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Fury doesn’t even bother to look up when the door to his office opens. There is only one person who would dare to interrupt the Director, especially when he’s working this late into the night.
“Coulson,” Fury all but growls, scowling down at the files that seem to be getting more complicated the longer he looks at them.
“Nick,” and that is the first cue that Fury has. On the Helicarrier, on the clock, they are Director Fury, and Agent Coulson. Off the clock, they are Nick and Phil. On the clock, there is no one else Fury trusts to watch his back. Off the clock, Phil is one of the few Nick feels that he can relax around.
There is a thudding sound, and despite himself, Fury looks up to find Coulson setting down a portable CD player, and shifting aside a heap of manilla folders to find a suitable plug.
“Is there something that I can help you with, Agent?” Fury musters up his best one eyed glare and snarl (number 2, don’t give me an excuse to staple your spleen to the chair).
“You can relax, Nick,” and unflappable Phil is unflapped (number 17, My bellybutton lint is scarier than you). “You know, you’re starting to scare everyone again.”
“Good.”
“More than usual. The betting pool has started up again, speculating on what caused it this time. Now, may I have this dance?”
That is enough to shock off the remains of Director Fury, and Nick blinks, nonplussed as Phil courteously extends a hand to him, as the CD player kicks into gentle life.
Moon river, wider than a mile / I'm crossing you in style some day
“I can’t dance,” and Nick knows its an insipid thing to say, even as the words leave his lips.
“And?” and Phil adamantly reaches down and takes Nick’s hand, exerting gentle pressure to pull him up. As he doesn’t really want to have his arm dislocated today by resisting, Nick rises and rounds his desk.
Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker / Wherever you're goin', I'm goin' your way
“You need to relax, and laugh at yourself again, Nick. The cares of the world don’t rest entirely on your shoulder,” Phil mutters as he pulls Nick in closer, into the traditional waltz pose.
Nick barks out a laugh, face crinkling into the first true smile that he’s had in days, his leather coat swirling as he is maneuvered. Phil smiles in response.
Two drifters, off to see the world / There's such a lot of world to see / We're after the same rainbow's end, waitin' 'round the bend / My huckleberry friend, moon river, and me
It’s a funny situation, turning round and round on the same spot in his office, as the soft strains of Andy Williams washes over them. Nick can’t quite find the right beat to move to, and Phil just chuckles every time Nick hops to avoid stepping firmly on his partners toes.
Nick is sure that if anyone caught them at this, there would be a betting pool started the next day, agents being what they were. There is nothing romantic about their relationship though. Fury is married to his work, and Phil has someone of his own. Nick has never really pried (except to make sure they weren’t a supervillan) What their relationship is is debatable, but Nick thinks of Phil of his brother, as his friend, as a platonic life mate (and he has to half-step again when that thought crosses his mind). They relax together, they laugh together, they work well together.
The song fades to an end, and Nick disengages, pulling back from Phil, smile still there on his face, feeling more relaxed than he has in days..
“Now you can stop scaring everyone,” Phil nods, before sliding down onto the floor to sort through some of the folders, drawing the mantle of Agent Coulson about him again. “Lets see if we can get you out of this office before daybreak.”