Title: Shirts Kill Relationships
Author: CrazyAuthorChick
Beta Reader: Ermine aka Tree
Summary: Tony goes down to the morgue and finds Jimmy in a compromising state. It's about time he found out how that kid ticked. Set in somewhat earlier seasons.
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I don't know what made me think about him so much.
Maybe it was the way he worked so hard to adjust himself into the team and only succeeded in looking like a younger brother, almost like the baby of the group.
Maybe it was the adorable way he actually bothered to attempt understanding Ducky's ramblings.
Maybe it was the way his gorgeous green emerarlds lit up when he explained how a murder occurred. It was morbid and some might find it creepy, his obvious enjoyment and the pride he took in his work but I can't help but adore it.
His cute curls blowing in the wind when he arrived at a scene as he looked over the victim.
His young and eager- to- please work ethic was amusing at times and though no one actually told him this, he was heavily appreciated.
I don't know when I started thinking about him, but now that I've begun, I just can't stop and something in me doesn't want to.
One evening the boss told me to go get the evidence from our latest case, back from Ducky who, it just so happened, was at a nearby sports bar, and apparently had a rather legendary betting streak going over there.
One that was especially well known to all college students who happened to be unfortunately foolish enough to believe that hustling an old man is a smart idea.
At the very least he taught them about morals and gambling the right way, the things we can learn from our elders are truly amazing.
None the less now I have to go down to the Ducky less lab with only him there and I have no idea how this will go.
Ducky had told Gibbs about his intentions to go to the bar earlier that day, but Tony shrugged it off and assumed it slipped his mind.
So down Tony went to the morgue acting like he did everyday – as though nothing could faze him. What Tony failed to realize was that, for the first time, he was going to be completely alone with him.
He took a breath to calm himself; he could hear his own heart-beat pounding in his ears and felt the sweat dragging its way down his forehead. He then forced himself to walk through the doors.
Tony was able to choke down a gasp but he still completely froze at the sight that greeted him.
Jimmy Palmer was in the morgue that was, for once, without a body, and while that was a little surprising, it wasn't too much of a shocker. However what was there was a surprise.
A shirtless Jimmy Palmer.
He had the most subtle but defined abs that where wonderfully on display due to the morgue lighting. Pale skin was glimmering with slight chest hair that looked like it took ten years for him to grow. His Pecs were well shaped and painfully defined with every breath the medical student took.
It was a wonderfully astonishing sight to see. Tony had to take a minute before speaking to avoid passing out from shock, a shock that would have been pleasant and highly enjoyable if expected, but not so much when one is caught off guard.
As Tony eventually caught his voice and moved to speak, Jimmy turned and was embarrassed to see a stunned Anthony Dinozzo.
"Dinozzo, what are you doing in Autopsy," he stuttered.
"I was sent by the boss to get some of the evidence that was still down here. I think a better question is why are you half naked on duty?" The best thing for Tony to do in this situation was act professional, and he hoped that Jim wouldn't notice how he was obviously avoiding looking at his chest.
Speaking of which, why did he still not have a shirt on? Most people would have changed and explained themselves at this point.
Since he couldn't imagine any explanation, he decided to repeat his question as all he got the first time was incoherent muttering that he couldn't bother to understand; even it was too damn adorable.
"What the hell are you doing? Why do you still not have a shirt on?" he asked his mouth moving like a Ferrari being taken out on a test drive, his frustration growing. He was fighting the urge to stare at the exposed flesh and failing miserably.
"I can't," Jimmy stammered out at last. Normally he would have been able to explain himself rationally, but he never could when Dinozzo looked at him with that intense stare he always seemed to have on his face. He inwardly melted against his will.
"Why can't you?" Tony demanded in a tone that stated an explanation should have been obvious.
"I screwed up my shoulder again, Ducky was taking a look at it, but then he had to take off for an errand and I haven't seen him since."
"Yeah, a very serious and important errand. He might be out all night," Tony scoffed, slightly amused at the younger man's ignorance.
"Oh, really? What happened? Is everything all right with the doctor?" Jimmy asked, concern spilling into his tone.
"If you think wiping out college kids' parents is all right. Then, yeah, he's king of the mountain," Tony laughed, sounding only a bit nervous. He was surprised by the way he was reacting to seeing the young man without a shirt. He'd seen quite a few women, and even a couple men, in more compromising states, but it was somehow different with James Palmer.
And you know what? Tony actually liked it.
"Why am I not surprised?" Jim rolled his eyes. "What am I supposed to do about my shoulder?"
"I could probably fix it for you," Tony offered, seeming to have forgotten the very reason he came down was just to get a box of evidence for Gibbs.
"When did you get a doctorate?" he inquired with a smile.
"You don't need a degree to know how to give a good massage- just experience," he smirked as if that were brag worthy secret.
"Why would you be willing to help me? You never talk to me," Jimmy pointed out.
"Hey, we're on the same team. What if you screw something up because of an injury that I ignored and the boss chews me out for it? Is that what you want to happen," he said with speed, hoping to confuse him.
"Ugh, no, I guess not," Jimmy hesitantly replied.
"Exactly now come over here," he gestured in his own direction.
"Thanks for this, I guess," he said as he moved himself underneath Tony's hands.
"Oh, no thanks necessary," he assured. "Believe me," he murmured, too quietly for the other man to hear.
Tony then used his massage skills gained from years of sexual prowess in a manner that finally mattered somewhat. By the next five minutes, Jimmy Palmer was practically melting in his arms and, suffice to say, his shoulder felt ten times better.
"So how's your shoulder?" Tony finally asked after another ten minutes. He loved rubbing the medic but his hands were starting to cramp up on him.
"What?" Jimmy stuttered incoherently.
"Your shoulder," Dinozzo chuckled.
"Oh, yeah. Its better, thanks," he answered, snapping out of his daze.
"So, seeing as Ducky's no longer needed, you can put your shirt on and maybe we can go to coffee or something." The end of this sentence was said much softer than the beginning.
And James Palmer's world was frozen for the third time in his life.
The first time was when he was told that his grandfather passed.
The second was when he graduated after twelve grueling years of higher education.
And now when Anthony Dinozzo asked him out.
Tony was starting to worry and began to feel doubts about his decision to tell the younger man. He hadn't said anything for the last five minutes; he hadn't even blinked. All he did was breathe.
By the time Jimmy was conscious, Tony was internally freaking out and thinking about how he could possibly retract his offer without seeming ridiculous. He started to stutter an excuse, but Jimmy finished his thought process and was able to answer.
"That would be…., wonderful," he finally answered with a small somewhat shy smile.
"Oh, really?" Tony asked stupidly forgetting his own number one rule of asking the one you admire out ; NEVER GIVE THEM THE CHANCE TO SAY NO.
"Really. You want to go now?" Jim suggested, pulling his shirt back on and inching closer to the door.
"Cool. Let's go then," Tony agreed. He almost pushed the other man out the door and then out the building to his baby.
The two strolled out of the office and no matter what anyone says, they were not holding hands; they were two adult men and had out grown that step a long time ago.
And that's the lie they'll always stick too.
Watching the peculiar pair as they strolled out was head agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs.
"Gibbs wasn't Tony suppose to be getting a box if evidence from Autopsy?" Abbey asked, seeing Gibbs watching the couple leave.
"Nope." Gibbs drank a sip of his coffee.
Abbey laughed "You evil genius."
"Don't know what you're talking about Abs," he denied, walking away to peak at them from a window, casually looking like he was brooding.
Gibbs chuckled to himself. Did Dinozzo really believe he forgot about Ducky's hobby? He'd have thought the other man would know by now. I never forget.
The secret match maker walked out of the building and to his car, where he'd go home and work on his boat and never talking about his hand in getting the two together again.
Because men did not match-make, and no matter what anyone told him. His answer wouldn't change.
THE END!
AN: I finally finished it yay! THANK YOU SO MUCH Ermine aka Tree for editing it and when she' done with Silent Solo I will be right on that. Even though this took me forever, eh what ca I say the work of a band geek is never finished.