Wishing Well | Leo Fitz Book Four

Chapter ThirtyOne

"So you need to wrap your leg like this," Asia said again, demonstrating to Leo as she slipped her right foot behind his right ankle, then grabbed his leg, pulling upwards and knocking him back onto the sparring pad beneath them. It wasn't a hard knock, but it did shove a bit of the air from his lungs as he landed. She turned, smiling down at him. "That's a simple toss, it works on anyone, no matter how much bigger they might be than you or me. But if you want to get into the fancy moves, you need more momentum than we have practicing here." She extended her hand down to help him stand back up so they could run the move again. She wanted to make sure he had this one down completely before they moved on to something else.

Sparring together had become a routine of theirs. Something that they could have together, just the two of them, when time was already so limited. It had helped them get to the point where they were so in sync that Leo could almost always gauge what move Asia would be executing next. It was one of his favorite parts of the week, if he was being completely honest. No matter how many times he ended up flat on the mat. So when he saw the opportunity to catch her off guard, he took it.

He grabbed her open hand and pulled down with enough force and surprise to bring her toppling down above him, landing with her chest on his, lips precariously close to his own as well. He grinned at her, earning a smile from her as well. "Momentum, hmm?" He quipped cheekily, before giving her a quick kiss on the lips. "How was that for momentum?"

Asia couldn't help the small giggle, so unlike her when sparring, which burst from her lips. "You're clever," she admitted. "Taking advantage of my weaknesses like that. I should know better than to let my guard down around you by now." She kissed him again, with slightly more passion than the kiss he had just given her. While they were in a public area, there wasn't anyone slotted to be in this practice room till late in the evening. And she didn't care if anyone caught them kissing. Her love for this human being would never be a secret as far as she was concerned.

Leo would have kissed it again, a small rumble growing in the back of his throat, if it weren't for their watches buzzing simultaneously. As they both looked down, they saw the message. Meeting in the Director's office in fifteen minutes. A surprise meeting, which was never good. Asia scrambled off of Leo, rolling to her feet and extending him a hand, which he took for real this time. Fifteen minutes wasn't a lot of time to book it back, change, and still be on time.

"Some things never change," Leo said, kissing her quickly on the cheek before the two of them jogged out of the room together, down the hall and towards their shared living quarters. Asia was always trying to do better about being late, she really was. But a fifteen minutes heads up didn't really do her any favors. She and Leo both ducked through their open door and began to change into more meeting-ready clothing (a button down shirt and corduroy jacket for him, sleek Shield-issue combat leggings and a black shirt under leather jacket for her). The shower would have to wait, there was no way they'd make the deadline if they took the time to do that.

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"Welcome, everyone," Mace greeted, as the last of them called forward filed into the room. In total, it was Asia, Leo, Daisy, Jemma, Mack, May, Radcliffe, and Coulson all together in Mace's office. It was a big space, but even so, was beginning to feel cramped due to the sheer volume of them standing together. "You're probably wondering why I've brought you all in today. Well. It's simple. Due to recent events, Shield has been placed on high alert. From what we have seen and the strife it has caused, it is absolutely mission critical that we safely dispose of the Darkhold." Asia shivered uncontrollably at the sound of that name. "I am having Agent Coulson run the lead on this one. Phil?"