Drabble 29: Magical
A/N: Merry Christmas guys! I felt the need to write a holiday drabble, so here it is! I hope everyone has a great holiday. Give me a review please! Think of it as my present (I love reading them, and they really motivate me to write)! Enjoy!
Simmons walked with a skip in her step, humming lightly. The past few days she couldn't help herself. There was snow on the ground outside, and a feeling in the air. It sounded cheesy, but she felt it every year at Christmas time. It really was magical.
She had taken it upon herself to bring holiday cheer to her team, because they seemed to really need it this year. Rebuilding S.H.I.E.L.D. was much more difficult than they'd thought it would be. The past few days she and Fitz had only seen Coulson a total of two times.
Last night she had tried to convince them to go caroling. It didn't work as well as she'd hoped.
So now she was going to the lab to make decorations. It was December 23, so she had to work quickly. She enlisted Fitz to help her, and smiled when she saw him waiting for her in the lab.
"I've gathered all the construction paper I could find." He said when he saw her. "And little pieces of fabrics from the waste bin."
"It doesn't matter where they're from, they'll work just fine for decorations. Thanks."
"So what are we making?" he asked.
"A little bit of everything."
He stared at her. "You've got to be joking."
"But I'm not!" she looked him in the eyes. "Fitz, Christmas spirit this year is at an all-time low! We need to fix that before it's too late. Christmas only comes once a year!"
He chuckled and slid a pair of scissors to her from across the table. "Fine then. I guess we're being elves for the day."
She beamed. "That's the spirit. Now let's make these decorations!"
Two hours later Simmons looked up to see Fitz holding out a mug to her. She smiled and carefully took it from him, smelling it. "Hot chocolate!" she said.
Fitz sipped his own mug before replying. "If felt like the perfect drink for today."
He looked to the table where they were stacking decorations. It was filled with paper snowflakes for walls and doorways, mini-versions of stockings, and life-size paper snowmen to tape on the walls. Simmons walked over and added another snowflake to the pile. "This actually might be enough." She said as she inspected it. She started humming Jingle Bells as she did, and then looked up, startled, when she heard the actual song being played.
Fitz smiled to her and turned up the volume on his laptop, placing it in a little wagon. Then he started loading the decorations they had made on top of it. Simmons helped him and then grabbed a few rolls of tape, throwing them on top. They sat and listened to music and talked while they finished their cocoa, and then got ready to get back to work.
"Let's start with the kitchen." She said. "It's about lunchtime, so hopefully the others will be in there."
Fitz pulled the little wagon behind him as they walked from the lab, Christmas songs playing from the laptop. He had to smile when he watched Simmons mouth the words to one song. He actually felt it again, that Christmas-y feeling. It had been lacking, just like she'd said earlier. He just hadn't realized it.
To their surprise there actually wasn't anyone in the kitchen, but they didn't let that deter them. They decorated the room with abundance, taping snowflakes from the ceiling and putting the little fabric stockings on the counter. That room done, they continued decorating down the halls. They decorated Coulson's office, the loading dock, and all the doors to the rooms. They had just enough decorations for everything.
When they were done they went back to the lab. "Thank you, Fitz." Simmons said.
He grinned. "No problem. That was fun."
"I'm glad you're with me. The other team members don't seem to care that Christmas Eve is tomorrow! I tried getting them into it last night, with caroling, but…"
He nodded. He had joined her, for support, but everyone else had closed their doors on them, saying they were too busy. Even Skye, though she'd looked the most sorry about it.
"If we can get just one of them, maybe it'll make it easier to convince the others." Fitz mused. "I say we go for Skye."
"Does it seem wrong to target people just to convince others?" Simmons asked aloud. She met his glance and laughed.
"Nah." He said. "It's what we have to do."
Her eyes gleamed. "And if Skye won't do, we'll just have to go to Coulson."
"Is this your naughty side?" Fitz asked.
She punched him lightly in the arm and he grinned. "I think I like it."
That made her roll her eyes, but she laughed. "Alright. How do we spread the mood to the others?"
"We just have to show them what they're missing." Fitz said. "Make them want it."
Simmons looked at him with a smile he hoped she never used against him. "I've got an idea."
Her idea was to trick Skye into following them back to the lab and melting her heart with Christmas-y stuff until the spirit came to her. When she told Fitz his eyes widened and he swallowed nervously. "Yeah, remind me never to cross you. That's kidnapping!"
"She lives here!" Simmons said. "It's just talking to her. If it doesn't work, we'll talk to Coulson."
"Good intentions." He said to himself. "But we've definitely changed since joining this team."
"Yes, we have." Simmons said.
He jumped when he realized she'd overheard him, and she smiled. "But it's good changes."
They walked to Skye's room and said they wanted to show her something, and she followed them willingly back to the lab. Simmons directed her to a seat, and then she and Fitz turned on her.
"Whoa." Skye said with a nervous smile. "Kind of intimidating." She laughed. "What's up?"
"We need you to find your Christmas spirit." Simmons said. "You're the closest one to finding it this year, and if you do, the others might find it too."
"Simmons, I'm just not feeling it. It's okay. It happens sometimes. Maybe it's just an off year." She stood up and started walking out.
"It can't be an off year." Simmons said quietly. Skye stopped when she heard how serious her friend sounded. "With everything that's changed, S.H.I.E.L.D. being corrupted internally and almost destroyed, Ward betraying us, Fitz almost dying, and HYDRA rising, it just can't. This is one of the only times of year when, no matter what your circumstances, almost everyone can laugh and be happy. We really need that this year."
She was close to tears as she said it. It wasn't at all what she'd planned to do; it had just come rushing out. But it was true.
Skye listened and realized that her friend needed comfort, so she turned around and wrapped her in a hug. For once she beat Fitz to it.
Simmons hugged her gratefully and then stepped back with a smile. "Thank you Skye."
"I thought you were gonna tell me Christmas stories." Skye said, joking.
"Oh, we were." Fitz said. "We still are."
Skye stared at him, but he was completely serious. She sat back down with a sigh. "Of course you are. Alright. Let me have it."
Fitz and Simmons pulled seats across from Skye and sat down. "Why aren't you feeling festive?" Fitz asked.
"I don't know." Skye said. "It's probably most of the stuff Simmons said before. Everyone's been so busy lately."
"That's why we need this Christmas to be extra special!" Simmons said. "No one seems to realize that it'll make them feel better. But I know it will."
Skye looked between the two scientists and nodded. "I can see that, but it doesn't help my spirit improve. I can't just decide to be Christmas-y."
"Why not?" Fitz and Simmons said together. Then they looked at each other and smiled at their synchronous reply.
Skye furrowed her eyebrows. "I guess you're right." She smirked. "I can't believe I almost missed out on Christmas."
"It happens to everyone at some point." Fitz said.
"When it does, it falls on everyone else to have that much more spirit." Simmons added.
"Alright Linus." Skye said. "I get the meaning of Christmas spirit now. I'll spread it to everyone else."
"Good." Simmons smiled and gave Skye another quick hug. "You can go now if you want."
"Do you think we could revisit those carols you were singing last night?" Skye asked.
Simmons beamed and ran to retrieve her music. Fitz walked over to Skye and smiled at her. "Thanks for doing this." He said. "You've just made her day."
Skye shook her head. "I should've done it last night. She deserves the happy Christmas she wants."
"It's not too late." Fitz said. "Meet me here later tonight to set something up?"
Skye's eyes twinkled as she guessed what Fitz had planned. "Definitely."
Then Simmons came back with their music. They practiced parts for a few minutes until Simmons was satisfied, and then Skye led them to Coulson's door, singing all the way.
It actually felt good, she realized. And the look on Coulson's face when he saw her singing with the scientists was priceless.
Turns out all you need to do to have more spirit is will it.
Simmons woke up early, as usual. It was Christmas Eve. She had a lot of things planned today, traditions she'd had since she was a little girl. That included activities with the family.
She dressed in a white shirt and a light blue cardigan and jeans and practically raced to the lab. She wanted to have it set up for Fitz when he woke up.
She was surprised when she found it already set up. Even more so when she saw Skye and Fitz sleeping on the floor, on a mound of cushions and blankets. They were lying near a beautiful little Christmas tree, all ready to be decorated and placed in the middle of the lab. She smiled so much her mouth hurt from it, but she didn't care. "Fitz." She said. "Skye."
They stirred when they heard her, and a few minutes later both were sitting up, fully awake as they faced Simmons.
"When did you do this?" Simmons asked. "And why did you sleep here?"
Fitz stood and stretched. "We did it last night." He said. "And we knew we'd never see your reaction if we slept in our own rooms, so we camped out here."
"We didn't plan on missing it anyway, because we were asleep." Skye said.
Simmons smiled. "You guys are too sweet." She walked over and hugged both of them. "The tree is perfect."
"I know you usually get a tree much earlier than this," Fitz said, "but I figured you'd like to wake up to one before Christmas officially came."
"Well you were right." She said with a smile.
"Happy Christmas Eve." Skye said.
Christmas Eve was spent with all of her friends on the Bus, just like Simmons had wanted. Skye managed to get the others' spirits up, and they decorated their little tree that afternoon, music playing in the background, eating cookies and drinking hot chocolate or eggnog when they needed a break.
They shared stories of past Christmases and old traditions, and just had a good time being with each other. Coulson recited The Night Before Christmas for them, and they agreed to meet back in the lab at seven o'clock the next morning. Then everyone started heading back to their rooms, or to the common area to watch a movie.
Eventually it was just Fitz and Simmons left in the lab, and Simmons poured a bit more cocoa into a mug, holding it between her hands to warm them.
"That was wonderful, Fitz." She said as he walked over to her.
"It really was."
She looked out their little window and searched for signs of falling snow. "That's the most magical part for me." She said softly. "All of the preparations done with family and friends."
"I like the gifts." He said plainly, so seriously that she laughed, knowing that was his goal.
"I like those too Fitz."
"We should go watch that Christmas movie with everyone else." He said. "No reason to be alone on Christmas Eve."
"I'll be along in a minute." She said.
He nodded and started walking slowly out of the lab. He knew she would only be a moment.
When she saw him leave she walked over to their little tree and touched an ornament, thinking. As she studied the tree she started humming Silent Night. It was a tradition she had. When that was done she cast one more look at the lab before turning off the lights and joining Fitz in the hallway.
They were forced by the others to stop when they came to the doorway of the common area. Simmons noticed Skye snickering and looked above her. Sure enough, there was a sprig of mistletoe hanging directly above them. She saw Fitz notice it too, and he blushed. She probably did too.
"I told you they'd walk in together." Skye said. "That way they're the only mistletoe casualties this year."
Simmons looked into Fitz's eyes and then reached up and kissed him on the lips, ever so softly. He returned the kiss the same way, being gentle but firm. Then they separated and walked into the room.
The others were silent, and Coulson took down the mistletoe right away.
Simmons smirked at Skye after a second. "You didn't think that would faze us, did you? We've been trapped under mistletoe before."
Skye raised an eyebrow. "Really? You and Fitz have?"
"Yeah." Fitz said. "Back at the Academy. It's no big deal."
"Mistletoe is a part of the season." Simmons said.
Skye shook her head and grabbed a bowl of popcorn, dropping herself onto the couch. "I'm done."
Fitz-Simmons laughed at her reaction, and then sat down next to each other near Skye.
"Happy Christmas Eve, Fitz." She whispered.
"Happy Christmas Eve, Jemma." He whispered back. He grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze before dropping it back onto her lap.
As she sat there surrounded by friends she considered family, Jemma Simmons smiled to herself. Today had been everything she had hoped it would be, and more. And she'd even gotten Skye by not showing much of a reaction to her kiss with Fitz. She had found a good family to be a part of.
This time of year truly was magical.