As expected, Tony’s emotions ran a gamut from blazing anger, to cautious pride and joyous excitement. My Tony, he loves to be the center of attention, Gibbs smiled in the kitchen which was just catching its first rays of dawn. His heart almost hurt for his desire for the young man even as he listened to Tony rant about how he was always sick and McGee needed to quit bring those stinky breakfast burritos to work. He ran down Tim’s list of misdemeanors until Ziva had to interject.
“Tony-“
“And your falafels, little sister, have got to go. I mean, honestly, do we really want to smell rancid lamb-“
“My falafels are vegetarian and I seem to recall you frequenting the same gyro shop all spring, Tony!”
“Well, yeah! That’s before I had to respect what I put into my body, Zee-vah!”
“Whatever, Tony,” Ziva said through gritted teeth, doing her best to not start a fight. “I, for one, would like to hear less about your food restrictions and more about your condition. When are you due, Tony?”
Gibbs listened contentedly and, though he couldn’t see Tony from where he stood, Gibbs knew exactly how Tony looked as he said each word. He smiled as Tony glossed over how he would deliver, leaving McGee and Ziva just as confused, but less willing to probe. After Tony explained about the gestation period and how he had less than six weeks left they began asking about how much longer he’d be working and Gibbs decided he had listened in enough. He refilled the coffee cup Tim gave him with his own strong brew and brought in hot chocolate with little marshmallows for Tony. He walked back in the room and stopped when the conversation came to a halt. He looked at Tim and Ziva sitting on his old couch and Tony sitting on the older coffee table that wobbled precariously.
“Tony! Sit in a chair before the table breaks!” He watched Tony startle and obediently jump up, a bit embarrassed. “Tony, I’m not making a comment about your weight, I’m making a comment about this twenty year old furniture; that table had seen better days when I brought it home from the VFW. Now it’s just an accident waiting to happen and as rough as you are on…everything,” Gibbs finished, eyeing the mug in his hand. Ziva and Tim stared on in awe, seeing a domestic side of Gibbs that rarely reared its head. “Now, do you think you can manage to keep down hot chocolate?” Gibbs asked in a serious voice, as if Tony hadn’t already had his arm held out for several seconds after sitting down and actually looking at Gibbs.
“Yes, but if I promise to get plenty of rest today, do you think I could have some of those-“
“Deal,” Gibbs announced, handing the hot mug to Tony who smiled down at the gooey sweetness floating in his cocoa. “Don’t mind me,” Gibbs said, standing to one side and sipping his coffee disinterestedly when the conversation lulled. Predictably, it was Ziva who gained her speech first.
“So when will you go on maternity leave?”
“When it’s time to deliver,” Tony said slowly as if it were obvious.
“Many women do not work at the end of their pregnancy, Tony. It is expected.” Ziva explained, sensing that Tony might be planning on over doing it.
“I know, but I’m sure I can manage six more weeks of this.”
“You have to remember that if you had trimesters, this would be your last one, Tony. The babies will probably grow really fast from now until you deliver and you’ll be going through a lot of changes too. You might not want to go to work.” Gibbs explained to Tony, not wanting to bring up anything specific in front of McGee and David.
“Vance says I can work on restricted duty as long as I want so I’ll be there every day- munchkins are expensive and I’m gonna have two if you forgot,” Tony added.
“Since when do you answer to Vance? And we both know money is the least of your concerns,” Gibbs rejoined in a gruff voice but it wasn’t hard to hear the playfulness in it.
“Always, since he is technically your boss. But not half as long as I’ve been answering to you, boss! You’re always the first boss I answer to… and the last,” he added before deciding he should stop while he was ahead. Ziva and Tim watched the two men talk like colleagues and interact like something more. Tim seemed perplexed, but Ziva gave a knowing smile as she cleared her throat.
“Yes, Ziva?” Gibbs asked.
“Nothing. I was just thinking how very kind it is of you to open your home to Tony in his time of need. I’m sure he will find your experience very helpful, Gibbs. What of the other father, Tony? Will he be in the picture?”
“He was a very close friend who died recently, so no, he won’t be in the picture,” Tony said, looking at the floor.
“Oh man, I’m sorry, Tony. We had no idea you lost someone recently,” Tim rang in, sounding like he wanted to take the question back.
“I, too, am sorry,” Ziva said. “Perhaps we should leave you to rest, yes? I think Gibbs was right; you are looking tired, Tony.” Ziva stood up and Tim followed her to the door.
“We’ll call later and see if you feel like company,” Tim said as he closed the door, leaving Gibbs staring at Tony in silence. Without saying a word, Tony waddled up the stairs, rubbing his back in an obvious bid for sympathy. Gibbs refilled his cup then locked up and followed Tony, climbing into bed behind him and kneading all the right spots in Tony’s back until Tony was cringing then moaning then limp with achy relief. Gibbs felt guilty for all the times he watched Tony rub his back and Gibbs didn’t help to relieve the pain, for all the times Tony tossed at night, but Gibbs couldn’t give in enough to cuddle Tony against him and help him find a comfortable position.
An hour later, Gibbs untangled his legs from Tony’s, replacing it with a doubled over pillow before padding downstairs to the basement to think. He’d lost track of time and was surprised to hear Tony coming downstairs. Gibbs listened to Tony move around the downstairs bedroom and checked the time on his cell phone. It was almost 1 p.m. and he wondered how so much time passed by so quickly. The ten minute job of tidying up the room took Tony considerably longer, but Gibbs decided to leave him to it. Thirty minutes later, Tony was loading the washer and returning to the room. When Gibbs heard the sad strum of Tony’s old acoustic guitar, he took to the stairs. He had planned to find Tony and shake him from his sadness because he knew Tony could never resist his charms which were considerable, despite his reputation for being a bastard. But when he crossed the living room, the hauntingly beautiful tenor made Gibbs pause. He sat on the couch and just listened. Tony didn’t often sing and Gibbs relished every note, even when Tony was just being obnoxious in the bullpen, giving Gibbs an excuse to head slap him. Gibbs would never admit to fantasizing, but when he did, he thought of Tony singing for him on a deserted beach or in a quiet field or in bed as the sun came up. Just one song, Gibbs thought as he relaxed into the couch and closed his eyes. He listened to the words and smiled.
The wild and windy night
That the rain washed away
Has left a pool of tears
He knew this song. Shannon loved The Beatles and it was one of her favorites next to “Strawberry Fields” and the bluesy “Oh, Darling”. He even knew the words to this one. They were sad.
Many times I’ve been alone
Many times I’ve cried
Anyway you’ll never know
The many times I’ve tried
But still they lead me back
To that long, winding road.
Don’t leave me waiting here
Lead me to your door.
Gibbs sighed, thinking it was an appropriate song for Eliot. After all, it was about lost love and Eliot was lost to Tony, even if he had miraculously survived. There would be no happy reunion any time soon; Eliot had made that clear. Gibbs felt more than heard a movement and opened his eyes to find Tony standing before him.
“All finished in there. You taking a nap, old man?” Tony joked to hide the tears in his voice, but he couldn’t have fooled Jethro even if he hadn’t just listened to the five minute guitar solo when the chorus tapered off into quiet sobs.
“Listening to you. You should play more often,” was all Gibbs said as Tony sat in a chair and tried to get comfortable. Gibbs threw him a pillow from the couch and Tony grunted his thanks, stuffing it behind his back and plopping his feet on the scarred coffee table. There was a creak and a shift and suddenly the table was in pieces on the floor.
“Oops.” Tony said, but hardly sounded apologetic.
“Not to worry; I can fix it.”
“Don’t bother. Just get a new one. I’d say I’ll get a new one, but you might not want me furnishing your home,” Tony paused, feeling self conscious.
“Tony, I want you to consider this your home too. Soon the babies will be here and we’ll be fixing the nursery and childproofing the house; I think you can buy furniture if you want,” Gibbs explained with a little smirk that Tony recognized as full acceptance.
“In that case, what’s with these plastic rolling shades and how old is this couch- and the carpet- we can’t have kids on this carpet, Gibbs,” Tony began, rattling off a dozen ‘necessary’ changes.
“Let’s deal with the nursery first, okay,” Gibbs suggested, wondering what Pandora’s box he just opened.
~
Later that afternoon when Ziva and Tim called, Tony put them off. He was in no mood to be entertaining or entertained for that matter. He wanted silence if not solitude and Gibbs granted him his wish. They sat in the same room, watching a Hitchcock festival on Bravo. Not once did Tony babble on about the movies’ merits. He just gave a few poignant memories, almost whispering to himself in the dimmed room, not expecting Gibbs to reply.
“The first time I saw this, I was nine and it was late fall. The next day, I saw hundreds of birds migrating south like a black cloud, settling on our enormous lawn then sweeping off into the sky as I watched. I slammed the back door shut and didn’t go outside all weekend.” Gibbs imagined a little Anthony DiNozzo, huge eyed as he watched the sky fill with hundreds of potential enemies. He chuffed lightly, a sound barely discernable, but Tony heard it and knew Gibbs thought the anecdote funny. This was the model for all their conversations that day and both men were satisfied. Gibbs was glad to be near Tony. He had even progressed to rubbing Tony’s feet by the end of the second movie. Tony was relieved not to be alone, but Gibbs knew that he wasn’t totally reassured yet. In time, Gibbs thought. In time.
The following week at work was different and Tony wasn’t sure he liked it. His entire team knew the truth but had taken a vow of silence where letting others know was concerned. Most people thought Tony was sick and the overly solicitous behavior from his team did nothing to help matters. Tim brought him tea twice a day a usual, but refused to sneak him coffee when Gibbs wasn’t looking, now that he knew Tony was with child. Ziva bought Tony healthy lunches with plenty of vegetables and lean protein and eyed him like a hawk until he ate most of it. She was worse than Gibbs who Tony caught smirking from behind his desk more than once that week. The only good thing that came of telling everyone was the pregnancy pillow Palmer brought for Tony on Friday.
“What’s this?” Tony asked, eyeing the huge, pastel pink cushion. It was shaped like a candy cane and Tony looked at Palmer as if it were a gag joke he didn’t understand.
“Brina suggested it. It’s a maternity pillow, Tony.”
“Oh.”
“I mentioned that you’d been looking sick, but when I heard the joyous news last weekend, it all made since.”
“What?”
“That you were just stressed and probably tired from the pregnancy. Anyway, from what I hear, you’ll be delivering in just a few weeks so I figured you’d be going through a lot of changes soon and this might help ease your nights.” Palmer rambled on until Tony cut him off.
“Thanks Palmer. Tell Brina that was nice. I think I could actually use this,” Tony smiled, thinking about his back and how he positively needed Gibbs’ body for support the last few nights. At first he thought it was just in his mind; he was clinging to Gibbs in the aftermath of losing Eliot, the one person he knew he could depend on. But the growing aches and pains in his body made him think otherwise. That night, Tony noticed his sweats were a little tighter across his belly. He walked into the bathroom and surveyed himself in the mirror. He turned to see himself from every angle before walking back to the bed and staring at Gibbs who was sitting in bed, reading. He took his glasses off and gave Tony his full attention.
“Have I gotten bigger this week?”
“I hope so. Those babies have to come out in a month; they have some growing to do.” Then, seeing how disturbed Tony truly was, Gibbs looked him over and answered seriously. “Two, almost three inches it looks like,” he said, reaching across the bed for Tony. “C’mere,” Gibbs ordered and Tony climbed on the bed, crawling over to Gibbs and kneeling next to him. Gibbs lifted up Tony’s shirt and cocked an eyebrow then looked at Tony as he rubbed Tony’s obviously larger belly. ‘Wow,’ his look said, but he was careful not to say anything else, knowing how sensitive Tony could be. Gibbs just smiled and said, “They’ll be here before you know it. Any ideas for that nursery?” Just then a baby kicked and Tony grimaced, hands reaching for his stomach, covering Gibbs’ hands which rubbed soothingly.
“I don’t know, but if this one is any indication, we need to get it ready quickly,” Tony gasped, collapsing into the middle of the bed and curling into a fetal position. Gibbs immediately put his book away and settled behind Tony, rubbing his stomach and talking to all three DiNozzos.
“We’ll be fine, Tony. Don’t you worry. Now you two relax in there. I know you’re ready to party, but your daddy’s tired,” Gibbs rumbled in a smooth, sleepy tenor as he rubbed circles over Tony’s belly. The kicking stopped and when Gibbs felt no movement, he began Tony’s nightly back rub. “You need anything else?” Gibbs murmured behind Tony’s ear, kissing his neck tenderly.
“I thought you’d never ask.” Tony moaned, wiggling his hips and pulling Gibbs’ hands from his back, around to his front. Gibbs acquiesced, molding himself against Tony’s back and caressing his lover’s sensitive breasts.
“What do you want?’” He asked, kissing and nuzzling Tony’s neck and shoulders but refusing to caress lower than his belly.
“You know what I want, Jethro,” Tony leered. “I want Uncle Willy’s wet and wild ride,” Tony demanded, reaching to grope Gibbs’ crotch. “I knew you were interested.”
“Always. But what about the babies? Won’t they bother you while…”
“They’re sleeping, Jethro. He wasn’t really kicking, he was just stretching. You know they’ll be waking me up in a couple of hours, so c’mon,” Tony pleaded. Gibbs had been sticking to the daily milking schedule, but work had been busy this week as usual. Tony was more than a little worried because he saw no indication that his body was changing physically. Sure, he felt different, but it was more like his regular horniness intensified. He was supposedly due in one month but he had no idea how the baby would come out. All he remembered was that Captain Jack told him they should “fuck like rabbits” and Tony had to admit to himself that the sex hadn’t been that great. He sighed in relief when Gibbs’ hand dipped below his belly and found him hard and ready. “Mmmnn, that’s good, Jethro. H-harder…yeah, like that,” Tony gave his approval of the firm strokes as he awkwardly opened his legs and scooted back against Gibbs, grabbing at what he wanted.
“Whoa, there! You’re gonna twist it off, Tony,” Gibbs chuckled, pulling Tony’s hand away.
“I need-“
“I know. Patience,” was all Gibbs said as he yanked Tony’s sweats down to his knees and abandoned his caresses in search of lube. Seconds later he had two fingers coated and was rimming the hole he was so familiar with as he listened to Tony’s sighs of contentment. Tony was leaning on one elbow, gaining just enough leverage to fuck himself on Gibbs’ fingers while he stroked himself off with the other hand.
“Hurry. Please. In me, now!” Tony begged, loving the feeling of the thick fingers but wanting something more. It had been too long since Gibbs had made love to Tony without the amazing dildo, if you could call prostate milking at 0500 making love. Tony didn’t. He was starved for physical affection since all he got each morning was a glorious orgasm, a pat on the ass and a gruff command to ‘get moving’ before they were late to work. “Ahhh,” Tony moaned as he felt the thick cock split him slowly. “Faster!” He demanded, trying to move his hips as fast as his stroking hands.
“No.” Gibbs admonished, grabbing Tony’s hand and lacing their fingers together as he sank all the way in. He pulled out until only the head was left in then plunged back in, making Tony moan his appreciation. After several minutes of this treatment, both men were gasping with pleasure.
“I’m ready,” Tony pleaded, wanting to come. Gibbs released Tony’s captive hand but swatted it when Tony immediately reached for his weeping dick.
“Mine,” he said, squeezing it himself while Tony held on to Gibbs’ arm, struggling to be obedient. He forced Tony on his knees, squatting like a frog while he finished, ramming into Tony like a jackhammer as he felt Tony’s insides ripple and realized he was about to finish. “Shit, Tony. C’mon! Let it go,” Gibbs demanded as he fisted Tony so fast that Tony couldn’t breathe each time those calloused fingers swept past the head of his cock. With one hand squeezing the pillow and the other pinching his nipples, Tony turned his head and was met with a searing kiss just as he suddenly came, biting down hard on his tongue in surprise.
“Wow!” Tony gasped as he collapsed on his back with his head and shoulders splayed across Jethro’s chest. “That was…something!” Tony sighed, getting comfortable and wiping at his mouth. He looked at his hand and noticed the smear of blood. “I thought I bit my tongue. It’s funny though ‘cause it doesn’t really hurt- must be endorphins,” he said, snuggling into Gibbs who just smiled down and wiped at Tony’s mouth again.
“Could be you bit me instead,” Gibbs growled but smiled down at Tony as his hand ghosted over the sensitive nipples while Tony moaned and squirmed. “You okay, Tony?” Gibbs wondered, with a question on his face that Tony couldn’t decipher.
“Yeah. Why?”
“You didn’t come.”
“Oh, I came,” Tony assured him. “Boy did I come-“ he reached down to fondle himself and thought it was odd that there was very little moisture down there.
“You orgasmed, Tony. I felt it. But you didn’t ejaculate,” Gibbs explained, kissing Tony and fonlding him in case he wanted to try it again.
“But it felt like I came,” Tony whined with anxiety, afraid something was wrong.
“Shhh…everything’s fine, Tony. Remember the book says that’s part of your body getting ready to have the babies. Is this the first time you didn’t ejaculate?” Gibbs asked, rubbing the skin behind Tony’s sac.
“Nnngh! That feels funny, Jethro. I don’t like it,” Tony insisted, but his legs were wide open and his head was flung back in ecstasy which made Gibbs smile and rub harder. “What are you doing?”
“Just testing a theory. It’s okay, Tony; I’ve been doing my homework- have you?” Gibbs laughed when Tony ignored him, preferring to enjoy the heady sensations coming from the sensitive patch of skin. The spot was warm, puffy and a little textured and Gibbs rubbed, patted, and gently prodded until Tony was moaning and panting. “That’s good? Yeah, I think you like that, Tony. Soon, I’m gonna make you come from here,” Gibbs whispered, sticking his tongue in Tony’s ear and pinching the puffed up skin in front of Tony’s puckered hole.
“Just rub it! Harder!” he demanded then his muscles seized and a second orgasm ripped through his limbs, leaving him limp in Gibbs’ arms. If Tony was surprised when two fingers were shoved I his mouth he didn’t show it. He just sucked until they were pulled out, keeping his eyes closed. He was exhausted. He barely heard Gibbs post coital interrogation.
“What did you taste?”
“Hmm? I came,” Tony murmured softly, snuggling into the pillow and willing Gibbs to shut up and sleep.
“You did. Down there. I know you’ve been worried about the birth, Tony, but everything’s going to be fine,” Gibbs promised and Tony, believing him, fell into a deep sleep. He didn’t even feel the warm towel gently cleaning him or the covers being tucked around him.
Old Friends by joblo