Where Do I Begin? // Steve & Phil
Steve wasn’t usually a man who usually hid his views from the world. There was no point to it when his views were what he often fought so hard for. This was who he was; the world would either accept it or not. “It’s not my job to talk,” he started, a sharp note still present in his tone. “It’s my job to protect the little guy, to stand for truth and justice — but SHIELD just makes a mockery of that, again and again. If I talk, it’ll be to Fury. That’s where you’re getting all your commands from, isn’t it?”
Maybe Steve just wanted to believe the best of the makeshift team; maybe Coulson was right, and they would have torn each other apart before they finished off the bad guy. Hell, most days, Steve still wanted to go a round with Stark just to get out his annoyance, but they’d proven themselves, hadn’t they? They were worthy of SHIELD’s trust. At the mention of being bedridden, he glanced up at Coulson. At least they’d earned his trust. “Are you alright now?”
He let out a small sigh the list of who knew Coulson was still breathing. There was a sour taste in his mouth that Natasha didn’t tell him, but what more could he expect? Theirs was a world of secrets, even if it compromised Steve’s mission. “Stark’s going to be upset. You better pray Dr. Banner isn’t.” He paused a beat. “And don’t worry. I’ll talk to Fury. I’ll tell him I stumbled upon you on a walk in the park purely by coincidence. I doubt he’ll tell me anything new, but it’s worth a shot.”
At the mention of the trading cards, Steve’s face seemed to freeze in sheepish surprise. “Last I saw them, Fury was throwing them on the table of the helicarrier covered in your blood. I don’t think they’re in mint condition anymore.”
Swallowing his argument, Phil watched Steve carefully. SHIELD didn't try to make a mockery out of Steve's principles, but Fury ran things differently from Steve would; he looked at the world in a different light. "Captain Rogers, while I may not agree with Fury's principles. . . they work. You beat the Chitauri army as a team. I understand that you hate the lies, and I'll do my best to keep you in the loop more, but we have to trust the system. . . to a certain degree at least." It was the same phrase he was repeating any time Skye asked for more information. They needed to be patient and trust the system.
Was he alright now, was he? After he learned the truth about what brought him back, Phil didn't feel alright. But at the same time; it would be strange if he didn't. "I'm better now, thank you for your concern. I was um, I'm better now than I was a few months prior. It just takes a bit of getting used to." Forcing a small grin in place, Phil cleared his throat and looked down to his shoes once more.
"Don't lie to Fury. I can take the man's heat easily enough, besides, I have a bit of dirt on him. Just ask him straight out, and see what that gets you. And if you need help, call me. I think Fury can use a dose of honesty right now." Coulson nodded to himself as he spoke, turning his gaze back to Steve. He knew that Fury would be mad, but he could deal. Though he would undoubtedly be a walk in the park compared to Bruce and Tony.
While Steve explained his trading card situation, Phil felt his face go pale and his body sink down. That was the one condition he gave to Fury; they could kill him, but for heaven's sake, save the cards. And Fury broke his one condition. "I spent over twenty years of my life. . . my first card was my father's, and now they're just- how." Phil swallowed hard and sat on the ground. He didn't care about his suit, he was just hurt that one of the only momentos of his father's was now covered in his own blood. "I know this seems stupid, Captain. . . but those actually meant a lot to me."
