Jackson savored his coffee as he watched his son and son-in-law go about their morning routine. He smiled his thanks as Tony topped off both his and Leroy's coffee, before fetching a cup for himself. He was glad he had decided to take an extra week and come early. He was enjoying his visit and was looking forward to Thanksgiving the following week.
"Jethro, I'm going to put in for leave this morning. How's Friday for you?" Tony studied the box of muffins on the counter as if the weight of the world relied on choosing just the perfect one.
"For me?" Jethro was drinking his coffee; intent on the morning paper.
"I thought we could take the day off. Do our Christmas shopping."
"I don't need to take off. I'm doing mine on my lunch hour."
Jackson watched the expression on his son-in-law's face. This could get good.
"On your lunch hour?" Muffin forgotten; Tony focused on the conversation.
"Yep."
"Did you make a list?" They had discussed making lists, so they didn't forget anyone.
"Got it right here?" Jethro patted his pocket.
Tony could feel a headache beginning. "Can I see?" His husband handed over his cell without a word, his focus on an article. "Jethro, this is our call list for the team."
"Who else would I be buying gifts for?" Jethro said distracted.
"And you are going to get all these gifts on your lunch hour?"
"Mmm-hmm."
"So, Tim is getting…"
Jethro frowned at the constant interruptions. "Gift card for the coffee shop next to the office."
"And Jimmy?"
"Gift card for the coffee shop next to the office."
"Vance?"
"Gift card for the coffee shop next to the office."
"Jethro, is anyone on this list not getting a "Gift card for the coffee shop next to the office" this year?" Tony demanded.
Yep. Jackson smirked. He settled back to enjoy the entertainment. Poor Leroy. Not really, he acknowledged. Gift cards to the coffee shop across the street from his store got monotonous after a while. He suspected that Shannon had been the force behind her and Leroy's Christmas gifts. The other Mrs. Gibbs' must not have had the backbone.
"Ducky."
"And why isn't he?"
"He prefers the shop on the corner. They do English teas."
"And what is Victoria getting?" Tony gritted his teeth.
"She's why I'm doing my shopping at lunch not this morning. Bank isn't open."
"The bank? You're getting her gift at the bank?" Too bad, Jethro didn't pick up on the shrillness of Tony's question.
"Savings bond. Good for her education."
"So, on your lunch hour, you will be grabbing a handful of gift cards and a savings bond."
"Uh-huh."
"Leroy Jethro Gibbs."
Jethro froze. That was not a good tone. That was not a "let's sneak to the basement and fool around." It was not a "I'm going to shower my back could use a wash, want to help?" It was more a "you are one step from sleeping under the boat." He quickly thought back. What had he said wrong? He looked at his dad for help, but the older man had the nerve to salute him with his cup before taking a long drink.
"We are married. We will be giving joint gifts."
Jethro sighed in relief. This was easy Tony was feeling left out. "We can sign both our names to the cards." Thud. Tony's coffee cup was slammed down next to his husband and Jethro sighed as it splashed coffee onto the article he'd been trying to read. Obviously not the right answer, he thought looking up into his husband's angry face.
"You will not be doing your so-called shopping on your lunch hour. You especially will not be giving gift cards that our friends will end up using to buy coffee at your favorite coffee shop for you and themselves. You will sit down and make a shopping list like I did."
"Great. We'll use your list and sign our names." Jethro thought "crisis averted."
Jackson barely kept from chortling. No wonder he had so many ex-daughters-in-law. Leroy was hopeless.
"You will write a list," Tony hissed, "which we will correlate with mine. I will be putting in for leave for both of us on Friday. We will do our shopping and grab lunch along the way. You will be taking me out for a nice dinner and a movie afterwards. Do you understand me?"
"Tony, you know I hate shopping…" Jethro refused to admit it was a whine.
"Do you understand me?" Tony repeated scowling at his errant husband.
"Dad's here." Jethro latched on to what he thought was a safety line. "We should be spending time with him not shopping and all that. We can order Chinese from that place you like and watch the game."
"No. No, Leroy. I've got some shopping of my own to do. Friday seems like a good day to do that. Get the jump before black Friday." Jackson couldn't hide a grin. If Jethro were in a cartoon, he would be in a lake holding a little wooden sign saying, "going down third time." "In fact, I think that Friday night would be a good time to take Ducky up on his offer for a pub night. You two just have fun."
Jethro stared at the traitor that had been his father. How could he do that to his own son?
"I asked, if you understood me?" Tony demanded.
"Understood." Jethro gritted.
"And so help me, Leroy Jethro, I better not see one coffee shop gift card on that list."
Jackson couldn't keep from smiling. Bout time someone took his boy in hand. Having a son-in-law might just work out.
Jethro would see how his father liked not getting a gift card to his favorite coffee shop. Served his dad right.