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Title: In The Wrong
By: nancy
Pairing: Tony/Gibbs
Fandom: NCIS
Rating: NC-17
Spoilers for See No Evil!!
Summary: Gibbs tries to figure out what he did wrong...again.

***

Tony stared at the break room wall, fingers clenched tight on the edge of the counter. He knew it had been a joke, something to put even more fear into McGee, but it still hurt. He'd managed to get out of the office with his dignity, thanks to the quickness of his retreat after smacking McGee on the head, but he had to get it together before someone realized he was gone too long.

"Tony?"

Too late.

Taking a breath, Tony forced a smile and turned towards Kate with, "Hey. I was just getting some coffee."

Kate took a long look at him. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Tony lied. The shrewd look didn't change a whit, reminding him that not only was Kate just about the smartest person he knew, she was a profiler who studied people for a living. "Maybe indigestion. I don't know. Not feeling that great all of a sudden."

"What did he do?"

"What did who do?"

Coming closer, she snapped, "Don't play innocent with me! Gibbs. What the hell did he do this time?"

Wincing, Tony said, "I'm just being too sensitive, as usual. It's nothing, Kate, honest."

"Nothing wouldn't have you in here looking like someone just ran over your dog,"

She squinted at him for a long moment, then settled down. "All right. I'll take your word for it, but Tony..."

"What?" he replied cautiously.

Kate briefly reached out and gripped his arm, saying, "I'm here if you need to talk. Or if you need someone to hide the body."

Smiling, touched by the sincere words, Tony replied, "Thanks, Kate."

*  *  *  *

Jethro again glanced over at Tony, who was slouched in the passenger's seat staring out the window. He knew that something was wrong, but couldn't for the life of him place what. They'd saved Sandy and her mother, gotten the Captain put behind bars where the bastard belonged, and all without anyone getting hurt for a change. Though his knees did twinge from that jump down into the train car.

Getting old, Gibbs, he thought dryly. Another glance to Tony and the moment of humor dispersed, though. There was definitely something going on in that head of DiNozzo's and he didn't like the way Tony's normally expressive face was still and shuttered.

The drive to his house remained silent and it bothered Jethro more than he cared to admit. He was so used to Tony's constant, enthusiastic chatter that the lack of it actually grated on his nerves. It felt a lot like the damning silence used by his second wife when she couldn't explain to him what he'd done wrong because she knew he just wouldn't understand.

Coming to that realization, Jethro frantically thought over his and Tony's behavior of the last few days. By the time he pulled the car into the driveway and parked, Jethro was about ready to beg forgiveness on general principal, just to get Tony to say something to him. But he stayed silent on the walk from the car to the house and, before he could figure out something to say, Tony muttered something about being really tired and headed upstairs.

Jethro stared after him helplessly. The old saying, 'Don't let the sun go down on your anger,' flashed through his mind as appropriate, even though Tony didn't seem angry. No, he was hurt and disappointed, but not angry, and that was worse. If Tony was angry, there would be words and gestures and aspersions cast on Jethro's family heritage. That was something he could take without batting an eye. But this...

Sighing, Jethro walked to the kitchen and grabbed a beer. He was staring into the golden liquid when a burst of anger stiffened his spine and he exclaimed to the empty room, "To hell with this!"

He set the bottle on the table and stalked upstairs to the bedroom. Stepping inside, he found Tony curled up under the covers and his anger stilled and then died. Tony looked so lost and miserable, hunched up in a ball as small as he could be, given his height. Walking in front of him, Jethro crouched beside the bed so they were eye-to-eye and asked, "What's wrong?"

For a long moment, Tony didn't respond.

Jethro feared that this was the end, that he'd been a bastard one too many times and they were done. "Tony, you've got to give me the chance to defend myself. What did I do?"

"You said that McGee belonged to you."

The plaintive words took Jethro by surprise, but finally, Jethro understood what was going on and could've kicked himself for his smart mouth. He knew how insecure Tony was about his place in Jethro's life. They couldn't be open about their relationship, even though their immediate circle of friends knew. They couldn't show affection in public or even exchange soft words, thanks to their chosen profession. Not because they were in a same-sex relationship, but because Jethro was Tony's boss. And because of all that, Tony needed reassurance that he did, indeed, belong at Jethro's side and in his life.

Groaning, Jethro apologized, "I'm sorry, Tony, I didn't even think...I didn't mean it, with McGee. I was just shaking him up a little."

"I know that."

"Then what's..."

"Because you never say the words.Just once."

Jethro knew what words Tony was talking about and swallowed against a too-dry throat. Communication wasn't his strong suit and doing so about how he felt even less so. He loved Tony and this was the last time he was going to be in love with anyone, but he'd never said so to the younger man. He'd never been able to open himself like that to Tony in the five months they'd been lovers, even though Tony said the words at least once a day, usually more often.

Despite the shit that he put Tony through on a regular basis, Tony was still there. Even after he'd torn Tony a new one over chasing after that Swedish woman, Marta, Tony had just calmly pointed out what an asshole he was being with the simple words, "Moby Dick." Tony had been the only one to stand up to him, was usually the only one besides Ducky who could, and that was why they were so well matched.

Tony not only didn't take shit from him, he gave it right back, even while showing his love and respect in the form of a soft, "Forget your glasses, Boss?" or "No, no calls, Boss." He took the jabs Gibbs couldn't stop himself from giving, and turned them right back around on him with that enviable humor and zest for life.

All that he gave Jethro, and only once so far had he ever asked for public reassurance. And when Jethro had turned that into a semi-joke with a careless, "Forget it, McGee, he's still alive." Tony still hadn't don't anything but shake his head in dark amusement and, later, taken him to bed with a fervor that had astonished Jethro.

Which brought him back to the point that, yet again, Jethro was the one in the wrong.never leaving you."

Tony's eyes closed and his face scrunched up as if in pain, but when they opened again, they were shining with unshed emotion.

"God, Tony, I'm sorry. I don't mean to..."

One of Tony's fingers pressed over his lips, halting the words, and Tony said, "It's okay. I know."

And staring into Tony's eyes, Jethro thought that maybe he really did. They'd talked about a lot of things since becoming lovers, but past relationships hadn't yet made an appearance for either of them. It was, perhaps, a bigger step even than saying 'I love you,' since it would be revealing all the disasters of the heart and damage done to the soul.

Sighing deeply, Tony smiled and closed the scant distance to kiss him, soft and gentle and Jethro thought he could feel gratitude in that kiss as well, which deepened the guilt for how he'd treated Tony.

"Hey," Tony whispered, pulling back. "Stop it. No guilt. I knew what I was doing when I got involved with you, remember?"

But Jethro shook his head and countered, "You couldn't, not really. I wouldn't blame you if you left and didn't look back."

Pushing himself into a sitting position, Tony said in a normal voice, "The first time I saw Stan Burley, you know what I thought?"

Surprised by the change in subject, Jethro moved to sit on the bed beside Tony and asked, "What?"

"I'm glad I'm not the only poor slob who never got the time of day from Gibbs. And then I was glad that I hadn't gotten an ulcer and heart palpitations because of it," Tony answered, smirking.

Eyes rolling, Jethro prompted, "And the point of this story is...?"

The smirk changed into a real smile as Tony explained, "I've got the time of day now, Boss. I've got as much of you as anyone can and I'm grateful for it. I know you, and you know me, and we can still stand each other at the end of the day. Hell, usually, I can't wait for the day to be done so we can get home and I can watch you with that boat, or see your face when you try something new that I made for supper that you don't like, but don't want to tell me you don't like. That's more than a lot of people can say and I know it."

Jethro had picked up on something in that long speech, and questioned, "Usually?"

Nuzzling the side of Jethro's throat, Tony murmured, "Yeah, usually. Because sometimes, and no offense Boss, but sometimes you can be a real bastard and it's all I can do not to knock your teeth in."

A laugh broke free unexpectedly at that and Jethro knew they were going to be okay. Collapsing backwards, not surprised when Tony straddled him to smile down at him, Jethro replied, "Well, as long as it's only usually, Tony."

"That depends on how often you push McGee in my face," Tony warned, only partially joking.

Jethro winced and repeated, "I'm sorry, Tony. I'd tell you it won't happen again but..."

"But it will. I know. Just don't expect me to be happy about it."

Shaking his head, Jethro laced their fingers together as Tony began a slow, back and forth rocking on him. "I won't."

"Good. Because I don't share."

"I bet Abby does."

"Boss?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up."

Jethro would've tried to provoke him further, but Tony pushed back on him particularly hard and he groaned at the stimulation to his cock instead. Tony leaned in and took his mouth, possessive and demanding in a way he rarely was, reminding Jethro that he wasn't the only one in the relationship with jealousy issues. Like Tony had anything to be jealous about with McGee?

Still, maybe that was part of why he kept pushing McGee at Tony. The results were usually good ones, a hot night in bed with him pounding into Tony to show him how very much he was needed and wanted. Only sometimes, like tonight, it backfired. That thought, along with any others, disappeared when Tony pulled Jethro's pants downs and started sucking on him.

Moaning, Jethro thrust up into Tony's mouth while his lover went down on him with abandon. A few minutes later and Jethro slid all the way down Tony's throat, his cock engulfed completely in wet heat that almost made him lose his mind. There was a vicious pinch to his balls that brought him back from the edge and before he could do more than swear in reaction, Tony was over him and on him.

The feel of sliding into Tony's body in any position never failed to drive Jethro crazy, but he felt deeper this way. Tony's weight held him down and his ass clenched ever tighter around Jethro's cock and it was insanity and love and pleasure and even pain because he'd never shown this to anyone, never shown how vulnerable he felt to anyone, not even one of his ex-wives. No one but Tony had ever seen him like this.

Tony moved on him, hard and emphatic, up and down, almost violently, as if claiming Jethro through sheer force of will. And if anyone could, it would be Tony.

Knowing he was close, feeling the pressure and heat start to overwhelm him, Jethro took Tony's hands again, holding tight as he arched up into the welcoming body slamming down on him. Tony stole his breath, kissing him senseless and grinding down onto him, stealing more than breath as Jethro came hard enough to lose himself in the spots of color and then follow them down into darkness.

*  *  *  *

Boy, I'm gonna feel this in the morning, Tony thought with a dazed grin, face planted on Gibbs' sweaty chest.

But he didn't even care. He was flying high and it wasn't just from the stunning orgasm he'd had, or the fact that Gibbs had passed out for the first time since they'd gotten together.

never leaving you."

The words ran through his mind and Tony sighed in deep contentment. He'd known that, really, he'd known all of that, but to hear it from Jethro's lips, to see his face, so serious and pained and scared...It had been enough to send Tony's heart flying and he didn't expect to come back to earth any time soon.

Jethro's cock slipped out of his body and Tony sighed again, this time in regret. He liked having that connection, but it usually only stayed in if Gibbs was on top of him, back to front, when they went to sleep. Still, it was nice to be covering his lover for a change, snuggling with him in...ew...major wet spot, right where their abs met.

Grimacing, Tony carefully climbed off Gibbs, trying not to wake him, and strolled to the bathroom to get a washcloth. After cleaning himself off, he walked back to the bed where Jethro was sprawled out, sound asleep with his limbs every which way. Grinning at the little-boy image the older man presented, Tony slowly cleaned the come and sweat from Gibbs' torso and accurately threw the washcloth into the sink through the open door.

"Take that, Ms. 'you couldn't make a 3-point shot to save your life,' Todd," Tony muttered, grinning in triumph.

"Bed, DiNozzo."

So much for being sound asleep.

Tony looked down as Gibbs started getting under the covers and then joined him there. Curling up to his lover's side, Tony kissed the slightly stubbled chin and sighed deeply. Warm lips pressed to the top of his head in response and in minutes, Gibbs was breathing deep again, sleeping.

It was an ability that Tony envied, no doubt about it. Gibbs could fall asleep anywhere, anytime, let alone in a comfortable bed after great sex. Tony, however, wasn't made that way. His body was humming with satisfaction and pulling him towards sleep, but his mind kept racing, which was guaranteed to keep him awake.

Still, it wasn't like it was a hardship to be in bed with Gibbs. The man didn't snore and barely even moved throughout the night. Unlike Tony, who knew from past lovers that he hogged the bed and moved way too much. Active dreams. He was pretty sure that was why he was so well adjusted. His subconscious got rid of most of his problems while he was sleeping by giving him bizarre dreams. Not that he really minded, but it was hell on his bed-partners. He'd literally already kicked Gibbs out of bed twice while sound asleep.

Shaking the train of thought away, Tony closed his eyes and focused only on the Gibbs' heart beneath his ear. Abby had told him about this sleep technique and he had so far found it the most effective. Concentrate on only one thing and relax to it. Listening to Gibbs' heart was about as relaxed as he could get and, sure enough, Tony slowly slid into sleep, vastly reassured both by the words of love and trust that Gibbs had uttered earlier, and the slow, steady beating of his lover's heart.

***