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Who: SKYE, WARD, and FITZ
When: 4/27, following this post
Where: Courtyard
What: Bad superhero-spy decisions.
Warnings: Violence, mostly. Spies being spies. Tag order: Skye - Fitz - Ward

[ ♬ miss missing you - fall out boy ]
[ All-in-all, it's a terrible idea. Really, really awful, probably one of the worst she's had, and this girl ran into Ian Quinn's basement alone without backup.

Straight-forward, though, she can have that much. If she wants to learn how to keep herself from registering on the richter scale, she needs to let it happen. All this time, she's been trying so hard to avoid going off, holding it back, upsetting herself further by her inability to hold it in. What she needs to start with is figuring out how to shut it down quicker. That's step one. An extension of May's training, but May isn't herself. She can't help.

So Skye's gotta do it. She walks herself into it thinking it's the kind of thing May would suggest: put herself through the ringer to come out better for it.

And right now, the ringer means inviting interaction with the man she tried to kill. Truthfully, a part of her already feels a pang, something sitting wrong in her chest as she uses his olive branch as leverage to pull him into this. The larger part of her, bitter and angry, thinks maybe he should be more careful about who he extends an olive branch to. They'd had to learn the same lesson when he betrayed them.

She stands with Fitz in the soft summer rain, a soggy haze of gray miring the courtyard. Her hands fold around her, hugging her sodden jacket to herself as she squints over at him through ropy wet bangs. ] What if he doesn't come?

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[ He hasn't actually seen Ward since he's been here. Around the network, yes, but that isn't the same thing. Fitz's arms are crossed in a gesture not unlike Skye's, hugging himself against the rain and the uncertainty, and he lifts one hand to chew unthinkingly at his thumb just as Skye speaks. ]

What?

[ Very quick on his feet, lately. He really needs to quit responding with that. There's a pause as he considers it, brows knitting together in thought. ]

Then we'll figure something else out. [ Another beat. His gaze drops to the ground briefly, lifting again as he takes in a steadying breath. ] Skye, I don't think—

[ This is a very good idea. Except that'd be the cue for Ward's arrival, because it's not like anybody should be talking sense right now. ]

[Ward debated not coming - mostly because he's been sticking with Kara and flipping through her books. Really there's nothing else to do and she's got much more of a library then he does including periodicals. How the hell did he get so lucky?

But she's on his mind when he grabs two of the bananas - along with thinking about the kid. That was a good thing. Helping the kid. Getting out of his comfort zone.

This however...this was right back in it and it made him frown as he stepped out into the rain and peered up at the Skye. There's Fitz and Skye.

Something twists in his chest and he checks his steps.]

You guys feel like a shower? Or what? Just - let it rain rain rain down down down?

[ Ward's voice cuts off their last hope of backing out of this spectacularly terrible idea.

Sucking in a breath, Skye turns away from Fitz to stare at him through the downpour. ]

Don't play dumb, Ward. [ She doesn't move towards him, tries to maintain some kind of neutrality, but she can feel the hum in her chest. Her fist clenches to fight it down. Instead of sneering at him the way she wants to, she turns it on herself, revealing perhaps more than she wants to about how she's feeling about, well, all of this. ] You know I don't coop up well.

[ Fitz goes quiet the second Ward's voice interrupts. He goes still, too, tension obvious in the wary glance he turns on Ward. He drops his hand from where he'd been fidgeting, tightens his arms across his chest and tries to stand up a bit straighter.

Like he's ready. Ready for what, he has no idea — to bolt? It isn't like he's got many options. But other than watching Ward like a hawk, he doesn't speak. ]

[This...what is this.

This isn't good. Not by a long shot. His heartbeat picks up and he stills it before he raises his hands slowly.]

Like putting a cat in a box. If you shake it, you end up getting scratched?

Wow. And he tortures animals too. Look at that.

[ It's when he raises his hands that she notices he's followed through. This isn't some ploy to get close to her (or not only that, anyway). Can't be a gambit, except it must be. He'd done plenty of seemingly genuine things throughout their time together, and this— this is one more in a string of falsities.

Embroiled in her own inner conflict as she battles her doubts about him with her doubts about herself and her willingness to draw him out here, Skye can feel anxious tension begin to well up in her chest. She takes one staggered step back, and the chain links on the swings near her start to rattle and sway. ]

[ Seeing Ward makes him reconsider, actually. Fear mixes with anger in his gut, makes him glad he hadn't talked Skye down — but that only lasts a few seconds. Right up until the sound of the chain links shifting catches his attention, earning a quick glance in their direction.

This was absolutely a terrible idea. Not because Ward doesn't deserve it, but because Skye already thought she had his blood on her hands once. If this goes too far, it won't just be about getting even; it'll be another stain on her powers. Trip's death, whatever this is. ]

Skye—

[ Urgent, but quiet, muttered under his breath as his gaze drops to the ground beneath his feet, like he's expecting to see proof of the slight tremors he can feel through the soles of his shoes. ]

What are you doing Skye.

[There's not a lot that ward misses period. There's the shaking chains and he's thinking that he should have come armed. That he should have been there with someone and he thinks - Kara, what happens to Kara, will anyone miss me if she kills me...

He's not afraid of death. He's never been afraid of death but this is it, here and now staring him in the face.

Again.

And he looks to Fitz then with something between fury and absolute betrayal before he bends - what? A rock?

I should have come armed.]

What are you doing?

[He licks his lips.]

...Make it quick.

[ When Fitz says her name, her shoulders twitch, hunch, like she's second-guessing, thinking she should be cautious, recoil this. Worried and painfully self-aware. Ward's clipped request draws her out of that and she whips her head towards him. Incredulity sinks in inches at a time until finally she repeats, ] Quick?

[ That draws her forward a step. The puddled water around her feet trembles in ripples that aren't a result of falling droplets. ]

You didn't. [ Her voice is sharp, full to the brim with every open wound she still carries with her. ] You dragged it out for months, pretended to be our friend, pretended to— [ Pebbles on the courtyard floor around them start to rattle. ] Don't you get it? Food isn't going to fix this. There is no fixing what you broke.

Garrett -

[When he sees the pebbles rattle he stares at her - shock turning to a blank expression. He knows what powered people can do. He's seen it.

That being said, this is not entirely - safe. Or comfortable.]

Circumstances have changed Skye. we're in a different situation, I'm not asking for your forgiveness.

I don't deserve it. I know that.

[He braces his feet, looking to Fitz]

...See reason.

[It's jarringly familiar. The look on Ward's face and the sound in his voice when he turns to Fitz makes him think of the cell, how easy it had been to dial back the oxygen. The difference is that he's calm, now, or as calm as it's possible to be in a situation like this.

It's a plea for help, in so many words, and it adds fuel to the kindling of doubt he'd already mustered on his own. He's still angry. That doesn't leave his expression even as the doubt flickers through it, gaze skipping from Ward back to Skye.

Fitz takes a small step towards Skye, but he doesn't go so far as to reach out and touch her, either to pull her back or calm her down. ]

Like we discussed, yeah?

[ Just a steady reminder, trying to sound like things are going according to plan. The plan is to control it, not kill Ward. He hopes. ]

[Ward frowns. Like they discussed]

...We did this already Fitz didn't we? What'd Coulson say? [He's trying to brace himself for the shaking to get worse.] Did he plan this? Put you two up to it? -

[No.

Of course not and that makes his eyes go wide in surprise. He takes a step - a very very shaky step forward]

[ Ward's self-loathing throws her somewhat, but that only pulls her deeper into her conflict. She'd shot him—shot to kill, too. Felt such regret and dissatisfaction with herself for not being strong enough to do it the first time that she'd taken him out while his back was open the next chance she'd had.

But apologies don't change anything. Self-loathing doesn't take back what he did. Doesn't make Fitz better, doesn't bring the team back together, doesn't strip her of these monstrous powers or give them back the security of their innocence before he'd stripped them of it.

She doesn't know what it means, that there's no answer. That they have no choice but to move forward and there's no way to move forward from this, for her. No closure when all she feels is different types of regret. The quake grows in intensity, vibrational waves pulsing out away from her and causing everything within ten feet to tremble.

Fitz advances on her and she jerks her arm back, suddenly aware when she looks and sees the uncertainty in his eyes. Panic enters hers. Like they discussed. What they discussed was using Ward as a crash test dummy. What they discussed was something she doesn't even begin to know how to do, and he's blaming Coulson—

Ward comes for her next, and she takes another step back. ] Don't— [ She warns. The tremor jostles where Fitz and Ward stand. ] I c— [ She draws in a panicked breath, looking between them, then down at her hands. ] I can't. [ Another heavy breath. Can't even, it seems, articulate what she's trying to do as she tries to calm down. It won't stop. The fear in their eyes compounds with her own fear of it, and she knows the moment it starts that they've made a mistake. ]

[ The direct question from Ward earns a startled look, like he's affronted that Ward would assume one confrontation was enough to settle it. Before he can go off on whatever lecture wells up, however, Skye's control slips. ]

You can. [ A silly thing to say, but he says it anyway, automatic and reassuring despite the thread of fear that keeps it from being altogether steady. ] You've stopped it before, yeah, just— breathe.

[ He doesn't back away from her. But he's still wary enough to keep some distance between them for the sake of not spooking her further (or because he can't completely override the defensive instinct, honestly). But he's uncrossed his arms now, hands held out in a placating gesture, indecision obvious.

That forced calm is interrupted when his focus snaps back to Ward, tone sharp and accent heavy as he bites out a quick: ] And you, just— you stay back.

[Ward is almost thrown off his feet, arms out - almost like he's been punched in the chest. Fitz can't help me.

He glares at them both before - speaking to Fitz.]

Did you plan this??

[He doesn't scream. Really he's just surprised. This is what comes. This is what comes from everything you did. ]

[ Fitz tells her she's stopped it before, but for the life of her, she can't remember how. Not with the fresh surge of guilt sparks with Ward's question. It's too much demanding her attention at once, splitting her in different ways, summoning up all her ugliest doubts. That there's no way to stop it. That she's a monster—she's certainly acting like one, drawing people out just because she knew he'd aggravate her powers.

It was a mistake. ]

No. No, I can't— [ She raises her hands, flinching away from the tremor. The quaking almost takes Ward off his feet, and when she sees him stumble back, her eyes shoot wide and she reaches one hand out like she means to stop it. There's no deprogramming impulse. Instead, it focuses in a ten-foot line to him, concentrating the wave and plowing through him like a mack truck.

It takes him off his feet and then some. ] NO! [ It's not just Ward. Fitz is right: it takes her back to Trip, the crumbling ash of his face. The earthquake in San Juan. Destruction, absolute.

Her power fans out around her again then in a true sphere, vibrations billowing the swings away from her in a burst of energy that ripples like a gust of air out from her. The rain turns to mist, blown out by the effects. She curls her hands into fists, backing away, drawing it back into her as she drops her gaze to the puddles of water. Focuses on them first, trying to get the ripples to stop, reeling it in.

Lock it down; she recalls May's voice, shuts her eyes, draws a breath. The buzzing gets quiet. Darkness swims in her vision. An ache ripples from the center of her chest, spanning outward, winding her. She lifts her gaze, first to where Ward falls, injured, then over to Fitz, a desperate and confused plea as she wobbles on her feet. Steps back, and then plummets to the concrete. ]

[ Fitz knew what she was capable of, in theory. He'd been in the lobby with her when her fear had made the tables rattle, has felt the quake beneath his feet and up through his bones before. The way vibrations warp the air when she throws her hand out, however, isn't something he's expecting.

It knocks Ward back, hard, and for a second all Fitz can manage is to stare, expression blank. It's that sweeping radius of power that snaps him out of it, causing him to finally stumble back himself. He catches himself up against the swing set, one hand cast out behind him to grab the pole.

Then it stops. He's only just gathered his composure when Skye looks at him, both of them wide-eyed and lost — and then she falls, and he isn't quick enough to catch her. He ends up kneeling down beside her instead, knees skidding on concrete as he slides a hand beneath her neck to lift her head, other hand finding the pulse point on her wrist.

The abrupt emergence of discoloration along her hands registers as a brief, confusing distraction. When he looks over to where Ward's fallen, his expression is panicked, voice the same. ]

Ward?

[It's only training that keeps Ward from screaming. It's training and seeing powers before - not a lot of powers, nothing like this this is...elemental.

It's weirdly beautiful.

It's terrifying.

But it's Fitz's Ward that makes him look up. Businesslike. For one brief moment the dead are raised and the man looking back at Fitz is the man that he met on the bus that very first time.

Ward's focus is on Skye and the sudden stabbing shooting pain in his side takes a backseat.

It'd probably be like looking at a ghost. He raises a hand and waves Fitz off]

...Fine.

[No. He breathes hard and something twists in his side]

Skye. She- Is she okay?

[ No. Fitz looks back to her hands, already bruised. ]

Yeah.

[ It could be worse. He's reluctant to look back towards Ward, mostly because he doesn't want him to see any sign of relief that he's alive — but it's there, anyway. Fitz can justify it as relief for Skye's sake, that she hadn't taken someone's life with her powers, but it's still there.

He schools his expression into something more neutral as he looks over, watching Ward for a moment before he speaks. He doesn't quite believe that Ward's fine after a blow like that, but he isn't quite sure he cares, either. ]

I need to get her inside.

[Ward doesn't hesitate. Instead he moves forward to lift her up, not reacting to the pain in his side. There's a flash of annoyance and anger but he keeps it to himself.]

Taking her to Coulson?

No. [ Too quick. He regrets that as soon as he says it, because it's far too telling. But he's distracted enough by taking care of Skye (and watching as Ward picks her up, wary and restless and reluctant to trust). ]

Room one-fifteen.

[ Does Ward already know what Skye's room number is? Probably. Fitz gives his own anyway, just in case. There's been more than one medical professional on the network, lately, so if he can just get Skye somewhere safer and then talk to one of them— ]

We weren't trying to kill you.

[ Not exactly the time for that, but it comes out anyway, a little sharp and defensive. The follow-up's even more so. ] Not that we haven't got every right to.

[Ward's eyes flick to him before staring down at Skye.]

Of course not.

[He doesn't believe you. Maybe. He keeps himself straight even as the pain rings in his side. He smiles at Fitz, his expression tight.]

It certainly shook things up for me here.

...How did she stop it?

We should hurry.

[ Which is absolutely him avoiding the question, a) because he doesn't know, and b) because he's not sure how much he should tell Ward. He moves towards the door to the lobby instead, holding it open.

For what it's worth, he's having a hard time meeting Ward's eyes while blatantly not answering his questions. At least he's mildly ashamed, right? ]

[Ward stares at him before hefting Skye up higher. There's the slightest grunt of pain as he stares at the stairs - and powers through it.

The pain in his side is palpable.]

...She's a fighter. She'll be all right. You have someone to contact?

Yeah.

[ As terse as he's being, there's no spite in his voice. Something very close to an apology, maybe, even if it's guarded and begrudging.

And hey, at least they aren't going to the third floor. It could be worse. He considers saying absolutely nothing until they reach the door to his room, but his resolve doesn't last long. ]

What about you?

[ Accompanied by a quick glance to Ward, though he tries not to sound overly concerned or curious. ]

[He tilts his head and looks at Fitz. Somewhere someone says I tried to play it sincere.

And Ward swallows.]

I'm fine.

Listen, there's a doctor, Helen. She helped me when I arrived. Try calling her for Skye.

[because he needs to go find...some place he feels safe to sort out his feelings]

[ That's answered by silence as Fitz unlocks his door and pushes it open; the room's kind of a mess, or as much of a mess as it can be when they don't have much in the way of personal belongings. The gift basket from weeks earlier is sitting on the chair, and the small teddy bear's on the bed.

Is that embarrassing?? We'll pretend it's not embarrassing. Fitz is quiet while Ward puts Skye down, and it isn't until he's on his way back towards the door that Fitz speaks up. ]

Thanks.

[ This time there is some spite to it, an undercurrent of anger that counteracts the formality. He's grateful for Ward's help with this, but he wants to make it clear not all's forgiven. ]

[Ward looks over his shoulder and nods, coldly but something in his features softens and...he leaves before he can say something wrong or bad.

Mostly because he needs to get out. So he gets outside and nearly collapses, the pain in his side sharp and cold.

He had to get to Kara's room]

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Why did I not get this notif???

i hid it

Not cool Fitz D:

look i think we can admit this is an awkward situation ok!!

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