Title: Rumor Has It
Fandom: NCIS
Author: Alidiabin
Words: 1,039
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Warnings: none.
Spoilers: general
Parings: Tony/Ziva
Summary: Vance starts listening to rumors and Tony and Ziva take a massive step forward in their relationship. Set maybe a few years in the future.
Rumor Has It
Leon Vance did not listen to rumors. Not since, he was fifteen, and a rumor went round, his Ohio high school that he could of potentially impregnated Tina LaSalle. Despite the fact, Vance not being the potential father, that was his chemistry partner Greg Black. Vance had ended up giving Tina half of his paycheck from his fast food job to pay for the pregnancy test. It was a small miracle the test turned out to be negative. Vance was sure, he would be the one giving half his paycheck for child support, and college fees for a kid that was not even his.
Still, it had been impossible not to listen to NCIS' latest item of scuttlebutt. Amongst the pumpkin and navy walls was the frequently recycled rumor that Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David were 'doing the dirty' 'doing the deed' 'rocking the Kasbah' 'doing the wild thing' or as cyber crimes liked to put it 'doing IT.' However, it was put euphemized it all meant the same thing. That Tony and Ziva were sleeping together. Vance though, decided not to pay attention to the rumor. As far as he was concerned the partnership between the dynamic duo was platonic.
A trip to the break room led to Vance to believe scuttlebutt was right. He was on his cell phone with Jared, discussing something Jared had done wrong. Jared had changed his 'D' in physical education to a 'B' in order to impress Vance. Vance walked and talked negating the world of parenting on his cell phone. He walked to the break room as his latest sectary had informed him it was beneath her and that he grandmother had not burnt bras for her to get coffee.
"Jared" Vance declared over the cell phone "I'm not angry you got a D" he said walking directly to the coffee machine. He noticed Ziva and Tony trying to inch apart to fool Vance into thinking they had not been as close as they had. Vance pressed the lever down "I prefer honesty Jared. You just had to be honest with me and we could have worked on it. Maybe I could take you to the park" there was a pause. Vance noticed the pair sharing a look. Their eyes lingered for too long. "Bye Jared, I love you too buddy" Vance said into the cell phone. He kept looking at Tony and Ziva. Vance decided not to linger to long fearing his overactive imagination might imagine they are secretly married. He walked back to his office with his cheap coffee in hand he was a lot more tempted to believe in idle gossip. When he reaches his office, he checks both of their files and to be certain they are not secretly married.
A few days later, Vance walked down the stairs from his office. The dynamic duo is trying to hold a conversation under the stairs. From what Vance can hear, it is a personal conversation.
"Tony" Ziva begged pulling him back to face her. "He is too close to my father." She uttered "Who may I add does not like you at all"
"Ziva" Tony replied. "It will be worse when he finds out by accident" there was a pause "And I want to be serious with you. I'm sick of the secrets"
"Either way there are going to be consequences" Ziva added creating a mood of melancholy.
Vance was expecting the knock at the door later that evening just as he was getting ready to spend an evening with the family. He was childishly tempted to twist around in his swiveled chair and declare 'I've been expecting you' but deciding to be a grown up resists the temptation. His sectary walked in with Ziva and Tony behind her. Vance knew something was up when Tony did not stare at his young sectaries butt that Jackie had pointed out at the Christmas party.
"Sir, Agents David and DiNozzo wish to see you" his sectary announced stating the obvious.
"Make it quick" Vance declared. "Jackies making my faveourite and I don't want to microwave it" he watched as Ziva bit his lip, reminding Vance of the woman in her twenties Vance had met in Eli David's Tel Aviv penthouse apartment some many years ago. "Spit it out" Vance shouted gruffly.
"You see Ziva and I" Tony begun.
"Tony and I" Ziva interrupted.
"Do I need to get the maternity leave forms out?" Vance asked. Ziva's eyebrows shot up. Tony laughed.
"We're screwing like bunnies" Ziva said. Tony rolled his eyes.
"She means rabbits" Tony said "But good protected rabbits, no Anthony the third for us" Tony blabbered.
"We would not name him Anthony the third" Ziva declared. Vance coughed. "Anyway" Ziva said.
"I want to apply for another team" Tony said. This time Vance's eyebrows shot up.
"We want to move in together" Ziva added "But there is no way it will work if we are working together as well"
"They did in the Ashley Judd movie but they were living in separate rooms" Tony declared. Vance looked at the pair of them.
"You two are serious?" Vance asked shock evident in his voice despite his attempts to hide it.
"Yeah," Tony said, "We've both screwed up in relationships before, now we want to make a proper go at it" Ziva nodded. Vance watched as their hands met. Their fingers locked around one another.
"We are tired of secrets" Ziva said "Honesty is the best policy"
"I appreciate the honesty" Vance uttered as he begun to pack up his work to take home "I'll look into a new team for you DiNozzo," Vance said as the pair made it out of his office. Rumors had informed Vance that they were doing it not that they were serious, not that they wanted to move in together. Rumors had not informed Vance that the pair had acted like grownups and actually talked about it. For a second Vance was actually happy for them. He had read their files and understood them both to be good people they deserved each other he thought. Then Vance thought of the paperwork he would have to fill out. Damn scuttlebutt he thought.
A/N: Tony and Ziva acting like mature adults who'd of thought.