Fitzsimmons

Motor Skills

Quick Note: I spoil you guys too much. Two stories in one day.

Really short one-shot. I think this might happen sometime along the season. If we are lucky. Brace yourselves for the season premiere!

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"Fitz, you're not wearing your ties anymore." Jemma sighed sadly during a break in their lab work. Fitz made busy shuffling through papers on his desk.

"I know," Fitz began too casually. "Decided ties aren't my thing."

"You sure? You always looked so good in them." Jemma insisted. She knew by the look on his face something was wrong. She also knew no one else on the team could recognize this look.

"Yeah." he huffed out.

"Fitz, I'm your doctor." Jemma spoke it like a threat. Fitz gave her a sad, pleading look, masked by a fake anger. He set down the papers, hand shaking slightly, and arms tight.

"I'm fine." he uttered, forcibly loose-jawed.

"I know you're not. You don't have to lie to me." She gently touched her fingers to his hand.

"Well maybe I am okay, Jemma! Stop it with the bloody pity, alright?!" Fitz jerked his arm away and began his walk to Jemma's side of the lab, knowing she wouldn't let him get away with this. Jemma followed him to the exam seat set up in the corner and began searching for his file.

"I can't help it." she whispered as she pulled out the Manila folder. She meant so many different things. She couldn't help the guilt she felt. She couldn't help the way she felt about him, nor the way he felt about her. She couldn't help the pity. It was the only way she could think of to help him.

"How long has it been happening?" Jemma asked, then uncapped a pen with her teeth. Fitz closed his eyes, forcing himself to relax.

"Two weeks now." he muttered unhappily. Jemma felt her heart drop in her chest, but continued to perform her examination.

"Just in the hands? Are you having any trouble kicking or chewing?" Fitz sighed a very un-Fitz-like sigh.

"Yes." He spoke the one syllable with so much weight, Jemma dropped her pen.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" she asked, genuinely angry at him. Fitz knew how this sort of thing could harm him. His face contorted as he opened his mouth to answer.

"I didn't want you to feel more guilty than you already were," Fitz whispered, knowing the reaction he would get. Jemma turned away so he wouldn't see her tears. This was their relationship, now. Hiding the hurt.

"Don't ever do that." she spoke, her throat audibly strained. "I will notice. You mean too much to me not to-" her voice cracked as she tried to control the sob ripping through her chest. Fitz stared at the floor. They kept hurting each other, and they couldn't figure out why.

"Let's not do this anymore." Fitz said blankly. He stood, wrinkling the paper as he did so, and walked over to Jemma.

Jemma, knowing not to resist this anymore, turned into Fitz's arms. He wrapped his shaking arms around her tightly as he could, and Jemma let the sobs float up through her. Fitz noticed was crying, too. He was done with this endless cycle of pain.

"Don't you dare feel guilty for not liking me in the same way I like you. Don't you dare." Fitz wanted to say. But he didn't trust his voice to speak coherently right now. So instead he expressed it best he could in the way his hand stroked Jemma's hair.

"From now on, I'll do your ties for you, okay?" Jemma whispered in a promise meaning so much more.

"Okay."