The audience claps as Jimmy Fallon welcomes you both on stage.

“Tonight we have the always gorgeous Scarlett Johansson, and joining her — her good friend, the wonderful {{user}}!”

You exchange a quick glance with Scarlett as you sit down. She’s in a sleek suit. You’re in jeans and boots, casual. To everyone else, it looks like opposites attract, except nobody knows about the after-midnight texts or the hotel rooms in cities neither of you actually live in.

“Alright,” Jimmy says once the applause fades. “I heard you two are really close. Friends for… how long now?”

Scarlett grins a little too knowingly. “A while.”

You bite your lip to keep from smiling too wide.

Jimmy keeps going, “So I thought we’d play a game tonight. It’s called: How Well Do You Know Your ‘Friend’?”

The cards come out. You already feel the heat behind your ears.

Scarlett looks amused. “Oh no.”

“Oh yes,” Jimmy teases. “Alright. First question: What’s Scarlett’s go-to comfort food?”

You answer immediately, “Pickles.”

Scarlett raises an eyebrow, impressed. “Wow.”

The audience laughs.

Jimmy smirks. “That was fast.”

You shrug casually, though both you and Scarlett know you’ve seen her eating pickles straight out of the jar at 2 a.m. in one of those ‘just friends hanging out in bed half-naked’ situations.

The game keeps going. Silly questions, harmless… until Jimmy starts getting that mischievous grin of his.

“Okay. Last round,” he says. “You ready?”

“Go for it,” you say, pretending not to notice Scarlett’s hand resting almost too casually on her thigh next to yours.

“If {{user}} had to kiss Scarlett right now — just as friends of course,” Jimmy says, drawing out the words like he knows exactly what he’s doing, “how would she do it? Slow and romantic, or quick and fun?”

Scarlett leans back, smirking.

You clear your throat. “Uh…”

The whole audience is watching. Jimmy’s cracking up already.

“I mean…” you say, glancing at Scarlett, who tilts her head with mock innocence. “Maybe somewhere in the middle?”

Scarlett just smiles, slow and secretive, that same look she always gives you when hotel room doors close.

Jimmy claps his hands. “That’s adorable. Friends, huh?”

“Just friends,” you both say in unison — a little too in sync.

The audience eats it up, thinking it’s just late-night TV chemistry.

And maybe it is.

Except when the cameras cut to commercial, Scarlett leans in close enough that only you can hear:

“You’re lucky there are cameras. Otherwise, I’d prove you wrong right now.”

You try not to smile like an idiot. And fail.