Fic: The Swan Prince -Chapter Eleven
Title: The Swan Prince
Pairing: Tony DiNozzo/Jethro Gibbs
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Supernatural themes, sorcery, angst and general Tony!Whump. I don't go easy on him this story. Also? Very AU. Like, out-of-this-world AU. Though I do slip in enough references to amuse. Try to find them all. ^^
Spoilers: None whatsoever... unless you've watched 'The Swan Princess' and even then you probably won't know where this is going.
Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS or The Swan Princess. It would be very odd if I owned them both as only I could think they could possibly work well together.
Summary: Young Tony, the crowned prince of the Kingdom of Fidelis, has everything he could ever want. Then the sorcerer Ari takes it all away. Now, on the run and suffering under the worst curse black magic has to offer, can Tony ever find his way home? And, more importantly, will he want to? Or will our prince sacrifice his kingdom, his identity and his humanity for something he's never known: love.
Authors Note: Yay for another chapter. Sorry it took so long but I've been so busy that I'm seriously considering trying to clone myself just so that I can get everything done. Anyway, here it is and I hope you all enjoy it. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the interlude and the chapters before it -it means a lot to me. You all rock.
Everything was perfect
The whole world was just divine
Served upon a silver platter
With the sweetest vintage wine.
My heart was light and happy
The sky alight with laughter
And I was sure that we had captured
Our 'happily ever after'
And how can something so pure
Something so absolutely right
Ever sour or go astray
And darken into night?
How can something beautiful
As abstract as fine art
Come to fall so suddenly
And utterly apart?
Chapter Eleven: The Moment Between Moments
Tony was having one of those days where it seemed absolutely nothing could go wrong.
The sun was shining brightly in the pristine blue sky, the sea butted gently against the flanks of the boat and the man Tony loved and had made love with the night before was by his side.
Yelling orders and delivering head slaps, but one couldn't have everything.
Besides, the tender looks and absent touches more than made up for the unwarranted (in Tony's humble opinion) violence against his head. Though Gibbs had always been surprisingly affectionate, today he seemed even more so, gravitating around Tony as unobtrusively but as deniably as the moon circled the earth.
Tony sunk the attention up like a sponge and found himself orbiting Gibbs in return so that they danced around each other intricately, coming together then drawing apart before repeating the cycle all over again.
When the sun began to set and they began to navigate their way back to the docks, Tony found himself brimming with a quiet contentment that seemed to suffuse his whole body. His eyes lingered on Gibbs' form and he couldn't wait until they made it back to Gibbs' house. He was looking for a repeat of last night.
Gibbs, as though he was able to read his thoughts, shot him a wicked smile in return.
Docking the Kelly, they dismounted together and Tony found Gibbs' hand around his waist between one eye blink and the next. Gibbs fingers stroked Tony's hip idly and Tony tried to lean into that touch as much as he lent into the solidity of Gibbs' body.
"Good day?" Joseph asked them congenially, eyeing them with some curiosity. Obviously he could sense the change between them and wondered at it.
"Brilliant day," Tony answered for the both of them, smiling widely and keeping his secrets deliciously to himself.
Joseph let it go with a mere tilt of his head, cataloguing their catchment of the day with an efficient flurry as he did so. Despite his busy work, however, he continued to shoot the two of them assessing looks surreptitiously, to the point where Tony began to wonder if perhaps they had little miniature hearts floating out of the tops of their heads.
The thought was an amusing one, and Tony occupied himself with imagining such a scenario and, mainly, Gibbs' expression if he were to catch sight of such hearts.
It was only when Gibbs gave him a soft tug that he snapped himself out of his daze, hefting up a crate and giving a congenial nod to Joseph as he left, trotting happily after Gibbs and staying as close as was possible with both of his hands full.
"We're not very subtle," Tony couldn't help but observe aloud as they walked.
"No need to be," Gibbs shrugged, glaring at Jimmy Palmer as the younger man walked by and eyed Tony longingly. The poor boy all but tripped over himself to hasten away from the force of Gibbs' glare and Tony laughed.
"I think he got the message," Tony said dryly, grinning.
"Second 'b' stands for 'bastard'," Gibbs informed him factually, "And your mine."
"Perhaps you'd like to tattoo that on my forehead?" Tony suggested facetiously, "'Property of Jethro Gibbs'."
When Gibbs actually looked thoughtful, as though he was taking that suggestion under advisement, Tony hastily amended it.
"But that would be far too long. Not to mention invasive and painful. I've enough marks without adding to them intentionally, thank you very much."
"Wouldn't fit," Gibbs allowed, "And it's Leroy Jethro Gibbs, by the way."
Tony came to a halt. Distracted by this, Gibbs slowed to a stop and turned to raise an eyebrow. Tony was too busy grinning to see the challenge there.
"Leroy Jethro Gibbs," Tony echoed, deliciously prolonging each word, "Seriously? Your parents hated you, right?"
"Family name," Gibbs explained, smiling wryly.
"God," Tony shook his head, finally recovering enough to continue walking. Something the weight of the crate contributed to immensely. "I'm beginning to understand why this didn't come up sooner. I couldn't imagine volunteering that information willingly."
"Haven't been given shit about my name for a long time," Gibbs said idly, shooting Tony a sly look, "You gonna give it a try?"
"Hell no," Tony blurted at once, knowing that the reason no one had done it recently was because they hadn't had a death wish.
"Good," Gibbs decreed, "Not like you can talk. Tony Swan. Really?"
"Tim's idea," Tony protested, "He thinks he's funny."
Gibbs snorted and, balancing the crate, opened his front door one-handed and ushered Tony before him. Tony put the box in the kitchen and set to unpacking it, storing the contents into a small freezer. Gibbs grabbed the both of them a beer from the fridge and handed one to Tony before pitching in. Between them, the task was done in no time.
Taking a swig from his beer bottle, Tony kept his eyes on Gibbs, ready to follow his lead. Usually they'd spend their evenings either building the boat or snuggling on the couch and while Tony wouldn't mind either of those activities, he was curious as to how the progression of their relationship would impact on their day-to-day routines, if it even did at all.
Oddly enough, Gibbs didn't emerge from the kitchen. Instead, he began rummaging through the top cabinets, clearly searching for something.
"Bit early for dinner," Tony pointed out, assuming Gibbs was looking for food.
Gibbs didn't reply but Tony found that no reply was necessary. Instead, the object he finally pulled forth cleared things up better than Gibbs could have done.
"A picnic basket?" Tony asked incredulously, "We're going on a picnic?"
The basket had the faded remains of a ribbon wound through the handle and Tony suspected that it had once belonged to Shannon or Kelly. He also suspected it likely hadn't been used since then.
"You mentioned once you wanted to sail the water at night," Gibbs replied, starting to fill the basket with food.
Tony struggled to remember when exactly he'd said that but found he couldn't quite place it. He had a habit of babbling on and even he lost track of what the hell came out of his mouth. The idea that Gibbs could be keeping track was both sweet and slightly alarming.
"We're going back onto the boat?" Tony checked, pleased, "Why did we even come back?"
"Can't eat the planks," Gibbs pointed out, gesturing to the basket.
"True," Tony granted, "But I thought sailing at night was dangerous?"
"It is," Gibbs agreed, "Which is why we won't be going out far. Still interested?"
"Hell yeah," Tony shot back at once, grinning.
"Good," Gibbs replied, grinning back, "Then get your shit together and start helping me pack."
Tossing off a sloppy salute, Tony did exactly that, gathering things around the house he thought they might need. Though it would be hell to carry, he couldn't help but snag a few blankets out of the cupboard, along with some lube and a pack of tissues, just in case.
Then, the most important things packed, he scurried back downstairs where Gibbs was closing up the basket. He caught sight of the pile of blankets in Tony's arms and nodded approvingly, hefting the basket up as he did so.
"Are we staying out until midnight?" Tony asked curiously as Gibbs gestured him towards the door, "We'll already be on the water after all."
"And force me to carry this back by myself?" Gibbs pointed out, raising an eyebrow.
"That's three different trips to the water," Tony couldn't help but complain, "In one day."
"We can always skip the midnight picnic, if you prefer?" Gibbs asked wryly, pausing as he closed the door behind him, the threat implicit.
"And miss the spectacle of you being all romantic?" Tony mock gasped, "Not on your life!"
Gibbs rolled his eyes but obligingly shut the door behind him. They made their way down to the ocean peacefully, and Tony enjoyed just how slow and smooth it was. There was no hurry, no urgency, just the knowledge that the ocean wasn't going anywhere and wouldn't mind if they took their time. The only thing missing was Gibbs' arm around his arm but considering that both their hands were occupied carrying supplies, that wasn't to be helped.
Tony paused only slightly as they passed Semper Inn, half hoping to see Tim hovering on its doorstep like the anxious mother hen he was. The streets were empty, though, and Tony absently reminded himself to visit his pseudo brother the next day -if only to bother him about Abby.
"We picked a good night for it," Gibbs noted in pleasure, scanning the clear night sky above them as he ushered Tony onto the Kelly.
At just past seven, it was finally getting dark enough for the stars to start popping up. Once it got later, the sight was sure to be quite impressive. Though he'd probably seen the sea reflecting the stars a half dozen times since he'd been turned into a swan, he'd never done so with Gibbs by his side. Something told him that would make all the difference.
Working together with a fluidity that had come from practice, the two of them worked together to disengage the Kelly from the dock and out into the ocean. True to his word, Gibbs didn't take them far out -just far enough to leave the shallow waters and to be free of the surrounding boats. When the Kelly was surrounded by clear, deep water on all side he dropped the anchor. Tony, taking this as his cue, pulled out the blanket and fluffed it out over the wooden planks, quickly making himself comfortable. Gibbs joined him moments later and, as one, they lay back and looked at the stars, watching as they became more and more numerous. Without speaking, Tony entwined their hands.
"What are you thinking?"
It was such an uncharacteristic question that Tony answered without thinking.
"Just that I wish I could freeze time and stay here forever."
Gibbs gifted him with a fond look, pressing a soft kiss against his temple.
"While you're there wishing for stuff, may as well wish yourself rid of that curse," he pointed out.
"I've tried that," Tony rebutted wryly, "And besides, not everything about a cure would be wonderful. If I was free, I'd have to leave."
"Why?" Gibbs asked curiously, "What's there for you to return to?"
"The thing that the sorcerer is trying to steal," Tony answered at last, trying to be more specific and finding himself unable to be. He huffed irritably.
"You left it behind?" Gibbs wondered and, even not seeing him, Tony knew he was frowning.
"Yes," Tony agreed before frowning himself, "Only no. Not really. It isn't really something I can leave."
"And yet it's something you can give," Gibbs pointed out, sounding frustrated. Tony could relate. "Or at least something someone can take."
"I'm sorry," he signed at last, "I can't explain it very well. I'm not explaining it very well. I just know it to be true: if I was free, I couldn't stay. I wouldn't be able to stay."
"I'm not angry, Tony," Gibbs assured, squeezing his hand, "Just frustrated. I want to help you and the secrecy makes that difficult. If I only knew why, it would be easier."
Tony wanted to tell him that it wasn't Gibbs' job to save him, it wasn't up to him to pull him out of the mess Tony had found himself stuck in. He managed to refrain, but only barely. He knew before trying that saying as such wouldn't do him a lick of good and pushing would just start and argument that neither of them could win.
"Look," Gibbs said suddenly, drawing their hands up together and abandoning the topic altogether, "A shooting star. Maybe you'll get what you want after all."
"You're what I want," Tony replied honestly and it should have been cheesy but it wasn't. Perhaps because it was true. The kingdom was Tony's responsibility and if he were free of the curse there was no way he could abandon it to Tobias... but, had he the choice, he'd give it away in a heartbeat for Gibbs.
He wishes it were so easy.
*~*~*~*~*
As it turned out, they hadn't needed the lube.
Instead, they spent the hours staring at the stars simply talking. Tony spoke about his childhood and the stark loneliness of it with only Tim providing any sense of relief. He learned about Gibbs' childhood in turn, growing up in a place called Stillwater with his father, Jackson.
"You miss him," Tony had marvelled, hearing Gibbs talk of the man.
"Maybe I do," Gibbs admitted, sounding just as surprised. Considering that he'd run away from home to become a soldier Tony guessed (accurately, as it turned out) that there was a veritable well of unexplored issues there.
Tony spoke about losing his mother as a child and Gibbs recounted the same. When they weren't talking about their pasts, they chatted about nothing at all, counting the stars, musing about the constellations, eating the picnic and simply enjoying each other's company.
It wasn't sex but, somehow, it still managed to be the most intimate thing Tony had ever done. Had he not been utterly in love with Gibbs already, those few hours together would have damned him completely.
"We should head back," Gibbs sighed as it neared ten o'clock and Tony began to really feel the cold.
Though reluctant to leave the perfect solace of this space and this moment, Tony also recognised that it wasn't a request. Grudgingly, he pulled himself to his feet and began to pack the picnic away. Only when the boat was pristine did Gibbs design to raise the anchor and steer them back to port.
"Thank you," Tony said as they disembarked, once more taking Gibbs hand in his, "Really."
Gibbs drew him into a kiss by way of answer , tilting his head just so in order to better pillage his mouth. Tony went utterly lax against him, returning the kiss with interest.
"Come on," Gibbs prompted, drawing himself back slightly, "Your freezing and I can think of a dozen or so ways to fix that."
Tony felt a good deal warmer just from the rough promise in Gibbs voice. Grinning at the man delightedly, Tony allowed himself to be led back to Gibbs' house, body pressed flush against his the whole while. Or at least as much as possible carrying the picnic supplies.
Pulling the door open, Gibbs ushered Tony inside, quickly following after him. Tony, still flushed with desire, made his way straight to the kitchen to put the things away, Gibbs right on his heels.
He got as far as the living room before his body exploded in pain.
*~*~*~*~*~*
TBC...
*~*~*~*~*~*
AU: Did I mention that I was evil? Just in case the last chapter didn't prove it, I'm sure this one will cement it quite thoroughly.
Just keep in mind that if you kill me, you'll never find out what happens. Just saying. 0:)
<
Next Chapter>>