Work Text:
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Category: NCIS humorous ficlet
Rating: FRC/FRT
Characters: Gibbs/Dinozzo
Series: No
Spoilers: Season One
Summary: Gibbs sulks. Ducky reminds him of one important fact.
Archive: Just tell me where it's going
Additional 'stuff':
Title: Blue balls
Gibbs carried the small rubber ball around with him for a day or two, squeezing and releasing it, feeling the ache in his shoulder as he did so, then became fed up with how his hands always smelled of rubber and left it on his desk. Or wherever he happened to be at the time.
'Boss...ball.' Tony reminded, watching it roll across the desk.
'Dinozzo...head.' Gibbs scowled, heading out of the room.
Kate just sighed and ignored them.
Later that day...
Gibbs threw the ball against the wall in Autopsy and smiled as it dropped into the wastebasket.
Tony walked across, half-listening to Ducky's retelling of how he found a stripper and her snake...somewhere, and retrieved it, holding it out. 'Boss, you dropped the ball.'
Gibbs didn't get the joke, or didn't find it funny and snatched the thing off Tony.
Kate's curiosity finally got the better of her. 'Why *do* you have a stress ball Gibbs?'
Gibbs smiled one of those smiles that made Tony squirm inwardly. 'Because I have the two of you.'
'It's to take his mind off his shoulder.' Tony corrected.
'How does that ball..?' Kate didn't get it and she looked from Ducky to Tony then finally at Gibbs.
'I can't work on the boat, I can't work out, I can't do *anything*!' Gibbs snarled. 'It relieves my stress.' He gave the ball a particular vicious squeeze and it exploded, dropping rubber fragments at his feet. 'Damnit!'
Ducky waved the two younger agents away with a reassuring smile. //Hmm...this was going to be...interesting//.
Ducky hardened his expression and his tone. 'Jethro, sit on that table now.'
Huffing, Jethro heaved himself onto the table. Needing to defend his behavior, he muttered: 'It hurts.'
Ducky's face softened. 'It's just a flesh wound Jethro. It's healing well. Gerald's wound...'
Gibbs sighed, chastised by Ducky's unspoken rebuke. 'I'm sorry...it's just...'
Ducky smiled, walking across. 'I know Jethro. Now, let's see what the Doctor has for his worst patient.'
Gibbs smiled cautiously, sliding awkwardly off the table and walked across to the drawer Ducky was rifling in.
'Ah...here we are.' Ducky tossed something at Gibbs and, one-handed, Gibbs caught it, opening his hand to stare down at it.
'Uh...Duck.'
'Yes Jethro?' Ducky asked innocently.
Gibbs smiled sheepishly. 'Thanks.'
Aware he was speaking to Jethro's retreating back, Ducky whispered: 'You're welcome Jethro...you're very welcome.'
*****************************
Engrossed in reading his email, Tony didn't hear Gibbs calling across. 'OWW!!' He rubbed the back of his head, pouting crossly. 'Boss!'
Bending, Gibbs straightened up. 'Yeah?' He tossed the blue ball, identical to the one he had destroyed, into the air and caught it easily.
'You got a boxful of those in your desk?' Tony asked with dread.
Gibbs smiled brightly. 'Nope.'
Tony relaxed, relieved.
'But Ducky has.'
End