Archive of Our Own ^beta

After SHIELD's founding, the first days in the offices, everyone helps get everyone else set up.

“Hey, I'm finally done organizing files in our new digs.” Jack said as he entered Peggy's office, which was full of papers spread out in front of her as she supervised the installation of the SHIELD offices.

These first few days were a bit special, with everyone doing a bit of everything and taking their orders from Peggy.

“Good job, Agent Thompson.” Peggy replied barely looking up from her work.

“What do you want me to do now, Madam Director?” Jack asked. He’d mockingly exaggerated the last two words, but they both knew there was no malice behind them, just a bit of playful teasing.

Peggy looked up at the clock on her office wall and saw that it was about eleven o’clock.

Seeing this, an idea occurred to her, and she turned to her friend, looking at him with twinkling eyes and a smile anything but innocent on her lips.

“Wow, I know that smile and I have a feeling I won't like what comes next.” Jack groaned, knowing the brunette well enough to know that it didn’t look good for him.

“Agent Thompson, why won't you take the lunch orders?” She asked, still grinning.

“What? Seriously?” The blond exclaimed, his eyes widening.

“Seriously.”

“Come on Peggy, you can’t ask me to do that.” Jack implored.

“I can. And I am.” Peggy replied mercilessly. “Go get everyone’s lunch orders.”

Knowing he couldn’t win this battle, and realizing it had been well played, Jack gave up and surrendered. “Revenge doesn't look good on you, Marge, don’t make a habit of it.” He said before walking completely out of her office.

Peggy didn’t reply, but smiled a little wider before returning to her work.

Jack, meanwhile, began his tour, stopping at each station to ask everyone what they wanted to eat.

In itself, no one was surprised to see him doing this. For the time being, they didn't have a department dedicated to this, so everyone took turns taking lunch orders, regardless of their grade.

But when Jack arrived not far from the desks where Daniel and others SSR's former agents were working, he swore under his breath. “They're never going to let this one go.” He muttered to himself. Then he stepped forward and stopped in front of his friend’s desk. “Hey, what do you want for lunch?” He asked.

Daniel looked up from what he was doing and suppressed a burst of laughter when he saw his friend’s unpleasant expression. He quickly realized that Peggy had asked him to take the food orders out of sweet revenge and decided to play it up a bit.

“Why the grim look, Jack? Is there something wrong with your current mission? It's of the utmost importance and requires an experienced field agent. Don't you agree?”

“That’s it? Are you done laughing at me?”

“Never.” Daniel replied with a chuckle.

Then there was a short silence during which the two former chiefs stared at each other, Jack glaring and Daniel only amused.

“Agent Thompson, how’s that lunch coming?” One of their colleagues, Rick Ramirez, called from his desk, also enjoying his boss’s revenge.

“Go to hell, Ramirez.” the blond said before focusing on the dark-haired man in front of him. “If you don’t tell me what you want to eat in two seconds, I’ll consider you starving by lunchtime.”

“I’ll have a plain burger, thank you, Agent Thompson.” Daniel said, still grinning with satisfaction.

“See, it wasn’t complicated.” Jack muttered, writing down his order on his notepad. “And if you tell her, you’re dead, but I have to admit it’s a good move on her part.” He added before continuing his tour.