Howdy partners! I'm back with a new one-shot and this time it's a prompt from the amazing Bea the monster who has the ability to say something nice and make my day. I have to admit, I really enjoyed writing this one. Not set within the events of series five but apologies for the little similarity you shall see.

"You know, if that man had white hair and was a little fatter, he could totally be Santa." The doughnut stopped mid-air as its owner faltered and stared at the comment's owner. Deeks truly was in shock. Comments like that were something he normally said, earning him an eye roll, sigh, shake of the head, small smile and a punch. The Deeks special.

"Hey Fern?"

"Hmm?" She asked, turning to face him and causing him to grin. She was starting to respond to Fern, and she wasn't even aware of it. He was wearing her down.

"You do know that I normally say things like that, right?" She shrugged before looking at the 'could be santa'.

"Look at it though, I mean, there are things called razors and they aren't that expensive." He raised an eyebrow at her but she didn't see.

"You're telling him to shave all his facial hair off? But Kens, like, he worked hard for that and it pleases the women." Deeks said with a grin. She snorted but still didn't turn to face him, apparently entranced by the bearded man sitting on the bench.

"Nope, all that hair? No it is such a turn off." He looked at her with narrowed eyes.

"So facial hair is a turn off?" She nodded in response. "On everyone?" She immediately shook her head, turning to face him and he smiled smugly. Yep, she loved his facial hair.

"George Clooney makes it work, ooh and so does Johnny Depp and Ashton Kutcher, but you're seeing the trend here. Hot actors. They make it work but on everyone else it's just," she shrugged and looked back out the window to the bearded man. "Eh." She finished.

"What about me?"

"What about you?"

"What about my facial hair?"

She was silent for a while, thinking of an answer before she noticed their suspect leaving his house. "He's going." She alerted him and they both went to business.

They didn't bring it back up.

With the case solved by the end of the day and the team packing their bags, Kensi sighed. "Anyone fancy going for a beer to wind down?" Callen and Sam both declined, moaning about being late for dinner and Michelle killing them. "How about you partner?" He smiled and nodded, pulling his bag over his shoulder and offering her his arm as he bowed to her slightly.

"M'lady." She took his arm with a laugh and they walked out of the building with their normal bicker echoing in the building around them.

Deeks was standing at the bar, watching Kensi sit at their table, peeling the label off of her empty beer bottle. He watched as a tall bloke wondered over to her and he stiffened slightly. He was way to protective of her for his own good. He relaxed when he saw her shoot him down and he had to stifle a laugh when he saw the beard on this guy's face.

With a newfound, and definitely mischievous twinkle, in Deeks' eyes, he wandered over holding both his and her beer. She sagged in relief when she saw him approach and reached for her bottle. "Hi, I'm Max." Deeks said, leaning against the table and not taking his seat. Her forehead scrunched up in confusion and she looked around, worried that he had to use his alias for some drastic reason.

"Deeks?" She asked, her voice lowered to just above a whisper. "What's going on?" His smile grew and he took a sip of his beer before answering. "Just talking to this beautiful woman, sorry I didn't catch your name."

"Fern." He smirked but she chose to ignore it. "Max, did you say?" She decided to play on with whatever he was doing.

He nodded. "Is this seat taken?" She shook her head and he plopped down onto it, leaning forward on the table. "So Fern, what do you do?"

She rolled her eyes, aware now that nothing was wrong. "Oh, I'm an art curator, what do you do?" He smirked at her but she batted her eyelids innocently.

"I'm a dentist." He answered with a shrug. "Care for a dance?" He asked her, offering his hand. She accepted and they both rose, heading towards the dance floor where a cheesy, slow song was playing. She wound her arms around his neck and his wrapped around her waist, holding her so close that air struggled to get between their bodies.

As the singer started declaring their undying love, Deeks' eyes flashed to Kensi's. She had a small smile on her face, one that could be read as shy but happy. He grinned at her and peppered her face with kisses causing her to laugh. When her laughter died down, he rested his cheek against hers and rubbed it slowly causing her to sigh. "Scratches Deeks, you're scratching me."

He pulled his head back and gasped at her with fake shock. "Oh my! Could it be all my facial hair?" Her eyes widened with recognition before she rolled them.

"That is what this is all about? My facial hair comment earlier?" He didn't answer, instead choosing to look at a spot over her shoulder, a small smile playing on his lips. "Well I think you should shave it all off, but you seem to love your scruff so much so I never told you."

His eyes flashed to hers now in shock. Both of them had stopped dancing and neither of them had realised. "You want me to get rid of it all?" She nodded. "You love it." She shook her head. "Fern, are you telling me that you don't like my scruff?" Before she could answer he crushed his lips against hers, and she wasted no time in responding. He pulled back when air became a problem and looked at her. "So Fern, how about my scruff?"

She stroked his cheeks in a loving daze, her eyes clouded with desire and love. "Mmm, keep it." She murmured. He laughed.

"I thought you didn't like it."

"I love it Max." He leant down to kiss her but stopped when his lips hovered above her own.

"How about we go back to my place and you show me how much you love it?"

"I have a boyfriend."

"So does my girlfriend." She raised herself up on her tiptoes and kissed him.

She does love his scruff. Though she's yet to admit it.