Ward's Turn
To his credit, at least Ward tried to stop Skye from using the lie detector. Fitzsimmons were absolutely no help. They were buzzing with excitement as she tried to break into the room it was held in.
“I should’ve never taught you how to do that.” Ward glanced over his shoulder at her.
He was previously told to stand guard while she picked the lock. Skye just smirked at him.
“I don’t see you stopping me.”
He rolled his eyes and turned back to the hallway. His ribs hurt. Otherwise, he would totally put an end to this. Unfortunately, if you can’t beat them, you should probably join them.
There was a distinctive click and he sighed. Why did he always get roped into these things?
“Get in, get in, get in!” Skye shooed everyone in with a mischievous grin.
Ward reluctantly let himself be pushed into the room. He was too busy staring at her smile. Her lips to be exact. Days ago they had been passionately pressed against his in a moment of desperation. Or, if he was being honest with himself, a pity kiss after an embarrassing declaration. They haven’t talked about it since. She has teased him about it but Grant had no idea where they stood.
He was too lost in his thoughts to register Simmons talking to him. Everybody was staring at him expectantly. Ward blinked.
“What?”
“Are you ready?”
His eyes swiveled between his teammates and the lie detector. He realized what they wanted.
“Absolutely not.” He protested, “I’m not doing it.”
Simmons frowned at him.
“Fitz needs to operate the machine and I need to take the vitals. That leaves you.”
His mouth hung open as he gestured insistently to Skye.
“She's the one that wanted to do this, not me.”
“And I’m going to,” Skye stood behind the reader and raised her eyebrow at him, “But you’re going first.”
“This is ridiculous. We aren’t even supposed to be here.”
Simmons grabbed his arm and he tried not to flinch under her surprisingly firm grip.
“You can’t make me do this.”
But she was already pushing him into the chair. He tried to get Fitz to meet his pleading gaze but the man was too entranced with the lie detector reader. Simmons attached the sensors onto his fingers.
When she reached for the cords to clip around his chest, he winced.
“Do your ribs still hurt?” The doctor regarded him with concern.
Sensing an out, Ward nodded enthusiastically.
“They hurt! I’m injured,” He shot a glare at Skye, “Way too injured for this.”
Skye rolled her eyes as Simmons finished adjusting the machine around him.
“Shut up. You’ve already done this before and I’m going next. If I ask you anything embarrassing it’ll only give you ideas of what to ask me.”
Ward begrudgingly perked up at that. He did enjoy revenge.
She looked at Fitz for confirmation before fixing Grant with a faux stern expression.
“Please state your full name, eye color, and height.”
He sighed in annoyance before answering.
“Grant Douglas Ward, Brown, 6’2.”
His teammates snickered at him.
“Are you nervous, Grant Ward?” Simmons inquired.
“No.”
There was a telltale beep indicating his lie. Skye fixed him with an almost gleefully accusatory look.
“Are you lying about that, Grant Ward?”
He rolled his eyes. She was way too smug.
“You’re enjoying this too much.” Grant said flatly.
Fitz crossed his arms.
“Tell the truth!”
Ward regarded the engineer with something resembling loathing. He disregarded any previous comradery they had shared. He hated all of them.
“Of course, I’m nervous.”
“Are you afraid of us asking a specific question?”
His attention snapped to Skye. She was biting her lip which was engaging enough that he almost forgot to answer her question. He considered it.
“I don’t think there’s one specific question,” Grant huffed, “Maybe around ten.”
“Do I make you nervous?” Skye leaned forward against the reader.
Ward gave her a once over. He was reminded of the first time they met. She had interrogated him just like she was now.
“Sometimes,” He admitted.
She grinned.
“Do you remember the first time we met, Agent Ward?”
“I do.”
“Was there actually a truth serum involved?”
Fuck. Well, the cat had to be let out of the bag eventually.
“Yes.”
“Ha!” Skye stood up and pointed at him, “I knew it!”
Ward winced.
“It’s not like I actually revealed anything,” He defended.
“You lied to me! You told me it didn’t exist but I knew it did!”
“What was I supposed to say?”
Skye shared an amused glance with Simmons.
“He called me beautiful,” She turned back to him, “Agent Ward, do you remember calling me a beautiful woman?”
“I do.”
“Do you still hold that opinion?” Simmons chimed in.
He rolled his eyes.
“Sure.”
The machine gave no indication that he was lying but who was he kidding, they all knew he was telling the truth. How could they not? She was beautiful.
Skye pretended to swoon.
“Awe,” She cooed, “He thinks I’m beautiful!”
“That’s sweet.” Fitz gave him a crooked smile.
“I’m spoiled,” She held her hands over her heart, “Am I the most beautiful girl in the world, Ward?”
He hated them. So. Much.
“Mila Kunis exists, Skye.”
Her doe eyes filled with fake rage.
“Fuck you!”
He snorted and a bolt of pain shot from his ribs. Laughter hurt, apparently.
“Are you two shagging or something?” Fitz commented, eyeing them both suspiciously.
A sound was made to alert them of Ward’s rising anxiety. They all watched the detector with anticipation.
“No.”
Thankfully, the machine confirmed his statement.
“Are you and Agent May shagging?” Fitz pressed.
Ward debated how to answer that question.
“No?”
After all, their arrangement had ended. By all means and purposes they weren’t seeing each other anymore. The machine seemed to agree with him.
“Were you shagging?”
He wished he could cover his face with his hands. Instead, he clenched his jaw and spoke evenly.
“Yes.”
Jemma’s jaw dropped.
“Really?” She looked bewildered at Fitz, “And you never told me!”
He shrugged.
“I didn’t know for sure. My hotel room was next to May’s one time and I could’ve sworn I heard—.”
“Can we not?” Ward cut in, “Please?”
Skye didn’t take pity on him.
“What was it like to sleep with The Calvary?”
This was a trap. He knew it was a trap. Whenever women asked about his past relations it was always a trap.
“I’m not answering that. She would kick all of our asses for even discussing it.”
Skye smirked at him. Apparently, he still fell into the trap despite his deflection.
“So the sex was good.” She confirmed.
“I didn’t say that.”
“So it was bad?”
Ward groaned.
“I didn’t say that either and we are not talking about this.”
“He is so nervous!” Fitz said excitedly, looking down at the reader.
“His sweat levels are off the charts.” Simmons agreed.
“I’m going to kill all of you after this.”
Skye laughed.
“We know you’re lying, robot.”
“Who knew a man like him would get so flustered?” Jemma sounded delighted.
“Yeah, robot. Why are you so embarrassed?”
“I’m not!”
The machine beeped and his teammates cackled at him.
“You are all being extremely unprofessional.”
“We aren’t an organization anymore,” Skye reminded him, “Why would we even try?”
The engineer was marveling at his vitals. Ward’s sweat level, heart beat, and breathing had all increased.
“I think we might’ve broke him.” Fitz said.
“You didn’t break me.”
It was the truth.
“Could we?” Skye challenged.
Grant met her eyes with a steel gaze.
“No.”
Ward wasn’t lying. He had been interrogated in almost every continent by numerous organizations. He had even been tortured more than once. There was nothing she could say that would truly knock him off his balance.
“It’s cute that you think that,” She folded her arms, “Agent Grant Ward, are you happy with your penis size?”
He practically choked.
“Skye!”
“I think she asked you a question.” Simmons pursed her lips.
He shook his head in disbelief.
“I can’t believe my life choices led me to this situation.”
There was a beep indicating a lie. Which was honestly fair. He could absolutely believe this would happen to him.
“You’re avoiding the question, mate.”
He rolled his eyes at Fitz before staring up at the ceiling and sighing.
“Fuck it,” Grant decided, “Yeah, sure. I’m happy with it.”
Their cheers made him cringe.
“Hell yeah!”
“Fitzsimmons, stop. Please.”
They ignored him. Ward shared a look with Skye and there was something… interesting in her gaze. He raised an eyebrow at her and she blushed.
“I think it’s your turn.” He leveled at her.
“I’m having way too much fun.”
“I bet you are.”
Her cheeks were flushed and her tongue poked out to lick her lips. He immediately regretted not having that drink with her yet.
Fitzsimmons stopped chuckling in time to catch the heat simmering between the two of them.
“Are you sure there’s nothing going on between you two?” Simmons asked, “I mean, honestly, you’d think something would’ve happened by now.”
Grant never took his eyes off of Skye.
“Why don’t you ask her?”