A/N: From the Drabble challenge list, prompt 143: "Ew, your hand is sweaty."
"Mom always said I got my sweet tooth from dad, which I couldn't believe. He was always super strict about how much candy and junk food I ate. But mom says he could go through a box of Reese's in a day," Kensi told Deeks, smiling at the memory.
They were on their way to their first dinner with Julia since they officially became a couple. Well, really their first dinner together at all. Deeks hadn't really spent any significant time with her mom outside of a few team outings she'd attended.
"I'll never forget the look on his face when he caught me with a half-empty family sized bag of skittles. My stomach hurt so bad he didn't even ground me, figured it was punishment enough."
"Uh-Huh," Deeks responded vaguely and Kensi turned to him with a frown. Now that she thought about it, he'd been oddly quiet all afternoon. He didn't notice her watching him, his gaze fixed directly in front of him.
"Babe, are you ok?" she asked and he nodded stiffly.
"Yup."
"Are you sure, because you look like you're being held hostage." She meant it as a joke, but he flinched guiltily. "Wait, do you not want to have dinner with my mom?" she asked, unable to hide her disappointment.
"No, of course not!" he said, sounding horrified by the thought.
"Then what's going on?"
"I'm a little nervous, ok?" Any budding anger instantly vanished as Kensi looked at him in sudden sympathy.
"Deeks, you have nothing to worry about," she told him, but continued to look freaked out. She reached over and took his free hand between her own. "Ew, your hand is sweaty."
"I told you, I'm nervous." Deeks repeated tightly, attempting to tug his hand free. Kensi held on though, deciding that a little sweat wouldn't kill her.
"I'm sorry," she apologized in a soothing tone. "I didn't mean to make light of this. Tell me what's going on." Deeks sighed deeply, and pulled onto a side street a few blocks away from Julia's house and stopped.
"I want to make a good impression," he admitted after a minute. Kensi almost laughed but realized that now was not the time to belittle his feelings. He was clearly deeply concerned about this.
"But you've already met my mom, several times, and she likes you," Kensi pointed out. Deeks made a frustrated noise and then turned, his expression a little sad.
"Yeah, as your partner. But as your boyfriend, I'm not so sure." He glanced out the driver's side window, shaking his head. "I'm not exactly what most parents what for their daughters."
Pulling in a deep breath, Kensi turned his face back towards her, gathering both his hands against her chest. She was obviously going to need to do some quick talking here before Deeks convinced himself he was worthless.
"Deeks, listen to me. You are a good person and mom knows that. She knows that I love and trust you. You don't have to worry that she's going to suddenly start hating you if you're not perfect."
"I just worry that I'm not good enough." His doubt in himself was heartbreaking. Cupping his chin in her palms, she pressed a kiss to his lips.
"You are," she told him firmly. She didn't think he completely believed her, but he seemed slightly less apprehensive.
Before he could think of something more to hold against his character, she added, "Now let's go. Mom is having tamales and I'm starving."
Deeks finally cracked a smile. "You are ridiculous. And I love you."
"Me too," she returned, linking her fingers through his still slightly damp ones.
