Work Text:
Abjure
Originally, Gibbs had abjured relationships with coworkers, and then females due to the terrible fallout with Jenny & his wives, but it was his stubborn pride that kept him from the happiness offered him.
When Gibbs originally created rule 12 it was because he abjured the way his relationship with Jenny went and didn’t want to ever experience it again. The more wives he married, the more the marriages ended in disaster and it just reinforced in him that rule 12 was necessary since he couldn’t even keep relationships working outside of work.
As the years went on though, it was his pride that kept rule 12 there. His pride in being a bastard and denying himself happiness. He tried to convince himself that he was honoring his girls, but really he was just too proud to let himself experience the happiness that he knew was there.
