Gibbs rolled over with every intention of snuggling up closer to his bed mate but instead of finding a warm body snoring softy beside him, he met empty sheets. Warm sheets – but empty. His brow furrowed for a moment or two as sleep lifted from his mind, and then he fell back and stared at the ceiling above cursing softly. Had Tony had another nightmare – and this time he – Gibbs – had slept through it? After promising the younger man he would always be there to comfort him during those times – he’d damn well slept through it? Through the screaming, the thrashing of limbs and the heart wrenching sobs – holding him while quietly assuring Tony he was all right, he was safe. Damn!
He launched himself from the bed, grabbing a pair of sweat pants from the clothes strewn floor, stopping briefly to tug them up his legs and fastening them at the waist before leaving the room and taking the stairs two at a time.
A hand still on the rail, Gibbs looked around the moonlit living room – reminding himself briefly to have Tony collect up the still open DVD boxes piled high on the coffee table and replace the discs in the morning. He padded through the room to the front door, leaning forward to peer through the glass, a wave of relief ran through him when he saw Tony’s car still in the drive. At least he didn’t run out on you, Jethro. Without answering his unspoken question, a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth when he heard the refrigerator door thunk closed. Where else would he be at this time of night – an attack of the munchies is so DiNozzo.
Not wanting to frighten his lover, Gibbs carefully made his way to the kitchen, leaning against the door, arms folded for a moment before approaching him with a soft “hey”. Tony looked around, spoon to his mouth with one hand and a bowl of Cap’n Crunch cereal in the other, grunting a greeting as he chewed.
“You okay?” Gibbs asked quietly, reaching out a hand to clasp the back of Tony’s neck, smiling to himself as he felt a shudder ripple through the other man.
“M’fine – why?” Tony answered around another mouthful.
“I woke up and you weren’t there, I thought – “
“I got hungry – sex marathons tend to do that to a guy,” Tony winked. “Besides, I like this time of night – it helps me – think.”
“Think about what?” Gibbs wandered over to the sink and poured himself a long glass of water. “The only thing you think about at this time of night is sex, sex and more sex – with chow thrown in somewhere along the line.”
“Like any regular guy, Jethro!” Tony laughed. “I think about – stuff.”
“Oh – stuff is it? Such as?”
“I dunno – you, me – where my next lead might come from – do I get that new pair of pants from Armani in the morning – that kinda thing.”
Gibbs scuffed a hand through Tony’s hair, slapping the back of his head affectionately. “That’s my Tony. Care to share?” He prompted as he sat down beside him.
“Not a lot to share, just – nah – it’ll sound stupid – forget I said anything.”
“If you start sounding stupid – I’ll ask you to shut the hell up.” Gibbs affirmed with a grin.
“It’s just – this whole – you and me thing.” Tony began, rising to his feet to put the bowl and spoon in the sink before turning to face Gibbs, shoving his hands into the pockets of his own sweat pants. “It just feels so – right.”
“I knew that,” Gibbs shrugged.
“No – what I mean is – you know my past – how I get comfortable with a job then a couple of years down the line – I start getting all antsy – like it’s time to move on – close the book on that chapter of life and turn the page not knowing what’s next.” Tony’s eyes were shining in the moonlit spilling in through the windows and Gibbs could not help but follow the lines of his body with his own eyes before realising he was guilty of staring. If Tony noticed, he gave no indication. “The longest I’ve stuck being anywhere is – what – two years tops. I reckoned NCIS would last about that long.”
“Are you trying to tell me it’s time you moved on?” Gibbs asked wondering if he really wanted to hear the answer.
“That’s just it – tomorrow – I’ll have been in the job three years – what’s that tell you?” Tony glanced at him for a second before reaching into the refrigerator again and pulling out a carton of juice, taking a few swigs he replaced it and retook his seat.
“That you’re happy in your work?” Gibbs prompted.
Tony nodded, smiling broadly. “I guess I must be and then of course – there’s the real reason I stayed so long.”
“Now you’ve lost me.”
“Ducky.”
“Ducky?”
“He was the one that got us together?”
**********************
From the beginning of their relationship, so much had been left unsaid – the whys and wherefores – the question of who spotted whom first and thought something might come of it. And as was his way – Ducky had reminded Tony only recently that he’d been the one to prompt the two of them to actually admit to themselves that they felt something for each other. Tony had known Ducky was speaking from experience – after all he and his assistant Gerald had been an item for a number of years – and knew the signs. The chance glances across the bullpen, Gibbs watching Tony’s retreating back if he left his desk – his eyes always lingering on his butt, Tony’s furtive looks, the cheeky smile as he raked his eyes over Gibbs when he thought he wasn’t looking.
Ducky could see there was definitely something in the air with the two men and he initially figured they’d sort it out themselves – but a month down the line and Gibbs having admitted to the ME that he didn’t want to risk losing such a good agent if he asked Tony outright – he’d only make an idiot of himself if Tony was straight wouldn’t he? Ducky patted his arm and smiled leaving Gibbs staring after him as he left him in autopsy with the parting words, “Jethro – if Tony isn’t interested, I’ll eat my hat – wine him, dine him but above all seduce him – I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Give me a few moments and I’ll send Tony down – you can use my office.”
So Gibbs waited – and wondered why he suddenly felt nervous.
Tony had been advised by Ducky a few moments later that Gibbs wanted to see him and found it was all he could do not to take the stairs to autopsy instead of the elevator but he waited patiently with a knowing smile that had people wondering what he was up to as he stepped inside and began humming to himself.
Pushing open the door to the vast room, he didn’t see Gibbs anywhere. Letting the door close behind him, Tony looked around and then wondered if he might be in the ME’s office and peered around the corner, the smile broadening when he spied Gibbs leaning on a filing cabinet.
“Boss? You wanted to see me?” Tony kept his face straight but one look from the stormy blue eyes of the older man and his heart began thudding in his chest.
“Yes, DiNozzo – I – um – “ Gibbs pushed himself off the cabinet and stepped forward not breaking his gaze from Tony as he reached around the back of his neck, pulling him in for a long lingering kiss, sighing into Tony’s mouth as he felt the other man melt into his embrace and surround him with his arms.
“I want you,” Tony breathed as the kiss ended, only for Gibbs to begin nuzzling his throat. “God, I’ve wanted this – needed this.” His voice hushed as Gibbs nibbled a line across his adams apple to his earlobe.
“The first day I saw you,” Gibbs chuckled around butterfly kisses along Tony’s jaw. “I knew you would be mine – eventually.”
“Took you long enough!” Tony sniggered and then groaned again as a hand cupped his already twitching cock.
“Had to be sure,” Gibbs whispered in his ear, before rimming the lobe with his tongue. “Can’t rush these things.”
“Boss – what if Ducky – oh god that feels good – “ he ground his hips against Gibb’s hand. “Ducky – “
Gibbs captured his mouth with his own, plundering it with his tongue, nipping the lower lip as he broke the kiss again, staring into the most beautiful eyes he’d ever seen. “So green,” he mused softly.
“So blue.” Tony smiled, cupping the side of his face gently, smiling as Gibbs leaned into the caress. “We can’t stay down here for much longer,” he whispered.
“True – “ Gibbs nodded with a sigh. “My place – tonight – we’re not on call – dinner.”
“I’ll be there.”
“And you’re welcome to stay the night,” Gibbs kissed him one last time.
Tony’s eyebrows arched and the grin just got bigger. “What about rule 12?”
“We work around it,” Gibbs answered with another devastating smile. “But for now – it’s business as usual – unfortunately.”
“Day-uhm!” Tony hissed as he followed Gibbs from autopsy and back to the bullpen.
****************
“Good old Ducky.” Gibbs saluted Tony with his glass.
“Yeah – good old Ducky – um – Jethro?” Tony looked serious, which was unsettling to say the least.
“Tony?” Gibbs sat back.
“I’ve got a problem,” he said looking pained.
“What?”
“I’m – tenting my pants?” Tony flicked up an eyebrow and then looked at Jethro from beneath long dark lashes and it was all Gibbs could do not to groan – the way the man used those eyes – it was electrifying every single time.
“Are you?” Gibbs sniggered. “What are we going to do about that?”
“No idea – what day is it?” Tony rose fluidly from his seat as Gibbs’s eyes went wide at the hardness at his groin.
“Saturday – and we’re off till Monday.” Gibbs rose to meet him.
“So – we get to lie in tomorrow?” Tony smiled seductively.
“Later on today, DiNozzo – it’s past five already.”
“So we can sleep till whenever then?” Tony began walking towards the door.
“Put it this way – when I’ve finished with you – you’ll be sleeping for the next month!” Gibbs growled, following in Tony’s wake.
“Yada, yada – heard that before – but then,” Tony shot back as he opened the bedroom door. “Always a first time!”
The End
Story Notes:
my take on how it might have happened - enjoy...
Author's Chapter Notes:
An attack of the late night munchies has Gibbs and DiNozzo remembering their first encounter with the help of a certain ME
Chapter End Notes:
my take on how it might have happened - enjoy...