Author's Note: Written for the Sins & Virtues Challenge on NCIS Flash Fic. Thank you to the wonderful calleighj for beta reading this on such short notice.
Seven Little Rules
Tony wasn't particularly religious, probably for a combination of reasons.
His childhood was one.
A drunken father, a distant mother and an unwanted child don't make for a happy Catholic family.
His job was another.
When you saw dead children, when you saw the cruel and sadistic things one human can do to another, when co-workers and friends died in front of you, you kind of stopped believing in some kind and benevolent Supreme Power.
And if said Supreme Power isn't going to be kind and benevolent, then what's the point in believing in one?
That's what he told himself, anyway, especially after Kate's death.
Kate had believed, she'd done all the right things…and she was still dead.
Kate's funeral had reminded him of everything he hated about religion.
It was like elementary school all over again.
Being told what to do.
What not to do.
What would happen if you broke the rules that were handed down from on high.
Seven little rules that, if Tony was the slightest bit religious, would make his afterlife very miserable indeed,
Because he'd broken them all.
Lust. Well, anybody who knew Tony knew he lusted after a new woman every week. Sometimes more than one a week.
Gluttony. Well, Tony liked good food, good clothes, good just about everything, and he liked it in abundance.
Greed. Yup. Tony, to put it nicely, wanted everything. He wanted women, and he wanted good food, and he wanted money, and he wanted nice things, a flashy car and expensive apartment.
Sloth. Tony could be lazy. He was good at being lazy, when he wanted to. He'd sit back and let McGee or David do the work, then try and take credit.
Wrath. Tony had it in bucket loads. He was angry at his father for everything, at Kate for dying, at Ari for killing her, at Ziva for killing Ari when he didn't have the chance, at Gibbs for being a bastard….
Envy. He'd spent his whole life being jealous of something. When he was a kid, it was of other kids, who had loving mothers and caring fathers. As a teenager, it was because everybody seemed to be having a great time and he was at the beck and call of his father. As an adult, it was of everybody who managed to find a partner, somebody they loved.
Pride. Tony was vain. He'd admit that. He liked to dress up and to look good. He hated to be seen as an idiot and reviled the very thought of people having fun at his expense.
Yup, he'd broken all those rules, not to mention all those other rules about not killing people and cheating on your partner.
Maybe He'd forgive you your sins – if you only had one or two – but only if you were willing to repent.
Tony wasn't about to do that.
He knew he was all of those things.
He wasn't ashamed to be who he was.
So he'd stick to his guns, and firmly refuse to believe.
Because if it was true…he was so screwed.