Inspired by
BPAL's Xiuhtecuhtli.
Title: Rainwater
Author:
voleuseFandom: NCIS
Ship: Kate & Tony
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Summary: You use this to float long enough.
Notes: S1, no spoilers
Gibbs tells them to fly to Costa Rica and review evidence for their current murder investigation.
They stare at him for a full minute, waiting for him to charge ahead, trailing orders.
Instead, he looks up at them, annoyed, and barks out, "Go!"
Tony flinches. Kate nods.
Then they grab their packs and race to the elevator.
*
On the way to the garage, Kate stares at the elevator's buttons and doesn't look at Tony.
"Has he ever let us go by ourselves before?"
"Nope." Tony fiddles with a strap on his backpack. "Do you need to pack?"
Kate shakes her head. "I have an overnight bag in my car."
She smacks him in the arm before she checks to see if he's smirking.
"Don't even say it, DiNozzo."
Tony pouts, rubs his arm. "I didn't say anything."
She rolls her eyes. "You were thinking it."
*
All the evidence was collected two days ago, but for the sake of accuracy, they trek into the jungle to look at the initial crime scene.
It's farther than she expected, and by the time they reach the location, she's a little winded.
Tony, the bastard, has barely broken a sweat. He's snapping his gum while she's swatting mosquitoes.
He grins at her, and she crouches next to a faint chalky outline, ground into the dirt.
"We're lucky it hasn't rained much since the body was found," she remarks. "See anything interesting?"
"No." Tony pulls his camera out of his pack, snaps photos in every direction. "Doesn't mean there isn't anything to see."
Kate stands up, rolls her shoulders and leans her head back. Aside from the mosquitoes and the humidity, it's nice here. Warm.
Maybe she'll have time to go swimming at their hotel.
"Smile, Kate." The camera's flash blinds her momentarily.
She scowls. "Tony!"
"What?" He pulls an innocent face.
"I hate getting pictures taken," she snaps.
He raises his eyebrows. "Why not? You're an attractive woman, Kate."
For half a second, she almost takes it as a compliment.
Then, she remembers. It's Tony.
"Shut up." She takes out her notebook. "Let's get this done before it starts raining again."
"Gotcha." He sketches a mocking salute, and then it's all business from there.
*
Kate packs up her suitcase, looks mournfully at her bathing suit.
Tony growls over her shoulder, and she jumps.
"Damn it, Tony!" She stuffs the rest of her clothes into her suitcase.
He sprawls on her bed, leers. "We have an hour and a half before we leave."
"In your dreams," she replies. "Your sick, lonely, and pathetic dreams."
"And yet," he responds, "I never imagined you'd pack a red bikini. For work."
He stretches, and Kate does not watch him.
"It's what I keep in my overnight bag. Which is always in my trunk."
"Which you always take to work." He stands, leans close to her. "Interesting."
She meets his gaze, and manages not to avert her eyes.
"Shut up, Tony."
He laughs, saunters out of the room.
"That's what I thought, Kate."
She doesn't bother to reply.
###
A/N: Title and summary adapted from
Ray Hsu's Depth:
The heart is a bucket
for all things.
Empty,
it promises to fill. Look
inside: the contents
are clear. Rainwater
will always be the last
of what you find. You want
to see the bottom. You
sound the depth. You use this
to float long enough
to get yourself to shore
by emptying these things
over the side.
Originally linked
here.