"What is this?"

Ward's voice echoed through the main cabin of the Bus, where he had just discovered Fitzsimmons playing poker.

"I thought you were tired of poker," he commented, crossing his arms and leaning up against the wall. He arched an eyebrow at Fitz, prompting a response.

"Oh… Yes," Fitz faltered, glancing up from his cards briefly before returning his focus back to the game. "Well, I lied when I was playing with you - you don't have a tell, and I'm actually not very good at the game, so I just wanted to get out before I started losing a lot," he said, coming up with the half-truth on the spot.

"But Simmons does have a tell?" Ward asked, trying not to be offended the engineer would rather play with his partner than with him. It was understandable - the pair were incredibly close. Still Ward couldn't shake just a twinge of jealousy, a momentary regret that he didn't have someone that close whom he could always rely on to be there for him.

Fitz snorted so hard at his question he started to choke on his pretzels.

Simmons rolled her eyes and answered for him. "Fitz believes that I am a, what was it, Fitz? A 'walking mass of tells?'" She looked back at Ward, eyes narrowed. "He says I'm not a good liar. I want to disagree, but I fear he may be right." She shrugged and looked back at her cards, throwing a chip on the pile between them. "But that's fine," she continued, glancing quickly at Fitz to make sure his coughing fit had subsided, "Since I think he's easier to read than a book."

At that, Fitz sat upright and glared at her. "Am not!

SImmons smiled, amused. "Whatever you say, Fitz," she allowed, her response proving that she didn't believe him at all.

Fitz continued to sputter and the pair lovingly bickered as the game continued. Skye walked into the room, joining Ward on the wall, observing the pair.

"What's happening here?" She asked, wondering why Fitz had switched poker partners.

"Apparently, they play bluff-free poker," Ward said doubtfully, nodding at the pair.

Skye hummed in understanding at her SO's comment, continuing to watch. After a few hands, it became clear that Simmons was an absolutely terrible liar and Fitz couldn't keep himself from giggling every time he tried to bluff.

"Oh, okay, I see it now," she agreed. She watched in silence for a moment more before slowly narrowing her eyes suspiciously. She watched Fitz carefully for a few more minutes, breaking into a broad smile when she saw Fitz' eyes linger on Simmons' smile for a half-second longer than was necessary.

"Hey, Fitzy!" She said teasingly, "Do you need me to get those glasses out for you to use?"

Fitz looked at the hacker, confused. "Wha... Oh! No, thank you Skye, I am perfectly capable of beating Simmons without any advanced technology."

Simmons rolled her eyes at the comment, still focused on the cards in her hand.

"What glasses?" Ward's voice came from Skye's side but she ignored him, her attention still on the biochemist.

"You sure about that? You don't think it would help... see things clearer?" She said suggestively.

"What are you going on abou-" Fitz started, then froze, his cheeks quickly coloring. "I, ah, I..." He stammered, his eyes flickering to Simmons, then back down to his cards. "Ah, no, thank you, Skye," he said firmly, his tone warning.

"Okay... Just checking!" Skye responded sweetly. "You let me know if you ever want my help in that area," she said.

"No, I - ah -" The engineer continued to stutter, "I don't know what you think you're trying to… Ah… But, I can assure you, you are mis - ah, mistaken." He said, staring so intently on the cards in front of him Skye would swear he was trying to burn a hole through them with his gaze.

"Okay, what glasses," Ward repeated, annoyed.

"Call!" Simmons suddenly announced, sitting up straight and smiling broadly at Fitz. "Fitz, I call. Now you have to put your cards down."

Fitz froze, staring at her overjoyed, face for a moment, then chuckled, realizing she had been in such concentration she was completely oblivious to the conversation. A look of relief flashing across his features before disappearing. "Simmons!" He admonished, flipping over his cards. "You promised!"

The female scientist shrugged, biting back a smile, "I know I promised, but I just wanted to see if it was possible to count cards accurately this early on in the game, with only 2 players."

Fitz rolled his eyes, "Obviously it's possible, if you take into consideration probability of-"

"Well, of course I took that into consideration, not to mention the likelihood-"

"Do you think you could make accurate predictions even earlier into the deck?"

"Well, I don't see why not, after a certain point it's all a pattern."

The pair chatted happily away, Fitz' exchange all but forgotten. Skye smiled and nudged Ward's arm, leading him out of the room.

"What was that all about?" The agent asked.

"Oh," Skye smiled mischievously, "I have a feeling you'll find out soon."