Title: Daily Dance
Rating: Teen
Warnings: None
Characters: McGee, Tony
Spoilers: End of third season/start of 4th. Set between, but some spoilers for 4.01
Author's Notes: Huge thank you to kate98 and Cha Oseye Tempest Thrain for betaing for me. I've changed things slightly since then, so any mistakes are mine.
Disclaimer: Own nothing, not being paid.
Summary: Life in-between, or how McGee didn't crumple at the Gaze of Doom.
"You told me you were going home."
McGee stood in front of Gibbs' desk – Tony's desk – and glared.
"No, I didn't, McGee. I said I had finished my paperwork. I didn't say that I wasn't going to work on the Bride case." Tony pulled another picture out of the file – Mrs. Bride's brains splattered all over the wall.
"I asked whether you had finished for the day, Tony; how can you misinterpret that?"
Tony finally looked up. "I have finished for the day, Tim. I have finished my paperwork for the day. Just because you didn't say paperwork out loud, doesn't mean that wasn't what you were talking about."
It had been going on for a couple of weeks. The team would finish for the day, Tony would act like he was about to leave, the rest of the team would but he wouldn't. McGee had found him at Gibbs' desk – his desk – one morning, in his clothes from the day before, snoring.
And, now, they did this daily dance. Tony would try to mislead McGee, deliberately misinterpret what he said, think up new and more believable explanations, double back to the office after McGee left to catch a bus. McGee knew that he did go home sometimes – he checked what spare clothing Tony had and knew that it didn't always match – but it should have been always.
McGee snatched the file from Tony's desk, holding it above his head. "Go home, Tony." His voice was firm and the look on Tony's face was like he'd heard it for the very first time. Tony sat and stared at McGee for a few moments and McGee forced himself to not crumple at the Gaze of Doom. Tony had somehow gotten better at it since Gibbs left. Tony finally grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair and stood up.
"Come on, McGee," Tony said, the words soft but acknowledging. "Work is finished for the day."
McGee put the file back on the desk as Tony clapped him on the back. They walked to the elevator and waited, McGee unable to stop smiling smugly.
"What do you think of the probie, Probie?" Tony's tone was deliberately needling.
McGee scowled and Tony laughed at the elbow that impacted his side.
McGee knew that there was a new step in their daily dance, but the dance was free form and he still didn't know all the moves.
"You ever take a file off me again and I'll kick your ass, McGee. Understood?"
McGee nodded. "Understood, Boss."
Tony shook his head with a smile. "I'll never get tired of hearing that."
The elevator arrived and they stepped on.
"Ow! What was that for?" McGee rubbed his head and glared at Tony.
"For checking out Agent Lee's butt."
"She does have a nice butt," McGee admitted with a smile.
The elevator doors shut.