Title: "Fizzle, Fizzle, Fizzle, Pop"
Rating: FR13
Genre: Fluff, Romance
Character(s): Marty Deeks, Kensi Blye
Summary: Four tries. Three failures. One success. All to win her heart over a drink of beer. Densi.
Notes: Written for NCIS Verse's Bingo Tiles challenge. Theme one's 'beer.' First NCIS: LA fic!

He guessed it was common sense. Thinking back over it now, he knew it was common sense. It had been from the beginning. His approach was just a bit skewed by his tendency to overcomplicate matters, his fear of being laughed at, his sneaky emotions, and, of course, his slight inebriation.

Although, admittedly, he was glad his heart was timid and clumsy.

.

It was a sunny, late August day when he realized that something was not right. She marched in the bullpen with a bright grin on her lips and a six pack. He had joked that the thought was appreciated, but the 'boss' would not let drunkards with badges out on the street that early.

She laughed, and it was the kind of laugh that compelled him to widen his smile unconsciously. Then, she said it was for the team to divide and take home later.

He noticed it was foreign liquor.

She admitted, after some persuasion, that it was given to her by a new beau to try.

Suddenly, the thought of beer made him sick. For a whole week, he refrained from any liquor –and any conversation involving him with her.

.

Twenty fortnights ago, he had found her sitting alone on a bench outside a wine gallery downtown. Her curled hair hung lifelessly at either side of her face. When he approached, she looked up at him with forced enthusiasm and an ashamed gaze.

He chose to kid, asking her if she was on her 'lady of the night' work shift.

She rolled her eyes but chuckled nonetheless. A bout of silence passed before she revealed that he had picked her up for a date tonight. Things were going well until they started arguing. He accused her of being too busy with her job. She refuted and accused him of being too distracted with his secretary.

She said she wished she was wrong, but she wasn't.

Her mouth didn't speak what she felt, but her eyes did. It hurt to watch someone tear apart her heart with his bare hands.

I will never do that to you, he wanted to say. But he was cowardly, and she was broken.

.

He disliked seeing her unhappy, so he kept her company whenever he could. He backed off, knowing his place, but she would come over whenever he didn't, and they would do a variety of activities that would etch an everlasting smile on his face. He started to love the movies he hated the most, only because she liked something about it. People watching and walking on the beach had not seemed so bad as it did before, either.

Slowly, they had slipped into this schedule of being together, with no disturbance from any other man or any other woman.

She had said that they were just friends who liked hanging out, but both of them knew it was a lie.

He was growing very fond of her, and he didn't want anything to change. However, he was frightened to gamble asking her where they stood. He was still cowardly and ever in denial.

And it was the best feeling in the world.

.

All it took was a tough case to finally push him to decide.

Two weeks prior, they had talked and reached an understanding that they were, in fact, dating. He was happy, but it changed as quickly when the team almost lost her and Eric during a stakeout gone wrong.

Come Friday night, when they all went out to celebrate, he felt like it was time. He had downed a glass and a quarter of Seagram's before mustering his courage. He walked up to her and spilled the contents of his soul while Hetty observed them at a distance with a suppressed smile.

She was subtly turning a different shade of red with all the people watching. The shade grew deeper still when he got down on one knee and drew out a ring.

He fathomed—by the way Nell quirked her eyebrows curiously, and the way Callen and Sam backed up— that she would have a fit because of that public display and odd question.

He was wrong.

Time stopped when she answered.

.

He doubted he would ever know what she said and how she said it. All he could remember, really, was her grin and the plentiful 'Congrats!' afterwards. It was all a blissful whirlwind beyond that. He may not know the details, but he was happy that it led him right by her side, living a typical and slightly uncommon life.

All because of a six pack and her smile.

Reviews are much appreciated! )