Not Your Style

by thelastcity

Suddenly his front door opened and he heard the heels that signified Colonel Hollis Mann's arrival. He looked at Tony, who had withdrawn his hand, "I told her not to come tonight." - Pre-slash, some swearing

Title: Not Your Style
Author: _thelostcity/thelastcity
Fandom: NCIS
Genre: Pre-slash
Pairing: Gibbs/DiNozzo
Categories: mild angst, hurt/comfort, a bit of insecure!Tony and protective!Gibbs
Rating: PG (swearing)
Warning: none
Wordcount: 1,918
Spoilers: Season 4, as Colonel Mann makes an appearance. I'm pretending Jeanne Benoit never happened.
Disclaimer: These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.
Author's notes: Not beta-ed. Also, like I said, Jeanne never happened. Also also, this is a sequel of sorts to a fic that I haven't posted, a five-things "Tony's reaction to coming back from undercover." I might post it eventually. I'm not terribly happy with it, but I liked this one. Concrit is very welcome.

Also, sorry again to my Bones fans, I'm still in a rut there. I'm going to try to get out of it, but it might have to wait until spring break. I'm very, very behind on this season's episodes.

Summary: Suddenly his front door opened and he heard the heels that signified Colonel Hollis Mann's arrival. Shit. He looked at Tony, who had withdrawn his hand, "I told her not to come tonight."

---

They were down in the basement, Gibbs was sanding a rib and Tony was lying underneath the hull, eyes closed, one arm extended so his fingertips rested just below the back of Gibbs' knee. This was their ritual after Tony's undercover ops, and this last one had been a doozy. Sure, they didn't always work on the boat, but they were always together and there was always physical contact. Tony couldn't come back without it. It had taken a while, but Gibbs finally figured out what Tony needed (quiet, physical contact, a sense of safety, to let his guard down) and was more than willing to be his rock. He told himself it was because DiNozzo was hell to work with otherwise. If he was lying a little, no one knew but him.

Suddenly his front door opened and he heard the heels that signified Colonel Hollis Mann's arrival. Shit. He looked at Tony, who had withdrawn his hand, "I told her not to come tonight."

Tony's expression said very clearly Yeah, right. "I should go," he started softly.

Gibbs put his hand on Tony's chest, preventing him from sitting up, "Stay." Tony shook his head, "Stay, DiNozzo. I need your head in the game more than I need her." With his guard lowered a little bit Tony was momentarily unable to conceal his surprise, and Gibbs was once again filled with the desire to hurt whoever had instilled in Tony the belief that he wasn't worth it. Tony patted the hand on his chest and nodded, satisfied for the moment that Gibbs really did want him there, was telling the truth.

Mann chose that moment to walk down the stairs. "So it's true." She did not sound happy.

Stifling the urge to sigh, Gibbs said, "I told you I had plans tonight, Hol."

She laughed, a tinkling, condescending sound that was not at all pleasant, "Yes, but you failed to mention that they'd be with DiNozzo."

"Who I make plans with is none of your business."

"It is when you're cheating on me, Jethro."

Gibbs just stared at her, inscrutable. Tony, by this time, had climbed out from underneath the boat and was casually slouching against the wall. At Mann's statement he glanced at Gibbs and raised his eyebrow.

"You think I'm cheating on you. With DiNozzo." It wasn't a question.

Mann put her hands on her hips and huffed, "Well it's obvious to anyone who'd bother to look."

Gibbs just continued to stare, letting her dig deeper.

"You're together all the time, Jethro. In fact, he's here more than I am lately! He follows you around and you just let him! You touch him all the time, and he moons over you. You can't tell me you hadn't noticed how it had started affecting work! He does anything for your attention, and if letting you fuck him when I'm not around makes that happen..." she gestured meaninglessly, attempting to make her point. "And you have to love that you've got someone who'll do whatever you want whenever you want."

Gibbs glared at her, and Tony took the opportunity to join the fray. Pushing off from the wall in a graceful move that put him next to Gibbs, he rested his forearm on Gibbs' shoulder and leaned on him casually, oozing sex, examining the nails of his other hand before looking up at her. "Well, Hol."

Gibbs was dismayed to see that his undercover persona was back in full force. It had taken him nearly two hours just to get Tony to sit still for thirty seconds, and now he was going to have to start all over again. God damn it.

"You see, if Gibbs were cheating on you, and I highly doubt that he is, he'd have done a much better job at hiding it. Bringing his side fling home where you could easily show up to ruin the mood? That's just not very bright, and we both know that Gibbs, Jethro, is smarter than that. And cheating on you with me?" He huffed a laugh and removed his arm from Gibbs' shoulder, "Now that's just stupid."

Shit shit shit. It was time for some damage control. Neither he nor DiNozzo were going to get any sleep if this conversation went on much longer. "Given that I'm not cheating on you, with DiNozzo or anyone else, what the hell do you want, Hol?"

"You don't actually expect me to buy that bull? The attraction's there, you can't deny that," she began, but Gibbs cut her off.

"I don't cheat. And if I did, I'd've done a better job at hiding it."

Mann flushed, but didn't respond.

"So what do you want, Hol?"

"I want to talk about this, and I think the best time would be now!" She was getting a little hysterical.

"No."

"No? What do you mean 'no'? No as in 'not right now,' or no as in 'never'?"

"No as in you don't trust me, so what's the point?" Never let it be said that Gibbs took the lady over the tiger. He turned back to his boat.

"Jethro, this is not a conversation I want to have in public."

Gibbs glanced at DiNozzo, who was trying to edge out of sight. "You started the conversation when he was in the room. I'm not going to kick him out like some kid caught eavesdropping on his parents." Tony stopped moving, caught, and gave a small, crooked smile.

"Fine, then I'll come by tomorrow so we can finish this conversation." She headed for the stairs.

Still sanding, Gibbs responded, "Gonna be busy tomorrow, too." Yeah, busy fixing this mess she created.

That set her off again, "Jesus Christ, Jethro! Do you even want to fix this?"

He contemplated not answering, his usual course of conduct, but decided to speak up anyway. "You really think this is gonna work if you don't trust me?" She didn't answer, instead deciding to retreat.

After she left, DiNozzo started fidgeting. "Uh, thanks, Boss, for, you know, not kicking me out like some kid, but really, I'm good to go." He grinned, the one with all his teeth, "I'll just grab my stuff and be on my way. Let you figure out what to do about the Colonel. Sorry about that, by the way, I mean, I don't know where she got those ideas, but maybe I shouldn't have butted in, but I appreciate you backing me up, united front and all," He looked like he'd keep going, but Gibbs cut him off.

"Look under the stairs." Tony was fidgeting and tapping and there was no way Gibbs was letting him out of his sight this wound up.

"Uh, what?"

"Stairs."

"Uh, okay...," he made his way around the boat to look under the stairs and came up with a length of chain. "You trying to tell me something here, Boss?"

"It's what the chain is attached to, DiNozzo."

"Right." There was some clinking and rustling as Tony hauled out an old tackling pad. "Boss? Um, what exactly am I supposed to do with this?"

Gibbs spared him a withering look, "You hit it, DiNozzo." He gestured to a hook secured to the far wall. "Hang it up there and hit."

"Well, I got that part, Boss. But, um, why?"

Gibbs just looked at him again.

"Right, Boss. Hit it." Tony dutifully hung the pad against the wall, took a couple of test swings to see how much give there was, and soon had a nice rhythm going. Gibbs watched him over the sanding, idly wondering what, or who, Tony saw as he pummeled the pad. He could hear Tony mumbling to himself, but couldn't make out the words.

Soon, well, closer to 40 minutes later, with one last angry punch and an angrier grunt, Tony slid down to the floor, spent. Gibbs walked over and hauled the younger man up, bracing him with his body when Tony faltered.

"Easy, DiNozzo. Easy."

"'M good, Boss. 'M fine." Exhausted, Tony made his way to the stairs, "'kay 'f I shower?"

"Go ahead. I'll be up soon." Gibbs watched him trudge up the stairs, satisfied that he was calm again after Mann's interruption. He cursed Mann for coming over; he hadn't wanted to exhaust Tony, just calm him down, but she forced the issue and then wound Tony up again.

He finished putting his tools away just as he heard the water shut off. Making his way upstairs, he saw Tony heading toward the guest room. "Tony, where're you going?" This wasn't their normal routine. On nights like this Tony didn't want to be alone, so they slept in Gibbs' bed.

"Uh, to bed?" At Gibbs' look he continued, "Well, I just figured I'd crash in here tonight, you know, make things less awkward? You know, she, uh, said some stuff, and, well, I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable. Because of what she said. Not that there's anything to feel uncomfortable about, I mean, a woman scorned and all that, makes stuff up. Uh, not that you scorned her, I mean..." Tony trailed off.

He had wondered (thought? hoped?) if Tony was attracted to him, and this was confirmation, but that's not what these nights were about. Gibbs sighed internally, cursing Mann yet again for starting this.

"Tony," he pointed to the master bedroom, "get in bed."

When Tony still hesitated Gibbs stepped up to him, "This isn't about sex; you and I both know that. If it were I would've kicked you out a long time ago."

Tony looked relieved, but a little sad, so Gibbs felt the need to clarify, "Covering up a request for sex with nights that are supposed to be about," Gibbs paused, they'd never said out loud that these nights were really about Tony feeling safe and cared for when his emotions were all fucked up, "getting you back from undercover, that's not your style, Tony."

He hoped it would be enough, that Tony would realize that he wasn't shutting him down, instead recognizing that attraction and sex didn't factor into the equation tonight. But still giving him the chance to ask later, if he wanted to.

Tony nodded, too tired to do anything but accept the words at face value for the moment. Gibbs gently pushed him into the master bedroom and headed to the bathroom himself.

When he returned a few minutes later he found Tony curled up in the middle of the bed. Turning off the light, Gibbs climbed in and shoved Tony over to give himself some room. Tony took the opportunity to plaster himself to Gibbs' side, as usual, before they settled in to sleep.

Gibbs was almost asleep, and he thought Tony was out, when Tony spoke.

"So, would you, if I asked?" There was no doubt what Tony was referring to.

"Yeah. If you asked."

"But not tonight?" The way Tony tensed made it clear that he wasn't asking, but reassuring himself that Gibbs knew that it wasn't about sex tonight.

"No, not tonight." He rubbed his hand down Tony's back, "I never once thought this was about sex, Tony.

At that Tony finally allowed himself to fully relax for the first time since Colonel Mann had come by. "I'm gonna ask, you know," he yawned.

Gibbs smiled in the dark, "I know."

"Make it worth your while, too."

That earned him a chuckle, "I have no doubt, DiNozzo. Go to sleep."

"On it, Boss."