A/N: This is just a little fic that came to me. Set post "Personal".

"I'll take three," Deeks said, eyes focused on the cards he held slightly turned away from Kensi. Kensi obligingly dealt him three cards, and took two for herself.

Deeks raised her five skittles, adding to the pile of brightly colored currency on his hospital tray. Kensi pushed five of her own candies, mind only half-focused on the game.

"Pair of aces, I win," Deeks announced a few minutes later, gathering his "winnings" towards the opposite side of the table. He hadn't actually eaten any of them, but poker seemed to be a passable distraction from the pain of his recent bullet wounds.

"You lied to me," Kensi said abruptly. Deeks paused in the process of gathering the cards together, eyes lowered in true confusion.

"Ok…about what?"

"You told me your dad fired a gun at you six years ago on Thanksgiving." It came out as more of an accusation than she intended, but Deeks didn't give any indication that he'd noticed.

"Actually, I think what I said was that I hate Thanksgiving. You inferred that I was saying that my hatred of the holiday was associated with my dad trying to shoot me."

Kensi marveled at his ability to misdirect while hopped up on heavy duty pain medication. It was as impressive as it was annoying. She didn't let it get her off track though.

"Quit trying to lawyer me into dropping the subject, Deeks. Why did you let me believe this event happened so recently and downplay the incident? Why make up a story?" she asked.

Deeks went quiet, eyes focused on his fingers sorting through the collection of skittles. It reminded her of when they'd been going through his list of enemies. She'd seen a new, quieter, sober version of him that she rarely, if ever got the opportunity to experience on their short partnership.

"There's something about telling people that you shot your dad when you were 11 that tends to end conversations pretty quickly," he replied eventually, upper lip lifting slightly as he let out a dark little huff of laughter. "For some reason they find it unnerving." He sighed heavily then, tipping his chin upwards. "I suppose I just didn't want to deal with the preconceived notions and repercussions that come with that reveal."

"You thought I'd judge you for it?"

"You saying you didn't when I told you now?" he asked shrewdly.

"I was concerned," Kensi insisted, pushing back the small voice that reminded her about the shock and disquiet she'd felt initially as well. "That's a horrible thing to find out about someone. And a terrible situation for you to be put in."

"Mm, well, it was a long time ago." Deeks shifted with a grimace, his tone dismissive. "If it makes you feel any better, I take creative license with my life pretty frequently," he added. "I consider it good practice for covers."

"Right," Kensi muttered. There was an awkward little silence, and then Deeks gestured to the cards.

"You wanna play again?"

"Sure." She dealt out another hand, mind once again focused on her partner. For a man who talked so much, she was finding out she really knew very little about him.