Gibbs knew it was best to let Tony come to him, and he knew DiNozzo would tonight. Gibbs had finally dismissed the team at twenty two hundred. They were running on fumes, and he knew that seeing the explosion up close and personal had impacted them, even DiNozzo, as hardened as he was sometimes, was really soft inside. Where it counted.
The steaks were rare, the beans cooking with bourbon, the beer was cold, and Gibbs had made a salad—or his version of it, which was tearing open a bag of lettuce and slapping some dressing on the table. Now all he needed was DiNozzo. He’d quietly warned Abby to keep Ziva and McGee occupied. She could read between the lines—Tony would come to him, and she needed to make sure they stayed away from him. For tonight.
When the case was done, McGee and Ziva could bond with Tony over this, but they had a long way to go before then. And tonight, Gibbs knew where Tony would be.
The front door opened and closed, and Gibbs resisted the urge to look up, pulling the steaks out of the broiler. Tony made his way into the kitchen, rooting around in the fridge, grabbing the beer and knives and forks silently. Once the silence would have worried Gibbs, but now he was used to all of Tony’s moods, the frenetic energy and the pensive nature. He’d wait for Tony to talk it through, no matter how long it took.
“Brought some rice pudding.”
Whatever Gibbs had expected Tony to say, it wasn’t that. He turned away from the stove, arching a brow to DiNozzo. “That so?”
“Yeah. Store bought, but I’m going to fix it.”
Gibbs could feel himself starting to smile. He handed Tony his plate, steak sizzling and baked beans mounded. He jerked his head toward the table. “Eat some green stuff too.”
“Long day.”
The words were simple, but Gibbs could sense the wariness behind them.
“They all are.”
Gibbs finished making his plate and sat down at the table, watching as Tony approached. He was smiling, but it felt a little forced, and Gibbs couldn’t resist the urge to squeeze Tony’s arm. The other man’s smile lightened slightly, but he still looked as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.
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Fire Inside b-day for sunsaralyn G/D pt 1
Date: 2012-05-11 04:48 pm (UTC)The steaks were rare, the beans cooking with bourbon, the beer was cold, and Gibbs had made a salad—or his version of it, which was tearing open a bag of lettuce and slapping some dressing on the table. Now all he needed was DiNozzo. He’d quietly warned Abby to keep Ziva and McGee occupied. She could read between the lines—Tony would come to him, and she needed to make sure they stayed away from him. For tonight.
When the case was done, McGee and Ziva could bond with Tony over this, but they had a long way to go before then. And tonight, Gibbs knew where Tony would be.
The front door opened and closed, and Gibbs resisted the urge to look up, pulling the steaks out of the broiler. Tony made his way into the kitchen, rooting around in the fridge, grabbing the beer and knives and forks silently. Once the silence would have worried Gibbs, but now he was used to all of Tony’s moods, the frenetic energy and the pensive nature. He’d wait for Tony to talk it through, no matter how long it took.
“Brought some rice pudding.”
Whatever Gibbs had expected Tony to say, it wasn’t that. He turned away from the stove, arching a brow to DiNozzo. “That so?”
“Yeah. Store bought, but I’m going to fix it.”
Gibbs could feel himself starting to smile. He handed Tony his plate, steak sizzling and baked beans mounded. He jerked his head toward the table. “Eat some green stuff too.”
“Long day.”
The words were simple, but Gibbs could sense the wariness behind them.
“They all are.”
Gibbs finished making his plate and sat down at the table, watching as Tony approached. He was smiling, but it felt a little forced, and Gibbs couldn’t resist the urge to squeeze Tony’s arm. The other man’s smile lightened slightly, but he still looked as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.