A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews! :) Sadly, I won't be able to update as quickly as I have been, but I'll try to post a chapter twice a week :-) This chapter is a rather slow one, lots of Gibbs. Hope you like it!

Fake Resolutions

Gibbs was sitting on the floor in his basement, trying to decide if one more glass of bourbon would make him finally forget. He'd been sitting there for hours unable to even get up and sand his boat. It just wouldn't do him any good. He'd probably harm the boat with the way his thoughts were going in circles. Round and round and round. His mind kept replaying that goddamn kiss again and again and there didn't seem to be enough bourbon to make it stop. It was stupid, really.

Had he given the guy any indication that he would like to be kissed? Had he given him a clue that he had wanted it, too? Hell, how had Tony figured that he'd be gay? Or bi or something? Gibbs didn't like labels and most of the time he didn't even care. Everybody could do whatever the hell they wanted but this had him feeling weird in all the wrong places.

He mentally replayed the evening with Tony but couldn't find anything that would have given the younger man a clue that he was interested in him that way. Sure, they had shared – and Gibbs still didn't know exactly why he had done it – and sure, they had had fun but that still wasn't enough, was it?

Gibbs took another sip from his bourbon and then closed his eyes as he let his head fall back against the frame of the boat. How had the beginning of a probably great friendship gotten so wrong? And it really had been great, for the first time in years there had been someone who had made him feel good. Sure, he had other friends, but nobody seemed to get him as much as Tony did. And that was really the reason why he was so confused about what happened. He had thought that they were on the same page but somehow his and Tony's signals had crossed.

He sighed and poured himself another drink. It was going to be a long night.

#

If Gibbs had waited for Tony to text or call him the next day, he would have been disappointed. He didn't know what he had expected but the radio silence wasn't contributing much to calm his still tangled up thoughts. It was already well after midday that Gibbs decided to go into the office to catch up on some paper work. It wasn't as if there was much to do but he wanted to keep himself distracted and paper work usually did the trick even if the bourbon had failed the night before.

"What are you doing here?" he was greeted by Balboa as soon as he stepped into the squad room.

"Slow weekend," Gibbs replied. "Have to catch up on some paper work."

"Have fun," the other agent said, grinning lopsidedly at him, as he stepped into the elevator that Gibbs had just vacated, the rest of his team following.

Gibbs looked around and realized that he was all alone. That was weird, even for a Saturday. The weekend seemed to be really slow indeed. Internally shrugging, he went to his desk, booted up the computer and got to work.

An hour later, he was roused from his work as Abby walked into the bullpen. Even for her standards she was dressed up, wearing a long black dress and gloves with little skulls on them. Her hair wasn't put into pigtails for once but freely flowing over her shoulders. She looked like a whole different person.

"Going somewhere?" he asked as he stood up and gave her a peck on her cheek.

"Really, Gibbs," Abby replied, subtly shaking her head. "Do yourself a favor and use the internet from time to time. Kate, McGee and I are going to Comic-Con."

"Since when are you reading comics?" Gibbs checked back, wondering when he had missed something that big – and forget about Abby, since when did Kate go to such gatherings?

"Oh Gibbs," Abby grinned. "It's not just about comics. It's about movies and TV shows and all that fuss. But that's not really why we're going. I mean, McGee is, but he's, you know, McGee."

"So why are you going?" Gibbs said as he sat back down.

"Tony DiNozzo," Abby said, smiling broadly. "He's there to promote his new flick where he plays a football star…"

"Who helps out his friend in depth, I know, Abby."

"You know?" Abby asked, raising an eyebrow. "How come?"

"McGee," Gibbs replied, gesturing aimlessly, not really sure if it needed further explanation. Thankfully it didn't.

"Anyway, I have to go," Abby said as she checked her watch. "I'm already late because Balboa needed me. And you," she gave him a stern look. "Don't work too much. It's your free weekend. You should be doing something fun."

Gibbs was tempted to answer that this was actually fun compared to the thoughts he would have if he wasn't working, but he remained silent. It wasn't something he'd ever say to anybody.

"Have a good time," he said instead and then Abby was gone, almost skipping towards the elevators.

Gibbs watched her leave, wondering why Tony hadn't told him about this comic thing but then he realized that he hadn't exactly asked. Tony had told him he had to work and that was all. Gibbs guessed that it was his job talking to the fans and crazies. He didn't know how Tony did it, though. The Tony Gibbs had seen was almost shy and reserved. But maybe it was part of the job and Gibbs realized that Tony probably had a personality for these kinds of things, too. Just like the one he had presented to him on the first day they had met. Goddamn actors.

He was just about to go back to his work when he remembered something else that Abby had said. He could use the internet, but not for catching up with the latest movies. While he had obsessed over the fact that Tony thought that Gibbs could be gay, he hadn't really asked himself the question if Tony was. He had never made a comment in that direction or had let anything on. But Tony was a popular man and Gibbs suddenly realized that he could probably look it up. So, he opened the browser, casting a quick glance around to make sure that he was still alone, and then typed in the words.
Tony DiNozzo gay.

To Gibbs' surprise there were a lot of hits, so he clicked on the first and read the article that showed up. There the author talked about DiNozzo's habit of changing women faster than other people their underwear and how that indicated to the fact that he wasn't really interested in them. The author went on explaining how that made the actor gay, but Gibbs knew that it was nonsense. He clicked on the next articles but all of them followed a similar line of thinking. It was bullshit. Gibbs had believed Tony when he had told him that he had never really dated any of the women the magazine wrote about. He didn't think the younger man had been lying about it. Had he only lied about dating men, then? Gibbs didn't know, he just didn't know.

He closed the browser and angrily shook his head. He shouldn't be doing this. It was none of his business and he really wasn't supposed to be worrying about it.
But wasn't he? The guy had kissed him after all. Shouldn't Gibbs be thinking about it?

From what he had learned about Tony in these past two weeks, he knew that he was shy and really decent. He knew when Gibbs needed his quiet and when he was up to talking. He was fun to hang out with. And Gibbs knew things about him that he was sure not many people knew. Like that thing with his mother. With sudden clarity, Gibbs realized that he had told the guy about Shannon, too. He never told anybody about her. It just hurt too much thinking about her most of the time. But then again, why had he told a man, whom he had only known for two weeks, his greatest secret? Gibbs leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes for a moment before he stared up at the ceiling. He had told him because he had felt like it, because he had wanted Tony to know, because it had felt good. It was as simple as that.

Once more, a tiny voice in the back of his head told him to look closer. How had Gibbs not seen it? He had trusted the man because he had felt comfortable around him. More comfortable than in over ten years. More comfortable than with any of the wives. Whenever he'd been with Tony it was like he had gone back to a time when Shannon had just let him… be. It was so similar sometimes that Gibbs felt a long forgotten knot in his stomach at the mere thought of it.

Gibbs let out a shaky breath. He was sure that he wasn't gay. He wasn't so sure about Tony but Gibbs wouldn't just assume he was. But then again, if Gibbs wasn't gay, why was that kiss replaying in his mind over and over again? He wasn't grossed out about it and it didn't make him think any less of Tony. He was sure if he told Tony that it was alright with him, they could still be friends. There was no problem whatsoever. And, damnit, he liked the guy. He didn't want to lose his new friendship to something like that. Surely, Tony would understand that, too.

So, he wouldn't be stubborn about it. It would just lead to more problems and he wasn't keen on having more of those. He pulled out his cellphone and then carefully typed a message, knowing that Tony probably wouldn't read it until that comic thing was over.

You said you wanted to learn a few rules of mine. Here's #5: You don't waste good.

Gibbs sent it and then packed up his stuff. He was already standing in the elevator when he felt his phone vibrate.

It's a good rule. Why're you telling me?

Gibbs blinked and then started writing again, almost knocking over Balboa as he left the building.

We are good. Makes no sense trying to waste it.

This time the answer took a while and Gibbs guessed that Tony was busy writing autographs, but the text came eventually.

I'm afraid I'm not tracking.

Gibbs smiled wryly, trying to come up with something that would bring his point across.

We're good as it is. No need to change anything.

Gibbs started his car and was relieved when the answer didn't come immediately. In fact, he was almost home when his phone made itself perceivable again. He didn't check it straightaway, instead waiting until he had parked the car in his driveway. He didn't know what exactly he had expected Tony to text back, but it surely wasn't

What if I want it to change?

Well… shit.