Title: Good To See You
Author: Chibimono Akuno
Fandom: Marvel Movie!verse -- The Avengers (2012)
Characters: Steve Rogers, Phil Coulson, Tony Stark
Rating: G
Word Count: 899
Warnings: SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS!!!
Disclaimers: Not mine. Just pretending.
Summary: Steve still had difficulties with the cellphone SHIELD had given him, sometimes taking up to an half hour replying to texts from Stark. So when the texts came--"f***n fury bastard"
A/N: Un-beta'd. Also, I love Coulson's fanboying.
Good To See You
by Chibimono Akuno
Steve still had difficulties with the cellphone SHIELD had given him, sometimes taking up to an half hour replying to texts from Stark. So when the texts came--
"fuckin fury bastard"
"always keepin info from us"
"bastard lied"
"coulsons fine"
--Steve really didn't know which text to respond to first.
Or if he should go running to the Helicarrier.
He bypassed the texting and just called Stark anyway. "What do you mean about Agent Coulson?"
"Exactly what I typed, Cap. Fury lied to us. Used us. Used Coulson. I understand that, yes, we saved the damn world, but why would you lie about someone dying? That's not even funny. It just wrong. I'm telling you, he does this shit. Hides and lies and he's a goddamn spy, Cap. A fucking cheater!"
Steve's not sure what to say to all that, but he could agree in some ways. Coulson was alive, though. And closing the clam-shell of his phone was an effective way to shut Stark up so he could run down to his motorcycle and head to the nearest Helicarrier pickup point.
A brief detour to his locker first for a few items, and Steve hunted his way around the corridors, knowing he could find Barton in a few specific places. The range was empty of all agents save Barton and Steve smiled at his luck. He made a little small talk before asking about Coulson.
"He's in the medical bay. At first they didn't think he would make it. So Fury just went on like he didn't. But he'll be good as gold as in no time. The guy's a beast." Barton smirked. "If you go see him, it'd make his week. He'd probably hang the flowers up to dry if you sent him some, too."
Steve didn't know about flowers, but maybe he would find a nice Get Well card later. He found the room easily, listening outside the door to see if he was interrupting. All he could hear was the chatter of sports on a television, so Steve pressed his luck and knocked twice.
"It's open."
"Are visitors alright?" Steve asked, poking his head in. He watched Coulson scramble to sit up, wincing as he did. "Hey, be careful. You're still injured."
Coulson put a hand to is chest, swallowing hard and settling down. "No, I'm fine. I'm just. I didn't. It's. It's good to see you again, Captain."
Steve stepped into the room and pulled up the seat beside Coulson's bed. "I didn't think I'd see you again, so I'd say this is pretty good."
"I apologize for Fury's deception," Coulson said, a tightness around his mouth and eyes. "I wasn't aware of it. Stark was surprisingly upset. And I didn't imagine I'd get a visit from you, sir, or else I wouldn't be so underdressed. It's an honor, really."
Steve smiled, a little awkwardly. "Well, being in a hospital bed kinda makes up for those things, I guess. And... I'm sure Fury had the best of intentions in mind? I can't say I'm to happy to learn that I've been lied to again, but... It's good to see you around, that one less person was lost to Loki..."
"I wish I could have done more," Coulson said quietly, shaking his head.
"You did what you could," Steve smiled. "You almost died doing what you could. You survived..." Steve felt a little wistful, a little bit of understanding suddenly. "Sometimes, surviving is as important as doing the best you can. So you can do it again another day."
Coulson's eyes were wide, a shine in them reflecting the overhead florescent lights. "Thank you, sir. I... Thank you."
"I'm not in uniform, you can call me Steve."
"... Phil."
"I told Tony it couldn't be Agent, I just knew."
Phil looked amused, a tiny smile playing at he corners of his mouth. "Stark has his own way of thinking. He remembers what he wants to. He knows it's Phil, he just doesn't care because it doesn't directly relate to him."
"He cares," Steve sighed. "In his own way, but it's not like anyone understands him all that much. Maybe Ms. Potts. That's about it."
"Ms. Potts is a remarkable woman. I don't know how she does it."
Steve shrugged his own cluelessness over it and they settled into small talk. Everything from sports ("I suppose it's okay to root for the Mets since the Dodgers went to LA?") to movies ("They've made a movie about the Dick Tracy comic strip? And Batman?") to food ("The food from the cafeteria here is much better than the K-rations we ate...") and everything in between. Steve didn't even realize how much time had past until the nurse with Phil's dinner came in.
"I should probably go," Steve said, getting to his feet. Not that he had much to do, but it was getting late and he had kept Phil awake all day. The man needed his rest.
"It wasn't necessary for you to stay the whole time, Steve. But I greatly appreciate it. I... I never thought. This is something I'll remember, always."
Steve smiled, pulling the stack of Phil's trading cards from his pocket and putting them on Phil's table. "You don't mind if I'll be back tomorrow, do you?"
Phil's mouth worked silently for a few tries before he could finally speak. "Please?"
"I'll bring a pen."