A whiff of apple pie.
Summary: They were both college students, she worked in a bakery and he was awestruck from the moment they met.
Notes: It went ahead of me and I just...rolled with it. Another one sitting in the backburner for far too long.
prompt: 'Every morning you walk in and inhale deeply then walk back out seriously just buy something already' AU
Phil Coulson had a very busy schedule. He berely had time to buy for his lunch and when he did, he was bone dead tired to even think going out for shopping.
His mother would often drop by to cook him something, or stock up his supplies.
Being on his last year in college – he was studying history – had severely cut his free time.
"You need to cut down on your reading, Phillip. You need time to rest." his mother told him one morning, after she found him asleep on his desk.
"I do rest." he protested. "You just have freaky superpowers and catch me when I'm not." he yawned.
She ruffled his hair, chuckling.
"Go out, take a walk. Go for some coffee or drinks with friends." she told him as she left.
Phil sighed and plopped back on his bed once the door closed.
Desiding it wouldn't hurt to take a couple of hours to himself – it would certainly stop his mom from worrying – he got dressed and went out.
He took the path to the college and only no did he notice the shops he passed by every morning in a semi-crazed run.
The small bakery at the corner intrigued him. It looked new, but he would have sworn he had seen it in his second year, when he was still taking it easy.
Making a note not to be so hasty from then on, he kept walking until late in the evening.
DJ~PC~DJ~PC
Daisy Johnson needed the money.
She couldn't tell the difference between all the types of bread, beyond the differences in shape and if it wasn't for the tags she would have been fired long ago.
She had just started at computer science and her rent was something that was bothering her. She didn't want to depend on her parents, and the fact that she had only just found them two years ago made it even more awkward.
She worked mostly on Fridays and weekends, but filled in whenever possible.
"You don't worry about lagging behind in your studies?" her boss asked her often.
"Not really. Micro is finishing this year and he gave him his notes. I already know most of what his year does." she shook her head, disappointed with the taught material. "And in any case of emergency, Trip promised to call me."
It was a Friday when he first walked in.
"Hello, how can I help you?" she asked from the counter.
The guy looked around him startled, like he didn't expect someone to be there.
"Uh..." he blinked, breathed in, turned and bolted out of the bakery like dragons were about to maul him.
"What the...?" Daisy stared, shocked. "What did I do?" she wondered. "Was it something I said?"
She blinked and desided to put it (him) out of her mind.
DJ~PC~DJ~PC
Phil Coulson was not shy. He could talk with a pretty girl, proof his long-lasting friendships with Melinda and Bobbi. He could talk with a handsome guy, proof his evening talks over the history of psychology with Andrew.
He was quiet, yes, and maybe didn't always start the conversations, but he wasn't one to stutter and run away.
But the girl at the bakery... He was sure he made a fool of himself and he didn't know how to fix this – he was awfully rude to her – because he didn't know he could actually be able to open his mouth to even say 'hey'.
He groaned and let his head drop on the table.
"What happened this time?" a voice asked from his side.
"You make it sound like I am always in trouble." he mumbled, looking at his two friends.
"Last time we saw you like that, there was a...certain someone involved." Andrew said kindly.
Phil just hid his face.
"Oh God." he mumbled.
"Yeah. 'Oh God'." Melinda raised an eyebrow. "Who is it this time around?"
"I don't fall in love at the drop of a hat, Melinda." he grumbled.
He missed the smirk on his friend's face at his words.
"Audrey, Mack, that weird Price girl, Andrew, your professor...Do you need me to go on?"
"I hate you."
"So? Who is she?"
"I don't know."
"What do you mean, you don't know?" Andrew asked. "Surely you met her?"
"I...I saw her once. Then froze, turned and bolted."
"OK, this is bad."
"What's bad?" a new voice entered.
"Coulson got it bad." Melinda smirked.
"Lords, you make it sound like I'm dying or something. I am only extremely embarrassed."
"Wha', mister 'cool as a cucumber'? Embarrassed?" a young man sat down on their table.
"Hunter..." the young woman with him sighed. "Act like a decent person."
"Wha'?" Hunter looked at her. "C'mon, Bob. If he is flustered over someone, I want to congratulate the girl."
"You are the worst, the absolute worst."
"Now all that's left is Mack to come and you can all laugh at my sudden case of shyness." Phil mumbled to himself.
"I thought I heard my name?" a deep voice said.
"Whom did I piss off today to summon all of you in my momentary self-pity party?"
Mack raised an eyebrow at that.
"Sorry." Phil cringed. "I didn't..."
"A girl?" he asked.
"Does your mother know?" Melinda asked innocently.
Hunter bursted out in laughter and opened his mouth.
"I swear to God, if you start singing Abba right now, I am going to strangle you." Phil threatened.
"But...does your mother know that you're out?" he smirked, bolting away.
"Hunter!" Phil shot after him.
DJ~PC~DJ~PC
The next time Daisy Johnson sees the Guy Who Ran, is the very next morning.
He enters, she welcomes him and asks him how she can help, he looks like a deer caught in the heedlights and bolts.
"Now, seriously, is it something I said?" she asked aloud.
"What's wrong, girl?"
"Hey, Trip!" Daisy beamed. "I got a new customer that isn't a customer."
"Come again?"
"He just walks in, takes a deep breath and then runs out as if I was about to drain him of his bodily fluids or something."
"You've been watching horror movies lately?" he asked amused.
"Vampire movies, werewolf movies, ghost movies..." she shrugged. "Anything coming up?"
"Yeah. We got a test coming up next week. You'll need to be in class at least a couple of times, though."
"New blood?"
Trip chuckled.
"Yeah. She's new. But she's good." he said. "Here. We've been doing this..."
They looked over the subjects covered so far, while Daisy helped out the costumers.
When Sunday rolled in and the guy did it again, Daisy started worrying about him. This was obviously not normal.
She decided to try a different approach the next time he would enter, though. See if she could get him to talk to her for a second longer.
Either he was extremely shy or he was a foreigner.
The next week, she spent it studying for the test and going to the seminars, while bouncing ideas off Trip.
"You sound like you like the guy." he said. "Is he cute?" he teased.
"Come on, you know how it went down with the last cute one." she bumped her shoulder with his.
"So, he's not cute?"
"Fine! He is." she sighed. "Dorkily cute."
"Oh." Trip grinned.
"Come on." she laughed. "I don't even know his name! He's the 'breathe-and-run' guy and that's just wrong."
"How are you gonna catch him?"
"Possibly through silence. Everytime he comes in, I ask him how can I help and he poofs out of existance." she said. "It could give a girl a complex."
DJ~PC~DJ~PC
"I am a sorry excuse of an oxygen-consuming organism." Phil bemoaned into his pillow.
"You are exagerating, Phillip." his mother said, a smile evident in her voice.
"No, I am." he said addamantly.
"What happened?"
"I met a girl."
"And?"
"I ran. Several times." he said. "She is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, mum." he said softly.
"Then what's stopping you?"
"I...I don't know. She is...She must be so fed up with me..." he said, hitting his head with the pillow.
"She's yet to call the police on you, so..."
"I...She works at the bakery, on the way to the college."
"Oh, Phillip. You don't even know her name?"
"That's what I've been trying to tell you!" he exclaimed embarrassed. "Hell, I don't even know if she's a student or not!"
His mother hummed at his bedside. Then she got to her feet,
"Wait here." she told him.
"Where would I go? Wisconsin?"
"Touche." she said and left, leaving Phil on his own, as she went to do whatever she remembered to do.
DJ~PC~DJ~PC
Daisy was literally waiting for the guy to enter again today. (He's been coming in every morning for the past two weeks, surely he wasn't about to break pattern today, was he?)
Instead of him, a woman came in, mid-fifties, and kind.
She seemed vaguely familiar, though Daisy would swear to God, it was the first time she saw her.
They talked a little, her name, what she did, told her she was visiting her son, Phillip.
Daisy liked her/the woman.
Trip walked in as she left and he greeted her.
"Hey, girl. Anything new with your guy?" he asked.
"Didn't show up today." she shrugged.
"Pity. You had a plan and all."
"Hey, I can always try it the next time he does drop in."
"Nope, no. Next time we throw a net on him and you two can have a talk."
"Trip." she chuckled. "That's not going to win me points with the boss or the bakery new costumers."
Her friend smiled beside her.
DJ~PC~DJ~PC
"I like her." his mother told him once she returned.
Phil paled.
"What did you do?" he asked in horror.
"Bought you some bread." the woman smiled, holding up the bag. "By the way, her name's Daisy and she's studying computer science, if you wanted to know."
"Daisy..." Phil let the name roll off his lips. Then hid his face in his pillow. "Now I have to explain how I know her and that no, I didn't ask my mother to gather information. I don't want to look like a creep!"
Mrs. Coulson chuckled and patted his head.
"I think I made it harder for you, dear. I am so sorry." she said. She still sounded quite amused with his predicament, though.
Phil groaned. Loudly.
DJ~PC~DJ~PC
On Monday, he entered, as Daisy expected him to, and they stared at each other for two solid minutes, before he opened his mouth and...ran.
Daisy stared after his retreating back with a frown.
'This is getting ridiculous...' she thought.
When he kept entering and then running out for the whole, Daisy decided to take matters in her own hands, finally. Apparently, the guy was shy. With her. She followed him on Friday and he didn't seem to have a problem talking to other people.
So when he entered on Saturday, she was waiting for him.
"You've been coming and then bolting out almost every day for the past two months. Buy something aready." she frowned.
"I...uh...I..." he stuttered.
"Did I break you?" she raised an eyebrow at him.
"Uh...no...?" he said weakly.
"I'm Daisy. Who are you?"
He drew in a breath.
"Phil." he replied.
"Hello, Phil." she smiled.
"Uh...hi." he replied, a little bit awestruck.
DJ~PC~DJ~PC
After that, he managed to gather his courage and greet her every morning. He bought once a week, but stopped by every morning.
Phil seemed to be lighter and his friends noticed it, too.
"So, you two dating now?" Melinda asked one evening, after classes.
"No. But we talk."
"And you're moonstruck just by talking?" Hunter chimed in.
"I am not moonstruck." Phil frowned.
"Yes. Yes, you are." Mack nodded beside Hunter.
"Look, just..." he pinched the bridge of his nose. "I am, aren't I?" he sighed.
Someone patted his back.
"I understand how you feel." Andrew said.
"You're not my psychologist, Andrew. Not yet, anyway." Phil mumbled.
"No. But I don't need to be to know the feeling." he said, looking at Melinda.
"Oh."
"What did I miss?" Hunter asked.
"Apparently, a lot." Bobbi replied, as she sat down between him and Mack. "So, how's your girl?" she asked Phil.
"She's not...she's not my girl."
"Well, ask her out already!" Hunter shook his head. "She ain't gonna wait on you, ya know."
"Thank you for the encouraging words, Lance Hunter." Phil glared. "It's not easy, alright? She's pretty amazing and I am, quite frankly, average."
The gathered friends stared at him with raised eyebrows.
"Oh, this is bad. You've praised the music student, but never to the point to say you don't amount." Mack said, thoughful. "This is serious."
"That's what I've been saying from the moment I saw her..." Phil said under his breath.
"You want me to be there to push you when you ask her out?" Hunter suggested.
"NO!" five people shouted, simultaneously.
Hunter blinked at them, appaled.
"Sheesh. I only offered to help. Don't get your undies in a twist." he said with a frown at their lack of confidence.
DJ~PC~DJ~PC
"Have you ever tried any of these?" Phil asked her one Saturday morning.
Daisy looked at him.
"No."
Phil looked at her as if she was crazy.
"That's criminal, Daisy."
Daisy shook her head.
"Let me guess; you're a fan of baked goods?"
"Guilty as charged. Used to bake with my mother."
"Used to?"
"College." he replied. "I moved out of our home for my studies."
"Ah. The sacrifices of a student." Daisy nodded sagely.
"You?"
"Nah. My parents are doctors and pretty busy most of the time." Daisy shrugged, helping a costumer.
"My dad was a history professor. I followed in his footsteps."
"Oh."
"Accident."
"I'm sorry." she said, laying a hand on his shoulder.
Phil smiled softly at her.
DJ~PC~DJ~PC
Hunter's wish to meet Daisy came true when she came to their graduation ceremony.
"Hey there, professor." she grined up to him, bumping shuoulders.
"Daisy." he looked surprised. "How...?"
"Hey, now. It wasn't that hard to find out. I asked a few people." she added to his still confused face.
"I should have told you myself." he said disapponted.
Daisy grinned and laid a hand on his shoulder.
"Make up for it by taking me out later." she said.
"And maybe introduce us?" a voice interupted.
Phil groaned. Of all the people to notice, it had to be him.
"Lance Hunter, Daisy Johnson." he said.
"Holy, you're the one?" Hunter asked Daisy. "You made him all flustered and we had to see his sorry ass get embarrassed over his inability to talk to you for months." Hunter said with a grin, decidedly evil, in Phil's opinion.
"For the love of – Hunter!" A tall blonde young woman swatted the Brit over the head. "I am so sorry about him. Me and Mack, and pretty much everyone who's ever had the misfortune to call him friend, had been trying to convert him into a decent human." she said, glaring at her boyfriend. "Bobbi Morse."
"Daisy Johnson."
"Oi! Idaho and Hartley have no problem with me."
"Because they make sure not to either spend too much time with you or listen to you."
"Not you too, doc."
"I'm Andrew Garner and this is Melinda May." the newcomer introduced themselves. "Pleased to meet you, at last."
"What, you talked about me to your friends?" she teased the so far silent Phil.
"They weaseled the informtion out of me." he mumbled, to Daisy's amusement.
"We've seen him...like that before." Mack said, somewhat evasively.
"Like what?"
Phil groaned.
"Enough with me, please? I haven't even..."
"Oh." Mack smirked. "You're slower this time around, aren't you?" he asked.
"I think I know where this is going and guys, chill." Daisy said. "Be gentle with my dork." she smiled fondly at Phil.
"Oh, they both got it bad, don't they?" Andrew asked.
"Bad?" Hunter snorted. "They are the worst." he said, amused and excited, at the same time.
"So. Where should I take you to?" he asked.
"I heard there's this really good taco stand I've been meaning to check out."
"Nuh-uh. Tonight we hit a good restaurant and Phil will pay for all of us graduates." Hunter butted in.
"Hunter!" a chorus of voices ringed behind him.
Daisy laughed.
"You have some very crazy friends. I think I like them." she smiled at Phil.
He sighed, somewhat relieved.
"Hunter alone is enough to drive anyone away." he stage-whispered.
"Oi! I resent that!"
The others laughed.
DJ~PC~DJ~PC
It had been about half a year since she last saw Phil. They kept in touch, of course. He had been busy finding work and moving back with his mother.
If it wasn't for Trip keeping her mind busy, she'd probably had gotten on the first bus and went to see him.
It was around that time the new guy came and he made it very clear from the start he wasn't interested in purchasing anything, unless it was her.
"No. If you ain't buying anything, don't bother me." she said deadpan.
He kept coming back, all fake smiles and second hand charm, and she kept turning him down.
"I said no! Now get the hell out of here if you're not byuing anyhting!" one day she snapped.
Thankfully, Trip walked in at that moment, right when Douche McDouche tried to manhandle her.
"Hey!" he called.
Daisy kneed him and he double over.
"No touching the employees, either." she said, manhadling him out of the bakery.
"What the hell happened, Daisy?" Trip asked, worried.
"Douchebag there," she nodded with her head, "aparently had a beef with Phil or something. Moment Phil left, he started coming over and making passes at me. I said 'no' the first round."
"And he apparently doesn't know what the word means. That's why you've been in classes more often than not?" he frowned.
"Hey, you make it sound like I am using college as to avoid him." she said, mock offended. "Like, I don't care about my studies?"
"Girl, we both know that you should have graduated last year. You know more than our teachers. Or at least more than the taught material." Trip grinned.
"I know. I am being wasted here." she teased.
"I'll keep an eye out for our new favorite." Trip said.
"You, mister, keep your head in getting the girl and I'll manage just fine."
"Hey, now. You're my best girl. Can't very well try to win over someone and leave you in a situation like this."
"Thank you, Antoine." Daisy smiled softly.
Trip chuckled.
DJ~PC~DJ~PC
It had been too long for Phil since he last saw Daisy. A year, to be exact. He was surprised to find she was willing to keep seeing him after being away for such a long time.
He entered the bakery.
"Phil!" Daisy exclaimed pleasantly surprised.
In moments he found himself full with her.
"Daisy..." he sighed in relief. "I am so sorry it took me so long." he said, in her hair. "I wished I had visited sooner."
"Hey, you. Don't say that. Getting a job, settling back in with your mum, that's important. You have to get used to a different routine."
"They are important, but so are you." he said.
"Well, you called me every night. You didn't forget about me."
"Forget you? Only if I get amnesia." he smiled. "You're unforgetable."
"Unforgetable, huh?" she smirked at him. "That's a good line. Keep it."
He shook his head and kissed her.
"Hello." he smiled, when he drew back.
"Hello." she smiled back.
"Catch me up on your news?" he asked as they went to the counter.
DJ~PC~DJ~PC
Almost two years later, Phil was waiting for her at her graduation.
"Daisy!" he called out to her.
At his voice she turned around from her fellow graduates and all but flung herself in his arms, kissing him the moment they had regained their balance.
A couple of people had walked over to them and Daisy was quick to introduce Trip, Will and Jemma to Phil.
Daisy suggested they got out to celebrate, but Trip and Jemma had other plans and Will wanted to get his bags ready to get back home as fast as possible, so they all kindly declined, promising to go out some other time.
"I think they wanted to give us the night." Daisy said.
"You're friends are not Lance Hunter, so."
Daisy hummed beside him, pulling him in for a kiss, as they walked down the road, not going somewhere particular.
"How about we stayed in to celebrate?" he asked. "I could cook us something nice and relax on the couch."
"Mm-hm. That sounds real nice, Phil."
They end up at her place, dishes on the coffee table after they had eaten, snuggled up on the couch, kissing.
"You're a really good cook." Daisy said, rising a little, to look him in the eyes.
"Mmm. Thank you. I'm gonna miss coming to the bakery a little. You always smelled like apple pie." he said, pressing his nose in her hair, as if he was trying to catch a whiff.
Daisy swatted his chest.
"And here I thought I was the reason you kept coming back." she huffed, teasing him.
"I really love apple pie." he smirked.
"Yeah? Well, apple pie loves you, too." she said, leaning down to kiss him.
He chuckled in the kiss, holding her close.
Things were looking good for them.