Raccoons: Drabble 11/27/22

Posted on December 1, 2022 by Em in Drabble // 0 Comments

wikiDeeks Drabble of the Week for “The Frozen Lake”.

Lyssa pointed out that the 9th anniversary of “The Frozen Lake” occurred recently. She suggested a comparison between that time in Densi’s relationship versus now. So, this week’s story isn’t directly linked with “Let it Burn”.

Frozen lakes, raccoons. Knives. Deeks is beyond sick of metaphors. He knows he’s done his fair share of avoiding his and Kensi’s “thing.” He’s backtracked and gotten freaked out by the possible consequences if they ever cross that line they’re constantly tiptoeing around.

But damn if he doesn’t want to erase that line and tear down every barrier between them right now. They tease, they touch, they wake up practically in each other’s arms half the time, yet they pretend they’re just partners. Friends.

Looking across the bullpen, he watches Kensi as she sets down her bag, nearly knocking down several knickknacks. She narrowly catches a candle before it smashes on the ground.

“Hey,” she says, catching his eye, and he quickly averts his gaze.

“Hey, how was your night?” he asks, casually. Like she didn’t fall asleep in his arms. He glances up again, face carefully schooled into something neutral even as he remembers waking up with her body, warm and so tempting, against his.

“Good.” Her voice rises, and it’s too bright, too forced, and he knows she’s trying to pretend that nothing happened. Like she hadn’t woken up, nearly kissed him, and then ran out in a panic. She turns all her attention to straightening everything on her desk, shifting pens from one cup to another.

He clears his throat, pushing down his bitterness and disappointment. She’s just as nervous about all this as he is, he reminds himself.

“So, I have this friend who has an in at that new sushi restaurant,” he says, smiling when Kensi’s head springs up with almost comical speed.

“Wait, you mean the place that has a two-month waiting list?” she asks.

“Yup. My friend managed to get me a reservation for next Saturday. And, because I’m an amazing partner, there’s room for two.”

Kensi shakes her head, her excitement evaporating as quickly as it had come, and disappointment fills him again.

“Oh, that’s really sweet, Deeks, but I um, have a training thing.”

“Kens, it’s just dinner. Doesn’t have to be anything else,” Deeks tells her. Even though he’d love it to be so much more. Kensi presses her lips together, eyes conflicted. She hesitates, then crosses between their desks, and Deeks’ breath catches.

“Deeks,” she murmurs, and there’s a wealth of want in the single word. Her hand shifts, like she might reach out to touch him, but instead she clenches it against her thigh, shaking her head again. “I can’t,” she says with so much regret in her voice it makes his heart ache.

“OK.” He nods, the ache in his chest growing even stronger as she slips back to her desk.

“Kensalina, I got you a surprise!” Deeks calls as he walks through the front door. He’s holding a medium sized box in one hand. Toeing his shoes off, he joins her on the couch.

“What is it?” Kensi asks, brow furrowing as she shifts the box around. She’s pretty sure she hasn’t forgotten any anniversaries.

“Only the best for my ladybird. C’mon, open it,” he urges.

She lifts the lid, eyeing Deeks as he grins at her with an odd mix of anticipation and what she can only describe as mischief. Inside is a square painting of two raccoons, their pointy noses turned towards each other as they face a moonlit sky.

“Oh my god, Deeks!” Kensi gasps, equally shocked and amused. “Where did you get this?”

“I found it at the secondhand store while I was looking for a DVD player for mom.” He leans over her shoulder to point at the two bushy creatures. “See, it’s us.”

“I think I’m offended,” she says. Truthfully, it’s a pretty horrible painting. The brush strokes are heavy and awkward, and the raccoon on the left has a weird shape to its head.

“Oh c’mon, they’re kind of cute in a hideous way. Plus, they’re literally raccoons in love. It’s meant to be,” Deeks insists. “It’ll look perfect right over there.” He points to the wall behind the couch, where they’ve hung a few other pictures.

“Deeks, no. We are not hanging that up anywhere.”

“Kens, think of everything that we went through to get here. We defied the odds, the naysayers,” he says, with more passion than she anticipated. “We’re raccoons who mate for life.”

It’s ridiculous, but she finds herself warming to the sentiment. She glances at the painting again, then at Deeks, who’s still grinning.

“Alright,” she relents. “We can hang it up. But somewhere inconspicuous, because it’s still hideous.”

“Deal.” He dips his head, kissing her softly. “I love you, Mrs. Raccoon.”

“Love you, too.”

A/N: I realize this is quite a bit more fluffy than my usual wikiDeeks offerings, but I hope you still enjoy.