Falling like the Stars

13

Jemma’s Point of View

“Ugh Skye. … Skye. … Skye. Skye!” I scoffed trying to get her attention.

“Hmmm?” she responded in a muffle.

“You came over here to help me study, not be doing this.” 

Skye and I have been an official couple for two months now. Summer is coming to a close and school starts back up in a week. Our extracurricular’s, that are a requirement at the shield academy, also start back up in a week. Ward’s is as a field agent, Fitz is as a tech agent, mine is as a biologist agent, and Skye is doing half field and half computers. She is such an over achiever. This is why, especially for the past few days, I have asked Skye to come over to mine so we can help each other prepare. Well I actually just need her to flip pages for me or type up stuff, because let’s be honest, the girl is not so hot at science. Whereas I help her with her exercise routines. However, Skye is becoming such a huge distraction and she has been here for only an hour. While the first thirty or so minutes she was well into typing up my notes for me, somewhere along the way she has managed to come on top of me to kiss on my neck. I honestly don’t mind it, I truly don’t, but I can’t read when her hair is all in my eyes and her lips are getting super close to that sensitive spot behind my ear.

“Well. Take. A. Study. Break.” Skye said in between kisses along my jawline.

I was trying to control my breathing, she is just really making me lose it. “As soon as I am done with this chapter, the faster we can—Skye!” I let out a moan. She just had to go and bite the spot.

Skye looked up at me and smiled. “So that’s where it is! I have been looking for the past ten minutes.”

Skye went back to kissing along the spot, but never actually touching it. Such a teaser. “Skye, will you please just let me finish and then I will give you my full attention.”

Skye lifted her face to stare at me once more. She squinted her eyes in thought, then went back to my jaw line. “Just. Five. Minutes. To. Make. Out. With. My. Girlfriend.”

I let out a large sigh. “No.”

“Please?”

“No!”

“Please Jems!”

“Noooo.”

“Please Babe?” Skye asked placing a kiss to my cheek.

I rolled my eyes. “You know I hate when you do that.”

Skye giggled and raised an eyebrow. “What do you hate?” she asked teasingly.

I pushed her shoulder. “When you call me babe! You know very well that it gets you whatever you want.”

“That’s exactly why I said it. Now, five minutes… Please, babe?” she quivered her lip and well what the heck.

I slammed the book on the floor and pulled her in for a kiss. “Five Minutes!” This is our sixty third make-out session. One for each day of the past two months and two more for the times we made out without the title. I can honestly say, kissing Skye will never get old. Every kiss feels like the first. There is just something about the way she kisses me, where she places her hands. It’s like she needs to know that I am there, alive and breathing. That I am not going away. That my feelings for her are true and the need for her to express that her feelings are true as well. She kisses me like that might be the last time she will ever get to. I can only hope that I am kissing her back in a way that tells her that I am not going anywhere. That my feelings are true and that this will not be the last time she will get to kiss me.

I raised my hand and opened one eye so I could check the time. “Fifteen seconds.” I mumbled.

Skye pulled away slightly. “Are you really keeping count?”

“We agreed five minutes so, yes.”

Skye laughed. “I swear, you are such a dork sometimes.”

I tugged at her hair to pull her closer. “Are we going to finish up or not?”

Skye smirked very mischievously and began to nod. “Then stop talking.”

She leaned in and our lips just brushed each other before I turned my head and smiled. “Sorry. Time’s up.”

The grunt that risen from Skye was both unbearable and absolutely adorable. “You’re stubborn.” Skye announced as she lifted herself from me.

I sat up straighter. “And you’re incorrigible.”

Skye rolled her eyes in response and rested her head on my lap, grabbing the laptop and placing it on her abdomen so she could get back to typing. “Do you know that some people would love to make out with me all day long? But, no. Not Jemma Simmons. She needs to study.”

I simply laughed. “Well…if that’s true…would you like to go make out with one of them? I mean it would kill me, but if what you need is more kissing then…”

Skye let out a sigh. “You know I would never do that. I’d rather kiss you for only a minute a day then go and kiss someone for five hours a day…Consider me whipped.” She ended with a smile.

I leaned forward and placed a kiss on her forehead. She smiled back and we both finally got back to work. It was a short amount of time, like I knew it would be. I finished reading that last chapter and Skye typed up my notes in no time. We went downstairs into the kitchen to eat some lunch before beginning Skye’s workouts. This was Skye’s favorite thing to do I soon learned. Anytime she was eating it was like the world had given her a gift from God. I warmed up some left over pizza that the two of us had the day before and we sat at the table. Skye usually sparks up a conversation, but this time she was quiet.

I looked over and nudged her shoulder. “You okay?”

She formed a half grin and nodded. “I’m fine.”

This was not the Skye I knew. She never stops talking so I knew that there was something going on. Had we not been together, I don’t think I would push her to tell me, but since we are…well… “You know you can talk to me right, Skye? I mean if it is something super personal I don’t expect you to. But then again, if something is going on I don’t want you to continue bottling it up and—“

“Myparentsknow!” Skye interrupted a little too quickly.

“Sorry?”

She let out a breath and turned her position in her chair so she was completely facing me. “My parents…know.”

Skye looked up at me expectantly. I had somewhat of an idea of what she meant. “I—I thought we agreed that we were going to tell them together. You know…when you were ready?”

Skye grabbed my hand. “I didn’t…necessarily…say I was dating a …girl. They kind of just…”

I squeezed her hand and leaned a little closer. “They kind of just….what?”

Skye let out one more sigh before going on a rant. “Well, yesterday at dinner they just started talking about how I have been leaving to hang out with my friends a lot lately…well, everyday lately. Then they asked who and I said Ward and then they said they did not believe me. Then they started to ask all these questions and I finally broke down and said I am dating someone. They got all thrilled and right when I was about to mention your name, they said when are we going to meet this person. I just freaked a little. And I may have made a …tiny mistake.”

“A tiny mistake?” I questioned. She nodded. “What kind of mistake, Skye?”

She let back her head so she was no longer looking me in the eyes. “I agreed that this Friday they could meet with you. But the thing is… the you is …kind of…sort of…Fitz.”

My mouth hung open from the shock. “Skye!”

“I know. I know. I’m really sorry babe. I just couldn’t tell them. I’m just—I –Sorry.” She put her face into her hands.

I let out a sigh. In no way do I want her being upset at herself, despite this mistake she made. I grabbed her hands and forced them away from her face. “It’s okay. We will figure something out.”

She furrowed her brow. “How?”

“Looks like we need to talk to Fitz.”

We met Fitz for lunch the following day. He was very hesitant on attending since he assumed that it was going to be one of those third wheel type dates. Skye and I reassured him multiple times that it was going to be nothing like that and he finally agreed. The two of us arrived first. We got a booth at the very back just in case the conversation happens to go south.

Skye instantly grabbed my hand when we sat down, entwining our fingers. “Okay so how do we approach this?”

I looked at Skye and smiled. “Sorry babe. This is all you. Your mess so you clean it up.” She didn’t respond. Instead she smiled and I could see a blush that crept up on her cheeks. “What?” I asked in confusion.

Her smile got even brighter. “Say it again.”

I was still very confused. “Say what again?”

She got a little closer to my face. “Call me… your babe… again.”

The mischievous grin that formed on my face could not be helped. This was the first time I called her that so I can understand her joy. The first time she said it to me I thought I was going into cardiac arrest. I leaned forward also, which brought our lips only centimeters away. “Babe. Babe. Babe. Ba—“

Skye took the initiative and kissed me. It would have gone on a lot longer than it did. Really it would have. But, of course… “Really! This is why I did not want to come.” Fitz scoffed.

We pulled apart fast and laughed. I motioned for him to sit in the booth in which he complied.

“Sorry Fitz.” We said in unison.

He rolled his eyes. “Okay, why am I here?”

He looked at the two of us expectantly and I turned to Skye. She looked back and sighed and I motioned my eyes toward Fitz. “Listen Fitz. I kind of… well I sort of…Uh what the hell. Want to be my pretend boyfriend for a night?”

Fitz’s eyes went wide. “You do realize that I am gay…right? I mean don’t get me wrong you are for sure attractive and I would totally—“

“Fitz! I’m right here.” I interrupted.

He looked back at me and stuck out his lower lip, shrugging his shoulders. “What exactly do I need to be your fake boyfriend for anyways?”

“A dinner date with my parents.” Skye responded.

“But you are dating Jemma.” Fitz stated the obvious.

“Look, Skye is not ready to tell her parents about us. Her parents got suspicious so… she improvised. I know it is a lot to ask Fitz, but if not for her then, for me.” Skye squeezed my hand a little tighter when I said this.

She leaned forward and whispered in my ear. “Thank You.” I did not need an explanation on what she meant by that. I could tell that she was appreciative that I was not pushing her out of the closet, especially when it comes to her religious parents. I have been there. I do not have religious parents, but I have been there in the sense of having the feeling of rejection. It took me forever to come out. Then again Skye is not even sure she likes only girls. She has told me multiple times that I am the only girl she has been this attracted to. But, gay or not, she is still dating me, and me is a girl. If she needs time to explain all this to her parents, then time is what I will give her.

Fitz got up from the booth and straightened himself before smiling. “I’m in. Text me the details…” he began to walk away before pausing. “…For the record I am doing this for the both of you.”

“Are you sure this is okay? I mean, I feel completely ridiculous in this outfit. I look like one of the jersey boys in all those American biker movies.” Fitz was looking down at the outfit that I asked him to wear for the dinner. We have been sitting outside of Skye’s house for about five minutes. The two of us were a little early from the time Fitz was asked to be there. We figured this would be good rehearsal time. I have been quizzing him on all the things I know about Skye. Things that any person that is dating her should know.

I rolled my eyes. “Yes, Fitz! It’s fine. We need to make this believable so the cardigans you wear would not have cut it. Now tell me again.”

He let out a large sigh. “Skye’s favorite food is steak. She likes the color green but more specifically yellow green because it looks like the light of the sun is shining down on it. When she smiles, you like the way—uh I like the way the little wrinkles on the side of her head pop out. She needs exactly three marshmallows in her hot chocolate and four ice cubes in her drinks. Oh and she has six brothers.”

I nodded and patted his shoulder. “Wonderful Fitz! You got this. Now remember I am right out here if you need anything. Just say you need to go to the bathroom if you forget something and come out here for guidance.” He nodded in understanding and I took out my phone to text Skye.

Skye’s Point of View

My parents have been in the kitchen talking nonstop about how excited they are to meet my new boyfriend. I was setting up the table when I felt my phone buzz.

Jemma: We’re here. Get ready!

I let out a sigh before heading to the door. I swung it open to find Fitz about ready to ring the doorbell. Instead he straightened up and smiled. He was wearing a large leather jacket, plain white t-shirt, and jeans that were at least a size larger than what he actually is.

“Fitz. What in the world…”

He walked in and I closed the door behind him. “Well, hello there pretty lady. You look mighty fine tonight. Now tell me, what kind of grub are we eating tonight? And where are my future bros at? I am ready for a tussle.” he said in a rough American accent.

I shook my head. “Fitz please. The outfit is already to much so the least you can do is stick with your normal voice. And really bros? …They went out so it is just us and my parents. I figured the less people the better.”

He nodded in agreement. “Good. I’m already having enough trouble memorizing all the stupid little things Simmons asked me to remember.”

I couldn’t help the smile that was tugging at the corner of my lips. “She notices little things about me?”

Fitz nodded and made a face that read duh. “Of course she does.”

My parents walked into the room and quickly examined his attire. It was rough. I quickly introduced him, making sure to address him by his first name and we all sat at the table.

Well here we go.

“So Fitz, tell me about yourself.” My dad asked staring at him expectantly.

Fitz put down his fork to have his full attention on my dad. “Well, I moved out here when I was five from Scotland. It was definitely a huge change, but being so young, it did not necessarily phase me. I am a future tech agent at the academy which is where I met your daughter.” He ended with a hoping smile.

My dad just nodded and looked toward my mom. My mom looked at Fitz and said, “That’s wonderful that you moved from a whole other part of the world. The fact that you took it so well is great. But did you say future tech agent? Skye mentioned that you were a future biologist.”

Fitz and I looked at each other in unison. “Uh well yes. I am a half and half like Bennet—SKYE…so tech and bio it is for me.” He ended with an awkward chuckle and I just hoped they bought that awful explanation.

My mom furrowed her brow. “Oh um yes. That explains it then…How about you tell us about your first date. Skye told us a little bit, but maybe we can get the whole thing out of you.”

My mom and dad smiled at each other before looking at Fitz expectantly. He was taking a long time to answer before I hit his leg under the table. He looked at me with a worried face and I realized Jemma must have not told him about our first date. Great. “Well, I um…we went to dinner?” He said in almost a question than a statement. I nodded in agreement so he could continue. “Yes dinner, and then we um…oh Skye likes having four ice cubes in her drink. Did you guys know that?” he looked at my parents expectantly who just seemed so confused. I couldn’t do this anymore. This could not continue.

I set down my fork against my plate and stood which caused everyone to look at me. “I have a confession to make.”

My parents nodded. “What is it Skye?” My dad asked as he grabbed my hand and squeezed it for reassurance.

I let out a sigh and looked at Fitz. “This is not my boyfriend. A friend yes, but not my boyfriend.” My parents looked even more confused so I just decided to continue. “I am dating someone, but he is not it. This person is honestly the greatest person I have met. They bring out the absolute best in me which is why I have been changing so much lately. When they smile I just can’t help but feel like the luckiest person in the world. I don’t know what love is quite yet, but with this person, I feel like I will eventually get there. And…And… Oh what the heck. Excuse Me.”

I walked away from the table and outside. I could see Jemma on her phone in Fitz’s car. I rushed over and tapped on the window. She looked back at me in confusion before opening the door. “Skye? What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

I just nodded and grabbed her hand to tug her inside. She was very hesitant, but I managed to bring her all the way to the table. “Mom, Dad…This is Jemma Simmons. My girlfriend.” I stood a little straighter and waited for their response. I quickly glanced at Jemma and Fitz who had their mouths wide open from shock.

My parents both looked at one another in unison before standing up. My dad cleared his throat and my mom pursed her lips. Then out of nowhere. “Thank goodness.” My mom said almost relieved. “Pay up.” She glared at my dad expectantly.

He pulled out his wallet and handed over my mom a twenty. “Just one more week and I would have had it.”

It was my turn to have my mouth hanging open. “What is going on here?”

My mom laughed. “Your dad and I know. Well we didn’t know who the mystery girl was, but we knew that you were dating a girl. Thank your brothers for that. We had a little bit of a wager for how long it would take you to come out with it.”

My dad nodded in agreement. “Obviously, your mother won that. But, honey just know that we love you no matter what. We are not mad whatsoever that you are dating a girl. However, you are grounded for the next two days until school starts back up… For lying.”

“That’s fair.” I nodded and walked forward to hug them. Literally…how did I get so lucky with my parents?

They motioned for us to sit down at the table. After much arguing, Fitz reluctantly agreed to stay. “Okay, let’s try this again.” My dad announced. “Jemma, Tell us about yourself.”

Jemma smiled at them. She reached under the table and grabbed my hand, giving it a light squeeze before answering. “Well…”

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