Skye found Simmons sitting at the bar looking mildly frustrated while chewing a pen. This was odd in itself as Skye was unsure the young scientist even knew what alcohol was. Well she probably knew all about it scientifically, probably knew all the different compounds and such that made up a good drink but that was all besides the point.
After a vaguely depressing sniff and a long sigh from Simmons, Skye decided it was time to intervene.
“Hey, what’s up doc?” asked Skye, sliding onto the stool next to Simmons and plastering a smile on her face.
“Very funny Skye. And exactly how many times have you used that one?” Simmons tries to joke.
“On you? Only a couple hundred.”
“Aw, aren’t I special?” Jemma drawls sarcastically.
“Of course you are dummy!” Laughs Skye, “But seriously, what’s wrong?” She lay her hand on Simmons arm, trying to offer her some comfort.
Jemma sighed. She hoped she could have avoided this conversation. It’s not like she didn’t trust Skye, it’s just that it was hard for non-scientists to understand the drive, the need to know. She sighed again. Skye was looking at her in earnest now imploring her to trust her. Jemma bit her lip. Should she? Skye was the person she trusted most, after Fitz of course. But Fitz was still on his way back from the hub after helping secure new tech for their lab, and she wasn’t sure she’d tell him anyway. Sure, he’d understand, but he’d ask too many of the right questions, questions she couldn't anwer. And Jemma couldn’t have that.
Simmons turned on her stool to completely face Skye and after a second Skye mimicked the action, causing their knees to brush together.
“You can’t tell anyone what I’m about to show you, okay?” Simmons started.
Skye nodded in agreement. “Sure, as long as you finally tell me what’s going on. The curiosity is killing me.”
Jemma sighed again before finally pulling a small vial from her inside blazer pocket and placing it gently on the bar next to Skye.
“What’s this?” Skye asked, picking up the bottle and holding it up to the light. It looked blue at first but as she held it up she noticed tinges of green and yellow as well.
“That,” Stated Jemma, “Is a prototype… a, uh, well..”
“Spit it out.” Laughed Skye, reaching over with her left hand to poke Jemma in the ribs.
“I’m just trying to put it in terms you might actually be able to understand.” Simmons snapped. “No, wait I’m sorry. Its just, it’s a bit embarrassing really.” She admitted.
“It’s okay, you know I’d never laugh at you.”
At this Jemma arched an eyebrow. “ You laughed at me for 10 minutes straight the other week because of my hair.” Simmons pouted.
“Yeah but that was different, this is serious and I can tell it’s important to you.”
Simmons smiled, “Thank you Skye.”
“Plus you really can’t blame me, you looked like a combination of a bad Greece extra and a wannabe shark.” She smirked.
“Anyway.” Simmons huffed, stifling a smile, “What I’ve been trying to say, is that what’s in that vial could, I suppose, I mean if you want to look at it that way, I guess be called a love potion.”
Skye choked on air. “For real!?” She screeched, “A for real love potion!?” She blinked at Simmons in sheer shock and mild disbelief.
Simmons ran her hand through her hair and let out a deep breath. She knew this was a bad idea. She loved Skye, but she also knew how the girl loved to gossip, and she worried this would be too much for her.
“Well, I started working on it at college and it’s more of an enhancer really,” She tried to qualify, “Since there’s no way to just create love. It just stimulates the right chemical sections of the brain, tricking it really.”
“Wow.” Skye breathed, before leaning forward excitedly and grabbing both of Simmon’s arms. “Oh my god have you tried it out yet? We should totally try it out!” She continued, not letting Jemma speak, “Trial runs and all that. You scientists go mad for trial runs right?” She jumped up, grabbing the bottle off the bar and tugged Simmons after her.
Simmons wasn’t going even going to touch that last comment and tried to get her friend to stop - or at least slow down before she pulled her arm out of her socket.
“Skye, wait. Skye!” Simmons jerked her arm out of her friend’s grasp.
“What?” asked Skye, flinching slightly before spinning around, her long hair almost smacking Jemma in the face.
“You can’t just-just--” Simmons flailed her arms in the air, “You can’t just go and give it to someone! They might be side-effects, or, or they could be allergic, they could go into anaphylactic shock and die.” Simmons stressed
“Ughhh! Fine!” Skye agreed, pouting.
“Good, now give the bottle.” Jemma held her hand out. Skye just stood there, swaying slightly and frowning.
“What’s wrong now Skye?”
“Um..” Skye shuffled her feet and looked shyly up at Simmons from underneath her lashes. “The vial… it might have…”
“Might have what, Skye..?” Simmons asked dangerously.
“It might’ve, broke?” She responded, scratching the back of her neck.
Jemma looked at her for a long moment. There was something wrong with her, and she couldn’t put a finger on it. There was definitely something going on with her eyes, though.
Simmons leaned in for a closer look, not noticing how flushed Skye became at her sudden proximity.
“Hmm.” Simmons mused aloud, Peering even closer, she realised that Skye’s pupils were almost fully dilated and she panting lightly. As she stood there, she realised that the girl was trembling slightly, almost as if she was holding back from.. something.
“Skye..?” Simmons whispered.
All Jemma registered was a low groan, the scent of vanilla body lotion and then her arms were full… of Skye.”
“Mmpfh.” Was all Jemma got out before her lips were being smothered, no, devoured by Skye’s. Somewhere in the back of her mind Simmons was comparing the kiss to ones she shared with Fitz and found it curious that Fitz’ lips were softer than the girls. ‘Must be that chapstick he always uses.’
‘Speak of the devil.’ Simmons thought as she caught sight of Fitz over Skye’s shoulder, before recognising the hurt look on his face, and oh my god why haven’t I pushed her away yet!! Simmons panicked and shoved Skye away from her, maybe too rough, but right now she didn’t care, she just wanted to get to Fitz.
She was halfway towards him, but the look he shot her stopped her dead. Very calmly, to calmly really, Fitz was never calm, he unbuckled the watch at his wrist and let it drop to the floor, before turning his back on her and heading to his bunk.
‘What have I done!’ Simmons thoughts screamed. Her heart was beating too fast, or maybe it was beating to slow or maybe it wasn’t beating at all and if she could just breathe then maybe she’d be alright. But how could she be alright when her entire world was Fitz and Fitz and oh, Fitz! But he’d made it clear he didn’t want her, and she didn’t know how to live in a world where Fitz didn’t want her and at some point her legs must have collapsed, because she was now on the floor, hands in her lap, just trying to breathe.
If someone had walked at that point they would’ve seen Skye staring broken-hearted and bleary-eyed at Simmons, while Jemma knelt on the floor, her vision consumed with Fitz’ watch lying lonely on the carpet.
If they looked closer, maybe they’d notice the blue green tinge of liquid staining the small slices across Skye’s palm. Maybe they’d see the same mix of blue-green and blood clinging to Simmons’ hair. Or maybe they’d spot the message on the back of the watch, given to Fitz by Simmons for their two-year anniversary that she’d carved herself in the lab:
“You & Me: Beside each other the for all damn time”
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