They had pushed two tables together, just a few feet from the bar. After an hour, most of them were already on their third drink. Gibbs was at present on his fourth Bourbon, as he'd hoped it would calm the raging jealousy inside. Unfortunately it didn't seem to be working, though Callen really wasn't helping the situation. Out of the corner of his eye, Gibbs watched as Callen laughed at something Tony said and touched Tony's back. Then leaning over, Callen whispered something in Tony's ear that caused Tony to break out in a fit of laughter.
Gulping down the rest of his drink, Gibbs felt the warmth of the alcohol hit his stomach then spread through the rest of his body.
"Gibbs, you're coming with us right?" Abby asked a pout already on her face.
"Where?"
"A club just down the strip." She added the sad little girl eyes. "Please!"
"Sure." There was no way Gibbs was leaving now.
She threw her arms around his neck. "I'm so glad Callen convinced you to come out tonight." She pulled back and smiled at Gibbs. "We like having you around."
"I know." Gibbs kissed her temple.
"Okay moving on!" Abby said, rallying everyone out the door.
"Abby this is amazing, how did you find this place?" Kensi asked as they sat in a semi private area looking out at the dance floor.
"A friend of mine came to Vegas last year, this was her favorite place to hang out." Abby grinned, happy that everyone seemed to like the place. She leaned in towards Kensi. "This place has a reputation for having the hottest bartenders and wait staff."
Kensi's eyes followed a buff, shirtless waiter, that passed by their tables. "I can see that."
Gibbs shook his head seeing Abby, Kensi and Ziva still staring at the waiter as he dropped off drinks to a table a few feet away.
Sitting next to him, Abby patted his shoulder. "Don't worry Gibbs, there're plenty of good looking women for you to ogle too." She nodded in the direction of the bar, where a curvaceous brunette wearing skin tight leather pants and an even tighter tank top was loading a tray with drinks. "Not a red head but not bad right?"
"Yeah." Gibbs took a sip of his drink, his attention pulled across the table to Tony and Callen who were laughing as they waved down the muscular waiter that had passed by earlier.
"Another round." Callen said handing the bills to the waiter.
"Coming right up." The man winked at Callen.
"Thanks." Callen winked back as the waiter walked off to get their drinks.
"I'd be careful." Abby grinned leaning across the table.
"And why's that?" Callen grinned back.
"Because." Tony leaned in towards them. "Anything goes at this bar."
Abby wiggled her eyebrows. "Oh yeah!"
"Oh damn!" Kensi groaned. "He's probably gay isn't he?"
"Maybe." Abby shrugged.
"You brought us to a gay bar?" McGee sighed.
"It's not a gay bar, Timmy." Abby glared at him. "It's a bar for everyone, no matter your preference. Everyone hangs out here."
The sexy brunette that Abby had pointed out to Gibbs earlier returned with their drinks.
"Hope you don't mind." She smiled around the table. "Patrick was kinda busy so I offered to drop off the drinks."
"We definitely don't mind." Sitting at the end of the table, Tony flashed her the famous DiNozzo smile.
"Oh sweetie." She ran her finger down his jaw line. "You're cute, but not my type."
Abby giggled, then asked. "So who here is your type?"
The waitress looked at Kensi. "I could definitely have a lot of fun with you."
Kensi's eyebrow went up and a smile spread across her face. "If I went that way, I could go for you."
Everyone's head jerked towards Kensi.
"What?" She laughed. "I said if I went that way."
"What about Mr. Beef Cake?" Sam asked.
"Totally straight."
Abby and Ziva looked at each other and grinned.
"He's more my type, sorry." Kensi smiled at the waitress.
"I'll make sure to send him over with the next round." Then she grinned at Tony. "Or maybe I'll send Jessica over for you sweetie. I'm sure she's your type."
"Really?" Tony glanced around the bar. "Where's she at?"
"Over at the table across the room."
Tony followed the waitress' gaze across the room and saw the other woman turn around. He grinned and looked over at Gibbs. "She looks more like your type, Gibbs."
Glancing in the direction Tony had been looking, Gibbs saw the red headed waitress walking to the bar. He rolled his eyes.
"What, too young?" Tony smirked. "She's gorgeous so it can't be that."
Gibbs didn't reply just took another sip of his drink.
Countless rounds later, most of people around the table were feeling no pain, a few had gone way past drunk and on to completely wasted. The music had gotten louder as crowds of people filled the dance floor, gyrating to the heavy beat. Abby had dragged pretty much everyone onto the dance floor at one point and had just pulled Tony and Callen into the throng of people.
Gibbs' eyes locked on the three people as they started to dance. At first Abby was in between Callen and Tony, but then Abby grabbed Tony and put him in between her and Callen. Gibbs felt the jealousy surge when Callen's arm circled around Tony's waist pulling their bodies together. He slammed the empty glass on the table, afraid if he continued to hold it he'd crush it in his palm. Getting up, Gibbs tried to put the image out of his head as he headed towards the bar.
"What can I get for you?" The female bartender smiled.
"Bourbon, make it a double." Gibbs said as he tossed a bill on the bar.
"Here you go."
"I've been waiting all night for you to leave that table."
Gibbs looked up at the smiling man standing next to him. The man was attractive, sandy blond hair, deep brown eyes, and a slim but muscular body.
"That so?" Gibbs picked up his drink and leaned back against the bar.
"Yes." The man smiled. "Although, I'll be completely heartbroken if you tell me one of those men at the table is your boyfriend."
Gibbs shook his head and the man's smile widened.
"Good."
"Not gonna ask about the women at the table?" Gibbs took a swig from his glass.
"No." The man chuckled. "You've only been looking at one person tonight and it wasn't a woman."
"And who have I been looking at?"
The man's gaze traveled to the dance floor and directly to Tony, Callen and Abby. "The pretty boy in the designer clothes." He turned back to Gibbs, seeing Gibbs' blue eyes still focused on Tony. "Thought at first he was your boyfriend."
Again Gibbs shook his head.
"But you want him to be." He let out a sigh. "Why do all the good ones always want straight guys?" Without waiting for any explanation the man walked away.
It took only a couple minutes for another man to approach.
"Can I buy you a drink?" The blond haired, blue eyed man asked.
"I'm good thanks." Gibbs nodded.
"A dance maybe?"
"Don't dance." Gibbs smiled.
"You could buy me a drink." The man said with a bright smile.
"Hey, everyone's looking for you." Tony wobbled slight. He looked at Gibbs then the other man glaring at him. "Am I interrupting?"
"Yes"
"No." Gibbs said at the same time as the other man.
"Um, I think I'll just head back to the table." Tony went to take a step and Gibbs grabbed his wrist tugging a startled Tony against him.
"You're not interrupting."
The other man rolled his eyes and walked away.
As soon as the man was gone, Tony laughed pressing his body harder against Gibbs'. "Was the big bad boy hitting on you?"
"Yeah."
"Want me to stay here like this until we make sure he believes I'm the one you want?" Tony grinned.
Gibbs nodded as he glanced over at their table to see if anyone was looking at them. The group of people were talking and laughing completely oblivious to their absence.
Tony's hand caressed around Gibbs' neck. "I can make it look real."
"Can you now?" Gibbs' blue eyes locked on green as his heart thump against his sternum.
"Sure." Tony leaned in closer, playing into the ruse. "Can I ask you something?"
Another nod.
"Callen bat for both teams?"
The question made the thumping stop and Gibbs' body tense. "Why do you ask?"
Tony shrugged. "He's just been really touchy feely tonight and flirty."
Gibbs felt the jealousy squeeze around his heart. Was Tony interested in Callen?
"I shouldn't have asked." Tony stepped back away from Gibbs. "He's your friend and I didn't mean to ask you to betray some kinda confidence."
"That's something you should probably ask him."
Tony nodded. "Come back to the table, everyone wants to do a shot."
"Another one?" Gibbs glanced back over at the table. "I don't think anyone needs another shot."
"You seem pretty okay." Tony had never seen Gibbs drunk. He'd seen the man drink a whole bottle of Bourbon without even remotely feeling its effects. But then there were all kinds of different drunks... happy drunks, sad drunks, weepy drunks, fall down drunks, cuddly drunks, maybe Gibbs was just a 'Gibbs' drunk. Scary thought, alcohol making Gibbs even more Gibbs.
"I'm fine." Gibbs knew his limit and he was already beyond it.
"Then back to the table." The booze clouding his judgment, Tony grabbed Gibbs' hand and led the older man to the table. "Found him."
"Gibbs" The name rang up from around the table.
"Please do a shot with us!" Abby begged. "Just one."
"Please." Callen mimicked Abby.
"Fine." Gibbs dropped down in the chair by Abby.
Tony returned to the chair beside Callen.
"We already, ready ordered the shots." Callen snickered, three sheets in the wind. He put his arm around the back of Tony's chair and dipped his lips towards Tony's ear. "You'll love it."
Again, Gibbs watched the exchange, the jealousy now turning to a calculated need… the need to get Tony away from Callen, whatever it took.
The shots arrived to a round of applause as the glasses were passed around the table. Everyone raised their glasses.
"To good times and good sex, may they always cum together!" Abby toasted.
Hoots and hollers rang out around them as they clinked their glasses together, and then downed their shots. That one shot led to another, and then another, and another.
"Okay seri-serio-." Kensi laughed. "I am so drunk."
"We are all drunk!" Ziva shouted.
"Are you drunk?" Callen smiled at Tony.
"Totally!" Tony snickered patting Callen's cheek. "Don't get any ideas."
Callen's eyebrow went up.
Tony laughed nudging Callen's shoulder.
Gibbs clenched his jaw as he watched the exchange.
"We ned-need food." McGee stammered.
"YES!" Abby pointed at him. "I saw a diner on the way here."
"Let's go." Kensi stood up and grabbed the table to steady herself.
As the group stumbled their way out of the bar, Abby saw the glowing sign of the diner just down the street.
"See there!" She pointed towards the sign and almost fell over. McGee caught her before she could fall. She laughed. "Thanks Timmy."
Leaning against the wall just outside the door, Tony closed his eyes and took a slow deep breath.
"You okay?" Gibbs asked, concern and protectiveness instantly kicking in.
"Yeah, just need a minute." Tony sighed.
"Tony?" Abby looked at her friend, still being held in McGee's arms.
"Go ahead." Gibbs tipped his head in the direction of the diner. "We'll be there in a minute."
"You sure?" Callen asked, suddenly sounding sober.
"Yeah."
Callen smiled at Gibbs, then started gathering the group and leading them towards the diner.
Once the laughter from the group turned into a soft whisper, Gibbs spoke. "Take a couple more deep breathes."
Tony inhaled deeply, once, twice, then opened his eyes and looked at Gibbs.
"Better?" Gibbs gazed deeply into the drunken haze of the green eyes.
Tony nodded. "I haven't been this drunk since-" He stopped, then started laughing. "I can't remember."
"Me either." Gibbs sighed.
"Are you drunk?" Tony grinned putting his palm on Gibbs' chest.
Gibbs nodded.
"You're very 'Gibbs' when you're drunk." Tony held up three fingers. "How many fingers am I holding up?"
Smirking, Gibbs squinted his eyes. "Four."
"Right!" Laughing, Tony dropped his hand to his side. Suddenly he looked around. "Where'd everyone go?"
"To eat."
Tony groaned and touched his stomach. "Oh God, don't even mention food."
"Okay." Gibbs chuckled.
"Will you take me home?" Tony sighed softly. "Put me to bed?"
Gibbs felt his pulse quicken. He had wanted to hear that for a long time, but in a completely different context. "I'll take you home." He held up his hand to wave down a cab.
"Why don't you want to spend time with me?"
Dropping his hand, Gibbs turned around, brow furrowed "What are you talking about?"
"You don't wanna be around me." The drunkenness gave Tony an odd sense of courage. "At least not outside work or when I show up in the basement."
"I'm here." Gibbs shrugged.
"You're here because Callen asked you, not because of me." Tony went to shake his head and stopped when the world started to spin. He closed his eyes. "I asked you to come, I always ask you to come out with us, and you always say no." A slow deep breath. "Callen just smiles and you agree to go." The world finally stabilized and Tony opened his eyes again.
Gibbs rubbed his hand over his mouth.
"Did um, you and Callen have a thing?"
A heartfelt laugh ripped from Gibbs' gut. "No."
Tony knew he was drunk, at least at the moment, when he asked the next question. "Do you want something to happen between you and Callen?"
"No." Gibbs shook his head. "I'm not interested in Callen."
"So why agree to go out tonight?"
"I-I don't know." Gibbs lied, even though he was somewhat drunk, he wasn't drunk enough to admit the truth. God, he needed another drink.
"Come with me." Forgetting about his original question, Tony took Gibbs' hand and led him down the street.
"Where are we going?" Gibbs asked. "I thought you wanted to go home."
"I changed my mind."
"Whose idea was this?" Tony laughed as he slammed the shot glass on the bar.
Gibbs shrugged. "I don't know."
Tony laughed harder. "Now I know you're drunk!"
"How?" Gibbs stared over at Tony.
"Because you always remember."
Gibbs chuckled. "What the hell was that last one?"
"Um," Tony's brow furrowed and he looked up at the bartender. "Dave, help us out."
Dave smirked. "Dead Cannibal."
Tony shivered. "The name is almost as bad as it tasted."
"What else you got?" Gibbs asked.
"Worse than a Dead Cannibal?"
Gibbs and Tony both nodded.
"Only one other thing. The-"
"Don't tell us!" Tony shouted. "Just make it. You can tell us after."
"Alright," David pointed at them both. "But if either of you pukes, the other's cleaning it up."
"Deal." Gibbs nodded.
Grabbing a few things from the other end of the bar, Dave mixed up the shots and sat them before the two men.
"What the hell is that white slime on the top?" Gibbs asked, sniffing the drink and scrunching up his nose.
"Can't ask." Tony grinned, picking up his drink. "Just gotta drink it."
"Fine" Gibbs held the glass up, looked at Tony and they both downed their shots.
Coughing, they shook their heads.
Tony grabbed for his beer, chugging down half the bottle. "That tasted like piss."
Dave grinned. "You're almost right. Slimy urine sample."
Gibbs ran his hands down his face. "Was there actual urine in it?"
"No." Dave couldn't help but laugh. "The white stuff was mayonnaise."
"Who the hell puts mayonnaise in a drink!" Tony balked. "Did you come up with that?"
"God no!" Clearing the glasses away, Dave wiped the bar down in front of them. "Some college kids came in here, wanted me to make it for a friend's birthday. He was almost as drunk as you two."
"I'm surprised you didn't already know that drink." Gibbs smirked. "Mr. Spring Break."
"I'm over the spring break thing." Tony groaned. "Never thought I'd say that."
"What brought that on?" Gibbs picked up his beer to take a sip.
Tony shrugged as he stared at his beer bottle. "Guess I want more than some hot chick in a wet t-shirt who just wants a one night stand."
The beer bottle stopped before reaching Gibbs' lips. "Now I never thought I'd hear you say that!"
Tony chuckled sadly.
"Hey, it's okay to want more than a one night stand, eventually everyone does." Gibbs finally took a sip from his beer.
"Do you?" Tony asked, looking over at Gibbs.
Putting the beer back down on the bar, Gibbs nodded.
"So what, you just haven't found the right woman?" Tony grinned.
"Um." Oh part of Gibbs wanted to tell Tony the truth. "That's part of it."
"OH!" Tony shoved a hand against Gibbs' shoulder. "You totally already have the hots for someone!"
Gibbs rolled his eyes.
"You so do!" Tony smiled with excitement. "Who is it?"
"Tony." Gibbs balked.
"Right." Tony stood up, almost falling down. He grabbed the edge of the bar. "Not like you'd ever tell me." Somewhat steady on his feet, he stood up straight. "I gotta hit the head."
Closing his eyes and rubbing his forehead, Gibbs sighed. When he heard the scraping of a glass hitting the bar, he looked up. There was a glass of Bourbon sitting in front of him, Dave was standing there looking at him. "What's this for?"
"For you, on the house."
"Why?" Gibbs asked.
"There're only two reasons a man sits here with another man drinking the nastiest shots ever created."
"Oh yeah?"
Dave nodded. "The man is the guy's college buddy, trying to make the other guy puke his brains out."
"Or?"
"Or the guys in love and will do anything to spend time with the other guy." Dave paused. "And you're a little old to be Tony's college buddy."
Gibbs picked up the Bourbon and downed it in one gulp. "I really hate know-it-all bartenders."
Carefully making his way back towards the bar, Tony stopped in front of the now empty stool. He looked up at Dave.
Dave nodded towards the door. "He said he needed some air."
Tony started for the door, then slowly turned around.
"He already settled the tab."
"Of course he did." Tony made his way to the door and stepped outside, the warm Vegas air making his air conditioned body shiver. He caught sight of Gibbs a few feet down, back against the wall, head down. Taking the few steps towards the man, he realized as he approached, Gibbs' eyes were open and staring at the ground. "Feeling sick?"
"No." Gibbs picked up his head and stared ahead at the blinking lights of the bars and casinos across the street.
"Shouldn't have pushed." Tony chuckled. "I know you're not Mister Share."
Gibbs shook his head. "No I'm not." His gaze returned to the concrete beneath his feet.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Tony had never seen Gibbs so pensive.
"I'm drunk." Gibbs clenched his jaw "And so close to saying things I shouldn't."
"Hey." Tony's hand touched Gibbs' shoulder. "You can say anything to me."
Gibbs chuckled with apprehension. "Not this."
"Gibbs." Tony said the name softly, wanting Gibbs to look at him.
Letting his head fall back against the wall, Gibbs stared up at the night sky. He couldn't bring himself to look at Tony. He knew if he did, it would all spill out, or worse he wouldn't be able to control the desire.
"If this is about the whole, I think you already have the hots for someone." Tony chuckled. "It's none of my business."
A nervous laugh dripped from Gibbs' lips. "If only that was the case." He heard the movement, knew Tony was standing in front of him, knew if he just tipped his head down he would be staring into those sparkling green eyes. Still, he couldn't bring himself to do it.
"Look at me."
The tone of the voice was demanding, but it still didn't make Gibbs look at Tony.
Grabbing Gibbs' face with both hands, Tony forced Gibbs to look at him. "What the hell's going on?"
Gibbs' breath hitched in his throat as he gazed into the confused green eyes. As his mind screamed no, he reached out, the back of his hand caressing Tony's cheek. "It's not that I don't want to spend time you" He swallowed hard, then shook his head. "I just can't."
Through the drunken haze Tony tried to make sense of what Gibbs was saying, tried to understand something that couldn't possibly be happening. "This was about Callen."
Clenching his jaw, Gibbs tried to suppress the jealousy as his hand left Tony's cheek and fell to his side.
"You didn't want him around me." It wasn't a question, Tony already knew the answer.
Gibbs didn't respond, couldn't respond.
"I'm the one you want... and you were jealous." Tony's voice was barely a whisper.
"I had no right to be-" Gibbs' hands were balled into fists at his side. "But I was and I am."
"Why didn't you ever tell me?"
"Because I'm not what you want." If he hadn't been intoxicated, Gibbs would have just shut up, let it go at that, but he kept talking. "And I didn't wanna lose you. Having you as a friend, is more important than my deeper feelings for you."
"Nothing you could say or do would ever make you lose my friendship." It was the honest truth, Gibbs was more than a friend, he was family and Tony could never walk away from that.
"Nothing?" Gibbs' eyes dilated.
"Nothing." Tony reassured him.
Again, Gibbs mind screamed NO, but the reassurance from Tony that nothing he could do would ruin their friendship gave him the permission he'd always wanted. His arm circled around Tony's waist drawing their bodies together, and before Tony could resist or protest, he captured Tony's lips. In that moment, he didn't care about what would happen afterwards. All he cared about was having the man he had wanted for so long in his arms and tasting the lips he'd yearned to kiss.
He devoured Tony's lips and mouth, surprised by their softness and warmth, so much better than he'd ever imagined. He never expected to be kissed back, didn't expect to feel the lips respond and return his embrace. When they did, it was overwhelming and all consuming and for a second he let himself believe Tony wanted him too.
Their lips parted only when Gibbs slowed the kiss and let their lips gradually separate.
Tony inhaled a deep breath, putting his hand on Gibbs' chest forcing some space between them. "Wasn't expecting that."
Realizing it really was just a moment, a moment he had taken, and nothing more, his arm drifted from Tony's body. "Won't happen again."
"I'm extremely drunk and I don't wanna say the wrong thing here." Tony gave a gentle smile. "Especially if I don't remember any of this in the morning."
"It's okay." Gibbs nodded. He knew even if he was drunk enough to forget... he wouldn't forget having Tony in his arms or the kiss.
"I will say-" Tony grinned. "You're a damn good kisser."
Gibbs forced a smile, thankful that even given the circumstances, Tony could joke with him about it. "I'll take that as a compliment, even though you don't have anything to compare it to."
"A kiss is a kiss, people are either good or bad at it, doesn't matter that you're a man." Tony needed to joke about this, needed to hide behind the humor and make himself believe he hadn't felt anything when Gibbs had kissed him. It was the alcohol that's all.
A sudden thunder of cheers and clapping, brought them both out of the moment and they glanced down the sidewalk towards a group of people standing outside a building three doors down.
"Is that-"
"A wedding party." Gibbs smirked. "One of those twenty-four hour wedding chapels."
Tony laughed. "Seriously, how drunk do you have to be to get married in Vegas by some cheap Elvis imitator?"