a/n - Yes, I've been posting this elsewhere. By the time I catch up, there should be new chapters.

The water ran cold before Tim moved out from under the spray. Numb, and not just from the frigid water, he turned off the tap and climbed out of the shower stall to wrap a towel around his waist. Welcoming the cold, he made no attempt to dry himself before walking out into the bedroom. Staring at the floor, he only made it a few steps before he collided with a broad chest. Instinctively, his hands went up to catch himself and encountered bare skin.

"Tony? Why are you still here?" Tim looked up, but couldn't read the expression on the other man's face and the arms wrapped around him now made escape impossible. He had no choice but to walk backwards as Tony pushed him back into the bathroom.

Gentle lips kissed the red eyes. "I'm here because this is where I belong." He snagged another towel and started drying McGee, pleased when Tim didn't shy away from his touch. Once he was dry, Tony's next concern was getting him warmed up. Silently, he took Tim's hand and lead him to the large bed. While the shower had been running, Tony had folded the bedding back and stripped down to his boxers so there would be no distractions.

Tony pulled off the towel wrapped around Tim's waist, carefully watching the docile man as he sat him down on the edge of the bed. Tim seemed to have reached the end of his endurance, so Tony helped him lay down and tucked him in before climbing into the other side of the bed. Mindful of how eerily similar this was to the night Tim had spent in bed with Gibbs, he pulled the other man across his chest to warm him up, holding on and pretending Tim's trembling was strictly from the cold.

"I'm sorry."

"No, no, it's okay." Tony bent down and kissed Tim's forehead. "You didn't do anything wrong."

Tim turned his head to look at Tony. "We committed to each other and I let him have me. How can you even stand to look at me?"

Tony tried to smile, but it didn't quite happen. "Because if our positions had been reversed, I would have done the same thing. We may be a sorry pair, but we are a pair." He pulled Tim's head back down against his chest, but tipped back far enough that he could kiss him. It was their first true kiss since the night before he'd left as an Agent Afloat and he put everything he had into it. Not letting his desires cloud his head, Tony slowly deepened the kiss, waiting for Tim to relax against his mouth before working his tongue against the soft lips he'd come to love. Eventually, Tim's tongue joined his. It wasn't a fight for dominance, but a slow and careful joining. Tony backed off before he was tempted to push it further, kissing his way from Tim's mouth, up the side of his face, before pulling Tim's head back down onto his shoulder. "Sleep, Tim, just sleep." He stroked his hand up and down Tim's back until he stilled and his breathing deepened, but sleep did not come to the older man.

-NCIS-

The bright sunlight reminded Tony why he always preferred that Tim stayed over at his place. Turning his back on the window, he shifted them around until they were face to face. Tim didn't wake from the movement, telling Tony just how exhausted he was. Usually it was Tim that was awake and watching him, and now Tony realized why the other man enjoyed it. Tim looked so much younger in his sleep and watching him scrunch his nose every time Tony blew a puff of air across it made him smile.

It was the sound of Tony's stomach growling that finally woke the younger man. He stiffened and Tony rushed to assure him that he was safe. "Easy, Buddy, it's me."

"Tony, you stayed?"

The surprise was heartbreaking. "Yeah, I stayed. You and me, this is for real. I'm not going anywhere." He ran the back of his fingers down the side of Tim's face before leaning in for a kiss. When Tim responded, Tony let his hand trail down , stopping for a moment to tease the nipple with his thumb. His next stop was Tim's belly button, always a hot spot for the younger man. Tim squirmed, it tickled as much as it was erotic, and Tony playfully nipped at his ear.

Tony released the earlobe and started working down the side of Tim's neck, sucking and biting. He was careful not to leave any lasting marks, knowing how sensitive Tim's skin was. Even the redness from the scrape of his teeth would take several hours to fade.

He was careful to not work his hand below Tim's waist until he felt the cock against his thigh thicken and lengthen. Only then did he trail his fingers up and down the hardening flesh. He kept his touch light and teasing until Tim was panting and thrusting against him, begging for more.

"Tony, please."

"You like that, babe?"

"Not enough. Damn it, I'm not made of glass, DiNozzo. What are you... don't stop... Tony."

Instead of answering, Tony pulled away, grinning at the wailed cry of his name. He yanked off his boxers and tossed them off to the side before settling between Tim's thighs, kissing his way down his torso. Reaching the end of his journey, he bypassed Tim's shaft to tongue the firm balls nestled beneath it. As always, he marveled at how little body hair Tim had and how soft the hair was on his groin. It tickled his nose as he worked first one, then the other testicle with his mouth.

Tim spread his legs, pulling his knees up and then out, exposing himself fully to his lover and that simple act of trust almost took Tony's breath away. "Easy, easy, we'll get there but we're going to take our time. I'm not going to hurt you, I'll never hurt you." Recreating their first time together, Tony shifted and lined his cock up next to Tim's, wrapping his fist around them both.

Establishing a slow rhythm as they became slick and using his thumb to spread the moisture, Tony watched closely for any sign of distress, but Tim was urging him on. "Take me, Tony. Come on, you've waited long enough."

To prove his point, Tony laid on Tim, noting the swift, shaky breath he took, and then rolled them so they were laying on their sides. Still keeping the steady pace as he stroked them, with his other hand he raked his fingernail across Tim's entrance. The jump and gasp told him he was right. "Not yet, Tim. I'm not going to hurt you even if you think you deserve it."

Tim stilled and Tony shifted again, letting go of their shafts to wrap both arms around Tim. After a moment the rigid form in his arms sagged and Tim buried his head against Tony's shoulder. "I'm sorry."

"Not your fault." Although they had both softened somewhat, he kept up the gentle pace, allowing their cocks to continue to rub together, slowly fanning the flame. "He hurt you. I'm not going to argue consent right now, but he physically hurt you." Tony started kissing him again, waiting to feel him relax. "That's it, Tim. We'll get there, I promise, but in the meantime, there's a lot of other ways we can pleasure each other, remember?"

Tony put action to words as he worked every hot spot on Tim's neck and shoulders, reveling in the feel as Tim grew hard against him once again. His hand crept back between them and resumed stroking. Six months at sea meant that Tony was ready to fall over that edge within moments, but he bit his lip and tried to picture his grandmother in a bikini. It wasn't until he heard the soft panting that signaled Tim's impending orgasm that Tony let himself go and they climaxed together.

Not letting go of their cocks, Tony rolled Tim onto his back and started kissing his way down his body, only releasing his own cock when he scooted down to lick up the side of Tim's shaft, circling his tongue around the head as he did. Still keeping the pace slow, he licked every inch of Tim clean, tasting the two of them mixed together. By the time he was done, Tim was hard and weeping again, and so was he.

Tim was struggling, reaching for him, so he shifted to the side allowing Tim to reach down and grasp his cock while he continued to use his mouth on Tim's. This time they lasted longer, but when Tony deepthroated him and started to hum, Tim came with a shout. Two more strokes from Tim's hand and Tony followed him over the edge.

Enjoying the afterglow, Tony laid his head on Tim's thigh and watched as Tim licked his own hand clean before reaching down to him. This time it was Tim that took the lead in positioning them and Tony found himself resting with his head on Tim's chest. The heartbeat under his ear lulled him back to sleep, the last thing he remembered was Tim kissing the top of his head.