May 14
Building a friendship is like learning to dance. You take small, easy steps at first, then gradually add new ones until it becomes comfortable and familiar.
Ziva put her hands on her hips and glared at McGee. This was not going well.
In an effort to impress a certain Goth, McGee had decided that he wanted to learn how to dance. It appeared to have been a lifelong dream of his, and once Ziva had learnt of it, she had offered to help him. She enjoyed dancing and felt she could teach McGee well.
But she had not counted on McGee's perfectionist streak. He was becoming more and more frustrated at himself, while she tried to reassure him that he was doing very well for a beginner.
It did not help that she was emotionally invested in this. She wanted McGee to do well; she wanted him to impress Abby at the next inter-agency ball. She knew that her two friends would be perfect together, and her carefully hidden romantic side couldn't resist helping them in some way. She wanted them to be happy.
She hid a smirk as McGee withered under her glare. "Calm down," she ordered. "You are not helping yourself."
"Sorry," McGee replied. "I think I've got two left feet."
She stared at him, confused. "You do not have two left feet," she told him.
He shook his head. "Never mind," he smiled. "Can we try the last bit again? Maybe a little slower."
She smiled back. "Okay. Put your left foot here, now pivot…"
They continued their dance around the otherwise empty NCIS gym, each content with their actions.