Title: And They Called It Puppy Love
Author: CJ aka WritinginCT
Fandom: NCIS
Pairing: DiNozzo/Gibbs (slash, non explicit)
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Categories: Romance, Fluff
Feedback: Love it? Hate it? Want to offer me a book deal to write original fiction? Email me!
Disclaimer: I don’t own the recognizable characters I’m just inspired by them. Hopefully they’ve had fun playing in my sandbox.
Summary: Is it just puppy love? Tag to 5.04 Identity Crisis
Status: WIP
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Tony thought McGee was nuts. A dog. Dogs chewed shoes and peed on things. Who in their right mind would want one? And yes, he was well aware that women digged guys with dogs. And who in their right mind wanted one of those either?
He was still rolling his eyes over the conversation when they got a case, and he groaned, more Boondocks. But he was surprised when Gibbs instructed McGee to go with Ziva in the truck, while Tony was to go with him.
Tony thought it was a little odd that Gibbs willingly stuck himself in a car with Tony for the over two hour drive but he didn’t say anything. Actually driving with Gibbs alone was generally a quiet experience. Gibbs was calming force, and there was never a need to make inane conversation. Tony really enjoyed Gibbs company most of the time, although he would never tell him that. He just wished that Gibbs would smile and relax a bit more at times. Duck had told him that Gibbs used to be a lot like him, he wished he had known that Gibbs.
Tony was staring out the window trying not to think too hard about anything important when Gibbs asked out of the blue, “So DiNozzo, any word from Jeanne?”
He had been trying very hard not to think about her the past couple of weeks. He cleared his throat and replied quietly, “Ah, no, Boss.”
Gibbs was looking straight out the window and replied gently, “I’m sorry Tony.”
“Yeah, well, how’s that saying go? Better to have loved and lost…” his insincerity making him trail off.
Gibbs glanced at him and gave him a little smirk.
They drove in silence for a while when Gibbs’ cell phone rang. He looked at the caller id and grimaced before answering it.
Tony caught the one sided conversation and was intrigued.
“Gibbs.” “Hey. Did you get my message?” “Double homicide, almost three hours away. I wouldn’t plan on me being back tonight.” “There isn’t anything I can do, Hol. You know the drill.” “Well we’ll just make new reservations.” “Then we’ll go to a different restaurant.” “No. I’m not trying to get out of going.” “Can we talk about this when I’m done with this case?” “Fine. I’ll call you.”
Gibbs snapped the phone shut and looked like he was about to chuck it out the window. Instead he dropped it in the empty cup holder and shook his head. “What is it about women, DiNozzo?”
Tony chuckled, “I am probably the wrong person to ask, Boss.”
Gibbs gave him a sideways glance then laughed. It wasn’t often that Tony heard Gibbs honestly laugh, and he smiled back, thinking it was a nice sound and that he would have to try and get him to laugh more often.
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They had stopped part way for coffee and a bathroom break. And Tony noticed that for being en route to a double homicide Gibbs seemed to be in an awfully good mood for some reason.
Tony was at the counter and ordered them each a large coffee while Gibbs was in the restroom. He was trying to decide what donut he wanted when he felt a hand on the small of his back and Gibbs reaching in front of him to plunk down a bag of the donut chain’s ground coffee on the counter. Tony shot him a questioning look that had nothing to do with the bag of coffee. Gibbs just smirked and said, “I’m not drinking motel coffee. You getting something to go with those?” he gestured towards the cups that the clerk had just put down.
Tony just blinked at the surreal moment. Gibbs’ hand was still on his back and he was finding it difficult to connect two brain cells together in order to think. “Um, er, I was just trying to decide, Boss.”
Gibbs perused the selection, and offered, “Get a box of donut holes, they’re easy to eat in the car.” And with that the hand that had been stationary on Tony’s back gave a little rub and Gibbs stepped away to grab napkins.
Tony’s brain was reeling from what had just occurred. But he tried to brush it aside and ordered the donut holes.
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They got back on the road and Tony cracked open the box of donut holes and sighed in bliss as the aroma filled the car. He held the box so Gibbs could take one then picked on out for himself. He saw Gibbs look at it for a second with an odd little smile and he had to ask, “What’s so funny, Boss?”
“She used to love the chocolate ones.” Gibbs said quietly with tenderness in his voice.
Tony suspected that he knew who the she was that Gibbs was referring to, they had all found out about his first wife and daughter when Gibbs had been in a coma. But although he knew, Tony had decided that the subject was even too personal for him to talk about and he had never mentioned it to Gibbs. It did give him new perspective on Gibbs though and how he was with kids. He just couldn’t imagine the pain of losing a child. Gibbs mentioning her so casually surprised Tony though and he wondered how many more surprises Leroy Jethro Gibbs had in store for him today.
Tony replied softly, hoping it was the right thing to say, “She had good taste.”
Gibbs took his eyes off the road to look at Tony and he smiled, “Well yeah, DiNozzo, just look at where she got it from.”
They both laughed and it made Tony feel good, knowing he had said the right thing.
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The investigation was actually progressing smoothly although it was late in the day by the time they had finished processing the scene. Gibbs decided to send McGee and Ziva back with the evidence to get the testing started and to start sorting through the victims electronic trail; he and Tony would stay and start interviewing witnesses.
They finished most of their interviews with only one local couple remaining, but it was after nine and getting too late to go knocking on doors. The decided to grab some dinner then call it a night.
The only place open in town to get something to eat was a little bar that served appetizers and sandwiches, which was just fine to the two men.
They settled in at a small table and placed their order with a busty waitress that did her best to catch Tony’s eye, but he just wasn’t interested. He had been totally off his game when it came to women since the whole thing with Jeanne had imploded.
He and Gibbs made small talk about the case. Then somehow over sandwiches and French fries the conversation turned more personal, and they talked about Gibbs’ boat and Tony’s college sports career. Tony took the opportunity to ask Gibbs about his time in the Marines and Gibbs in turn asked him about his time as a detective in Peoria and Baltimore. It was the most personal conversation the two men had ever had.
They realized that they had been talking for over two hours and decided that it was time to turn in for the night so they could get a fresh start in the morning bright and early. They made their way to the local motel and they were able to get two rooms next to each other. And as they both unlocked their respective doors Tony said, “Goodnight, Boss, I’ll see you at seven.”
Gibbs nodded and threw him a grin, “Get some sleep, I’ll make coffee in the morning.”
Tony dropped his bag on the bed and collapsed next to it. His emotions were confused. He tried to put some rhyme or reason to Gibbs’ behavior all day and just couldn’t figure it out. Gibbs had been friendly and cordial, and genuinely interested in what Tony had to say. And he had teased Tony playfully. And then there was the whole touching thing. It had started with the hand on his back at the donut shop and continued with Gibbs sort of being in his personal space all day. He was used to Gibbs swatting him on the back of the head, but the elbow nudging and shoulder squeezing was something new and different.
Tony scrubbed his face with his hands and thought about that last little look Gibbs had given him as they said goodnight. If he didn’t know better he would think that Gibbs was being coy. And then it hit him, and all the pieces made sense and if it were true his world just turned upside down.
He had just been on a first date with Gibbs.
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tbc....
Author's Chapter Notes:
Is it just puppy love?