Fic: The Navy Guy and the Guy He Hired (Gibbs/DiNozzo)
Title: The Navy Guy and the Guy He Hired
Author: cackymn_lj
Fandom: NCIS
Category: slash
Pairing: Gibbs/Tony
Rating: PG-13
Angst: some
Comfort: lots
Lovemaking: yes
Words: ~3700
Summary: Gibbs and Tony have come a long, hard way in understanding their relationship and getting together, but their confessions may not cement their path. Tony remembers, Gibbs flips out, Tony stays strong, and Gibbs is full of surprises!
And… shout-out todjmichealsfics for being BettyBeta!
Sequel to Unwritten Rule http://cackymn-lj.livejournal.com/886.html BUT… will stand alone.
Feedback: Yes, please! :-)
The Navy Guy and the Guy He Hired
Within five seconds of tackling him to the ground in a cold Baltimore alley, Detective Anthony DiNozzo can almost swear the Navy guy wants him. He doesn't know he's the Navy guy, not yet, that comes later.
The guy is wearing jeans, a non-descript jacket and plain watch cap. He takes off with a laptop under one arm as if he has a chance in hell of outrunning a former collegiate athlete in tube socks. Tony catches up to him easily, and judging his distance without having to think, he launches himself, bringing the guy down full-length and landing solidly on top of him.
The man beneath him is muscular though long and lean much as himself, perhaps a bit shorter, and the back of Tony's brain registers the feel of him - electric, surprising - just before the guy's right fist connects with his jaw. He knows enough to roll with the blow. Recovering quickly he levels his service revolver at the guy's chin.
"Freeze, dirtbag!"
His estimation of the guy changes again when he doesn't freeze, doesn't flinch, doesn't turn away from the weapon in his face. Instead he raises his shoulders from the ground and fixes Tony with a glittering look of appraisal. That's bad enough, but the quiet heat in the guy's eyes when he flicks a glance along the barrel of Tony's gun...
He doesn't remember a thing Danny says on the way back to the precinct. The other guy's smug silence is all he can hear, and when Tony finally seats him in front of his desk he leaves the cuffs on and tells himself it isn't so he can look at the guy with his arms behind his back. Danny is somewhere off Tony's right shoulder but might as well be in another room, and after a couple phone calls it's settled. The guy is a Fed.
Tony fiddles with his pen, having gotten an answer to a two-word query. NAVY GUY?
"Leroy Jethro Gibbs!"
He almost can't believe the guy's name.
"Really?"
The cuffs come off and it's clear the man has been equally confident with them on.
"Really!"
"Leroy?"
A smile and a small jerk of the head.
"Jethro."
More of the same.
"Nah, too Beverly Hillbillies. Gibbs, Gibbs it is then."
The guy takes a moment to express his opinion of the squad room coffee without saying a word.
"So you're a Navy cop! I mean, who would want to be a Navy cop?"
Another spark of amusement from the guy's eyes and Tony notices an ache in his jaws. By the time he realizes he's grinning his fool head off there is no sense denying that the Navy guy has been smiling almost as wide the entire time, with what can only be described as the perfect smirk, one that says I know something you don't, and maybe something you do.
What would it be like to kiss the smirk off that face, or maybe just put him (chest down or face up?) over the nearest desk? For Tony, the most startling thing about the thought is how un-startling it is for a man carrying an engagement ring in his pocket - a cold bit of rock and metal that in the space of an hour has come to feel like a thing of the past.
And the rest is history. His partner is dirty and the Navy guy does want him, in a way.
"I don't have a lot of rules."
"On your six, Boss."
"You really should read Moby Dick."
"You will not die."
Kate.
"You'll do."
Jeanne.
"Don't make me kiss you, Boss!"
"Agent DiNozzo, you've been reassigned."
"I depend on you."
"Why the hell do you do that, DiNozzo?"
"I knew. Gibbs, I am so sorry..."
"See ya tomorrow, Tony."
"It's already today!"
"Then today, DiNozzo, I'll see you today."
As he awoke the memory of last night drifted down from Tony's brain and settled over his heart. He withdrew his hand from where it had wandered beneath the sheet. There would be no fantasy this morning. He had stayed through it all, and he had finally kissed the Navy Guy. Kissed the smirk right off his face.
Tony got up and busied himself around his apartment, fidgeting aimlessly and trying not to get nervous as the hours ticked by. Gibbs had said he'd see him today but no one had said anything about where or when. He gave himself a stern speech, trying to be logical even though his heart tickled and his brain buzzed.
O.K. DiNozzo, get it together. Look at the facts. You and Gibbs admitted it, for real this time. You sealed it with a kiss. You're not a girl. You're not dating. You've had eleven-plus years of good and bad and you know this guy.
Tony smiled and then he groaned.
Yeah I know him. Gibbs is freaking.
___________________________________________
Last night the conversation with Tony had felt inevitable and right, as if someone had finally taken hold of the crooked line of Gibbs' life and pulled. Only a few hours ago they'd kissed each other half out of their minds, had talked and stumbled their way out of the dark. What would Tony expect, what would he need, on day one, the new day one?
It should come naturally.
Of course it should, but it wasn't that simple, never had been.
It had taken years to stop trying to remarry Shannon, to stop asking fate to let him protect what was his and get this one thing right. It had taken more to admit that his heart hadn't been in it - three trips to the altar, a couple to the hospital, Diane or Stephanie showing up to remind him what a disappointment he'd been.
Hollis had wanted him to retire and be a full-time husband, had needed something more refreshing than the pain he carried. Dr. Ryan had only been toying with him, though he doubted she'd ever admit it. He'd been a project to her, a puzzle to work on, and she'd left at the first sign of trouble. She may have been the professional, but as a brain-gamer she'd had nothing on him. She'd had problems of her own.
Tony had mentioned her after the bombing.
"Must've been nice having somebody to talk to, for a change."
Gibbs had stubbornly refused to wonder why the words had stung him and he hadn't recognized Tony testing the water. He'd replied so coldly Tony had had little choice but to leave him alone, and when the younger man had drawn close to Ziva, Gibbs had disregarded that, too. No, it had never been simple.
If he'd ever fully embraced the notion of uncommitted sex his life might have been easier, but that wasn't who he was. He wasn't a complete stranger to it though, and for it he'd preferred men, who hadn't wanted his freedom, who had known that it was about what he needed to take or have taken. There was a power in that, and he'd come to appreciate the maleness of it, the flat planes and harder muscles and the emotional release of using his strength.
At times it had been a needed thing, but he'd stopped it long ago, eventually opting for solitude and quiet creativity, a basement full of tools and the discipline of his own hands. Peace. He'd been jolted by a spike of lust upon meeting Tony and had gone out and done it again - one time and one time only. It had left him confused and upset and wanting and he had clamped his mind down hard around a mantra of restraint: he hadn't hired Tony in order to fuck him.
Not that he would have, he might have skipped the hiring part. But Tony had needed leadership. He'd needed a chance to excel, and Gibbs had needed...something. What he'd gotten had been a hell of a lot more than a Senior Field Agent.
Anthony DiNozzo. Who early on had adored him, completely unashamed. Who would stand up to him, whose honesty burned harder and brighter than the flashing lights of his facade, and Gibbs suspecting, no - not suspecting, knowing he was the only one who saw it. Tony wasn't afraid to let people think the worst of him, as long as "people" didn't mean Gibbs.
And yet he had managed to fool himself, or something, even when he'd popped the man on the back of the head almost daily. Routine physical contact. Christ, how was it possible the whole Navy Yard didn't know much he needed Tony? He'd learned from him, he'd taught him and he'd fought for him. He'd let a half-dozen women walk away without a fight but had never once considered surrendering DiNozzo. Not since Shannon had he summed up any part of his life in a single word, and to be honest it had been that way from the beginning. Tony.
And now that he had finally stepped over that incredible, exhilarating line? Gibbs envied Shannon her belief that everything happened the way it was supposed to. A natural fighter, he wasn't made that way, and his gut was annoyingly silent this day. He had only his new unwritten rule, and he was afraid it might not be enough.
Tony, what happens if I fuck this up?
________________________________________
Tony was doing something he had never done before - hesitating in front of Gibbs' front door. The expected call had never come, and when Gibbs hadn't shown up at his place, Tony had decided to take action. The door was open despite the October chill and something just felt off. He assumed Gibbs was nearby - if he were in the basement the front door would be unlocked but closed. He heard a voice call out, tight and hoarse.
"It's open, who's there?"
Tony almost couldn't believe his ears. It didn't sound like Gibbs, not in the least.
"If you don't know, maybe I shouldn't come in!"
"Rather hear it from you."
Tony stepped inside and walked purposefully into the kitchen, following the sound of that voice as he had done so many times before. He recalled their last conversation in this room. It seemed that the tension had never retreated, only this time Gibbs was turned away from him, hands tightly gripping the lip of sink.
Oh, God, is he ever freaking.
"It's the guy you hired," Tony offered, trying for a light tone.
"This isn't work." The other man's voice was thick.
"The guy who couldn't stop saying your name an hour after we met."
"This isn't Baltimore."
The atmosphere in the room constricted even further.
"No, it's not."
Talking to Gibbs' back was doing unpleasant things to the inside of Tony's ribcage. The set of Gibbs' shoulders and the prominence of the muscles in his forearms radiated pain. His heart spilling over, Tony moved without hesitation and encircled the older man with his arms, pressing his chest to his back. How many times had Gibbs grounded him with his presence, standing solidly behind him, literally breathing down his neck? He stretched his arms out along Gibbs' and palmed the backs of his hands, wondering if he was going to have to pry his fingers from the counter.
Gibbs relaxed almost imperceptibly and Tony responded by turning him in his arms. He rested his forehead against Gibbs' and murmured soft and low against his lips.
"It's day one, Gibbs. You can do this. We can do this."
Gibbs shivered at the brush of Tony's lips and seized his mouth in a hungry, desperate kiss before placing his hands on Tony's shoulders and pushing him back far enough to meet his eyes.
"I'm a bastard, Tony. I've run off everyone since Shannon, no exceptions."
"Exception's right here, Gibbs. You haven't run me off. And I know you're a bastard, it's old news."
"They knew me too. It's why they left."
Tony made a rude noise but he spoke gently. "That's bullshit. They met you, Gibbs, they didn't know you. You proposed to them because you were having sex or they saw something in you they wanted, but they didn't know you - not like I do. I've got 'em beat by a mile and you know it."
"I know that, Tony. It's not you, it's me."
Tony had tried to prepare himself for anxiety from Gibbs, however awkward or unusual it may be. There were reasons Gibbs didn't talk much about his past or his past relationships. But this was too much. Tony turned in a complete circle, waving his arms in frustration, his voice rising.
"Oh, my God, Gibbs, you didn't! That's a breakup line and we're not even together yet! Do you think I believed one talk was going to lay all our demons to rest? Pull your head out of your ass! I'm not them, I'm not going anywhere, and I'm not judging you no matter how much you think you deserve it!"
He was breathing hard and he only stopped gesturing like a madman when he saw the quarter-smile forming at the corner of Gibbs' mouth. The grim mood was broken. It was almost as though a breeze had passed through, the air in the kitchen no longer felt like lead. Gibbs squared his shoulders and shifted his feet, the angles of his body relaxing as he did so. His eyes softened but held steady - wide, questing, and serious. He spoke his fear.
"I don't know if I can make you happy, Tony."
Tony smiled, suddenly weightless, and said what he'd been waiting to say for over a decade, or for his entire life.
"You already make me happy, Gibbs."
_________________________________________________________
Gibbs was wrangling the alcohol and Tony's sock feet were on the coffee table.
"So were you just going to stay here all day in vapor-lock?"
"Sun's still up."
"Barely!"
Tony and Gibbs had retired to the living room with beer and bourbon and a sense of relief, as day one was getting off to a bit of a shaky start. They were a little buzzed and were sharing some idle time, giving their nerves a chance to settle.
Crap, we are dating.
"You say somethin' DiNozzo?"
Tony giggled.
"Just that when you play hard to get you don't screw around!"
"That's because I remembered I'm not exactly prime real estate." Gibbs gave a rueful shake of his head. "In the relationship department."
"You are to me. You've been the only constant in my life, Gibbs."
"And you've been tempting me since Baltimore."
Tony grinned. He had been the one to ease the older man's fears, and now Gibbs was upping the ante. Good.
"Oh, really? Tempting you to what!"
"You should know."
Tony's eyebrows went up.
"Just that?"
"Well, no, Tony, not just that," Gibbs said with a slight hiccup. "You getting shy on me?"
Tony decided to up the ante a bit further or hell, just go all in. "Not shy, Gibbs. I love you."
"I can't believe you said that."
"Yes you can!"
"Yeah. I can. Love you too, DiNozzo."
Tony grinned even wider at Gibbs using his last name and saying the "L" word while pouring a shot of bourbon. Gibbs was grinning too and he looked about ten years younger. He looked beautiful, and Tony sat back and admired him until he saw his face turn serious.
"It wasn't only the Crawford case. It was when I stopped hitting you."
Tony's buzz evaporated and his mouth dropped open. He straightened up and leaned forward.
"Huh?"
Gibbs handed him the shot of whiskey.
"After the bombing, and no, I don't remember why."
"In most relationships that would've been a good thing," Tony said quietly, after a pause. He had never known why.
"Well, my gut didn't put up with it."
"I remember thinking you just didn't like me anymore."
Gibbs' head snapped up and froze in place, his eyes bright with sudden anguish.
"You really thought that, didn't you?"
Tony had to be honest. They'd get through this, just like everything else.
"Yes. What did you mean about your gut?"
"I've always... I need to touch you, Tony."
"I think that's part of the plan, Marine. It's a major mission objective, if you ask me!"
"Don't wanna have to ask."
Tony had to clear his throat.
"Never. Don't ever."
Gibbs regarded him steadily for a long moment and again the mood shifted. The quarter-smile made another appearance and this time it was Gibbs who cleared his throat. He colored slightly.
"So...if we're good with this, we oughtta get started on that."
Tony's jaw dropped for the second time. Even with everything that was being said, everything that was going on here, he'd assumed that that was still in the future. How much did Gibbs know about it? He'd forgotten how sneaky the man could be. Should he make any assumptions at all?
"Gibbs, I don't mean to pry, but..."
Gibbs was a step ahead of him.
"I might surprise you, DiNozzo."
"Oh, I'm sure you will, but..." Tony couldn't help smiling.
No. He wouldn't ask, shouldn't, didn't need to. What had he just told Gibbs? Never. He hadn't explained his own experience and he wouldn't ask Gibbs about his because in his typical badass way, Gibbs didn't care. It was all good.
"But what?"
"Nothing, trust me!"
"Always have, Tony. I always have."
Tony was about to extend his hand - thoughtfully, tenderly - when Gibbs stood and more or less pounced, setting his drink down with one hand and yanking his T-shirt off with the other. It was a fast and fluid series of gestures, one continuous move that Tony would remember in slow motion for the rest of his life.
But not now. The older man had pushed him down full length, sliding effortlessly on top of him and pinning Tony's arms above his head. Gibbs' bare chest was in his face, soft hair against his mouth, the scent and the heat of him so overwhelming that there was no thought, no memory, nothing but the moment and every nerve in Tony's brain and body suddenly aflame.
He flexed his biceps. No good. He was dealing with both Gibbs' weight and his unusual strength. He hadn't expected Gibbs' natural dominance to come into play so soon, and he loved it, but Tony was a man too and he needed badly to move. He bucked his hips and torso in a sinuous motion and Gibbs slid down to crush his mouth in a brutal kiss that turned deep and gentle and made Tony's head swim. Jesus what was it with this guy and kissing? He could feel every part of the man's body and yet this kiss was a world in itself.
When they broke for air Gibbs released his wrists and Tony's arms flew around Gibbs' back. He held on tight and braced a foot against the end of the couch. He wanted harder contact, he wanted friction, and he wanted Gibbs under him, wanted to feel him arching up as Tony was doing now. He executed an epic couch flip that landed them both on the floor in a frenzy of hands and lips, then Tony was hauling Gibbs to his feet and they were shoving each other up the stairs.
They crashed around shedding their clothing, then slammed through the door and onto the bed where their limbs entwined and their sweat mingled, where hot breath ghosted over soft skin, where their muscles did sweet battle, and where Gibbs did surprise Tony, surprised the hell out him when his hands knew exactly what to do, when his lips took their time and left not one millimeter of Tony's body unkissed, when tender flesh was licked, nipped, and suckled, when soft whispers gave way to urgent panted cries, and most of all when Gibbs was there, and they were locked together, made only for each other, moving as one as if it had always been that way. They rocked together forever or for no time at all, and when the explosion came the world went white and fell away to nothing.
_________________________________________________________
Leroy Jethro Gibbs stared vaguely at his ceiling and waited, waited patiently against the hope that was swirling in his mind and heart. He was waiting for the let-down, that moment after sex when, however gently, the connection collapsed and each person retreated into his or her own thoughts. Tony rested against him, beautiful, impossibly close and warm, an arm across Gibbs' chest, his breath sweetly audible. The freedom and almost ridiculous success of what they had just done was already more than he'd ever hoped for, was blowing his mind actually, and he didn't consciously compare it to anything - he just waited.
The moment never came. When Tony's eyes opened Gibbs knew they were in the same space, body and soul. None of the long years seemed wasted now, not a bit, his missteps and mental contortions no longer felt like mistakes. The impulse that had been sacrificed so long ago had become deep knowing, and it was good. This wasn't what he'd hired Tony for, it was what he'd been living for. It had been close, but Tony had stuck with his gut and had chosen him, forgiven him, loved him. He smiled into the semi-darkness of the bedroom.
Tony was watching him, reading his mind, and the look in his eyes nearly stopped Gibbs' heart. He shifted onto his side and lifted a hand to softly stroke the younger man's hair, meeting his gaze and his graceful smile in silence. He looked deeply into the green eyes that held more than any words could convey, seeing there only acceptance and love, trust, and happiness.
The End.
Author: cackymn_lj
Fandom: NCIS
Category: slash
Pairing: Gibbs/Tony
Rating: PG-13
Angst: some
Comfort: lots
Lovemaking: yes
Words: ~3700
Summary: Gibbs and Tony have come a long, hard way in understanding their relationship and getting together, but their confessions may not cement their path. Tony remembers, Gibbs flips out, Tony stays strong, and Gibbs is full of surprises!
And… shout-out todjmichealsfics for being BettyBeta!
Sequel to Unwritten Rule http://cackymn-lj.livejournal.com/886.html BUT… will stand alone.
Feedback: Yes, please! :-)
The Navy Guy and the Guy He Hired
Within five seconds of tackling him to the ground in a cold Baltimore alley, Detective Anthony DiNozzo can almost swear the Navy guy wants him. He doesn't know he's the Navy guy, not yet, that comes later.
The guy is wearing jeans, a non-descript jacket and plain watch cap. He takes off with a laptop under one arm as if he has a chance in hell of outrunning a former collegiate athlete in tube socks. Tony catches up to him easily, and judging his distance without having to think, he launches himself, bringing the guy down full-length and landing solidly on top of him.
The man beneath him is muscular though long and lean much as himself, perhaps a bit shorter, and the back of Tony's brain registers the feel of him - electric, surprising - just before the guy's right fist connects with his jaw. He knows enough to roll with the blow. Recovering quickly he levels his service revolver at the guy's chin.
"Freeze, dirtbag!"
His estimation of the guy changes again when he doesn't freeze, doesn't flinch, doesn't turn away from the weapon in his face. Instead he raises his shoulders from the ground and fixes Tony with a glittering look of appraisal. That's bad enough, but the quiet heat in the guy's eyes when he flicks a glance along the barrel of Tony's gun...
He doesn't remember a thing Danny says on the way back to the precinct. The other guy's smug silence is all he can hear, and when Tony finally seats him in front of his desk he leaves the cuffs on and tells himself it isn't so he can look at the guy with his arms behind his back. Danny is somewhere off Tony's right shoulder but might as well be in another room, and after a couple phone calls it's settled. The guy is a Fed.
Tony fiddles with his pen, having gotten an answer to a two-word query. NAVY GUY?
"Leroy Jethro Gibbs!"
He almost can't believe the guy's name.
"Really?"
The cuffs come off and it's clear the man has been equally confident with them on.
"Really!"
"Leroy?"
A smile and a small jerk of the head.
"Jethro."
More of the same.
"Nah, too Beverly Hillbillies. Gibbs, Gibbs it is then."
The guy takes a moment to express his opinion of the squad room coffee without saying a word.
"So you're a Navy cop! I mean, who would want to be a Navy cop?"
Another spark of amusement from the guy's eyes and Tony notices an ache in his jaws. By the time he realizes he's grinning his fool head off there is no sense denying that the Navy guy has been smiling almost as wide the entire time, with what can only be described as the perfect smirk, one that says I know something you don't, and maybe something you do.
What would it be like to kiss the smirk off that face, or maybe just put him (chest down or face up?) over the nearest desk? For Tony, the most startling thing about the thought is how un-startling it is for a man carrying an engagement ring in his pocket - a cold bit of rock and metal that in the space of an hour has come to feel like a thing of the past.
And the rest is history. His partner is dirty and the Navy guy does want him, in a way.
"I don't have a lot of rules."
"On your six, Boss."
"You really should read Moby Dick."
"You will not die."
Kate.
"You'll do."
Jeanne.
"Don't make me kiss you, Boss!"
"Agent DiNozzo, you've been reassigned."
"I depend on you."
"Why the hell do you do that, DiNozzo?"
"I knew. Gibbs, I am so sorry..."
"See ya tomorrow, Tony."
"It's already today!"
"Then today, DiNozzo, I'll see you today."
As he awoke the memory of last night drifted down from Tony's brain and settled over his heart. He withdrew his hand from where it had wandered beneath the sheet. There would be no fantasy this morning. He had stayed through it all, and he had finally kissed the Navy Guy. Kissed the smirk right off his face.
Tony got up and busied himself around his apartment, fidgeting aimlessly and trying not to get nervous as the hours ticked by. Gibbs had said he'd see him today but no one had said anything about where or when. He gave himself a stern speech, trying to be logical even though his heart tickled and his brain buzzed.
O.K. DiNozzo, get it together. Look at the facts. You and Gibbs admitted it, for real this time. You sealed it with a kiss. You're not a girl. You're not dating. You've had eleven-plus years of good and bad and you know this guy.
Tony smiled and then he groaned.
Yeah I know him. Gibbs is freaking.
___________________________________________
Last night the conversation with Tony had felt inevitable and right, as if someone had finally taken hold of the crooked line of Gibbs' life and pulled. Only a few hours ago they'd kissed each other half out of their minds, had talked and stumbled their way out of the dark. What would Tony expect, what would he need, on day one, the new day one?
It should come naturally.
Of course it should, but it wasn't that simple, never had been.
It had taken years to stop trying to remarry Shannon, to stop asking fate to let him protect what was his and get this one thing right. It had taken more to admit that his heart hadn't been in it - three trips to the altar, a couple to the hospital, Diane or Stephanie showing up to remind him what a disappointment he'd been.
Hollis had wanted him to retire and be a full-time husband, had needed something more refreshing than the pain he carried. Dr. Ryan had only been toying with him, though he doubted she'd ever admit it. He'd been a project to her, a puzzle to work on, and she'd left at the first sign of trouble. She may have been the professional, but as a brain-gamer she'd had nothing on him. She'd had problems of her own.
Tony had mentioned her after the bombing.
"Must've been nice having somebody to talk to, for a change."
Gibbs had stubbornly refused to wonder why the words had stung him and he hadn't recognized Tony testing the water. He'd replied so coldly Tony had had little choice but to leave him alone, and when the younger man had drawn close to Ziva, Gibbs had disregarded that, too. No, it had never been simple.
If he'd ever fully embraced the notion of uncommitted sex his life might have been easier, but that wasn't who he was. He wasn't a complete stranger to it though, and for it he'd preferred men, who hadn't wanted his freedom, who had known that it was about what he needed to take or have taken. There was a power in that, and he'd come to appreciate the maleness of it, the flat planes and harder muscles and the emotional release of using his strength.
At times it had been a needed thing, but he'd stopped it long ago, eventually opting for solitude and quiet creativity, a basement full of tools and the discipline of his own hands. Peace. He'd been jolted by a spike of lust upon meeting Tony and had gone out and done it again - one time and one time only. It had left him confused and upset and wanting and he had clamped his mind down hard around a mantra of restraint: he hadn't hired Tony in order to fuck him.
Not that he would have, he might have skipped the hiring part. But Tony had needed leadership. He'd needed a chance to excel, and Gibbs had needed...something. What he'd gotten had been a hell of a lot more than a Senior Field Agent.
Anthony DiNozzo. Who early on had adored him, completely unashamed. Who would stand up to him, whose honesty burned harder and brighter than the flashing lights of his facade, and Gibbs suspecting, no - not suspecting, knowing he was the only one who saw it. Tony wasn't afraid to let people think the worst of him, as long as "people" didn't mean Gibbs.
And yet he had managed to fool himself, or something, even when he'd popped the man on the back of the head almost daily. Routine physical contact. Christ, how was it possible the whole Navy Yard didn't know much he needed Tony? He'd learned from him, he'd taught him and he'd fought for him. He'd let a half-dozen women walk away without a fight but had never once considered surrendering DiNozzo. Not since Shannon had he summed up any part of his life in a single word, and to be honest it had been that way from the beginning. Tony.
And now that he had finally stepped over that incredible, exhilarating line? Gibbs envied Shannon her belief that everything happened the way it was supposed to. A natural fighter, he wasn't made that way, and his gut was annoyingly silent this day. He had only his new unwritten rule, and he was afraid it might not be enough.
Tony, what happens if I fuck this up?
________________________________________
Tony was doing something he had never done before - hesitating in front of Gibbs' front door. The expected call had never come, and when Gibbs hadn't shown up at his place, Tony had decided to take action. The door was open despite the October chill and something just felt off. He assumed Gibbs was nearby - if he were in the basement the front door would be unlocked but closed. He heard a voice call out, tight and hoarse.
"It's open, who's there?"
Tony almost couldn't believe his ears. It didn't sound like Gibbs, not in the least.
"If you don't know, maybe I shouldn't come in!"
"Rather hear it from you."
Tony stepped inside and walked purposefully into the kitchen, following the sound of that voice as he had done so many times before. He recalled their last conversation in this room. It seemed that the tension had never retreated, only this time Gibbs was turned away from him, hands tightly gripping the lip of sink.
Oh, God, is he ever freaking.
"It's the guy you hired," Tony offered, trying for a light tone.
"This isn't work." The other man's voice was thick.
"The guy who couldn't stop saying your name an hour after we met."
"This isn't Baltimore."
The atmosphere in the room constricted even further.
"No, it's not."
Talking to Gibbs' back was doing unpleasant things to the inside of Tony's ribcage. The set of Gibbs' shoulders and the prominence of the muscles in his forearms radiated pain. His heart spilling over, Tony moved without hesitation and encircled the older man with his arms, pressing his chest to his back. How many times had Gibbs grounded him with his presence, standing solidly behind him, literally breathing down his neck? He stretched his arms out along Gibbs' and palmed the backs of his hands, wondering if he was going to have to pry his fingers from the counter.
Gibbs relaxed almost imperceptibly and Tony responded by turning him in his arms. He rested his forehead against Gibbs' and murmured soft and low against his lips.
"It's day one, Gibbs. You can do this. We can do this."
Gibbs shivered at the brush of Tony's lips and seized his mouth in a hungry, desperate kiss before placing his hands on Tony's shoulders and pushing him back far enough to meet his eyes.
"I'm a bastard, Tony. I've run off everyone since Shannon, no exceptions."
"Exception's right here, Gibbs. You haven't run me off. And I know you're a bastard, it's old news."
"They knew me too. It's why they left."
Tony made a rude noise but he spoke gently. "That's bullshit. They met you, Gibbs, they didn't know you. You proposed to them because you were having sex or they saw something in you they wanted, but they didn't know you - not like I do. I've got 'em beat by a mile and you know it."
"I know that, Tony. It's not you, it's me."
Tony had tried to prepare himself for anxiety from Gibbs, however awkward or unusual it may be. There were reasons Gibbs didn't talk much about his past or his past relationships. But this was too much. Tony turned in a complete circle, waving his arms in frustration, his voice rising.
"Oh, my God, Gibbs, you didn't! That's a breakup line and we're not even together yet! Do you think I believed one talk was going to lay all our demons to rest? Pull your head out of your ass! I'm not them, I'm not going anywhere, and I'm not judging you no matter how much you think you deserve it!"
He was breathing hard and he only stopped gesturing like a madman when he saw the quarter-smile forming at the corner of Gibbs' mouth. The grim mood was broken. It was almost as though a breeze had passed through, the air in the kitchen no longer felt like lead. Gibbs squared his shoulders and shifted his feet, the angles of his body relaxing as he did so. His eyes softened but held steady - wide, questing, and serious. He spoke his fear.
"I don't know if I can make you happy, Tony."
Tony smiled, suddenly weightless, and said what he'd been waiting to say for over a decade, or for his entire life.
"You already make me happy, Gibbs."
_________________________________________________________
Gibbs was wrangling the alcohol and Tony's sock feet were on the coffee table.
"So were you just going to stay here all day in vapor-lock?"
"Sun's still up."
"Barely!"
Tony and Gibbs had retired to the living room with beer and bourbon and a sense of relief, as day one was getting off to a bit of a shaky start. They were a little buzzed and were sharing some idle time, giving their nerves a chance to settle.
Crap, we are dating.
"You say somethin' DiNozzo?"
Tony giggled.
"Just that when you play hard to get you don't screw around!"
"That's because I remembered I'm not exactly prime real estate." Gibbs gave a rueful shake of his head. "In the relationship department."
"You are to me. You've been the only constant in my life, Gibbs."
"And you've been tempting me since Baltimore."
Tony grinned. He had been the one to ease the older man's fears, and now Gibbs was upping the ante. Good.
"Oh, really? Tempting you to what!"
"You should know."
Tony's eyebrows went up.
"Just that?"
"Well, no, Tony, not just that," Gibbs said with a slight hiccup. "You getting shy on me?"
Tony decided to up the ante a bit further or hell, just go all in. "Not shy, Gibbs. I love you."
"I can't believe you said that."
"Yes you can!"
"Yeah. I can. Love you too, DiNozzo."
Tony grinned even wider at Gibbs using his last name and saying the "L" word while pouring a shot of bourbon. Gibbs was grinning too and he looked about ten years younger. He looked beautiful, and Tony sat back and admired him until he saw his face turn serious.
"It wasn't only the Crawford case. It was when I stopped hitting you."
Tony's buzz evaporated and his mouth dropped open. He straightened up and leaned forward.
"Huh?"
Gibbs handed him the shot of whiskey.
"After the bombing, and no, I don't remember why."
"In most relationships that would've been a good thing," Tony said quietly, after a pause. He had never known why.
"Well, my gut didn't put up with it."
"I remember thinking you just didn't like me anymore."
Gibbs' head snapped up and froze in place, his eyes bright with sudden anguish.
"You really thought that, didn't you?"
Tony had to be honest. They'd get through this, just like everything else.
"Yes. What did you mean about your gut?"
"I've always... I need to touch you, Tony."
"I think that's part of the plan, Marine. It's a major mission objective, if you ask me!"
"Don't wanna have to ask."
Tony had to clear his throat.
"Never. Don't ever."
Gibbs regarded him steadily for a long moment and again the mood shifted. The quarter-smile made another appearance and this time it was Gibbs who cleared his throat. He colored slightly.
"So...if we're good with this, we oughtta get started on that."
Tony's jaw dropped for the second time. Even with everything that was being said, everything that was going on here, he'd assumed that that was still in the future. How much did Gibbs know about it? He'd forgotten how sneaky the man could be. Should he make any assumptions at all?
"Gibbs, I don't mean to pry, but..."
Gibbs was a step ahead of him.
"I might surprise you, DiNozzo."
"Oh, I'm sure you will, but..." Tony couldn't help smiling.
No. He wouldn't ask, shouldn't, didn't need to. What had he just told Gibbs? Never. He hadn't explained his own experience and he wouldn't ask Gibbs about his because in his typical badass way, Gibbs didn't care. It was all good.
"But what?"
"Nothing, trust me!"
"Always have, Tony. I always have."
Tony was about to extend his hand - thoughtfully, tenderly - when Gibbs stood and more or less pounced, setting his drink down with one hand and yanking his T-shirt off with the other. It was a fast and fluid series of gestures, one continuous move that Tony would remember in slow motion for the rest of his life.
But not now. The older man had pushed him down full length, sliding effortlessly on top of him and pinning Tony's arms above his head. Gibbs' bare chest was in his face, soft hair against his mouth, the scent and the heat of him so overwhelming that there was no thought, no memory, nothing but the moment and every nerve in Tony's brain and body suddenly aflame.
He flexed his biceps. No good. He was dealing with both Gibbs' weight and his unusual strength. He hadn't expected Gibbs' natural dominance to come into play so soon, and he loved it, but Tony was a man too and he needed badly to move. He bucked his hips and torso in a sinuous motion and Gibbs slid down to crush his mouth in a brutal kiss that turned deep and gentle and made Tony's head swim. Jesus what was it with this guy and kissing? He could feel every part of the man's body and yet this kiss was a world in itself.
When they broke for air Gibbs released his wrists and Tony's arms flew around Gibbs' back. He held on tight and braced a foot against the end of the couch. He wanted harder contact, he wanted friction, and he wanted Gibbs under him, wanted to feel him arching up as Tony was doing now. He executed an epic couch flip that landed them both on the floor in a frenzy of hands and lips, then Tony was hauling Gibbs to his feet and they were shoving each other up the stairs.
They crashed around shedding their clothing, then slammed through the door and onto the bed where their limbs entwined and their sweat mingled, where hot breath ghosted over soft skin, where their muscles did sweet battle, and where Gibbs did surprise Tony, surprised the hell out him when his hands knew exactly what to do, when his lips took their time and left not one millimeter of Tony's body unkissed, when tender flesh was licked, nipped, and suckled, when soft whispers gave way to urgent panted cries, and most of all when Gibbs was there, and they were locked together, made only for each other, moving as one as if it had always been that way. They rocked together forever or for no time at all, and when the explosion came the world went white and fell away to nothing.
_________________________________________________________
Leroy Jethro Gibbs stared vaguely at his ceiling and waited, waited patiently against the hope that was swirling in his mind and heart. He was waiting for the let-down, that moment after sex when, however gently, the connection collapsed and each person retreated into his or her own thoughts. Tony rested against him, beautiful, impossibly close and warm, an arm across Gibbs' chest, his breath sweetly audible. The freedom and almost ridiculous success of what they had just done was already more than he'd ever hoped for, was blowing his mind actually, and he didn't consciously compare it to anything - he just waited.
The moment never came. When Tony's eyes opened Gibbs knew they were in the same space, body and soul. None of the long years seemed wasted now, not a bit, his missteps and mental contortions no longer felt like mistakes. The impulse that had been sacrificed so long ago had become deep knowing, and it was good. This wasn't what he'd hired Tony for, it was what he'd been living for. It had been close, but Tony had stuck with his gut and had chosen him, forgiven him, loved him. He smiled into the semi-darkness of the bedroom.
Tony was watching him, reading his mind, and the look in his eyes nearly stopped Gibbs' heart. He shifted onto his side and lifted a hand to softly stroke the younger man's hair, meeting his gaze and his graceful smile in silence. He looked deeply into the green eyes that held more than any words could convey, seeing there only acceptance and love, trust, and happiness.
The End.