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At first, Tony had tried to avoid listening in on Gibbs’ private conversations. It was just respectful, right? Tony could be nosy, but he tried to be respectful of his boss.
That was before he figured out that if he listened in on Gibbs’ conversations he stood a better chance of figuring out when the team was in danger from Gibbs. It wasn’t the normal danger within like a snake lying in the grass waiting to capture a mouse.
Or actually maybe it was given Gibbs’ temper and what the team went through when it was flaring. When the billingsgate came out in Gibbs’ conversations, Tony practically tried to batten down the hatches or what amounted to them in the bullpen. Guaranteed if there was cursing, Gibbs was not going to be in a good mood when he returned from whatever conversation was going on.
It had been especially helpful when McGee had first joined the team as the man would practically evaporate at the first sign of Gibbs’ anger. The danger within was less now as everyone was used to Gibbs’ anger, but knowing when to expect it made it easier for Tony to defuse or deflect it. He considered it part of his job to make sure that Gibbs’ temper didn’t come down on anyone undeserving of it.
That meant he frequently took the brunt of it, but more often than not he was able to do just enough to take the edge off of Gibbs’ temper without it actually being directed at him. Now, Tony couldn’t stop listening in to Gibbs’ private conversations because he needed to know. That’s how he heard Gibbs extolling, or as much as Gibbs could, on Tony’s virtues and abilities.
Tony didn’t know who Gibbs was talking to, but he had his suspicions that it was Fornell. Still he couldn’t hear that and not do something. Don’t get him wrong.
He didn’t show up at Gibbs’ door wearing only a trenchcoat. He had more class than that. He brought makings for one of his date night specials to Gibbs’ house instead.
Needless to say both Gibbs and Tony appreciated Tony listening in to Gibbs’ private conversations more after that and the danger within the team was practically eliminated overnight.