NCIS early s6 - the Comeback of Gay

[cimorene]

So perhael and I were having a friendly debate about the Meet The Folks episode of NCIS, whatever it's called, wherein Tony is the only one who cyber-stalks Gibbs and hacks into his files (Tony can hack?), and Gibbs's father gives Tony a cardigan apparently purchased at the Gap, and Gibbs hasn't spoken to his father in decades because he brought a date to Gibbs's wife's funeral, and Gibbs flashes back to his youth and takes home a sweet, sweet car.

Earlier Lilah and I had decided that Agent Afloat was clearly the precursor to first-time Tony/Gibbs, because besides his extra smiles and expressions of affection, and all his stressing about getting Tony back, Gibbs actually Takes the First Step by ~shaking his hand.~

The question in our minds was whether it was (a) a handshake of Bow-Chicka-Wow, ie the indication that Gibbs was about to haul Tony down to the Basement of Seductive Woodwork; (b) the handshake of Intent, ie Gibbs was just giving Tony fair warning that he was going to court him speedily, but he let him get a good night's sleep before hauling him into bed; or (c) the handshake of Gibbs coming to terms with their Looove in some way that doesn't lead to immediate sex, like if he was going to let things develop slowly or something.

Because, see, when they're visiting Gibbs's hometown, and Gibbs is understandably off-balance, it kind of read to me like besides being off-balance about his unhappy teenage memories and his wife and his dad he wasn't entirely certain of Tony. I was reading a hint of wistfulness and also tension or apprehension into his manner, directed at and caused by Tony respectively. perhael agreed with me, but the question is: Was it just new relationship jitters, everything being too new to feel completely established (scenarios a and b)? Was it Meet the Parents jitters, cause it's not like Gibbs was planning to introduce Tony to his dad yet (still a-b)? Or was it is-this-really-going-where-I-think-it-is second-guessing because their relationship is still at a stage of unspoken and tenuous mutual understanding, and Gibbs is suddenly wondering exactly how mutual the understanding was (scenario c), or whether it was a good idea after all?

This was my first reading, that they hadn't actually quite had sex yet. The wistfulness, or longing might be a better word, that I was reading into those series of Looks when Tony made his entrance at the general store, Lilah argued convincingly and decidedly for the new relationship interpretation. It's not that I can't see that, of course, I totally can. (Tony in particular seems more assured, but then, Tony is nothing if not good at picking up signals, so even if they were in a place of mounting UST and mutual understanding, just the understanding would be enough.) But I can still see both of them. I'm still batting them back and forth in my head a few days after.

Comments

handshake of gay

[shusu.livejournal.com]

Note that Gibbs's previous senior agent, Stan, whose penis Tony was all anxious about, said it was YEARS before Gibbs shook his hand. I did the math at one time, but I can't currently check "High Seas" for the confirmation.

Hope this data point helps your cause.

Re: handshake of gay

[cimness.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, I later decided that they were already having sex and it was meet the folks jitters. But you're right, he did say that, or more like that it was years before he called him by name. 5 years, I think he said. But at season 6, Tony has been working at NCIS for 8 years, so the handshake isn't premature by any means.