Holiday Spirit

Summary: What happens after Nell and Eric pass out the holiday gifts at the Toys for Tots program? Neric, rated M for a reason. Twoshot.

Author's Note: The fluffy follow-up to the intense first chapter, because this is how I picture Nell and Eric dealing with the morning after. Short but cute.

Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS: LA or any of the characters.

When Eric awoke, he felt Nell's absence before he opened his eyes. He groggily looked at the space beside him, wondering if he had imagined the previous night. As he turned over and stretched out his limbs, his eyes fell on the pile of clothing beside his bed, topped by her red lace. He looked up in time to see the door to his bathroom open. Nell emerged, wearing his red button down shirt.

"Morning," she greeted quietly.

"Morning," he replied. She smiled and bit her lower lip. He sat up in bed, leaning back against the headboard. She covered the small distance between them, sitting on the bed beside him.

"You know," he confessed, "for a minute there, I thought I had imagined last night."

"Trust me," she whispered, scooting closer to him, "that was not your imagination." She pressed her lips against his briefly.

"Good." His stomach rumbled. "Breakfast?" he asked. She giggled and nodded. "Cool. Pass me my boxers?" She made a show of thinking about his request before fulfilling it. She courteously looked away as he pulled them on. He took her hand and led her back to the kitchen, where their dinner dishes still sat on the counter. "Guess we never got around to taking care of those."

"Want me to clean those off?" Nell offered.

"Sure," Eric agreed. "I'll get started on making us something to eat." Nell collected their dishes and walked them to the sink as Eric maneuvered around her, pulling out the ingredients for pancakes. He stepped behind her and reached for a whisk behind the sink. "Let me just grab this," he trailed off, realizing that the space between them had disappeared. Their arms brushed, and he kissed the skin behind her ear. She turned off the water and leaned back into him. His arms wrapped around her waist and his chin rested on her shoulder. She reached her hand up to his cheek to guide his lips to hers. Before she could turn around, however, he pulled away and returned to mixing his ingredients. Once she recovered from the surprise of his sudden disappearance, she turned the water back on to finish washing the last dishes from their dinner. By the time she finished, he had ladled the first scoop of batter into a frying pan.

"That wasn't very nice," she scolded playfully, stepping up behind him and wrapping her arms around his waist. Her hands slid easily over his abdomen and chest, remembering the crevices she had already discovered. He reached on hand behind him, wrapping around her shoulders. With his free hand, he flipped the pancake, watching it rise from the pan and land neatly on its opposite side. The swiftness distracted Nell from her original intention. "Did you just flip that with one hand?" she checked. He nodded.

"Want to give it a try?" he asked. He stepped behind her again, placing her hands on the handle. They shook the pan together, checking to see if that side was ready. "It's always easier to do the second flip," he explained. "The first can be nerve-racking. You never know whether it's the right time. The second flip, on the other hand, is just a quick check. You've prepped, you've checked, and it looks like things are going to be just fine." With a quick flick of his wrists, they flipped the pancake a second time. They tilted the pan toward a plate waiting beside the stove, transferring the pancake. They laughed as they cooked enough pancakes for breakfast, becoming increasingly comfortable with their proximity after each flip.

"Counter?" Nell inquired. Eric thought for a moment.

"We could," he allowed. "Or we could take our breakfast back to bed," he suggested, lowering his voice and speaking directly into her ear. He moved his hips slightly, reminding her of the pressure she had become accustomed to after standing with him for so long. Her voice suddenly failed her. She turned her head, connecting their lips, and the rest of her body followed. "I'll take that as a yes." Eric reached for the plate with one hand, wrapping the other around her waist to hold her body against his. He began to move toward the bedroom.

"Silverware?" she reminded. He paused, placed the plate on the counter, topped it with a pair of forks, and picked it up again before continuing on his journey. Eric paused to place the plate on his night table before falling onto his bed, pulling Nell down with him. Their lips collided as she fell on top of him, her legs resting on either side of his. Difficult though it was, they held back. Neither wanted the change in their relationship to become centered on sex; before things could escalate, Nell rolled to Eric's side, resting her head on his chest, leaving his arm around her shoulders and her leg draped over his lap. Eric expressed his disappointment by jutting out his lower lip, which Nell kissed, giggling. With his free hand, Eric retrieved the plate of pancakes. They each grabbed a fork and began cutting bite-sized pieces, chatting as they ate.

"You know, you're a much better cook than you give yourself credit for," Nell commented, licking her fork clean.

"You say that, but you've only had the two dishes I can cook," he argued. The plate returned to the night table, and Eric reached for Nell's hand, which rested on top of his heart. He kissed her forehead and began singing softly. Nell turned her head upward as she recognized the lyrics of "Holly Jolly Christmas." He grinned, singing it more slowly than it was traditionally played.

"I don't think I've ever heard you sing like that before," she realized when he finished. "Karaoke nights are fun and all, but this...this is really special." He kissed her again, rolling on top of her to deepen its intensity. They spent the rest of the morning alternating between talking and kissing, occasionally pushing their bodies closer but never crossing the line as they had the night before.

"We should probably get your car before anyone realizes it never left last night," she pointed out as she rolled off him again, peeling herself away from his eager hands and lips. He nodded, yet neither of them made any attempt to move.

"We're both going to need clothes, aren't we," he checked, slightly disappointed. He had become very comfortable in just his boxers, and he would be lying if he said that Nell in just his shirt was a sight he didn't appreciate. She thought for a moment, and then a mischievous smirk appeared on her face.

"For now."

Author's Note: In case anyone isn't familiar with it, I chose the carol Eric sings for the bridge: "oh, ho, the mistletoe, hung where you can see. Somebody waits for you; kiss her once for me." Hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! I've got some fluffy Neric pieces in the works, so look out for those!