Pre-Slash: rating based on future chapters
Disclaimer: I own nothing…..sad but true.
The next day Tony was seriously frustrated. He may be feeling conflicted about what he thought was happening last night, but he was also a little too curious for his own good. He had to know what Gibbs was thinking. Was he feeling what Tony was feeling? He got the sense that he was, that there could actually be a chance of them exploring the feelings that Tony had been suppressing for years, but ever since they got home last night, Gibbs seemed to be avoiding him. He had been in the basement all day today and Tony hadn't seen him at all. Maybe he should bring him some leftover lasagna. Tony knew Gibbs hadn't eaten anything all day so that would at least be a good excuse for disturbing him.
Gibbs looked at his watch when he heard the door to the basement open. Wow, he never thought Tony had this much patience. He could hear the younger man upstairs pacing all morning. Gibbs knew he wanted to talk to him, but he couldn't bring himself to yet. He needed this time to himself. Working on his boat always helped to steady him and after last night he had really needed that. He had let himself get too comfortable last night and almost did something he knew he would regret. Rule 12 existed for a reason, and Tony was off limits.
The fact that his feelings for his senior agent were stronger than he had expected, didn't change the fact that Gibbs had been burned by mixing work and pleasure before. He wasn't going to open himself to that again. True Tony wasn't as driven with ambition as Jenny had been, but that shouldn't change anything. Should it? Maybe he was over thinking this. DiNozzo was drunk last night. But Gibbs knew desire when he saw it and Tony looked like he wanted Gibbs to kiss him. No, that was just wishful thinking. And that was a wish that he could never let come true.
"Um, Boss?"
"Yeah DiNozzo?" Gibbs kept working on the boat. He wasn't ready to face Tony yet. He might do something stupid.
"I thought you might be hungry so I brought you some leftover lasagna."
Gibbs turned around and leaned against his boat. It seemed that he couldn't stop himself from doing stupid things lately.
"Since when did you become so domestic, Tony?"
Tony was distracted by the fact that Gibbs was using his first name. He rarely did. He also couldn't tear his eyes away from Gibbs' glistening chest. Since when did he work without a shirt? God he looked good!
Tony tore his eyes away and looked up at Gibbs, only to see him watching Tony ogling him. Oh no, what should he do? What should he say? Joke, always lead with a joke.
"Well Boss you bring out the housewife in me." Damn that didn't come out right!
Gibbs smirked, "I think I've had enough wives Tony, don't you?"
Tony couldn't stop the blush that took over his face, "Umm well, yeah I guess, I mean not that I would really be a wife, I mean, I am a man and all..." Oh God what the hell was he saying?
Gibbs came closer and took the plate from Tony's trembling hands. He looked over his body very slowly and softly said, "Yeah Tony I've definitely noticed."
Tony thought he was going to faint again.
Gibbs stepped away and started to eat. Tony just watched him for a minute, hoping that the older man couldn't see that his cock had hardened at the way Gibbs had looked at him. Not knowing what else to do at this point, he walked over to the boat.
"You need any help doing, whatever it is you're doing?"
Gibbs almost choked on the food he was about to swallow. "You want to help me? Why?"
"I'm bored and I want your company." Tony almost whispered this, but of course Gibbs heard him.
"No one wants my company Tony. Since when do you?" Gibbs put the plate down before he broke it. He couldn't remember the last time he was this tense. He knew Tony was hard, dammit so was he, but he needed to know what the hell he was thinking.
"I've always wanted your company Gibbs, you just never let me get close to you before now." Tony was trembling again. What the hell was he doing?
"Well I'm not really the letting people close to me kind of guy DiNozzo." Tony was hurt by Gibbs using his last name again, but he knew it was his way of pushing Tony away. He was tired of it and felt like pushing back.
"I know, and that's why your relationships never last, but Gibbs I'm not like your ex-wives, or Jenny, or any of your other women. I've been by your side for years and I'm not going anywhere, I don't want to be anywhere else but here."
"Yeah right, everyone wants to be in my basement watching me work and breathing in sawdust." Gibbs smirked. "What a romantic image."
"Why is that so hard for you to believe?" Tony said softly.
"Which part, the one about people wanting to be here, or the part about it being romantic?" Gibbs wasn't sure he wanted the answer to that, but hell he'd already asked...
"Both actually." Tony turned and looked into Gibbs' eyes. "This is something you love; working with wood grounds you and makes you less hard to reach. This is the perfect place to be with you, to get close to you."
Gibbs could see the truth in Tony's eyes. The man wanted to be close to him, but how close? Gibbs was tired of playing games. "What are you saying DiNozzo, what the hell are we talking about here?"
"We're talking about the feelings that I know we're both having Gibbs. I've never felt this way about anyone before, but I feel it for you and I know you're feeling it too. I wasn't imagining the way you were looking at me last night and I didn't imagine it a minute ago. I don't understand it but I want to. Talk to me, please!"
Tony had moved forward until he was right up in Gibbs' face. Staring into his bright blue eyes he was sure he saw fear and it made him scared too. Scared that Gibbs would pull away from him and deny everything.