The first time Anthony DiNozzo came into work, with non-case related injuries, Gibbs had been mildly curious but waited for the traditional morning prying of McGee and Ziva to get the information out of him.
Tony played to his audience beautifully, regaling them with the perils of moving furniture at 2.30 in the morning, whilst drunk.
“Tony you are an idiot” Ziva stated, staring at his bruised left eye.
Tony had laughed, loving the attention, good or bad.
“Still going to have to do a full day’s work and pull your weight even with this” Gibbs indicated, digging a finger softly into Tony's ribs, just under his right arm where he had been holding it close, protectively.
Tony hissed , “Yes Sir, three bags full, Sir” He had thought no one had noticed but as usual, Gibbs noticed everything.
“That's a lot of weight to pull around” McGee quickly added, getting a big, dirty laugh from Ziva and a sneer from Tony.
“McGee!!” Gibbs barked, his voice a sharp whisper.
McGee looked over at his commanding officer and then down, chaste, “Sorry Sir”.
Serious now, his team sat and got down to do the work they were paid to do.
That was how Gibbs liked it, give them a moment to blow off steam and have their fun but always remind them who was in charge and why they were there.
“What we got today, Boss?” yelled DiNozzo from his desk and Gibbs smiled, no matter his foolery, Tony was a professional.
So when Tony's mobile had rung and he had answered it eagerly on the first ring , listened intently and had smiled and said 'That's okay' and hung up. Gibbs was still only mildly curious.
As he sipped the last of his coffee he wondered which of his team would fuck up first so he could send them out for another cup.
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The second time Anthony DiNozzo came into work with non-case related injuries, Gibbs was slightly more curious but again waited for McGee and Ziva to interrogate him in the guise of morning camaraderie and gossip.
Again Tony had regaled them with of the perils of challenging the teenage son of your best friend to a game of basketball, while Gibbs drank the last of his coffee.
“Tony you are a clutterbuck”, Ziva stated, starring at his split lip.
McGee laughed, “Clusterfuck, Ziva” he corrected and Gibbs had yelled 'McGee, language!'
McGee looked over at his commanding officer and then down, chaste, “Sorry Sir”.
That was how Gibbs liked it, give them a moment to blow off steam and have their fun but always remind them who was in charge and why they were there.
“What we got today, Boss?” yelled DiNozzo from his desk and Gibbs thought knowingly, no matter his foolery, Tony was a professional.
So this time when Tony's mobile had rung and rung and he had answered it eventually, listened guardedly and had replied a little more cautiously' That's okay' and hung up. Gibbs was still only slightly more curious.
And if that day Tony had thought no one had noticed how he had favoured his right side more but had still pulled his weight and done a full day's work, then who was Gibbs to comment?
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The third time Anthony DiNozzo came into work with non-case related injuries, Gibbs was more than curious. For starters, Tony was there before him and he could count on one hand the number of times that had ever happened.
Tony smelt of freshly washed hair and scrubbed flesh and at 6.30 in the morning, it would be another two hours before McGee or Ziva arrived.
“Working on the Tyler report Sir” Tony had said as soon as Gibbs had arrived, “Thought I would come in early and get it done Sir”.
Gibbs nodded him a good morning, a near empty cup of coffee in his hand. He could never make his first drink last longer than the journey from the coffee stand to his desk.
“Tony you are a really stupid idiot” Ziva stated when she came in, starring at his split lip, bruised cheek and eye, “A bar fight ? Which of your annoying qualities pissed them off most, your face, your smart mouth or something else we have yet to discover??”
“Probably all three” McGee answered and him and Ziva snorted with laughter.
“McGee , Coffee” Gibbs yelled.
McGee looked over at his commanding officer and then down, chaste, “Sorry Sir”.
That was how Gibbs liked it, give them a moment to blow off steam and have their fun but always remind them who was in charge and why they were there.
“What we got today, Boss?” yelled DiNozzo from his desk and Gibbs looked over at Tony, starred at his injuries, no matter his foolery, Tony was a professional.
So later when Gibbs walked over to Tony's desk and leaned over his shoulder, their faces resting nearly cheek to cheek, no one else saw Gibbs slowly pull back the long cuffs on Tony's shirt, revealing the restraint marks that ran in rainbow bruises around his wrists and also that there were no defence marks on his knuckles and no one else heard Gibbs whisper to Tony that he should probably have Ducky check him out for internal injuries or any infections and it was only Gibbs who noticed that Tony's mobile was switched off.
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It was Gibbs who spent his lunch break confronting Tony's partner. Kicking his arse from one end of the flat to the other, asking him how he liked being a victim. It was Gibbs who held Tony's partner's head under water in the kitchen filled sink, his arm twisted painfully up his back nearly drowning, gasping with sobs every time he was allowed to come up for air, while Gibbs told him coldly, that if he ever saw him again, if he so much as looked at Tony, or even thought of Tony, Gibbs would kill him. It was Gibbs, gun drawn, who followed Tony's partner around the flat, counting off the 60 seconds he had given him to pack-up his Shit and leave, telling him he was lucky to even get that and that no one 'FUCKED WITH HIS TEAM!' and it was Gibbs who was waiting for Tony when he arrived home that evening, who comforted him and held him while he cried himself empty.
It was Gibbs who put an exhausted Tony to bed and sat by him and watched him sleep and it was Gibbs who confessed late into the silent night that we cannot always chose who we fall in love with and that even he had made the same mistake once.
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Story Notes:
This is my first NCIS Slash story so please be gentle, feedback welcomed. I want to say Thank You to my beta reader Emily Welsh
Author's Chapter Notes:
Tony has a problem and deals with it the only way he knows how
Chapter End Notes:
This is my first NCIS Slash story so please be gentle, feedback welcomed. I want to say Thank You to my beta reader Emily Welsh