Merry Christmas eve eve! I can't believe I have't updated this- everything's been so crazy with finals and fictional characters dying and Densi becoming canon to even think about posting, but I finally wrote this for the NCIS:LA secret santa for the lovely taivasmeri , who I really hope likes it. Happy Holidays everyone!

It's not until later, when they're both in the car, driving to a ridiculously hard to find mountain that it hits the both of them what actually happened today.

They're bantering and joking and fighting over directions like an old married couple when, instead of averting her eyes for fear someone might see, she doesn't hide it. She gives him this look of awe and wonder and not love, they're definitely not going to move fast enough to get to love just yet, but they're getting warmer as the air gets colder.

Deeks tries to ignore the metaphors, but it's kinda hard when he realizes that that they really did solve everything on a frozen lake and it was just so god damned easy to do it, he's wondering what the hold up was.

Kensi tries to ignore that they're acting as though they've been together for years, they're so familiar and easy and it's nothing like a first date where you both stutter or speak over each other of have long, awkward pauses of silence.

In a way, she guesses they've been together for a while now.

They pull up to the hotel, check in and before she knows it they're sitting in front of a TV, watching movies and talking and their snow boards haven't been touched.

"We could've done this at home, you know that, right?" She says after their third Bourne movie.

He laughs, turns so his head is resting on her chin, and debates whether to tease her about delaying her return to the slopes and telling her that he is absolutely crazy about her.

It could be worse- she could be on a different continent or he could be getting tortured or they both could be tip toeing around their… thing? God, he hates still calling it that.

Whatever it is, they could be tip toeing around it and referring to themselves as nocturnal animals or asking a super secret ninja who chops people's heads off with butcher knives for relationship advice, so he supposes a little internal conflict while snuggling on a couch in a beautiful resort in the middle of a beautiful snow storm isn't the worst thing that could have happened this Christmas.

Deeks laughs at this, because in all honesty, this is probably the best Christmas he's had, for, well, ever. She would probably agree- not that she doesn't love watching old 80's movies starring Molly Ringwald with her mom, this might be the best Christmas she's had, too.

(Monty, on the other hand, might not agree. It turns out his blonde owner can be a little forgetful when Mommy comes around)

It's the next day when they manage to hit the slopes for what- half an hour? It's cold and the clouds are taking turns between dumping rain and dumping hail on them, so they order room service and Kensi doesn't even flinch when the bell boy comes in and calls her Mrs. Deeks.

Kensi gets a text from Nell, and Deeks only sees about ten thousand heart eye emojis and all capital letter to know that they're not the only set of partners enjoying the weekend. Kensi laughs and types a quick response, then pauses, raises her phone and surprises Deeks by snapping a picture right when the piece of cheesecake was halfway to his mouth and she thinks that's probably the best way to respond to Nell's question about how her break's going.

"So we're not going to hide it?" He asks, giving her a small smile and a look of awe, mostly because she still manages to surprise him every single day.

She nods and gets closer to him, sighing when he puts the blanket over them, and starts the next Bourne special.

No, they're not going to be making out in the gun range or dramatically handing their badges to Hetty if they learn the cases they solve might be too much for an actual relationship, and yes, they're going to fight and play games and another metaphor will mostly likely be created.

But they're also going to be together, because, as it turns out, they crossed one frozen lake- what's another?

And even if the ice cracks, maybe they can help each other swim.