Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

When Jemma met Daisy at her office the next morning to go over the next steps, she couldn’t look directly at her. The hot desire that Jemma had created for herself was still simmering in her belly. Just imagining Daisy pleasuring her had caused the best orgasm Jemma had ever had. How was she supposed to look at her friend now? 

“Okay, so we’ve got venue, date, and catering worked out. Let’s talk about theme. What kind of aesthetic are you thinking of?”

Daisy was talking towards a plant on her windowsill while she was watering it. Her hair was pulled up into a little ponytail, some wispy strands at the nape of her neck had fallen from the tie. There was a jacket thrown over her office chair, and her shoulders in the tank top underneath were incredibly tempting.

When Jemma didn’t respond immediately, Daisy turned to face her with a quietly worried face.

“You okay?”

“Yeah,” Jemma said, looking down at the design notebook in her hands. “Had a weird dream last night. Didn’t really sleep well.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

Jemma had a flash of Daisy touching her, hands gentle against her belly and hips, the way she’d kissed her, licked her. Except that wasn’t Daisy. That was Jemma’s idea of what Daisy would be like as a lover. That didn’t mean Daisy would be anything like that, in fact.

“Uh, no. No. It’s fine.”

Daisy looked at Jemma evenly for a long moment before nodding. 

“Well, I’m here if you want to talk about it. I used to have these really vivid dreams when I was dating Raina the last time that I couldn’t shake.”

“Huh. What about?”

“Raina leaving, or catching me cheating. I had a sex dream about Robbie, of all people!”

“Who?”

“Robbie Reyes, I think he’s on the other side of the friend group. You might not know him.”

“The name sounds familiar, but I don’t think I’ve ever actually met him. Although, that’s not a surprise. Leo and I were really insular before he met Hunter and Bobbi. I don’t know half of the friend group past the immediate circle.”

“Robbie and I wouldn’t have worked, trust me. We shared some trauma, but there wasn’t any actual chemistry there.”

“So, extra weird that you’d have a sex dream about him,” Jemma said, thinking about the fantasy she had encocted the night before. Maybe it wasn’t weird, maybe it was just nerves. She was getting nervous about the wedding, and her mind was making stuff up to cover those nerves.

Yeah, she thought, that was it. She wasn’t into women, this was just pre-wedding panic. That was all. 

“Yeah, exactly!” Daisy said, clearly glad that Jemma was following along. “Anyway, the point is -”

She paused and frowned.

“I don’t remember what my point was,” she admitted.

“I can talk to you about stuff,” Jemma said.

“Right! Anyway, always here to talk! Or, you know, distract.”

Jemma looked down at the notebook to keep herself from Daisy in bed again.

“I was thinking deep red, burnt orange, and cream for a color scheme,” she said instead.

“Oh! That sounds wonderful! Let’s take a look!”

"There's a dress sale going on at this cute boutique I always recommend, if you and your bridesmaids want to book an appointment."

“It’s just the one bridesmaid, Bobbi, and the boys, Leo and Hunter,” Hunter said. “Is that going to be a problem?”

“Well, the boutique has suits and gender neutral outfits for these kinds of situations. It’s a really inclusive shop, which is why I always recommend it. I’ll get you the shop’s contact info. I think I have the owner’s card, actually.”

“Oh. You’re not coming with?”

Daisy looked up at her, surprise in her eyes.

“You want me to come with you to the dress shop? Really?”

“Yeah! I trust your opinion, and keeping everyone on track. Knowing us, Hunter would get Leo into a dress, and then we’ll forget why we’re there entirely.”

“Oh, well, in that case -”

“Only if you want, though. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, so if you don’t want, then don’t -”

“Babe, you’re fine. I want to go, I just didn’t expect the invitation. I’d love to help you pick out that special dress.”

“Really? You mean it?”

Daisy touched Jemma’s arm with a sweet touch, and she flooded with a familiar warmth.

“I do. I would love to go, Jemma. I promise.”

The boutique was a cute shop that flew a progress pride flag and a black lives matter flag out front. The owner was a smaller framed person with a pixie cut named Emery, who was extremely excitable and thrilled that Jemma had men in her bridal party.

“Em, this is our lovely bride-to-be, Jemma Simmons. She is going to be married in September. We are hoping you can help her, and her wonderful bridal party, find their match. The bridal party here is Leo, Hunter, and Bobbi.”

“Well, it’s great to meet you all!” Emery said excitedly. “It’ll be awesome to help you find exactly what you’re looking for! Where can we start?”

“What are we allowed to wear?” Hunter asked. “Can Leo wear a kilt?”

“I didn’t wear one for our wedding; I’m not wearing one at Jemma’s.”

“You’re such a naysayer. What happened to my fun husband?”

“I’ve been a naysayer since we met. You just haven’t seen it because I give you whatever you want.”

“That’s not true. You tell me no all the time!”

“Tell that to the third kitten you brought home this year,” Leo replied.

“Don’t act as if you don’t love Babs.”

“Okay,” Bobbi interjected, cutting them both off. “That’s not the point. We’re here for Jemma, remember?”

“Right, back to my first question. What are we wearing? Suits? I think I’d look damn good in a bridesmaid dress.”

“If you want,” Jemma said, “you can wear a dress. I would love to see the look on Will’s mum’s face when you walk down the aisle in a dress. That would be hilarious.”

“Mmm, tempting,” Hunter said. “I’ll let you know if I find anything.”

“Come on,” Leo said, leading Hunter away towards the suits and bridesmaid dresses. “We’ll find something appropriate. I promise, Jem.”

“Thanks, Leo. And try to keep your hands off each other. We’re in public.”

“No,” Hunter said cheerfully. 

“I’ll keep an eye on them,” Bobbi said, heading after them. 

“So,” Emery said, drawing Jemma’s eye back to them. “What are you looking for today?”

“A dress,” Jemma said.

“Well, that’s certainly a good place to start. I can pull a bunch of different styles for you to change, and we can fine tune as you try them on. Daisy went ahead and sent me your information, and your approximate dress size. So, let me go pull those.”

Emery disappeared through a gossamer curtain in the back, leaving Daisy with Jemma.

“You have my dress size?”

“You and I are the same size, I’m pretty sure. Besides, they will take your measurements exactly so your dress can be tailored to you, specifically. You’re short, so -”

“Hey!”

“Well, you are!”

“That’s not nice,” Jemma said, and Daisy caught Jemma’s hand to squeeze it. “Besides, you’re not that much taller than me.”

“My shortness does not, in fact, negate your shortness, darling.”

“Yeah, okay. That’s fair.”

“But, that doesn’t mean that you can’t have the most beautiful dress in the world. They’ll just have to hem it a couple inches.”

“A couple inches !” Jemma scoffed.

“You’re what, five foot even?”

“I’m five foot four!”

“Mmm, on a good day.”

“Daisy!”

“Alright, alright, fine. You’re five foot four.”

“Don’t say it like that,” Jemma laughed. 

“Like what?”

“Like you’re just giving up to humor me. Will does it all the time, and I hate it.”

“You’re like two inches shorter than me, so I’m not giving up to humor you. I was just teasing, but if that makes you uncomfortable, I won’t do it.”

Jemma sighed and shook her head.

“Sorry, it’s fine. I know you were teasing. I’m just, I’m stressed, I guess.”

“I know,” Daisy said, and she used the hand in Jemma’s to pull her close. She hugged Jemma, and let Jemma tuck herself into Daisy’s chest. “You’re alright, sweet girl. This part will be over soon enough, and you’ll be married to a wonderful man. Okay? This part won’t last forever.”

“Right,” Jemma said, and breathed in the very soft scent of Daisy’s perfume on her clothes and skin. “Right. You’re right.”

“Good girl,” Daisy cooed, and a shiver raced down Jemma’s spine unbidden. There was a soft noise in Daisy’s throat, then she murmured again, “good girl.”

When Jemma pulled away, she caught Daisy’s eyes and they stood in that space, close enough that Jemma could see the faint gold and green in Daisy’s brown eyes, close enough that she could smell the coffee on her breath from that morning. It was intimate, and Jemma let her eyes flick down from Daisy’s eyes down to her full, pink lips. She couldn’t help it, curious what they would feel like against her own. 

“Jemma,” Daisy muttered. 

“Sorry,” Jemma said, stepping away. “Personal space. I know. Leo is always telling me I need to step back. Thank you, though.”

“No apologies, or thanks needed.”

“Okay!” Emery said, wheeling out a rack of gowns of all different lengths and styles, ranging from simple to extravagant. “Here we are! Let’s take a look!”

It was a long process, Jemma trying on one after another, but not finding the right fit. She found a fault in each one, long enough that Bobbi, Leo, and Hunter had wandered back in with their options. One was too short, another had a weird neckline. This one had too much lace and embellishments, that one had not enough. 

She let out an angry breath, staring at herself. The latest one she’d tried on was too long, although that could be fixed, but there was something -

“No,” Jemma groaned.

“Why?” Daisy asked.

“It’s the same style as Will’s mum’s, I think,” Jemma said, twisting in the mirror. “I don’t know. It feels old-fashioned, and stuffy.”

Emery snickered.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Jemma said quickly. “It’s lovely, but -”

“No, girl, don’t even sweat that. I’ve just heard that a lot about that one. It’ll find the right home, and we’ll find you the perfect one. I have something special in the back, hold on.”

“It took me four hours to find a wedding dress,” Bobbi said. “I’m taller than most wedding dresses account for, so it took me ages to find one that fit and looked nice. So, relax, babe. You’ll get this.”

“What did you three find?” Jemma asked.

Leo gestured to his suit hanging up on the hook nearby, a deep red suit with a cream colored tie, and then the suit next to it, which was undoubtedly Hunter’s, and the other suit beside it, both cream colored with deep red ties. 

“Oh, I love them,” Jemma cooed. “Can I see you guys in them?”

They moved to take them into the other dressing room, which was big enough for all of them to move about in freely, not that they needed much space. Hunter pulled the curtain shut after them and gave Jemma a wink just before his face disappeared. 

“No funny business,” Jemma called.

“Oh, there’s nothing funny about the business here,” Hunter said. There was a yelp that sounded a lot like Leo and an indignant noise. 

“Lance Hunter!”

Daisy rolled her eyes at them just as Emery brought out a gown for Jemma. Already, Jemma could feel the excitement in her chest. It was gorgeous, made of light tulle fabric, floral appliqués creating a sweetheart neckline, with a cinched waist, flowing out slightly into an a-line skirt, with appliqués trailing down onto the skirt. 

“Oh!” she said, and unintentionally bounced on the balls of her feet. There was a cute giggle from Daisy behind her. “Emery! That looks beautiful!”

“I told you I had something special saved in the back. This one’s a little pricier, which is why I don’t always bring it out, but it’s perfectly your size, and I think it would look fabulous with your color scheme.”

“How much pricier?” Jemma asked, even though she knew she was going with that dress. 

“Double the one you’re wearing,” Emery said carefully, and Jemma hissed out a breath. That was at the very top of her budget, and she had hoped to avoid actually reaching the top. 

“I’ll try it on. Maybe it won’t fit,” she said, mostly to herself. She took the dress into the dressing room, and carefully slipped out of the dress she was wearing, hanging it up on the hanger it had come on. She stepped into the dress, and as it glided up her body, she was sure that this was the best thing she’d ever worn. “Oh no.”

“You alright?” Daisy asked.

“Yeah, uh,” Jemma answered slowly. “It’s lovely.”

She looked at herself in the mirror, loose around her waist since she hadn’t zipped up the back.

“Daisy, can you zip up the back for me?”

There was a rustle as the dressing room curtain slid open, and then Daisy appeared behind her, eyes meeting in the mirror over Jemma’s shoulder. There was a soft look in her eyes as she stepped up close behind her, then there was an even softer brush of her fingertips down her spine all the way to the zipper at the base of her spine. Daisy paused as she took hold on the zipper, letting out a quick breath into Jemma’s neck, before she dragged the zipper up to the top. 

“Thank you,” Jemma said. 

“It’s no problem,” Daisy said quietly, and then she stepped away. Jemma turned to leave and paused as she saw her friends waiting for her opinion, all dressed up in their suits.

“Oh, I love it,” she sighed. They complimented each other perfectly, Bobbi and Hunter’s ties the exact shade as Leo’s suit, and Leo’s tie the exact shade and Bobbi’s and Hunter’s suits. It fit them in such an exact way that it seemed by fate, and she loved them so much that she was sure she felt her heart swell in her chest. Tears welled in her eyes and she squeaked out an apology while swiping them away. 

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah, no, it’s perfect,” Jemma said, composing herself. “Absolutely perfect.”

“Okay, stop weeping. Especially when you look like that ,” Hunter said.

“Come here,” Emery coaxed, bringing her over to the lighted mirrors, allowing her to see herself from a couple angles. “Wow. That is -”

Emery trailed off and when their eyes met in the mirror, their mouth was hanging open a little.

“It’s perfect,” Jemma said. Daisy stepped up on her other side, and looked her over carefully.

“You look beautiful,” Daisy said. “That’s absolutely the one.”

“It is,” Jemma agreed.

She had a flash of walking down the aisle in this dress to Daisy waiting at the altar. She’d make that same face, in awe, that loving admiration in her eyes. Jemma wondered if Daisy would wear a dress or a suit. She’d looked nice in both, absolutely irresistible either way, surrounded by flowers at the wedding arch in front of the lake.

“Will’s a lucky man,” Daisy said. “He’s going to lose his mind.”

“You think so?”

“I do,” Daisy said.

Daisy’s “I do” echoed in Jemma’s ears, playing on repeat until it was all she could focus on.

After Daisy left, Leo caught Jemma by the arm at the car.

“Okay, what is going on between you two?”

“Going on?” Jemma asked.

“You and Daisy, you’re all over each other!”

“We’re friends, that’s all.”

Even Hunter snorted at that.

“Okay, love, that’s a funny way to look at your friend,” Hunter said when she shot him a look. Hunter more and more felt like the brother she’d left behind in England when she’d gone to university. He was her best friend’s husband, yes, but he’d grown his own identity to her in the last year, one of playful jabs and blown raspberries.

“I legitimately don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Jemma,” Bobbi sighed. “It’s okay if you have feelings for Daisy.”

“I don’t!”

“I know exploring your sexuality can be difficult and confusing,” Hunter said, and Jemma rolled her eyes at him.

“I’m not exploring anything. I’m getting married to Will, and Daisy is helping me with that. That is all that’s going on between us.”

“Jemma,” Leo said, and there was that tone, the I’m worried you’re not taking care of yourself tone. She hated that tone, actually, even if she used it herself on him often. He had two spouses and yet, he still couldn’t be trusted to sleep at night, and drink water.

“I’d tell you if something was happening, and you know that. You trust me to do that, don’t you? It’s not happening, so please, let whatever this is go. Okay?”

“Okay, but you absolutely can tell us anything. We’re here to help you, and that’s - that’s anything at all, even if you think it will hurt, or damage you.”

“I know. Thanks, Leo.”

He squeezed her arm and pressed a kiss into her temple sweetly.

“Let’s go get some pretzels, yeah? I’m feeling a touch snack-y after trying on all those suits,” he said, and Jemma laughed, before following them to the pretzel cart down the street that had tantalized her as they’d entered the boutique. 

“Have you picked out your suit?” Jemma asked, crawling into bed with Will. He was half asleep, reading on his tablet, and blinked his eyes open as she spoke. Considering she was the one working sixty hours weeks on top of planning a wedding, she would think that she would be the one falling asleep sitting up. She felt energized, though. “Will.”

“Yeah,” he grumbled.

“Did you and your team pick out suits for the wedding?”

“Oh. Uh. No. No, we didn’t.”

“You went out together today, though,” she said. “Didn’t you?”

“We did. We just didn’t go to do that. We’ve still got time.”

“Do we? It’s a month from now, Will. You have to do this. We’ve got so much to do, and I need you to actually help me. We still have to choose and order the wedding cake. We have to talk to Trip about the catering. We have to pick out flowers with Hunter. We have so much to do, and I need you to help.”

“You’re handling it fine.”

“I’m exhausted, and this is a partnership. You should carry half of this,” she said, sinking into the pillows. 

“Jemma,” he said carefully, and she made a noise of complaint.

“No. No, don’t use that tone with me, Will. I, I’m not crazy or overreacting. I need your help.”

“I’m not using a tone . I just think that you could relax about this.”

“Relax! How can I relax when I am drowning in planning, and work, and you are doing absolutely nothing to help me? You couldn’t even pick out a suit with your friends! That’s all I asked of you!”

“Jemma.”

She pushed herself up off the bed, the upset brewing in her stomach that Will was doing nothing to dissuade.

“If you don’t want to actually get married, just say it, Will.”

“Jemma, no,” he said, following her as she went to grab her hoodie. “No. Baby. Come here. I want to marry you. I do. I’m sorry.”

“Do you? You have no opinions on anything to do with the wedding, nothing, and I’m supposed to believe that you want it to happen?”

“I don’t care where or when we get married, Jem. I don’t care if I’m wearing a suit or a t-shirt and jeans. I just want to call you my wife at the end of the day. That’s all I want.”

“But I care about that,” she stressed. “I want it to be beautiful, and to have something to show our kids one day, and -”

“Okay,” he said. “Okay. We’ll -”

She shook her head.

“I think I’m going to stay with Leo for the night.”

“Baby, hold on.”

“No, I need - I need to think about this. I can’t keep running myself ragged for this, and I need to come up with a plan.”

“Come up with a plan here, with me.”

“No.”

She slipped out of his grasp, grabbing her phone from the side table on the way out. He let her go, and didn’t try to keep her at the apartment. 

“ Hey, do you mind if I come over? Will and I got into a fight, and I need a place to go, ” Jemma texted Leo on the way out of the door.

“ Of course, let yourself in ,” Leo replied. 

She’d pulled on an oversized jacket she was pretty sure was Bobbi’s anyway, and a pair of flats, and left without really thinking. There was a storm in her belly, and she was shaking, and she just wanted her best friend. Even if Will turned around and became super involved in the wedding planning, she still wanted Leo Fitz to let her rest her head in his lap and tell her that boys are dumb and she wasn’t overreacting.

The Fitz-Hunter-Morse home was as familiar to Jemma as her childhood home. It was warm, and bright, and full of wonderfully rich smells. They’d built the comfort from the ground up, buying a nearly destroyed home and fixing it up until it fit their needs. There was an over-the-garage in-law suite that they’d turned into home offices for everyone, and there was still plenty of space for guests, and babies if they decided that’s where their life was going. When Jemma let herself in, it was like coming home. 

“Hey,” Hunter greeted her from the couch. “Come sit. Leo’s just finishing up his shower.”

“Thanks.”

She kicked off her shoes and migrated into the living room, sinking into the space next to Hunter. He lifted his arm, and she tucked herself below it.

“Do you want to talk about it, or do you want to wait for Leo?”

“Leo,” she muttered, and he snuggled her against him. “Well, no. I just want to stay here for a minute.”

“Okay, that’s fine. You’re good. I’m just watching this old medical drama. It’s so grossly inaccurate, but it’s compelling.”

“You sound like Lincoln,” she said softly.

“Yeah, probably. He’s the one who recommended this to me.”

She chuckled, and closed her eyes, listening to his heartbeat.

“I could have been a doctor,” she said finally.

“You are a doctor. You’re a triple doctor.”

“Yeah, but I mean, a medical doctor. A MD doctor. It was one of my options.”

“What changed your mind?” he asked.

“Leo. I didn’t want to go to med school if he wasn’t going to be there, and he didn’t want to go into medical engineering, so, I chose a doctorate program.”

“Would you make that same decision now?”

“Yeah. I love our work. I love working with him. I don’t regret going with him. We’re Fitz-Simmons, after all. Who am I without him?”

Hunter stroked a hand through her hair, and she sighed, letting the tension seep from her body. He let her sit in the quiet, listening to his heart and the show and the distant sound of Bobbi’s laughter. This was a safe place for her, regardless of what was going on with Will, or Daisy, or inside of herself. She could always come home to them, and they would protect her from the world. There would be an arm to snuggle under, and a medical drama to watch, and -

Her stomach rumbled.

“Did you eat dinner?” Hunter asked.

“No.”

“Come on. Let’s get some food in you. I can’t have you wasting away before Leo is free. He’d murder me.”

There would be a family to care about her, and make sure she was sleeping, and eating, and taking care of herself. 

Leo found them in the kitchen, Hunter setting a plate of nachos he’d made on the table between them. 

“Hey, you’re just in time for snack!” Hunter said brightly. 

He always lit up when Leo came into the room, in the more endearing way possible. Jemma had always said she wanted a love like her parents’, the steady love they’d always shared her entire life, companions, but then Bobbi and Hunter had come into their lives, and now she was sure she wanted a love like theirs. Leo had been hurt before, by a man who hadn’t known how to care for him properly, so he’d been cautious at first, but once he’d let them in, he was all in. 

“Snack, huh?”

“Doctor Simmons has not eaten dinner.”

“Oh, she hasn’t, has she?” Leo said, sitting down at the other chair. “That’s no good.”

“I made some nachos, though, with all the good fixings.”

“You know I have to fit into a wedding dress in a month?” Jemma said, even as she took a chip loaded with cheese and sour cream. 

“Which means you have to eat as well, darling,” Hunter said. 

Bobbi came out next, as they were halfway through the nachos, and laughed.

“Oh, it’s that kind of night, is it?”

She took the last seat, and they shared the rest of the nachos without much discussion. This was the thing she loved the most, just existing with someone, silent and calm. 

"Okay, do you want to talk about it?" Leo asked, pushing the plate to the side. 

"It's, he's just not interested in helping me at all," she whined. "I ask him for his opinion and he says whatever you want , like that's supposed to help me. And I get that he's in training, and he's going to space, so he has a lot on his mind. But I just want his help. I just want him to give me something. He couldn't even get his suit picked out today with his groomsmen while they were out. It would have taken two hours tops and they still could've done whatever the fuck they want. But now I have to worry about that on top of fucking everything else."

She didn't curse often, but when she did, she meant it. 

"And no matter what I say to Will, he doesn't take initiative at all. It's a miracle he asked me to marry him first instead of waiting for me to do it."

She looked at Leo and he smiled sadly at her. 

"The fact that I've spent more time with Daisy in the last couple weeks than I have Will is really telling. I don't know what to do about it. How do I get him to actually help me?"

"I don't know," Leo admitted. "But we can help you. I will."

"I appreciate that," she sighed. She looked down at her hands on the table top, the glittering wedding ring. "Do I even want this if it's going to take this much work? I know nothing comes with no struggle, but I had thought at least we'd share the load. What am I supposed to do?"

"And you tried to talk to him?" Bobbi asked.

"Several times."

"And he hasn't changed his behavior?"

"Not really."

"Okay. Then, you do need to seriously think about what it is you want. Do you think that Will will change after you're married? When you buy a house? When you have kids?"

Jemma gripped her hands together, and sighed. She knew Bobbi was right, but she didn't want to actually face it yet. 

"I'm really tired. Do you mind if I turn in?"

"No, not at all," Leo said. "Come on."

He led her to the guest room she'd stayed in so many times, it still smelled like her perfume. She didn't need a guide, but she let him open the door for her and turn on the light. 

"Is there something else?" Leo asked as she sat down on the bed with a heavy drop.

"Yeah, but I don't. I don't know how to say it."

Leo shut the door behind him and crossed the room to sit with her. 

"Take your time."

“Will you love me if I tell you?”

“What - Jemma, of course, I’d love you. I’ll always love you. You’re my best friend, and you’ll always be my best friend, and that is no matter what.”

“I know,” she said. “But it’s - it’s not good.”

“It can’t be that bad. You’ve never done anything bad in your life. You like rules and structure more than anyone I’ve ever met. What could you have possibly done that would be bad ?”

She looked around the room, this little haven for herself. Nothing bad could happen to Jemma in this room.

“I think I’m, I’m at least a little gay.”

“What?”

“Remember when you asked me if there was something going on with me and Daisy? There isn’t, that was true. I’m not cheating on Will, but - but I do think I’m attracted to Daisy in a very real way. In fact, I had a fantasy about her while I was with Will, and -”

“ While you were with Will?”

“We were having sex one night, and all I could think about was her.”

“You what?” Leo laughed.

“Don’t laugh! This is serious!”

“I know, I know, I’m sorry. It’s just, that’s incredible. And you’ve never had feelings for a woman before her?”

“I think I had a crush on Bobbi for a while.”

“That’s not hard to believe, Bobbi is hard not to love.”

She chuckled quietly and looked at her hands laid in her lap. 

“Am I a bad person, Leo? For feeling something and wanting Daisy while actively planning a wedding to Will? I feel horrible.”

“You’re a human being, Jemma. You’re allowed to feel whatever you want for people, and you’re allowed to have fantasies. No one can take that away from you, as long as you don’t act on them without talking to Will first.”

“Right, no, I wouldn’t,” she said.

“But liking Daisy as a whole? That’s not bad. You’re in a queer home, I will never tell you liking Daisy is wrong.”  

She leaned into him and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and when she laid down, he followed to tuck them together. 

“It’s scary, I know,” Leo said. “Looking at yourself, figuring out your identity, questioning what you thought you knew about yourself? That is terrifying, and maybe you never decide on a label, that’s okay. You have a safe space here with us.”

“Thanks, Leo.”

He kissed her forehead. 

“I love you, Jemma.”

“I love you, too.”

Jemma sat in front of Bobbi as she carefully braided her hair the next morning, sipping the tea that she’d made for herself before anyone else had woken up. As always, it was Bobbi up first. Leo and Hunter had a tendency to curl up and cuddle all morning until Bobbi would go in and poke them awake. It was super cute, actually. Plus, it gave Jemma and Bobbi time alone without the boys in the morning.  

“You going home?” Bobbi asked gently as she plaited the strands of Jemma’s hair.

“No. Maybe.”

Jemma sighed and set down the mug. 

“I don’t want to explain what happened to Will, or that I maybe don’t want to actually get married if he’s going to be like this the rest of our lives. I don’t want to look him in the eyes and tell him that he’s not being a good partner, because he’s been so good up until now.”

"Maybe he just needs a nudge. A serious nudge."

"Maybe."

Jemma leaned into Bobbi with a shake of her head. 

"I don't know, Bobbi."

"I know."

And they sat in quiet for a while, Bobbi finishing up the braid while Jemma sipped her tea, until the boys woke up and stumbled out, ready for breakfast. Jemma pasted a small, gracious smile on her face and played along, the anxiety still churning in her stomach.

She let herself back into the apartment and paused in the doorway, listening for Will. The apartment was quiet, except for the shower running in the bathroom, and Jemma stayed still, listening to the peace. The way turned off, and Jemma held her breath as the bathroom door opened. Will looked at her, pausing himself in the hallway.

“Hey,” he finally said. 

“Hi,” she said.

“You came home.”

“Yeah.”

“Is that a good thing? Is this a good coming home, or -”

“Depends on how our conversation today goes.”

“Right,” Will said. “Let me get dressed.”

“Sure. Do you want some coffee?”

“Yeah, that’d be nice.”

She smiled and headed for the kitchen while Will went into the bedroom. Jemma focused on making coffee the way Will preferred it, and ignored the way her hands shook a little. 

Unbidden, she remembered every time she’d felt this uncertainty, hands trembling and anxiety full and awake in her stomach. She was confident at work, doing her job, and even when she’d been faced with an impossible timeline, she hadn’t felt like this. No, this particular feeling usually came from Will . Maybe she just wasn’t as confident in her personal life, but it didn’t feel as simple as that. It felt like fear, and confusion.

The first time she’d slept with Will, he’d been nothing short of a complete gentleman, extremely sweet but after, she’d still felt weird. It was enjoyable, but ultimately, she had felt uncertain. The next morning, she had tried to slip out of Will’s bed, but he was a light sleeper and had caught her. She’d feigned having to go to the bathroom when in actuality she’d been trying to sneak out entirely. 

Somewhere inside of Jemma, this doubt had been brewing since their first date. 

Will came out of the bedroom, dressed and ready for the day, as she set the mug of coffee on the counter for him and pulled herself up on the counter opposite. They took a beat to just look at each other. 

“I’m sorry,” he said. “Before we get into this, I’m sorry. I was wrong to not help you with everything. This is our wedding, and it’s unfair that I wouldn’t take part in planning it with you.”

She nodded. 

“That doesn’t entirely fix this, though, Will.”

“I know that.”

“If we’re going to go through this, I need you to commit to it. I need you to pick out your suit, and prove to me that you are going to help me, not just say that you’re willing and sorry. I need changed behavior, okay?”

“Of course. Jem -”

“I’m going to meet Daisy today to shore up some bridal party stuff, but could you please go with your friends and pick out your suit?”

“I will. I promise. I’m sorry I put this much stress on you. I didn’t realize how much goes into planning a wedding, and it's on me for not trying to lend you a hand with anything. I’ll be better.”

“Good,” she said. “Thank you, Will.”

He crossed to her and held out his hands.

“I would like to kiss you,” he said with his softest smile.

“Please do,” she replied.

Her entire life she’d heard stories about what love should feel like, and what kissing someone feels like. Leo had said once that kissing Hunter was like erasing a whiteboard of his worries and concerns; they’d come back later but for those moments with Hunter, he was freed of such weights. 

Jemma didn’t have that. She stayed weight down, even as she tried to focus on Will. Her mind drifted to the storm in her chest, sharp and restless. When Will pulled away, she put on her best smile, and he returned it, clearly pleased that they weren’t fighting anymore. 

“Okay, I have an idea,” Daisy said as Jemma set her purse down on the desk. “It’s a little crazy, but - are you okay?”

“Yeah, Will and I got into a fight yesterday. We made up, but I didn’t sleep super well. What’s your crazy idea?”

“There’s a botanical garden a few hours over that boasts the biggest collection of flowers, so we can nail down floral arrangements. I promised Hunter we’d send him photos when we decide so he can start planning. He’ll get the flowers and then let you know the cost.”

“You’re the absolute best.”

“Anything for you. I already booked our tickets already, so I’m glad you agreed.”

Jemma laughed, and let her shoulders relax. Being around Daisy was a relief, settling her nerves. It was a testament to how good Daisy was at her job, handling Jemma expertly. Years of bride corralling would do that. 

“Okay, I also put in an order for our drinks at the local cafe.”

Jemma couldn’t help giggling as she followed Daisy’s bouncing form abc out of the office. It was hard not to be in a good mood around Daisy, who was excitable and thought outside of the box for everything in a way that felt like sunshine. She was talking about this cute cafe outside of the gardens that they should hit afterwards, that they made the best maple latte that Daisy absolutely adored, plus they sold little cupcake duos that they could split. Jemma followed, happily, agreeing to whatever Daisy wanted or suggested.

“Can I ask you a question?” Jemma asked as they picked up their drinks from the counter and headed back to Daisy’s car.

“Sure! You know you can!”

“It’s a little personal, that’s all.”

“My favorite kind, actually.”

“Okay. It’s about how you knew you were into women.”

“Oh?”

“Just, just out of curiosity, I guess.”

“Sure. Well, it started with Raina. She would - actually, no. That’s not true. There was a girl in my economics class in high school. She had this long blonde hair, and long legs, always wore these skirts that showed off the freckles on her thighs. I had dreams about those thighs, and that’s the first time I realized that girls did it for me.”

Jemma thought about Bobbi’s shoulders for a moment, golden skin with light freckles, her blonde hair curling around them. 

“But it was Raina who moved it from fantasy to reality. She held my hand, and made me laugh, and I just wanted to be around her and look at her.”

“Mmm,” Jemma said.

“Why? Think you might have a little girl crush on someone?”

“I know you’re joking, but yes.”

Daisy looked at her with raised eyebrows.

“Not that it matters, but I’m engaged, but - yeah. I am. I talked to Leo who said it's okay to explore, and feel what I’m feeling, and have fantasies -”

She clamped her mouth shut and felt the blush over her cheeks. 

“You’re having fantasies about someone, huh?”

“Yeah, sort of. Nothing massive, or - yes.”

“Huh. Interesting. Have you told Will?”

“Have I told Will that I had a sex dream about a woman a month before our wedding?”

“I mean, most men would probably find that super hot,” Daisy said.

“Probably not when he’s giving , you know.”

Daisy snorted and coughed, clearing having inhaled her drink.

“Oh my god! Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Wow. Was it at least a good fantasy?”

Jemma couldn’t have blushed any harder if she were standing naked defending her thesis in front of her entire academic advisory board.

“Yeah,” she said softly. “It was.”

“Good for you,” Daisy said. “I remember the first gay fantasy I had. It was Leila in her prom dress. We made out in the fountain.”

Jemma laughed and sipped her drink.

“Well, welcome to the family, baby girl,” Daisy said. “It’s good to have you here with us.”

The botanical gardens were magical, and Jemma sighed, breathing all the sweet scents of flowers and fresh air in the late summer sunshine. 

“This is incredible, Daisy,” she said. “I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.”

There was sunshine casting shadows on the ground, on everything around them, on the butterflies, and some fauna bopping through the leaves. Jemma couldn’t decide what she wanted to look at more. Her gaze darted around, at the flowers, and the trees, and the pond nearby, at Daisy in the sunshine. 

“Yeah,” Daisy said, but when Jemma looked at her, she wasn’t looking at the garden. She was looking at her, and their eyes met. “Me neither.”

They started staring at each other for a moment longer before Daisy caught her hand and squeezed.

“Let me show you the best part,” Daisy said, and Jemma would have followed her anywhere.

The best part was a little glen, tucked in the very back of the garden, hidden by some overgrown bushes that blocked the path. Daisy pushed some branches aside to let them in, and brought them to a clearly marked gate that said it was off-limits.

“Daisy, this says it’s for employees only.”

“I know.”

“We can’t go in there.”

“Do you trust me?”

Jemma sighed and said, “of course, I trust you.”

“Then, come on.”

“I just, I don’t want to be brought into, into your bad girl shenanigans .”

“Bad girl shenanigans! It’s hopping a fence, not robbing a liquor store.”

“Well,” Jemma started and Daisy smiled at her, stopping her protestations.

“Come on, sweetheart,” Daisy said gently. “Let me show you.”

So, Jemma hopped the fence with Daisy’s assistance and followed her into the off-limits section of the gardens. She felt like she'd stepped into a story book. It was a peaceful little spot, a clearing of trees that was actually vaguely heart shaped. The sun was hiding behind some clouds now that had rolled in unexpectedly, but she could still see the heart shaped patch of sunlight on the ground.

“It’s lovely,” Jemma breathed. “This feels like, like a place that lovers secretly meet, you know? They’re not supposed to be seeing each other, but they love each other and they can’t help it. Star-crossed lovers, just want to be together, so they find a space that can just be theirs.”

“It does.”

“It’s magical,” she said, pulling Daisy with her. “Oh, this would be the perfect place for a small ceremony. Just you, your fiance, a justice of the peace, and a couple of your closest friends. Wouldn’t that be perfect?”

“It would,” Daisy said.

“Will would never go for a small wedding, but I’ve always loved the idea of an intimate ceremony, and then a beautiful reception with everyone else.”

“That sounds wonderful.”

Jemma pictured Daisy in a white dress or a suit with her, standing in this clearing, smiling at her just like that. She’d look so beautiful, Jemma was sure, regardless of what she wore as long as she was there with Jemma, holding her hand, promising her the rest of their lives. She’d have Leo on one side, and Daisy could have Elena, and it would be something incredible. 

“I came here after Raina the last time, and I was really distraught. I was hurt and couldn’t see anything good in the world. She’d been so rough, and mean, and had left me raw, so I wanted to find something good and just mine. I drove for hours without any direction and kept going until I pulled into the gardens, and when I walked through, it was everything I needed. I followed a little baby woodchuck into this spot and I couldn’t leave. I sat down and just listened to the birds, and the bugs, and the wind in the trees. There was so much life here, and none of it had been touched by her.”

“And you decided to share it with me?”

“Yeah,” Daisy said. “You’re safe. You’re, you’re good, and kind, and if there’s anyone in the world who deserves this spot, it’s you.”

“Daisy,” Jemma said softly, and it came out gentle and loving. 

“Come here,” Daisy said, and she led her to the middle of the clearing. They sat down in the grass, side by side, and Daisy kept hold of Jemma’s hand. “Listen to that.”

There was a rustling in the trees from the wind, and somewhere in the distance, a tinkle of chimes. She tipped her head back and let her hair hang loose behind her, tickling the grass below them. It was nice to take a moment with Daisy, sitting in this space, just the two of them. 

The first rain drop hit her on the nose, and she opened her eyes. 

“Oh,” she said.

As Daisy opened her eyes, a few more drops started. 

“It wasn’t supposed to rain today,” Daisy said sadly. 

“That’s okay,” Jemma said.

“We haven’t even gotten to the flowers. We got distracted. I’m sorry. Work should come first, but -”

“Daisy,” she said, squeezing Daisy’s hand gently. “It’s okay. I loved it. I have an idea of the flowers I want anyway.”

“You do?”

“I’ll show you in the car. Come on,” Jemma said. They had to run through the gardens, still holding hands, but by the time they got to the car, they were soaked down to the bone. They were laughing, though, and even though their outfits were ruined, and their hair was hanging limp and loose, Jemma couldn’t stop smiling. 

“I don’t think we’re getting home safely tonight,” Daisy said, looking out the windshield at the fierce rain. “Do you mind if we go and stay at the hotel for the night? Try again tomorrow?”

“That sounds perfect,” Jemma said. 

“Okay, let’s see what’s nearby.”

What was nearby was a bed and breakfast with a single vacancy, with one queen-sized bed. The couple running the bed and breakfast were nice, and gave Jemma and Daisy a little discount when Daisy explained that they’d been by the gardens to pick out wedding flowers. They didn’t have the heart to tell them it was for Jemma’s wedding alone, not Jemma and Daisy’s. It didn’t matter, really, they’d be gone in the morning, and the lie wouldn’t change anything for the couple. 

“Well,” Daisy said, dropping onto the bed first. “It’s something.”

“It’s cute,” Jemma said.

“It’s cute as in, your grandmother designed it forty years ago when this was in style.”

“That’s, that’s certainly true. It’s not my taste, but it has to be someone’s.” 

“Not in this century,” Daisy said.

“There’s some good vintage aesthetics out there, though.”

“Babe, this is not one of them.”

Jemma laughed, and sat on the bed with Daisy, taking off the rain-soaked jacket. Daisy tracked her movements, reaching out to push her drenched hair away from her shoulder. Her fingers left behind a trail of warmth through Jemma, goosebumps spreading everywhere else she wasn’t touching from the shock of different.

“Do you want me to braid your hair back? Get it off your neck?”

“Oh. Yeah. Yeah, I’d like that. Thank you.”

Daisy knelt on the bed behind Jemma, and settled there, gathering her hair up into her hands, fingers brushing the nape of her neck. She eased the tangles apart with gentle passes of her fingers, and Jemma closed her eyes from the sweet touches. Her shoulders relaxed, and Daisy let out a small chuckle.

“Like your hair being played with?”

“Yeah, uhm, Bobbi, Bobbi does it to relax me when I’m panicking, so I always associate it with being calm, being safe.”

“That’s actually adorable.”

“Yeah.”

“Do you have a particular braid style you like?”

“Oh, uh. No. Do you know how to do many?”

“No,” Daisy admitted, her voice low like she was admitting something horrendous. “I can do the simple three-strand, and like, half of a French braid. So, I’m not sure why I even asked.”

That made Jemma laugh, and Daisy had to hold her shoulders in place to keep them from toppling. 

“Sorry,” she giggled. “Sirry, it’s probably less funny than that.”

“You’re adorable,” Daisy said. “I love when you laugh.”

Jemma was glad she was facing away from Daisy so she couldn’t see the way her cheeks flushed. Although, it also flushed in her cheeks and neck.

“Alright, now sit still.”

Jemma straightened her shoulders and back, letting Daisy get back to braiding her hair. She worked slowly, and with each pass of her fingers through her hair, her shoulders relaxed a bit more. Daisy let out a soft, contented noise.

“You have beautiful hair, Jemma,” Daisy said. “It’s so soft. What do you do with it?”

“Oh, I have this leave-in conditioning mask that I do one a week.”

“I’m definitely getting that name from you later.”

“Yeah, absolutely.”

Jemma looked down at her hands and Daisy’s hands touched her shoulders then slid alone to her jaw, nudging her gently until she looked up.

“There you go. Good girl.”

That thrilled through Jemma, and she let out a sharp breath. Daisy’s hands paused in the braud, and Jemma knew that she’d been found out.

“Interesting.”

Jemma drew in a breath and turned to look over her shoulder at Daisy. Their eyes caught and they paused, looking at each other steadily. Jemma could see all the different shades in her eyes, the long eyelashes surrounding them. She couldn’t help herself from looking down at her lips, quick and reflexive. 

“Jemma,” Daisy breathed.

That broke her resolve, and she leaned into kiss Daisy. Her lips were soft, and she tasted like mint, and she sighed into Jemma’s kiss like she’d found heaven. Or maybe that was just Jemma. She shifted to make it more comfortable on her neck. 

“Jemma,” Daisy said, moving her back. “Hold on, wait.”

Jemma pulled away, that bright elysium shattering into shame.

“Oh my god,” she gasped “Oh my god. Oh my god . I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Daisy. I overstepped. I’m sorry. I can’t believe I did that.”

She started to stand up, ready to grab the soaked jacket from the side and leave.

“I’ll sleep in the car. That way you -”

Daisy caught her hand and stopped her from fleeing. 

“Don’t go. I didn’t mean that I wanted you to leave, or sleep in the car . No, god, I just wanted to make sure you actually wanted this, or wanted me, or if its just a pre-wedding jitter.”

“No, I - I’ve never felt like this, Daisy. For anyone.”

“What about that girl, the one you were having fantasies about? You -”

“Daisy, you’re the girl.”

Daisy paused and looked up at her.

“What?”

“I’m sorry, I know that’s probably incredibly inappropriate,” Jemma said.

“No, god, Jem. Come back here.”

Daisy tugged her back to her at the bed and caught her hips. 

“Hi,” Daisy said.

“Hi.”

“Listen, I adore you, Jemma. I really like you. You’re an absolute delight to be around, a generous, loving soul, and I could spend all day with you. If you want to kiss me, I am not going to complain. I’ve thought about kissing you every day.”

“Really?”

“Really,” Daisy said. 

“And you want me to kiss you right now.”

“Yes.”

Jemma leaned in and kissed Daisy again, softer this time, hesitant to push too far, too fast, and ruin this again. Daisy held her hips, and brushed her thumbs up and down her hip bones, barely putting any pressure on her in return. It was so gentle that Jemma could have cried. She’d never been kissed like this before, by any of her boyfriends and certainly not by Will. Even Will was a little forceful, pulling her close, gripping her waist like she might try and squirm away. He had never held her like she was porcelain, like she was precious, like she was a cloud barely contained. 

“Come here, sweet girl,” Daisy muttered and she guided Jemma forward and into her lap. Jemma went readily, and straddled her thighs. “You okay?”

“So good,” Jemma sighed, and Daisy chuckled gently. “I’ve never been this excited to, to kiss someone.”

“Never?”

She shook her head.

“Jemma, do you want to fuck Will ever? Like, when you’re on a date, and he’s making all the right moves, do you think about how good it’s going to be to get him to bed and let him in like that?”

“Is that, is that something you’re supposed to feel?”

“Oh, baby,” Daisy said, and there was a hint of joy and disbelief in her voice. “Yeah, that’s, that’s sexual attraction .”

“Oh. Uh. I didn’t, I didn’t know that’s how it’s supposed to feel. I feel that for you, I think, but I’ve never - holy shit. Holy shit, Daisy . Am I gay?”

She stared down between them, at the space where Jemma was touching Daisy, and Daisy was touching her back, and the absolute relief that came with it. She touched Daisy’s collar peeking out of her t-shirt, and Jemma wanted to see what else was hidden underneath that shirt. She’d never, never been that curious about Will, or the men before him.

Oh.  

“Oh,” she muttered out loud. “Oh, okay. Right. Yeah. That’s, that’s something.”

“Do you want a minute to think about this? To come to terms with this?”

“I think, I think I always knew. I tried not to attract men, and when they’d ask me out, I really didn’t want to go on dates with them, but I felt like I had to.”

“Right. Compulsory heterosexuality,” Daisy said, nodding. “Met a lot of gays that have said that same thing.”

“Yeah, that. So, I just went along with it, but if this is how it’s supposed to feel, I can’t go back to that. I can’t - I can’t marry Will if this is how it’s supposed to feel. I can’t spend the rest of my life with him when you make electricity flow through my veins like this.”

“I like the way that sounds.”

“So, Daisy, will you, will you show me what I’ve been missing?”

“God, yes, baby girl. I will show you everything .”

She lifted Jemma up and flipped her onto her back underneath her on the bed. Jemma laughed and wrapped her arms around Daisy’s shoulders, holding her close as Daisy moved in to kiss her, this kiss no longer delicate. This was hungry, and desperate, and Jemma burned hot with it. She gripped her arms, letting Daisy’s tongue slip into her mouth, sweet, loving, coaxing. 

A noise slipped from her that concerned her, and Daisy drew away. 

“You alright?”

“Yeah, yeah, so good. Sorry, I’m - I’m overwhelmed.”

“Do you want to stop?”

“No, good overwhelmed. Don’t stop. I’m also, ah, hopefully this doesn’t change your mind, but I’m noisy. Will sometimes doesn’t like it, but -”

“I’m not Will, Jem. I want it.”

“You do?”

“Let me hear you.” She leaned in and nipped Jemma’s jaw. “Give it to me, baby girl. Show me just how fucking hot you sound.”

Daisy gave her something to moan about, hand slipping up inside of her blouse and coming to cup her tit, thumb brushing over her sensitive nipple through the thin fabric of her bra. It was barely a touch, and yet it lit Jemma up inside, her belly turning into Times Square. 

"Fuck," she muttered, and she lost herself for a minute thinking about the potential of this, how good it would feel, how she'd never felt anything like this. Daisy brought her back with a kiss. 

"Can I take your clothes off, baby?"

Jemma nodded almost embarrassingly quickly. Daisy kissed her again and then drew away just enough to unbutton her blouse first. She wished she'd worn one of her cuter bras, instead of the plain white t-shirt bra she'd chosen for comfort that morning. It didn't matter because Daisy smiled and kissed the valley between her breasts and released the front clasp with the kind of ease that came from practice. No guy she'd ever been with had had that kind of grace about undressing her. 

"Fuck," Daisy muttered.

"Is everything okay?"

"Oh, god, yes. Sorry. I didn't mean to say that out loud, it's just - you have really cute tits, and it's just not fair."

"Not fair?"

"You're the whole package, and if you have a cute pussy, too, I'm dragging you to the courthouse in the morning to go in front of the judge and demand they marry us."

Jemma giggled as she blushed hard, and Daisy traced her fingers to the edge of it against her collar, flushing hot. 

"Down girl," Jemma said lightly. "Let's see how you do tonight before we go running off to elope."

"That sounds like a challenge, Doctor Simmons. Are you challenging me?" 

"Only if you think you're up to it."

Daisy grinned, and it sent a wave of pure adrenaline-fueled excitement through Jemma. 

"Oh, baby girl, I'm up to it."

She licked the hard nub of Jemma’s nipple and she couldn’t stop herself from sighing loudly, hands going into the bedding below them. When Daisy sucked her nipple into her mouth, her sigh turned into a moan. It felt incredible just having the wet warmth wrapped around her nipple like that, tongue laving over it. Her hand came to her other breast and massaged it in time with the way she was sucking. 

"Daisy," she whined. 

Daisy nipped at her nipple with blunt teeth, and she pressed her chest up into Daisy's mouth for more. Whatever Daisy did, she wanted more of it. She wanted to sink into everything Daisy did, and let her have her, her body, her pleasure, anything she wanted. 

Then, Daisy released her and sat back. 

"Why are you stopping?" Jemma breathed. 

"Because I have other plans in mind."

Daisy slipped her hands down to Jemma's waist and touched the button on her jeans.

"May I?"

"Please."

Daisy made quick work of unbuttoning her jeans and sliding them down off her legs, her panties catching on the denim and getting pulled off too. Jemma pushed herself up enough to remove her blouse and bra, so when she laid back down, she was completely naked, bared to Daisy.

"Goddamn, Jemma," she said softly. "I've never seen anyone this cute. How are you this fucking adorable?"

Jemma just smiled back at her, and Daisy leaned in for a kiss, covering her entirely.

"You know when I'm at my cutest?" Jemma asked.

"When?"

"During an orgasm, and not when I'm being teased."

"You know what, you're completely right. Let me remedy that."

Daisy kissed a sloppy line of kisses down her chest and belly, and she knelt on the ground, shifting Jemma so she was right on the edge of the mattress. 

"There we go. Hello," Daisy said, and Jemma wanted to know if Daisy was talking to her or to her pussy, when that thought burned up fast in a blaze of pleasure, Daisy dragging her tongue in an uneven line along Jemma's wet folds, and she swore her clit throbbed from pure desire. Jemma couldn't help the cry that escaped her, rewarded with squeezes on her hips. 

" Daisy ," she muttered, because this was so new to her that she couldn't catch her breath. She'd never been pleasured like this, and if she had, it still wouldn't have felt like this because it wouldn't have been Daisy. If Will had done exactly what she was doing, motion for motion, press for press, it still wouldn't be electric like this. " Daisy ."

Her tongue made fast friends with her clit, and she pushed her hips into each frantic but strong lick against her. It was perfect, perfect, perfect, and Jemma could tell she was already careening towards the sweet oblivion of release. Daisy took her time, though, not speeding up, keeping a steady rhythm, licking her to the beat of her heart. 

Jemma cried out as Daisy pushed her fingers into her and curled directly into her g-spot. It was incredible the amount of sweet heat that Daisy was pouring into her, rolling through her from Daisy’s tongue over her skin into her arms and legs and bursting out of her mouth as moans and groans and curses. 

“ Daisy ,” she whimpered, pushing her hips up into the ministrations over and over. 

“Stay with me, sweet girl,” Daisy said, lifting her mouth away. “Don’t come yet, baby. Let me enjoy you a little longer.”

“Daisy, please.”

“I know. I know, you’re such a wonderful partner, letting me take care of you, letting me eat you out so good. Your pussy tastes so good, too, and you’re letting me eat you all I want.”

“Daisy.”

“I know. You’re so close, I know. I know. Let me make you feel heaven, okay? Just hold on a little bit longer. Can you do that for me?”

 Jemma nodded.

“I can, I can do that for you.”

“Good girl.”

Daisy buried her face in between Jemma’s thighs and resumed laying all the love and attention into her clit. She sucked on the swollen, throbbing bud, nestling it between her lips as she layered licks and sucking motion against it. Between that and the carefully aimed thrusts of his fingers, she whimpered bright and needy. 

“ Daisy ,” she sobbed, so close to the edge, teetering, but holding it back because Daisy had asked for it. Daisy was giving her something indescribable. She was giving her everything she wanted, everything she needed, and all she wanted was to obey. She wanted to give Daisy that in return, lay out the pleasure Daisy had built for her and let her view it and peruse it idly. 

She could lay there with Daisy forever, with her legs splayed open for her, erotic and vulnerable. This kind of thing she’d only seen in pornography, a woman desperate and begging, hips twitching, hand going to Daisy’s hair to hold her mouth where she wanted it, and she had never imagined this was something that would happen to her . It could only happen to her because of Daisy, with Daisy. She wouldn’t want it with anyone else. It wouldn’t be this.

It wouldn’t be this . 

Daisy lifted her mouth from her just enough, curling her fingertips into her spot over and over without stopping, just enough to say, “you can come now, baby. Come all over my face.”

Those words broke her, and what was left of her resolve not to come until told, and she let herself go, obeying Daisy’s command. Her orgasm was a wildfire, an explosion, an electricity fresh and new. This wasn’t her first orgasm, not by a long shot, but it was like she’d never had one before with how entirely separate this was from those. She dropped her head back and shouted with it, probably loud enough to wake up everyone in the bed and breakfast. If the owners didn’t think they were engaged before, they certainly would in the morning.

She rode the waves of it, over and over, cresting through her with furious crashes, voice a broken siren’s call as finally, finally , Daisy let her ease down from her high, fingers sliding free and mouth releasing her abused clit. She left a wet kiss on Jemma’s hip and sighed.

“You’re the most beautiful creature ever to exist, Jemma Simmons, and I want to give you so many orgasms.”

“Yeah,” Jemma muttered, breathing brokenly. 

“You’re good,” Daisy replied. “Was that good, baby?”

“As if you have to ask.”

“I have to make sure that you enjoyed it, you know. I can’t be going around here promising you heaven and not delivering.”

“If heaven is a blank mind for thirty seconds, yeah, that was definitely heaven.”

“Does your mind often go blank?”

“No.”

“Good. Did you enjoy it?”

“Yeah, yeah, I definitely did.”

Daisy looked pleased, a cat enjoying its meal after its hunt. 

“Give me a few, I can help you out,” Jemma breathed, gesturing to Daisy’s fully dressed body. “Mmm, wait. You’re still dressed.”

Daisy looked down and smiled.

“What are you going to do about it?"

It was a challenge that Jemma wasn't going to let pass her by. She pushed herself up and gestured Daisy closer, so that once she was close enough, she wrapped her arms and legs around her and rolled her onto her back underneath her on the bed. Daisy’s hair spread out around her like a halo, and she had a soft, pleased smile on her face, and Jemma had never seen anything quite as serene and beautiful than Daisy in that moment. 

“Where should I start?” she asked a little shyly, unsure now that she was on top. She wasn’t submissive in bed, but it wasn’t often that she took the initiative and got on top of Will. Once she got used to it, she’d be more confident, and be able to take the lead, but their first time like this, she wanted to make sure she did it right.

“Where do you want to start?” Daisy asked. “What do you want to see and touch first?”

Everything , a small voice inside of Jemma whispered.

Tits , a less small, boisterous voice demanded.

“Shirt,” Jemma decided, and she shuffled back on Daisy to free the hem of her t-shirt. She pushed up the fabric slowly, revealing Daisy’s tanned, toned stomach that Jemma couldn’t help herself from leaning over and kissing. Daisy let out a soft sigh in return, and Jemma pressed another into her belly button, hiding her smile. 

“Mmm, even your kisses are perfect,” Daisy murmured, almost to herself. 

Jemma pushed the shirt up further and further until it was rucked up underneath Daisy’s arms, and her bra was exposed. She ducked her head down and tentatively kissed the swell of her left breast. There was a pleased rumble in Daisy’s chest that Jemma took as a sign of victory, and easily slipped her hand underneath Daisy to release the clasp. 

“Wow,” Daisy chuckled. “You did that one handed.”

“Practice,” Jemma muttered, and she helped Daisy out of the t-shirt first and then the bra, leaving her partner topless on the bed with her. Her breasts were perfect, round and full, with dusty pink nipples peaked and asking for Jemma’s attention. Who was she to deny them what was rightfully theirs? She copied Daisy’s movements, playing with her nipples with her fingers first, rolling them and pinching them lightly. Carefully, she listened for Daisy’s enjoyment and when she got it, she repeated the motion. Then, when Daisy shifted towards her, Jemma took the next step and lowered her mouth to one of Daisy’s nipples. She dragged the flat of her tongue against it, and sucked it between her lips. Testing, and teasing, she scraped her teeth over Daisy’s skin and Daisy gasped, pushing her chest up off the bed and into Jemma’s mouth. 

Jemma let her hands wander, over her belly, soft and smooth, over her ribs, up her back, tracing her shoulder blades and down her arms. She touched Daisy wherever she could, committing each pass to memory so that if anything happened after this night, it would stay with her forever. She’d never used her eidetic memory for this benefit before, but if she could remember the way Daisy sighed and felt underneath her hands, she could forget everything else. 

Her fingertips brushed the waistband of the denim jeans Daisy was wearing, and she paused, looking down at her hand. She had to know. She sat back, and worked at the button and zipper first. 

“Are you sure?” Daisy asked.

“Yes.” She didn’t hesitate. “I want you. I want you to feel so good, Daisy. I want to give you everything you’ve given me and so much more.”

She shimmied the jeans down off Daisy’s legs and they worked together to get them off of her, tossing them away. Daisy’s knickers were floral, and cute, with a little bow settled neatly between her hips. They were something Jemma would have chosen for herself, actually, and that made her smile. She had expected black lace or a thong, but the cute hipster cut against Daisy’s skin was perfect. Everything about this was absolute perfection. 

“These are cute,” she complimented.

“Thanks. I almost wore my granny panties, but figured you deserve something cuter.”

“Even if I wasn’t going to see them?”

“I’ve always worn cute underwear for you, since the day at the cafe. Maybe subconsciously I wanted you to see them, for you to strip me naked, but I’ve always put on my cute underwear for you.”

“That’s incredibly sweet,” Jemma said, touching Daisy’s hip. “Can I take these very cute underwear off of you, then?”

“Oh, god, yes. Get rid of them.”

Jemma smiled, and slid the knickers from Daisy, revealing a neatly trimmed thatch of dark brown curls and below, the wet folds that Jemma had no experience with but wanted so desperately to touch and taste. 

Giving had never seemed so appealing before that moment. 

She started slowly, tracing her fingers through Daisy’s folds, feeling the collected wetness of her arousal gathering against her fingertips, listening to the hitch in Daisy’s breathing. 

“You’re a tease,” Daisy groaned.

“I’m not teasing,” Jemma said. “I’m testing, and learning.”

“You’ve surely masturbated before, right?”

“Well, yes.”

“No different. Touch me like that.”

She chuckled and shook her head.

"No, I want to touch you however you like. I want you to feel good."

"Baby, that's a nice sentiment, it really is, but I could probably come just from you kissing me today. I could come riding your thigh."

That thought glimmered in the back of her mind, and it must've shown in her face because Daisy smiled at her. 

"Oh, is that what you want? You want me to get myself off on your leg?"

"I mean, that would certainly be quite a show."

"Sit against the headboard, will you?"

Jemma moved from Daisy and followed her instructions, settling against the cushy pillows comfortably. Daisy pushed herself up and followed her to the head of the bed, and Jemma couldn't stop the hitch in her breath as Daisy straddled her thigh easily. 

"Already?" Daisy teased. 

"The most gorgeous woman I've ever seen is straddling me. Of course, already."

"You think I'm pretty," Daisy said, voice light and amused. "You like me. You want to kiss me."

Jemma dragged her close and kissed her hard to shut her up. 

"Show me how good you can feel," Jemma said softly into her mouth. "Fuck yourself on my thigh, Daisy."

Daisy groaned and kissed her back just as hard. 

"You're obscene, Jemma. Just hearing your voice, that accent, gets me going. The first time you had that crab cake at lunch and moaned, I was gone. I was so wet when I got home."

"Keep talking," Jemma said, letting her hands fall to her hips and guiding Daisy against her, grinding down into her thigh. She could feel how wet Daisy was, pooling against her own skin. "Tell me more."

"Oh, fuck," Daisy muttered. "Fuck, this is hot. Jesus. Okay. Okay. Uh, god, my mind just went blank."

Jemma squeezed Daisy's ass, and she gasped.

"Fuck, I love the way you touch me. You're so good at it. I could light up just from the way you touch my hand or my arm sometimes. The first time we hugged, I was fucked. You were so, ahh, warm and soft and you curled your hand around the back of my neck, and I thought about you holding my hair as I ate you out. God, everything, fuck, everything you do is so fucking perfect. I've never met anyone else like you, baby. No one, no one like you, you are absolutely one of a kind. And you're all mine."

"Yours," Jemma agreed, lifting her leg into Daisy's grind down. "All yours. Mark me up with your cum, Daisy."

Daisy whimpered and fucked her hips into Jemma's leg, nipping at Jemma's earlobe a little. 

"You're so hot."

"Keep going, baby girl. I want to see your tits bounce as you fuck yourself."

Daisy groaned and grabbed onto Jemma's shoulders for balance, moving quicker and with less precision. Jemma couldn't decide if she wanted to see Daisy's face and her expressions twist up with the heat undoubtedly building in her belly, or the way her tits moved and swayed as she rocked hard into Jemma's leg, or the way Jemma's muscle pressed into Daisy's wet pussy. She decided on a mix of her tits and face, wanting to know exactly how good Daisy felt. 

"Baby," Daisy said and her voice cracked. "I can't last."

"That's okay," Jemma replied softly, speaking into Daisy's collar as she placed a line of wet kisses over the hard jut of it. "We have all night. Come for me. Come on me."

"You're sure?"

"Never been more sure."

Daisy cried out with the next thrust, fingers tightening on Jemma's shoulders almost painfully if she weren't distracted by how breathtaking Daisy was in this moment, hair wild, mouth kiss-bitten, her nipples hard and her thighs trembling. There was something of a wild animal in her, a beast only seeking pleasure, biting at Jemma’s neck and shoulders to muffle her cries and moans that sounded inhuman. Jemma slipped her hand down between Daisy’s legs, and Daisy pushed her hips into her palm, rubbing herself directly against it inside of her thigh.

“Oh, fuck. Yeah. Fuck. Finger me, please,” she gasped. “Please. Please, Jem. I just need a little bit -”

Jemma wouldn’t have been able to say no even before Daisy had started begging, but she certainly wasn’t going to deny her with that display, her accent straightening out the words in a way that was soothing to Jemma, cooling. She pushed her hand down further and slipped two fingers into Daisy’s wet heat, feeling her immediately react with her entire body.

“ Fuck ,” she groaned. “Fuck me, don’t stop. Don’t stop, Jem. Just like that. Fill me with your fingers.”

Obscenities tumbled out of Daisy’s mouth, falling like silk against Jemma’s ears, and she circled her clit with her thumb sloppily against each thrust of her hips. It wasn’t perfect, it was inexact and messy. But when Daisy came, it was with Jemma on her lips, and she had never heard someone say her name better, and she never would again. This moment with Daisy in her lap, fingers curling into that sensitive, firelight spot inside of her, it was picturesque. The rain was hitting the windows, and the lamplight cast a beautiful glow over everything, and Jemma, Jemma was at peace here. 

Daisy came down all at once, slumping into Jemma with a heaved breath, a sign big enough to rattle her entire body. 

“Holy shit,” Daisy muttered. “Jesus Christ, Jemma. That was incredible.”

“Yeah,” Jemma agreed, pressing a kiss into Daisy’s temple over and over. “It was. You’re incredible.”

“I can’t wait to do that again and again,” Daisy said, burying her face into Jemma’s neck. “But first, can you lay down for me, with me? I want to cuddle the fuck out of you.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Lips brushed over Jemma’s shoulder and a soft voice behind her coaxed her awake. She sighed sleepily and wiggled in the arms around her waist. 

“Good morning, sweetheart,” Daisy said clearer, and the previous night flooded in. “You sleep alright?”

“Better than alright,” Jemma admitted. “I slept great.”

“That’s good. And how do you feel this morning?”

“Mmm, good,” Jemma said and looked over her shoulder. “Better because you’re still here. Best wake up call I’ve ever gotten.”

“You’re a really good snuggler so it’s the least I could do.”

Jemma shifted onto her back, looking at Daisy with the bedsheets pulled up over them still, bare bodies pressing together underneath the covers. Her short hair was a mess, mostly from Jemma’s hands the night before, and it was such a casual intimacy that relief welled up inside her throat. She touched the corner of Daisy’s jaw to settle herself the last little bit.

“Hi gorgeous,” Daisy said softly. 

“Hello beautiful.”

“I’m hungry, are you hungry?”

“Starving.”

“Let me see if the owners are awake and have any recommendations for breakfast.”

Daisy kissed her and even though they both had morning breath, it was perfect. Jemma cradled Daisy’s face in her hands and held each other close.

“Mmm, I’m not breakfast, baby girl.”

“I’d gladly eat you out for a meal,” she said sweetly and Daisy laughed.

“Need it already, huh?”

“I wouldn’t say no to another round.”

“You’re going to have to wait, baby. We need food first, and then I’ll rock your world again.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Jemma said, and she watched, tracking the chill down Daisy’s spine from her interest. She’d noticed it the night before when they were in the middle of it, but she hadn’t wanted to push it any further in case she scared Daisy away.

“We’ll talk about that more, but food first.”

She climbed out of bed and dressed in her clothes from the day before, then left the room. Jemma sighed and reached for her phone on her bedside table. It was close to dead, left unplugged overnight, and she had a screen full of frantic notifications.

The relief and calm from the night before and that morning washed out of her in a flash flood of realization and guilt. She pushed herself up, cold all over, her nudity now shameful. She was Eve in the garden after the apple, aware of her own naked body in the world. There was a robe in the open closet, but she chose instead to pull on her own clothes, even though they were still a little damp and stiff, uncomfortable against her skin. 

She’d cheated on Will, giving herself entirely to Daisy without even worrying about the consequences of her actions. Daisy had shown her a whole world, one she’d always belonged to but too afraid to say anything about it. She was gay, that was definitely for sure, but she hadn’t have gone to bed with Daisy when Will’s ring was -

Will’s ring!

She hadn’t been wearing it in bed with Daisy, and she wasn’t wearing it at that moment, but she could not remember when she had seen it on her finger last. She pawed around in the bed sheets and ducked under the bed to search for it, hoping against hope that it had simply fallen off the table and rolled under the bed. 

Anxiety built in her chest like heartburn, tendrils lashing out at her for her stupidity. How could she have done this? How could she be so thoughtless, so careless? She did love Will even if she wasn’t in love with him; cheating on him and losing his wedding ring was absolutely the worst thing she could do. Less than a month to their wedding, and Jemma not only had become the worst fiance, she’d become the worst person he’d ever met.

When Daisy came back into the room, Jemma was knelt on the bedroom floor, shirt open and pants left undone, hands buried in her purse, and she was panting, edging on hyperventilating. She couldn’t find the ring, and she let Daisy touch her so intimately, and now she had to come out to everyone, risking her relationship with her friends and family, and on top of that, they were nearing their shortened deadline at work with no actual completion in sight. 

“Jemma?”

“I can’t,” Jemma gasped, and she gripped the cloth side of her purse. “I can’t find, find my, my engagement ring. It’s gone, and -”

“Oh, baby, it’s not gone ,” Daisy said calmly, coming to set the tray she was carrying down on the dress and then sank to her knees with Jemma. “You weren’t wearing it when you came to my office, and I’m pretty sure it’s at home on your dresser or something.”

“Oh. Really?”

“Really really, babe.”

“Oh.”

“Is that all this is? The ring?”

“Yes. No. No, I don’t - I’m scared. I don’t know what comes next, and that’s absolutely terrifying to me. I like to have a plan, and this - I fucked everything up by kissing you.”

“You regret it?”

“No,” Jemma replied quickly. “No, it just complicates everything a little bit, because, because I have so much going on already, with work and, now I have to figure it out if I want to tell people, and how I’m going to explain why I broke off our wedding to everyone.”

Jemma could feel the panic creep in, little sharp needles in her skin and muscles, aching, tearing, ruining.

“Okay, alright, can you take a real deep breath for me, sweetie? Real deep, and hold it for a few seconds. Yeah, there we go, and let it out real slow.”

Jemma followed her instructions, just as she had the night before.

“There we go, yeah. Keep going, in and out.”

She collapsed forward into Daisy’s arms, and she held onto her tightly, letting her sooth her sweetly. 

“I know it’s scary,” Daisy said, “so much change all at once, and it’s okay if you’re scared. That’s human nature, but you just, you have to keep going even when you’re scared.”

“ The steps you take don't have to be big,” Jemma muttered, keeping herself against Daisy for the comfort, “they just need to take you in the right direction.”

“Exactly. I love that.”

“My mum used to tell me that.”

“She sounds like a good woman.”

“She is. What about yours?” Jemma asked. “You’ve never talked about her. What’s she like?”

Daisy shifted Jemma off of her, and Jemma whimpered, afraid that she had fucked it all up. That was the only explanation for Daisy distancing herself from Jemma. She didn’t want to be near her. She’d overstepped, and she’d ruined this good thing in her life. 

Except she was reaching for the food tray to bring it down onto the floor, and moved off of her knees to sit firmly, and more comfortably, on her butt.

“There we go. Come back here, sweet girl,” Daisy said and Jemma cuddled back into her arms, settling into her lap. “Sorry, my mom is a long story, and you still need to eat.”

She picked up a piece of fruit, a full, bright red strawberry, and held it out to Jemma who leaned in and took a bite. Juice ran down her chin, sticky and sweet, but she let it stay there.

“So,” Daisy said, drawing in a careful breath, “my mom. I guess I’m going to start with Jiaying. My mom and dad actually had me in China, but they were paranoid that someone was after them, so they gave me up for adoption by dropping me off at a firehouse when I was a few months old. They were - I don’t know how to explain them actually. But, I was put in foster care, and bounced around from home to home. No one wanted me. I didn’t even have my own name. I went by this horrible ward of the state name, which I will not be discussing right now. Anyway, grew up without a family, until I met Melinda May and Phil Coulson who gave me a place to belong. Jiaying and my father, Cal, came back into my life a few years ago, and gave me my actual name, my birth name, but - I’m a little all over the place here. I don’t talk about them often.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I want to, for you. Jiaying gave me a lot of stuff, my looks, my weak wrists, incredible skin, but she also abandoned me for almost twenty-six years because she was scared of some shadowy government agency that doesn’t exist. She’s trying to make up for all the years apart, and I appreciate her being in my life now, but I needed her when I was growing up.”

“That makes sense.”

Daisy fed Jemma another strawberry, just as juicy as the last. This one dripped off her chin and onto her chest, drawing Daisy’s eyes down to her breasts again. 

“Melinda May, though,” Daisy said, clearly forcing herself to focus, “has been my mom since I was sixteen. She never officially adopted me but she was my last foster home and still still is my mom, my home. She bought me whatever I wanted, and let me sleep in her bed when I had nightmares, and she took care of me when I was sick even when I was an adult. She still does. When I get the flu, she’ll come sit with me and make me soup. She did everything she should have as my mom, and - I think she’d love you, Jemma.”

“You think so?”

“I do. You’re smart, and lovely, and you make me very happy,” Daisy said, “ and you’re not Raina which is an incredible plus for everyone involved.”

Jemma laughed, and opened her mouth for a piece of croissant that Daisy had torn off. It was soft, and buttery, and she let out a small noise of delight that sounded obscene even in this intimate moment. 

“God, you make it hard to not take you right here,” Daisy sighed, burying her face into Jemma’s shoulder. “You’re incredible, you know that?”

“I could stand to hear it again.”

“You’re the most wonderful being I’ve ever had the pleasure of having in my life, and trust me, baby, it is a pleasure .”

“You are too,” Jemma said softly. “Thank you for taking care of me, Dais. I appreciate this. Most people don’t know what to do with my anxiety.”

“A lot of experience with panicking brides,” Daisy admitted. “Although it never ends quite like this.”

“Hand-feeding them in a B&B while they’re basically topless? How strange.”

“I don’t like your attitude.”

“You do, though,” Jemma teased, and she felt lighter. The worry about coming out and breaking up with Will was still there, but she couldn’t quite commit herself to the focus on that when Daisy had another piece of croissant for her and a look of admiration. 

“I do,” Daisy said, and she let Jemma take the croissant piece from her, curling her tongue around it. Daisy sighed, and rested her chin on Jemma’s shoulder. “You’re a good girl, letting me take care of you like this.”

“Yeah,” she mumbled. “I want to be good for you.”

“You are,” Daisy promised, holding her close and kissing her forehead. “You’re the very best and I will remind you of that every day.”

“As long as you promise to be here every day, I will be good.”

When they finally extracted themselves from each other and checked out from the B&B, headed for home in the car, Jemma let herself check her phone. It was charging with Daisy’s car charger, since she hadn’t planned on being away from home overnight and hadn’t brought her own, and her phone was a mess of notifications. Most were from Will, missed calls, unanswered texts, frantic voicemails. She couldn’t blame him for his reaction; she had left Will at home without updating him on what the plan was, hopping in the car with Daisy without any word. Then, she’d stayed overnight, so he more than likely thought she was hurt, some kind of accident preventing her from communicating. 

Leo, too, had called her and sent her a few text messages, as well as a concerned voicemail, worried when she hadn’t responded. There were a lot of messages in their group chat and even in the huge friend group chat directed at her, all left unanswered. 

She started with Leo, giving him a short I didn’t die, I’m safe, I’ll explain later message. He immediately sent her back his signature heart emoji meaning he was there when she was ready to talk, and she smiled at that. At the end of the day, at the very least, she had Leo Fitz in her corner no matter what happened.

“Everything good?” Daisy asked.

“With Leo, sure. But Will didn’t know I was going out for that long let alone overnight, so I’m going to have to explain that, but I don’t know if I should have that conversation on the phone. That definitely feels like an in-person conversation, especially with everything else that has gone down and what I’ve decided. I can’t text that to him. I can’t do that to him.”

“Mmmhm, all makes sense.”

“ But I also don’t want to continue to worry him until I can get home in a few hours.”

“That’s sweet of you,” Daisy said. “Maybe just send him a text to let him know that you’re alright, that no one kidnapped you, and that you’ll be home in a couple of hours to explain?”

“Yeah. That’ll have to do.”

She wrote the message several times, trying to find the right wording, before sucking it up and sending a very rough version of what Daisy had said in the first place.

“How’d you come out? What made you decide to take that step?” Jemma asked a little while later, Daisy’s hand resting sweetly on her knee, thumb brushing the inside with slow sweeps.

“I didn’t really have to,” Daisy admitted. “Well, I did. Okay. So, I went to May’s house with Raina, introduced her as my girlfriend, and she just nodded. Later, after Raina had left, May sat me down and made sure that I knew that the signs of being in a bad relationship still applied with a woman, that being with a woman wasn’t any less dangerous at times. She told me she loved me, that she was proud of me, and she’d go with Pride with me that year if I wanted, but she also wanted to make sure I was prepared for what a relationship with a woman would be like.”

“That’s really sweet.”

“It was. I'm really lucky to have her. Everyone else was super chill about it, too. Although, Jiaying was a little weird about Raina, but I don't know if I can blame her for that now. She might have sensed something was off with her before I knew. She's always supported my bisexuality, even if she didn't quite like my choice of girlfriends.”

“I don’t know how my parents will react,” Jemma said quietly, “especially because of how we are to the wedding. They’ve already bought tickets, and found a hotel. They’re going to be so disappointed, and I don’t know what to do about that.”

“I’m sure they want you to live a fully, happy, authentic life,” Daisy said gently.

“Maybe, but what if they don’t?”

“If they don’t, you still have your friends and family here. You have me, and Leo, Bobbi, Hunter. You have a good community around you, and they’re there to catch you and support you when you’re discovering yourself.”

“Right,” Jemma said softly. “That makes sense.”

“Everything will be okay,” Daisy said, and she squeezed Jemma’s knee with an incredibly warm sweetness that swept through her. Maybe with Daisy there with her, everything could be okay.

Daisy drove her back to her car at Daisy’s office, and kissed her before she left.

“Call me if you need me.”

“Thanks, Daise. I appreciate this, all of this.”

“Do you mean the mind-blowing orgasms, or -” she trailed off. 

“Yeah, those too.”

Daisy laughed, and tipped her back to the side adorably.

“Either way, I’m glad that I can be there for you, that you want me there for it.”

Jemma kissed her one last time before stepping back and shutting the door between them. She watched Daisy pull out of the parking lot, fingertips against her lips, wanting to remember the touch of her kiss. 

Slowly, she drove herself home, letting each red light catch her and hold her in that limbo space until she had no other choice but to pull into her parking space out front of her building. She let out a slow, measured breath, staring up at the building she’d thought of as home. 

This was insane, absolutely mental that she was about to break up with her fiance and tell him that she had cheated on him with their wedding planner, a woman, and that she was actually very, very gay. Could she even do that? Could she say the words out loud that would change her life and his? Could she break his heart and destroy the life he thought he was going to have, especially when he was going to space for months? She couldn’t. She shouldn’t. What kind of awful, terrible person was she inside that she was even considering this?

She got out of the car and headed for the building. The elevator ride was too long, and too short, and when the doors opened, she froze for a moment before a door down the hall opened, jolting her into motion. It was a short walk down the hall, and through their front door, and somewhere through it, there was her fiance. 

Will Daniels was a good man. He was bright, and funny, and loyal. He’d been at her side since the day they’d met, and even if he wasn’t perfect, he was absolutely husband material. She was an idiot to leave him, right? She had to be. No matter what she felt with Daisy, was it worth leaving this stability? 

He came out of the bedroom, and paused, staring at her. 

“Jemma,” he sighed.

“Hi,” she said weakly.

“Where have you been? You went out to do bride stuff, and then never came home. I was worried sick, and you wouldn’t answer your phone. Even Leo hadn’t heard from you, and it’s so rare that you would actually ignore him too that I was convinced you were hurt.” 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.” 

He marched towards her, and pulled her into a hug, almost bone-crushing and overwhelming. 

Will Daniels was a good man, who deserved someone who loved him unconditionally, someone who stood by him as strongly as he stood by them, who held his hand without a single doubt in their mind. Will Daniels didn’t deserve to tote around a wife who didn’t love him the right way. She loved him, she did, that she was sure of, but she wasn’t in love with him, and that was something she could never give him. 

“Oh, okay. Okay. Will,” she said. “I’m okay. I’m alright, Will.”

She eased him backwards with a small smile that might soothe the betrayal she was about to lay at his feet. Maybe if she said it sweetly, as nicely as possible, it would hurt him less, like ripping off a plaster.

“Jem?”

“We need to talk,” Jemma said, setting her purse down and leading him into the living room. She couldn’t believe that just a few days before, this was a safe place, home among the chaos of the world, and now everything was changing. 

“Okay. What about?”

“Well, last night.”

She sat him down on the couch and then sat on the coffee table across from him.

“Where’s your ring?” he asked.

“I think it’s at Leo’s,” she said. “That’s not - well, it’s part of the point. Hold on. Let me -”

“What’s going on?”

“I can’t get married to you,” she said, forcing the words out. 

“What?”

“God, that sounds horrible, but - it wouldn’t be fair to you to commit ourselves to each other for the rest of our lives when -”

She trailed off before she blurted it out.

“When what?”

“I’ve come to some realizations, especially recently, that make me realize and accept that I can’t love you the way I should, the way that you deserve. I’m not the right person for you, and I’m sorry it took me this long to realize that. But I didn’t want to get to the wedding, or worse, years into our marriage before I was honest.”

“Jemma, stop double-talking me. Just give it to me straight. What is going on?”

“I’m, I’m gay, Will.”

He paused in place, frowning at her.

“What?”

“Yeah, so, I think I’ve always known somewhere in my gut that I don’t love you, or any man really, the way you’ve loved me. But until recently, I’ve kept that hidden so deep out of fear and confusion. I haven’t allowed myself to explore that part of myself until -”

“Until Daisy,” Will filled in.

That caught her off-guard; she hadn’t realized it had been so obvious that she was harboring feelings for Daisy. Maybe that was naive of her to think.

“Don’t give me that surprised face, Jemma. I’m not an idiot. I can put two and two together. What changed between when we got engaged and now? You met Daisy Johnson, who I’m certain has seen more of you that I have recently. Plus, you were gone inexplicably all night, and came home to tell me you’re breaking up with me.”

She blushed as she looked down at her knees.

“I just, I have to know one thing. Did you sleep with her?”

Jemma didn’t get a chance to reply because Will scoffed and shook his head. 

“Actually, no, I don’t want to know. It’s better if I don’t know if my fiance cheated on me with our wedding planner.”

Her breath caught in her chest, and when she looked up at him, she could feel the tears in her eyes. 

“Does she make you happy?” he asked, and it had all the care it always had because Will Daniels was a good man through and through. 

“She does.”

“Then, there’s no one I’d rather lose you to.”

The tears slipped down her cheeks, and Will coaxed her into his arms. She whimpered and hugged him, and solid warmth against her trembling body. She didn’t deserve this man, who was gifted with a saint’s grace and patience. He was good, and kind, and someday, he’d make someone a top tier husband. 

“I’m so sorry,” she said.

“I know you are. But thank you for telling me. Thank you for trusting me with this. I know how hard being honest in a less than ideal situation could be.”

He held her for a while, and it was good, and safe, and when she stood up, they would officially be over. Their future together, their life, all of it would just be gone.

“I’ll stay with Leo, so you -”

“No, no, this is your home, Jemma. I’ll find a new place, or stay at the rooms on campus.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m very sure.”

“But I’m already breaking up with you, and calling off our wedding, and you’re letting me keep the apartment?”

“I moved in with you, remember? This is your apartment to begin with. I can’t, and won’t, ask you to give that up for something you didn’t choose, something you can’t help.”

“You’re too good.”

He kissed her forehead. 

“I still love you, Jemma. I always will, even if I’m just your friend. Okay? I’ll go stay on campus and work on getting over you so you and Daisy can be happy together. But, I do still want you there for the launch. Please.”

“Of course.”

“Thank you.”

“Will,” she started to say as he withdrew from her arms. 

“I have a training session in a few hours, so I should go. But if you need me to help you with cancelling the wedding, I’ll come by.”

“I can handle the venue and everything, but could you tell your family? Not the, the I’m gay thing, but -”

“Yeah, I know. I won’t share that without your consent.”

“You’re too good of a man. What happened to you, Will?”

“Just got lucky, I guess,” he said, and there was a sweet sadness sin his usual smirk. “I’ll see you soon, okay?”

“Okay.”

And then, Will was gone. He packed a bag of his clothes, and left their home. As the door shut behind him, Jemma dissolved into the couch, alone, and cried, the relief washing out of her.

“Jemma?” Leo called, poking his head into the front door of their apartment. 

“In here,” she called back, folding laundry on her couch. She’d asked Leo to come over, with spouses, so she could tell them all at once and have the truth out there in full. She had showered and changed into a comfy outfit to do the housework she’d been neglecting between completing their project and planning a wedding and questioning her identity. 

“Hey, what’s going on?” Leo asked, kicking off his shoes and discarding his jacket before joining her on the couch and starting to fold clothes right beside her. Bobbi and Hunter followed suit.

“I broke up with Will. The wedding is off.”

Leo reached into his pocket and brought out a ring.

“I kind of figured,” he said, setting the engagement ring down on the coffee table next to her cup of tea, “when I found that on the same day you stayed out all night with Daisy.”

“You what?” Hunter asked.

“Daisy and I went to a garden, this gorgeous botanical garden, a few hours away to look at flowers, and we got caught in the rain, and ended up staying at a bed and breakfast,” Jemma said, tossing a pair of pants over to Hunter to fold. 

“So, how’d we go from wedding flowers to calling off the wedding?” Bobbi asked, taking the other seat beside Hunter to join them. She reached into the pile and pulled out a shirt.

“I told Leo already, but -” she said, trailing off to glance at Leo.

“It’s okay. Safe space,” Leo said with the utmost care in his voice.

“I’m gay,” Jemma said, “like properly gay. I realized last night that I don’t love Will that way, that I never have. And it took meeting Daisy to see that my fascination with women over the years hasn’t been just curiosity or jealousy. I don’t know what my future looks like now, and I’m scared of officially cancelling the wedding and having to deal with all the questions, but yeah. That’s, that’s it. I’m gay. Ta-da.”

“You know what? That makes so much more sense, actually,” Hunter said, and Bobbi hit his shoulder lightly. “What? It does!”

That actually made Jemma laugh, a full and honest sound. She loved Lance Hunter for exactly this reason, and she always had.

“Why?” she asked.

“Love, no straight girl looks at Bobbi’s ass as much as you do.”

She nodded and said, “yeah, you definitely got me there.”

“Wait, what? You like my butt?”

“Everyone likes your butt, baby,” Leo said. “And that’s not the point.”

“Right. Yeah, sorry. We’re definitely circling back to that, but - so, Daisy?”

“Yeah, she’s so beautiful, and good-hearted, and strong. She makes me feel like someone’s actually listening to me, and cares about what I have to say, not just waiting for their turn in the conversation to speak. She gives me actual butterflies, too, and I can’t remember the last time I ever got butterflies for someone.”

“Have you kissed her?” Hunter asked.

“Of course not, don’t -” Bobbi started when Jemma nodded.

“It was, it was indescribable.”

“That sounds right,” Hunter said with a warm smile. “I remember the first boy I kissed, this guy at a dock party when I was in the army, and obviously I’m attracted to women, but it was like, like that first sip of hot tea when you come in from a  cold day, you know?”

She nodded, because she did know. 

“But I also did more than kiss her,” Jemma found herself saying, even as a voice in the back of her head that sounded a lot like her mother scolded her for being improper. 

“What?” Bobbi and Leo asked in unison.

“Yeah! That’s my girl!” Hunter crowed. “I knew there was a bad girl in those blouses!”

“Lance,” Bobbi said, and he merely shrugged at her nonchalantly.

“She’s happy , Bob; look at her. Daisy must be a pro in bed because Jemma is still glowing from their romp. How was it?”

“Enlightening. Extremely enlightening.”

“In multiple ways and positions, then?” Hunter teased.

“Yeah.”

It felt good to joke about it, to let in the light of freedom and honesty when she’d kept the truth closed away tight for so long. This was her family, and their acceptance felt like chains falling away, letting her finally breathe, chest expanding and lungs filling for the first time in her life.

“Welcome to the family, love,” Hunter said more seriously, the joking tone gone. “We’re so happy to have you.”

Daisy was a huge help cancelling the venue and returning her dress, and thankfully, because of her connections, Jemma was able to get back her deposits. She curled up on Jemma’s couch and deftly negotiated for Jemma, hair pulled up and feet tucked underneath her. It was soft and domestic, and everything Jemma had ever wanted.

Which is how Jemma ended up calling her parents at work one afternoon, the deadline moments away. 

“Jemma, love, is that you?” her mum answered as if they didn’t have caller id. “Shouldn’t you be at work?”

“Hi Mum. Is Dad around? I need to talk to you.”

“Oh, of course. One moment.” There was a sound as her mum moved through the house. “David? Honey, Jemma’s calling, wants to talk to us.”

“Jemma?” her dad said, and he always said it like he’d never heard of her. “Our Jemma?”

“Yes, honey, our Jemma.”

“What about?”

“I don’t know.”

“Okay, we’re here. You’re on speaker phone. What’s going on, sweetheart?” her dad asked, and it was so nice to hear his voice, deep and warm like hot chocolate. 

“I’m at work, so you can’t get mad when I say this, okay?”

“Sweetheart, just tell us what’s going on.”

“The wedding is cancelled. I’m not getting married to Will,” she said, looking at the empty space where she’d worn her engagement ring. She’d tried to give it back to Will when he’d come by to collect his things, but he’d closed his hand around hers and kissed her forehead. 

“No, you keep it. It’s yours, even if we’re not married,” Will had muttered into her hairline, and then he had left her there with a solid symbol of what their life couldn’t be curled in her palm, heavy and freeing all at once. 

“What? What did he do? Are you alright?” her mum demanded.

“He didn’t do anything wrong, he’s Will. He’s perfect. I broke up with him because - well, gosh, this is difficult, isn’t it? He, he isn’t my type, and -”

“An astronaut isn’t your type?” her dad cut in.

“David,” her mum scolded.

“What, Margaret? Our daughter -”

“Is trying to tell you something, so hush.”

Jemma stifled her laugh at her mum’s tone and attitude. That was absolute Margaret Simmons through and through, strong-willed and no nonsense.

“There’s someone else, actually, who is my type, and they helped me see what I’ve been denying for a long time.”

“What is it?”

“I’m gay,” Jemma finally forced out, closing her eyes as if that might soften the blow and hold off any harsh words. She was met only with silence. “Mum? Dad? Did you hear me?”

“We heard you,” her dad said. “Could you, uh, explain?”

“Homosexuality as a whole, or?”

“No, no, we know what being gay means, sweetie. What your father means is, could you tell us more about this girl that you met, and maybe a little bit about this whole denying your sexuality thing?”

“Oh! That! Uhm, well, to start, her name is Daisy, and I think you’d really like her.”

She stood outside the board room with Leo, staring at the wall across from them blankly. It was a relatively uninteresting wall, slightly off white with a neat line of the founding members of Shield Laboratories in identical picture frames, all wearing the same stoic frown.

“We did it,” Leo finally said, sagging against the wall beside her. “We actually did it.”

“We did it,” she echoed.

“We did that , and they want to fund it, and we’ll - we’re going to get bonuses. That’s huge. That’ll be - oh! There’s something I have to tell you.”

“What’s that?” 

“Bobbi’s pregnant. The baby is due at the end of April. I’m going to be a dad.”

“Oh my god?”

“Yeah, and this is, this is great news. We’re getting promotions for our work, and more flexible hours, and raises, and - I’m going to be a dad , Jemma.”

“That’s incredible news, Leo. I’m so happy for you.”

“Look at us.”

“Let’s go get some tea from that coffee cart at the entrance and we’ll properly talk about all of this.”

Laying in bed, Daisy danced her fingers over Jemma’s stomach as she was trying to breathe evenly to get her heart rate under control. 

“Hi,” Daisy said.

“Hi,” Jemma replied.

“You’re beautiful.”

“You say that every time you get me into bed when I’m supposed to be working.”

“I do, but it’s also true every time I say it, regardless of circumstance.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

“Oh, I’m ridiculous, huh? Then, what are you, Doctor Simmons?”

“Utterly in love,” Jemma said.

“You’re such a sap, Jemma Anne. How am I supposed to leave when you’re this cute and soft, huh? Unfair. Flag on the play.”

“Don’t leave, then.”

Jemma held her breath, afraid that she was moving too fast. They’d only been together a few months, but it had been a good few months, better than anything Jemma had ever had before. Daisy made her almost deliriously happy, and it wasn’t just sexual. They went on dates - fun dates where they went on hikes, and to museums, and to farmer’s markets, and with their friends to improv group shows, things that Will never would have thought of. Jemma got to meet the other side of the friend group, with Joey and Lincoln, Mack and Elena, and it was good . They all hung out, and Daisy was there, and they held hands every time, and it felt so goddamn good. It was hard not to move fast when Daisy made her feel like she had the world in her hands whenever they touched.

“You want me to stay the night?”

No, a little part of Jemma said.

Yes, another part replied.

“I’d like you to stay forever.”

Daisy paused, her fingers stilling just above the dip of Jemma’s belly button.

“You do?”

“Yeah, well, I mean, if you don’t think that it’s too soon, you know. It’s just that since the day we met, I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind. Every time we’re apart, it’s almost like I can’t breathe, but the moment you walk back into the room, the world is okay, and I’m okay, and you’re here with me, and I - I’m sorry, I’m probably making an ass out of myself, but -”

Daisy surged forward and kissed her, fierce and burning hot, holding Jemma against her with a protective tightness that Jemma didn’t mind, couldn’t mind, desperately wanted to feel along her skin forever. 

“I don’t want to leave,” Daisy said. “I don’t care if it’s too fast, or if we’re falling into a very large lesbian stereotype. I feel comfortable with you. I feel safe with you. I feel like I could take on the entire world because you’re holding my hand, and no one, no one has ever made me feel like that. You did the second you stepped into that cafe, and I knew I was doomed to fall in love with you, but - god, how lucky am I?”

“How lucky are we?” Jemma corrected, and it was true. They’d found each other. They’d found, and fought, and fell in love, and it was all by luck, and happenstance, and serendipity that they had met, that Bobbi had recommended Daisy to Jemma, that Bobbi had gotten married and had used Daisy’s service, that Bobbi had met Leo at all. It was fate, and chance, and incredible, incredible luck. So, Jemma kissed her for every bit of luck in the world that had led her to Daisy. 

They kissed, and it was soft.

They kissed, and it was hot.

They kissed, and it was a promise.

They kissed, and it was familiar.

They kissed, and it was forever.