Kara walked in, finding Hunter replacing the bandage over his shot wound. He was an odd agent, he wasn't the typical follow-protocol kind of guy, she had never met someone like that at SHIELD before. He was sitting on a kitchen counter, bandages on one side, a water bucket next to them and scissors on his other side. He looked like he was struggling to get the crimson bandage off his wound.
"You need some help with that?" she asked approaching him.
"Um, no thanks." he answered finally pulling the used bandaged off. He grabbed a new one but struggled to put it on. Kara laughed and decided to help him.
"You're gonna need new stitches, Hunter." she told him concerned. "Wait, are these... Are these the stitches Fitz and I improvised at the-"
"Thought they'd be fine." he interrupted.
"Well, they won't. You could lose too much blood, or get the wound infected. Simmons needs to-"
"I've had worse wounds for longer, and they have all healed. I'll be fine." he warned.
"Yeah, but we don't have time. SHIELD is at crisis, Hunter. Coulson can only trust a few people, and you're one of the few." she reminded him. "What if things go south and he needs you? Injured you'll be a burden, and Coulson won't leave you behind. You'll be anything but helpful."
"Where's all this coming from?"
"You know what, never mind." she answered walking away.
In the lab, Simmons and Bobbi were talking about what the real SHIELD was really supposed to be about. Bobbi told her that she didn't think Coulson was a bad man, she just wanted more transparency and less secrets. The real SHIELD was about true leadership and accountability, not about taking other people's positions.
"Excuse me." said Kara.
"Agent 33!" jumped Simmons. "Where's Ward? And, um how can I help you?" she said forcing a smile.
"It's just Kara. Grant is being guarded in a restricted area. It's Hunter." she explained. Bobbi's eyes shot up, "He got shot during the mission."
"What do you mean, shot?" asked Bobbi standing up. Her heart had started to bump sharply, he couldn't be dead, no way. She had forgotten to tell him to not die out there, and although it was the most stupid saying ever, it was what always kept them both alive.
"Yeah, some Hydra agent."
"What happened exactly." demanded Bobbi.
"Well, we were in teams of two, Fitz stayed in the jet. I was with Hunter, Coulson with Ward."
"Why?" asked Jemma confused.
"Coulson doesn't trust Grant." muttered Kara resentfully, "Anyways, Hunter and I engaged in combat and then someone came from behind me and he shot him, but at the same time someone shot him. I killed the shooter pretty quick and helped agent Hunter up."
"He's not an agent." corrected Simmons.
"Now he is, Coulson hired him." explained Kara, "Anyways, he insisted it was just a scratch and decided to keep fighting - until he could barely stand. Then I helped him out to the quin jet and Coulson told us to go, while he waited for SHIELD to come and find him. While on the plane, Fitz and I improvised something on his wound. Then I went up to the cockpit with Grant, and Fitz and Hunter stayed at the back talking - I wonder if they understand each other with such thick accents. Now Hunter refuses to get his stitches fixed, or his wound checked. He can barely move his arm and he' s losing too much blood, but he insists on changing his bandages every time they're soaking in blood and avoid further treatment."
"Where is he now?" asked Simmons grabbing her medical kit.
"Kitchen." answered, Kara. Bobbi walked out of the lab first, followed by Jemma who tried to keep up with her, and agent 33 who was confused with the Mockingbird's reaction. Bobbi came to a sudden stop when she reached the glass door. He was facing back, so he couldn't see them.
"I'll take it from here." assured Bobbi while taking the kit from Simmons.
"Alright." smiled Jemma, "If you need anything, you know where I'll be." she nodded before turning on her heels and heading back to the lab. Kara grinned, figuring out why Hunter didn't want to go to Simmons. He and agent Morse were a thing, and by the looks of it a serious thing.
Bobbi walked in quietly, hoping to smoothly start a conversation. But the smoothness soon faded when she saw the pile of bloody bandages where he was adding another one.
"All of this cause you're so fucking stubborn, Hunter." she scolded him. He startled when he saw she was so close to him. Maybe he had lost some blood after all, his senses were really clouded. "Damn it, Hunter. I forget to tell you to not die out there and you get yourself shot." she complained opening the kit. She poured some alcohol on a bandage and softly pressed it to the wound. Her hand quickly soaked in crimson red. "What the hell is wrong with you? This needed stitches yesterday. And here you are acting all macho, not wanting any help and bleeding yourself to death." she ranted while attending his wound. "God, you're so stubborn, so fucking stubborn." she hissed.
"If your SHIELD hadn't taken over the base I could have gotten back and stitched up immediately." he muttered, "I get shot and it's my fault." he complained.
"Yeah well, it is." she said beginning to stitch him up.
"I saved agent 33's life!" he said exasperated.
"Don't move, damn it!" she yelled back pushing his arm down.
"Well I saved a life, that should count for something." he argued. She finished her stitches.
"I don't care. You shouldn't have gotten shot." she repeated.
"Pardon me for being the hero." he retorted. Bobbi's eyes shot up at him, her jaw clenched, lips pursing and her glare narrowing. Hunter startled. She looked back at his wound, tracing the edges with her fingertips to make sure it was neatly healed. She helped him put on his shirt without saying a word, he knew that something was off. "Bob...?"
"You're not supposed to be the hero. You're not supposed to get shot-" his left hand cupped her chin and he tilted her head up, making her face him. For once she had to look up, him being on a counter and all. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and were she not an elite spy they would be watery.
"Thanks." he told her with a soft voice. He leaned in and kissed her, a kiss she didn't hesitate to return. He wrapped his arms around her upper waist and pulled her between his legs. She held onto him, stroking his short hairs as the kiss deepened. They pulled away, gasping for air and she tried to step back, but his legs closed in a loop and pushed her back to him. She tugged his shirt and gave him a very hungry kiss, her tongue teased his lower lips before exploring his mouth thoroughly. He groaned to the feeling of her tongue teasing his, and she moaned when breaking off the kiss. Bobbi let go of him and started picking up the trash they had left. He got off the counter and kissed her cheek, walking away he gave her an informative glance. This had never happened.
