“Abbott Elementary ”Stars Break Down Janine and Gregory's Kiss in Season 3 Finale: Everything They've Said So Far

The fan-favorite teachers finally kissed (again) on the season 3 finale — so what happens now?

Warning: This post contains spoilers for season 3 of Abbott Elementary.

Abbott Elementary fans finally got their wish on the sitcom's season 3 finale, as Janine (Quinta Brunson) and Gregory (Tyler James Williams) shared a long-awaited kiss to close out the episode.

The moment came more than a year and 20 episodes after the teachers kissed for the first time in season 2, but they decided to keep things platonic between themselves as Gregory had just broken up with Amber (Naté Jones) and Janine was technically still dating Maurice (Vince Staples).

The May 22 episode saw the teachers finally give in to their chemistry, to the delight of fans — and to Brunson and Williams' delight, too.

"I've been waiting to get to this moment just as much as everybody else has," Williams, 31, told TVLine of the kiss. "I’m actually really excited to explore where they’re headed, because for so long, it’s been kind of stop-start-y. Now, I can actually lean fully into the intention that has been simmering with Gregory for some time."

Related: Abbott Elementary's Sheryl Lee Ralph Says Gregory and Janine 'Need Therapy' Before They Give Romance a Shot

Williams also admitted that he's been "lying" to fans and the press about wanting his character to keep things platonic with Janine — all in the hopes of throwing people off.

"I knew what the finale was, and I was misleading," he said. "I kept getting asked about what was happening with Janine and Gregory, and I’m like, 'Uhhh, they should be friends.' ... It’s just very difficult, in a world full of spoilers, not to allude to that. I’m one of those people who have a hard time hiding what’s on my face, and I feel like every time I’ve been asked about them romantically, I’ve been trying to hide knowing where this goes."

He's happy the time has finally come for the pair, telling The A.V. Club, "It feels good to have this. Janine and Gregory’s first kiss that we did in season two was very hesitant and tentative. There’s something more definitive about this moment. So when I read it, I felt like, 'Okay, we can do this.'"

"I’ve never wanted her and Gregory to get together by default. I’ve wanted it to be clear that Gregory chose Abbott independently and then chose Janine independently. They didn’t just come together by circumstance. He had to make those decisions for himself," Williams continued. "I’ve wanted it to be a choice, not a relationship out of convenience where they’re riding off of their meet cute. I like the obstacles we’ve thrown in their path because it’s led to their growth."

Related: 'Abbott Elementary' 's Chris Perfetti Can Make 'Strong Argument' for — and Against — Janine and Gregory's Romance

Like her costar, Brunson, 34, wanted things between Janine and Gregory to happen in the right way — and there was a lot of back and forth in the writers' room about how to make that work.

“The writers and I talked a lot about it. We wanted both of them to head towards each other. That’s what we haven’t necessarily seen yet," she told TheWrap. "We’ve seen one head toward the other, the other be skeptical … both pulling back but [we wanted] both characters saying, ‘You know what, whatever, I want this person. I’m going for them.’”

As for what will happen now, Brunson said the second-grade and first-grade teacher "both know what they're doing."

“They both know what they want. They’re saying it out loud — No more games.”

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Williams has some concerns, though, as he thinks the kiss "brings up more questions" for the characters.

"Now there’s a whole bunch of other s--- we’re going to have to address," he told TV Insider. "The only person who I think is aware that this might have happened is Jacob (Chris Perfetti). How do we keep this quiet? No one really knows except for him. What happens in their dynamic at the school now? What is this? Are they in a relationship? Are we dating? How do you do that with somebody you’ve known for two years already?"

The kiss didn't mark anything "definitive," he said, which he "liked," as it keeps the door open for so much. "We wanted to make sure that we landed it and we did it right. We wanted it to be fulfilling," he added.

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Season 3 of Abbott Elementary is now streaming on Hulu.

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