Slow Burn

A/N: the Kesterpan bunny farm is still smothering me in the pesky wee critters so bits of this chapter are entirely her fault. Big hugs to her and Gibbsredhoodie for helping me with it. Many thanks to all the alerts, reviews and follows – FFNet is playing up again so it wouldn't let me reply to everybody but please know every one is appreciated.

Chapter 14 – Smouldering

"Please tell me that's not your new truck out front, Jethro."

Tony started down the basement stairs, grinning as Gibbs shot him a look.

"It's not my new truck."

Tony laughed at the dry comment. "Good… coz I gotta say that heap of junk looks even worse than your truck did after the bombing."

"It's Ed's down the street."

Gibbs nodded into the darkened corner of the basement under the stairs, raising his coffee mug as if acknowledging someone sitting there, and suppressed a grin as Tony's eyes widened as he spun around. When he saw the empty corner, Tony glanced over his shoulder at the Marine, narrowing his eyes.

"Funny guy. You nearly got me there."

Gibbs' mouth twitched. "Borrowed the truck to move the table to Leyla's… it's either that or we strap it to the roof of your car."

"Ed's truck it is then."

Gibbs chuckled at Tony's quick reply and downed the rest of his coffee in one gulp. "All set?"

"Yup… guess so." Tony hesitated briefly before stepping close to Gibbs, who glanced up startled as Tony cupped his cheek, staring at him intently. "You okay… after yesterday?"

Gibbs swallowed, unsure if it was Tony's sudden nearness or the mention of yesterday at the cemetery that was making his throat go dry.

"Fine."

Tony studied him seriously for a few moments, eventually nodding as if satisfied with what he saw on his face, his thumb gently stroking Gibbs' cheek before he released him and stepped back.

"That's okay then. Was worried about you last night."

Gibbs heard the soft confession as Tony turned away and automatically reached out to rest a hand on his arm. He waited until Tony looked back at him. "Felt right you were there."

A wide smile broke out on Tony's face and his hand came up to squeeze Gibbs' where it lay on his arm. "Was glad to be there with you too. I know what it took to let me stay."

Before the moment could become too intense, Tony turned back to the table, his gaze moving over the padding Gibbs had tied to the legs and the corners. He looked beyond the table to the stairs again, grinning to himself at the trick Gibbs had pulled before frowning.

"Hang on… what's that?"

Gibbs resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "You only just noticed it, Agent Observant?"

"Well, yeah, I was too busy looking for phantom neighbours. What is it?" Tony pointed at the cloth covered thing that he hadn't seen before tucked under the stairwell.

Gibbs gestured. "Take a look."

Tony shot him a look. "You're full of surprises this morning." He walked over and pulled off the dustsheet and staring for a moment at the unfamiliar object. "It's a chair."

A large armchair that looked old but comfortable and which he was positive he hadn't seen before anywhere in the house.

Gibbs came up beside him. "You should be an investigator, skills like that." Gibbs grinned as Tony sent him a mock glare. "Try it out."

Tony glanced at him, surprised before lowering himself into the chair, wary of any stray springs sticking into his butt like a lot of Gibbs' furniture. "Not bad… good chair for sprawling in. A bit lumpy but comfortable." He bounced and shifted in the chair, trying out different positions. "Where you been hiding it?"

Gibbs shook his head. "Haven't. Got it this week, secondhand. It'll be better for your back than those stairs."

Tony gaped at him as Gibbs turned back to finish wrapping the table leg. "You mean you got it for me?"

"Well, yeah, Tony… s'what I said."

"But…" Tony levered himself upright and moved slowly over to Gibbs, looking between him and the chair. "But… this… this is for me?"

Gibbs glanced at him curiously, nodding when Tony turned back to him. Before he could react, Tony had stepped close again and pulled him into a fierce hug. Taken by surprise at the strong reaction for something so ordinary, Gibbs nevertheless returned the embrace, enjoying the warm hug as the younger man's arms tightened around him and his head dropped onto his shoulder.

When Tony eventually released him and pulled back, looking sheepish, Gibbs shook his head, smiling. "It's just a chair, Tony."

It wasn't just a chair and 'promotion' from the stairs, and Tony knew it.

It was as if Gibbs was giving him a sign that he accepted Tony's presence in his house… in his life on a more permanent basis, and the chair was just a tangible indication of that.

It was typical of a Gibbs 'show and not tell.'

"I know but…" Tony waved his hand almost helplessly, not sure he could explain. "But it's not often anyone gets me anything like this… in fact, I can't remember the last time I had a present like this."

Gibbs' gut twisted at the quiet comment and the world of loneliness that could lie behind it.

He reached up to squeeze the back of Tony's neck, before ruffling his hair affectionately. "'Bout time I started then."

Tony's smile widened, his whole face lighting up. "Not gonna argue with that. Hey… does this mean I can work on you for cable or even a new TV to replace that ancient one?"

Gibbs snorted as he turned away. "Don't push your luck."

"Jethro." Gibbs turned at his softly voiced name. Tony leaned in to plant a light kiss on Gibbs' mouth. "Thank you."

Gibbs quirked a half smile. "Welcome."

Tony turned back to the table. "Right then… let's get this show on the road… or we won't get any of Leyla's cooking and that's a pretty big incentive."

Tony helped Gibbs finish wrapping the last table leg before they carried it up the basement stairs. It wasn't a large table but it was solid and awkward to manoeuvre, especially in a confined space. Tony walked backwards through the basement door into the kitchen, supporting his end of the table as Gibbs followed him through.

Glancing behind him, Tony stepped carefully around the dining table until they'd reached the hallway, talking all the way.

"Hey… did you hear the latest today on the rumour mill? About me and Ziva having wild sex in the elevator after the bombing as we were in there so long? As if we had nothing else on our minds in that damn elevator and we weren't worried at all about plunging to the ground floor leaving us with various limbs detached. I tell ya, some people in that building have nothing better to do with their days than gossip."

Preoccupied with not trapping his feet under the table legs as they carried it, Tony didn't look up until they reached the hallway. As they dropped the table to the floor just in front of the door, Tony finally glanced over at Gibbs and ground to a halt when he saw the guy's face… that carefully blank, emotionless stare that hinted at a lot of things churning away under the surface.

"Hey… it's just gossip, Jethro."

Gibbs nodded, his voice curt. "Yeah… I know that."

"Then why that look?"

Gibbs hesitated before replying.

Did he really want to have this conversation now?

It had to happen sometime, he knew that.

There was a history between Tony and Ziva that went beyond mere gossip and Gibbs knew he had to tackle it at some point if he wanted this something to continue with Tony.

And after the past couple of weeks, Gibbs was coming to realize more and more that he did want exactly that… that this something with Tony was very much a something.

Gibbs shrugged mentally.

So maybe now was as good a time as any to tackle the subject of Ziva?

Gibbs met Tony's eyes. "Wouldn't be the first rumour about you and Ziva."

"Yeah, but… don't tell me you ever believed any of them?" Tony looked concerned as he moved closer.

Gibbs shook his head, hesitating for too long, and Tony's expression took on an even more worried look as Gibbs answered.

"No."

"But? I can hear the but loud and clear, Jethro…" Tony reached out tentatively laying a hand on Gibbs' arm.

Gibbs sighed, shaking his head. "It's not a but, Tony."

"Well, it's a something, even I can see that…" Tony frowned. "Please don't tell me you don't trust me."

"Do trust you, Tony. I just…" Gibbs pulled away, turning to run a hand over the back of his neck.

"Then what is it?" Tony persisted.

"Ziva," Gibbs stated flatly. "She's got feelings for you."

It wasn't a question.

Tony smiled a little sadly. "Maybe… don't think Ziva knows quite what they are though. Sometimes I think she almost hates me and then... I dunno." Tony trailed off, shaking his head, looking off into the distance.

There were lots of times when he couldn't work Ziva out.

Hell, there were times when he was positive Ziva couldn't work Ziva out… especially when it came to how she felt about him.

He'd been attracted to her at first.

Any man with a pulse would have to be blind not to be and she'd been both an intriguing and annoying challenge from the start, all wrapped up in one beautiful package.

But even without Rule 12, Tony also couldn't ignore the many times Ziva had hurt him.

And as much as Tony cared about her, the lack of trust and the guilt left over from the mess around Rivkin had never really gone away completely, and Tony knew that was no basis on which to build any kind of closer relationship, even if he'd wanted to… which he didn't.

It was a wonder sometimes that their friendship and partnership had survived under the weight of it all.

Gibbs' voice drew him out of his thoughts.

"And you?"

Tony turned to face him. "My feelings for Ziva? She's my partner… my friend, but that's all, Jethro. All it'll ever be. She's like the exasperating kid sister I never had and I love her but she'd more than likely end up killing me rather than marrying me."

"That I can see." Gibbs quirked a half smile. "But didn't wanna stop you being happy if it's what you wanted, and don't wanna hurt Ziva's feelings…" Gibbs trailed off, not sure how he could express his conflict over the subject.

This wasn't an EJ situation all over again.

He knew that Tony cared about Ziva and he'd seen the young woman go through a whole gamut of emotions over Tony, from one extreme to the other, over the years.

But what Tony said next startled him and his gaze snapped back to the younger man as he stated quietly, "We're not you and Jenny, Jethro."

Tony waited till Gibbs tipped his head in acknowledgement before reaching out to rest his hand on Gibbs' shoulder. "Hey… were you worried? I mean, really worried?"

Gibbs shrugged, eyes searching Tony's face for a moment, making a conscious effort to relax his shoulders. "Crossed my mind. Wanted to clear the air but wasn't sure how… You gotta know I don't share."

"Well, then, uncross your mind," Tony teased gently with a grin, his hand squeezing the muscle under his touch. "Besides… I've got a feeling I won't have enough energy left to be sharing anything with anyone else anyway."

Gibbs' expression softened and he grinned as he stepped forward to crowd Tony against the wall. "You got that right."

Tony rested his hands on Gibbs' waist, feeling heat rush through him at the look in Gibbs' blue eyes, only inches away. "Good… coz there's no need to worry, really, and I'll keep telling you that every day until you start to believe me." He leaned in to kiss Gibbs softly.

Gibbs responded immediately and soon deepened the kiss. Tony felt himself reacting to the hint of possession in the way Gibbs explored his mouth and wrapped his arms around the older man as he returned the kiss eagerly.

When they broke for air, Tony rested his forehead against Gibbs. "Absolutely no sharing. Got it. And why would I want to share anyway when I've got all I want right here."

He felt Gibbs' hand squeeze the back of his neck and Tony leaned in for another kiss which rapidly intensified, the slow burning heat causing Tony's senses to ache as he responded.

When he pulled back from the kiss, there was a look almost of surprise on Gibbs' face, his eyes fixed on Tony's mouth and his thumb almost unconsciously stroking the skin of his neck before moving to his cheek.

"Wow," Tony murmured.

Gibbs' boyish grin broke out as his fingers moved over Tony's skin. "Yeah… wow… Still getting used to being on the receiving end of beard burn. Different."

Tony laughed. "Good different… bad different?"

Gibbs tilted his head as he considered, lips twitching. "Just different."

"It can chafe like a bitch."

There was that flare of heat again as Gibbs met his gaze as he got Tony's meaning. "I'll remember that."

Tony grinned after a moment, feeling he could stare at those eyes all day. "This isn't getting that table delivered, is it?"

Gibbs chuckled and Tony watched fascinated as his ears turned pink. Gibbs stepped back, releasing Tony with an a almost self-conscious smile.

Between them, they managed to get the table onto the back of the truck and secured.

Tony looked down from the back of the truck. "That it?"

"Almost." Gibbs disappeared back into the house and Tony jumped down from the truck and followed him back inside. By the time he'd reached the hallway, Gibbs had reappeared from the kitchen carrying a bunch of flowers.

Tony looked askance at the red tulips. "Those are for the girls, right?"

Gibbs raised an eyebrow, keeping his face impassive, only given away by the glint of amusement Tony could see in the blue eyes.

Tony laughed. "Oh no, you're not getting me a second time… anyway, they are so not my colour. I'll ask again, they are for the girls, right?"

Gibbs grinned. "Yup." He walked over to the door. "But this one's for you." He pulled a separately wrapped single flower from the back of the bunch, slapping it into Tony's chest as he passed.

Tony grabbed the flower reflexively, gaping at Gibbs' back as he walked swiftly outside. He looked down at the flower in his hand, mottled red and white and looking like a tulip but… not quite.

He followed Gibbs out to the truck. "This is for me? What for? What is it? I mean it looks like a tulip that's been nibbled by mice and painted by Amira." He waved the flower with its ragged edges and striking colouring.

Gibbs rolled his eyes as he pulled open the truck door. "Parrot Tulip."

"Parrot what?!" Tony examined the flower. "Never heard of it but then, that's not unusual coz plants and me, we don't get along too well, Jethro. Any pot plants I try and keep alive in my apartment give up the ghost pretty soon."

Tony hurriedly jumped into the passenger side of the truck as Gibbs gunned the engine.

"Jeez, what's the rush all of a sudden?" Tony buckled his safety belt and braced himself before looking over at Gibbs as he pulled out of his driveway. "Why Parrot Tulip? You saying I look like a parrot or I sound like one," Tony grinned as Gibbs shot him an amused look. "That's it, isn't it? You're trying to tell me I squawk like a parrot."

"If the shoe fits."

Tony laughed, watching Gibbs' smile, before settling back in his seat, feeling slightly self-conscious as he clutched his flower, so he placed it next to the larger bunch of tulips for Leyla on the seat between them.

The flower had been shoved at him almost as a joke but Tony knew Gibbs didn't do anything lightly and wondered at the meaning behind it, especially after the roses Gibbs had given his girls yesterday.

When he had a chance later, he'd look up the meaning of tulips and see if that gave him any clues. He looked over at Gibbs again, his eyes roaming over the rugged profile, the broad shoulders and strong hands gripping the wheel, feeling like he was getting new insights into the man every day.

His Marine was just full of surprises.

TBC…