Take Flight ↬ L. Fitz [1]

Chapter Six

Aurora hated it when she agreed with Grant Ward. The man was impulsive, emotional, arrogant, and it seemed he was constantly trying to prove he was better than people like Skye, Fitz, and Simmons simply because he could competently shoot a gun. More than anything, something about the man rubbed her the wrong way. And yet, for what felt like the umpteenth time, she agreed with him.

"It's an ounce too heavy," Ward spoke, looking down at the newest version of Fitz's Night-Night pistol. Skye looked up from where she was sitting at the computer while Aurora perched on the table next to her.

"An ounce," she said incredulously.

"It's the difference between success and failure," Ward said, and Aurora had to stop herself from nodding. "When you're on a rooftop with a 15-mile-an-hour wind, your target is 500 yards away--"

"Yeah, but we do have a rifle," Fitz interrupted.

Ward gave him a look. "Lose the ounce."

"Yeah, okay. On it."

Aurora's eyes followed after the combat agent as he left the room, the door sliding closed behind him.

"'Lose the ounce.' I'm Agent Grant Ward," Fitz mocked, "and I can shoot the legs off a flea from 500 yards, as long as it's not windy." Skye let out a loud laugh, and Aurora had to prevent a small chuckle from tumbling out of her mouth, her hand coming up to cover the smile. Fitz's head twisted to look at her, and she dipped her head. In her peripheral, she saw Fitz turn back to the hacker. "Hey, that's a sound I haven't heard in a bit," he said.

"Yeah, well, you wouldn't be laughing a whole lot if you were living in Ward's doghouse," Skye said.

"You made the rounds," Fitz said, "apologized to us all. What more can he ask?"

"I don't know. I have been busting my ass, memorizing every S.H.I.E.L.D. protocol manual, following every order. 'Yes, sir.' 'No, sir.' I even let them tag me like a stray dog. I mean, I know I lied to you guys, but I was trying to protect my boyfriend."

"You know, we all make mistakes." Aurora raised her eyebrows at the new tone in Fitz's voice. "And who cares-- I don't care-- who cares about your ex-boyfriend?" Oh, Fitz, I don't think you're Skye's type.

"It's not like I'm comparing Ward to Miles," Skye continued, "but at least with Miles, I didn't have to worry about passive-aggressive stuff. There were no mind games. We spoke the same language, you know."

"Yeah, a bit like we do." Aurora felt like she was watching a train wreck that she couldn't look away from.

"Totally," Skye said, oblivious to Fitz's attempt at flirting. "You and Simmons are so tight. It's like you're psychically linked."

Fitz's eyes shifted over to Aurora, who, for the first time, wasn't trying to hide her amusement at the situation. "No," he said, "you-- no. Actually, no. I don't think so."

"What about you, Auditore?" Skye asked, turning to face Aurora. The girl raised a single eyebrow, her pink lips curved upward into a smirk. "You speaking the same language with anyone?"   

"Sorry," Fitz broke in, raising one of his hands as if he was in class, "I would just like to make it clear that Simmons and I aren't-- there's nothing--" He cut himself off gesturing slightly with his raised hand, his face was growing to be a light pink color as the two beautiful women looked at him.  

Suddenly the glass door slid open and Simmons walked in, inadvertently saving Fitz. Aurora shifted her weight slightly as an uncomfortable feeling settled in her stomach. Simmons hadn't been avoiding her exactly, but Aurora had felt a new distance between the two of them after she had found out about Aurora's association with the Brotherhood. "So, Ward was here?" she asked, avoiding Aurora's gaze. "Let me guess-- the Night-Night pistol again?"