Ellie x Nick Oneshots

Pep talk

It was already late in theevening and Ellie and Nick were sitting on her couch, watching amovie while drinking beer and eating Chinese take-out.

Bothhad been quietly enjoying the evening spent together, but there wassomething that had been at the back of Ellie's mind since workearlier, and she had to admit not knowing was nagging her a bit.

Turning towards the other occupant of her couch, the blondeaddressed her co-worker, finally voicing her question.
"HeyNick, I was just wondering...what exactly was the pep talk you gaveto McGee about his high school reunion?" she asked, one brow pulledup.

She had been speculating what convinced the senior fieldagent of their team to go to the reunion in the end, since he hadn'tbeen too keen on going at first, which she could understand.
Havingbeen bullied in school, she didn't exactly feel the need to meet herformer classmates again.
Though from what she had gathered,McGee's reasons for not wanting to face the people from his highschool seemed to be different...
Well, anyway, the point was thatshe could comprehend him not wanting to go, so what advice from Nickcould've convinced him otherwise...?

At her question, theLatino let out a small chuckle before he replied.
"I just toldhim that he should be proud of being a bad-ass federal agent with agun."
"I know I am," he added with a smug smirk.

Ellierolled her eyes at the last part, but a smile still made its way ontoher lips.
Despite teasing her and McGee often about being nerds,when it mattered, Nick still always had their back and wassupportive.

"Well, it seemed like your advice made quitesome impact on him, considering he changed his mind and was gonna goafter all if he hadn't mixed up the dates" the blonde asserted,making Nick nod and take a sip from his beer before he spoke again ina proud and boasting tone o voice, the corner of his mouthraised.

"I try my best."

After that, theysettled back to quietly watching their movie until it ended.
Onlythen did they resume a conversation.

"Are you gonna go toyour next reunion?" Nick carefully wanted to know, aware that herhigh school time wasn't the best memory for her since she confessedbeing bullied to him.
He had never understood how anyone could dosomething like that to another person, how it made them feel betterabout themselves instead of ashamed of what they were doing tosomebody else.

Ellie frowned. She still had more than enoughtime to think about that, but knew that it will eventually be time tomake a decision.
It's not like she went to any former reunionthough, so she was doubtful about the next one as well.

"I'mnot sure...I don't exactly wanna spray with joy when I think aboutmeeting the people from high school again... And I haven't been toany reunion yet so it'd probably be even more awkward...so I don'tknow." she confessed truthfully, a thoughtful look on herfeatures.

Nick furrowed his brows.
"But at least you andThomas are friends now, right...?" he hesitantly asked.

"Wellyeah, but he was only one of many who mocked and laughed at me everyday..." she started, changing her position on the couch by pullingher knees towards her chest and laying her arms on top of her proppedup legs before she continued explaining why her and Thomas being onfriendly terms now didn't change all that much about thesituation..
"I mean, I know Thomas changed and the others mostlikely have too since none of us are teenagers anymore, but I stillwouldn't feel all to comfortable going there, you know?"

Amoment of silence followed, Nick pondering what she just told himwhile Ellie waited for him to say something...which he eventuallydid.

"...What if I came with you for your next reunion?"he suggested, earning a surprised look from his co-worker.

"You'ddo that...?" she slowly asked, not a hundred percent certain he wasbeing entirely serious about his offer.

"I mean, it's stillquite a while until then, but sure. If it would make you feel betterabout going, then of course I will," the Latino said, a warmexpression in his eyes as he stared at her.
"That's what friendsare for, right?" he added then, despite knowing she was more to himthan just a friend, but had yet to dare say anything.
Nick didn'twant to ruin their friendship and make things weird between them incase she didn't feel the same, and besides...there was also Gibbs andrule 12...

Ellie caught the way he added the last part, theway he said it making her suspicious.
Had there been someunderlying meaning behind his words...? One that made it necessaryfor him to underline them being friends because otherwise he'demotionally expose himself too much to her...?

She was pulledfrom her thoughts when suddenly, a smirk made its way onto Nick'sface, making her pull one brow up in suspicion.
What came out ofhis mouth next shouldn't have surprised her, he was Nick after alland had a certain amount of arrogance at times, -or at least that'sthe image he upheld- but it sure did make her scoff, followed by alaugh as she rolled her eyes at his words.
"Hey, and if you'relucky, I might even be up for pretending to be your boyfriend at thereunion so you can brag about me!"