chuju | psl;

[ The thing is, he probably should have asked for her credentials at the very least, but he also knows that stories have a way of falling apart if the ground they're built on isn't solid. So, he's not planning to try and poke holes in her story, trusting that time and circumstance will eventually reveal the truth, whatever that is. If it turns out that she's a double agent or something like that, the truth has a funny way of working itself out.

Sure, some folks might call him naive and too trusting, but he's seen enough to know that time will mostly always tell.

And the women of his time can't see past the false leg and the crutch, or the fact that he pales in comparison to other flashier gentlemen. He lacks the classic movie star looks that make girls weak at the knees, and just because he tends to believe that looks aren't everything, that really isn't a popular thought by anyone's standards. ]

Well, I got paper, envelopes, and stamps, so they're all yours. Tomorrow, though.

[ For now, they've got their dinner waiting for them that got dropped off by the waiter while they were engrossed in their conversation. It'd be a shame to let it get too much colder. ]

You're welcome, uh- [ He realizes then that he's not sure what her proper title is. Agent, most likely, but she did say she's a liaison, so maybe that's not what she prefers to be called. ] Ma'am.

[ It slips out while he's still thinking about what to call her, and even as he's reaching out for her halfway extended hand, that red tinge from earlier is making another appearance. And to make matters slightly more embarrassing, when he sees that her outstretched hand stops before fully reaching out, he stops in return.

So now he's sitting there with his own halfway extended hand, not sure if he should reach the rest of the way and take her hand or not, knowing he must look quite the fool. Maybe it's his tendency to second-guess himself that turns people off. ]

[ And how easily her story can fall apart... One wrong anecdote, a slip from misremembering a lie, referencing something from the future — and that's not even considering that she'll have to hide what she is. The last thing she needs is the SSR finding out about Inhumans decades before SHIELD learned of their existence.

The women of this era are idiots. Sure, Sousa may not look exactly like the movie stars of this time, but he's not at all unattractive, and more than that, he's a good man. Looks can and do fade, but having someone at your side who is loyal and kind with a strong moral compass? That's the dream. Maybe not when she'd been younger, but now? She'd give anything to find that person. The Fitz to her Simmons.

She knows they should eat their food. It smells incredible, and it's never good to let pasta sit for long, but she's also noticed their hands on the table, and the way he's addressed her. And it's a ridiculous notion, but something tells her this moment is important. For what or whom, she doesn't know, and it doesn't matter. Her hand crosses those inches to wrap around his, giving it a gentle squeeze as she smiles affectionately. ]

Call me Daisy. [ The smile turns playful, even mischievous as she adds: ] And technically, it's Agent.

[ It's such a small gesture, but when Daisy wraps her fingers around is, a smile spreads across his face unbidden. It's such a silly thought, but he can't help but view it as some kind of acceptance, almost like the kind of acceptance between two children on a playground agreeing to play together. Obviously, that's not what this is, but it still means a lot to him that she'd just move past his awkwardness and hesitation so smoothly as if it never happened. ]

Daisy. [ His smile widens just a fraction. ] Nice name. It, uh- Well, it makes me think of springtime. And meadows.

[ And hopefully she doesn't think him a complete fool for voicing that thought. ]

Guess I could compromise and go with Agent Daisy, if you like that better.

[ Is he joking? Most likely. But he's trying to keep his tone semi-serious now, so as not to give that away. ]

[ The way he smiles... She could see that every single day and not get tired of it. Some part of her hopes that she can give him cause to smile like that again while they're together, and that he'll continue to have cause for it after she's gone.

Springtime and meadows. No one's ever really said something like that before. But then, everyone on her team had preconceptions of her, having either known her as Skye or a higher-ranking agent (or the Destroyer of Worlds). He just knows her as this, though. Just Daisy. Mysterious and surprisingly awkward when someone is genuinely complimenting her. ]

No, no, I uh— Daisy's just fine. [ That bit of awkward slips out and she fights back her own blush that's threatening to turn her into a tomato. Laughing slightly to cover up her sudden bout of nerves, she pulls her hand back and gestures to their food. ] This smells amazing, we should probably eat, right?

[ There's not a lot to smile at in his line of work, so he just takes the opportunity whenever he can, and values it that much more.

And maybe that line of his sounds like something from a bad romance movie, but he means every bit of it. And if she's turning into a tomato, well, he's right there with her. But he wants to have it known that she's a very cute tomato. Not that he'd ever say as much aloud. ]

Truthfully, I hoped you'd say that. Agent Daisy is kind of a mouthful, and not formal enough for a fellow agent. [ Not that the formality is always required, but there's a line between it and being casual. That's all he means. ]

Yeah, of course, it would be a real shame to let it go to waste.

[ And having said that, he reaches for his fork, intending to dig in; after letting her have the first bite, of course. ]

[ She is not a very cute tomato, she looks absolutely ridiculous. (But she would be all kinds of flustered if he ever did say it out loud.)

The first bite is very thoroughly enjoyed, as are the second and third bites. Her meal is eaten with gusto since she honestly can't remember the last time she'd had more than half a cup of coffee between missions to keep her going. Has she even eaten a full meal since everything with Izel started? Probably not. It's been a hellish few days.

Her food is gone in record time, she hadn't even stopped to say more than two words to her date, and if she were anyone from this time period, she'd be ridiculously embarrassed by the display. Seeing as she's from the future though, she's only a tiny bit embarrassed. ]

[ Honestly, he's enjoying watching her eat. There's something to be said for watching someone who's enjoying what they're eating. He tries not to make it so obvious that he's watching her, but he's just pleased to see that she's liking the fare in front of her.

She finishes much sooner than he does, but even with his on-and-off staring at her, he manages to keep pace. But now that they're both done, he's not sure how to proceed. ]

So, uh, looks like you enjoyed that.

[ She didn't really notice him watching her while she ate; if she had, she would have been a lot more self-conscious. But afterward, when she finishes her water while he takes his last few bites, she thinks that maybe—

But it's better not to think about that. Because they can't really do this.

That blush tries to creep back over her cheeks at his comment and she smiles with a bit of embarrassment. ] I did, a lot. It's been a rough couple of days, I don't think I've had much more than coffee and a peanut butter sandwich in a while.

[ Truthfully, they're both on dangerous ground, because they can't be doing this, shouldn't be doing this, and yet here they are. It feels like it's too late to back out now, however. ]

Yeah? I've had those days, more often than I care to remember. And for some of them, there's just time for a cup of coffee, forget about a sandwich.

[ More accurately, multiple cups of coffee, but he knows that's not a healthy diet by any means. ]

I get it, you probably can't talk about it because it's classified, but...

[ He's just leaving an opening for her if she wants it. He expects that she'll politely turn him down, though. ]

[ She's had those days too. Subsisting on coffee and an hour or two of sleep grabbed whenever she could manage, all of them exhausted but powering through because if they didn't, there was nothing standing between a world of innocent people and whatever latest threat had risen to destroy them. SHIELD is the front line, their job is to protect those who need it — it's why she feels so helpless now, when she can't do the one thing she's meant to. ]

Not specifics, no. [ She looks down and shakes her head, quiet for a moment while debating what she could say, and her fingers absently find those sugar packets again, moving one and straightening the others. ] We were in Mexico just a few days ago. One of my team — she was my SO actually — but she was, uh... hurt. We almost lost her. And then things got really bad.

[ She can still feel the guilt and terror that flooded through her while she held May in her arms, believing she was losing the only mother she had left. ]

[ The stakes aren't nearly as high for him as they seem to be for her, but still. Some days are built around high pressure cases, which means all hands have to be on deck and fully functional, which usually means keeping a liquid diet going. And if he knew that she felt like that, well, he'd pull some strings to get her on board with the SSR office here, so she at least has something to do.

But he's not sure that's really what she wants, and it's not exactly his place to suggest it. ]

I'm sorry, that sounds rough. [ Rough days happen, but it's different when someone on the team gets brought down. It becomes personal, and that makes it that much harder. ]

But you made it out eventually, didn't you?

[ She wouldn't be here talking to him if she hadn't. But oddly enough, he feels something akin to worry about her team, even if he's never met them. It's crazy, but even if they're all stationed in different parts of the world, they're all ultimately on the same team, fighting for the same purpose. ]

Your team was okay, right?

[ She doesn't know what she's going to do. The prospect of how to spend her days had earned money just to live none of that is anything she even fully considered yet. When she does it's going to be nothing short of terrifying. How is a millennial hacker from the 21st century supposed to survive in a time before the Internet,et alone a time before she even exists. ]

I don't know. [ Honesty. Where she can afford to spare it. ] I hope so. Everything happened so fast... May is alive, I know that much. Coulson is... going through a rough patch. And Simmons is a wreck, even if she doesn't show it. [ She looks up at him then, some part of her needing him to understand. ] They're my family and I don't know if I'll ever see them again.

[ There it is again: that feeling that maybe there's something else going on besides just a misplaced agent facing a delay in returning to her team. Delays aren't permanent, as frustrating as they can be. But for his part, he tries to keep his tone mild, to reassure her as best as he can. ]

Hey, I know it's not the same as your situation, but once, my team and I got split up. Some of us almost didn't make it out, and yeah, there were rough patches, like you said. [ He chuckles humorlessly. ]

I think we all were wrecks after that, but you know what? We pulled through, and I bet you will too. [ There's understanding in his gaze as he looks back at her. ]

You'll see your team again. They could even be looking for you right now. [ And then he smiles at her, hoping this helps her somehow. ]

That's the thing about teams: no one gets left behind, not forever.

[ If only he knew. If only she could tell him. It would be wonderful to just lay it all out for him, put her trust completely in this man who her father figure has so idolized over the years. But she can't. That would be like taking the easy way through a maze only to set fire to it on her way. Easy isn't an option here.

The smile she gives him in return is forced but perfectly believable. She's spent enough of her life pretending things are okay when they really aren't for her to lie convincingly about this one thing. It makes her feel terrible to lie to him at all, of course, but at least it's not a total lie. She is grateful to him for his efforts at offering her comfort and reassurance, as her smile suggests, and part of her does believe she'll see them all again. ]

Thanks, Sousa. I appreciate it. [ The smile turns a bit self-deprecating and she shakes her head, looking down in an almost sheepish manner. ] And you're absolutely right, I'll see them again. I really shouldn't be all dramatic about it like this.

Come on, you're not being dramatic. You've been through a lot, as far as I can tell, and you're trying to regain your footing. Anyone would be rattled, but from where I'm standing, you're doing better than most.

[ No, he's not sure where this impromptu pep talk came from, but he's not about to let anyone fret and worry, not on his watch. ]

Look, how about we get you back to my place. You can get settled and get some sleep. Hope you don't mind me saying, but it looks like you need it.

[ He doesn't know the half of it. She's been through so much that she wouldn't wish it on anyone; there are some days when she's honestly shocked that she's still standing. ]

Oh, gee thanks for that. [ Rolling her eyes, she shakes her head and makes sure to smile so he knows she's not offended. ] I guess I won't take offense since you're helping me.

[ He's not wrong though. It's been the magic of hair and makeup that have hidden the dark circles and other familiar signs of exhaustion. Now that she's eaten and the realities of her situation are starting to set in, so too is bone-deep tiredness. ]

[ He knows she's not offended, but he can pretend with the best of them. He raises his hands in what's meant to be a disarming gesture. ]

Hey, I'm just calling it like I see it. Everyone has rough days. There's nothing wrong with taking a day or two off.

[ Someone has to help you, is the thought that's running through his mind. If her team can't, and she doesn't know anyone here, that doesn't leave a lot of options. But the only reason he doesn't say that out loud is because she strikes him as the type of person who doesn't easily accept help from others. She might not appreciate him saying that so plainly. ]

Whenever you're feeling up for it, you can jot down a list of things you might need and I'll see what I can do about getting them.

[ Since she has no luggage, after all. ]

[ Taking a day or two off. When was the last time she'd done that? It's been one disaster after another for so long that she can't remember what it's like to just relax and take a day off. Any attempt at a day off would probably be met with yet another alien invasion, to be honest.

But here she is, staring down a potentially long road of nothing but time off. It's terrifying and exhausting and utterly soul-crushing if she lets herself even start to think about it. So she won't. ]

That's really nice of you to offer, but I can't let you do that. [ She means it, she doesn't know many other people who would have offered a total stranger that kind of help. Of course, there are like seven decades between them, but still. ] I can manage that much.

[ Probably. Ignore the tiny bit of doubt trying to creep into her voice. ]

[ He doesn't want to tip his hand just yet, but he's already thinking about some temporary plans that might help fill up that long road ahead of her. If she refuses, of course, that'll be it, but he figures there's no harm in offering a suggestion. ]

I don't want to be pushy, but you can absolutely let me do that. [ But then he pauses, because he has a caveat there as well. ] Unless, of course, you absolutely can't accept it, then I guess I'll just have to accept it in turn, but-

[ He's an agent. Agents have contingencies upon contingencies, and he's no exception. ]

I put some money away for situations like this. It's not going to break anything financially to get you what you might need.

[ If he picks up on any notes of doubt in her voice, he doesn't comment on it. He knows if the roles were reversed, he'd be feeling every bit as uncertain as she must be right now. ]

[ Daisy doesn't do well with people telling her what to do. If she didn't know without a doubt that Sousa's offer of assistance is coming from a place of genuinely wanting to help her, she might argue with much stronger language against accepting said offer. He is trying to help her, though, and she appreciates the fact that he's even willing to do it at all.

But she can't give in without a good fight, it's just not in her. So, frowning at him skeptically, she pokes at his story with some very choice words. ]

"For situations like this." So you were expecting to have an agent in need just stumble into your path out of nowhere, without even a toothbrush to her name? [ She leans forward, resting elbows on the edge of the table. ] Or were you expecting a damsel in distress? Because I have to warn you, I don't do damsel very well.

[ Even if she hasn't told him that in so many words, he knows her type, even if he barely knows her. It wasn't all that long ago that there was someone in his life who really didn't handle people telling her what to do well at all. In fact, Daisy's not so different from that person from his past.

He grew used to Peggy Carter's pushing back, and her tendency to not give in unless it was absolutely necessary. It was one of the things he liked most about her, and he can't say he doesn't like seeing it in Daisy either. Never mind that it's not his place to see anything in her, because this is one relationship that logically can't go anywhere. ]

Yes, exactly, for situations like this. [ He rolls his eyes, but not at her. ] If I've learned anything at all, it's that life throws curveballs, and sometimes you wind up with your back against the wall. If you have to make a sudden break of things, get out of a situation fast and need to buy yourself some time, it's hard to do that if you don't have a penny to your name.

[ Has he been in a situation like that? No, not at all. But in his line of work, he figured it wasn't a bad idea to have something to fall back on if that ever happened. ]

I certainly wasn't expecting to find anyone in distress, damsel or otherwise. [ And when she says that last part about not doing damsel very well, he grins in spite of himself. ]

Now you sound like my old partner. She didn't do that very well either. [ Or at all, honestly. ]

[ Funny how logic never really manages to play much of a roll in their daily lives. Sure, they can argue all the reasons why logically they should make one decision, but when push comes to shove and things are down to the wire... Logic doesn't really stand a chance, does it? Because life does throw curveballs — she knows that far better than most. (Very little will ever trump the hey guess what, you're part alien curveball, though the universe seems to want to keep on trying.) ]

Your old partner sounds like a hell of a woman. [ She's heard enough from Coulson and Simmons over the years to know that estimation is one hundred percent accurate, and then some.

Daisy watches him closely for a few moments longer, that grin doing its best to try convincing her to just go along with what he's saying, but in the end she just leans back, smiles, and shakes her head at him. ]

Look, we can continue this discussion tomorrow. I'm too tired to put up a proper fight — but not tired enough to give in just yet. Sorry, Danny Boy.

[ The epithet slips out easily, without thought really, and she finds she doesn't regret it. They barely know each other but he's showing such trust in her (trust that she doesn't believe she fully deserves), so it just feels... right, to treat him like she would one of her team. To a certain extent, anyway. ]

[ The only way logic would stand a chance was if they didn't constantly find themselves in make-or-break situations that allowed for no time to debate the pros and cons. As it is, Sousa knows he ends up in those situations more often than not, and while he can't begin to guess what kind of things Daisy has run into, he imagines it's more or less the same for her. And anyway, they can't spend their whole lives thinking about what's logical and what isn't. ]

Oh, she is. I'd never ask her to change, but- [ He shakes his head. ] She's too fond of running headfirst into walls in an attempt to get them to move.

[ It's only an expression, but he knows (and so does present company, not that he knows that) Peggy Carter is far too stubborn for her own good. ]

Fair enough. You've had a long day, so let's table this for now. [ And then his lips turn up into a smirk in response to that name. ]

You know, I'd say that's hardly fair. You already have a nickname for me, and I haven't even begun coming up with one for you.

[ It's a tease, plain and simple, but he does his best to put on a mock petulant expression. ]

[ If the stories about the legendary Peggy Carter are true, then Daisy's pretty sure some of those walls are probably literal. You didn't build one of the top spy agencies in the world without tearing down some walls, after all — especially not as a woman. ]

I'm sure you'll think of one soon enough. You'll just have to get to know me better.

[ She doesn't intend for there to be a hint of flirting in those words but it's there all the same. Rather than clearing her throat in what would be an extremely obvious display of embarrassment, she instead feigns a yawn, hoping he'll take the cue and they'll get on their way to his apartment. She needs to get her bearings before she does or says anything she'll regret later. ]

[ There were definitely some literal walls in the way, and Peggy being who she was brought them all down. ]

Starting right now?

[ If he picks up on that hint of flirting, he doesn't give any sign of it, but there's that telltale flush creeping back up his neck that might or might not give him away.

And he's not really a brilliant profiler, but he's good enough at reading people that he thinks her yawn might not be entirely genuine. Still, he has no problems giving her this one. ]

Or, well, I suppose tomorrow is soon enough. You've had a long day.

[ And he still has to work out how he's going to get her to take the bed, not the couch. Because that's definitely his plan. Or at least, it's the plan he came up with in the last few seconds. ]

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