ABC Drabbled, Volume 4 – NCIS

Gibbs/Tony – McGee/Tony

Abby

(n.) Abigail "Abby" Sciuto is a fictional character from the TV series NCIS, and is portrayed by Pauley Perrette

Abby knows all.

It's not like she doesn't have to work to know it all, but finding and picking through the difficult is her specialty. When it comes to work relationships, she pretty much has that down to a science.

She knows that Gibbs' overprotectiveness of Tony is beyond that of a familial response. She also knows that McGee pushes Tony's buttons just so the senior agent will get up-close and personal.

Abby knows that Gibbs and McGee both know that the other has an eye on Tony. She also knows, above all else, that poor Tony hasn't a clue.

Boyfriend

(n.) a regular male companion with whom one has a romantic or sexual relationship

The title of 'boyfriend' is rarely ever associated with Tony DiNozzo.

He didn't do well with relationships in the long-term sense, but sometimes he just grew tired of the one-night stands… He wanted to be someone's 'someone', but his reputation had thus far preceded him, and women could be so cruel.

Gibbs, always the watchful boss and mentor, had watched as Tony breezed, what seems almost carelessly, through so many women. He saw past the playboy exterior to the hurt look in Tony's eyes. He could see his senior agent breaking and coming away a little more tired each time.

Coffee

(n.) a hot drink made from the roasted and ground beanlike seeds of a tropical shrub

Gibbs loved his coffee.

It didn't matter what time of day it was – morning, noon, or night – coffee wasn't out of the question. Gibbs also found something new about coffee that he was beginning to appreciate. Coffee gave him a new excuse to touch DiNozzo. His favorite part of daily coffee runs were when DiNozzo would get confused and mix them up, giving him that extra reason for a head slap.

Watching DiNozzo drink his own coffee was a covert operation that Gibbs also partook. With a grin, he had learned Tony had a cat's tongue and was a sipper.

DiNozzo

Anthony "Tony" DiNozzo Jr. is a fictional character from the TV series NCIS, and is portrayed by the lovely Michael Weatherly

A DiNozzo is a very mysterious thing.

After meeting Anthony DiNozzo for the first time most people come away with a very distinct impression. DiNozzo comes off as a cocky playboy, sarcastic narcissist, and loud and spontaneous.

Over the years they've spent together, Gibbs has seen Tony contradict these quickly assumed impressions. He's seen Tony at his best and his worst. He's watched the 'cocky playboy' fall in love and be thrown away. He watched the 'sarcastic narcissist' flack away to show a very vulnerable insecure man. The 'sarcasm' was his shield, and 'cockiness' just another part of the show.

Elf Lord

McGee's online (probably WoW) avatar

Nothing comes between an Elf Lord and his Level 5 Sorceress.

McGee watched Tony with a secret smile. He knew Tony felt bad, and he knew why. A smirk played around the corners of Tim's mouth as he watched his senior fidget.

Tony felt bad about tricking him with the online gaming profile. The thing is, McGee knew from the start, but even if it was just in that game, he had Tony all to himself.

When Tony tried to tell him to stop "dating" 'her', he couldn't help but feel a bit happy, because it felt like he cared.

Funny

(adj.) causing laughter or amusement; humourous

McGee could be pretty funny when it counted.

He liked to wait, say something witty, watch as Tony's face lit up with a smile as he would laugh, and then McGee would listen to Tony tell him how he was full of surprises. McGee liked it when Tony smiled, a real smile. He knew that Gibbs did too…

McGee would try his best to save his wit and humor for when Tony needed it the most. Not only would McGee receive that rare smile from Tony, but he'd get a begrudgingly stiff nod of appreciation from Gibbs that he returned.

Gibbs

Leroy Jethro Gibbs is a fictional character and protagonist from the TV series NCIS, and is portrayed by the silver fox Mark Harmon

He was Gibbs; the second 'b' is for bastard.

There were times when Tony fully believed this to be the truth, but then there were other times when he caught a glimpse of a Jethro Gibbs he'd never seen before.

Who was Gibbs, really?

Tony wondered idly at times, as he watched his boss from across the bullpen, if Gibbs used to be gentle all the time, and the bastard attitude had been caused by something. Not that he would ever know, of course. Gibbs wasn't the type to share his secrets, but if he ever did, Tony would listen.

Housewife

(n.) a married woman whose main occupation is caring for her family, managing household affairs, and doing housework

He didn't really want a housewife…

McGee couldn't just control his dreams. They just were.

Lately he'd been having really weird dreams about himself and Tony. They lived happily in the suburbs. It was just him, Tony, and their golden retriever Frank (who Tony named after Frank Sinatra). They still worked at NCIS, Tony only going in when they really needed him. It seemed Tony had grown into a really big homemaker after they started living together, and slowly had turned into what McGee could only call a housewife.

It was these silly dreams that he hated waking up from.

Intimidating

frighten or overawe someone, especially in order to make them do what one wants

Gibbs could be very intimidating.

He had a way of making Tony feel like a rookie cop fresh out of the academy. Tony had already lived those years and didn't much care for repeating them, but there was no fighting the urge to just shrink back from the force that was Gibbs sometimes.

Gibbs liked to watch the array of emotions that would flit across Tony's face as he pressed his dominate nature on the younger man, willing him, no, forcing him to submit. Tony always kept a spark of defiance even when he yielded, staring into Gibbs' steely gaze.

Jealous

(adj.) feeling or showing envy of someone or their achievements and advantages

McGee was jealous.

Abby recognized the look well enough. She felt a pang in her heart for McGee as she watched him watch Tony slip further away from what the younger field agent had wanted for them. McGee was in love with Tony, whom he believed wouldn't love him back, and he was so obviously jealous of the man garnering all of Tony's affection.

Abby wouldn't call it quits just yet, however. Unlike McGee, Abby knew that Tony was still very oblivious to both men's affections, so therefore no contender could be wrote off.

Now, she felt bad for Tony…

Kryptonite

a fictional element from the Superman mythos

His smile was like kryptonite.

Tony was breathtakingly handsome when he smiled, and McGee would go so far as to call him beautiful. When Tony smiled a real smile, his eyes would shine, and McGee would always seem to forget what it was that he had been previously thinking.

When Tony aimed one of those smiles at him, he would forget to breathe and feel a subtle heartbreak. The more Tony smiled the more McGee felt that he couldn't just give up just because Gibbs was his rival.

Tony was his kryptonite, but maybe he was also McGee's Louis Lane.

Lost

(adj.) unable to find ones way; unable to be found

Tony felt so lost.

Everything was happening so fast for him. He had never imagined that two of his coworkers, male coworkers, harbored anything remotely close to romantic feelings for him. The thought didn't repulse him; on the contrary, it made him giddy with an odd sort of surprised happy, while it also scared the hell out of him.

He could only imagine how long they'd had those feelings, and with that thought came a slow sense of guilt. Why hadn't he ever noticed? Tony's head swam as he thought over everything he had just found out accidentally. What now?

Mistake

(n.) an action or judgment that is misguided or wrong

This one was kinda inspired by a review I got from minlin on the last chapter.

It was a mistake.

Tony hadn't intentionally listened in on McGee and Abby's conversation. It was one of those wrong place wrong time things.

Now Abby was looking at him expectantly, waiting for him to explain what he was doing here, sitting/hiding in the stairwell outside her lab. As he looked up at her with startled confused eyes, she sank down to her knees before throwing her arms around him. She didn't need to hear him say it, because she already knew.

"It's okay Tony. I just wished you'd heard it from them…"

"It's not a joke…?"

"Not for them…"

Normal

the usual, average, or typical state or condition

What does normal mean?

Abby had told him to try and act like he normally did around Gibbs and McGee, but he wasn't really sure if he could. Tony was currently having trouble remembering exactly what it was like before he found out that the two men each had designs on him.

Entering the bullpen, he supposed he was starting like normal. He was even fifteen minutes late, which was as close to normal as he might get today. Gibbs gave him a displeased look, but Tony couldn't meet his eyes. He felt McGee's worried look as he sat down.

Office Romances

romantic relationships between two people employed by the same place

Tony had seen office romances.

Tony never imagined that he'd be in one, let alone have to possibility of two. He had decided to confess that he knew about their feelings after overhearing McGee talking to Abby, after things got too awkward to stand.

It seemed they had taken his confession and lack of rejection to heart. For the past two months, both men seemed to go out of their way to be around Tony. Of course, he was flattered by the attention, but he was still confused as to what to do with it. Was he falling for them?

Proposal

(n.) the action of putting forward a plan or suggestion

It wasn't just a simple proposal.

It was a request for a relationship that he hoped would last for the rest of his life. Gibbs rolled the smooth platinum band in his palm before waving over the jeweler. He wanted this ring to represent his feelings and convey them in a way he couldn't.

Glancing over his shoulder, he met McGee's steady gaze. The younger male's composure never wavered, as he stared back at Gibbs solemnly. Had he won? If he did, he knew McGee would still be there for Tony, like it or not; he would expect nothing less.

Queasy

(adj.) nauseated; feeling sick

Tony felt queasy as he entered the bullpen.

There, standing by his desk, was Gibbs and McGee. When they caught sight of him, both of them straightened and watched him closely, making his gut clench, and he almost considered turning and running. He'd hate for Gibbs to catch him after that…

"Tony… We need to talk, all three of us," Gibbs stated when he reached them.

"Talk…?" he questioned slowly, blushing lightly under their intense gazes.

"There are some things that need to be addressed…" Gibbs responded gruffly, looking sideways at McGee, who to Tony's surprise, didn't flinch away. Interesting.

Rejection

the act of rejecting something

Tony didn't like rejection.

He didn't like the fact that he was now presented a situation where at least one rejection was necessary. Closing his eyes, he reclined on his couch and rubbed his temples.

What to do? A pang in his chest seemed to be attempting to help him figure out the answer… but what…?

'Whether I can have you or not, just remember that you'll always have me, you always have…'

Tony shivered as he remembered the words whispered against the shell of his ear, as a ring box was pressed into his palm.

'I love you, Tony.'

Semper Fi

Latin for "Always Faithful"

'Semper Fi' was engraved on the simple platinum band.

Tony wore the ring every day since he had received it from Gibbs. Tony took the engraved words as a promise, a promise he would gladly return in kind, even if it were only as friends.

If wearing the ring ever bothered McGee, he never let it show, and Tony was glad for that. Maybe he was being selfish, but it was McGee's ring that he wore on his ring finger. The single diamond embedded into platinum twinkled up at him as McGee's promise whispered against his skin and his mind.

Tiptoeing

(v.) walk quietly and carefully with one's heels raised and one's weight on the balls of the feet

This chapter was inspired by the request from islashlove.

Tony was good at tiptoeing.

Was it breaking and entering if you used the spare key someone gave you but failed to contact them with your intentions of coming over very, very late at night?

He kept running his fingers over the smooth single stoned band on his left hand ring finger nervously. The promise/engagement ring was warm against his skin, and he felt tingly all over as he slinked through the darkness.

The lights flipped on effectively startling a squeak from Tony.

"Not that I'm not happy to see you, but why are you sneaking around in the dark?"

Us

(pronoun) used by a speaker to refer to himself or herself and one or more other people as the object of a verb preposition

This chapter was written to the letter request made by islashlove.

"I like when it's just us."

Tony sighed contentedly as he snuggled deeper into McGee's embrace. He liked to be held by the junior agent, something that he never thought he would admit. Tim gave his own sigh, tightening his arms a bit, squeezing Tony's waist affectionately.

Of course, Tony hadn't planned for it to be this way either… He'd be lying if he said he didn't like it like this. Tony liked the way McGee kissed him. Tim knew all the right places to touch. Tony found he didn't miss leading when McGee was just so easy to follow.

Vexing

(v.) cause distress to; make someone feel annoyed, frustrated or worried, especially over trivial matters

Ziva found McGee and Tony's new closeness rather vexing.

It confused her, and no one seemed to want to try and help her understand. Of course, she had noticed the new rings that adorned Tony's hands; one simple platinum band on the middle finger of his right hand, and another platinum band wielding a single diamond on the ring finger of his left hand. They seemed precious to him, but whom had he gotten them from? Didn't women and some men wear their wedding bands on their left hand ring finger? She had asked Abby as much.

"Yup, he's married!"

Wonderful

(adj.) inspiring delight; pleasure, or admiration; extremely good

It was just so wonderful!

Abby squealed as Tony tried to ignore her pestering after she'd cornered him when he came to get the DNA results for Gibbs. Abby wasn't really surprised by Tony's admission about bottoming, to his chagrin.

"It's okay Tony!" she chirped happily, placing a friendly hand on his shoulder squeezing it comfortingly. "I think it's quite adorable, really, and no one else would be able to tell. Not unless they really knew you guys like I do! Your eyes scream: Take Me!" she giggled at his blush. "And McGee's answer: My Pleasure!" She waggled her eyebrows.

Xiphoid

sword-shaped

Tony had a xiphoid birthmark on his inner right thigh.

Tim McGee could honestly say that this was one of his favorite spots on Tony's well-toned body, fingers tracing over the slightly discolored mark. Tim placed a kiss there, humming against Tony's skin as the man beneath him shivered.

Tony's little 'imperfections', his voice and the noises he made, his moods that were ever changing, and his mannerisms; all of this made McGee love him even more. Caressing Tony's hip with the palm of his left hand, while the other glided across his abdomen, Tim murmured his words of adoration.

You

used to refer to the person or people that the speaker is addressing

"It's always been you."

McGee's tone was steady and deep as his eyes searched Tony's for some sign of refusal or disbelief. "I've always loved you, from the very start; from the very moment I saw you; from the very first time you chose to humiliate and tease me. It has always been you…"

Tony was struck speechless. He knew that Tim loved him, the other man said so often enough, but he had never known that McGee had loved him for that long. Tony had accepted the ring, and he was ready to give his heart.

"I love you…"

Zephyr

(n.) a soft gentle breeze

This chapter was written to the letter request made by islashlove.

Like a calm zephyr, McGee's love wrapped around him, holding him.

He felt calm and safe. He felt truly loved and cherished. And for the first time in a long time, he truly and shamelessly loved back with all that he was worth.

It was a good life. He had a wonderful lover. He had wonderful teammates and friends. A boss who was possibly the closest thing he'd had to a best friend in a very long time. Tony had never imagined that this sort of life would belong to him. Thanks to McGee, and Gibbs even, it now did.

~ fin ~