Marvel Oneshots

Sleep Talker (Jack Thompson)

Written for Agent Carter Bingo on Tumblr! Run by @agentcarterbingo and running through August, go check it out!

Square Filled: Dream

Summary: Y/N and Jack have been friends for a little while now, and Y/N's had a crush on him almost as long. Despite that, their relationship has been firmly in the friends category. That might just change, however, when they're both stuck working the night shift together at the SSR.

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I sighed as the words on the paper in front of me started to blur. I'd been staring at it for so long that the English language was starting to lose all meaning.

I was working the night shift at the SSR, along with the chief of the SSR (and my friend), Jack Thompson. He was working away in his office with the door open, and I was trying not to pass out face-first on my desk.

I sighed and pushed back in my chair. I needed to take a break, or else I wasn't going to get anything done.

Why did Daniel get the exciting night shifts? He got calls that he had to go out and respond to, meanwhile I just had to sit at a desk for longer than usual.

Maybe I'd ask Jack if I could be on night duty with Daniel next time instead. Although, that would mean Daniel and Peggy wouldn't be spending all night together, which I didn't want to stand in the way of...

I shook my head and decided to think about it later, once I was more awake. I stood and decided to get some coffee to try and help me through this stack of papers, but headed for Jack's office first to see if he wanted some too.

When I got to the doorway, I found the chief in exactly the position I was trying to avoid: face down and passed out unconscious, drooling on the stack of papers he'd been trying to read.

I smiled and huffed a little laugh as I crept into the office. There was a blanket in the corner for those really long nights when it made more sense to sleep here than go home, so I grabbed it and headed back towards Jack. Carefully, so I didn't wake him up, I draped it around his shoulders then stepped back with a smile.

I started heading for the door again, intending to let Jack get some much-needed sleep, but I stopped short at the sound of my name from behind me. I turned, expecting to see Jack groggily looking up at me, but he was still fast asleep.

"Y/N..." he muttered again. My heart jumped as I realized he was talking in his sleep. About me. "Mmm... mhmm. Bet you've never been kissed like that... You're sweeter than sweet, sweetheart..."

I felt heat rise to my cheeks at Jack's words. I'd had a thing for him for a few months now, but I'd never imagined he felt the same way about me.

Still, I didn't want to stay here and keep eavesdropping. I moved back towards the door, but I was so flustered I hit a squeaky floorboard I usually knew to avoid.

I froze, hoping Jack would still be fast asleep. Unfortunately for me, I heard him stir and groan as he sat up in his chair. I turned around with a smile, hoping he wouldn't be able to tell how nervous and giddy I was.

"Y/N?" he asked, rubbing his eyes as he looked at me blearily. "Ugh, don't tell me I passed out."

"Sorry Jack, but I have to. There's drool on your papers to prove it."

He huffed a laugh as he looked down, then noticed the blanket wrapped around his shoulders.

"Huh. Thanks, Y/N." I smiled and nodded. Jack stared holes in the floor as he blinked a few times, trying to get his bearings after waking up. His eyebrows furrowed, and then he whipped his head up to look at me, a small hint of panic on his face. "Hey... uh... I didn't, like... talk in my sleep or anything, did I?"

My heart sped up and my face and neck felt burning hot. I liked Jack, and apparently he liked me back, but I wasn't sure this was how I wanted him to find out. In a moment of panic, I decided to lie.

"Uh, no. No, you didn't," I said, just hoping he believed me. Then, with the help of a random surge of courage, I added: "Why?"

"Oh, no reason," he said, looking away and blushing bright red. "I just do that sometimes and... uh, I didn't want to bother you. In the bullpen."

"Oh! Of course, yeah. Well, you don't have to worry about that," I said, laughing nervously as I shifted in place. What was wrong with me?

Apparently Jack was having the same problem. He shifted in his seat, looking anywhere but at me.

I sighed, then turned to start heading back to my desk. I accidentally stepped on the same creaky floorboard that had woken up Jack, and by some miracle, another burst of courage came to me at just the right time.

"Hey..." I said, turning back around to face Jack. He looked at me curiously, his face still a little red, and I took a deep breath to steel myself. "Would you maybe... I don't know... want to go out with me sometime? Maybe for drinks after work tomorrow? I know it might seem a little sudden, I just... well, we keep talking about hoping Peggy and Daniel get together on one of these night shifts, so I thought I might try to take our own advice, so to speak."

I'd barely been able to look at Jack as I spoke, my eyes darting all over the room instead. When I finished my question, however, I forced myself to meet his eyes again. My heart stopped when I found him looking shocked, eyes wide and mouth open. What did that mean? Was that a good thing or a bad thing?

"You wanna go out with me?" he asked, sounding like he couldn't quite believe it.

"Well... I mean, yeah. But only if you want to, of course!" I said, backpedaling as fast as I could. What if what he'd said in his sleep was a coincidence? What if he didn't really like me like that, and it was just a weird dream? What if-

"Are you kidding? I'd love to go out with you," he said, smiling as he stood from his desk and crossed the room to me. "I'm just kicking myself that you had to be the one to ask. I should've done something a long time ago."

I smiled as he came to a stop in front of me, leaning one arm on the doorframe above my head. My heart raced a little bit as he smiled at me.

"I am curious though..." he said. "What brought this on?"

"Oh, I don't know," I said, shrugging and grinning as I backed up a few steps. "Just the night shift, I guess. Say, do you want me to get you some coffee to help us get through the rest of this shift? Lemme guess... you want it sweeter than sweet, sweetheart?"

All the blood drained out of Jack's face as he realized what I'd said. I just smiled wider, giving him a wink and blowing him a kiss before turning to go get the coffee I'd wanted in the first place.

"Don't worry, Jack," I called back to him as I went. "It worked out. I've had a crush on you for months, but I never would've gotten up the courage to ask you out if you didn't talk in your sleep."

I heard him scoff behind me, and I turned to see him smiling and shaking his head. I just grinned back, then turned the corner to the office coffee pot.

I officially took back everything I'd said about wanting more interesting night shifts. Daniel could keep his exciting calls to action; I was perfectly happy having a calm night alone with Jack Thompson.