the academy ➢ fitzsimmons

➢5

Fitz finally woke up from his detox nap and there I was sitting at his small lab desk reading his notes from earlier this month. He wasn't fully awake but he persisted on trying to stand up. I didn't notice his struggle until I heard a large crash and his water glass had fell onto the tile flooring, little drops of water sped out along the floor as a few large pieces of glass chipped from the top of the glass. I reacted quickly and spun my head to see him looking at me with a cautious stance. He looked quite embarrassed with bright red face and a strained smile.

"Are you all right?" I asked him trying my best not to laugh.

"Yep, 100% percent." He leaned back against the small cornered bed, "okay maybe 75."

"The toxins should be worn down completely by now, are you sure you only got it on your finger?"

"Yes Jemma I swear." He put his hand up but still appeared to be tired.

"You are still calling me Jemma, it's okay not to feel okay Fitz." I assured him as I started my clean up of the glass. I, ever so carefully, started to clean up the glass with my bare hands and disposed of it into the small wastebasket.

"Here lemme help you." He said getting down to help right across from me.

"No honestly Fitz I got this, go sit down."

"I'm not letting you clean this up by yourself end of discussion."

"Why do you have to be complicated?" And as soon as I finished my sentence a piece of glass skimmed the palm of my hand just the right way to cause an open wound. I barely felt it but Fitz completely flipped out at the sight of blood panicking and using the words 'this is my fault' and 'I'm so sorry Jemma' and 'Lemme finish and I will help you with that.'

"Honestly Fitz, I could count on the fingers of 12 hands with the amount of times I have cut my hand open with glass."

"Stop it Simmons."

"No Fitz, you need to stop."

We both backed away from each other, stung by our words to one another.

"I'm sorry." I said back to him before the silence killed us.

"I'm sorry too." He put his palm up to hold my face, "just let me get that bandaged up for you."

"Okay." I smiled standing up.

➢

Next day in my class that Aaron is in, he and I discussed our plans for dinner. He wanted to take me to a very nice restaurant on the outskirts of town, farther than I have ever drove to before.

"If you don't want to go some place nice—"

"No, Aaron, I would love to go someplace nice," I smiled, "I need an excuse to wear a my new dress."

"Dressing up? For me?" He putting his hands to his heart in shock, "I feel so lucky."

"You should, I hate dresses more than calculus," I looked over to him, "and I hate calculus."

We both laughed and became attentive to the lesson in front of us. And the lessons continued for an hour or so until we were dismissed for lunch. After lunch I had one more class which was advanced scientific topics, a real blow off class which aren't ones I like to take.
Me and Aaron grew a bit closer each time we had creative science which was 3 times a week.
Me and him planned to go to a nice Chinese restaurant next weekend. It would be this weekend but the outer layer metals for Fitz's pistol comes in Friday so it would be another late night getting it all finished up.

"Okay so here is my number, since I oddly haven't given you it yet," he passed me the small paper slip, "and next Saturday? Me and you?"

"Of course! Sounds amazing." I said beaming with joy and taking the slip immediately.

"I'll see you around, Jemma."

"You can call me Simmons, it's my last name but also a nickname." I said correcting him just as fast.

"Okay," he tilted his head forward, "Simmons."

I don't know why but his response made smile, not like a cheesy smile but a sincere smile.
I walked to my lunch break alone and sat and ate alone. I wondered where Fitz was, he always had the same lunch break time as me. I felt awkward and extroverted from everyone as I sat at a small table for two by myself.

➢

I was quite furious with Fitz for making me eat alone. It was after my class so I took it upon myself to go see Fitz, only because I want to know why he wasn't with me this afternoon.

I approached his small dorm and I reached for my key when inside the door I heard a large smashing sound which was followed by the sound of a drawer slamming shut. I was quite timid when I reached for my key but at the same time I was rushing with anxiety, my hands fumbling with the zipper.
Finally my hand stood still for a short period of time to gain control of the zipper. I nearly ripped open the bag and keyed through the door. I slowly entered calling out his name quietly.

"Simmons!" He said and he rushed over to the door and shut it quickly before I could continue my step, shutting me out.

"Fitz, what's going on." I said through the door, "you're scaring me, are you okay?"

"No I'm not okay," he thrashed back open the door, his face red and eyes watering but not yet crying.

"Let me come in." I said as I stood in the door which he didn't let me pass through.

"Why would you want to?"

"Fitz, we aren't starting this again, what happened?" I raised my voice and then held my head as if I had just caused a great amount of pain to myself.

"I broke the pistol." He said, calming his voice and throwing his hands up.

"That's okay, it was an accident." I said holding my breath just so that I don't say anything else that might upset him again.

"I, I, um, I had put my notebook on my desk, next to the pistol, and the wire binding caught onto my stupid, bloody sweater and I walked away making the pistol fall onto the ground," he leaned against the bed post, "and now it's hundreds of tiny pieces on the ground."

He started fidgeting with his sweater before loosing it again and ripping it completely off. I stood there in shock because this is the most I have ever seen Fitz being upset. He just leaned there, shirtless, and red in the face with sadness and anger.

I approached him slowly and wrapped my arms around his frail body, "Fitz, it's okay, everything is going to be okay."

"Thank you Jemma."

He put his hands on my shoulders and used them to pull back. He looked down with embarrassment, then he reached down to put back on his sweater.

"I'm sorry for scaring you," he rubbed his face," I have never been so upset about something."

"We just have to deal with those things in different ways, that's all!" I said cheerfully smiling.

"Next weekend would you want to go catch a movie or something? I think I'm going to go visit my cousin who lives a few hours away this Saturday." He said starting to get down on the ground and pick up the pistol pieces.

I felt a sick feeling in my stomach as I silenced myself and cleared my face of emotion. I didn't have the heart to tell him now but I had to.

"I'm sorry I have plans." He looked up at me, scraps in his hands.

"What kind of plans?"

"I'm I have a -uh- date."

"Oh, sounds nice." He looked back down, "I hope you have fun."

"Thank you Fitz, I will."

"Hey Simmons I got to clean this up so I'll just see you you tomorrow, I'll be there for lunch this time I promise."

"Okay, goodbye Fitz." I said turning and leaving with the door shut right behind me.