Work Text:
"Boss?" Tony rolled onto his back and reached out in the dark.
Jethro took a slow, deep breath and began a mental check of his body. That damned knee hurt. The shoulder he'd thrown out a couple of times hurt. Not like it had when he'd saved Tim from being run over. Then he opened his eyes. No light filtered in.
"Boss?"
That querulous voice brushed across him again. "Here, Tony." He heard the sigh of relief. "You okay?"
"Better now. I can't move my legs though. I mean I'm stuck under something. Not…You know, not what that sounded like. Nothing's broken."
"Dark in here. The explosion must have caved the elevator shaft in."
"I have a light. No, I don't. My cell phone's smashed. Boss? You okay?"
"Yeah. Cell phone. Good idea. Don't know where it is, though."
"Boss? Can you move?"
Jethro answered by doing so. He scooted across the rubble strewn floor and found Tony. He ran his fingers across the younger man's face. "Cut. Some blood here."
"Think Timmy's okay?"
"Was still outside on his phone. He's probably got help on the way by now."
"Nobody was here. We were led into a trap."
"Don't worry about it. We'll catch the bastard." Jethro moved his touch lower, finding bits of building material and moving them off the trapped man.
"We always do."
"Found what's keeping you down. Beam."
"Ow," Tony said indignantly.
"Be still. I'm not going to move it until I'm sure it's not holding anything else off you."
"Find your phone yet?"
"Wasn't looking."
"If McGee calls it'll light up. There! Good timing. It's right behind you."
Jethro retrieved the device, gave Tim the opportunity to tell him what plans were in motion and then ended the call so he could use the tiny, lit screen to assess Tony's situation. "Yeah, this beam is staying where it is for a while. Need some more hands in here to remove it safely."
"Fine by me. I'm not going anywhere."
Jethro shot him a glare. "Not even a decent stab at sarcasm."
"I don't know."
He realized Tony couldn't see his glare but knew the agent could hear it in his tone of voice.
"Boss? Happy new year."
He stared at the flash of white teeth. "You pick the oddest times."
"And the oddest men. Picked you, didn't I?"
"You saying I'm odd?"
"No, never, Boss. Would never say such a thing. Since I'm trapped down here how about leaning down so I can kiss you?"
"Now?" Jethro had never said the word with more disapproval.
"Now," Tony countered smoothly.
Jethro hesitated a moment. Really, this was not the right time and certainly not the right place. He leaned down. Tony's arms were around his neck and he got a kiss that started out just a little bit desperate but faded to soft caresses of warm lips and a little invasion of tongue. He curved his hands around Tony's face, holding him tenderly, reassuringly. For all his brashness Tony was as Abby often described him. Finding that strong, loving man inside the façade of the never-maturing frat boy had been the best thing to happen to Jethro in many years.
"Love you," Jethro whispered between their brushing lips. "Happy New Year." He was rewarded with a stronger hug and renewed vigor in the kiss. Jethro had his new year's resolution, a ritual he never participated in before. This year was different, though. They'd just celebrated five years together so a resolution was in order. He'd tell Tony he was loved every opportunity he got. "Easy resolution to keep," he whispered.
"What?"
"To tell you I love you."
"Damn," Tony swore, his voice soft with awe. "Damn. You never stop surprising me, Boss."
"Never will. Could say the same about you."
"Has it ever occurred to you that we're very much alike?"
Jethro drew back, his eyebrows high in surprise. "Us?"
"We are. We live a different life inside than what we show to the world."
"I'm not a complicated man, Tony. That's not me. That's you."
Tony snorted. "Right. Boss? I love you too."
End