Re: Maria/Coulson
She didn't do well with men. She mostly chased them off to a very safe distance. It was mostly for their own good, which translated to her comfort: the more distance she had from them, the less likely she was to kick someone, probably them.
Scowling at her own emotional roller-coaster, she slowed as he came into view, settling into her usual brisk stride instead of a swagger. Unlike a teenager who was just all bravado and didn't know what she was getting into, she had more than a vague idea. She just found that she didn't care as much for the control necessary to handle everything; it was a lot easier to let the damn forest burn.
But that wasn't who she was, or at least, not who she was going to be. With a firm lift of her chin, she acknowledged him, and turned back to the door of the office, putting it all behind her. "Excellent." Moving on, then. She had briefings to conduct.