Work Text:
Jemma huffed, the hands of the clock on the dull white wall seeming to mock her, moving slower with each glance. Dropping the chain of the necklace she had been fiddling with and deciding that there was no use in wasting time willing time itself to move faster, she turned back to her computer screen and diligently continued the mindlessly boring work she was assigned to complete.
Having gotten loss in the monotony of her task, she jumped when the door to her office shook, a loud knock sounding from the outside. Three short raps later, a head belonging to her friend Daisy, poked its ways into her office.
“Doctor Simmons,” Daisy said, her eyebrows raising in a suggestive manner far too inappropriate for the workplace, “I’m just introducing our newest employee to the rest of the poor souls trapped in this hellhole--I mean workplace,” a chuckle falling from her lips as she looked back at the visitor still outside of the door. “Seems you two have a lot in common Doc, both geniuses, graduated crazy young…” her voice trailed off as she leaned back into Jemma’s office, her face hidden from outside and exaggeratedly mouthed he’s hot!
Jemma rolled her eyes, Daisy’s antics seemed to finally not to get to her as much as they did when she had first joined the company several months back. Ever since she had arrived and Daisy, along with their other co-worker Bobbi, had managed to fill Jemma with one too many glasses of wine (her loose lips spilling that she was missing an old flame from back home), the other two girls had made it their mission to set Jemma up with several of their co-workers in hopes to cheer her up. Jemma, of course, had politely declined all of those invitations, repeatedly urging that she was here to work , not date.
Standing up and stepping from behind her desk, Jemma brushed away the non-existent lint on her skirt and squared her shoulders, preparing herself for the new employee.
A researcher for seemingly all of her life, Jemma was already well aware about the new arrival, her diligent research having sparked her interest when she noted that his many accolades and praises had come at young age, much like herself. Of course, his symmetrical features and those piercing blue eyes only bolstered his brilliant resume.
Carefully, Daisy pushed open the door and brought in the man, hands tucked deep into his pockets, his body poised in an anticipating stance.
“Dr. Fitz,” this is “Dr. Simmons. Dr. Jemma Simmons,” Daisy said, a wide smile cracking her face as she took in the adorable duo in front of her. For a moment neither party moved, both seemingly frozen in place. As her eyes slowly trailed up to meet his, Jemma felt her heartbeat increase, a slight blush tinging her cheeks. As if it had a mind of its own, Jemma’s hand rose out in front of her as the words slipped out of her mouth before she had the chance to stop them.
“You look very nice.” She yammered out, subtlety never really being a strong point for her, especially when she was nervous.
Eliciting a loud snort from Daisy, Jemma quickly brought her hand up to cover her mouth, her eyes closing, cheeks flaming in utter embarrassment.
“Uh,” the man stuttered out, “nice to meet you. You look...erm, nice yourself” he rushed out, his own cheeks bursting with red.
“Well I’ll be damned,” Daisy stating, breaking the awkward silence that had filled the room, her eyes flittering between the two. “Anyway, Dr. Fitz and I have lots of people to meet, but I’m sure you two can catch up,” she said with air quotes, “later.” Moving towards the door and leading Dr. Fitz out into the hallway, Daisy turned around and looked at Jemma. “You. Me. Bobbi. Dinner, tonight.”
“Oh, Daisy, I can’t tonight!” Jemma cried out.
“No way, Doc. We have some serious girl talk to get to tonight...you know,” she leaned in closer to Jemma, her voice dropping into a faux whisper, “about Dr. Hotty over there” her voice clearly loud enough for him to hear as he choked at her words.
“Shhhh!” Jemma tutted. “No, Daisy, not tonight. I, uh, have a date,” she mumbled out.
“What?!” Daisy nearly shouted, “And you’re just now telling me this?” Daisy huffed and crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing in mock anger. “Alright, you’re off the hook tonight, but tomorrow...tomorrow it’s girl’s night. Got it?”
“Got it,” Jemma smiled back, her eyes shyly glancing back at Dr. Fitz. It was a shame she wouldn’t get to look at them longer, alas, she had plenty of work to finish and a date to worry over.
“Well…” Daisy elongated the ‘L’, “we’ve got to get going, but I’ll catch you later, Doc!”
“Bye,” Jemma rolled her eyes and smiled. “And goodbye to you as well, Dr. Fitz. I hope you enjoy your time here at SHIELD!” she called out, her smile growing wider as his eyes met hers and he waved a small goodbye to her.
The door finally closed, Jemma returned to her desk and fell into her seat, a loud sigh falling from her lips. Closing her eyes, she couldn’t help but see those piercing blue eyes. Shaking her head and crossing her arms above her head, a small smile formed at her lips. He was much better looking than in those crummy article pictures, and his accent...a chill ran down her spine. Rolling her eyes at her reaction, Jemma sat up and stared at the work that lay out in front of her. She needed to focus, she chastised herself. She had loads of work left, and if she wanted to get done in time to prepare herself for her date, she needed to get back to work. Placing her hands back on her keyboard, she honed in on the work in front of her and lost herself in the endless numbers and digits.
Several hours later, her focus completely zeroed in on the last report of the day, she let out a small screech when a knock came from her door. Twice in one day, she thought to herself. Glancing at the clock, she couldn’t believe how late it was. She would simply have to go straight to her date if she wanted to make it in time.
“Daisy, I can’t talk right now, I’m going to be late for my date” she called out to her friend, the only person she knew to visit her this late.
“It’s just me,” a deeper Scottish voice called out to her. Head snapping up, heartbeat increasing, a smile spread on her face as she looked into the blue eyes of her visitor.
“Hey,” she called out, her shoulders sagging from a tension she hadn’t realized she had been holding. Quickly, she got up from the desk and rushed over to welcome him. Stepping towards him, their personal bubbles all but popped, he looked down at her and whispered out a soft “Hello, Dr. Simmons.”
Moving closer, his arms encircling her waist, their foreheads resting on one another’s. “I’m sorry, Dr. Fitz,” she murmured, a smile forming on her face, “but I am very late for a date and I’m afraid I must leave now.” She looked up at him, his face shining with amusement, a twinkle in his eye.
“Oh, really?” he asked, his eyebrow raising slightly. “And who, may I ask, is your date with?” They both smiled, eyes locked onto one another.
“Oh, just my fiancé ,” her smiling growing at the last word.
“Ah, that’s one lucky guy...luckiest guy actually,” he teased back. Raising up ever so slightly onto her toes, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. Their mouths moved against one another's in a familiar fashion, several sighs escaping. After a too short time, they broke apart, both gasping for air.
Once her breathing returned to normal, the rushing sound of her heartbeat in her ears lessening, she wrapped her arms around his neck and chuckled out another greeting. “Hello.”
“Hi.”
“I missed you,” she spoke softly.
Chuckling he replied, “Oh, really? We talked this morning...last night, the night bef--” she cut him off with another searing kiss. “Right,” he answered, his voice muffled by her lips. Simply savoring the moment of being together again, finally able to hold one another after months apart, she leaned back and removed her arms from around him. Fitz pouted slightly, though she simply laughed and shook her head before reaching behind her neck unclasping the chain.
Slipping it off, she carefully removed the delicate ring that had been hanging and handed it over to Fitz. Taking it from her, he gently pushed it onto her finger, a content humm escaping Jemma.
“I hated, hated , not being able to wear this,” she said as she looked down at the soft sparkle of the diamond.”
“Yeah, if May wasn’t so scary and hadn’t practically threatened me with my life if we blew our cover…”
“Fitz!” she laughed, a sound he would never tire of hearing.
It had been rough spending these several long months apart, him playing the brilliant bachelor entrepreneur with the elusive Dr. Radcliffe, her the nubile young head of the science department at SHIELD Industries. For six months they had been undercover, and under the careful watch of Melinda May, the world’s most coveted private investigator dealing in corporate espionage, they had been slowly uncovering the snitch who was trading secrets to Dr. Radcliffe. Had it not been for their frequent phone and video chats and those two in-person visits, the two surely would have gone mad. Alas, they were finally reunited, though they would still have to hide their relationship for the time being.
“So…” Fitz started, “about that date.”
“Well,” Jemma lingered, “I had been planning on going to this nice little place down the street. And then maybe, if things were going well, I’d ask him out on another date.” She grinned, her breath tickling his ear.
“Is that all?” he stuttered out.
“Well normally I would wait until at least the third date, but I’m wondering if my date,” she gave him a pointed look, “wouldn’t mind skipping the whole formalities and would like to come back to my apartment and perhaps spend the night?” She looked up at him, her eyes shining.
“I think that could be arranged,” he teased. Pecking him on the lips one last time, she turned around to put the loose papers away and gather her things. Slipping on her scarf and gloves, the cold weather allowing for the perfect cover of her ring, the two employees, one the head of science, the other the new guy, left with wide smiles adorning each of their faces.
---
The next morning when she arrived to work, Dr. Fitz only a minute or so behind her, she walked into her office feeling happier than she had in quite some time. Turning around to head towards her desk, she jumped when she was met with a smiling Daisy sitting atop her desk, cup of coffee in one hind.
“So, Doc. How was the date?”
Jemma smiled, outside of one of the glass walls of her office, Dr. Fitz passed by, a stack of papers in one hand, a soft whistle falling from his lips. Reaching to clutch the chain of her necklace, she looked up at Daisy and smiled.
“Perfect. It was absolutely perfect.”