Chapter Text
Out in the Indian Ocean, on the North Island of the Seychelles, Fitz and Jemma were settling into the villa that would be their home for the next two weeks.
They’d taken an evening flight out of London, sat through layovers in Frankfurt and Addis Ababa, and finally landed on the main island of Mahé early the following afternoon. A helicopter ride followed, as that was the only accessible way to North Island, which made Jemma feel exceedingly posh and rich. She had to remind herself that she was now, but Fitz kept her grounded by going on about the specifications of the helicopter they were flying in and pointing out other islands visible in the distance as they flew over the water.
Which brought them to their villa. Jemma had suggested the Seychelles as a destination for their honeymoon hideaway, but it was Fitz who found North Island. An ultra-exclusive resort, there were only eleven villas on the entire island and all of them were secluded, nestled back amongst the island’s natural vegetation just a few steps from the pristine white beach and crystal-clear blue ocean. Jemma was in awe of the construction and decor: thatched roofs, natural reclaimed wood beams and flooring, exotic lighting, plush furniture, the rooms all opened up to the warm sea air. It was beautiful, paradise, and more than a bit fairytale. She couldn’t believe that she was getting to spend an extended holiday here with Fitz, just the two of them.
She finished hanging up the last of their clothes in the bedroom’s wardrobe and set their suitcases out of the way, then looked around for Fitz. She found him in the next room over—the bathroom—inspecting the large sunken soaking tub that faced the open wall looking out toward the ocean.
“Isn’t this where William and Kate had their honeymoon?” she asked, leaning against one of the thin wooden beams that marked the entrance to the bathroom.
“I don’t know,” Fitz replied, standing up from where he’d been crouched next to the tub’s faucets. “I don’t keep up with that crap.”
Jemma grinned and stepped forward, her hand trailing over the gauzy mosquito-net curtains that were pulled back to open the room to the outside. “Not that I’m complaining, because this place is gorgeous, but—I thought you would have picked somewhere a little more, well, enclosed.” She tilted her head at him. “We’re meant to be hiding, yeah?”
Fitz snorted softly and walked around the tub to join her, taking her hands and giving them a squeeze and a little swing. “Jemma, people pay good money to come here and get away from other people. No one’s going to be looking for us. You can rent out the whole island to yourself, remember?”
“I do.” Jemma’s smile widened teasingly. “But you thought that would be a bit much.”
Fitz nodded with a smile. “More than a bit. Are we all settled in?”
“We are.” This time it was Jemma who swung their hands back and forth. “Ready to properly start our honeymoon?”
Fitz pulled her forward to give her a soft kiss. “Absolutely.”
First, they went for a barefoot walk on the beach. There was no one else in sight, and the sense of being completely alone on a deserted tropical beach after the crowded bustle of London was an almost dizzying contrast. But it filled Jemma with a sense of peace. Walking slowly hand-in-hand with Fitz with the sand squishing between their toes and the surf lapping at their feet, far away from the prying eyes of society, gave her a feeling of rightness. This was the perfect place for them to take some time to rest, heal all the hurts in their relationship, and start fresh. They didn’t have anything else to worry about except themselves.
After spending a few hours on the beach strolling and talking and enjoying the beautiful scenery, they went back to their villa and had an early dinner catered in from the resort’s main spa and dining club. Then they cuddled up on the oversized divan in the bedroom to watch the brilliant sunset light up the sky in brilliant tones of red and orange. Soft words led to searching kisses and wandering hands, and then Fitz was picking her up to carry her to the bed.
He made slow, passionate love to her, his touches and movements careful and reverent, the setting sun painting his skin gold. He held her as she came, whispering praise and endearments to her while he continued to rock into her, and Jemma felt like the center of his universe.
After, they laid together beneath the white cotton sheets of their bed, watching the last dying rays of the sun filter through the mosquito net canopy that covered it. Jemma was in her customary spot with her head pillowed on Fitz’s shoulder, listening to his heartbeat slow while her fingers drew slow nonsense shapes on his bare chest.
“I’m glad we’re taking this time away,” she murmured after some time, once the sun had sunk below the horizon and the only light came from a few warm, dim lamps around the room. The growing darkness had closed in on the open walls of the villa, creating a sense of intimacy.
“Yeah?” Fitz replied. His arm was around her, fingers trailing up and down her back, and his lips were pressed to her hairline.
“Not just to get away from London and everyone,” she said. “But for us. I think this will be really good for us. It’s not New York, but… I already feel so much better. I feel like I have room to remember everything you mean to me.”
Fitz shifted to wrap both of his arms around her and kiss her forehead. “I feel like I should be constantly groveling at your feet, begging forgiveness for getting so caught up in my work that I didn’t notice you were hurting,” he said. “I love you. You’re my whole world. I’ll tell you every minute if I have to.”
“Some of the fault is mine, too,” Jemma reminded him. “I could have talked to you.”
“Still.”
She dropped a kiss on his chest and pulled herself even closer to him. “But anyway, what I mean to say is, all of that is in the past now. We can have a fresh start.” She pressed her hand flat to his chest. “We can put Ophelia behind us.”
“That we can,” Fitz replied quietly. Then he put a gentle finger beneath her chin and tilted her face up so he could look at her. When their eyes met, he smiled at her with eyes full of love before leaning down to kiss her, long and sweet.
Jemma took everything she could from it, relishing the fact that they were together, enjoying the dream honeymoon that they deserved, free from the past that had stood between them. They had a better understanding of each other now that all of their truths had been revealed, and she was confident that they could deal with anything that came their way in the future with honesty and transparency: a united front. A team. Their story may have started on a foundation of fast, drunk love, but now they had something better. Deeper. Something to really build a future on. And Jemma couldn’t wait to see what it would bring for them next.