Work Text:
Tony sat before his French doors, his stocking feet up on a chair across from him as he watched the snow fall. Next to him, in the barely lit room, was an electric fireplace going for warmth and atmosphere. In his right hand, almost negligently, was a glass of fifty-year-old whiskey in an old cut glass given to him by a man who he had grown up with from childhood, and he had recently had to help oversee his burial from cancer. His wife of fifteen years a total mess in NY with her children as they tried to put back their lives from the death of a loved one.
Next to him was an old child’s sea chest that he knew held the treasures he and his friend had gathered together over their lives from four years old onwards to young men. He placed his hand lovingly on it in supplication of the memories it held for him, vowing that when it didn’t hurt as much to look at them, he would pull them out for all to see the wonders that his brother was in all but blood.
He already knew his peaceful sanctuary had been invaded by the man he had been partners with, in all manners of the words not that long ago. And damn Rule 12 against it as long as it was kept secret. So much so that everything had to be under Gibbs precious rules again of nothing serious talked about between each other, nothing personal either. When done screwing around, no cuddles. Just one and done. Again, nothing personal. Just something to take the stresses off from the job they did, scratch that itch, and damn any feelings. Nothing from it was to impact the job even though it did as Gibbs was harder on him than on the others under his command. This was why Gibbs was there now, interrupting his peace and sanctuary as Tony had dared to go over his head to get the two weeks off due him, from the several months he had on the books that HR was screaming at both of them he takes or lose. Both knowing Gibbs would have turned him down without him crawling on his belly for the time off he needed and was now pissed that he went over his head to get it.
Tony had made no secret he was headed to NY when he traveled two weeks ago, or that he had left his work phone behind him blatantly ignoring the rules against not being on call to Gibbs 24/7. He had even saved all the toxic hate messages left on both his personal phones he had received from his partner as he was gone and that he had returned to. And now he motioned his old partner into sit beside him, in Gibbs’ anger at what he perceived as a betrayal for leaving without permission by him.
Tony just took another sip of his drink while he waited for the explosion to happen to get the toxic relationship over as his brother had wanted him too long before this.
He didn’t have to wait long as Gibbs ground out his words that Tony had gone over his head to get permission to leave and how dare he. Answer the fuck where he had been like he was Tony’s Master and deserved an answer of his slave.
Tony just gave back cold hard stare for stare and in his icy anger explained he didn’t think Gibbs would have given him the emergency time off he needed so he went over his head as unlike the new member on the team he now had to give “reasons” that his “Master” agreed with to get time off when their probie didn’t and this time it involved a family matter that was none of his business. Remember Gibbs’ partnership rules, nothing “personal” was to be talked about. Nothing that touched on “feelings”. Well, his all, but brother had died and it was his responsibility to see to it he was buried properly. Something that he shouldn’t have to get permission from the all mighty Gibbs to do so. Pardon him for going over his head while he obeyed the letter and spirit of the rules Gibbs insisted, he followed but no one else had to. All because he didn’t give the man a current hickey on his butt like he wanted him too. Well, that toxic relationship was over, and he could see himself at the door.
He would be in on Monday, all shiny and bouncy to meet any punishment Gibbs wanted to give him in public, but he no longer would allow in private.
All said to a shocked Gibbs as Tony motioned that he was calling 911 to get dispatch to send a car over to escort him out if he didn’t leave his home right now and leave him to his mourning of his brother in all but blood for another few days of his time off.
Goodbye Gibbs, hope you find the probie better at scratching that itch you got though she’s not one to follow rules well.
Don’t let the door hit you on the ass on your way out…. Hello 911? Yes…
Fini
2/14/2026
Edit
2/24/2026