Tony picked up another package from under the tree and looked at it thoughtfully. "This one, I can't take back..." he said. "Got it engraved and all." He pulled the wrapping off of it and balled it up neatly before setting it on the floor.
The cigar box was cherry wood with a gold plate on the top, engraved with something Gibbs couldn't quite see from where he was sitting.
"Carlos Toraño Exodus 1959 Torpedo's," Tony explained as he opened the humidor box. "Best legal cigars you can get, in dad's opinion anyway." He closed the box and ran his fingers along the plate for a few moments before standing and making his way back to the couch. He sat down beside Gibbs, still looking at the box.
That's when it dawned on him, and he swallowed a lump in his throat as he looked over at his boss. Gibbs was unable to read the look on his senior field agent's face, and so he narrowed his eyes. "You okay?"
Tony nodded. "Just...you're the only other person I would ever give this to," he told him. He handed the box over and Gibbs set his cup of coffee down before taking it from him.
"You sure?" he asked as he set it in his lap and looked down at the engraving as the lights from the tree hit it. It said, 'To my father, with love. -Tony'.
"I'm not sure you're a big fan of cigars, but that's not really the point, anyway."
Gibbs was speechless. Though this gift hadn't originally been meant for him, the fact that Tony wanted him to have it, really touched his heart somewhere deep down that hadn't been reached in a very long time. He swallowed against the sudden lump in his throat and looked over at his agent. Tony was a bit shocked to see a bit of wetness in the older man's eyes as it caught the light from the tree. "Thank you," he told him. And before he knew what was happening, Gibbs had him in an embrace. He couldn't help but to return the hug of this man who'd been more of a father to him these past nearly a decade. The man who he'd always wished his real father could've been like; who he'd hoped to finally get, and had come close to having...
And suddenly he was holding on to that hug in more of an effort to hide the rapidly impending threatening tears. He fought to stop them before they could begin. Gibbs could tell, though he made no effort to expose that fact. He simply held him tighter and allowed him that moment. Tony was grateful. And he even managed to get himself under control before pulling away.
"What say we go downstairs, have a drink, and light a few of these babies up?" Gibbs suggested with a raised brow.
"I'd say that sounds like a great idea, boss," Tony replied with a bit of a grin. "Breakfast of champions."
They both rose from the couch as Gibbs let out a small laugh. "To you, it's breakfast. To me, it's just a mid-night snack." He smirked.
"Personally," Tony retorted as they headed down the stairs, "I like some eggs and bacon with my morning bourbon. It's good for the soul."
"Lucky for you, I've got both up in the fridge," he replied as he set the box down on his workbench.
Tony cocked his head in a bit of surprise. "I didn't know you kept anything that couldn't be frozen, boss."
"I don't, normally," he told him as he poured a shot of the amber liquid into two mason jars. "Came from your house." He let out a small laugh and opened the cigar box, handing Tony one of the Torpedo's before taking one for himself. Tony shook his head and laughed silently. Gibbs fished around in a dish on the top shelf over his workbench until he returned with guillotine. Tony raised his brows, impressed that the man owned one, and quite pleased that it meant he'd get more use out of the cigars than he'd figured.
Gibbs sliced a thin piece of the cap from the head of the cigar and handed the device to Tony, who did the same, then flipped open and lit his Marine Zippo for Tony to light his first, before bringing the flame to his own. He took a small puff and let it sit in his mouth a bit before releasing the smoke. "Not bad," he conceded.
Tony coughed a bit from his own initial puff and had to laugh at himself. "Yeah...not bad at all." He coughed again.
Gibbs shook his head; a bit amused. Setting the lighter down on the workbench, he handed Tony one of the jars of bourbon before picking up his own. Before sipping from it, he held it in front of him. "To family," he toasted.
Tony's eyes flashed at his words as they sank in. He felt a warmth about him that generally came after the bourbon. Then he smiled. "To family," he agreed, and they tapped their jars together...
Tbc...