A/N: I do not own Marvel agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Secrets are bound to be revealed; especially with a nosy Skye. Ward is in the line of fire. It's a May-Ward fic.
Maybe they're starting to lose it, or … get a little bit too careless. Or maybe, it has nothing to do with their usual high abilities on the field, and it's all because they're a bit… well, distracted lately. Anyway, you don't give excuses when you're in the middle of a concealed operation. So there's no need to explain it and the reason is immaterial when Skye practically catches them in the middle. Fuck, he can't even start to explain how bad this is going to be.
She's a clever girl, he'll give her that, and she's an eager learner, and after all he did give her top notch training and everything, but when she walks in on May and him, and is about two seconds shy from actually seeing something. Geez… He's a good SO, sure, but he's not that good…
It doesn't matter how. The fact is that he's standing there next to the van, leaning against the cargo door, playing tonsils tennis with May, when they hear her calling his name. They freeze in their place, and it's lucky May has such good instincts, and is able to push away from him just in time to crash against the van so by the time Skye actually finds them, they look like they're just standing there having a quiet and very casual conversation.
Only… it's not as casual looking as he would have liked it to be. When May mumbles something about a temperature check to the engine, and makes a graceful departure and he tries to join her, mentioning something about messing his exercise routine Skye is standing between him the and the car, blocking his way. He sends a worried look towards May's retreating form, but she only sends him a blushed barely there kind of smile before she disappears. It makes him smile back, a short little smile, that he can't hide and it's completely unfortunate that Skye is such a communication expert, especially in everything related to her SO's nonverbal one, because when he looks at her again, she is still there, arms crossed, smiling broadly at him and says "busted!"
()()()
He doesn't answer. Just pushes away from the car and walks around her. He must be out of his mind though, because instead of just walking away and leaving her guessing, probably because he has this stupid moral code which doesn't allow him to avoid confrontations and because he's delusional enough to think he could actually salvage the situation, he decides to stick around and see what she has to say. He's losing it. He totally knows it.
He has his punching bag hanging from the ceiling next to the van, so he puts on his gloves, slowly, and starts working out. He thinks, if she's planning on staying there and torment him he can always make her do a few rounds too. That would probably shut her up…
Apparently he's right. She's absolutely planning on staying and tormenting him. Sometimes he feels like she made it into her life mission or something.
"It's fine" she smiles, sitting on Lola's hood, looking at him mischievously.
"Don't sit there" he warns her "Coulson will kill you" but she doesn't look impressed.
"It's completely natural, don't worry about it" She continues, and he knows if he answers back, he's toast.
"You are both very physical people" she informs him, moving her fingers through her hair absentmindedly "and being confined here in this flying cocoon... It's completely natural that you'd want to… blow some steam from time to time… don't worry about it."
He stops punching the bag for a second, trying to hold himself from responding. Blowing some steam? Is that what they're doing? He looks at Skye thoughtfully for a moment before resuming his assault on the bag, this time with a vengeance.
"She's a beautiful woman" she muses "she's sexy and mysterious… I can totally see the appeal. I bet she's wild in bed, too." She says suggestively "I mean, with all these leather clothes she likes so much and the violent tendencies… I bet she makes you do things you'd never even…"
"Skye!" he cries, punching the bag so hard the hinges on the ceiling are squeaking under the pressure.
She only bursts out in laughter "sorry, sorry…" she raises her hands in the air, but her smile is getting even wider, which he didn't even think was possible "you shouldn't get so defensive you know, we're all grownups here…"
"Some of us are…" he mumbles, and from the corner of his eye he can see she really doesn't appreciate this dig.
"I'm sure she's not as uptight about it as you." Skye says, a little irritated "I'm sure she can handle this whole friends with benefits thing much better than you" he stops punching the bag, leaning his forehead against the canvas, breathing deeply "oh shit!" she gasps, clapping her hand on her mouth and looking at him horrified "it's not, is it?" He doesn't answer, his lips are pressed together, and there's that twitch in his jaw that usually makes her shake with fear "it's not just a friends with benefits thing, is it?" she asks quietly. He only sighs, looking at her hesitatingly for a moment, before he leans on the van and crosses his gloved arms on his chest. "You love her" she says. At least now, she's not smiling anymore. A progress. He thinks...
"I don't want to talk about it" he tells her quietly.
"God, I'm so stupid" she puts her hand on her forehead, shaking her head "I mean, I read your psychological assessment and it totally fits."
"You did what?" he frowns.
"Don't change the subject" she shrugs "Coulson says I have a knack for profiling, so I used your file for practice. It took me three weeks to find it, but it was totally worth it." She smiles. He only sighs, shaking his head and looks up to the ceiling, wishing he didn't stay for this confrontation after all. "Because of your… upbringing… and, you know…"
"I know" he says harshly. He definitely doesn't want to talk about that.
"You are attracted to strong women. Women who can protect themselves and would not depend on your protection. You need a woman who understands what you're doing and what you're going through even without talking about it, because you're not so good with all this talking business." He looks at her horrified, this is a more accurate a description than he would like to admit. "You love it that she's so strong and quiet, and you admire her dedication to the job. She's perfect for you." She whispers "I should have seen it right from the start. I mean, just look at the way you work together…"
"Skye… look, we shouldn't be talking about…"
"You're very loyal you know?"
"What?" he can't understand where she's going with this "of course I'm loyal. I'm doing my job, loyalty comes with the territory."
"No no" she shakes her head "you don't understand. They took you on this team because you are extremely loyal. You have high protective tendencies. You always worked alone, because you had bad experiences and was too afraid to trust anyone else, but they knew, once they'll put you in a team, and you'll learn to trust your teammates and develop emotional ties…" he scoffs at that "this is why you were so offended when I lied to you" she whispers, jumping off Lola and stepping towards him "and I apologized to all of you, but never to you specifically."
"It's fine Skye, we're past that."
"I'm still sorry" she says seriously "so I'm telling you this right now because I have your back, and I don't want you to miss something because you're too uptight and emotionally retentive to realize it."
"Thanks" he grumbles "I think…"
"You love her. I want to make sure that you know this."
"Skye… I…"
"You do. I can see it in your eyes. You know, with that overdeveloped sense of commitment you have, you'll have no other option but to marry her." And… the mischievous smile is back.
"Ma…. Marry…?!"
She laughs out loud at his panicked expression.
"I can see it now" she continues "the bride all covered with white leather, the groom with the most boring suite in the universe, I mean, honestly we should really talk about your wardrobe sometime. Fitzsimons will be the flower girls and do you think Coulson will give her away?" the smile is erased from her face immediately "shit! Coulson. Does he know?"
"No!" he cries "Skye!"
"Well well well, agent Ward, in a million years would I ever thought you'd be presenting such an impertinent insubordination."
"Skye…" he warns.
"May, I believe." she continues, starting to walk towards the main part of the bus "she's much cooler than you anyway… but you? Well well well…"
"Skye" he runs after her "I warn you."
"I want to start practicing at 09:00" she turns towards him suddenly.
"09:00?" he cries in protest "it's practically the middle of the day."
"Okay, 08:30 then."
"07:00."
"08:00."
"No way."
"You sure? Because I might say something to Coulson, accidently, when I'm not paying attention. It can happen you know, when I'm too tired…"
"Okay, 08:00." He sighs.
"Cool" she smiles "it's a pleasure doing business with you, agent Ward." She starts to walk back to the main part of the plane.
"Skye" he calls after her "about that thing you said… about what I… about May…"
"That you're totally in love with her?"
"Yes" he sighs in resignation.
"Don't worry, Ward" she smiles reassuringly "I won't say anything. You're my SO, and I have loyal tendencies too."
"Thanks" he calls after her as she walks away, even though he's not entirely sure what it is that he's thanking her for.
"You owe me big time" she calls behind her back "and just so you'll know, we'll start with you telling me everything there is to know about the kinky sex she makes you do…"
.