TITLE: A Little Damp Around the Edges
E-MAIL: eli @ popullus.net
ARCHIVE: Ask, please.
RATING: PG-13
POSTED: Nov. 11, 2004
NOTES: Written as part of a series of snippets. For Celli's request for NCIS and "immature" and Oceana's request for NCIS and "wet" and "cold."
DISCLAIMER: Read
Frat pranks. Squad pranks. Mostly, when big buckets of water came splashing down on the heads of guys, it involved pranks.
Mostly.
It hadn't happened often, but large quantities of water weren't an unknown in the line of duty. Usually it involved jumping in, sure, but when Gibbs got added into the equation, all bets were off. Gone. Out the window and running for cover.
Which was where Tony should've been, what he should've been doing. Diving through the window that was open there, just over there, mocking him. Sort of the way Kate was now. Actually, exactly like that.
"Ohmygod."
Eyes wide, Kate took one of her hands off her mouth and pointed it, shaking, directly at him.
"Yeah." Tony gave her a pained smile. "You can stop pointing. It's very...what's the word? Oh yeah. Immature."
Kate's other hand dropped to press against her side, removing all barriers to her entirely inappropriate amusement.
"Oh. My god."
Eyes narrowed and intent on the finger still aimed at him, Tony heard the cough before he saw Gibbs. Relieved -- help at last, thank god almighty -- Tony turned to drip in his direction.
"Hey? Boss?"
An eyebrow. "You're a little wet, DiNozzo."
"Yes. Thank you." Tony clasped his hands together in a prayer for patience. Because scowling? So wouldn't do any good. He forced a smile. "Thanks for pointing that out. Do you think maybe you could see about getting Kate to stop pointing at me and...stop with the snickering? Just for a while?"
Gibbs' mouth opened, and Tony had hope. For a moment. A second. But then, in the cruelest twist of fate possible -- Tony expected this of Abby, yes, but Gibbs usually turned away first, at least a little -- Gibbs' mouth shut tight, clamping down on the laugh but still stretching into a huge, really big smile.
Kate took one look at both their faces and bent over double, laughing out loud.
"Oh, great," Tony sneered, giving up on the happyface. "Yes, go ahead. Laugh it up. Enjoy yourselves."
"Oh, I will," Gibbs assured him, the smile sticking until he swallowed it back. "You, though, aren't going to."
"I'm not already," Tony said bitterly while shaking his arms out, trying to get as much of the water off him and onto Kate as possible. She danced back, still laughing, damn it.
"Noooo," Gibbs said. "You won't be even more, soon. You're walking back."
Tony froze, arms out and ready for another flap. "What?"
"Well, you're not getting in the car," Gibbs said with a little laugh, like it was obvious. And, hell, it was, but--
"But--"
"It's not that far to your apartment."
Gibbs was far too calm about this, Tony felt. Especially when he kept talking, and what came out of his mouth was:
"You'll live."
"Well-well maybe I won't!" Tony protested. "It's November! It's cold out there!"
Gibbs blinked. "So...run."
Kate collapsed against the wall, hugging herself. Tony glared at her, hoping she laughed herself into the most awful cramps ever.
"I start sneezing at the office tomorrow, you'd better start ducking, 'cause I'm so sneezing on you," he told her.
**
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