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It was late in the morning on a Tuesday when the silver Aston Martin DB5 Convertible pulled up in front of the Carter-Sousa Residence. The sunny weather really suited the colour, as it reflected and shone, casting an outward light. The top was up in these chilly conditions, and it was a right hand drive vehicle. When it stopped in front of the residence, a tall man emerged, almost comically tall given the vehicle he had chosen to drive. He wore a blue suit, beige overcoat, and black driving gloves. As he made his way towards the entrance way, he pressed the doorbell and stood there, patiently waiting to be greeted. It was cold out there, despite the sunny weather, and he could see his own breath. While waiting, he took a moment to look at his own hair in a reflective panel of glass, curious to see if he looked professional enough. This was his first day at America's S.H.I.E.L.D. and he wanted to make a good impression.
It's been a looong week, and Skye just now finally had access to the Carter-Sousa residence. Mickey and the nanny were out for the day, thankfully, and Chief Sousa did his clean up of the place to keep all of his personal documents, -personal. While Skye/Daisy waited in the foyer of the lovely house, she took the moment to remove her gloves, her hands moving together to keep them warm. She was promised an agent of good standing from another agency, and with her own asset out there on his own, Skye… well… had the pleasure of welcoming the new man with a task. So once the doorbell was rung, she turns around to peel the door open only to be greeted with a chest…
… and up…
… and up…
… and up…
"Oh!" She manages to say out loud. "Uh… the… uh… Sousa's aren't… home right now.." She leans upon the doorway, her hand bunching up her hat, and her hair, her hair, and her hat. "So… uh…" WOW.
The man's lips curled into a pleasing smile, and he spoke with a distinctly English accent. His voice was soft and kind, but there were a power behind it, probably from how deep inside his chest it came. "Good morning, my name is Braddock, Brian Braddock." He quietly removed the glove on his right hand while he spoke, so that he could shake the young woman's hand, and if she returned the shake, he would actually lean down to kiss her wrist, like a proper English gentleman. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss…?" He hadn't caught her name yet, but he did have a code phrase to present. "Turtles thing frogs are homeless." He didn't choose the phrase, but that was the initial part of the pass phrase he had been informed of. He hoped she would have the counter phrase. These initial meetings were so awkward in his estimation.
Oh! So he was the agent. Granted she was only told a name and given the file which she obviously didn't read… Her hand was stuck out for a shake, his own eclipsing hers which was lifted and a kiss pressed there. Her eyes widen considerably, she had never had a gesture given to her like so, so much that her power nearly causes the house to shake with a few grumbling, and not so silent rumbles. A small shift of the earth plates, something about tetonics… or whatever, she was distracted.. .
"Johnson… uh.. Daisy Johnson…" She finally speaks, clearing her throat, her hand slowly removing from his grip, both soon tucked within her back pocket as she takes a step back. This guy was hilariously huge, but she wasn't about to comment on that. The secret phrase has her brows furrowing… she… wasn't… given… a phrase…
"Godddamn it, stop with the covert stuff and get in here, Agent Braddock!" She was going to get fired for this. So fired. "And it's cold. Close the door."
Had this been a Commonwealth Realm, Brian Braddock would have reacted quite differently. But seeing as she was an American, he took her lack of sophistication with a grain of salt. Code phrases were an essential part of the job. How did the Americans manage to do this without proper preparation? But this was the right place, she knew he was an agent, and he was willing to take her at face value. He stepped into the home, closing the door securely behind him, and then removed his other glove, which he tucked away in his overcoat pocket. Then, seeing a coat rack, he hung up the beige overcoat. As he did, some of his muscles stretched and showed through the nice suit he wore. It was tailored. "Very well, Miss Johnson. As I am new here, where shall we begin?"
Her own hat was slid off; her jacket peeled away, something far too flimsy to deal with these winter months. But it was hung up next to his overcoat, the hat soon topping the hook as she brushes her fingers through her dark hair. "Call me Daisy." She states, her hands dropping to her hips as she takes in the entire house at large.
"Right, well. You take the sitting room and the kitchen, I'll take the upstairs bedroom and bathrooms. Basically, we're looking for anything that may seem out of place, some clue of abduction or anything… well, strange." She smiles, her hands lifting to clap together, hoping that'll erase the brief awkward moment of introduction. "So, hollar if you need me for anything?" She says, her thumb chucked towards the stairs. "I'll.. uh.. just be going this way."
How informal he thought with a smile, but he nodded his head, "as you wish. Please, call me Brian." That house probably seemed smaller to him than her, and not just because of the size difference. He grew up in a place called Braddock Manor, and he was at this very moment, in the process of having it shipped and reconstructed in America. Quite literally, he came from a different world.
"Oh," he said, his first day on the job, and he was already on an assignment. Thankfully, he wore his power suit under his dress suit, so he could use it to enhance his senses. "All right, Daisy." She was quaint. He had already decided that he liked her. America was already turning out to be quite the adventure.
He bowed his head to her, and headed off in the opposite direction, looking for either the kitchen or the sitting room. Fortunately, these homes usually followed a similar plan. When he arrived in the sitting room, he began to examine it, trying to notice if anything was amiss.
"Alright… Brian…" Skye mutters out, and despite the fact that she did have a boyfriend, it really -did not- kill her to look. Her eyes remain wide until he disappears around the corner, Daisy's hands drawing up to shuffle her hair behind her as she makes for the stairs with quick steps. She wasn't dressed as an agent, just an unruly teen with jeans and a black t-shirt and poorly made sneakers. She was quite possibly one of the most unlady like shield agent that Braddock will ever come across.
She starts in the bedroom first, wanting to get this over with as quick as possible, poking her head and hands through the closet and the boxes there, finding nothing really worth mentioning. A few pictures and letters that she's managed to stare at, but nothing salacious. Everything was proper and on the up and up, despite the state of the room which was obviously lived in. A shoe here, and a shoe there. And probably a sock.
"Find anything yet?!" Skye calls out, maybe he couldn't hear her.. "..though I doubt we'd find anything here.." She mutters to herself. "This doggone house looks better than my stupid apartment.."
Unruly as she may be, that Daisy was definitely one to watch for. And unlike her, he was very much single, he didn't know she had a boyfriend, so he could look, except, it wasn't gentlemanly to stare. He picked out a book in the sitting room, "the once and future king," but he frowned when he noted that it had been dog-eared. He hated when people did that to books. That's what bookmarks were for.
He set it down where he found it, and moved on, looking through the sitting room, then the kitchen. Seeing all the junk food, it made him a little squeamish, "how do people function on a diet such as this?" He shook his head as he spoke to himself, and then heard the woman call out, "unfortunately not, Daisy!" Giving up on these rooms, he made his way towards her, and caught the last bit of her comment. Standing in the doorway behind her, he smiled as he said, "then, perhaps it's time to redecorate. Adding a splash of colour can do wonders for an abode." He may have let his eyes linger longer than he should have. In American terms, he was totally checking her out.
Skye sighs, her shoulders slumping as she slowly begins to pick the random items from the floor. She couldn't tell if the clothing was dirty or clean, but either way, they were tossed into the bin to be washed later. The shoe that was out of place was soon put back into place, and after a quick inspection of the bed, pillows, a book and a pair of reading glasses were removed and set neatly upon the nightstand.
She nearly jumps as he appears in the doorway, expressing his thoughts, a little smile drawn upon her face as she gives a little shake of her head. "I don't think that'll make any difference when living in Hell's Kitchen. Its loud, unpleasant… the entire apartment building is just a solid shit-hole. There's no amount of colour that would fix that." She carefully begins to make the bed, finally smoothing her hands along the fabric to check for lumps. The way that she sees it, the room was… well, something like an old people's home. Reading books, glasses, everything by the nightstand. So mundane. How could two top Agents live such boring lives!?
"Wanna check the bathroom while I check the daughters room?"
"Hell's Kitchen. Such colourful names in this city," Brian muses. "I'm currently living out of a hotel room, until… my arrangements are made." He blushed a little, and didn't want to talk about how he was having a mansion shipped across the Atlantic. "But, I can't believe that. With some paint, furniture, a bit of elbow grease, and style, anywhere can be transformed. I'll even help you, if you'd like. Don't let the suit fool you. I can be quite handy around the home." He was at his heart a scientist. He loved to build things, from toys as a child, to homes. In fact, reconstructing Braddock Manor had been an interesting architectural challenge. He loved being involved in the planning and work there.
Heading into the bathroom, he began by going through the medicine cabinet. "These people… had… some serious health issues." He recognised all of the labels, knew what each of them was for, and the combinations could be deadly if taken in the wrong dosages. "In fact, a number of these are highly sought after as recreation drugs, or so I'm told." He wasn't into such things. Then he had a look under the sink. To do so, he had to kneel down, and dig, as he couldn't get to the other end. And with his torso length, he kind of had to pivot on the floor, having his behind sticking out the door. It was a truly comical position to be in.
"Right, you're a new transfer from…" Dammit, Skye! This is what you get for not reading the file! "… overseas." She quickly cleans up. "But I'll think about it. Most of the time I'm not even there, I'm at headquarters." Considering the fact that there would be a time that she'd have to leave, she doesn't make a point of mentioning that. As he leaves off to the bathroom, Skye makes her way into the childs room and..
Holy hell!
There was a mess of toys! It was clear that Mickey was well taken care of, in fact, Skye didn't even want to bother with the girls room, figuring that if she moves something out of place, the little girl may become upset. But she does take a step in, a little frown crossing her features. She was an orphan, who didn't really remember much of her childhood save for four walls and a few poster pictures that she hung up of kittens. With a close of the room door, she heads right into the bathroom, watching as he bends in an awkward fashion, not being able to help herself from laughing loudly at his posture. "Are you stuck?!"
"Great Britain," he said. How could she not tell with his accent? And as an Englishman, he had no problem saying he was from Britain. He had been Irish, Scottish, or Welsh, they would have said that, but the English could say either. "And please do. I would appreciate it if you would allow me to assist you, Daisy."
Though she gets an eyeful of his behind, as he held himself up on two knees and one hand. He was stretching for something at the back of the cabinet under the sink, but he didn't find anything of note. "Um… no." He withdrew his hand, and worked his way, having to move back, slowly, wiggling that bottom of his in her direction, before he could get his head and chest out from under the sink. Once out, he moved to one knee, and then rose to his full height. His cheeks were flush with embarrassment. "I… I am sorry you had to see that, Daisy."
"Right. Great Britain…" It was said as an afterthought, watching as he moves and wriggles his way from underneath the sink. There was a little grin there, her hands lifting to show her palms, her eyes immediately adverting elsewhere. "I did -not- see a thing!" Though, she does have to comment… "Besides, if you've seen one ass, you practically have seen them all. Unless you're hiding something else under there, am I right?" She breaks out into another fit of laughter, her fingers pointing guns in his direction, thumbs serving as triggers as she 'pulls' them simultaneously. "Yeah? No? No? Alright…" Awkward!
She moves out of the way to allow him to pass if he needs, but she was heading downstairs. "So far, I didn't find anything of note, so we'll have to return to the office or at least drop the keys off at the precinct. Then make a note to Acting Director Coulson to say that we've been here and everything is clear. I'm sorry your first time out in the field wasn't.. exciting at all.." She steps into the main sitting room, drawing in a breath with a stretch of her arms. That.. felt great. "..but you know, routine. Not every day is an explosion."
"Well, I would like to think that mine is uniquely shaped. I didn't spend all those hours running along the Thames for nothing." He was fit, and he was proud of his physique. He does blush when she says about hiding something else under there. He had a dirty mind, it would seem, and if he weren't blushing before, he most certainly is now. He even coughs at the thought. "Oh, uh, yes, quite…"
He follows after her, heading downstairs, as she knows this place better than him, and for now, he is taking his cue from her. She is the senior agent on site. He listens to her talk shop. She was capable of being professional, and she sounded good doing it, at least to him. "Oh, no, this was exciting. The most exciting time I've had since I came to America, in fact. And you are a delightful companion to spend an afternoon with, Miss Joh… Daisy." It still seemed strange to call her by her first name.
Then, he offers some personal insight. He was nervous. "Do you think that Acting Director Coulson will like me? I… do wonder, will there be prejudice. I… do not wish to appear as an imperialist, coming to the colonies, and well, you understand, don't you?" He had been nervous about this new job, new life, new country, and she made it so much easier on him.
At least Brian was the joking sort, though judging by his physique, he really wasn't kidding. But the main room felt like a breath of fresh air, one that Daisy could sit around and linger, not to mention, it wasn't labelled as a crime scene and the rest of the family would be home soon. But, as he speaks, her arms remain in the air, her body twisting this way and that to work out a few kinks, a few ligaments and jokes cracking as she lets out a little grunt in reply.
"Acting Director Coulson likes everyone." Daisy finally comments, putting her legs together to fold herself in half, fingers grabbing ahold of her boots and shoulders twisting that way. "There's no prejudices there. I mean, if you look at our department as a whole, there's an eclectic mix of people. You really do have to have an open mind working for SHIELD." She pops up, her fingers dragging through her hair as she gestures to the door. "Though I suppose we should get back, I think the kid and her nanny should be due home soon."
He watched her stretch and grunt. He began to mimic her, doing the same moves, though without the grunts. He wasn't sure what she was doing, but it seemed interesting. It did look a bit comic to see him do it, as his hands stretched that much higher up.
But when she put her legs together and bent down to grab her boots, he gasped openly. "I… may not be limber enough to recreate that." He did try, if for no other reason than to try and avoid staring at her in that position. He had to deal with a male response to such a sight, and it did not make the manoeuvre any easier. When he tried it, he lost his balance, rolling onto the floor, and caught himself with his hands. He laughed as he looked up at her. She was now running her fingers through her hair and gesturing towards the door.
"I suppose I'll have to spend more time at SHIELD's gymnasium. Did you drive here? I'd be happy to give you a lift in my car." He was of course referring to the beautiful new Aston martin convertible that was parked outside.
It was rather comical seeing him do what she does, attempting to fit in. He was like a really huge version of… well… just a huge version of a SHIELD agent who was attempting to get his bearings. Besides, she was stretching because parts of her hurt, and aside from the gunshot wound, she wanted to keep movement up so that the pain itself doesn't come back. Once she was finished, she moves towards the coat rack, grabbing her hat first to tug it upon her head. "Oh no, I walked. I don't have a car and it's too cold to ride my bike." Yes, Daisy rides bikes. But the offer of a ride was just too good to pass up; she wasn't exactly going to say no. "Sure, you do know where we're going right? Though if you don't mind stopping somewhere first…" She looks towards him expectantly, even as she reaches for her coat to tug it upon her shoulders, keeping her brown hair tucked in.
Now on his feet, he reached for his beige overcoat. "Yes, I've heard that New York is not a city that is very friendly towards automobiles." He opens the door for her, and will close it after them. The car is still sitting out front, and he will walk around to the left side, the usual driver's side, and opened the door for her. She probably didn't realise it, but he was opening the passenger side door for her. "It's a, right side drive." He then gestured with his gloved hand for her to get into the left side. He would close it after her, and then go to the driers side, where he would get in and buckle his seat belt. He looked… cramped, in the vehicle. But that's probably why he went with the convertible. If it were warmer, he would have put it up. "I'm afraid you'll have to give me directions, and no, I don't mind a stop. Where would you like to go?"
"What do you mean? It's too crowded?" She asks, zipping up her coat. In fact, she was thankful they were leaving; she didn't want to helpfully point out the elephant in the room due to his staring. Besides, the coat covered him well! As he opens the door and closes it, she makes sure to lock it with keys that weren't hers, shoving them into her pockets as she stares down the Aston Martin with a slight… wait… is this guy rich?
But Skye was no fool, she spent her time in lesser countries that had cars that seemed as if their driver's side was misplaced, and judging by his manners, she thought it best to follow him to that side, helpfully getting in once he opens the door. Even as he slides in, she manages to comment. "I come from a really small town. So even though everyone had cars, I found that the bike riding was a quicker and easier way to get around. Didn't need a license, have to pay for gas…" She looks out the window, slightly unzipping her coat since the car was at least warmer. "I need to stop at the drug store. Pick up more aspirin." She smiles a little. "I'll pay for gas or… something… maybe food, I don't know…"
Yes, he was rich. Technically, he was Sir Brian Braddock, he would have been a Lord, but that was for now his brother's title… and there were family issues at play. And he was never much for titles. Once he started up the car, he turned the heat on. He then stretched out in front of her to open the glove compartment, where he changed out one set of gloves for a different set of gloves. Oh, did he really have specific driving gloves? Who was this guy?
"I believe I saw a chemist around the corner." He began driving in the direction of the chemist's he saw earlier, and spoke with her. "And, that really isn't necessary. Though, I haven't had lunch. Do you know of any good Chinese restaurants? Maybe Italian. I've heard that the cuisine is one of New York's highlights." It was a bit awkward being on the 'wrong's side of the car. It was disorienting, but Brian was able to negotiate the roads well, coming to the chemists. He parallel parked, placing a hand on her seat as he looked out the back. It was close, grazing her shoulder. Then he got out, and if she didn't open her own door before he got around, he would open her door for her.
Daisy leans back as he opens the glove compartment, her face screwed into something oddly amused as he changes gloves just like that. Yes, that was weird. No she wouldn't comment. She didn't want to offend him if he was going to be driving. He could go nuts and crash the car and kill her!
Idle thoughts aside, she had to do a double take. "A chemist? No… we're going to the drug store…" While, she didn't know that was another word for chemist, she was insistent on going there. "That's… actually one of the perks about working with S.H.I.E.L.D. We're right underneath the best Chinese restaurant that the city has to offer." She grins. "Uhm… I think Hell's Kitchen is a little bit far from here, but the Italian there is top notch." As well as the killing, apparently. But as he rounds the corner to the drug store, the brush against her shoulder gets a lingering glance, her lips pursing slightly as she shifts within her seat, waiting until he exits the car so that she could get out of her own accord. She wasn't aware of lady-like manners, obviously.
"You don't have to come inside if you don't want, I'll just be a minute."
He could have explained that a chemist's was another word for drug store. Instead, he showed her through his action and only smiled at her. "That does sound good. I love Chinese food, and sushi too." He was worldly. "But… one thing I have been curious about. I'm told that Americans like to eat something called a beefburger?" He had never had one before. It sounded strange, alien-like, but if they liked them so much, perhaps he could give it a try. "I've never had one. Are they any good?"
He will follow her unless she asks him not to. "I'd be delighted to accompany you." He then moved to open the door for her, and hold it open. "He still had his driving gloves on. And it felt strange to him to be opening a door while wearing them.
"That's… going too far." Skye has never had sushi, she's seen it made, but couldn't wrap her mind around something not being cooked and eaten raw. She does grin, and then shrugs her shoulders. "Are you talking about a dead cow in between two buns?" Yes, a hamburger. "We can try that sometime if you like, I don't mind. But you're buying. Apparently you're some kind of rich." Duh! "They're really good though. Hamburgers with cheese, sometimes a sliced tomato, lettuce, mustard and ketchup. Sometimes with bacon. I know this really shit bar that makes them better than the fancy restaurants that we have here."
As he opens the door, she steps inside, her jacket soon zipping up as she kicks her bottom into gear. She was scanning the rows, right to the medicines isle, picking out a few bottles of aspirin to look them over to check the milligrams. "I'm not going to brief you on what's been going on at work…" She doesn't say S.H.I.E.L.D., not at all. "… but I think once you get in and get settled properly, you should ask for Phil directly." And first names! Just to keep it simple and covert. "There's a few other people you'll meet. Some do -not- like it if you call them ma'am, or Miss… or Mister… unless they're higher up. Some people like nicknames, some people just like their first name. Like me." She states.
"Oh, you will have to try it. Sushi is wonderful. Once I find a decent place that makes it, I'll gladly take you there." He wouldn't want her first sushi to be bad, so he'll have to try it first to make sure it's a good first impression. He nods his head at her description of a beefburger, "yes, we call meat that comes from a cow, beef. Ham comes from a pig. I understand that the only meat from a big on a beefburger is possibly bacon?"
At her suggestion of him paying for their food at some 'shit' bar, he says, "it's a date. We could go there for lunch today, if you wish?"
While walking through the aisles, he listens to her. "So, you're going to call me Brian, others will call me Mr. Braddock, and others will call me by my… title?" He didn't bring up his title in these confines. "Sounds like it should prove interesting to remember who to address with what nomenclature. But you will always be Daisy, bright and sunny."
"Just know, that if it's gross, you're going to pay dearly for it." Though how? She doesn't know. Once she finds a suitable aspirin, she makes her way through the aisles once more, snagging a bag of chips and a nice bottle of cola along the way. "Yes… it's bacon. Trust me, it's great." She does grin at the prospect of a lunch date, and then shrugs her shoulders faintly. "If there's nothing else we need to do when we get back to work, sure. I'm not going to pass up free food."
As she reaches the counter, the items were put down, her hands reaching into her back pocket to pull out a few bills. Her head nods faintly, looking all the way up towards him with a look of earnest. "Yes. You'll get used to it, trust me. People have their quirks, and they're not really afraid to remind you of what they like." His play on her name makes her smile a little, and as the money is handed over and her items bagged, she murmurs, "Or Skye. Resident airhead, at your service. Do you want anything from here before we leave?"
"Oh, I don't doubt it." He may not have commented on the tremor earlier, but it didn't escape his notice. He wondered if she had a power suit like him, or was a mutant like his… dearly departed sister. Maybe she fell into an active Volcano, or got bitten by a radioactive beaver. He wasn't sure.
"And I do trust you." He grins and takes note of the different brands here. He wonders if her crisps will taste as good at the ones back home. "Skye you say? That's a lovely nickname. And, trust me, there is something exhilarating about having your head in the clouds, or the rest of you." He winked at his own private joke, then leaned down to whisper into her ear, "perhaps I'll show you, one day."
But then he shakes his head, "no, I don't think I want anything from this store, well, nothing aside from your company, that is. Thank you for offering."
Speaking of tremors, his flattery was nearly on its way to causing one. And as she smiles while the patron begins to bag her things, his lean and whisper into her ear has her eyes widening in a little bit of a shock. The building they're encased in quietly begins to groan, the glass items upon the shelves within the store knocking together in loud clinks, the decorative stand upon the counter top shaking and trembling as glass behind them breaks and Skye reaches out her hand to immediately halt the stand from toppling over.
Naturally, the store owner freaks out, holding onto the counter top as Daisy gives an uneasy smile, her gaze shooting up towards Brian as she clears her throat, taking in one huge breath, and slowly releasing it to draw everything to a standstill.
"Man that was weird! I guess… I guess New York isn't done with the weird shit that goes on lately, right?" She laughs loudly, her head nodding and encouraging the patron to join in with the laughter as he hands her the bag. "Thanks! Hey! Keep the change!" She was quick at leaving, even going so far to partly drag Brian by the arm to head for the door before releasing him. "So, back to the office with you, and me… to… do something else that doesn't require me to think. Like fix a car."
Brian was more than a little surprised by what was going on with the building, the glass, the shelving, but he didn't understand it. There seemed to be a trigger with her, and these seismological events. It was fascinating. He allowed it to go unremarked, and he laughed alongside her. It was a fake laugh, but he was trying to make it sound natural. "That was weird, but… I think it's over. Remember, New York is on a fault line." It wasn't, but the shopkeeper might not know that.
He did like how she grabbed his arm, pulling him out of there. It was fun being around her. "Certainly, but, let's try not to have any more quakes, shall we? Unless, you know, they're the fun kind." And just what did he mean by that? It was hard to tell, but he was flirting with her. He opened the door to the car for her again, and would soon join her on the other side. "Which way to the office, Skye? Unless… no, I doubt that… but, would you like to go for a flight?" He really was warming to her. She was fun to be around. He loved how embarrassed she became. There was something delightfully adorable about her.
"That was clever…" Skye admits; the telling of New York. Even she realised that it wasn't on a fault line but it was a very, very clever thing for him to say. But once they were out in the open, everything seemed to shift to normal save for the girl, for once she settles into the car, the bag was dropped in between her legs, the bottle taken out first, opened, sipped, the aspirin, at least five of them following soon after, in which she chews. UGH!
"I… I don't know what's doing that…" Skye lies adamantly; clearly embarrassed by this, her head lowering faintly as she finally takes another sip of her soda. Even his little flirtation nearly goes missed for the sake of her calm and to not shake the Aston Martin apart by the seams. "Alright, you want to go straight and make a right, and then a left. It'll get us on the main street towards Chinatown…" And yet… would she like to go for a fly? "Uh… I'm afraid of heights…" Which, wouldn't be a good idea… she might just kill them both. "I think we should get settled in and you meeting people…" She smiles re-assuredly, she wasn't offended at all. In fact to show this, she reaches out to lightly pat his arm. Light. And awkward.
"Alright, let's go."
Brian wasn't a spy by trade. He was intelligent enough to be one, he had some training, but it wasn't in his nature to be secretive, especially around friends. And despite only having met her earlier in the day, he already considered Skye to be a good friend. While stationary at a red light, he gave her a reassuring look. "I think that you are doing that, and it's all right." He then undoes one of the buttons on his shirt, enough to show that he seems to be wearing some kind of costume underneath it. It looks like it might be part of a stylised Union Jack.
"And, I promise not to drop you. Trust me, it will be fun. And… I used to have a fear of flying too, before I got used to it." He grins, remembering how weird it was to fly under his own power, let alone flying at all. Man was not meant to fly, but he could. "But no rush. We can do it whenever you're ready." Soon, they were parked outside of a Chinese restaurant.
So he knew. She wasn't good at hiding it, but she had to look away from him and out towards the street to contain her emotions about it all. She wasn't used to it, in fact, the way she came about it all was so weird that she didn't want to speak it back into existence again, even though she knew she had to with Coulson. So knowing that it clearly distressed her… it draws a slight chill up her spine. He may think that it's alright… but she still felt like a monster.
As he unbuttons his shirt, she has to lean forward to look, her brows furrowing slightly as she gives a shake of her head. "It's… not the same thing…" She says quietly, even with him promising not to drop her. What if he does? What if she manages to kill him while they're up there? Once they park in front of the Chinese restaurant, she lets out a huff then quickly gets out of the car, grabbing her items and closing the door behind her. "I'll see you inside."
He didn't know, but he had reasons to suspect. He had enough to develop a working theory after having born witness to evidence. He was a scientist. It was what he did. But he had guessed well. He buttoned his shirt up after the brief flash of his uniform under his suit. "Skye, Daisy… Johnson. I solemnly swear that if you allow it, I assure you that I will not drop you. And, even if I did, I would catch you." So, he had some power of his own. Enough that he came up with a costume to go with it.
He got out, was a little saddened by her quick exit, but he followed her into the restaurant, ready for the next chapter in his life. As he stood out there, he stopped for a moment to take a breath. He looked at her departing form. She was beautiful, exciting, and fun. It was at that moment that he truly decided for himself that he was going to like America. For if there were many more like Skye in it, he would do just fine.