I've loved you since...
Ship: Bucky Barnes/Jemma Simmons
Prompt: usedkarma on tumblr prompted "I've loved you since..."
James leans patiently against the counter in the lab as Jemma attaches sensors to his torso, just like she has every day for the last month. Her eyes keep darting up to his face and then away again. Her pupils are dilated and her breathing is shallow, but quiet, like she's trying to hide it.
Her fingers brush his bare chest and linger just a little longer than they should. When she looks up and finds him watching her, she reminds him of a doe in the crosshairs.
"Oh for the love of god, I can't do this any longer," she declares, holding up both hands and taking a step back. "James, before I continue your treatment there's something I need to tell you. I think..." Her breathing is still shallow, but she's not hiding it anymore. "I think I may be in love with you."
The words hang in the empty air of the lab and she rushes to fill the silence. "This is terribly unfair of me, I know. I shouldn't be burdening you with this sort of thing when you're only just getting your memories back." Her words are punctuated with little flaps and flutters of her hands. She's speaking so fast she should be tripping over her own tongue, but the words tumble out unhindered. "It's just that as I'm the provider of your medical care, you really should be informed, in case my emotions start to impair my judgement in any way. Not that they will," she rushes to add. She's pacing now, from one end of the bench to the other. "I assure you I can remain professional. It's just that sometimes—and I don't know if you realise this, but your eyes are just so..." She trails off, drifting to a stop in front of him. "And it just makes me want to..."
Her own eyes, big and round and utterly besotted, slide down to his lips for a moment. "But that's not why I brought this up—" And there go the hands again.
"Jemma."
He catches up both her hands and holds them as gently as if they were little birds he cradled in his palms. "I've loved you since the first day I set foot in this lab."
"Oh," she breathes, and lets him reel her in close. "Well, this is working out better than I expected."
"Just shut up and kiss me," he smiles, tipping her chin up towards him.
"If you insist," she answers, lips parting with a smile of relief. He presses his lips to hers, just like he's been dreaming of doing since the day he met her.