Coulson always thought of himself as just another office worker, except his job was just a little different from the average person's.
Other people worried about salaries and overtime, while for him, overtime was the norm, and there was always the risk of not making it home.
Whether it was for justice or some other reason—Coulson wasn't exactly sure—he just kept doing the job.
Because of this job, he couldn't have a normal life, normal social relationships, or even feelings.
Once, he had a lover, a cellist.
They had even gotten to the point of talking about marriage, but in the end, Coulson faked his death to exit the relationship.
He knew deep down that someone like him was destined to break hearts. The more someone loved him, the deeper they'd be hurt.
This wasn't some pretentious overthinking—it was a sad, inevitable truth.
There were many other things he had to give up, too. For example, he never received thanks or gifts from anyone. From the perspective of his job, he wasn't even supposed to exist.
So when he received a gift for the first time in over ten years—a genuine gift, not just work tools disguised as presents—Coulson was naturally happy.
Except... the gift...
Was it second-hand stuff from a flea market? Or maybe something an elderly relative was getting rid of? He wasn't sure.
It was a bit rude to think that way, but who could blame him?
Who gives a wig as a gift?
And not just any wig, a silver curly one!
...
No matter what, Coulson was a gentleman at heart. So even though his thoughts were elsewhere, he still showed his usual polite demeanor, even trying to be considerate of Leon, who may have accidentally given him the wrong gift.
"⊙⊙! Wow! This is... so... thoughtful."
Choosing his words carefully, Coulson said, "I actually needed a wig like this! It's... awesome!"
Leon, of course, could see right through Coulson's fake excitement. While he found it amusing, he didn't want his gift to just be accepted and then tossed aside to collect dust.
He had given this gift with real sincerity!
So, for once, Leon explained the strange gesture behind his unusual choice, and for a moment, he didn't seem like such a weirdo after all.
"Listen, Coulson. This is my gift, and I wasn't trying to joke around... okay, maybe just a little, haha!"
"But that's not the point!"
"The important thing is, these are two items I've blessed with special powers."
Blessed?!
Coulson took another look at the wig and headscarf in his hands.
Of all things, why bless *these*?
"What kind of blessing? Shape-shifting?"
Coulson's guess wasn't unreasonable. Though turning into an old lady wasn't exactly a blessing he needed.
Leon leaned in close to Coulson's ear and whispered the explanation, gesturing as he spoke. By the time he finished, Coulson's eyes were wide with disbelief.
"Really?!"
"Really."
Coulson quickly put the wig and scarf into a clear plastic bag and stuffed them into his suit pocket. This time, his thanks were much more genuine and heartfelt.
Laughing, he patted Leon on the shoulder, and the two exchanged a glance, bursting into strange laughter together.
"Hehe eh eh eh hehehe..."
Two nearby techs instinctively stepped back. The way those two were laughing was just a bit unsettling.
...
After some friendly exchanges, Coulson invited Leon to sit down. Their relationship seemed to grow closer after the gift incident.
And that was partly thanks to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s investigative reports.
The records showed that while Leon was ruthless when dealing with criminal elements, he followed a strict code. Despite his immense power, he still lived in a rundown apartment.
Their cooperation with him also revealed that this man, who called himself Dr. Lester but was really Leon Collins, was essentially someone who followed the rules.
He might have his own set of principles, but he was willing to play by the rules.
As for those gang members? Well, they broke the rules first, didn't they?
Sure, his methods were a bit harsh, but S.H.I.E.L.D.'s boss, the infamous Nick Fury, didn't have a problem with that.
After all, one of his old war buddies, The Punisher, was even more extreme.
At least Leon left a few survivors and didn't completely wipe out small-time thugs. If The Punisher had been in charge, no one would've made it out alive.
Yes, S.H.I.E.L.D. had almost all of Leon's information. But Leon had always been a low-key homebody, so there wasn't much to go on. They barely had enough to fill an A4 page, most of it about his activities as "The Watcher."
The Watcher.
That was the codename S.H.I.E.L.D. gave Leon.
You can't get the wrong nickname if it fits so well. Leon had single-handedly turned Brooklyn's Hell's Kitchen, once a crime hotspot, into the safest area in the city. Any criminal who wasn't dead was disabled, making the name "The Watcher" quite fitting.
After learning that Leon was just a 20-year-old kid, Coulson's inner nice guy kicked in.
That's why he volunteered to handle the task of coordinating missions with Leon. Deep down, he wanted to help him out a little.
Leon, of course, had no clue about any of this. Not that he tried very hard to hide his movements in the first place.
He figured S.H.I.E.L.D. would eventually find out his true identity, but that didn't matter much.
From any angle, there was no way S.H.I.E.L.D. could know his true power level. Even Leon couldn't say for sure what it was.
After all, he had cheats!
And besides, while others might not know what was going on inside S.H.I.E.L.D., Leon sure did!
Maybe he didn't know everything, but he had a pretty good idea of who was who among the big shots.
So, this little game was aimed at S.H.I.E.L.D., not specific agents like Coulson.
Declining Coulson's offer for coffee, Leon took out a cup of wine from his personal stash, discovering that these special foods and drinks worked better with his void-born bloodline than regular ones.
Taking a sip of coffee, Coulson continued to call him Dr. Lester, "Dr. Lester, are you ready for our collaboration?"
Leon nodded, "Yes, I can teach flying and shape-shifting techniques. But like I said before, I'll teach, but I don't guarantee anyone will learn."
Coulson nodded and asked, "If one of our agents learns one of your... skills, can we pass it on to others?"
It wasn't really a question but more of an assumption. If they gained these abilities, of course they'd want to teach other trusted agents!
But without Leon and his system, it wouldn't work.
They couldn't learn it.
So Leon, playing along, generously agreed.
"Sure! No problem! Print it in a book! Paint it on a wall! Whatever you want."
Leon's easygoing attitude made Coulson feel uncertain, so he asked again, "Does that mean..."
"Yup."
"You know what I was going to ask?"
"No idea!"
Coulson: -_-||
Leon: ? ⊙▽⊙
(End of Chapter)