I'd Tap That
Summary: A bit of fun with Eric and Nell in OPS early one morning. Neric drabble.
Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS: LA or any of the artists or characters mentioned in this.
Author's Note: For some reason, I didn't realize for the longest time that both Renee Felice Smith and Barrett Foa (aka Nell and Eric) can tap dance. As a tapper myself, this title immediately came to mind. Be warned: fluffiness ensues.
Music was one of the Nell's favorite reasons to arrive early to OPS. She and Eric were allowed to play whatever they chose until the team entered the building, so they agreed that the first one there could choose. Nell logged into the system and picked out one of her favorite albums, featuring some of the most famous tunes by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. She danced around the room, booting up computers and other technologies.
Eric would never admit it, but he preferred Nell's musical selections most mornings. She tried to keep her personal life separate from her work, but on the days that she picked the soundtrack for the morning, she revealed a bit more about herself. He saw her car already parked as he walked into work, so the music drifting down the stairs didn't surprise him. The doors opened for him, but Nell didn't notice. She had paused in front of the main screen, waiting for it to warm up, when lyrics gave way to instrumentals. Recognizing the rhythm, her feet began to move.
"I'd tap that," Eric admitted, announcing his presence. Nell jumped and turned to him, blushing.
"You'd what now?" she requested, trying to cover her embarrassment and pausing the music temporarily.
"Tap that," he repeated, shuffling his feet the same way she had been. She cocked an eyebrow, and he draped his hoodie over the back of his chair. "Music?" he requested. She obliged, and he began to dance. Though slow and simple at first, his confidence grew as the music swelled. She giggled as his arms flew, emphasizing his movements enthusiastically. He paused when she jumped back in, giving her a moment in the limelight, before picking up one of the rhythms and taking her place. They continued in this manner until the song ended, trading funky rhythms and crazy footwork.
"Didn't know you could dance like that," Nell panted when they stopped to catch their breath, a huge grin spread across her face.
"Plenty of practice. And you're not so bad yourself," Eric countered.
"Well, just for the record, I'd tap that anytime," Nell admitted.
"The song?" Eric checked.
"That too."
Author's Note: There you have it! It's just over 350 words of fluffy cuteness. Hope you enjoyed it, please review!