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Title: Random Acts of Kindness
By: angstytimelord
Pairing: Jimmy Palmer/Tim McGee
Fandom: NCIS
Rating: PG-13
Table: 5, 12_stories
Prompt: 7, Kindness
Author's Note: Spoilers for the NCIS episode "Worst Nightmare."
Disclaimer: This is entirely a product of my own imagination, and I make no profit from it. I do not own the lovely Jimmy Palmer or Tim McGee, unfortunately, just borrowing them for a while. Please do not sue.***
"Damn interns," Jimmy muttered as he headed down the hallway towards the elevator. "Nobody wanted them here. They need to get the hell out and let us do our jobs." He was still fuming when he reached the elevator; he scowled at the closed door, raising a hand to hit the call button.
His scowl turned to a gasp of surprise when the doors immediately opened to reveal Tim standing there, an expression that could only be characterized as eagerness on his face. When he saw Jimmy's scowl, the smile on his face disappeared, replaced by a look of concern.
"Jimmy, what happened? You look like a thundercloud," Tim told him as he stomped onto the elevator and folded his arms across his chest. He didn't even ask Tim what he was coming downstairs to the morgue for; he could guess why Tim was there.
"I hate those interns," Jimmy muttered beneath his breath. "They're just getting in the way. I wish they'd get the hell out of here and let us do our jobs, instead of thinking they can do them for us." By this time, he was almost pouting, anger taking over.
"I'm not too fond of them, either," Tim told him, keeping his voice low. "But Gibbs agreed for them to be here, and you know he's the boss. Whatever he says goes, whether we like it or not. We've just all got to deal with it. It's not for that long, Jimmy."
"I know, I just ...." Jimmy's voice trailed off; he sighed dispiritedly, slumping against the elevator wall. "I'm feeling like I've been ..... replaced. Ducky seems to be having such a good time working with that girl. I feel out of place, and I used to feel so at home in the morgue. Like I'd found my niche."
"Did you try telling Ducky that?" Tim asked, his brow furrowing. "It's not like Ducky to just ignore anybody around him, so I doubt he realized that he was doing it. Maybe he just doesn't realize that you feel like he's pushing you into the background. Talk to him about it."
"How can I?" Jimmy said, sounding even more depressed. "He's so busy talking to her that I can't get a word in edgewise. Apparently, she's some kind of superwoman who's been everywhere and done everything, even though she's just a kid. I can't compete with that."
"You shouldn't have to," Tim said firmly, reaching out to take Jimmy's hand. "You've been working there for a long time, Jimmy. Ducky knows how good you are at what you do, and how much you're worth to this agency. He's not going to just drop you because of some intern."
"You think so?" Jimmy asked, sighing. "I'm not so sure, Tim. Ducky really seems to have taken to her. Like a .... a duck to water, I guess you could say." He laughed mirthlessly, shaking his head. "I've got a feeling that he doesn't want me working with him any more. He'd prefer her."
"You know that's not true," Tim told him, his voice soft and husky. "Ducky likes working with you. We all do. Nobody wants you out of here, Jimmy. Least of all me." He twined his fingers through Jimmy's as he spoke, giving the other man's hand a reassuring squeeze.
"Thanks, Tim." Jimmy's voice was equally as soft, the pressure of his hand gentle on Tim's. "I don't know what I'd do without you in my life. Even when I get depressed, I've always got the strength to go on to the next day because I know you'll be a part of it."
"I hope you don't get depressed like that too often," Tim said, his brow furrowing into a frown again. "I don't like to think of you being unhappy, Jimmy. I always see you as being an upbeat kind of guy. If you stayed depressed a lot, I think the world as I know it would end."
Jimmy had to laugh at those words, shaking his head. "I don't get depressed that much," he admitted, his voice taking on a more cheerful tone. "Only when things like this happen, and I feel like my future here might be threatened. That's one of the scariest things that could happen to me."
"No way is that going to happen," Tim said, his tone firm. "You're a valuable asset to NCIS, Jimmy, and the people who run this place know it. They're not going to let you go because some intern is kissing Ducky's ass. She'll be gone soon, and you'll still be here."
"I've heard that you're having a hard time with your intern, too," Jimmy said, looking questioningly at Tim. "That he doesn't have any interest at all in what he's doing." His voice went back to its previous gloomy tone as he added, "I wish Ducky's intern was like yours."
"No, you don't," Tim laughed, shaking his head. "The guy is impossible. He doesn't care about NCIS in any way. Having somebody who's so completely disinterested in what you're doing around you all day can be even more annoying than somebody who's too interested."
"I'd never have thought you would say something like that," Jimmy told him, laughing along with Tim, his good humor restored for the moment. "You're the kindest person I know, Tim. You're not the guy who I'd thought would be making disparaging remarks about the interns."
"Yeah, that's more Tony's style, isn't it?" Tim agreed. "He's not too thrilled with them either. But he's not the one who has to put up with the guy. I am. And I'm definitely not thrilled. I just keep telling myself that I only have to be nice for a little while."
"The golden rule and all that," Jimmy murmured, letting go of Tim's hand quickly as the elevator stopped and the doors slid open. "Treat others like you want to be treated. Kindness will get you a long way, I guess, but I don't want to be kind fo that girl. I want her gone."
"It's not for much longer," Tim tried to soothe him as they stepped out of the elevator and headed down the hallway to Tim's workspace. "They're only here for a few days. You can be kind for that short amount of time, can't you? Then she'll be out of your hair."
"Yeah, I guess I can manage it," Jimmy said doubtfully. "And at least I don't have to deal with Barrett and her team. Aren't they annoying the crap out of you?" he asked, lowering his voice as they approached the office. "She acts like she runs this place. I don't like her, either."
"Tony's the only one who does," Tim said under his breath. "Gibbs doesn't want her here, and neither do Ziva and I. But apparently she's the new golden girl around here. So I"m just gritting my teeth and dealing with her, just like with the intern. And hoping she's gone soon."
Jimmy nodded, smiling at one of Barrett's team members as the man headed past them to the elevator. "I'm glad I don't work up here with you guys. I think I'd go crazy. It's bad enough in the lab with the perky princess practically trying to crawl up Ducky's backside."
"Perky princess?" Tim had to laugh at Jimmy's words. "I haven't spent much time around her, but I'll take your word for it. Still, be kind, Jimmy. They're just kids, really. You don't want to turn somebody against NCIS because you were less than nice, do you?"
"No, I guess not," Jimmy admitted grudgingly. "But I'll be a lot happier when they're gone and we don't have to deal with them poking their noses into our work any more." He shot a glare at the intern who had been working with Tim all day as he young man left the office.
The two of them had managed to casually let the rest of the team know that since they'd discovered that they lived so close to each other, they were carpooling to work now. No one seemed to think that was unusual, so that was one hurdle they'd cleared successfully.
Jimmy waited while Tim turned off his computer and gathered up the few things he needed to take home with him, then the two of them waved to Tony and Ziva and headed for the elevator again. They were careful not to walk too close to each other; they didn't want to give anyone ideas.
"Y'know, when we get back to my place, I might just have a way to relax you after the day you've had dealing with the perky princess," Tim told Jimmy as soon as the doors closed. "What would you say to a massage? I'm pretty good at giving those."
"Now that's the sort of kindness I can really appreciate!" Jimmy said with a laugh. "Actually, that sounds really good. I'm not too bad with massages, either. I can reciprocate, if you want me to. And who knows what that could lead to?" he added, lowering his voice to a whisper.
Tim almost groaned at Jimmy's words; he had to resist the urge to pull the other man close to him for a kiss before the elevator made it to the ground floor. "I always knew that random acts of kindness would pay off one day," he murmured, his gaze meeting Jimmy's.
"Then let's hurry up and get home so we can start on those random acts," Jimmy told him, his smile filled with a promise that only Tim could read. When the elevator doors opened, they both hurried out towards the parking garage, more eager than usual to get home and start their evening.***