A/N:- Choo choo! All aboard the post-Descent train. I really wasn't going to do this, but then I was randomly thinking about Indiana Jones (you'll know the scene I was thinking about when you read it), and almost sent it as a prompt to someone else when I realised I wanted to write it myself. So, enjoy. It's fairly light and fluffy.
Disclaimer:- Out of the characters in this, guess how many I own? That's right, none.
"Ow."
Kensi was instantly alert, shifting to her feet from the bedside chair at the whiny noise, spinning to face him. Despite her concern, despite the numbing fear that had settled into every pore of her being, she couldn't keep the shaky smile from her mouth.
"Finally," she said. "Thought you were gonna sleep forever."
"Yeah," said Deeks, shifting himself up against the white hospital pillows, wincing as he did. "Me too. I was having the most wonderful dream. You were there, and you were there. It was a real ménage a trios."
She smiled again, shaking her head. Well, at least he's able to make stupid jokes, even with a swollen jaw.
"How are you feeling?"
"Well, I've been better," he said. "You?" She could see the concern on his face, through the blackened eye, and all the other scrapes and bruises that littered his handsome face.
"I had the most wonderful time," she said. "I could get used to the peace and quiet."
Deeks started to laugh, richly and deeply, but that quickly turned into a sputter cough, racking his lungs.
"Relax, relax," she said, reaching for the glass of water on the bedside table. He took it from her, lungs still sputtering, and let the cooling water slide down his throat. "Little sips, Deeks."
When the coughing had subsided, he handed the glass back to her. "How long was I out this time?"
"About six hours," she replied, finally sitting down again.
"Did you go home?" he asked. "Get some sleep? Cause that kinda looks like the same clothes you had on the last time I was awake."
"How's your mouth?" she said, rather than answering. Rather than admitting she hadn't left his side in days. Hadn't showered, hadn't changed her clothes. Had barely eaten or slept.
His face contorted, and she could tell he was rubbing his tongue gingerly across his teeth. When he reached the back, he grunted in pain. "It's like," he began, before his face scrunched up again as a volley of agony raced through him. "It's like there's something missing, you know. I keep running my tongue over the gap, expecting something to be there, and it hurts when I remember that it's not."
"I know that feeling," Kensi said quietly. When the news had finally reached her, that Deeks and Sam had been taken, she'd been frantic. It was only Michelle's stern admonishment – that they could do nothing for the men if they lost themselves to their emotions – that had kept her from losing herself. Still, as they'd hunted, she'd found herself turning to make some comment or quip to Deeks, and when she realised that he wasn't there, it had hit her in the gut like a fist, almost doubling her over.
She felt a weight on the back of her hand, and glanced down. Deeks' palm was rested against her hand, his fingers squeezing gently against the sides. She let out a small laugh.
"What's so funny?" he asked, starting to withdraw his hand, but she caught it, pulling it back down to the covers.
"You're the one who was kidnapped," she said. "You're the one who was tortured. You're the one who looks like you went twelve rounds with Mike Tyson, and you're trying to comfort me?"
Deeks laughed again, but as before it sputtered out into coughs. Kensi started for her feet, but Deeks held out his free hand to forestall her. "I guess I can't help it," he managed, around hacks. "I guess I can't stand seeing you hurt."
"Yeah," she said, smile wan again, "I know that feeling too."
He squeezed her hand again. "I'm okay, Kens," he said. "Or, well, I will be. And when I'm up and about, don't think for one second I'm not going to mock you for being such a girl right now."
"Me?" she exclaimed, voice incredulous, but already slipping back into their comfortable banter. "I'm not the one who had to be taken to hospital just because he visited the dentist."
Deeks grinned, the swelling of his jaw slacking one side of his mouth. "Touché," he said. "Though, for the record, I am in an incredible amount of pain."
"Poor baby," she said, only a little mocking. "Where exactly does it hurt?"
He pulled his hand from hers, and Kensi instantly missed it. His fingers pointed to his sides, where Sidirov and his goons had cracked his ribs. "Here, for starters," he said.
Before any thoughts had a chance to cross her brain, Kensi rose, leaning over and pressing her lips gently to the spot Deeks had pointed at. She laughed softly.
"And… and here," he said, pointing to just below his collar bone. Seconds later, she kissed against it. "Here," Deeks said, once more, finger hovering on his throat.
Kensi kissed it, the stubble tickling her lips, feeling that the fun had gone out of the moment, replaced by something else. Electricity hung in the air between the partners, making the fine hairs on her body stand and Goosebumps litter her flesh.
"Here, a lot," Deeks continued, pointing to the back of his jaw, where the Russian had mangled his back teeth. Kensi's lips rested against the spot for long seconds. From her position, she could see Deeks' whole body trembled, and his breath was just as laboured as hers.
"Here," he said, once more, finger on his chin. Her lips found it, before his hand travelled up again, resting oh so gently on his bottom lip. "And here."
She shifted up slightly, catching his eyes. The blue of them was deep, inviting, and she leant forward again, her lips meeting his. The contact was intoxicating, the taste of his soft lips making her head swim, almost as much as the heady smell of him. The kiss was tender, gentle, full of meaning and the affection they both held for each other.
When Kensi finally pulled away, she found she was panting. His eyes were still locked on hers, layered with desire and amusement. He grinned up at her. "So is this something we do now?" he asked. "Are we kissing people now?"
"I don't know," she admitted. "Are we?"
He laughed again, managing not to cough this time. "And you still say I have terrible communication skills?"
Kensi smiled warmly, mind flashing back to their argument a few days ago, the argument that had lead to their first real kiss. "Some of your communicating isn't too bad," she said huskily, leaning forward to kiss him again.
The third kiss was just as exhilarating as the others, more so now that she knew what to expect, and she found herself leaning into it more, pressing herself harder against Deeks. He, in kind, returned the pressure, hands coming up to wrap around her waist and pull her tighter to him. Her desire, her need, rose in leaps and bounds, burning through her soul. Her lips parted, and she let out a soft moan, the strong flavour of him overpowering her brain functions, and-
Deeks winced, sucking in breath through his teeth and pulling away from her in an instant. His hand came up, cradling his jaw, and he squeezed his eyes tight as the burning flared in his mouth again. "Sorry," he said a moment later, his body relaxing as the pain faded again. "That was a little too… I guess maybe we should save the heavy making out for when I'm not in such blistering pain?"
"Yeah," she said, brushing a strand of his golden hair out of his face affectionately. She almost protested his assumption that there would be more kissing in their future, but she knew she wouldn't even be able to convince herself of that.
"And also after you've, you know, taken a shower," he added. "You smell a little ripe."
She pulled her lips into her mouth, shaking her head. "You're just lucky you're in a hospital bed," she told him, "or I'd thump you for that."
"So that's the arguments for and against me making a speedy recovery," he said, and Kensi grinned again.
Yeah, she thought, sitting down and taking his hand in hers once more. When she looked over, he was asleep again. It's gonna be a long road, but Deeks is going to be fine.
And maybe, just maybe, we both will.