Tony stared at his father, mouth agape. When his brain functions finally kicked back in, all he could muster was "You want me to what?"

"C'mon, Junior," his father responded. "You know it makes sense."

"No, dad, it does not make sense. I can think of very few things that make less sense than this!"

DiNozzo Senior looked confused for a moment before a concerned expression crossed his face. "This isn't about him being a man, is it? I thought I taught you-"

At this Tony laughed, somewhat hysterically. "No, dad. It's not about him being a man. It's about him be him. Gibbs. My boss."

"Are there rules against it at NCIS?"

Tony took his head in his hands, shaking it slowly. Rubbing his face, he looked back at his father.

"You want me to propose to Gibbs." Tony spoke as if he were addressing a child. "You think it's a good idea for me to ask Leroy Jethro Gibbs to marry me; have you lost your mind?"

"He cares about you, Junior," Senior tried to reason. "If anything should happen to me, I just want to be sure you have someone to take care of you."

"I don't need anyone to take care of me," Tony protested.

"No," Senior conceded. "But it would still make me feel better. Writing you back into my will is a big step, for both of us, considering our past. You have a dangerous job, and I want to know that someone is watching out for you if something should happen."

Tony let out a frustrated sound and stood up. Grabbing his coat from the back of his chair, Tony tried to keep his voice down and avoid any more strange looks from the coffee shop patrons.

"Junior, where are you going?"

"Home, dad. I can't take this right now and I have work in the morning."

(~*~*~)

Tony shut the door as quietly as he could before realising there was no point. Gibbs was sitting at the table, watching as Tony stepped further into the room. The questioning look didn't go unnoticed, but Tony just shrugged.

"Long day," he said before sitting down opposite Gibbs. Silence reigned for a short time, before Gibbs spoke.

"I got an interesting call today."

Tony's head hit the table and Gibbs couldn't stifle the chuckle.

"My dad is losing his mind." Tony mumbled into the wood.

"He made a very compelling case," Gibbs teased. Tony turned his head to glare at Gibbs, which only made the older man smile. "Tony, relax. He'll let go of this idea soon enough."

The flicker of emotion across Tony's face was picked up quickly by Gibbs, whose curious expression made Tony sit up quickly.

"That's not what bothers you," Gibbs spoke, finally understanding. "Senior bringing up marriage. That he thinks I'm your guy, even when he doesn't know…"

"Don't finish that thought, Gibbs, please. I know how you feel about marriage, and I would never try to push you into it."

"But," Gibbs prompted.

"He doesn't think I could get a wife," Tony sighed, deflated. "He doesn't know about us. Abby and Ducky are the only ones that do, but my own father thinks I should marry my boss because he doesn't think I'm capable of settling down. Like a marriage of convenience is all I can hope for."

Gibbs took Tony's hands in his and Tony let out a watery sigh.

"Tony, look at me." Gibbs waiting until Tony obeyed before continuing. "I love you." The reflexive smile Tony gave made Gibbs smile in return, hands tightening on Tony's. "But I can't marry you." Tony's smile faded and he nodded slowly, trying to pull his hands away from Gibbs.

"I know," Tony spoke quietly but with a defensive tone. "You said never again. I didn't mean-" The way Gibbs pulled Tony's hand back to him made the younger man stop talking and look up.

"I can't marry you, when nobody knows about us," Gibbs continued, concealing a smile at the shock on Tony's face. "If we were to tell our parents, the team, Vance, then…"

"What?" Tony asked, his eyes darting frantically all over Gibbs' face. "Then what, Gibbs? What are you saying?"

"I love you. You love me. You practically live here already. Everything else is just paperwork."

Tony's eyes widened as Gibbs moved off his seat and gingerly got down on one knee.

"Tony."

"Yes!"

Gibbs laughed breathlessly as his arms were filled with an excited SFA. They fell to the floor and Tony pressed kisses all over Gibbs' face.

"You didn't even know what I was going to say," Gibbs tried to protest. Tony looked down at him, a grin splitting his face.

"I love you so much," Tony said earnestly. "I'm going to make a great husband. I promise."

Gibbs sighed happily, one hand going up to stroke the side of Tony's head.

"Ditto."

The End.