"We will take a break for ten minutes before continuing with the schedule of events."
There was a lot of relieved sighs and shuffling of chairs as people stretched their legs, went to get a drink of water or coffee and went to answer the call of nature. Tony, needing to do none of those things, remained in his seat. As did a few others, choosing to take this as a chance to chat quietly amongst themselves.
He took the brief interruption as an opportunity to lean towards his partner.
"How's the meeting going?" he muttered in a knowing tone.
He could practically feel her seething and he was seated opposite her. Not an ideal situation, he had told Gibbs this but all he got was a glare in return, but here they were. At an interagency cooperation meeting. Because, you know Gibbs team was the best to attend this. Not. Gibbs wasn't even here! Which was all sorts of unfair but Tony valued his life so he didn't dare complain. In Gibbs' hearing anyway.
But whatever, they'd ended up at this stupid meeting where the NCIS people were on one side of the table and the FBI people were on the other, glaring at each other. Because, you know, that's how interagency cooperation worked.
It was supposed to be a whole teaching opportunity, bonding and all that but all that had happened today were that the two sets of people had been lectured first by each of their agencies directors and then by their respective heads of HR.
Which was no one's idea of fun. And, let's be honest, they just made everyone feel recalcitrant and snappy. Lectures certainly had that affect on him. And a noticeably more dramtic reaction from his partner. Well, noticeably if you were him. Because he could actually read Ziva. It was one of his talents, he was seriously considering putting it on his resume - "Tony DiNozzo, can translate angry ninja assassins".
It was those emotions that made him ask Ziva his original question.
"I want to stab everyone." She announced in a hiss, leaning over to him.
Which sounded about right. That look on her face was the reason why Tony had been surreptitiously making sure that Ziva didn't reach for any of her knives that were definitely on her person throughout this meeting. Well, the ones in the locations he knew of anyway. There was always one knife that he had yet to figure out where it was holstered.
"Don't get blood on your dress. We have dinner reservations at seven," he reminded her, kissing her on the cheek.
They were nice reservations too. Definitely not the type to let you in of you had blood on your dress.
She gave him a genuine smile, her first one this evening, and returned the kiss. Which didn't exactly tell him if she was going to conform with his statement or not. Seriously, they had dinner reservations. It was a very nice restaurant they had both been itching to try out.
"Love you for enabling me."
Now it was Tony's turn to smile brightly, even though her statement was more that slightly worrying.
"Love you too."
It was still giving him a thrill to say that out loud. She loved him. He loved her. They both loved each other. Who would have ever thought it?
"Seriously, whatever you do, don't get caught with someone's blood on you," he said semi-seriously. "We can't go for dinner if one of us is in jail."
"I will not be getting caught," she said, sounding deeply offended.
Which was fair enough, if he thought about it. Ziva was a trained assassin, after all. A Mossad one at that. He had basically just insulted all of her training and skills which was never a good thing.
"Anyway," she continued. "I do not want to stain this dress. It is quite nice."
Tony let his eyes rove over her appreciatively. It wasn't revealing or anything - or else she wouldn't have dressed for their dinner before this meeting - but it seriously flattered her. Or maybe it was because he didn't get to see her in dresses nearly enough. Either way, she looked fantastic .
"It really is."
"Eyes on my face, Tony," she said teasingly.
Ziva did manage to make it out of the meeting with no blood on her. She didn't even get to remove her weapons from the various locations on her body. Which was quite the feat. Considering that the HR people had then gone on to point out specific instances between the two agencies involving the people present and proceeded to lecture them on how they could have handled it differently. Tony was even ready to stab someone after that.
Weren't HR people supposed to be good with people? Then why could they not read the room, it was seriously ridiculous.
But none of that mattered now because now they were free and even on time for their reservation. That was not something he thought would happen earlier.
"This is really nice," Tony said, looking around once they had both been seated.
The restaurant certainly lived up hype. Nice and cosy with low lighting but not so dark that you thought you were in a cave.
"It is," Ziva agreed. "I like the fire."
They had a big, open fireplace next to them with flickering flames jumping up from it. It added to the overall atmosphere.
"Of course you do," Tony couldn't help but tease. "You need your warmth."
Ignoring the jab, Ziva nodded. "I will never get used to these American winters."
"This February hasn't even been that bad!" Tony protested.
Ziva gave him an unimpressed look.
"There was snow on the ground this morning."
"That melted!"
Thankfully, their waiter reappeared, pencil poised over a notepad before the argument coukd go any further. Neither of them needed anymore time and ordered their food.
"You warm now?" Tony resumed as soon as the waiter had left.
Not rising to the bait, Ziva smiled contently, she was sat nearest the fire.
"Definitely."
"Well, maybe I could warm you up further at home."
Their banter continued back and forth like that until their food arrived. Eating said food put a halt to it, unfortunately. But in no way stopped the suggestive looks they exchanged. It was a good thing that all of these tables were spaced out or else they woukd definitely be making other patrons feel uncomfortable.
Of course, it being these two, nothing could go smoothly.
"I can't believe you got pasta sauce on my dress," Ziva complained through the door of the ladies' toilets.
"I didn't mean to!"
"You were trying to steal my food with sauce still on your fork!"
"You didn't have to attack my fork with your knife like I was trying to stab you!"
"Do not blame me for this, Tony!"
"I'm just saying-"
"- that it is your fault."
Tony folded his arms and pouted. Not that Ziva could see it through the closed door.
Then, feeling guilty, he called through it, "How's it going in there? Coming off okay?"
Though, he doubted that. He had many an unfortunate experience with pasta sauces.
The door creaked open for him to see a slightly displeased Ziva. She had the skirt of her dress in the sink.
"I think I have got the worst off," she said, holding it up out of the water and inspecting it.
"Hey!" He said brightly, looking at the skirt of the unfortunately now stained dress. "It kind of looks like blood!"
Ziva rolled her eyes at him.
"Blood does not stain that bright a red," she informed him. "And, blood is actually easier to remove from clothes than this sauce is."
"Of course you know that," Tony muttered fondly.
"I did have to."
And that was about as much as Tiny wanted to think about Ziva's, uh, precious career. Knowing she had been a terrifying Mossad Officer and actually knowing the details of being aforementioned Mossad Officer were two very different things.
"I am going to have to get this dry cleaned," she said with a sigh, letting the skirt drop.
"I'm sure dry cleaners have got worse out of clothes," Tony tried to reassure her.
"True," she agreed, dabbing at the damp spot woth a handful of paper towels in an attempt to dry it. "Shall we finish our date?"
"Toy still want to after me ruining your dress?" He asked doubtfully.
"You did not ruin it. It is just a little stained. It cam be fixed"
Tony shrugged and grinned. Who was he to argue with that?
"Also," she added. "I would like dessert."
Tony smirked at that.
"Oh, I can arrange that."
He leaned in closer but she stopped him with a hand on his chest.
"The food Tony."
He deflated at that but Ziva's eyes were twinkling as she scooted past him.
"First, anyway," she called over her shoulder.
