Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of NCIS.
Tony sighed deeply and leaning back in his chair rested his feet on top of his desk. He stared over at Ziva diligently working, an endearing look of concentration on her face. "Do you ever get tired of it?"
"Paper work is a necessary part of our jobs Tony. Whether I get tired of it is not really relevant" she replied not even bothering to look up.
"Yes, I know that Ziva. But, I wasn't talking about the paperwork". As he said this, Ziva looked up at him tilting her head slightly. He was easily able to read the question in her eyes but made her wait for an answer. "I wanted to know if you ever get tired of this" his arm was flapping about as he pointed at her then himself rapidly. She was a bit taken aback, but said nothing as he continued. "Do you ever get tired of you and me, this thing between us, whatever it is that we have. Do ever get tired of the endless flirtation that seems to bring only frustration, at least for me?". He spoke quite quickly and when he was finished took a deep breath almost as if he was relieved having finally gotten a heavy burden off his chest.
Ziva looked at her partner with her eyebrows furrowed for several moments. "Are you going to say anything?" Tony asked unable to hide the annoyance and apprehension in his voice.
She still continued to stare at him, slightly startled by the uncertainty that was so unlike him. He thought for sure that she could hear his heart beating from across the room as the seconds ticked by. Finally she spoke. "I sometimes like to compare our unusual relationship to a dance, a tango perhaps. There is an embrace and we move close together yet separately. Pushing away and pulling back in, the dips, the turns. It appears to be complicated but each step is certain. One of us will knock the other off balance but neither of us ever fall. We are always there to catch one another before that would happen. It is passionate, sometimes filled with teasing other times with anger. It is quick and it is slow. It is improvised, sometimes predictable and other times completely unexpected. Yes, Tony. Our partnership, our relationship...it is a dance". She finished and turned back to her work.
Tony looked at her curiously, letting his feet drop unceremoniously to the floor. He leaned forward on his desk, his head resting on one hand. He thought about how exactly to phrase what he was thinking. "There have been a lot of times when others have decided to cut in" he said, deciding to keep going with this dance metaphor she had started.
Ziva looked back up at Tony. She shut off her computer, having at last finished with her work for the night, walked over to his desk, and leaned over so her face was mere inches away from his. "Yes, but our dance is hardly over". And with that she turned on her heel and grabbing her coat, headed towards the elevator leaving him to ponder that thought as he watched her walk away.