Birds of a Feather | | Leo Fitz Book One

Chapter 43

"So that was crazy," Skye said from behind a wall of steam as Asia wrapped herself in a towel and stepped out of the shower. It was always good to shower off after a long day, after a mission. It help her let go over the tension that was ever present in her shoulders and upper back. She would have been surprised to hear Skye's voice if she hadn't been as loud as a bull in a china shop coming into the washroom.

"Was it?" Asia asked, toweling off her brown hair and pulling it back into a pony tail. "Do you mean the part where Ward shot someone because he was terrified of losing you? Because that was something for sure." She had never seen Ward so...defensive. Willing to put his feelings in front of his job. That wasn't the Ward she knew, not even close.

"I..." Skye began to protest, but then rolled her eyes. "Ok yea, that was pretty fucking crazy. What do you think it means?" She asked, sitting down on one of the locker room benches as Asia dropped her towel and pulled a fresh pair of athletic shorts and a loose fitting tank top on.

"Um, that he's head over heels for you? That he's willing to risk his job to keep you alive?" Asia said, as if it were the most obvious thing on the planet. "I love you both, but this whole waiting game is killing me, and I wish you would just get together already."

Skye gave her a flat look, raising one eyebrow, not saying a word.

"Ok, I bite, what the heck is that look for?" Asia sighed, opening up her locker and reaching for her phone, noticing a text from Leo. It seemed urgent. She opened it up, reading the message to meet him in the cockpit. She slipped her phone back into her pocket.

"Because that's a huge case of 'pot calling the kettle black if I've ever heard one," Skye said, keeping an eye on her friend, as Asia pretended to be ever interested in her blue gym locker, and folding up her white towels just so. "You and Fitz are crazy for each other. I'm tired of waiting around for you two to realize it."

Aisa closed her blue locker and leaned against it for a second, before turning back to look at Skye, who sat crosslegged on the bench, pleased look in her eyes. "Fine. Ok. You might be right. I mean, on my half a least," she admitted quietly. "But I'm not going to tell him, not until I know for sure."

"Want me to...you know...test the waters?" Skye suggested, fiddling with the hem of her plaid button up, wiggling her eyebrows and biting her lower lip.

"No! Absolutely not!" Asia fought back a giggle. "It'll happen if it's meant to. Now, I think you ought to go meet Mr Tall Dark and Handsome and talk about what he just did for you, while I go meet up with Leo. He texted me, it sounds pretty important."

Skye rolled her eyes, but didn't seem to object.
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As Asia was walking down the halls, she, quite literally, ran into the man she was looking for in the first place. "Leo! What's up? I got your text."

"Oh Asia, thank God," he said, grasping her arms and breathing heavily. "We have a serious problem."

"Serious problem?" Came Skye's voice, as she peaked her head out from her bedroom. "What's the sitch, Fitz? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"I..I didn't do anything wrong, I swear," Leo said, holding up his hands in defense. "I was just, erm, working, a moment ago, on some of the tech in the avionics bay." He muttered, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his skinny jeans. Skye exited her bedroom and closed the door to the white pod behind her.

"Ok," Asia prompted, coming to his side and rubbing her shoulder gently. "And then what?"

"Ok, erm, well. Why would May-" he began glancing behind them, then back at Skye and over to Asia. His eyes glistened as if he were about to cry. It made the pit of Asia's stomach feel hollow, even though he had seen her in much worse of states. "Why would May have an unauthorized encrypted hard line in the cockpit, complete with a thumb scanner? That isn't in any of the plane's specs." he said in one rushed sentence, he's cheeks reddening.

Asia's mouth dropped open and for a moment, she was at a loss for words. She looked to her friend Skye, whose mouth also made a perfect O.

The hacker then spoke, crossed her sleeved arms over her chest. "An encrypted hard line? That doesn't make sense." Asia nodded in agreement.

She rubbed her hand gently down Leo's back, feeling the small bumps of his spine beneath his soft, grey t-shirt. "Are you sure that's what you saw?" she asked him gently.

"I'm absolutely sure," Leo said, looking at her with his stormy eyes, with a look of complete sincerity. Asia nodded in understanding. "Dedicated to on receiver. She's not supposed to have that. Who's she talking to?" He asked, looking back and forth between the girls. It was almost as if the brilliant scientist were in a state of shock.

Skye thought for a moment, before her eyes widened in shock. "Cut the line," she ordered.

"What?" Asia asked, eyebrows raising in surprise.

"Do it. Fitz, do Not let her call out," she said, turning on her converse covered heel and running in the other direction.

"I.." Fitz started, turning to Asia, at a loss for words.

She grabbed his large, callused hand and squeezed it. "I'll come with you. We're in this together."