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Tony had thought that making the football team would make his high school career. He was good, if he did say so himself. He didn’t account for team captain, Leroy Jethro Gibbs.
The two of them had butted heads from the moment he joined the team. Gibbs was, well calling him a bully was putting it nicely. The man ordered and expected you to follow.
Tony considered himself lucky when failing to follow orders resulted in a head slap instead of something worse. He’d thought military school was bad, but it had nothing on Gibbs. Needless to say, Tony didn’t take well to being ordered around.
Still when they were out on the field, he would follow Gibbs’ lead. After all, football was all about team. He didn’t have to like the guy in order to help the team win the games.
There was something to be said about Gibbs’ leadership, however. The team had gone undefeated ever since he’d become Captain. The other guys tried to tell him to just obey Gibbs and then do whatever when Gibbs wasn’t around, but Tony couldn’t do that.
Out in the field they moved smoothly as if they were one mind, Tony anticipating Gibbs’ orders before he even gave them. The team continued their undefeated run. In fact, the games were even easier with Tony around to fill in the gaps around Gibbs’ orders.
Off the field was another matter entirely. They butted heads something fierce. They were always in each other’s space arguing about something or other.
Gibbs was pretty much a loner, but Tony had a group of friends he hung out with at times. His friends didn’t understand why he fought so much with Gibbs. They didn’t understand why he couldn’t leave Gibbs alone like everyone else did.
The truth was Tony couldn’t explain it either, but there was something about Gibbs. It was more than his desire for people to follow orders. Tony wanted to make him react, make Gibbs feel something above and beyond satisfaction at how well people followed his orders.
It all came to a head when Tony and Gibbs were actually paired up as lab partners for chemistry class. No matter how clear the instructions the teacher gave one or the other of them would end up skipping a step and they’d have to redo the entire thing. They’d then spend the next ten or fifteen minutes arguing about whose fault it was, both of them getting in each other’s space and trying to out top the other in macho posturing.
The whole class was growing tired of it. On one particularly frustrating experiment that McGee and Kate were working on next to them, Kate finally snapped after the fifth time McGee spilled something because their arguing startled him. While they were busy arguing and encroaching on the aisle space, Kate quietly stepped up behind Tony and shoved him hard.
“Can’t you guys be quiet and stop arguing for once?” Kate barked out in annoyance before returning to McGee to help clean up the most recent spill.
Kate didn’t pay any attention to what Gibbs and Tony did after her push, but the rest of the class did. There was an almost collective gasp that went up around the room. Somehow, Gibbs and Tony had ended up in a lip lock due to the shove from Kate.
The entire class except for Kate and McGee stared in shock as the two guys kissed without leaping apart and sputtering almost immediately. In fact, the kiss went on for almost a full minute before they pulled apart. The lingering glance they exchanged before they turned to face their classmates said it all.
As did the glare that Gibbs made sure to spear each and every one of them with. The glare that said I will rip you apart if you breathe a word of what happened to anyone.Tony chuckled and scratched his head trying to play it off as nothing, but the class, the girls especially, knew what they’d seen.
As the bell rang and the class was dismissed, Tony could already hear some of Kate’s friends telling her what happened. He knew that it would be around the school by lunch time and no glare of Gibbs would stop it. It was rather embarrassing to realize that you were attracted to a guy surrounded by twenty or so of your classmates.
Tony had always known he was bi, but he hadn’t realized that the fighting with Gibbs was actually hiding his attraction for him. He was totally the boy who pulled the pigtails of the girl he liked. Tony couldn’t believe this.
It wasn’t just him either. Gibbs had totally been into that kiss. Tony had kissed a lot of guys some interested and some not and Gibbs was definitely interested.
He didn’t know what happened now. Did Gibbs regret the kiss? It wasn’t like they really talked, so even though Gibbs was interested didn’t mean that it would go anywhere.
Tony kind of wanted to explore and see where the feelings would take him, but he wouldn’t push. He’d not heard any hints that Gibbs batted for the other team so to speak. In fact, Gibbs had four girlfriends that Tony knew of.
That didn’t bode well for dating or anything else. On the other hand, Gibbs hadn’t immediately jumped apart as soon as their lips touched, so Tony didn’t know what to think. There was no way this was going to be anything other than a mess.
Of course, Tony was subjected to even more teasing than usual. It was annoying, but in general a venial offense that he forgave and ignored easily. Gibbs bullying was harder to forgive, but he thought they could work it out if Gibbs was interested in doing so.
Figuring out if Gibbs was interested was difficult when the guy wouldn’t talk to him. They still performed well out on the field, but the rest of the guys were a little creeped by what happened in the locker rooms. Gibbs had this thoughtful expression on his face and it was like he’d been shocked out of his normal bullying.
Tony had tried to talk to him a couple of times, but he’d just shaken his head and said, “Not here.”
So where the locker rooms used to be filled with Gibbs ordering them around, they were almost silent now. It had always been filled with conversation before or at least arguing, some of the conversation was still there, but it wasn’t the same. Gibbs would shoot whoever was talking a look, but he never actually said anything.
No one quite knew what to make of it. The team cared for Gibbs in their own way. They knew he was trying to make them better.
This abrupt change in behavior worried them all. They thought they knew why, but that didn’t mean they knew how to help. Gibbs had always been a private person despite his many orders.
This had been going on for a week and the entire team was walking on eggshells around Gibbs. They didn’t know how to handle this new Gibbs. At least when Gibbs was barking orders you knew exactly where you stood with him.
Tony finally grew annoyed with Gibbs attempting to ignore what had happened and generally being silent even when talked to. He finally cornered Gibbs as school was ending and got in his face. “What the hell is going on, Gibbs?”
“None of your business.”
“It’s already affecting the team, if you’re not careful it will start affecting them out in the field. Now, what the Hell is going on?”
“I’ve been thinking about changing up the team.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re a better second than Stan, but I’m not sure how Stan will take it especially not given what happened between us.”
“You don’t want him or anyone else to scream favoritism?”
Gibbs just grunted.
“Do what’s best for the team. If you explain, they’ll understand.”
Gibbs sighed. “I’ve missed this.”
“Me yelling at you?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
Gibbs shrugged. He wasn’t sure he could explain it. He knew there was something wrong with liking to be yelled at, but at the same time it was the only time he could say for sure that Tony’s attention was completely focused on him.
The guy was a natural flirt. Girls, boys, it didn’t matter to DiNozzo. It didn’t help that the guy knew how to kiss.
Gibbs head was all messed up. He couldn’t make sense of what he was feeling. All he knew is that he wanted Tony’s attention on him and not just when it came to the team.
He’d thought he’d had it under control. Sure he was a touch harsher on Tony than the rest of the team, but he’d known what to expect then. After the kiss, he no longer knew what to expect.
Everything had been flipped on its head and he was struggling. He always grew silent when he struggled, spending his time thinking and worrying internally instead of vocalizing his desires. He knew the team was worried.
It had been a long time since he’d been this silent, but it was rare for him to be this knocked for a loop. He couldn't help wondering if he’d been less of a drill sergeant if he and DiNozzo would have already been in a relationship. He’d thought after his last girlfriend that he was done with relationships, but there was something different about DiNozzo.
He could actually see something working with DiNozzo. Tony wouldn’t let him walk all over him, but he wouldn’t be a bitch either. Diane had been a bitch through and through.
Rebecca hadn’t been who he’d thought as he’d discovered her cheating on him. Stephanie, well he didn’t know where he’d gone wrong with her, but he knew she hadn’t been happy when she left. He thought it might have worked with his first girlfriend, Shannon, but they’d had to break up when her family moved to another city.
He knew he’d been even more of a bastard since Stephanie broke up with him. Tony had had the misfortune of joining during that time and between Stephanie dating someone else and his attraction to Tony, Tony had borne the brunt of his frustration. He wanted to make up for it, now, but he didn’t know how.
That was the main reason behind his silence. Most people would say he didn’t have any friends, but that wasn’t actually true. Morrow had always been the one who’d understood him the best, but unfortunately he’d graduated last year.
Now, he had Vance, but Vance didn’t get some of it. It had been too long since he’d played football. Vance and him had been tight for a couple of years during middle school when they’d been on the football team together, but Vance had stopped playing shortly after he met his current girlfriend Jackie.
They’d drifted apart as Vance developed interests outside of football and Gibbs continued to remain focused on mostly football, however, they’d never stopped being friends. With Morrow gone, Gibbs spent most of his time, when he wasn't with the football team, hanging around with Vance and Jackie. Jackie, of course, had heard about the kiss and told him to just go for it, but Gibbs wasn’t convinced.
Vance wasn’t offering an opinion one way or the other and Gibbs kind of wished he would. He didn’t always see eye to eye with Vance, but sometimes the viewpoint the other offered was necessary. Of course, if Vance wasn’t talking Gibbs had no way to tell what he thought.
Gibbs went home no closer to figuring out what to do about the situation. Or rather he didn’t know what to about any of the situations. It would help if he knew what to do about the team and about Tony.
Maybe he should try to talk to Stan, but he couldn’t see that going well regardless. Stan wasn’t really someone who played nicely with others. He was okay at following orders, but not great working with others.
Being told that Gibbs wanted to give his position to Tony would rub Stan the wrong way. That would make the tension on the team even worse, which was the last thing Gibbs wanted. Maybe he should just return to his normal snarling and forget all about it.
No. He couldn’t do that. It wouldn’t be fair to anyone as he would always wonder what if and would take it out on the team. He hated this.
With nothing resolved, Gibbs went to school the next day. He was a little more growly than he had been recently, but he wasn’t back to his normal by any stretch of the imagination. Tony shook his head.
He could tell Gibbs wouldn’t make a move unless he did. However, he didn’t want to start things off like this. If Gibbs wasn’t willing to try it wasn’t worth his time.
There were plenty of other fish in the sea especially since he had double the population to choose from. The problem was the team was still off. It was starting to affect practice now.
So Tony decided he had to do something. He wrote a short note explaining that he was touched that Gibbs wanted him as his second, but that he had to decline because it would be better for the team for things to go back to normal. He then made sure to slip it onto Gibbs’ desk during the next period they shared.
Gibbs read the note and glared at DiNozzo. He couldn’t interrupt class to deal with this, but he damn sure wasn’t going to start wasting good. Maybe it was time to pull out his rules.
The team already knew some of his rules. The major one being never screw over your team. He’d drilled that into them during practice many times.
Maybe it was time they learned about rule 5, you don’t waste good. Gibbs knew it would be a waste of talent to not promote Tony to his second and it had nothing to do with his romantic feelings for Tony. Of course, he also had a rule about dating amongst the team and cheerleaders.
That one had been implemented after a one night stand with Jenny who was one of their best cheerleaders fell apart and adversely affected the team. They still managed to pull off a win, but it had been just barely and Gibbs had decided he hadn’t wanted a repeat of that with anyone. Gibbs was considering breaking it, now.
He just couldn’t figure out if it was the right thing to do. However, Tony’s note had kicked him into high gear and the next practice he announced that Tony was going to be his second. Stan protested, but one look from Gibbs quelled him.
None of the others were brave enough to say anything. It wasn’t that they were scared for the most part, more that no one wanted to disappoint Gibbs. What Tony had seen as bullying was really Gibbs holding the team to his high standards in the rest of the team’s mind.
That wasn’t to say that Gibbs hadn’t been overstepping, but the guys understood where he was coming from. It would remain to be seen if Tony would keep Gibbs in check without making things worse for the team or not. So far Stan was the only second who had been even close to a net positive in the position and he definitely wasn’t anything to write home about.
Things slowly returned to normal. Gibbs relaxed back into his normal ordering around and people stopped walking around on eggshells. In fact, the main difference was that when Gibbs’ overstepped, Tony would get in his face and Gibbs would actually back down.
The guys on the team were kind of in awe of it, honestly. They had to admit it was an improvement over what they’d experienced before. The improvements showed on the field as well, as the team was able to give their all without the worry of what Gibbs would due to them hanging over their heads.
They’d been a team to be reckoned with as they kept up their undefeated record and now they were even better. It was amazing. Only one thing could make it better.
That would be if Tony and Gibbs would stop dancing around each other and get together. It was damn obvious that they both wanted each other by now no matter how much the two tried to deny it. The entire team had a betting pool going as to when Gibbs would snap and fuck DiNozzo.
Of course, they didn’t dare mention the bet to either person. They knew neither Tony nor Gibbs would appreciate the amount of gossip going around about their love lives. However, their current dance was driving everyone crazy.
Not to the point that it would affect their performance in the field, but they would rather the two get their act together and be happy than the current dance they were doing. Of course, convincing the two that getting together would be a good thing was going to be difficult. They all remembered what happened with Jenny and the rule Gibbs put in place after that.
It had gotten to the point where the team was having meetings without their two leaders to figure out how to get them together. There were a few members of the team that didn’t participate, like Stan, but the vast majority of the team were all on the same page. There were no actual rules against it besides Gibbs’, but there was no way it would happen if Tony and Gibbs thought someone on the team would be uncomfortable if they got together.
The team knew they needed to show Tony and Gibbs that they were accepting of a relationship between them and then they needed to make them talk. The first would probably be easier than the second. Balboa came up with the brilliant idea to have a team get together at one of the local clubs that catered to the LGBT crowd.
They didn’t know how to do the second part, however. Getting Tony and Gibbs together without inciting either of them to revenge would be extremely difficult. Pacci suggested that maybe they could convince Gibbs and Tony to dance at the club, but everyone else was extremely suspicious of this idea.
Still they went forward with the plan for now as no one had any better ideas that wouldn’t be guaranteed to incite Gibbs’ wrath. It was actually during the team outing at the club that they came up with a plan. Abby Sciuto was waitressing there and for some reason she had always been Gibbs’ favorite.
Abby could literally do no wrong in Gibbs’ eyes as far as anyone could tell. Ziva had started chatting with Abby and somehow the conversation had wandered to the bet and Abby had agreed to help them lock Gibbs and Tony in a room together. The boys wanted no part of this, but Ziva had no such fear.
It had taken a while for Ziva to earn her spot onto the varsity boys’ football team, but she’d done it. The school didn’t have a girl’s team and frankly Ziva was tough enough that she probably would have bowled all the girls over even if they had. At this point in time, Ziva was considered one of the guys as far as the team was concerned.
It was rare that there was such a clear difference of opinion as was happening right now, but Ziva didn’t care. She just called the boys a bunch of pussies and made plans with Abby to somehow get Tony and Gibbs to the same place and lock them in somewhere. A few of the guys growled and snarled at the insult, but the others held them back and convinced them not to make a big deal of it here.
Of course, the din attracted Gibbs and Tony’s attention and they demanded to know what was going on. The entire team grew quiet No one wanting to admit what they’d been up to.
Gibbs glare intensified as he stared around at the suddenly quiet team. “No one?”
Tony crossed his arms as he stood next to Gibbs and provided a united front to the team. He thought he had an idea of what this was about, but he would let Gibbs ferret it out from the team. Gibbs knew the team better than he did, though, it didn’t take a genius to figure out that whatever was going on was related to Tony and Gibbs.
“If someone doesn’t explain, you’re all going to be doing 10 laps around the field tomorrow.”
The boys gulped, but still none of them spoke up. Ziva rolled her eyes at them, but wasn’t ready to attract Gibbs’ attention by explaining just yet. She hadn’t finalized plans with Abby to deal with Tony and Gibbs, yet.
Though, maybe, she could use this to her advantage. She shook her head. No way would Gibbs or Tony follow her to find out what was going on.
“You have something to say, Ziva?” Tony drawled as he noticed her shaking her head.
“No, Tone-y. I do not.”
“Then why were you shaking your head?”
“Just shocked that we’re wasting all of our time over this. It wasn’t anything important and it was already dealt with before you showed up.”
“We’ll make the decision about that.” Gibbs growled.
Abby watched from a few feet away. She couldn’t stop herself from watching the train wreck that was about to happen. She knew that this wasn’t going to go over well, if someone didn’t interrupt, and would actually ruin her and Ziva’s plans.
“Gibbs! Gibbs! Gibbs!” Abby excitedly greeted, “I didn’t realize you were here.” She gifted him with a big hug.
“Hey Abbs. What’s up?” Tony grinned from behind Gibbs as he watched Gibbs get swallowed by Abby’s exuberant hug.
“When you’re done here, I have something to show you.” Abby winked meaningfully at Ziva.
“Ok. Abbs.” Gibbs agreed before turning back to the guys to get his answers. The delay had allowed them to come up with an excuse, however.
“It really is nothing. Ziva just insulted Jimmy’s girlfriend Breena and a couple of the guys took exception to it. We calmed them down. It’s fine.” Pacci offered.
Stan had kept silent through this whole thing, but now he wanted to speak up and tell Gibbs everything. He couldn’t help hoping that if he did so that Gibbs would take him back as his second. He knew DiNozzo was doing better than he had as Gibbs’ second, but that didn’t stop him from wanting that coveted position back.
The position of Gibbs’ second carried a lot of weight off the football field and not just with the team. The entire school knew what kind of skill it took to be Gibbs’ second and they respected that. Stan missed the respect he’d gotten for free as Gibbs’ second and now had to earn again after Tony took the spot from him.
Balboa saw what Stan was about to do and stepped up behind him and placed his hand over Stan’s mouth before he could say anything. “Don’t ruin this for the entire team.” Balboa whispered harshly into Stan’s ear.
“Ziva. You know better than that.” Gibbs glared.
Ziva adopted an ashamed expression. “Yes, Gibbs.”
Gibbs grunted and turned away from the team to face Abby. ”What’s up, Abbs?”
“This way, Gibbs.” Abby gestured for Ziva to bring Tony.
Ziva made her way over to Tony. “Aren’t you worried about what Abby is showing Gibbs?”
“Nah.” Tony grinned. “I’m pretty sure she’s just going to show him her new tattoo. I’ve already seen it.”
Ziva frowned. “I do not think that is it. I think she is in trouble. We must help Gibbs.”
Tony glanced at Ziva with a slight downturn to his lips. “Why do you say that?”
“She was telling me about this guy that she’d started dating who was stalking her.”
Tony’s frown deepened. “That’s not good. Let’s go make sure she’s ok.”
Ziva grinned and followed behind Tony making sure he entered the room Abby and Gibbs had stepped into before she did. “Abby, you’re needed back out on the floor. I see the manager looking for you.”
“Whoops. Sorry, Gibbs. I’ll be back soon.” Abby announced as she rushed out of the room after Ziva, carefully locking the door behind her as she and Ziva returned to the rest of the guys.
“It’s done.” Abby proclaimed before hurrying back to her customers as she really was still on the clock.
Ziva grinned. The guys gathered around babbling over top of each other to find out how they’d trapped Gibbs and Tony in the same room together so easily. They were all congratulating themselves on a job well done when Gibbs’ deep voice interrupted them, “Only one problem with your plan, Ziva. You forgot how good at lockpicking Tony and I are.”
Ziva’s eyes widened as she turned around to find Gibbs right behind her. She stepped back, but had very little room to move.
“Now, what was that all about? And I want the truth this time,” Gibbs snarled.
Stan started laughing towards the back of the boys. Both Tony and Gibbs looked in Stan’s direction. “Something funny, Stan?” Tony asked.
“They thought they could fool the great Gibbs,” Stan gasped out, “but he always has the last laugh.”
Tony shook his head and turned his attention back to the room at large, as did Gibbs. Gibbs’ eyes were raking over each and every person on the team, making them squirm under his scrutiny like they had ants in their pants. Finally, Dorneget spoke up, “Gibbs, sir. We just want you and Tony to be happy.”
“What will make me happy is taking the championship trophy home.” Gibbs barked. “Not whatever bug you’ve got up your ass about what you think I want and don’t call me, sir.”
Dorneget gulped, but continued bravely, “We all see how you and Tony are with each other, Gibbs. We only want the best for you guys. We support you.”
Gibbs exchanged glances with Tony who simply shrugged. “How Tony and I are? Do you have a problem with how we’re leading the team?”
Dorneget quickly shook his head. “No, not at all. But we can see that you guys clearly have feelings for each other that you’re not exploring. We think you could be good together and just want you to be happy,” Dorneget eagerly explained.
Gibbs stared daggers at Dorneget until he squeaked and shrunk back, muttering, “Or not.”
“This is your only warning. Do not stick your nose into my life.” Gibbs snarled.
The team nodded and dispersed between the dance floor and the booths to continue the team outing leaving Tony and Gibbs alone. Tony smiled sheepishly. “Guess they really want us to get together.”
“Ya think?” Gibbs grunted.
“Maybe we should try? They went to a lot of trouble to try to get us together.”
Gibbs grunted again.
“I’m not starting a relationship based on a grunt, Gibbs. I need a yes or a no.”
“What’s the question, Tony?”
“Would you go out with me, Gibbs?”
“Yes.”
Tony smiled and grabbed Gibbs’ hand and led him over to one of the booths with the team where they could sit next to each other and have their entire sides touching. They relaxed with the team and participated in small talk, though both of them were distracted by thoughts of what this relationship would be like.
It hadn’t started the way Tony had originally thought and he still wondered if Gibbs could be less controlling, but he had hopes that it would work out. Certainly, the physical attraction was there.
The one kiss they’d shared had proven that. Tony looked forward to even more kisses with Gibbs and hopefully something with more depth and intimacy than that. Tony no longer thought of Gibbs as a bully, especially if Gibbs let him in, which Tony thought he would.
The two of them working together to lead the team had shown Tony that while Gibbs could accidentally bully people, he responded well and backed down when he crossed the line. He no longer feared an abusive relationship with him. The head slaps had lessened since Tony became Gibbs’ second and the punishments doled out now helped grow the skills needed for the team.
Tony couldn’t guarantee that they would have lasting happiness, but things were looking pretty good as far as he was concerned. He thought Gibbs would agree too.