Maria Hill and Melinda May One Shots

Learning to Fly

Maria paused in the party aisle, in front of the balloons. She reached out, brought back her hand and then chose three packets. 

She walked into SHIELD HQ with a grocery bag and gave it to the cafeteria workers. Then she sat down at her desk and blew up a purple balloon, holding the top with two fingers. 

When a junior agent walked in she let go of the balloon and smirked when the agent ducked and reached for her gun automatically. 

A few minutes later, Natasha came in. She ducked under Maria's water filled balloon and smirked. "Mel wants you," she said.

Maria groaned. Melinda never sent other people to do her dirty work so she must be caught up in trouble. "She told you?"

"Nah, but it was fairly obvious. She's in the hangar." Natasha winked at her before leaving.

Maria muttered a curse and stood up, walking in the direction of the hangar. She found Melinda waiting beside a SHIELD issued jet. 

"Get in," Melinda grinned. "I'm teaching you how to fly."

Maria turned around to walk out but Melinda stopped her.

"What would Fury say if he found out you were declining a chance to learn a new survival tip?" Melinda asked.

Maria gave her a dark look. "Fine. But if I die it's on you."

"I'll have you know I can actually fly a plane very well," Melinda said.

Maria knew. Everyone knew after Melinda had executed a dangerous manoeuvre perfectly when she was attacking another Hydra plane. 

Melinda ran Maria through the basics before she flew the plane out of SHIELD's hangar. Then she switched places with Maria. Maria squinted as the sun shone brightly in her eyes. She saw a black spot in the middle of the sun and pointed it out to Melinda.

Melinda swore and took the yoke. Maria stood up and let Melinda have full control of the plane. 

"Bloody Hydra," Melinda muttered under her breath. 

"Gun them down?" Maria asked.

"This plane doesn't have guns," Melinda scowled. "I picked it specifically for that reason 'cause I know you won't come with me on a plane that has bullets."

"Maybe next time pick a plane with one gun," Maria suggested. 

Melinda smiled. "I'll try. No promises." She turned to look at Maria. "Buckle up. We're gonna have to fly dangerous."

Maria sighed. "Just the way I like it."

Melinda got the Hydra agent's attention by flying directly over top of him. Maria closed her eyes and hoped that Melinda knew what she was doing. Then she snorted because Melinda didn't ever do anything with a plan. Maria glanced out the window and inhaled sharply when she saw the Hydra agent lift his gun. 

Maria shot at him through the window and then ducked as an oncoming spray of bullets shot holes in the window. Melinda cursed and tilted the plane so they came out underneath. 

"Did you have to shoot him?" she asked in exasperation.

"Sorry," Maria muttered.

She gripped the edge of her seat as Melinda rammed the plane into the other plane's underbelly. A piece of metal fell from the plane and impaled itself in the nose of Melinda's plane. Maria suddenly remembered why she didn't like flying and wished she had never agreed to learn how to fly. She was perfectly fine with letting Melinda do that.

Maria found herself on the ceiling of the plane and then back on the floor. She heard Melinda breathe a sigh of relief as the Hydra agent turned his plane around and fly back, engines smoking. She touched the back of her head and frowned when her fingers came away bloody. Her right wrist felt sore and when she found the energy to look at it, she realised it was dislocated.