* “Is there anyone Peggy Carter isn’t dating?” Angie snaps, uncharacteristically, and Gloria and Carol stop squabbling and stare at her. - from vintagecartinelli‘s the most of freedom
we watched the days go by, stories of all we did // aos next gen
gen. cocreated with rainward
One thing was for sure: Connor never thought that his Shield debut would begin in a supply closet with his childhood best friend. ao3
One thing was for sure: Connor never thought that his Shield debut would begin in a supply closet with his childhood best friend.
“Ow! Connor that was my foot!”
“Then move you’re foot!”
“Well I can’t if you’re taking up half the cupboard!”
Connor scoffed, “You’re one to talk.”
“Hey!”
Despite the supply closet leaving them in almost complete darkness, Ellie still somehow managed to elbow Connor in the ribs. “Ow!”
“Oh stop being such a baby.”
“Then don’t elbow me!”
Connor heard Ellie give a scoff he’d heard her give too many times before, mainly at his incompetence.
“Ellie, this was your idea.”
“I never said it was a good idea!” Ellie retaliated. She may have two PHD’s, Connor thought to himself, but clearly strategy was not Ellie’s forte. “You didn’t have to go along with it.”
Connor couldn’t deny that she had a point, not that he’d ever admit it to her out loud. “Well we’re here now and if you don’t shut up soon, they’ll find us and throw us off this plane.”
“The Bus,” she corrected only to be met by Connor’s elbow. “Alright, alright, I’ll be quiet!” If he could’ve seen her in the darkness, Connor was pretty sure her eye roll would’ve been a new classic.
Outside the door, Connor was sure he could hear footsteps. His heart began to leap in his chest and instinctively he took a step back, hitting his foot on something in the process. “Shit.”
“Connor!”
He wasn’t sure why he was so surprised they were discovered so quickly.
*
“Oh come on, Connor, please?” Ellie pleaded, practically jumping up and down. “This is our chance to see the world! Don’t you want to take it?”
“Well, yeah,” he admitted. “Of course I do. But my mom’s the director, you really think she’s gonna let me?”
“Oh,” she gave a small scoff, “Lord, no.”
She could’ve at least hidden that a little better. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
Ellie brushed off Connor’s snide remark, focusing more on pacing around the room with her hands on her hips. She did that a lot when she thought, he noticed. It was only when she stopped, an idea beginning to grow, that Connor almost wished she hadn’t. “She doesn’t have to know.”
“Come again?”
“I said, she doesn’t have to know.”
Connor heard what she said the first time, he just needed to hear her say it again for the thought to truly settle in. The idea excited him, he couldn’t deny it. He wouldn’t have told Ellie about Ace Peterson’s new strike team if the thought hadn’t crossed his mind. But as usual, doubt took over and drowned the feeling. “She’s the director, she knows everything.”
Ellie sighed, “No one knows everything, Connor.” He couldn’t tell if she was simply stating a fact or expressing her disappointment at the reality of the fact.
“She’ll find out somehow, she always does.”
“True,” she admitted with a hint of defeat to her voice. “But there’s no harm in trying, right? I mean come on, Connor. This is it. This is our opportunity. Our chance to be real SHIELD agents like we used to pretend we were going to be!” Connor gave a small laugh and a small salute. Ellie followed suit. “Exactly! It’s our chance to change the world,” a smile crept up onto her lips. “Besides, every team needs a biotech whizz. And a hacker too,” she added, after receiving a look from Connor. “So is that a yes?”
Connor thought for a second. Sure, he wanted on the team. If he was being honest, he really wanted on this team. He’d heard his mom mention Ace Peterson in passing, and from what he could gather he seemed like an all-round nice guy. Good reputation too. His mom seemed to trust him, so that was good enough for him at least.
But still, the doubt swarmed him. Could he really do this? His mom had kept him away from SHIELD for a reason after all. Yet, it still intrigued him. Why keep your son away from the same organisation you work for? It couldn’t be that bad, could it?
Oh, what the hell.
“Yeah, okay.”
Ellie leapt across the room with a squeal and pulled him into a hug. “Yay! You are not going to regret this,” she said, however the fluttering in his stomach seemed to disagree. God, his mom was going to kill him. “Besides, I have an idea.”
*
It wasn’t until they found themselves hiding behind an SUV, ready to board their futures that Ellie thought to ask how Connor he’d come across the information on Agent Peterson’s strike team in the first place.
“Um, I have my methods.”
“Of course,” she replied before rolling a canister under the SUV.
Connor was always grateful that Ellie supported his slightly illegal computer hacking methods, even if she did take advantage of his methods. All the time. But he couldn’t complain; she had single-handedly knocked out all the plane’s guards with a modified version of her parent’s infamous dendrotoxin. All with a childish grin on her face.
“Are you coming or what?”
Okay so maybe the dendrotoxin was a little excessive, but Connor couldn’t help but grin as he ran after her.
*
“Looks like it’s healing nicely,” Margot told him with a soft smile, unravelling the rest of his bandage. “Don’t worry, it always looks worse before it gets better,” she added registering the look on Connor’s face.
“Yeah,” he muttered, hoping that she wasn’t lying because it looked pretty awful from where he was standing… or rather, sitting.
“You ought to be more careful next time,” Margot began, cleaning Connor’s wound whilst he gritted his teeth. “You could’ve ended up with something much more serious.”
“Yeah,” he muttered again, trying not to focus on how much his arm was stinging. “I know.”
She grabbed clean bandage from beside Connor. “Came out of nowhere, huh?” She raised an eyebrow.
Did she know he fell on the knife too? “Yeah, kinda.” He rolled down his sleeve after Margot had finished, “That everything.”
He was pretty sure she was about to dismiss him before she took a second glance at his hand, which was currently resting on his arm. Margot careful resting Connor’s fingers under her own as if they were as fragile as thin glass, but Connor pulled them away before she managed to get a proper look. Shit, he thought. He hadn’t realised he’d done it this time.
“They look painful,” Margot pointed out, still trying to get a look Connor’s fingers which he had hidden under his arms.
She wasn’t wrong, they were painful. Not matter how many times he did it, intentionally or not, Connor would still never be used to the pain the burns caused. “They’re fine,” he lied.
Margot raised her eyebrow once more, “You sure? I have something that could help with –“
“I said they’re fine,” Connor snapped. “I mean, they don’t hurt. I’m used to it.”
“Are you –“
“Yes, honestly. I’m fine, thank you. Is that all?”
Margot looked a little lost, and Connor immediately regretted his brashness. “Um yes, thanks Connor.”
Connor gave Margot a small nod before hopping off the table with a small thud exiting the room, trying not to overthink the scenario that he’d just seen played out in front of him.
Dammit, he cursed himself as he untucked his arms and revealed to himself the extent of the damage this time. His hands were bright red and a little swollen, and Connor was pretty sure he could feel some blisters coming along too. He was definitely going to have to run his hands under the tap again.
“You should get those looked at, they look bad.”
“Mmmm,” Connor agreed, not realising he’d done so aloud.
“You should get those looked at,” the girl repeated, misunderstanding Connor’s mumble.
“Oh no,” he replied. “I’m fine, honestly. Nothing a couple of days can’t fix.”
It was the girl’s turn to mumble this time, “Mmmm.” Her stare gave away more than her mumble did.
Connor rocked on his feet, tapping one of his less burnt fingers on his side. “You’re the new girl, yeah? Ace said you’d be here at some point.
The girl gave a small nod. Her lips pressed themselves together to form a timid smile.
“Connor,” he said before realising that probably made no sense on its own. “Connor – my name… is Connor.” Way to go, Connor.
The girl moved her hands up the necklace she was wearing and began to rub the small silver pendant with her fingers. “April,” she said.
Connor offered her his hand, but she kindly pointed out the fact his hands were covered with burns. “Oh, right yeah. Sorry about that.”
April’s smile widened a little and she quickly moved her gaze to her feet as she let out the smallest of giggles. Connor wasn’t staring. Not at all. “You really should be more careful.”
He rolled his eyes, “I get told that a lot.”
“Well, you should listen.”
Connor muttered to himself, “Yeah, I know.”
“Mmmm?”
“Oh, um,” Connor gave a weak laugh. “Have you seen the kitchen?”
“The kitchen?” April pondered this for a moment. “No, I don’t think I have actually.”
“Do you want to? There’s food there.” Smooth, Connor. Smooth.
April gave another small giggle, “Sure, why not.”
*
“He’s dangerous, Ace.”
“Everyone has the potential to be dangerous,” he countered.
“But his hands,” Margot told him. “They’re covered in burns.”
Ace’s tone remained level. “Powers like that have a consequence.”
“Ace,” Margot gave a defeated sigh, “you now I wouldn’t come to you if I didn’t have a concern. But that boy is dangerous, and maybe a possible liability. We don’t even know how much of a grasp he has on his powers and –“
“He’s staying, Margot. He’s useful.”
“But what about Skye? What would she have to say about this?”
It was Ace’s turn to sigh. “I don’t know. We’ll just have to tackle that hurdle when it comes.”
“When it comes, right,” he heard Margot pause. “Don’t blame me when Connor brings us trouble. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Connor took a sharp breath. He wished it was the first time he’d heard something like that.
He ran to his bunk before any of the others caught sight of him, wrapping the covers over his head and tried to will himself not to spark again.
*
The next few weeks were a blur. Connor couldn’t count how many missions they’d been on, but each one was more exciting and dangerous than the last. And despite an unprecedented explosion in the lab (which Ellie had insisted was Jack’s fault), things on the Bus weren’t too bad. (Even if sometimes he’d be so exhausted that he fell asleep on his laptop).
“I told you so,” Ellie elbowed.
Connor pulled a face, “No, you didn’t.”
“Yes I did, don’t lie.” She pulled a beer out of the container and offered it to Connor.
“Ellie, I’m underage.”
She shrugged and took the drink for herself. “Suit yourself. But I still told you so, admit it.”
“No.”
“Admit it.”
“No, because you’re wrong.”
“Connor!”
“What?”
Ellie let out an exasperated sigh. “You infuriate me, you know that? But we both know I’m right.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
“There’s beer? Sweet,” Jack appeared behind them, grabbing Connor’s shoulders as he went past.
“Don’t drink it all in one go,” she warned, earning a scornful look from Jack.
Before they knew it, the entire team was with them by the loading dock, drinking together as they watched their latest mission – an 084 they had recovered in Rome – make its way to the sun.
Connor’s mom had told him many stories of her SHIELD team back in the day, as she would say. Before Hydra, before ‘Real Shield’ as she coined it, before she went through the mist and a lot of really weird shit started happening, she had told him it had just been six of them against the world. His mom, Ellie’s parents, all six of them staring up at the 084 like he was doing all those years later. Like they were doing.
He would never admit this out loud, but Ellie was right. Connor didn’t regret joining this team. Not one bit.
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