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Ward scrambled to the lounge area on the bus, taking a seat next to Simmons while she was currently concentrating in a game of connect four with Skye. “I think I messed up.”
Skye smirked at Ward instantly knowing where this was headed. “What’d you do now S.O?”
Ward crumbled even more under the scrutiny. “Fitz was talking to me about some gadgets he was working on, and then our hands touched probably by accident and… look I read the signs wrong and I put my arm around his waist and it just got really awkward.”
Jemma turned to face Ward, trying to stifle a giggle as she said, “awww look at you, let me guess how Fitz responded, he froze up, blushed and then slid himself out of whatever embrace you had him in.”
“He also made a weird sound in the back of his throat and shook his head a lot.”
“A weird sound?”
“Like a whale...an ewok?”
“Oh! He moaned?”
“Well, I mean, I think so?”
“Hmmm that’s new.” Jemma said as if she was cataloguing all of this.
“And then you ran?” Skye inquired, glad that the game Jemma had been winning seemed to have been forgotten
Ward raised his hand and pointed his finger at Skye as if to emphasise the point he was about to make. “It was a strategic retreat.”
“You ran.”
“Okay I fled, tell me how to fix this...please.” Ward pleaded, letting his defeat wash over him.
Jemma patted his arm and offered up her own wisdom. “It looks like you didn’t do much damage Ward, you just caught Fitz off guard, nothing serious.”
“A.C said that there’s going to be a carnival at our stop tomorrow, you can make it up to him there, take him out, make it “romantic”, as romantic as someone like you can manage.” Skye offered.
Jemma bounced and clapped. “Yes! That’s a wonderful idea Skye, take Fitz out, he loves fireworks...and monkeys.”
The confidence started to seep back into the specialist. “Okay, yea, I can do that, it’ll be great.” He stood up and headed towards his room but turned before he opened the door. “Err thank you, about this..”
Jemma and Skye both waved at Ward each saying “Goodnight!” “No biggie” in unison. He smiled and retreated to his room.
The pair turned back to face each other, “ah young love, how romantic.” said Jemma.
“Romantic? Or sickeningly gross? You can cut that awkwardness with a knife.” Skye retorted
The scientist giggled at that, then looked at the connect four game and then glared back and Skye. “Don’t think I forgot about me beating you, I’m taking you down.”
“Dang it.”
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When Fitz and Ward put the awkward apologies behind them, they were able to properly spend some time together and have a good time at the carnival. Moments they wished that would never end.
The other members of the team had disappeared, off to their own thing and hopefully not uproot the carnival itself. Fitz and Ward eventually found themselves on the outskirts of the carnival, waiting for the main attraction to start.
Fitz whooped and flailed about, trying to keep himself warm by moving. “Yes! Pyrotechnics, fireworks, pretty things in the sky and - ah!” A chill ran down his spine as a gust of frigid wind blew past them, so much for keeping warm.
“You’re cold Fitz, take my jacket.”
“Oh no no I can’t.” But it was too late, Ward had already stripped out of his jacket and put it around the smaller engineer. “Hopefully, that keeps you warm.” Ward whispered intimately as if they weren’t standing alone on top a hill, but instead on the sometimes cramped Bus.
“And what abou-”
“I’m okay Fitz really, you need it more than me.” Fitz blushed at that, he could smell the scent of Ward all around him, the cologne he used mingled in with soap and gun metal, the scent that the engineer wanted to bury himself into, it drove him mad.
They were both instantly brought out of their stupor however when the boom of the first firework went off. Fitz cheered and the taller agent relaxed and enjoyed what was playing out before him, not having had many chances before to see fireworks in person.
When Ward felt something warm touch his arm tentatively then move down to his hand however, he froze. He looked down and was surprised to see Fitz’s hand intertwining with his; he looked up to see the engineer’s reaction, trying to keep his own surprise of his face but probably failing. Fitz was smiling at him, with the glow of the fireworks making him look, well, beautiful. It made Ward tighten his grip around Fitz’s hand, letting their hands slot in place, he basked in the thought that he had the opportunity to be in a moment like this and simultaneously wished that it wouldn't end.
Ward didn’t know what face he himself was making, but Fitz smiled even harder if that was possible and moved in closer to the taller agent, so he assumed his face was conveying enough of how much this moment meant to him.
He wished he had the confidence and the words to tell Fitz how much he means to him, or even half of the things that have built up in his mind and in his heart.
For now though, they were both happy where they were. As romantic as possible, sharing a moment underneath fireworks.
Together.