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Sci-Ops Halloween Party 2016
“Fitz, I know.” Fitz turned toward Jemma at her admission, a curious look on his face. Their eyes met and he swallowed hard. “What… is it that you know, Jemma?” The expression she was wearing seemed oddly adoring to him and hope soared briefly in him.
Jemma shifted closer and looked down briefly as she stepped forward, hand resolutely placed over his heart. “I’d blacked out that night in the Boiler Room six years ago, Fitz. I didn’t remember a thing that happened that night so I never knew….” Fitz’s eyes widened as Jemma drew closer and continued on. “Then, a few days ago, Daisy filled in the blanks for me… so that means now I get to do this…” Her eyes met his as she leaned forward, his name passing like a whisper against his lips as she claimed them.
Shield Academy: End of Semester Celebration, Boiler Room 2010
Fitz shifted closer to Jemma as she leaned across that bar to order more shots for the group. Her hair fell over her shoulders in long waves and her smile lit the room on fire. Or maybe Fitz was just very drunk. He was feeling a bit fuzzy and loose, it’d been a long and challenging year for both of them, and he was about three drinks in with very little in his stomach. Fitz was feeling brave in a way he knew he would regret tomorrow.
As Jemma turned back to him, her radiant smile made him lose his breath. Was this gorgeous, wonderful girl actually friends with him? Perhaps he was lying in a coma in the hospital and was having a waking dream. Every moment since meeting Jemma Simmons had seemed like some sort of augmented reality to Fitz. He’d been fighting it for a while, but lately when she smiled at him like that… he knew he was in deep. He was in love with his best friend. He was in love with Jemma Simmons.
“Time for more shots, PARDNER.” Jemma said in a strange American accent, as she giggled at her own joke. She handed him the shot, before taking his hand in hers to move the glasses back together in a sloppy toast of sorts and then gulping down the … shots (?) she’d picked up from the bar.
Fitz stared at the glass. “Jemma, what is this…?” It seemed to be some sort of brown cloudy liquid with… gold… flakes…. floating in it? It looked disgusting and smelled of licorice.
“It’s an OIL SLICK, Fitz. Live a little!” She said as she shoved him, much harder than a girl her size should be able to. Drunk Jemma was very aggressive. He kind of liked it.
She continued to flail comically, beating her small fists against his chest as she tried to bully him into drinking the shot. “All right, all right! I call uncle, you win!” He waved her off, pushing against her face with his palm. She licked it and it sent a jolt of something straight down his spine like lightning.
Jemma smirked at his bewildered expression. Fitz was at his cutest when he was flustered, not that she’d ever tell him that. Imagine… don’t need his head getting any bigger! She pushed the shot glass to Fitz’s mouth and made the “drinky-drinky” sign with her other hand. Fitz took the shot like a champ in one gulp and slammed the glass down on the counter. “Ugh… licorice… and… paint…? What did you just make me drink, Jemma?” His shocked face was almost as cute as his flustered one and she felt a familiar fluttering in her stomach. “Ugh, Fitz! We’re young and we’re having fun! Stop being such an old man… you’re 23 days younger than me.”
His blue eyes found hers and she could feel the butterflies in her chest now, fluttering against her rib cage, trying to escape. He leaned closer to the bar as he turned a roguish smile toward her and the butterflies in her chest took flight. “Another round of… ugh… Oil … Slicks… for me and my best friend here!”
About 2-3 shots later, Jemma found herself sitting in her circle of friends off one of the corners of the dance floor. Skye was laughing at something their friend Trip has said and Jemma’s heart was full. With Fitz by her side, she felt invincible. Or maybe that was the alcohol….? She blinked and the world shifted. Hmmm… interesting. I must be quite drunk. She leaned over and pushed herself up against Fitz. He was always so warm, her Fitz. The perfect heating blanket.
Fitz looked down Jemma, who had appeared to be swaying back and forth from her seat on the lounge couch before turning and snuggling into his side. Her eyes were opening and closing erratically and she seemed about ready to curl up and go to sleep right there. His Jemma was so beautiful and worked so hard all the time. It was nice to see her let loose every once in a while, even if it did happen rarely. Fitz glanced over at Skye and noticed her and Trip seemed to be caught in a passionate embrace. He blushed pink and could feel the heat travel down his neck and chest. Now was not the time to think romantic thoughts. Not with Jemma so close and his own inhibitions so low. He was so close and could smell the lavender of her shampoo. And if he just leaned a little closer...
“Jemma.” His voice sounded breathless, even to him, as she turned towards him with a dazed look in her eyes. She looked up at him and he was caught in the soft caramel hues of her eyes. She was so beautiful.
Jemma’s expression suddenly changed and she pulled back to the opposite end of the loveseat they’d been sitting on. “What did you say, Fitz?” He was sure the panic was written across his face. “Uhmmm……. Nothing?” He was sweating so much, why was he sweating so much?
Jemma crossed her arms and glared at him. “Because … it sounded like you said I was beautiful.”
Fitz looked around him, begging for someone to pull him out of the downward spiral that he could feel coming on. Skye and Trip had stopped eating each other’s faces and were now staring at him. SHIT. BUGGER. FUCK. He could feel the words hanging on his tongue, his mouth begging to tell the truth to the woman he adored more than life itself.
“Jemma, you know… I … care about you. And, I mean, surely you’ve got a mirror… you know how gorgeous you are.” He found himself falling forward in her brown doe eyes, caramel flecked with hints of gold, just like the drinks they’d had earlier. LORD, HE WAS DRUNK. “You’re perfect and wonderful and I can’t imagine my life without you.” And somehow he was still talking…. Why was he still talking?
“Silly Fitz, I can’t imagine my life without you, either. You’re my best friend in the world.” Fitz really was such a dear friend to her. A dear friend who was sweet and handsome and had beautiful long fingers… Ok, Fitz was still talking… FOCUS JEMMA.
He drew a deep breath, pulling his lower lip into his mouth and she could see a peek of teeth as he bit down. “Yeah…. And you’re more than that, Jemma.” It was in that moment that the world froze for Fitz. He registered the shocked gasp coming from his right side (likely Daisy, Trip, or both of them) and the panicked look of pure surprise plastered across Jemma’s face. He felt the panic grip him and wished at that moment he hadn’t had those last 2 shots. He leapt to his feet and bolted for the door, eager to escape this confusing night.
His roommate Trip had followed him home shortly after and found a distraught Fitz alternatively hugging the toilet and sobbing on the floor in their shared bath. “Stupid Silly Fitz… now you’ve ruined everything…” He muttered to himself. He could taste the salt of his tears in his mouth and lamented how such a good night could have gone bad so quickly. He felt Trip take a seat next to him on the floor and strong soothing hands patting him on the back. “It’ll be all right, Turbo. We’ll figure this out together… I’m sure it’s not as bad as you think.” Fitz hoped Trip was right. That Jemma would forgive him for being the fool who couldn’t just appreciate her friendship, the selfish man who wanted all of her when she already gave him so much. He gulped down a few sobs and slid down to lay on the cool tile. He was so embarrassed and just hoped Jemma would forgive him. Maybe she’d pretend it never happened. Fitz felt his stomach clench and pulled himself back up to be sick while Trip tried to comfort his friend.
3 Days before the Sci-Ops Halloween Party 2016
Jemma was enjoying her girl’s night out with Daisy and Bobbi. She had a pink drink in her hand and was giggling and out of breath from all the silly dancing she’d been doing with her friends. Fitz was great company normally, but he’d been strangely distant since she’d broken up with her latest boyfriend, Milton. She’d invited him out with her, but he had turned away from her when she asked, insisting she needed her “girls’ time” and he technically wasn’t a girl. “Ugh, Fitz. I KNOW you’re not a girl.” She felt the heat rising to her cheeks and hoped she wasn’t blushing too much. It’s not her fault that a grumpy Fitz was so enticing. Surely, she wasn’t the only girl who thought so.
Jemma shook her head and tried to pull herself back to the present. Bobbi and Skye we’re both staring at her with matching mischievous grins on their faces. “Care to share with the rest of the class, British?” Bobbi asked, winking at her slyly. Jemma sighed and could feel her face flush. “Of… course… not… I was just thinking of … things. Normal things and …. Stuff….” She was sweating so much, why was she sweating so much?
Bobbi laughed and threw her hand onto Jemma’s shoulder. “Jemma, calm down. This isn’t the Spanish Inquisition. It’s just… you know, girl’s night and all…. And… I’m dating Hunter. I need to live vicariously through the lives of my female friends.” Jemma laughed. For all the hard times they gave each other, she knew her friends Bobbi and Hunter were built-to-last. She sighed dreamily, trying not to think of Fitz and his beautiful blue eyes and how sometimes he looked at her like she was the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen. Her crush was getting quite out of hand, honestly.
Jemma sipped from her pink martini, gathering her courage. “I find myself having… thoughts lately…. About a certain someone… and, I don’t know, it’s just all very confusing.” Next to her, Skye burst out laughing and was soon doubled over with tears in her eyes. “It’s… just… you…. And Fitz…. Are ridiculous!”
Jemma gasped. Was she that obvious? “How’d you know I meant Fitz?”
“Well, because you two idiots have been in love for years and everyone has noticed but you.” Skye wiped a few tears from her eyes as Bobbi glanced between the two of them. “I’m … not sure I follow.”
Skye shrugged, exasperated, and continued, “I mean, the guy practically confessed his undying love for you, Jemma, and you just acted like it didn’t happen! But, the whole time you’ve felt this way and you never said anything… it’s funny.” She said it very matter of fact, but when she glanced at Jemma she noticed the younger woman’s eyes were as wide as saucers.
“Fitz… did… what? What are you even talking about?” She looked genuinely confused and Skye suddenly wondered if this was one of those things she was supposed to keep in the vault. No… Jemma had been there…. Fitz left in a hurry and Jemma was strangely silent as they paid their tab and Skye had walked her back to her dorm. Jemma had been drinking heavily that night… is it possible she forgot….?
“You know, at the Academy. The night of the graduation party at the Boiler Room. You woke up the next morning and vowed never to drink Goldschläger ever again.” Skye said, flatly.
Jemma was pale, her expression searching. “Skye… I don’t remember that night after the 3rd shot at the bar. Did Fitz say something to you?”
She turned to Skye and saw that both her and Bobbi were staring back at her with open mouths. Skye leaned forward and placed her palm on Jemma’s shoulder. “Jemma… Fitz confessed his feelings for you and then ran out of the bar… don’t you remember?”
“What, no…. I …. Fitz doesn’t… He doesn’t….” Jemma felt the heat rising in her body, her blood boiling as she considered all of Fitz’s strange behavior over the years. How he seemed hot and cold around her sometimes when things strayed into flirty territory and how he was less tactile than he’d been earlier in their friendship.
“Yeah…” Skye continued. “He bolted right outta there after he saw how shocked you looked. The next day you didn’t mention it so he just assumed you were giving him a second chance at having a normal friendship again. He was so worried that he’d messed things up permanently for you both, Trip told me he was inconsolable all night that night. The next day when you treated him normally he told me he was so glad that you’d forgiven him and how happy he was that you’d still let him be by your side.” She looked up at Jemma, who’d been beet red a moment ago, but whose complexion was getting ashier by the moment. Skye shook her shoulder. “Jemma, did you really not know?”
Slowly, Jemma’s expression morphed from pure shock to pure joy as a smile spread across her face. Fitz liked her. Fitz was INTO her. Jemma Simmons. The weird girl that nobody really understood but Fitz. Her Fitz. A gleeful laugh escaped her body without meaning to. She turned and smiled at Daisy and Bobbi, trying and failing to contain her heart which was full to bursting. OH GOD, how was she ever going to be able to act normal around him when she saw him in a few days at the Halloween Party? Somehow, Jemma didn’t care… she knew Fitz would love her anyway.