the academy ➢ fitzsimmons

➢3

The next day was more presentations and busy work which was the perfect time to get a move on with Fitz's invention idea. Fitz had this pistol idea firmly grasped and was ready to carry out the plan. He was an amazing engineer and he has left me speechless with his works. I'm obviously biochem, my major ever since I got to the academy, and dream since I was shy of 10 years old. In high school, my main focus was biology and chemistry and anatomy and physics. I had been through hell and back getting what I needed to finally be able to be accepted into this academy in which I'm  here at today. The academy is ran by the a service or department, something like that, called SHIELD. It stands for something but it was so long I could barely remember so we just call it SHIELD and it stuck.
I remember the first day at the academy, the day I met Leo. He was so shy but he came over and sat by me in my first class which was Introduction to Chemical Engineering. And now, 2 and something years later, we are working together, still learning together, and I don't think that will change anytime soon. You see, me and Fitz have a best friend type of bond. Me and him can work together so well that we might as well start our own company soon because we would make millions. Our work could change lives and both of us have a very positive future, maybe somewhere in Scotland, that's where Fitz is from. He always talks about his home town and he said, as a friend, he would want me to come back home with him to meet the other genius in his life that isn't Einstien or Hawking.

➢

"Simmons, do you know how to create dendrotoxin?" Fitz asks behind me as I heard a variety of noises such as a blow torch, a wrench, and metal scrapping from behind me as I quickly scavenged through my small bag.

"No, but luckily I snatched a minuscule sized tube of the toxins mixed with an amino acidic base to stabilize it before getting set into the low pressure pellets before I left my work space in last class." I said showing off the small clear bottle filled with a drop in a half of thin liquid.

"What would I do without someone who knows chemicals that could cause unconsciousness."

I laughed along with him, "oh I don't know Fitz probably inject yourself with the toxin by accident because you think it's only saline."

"Very funny Simmons, I'm not that stupid." He said emphasizing the last word while his blowtorch started back up and I was getting on my lab gear.

"I never said you were, but I'm just saying that you wouldn't properly know how to handle this sort of thing." My hands went to work and the small, hollow pellets were set in rows to my left, and to my right was the dendrotoxin bottle with a very small pipet.

"Yeah, probably not, I would mistaken the toxins for saline." His voice lowered behind me.

"Oh cmon Fitz, I'm only playing around, you would find a way." I smiled to myself as I began lacing the hollow pellets with an 1/10 ounce of the toxins. My hands had to be very still for this process, one small shake and the liquid would spill onto my skin around any large veins and I would barely be up for dinner tomorrow. I had to slow my breathing and find a balanced stance in front of the small wooden desk that Fitz had dragged in from down the hall. I tried not to focus on the job and I tried to relax and get all of the bullets finalized for the gun.

The final round pellets was unhallowed/ laced with the dendrotoxin and placed aside for when the main pistol was ready and prepared. Fitz had only just started the outer frame but other than that, the main trigger mechanism and magazine cartridge were finished.

"How much longer do you think?" I took off my goggles, "we have been at this since 3:30."

"What time is it now?" Fitz asked, exhausted.

"12:48"

"Oh damn, um, let's call it a night." He stood up and removed his gloves, "the outer frame can be finished tomorrow."

"Are you going to need any help with the last frame?" I asked cleaning up my small space.

"No, not really, but you could still come over and bring food." He looked over at me with a pained look, "please bring food next time."

"Okay. I will, I will."

"God bless your heart Jemma Simmons, I'm on the verge of starvation. I will really appreciate pizza next time around."

"So now you want pizza," I laughed, "that sounds like a good plan." I said heading toward the door and Fitz followed behind by one step, almost at my heels.

"Goodnight Jemma." He said smiling which made me turn around to face him. I couldn't help but smile to actually hear him call me 'Jemma' instead of 'Jem' or 'Simmons'.

"Goodnight Leopold." And as I said that he let out a small and quiet laugh and leaned in to give me a big hug, something I had really needed after all of that work. His arms fit so perfectly around me, not like we haven't hugged before, it's just so sweet when he does. It almost catches me by surprise, which it shouldn't because us, being best friends, hug all the time with achievements such as these.

"I needed this." He whispered. I pulled back slowly, "me too, Fitz."