Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. fic: Devil’s Backbone
Story Title: Devil’s Backbone
Fandom(s): Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Whumptober 2024 Day 1: Race Against the Clock
Rating: G
Word Count: 1,182
Summary: Once everything settles down, then what? She has no idea how long he’ll be gone this time, or if he’ll ever come back at all. She hadn’t thought he was coming back the first time; a second time, or third, or fourth, is a gamble she’s not inclined to make.
He’s tired. The weary set of his shoulders as he steps through the portal he’d created out of thin air screams as much.
The making of it, that was clearly second nature to him. He bore the same comfort with it that she does with her own powers. She’d seen the tiny smile grace his lips as he prepared to dazzle them all; he likes having his powers. She can’t fault him for that. She knows more than most that undercurrent of delight and satisfaction at being able to manipulate matter no one else can.
The price, though, the impossibly high price, is something he pays alone. Breaking her arms and exploding her capillaries is no picnic, but she’s pretty damn sure Robbie would take that over having his body used to fight and kill enemies he didn’t even know existed.
And there’s … the other thing.
The thing Daisy’s been too busy to spare a thought for but which came barging to the forefront the minute she’d gotten the alert about Robbie’s Charger being stolen. She’s not stupid - he’s into her, no question. He’d made no effort to hide it. Which would be thorny enough if it weren’t for the fact that, psychopathic androids aside, it’s been nice having him around again. Partly because of him, and partly because he comes bearing impenetrable armor. No matter how powerful the opponent, no matter how much bad luck Daisy attracts, he always emerges unscathed. He can’t die, and even his injuries have a short shelf life. Getting backhanded by her in a junkyard or being at ground zero of a nuclear bomb while impaled by carbon spikes in a box full of quantum energy, it all pans out the same in the end: Robbie, alive and mostly well.
She’d almost forgotten what it was like to see him dismantle his enemies like they were flies to be swatted, so consumed as she’s been by killer robots and fascist video games. His unbridled confidence, the swing of his chain, the seamless transition from Robbie to the Rider and back again. Seeing him weaponize his raw power one moment, and the next speak with such quiet calm she almost had to strain to hear him.
She has no desire to know anything more about the Rider. If she had any say over things, she’d make sure he never left his cage. Robbie himself, however, that’s someone she wouldn’t mind knowing more about. Even if it does put her a little off-kilter that he’d made an unmistakeable overture, because it means that somewhere within all that time of burning through enemies in hells she can’t imagine, it had been she who took firm root in his mind.
She doesn’t know what to do with that. At the moment, she can’t do anything with it, given that the man in question has stepped into a blurred veil of magic separating Earth from whatever forsaken dimension birthed the Darkhold.
And that? Is not something she can abide.
The last few months have been too hectic to think about much more than the here and now, let alone about Robbie, but that won’t last forever. Once everything settles down - and things will settle down, if her intrepid team’s extensive experience with pissing off the government is anything to go by - then what? She has no idea how long he’ll be gone this time, or if he’ll ever come back at all. She hadn’t thought he was coming back the first time; a second time, or third, or fourth, is a gamble she’s not inclined to make.
Choosing not to sweat the probably very important details, Daisy turns from the portal to Coulson. “I have to know.”
Coulson doesn’t seem all that fazed at her declaration, nor does he have to ask what she means. To be fair, this is the least batshit crazy thing that’s happened in the past twenty-four hours. Sounding fully aware he’ll be overridden, he tries, “You have no idea what’s on the other side of that thing, Daisy.”
“No, but I know who is on the other side.”
Worry and understanding written in equal measure on his face, Coulson nods. “Your turn to jump into a portal to nowhere?”
Daisy lets out a short laugh. “Yep.”
She spares a moment more to look at him, then May, then the rest. After everything they’ve endured, she has faith they’ll be just fine. Dealing with a bunch of suits and congressional hearings should be no problem.
As the edges of the portal begin to close in on themselves, Daisy leaps through -
And falls to a hard stop on the rocky terrain with a yelp of pain. Not her most graceful entrance.
Dusting herself off with a wince, she sees Robbie whirl around to stare at her. She can’t really blame him. Probably he’s wondering whether she’s a very convincing hallucination. That sounds like the kind of thing one would find in hell.
Seeking to dispel that notion, she walks over to him, places her hands on his shoulders, and releases a low-level quake. She’s quaked him before; he knows what it feels like. Maybe a hallucination could try to emulate it, but not the real thing.
Which he concludes, too, judging by the relief - and ongoing confusion - in his expression.
“Thought I’d see what all the fuss is about,” she shrugs before he can speak. “Since you spent so much time away without even a phone call.”
In bafflement, Robbie deadpans, “Bad signal.”
“Excuses, excuses.”
Robbie stares at her some more, grip clenching and unclenching on the evil book of evil that has been a royal pain in the ass. Then, finally catching up to what’s going on, he seethes, “Have you lost your goddamn mind? What were you thinking following me here?”
“I was thinking that I’m not okay with having no idea where you are. Also, you were the one who agreed that you’ve had a terrible, painful, and lonely existence. Pro tip: If you want to reassure someone that you’ll be okay, those aren’t the words to use.”
“You said those words.”
“You agreed with them.”
“It’s too dangerous, Daisy. I’m not even me most of the time, I told you that. Ghost Rider’s the one who takes over, and for good reason. Unless you’ve got an unkillable demon inside you, too, that you haven’t told me about, it’s suicide. I can’t protect you, and the Rider won’t.”
“I can protect myself.”
“No, you can’t.”
“Watch me.”
Daisy crosses her arms over her chest, daring him to argue further, and gets in response a muttered string of Spanish that doesn’t sound very complimentary.
She ignores that and raises an expectant eyebrow. “So, which way first?”
Fandom(s): Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Whumptober 2024 Day 1: Race Against the Clock
Rating: G
Word Count: 1,182
Summary: Once everything settles down, then what? She has no idea how long he’ll be gone this time, or if he’ll ever come back at all. She hadn’t thought he was coming back the first time; a second time, or third, or fourth, is a gamble she’s not inclined to make.
He’s tired. The weary set of his shoulders as he steps through the portal he’d created out of thin air screams as much.
The making of it, that was clearly second nature to him. He bore the same comfort with it that she does with her own powers. She’d seen the tiny smile grace his lips as he prepared to dazzle them all; he likes having his powers. She can’t fault him for that. She knows more than most that undercurrent of delight and satisfaction at being able to manipulate matter no one else can.
The price, though, the impossibly high price, is something he pays alone. Breaking her arms and exploding her capillaries is no picnic, but she’s pretty damn sure Robbie would take that over having his body used to fight and kill enemies he didn’t even know existed.
And there’s … the other thing.
The thing Daisy’s been too busy to spare a thought for but which came barging to the forefront the minute she’d gotten the alert about Robbie’s Charger being stolen. She’s not stupid - he’s into her, no question. He’d made no effort to hide it. Which would be thorny enough if it weren’t for the fact that, psychopathic androids aside, it’s been nice having him around again. Partly because of him, and partly because he comes bearing impenetrable armor. No matter how powerful the opponent, no matter how much bad luck Daisy attracts, he always emerges unscathed. He can’t die, and even his injuries have a short shelf life. Getting backhanded by her in a junkyard or being at ground zero of a nuclear bomb while impaled by carbon spikes in a box full of quantum energy, it all pans out the same in the end: Robbie, alive and mostly well.
She’d almost forgotten what it was like to see him dismantle his enemies like they were flies to be swatted, so consumed as she’s been by killer robots and fascist video games. His unbridled confidence, the swing of his chain, the seamless transition from Robbie to the Rider and back again. Seeing him weaponize his raw power one moment, and the next speak with such quiet calm she almost had to strain to hear him.
She has no desire to know anything more about the Rider. If she had any say over things, she’d make sure he never left his cage. Robbie himself, however, that’s someone she wouldn’t mind knowing more about. Even if it does put her a little off-kilter that he’d made an unmistakeable overture, because it means that somewhere within all that time of burning through enemies in hells she can’t imagine, it had been she who took firm root in his mind.
She doesn’t know what to do with that. At the moment, she can’t do anything with it, given that the man in question has stepped into a blurred veil of magic separating Earth from whatever forsaken dimension birthed the Darkhold.
And that? Is not something she can abide.
The last few months have been too hectic to think about much more than the here and now, let alone about Robbie, but that won’t last forever. Once everything settles down - and things will settle down, if her intrepid team’s extensive experience with pissing off the government is anything to go by - then what? She has no idea how long he’ll be gone this time, or if he’ll ever come back at all. She hadn’t thought he was coming back the first time; a second time, or third, or fourth, is a gamble she’s not inclined to make.
Choosing not to sweat the probably very important details, Daisy turns from the portal to Coulson. “I have to know.”
Coulson doesn’t seem all that fazed at her declaration, nor does he have to ask what she means. To be fair, this is the least batshit crazy thing that’s happened in the past twenty-four hours. Sounding fully aware he’ll be overridden, he tries, “You have no idea what’s on the other side of that thing, Daisy.”
“No, but I know who is on the other side.”
Worry and understanding written in equal measure on his face, Coulson nods. “Your turn to jump into a portal to nowhere?”
Daisy lets out a short laugh. “Yep.”
She spares a moment more to look at him, then May, then the rest. After everything they’ve endured, she has faith they’ll be just fine. Dealing with a bunch of suits and congressional hearings should be no problem.
As the edges of the portal begin to close in on themselves, Daisy leaps through -
And falls to a hard stop on the rocky terrain with a yelp of pain. Not her most graceful entrance.
Dusting herself off with a wince, she sees Robbie whirl around to stare at her. She can’t really blame him. Probably he’s wondering whether she’s a very convincing hallucination. That sounds like the kind of thing one would find in hell.
Seeking to dispel that notion, she walks over to him, places her hands on his shoulders, and releases a low-level quake. She’s quaked him before; he knows what it feels like. Maybe a hallucination could try to emulate it, but not the real thing.
Which he concludes, too, judging by the relief - and ongoing confusion - in his expression.
“Thought I’d see what all the fuss is about,” she shrugs before he can speak. “Since you spent so much time away without even a phone call.”
In bafflement, Robbie deadpans, “Bad signal.”
“Excuses, excuses.”
Robbie stares at her some more, grip clenching and unclenching on the evil book of evil that has been a royal pain in the ass. Then, finally catching up to what’s going on, he seethes, “Have you lost your goddamn mind? What were you thinking following me here?”
“I was thinking that I’m not okay with having no idea where you are. Also, you were the one who agreed that you’ve had a terrible, painful, and lonely existence. Pro tip: If you want to reassure someone that you’ll be okay, those aren’t the words to use.”
“You said those words.”
“You agreed with them.”
“It’s too dangerous, Daisy. I’m not even me most of the time, I told you that. Ghost Rider’s the one who takes over, and for good reason. Unless you’ve got an unkillable demon inside you, too, that you haven’t told me about, it’s suicide. I can’t protect you, and the Rider won’t.”
“I can protect myself.”
“No, you can’t.”
“Watch me.”
Daisy crosses her arms over her chest, daring him to argue further, and gets in response a muttered string of Spanish that doesn’t sound very complimentary.
She ignores that and raises an expectant eyebrow. “So, which way first?”