Drabble 6: Hold My Beer

A/N: Remember in the episode "The Hub," when Fitz is given a drink after fixing the TV? He drinks it and says "salty," and you can tell Ward is internally shaking his head. That's the inspiration for this drabble.

"I'm bored," Skye said as she picked up the game pieces.

"Beating me in Battleship isn't fun enough for you?" Ward said.

"Not when we've been doing games all day," she pointed out.

"We could always do some training," Ward said.

"But then what would Fitz-Simmons do?"

The scientists perked up at their names, looking up from their quiet conversation across the room. "What's that, Skye?" Simmons asked while Fitz said "You need something?"

"I think they'll be okay," Ward said.

"I don't want to train," Skye said. She grinned and leaned in close to Ward. "Let's see how Fitz-Simmons act drunk," she whispered.

"And if we're needed for a mission?"

"We won't be! We're still hours away from anywhere!" Skye got Fitz and Simmons' attention again. "We need to drink," she said.

"Do you want me to get some sodas?" Fitz asked.

"Fitz, I think Skye meant alcohol," Simmons said gently.

Skye nodded, raising her eyebrows, and Fitz smiled awkwardly. "Yeah, right. Simmons and I can get that."

"This is a bad idea," Ward said when they'd left the room.

"Relax, Ward," Skye said. "I just wanna see what happens."

Unfortunately for Skye, nothing really happened after a few drinks. At least, nothing happened fast enough, and she started drinking herself as the four of them played card games, forgetting about her experiment.

"Hold my beer," Skye said a few drinks later, almost dropping it onto Ward's lap.

"No!" Ward said, grabbing Skye's arm as she stood. He pulled her back down to her seat. "Nothing good ever happens after those words. I think we've had enough beer."

"You're right," Simmons said, her words exaggerated.

"We need scotch!" Fitz declared. He started shaking with silent laughter. "Scotch sounds like Scottish, right? And –."

"And you're the one to say it!" Simmons finished, putting one hand on his knee and squeezing it as they both laughed.

Ward felt Skye looking at him and turned back to her. "Something wrong?" he asked, upon seeing her downcast eyes.

"You're not getting drunk, so we can't all have fun. I don't want to make you be a babysitter."

"We're not that drunk!" Fitz cried, shooting to his feet. He stumbled, and Simmons yanked on his arm to keep him steady. "Maybe we have had a bit too much," he said, blinking. He looked at Simmons as an idea occurred to him. "You know what we really need?"

Simmons jumped up next to him, linking her arm through his. "I certainly do, Fitz. Let's go."

"Wait, where are you going?" Ward asked.

"Doesn't matter to you!" Fitz called over his shoulder.

"Boiler room tradition, no Ops allowed!" Simmons' voice called through the doorway.

"That doesn't make me feel better," Ward muttered.

"You know what," Skye said, looking at him seriously.

He raised an eyebrow, waiting.

"I think you're scared I can drink more than you. That's why you're not getting drunk."

He scoffed. "Skye, I'm pretty sure I can hold more alcohol than you."

"Then prove it!"

"I'm not sure it's the best idea."

She smiled. "I knew you were scared. We're on the Bus, and May and Coulson are in charge. We're in the middle of… somewhere, with time to kill. So the only thing keeping you from having fun with us is that you're scared!"

He stared at her hard for a few seconds. Then he tipped back the beer she had handed him and drained it. When he looked at her again, she was smiling in open-mouthed surprise. "Let's go to the kitchen," he said.

"Why?" she asked, scrambling to stand up after him. She stumbled into him, and he steadied her.

"If I'm gonna enjoy myself and drink, I'm gonna have a real drink," he said. "Whiskey, if May didn't take it all."

"Alright Ward!"

Ward half-smiled as she followed him to the kitchen. This was a perfect excuse to look for Fitz-Simmons and make sure they weren't trying to build some doomsday device, or whatever scientific, terrible inventions crossed their minds when they were intoxicated, and their logic was fuzzy. And he had Skye with him, to keep an eye on her.

Although he really was hoping there was whiskey in the pantry. Because he did have to prove Skye wrong.

It was practically a requirement.