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2017-04-29
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Make You Feel My Love

Summary:

Different people's viewpoints on Fitz and Skye/Daisy's relationship, usually as they realize there's something more than platonic there. Split into seven parts that span varying lengths of time from season 1 to season 3.

"About the only thing she should have had going for her, in Fitz's romantic tastes, was the fact she happened to go by a Scottish name.

Except,"

Chapter 1: Jemma (Season 1)

Chapter Text

        In the ten years since they'd met, Jemma had seen Fitz through a few girlfriends (and one ill attempt at a boyfriend when they spent a summer apart, which she would never let him forget) and thought she had a decent idea of his type. They were best friends, after all, and that made her his automatic wingman (er, wingwoman). He liked them a little on the shy side, smart, pretty in a toned down type of way. She'd never seen him go for the supermodel type, and never, ever, the popular girl.

        Realistically, Jemma didn't give Skye near enough credit. The younger woman didn't necessarily come across as it, but she was as natural an outcast as FitzSimmons usually were. But she pretty, devilishly so - confident, relaxed, completely unrefined. She'd never finished high school, with more social intelligence than that of book value. There was nothing shy or quiet about her, from what Jemma could tell from the first month or so knowing her. Skye was always the loudest laugher - something Jemma had always thought of as an immediate turn off for Fitz - and always cracking a smart remark, or offhand joke, never serious (or focused, half the time). About the only thing she should have had going for her, in Fitz's romantic tastes, was the fact she happened to go by a Scottish name. (Something she hadn't even known till Fitz commented very awkwardly on.) Everything else - well, maybe he might have been interested in having her as a friend, but Jemma knew it should have ended there.

        Except it didn't, which was frustrating her to no end.

        She had wanted to write it off as some oddly timed physical attraction. Skye was, objectively (and not so objectively), beautiful by most standards. (Not that Skye seemed to realize this, half the time, which annoyed Jemma in a different matter that bordered more on jealousy.) Maybe that was why Fitz got flustered and a thousand times more awkward and twitchy around the hacker than usual. Maybe that was why he tried so hard to impress her and appear cool. Maybe that was why he made faces behind Ward's back (which Jemma was certain would inevitably get him gutted like a prize fish). But she had to eventually scrap that (wishfully believed) thought, because the evidence stopped supporting it.

        He wasn't just trying to impress Skye, he wanted to connect with her, bring her a little into his world. (Jemma felt she might be a little jealous if she were less of a woman and best friend - and surprised.) And he listened with increasing intensity to every word she said, then went on for ages whenever it was his own turn to speak. Skye proved she was more intelligent than she let on, just for being able to follow him at all. (Even Jemma went a little cross-eyed listening to them talk about computers and coding.) It just didn't make sense. Not only was Skye not his type, but Jemma was very familiar with the fact that Fitz could actually be a much better flirt. That alone had been what suggested this was more than a bit of stardust in his eyes. He was plain and simple, with sweet words and soft motions, so long as he kept his shyness at bay long enough. It didn't seem like he was just shy with Skye, but more the opposite.

        Jemma was actually rather worried for a while. Fitz was already so far out of his comfort zone, and he'd always been a somewhat fragile fellow. How obvious the eyes were between Ward and Skye (not to mention the sexual tension that could have been cut with a butter knife) couldn't have escaped Fitz's notice. As much as she loved him, she could only look on with a bit of pity that he had no chance at all. Fitz was an incredible guy, but very few could rise above Grant Ward's abs, and Ward was the alpha male on their team. Girls like Skye just never went for the boys like Fitz, especially not with specimen like Ward falling at their feet. 

        (Though, if she were being honest, there was a short period in which she'd almost wished Skye would turn out to be a lesbian. Then the sisterly affection settled in between them and she forgot about it.)

        The day she realized it, though, her entire world was spun on its axis once again for her.

        She'd been working on preparing more serum when she'd heard Fitz mutter something about finding Skye, to which she only gave a hum of vague acknowledgment. It had occurred to the back of her mind that it had been a while since she'd seen the hacker, an odd thing for a 'vacation day.' (Or, what Coulson jokingly called vacations whenever they were in-between missions. She rather liked the off days.) If not training with Ward, Skye was generally in the lab with them nowadays, whether or not they were being paid any attention. Almost an hour had passed before she realized she, for once, had no idea where her partner was. Safety goggles and gloves discarded, she poked around the Bus for a bit before she finally found him. (More accurately - found them.)

        Standing at the top of the ramp, hands on her hips, Jemma Simmons watched them in mild surprise for a while. In the middle of a warm day, they were just laying out on the black tarmac without a single care. She couldn't make out Fitz's face very well (the sun shining on the poor boy's pasty face made it hard to see when he was looking up at the sky, and he was turned away from her when he looked at Skye). But she could very clearly see her female friend's, and what she eventually took note of surprised her. Maybe not as much as her partner's change in taste, but a close second, nonetheless.

        They must have been watching the clouds originally, yet Skye seemed to have lost interest in them entirely. Jemma was too far away to very clearly make out her eyes, but they seemed to only rarely flick toward the blue yonder, focused primarily on Fitz. She always laughed at most of Fitz's jokes, and Jemma began to scrutinize that laughter for the first time.

        Skye seemed incredibly relaxed, listening intently to whatever she was being told, and when she laughed it seemed quieter than normal. Not in a worrisome way, in the sense of a more intimate conversation. Her laughter was for Fitz and Fitz alone - but that was probably the distance talking. As Jemma watches, the hacker seems to scoot a little closer to the Scotsman. He remains oblivious, but his partner is far from that. (In truth, the English woman had begun to think it might be time to look away.) The look on her face turns fonder, which prompts to Jemma realize it had already been a fond one. There's a sense of delicacy to it - and Jemma realizes in that moment that Skye is behaving vulnerably, letting her walls down, which is where the delicacy comes from. She is fragile yet trusting. 

        It sinks in a moment later. She'd been so focused on worrying over Fitz, Jemma had completely missed the fact that his feelings weren't quite one-sided. And Fitz was going to blow it because he had, apparently, recently lost all ability to make a move!

        (Jemma stayed on his ass for the next few months about asking Skye out, or confessing, or flirting, or something. She never did figure out how to tell him Skye liked him back without sounding like she was lying, so she never tried. Only after Skye got shot did she let up, because things felt like they were beginning to change after that, and a nagging feeling in her stomach said those changes would not be kind to her or her friends. She couldn't help but notice sadly that Fitz began to pull back from the hacker as more time went by, and never quite figured out why.)

Chapter 2: Cal (Season 2)

Chapter Text

        "And was there ever anyone special for you?"

        Cal's words seem to snap his daughter back to her focus. He'd asked the question less out of curiosity, more just to get her listening again. When Daisy just blinks at him in confusion, he lays out his next words carefully, not sure if the inquiry will spook her further. "You know, a boyfriend? Or - or a girlfriend, if that's what you prefer, all the same at the end of the day." Raina had suggested numerous times that Daisy and that Ward guy had had a thing for each other, but some sort of parental instinct said that wasn't quite right. 

        She hesitates for a long while after that. Picks at her ice cream wrapper like he's noticed she does when she's nervous, and he wonders offhand who she even inherited that from. Cal thinks she does it because her hands tend to shake. Then again, maybe they just do that because of her powers, or maybe he's imagining the little tick in the first place. "Actually," something in her tone suggests that she's never talked about this before, and she seems to struggle to find her words. He bites his tongue to keep from trying to encourage her along. Because now he actually is curious. "There was - someone, but he doesn't feel the same." She chews on her lip with a stony expression for a few seconds before she finishes. "He never felt the same." Daisy takes a big bite of her ice cream sandwich, making Cal wonder for a second if she's trying to lessen some sting.

        "Ah," he feels suddenly out of his comfort zone. Why did he ever initiate this conversation? "Let me guess; someone from SHIELD?" For the first time, he almost hopes they start arguing about SHIELD again, because that seems a lot easier. There's a small part of him that wishes his wife were here. Jiaying has a lot more decades of dealing with boys under her belt. 

        Fortunately (or unfortunately), Daisy doesn't seem to have interest in fighting right then. She starts folding one corner of the wrapper, then unfolding it, then folding it again. Okay, she definitely has nervous ticks. He's not imagining them. There's something almost like discomfort in features as she contemplates her answer. All the same, she seems surprisingly willing to talk about it, and Cal once again wonders if this is the first time she's told anyone. "Yeah, but - " her voice cuts for a second as her eyes dart to his, then back to her ice cream, "he wasn't like that. He understood." Daisy's words start to come out in a breathless rush. "He - He was the first one to find out and he stuck his neck out really far to protect me. Like, could-get-himself-fired level. Everyone else was pretty pissed at him. But he knew what it was like to change and have everyone start treating you differently, or they treat you the same when you know you're not, and he wanted to protect me." She fiddles with one of the rings she's wearing as she stops, staring into space for a moment. Cal guesses there's more to it that she isn't saying. Daisy seemed so convinced when she said her feelings weren't mutual, but he's having a hard time imagining that being true, just from the way she talks. In fact, she makes it sound like this boy ran three marathons in one day for her. Still, he bites his tongue again, because he's intent on not pressuring her to say more. There are pieces to the puzzle he doesn't understand - yet. Her voice is softer when she speaks again, and he realizes with mute surprise there are actual tears in her eyes. "He was a great guy - or, is, I mean. You - You would have liked him, I think."

        Then she turns, giving him this smile that is so sad, yet so genuine. All he can do is stupidly smile back at her till she's looked away. They stand there for a moment longer, before she clears her throat to indicate that she's ready for the subject to be closed.

Chapter 3: Bobbi (Just before the start of Season 3)

Chapter Text

        "So," she leans her hip against the wall in what she severely hopes is a casual pose. "Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego this week?"

        "Haha, you're very funny." His tone is half-amused, even though his false laugh is dry as autumn leaves. Even just those four words are enough to make her heart skip too many beats, forcing her to take a few quiet breaths, calm herself down. "I am, uh," there's noise on the other end that she can't quite identify - probably him shifting, "just outside of Bangladesh. I think."

        "You think?" Daisy echoes, the worry now clutching at her chest where relief and sadness had been just moments before. She hears the noise again and finally places it as being the sound of tires on a dirt road. Her breathing officially stops.

        "Don't have a heart attack over there, I'm fine. My location's just up in the air depending on how well the taxi driver understands my rather terrible Bengali. Actually, I'm still unconvinced I didn't accidentally insult the poor man's mum, but I'm pretty sure he knew what I meant." The sound of his voice chiding her manages to help settle her nerves some, even as she hears him curse under his breath at a presumably nasty road bump. She has to remind herself that Fitz is not entirely defenseless. He can handle himself out there, as he has countless times before. No matter how far away he may be, he'll eventually come back home, and he just needs her to believe in him. 

        Still, she finds herself biting her lip and drumming her fingers on her arm uneasily. Fitz is also a lovestruck idiot who sometimes has all the common sense of a lab rat. He'd do anything if he thought it would help bring Simmons back, which she can't bring herself to fault him for. She'd do the exact same thing if the situations were reversed and he was the one who had been swallowed by an ancient stone. Daisy just wished that he were less reckless, or that he at least had someone else with him, or that this had never even happened in the first place. "Just - get back safe, okay, Prince Charming?" She's been teasingly calling him that longer than she'd like to admit, but he probably doesn't realize she was originally insinuating that he was her prince. He made her feel a little like a Cinderella.

        They say their goodbyes when he promises her, after which she finally steps back into the lab, where Bobbi awaits. The blonde stands with her arms crossed, practically scowling. Daisy gives her a half-hearted smile of victory. "Outside Bangladesh, which I think is about all he knows." 

        Dark eyes get that far-off look they're prone to nowadays for a few moments. Bobbi has to resist reassuring her friend for the nth time that month that Fitz will be fine, instead choosing to roll her eyes and joke a little. Just to try and lighten Daisy's face some. "You are such a godsend, I swear. I'm the one covering for him, but he still won't pick up the phone for me half the time, much less tell me where he is!" Her expression turns a bit more appraising as Daisy snorts, pleased that her distraction tactic is working. "I swear, as soon as he sees your name he picks up. Actually, maybe, I should start sending him texts that start with that, see if he's willing to talk then."

        Laughing lightly now, Daisy attempts to wave off Bobbi's remarks. "It's just because he's known me longer. He knows I'll kick his ass if he ignores me or tries to slide around my questions. And I also have the tech smarts to track where he is at any given moment." An almost longing look is sent to the cellphone Bobbi realizes the younger woman is still clutching. "Which is more and more tempting, honestly." She shakes her head, giving another small smile. There's dark circles under her eyes. "Anyways, I need to get ready for training with Mack. Beers later?" 

        "Sure," Bobbi agrees easily, and manages not to add you really seem like you need one. It's in the back of her mind, as she watches Daisy quickly duck out of the labs, that it used to be a common sight for Fitz and Daisy to hang out at the end of the day. It also occurs to her that she hasn't seen the other woman even look at a bottle of Scotch when he isn't around. Go figure.

Chapter 4: Hunter (Just prior to Season 3/Early Season 3)

Chapter Text

        Hunter sidles up to Mack, offering a cheerful greeting that he barely receives a grunt in response to. Before he can start complaining about that, a sound catches his attention, making his head swing in the direction Mack's staring (glaring) so intently. Through the glass, he spots Fitz and Daisy. The pair are both grinning widely and laughing at the top of their lungs, one half leaning against each other, one half shoving each other playfully. A large smile begins quickly splitting his own face as he watches them for a bit. "Nice to hear that again, eh?" He elbows his friend gently, fully expecting the inevitable agreement.

        Instead, it is a further stormy expression that settles deep in Mack's face. His eyebrows are pulled in what almost could be described (and should be described) as worried. "Yeah," he watches them without sparing so much as a passing glance to the Englishman, "been a long while." 

        His own eyebrows hitting his hairline, Hunter crosses his arms, leveling Mack with a displeased look. Finally glancing over at him, Mack sighs. "Just watch. When you see the way Turbo looks at her - " Cutting himself off, Mack sighs again. Fingers pinch at his brow as though he we were suddenly plagued with a headache.

        Brown eyes dart subconsciously between the unaware duo and his friend as he scoffs. "What way he - oh." Hunter's mouth drops open, momentarily speechless, eyes focused widely on them once again. Inside the lab, Daisy's head has fallen on Fitz's shoulder. The Scotsman has an arm over her shoulders; not at all unusual for the two of them. Actually, none of it is an unfamiliar sight (even if it had been a while since anyone had last seen it), but Hunter is certain the look must be. Because as she talks on, Fitz stares down at her. The look surpasses fond, completely abandons platonic, and borderlines on love. She must be over-dramatizing her story, judging by the way he rolls his eyes. Daisy pretends to be offended by whatever teasing remark Fitz makes even as they both laugh.

        "Yeah." Mack's voice is curt, but Hunter knows him well enough to hear the worry loud and clear. "There's no way that's ending well for anyone." He stays to watch them a second longer before he shakes his head, turning and walking off as his thoughts seemingly take control. Hunter briefly considers following, but makes the mistake (maybe actually an excellent choice) of looking back to the pair.

        He's greeted with the sight of Fitz's thumb brushing some of her hair behind Daisy's ear. The look on the Scotman's face suddenly does seem familiar to him - but not as one he's seen on the engineer before, instead, one he knows he's worn himself. The early look didn't border on love, it was love. Certainly not a new one, certainly not being fought off -

        - and when he cocks his head and stares at the look she's wearing, something whispers in Hunter's mind that it's certainly not unreciprocated.

        Unlike Mack, he's smirking when he walks off. The sight makes him miss his own love a little too much to stay.

Chapter 5: Bobbi (Early Season 3)

Chapter Text

        "You're being a creeper." Leaning over a little to follow her ex-husband's eyes better, Bobbi adds an even more teasing tone to her voice. "What are you staring at Daisy for? Trying to make me jealous," she pauses and chuckles, "again?"

        He just hums in response, but she realizes from the way his eyebrows are knit that he's really deep in focus. His hand rubs her knee casually for a few moments, eyes still trained on Daisy where the younger agent is saying goodbye to Fitz, before lacing their fingers together. She frowns, starting to grow worried for the first time. An idea hits her before she can ponder it more. Groaning, Bobbi lets her head fall on Hunter's shoulder, eyes squeezed shut in dread. "Please tell me Mack doesn't have you on his side with that crazy idea of his." Taking the look of confusion and the short flick of his eyes toward her as incentive, she elaborates. "He's come to this decision that Fitz is suddenly in love with Daisy or something, and he's going to give himself a stroke worrying about it. Don't tell me he convinced you of that."

        "Didn't have to," his chin tilts in indication toward the pair, "boy wonder did that for him. Now I'm just trying to figure out where she sits in all this." He hums again, tilting his head now as curiosity glints in his brown eyes.

        Bobbi tries to be a supportive girlfriend rather than beating him over the head with his own foot, which is what she's tempted to do. She's still significantly unconvinced. It wasn't any kind of secret that Fitz was in love with Simmons, and it was just as obvious that the two were meant for each other. The blonde manages a few seconds before the guilt and boredom make her look away with a sigh. "Oh come on, there's just friends. Really good friends, yeah, but more like siblings." A pause of silence stretches, ending with the sound of her roughly crossing her arms. "Lance."

        "Shh, love." Without looking at her, he turns her head to face them again, in time for her to see Fitz walk off to start helping load the quinjet. "Now, if I'm right - ah, there it is."

        She's halfway to wiping the smug look off his face when her eyes land on Daisy again.

        Instead of heading back inside the base, Daisy hesitates where she stands, eyes locked on Fitz as he walks further away. A tablet is half ignored in his arms, one foot placed in the direction she should be going. The look on her face is what really makes Bobbi's heart stop. There's a touch of fear - a bit of fondness - and enough longing it makes the blonde spy feel almost choked. It's the exact same look Bobbi knows she's given Hunter a hundred thousand times. The experience of seeing it on someone else's face is raw and a little eye-opening, but she quickly overcomes the burst of emotion and starts to think logically again.

        Bobbi finds that harder than she actually expected, especially when she meets Hunter's eyes. "Don't look so proud," there's more hesitation than bite in her words, unfortunately, "I'm still skeptical. It'll take a miracle to make me think Fitz isn't still head over heels for Jemma. But ... " She leaves it there, because she can't find the words to say, no matter how hard she tries. It's hard for her to believe Daisy would knowingly be so in love with someone and not tell her, but she can't find another way to describe what she saw. The Inhuman woman has already disappeared inside the base again.

        Which meant Bobbi got to see the look on Fitz's face. Just a quick glance, in between words (probably swears) at the agents attempting to assist, thrown over his shoulder in the direction he'd just come. Then his eyes trail the distance between that spot and the doors. She can just make out the way his throat moves when he swallows, before he's turned back around and proceeds with his job as if it never happened.

        A miracle, she sternly reminds herself, you need a miracle.

Chapter 6: Bobbi (Early Season 3)

Chapter Text

        Well, a voice in her head reminds Bobbi, while the rest of her mind is still reeling, you asked for a miracle, and you sure as hell got one.

        She'd almost reached the decision of no. Fitz jumped through the portal to get Jemma without a second thought. Daisy showed no signs of jealousy, hurt, or even surprise. Just held open the portal like it was nothing (well, emotionally nothing). She'd filed it away as a victory over her favorite boys. They'd get FitzSimmons back and everyone would return to the base and she'd get to look them both in the eye and tell them how wrong they'd been. Hunter would take it like a big baby (Bobbi was pretty sure he was about to start printing Fitz/Daisy posters if left unsupervised). 

        Then her entire fucking world got spun on its head again.

        Mack was helping Daisy stay upright as everyone peered down into what Bobbi liked to think of as the portal well. Out of the dust popped Fitz's head first, earning a relieved sigh from the gathered group. Seconds after, two more heads came up choking and spluttering, one of which belonged to a male Bobbi didn't recognize. Simmons was practically in Fitz's arms, so the entire world was right in Bobbi's mind for a couple of seconds. 

        The thump was the noise that signaled the shattering of that. Mack let out a startled shout of his partner's name, Fitz's head snapping upward again at the exact same time. Bobbi had seen people move fast. She'd even seen a few who were superhumanly fast. Moments in the field where a person's physical limitations were surpassed, where something else mattered more, and people did things they wouldn't have been able to any other time. Those memories held nothing on Fitz in the following seconds. He'd scrambled out of the well (which she thought would have been too tall anyways), onto the rim, and to Daisy's side too fast for Bobbi's eyes to follow. 

        Her favorite Inhuman was out cold, but looked otherwise okay, if a little pale. Fitz smooths some of Daisy's hair off her face, sighing at whatever he must find to convince him that she's going to be alright. 

        That's not what convinces Bobbi without a shadow of a reasonable doubt, though. It's the next thump that accomplishes that.

        It's when Jemma (and the new male who she's really getting confused by) passes out, and Fitz doesn't actually budge, that she feels the world stop spinning and hell freeze over. She just stands there watching as he twists to see his partner, head whipping back and forth between the two women as uncertainty splits his expression. He sorts himself out as soon as Mack slides down to check on Jemma and the newcomer. Fitz just rests a hand on Daisy's shoulder, tight as if he's scared she'll disappear if he lets go. Bobbi watches as he lets himself start to grin, as he turns around to face the Inhuman, as he strokes her cheek for a few moments with a proud smile. It's impossible to tell if he's proud of himself or her or a bit of both.

        The one thing that she is sure about is that she owes Mack a beer, damn him.

        (And she really hopes the new guy is Jemma's boyfriend, or things might get even messier.)
 

Chapter 7: Restaurant Manager (Mid Season 3)

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        If he hadn't seen the rich nerd type with girls way out of their league a dozen times before that week alone, the manager might not have even believed the couple was actually together.

        First date, he thinks as he plasters on a smile and approaches, definitely has to be the first date.

        He welcomes them to the restaurant and that's when he finds out who's reservation it is. William is forced to reconsider for a second, before he glances at the woman again. No, first date, has to be. "Ah, Mr. Fitz, it's a pleasure to finally have you dining with us. We've kept the table you requested open, if you'd both follow me, please." Unfortunately, he turns too fast to see the wide-eyed look the woman gives Leo Fitz (and the sheepish look Leo Fitz gives her before offering an arm). The table is toward the back of the restaurant, but it's still in plain view from practically every other table in the house. He's been pondering over the reservation for roughly six or seven months now (maybe even more) and still hasn't figured it out. 

        Of course, if he looked as scruffy and dorky as the man behind him, and managed to score a date like her, he'd probably want to show her off too. It wasn't even just her appearance that made him think that. She practically radiated power, importance, and confidence. There was an intelligence in her eyes, a set to her smile that both said she was a typically happy person but also that she was used to being in charge. Coupled with how athletic he could tell she must be and how pretty she was, she took the queen archetype to a whole new level. Fitz was a Quartermaster at best. 

        The same practiced smile is given to them when the destination is met. He might've offered to pull the lady's chair out for her, but Fitz beat him to it. There's a glow to her smile that suggests she isn't used to being treated so specially, and she giggles like a little girl when he gently pushes her up to the table. One of his hands lingers on her shoulder as he walks away to his own seat. William tries not to look surprised when he realizes she's blushing. He says something about retrieving them menus and being back in one moment before ducking back into the kitchen. It's hard to say how long he stands, just past the door, before he shakes the cobwebs out of his head and gets back to business.

        "You," he signals one of the busboys, meeting him halfway across the kitchen. "Go get one of the champagne bottles from the cellar." Though he can't see their table, William can't help a look over his shoulder. "One of the best ones."

        When he presents the couple with it, he takes a second to analyze the way the woman's jaw drops. "Compliments of the house," he fills both their glasses while giving a charming smile (honestly, he's sort of rooting for Fitz, now). "For a very persistent young man. After the fourth month, we'd begun to worry something had happened. But please, now that you are here, I hope you both greatly enjoy your evening." William only barely bites back adding a "together" at the end of his last sentence, mainly because Fitz has started to glare at him. It's a surprisingly intimidating glare. He hands them the menus and suggests them taking a minute to decide before ducking off again. 

        Not so fast that he doesn't hear what sounds like her kicking Fitz under the table and hissing, "Four months?!" He tries not to snicker too loudly.

        He checks on them a little more regularly than he should throughout the night. They decline anymore alcohol, so he starts not-so-subtly trying to suggest the idea of chocolate for dessert. At some point, he's pretty sure he hears Fitz call her Sky, which he assumes is her name. Sky seems to come from a more modest background, judging by the increasingly nervous tint to her voice in response to his suggestions. He drops them primarily because trying to help Fitz out isn't worth causing them to fight over whether dessert is really necessary. 

        It's not really the best atmosphere for a romantic night out. Fitz purposefully set the reservation for one of their busiest nights of the week, presumably for the same reason he requested the table he did. The good news is, it doesn't seem to make either nervous, if only because no one's actually paying them any attention. (Other than William, who's decided he's became too attached to helping them out.)

        By the time their appetizer is out, he's decided it's definitely not their first date, but it's probably their first fancy dinner. They keep holding hands on the table, as if they subconsciously can't resist some form of contact. They laugh at each other's jokes, bicker like an old couple from time to time, yet act with the touch of awkwardness of a couple still finding their balance. There's something about the fact they don't seem to fit perfectly that makes William like them all the more. (The only reason he's even thinking about all of it is that stupid philosophy degree he thought he wanted to get.) Sometimes he can tell they're teasing each other, so he knows they must have been friends for a while first. When he brings them their salad courses, he decides to start trying to guess how long they've known each other. 

        (He gives up before long, partially because it takes too much of his concentration, partially because it's theoretically impossible.)

        There's something fluid in their interactions. They understand each other well, better than he might have initially expected. He notices Fitz watches the door every time someone enters or leaves. (William thinks he hears Sky tell him to relax, laughing as she says "no one we know is going to be here!" It raises a lot of questions he doesn't think he wants the answer to.) It's that fluid movement and counter-movement, expression and reaction, words and response, that gives him the idea. It's a terrible, awful idea. It's not an entirely new one. He feels himself start smirking as soon as he haves it. 

        When he signals for the music to be turned up, he waits till he catches the confused expression on Fitz's face. They've mostly finished their entrees by now. He takes it as initiative to approach, which in turn prompts Fitz to ask the obvious question.

        "My apologies if its disruptive," he begins to explain, though he's having trouble fighting back his grin, "we usually increase the music volume during the dinner hour, in case any couples would like to dance."

        He hasn't even finished saying the last word when Sky nearly chokes on her water, fixing her boyfriend with a dark look. "Don't you dare." A smile is starting to form on Fitz's face, so William takes the cue to start backing toward the kitchen. He's predictably ignored. "Leo. Leo, no. No." She drags out the last word so it's almost a whine, glare turning to a more pleading look. William regrets a little now that Fitz's face is hidden. The smile's probably turned more mischievous. 

        Just as the manager's gotten to the door, Fitz stands up very slowly, keeping his pace as he walks around the table. Sky fixes him with an exasperated, but resigned look. He offers her his hand when he's beside her chair, and William can almost make it out when he asks her to dance. As much as she glared earlier, she looks a little pleased now, which was the intended reaction. In any case, she stands. They seem like they've probably danced before. The couple hits no problems getting in position, though they stumble through the steps at first and laugh as they try to match their rhythms and movements. 

        It's simplistically beautiful when they fall into it at last, though. William's ducked into the kitchen by then. The busboy that got the champagne raises his hand, and William grants the kid a high five.