for hysterical-for-joshifer
"Hey, Kens!"
Kensi slows her pace slightly, but doesn't stop, allowing her partner a chance to catch up but not abandoning her mission: to abandon the mission. The op is over, everyone's already left, she's tired, she's cranky, and it's way past her bedtime. She's had about four hours of sleep in the last thirty-six and she's hoping to make it to her bed before unconsciousness claims her. Though she's considering settling for her car.
"Kens!" he calls again.
She stops and sighs. "What is it, Deeks?"
"Hold up a sec."
She waves a hand. "I'm holding. And it's really only going to be one sec because if it's two you're going to have to pick me up off the -"
Deeks presses into her - one hand on her hip and one beside her head as it bumps against the wall. She doesn't have time to decide if her shock she's experiencing is from the crash or the fact that his body is flush against hers before his lips are on her lips and she's not thinking at all.
Her fingers are tangling in his shirt - apparently making their way through his buttons - when her head finally re-engages.
"Wait," she pushes him back, but her fists still cling to the fabric, "what's happening?"
"Take two."
His lips are red and swollen and damn, she really wants to disengage her head again. "Take what?" she asks, her voice embarrassingly breathy.
"I thought I'd try again."
She has no clue what he's talking about but her whole body is tingling and she's pretty sure she's on board. "Try what exactly?"
"Communicating."
"This isn't communicating."
"It worked the first time."
Her hands slide down his chest, but she doesn't break contact. She can't. "Did it?"
"I think it was going to."
That's not how she remembers it. And she's remembered it quite a few times. "You do?"
"Well, yeah." He shrugs and his hand falls off her hip and she wonders if something she said made that happen and if there's something she can say to make it un-happen. "I think it was a great plan, it just didn't end up being the right time, what with all the torture and all."
Torture, right. Okay, that's the cold bucket of water she needed. She straightens her spine and removes her fingers, curling them into her palms to keep from sweeping his hair off his forehead because yes, this is a bad idea but he's still Deeks and he's kind and sweet and the thought of him hurting brings out a fierce need to protect him, to care for him.
"Deeks -"
"Everything went to shit right afterwards so I've been connecting the two, but really it's unfair to heap what followed on that kiss because it had nothing to do with it."
"No, but -"
"There's a very good chance that kiss could have solved all our problems and we just never had the opportunity to find out."
Probably not a good chance. Maybe a very slight one. "So you thought you'd throw me up against the wall."
"For science."
"It isn't going to solve anything."
"Well, we'll find out now, won't we?"
She laughs. She can't help it. He's so sure, so hopeful, so ridiculously sexy and god, she really does want him to be right. She wants to be able to kiss away all the doubt - to just be together and solve their problems together, solve them as a pair, instead of getting everything in order separately first.
And why can't we? she thinks, the heat of him still pulsing through her, the feel of him still fresh. Why shouldn't they work it out together? Why are they trying so hard to work it out apart?
It's not a question of if they become a couple, it's a question of when. Neither of them will be able to move on until they've given this thing of theirs a shot. So why don't they just lean on each other a little more? Two heads are better than one, right? That's applicable?
Oh, god.
Deeks' eyes are locked on hers and she knows he can see exactly what she's thinking. Sleep deprivation, she reminds herself.
"It worked, didn't it?"
"No."
He grins. "Yes, it did. It worked. I knew it would work."
"Look, Deeks -"
"And, see, whatever you're going to say - whatever the issue is you want resolved, answer me this: can't we resolve it after we do more kissing?"
Damn it, science.
She grabs the front of his shirt and pulls him back into her.
"After," she agrees before bring her lips to his.
"After you get out of the hallway?"
At the sound of Callen's voice, Kensi jumps back, bonking her head against the wall. Again.
"Yep," Deeks agrees, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the burn room. "Right after that."