Fitzsimmons

Release

Quick Note: It would be nice if this happened next episode, but you know, it probably won't.

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It had been a long, emotional day for both Jemma and Fitz, and it mainly revolved around the presence of the unforgivable betrayer who shall not be named.

Simmons had exploded on him, eventually resorting to throwing random punches while spilling hot, angry tears and yelling nonsensical hate. A few had bruised skin, and one managed to split his lip, but he had walked away, or rather, stumbled away while the team pulled her off of him, and seeing his hurt face made her only slightly proud. Her thirst for a complete emotional release left her exhausted and edgy.

Fitz had bit his tongue all day and his neck her from all of the craning he had to do to keep track of where he might be lurking. Fitz's trust had been completely shattered, and he was left with pain and dull rage. He had been slowly loosening the tie on his feelings, and today it came spilling out, only to be stopped by Coulson and Hunter. Fitz needed a nap. Or an empty space to scream his frustrations into. Maybe he could've taken it out on a punching bag, if he wasn't so tired.

They gravitated toward the empty lab around three, after getting back late. This was where they figured everything out. Naturally this would be where they could let it all out.

Silently, Jemma took a seat on the floor, leaning her back weakly against the lab table. Then she started crying, uncapping the bottled-up emotions in the best way she knew how. Fitz sunk down beside her, limbs feeling like bricks, and leaned into her heavily. He joined her in her saltwater tears, both sniffling and taking comfort in the other's warmth and lullaby breathing.

"I want to be done hurting," Jemma whimpered carelessly. Fitz grasped her hand tighter.

"Me too," Fitz mumbled against the temple of her forehead.

So Simmons began pouring it all out. "I hate him, but not just because he almost killed me, because he almost killed you. Then he separated us, and you were injured, and we were both hurt so much, and what if you hadn't made it? What if you were dead? What if I hadn't been fast enough to carry both of us? I can't survive without you, Leo, I just can't."

Fitz scooped her shaking body closer to his own, and she buried her head in his cardigan while he stroked her hair soothingly. "Jemma, Jemma, shh," he cooed into her ear, placing a feather-light kiss to the shell before pulling back to see her big, puffy, brown eyes.

"I'm here, I'm okay, I'm doing fine. I'm alive. It's okay." He was just saying every assuring thing that came to mind, and she was relishing in the complete release.

That's when she shifted forward and their lips met in a wet, salty, messy first kiss. And Fitz didn't think twice before kissing her back. Both were too exhausted to really process the importance of the kiss; it was just happening. It was such a natural transition that Jemma hardly realized the change.