Gibbs did his best to stop smiling. He should have better control over his emotions than this. He had years of practice. Unfortunately, just looking at Tony tested his control in ways he hadn't experienced in a long time. He was happy, very happy and was finding it hard not to show it.
He glanced over at the younger man as they walked the path to Mike's house. Tony smile warmly back at him. Gibbs lost the battle, unable not to respond to happiness and contentment beaming back at him with a smile of his own. Without conscious thought, Gibbs offered his hand to Tony, undeniably pleased when the younger man took it. It felt good to be physically connected.
Tony laughed softly, looking away. "We have got to get a handle on this or Mike's going to know the second he looks at us."
Gibbs felt a frisson of unease. Did Tony not want Mike to know? Was he ashamed? Embarrassed? Afraid? Only way to know was to suck it up and pose the question.
Gibbs asked softly, "Will that be a problem? Him knowing, I mean."
Tony shook his head. "Mike's cool." He gave Gibbs a wry look. "Dealing with him being smug will be the hard part."
"Smug?"
Tony rolled his eyes. "He's been telling me for while now that I should talk to you rather than just assume you wouldn't be interested. He's going to gloat a bit about being right. And it sucks that I'll have to let him because, well, he was right."
Gibbs raised an eyebrow at this little tidbit of information. Tony had feelings for him for ?a while now'. He tried not to regret the time they'd wasted. Had Tony approached him before now, Gibbs wasn't sure he'd have been ready to accept the offer. His gut was telling him Tony wouldn't have approached him more than once, so it was better to have lost a year or two than have been stupid enough to pass on a lifetime.
"You talked to Mike about how you felt about me?"
"How I feel about you, Jethro." Tony corrected with a light squeeze of his hand before bringing it to his lips to place a feather soft kiss on Gibbs' knuckles. Gibbs knew he was blushing, and resisted the urge to look away.
"Needed to talk to someone, and I couldn't very well talk to McGee." Tony's eyes sparkled with amusement as he snickered. "Can just see his reaction."
Gibbs chuckled, amused in spite of himself, finding it far too easy to picture the junior agent's response. "Good point." He cocked his head to one side. "What about Abby?"
"She knows I'm?more bent than straight." Tony gave him a wry look, and Gibbs found himself commiserating with that description. It fit them both.
"How did she?"
"Ran into each other one night at a mixed club."
"Mixed?"
"Gay, straight, bi. You know?mixed." Tony shrugged, smiling fondly. "We've been clubbing a few times since."
Clubbing with Abby had to be an interesting experience. Gibbs had gone to pick her up once very early in the morning when her hearse had broken down. He had been able to feel the music pulsing from across the street and most of the clientele he'd seen leaving looked like casting extras from a one of the Road Warrior movies. He had no desire whatsoever to experience such places up close and personal. Tony was either braver or more foolhardy than Gibbs had originally given him credit for to enter willingly into places like that with her.
Tony's expression turned rueful. "As much as I love her, there are some things I'm not comfortable telling her. Just?old habits, you know?"
Gibbs squeezed Tony's hand. "Yeah, I know." He had habits of his own when it came to keeping secrets.
Tony shook his head. "Sometimes Abby gets a little wound up and things slip. Not always the most reliable keeper of secrets our Mistress of the Dark. You know?"
Gibbs nodded slowly. Tony definitely had a point, especially in light of his conversation with Abby last night. She was a good friend to Tony. Her heart was in the right place, it just got ahead of her good sense from time to time.
Her good heart and occasionally skewed viewpoints explained how she'd gotten involved with a schmuck like Mawher. It covered why she neglected to tell Gibbs about him as well. Her belief that he wasn't dangerous and didn't deserve to have Gibbs kick his ass was definitely an error in judgment he hoped she'd learned from.
"Talking to Ziva was out of the question."
"Oh?" Gibbs wasn't quite sure what to make of Tony's tone. He had his own reasons for thinking it best to leave her in the dark, but he was curious what Tony's reasons might be.
"Aside from the fact that I really don't know her that well," Tony stated bluntly, "she doesn't have enough respect for me that I can afford for her to lose any."
Gibbs frowned, and stopped walking, pulling Tony to a halt with him. From what he remembered they seemed to work well together, but maybe he was still missing pieces. "She causing you problems?"
"Not really, no." Tony shook his head. "In a lot of ways she's easier to work with than Kate?and I had the same issue with her." His laugh was a bit forced, taking on a self-deprecating edge Gibbs didn't like hearing. "Not entirely Ziva's fault. Flirting with every woman I meet doesn't help her opinion of me much."
Gibbs glared, outraged on Tony's behalf. "Flirting doesn't make you any less of a damn good investigator or keep you from being one hell of an agent."
"You are probably the only one who gets that." Tony smiled, leaned in and gave him a quick kiss.
The kiss was a simple display of affection and gratitude. It was also far too brief to really satisfy Gibbs. He would have liked to deepen it, but reluctantly let Tony pull away, unwilling to upset the balance between them by pushing for more just yet. He was the one who asked for them to go slow; it would be hypocritical of him to rush now.
"And you're a man." Tony smiled winsomely. "Different perspective on the whole flirting thing by default, Boss."
"Gender bias shouldn't get in the way of seeing the obvious," Gibbs argued staunchly. Did they really think he'd have kept Tony around if he couldn't do the job? He wasn't Gibbs second in command for nothing.
"Shouldn't, but it does." Tony shrugged, waving a hand dismissively. "Kate was a trained profiler and even after two years working with me, she was sure I had no more depth than a parking lot puddle and was more lucky than good when it came to the art of investigation. Can't really blame Ziva for thinking the same thing. Super secret spy training not withstanding, she's better at killing people than she is at figuring motives and really understanding people."
"Maybe a little too good at killing people," Gibbs muttered, remembering seeing her with a very dead Brian Dempsey in the elevator. What a cluster fuck that had been.
"Dempsey's death was ruled an accident," Tony reminded him, showing an uncanny ability to follow Gibbs' train of thought. It was another reasons Gibbs had hired him and one of the reasons he enjoyed having Tony on his team. No one else seemed able to keep up or stay on the same wavelength.
Gibbs growled. "She might not have killed him outright but a little more control on her part would have saved us a hell of a lot of trouble."
"In her defense, he was annoying." Tony grimaced. "Very annoying."
"You were in the van with him as long as she was. You didn't punch him in the throat."
"Don't know that move." Tony smiled, clearly trying to downplay the whole incident.
Gibbs rolled his eyes, and poked Tony in the chest. It wasn't a lack of knowledge that kept Tony from lashing out at Dempsey; it was better control. "Last night showed you know a damn sight more than you've let on."
Tony bit his lower lip, looking up in an endearingly shy way. "Thought maybe you'd forgotten that."
Gibbs snorted. Like he'd forget getting dumped on his ass. "Think again."
"You're not mad?are you?"
"No." Gibbs' grin was feral. "But we are going to be sparing regularly from now on."
"Damn." Tony sighed. He didn't look nearly as disappointed as he sounded. "You'll go easy on me, right?"
"Sure."
Tony snorted. "You've got to work on sounding sincere."
Gibbs laughed. "No, I don't."
"C'mon, breakfast is waiting." Tony tugged gently at the hand he still held. Gibbs followed easily, walking in step.
Gibbs forced himself to let go of Tony's hand when they got to the gate. He eyed the stone fence. The wall wasn't really high enough to keep out someone from just climbing over. And the wooden gate, even when locked, wasn't much of a deterrent. Given the relationship Tony had with Mike, locking the gate didn't seem to be necessary.
"Why do you bother with having the gate and fence?"
"Tradition mostly." Tony latched the gate behind them, casually bumping Gibbs' shoulder with his own. "Uncle Sal and the guy who owned Mike's place before he did had this gentlemen's agreement clause in the original easement about maintaining the fence and keeping the gate locked. Kind of a respect for ownership thing. Mike and I kept that clause when we updated the documents. Didn't really know each other that well then so it seemed like a good idea. Just makes sense to keep it up since we've been doing it so long. Besides?if I show up without calling or Mike isn't around when I pull in, my leaving the gate open lets him know I'm here."
"Car in the driveway not a big enough clue?"
Tony rolled his eyes. "Back when I still had the jeep, I didn't leave it in his driveway. I drove up to the cabin."
"You had a jeep?" Gibbs had assumed Tony only owned sports cars.
"Had it in college, back before I got the Vette. Me and three buddies nearly froze to death taking it south for spring break one year." Tony chuckled.
"Froze to death?" Gibbs couldn't help scoffing at what had to be an exaggeration.
"Hey, it was a soft top and when we left Ohio it was only fourteen degrees. It didn't warm up much until we hit the South Carolina." Tony protested.
Gibbs stared at him. "Why the hell didn't you take something a bit more sensible?"
"Were supposed to take Kevin's car but the engine died. There was no way Joe's car would make the trip. Thing was a death trap on wheels. Greg didn't have a car. Come to think of it, he still doesn't. But it's not like he really needs one living in Manhattan. Just finding a place to park it would cost a fortune."
Gibbs shook his head. Finding out bits and pieces of Tony's past never failed to be enlightening. "So what happened to the Jeep?"
"I gave it to Gabe when he was old enough to drive." Tony grinned. "He still has it."
"How much younger than you is Gabe?" Gibbs asked. Tony's comment made it sound as though Gabe were a lot younger, but in the picture he'd seen there didn't appear to be a huge difference in their ages.
"Gabe will be twenty-seven in another month. Zeke just turned thirty. Sammy is only a few months older than me. And Mike's almost forty."
Gibbs nodded, filing away the information. He wanted to be as prepared as possible when he met the rest of Mike's family. Assuming he ever did meet them. They might not be blood related, but Gibbs had a feeling they'd be the closest thing to in-laws he'd encounter with regard to Tony. With the relationship, or rather lack of one, that Tony had with his father Gibbs figured he wouldn't have to worry about meeting him. Was only fair, Gibbs decided, since his own father had died years ago.
Tony causally jogged up the porch steps. He rapped his knuckles against the door before walking in. Gibbs followed.<
"Mike?" Tony called out. "You up?"
"Unlike you, lazy butt, I've been awake for hours," Mike responded, strolling into the kitchen from the living room, coffee mug in hand.
"You just got home," Tony waggled his eyebrows.
"No." Mike snorted, looking amused.
"She just left?"
"No." Mike glared at him. "It was a first date, Tony."
"Your point?" Tony laughed, neatly evading the mock punch Mike tried to land on his shoulder.
"Brat." Mike grinned. "Good morning, Gibbs."
"Morning." Gibbs nodded to the other man.
"You want a cup?" Mike raised his mug.
"Please." The familiar, tantalizing aroma made Gibbs' mouth water.
Mike set his cup on the counter and pulled another mug from the wooden tree nearby. He picked up the coffee carafe. "You want cream and sugar?"
"Black is fine."
Mike nodded. "There's hot chocolate in the usual place if you want it, Tony."
"Thanks." Tony turned and started rummaging through one of the upper cupboards.
Mike's brown eyes narrowed, focusing intently on Tony. Gibbs followed his line of sight, wincing as he realized the bruise on the younger man's temple was now glaringly obvious in the sun washed kitchen. It had taken on a dark blue purple color that contrasted sharply with Tony's light tan. The shape of it was disturbingly familiar to the same sort of mark knuckles from a fist might make. Mike set the coffee pot down slowly, using excessive care as he placed the mug on the counter next to it.
"What the hell happened to you?" The question was directed at Tony, but Mike's gaze now rested on Gibbs, brown eyes diamond hard and unwavering. Gibbs fiercely resisted the urge to hold up his hands, palms outward in a gesture of appeasement.
Tony turned, blinking in surprise. "Nothing. Why?"
"Wasn't a mark on you when you got here. Or yesterday afternoon before I left." Brown eyes bored into Gibbs.
Tony stepped closer to Mike, laying a hand on his shoulder, drawing his attention away from Gibbs. "Relax man. It's just a bruise. No big deal."
"How did you get it? Are there more I should know about?"
"It's nothing, Mike. Just drop it, okay?"
"If it really was nothing, you'd tell me how you got it." Mike countered. "Did. He. Hurt. You?" Mike's tone promised retribution if the answer was yes. Gibbs unconsciously found himself shifting his weight, preparing to defend himself if need be.
"No! Jesus, Mike, knock it off." Tony sounded exasperated. "Gibbs wouldn't do that."
"He's hurt you before."
Gibbs nearly growled at that. He had never?.but the flush that rose to Tony's face made him rethink his own position. He could feel his own face leeching of color as he realized he had hurt Tony in the past. Maybe not physically, but definitely emotionally. Shit. Tony had told Mike about how he felt about Gibbs. It made sense he'd told him about the Voss case, the less than stellar welcome he'd given Tony after being rescued from the sewers, how Gibbs had not been at all understanding to Tony having to kill Jeffrey White, how he let him get pushed out of a plane and infected with the plague, head slaps and insults. Double shit.
Mike snorted, and said something in the Italian dialect he'd used earlier. Gibbs had no idea what was being said, but his tone was sharp and biting. Tony's chin came up, posture and expression both defiant. He shot back something in the same language. It was impossible for Gibbs to understand the spat of words that followed, flowing rapidly back and forth between Tony and Mike, but he could read the emotional context from their reactions to one another.
Anger and defiance gave way to concern and determination. Hostility and confusion became compassion and understanding. Disbelief gave way to trust. Dark eyes darted to Gibbs again, assessing before shifted to again meet green. Reassurances were asked for, given and accepted. Affection morphed into wry humor, chagrin and shared chuckles.
Mike leaned forward and very gently placed a kiss on each of Tony's cheeks. Tony reciprocated. Instead of feeling jealous, Gibbs found himself breathing easier at that shared gesture. He had no idea what the hell they'd settled but it was clearly finished, ending amicably.
"You wanted your coffee black, right?" Mike asked, transitioning back to where they'd left off with astonishing ease.
Gibbs nodded slowly. Until now the only person he'd ever met whose emotions could fluctuate so fast had been Tony. He wondered if Mike was naturally that quick, if it was something he'd learned from Tony or if Tony had learned it from him.
Mike handed Gibbs a mug. "What did you want for breakfast, Tony?"
"French toast." Tony grinned, relaxing back against the counter as if the last few minutes had never happened. "You got the big sliced stuff?"
"Better." Mike pointed to the bread box. "Loaf of Momma's home made."
Tony's eyes lit up. "Sweet."
The tension between Tony and Mike was gone, but Gibbs was still wary of Mike, uncertainly eyeing the man. Mike had looked ready to lay him out for hurting Tony. Not that Gibbs could blame him. Well, Gibbs did blame him for thinking he'd just slug Tony and still be able to stroll in acting nonchalant and friendly. But, if he thought someone had belted Tony, Gibbs would have been as pissed as Mike appeared to be.
He knew his unease showed by the way Tony looked at him. Gibbs tried to keep his face neutral but knew he failed when Tony shook his head and sighed. He stretched languidly, pushing off from the counter. Tony stepped closer to Gibbs, bumping shoulders in a gesture of camaraderie while watching Mike.
"You two have got stuff to say to each other. Stuff you don't want me to hear, I'm sure." He rolled his eyes. "Can I trust you two not to kill each other if I leave you alone long enough to grab a quick shower?"
"I'll be good." Mike raised a hand in the traditional boy scout salute, expression guileless.
Tony snorted. "You were never a scout."
"True." Mike laughed. He sobered, brown eyes meeting Tony's squarely. "Promessa, con tutto il cuore, Tonio."
"Good enough." Tony looked at Gibbs. "Remember he means well, will ya?"
"So do I, Tony." Gibbs felt compelled to defend himself.
"I know." Tony leaned in, placing his cheek against Gibbs' in a move that was surprising almost more intimate than the few kisses they'd shared. "You both got issues," Tony muttered sounding more amused than annoyed. "Just try to play nice, will ya?"
"I'll try."
"Okay." Tony pulled away, and Gibbs felt the loss immediately. He forced himself not to reach out pull him back.
He watched Tony walk away, disappearing further into the house. Gibbs resisted the desire to call out and ask him to stay, annoyed with himself for feeling so uncertain. The whole situation reminded him a lot of meeting Shannon's father for the first time only worse. He'd already had sex with Shannon, knew he wanted to marry her by the time he'd met her father. He and Tony had only shared a few kisses, yet, Gibbs felt as though he had so much more to lose if he didn't measure up with Mike. And given this encounter, he definitely wasn't up to snuff in Mike's eyes.
Determined not to be cowed, Gibbs sipped his coffee before looking directly at Mike. "Tony said you know how he feels about me. That you have known for awhile and you urged him to talk to me rather than just assume I'd turn him down." Gibbs' eyes narrowed. "If you thought I wasn't going to treat him well, if you thought I was the sort of person to beat him for being bi-sexual, why did you encourage him to open up at all?"
"Because living in limbo sucks." Mike answered simply, not the least bit intimidated by Gibbs' intense gaze. "Until he confronted you, took a risk and found out for sure, he was never going to really move on or settle down with someone else."
Mike gave him a measured look. "You think he likes changing girlfriends every month or never having a serious relationship? He can't have anything long term working for you. No one in a serious relationship is going to willingly take a back seat to a job with a boss that consumes more than forty hours a week? A boss who sucks up weekends, vacations and holidays without remorse or even a token apology? You think he's happy coming home to an empty house, living on take out, sleeping at his damn desk?"
Gibbs winced. Tony had never complained, at least not seriously. He always made himself available.
"He loves the job." It had been Gibbs standard response when he'd dared to think about why Tony never denied him anything. Until nearly dieing and being forced to rethink his life, rediscovering himself in the process, Gibbs had spent a lot of time trying to convince himself it was the truth and not just a safe, convenient lie.
"It's not just the fucking job, you schmuck." Mike snarled. Gibbs could almost see Mike's hand twitching like he wanted to smack the former Marine's head. Gibbs sort of wished he would. He knew he deserved it for being deliberately obtuse.
"Just how many people do you know outside of military service who willingly stay in a position that threatens their lives on a weekly basis?" Mike raised both eyebrows. "Hell, most beat cops never even pull their guns much less get shot at."
Mike leaned against the counter that separated them. "And let's not forget it hasn't been just guns. There have been bombs, knives, drugs, depraved lunatics, terrorists and the goddamn plague all thrown into the mix. He lost a partner and got framed for murder while he was at it."
Mike glared at Gibbs. "Do you really believe he stayed with NCIS for the great salary, the fancy badge or for a chance at the corner office with a window? That it was just pride in a job well done that kept him at your beck and call?"
Mike pointed a finger at him. "Everything and everyone in his life takes a back seat to you. It has since he started working for you. How could you not notice that Tony would die for you?"
Mike sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Wasn't sure if you were truly oblivious, stupid or taking advantage of him. I thought he should let you know how he felt. Figured that way you'd be forced into either treating him right or firing him. If you fired him, he could find someone else who would treat him right and something else to do that hopefully wouldn't be so damn dangerous."
Gibbs swallowed hard. Hearing it put so bluntly was enlightening and bordered on painful. "You told him all this?"
"No. Hell no." Mike sighed, his anger seemingly spent as he rubbed hand roughly over his face. "What I told him was that I thought he should find out if you were as committed to him as he is to you. That he should stop hiding and be honest. That he should stop risking life and limb for so damn little in return. And that I wanted him to be happy."
Mike grimaced. "The bitch of it is, you do make him happy. And he does love the job. Enjoys the challenge of it. Revels in the demands you place on him. Delights in meeting or even exceeding your expectations."
Mike sighed. "And I have to admit, I like seeing him so bright and eager, vibrant and happy. I like hearing him laugh even if it comes with some tears at times. You are good for him even if you aren't always good to him."
Gibbs tightened his grip on his mug, knuckles bleaching white. ?Good for him, but not always good to him'. He'd have find out if Tony felt the same way. Find a way to fix it if he did.
Mike shook his head, bemusement in his eyes. "I haven't seen him so...so alive since...well since Caleb."
Gibbs wasn't sure if he should take the comparison as a compliment or not. "I saw the picture of them together."
"I know." Mike nodded. "He told me."
Mike took a deep shuddering breath, eyes bleak. "It was a good two years before he even came close to being himself after Caleb was killed. Wasn't sure he'd ever make it back."
Gibbs shivered, understanding what was being said without Mike having to say it. "Losing a loved one changes you."
The look Mike gave him let him know his own personal experience with loss had bled into his voice. Mike nodded, accepting the understanding and empathy for what it was. Mutual understanding notwithstanding, sharp brown eyes pinned him with an implacable gaze. "You will not force him to talk about Caleb again." It was not a request.
Gibbs nodded. He shouldn't have forced it the first time. He knew better than to push a second time.
"I usually leave threats to Sammy. He's better at it than I am." Mike grinned, leaning into Gibbs' personal space. The grin was more a bearing of teeth than an expression of humor, reminding Gibbs of a wolf. "You hurt him again, and they won't need anything bigger than a shoebox to bury you in. Assuming, of course, that they can even find your body. We clear?"
"Crystal." There was no doubt in Gibbs mind that Mike could and would make good on that threat. He suddenly wondered if Mike and his brothers had anything to do with one of Caleb's assailants getting killed in lock up. Oddly, rather than finding it intimidating or disconcerting, Gibbs found it reassuring.
"Anything else you want to know?" Mike leaned back, no longer menacing. He looked approachable, harmless. It was a neat trick.
"Damn." Gibbs laughed softly. "Did you teach Tony that or did he teach you?"
"Neither." Mike shrugged. He moved toward the refrigerator and began pulling out ingredients, presumably to make the French toast Tony had asked for. "Figure it's just innate. All my brothers know how. Always have."
"He really is part of your family."
It was more an observation than a question but Mike answered him anyway. "Yeah, Tony is family." Mike gave him a bright smile. "Just wait until you meet the others."
"Why does the thought of that scare me?"
"Because you are clearly a smart man." Mike started cracking open eggs into a bowl with neat, precise movements. "Momma will be the hardest on you."
"Oh?" Gibbs wondered if she'd threaten to dismember him too.
"She's going to think you're not good enough." Mike shrugged one shoulder in a move reminiscent of the sort Tony often made. "Kind of a mother's prerogative, I guess."
"She that way about all of you?" Gibbs arched an eyebrow, taking another sip of his coffee.
"In varying degrees." Mike grinned. "But Tony's a special case."
"Why?"
"He's her favorite." Mike didn't sound at all bothered by his mother singling out Tony and doting on him.
"I'm not her favorite." Tony argued, strolling back into the kitchen. His hair was roughly styled, probably with a towel. The faded green, long sleeved t-shirt he was wearing hugged his torso nicely, accenting the firm muscle underneath. Gibbs couldn't help noticing that the well-worn jeans did nice things for his legs and ass.
"Oh yes you are." Mike shot back, whisking the eggs. He looked up to give Tony an annoyed look. "You didn't have to rush, Tony."
Tony looked sheepish. "Didn't want you two alone for too long."
"There is no blood on the floor." Mike snorted. "We played nice."
"Good." Tony grinned, clearly relieved. His eyes twinkled. "Trust me, cleaning up bodily fluids is no picnic. I remember once--"
Mike held up a hand. "I do not want details."
"Wuss." Tony chuckled. He moved to stand next to Gibbs, leaning into him. Gibbs automatically wrapped an arm around him, pulling him closer. He could get used to this very easily.
Tony rested his head on the older man's shoulder. "You okay?" he whispered.
Gibbs breathed in Tony's unique fragrance, tension draining away just being close to him. "Yeah, I'm good."
"Sure?"
Things between him and Mike seemed to be settled for now. He had a lot to think about, but that wasn't entirely unexpected. It was another reason Gibbs was glad they opted to go slow and do it right.
Gibbs smiled, turning his head to place a soft kiss in Tony's hair. "I'm sure."
Author's Chapter Notes:
Gibbs learns a bit more about Tony, and he gets a chance to talk to Mike.