"You still look like a movie
You still sound like a song
My god, this reminds me
Of when we were young."

"Fitz, did you get more milk?"

The question hit Leo Fitz the second he opened the apartment door, two bags of shopping on each arm. He struggled to shuffle inside while simultaneously holding the door open and trying not to drop the precious goods he was carrying.

"Yep." He replied before unloading the bags onto the kitchen table and closing the door with his reddened hand, still stinging from the plastic handles pinching into his skin from the weight of the shopping.

"Oh, excellent; I forgot to put it on the list." Jemma Simmons smiled softly as she sat on the couch watching the evening news.

"You could've sent me a text." Fitz said as he began unpacking the groceries.

"I did, and your phone immediately went off on the kitchen side over there, where you left it." Jemma said, pointing to the exact spot where Fitz's phone was lying next to the kettle.

"Oh." Fitz whispered.

"And did they have the Slimfast milkshakes?" Jemma asked.

"Yep."

"The low fat yoghurts?"

"Yep."

"The low calorie jelly pots?"

"Yep."

"The Weight Watchers ready meals?"

"Yep, all five hundred billion of them."

"Don't be sarcastic. Oh, and you got those little drinks that help digestion? I underlined them to indicate their importance."

"Yep, I got it all. And I got you a box of those cookies you like." Fitz said. Jemma stood up from the sofa and glared at Fitz intently.

"Fitz! Why on Earth would you do something so horrible? You're my best friend in the world!"

"Yeah, and I bought you some cookies. You're welcome!?" Fitz exclaimed, confused by Jemma's reaction.

"I asked you to get all of this healthy stuff for me and you thought it was a good idea to get me the nicest tasting cookies of all time?!" Jemma said.

"Yeah! They can be a treat or something." Fitz said.

"No they can't! We both know I'll guzzle down the whole box tonight then go out and buy some more! You know I can't resist them, Fitz! Just knowing they're in that cupboard calling my name…it's torture, Fitz, torture!" Jemma protested.

"Fine! I'll eat them, then." Fitz sighed.

"Well, you can't do that! That's an even worse form of torture; watching you absorbing my favourite snack without taking your time to appreciate the delicacy of what it is you're shovelling down your neck!" Jemma said.

"Bloody hell, I can't win! They're bloody cookies, Jemma. How about I just hide them, then? And if you ever feel like having a treat, I'll go and get them. Okay?" Fitz suggested. Jemma took a moment to consider.

"Fine."

"Bloody cookies…" Fitz moaned under his breath as he finished unpacking everything.

"…I hope you bought the right stuff." Jemma added.

"Jesus Christ, Jem!" Fitz shouted.

"What?" Jemma asked, taken back by Fitz's outburst.

"I followed your six page long shopping list perfectly; it's all there and accounted for, just like you asked. You want to be healthier but instead of coming with me for a healthy walk to buy things for you, you choose to stay at home watching TV! It's not those bloody cookies I can smell anymore – it's the irony!"

"…My diet doesn't start until tomorrow. Besides, you can drive and I can't and there wouldn't have been room for everything in the car if I went too." Jemma justified.

"Fine, but the thing is, and I'm saying this for at least the twentieth time, you don't need to go on a diet! You're at the ideal weight for your age and lifestyle!" Fitz said.

"Yes I do!" Jemma argued.

"No you don't!" Fitz argued back as he put the kettle on.

You're perfect just the way you are! You're the most bloody perfect and beautiful woman I've ever met and ever will.

…Seriously, this little crush of his was getting out of hand.

There had been times in the past when Fitz had found himself crushing (and crushing hard) on his roommate and best friend of over a decade, but those feelings of attraction and longing seemed to fade after a few weeks.

This time, it had been months with no signs of stopping. Something was wrong, and Fitz didn't like it one bit. He was an awkward enough person as it was, but if Jemma knew about the way he'd been thinking about her recently…well, he'd probably have to stay at least fifty feet away from her by law for the rest of his life.

"YES I DO!" Jemma shouted again. Fitz rolled his eyes as he made them both a cup of tea. Jemma sat back down on the sofa and tried to focus on the TV, but her eyes kept being drawn back to the Scottish nuisance in the corner of the kitchen area.

That irritating, infuriating, smart, honest, sweet, lovely, handsome man.

I'm only going on a bloody diet so you'll recognise that I am, in fact, a female!

…Seriously, this little crush of hers was getting out of hand.

There had been times in the past where she'd definitely found herself attracted to her best friend, like the time he was her plus one to a family wedding and looked very good in that suit he wore. Other times she thought he was the sweetest man alive, and he probably was.

She'd had brief crushes on him over the years, but this one didn't seem to want to budge. It had been months now since she spent that sleepless night thinking about whether or not he was thinking about her.

Of course, he never seemed to notice her like that. Why would he? He's clearly the sane one; he doesn't have a crush on his best friend! He doesn't let his mind wander at work and pictures scenarios where –

-ANYWAY, there were also times when he drove her crazy, but in a way a family member does. You'd want to kill them but you still love them anyway, like an instinct. It was the same with Fitz. Sometimes she'd want to smack him as hard as she could, but then he'd look at her like that and…she was probably making all this up in her head anyway. He probably looks at everyone like that, right?

She'd decided to clear things up once and for all; go on a diet and see how he reacts to a healthier, skinnier Jemma Simmons. If he wasn't interested in Jemma Simmons in her prime, he never would be. Either way, it would give her closure on this ridiculous crush of hers.

"You don't, Jem." Fitz retaliated, bringing over the two cups of tea and handing one to Jemma as he sat next to her on the couch.

"…Sorry." Jemma said eventually, smiling at Fitz.

"It's okay. I'm sorry too." Fitz said.

"Thank you for going out and getting everything for me."

"You're welcome."

"Right then, this is it," Jemma proclaimed the next morning as she strolled out of her bedroom while Fitz sat on a stool at the kitchen table gobbling on a slice of toast, "a new and improved Jemma Simmons."

"I don't get why you're starting this now; we're two weeks into the New Year. Everyone's already given up on their New Year's Resolutions." Fitz noted.

"Exactly; people make resolutions during a holiday where they have temptation from leftover Christmas food and alcohol and all sorts. The key is to wait until you're back in the swing of things to start with your resolution." Jemma explained.

"Whatever you say." Fitz chuckled.

"Hush you; your resolution last year was to get up earlier on weekends so you didn't waste your days off. What time did you get up on the first Saturday of the year?" Jemma asked with a smirk. Fitz looked down at the floor.

"Can't remember."

"Fitz!"

"…Half three, okay!"

"You'd barely been up an hour and it had started getting dark outside – what a waste of a day!" Jemma said.

"Don't judge me about lifestyle choices when your breakfast this morning will have the same effect on your taste buds as eating a cowpat." Fitz said.

"Don't knock it till you try it, Fitz."

"I won't be trying it. Ever. The only way I'd eat or drink any of that dieting stuff would be if Doctor Who was cancelled if I didn't." Fitz stated.

"What about if someone you cared about was being dangled over a cliff by a gang lord? Like your mum? O-Or…or me?" Jemma asked timidly.

Fitz froze for a moment, looking right at her.

"Oh, w-well, o-of course I would. To save you, yeah. Without hesitation." Fitz mumbled.

Jemma hoped she was far enough away from him on the other side of the apartment for him to not see how red her cheeks had gone.

"Don't get kidnapped by a gang lord anytime soon, though." Fitz grinned.

"I'll try my best." Jemma smiled, heading over to the kitchen and reaching for a rectangular cereal box on the top shelf of the cupboard. Getting out a bowl and spoon, she tore open the top of the box and began pouring a small portion of the contents, Fitz watching intently as the little flakes fell from the box into the bowl.

"What the hell?" Fitz asked, bewildered and sickened.

"It's just some muesli, Fitz. A nice healthy breakfast." Jemma said.

"I can think of a word for it but it ain't 'healthy'."

"Could you at least pretend to be supportive?"

"Muesli. Sounds like a disease. I'm sorry; you've been diagnosed with a case of the muesli." Fitz chuckled in a way so adorable that even Jemma couldn't stop herself from smiling.

Darn that cute little smile he does when he finds himself funny!

"You're not funny."

"Then why are you smiling?"

"Shut up."

After a long and stressful day of work at SciOps, Fitz was relieved to get back to the apartment. Jemma had finished a few hours earlier than him (he'd had to attend a meeting), so he was interested in knowing how her first day of a healthier lifestyle was going.

As he walked up the steps of the apartment building, he smiled to himself as he pictured the possible scenarios he could walk in on. She could be being sick following a disgustingly healthy meal, or perhaps in a heap on the floor after a session of yoga. Maybe she could be in the middle of a workout?

Fitz stopped.

Oh no. She could be in the middle of a workout.

Jemma had an outfit she used specifically for working out in. Since it was rarely used she hadn't needed to buy a new one for years. There were no words to fully describe how she looked in it. She always tied her hair up in a neat ponytail while a low-cut pink vest and chalk blue shorts made her infuriatingly attractive.

Fitz remembered the last time he'd walked in or her during a rare walkout. It was during one of his many crushes on her, and he'd needed a very long and very cold shower afterwards.

He could hide the workings of his heart, but not…other parts.

Fitz kept walking and nervously approached the door as he fumbled getting his key out, taking a deep breath and honestly not knowing if the sight of Jemma working out would be a good or bad thing after such a long day. Either way, it was him, so it would be awkward nonetheless.

I could just wait outside for…ever.

Slowly opening the door, Fitz saw Jemma setting up plates on the kitchen table. Fitz smiled in relief (or was it disappointment?) as he wandered in.

"Ah, look who's back! How was the meeting?" Jemma asked, still busy plating up some food.

"Boring as ever. Coulson does bloody go on a bit." Fitz moaned as he put his bag down and took off his coat.

"How's his hand doing?" Jemma asked, smiling as she remembered the incident when Coulson, Fitz's boss, fractured his hand after coming off his bike.

"It's healing pretty well now. He still takes the bus to work, though." Fitz chuckled as he walked into the kitchen area and watched Jemma flawlessly plate up some food. On his side (he always sat on the side of the table closest to the door) was a plate with a juicy steak and perfectly cooked chips on the side on it.

"Smells amazing, thank you." Fitz smiled as he took a seat.

"You're very welcome. I thought you could use a steak after such a long day. Whereas I have this…" Jemma said, sitting down and gesturing towards her plate. Fitz took a glance and couldn't fathom what on Earth was on it.

"And what is…that?"

"Sliced beetroot with a sprinkle of goat's cheese."

"Sprinkle is a generous word to use; that's a crumb." Fitz smiled.

"It's a controlled diet plan, Fitz. This will benefit me and my body so I will endure it. I like beetroot, anyway." Jemma said.

"Give it a few minutes." Fitz smirked, cutting into his steak and being delighted at the slight pink of the inside of it (just the way he liked it).

"Be quiet, you." Jemma grinned. She couldn't get annoyed at his teasing no matter how hard she tried.

"How was your first day as a healthier woman, anyway?" Fitz asked.

"Mixed, if I'm honest. I'm already craving those cookies. And chocolate. And literally everything unhealthy I've ever had." Jemma revealed.

"I wouldn't blame you if you just packed it in."

"After one day? No, not this time. This is it. I just need to get over this stage; the first few weeks are the hardest. It's a readjustment, that's all. All I need to do is find a way to distract myself, find something else to enjoy and get excited about other than junk food." Jemma said, determined.

"Yeah, a healthy pleasure to keep you busy." Fitz agreed.

"Exactly. Don't know what yet, though. What do you think? Can you think of a way I can find some pleasure?"

Fitz choked on his food as Jemma realised the connotations of her last question.

"No, no! I didn't mean, I -"

"-I know, I know. Sorry." Fitz said.

"I mean, you know, I'm single, so…that rules that out. I mean, I don't see that being an option…in the near future." Jemma said, unable to look Fitz in the eye.

"Right." Fitz whispered.

Silence.

Bloody hell, why did I say that?!

Bloody hell, why did she have to say that?!

"Sorry. Let's change the subject and very quickly." Jemma blushed.

Though if you did volunteer for that kind of pleasure…control yourself, Jemma!

"Right. Okay. Um…so what else have you been doing today? Diet stuff, I mean." Fitz said.

"…Well, um…I went for a run earlier."

"Good."

"And I did a bit of yoga."

"Great."

"And I'm going to do a workout after I let this digest."

"Sounds like a good idea-a w-workout?" Fitz asked.

"Yeah. I have a DVD somewhere." Jemma replied.

"…Right. Good for you. Doing workouts. Lovely."

"…Are you okay? You've gone a bit pale." Jemma wondered, concerned.

"I'm fine. Just a long, long day."

"I see. Do you want to take anything for it? A tablet or something?"

"I don't see how an iPad will help here, Jemma." Fitz grinned.

"Oh dear; Fitz family humour is truly appalling, isn't it?" Jemma laughed.

"If my mum was here, there'd be tears right now. Tears."

The washing up was done and Fitz was busy typing away email after email on his laptop, a Doctor Who DVD on as relaxing background noise. Jemma suddenly stepped out of her room and inspected the TV.

"Do you mind if I switch this over?" Jemma asked. Fitz stat up straight, appalled.

"I know, I know, I normally wouldn't turn over such a glorious show, but you're busy and I'm in the mood to do a workout." Jemma added.

"Oh. You're gonna work out. Now." Fitz said shyly.

"Uh, yeah. If that's alright?"

"Yeah, yeah. Uh, yeah. I'll just, uh…you know what? I'll get out of your way. I'll do this in my room." Fitz said, picking his laptop off of his lap and turning towards his room.

"That's okay, Fitz, you don't take up any room, I can just-"

"-No, no, it's fine. Uh…yeah." Fitz mumbled, rushing into his room and quickly closing his door behind him. Jemma stared at Fitz's room door for a moment, pure confusion written over her face.

What was that about? I was hoping he'd stick around to see this.

Jemma sighed as she headed back into her room to get changed.

This whole crush thing is a nightmare.

Fitz couldn't focus on his email as he heard Jemma's room door close, knowing what she was getting changed into.

This whole crush thing is a nightmare.