It was Christmas Eve, and Daisy was watching her friends, smiling proudly at how well she had pulled off organising a kick ass Secret Santa. She was a little miffed that they had all decided that they should exchange presents on Christmas Eve when Santa didn't even deliver presents until they were all asleep, but she got over it when she saw how happy they all were.
Mack was pretty pleased with his new RC Aston Martin Vanquish.
Coulson was thrilled with his Captain America tie, even if he had needed to ask May to tie it for him…one hand down and all.
May was pleasantly surprised to receive some jasmine tea leaves in a pretty little tin with a bow wrapped around it.
Bobbi was having an excellent time popping Hunter in the head with the darts from her purple Nerf gun. Hunter, as excepted was less than impressed.
Lance had been over the moon with his used Subbuteo set, but was gradually getting more and more annoyed with every one of his players Bobbi knocked over with her darts, mid-match.
Fitz and Simmons, despite the whole point of the secret Santa being to remain a secret, had somehow managed to ruin the surprise by buying presents for each other, and getting each other the exact same thing. It was some weird laser that the rest of them failed to understand the need for, but that the two of them seemed thrilled about. It seemed unlikely that the lasers were under the twenty-dollar cap Daisy had placed, but she let them off. The laser-things were identical aside from the little sharpie heart drawn on the edge of Jemma's. When Hunter saw it he pretended to be sick in his mouth. Bobbi shot a dart at his face.
Lincoln and Joey had both been given similar presents by their secret Santas; a selection of candy and a few little stocking fillers. There was a lack of personal touch to the gifts, but both appeared elated just to have received anything at all.
Daisy sat on the armchair in the far corner and watched her teammates interact. Most were laughing and talking, showing each other their received gifts and attempting to guess who had gifted them. Coulson stroked his new tie for what had to be the millionth time since opening it and Daisy giggled.
"That was a good purchase." May said, sitting down beside her on the arm of the chair. Daisy scooted along and May squished in next to her.
"How'd you know it was me who got it?" Daisy asked and May raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh, right. You're like the super spy."
May smiled and wrapped an arm around Daisy's shoulders to make herself more comfortable in the cramped space. Daisy turned her body further towards her, hands moving to cradle her own gift. Her thumbs brushed over the black and gold wrapping paper, gently touching the little tag baring her name and declaring it was 'Lots of love from Santa'.
"Aren't you going to open it?" Mat asked, nodding at the gift.
Daisy blushed a little. "S'not Christmas yet." She said. "Santa doesn't deliver until I'm asleep."
May chuckled and shook her head. "I guess I'll take it back, then." When she attempted to remove the little wrapped box from Daisy's hands, the girl held firm.
"No, no." She said. "I'll just look after it until tomorrow." Daisy paused, inspecting the writing on the gift tag. "Wait, you got me this?"
May shrugged but her smirk was all Daisy needed.
"But this isn't your handwriting." Daisy stated, finger hovering over 'lots of love'.
"I'm a spy." May said. "You think I don't have more than one style of handwriting?"
"I guess." Daisy said, looking back down at the present. The little glittery gold reindeer matched up perfectly with the seam of the paper. "And I suppose this precise wrapping is totally you."
"Damn straight." May smiled.
"So," Daisy said, drawing out the word, "what'd you get me?"
"Open it and find out."
"Not until tomorrow."
May nudged her shoulder. "Then I'm not telling you."
Daisy pouted. "You could at least give me a clue."
Somewhere across the room, Bobbi screamed playfully as Hunter attempted to wrestle the dart gun from her. She kicked him in the ribs and he fell to the floor with a wounded look and a tiny smirk before pulling off her slippers and tickling her feet. She squealed and Lance barely avoided a foot to his chin.
"I'll tell you this," May said, smiling at Bobbi and Hunter's antics, "it's not what Phil got Bobbi."
"How do you know who bought each other's gifts?" Daisy said in mild disbelief. "I organised it and even I don't know."
"I'm a super spy." May deadpanned, and Daisy chuckled.
She let her head drop to May's shoulder and sighed contently when the older woman tightened her arm around her. "When I grow up I want to be a super spy like you."
May tucked the short hair at the side of Daisy's face behind her ear. "You're 26."
"Yeah," she said quietly, "but I'm not grown up."
They sat quietly for a long time, observing their friends and laughing at their interactions way after the first of them went off to bed. Eventually, when Lincoln and Joey finished their game of Scrabble, and had bid them goodnight, it was only May, Phil, and Daisy left in the common area of the base.
Phil smiled at them both from the couch. His shirtsleeves were rolled up and his shirt unbuttoned at the top, but his red, white, and blue tie remained knotted neatly around his neck.
"It's late." Coulson said. "Santa won't come when you're awake, Skye."
"Daisy." May corrected out of habit, but Daisy just shrugged.
"Skye's fine."
"Daisy," Phil said with a soft expression, "it's late."
"Santa already came." Daisy smirked, looking towards May. "I just don't want to open it until Christmas." She tilted the box from side to side in her hands. "Proper Christmas."
May looked down at her watch before pushing it in front of Daisy. "Three minutes after midnight."
"Oh." She said, then looked around at the two others left in the room. "Merry Christmas, I guess."
"Merry Christmas." Coulson said, standing up and walking over to kiss both May and Daisy on the forehead.
May patted his arm as he sat on the coffee table in front of them. She hugged Daisy and kissed her hair. "Happy Christmas, sweetheart."
Daisy pressed her nose into May's shoulder. "I love you, guys. Like a lot. I love you."
There was a pause. Daisy dared to look up at May who was watching her with watery eyes. The woman kissed Daisy again as Coulson perched himself on her other side, on the arm of the chair. The three hugged, quiet, until Coulson spoke.
"We love you, too." He said. "Skye, Daisy, Mary-Sue Poots, whatever-,"
At that, Daisy laughed.
"-It doesn't matter what you call yourself." He continued. "We'll love you."
Daisy wiped at her eyes. "That was pretty sappy, AC."
"But true." May said. "Now, it's Christmas. Why don't you open your present?"
Daisy looked between them, then nodded. She was reluctant to tear the paper, as she was prone to do on presents, and so meticulously picked at the edges of the tape until the black and gold paper fell away from the gift on its own.
A little box was left, and Daisy opened the lid, pushing her thumbnails through the small amount of tape keeping it sealed. She lifted out the present and laughed out loud at what she saw.
The coffee mug that was in the box, was filled with all the candy that May usually got on Daisy's back about eating, but it was what was written on the cup that tickled Daisy.
"Half spy, half ninja." Daisy read between giggles. "That's not me." She grinned. "That's you." She poked May in her side.
"No, that's something for you to aspire to." May smiled. "You wanted to be just like me, remember?"
Daisy nodded and held her mug with both hands. "I love it." She said sincerely. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." May said. "It's just a little something for your secret Santa. You can have your real present in the morning."
Daisy's head whipped up. "I'm getting another present?"
"Sure." Coulson said. "All you kids are getting presents. Although," He began to whisper comically, "yours is bigger."
"Because I'm the favourite?" Daisy asked.
May kissed her temple. "Because you're my little half spy, half ninja."
"What is it?"
"Not telling you." May said, getting up from the chair. Coulson followed.
"AC, what is it? Come on, tell me!"
"Nope." He said, following May from the room. "Go to bed, Skye, or Santa won't come."
"Daisy." May called in correction. "Bedtime."
"Tell me!" Daisy chased after the two, cradling her new mug close to her chest. "Is it a car? Is it Lola?!"
"No." Coulson shouted from another room.
"Oh my god, did you guys buy me a plane?"
"No!" The two agents called. May then appeared back by the door.
"Go to bed, Daisy."
Daisy sidled close to her SO. "Please tell me what you got for me."
May held Daisy's face between her hands and pulled her forward to kiss her head. "Go to bed. I love you. And, no."
Daisy tried to pout but just smiled instead. "I love you, too. Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas."
May left the room and Daisy watched her walk away towards the bunks. When the woman disappeared around a corner, Daisy looked down at her secret Santa gift. The present wasn't expensive, or large, or anything like that, but it was perfect. It was special, and it was the best present Daisy had ever received.
Half spy, half ninja.
Yeah, Daisy was going to be just like her May. She was going to be the super spy.