So far, only Skye and Fitz seemed willing to give this new version of Grant Ward a chance - the others avoided him like the plague. He understood why after everything he had heard about the real life version (although Skye was the one who informed him about John Garrett and he empathized with him to an extent) but it still hurt. “You should spend some more time with him. We’re pretty much his only friends,” Skye encouraged Fitz.
Fitz cocked his head and side-eyed her. “You’re his girlfriend,” he pointed.
“So what? The point still stands!” She cracked up laughing at the glare on his face.
“Fine. But you distract him with sex.”
“Shut up, Fitz. I already do that.” Skye shrugged. “Hey, we have to hear you and Jemma go at it. Might as well get some revenge.”
“You cause earthquakes every single time. I’m fairly certain you’re only getting revenge on the building.” Fitz laughed and took off towards the common room, where he knew Ward was.
“Hey, Fitz!” At least he had one other ally in this place besides Skye. Ward shut off the TV and waited expectantly for whatever was next.
The two of them sat in silence as Fitz tried to come up with something and repeatedly failed. “You want to help out in the lab?” he finally tried.
“Fitz, I like you, but why would I want to help out in the lab?” It was a legitimate question but Ward was touched he offered in the first place.
“I don’t know and don’t hear you coming up with anything!” Fitz shot back. The two of them stared at each for about a minute or so before he blinked.
“Well, I think I just won the staring contest,” Ward deadpanned.
He rolled his eyes. “Let’s go find Skye and Jemma - I’m sure they’re up to something.”
Ward hesitated. “Jemma?”
Fitz frowned. “What about her?”
“She and the others hate me. Fitz, they’re likely never going to change their minds about me.” He had accepted it a long time ago, and it was time Skye and Fitz did too.
“You can’t give up, Ward. Keep trying and they’ll eventually figure out you’re a good person,” Fitz encouraged. He forced Ward up and the two of them rushed to find their girlfriends.
Jemma only glared when she laid eyes on Ward but Skye beamed and ran straight into his arms. “I missed you,” she murmured after they kissed.
“I missed you too, baby.” It had taken them a long time to get to this point - Skye was grieving an old boyfriend and he was mourning the loss of his Skye. The two of them had eventually fallen in love with each other, however, and hadn’t looked back. Ward was grateful to be part of a team and in a world where Hydra lost. At least he wasn’t looking over his shoulder every single day now.
Skye leaned against Ward. “The four of us should go out to eat,” she suggested.
Jemma did a double take. “All four of us?” she asked in a strained voice.
“Yes, all four of us. We need to go out more often when the world’s not ending.” Fitz wanted the awkwardness to go away and hoped this helped. If not, he’d try to will it away.
“Come on, Jemma. You were just complaining about being hungry.” Skye didn’t mind throwing her under the bus if it got her and Ward talking.
“Fine. Let’s go! I’m not exactly about this but seems like I’m outnumbered.” Jemma stalked off in the other direction, and the other three followed her.
Deciding on a restaurant wasn’t easy but they eventually settled on pizza. “Fitz can eat a whole pizza by himself so we should probably get three right?” Ward asked.
An offended Fitz squawked. “Take it back!”
“Fitz, you always eat a whole pizza,” Skye pointed out.
Jemma snorted with amusement. “They’re right. Sorry.”
“Not sorry,” Skye added.
Ward could only grin in amusement at their antics. “You three are something else.”
Jemma could feel her hostility draining against her will - it was exhausting try to hate this man all the time. She didn’t think she could hold out much longer. “Don’t make me regret giving you a chance. I’m choosing to trust you, Grant Ward. Don’t fuck this up,” she warned.
“I will not fuck up this, Jemma. You won’t regret this,” Grant promised, warmth spreading throughout his body. He actually had someone else on his side now! Maybe he could convince the others in time.
Skye and Fitz high-fived. It was a start at least, and that was all they could ask for. With Jemma’s help, they’d be able to convince the others in no time. And Grant Ward finally started to feel like he belonged in this new world.