Author's Note: Seems I only publish stories when I really should be studying for exams. Based on those promo pics (we all know the ones), but this is just some nonsense that I made up in relation to them.

Disclaimer: Still nope.

It's Not Jealousy

"Kensi?"

She kept her eyes glued to her laptop screen. Maybe if she ignored him long enough he'd go away.

"Kens? Can I talk to you for a sec?" Deeks asked quietly.

As if.

The sincerity in his voice had her on edge, but she decided to take the push him away route reagardless.

Sighing heavily she lifted her head pointedly looking at Deeks.

"What Deeks? I've a lot of paperwork to do and not a lot of time to do it, so what?"

Slightly taken aback by her abruptness, Deeks slowly got up from his desk and crossed the bullpen to face her.

"Can we talk somewhere a little more..." he paused looking around "...um...where Little Mother and her minions won't be listening?" he asked quietly attempting and failing to point without notice about Sam and Callen.

Sighing heavily again, Kensi just wasn't in the mood for these games.

"No Deeks. You wanted to talk, so talk,"

"Kensi please, I'll beg if I have to," Deeks asked quietly once more.

She knew where this was going, and she certainly didn't want to face it right now. She could kill him. But did she have a right to? It was just an undercover case which he said as soon as he saw her and that it was his character, not him. He's her partner, nothing more. They're friends if even. He's annoying, and childish, and immature...so why does it bother her so much?

Dropping her head in resignation, she softly pushed herself out from her desk, and motioned for him to lead the way.

Once in the firing range, Deeks pulled down all the blinds, pausing at the door with his back to her.

Ugh how long was he going to take?

"Deeks I seriously don't have all night, so could you please just -"

"It meant nothing,"

Pausing at his interruption, Kensi shifted her eyes to the side fighting the urge to bite her lip. Deeks turned slowly to face her but stayed leaning against the door.

"Kensi...it meant –"

"Nothing. Yeah okay great, I heard you,"

Their eyes locked on each other, she refused to be the weak one. She refused to say why it bothered her that she saw her partner kissing his half-dressed little playmate during their op. She held her ground with her jaw clenched and hands slowly fisting. Why did he have to push this? Just let it go. They were fine. Or...at least would be if he would just stop pushing.

"Kensi –"

"Deeks just stop okay? I heard you. You kissed her during a case and said it meant nothing, so I get it okay? I get it," she emphasised before making her way to the door.

You kissed her during a case and said it meant nothing.

Wait. Surely she couldn't think he meant–

Was she even talking about this case, or previously when the two of them–

"Kensi no stop," Deeks started as she tried to open the door.

"Deeks let me leave,"

"No, not until we sort this out,"

"Sort what out? There's nothing to sort out,"

"Yes there is and you know it! Ever since you saw me kissing her you've been angry with me. So don't tell me there's nothing to sort out," Deeks almost yelled standing in her way.

The pair stood in front of each other, Kensi surprised by Deeks' outburst, Deeks slowly trying to catch his breath from it.

She averted her gaze from his looking down at her hands. She just needed a little longer and she'd be fine. She could break a little at home, but here – now, she needed to maintain her resolve, so she lifted her head once more to peer into his soft blues.

"Deeks, who you kiss is none of my concern. I don't care, so why do you?" Kensi asked lightly hoping he'd finally just let it go.

The minute the words left her mouth though, she knew that stung. She could tell from his crestfallen face, his slumped shoulders, his sad beautiful eyes.

He paused looking down briefly before making eye contact once more.

"I just wanted you to know that...I hadn't planned on – I mean I didn't want to..." he trailed off quietly with his brow creased.

Taking a deep breath, he tried once more.

"I wasn't interested in her. That undercover kiss meant nothing to me. I don't look at women like that ever since..." he paused, as though searching for something in her eyes.

Maintaining her game face, she knew she was unreadable. Deeks tried to silently break that shield, but he simply couldn't. Kensi's stubborn streak just wouldn't let go.

"You know what?" he laughed bitterly, "I'm wasting my time here. And yours. Look, sorry okay? You should go ahead," he motioned before stepping out of Kensi's way allowing her to leave.

Wait.

So that was it?

He wasn't actually going to push it? Kensi never felt so relieved.

And so let down.

Turning on the spot to watch Deeks walk passed her and take down the protective glasses, she wondered was he going to say what she thought. Was he going to say something that may have changed them?

Either way it didn't matter now. He was loading his gun with his ear protectors firmly in place getting ready to shoot after she just humiliated him.

Why did he always make her feel guilty for wanting to protect herself? She just didn't want to end up hurt again. That made sense didn't it?

But this was Deeks. He would never ever hurt her. At least intentionally anyway.

God she had made such a mess of this.

Pausing until he had finished his first round, she walked up behind him and took his ear protectors off.

He knew she had been there the whole time.

Sighing with slumped shoulders he tried to face her.

"Kensi look –"

But before he could finish, her lips were silencing him. Her hands cautiously resting on his chest, she leaned in a little further, but still only kissed him softly.

As Deeks' mind cleared, he responded in kind by wrapping his arms softly around her, not taking the kiss further, but not stopping it either.

He better not have kissed that playmate like this undercover...

After a few minutes – or hours? – Kensi pulled back slightly, but still resting her forehead upon his. Both with their eyes still closed, she spoke quietly into small space between them.

"Thank you for telling me – that it meant nothing," she leaned back opening her eyes to look into his, "that makes me happy to hear," she smiled softly as she ducked her head once more.

Taken aback by her brief moment of affection, Deeks refused to let her out of his arms just yet.

"Any time Fern," he joked with his lips close to her temple. "And can I just say –"

"Don't ruin this –"

"But –"

"Deeks –"

"How about –"

"I'm warning you,"

He huffed a small laugh into her hair as he forfeited his joke –

"I love it when you're bossy,"

– almost.

Thoughts?