"Ouch, dammit, stop scratching me, will you!"

Standing in the middle of the Academy's quad, everyone whispered and laughed at the sight of Leo Fitz, who today, was doing a strange jig that involved an immense amount of jumping and twitching. Little did they know, he was doing a "great" favor for his best friend.

Almost there, he thought, clutching the flaps of his lab coat more securely. If only he would quit mewing, I fed him his tuna two hours ago. Fitz willed his legs to stride faster, he was no where near the dormitories yet. His breaths started to come out in huffs, respiration already forming on the back of his neck and face.

The little bundle of joy he was hugging to his chest kept nipping him like a cat toy as he sped up seeing the dormitory in the distance. Bingo. A sly grin spread across his face. He couldn't wait to see the look on Simmons face, who yesterday didn't believe that he could sneak her ginger tabby cat inside their dorm room. Everything that went in or out of the Academy was tighter than... well, it wouldn't be much of a secret if he told.

"Say hi to mommy," he whispered to his chest, swiping his card in to enter the building. "Oh you beautiful damn cat-"

"Mr. Fitz," a calm voice spoke, "a pleasure seeing you today, outside of your laboratory I see." The Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy, Anne Weaver herself, nodded at him.

There are absolutely no pets allowed, except the authorized animals in the labs. Failure to follow the procedure will result in expulsion or suspension.

Fitz gulped, feeling the buttery pancakes Simmons made for him today come up. "Yes, Director Weaver. Yes, I know this isn't what this looks like. I have a logician explanation." Panicking at the rustling movement Mr. Toby was making, he made a brittle whooping noise that sounded like a mix of a dying whale and a hyena.

"Famous words," she sighed, as her pager buzzed. "Excuse me, I'll need to take this. Proceed, Mr. Fitz. You and I will continue this next time," she warned, her heels clicking away to business.

Wheezing from the cat hair, Fitz let out a relieved sigh and jogged towards Room 084.

Mr. Toby mewed loudly, when Fitz felt a sharp scratch against his chest. He yelped outside their dorm room, just as Simmons came rushing out, the tendrils of her soft hair brushing Fitz's face. Mr. Toby, who clearly had spent enough time in Fitz' sweater/lab coat cubby hopped out, rubbing his gingery fur against Simmons' leg.

"Oh, Fitz!" She laughed joyfully, kissing Mr. Toby on the nose. "What shenanigans have you gotten yourself into today? I was so worried when you didn't show up to class earlier."

"Well I think I may be bleeding but now the whole school and Director Weaver thinks I'm a jiggling weirdo if that's what you mean." He blushed, waiting for her to call him a big idiot.

She ushered him inside their room, pushing a bowl of food in his hands. "You went through all that trouble, ditched class, and drove 40 miles to get my cat?" A look of disbelief crossed her face.

He nodded, the bowl of soup slowing warming his hands. "For you. I know you missed home and you said that Mr. Toby was a nuisance to the people watching him. So I thought, I'll bring him home to his mother."

"Come here," Simmons said, pulling him into a warm embrace. "You didn't have to, Fitz." He sighed, her lemony and cotton smell making him forget about his scratches. Until now.

He pulled away gently. "Your cat may have done some minor alterations to my thorax," he said, sheepishly grinning. Mr. Toby hissed at him, swiping her TARDIS plush toy off her desk.

"Fitz!" she scolded, her eyes glowering. Oh, how he loved it when she did that. "Give me that soup back if you think you can get away without letting me patch you up." She pushed him playfully as she got up to fetch the band aids and antibiotics.

"Yes, mom, " he joked, reclining into the couch. Watching Simmons was a beautiful thing. There was something about her when she worked. Graceful was one thing, but the patience she put even in the littlest of things, it was one of the many reasons he loved her.

"This might burn," she said, sitting next to him. "Well?"

Still dazed, he stammered. "Uh... what exactly are we...?"

Simmons rolled her eyes. "Your shirt, Fitz. Oh, heavens, you're still in your lab coat!" Oh.

He snorted, and started removing his sweater off. It wasn't awkward for him to be shirtless around her. Past incidents had happened before involving Simmons walking in on him while changing. No big deal, right? For a moment he felt some insecurity, but he willed himself to get it over with. He trusted her, more than anyone.

She was calm, her eyes meeting Fitz' eyes, despite the darkness of the room. His heart was wildly beating for no reason. "Hold my hand, if it burns." He did.

Nodding, he tried not to jerk as a hell fire pain lashed his chest. He winched, feeling the cool alcohol as she wiped delicately. A Hello Kitty band aid was put on, which got a loud snort from Simmons.

"It was all we had, sorry," she giggled, her sides hurting. "You look so adorable Fitz." The 6 Hello Kitty band aids that decorated his chest would be a memorable moment.

That was good enough for him. "Thanks Simmons, I appreciate it."

She stopped laughing, her voice steady and serious again. "No, thank you Fitz. I don't think I tell you it often but truly, thank you. You do so much for me, and sometimes I feel I don't enough for you."

He realized he was still holding her hand. "Simmons... ever since we have met, you being beside me the whole damn time has been a miracle. And as long as you're with me, that's all I'll ever need."

Because for as long as I live, I will love you. Forever, and always.

I love you, Jemma.

"VICIOUS, YOU VICIOUS BEAST!" Fitz roared, chasing after the cat, shirtless in Hello Kitty band aids and all.