Chapter Text
"I remember that you told me the universe is so large there was no way that you are so lucky to have a best friend like me," she said, gripping the cup in her hand tighter and bringing it to her lips to take a sip. The liquor made its way down her throat, burning it. She liked the feeling of alcohol going down her throat especially in the presence of the closest people in her life. They all were making a circle in her living room, sitting legs crossed, knee to knee. Fitz, her best friend since college sat on the left of her, followed by Daisy, who was in front of her, and Bryce, who was on her right side. She felt a squeeze on her hand and looked down only to see Fitz wrap his fingers around her hand and smile. They all laughed.
Fitz nodded, taking a swig out of his own cup, "that is true, I did say that."
Daisy rolled her eyes, "you two have always been one person, just admit it you are psychically linked cyborgs!" She admired her best friends.
They both looked at each other and then back at Daisy, "take-me-to-your-leader," Jemma said, trying her best to do a robot impression.
Bryce shifted from where he sat, "alright Fitz, your turn, what is your brightest memory of me?"
Everyone turned to look at Bryce, the newly added person to their group. Bryce was Jemma's boyfriend and it took a little time to get used to him for everyone, especially Daisy and Fitz. Daisy minded him most out of all of them, she thought he always felt tense and uncomfortable when the four of them hung out. Fitz stayed neutral in his opinion making sure no one culd guess his honest impression of Bryce, and Jemma was head over heals for him. How could she not be? He was everything perfect in this world.
Fitz thought for a moment, "well I guess the first time Jemma introduced you to me, I believe you said something along the lines of, hi Fitz, don't worry your best friend is in reliable hands," Fitz copied Bryce's American accent.
Daisy laughed and Jemma playfully slapped Fitz on the arm, "he was trying to make a good impression!" Daisy noticed how Bryce instantly tensed up, as if he expected nothing but dislike from Fitz, and the fact that his girlfriend touched her best friend crossed a line. To ease the tension she looked at her phone and put her cup down, "guys!" Daisy exclaimed, "it's already 12, I gotta get up early tomorrow."
Jemma frowned, "no! We were having so much fun!"
"I have to go too," Fitz stood up, putting his cup down on the couch side table. He made his way towards the coat hanger and took off his jacket. Daisy followed him. Jemma's apartment was small, so everything that could fit into the living room did, the kitchen, and the corridor. Sometimes it reminded her exactly of Monica's apartment from Friends. Following their lead, she picked up their cups and made her way to the kitchen island that was next to the coat hanger. She put the cups down and went in for a hug from Daisy. Fitz was next, she wrapped her arms around him. He always smelt the same, pine wood cologne and laundry detergent, calming and familiar.
"I will see you tomorrow at lunch!" Daisy said, opening the door and stepping out.
Noticing that they hugged for a second too long, Fitz let Jemma go, "I will see you tomorrow at work," he followed Daisy out.
Bryce quickly stepped in behind Jemma and snaked his arm around her waist, waving to them, "bye guys! Until next time."
Jemma locked the door and turned to Bryce, who planted a kiss on her lips. Out of surprise and drunkenness, she pulled away, "aren't you going too?"
He frowned, "you don't want me to stay the night? I could take the couch again."
Jemma shook her head, she could feel the alcohol go up to her brain making her dizzy, "no, I don't want to worry about you tonight, besides I have work early in the morning, and you do too!" She smiled at him.
Bryce nodded, "fair enough, I guess I will come over tomorrow and we can have dinner."
Jemma opened the door for him, "yes, we can order take out, something Chinese."
Kissing her on the cheek as a goodbye, Bryce made his way down the stairs of her apartment complex slowly, hoping not to bump into Daisy and Fitz. He liked Daisy, she seemed easy going, it was Fitz that he was unsettled about. Fitz seemed to be in Jemma's life every second. Whenever Jemma would go get lunch, Fitz would be there, whenever she would go shopping he'd be there too, Bryce wanted his girlfriend's attention all to himself, he didn't want Fitz to accompany them all the time.
_._
Fitz zipped up his jacket as he walked out onto the cold street of New York. A light rain had recently passed and the streets were wet. Daisy laughed as she watched him struggle with the zipper and he looked up at her.
"What?" He asked, sarcastically frustrated.
She hugged him from the side and he started walking with her, "you are way too drunk to do anything Fitz."
"I am perfectly sober-" he said, and even he didn't believe himself as he stumbled over a flat piece of pavement.
Daisy laughed out again, "oh yeah? Then why are you wobbling?"
"I am walking perfectly straight," to prove his point Fitz pulled away from her and started walking on his own in front of her, turning around and stretching his hands out into the air as if he won the argument, but then he stumbled on the pavement again and almost slipped down.
Daisy smirked, "I wish Simmons could see this."
"Oh Jemma has seen me way more drunk than this," he rejoined Daisy.
Since it rained a couple of minutes ago there were less people out that night than usual. Seeing the local 24 hour store that stood next to the crosswalk, Daisy skipped her way down to it. They couldn't break the tradition of snacks after drinking.
"We are buying water, because hydration after a night of drinking is key, and of course, Doritos!" She said, pulling Fitz by the hand into the store.
He shook his head, "I hate that you always get those crisps, why can't we just get regular potato crisps?"
"Because you are a monster Leopold Fitz and I don't know how Jemma and I are still friends with you!" Daisy scoffed, walking into the store.
Fitz was left outside, but followed her soon after yelling, "ha! Jokes on you, Jemma loves me."
Daisy turned back too look at Fitz who was walking into the store and smiled. He was right, Jemma did love him, sometimes Daisy even felt like a third wheel next to them, which is why a part of her was thankful that Bryce was part of their group now, although they still managed to make the two of them feel like they were out of place next to Fitz and Simmons. Grabbing the first pack of Doritos she saw on the self, Daisy tossed them over to Fitz, who instantly caught them.
"right," Fitz remembered with regret, "I am paying this time," he took out his wallet and walked off to the cash register.
It was a perfect ending to their famous nights at Jemma's apartment. They used to pull all-nighters together. Fitz would take the couch and Daisy would sleep with Jemma in her bed. Work took over their lives, however, and the nights became less frequent. The three of them tried their hardest to stay in touch as much as possible, putting the most effort into keeping their small group together. One of them was bound to find love, however, and the three of them figured Daisy would be the first to go, but no, it was Jemma. Instead of leaving her friends, Jemma widened their circle and added her boyfriend to it.
Daisy and Fitz made their way to the park next to Jemma's apartment. They sat down on a bench and opened their snacks. Fitz and Daisy clinked their chocolate milk bottles together and took a sip. Daisy always wondered what would happen to them in ten years, would they still talk to each other or would they be very busy with their own families.
"Promise me something Fitz," Daisy said.
Fitz turned to her, "what?"
"Even if the three of us stop being this close, we will make an effort to keep in touch at least every month. We will go out to picnics and dinners with each others families." She smiled and looked down at the ground, knowing that the future she is imagining could be soon, since Bryce is very serious about Jemma.
Fitz smiled, "of course, Daisy. Nothing will separate the three of us."
"False!" Daisy exclaimed, "nothing will separate you and Simmons, me, I am just a third wheel in your guys bicycle."
Fitz laughed, "what? No. It's always been the three of us."
Daisy corrected him again, "no Fitz, it's always been the two of you. I joined the group way later, junior year of college when Jemma started rooming with me. You know, I always thought you two had a thing for each other."
Taking another swig of his chocolate milk Fitz shook his head, "me and Jemma? Don't be silly."
"Yeah," Daisy said, "you'd always come over to her room, you two would do almost everything together. Answer honestly, have you ever fantasized about Simmons?"
Fitz became defensive, shifting his position and nervously laughing, "no of course not. Daisy, Jemma is my best friend-" he said with regret in his voice, but then quickly laughed it off.
"You have, haven't you!" Daisy said, pushing Fitz a little.
He rolled his eyes, "it's getting really late now, let's go." Fitz quickly stood up, he didn't have anything to hide, something like that was uncomfortable topic to talk about and he would rather not get into it.
Taking the rest of their unfinished snacks, Daisy walked up to one of the homeless guys on another bench and handed the snacks to him, "knock yourself out buddy."
"Thanks," he grabbed the bag.
They made their way towards the subway. Daisy passed out on Fitz's shoulder until her stop and he was left in the silence of the running train engines and his thoughts. What Daisy said that night made him worry. Fitz tried his best to understand himself, but when it came to Jemma it was hopeless. No, she was his best friend, and as much as he would love for nothing to separate them, Bryce was her boyfriend. Fitz was officially out of the equation, remembering the words of his old college roommate, Fitz thought, "you should have told her when you had the chance."
_._
Jemma turned the lights off in her kitchen. The darkness of the room made her feel uneasy, if only there was a nightlight somewhere. Quickly skipping to her bedroom Jemma locked the door so that any monsters lurking around the corner of her apartment could not get in. It was a silly ritual she got used to as a kid. Jemma was always afraid of the dark. Turning on her lamp which was on the nightstand she made her way to the bathroom to get ready for bed. She took off any jewelry she had on her and washed her face, looking at herself in the mirror. Jemma smiled, but her smile faded instantly. She changed into her pajamas and fell on her bed, setting the alarm clock for early in the morning. Jemma wished she wasn't alone in her apartment, that her friends would be beside her, but they all had their own comfortable beds to get back to. Of course, she could have let Bryce stay, it would have been better that way, but Jemma didn't want him to stay. It puzzled her why she much rather preferred the dark, which she was afraid of, to her boyfriend, whom she loved.
Rolling to the other side, Jemma turned off the lamp that was still lighting up the room. She looked out the window, only to be met by the view of the other apartment building that was across the street. Some lights were still on in the windows, people staying up late or perhaps refusing to sleep in the dark. Hugging her pillow tighter, Jemma smiled, the sound of cars rushing by started to lull her to sleep. The night was just as busy as the day.