SHIELD Agent Eleanor Flint

Chapter 8

It was strange seeing Reed without all his gear on. I found myself staring at his blue jeans and hoodie while we ordered our ice cream cones. But I suppose that he found it strange seeing me in a salmon pink t-shirt and jean shorts. We began our walk down Manhattan Bridge and so far, none of us had spoken a word. This was, after all, my first date. Ever. I wasn't sure how it was going to go.

"So, I don't want to go on this walk in complete silence," Reed spoke up. "And I don't think you do either." 

"No." I shook my head and smiled. 

"We should probably break the ice before we start talking about work and getting boring," Reed continued. I laughed at his use of words and he looked down at me. "When I say 'break the ice'..." 

"I know what you meant," I laughed. "Sorry, go on." 

"Have you ever played 20 Questions?" He asked. 

"Mm-mm," I hummed and shook my head as I bit into my ice cream cone. 

"I ask you twenty questions, obviously," he explained and I smiled. "And you answer, then I answer. They aren't going to be too personal, just simple questions to get to know you other than as my coworker." 

"Okay," I nodded.

"And these questions can lead to a conversation between us, it's an ice breaker," Reed further explained. 

"Because you want to get past my icy exterior right?" I asked with a straight face.

"Yeah- wait no, that's not what-" He turned to me as we walked and I laughed again. 

"I'm kidding, yeah let's play." 

I glanced down our bridge path at the skyline of Brooklyn waiting for us to reach it. Reed paused for a moment before he asked the first question. 

"Alright, what's your full name?" 

"Eleanor Katherine Flint," I answered. "Though, if you prefer a shorter name, you have permission to call me something other than Agent Flint." 

Reed laughed as well and nodded. "Can I call you Nell?" 

"Nell?" I repeated. 

"Yeah, I had a friend who's name was Eleanor, we called her Nell for short." Reed licked his icecream. "I like the name." 

"Sure," I shrugged. "It's different from Ellie, not that I don't like being called that, but it's new. Okay, your turn." 

"Henry Thomas Reed," he answered. "This now gives you permission to call me Henry. This is not a professional relationship, we can be friends." 

"Oh, good," I joked. "I was worried." 

Henry laughed and glanced away for a moment. I gazed up at him, the sun was low in the sky and as he looked back at me, his brown eyes caught the orange reflection. I caught myself looking for too long and I faced forward again. 

"Okay, second question," Henry cleared his throat. "When's your birthday?" 

I chuckled. "August 29. Do you want the year, too? You can guess." 

"Oh, no, I don't like having to guess peoples' age," Henry shook his head. "I don't want to guess too old." 

"What do you mean? I'm an ancient woman in the body of a 30-year-old, you can't go wrong." I gestured to myself. 

"Okay... Uhhh, 1920. Go with an easy one," Henry guessed.

"Close," I grinned. 

"1919."