Tony's Masks

[donutsweeper]

Title: Tony's Masks
Pairing/Rating/Warning: NCIS fandom, no pairings or warnings, rated G
Word Count: 300
Summary:  Masks are what we make of them
Author's Note: Written for the ncisdrabble100 challenge: crush

Tony knew that he could do his job best if he hid who he really was behind a mask, and only let those around him see what he wanted them to see.  Each mask displayed a different trait, another side of him to present to the world.  One was that of the competent second in command that adeptly smoothed the ruffled feathers that Gibbs perpetually left in his wake.  Another was the hopeless playboy who had a date with a different girl every night, and always had an entertaining story to tell about it the next morning.  Then there was the jokester, relieving the team’s tension before it could rise to a point where an explosion became imminent.  Another was the flirt, who put witnesses at ease and got them talking.  The muscle who could take down a fleeing suspect in seconds flat.  And let’s not forget the dutiful agent who came in at two in the morning so all the paperwork would still get done and submitted in time, no matter how much the slacker goofed off during the day.

Which mask was he supposed to be wearing now?  That of the second in command or the slacker? What time was it?  Was he supposed to be the flirt or the agent?  Who was nearby?  What did they need to see?  If he wasn’t the jokester, the muscle, then who was he?  Could he wear two masks at once if he had to?  What about three?

There were days when it seemed like all he was doing was juggling his masks, swapping one for another in some sort of endless dance.  The weight of carrying them, of wearing them, seemed more than he could bear sometimes.   And he knew, one of these days, he would be crushed beneath it.

Comments

[kaylashay81]

I love the many faces of Tony DiNozzo! So many don't see them, so I like it when others do too!

:-)

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

He's got so many sides to him I find him fascinating. We are shown him as a goof so often, but there is no way he would have lasted with Gibbs that long if he really was like that, right? He has to be showing different things to different people.

[chatona.livejournal.com]

... That boy just keeps on breaking me *sniffles* And it's so good! Really loved this, with all the masks Tony is wearing and the last sentence is just... ouch. But in a good way.

Boy needs a keeper *nods* Someone to take care of him.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

absolutely. I bet many many people would volunteer for being his keeper!

[chatona.livejournal.com]

I most certainly would. Though, you know me. I still think Gibbs needs someone to care for and Tony needs someone to care for him, so that just works. I vote for Gibbs as his keeper.

Predictable? Me? Not at all!

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

predictable? Not at all!

[chatona.livejournal.com]

Nope. Totally not. Not me :D And especially not when it comes to Tony!

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

that icon fits perfectly

[chatona.livejournal.com]

The most shippy icon I have of them.

... Actually. Come to think of it. In that scene. Gibbs says "To me you're irreplaceable", doesn't he? As opposed to, to the team or to ncis or something. I must. Ponder upon the significance of that.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

would be nicer if it wasn't immediately followed by the scene of Tony finding McGee at his desk though and Gibb's comment then

[the-dark-side.livejournal.com]

Yet another reason not to read fanfic in class...*pets Tony*. Poor boy.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

*iz sorry*

[the-dark-side.livejournal.com]

Yes, well, I'm the one reading LJ during class.

Besides, it's a fantastic story. Nothing to apologize for.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

*vbg* Thanks! I like these ncis drabble challenges, they really get me thinking. (and any reason to pet Tony is a good one, right?)

[the-dark-side.livejournal.com]

That's why I love prompts and challenges. They really get the cogs going. (And, yes.)

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

NCIS rocks for having so many prompt communities. I love it.

[the-dark-side.livejournal.com]

I definitely need to get more into the fandom.

Ooo...my professor just mention stale donuts and coffee. He should do that more often.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

oooh, what a good prof!

I'm only tangently in the NCIS fandom. I get the newsletter on my flist, but I don't do a lot of chatting or whatnot with people

[mad-jaks.livejournal.com]

*Reads s l o w l y*
I can see that about Tony . The show doesn't show us the 'steel' (I've been listening to Billy Joel) masks often enough. And he must have them or Gibbs would have booted him long ago…

spotted a couple of typos - you've got feels for flees and relived for relieved

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

ugh- spellcheck did catch those (obviously) thanks! With Tony, I always assumed there was so much more to him, because Gibbs being Gibbs, would a lazy playboy jokester really have lasted all this time?

[mad-jaks.livejournal.com]

Lazy playboy jokester would have lasted maybe an hour?? (if he was lucky)

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

Exactly!!! If he wasn't in a coma after headslaps by then. It bugs me when Kate or Ziva (or even McGee) treat Tony as an incompetent buffoon, because he was a cop for years and really does know what he's doing. I always thought it was all an act

[mad-jaks.livejournal.com]

pure brinksmanship *nods*

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

exactly! (or that's my hope and not that the writers are just jerking us around)

[mad-jaks.livejournal.com]

*narrows eyes warningly at writers*

*needs new season*