Soft never used to be an adjective Deeks would use to describe Special Agent Kensi Kick-Ass Blye and yet it seems fitting after today. Not much has changed since he and Kensi decided to go 'all in'. They're spending just as much time together as before, staying at each other's places, watching TV, falling asleep on the couch. There's the added bonus of the nights they stumble through to the bedroom, quickly divesting each other of their clothes and wake up the next morning gloriously naked in each other's arms but truthfully, they've been waking up next to each other most nights for the past few months.
At work they're still Kensi and Deeks, they banter, they tease, he makes wise cracks and she rolls her eyes. There is one difference, though, that he still hasn't wrapped his head around. She's soft, or at least softer. And only with him, he's noticed. She's still kicking down doors, intimidating suspects, and taking Deeks down in any and all sparring sessions they have but in the day to day she's soft.
Comments that would've earned him a punch square to the shoulder two months ago earn an eye-roll, a sarcastic 'thanks'. Most of the time she doesn't even snark back. Oh, she still teases him alright but it's less aggressive, more gentle.
They've done a good job so far, he thinks, of keeping their relationship to themselves, of keeping their hands off each other but he's noticed her little touches. The punches she used to deliver in retaliation for jokes made at her expense have been replaced with affectionate caresses. A pat on his leg for reassurance, a tap on his wrist to make him pause, a hand on his back to steady her as she kneels down.
No, soft is not an adjective he'd normally use to describe his partner turned girlfriend, and yet here she is, the fingers of her right hand carding through his hair even as she keeps her eyes on the road, driving them to her place for the night.
"Hey." She says softly, breaking the silence in the car, darting a glance at him quickly, "What's on you're mind?"
"Hmmm?"
"You've been far too quiet the whole ride. We were cut off by some idiot five minutes ago and you didn't even bat an eyelid. What's going through your head?"
"You." He answered simply.
"Deeks, seriously. That's sappy, even for you."
He shrugged as she took her hand out of his hair to better steer the car into her garage.
They made their way inside, both toeing off their shoes just inside the door and tossing their keys and badges onto the hall bureau. Deeks handed Kensi his gun and she placed it with hers in the top draw as he made his way to the kitchen. Kensi followed suite and found Deeks riffling through the fridge, pulling out ingredients and placing them on the island in the middle of the kitchen before grabbing two beers and shutting the fridge door with his hip.
"You know, you're making it easy for them." He said, opening one of the bottles and handing it to her, where she had positioned herself atop the counter, before working the lid off his own.
"Easy for who?" She took a swig.
"Callen, Sam, Nell, hell, even Eric is suspicious I'm sure."
"I have no idea what you're talking about." She feigned, taking another sip of the ale as Deeks pulled out a chopping board and a knife. "Want help with dinner?" She offered.
"No, it's all good. You just stay up there. And you totally know what I'm talking about." He began dicing carrots, his back to her.
"Let's say I don't. Enlighten me." She challenged, nudging her sock-clad foot across the gap and into his back.
"You're going soft on me."
"Excuse you?" she sassed in mock outrage.
"You heard me." He didn't back down. "You've gone all soft and lacy around me. They know we're close already but they're trained investigators Kensalina, they're going to have noticed."
"I've gone lacy around you?" She deadpanned.
"Yeah." He continued to chop up vegetables, intent on making a stir fry with all the produce that was soon to spoil. "You've gotten all touchy-feely."
"It's not like I never touched you before we got together."
"Yeah, to get my attention or to push me forward but these are different Kens and you know it."
"Would you prefer I not touch you?" She shrugged.
"No, not at all, just pointing it out is all." When he'd told her he loved her lacy, lady side he was being completely honest and this new facet of that side of her only made him love it more.
"Is that all?" She placed her beer next to her on the counter and in a marked show of skill she caught the back of his shirt between her toes and pulled him towards her. He came willingly, turning halfway and putting the knife down on the bench.
"Hmmm?" He hummed, moving his hands to palm at her thighs.
"Is it just the touching?" She asked, face looking a little concerned now. They had, after all, agreed to keep their relationship just between the two of them for the foreseeable future.
"Mmmmm nope." He wasn't really focussing on the conversation now, his attention torn to running his hands over her legs and up to her waist.
"What else?"
"You're barely biting back when I tease you. The most I got today was an eye roll. Though the chia thing was a decent jab." His replied distractedly as his fingers traced patterns over her sides.
Kensi extended her hands to his shoulders, pulling his attention up so he looked her in the eye.
"Do you want me to, I don't know, go back? I mean, I haven't even noticed I was doing it but I can work on seeming less conspicuous." Her brow furrowed in worry.
"No." His hands came up to encase her upper arms. "I like it." He turned his head to the right, kissing her hand still resting on his shoulder.
"But we agreed we don't want the team to know."
"Kens, we agreed we didn't want the team to know because we didn't want our relationship to be influenced by their opinions or concerns about how we handle ourselves. We want the freedom to muddle our way through this thing in our own way, to figure out how we work best in the field despite the changes in our personal life, without team bromance or the wonder twins sticking their noses in and giving unwanted and unwarranted opinions. As long as it's not putting us or the team or anyone at risk, be who you are and say what you feel." He finished.
"Did you just quote Dr. Seuss at me?"
"I meant what I said and I said what I meant." A cheeky grin was firmly in place as he recited another quote.
Kensi shook her head as she laughed at him.
"I will not eat them in a house. I will not eat them with a mouse. I will not eat them in a box. I will not eat them with a fox. I will not eat them here or there. I will not eat them anywhere. I do not like green eggs and ham, I do not like them Sam-I-Am." His eyes lit up. "Oh do you think I can get away with quoting Green Eggs and Ham at Sam? I mean, not obviously but just snippets here and there?"
"I'd like to see you try." Kensi giggled, wrapping her legs around him to pull him closer, slinging her arms around his neck and bringing her forehead to rest on his.
Deeks' expression turned serious again.
"Don't change on their account Kens. I like you whatever way you come but I especially like soft Kensi."
"Because I like you, I'm going to pretend that you didn't just compare me to eggs." She leaned forward just enough to kiss him languidly for a moment before pulling back. "Speaking of eggs, I'm hungry, go make my dinner." She darted forward for another peck before untangling her legs and pushing him back towards the forgotten vegetables on the island.
"As you wish." He grinned, grabbing the knife and turning back to the stir fry.
A/N: I loved tonight's (last nights? what time is it?) episode. I love how they're dealing with Densi on the show, the little changes in character, especially Kensi, (what with her little caresses and densi's shared smiles) that show that they're more than what they were. I'm working on two drabbles at the moment that I got from prompts. They won't be long but I'll probably write at least one of them tomorrow between my uni work. Stay on the look out. They'll be posted to my Tumblr (you can find a link to that on my profile or just search ncisabbylover) and I may post them here in a little 'drabble' type chapter fic.
Hoped you enjoyed reading cause I really enjoyed writing this one!