After Gibbs had given Tony such a wonderful birthday gift, Tony knew he wanted to do something special for Gibbs. But Gibbs was kind of the anti-birthday guy. He never observed it, and Tony didn’t figure anyone else on the team knew what day was Gibbs’ birthday. There was no way Abby would let it pass without fanfare—and probably small pyrotechnics if Tony knew Abbs. Tony’d only found out what day it was because he’d snooped in Gibbs’ file.
A few times, but who was counting. That was all in the past.
He knew Gibbs wasn’t a cake and singing the birthday song kinda guy, but there was no way Tony would let the date pass unnoticed. Fortunately, Gibbs’ birthday was in the middle of Labor Day weekend.
Tony’d spent a couple of weeks making sure everything was perfect. He hadn’t let on anything, had just prepared his presents in a very Un-DiNozzo-like manner.
After dinner—burgers on the grill—he told Gibbs to grab a couple of beers and go into the living room. Jethro had no idea—Tony’d let the day pass without so much as a cheesy grin. This present was too important to ruin with his impatience.
Tony went up to the spare bedroom and gathered a pile of DVD cases and a slim box and made his way back down to the living room. Gibbs had put a game on and arched a brow when Tony came in, his beer bottle halfway to his lips.
“What’s this?” Gibbs asked, slowly putting the bottle down onto the coffee table.
“Some things for you,” Tony said, weighing his words carefully. He opened the box and pulled out a digital photo frame, turning it on. There were over three hundred pictures in it, from Gibbs’ parents’ childhoods, to their wedding and his birth, right up through Shannon and Kelly. Gibbs took the frame and stared at it for a few long moments, watching as a beautiful redhead smiling on Jack’s arm faded to a picture of Shannon and Kelly, the little girl laughing.
“How did you—“ Gibbs cut himself off, and Tony noticed he was blinking rapidly.
“Jack had a lot of them. You had more. I just had them digitized, the pictures weren’t hurt.”
Gibbs nodded, eyes falling back to the picture. “And the DVDs?” His voice was extra husky and Tony hoped he hadn’t screwed up.
“From your video tapes and the cassettes. I didn’t watch them or listen to them. I won’t unless you want me to. But I thought you should have backup copies, so I had them digitized.”
“Woulda liked you,” Gibbs said, so quietly Tony wondered if he hadn’t heard correctly. Words threatened to spill out, but he bit his tongue—literally. This wasn’t the time to interrupt.
Gibbs pulled in a breath and nodded. “A lot of work to make all this. For me.”
“Happy birthday,” Tony replied, giving Gibbs a gentle smile.
Gibbs nodded, patting the couch beside him. “Thanks. Nobody ever…since…”
Gibbs never talked about his life before, and Tony’s eyes widened. “You don’t need to…”
“Maybe I want to.”
And Tony realized Gibbs was giving him a hell of a gift too.
Wanted too
10. tejas Gibbs doesn't observe his own birthdays. Tony, however, won't let Gibbs' birthday pass unnoticed.
Couldn’t resist and set this as a sequel to Wanted (http://taylorgibbs.livejournal.com/101155.html?view=1066019#t1066019)
After Gibbs had given Tony such a wonderful birthday gift, Tony knew he wanted to do something special for Gibbs. But Gibbs was kind of the anti-birthday guy. He never observed it, and Tony didn’t figure anyone else on the team knew what day was Gibbs’ birthday. There was no way Abby would let it pass without fanfare—and probably small pyrotechnics if Tony knew Abbs. Tony’d only found out what day it was because he’d snooped in Gibbs’ file.
A few times, but who was counting. That was all in the past.
He knew Gibbs wasn’t a cake and singing the birthday song kinda guy, but there was no way Tony would let the date pass unnoticed. Fortunately, Gibbs’ birthday was in the middle of Labor Day weekend.
Tony’d spent a couple of weeks making sure everything was perfect. He hadn’t let on anything, had just prepared his presents in a very Un-DiNozzo-like manner.
After dinner—burgers on the grill—he told Gibbs to grab a couple of beers and go into the living room. Jethro had no idea—Tony’d let the day pass without so much as a cheesy grin. This present was too important to ruin with his impatience.
Tony went up to the spare bedroom and gathered a pile of DVD cases and a slim box and made his way back down to the living room. Gibbs had put a game on and arched a brow when Tony came in, his beer bottle halfway to his lips.
“What’s this?” Gibbs asked, slowly putting the bottle down onto the coffee table.
“Some things for you,” Tony said, weighing his words carefully. He opened the box and pulled out a digital photo frame, turning it on. There were over three hundred pictures in it, from Gibbs’ parents’ childhoods, to their wedding and his birth, right up through Shannon and Kelly. Gibbs took the frame and stared at it for a few long moments, watching as a beautiful redhead smiling on Jack’s arm faded to a picture of Shannon and Kelly, the little girl laughing.
“How did you—“ Gibbs cut himself off, and Tony noticed he was blinking rapidly.
“Jack had a lot of them. You had more. I just had them digitized, the pictures weren’t hurt.”
Gibbs nodded, eyes falling back to the picture. “And the DVDs?” His voice was extra husky and Tony hoped he hadn’t screwed up.
“From your video tapes and the cassettes. I didn’t watch them or listen to them. I won’t unless you want me to. But I thought you should have backup copies, so I had them digitized.”
“Woulda liked you,” Gibbs said, so quietly Tony wondered if he hadn’t heard correctly. Words threatened to spill out, but he bit his tongue—literally. This wasn’t the time to interrupt.
Gibbs pulled in a breath and nodded. “A lot of work to make all this. For me.”
“Happy birthday,” Tony replied, giving Gibbs a gentle smile.
Gibbs nodded, patting the couch beside him. “Thanks. Nobody ever…since…”
Gibbs never talked about his life before, and Tony’s eyes widened. “You don’t need to…”
“Maybe I want to.”
And Tony realized Gibbs was giving him a hell of a gift too.