I know I haven't written anything in like, a million years, and for that I apologise. But I've most definitely still been lurking, and I still have about 50 unfinished tiva stories hidden everywhere on my computer, and that's not even an exaggeration.

Okay, well. This my friends, is little something I cooked up whilst listening to Blue Octobers' song 'Everlasting Friend' it's a piece of art, really. Initially, this was supposed to be a one shot that would have two parts (hence the title... 'Sweet and Salty') I guess you'll kind of get it when I post the second piece. But, in a way it was kind of going to be regarding the parallels of their relationship and the different ways they deal with different serious situations after they have gotten to know each other more intimately and no longer hide behind their defenses and walls. But really, don't look that far in to it because that's kind of me looking at it as an outsider, as a reader. If you want to look at it through my eyes, just think of it as a random piece of writing that got splattered on to the page by my brain one lazy weekend when I had nothing to do and I just so happened to be listening to that particular song. Because that's what happened.

Okay, I'm going to dedicate this to Kali (CemeteriesofLondon) just because I have this thing against breaking tradition, and I love her.

Disclaimer: I don't want to go to jail.

February 14th, 2011

Casual sex, that's all it had been. That was all we had agreed upon, and to be honest that was good enough for me. I can barely remember how it had all begun, it had been so long ago; just a jibe one of us had thrown at the other had escalated a little too far and we had ended up at my apartment, wearing no clothes. And then I couldn't believe my luck.

She sat at the dining table in her robe, which she'd thrown on after our previous session in the bedroom. Chewing on the tip of a pen, her brows knitted in thought as she worked on a crossword in the newspaper. I, for one, had been surprised she got half of the references.

"Darling," I smirked as she tensed at the unexpected nickname I threw at her, "Betty and I would like some company in the kitchen."

When she threw me a confused look, my grin broadened as I imagined the thoughts whirring through that pretty little head of hers. She was so beautiful then, the final rays of day shone through the window behind her, igniting her skin in a beautiful glow.

I held up the box of Betty Crocker's cupcakes and realisation dawned on her face as she smiled warmly at me, climbing delicately to her feet and stepping toward me where she snatched the box from my hands as she raced past. Not to be one to lose a race, I ran to catch up to her and caught her around the waist, lifting her off the floor with her back to my chest. She laughed as I spun around and placed her feet back to the linoleum.

"Ziva," I smiled as I said her name, for no other reason than to simply taste it on my tongue.

She turned around to face me.

"Tony," she replied with a sparkle in her eye that told me she was happier than she'd been in a long time.

I had to lean in then, be as close to her as possible in a time like this, and I knew she thought the same as her upper body bowed toward mine. I made the first move, but I knew I wouldn't have been waiting long if I hadn't. Her lips tasted of vanilla, so my tongue subconsciously slipped between my lips to taste hers and she parted them barely, allowing me entrance. But I kept it innocent and pulled away, to rest my forehead against hers. Then she leant forward and sought out my lips once again, placing a light peck to them before falling toward me and smiling against my cheek.

She spoke hushed words against my skin, "This must be awkward for Betty.

I chuckled at that and kissed her on the cheek, and then I pulled away from her and turned toward the oven; preheating.

I mixed as she poured in the ingredients, we really did make a good team.

I was kind of nervous about whether this new addition to our relationship could ruin the partnership we'd been steadily building these past five years. But then I thought, really it's not that big of an addition. It was just sex, really.

"Are we done?" she questioned after the tray had been placed in the oven and I looked at her with something bordering astonishment.

"Ziva David, what normal human being does not remember icing?" I asked, my tone almost hysterical despite the underlying joke, "Are you sure you passed your citizenship test?" I tacked on the end with a smile.

She snapped her fingers in front of my face and patted me on the cheek, spinning on her heel and digging through the pantry while humming and unfamiliar tune. She held a box of food colouring between her deft fingers, and the confectioners' sugar was tucked snugly under her arm. The food colouring was a mixture of pinks and reds; for the sake of the holiday, I supposed.

She continued humming as she mixed everything together, and this time, I merely watched. Watched her flick her hair behind her ears and throw everything in the bowl without the use of a measuring cup. She was astounding.

We'd never spoken about where this was going. We'd just gone with it, went with the moment and never had any regrets. But the longer it went on, the more I realised I was forming more of an attraction to her personality over her body. That's where it had begun; we were both just seeking the liberation, the physical release. But now I realise it's much more than that, for me. And that scared me.

"What are you doing?" She was watching me, her lip quirked upward in mild curiosity. That was when I realised I'd been staring.

"Supervising," I stated gruffly before stepping toward her as she turned back around to face the several bowls of pink and red before her.

She lifted the wooden mixing spoon to her lips and sucked the icing from it. She placed it on the counter and spun around in my arms, which I had woven around her waist.

There was a drop of pink icing clinging to her bottom lip so without thinking I dipped my head and sucked at it, tasting the sweetness on my tongue. It was wonderful. And this time I didn't hold back when she parted her lips, my tongue met hers, I was eager for more of that sweetness.

She pulled away this time, her breathing slightly laboured as her eyes fluttered open. "Tony, I..." she began.

And then the oven alarm went off and she ran to get the cupcakes from the oven before they burned.

"We can't ice them until they have cooled, let's go clean ourselves up, yes?" she offered and I nodded wordlessly.

She went to the bathroom as I put the cupcakes on the cooling rack. When I entered the bathroom I expected her to already be in the shower, but then I realised she was standing beside the bathtub, her robe falling off her shoulders to reveal her bare back.

The faucet poured water and bubbles foamed up. I grinned, a bubble bath with Ziva, the best Valentine's Day.

I stripped down to nothing and came up behind her, kneading her shoulders intimately. And even though she stood before me wearing nothing but the cheeky smile she threw over her shoulder, I wanted nothing but to hold her close.

So I guided her toward to tub and we stepped in and she lay down on my chest, her head resting on my shoulder as we were engulfed by the warm water. She leaned over to turn off the faucet before resting back against me with a content sigh.

The hand I had resting on her abdomen slid down into the water and I scooped out a handful of bubbles, which I brought up to effectively give her a bubble beard. She let out a puff of air and watched some bubbles spiral up toward the ceiling. She laughed low in her throat before turning her head to kiss the corner of my mouth, wiping the bubbles on my cheek.

I smiled as her lips slid lightly over my cheek before she nuzzled into my neck.

"Hey Ziva," I mumbled and she hummed a reply, "Happy Valentine's Day."

I felt her eyelashes flutter against my skin and her lips turn upward into a smile.

And I don't know what compelled her to say what she said next, probably the total lack of fear she portrayed in every situation, but it was purely amazing and utterly terrifying all at once.

"I love you."

I literally felt my heart skip a beat, and my body tense. And that was it; the partnership we'd been steadily building these past five years had been completely destroyed in favour of something so much stronger; so much better.

And she seemed so nonchalant, I just couldn't ruin the moment by talking about the seriousness of this situation. I just brought my lips to her ear and murmured the words I'd held back for so long, "I love you too, Ziva David."

Thus the relationship began.

There we go, a little bit of sweetness to brighten our days.

Alright, well I still don't exactly know what I'm doing with this yet so yeah. I've already got the majority of the second part of this written, it's just a matter of really hunkering down, and doing it. But I was hoping that posting this piece would do just that. So, hopefully! The second part of this was kind of going to be the reverse of this, a little on the - I wouldn't say 'angsty'- but maybe... sad..? side. And that was supposed to be the finale of this little story, but I can't bear to leave a story on a not happy ending, so it would probably be open ended until I found a way to end it. So, well then.

Review? :)