It had been another chaotic day at NCIS, the team buried in paperwork and following up on leads. The sun had begun to dip low outside, casting long shadows across the bullpen as the clock ticked closer to the end of the workday. Everyone was still moving at a fast pace, trying to wrap up their tasks before heading home.
Sam was leaning against the break table making coffee. His eyes were casually scanning the room when he noticed Nell walking toward Callen's desk, a file in her hands.
She dropped it onto his desk, a small smile on her face. "Here you go. All the info on the latest update from the lab," Nell said, trying to mask the exhaustion in her voice.
Callen, glancing up from his computer, looked at her for a beat before his expression softened. "You good, Nell?" he asked, his tone casual but with a hint of concern. It was the kind of question he only asked when he really wanted to know the answer, not just out of politeness.
Nell hesitated for a moment, glancing at her desk across the room before looking back at him. "I'm fine. I think I just need a sugar rush to get me through the rest of the day though," she admitted, a quiet laugh escaping her lips, though it didn't quite reach her eyes.
Without missing a beat, Callen reached into the drawer of his desk and pulled out a Tootsie Pop. He didn't hesitate, simply held it out to her with a half-smile, his eyes still locked on hers. "Here."
Nell's eyes widened slightly, taken aback by the gesture, but she grinned and took the candy from his hand. "Thanks, Callen."
As she unwrapped the candy and popped it into her mouth, Sam, who had been watching from across the room, raised an eyebrow. The way Callen had just casually given Nell one of his precious Tootsie Pops caught his attention.
Sam knew something about his partner that most people didn't. Callen wasn't the sharing type—at least, not when it came to his Tootsie Pops. In fact, Sam had seen him nearly take Kensi's hand off once when she had made the mistake of trying to take one without asking. So why was he handing one to Nell so easily?
It didn't take long for Sam to realize what he'd missed. The way Callen had looked at Nell just then—there was something more there than just camaraderie or even friendship. He wasn't just being nice to her. Callen was soft with her. And that was something Sam had never seen him be with anyone else in the office.
The realization hit him like a ton of bricks. His partner, the stoic and always-in-control G. Callen, had feelings for Nell—more than just the platonic kind.
Sam watched as Nell smiled and shook her head, her exhaustion forgotten for a moment as she held the Tootsie Pop between her fingers, clearly grateful for the small but thoughtful gesture. Callen just gave her a smirk in return, leaning back in his chair, clearly pleased that he'd made her day just a little bit easier.
Sam's mind was racing, processing what he had just seen. He knew Callen had always been protective of Nell, but this? This was different. This was personal.
He couldn't help but smile to himself at the shift in the dynamic between the two of them, something that wasn't there before.
And as Callen returned to his work, his attention back on his computer, Sam leaned back sipping his coffee, his grin widening.
This was going to be interesting.