"We’re going home. “
Tony had been lost in his own head, structuring his thoughts and searching for possible connections and leads. It took him a few seconds to register what had been said. Home?
“Do I suddenly speak Chinese? Hop to it.” Rough and impatient as ever, subtlety thy name is not Gibbs.
The growl nearly made him obey his supervisor out of habit but Tony caught himself just in time. “You can’t mean my apartment, because, bad idea for more than one reason. Hotel’s out. You wouldn’t call a safe house 'home' so that leaves your home and, just, hell, no!”
“We’ll make an investigator out of you yet, you've learned to reason.” Gibbs shot back, blue eyes darkening in displeasure. “Yes, my home. Pick up the little one and move it, DiNozzo.”
More words of vehement protest lay on Tony’s tongue, but he swallowed them. It wasn’t a good idea to force his very stubborn boss into a defensive position. The younger agent hadn’t thought that he would have to put their new understanding to the test so soon, now he would find out if Gibbs would take his concerns seriously.
“Boss, a word, please?”
Gibbs stared at him fiercely and Tony could imagine the thundercloud developing over the silver-haired head. Being questioned and denied immediate obedience was not to the older man’s taste.
“DiNozzo?”
Tony looked around. Tim and Ziva had taken notice of the discussion. They were paid to notice things and to make their observations covertly, if need be. McGee felt the need for secrecy, but his industrious typing didn’t fool Tony. Ziva wasn’t even feigning disinterest, she was leaning back in her chair and observing them openly.
Under different circumstances he would make use of his boss’ personal conference room, the elevator. But Sam was curled up in an office chair, her head resting on the tabletop, and he would not chance her waking up without him nearby. Ducky had assured him that under the circumstances her clinginess was natural. She had made her views on him being not there when she woke up clear as day; Tony didn't want to come back to another epic temper tantrum like the one he encountered in the M.E.s office in the afternoon so he wouldn’t go far.
“How about a little more privacy, the corner beside the MTAC stairs will do.” Tony didn’t wait for a reply, before striding across the room. Some small part of him was expecting strong fingers around his upper arm stopping him, but the older man gave one of his characteristic impatient huffs and followed him instead.
“I don’t think using your house is a good idea.” Tony hadn’t asked for a sanctuary this afternoon when his living conditions proved to be untenable for his girl, he didn’t think it was a better option now. If only Gibbs would listen for a moment.
“Did it sound like a suggestion? Remember: you are the case, you are under my command. I tell you once again, move it. I don’t get why you’re playing diva. My home not good or safe enough for you?”
Oh shit, that sounded defensive, exactly what he had wanted to avoid. It hadn’t been Tony’s intention to imply that Gibb’s home was unsafe for Tony and his daughter. But sometimes Gibbs forgot his own emotional and physical needs in his quest to protect others. Tony pitched his voice low. “A regular NCIS safe house would be better.”
His boss crossed his arms in front of his chest and pressed his lips together so they formed one straight unforgiving line.
Tony lined up his arguments and prepared for battle. As much as he wished that he hadn’t started this conversation, Gibbs wouldn’t let him get away with backing out now either.
“We know nothing about the perps, but if they did take the time to research us, they’ll know what you do when threatened: hole up on home ground or hunt. They might have prepared for this eventuality.“
Gibbs shook his head and dismissed the concern. “I’ll station some agents outside the house, and known territory has its advantages.”
Advantages that had come in handy before, but in completely different scenarios. “Ari Haswari, your personal white whale, that Matthews woman… One terrorist, one murderess. I wouldn’t compare those to my Sam.”
The silver-haired agent’s expression turned thoughtful. “What’s the real reason?”
“That’s the reason.” Tony tried to infuse as much honesty as he could. It was the truth just not-
“Not the whole reason.”
God damn it, Gibbs knew him too well. His official reasons for not wanting to go to the other man’s house were valid and should not to be dismissed so casually.
“Shouldn’t that be reason enough?” No answer, of course not. The persistent bastard was now glowering at him. “OK, it might have crossed my mind that…”
Gibbs eyes were taking on a really dangerous glint and dared him to find other faults with the boss’ plan. Time to state the main reason for his reluctance to use Gibbs' home. He hadn’t wanted to bring it up, but the other man gave him no choice so Tony prepared himself for a negative reaction. This topic had been taboo for years and whenever someone mentioned it Gibbs nearly bit off the head of the fool who had dared to do so.
“You really wanna let an eight-year-old run around your house?”
There was a short silence and then Gibbs answered him stonily. “It’s been 17 years.”
“If it was Sam…I don’t think 70 would be enough.” Tony tried to soothe.
“I am not a shrinking violet.”
Of course the former marine would take it as an affront to his masculinity, the idiot, instead of concern for his mental well-being. “Don’t think you are. Excuse me for worrying about- “
Gibbs interrupted him. “Worry about your own problems, leave mine alone. It’s not your job to worry ‘bout me.”
That was wrong on so many levels that it made his chest ache. “It’s my job as the second in command to ensure my supervisor's physical and mental health, according to the job guidelines and I don't give a flying fuck about me technically not being your XO at the moment! Not to mention that I care-“ Not the best location to finish the sentence and he caught himself just in time. They weren’t being very loud, but he wouldn’t want to be overheard by a nosy probie or Little Miss Spy. He didn’t need to finish the sentence anyway, Tony knew that his irascible boss had understood him well enough.
Gibbs inclined his head in acknowledgement and the tightness around his mouth lessened a fraction. Tony took it as a good sign.
“I've worked cases with children before.” Gibbs pointed out.
“Yeah, don’t forget, I was there.” And indeed he had been. Had watched Gibbs funnel his fury into icy effectiveness when it came out that Sandy’s father had thrown his family away for monetary gain. Tony hadn’t had the background knowledge then to understand Gibbs’ full motivations, but he remembered the menace Gibbs had shown.
The detailed files about Gibbs’ times in the service were unavailable for a mere agent’s eyes (especially an agent’s without hacking skills and the devil would mail-order ice skates before Tony would ask McGee) but Tony didn’t need a body count, he had seen how deadly the silver-haired man could be when he was motivated. Gibbs wasn’t overly muscled like some marines who were built like brick shit houses, but his clothes hid a coiled, economical strength that was far more dangerous for its deceptiveness. And rue the idiot that provoked it into action. In the case of Sandy’s father, a slightly different grip on the man’s throat, a little push and there would have been more damage done than a body being pressed against a wall. Gibbs had held himself in check then, yes, but only just. But the senior agent wasn’t blind to his boss’s faults, everybody has a breaking point and he wasn’t keen on pushing Gibbs closer to his. Yes, he had to keep Sam safe, but he wouldn’t sacrifice his … whatever’s inner peace for that goal if there was an alternative.
“You never took any of them home with you, did you?” A home the man had shared with his murdered wife and daughter. “You even took Zack to a safe house for the night.”
Gibbs opened his mouth as if to say something, closed it again and a deep line developed between his brows. He uncrossed his arms and shifted into a more balanced stance. “It won’t influence my job.”
“You sure?” Tony could see the muscles in the older man’s jaw working and the tension lines deepening around his mouth. His boss was wound tight and ready to unload a shit load of dissatisfaction onto his head. Maybe he should have let this particular dragon sleep and hope it didn't wake up.
“I don’t like you questioning me, DiNozzo.”
What the fuck?!? If Gibbs couldn’t climb down from his high horse himself then Tony would have to topple him by force, but he would have to wait for a better place to do it properly. Why couldn’t the stubborn man back down, just once? But he wouldn’t be his Gibbs if he did.
“House is free standing, you can see visitors coming, it’s easily defensible, and I know every nook and cranny. Agents will keep watch from the outside.” Gibbs took one step backward but it was by no means a retreat. “Vance is indulging us, you know it. Requesting a safe house when mine’s available is not going to earn us any favors. It’s too late to arrange something different without a lot of hassle. Deal with it.” He leaned closer again until his nose nearly touched Tony’s.
It was hard to keep his face expressionless, but more than a little bit of rebelliousness must have shown because Gibbs' voice took on a new level of harshness.
“And don’t question my decisions at the office again because you doubt my professionalism. I know better than you what I can and cannot stand.”
There was no chance to change Gibbs’ mind at the moment, he was acting like epitome of the immovable object. Tony forced himself not to show defeat or let his shoulders slump. Instead he did something he knew would express his feelings well enough. He flowed into parade rest and looked straight ahead.
“Yes, sir.
Gibbs sighed. “Damn it Tony!”
.-#-.
The car ride to his house went without a hitch and Gibbs was thankful for that blessing. He even toned down his driving style. Nobody followed them as far as he could tell, just the second NCIS car with the agents who would stand guard during the night. Another team had been dispatched to check his house and the surroundings for intruders and other unpleasant surprises. They had called an All Clear in earlier and would wait for Tony, Sempera and Gibbs arrival before joining their colleagues outside.
Gibbs didn’t know and couldn’t care less how it had been made possible, but someone from the technical department had, at his demand, managed to find and install a booster seat into the car. Gibbs had no clue if Sam still required one, but he wouldn’t take that chance. Tony’s daughter was barely awake and cranky. No wonder, it was after 2200 hours and she needed to get some real sleep in a real bed or she would be insufferable tomorrow.
A small duffle bag with a change of clothes and some toiletries had been another feat of whoever was responsible for fast acquisition of necessary supplies. Neither Tony nor Gibbs had thought about asking for Sam’s things when they were at St. Margareth’s. They had been too focused on keeping the girl safe and didn’t think about the missing luggage until evening. It wasn’t a big deal; they would pick her things up tomorrow when they returned to question the staff and students at the school.
The argument at the office had been upsetting. Gibbs really preferred home ground when faced with dangerous situations, he weighed it higher than the anonymity of an official safe house. It still smarted that his agent had thought that he would let his past get in the way of making sound decisions. The younger man was now acting strictly professional, only showing emotions when interacting with his daughter and it made Gibbs very uncomfortable. He was missing something crucial here, because, in hindsight he had to admit that Tony normally wouldn’t question his boss’ competency, there had to be more to it.
His home was waiting for them, the front porch lights turned up to full brightness, an unusual occurrence. Good thing that he didn’t have many neighbors, they would have wondered what was happening. Gibbs parked his car as near to the door as possible and waited for the sign to move into the building. The three of them emerged from the same side of the car with Tony, who had been riding in the back with his daughter, carrying Sam. Gibbs watched carefully over them as they hurried into the house.
Sam didn’t even have the energy to investigate her new surroundings. She let herself be led docilely into the hallway bathroom by her father. Gibbs followed them and watched from the door. There she showed the first signs of interest. The unfamiliar nightshirt and the toothbrush were stared at and Sam vehemently refused to use either of them.
‘They are pink!’ That seemed to be enough reason. Small thin arms were crossed resolutely across her chest and she shook her head. Why someone who didn’t seemed to be concerned about her outward appearance would refuse to use or wear something simply because of its color was beyond Gibbs. And weren’t little girls supposed to like pink? Pink hadn’t been Kelly’s favorite color, that had been green, but she hadn’t disliked it either.
“Please Sam, it is just for one night, we'll get your things tomorrow.” Tony sank down on to one knee, no mean feat in the small bathroom, and tried to reason with her. But all he earned for his troubles were mutinous glares and sniffles; she wouldn’t reconsider and neither man felt up to forcing her.
Gibbs remembered something. “Tony, I’ll be back in a moment. Look in the right cabinet beside the mirror, you should find a guest toothbrush there. I doubt that it's pink.”
Tony groaned. “Should have thought to ask if you had one, instead of trying to out-stubborn a kid. Thanks.”
It didn’t take long to rummage through his drawers and return with one of his old t-shirts. It had been washed so often that the cloth was thin and very soft and it had a logo on the front. Gibbs used to wear it when he went jogging. Of course it would be much too big for Sempera’s small frame, but it would do as a nightshirt. He returned to bathroom and held out his hand with the shirt, like he had his hanky earlier in the day.
Sam hesitated and finally snatched it out of his grip, followed the lines of the letters with her fingers and then looked up at him again. ‘Like NCIS without the C. Thank you.’
“You’re welcome.” Gibbs smiled down at her. One meltdown averted.
Tony thanked him as well. Not even ten minutes later all that could be seen of Sam in the soft glow of a nightlight was a shock of brown hair over the hem of the blanket. The adults left the door to the guestroom half open and went down into the living room. One of the new features that had been installed was a more sophisticated version of a baby-monitor and they took the extension with them. Abby had promised some elaborate, child-appropriate wristband with monitoring devices and GPS for the following day, but in the meantime this would have to suffice.
-#-.
"Tony," Gibbs spoke the name softly, he didn’t want to startle the younger man.
Tony was sitting on the old lumpy couch, his posture telegraphing tiredness and distress. He had shed his jacket and untucked his sweater. His elbows were resting on his knees, his chin resting on his folded hands. Only one small lamp on a side board was turned on and illuminating the scene, the curtains were drawn close in front of the windows. No one should be able to observe silhouettes from the outside.
Gibbs sat down in front of Tony on the low coffee table, their knees were nearly touching this way. He could barely make out the expression on the younger man’s face in the half darkness. After the day he had it wasn’t a surprise to see deep purple shadows under Tony’s half-closed eyes, or the stubble on his cheeks and chin. It was the overall stillness and the lack of animated sparkle in green eyes that gave Gibbs a clue that it wasn’t just wariness of the body that weighed down Tony.
“Never expected I would use these words twice in a day, hate them with a passion in fact, but we need to talk.”
The younger man didn’t react at first. Tony had been disturbingly quiet on the car ride to the house. If there was one ground rule that the former marine had learned about his second in command during their years together, it was that a quiet Tony DiNozzo was a clear sign that something was extremely wrong. Gibbs had once compared him to a dog, a loyal St. Bernard. The dog parallel wasn’t completely fitting but it had led Gibbs to a revelation. Tony was normally all energetic movement and sparkling smiles, loud and demanding attention. It had taken Gibbs months to figure out that his agent behaved this way not because he was trying to put off people, but rather as a test and a security blanket both. Tony wanted to belong. But if someone took him at his worst the chances rose that he wouldn’t be thrown out again at the first sign of trouble.
Signs of trouble had come up in their relationship faster than expected, but Gibbs would be damned before he would let them destroy what was potentially the best thing to happen to him in years.
“I thought I was allowed to voice my opinions. I thought we agreed. Guess I was wrong.” Tony finally said, his voice bland and his eyes fixed on his hands.
Gibbs doubted that this was the core of the problem, more of a symptom, but it could be used as a starting point. He sighed. “Tony, voicing an opinion in private, versus offering suggestions at work and expecting me to follow you like an errand boy to a corner to question my competence, these are quite different things.”
Tony raised shook his head and grimaced. Then the younger man placed his hands flat on his knees. “Yeah, that was a dumb thing to do. In my defense, I didn’t see an alternative location. Sometimes I have to call you on potential bullshit at once. There wasn’t time to wait for an opportunity to, how did you put it, plant my butt on the second stair of your basement. Said basement being part of the problem.
“But, and it’s a big but, Gibbs.” Tony raised his chin defiantly. “You dismissed my opinion about one hell of an important situation. You insisted that you can deal with your issues, so let me ask you: what would you have done if it was Kelly in danger and the man in charge of the investigation didn’t include you in important decisions?”
Green eyes, angry and sympathetic both, stared at him and asked the older man to answer honestly. Tony knew some details of what had gone down with Shannon and Kelly and the parallels to their current dilemma, but he nevertheless did what Gibbs had, in a way, commanded him to do. He wasn’t pulling his punches anymore. They hit their target hard; if Gibbs hadn’t been prepared he would have flinched.
“Wouldn’t have taken it well, for sure.” Understatement of the year. Oh, he would have reacted far more aggressively than Tony had, but that was not the crucial point, it just made him feel a twinge of regret that he hadn’t had the foresight to anticipate a possible problem. He shouldn’t have made decisions completely without Tony’s input.
“But, three things, Tony: if the hypothetical man in charge was good at his job, and I’d have demanded the best, he might have been more diplomatic than I am, but he sure as hell would have insisted that I follow his instructions to the letter, despite any misgivings I might have had. For my daughter’s and my own safety.” Blue eyes tried to assess how receptive Tony was to this reasoning.
“By the way, it was my home I used as a safe house for Zack. I just never said so at the office. You were all so sure that it was his father who was the traitor, Jen wasn’t told either. But that’s immaterial at the moment.”
Gibbs could see the knuckles of the other man’s hand turning white. Clever fingers, normally used to accompany every argument and discussion with gestures, dug into the fine cloth of Tony’s slacks, forced into frustrated immobility. Tony was miserable, and it brought home how much Gibbs had botched up the conversation at the office. He shouldn’t have brushed off Tony’s concerns so harshly. Finally, Gibbs could make out a tired nod of acknowledgment but the tension didn’t dissipate.
This would be easier if he wasn’t so stressed, it was a point Tony would have made himself. “Secondly, and I told you already, if it is work related, everything stays the way it always have been. If you have a problem with something I do, either have a clear professional reasoning laid out in such a way that we can have the discussion in front of the team, or save it for later."
The nod came much faster than before. “Clear boss. But this wasn’t purely a professional disagreement, it had personal parts, too.”
Gibbs shrugged. “Yeah, it was both, unfortunately, but at the office-“
“Boss.” Tony put heavy emphasis on the title. “Don’t you think that you might be overcompensating in the wrong direction?"
His first reaction wasn’t printable, but Gibbs held himself back and inclined his head in question instead. He had already fucked up once today, no need to repeat it.
“Way I see it, you were trying to make certain that our new private understanding doesn't bleed too much into our work environment."
That was something the older man had to chew on for a moment. It wasn’t entirely true, at least Gibbs hadn't thought rationally about it that way, but it might have added to his irritation at being questioned. He had wanted to make sure that dating a co-worker wouldn’t cause professional tension between them. It was one thing that had soured his relationship with Jenny Shepard. He didn’t want a repeat with Tony.
Tony had given him some time and was continuing to speak only after Gibbs had given him a grudging nod.
“Don’t know if I should feel insulted…wait, I do feel insulted, that you might think I would take advantage.”
Oh shit. Gibbs opened his mouth but Tony put a finger on his lips, the look in his eyes ordering Gibbs to stay silent so that he could continue. “But what hurts more is that you denied me the right to look out for your best interests. No matter if you're able to cope with something, sometimes you simply don’t have to! Don’t tell me you wouldn’t feel the same way if our roles were reversed.” Tony looked at him imploringly. “And if you deny me the right to care about you… then we have a real problem, you and I. If I am to be your… partner, I have the right to worry about you.”
The finger left his lips and Gibbs closed his eyes to think. It felt like a lot depended on his reaction. At the moment he felt like the biggest asshole in the northern hemisphere. It had been nearly twenty years since someone had managed to make him feel this much regret about words spoken in anger.
Gibbs reached out and touched Tony, to feel the tense muscles in his shoulders, knead them carefully and add a physical aspect to his words.
“I didn’t mean it the way it sounded, my words came out wrong and I regret that.” And that was as near to an open apology as possible for him. “Never thought you would take advantage, you’re too much of a professional, I just overreacted. And I don’t want you to worry ‘bout me. Might cost you crucial seconds in a fight. At work, nearly everything has to stay the same.”
This time it was Tony doing the touching, hesitantly gripping one of Gibbs’ knees. It looked liked he believed Gibbs' sincerity, at least the hesitant smile on the younger man’s lips pointed that way. The tightness around the silver haired man’s chest lessened considerably.
“Newsflash, Jethro, I didn’t just start worrying about you just today.”
Gibbs didn’t know what to say so he tightened his grip on Tony’s shoulder once more, digging his fingers deeper, letting them massage the knotted mess he could feel underneath Tony's clothes. There was one more major thing he wanted to clear up between them and it might help him win back some trust.
“Tony, if you meant what you told me in the car.” Gibbs began and Tony straightened completely, his full attention directed at whatever would come now.
“Yeah?”
“If you meant what you said, about me being allowed to take it all, then Sempera is mine now too.” Gibbs hoped that the younger man could hear the sincerity in his voice, how important this was to Gibbs.
“I lost one daughter and one partner, I won't chance it happening again if there's anything I can do to prevent it.” Gibbs forced the words out. He could see Tony taking a deep breath and the defensiveness in his posture was lessening significantly. Yeah, those had been the right words indeed. “We clear now?”
Unfortunately this wouldn’t be the last cliff they would have to navigate on their way to calmer seas but the danger seemed to be over for now. To Gibbs' relief his partner wasn’t trying to dig deeper for more, but was silent and after a few minutes pointed at a minor issue.
“So, speaking of rules. There will be some new personal additions to the standard catalog, yes?” Tony didn’t take his hand away and he cocked his head to the side, trying for light hearted but failing somewhat. His next sentence sounded a little bit too cheerful. “And I am not talking about ‘Don’t leave your dirty laundry on the bathroom floor, dammit!’”
Oh yes, that had been a bone of contention between them when Tony had used Gibbs' house as a bolthole years ago because his own apartment hadn’t been usable due to a fuck up with the water system. Tony wasn’t a slob, but he didn’t seem to care one bit about where his clothes ended up after an exhausting day at work. Gibbs hadn’t appreciated stumbling over them in the night and nearly falling because his feet got tangled in the other man’s trousers. As a private rule the one Tony cited wouldn’t be too far off the mark. But there were more important ones.
“Well, we are already breaking one of my main ones.”
“Rule twelve: Never date a co-worker. Maybe you should add a clause. Like with the one about keeping secrets, it has stipulations too. Just one exception. 'Never date a co-worker, except Tony DiNozzo' sounds good to me, perfect in fact. Or is there a rule in the Marines about not being allowed to change existing ones?”
Gibbs shook his head and smiled. “Wasn’t the Corps that started me on keeping a set of rules to live by.”
“Huh. I knew it wasn’t official, Gunny Atlas said so, but I always assumed that-“ Tony began and then grinned ruefully. “OK, shouldn’t ever assume.”
“No, you shouldn’t.” They were so near to each other that Gibbs could make out some darker flecks of color in Tony’s eyes, the sparkle was back. “But yeah, number 12 went out of the window earlier today. Shannon would approve, one of her own was that some rules are made to be broken if you had a good enough reason.”
Tony blinked and his grip tightened.
“Oh. That.” He stuttered. “Explains some things. About you. “
“Never go to bed without clearing things up is another one.” The table under Gibbs creaked when he shifted his weight to find a more comfortable position. As far as he was concerned, this was as much conversation as they both could stomach. It had been a very long day. “All this talking made me even more tired. How about some shut-eye?”
Tony nodded and slowly stood up. It wasn’t an easy move with the older man so near. Gibbs wasn’t giving him more room, and he refused to draw back. Judging by the curl of Tony’s lips and the way he wasn’t hurrying to increase the space between them, he didn’t mind the closeness either.
“I’ll check on Sam first and then try to get some sleep on this lumpy travesty of a couch. Blankets still in the same cupboard?” Tony stretched, his untucked sweater was riding high, showing some tantalizing glimpses of skin above his waistband.
Gibbs was sure that, for once, the display wasn’t purely meant as a provocation, but he still longed to bend forward and lick at the revealed private bits of skin. He doubted that Tony was up for any play tonight, but there was no reason for him to be uncomfortable. Besides, after all this upheaval it might be a good idea to end the day in a more positive way. Sleeping beside each other fit the bill perfectly.
The older man waited till his partner was nearly at the stairs before answering. “They're in the same place, but why do you need them? What’s wrong with my bed upstairs?”
Tony’s steps faltered and he turned around, his eyes round and startled.
Gibbs had to laugh. “Why so shocked? We aren’t the heroines in some stupid Victorian romance novel, sleeping in the same bed shouldn’t be a problem. Last time I looked, I had a bed big enough for both of us.” He wouldn’t mind the company and it was a good idea to start the way you wanted to go on.
This time there wasn’t anything forced about the huge grin on Tony’s face. “Just sleep?”
“Don’t think we have the energy for more. Or the opportunity. Never mind the four stooges outside.” Gibbs switched off the light. “Another thing you should learn about having kids. Never get amorous if there is any chance for them to disturb you.”
“You had to remind me, didn't you?” A quick glance was thrown up the stairs to check if they were still alone. “So, no sex. In a way that’s good, you were right, I am tired and I don’t want to fall short of expectations. I have a reputation to uphold.”
A few quick strides and he was standing beside the waiting Tony. “I don’t think you’ll disappoint me.”
Tony beamed at him. “How about a small taste of more things to come?”
That was all the warning Gibbs got before warm lips and a strong body were pressed against his own. The kiss was enthusiastic, but with an underlying hesitation Gibbs was eager to dispel. He took control of the kiss, his fingers angling the younger man’s head just so, perfect to conquer Tony’s soft lips with tiny bites, to make him whimper, soothing the little hurt with licks of his tongue afterward. It wasn’t the most sophisticated of kisses, it was kind of messy in fact, but it left them both breathless and Gibbs could feel a hardness matching his own.
The need for air made them stop and they stood in the hallway, forehead to forehead, breathing in time with each other, content to be so close. Tony’s hands were resting on Gibbs' shoulder. Neither man felt the need to say anything. It was Tony who yawned and thus broke the spell.
Gibbs chuckled and pulled Tony into a tight hold, stealing another taste, before disengaging and leading the younger man up the stairs.
“Nah, I don’t think I'll be disappointed at all. But for now, let’s check on our sleeping princess, take a cold shower and crawl into bed.”
Tony seemed to be a little bit embarrassed about his very unromantic yawn but he was eagerly following the older man upstairs.
“You have the best ideas.” The smile he bestowed on his partner was devious. “So, great knowledgeable master of all things, any idea about how to explain me sleeping in your room to Sam? I don’t think ‘there wasn’t another bed in the house’ will work.”
“How about telling her the truth. That we are in a relationship and that it is quite normal for us to share a bed.”
“Why do I have the premonition that it won't go over well.” Tony looked into the guestroom and smiled tenderly. “And what do you know, we have one advantage parents normally don’t have.”
Gibbs tried to guess but came up with a blank so he looked at Tony questioningly.
“We don't need to worry quite as much about making noise!"
.-#-.
Tony had grown up in big house in Long Island, it had been impressive, inside and out. There had been regular requests for photographs from high end architecture magazines, and even one from Homes and Gardens asking if Emilio DiNozzo would mind his estate being included in an article series about American homes. Tony’s father had been tickled pink about it but always declined. He was of the opinion that it was expected and planned to use ones house to impress friends and business associates, but he would never consent to showing the unwashed quasi-educated masses his sanctum.
Tony couldn’t remember the word 'home' being used often to describe the DiNozzo estate by anyone, and it didn’t surprise him. As grand and sparkling as it was, with all its carefully styled and maintained rooms, there was something missing. A home should feel like a haven, you should be able to feel secure. Not worried about damaging some displayed piece of art or that someone would bark at you because your posture was unbecoming for someone of his station and breeding.
Gibbs' house wasn’t impressive from the outside, it looked like a regular American Ranch-style house with a front porch and shutters for the windows. Everything was well maintained but a little bit bland. There were no creative touches, no flowers or ornaments, just low bushes and a meticulously cut lawn. No way for anyone to sneak up on the house unseen.
The insides matched the no-nonsense nature of the outsides, with the added touch of a mass of books and heavy wooden furniture. If Tony was honest, he couldn’t say that this was a home either, even if he liked it far better than the house he had lived in as a kid. Not comfy enough, the lack of customization. He could be mistaken of course, and the lack of nick-knacks was his boss’ way of style. Tony had used one of his first visits to explore a little bit and the impression he got was that most rooms went unused. They never changed, nothing was added, nothing was used. It felt like it was caught in a time loop. Yes, that was the image he had been grasping for.
There had been one room he never even tried to explore, the master bedroom, and now he was standing in the middle of it and listening to the sounds of the shower being used in the adjoining bathroom. He had used the trip to his apartment for a quick stint in his own shower before changing clothes and therefore used the current alone time to change into his rarely used cotton pyjamas. Tony preferred to sleep naked but he wouldn’t risk being caught at a disadvantage if something happened while he slept.
Tony was bone tired and refused to think closely about the roller coaster this day had turned out to be. Tomorrow would most likely be another roller coaster day, and it wouldn’t do him any good to start it already exhausted.
Gibbs hadn’t been joking about the size of his bed, it was big enough for two all right. And no way had it been bought at a store. The dim light disguised the details with heavy shadows, but he stared at it with nervous anticipation long enough to spot some unusual shapes. Tony suppressed a whistle and stepped to the headboard, letting his fingers run over the intricate carvings that decorated the piece.
The motif was antique sailboats, no surprise there, that were battling a storm enraged sea. Most of the shapes were the waves obscuring the vessels. So much for no ornamentation! This was beautiful, sanded and polished to silky perfection so the grain of the wood enhanced the design. The feeling of the sinuous lines under his fingers was hypnotizing and he stroked the wood as if it was still a living, breathing thing. “Wow….”
He missed the fact that he wasn’t alone in the room and nearly jumped out of his skin when someone pressed against his back and another hand joined his on the carving.
Tony turned his head and tried to get a feeling for Gibbs' mood and was relieved to find the older man relaxed and smiling. It was tempting to lean back into the half embrace and since there was no reason to resist anymore, he did so. A quick glance showed that Gibbs had chosen boxer shorts and another NIS shirt as sleep wear. Tony pointed at the carvings. “Boss, this is beautiful! Your work?”
“Hm. Not just there for decorations sake. Feel that?” His hand was led to one particular wild wave that was situated above and to the right side of the pillow. Gibbs gently bent their joined fingers to follow the shadows the wave created so that he could feel the space behind them.
Tony needed a few seconds to feel something else besides skin still damp from the shower and the heat of another at his own back, but in the end he did what he always did when this captivating man demanded something: he followed orders and concentrated on the task. That didn’t mean that he couldn’t do something else too, did it? This was a game best played by two people, not just one. He deliberately ground back against Gibbs and smiled angelically over his shoulder at him when he heard the other man gasp. Then he concentrated on the hard, sleek shapes before him instead of the slightly softer ones behind. They didn’t stay as soft but hey, if Gibbs wanted to play, Tony would oblige.
But first there was another challenge right under his fingers. This wasn’t just space created by troubled water caught in wood, it was perfectly shaped to hold-
“Huh, it’s a sheath for one of your knives.”
“Yep. And there’s a matching one for the other side of the bed.” Gibbs hand was still above Tony’s and the soft puffs of his breathing made the younger man wish for different circumstances.
“And there are other concealed practical features you’ll have to find for yourself,” Gibbs added.
“You know I love a good challenge.” Speculation about what else might be there was running wild but another yawn pointed at the more immediate issues. Tony could feel a rumbling laugh vibrating against his back.
Smug bastard, just you wait, he thought. “But some other time, yeah?” Tony let himself fall onto the bed and the bliss of a firm mattress and soft sheets under him made him sigh and stretch. He didn't do it solely for effect, but he would admit to adding a good portion of unnecessary extra wriggling. If there was one aspect Tony had no doubts about, it was how good his body looked and he had learned to display it to its full advantage. He turned onto his stomach and rested his chin on his arm, then blinked up mock innocently at a surprised Gibbs. There wasn’t much smugness left now, hah. “Hey, I'm just following orders here. Shut-eye. Sleep is calling and my body answers.”
“Yeah, some other time. Let’s use the five hours we have left of the night for sleep.” Instead of rounding the bed Gibbs crawled over Tony’s prone form and then stretched himself out on the other side, pulling the sheets over both of them as if it was the most natural thing in the world, and switched off the light.
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