Unrequited
Leo doesn't want to relate his problem to Doctor Who, but it's so goddamn easy, it's not even like he planned to compare himself to Martha and Jemma to the Doctor. And now, three seconds later, he's decided that it wasn't even that accurate because Grant Ward wasn't Rose Tyler and there was no undying love there, just a crush, unrequited—probably, or at least he hoped. He hoped for a lot of things; a fully functioning TARDIS, a Clara Oswald [ she was fucking gorgeous, okay ], and for Jemma Simmons to like him back. All of which seemed pretty far off and unachievable at this point in his life. Leo figures that all of his problems stem from his IQ. He can't have Jemma because he's smart and nerdy and girls don't go for him over Grant I'm-so-fucking-amazing-field-agent Ward types, who can wear t-shirts without feeling like the shape of their stomach muscles are inadequate, and can actually defend themselves and the girls that they like, and even if they get hurt it doesn't matter because the girl will be so infatuated with them that they'll just coo while taking care of them.
Maybe he just needs to get laid—no, he definitely needs to get laid. Like now, or you know soon, because he's Leo Fitz and on a plane with three girls and two guys, none of which are willing to help him. And he's also not gay, probably. And then he remembers that he was thinking about Jemma for an actual reason and he needs to ask her about something that he actually knows nothing about because it's so far out of his field of science that he gets dizzy even thinking about it. So he gets off his bed and walks out into the hall and down the stairs to the lab.
"Hey, er, Simmons, ca—", he says, about to start his question, but then he's cut off by her shooting him a uncharacteristic glare and then she scowls and huffs stomping out of the lab and up the stairs. And he's only slightly turned on because he's never actually seen her this angry at him, then he thinks that he probably shouldn't be this turned on. He's honestly never pegged himself as one to go for the whole "girls getting really pissed at you are sexy" thing, but apparently he does, and he's pretty sure that if it was anyone else he wouldn't, but Jemma, oh god— she's hot. Like, seriously. But then he shuts off that train of though before anyone notices, he'd never hear the end of it if Skye saw him.
"Bloody brilliant", then he sits down on a stool and thinks about how hard it is being a sexually frustrated engineer.
Jemma is seething, she is really genuinely angry. And she can't go to to Fitz about it because it's all his fault. She's literally pacing holes into the floor, and her hair is falling out of its braid because she's been tugging at it so much. On top of that someone is probably going to walk past and see her and ask her what's wrong and then she'll start crying and then they'll have to deal with her all gross and teary and then they'll never talk to her again.
"Simmons?", a voice comes from the door and Simmons almost groans because it's going to happen, "Are you okay?"
It's Skye, Jemma turns to her, she can actually feel the tears building up and threatening to spill but she refuses to let them, not until she's whined to Skye for at least one minute, "No", she shoots Skye a miserable look and plonks down on her bed. Skye smiles softly and sympathetically and walks in to help, because Skye cares about people and the team is the only family she has. She shuts the door behind her and sits down next to Jemma, rubbing her back.
"What happened?"
Jemma puts her head in her hands and realises that she doesn't actually know, there's not really one specific thing (except there is, and she just doesn't want to admit it to herself). The only word that makes it's way out of her mouth is a feeble, "Fitz". Skye doesn't say a word, and Jemma is grateful for it because she needs to come to terms with what is actually going on and Skye gets that. Jemma sits upright and runs a hand over her hair, which is still halfway in it's braid.
"Talk when you're ready", Skye finally says.
Jemma sighs, for the umpteenth time in the past hour, "I-I am totally, completely, utterly, undeniably in love with him", it's then when she starts crying because she's never admitted it to herself, never mind some one else, and she's glad it's Skye that she's told because even under all that sarcasm and cynicism, she cares a lot and would do anything to help, "A-and he doesn't even know, and I cant tell him because he doesn't like me back and he's my best friend and— oh my god, I don't know what to do Skye, help"
Skye smirks lightly, she should've known it had something to do with Fitz, she's been waiting for the moment one of them realised that they were made for each other, "Simmons", she considers her words carefully, "You realise that the whole team wants you two to get together. Ward and I literally have a bet going", great Skye, now she just thinks you want the money, "Ugh—what I'm trying to say, ultimately is that Fitz likes you, and you like Fitz, we can all tell even though neither of you can"
All Simmons can do is blink, to the point that Skye thinks that she's probably broken her, "Y-you're betting on us? H-how much?"
"That's all that you got out of that?", Skye sighs, "$100"
"H-he likes me", It's all suddenly become too much to process, Simmons isn't sure if she wants to believe Skye, but she also knows that Skye has no reason to lie to her. But why would Fitz like her? Why out of all the girls in the world, would he like her?
Skye's grinning now, and it's not even because she's probably going to get $100 (but it kind of is and she's glad that she'll be able to rub it in Ward's face), "Yeah", she answers Simmons kind-of-not-really-question.
Simmons looks at Skye, a little desperate, "What am I supposed to do now?"
Skye shrugs, "Go tell him. Then you can snog him senseless."
Simmons blushes, because she hasn't exactly had time in her life to snog anyone senseless and if everything works out Fitz will be the first boy she ever kisses. She really wants this to work out. If it doesn't and he actually just wants to be friends Simmons is going to lock herself in a broom closet and never come out, it's probably over reacting but she doesn't really care. Except this is going to work out, and she's going to deny the percentage of chance that says it wont until her plan (well Skye's, but she can pretend) actually backfires in her face. So she gets off her bed, wipes the lingering tears from her cheeks and takes her first few steps towards the stairs.
Fitz really likes Jemma. He probably loves her. And it doesn't hurt (except holy shit it does hurt, it hurts a lot and it'll only get worse). But oh my god, he does love her. He loves her so much that it gives him an actual physical ache in his chest. He loves the way she smiles (she smiles a lot and he loves that too), he loves the fact that her hair always looks so goddamn nice, he loves the fact that when she swears (which isn't often) she sounds like a fucking goddess, and her accent, oh my god, her accent, it's probably the thing he likes most about her, besides the fact that she is Jemma Simmons and she cares about him, it's not in the way he wants, but she does and it's better than what he's gotten from other people. And then she's coming down the stairs, he's in the same position that he was thirty minutes ago.
"Hey", he mumbles, still not sure what he did to piss her off before (and now he cant stop thinking about how hot she was).
"Um. Fitz"
"Hmm", he looks up at her, "Yeah".
"C-can I talk to you about something?", she stutters.
"Of course"
Jemma takes a deep breath through her nose, "So this is probably a massive mistake on my part and I'm probably totally stupid, but I'm going to tell you anyway, because Skye pretty much told me to, but I also want to tell you, it's not just her. Um, yeah, so we've known each other a long time right. Since college and we've been together all through S.H.I.E.L.D training"
Leo's kind of internally freaking out, he thinks that she's probably being dispatched somewhere else, or maybe Skye somehow found out about how much he actually loves Simmons and told her and now she's rejecting him.
"And you're amazing and and my best friend. What I'm about to say will probably ruin all that but I don't think I care all that much anymore"
Fuck, she's being dispatched, he's 100% sure. She can't fucking go— despite the fact that she practically just said that she hated him. He fucking loves her, she can't go.
"I-I kind of— no, not kind of. I've only just realised b-but, iloveyou"
Shit. Okay backtrack, did she just say what he thought she said, "D-did you just?"
Jemma blinks, "Y-yeah. I love you. I said it. Totally non-platonic, snog you senseless love you"
"Shit", he swears, so maybe they aren't actually in Doctor Who, but they're in a Taylor Swift song. He's not sure why he hasn't told her that he loves her back, because he does, "I love you too".
And then Jemma has somehow managed to walk five meters in a couple of milliseconds, and she's also managed to press her mouth against Leo's. Her lips are soft, and she tastes like chocolate and popcorn, it takes him a second to actually register what they're doing and that she probably wants to kiss him, and then he kisses back. The ache in his chest disappeared and it was replaced by a warmth (it sounded fucking cheesy but it was true) and then a whole five years (or however bloody long they had know each other) worth of pent up emotion (and sexual frustration) came flooding in, it was like a dam had broken. Their lips moved against each other's and Leo's hand managed to work it way through Jemma's hair so that her braid was no longer in existence, his other hand rubbing against the nape of her neck. Jemma's hands draped around his neck and she leant into the kiss. But then they're interrupted by Coulson. They blush and pull away from each other, fully expecting Coulson to yell at them (which he really should).
"Oh my god. Finally", then he leaves, smirking the whole way, and thinking about the fact that he's getting $100 from May.
Jemma and Leo turn to each other, "I think we're the only people that didn't know Leo", she wraps him in a hug, and he hugs back.
And finally they're together.
