Title: Sneaky Feelings
Author: rekkidbraka
Rating: T
Pairings: Tony D. and Ziva D.
Category: Romance
Disclaimer: No infringement intended.
Spoilers: None
Summary: Tony can't say he doesn't like E.J. Ziva can't say she does. Trouble.
Tony sipped at his coffee and stared out the window of the cafe, trying to figure out exactly when he had once again screwed things up with Ziva to the point where he was... sitting around drinking coffee and trying to figure out exactly when he had screwed things up again.
He had his suspicions, which were actually admissions of truth, but he didn't understand why he couldn't make a new friend. A new girl friend. Not a girlfriend, just a girl friend. Something in him enjoyed seeing Ziva get jealous. This wasn't how it should be and yet it was. His new friend, who'd arrived only a few weeks earlier, exasperated Ziva to no end. And Tony naturally had to play it to the hilt, tease Ziva about there being a new princess in the castle. Lately, though, Ziva wasn't responding with her usual fire when Tony prodded her; she was uncharacteristically quiet, saying nothing in her defense when Tony continued his needling.
This wasn't like Ziva. She hadn't wanted to go out to dinner Saturday night when Tony suggested they go into D.C. and try a fancy new place he'd heard about: RetroBurger. He'd been kidding, of course. He'd made reservations at a little bistro that Ziva had wanted to visit. But she'd said she was tired and they didn't go. It was a mostly silent weekend.
How had things come to this? He knew, frankly speaking, exactly what had happened. He just wasn't ready to admit it to himself yet.
And then the answer came to him — literally.
"Slacking off again? Man... If productivity was measured in empty coffee cups and candy bars, you'd be Agent of the Quarter."
He hadn't told anyone where he was going when he left the Bullpen. So how did she know he'd be here?
"You sound like the Boss."
"Vance?"
She took a seat on the tall stool beside him, not bothering to ask if he wanted company. But that was her way, he'd come to learn.
"No... The Boss. Gibbs."
"Oh, him." Downing a big swig of coffee, E.J. Barrett shrugged nonchalantly and tossed back her reddish-blonde hair. "Vance is my boss. Yours, too."
"Gibbs is Boss. Vance is the Director. Big difference."
"I don't report to Gibbs," E.J. sniffed, frowning at her coffee cup.
"Well, that's you," Tony said quietly.
"What's your problem?" E.J. asked. She shot Tony a quizzical look. When he said nothing, E.J. smirked, nodded and said, "Never mind. I get it. SHE's your problem."
Tony didn't care for that remark.
"Ziva isn't a 'problem' — she's my girlfriend," Tony snapped.
"And there's the problem," E.J., undaunted, went on.
"What is it with you? Why don't you like her?" Tony asked. He really didn't get it. Ziva and E.J. were different types but both were excellent agents. Certainly both of them could find common ground on that fact.
"She doesn't like me," E.J. said, not appearing to care that Tony cared enough to ask. "Because she doesn't like me liking you. And I like you. And she doesn't like you liking me."
Tony stared out the window again. E.J. let a little self-satisfied smirk play at the corner of her mouth before she finished her thought.
"And you like me."