Journey Series: Ellick

I Broke It First

He didn't hear him coming. That was one of the things he liked about him. Another was, he never felt the need to ask where he was. He always just knew. The only reason he was okay with it was because he knew he was there. He was just the slightest bit prideful over the fact that no one had snuck up on him and gotten away with it before. He knew he was waiting on the steps. They both knew. It was like a game to them.

Gibbs knew that they could play this game all night. The things he liked about Torres also irked him. Torres could hold his stare, ask all the right questions, be just as quiet, just as sneaky. Gibbs spoke first.

"I was kind of starting to wonder when you'd show up back here. It only took you what? Six years?" He turned away from his boat to face Torres sitting on the steps. Standing up, Torres shrugged. "You know why I'm here," he said. Direct, concise. Just enough, but not too much. And the tone! It was safe to say that Gibbs had met his match. "Bishop," Gibbs said. Torres rubbed his hand over his face, "Yeah, Ellie. Gibbs..." There was a pause. A gleam sparked in Gibbs's flinty grey eyes. The slight hesitation was a good sign in his eyes. Still respects me. "...I'm in love with her." "Well, I've known that," Gibbs said.

"Rule 12," were Torres's next words. "Yeah," Gibbs asked. He slid on an expression that said, Say it, I dare you. The younger man passed with flying colors. "I'm breaking it whether you're okay with it or not." Gibbs chuckled. He grabbed a small glass bottle from his workbench and handed it to Torres. The younger man handled the bottle carefully, watching the charred bits of paper shift inside. Gibbs heard the small hitch in his breath when the realization kicked in. Patting Torres on the shoulder he said, "I broke it first Torres."