A/N:- This takes place following "Revenge" and "Privileges," and features an established Densi. You don't need to have read those, but it'd be nice. Two-shot.
Rating:- T… possibly. I'll see if that lasts as long as the last time I planned that.
Disclaimer:- Despite doing things with these characters, I do not own them. They're from the awesome show NCIS Los Angeles. As if you didn't already know that.
The white page taunted Kensi, cursor flashing in what could only be described as a mocking pace. She drummed her fingers on the keyboard, nails rapping out a rhythm. Her dark eyes flicked to the side of the screen: 17:30. Thirty minutes until quitting time, provided nothing came up at the last minute. Please God, she thought, don't let anything come up at the last minute. If it did, there was no telling what time of night they might get out the door, and she didn't want that to happen today. Not today, of all days.
Idly, she sucked on her bottom lip, returned her attention to the teasingly blank document in front of her and willed herself to focus on her work. It wasn't that she needed to have the report done ASAP, it'd keep over the weekend, but she'd already been to the firing range today already, and needed to keep herself occupied. Normally, she'd just browse the net, using the Office of Special Projects' incredibly fast and secure broadband connection, but she wasn't alone in the bullpen.
Deeks had ploughed through his own stack of files and reports with a gusto unseen before, raising more than one eyebrow from the others, and a flurry of comments he deflected with ease. Now, he was in the gym, working some Sayoc with Sam. Well, working was probably being generous; there was no doubt the ex-SEAL was making her partner suffer. It was the reason she'd avoided the gym today; she couldn't afford any bruises or cuts tonight. So that left her with the other senior agent of the team. Callen sat at his desk, as engrossed in his paperwork as she pretended to be in her own.
Kensi glanced at the time again: 17:30. What? How is that even possible?
Nothing was coming. Everything she needed to write was blurring in her head, spinning and racing, bouncing off the walls of her skull, but nothing would stick around long enough for her to put it down on the page in anything that resembled logic.
17:31. Seriously?
She breathed in, letting the air fill her lungs, willing herself to calm. But she was anything but calm. She'd been looking forward to tonight for days, and now that the end of the working day was approaching, time seemed to be stretching to almost unbearable levels.
17:32.
"So," said Callen, the suddenness of his voice seeming unnaturally loud and shocking her from her reverie. "What have you got planned for tonight?"
She flicked her eyes to the side at him; he seemed just as immersed in his computer as he had been a moment before.
"Oh, you know…" she said. "The usual. Food, Top Model, long bath."
"Nice try, Kensi. Where's Deeks taking you?"
"What do you…?" she began, only for him to interrupt.
"Or don't you know?" He finally turned to face her, a grin on his face. When he saw the clear confusion on her, his face brightened. "He hasn't told you, has he?"
Kensi deflated. Of course Callen would know. Neither she nor Deeks had told anyone – well, she was one hundred percent sure she hadn't told anyone – but she really shouldn't be surprised any more that their private life wasn't as private as they'd like. "No."
"Oh, you'll like it," Callen said, laughing a little.
"You know where we're going?" she exclaimed. "Deeks won't even tell me."
"We always know where our team is, Kens," said Callen.
Her eyes narrowed. "You know, that sounds a little skalker-esk."
"Not a real word," he said.
"Not my point," she countered, arching her eyebrows in a way that had worked so successfully for her mother during Kensi's teens.
"Don't worry about it," said Callen, not backing down under her glare. "Me and Sam just like to keep extra tabs on Deeks; he's not as well versed in the whole spy thing, as you well remember."
"He's getting better," Kensi said, defensively.
"Oh, we know," Callen admitted. "We just want to make sure he doesn't backslide." Then he smiled. "Plus, it's nice to know more about your boyfriend than you do."
Kensi was about to snap back at him, before his words fully sunk in and she struggled instead to keep the blush from her cheeks and the grin off her lips. She turned away from Callen without another word, trying – and failing – to concentrate on the screen before her.
Boyfriend! Deeks is my boyfriend. Well, not yet, not officially. They hadn't even been on one date yet, though tonight was going to change all that.
17:38. What?
Deeks had been bound and determined to keep the location of their first date a secret from her, telling her only to bring her A Game and dress to impress. Oh, and that it'd involve dinner, though she had needed (physically forced) him to swear that said food wasn't a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
Wherever it was, chances were it was going to be pretty cool; Deeks may look like a beach bum (and act like one. And occasionally smell like one), but he always seemed to know the hottest places in LA to go, more so than she ever did. But given that she didn't know where they were going, she had been having great difficulty picking out the right outfit for the evening. She'd considered asking Nell for advice, but that was back when she foolishly believed the whole thing was a secret and hadn't wanted to explain why she needed the help. She'd also thought of asking her mother, but she wasn't sure she wanted to have any deep conversations or explain why she'd want to look sexy.
"Oh, Miss Blye." Hetty Lange's voice cut through the office from the small raised section that held her desk. "A moment of your time, please?"
17:40. Kensi stood, trying not to sigh, and made her way over to their operations manager. The smaller woman observed Kensi over her glasses for what seemed an eternity, but was probably closer to only a few scant seconds.
"You seem noticeably distracted today," Hetty said, tenting her fingers before her.
"Do I?" Kensi replied. "I don't…"
Hetty spoke right over the top of her; "Is it possible that your upcoming date with Detective Deeks is responsible?"
Kensi stilled her tongue, trying to keep her face calm and emotionless. Did everyone know?
"I must say," Hetty continued, "that his choice of establishments is to be greatly admired. I myself have spent many a wonderful evening there."
Kensi finally broke, shaking her head. "Does everyone know more than me?" she sighed.
"It does appear this way, yes," Hetty said. "Which is why I went to trouble of acquiring this for you." Without further explanation, Hetty plucked a rectangular box from her desk, passing it towards Kensi. Kensi reluctantly took it, opening the lid. The box was made of plain white cardboard, and inside were several sheets of thin paper, and below them a pile of black cloth.
"And this is?" she said.
"Why, it's a dress, Miss Blye. Perfect for your planned evening. I also have the most wonderful pair of shoes to go with it, though they could hardly fit in the box. And don't worry; this is from my private collection. You may keep it."
Kensi felt her heart swell at the unexpected gift. "I don't know what to say," she admitted.
"Then say nothing," Hetty informed her. "You will sound wise beyond your years. Now…" she continued with a glance at her watch. "I suggest you go home, to begin your preparations. I am sure Mr. Callen can do without you. He and Mr. Hanna can more than deal with whatever may arise without you and the detective, for one night at least."
"I don't…" Kensi began again, before changing track in her mind. "Why are you doing this, Hetty?"
"Because that's what family does for each other, my dear," was the reply.
A little over two hours later, Deeks found himself waiting outside Kensi's apartment, clutching the small box in both hands. He'd knocked, a few seconds before, but there had been no answer. He tried to ignore the sinking, paranoid, feeling in the pit of his gut. It had only been, like, literally five seconds, why would he have expected her to answer the door already? She'd need to climb over the pile of clothes on the floor first – some dirty, and some no doubt discarded choices for tonight – and that was like crossing the Alps without any elephants. Still, that was the logical part of Marty Deeks talking; the illogical part of him, the part that had fret so much for days on end about this night he was surprised no one had called him on it, was busy checking his wrist watch to make sure that not only did he have the right time, he also had the right day. That's what she did to his brain. Turned it to mush.
He smiled slightly. He still couldn't believe it, couldn't believe that Bad-Ass Blye had admitted to being in love with him. Oh, the fact that he loved her in return was neither here nor there; inwardly he questioned how any man who met his wonderful, incredible, infuriating, partner didn't fall as deeply in love with her as he had. He'd needed to pinch himself on a fair few occasions over the past several days to ensure he hadn't dreamed the whole thing, had needed to hear her say it again and again. And just getting to this point had been a trial. They'd been partners and best friends, and then one day the flirting and banter between them had spilled over into a physical relationship, which had lasted for three whole months before they'd both finally plucked up the courage to admit how they'd felt about each other. Leading to tonight; date number one. Numero Uno. Ethay irstfay ateday.
'Bring your A-Game', he'd told her. And he sure as hell intended to do just that himself; he'd pulled out all the stops to make sure this was the one. He'd never get another shot at tonight. Because Kensi was more than worth it. And honestly, how many first dates to you get to go on with someone you're already head over heels for?
Though, obviously, there'd need to be two of them to make it a date, otherwise it was just him, alone in a restaurant, looking like a lemon. He wrapped on the door again.
She was making him wait, wasn't she? She was probably already about ninety percent prepared, sat on her cute ass, watching reality TV, deliberately leaving him hanging. For a brief second, he considered picking the lock but shot the idea down; that was not the impression he wanted to make tonight. So he knocked on the door again.
A few beats later, he saw a shadow move across the other side of the curtain, before it twitched aside to reveal his partner's mismatched eyes for a fraction of a second, before they disappeared from view. Then came the click of a lock, and the door swung open. Deeks' jaw dropped and his brain shut down.
Kensi stood in the doorway, looking like the most beautiful creature ever to grace God's green Earth. Her hair was loose, poofy and curly and wavy, hanging down over the silky smooth skin of her bare shoulders. It seemed to shimmer with darkness. Deeks was aware that was probably a contradictory phrase, but it was the only thing he could think to describe what his partner had done to her long locks. Her face shone too; her makeup was faint but noticeable, accentuating every soft curve of her features, but her lips were deep and red. They looked so plump, so inviting, that Deeks realised he'd been staring at them for more than a few seconds.
Down, his gaze travelled, over the rest of her frame, wrapped in a figure hugging black dress, strapless over only one shoulder he realised. The fabric seemed so light and airy, clutching the curvature of her body in ways that made his mouth salivate. The dress ended mid thigh, revealing her long, supple legs, the skin appearing softer than he'd ever seen before, and ending in a pair of black strappy heels that added a least another three inches to her height. His eyes traipsed their way up her dangerous curves again, and back to her face. The corners of her lips tugged into a brief smile, as if to herself, as if there was some great joke going on that only she was a part of.
"I, uh…" Deeks tried, his tongue feeling swollen and limp in his mouth. "Uhm, you look, uh…"
"Thank you, Marty," she said, clearly throwing his fog-addled brain a bone. She led him into the living room, closing the door behind the pair. "You clean up remarkably well too." She gestured to the three-piece suit he wore, charcoal grey and cut to fit him remarkably well, shoes polished until they shone.
"Uh, yeah," he replied, finally, his brain catching up with current situations. "Though, to be honest, Hetty gave it to me. Just like that, said 'Here, take this, it'll look great on your date.' All ironed and everything. I don't know how the little pixie even knew, but she did."
Kensi's mouth thinned as she swallowed another smile. "Yeah, me too. That's where the dress came from. Though I must say," she continued, reaching a hand out and fingering the fabric of his lapel. "She does have remarkably good taste."
"Tell me about it." Deeks smiled, leaning forward to press his lips against hers. He felt her melt into it for a moment, but then Kensi pushed him back. Not roughly, just enough to break the lock of their lips.
"Sorry," he breathed, her scent making his head spin only slightly less than the kiss had. "Not very good first date etiquette."
"I know," she replied, smiling easily. "I have half a mind to call the whole thing off. You're on thin ice now, Mr. Deeks, and I run a very tight three strikes system."
"I'll try to remember that," he said, before cupping her chin and drawing her in to another kiss. When he finally pulled himself back from her lips – the hardest thing he'd ever had to do in his life – she was panting visibly. "So, that's the second strike, right?"
Kensi swallowed, before biting down onto her bottom lip. "I think that's still the first strike," she said, finally.
"Good to know."
For a long moment, they just stood, face to face, little more than a foot from each other. Deeks was lost in Kensi's eyes, almost as if he could see through them into the deepest reaches of her soul. For a brief moment, every inch of her being was opened for him, burning brighter than the sun. In that instant, he had never loved her more.
It was Kensi, though, who broke the moment, broke the eye contact when her gaze flicked down, first to his lips, then to his chest, then trailing down to the box he clutched in his grip.
"So, what's in the box?" she asked.
He grinned, the brightest grin he could muster. Several people had commented that the grin looked like a lopsided wolf, but he didn't care. It was the grin that Kensi always brought out of him. "I got you a little something," he said, offering the box to her.
It was a small box, the sides a plush purple in colour, and tied with a bow that he couldn't have copied if you'd paid him. Thankfully, he'd charmed the woman in the shop into doing it for him. Not that it lasted long; Kensi took the box from him, ripping the wrapping paper clear in one fell swoop. She peered over the lid, to the contents inside.
"Is this what I think it is?" she said, voice quivering with emotion. Her face scrunched up in that adorable way it did when she was trying desperately not to break into a giant grin at the leafy green she found. "You got me a plant?"
"Not just any plant," he admitted, feeling his own grin grow. A small part of him was becoming concerned the top of his head may flop off, he was smiling so much.
"You got me a fern," she clarified.
"Strike two?" he asked.
"We'll see," she replied, placing the box reverently on the living room table. "It depends on how the rest of the night goes."
"You love it really," he demanded.
"Maybe," she said, the smile finally breaking its way through to her ruby red lips.
"More than you love me?"
"Quite possibly."
Deeks barked a small laugh. "That is one lucky plant," he said.
"Tell me about it," she agreed.
Again, the easy silence descended upon the pair, their eyes never wavering. Eventually, Deeks felt a cough tickle his throat, and he cleared it.
"So, uh, are you ready?" he asked.
"Almost," she replied. "I just need help with one little thing. Could you?"
Without further explanation, she turned her back to him, flipping the long strands of her hair over her shoulder. Deeks eyes trailed down her long neck, to where the dress was open at the back, revealing scintillatingly smooth skin. She craned her head around, observing him under heavy lids, her lashes fluttering demurely. "You wouldn't zip a girl up, would you?" she cooed.
It took a moment for the words to sink in, Deeks being too busy checking out the form of her butt in the dress, but he finally stepped forward. The scent of her was stronger now, the perfume intoxicating, clouding his other senses. Chanel if he wasn't very much mistaken, his partner's favourite. Fingers trembling, he reached out towards the bottom of the dress, where the zipper rested just above the soft curve of her cheeks. As slowly as he could, with as great care as he could, he let the zipper slide up the dress, until it reached the top point about halfway up her spine. If anything, the dress now hugged her body even more than it had before. It was only then that he realised his partner probably wasn't wearing a bra.
Suddenly, Kensi turned so they were almost nose to nose again. Deeks could feel his heart throbbing noisily in his chest, the air catching in his lungs and needing to be forced in and out. His whole body sang, Goosebumps littering his arms and making the fine hairs there stand on end. Kensi smiled at him, her eyes searching deep into his own. Deeks's lips parted, little more than a tiny hole, between them. He could feel electricity in the air, energy crackling between them. His heart raced for her.
"Are we… are we good?" he managed.
She smiled, leaning forward and kissing him. Her lips were full, the pressure soft and tender, and her hands found his hips, resting against the material there. Then she pulled back, and fluttered her eyelashes at him again.
"I think we are," she said, quickly grabbing a clutch purse from one of the random piles of clutter, and shrugging into a hip-length leather jacket. As she headed towards the door, little realising she was leaving her brain-frozen date behind, Kensi paused.
"You think I'll need my gun?" she asked, finally turning back, voice serious. The question seemed to thaw Deeks from his addled state.
"I don't know," he admitted. "But I tend to treat it like I did condoms in my wallet through law school; I'd rather have them and not need them, than need them and not have them."
She arched an eyebrow at him. "You have condoms in your wallet right now, don't you?"
"What guy doesn't?" he replied, defensively.
"One that's going on a first date, maybe? Honestly, Deeks, you are always so damned sure of yourself. And that line about law school? I already know you were a lawyer; you're not going to impress me with that."
He grinned at her. They both headed to the door, still bickering.
Deeks pulled the red Chevy Malibu up to the front doors of Le Chez. That had been an argument and a half; Kensi, being the dominant one in the relationship – hey, he was man enough to admit that, plus it was kinda one of the things he liked the most about her – had insisted that they take her car and she drive, until he pointed out that her tiny little heels probably weren't the best thing for pressing down on the peddles of her giant SUV. Outside, a couple of valets raced to the doors, pulling them open and allowing the partners to exit. Deeks passed the nearest one his keys, along with a folded note, and the man hopped into the vehicle and drove it off.
Kensi joined him at the entrance, gazing up at the sign above the door, a small smile playing on her lips. "How did you manage to get us a table?" she asked, taking his proffered arm and linking her own through the crook. "I heard this place has a four week waiting list for Tuesday lunch!"
"I called in a hell of a lot of favours," he replied. "The things I've had to offer up for this… well, let's just say you don't want to know what they are, and leave it at that shall we?"
"As long as you didn't offer up your cute little butt, I'll agree," she said. "Cause that's all mine."
Deeks paused where he was, forcing Kensi to stop and face him. "Well…" he said, pulling a pained expression.
She grinned, slapping her free hand against his shoulder. He returned the smile, before dragging her towards the large double doors, pushing on the long brass handle to allow them entry.
Kensi was right about one thing; Le Chez was certainly one of the most elite restaurants in the whole of Los Angeles, probably even in California. Once through the entrance, it opened up wide, but with a low and intimate ceiling. The walls were black as night on three sides, while the fourth was comprised of nothing more than glass panes, affording one a magnificent view of the city sprawling below them. The lighting was subdued, coming mainly from wall lamps, small globe sconces, though from the ceiling hung rectangular boxes, also black, with square holes cut in a random patterns, giving them the appearance of silhouetted skyscrapers. In one corner sat a grand piano, a performer tinkling the ivories in a subdued manner.
Deeks led Kensi towards the maître d', a tall man with thinning hair, and a pencil thin moustache. The man eyed Deeks as the pair neared, before his nose twisted as if he had just smelled something terrible when he took in Deeks' messy locks.
"May I help you, monsieur?" the man asked, almost looking down his nose at Deeks. To make things even worse, the man had a French accent. For the hundredth time, Deeks wished he chosen Frankie & Benny's.
Instead, he said, "Yeah, I have a reservation. Party of two, name of Deeks."
The man glanced down at the book before him, features clearly not expecting to see the name anywhere. Then, his eyes widened, and he gulped.
"I-I'm terribly s-sorry, Mr. Deeks," he stammered. "We have you right here. Unfortunately, your table is not ready just yet; as per instructions from Miss Lange, we have moved you into the VIP section."
Deeks blinked, and he felt Kensi's body stiffen against his arm. "Hetty got us upgraded?"
"Oui, monsieur," replied the maître d'. "If you would like to enjoy a drink at the bar, your table will just be just five minutes more." The man gestured towards the long bar in the corner, where a few souls were perched on stools.
Deeks glanced at Kensi, who shrugged, before allowing him to lead her towards the bar, one hand placed against the small of her back. She did flick her eyes towards the arm once, and a small, knowing, smile crossed her lips. Once at the bar, he ordered them drinks from the blonde on the other side – a light beer for him since he was driving, and a JD on the rocks for Kensi – and they took a couple of bar stools, sitting facing each other. Kensi let one leg twine around his, pressing their knees together.
"I can't believe that," she said, taking a sip of her drink, the ice clunking against the glass as she did.
"No, me neither," said Deeks. "I know she has long fingers and a longer reach, but she's going to upstage me. Now you won't know which parts of the date to be impressed with me, or her."
Kensi smiled, shaking her head slightly. "No, idiot. I meant you using your real name. No wonder Callen knew all about it. I bet Sam had an embolism."
"Yeah, I know," Deeks admitted. "What do you think he tried to beat into me in the gym today? But I wanted tonight to be about us. Just us, no covers, no lies. Nowhere to hide. Even if it's just for the one night, I want us to be Marty Deeks and Kensi Blye."
Kensi's eyes softened, and she let her hand slip down to rest on the back of his where it lay on the bar. Warmth flooded through Deeks at the gesture, the warmth of comfort and affection. "I want that too," she said, voice thick with emotion. "And don't worry, you'll get all the credit for tonight."
Deeks scrunched his nose up. "That's a damn shame, I was hoping I could blame all the sucky parts on Hetty."
"I'm sure there'll be no sucky parts," she said.
Deeks' eye lightened delightfully, and he opened his mouth to hit the only response possible, but his partner beat him to it, holding up a finger to forestall him. "Don't even consider finishing that thought, Deeks," she informed him sternly. "Unless you want that to be strike two!"
Deeks grinned at her, before leaning forward to brush a kiss against her. Her lips were chilled from her drink, the taste of alcohol tingling on them, and sending a thrill through his being. "I'm quite happy with strike one at the moment," he said.
She pulled back from him, giving him an oddly distant look, her lips parted. "You know something?" she said softly after a moment. "That was the first time you've ever kissed me in public, where other people can see."
Deeks narrowed his eyes; that couldn't be true. They'd been sleeping together for months now, he must have kissed her at least once in all that… No. No, she was right. That was the first time he'd been able to show his affection for her under the prying eyes of strangers. Somehow, he thought that such a moment should have felt special, should have been historical. Instead, it just felt natural.
Blood rushed to his cheeks, and he buried his face behind his beer bottle, trying to hide it. It didn't work; Kensi spotted the blush instantly, and grinned wickedly at him.
"Don't worry," she told him, voice confident. "I enjoyed it to."
In short order, the maître d' returned to inform the couple that their table was ready. They followed him through the restaurant, arm in arm. Deeks smiled inwardly slightly; Kensi was getting more than a few approving glances from men (and several women), while he himself was regarded with curiosity and more than a little jealousy. He pulled his date closer, wrapping an arm around her back and resting the palm on her hips. She gave him another of those small knowing smiles, but didn't pull away.
Their table was situated up a small flight of three steps, cordoned off by a purple rope. The area was quieter than the main section, the general hubbub of conversation muted and low. The flooring of the raised section was of deeply varnished hardwood, the tables with curved legs, and chairs with rich red cushioning. The maître d' gestured to a smaller table, clearly set for two, with a thin candle set in the middle that flickered gently. There was also, Deeks was quick to notice, a single red rose in a vase.
Once at the table, Deeks pulled out one of the chairs, gesturing theatrically. Kensi snorted a laugh at him, but took the proffered seat, while he took the one opposite her. The table itself was small and round, making the whole thing seem even more intimate. Kensi ran a finger idly up and down the stem of the rose.
"At least someone knows what sort of flowers girls like," she said, a little too pointedly for Deeks' liking.
"Oh, come on," he moaned. "You know you prefer what I got you. Besides, aren't you impressed that it took me, like, three years to make that reference?"
She nodded. "Yeah, I am pretty surprised."
They lapsed into a comfortable silence at they both perused the menus. Deeks' let his eyes slide down the food on offer, before she hacked out a cough. How much?
"I wonder what a bowl of soup and a glass of water costs?" said Kensi, her voice high, clearly having the same thoughts running through her head.
"No, no," said Deeks, trying not to sound strangled too. "You, uh, you go ahead and order whatever you want. I need to impress you as much as I can on this date, so no… no bill is too high." Plus, he added just for himself, a bowl of soup and glass of water is just what I fancy.
Kensi smiled, letting her hand slip and find his again in the centre of the table. Gently, she stroked the flesh with her thumb. "This date is for both of us, Marty," she said. "I'm more than happy to split the bill with you."
"I won't hear of it, Princess," said Deeks, pouring his determination into his voice. She blinked, surprised by the vehemence in him, before a small smile curled her lips.
"I like the assertiveness," she said, voice deep and husky. "It does wonderful things to me." He felt a shiver course through his bloodstream, heating every inch of his body.
When their waiter arrived, they ordered their food; a well done steak for Deeks, and some sort of chicken concoction with a pretentious name for Kensi. A few moments later, the man returned, carrying a metal bucket with him. He placed it by the table, and Deeks could see iced water inside, along with a bottle of what looked like very expensive champagne. He instantly recognised the label: a Krug Clos Du Mesnil 1995, which he knew came in at about $750 a bottle.
"Uh, we didn't order that," said Deeks hastily, raising an eyebrow towards Kensi. She shook her head to indicate this was the case.
"No, sir," said the waiter, popping the cork with a practised flourish. "Compliments of Miss Lange."
"That woman is seriously trying to show me up," complained Deeks.
"Don't whinge," Kensi scolded, before stage-whispering to him around the side of her hand, "Who knows, maybe she's going to pick up the whole tab?"
Deeks pulled a hopeful face, sticking both his thumbs up.
The waiter poured the champagne, before leaving the rest of the bottle behind when he departed. Kensi plucked her flute up, observing it for a moment, features thoughtful. "To us," she said, finally, holding the glass out to him. "To taking the long way round, but finally getting to the point."
He smiled, clinking the rim of their flutes together. "To us," he parroted back, grinning widely, before taking a sip. The bubbles burst on his tongue, the flavours popping as the liquid slid down his throat. It was definitely worth every cent Hetty was paying for it.
When the food arrived, Deeks was surprised by the minuscule size of the portions, especially considering the money he would need to shell out to cover it, but he wisely chose to keep his silence. Though he could tell, by the way Kensi was side-eying her meal, that she was probably thinking the same thing. He made a mental note to stop by the burger van on the way home. It might not be as swanky as this place, but it'd more than sate the ferocious appetite of his partner.
They ate their meals, and drank their champagne, the conversation between the two easy and comfortable. Deeks had worried that, as partners, they wouldn't have enough to talk about given that they already spoke to each other for an average of eight hours a day, but he needn't have worried; they told tall tales, revealed deep secrets, laughed at each others jokes, and gossiped about their co-workers. Their hands found each other over the table, fingers twining together.
As the bottle emptied, Kensi turned giggly. It wasn't exactly a side of his partner he'd seen before; she'd been drunk around him plenty of times, but she always seemed in control at those times. And certainly never girly. Her hand crept up his arm, squeezing his bicep through the cloth of his jacket. Whenever he spoke, she leant forward, resting her chin in her other hand, eyes locked intently on his. He found himself telling her things he hadn't actually thought about in years; his friends at school, wacky stories of adventures he'd gotten into with Ray. Speaking of Ray broached the subject of his father, and the conversation took a serious turn, but Kensi listened just as intently, her big brown eyes never leaving him. She smiled, almost proudly, when he spoke of breaking free of the cycle of hate he'd been forced to live in, his own voice cracking.
Then it was her turn. He held her hand as she recounted tales of life with her father. She really had been a daddy's girl; they did almost everything together, from camping, to going to the movies, to shopping. For a moment, he was envious of her. He would have given anything for a father who cared for him, loved him enough to never want to see harm come to him. But then, he remembered that she had lost the man she cared for most in the world, how he'd been cruelly torn from her, and Deeks' heart broke for the woman a across from him. He leant across the table, pressing his lips against hers.
"I love you, Kens," he said."You know that, right?"
She smiled back at him wanly, eyes quivering and a solitary tear glistening at one corner. "Yeah," she said.
After that, the conversation steered back into lighter territories, and Kensi moved her chair closer to his. Around them, the other tables had emptied, with only a scattering of customers still left in the main section. Her leg snaked out, bare calf resting against his pants-covered shin, and slowly, purposefully, she began to rub against it. Then she slipped her foot free of her shoe, adding that to the onslaught. Deeks felt a shiver rush through his body at the contact, a shiver that went right to his groin. He shook his head at her in disbelief, a smile tugging at his lips.
"Hey," she purred softly, voice so low he needed to lean forward to hear it. "You said you wanted my A Game. And this is it; this is the patented Kensi Blye first date. I told you to be careful what you wish for."
"So what usually happens next on your first dates?" he asked, voice breathy from the friction her leg was causing.
"It depends," she replied. "On what the guy is like, how he's been behaving himself."
"This is your, uh, your three strikes thing?"
"Yeah."
"And how am I doing?" he asked, leaning his head closer to hers, lips hovering the merest fraction of an inch from hers. He knew her game, and he was determined to turn the tables on her. Her heavy breath breezed against his face, her bottom lip quivering.
"You're doing…" she began, before biting that lip, flicking her gaze quickly down to his. She swallowed. "You're doing just fine."
"Just… 'fine'?" he asked, grinning wickedly and cocking an eyebrow at her.
She let out a long breath, licking her lips. "Really good actually."
"So, if you had to rate me…?" he inquired, trailing a thumb across her jawline, before resting the pad against her chin.
"I was going to say I'd recommend you to my friends," she said. "But I kind of want to keep you to myself."
"I think I know exactly what you want," he said.
Deeks smiled, inching forward again. She parted her lips, expecting a kiss, but at the last second, he pulled away, pleased to hear a soft moan bubble from his partner. He raised his hand, waving towards the waiter. "Check please," he said, loudly.
Deeks pulled his car up to the front of her apartment, killing the engine and shutting off the lights. In the passenger seat besides him, Kensi scrunched up the wrapping, tossing it into the carrier bag. She sucked on her fingers, popping her lips together on the last one, hmmm'ing in satisfaction. The burger had hit just the right spot. Deeks had been right; he did know exactly what she needed.
"I'll tell you, Deeks," she said, "that place might have been nice and fancy, but I swear I was hungrier when we left that when we went in."
"Yeah, I know," he replied. "That's why we made that pit stop on the way back. I know how much you eat; there was no way that was going to satisfy you."
"Hey," she exclaimed. "You trying to say I eat a lot?"
"Yes, also that the Pope is Catholic."
Kensi couldn't help the pout that appeared on her lips. "I'll have you know, I always used to burn off everything because of the work we do."
"Used to?" he inquired.
She smiled, coyly. "Well, then I found other things to do with my excess energy."
He grinned wolfishly, reaching out a hand to give her bare thigh a squeeze. She felt a surge of lighting arch up her leg, into the warm spot in her core. A second later, he broke the contact, pushing open his door. Before she could reach for hers, he raced around the vehicle, opening the passenger side for her. She accepted his offered hand, letting him assist her in getting out of the car. He did, she noticed, leer slightly at the hem of her dress as she stepped out. Kensi shook her head; they may be dating, may be in love, but he was always going to be the same old Deeks. And for that, she was glad.
They walked together towards her door, the only contact between the pair being their shoulders. Deeks had his hands tucked into his pockets, his head hanging low. It took her a moment to realise that he was actually nervous. She resisted the urge to snort a laugh at that; Deeks was many things, but nervous around women was not one of them.
When they reached her door, he paused. She turned to face him, smiling up at his boyish face. "So," she said, sucking on her lips a moment. "You want to come in for coffee?"
"Coffee?" he repeated, the nerves still there but mixed with his usual banter and charm.
"Or… something?" she said, actually feeling the colour rushing to her cheeks. For God's sake woman, she mentally admonished herself. You've done worse than this with him before, why are you blushing now?
"I'd really like that," he said. "But no. I want… oh, this is going to sound stupid to you."
"Lots of the things you say sound stupid to me, Deeks," she said playfully.
He laughed then. "Touché. So, here's the thing, and feel free to kick my ass if this does sound stupid. But I want tonight to be about the date. I want my memories of tonight to be about me and you, finally out in public."
She shook her head. "That doesn't sound stupid to me," she admitted, though if she was honest with herself, right now she really wanted her and Deeks to make some different memories. But, a small part of her agreed; she'd probably feel a pang of regret in the morning. Not regret for sleeping with him, she'd never feel that. But he was right; tonight was about their first date.
He grinned. "But if you want me to come over tomorrow, we can certainly have some 'coffee' if you want."
She thumped him on the shoulder.
"Goodnight, Deeks," she told him.
"Wait," he said, stumbling over the word. "Before you go inside, we need to end this date right."
With that, he grabbed her by the hips, pulling her so that her body was flush with his. His hand snaked up to the back of her head, and he pressed their lips together. Fireworks exploded across Kensi's body, charges of raw emotion at the pressure of his mouth against hers, and a groan slipped free before she'd even realised it. She dug her fingers into his hips, tugging his groin even closer to her. Deeks sucked on her bottom lip, before letting his tongue trail across it. Her own tongue flicked out, lashing against his. In her chest, her heart raged, and her lungs caught, the breath hitching deep inside her.
After what seemed an eternity, but was certainly not long enough for her liking, he broke the kiss, but still held her tightly in his strong, comforting arms. "That was the best first date I've even been on," he said, voice thick and heavy. "I can't wait for our second."
Kensi's whole body stiffened against him. "S-second date?" she stammered. "Deeks, you know I don't do so well on second dates."
He smiled at her, so rich and warm, washing over her like the light of the sun. "Don't worry about it, Princess. It's you and me."
With that, he kissed her again, before breaking the embrace and striding towards his car. She raised a hand towards him, tempted to call his name, but snapped her jaw closed instead. She watched her partner slide into his car, wave at her idiotically and blow her a big kiss, before pulling away, the tail lights disappearing into the distance. Only then did she let herself into her apartment.
The light on her answering machine blinked impatiently, telling her she had a message. She pressed play as she slipped out of her jacket, before hearing her mother's voice; "Kensi, when you get home, call me. It doesn't matter what time, just call me. I want to hear everything about your date with Marty."
Kensi's brow furrowed. She hadn't even told her mom she was going on a date with Deeks. How was it actually possible that everyone knew everything? Still, she shrugged, grinning widely as she reached for her phone.
TO BE CONTINUED…