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This is not exactly what Skye had in mind when she suggested this 'friendly' costume contest. She had just been meaning to have a little fun on The Bus since Halloween was approaching. She didn't expect a civil war within their little ragtag gang to break out.
When she first brought her idea to Fitz, he had fiercely protested against it. He had mumbled something about certain members of their team not being able to handle any sort of competition. At the time Skye had figured he was just making excuses because he didn't want to participate but the closer they got to Halloween, the more she saw what Fitz meant.
A few days after she called a team meeting (she really just tacked on her announcement at the end of one of Coulson's team meetings) to announce the costume contest, she was curious as to whether or not her S.O. was even going to participate. His perpetual frown could be so hard to read sometimes.
"So Ward," Skye caught him in the lounge reading some book and plopped down on the small sofa next to him. "Will you be participating in the first annual Spooky SHIELD Costume Contest?"
He sighed and placed his bookmark between the pages he was currently on. "After some careful thought, I've decided I will take part in your little contest after all."
Skye let out a squeal - an honest to god squeal - and inched closer towards him. "Awesome! What are you gonna be?"
Grant simply smirked at her. "Don't worry about it. Just know that I'm gonna win."
;;
The day Skye got her costume in order - she is totally gonna win - she went to go check in on what FitzSimmons had planned.
The two of them were going back and forth about something science-y when Skye walked into the lab. It took them a few moments but they both turned to her and voiced their hellos.
"So," Skye started, jumping up on the lab table, much to Simmons' dismay. "Are you two going for a joint costume for the contest?"
"No, apparently I'm not good enough for Simmons." Fitz mumbled as he tinkered with some gadget of his.
"Fitz I never said you weren't good enough, just your ideas." Simmons turned to Skye and shook her head. "Honestly, he wanted to go as matching laboratory beakers."
The mental image is enough to send Skye into a fit of laughter.
"What? I thought it'd be clever!" Fitz said in defense of his idea.
"You can be a beaker but I, on the other hand, will be dressed in the winning costume." Simmons stated matter-of-factly.
Fitz rolled his eyes, seemingly done with the conversation, while Simmons went back to her microscope.
Skye slid off of the table and left the biochemist with these parting words: "Watch out, Simmons. Apparently Ward thinks he's got the winning costume too."
;;
There wasn't much talk of the contest afterwards. The closer it got the less everyone was willing to give up about their costume. Coulson was tight lipped on his, Fitz's involved swatches of brown felt, May wasn't participating (but she agreed to judge!) and Ward and Simmons were treating their costumes like classified Level 10 information.
(Skye thinks she vaguely heard the two trading passive aggressive insults about the other's chances of winning but she can't be too sure. Partly because it sounded less like friendly banter and more like light flirtations but then again, when did an exchange between the two of them not sound like flirting?)
The night of the contest, everyone had shuffled to their bunks to change into their costumes. Once everyone had theirs on, May called for them all to come out into the lounge. She had rejected Skye's idea to have them walk down a makeshift catwalk but she's still holding out hope for it next year.
Coulson's costume was hilarious yet, a bit predictable. The all black outfit complete with floor length coat and eyepatch was pretty good, though. His attempt to mirror Director Fury (he even tried to mimic his voice) managed to coax a small smirk from May. Based on that alone, he probably should have won.
Fitz's was also predicable but very adorable. The mystery of what all that felt was for was solved with the two ears sitting on top of his head and the tale hanging from his back belt loop. Of course Fitz would dress as a monkey. A monkey in jeans and a plaid button-up but a monkey nonetheless.
Skye's costume had gotten a huge smile from Coulson, a snort from Fitz and a scowl from May. Which was totally unwarranted considering she was dressed as her. It took her forever to perfect the 'Melinda May Resting Face' but she's pretty confident she nailed it. So far, she feels pretty good about her chances of winning.
What happens next leaves them all in hysterics. Well, May's about as close to hysterics as she can get. Which is really just a full blown unabashed smirk, but still.
For all the trash talking and promises of 'wiping the floor with the competition', this was most definitely a fitting end for the two of them.
"This is not funny."
"I agree with Agent Ward."
It was Skye who managed to gather herself first to respond. "Okay, did you two plan this? Be honest."
"No!" The fact that they both answered at the same time only heightened the hilarity.
For all of their secretive ways, it really is amazing that Ward and Simmons would end up in identical costumes.
"But why Captain America?" Fitz asked, wiping a tear from his eye with the sleeve of his cardigan.
They both looked at each other, matching helmets covering a portion of their faces.
"I figured dressing up like an Avenger would be a sure way to win. I just picked my favorite one." Simmons explained, shifting the shield she held from her right to her left hand.
Ward just shrugged and folded his arms across his chest.
"I think we have our winners." May calmly announced.
Both Ward and Simmons let out little sounds of disagreement (two Captain Americas moving in sync; this is the greatest Halloween Skye's ever had) towards May - who was already headed back to the cockpit - and her decision.
Skye went to go fetch the contest prize while the specialist and the biochemist voiced their displeasure and bickered amongst each other.
"Hey Captains," Skye shoved the giant bucket of candy between the two of them. "Shut up and share your prize otherwise I'll take it back and Fitz and I will enjoy it."
Ward begrudgingly took the bucket from Skye as she ushered Fitz out of the lounge and into the lab.
The last thing Skye heard was more 'bickering'. Typical.
("We may be wearing the same costume but mine is clearly superior."
"You're not even American! The costume literally makes no sense!"
"Oh shut it, Agent Ward."
"You shut it, Agent Simmons."
"How about you make me!"
Skye didn't need to continue eavesdropping to know how that turned out.)
;;
The next morning, Skye roamed into the lounge to find one Captain America snuggled against the other Captain America's chest and candy wrappers strewn all around them.
Fitz trailed in behind her and hummed at the scene. "Guess the contest wasn't all bad. I was kind of expecting the two of them to kill each other not cuddle."
"Well I thought they'd be able to handle the competition this time!" Skye whispered in response. "You think they would've learned from the Scrabble incident but I guess not."
Fitz nodded, pouring his tea. "I'm still not sure which was more impressive: Grant's 1 point win or Jemma's aim. I've never seen a Scrabble tile inflict that kind of pain on a man before."
Skye let out a snort at that particular memory.
Considering this time around no game pieces were violently thrown, (or a loveseat officially marked as a 'no makeout zone') Skye would call the first annual Spooky SHIELD Costume Contest a win.
;;
(The next year Ward dressed as a scientist - a biochemist, to be more specific - and Simmons decided to go as a specialist.
It was another tie.)