The Tattoo - HL/NCIS - (2/2)
Title: The Tattoo - Part 2/2 - NCIS/HL
Author: strangevisitor7
Beta: idontlikegravy
prompt Prompt #11: red for crossovers100. My table is here
Fandom: HL & NCIS;
Characters: HL: Richie Ryan; NCIS: Abby , Tony
Summary: Abby insists that Richie get a tattoo too.
The Tattoo - Part 1. The rest of Watcher!Abby Verse stories by me and idontlikegravy are here
The Tattoo - Part 2
Abby flounced into Richie’s cubicle and planted herself onto the corner of his desk; scattering his neat piles and sending a few papers fluttering to the ground. “Ready to go?” she exclaimed.
Richie made a grab for the wayward pieces of paper and missed. “Go where?” He asked as he stood and moved around his desk collecting the aftermath of Abby’s entrance.
“Don’t tell me you forgot,” she pouted.
Richie straightened the papers back into their original piles, sat down at his desk and tried to think of why Abby had invaded his office. “Guess I have. What’s up?”
She rolled her eyes. “Tattoo. Remember?”
Richie gulped oh yeah. “Look, Abby I know I promised to go with you…”
“Oh no!” She interrupted. “You’re coming and you’re getting one too.”
“But I’m not a Watcher,” he smirked.
“Very funny. You know what I mean. In fact, I designed something for you.” She said proudly. Reaching into her pocket, she unfolded a crumpled piece of paper and placed it on the desk in front of him.
Richie studied the design. “A sword? And what’s that red stuff on the blade? Is that blood?”
“No, it’s not a bloody sword.” She laughed and circled the desk. “It’s your sword but that’s the infinity symbol.” She explained pointing to the red line crisscrossing the blade. Get it?”
Richie shook his head. “Uh, it’s very colorful?” he offered tentatively.
Abby leaned over his shoulder to whisper in his ear. “Infinity…Immortality. See it’s perfect. Don’t ya think?”
Richie was momentarily distracted by the wisp of Abby’s breath on his neck and the feel of her pressing against him. When he didn’t respond immediately, Abby pushed on his shoulder to get his attention “Richie, don’t you like it?”
Shaking off thoughts he should not be having about Abby, he took another look at her sketch. “No…I mean yeah. It’s great, Abs,” he insisted.
Frustrated, she grabbed the back of his chair and swiveled him around to look at her. She leaned into his personal space and studied his face. “Something’s wrong Richie? You hate it don’t you.”
Richie stared back at her. Lost in her gaze, he felt himself leaning into her. What the hell, why not? he thought, giving into the feeling. “I think it’s great,” he told her as he began reaching up to bring her the rest of the way in for a kiss when a snarky voice invaded their moment.
“Am I interrupting?”
Flustered, Riche pushed away from Abby and stood up a little too quickly to be convincing in his denial. “Hey Tony. Nope, not interrupting anything at all.”
“Hey Tony,” Abby said overlapping Richie’s greeting. Richie noticed that Abby seemed completely oblivious to what had almost happened. Guess he was being too subtle; not usually a problem for him.
Tony looked from Richie to Abby. “Yeah, right,” he quipped. Tony waved off Richie’s prepared denial before he could give it voice. “Just wondered if you wanted to grab a beer? McGeek actually decide to grace us with his presence and I figured you wouldn’t want to miss out.”
“Absolutely, count me in,” Richie agreed sensing an opportunity to escape Abby’s tattoo plans.
Abby elbowed Richie and the gesture was not lost on Tony. “I’m thinking Abby does not approve?” Tony said with a smirk.
“Sorry, male bonding will have to wait. Richie has other plans.” She explained while looking at Richie. Her stance and glare defied him to deny it.
Sighing he realized there was no way out and also that he was having an increasingly difficult time saying no to Abby. “She’s right,” he said addressing Tony, “I promised to go with her while she got a new tattoo.”
“Oooh, where’s this one going?” Tony asked as he looked Abby up and down.
“Hey, dirty mind. Stop that,” she commanded; a finger pointed authoritatively in his direction. “You don’t need to know. It’s a surprise.”
“But Richie’s gonna know. Interesting,” he grinned at them.
“It’s not like that, Tony,” Richie insisted, but could see that Tony didn’t believe him.
Abby added. “Richie’s gonna get one too! Moral support.”
Tony nodded slowly the yeah right expression still firmly planted on his face. “Ok Rich. Whatever you say. See you later,” he said and headed toward the elevator.
Richie watched him leave. Tony was never going to believe he and Abby were just friends after this. Richie turned to find Abby giggling uncontrollably.
“He thinks we’re together. Isn’t that hilarious?”
“Oh yeah, it’s a riot,” Richie said sourly.
**************************************
“You know, Abs, I’m not even sure I can get a tattoo.” Richie said as they entered the tattoo parlor.
“Now, I know you’re not scared of needles.” She laughed and sat down in one of the chairs in the waiting area and indicated that Richie should do the same. “Because I wouldn’t have thought that was a problem.” She leaned over to whisper in his ear, “You know what with the having died a few dozen times; And besides, you’ll heal quickly.”
“That doesn’t mean it won’t hurt,” he reminded her. “No I’m just not sure it will work. I mean it could just fade away right as the guy does the injection and that could be awkward to explain.”
Abby shook her head. “No worries. I called Joe; and boy was he helpful. He told me about dozens of examples of Immortals who’ve had tattoos. Apparently your body doesn’t view the ink as something to be healed away. Isn’t that great news?”
“Terrific,” he grimaced. After this was over he and Joe were going to have a little chat about him being ‘helpful’ to Abby.
Abby stared at him. “Are you saying you don’t want one?”
Richie looked at the disappointment growing on Abby’s face and he realized that that was something he didn’t like to see. Not directed at him anyway. “No Abby, I do. I just …well it’s permanent, you know.”
Abby squeezed his hand. “But that’s why you have to do this. Don’t you get it? A thousand years from now you’ll still have something to remember me by. It’s perfect, my own little bit of immortality.”
Richie was taken aback. “Wow, Abs…I never thought of it like that. Still, you know I’d never forget you. Ever.” He emphasized the last word returning her hand squeeze.
“You say that but I know you immortals. A few centuries can pass and you’ll forget me.” She sighed dramatically.
“Stop that,” he said. “I would love to have your artwork with me forever.”
Abby squealed and leaned across the chairs to hug him.
Richie hugged her back; finally understanding how important it was to her that he did this. “Okay,” he said breaking their embrace. “But you’re going first.”
“Chicken.”
“Nope, I just don’t want to be distracted while you get your Watcher tattoo. I will have to report its location to Tony you know that.”
“Don’t worry about that. I always show Tony the tattoos. He insists.”
Richie cocked an eyebrow and frowned. “Abby where’s this thing going?” He asked suddenly worried that Abby and Tony had something more than a simple friendship between them.
“Right here.” She said as she pointed to her wrist. “Joe didn’t mind me changing the colors a bit but he was adamant that it had to go in the traditional location.”
“Oh” Richie said a little bummed that it wasn’t going some place more exotic.
“I know! I’m totally bummed too,” she exclaimed picking up on his disappointment but not for the reason she thought. “But I redid the design a bit and Joe approved,” she said. Abby pulled some papers from her bag and handed them to Richie.
Richie laughed as he looked at the new Watcher design. “Does Joe know that the middle symbol looks like a bat?”
“Nope. He didn’t catch my vampire makeover and you are not going to tell him either.” She scolded. “It’s my little nod to Immortality. You like it?”
“It’s terrific, Abby,” Richie replied, quite honestly. He flipped to the second paper and studied the artwork she’d created for him. It was good and he actually liked the concept she’d created of the Immortal sword. Richie had to admit that he found the idea of a piece of Abby being with him for all time very comforting. “You know what,” he said. “I’m gonna put this on my shoulder. That way, you’ll always have my back.”
“Richie! That’s perfect.”
Author: strangevisitor7
Beta: idontlikegravy
prompt Prompt #11: red for crossovers100. My table is here
Fandom: HL & NCIS;
Characters: HL: Richie Ryan; NCIS: Abby , Tony
Summary: Abby insists that Richie get a tattoo too.
The Tattoo - Part 1. The rest of Watcher!Abby Verse stories by me and idontlikegravy are here
The Tattoo - Part 2
Abby flounced into Richie’s cubicle and planted herself onto the corner of his desk; scattering his neat piles and sending a few papers fluttering to the ground. “Ready to go?” she exclaimed.
Richie made a grab for the wayward pieces of paper and missed. “Go where?” He asked as he stood and moved around his desk collecting the aftermath of Abby’s entrance.
“Don’t tell me you forgot,” she pouted.
Richie straightened the papers back into their original piles, sat down at his desk and tried to think of why Abby had invaded his office. “Guess I have. What’s up?”
She rolled her eyes. “Tattoo. Remember?”
Richie gulped oh yeah. “Look, Abby I know I promised to go with you…”
“Oh no!” She interrupted. “You’re coming and you’re getting one too.”
“But I’m not a Watcher,” he smirked.
“Very funny. You know what I mean. In fact, I designed something for you.” She said proudly. Reaching into her pocket, she unfolded a crumpled piece of paper and placed it on the desk in front of him.
Richie studied the design. “A sword? And what’s that red stuff on the blade? Is that blood?”
“No, it’s not a bloody sword.” She laughed and circled the desk. “It’s your sword but that’s the infinity symbol.” She explained pointing to the red line crisscrossing the blade. Get it?”
Richie shook his head. “Uh, it’s very colorful?” he offered tentatively.
Abby leaned over his shoulder to whisper in his ear. “Infinity…Immortality. See it’s perfect. Don’t ya think?”
Richie was momentarily distracted by the wisp of Abby’s breath on his neck and the feel of her pressing against him. When he didn’t respond immediately, Abby pushed on his shoulder to get his attention “Richie, don’t you like it?”
Shaking off thoughts he should not be having about Abby, he took another look at her sketch. “No…I mean yeah. It’s great, Abs,” he insisted.
Frustrated, she grabbed the back of his chair and swiveled him around to look at her. She leaned into his personal space and studied his face. “Something’s wrong Richie? You hate it don’t you.”
Richie stared back at her. Lost in her gaze, he felt himself leaning into her. What the hell, why not? he thought, giving into the feeling. “I think it’s great,” he told her as he began reaching up to bring her the rest of the way in for a kiss when a snarky voice invaded their moment.
“Am I interrupting?”
Flustered, Riche pushed away from Abby and stood up a little too quickly to be convincing in his denial. “Hey Tony. Nope, not interrupting anything at all.”
“Hey Tony,” Abby said overlapping Richie’s greeting. Richie noticed that Abby seemed completely oblivious to what had almost happened. Guess he was being too subtle; not usually a problem for him.
Tony looked from Richie to Abby. “Yeah, right,” he quipped. Tony waved off Richie’s prepared denial before he could give it voice. “Just wondered if you wanted to grab a beer? McGeek actually decide to grace us with his presence and I figured you wouldn’t want to miss out.”
“Absolutely, count me in,” Richie agreed sensing an opportunity to escape Abby’s tattoo plans.
Abby elbowed Richie and the gesture was not lost on Tony. “I’m thinking Abby does not approve?” Tony said with a smirk.
“Sorry, male bonding will have to wait. Richie has other plans.” She explained while looking at Richie. Her stance and glare defied him to deny it.
Sighing he realized there was no way out and also that he was having an increasingly difficult time saying no to Abby. “She’s right,” he said addressing Tony, “I promised to go with her while she got a new tattoo.”
“Oooh, where’s this one going?” Tony asked as he looked Abby up and down.
“Hey, dirty mind. Stop that,” she commanded; a finger pointed authoritatively in his direction. “You don’t need to know. It’s a surprise.”
“But Richie’s gonna know. Interesting,” he grinned at them.
“It’s not like that, Tony,” Richie insisted, but could see that Tony didn’t believe him.
Abby added. “Richie’s gonna get one too! Moral support.”
Tony nodded slowly the yeah right expression still firmly planted on his face. “Ok Rich. Whatever you say. See you later,” he said and headed toward the elevator.
Richie watched him leave. Tony was never going to believe he and Abby were just friends after this. Richie turned to find Abby giggling uncontrollably.
“He thinks we’re together. Isn’t that hilarious?”
“Oh yeah, it’s a riot,” Richie said sourly.
**************************************
“You know, Abs, I’m not even sure I can get a tattoo.” Richie said as they entered the tattoo parlor.
“Now, I know you’re not scared of needles.” She laughed and sat down in one of the chairs in the waiting area and indicated that Richie should do the same. “Because I wouldn’t have thought that was a problem.” She leaned over to whisper in his ear, “You know what with the having died a few dozen times; And besides, you’ll heal quickly.”
“That doesn’t mean it won’t hurt,” he reminded her. “No I’m just not sure it will work. I mean it could just fade away right as the guy does the injection and that could be awkward to explain.”
Abby shook her head. “No worries. I called Joe; and boy was he helpful. He told me about dozens of examples of Immortals who’ve had tattoos. Apparently your body doesn’t view the ink as something to be healed away. Isn’t that great news?”
“Terrific,” he grimaced. After this was over he and Joe were going to have a little chat about him being ‘helpful’ to Abby.
Abby stared at him. “Are you saying you don’t want one?”
Richie looked at the disappointment growing on Abby’s face and he realized that that was something he didn’t like to see. Not directed at him anyway. “No Abby, I do. I just …well it’s permanent, you know.”
Abby squeezed his hand. “But that’s why you have to do this. Don’t you get it? A thousand years from now you’ll still have something to remember me by. It’s perfect, my own little bit of immortality.”
Richie was taken aback. “Wow, Abs…I never thought of it like that. Still, you know I’d never forget you. Ever.” He emphasized the last word returning her hand squeeze.
“You say that but I know you immortals. A few centuries can pass and you’ll forget me.” She sighed dramatically.
“Stop that,” he said. “I would love to have your artwork with me forever.”
Abby squealed and leaned across the chairs to hug him.
Richie hugged her back; finally understanding how important it was to her that he did this. “Okay,” he said breaking their embrace. “But you’re going first.”
“Chicken.”
“Nope, I just don’t want to be distracted while you get your Watcher tattoo. I will have to report its location to Tony you know that.”
“Don’t worry about that. I always show Tony the tattoos. He insists.”
Richie cocked an eyebrow and frowned. “Abby where’s this thing going?” He asked suddenly worried that Abby and Tony had something more than a simple friendship between them.
“Right here.” She said as she pointed to her wrist. “Joe didn’t mind me changing the colors a bit but he was adamant that it had to go in the traditional location.”
“Oh” Richie said a little bummed that it wasn’t going some place more exotic.
“I know! I’m totally bummed too,” she exclaimed picking up on his disappointment but not for the reason she thought. “But I redid the design a bit and Joe approved,” she said. Abby pulled some papers from her bag and handed them to Richie.
Richie laughed as he looked at the new Watcher design. “Does Joe know that the middle symbol looks like a bat?”
“Nope. He didn’t catch my vampire makeover and you are not going to tell him either.” She scolded. “It’s my little nod to Immortality. You like it?”
“It’s terrific, Abby,” Richie replied, quite honestly. He flipped to the second paper and studied the artwork she’d created for him. It was good and he actually liked the concept she’d created of the Immortal sword. Richie had to admit that he found the idea of a piece of Abby being with him for all time very comforting. “You know what,” he said. “I’m gonna put this on my shoulder. That way, you’ll always have my back.”
“Richie! That’s perfect.”