Love on the Run: Red in the Gray

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Title: Red in the Gray
Series: Love on the Run
Characters: Sharon Carter, Maria Hill
Genre: mostly friendship
Fandom: Marvel Movie Verse -- Post Captain America: Civil War, Pre Infinity War
Summary: Sharon can’t sleep. Maria is definitely up to something.
Rating: PG-ish
Pairings: none in this, planned Natasha/Sharon Carter for the series
Warnings/Spoilers: None.
Big Damn Table Prompt: Early Morning


Thanks Rebbbbb!!!!!

It would be a while before Sharon would be able to re-enter the world as an agent. She knew that and she accepted it as much as she could. She was grateful that Maria had pulled her ass out of the fire after Sharon had jumped out of the frying pan, but she was still getting a little antsy. There wasn’t much for her to do on the ship at this point. She occasionally gave other crew members breaks and filled in on vacation days. At this point, she was a total waste of resources, or at least she felt that way. Maria assured her over and over that Sharon had more than earned her spot on the helicarrier over the years and that it didn’t matter anyway. Still, Sharon would like something to do, some way to help and contribute on a more regular basis than the sporadic duties she had right now.

For the moment, she stared at the ceiling in her quarters. She shared quarters as they all did, but her cot was a top bunk and it meant she had a clear view of the ceiling. She didn’t have to worry about anyone stepping or sitting on her or throwing up from motion sickness in her general direction. All of those things had happened to her at some point during her time with SHIELD, and, while none of them were the end of the world, it was nice to avoid them.

Sharon was also closer to the cobwebs and she’d had to deal with a spider that had decided to take up residency a little closer to her than was comfortable. She didn’t think she’d be able to sleep with it that close to her face. It wasn’t that Sharon was afraid of spiders so much as she found them unsettling and the idea of one crawling on her while she slept made her shiver. She’d taken the last one to a sparsely populated storage area and hoped for the best. For now, her ceiling was spider-free, but she still couldn’t sleep.

Navigating her way carefully down from the cot, Sharon did her best not to disturb her bunkmate. Just as she hit the floor, she heard the other woman snort so Sharon held perfectly still and waited. Sharon could make out the shape of her brunette roommate rolling onto to her side. The woman probably hadn't woken up, then. Good. Years of spy training allowed Sharon to slip through their door without a further sound and she sighed deeply once she was out in the hall.

The rest of the helicarrier was humming with life and activity, as it always did. With shifts spanning all hours of the day, there wasn’t a time when things were quiet, but there were times that were less noisy. Three am tended to be one of those times.

“I need coffee,” she said aloud, turning to make her way towards the mess hall.

“It’s never a good sign when you start talking to yourself, you know,” a voice called from behind her.

Sharon paused and fought a grin. “Sometimes talking to myself is the only way to have a decent conversation.”

It only took seconds for Maria to catch up with her and then they were walking in step with each other through the corridors and up one stairwell to the mess hall. Sharon spent the first few weeks turned around and lost on this massive boat. She’d been an agent on the ground more than anything, and she hadn’t spent a lot of time onboard submarines or helicarriers. It took a bit of time to acclimate and she was always sort of amazed by how no one else seemed to think they were living in a maze.

They entered the mess hall and it was mostly quiet, only a few others around, but as Sharon reached for the pot of coffee, Maria stuck her head through the passthrough to the kitchen. “When was this coffee made and who made it?” Sharon winced at how loud Maria was, but she supposed if someone were at the back of the room, yelling was the only way they’d hear. Sharon was surprised that none of the people were looking at Maria, but she was thankful for it. She tended not to like eyes on her. As someone in the intelligence business, it was always better not to be noticed. Or at least she thought so.

A few seconds later, an older man with dark skin and graying temples wearing a white apron and a dour expression appeared from behind metal rows of foodstuffs and supplies. “Christ almighty, Hill, why do you always have to yell?”

“Because it annoys you,” Maria smiled, voice returning to a normal level. Then she looked into the coffee pot and frowned. “Franks, tell me you didn’t make this coffee.”

“Nope, Thompson did about twenty minutes ago. He figured you’d be in so he did it before he left.” Franks answered, wiping his hands on a bland colored kitchen towel and glancing at Sharon.  

Everyone knew she was “The Peggy Carter’s” Grand-Niece, but they didn’t always know how to respond to that. Some people thought she was a legacy and that she got to be an agent because of nepotism. Others were sure that she would be an even greater agent than the original Agent Carter since Sharon was likely to have been trained by her great aunt from birth.

Neither of those things was true, at least Sharon didn’t think so. Her work was exemplary, but she wasn’t some gift from the gods either, and while Peggy had inspired her, the woman hadn’t raised Sharon. Sharon wasn’t groomed to be an agent, she’d just fought her way to becoming one. All right, Peggy had given her a few tips and bought her first gun, so maybe they weren’t entirely wrong, but it was still frustrating to stand out. Much of her job was to be inconspicuous. Extra attention was unwelcome and unappreciated. Franks was, at least, trying to be covert about his scrutiny.

“Perfect!” Maria’s exclamation startled Sharon out of her thoughts. “Come on, Sharon, we’re drinking the good coffee this morning.” Maria looked like she might rub her hands together with glee at any moment.

“I had no idea you were such a big fan of coffee,” Sharon commented as she and Maria poured cups. She’d been briefly worried that Franks was going to keep staring, but he’d rolled his eyes and disappeared back into the depths. Sharon had let out the breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. Weeks on the ship and she still felt like an oddity.

“I am when Thompson makes it. He swears he doesn’t do anything special, but I know he does something. It’s just better when he makes it.”

“Well, that’s great and all, Maria, but I’m pretty sure you have something to talk with me about other than who makes the best coffee.” Sharon blew on her coffee a little before testing it. She’d gotten used to terrible, black coffee so she hadn’t added anything. “Okay, I’m officially converted. Thompson should make all the coffee always.”

Maria nodded and then closed her eyes and groaned dramatically after a sip. “I can’t say it makes up for living in a tin can, but it sure does help.”

Sharon laughed, but didn’t argue. Living with all the metal and gray was hard sometimes, and she found herself hoping, all too often to catch a glimpse of red. Red and cream.

“Come on, let’s find a seat.”

Sharon glanced around the mess hall that could easily seat three hundred but was currently only seating about four people. “Where will we find a place?”

“Smartass,” Maria chuckled and found them a table--more bolted gray metal, Sharon noticed--and sat down. She sighed then, deeply. “I think I’ve got a spy. A holder over from Hydra possibly. He’s been passing information from someone, I’m just sure of it. I just can’t prove it.”

“You have an assignment for me?” Sharon was excited now. A new assignment finding out if there was an enemy aboard was the perfect thing for her.

“It’s not official. No one on the council wants to believe me so I need some sort of intelligence before I can move on him.”

“I’m itching for something to do, anything would be great.”

“It would probably mean a few more projects on your plate.”

“Why would you think I’d say no to this? Seriously, Maria, why are you trying to talk me out of it?”

“Well, I know you’re used to working alone for the most part, and this involves working with someone else, too.” Maria lowered her eyes and stared into her coffee.

Sharon felt one eyebrow lift. She wasn’t sure what Maria was up to, but the woman was definitely up to something. “Okay, and who might that be?”

“You know I’m a stickler for the buddy system. Everyone on board has a partner. Except for you,” Maria paused to sip her coffee, “and Natasha Romanov.”

Years of practicing her poker face kept her from making any obvious expressions, but that didn’t stop her heart from thundering in her chest. “I can’t think of anyone better suited to this kind of thing. Do you think the agent will be suspicious of working with her? Everyone knows who she is.” Sharon didn’t want to look a gift horse in the mouth, but Maria might be suspicious if she didn’t ask a few questions. She had to play this smart and hope that Maria had thought all this through already.

“Initially, probably so, but I figure we can make it about the two of you being bored because everyone knows you are.”

“I’m really glad to be here, Maria. I’m just used to having more to do.”

“I get it. And this would really help me. I can’t put anyone else on it right now. Are you up for it?”

Sharon rolled her eyes, “You know I am.” Sharon chuckled and hoped she was keeping the excitement she felt from showing too much on her face. “So tell me about this assignment.”