Chapter Text
"I don't think we need all of you for this mission," the man said, standing in front of the room where the current US bound Avengers were sitting for a mission briefing. A handful of S.H.I.E.L.D agents were on one side of the table, while Rhodey, Sam, Carol, Bucky, and Peter were on the other side, flipping through the details of the mission on their Stark pads.
"If you say it's a milk run you will automatically jinx it, and I don't think I can handle another world ending scenario at the moment, thanks," Peter said.
"Not a milk run, but I think we could take The Soldier and Spiderman and be done before the week is up."
"And now he put a time frame on it," Carol said, "he's just asking for a new alien threat."
The room was laughing now, except for Generic Agent trying to lead the briefing. Sam couldn't remember his name, but he saw the man wasn't appreciating the interruptions.
"Getting back on track here, why those two?"
"Yeah," Carol asked, a shit eating grin on her face, "why the two white guys?"
The agent sobered up even more, if that was possible.
"That's...that has nothing to do with it!"
Rhodey raised an eyebrow, deciding to join in with teasing the flustered agent. "What has nothing to do with it, Agent?"
"S.H.I.E.L.D doesn't discriminate against race or gender. We don't see color here."
Rhodey looked up at the ceiling and let out a pained groan. Sam made a small gagging noise. Bucky put his head in his hands. Peter's eyes widened in bewilderment. Carol took out her phone and pulled up a contact.
"Maria will want to hear what's about to happen."
Before the agent could say anything else, Sam leaned forward in his seat.
"My team seems to be in the mood to tease today, Agent, and though they weren't trying to call any of your actions prejudiced, I think we need to clear something up. Could you never say that sentence to us again?"
Rhodey cleared his throat.
"It would be better if you never say that sentence again to anyone. "I don't see color" is one of the most harmful passive statements to come out of the 20th century. It communicates that in order to work with a person of color you have to intentionally ignore part of their identity. It hides prejudice behind a veneer of acceptance and demands that those of color conform to the same ideal."
Maria's voice came over Carol's phone, "Not seeing a part of me means that when I do something that you would consider highlighting the aspect you "don't see" then I become the one with the problem. Wilson, Rhodes, and I had enough of that in the military, and the team certainly doesn't need it here."
The agent held up a hand and took a breath. He's cheeks were red with embarrassment, but Sam saw him marshal himself. After another moment he spoke.
"After the public stance you took, Captain, I fear that I was on edge when Danvers mentioned race. The last thing I would want was for you and your team to not feel comfortable working with me. Three of my team are in medical because they stumbled upon a bunker that looks to be an A.I.M holdout. They have some sort of unidentified alien tech that shoots a form of radiation my agents weren't prepared to handle. This mission needs subtlety paired with the ability to withstand a physical attack that would lethally harm an ordinary human. Wilson is an unenhanced human. Rhodes and Danvers are not subtle. That leaves Barnes and Parker.
"My concern for my downed agents has put me in a mood to not be toyed with. I allowed my already strained patience to snap when Danvers made her comment. That doesn't excuse my using a phrase that offended you. Call it privilege or whatever but it never crossed my mind how that phrase would sound to anyone not white. I sincerely apologize for using it."
Sam walked around the table and held out a hand. The agent shook it, and Sam leaned in.
"Thank you for your apology, Agent, and I accept it, if you will accept mine. We didn't know the situation and from experience the fear of losing teammates can sober anyone. Barnes and Parker will be available for as long as you need them."
There was a calm silence before Bucky stage whispered to Peter,
"Is anyone going to call Sam on forgetting Agent Nathan's name five seconds after he introduced himself, or am I the only that noticed he's only called him Agent this whole time?"