A/N: So I've recently discovered NCIS:LA and I am loving it! This is my first work for this particular fandom but not my first piece for . Those of you who know me from OUAT, don't worry, I'll be returning soon.
I would like to kindly ask you to ingnore Nell's very first appearance here for the sake of this fic. The idea was too cute to pass up, it wouldn't leave me alone and I am the author so I can do pretty much what I like with the characters right now.
Also, I'll apologise now for the lack of speach, I'm not all that great at writing it and, as you'll see, I tend to avoid it. Oops?
Disclaimer: ...Yeah, I own it. Isn't it obvious?...
It had been a long week, three dead marines, a bomb on a submarine and a very close call for the team, including Nell who had, once again, gone out into the field.
The technical team of Ops were currently sprawled across Eric's sofa with the younger member curled into Eric's larger frame, half watching Back To The Future, while the technical operator was trying his hardest to block out the images flitting through his head each time he closed his eyes.
While he knew that Nell was safe and secure and oh so warm pressed up against him under the blanket she had pulled over them he could help but remember the look on her face as the key suspect in their case pressed the muzzle of his gun against her temple. Couldn't forget the tremor in her voice as she tried to stall the shooter, waiting for Callen to arrive. No, despite his best efforts he couldn't quite forget the way his hands wouldn't stop shaking as he tried to call the team for backup or tear his eyes away from the security camera.
Taking a deep breath, nose brushing against the top of the Intelligence Analysts head, Eric knew that he would never be able to forget the small and shaking smile the Nell had offered him through the security camera or the way that it was his name she whispered when she was preparing for the worst.
It appeared he wasn't the only one still struggling with the event of the past 48 hours as his 'partner in crime' and best friend was once again changing position. Nell had been unable to stay still since the incident and Eric was unable to deny her anything, wanting to keep her as close as possible, and so when she suggested a movie after the case had ended he was all too eager to agree and happy to sit there with the petite red-head who was still trying her hardest not to shake.
Giving up on trying to get comfortable Nell stood up, careful to make sure she stayed in contact the whole time with the man still on the sofa as she turned around only to sit down once again, this time facing him. Still sitting in between his legs, with one leg underneath her and the other draped over his own leg the position was all at once far too intimate and perfect. Moments like this had become more and more frequent between the pair recently, the two could sense their relationships was shifting but weren't quite sure what it was shifting into and so held on to their doubts.
"Teach me."
Removing his glasses to rub his eyes, Eric ransacked his head trying to think of any prior conversations that could have prompted Nell's sudden statement. Sensing his confusion Nell reached out to take the glasses that were precariously balanced upon their lap and slid them onto the surfers face, startling Eric slightly.
Watching her withdraw her hands he couldn't help but smile at the simple gesture and in turn reached out to brush her hair behind her ears and waiting for the blush that he had begun to associate with the gesture to appear.
However, instead of being rewarded with the customary blush he was expecting Nell surprised him, which in itself wasn't all that surprising as she was something of a puzzle to him. Raising her own hand she caught his as he was pulling away, shifting her grip to cradle the limb in her lap as she traced the lines of his palm with her other hand while Eric could only stare.
Breaking the silence, Nell repeated the question and was met with the same confused expression.
"The whistle thing, you do it all the time and I tried but.. Yeah, didn't go so well."
Shaking his head slightly Eric smiled at the younger woman. "You're going to have to let go of my hand for that then. That's my 'whistling hand'."
Lifting it up and shaking it slightly as if to prove it Nell released the limb; moving the hand that held his to rest lightly on his leg, just above his knee, she lifted the other, mimicking Eric's shaking motion.
Seeing her smile Eric sat up, rolling his shoulders and grimacing at the sound of the vertebrae in his back sliding back into place, "'Kay then, you can do this one handed or two, I just find this way easier."
"Okay, got it. Next?"
"Take your thumb and any other finger really works, then put them together, like this." Demonstrating as he went along.
"Like this?" She asked, showing him her hand.
Reaching out to press her fingers together he didn't noticed the smirk on her face as he corrected the shape she's purposely made, "Not really, erm, try like this."
"Ah, got it. now what?"
"You, er, you gotta whet your lips like, ah, like that." Try as he might, Eric couldn't stop himself from watching Nell as her tongue darted out and across her lips.
"Good, now curl your tongue and put your fingers underneath it."
"Hrr?" She tried to say with her fingers in her mouth.
"More like this," Eric corrected her, showing her the proper placement before removing his fingers and wiping them quickly on the bottom of his shirt, watching her do the same before smiling up sheepishly at him.
"Now you've just got to curl your lips and blow."
Raising one eyebrow at his phrasing Nell couldn't help the smirk that graced her face at the way Eric suddenly became flustered over nothing, trying to backtrack and take back what he'd just said.
"No, I didn't mean it like that, I meant whistling, like this," Letting out a brief, high-pitched whistle to prove his point, "See?"
"Eric, relax!" Moving her left hand from his leg to his arm Eric stilled almost instantly.
"Sorry, yeah. Anyway, your turn Rockstar. Try it."
Putting her hand to her mouth like Eric had shown her Nell tried her hardest but the only noise she could hear was the rushing of air through her fingers. Giving up, Nell removed her hand from her mouth to look at the ma before her, "It's not working, am I doing it right?" She asked.
"Try moving your fingers or tongue slightly, don't worry if you don't get it straight away. It took me nearly three days to..." He trailed off as Nell tried again and let off her own high pitched whistle.
Beaming at Eric the younger technician clapped her hands together, "I did it!"
"Yes you did. Don't go thinking this means you get my job though." Eric mock scolded while smiling straight back at her.
Lifting his hand Eric threaded his fingers through his red-headed partners hair, watching as her eyes tracked his movements. For a moment the two simply sat there watching each other, waiting for the other to make a move, until the sound of Doc Brown shouting about 'the order of things' blared from Eric's TV.
It was at this moment that Nell decided to readjust herself, turning around again to face the TV and pressing her back up against Eric's chest, pulling his arm around her middle as they tried to focus on the film again.
After a few minutes Eric leaned forward, moving the hair from his partners face behind her ear, leading her to shiver as she felt his breath ghost along her neck.
"I'm really glad you're okay, Nell."
"Me too," He heard her whisper as she laced her finger through the ones that currently rested around her waist. Tilting his head, Eric pressed a small kiss to his partners temple, lips replacing the spot where not so long ago a gun had rested.
A/N2: Hope you enjoyed it, let me know what you thought, it takes seconds to review and you don't even have to log in to do so!
I do have a few other Neric ideas planned because there's so little available for the pair and your feedback for this might influence my uploading of said ideas...