SquidgeWorld Archive

Gibbs unlocked the door to Tony's apartment and moved inside as quietly as possible, knowing that Tony wasn't expecting him for several more hours.

Gibbs had been attending a law enforcement seminar that weekend, and the last speaker for the day had had to cancel, so after a quick stop by NCIS headquarters, he swung by Tony's apartment, hoping to surprise the younger man. It had been two days since he had seen Tony's face. Two long boring days spend sitting in lectures, listening to speakers drone on about cases and procedures and stuff that Gibbs knew backwards. He probably could have given better lectures than half the idiots that had been speaking, but after that incident in New York a few years ago, Director Morrow knew better than to ask him again. Gibbs didn't know what all the fuss was about. It wasn't as if he'd brought *real* body parts with him for a demonstration. But those latex thingies that Abby had whipped up in her lab had proved surprisingly convincing...so much so that half the audience had either been sick or fainted, or both.

But that was neither here nor there. Here was Tony's apartment, and Gibbs couldn't wait to see Tony's face when he realized that they'd have the whole afternoon, and the evening and the night to spend together before they were back on duty. He was going to be soooo surprised.

But it was Gibbs who was surprised as he made his way into the apartment. The wide screen TV was switched off and the couch was empty. That was odd, Gibbs knew that Tony's favorite method of passing a Sunday afternoon when alone was to sprawl on his couch with a bucket of popcorn and a stack of DVD's. But maybe he'd had a late night the night before thought Gibbs as he crept down the hallway. They had decided that since Gibbs was going to have a hard enough time staying awake during the seminar, that maybe it would be better for him to sleep in his own bed...alone. That way at least he'd stand a chance of having a full nights sleep without being interrupted by a horny DiNozzo. Not that Gibbs *minded* such interruptions, but they did tend to take their toll, and while he never had any problem concentrating on cases, seminars were a different matter.

Tony had teased him the last time they'd seen each other, telling Gibbs that he was going to veg out on the couch and work his way through his collection of war movies. "I'll be thinking of you while you're stuck in that lecture hall," he had grinned, before adding "Not!"

Gibbs had wiped that grin off Tony's face by planting such a French kiss on him that DiNozzo's knees were almost buckling by the time he was released. "Think you'll be able to concentrate on the movies with *that* taste in your mouth?" he had growled in Tony's ear.

"Better than popcorn," Tony had managed to gasp.

Well Tony was going to be gasping a lot more and soon, thought Gibbs with a smile on his face as he reached out to the bedroom door. His smile faded as he saw a bikini bottom hanging on the handle.

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Gibbs clenched his jaw so hard that he thought he'd break it. He knew that he and Tony had never exactly *said* that they were in an exclusive relationship. He had accepted the way that Tony flirted with woman, knowing that to the younger man it was as natural as breathing, but as far as Gibbs knew, it had never gone further than talk...at least not since he and Tony had begun sleeping together.

Gibbs knew he had no right to be angry, he had never demanded exclusivity from Tony, and had even made a point of telling him at the beginning that their relationship wasn't a serious thing. So long as Tony practiced safe sex, Gibbs didn't mind what he did when they weren't together. At least that had been his original intention. A regular supply of good, no, make that *great* sex, and somebody he could trust implicitly. That had been all Gibbs had wanted. But he hadn't expected to enjoy Tony's company so much...he hadn't expected to miss him so much when they were parted...he hadn't expected the surge of jealousy that came every time he heard Tony brag to his fellow agents about his conquests. But Gibbs had managed to hold his tongue, knowing that when *he* crooked his finger, Tony would come running.

But it was one thing to hear about all Tony's dates, it was another thing entirely to be confronted with the reality of the situation. Gibbs was wishing he'd locked Tony up in a chastity belt before leaving him alone for the weekend. He should have known that Tony wouldn't be content with merely a movie and a bowl of popcorn for company.

It had been a long time since Gibbs had felt *this* particular level of jealousy. Not since Diane...

As Gibbs crumpled the bikini bottom in his hand, he knew that he had two choices. The smart thing to do...the sensible thing...the choice that would allow him to pretend that Tony really was his and his alone...He could turn around and leave the apartment as quietly as he had entered it. He could go home and work on his boat and then return to Tony's place when the younger man would be expecting him. He could give Tony plenty of time to pack away all the evidence, and Gibbs could pretend for a little longer that he was the sole custodian of the DiNozzo goodness. That was the sensible choice to make...but nobody had ever accused Leroy Jethro Gibbs of being sensible when it came to Anthony Daniel DiNozzo.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Their first meeting had been a case in point. Gibbs had seen Tony working a crime scene in Baltimore and had known immediately that he wanted him on his team. It was only later, much later, when the job had been offered and accepted, that Gibbs had admitted that it was the young Detective's smile as much as any investigative skills that had prompted Gibbs to make the offer. The fact that Detective soon to become Special Agent DiNozzo had a set of investigative instincts second only to Gibbs himself was just a happy bonus.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

But now Gibbs was half wishing he'd left Detective DiNozzo where he'd found him. He stopped only long enough to remove his gun and leave it in the hall before turning the handle on the bedroom door.

A trail of discarded clothing led across the bedroom floor, Tony's socks and jeans, his t-shirt and boxer shorts, all clearly abandoned in a hurry.

It wasn't until Gibbs's eyes fell upon the bed that it registered with him that there was only one person's clothing in evidence.

"You took your time, Boss," a naked Tony grinned at Gibbs as he lay reclining against the pillows.

No, make that a *nearly* naked Tony, thought Gibbs, his face creasing into a smile as he recognized the strategically placed hat that Tony was wearing...the one that was companion to the bikini bottoms Gibbs still held clutched in his hand. "How?" was all he could think of to ask.

"Abs had stopped by her lab to check on a test she was running," explained Tony. "She saw you leaving, so she phoned me to give me a heads up. Have to admit Boss; I'm surprised it took you this long. I didn't think I'd get ready so quickly."

Gibbs's smile faded a little, "Abby thought you'd need a heads up? What, you had to kick some girl out and tidy up before I got here, is that it?" Gibbs wasn't sure which hurt most, that Tony had needed a warning, or that Abby had known that Tony would need a warning. Flinging his half of the bikini on the ground, Gibbs turned and walked out. At least that was his attention, he hadn't even made it to the bedroom door before Tony grabbed him and shoved him up against the wall.

"What the hell's going on, Jethro?" Tony asked, his face a mixture of concern and puzzlement.

Gibbs tried half heartedly to push Tony away, but allowed the younger man to push him back against the wall. "Nothing," he snapped, and then sighed, "Everything...I don't like sharing you. I know I never said we were exclusive, but..." He was silenced by a kiss on his lips.

Gibbs could feel Tony's arms wrapping around him, pulling him close as if in an effort to merge into a single entity. He could feel Tony's lips upon his, Tony's bare chest pushed against his jacket. When Tony finally pulled his lips away, all Gibbs could do was let his head fall on Tony's shoulder.

"Jethro," said Tony, softly. "As far as I'm concerned...we have been exclusive. There hasn't been anybody else since you and I started hooking up."

"But the women, your dates..."

Tony shook his head, "Either friends from college or pure fantasy. Have to keep my reputation up somehow. I never thought it would hurt you so...I'm sor..." This time it was Tony's turn to be silenced by a kiss.

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It was only when Gibbs felt the goose bumps rising on Tony's skin that he realized how long they'd been standing there kissing. So they moved to the bed, where they could continue in comfort. And as always kissing led to petting which led to stroking which led to other fun things and somehow knowing that he was the only person to have touched this body this way in so long, somehow made it all the sweeter for Gibbs.

It was several hours later

"You know something, Gibbs," said Tony as he stretched out lazily on the bed, the hat perched jauntily on his head, "I was wrong."

"Oh yeah?" mumbled Gibbs, tiredly. "About what?"

Tony rolled over on top of Gibbs and kissed him softly on the lips. "There *isn't* 'no pleasing you..."