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Abby is the first to arrive and she hangs a sprig of mistletoe in the doorway to the kitchen immediately. Gibbs kisses her cheek as he often does and shoos her into the den.
When Tony arrives with several bags, she cheerfully helps bring them inside. It isn’t until he turns to fetch the last one out of his car that he notices the mistletoe and grins at her flirtatiously. Then he disappoints her by kissing her on the cheek Gibbs had left untouched.
They spend ten minutes arranging gifts under the tree, food on a side table, and a small bar area on the bookcase beside the tree.
While they await the others Tony dances her about the den to the upbeat stylings of whichever boy band has put out a cover of jingle bell rock this year. He twirls her into Gibbs’ arms when the bell rings and heads off to greet Ducky warmly.
While Tony takes Ducky’s gifts to the tree Abby moves to greet the doctor, who has disappeared into the kitchen. Ducky chuckles at the mistletoe but gamely gives her a proper kiss.
Jackson arrives next and kisses her cheek without getting near the mistletoe. She misses the next few arrivals as Jack makes a show of mixing two distinctly different batches of eggnog, one heavy on the nutmeg and the other heavy on the rum.
When she offers to refrigerate the results Senior, whose arrival she missed, catches her on her way back and kisses her dramatically. Feeling impish she kisses him back for a second. Tony groans uncomfortably.
A game of Pictionary is underway when, while Tim is embellishing a drawing of something that is, apparently, not a duck, she glances up just in time to see Fornell exiting the kitchen as Gibbs gets to the doorway and calls across the room, “You have to kiss!”
Gibbs laughs and smacks a quick noisy kiss to Fornell’s lips, grinning broadly at the FBI agent’s scowl.
After her second glass of flammable eggnog Ziva just about parks herself beneath the mistletoe. Senior obliges purposefully. Fornell pauses his journey to the restroom to give her a peck on the lips and a playful nudge away from the doorway. Gibbs kisses her forehead absently as he brings out a pot of coffee. When she catches Tony by the elbow he shocks her (and amuses both Abby and Jack) by kissing the point of her cheekbone farthest from her lips.
Tim, also tipsy, kisses her like he means it and escorts her to a seat near the Christmas tree before the shock of Tony’s deflection wears off.
Jack and Tim are the next to end up beneath the mistletoe, and Jack hauls Tim down forcibly by his elbow to kiss his forehead. Tim blushes but smiles as he turns away. Where Tony kisses his cheek in passing. He looks adorably confused afterwards.
Fornell and Tony are clearing glasses before the gift exchange when Jack admonishes, “That still counts, boys!”
In a move that now seems practiced Tony stoops down and drops a kiss on Fornell’s cheek with an amused declaration of “It is tradition, after all.”
The gifts are mostly met with warm affection, whether they are thoughtfully or playfully chosen.
The exception is Senior, who is gifted (by Jack, it is important to note) a mug that says “World’s [large blank space] Father” on it. He splutters indignantly and demands to know what Jack thinks he’s saying.
Jack replies, “That you have a child.”
Tony ends the standoff by suggesting a game of cards against humanity.
When the game ends Tony asks Jackson if he needs anything. Jack requests a coffee that won’t double as paint thinner.
Gibbs had disappeared to parts unknown just before the last round of the game and meets Tony in the kitchen doorway with a pleased grin. Contrary to his prior behavior Tony pauses as they near and wraps a gentle hand around the back of Gibbs’ neck before leaning in and kissing him like there’s no tomorrow. Gibbs in turn wraps his free arm around Tony’s waist and pulls him closer to deepen the kiss.
Abby feels like she should be wolf whistling but surprise has her staring silently instead. She is far from the only one. Not that she’s aware of anything but the floor show.
When the kiss reluctantly ends Tony’s arm slides down to Gibbs’ waist and he turns to survey the rest of the room. His cheeks color lightly as he gently ribs his father.
With a quicker peck (much like the one Gibbs had given Fornell earlier) Tony disappears into the kitchen.
Gibbs hands his father the sweater he’s brought to him and allows Ducky to engage him in conversation as if he hasn’t just made out with one of his team. He doesn’t so much as glance at the other inhabitants of the room, save another quick check on Jack as he sits in an armchair.
Abby wants to question him, demand answers and pout or cajole until they’re provided. She knows without question that she’d be pouting or cajoling until someone else pulled her away, answers firmly withheld.
Tim and Ziva, arguing at whispered volume, are clearly as shocked as she is and are unlikely to know anything.
In lieu of adding fuel to their argument she retreats to the sofa between Senior and Fornell, who is looking toward the kitchen as if the answers to life’s big questions, the ones not answerable with a 42 at any rate, are in the leaves of the mistletoe.
By the time Tony is making his way over to her she has considered and discarded half a dozen opening questions.
That his opening gambit is to flirt throws her off, despite it being in line with his usual behavior.
But his tone when Fornell just assumes a deeper meaning is rich with simple, uncomplicated happiness that her other questions float away on a wave of understanding.
Senior’s tone draws Gibbs’ attention and he is quickly at Tony’s side, casually touching with an ease that speaks of their years together.
As if making up for lost opportunities they touch almost literally the entire rest of the night.