No Strings Attached
Author's note:
This is my first NCIS Fic, first fic in years in fact. Definite Tiva, not quite smut more hinting to keep it T rated. Timeframe is probably around Season 7ish, post-Somalia, more than likely to go AU at some stage.
Chapter One - Drinking to Forget
The atmosphere in the bar seemed to shift for a moment, an almost imperceptible pause in the music and movement when a beautiful woman appears in the doorway. Tony DiNozzo felt the change and instinctively swung towards the door, straightening his shoulders. They slumped visibly a second later as time resumed when he realised the dark haired figure was that of his colleague, Ziva David.
"Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine." He muttered, turning back to his beer. It was late Friday night, the end of a long, trying case, and he had deliberately picked the out of the way bar to avoid company from his co-workers.
"I did not know you had a claim on this place Tony, and what is a gin joint anyway?" Ziva took the only remaining seat at the bar, the one beside him. She had also hoped for solace tonight, planning to drink the ache out of her bruised body.
"Never mind," Tony muttered irritably, downing the last mouthful of beer. "What are you doing here anyway?"
"The same thing you are I imagine, drinking to forget." Ziva replied. Tony grunted agreement. He and Ziva had come off the worse in their case today, and while Ziva looked outwardly better - a steri stripped cut near his eyebrow and split lip being more obvious - Tony knew she had spent the afternoon in hospital, being x-rayed for broken ribs, and while serious injury had been cleared, her movements gave away the stiffness and bruising. Although neither had been held at fault both weary agents felt the need to drown their sorrows and nurse wounds both physical and emotional before Monday.
"Well if I buy you a beer will it buy your silence?" Tony's voice was tired and impatient. He'd been knocked out when their supposedly unconscious suspect unexpectedly woke up and cracked Tony across the forehead with the pistol Tony had been in the process of disarming, and Ziva had been left to face the 6'4" man alone. She was fast, and disarmed him easily enough, but on brute strength she was out of her depth and Tony had come to in time to see her crash backwards through a pile of wooden crates. Gibbs had shown up as the man had tried to run for it, apprehending him for good, as Tony hauled Ziva out of the rubble. The morning had ended with Ziva in an ambulance, and Tony riding shotgun despite the medic's protests, dizzily quoting "Which way did he go George?" repeatedly.
"I did not wish to talk anyway." Ziva snapped back. Her harshness drew a barely noticeable wince across Tony's face. She softened her tone slightly. "But I would not say no to that drink." Tony nodded, motioned to the bartender and paid for two more beers. Ziva tilted her head in quiet thanks, and both agents turned away from each other, drinking in silence.
The pair alternated buying rounds, maintaining their silence which had shifted from hostile to companionable. After a while, the beer became bourbon, as the bar slowly emptied.
"It's your round." Tony informed Ziva, setting his empty glass down on the bar.
"I bought the last one Tony, the round is yours," she replied shaking her head.
"No way, you owe me one. You knocked over my drink breaking up that fight." A scuffle that had started over the pool table had gotten too close to Tony and Ziva and they ended it abruptly before the police arrived, the bartender this time shouting a free drink for them both when the mess had been cleared.
"Excuse me Tony? I was taking care of public safety." Ziva's tone was lighter than at the start of the evening, the gentle bickering in good fun.
"Overreacting is more like, you didn't need to pin him against the bar like that." Tony shot back, a hint of a smile forming as he rolled his eyes.
"Either way, one of you is going to have to pay." The short, blonde man behind the bar leaned into the conversation, "Last call."
"Well should we flop for it? That is what you and McGee would do is it not?" Ziva suggested.
"The word is flip for it Ziva, and I don't want to hear about McLucky tonight." There was no real malice in his voice though, despite the fact he would hang it on McGee come Monday for staying safe in the van running surveillance and coming out injury-free.
"Well then, why don't we flip for it?" Ziva amended. She could sense that if she bit back at Tony for correcting her language the good nature between them would fade rapidly.
"Why not, and I'll let you use your coin. No tricks." Tony offered.
"How generous," Ziva laughed sarcastically. "As if I would fall for that double-sided coin trick anyway. Here." She produced a coin from her pocket and handed it to Tony.
"Heads I buy, tails you buy." Tony announced, flipping the coin in the air and catching it. "Best of three?" He did not show Ziva the coin, but the quick way he pocketed it and roguish grin told her plainly enough the coin had shown heads.
"No way Tony." She replied lightly, "I won, I am the fair square."
"Fine, fine. But you're not a square, leave that to McGeek." Tony grumbled good naturedly, paying for two more drinks. "You owe me for this Day-vid"
"L'chaim," Ziva said with a smirk, ignoring the deliberate mispronunciation of her name. They tilted their glasses, touching gently against each other and drank quietly.
Savouring the last mouthful of spirit, Ziva stood up, and swayed slightly, the alcohol going to her head quickly. Tony chuckled "Lightweight."
"You have had as much to drink as I have Tony." Ziva steadied herself on the bar, clearing the fuzz from her head, but the warmth and tipsy feeling staying put. "I am going to catch a cab home, and I suggest you do the same." Tony looked around the bar, the bartender was cleaning up, obviously having no intention to refill Tony's drink.
"I doubt I'm as affected as you Ziva. My metabolism..." Tony jumped to his feet and swayed as well. "I have to catch a cab anyway. I left my car at the base. Why don't we split it? Will save one of us waiting out in the cold. We're both in the same direction from here, I'll pay to mine and you can pick up the rest to your apartment."
"Well..." Ziva began doubtfully, she'd heard about Tony making the same offer to McGee, who had ended up paying for the entire bill, despite his place being the shorter trip.
"Come on Zi," Tony wheedled, as they buttoned their coats against the cold November air they expected outside. "It's not like you have any better offers here, I'll even hold the door for you!"
"You must be drunk with an offer like that. But I could not deny there are no better offers for a ride home." Ziva surveyed the bar one last time, which save for audible vomiting from the bathroom, and the bartender now wiping tables, was empty. She offered her elbow, and with a gallant, though wobbly half bow, Tony took it, the agents helping each other unsteadily up the stairs and out onto the street.