~ Series of one shots of the adorable couple, SkyeWard ~

AN: Okay, I know I said I'll write about one of the prompts that you guys post but this is just a random idea I came up with immediately after I posted the last chapter. I'll get on to that as soon as possible but in the meantime, enjoy! :)

Set before 1x08


"Checkmate," he announced, leaned forward and smirked before placing his final piece, the Queen, on exactly C6, trapping her King. He won. Again. For the sixth time. She tugged on her hair and cocked her head, trying to figure out what the hell he just did.

"What? How?" she questioned with a slight twitch in her right eye. She knew that she couldn't win, especially because she had just started learning chess only 47 minutes ago; to be exact; but she was so convinced that moving her King one step to the left would keep her in the game for at least one more turn. Compared to this, hacking into SHIELD's Level 8 server was a breeze. Yes, this was the one game that she couldn't hack into to gain the cheat codes.

"You're surrounded," he pointed at her King then traced his finger around his pieces. She rested her chin on her fists and squinted. Her eyes examined her King, then his King, then his Rook, then his Bishop and lastly, his Queen. "Okay, my only piece is surrounded by his four pieces, that means..." she murmured. He smiled with his eyes as he watched the usually distracted rookie concentrate on the chessboard, sitting comfortable in her seat with her legs crossed. This was one of the rare moments she'd been engrossed with something other than hacking. However, it wasn't long until she gave up and shook her head, "Nope, explain to me, my dear S.O."

He sat up and heaved a sigh. She leaned in closer, wanting to try to grasp the concept. He breathed in and started, "See, if you move yours here, my King can... um, eat you." He tried his best to simplify his explanation. She nodded slowly. He glanced at her eyes but they were fixed on the chess pieces.

"Well, same with the Rook," he moved his Rook to demonstrate his point. "The Bishop," he moved his Bishop. "And," gazing her face as he faltered, "my Queen." His eyes studied every detail on her face. Her glinting chocolate brown almond eyes. Her bronzed flawless skin. Her sculpted pink lips. She was still looking down at the chessboard, unaware of the world around her. Unaware of him looking at her. He smiled to himself. He just couldn't help but to stare at her beautiful face. His brain was being an ass; spewing thoughts of how she betrayed the team, betrayed him, how they were too different from each other and that nothing could ever work between them. His heart, however, just pounded a little faster than usual. That was the only sign he needed.

"Yep, I can totally understand that... it's really complicated," she complained, slouching back against her chair. He snapped out of his deep thoughts, cleared his throat and looked out window, hoping that she didn't notice him staring at her. "I mean, seriously. I'd rather do 50 push-ups than play one game of chess," she proclaimed, glancing at him who had a raised eyebrow. "Oh no, don't you get any ideas," she snapped, unscrewed the cap of her bottle before taking a sip and continuing, "but come on, what's the point of this? I thought you've already 'evaluated my thought process' when we were playing battleship?"

He leaned against his chair and stroked his chin, "Like you said, battleship was 'stabbing in the dark'. Chess, it's a game of strategy and precision."

"Strategy?" she said with a laugh, "Dude, I just moved random pieces and hoped for the best."

"And how did that work out for you?"

"Honestly, not that bad, until you moved your Queen and took me out," she groaned. His Queen.

"You need to look at the whole chessboard. Extract the threats, one by one, and come up with an effective approach," he lectured. She looked at him blankly. "It's the same in the battlefield. You go in, scan the whole situation, think of the threats, how to eliminate them, come with a plan and then execute it. Done," he continued his lecture.

"Team briefing in 5," Coulson's voice filled the Bus. He looked up and sighed. Some part of him was disappointed that their little bonding time was cut short, even if it was over chess. He just couldn't get enough of her.

"Can't I just go in there, go with the flow? Pretty sure that's more fun," she blurted, her eyes following his movement as he stood up.

"It's not about having fun, it's about getting the job done," he muttered and extended a hand. She giggled, grabbed his hand and pulled herself up. He glared at her. She looked at him and smiled, "Fun, done. They rhyme?" Only she could make him smirk at the silliest of things. He rolled his eyes, shook his head as he pulled her to the common area. "No? Okay," she whispered and, as usual, tried to fray from his grasp but to no avail. His grip on her was too strong that he, himself couldn't shake it off. That is, until May shot an unexpressive look to him. He let go, feeling a rush of heat surging to his cheeks but maintained composure.

Skye punched his arm lightly and flopped down at the seat in front of him. Fitz-Simmons scurried in, followed by Coulson with a tablet in his hand.

"I wonder where we're going," said Simmons excitedly, sitting on the couch adjacent to Skye. Fitz took the spot beside Simmons while fidgeting with his night-night pistol.

"Tahiti, maybe," he mumbled to himself, loud enough for everyone to hear. All eyes fell on him. He looked up, wearing an ignorant face and mouthed "What?"

"Tahiti is a magical place," Coulson spoke with a monotonous tone before continuing, "But no." His face became more serious than usual when he looked at Ward. Ward's heart began to beat faster. What did he do? Did Coulson suspect something going on between him and Skye? As far he knows, they never did anything that broke protocol. Alright, maybe the casual flirting but...

"Sir?" he grunted, feeling more and more anxious by the minute. What exactly did he do? Coulson turned his action to the rest of his team and announced, "I need everyone to understand that what we are, in this Bus... we're a team. We look out for one another. We take care of our own." Skye nodded. So did Simmons. And Fitz. May glanced at Ward who was feeling even more uneasy.

"Ward, is there anything you'd like to say?" he asked. Ward swallowed down hard and pressed down on Skye's shoulder impulsively. She said nothing, relieved that for once, it wasn't her in trouble. He also said nothing.

"You ate my pancakes. Without telling me," Coulson continued. Wait. What?

"Um... Sir?" Ward choked, confused, very confused. Skye and Fitz-Simmons snickered. May nodded slightly.

"Make me more pancakes. I'm starving," he spoke without a single emotion on his face, "with maple syrup," and walked off.

Skye was already crying of laughter. Ward's face fell. He remembered now. The stack of pancakes on the kitchenette. He ate them. He ate them all.


AN: I just thought I need to end with a funnier note this time :P