Chapter 12: Morning Snugglies And Guarded Castles Part 1
Skye's POV- Whereabouts: "The beach house" Time: 2:00 am
Skye jerked awake, not because she'd had a nightmare, but because she rolled over to snuggle up with Grant and he wasn't there. She didn't like not having him with her. Skye slipped out of her bed to find him.
She grabbed the handle to Grant's room, pushing it open. She didn't want to wake him up, so she crept up to the foot of the bed and climbed up towards the head of the bed. She scrambled down under the blankets, wriggling closer to Grant. He was warm and smelled good. She closed her eyes, trying to go back to sleep.
Grant's POV
Grant heard soft foot falls, obviously Skye's, and then felt the bed dip as she made her way up and under the covers. He shouldn't be surprised; Skye hadn't slept in her own bunk since the night of the storm. He liked having Skye close, where he knew she was safe, and he could comfort her if she had a nightmare.
He rolled onto his right side, gathering her closer to him. "Had a bad dream, baby?" He inquired softly. He didn't want to startle her; she'd be jumpy if she'd had a nightmare.
"No." Skye whispered.
"What was it then?" He asked, concerned. "Did you hear something?" He asked, more worried than before. I'm going to have to fend off an attack in my boxers, again. Great! That's all I need. He sighed, resigned.
"I had no one to snuggle wif." Skye mumbled. Her words slurred as she practically spoke into his chest, which tickled against his bare skin.
His worry disappeared. "Oh, well in that case…how about we go back to sleep; now you've got somebody to snuggle with." He encouraged, he felt Skye nod against his chest. "Night, snuggle bubby." He smirked at his new nickname for her. Great, now I really am as bad as Skye with these silly nicknames. He thought. He had to admit, it was cute of her to invade his bed purely to snuggle with him.
"Night, snuggle bot." Skye murmured as she drifted off.
Grant kissed the top of her head, soon following her into sleep.
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Grant was aware of a weight on his chest, not suffocating him but preventing him from getting up for his morning workout. Next thing he knew a small hand was pushing against his cheek as Skye stretched on top of him like a cat on her belly then relaxed, nuzzling further into his chest.
He chuckled. Could she possibly be any more snuggly? He wondered. The vibrations from his chuckle disturbed her; Skye scrunched up her nose, moving her hand over his mouth to stop him chuckling. Feeling uncharacteristically playful, he licked her little hand.
Skye squealed, drawing her hand back so fast she almost fell off the bed. He chuckled harder, tightening his hold on her so she didn't fall.
Skye glared at him, sitting up on top of his chest. "Yucky!" She exclaimed in disgust, wiping her hand on his chest.
"Yucky was nearly having your little fingers in my mouth while you stretched like a cat." He laughed. She pouted at him, crossing her arms over her chest indignantly.
"I wike morning snugglies." Skye said defiantly.
"I know you do, baby. I love having you as my snuggle bubby." He assured her earnestly. He pulled her back down to lie on his chest, wrapping her in his arms for a morning snuggle.
There snuggling was interrupted by Skye's tummy rumbling.
"I sound like Fitz." Skye exclaimed in horror, sitting bolt upright straddling his chest.
He had fantasised about Skye straddling him, demanding breakfast. Somehow this wasn't quite it. There was no element of sexiness, just little three year old Skye's tummy grumbling louder than Fitz's; which was impressive for such a small child.
"How about we go feed that little monster in there?" He suggested, tickling her tummy as he set her on the floor. He got out himself, pulling on a t-shirt.
"Can we have pancakes like Jemma makes?" Skye asked, bouncing beside him excitedly.
He couldn't resist her. "I suppose we can." He said, lifting her up and walking down the stairs to the kitchen. He still wasn't totally convinced she could handle the stairs herself but he was yet to prove his suspicions.
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Skye had batter everywhere and he couldn't have cared less. She looked happy and carefree with batter all over her hands and face from stirring. "Pancakes are ready, baby, why don't you sit at the table and I'll bring them over with the jam." He suggested, helping her down from the bench, trying not to get pancake mix all over himself as he did so.
Skye was off like a rocket, sitting at the table excitedly. He placed her pancakes down, spread jam on them for her, and then cutting them up.
"I think they're better than Jemma's." Skye said, whispering like the biochemist could hear her.
"Well, it'll be our secret." He whispered, mockingly. Skye nodded, mouth to full to talk.
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"M'full" Skye exclaimed, pushing her leftovers towards him. "You eat it." She told him, stabbing a piece of pancake and holding it up to his mouth.
"No thanks, baby. I had my fruit and cereal." He told her, not keen to trying Skye's jam covered pancake.
Skye lowered the fork sadly. "But, Fitz isn't here to eat it and I'm full." She explained, looking dejected at the remaining half of her pancake.
He knew Skye loved the science twins making her breakfast. Simmons would cook pancakes or waffles for Skye because he wouldn't condone anything so unhealthy, and Fitz obviously enjoyed eating Skye's leftovers. "I miss them too. How about I eat the rest, just this once?" He could endure half a jam pancake if it made her happy.
Pulling the plate towards himself, he took a hesitant bite. He was expecting it to be super sweet and horrible, due to its sticky substance, but he was pleasantly surprised; it was sweet but not over powering. Skye was watching him anxiously as he swallowed. "It's actually not that bad." He told her, stabbing another piece.
"I knew you'd like it." Skye beamed, grinning.
"Sure you did." He teased, finishing off her breakfast.
"How about we go and get the beach gear we left in the car yesterday, so you can get dressed?" He said, putting the dishes in the sink. He turned around to see Skye running off towards the garage door. "Skye, slow down! The cars locked, baby. Hang on, I'll get the keys." He yelled after her.
"No, It's not, I've got the keys!" Skye yelled back in a sing song voice.
"What!" He exclaimed, spinning around towards the garage. Damn, she's fast. I'll have to find a higher place for them. She likes clicking the button too much. He thought, hurrying to the car.
"My abiators!" Skye squealed happily, putting them on as she sat legs crossed in the boot of the SUV, surrounded by shopping bags.
"Aviators, baby." He corrected.
"Dark, think they broken." She told him, head tilted in confusion.
"It's not bright enough in the garage. You need to wear them outside." He explained.
"Oh." She said, taking them off putting them on her head like she'd seen him do.
Skye grabbed a bag almost as big as herself. "Skye, I got that one. You take this one up to your room for me." He said, handing her a smaller bag that had some stuff for her bedroom in it. They'd gone to a clothing and furniture place on their way to get groceries to get her lighter clothes and a soft purple blanket for her bed, but that wasn't all the sales assistant had insisted she needed. He got talked into a few other girly-looking things to brighten up her new bedroom like a pillow and a canvas that had the beach on it.
"O'tay." Skye agreed, taking it heading to her room.
He grabbed the last bag, shutting the boot and following Skye to her room. He found Skye emptying the bag he'd given her on top of the bed. "Hey baby, do you want these on the bed too." Getting an excited nod, he up turned the bag onto the bed. "You good to find some bathers and clothes while I do the dishes and get dressed?" Skye didn't even look up from her clothes, just giving him a nod and continuing to sort her new stuff with excitement.
Finished the dishes, Grant was in his room doing up his board shorts when he heard little feet running towards his room. The door flung open and he turned around, glad he was at least half-dressed.
Skye jumped up on his bed wobbling as she stood up. "Careful, baby, I don't want you to fall." He exclaimed, worriedly reaching to steady her.
"I want to show you my clothes." She whined.
"Fine, show me your clothes." He sighed, standing in front of her patiently.
Skye lifted her arms like she was imitating a plane and swirled around like a ballerina for him to see her outfit. She was now dressed in a white tank top with Ripcurl written in curly red writing across the front, paired with little red shorts that matched her white polka dot flip-flops, red hat and aviators.
Could she possibly wear more red? I bet she's even wearing the matching bathers. He thought. "Very nice, baby, but we still have to put on sunscreen so you don't get burnt." He told her, walking closer to the bed so they were nearly at eye level looking at each other.
"What about the zinc Lucy said stops little girls getting sunburnt?" She inquired.
"Skye, zinc is more decoration. You don't put it all over you skin like you do sunscreen." He said lifting her down and leading her into the bathroom.
"So, this white stuff stops little girls getting sunburnt… but what about Robots?" She asked worriedly.
"Don't worry, Skye. I'm not a real Robot. It'll work on me too, I won't get burnt." He promised.
"You're still my robot, right?" She asked, eyeing him intently.
"I'm still your Robot, but you know you can call me 'Grant' or 'Ward' as well." He explained. He needed her to know he was more than just a robot; and with Skye he really felt like he could be. He's been more relaxed than he's ever been, and he hasn't even worked out today or made his bed.
"Grant.'' Skye said, trying it out.
He would never admit it, but he loved the way she said his name. She didn't do it very often, favouring 'Robot' more, so it was kinda special when she did.
Skye's POV
Skye looked at her Robot curiously. Grant. She thought. She liked it. She knew he wasn't a Robot; she just liked to tease him so she could watch him make funny faces at her. He smiled when she said his name so she decided she'd keep doing it. She wanted him to smile more.
Grant's POV
He was distracted, and jumped a little as Skye brought her little finger down along his nose leaving a white smear of sunscreen. Damn, that's cold. He thought, startled.
"Grant, better have sunscreen too since you're not a real robot." Skye informed him, drawing white lines of sunscreen all over his face.
"Thanks, baby." He said, rubbing it in. He took the sunscreen off her before he was painted in it. "Ready for zinc?" He asked holding it up. "Hold still." He instructed, tilting her head up. He gave her three strips on each cheek. She really is a cat now. He thought, smirking.
"How's that Skye?" He asked her, picking her up from the bathroom counter so she could see into the mirror.
"Red." She exclaimed, happily.
"Did Lucy put a beach towel somewhere in your bags of stuff?" He questioned.
"Yep." She said, popping the 'p'.
"Ok good, go grab that and any toys you want to play with. I'll get myself a towel and the beach umbrella." He told her, putting her down.
"I'm going to take my new bucket and shovel!" She squealed, running off to her room.
He shook his head amused, not bothering to find a t-shirt or shoes, and went to get his stuff ready. Skye was waiting with her towel, toys, hat and aviators. "All ready to go, I see." He said, pulling the door open, stepping out and putting his own aviators on. Skye ran past him so fast she was nearly a blur. "Skye, slow down!" He called after her. She slowed down a little, but she was still running with her towel flapping wildly behind her. He watched her skid to a stop, immediately filling her new bucket. He stopped on the dry sand a few meter away and set up the umbrella and his towel. Placing his book on his towel, he went to get Skye's towel so it didn't get wet or dirty while she played.
"What are you making?" He asked, picking up her discarded towel.
"A big castle. I want it to be big, so you can guard it so nobody takes me." She told him in a matter-of-factly tone.
Well, that was unexpected. He expected the castle part but not why. Kneeling down next to her, he watched her fill her bucket fixatedly. "Nobody's going to take you, you're safe here. You don't need to build a castle, baby, because you've got one. I'll keep you safe, you don't need to worry." He insisted. Skye stopped filling her bucket, looking up at him, brown eyes searching his.
"I don't need a castle, because I got one." She stated.
"That's right, baby. You don't need a castle because nobody's getting into ours. It's safe." He insisted.
"It's safe." She repeated, more to herself than to him.
She seems to understand now, but he thought she did before. "How about you try your new bathers?" He suggested.
"O'tay." She agreed.
Skye pulled off her clothes and headed for the waves. Picking up her things, Grant walked back to the umbrella to spread out her towel next to his own.
He was glancing at Skye every three lines of his book, and could hear her giggling as she played her games but he was still surprised when she landed on his chest in a shower of salty water droplets. Much like this morning she was on her tummy but this time she placed her wet, cold hands on his cheeks smiling cheekily at him.
"You're all wet, baby." He complained, putting his book aside so it didn't get wet as water dripped from Skye's hair.
"Come play with me." She demanded, using her big brown eyes to suck him in.
"I suppose I can since I'm all wet now." He agreed, getting up taking his aviators off with Skye still in place against his chest.
They walked to the water. "So, Skye, how do we play this game of yours?" He questioned.
"Well, you just jump the waves so they don't get you." She explained.
That's easy enough. He thought. "So like this?" He asked, lifting her in the air so the waves didn't get her.
Skye squeal in delight. "Do it again!" She demanded, putting her arms up to him insistently.
The more he did it the more Skye giggled, clapping her hands in delight.
"Higher, higher!" She giggled.
"You want to go higher? I didn't think you liked heights?" He inquired, while lifting her above the waves again.
"You said I was safe wif you." She told him shyly.
He stopped lifting her into the air and set her on his hip. "You are, baby. I'd never let anything happen to you." He said seriously.
Skye nodded, wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him a squeeze.
"Does this count as a snuggle?" He inquired teasingly, tightening his grip on her.
Skye nodded against his chest. "An ocean snuggly." She suggested, lifting her head to meet his eyes.
"Sounds about right." He agreed. "How about we go cook some of those yummy sausages that Marco gave us for lunch?" He said, getting a nod from Skye.
"D'em snags Marco said." She said correcting him.
"Yes, that's right baby, snags." He agreed, walking hand in hand with her back to the house to start lunch.
Notes- Thanks you EmmaJMcGhee for all your help beta-ing :)
