Fitz stared at Jemma in shock, unable to move after hearing those words come out of her mouth.

"I think we've done more than enough talking, don't you think?"

She was staring at him too, somehow catatonic yet filled with adrenaline.

I can't believe I actually just said that. I'm going to cry.

Fitz needed to say something, anything, like he needed to breathe; otherwise he was going to scream.

"…Enough…talking…" He mumbled quietly. Jemma's hands were shaking as she clutched the mobile in her hands. She suddenly realised she'd already dialled a number and there was probably someone very confused on the other end. She quickly held the phone up to her ear with widened eyes as Fitz remained staring at her.

"Hello? Hi, uh. Sorry. Yes. This is Jemma Simmons, biochem division. Yes, um…I won't be in work today. Food poisoning – it's producing a very unpredictable sequence of reactions. My roommate's the same, so he won't be in either. Leo Fitz. Engineering. Yes, yes. Okay. Okay. Alright. Thank you."

She hung up and put her mobile on the kitchen table, slowly turning back to Fitz.

"I called in sick for both of us." Jemma said shyly.

"Yeah, yeah, I heard." Fitz replied, his eyes now fixated on the floor. Neither of them were quite sure what on Earth was going to happen now.

Silence.

"So…you called in sick." Fitz said.

"Yeah."

"In order for us to, um…"

"Fitz, look, when I said what I said I wasn't intending to pressure you. I mean, it's just an expression of…I don't think I have a point to this so I'll stop talking." Jemma said awkwardly. Both of their hearts were beating out of their chests.

Silence again.

"So, I…" – "Why don't we -?"

Fitz sighed as he sat down on the couch. Jemma watched him worriedly.

Oh God, I've blown this already.

"This is ridiculous." Fitz sighed.

"I'm sorry." Jemma said sadly.

"No, I don't mean…oh, bloody hell. Let's agree to just be straight with one another from now on, yeah?" Fitz suggested.

"Uh, yeah. Alright." Jemma said, blushing and still unable to look him in the eye.

Being straight is what got us into this mess in the first place.

"What I mean is, well…we've only gotten this far because we agreed that…this…wouldn't be weird, but…" Fitz began.

"It's weird." Jemma finished.

Silence yet again.

"I'm so sorry I did this to us. Look, I'll stay with Daisy. I can't believe I've ruined this." Jemma said, tears in her eyes as she headed for her room.

"Jemma, wait. We can't run from this anymore. It's out there now." Fitz said softly.

Jemma took a moment then sat next to him on the couch. They were as far apart as they could possibly be while still sitting on the same sofa. It'd been so long since they'd been able to look one another in the eye they were in danger of forgetting what they looked like.

"…I'd like to make a hypothesis." Fitz said.

Jemma smiled to herself. She'd always found it endearing when Fitz got all scientific, even before her first crush on him blossomed.

"I think we think that this is weird because we thought it would be." Fitz added.

"…So, um…if we made sure to not make anything weird by treating it as such…?" Jemma wondered.

"We might make some progress." Fitz clarified.

"…Okay."

Fitz took a deep breath.

Here we go.

"When you said earlier…about 'enough talking'…were you referring to what I think you were?" Fitz asked extremely reluctantly; he could hardly believe he'd actually managed to say it out loud. He'd had wild fantasies that started out in exactly the same way.

Though unless Jemma owns a tutu I doubt it'll end the same way too.

Jemma felt as if she was about to faint. She was terrified that Fitz had put himself out there and asked a question like that, yet she also respected him for being so brave. Even in times like these she could rely on Fitz. She could always rely on Fitz.

Which is why everything will probably still be okay.

"…Yes." Jemma stated eventually.

She still couldn't look at him. He still couldn't look at her. Fitz digested Jemma's answer as best he could.

Holy fuck.

"…Why don't, um, why don't you ask something next? Taking turns might be easier." Fitz said.

"Okay."

Silence.

"…W-Would you consider your…f-feelings towards me as…more than friendship?" Jemma asked. She could hardly breathe.

"Yes." Fitz said without hesitation.

Wow. Oh, wow. He didn't even hesitate. Jesus Christ.

"Do you see me in that way too?" Fitz eventually asked.

"Yes." Jemma said quickly. Fitz being so quick in his response had filled her with confidence.

As soon as he heard her answer he wanted to jump up and dance on the table, but he (luckily) refrained.

It was out there now.

She likes me.

He likes me.

"…How long have you had these…feelings?" Jemma asked.

"…It's been on and off for years." Fitz answered.

For the first time in a while, Jemma looked at him.

"Really?"

"Really."

"Me too!" Jemma smiled. Fitz looked at her.

"Seriously?" Fitz asked. Jemma's excitement grew.

"Yes! There were little crushes from time to time but then this one just -"

"-Wouldn't go away!" Fitz finished.

"Yes! Exactly!" Jemma giggled.

The two shared a smile for the first time in what felt like years.

"…It's been eating away at me for months." Fitz admitted.

"Me too." Jemma said, spontaneously putting her hand over his from across the couch. After a moment, Fitz took her hand and gently linked his fingers through hers, sending a shiver up both of their spines.

This is actually happening.

Okay, Jemma. Don't cry. Do. Not. Cry.

"I guess we've been pretty oblivious then." Fitz smiled.

"I guess so. Though you were worse." Jemma teased.

"What?"

"Why do you think I went on that bloody diet?" Jemma questioned, playfully shoving Fitz.

"What, that was just for me?" Fitz asked, astounded.

"Yes! I thought you barely recognised me as a female." Jemma said, looking down with embarrassment.

"Oh, man. I'm sorry I made you feel like that." Fitz said.

"It wasn't your fault, it's always been my problem." Jemma replied.

"Well, at least you know now I definitely know you're a female." Fitz smiled and Jemma chuckled.

"I do."

"You never needed to go on a bloody diet."

"Well I guess I can stop and have those cookies again." Jemma grinned.

"I feel that is, ironically, the healthier option for you." Fitz said and Jemma laughed.

"I thought you just found it disgusting, running off whenever I put on a workout DVD." Jemma recalled. Fitz blushed and looked away, which Jemma picked up on.

"Fitz? What is it?"

"It wasn't the working out so much as…what you wore." Fitz admitted.

"My workout outfit? What's wrong with it?" Jemma wondered.

"Nothing, that's the problem; it's very, very right."

"Fitz, I don't understand."

"It turned me on." Fitz admitted, closing his eyes and holding his head in hands in shame as Jemma smiled.

"No. Way." Jemma laughed.

"You can laugh, but if my train of thought is correct you'd have the same reaction to a certain outfit of mine." Fitz teased and Jemma blushed.

"Shut up."

"Knew it."

"Basically, we're as bad as each other and we should've just talked things through months ago." Jemma chuckled.

"I guess so." Fitz agreed.

A moment as the two looked at one another with a smile.

"So, to clarify…" Fitz began and Jemma giggled.

"Yes?"

"There are…mutual…feelings here?"

"…There are indeed. And a mutual…attraction." Jemma added nervously.

"Absolutely." Fitz stated.

Silence.

"So…" - "So…"

The two laughed again.

"All those times when I thought that maybe you felt the same then I convinced myself it was all in my head." Jemma recalled.

"I know." Fitz nodded.

"Times when I just wanted to scream or kiss you with everything I had…"

"Oh, yeah." Fitz agreed.

"…And now there's nothing to stop us."

Jemma's statement caused the world to stop turning, even for just a second. Jemma and Fitz looked into each other's eyes and realised she was right. What the hell was holding them back now?

For the very first time, the answer was simple. Nothing.

What the bloody hell are we doing?

Jemma and Fitz practically leaped towards each other as their lips crashed together. Jemma climbed onto Fitz's lap and wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening that joyous first kiss as he gently tucked her hair behind her ear.

It was everything they'd imagined and then some.

The occasional moan Jemma let out in between kisses drove Fitz a wonderful kind of insane as they fell back onto the couch, Fitz lying on top of Jemma as she pulled his body close to hers by his shirt collar.

"Oh, Fitz."

She'd never said his name quite like that before.

But I'll bloody make sure she does again.

"-waited so long -"

"-feels so good -"

"-can't believe we're finally -"

"-do this all day -"

They only broke apart when it became necessary to breathe. Fitz looked down at the beautiful woman lying underneath him and smiled. She smiled back, breathing heavily.

He's already taken my breath away.

"You're right, you know." Fitz said intently.

"About what?" Jemma asked.

"…I'm so done talking."