Geek Sandwich
Chapter 4
Tony watched as Reid fretted away trying to stop the water that was falling into his lap and the booth. He laughed lightly when a waitress walked up and quickly dealt with the mess. Reid's face resembled a ripe tomato to which she smiled lightly as Reid apologized repeatedly and profusely. "It's okay Hun, it's only a little water." She patted him on the head like a patient parent then left to clean a recently vacated table. This guy had absolutely no idea how to deal with people. Tony was going to eat him alive. Reid looked up at him from behind a wavy fringe and Tony felt his heart beat a little bit faster. 'Cute.' Reid grabbed the new glass and took a large swallow coughing painfully as the liquor burned a hot trail down his throat. "What is that?" he wheezed. His eyes teared up and he watched Tony slip casually into the seat across from him.
"A Long Island Iced Tea." answered Tony with a winning smile. "Wasn't that what you were drinking?" he continued feigning disappointed confusion. "Oh no. Th-this is fine." Spencer stuttered not wanting to upset the guy who had kindly brought him a new drink after he had spilled his own. He took another drink shuddering when he felt the alcohol warm his throat and spread heat through his stomach. He looked down at his damp lap in embarrassment and peeked up at the man who continued to watch him with an easy smile. It made Spencer's skin crawl to the point that he thought he might be sick. "Do I know you?" He asked hoping that he had meet this strange man before and had forgotten.
Tony pouted in an exaggerated fashion that always made his dates giggle. "I'm crushed. How could you forget me after the wonderful night we spent together?" Reid paled and looked like he might faint or throw up so Tony quickly back tracked, laughing loudly and mussing up Reid's hair. "Calm down Doctor. It was a joke." but rather than calming Reid tensed and pull far away from Tony. He smoothly removing his gun from it's holster and aimed it almost casually at Tony underneath the table. "Who . The. Hell. Are. You?" Reid hissed jabbing his gun into Tony's knee with each word. His white knuckled grip and the tremors Tony could barely detect told him Reid would shoot him if he didn't explain, and fast. Putting his hands flat on the table Tony was shaken by the sudden ferocity of the weak seeming man across from him. "I apologize for my behavior Doctor Reid. When I saw you from across the bar I thought that you would recognize me and when you didn't I couldn't help but tease you. I am Senior Field Officer Anthony DiNozzo. We met, well sort of, in Director Vance's office. NCIS Headquarters?" A flash of recognition at Vance's name and the re-holstering of Reid's gun calmed Tony's racing heart considerably.
"Um, heh, I'm -I. I am so sorry about that." Spencer cringed. He was beyond mortified. He had just pointed his gun at an NCIS senior field officer and threatened him! All he could think was that Hotch was going to kill him when he found out and Tim would probably never talk to him again for threatening his friend. Spencer dug his hands into his hair and lower his head "Stupid, stupid, stupid, so stupid!" He chanted slamming his head against the table. Strong hands covered his own and stopped his head meeting the table again then pulled it up to look into dark friendly eyes. DiNozzo's hands wrapped around his own and and pulled them away from his hair. Holding his hands level with the table DiNozzo gently rubbed his wrist until he had calmed down. Teary eyed and feeling even more stupid Spencer managed a watery smile. "Sorry... again."
Tony wondered if Reid even noticed that he was still rubbing his wrist. He watched the soft warm skin under his thumbs go pink then fade back to milky whiteness. He wondered what other parts of this man he could make go pink. "It's alright Doctor Reid. "Are you alright now." at Reid's weak nod Tony released his wrists and pushed the lone drink on the table towards him. Grimacing Reid took another large drink from the glass nearly emptying it. Tony tried not to smirk at the flush that was already rising in Reid's cheeks. "Another?" Reid looked at his watch then check his phone, his features crumbling in despair. "Sure." he answered sadly. Signaling a bartender Tony ordered a tea for Reid and another beer for himself. When the drinks arrived Tony raised his mug and bumped glasses with Reid when he mimicked the action. "To chance meeting." he toasted. Reid nodded his head in agreement and sipped his drink despondently.
Halfway through his third drink Spencer thought he might be drunk. The room spun like a carnival ride and colors of the room pulsed in time with his throbbing head. Tony, as he had asked to be called, had engaged him in small talk and after his second drink he began to answer some of Tony's questions as well as ask his own. "How long have you known Tim?" he asked swaying to stay upright in the spinning room. "A while." Tony smirked. Spencer thought there was something predatory about that smile but shrugged it off taking another sip of his drink. "Do you think he is still mad I called his home phone?" Tony covered up a sigh by taking a drink of his beer. 'So obvious.' Tony thought shaking his head. Spencer took that to mean 'He's not mad.' "I'm glad." Spencer said head lulling to the side straightening when he thought he saw Tim walk in. "I think I'm going to be sick."
