Ellie x Nick Oneshots

Trouble in a bar

''Seriously, what were you thinking, almost getting into a fight? Again!''
Those were the first words coming out of Ellie's mouth after a ten-minute-long silence.

And Nick did not miss the disapproving tone of voice she used and the very visible frown on her face, as she carefully tended to the cut on his face.

''I was thinking that some hideous douchebag was making a very futile and gruesome attempt at hitting on you and that this douchebag needed to be taught a lesson,'' Nick retorted sharply, remembering how he'd come back from the restroom and saw that guy sitting next to Ellie at the bar, leaning awfully close toward his girlfriend, a smug little smirk on his face as he obviously flirted with her.

And the brown-haired guy was way too close to Ellie for him to be comfortable with, and knowing Ellie as well as he does, and therefore being able to read her body language quite well, it was easy for him to determine that Ellie was apparently feeling very uneasy too due to the guy's flirting.

Walking towards them, he could hear how Ellie insistently said to the man ''I told you, I have a boyfriend. So I'd really appreciate it if you left me alone.''
From the tone she used, Nick knew that she was trying really hard to stay as polite as possible, not wanting to make a scene.

The man only let out a short dismissive laugh though, obviously not caring about that, and said ''So what? Just because you have a boyfriend doesn't mean you and I can't have a little fun.''
He obviously was too conceited to understand that Ellie wasn't interested in him at all.
The brown-haired man opened his mouth again to say more. '' I-''

He didn't get further than that, because Nick, who had just now come to a stop behind him, had grabbed his shoulder- maybe a little more roughly than necessary- and pulled him around so that he was now facing him instead of Ellie.

''Listen, you jerk. My girlfriend just asked you to leave her alone, so I really suggest that you do as she says or I'll deal with you my way, you hear me? And let me tell you, you don't want that,'' Nick clarified slowly and sternly, the anger clear in his voice, though he tried his best not to lose his cool.

That just made the other guy arrogantly grin and tardily stand up from his barstool.
''Oh yeah? I don't believe that'' he said challenging, standing directly in front of Nick and staring straight into his eyes.
The other man was easily half a head taller than Nick, but that didn't faze the Latino.
Nick knew if necessary, he'd be able to take the guy down easily.

After a few seconds, the guy turned away to sit down beside Ellie again. This time, he took it a bit further though, placing one arm around her, his hand resting on her waist.

Ellie immediately pulled away from him, shrugging his hand off, appalled at the action, and exclaimed ''Back off!''

She stood up and got a step closer toward Nick, but the guy grabbed her by the arm.
''C'mon, don't be like that, sweetheart.''

That did it for Nick.
He pushed the other guy back, making him stumble back a few steps and lose his grip on Ellie's arm.
''I think she was clear enough! Get lost!'' Nick said through gritted teeth, his hands turned into fists at his sides.
It was getting harder and harder for him to control himself and refrain from punching the guy in the face.

The taller man narrowed his eyes, his eyebrows drawn together in anger.

Ellie was now standing beside Nick, a hand on his arm, as both of them warily stared at the troublesome guy.

Seeing that they had apparently caught the attention of the other people in the bar by now, who were watching the three of them,-some more obviously than others- Ellie quietly addressed Nick, saying ''Let's just go.''

Nick looked at her face for a second and then nodded, wanting to get away from the obnoxious guy as well before he did something he might regret.
Their pesterer seemed to have other plans though.

Angered by both Ellie's rejection and Nick pushing him around, he took a swing at Nick and punched him right in the face, just as he and Ellie were about to leave.

Nick heard some people around them gasp as he staggered back a little from the force of the punch, but managed to keep his balance and stay on his feet.

He felt something warm on his cheekbone and lifted a hand to touch the spot.
Holding his hand out in front of him, he saw that there now was some blood on his fingers.
It appears that the guy's punch had caused his skin to tear and there was now a small cut on his face that was bleeding, making Nick press his teeth together as he scowled at his assaulter, who now had a complacent smirk on his face once more.

''Oh, you're gonna regret that,'' Nick said threateningly, approaching the other man.
Just as he had raised his fist to hit the guy back, Ellie stepped in front of him, pressing a hand against his chest to stop him, as she shouted ''Cut it out!''

The taller one of the two men seemed to take Nick holding himself back because of Ellie's insistence as a confirmation of what he'd already thought before.
''Just like I'd thought... You're all bark and no bite,'' he concluded mockingly, and it was obvious to Nick and Ellie that the other man was trying to provoke Nick with that comment.

Nick would have really liked to do him that favor and wipe that damn smirk off the guy's face, and he was about to do just that, but Ellie once again stopped him, pushing harder against his chest to keep him from getting into a fight.
''Do you wanna get arrested again?!'' she sharply asked, which got him to rethink his intention of punching the other man.
He had already been arrested once for fighting, it really wouldn't look good if that happened again.

So instead of repeating that foolish incident, Nick only clenched his fists at his sides a little tighter and let out a slow sigh to calm himself down.

Seeing that Nick was composing himself and wouldn't do anything stupid, Ellie slowly took her hand away from his chest and let it fall down to her side again.

''C'mon, let's leave,'' Nick suggested, which was what Ellie had wanted to do anyway before this situation had started to escalate, and Ellie nodded in agreement.

So without so much as looking at the jerk that had been pestering them, Nick placed an arm around Ellie's shoulders, pulling her closer against him as the two of them exited the bar, side by side.


''There, all done!'' Ellie exclaimed somewhat proudly when she had finished tending to the cut on his face, bringing Nick's mind back to the present.

Nick gave her a thankful smile, but that soon disappeared when Ellie rested her hands on her hips and stared at him sternly.

''But seriously Nick, you need to learn to better control yourself. Because I'm sure if I hadn't stopped you, you would have punched the guy and gotten into a fight with him, and then you probably would have been arrested again.''

''Then I should be glad that I have you to keep me from doing such stupid things,'' Nick told her jokingly, the corners of his mouth turned up into a little teasing smile, but from the tone of his voice Ellie could also hear that he did indeed appreciate her stopping him from doing imprudent and rash actions.

Ellie had to suppress a smile, giving him a short disapproving look for not taking this as seriously as he should, but then let out a sigh and gave in to a slight smile.

''Yeah, you should be,'' she agreed.
''Because I'm sure that next time Gibbs would leave you locked up in the prison cell if you get arrested again,'' she told him with a smirk.

Nick cringed a little at that assertion, knowing that she was most likely right about that.
''Yeah...I'd rather avoid that...'' Nick stated while grimacing.

Ellie nodded her head at that. That's what she'd figured.

After a few seconds of silence, Nick looked her in the eyes and spoke up again.

''But man, that guy was obnoxious as hell, wasn't he?'' Nick asked with a grin, making Ellie chuckle and grin in return, giving him a nod in agreement.

''Oh yeah, he sure was.''