THE LOVERS… Write about two lovers who face a difficult choice.

The NCIS OSP Technical Operator and Intelligence Analyst were staring intently down at a colourful display on the supermarket shelves. They were stacked high with tantalising choices. Some very important decisions were about to be made right here. There was just so much to choose from.

The blond-haired man eagerly reached for a packet on the middle shelf. They had been just what he was looking for. The red head made a loud scoffing noise.

"We can't get those," she said while shaking her head resolutely.

"Why not?" Eric demanded, lips forming a pout.

"We already have gummy bears," Nell replied, pointing into their half-filled cart.

"But these are gummy snakes," Eric stressed as if that explained everything.

Nell shot him a look. It definitely didn't explain everything.

"I can read."

"They're different," Eric insisted.

"Still a gummy sweet," she singsonged.

"But they're awesome and yummy and you can pretend that they're attacking you until you suddenly rip off their head with your teeth like a giant and-"

Nell put a finger to his lips, automatically making him stop.

"I get it, Beale," she told him with a fond grin.

He was very adorable and just more than a bit weird when he went rambling like that. She usually enjoyed it but there were too many important decisions to be made here. They could be distracted. He couldn't distract her.

"So, we'll get them?" he asked eagerly, looking very puppy-like.

Nell almost expected him to wag a tail.

"No."

His face fell as if she had crushed his hopes and dreams.

"Unless you want them to replace the gummy bears," she continued.

Eric looked positively insulted at the very thought.

"It's not a Games Night without gummy bears," he announced loudly causing the group of teenagers that were loitering behind them (probably waiting for them to leave so they could make their own sugar induced decisions) to give them weird looks.

"I agree," Nell said calmly. "Which is why I said no to the snakes."

It was only logical. They couldn't have two types of gummy sweets. It was too much. And the snakes were awful for getting stuck in your back teeth. It was frustrating.

"But they're snakes."

"Again, I can read, Eric."

"They're, like, the most awesome of all the sweets."

Nell sighed heavily and rested the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose in frustration. Now she could understand why Hetty didn't allow them to have food up in Ops, never mind that it was full of extremely sensitive equipment, it was because how weird Eric got about his food. Especially the sugary kind. They really didn't need that up in Ops. Just the thought about him being on a sugar high up there was enough to give her nightmares. She shuddered.

"Just, choose one of them," she instructed.

This was why she was here, so sugar highs and nonsensical decisions didn't happen. That and she actually wanted their Games Night to begin sometime this evening. It was chess night and it was always fun to battle it out with his knack for strategy and hers for making connections on the board. It made for an exciting game.

"Why can't we have both?"

"Because we're only getting one more bag of candy and it shouldn't be another gummy kind."

"We don't have to only get one more bag of candy," Eric pleaded. "We could get two more. That way we could get the snakes and those chocolate buttons you've been eyeing."

"We don't have anything chocolatey," Nell said defensively. "And they go great with popcorn."

Eric looked unconvincingly at their unpopped bag of salted kernels. The weavers were giggling behind them. Hopefully at something on their phones and not at them.

"They do!" Nell insisted.

"Hmm" was all Eric could say but nodded. "So, we get those and the snakes."

"We can't get double the number of gummy sweets. It just throws the whole proportion of crunchy tosweet to salty out of balance."

"Not if we get that bag of barbecue chips and the salsa..."

Nell shook her head resolutely.

"There's no way we could eat all that."

"We don't need to eat it all tonight," Eric said sensibly. "We could split whatever's eft between us or save it for our next Games Night."

"But what we normally get is just the perfect amount," Nell replied, trying not to whine.

There was just something satisfying about being able to comfortable eat all the candy with it over stuffing themselves or having a bunch of half-eaten packets lying around the place. Less to clean up as well.

"Then why don't we replace the skittles with something salty?" Eric suggested

"Like what? We already have the popcorn. Chips seem to be a bit overkill alongside that."

Eric frowned and looked up and down the shelves for something that would be found acceptable. Ah ha! Perfect!

"What about these?" he said, brandishing a carton of spiced nuts.

"They could work," Nell agreed. "But do you really want to give up the skittles?"

"Maybe the nutty brittle since we're getting the nuts," Eric suggested.

"That's a better idea," Nell agreed, reaching for the agreed packet.

They shuffled the candy around, feeling very pleased with themselves that they'd made a decision without too much bother.

"See? We make a great team," Eric proclaimed, nudging her slightly in triumph.

"Making candy choices?" Nell asked incredulously.

How could you be a good candy-picking team? That was just silly. It wasn't like it was an armed battle or anything.

"Well, yeah. We have the most perfect selection," Eric said matter-of-factly.

"I guess," Nell agreed dubiously.

"Ooh! Look! Flying saucers!" Eric said excitedly, losing his train of thought and grabbing the handles of the shopping cart and darting down the aisle. "These would be so much better."

The teenagers were definitely snickering at them. Nell sighed heavily and trudged after her over excitable friend.

"I can make the fizz come out my nose! It feels so weird..."