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Title: Question
By: nancy
Pairing: Tony/Gibbs
Fandom: NCIS
Rating: R
Note: post-Hiatus, angst .
Summary: Tony has an important question for Gibbs.

***

Tony stared at the door for a long time without moving. It was stupid to just stand on Gibbs' front steps without knocking and going in, but he didn't know what he was going to say. At work, it was different. He could talk about the case, make fun of McGee, mock Ziva, play with Abby, and try not to get smacked upside the back of the head. But here, outside of work, he had no idea what he could say to Gibbs. There was no reason for him to be there, not anymore. Never had been, not really, and yet there he stood trying to figure out why he was there.

Not unexpectedly, the door opened long before he was ready. Gibbs stood facing him, looking faintly puzzled at finding him there. Also not a surprise.

"DiNozzo? Something wrong?" Gibbs asked.

Tony shook his head.

"You want to come in, or is the rain something you're fond of now?"

Tony thought about it, then answered, "I could come in."

Gibbs stood aside and Tony walked inside. He stayed right there, dripping  and not really feeling the cold even though he'd been outside for at least a half hour.

"Don't move."

Tony nodded, waiting until Gibbs returned with a large towel. He took it and dried off as best he could, given how his clothes were soaked.

"You know where the bathroom is, DiNozzo. Strip off and give me your clothes. I'll toss them in the dryer," Gibbs ordered.

But Tony shook his head and told him, "I'm not staying. I just wanted to ask you something."

Gibbs' eyebrows rose, his arm folding over his chest as he prompted, "What?"

Opening his mouth turned out to be a mistake.

"Why'd you come back?"

There was no visible change to Gibbs' demeanor or posture, but if the air had been cold before, it was now frigid. Puzzlement gave way to a cool appraisal as Gibbs countered, "Why do you care? Aside from the obvious, since you're not head of the team anymore."

Tony's lips twitched in an effort not to spill the beans about his near-transfer to Spain. He didn't often take the high road, but knew this time he had to. If Gibbs heard about the offer, it wouldn't be from him. Clearing his throat, Tony said, "I don't know. Don't know that I do, really. Call it morbid curiosity. Why'd you come back, Gibbs? Why leave Mexico for this?"

"Ziva was in trouble."

"Bullshit. I could've handled that."

"Yeah, you were doing a bang-up job of it when I showed up."

Tony's jaw tightened painfully and he looked away.

"Tony, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that," Gibbs apologized softly.

Snorting, Tony glanced back at him. "Sure you did, but that's okay. You're not the only one who thinks that."

Gibbs reached out and gripped Tony's shoulder, squeezing it tight. "I didn't mean it. You're a hell of an agent and you know it."

"Do I?" Tony countered, shrugging. "Never mind, I'm not fishing for compliments or looking for reassurances."

"Then what?"

"Tell me, Gibbs. Tell me why you came back."

The other man seemed at a loss for words for a long time, staring back at him. He finally asked, "How close have you and Jenny gotten?"

Startled, Tony answered, "She's a good friend."

"That's it? No extra-friendly overtime?" Gibbs probed.

Tony frowned, somehow insulted on Jenny's behalf. "Of course not!"

"Good."

"Good? Gibbs, what's that got to do with my question?"

In answer, Gibbs pulled him in close and kissed him point blank. Tony was stunned for only a few seconds before going for it. Before Gibbs could change his mind. They'd been dancing around this for almost four years and he was tired. Exhausted, really, but not stupid. It was a short kiss. Short and decidedly unsweet, if heartfelt.

Gibbs stepped back, gaze neutral as he kept those pale blue eyes on Tony's and asked, "Got your answer, DiNozzo?"

Lips twisting into a half-smile, Tony confirmed, "A few, yeah."

"Good. I hate explaining myself," Gibbs stated.

Tony huffed in dark amusement. "Really. Never would've guessed."

A headsmack had never felt so good as right then.

And then Tony had his back to the wall, Gibbs' mouth on his in a hard, devouring, almost angry kiss. He opened to it, giving whatever the other man needed, just as he always had. Getting hard was almost a surprise, his focus was so completely on Gibbs, but when Gibbs ground against him, sensation sliced through Tony, provoking a gasp. He shivered at the growling noise that came from Gibbs, a sound of pure aggression.

Hands at his waist made short work of his belt and then shoving his pants down. When Gibbs took his cock in a firm grip, Tony shuddered in a need that nearly smothered him. His head thumped back against the wall, but he didn't even feel it, not with the way Gibbs was jerking him off. His hips thrust forward, but Gibbs pressed him against the wall with his own hip, apparently determined not to be rushed.

Between Gibbs' hand and mouth heavy and demanding on him, it wasn't long before Tony couldn't tell which way was up. His body tightened with need and, for the first time in a long time, someone answered it. All too soon, Tony cried out in an almost agonized release, coming into the air and over Gibbs' hand. Tony sagged against Gibbs, panting and shaking.

Finally, finally the kiss gentled. When Gibbs left off kissing altogether, a strangely tender and open expression graced his face. For the first time, Tony realized the mustache was gone. Blinking, Tony managed, "You shaved."

"It seemed time," Gibbs replied. "Come on. Time to get you out of those wet clothes. We can finish this conversation, among other things, in the shower."

Tony grinned suddenly, the humor of the situation not lost on him. "I'm all for water conservation."

"Since when?" Gibbs scoffed.

Still, his arm stayed wrapped around Tony's waist as they headed for the bathroom. He'd gotten an entirely unexpected answer to a question he hadn't even known he needed to ask.

Not a bad night's work.

***