A/N: This takes place post "Parley" from season 4. Densimber Day 20.
The calls comes at two in the morning and is completely unexpected. At first, Deeks is sure that it's a joke when someone other than Kensi tells him that he needs to pick up his girlfriend cause she's drunk. Then he starts to get worried.
Kensi Blye does not get drunk. Sure, he's seen her tipsy a few times or pretend to be drunk for a cover, but even after a rough case when it's just the two of them, she's never been drunk enough she couldn't call him herself.
"Let me talk to her," Deeks demands and the woman on the other end sighs. He hears a crackle of static before Kensi's voice fills his ear.
"Deeks, the damn bartender won't give me my keys back," she announces loudly, sounding slightly angry. "I need you to pick me up."
"Ok, I'll be there as soon as I can. Where are you?" She rattles off the name of a bar Deeks has never heard of and hangs up before he can say anything else. Looking at the black screen, Deeks shakes his, and rolls out of bed, tugging on a pair of jeans and a jacket.
When he gets to the bar and grill, he finds a vaguely annoyed bartender waiting for him who directs him to the back of the dining area. Kensi's slouched in a booth towards the back, a glass of water in front of her. In a departure from her usual style, she's dressed in a short sequined dress with platform stilettos, her hair curled around her shoulders. She looks up slowly once he's standing directly in front of her and gives him an embarrassed smile.
"Hey," she mutters.
"Hey. I thought we agreed not to drink alone."
"I wasn't alone." Kensi shrugs, playing with the coaster under her water. It's soggy from condensation and tears a little. "I was with some friends and they decided to call it an early night. I stayed for a couple more drinks."
"More than a couple," the bartender interjects, handing over Kensi's keys. "I have to close up, so if you could take your girlfriend home…"
"Yeah, of course. What's the tab?" Deeks asks. He pays Kensi's bill, adding in a generous tip for the bartender's troubles.
Kensi gets to her feet on her own, which he takes as a good sign. She doesn't say anything as they walk out to her vehicle and she slides into the passenger seat. Deeks lets her struggle with the seat belt for a minute before he intercedes and clicks it into place. She doesn't bat his hands away or threaten to impale him, which is another huge red flag that she's not herself.
Making herself comfortable, she kicks off her shoes and tosses them behind her where they land in a heap somewhere on the back seat.
"Alright, then," Deeks mutters, side-eyeing her in case she decides to engage in a little exhibitionism. Thankfully, Kensi leaves the rest of her clothes on and just tucks her legs beneath her.
When they reach her apartment, she stumbles a little getting out of her seat and then again on the sidewalk. Apparently the alcohol has finally kicked in all the way. He hurries to wrap his arm around her waist and Kensi leans into him, the warmth of her body bleeding into him through her clothes.
A flash of desire runs through him, but he pushes it down. This of all times would be the worst possible night to act on his feelings.
He opens the door for Kensi, depositing her on the couch while he searches for hangover supplies. When he comes back a couple minutes later with water and ibuprofen, Kensi is sprawled on the couch with one leg dangling off.
"How're you feeling?" he asks, handing her the water. Kensi drinks half of it, spilling a little on her dress, and hands it back to him.
"You're always looking out for me," she observes, squinting up at him. She pats a spot right next to her. "Sit down, Deeks." He chooses the other end of the couch and Kensi sighs in apparent exasperation, scooting down until her feet brush his thigh.
"Kens, you should probably get some sleep," he suggests, even though he makes no move to get up. "Tomorrow's probably going to be pretty rough."
"Yeah, I really don't care right now." Tucking her hands behind her head, she stares up at the ceiling, a toe idly digging into his leg. "You know, every single one of my friends is dating someone. One's even engaged. She kept talking about how great her fiancé is and how he'd move heaven and earth for her."
"Well, we know this kind of job doesn't lend itself well to relationships."
Kensi snorts at that, tilting her chin to give him a scathing look.
"The last date I went on, I lied about everything about myself and then to top it off, the guy started flirting with our waitress."
"You never told me that," Deeks says, a little surprised cause normally he gets a rundown of the nights they don't spend together.
"Right, cause I want you to know just how crappy my dating life is," Kensi says caustically. Her expression shifts just as suddenly as the bitterness had come, a strange, almost wondering look. "You know, the whole time my friends were talking about their guys, I just kept thinking about you."
"Kensi-"
"You make me laugh more than anyone, you understand me better, and I'm just waiting there for you," she continues like he didn't say anything. Her voice is filled with pain and confusion.
"Kensi, maybe we should have this talk tomorrow," he tries again, desperate to stop this before she says something neither of them can forget.
"Why? So we can pretend like there's nothing between us?" Kensi sits up suddenly, completely invading his space. She's close enough he can see the different colors in her eyes and smell the faint scent of alcohol and cranberries. "You know it's there."
"It's complicated," he whispers, leaning back even though there's nowhere to go. It would be so easy to kiss her now. She's close, he's almost positive she wants him to.
"I'm right here," Kensi says, her voice lower that normal. "By your side every day. And you go for women like Monica and bikini girls. And the whole time, I'm right here." She emphasizes the last words, grabbing his hand.
"Kens, you know if I could I would." He hears the slight desperation in his voice now, how much he would like to act on his desire. Kensi must hear it too, because her eyes drop to his lips and she sways towards him. His hands land on her waist, to push her away his tells himself, but he ends up holding her instead.
Kensi sighs, rising up on her knees, head dipping even closer. Deeks knows he should stop her, yet he just lets his hands slide higher up her back. Her lips just barely brush his, not enough to really be considered a kiss, when he his phone buzzes loudly enough for both of them to hear.
He drops his hands and the moment is broken as Kensi's face shutters. She scoots back to her side of the couch, curling in on herself. Clearing his throat, Deeks grabs his phone and swears at a text from Bates.
"I'm sorry, I have to go," he says, glancing up at Kensi. She has her arms wrapped around her raised legs, cheek pillowed on her knees. She looks sad and lonely, but not at all surprised.
"It's ok," she mutters dully. "I should go to bed anyway."
"Kens, I don't want to leave you-"
"I don't need a babysitter!" Her voice is raw and in that moment, he knows that it's a matter of pride. Nodding, he turns to leave.
"Kensi, if you need anything, text me," he tells her, knowing that tonight she won't.
A/N: For this particular story, I'd like to think that Kensi's drunken sharing led to him deciding to take the plunge in "Descent". Obviously this is all head canon.