step by step
An NCIS fic collection
by mew-tsubaki
- ^-^3
imagine: seasons 1—Christmas (in July) (this post on the sideblog: 690076538505494528/ parknight-imagines-seasons-1-christmas-in-july)
tags: pre! & established!Parknight, Parker family nonsense XD
- ^-^3
December (2021)
Holidays on weekends are the worst, Alden believes. When they come smack dab in the middle of the week or just on any old weekday, it's easy enough to make up some excuse and snatch back any semblance of the weekend (his peace and quiet) to himself. But weekends?
"Ahh, it's great when Christmas is on a Saturday," Roman says from across the parlor table they've got set up at the older man's small residence with checkers. He sips from his second mug of eggnog that evening and skips one of his pieces across the board with a devious grin.
"You just stretch out Family Game Night to be the entire weekend, as if it's the main event," his son gripes.
"Don't whine, Alden. It hardly kills you to spend the night here—especially since not everyone can cram in here."
Roman pauses there, and Alden takes his turn at the board game, holding on to a sliver of hope that the Parker patriarch will end his bellyaching there.
But then Roman takes a breath, and Alden internally sighs as his father continues, "Besides, we had a nice day with your siblings… Got to see every last niece and nephew. We'll see them again tomorrow, of course, help remind them that you're not some figment of their imagination." Roman sips a little more eggnog. "That could be your happiness, too, Alden."
"Dad, don't even start—"
"Why not? You're not settling. You've even switched jobs. And while it's the closest you've come to the Navy, NCIS still isn't the Navy, son."
Alden rests an elbow on the edge of the parlor table and rubs his brow. He's already had this argument half a dozen times with his father, and he hates that they're having it again. "NCIS is a change of pace, and it feels like exactly what I need right now." He holds back a more biting remark, daring Roman to come out and call him a disappointment the way he's done and implied before, purportedly out of love. Instead, Alden takes a breath and switches tactics. "The people at NCIS… They're good people."
Roman is quiet for a minute, letting Alden's words hang while he takes another turn. "You never had that to say about the FBI."
"Why do you think?" He takes another breath. "But this team… It's a real team, Dad. There's someone like me, good with tech. There's someone real scrappy and hotheaded, but he's dogged. And there's—" Alden pauses, stifling a chuckle when a particular brunette comes to mind. "—there's a wildcard, rather capable of anything, it seems…she's a good bridge between old and new." He smirks as he skips past one of his father's checkers. "They've got my six."
"That so…?" But Roman's got a twinkle in his eye, hearing Alden mention any sort of details about his new cohort for the first time.
December, again (2022)
Alden still believes holidays on the weekends are the worst. But at least Christmas this year is on a Sunday, and at least he's not facing Roman Parker's unfiltered opinions on his own.
Jess bumps her shoulder against his before tucking his nearer arm into hers and giving it a squeeze as they step over the threshold at Roman's. "Hey. You holding up all right?"
"I should be asking you that," he returns. He raises his eyebrows at her since they have a moment to themselves with others still arriving, cramming themselves into Roman's home for dessert since it's unfathomable to try to have Christmas dinner in this tiny space. "We spent the afternoon at your sister's—"
"—and I've still got plenty of stamina for the Parker horde," Jess quips, her grin toothy and bright. "Besides, your dad loves me already," she adds, dropping a casual allusion to time the two spent while Alden had his hands full being a fugitive and his team—as promised—had his six.
Alden doesn't have a rebuttal and just smiles to himself. The team does have his back…but Jess Knight's always going the extra mile when it comes to him and has nearly from the start.
The second there's a pause in arrivals, Roman descends on them, and he shoots Alden a look since they've barely removed their scarves let alone their coats. "You do plan to sit and stay awhile?" he scolds his son.
"Yeah, Merry Christmas to you, too," Alden says, barely winning the fight not to roll his eyes at Roman's tone.
It doesn't help that, unsurprisingly, Roman's features light up when he turns to Jess instead. "And the great Jessica Knight! So good to have you here tonight, hon." He gives her a big hug for his small size and pecks her cheek as if Jess has been part of the family for years. "I've got those pecan bars you like, but there's also toffee, for the season."
"Sign me right up," Jess says, and she glances at Alden and gives his hand a quick squeeze before making a beeline for the dessert bars across the room.
Face to face, Roman…stunningly beams at Alden.
His son can't help but ask. "What?"
"Oh, I always had a feel that the Navy or something Navy-adjacent would bring you something…or someone…good." This time, Roman's stare isn't critical. It's gloating, for sure, but it's not critical. It's knowing, and it's happy. For Alden.
And Alden's left grumbling, because he doesn't have a leg to stand on.
- ^-^3
XD Tmw you talk with your pals and realize the show's season just…skipped over the holidays. So! I decided to write a bit of my take on Parker's past and future Christmases, continuing with my hc that Knight prolly keeps Roman company in the midst of that Raven/Unkindness nonsense (bc Roman is so adorable? even tho he's mean/picks on Parker, Knight clearly gets a kick outta him). GOSH, I just need to write the Parker men more. XDD
-mew! ;D