step by step
An NCIS fic collection
by mew-tsubaki
- ^-^3
imagine: seasons 2—leaf peeping (this post on the sideblog: 700227689686220800/ parknight-imagines-seasons-2-leaf-peeping)
tags: established!Parknight
- ^-^3
Knight stomps her foot on the floor of the car. "We're going to be late," she grumbles.
Behind the wheel, Parker quirks an eyebrow. "To the crime scene? The body's already cold, Jess. The skies are clear. Forecast predicts no freak winds or squalls of any sort." He taps his finger against the steering wheel. "…yeah, we'll get there after Jimmy and McGee and Torres, but we'll hardly be late."
She huffs. Honestly, Parker doesn't deserve her attitude, and she knows it. She's just—annoyed with what's around them. And she gestures to the wall-to-wall traffic outside their windshield. "Don't people know the leaves are past season for D.C.? It's November already, for crying out loud!"
Parker winces at her volume and gives her the tiniest of shrugs. "Eh, people can't help it this time of year, especially on the coast."
"No, I know about the coast. Don't forget: Washington grad. Seattle's a stone's throw from the coast, Alden."
"I know. But…" They crawl forward; the tires rotate maybe half an inch under the carriage. "Leaves in autumn in the Northeast are more than a passing hobby. I'm not even sure 'way of life' begins to cover it." He scoffs at the description and then catches her eye. "You really aggravated by all this traffic, though?"
…dammit, he knows her too well. Knight frowns and cups that pout in the palm of her hand as she rests her elbow inside her door and glares out the window. "…no," she admits.
Parker waits for the rest.
"We've been working nonstop for weeks, with little time off," she mumbles against her palm. It would've been nice to enjoy watching the leaves change color with you the way normal people do, she confesses to herself.
The car scoots forward, going then stopping then going and doing nothing for their fuel economy, and Parker is quiet. By the time they're at the light, where they'll turn and hopefully make up for lost time, he takes in a deep breath and exhales. "You know…there are still some leaves on the trees."
Knight doesn't budge from her pose but turns her head his way.
"Personally, I think the early colors are overrated. Those yellows and oranges and bright reds." Parker shades his head. "I like the softer colors at the end. The leaves turn coppery before they become that cozy brown."
She wants to stay annoyed…but it's harder, fighting back the grin at his words. "I don't know. Brown's kind of drab to me."
Parker locks eyes—hazel meeting coppery brown—with her before the light turns green. "Eh, you just don't see it the same way I do."
- ^-^3
He's in love with her eyes and so am I (they're rly pretty and I love drawing/painting them, ngl). But pls, autumn leaves in the Northeast are no joke and neither is the traffic.
-mew! :s