February 16th
Tony woke up with a grin on his face. Today would be torture for him, but it would be worse for Gibbs – at least he hoped so. Today he would not communicate with Gibbs at all. And as much as that bothered him, he hoped it would bother Gibbs more.
He busied himself researching a new app that would allow him to preset texts and send them throughout the day without having to manually do so or even have the phone on him. Once he figured it out, he tested it with a trusted friend and completed his set up. He went about his weekend chores, making sure that he was seen and heard every place he went – the market, dry cleaners, even the local pizzeria knew his name and could vouch for him if needed even though the execution wasn't until Monday. He had learned long ago to set up his tracks or how to wipe them clean if necessary. He wasn't the best undercover agent in the facility for no reason.
~~~~~~~~~~NCIS~~~~~~~~~~
"He loves you, you know."
He kept staring at those words. He wished they were true but what he knew contradicted them.
DiNozzo was a ladies man through and through. He had enough stories to make it plausible. And just supposing he bent the other way, if Jethro was positive, 99.7% sure that DiNozzo would go his way, if he ever had a chance, it would have been years ago when they first met but he would have never allowed it even if he had maybe been stricken by that unseen arrow. His will power was exceptionally strong back then. And if he had drowned those powerful green eyes into the bottom of his bourbon bottle, who knew?
Those green eyes kept floating to the surface with each swallow. In every bottle, they were there, looking at him with want and desire that mirrored his own, daring him to make the next move
February 17th
McGee was already at his desk pecking away at his keyboard when Tony arrived just minutes before 8am, whistling a tune to himself.
"Someone had a good weekend, I take it", McGee greeted him.
"Yes, Probie-san! It was the weekend of love, was it not?" Tony grinned and set his bag down behind his desk.
McGee huffed, "I don't need to know, Tony".
"Good, 'cause I wasn't gonna tell you that I may have found the one and despite your need for details, this one I'm keeping close to the vest."
"You don't wear vests, Tony."
"Tony has something on his chest?" Ziva walked in catching the last part of the conversation.
Gibbs walked in at the last minute, cell to his ear. He snapped the phone shut. "Come on people! Grab your gear! Dead Marine in Anacostia. You sick, DiNozzo?" he asked having half heard Ziva mentioning Tony's chest. It had been years since his bout with the plague, but he was still on edge where Tony's respiratory health was concerned.
Tony stood, "No. Let's go!" He grabbed his go bag and headed toward the elevator. Gibbs nodded and moved on.
Tony was snapping pictures at the scene when he heard an unfamiliar sound. Gibbs pulled at the inner pocket of his jacket and produced a phone which he quickly silenced. He spared a glance at the screen and swiped the code to unlock it so he could read the text. "It's warm out today. Are you as hot as I am right now?"
Looking up from the phone, he saw Tony taking pictures of the scene as directed, Tim sketching, and Ziva was interviewing possible witnesses.
His phone chimed again. "I want to lick the sweat off your upper lip."
"On the job. Stop." Jethro's fingers flew over his number pad texting out the words. With a satisfying click, he closed his phone and stepped back into the crime scene.
"Gibbs! Did you just text?" Tony had stopped snapping pictures and held his camera pointed towards Gibbs. When Gibbs turned around, he 'accidently' took his picture.
Gibbs stared at Tony. With one text his theory was shot down as Tony was not using a phone at the time. And he was so sure. But that brought about another concern. Was the person communicating with him watching him? He looked out amongst the crowd. "DiNozzo!" He called out to the younger man. "Scenery."
That was Tony's cue to take pictures of the surrounding area, the crowd that may or may have not formed – anything that could help them identify the perp.
~~~~~~~~~~NCIS~~~~~~~~~~
As soon as they returned to headquarters, Gibbs left them at the motor pool. "Coffee" he growled out and departed from the team.
When all evidence had been handed over to Abby, the rest of the team made their way into the bullpen. Gun and badge stashed, DiNozzo called out, "Hitting the head" as he walked away.
He pulled out his burn phone in the relative quite and privacy of the bathroom. Two texts were waiting. "On the job. Stop." And "Were you watching me?" The last one was sent just a few minutes before which meant Gibbs left not just for coffee.
Tony quickly responded knowing that he didn't have much time before Gibbs felt the need to be back in the pen. "I was. Wish you'd wear better fitting pants. You are hiding some great assets – so to speak."
"So you were at the crime scene in Rock Creek Park? Why?"
"Ha ha! Nice try, Jethro but your scene was in Anacostia."
"How did you know I would be there today?"
"Didn't. But word travels quickly." He paused and then typed out, "Gotta go back to work. Let's chat later when we have more time and less people around us. Want to do more than lick the sweat off your upper lip. Want to feel your cock twitch in my hand as I"…Tony inadvertently hit the send button when the bathroom door opened and Don from accounting walked in. Casually shoving the phone in his pocket, Tony made to wash and dry his hands, checking his look in the mirror before walking out of the restroom.
He barely made it back to and sat at his desk before the elevator signaled its arrival with Gibbs in tow. When he chanced a glance up from his monitor, Tony noticed Gibbs staring at him curiously. He raised an eyebrow in response and followed him with his eyes until he turned towards his desk. "Whadda we got people!" Gibbs tossed his cup in the trash with more force than necessary and walked in front of the big screen monitor.
As the team spouted off their findings, Gibbs chanced sideways glances at Tony. Each time it appeared he was engrossed in the information revealed, never once looking back at him even though that was the norm. He always caught Tony looking at him during these sessions at least twice, if not more, even if he never looked back at him, it was caught in is peripheral vision.
They each had their barked orders and scrambled off to fulfill them. It wasn't until the next afternoon the perp was apprehended and had subsequently confessed. Crime of passion it seemed. When the marine tried to break off his illicit relationship, his partner didn't take it well.
The next text came around midnight. "Long night, huh? Was for me too. I admire your discipline. I'm going to try to imitate that in my life. However, if I did, I guess we wouldn't 'communicate' as we do now. Are we communicating?"
"Such as it is, yeah, I guess so."
"Good. Missed you today."
"How so?"
"Wanted to chat with you more but we were both busy. Ah, to be independently wealthy so we could just chase our dreams…I'd chase you."
"Yeah? What makes you think you could catch me?"
"I think I've already gotten you to bite, so to speak. Speaking of which, I don't mind some biting when it's in the heat of passion. Just so you know."
"Duly noted."
"Want to stake your claim?"
"Claim you? Don't know yet who you are. A couple of jerk off sessions over text is not going to endear you to me."
"But what if I was who you wanted?"
"Who do you think I want?"
"Oh come on! Not this again. We already established that you want "Tony". What would it take for you to claim him as yours? He won't wait forever. Dare you do it in the elevator. You routinely stop it between floors for less. What if you used it to make your feelings known?"
"And if you are not him…"
"You are afraid of being rejected. Wow."
"What, Wow?"
"Jethro-what if I promise you that you won't be rejected? That he would be the happiest person on earth if you shared with him just a little of what you shared with me, a stranger, for all intents and purposes?"
"This is getting weird."
"It's already passed weird. Go with it."
"It's really been a long day. I need sleep and so do you. Your boss probably doesn't like it when you come to work looking like you've been up all night fucking."
"LOL! Is that what you assume when one of your team comes to work looking tired? That they've been fucking all night? What if they were up with a sick relative? Or worked later than you thought? What if they had nightmares that kept them from sleeping?
"OK, OK."
"That's your first thought when it comes to Tony, isn't it? Don't tell me you've been played by his frat boy image! You of all people should know him better than that."
"I do. But I don't know you like that. Tony always puts his job first and has never once let me down. Sometimes I don't understand his methods, but they always end with results."
"Tell him that. He needs to know you approve."
"I wouldn't have kept him around so long if I didn't."
"And that's your way, but once in a blue you have to cater to what your subordinates needs. And he needs you to acknowledge him in some way. Professionally or personally, he needs that reassurance. You don't have to understand but I bet you do. Give that to him",
"This has turned into a counseling session. I need sleep. I'm signing off now."
"Jethro, wait!"
For what? I'm tired."
"Ok. Sleep. We'll pick up on this tomorrow. Will you answer my texts tomorrow?"
"Unless I'm busy, yes."
"Sleep well, Jethro."
Knowing that was the last of the texts for the evening, Jethro put his phone down on his work bench and deliberately made his way to the couch pulling down the afghan to cover him as he fell into stubborn sleep.