ysabetwordsmith (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
ysabetwordsmith) wrote2014-08-01 12:29 am
ysabetwordsmith) wrote2014-08-01 12:29 am
Story: "Little and Broken, but Still Good" Part 27
This story belongs to the series Love Is For Children which includes "Love Is for Children," "Hairpins," "Blended," "Am I Not," "Eggshells," "Dolls and Guys,""Saudades," "Querencia," "Turnabout Is Fair Play," "Touching Moments," "Splash," "Coming Around," "Birthday Girl," "No Winter Lasts Forever," "Hide and Seek," "Kernel Error," "Happy Hour," "Green Eggs and Hulk," and "kintsukuroi."
Fandom: The Avengers
Characters: Phil Coulson, Nick Fury
Medium: Fiction
Warnings: Minor character death. Bullying. Fighting. Suicide attempt (minor character).
Summary: This is the story of how a little boy named Flip grows up to save the world a lot.
Notes: Hurt/comfort. Family. Fluff and angst. Accidents. Emotional whump. Disability. Sibling relationship. Nonsexual love. Parentification. Manipulation. Coping skills. Asking for help and getting it. Hope. Protection. Caregiving. Competence. Toys and games. Comic books. Fixing things. Martial arts. Gentleness. Trust. Role models. Military. BAMF Phil Coulson.
Begin with Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16, Part 17, Part 18, Part 19, Part 20, Part 21, Part 22, Part 23, Part 24, Part 25, Part 26. Skip to Part 29, Part 30, Part 31, Part 32.
"Little and Broken, but Still Good" Part 27
The final exam for Special Operations is ruthless. It starts with the usual rounds of running, crawling under razor wire, and shooting at targets that shoot back. Anyone who gets painted is eliminated. They go through an obstacle course on the ground and another in the treetops. They get ambushed. Their supposed safehouse has been compromised and Phil has to hack a computer to get the address of the next one. Which contains yet another ambush.
They make it to the harbor and take charge of their designated boat, which they set on its outlined course -- only to have the crew turn on them and toss everyone into the water over a mile from shore. "If you make it to the beach, you qualify," the captain shouts as they tread water. "Start swimming!"
It's choppy today, hot but blustery, and Phil struggles to stay afloat as the waves slap him around. He's already exhausted from the previous tests. This is the last one, though. He can get through this.
Phil collapses, panting, onto the sand as soon as he reaches the beach. Now only his head is swimming. This is so much better. I'm done. I made it! Wow. Phil watches a crab sidle past him and smiles.
"All right, everybody up for a 10k run!"
WHAT?
Phil's mind short-circuits for a second. He hot-wires it back into action and forces himself to his feet. The sand moves in queasy motions underneath him. Oh that is just not fair.
Phil sweeps a bleary gaze over the beach, looking for route markers. He doesn't see any. Dozens of men still lie comatose on the ground. Only eight others are standing, and one of them is puking up seawater. He doesn't fall, though. Phil rather admires that.
Sand crunches as a tall black man strides into view. "This one," he says, slapping a heavy hand on Phil's shoulder.
Phil faceplants into the sand. Well, that's a great first impression. He spits out seaweed, shoves hard against the weight of the world, and staggers upright again.
"You're shitting me, Nick Fury," says the testing officer.
"Nope. You owe me a favor, said I could take the pick of the litter," says the stranger. His eyes are dark and piercing. He looks like an obsidian column against the baleful heat of the sun, motionless except for the slow flap of his trenchcoat in the breeze.
"And you want the runt?"
Steve Rogers was a runt once, too. Phil bares his teeth at the two men.
"I've got more than enough trained beef. What I need is someone small and sneaky, who looks like a paper-pusher but can kick ass like a motherfucking mule," says Fury. Then he turns to Phil. "What do you say? Ready for that 10k run?"
"Y'sir," Phil slurs. It'll kill him, but he will by god die with his boots on.
Fury laughs, the bastard. "There is no run. Relax, you qualify. We just wanted to see who could drag themselves to their feet after one last kick in the teeth."
"Oh," Phil says, and recruits his voice for one last effort. "Fuck you, sir."
Then he passes out, but Fury catches him on the way down.
* * *
Notes:
Paintball is one way the Marines simulate live-fire combat.
Mindfuck is a nickname for psychological manipulation. Know how to deal with headgames. The Marines have some wonderful advice on leadership and mental stamina, including, "When all else fails, click your weapon off safe and make something happen." Yeah, we saw that in The Avengers. There are tips on how to develop willpower and build mental toughness.
It's easy to underestimate Phil, even though he's a badass, because he's small and quiet. He knows how to take advantage of it, though.
[To be continued in Part 28 ...]
Fandom: The Avengers
Characters: Phil Coulson, Nick Fury
Medium: Fiction
Warnings: Minor character death. Bullying. Fighting. Suicide attempt (minor character).
Summary: This is the story of how a little boy named Flip grows up to save the world a lot.
Notes: Hurt/comfort. Family. Fluff and angst. Accidents. Emotional whump. Disability. Sibling relationship. Nonsexual love. Parentification. Manipulation. Coping skills. Asking for help and getting it. Hope. Protection. Caregiving. Competence. Toys and games. Comic books. Fixing things. Martial arts. Gentleness. Trust. Role models. Military. BAMF Phil Coulson.
Begin with Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16, Part 17, Part 18, Part 19, Part 20, Part 21, Part 22, Part 23, Part 24, Part 25, Part 26. Skip to Part 29, Part 30, Part 31, Part 32.
"Little and Broken, but Still Good" Part 27
The final exam for Special Operations is ruthless. It starts with the usual rounds of running, crawling under razor wire, and shooting at targets that shoot back. Anyone who gets painted is eliminated. They go through an obstacle course on the ground and another in the treetops. They get ambushed. Their supposed safehouse has been compromised and Phil has to hack a computer to get the address of the next one. Which contains yet another ambush.
They make it to the harbor and take charge of their designated boat, which they set on its outlined course -- only to have the crew turn on them and toss everyone into the water over a mile from shore. "If you make it to the beach, you qualify," the captain shouts as they tread water. "Start swimming!"
It's choppy today, hot but blustery, and Phil struggles to stay afloat as the waves slap him around. He's already exhausted from the previous tests. This is the last one, though. He can get through this.
Phil collapses, panting, onto the sand as soon as he reaches the beach. Now only his head is swimming. This is so much better. I'm done. I made it! Wow. Phil watches a crab sidle past him and smiles.
"All right, everybody up for a 10k run!"
WHAT?
Phil's mind short-circuits for a second. He hot-wires it back into action and forces himself to his feet. The sand moves in queasy motions underneath him. Oh that is just not fair.
Phil sweeps a bleary gaze over the beach, looking for route markers. He doesn't see any. Dozens of men still lie comatose on the ground. Only eight others are standing, and one of them is puking up seawater. He doesn't fall, though. Phil rather admires that.
Sand crunches as a tall black man strides into view. "This one," he says, slapping a heavy hand on Phil's shoulder.
Phil faceplants into the sand. Well, that's a great first impression. He spits out seaweed, shoves hard against the weight of the world, and staggers upright again.
"You're shitting me, Nick Fury," says the testing officer.
"Nope. You owe me a favor, said I could take the pick of the litter," says the stranger. His eyes are dark and piercing. He looks like an obsidian column against the baleful heat of the sun, motionless except for the slow flap of his trenchcoat in the breeze.
"And you want the runt?"
Steve Rogers was a runt once, too. Phil bares his teeth at the two men.
"I've got more than enough trained beef. What I need is someone small and sneaky, who looks like a paper-pusher but can kick ass like a motherfucking mule," says Fury. Then he turns to Phil. "What do you say? Ready for that 10k run?"
"Y'sir," Phil slurs. It'll kill him, but he will by god die with his boots on.
Fury laughs, the bastard. "There is no run. Relax, you qualify. We just wanted to see who could drag themselves to their feet after one last kick in the teeth."
"Oh," Phil says, and recruits his voice for one last effort. "Fuck you, sir."
Then he passes out, but Fury catches him on the way down.
* * *
Notes:
Paintball is one way the Marines simulate live-fire combat.
Mindfuck is a nickname for psychological manipulation. Know how to deal with headgames. The Marines have some wonderful advice on leadership and mental stamina, including, "When all else fails, click your weapon off safe and make something happen." Yeah, we saw that in The Avengers. There are tips on how to develop willpower and build mental toughness.
It's easy to underestimate Phil, even though he's a badass, because he's small and quiet. He knows how to take advantage of it, though.
[To be continued in Part 28 ...]
Oh, wow!
I can picture the whole scene, right down to the passing out.
Just made my night, you did!
Re: Oh, wow!
Thank you!
>> I can picture the whole scene, right down to the passing out. <<
I laugh every time I re-read it. I wanted to show how Phil, now with new improved training, has gotten to where he can ignore physical limits. Which means he goes until he goes splat.
I also wanted to introduce Nick Fury as a positive, insightful character ... who always did have a tendency to dick with people's heads a bit, which just got worse over time. But in the beginning, he was a great friend and Phil adored him. Phil still does, really, but the relationship had taken on a layer of abuse that also makes him uncomfortable, especially when Nick hurts someone else.
>> Just made my night, you did! <<
*happydance*
Re: Oh, wow!
"That's not the runt. That's the control module."
I've got a series where Steve Rogers came out of Project Rebirth ready to demolish the then standing Olympic records in various incompatible sports. Still 5'4". Col Phillips assigns Peggy to figure out just how to use that fact, because he's damned if he just sticks such an expensive gear where perfectly healthy small men already are sufficient.
Re: Oh, wow!
Yes, exactly.
>> "That's not the runt. That's the control module." <<
*laugh* So very true.
>> I've got a series where Steve Rogers came out of Project Rebirth ready to demolish the then standing Olympic records in various incompatible sports. Still 5'4". Col Phillips assigns Peggy to figure out just how to use that fact, because he's damned if he just sticks such an expensive gear where perfectly healthy small men already are sufficient. <<
I love that approach.