Title: Snowbound Serenity
Summary: Escaping the demands of their profession, Gibbs and Ducky go to their cabin in the woods…
Fandom: NCIS
Pairing: Leroy Jethro Gibbs/Donald Mallard
Rating: PG13
Word count: 891 words
Notes: Written for snowflake 2024 challenge 11
The NCIS team had just wrapped up a challenging case, and with a rare break in their demanding schedules, Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs and Dr. Donald Mallard found themselves on an unexpected adventure. The weather forecast wasn’t too bad, and getting to their getaway cabin in the mountains would be easy.
As they arrived at the cabin, the snow was already starting to stick to the ground and made their surroundings look white. There was a crackling fire inside the cabin, welcoming them and the pair settled in for a quiet evening of relaxation and decompression.
No paperwork; they could tie up the remaining paperwork on Monday, and no cellphones.
Well, that’s what Gibbs had told Ducky, but he still had his phone active. On mute, but still active.
Just in case.
The following morning, Gibbs awoke to find the world outside transformed into a winter wonderland. The snow had intensified overnight, creating a beautiful landscape. He started breakfast, and couldn’t help but think back to a time where he and Ducky had been younger; much younger, and had been stuck in a terrible snowstorm in some foreign country. Ducky wasn’t supposed to be with him back then, but the young do stupid things and it was a miracle that they hadn’t been discovered. They had been cut off from the world as the phone was out, the heating was out, and their cabin had been buried in the snow. All they could do back then was to wait for help and try to stay warm. Oh, all the creative ways they had found to stay warm…
A fond smile graced his lips as he took a sip of his coffee before he heard the shuffling of Ducky’s feet enter the kitchen. “Mornin’, Duck,” he said as he placed the tea pot on the table. “Slept well?”
“I did, Jethro, thank you,” Ducky replied brightly before looking at him, a little suspicious. “What is that smile?”
“Oh, nothing, I was just thinking back to when we were snowed in…”
Ducky looked at him for a moment and sat down in his chair before breaking out in a big smile. “That time where we had to get… creative?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, that was a lot of fun, dear,” Ducky replied. “Despite the circumstances.”
Gibbs nodded and pointed out of the window. “The weather took a turn, we’re covered in snow.”
“Oh, well, how about we take a stroll through the woods then, Jethro?” His eyes having that mischievous glint as he buttered his toast, and a playful smile on his lips.
After breakfast, they wrapped up in warm coats and scarves, venturing out into the silent wilderness. The snow crunched beneath their boots and the only sounds were the occasional chirping of distant birds. As they walked hand in hand, the world seemed to slow down around them.
Gibbs knew that they couldn’t venture out that far, while Ducky’s mobility was still amazing, he was having some trouble navigating through the thick coat of snow and Gibbs didn’t want him to tire that quickly. He stopped them in a clearing and took in the breathtaking scenery. The snowflakes danced around them, almost like magic.
Ducky, with his ever-present warmth, smiled at his lover. “Isn’t this remarkable, Jethro? Nature has a way of reminding us of life’s simple pleasures, and how beautiful life can be.”
“Yeah, Duck,” Gibbs nodded and took a deep breath. “It’s peaceful alright.”
Standing there, the snow continued to fall, covering them in a thin layer of white. Gibbs pulled Ducky closer, savoring the rare freedom they experienced. There was no need to hide here; and the silence was comfortable.
“Hey, Duck?” Gibbs asked after a while, still holding his lover in his arms as they were standing in the clearing.
“Yes, Jethro?”
“Can we do this more often?”
Ducky let out a chuckle as he looked up to his lover. “I was wondering when you’d ask me that! I had started to feel sorry for the cabin for us not to visit it that often!”
Gibbs barked out a laugh. “Okay, workaholic!”
“Look who’s talking!” Ducky replied playfully.
Brushing some snow off of Ducky’s shoulders, and off of his hair, Gibbs kissed him gently, feeling the cold on Ducky’s lips. “Let’s go back inside,” he said softly. “I have a feeling we have to get creative again to get you warm…”
Ducky returned Gibbs’ kiss with a twinkle in his eye. “Ah, creativity in the face of cold, my favourite challenge. Lead the way, dearest.”
They headed back to the cabin, and once inside the warmth of the fire enveloped them. Helping Ducky out of his thick layers of clothing before his own, Gibbs couldn’t help but appreciate the coziness of the cabin – a haven untouched by the demands of their profession.
“So, which creative endeavor shall we embark upon today to stay warm?” Ducky asked with a mischievous glint in his eyes as he walked into Gibbs’ warm embrace.
Gibbs smirked, a playful fire in his gaze. “Well, I remember there was a technique involving blankets… some rope… a mountain of pillows…”
Ducky raised an eyebrow. “A mountain of pillows, you say? Sounds positively scandalous, Jethro.”
Gibbs chuckled. “Scandalous is our middle name, Duck.”
“Too right, dearest,” Ducky replied as he softly kissed him. “Too right indeed…”