Grant Ward woke to the feel of something brushing against his skin. A year ago it would of set him on edge, he'd of already jumped out of bed with a gun in his hand ready to face whoever or whatever was in his room. Not the case these days. He is fully aware of who is laying next to him, the warm familiar fingers trailing down his arm, caressing his cheekbones. Ward cracks one eye open, the sun just barely peeking through the tan curtains of the bedroom.
Skye is smiling at him her index finger stopping at his bottom lip which he is quick to kiss and she giggles softly. A year ago she couldn't even stand to look at him much less be in the same room as him, now she's in his bed in his arms and every day he wakes he still can't believe how lucky he is. A year ago Grant Ward was dead, a year ago Hive raged war against Shield and lost. If it wasn't for Fitz and Simmons Ward would not be here.
He would of been gone from the world just like Coulson planned on Maveth when his hate got the best of him. But someone out there must of decided Ward was worth saving and saved he was, Hive was gone from his body and Grant woke up in the infirmary of the Playground. The guilt of what he did to Ward had been eating Coulson alive so in order to soothe his own skin, Phil decided to give Grant a second chance, to redeem himself.
As long as he went to therapy and didn't kill anyone, Phil was willing to let him back into Shield. The Director was met with protest with riots but he didn't sway. Grant remembers how awful recovery was, how Hive's memories and everything that thing did while in his body played over and over in his head on a loop. It never stopped it was pure agony and Ward begged Fitz multiple times to just end it. To kill him to make the pain stop.
Fitz obviously didn't and much to everyone's surprise it was Mack who befriended Ward. Took the Specialist under his wing and saved him from himself, helped him sort through the mess Ward's family, Garrett, Hydra, Shield and Hive all left him with. It's because of Mack that Skye (Daisy now but Grant never could call her by that, she'll always be Skye to him) eventually sat down and waded through all the bad blood between her and Grant.
Up to that point it had been almost three years since he betrayed the team, two since she shot him, and one year since Kara died. The fact that Skye was even willing to sit down at the kitchen table of the Playground and hear him out, six months after he was saved from Hive, spoke volumes. Ward never thought Skye would ever give him the time of day, would never look at him without hate in her eyes. That wasn't the case.
She told him under the low lit lamps at four in the morning, a bottle of whiskey between them that she understood. She understood how easy it was for Garrett to suck him in, to make him become the picture perfect solider, after all that was the same thing she was doing for Coulson. And just like Ward Skye chose her family over Shield, fought against them to save her mother who as it turns out wasn't who Skye thought she was.
With a right Ward knew he didn't have but did it anyway, he held Skye as she cried in his arms and apologized over and over for how she treated him, that she was so sorry she shot him that he didn't deserve that. Yes he betrayed the team yes he was a killer, but so was she. Bobbi, May, Mack they all betrayed Coulson they'd all killed people. They weren't locked up for six months with no contact to the outside world for it.
So slowly he and Skye built up that relationship they established on the Bus in what felt like a lifetime ago. But Grant was so different than Agent Grant Ward. He wasn't as locked down as Skye thought, in fact he was very open with Skye. She'd notice after a while it was only with her that he did this, he was still a locked down sealed tight Specialist with everyone else on the team.
He didn't last long at the Playground, it was clear no matter how hard Coulson tried that he had no place amoung Shield any longer. There was too much damage done, even after a year when no one tried to kill him Ward just knew he could never come back. So now he works as a mercenary or on solo missions whenever Coulson asks of it. Grant didn't think he'd ever have a shot with Skye ever again, thought he'd burned all of that to the ground.
That he'd broken her beyond repair, after all he wasn't insane. He moved on with Kara, he tried to love her. Hell after she died he started a war with Coulson just to avenge her. But just when he thought he was fully over Skye she came to him two weeks after he left the Playground, a nasty bullet wound in her shoulder asking for help. He obviously couldn't just turn away. So he patched her up and when she offered to get a drink, who was he to refuse?
Too much alcohol and a kiss that turned into so much more, Ward knew he was still so deeply in love with her. A few weeks after that kiss she showed up again with tears in her eyes saying that she never got over him, that he ruined her, he got inside and dug a hole in her chest and he just wouldn't leave no matter how hard she tried to push him out. Then she kissed him and after that he was a goner, he wouldn't leave her.
So here they are months later, they live together they have a house and sometimes Ward still thinks he's dreaming. Blinking away the few hours of sleep he got, Grant looks down at Skye her finger still against his lips and smiles. ''Why are you up so early?'' He asks and Skye simply responds by placing a kiss over his heart and running her hand through his hair. She leans up to kiss him and in one swift movement is straddling his hips.
Her short hair brushes against his cheek, sheltering them in this warm tight bubble that he never wants to leave. Grant just grins at her before sitting up and capturing her lips in a kiss that leaves her breathless, her hands gripping his shoulders. When they break for air his lips trail a path down her throat and before Skye can blink Ward flips them so she's on her back. Kissing her wrecklessly because well he can, he can kiss her and touch her whenever he wants now.
''Grant''. She mutters in between kisses, her hands softly running up his bare back. He opens his eyes to find her staring up at him with a smile, love and adoration plain in her eyes that he falls in love with her alll over again. ''Happy birthday''. She says and Grant freezes above her, the hand that was trailing up her calf stops abruptly. Skye knows this reaction isn't because she knows it's his birthday, it's because he never celebrated it before.
Not as a child and certainly not as an adult. He didn't do birthdays, partly because the Ward household wasn't big on them and once he got older there was no one around to celebrate with, besides as a spy he never knew if he'd make it to the next birthday. Before those dark thoughts can drag him down Skye kisses him slowly her hands cupping his face. ''I love you''. She says and smiles when the light breaks over his face like it always does when she tells him that.
''I love you too''. It's a promise the truest thing he's probably ever said, if he had to write it in blood he would. He's loved Skye from the moment he first saw her, she is the only person he's ever opened up to, exposed his heart to and despite her breaking it like he did with her's, she also put it back together all these years later. Skye kisses him one more time before moving out of the comfort of his arms.
Ward actually whines when she leaves the bed and throws on his shirt, already missing her warmth. Skye just winks at him and goes to the bathroom, he hears her brushing her teeth. After he's freshly showered he enters the bedroom to find the love of his life gone, but he hears her moving around the kitchen. The house they share is nothing special really, nothing too personal resides in the walls.
Besides the wine glasses from the night before and their clothes littered about the floor, everything else is bland and clean. The life of the Specialist, a side of Grant he won't ever be able to turn off. He's always packed up and ready to leave at a moment's notice. Skye looks as if she's setting up to make him breakfast and Ward leans agains the kitchen doorway to watch her. God how he loves her so, he's never letting her slip through his fingers again.
Skye turns on the stove and takes out ingredients for pumpkin pacakes, his favorite. She looks over her shoulder at him and her expression goes from bliss to annoyance. Thinking he's done something to offend her he asks her what's wrong, walking up to her worry on his face. ''Damn it Grant I can't focus if you're going to be walking around shirtless!'' He laughs loudly and pulls her into his arms, feels her nuzzle his chest and kiss his skin.
''I'm serious go put a shirt on''. She says her voice muffled slightly and Ward can't help but laugh at her before kissing the top of her head. He does as she asks when he makes it back into the kitchen she's mixing batter in a bowl, the radio over the stove is on at a low volume and Skye is humming softly to the song. Grant tries to help her but his hands are slapped away, Skye claims it's his birthday and she wants to make him breakfast, he deserves it.
''Go do whatever it is you do for an hour''. Is all the answer she gives him when he asks if there's anything she needs him to do. So he goes to the garage where the make shift gym is and works out for an hour, when he comes back into the kitchen all sweaty the sight in front of him causes him to pause in the middle of the living room. Skye is standing in the kitchen facing him a bright smile on her beautiful face, a stack of pancakes on a plate.
There's a single blue candle in the middle of them and Skye walks up to him after she lights it, singing happy birthday the whole way with a smile. Ward can only stare at her, he's never had this before. No one has ever sang to him, no one has cared enough to go out of their way for him for anything. And his family were never the ones to celebrate his birth, or Christian's for that matter when they were kids.
He watches speechless in awe as Skye stops singing, he feels one of her hands settle on his hip. ''Make a wish Grant''. He doesn't want anything, everything he's ever needed is standing right here in front of him. But he blows the candle out anyway and pulls her in for a long kiss, his hands cupping her backside as he crushes her to him. ''I love you Skye''. A smile against his lips as one arm loops around his neck. ''Love you too robot, you're very sweaty''.
Ward chuckles, releases her before taking the plate out of her hands, planting a kiss on her forehead. They eat at the kitchen table the sun finally breaking through shining against the windows. ''Do you want to do anything special for your birthday?'' She asks him and Ward shakes his head. ''Nothing at all?'' ''No. I just want to be here with you''. Skye has to go back to the Playground soon and he wants her to himself for as long as possible.
''I'm not much of a present Grant''. He stops what he's doing and walks over to her, crouches down so they are at eye level. Carefully like she's made of glass he takes her face in his hands and kisses her. ''Skye you're everything to me, you gave me a second chance when no one else has ever done the same. You took me back even though I hurt you so many times, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me, the only thing I've ever done right in my life''.
Skye blinks back tears because she just loves him so much and all she wants is for this very broken man to be happy. ''I love you too''. She responds her hands on his shoulders as she kisses the space between his eyebrows. Ward squeezes her knee and moves back to his side of the table, they finish their meal in comfortable silence. They wash the dishes together and go for a walk, an hour later Ward is sitting on the couch reading and Skye has her head in his lap.
He's running his free hand through her hair when she stands suddenly, putting her laptop on the coffee table. Ward raises an eyebrow as she leaves the room, but when she comes back with a gift in her hands he smiles. The wrapping paper makes them both laugh, it's silver and covered in red octopuses, at least they can laugh about it now. ''Open the card first''. Skye sits beside him on the couch as he does, the small card has a robot on it.
''Full of jokes this morning''. Ward comments, Skye just sticks her tongue at him. The card is filled with her sloppy hand writing, telling him how much she loves him, how she hopes to celebate more of his birthdays together. Ward kisses her and promises they will, for the rest of his life if she wants. Grant carefully starts on the wrapping paper, much to Skye's annoyance but he doesn't want to rip it.
Inside is a framed picture of a large golden retriever in a field. At first he's confused, but not wanting to hurt her feelings because he can't remember the last time someone got him a present, he doesn't let it show. Instead tells her how much he loves it, a few seconds later Skye bursts out laughing, leaning her head against his shoulder. ''You're so adorable Grant Ward''. She kisses his bicep and runs her hand down his back.
Skye gestures to the picture, ''meet your new best friend. He's waiting at a shelter an hour from here for us to pick him up''. ''What?'' ''Well you mentioned how you loved dogs and since Buddy was''- he cuts her off by kissing her and laying her down on the couch. Leave it to Skye to remember his love for dogs and then getting him one. He's telling her thank you and how much he loves her, how much he's going to love this dog in between kisses.
''I have one more thing for you''. She says and Grant lifts his head from her neck to gaze at her. ''Skye you didn't have to, the card would of been enough and now the dog I''- ''Grant just shut up and learn to accept gifts from me because you're going to get a lot of them from now on''. He does and watches as she gets out from under him and goes to the bedroom, shutting the door. Two minutes pass he's about to go in after her when the door opens.
His mouth runs dry as he stares at her, Skye shoulders the doorway and smirks at the dumb struck expression on her boyfriend's face. ''We have a couple more hours before we have to pick our dog up, so I thought I'd give you me''. She shrugs and gestures to the black lingerie covering her, the lace over her breasts. Ward actually forgets how to speak for a second, he's just standing there across the room like an idiot.
Skye is about to tease him for it, super spy best since the Black Widow special Agent Grant Ward, frozen over a woman when he moves quick as lightning over to her. Thrusts his hands in her hair and kisses her hard enough to bruise. ''You're so beautiful''. He breathes against her neck before lifting her up so her legs can wrap around his waist. ''You're not so bad yourself babe''.
She tells him when they manage to stop kissing so they can stumble into the bedroom. He lays her down against the pillows and just admires her for a moment, her lips red from his kisses, her eyes dark and wanting him. So he kisses her again his hands all over her skin, warm against the lace that covers her. ''Happy birthday''. Skye whispers some time later when they've come down from their high.
Grant runs a hand down her bare back and kisses her forehead. If every birthday he has for the rest of his life involves Skye, he'll be a happy man. ''I love you''.
And he always will, until the end of time.