~~~~
Ziva walked into the bullpen -- she doesn't recall where she picked up that word, and doesn't want to say it out loud because she knows DiNozzo will correct her and she'll never know if he's right, or messing with her. But as far as she can tell, the word fits and so she uses it.
Inside her head.
She walks around to her desk and sets her bag down -- then stops, because there is a sight before her that she would swear was not real. Too loud and moving to be a fancy digital picture, but if she'd seen it on the internet she would not even blink before saying it was manipulated.
Ziva takes a step forward and freezes, thinking that perhaps disturbing Gibbs is a very bad idea right now.
McGee walks past her towards his own desk and she sees him glance towards Gibbs' desk. He freezes, and she feels a second to be vindicated that she isn't the only one who sees this.
But then McGee just reaches out and pets the rabbit on Gibbs' desk, his hand passing near enough to Gibbs' that their fingers touch while they pet the rabbit. Gibbs is still speaking -- crooning -- to the rabbit and McGee just asks if Gibbs needs anything. Gibbs shakes his head, staring at the rabbit on his desk, and Ziva thinks perhaps this is an elaborate prank for her benefit.
She's been here long enough that she thought they would be past this, and she could have sworn that Gibbs wasn't the type to stoop to such juvenile jokes. Even if this one doesn't make any sense at all, other than being bizarre enough to make her wonder if she woke up on the wrong side of reality, this morning.
She takes another step towards Gibbs' desk, because maybe it will make more sense if she gets a closer look. The rabbit scrambles backwards and Gibbs closes his hands around its middle and holds it tightly. Ziva doesn't make another move, and mouths 'sorry' when Gibbs glares her way. She means it, even if she has no clue what is going on, and she thinks Gibbs realises she's sincere because he turns his attention back to the rabbit on his desk.
She rather wishes she dared get the camera out of her desk, because there is something utterly adorable about the way Gibbs is leaning down and whispering into the rabbit's ear. The ear twitches, and the rabbit scoots towards Gibbs like it understood what Gibbs was saying.
Then suddenly the rabbit is not a rabbit, but a very naked DiNozzo, and he falls off the edge of the desk and onto Gibbs' lap. Ziva doesn't actually find it surprising that Gibbs' first reaction is to grab onto Tony and hold him steady.
Then she gasps. "Shit!" They both turn to her, and she can see the words beginning to bubble and soon they will both be babbling at her, but it doesn't matter because she understands. "Our annual reviews are due today!"
the end
Author's Chapter Notes:
Written for the 'picture' challenge on ncis_flashfic.
Chapter End Notes:
I'm going to put down the Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper and back away slowly. Swear.