[Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division. SHIELD.
The named Howard proposed as a joke at Steve's... 'welcome back' party, for lack of a better word. "We'd have to come up with something for the letters to stand for," he'd said. The Commandos had been all for it. With so many organizations being turned over to R&D with the tesseract or intel and response against the Russians and their satellites, the joke had become a serious consideration - and Steve had been working with Peggy and Phillips for the past six months on organizing an offshoot of the SSR under the title.
Steve stands, his fingertips brushing against Peggy's. It's the only sign that he's unsettled.
Quietly:] Agent Barton. [He doesn't avoid the title and isn't sarcastic about using it - but he falters, very slightly.]
[Parade rest again. There are several questions he could ask. That he will. But he's less and less certain about wanting to ask them here.] What is the Avengers?
[He glances back at the two extra men in the room, giving Clint a signal to wait, taking for granted that the man will listen and not even noticing the assumption. He opens the door to the observation area and points.] Gentlemen.
[Hesitation. Steve waits. They leave, and he shuts and locks the door behind them.]
[Phillips' voice blares over the intercom instantly.]
Rogers, what the hell are you doing?
[Deep breath.] Finding out what we need to know, sir.
[Steve presses the button by the door to mute the intercom and keeps pressing until the casing folds and the button jams in the 'off' position.]
We'll have about a minute before they start getting antsy. [Steve puts his back firmly to their audience, letting his uncertainty show at last.] Agent, what year do you think it is?
no subject
The named Howard proposed as a joke at Steve's... 'welcome back' party, for lack of a better word. "We'd have to come up with something for the letters to stand for," he'd said. The Commandos had been all for it. With so many organizations being turned over to R&D with the tesseract or intel and response against the Russians and their satellites, the joke had become a serious consideration - and Steve had been working with Peggy and Phillips for the past six months on organizing an offshoot of the SSR under the title.
Steve stands, his fingertips brushing against Peggy's. It's the only sign that he's unsettled.
Quietly:] Agent Barton. [He doesn't avoid the title and isn't sarcastic about using it - but he falters, very slightly.]
[Parade rest again. There are several questions he could ask. That he will. But he's less and less certain about wanting to ask them here.] What is the Avengers?
[He glances back at the two extra men in the room, giving Clint a signal to wait, taking for granted that the man will listen and not even noticing the assumption. He opens the door to the observation area and points.] Gentlemen.
[Hesitation. Steve waits. They leave, and he shuts and locks the door behind them.]
[Phillips' voice blares over the intercom instantly.]
Rogers, what the hell are you doing?
[Deep breath.] Finding out what we need to know, sir.
[Steve presses the button by the door to mute the intercom and keeps pressing until the casing folds and the button jams in the 'off' position.]
We'll have about a minute before they start getting antsy. [Steve puts his back firmly to their audience, letting his uncertainty show at last.] Agent, what year do you think it is?