Written 12/07/2006
Disclaimer: The boys belong to Bellisario.
Author's Notes: Written as a quick comment-fic for Nix's birthday.
Summary: A late night at the office has some interesting consequences for Tony and Gibbs.
"Still here, DiNozzo?"
Tony looked up as Gibbs came around the empty cubicles, coffee cup clenched in his fist as usual. It was well past 1am, and the office was deserted. It was Tony's favourite time; he could always get so much more done without all the hustle and bustle of the other NCIS agents distracting him.
"I just came in to finish off a few things. You know me, boss," Tony grinned, "I do my best work at night."
Gibbs didn't even blink at the innuendo. "Careful, Tony, some men might take that as an invitation." He walked on by Tony's desk to his own without even glancing at him. Putting his coffee cup by the computer, Gibbs sat down and began rifling through his drawers for something.
Shocked by Gibbs' atypical response to the type of meaningless comment that usually got him a slap up the backside of the head, DiNozzo gaped open-mouthed at his boss. Gibbs rarely even put up with the banter that Tony and his partners thrived on, let alone threw in his own insinuations. It almost sounded like Gibbs was flirting with him, but that was ridiculous. He couldn't believe he'd actually said that! He stared in bemusement at the pod-person masquerading as his boss.
Gibbs continued to ignore him, seemingly engrossed in the file he was perusing.
Tony finally went back to work... or tried to anyway. His concentration was shot now, he couldn't help casting the occasional wary glance Gibbs' way. But his boss never did or said anything else, just worked silently at his desk and steadily drank his coffee. Eventually, Tony decided Gibbs hadn't meant anything by the comment except to trip him up and shook his head admiringly. Chuckling quietly, Tony mentally chalked a point up to Gibbs and went back to work himself.
The two worked together in silence for the better part of an hour, only speaking once when Gibbs asked for the details of an old case and Tony handed them over.
The muted scrape of Gibbs' chair pushing back as he stood drew Tony's attention from the Peterson case witness statements he was cross-checking. He looked up to see Gibbs stretching his arms high above his head, back arching as he worked out the kinks from sitting too long hunched over his desk. Swallowing to wet his suddenly dry mouth, Tony waited for him to finish and held back the whistle of appreciation with the ease of long practice.
When Gibbs relaxed out of his stretch and dumped his empty coffee cup in the trash, Tony said, "Calling it quits for the night, boss?"
"Some of us aren't as young as we used to be. If I don't get to bed soon, I'll never wake up in the morning." His gaze, when he turned it to Tony, was weighted with something indefinable that made Tony's breath catch nervously. "What about you?"
"I, uh... I don't really need much sleep, boss. I'm good for another hour."
"Hmmm," Gibbs smiled, and Tony's nervousness and confusion shot up to high alert. "I seem to remember you falling asleep at your desk a time or two, so how do I know I can trust you to go home when you should? What kind of superior would I be if I left without making sure my lead agent was getting the rest he needs? I should take you home and make sure you get tucked into bed."
Not sure he'd heard that correctly, Tony gawked incredulously as Gibbs packed up and started walking out.
"Coming, DiNozzo?" Gibbs called, glancing back impatiently.
Knowing from the tone that the question was less of a request and more of an order, Tony threw off his disorientation and scrambled to obey. He locked up his desk, grabbed his coat, and hurried into the elevator that Gibbs was holding open. "Right behind you, boss."
The doors closed, trapping him alone with the strange(ly alluring) person his boss had become. Gibbs' smirk was very disconcerting, his whispered words even scarier: "Close, but that's not exactly where I want you, Tony."
"Boss?"
Gibbs backed him into the corner of the elevator. "I've seen the way you look at me, Tony. Maybe I'm tired of not letting myself look back." He leaned in close, so close his breath teased Tony's lips with warmth and the faint scent of caffeine. Tony stared, paralyzed, into the intense eyes only inches from his own.
"Do you want this?" Gibbs breathed against his mouth, hovering, waiting, leaving the final decision up to Tony. DiNozzo knew, could see it in his eyes that if he said no, Gibbs would back off and they'd both go on pretending this had never happened.
He also knew he could never bring himself to say no.
Gibbs saw the answer in his eyes a fraction of a second before he whispered out a yearning "Yesssss" and took his mouth in a kiss that melted any residual reluctance. Reaching out to draw him closer, Tony moaned and gave himself over to the moment completely.
The ding of the elevator stopping at the ground floor brought them back to reality and Gibbs pulled himself away just before the doors opened onto the lobby. Stepping out, he flicked his eyes in the direction of the night security guards and boldly said, "Come on by my place first before you head home, Agent DiNozzo. I've got what you need there," then he calmly walked away, pausing only to sign-out and say goodnight to the MPs.
Shaken, aroused, and mildly impressed by Gibbs' audaciousness, Tony felt his lips start twitching upwards. Trying to restrain himself to a normal smile and subtly straightening his suit, Tony did what he always did and followed his boss' lead.