Fic'ing to Christmas - Day Four - FIC: Politics, As Usual
Title: Politics, As Usual
Prompter: blue_icy_rose
Prompt: BTVS/NCIS, Buffy/Tony, flirty banter (that way it can be friendship or more)
Rating: FR13
Betas: avamclean
Fandoms: Buffy the Vampire Slayer / NCIS
Disclaimer: he characters of Buffy belong to Joss Whedon, Fox, the WB, UPN, etc. The characters of NCIS belong to Bellesario, CBS, etc. The ideas and concepts in this story are mine entirely. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission.
All fics by authors participating in this year's Wishlist challenge, can be found here: wishlist_fic
My Masterlist is here: Fic'ing to Christmas
Buffy carefully rolled the beer bottle back and forth in her hands, smearing the condensation around and softening the label. She hated these events. There was only so much political ass-kissing she was capable of, and Buffy felt she’d hit her limit after the CIA and FBI parties, especially after the FBI party and an evening spent with Fornell. And yet here she was, standing beside Giles and several of the NCIS head honchos, rubbing elbows to help maintain positive relations with her organization, the International Watchers’ Council.
Buffy raised her bottle to her lips and took a few large swallows, her nose wrinkling at the taste of the light beer. Liquor had become her drink of choice, but here she drank beer, partially because the taste of the inexpensive brews slowed her intake but mostly because it caused the vein next to Giles’ left eye to twitch when she did it. She had to entertain herself somehow didn’t she?
She lowered the bottle from her lips as a familiar team of agents moved to join them. Despite herself, a smile spread across her face as she looked at the familiar face of Special Agent Jethro Gibbs. He returned her smile, with a small but honest one of his own, as he offered his hand. She took it, wrapped her fingers around his and shook. She felt him tightened his own hand, perhaps baiting her, but she ignored it, and disengaged her hand from his. He easily moved over to shake hands with Giles before moving to stand next to Director Vance. Faith had called him a silver fox when they last met. She’d even suggested a detour to the handicapped bathroom stall at the crime scene to see if he’d be interested in showing her just how much experience he’d acquired over the years. She fought to keep down the giggle at the memory. Perhaps Giles had been right in insisting she, alone, came to these functions after all.
Behind Special Agent Gibbs was Special Agent Tim McGee. He greeted her with a wide, open smile, reaching out with his right hand to shake her hand even as he held his beer in his left. Sometimes Buffy was jealous of lefties - especially in situations that required multiple hands like this. “Hello Ms. Summers,” he spoke as he delicately shook her hand.
“It’s Buffy,” she corrected him. “And hello Tim,” she added, using the name he’d insisted she called him.
He gave her a small shrug and let go of her hand and moved onto Giles.
Former Mossad Officer, and current NCIS Probationary Agent Ziva David stood next to Tim. Buffy’s spine straightened as she took her in. The woman was used to solving things with her fists, which Buffy could readily appreciate, but it made her dangerous. Buffy was relieved when Ziva only offered them a brief nod and didn’t extend a hand in greeting.
Buffy looked over Ziva’s shoulder, expecting to see Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, but she wasn’t able to spot him. A frown formed on her face and she knew, even without looking over at Giles’ disapproval, that she was pouting. Tony was the one highlight to her evening of ass-kissing with NCIS.
Director Vance followed her gaze and turned to Gibbs. “Where’s Agent DiNozzo?” he calmly asked him, though Buffy knew that he was annoyed at the complete team not appearing.
On cue, a familiar face appeared over Ziva’s head, as his long strides quickly closed the distance to their group. “Sorry Boss. You know how Agent Sullivan just loves to talk, and McGee left me with her to fend for myself,” he apologized even before he made it to them. He took a breath, and Buffy watched as his guard went up and he prepared to turn on the DiNozzo charm. The smile he offered them was huge, but completely fake, which was easily evident as his eyes landed first on Giles, and then quickly cut to his left to Buffy.
“Buffy!” His eyes lit up with glee, and he didn’t bother extending a hand in greeting. Instead he took a step forward and wrapped his arms around Buffy. She leaned into the embrace, her left hand sliding under his arm to press her palm against his back. He smelled wonderfully masculine, a blend of cologne and the faint, underlying scent of sweat. He picked her up off the ground an inch or two, causing her to squeak out Tony’s name, before he deposited her back down, holding on until she had her balance again in her heels. “I didn’t know you were going to be here,” he said as he moved away but not out of her space.
“Giles thought it would be best to have a representative of each half of the Council here,” she answered with a roll of her eyes.
“Coulda been worse. He could’ve brought Faith, right Boss?” Tony replied, and a faint blush rose on Gibbs’ cheeks. Quickly, before Gibbs could reach out and slap him upside the head, Tony turned his attention on Giles, and Buffy wasn’t able to contain the giggle as Giles physically took a step back based on the look on Tony’s face. “Mr. Belvedere! I’ve missed you!” Tony exclaimed and took two steps and then another as Giles backpedaled, before he engulfed her Watcher in a bear hug. Giles looked annoyed and uncomfortable over Tony’ shoulder, but he did manage to clap Tony twice, rather hard, on the back before Tony relinquished his hold.
“It is good to see you too, Special Agent DiNozzo,” Giles dryly replied, but Buffy saw a small quirk of his lips at Tony’s reaction. Giles could pretend all he wanted, he secretly loved the attention, and Tony’s complete lack of formality with him.
Tony’s attention turned back to Buffy and to the bottle dangling in her hand. “Really, Summers?” he asked as he took the beer from her. “Where’s the good stuff?” he asked as he downed the rest of what was left of her beer. “Looks like you’ll be needing another.”
Buffy nodded, perhaps a little too eagerly, and shot Giles a quick glance. He let out an exasperated sigh but gave her a small nod.
She turned back to Director Vance, relieved to see he wasn’t too annoyed with Tony’s actions. “Director Vance, if you’ll excuse me, it would appear my drink is empty,” she explained and Tony shook the empty bottle.
“I’ll speak with you tomorrow Ms. Summers,” he excused her and she nodded, not happy that their meeting was first thing the following morning. Obviously Director Vance had a bit of cruel streak in him for insisting on that early a meeting with a Slayer.
She quickly said her goodbyes to Gibbs and Tim, and gave a brief nod to Ziva, confused by the angry look that had settled on her face.
Tony held out his arm, bent at the elbow, “Ms. Summers.”
“Special Agent DiNozzo,” she replied in kind as she linked her arm in his. “Thanks for rescuing me,” she whispered as they made their way toward the bar.
He chuckled as he managed to unlink their arms and casually slide his hand around her waist, pulling her against his side. “It’s going to cost you,” he replied.
And Buffy groaned, tilting her head to rest against his shoulder. “I have an 8 a.m. meeting with Director Vance tomorrow,” she couldn’t help but whine.
“You could always just not go to bed,” he suggested.
And Buffy groaned at just how screwed she was. Hopefully Giles would do more speaking than normal tomorrow morning.
Prompter: blue_icy_rose
Prompt: BTVS/NCIS, Buffy/Tony, flirty banter (that way it can be friendship or more)
Rating: FR13
Betas: avamclean
Fandoms: Buffy the Vampire Slayer / NCIS
Disclaimer: he characters of Buffy belong to Joss Whedon, Fox, the WB, UPN, etc. The characters of NCIS belong to Bellesario, CBS, etc. The ideas and concepts in this story are mine entirely. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission.
All fics by authors participating in this year's Wishlist challenge, can be found here: wishlist_fic
My Masterlist is here: Fic'ing to Christmas
Buffy carefully rolled the beer bottle back and forth in her hands, smearing the condensation around and softening the label. She hated these events. There was only so much political ass-kissing she was capable of, and Buffy felt she’d hit her limit after the CIA and FBI parties, especially after the FBI party and an evening spent with Fornell. And yet here she was, standing beside Giles and several of the NCIS head honchos, rubbing elbows to help maintain positive relations with her organization, the International Watchers’ Council.
Buffy raised her bottle to her lips and took a few large swallows, her nose wrinkling at the taste of the light beer. Liquor had become her drink of choice, but here she drank beer, partially because the taste of the inexpensive brews slowed her intake but mostly because it caused the vein next to Giles’ left eye to twitch when she did it. She had to entertain herself somehow didn’t she?
She lowered the bottle from her lips as a familiar team of agents moved to join them. Despite herself, a smile spread across her face as she looked at the familiar face of Special Agent Jethro Gibbs. He returned her smile, with a small but honest one of his own, as he offered his hand. She took it, wrapped her fingers around his and shook. She felt him tightened his own hand, perhaps baiting her, but she ignored it, and disengaged her hand from his. He easily moved over to shake hands with Giles before moving to stand next to Director Vance. Faith had called him a silver fox when they last met. She’d even suggested a detour to the handicapped bathroom stall at the crime scene to see if he’d be interested in showing her just how much experience he’d acquired over the years. She fought to keep down the giggle at the memory. Perhaps Giles had been right in insisting she, alone, came to these functions after all.
Behind Special Agent Gibbs was Special Agent Tim McGee. He greeted her with a wide, open smile, reaching out with his right hand to shake her hand even as he held his beer in his left. Sometimes Buffy was jealous of lefties - especially in situations that required multiple hands like this. “Hello Ms. Summers,” he spoke as he delicately shook her hand.
“It’s Buffy,” she corrected him. “And hello Tim,” she added, using the name he’d insisted she called him.
He gave her a small shrug and let go of her hand and moved onto Giles.
Former Mossad Officer, and current NCIS Probationary Agent Ziva David stood next to Tim. Buffy’s spine straightened as she took her in. The woman was used to solving things with her fists, which Buffy could readily appreciate, but it made her dangerous. Buffy was relieved when Ziva only offered them a brief nod and didn’t extend a hand in greeting.
Buffy looked over Ziva’s shoulder, expecting to see Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, but she wasn’t able to spot him. A frown formed on her face and she knew, even without looking over at Giles’ disapproval, that she was pouting. Tony was the one highlight to her evening of ass-kissing with NCIS.
Director Vance followed her gaze and turned to Gibbs. “Where’s Agent DiNozzo?” he calmly asked him, though Buffy knew that he was annoyed at the complete team not appearing.
On cue, a familiar face appeared over Ziva’s head, as his long strides quickly closed the distance to their group. “Sorry Boss. You know how Agent Sullivan just loves to talk, and McGee left me with her to fend for myself,” he apologized even before he made it to them. He took a breath, and Buffy watched as his guard went up and he prepared to turn on the DiNozzo charm. The smile he offered them was huge, but completely fake, which was easily evident as his eyes landed first on Giles, and then quickly cut to his left to Buffy.
“Buffy!” His eyes lit up with glee, and he didn’t bother extending a hand in greeting. Instead he took a step forward and wrapped his arms around Buffy. She leaned into the embrace, her left hand sliding under his arm to press her palm against his back. He smelled wonderfully masculine, a blend of cologne and the faint, underlying scent of sweat. He picked her up off the ground an inch or two, causing her to squeak out Tony’s name, before he deposited her back down, holding on until she had her balance again in her heels. “I didn’t know you were going to be here,” he said as he moved away but not out of her space.
“Giles thought it would be best to have a representative of each half of the Council here,” she answered with a roll of her eyes.
“Coulda been worse. He could’ve brought Faith, right Boss?” Tony replied, and a faint blush rose on Gibbs’ cheeks. Quickly, before Gibbs could reach out and slap him upside the head, Tony turned his attention on Giles, and Buffy wasn’t able to contain the giggle as Giles physically took a step back based on the look on Tony’s face. “Mr. Belvedere! I’ve missed you!” Tony exclaimed and took two steps and then another as Giles backpedaled, before he engulfed her Watcher in a bear hug. Giles looked annoyed and uncomfortable over Tony’ shoulder, but he did manage to clap Tony twice, rather hard, on the back before Tony relinquished his hold.
“It is good to see you too, Special Agent DiNozzo,” Giles dryly replied, but Buffy saw a small quirk of his lips at Tony’s reaction. Giles could pretend all he wanted, he secretly loved the attention, and Tony’s complete lack of formality with him.
Tony’s attention turned back to Buffy and to the bottle dangling in her hand. “Really, Summers?” he asked as he took the beer from her. “Where’s the good stuff?” he asked as he downed the rest of what was left of her beer. “Looks like you’ll be needing another.”
Buffy nodded, perhaps a little too eagerly, and shot Giles a quick glance. He let out an exasperated sigh but gave her a small nod.
She turned back to Director Vance, relieved to see he wasn’t too annoyed with Tony’s actions. “Director Vance, if you’ll excuse me, it would appear my drink is empty,” she explained and Tony shook the empty bottle.
“I’ll speak with you tomorrow Ms. Summers,” he excused her and she nodded, not happy that their meeting was first thing the following morning. Obviously Director Vance had a bit of cruel streak in him for insisting on that early a meeting with a Slayer.
She quickly said her goodbyes to Gibbs and Tim, and gave a brief nod to Ziva, confused by the angry look that had settled on her face.
Tony held out his arm, bent at the elbow, “Ms. Summers.”
“Special Agent DiNozzo,” she replied in kind as she linked her arm in his. “Thanks for rescuing me,” she whispered as they made their way toward the bar.
He chuckled as he managed to unlink their arms and casually slide his hand around her waist, pulling her against his side. “It’s going to cost you,” he replied.
And Buffy groaned, tilting her head to rest against his shoulder. “I have an 8 a.m. meeting with Director Vance tomorrow,” she couldn’t help but whine.
“You could always just not go to bed,” he suggested.
And Buffy groaned at just how screwed she was. Hopefully Giles would do more speaking than normal tomorrow morning.