Drabble 11: Panging of the Heart
Requested by Spitfire303.
When he first arrived at the Academy, the last thing Fitz expected was to find a girl he liked. He especially didn't count on her liking him too. So when she asked him to go out for coffee one time, he was stunned. It took him a minute, but he stammered a yes to her question, and had met her at the café that night.
It had gone surprisingly well. He had thought he would blow it, but she said she had a great time. She even liked how nerdy he was. Her name was Diana.
After that first date, he allowed himself to feel hopeful, and think that this relationship might actually last long enough to be called a relationship. It was better than that, actually. They were going on three months before he noticed any change.
It unfortunately wasn't a good one. She called him to ask to meet at the café where it had all started, and he had gone there full of apprehension. She had sat him down and bought him a drink, and then carefully told him she didn't want to see him anymore. He had to admit that she was very nice about it, but that didn't make him feel any better. He didn't feel anything really, not for a long time.
He sat there for a while after she left, and without realizing it took out his phone and dialed a number he knew by heart.
"Hello?"
He had to think for a minute. "Could you come get me?" he asked. "I'm in the café."
"Fitz, what's wrong?" Jemma asked, her tone full of worry.
"I just need a friend." Then he hung up. He forced himself to sip his hot chocolate as he waited, and five minutes later Jemma ran in, spotted him, and sat down across from him.
"What's going on?" she asked.
Feeling had started coming back to him, as his shock faded. "Diana dumped me."
"Oh, Fitz." Her tone was completely sympathetic, and she rubbed his arm consolingly. "Do you have any idea why?"
He did, actually. "She said she just lost interest, but she wanted to be friends. She said it wasn't my fault."
Jemma sighed and looked down for a moment. "I'm sorry Fitz."
He looked up and saw her, and immediately felt a rush of warmth for her. Through everything, Jemma was by his side. The whole time he had been dating Diana, Jemma had given him advice and the pep talks he needed. And now she had dropped whatever she had been doing to come and be with him.
"Thanks for coming down here." He said. "Can we go back to the dorms? I'd like some company, if you don't mind."
"I can see if any of our friends can come, or -."
"No." he said. "I want to be with my best friend."
She smiled and stood up. "Alright. What do you feel like doing?"
He stood and held the door for her. "Whatever you want."
So fifteen minutes later they were sitting next to each other in his dorm room, a laptop perched between their laps, Doctor Who playing.
Fitz liked Doctor Who well-enough. Jemma absolutely loved it. He knew it would take him a few days to get over his breakup, and he was fine with that. But he wasn't going to make Jemma be unhappy with him. She had helped him much more than she had to lately, and never complained about it. Now it was his turn to be there for her, whether she needed it or not. He hoped she did, but it didn't matter; he was going to spend time with his best friend again.
Who needed a girlfriend? Jemma was the perfect best friend.