AUTHOR'S NOTE: Here we are, at the start of a new story. This one will be a side project, for certain, but it's just a fun multi-chapter for our two favourite scientists. Song suggestions are definitely welcome, but please consider the alphabet.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Agents of SHIELD, nor any of the songs used.

CHAPTER ONE: All About Us

"Would you let me lead
You can step on my feet
Give it a try
It'll be all right."

"Cause lovers dance when they're feeling in love
Spotlight shining, its all about us
its all about us
And every heart in the room will melt
This is a feeling I've never felt
but its all about us."

All About Us - Owl City ft. He Is We

"Don't they look lovely?" Simmons mused, tearing her gaze away from the crowd of beautifully dressed couples to smile brightly at Fitz.

It was their last year at Sci-Ops, and to celebrate, there had been a party thrown. Or perhaps, more of a formal dance. Students attending were required to be in formal wear, something that Simmons had found particular trouble with. She didn't get out of the lab often, something that meant she didn't often have the chance to attend fancy gatherings. Which, in turn, meant that Simmons didn't have particularly formal clothes. She'd had to drag Fitz along to the shops, and they'd spent a day picking out clothes for the event.

Simmons had to admit, Fitz looked rather dashing in the suit that she had picked out for him. It was a simple black one, classic but well-fitted. She herself was wearing a moderately simple dress, emerald green in colour and reaching just to her knees. She wore green high heels, but they were killing her feet. Sometimes, she cursed the person who thought making shoes higher were a better thing. On the plus side, she was just about taller than Fitz now, and she felt pretty.

Not that Simmons looked down on herself - she doesn't do that at all, she was brought up not to - but sometimes it was just nice to put on make up and make herself feel nice. Certainly, she hoped to catch the eyes of a few men. Not necessarily to flaunt it in their face, but simply to experiment. After all, it would certainly be an interesting experience.

"Lovely?" Fitz frowned, squinting at the other dancers. "Yeah, I guess you could say that." He looked terribly uncomfortable in his suit, fidgeting and shuffling from one foot to the other every other moment.

Simmons reached out a hand to stop him, giving him a small grin. "Oh, the suit's not half bad, Fitz," she chided warmly.

"Oh, really? Yeah, well. You try wearing a suit this stiff," Fitz grumbled, tugging at his collar before attempt to ruffle at his hair.

Simmons frowned at him in slight disappointment, rolling her eyes at him. "Oh, Fitz! Don't mess up your hair, you know how long we spent trying to tame those curls. And besides, I think those couples look beautiful. Look how they're dancing. We should join them." She'd said it on an impulse, but now that she had voiced the idea, she found herself genuinely wanting to join in on the dance floor.

Fitz, however, seemed to have different plans, shaking his head wildly. "No, Simmons. I'm not going onto the bloody dance floor. Do you still remember the last time I tried to dance?"

"It wasn't that bad," Simmons attempted to reassure him, but even at the mere recollection of the memory, she struggled not to burst out laughing.

"I see you laughing at me," Fitz muttered. Obviously, Simmons was not good at hiding laughter. Or hiding anything in general, really. It was well known that she was a terrible liar. "And I'm not going out there."

Simmons realised she was still holding Fitz's arm, and she dropped it quickly, giving Fitz a regretful smile. She knew once Fitz had set his mind on something, that he wouldn't budge from it. There was no point in trying, honestly. "Really, Fitz. It's judt a simple little dance," she huffed. She wasn't really angry at him, of course. He knew that. They spent the next few minutes chattering, with Simmons casting longing looks towards the dances.

When a dashing young man approached her and asked for a dance, she was surprised to find a blend of disappointment mixed in with the joy. Perhaps she had wanted the boy hanging near the buffet tables to ask her for a dance instead.

...

"You're still here," Simmons said in surprise, holding back an amused chuckle as Fitz turned in startled alarm. He was still lingering around the buffet bar, although she doubted that he had eaten all that much.

"Yeah," Fitz nodded in agreement. Simmons detected a strange expression on his features, although she couldn't quite place what it was.

"Hasn't anyone asked you to dance?" Simmons queried curiously, making her way over and settling herself down on the seat next to him. The pain in her feet eased immediately, and she half thought about kicking her shoes off. But of course, that would be inappropriate at such a formal event.

"Yeah," Fitz admitted. Simmons immediately turned to scan the crowd for any suspects, ignoring his exasperated look. "Agent Chase and Agent Ruth."

"Oh, really? What did you say? I didn't see you on the dance floor," Simmons asked, admittedly rather excited. There was something very silly, and yet fun in pressuring into Fitz's love life. She knew as well as anyone that he was rather anti-social, sticking to himself and her only. That did mean that she got him all to herself, though.

"That's because I said no," Fitz murmured pointedly, giving a sheepish shrug at Simmons's surprised look.

"Fitz! You really need to start getting out more," she chided, leaning over to nudge him. "They're both rather good-looking and well-formed. Chase is a little over-excited, but Ruth is certainly a charmer."

"Can you see me dancing with them?" Fitz raised an eyebrow, and Simmons had to concede on that point. She had to admit, she couldn't imagine Fitz with either of the girls, no matter how smart or academically gifted they were. Come to think of it, she couldn't imagine any of the girls at the Sci-Ops ending up with Fitz. Then again, it's not exactly like he hung out with any girls.

"It's not a bad thing to like a girl," Simmons said breezily, totally unaware of what she was really saying, and the fact that the tips of Fitz's ears were turning slightly red. "It's a perfectly reasonable biological reaction for a young man. It happens to woman too, believe it or not. But of course, it tends to be slightly more prominent in men.." She trailed off as she finally noticed Fitz's horrified look, and she decided that maybe that was one topic of human nature that she should refrain from exploring further with Fitz.

Instead, her lips quirked up into another warm smile, and she turned her gaze back to the crowd of mingling students, all dressed in beautiful costumes with beautiful faces. "All I'm saying, Fitz, is that it's not a bad thing to start having more fun," she said gently.

"Yeah, like you and Smith were doing," Fitz blurted out suddenly, and Simmons snapped her head back to stare curiously at Fitz.

"What?"

"I saw you and Smith. He was.. I don't know, watching you. Like.. like you were a prize." There was silence for a long moment, and then Simmons grinned suddenly, feeling the absurd urge to double over in laughter. Fitz frowned, seemingly offended by her attitude. "Hey. Hey, what did I do?"

"Oh, Fitz," she smiled at him, hugging her arms to her chest in an attempt to stop from laughing. "You're sweet, but did you drink too much punch?"

Fitz scowled suddenly, looking slightly more irritated all of a sudden. "Are you saying I'm drunk?"

"No," Simmons back-pedalled quickly, but she still held a small smile on her lips. "Of course not. Well, maybe a little bit." She shook her head abruptly, she was getting far too side-tracked and rambling on. Perhaps she shouldn't have accepted that drink from Smith, as she was beginning to feel a little light-headed. "Smith was being perfectly fine, Fitz. And honestly, I can take care of myself. I'm not a preschooler, and you are most certainly not my father."

Simmons thought she caught the familiar pink tinge of a flush on Fitz's features, but she cleared it from her mind quickly, leaping up from the seat and turning sharply, almost teetering in her heels.

"Simmons, are you okay?"

"Perfectly fine," Simmons laughed at his crinkled expression of concern, finding it rather endearing. Purely on a wild impulse, she stuck a hand out to him. "When was the last time you danced?"

"Jemma, no," Fitz said firmly, shaking his head. A sigh of disappointment escaped her lips, and she gave him an exasperated look.

"Please, Fitz?" She wasn't exactly sure why she was so eager to have him dance with her, but she was honestly open to experimenting this night. Maybe it was the drinks she had been handed, or perhaps it was the pure atmosphere of the night, but she wanted him to enjoy it as well. Somehow, it didn't seem fair that she was off galavanting with other men while Fitz sat by himself. Tonight was supposed to be a big night to remember. Fitz was her best friend. She wanted him in these memories as well.

By some miracle, Fitz finally gave a tentative nod, accepting her hand. Simmons noticed with a light laugh that his grip was slightly clammy. She pulled him up and gave him a brilliant smile. "Thank you, Fitz." He only smiled in response, and it was Simmons who lead the way onto the dance floor, just in time for the next song. It was a bright, cheery song, one that reminded her faintly of karaoke nights and singing in the shower.

It was her who guided his hands to the right places, as he seemed to fumble and slip. He apologised, but Simmons only gave him a smile as they moved back and forth on the dance floor along with all the other couples. Fitz certainly hadn't improved since the last time they had danced, as he was still bumbling about as ever. In a way, Simmons found it more intimate than the smooth, perfect movements of Smith.

"See?" Simmons murmured as the song began to slow down, and the dancers slowed down with them. "It's not so bad, is it?"

"Remind me why we're doing this again?" Fitz grumbled, but Simmons knew that he wasn't being serious.

"Because we decided that you need to be more social?" She suggested cheekily, neatly side-stepping as Fitz almost blundered into her foot clumsily.

"I'm plenty social," Fitz said defensively, the corners of his lips curling up into a grin.

"Yes? Care to elaborate, Mr Fitz?"

"Well.." Fitz obviously struggled for an answer, his eyes darting around the room quickly. Most likely to pick a random person to be his excuse. However, he surprised her when he smiles sheepishly instead. "Who needs a social life when you have Jemma Simmons standing beside you the entire time?"

Simmons's smile grew wider, and it was then that she noticed just how close he was. She could make out every aspect of his blue eyes, count every blemish on his skin. She liked to think her next act was purely on impulse. And perhaps it was. But then she kissed him. It was rushed, it was sweet, but Simmons found herself thinking that it was far too short for her liking.

She drew away quickly, giving him a small smile as she took in his shell-shocked expression.

"I thought it would be nice to experiment," she explained hastily, although strangely, she wasn't embarrassed. "For science. It's a perfectly rational thing to do, because you're nice and symmetrical, perhaps not well-formed, but very, very interesting. And.. well, it was for science," she finished, well-aware of her poorly-constructed rambling. But then her lip quirked into another grin, and she thought perhaps, she didn't really care.

"We should dance more often, Fitz."

It was safe to say that both never brought up the incident again.