Drabble of the Week: Perfectly Imperfect Reality

“I could have called that,” Deeks cocked his head, peering into the oven again, studiously watching that freezer lasagna Kensi talked about the whole drive home, a hungry ladybird who would probably eat him if he let dinner burn. “Undercover always does it.”

“Always?” She snorted, propping her hands on the counter behind the small of her back before pushing upward, making a familiar seat for herself on the hard granite, countertops that doubled as seats particularly a requirement in their home, as well as food, the smell of tomato sauce just beginning to make its way through the house.

“Of course,” he nodded, bracing himself on the island, a few paces from her. “Did it for you, Melissa.”

“I’m sorry to disappoint-“

“We shared a bed for days.”

“And you’re not that charming, baby,” she hid a smirk, feigned sympathy dripping from her voice when she stretched out a foot to nudge his thigh with her fuzzy socked toes. “We don’t have to do this exercise just because Eric and Nell did.”

Don’t have to sink back into those memories, because God… the days she realized she was falling for him weren’t ones she wanted to dwell upon, not when it was his assignment with Monica that started the snowball, caused to her to realize that even when she utterly hated him, she still loved him and the lies that would have caused her to run from anyone else made her want nothing more than his comfort, and it was almost losing him after the torture, the hospital, everything, that forced her to realize that she was past the point of no return, falling, spinning, madly, desperate for his hand to ease her fall, and damn him, he was slow in giving it.

“That’s a little disappointing,” he sniffed, stepping closer to run a fingertip over her knee, touch light and so deliciously familiar. “Did my morning breath scare you off? Because the whole starfish-“

“Shut up.” Reaching out, she snagged the collar of his tee, tugging him closer, right between her legs before tangling both arms around his neck, a lazy smile playing over her lips.

“It wasn’t undercover because I didn’t fall in love with that life, or Justin. It was real, because I fell in love with you.” Pressing into a short kiss, she smirked at his eagerness, knowing exactly what it did to him when she proclaimed her affections. “As long as you haven’t burned my dinner.”