Drabble of the Week: Carried Away

Borrowed time.

They were living on it, each day almost seeming like a gamble with the amount of close calls they faced, making days like today boring as hell, but a blessing in disguise considering the near death experiences their other team members had faced in a few short hours

It was almost enough to make him wish for desk duty, LAPD more appealing when he thought of a future that involved grandchildren instead of a young death, but then again, it seemed he was on borrowed time with NCIS too.

And even still, he couldn’t back away, not with her standing beside him as a partner, not with his duties as an unsung hero still being told.

“You’re awfully quiet over there,” Kensi murmured, rocking back in the drivers seat, eyes meeting his with a warmth he so frequently found himself dependent on.

“Just thinking that this means we’re covered on double dates for a while.”

“We’re still having dinner with your mom and Guy.”

“Kens-“

“Shhhhh,” lifting a finger to her lips, she glanced back to the road. “I still need to properly tell the proposal story.”

“Not in front of Gee, he doesn’t have security clearance.”

Muttering a quick “technically neither do you,” beneath her breath, she rapped her index finger over the steering wheel. “It’s still a good story.”

“The best.”

“Tell me you’re not still moody that your mom has a boyfriend. “

“No.” Shaking his head and rubbing the bridge of his nose heavily, Deeks met her mismatched gaze, cars before them showing no sign of moving and a thousand, yet zero words fighting to leave his tongue.

“Did I ever tell you, you’re why I’m here? Why I can handle crap like getting thrown down stairs and… and death traps on boats, that you’re why I take it. This… it’s already fulfilling, you’re what makes it good. “

The warmth back in her eyes, she stretched out a palm, grasping his as her tone dropped. “You know it’s the same.”

Clearing his throat, he arched his spine, body craving to turn away from her eyes, to keep the next sentence within.

“You’re what makes me want to walk away too.”

The answering squeeze of his palm told him far more than any words could.