So I wrote this story back in December as a Christmas present for my friend. There are five chapters, and I think I'll update every Thursday until it's over... as long as there are at least a handful of reviews ;)
Some of this may deviate a bit from what has become canon considering that I wrote it after, oh, the 10th episode of the season? So ninety percent of everything important hadn't even happened yet, but my friend insisted that I post it after the events of the last episode. Just a little fluff and fun to balance out the overwhelming feels that I won't delve into because spoilers haha.
Oh and also I wrote this in the present tense (do not ask I have absolutely no idea why... ) and so because I don't usually write in anything other than the past tense it may switch tenses. In my proofreading I haven't noticed but I wouldn't put it past me to miss it so yeah... don't mind that.
Otherwise I hope you enjoy :) please Review if you enjoy it and want to see more (or if you want to give me any constructive criticism). Reviews are love.
It's in Professor Hall's class on his first day at the academy. Fitz would later argue that the reason he sat next to Jemma, who was then a stranger, was merely because the other seats were taken, he'd never admit (to her) that at least forty percent of the reason was how beautiful she looked.
Light brown, slightly curly hair pulled into a ponytail, collared white shirt with a blue sweater pulled over it. She had a notebook open in front of her and was already penning something out carefully, brown eyes bright with excitement. To most, she looked plain and utterly unnoticeable. To Fitz, she stuck out as one of the most beautiful girls he'd ever seen.
He awkwardly took the seat next to her, instantly feeling as though his actions were idiotic. This girl would probably be annoyed by him sitting next to her. Why, why had he done this? He was making up his mind to move in the back next to the man who was doodling on his palm when she turned to him with a smile and held out her hand.
"Hello, I'm Jemma. Jemma Simmons." she had a British accent.
He took her hand, "I-I'm Fitz, or… I mean…" he was so flustered that he could hardly get the words out, "my name-I'm actually Leopold, but… but most people call me Fitz."
Jemma looked as though she was tempted to laugh at his stammering, but was polite enough not to, "So you prefer to be known mainly by your surname then?"
"So would you if your fool of a mother had called you Leopold." because of her encouraging smile he was slightly more confident in himself.
She laughs, "I suppose, if you don't like it."
"I don't at all. I can't explain why, just ever since I was a wee lad I've resented it." he explains.
"Well all the same, it's nice to meet you, Fitz."
"Same to you, Jemma"
It's then that he notices that he had held onto her hand during their whole conversation, which means it's been a good two minutes. Embarrassed, he quickly withdraws it with a quietly muttered "sorry." He can feel the heat rising to his face, turning it an unflattering beet red and curses his stupidity and inability to pay attention..
"Oh, no it's quite all right. Don't worry about it." she smiles at him once more.
He grins apologetically, still feeling mortified about it (he knows that years later he'll lie awake thinking about how embarrassing this was). Trying to steer her mind, as well as his, away from it he speaks, "So your last name is Simmons? As in persimmons?"
She rolls her eyes, a sign that she'd probably gotten this question a lot, "Yes, yes, if you add one more syllable my last name could be that of a fruit. A fruit I've never actually had despite the name similarity, but a fruit nonetheless."
"You've never had a persimmon?" he asks incredulously, realizing after he says it that persimmons aren't actually something commonly eaten unless you live near a place that grows them. The only reason he'd ever had it was because his father had lived for some time in he Southern United States and had become quite partial to them. "Well, I'll have to fix that for you."
"Will you now?" Jemma raises an eyebrow, she opens her mouth to say something else, but at that moment Dr. Hall walks in and class begins.
The next day he's grinning as they walk to the canteen for lunch. After finding out that they had other classes together besides just Dr. Hall's, they had become unofficial besties. They knew no one else and were both socially awkward enough that they didn't necessarily want to know anyone else so after that first meeting they stuck together.
Jemma looks at him suspiciously as she sets her tray down and sits, "Why are you smiling like that?"
"Oh, no reason. I just brought you a little surprise." he then pulls out two small, round, orange fruits from his bag. Two persimmons.
"So you weren't kidding when you said you'd fix the fact that I'd never had a persimmon." she chuckles, looking somewhat surprised, "Usually when people have said things like that to me they're joking, or they forget."
He wags a reproving finger at her, "No one can forget something as pivotal as a persimmons." he says seriously.
They both eat their persimmons while they chat about science. Jemma finds out that she really likes persimmons. Fitz just laughs and says that he knew she would. After that they went from unofficial best friends to official best friends.