.
Thoroughly.
Just far enough from Steve's face that he didn't go cross-eyed watching them. Not far enough away that he could really avoid seeing, without actually closing his eyes.
Which he did. When his brain caught up.
And then he got kissed. From both sides.
At which point he gave in and accepted the inevitable. Nick Fury was often that.