Tony DiNozzo quietly sipped his single malt scotch, bare feet propped up on the balcony railing. Late October usually wasn't a time of year that presented him with the opportunity to enjoy being outside, at least not barefoot. But today had been warm and sunny, reminiscent of summer more so than encroaching winter, so it seemed all the more fitting he be outside to enjoy it. He sighed softly. It had been a very long week. Taxing in ways he'd been a bit unprepared for but had handled as well as he could. Well meaning coworkers with concerned looks and hesitant questions weren't really something he'd ever had to deal with. Hell most of his previous coworkers, while friendly, had never been friends at least not in the truest sense. They wouldn't have noticed much less cared if he wasn't quite himself. But the team at NCIS was certainly more observant and seemed to genuinely like him so they had noticed that he wasn't smiling as much or cracking wise as frequently as he normally did. He shook his head. The worst had to be Gibbs, mostly because Tony simply didn't understand him. They'd been ?fuck buddies' for about three months, sharing warmth and taking the edge off when Gibbs felt the need, but the older man made it very clear they weren't anything more. Hell them being involved even that much was a clear violation of rule number twelve. Although a talented lover, attentive to physical needs, wants and desires Gibbs wasn't exactly what anyone in his right mind would call comfortable with emotions. He'd laid out the ground rules the first time they'd had sex, setting the conditions for any future encounters. No deep meaningful conversations; no personal questions or information; no strings or attachments nothing but mutual sexual gratification; no spending the night; no one else could know; and it was never to affect the job. It was the only way he willing to play it, and Tony was smart enough to recognize that was the only way he'd get a chance at all. He told himself it was enough to know the older man found him attractive, was interested in him enough to share sweating up the sheets. If that was all Gibbs was willing to give him, he'd take it and be grateful. It wasn't like he was looking for a declaration of love even if it was something he desperately wanted. His mother hadn't raised any fools despite what more than one person had said to the contrary. Why Gibbs was suddenly so interested in Tony's state of mind, in how he was doing was a mystery to the younger man. It was out of character for the man he knew. A cynical side to his nature that few even knew existed told him it was because two weeks ago he'd stopped putting out, stopped being a convenient and easy lay. It wasn't like he'd suddenly had an infusion of pride or a great epiphany that he deserved better, he simply wasn't in the mood to be just a warm body. He couldn't deal with meaningless at the moment. Finding out your best friend was dead tended to do that. Helping to make funeral arrangements and deal with distraught family members and friends tended to suck the life right out of a person. He was sure his coworkers, his boss would understand that if he considered telling them. But it wasn't any of their damn business. He'd brushed off all inquiries with a well practiced breezy smile and a simple ?I'm fine' because explaining his somber mood and bout of reduced chatter wasn't something he even wanted to contemplate. When the one person he would have wanted to tell had already barred him from having that sort of conversation Tony found he hadn't wanted to share at all, wasn't ready or willing to. And for once in his life people around him would simply have to respect that. "Contrary bastards." He muttered to himself. Most of the time they wanted him to straighten up and fly right, to just shut up and do is job, and the minute he did they weren't happy about it. Tony sighed, sipping his drink. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath enjoying the crisp air that gently contrasted the warmth of the sun. The day was perfect, just what he wanted and needed. It was a balm to his soul and not for the first time was he glad he'd leased a place with a balcony. He would feel the tension of the past few days draining away. Getting the call two weeks ago hadn't exactly been unexpected. The diagnosis had been made more than a year ago and he'd been waiting for that call pretty much ever since. It still hurt like hell. He briefly wondered if he should feel guilty for feeling relieved that at least Vinnie wasn't suffering any more. A wry smile curled his lips as he considered what his best friend would have had to say about that. Vinnie was the last person he'd have to apologize for how he felt. Vinnie had told him a long time ago, 'You feel what you feel, not what you are supposed to feel. It should never be something you have to apologize for.' Words to live by. He unconsciously saluted his friend, raising the tumbler slightly so that the cut crystal caught the light. "Damn, but I miss you, man." He knew Vinnie being gone was going to hit him regularly over the next few months. They'd spoken nearly every Sunday a habit that started when they both had gone away to college. And Tony had always gone to Vinnie's place for the holidays, had shared those special days with his friend's family rather than his own. He sighed heavily and raised a hand to run through his hair. Tony was decidedly grateful that it was Emma that called to let him know Vinnie had finally lost the fight with cancer. Under stress she habitually returned to her native tongue despite having lived in the United States for almost ten years. So when Emma called the office the entire conversation had taken place in French. Tony knew his boss had been eavesdropping when the call came. They'd been expecting it to be background information Tony had been looking into on the open case they were working on. Tony was glad Kate was doing some leg work with McGee. It was bad enough his boss knew he'd gotten bad news, the rest of the team didn't need to know. Wearing his heart on his sleeve was fine for being a jilted lover or taking one of Kate or Gibbs' digs too personally, but this was something else. Tony knew himself well enough to know that something in his voice, how he reacted to the news no doubt gave away more information than he cared to admit, but that wasn't really an issue. Speaking with Emma in French ensured Gibbs didn't get the specifics. If he wanted to know then he'd have to ask, something Tony knew full well his boss would never do unless he thought it would have an impact on Tony's ability to do the job or one of their cases. When Emma had hung up, Tony had immediately dialed Daniel's number to relay the message as she'd requested he pass on. Given the time difference he wasn't surprised to get the answering machine. His day was winding down which meant Daniel's had already gotten started. All he had was Daniel's home phone so calling him at work was simply not an option. He'd seen Gibbs raise his eyebrows when he left a message in flawless Finnish. Tony smirked remembering that moment. There were a number of times Gibbs and Abby had deliberately excluded him from their conversation by simply using sign language. He wondered if Gibbs now better understood what it was like to be so pointedly barred from knowing who he was talking to and what he was saying. He snickered feeling a moment of petty satisfaction at the thought. Tony took another sip of his drink. Fingers unconsciously strayed toward a box lying on the table next to him. He smiled thinking about the mementoes and memories that lay within. They were things Emma said Vinnie wanted him to have. Eventually he'd unpack them and put them in easy visible and accessible places in his house but for now they were fine right where they were. "You going to keep lurking in the doorway or were you planning to join me?" Tony asked quietly, already knowing Gibbs was there without the older man having to say anything. The man's presence was unmistakable. He'd been expecting the former marine to show up ever since his plane had landed hours ago. He'd even left the front door unlocked. Gibbs took the other chair, turning it so he faced Tony, his back to the railing. "Where the hell did you go?" "Boston." Tony answered calmly. He was pretty sure his boss already knew that. It wasn't like he'd used an alias when he booked his tickets or made his hotel arrangements. And the older man was enough of a control freak there was no way Tony could simply leave without Gibbs checking up on him. Gibbs might not claim any deep emotional attachment to him but he was still one of the team. He was sometimes convinced the other man thought that meant they were all personal property. Gibbs frowned, leaning forward slightly in his chair. There were times when Tony found that expression and posture intimidating. At the moment he couldn't care less. "Why didn't you request the time off through me?" Tony sipped is drink, before shrugging one shoulder nonchalantly. He was pretty sure the truth would get him in trouble but lying wasn't an option. Tony opted for silence instead. "You went to the director to get a leave request approved." Gibbs growled, the muscle in his jaw flexing. Tony couldn't tell if he was affronted by the thought of someone going over his head or well and truly pissed by it. Seeing the expression on his boss' face Tony decided it was the latter. Piercing blue eyes measured him. "Of all the---" "You were the one who told me the second 'B' was for bastard." Tony cut him off, tone light but unapologetic. "And it's not like you haven't turned down my requests before." "You should have still come to me." "Why?" Tony snorted. "So you could say no? Don't think so." "You don't know I'd have turned you down." Gibbs countered calmly. "Telling me you'd have said yes?" Tony arched an eyebrow, challenging. "You'd have given me three days leave in the middle of an open investigation?" "Not without a damn good reason." Tony's grip on his glass tightened painfully, he could feel his expression harden, a sudden hostility and fierce resentment surfacing. He shouldn't have to explain himself, shouldn't have to give a reason. He had over two months worth of leave on the books. Gibbs would have given three days off to Kate, McGee, Ducky or Abby without batting an eye but Tony he'd have turned down out right, without a thought or moments consideration. From Tony he'd have demanded an explanation, one that measured up to his exacting standards before granting approval if willing to grant it at all. Tony's lips twisted in a parody of a smile, expression bitter. Bumping boots with Gibbs hadn't warranted him any favors. Tony would have thought he was harder on him as proof he wasn't showing favoritism but for that to the case someone would have to know he was favored and no one did. Green eyes narrowed as they met Gibbs' blue counterparts. "I wasn't about to give you the chance to tell me that burying my best friend wasn't a good enough reason for four fucking days off." The quiet vehemence of his voice surprised him as he leaned toward Gibbs, green eyes hard and unforgiving, pinning the older man in place. "Sue me for not feeling like leaving hickies on your ass to have a chance to say good-bye to a man I've known since I was four years old." He slammed his empty tumbler down on the table, oddly pleased that his statement and action garnered a flinch and a wince from Gibbs. "I went over your head and I asked the director...no need to explain or justify or beg just had to ask for a few days and he signed his John Hancock on the dotted line. Neat, simple and painless." Tony stood placing both hands on the table as he leaned in toward Gibbs. "I'm not going to apologize and I'm not one damn bit sorry for going to him rather than you. And I don't much care if you're pissed about it." "Why didn't you tell me?" Tony snorted, not sure if the question was meant to be contrite or not. Given what he knew of the older man he doubted contrition had much to do with it. Ever the investigator, Tony told himself, all the man wants is answers. Fine. He'd give him an answer. "Would have been against the rules to tell you." He shook his head. Gibbs had the balls to actually look surprised by that. Tony snickered as his quirky sense of humor asserted itself and he wondered why the former marine didn't walk bowlegged with balls that big. "You remember the rules, right?" Sarcasm laced Tony's question. "Telling you about Vinnie was definitely deep and meaningful and it sure as hell would have been personal. You made it very clear that wasn't the sort of thing I should bother you with. It wasn't anything you were interested in discussing. Ever." Gibbs flushed, eyes dropping. "I didn't mean-" "Yeah, you did." Tony sighed softly, he moved away to lean against the wall and stare out at the horizon, suddenly very tired. He wasn't going to let Gibbs have it both ways to suddenly make Vinnie's death an exception. The man drew the rules in black and white. Tony had no desire to allow for shades of gray now. It was too easy for him to get hurt that way, to get his hopes up. The man had been married three times he obviously wasn't commitment shy, he simply wasn't interested in making a commitment to Tony. "Go away, Gibbs." Tony didn't look at him. "You know why I left and that I'm back. I'll be in to work on time tomorrow. Figure out whatever reprimand you feel is necessary for my going over your head and I'll deal with that in the morning." He didn't see or hear Gibbs get to his feet but he knew the former marine had. He knew the other man was seeking words, unsure of what to say or do. Being hesitant was so unlike the older man but Tony had no desire to help him out or give him encouragement. If the man knew him better, really knew him, he wouldn't have this much trouble, it wouldn't be nearly so hard. "Tony, I'm sorry." "Yeah, me too." Tony bit his lower lip. The difference was he knew what he was sorry for; Gibbs likely didn't have a clue what he was apologizing for. Was he sorry for Tony's loss, or sorry that he hadn't been there to help? Was he sorry he was such a prick that Tony had to go over his head to get time off? Was he sorry he treated him like shit, that they could fuck like weasels in heat but weren't really friends? Maybe it was that he couldn't offer more emotional support or that he was in a position where it might be expected that he would? Tony shook his head. Maybe he'd had one of those epiphanies after all. That he could share his body with this man, be so physically intimate and yet was barred from giving him details about the person who'd had the biggest influence in his life was telling. He did deserve better than that. And even if he didn't, he wanted more, wasn't willing to settle for less any longer. "I don't think we'll have to worry about your new rules any more." "Meaning?" He could literally feel the older man stiffen. Tony looked over his shoulder, gaze steady and sure. "I'm not interested in being fuck buddies anymore. You want to get your ashes hauled, find someone else." Gibbs stared at him, mouth open in disbelief. Tony memorized that expression knowing he'd likely never see it again. Then he deliberately turned away. "Tony-" "I already know the drill." Tony held up a hand. "Don't worry, Boss, no one knows a thing, and no one will. You don't need to worry about that." He felt a deep ache in his chest at that thought. Gibbs not wanting anyone to know was probably not related to them being men or even chain of command violations. The older man had flouted authority often enough in the past to get what he wanted. No, their being a secret probably had a lot more to do with him being ashamed of Tony DiNozzo. Tony shook his head. Vinnie had been right. The one thing he regretted most was that he never had a chance to tell him that. Knowing his friend, he already knew. He closed his eyes and tipped his head back to face the sun. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Gibbs?" "Yeah, Tony?" "Lock the door on your way out." ************************** "Lock the door on your way out." Gibbs shuddered thinking about how final that had sounded. If Tony had been ranting and raving, he could have dismissed it out of hand as something said in the heat of the moment. But there hadn't been any heat in that directive. There hadn't been anything at all. He wanted to be pissed, wanted to drum up some self-righteous anger and snap back, but he couldn't do it. Tony was right. He'd laid out the rules. Rotten bastard that he was he'd even made the younger man repeat them at the time so there was no mistake, so they were perfectly clear. He just hadn't considered how clear they were. Gibbs resisted the urge to bang his head against the steering wheel. He never dreamed that Tony would take the ?no personal information, no deep meaningful discussions' to its logical conclusion. All he wanted was to keep the younger man from making a declaration of love and expecting one in return; to keep Tony from asking questions Gibbs wasn't sure he could answer; to give him the distance he needed to stay safe. Safe. Gibbs snorted. His third wife had accused him of being a master at maintaining distances. She said he was the only person he'd ever met who could be standing right next to her and still be so far removed, completely untouchable. His grip on the steering tightened, bleaching his knuckles white. Gibbs reined in the impulse to storm back up to Tony's apartment, to shout that he meant it when he said he was sorry, that he had only been trying to do what he thought was best. He knew the younger man would ask the right question, he always did. He could almost hear the words. "Best? Best for who?" Lord knows answering that wasn't going to help. Gibbs shook his head. He already knew he'd laid out the rules that were best for him. It shamed him to admit he hadn't really given that much thought to what might be best for Tony. He never wondered, wasn't really willing to ask himself why the younger man had even agreed. He seemed willing and eager and that was all that Gibbs thought mattered. It wasn't like Tony had expressed any interest in a long lasting relationship. The younger man changed girlfriends as often as most people changed their socks. Gibbs reasoned he wouldn't be interested in any thing long term, that it was best to make sure he didn't get drawn in too deep. That if he didn't let Tony push him for more, then it would be easier take when Tony walked away. Somehow he never expected his young lover would want more, that it would be his distance that would be what finally made Tony walk away not some beautiful woman in a short skirt. He told himself sex was just a nice addition to an already good interaction. And there was no doubt the sex had been mind-blowing good. He couldn't believe he'd gotten past the age of forty before experiencing the sort of sex they wrote about in romance novels. He'd come so hard more than once he'd seen stars. Tony was an adventurous, free spirit, who made sex more than just pleasurable, he made it fun, made it challenging, kept in interesting. Gibbs had convinced himself that good sex was enough. Enough to satisfy both of them, ignored the part of himself that really wanted Tony to spend the night some times, to cuddle up and bask in that afterglow together, wanted a chance to just spend an evening eating dinner and watching a ball game with no pressure to do more than just be together, wondered what it might be like to actually kiss him on the mouth. Only rule Tony had made, only thing the younger man had denied him was that liberty. It hadn't seemed like that big a deal. Gibbs thought it an easy concession to make. Now he wasn't so sure. He'd been sure enough until two weeks ago. Confident what they had was enough to satisfy them both. They continued to work well together, no one on the team suspected anything. He grimaced. No reason they should. Outside of adding sex to the mix not much had really changed. He still rode Tony hard, treated him the same as he did the others on the team. Gibbs winced. That wasn't quite true and he knew it. No one else got smacked upside the back of the head even though they'd deserved it more than once. No one else was ever denied leave. No one else was so consistently reprimanded, verbally smacked, or deliberately insulted. Tony was always so eager, so easy going, seemed so damn irrepressible, Gibbs lost sight of the fact that just because he took it with good grace didn't mean he should have to or that he always would. He took a deep breath, and then another, eyes drifting up to Tony's apartment of their own volition. Telling him to lock the door was significant in and of itself. Gibbs didn't have a key, had never asked for one, made it clear he didn't want it. Short of picking the lock he wasn't getting back in unless Tony let him in. Gibbs thought he'd have learned by now how quickly things could change. One phone call, obviously bad news, and suddenly his whole world was upside down. It would have been easier to understand if he'd been the one to get the call. At least now he better understood what it had been about, although he couldn't honestly say that knowledge made him feel any better. At the time, he hadn't been able to bring himself to ask what the call had been about. That hadn't kept him from eavesdropping shamelessly. Not that it did him any good. He'd known Tony spoke Spanish, but had never dreamed he was fluent not only in French but Finnish as well. He still didn't know who the hell Tony had called in Finland, and he only just barely managed to resist the urge to check the phone logs and find out. The call had obviously been personal and clearly bad news. Tony had paled so rapidly that Gibbs had been half afraid he was going to faint. The younger man had rallied quickly though, offering comfort to whoever he was speaking to, voice warm and gentle. Gibbs was oddly envious. Tony had never used that tone of voice with him. The call Tony made, although Gibbs couldn't understand a single word other than 'Daniel', had to have been a message being left on a machine. There were not pauses or breaks for anyone to respond. The tone was different, but similar to what he'd been using to whoever he'd been speaking in French to. When Tony hung up he looked right at Gibbs. "Sorry, boss. Wasn't the call we were waiting for." He didn't add any information, didn't offer up an explanation. For some reason that pissed Gibbs off. He wanted to ask, to demand answers. Gibbs mentally cursed himself as a thrice damned fool for being unable to keep the censure out of his tone when he asked, "Personal call on office time, DiNozzo? We are working a case here or have you forgotten that?" Tony didn't quite flinch, but his expression shuttered immediately. "Won't happen again, boss." And that was it. Nothing more was said. But Gibbs could almost feel the gulf growing between them. For the first time he understood his third wife's comments about his being untouchable. Tony might have well been behind glass. It wasn't his imagination. Others noticed it too. Kate kept an eye on Tony, asking more than once if everything was okay. Tony always just smiled and brushed her off with a casual, 'I'm fine'. McGee seemed torn between being relieved that Tony no longer seemed quite so interested in harassing him, maintaining an uncharacteristically professional demeanor and worried that he'd some how alienated the senior agent, had done something wrong. Ducky had been neatly redirected, lured into telling some long winded story that effectively kept the ME from ever asking what he really wanted to know. If anyone could ferret out information out of Tony, Gibbs fully expected it would be Abby. The lab tech came up nearly as short as the others. Instead of 'I'm fine' she'd gotten 'I'm okay, Abby. Just working through some things. Nothing you need to worry about.' Gibbs had even managed to ask several times if Tony was okay only to receive a confused and wary look in response. Tony recovered enough to brush him off or assure him that he was working as directed. It made his throat hurt when he realized what Tony's reaction implied; he thought Gibbs was only worried about the job, that his personal well being was not an issue expect for how it might have affected the job. "And just what the hell did you expect him to think, you schmuck." Gibbs bit out in frustration. He'd tried to see Tony outside of work. Figured maybe if they were alone Tony would open up to him. He asked if Tony was stopping by or if he should swing by Tony's place. Offering to swing by Tony's place was definitely not routine for them. Gibbs preferred to sleep in his own bed, would rather not have to leave the bed they'd warmed so Tony had come to his place for their trysts, leaving when they were through. All Gibbs got for his trouble was a firm shake of the head and a tired smile. He could hear Tony turning him down, a casual refusal that shouldn't have been able to hurt him so much. "Not tonight. Got some things I need to take care of." No explanation, no elaboration. Gibbs sighed only now realizing that answer was the same one he gave Tony off and on to make sure the younger man knew they were involved on his terms. It had been mean and petty and left him feeling even more ashamed. He had been such a control freak about their quasi relationship. He shook his head. Gibbs should have realized that holding Tony at arm's length wouldn't work. They former cop had gotten under his skin the minute they'd met. He twisted the key, staring the car, savagely putting it into gear. Sitting outside Tony's house like some sort of stalker wasn't going to help. He needed to find a way to make this right, a way to explain, to apologize. He didn't have a clue how to go about doing that. Tony's words kept running through his head as he drove. Maybe there was a clue there. He had to find it. Needed to. It took him three failed marriages and nearly half his life to figure out what he wanted. He damn sure didn't want to lose it now. ************************** Gibbs ground his teeth in frustration. For an entire week, seven long, agonizing days he'd been struggling with how to find a way to fix what he'd only realized too late could be broken. God, but he'd been such a fool. Gibbs shook his head. He needed to talk to Tony. But he wasn't sure what to say; didn't want to fuck it up and make things worse. Words had never been his specialty. Hell his first wife had accused him once of trying to be a mime. Action was more his style, but that wasn't a lot of help since he didn't know what to do either. God what a mess. True to his word Tony was back at the office the day after he told Gibbs they were through. The younger man behaved normally, acting as though nothing changed. And really, Gibbs thought disdainfully, nothing at the office had changed. It wasn't like anyone they worked with knew what they'd been doing in their off duty hours. It had been one of his rules after all. Gibbs wasn't blind to the irony. The one time Tony chose to follow orders would naturally be the one time Gibbs wished to hell he hadn't. Kate seemed relieved to have Tony back and acting normally, especially given how not normal he'd been before he'd taken a few days off. Gibbs knew she enjoyed the verbal sparring she and Tony engaged in. The profiler had honestly been worried about Tony. It was petty and spiteful but Gibbs was glad that she hadn't gotten any more information out of Tony than he had with her repeated inquiries of ?Is everything okay?'. McGee and Tony had to have talked privately at some point after Tony got back. Gibbs didn't know when or what was said but the McGee was so easy to read it was obvious something had been said or done. McGee was no longer so nervous, so unsure of himself around Tony. If anything, they seemed to have reached an understanding. Tony still referred to McGee as 'probie' but instead of sounding like an insult, lately it sounded more like a nickname, one McGee had resigned himself to. Abby had welcomed Tony back with open arms, like he'd never left or had ever acted any differently. She was the only one who hadn't asked where he'd gone. Gibbs didn't know if she didn't really want to know, if she already knew or if she had heard him neatly avoid answering the question every time someone else asked. Abby just told him she was glad he was back. That earned her one of those genuine, small smiles that warmed his eyes to deep moss green. It was one Tony rarely bestowed on anyone. Most people got the cheeky grin or the over-bright sarcastic smile that had little to do with humor. It made Gibbs undeniably jealous to see her get something he wanted for himself. Tony's interaction with Ducky was the same as ever. Not that Tony was ever really close to the ME, but he obviously liked and respected the older man. Ducky seemed to ignore Tony's absence and the fact that he gave no explanation for his sudden disappearance, clearly signaling a mutual respect for Tony's unvoiced request that the issue be left alone. The only one Tony hadn't slide back into exactly the same relationship at the office with was Gibbs. No one else seemed to notice but Gibbs definitely had. Tony never seemed to step close to him; the younger man was perpetually at arm's length, just out of reach. There were times Gibbs had been convinced the former cop didn't have any concept of personal space. He was always close to someone and lately that someone was never Gibbs. He missed being able to feel Tony's warmth, to smell the subtle, enticing fragrance of his aftershave. Tony seemed to have developed a sixth sense with regard to Gibbs. In the past week, Gibbs hadn't caught him unawares; no slaps to the back of the head, no chance to overhear Tony teasing Kate and goofing off, no opportunity to tease him, no more observing him and just enjoying the natural beauty and unconscious easy grace of the man. Tony was all business around him, focused and working. Gibbs hadn't appreciated how much he enjoyed getting that little boy smile or the cheeky grin until they were no longer there. Hadn't realized how much he enjoyed Tony's quirky sense of humor and odd pop cultural references. Hadn't grasped just how much he took for granted those opportunities to secretly observe and memorize details. It was contrary of him, but getting information directly without color commentary or asides was no where near as satisfying as he expected. A focused, serious Tony was a thing of wonder, but it Gibbs found he didn't find that Tony nearly half as appealing or interesting as the light hearted goof-ball that could find humor in nearly any situation. He also never realized how much time he got with Tony during the work day he'd taken for granted. It was almost as if the rest of the team were conspiring to ensure he was never alone with Tony. Maybe they sensed the difference; maybe they had noticed Tony's change in demeanor and behavior around him. He couldn't really blame them for assuming he was the reason for the change?He was the problem. Gibbs sighed. Even if he had known what to say there was never a time or place for them to talk. Between the rest of the team and the workload, in the past seven days he could count on one hand the minutes they'd been alone together. Gibbs had considered just calling but he wasn't sure Tony would even answer a call from him if it wasn't work related. And he didn't want Tony hanging up on him. That wouldn't help the situation at all. No, it was better to talk to him in person. Gibbs grimaced. He never expected to be find himself at Tony's apartment at two o'clock in the morning, but this was the first opportunity that presented itself. Gibbs was afraid it might well be the last. Taking a deep breath, Gibbs got out of his car. He shivered as the icy rain pelted his head and face. November had hit with a vengeance, the balmy warmth of an unusually mild October was a rapidly fading memory. The storm was expected to shift to snow sometime later in the morning. Weather reports were calling for accumulation of upward to six inches. It was unusual in the Washington area, but far from unheard of. Gibbs hesitated outside Tony's door. This was a bad idea. Very bad. He turned to head back to his car getting a dozen step before stopping himself. He squared his shoulders. He was a former Marine for crying out loud. He'd been in combat. Had dealt with life and death situations. He could talk to Tony. Another deep breath. He wished he knew what the hell to say. Couldn't let that stop him. He'd think of something. If he let this go too much longer he'd never get a chance. Gibbs could almost see the invisible gulf between them widening daily. It was now or never. Gibbs rang the bell and waited arms crossed against his chest. After several minutes and no answer he rang again, leaning into the button, shivering as the dropping temperature made itself known with a forceful wind gust. He was about to start banging on the door when suddenly it opened. A sleep rumpled Tony wearing just a pair of sweats opened the door, expression clearly annoyed bordering on hostile. "Gibbs." Tony cocked his head, eyes narrowing. "Someone better be on dead or on fire." Gibbs winced. He knew better than to expect a warm welcome, particularly in light of their conversation the last time he was here and the time of night. Still he'd hoped for a better reception than this. "We need to talk." His innate brusque nature came to the fore in that statement. Tony arched an eyebrow, expression hardening enough for Gibbs to realize his gruff tone was not the best choice for actually getting him inside Tony's apartment. "Do we now?" The dry emphasis on 'we' and the sarcastic tone of Tony's question told him he'd made more than one mistake. He sighed. He really was bad at this. Undeterred he tried again, softening his tone. "I need to talk. To you. Please." Tony studied him for a moment. Gibbs had no idea what he was looking for but he must have seen something that made him smile ever so slightly. He sighed and shook his head, one hand ruffling already messy hair. He stepped back and opened the door wider. "Well, it would be bad manners to leave you languishing on my door step. Especially in this weather." Relieved to have gotten his far, Gibbs stepped inside. Tony stopped him with a pointed look. "Coat and shoes off. Don't need you dripping all over my floor." It wasn't until that moment that he realized just how wet he was. His internal debate hadn't seemed like it had taken all that long, but evidently screwing up his courage had taken longer than he realized. Either that or it was raining a hell of a lot harder than he'd thought. Gibbs shivered striping out of his wet jacket and slipping off his shoes and socks. The warmth seeping into him felt wonderful. Something warm to drink would be even better. "Don't suppose you got coffee on?" "No." Tony rolled his eyes, huffing out a breath in exasperation as he shook his head "Not at two thirty in the morning." His expression turned wry, lips quirking upward in a half smile that made Gibbs' heart beat a bit faster. "It's been my experience that conversations which take place after midnight and before sunrise usually call for something a bit stronger." He nodded toward the living room. "Go sit down and I'll bring you something that'll warm you up better than coffee." Gibbs nodded. A little liquid courage might not be a bad idea. As the younger man turned away, Gibbs wanted to reach out and touch the smooth expanse of tempting skin but forcibly restrained himself knowing it would not be well received. Blue eyes hungrily devoured the broad shoulders that tapered to a narrow, lean waist, the nice, tight ass. He shook himself and headed for the living room. They needed to talk first. Then maybe, just maybe he'd be allowed to touch again, maybe be touched in return by those incredibly talented fingers, that intoxicating mouth. Gibbs noticed the gas fireplace was burning. It added both light and warmth to the room. He glanced around, surprised to find the room tidy. Tony freely admitted he wasn't much of a housekeeper and it usually showed, but the room looked positively orderly. Gibbs wondered if that signified anything. He stepped closer to the fire, holding his hands out to it, still eyeing the room. All the magazines were gone from the coffee table, no clothes lying about, books neatly standing on the shelves. The colorful afghan that graced the back of the couch hadn't been their before. He hadn't been to Tony's place often enough to know whether it was new or something the younger man had owned for awhile. Gibbs turned to face Tony as the younger man stepped into the room. Gibbs was torn between being disappointed and relieved when he noticed the former cop had taken time to slip on a long-sleeved t-shirt. He opted for relieved; talking to a half naked Tony would simply have been too distracting. He consciously forced himself to ignore how Tony's eyes seemed to reflect the forest green shade of his shirt, how the color highlighted complexion. Tony carried a decanter in one hand and two shot glasses in the other. He held up the decanter with a quick smile. "This should warm you up." Gibbs watched as Tony poured two shots, taking the one he was offered. He mimicked Tony's raised salute and watched as the younger man downed his drink in one smooth gulp. He followed suit. The flavor was an odd combination of bittersweet and slightly spicy that he'd never tasted before. It scalded his throat as he swallowed and left him gasping for air, eyes watering as he tried to recover. "What...the...hell is...that?" "Elderberry brandy." Tony smirked, apparently unfazed the drink. "Takes a little getting used to, but it will warm you right down to your toes." "Never...heard...of it." Gibbs coughed to clear his throat. Tony wasn't lying about it warming him up. The room already felt several degrees warm than it had a few seconds ago. Tony shrugged. "Can't buy it any stores that I know of." "Where'd you get it?" "Friend of mine makes it." Tony casually plucked the glass from Gibbs' hand, refilling it and offering it to him again. Gibbs took it more from habit than anything else, not sure if he wanted to try it again. Bourbon had a bite of its own, but it was an acquired taste, this was definitely something else. Tony refilled his own glass before taking a seat in the recliner, setting the decanter down on the end table and turning on the light. It added a soft glow to the room. "I helped pick the berries when I was twelve." He smiled fondly at his glass. "It's aged rather nicely." Gibbs blinked absorbing that bit of information. Somehow he couldn't picture Tony out picking berries. But then he really couldn't picture him as a twelve year old either, although he was sure Kate would have said Tony probably wasn't much different then than he was now. "You had something you wanted to say?" Tony prompted after several minutes of silence. "I was wrong." Gibbs blurted out, still standing, unsure of whether or not he should sit, feeling more comfortable on his feet. Tony frowned. "About what?" "Us." That earned him an eye roll and a snort. "There was a you. And there was a me." Tony shook his head. "I think an 'us' would have entailed a bit more than just fucking." Calm green eyes held his easily, his tone of voice making it jus a recitation of facts. "There was no us." Gibbs bit his lower lip. He was beginning to dislike this aspect of Tony that was able to cut to the heart of the matter so quickly and easily. He also was beginning to hate that whenever Tony got neat and concise he was usually right. "What if I said I wanted there to be an us?" Gibbs tossed out hesitantly, warily sipping the drink he still held. It didn't bite quite so sharply this time around. "I'm flattered, but if all you're offering is the same dance to a different tune'I'll pass." Tony lips curled in a dismissive smirk, eyes darkening with shadows that could only be pain. "Told you before...Find someone else to scratch your itch." "No." Gibbs ground out hoarsely. He didn't want anyone else. "No?" Tony raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean no?" "New dance. New tune." Gibbs stepped closer, desperately seeking to find a way to get through the more than physical distance that had separated them ever since Tony had gotten that call. "No rules this time...I want to be more than," he winced, "than fuck buddies." He hated that characterization but there was no denying the accuracy of it. "I want a real relationship." "And you want that with me?" The blatant disbelief in Tony's voice nearly made Gibbs flinch. "Yes." He needed the younger man to believe him. "I want that with you." Tony's expression turned thoughtful and then calculating as he eyed Gibbs. The former Marine tried not show how disconcerting he found that steady, measuring gaze or the fact that he couldn't read Tony's expression. He wanted to pace, to move, but wasn't sure how Tony would take that so he held himself still and waited. Nodding to himself, Tony downed his drink, setting the glass on the table near the decanter. "Prove it." "What?" Gibbs blinked, not understanding. "You want a second chance...a chance for there to be more between us than just bumping boots. Fine. Prove it." Tony's chin came up, challenge clear. "How?" Gibbs waved one hand in a helpless gesture. "This isn't that hard, Gibbs." Tony smiled, clearly amused by his predicament. "Most couples do it in order to become a couple." Gibbs felt himself flush, embarrassed that he hadn't caught on sooner. In his defense, none of the male lovers he'd had ever wanted more from him than a one night stand, maybe two, and he'd never wanted more from them. "You want me to wine and dine you?" Tony shrugged. "You want a relationship...the kind they tell me is built to last, one not based just on physical attraction then don't you think we ought to get to know one another." "We do know each other." "If that were true, we wouldn't be having this conversation." Gibbs sighed and hung his head. "Have I told you how much I hate it when you're right?" "No." Tony laughed, a delighted sound of genuine amusement. It warmed Gibbs more than the brandy had. "I hope to hear you say that a lot. Will do wonders for my ego." Gibbs rubbed a hand over his face, stifling his own laughter. Only Tony could have him waffling between emotions so quickly. "Now what?" "Dinner?" Tony smiled rising easily to his feet in one smooth motion. "Maybe a pickup game of basketball? A trip to see the monuments? Wander through the Smithsonian? How do you normally get to know someone you're interested in?" "You'd go to the Smithsonian?" Tony shrugged one shoulder elegantly. "Been there a number of times. Still haven't seen it all." "What about-" "Sex?" Tony arched an eyebrow uncannily following Gibbs' thoughts the way he always seemed to. "I'll decided when, or if, we can start doing that again." "No sex until you say so." He agreed. Gibbs was savvy enough to realize that if he really meant what he said about this being a new dance with new music then this time Tony would be leading, it would be on Tony's terms or not at all. As much as he preferred to be the one in control, having Tony call it off between them made him realize how little control he'd ever really had in the first place. "Good." Tony nodded. "Now that we've got that settled, I'm going back to bed." He yawned and stretched reminding Gibbs of a large cat. He'd forgotten how appealing Tony's languid movements could be. It often made him wonder what walking up with him would be like. Maybe he'd get the chance to find out. "Don't imagine the roads were all that pleasant when you got here, and I'm sure they aren't any better now with the temperatures dropping." Tony shook his head, giving Gibbs a bemused look. "Never thought driving on an ice rink was all that much fun, unless of course you were doing donuts with someone else's car." Gibbs had no trouble picturing Tony doing that. Tony made a gesture toward the couch. "If you want to spend the night or rather what's left of the morning, my couch is pretty damn comfortable, and you're welcome to it." The offer was casual, like it didn't make a difference to Tony one way or the other. But Gibbs couldn't shake the feeling this was a test of some kind. He felt like a cartoon character with a light bulb over its head as he realized what was really being offered. Tony was testing his ability to let the younger man set the rules; he could take was what was freely offered and not demand any more, or he could leave. "The couch will be fine." "Okay." Tony gave him one of those rare warm smiles. "I'll get you a pillow, a blanket or two, and see if I can find something that'll fit you to sleep in." Gibbs felt a surge of elation knowing that for once in his life he'd made the right choice. It didn't really matter that the first time he'd be sleeping at Tony's place was on the couch. He got a second chance and he wasn't going to waste it. One step at a time he reminded himself. One step at a time. ********************************* Tony DiNozzo woke at his usual time, ten minutes before the alarm clock would sound. Some natural internal rhythm invariably brought him out of a sound sleep in advance of the artificial, annoying buzz of the alarm. It was an ingrained habit he no longer gave much thought to. He considered just getting rid of the clock. But he didn't have enough faith in himself to trust that he didn't need it once in awhile. Long days sometimes had him going to bed later than usual or truly exhausting cases occasionally messed up his internal clock. And then there were the unexpected early morning arrivals of his boss on his doorstep. Now that could definitely skew one's sense of time. Tony snickered, turning off the unnecessary alarm as he rolled out of bed. Trust Gibbs to need to talk when it was least convenient for anyone else. Ah well. Given how well things had gone Tony really had no complaints. It was worth the rude awakening. More than worth it. Tony had expected to be unable to go back to sleep, figured he'd lie awake thinking, but he'd dropped off as soon as he lay down. The brandy probably had something to do with that. Elderberry brandy had always worked better than any sedative. It was one of the reasons he made sure he always had a bottle?.that and he genuinely enjoyed drinking it now and again. The fragrance and flavor always brought to mind good memories and happy times. Having two shots of it certainly made it easier to forget that his boss, and former-could-be-again lover was sleeping on his couch. Tony stretched, shaking his head. Hell those two shots were probably the reason he offered in the first place. That the older man had passed the first test was definitely a good sign, but Tony harbored no illusions. He wouldn't be surprised if the cold light of day had Gibbs rethinking his earlier actions. Tony would definitely be disappointed, but not surprised. Decisions made under duress or out of desperation usually weren't regarded as binding by those who made them. And he figured some severe desperation was likely the only reason Gibbs would have driven through freezing rain at two in the morning. Tony honestly couldn't see Gibbs as being that damn desperate. He was a good looking man. Sexy as hell. If all he wanted was to get laid, Tony couldn't imagine that he had any lack of willing partners. Maybe it wasn't desperation that had him showing up at the younger man's doorstep. With practiced ease he slapped down the surge of hope that thought engendered. He'd been proven wrong often enough in the past. Even if Gibbs hadn't meant what he said or reneged on his offer, Tony knew he meant what he said. If Gibbs was willing to make the effort, the younger man was willing to meet him half way. And this time he'd be the one to set the ground rules. Tony mentally double checked his resolve and was still comfortable with his decision. It was the first time in his life when he was genuinely interested in more than just a good time. He wanted something stable, needed to find something and someone he could count on. Contrary to what Kate thought, he hadn't chased every woman that moved. Flirted with all yes, but actively try to sleep with all of them, no. He had been selective, chasing only those that were interested in the same thing he was. Not every woman was looking for Mr. Right, a lot of them were more than happy to settle for Mr. Right Now. Tony wondered if Kate realized just how liberated many of her sisters were. They could be just as horny and hound like as any man. They were just as happy to settle for a roll in the hay as he was. He did the same thing with men, albeit a bit more clandestinely. Tony had done his share of experimenting at a young age and learned early on the valor of discretion. He hadn't interested in anything more than a good time and made certain neither were any of his partners. It wasn't until he met Gibbs that he really entertained the idea of trying to grasp the brass ring, to have a meaningful relationship. But Gibbs had clearly outlined that he didn't want and wouldn't allow any more, so Tony resigned himself to just taking what was offered. He figured he had time, could keep looking, take things at they came. Then Vinnie died, and the concept of mortality suddenly hit home. Vinnie and Emma had the sort of relationship most people dreamed of. He envied them that. Their whirlwind romance had culminated in a wedding less than six weeks after they'd met. No one thought they'd last, but they made ten years together and would have gone longer if Vinnie hadn't died. None of his pervious lovers would have stood by Tony as cancer ravaged him. He knew that. Not one of them had the staying power for going that kind of distance. For all the fun they'd had, not one of them missed him or would weep at his passing. They hadn't made any fundamental alterations in his life any more than he had in theirs. It was a sobering thought. Tony sighed. He made a mental note to call Emma after work and see how she was doing. He knew she'd planned to grow old with Vinnie. His dying young was tragic, but Tony knew neither of them would have done anything differently if they'd known ahead of time this was how it would work out. Ten years together was worth it. Tony slipped into a pair of running shorts and t-shirt. Ordinarily he ran outside in the mornings, but he kept a cross trainer machine in the spare bedroom for when the weather was ugly or just as an alternative workout when he didn't feel like running. In addition to the aerobic equipment, the spare bedroom also house a weight bench complete with a rack of free weights and heavy bag. Sometimes he just wasn't in the mood to do the gym scene and worked out at home instead. He briefly considered forgoing his usual morning routine since he had a house guest. A smirk appeared as he muttered "fuck it" to himself. He'd already made enough changes in his life to satisfy Gibbs. Tony nodded to himself as he picked up his headphones and started warming up. Gibbs being in his home was nothing more than a matter of convenience; a friend needing a safe place to stay for the night when the roads were bad. He wouldn't miss his work out for one of his college buddies no reason to do it for Gibbs either. Half an hour and five miles later, Tony hit the shower letting the warm water ease any left over muscle tension. He shaved before heading back into his bedroom to get dressed. He cued the radio to hear the weather report as he considered his wardrobe. Tony grinned at the list of school closings. It wasn't unexpected. Four inches of snow on top of sheets of ice left from the preceding freezing rain made the roads hazardous. And the weatherman was calling for the snow to continue falling most of the day. It would be a great day to stay at home and play. He sighed, resigned to having to go to work. He already knew he'd be taking the Jeep. Four-wheel drive was definitely going to be a plus today. Tony pulled out a pair of black jeans, turtle neck and a v-necked sweater. It was bit more casual than the dress code stipulated but there was no point in being in a suit today. If they got called out on a case, he wanted to be warm. And since the parking lot at the office wasn't covered, he wanted to be dressed to dig out his vehicle. He faced himself in the mirror and took a deep breath. No point in delaying the inevitable any longer. "Time to face the music." Tony headed for the kitchen not surprised to see Gibbs seated at the table cup of coffee already in hand. The coffee maker would have started the same time as his alarm was set to go off. That ensured him a fresh cup when he was ready for it. "Morning, Gibbs." "Morning, Tony." Tony poured a cup for himself, breathing in the aroma of his favorite blend. He was surprised that Gibbs even bothered with it since it was no where near as strong as the former marine preferred. But given Gibbs' addiction to caffeine he probably couldn't go without. Tony figured he'd stop somewhere on the way to the office and get the sludge he normally drank. Would likely stop for a fresh change of clothes as well. The older man looked comfortable in his kitchen. But then he'd never really seen Gibbs look uncomfortable. It would certainly be a novel experience. "You want something to eat?" Tony asked as he added sugar to his coffee. "You have more than Captain Crunch?" Gibbs smiled slightly, amusement readily visible in clear blue eyes. "Can't see myself eating that for breakfast." Tony shrugged one shoulder. He liked cereal. He wasn't going to apologize or make excuses for it. "Got bagels and cream cheese if that's more your speed." "That'll do." Tony opened the fridge. He tossed the bag of bagels lightly to Gibbs pointing toward the toaster with his chin. He set the cream cheese the counter before grabbing the milk. He pulled his usual cereal bowl from the dish rack in the sink, dumping in a healthy portion of Captain Crunch. Gibbs leaned against the counter watching him. "What?" "Can't believe you eat a kid's cereal." Tony finished the bit he'd taken before answering. "You think I should eat raisin bran, maybe? Or shredded wheat?" Tony waggled his eyebrows, quirky sense of humor coming to the fore as it usually did. "Worried about my regularity, Gibbs?" Gibbs chuckled. It was a sound Tony wouldn't mind hearing more of. He wouldn't mind if Gibbs smiled more either. The man had a beautiful smile. "Thought you'd have outgrown the sugared stuff by now." "Didn't get to eat this stuff as a kid." Tony shrugged as he resumed eating. "Your mother probably didn't want you any more hyper than you are naturally." Tony didn't bother to comment. He wasn't sure he wanted Gibbs to know how little he actually saw of his mother as a child. It was better to just let him assume. Saying nothing usually worked better than any lie he could come up with anyway. He found it amusing how often people mistook silence for agreement. Gibbs sipped his coffee. "Can I ask you something?" "I think you just did." Tony smirked. "But feel free to ask something else if you want." Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Why does your record list you as being fluent in Spanish but not French or Finnish?" Tony grinned. "Because Spanish is the only one they asked about." Truth was they had never really asked him. The interviewer who filled out the forms was Puerto Rican. He'd come in grumbling in Spanish and Tony had simply responded in the same language resulting in the entire interview being conducted in Spanish. The staff in his father's house, including his nanny, was made up of Cuban refugees so Tony had a firm grasp of conversational Spanish almost from the time he learned to walk. Gibbs shot him a dirty look. "And you didn't feel the need to offer up the fact that you are fluent in the others?" "Not really fluent in French." Tony argued. "You seem to speak it well enough." Tony made a wry face. "Still have a heavy American accent. No one would ever mistake me for a native." Emma liked to tease him about it. His accent had gotten better through conversing with her but it was still far from perfect. "And you think that makes a difference?" "Hell yes." Tony snorted. "Fluent is more than just being able to speak the language, Gibbs." His father hammered that point home more than once, disappointed that he never seemed to do better than a C in French in school. He simply couldn't pass the written exams even though he mastered the oral aspect easily enough. Gibbs raised an eyebrow, but didn't argue the point. "So you don't consider yourself fluent in Finnish then either?" "Nah." Tony grinned. "I'm fluent in Finnish." "No American accent for that one?" Gibbs asked dryly. "Nope." Tony laughed lightly. "Speak that one like a native, but then cultural emersion tends to do that." Gibbs stared at him. "Cultural emersion?" "Spent eighteen months living in Finland. Still go back to visit once a year." Gibbs jaw dropped. "You lived in Finland?" "Yep." Tony was delighted with Gibbs' stunned expression. It wasn't often that he managed to shock the older man. "When?" "When what?" Tony schooled his features to his most innocent expression. "Tony." He liked the way Gibbs growled when he said his name like that. It was one of the reasons he regularly did things to annoy him. Experience let him know not to push too far. Most of the time. "Foreign exchange in high school. Sophomore year and half my Junior." Gibbs nodded, a small frown appearing between his brows. "Why not the Bahamas or the south of France with all its nude beaches?" "Was the only spot left." Tony shrugged. He shouldn't have gotten a spot at all. Foreign exchange was typically reserved for the real academics like Vinnie, and Tony never considered himself that smart. But his best friend was going, so he applied not wanting to be left behind if he could help it. The principal had a soft spot for him?either that or he was just damn glad to have a valid excuse to get rid of him. The reason didn't matter to Tony. All that mattered was he got to go. He smiled fondly as he remembered that time in his life, eyes drifting to focus out the window watching the snow fall. "Was only supposed to be for a year, but I talked them into letting me stay another six months." It hadn't taken as much to convince the school as it had to convince Vinnie but it had been worth it. He didn't learn anything more in the way of academic, but Tony thought the life experience counted for a lot more in the long run. "You really liked it there?" Gibbs sounded genuinely interested. "Got to see the midnight sun and the aurora borealis." It was a first time experience he'd never forget. And even though the same things could be seen in the U.S. he preferred to relive the initial experience when ever he could. It was one of the reasons he kept going back. That and Daniel. Next to Vinnie, Daniel was his best friend. "Learned to ski cross country while I was there." Tony found he actually preferred cross-country to down hill. The quiet just seemed to seep into his bones, centering him like nothing else ever had. It wasn't something he'd care to do all the time, but it definitely had an appeal. "Hell, I even got to herd Reindeer." Tony waggled his eyebrows, a little boy grin unknowingly surfacing as he made eye contact with the former Marine. Learning how to operate a dog sled was also a blast, but he figured he'd already given his boss enough details. "Had a ball there Gibbs." "So why didn't you include it on the list of languages you speak?" "I seriously doubt we're ever going to go to war with Finland." Tony grinned. "Or suddenly find ourselves inundated with so many immigrants from there to warrant needing an interpreter." He downed what remained of his coffee. "Speaking Finnish isn't exactly a skill anyone is going to deem useful." The look on Gibbs face told him the older man had something to say about that. He doubted it was going to be anything he wanted to hear. They'd spent enough time playing twenty questions. It was nice of Gibbs to finally be taking an interest in him on a personal level, but it also made him a bit uncomfortable. He could count on one hand the number of times anyone he worked with, or even slept with, had taken any real interest in getting to know him. "Better finish your breakfast or we're going to be late." Tony carried his bowl and cup to the sink and rinsed them out, leaving them to wash later. "Way the roads are likely to be, a little extra time is definitely in order." He looked over his shoulder at Gibbs. "I got a spare toothbrush in the medicine closet in the guest bathroom if you want to borrow it." Tony headed for the master bath. He needed to brush his own teeth. He wasn't going to bother styling his hair. Wearing a hat pretty much ruined it anyway. "Tony?" "Yeah?" He stopped in the door way, turning back to look at Gibbs. "About last night---" Tony waited. He ran the odds in his heads as to what was coming next, bracing himself to be disappointed, and nearly choked when it wasn't what he expected. "Thanks." "You're welcome." "I meant for everything." "I know." Tony ducked his head and smiled. Having gotten so few second chances in his own life, he knew the value of them better than most. He wasn't just giving Gibbs a second chance here, but himself as well. "Are you...ah...would you," Gibbs shook his head and cleared his throat. "I'd like to take you to dinner. That is if...you're free Friday night?" "I'm free Friday." Tony nodded. "And I would like to go to dinner with you." Gibbs smiled and looked relieved, tension easing in the set of his shoulders. Tony blinked, surprised to realize his boss had actually been nervous, might have even been worried that he'd turn him down. Wonders never cease, he thought to himself. "You wanna ride in with me?" Tony offered. "Jeep's got four-wheel drive and is in the garage so we won't have to dig it out like we would your car." "I have to swing by my place-" "I figured." Tony grinned. "Rumpled might be a good look for you, but it doesn't really go over well at the office." His grin widened when he could just make out a bit of color rising across Gibb's cheekbones. Whether it was because of the offhanded compliment or the observation of the state of Gibbs' attire he couldn't say for sure. "And I'm sure we'll need to pick up so road tar type coffee for you too." "I could do with a cup." Tony snickered. Master of the understatement there. "I'm leaving in five." "I'll be ready." ****************************************** Gibbs spent the better part of two days trying to decide where exactly he should take Tony on their date. He didn't want anything formal. That just seemed too stilted for a first date and he didn't much care for having to wear a suit and tie in his off hours. Too casual would make it seem more like a night out with one of the guys and not something special for the two of them. He finally hit on one of his favorite places to eat, O'Malley's. It was a nice, sit down restaurant with a well stocked bar. O'Malley's was sufficiently quiet to allow for conversation, but not so intimate as to imply an overly romantic ?established couple' type place. He considered it a bonus that O'Malley's was only a few blocks off Dupont Circle. Close enough to the heart of the gay scene in Washington, D.C. so two men dining together wouldn't attract undo attention. And far enough removed that anyone seeing them there wouldn't immediately assume they were a couple. NCIS might not be officially part of the military establishment, but it was close enough that Gibbs was still wary of flaunting being involved with a man. Discretion was the better part of valor after all. Tony being a member of his team made him doubly wary. This was his second chance, likely to be his last chance to get it right with the younger man, he didn't want to mess that up by having someone in the upper echelon notice he was dating one of his own people. Even if the establishment was willing to turn a blind eye to a gay relationship, they would definitely have something to say about him sleeping with a subordinate. Gibbs shook his head. Not that they were sleeping together. At least not now. He hoped that would change in the near future. He'd never realized just how far beneath his skin Tony had gotten. Gibbs felt like some sort of addict going through withdrawal. He hungered for chance to touch and be touched, to hear that little gasping sigh Tony made just before he came, to be able to breath in his scent. He was desperate for an honest to god smile, to hear Tony call him 'boss' outside of work and have it sound teasing and inviting. For the first time in his life he genuinely hoped they wouldn't get a case. That they didn't get into something that would cause him to have to postpone his date with Tony. Gibbs hated that he nearly flinched every time the phone rang. He felt like a nervous school boy by the time Friday finally rolled around. Gibbs worried that Tony might have changed is mind when the younger man looked up from the file he'd been reading and signaled silently to him he needed to talk to him. The former marine kept his expression neutral through dint of long practice as he got up and headed for the break room. He took a coffee mug with him knowing no one would question his getting yet another cup of coffee even though what they had in the break room was far from strong enough to suit him. Tony strolled in a few seconds later, casually pulling a bottle of water from the small fridge before leaning against the counter. He opened the bottle taking a sip, smiling slightly at Gibbs. Gibbs felt his breath catch at that genuine smile being directed at him. It was the first one he'd gotten since the morning Tony offered to give him a lift to work after he's spent the night on Tony's couch. "What time you picking me up?" "Would seven thirty work for you?" Gibbs tried not to show how important the answer was to him, pouring coffee in his cup, trying not to look at Tony. "Sure." Tony took another sip. Blue eyes couldn't resist watching the younger man's throat work, a vivid memory of another time and place made the room suddenly seem much too warm. "We doing casual or something fancy?" "Does it matter?" Gibbs asked just to prolong the conversation. "Gotta know what to wear." Tony grinned, green eyes sparkling, leading Gibbs to conclude the other man knew exactly what he was doing and why. "Wouldn't want you to be embarrassed to be seen with me." Although the tone was lighthearted, Gibbs could sense an underlying seriousness to it. Had Tony suspected at one point that he was ashamed of him? He berated himself for being an idiot. Of course Tony thought he was ashamed of being seen with him. He'd always made keeping everything a secret a priority and never bothered to explain why. "I've never been ashamed to be seen with you, DiNozzo." Gibbs stated firmly, making eye contact and holding it. "Never. You understand me?" Tony blinked, a small furrow in his brow forming before quickly disappearing leaving his expression carefully disinterested. "If you say so, boss." Gibbs ground his teeth. Tony was just humoring him. Words were cheap; he knew that better than most people. Only thing he could really do was show him. And it would take time to undo the damage he'd unthinkingly caused. "Casual dress." Gibbs said quietly. "I thought O'Malley's-" "Been there. Nice place." Tony nodded. "Owner stocks some very nice scotch." Gibbs couldn't decide if he should be relieved Tony knew the place and liked it, or worried that he hadn't picked somewhere the younger man had never been. Tony patted his arm as he moved away, the brief contact made Gibbs skin tingle. "Good choice, boss." Gibbs bit his lip to keep from grinning. He waited another few seconds, sipping his weak as well water coffee before he headed back to his desk. Only another hour and they could wrap up this day and get onto better things. He'd never been a clock watcher before, and made a studious effort not to start doing it now. Gibbs forced himself to focus on the reports in front of him. He still had a job to do. Glancing up at the clock he was pleased to see half an hour had passed. He checked his staff out of habit. Kate looked to be diligently working but a closer look at her computer screen confirmed she was actually browsing through an online catalog. Any other day he might reprimand her for goofing off, but today he was willing to let it slide. McGee seemed to be honestly working, frowning hard at his computer screen and cross checking something with the manual he had on his desk. It was bound to be something Gibbs was sure he didn't want to know anything about it. Technology had never been an area of interest for him, and never would be. He looked across the aisle to check on Tony, not surprised to find green eyes meeting his. "You finish that report, DiNozzo?" Tony held up a file. "I's dotted. T's crossed." Gibbs nodded. He sighed softly and gave into the inevitable. "Since we don't have a new case, and nothing immediately pressing-" "We get to leave early?" Tony interjected, a quick little boy grin flickering for a moment. Gibbs forced himself to look exasperated. "Yes." "Sweet." Tony was already up and moving, grabbing his jacket from the back of his chair. "Hot date, Tony?" Kate arched an eyebrow. "Yep." Tony flashed her a smile and a wink. Gibbs expected him to say more, to give her some tantalizing, erroneous details, but Tony didn't say anything else as he shrugged into his jacket and pulled on his gloves. The snow from earlier in the week had melted but it was still chilly outside. "Some new woman?" Kate quizzed idly, shutting down her computer for the weekend. She snorted delicately. "Must not have gotten to first base with this one yet since you haven't said much about her." "Could have sworn you told me not to bore you with details of my private life." Tony challenged, looking just a bit smug. "What's the matter, Todd? No social life of your own?" She glared at him. "Not everyone feels the need to change partners like they change their socks, DiNozzo." "That would be a no then." Tony snickered. He nodded toward McGee. "Have fun this weekend, McGee." McGee smiled. "Plan to." "You still have the directions I gave you?" "Yes." McGee rolled his eyes. "And even if I didn't, Abby's got them memorized." "Directions?" Kate asked before Gibbs could. "Abby has tickets to a concert in Baltimore." McGee almost bounced in excitement. When he caught sight of Gibbs staring at him, he abruptly stilled, clearing his throat nervously. "She's been looking forward to going for the last three weeks." "Don't forget Momma Z's." Tony instructed. "Momma Z's?" Gibbs couldn't resist asking, curious as to who or what that was. "Best cheesecake on the East coast." Tony stated with a dreamy expression. "Used to go there all the time." Gibbs made a mental note. Baltimore wasn't that far away. Given his track record he'd likely be apologizing to Tony at some point for doing something stupid and insensitive. Wouldn't hurt to have the right bribe gift to bring when he needed to make good. "Go on and get out of here." Gibbs ordered, pleased to see them all hustle toward the elevator. He couldn't leave until they did, and he needed to get home and get ready for his date. "Night, Boss." Tony tossed off a sloppy salute as he headed for the elevator. He envied the younger man's ability to be so casual about it. He had to give him credit. No one would ever suspect they were involved or had plans for tonight from Tony's behavior. But then, Tony had managed to hide a bisexual nature for years. There was nothing in his personnel file, and none of his previous coworkers thought of him as anything but a ladies man. McGee just nodded nervously in Gibbs' general direction. Gibbs hoped at some point the kid would get over being afraid of his own shadow. He liked him and considered McGee a good addition to the team. One of these days he'd have to say as much. Kate smiled at him. "Don't work too late, Gibbs." He nodded and made a shooing motion. He felt a flash of pride. A trained profiler had no idea he wasn't more than a workaholic, that he had interests outside of work, that despite three wives he had more than a passing interest in members of the same sex. He cut ten minutes off his personal best getting home. He was fairly certain the other drivers on the road didn't appreciate his speeding, but he didn't care. A quick shower and a shave left him staring at his closet wondering what the hell he should wear. Gibbs grimaced. He hadn't worried about his wardrobe in years. As long as it fit and wasn't worn through he really didn't care. He shook his head. "Fuck it." He grabbed the only silk shirt he owned, a royal blue one his third wife had bought him. A pair of dark slacks she'd always said made his ass look great. He checked his reflection in the mirror. Not bad. Looked good. Not too dressy, not too casual. He snorted unable to believe himself. "You are not some teenager on your first date, Marine." He pointed at his reflection. "You can do this." Taking his little pep talk to heart, he checked his watch. He didn't want to be late. He forced himself to actually drive sedately to Tony's apartment. He didn't think showing up too early would be any better than too late. He parked the car and took a deep breath, waiting a few minutes so that he wasn't at Tony's door at exactly seven thirty. He jogged up the steps to Tony's place. He took another deep breath to calm his nerves wondering why when he'd been so intimate with Tony he should be anxious about just going out to dinner. A little internal voice that sounded a lot like Kate pointed out sleeping with Tony, forming no attachments, was a lot easier than trying to build something that would last. Just sleeping with him meant Gibbs didn't have anything to lose. Or at least he hadn't thought so until Tony called it quits. He rang the door bell before he could lose his nerve. Gibbs openly stared at Tony when the younger man opened the door. He was wearing a dark metallic green mock turtle neck made of some sort of stretchy fabric that showed off Tony's lean torso nicely. The texture looked very soft and Gibbs fingers itched to touch wondering if it would feel as nice as the skin beneath it. He cleared his throat. "You look good." Tony grinned silently accepting the compliment. The younger man appraised him appreciatively, lips pursing into a silent whistle. "So do you." Gibbs felt his face warm and hoped to hell he wasn't actually blushing. "Thanks." "Let me grab my jacket and I'll be ready to go." Tony stepped away from the door to grab a black leather jacket from a near by coat rack. Gibbs had to restrain himself from reaching out to pat the younger man's jean clad ass. He couldn't help thinking there ought to be a law against any man looking that good in black denim. Gibbs shook himself not wanting the younger man to catch him leering. Tony slid into his jacket with an easy grace that Gibbs admired. Given Tony's lanky build, all lean muscle and long bones, Gibbs was sure he had an awkward stage as a child. He smiled slightly thinking Tony must have been all knees and elbows when he was younger. "What?" Tony raised an eyebrow. "Nothing." Gibbs waved a hand. No way was he going to tell the younger man what he'd been thinking. "You ready?" "Sure." They headed for the car together. Gibbs was quietly pleased to note they walked in step. Not like marching, not quite, more like an unconscious coordination in their movements. O'Malley's was crowded but not overly so. Gibbs was grateful they didn't have to wait more than five minutes for a table. He wasn't quite claustrophobic but he hated being surrounded by people he didn't know. It made him uneasy. He followed Tony as they weaved their way through the restaurant toward a booth in the back. He unconsciously rested his hand on the small of Tony's back, unaccountably pleased the younger man didn't shrug him off. Tony lightly tossed his jacket on the seat before sliding in. Gibbs took the opposite seat, relieved to have the wall at his back. The waitress handed them each a menu with a cheerful smile. "Would either of you care for a drink before you order?" Tony favored her with a warm smile of his own that made the young woman blush. "I'll have a Guinness Stout, please." Gibbs arched an eyebrow. He'd have never pegged Tony as liking dark beer. "Guinness?" Tony shrugged. "I like it." "And for you, Sir?" The waitress nodded to Gibbs. He bit back his initial response at the 'sir'. "Whatever you have on tap is fine." "Very good." She smiled at both of them, eyes dropping shyly when Tony returned it. "I'll be back in a few minutes." Gibbs stared his menu, mind already made up on what he was order. He flicked a glance at Tony. "What are you having?" "Linquini in clam sauce." Tony nodded once. With the former cop's seemingly endless appetite Gibbs wasn't surprised he'd already made up his mind. "You?" "The stuff pork chop I think." "Good choice." Tony closed his menu. "Not that you can go wrong with anything they serve here." "You come here a lot?" Tony shrugged. "Used to." Gibbs didn't get a chance to ask more before their waitress was back with their drinks. She took their order and was gone again. Gibbs was rather impressed with her efficiency, and even more pleased that she didn't stay longer than necessary. "Can I ask you a personal question?" Tony asked when they were again alone, sipping his dark beer. "Whether or not you answer is up to you." "Okay." Gibbs smiled, knowing Tony had deliberately given him an out to coerce an answer. "Fire away." "I'm obviously not your first. Too much experience for you to have faked the stuff we did." Tony gave him a wicked little smile that made it hard for Gibbs to swallow. "So when did you know you played for both teams?" Gibbs pursed his lips. "About the time my first marriage fell apart." Tony winced. "Reason you got divorced?" "No. Not really." Gibbs sat back slightly, taking a sip of his beer. "We were way too young. Didn't know ourselves much less each other." He shrugged a bit, expression rueful. "Got married right out of high school. And I joined the Corps not long after." "Not a lot of time together." Tony observed. "Nope." Gibbs took another sip of his beer. "And when I did have time, I found I preferred to spend it with my buddies rather than my wife." "Ah." Tony nodded. "Not that it mattered much." Gibbs chuckled dryly. "She liked spending her time with my buddies too." "Ouch." Tony shook his head. "Yeah." "Not a smart woman cheating on you." Tony snorted. "Especially with your buddies." In hindsight it hadn't really been smart of either of them. It certainly wasn't a risk Gibbs would take now, but then he liked to think he had learned better control of his hormones. Although, he had a sneaking suspicion he really hadn't or he wouldn't be sitting there with Tony. Their waitress was back with their salads. Tony thanked her, making eye contact and once more making her blush. It wasn't the first time Gibbs had seen people reacting to Tony that way. More often than not it happened when he didn't seem to be trying. When left alone again, Gibbs figured turn about was fair play. "So?.when did you know you played for both teams?" "About the time puberty hit." Tony chuckled. "Kate may think I'm immature and juvenile, but when it comes to understanding the dynamics of human sexuality, I've always been way ahead of the curve." Gibbs chewed thoughtfully on a bit of salad. "Then when Kate made that crack about Voss-" Tony laughed lightly, a sound of honest amusement. "Couldn't very well tell her I'd kissed more men than she ever will." He snickered, eyes bright with merriment. "Would have been worth it to see the look on her face though." Tony sobered with a faint sigh, shaking his head. "Voss?that was disturbing not because she was a he." The former cop made a meaningless gesture with one hand clearly seeking the right words. "That whole experience was unnerving because as many times as I've been uncomfortable in my own skin, I never wanted to literally turn myself inside out. Haven't ever hated myself that much, you know? Never wanted to remake myself so completely that even I wouldn't recognize me." Gibbs nodded. He hadn't really thought about it, but readily understood what Tony was saying. "And there was the fact that I was kissing Pacci's killer." Tony grimaced. "That was...wrong on so many levels I couldn't possibly cover them all." Gibbs didn't have any argument for that, and didn't really want to agree because it smacked of rubbing salt into an open wound. He'd already reprimanded Tony for that little stunt. There was no reason to do it again. "More guys than Kate will ever kiss?" Gibbs made his tone teasing, even though the thought of Tony with another man made his gut tighten painfully. "Well, she is wrapped a little tight." Tony grinned, pointing at Gibbs with his fork. "Can't tell me you haven't thought so once or twice." He had thought it more than once. Kate was a good agent. He wouldn't have hired her otherwise, but she did tend to be more by the book than anyone else on his team. "You seem to be getting along better with McGee." Gibbs tossed out as he ate more of his salad. "Tim's okay." Not exactly a ringing endorsement. But then Tony didn't actually say that about very many people. He was friendly with nearly everyone making it easy to overlook that he wasn't actually friends with everyone. "He and Abby make a cute couple." Tony grinned. "Talk about opposites attracting." Gibbs chuckled. "No shit." He would never have put the two of them together. But then he hadn't managed a single successful relationship of his own so he wasn't really qualified to judge. Conversation flowed easily through the arrival of their meal and dessert and a night cap. Gibbs hadn't expected to find it so easy to talk to Tony. They jumped from coworkers and cases to sports and current events. He was honestly sorry to see it come to an end nearly two hours later. Since this was technically their first date, Gibbs was leery of pushing his luck. He forced himself to let Tony set the pace. When Tony did suggest anything more, Gibbs reluctantly drove them back to Tony's apartment. He couldn't stop himself from walking Tony to the door. It was a gesture he thought was safe enough and gave him just a little more time. "I had a good time tonight." Tony smiled warmly at him. "Me too." He held his breath when Tony reached out and cupped his face, leaning in close. The kiss, his first with Tony, began as just the briefest of touches. Soft, moist warmth, lightly made contact with his mouth so tantalizingly sweet like the taste of fresh peaches. He sighed, opening his mouth to encourage deeper contact. The kiss shifted from hesitant, an action bent on gauging intent to a more confident plundering of his mouth that left him weak in the knees. Gibbs moved to pull Tony closer to him when the younger man abruptly pulled back. The former marine's eyes snapped open, nearly growling in frustration, feeling suddenly bereft, already missing the taste and feel of Tony. Tony rubbed a knuckle lightly across his cheekbone, a surprisingly tender expression on his face. "I shouldn't have done that." He whispered. "Why?" Gibbs wondered if he sounded as stricken and confused as he felt. "Makes me seem like a tease to give you only a little and then pull away." Tony cupped is face again. "Makes me want a hell of a lot more." Gibbs turned his head enough to place a kiss in the palm of Tony's hand. "You can have more." "Not tonight." Tony countered firmly, a wry smile lifting the corners of his mouth. "Not on the first date." Tony abruptly stepped back, showing more resolve than Gibbs would have. "This is about a fresh start, remember? About being more than just fuck buddies." Gibbs took a shuddering breath and nodded. "Okay." He froze when Tony leaned in again. Instead of a kiss, this time Tony laid his cheek against Gibbs'. It was a surprisingly intimate gesture, almost more so than the kiss had been. "Thank you." Tony whispered before stepping back and unlocking the door to his apartment. Tony turned in the doorway. "There's?.ah?usually a pick up game at the Y every Sunday afternoon. Was planning to go if you want to-" "Yes." Gibbs grinned. "Would love to." "Sweet. I'll call you." Tony's eyes dropped shyly. "Good night, Boss." "Night, Tony." Gibbs waited until Tony had shut the door and he heard the lock engage before he nearly skipped down the stairs. Getting a kiss and a second date wasn't a bad way to end the evening. Not bad at all. ***************************************** Tony took a deep breath and then another, letting it out very slowly. Gibbs would be at his place any minute, and the last thing Tony wanted was to look overly anxious or concerned. Most people wouldn't think of a game of basketball at the YMCA as much of a second date, but then Tony figured nothing about his relationship with Gibbs really matched the norm anyway. Not that any of his relationships had been strictly normal, but a lot of them came a hell of a lot closer than what he had with Gibbs. He snickered thinking they'd pretty much done everything in reverse. They'd gotten to the mind blowing sex and the break up and then starting getting to know each other. He shook his head muttering to himself, "We are anything but ordinary." It might not be anything to be proud of, but it didn't necessarily strike Tony as a bad thing either. "Never wanted to be like everyone else anyway. No reason to start now." The doorbell rang making him jump slightly. Tony glanced at his watch not at all surprised that Gibbs was right on time. The younger man figured punctuality was something that the Marine Corps made a point of hard wiring into their members. He did a quick check of his appearance in the hall mirror. Sweatpants and a t-shirt weren't exactly sexy, but then the whole point wasn't to turn Gibbs on. He already knew he could do that. Hell he could do that with most people. Just garnering a physical response wasn't what he wanted or needed anymore. Didn't mean he still didn't want to look good. Or at the very least presentable. Gibbs might have said he'd never been embarrassed to be seen with Tony, but Tony knew better. Hell his own mother never wanted him around lest he do or say something that would embarrass her in front of her high society friends. He waited until the doorbell rang a second time, not wanting to appear overly anxious or too eager when he opened the door. Tony had suggested the game deliberately because it was low key, the sort of things guys did together without expecting more. He didn't want Gibbs to know just how important it was to him that they find some sort of common ground, something more meaningful than sex, to have something they could do together that made staying together worthwhile. Friday night had been wonderful, but Tony had spent most of Saturday worrying it was some sort of fluke or just dumb luck. He was afraid it would end up being something they might not be able to repeat ever again. Or that Gibbs had realized he didn't want anything more from Tony than sex and that this whole dating thing was nothing more than a waste of time. Shaking off his thoughts, Tony opened the door. "Hey, Gibbs." "Tony." Gibbs was in his usual work out gear; t-shirt, sweatshirt and sweatpants. Tony still thought it a shame that the older man wore so many layers. It wasn't like he had anything to be ashamed of. Gibbs was more solid and defined than guys half his age. Tony gave his boss a discrete once over. He was definitely going to have to rethink his definition of what constituted sexy clothes. But then, Gibbs would make a burlap sack look good so maybe it wasn't the clothes. "You ready?" Gibbs asked, snapping Tony out of his reverie. "Just gotta grab my coat and the ball." Tony pulled a lined denim jacket from the nearby coat rack and grabbed a basketball from a small cage full of balls in the closet. He had footballs, baseballs, tennis balls, even a soccer ball and a volley ball or two all piled into the same cage. "Quite a collection you got there." Gibbs observed a faint smile curling the edges of his mouth upward. Tony shrugged, trying to ignore the warm feeling that smile induced. "I was a phys ed major. Name a sport, I probably have some equipment for it." Gibbs arched an eyebrow. "Really?" "Yeah." "Hockey?" Gibbs folded his arms across his chest, challenge clear in both his tone and his stance. "Ice or field?" Tony shot back casually, forcefully suppressing a grin. He knew Gibbs would be unable to resist making him prove his statement. "Ice." Gibbs declared with confidence. "Got a stick and pair of skates in storage." Tony shook his head thinking about all the stuff he had put in storage rather than haul around with him every time he moved. "Got to clean that stuff out one of these days." He hadn't played hockey in years. But the stick had been a gift from Daniel right after the Finn taught him how to play. He hadn't been able to bring himself to get rid of it. Gibbs pursed his lips, hesitating a moment. Tony knew he was searching for something obscure. He didn't have to wait long to see what the older man would come up with. "How about Fencing?" Tony smiled, and just reached into the back of the closet. He pulled out a white padded jacket, holding it out for the older man to see. "Got an epee and a saber in storage right next to my hockey stick." Gibbs blinked. "You're serious." Tony couldn't resist giving Gibbs a sly smile and a wink, before nodding, delighted with having surprised him. He wasn't going to tell Gibbs that he'd taken fencing lessons because his mother had a passion for anything and everything French and she considered that sport as French as escargot. As a child he'd been very disappointed that the sport hadn't resembled Errol Flynn at all, completely lacking the whole swashbuckling antics and fancy maneuvers. But he'd stuck with it more because he liked the challenge of it than his mother's insistence. Gibbs' eyes narrowed. "Rugby?" "That one I never played." Tony shook his head. He winced remembering a few of the games he'd watched with his college buddies. "Always looked just a touch too damn dangerous. No padding, no helmets, no time outs. But, since they play with a ball more or less the same as football, pretty sure I can claim victory on that one too." Gibbs laughed lightly. "This is not a contest, DiNozzo." Tony arched an eyebrow. "Then why do you keep tossing out sports?" He was pleased to see a faint blush dusting Gibbs' cheeks. Figuring it was better not to push his luck, Tony shut the closet door, tucking the basketball under his arm. "We better get going." Gibbs nodded, heading out the door, waiting while Tony locked it. They strolled toward the car together. Tony wondered if Gibbs noticed that they were in step. It didn't mean anything, he reminded himself. It was nice, but it didn't mean anything. "So, how many guys usually show up to play?" Gibbs asked as he used the remote open feature to unlock his car. "Depends." Tony slide into the passenger seat, buckling his seat belt. "Can be just a handful to more than a dozen if Max's whole crew shows up." "Max's crew?" Gibbs started the car and pulled out into traffic with his usual casual disregard for other drivers. "Max is the coach at St. Andrews." Tony balanced the basketball in front of him, idly spinning it between his fingers. "School locks all the buildings up after hours and weekends to avoid the usual vandalism problems, so there's no place for the kids to play in the winter time except for the Y. Max worked out a deal with the Y to use their gym when the weather is too cold to play outside." Unlike Willy Shields, aka ?the little monster' from the case that had them protecting the Shields family from a terrorist bomber, Tony liked most of the teenagers that made up Max's team. And they liked him. Or at least they seemed to. Gibbs nodded. "How long have you been going there to play?" Tony actually had to think about that. He shrugged one shoulder. "Pretty much since I moved to the area, I guess." Whenever he wasn't busy working a case or out of town, he ended up spending Sunday afternoons just hanging out playing whatever ball game was in season. He made it down after work about once a week as well. It was about the only hobby he really had time for. "You're going to want to take a left at the next light." Tony directed, bracing himself for one of Gibbs' typical high speed turns. Riding with Gibbs was always an adventure. The YMCA was an older brick building that had seen better days. The community was not affluent enough to be able to afford to build a new facility, but Tony liked that they took pride in what they did have. The building was still solid, well-maintained and would serve them for a lot of years to come. Gibbs parked the car and they headed inside. Tony stopped at the front desk to sign in. The Sunday manager looked up from his newspaper and smiled at him. "Nice to see you, Tony." "You too, Al." Tony liked the older man a lot. Al was a retired engineer who liked helping out around the Y. He reminded Tony of one of his favorite college professors. "How's the missus enjoying playing grandma this week?" Tony asked. Al's wife made a trip to visit their grandchildren in North Carolina about every other month or so. Al was more of a home body who didn't like to travel. Tony figured anyone who managed to make a marriage that lasted longer than he'd been alive had to have mastered the art of give and take. "Loving every minute of it." Al grinned, looking at Tony over the top edges of his wire rimmed reading glasses. "And I like eating all the foods she won't let me have when she's home." The elderly man patted his slight stomach with obvious satisfaction. Tony chuckled, and then tilted his head to Gibbs. "Brought a guest with me today. That okay?" It was the first time Tony had ever brought anyone with him. "You're a member so you can bring somebody any time you like, Tony." Al held out his hand to Gibbs. "Alistair Snyder." Gibbs gave Al a warm handshake. "Jethro Gibbs." "Jethro?" Al's smile got wider as he shook his head. "Your parents must have had the same baby name book mine had." "Probably." Gibbs smiled, small laugh lines around his eyes appearing as he did so. "You can just call me Gibbs." "And you can call me Al." Al chuckled. "Everyone does." "Rest of the guys here?" Tony asked. Al nodded. "Got here a few minutes ago. Max has the boys doing warm up drills." Tony grinned. Max had been hired on eight years ago to coach wrestling and football coach, taking on basketball by default since there was no one else. The game wasn't really his forte, but the kids liked him and respected him a lot. Tony had worked with him to design a number of drills to improve the boys' skills and plays for them to work through. Max's team currently ranked second in their district and had a shot at going to the championship finals for the first time in the school's history. "I better get my butt in there then or they'll accuse me of being a slacker." "You?a slacker?" Al laughed. "Doubt that kid. If it wasn't for you, they wouldn't stand a chance at going to the finals." Tony waved a hand in a dismissive gesture. "That's Max's doing." "Right." Al snorted, disbelieve easy to read in his light brown eyes. "Bet Max wouldn't agree." "Sure he would." Tony grinned wolfishly. "After that lovely write up in the paper?how could he not?" Al gave him an appraising look. "You had something to do with that?didn't you?" "Don't know anything about it." Tony replied, innocent expression firmly in place. He'd made the initial call to the local paper knowing they were always looking for a good human interest story. And a small school with limited resources upsetting a much larger, wealthier rival was always good press. Tony had been out of town on a case when they finally sent a reporter by to interview Max and showcase St. Andrews. He'd also made damn sure he was unavailable for comment whenever the paper called, neatly insisting that Max was the one they needed to talk to before he hung up, not wanting to steal any of his friend's limelight. Tony always thought the whole point of doing an anonymous good deed was staying anonymous. Seeing how closely Gibbs was following this conversation, Tony figured it was best to cut it off. He wasn't ashamed of his involvement with the team, he just didn't really want to have to explain it. It didn't really fit the image he was sure most of his NCIS coworkers had of him. "Was nice talking to you Al, but if I'm going to get any play time in-" "Yeah, yeah." Al waved him off with a smile. He nodded to Gibbs. "Was nice meeting you Gibbs." "Nice meeting you too, Al." Gibbs waved as he walked with Tony into the gym. Tony briefly wondered if he should be worried about the thoughtful _expression on Gibbs' face. Knowing Gibbs, it was probably better just to wait for him to say whatever he was thinking. Tony smiled seeing that most of the team was present in the gym. Max had a good bunch of kids, more than half would graduate this year though. He would honestly be sorry to see them leave. "Tony!!" They all shouted his name as soon as he was spotted, making it echo around the gym. Tony rolled his eyes, not really sorry he'd introduced them all to ?Cheers', but he didn't want them to know that. He shucked his coat, tossing it carelessly on the bleachers with the others already piled there. "I'll be right with you guys." Tony called out. He liked warming up with the kids. The warm ups often got just as competitive as the game. Gibbs shrugged out of his own coat. He folded his with more care than Tony had shown, making sure to place it slightly away from the others. Tony didn't know if he was worried about losing it in the pile or if he just didn't like the idea of contributing to the chaos. He figured it was more likely the latter. Gibbs had a thing for order. "You don't have to do the drills if you don't want to." Gibbs frowned. "Why would I not want to?" Tony just shrugged. Even at his best he could never really predict exactly what Gibbs would do or not do. "Okay then. Let me introduce you to Max and well go join the fray." Max wasn't hard to spot. He was a few inches shorter than Tony, and roughly the same age. It was the clipboard and whistle readily set him apart from the teenagers, clearly marking him as being in charge. Max had the dark good looks that readily proclaimed his Hispanic heritage. Knowing the man was married with two little girls he adored, Tony never really gave the fact that Max was a very handsome man much thought beyond an honest appreciation of the esthetic appeal. Kate might not think so, but Tony respected the sanctity of marriage. He never considered someone he knew was attached as being even worth trying to do more than flirt with, if that. "Hey, Sanchez." He bounced the ball as he strode over, tossing it lightly to the coach. "DiNozzo." Max smiled, catch the ball easily, shaking his head. "I keep telling you, you don't have to bring anything." Tony shrugged. "Like to be prepared." The Y didn't always have equipment for the kids to play with. With so many children using the facility the equipment often showed wear and tear, not lasting nearly as long as it might otherwise. Tony often ?forgot' a number of balls that ended up in the lost and found and eventually became property of the Y. It was the real reason he had the collection that Gibbs had commented on earlier. "Brought a stray along today." Tony pointed his thumb over his shoulder to Gibbs, neatly changing the topic. "He play as well as you do?" Max asked as he lightly tossed the ball to one of the teenagers and called out the next drill exercise. It was a new one from last week that he and Tony had worked on together. "Don't know." Tony laughed, giving Gibbs a speculative look, as he slung an arm over Max's shoulder in a friendly half hug. "Never seen him play." "Only you, DiNozzo." Max chuckled, and lightly patted Tony's face, pulling him into a brief headlock before messing up his hair and letting him go. He held out a hand to Gibbs. "I'm Max Sanchez." "Jethro Gibbs." Gibbs shook Max's hand, but the smile wasn't the same one he gave Al. This one was tighter, less friendly. Tony's brow furrowed slightly. He couldn't see where Max had done anything to piss Gibbs off. But then he worked with the man for more than two years and was still not always sure precisely what would piss him off. He stepped away from Max, unconsciously putting space between himself and whoever Gibbs was about to explode on out of habit. If he hadn't spent so much time watching his boss over the past two years, he'd have missed the subtle relaxation of the older man's shoulders. Tony cast a quick look between Max and Gibbs, suddenly realizing his boss wasn't really pissed at Max, it was more like he was objecting in his usual way to having the handsome coach touching what he considered his. Tony blinked in surprise having forgotten how territorial the former marine could be. He clamped down on the surge of hope and happiness that realization inspired. That sense of ownership could just as easily be a inspired by the fact Tony worked for Gibbs, and not be a sign of something more. "You ready to get to work?" Max asked him oblivious to byplay. "S'why I'm here." Tony waggled his eyebrows, an eager smile appearing naturally. "Excellent." Max grinned. He outlined what drills he had lined up and what plays he wanted the team to work on. "You can bring Gibbs up to speed?" Tony made eye contact with the former marine. "I'm a quick study." Gibbs answered for himself. "Okay." Max nodded once, satisfied. "Let's get started then." He raised the whistle to his lips and halted the team, giving Tony and Gibbs a chance to join in as they started a new drill. The drills were mainly designed to focus on speed, endurance and coordination. He and Max has also worked out several that promoted team work as well, splitting the students up from their usual first and second strings so that they had to learn the strengths and weaknesses of everyone on the team, not just their usual squads. Tony liked that Max's coaching style placed a real emphasis on everyone getting to play, that it wasn't exclusively about winning. Tony wasn't at all surprised that Gibbs kept up and even challenged a lot of the better players. The former marine was no slouch. From the glint in his blue eyes it was obvious he was enjoying the competitive nature of it. Once the drills were finished they moved on to very spirited play. A few adults that had wandered in joining in as well. No one was excluded from participating. No one kept score, rather they played each basket separately, shuffling the teams each time someone scored. It made every basket seem like the winning point and gave everyone a chance to play. Tony and Gibbs ended up on the same team as often as not. They didn't get to talk much, but that wasn't the point of this date in Tony's mind. He wanted them have something to share that didn't involve the bedroom. This gave them a chance to just appreciate the natural grace and coordination of the older man. To challenge him physically in a way that didn't result in either of them ending up bloody and broken. It was a hell of a lot more fun than Tony had expected it to be. Two hours later, Tony sat on the bleachers, soaked with sweat, well and truly winded. He was pleased to note Gibbs was in a similar condition. His silver-gray hair dark with sweat gave Tony a good idea of what it must have looked like when Gibbs was younger. Tony smiled thinking the man looked even sexier now than he had earlier when showed up on Tony's doorstep. "What?" Gibbs asked, panting slightly as he took a drink of water. "Just real glad you came today." Gibbs smiled, eyes warming. "So am I." Most of the kids had gathered up their things, calling out their good-bye's to Tony just as loud and boisterous as when they'd greeted him earlier. Tony was pleased he managed to surprise Gibbs yet again when he said his own good-bye's, naming each teenager easily and commenting on some specific aspect of the skills they needed to work on, clearly showing more than a passing familiarity with each one. Tony took a deep breath and stood easily, grabbing his jacket. "You ready to head out?" Gibbs nodded, getting to his feet a bit slower than Tony had, but not showing any signs of soreness or stiffness. "Yeah." "See you Wednesday, DiNozzo?" Max asked as he sauntered over, tossing Tony his ball. "Unless something comes up." Tony grinned, catching the ball. "Telling you, man, you got to get a job with regular hours." Max shook his head. "I could get you a steady gig if you wanted." He snapped his fingers. "Easy." Tony could almost feel Gibbs tense up next to him. "Told you no before, Sanchez." He smiled easily and shook his finger at Max. "I like what I do. Plan to keep doing it for a while yet." Max chuckled, and offered his hand to Tony. They exchanged a ritualized handshake that consisted of at least five different movements, both grinning. "You let me know if you change your mind, Amigo." "Will do." Max nodded. "Was nice to meet you, Gibbs. Feel free to come by and join in any time." "Thanks." Gibbs offered his hand to Max for a simple, traditional handshake. "I may just do that." They said good-bye to Al as they headed out. Tony knew he'd be locking the place up in another hour or so. The Y kept shorter hours on Sunday than during the week. Once in the car again, locking his seatbelt into place, Tony cleared his throat. "You?ah?wanna clean up at my place, maybe have a beer, order pizza?" Gibbs smiled. "Yeah. I'd like that." "Good." Tony released a breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding. He wouldn't mind extending this ?date' a little longer. And he was damn glad Gibbs didn't seem to mind either. ***************************************** Gibbs sighed, arms braced against the shower wall, head hanging as he let the hot water cascade over him. It felt wonderful. He wished his place had this kind of water pressure. If nothing else, Gibbs decided, he was going to invest in a massaging shower head. Gibbs reached for the shampoo he found conveniently sitting in the built in shower caddy. There was no label on the bottle to indicate brand or fragrance. He took an experimental whiff, surprised to find a tantalizing blend of what had to be sandalwood or maybe cedar, and a hint of lavender. It matched the bar of soap he'd used earlier. Shrugging, Gibbs quickly washed his hair. He made a mental note to ask Tony about what brand it was later. He wouldn't mind using that stuff everyday. The product was likely something Tony used himself, although it had to be a different fragrance. He'd always assumed it was the younger man's aftershave or cologne that had smelled so enticing, but now he wasn't so sure. What Tony used had a spicier scent and was more of a musk than what Gibbs had just found. Whatever the younger man used, it smelled wonderful, and Gibbs knew for a fact he wasn't the only one who thought so. He'd overheard several women at the office commenting more than once on just how good Tony smelled. One of them even said she liked the fragrance so much she went out of her way just to get close to Tony for a few minutes every day. At the time Gibbs had been somewhat amused by the comment, but now he grimaced at the memory. He didn't want any of them getting close to Tony, or any reason, no matter how innocuous. Tony was his?or rather he had been?would be again, if Gibbs had anything to say about it. Rinsing the last of the soap off, Gibbs turned off the water and grabbed one of the large fluffy towels hanging near by. He grinned when he realized it was a heated towel rack. Tony definitely liked creature comforts. He shook his head, bemused. Why Tony would bother to fully outfit the guest bathroom when the second bedroom was clearly not set up for anyone to spend the night was a mystery. Although, he knew first hand Tony's couch was not a bad place to spend the night. Gibbs had brought a change of clothes with him, hoping Tony would invite him back to his place to clean up, and maybe get something to eat. It had taken everything he had not to let it show just how relieved he was when Tony had asked. Gibbs didn't want too look insecure. Gibbs stretched, easing kinks and tightness he knew would transform itself into soreness tomorrow. He hadn't expected the game to be as much of a work out as it was. It felt good though. He smiled to himself as slid into an old pair of blue jeans. He wondered if Tony would be sore tomorrow too. The younger man never sat out a single play, always playing with a lot of energy and drive, as though every point mattered. Gibbs found himself compelled to match him, pushing himself just as hard. At least he wasn't alone there; the teenagers played just as aggressively as Tony had. Gibbs had been pleased to see them keep the game clean. For as physical as the play had been there was decidedly little unnecessary roughness; no elbow gouges, no shoving, no pushing, no cheap shots. There was no grandstanding either. Even though there were players who clearly excelled, were likely considered the stars of the team, no one hogged the ball, or denied anyone a chance to actively participate. It was an obvious tribute to the quality of their coach. Gibbs grimaced. Max was clearly a good guy, but he couldn't bring himself to like the man. He had wanted to smack Max for being able to so easily get close to Tony, for ruffling his hair with a casualness that made it obvious he'd done it more than once, for touching Tony at all. He kept reminding himself that it probably meant nothing, that Tony and Max were just friends, just like Tony and Al were friends. Except that Al was clearly old enough to be Tony's grandfather, and Max was around Tony's age and a damn good looking man. And Max had the gall to offer Tony a job! For just a second, Gibbs had feared Tony might have honestly considered the offer. Gibbs took a deep calming breath as he pulled on a U.S. Marine T-shirt and finger combed his wet hair into some semblance of order. Blue eyes stared back at him from the slightly foggy mirror. He squared his shoulders, unconsciously straightening his posture. "Don't go getting jealous, Gibbs." He pointed a finger at his reflection. "It just makes you do stupid shit. Worse yet, it makes you SAY stupid shit. That's what got you a golf club upside the head, remember." Gibbs nodded to himself and stuffed his sweaty work out clothes into the bag he brought in with him. He zipped the bag and pulled on a pair of socks to keep his feet warm before stepping out of the bathroom. He left the bag with his sneakers near the front door, and then sought out Tony. He found the younger man in the kitchen, dressed like Gibbs in a pair of faded jeans and a dark blue T-shirt. Tony offered him a coffee mug. "Not quite your usual, but I think you'll like this." "Thanks." Gibbs took a sip, eyebrows arching in surprise. "This is good." He took another sip enjoying the dark, heavy liquid and its faintly bitter aftertaste. "Dark French Roast." Tony shrugged one shoulder. "Don't much care for it myself, but figured you'd like it." "Why do you have it if you don't-" "Gift from my mother." Tony turned away to grab a mug of what looked like hot chocolate from the counter. Gibbs absorbed that little bit of information as well as the fleeting expression he'd seen just before the former cop turned away. He knew Tony's father had given him some sort of power tool for Christmas the younger man would likely never use. And his mother gave him coffee he wouldn't drink. He was beginning to get a picture of Tony's family, and it wasn't all that pretty. Tony nodded toward the living room and headed that way. He stopped to pick up the cordless phone from its cradle before sitting casually in the couch, feet braced against the coffee table, knees bent slightly has he rested his mug on one and the phone on the other. It was only then that Gibbs realized Tony was barefoot. He sipped his coffee again, sitting at the other end of the coach, not sure just how close he would be allowed to come. He figured it was better to be safe than sorry. He didn't want to ruin what they had going today by pushing too much. Gibbs found his eyes drawn to Tony's feet. He'd never really given feet much thought before, but Tony's were just like the rest of him; long, lean, and beautiful. Blue veins were readily visible beneath pale skin, delicate bone structure making them seem almost fragile. He wondered if the skin of Tony's feet would be as soft as his skin was everywhere else. "What do you want on your pizza?" Tony asked interrupting his thoughts. "Anything but vegetables." He never could figure out how people could actually like all that green stuff on their pizza. Tony snickered. "A fellow carnivore. Good." He hit the speed dial on the phone. Somehow Gibbs wasn't surprised to find the pizza place Tony preferred held the number one spot. He vaguely wondered if he had a speed dial position on Tony's phone. He listened to Tony place an order for a meat lovers, deep dish Chicago style pizza. Tony laughed as something being said by the person on the other end. He replied in what Gibbs guessed was Italian before hanging up. "You speak Italian too?" "Nah." Tony waved a hand. "Just enough to order dinner and tease Sal a bit." "Sal?" "He owns the place." Tony leaned forward to put the phone on the coffee table. "Pizza should be here in half an hour or so." Gibbs nodded, sipping his coffee. He glanced around the room, eyes narrowing as he spotted a slightly oversized chessboard set up on top of the bookshelf. Without thinking he found himself wondering over to it, curiosity getting the better of him. The chessboard was made out of what looked to be black and white onyx. The chessmen were exquisitely carved from the same stone, each piece a highly detailed work of art standing over four inches tall. "Vinnie got that when we went to Guadalajara one year during spring break." Gibbs hadn't even heard Tony get up and come to stand behind him. One long fingered, elegant hand reaching over his shoulder to lightly ghost over the white queen. "He had a hell of a time getting it in his carry on." Gibbs turned slightly so he could look at Tony, wanted to see the expression that went with the fond amusement he could hear in his tone. The younger man's lips curved upward in a bittersweet smile, green eyes the color of moss. He sighed softly and stepped away, leaving Gibbs feeling oddly bereft even though they hadn't touched or even really been all that close. "He?ah?he wanted me to have it when he died." "Do you play?" Gibbs asked quietly. "Not well." Tony shrugged, expression rueful. "Always enjoyed playing with this set though." In a moment of great daring, Gibbs couldn't stop himself from asking, "How about a game while we wait for the pizza?" Tony cocked his head to one side, studying Gibbs. For a moment Gibbs was afraid he'd overstepped his bounds. Tony nodded slowly. "Sure." Tony gently picked up the board, careful to keep it level and balanced as he moved it from the bookshelf to the coffee table. "You want black or white?" "Black." Tony nodded and surprised Gibbs by gracefully moving to sit on the floor rather than the couch. He sat in a cross-legged position with his bare feet tucked up under him, facing Gibbs across the table. Tony gave him a small smile. "Easier this way" Gibbs had to agree with that assessment. He made an inviting gesture, letting Tony make the first move. Finding his own skill at the game challenged by Tony's, Gibbs didn't agree with the younger man's assessment of his skill at the game. He might not consider himself a good player, or think each move far enough in advance but Tony was no slouch. After several minutes of silent moves and counter moves, Tony position a pawn to take one of Gibbs' knights, and then looked up to ask, "When did you learn to play chess, Boss?" Gibbs smiled, warmed by the use of the nickname somewhere other than the office. "My grandmother taught me how to play when I was little." "No kidding?" Tony grinned. "What was she like?" Gibbs pursed his lips, considering the question. "Martha Gibbs was?.maybe five foot tall if she stood on her toes. But she was tough as nails. My grandfather used to say she could go bear hunting with a switch." "Feisty." Tony grinned. "Quite." Gibbs chuckled slightly. That one word summed her up rather well. "She had red hair and temper to match." "Ah." Tony nodded sagely. "She the reason you got a thing for red heads?" Gibbs was about to deny that characterization when Tony pointed a finger at him. "You married three women, all red heads." The younger man shook his head, laughing lightly. "Can't tell me you don't have a thing for red-heads, Boss." "I had a thing for red-heads." Gibbs stated clearly, emphasizing the past tense. Blue eyes met green as he reached out to lightly brush a lock of soft, dark hair from Tony's forehead. "Think I'm developing a new thing for brunettes." Gibbs was captivated by the light blush that appeared, giving Tony's cheeks an attractive rosy hue. It had to be the first time he'd ever seen the younger man blush. He never would have guessed that such a simple statement, such an innocent action could induce that response. Tony looked away and cleared his throat. "Its?ah?its your move." Gibbs nodded, reluctantly sitting back slightly giving the younger man the room his body language indicated he wanted. The older man studied the board for a moment before moving his remaining knight to take one of Tony's bishops. "Check." Tony smiled slyly, and moved his queen to protect is king and threaten Gibbs' at the same time. His smile widened, green eyes twinkling. "Checkmate." Gibbs blinked, mouth slightly agape. "Son of a bitch." He arched an eyebrow, giving Tony a frank look. "I thought you said you didn't play well?" "I don't." Tony shrugged, expression morphing into a blandly, neutral mask Gibbs only rarely saw. It looked decidedly out of place on someone as animated and open as Tony usually was. The younger man looked away. "At least not according to my father." Gibbs had a sudden surge to throttle Tony's father. He'd never met the man but he already didn't like him much. He didn't care for anyone who brought that shuttered expression to Tony's face. If he was lucky they'd never meet. "Another game?" "Sure." The doorbell rang. "Go ahead and set up the board." Tony rose smoothly to his feet with a grace and ease that made it hard for Gibbs to breathe for a second. "I'll go pay for dinner. You want a beer?" Tony tossed over his shoulder as he headed for the door. Gibbs swallowed hard and told himself not to look at Tony's ass. The temptation was just too great. His hands shook slightly as he forced himself to concentrate on setting up the board for another game. "Gibbs?" Oh right, Tony had asked him a question. "Yeah. A beer would be good." Tony returned a few minutes later bearing two plates resting atop a pizza box, and two bottles of beer. He offered one bottle to Gibbs before setting the box down on the opposite end of the coffee table from the chessboard. He opened the box, the aroma setting of a rumbling his Gibbs' stomach that reminded him he hadn't eaten lunch. Tony grinned. "Glad I'm not the only one who's hungry." "You're always hungry, DiNozzo." Gibbs said fondly. His grandmother would have approved of Tony's hearty appetite. "I'm a growing boy." Tony laughed and hand him a plate with two slices on it. He took two for himself before sitting on the floor again. Napkins were placed within easy reach for both of them. They played another game as they ate. The discussion oddly enough focused on the origin of chess itself, something Gibbs thought Ducky would have enjoyed. He was surprised to find Tony knew so much about it and said as much. "Was easier to strategize when I could actually picture it as a metaphor for battle, which was the original intent of the game." Tony laughed. "Sort of liked the envisioning the whole thing as two grand armies about to engage." Tony sipped his beer. "Vinnie loved the game." He shook his head, smiling as his fingers once more lightly ghosted over the carved pieces in front of him. "Think he had at least a dozen different sets. One with a Civil War motif was actually more fun to use to reenact battles with than to play chess." Tony chuckled, eye glinting with a devilment Gibbs found hard to resist. "Probably the only reason I aced that history test was because we actually used the set as a prop to study with." "Have you been to any of the battlefields?" Gibbs finished his beer, setting the empty bottle aside. Tony nodded. "Been to a couple of them. Was never really a Civil War buff or anything, but I always enjoyed seeing the places where the stuff I read about actually happened. Always seemed a little more real when I could see it and touch it, you know?" "I get that." Gibbs understood that completely. Everything was more concrete if you could get your hands on it. He hesitated for a second before asking, "If the weather stays decent would you like to visit Antietam Saturday?" Antietam wasn't that far from D.C. They could be there in just over an hour even with traffic. It might not exactly be a traditional ?date', any more than today had been, but Gibbs figured given how well things were going there was no reason not to stick with it. "I'd like that." Tony smiled. Green eyes aglow in a way Gibbs recognized as happening only when someone had done something that really pleased and surprised the younger man. They played two more games, leaving them with a tie of 2-2, before Gibbs decided it was time to leave. If he stayed too much longer he wouldn't want to leave?.not that he wanted to now, but at least at the moment he could actually force himself to do it. "I better go." Gibbs stated softly. "Yeah." Tony agreed, reluctance clear in both his tone and expression. Gibbs was sorely tempted to change his mind, to ask to spend the night, but managed to hold it in. An inner voice that sounded a lot like Martha Gibbs chastised him. ?Don't rush this you fool. Push too hard, too soon and you're going to be back in the basement spending all your free time ALONE working on that boat.' Gibbs helped clean up, taking their plates and bottles back to the kitchen while Tony returned the chessboard to its former place on the bookshelf. Gibbs slid into his sneakers and grabbed his coat. Tony met him at the door. Gibbs desperately wanted more than a manly-man handshake, something like the kiss they shared on Friday, but he didn't know if it would be okay to ask for it or even how to ask for it if it was okay. Tony surprised him by simply stepping forward and wrapping him up in a hug that felt wonderful. He buried his face in Tony's neck, deeply breathing in the scent of him, trying to memorize the feel of Tony's solid form pressed against his. He'd forgotten just how incredible it was to be held by Tony, how nice it was to simply be next to him. He'd have to find a way to encourage more of this. Gibbs could easily get used to getting a hug every day. Tony rubbed his back, a caress meant to soothe not arouse, before pulling away slightly. Like he had Friday night, he laid his cheek against Gibbs' in a gesture the older man still found oddly intimate. A kiss a soft as silk was pressed against his temple before Tony stepped away. "See you tomorrow?" Gibbs asked, for once not at all sorry to have his voice betray his emotional state. Tony smiled softly, his hand moving to cup Gibbs' face. "Bright and early, Boss." Gibbs turned his head to place a kiss in Tony's palm. The faint gasp from Tony nearly undid him, but he forced himself to step away. He picked up his bag and opened the door, pausing before stepping outside. "I had a good time today. Thanks for inviting me." He wanted to be sure Tony knew he enjoyed this, didn't want the younger man to doubt his sincerity. "You're welcome." Tony shyly dropped his eyes, that endearing blush once more warming his cheeks. Gibbs shook his head struggling to maintain his resolve to leave. Tony could tempt a saint. He shook himself. "Okay?I'm going now." Tony laughed lightly, clearly understanding Gibbs reluctance and likely sharing it as well. "G'night, Boss." "Sleep well, Tony." Gibbs waited until he heard the lock click behind him before once more finding himself nearly skipping down the stairs. This whole courtship thing was proving to be a lot more nerve wracking, and a hell of a lot more fun than he'd ever imagined. *************************************** As far as work went, things at the office had been normal so far this week. Well, at least as normal as things ever got at the office, Gibbs' lips curled in an ironic smile as he amended that thought. He shook his head as he continued sanding another board for his boat, wondering at what point he stopped being surprised by the sort of cases they got involved in. In a way he was grateful for the bizarre things they handled. Want to be vampires, bodies bursting into flames, kinky cyber sex, transsexual murderers and all the rest certainly made things interesting. More than interesting enough to keep a boredom prone job jumper like Tony around for longer than his usual two years. Gibbs sincerely hoped it wasn't JUST the job that had kept Tony around this long, and that the job that wasn't the only reason he had for staying now. The two dates they'd been on were certainly a good start to a lot more. Not to mention their upcoming weekend plans, assuming the weatherman was wrong and it didn't snow like he'd predicted. Gibbs wasn't too worried about that. He mentioned the forecast to Tony, with an unmistakable hint of disappointment in his voice, while they were in the elevator this morning. It had been just the two of them alone, and seemed like a good time to broach the subject. Not exactly private given the newly installed security cameras, but close enough since Gibbs knew for a fact the cameras didn't record any sound. The younger man had smiled slightly, jade green eyes reflecting a warm fondness. "We'll think of something else then." Tony shrugged casually. He deliberately moved his finger tips in what could easily be perceived as accidental contact to place a minute caress across the knuckles of Gibbs' right hand. "Pretty sure there are plenty of things we can do around here." That brief contact made his skin tingle for hours afterward. He still wasn't sure what they'd be doing, but just knowing they'd still get together, left him feeling like he was walking on air. It wasn't just the idea they'd be getting together this weekend that inspired Gibbs unusual feeling of well-being and optimism Being a bit old fashioned in his view, and having never experienced a real relationship with another man, Gibbs naturally assumed he'd be the one courting Tony, the one to make all the overtures, to lead the way and risk rejection. He should have known better, but he never expected to be on the receiving end. For the past three days the younger man had given him a token of his affection, something small and yet decidedly meaningful. It appealed to a romantic side of him Gibbs hadn't even known existed. Those little gifts had him feeling decidedly upbeat. Something he was sure other people had noticed but were too afraid of him to comment on. There were days when he was grateful for his brusque, unapproachable reputation. Monday it was a bit of scrimshaw. Etched in what had to be a genuine piece of whale tooth ivory from the nineteenth century was a beautiful version of a clipper ship of the same time period. Sailors routinely engaged in creating these little trinkets as a way to pass the time while aboard whaling vessels, and this one was an exquisite example of the pinnacle of the art form. Gibbs had a few replica pieces made from a resin synthetic material which added he used as decorations on the bookshelves in his house. He'd never been able talk himself into buying the real thing no matter how much he wanted it. It just seemed frivolous to waste money on something he didn't really need. He never realized Tony had paid that much attention when he was in his home to know how much he'd appreciate and value such a gift. Dark blue eyes had met green across the office, silently, and Gibbs really wished they were somewhere else, anywhere else so he could show the other man his appreciation. Something in his expression must have revealed the depth of his emotion, because Tony smiled, eyes dropping shyly as that endearing blush once more rose to add color to his cheekbones. No one apparently noticed the new addition to his desk, or at the very least chose not to comment on it if they had. Gibbs was positive no one else knew Tony had left it there for him. Kate and McGee might not ask Gibbs about it, but he knew they'd never let Tony live it down. Some snide comment about leaving apples for the teacher or trying to bribe favors would definitely have been made if either one had known. Tuesday an early morning call had them on their way to a scene in Newport. Tony had casually handed him a large cup of coffee before Kate and McGee put in an appearance. Dark French Roast that had to have come from the stuff Tony's mother sent him. It was rapidly becoming Gibbs' favorite. The case proved to be a simple suicide. Not that suicide was ever really simple, but at least it didn't require a lengthy investigation. Gibbs grimaced thinking he never quite understood how life could eve be so bad a person would willingly end it all. "Where there is life, there is hope." He muttered to himself as he continued working. He thought that brief contact in the elevator was his gift for today, but he was wrong. After Kate and McGee had headed for the elevator, Tony hesitated by his desk for just a moment. Gibbs was somehow not at all surprised to find that even though the younger man never seemed to have gotten the hang of chopsticks he had more than mastered slight of hand. With a little flourish of his fingers Tony seemed to magically produce a single rose, laying it carefully on Gibbs' desk with a wink and a smile before catching up with his other teammates. Gibbs' third wife made sure he knew more than he wanted to about flowers, and for the first time in his life he was grateful to her for that knowledge. The rose was a variety known as "fire and ice"; the name being a product of snow white petals with crimson tips. He'd only ever given flowers before so being on the receiving end was a decidedly novel concept. He was sorely tempted to call Abby or Ducky to find out how one went about drying or pressing a flower to preserve it, certain either of them would know. Instead he opted to bite the bullet and research it on line. In spite of his ignorance and frustration, he persevered. The blossom was currently being pressed between to weighty volumes on ancient wooden ships. In a few weeks, according to his research, he'd be able to put it under glass and frame it if he wanted. He called Tony, knowing he'd most likely still be at the Y playing basketball. Words were never his strong suit, so he wasn't sure he'd be able to say thank you in person without messing it up. Leaving a message on the Tony's machine seemed like a good alternative. He could think out what he wanted to say beforehand, and still manage not to sound like he'd rehearsed it. He ran his fingers over the wood, feeling the smooth grain and texture, pleased with the results. A glance at the clock confirmed what his body was telling him, it was time for bed. He put his tools away, cleaning up a bit before heading upstairs. Gibbs had just finished getting ready for bed when the phone rang. He picked up the receiver to answer in his usual curt fashion. "Gibbs." "Hi, Boss." Unconsciously his shoulders relaxed as he recognized the warm, easy going tone in Tony's voice. This was definitely not a work related call. He wondered if he ought to mark the calendar. This was the first time Tony ever called him at home that didn't involve work. "Hope I'm not calling too late...game ran a little long and--" "You're not too late, Tony." Gibbs smiled cutting off the slightly nervous babbling. "I got your message." He couldn't see that shy, little boy smile but it was easily apparent in the tone. "And you're welcome." He got it right. For once in his life he got it right. Gibbs resisted pumping his arm in the air in triumph. "I was thinking." His sense of triumph immediately deflated. "About?" "Friday night." Gibbs did his best to breathe normally. "And?" "Well, I thought if you didn't have any plans yet...I mean I know we are already planning to get together Saturday, but I thought you might want to--" "Yes." Gibbs interrupted. Tony's warm chuckle ghosted over him like a gentle caress. "I haven't even asked you anything yet." "I don't care." Gibbs found himself smiling. "Whatever it is the answer is yes." He had no trouble envisioning the stunned expression on Tony's face. "Wow." Gibbs was fairly certain Tony wasn't even aware he'd whispered that aloud. "Okay." Tony cleared his throat. "So you want me to just pick you up at seven thirty?" "Seven thirty will be fine." Gibbs hesitated for a second. "What should I wear?" "Casual is fine." Tony laughed. "No one dresses up to catch a movie, Boss, unless it's to go see the Rocky Horror Picture." Gibbs shook his head uncertain of exactly what Tony was referring to, but damn glad Tony had told him what it was they'd be doing. Friday was taken care of?which still left Thursday. Feeling a bit daring, he asked, "Does this mean I'm not getting a gift tomorrow?" Tony laughed, a light peel of delighted amusement that Gibbs had never heard before and would give his right arm to hear again. "Maybe. Maybe not." The tease was blatant in his voice. "You'll just have to wait and see." "Looking forward to it." Gibbs found he honestly was. He was curious to see what Tony would come up with, if anything at all. He smiled fondly when he heard Tony yawn. He had no trouble picturing that half lidded eyes and loose limbs. If he'd only just gotten home, then Tony had one hell of a work out on top of a long day. "Sounds like you need to get some sleep." "Yeah." Tony sighed. "Probably." "I'll see you tomorrow." Gibbs knew he made that sound like a statement of fact, rather than a request or dismissal, but he couldn't bring himself to care. "Aye, Aye, Boss." Tony laughed again. "Until tomorrow, Amoureux." "What did you call me?" "Amoureux." Tony answered after a slight hesitation. "And that is what exactly?" "Sweetheart." Tony sighed. That small sound relayed a mixture of embarrassment and guilt. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-" "I like it." Gibbs stated clearly, somewhat surprised that he meant it. "Just don't call me that at work." "No worries there, Boss." Tony chuckled. "You are always the boss there." As it should be, Gibbs thought, but managed not to say. He knew it would come out more as a chastisement and that isn't what he wanted or would even mean by it. "Get some sleep, Tony." "Will do, Boss." Tony agreed easily, and Gibbs couldn't help but picture him tossing off a sloppy salute. He shook his head. "G'night, Tony." "Sleep well, Amoureux." Gibbs hung up reluctantly. He stretched slightly, easing stiffness that always came with working on the boat for long periods of time. He could do with a good nights sleep himself. Gibbs smiled. He already knew he'd have pleasant dreams. It wasn't often he went to bed looking forward to tomorrow. ********************************************* Gibbs sighed softly as he got into his vehicle. He had been decidedly disappointed when he got to work that morning to find no gift on his desk. It wasn't like Tony had promised him a gift or anything, but he'd sort of hoped there would be something there nonetheless. His innate sense of fairness told him it wasn't really Tony's fault. He honestly didn't know if the younger man had a gift for him or not?there hadn't been an opportunity for them to get even a minute alone today. Gibbs sighed again and rubbed tiredly at his eyes. He tried to decide which bothered him worse, the lack of a gift or the lack of private time with Tony. He was leaning heavily toward the latter. Gibbs had gotten to the office well in advance of his usual time; his eagerness to see Tony and what he might have for him had the older man feeling like a five year old on Christmas morning. He knew better than to expect Tony to hand him a token of affection when it might attract attention or someone would see him do it, but he hadn't been able to convince himself to wait. He'd hoped to catch Tony placing it on his desk, maybe get some time with him before the others arrived. He thought he might have been right when Tony walked in. The younger man had smiled and looked like he was going to say something but then Kate had gotten off the elevator a second later. And McGee not long after. Then they'd gotten called into an office wide staff meeting at mid-morning. Stupid meeting managed to last most of the day giving them no chance to speak at all. Gibbs couldn't remember the last time he'd been so damn frustrated in his entire life. The meeting was boring, pointless and inescapable. Having Tony right next to him only added to Gibbs' frustration level. There were too many people present, and surrounded by the rest of the team, there was no opportunity for him to get away with anything even as innocent as holding Tony's hand. And the younger man's tantalizing fragrance seemed to deliberately tease him, wafting toward him whenever Tony shifted in his seat. Not that Tony actually seemed inclined to move much during the meeting. Gibbs grimaced. Ordinarily the former cop seemed incapable of sitting still but the one day Gibbs would have loved for him to just accidentally brush up against him, to slouch toward him and make sarcastic comments under his breath, to break out a blank sheet of paper and play hangman, would naturally be the one day he'd be on his best behavior. Gibbs sighed heavily, closing his eyes, tilting his head back to rest against the back of his seat. He knew Tony had tried to get a minute or two alone with him, but the director had intervened, calling him away. And then it had been another agent. And then, and then, Gibbs snarled silently in disgust. If he didn't know better he'd swear it was some sort of conspiracy. He was once more grateful he had such a nasty reputation. No one thought anything of him getting snappish with people or being sardonic. Unfortunately, that attitude and reputation didn't get him away from them either. He was startled from his thoughts by a light tap against the driver's side window. Blue eyes snapped open in surprise, body unconsciously tensing for action before he recognized the person who'd tapped was Tony. He lowered the window. "You okay, Boss?" Tony's smile was hesitant, a bit uncertain. "Yeah, Tony, I'm okay." He smiled, for what felt like the first time all day, feeling his shoulders relax. "Well, better for seeing you that is." Tony dropped his eyes shyly, clearly pleased by that statement. He looked up, his smile firmer, and a bit coy. He held out to Gibbs a roll of paper that was wrapped in a bit of blue ribbon tied in a bow. "Got something for you." Gibbs took the offering gingerly, studying it. The paper was about the same size as a standard 8 x 11, but it felt oddly heavy, more so the than the sheets he handled on a daily basis. The texture was different too. And the quality was obviously better, sparking his curiosity. He was eager to open it, but hesitated when Tony reached into cup his face and gently force him to look at him again. "One more little gift for you." Tony whispered as he leaned in through the window. "For waiting so patiently." Warm, soft lips met his in a kiss that started out chaste, an all most hesitant touch like the brush of a butterfly's wing. Gibbs moaned quietly, mouth opening to beg for more. He shivered when Tony gave it to him, deepening the kiss. Tongues dueled for dominance as Gibbs found himself trying to map every millimeter of Tony's mouth. He couldn't believe how good Tony tasted--there was coffee with a hint of hazelnut and caramel, a little bit of mint, and something he couldn't identify but could only label as ?Tony'. He nearly whimpered when Tony's finger tips delicately stroked his temple, before moving lightly to caress his hair and then falling away as the younger man pulled back. They were both breathing hard, and Tony looked as dazed as Gibbs felt. He took a shaky breath and then another. Gibbs found himself unconsciously matching his breathing to Tony's. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been so affected by a kiss?oh wait, yes he could. It was the last time Tony had kissed him. "I'll?uh?I'll see you tomorrow, Boss." Tony licked his lips. Gibbs stared, eyes following the movement, his pants suddenly feeling like they were a size to small. "We're still on for that movie, right?" Gibbs asked, momentarily surprised buy just how rough and needy his own voice sounded. Tony nodded, an oddly jerky motion given the younger man's usual grace. Gibbs found it reassuring to know Tony wasn't recovering from that kiss any faster than he was. Tony cleared his throat. "You have anything in particular you want to see?" Gibbs shrugged, a self-deprecating _expression flittering across his features for a moment. "I don't even know what's playing." Tony's raspy chuckle sent shivers up his spine. "Give me a genre then?" The last movie his third ex-wife had dragged him to had been some foreign film he hadn't really understood, much less enjoyed. It was the last time he'd been to a theater. "No subtitles." He stated that firmly, allowing no room for error or misunderstanding. "Okay, that narrows the field." Tony grinned, eyes sparkling with mischief and good humor. "Anything else?" "No horror films." He knew those were Tony's favorite, but he also knew he couldn't sit through two hours of blood and gore. He hated those things with people running around like fools, screaming their heads off. "Sort of figured they weren't your thing." Tony didn't even bat an eye, clearly not the least bit offended. "They're not right for everyone." "So far all I have is stuff you don't want." He gave Gibbs a speculative look. "Haven't told me what you'd like to see yet?" Gibbs lips twitched as he tried hard to suppress his smile. "Having something blow up would be good." He liked most action films knowing they were intended solely to entertain, with minimal story line or plot that had to be followed. "But no modern warfare stuff." War films didn't appeal to him. Movies like Saving Private Ryan and Blackhawk Down were a bit too real. Having been in combat he didn't need any reminders of it. Tony smirked. "So your basic action film where a lot of shit happens and it doesn't have to make sense?" Gibbs raised a finger to his nose and then pointed at Tony. "Got it in one." "I hear Oliver Stone's new movie ?Alexander' is pretty good." Tony offered with a warm smile. "Plenty of action, although I can't say for sure if anything blows up." Gibbs laughed in spite of himself. "That'll do nicely." Tony gave him a sloppy salute that somehow managed to convey more respect than any he'd ever gotten while in uniform. The younger man did a neat about face. He sauntered away, heading for his Jeep. "Hey, Gibbs?" Tony called out a moment later, spinning around to face him again. "Yeah, DiNozzo?" "You really shouldn't park there." "Oh?" "Not safe." Tony nodded, pointing toward the mounted surveillance camera. "One of the few blind spots down here." Gibbs wasn't sure he even wanted to know how Tony knew that, but he didn't doubt for a minute he was right about it. Thinking it over, he knew Tony never would have kissed him if he thought for one second it would be caught on tape. Tony might have a devil-may-care attitude down pat, but he was nobody's fool. "I'll make a note." He told the younger man with a wink and a smile. "But a little danger doesn't scare me." He wasn't the least bit sorry about where he parked. He had no intention of parking anywhere else. Ever. Not if just taking this spot meant he might get more stolen kisses. "I like this spot. Like it a lot." Gibbs let his eyes wander over Tony's long limbed form, letting his gaze relay his appreciation. "Pretty sure I'll be keeping it." Tony smiled and shook his head slightly. From here, Gibbs couldn't tell if he was blushing, but he suspected he might be. Tony waved as he got into his Jeep. It isn't until after Tony had pulled out that Gibbs finally thought to examine the roll of paper he'd been given. Somewhat surprised to find his fingers shaking, he carefully pulled the blue ribbon free. He unconsciously smoothed it between his fingers before setting it aside in favor of unrolling the paper. As he unrolled it, Gibbs recognized it as being the same type of paper that they used in their sketchbooks for crime scenes. It was better quality and a bit larger, but essentially the same. Recognizing the paper, he wasn't surprised to find it was a sketch, but what did astonish him was the subject matter and quality of the drawing. It was him, working on his boat. The details were so exact, so life like. Overlooking the black and white aspect of the drawing, he could easily be staring at a candid photo of himself in his basement. Tony had captured all the details, from the folds in his shirt where Gibbs had rolled up his sleeves to the grain in the wood. Gibbs' face was only shown in profile. The perspective had to be from someone watching him while sitting on the stairs. He'd known Tony had taken a drawing class; it was one of the reasons he'd routinely assigned the former cop the task of sketching out their crime scenes. Tony always did a good job with them, but those drawings were basic, roughing out dimensions and placement of evidence. They were nothing like what he was holding now. Gibbs had always assumed the younger man had only taken the art class as a chance to stare at naked women; it had never occurred to him that Tony had so much talent. Or that he had this sort of memory for details. Gibbs stared at the drawing, dumbfounded. He vaguely remembered Tony sitting on the stairs once or twice while he worked on the boat. His throat tightened remembering how he'd deliberately shut the younger man out. He'd done his best to make him feel unwelcome, to silently discourage any thoughts of staying or wanting more than the sex they'd just had. He'd been so afraid of letting Tony get too close. Gibbs shook his head. He was such a damn fool. By then Tony was already too close. Tony hadn't signed it. But there was a caption underneath that made it hard for Gibbs to breathe. "Labor of Love" was written in the neatest calligraphy he'd since Sister Mary Katherine had tried to teach his second grade class the fine art of penmanship. "Labor of love, indeed." He murmured to himself. Gibbs knew the caption didn't apply solely to subject matter of the drawing. It definitely encompassed far more than that. Some day he'd have to figure out just how Tony managed to imbue so much meaning in such simple things. Tony wouldn't have given him this before they started ?dating'. Hell, he wasn't sure he'd have appreciated it before then?the skill, yes, the sentiment, probably not. They were making progress. Moving toward something that would likely last longer than the boat he was working on. He shook his head. It was amazing how quickly things changed. He smiled, suddenly feeling lighter, more positive. The black cloud he'd been under since the day started lifted as though it had never been. ?Another bit of DiNozzo magic' he thought to himself. He very carefully rolled the paper again and retied the ribbon. Gibbs nodded to himself. He needed to have a frame made for this. Definitely. He already knew where he was going to hang it. **************************************** Tony had no clear idea what the movie was actually about. So far all he had was an impression of people in motion, some stunning scenery and reasonably good music. It was so hard to stay focused on things like plot and dialog when Gibbs was sitting right next to him. If they'd been sitting next to each other like they had in that endless meeting the day before, it wouldn't have been a problem. At the office, Tony already had a firmly established habit of forcing himself to behave, at least where other people might see them. It was one of the few rules Gibbs had laid out when they'd been nothing but ?fuck buddies' that he'd actually agreed with. He loved his job, probably for the first time in his life he could say that, and he didn't want to risk losing it by being incapable of a little discretion and self-restraint. Kate and McGee might think he had no impulse control, but as he'd half jokingly told them more than once, they didn't really know him all that well. Being good sitting next to Gibbs in a meeting had been so easy compared to this. That room hadn't been dark like the theater. Bright lights seemed to compel good behavior like nothing else. There was a small aspect of Tony's personality that reveled in the challenge presented by trying to get away with something in broad daylight. But that small part was not up to a well lit room surrounded by their teammates and bored agents that were more interested in what was going on around them than the speaker. Tony tried to get into the action on the screen, but the temptation of a dark, nearly empty theater, knowing he could get away with more than just sitting quietly kept rearing its head. Without conscious thought his hand is drifting to reach for Gibbs', entwining their fingers in a gentle, comfortable hold. He barely managed to stifle a satisfied sigh when the older man shifted in his seat so that his shoulder was leaning into Tony's. Gibbs moved his thumb to caress his palm. Tony closed his eyes and swallowed hard at the exquisite pleasure that simple touch created. He'd always been a very tactile person, craving contact, needing it the way other people needed air. Part of that trait could easily be explained by a hedonistic nature, taking pleasure in simple things. But some of it Tony knew was due to how little physical contact he'd gotten as a child. His mother and father seemed inclined to be physical only with each other, taking an arm's length approach to just about everyone else. Tony remembered his mother smoothing his jacket, or straightening his tie many times through the years to make sure he looked presentable, but he couldn't remember the last time she'd hugged him, kissed his cheek or held his hand. His father was more interested in his next martini than he was in anything about his son. Benign neglect was how he thought of his parents approach to raising him. Nannies and boarding schools were easier to come by than it was to summon any genuine concern for him. He was the child they neither wanted nor needed; an accident their status and position more so than their conscience had them keeping rather than terminating before he'd drew breath. Tony's interest in sports wasn't exclusively the result of being competitive, energetic or talented. He liked that it afforded him the opportunity to touch and be touched. It wasn't sexual, and didn't have to be to satisfy his need. Just being able to make contact was enough. It helped ground him, make him feel less like an outsider, more like he was real and not invisible the way his parents so often made him feel. He sighed silently, and relaxed under that tantalizing touch, eyes closing unconsciously as he savored the moment. He leaned in a little closer, breathing in the scent of Gibbs' familiar aftershave, enjoying the warmth he could feel radiating from the other man. He settled a bit more deeply in his seat, unconcerned that he was missing the movie. Tony turned slightly, shifting so that he could comfortably lay his head on Gibbs' shoulder. He tensed; suddenly worried that he might have gone too far, leaped over a boundary line without looking. They'd never cuddled or engaged in casual contact outside of the older man's smacks to the back of his head. He knew this was about establishing something new between them, but he was still worried about pushing too far, too fast. Tony let out a breath he hadn't even realized he was holding when Gibbs tilted his head to rest against his, rubbing his cheek against Tony's hair. The former marine squeezed his hand, before continuing that slow, reassuring caress of his palm. Tony smiled and let himself enjoy just being close to Gibbs and being able to touch him. He could always rent ?Alexander' when it came out on DVD. He let himself drift, eyes opening occasionally to check on the progression of the movie, but most of his focus was on memorizing this moment. He'd already decided he was buying the soundtrack. Music was a great memory aid for him, and he knew he'd want to be reminded of this moment. He straightened up, pulling away just before the credits started to roll. Tony smiled when he heard the regretful sigh Gibbs released as he moved away. The former Marine seemed reluctant to let go of his hand, only relinquishing his hold when the other patrons began to move. "You wanna grab a bite to eat?" He asked casually as they left the theater, wanting to spend more time with Gibbs. They hadn't really made dinner plans, and he didn't know if Gibbs had gotten something after work or not. Tony had only had time for a quick snack. It was just enough to hold him over for a few hours. Gibbs nodded, a quick smile warming his expression and sending faint shivers down Tony's spine. "I'd like that." It wasn't just the look affecting him. The temperature had been dropping steadily for the past few hours and it was decidedly chilly outside the theater. Tony stuffed his hands into his pockets. He wouldn't mind getting something warm. "How's Italian sound?" "Pizza?" Gibbs raised an eyebrow. "Was thinking more along the lines of pasta." Tony gave the older man a quick grin. "But if you want pizza, we can do that." "Pasta would be fine." Gibbs smiled, and dipped his head slightly. "You have a place in mind?" "Know a little restaurant not far from here." Tony admitted with a shrug as they headed for his Jeep. This cinema complex was his favorite, so he knew just about ever eatery in a ten block radius. "La Bella Vita has the best Italian food in the city." Gibbs pursed his lips, expression a mix of thoughtful and amusement. "The best?" "Yep." Tony answered with conviction. He'd sampled a lot of places in D.C. so he was confident in his assessment. La Bella Vita was a mom and pop place, but it was second to none in his opinion. The owners, Mr. and Mrs. Anders, were as American as apple pie, but the food was authentic Italian cuisine courtesy of two chef's right off the boat from Italy. "Okay." Gibbs made a ?let's go' motion with one hand as he slid into the passenger seat. "La Bella Vita it is." It only took about ten minutes to get there. The little bell over the door announced their arrival as they walked in. Mrs. Anders, a heavy-set petite middle aged blonde greeted him with a smile. "Anthony!" She hugged him. "It is so good to see you." "Good to see you too, Mrs. A." Tony smiled, returning her hug, enjoying how welcome she made him feel. She really wasn't old enough to be his mother, not even close, but she had a matronly air about her. He never felt right calling her anything but Mrs. Anders, but she'd insisted it was too formal, so they'd settled on a compromise. "You should not stay away so long." She lightly slapped his chest when she pulled away to look up at him. "I was starting to think maybe you don't like us any more." "Never, my sweet." He captured her hand, bowing slightly to place a gallant kiss on the back of her knuckles. "You know I could never dislike a lovely lady such as you. Only the most dire of circumstances could keep me away." She rolled her eyes, but he knew she was pleased with his mild flirtation and antics. He always thought every woman liked to think others found her attractive, no matter her age or interest level in the person offering the compliment. "Butter wouldn't melt in that mouth." She reached up to lightly pat his face, her expression one of fond exasperation. "You are here to eat, yes?" "If you've got a table." He nodded. He placed a hand on Gibbs' shoulder. "Mrs. Anders, this is my friend Gibbs. Told him you got the best Italian food in the city." "Indeed we do." She smiled at Gibbs. "Any friend of Anthony's is always welcome." He smiled back at her, a warm and honest smile, one that Tony loved to see. It made his eyes appear bluer, and Gibbs seemed so much more approachable. "Thank you, Ma'am." "Oh please, I am not old I need to be called ma'am." She laughed lightly. "I've been trying for some time to get Anthony to call me Gloria, but he says it is being too forward." She patted Gibbs' arm, nonchalantly invading his personal space in a way the older man would ordinarily not have allowed, but Tony knew Mrs. A had that affect on people. She just wasn't the sort anyone seemed capable of keeping at arms length. It was another reason Tony liked her. "Perhaps you can convince Anthony to finally address my by my Christian name." "I'll do my best?Gloria." Gibbs tipped his head in a way that suggested something a bit more formal, making the gesture just as gallant as Tony's kiss to her hand. She smiled warmly, gray eyes sparkling. "Good enough." She spun in a graceful pirouette that was a clear indication she hadn't lied to Tony when she told him she and her husband used to dance a lot when they were younger. Mrs. Anders waved a hand to offer them a booth, placing two menus down on the table. "You boys want anything to drink?" "I'll have a glass of the house red, if you still have the one you had the last time." Tony didn't often drink wine, but he liked the variety they carried. "We do." She looked toward Gibbs. "I'd love a cup of coffee." Gibbs stated quietly, not surprising Tony at all with his order. The older man seemed to live on caffeine. Mrs. Anders nodded. "I'll be back in a few minutes." "So?ah?what would you recommend?" Gibbs asked, glancing up from his menu. "Everything is good, but the Calamari, the lasagna, and the eggplant parmesan are outstanding." Tony gave the menu a once over to see if anything new had been added. "The spaghetti and meatballs is my favorite." When Mrs. Anders returned with their drinks they both ordered. Tony got his favorite, and Gibbs got the Calamari. Tony sipped his wine, enjoying the light crisp flavor of it. He made a note to pick up a bottle for himself at some point. He kept meaning to, but some how never did. "Coffee suit you?" He asked, trying to ignore the hum of attraction that seemed to be radiating back and forth between them. "Not bad." Gibbs sipped his coffee. "Not as good as the cup you gave me Tuesday, but it'll do." Tony smiled shyly. "Glad you liked it." He'd meant to have something better as a gift but the early morning call for a case had caught him unprepared. Remembering how much Gibbs liked the dark French Roast his mother had sent him, he figured it would do in a pinch. It wasn't like he brought his boss a cup of coffee every day, so technically it still qualified as a gift. Unlike their first date, this one seemed to be constantly rife with an undercurrent of sexual tension. Their knees kept touching, shins rubbing, hands brushing accidentally. Eye contact was nearly impossible for Tony to maintain. Conversation was stilted, punctuated by long pauses and heated glances. Tony forced himself to eat, not wanting Mrs. A to think there was something wrong with the food. He always cleaned his plate here, sometimes even getting seconds, usually free of charge. Mrs. A seemed to think he was too skinny and in need of fattening up. "You?ah?want dessert, boss?" Tony asked as he finished the last of his wine, pushing his plate away from him. Gibbs smiled, blue eyes glowing like banked embers. His fingers moved to ghost over hand Tony had left on the table in a tantalizing caress that made Tony's skin tingle. "Think what I want for dessert isn't on the menu." Tony could feel his face warm, and hoped like hell the blush was as obvious as it felt. He nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He slid out of the both, leaving a good a tip as he grabbed his jacket. They'd get the check up front. "Everything was okay, boys?" Mrs. Anders asked as she rang up the bill. "Everything was wonderful, Mrs. A." Tony answered with an easy smile. "Just like always." "No dessert for you tonight?" She clucked her tongue in disapproval. "You are too thin, Anthony." Gibbs placed a hand on the small of Tony's back as he moved to stand closer. He pointed to the display case, smiling disarmingly. "Actually?Gloria?I was hoping we'd be able to take one of those pies with us." "Certainly." She nodded, clearly pleased. "My peach is Anthony's favorite." "Peach it is then." Gibbs replied with a smile, his hand making maddening circles on Tony's back. She boxed the pie and handed it to Gibbs. Tony was torn between being relieved and disappointed when the older man stepped away from him and used both hand to hold the offering. Tony smiled to himself, shaking his head at his own ambiguity. Indecisive wasn't something very many had ever called him and he couldn't help but be a tiny bit amused by his current predicament. Tony paid the bill, ignoring the questioning look he was getting from Gibbs not sure he could explain what he was thinking. He said good night to Mrs. Anders as they headed outside. Tony grimaced as he realized it was snowing, white flakes drifting lazily to earth. The weather report has said it might snow, but the predication called for only minor accumulation. It shouldn't amount to enough to keep them from heading up to Antietam as planned. Tony shivered as he slid behind the wheel, his breath frosting the air in front of him in a white cloud. He rubbed his hands together before starting the jeep. The temperature seemed to have dropped rather dramatically while they were eating. Gibbs turned to put the pie on the back seat. When he turned back around, Gibbs eyed Tony with a small frown. Before he could ask what was wrong, the older man reached out and enfolded his chill reddened fingers with is own warmer ones. "Where are your gloves?" Tony shrugged, trying to ignore how good it felt to have Gibbs hands on him again. He was always replacing gloves. They seemed to be one of those things just couldn't hang on to. "Lost them this week." He smiled ruefully, finally answering the question. "Should have them pinned to my jacket." Gibbs shook his head, a fond smile curving his lips upward. Tony was suddenly overcome with a desire to taste that smile. He leaned forward unaccountably pleased that Gibbs was already moving to meet him half way. Tony had meant for the kiss to be quick, chaste even, but he was unable to keep it that way; his hunger for more overriding everything else. He moaned softly, lips parting easily when Gibbs nibbled lightly, requesting entrance. Their tongues dueled lazily, playing with each other, actions mimicking a far more intimate motion making it suddenly seem a lot warmer than it had just a minute ago. His hands were pulling at Gibbs' jacket in an aimless, frustrated attempt to get closer to him, to find more skin. He could feel Gibbs hands doing the same, but the older man's movements more deliberate and focused, succeeding in unzipping his coat and burrowing inside, raising his sweater. The sudden rush of frigid air against his bare flesh was a near painful contrast that had Tony gasping in surprise and unconsciously jerking away. Dazed blue eyes met his and he could almost see an apology forming. Tony laid two fingers against Gibbs' kiss swollen lips. "Shhhh?.s'okay." He took a deep shuddering breath and then another. "Just a bit too damn cold to be making out in a car like a couple of horny teenagers." He felt the faint huff of laughter against his fingertips. Gibbs pursed his lips, lightly kissing Tony's fingers. He sighed before pulling back with a faint nod. "You want to maybe take this back to some place more comfortable?" "Yeah." Gibbs smiled. "I'd like that." Tony was pretty sure he was driving on autopilot because he had no real idea how they ended up back at his place. All he was truly conscious of was Gibbs' hand on his thigh, stroking up and down, never quite getting as far as his groin. The teasing smile on the older man's face and the glint in his eye was proof he knew exactly what he was doing and the effect it was having. "You are an evil man." Tony declared when he parked the Jeep its usual space. Gibbs gave him an unrepentant look. "Resisting temptation isn't something I'm good at." The statement brought a surprise bark of laughter from Tony. "I've been told it's supposed to be easier with practice and long association." Tony responded with a quick grin, waggling his eyebrows. "Novelty wearing off and all that." Gibbs arched an eyebrow, leaning in closer. "I don't think it'll ever get easier where you're concerned." Blue eyes were nearly glowing again as the older man moved incrementally closer. "And I can't imagine the novelty ever wearing off." Gibbs closed the distance between them, capturing Tony's mouth in a soul searing, passionate kiss. Tony whimpered under the onslaught, hand moving to cup Gibbs face, altering the angle to deepen the kiss further. He growled when he was prevented from getting closer, unaware he was still wearing his seatbelt until it cut into him and held him fast. Gibbs ended the kiss, resting his forehead against Tony's. Tony was glad he wasn't the only one panting, trying to recover his breath. Gibbs shivered, and Tony was pretty sure it didn't have anything to do with the temperature. "God...Tony." Gibbs opened his eyes. "I want...I need--" "Yeah." Tony smiled; green eyes sparkled with understanding and affection as they held Gibbs' blue counterparts. His thumb lightly caressed the older man's cheek. "Me too." He pulled back enough to place a petal soft kiss on Gibbs' forehead. He worked the clasp on his seatbelt finally free. "Let's go inside." Gibbs nodded and they headed up to Tony's apartment. Once inside, Gibbs grabbed, spun him and pinned him against the door, diving in for another kiss. Tony was only vaguely aware of busy hands unzipping his coat, tugging at his sweater shoving it roughly upward. He gasped when cool fingers began a thorough exploration of his chest, pinching his nipples lightly. His tilted his head back, eyes closed as Gibbs moved to nibble along his jaw line and down his neck. Hips thrust unconsciously when the older man sucked hard at the spot just below his ear that always made him weak in the knees, teeth applied with just enough force to bruise but not break the skin. Tony whimpered, hands fisted in Gibbs' jacket and tried to pull him closer. Gibbs some how managed to shrug out of his jacket. Tony didn't know how because he was sure he'd never let go of it. He tried to think, tried to do more than just allow this assault on his senses, but everything just felt so damn good. From when he got the call about Vinnie's death over a month ago until now he hadn't done more than exchange a few kisses and some light touches with Gibbs; it was a long dry spell to go without those breathy little moans Gibbs made, to be bereft of passionate contact, to not be able to breathe in that musky blended scent of their combined arousal. He felt like the desert soaking up rain and could do little more than enjoy it. Gibbs nipped his earlobe before gracefully sliding down Tony to come to rest on his knees. The older man lightly fingered his belt, looking up at him. "May I?" Tony stared at him. Never in their previous interactions had the older man ever offered to go down on him. Tony's throat worked. God but the man was sexy on his knees. "You really think...I'm gonna...say no?" He managed to gasp out, locking his knees just to stay upright. "You might." Gibbs bit his lower lip in an uncharacteristically nervous gesture. "Didn't want to push...or take advantage here." Tony smiled warmly, unaware of just how green his eyes were, how much they resembled those of a pleased cat. He moved a hand to lightly pet Gibbs' silver hair, delighted with the silky texture that slid effortlessly through his fingers. He lowered his hand to cup the older man's upturned face. "Can't take advantage of the willing, Amoureux." Gibbs nodded, turning his head to place a soft kiss in Tony's hand. Tony shuddered when Gibbs' tongue darted out to wetly tickle his palm. His eyes dropped to half-mast as he braced himself more firmly against the door. He sighed when Gibbs undid his belt and his pants. He shifted a bit making it easier for the older man to pull his pants down to mid thigh. Tony gasped when he felt Gibbs' nuzzle his hard cock through his silk boxers. He trembled, caught off guard by how good this felt, how right. Tony's hands drifted to lightly pet that silver hair again. His hands shook as he forced himself to not grab Gibbs' head and fuck his mouth. He took a deep breath through his nose, and moved his hands back to pin them flat against the door. Last thing he wanted was to hurt him and he didn't trust himself not to. Finally Gibbs freed his cock from his boxers, licking it delicately from base to tip. Tony gave a rough, guttural moan when Gibbs ran his tongue over the head, pulling it into his mouth, sucking softly. The former cop's hips began moving minutely, overriding his mind's command to stay still. Gibbs didn't seem to mind, moving easily with him, taking more and more into his mouth with each lazy thrust. Tony bit his lip hard enough to draw blood when Gibbs started to gently fondle his balls. He knew he was making embarrassing little mewling noises, but couldn't seem to stop. Hands roamed the flat plain of the door behind him, restlessly seeking purchase. He nearly screamed when Gibbs swallowed him whole in one easy motion. The older man's throat worked as he bobbed, tongue joining in to tease and flutter with each down stroke. Tony tipped his head forward and then back with a dull thunk against the door, mouth hanging open as he struggled to breathe. Tony could feel that tingle at the base of his spin that heralded his coming orgasm. He tried to warn Gibbs, to pull away, but the older man just followed, pinning him more firmly against the door. "Boss?I'm so?please?oh yeah, just like that?Boss, you gotta--" He couldn't form a complete thought, couldn't focus. His whole world was condensing to a single point. When Gibbs began humming, Tony lost it, body arching away from the door, mouth open in a silent scream of completion as he came hard enough to see stars. Tony knew the only thing holding him up was the door behind him and Gibbs solid hold on his hips. He was gasping for breath, trembling with aftershocks. He reached down to pull Gibbs up and kiss him soundly. Tasting himself on Gibbs' tongue was about the most erotic thing he'd ever experienced. He hugged the older man to him, sighing deeply. He nuzzled Gibbs neck. "Thank you." He breathed out in a whisper. "My pleasure." Gibbs responded with a rough whisper of his own. He raised a hand to lightly caress Tony's bottom lip. "You okay?" "Much better than okay." Tony smiled before laying his cheek against Gibbs'. Tony shifted slightly, burrowing infinitesimally closer to Gibbs. He stilled when he could feel the other man's hard on. He lifted his head to make eye contact. "You?ah?want me to take care of that, Mon Couer?" Gibbs' head gave a sharp nod. When Tony moved, he tightened his hold. "I want?I want to make love to you...want to come inside you. Please." Tony kissed him softly, sweetly. Gibbs had never referred to any of their previous encounters as 'making love'. He'd never said 'please' either. "I'd like that." He toed off his shoes, and pulled his pants up enough that he wouldn't trip and kill himself on his way to the bedroom. It wouldn't be the first time they'd done this, but it would be the first time they'd done it at Tony's place. He was grateful he'd had the foresight to change the linens this morning and make the bed. Tony shrugged out of his coat and left it on the floor near where Gibbs had dropped his earlier. He could pick them up later. He tugged at Gibbs' hand, pulling him toward the bedroom. Tony flipped the switch that turned on the small lamp that sat on his night stand. The lamp only held a fifteen watt bulb--a bit brighter than a night light, providing ample light to see by, but not so bright as to be blinding. He'd never liked having harsh lighting in the bedroom. Gibbs pulled him back, to rest against his chest, nibbling at the back of Tony's neck. His hands slid under his sweater and up Tony's chest. Tony raised his arms, letting Gibbs smoothly remove the offending garment. He turned, staying within the circle of the older man's arms, leaning in for another kiss. Having come only a few minutes ago, he no longer felt the urgency he had before, but he reveled in Gibbs eager response, swallowing the other man's moan. Gibbs always tasted faintly of coffee, and something that reminded Tony of dark chocolate...not quite bitter but not exactly sweet. He pulled away, patting the other man's chest. "Think you got too many clothes on, Boss." "You going to do something about that?" Gibbs challenged him. Tony grinned. Feeling a bit playful, he leaned in and deftly began undoing the buttons of Gibbs shirt with his teeth. He nuzzled each bit of newly exposed skin. "Where...did you learn...how to do that?" Tony looked up coyly. "You want me to stop what I'm doing," he moved a hand to rub suggestively against Gibbs' groin, "waste time filling you on my misspent youth?" He leaned in to suck on a pert rosebud nipple, fluttering his tongue to pull a moan from Gibbs that seemed to reverberate around the room. He smiled wickedly as he pulled away. "Or would you rather I just kept going?" Gibbs shuddered. He swallowed hard and licked his lips. "It'll?I'll ask you later." Tony grinned and moved his hands to caress the flesh he'd exposed. "Figured that would be your answer." Gibbs growled and pulled him in for a kiss that was almost savage in its intensity. Tony relaxed into, enjoying the way the older man plundered his mouth. He'd never told Gibbs, but he liked it when the former Marine took charge; liked having this sort of physical proof the other man was turned on by him, that he had pushed him far enough to snap his control. He trusted Gibbs not to hurt him. Even at his most wild, Gibbs would never be too rough, never do any damage or leave a bruise any deeper than a hickie. Tony wasn't entirely sure how they made it to the bed. He had a sense of movement, but nothing concrete. All he could say for certain was that he was suddenly, wonderfully horizontal with warm, solid weight of Gibbs pressed against him. At some point they lost their clothes, but Tony had no idea how. He was just relieved to be blessedly naked. Being with someone nearly his height was ideal in Tony's mind. It made full-body contact something of a literal phrase. He arched up against Gibbs, wrestling for dominance half heartedly. The older man growled, and pinned him more firmly to the bed. Gibbs sucked hard at the hollow of his throat hard enough that Tony knew he'd be wearing the other man's mark for days. He lifted his head, expression a blend of lust, anticipation, and hunger. "Need-" "Drawer?Nightstand." Tony gasped, body singing with building ecstasy. He was hard again and leaking. He might be a little faster out of the gate than Gibbs, but what he lacked in endurance, Tony figured he more than made up in recovery. Gibbs stretched, opening the drawer roughly. He pulled out lube and a condom. Tony was thrilled to see that the older man's hand was far from steady. It was such an ego boost to know he had that affect. Tony reached for the condom and tore it open easily with his teeth. Ordinarily he would play a bit as he put it on Gibbs, tease him a little, but the older man already looked very close to the brink. Tony wasn't sure he'd last if they took too much longer. Gibbs popped the top on the lube and coated his fingers. He looked askance at Tony, hesitating for a moment. Tony smiled. "Face to face." He whispered his voice nearly an octave lower than normal, rough and needy sounding. It was a bit more awkward for him, not being as flexible as he'd like to be to, but it was also one of his favorites. And he knew it was one Gibbs preferred as well. Gibbs took a deep breath and nodded. He leaned in to kiss Tony again, fingers moving to use the lube, rimming Tony's entrance. Without conscious thought he raised his hips and spread his legs to give Gibbs greater access. He groaned, low and ragged, when Gibbs inserted one finger and then two. Hips started thrusting as he fucked himself on Gibbs fingers. "So?good." He whispered. Tony tipped his head back, hands reaching for the headboard to give himself more leverage, something to brace himself with. He whimpered, a sound of loss and disappointment, when Gibbs withdrew his fingers. "Shhh." Gibbs lightly rubbed his thigh in a soothing motion. "It's all right." He continued to pet Tony as he used lube to coat the condom. "You ready?" "Was born ready." Tony grinned, shifting to place his legs on Gibbs shoulders, hips canting upward in blatant invitation. Gibbs nodded, pupils so wide his eyes appeared black. He positioned himself and with one smooth rolling thrust of his hips he slide home into Tony. The younger man gasped for air riding out the initial burn, eyes rolling back into his head as a wave of pleasure rolled through him. He knew he was saying something, nearly chanting, but he had no clear idea of what. He was mindlessly grateful that Gibbs seemed to know moving to continue to increase his pleasure, pushing him steadily toward the brink. He moved to meet each stroke, reveling in the hard pounding. When Gibbs' hand curled around his cock and began jacking it in time with his thrust, Tony nearly howled. He loved this moment. Everything coalesced into the physical, when the primary goal was just to feel, and then moved beyond. He could feel Gibbs thrust getting harder, more erratic. He knew the older man was close. Exercising control of his internal muscles, Tony clamped down on his lover, pushing him over the edge. Gibbs let loose with a near silent scream that managed to echo around the room as he came. The look on his face, tendons standing out harshly down his neck, whole body nearly vibrating in reaction was enough to spark Tony's orgasm just a second later. Gibbs panted harshly, all but collapsing on Tony's chest, once the younger man managed to actually lower his legs, letting them fall heavily to the bed. He felt weightless and incredibly heavy at the same time. He struggled to move his arms to hug Gibbs to him. One hand lightly stroked up and down the other man's spine, soothing the aftershocks and lingering tremors. He had no idea how long they lay together like that, just recapturing their breath and waiting for their heart rates to return to normal. He didn't try to restrain Gibbs when the older man raised himself up on his arms. Blue eyes met green before Gibbs leaned in for a gentle kiss. "You are incredible." "Not so bad yourself, Boss." Tony smiled. He sighed, eyes drifting closed. He felt Gibbs move, pulling away, and kept his eyes closed. He had hoped the older man would want to stay, to spend the night. He ached with the sudden loss. A light, gentle touch to his abdomen startled him into opening his eyes. Gibbs smiled down at him, expression infinitely tender---one Tony couldn't remember ever seeing before. "Just need to clean you up a bit." "Okay." Tony wasn't sure what else to say or do. "Are you staying?" The question slipped out before he could stop himself. They'd never spent a full night together. It was never anything but sex between them. "Do you want me to?" "Yes." Tony answered without hesitation. "Then I'll stay." Gibbs kissed him, soft as the touch of a butterfly's wing. The older man tossed the washcloth in the general direction of the bathroom. "Think we'll sleep better under the covers." Tony blinked and tried to follow what Gibbs was saying. Covers. Right. He shifted so they could pull the comforter out from under him. He sighed contentedly when Gibbs slide in next to him. Tony snuggled in closer, wrapping himself around the older man, enjoying the feeling of shared warmth. He wanted to say thank you. Thought maybe they ought to talk. But at the moment, he just felt too good, was too comfortable, too relaxed to bother with it. They'd talk tomorrow. ************************************************* Gibbs woke slowly. He was conscious of being warm and comfortable. The heavy feeling of his limbs and over all lethargy told him he'd slept more deeply than he normally did. The former Marine typically cat napped through the night, unable to really sleep for more than a few hours at a time. Ducky told him it was because he drank too much coffee, but Gibbs knew better; he simply hated sleeping alone, but he also had to trust whoever he slept with, and that had been something increasingly hard to come by. He'd never been a ?player' and three failed marriages had made him more than a little gun shy when it came to sharing more than the physical. Blue eyes blinked as he focused on an unfamiliar wall. He frowned trying to remember how he got to wherever ?here' was why it felt so natural, so right. Gibbs sighed silently as the memory returned, smiling softly as he put together the pieces. A date-yes, a movie with Tony. Other than the name of it, Gibbs couldn't recall much about what they'd gone to see. He'd been too distracted by being able to hold Tony's hand, having the younger man rest against him. He'd enjoyed the way Tony's unique scent had surrounded him, paradoxically comforting and arousing at the same time. Dinner afterward he remembered being good, but he couldn't remember what the hell he'd eaten. He had no trouble picturing the shy glances and tantalizing touches he'd gotten from Tony throughout the meal. He remembered heated kisses in the frigid Jeep, and the ride home. He had no trouble recalling everything that happened once they'd gotten inside Tony's apartment. Gibbs unconsciously licked his lips, seeking any lingering remnant flavor of Tony. He couldn't believe he'd been so stupid as to not have done that before. It wasn't like he had never done it before with other men, but when he was trying so hard to keep the younger man at arm's length it was just one more thing he'd foolishly denied both of them. Gibbs sighed softly and burrowed in closer to the solid, warmth he was wrapped around. He'd fallen asleep holding Tony, the younger man's head resting over his heart, but sometime during they night they ended up shifting to their sides, curled up back to front like two spoons in a drawer. Gibbs was somewhat surprised to find that Tony wasn't a restless sleeper. Once he settled into a comfortable position the younger man seemed inclined to stay there. Gibbs was more prone to moving around than Tony was. He placed a light kiss on Tony's bare shoulder. He'd been so damn grateful when the younger man had asked him to stay. The uncertainty in Tony's face and hesitation in his voice when he'd asked Gibbs to stay had caused both relief and pain; relief in that he was welcome, that Tony wanted him to share his bed, and pain in that the younger man actually thought he might say no, that Tony still wasn't certain of Gibbs' feelings. He grimaced, hands unconsciously making soothing motions up and down Tony's chest even though it was Gibbs' own distress that put his hands in motion. They really needed to talk, but he sucked when it came to words. It terrified him that a few thoughtless words might undo all the progress they'd made. Tony shifted, stretching and then recoiling slightly, his breathing changing from the deep, regular rhythm of sleep to something more awake and aware. Gibbs froze. He forced himself to relax and regulate his breathing. He hadn't meant to disturb the other man just yet. Gibbs wanted a chance to enjoy being in bed together, to cuddle for a bit before he had to figure out what the hell to say. A quick glance toward the clock on the nightstand confirmed that it was about his normal wake up time, making it still early in the morning. Too early, he thought, for Tony to be awake, especially on a Saturday. He figured Tony was the sort to sleep in whenever he had a chance, although why he thought that Gibbs couldn't say for certain. Tony moved again, pulling away from him. Gibbs automatically tightened his hold, mumbling an inarticulate protest, and curling in closer, eliminating the space Tony's movements had created between them. He nuzzled the spot between the younger man's neck and shoulder. "Shhh." He whispered. "It's early. Go back to sleep." Tony patted his hand, tilting his head backward, slanting amused green eyes toward him. "Don't care what time it is?.I need to get up, Boss." Gibbs blinked, not quite following. Tony smiled, shifting in his hold again. "I need to go." "Oh." Gibbs felt a bit sheepish. He released the younger man reluctantly. Tony turned and raised himself up with one hand. He leaned in, and placed a soft kiss on Gibbs mouth. It was light, a casual greeting not a precursor to anything more, but was something special in itself. Gibbs basked under the comfortable familiarity it implied. "Good morning, Boss." Tony whispered against his mouth before pulling back and rolling out of bed with an easy grace Gibbs envied. He watched Tony walk away, clearly unconcerned with his state of undress. Gibbs couldn't help but appreciate the long clean lines of the former cop, enjoying watching the muscles flex and ripple under smooth skin. Tony had the build of a runner, and lacked the bulky muscle mass usually associated with football players, making it hard for Gibbs to believe he'd played that game at all. It was a minor miracle Tony had played four years of college football, essentially injury free, while regularly facing off against guys who outweighed him by more than thirty pounds. Gibbs pulled Tony's pillow to him, curling up around it, snuggling in under the down comforter. The pillow was a poor substitute. He breathed in deeply, enjoying their mingled scents. He opened his eyes he hadn't realized he'd closed when he heard the bathroom door open. Tony leaned against the door jamb, back lit by the light he hadn't turned off. Gibbs noticed he'd slipped on a dark gray robe. He guessed it meant Tony wasn't coming back to bed; he tried not to see any significance in that. "You plan on sleeping the day away?" Tony asked with a small smile. Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Five thirty isn't exactly sleeping the day away, DiNozzo." Tony arched an eyebrow. "Wasn't it you who told me if you sleep past six you've already missed half the morning?" Gibbs sighed and rubbed a hand over his face, movements uncharacteristically clumsy. He felt more asleep than awake at the moment. "Had to have been some other bastard who said that." "Right." Tony snickered. "You want some breakfast?" Gibbs stared at him. "I can't believe you are even awake much less thinking about breakfast." "I get up at the same time every day, Boss." Tony shrugged one shoulder. Gibbs processed that bit of information. He should have expected that. He knew for a fact that next to the security personnel Tony was usually one of the first people to the office. And as essentially Gibbs second in command, he was also the one usually on call. More than once he'd gotten a call for a case from Tony at home, bright and early and Tony always sounded wide awake. "What did you have in mind for breakfast?" He asked, finally getting is brain engaged. "Was thinking omelets, unless you'd rather have something else." Gibbs stared at him. "Omelets?" "Just because I don't cook every day doesn't mean I don't know how." Tony responded, waggling his eyebrows, making Gibbs laugh. He really should stop assuming things when it came to Tony. He rubbed his face again. "I need coffee." Lots and lots of coffee. Tony chuckled. "Should already be perking." Gibbs blinked, staring at him. Tony made a meaningless hand gesture toward the kitchen. "Timer is pretty much always set." "Oh." He nodded. The one piece of technology he made a point of mastering was the timer on his own coffee pot. He liked having a cup ready and waiting when he got up, but hadn't realized Tony preferred the same thing. Although he should have since it was perking first thing in the morning when he'd spent the night on Tony's couch. He sighed and sat up, shivering at the sudden change in temperature. Out from under the heavy comforter, the apartment was definitely cool enough that running around naked was not going to be a very comfortable option. Tony handed him a blue robe similar to the one he was wearing. "Give you something to wear until we?.ah?track down all your clothes." Gibbs felt his face warm remembering how aggressive he'd been in striping them both. He had no clear idea of where everything ended up, just a desperate need to see it removed and out of the way. Tony's hand cupping his face brought his eyes up. "Don't worry about it." Tony smiled at him, leaning in for another soft, chaste kiss. "You weren't the only one who got a little?.well?carried away last night." Gibbs nodded. He reached out to lightly touch the love bite on the side of Tony's neck, and then the one at the base of his throat. They looked like it would take days for them to fade. "Sorry about that." "I'm not." Tony grinned at him, and Gibbs felt an answering grin spreading across his own face. He suddenly felt more at ease than he had since he realized they needed to talk. "Breakfast, Amoureux." Tony reminded him as he stepped away. Gibbs loved hearing Tony call him that. The foreign word somehow seemed to carry more weight, to mean more than if the younger man used the same endearment in English. Last night Tony had also used other terms, more words Gibbs didn't understand, but the tone and context gave sufficient meaning. He idly wondered if there was any personal reason that explained Tony's penchant for using foreign languages to verbally express affection. Shaking off his thoughts, Gibbs said, "I need to use the bathroom first." "No problem." Tony nodded toward the kitchen. "You know where I'll be." Gibbs made quick use of the facilities and then headed for the kitchen. Tony handed him a mug of coffee before turning back to making omelets. He whisked the eggs with a neat easy motion that bespoke of more than a passing familiarity with the task. "You want anything in yours?" "What are my choices?" Gibbs asked without really thinking as he sipped his coffee, mildly disappointed to find it wasn't the Dark French Roast. "I got ham, three kinds of cheese and hot peppers." Gibbs blinked. He hadn't really expected to be given a choice. "Put in whatever you want. I'm not picky." "Okay." Tony's lips curled upward in a faint smile. Gibbs watched the younger man work, fascinated with how graceful he made everything he did. No wasted motion, no hurried or careless action. "Your mother teach you to cook?" Gibbs leaned against the counter, enjoying the relaxed interaction between them. It was far more comfortable than he expected. "My mother could burn water, Gibbs." Tony laughed lightly, a peel of genuine amusement. "I'm not sure she could even FIND the kitchen." Gibbs frowned. "So who-" "That would have been Rosa." Tony smiled fondly. He clearly liked this ?Rosa'. "Who is Rosa?" "She's my parents' housekeeper." Tony deftly flipped the omelet he was working on, tossing in what looked like random ingredients to Gibbs. "Her husband, Jesus, is my father's valet. Think the chauffer, Manuel, is their son-in-law. Mario, the gardener, is related some how?second cousin or something like that." Tony shrugged. "Whole family fled Cuba a few years after Castro took over. Never could quite figure out how they ended up so far north but they are nice people." Gibbs filed that information away. He'd known Tony came from money, but some how hadn't made the connection that he was from a sufficiently lofty social standing as to have full time servants. Buying four hundred dollar shoes was likely the norm for Tony rather than the exception. Tony pulled two plates from a near by cupboard and placed an omelet on each. He handed them to Gibbs, and nodded toward the kitchen table. He opened a drawer and withdrew utensils for both of them. "You want anything to drink?" "Another cup of coffee." Tony nodded, and pulled the pot out of its niche to place it neatly on the table. He pulled out a bottle of juice from the refrigerator and set it on the table as well, snagging a glass from another cupboard before taking his seat. Gibbs took a hesitant bite, not surprised to find the omelet nearly perfect. "Could get used to this." Gibbs spoke out loud, not realizing he'd done so until Tony smirked. "Don't know any one who couldn't get used to a little pampering." "No. Not that." Gibbs made eye contact and held it, steeling himself to say what he knew he needed to. "I enjoy spending time with you, and I'm glad we started actually dating and getting to know one another. I want to make love to you as often as possible, and stay all night so I can wake up with you. Want to eat breakfast with you every morning even if it's you having cereal and I'm just having coffee. All of it, Tony, I could get used to all of it and I want to." Tony froze, fork half-way to his mouth, green eyes wide. "You mean that?" "Yes." Gibbs reached across the table to capture Tony's other hand. "I mean that." Tony's eyes dropped shyly. "Wow." Gibbs was sort of amazed himself. He'd hadn't expected to just blurt that out, or have it come out so clear and understandable. "Short changed us a lot before, didn't I?" Tony squeezed his hand. "Would have been short changed if you'd never showed up at my door at two in the morning to plead your case." "Hurt like hell at the time, but I'm glad you told me to get out when you did." Gibbs' expression turned rueful, surprised to find himself admitting that. "Don't think I'd have ever had the courage to work for this?to even consider it?if you hadn't. Would have missed out on a hell of a lot." It made his chest tighten to think of all he might have lost. Tony smiled. "Well, at least we know better know, right?" "Right." Gibbs nodded, a delighted smile bursting forth. He sucked in a cautious breath. "You okay with this?" "I'm very okay with it." Tony chuckled, before sobering, green eyes intent and focused. "Know we'll still have to be discrete and it probably isn't a realistic option for us to spend every night together, but I'm sure we can work something out." "Yes, we can and we will." Gibbs' confidence made his statement sound more like a promise. Tony smiled. "Can and will." He easily seconded Gibbs statement without hesitation. "We'll work out the details later, I think. Eat your breakfast." Tony admonished lightly, squeezing his hand once more before pulling away. "Don't want all my hard work going to waste." Gibbs chuckled. The omelet was delicious. He wasn't entirely sure what all Tony had put into it, but he didn't really care. It took almost no time to clean his plate. Tony sipped his juice. "You still want to head up to Antietam today?" Gibbs sat back, patting his stomach as he finished the last of his coffee. "Yeah, I'd still like to." He hadn't lied when he said he enjoyed spending time with Tony. Their dates thus far had lead to a number of insights, and there was still a lot about his younger lover he didn't know. The process of discovery was one of the reasons he so enjoyed being an investigator. He had forgotten it was also the best part of dating. "Don't let me forget to get the pie and put in the fridge before we go." Tony instructed as he got up from the table, putting the plates in the dishwasher. "Pie?" Gibbs frowned, he'd been staring at Tony's ass and lost the thread of what he was saying. "The one we got last night." Tony straightened up and looked at him. "Oh." Gibbs shook his head feeling a bit sheepish. "Forgot all about that." "Yeah me too." Tony snickered, before heated green eyes lightly roamed over Gibbs making him feel as though the robe he was wearing was transparent. "I had other things on my mind." Gibbs swallowed hard. "Was cold enough last night?.I?ah?don't think we have to worry about it spoiling." "No." Tony nodded, and stepping closer. He leaned in to whisper in Gibbs' hear, hot breath tickling the older man's skin. "Was thinking of taking a shower before we leave. You want to join me?" Gibbs moaned when Tony nipped his earlobe, imagination suddenly supplying all sorts of erotic images. "Yes" "Excellent." Tony stepped back and made a ?come hither' motion with one finger, green eyes bright glowing the same way they had last night. Gibbs shivered and moved quickly to follow him. Today had all the makings of being a great day and he fully intended to enjoy every minute of it. ******************************************* Gibbs had been to Antietam several times before. He wasn't so much a history buff, or even overly focused on the Civil War as much as he was a student of warfare and strategy. He'd read Sun Tzu's Art of War when he was fourteen and had been hooked on the nature of how conflicts were won or lost ever since. He was fascinated by ?command decisions': how they were made, how well they were executed, what the end results were and what could have been done differently. The Civil War held particular fascination for Gibbs. So many of the large battles like Antietam, Vicksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, and the first battle at Bull Run could have ended so differently if the men in charge had more sense. A war that drug on for more than four years could have been over in half that time if the men in charge had a better grasp of tactics, and how to use the weapons at their disposal. Gibbs never wanted to ever be in a position where so many men died needlessly, especially not if they were under his command. He and Tony were essentially the only visitors to the site; a chilly day in November not being the height of the tourist season. Tony had forgone purchasing the CD driving tour in favor of letting Gibbs fill in the details and highlights of each point of interest. The former Marine was both flattered and slightly embarrassed by that fact. He wasn't normally quite so talkative, but given his interest and background in the subject, he didn't have any trouble recounting the events for Tony. And he found he honestly wanted to. Wanted to share his knowledge with his younger lover, wanted to give him that same sense of visualizing the battle that he had. "Not surprised you know all this, Boss." Tony commented as they stood in one of the towers built to give visitors a ?scenic overlook' of the battle. "No?" Gibbs arched an eyebrow. Tony grinned and shrugged, taking Gibbs hand in his. "You are a detail kind of guy, Boss." Gibbs frowned slightly, not sure if he was receiving a compliment or an insult. "Meaning?" "If you are interested in it, you learn it all. Not just the big picture, but the minutia as well." Tony smiled, eyes warm. "You are always been interested in actions and consequences?People and how the things they do play out. Only makes sense you'd know about what happened here." Tony nodded toward his head to indicate the battlefield. "You always want to be where it happened. Need to put it in context so events make sense in your head." Gibbs blinked somewhat surprised to have Tony point that out. Sometimes he forgot Tony was a damn good student of people in his own right. They walked the sunken lane, hand in hand as Gibbs described how the Confederate forces had held the area as Union troops marched wave after wave toward them. If they hadn't run short of ammunition and their commanding officer taken several hits that took him off the field, the Confederates could likely have held the line for the entire day. Black and white photos of the aftermath had shown hundreds of bodies littering the area, mowed down like wheat in a stiff wind. "What?" Gibbs asked when Tony grimaced and shook his head. "I just can't quite fathom the amount of?" Tony waved a hand in a meaningless gesture, "courage, discipline or maybe outright stupidity it would take to march shoulder to shoulder across an open field against an entrenched enemy." The younger man frowned as he looked up and down the sunken lane. "And I can't even imagine the fortitude it would take to stand here, knowing you're running out of ammo, guys dying all around you and the enemy just keeps coming." Tony shook his head again. "Don't think I could have done it." Gibbs squeezed the hand he held. "Which?" "Either." Tony chuckled dryly. "Not sure I got the right stuff for it, Boss." Gibbs smiled and bumped Tony's shoulder with is. "I'm sure you could have done it, Tony." He raised their joined hands to place a kiss on Tony's reddened knuckles. "Just damn glad you'll never have to." He was beginning to think of those delicate blushes of Tony's as a reward. Being able to hold his hand was another. Gibbs mentally snorted. He was such a sap, but for the first time in his life he didn't see that as a bad thing. Burnside's bridge was another location that always made Gibbs shake his head, dismayed by the level of incompetence that allowed 500 Georgian sharpshooters with some assistance from artillery more than half a mile away to stymie over 10,000 Union troops. He and Tony strolled across the bridge to read the informative sign the National Park Service placed on the far side. Tony read it out loud, eyebrows rising as he finished. "Now why am I not surprised that whiskey worked so well as a bribe?" A squad of troops from Pennsylvania made it across the bridge after four hours of being stuck on the far bank when they'd been promised a day's ration of whiskey as incentive. "They took drinking seriously back then." Gibbs answered. "And we don't?" "Not like they did." Gibbs snickered. "Drinking wasn't recreational for them. It was a daily right mandated in the regs." "Point." Tony laughed. He gave Gibbs that little boy grin, green eyes alight with devilment. "You want to see if they'll update our regs? Get us a daily ration of some better than average booze?" Gibbs rolled his eyes. "No." "Party pooper." Tony grinned, unrepentant. Gibbs loved that about the younger man. He wasn't easily cowed, and he seemed to genuinely like the challenges Gibbs presented. They finished the tour, having lunch at a local caf鮠 Gibbs enjoyed it more for the company and conversation. No one else he knew had ever indulged his interest in battlefield history, or had shown a similar understanding. "We should run up to Gettysburg when they do the reenactment." Tony commented quietly as they were leaving. "I'd like that." Gibbs smiled, pleased by not just the suggestion but also the implication they'd still be together then. The reenactment was done in July. Tony dozed off on the drive back, and Gibbs found himself constantly glancing over to study his face. So many people appear younger when asleep as the cares of the day and tension eased from their faces, but Tony simply looked like himself. It was the open, relaxed and unguarded expression that Gibbs found fascinating. He was aware for the first time just much animation younger man's face typically had, how much he communicated with his expression as he did with words. Asleep he had a stillness about him, a reduced intensity and vibrancy that defined his waking moments. Gibbs sighed regretfully as they neared D.C. He reached over to shake Tony's shoulder. "Tony?" "Hmmm?" Tony turned toward him, eyes still closed. "We're almost back." Gibbs nudged Tony's shoulder again. He nearly said they were almost home before he caught himself. ?Home' seemed just a bit too intimate, although he couldn't figure out exactly why that would be a bad thing Gibbs hesitated to say it just the same. Green eyes blinked once and the younger man was suddenly wide awake. It was another thing they had in common---eyes opened they were awake and aware. Gibbs smiled, enjoying the knowledge that they shared various traits, even if they were just little things. Tony straightened and jerked his head sharply to the right and then left popping several vertebrae. Gibbs winced. "I hate it when you do that." "Why?" "It sounds awful." Tony shrugged. "Feels good." Gibbs shook his head. "Still hate the way it sounds." "Noted." Tony grinned. He sobered a second later, expression shifting to something Gibbs couldn't quite read. "We?ah?going back to my place?" "Unless you'd rather go to mine." Tony's smile was nearly incandescent. Gibbs basked in it, adding another thing to his list of rewards. He knew he'd said the right thing. "Pie is my place." Tony offered. Gibbs smiled slightly. "My clothes are at mine." "I don't have anything at yours." Tony looked thoughtful, but his eyes danced. "I could loan you something?" "Could you now?" Tony gave him a sly glance, one that was as suggestive as his tone. Gibbs cleared his throat. "Definitely." "Your place it is then." Tony winked. "As long as we pick up something sweet for later. Missed out on dessert twice now." "Can' have that." Gibbs grinned, catching Tony's hand. "No, we can't." Tony laughed, a delighted peel of lighthearted amusement. Gibbs loved that laugh. His list just kept getting longer. He really couldn't complain about that. In fact, he found himself wondering just how long it might end up being. **************************************** Knowing that he'd be spending the night and he could take his time, Tony reveled in mapping every square inch of his lover. He spent hours seeking out the spots that made the older man sigh, moan and writhe caught between impatience and passion. He experimented to find the right pressure that would shift any touch from tickling to tantalizing. He wanted to learn how close and how often he could bring Gibbs to the edge without letting him crossover. It was like mapping his way to a rare, exquisite treasure. Tony was delighted when Gibbs turned the tables and did the same thing. It was a heady experience to be the center of the former Marine's intent focus. Normally Tony only saw that intense, thoughtful expression when Gibbs was intent on a case, determined to solve a crime or catch a criminal. It was one hell of an ego boost to know the older man was actually memorizing details about him?.categorizing what he liked, how he liked it, and clearly making plans to do it again. Cuddling together afterward, listening to rain drum against the windows, Tony felt as relaxed and comfortable as he could remember being in a long time. He had his head pillowed on Gibbs chest, the steady heartbeat adding to his sense of comfort and well being. He sighed softly when Gibbs placed a kiss in his hair. "You okay?" Tony snuggled in closer. "Better than okay." He grinned suddenly, raising his head enough to make eye contact. "Never did get my pie though." Gibbs chuckled, rolling his eyes. "I'll make it up to you." Tony's grin softened into a gentle smile as he raised a finger to trace Gibbs' lower lip. "Pretty sure you already did." He loved the way saying stuff like that made Gibbs look away, an expression pleased embarrassment gracing his features. Tony moved enough to kiss him gently, lips meeting briefly before he laid his head down again on Gibbs shoulder. He felt something inside unwind and loosen when Gibbs arms rose to wrap around him. Tony loved being held. He sometimes thought that physical contact for him was like light to a plant. He settled in, relaxing to a near boneless state. "You got practice with the kids tomorrow?" Gibbs asked, the question not quite a whisper but definitely not his normal volume either. He nodded sleepily against Gibbs' chest, eyes feeling decidedly heavy. "Yeah." Gibbs fingers were busy lightly tracing an aimless design up and down his back. Tony had a better understanding of why cat's purred. If he could figure out how to do it, he would. "Can I tag along?" Tony blinked. He lost the thread of what Gibbs had been saying. Tony smiled to himself, patting Gibbs' side when he finally managed to pin down what it was the other man had asked him. "Sure." He yawned. "More?the?merrier." He heard Gibbs say something else, but he had no idea what, simply letting the words wash over him as he drifted off. He might have mumbled something in response, but Tony couldn't be sure of that. It didn't matter. If it was really important, Gibbs would ask again. Tony rarely had trouble sleeping, and given how they'd spent that past few hours, tonight was no exception. He moved only a little, position shifting away from lying on Gibbs to curl up on his side. Unconsciously he missed the warmth, not really settling completely until his lover moved to spoon in behind him, holding him close. Tony wasn't aware of Gibbs watching him sleep or the decidedly tender expression on his face as he did. He was innately aware of the older man settling in, subconsciously recognizing and responding to Gibbs relaxing, his breathing deepening, slowing to match his own. Tony woke at his usual time, eyes blinking open to stare at a vaguely familiar wall. He laid still, processing recent memories and smiled as he figured out where he was. He wondered if Gibbs felt the same way when he woke up in Tony's place. He doubted it. Somehow he couldn't see the former Marine waking up disoriented or confused. Tony stretched cautiously, pulling away from the older man. Just as he had the day before, Gibbs tried to pull him back in. Tony smiled and lightly patted Gibbs arm, turning his head to look over his shoulder. "Gibbs?" He whispered. He didn't really want to wake the other man, just rouse him enough to get him to let go. "mmmmph." Tony chuckled quietly. He'd never figured the older man would be a deep sleeper. He didn't seem the type. But then Tony never would have pegged Gibbs as being a cuddler either. "Hey...could you let go, Boss?" He whispered again, trying to wiggle away from Gibbs only to have the other man tighten his grip, pulling him back in. The grip caught him around the midriff, creating additional pressure on his already demanding bladder and making it hard to breathe. "Gibbs." He stopped whispering, barking out the other man's name. "What?" Blue eyes snapped open, lax muscles suddenly tense and ready for action, one hand reaching for what Tony didn't know. He was glad Gibbs didn't sleep with a gun under his pillow though the way Kate claimed she did. He patted Gibbs' arm in a gesture meant to reassure and calm. "Need you to let go. Please?" Gibbs blinked, brows pulling together in confusion. "Why?" "I got to go." "Oh." Gibbs looked away, chagrined, immediately releasing Tony. "Got a feeling this could become some sort of habit." Tony smiled, and turned to give him a quick kiss. "And it's not a bad thing." Gibbs smiled, the barest curling of his lips upward, arching an eyebrow. "Not a bad thing, eh?" "Nope." He gave Gibbs anothe quick kiss and then rolled out of bed, heading for the bathroom. Tony finished, washing his hands and turned to automatically grab the robe that should have been on the back of the door; that would have been there if he'd been in his bathroom. He sighed and shook his head. Force of habit was a powerful thing he decided. No robe meant nothing to wear. Tony shrugged. Shouldn't be too hard to find a t-shirt and a pair of boxers. He stepped back into the bedroom. "Hey, boss," Tony leaned against the door jamb, head cocked to one side as he studied his lover who was now curled up around the pillow Tony had been using. "You got anything I can wear?" Blue eyes stared at him. "Why?" "Because I like sleeping naked, but running around nude is another story." Gray eyebrows arched, expression shifting to suggestive as Gibbs patted the pillow he held. "Then come back to bed. Problem solved." Tony chuckled. He sauntered over, pulling the pillow from the older man's loose grip before sliding in next to him, enjoying the feeling getting into an already warm bed, delighted with being able to resume skin-to-skin contact. "Never would have pictured you the sort sleep in." Gibbs rolled to pin him to the bed, hands already moving with competent familiarity. Lips hovering over his. "Who said anything about sleeping?" Tony grinned. "Good point." He raised his head to catch Gibbs' mouth in a passionate kiss. He couldn't figure out how but the older man still tasted faintly of coffee and dark chocolate but he did. Last night had been about taking their time, slow exploration and delayed gratification which culminated in mutual satisfaction. This morning was about using that knowledge to expidite the process, aggressively triggering each other's personal hot spots, pushing each other rapidly toward the brink. Breathy sighs and moans filled the room the as they had last night. Tony felt like Gibbs' hands and mouth were everywhere. He tipped his head back, mutely begging for more when the older man applied teeth and tongue to that spot below Tony's right ear that always made him feel weak in the knees. He knew the repeated attention to that area would leave him with a mark he'd be unable to hide, but Tony couldn't bring himself to care. He knew he was babbling something but Tony had no clear idea of what, only that he didn't want Gibbs to stop doing whatever the hell he was doing. He was vaguely aware of the rain drumming against the roof and window an oddly steady counterpoint to their frantic actions. Tony welcomed the steady bump and grind of their groins against one another, the friction feeling so damn good. If he stopped to think about it, Tony might have been embarassed by the way they were acting like desperate, horny teenagers, their actions lacking any sort of style or finesse, but he didn't want to think about it; it was enough to simply feel, to go with the flow. He shuddered when Gibbs growled something, the timbre of his voice rough and needy raising goosebumps across Tony's skin. He found that spot on Gibbs' hip, the one that made him shiver last night, and pressed his thumb there in a slow, steady circle, fingers squeezing one cheek in a steady rhythm that was gradually picking up speed. Tony shuddered when Gibbs somehow managed to get a hand between them, aligning their leaking shafts so that he could stroke both of them. Tony panted, trying to hold back, not wanting to let go just yet. He loved this moment--hanging on the edge torn between the desire to cling and simply let go. He bit his lip, tasting blood as small tremors started heralding his coming climax. Gibbs leaned in, whispering harshly in his ear, voice commanding, impossible to ignore. "Come for me...Don't hold back...do it...do it now." Tony's back arched as he came, mouth open in a silent cry of completion. He felt Gibbs tense, the other man's body nearly vibrating as muscles spasmed with the force of his orgasm. They lay together, breathing harshly for several minutes. Tony sighed softly and stretched under Gibbs enjoying the solid weight of his lover pressed against him. He kissed Gibbs' cheek, surprised to find it far smoother than his own was. He hadn't noticed the lack of stubble earlier, but then he was otherwise occupied. Gibbs raised his head to smile down at him. The kiss that followed was tender and sweet. "You okay?" Tony smirked. "You can't tell?" Gibbs laughed, placing a swift kiss on the tip of his nose. "Just checking, DiNozzo." Gibbs shifted, moving so not all of his weight rested on Tony. Tony grimaced at the feel of the cooling mess on his abdomen. "I'm thinking a shower is in order." He gave Gibbs a sly glance. "You want to join me?" Gibbs looked decidedly pleased. "Sure." Getting clean together proved to be as much fun as getting dirty had been. Tony never would have guessed that Gibbs liked having someone else wash his hair, or that he liked getting his hands massaged. And Tony was delighted to learn Gibbs was willing to return the favor. The water was decidedly cool by the time they got out of the shower. "You making breakfast?" Tony asked as he dressed in a borrowed T-shirt and pair of boxers. Gibbs snorted. "If all you want is coffee, sure." "You can't cook." Tony declared with a shake of his head, expression amused. "No." Gibbs rolled his eyes. "Didn't have to in the Corps, they have a mess hall for that?and I had three wives." Tony smirked. "Better not let Kate hear you stay that last bit." Tony wagged a finger at Gibbs. "Horribly chauvinistic of you to assume your wives would do the cooking." Gibbs grunted and gave him a dark look. Blue eyes turned thoughtful. "Five to ten Kate can't cook." "No bet." Tony shook his head. "I know she can't." He snickered, decidedly amused to find there was something he could do that she couldn't. "You got anything in the kitchen that I can use to cook with?" Gibbs sighed and hung his head. "I'll take you out for breakfast." "Remind me the next time we discuss where to spend the night that I think about what we'll be eating the next morning." Tony laughed lightly. "Toss me my jeans, will you?" Gibbs threw his jeans to him and Tony slithered into them with a neat shimmy that made his lover stare at him. "What?" Gibbs licked his lips. "Only you could make getting dressed a turn on." Tony felt his face warm. He looked away. "You going to get dressed here or what? No shirt, no shoes, no service, Boss." Gibbs grimaced. "Yeah, yeah." When they were both dressed, they walked to a little diner just down the block from Gibbs' place. The rain had let up by then, at least enough so that they didn't get soaked in the short time it took to get there. Tony figured the older man ate there a lot, especially since the staff greeted him by name. They got a booth in the back, and ordered coffee while they pursued the menu. Breakfast was a quiet affair. The silence between them was comfortable, neither feeling obliged to fill it with noise. It wasn't until they were headed back to Gibbs' house that either of them decided to speak. "You're coming to the Y today?" "I'd like to." "Okay." Tony smiled. "What about tonight?" He glanced over at Gibbs as they walked, trying to gauge what he was asking. "What about it?" Gibbs sighed, lips pursed in annoyance. "Are you coming back here or am I staying at your place?" Tony blinked. "Guess we do need to work that stuff out." Gibbs smiled slightly. "Yeah." "Discretion and all that." Tony bit his lower lip. "Can't spend every night together, Boss." "I know." Gibbs grimaced. "Probably not a good idea to be together during the week." He didn't sound happy about it, but Tony understood, nodding his agreement. He thought it might be just a bit early in their relationship to leap into essentially living together. Gibbs might enjoy sharing his bed, but Tony suspected it might take him longer to get comfortable with the idea of really sharing space. It wouldn't hurt for either of them to take a little time to get used it. "So weekends for right now then?" "For now." Gibbs agreed, his tone clearly signaling that he expected that to change for the better in the future. "So tonight then?" Tony smiled. "My place is closer to the office." Gibbs ducked his head slightly. "I've got a bigger bed." "Nicer sheets." Tony counted with a wink. He'd learned a long time ago that when it came to sleeping naked better quality sheets made it a lot more comfortable to do. "And I've got a better TV." "You really think we'll be watching it much?" "Point." Tony chuckled. "I've got enough supplies I can make dinner and breakfast." "Sold." Gibbs laughed. Tonight they'd be back at Tony's place. Everything else would be negotiated as it came up. As much as they both enjoyed the lighthearted banter and quasi argument, he had a feeling they'd be deciding this way for some time to come. "You want to do something Friday then?" He asked quietly, a bit unsure as to whether or not Gibbs would want to continue actually ?dating' or not. "I'd love to." Gibbs grinned, blue eyes bright. "I've heard the monuments are pretty damn impressive at night." Tony cocked his head, smiling. "I've heard that too." "And we still have to work in trip to the Smithsonian." "Indeed." Tony reached out to discretely take Gibbs' hand in his. "Got a lot of stuff of things I want to see and do." "Make a list." Gibbs squeezed his hand. "Make it a long list. Something we can work on for oh a lifetime or so." Tony grinned. "Definitely." He had no trouble with that. None at all. The End.