The Super Bowl was in full swing, and the backyard was alive with energy. The mix of cheers, groans, and good-natured arguments made for the perfect game-day atmosphere. Bottles clinked, laughter cut through the occasional frustrated shout at the screen, and the smell of Sam's perfectly grilled burgers lingered in the cool night air.
Callen was relaxed, beer in hand, but he wasn't as focused on the game as he probably should've been. Not entirely.
Nell sat beside him, cross-legged in her chair, clearly enjoying herself. She wasn't as loud as she had been at the sports bar a few weeks ago, but she was still engaged, her sharp eyes tracking the game. And—predictably—she wasn't about to let him off easy.
When the Eagles scored a touchdown, she didn't cheer—just turned toward him with a slow, knowing smirk.
"Huh." She tapped a finger against her chin. "That looked way too easy. Maybe the Patriots' defence isn't as solid as you thought?"
Callen exhaled through his nose, taking a slow sip of his beer before glancing at her. "They're still winning, Nell."
She shrugged, her expression playful. "For now."
Callen chuckled, shaking his head. She was enjoying this—probably a little too much.
A few plays later, the Patriots answered with a touchdown of their own. Callen turned toward her, mirroring her earlier energy, his smirk lazy and confident. "That looked way too easy."
Nell sighed dramatically, shaking her head as if heartbroken by the turn of events. "So predictable," she said, though her grin gave her away. "But let's see if they can actually hold onto the lead."
Callen just smirked. "They will."
She hummed in response, clearly unconvinced, and turned her attention back to the game.
He should've done the same. This was the Super Bowl, after all. But his focus kept drifting—to the way Nell's nose scrunched when a call didn't go her way. The way she leaned forward, eyes sharp, fingers tightening around her beer bottle when a big play unfolded. The way she fit so easily into the group, laughing at Deeks' ridiculous commentary, rolling her eyes at Kensi's over-the-top reactions, throwing playful challenges his way without missing a beat.
She was… cute like this.
It wasn't something he'd let himself think about before, at least not consciously. But here, outside of work, with no case looming over them, he saw her differently.
Unfiltered. Comfortable.
And if he was being honest with himself, he wasn't entirely sure which was more entertaining tonight—the game, or the woman sitting next to him, making it just a little more fun than it already was.