Gibbs didn't look up at the sound of the stairs in his basement creaking. He knew who would be there. Sitting on the same step he always had, Tony began to speak softly.
"I found another one," He said, and Gibbs looked up to see that infernal book still in Tony's hand.
"Go on."
"If 'you mixed it up with a co-worker before becoming co-workers.'" Gibbs smiled at this.
"That was a long time ago," Gibbs put down his tools and stepped over to Tony. "You were engaged."
"And you were in the middle of a divorce. That's actually another exception on the list."
Tony didn't know what he was doing here. Ok, that was a lie. Tony knew, he just didn't understand it. Stepping up to the door, Tony knocked lightly. After receiving no answer, he knocked a little harder. Still no response. Taking a chance, Tony tried the door. Open. Shaking his head with a smirk; didn't that just seem like Gibbs, Tony let himself in.
"Gibbs?" He called out. It'd be just his luck that he had the wrong house, and any moment an angry person with a shotgun would greet him. Walking further into the house, Tony called out again. Eventually, he came to stop at the basement. The door was open and there was a light on. What the hell; he'd come this far, right?
"Gibbs? You down here?"
"That you, DiNozzo?" Tony descended the stairs; stopping in his tracks when he saw the huge frame of a boat.
"How did you find me?" Gibbs asked. Tony turned to look at him; almost forgetting to speak at the sight before him. Gibbs was wearing a pair of worn old jeans and an NIS hoodie. Sawdust was in his hair, on his clothes and all over his hands. Tony couldn't help smiling.
"I'm a detective, Gibbs. I looked you up."
"Not a detective anymore," Gibbs corrected. "Unless you didn't take up my offer?"
"No, I took it," Tony answered, a little too quickly. "I start at FLETC next week."
"Good," Gibbs nodded, reaching to his work bench and emptying out two mason jars. "Finish your training and I'll have a job waiting for you when you get back." Tony nodded; watching with fascination as Gibbs filled the mason jars with bourbon and handed one to him. Tony took a swig; finding he needed it.
"Listen, Gibbs…"
"You're engaged," Gibbs cut Tony off, and Tony laughed. Of course Gibbs knew why he was here. From the second he'd tackled the older man to the ground, Tony knew they'd both felt something. The playful banter at Baltimore PD was more than just fooling around between law enforcement. That smile was not one you showed to a rival police force.
"You're married," Tony eventually shot back.
"Not for long," Gibbs corrected. "Getting divorced, remember?" Tony nodded slowly. "Just leave, Tony," Gibbs offered. "No harm done." Tony laughed, somewhat bitterly. Gibbs understood. Tony's whole life had been swept from under him in one day, and right now Gibbs was the only thing he had to hold on to.
"I can't," Tony whispered. Gibbs put down his mason jar and stepped closer to Tony.
"This won't happen again once I'm your boss," Gibbs whispered. "I have a rule against it." Tony put down his drink in mirror to Gibbs.
"And I have a fiancée," Tony confirmed. "This has nothing to do with either of those things." Gibbs nodded before stepping closer still; backing Tony up against the boat and kissing him thoroughly. Gibbs felt the exact moment Tony let it all go, and he chose that moment to pull away slowly.
"C'mon," He spoke softly. "Upstairs."
"You were the reason it didn't work out between me and Wendy," Tony said, but there was no accusation in his tone.
"Me?"
"And the job," Tony clarified. "But I worked so hard because I was working for you." Gibbs didn't reply right away. He moved to sit next to Tony on the stairs before speaking.
"I never wanted you to be unhappy," Gibbs mumbled. Tony shrugged. He couldn't say Gibbs had never made him miserable and they both knew it. Images of Mexico and Jeanne and Jenny swirled in his memory, preventing any platitudes that came forth.
"I brought dinner," Tony eventually said. Gibbs smiled softly; standing before reaching down to help Tony up. Standing close together on the stairs, Tony couldn't help leaning in to Gibbs.
"You make me happy now," Tony whispered. "That's all I care about." Gibbs didn't know what to say, so he just smiled.