Author's notes: I had the idea for this little fic after heaving watched "Corporal Punishment" several times and I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to… well you'll see ( or rather read) what I mean soon enough. The title might seem cryptic but I'll explain it at the end of the story :-)

Oh yeah, before I forget: this is not beta'ed so sorry for the mistakes you are most likely going to find. ::drop::

And the relationship between Mann and Gibbs doesn't exist in my universe.lol.

Green

It was late when Gibbs got home after having visited Corporal Werth. Well, visited was not really the word. He had more like stopped by to deliver his Silver Star and hand it over to the young marine. Werth had certainly earned the right to carry it even if some senator didn't want an official ceremony and the young man might be discharged. No matter what, the marine had served his country, saved three other marine's lives and really was a hero.

Entering the living room, he was surprised at the picture that greeted him. Normally Tony would have stayed up and they would have snuggled and talked a bit on the couch before calling it a night. His lover not waiting for him felt distinctively off.

Coming home to an empty house was the one thing he really hated about being divorced and single. Sure, he had dated but it never progressed to the level where there would be a special someone waiting for him when he got home from a long and tiring day at the office and in the field. He had never liked sleeping alone either.

Jethro found it so much more comforting when there was a warm body next to him. It made him relax and have a truly restful sleep. And it also didn't hurt that his partner usually woke in the same fashion than he did: aroused and hard. Yes, waking up with somebody else was so much more satisfying, the older man smiled.

Since Tony was likely to be in bed, Jethro just went for the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water, which he downed with a few gulps. Contrary to popular belief, he didn't live only on coffee. Tony knew that but not many other people did. He could still remember the look on his lover's face when they had been at the beginning of their relationship and Jethro had chosen water or bourbon as his favourite beverage in the evening.

Stopping his walk down memory lane, he but the empty bottle away and made his way into his, no their, bedroom. He tried to be as silent as possible but somehow Tony always seemed to hear him when they were at home. On the clock, it was different. Gibbs had seriously lost count of all the times he had snuck up on his team when they were goofing off or not concentrating enough on the job at hand.

Tony never seemed to hear him then but maybe that was merely good acting on his part. Who knew? Jethro had contented himself long ago with the fact that his lover could be a walking mystery at times but he was happy to learn all about the other man. After all, he didn't plan on letting him go any time soon, if at all.

As he stood in the doorway to their bedroom, Jethro couldn't help but smile at the picture that presented himself. Tony was tangled up in the sheets but didn't seem phased at all by the fact that he was displaying all his… assets. Not that he had to be, the other man's subconscious mad itself heard.

And it was right.

Tony was a beautiful man. He was strong but not in the bodybuilder type. His body was toned and his muscles defined, without being over the top though. Still, sometimes Tony seemed almost fragile to his lover and those were the times, when their lovemaking was most intense. Languid and lazy, without rush, Jethro made love to Tony and worshipped his body.

Again dragging his mind back to the present, this time Jethro stepped into the room and slowly undressed. It was an old ingrained habit to neatly fold his clothing and put it away without leaving a mess. The only times when he didn't give a flying f about his clothes as when Tony and he were otherwise preoccupied and all he had in mind was getting the other man and himself naked and then sweaty in the most pleasurable way known to mankind.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts he got rid of his clothes and went to the en suite bathroom, to brush his teeth and take care of business. Not 10 minutes later, he was finished and climbed into bed next to Tony. He sighed softly as he hit the sheets and settled for the night. Both men preferred to sleep in their birthday suits and the heat radiating off Tony's body was soothing and comforting at the same time.

It was then however that Jethro noticed something off. Again. Just like when he came into the empty and dark living room he had now the feeling that something was just… wrong. Jethro knew that Tony was a cuddler and, admittedly it had taken some getting used to, to always have the other man draped across him. Now he relished the feeling.

Today however things were different and not in a good way. His lover would usually latch onto Jethro's body and soak up his body heat but not tonight. It felt distinctively disconcerting; the older man had to admit. He listened closely to pick up anything that might clue him in on his lover's strange behaviour.

It was then, that he noticed Tony's breathing. The pattern was even enough but Jethro wouldn't be fooled. It was too even and not deep enough. On top of that, his lover seemed tense and stiff, completely different from all the other nights shared together since they got involved.

Slowly he tuned on his side and faced Tony. His lover's eyes were closed and there was no movement of the eyeball underneath the lid. No REM, Jethro concluded. He moved his hand to stroke his lover's hair and he twitched ever so slightly at the contact.

The older man couldn't help but smirk.

Tony wasn't asleep; otherwise, he wouldn't have reacted this way. The aborted movement Jethro just witnessed was an aborted duck to the usual headslap that came frequently through the day. Tony didn't mind them anymore; his lover had made sure to explain them and now they both took it as a sign of affection. The slaps didn't even hurt anymore. It was their way of connecting and touching on the clock when both or one of them needed bodily contact and the team was around.

However, Jethro didn't like the questions his lover's unusual behaviour raised. Why hadn't he waited up? Why was he pretending to be asleep now? Why keep the distance they both hated with a passion?

"Tony?" Jethro tried the most obvious approach. He would see whether his lover would react or not. The ominous silence that greeted him was all he needed as an answer.

"Tony, I know you're awake." He upped the stakes. He knew Tony had to react in one way or another.

He hadn't counted on Tony moving over and turning his back on him, however. This way getting weirder by the minute and Jethro had to admit, he didn't like this one bit. Tony was deliberately shutting him out.

"What is wrong Tony?" again the question was met with silence but Jethro hadn't really counted on getting an answer. Not this soon. He scooted a bit closer so that he could feel the beginnings of body heat radiating off his lover's form. Which meant Tony could feel his too and that was what Jethro had gambled on. He just knew how much his lover craved that heat and therefore always sought it out in the night but also when they were alone, with no audience to watch, at work. He couldn't help but feel a bit triumphant when Tony leaned ever so slightly in the older man's direction.

Jethro slowly reached out and touched his lover's shoulder. He didn't like the way Tony tensed up but didn't let it throw him. He moved his hand in a reassuring movement up and down Tony's exposed arm and caressed the smooth skin underneath. He then moved back the shoulder and massaged it only slightly but the effect, the soft touched had, was obvious. Tony slowly relaxed and let himself be turned over gently.

His lover was now lying flat on his back and staring up at the ceiling. Jethro propped himself up on one arm and rested his chin in his palm to study his partner. God did Tony look beautiful. The room wasn't completely dark and the soft light from a street lamp just outside his house was dimmed in a way that made Tony literally glow. The tanned skin looked even smoother than usually and Jethro could feel the spike of arousal shoot up his spine. Get a grip; he told himself, this is not the moment!

"Wanna tell me what's going on in that head of yours?" he asked after having recomposed himself.

Tony still didn't reply but turned his head so that he could face his lover and look into his eyes. However what Jethro saw took his breath away. There was so much hurt in that one gaze. He felt almost choked by its intensity.

He reached out again to softly caress Tony's face and grazed his cheek bone with the knuckles of his hand. Tony just looked at him, eyes still baring so much hurt. There were no tears but if the shuddering breath Tony took, was anything to go by, he was close to loosing his composure.

"What did I do?" Jethro asked, convinced that it had to be something he had done to leave his lover so… raw and hurt.

"How does Ziva know what your abs feel like?"

Jethro was glad his lover finally had said something but he couldn't help but feel puzzled at the surprising question. He had no idea what Tony was getting at.

"My abs? What do they have to do with Ziva?" He asked in turn, to get a clearer picture of what had obviously distraught his partner deeply.

"It was today… before you came into the bullpen. I asked her to punch me to test my abs." Tony started tentatively

"And she did? She hit you?" Jethro asked, outraged.

A small smile on Tony's face but it disappeared as quick as it had appeared. "No she didn't. She was baiting me. But she patted my abs and then told me that they're not bad… but yours are better apparently." The young man finished his explanation and was ready to turn his head away again.

Jethro absolutely hated seeing Tony so defeated. He had no idea where Ziva got the idea to make such a statement. Sure, she liked baiting Tony and comparing him to Jethro, he knew that but he never really gave it much thought. But now, obviously she had stepped over some line.

"Tony, Ziva was just making fun." He tried to explain

"I'm not laughing, am I?" Tony replied. It should have sounded biting and sarcastic by all rights… but it didn't.

"No, you're not. But Tony, Ziva didn't get to be where you are. She might have picked something up during our weekly work out. I fight with all of you." The older man tried to reason.

"Yeah, ok." Tony agreed listlessly and Jethro just knew that there had to be more than just that. Tony still looked sad and hurt and even though he seemed to believe Gibbs, he was holding back something… or more things by the look of it.

"Tony you're the only one for me. You know that, right?" Jethro asked tentatively, carefully watching his lover's reaction.

"Do I? Am I?" Tony asked in turn and it was barely above a whisper, but to the other man it was like a shout.

"What makes you think you're not?"

"Where do I start?" Tony asked lightly, jokingly and if there was a time Jethro hated his lover's acting skills, it was now.

"At the beginning?" Jethro didn't take the bait. He wanted to know what had gone so wrong between him and Tony that he doubted their relationship after one quip from Ziva.

"Ok… the case with your ex-wife as witness. God, she was all over you." Tony spat passionately

"Stephanie? She had a boyfriend." Jethro felt compelled to point out but obviously Tony had just waited for that reply.

"Yeah, had. She still loved you. It was clear as day, everybody could see it. But you didn't," Tony sighed.

"No, I didn't." Jethro confirmed

"That explains why you didn't see the Director and Lt. Colonel Mann either." The younger man continued. "Same thing there. They were literally drooling over you. But let's not forget about dear sweet Karen Southerland we met today. She really was the bleeding heart she claimed to be. And she also didn't make it a secret that she found you attractive. But you didn't do a thing about it." The Like I didn't matter, went unspoken but his lover understood.

Jethro felt torn looking at his lover. He hated seeing him so insecure and hurting. Resolutely he rolled over and on top of Tony to pin him onto the mattress. He met no resistance at all.

"I didn't do a thing because they didn't matter to me. None of them do. The Director and I was a long time ago, and I'm not one for history repeating itself. Same thing goes for Stephanie. I moved on and don't love her anymore. I would never intentionally hurt her, that's why I didn't tell her about her cheating boyfriend. And Karen Southerland? I couldn't care less about her!" Jethro looked deeply into his lover's eyes, willing him to believe, what he was being told.

"But I do love you and I have hurt you unintentionally. For that, I'm sorry." Jethro finished and placed a soft kiss on Tony's forehead. The young man lying underneath him closed his eyes and sighed. He wanted to believe his lover, God did he want to but he couldn't shake the feeling of insecurity.

He had known that it wouldn't be easy, being in a relationship with Jethro. They were government employees, male and on top of that boss and subordinate. They couldn't just show their commitment whenever they felt like it or wanted. For all people at NCIS knew, Gibbs was single and Tony was chasing skirts in his off time. Nobody would think of them being a couple and that was exactly the point. So Tony continued "entertaining " with tales about his conquests and Gibbs indulged their Director whenever she felt the need to get involved in their cases. There was nothing he could do, without raising suspicions and Tony hated it.

Gibbs was his and his alone. Nobody had the right to touch him but Tony. Flirting was the absolute limit, but on the clock, what could Tony do? He had to watch The Director as she tried to charm Gibbs back into her bed. He wasn't one for standing idly by and he wanted to fight but he couldn't. Not without putting both their jobs at risk.

"Tony?" Jethro nudged him softly to get his lover's attention back.

"Yeah?"

"I love you!" he whispered against Tony's soft lips and kissed him for all it was worth.

Their kiss started out sweet and gentle yet incredibly intense and as Gibbs licked his way into Tony's mouth both surrendered to the heat of the moment and devoured each other. Tony spread his legs so Jethro could make himself comfortable and sure enough the older man followed the unspoken invitation.

Jethro continued to map out Tony's mouth, something he never could get enough of. Their tongues met, and brushed against each other the friction making both man moan. It was slick and hot and wet.

Finally loosing the last of his control, Jethro started grinding against the man lying underneath him and the movement made Tony arch his back. God this felt so good. Their cocks were rubbing against each other in exactly the right way and they both knew that it would be over soon, their emotional turmoil making the experience all the more intense. Holding back was not an option. Jethro wanted to see his lover come underneath him, see when the pleasure became exquisite only just before the point of orgasm.

He loved the look on his lover's face during orgasm. Tony was very vocal in bed, there was no denying that but he was in no way a screamer. He never told Tony but Jethro loved all the little mewling noises and groans Tony made during sex. The throaty moans wrenched from Tony during lovemaking let Jethro reach new heights of pleasure each and every time. And the soft whimpers during orgasm had sent the other man straight to his climax more often than not.

Just like now. Tony's hips moved in a delicious counter rhythm to the other man's thrusts and soon his breathing grew erratic to the point of almost hyperventilating. Two, three thrusts more and Tony's body was tensing, his body arched into Jethro's and he spilled his semen between them, whimpering and mewling at the exquisite pleasure cursing through him.

The sight alone was all Jethro needed to reach his climax as well. Tony's seed eased the friction and the knowledge that it was him who had made Tony come in such an intense orgasm sent him over the edge almost immediately. In the end it was Tony's kiss that made him fall. The younger man moved up, to meet his lover's lips with his own and licked over his lower lip before penetrating his mouth. Mimicking a very familiar rhythm Jethro could only groan and hold on for dear life as he spent himself onto Tony's abs and cock.

With the last of his strength, he lowered himself slowly onto Tony and let his head rest in the hollow of his lover's shoulder. He felt exhausted and rejuvenated at the same time which didn't really make sense at all but he was too out of it to care.

The rest of the tension left his body when Tony brought his arms up and held Jethro closely in a firm embrace.

"I love you too. Sorry for being such a brat." He whispered.

"Nothing to be sorry about. Thanks for talking to me about those things. I would never hurt you on purpose and now I know what to watch out for in the future." Jethro replied and turned his head to kiss the skin where Tony's neck met his shoulder. The shudder he got as reward made him feel ten feet tall.

The silence that followed was comfortable and Jethro felt himself slowly drifting away.

…

"So does this qualify as our first make-up sex then?"

The End

Reviews are appreciated ::smile::

P.S.: The title was supposed to be "Green eyed monster" in the beginning but it would have given away too much so I shortened it to "Green". More suspense that way ;-) In any case, tell me what you think :-)