Prompt:- Deeks and Kensi end up in the same place on dates.
Eyes pouring through the sea of heads around him, Deeks searched for his target. The music of the bar boomed loud in his ears, while the bodies around him writhed to its rhythm. Slowly, determinedly, he made his way through the mass of people, twisting and turning this way and that, his head swivelling as he sought her out.
Finally, he found what he was looking for, over by the bar, her long locks free and cascading down her shoulders. She wore a loose fit T-shirt, over tight black jeans, the material taut over the curve of her ass as she leant forward over the bar to be heard by the bartender. Deeks smiled to himself as he approached, placing his hand on the small of his back. She spun, face ready to admonish whoever it was touching her, but it brightened when she realised who it was.
"Hey," said Laurie, voice bright, brushing a stray strand of blonde hair out of her face. "You made it."
Deeks grinned back. "Yeah," he said, "sorry I'm late. Got caught up at work."
"That's okay," she replied, toying her fingers against the collar of his deep red shirt. "You're keeping the streets free of crime, what girl could be angry at that?"
"Oh, you'd be surprised," said Deeks.
Laurie smiled back at him. "Then they're fools." Behind her, the barman placed her drink on the counter. "Buy you a drink, Marty?" she asked.
Deeks dug his hand into his pocket. "No, no, I got this."
"Not at all," she said, placing her hand on his wrist. Her palm was cool to the touch. "It's the very least I could after you saved Misty."
"It's what I do," said Deeks, without a hint of boasting in his voice. Well, not too much, anyway.
She ordered him a beer, and he took a swift swig when it arrived.
"I don't usually do this," she said, toying with her hair again. "Ask random guys out for drinks."
"You were surprisingly confident at it," he told her, a half smile on his lips as he remembered the day they'd met. Remembered surfing, remembered the dog – Misty – slipping free of her leash. Running out into the street, the oncoming truck. And then Deeks grabbing the Jack Russell by the waist and pulling it out of harm's way. The next thing he'd known, standing there with the dog in his hands, Laurie had asked him to join her for drinks as a way to say thank you. He'd tried to brush it off, saying no thanks were necessary, that he was a cop and it was his job, but she'd insisted.
"Well, maybe it's just you," she replied, taking a half step forward, head tilted back so their eyes were locked. She smiled at him. Deeks coughed, a little abashedly, before stepping back and scratching at the back of his shaggy locks.
"You, uh…" he stammered. "You never told me what it is you do."
For the next fifteen minutes, they chatted, each answering questions about jobs and family. It was the usual first date fair, through Deeks wasn't entirely sure he wanted there to be another. Despite everything Laurie said, there was an air to her, too much confidence. That wasn't to say that he thought her intentions were malicious, but if he were as paranoid as Callen, he might suspect she'd let Misty slip the leash on purpose.
"Do you know them?" Laurie asked suddenly, eyes dangerously locked at something over his shoulder.
"What now?" he said.
"That couple?"
"I don't…" he began, craning his neck.
Then he saw her, and his mouth went suddenly dry. Sat in a booth on the opposite side of the bar, Kensi's dark hair flowed in waves from her head. Even at this distance, he could see the different colours of her eyes as they bored into him. Even with the oddly dark twist to her face, she was still the most breathtaking thing he'd ever seen in his life.
"Uh, no, I uh…" he started. "I don't know them."
"Because the woman's been glaring at you for the last five minutes." Laurie's tone was accusing.
Deeks threw the blonde his most confident lopsided grin, having to force it onto his face. "Maybe she's just jealous of you?" he said. "And who can blame her, when you're here with me, and she's just with that pointless gomer next to her."
"You're a very confident man, Detective," Laurie said, her hand stroking gently against his bicep.
"I work with what I've got," he replied.
In spite of the loud music, Deeks heard Kensi suddenly start to laugh. He recognised it instantly as her fake laugh; she always did that amazingly cute snort when her laugh was genuine. Despite himself, Deeks glanced over his shoulder at them. Kensi was leaning forward intently, still laughing, while her date – some featureless goof who looked like he worked in an office somwhere – had a slightly befuddled look on his face. He laughed, slightly nervously, back at Kensi.
Without even realising he was doing it, or even why, Deeks let his hand rest on Laurie's hip, and he grinned at her again. She didn't pull away, just played with the material of his shirt some more as they continued to talk. It felt… weird. There should be spark flying right now, he thought to himself. Laurie was everything he used to look for in a woman, the hair, the attitude. And even though it was clear as day that she was into him… Deeks just wasn't feeling it. So why are you acting like you are?
They stared at each other for a moment, eyes locked together, and Deeks found himself wishing that Laurie's eyes didn't match, that her hair was darker, that the shape of her jaw was different. Then behind him he heard Kensi's fake laugh again, and twisted around to see that she had scooted her chair closer to her date, and had her hand rubbing up against the man's shoulder. The guy looked like all his Christmases had come at once, and Deeks felt a sudden flare of jealousy twisting in the pit of his stomach.
He turned back to Laurie, who was staring at him demurely, biting her bottom lip. Deeks had a sudden impulse, leaning forward and placing his mouth against hers. She pressed back, sinking into the kiss, letting a soft moan slip from her full lips. When he pulled back, Deeks was shocked to find that his heart wasn't hammering like it usually did, that his breath wasn't catching in his lungs. Laurie, on the other hand, still had her eyes closed, her mouth moving softly. When she opened them, she smiled at him.
"Wanna get out of here?" she asked, all traced of coyness gone. Deeks glanced over his shoulder again; Kensi was practically lying on the guy's arm now, her head on his shoulder.
"Sure," he replied. "Let me just use the bathroom, and then we can go."
As he passed Kensi's table, he could feel his partner's eyes on him. When he returned, a moment later, he was surprised to see she was sitting alone, looking slightly glum. He paused, indecision racking his brain. Then he stepped up to her table. Kensi glanced up at him, smile weak.
"Hey, Princess," he said.
"Deeks," she replied. "I didn't expect to see you here."
"No, me neither," he replied. Awkwardness hung in the air between them. "Where's your date?" he asked, gesturing to the empty chair.
"Oh, he… he had work early tomorrow, so had to leave."
"Kens?" said Deeks. "It's Friday night."
"He…" she swallowed, before gabbling out her words. "He bailed, said I was coming on too strong. What does that even mean?"
"You alright?" he asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine." She grinned, showing her teeth.
He paused a moment, admiring her slender neck. "Want some company?"
Kensi shook her head. "Aren't you on a date?"
Deeks glanced at the bar; Laurie wasn't paying attention, her back to them as she ordered another drink. "I'm not really feeling it," he admitted.
"Really?" Kensi asked, arching her eyebrow at him. "Cause you too looked really into each other from where I was sitting."
"Meh, you know me," Deeks replied, dismissively. "I like to work for a girl's attention."
Kensi laughed, and this time he heard the familiar snort. "You do not," she accused him. "You'll take anything in a short skirt or a tight top, and that you can con into thinking you're hot stuff."
Deeks grinned back at her, eyes steady, and she blushed slightly. "You sure you don't want me to hang around? It's, uh, it's what partners are for, after all."
She held his eyes a moment, and this time Deeks could feel the air dance with lightening. "Only if you want to," she replied finally.
Deeks nodded. He took a deep breath, steadying himself, before heading back to the bar. He didn't know what he was going to tell Laurie, but he knew it wasn't going to go over well.
And the funny thing was, he didn't care at all.