12777/Birthday Jemma

Birthday Jemma
Date of Scene:	13 September 2022
Location:	Suite 05: Jemma's Suite - Triskelion
Synopsis:	Fitz goes to Jemma's suite with a gift and an invitation on Jemma's birthday and it's the sweetest thing ever.
Cast of Characters:	Leopold Fitz, Daisy Johnson, Jemma Simmons

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Leopold Fitz has posed:
Birthdays. They come and go, and for the most part, in SHIELD, they're almost never remarked with anything other than a passing 'Happy birthday', or a random bit of something left in an office. Life within the Triskelion is transient, both in terms of life and death, and in terms of deployment. There are only a few constants to the vast building, and that is that the lab continues.

The lights rarely dim in that place of myth and legend, but tonight? Tonight, the engineering room is lit by its single emergency light only, casting a darkened pall. It's strange for those looking in to its entry office; there's no one moving about, haunting the place. Nope.

For Dr Leopold Fitz is actually in his quarters! Walking back and forth, the young engineer is tying and retying his tie, trying to get it to sit just right. For each pass in the mirror, he's adjusting it within the buttoned collar of his oxford shirt, and with the 'V' style of his vest. He's got a fresh haircut, his hint of facial hair is clipped back to make it look a proper beard in that 5 o'clock scruff sort of way.

"It'll be fine," is murmured to himself as he finishes up the last touches. "What's the worst tha' can happen?"

Fitz pauses at the mirror once more, shifting his tie yet again before he drops his hands with a sigh, "She'll say 'no, Fitz'."

Not much of a pep talk, certainly, but it is what it is, and it has Fitz out the door regardless, tin in hand with a bow settled upon the top. The closer he gets to Jemma's door, the slower his feet move before he pauses in front of the door. No, rather, he freezes there, hand raised to knock on the door. Another soft pep talk is in order, and he murmurs, "It's fine."

Daisy Johnson has posed:
There is nothing unremarkable about birthdays if Daisy has something to say about that. Specially where it comes to her friends! And damn right that Jemma is her friend. So Daisy is moving along the Triskelion, determined to surprise Ms. Simmons with a going-out with friends. Maybe a little dancing at a certain speakeasy because those always go well...

She goes by the lab first to peek in. Maybe she will even find Fitz if he needs a reminder about whose birthday it is. But no one is here. No Jemma. No Fitz. What the .... Probably field work? Urgh, she hopes Jemma didn't get assigned field work...

The Agent steps back out and then begins a leisurely slow walk downstairs to where the rooms are. There isn't _that_ much of a rush. And besides, half of that suite is still hers! It's not like she can't just go in unannounced...

But for now she is still a long ways away from it.

Jemma Simmons has posed:
Ugh...birthdays.

When they happen for other people, then they are fun and festive. But...not so much if it is your *own* birthday. At least, in Jemma's mind. Though, not for any negative reason.

No, it is just because Jemma doesn't think she should be fussed over. Which is highly ironic, considering that is exactly what she does for her friends.

Still, the day was going by normally. There was a few occasions in which the biochemist was seen out in the wild. But, either because of her quickened pace or maybe just because of the seniority, she wasn't approached. Jemma was in the lab, once or twice, but in those cases, she seemed to have missed Leo. Be that either because of Jemma's knowledge of Leo's work habits or whatnot is left up for debate. However, she did see the flowers. And...she knows exactly where they came from.

"Silly Fitz. He really shouldn't have."

The silence in Jemma's own room is broken as she arraigns the flowers on her table. Jemma's side is tidy...and really, so is Daisy's side, too. But, only because Jemma cleaned it for her. Hey, it is what Jemma does. "He knew I would be in the lab...and that I would see. Clever."

Little does Jemma know that her lab partner is just outside her door, having a crisis of faith in himself to just knock...

Leopold Fitz has posed:
'Silly Fitz'.

The flowers did get the occasional glance from the techs, and though there was no signature on the card, those who have worked in the labs for the pair for a few years have an instinctual knowledge of who left it for discovery. Some have even laid in wait to see Doctor Simmons' reaction to them, for an added chirp at the water cooler.

Here, now, however, Fitz looks up the corridor and down before looking down at his clothing, then back up and at the closed door. Clearing his throat, his hand finally rises to make a single rap at the door. There's a three count, sped up of course, before he begins to believe that she may not be home, as his manner and mien suggest. He's looking down the corridor once more, then back at the door.

"It's not as if we haven't spent birthdays t'gether before," is murmured.

His birthday was .. enjoyable. The time out in the city? In truth, therein lies the underlying strength of his being here right now.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Nope! Daisy is nowhere close to them just now. She's walking down that corridor. Then she picks up her cellphone to look at it. Should she send a message to the wapp group to say it's party time? She starts typing it up but then .....

"Nah..."

Keep it a surprise. And oh crap, that's Jerkins. Time to take a detour off -another- corridor. Which might just delay her some more.

Jemma Simmons has posed:
Wait...was that a knock on the door?

But...it was only one. Did Jemma imagine it?

No, no. Surely not. There is someone at the door. Which, is odd in and of itself. Because there is never anyone at Jemma's door. Most people probably assume that Jemma just lives in the lab. Which means....

Jemma better answer the door!

The door opens, and Jemma peeks her head out. Through the gap between the doorframe and the door itself, it is Jemma at her casual best. Which, in this case, are canvas shoes, jeans, and a Doctor Who t-shirt (Matt Smith as the 11th!). It is painfully obvious she wasn't expecting to go anywhere.

And, from the way Jemma's eyes widen, it was also obvious she wasn't expecting to see Leo dressed in anything except his usual lab attire.

"Fitz! Hello!! This is a surprise..." Way to say the obvious there, Jemma. "I didn't expect to see you..."

Leopold Fitz has posed:
The door isn't going to open, he knows it. Nope. Not at all, and should he even be here at all? He left the flowers, and, well.. they're friends. Friends.. which is fine.

Fitz turns ever so slightly in the heartbeats between the knock and the answer, so it takes him by a little bit of a surprise.

"Uh.. oh, Jemma. You are home. Here." The words stumble a little, and looking down in his hands, he recalls that he's got the tin with a bow before, "I came by to give you this. Happy birthday." Holding it out, Fitz can't help but see the 'dressed down for staying in' look, and he lifts a free hand to scratch at the back of his neck. "It's just a few things I thought you'd might like." Well, him with the aid of his gran.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Jerkins was successfully avoided. For Daisy knows she'd just have to spend the next half hour talking to him about how she didn't hand over those damn forms in triplicate. Bureaucracy! Not Daisy's beach... Though as she thinks about beach ..., mmmm. Yea. They -could- go there this afternoon. Yep, that's the plan!

And so Daisy is walking faster towards Jemma's room. Decisive!

Just one more turn and ....

Pause.

Familiar vibrations just beyond. Jemma of course but also .., Fitz? What is this?! So nope! Daisy isn't the disaster that comes to barge into the deliciously awkward scene happening between the two. She doesn't even peek! She turns tail and just walks away with a much more happier spring to her step.

Gossip would be pulled out of her friend later!

Jemma Simmons has posed:
If Jemma had any hope of obfuscating her surprise...that notion has totally left her. Leo presenting a present? By hand? Dressed up, no less? This is breaking all of the usual norms that has, so far, defined FitzSimmons' relationship.

And, suddenly, Jemma is conscious of what she is wearing and realizes she is underdressed. For what, she has no idea.

This....is new territory.

"Oh, Fitz....you shouldn't have!" Well...at this that response is typical of Jemma. She pauses...a litany of decisions being considered with pros and cons...all in a second. Which causes just the slightest bit of hesitation. For what seems to be ages, yet only seconds, Jemma considers...then acts. A hand reaches out to take the gift...while the other opens the door wider. "Well...hmm...would you like to come in? It would be awfully unkind of me to let you just stand out in the hallway while I opened your gift." A beat, then a quick realization, followed by a slightly panicked reply. "That is unless you want me to wait to open this! I mean, I certainly don't want to be rude..."

And...for perhaps the first time in some time, it would seem that Jemma has no plan for this. She did not prepare for this eventuality. And her friends know just how terrible Jemma can be at improvisation.

Leopold Fitz has posed:
They've 'hung out' many times, though admittedly in the lab. But, life and conversations of (almost) all topics have gone between them, and yet, here Fitz is, standing by the door, unsure of what to say next. It's awkward, and the spectre of fight/flight is rearing its head in the face of Jemma's uncertainty.

The tin looks very much like a small cookie tin, though it's light, if that gives hint as to what could lie within. He does reach out with it to cover the divide between them, and nods quickly, "If you'd like t'open it now, it wouldn't be amiss." Or, come to think of it, "Or, y'know, open it later."

Jemma's offer to come in is greeted with another nod, and with another look down the corridor (people WILL talk, after all!), he crosses the threshold so the door can close behind him. "I just wanted t'bring that by rather than leaving it. And, um.." Fitz looks down at the way he's dressed again; a little too much, maybe? His words come tumbling out a touch nervously, as if rehearsed, and suddenly its improv. "If you'd want to get a pint.. or something. I mean, I probably should have mentioned it as I've got reservations, but if you don't want to go, that's fine. They'll fill the table easily."

Jemma Simmons has posed:
"Reservations??"

Those brown eyes look over Leo, then back to Jemma's own ensemble, then back to Leo again. "Oh! I did not know!" Which is completely true. Jemma had no idea. "I...err...I mean....We really should not let those reservations go to waste now. It really would not take much for me to change into something more appropriate." A pause, as Jemma regards Leo again. "Hmmm...did you have an opinion on what I should wear?"

Smooth, Jemma. Real smooth.

The realization that she is still holding Leo's gift comes crashing in. "I...I can open this first, and then just quickly run to the bedroom to change, if you are okay with waiting out here for the few minutes it would take. Would that be okay?" Jemma is not waiting for an answer...at least on the tin opening. And, judging from the slight tremble of her normally steady hands, either Jemma is excited or nervous.

Perhaps both.

The tin is opened...and Jemma catches sight of the gift card to the bakery first. "Awww! You remembered. This place has the absolute best scones in New York...." But...then Jemma's voice trails off as she sees the other gift within. Her expression shifts from minor delight to slight confusion to overwhelming realization as to what exactly she is seeing. "Is that...a necklace of a protein model? Glycine, glutamate, methionine, another methionine, alanine. That....isn't a common protein. Wait a minute...."

The head tilts as Jemma ties out the amino acid names with the common abbreviations for them. "G. E. M. M. A. How delightful! Of course, Leo, you know that there isn't an amino acid with a J designation...which explains the glycine substitute." Yes, Jemma is a biochem scientist. It wouldn't be difficult to tie it together. "This is absolutely fantastic!"

Apparently, Jemma likes the necklace.

Oh...but back to the matter at hand. "Oh...where did we have reservations for?" Yes, Leopold. Jemma said 'we'. She is going to go out with him. No backing out now.

Leopold Fitz has posed:
With the gift thus given, there isn't much for Fitz to do with his hands, and so they find a place in pants pockets. When Jemma does acknowledge and agree(!) to dinner, the smile that comes across the engineer's face is one of relief, coupled with a nod. "I'm sure what ever you find to wear will be fine. You'll look grand in anything." It's a hint of truth there; and the moment it exits, Fitz looks away again, walking around just a little.

He finds himself at Jemma's side as it opens, his place at her shoulder, head tilting slightly for the view within, even though he knows what's there. He'd packed it, after all! "It was a call between endorphins or the amino acid. An' I thought the endorphins were a bit forward." Is that a joke? Probably.

She likes it! Her exclamation brings a broader smile to his face, the expression genuine and warm. "I'm glad. It'll look lovely."

Fitz takes a step back once more, and exhales in a soft puff of air. "I couldn't find a restaurant I wanted, but I think it'll do. 'Serra' on the Flat Iron." A rooftop restaurant with trellises of living plants, all incorporated in the design of the venue, and set for each season. "It was too short notice to requisition a Quin to go elsewhere."

Jemma Simmons has posed:
'Requisition a Quin'?! Was there intention to fly somewhere else? That little comment catches Jemma, but, at least for now, she doesn't betray anything with her expressions. It also could be the fact that she is picking up the necklace and shifting to head to the bedroom. "I will only be a moment, Fitz. Please feel free to make yourself comfortable!"

And then off Jemma disappears to, inside her bedroom. The sounds are muted from within there, but the distinct sounds of closet doors and drawers opening and closing can be heard. It is all in a bit of a rush, as Jemma has little time to go through and pick the perfect outfit. Or, at least in her mind, the perfect outfit.

So, it is a dreadfully longer wait until Jemma emerges from the bedroom. A whole 6 minutes! Horror of horrors! And....at least for Jemma's part, she looks more along the lines of 'date night comfort' than 'stay at home comfort'. Gone are the jeans and t-shirt. In their place is a fun polka-dot blouse, white with black dots, over which she has thrown on a red short-sleeved sweater. The jeans have been replaced with a pair of slacks of a dark shade of blue, perhaps navy. Yet, upon her feet are still those Converse shoes, the red canvas a match to the thin red sweater. And, to cap it off, the flash of silver upon her neck betrays that she has her amino acid necklace on, in full display.

There is just the slightest of rouge on Jemma's cheeks...which is not makeup at all, but just natural. A hint of nervousness that is quickly hidden with that smile of hers. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting."

Jemma approaches Leo, shifting from one foot to the next while her hands clasp each other in front of her waist. Apparently in an effort to steady them. "So..hmm....shall we go, then?"