Happy Thanksgiving to all of you who celebrate it. Here's a little fluffy topping for your Thanksgiving dessert. Enjoy!
Kensi sits on the sand beside Deeks, wetsuits discarded behind them, exhausted but gratified, long after Callen and Sam had left to hunt down the ever-elusive shrimp curry. She'd done it. She'd learned to surf. It wasn't even as hard as she'd imagined. Tiring, yes. But, fun. She has to admit, it was actually fun. He sits there staring out over the water, a goofy grin plastered on his face, as the sun sinks low over the ocean. She can't even be irritated. Her smile is just as big as his.
"What?" she asks, shoving him a little.
He turns to her and smiles widely. "You loved it."
"I might have sort of enjoyed it. A little."
He laughs. "Uh-huh. A lot, maybe. Admit it. It's awesome."
She tries to suppress the smile tugging at her lips, and shrugs noncommittally. "It's okay, I guess." She picks at her fingernails, deciding to go for all-out cocky. "Not really much of a challenge, though."
He laughs out loud. "Oh. Oh, so you catch a wave or two, and you've got it mastered?"
"Was it supposed to be difficult?"
"Took you long enough to stand up, didn't it? How many times did you wipe out before you finally rode one in? A couple dozen? At least?"
She smiles. "I didn't want to show you up. You know, embarrass you. Damage your fragile male ego."
He throws his head back. "Ha! Oh, I see. Okay, so this is a man vs. woman thing? Is that what this is?"
"No. It's a give me a couple months, and I'll be better than you thing." She smiles, taunting him.
He gives a loud, exaggerated laugh, throwing his head back again. "Oh, partner. You are hilarious."
She raises her eyebrows. "Really? You think I couldn't? Have you met me?"
"Oh, yeah. I've met you. And I know you'd never stick with it for a couple of months. This was a one-shot deal, and we both know it."
"Maybe." She pauses for effect. "Maybe not."
He looks back out at the water. "Well, whatever it was, thanks for doing it."
She stares at him, thinking this meant more to him than he'd previously let on. "It was fun. Thanks for teaching me. I mean that."
He looks at her and smiles a bit. "You're welcome."
"I'd honestly like to do it again sometime." She shrugs, trying to seem nonchalant, and not too eager. "You know, if you want to."
His smile widens. "Yeah. Yeah, that would be cool." He returns his attention to the water.
No one has really said much about it, but tomorrow is Thanksgiving. She wonders if the apathy towards the holiday is because no one but Sam has any kind of family to go home to. She wonders what they all have to be thankful for without it. Thanksgivings with her dad creep into her mind, and she refuses them. It's not the time or place to grieve. She's been at it for years, one holiday at a time, and she knows tomorrow will be no different. So today, she dutifully puts it away for the sake of her sanity.
"So, got any plans for tomorrow?" he asks.
It's as if he can read her mind. It's both comforting and a bit unsettling. She forces herself to be upbeat. "Nope. You?"
He shakes his head, and the sunlight guilds his hair. "Nah. Working the line at the rescue mission, probably. You can help, if you want. You did fantastic before. Everyone loved you." He smiles. "Not as much as they love me, of course, but you know. You were acceptable."
She laughs and rolls her eyes. "Acceptable, huh? I might think about it."
"Cool." He looks to her and smiles. "So, I have an idea."
She snorts. "Oh, God."
"No, it'll be fun. I promise."
"I've heard that before."
He smiles lecherously. "I'll bet you have."
She shoves him hard enough to nearly topple him over. "You are such a pig. Why do you always have to be a pervert?"
"You love it and you know it. And I'll bet I wasn't the only one who enjoyed my hand on your..."
She stops him. "Don't make me hurt you."
"Okay, then." He clears his throat. "So, wanna play a game?"
She snorts again. "I've heard that before, too."
He ducks out of her way before she can hit him, then rights himself and smiles. "Missed me."
She rolls her eyes again. "What's your damn game, Deeks?"
"Okay. Tell me what you're thankful for, and I'll tell you what I'm thankful for."
She stares at him. "Oh, God. This? Seriously? That's your great, fun game?"
"Yep. Because we aren't going to rattle off the typical stuff we're supposed to be thankful for. We both know we're thankful for our health, our freedom, our jobs, friends, etcetera."
"Then what are we supposed to say?"
He smiles brightly, like an excited child. "The good stuff. The stupid stuff. All the things we aren't supposed to say we're thankful for, because it would seem…I don't know…"
She smiles sweetly. "Stupid? Materialistic?"
His smile never falters. "Maybe. I'll go first."
"Please. Be my guest."
"I'm thankful for beer."
Her eyebrows rise, and she can't help but laugh. "Beer, Deeks? Really? Of all the things you could be thankful for, you pick beer?"
"That's the game. You say what you're thankful for that you can't normally tell anyone you're thankful for. Like beer."
She decides to play along. "Chocolate."
He smiles widely. "Advil."
She looks at him quizzically.
"For after the beer."
She laughs. "Okay. Pizza."
"Conditioner."
She laughs again. "My car. I really love my car," she says, smiling.
"My bed. It's so comfortable."
"My favorite jeans. They're comfortable."
He smiles. "Well, you won't let me in your pants, so I'll take your word for it."
She slugs him, and snorts. "Titanic."
He nods. "Good one."
"Twinkies."
He looks at her solemnly. "May they rest in peace."
"Damn. Yeah." She thinks about it, then smiles. "The perfect cup of coffee."
"The barista from yesterday," he says, smiling wickedly.
She smacks him again, before he can avoid it. "Donuts."
"Mmm….donuts." He appears to think for a minute. "Um…grape jelly."
She laughs. "Grape jelly?"
"Yeah. Because that mango chutney marmalade crap was really terrible." He grimaces.
She laughs again. "Knew it! Um…The perfume I'm wearing. Well, was wearing."
"It's still on you. It smells good," he says softly. Almost wistfully.
"Thanks." She catches her lip between her teeth, and watches him stare out at the setting sun. "What else?"
"Music."
"Techno," she says, shoving him playfully.
"Donny and Marie."
She laughs out loud. "You really have issues, don't you?"
He smiles, gazing at her. "Some."
The look in his eyes is just a bit too warm, too fond, too…caring? It unsettles her a little. "So…anything else?"
His gaze never wavers. "Lots of things."
"Me, too." She tries to deflect. "Did I say chocolate?"
He chuckles. "You did."
"Ooh, I know…those chocolate covered espresso beans. I love those."
"So do I, except they stick in our teeth every time we eat them, and we wind up looking like hillbillies." He picks at the sand stuck to his board, caught in the wax. "I'm thankful for my surfboard."
"Me, too, actually."
He eyes her quizzically.
She shrugs. "It's part of you. It helps make you who you are."
He smiles. "Are you saying you like who I am, Fern?"
She shrugs again. "Eh. You're all right, I guess. Shaggy."
"I knew it. You love me."
"Let's not go overboard. I tolerate you."
He snorts. "Okay."
She watches the sun sink into the water, and watches the way he sits, the way he looks out over the ocean, totally at peace and in his element. There's so much that could be said right now. So many things they could talk about. Their holiday memories, their disastrous or wonderful Thanksgivings of the past. She could talk about how much she misses her father this time of year, and she's sure Deeks could recount at least one or two good memories from his childhood. At least she hopes he could. But neither says a word about those things.
"I'm thankful for the colors," he says softly, not taking his eyes off the brilliant reds, oranges, and pinks of the sunset.
She doesn't respond. Words are unnecessary right now. Instead, she watches the sun sink lower, the colors intensifying, reflecting off the darkening sea, and reflecting in his ocean eyes. And then she can't help herself. She leans over and plants a soft kiss on the bare skin of his shoulder, and lays her cheek against it, much as she had earlier, in the bar.
His breath catches, and he looks down, obviously surprised. "What was that for?"
She gazes up at him after a moment, and smiles gently. "You."
His brow furrows with confusion. "What?"
"I'm thankful for you."
He opens his mouth, but no words come out. Instead, his arm comes around her, and he slides closer to her side. He kisses the top of her head and settles in beside her. "I was afraid to say it."
She looks up at him, smiling. "Yeah?"
He kisses her forehead and smiles back. "Yeah. It's easier to be funny. That's why I like counting the material, stupid things I'm thankful for."
"Doesn't make you any less thankful."
He nuzzles against her hair. "I'm thankful for your shampoo."
She laughs, and looks up at him. He's only a breath away. The span of a heartbeat. She reaches to let her fingertips drift over the scruff on his jaw, considering her options. The look in his eyes says he's doing the same. Nerves flutter in her chest. And then he leans forward and places another soft kiss on her forehead.
"What was that for?" she asks softly, trying to control the rhythm in her chest.
"You."
"Me?"
"I'm thankful for you, partner. More than anything else in my life. I'm lucky to have you, and I know it."
Her throat constricts, but she fights it off, and smiles. "You know, you're not so bad, Shaggy."
He laughs, and pulls her closer to his side, returning his gaze to the darkening seascape. "Back atcha, Fern. You're not so bad, yourself."
She laughs. "Want to go get a peanut butter & jelly?"
"Yes, I do."
"I'm thankful for ice cold milk," she says, standing up.
He stands, and looks down at her with a smile. "Me, too."
She gazes up at him, catching her lip between her teeth. She wonders if she's missed her chance. If she should have kissed him, and seen what might have happened.
"Kens? You good?"
She snaps out of it and smiles. He's her partner. Her best friend. She wouldn't mind at all if he was something more. But it is what it is right now, and she's okay with that. He's here, with her, and for that, she's thankful. Very, very, thankful.