The three agents sat in an uncharacteristic silence, waiting for their fearless leader to enter the bullpen and bark the orders that would dictate what was sure to be a boring day of desk duties. Their latest case was all but wrapped up, and now all that remained were the daunting piles of paperwork to attend to.
But one of the three agents wasn't his usual self. Tony could sense the eyes of his coworkers fall upon him periodically, and watched them exchange worried glances out of the corner of his eye. It was usually easier to play the class clown than to have them on his case like this, but Tony was lacking the energy to do anything about it. Especially today.
Gibbs strode into the bullpen at his usual brisk pace with two coffees in hand, stopping at the senior field agent's desk to hand him one of his sickly sweet hazelnut brews.
DiNozzo looked up and accepted the styrofoam cup with a world weary half smile of genuine gratitude. He could always count on Gibbs for silent encouragement when things got hard. It was reassuring to know the old man was always in his corner. "Thank you, Boss."
Gibbs lingered with his hand on Tony's desk a moment longer, sharing a knowing gaze with his senior field agent. The two agents had become more like father and son than coworkers over the years, sharing a connection that required nothing more than a prolonged glance or a nod of the head to communicate what both men usually never dared to uncover. Hardly satisfied, Gibbs made his way over to his desk and settled in for the day.
Now McGee truly was curious. Coffee? Knowing glances? Maybe something really is wrong, he thought. Figuring comedy was the best way to lighten the mood of a room that, if left alone, would make for possibly the most tedious working day ever, Tim gaped his mouth open comically.
"Wow, Tony, a coffee from the boss. Nobody died, did they?"
And at that moment the final remnants of composure left in Tony fled his body. He shot out of his chair without even realising it, standing rigidly upright behind his desk with a look of sheer exhaustion in his eyes. Upon realising how he had reacted, his jaw slackened in defeat and his head hung low, transfixed upon the desk in front of him.
Oddly, Gibbs didn't employ his usual tactic of ignoring McGee's banter. He too, was on his feet behind his desk, holding his gaze steady on DiNozzo; watching his every move as if he were waiting for him to flee, all the while never lifting his stare.
DiNozzo, straightening his back and suit, fixed his mask back in place. "I'm going to go check in with Abby." He strode out of the bullpen and towards the elevator, keeping his eyes firmly on the path ahead and leaving behind a shocked bullpen.
"Ugh, Boss? Did I say something?" McGee's mouth was now genuinely gaping open.
Only then did Gibbs shift his gaze from his senior field agent's now empty desk to direct a look of pure shame upon McGee.