Comrades in the Bleakness
Fandom: NCIS
Episode: 2x11
Rated: k+
Summary: Tag to episode 'Black Water', Tony and Gibbs have a sort of non-conversation, and everyone feels a little bit less alone. Could be read as pre-slash.
Ah, any grammatical errors are mine, and you have my apologies, as I am way out of practice.
"Well, its official, Probie finally lost his innocence." DiNozzo announced proudly to the last remaining occupant of the bullpen. Gibbs looked up from his paperwork "Hope he cleaned up after himself." He replied balefully- before trading a rare grin with his Senior Agent.
"Nah, he's still reeling from your, ah, conversation with Monroe"
Gibbs snorted "Finally figured out that there actually are scumbags out there, did he?"
DiNozzo grinned mirthlessly "He figured out the some of them wear badges."
"Monroe didn't have a badge, Tony." He scrawled his signature across his report absently.
"Yeah, but he represented the people that did. Nothing's worse than a washed up detective trying to bull doze an easy way out." He drawled, voice turning bitter.
"Nothing more dangerous either." Gibbs agreed, thoughts turning to briefly to a four-year-old case in Baltimore, although really, the dirty bastard Detective did Gibbs a favour, not that he'd ever tell DiNozzo that.
"Hmm." Tony's eyes darkened, lost in his thoughts. Gibbs watched him in concern, his agent oblivious to the scrutiny. The Marine hoped wildly for a moment that DiNozzo was thinking about a movie, a woman, a man, anything that wasn't the stewing darkness he saw in his eyes, he doubted it, but he hoped.
"You finished that report, DiNozzo?"
"An hour ago, Boss."
"No date tonight then."
Tony shook his head "Alison cancelled, Kate's the only one getting lucky tonight." He didn't quite meet Gibbs eyes. The older man wondered when Tony was going to realize that he knew there was no Alison, or Brittany, or Susan, and sighed.
"I've got some beer in the fridge if you're interested."
Tony grinned, some of the bleakness leaving his eyes "Got an extra sanding plane, by any chance?"
"What do you think, DiNozzo?"
Tony grinned again, but Gibbs was surprised to see his face turn thoughtful. "Were you ever like McGee, Boss?"
Gibbs raised his eyebrows comically, deliberately misunderstanding. "I was never like McGee, Tony." He couldn't remember a time when he had that sort of innocence.
"Uh, yeah, that's not what I meant Boss." He muttered, grabbing his gear and moving to join the other man as he stood and headed toward the elevator. Gibbs remained silent as the automatic doors closed and Tony couldn't help but wonder if he crossed some sort of line.
"I know what you meant, DiNozzo." The older man said in such a quiet voice that had Tony looking him in surprise, but as usual the man's expression belied nothing. He stared at him and Gibbs turned, blinking back, and Tony was struck with a powerful sense of kinship, and profound sadness.
For the both of them.
"Yeah," he said finally, "I don't' think I'm much like McGee either."
Gibbs shot him an uncharacteristically affectionate look, rife with understanding, before his wry sense of humour asserted itself and he snorted. "No shit, DiNozzo."
Fin.