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The rest of the team gets back from the mission on the ship, but everyone’s concerned about Coulson and his missing arm, Skye, Cal, and everyone else. So, of course the first time Fitz and Simmons see each other, it’s an exchange of quick but shy smiles, then it’s back to work because there is a ton of it. They’ve held off talking about things before, so they can do it again. Work now, feelings later.
Then they’re analyzing the Rock of Doom. Jemma and Agent Weaver on one side, and Mack and Fitz at the other end of the room. And there’s a quip about the alien artifact, and a short laugh, and back to work again. But this time, Mack notices something.
Of course, it’s gotta be Mack who sees it first because he’s been away for quite sometime, and he knows how to read Fitz already. So when he sees that small shy smile they give each other across the room, and Fitz (maybe blushing a little bit) suddenly seems even more interested in the device in front of him, he knows a shift happened between them.
“So, everything good between you and Simmons?”
“Huh? Oh yeah. Everything good… it’s good.”
“Nice to know you worked things out.”
“Yeah… well, for most parts, yeah. Maybe some stuff needs to be… i dunno, sorted out. Much later.”
“Uh-huh. Well, you know, it seems like you both need a break.”
“Wha–?”
“From all the mess here. Too much stuff going on. You guys could use a breather.”
“I dunno what you mean.”
“You know, bring her somewhere else that isn’t here. Maybe grab some dinner. Just the two of you. Somewhere… nice.”
Fitz glances back at Jemma. “Yeah… somewhere nice.”
Mack smirks. He doesn’t play cupid very often, but he’d like to think he’d be good at it.
————————————————
Fitz could’ve skipped down the hall after asking Simmons out. But that would be unprofessional. Too childish. He’s a grown man, an actual adult. Skipping isn’t his thing. But maybe a secret grin.
He doesn’t go to his bunk or the lab to look for restaurants. He goes to Coulson’s office first.
Coulson raises an eyebrow when Fitz asks if he and Simmons could take a leave for the night. He knew exactly what it meant, and bit his tongue on giving Fitz a rundown on the rules against fraternization between agents. But maybe this was what they needed. Something fresh, something new, something good.
So he gave Fitz the go ahead, but reminded him of the Playground curfew. Fitz said thanks and rushed off to look for possible restaurants. He was too excited to think about what Coulson said. There really weren’t any curfews on the Playground.
——————————————–
Skye heard the frustration through Jemma’s door as she passed by it, and knocked to see if she could help. She didn’t expect to see Jemma Simmons in the middle of her bunk, clothes strewn all over the floor, in an otherwise neat and orderly room. Very unlike her.
“What the hell happened?”
“I um… I… don’t know… what to wear,” Jemma said shyly.
“You know, there’s a lot of choices all around you.” Suddenly, the realization hit her. “Wait a minute… you’re going somewhere?”
“Dinner. Just grabbing some dinner.” A pause. “With Fitz.”
“Oh ho ho ho ho ho ho,” Skye laughed. “Is this what I think it is?”
“It’s just dinner, Skye. With a friend. A very good friend. There’s food. We’ve eaten together before, right? It should all be normal. But… I’m… nervous?”
“Why are you nervous?”
“I. Don’t. Know… it’ll be somewhere nice, he said. So… I wanna look… Nice.”
Skye bit back a huge and giggly smile. “Okay, just dinner. A nice one. Let’s see… do you have any outfits in mind?”
“I didn’t shop for anything nice before, especially when I went undercover at Hydra. I usually excel at preparation. But this… (Jemma gestures to nothing at all) wasn’t anything I ever expected.”
Skye had a thought. “I have something I wore before, something nice. I think you might like it for tonight.”
—————————————–
“You’re gonna wear out the floor, mate.”
“Piss off,” Fitz said, still pacing the kitchen floor, wringing his nervous hands.
“Should’ve gotten flowers.”
“There’s no time.” Pause. “You think I need flowers?”
“Is she the type?”
Fitz looks down at his empty hands. “She deserves them.”
Hunter pops another peanut in his mouth. “Bobbi’s not a flowers type,” he says as he chews. “Chocolates, though. That’s her weakness. Have you seen her stash in the fridge?”
Another peanut. “I should get her chocolates.”
“I don’t think she can have them if she’s recovering.”
“You’re right.” Another peanut. “I’ll definitely buy her then.”
Footsteps in the corridor make the two men turn.
“Ready?” Simmons asks, a wee bit nervous.
It takes Fitz ten seconds before he could respond with a nod, his eyes never leaving Jemma. He walks towards her, and releases the breath he didn’t realize he was holding. “You… look…. beautiful… nice.”
“Oh,” Jemma smiles as she smooths out the fuchsia dress Skye lent her, a trusty cardigan over her shoulders. “Thank you.”
—————————————-
Coulson watches from the monitor feed as Jemma and Fitz walk down the corridor towards the metal doors of the Playground. This feels right.
“You let them go,” May says from the door.
“Of course. How could I not?” he answers, taking note of Skye hovering around the corner and Hunter watching from the kitchen door frame. Everyone was watching them.
“They seem happy.”
“Everyone needs something to be happy about. Right now is a very good time for it.” He feels his right arm twitching a little. A ghost of his hand.
“I just won $20 from Agent Weaver because of it. I’m happy, too.”