A/N: So, I know it's been almost two weeks since I got started with this, but a lot of people have asked me to continue with this, so here I am. Off-topic, did anyone see Divergent? It was good, but they did it so out of order from the book, it was kinda depressing. I mean really. They kiss before she goes to see Caleb in the book. Get it right! I loved the music though, and I liked how they portrayed Al. But Uriah! Uriah wasn't there! And neither was Lynn or Marlene. Am I the only one totally psyched for the Insurgent movie though? First though, I need to get my hands on copy of Alleigent. No spoilers, please! Anyway, Divergent fangirling over, let's get down to business.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. All belongs to the great Joss Whedon, king of Marvel Comics. Well not really. But most of the movies.
It's a few days later, when they're training, when she notices something different about him. He'd never been overly tanned, but now his skin has taken on a dull gray trace. His movements are slower, and his punches jerkier, less volatile. He lacks his usual strength that makes him so Ward-y. Then, one dreaded morning, he's the one late to training. It doesn't help to ease her mind that he looks almost worse than he was when he had been holding the Berserker Staff. It definitely doesn't help when he snaps at her for standing around, looking at him.
"What's your problem?" He asked.
"What's yours?"
Ward scoffed, "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Yes you do. You've been acting weird, and no offense, you look like crap."
"Gee, thanks."
He heads over to the punching bag in a huff, ignoring the hackers words, but Skye is nothing if not persistent.
"Ward I'm serious. You should get Simmons to look at you."
"Skye, I'm fine."
"Ward, please-"
"I said I'm fine, now would you shut up?"
The silence that permeates the air is poisoned.
"I didn't mean that."
"I'm gonna go."
"Skye, wait-"
"It's not your fault I just… I think we both need to cool off a little bit."
Her footsteps are light on the stairs, but to him, they pound against his skull. He swings meagerly at the punching bag again, and sits heavily on a crate. The odor of sweat is heady and thick, doing nothing to help the dull ache pushing against his forehead. He massages his temples gently, and thinks. He knows that Skye was only trying to help. He knew his reaction had been out of line. He knew Skye was probably hurting right now, and he knew he should go confront her about it, and he knew he should apologize. But he didn't.
Coward.
The voices in his head did nothing to help.
She's in her van when he goes after her. He can hear the keys of her laptop clicking away and the music coming from her earbuds. He knocks three times, then opens the door.
He's not exactly sure what he expected. Maybe to see her hacking into his most secure files, or maybe to see her sobbing. He knows what he didn't expect though. What he didn't want.
Skye was always a pinnacle of emotion, and personality, and bright bubbly feelings that made you smile. Sitting in from of him was someone else. Her jaw was set, her eyes glazed over and staring blankly at the screen. The corner of her eye is tearstained, and the usual warmth in her cheeks is lost in the florescent glow of her laptop.
"Skye?"
Her head snaps to attention.
"Yes Ward?"
"A-Are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
"Are you sure? I mean, you look like you've been…"
He gestures to her face. She quickly wipes it away.
"I'm fine Ward."
"No, you're not. Look, about what I said…"
"It's over now. In the past. It doesn't… I dunno, affect me anymore."
She's lying, the voices say, She doesn't trust you if she's lying. And doesn't that make you mad?
It does, he realizes, it makes hot, red anger boil up in the pit of his stomach. It makes demons pull at his brains, cackling and swishing. It makes his fist reach out and clock the doorframe of the car. It makes Skye's eyes shoot up, alight with wariness.
"Ward…"
"Stop LYING!"
Another punch to the vehicle.
"If you have a problem Skye, tell me! But no, you have to go and ignore it, because that's what you do. You let it all roll off your back. 'Oh, it's no big deal. It doesn't affect anyone else, I'll just let it go!' For once, for once, don't let this roll off your back Skye! So tell me your issue-"
"You! You're my issue! You're always so stubborn about everything. You won't let us help you. Why not?"
"I don't need your help! I don't need anyone's help!"
He's breathing heavily now, flashes of rage shooting through his eyes, darkening them.
"Ward…"
"What? What do you want me to do? I don't curl into a ball and run! That's not who I am!"
"Ward…"
"And if you make another smartass comment about running while being curled up in a ball, I swear Skye-"
"WARD!"
"WHAT?!"
"CALM DOWN!"
He catches his breath, focusing on the air filling his lungs and streaming out through his nose.
"Lift up your shirt," she says quietly.
His mind blanks, and it must show, seeing as she rolls her eyes and remarks, "Not like that you dirty minded child."
"Why?"
"I need to see something."
He complies. His energy is gone. It was taken by the rage.
His bandages had been changed that morning, but by now, the scratch marks and crescent moons should have faded. The ones that aren't covered seem to be leaking, preformed scabs ripped apart by strain. Dreading what's beneath, she lifts the bandage.
The marks are tinged green and sickly. The scabbing that has formed is grey and oozing. It looks like he was slashed by an animals' claws rather than an Asgardian sorceress, though, she wonders if there's a difference.
"How..?"
"I'm not sure."
"This is why you didn't want to go to Simmons."
"What happened was my own fault. I didn't want to burden her because of my mistake."
"It wasn't your fault Ward. You weren't in your right mind."
"I was. The spell… it didn't matter. I had my wits about me, I should've known…"
"Known what? She'd leave poison scratch marks? How could you've?"
"I shouldn't have done it in the first place. I should've… resisted."
"Ward, c'mon. You and I both know that this isn't your fault. It was a mission. You followed orders, these were the consequences. That doesn't make what she did okay, because you think your head was clear. It doesn't put you at any fault."
"I could say the same thing to you. How's your stomach feeling Rookie?"
"I'm fine."
She's standing in front of him, her fingers still tracing the scarring he's sure to have. He lets his hands slip forward, under hers, onto her cloth covered stomach. Her breath catches in her throat, and he notices that with just how close they are to each other, they're practically breathing the same air. His hand finds one of hers, and he raises it to his mouth, pressing his lips against her knuckles in a tender way he wasn't altogether aware he possessed.
"Are you gonna let Simmons check you out?"
"I'm not sure…"
"Ward, please."
He lets his lips press back to her knuckles for a moment.
"Okay."
Kay, so I'm not sure if that sucked or not. I felt like the ending was pretty solid, but, as always, feedback is appreciated. I'm not sure if I'll do a few more chapters, or I'll make a series of interconnected Skyeward One-shots. Let me know what you would like. Complete Story-arc, or just little bits of fluff?
Let me know
SlayGal